Gem is sitting cross-legged on the floor of her guest room with her eyes closed, events of the summit going through her head. Representing the hive has been a straining task, but mostly due to the stress of what might happen if she made a mistake rather than from actual effort. As an infiltrator, it wasn’t a big deal to memorize the requirements from the dwarves, and it’s not as if the other rulers wanted to talk to the changelings too much anyway at this point. The biggest problem was not having much time to regain love since the boss left.
Still, her headache isn’t helping her effort at figuring out which nobles she might be able to talk to to defuse the situation.
*Thud thud thud!*
“Aaah?!” she yelps. She must have been so lost in thought she didn’t hear hoofsteps approaching outside.
The door slams open, a pair of Royal Guards rushing inside, spears at the ready. Seeing Gem on the floor, staring at them with eyes wide, one quickly scans the room for any threats, and the other one approaches her.
“Are you okay, miss Gem?” he offers her a hoof which Gem takes. He helps back on all fours, “We heard a scream.”
“You just suprised me with that loud knocking,” Gem steadies her voice, “I was just preparing myself for tomorrow’s meeting before going to bed.”
“Ah,” the unicorn backs off, “I apologize, but there has been an attack, so we wanted to make sure you and other diplomats were okay-”
“And when you heard loud voice you barged in, I get it,” Gem nods, “Who was attacked? Did Star Trail get away again?”
“One of queen Chrysalis’ top changelings just tried to kill steward Vargaz,” he reports and adds in a hushed tone, “As if griffons needed more reasons to hate changelings...”
That actually makes Gem’s mind freeze, because it makes zero sense. She voices the opinion.
“Why would Chrysalis do that?” she can’t help herself, “That’s just so… stupid.”
“The queen is being detained and interrogated as we speak,” replies the unicorn.
“May I see her? This doesn’t feel like her at all,” Gem shakes her head, “I mean, her hive is mostly safe, changelings at large aren’t being hunted with torches and pitchforks, so why would she order something like this?”
“The hearing is being held in the throne room, miss Gem,” the unicorn replies, “Other representatives are no doubt setting up to grill queen Chrysalis as we speak.”
“Alright, let’s go,” Gem nodded.
A quick mental poke reveals that none of Two, Eleven, or Cryo are in any danger, so she follows the guards to the throne room relatively at ease.
Most of the other head diplomats are already there, usually with a bodyguard or two. Celestia and Luna are on their thrones while Chrysalis is sitting inside a magical circle, forelegs crossed on her chest, and suppressor fitted around her horn.
“Look, I’m telling you I’ve been doing this every summit since I joined. None of you can tell me with a straight face you don’t have spies around-”
“You REPLACED a high-ranking guard, monster!” a griffon yells into Chrysalis’ face, making Vargaz standing by his side wince, “Where is he?!”
Chrysalis rubs her ears for show.
“In one of our guest rooms,” she rolls her eyes, “Look, I have no idea why Four did what she did, and since you haven’t let me examine the body-”
“You mean tamper with evidence, bug!” a dragon opens his jaw, letting out a small burst of fire.
“My question is,” Vargaz raises his voice to be heard over the angry murmurs of everyone around, “If your subordinate infiltrated my ranks on your orders but attacked me for some unknown reason, are there more potential threats like this?”
“Come on, you can’t believe her-” a griffon diplomat looks at Vargaz, and shuts up as soon as the steward raises his foreleg.
From the corner of her eye, Gem notices warlord Darkhorn whisper something to a minotaur by his side who immediately heads out of the throne room.
Chrysalis sighs.
“I suppose it is possible,” she answers Vargaz’s question with a shrug, “Look, I’ll recall everyone if it makes you feel better, but since I know I wasn’t involved in this, you really should play it safe-”
“Your Highness!” Ivan Ivanov speaks up, “We request your assistance in detecting changelings among our retinue immediately. This is a matter which could irreparably damage our relationship with Equestria, since you’re harboring a potential murderer.”
“...I was about to say that...” mutters Chrysalis.
“Ahem,” Celestia looks at Luna, “Sister?”
“From all I can sense, queen Chrysalis is speaking the truth,” Luna raises her hoof immediately to stop the objections from the audience, “However, even I can’t be a hundred percent certain with someone as skilled in deception as Chrysalis, so I advise house arrest for her and all her companions. We will, of course, help with sweeping the retinues.”
“I already said I’d recall everyone, and that you can find all replaced members in our guest rooms,” Chrysalis gives it one more shot.
“And what about THEM?” the zebra delegate turns around, pointing at Gem, “They’re changelings too. Who knows if we can trust-”
“Don’t finish that sentence unless you want to deal with changelings you will never find, and who will not fail like Chrysalis’ did,” Gem hisses at him.
Silence spreads through the room at the threat.
“I object to this-” a different zebra whom Gem now recognizes as the one who ‘attempted’ to woo One when the summit started opens his mouth again.
“SILENCE!” the bellow comes from Darkhorn who gives the zebra a burning glare, “King Beard’s changelings fled from Chrysalis in the first place. There is no one who would want to cooperate with her less than them.”
“On the other scale,” dragon lord Ember muses, scratching her chin, “In that case if there ever was someone who would want to implicate queen Chrysalis then it would be them. I mean, if we entertain the thought that the queen is telling the truth for a moment.”
“Well...” Chrysalis hums, giving Ember a rather surprised glance, “I hate to admit it, but if there is someone with the skill to force my changelings to do something I don’t want them to, it is Gem here, BUT-” she raises her voice, seeing Gem’s jaw drop, “I know Beard and his changelings. It’s not them, one hundred percent.”
Well thank you very much…
Gem forces her expression under control, nodding at Celestia.
“If you need help detecting changelings, feel free to ask me or Two,” she offers, “I don’t know the full extent of your magic.”
“As if...” mutters a diamond dog delegate to himself.
“Actually,” Vargaz clears his throat, “if you wouldn’t mind, I would like you to accompany me immediately. The faster we deal with this, the sooner we can all put our minds to rest,” he bows to Celestia, “I agree with the house arrest for the queen, and I would appreciate if you would send an expert on detection magic as quickly as possible. I will gather my retinue,” without further ado, he nods at Gem who follows him out.
A Royal Guard unicorn joins them as they wait for all griffons to assemble.
“Is that everyone?” asks Gem, sensing two changelings out of the twenty-three retinue members.
Vargaz nods. Gem immediately points at two disguised infiltrators. They’re playing their roles well enough to fool griffons, but they’re nowhere powerful enough to hide their hive links from her.
To Gem’s surprise, both immediately salute, and transform into changelings.
“Chrysalis has been detained. She’s going to recall you and all the other infiltrators soon. Someone will come for the replaced griffons soon.”
Gem taps into their hive communication just enough not to be noticed, and senses them talking. After a brief exchange, they nod and trot off.
“Anyone else?” asks Vargaz.
“If this is everyone, then no,” Gem shakes her head.
“Good, thank you for your assistance,” Vargaz gives her a small bow, “I appreciate it.”
“No problem,” Gem smiles, “And stay safe. As I said, I’m pretty sure Chrysalis wasn’t lying, and attacking you doesn’t benefit her in the slightest.”
“Oh, don’t worry,” Vargaz waves his talons dismissively, “I’m certain this happened to sow mistrust between the delegates. The real question is who is behind this.”
“I can’t say,” Gem shrugs.
“Then I’d advise you to be careful, I have a gut feeling that this isn’t over. I wish you good night, miss Gem.”
“You too, steward,” Gem bows and leaves.
As soon as she’s out of presumed changeling earshot, Vargaz waits for the Royal Guard unicorn to arrive, and says:
“Scan them all again. Let’s see if our changeling friend was telling the truth.”
***
As Gem strolls back to her room, followed by careful eyes of the Royal Guards stationed everywhere, she hears:
“Gemstone beard, are you free right now?”
“Cryo? What’s wrong?” she replies. It’s rare that the ancient queen communicates on her own with someone other than Two.
“I did diplomacy!” she reports with pride, “I mean… you can now do diplomacy. I delegate. Beard loaves need help finding changelings, and I’m… not smart.”
Gem chuckles. For a queen, Cryo’s sense of self-worth sure is… well, technically pretty accurate. In combat, she knows her strengths, and so does she as far as infiltration goes.
“Sure, I’ll be right there. If it helps keep the diplomatic channels open. Thank you for your good work, Cryo.”
Gem admits she kind of likes the old queen, no matter how weird she is.
“You’d make good boss beard!” Cryo disconnects abruptly after blurting that out, leaving Gem somewhat staggered.
She turns around, and sets course for the yak guest rooms.
“Two, you up?” asks Gem.
“Yeah, yeah...” she yawns in response, “Do you want me to investigate the commotion outside?”
“Chrysalis’ changeling tried to kill Vargaz,” Gem sends Two a quick recap of the situaion.
“Wait, WHAT?!” is Two’s expected reaction.
“I need you to go check up on Darkhorn, help him find the replaced minotaurs before the Royal Guards do,” Gem smirks to herself, “If we show good will before the Royal Guards do their checks-”
“We’ll prove we weren’t lying about wanting to help and that we did good job after the guards confirm we found eveyone,” Two immediately catches on, “I’m on it.”
Impressive. Gem allows herself a moment of pride. One day, if dad decides to walk the world stage openly, Two will become the nightmare of every politician.
“I just hope he’s okay...” Gem breathes out.
***
It’s past midnight, and Canterlot castle is finally slowly going to sleep. Royal Guard unicorns have been replaced by batponies guarding at random both on the ground and in the rafters of high hallways. Two stops in front of one grey, purple-armored batpony, and looks into his slit, golden eyes. The Nightguard stares back, not giving away any emotions, at least to non-changelings. Two can obviously sense his wariness and a hint of annoyance, but the lack of open hostility helps put her at ease.
In the spur of the moment, she opens a window, and jumps out, wings buzzing. Maybe the fresher air of summer night will help her sort things out inside her head.
Looking at the whole summit since they arrived, she notes that the changelings haven’t been attacked at all aside from Three, but always presented as attackers. Granted, boss’ involvement in the original attacks on royalty were bad luck, but it all worked to their advantage in the end. So… now someone is trying to blame Chrysalis who has far less support overall, and for good reason? The thing is, the attacker was her changeling, and changelings simply don’t go against their orders without an extremely good reason. In fact, their own reason rarely actually steps into it.
No, Vargaz was the target because griffons naturally hate changelings the most due to some ancient history. However, the reaction was underwhelming, which means Vargaz suspects that, and is keeping his guys on short leash. That’s great news as far as support goes, and also terrible news, because someone with much less cool head will be the next target. And changelings will be involved… somehow. But how? How could someone force a changeling to act against queen’s orders?
Magic? For once, Two wishes Seven was here. Bribery or personal threats wouldn’t faze a changeling. Hive is everything. Soooo… magic, it has to be, powerful enough to twist the loyalty of a changeling, and to hide its effects from Chrysalis herself. The obvious answer is that the mage who can easily travel to the heavily protected castle and back, and who can fight alicorns on somewhat even grounds would also be able to mind-control a changeling.
Two sighs. Everyone is treating symptoms, but not the disease. The castle isn’t safe, simple as that. As soon as that is solved, most of the threat would be gone like that. So why isn’t Celestia doing anything? Her unicorn specialist checked the castle wards, and found them to be at full power. Is she involved? Probably not.
Growling, she punches the air several times in frustration. She’s not going to figure out anything just by thinking.
She lands atop one of many small turrets and chimneys on the castle roof, and closes her eyes. Calming down is they way to go. As her breathing slows down, she focuses on her hive links, noting that Gem must have gone to sleep after helping the yaks, Eleven is sleeping as well, and Cryo…
Cryo is somewhere outside, Two notes in surprise. Maybe she couldn’t sleep as well? Gently, Two connects to her, her link instinctively letting Two into her head.
Up on the castle roof, Two covers her mouth not to burst out laughing as she looks out of Cryo’s eyes in some dark room filled with workbenches. From her vantage point, Two can see the Royal Guard workshop tucked away neatly by the outer walls of the castle grounds.
“Yak grateful to big blue for all the help,” says Rutherford, nuzzling Cryo’s foreleg, “Yak want to show properly.”
Rutherford grabs Cryo’s huge hoof with his, and starts peppering it with kisses as she lowers it back on the floor. The effect is spoiled by him being unable to reach her chest. To Two’s surprise, Cryo lies down on her belly on the wooden floor, and Rutherford immediately grabs her head, pulling her into a kiss.
Yes, this is how she’s been able to regain love without bothering the boss or Two. Last time, Two had trouble believing that Rutherford’s infatuation with the huge queen was more than just passing interest, but now, as Cryo rolls over on her back and Rutherford continues his trail of kisses down her neck and onto her belly, Two can feel his… genuine love. Of course, a loooot of lust too.
Two disconnects. She isn’t attracted to yaks whatsoever, and doesn’t intend to risk Cryo noticing her snooping inside the queen’s head, although with Rutherford going further and further south of the equator the chance of her focusing on anything other than the yak is miniscule at best.
Maybe juuuuust a peek. A scientific interest as to how the lust logistics work between such massive mare like Cryo and someone comparatively tiny as Rutherford. Although, other than dragons, everyone is comparatively tiny to Cryo.
She blushes instantly, and disconnects this time for good.
“...ooooookay, that’s another blow for the zebras...” she takes to the air, and heads for her room, “...size definitely isn’t everything.”
***
Thankfully, the rest of the night was uneventful.
Gem slowly descends the few steps into the ballroom, yawning and wandering whether or not she should allow herself to metabolize coffee. She enjoys the scent immensely, but the taste… coffee tastes like licking a dusty hoof. Having done both, she has a proper frame of reference.
There are few diplomats sitting around already, enjoying their breakfast. Of course, after the events of yesterday, the eating and clanking of cutlery stops for a moment as they notice Gem, and all shoot suspicious glares her way. Unwilling to try anyone’s obviously already strained patience, Gem opts to sit alone at the far corner of the table. To her surprise, Celestia joins her in less than five minutes, and a servant brings her a cup of tea as well as a big, jello cake. She licks her lips, and her levitating spoon digs into the jello. In light of the shown support, Gem waves at a servant, orders the tempting coffee, and watches the room slowly fill with diplomats.
After twenty minutes, a yak guard approaches the princess, and bows.
“Your Highness, yak report prince Rutherford not returned from his night walk,” the air in the room grows heavy as all the clanking of eating creatures quietens down, and all heads turn towards the yak guard, “Yak no want assume worst, but yak humbly request help.”
“Two, Eleven, wake up right now,” orders Gem, and quickly senses both links opening, “Rutherford disappeared. I need you to go look for him immediately.”
“Rutherford?” Two yawns, “I saw him late at night with Cryo in the Royal Guard workshop on the castle grounds. They had another one of their moments of amore.”
“Damn it! If anyone saw them-”
An earthpony maid currently refilling a plate of scones clears her throat, and says:
“May I say something, your Highness?”
“Do you know anything about this?” Celestia looks down at her.
“My sister was on the night shift last night, and when she was refilling the lavender holders on the third floor, she saw a yak leaving the castle with this huuuuuge changeling, even bigger than you, your Highness.”
And now everyone is staring at Gem, even Celestia.
“Holes damn it!” she curses, “CRYO, WHERE IS RUTHERFORD?!”
She can feel Cryo’s ears splay back under the wave of Gem’s unprecendented anger.
“Beard… loaf… is cocooned in my… bathroom…?” she replies meekly.
“Care to explain why?” Gem’s voice turns to a cold hiss.
“He asked for it,” replies Cryo simply.
“Do you mean the threatening kind of ‘he asked for it’ or that he literally asked for it?”
“I… uhh… what does the first one mean?” Gem can feel panic rising in Cryo’s mind, clouding her already difficult to read thoughs.
Gem takes a deep breath. The slow flow of time in the hive mind is giving her the opportunity to think before answering in the real world.
“Cryo, please, why did you cocoon Rutherford?”
“Beard loaf asked me to do it! I told him I was hungry because boss didn’t allow us to cocoon anyone here, even the unimportant ponies, so he offered to help me the changeling way. I had no idea it would be a problem for the boss.”
“Alright, alright, calm down,” Gem breathes out, “Just get Rutherford out. I expect you’ll have company in few minutes. Two, help Cryo release Rutherford, and bring them both here. Embarrassment of this magnitude is still better than open war.”
“On it!” Two jumps out of the bed, and immediately rushes out of the room.
Gem facehoofs in the real world.
“Please, everyone, calm down-” she opens her mouth.
“WE KNEW THEY WOULD ATTACK AGAIN!” the Stalliongrad delegate Ivan points at Gem.
“A changeling is a changeling in the end, no matter whom they pretend to serve,” growls a griffon diplomat. This time, Vargaz doesn’t stop him, which sends chills down Gem’s spine.
“Admitting weakness is a heresy to us,” growls Ember, “But a relentless enemy who can look like us and strike anwhere while we aren’t allowed to strike back, Celestia? That worries even me.”
“We are this close to leaving the summit unless you kick those monsters out for good,” a zebra lord scowls at Celestia, “Protecting them after all this is practically an act of war!”
Celestia raises her hoof.
“Did you want to say something, miss Gem?”
Gem slowly faces everyone.
“Cryo and Two will bring prince Rutherford momentarily, and explain the situation. Let me assure you, the prince is absolutely okay.”
“How can we believe that?” the zebra barks back at her.
“Princess Celestia’s guards can check that he isn’t a changeling in disguise, and-”
“Who knows what mind triggers and controls you put on him?” the aggressive griffon presses on.
“I will call on my sister. She is the best mental magic user, and she’s naturally gifted at sensing inconsistencies. She’s going to be mad to be woken up this early, but I suppose it’s the only way we can be sure.”
“...Nightmare Moon...” mumbles someone.
“ENOUGH OF THIS!” Celestia bursts out, making everyone lean back as her mane turns into flames, “I understand your concerns regarding the unknown, but no one is going to accuse my sister of still being a possessed monster. She’s proven herself many times over against dangers none of you heard about exactly because she and others work tirelessly in the shadows to protect you,” she turns to the shaking maid by her side, “Bring my sister here immediately.”
“O- Of course, y- your Highness.”
“Thank you.”
The maid scampers off, and everyone slowly sits down as Celestia’s mane turns to her normal floating rainbow, and she takes a sip of her tea.
Some hushed conversations later, Two’s head peeks through the big door of the ballroom.
“Okay, no one seems to be at each other’s throats, so-”
“Ah, good morning, Two-” a pleasant voice just by her head speaks up, its gentle touch of breath tickling her ear.
“YAHHH!” the infiltrator turns into a spark of fire and bolts through the door faster than the eye can see. As she rematerializes, she’s standing with her head facing the door, baring her teeth.
Princess Luna, smirk on her face, enters next, followed by Rutherford, and in the end enters Cryo, head hung low… which still leaves her towering over anyone but the alicorns.
“To what do I owe the pleasure of being woken up so shortly after finally falling asleep?” Luna raises an eyebrow at the obviously thick atmosphere of the ballroom.
“Guards, sister,” Celestia speaks up, “Would you kindly make sure that the prince Rutherford here with us is the real deal? It seems that he disappeared without telling his retinue not to worry, and it caused quite the stir with our other guests.”
Luna understands immediately, and nods. He horn flashes, and so does the Royal Guard unicorn’s in the ballroom. He exchanges glances with Luna, and says:
“This is indeed the real prince Rutherford.”
“And don’t worry, I can’t sense any lingering changeling influence or mental magic on him,” adds Luna.
Gem is pretty certain that not even Luna would be able to detect subtle manipulations of a changeling on the level of Comfort with just a glance and some quick spell, but she sure as hole isn’t going to point that out right now.
“Your Highness,” Celestia walks up to Rutherford, “May you enlighten us as to why you decided to disappear without telling any of your retinue? The other guests were quick to place blame on the changelings, and I in all good conscience cannot fault them for it, especially in the light of yesterday’s events.”
Rutherford scratches his head, and Gem is pretty sure she caught a glimpse of a blush under all that hair. He takes a long breath, then an even longer pause during which he exchanges glances with the diplomats now surrounding him in a half circle.
“Yak must come clean,” he announces in the end, “Yak in love with big blue since the moment yak lay eyes on her,” when everyone is completely silent, jaws, beaks, maws,or muzzles open in shock, awe, and likely horror, Rutherford continues, “Yak and big blue deepen diplomatic relations, if you know what yak mean,” Rutherford’s brows move up and down conspiratorially, and several diplomats’ faces turn green at the idea, “Last night, yak took big blue out, but big blue too big for yak. Yak the best, but not even yak big enough for this lady,” he looks back at Cryo who shuffles backwards in an attempt to hide behind Two. which turns out to be exactly as successful as you might think, “So big blue offered yak to teach changeling courtship ways. In the heat of the moment, yak agreed.”
“Changeling courtship?” Gem raises an eyebrow, “As far as I recall, if changelings wanted someone, they just cocooned- ohhhh...”
“Yak only wanted to be in cocoon for one day,” Rutherford continues to gradually break the imaginations of everyone, “But yak forgot big blue very literal-minded, so yak woke up too late. Yak apologize for any inconvenience, especially after yesterday.”
The snap of Vargaz’s talons rings through the now silent ballroom.
“Liquor, now!” he orders. Quietly, he adds, “There’s a mental picture that needs a mental eraser.”
“Seconded!” Ivan Ivanov stomps his hoof in agreement, and servants start rushing around with renewed vigor.
“Now that everything has been cleared out, would big blue accompany yak for a private breakfast fit for a changeling?” Rutherford passes Two, and wiggles his eyebrows at Cryo.
The remaining tea inside Celestia’s levitating cup evaporates.