//------------------------------// // Demutatus // Story: Fun With Changelings // by Shukumei //------------------------------// The sounds of running water filled the apartment. Wubsy dozed contentedly on the bed in a spot of warm sunlight streaming in from the window as the apartment's other two occupants shared a shower a couple rooms away. "Vinyl, what are you doing?" Octavia's voice filtered through the sound of the hot water falling. "I wanna try something. Just don't squirm and let me get in position." "Wait Vinyl, I don't think this is safe. One of us is going to slip and... mmmmm." "See? I told you to trust me. That's not bad, right?" "Vinyl, where did you learn... Ah!" "Just shut up and enjoy it, Tavi." "That's amazing. Don't stop... Oh Celestia, that feels incredible..." "I don't plan on stopping anytime soon. Not with that look on your face." Octavia's moans wafted through the apartment thick, heavy and sweet like fragrant honey as Vinyl tended to her under the soothing stream of hot water. "Vinyl, I'm getting close!" "Shhhh. Don't talk. Just enjoy it." Octavia did just that, making a mostly vain attempt to stifle herself. She looked to be on the verge of reaching her ecstasy when the two mares heard a loud knock on the door. Vinyl cursed softly at the interruption. Octavia sighed. "They always seem to come calling when you're in the shower, don't they?" "I say we ignore them," Vinyl smiled. "Pretend we're not here." Octavia very reluctantly shook her head. "And what if it's important? No, I think it would be better to answer it." Octavia shut off the water and pulled the shower curtain aside and was just about to step out when Vinyl put a hoof on her shoulder. "Wait, let's think about this for a moment. When was the last time we answered the door to good news?" Octavia shrugged off her hoof with a smile. "Now Vinyl, we can't exactly spend the rest of our lives refusing to answer the door. Vinyl gave her that trademark mischievous smirk. "I never suggested that. I'm just saying we should spend the rest of our shower refusing to answer the door." The knock came again, louder and more insistent this time. Octavia hurriedly toweled off and exited the bathroom, followed closely by Vinyl, who was still dripping slightly. Octavia opened the door and both of them stared in surprise at the mint-green pony currently occupying the doorstep. "Lyra?" Octavia said, barely believing that the mare currently standing before her would want to have anything to do with her after the events at CLEaR three days prior. "Hello Octavia, Vinyl." Lyra said softly. "I came to apologize. What you did for me made me see just how mistaken I was. I know now that you're not a changeling, and I'm sorry for accusing you." Octavia's jaw dropped. If you had asked her that morning to list the ten most improbable things that could happen in Ponyville that day, Lyra coming to apologize would have been listed just under Fluttershy slaying a dragon and Celestia descending from Canterlot in radiant glory to do the chicken dance in the town square. "I was wrong" Lyra continued. "I thought carefully about everything that happened. For instance I figured out there's no way you could have fooled the detection spell. You really are … well, you." Octavia was about to speak when Lyra interrupted her. "I also figured out that if you're not the changeling, you must know where it is.” Lyra gave a nod and four royal guards walked up to take their places on each side of her. The guards stood menacingly beside Lyra and then one of them turned. “Are these the ponies?” “Eeyup,” came the matter-of-fact voice of a red stallion that walked into view at that moment. The second guard cleared his throat. “This stallion claims to have spoken to the two of you while you were in the presence of a changeling. He stated that he found you in the presence of one Carrot Top just after the attack on Canterlot and spoke to her at length. He later spoke to Carrot Top and was informed that she was still in Canterlot during the time period in question. Carrot Top has confirmed his testimony. This is sufficient evidence to search your home for changelings–forcibly if necessary,” he added as Vinyl defiantly pawed the ground. Octavia was shell-shocked and Vinyl defiantly glared as two of the guards marched into their home without invitation and began to thoroughly search the living room, opening closets and cupboards and inspecting every inch of possible hiding place. Lyra hurried to Octavia. “Octavia, if you can hear me right now I need to thank you. It never occurred to me that the changeling might be mind-controlling you. After you got me removed from CLEaR, I had to think about it very carefully and I finally came up with the solution. If you hadn’t gotten me expelled I would never have thought of looking outside of town for proof. I want to thank you for fighting back and giving me that clue.” Octavia gaped in utter astonishment. “Lyra, you don’t understand! Wubsy isn’t like the other changelings! she’s nothing like the ones that imprisoned you, I swear. You’re making a huge mistake.” “Don’t worry, Octavia,” Lyra said soothingly. “It’ll be all over soon. We’ll put an end to the changeling and its spell will be broken. You’ll have your mind back.” Having finished searching through the living room, the guards began to search the adjoining rooms as well. They searched the bathroom first but quickly moved on after finding only towels there. Then they opened the door to the bedroom and walked inside. Octavia and Vinyl shared a panicked look and a moment later there was the distinct sound of a minor struggle and Wubsy, vainly disguised as Carrot Top, was dragged out of the bedroom between them looking terrified and confused. Vinyl and Octavia moved as one, blocking their path to the door. “You can’t take her!” Octavia shouted, surprising even herself. “I won’t let you! She wouldn’t harm a fly and I’m not going to allow you to just drag her off in chains!” The guards seemed to expect this reaction. “Don’t worry ladies, your feelings in the matter are most likely due to changeling mind-control magic. Once she’s been safely dealt with, you should have your minds to yourselves again and can go about your lives in peace.” With that, they roughly forced their way past the mares and back out onto the street. Octavia turned desperately to Lyra. “Lyra, please–you don’t know her like we do. You’re persecuting an innocent creature who has never done anything to hurt anypony.” Lyra grimaced sympathetically. “Oh my poor Octavia. I know what you’re going through. It’s so hard having another mind forced onto yours, hearing their thoughts and being powerless to resist their will. Don’t worry. I’m here to free you.” Lyra motioned to the two other guards who were waiting outside the door. “Take these two into custody–but please, don’t hurt them. With the changeling in control of them there’s a good chance they might try something to allow her to escape. We just need to restrain them until the changeling is dealt with.” The guards stepped forward and one of them took hold of the nearly-catatonic Octavia. The other guard had a bit more trouble with Vinyl who fought and bucked furiously but eventually he was able to wrestle her to the ground and restrain her. Lyra and her two guards led Octavia and Vinyl out of the apartment heading in the general direction of the town square. “I know you’re angry now but you’ll thank me for this once the changeling is gone,” Lyra explained as they walked, her voice almost apologetic for the rough measures she had to resort to, even though it was for Octavia’s protection. “Soon you’ll be safe, Octavia. That’s all I want here. I just want you to be safe.” “We were perfectly safe until you showed up!” Vinyl shouted angrily at her as the guard’s magical restraints forced her to follow. “Every time you show up things just get worse. If I were a different pony I could really grow to hate you, Lyra.” Lyra looked back to face the DJ currently fighting to resist the magical energies around her hooves, the guards turning to face her as well. “Vinyl, that really hurts. Despite the friction we’ve had in the past, I know you make Octavia happy and that’s all I’ve ever wanted for her. I don’t hold anything against you. In fact I’m hoping that after this ugliness is over we could become friends. Maybe once this is over you’ll see it was all for the–” Lyra never got to finish the sentence as Vinyl recognized her opportunity and took it. With Lyra and both guards facing her she pushed power into her horn causing it to light up into a blinding flash. Lyra shouted and dove to the ground, expecting something more violent than bright light while the guards shielded their eyes from the flash. In the split second that their focus waned, Vinyl turned her magic on the restraints and was able to force them to dissipate. By the time the guards were able to see again, Vinyl was rushing through the gathering crowd. “Go after her!” Lyra screamed. “I’ll stay here and make sure nothing happens to Octavia! Go!” The guard who had been in charge of Vinyl nodded and took off in hot pursuit of the tricky white unicorn. --- “Vinyl, what’s going on?” Twilight asked as Vinyl rushed up to her breathlessly, pushing through the crowd that was quickly growing in number. “You don’t know?” Vinyl almost shouted, prancing in place with anxiety. “Lyra showed up with the royal guard and they just dragged Wubsy off!”  Twilight gasped. “Oh Celestia no... Nopony came to me with it. Each of the CLEaR leaders have the authority to mobilize the guard. Lyra must have gone to Colgate and given her some sort of evidence.” Vinyl nodded. “Yeah. She showed up with Big Mac. Apparently he got to talking with Carrot Top and realized that she had been in Canterlot when we ran into him. Wubsy was using her as a disguise then.” Twilight quickly processed this information. “There’s nothing we can do about that now. They know she’s a changeling and we can’t change that. Where is Octavia?” “The guard have her in custody. They had me too but I was able to make a break for it. I have one of them on my tail so I don’t have long.” “Alright. Get moving then. Try to keep them busy as long as possible.” Vinyl agreed. “What are you going to do?” Twilight turned toward the library. “I’m going to do the only thing I know that might help: I’m calling in reinforcements.” With that, Twilight galloped off to the library. She threw the door open, screaming for Spike to join her as she rushed to her writing desk and produced parchment and quill. Spike bumbled down the stairs rubbing his eyes sleepily. “What is it, Twilight?” Twilight fought back tears as she dipped the quill in her inkwell. “We need to send an urgent letter to Celestia.” With that she set the point of her quill to the parchment and began to write. Dear Princess Celestia, I write you today to alert you to a matter of grave importance and urgency. Even as I write this letter, one of your most innocent and pure subjects is the target of a horrid injustice and I fear is in danger of losing her life. --- Vinyl was marched into town square by the guard, who had finally recovered her and re-implemented the magical shackles. She wouldn’t be able to pull the same trick twice. They were expecting it now and would be ready. Vinyl felt a stab of fear as she saw Wubsy standing on the raised area in the middle of the crowd, likewise shackled and forced to stand there enduring the withering scorn of the angry townsponies as they hurtled their hurtful words at her. Octavia, having finally overcome the sheer shock, still looked distraught and panicked as Vinyl was guided alongside her. “Tavi! I found Twilight. She’s calling for reinforcements.” “I hope she hurries. The crowd is going crazy. There’s whispers that they’re going to execute Wubsy.” Vinyl froze, a chill running along her spine. “Th-they wouldn’t do that though, right? They wouldn’t just kill her.” “I’m not so sure. There’s a hefty dose of mob mentality here. Ponies are scared and they don’t know what to do. Add to that the fact that everypony just assumes she’s a mindless and dangerous animal and it may come down to them deciding she needs to be destroyed. I tried to talk some sense into them, but they all think I’m under changeling mind control. A few of the CLEaR leaders are in city hall right now discussing the situation with the mayor. I gotta say, Vinyl, it doesn’t look good.” Vinyl fidgeted nervously. “Well we gotta do something then! We’ll stop them! We’ll make sure they can’t kill Wubsy!” Octavia looked even more downtrodden. “Alright. I’m all for it but how? Nothing we can say is going to come off as anything but changeling trickery, and the crowd is hardly in a listening mood as it is. If we push too far they might decide that we... No. I can’t think about it. It’s too horrific to think that way about our friends.” At that moment the doors to city hall opened and the mayor walked out into the square, followed by three of the CLEaR leaders in their brown vests. She cleared her throat and the crowd fell silent, waiting to hear her decision. “After hearing the situation presented to me by the CLEaR leaders and contemplating it carefully, I have come to the conclusion that this creature presents a real and sizable threat to this town and its inhabitants. As mayor, it is my duty to act in the best interest of this town and its safety. To that end I have granted the CLEaR team discretion in this matter to do as they feel best. They have elected to destroy the changeling.” A sudden cry of triumph erupted from the crowd, completely drowning out the shrieks of horror from two ponies amongst hundreds. The changeling in her shackles was led up into the center of the square and the crowd parted to allow the CLEaR leaders to approach it. They walked up to the changeling and with solemn purpose lowered their horns. Vinyl and Octavia made a sudden synchronized lunge toward her in a desperate effort to stop the execution, but several guards piled on and wrestled them to the ground before they could even take two steps. Vinyl hit the dirt of the road and felt the weight of the guard settle on top of her, pulling her front hooves behind her back to keep her placated. “Don’t worry, ma’am. As soon as the changeling is gone you’ll be free and it’ll all be over.” Vinyl bucked and struggled hoping Octavia was putting up just as much of a fight. Through the gaps in the crowd she could see the executioners with their horns glowing lethally. Not like this she thought to herself. I can’t just watch her die and be completely helpless to save her. Please don’t let it end like this. Vinyl channeled what little power she had remaining after her earlier escape into her horn. Her magic was pathetically weak compared to that of the royal guard but she refused to go down without trying everything possible to save her friend. Her horn sparked and glowed, and desperate tears fell and soaked into the dirt as she heard the lead executioner call over the crowd. “Ready... Aim...” Vinyl lifted her horn into the air and prepared to let loose with the strongest blast she could muster, knowing even as she did that it would be completely useless. Just before she was about to release her power, a thunderclap rolled across the square. The crowd jumped and looked toward the direction of the peal of thunder. A voice strong with ancient power and authority echoed through the town, the sheer volume making the thunder sound weak and impotent. “STOP THIS AT ONCE!” The entire town turned in awe and dropped to a kneeling posture as Princess Celestia strode with purpose towards the assembly, her eyes glowing with unimaginable power. The crowd allowed her and her companion, an extremely satisfied-looking purple librarian, access to the town center. “What is the meaning of this?” Celestia demanded. The CLEaR second-in-command stood and stepped forward, facing the princess. “We have located a changeling in town, your highness. The mayor has granted us discretion in this matter, and we have decided that the changeling must be destroyed.” The stallion didn’t flinch as Celestia turned her icy glare to him. “To end the life of another creature is no small matter and is not to be taken lightly. I trust you have sufficient evidence of wrongdoing if you have chosen to kill this being?” “It is a changeling. One of the ones responsible for the attack on Canterlot,” the light-brown unicorn said in a matter-of-fact tone. “It poses an imminent danger to the ponies of this town. What more evidence do we need?” “Good. I’m very glad to hear that. If you have a well-rounded case against this changeling you should have no issue presenting it in a fair trial.” The stallion looked indignant. “And who would you have preside over this trial? Are you going to be the judge?” Celestia slowly shook her head. “No. I shall take no part in the trial other than to lend weight to its final judgement.” Twilight looked up at her in shock. “Princess, you’re not going to be involved with the trial? But I thought you would...” Celestia dropped her voice so as not to be overheard and spoke to her protege. “Now is neither the time nor the place to discuss this, Twilight. I will explain myself at the library, but for now you just need to trust me.” Twilight hid her distress and listened as Celestia continued. “There must be an impartial judge to rule on this matter. Ms. Mayor, I have known you since you were but a foal and I know nopony more committed to justice and law. I ask you now to lend us your incorruptible judgement in this matter.” The mayor stepped forward. “It would be my honor, your highness.” “There should also be somepony to present the charges against the changeling. Who will stand for the prosecution?” Celestia asked the assembly. “I will.” called out a familiar voice almost immediately. Lyra stepped up to join the CLEaR team. “This changeling represents a threat not only to my town but to a close personal friend of mine.” Celestia nodded. “Very well, Lyra Heartstrings. You shall stand for the prosecution. And now there must be one who will stand in defense of this creature. Who will defend the changeling?” Twilight could hold her tongue no longer. “I will.” The librarian glared at her teacher as she trotted over to the shackled changeling. “I believe this changeling is innocent and deserves the chance to prove it. I want to defend her.” Celestia nodded. “As you wish. Twilight Sparkle will stand with the defendant. The trial will take place in city hall in one week. And further I would like to propose an alternate punishment. If the changeling is found to be too great a threat to this town I humbly suggest that she be banished from ponyville rather than killed.” Then to Twilight she whispered “Twilight. Please come to the library so we can discuss this matter further.” Vinyl and Octavia, having been released when Celestia appeared, rushed up into the center of the square as the crowd dispersed. They went to Twilight and embraced her. “Thank you, Twilight,” Vinyl sobbed, her tears dripping onto the mare’s purple coat. “I was so terrified. I thought we were going to lose Wubsy. Thank you so much.” “It’s not over yet,” the librarian said, an edge to her voice. “Things here did not go as well as they should have, and now I aim to find out why.” With that Twilight left to follow Celestia to the library, leaving Vinyl and Octavia to comfort Wubsy while the guard detachment Celestia had appointed to guard the changeling watched carefully. --- Twilight and Celestia walked in silence. Celestia walked with her eyes forward, focusing on the library in the distance while her student cast furtive glances up at her from time to time. She felt the strained silence between them stretch on like an eternity. Celestia was hiding something. There was a reason she hadn’t put a stop to this right then and there, and Twilight meant to find out what it was. As soon as the door to the library had closed, Twilight turned on Celestia. “What are you doing?! You’re asking a town full of paranoid ponies to decide the fate of the very object of their fears? They’re going to murder her and you’re saying you’re not going to do anything to stop it!” Celestia stood firm, allowing Twilight’s emotional tide of words to break upon her like waves on the rocks. “I reached out to you because I thought you would help! I thought if anypony could see the innocence in Wubsy and come to defend her it would be you. But no! You just blew it off like it wasn’t worth your time!” “Twilight, let me explain,” Celestia said, her voice soft and soothing. “I should hope you’d explain! I thought I could trust you. I thought you would make things right. You’re just postponing the inevitable. There’s not a chance in Tartarus that they’re going to allow her her freedom and you know it!” Celestia took a deep breath. “Twilight, you have to understand: if I stood in defense of Wubsy, there would be whispers. They would say the judge decided in her favor simply because it was I who defended her. Were I to judge, they would say I was biased towards my student. The only way this trial could possibly end well for Wubsy is if I had no hoof in it.” “But why have a trial at all?!” Twilight snapped bitterly. “You don’t trust me? I told you Wubsy is harmless. Why couldn’t you just take my word and free her?” Celestia shook her head. “They would never accept that outcome. They would grumble and bicker and Wubsy would never be allowed to live her life. No, if Wubsy is to be truly free the town must decide it for themselves. I have no right to force them to live with a changeling.” The betrayal in Twilight’s voice reached a crescendo as the tears ran freely down her face. “But I don’t understand. You were supposed to fix this. you were supposed to make it better.” “You need to know this, Twilight. there are some problems that cannot just be ‘fixed’ so easily as that. Some problems need to be solved in the correct way and I need you to trust me when I say this is the right way.” “I don’t understand, princess! I told you she’s harmless. She’s innocent. Why would you even entertain the chance of them murdering her unless–” Twilight broke off and stared at her mentor accusingly, struck by the impossible realization. “Unless you don’t believe me.” Celestia reached out a hoof to her student, her face twisted in concern. She knew that she was making the right decision for the good of Ponyville, but that did little to salve to the deep sense of loss she felt when her beloved pupil and protege took her choice as a personal betrayal. She couldn’t bear to meet the hurt and angry gaze of her greatest student, lest she see just how much pain the young unicorn was in. “Twilight, that’s not it. You have to realize that–” “No! I don’t want to hear it! You still think she’s a monster so you’re washing your hooves of it! Let the town decide to kill her so you don’t get any of that icky blood on your conscience. You’re copping out and letting them make the decision for you!” A tiny look of guilt flashed across Celestia’s face for a moment, then it was hidden by thousands of years of composure. “I do trust you, Twilight. You are my most faithful student. I believe every word you’ve said to me. But I have to consider the possibility that there is.... something else occurring here. I trust you, Twilight, but changelings can deceive even the cleverest of ponies. I can’t afford to trust her.” A look of utter disbelief had taken up residence on Twilight’s features. She gaped open mouth as though Celestia had just told her the earth rotated around the sun, or something equally preposterous. “So it’s true. You still think she’s a monster.” Celestia rose and approached the purple mare. “Twilight, I would never abandon you. But I have to think of my subjects. If this thing has fooled you it really is dangerous and I can’t afford to take chances. You need to understand that this is the right way to do this.” She extended her wing to embrace her student but Twilight slapped it away. Twilight forced all the pain and agony she was feeling to congeal and harden into determined rage. “No. No I don’t. I think you’re wrong. You should never have abandoned her like that; abandoned me like that. I’m going to defend her and I’m going to do it without your help. Because that is the right way. I’m going to stand beside her because she’s innocent and because she’s my friend. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a defense to prepare.” Although Celestia was expecting this answer, hearing it drove a dagger into her heart. She nodded and made for the door. “Defend her well, Twilight. You have a gift for swaying ponies hearts and minds with the truth. Use it to your full advantage.” And with that, she left Twilight to her preparations. Twilight sat in the candlelight feeling utterly and completely alone. Ever since she was a filly, she had always been able to lean on Celestia. She had just assumed that whatever was wrong with her life Celestia would be there to save her if it got out of hoof. But now her bastion of safety had abandoned her and turned her back. She needed the only ponies she knew would stand with her no matter what the circumstances. She needed her friends. Luckily, she knew exactly where they would be at this moment. Twilight went to her writing desk and made a vain attempt to order her thoughts and marshal her arguments for Wubsy’s defense. Her thoughts swirled and fought with each other, and after several minutes holding her quill poised expectantly over her parchment she was glad to hear the knock she was expecting at the door. The librarian replaced her quill in the inkwell and answered the door finding, as she knew she would, her friends gathered on her doorstep looking worried. Rarity was the one to voice the question on everypony’s mind. “Twilight, what is going on? What was that scene in the town square about?” Twilight took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. She knew she would eventually have to explain this to her friends but she had hoped the circumstances would have been a little different. “As you all know, there has been a changeling discovered in town. What you don’t know is that I was aware of it all along.” This caused something of an outcry as everypony in the doorway all assaulted her with questions at once. Twilight allowed the barrage to peter out before speaking again. “If you would all please come inside I’ll try to explain exactly what has been going on.” The five ponies tumbled inside and found a place on the floor to sit as Twilight closed the door and turned to address them. She recounted the tale of Wubsy’s arrival from the point where Vinyl and Octavia had brought the changeling to her all the way through her quarrel with Celestia, trying as hard as she could to convey Wubsy’s innocence and her own motivations for helping conceal the creature from the rest of the town. When she finally stopped speaking with a sigh, five shocked pairs of eyes stared at her in disbelief. Once again Rarity spoke, trying to be as tactful as possible given the situation. “Excuse me, Twilight, but ... can you be absolutely sure that this changeling hasn’t taken control of your mind? You helped us fight them. you know what they are capable of. It seems so unlike you that you would harbor one of the beasts.” "She is not a beast!" Twilight snapped causing the other five ponies to look at each other in concerned surprise. Twilight took a deep breath to try and regain her composure. "That changeling is one of the sweetest most innocent creatures in Equestria. I admit that I was skeptical myself at first, but having spent a little time with her I realized that she doesn't mean anypony harm. She's just lost and confused and trying to make a place for herself. And we were there in Canterlot. We know the truth about changelings. They can’t just take control of a pony’s mind. Only the queen was able to use mind control magic. It’s just a paranoid rumor. Vinyl and Octavia have been living with her for months and nothing bad has happened to them. There’s no reason to judge her for what she’s done because she hasn’t done anything." “Yet.” Dash interjected. “She hasn’t done anything yet. But I would trust a changeling about as far as I could throw one under water. If you ask me she’s biding her time until she gets the opportunity to strike.” “But if that were true she would have gotten to Vinyl and Octavia already! It just doesn’t fit what I’ve seen! There’s more to her, I know it. And I need you to help me prove it.” “This isn’t like you, Twilight,” Pinkie said, sounding serious enough to draw the attention of everypony in the room. “I mean jeeze, you were all up in a huff trying to prove my Pinkie Sense didn’t exist because you couldn’t see any proof that it did. Now you want us to make this leap of faith because you have a feeling this one is different? Do you even know how silly that sounds?” This was met with a collective uncomfortable shuffling from the four other mares sitting around the library. Twilight took the hint. "You all think I'm insane for trusting a changeling and you don't want to help." Fluttershy was quick to object. "Oh no! I wouldn't say insane. Mabje just a little..." The demure pegasus trailed off trying to find a less offensive way to describe it. "Taken in," Rarity picked up the thread where her friend had faltered. "It's not that we don't believe you, darling. It's just that changelings are notoriously deceptive and you do have a... slight tendency to become obsessed with new ideas and a proclivity towards..." Rarity also trailed off only to have Rainbow Dash continue her thought with her usual tact. "Going nuts." said the cyan mare. "Rainbow Dash! That is not the way to speak to your friends!" Rarity admonished. "Yes, she may have gotten carried away a few times like when she missed that letter to Celestia but I would hardly say she 'went nuts.'" Applejack cleared her throat politely. "Don't take this the wrong way sugarcube, but  mind-controlling the entire town into fightin' over her ratty ol' doll 'cause her homework's late is more'n bein' just a bit carried away" Twilight gave an aggravated twitch of her ears. “Ugh! I can’t believe you! Don’t you remember what happened when you were all convinced Zecora was an evil witch, or when nopony would believe me when I said Nightmare Moon was returning? For the love of Luna, remember the wedding in Canterlot! I told you there was something wrong with Cadance, and you all told me I was just being crazy and jealous! Then it turned out I was right. This happens every time I ask you to help me!” “Now Twilight, that ain’t hardly fair.” Applejack walked up to the irate unicorn and put a friendly hoof on her shoulder. “Ah know we might not always agree with you, but–” Twilight shrugged Applejack’s hoof off with an angry snarl. “You never listen to me when it’s important! It’s always ‘Oh, let’s all ignore Twilight, she’s just being a crazy egghead!’ Well I’m sick of it! That’s not the way friends are supposed to act!” Applejack’s eyes narrowed and her voice turned stern. “Now look Twilight, ah understand you’re mighty upset right now, but–” “Besides,” Twilight shouted in Applejack’s face. “The only reason we’re in this mess is because your foalish brother helped Lyra find Wubsy!” “What’s a Wubsy?” Pinkie frowned quizzically. “The changeling! She has a name! She’s not just some mindless animal, she has feelings and thoughts! Her name is Wubsy!” By the time she finished Twilight was shouting in Pinkie’s face. “Ugh!” Rainbow groaned into her hooves. “She’s going all crazy on us again. I’m outta here, before she decides she needs to stop time or whatever!” “Fine! Leave!” Twilight shrieked. “I didn’t need your help anyway! Maybe you can go find another nimbus to call Cloudsdale, or give a name to some big dumb rock!” Rainbow grumbled something less than friendly on her way out of the library. A second later, Rarity stuck her nose in the air indignantly. “We swore we would never speak of that,” she whispered venomously before walking out the door with an offended huff. Applejack and Pinkie Pie shared a look and followed her out. Only Fluttershy remained behind. The soft spoken mare approached Twilight and stood just behind her, trying to think of something to say. Twilight spoke first, sensing her friend's presence behind her. "You don't have to explain, Fluttershy. There's no need to apologize or make excuses. I understand." Her voice was cold and distant as if she were speaking to a stranger instead of one of her closest friends. Fluttershy stood rooted to the spot for a few moments, still feeling the need to explain herself. "They're just so terrifying," she whispered and then drooped her head and followed the rest of her friends leaving Twilight to her work. Twilight stayed stock still, the only signs of life being the furious scratching of her quill on parchment as it moved at her telekinetic command. She stayed there writing long into the night, her progress hampered by her frequent need to go back and rewrite certain parts when her falling tears smudged the ink.