9. Interrogation
Rose struggled against her hoofcuffs, not in an attempt to escape, but in an attempt to get comfortable. It seemed neither was a realistic option.
She turned to examine her surroundings yet again.
The walls of the room were white and sparkling, without a single scuff mark or imperfection, which was impressive considering how old the interrogation rooms in the castle were rumored to be. The white paint looked freshly dried as it reflected each ion of light, keeping the room bright and uncomfortable for the prisoners. At this point, this included Rose.
The room was sparse, more so than her room with the changelings had been, containing only an oak table, an empty chair, and the chair she was currently hoofcuffed to. She had not been considered a major threat at the time of booking, which meant that she only had one foreleg cuffed to the chair as opposed to being restrained by each limb to the same. The guard that had left her in the room had been kind enough to inform her of the special treatment, although to Rose it currently seemed like a false pleasantry. She still could not get off the chair without injuring her leg after all, since the chair was stuck to the floor and she was still stuck to the chair.
“Also, the hoofcuff itches,” thought Rose.
She turned her attention to the black door in the corner of the room, hoping for it to open, but it remained still. She then turned to look at her reflection in the one-way mirror in front of her.
Rose had to admit she had had better days. Right now the reflection staring back at her was ragged, tired, and oddly placid considering what her last few days had been like. What little of her clothing she could see looked tattered and old, sporting rips and tears from her recent activities, but at least she had been allowed to keep it (with standard pony protocol dictating that all nonessential belongings be taken away from the prisoners). She certainly still looked like a mare, which had been a rather embarrassing concern of hers as they had approached the castle. All in all, she looked and was a lot better off than she thought she had the right to be. That is if one did not look into her eyes.
Rose had a tired look about her, but it was nothing compared to the pure exhaustion visible in her eyes. Rose had not slept in two days, but as much as she needed her rest, she felt compelled to stay awake.
She allowed herself a glance at the clock.
“It’s been around five hours since anypony has paid me any attention,” she said, glancing at the mirror before adding, “as far as I know.”
Five hours ago a guard had informed her that Princess Luna was finally going into her meeting with Princess Celestia and an assembly of the top members of the Royal Guard to discuss the information Rose had shared with Luna during their flight. She had been assured that somepony would come talk to her as soon as the meeting was over, and she refused to go to sleep until then. She needed to be conscious should they want to question her.
“This needs to be dealt with now.” Just as she thought that last sentiment, the door opened allowing a white unicorn with a blue mane in military décor into the room.
“Hello, is this seat occupied?” he joked while motioning to the unoccupied chair.
Rose wanted to be annoyed at his lighthearted nature, but found that the stallion was just charming enough to get away with it. Still, he seemed to pick up on the sentiment.
“Ok, I know, bad timing, sorry,” he said, clearing his throat while placing some documents on the desk. “Anyway, my name is Shining Armor and I am the captain of the Royal Guard. As I’m sure you know, we recently had a meeting detailing information that you gave yourself to Princess Luna. The information has been discussed and the task of ascertaining risk and defending the city if need be has been assigned to me.”
Rose nodded, giving the stallion her full attention. She was glad that they were taking the threat seriously, but she was still surprised that she was being visited by the captain himself instead of an underling, a task he could have easily delegated. She was impressed.
“As such, I need to ask you some questions. Essentially, I want to get all my facts straight from you, rather than from somepony else, even the princess. Some of these questions may seem rudimentary or annoying to answer, especially if it’s something that you’ve already told Princess Luna, but I ask that you please cooperate.”
Rose nodded again.
“Ok, what’s your name?”
“Evening Rose.”
Shining armor nodded, writing something on the paper in front of him.
“Now, I happen to be very thorough at my job, but I found no birth certificate or records of such a name. Any idea why that might be?” he asked.
“Because it’s not my birth name,” she answered tentatively.
Shining Armor nodded once again.
“Can you tell me your birth name?”
Rose closed her eyes for a moment before answering. This was a captain of the guard, a stallion with great power and ability. She could tell him about Slant, about the danger her family was in and he could do something about it.
“Or get them killed,” Rose thought to herself. “They are not unwilling to kill and because of the hive mind, they know to be on the lookout. No, I have to sort this out myself.”
“No,” she said to Shining Armor. “I’m sorry, but I can’t.”
Shining Armor nodded again, making a note on his paper.
“It’s ok, I was told to expect as much,” he answered with a smile, putting Rose at ease.
“Ok, so now tell me,” he said staring intensely into her eyes. “What happened?”
Rose thought out her answer, taking care to omit the more sensitive topics.
“I was in Canterlot visiting a friend. I went out for a walk at night, as I often do, when I happened to spot a changeling transforming. He saw me, hunted me down, and with the help of some other changelings they subdued me. When I woke up I was inside a cave, a changeling hive, where I met their queen. I was there for two weeks. I found out their plan to invade Canterlot and the castle. They knew I found out, and tried to kill me. I escaped into the woods with them pursuing me until I collapsed. I thought I was going to die but then Luna arrived. I told her what I knew as she flew me back to the castle.”
Shining Armor wrote onto a piece of paper for a while before asking his next question.
“How did you find out their plan?” he asked.
“I was going to the queen’s chamber and I saw her talking to a drone. I overheard their conversation.”
The stallion took a deep breath before asking the next question.
“Now, what I don’t get is why they kept you around for two weeks. If you were a prisoner then I get it, but it would seem you were free to walk around and do as you please if you chose to go to her chamber. Why?”
Rose stared at the desk.
“I was helping them.”
“Helping them how?” Shining’s voice was tense. Rose did not dare look up.
“I gave them information about Canterlot. The layout, the important names and places, things they would need to know if they infiltrated the city, things like that.”
There was a moment of silence before the stallion questioned the mare again.
“Why?” he asked.
Rose looked up with tears in her eyes.
“I didn’t know what they were up to then. I was told that they only replaced missing ponies. They feed on love and I’d only seen about twenty changelings, so it made sense when they said the plan was to replace missing ponies and feed on the love of parents and friends who got their missing pony back. A victimless crime,” she said, almost begging for him to believe her excuse, begging for herself to believe it as well.
Shining raised an eyebrow at her.
“You believed that?”
Rose stared down at her hooves in shame.
“No, I did not.”
“But you still helped them. Why?”
“I…” she fumbled with the words, “I… I thought th... they could help me.”
She looked up, expecting to see anger or disgust, but all she saw in Shining’s eyes was sadness and understanding.
“Ok, so what do you know about this invasion.”
“The rest of the hive was supposed to arrive next week, right before the invasion was supposed to take place. They have unicorn magical abilities and the ability to fly. Because of me, they know the layout of Canterlot and where the important places are, so whatever protection you use needs to cover the city as well as the castle. Their changeling magic allows them to transform and mimic ponies. Lastly, they have a hive mind, so anything that one learns, the rest knows as well.”
“You said ‘supposed to’, why?”
“Well, their plan included my death, not me flying away with a princess,” she commented. “Plans can change rather quickly.”
“Indeed they can,” agreed Shining Armor. “Now, last question: you’re sure that they are changelings?”
“Yes, I am.” Rose gave Shining Armor a glare, as if daring him to contradict her. Instead, Shining Armor just made one more note on his paper.
“Ok, I think I have everything I need,” he said.
“What happens now?” asked Rose.
“Well, now I will review this information, bring up my thoughts to the princesses, and depending on what those thoughts are, it will determine what the action we take shall be,” he responded. “As far as you’re concerned, you will be locked up for confessing to aiding an enemy of Equestria, and giving information while aware that it may be used against the ponies of Canterlot.”
Rose nodded in understanding as he continued.
“That being said, if this threat is legitimate and you’re not raising any false alarms, you will probably receive a full pardon from the princesses for helping us prepare and undermine the invasion.”
“Ok,” was all Rose could say.
“Is there anypony you would like me to contact about your incarceration?” he asked.
Rose thought for a moment. Her first thought was to mention Octavia, but then she considered that she had already placed Octavia in enough danger already. Besides, if the invasion did not happen, it would be best for Octavia to not be associated with a criminal in the eyes of the guard.
“No,” she answered.
“Very well,” Shining Armor said while releasing Rose from her chair. “If you would follow me then.”
Shining Armor led Rose to her cell, asking her to get some rest. However, as he turned to leave, Rose spoke.
“You do believe me, don’t you?” she asked.
Shining Armor looked at her with concern before responding.
“I am not in the liberty to say if I believe you or that what extent,” he responded, “But the Royal Guard takes threats against Equestria very seriously and will respond to them in earnest.”
“Thank you.”
“No problem,” he said while closing the door.
Shining Armor took a deep breath and collected his thoughts before heading to the castle’s main chamber. Standing outside the doors, he quickly looked over his notes before knocking.
“You may enter.”
Shining pulled the door open, allowing himself inside. The door closed automatically as he walked up to the two thrones next to the back wall from which Princess Celestia and Princess Luna watched his arrival.
“Shining Armor,” said Princess Celestia. “I am glad to see you back so soon. I take it the interrogation went well and yielded results?”
Shining Armor stood at attention while answering.
“Indeed. I have compiled an assessment.”
“Very well,” said Celestia. “What did you find?”
“The information I received was exactly like the information presented to and by Princess Luna,” he said while turning to face the alicorn of the night. “Which means that Evening Rose is not lying and does believe this threat to be genuine.”
“Does thou not?” asked Luna.
Shining Armor took a deep breath.
“No, I do not.”
Both princesses showed no reaction to his answer, other than motioning for him to continue.
“Changelings are rumors and myths from a bygone era. I know they existed once, as you two have pointed out, but a changeling has not been spotted in centuries. Furthermore, we sent a team to search for the hive she spoke of, and we found nothing. Not even a side of a mountain with collapsed debris or a cave entrance on its side,” he explained. “I think I have a grasp on her role in this whole thing, and I think I understand what secrets she is keeping and why, but I still do not think it wise to trust her testimony.”
“Then what is your suggestion?” asked Celestia.
“I suggest we enact our best defenses over Canterlot with guards around the perimeter and my shield covering the entire area. My fiancée has also agreed to help come up with a way of identifying changelings, since they seem to feed on love, which is her specialty.”
While Celestia maintained her serene features, a crack of surprise shone through Luna’s. Shining Armor noticed.
“I said I do not believe the threat is genuine and that I do not trust Miss Evening Rose,” he said. “However, this is not about me; it is about the safety of the ponies of Equestria, and as such we must treat it as seriously as we would an invading griffon army. If there is no invasion, then the prisoner will be charged with misinformation and spreading panic; if there is, then we will be prepared.”
“I believe that is a wise choice, Shining Armor,” said Princess Celestia. “I am, however, sorry that preparations for the defense, as well as research for a changeling identification spell, will fall on you and your fiancée during the week of your wedding. Might you consider postponing it until after the invasion?”
Shining Armor shook his head.
“I believe that the invasion being scheduled to happen during the timeframe of the wedding of a member of a Royal Guard is too much of a coincidence. The wedding is probably part of their plan somehow, and if we move it, they will probably move the invasion. Cadence and I are ready and willing to face this invasion head on. We understand the risks.”
“Very well,” said Princess Celestia. “In that case, you are free to go and begin preparations.”
As Shining Armor prepared to leave, he heard the voice of the moon princess call out to him.
“Halt,” said Luna. “It says here in thy report that thou has placed Miss Rose in the isolation chambers reserved for the most dangerous of criminals. Why hast thou ordered as such?”
Shinning turned to face her.
“Princess Luna,” he began. “I ordered her to be placed in the isolation cells because had I not, she would have been detained in the public holding facility rather than the castle’s own prison. Had she been placed there instead, she would have been subject to local protocol, which dictates that prisoners of the male and female genders are to be housed in separate wings of the facility. I did not want to follow such protocol as there would be a danger of her being… misplaced.”
Luna looked at the captain, impressed at his reasoning.
“Very well,” she responded. “Thank you for your diligence.”
Shining Armor bowed down before exiting the room.
Over the next few days Rose observed from her cell window as the number of guards increased. From her window she could also see Captain Shining’s protective barrier, as well as hear Princess Luna as she guarded the night. Each day’s addition of security brought her comfort.
“I’m glad he believed me,” Rose said. “Now we’re prepared to deal with the invasion.”
Soon, Evening Rose was fast asleep.