"Twilight, I'm going out now!"
Spike already had one foot out the door by the time he heard a response.
"Why does it always have to be when it's raining, Spike?" Twilight poked her head up from downstairs, an inquisitive look on her face.
Spike sighed. "Because it gives me alone time. Nopony likes to go out in the rain, but I can hardly feel it. Scales, remember?"
Twilight gave a concerned look. Spike did this almost every day it was raining, but she was never quite able to discern whether something was bothering the little dragon. "Alright. Just not too late, okay?"
"I know, I know." With that, Spike stepped out and closed the door behind him.
He looked up at the sky, with the gloomy, gray cover he was used to seeing. He was still a dragon; there were certain things he'd always be used to. The darkness and dampness of a cave was one of them; and wet weather emulated that well enough. He started off towards a bench near the edge of the Everfree Forest. The same bench he always went to.
"Same, same, same," he thought to himself. "Why am I being like this today?"
He posed it as a question to himself, but he knew the answer. Things had been boring lately. Ever since the battle against Discord, hardly anything interesting had happened. Would that change today? Probably not.
Finally arriving at the bench, Spike took his seat, and smiled. Maybe he'd have a brilliant idea. Maybe he'd figure out a way to have a nice moment with Rarity. Maybe he'd...
His thought process got cut off in an instant. Because walking just ahead of the bench, wearing a head-umbrella, was...
"T...Twilight?"
Twilight turned her head towards his voice. "Spike! Oh, I'm so happy to see you."
"...what?" Spike's expression contorted into confusion.
Twilight stepped over to the bench. "Oh, Spikey-Wikey..." She brought her face close to his.
"Y...you're not Twilight..." the young dragon slid across the bench, away from her.
Twilight's expression flashed panic for a moment. "B...but, Spike..."
"I don't know who you are... but Twilight doesn't think of me like that..."
"Oh, but Spike, whatever do you mean?"
Spike closed his eyes. He needed to make it certain. He knew this wasn't Twilight... but how could he prove it?
"Alright. If you're Twilight, then tell me: what attacked the town when 'the Great and Powerful Trixie' came here?"
The pony looked away nervously. "U...um..."
Spike glared at her. "As I thought."
She returned the dragon's gaze as her expression suddenly contorted into anger. Her horn sparkled with magic and her eyes quickly flashed green.
Spike continued to stare at the impostor. "I don't know what that was supposed to do, but..."
She sighed and muttered to herself. "Really? Some leader I am..." She began to step away.
Spike stared on, confused. "H...hey!"
The impostor continued walking away, without even acknowledging the dragon's outburst.
"Wait a moment!" Spike called out. "You better not think you're gonna leave without telling me who you are."
She turned her head back to look at him. "Baby dragon, I can do whatever I wish."
Spike snickered. "Except act."
She turned back her face contorted to anger once again. "What did you say?"
"You also can't do... whatever that eye-flashy magic thing that was you were trying to do." Spike's expression seemed triumphant.
"Watch yourself, baby dragon, or you may regret it." She was slowly stepping closer to the dragon again.
"What are you gonna do, flash your eyes at me again? I mean, come on, you gotta have some backing for your threats."
"I'm warning you!"
"And I'm telling you I'm not scared. Look, I just wanted to know who you are. That's all."
The impostor hesitated. "It would be dangerous to both you and me if I were to show you."
"Well then, don't show me. Just tell me."
Her expression grew serious. "Look, baby dragon. My life is riding on keeping my identity secret."
"Aww, come on." Spike smiled innocently. "I won't tell anypony."
The impostor sighed. "You just don't get it."
"I guess not!" His smile became sheepish.
"I grow quite weary of your humor, baby dragon."
"Oooooh, now you sound all royal and proper, like Princess Luna."
"Do not compare me to your princesses. It scathes me so."
"Aww, but you sound just like her. Why does it make you so angry?"
The impostor looked like she was at breaking point. "I swear, say it one more time..."
"What? That you're reminding me of Princess Luna?"
"I AM CHRYSALIS, QUEEN OF THE CHANGELINGS!" the impostor bellowed. "DO NOT COMPARE ME TO YOUR LOWLY PRINCESSES!"
"Oh look, now I know who you are. Nice to meet you, Chrysalis." Spike's sheepish smile was back.
She was almost visibly fuming. "You... insolent..."
"Oh, relax. It's not a big deal. So what. I know your name's Chrysalis, and that you're a changeling. ... Whatever that is. What difference does that make?"
She looked shocked. "S...so, you don't know what a changeling is?"
Spike looked away, lost in thought. "I don't believe so... I think they were mentioned in a book Twilight gave me... A Complete Discourse on Creatures of Equestria and Beyond? Something like that. I didn't read it too thoroughly."
"Good. It's better that you don't know."
"But I guess changelings have the ability to transform. That would explain why you look like Twilight."
"Oh, please don't make this into a guessing game. I'd rather you don't know exactly what I am and we both move on with our lives."
"Aww, but that's no fun, Chrysalis!" Spike pouted.
"SHH." Chrysalis put her hoof up to Spike's lips. "Don't say my name too loud."
"Why? You practically screamed it yourself."
"That was my mistake. Don't say my name out loud, please!"
A devious smile crossed Spike's face. "Then tell me what a changeling is. If you don't, I'll just keep on yelling your name as loud as I can."
"N... no!" Chrysalis looked horrified. "Please..."
"Then tell me what a changeling is. And drop the disguise, why don't you?"
"I won't drop the disguise. That would be about as stupid as... well, yelling my name."
Spike looked at her expectantly.
She sighed. "All right. Changelings are a race of creatures that feed off of love. We disguise ourselves as ponies and use hypnotism to help with the feeding process."
"And you're the queen, but you can't even hypnotize right?"
"Shut up!" Her anger returned, but then subsided as quickly as it came. "I was only recently made queen... I'm having a fantastic start, aren't I?"
"Well, here's a suggestion. Try finding out who loves who before trying this sort of thing."
"Hey!" Her sudden anger was replaced by shock this time. "Why are you giving me advice? Aren't you friends with the ponies? Changelings are parasites..."
Spike cut her off. "That may be true, but it doesn't sound like you particularly want to hurt others."
Chrysalis looked away. "Y...you promised, right? You won't tell anyone I was here?"
Spike thought for a moment. "Under one condition."
Chrysalis looked at the dragon pleadingly "W...what! But..."
"Just come back here every day, for the next week, at the same time. I want to know a bit more about you. I feel like you're a good pony..."
Chrysalis looked as if she were going to protest, but then relaxed. "You really won't tell anyone, baby dragon?"
"Dragon's honor." Spike smiled.
"I'm... not sure how much that's worth..."
"... I swear on my gem hoard?"
"... if it were really that big, you be a bigger dragon..."
"Well then, I won't want to part with a single gem in it."
Chrysalis looked away.
"Please! Things have been really boring lately, and I feel like you could make it interesting. I really want to make a new friend..."
Chrysalis looked up, shocked. "F...friend?"
Spike smiled. "Not quite yet, but... well, just come back tomorrow, alright?" Spike hopped off the bench.
"O...okay... Wait. Where are you going?"
He walked past Chrysalis. "If I don't get home soon, Twilight will be really angry. See you tomorrow! By the way; pick a different disguise." He looked back and smiled at her.
"O...okay... B... bye..." she forced a smile.
Spike waved as he continued to walk away.
A few moments later, Chrysalis was alone in the rain. She frowned, and began to mutter to herself.
"Why does this seem so familiar?"
She looked up at the sky.
"And why do I feel like I want to cry?"