//------------------------------//
// Big Trouble in Little Crystal Empire 
// Story: The Wandering Physicist Adventures 
// by WanderingPhysicist 
//------------------------------//

Main Characters: Twilight, Del, Shining Armor
Cameos: Cadence, Yamazakura
Original Start Date: June 6, 2013





        ‘Sunshine! Sunshine! Ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!’  Twilight and Cadence sing before hugging each other.
        Shining Armor groans. ‘Do you have to do that every time? We could be facing imminent peril.’
        The princesses glare at the prince.
        ‘Or whatever answer allows me to keep my marraige and family intact.’
        Twilight laughs. ‘It is so good to see you too, Shining.’ She hugs her brother. ‘So why did you invite me back to the Crystal Empire?’
        ‘We’re facing imminent peril.’
        The young princess facehoofs. ‘Seriously.’
        ‘That is the truth, Twilight,’ Cadence joins. ‘There is a threat against the Empire.’
        ‘You could have told me that before I got here!’ Twilight groans. ‘And here I thought this was going to be a fun trip with my daughter...’
        Cadence and Shining stare in shock. ‘You have a daughter?’
        Twilight begins to answer, but a palace attendant interrupts.
        ‘Um, Princess Sparkle, do you by chance happen to own a small wendigo the size and shape of a blue pegasus filly? Because one just happened to eat the entire reception Princess Cadence had planned.’
        Twilight giggles. ‘Oh, Del.’
        ‘You brought Del with you?’ Shining gapes.
        ‘No, no,’ Cadence says. ‘This might work out.’
        Another attendant lures Del into the throne room with a donut on a stick. The crystal pony has to hurry to stay ahead of the hungry pegasus. Twilight laughs at the sight.
        ‘I figured this would be good time for us to bond since I am marrying her father,’ the younger princess explains. She snaps her attention to her brother. ‘Nopony told me about a threat to the Empire.’
        The attendant shrieks when Del jumps her and devours the donut.
        ‘More please!’ the filly asks, smiling, her fangs shining.
        ‘There will be more later, Del,’ Twilight replies. ‘We’re meeting my brother and Princess Cadence now.’
        Del lets the attendant free and trots over. She bows. ‘Hello, Hearty Princess, Sexy Armor.’
        ‘Del!’
        ‘What? That’s what daddy calls him.’
        ‘Meep,’ the prince squeaks.
        Cadence giggles. ‘Good to see you again, Del.’ She nods to the attendants. ‘You may go and tell Sir Yama he may join us now.’
        The attendants nod and leave.
        Twilight thinks. ‘Yama... You mean..?’
        ‘Correct, Princess Sparkle,’ a new voice replies. A red pegasus in royal guard armor trots into the room and bows. ‘I am here, my princess.’
        Del looks at the new pony, then perks up. She trots over to him and extends a hoof. ‘Hi! I’m Del! Good to meet another changeling!’
        ‘Nice to meet you, Del,’ Yama replies. The filly clears her throat. ‘I mean, Princess Del.’
        Del smiles again, revealing her fangs. She drops her disguise. ‘No need to hide around me. It is safe; right, Shiny?’
        The prince scratches his head. ‘Well, I don’t know...’
        ‘Drop your disguise,’ Del orders.
        Yama looks down at Del, up at Shining. He salutes and drops his disguise. ‘Yes, my princess.’
        Del’s smile grows.
        Shining groans, ‘Great! Outranked by my wife, my little sister and now my brother-in-law’s kid! Is there anypony in the military I can command?’
        Twilight sighs at her brother, then looks at Cadence. ‘I think it is time you told me what is going on here.’
        Cadence leads her guests out to a balcony. She looks over the city. ‘We are under attack. A few days ago, a crystal ewe was found drained of its energy.’
        ‘The manner is consistent with a changeling attack,’ Shining adds. ‘We have done our best to cover up the incident so as not to start a panic, but we have not found the culprit. I called up Yamazakura to help with the investigation.’
        ‘That is why you called me too,’ Twilight guesses. ‘Since I have a lot of experience with changelings.’
        ‘And not just raising them,’ Cadence laughs as she wraps a wing around Del.
        The younger princess nods. ‘What has been done already?’
        ‘I have searched all the common hiding places changelings tend to use,’ Yama reports. ‘My patrols have turned up nothing.’
        ‘Have you checked with Chrysalis if this is one of her hive or from another?’
        The guard shakes his head. ‘It would not be from our hive. Our queen has decreed that any changeling that drains lifeforce from another being is not welcome in her hive. This changeling is either from another hive or rogue.’
        ‘Dang,’ Twilight snorts. ‘Then we can’t just have Del order it to reveal itself.’ She sighs and thinks. ‘I want to look over the evidence tonight. It will help with the investigation tomorrow. Don’t worry. We’ll catch this rogue changeling.’ She trots off the balcony. ‘Now, I believe you have a reception planned.’
        The hosts look at Del, sigh and hurry ahead of their sister to make sure everything is in order. Twilight laughs and follows. The changelings resume their disguises. Yama stops Del before she can leave.
        ‘Princess, though your presentation has been kept under wraps publicly, your father shared a video with our queen of what was said and how you reacted. The whole hive is quite proud of you. We hope deeds like that will one day allow more of us to live without hiding.’
        Del smiles. ‘Thank you, but I’m just a filly, you know?’
        Yama laughs and escorts the filly away.

        Shining Armor wakes in the middle of the night. He follows a sound out of his bedroom. The prince traces the noise to one of the place kitchens. The only light comes from an open refrigerator. The unicorn slowly advances with a spell charged on his horn. The raider turns and looks at him with glowing green eyes. A loud, high-pitched, fillyish scream fills the palace.
        ‘Ugh. Shiny screams worse than the mean pink one,’ Del groans as she uncovers her ears.
        Shining pants, clutching his heart. ‘Del?’
        The changeling eats a dish of leftovers. ‘Yes?’
        ‘What are you doing up?’
        Del eats another dish of food and rolls her eyes. ‘What does it look like?’
        ‘That is not what I meant.’ The unicorn shakes his head. ‘Come on. Let’s get back to bed.’
        ‘I’m not tired. Let’s play a game!’
        Shining groans. ‘Del...’
        The changeling impales a soda on her fangs and jumps on Shining’s back. ‘Let’s roll!’
        The unicorn groans again and trots away while his rider enjoys her drink.

        Shining yawns as he leaves on patrol with Yama. Twilight laughs and trots away with Del. The filly licks her face and wings clean after a big breakfast, then starts taking in the city. She smiles and greets all the crystal ponies she meets.
        Twilight laughs. ‘We’ll have to take in the sights after we’re done helping my brother.’
        Del nods. ‘And we have to get more crystal cakes too.’
        ‘I’ll warn the bakers.’ Twilight stops and looks around. The crystal ponies go about their daily lives. ‘Hmm. Del, if you were a changeling hiding in pony society, where would you be?’
        The filly rubs up against the princess. ‘Right here.’
        ‘Thanks for the caring, but this is serious.’
        ‘No, I mean it. Right here.’ Del looks around. ‘We’re in the market. There are ponies everywhere where they can get love either directly or passively’ -- a crystal pony trots by carrying a large basket filled with berries -- ‘and there are other good reasons to be here too,’ she drools.
        ‘Good point.’ Twilight looks around again. ‘Any idea where to look first? Do you sense anything out of the ordinary?’ She gets no response. ‘Del?’
        The princess sighs and starts checking the food stalls. She trots right past Del. The filly is watching a harlequin doing tricks and stunts for a group of gathered foals. She yawns and moves on. Not finding Twilight, Del continues to explore the marketplace.
        The filly passes several stalls. Most are crystal ponies selling goods to regular customers and tourists. Some shops run by ponies from Equestria and one from the Thestral Empire sell their imported wares. Del watches the shoppers and yawns. She decides to head back to the castle, not wanting to get lost in the strange city. On her way back, she notices a griffin in the crowds of ponies.
        The griffin walks past the shops, stopping to look a moment at each one. Del notices the griffin is not looking at the wares but at the shoppers. The griffin lingers around a crystal pony for several seconds. It licks its beak, and a hint of fang can be seen. Del growls and steps forward. Before the filly can get anywhere, she is wrapped in a purple aura.
        ‘There you are!’ Twilight scolds. ‘I’ve been looking all over for you.’
        ‘The griffin,’ Del warns. ‘That’s the changeling.’
        Twilight looks around. ‘What griffin? Where?’
        ‘You didn’t see her? She was orange and brown. She was going to every stall.’
        ‘I’m sorry, Del. I don’t see anypony like that.’
        ‘Then we must protect that pony.’ Del points. ‘She was watching him very closely.’
        ‘I’ll talk with that pony and tell Shining. You wait here and don’t move.’
        Twilight releases the filly and goes to the pony. Del sits and watches her. She looks around. She sees a pair of glowing eyes in an alleyway. A group of ponies pass, and the eyes are gone. Del snorts and waits for Twilight to return.

        Later that night, Shining patrols the palace. He checks down every hallway and behind every unlocked door. He stops by a dining hall and snorts. His ears twitch and he levitates the table.
        ‘Found me!’ Del cheers. ‘Now, you hide and I seek!’
        ‘No, Del.’
        ‘Okay. I’ll hide again.’
        A rose-colored aura surrounds the changeling before she can run off.
        ‘Time for bed, Del,’ Shining moans. ‘How your father puts up with all your energy...’
        ‘I spend a lot of time playing with my friends, so I’m usually tired when I get home,’ Del explains. ‘Daddy says that he likes playing with you, so I figure I should play with you too.’
        Shining shudders. ‘What you are thinking and what he is thinking are two different things.’
        ‘I know. He is thinking of the kind of thing he does with Sparkly Mommy.’
        Shining stops, closes his eyes and counts to ten as he tries getting that thought out of his mind. When he opens his eyes, Del is gone. The stallion moans again and begins hunting for the filly again.

        In the morning, Cadence has breakfast with her family. The princesses plan out their day. Del eats everything in sight. Shining sips his coffee and tries to regain his energy after a night spent playing with his future niece. A guard enters the dining room and salutes.
        ‘Sir, there has been an incident,’ the guard reports.
        ‘What is it?’ Shining asks.
        ‘A changeling was found in a residential area. It is Yamazakura.’

        Shining and Twilight meet with Yama in a military clinic. The doctor is wrapping the changeling’s chitin in bandages. He already has a bandage on his neck and legs.
        ‘What happened?’ Shining asks.
        Yama groans and tries getting up, but the doctor forces him down. ‘I was watching the crystal pony Princess Twilight had alerted us to. Some time during the night, another changeling showed up. Princess Del was right. She was orange and brown. I fought to protect the crystal pony and was able to drive the changeling off. She got a few lucky hits in, though.’
        ‘Thank you for protecting the innocent,’ Twilight thanks.
        ‘Just give me a moment,’ Yama begs. ‘I can be back out there. I should be back out there.’
        ‘Not until you’re healed,’ the doctor orders, forcing her patient back into bed.
        ‘You heard the doctor,’ Shining adds. ‘You’re grounded until you’re better.’
        Yama sighs. ‘Yes, sir.’
        Del climbs onto the bed and kisses the changeling on the cheek. ‘A little love to make you better.’
        The changeling laughs. ‘Thank you, princess.’
        The visitors leave the patient to recover. The two adults plan their next course of action.
        ‘The city is worried about a changeling attack,’ Shining sighs. ‘Hopefully, word will get out that it was only one of my guards and not something to be scared about.’
        ‘Well, at least the state of worry will make the idea of draining love seem unpalatable for a while,’ Twilight laughs nervously.
        ‘The changeling would just need to target a couple deeply in love,’ Del says. ‘She wouldn’t need to target the city as a whole.’
        ‘Great,’ Shining huffs. ‘We can’t police every couple in love in the empire.’
        ‘Want me to check Cadence in case she is the one replaced again?’ Twilight offers.
        ‘Not funny.’
        ‘Why not ask the pony we were guarding?’ Del asks.
        ‘That is a good idea,’ Shining agrees.
        Twilight nods. ‘You do that. I’ll check the market again. Come along, Del.’
        ‘Can I go with Uncle Shiny?’ the filly asks. ‘I might be able to help him more.’
        ‘You’re not going to hide everywhere we go, are you?’ the stallion asks.
        Del rolls her eyes. ‘Why would I do something silly like that? This is serious times.’
        Shining sighs. ‘I guess it is okay if Twilight says so.’
        The princess nods. ‘Just bring her back safe.’
        Del laughs and jumps on Shining’s back. ‘Away!’
        Shining groans and trots away with his passenger while his sister giggles at him.

        Shining and Del meet with the pony Del saw in the market the day before. He looks very nervous due to heightened changeling awareness in the city. The filly looks around the house while the prince interviews the pony.
        ‘Sorry for being on edge,’ the pony says. ‘The changeling was found near here. I hope it wasn’t after somepony I know.’
        ‘That changeling is actually in my personal detail,’ Shining explains. ‘He was patrolling the city for me.’
        ‘D-does that mean there is another changeling in the area!’
        Shining shakes his head. ‘There is no reason assume that. I am just wondering if you saw anything last night.’
        The pony shakes his head. ‘N-nothing. The only thing that I was expecting last night was a visit from my fillyfriend.’ He blushes. ‘We were actually getting pretty serious recently.’ He laughs. ‘I’ve had to explain a few love bites to my friends...’
        Shining notices a couple bite marks, with puncture wounds, on the pony’s neck. ‘You might want to tone down the foreplay if you don’t want her to drain all your love.’
        The pony laughs again. ‘I hear that.’
        Del trots into the room. She looks around and nods towards the door.
        ‘I think you have helped us enough,’ Shining says, joining the filly. ‘Don’t worry. Everything is perfectly safe. Thank you for your time.’
        Shining turns and opens the door, right as a pegasus mare is about to knock.
        ‘Oh! Prince Shining Armor!’ the mare gasps. ‘What are you doing here?’
        ‘We were just investigating the attack on one of my soldiers last night,’ the prince answers. ‘You didn’t happen to see anything, did you?’
        ‘Not a thing,’ the mare replies. ‘I was with my coltfriend for most of the night. Right, honey?’
        ‘Yes, dear!’ the crystal pony replies.
        ‘Thank you, ma’am.’ Shining bows. ‘We’ll be going.’
        Shining and Del trot away. The filly looks back. The mare glares at her before entering the house.
        Del looks up at the prince. ‘Shiny...’
        ‘I know. We can’t confront her yet. I’ll have ponies watching until she is alone, then we’ll take her in.’
        Del growls and looks back.

        Later in the evening, the pegasus mare leaves the crystal pony’s home. She calmly trots down the street before slipping into an alley. She heads down the alley.
        ‘I know you’re there, dear prince.’
        Shining steps out in front of the mare. A pair of guards step out behind her.
        ‘You are under arrest for attacking a royal guard,’ Shining says.
        The mare smirks. ‘Doubly so, too.’
        ‘Please surrender now if you don’t want to be harmed.’
        ‘Funny. I was about to make you the same offer.’
        Shining charges a spell on his horn. The mare darts back and kicks the guards in the chest. Shining shoots his magic bolt. The mare drops her disguise, revealing a changeling with brown chitin and orange hair, and counters with a bolt of her own. The shot overpowers his and knocks him into a wall. The changeling steps over the prince.
        ‘So much love from that one, but far more from you.’ The changeling grins, baring her fangs. ‘No wonder that loser queen went after you.’
        The changeling opens her mouth to drain the energy from the prince. There is a loud hiss. Del leaps from the darkness and latches on to the changeling’s throat. The changeling hisses and shakes the smaller one free.
        ‘My sister is not a loser!’ Del hisses.
        ‘I was wondering if you were going to show up,’ the changeling replies. ‘Finishing you off will be the ultimate proof Chrysalis is misguided in her efforts for peace.’
        ‘She is right! Changelings are just like normal ponies!’
        ‘We are monsters! Just look at you! You’re a freak!’ She smirks. ‘And from what I have heard about you, you are a freak among changelings too.’
        Del growls and bares her fangs.
        ‘Face it, kid. You are a monster like the rest of us. You just have to accept it.’
        ‘I AM NOT A MONSTER!’
        Del roars and leaps at the rogue changeling. The smaller changeling latches her fangs into the larger one’s throat again. The rogue expected the attack and forces Del off. She charges a spell on her horn and fires. Del stands her ground as the magic bolt shoots at her. The shot is deflected by a purple barrier. The rogue changeling backs away as Twilight Sparkle lands in the alley. The princess overflows with magical energy.
        ‘You will not harm my daughter!’ the princess threatens, tapping into the Royal Canterlot Voice.
        The changeling tries fleeing, but she is trapped in a magic bubble. Twilight nods at her handiwork and turns to Del. The young changeling resumes her disguise and looks away.
        ‘Sorry for sneaking out, mommy.’
        ‘Thank you for saving my brother.’ Twilight looks at Shining, who is regaining consciousness. ‘He needs that from time to time.’

        Back at the Crystal Palace, Cadence is getting debriefed by Shining and Twilight.
        ‘The changeling confessed to being rogue and operating alone,’ Shining reports. ‘We had her under a truth spell the whole time, so we know she isn’t lying.’
        ‘The stallion she targeted is recovering,’ Twilight reports. ‘She really was impersonating his fillyfriend. Thankfully, she was just tied up in her home and not something worse.’
        ‘It seems as though you handled the situation very well.’ Cadence bows. ‘Thank you for your help, Twilight.’
        ‘Actually, we couldn’t have done it without Del,’ Shining adds. ‘She helped a lot.’
        Cadence giggles. ‘I know. That is why I told the chefs to prepare a feast in her honor.’
        The throne room doors open. A chef, covered in food stains, trots in.
        ‘Sorry to interrupt, your majesties,’ the chef says. ‘But do one of you own a small blue timberwolf? Because one just ate the entire feast we were preparing for young Miss Del.’
        Cadence laughs while Twilight and Shining groan.