<<She's what?!>> Twilight said in disbelief.
"I knew you wouldn't take too long to reach that conclusion." the prisoner praised.
"You can't be, last time I checked Sparkling Gauntlet wasn't a changeling." said Star Dusk suspiciously.
"I couldn't rightly be considered a good one if everyone knew what I was under my disguise now would I?"
"I still have a hard time believing that."
"If you want, I could shift to the form that would let you see clearly." she replied, sheepishly putting up her bound hands.
<<Oh, no. There is no way we're gonna let her loose, even for one second.>>
"You expect me to believe you at your word, a word that at the moment doesn't hold any weight, and let you go so that you can shape shift to a form that, of course, would look just like Princess Celestia's old personal guard?"
She stayed with the same look holding her hands a bit higher. After a minute, she lowered them.
"I guess I shouldn't blame you... What do you want to know? I'll share it with you." she said turning around toward the table again.
<<What? Why would she do this?>>
"Feeling talkative all of a sudden?" Star Dusk said leaning on the table across from her.
"I trust you." she replied, her soft smile with Twilight's features unnerved Star Dusk a bit.
"If you were Sparkling Gauntlet, wouldn't you also trust the Princess?"
"Starshine, I protected the Princess for years before you entered the academy. Heck, I remember seeing you and her together raised like siblings. You know as well as I that she was never the forgiving type if crossed to a perceived degree."
"She's grown since then, she's much more wise."
"Okay, there was also the threat she made against me while you were being taken to the hospital. You could go ahead and ask the little princess about that."
<<How did she->>
What happened? Star Dusk interrupted internally.
<<Well, when she was insulting you and me, the Princess threatened to kill her.>>
Star Dusk shot his eyes to the mirror for one moment before coming back to rest on the 'Twilight' in front of him.
"Don't blame her. I was still in the hive mind, connected to Queen Chrysalis. I probably deserved the threat. Just feels weird to cave due to a death threat you know?"
"And what about now? Are you still connected?"
"No," she raised her hands again, "These seem to have a side effect of cutting off that connection. I had a weak connection because I was trying to force it open. It was forced shut when I came into this room, same stuff must be in the walls. That's why I don't mind sharing with you."
"Two more things,"
"Shoot." she said leaning backwards.
"First, how did you know it was me for real. You mistook me for Twilight for a while."
"There's no way that she would have known how you and I did interrogations. After all, I came up with it and taught you. And only you. AND we only had to use it a handful of times so not even the King and Queen knew about it, though we were given whatever leeway necessary for it. And before you ask, no, I didn't know that it was possible to have two consciousnesses inside one body. I just went with the belief that it was possible, it was the only way she could have known about old interrogation techniques as well as our version of it."
<<First complete answer we've gotten out of her.>>
Star Dusk leaned in closer to the table, "Then why do you trust me? I was trying to kill you earlier and I probably would have gone through with the whole interrogation if you hadn't surprised me."
She leaned forward as well, staring straight into his eyes.
<<She's getting creepy...>>
The changeling leaned back and shrugged, "I got nothing. I was gonna say something about your eyes showing that you were willing to listen, buuuuuut technically they are Twilight Sparkle's eyes soooo... yeah. I got nothing."
Star Dusk grunted a bit before standing straight up again.
"So, I hardly have a reason to trust you."
"Nope, I guess not." she said shrugging once again.
"I don't have much reason to believe your 'information' so we don't have much reason to keep you alive." replied Star Dusk, his tone shifting darker. The prisoner blinked and visibly twitched.
<<What are you doing?! Just because she has no useful intel doesn't mean she should die!>> Twilight interjected.
I'm gonna ask you to trust me again. I know what I'm doing. he replied internally.
<<I hardly have a reason to as it stands, you would have injured her unnecessarily while you were questioning her.>> she pointed out, <<What are you going to do now?>>
If she's who she says she is, she won't be hurt. he reasoned
<<And if she isn't?>> she jabbed.
"Wait a minute Starshine, you can't be serious..."
Then she'll only be hurt once, probably enough for us to get good information. She'll heal. Besides, she's a changeling, you KNOW their structure is tougher than even the toughest human, not to say anything about magi or seraph.
Twilight mulled it over for a moment.
"Starshine, come on. You never made any kind of threat like that when you were unsure... I know it looks bad, but it IS me." the changeling said shakily as she leaned closer.
<<You promise not to hurt her too much?>>
Yes, but if I'm right then I apologize for the bruises.
<<Wait, what?>>
Star Dusk quickly push down on his end of the table with his foot causing the other end to jump up and crash right into her jaw, causing her to reel back a bit.
He then moved to flip the table up and kick it toward her. She got her senses back and was able to jump and dive over the table.
"Starshine, hold up!"
Ignoring her, Star Dusk moved forward punching and kicking as she retreated, blocking or dodging each of the blows.
"I, I don't wanna hurt you!" she said once she was backed against the window.
"You could have fooled me!" he said winding up a hay maker punch.
She jumped up, grabbing on to the frame of the window, and wrapped her legs around his head.
"Calm down! You don't have to do this!" she said, keeping him under control by keeping her grip on the frame and locking her legs behind him.
Star Dusk brought up an arm while struggling and shot out a beam of magic that shattered her manacles, missing her face by mere millimeters.
Now free, and her anger rising, she shifted into her changeling form. She tossed her arms forward suddenly, causing Star Dusk to bend backwards until her hands reached the floor. Using strength that could not have come from the form she was previously in, she performed a handstand with the knights head still locked in place. She whipped her legs around quickly and released the young man to fly to the table that now rested at an incline.
Pain wracked his body and Twilight was not shielded from the shock. The changeling walked over slowly as Star Dusk tried to pick himself up. She quickly straddled his body and grabbed him by the collar.
"Mmmmm, I could eat you up." she said licking her black lips with her green tongue.
"T-That," Star Dusk winced before continuing, "That stopped being funny after the third time."
She burst out into laughter shifting form into a tall, blonde magi with emerald eyes wearing what Twilight could only assume to be Royal Guard 'civilian garb'.
"Come on, even with the irony of me being a changeling?" she chuckled, standing up and offering her hand.
"Then it's not funny, it's frightening. Quit while you're ahead." he replied accepting the offer of help.
"Alright, Alright. Point taken."
"Sorry, I'm not used to the way you sound with modern speech."
"Honestly, it creeped me out hearing you speak that way too. I dunno, you seem much more dashing and knightly when you speak in 'thous' and 'thees'." she commented walking toward the window and leaning up against it.
Star Dusk gave a slightly confused look before continuing, "And it doesn't help that I really haven't gotten any respite from that battle 2 days ago."
"Who attacked you two days ago?"
Now both Twilight and Star Dusk were confused.
"You were there too, you know. I didn't think you'd reach the age of memory loss but-"
"Wait, WHAT!?" she exclaimed, dumbfounded.
<<How could she have forgotten?>> asked Twilight. The two knights seemed to come to a conclusion quickly.
"Time Displacement!" they cried in unison.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid!!! How could we have forgotton that the interrogation rooms flow of time is different than that of the outside world!" Shining Gauntlet chastized hitting her head with her fist.
"It usually runs in reverse! Time is longer in here than out there, but we needed you to think that your plan still could be foiled so Princess Celestia must have-"
"No time for that, Starshine! Did you forget what happened during the fight? You fought with-"
"Those husks. They did break skin!"
<<The doctors must have sterilized the wounds before they did any procedures.>> pointed out Twilight.
"No, they have to be burned. Close the wounds and kill anything in there all at once. Damn it how could I be so stupid!!" Star Dusk quickly turned and removed the chair blocking the door way.
"Starshine! I want to come with you." said Sparkling Gauntlet, grabbing his wrist.
"I'm not going to stop you."
"It's not that. First, the two who have been watching might not let in happen. Second, the moment I step out there, Queen Chrysalis will sense me and I'll bend to her will again." she looked down to the floor, not letting go, "I... I really wanna help and make up for what I did."
Star Dusk quickly grabbed both of her wrists and bound them with the same binding as before. He threw open the door and dashed outside only quickly pausing to inform the Princess and Shining Armor that the prisoner would be in his care.
Star Dusk arrived at the hospital with Sparkling Gauntlet not too far behind. The doors were on the floor 15 feet from the actual frame. Guards and rescue personel had already swarmed the place.
"Looks like Queen Chrysalis already has control of your body..." Sparkling Gauntlet said apologetically, "I should have just told them at least to burn the wounds..."
Star Dusk whirled around to face the changeling, "Not important right now. What was the plan? Or is this just outside the bounds of that plan?"
"The plan probably should remain the same. The only difference is their using you as opposed to any of the princesses."
"Then what is the plan?"
Sparkling Gauntlet looked down sheepishly, "A, uh... An alliance with an old ruler?"
Star Dusk quickly dashed a couple feet after the realization of the plan but fell flat on his face after a couple feet.
"You alright?" she asked helping him back to his feet and as he did so, the magical disguise fell off.
<<What happened?>>
"I think this body hit its limit, I must have pushed it too hard to get here. I stopped thinking and just acted like I had my own body."
"From all reports, Twilight Sparkle wasn't the most athletic person."
<<HEY! I'll have you know I keep myself in fine shape, thank you very much.>>
"Regardless, we have to get to the hedge maze gardens."
"Use my body."
Both Twilight and Star Dusk were taken aback by the comment.
<<What?>>
"Transfer your consciousness to my body. I've kept up my training so you shouldn't be able to push my body so far past its limits." she clarified.
Twilight, she's right. And I'm sorry to have to do this.
<<What are you going to do?>>
Before Twilight could voice any more questions, her body moved forward and her lips met with the other magi's. After a moment she was able to pull herself back and ended up falling down.
"What was that for?!" she cried before realizing that she spoke the words her body used.
"I apologized didn't I?" said the magi, quickly blinking in surprise.
<<You moved out of the way?>> Twilight heard his voice inside her head.
<<Well, if I were in control, then neither you nor the little princess would trust me.>> came the changeling's voice.
<<Point taken. I'm going to have to shape shift or else everyone will think you're escaping.>>
<<Well, your consciousness should still contain the majority of your magic so you should be able to break the bonds.>>
<<And Chrysalis?>>
<<Your consciousness should act as interference since you weren't built to handle the hive mind. >>
The magi raised her wrists and broke the bonds from the inside.
<<Good. The shifting process is kinda like the disguise you had the little princess put on. Just visualize yourself and->>
The body then shifted from the blonde magi to Star Dusk's figure.
<<And there's not even a need to concentrate on it to keep it up. Cool, huh?>>
"Twilight," Star Dusk began as he turned from her, "I have to check on something. I'm sorry but-"
Twilight, still having plenty of magic even though her body was out of energy, teleported to him and wrapped her arm around his neck and her legs around his waist.
"Oh no, you're not going anywhere without me. I have just as much at stake here as you do. Whatever the plan is, it has involved my family and friends. And I can't let that go."
Twilight's grip faltered and she fell to the floor. Star Dusk quickly picked her up in his arms and took off for the gardens.
<<So she demands she come a long and you cave. I thought you had more wherewithal than that. You'd think you were the little princesses guard or something.>>
Twilight had had enough of the put downs, "Hey! I've had enough of you calling me names and-"
<<Woah, Whoa, Whoa.... She can hear me?>>
<<She and I are mentally linked.>> Star Dusk explained, <<It's a side effect of borrowing her magic to fight you. I guess since she and I are connected, she can hear you through me and probably vice versa since I'm in your body and all.>>
And yes, I've heard everything you've said. Twilight thought 'aloud'.
Star Dusk took off running in the direction of the gardens. <<We don't have time to argue anymore. We have to get to Discord.>>
Discord was the plan? Really? The embodiment of all chaos and you think he'll help you?
<<One, I didn't come up with the plan. Two, revenge is a pretty good motivator. Three, shut up.>> enumerated Sparkling Gauntlet.
Excuse me?!
<<Alright, enough. I'm not going to run here and be the mail carrier for your argument. We have bigger things to->>
Star Dusk's head whipped to the side for a moment.
What is it?
<<You saw that too huh?>> commented Sparkling Gauntlet.
<<I just hope its not what I thought it was.>>
Worry permeated the rest of the journey until they arrived at a pedestal that was missing its sole occupant.
"This... is in no way good..." said Twilight
"The good news is it looks like they couldn't free him from the statue. Look, there are drag marks from detaching it from the pedestal." she continued.
<<But then, why bother with your body at this point. If your magic didn't work to free him then->>
"A trade." interrupted Twilight.
"What makes you think that?"
Twilight turned her head to look at the knight directly in the eyes, "Sparkling Gauntlet herself said that she kept the link to the queen open as long as she could. The queen must have seen and taken note of both Princess Celestia's and Princess Luna's reaction to your suffering.
"She knows you are important to them in one way or another. They could free Discord directly or, more likely, order the elements of harmony to do so in trade for your safety."
<<She's really good. I see why you're following her, reminds me of a younger Luna. >>
<<It has nothing to do with that. She's my dearest friend. I would do anything for her if she asked.>>
<<Friend? Really?>>
I would appreciate it if you didn't talk like I'm not here. And, really? You're that surprised he had friends?
<<I wouldn't expect you to understand the term 'comrades in arms'.>>
What's so different between the two? Ones friends in battle and the other-
<<And you just proved that you know nothing.>>
I know more about friendship than you would, Changeling!
"ENOUGH!!!"
Both women froze at the booming voice of the knight who now looked more than a little cross.
"If I could walk away from both of you right now I would. I don't need both of you trying to one-up each other. Especially since we have a bigger issue at hand."
Both girls assented to Star Dusk's assessment of the situation.
"Right now, the priority is to bring the Princesses up to speed of the situation." he concluded as they headed back to the hospital.