//------------------------------// // Luna's Response // Story: Changeling Love // by MissPegasis //------------------------------// Luna clapped her hooves together. After adjusting to the modern age and the laws Equestria now abided by, she was ready to rule once more! Celestia was out on vacation for the rest of the month and left Luna in charge. She was so excited she could hardly contain herself! The ponies didn’t seem to dislike the change in ruling since she called for a star shower on her first night. Now was especially important though. In the royal sisters’ private study, a scroll materialized above her head. Luna saw the Crystal Empire seal. “Oh, a letter from our niece? Perchance she and her husband need assistance ruling the Crystal Empire. Shan’t be too difficult. If we can be deemed worthy of temporary singular control over Equestria, then we do not see why we cannot help another reign their territory.” She said as her magic broke the seal. Dear Princess Celestia and Luna, The Crystal Empire has been overrun by changelings. Not in the way you think though; the changelings claim their queen has died and since I was the one who killed her, they have named me their new queen. I don’t know what to do with them! You know I’m still having nightmares about those things! They stare at us with their giant eyes swearing eternal loyalty! Did you know I even have a song now!? They sang a creepy song about how much they love me! I’m the Princess of Love not the Queen of Changelings! They see me as food! Oh sweet goddess I’m the Princess of their Food! Hey, Cadence is having a panic attack in the corner. This is Shining Armor. Anyway, the changelings are keeping us confined in her office since she’s too scared to go out. Please help. I fear this may be some kind of trap. Lure us into a false sense of power then attack us. I don’t know what to do. Signed, Prince Shining Armor and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza Luna grimaced. Celestia had warned her of strange and unreasonable problems ponies created. Last week some ponies complained about a few demons escaping Tartarus. How hard is it to read a sign that says “Do not cross: Tartarus Ahead; Keep Magical Gate Shut” and obey said sign? She had to round up the demons herself then scold every townspony for their ignorance. Now there is a mock changeling invasion in her niece’s kingdom? Luna sighed. She didn’t want to fly all the way to the Crystal Empire just to investigate a possible changeling attack. Other than scaring the living daylights out of them, the changelings have done nothing in particular for the Crystal Empire to require backup. It almost reminded Luna of when she had to capture and release innocent spiders her older sister saw with a similar disgust. Luna couldn’t just leave Canterlot, but she couldn’t leave her niece alone based on the letter’s urgency. She needed ponies who would work as a middle ground between nothing and international intervention. Some ponies who have experience with changelings before. Ponies who are really awesome. “And that’s when the princess asked me to jump on the next train to the Crystal Empire and save the day with all my radical friends!” Rainbow Dash explained arrogantly. Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack walked behind her to the train. “Wow, I didn’t know Princess Luna was in charge for a while.” Fluttershy spoke softly. Pinkie Pie bounced over. “I didn’t know she thought we were so radical and awesome!” Pinkie Pie pranced happily. “Are ya’ll sure those were Luna’s exact words? It’s not like her to use modern terms, but it’s just like you to brag about yourself.” Applejack questioned. Rainbow rolled her eyes and flew upside down with her forearms crossed. “Hey, I mentioned you guys too.” Rainbow said. “Don’t you mean the princess mentioned us too?” Fluttershy inquired. Rainbow flew head first into a tree realizing her faux pas. “Oh Dashie! You almost had me there! Good job Fluttershy!” Pinkie Pie offered a raised hoof. The more timid pony nervously hoof bumped it as delicately as possible. The girls met Rarity and Twilight at the train station. A few of the hairs on Twilight’s mane were out of place. “What took you so long? Rainbow Dash, I asked you to gather the others because I thought you were fast!” Twilight yelled. Rainbow flew out of the tree and got nose to nose with Twilight. “Are you calling me slow?!” Rainbow shoved her with her forehead. “I can clear a cloudy day in ten seconds flat!” “Yet you can’t ask our friends to meet at a train station at exactly ten a.m. now can you?” “Break it up!” Applejack pushed the two aside. Twilight put a hoof to her chest and inhaled. She exhaled and extended the hoof. “Sorry,” Twilight said quietly “I’m worried for my BBBFF and BSILAFSBFF.” Everypony tilted their head. She sighed. “My Big Brother Best Friend Forever and Big Sister-In-Law And Foal Sitter Best Friend Forever!” “Oooohhh,” the ponies replied. “Come on,” Twilight said as she walked to the train. “Princess Luna asked us to deliver this letter to Shining Armor and Cadence in pony then help fulfill the letter’s instructions.” “What are the instructions about?” Fluttershy asked quietly. “I’m not sure what’s in the letter itself; Princess Luna asked us only to open it with Cadence and Shining. But I do know this;” Everypony gathered around the unicorn waiting for this overly dramatic pause to end. “Changelings have invaded the Crystal Empire.” Fluttershy immediately fainted. “Fluttershy? Fluttershy wake up! Rise and shine sleepy head!” Fluttershy’s eyes fluttered open. She looked up at her friends. Pinkie smiled brightly. “What happened?” “You passed out after Twilight said the ‘c’ word, silly! You slept through the whole train ride and briefing!” Fluttershy stood up and looked around. They were still on the train, but the windows indicated the arctic north. “We’re almost there but I can sum it up for you!” Pinkie Pie inhaled a large breath. “The Crystal Empire has been invaded by changelings who all think Cadence is their new queen. But Cadence is afraid of changelings and the sight of them made her scream and since she doesn’t know how to chuckle at changelings, she sent the princess of Equestria an SOS from her office that’s also her shelter from the changelings! Though I think it’s silly to be afraid! The changelings are wiling to obey her every command but she doesn’t have the guts to do it! Shining tried to take over, feeling lucky with his military and leadership skills, but they’ll only listen to Cadence; the pony who wants nothing to do with them! From what was last said, she’s still in her office panicking in a corner. It’s our job to deliver Luna’s reply and help Cadence with whatever orders the letter has in them.” Pinkie smiled. “Oh…that makes sense……I suppose.” “Great! ‘Cause we’re here!” The train halted. “Everypony ready to kick changeling butt like last time?” Pinkie asked getting into her two-legged fighting stance. “We’re not fighting, Pinkie.” Twilight further explained. “Luna said the changelings will not bother us if we do not bother them. I did a little research on changelings and it turns out they will do anything their leader asks of them and nothing else until otherwise said. It’s part of the ‘hive mind’.” “Hive mind?” Applejack asked as they got off the train. The Crystal Empire didn’t look like it changed much considering there was a recent changeling invasion. The roads shimmered and the buildings shined. Crystal ponies chatted and walked the streets as usual with their coats enchanting those who saw. Some sold items from little wagons or pulled wagons to start a little stand of their own. “Yes, I’ll explain on the way.” Twilight said. “Each changeling is connected to each other by some kind of magic. They all share the same thoughts and feelings with each other through this telepathic magic. The queen is the master of this telepathic system and influences it the most. So there are absolutely no miscommunications between the changelings so long as they are connected to this telepathic system of communication.” “Oh…’kay.” the earth pony said. “I’ll just let you unicorns handle the crazy stuff.” “Hey, not everything magical is crazy! How you earth ponies can buck every fruit off a tree in one kick or do physical labor for hours on end is crazy!” Rarity added. Applejack had submit to that. She’d never seen a non-earth pony do as much work as she and Macintosh did unless they were part of the royal guard or that weirdo, Snowflake. “So they all have the same brain?” Rainbow asked. “Oo! Oooo!” Pinkie Pie bounced to Rainbow’s flying level. “So if one changeling likes chocolate pie do they all like chocolate pie? Or if one changeling stubs his hoof, are all of their hooves sore?” “Maybe,” Twilight answered “Not much is known about changelings beyond their required sustenance, abilities, and hunting behaviors.” “Hunting?” Fluttershy started shaking. “She simply means when they pull the old switcheroo is all.” Rarity patted her shaking friend’s back. “Right,” Twilight reassured “I’m hoping to study them while we’re here. We could learn a lot from their culture or powers.” Twilight paused. “That means…I’ll be the first pony to study changelings on such an intimate level! I’ll be on the cover of Discovered Monthly!!” The other five ponies coughed on the dust cloud left by Twilight’s excited gallop. Pinkie put a hoof to the side of her face and leaned closer to Fluttershy. She whispered. “Maybe my brain is connected with Twilight’s ‘cause right before she ran off, I thought of a cake made of strawberries and strawberries are Twilight’s favorite.”