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// Rarity's Plan 
// Story: The Queen Is Dead, Long Live the Queen 
// by Diamond Sparkle 
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When at last the jester had finished his act and the laughter died down Rarity turned to Primary and told her "I think I can talk some sense into Princess Celestia and my friends, but the really hard bit will be the moment when they find out I'm now a Changeling Queen. After the attack on Canterlot, a  lot of ponies think the worst of the entire changeling race. If they can get over the shock of what I have now become then  think they will accept me. But I don't want to end up tossed into prison or at worst, a statue opposite Discord. I can keep this secret, but that won't change anything for my changeling subjects. I can bring my hive to Canterlot, but that could easily provoke a battle. All it would take is for one angry or nervous changeling or royal guard to throw a spear and there would be all out war with all it's horrors. I'm going to have to prepare a teleportation spell in case everything goes nasty and then go and find Princess Celestia by herself and let her know who I really am. It's a risk, I know."

Primary looked at Rarity, and she was clearly very worried. "What if Celestia takes it badly? We Changelings are feared and hated by the other races, which is ironic given our need for love. What if she refuses to accept you no matter what you say?"

"That's what the teleportation spell is for, so I can teleport back to safety in the Hive if need be."

"Well, I wish you luck."

Rarity got to her feet. "My fellow Changelings, tomorrow I am going to talk to Princess Celestia, in an attempt to bring peace between the ponies and us. If it works, we can perhaps gain genuine love from Equestria enough to raise all your rations and one day to allow us to walk freely amongst ponies. But it would only take one badly behaved changeling to spoil it all, so if it works out I want all of you to be on your best behaviour and not bring any truth to the Equestrian stereotype of the criminal changeling." This was greeted with polite cheers from the changelings although Rarity sensed that many of them did not think she could succeed in this. After the meal she was escorted to a luxurious royal bedroom. On one wall were portraits of the Queens of the past who had ruled this hive. There were several books in one corner and a hammock of the finest non-sticky changeling web. Rarity turned her nose up at it at first and thought...They want me to sleep in what is dried Changeling gloop...that is so ewwwwww. But wait, I am their Queen, they love and adore me so they would not do anything nasty to me. I might as well give it a try. The hammock had silken pillows inside it and proved to be so comfortable that Rarity was soon asleep.

The next day Rarity decided to try out her brand new wings, which were slightly blueish instead of the green wings that the Changelings of Chrysalis's hive had. Looking in the mirror of finely polished rock crystal within her room, she noted that her carapace was white instead of the blue-black of the subjects of Queen Chrysalis. "Every Hive must have a different colour of carapace and wings," she said aloud to herself. "Now, how do these wings work?"  With a thought, she opened her carapace, thrummed her wings, lifted into the air...and thumped into the roof seconds later, banging her head and falling to the ground. "Ouch, that hurt." With a little careful experimenting, she was able to hover in the air at the level that she wanted to, and then fly around to where she wanted to go. After preparing a teleportation spell she took the shape of a pegasus and flew back over the border. The closer she got to Canterlot and the throne room of Princess Celestia, the more she began to worry. What if it all goes wrong? What if Princess Celestia refuses to believe that I really am Rarity and exiles me from Equestria or worse. And if I am a Changeling Queen, then what about Sweetie Belle? Is that why she can't get herself a cutie mark? Why did I get mine? Do changelings who think they are ponies gain cutie marks as if they were real ponies?  

She selected an empty side street in Canterlot near the Royal Castle, transformed into her Rarity shape and walked up to the front gate. As one of the holders of the Elements and a close friend of Princess Celestia, the gate guards had no objection to her walking in like she owned the place. She walked to Princess Celestia's private suite, and there she was challenged. "Identify yourself." The unicorn guard levelled his spear at her. Since Chrysalis's attempted invasion royal security had got a bit tighter.

"Rarity darling. Please could you go and tell Her Majesty that I want to tell her something really important?"

He did so and soon enough she was ushered in to where Princess Celestia was. The Princess looked at her happily.

"I've just discovered I'm not who I thought I was, but please don't panic, it's not what it looks like, give me a chance to explain..." With a flash of green fire, Rarity transformed into her Changeling form. The Princess jumped back and reared up, her horn glowing with fire. Rather then light up her own horn and risk starting a potentially deadly magical battle, Rarity sat down. "Before you blast me with your solar magic or call the guards to clap me in irons, remember my status as an Elements bearer. Without me the Elements are useless and if Discord should somehow get free, nopony will be able to stop him." Princess Celestia still glared at her but her horn ceased to glow.

"Where is the real Rarity?" she asked coldly.