Surely, thought Flashpan as he sleepily wandered toward the door, “ROYAL GUARDS! OPEN UP!” is fairly high on the list of things one doesn’t want to hear at three in the morning. He would have compared its ranking with other unfortunate phrases, but he reached the door before he could. “Hello Gentlestallions, how may I –OH MY GLOB PRINCESS YOUR HIGHNESS!” Indeed, flanked by two of the white pegasi, was a familiar off-white diarch looking down on his groveling figure.
“At ease boys. You can stop groveling Mr. Alley.” By Luna’s beard, her voice was glorious, like marshmallows on Gruff*. Flashpan dared to look up, surprised to see that behind the booming voice was a… knowing grin?
“Uh, lovely time for a visit, Your Highne-”
“Please, call me Celestia.”
“Right um, so, Miss Celestia, w-what brings you here?” he asked nervously. And he was nervous. For good reason.
“Stallions, you are positive this is the correct residence?” She turned to each pegasus, who in turn nodded. She continued, this time addressing the occupant of the house. “Sir, I understand you are illegally harboring an enemy of the state.”
Shit! Shitshitshit! thought Flashpan as his mouth hung slightly agape, waiting for a signal from his brain not currently forthcoming. But then he remembered all the other crap he had put up with for Ereton over the past month and a half. What was one more immortal alicorn princess goddess? He sobered up from his binge thinking and confidently replied.
“Yes, yes I am.”
Celestia merely raised her ethereal eyebrows at this display of boldness. “Could you produce her please?” she asked, her tone still quite rigid.
Stalling would only delay the inevitable, so reluctantly, Flashpan trudged back into his tiny apartment to fetch the somehow still snoring Ereton from the bed they now shared.
“Ery, hon, wake up,” he said, shaking her. “I… I have bad news.”
“Pancakes?” she moaned groggily? “Apple yes mare.”
“Come on, wake up, the royal guard is here.” He neglected to mention the alicorn accompanying them.
At this she bolted upright. “I – I see. I’m not surprised it came to this.” She quickly rolled out of bed, rubbing her eyes with a black fetlock. “Well, I love you hon,” she said as she walked with her coltfriend out of the room. “Just remember that.”
“You’re awful nonchalant for somepony probably about to get arrested,” Flashpan dryly teased.
“Hey, ‘cool, calm, and collected’ is the changeling mantr- OH QUEEN’S HOLEY FORLEG IT’S A PRINCESS!” She yelped and galloped into the bathroom, locking the door to it behind her.
“Heh, um, sorry about that. She can be a bit… skittish with the authorities,” Flashpan sheepishly explained.
But the princess as always had her air of grace about her. “Oh, it’s ok. I understand I tend to have that effect on ponies. May I come in?”
“Well,” Flashpan started, “Seeing how you are my princess, I don’t believe I have much of a say in the matter, now do I?”
“Oh my little pony,” she tittered, “I’m flattered, but I still do like to have the approval of my subjects. I may be a dictator, but I’m a benevolent one. Guards, remain posted outside. You know the drill.” They complied.
Flashpan was surprised by her gentle tack, which seemed to be accompanied by a continued softening of her voice and features. “Well, um sure you can come in. Would you like some tea or something?”
“Oooo, do you have Vanilla Caramel Truffle? I’ve been on a huge black tea fix lately.” She perked up cutely at the mention of her favorite beverage.
He was taken aback at her sudden enthusiasm. “Yes I do actually. That’s one of Ereton’s favorite flavors. She loves tea.”
“Huh,” Princess Celestia muttered. “I did not know that changelings like tea. Is this a universal thing?”
“I don’t know,” Flashpan said. “I’m still learning a lot about her and her species. Speaking of which…” He knocked gently on the bathroom door. “Come out sweetie.”
“No.” The changeling inside was quite adamant.
“Please?”
“No.”
“Pleeeeaaasssse?”
“NO.”
“…sigh… Princess, you try.”
“Ok Flashpan. Miss Parallax is it? Miss Parallax, could you please come out?”
Ereton responded bluntly. “No, go away.”
Undetered, the princess tried again. “I’m not going to hurt you. I only wish to speak with you.” Flashpan observed that the ruler had a lot of patience for 3:37 a.m. Then again, she had a lot of experience to go off of. Several thousand years-worth. Still, Ereton was undeterred.
“No. You’re going to throw me in changeling prison or grind me up into shiny black powder or banish me to the moon or something.
Celestia flinched. “That last one was a low blow Ereton. Now this is the last time I’ll ask nicely. I’m not going to arrest you or anything like that. Please come out.”
“Make me,” the changeling sneered coldly.
“Ok, if you insist,” said the princess.
What happened next was somewhat surreal for all parties involved. Celestia simply commanded in an authoritative voice, “Ereton Parallax, step out of the bathroom, now.”
To hear of Celestia’s mind and motor control powers was one thing. To experience them firsthoof was another thing entirely. Flashpan felt the words invade his brain and the thoughts become his own. But seeing how he was neither Ereton Parallax nor hiding in a bathroom, the words had little bearing on him, and instead simply left him a little loopy feeling. The effect on the intended recipient however was quite clear. A moment later a very visibly shaken and disturbed changeling opened the door and stepped out.
It had been a long time since Ereton had felt the sensation. And really, she wouldn’t have minded if she never felt it again. Queen Enthalum was not the tyrant some changeling leaders were (cough Chrysalis cough). But she was still more than happy to always get her way, and being the boss of the hive mind, frequently saw to it that she did. So it was with more than a bit of bitter irony and déjà vu that Ereton once more felt her body dancing to the beat of a drum not played by her. It wasn’t pleasant. But she could neither disregard nor disobey the words rattling around her skull, and so she quite unhappily found herself opening up the door to face the music.