From Camouflage's Point Of View
Doppel hadn’t slept like this in a long time. Throughout all the events that were caused by his cold, he’d never felt well enough to sleep soundly. Now that his nose wasn't so clogged and Ponyville was so peaceful, he could rest at ease.
Suddenly, he felt something climbing on him. After some recognizable swipes of the paw, the changeling moaned with a sigh, “Get off me, Angel. I don't want to play with you now.”
He swiped at the bunny to make him get off. After succeeding his operation, he brought back his hoof where it was resting before. Strangely, it was softer and hairier that he remembered. Opening an eye, he saw Fluttershy's face sleeping three inches from his head. He couldn't help yelling out, which woke up Fluttershy. She noticed the same thing and squeaked in reply. Angel, in a corner of the room, facepawed at the situation.
Doppel got off the bed like if it had a wasp nest inside. “Nothing happened last night!” he exclaimed. Fluttershy got off as well with a giggle. “I assure you, I was going to go on the couch later during the night, but I fell asleep before I could go.” The yellow pegasus continued to chuckle. “Why are laughing?”
The shy pony stopped laughing and blushed, looking anywhere but at him. “I wasn’t trying to make fun of you. I was laughing because I was going to do the same thing as your excuse.” Doppel gave her a puzzled look. “I was going to sleep on the couch to leave you alone in the bed. You didn't look very comfortable.”
A smile flickered across Doppel's face. “You know, I wonder if we better off in buying another couch,” he smirked, “seeing as nopony wants to sleep on the bed.”
--|-|--
Octavia (?) was waiting near a house with her cello on her back, observing any movements coming from inside. “Come on... She has a rehearsal.” She looked everywhere, watching the passer-bys to see if they didn't find it too strange that the bassist was standing in front of her own door. “I wouldn't have transformed like this if I’d have known that I was just going to have to wait here. Everypony’s looking at me funny now. Why would Octavia be waiting in front of her own house?”
Suddenly, some faint sound were heard from the house and Camouflage, still under Octavia's disguise hid to the side, while the real Octavia ran out hastily. As soon as she vanished from sight, the changeling came out her hiding place and went inside.
“Sorry, I forgot to take my bow!” she exclaimed.
Vinyl Scratch entered in the hall, with a smirk on her face. “It's been a while since you’ve done that.”
“Excuse me if I like to pay attention to my things,” Camouflage coldly replied. Couldn't that mare forget her things a little bit more? Just to give me a believable lie?
Seeing that Camouflage wasn't moving, the DJ blurted out, “Weren't you already late for your rehearsal?”
“Oh yes! You're right!”
She ran to the door before being called back by Vinyl. “And my kiss?”
Camouflage rolled her eyes out of spite. Luckily for her, she knew that Octavia would do the same. She came closer to the white unicorn before making a quick peck on the nose.
“I suppose I have to wait until tonight to have some more?”
“Yes, I'm late!” The changeling thought a few seconds before adding, “And don't forget to remind me. I may be tired after the rehearsal.” She got out the house and sighed.
She then started to make her way back to the Everfree Forest. How could she wear something so heavy on her back? And I stole her a bow again. I have to start giving them back someday.
While she was walking on the streets, she watched everypony closely to see if Doppel was embodying any of them. Her spell still active since she wasn't sure that her friend noticed her. She started out trying to ask passer-bys if they’d seen a pony doing unusual things, but when the answers started going from “no” to “you”, she decided to stop asking to avoid arousing suspicion.
As she arrived at the edge of the forest, she decided to lift her spell, seeing as it was no longer useful. While passing by Fluttershy's cottage, she started to feel sorry for her. Poor Fluttershy. She's afraid of everything and she has to live near one of the most dangerous place in all of Equestria.
Her train of thought was interrupted when she saw the door open. And unlike she was expecting, it was Doppel who came out. Not Doppel-Lyra or Doppel-anypony. It was just Doppel the changeling.
When she got over the shock, she rushed over to her friend. “What are you doing undisguised, on Fluttershy's doorstep?” Her face was becoming redder and redder. The only thing she wanted at the moment was scold him like a little foal. “Do you really want to be discovered?”
“Ca...mouflage?” Doppel stammered, using his detection spell to check if he had guessed correctly.
“Do me a favor and change back into something suitable before Fluttershy arrives!”
“That would be pointless, seeing as she already knows,” he insisted.
“That’s even worse! Why didn't you tell us sooner? Did she torture you? How much time is left for us to flee?”
Doppel put his hoof in Camouflage mouth. “Can you let me finish?” he asked, waiting a nod from her friend. “She already knows and she doesn't care. I'm safe with her and she’s even taking care of my cold.”
He stopped talking a few seconds to see how she dealt with the new information. A grin started to get the female changeling's face. “In short, now I'm cured and I’m doing something that may surprise you, but I'm using method 3 now.”
“Wait! The one where a pony gives you their love willingly?” She had to sit to fully understand what he was saying.
“You do realize that if I wasn't an outlaw, I'd be in changeling's history books!” he boasted. “Well, I'm still a little embarrassed that she fell in love with me. She could’ve had a pony instead of me.”
He was staring at the ground, like if he was looking for something. Camouflage however, couldn’t stop grinning. “Are you sure that's only embarrassment?”
A green flash came from Doppel's friend. When he looked up at her, he gasped. “Flutter... Camouflage, what are you doing?” he stood back, blushing. She didn't answer. She just rolled on the ground, laughing while letting down her disguise. “Very funny...”
“You should’ve seen the look on your face,” she continued to guffaw. “Now I understand why you weren't keen to return to the Everfree.”
“What do you mean?”
“You haven’t noticed? Oh Celestia, you're so dense,” she said with a more serious tone. “You're head over hooves with her. My poor acting skills were enough to fool you. I felt your love for her even if you already knew it was me.”
Doppel lost himself in thought, turning back around to look inside the cottage. After a few seconds, he frowned.
“Are you okay? You seemed a bit out of sorts,” Camouflage worried.
Doppel dropped back into reality and faced the female changeling with a small blush. “Yeah, yeah. So, what's been going on with you and Mimic?”
“There's nothing between me and Mimic!” she snapped.
“I never said that,” Doppel said, surprised, stepping backwards after the excessive reaction of his friend.
“You're okay Doppel? I hear scream come from downstairs,” a soft voice concerned herself. “There isn’t a problem is there?”
Coming down from the second floor, Fluttershy stood beside Doppel. She was standing so close that the changeling could feel her feathers brushing against him, and couldn't help but blush a little more. Camouflage, however, was more on her guard. She even took some steps back at the pegasus' arrival.
“You must be Camouflage,” she exclaimed.
“How did you know it's her?” Doppel asked, dumbfounded. “I mean, yes, it's her, but how did you have recognized her?”
“She's slightly smaller than you and her horn is smaller too,” she explained. “I supposed by assuming you’re the same age, females should be smaller than males. And you mentioned there was only one female in your group, so that must be her.”
“I still can't believe that you can tell us apart. I don't know anypony that’s able to differentiate two changelings.”
“I’ve lived with you for more than a week,” she replied with a blush. Fluttershy looked at Camouflage who remained there, paralyzed. “Your friend hasn't said anything. Is she shy?”
Doppel couldn't help but giggle at the thought. Coming from Fluttershy, that’s kinda ironic. A sudden burst of green flames engulfed the female changeling and in her place, stood Octavia, or at least, in appearance.
“No, no,” Camouflage was finally able to say. “I didn't come here to steal Doppel from you. You can keep him as long as you want!” With that, she ran into the Everfree Forest, Fluttershy looking at her astonishment.
“Was it something I said?” the pegasus asked.
“For a changeling, it's awkward to be undisguised in front of a pony,” he explained. “It's like being naked.”
“Aren't we always naked?”
Doppel looked at her in confusion before sighing. “That’s not the same thing.”
“Did you feel the same way?”
“With my cold, I couldn't escape the fact that you'd seen me like this, so I thought that I had just had to get used to it,” he replied sheepishly.
--|-|--
“What is wrong with me?” Camouflage reprimanded herself. “Doppel was doing just fine undisguised in front of Fluttershy, and I panicked and took this stupid appearance.”
While ranting, she lost her disguise, taking off and fluttering into the woods. At least, I know where he is now. He's lucky. He'll never suffer hunger from again. At least, if he isn't discovered by somepony else. He also doesn't seem to be embarrassed by showing himself in front of her.
She passed by the pond that had started everything. Finally, his cold was actually useful. If the same thing would happen to me, I'd dive into this pond to catch a cold too...
Her train of thought was interrupted when she crashed into something. “Eh, watch where you’re flying will you?” Mimic shouted out, knocked over by Camouflage landing on top of each other.
“Oops, sorry,” she apologized, getting off of her friend. “But I have some great news. I know where Doppel is! He's been hiding at Fluttershy's during all this time!”
“He didn't get caught with his cold?”
“But that’s the best part! She already knows about it, and she even has feelings for him!”
“Oh the lucky bastard! While we were working ourselves to death to find him, he found the goose that lays the golden eggs.”
“You're not jealous of Doppel, are you?”
Mimic frowned. I'd like to have a pony love me without hiding. However, crashing through the undergrowth stopped their discussion. Both changelings leaned forward into a defensive position, waiting for the moment where a pony would appear and discover them.
Suddenly, a shape sprang up from the bushes and stopped short of them them. “Guys! I have something important to tell you!” Illusion exclaimed, tired from the long trek she had just made.
Mimic relaxed and smiled. “Illusion! It's nice to see you in broad daylight.”
“Later, it's important!”
“She didn't react to her name. It really must be serious... or she’s starting to like her name,” Mimic joked in a whisper to Camouflage.
“I have the day and the place for the next invasion! It's for tomorrow afternoon in Ponyville!” The other changelings stood open-mouthed. “You need to get away with Doppel as soon as possible!”