Chapter Seven
Of friends and foes
"Why do you ask?" Scootaloo was still annoyed. She really didn't want to talk to Diamond Tiara. The thought that she only wanted to talk to her because of the Wonderbolts was not helping her with the irritiation.
"Because that would be so cool if you know the Wonderbolts." Diamond Tiara responded.
Scootaloo just rolled her eyes and decided to fly away, but was grabbed by her bully before she could get away.
"Please get me some tickets to their next show!, I would forever in your debt!"
She knew by instinct that this was one of her ways to use other ponies. "No way!, you only ask because I'm related to one of the Wonderbolts. Any other day you would bully me just like you allways have!" Scootaloo said.
Diamond Tiara looked shocked.
The Wonderbolts was the most famous ponies in all of equestria, tickets was at a premium and VIP tickets was ultra rare.
She kept bugging Scootaloo for tickets until Silver Spoon walked by.
"Begging huh? I never thought you would stoop so low. Even though you did hang out with a lowlife like me."
Both Diamond Tiara and Scootaloo turned their heads, Silver Spoon was standing besides them with a smug face. She had grown quite alot in the years, her mane was much longer and she didn't have glasses anymore.
"You got to stop this someday Diamond, we are not little fillies anymore. Someday it will destroy you," Silver Spoon said.
Scootaloo said nothing but gave a face of approval, Diamond Tiara was visibly furious. "Say the same pony whose marefriend is a blank flank!"
Silver Spoon herself got angry. "She is not a blank flank anymore, and besides." She turned her head away from her former friend. "She is twice the pony that you are!"
Watching the two former friends argue was something Scootaloo would never guess to see, atleast not in this way. Suddenly she realised what Silver Spoon said before.
"Wait a second, marefriend? Blank flank?!"
Flash Sentry was walking around the library and home, boredom was not something he liked. Looking at the clock he decided to get out and take a drink, he would probably not be allowed any alcohol now that his wife was pregnant. But seeing that she was out of town it probably wouldn't hurt to go out and have a drink or two.
He gathered some money and went out, it was close to sundown. That would probably get the more undesirable ponys to come out, But still he decided to go to the nearest bar.
It was a quite nice place, not the finest but certainly not the worst. Opening the doors he could see that it was not to crowded, he thought of a phrase he heard from one of the old colleagues. He was from the frozen north.
"Lagom*." He thought to himself.
He sat down at the bar and ordered a cider.
Soarin' looked at the clock, it wasn't really that much, he figured that both Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash would be out for a couple of hours. "Might as well go and get a drink."
He quickly wrote a note explaining where he was and then left the cloud home. There was a certain bar he liked, Rainbow Dash had showed him it a while ago.
Flying towards Ponyville he saw that there was still ponies on the streets, soon his destination came into view. He touched down in front of the building.
There wasn't anything special about the building, haven't it been for the sign nopony would guess that it was a bar. He looked at the sign. It said 'The Dizzy Pony'. A not at all fitting name.
As he walked in he saw Flash Sentry, he did not notice Soarin'. "Hey! I thought you weren't allowed to drink while your wife is pregnant."
Flash Sentry turned around, seeing Soarin' he relaxed.
Soarin' sat down and told the bartender to give him the same as Flash Sentry.
"Yes marefriend, and she was a blank flank too." Silver Spoon said to Scootaloo.
She could not belive what she was hearing, she knew that Silver Spoon had stopped hanging out with Diamond Tiara. But this was new to her.
"So in short. Stopp messing with ponies, or you will be lonly for the rest of your life."
Diamond Tiara was shaking with anger, but she turned around and walked away.
The two ponies looked on as the bully walked away but was interupted. "Hey what's happening over here!?"
Scootaloo turned as saw her friend she was looking for.
"Sweetie Belle! I was looking for you."
With a big smile the light grey pony walked up to Scootaloo. "What's happening?"
Silver Spoon and Scootaloo looked over at Diamond Tiara who was walking away. The way she was walking told anypony to stay away.
"Lets just say that she got what she deserved." Scootaloo said with joy.
Sweetie Belle facehoofed. Carefull not to hit her face to hard. "I thought you said you wouldn't beat up ponies anymore."
This caused Silver Spoon to look at Scootaloo with a mix of confusion and a bit of fear.
"Marrige, how does it treat you?" Soarin' asked. Flash Sentry let out a small chuckle and waved to the bartender signaling him to bring more drinks.
He took a deep breath. "Well it is nice, sometimes it's hard but mostly wonderfull." He paused to look Soarin' in the eyes. "It's about giving and...Giving some more."
Soarin' laughed hard at this, after a moment Flash joined him. They both laughed until the drinks arrived. Flash spoke up again. "But seriously! It has it's upsides as well as it's downsides. But for the love of Celestia i can't remember them!"
He took a big gulp of cider, it was clear that they both where begining to get drunk.
"So do you think i should marry her?" Soarin' asked.
Flash struggled to focus on Soarin' as his slightly intoxicated tried to come up with an answer. After a while he said. "Well what i think..."
"What are you doing here! Come to ruin our lives again?" The anger in Twilight's voice was clear.
At the same time Rainbow was being held back by Celestia's magic.
"It is quite simple. Peace" The guest said in a calm manner.
Twilight's stance changed from defensive to normal. Something was not right about this she thought. Rainbow still struggling in the grip of Celestia's magic. Twilight walked forward carefully.
"Please tell me why?" She asked. The question was not of anger but of curiosity. "I have trouble of trusting you Chrysalis. especially after what you did to my brother"
Chrysalis sighed. "I have no other choice!, my subjects are not fairing well." She walked over to the window, looking out at the sunset. "This have been on my mind for some time, i have to do my best for my dear subjects."
Rarity decided to speak up. "But don't you feed on love? How would being allowed into Equestria help?"
"Because, if my subjects can be allowed in Equestria maybe they can find somepony who are willing to give love freelly, Love is not only something we feed of, it is also something we want in our lives just like you. Besides we can surive on other things than love, we are adaptable after all." Chrysalis said.
Celestia walked over to the ponies and dragon still with Rainbow in her magic. "That is why i have called you here, i need you to keep an eye on Chrysalis." Casting a glare at the changeling. "In case she want to try something outside of our agreements."
Twilight looked at her mentor. "What agreements?"
Chrysalis walked over and cleard her throat. "Let me say this. The agreements are no changing, no stealing love and following the laws. Simple as that."
Rainbow who still was being held by Celestia's magic chose this moment to speak. "And how are we to know that you won't break the deal?!"
Celestia sighed and released Rainbow who crashed into the nearby pillar. "That is why i need your help, i want Twilight Sparkle to construct a device that will expose changelings that have taken the forms of the citizens living in the area. And the rest of you to keep the elements ready."
"And where will she stay? Canterlot? Manehattan?" Rarity asked. Celestia smiled. "I have made arrangements for her to live in Ponyville"
All of the six ponies and one dragon shouted in unison. "WHAT!"
"Ok i think you two have had enough to drink" The Bartender said to the two.
Soarin' looked at him with an unsteady pair of eyes. "I swear to drunk I'm not Celestia"
The Bartender was about to grab Soarin' and Flash when he suddenly noticed Flash standing up. Then promptly falling down, only to stand up again and loudly proclaiming. "I am Prince Flash *Hic* Sentry! I will not take orders from you!" After he said this he fell down once again.
Soarin' was a bit steadier and managed just barely to stand without falling. "You heard what he said?...It was to call a cab right?"
The Bartender had to struggle for while with the two before finally getting them into the cab.
*Earlier
Scootaloo sighed. "I didn't beat her up. Silver here just taught her a lesson." Silver Spoon smiled weakly at this.
Sweetie Belle knew that Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara wasn't friends anymore.
"So what are you guys doing?" Sweetie asked. Scootaloo remembered why she went out in the first place. "I was looking for you, i wanted to hang out!"
Before Sweetie could answer Silver Spoon spoke. "I have to go, somepony is waiting for me at home. See you guys some time."
She walked of with a happy bounce in her steps, almost if she had been hanging out with Pinke Pie.
"Anyway, what do you say? Wanna hang out?" Scootaloo said after looking back at Sweetie.
She pondered for a moment before answering. "Yeah sure, but why aren't you out with Rumble?"
As the group of six ponies and one dragon was escorting the Queen of the changelings towards the trainstation there was quite a lot of ponies looking scared around them. It was only natural, since the Canterlot invasion the thought of changelings was mostly of fear. They had been told that there was a train ready for them, since most of the ponies where afraid of the changelings it was safer to travel in a personal train.
The train itself was more decorated than most of the trains in the station, with guards outside and inside. There where gold and gems all over train.
Rarity's eyes grew big with wonder and Spike's stomach growled. Twilight facehoofed and turned to Chrysalis.
"So please tell me, how many changelings are in Ponyville right now?" Twilight asked. Chrysalis looked at Twilight with a smile. "A few. As a matter of fact, they have been trying to start their new lives in Ponyville for about two months now. With the strict orders to not attack and to reveal themself to their loved ones when they feel the time is right.
Inside the train it was as expected, gold and gems everywhere. Princess Celestia did not spare any expences when it came to transport it seemed. As they where about to get seated Princess Luna stumbled out of one of the private booths.
She looked like she had been working out, her mane was messy and so was her regalia. After quickly running her hooves through her mane she walked up to the guests.
"You have finally arrived! We are most pleased that you took on this task." She said as she approached the ponies.
Twilight looked around and noticed the guards where not in fact Solar Guards but instead Lunar Guards. And as if on queue Princess Luna spoke again. "You are curious about the fact that the Lunar Guards have replaced our sisters guards?" Twilight nodded. "This is a overnight train to Ponyville! And the Lunar Stallions have greater night vision than most. Just in case Chrysalis decides to try something."
Chrysalis looked over at Princess Luna. "Surely you have other things to attend to right now?"
Luna's cheeks became red as she gently bowed to her guests. "Yes you are right...We will be accompany you all on this trip, but it is time for rest." Luna quickly turned and trotted towards the other carriage which presumably was ment for sleeping.
It was safe to say that the number of guards where enough to overpower Chrysalis if she did in fact try something.
A short time after Luna had left, a lone Lunar Guard poked his head out from the same booth that Luna was in earlier.
Nopony said a word even as the train started moving.
The cab containing the two ponies stopped outside the Golden oak library. When the driver walked over to the door he saw the two occupants sleeping leaning at each other. He sighed and knocked on the doorframe of the cab. The two inside jolted. "I swear she was eighteen officer!" Soarin' shouted. Flash on the other hand looked out and saw that he was home, he struggled a bit to get out and managed to only fall once. "I guess this is my stop." He said
Soarin' waved goodbye to what he hoped was his friend before falling back to sleep. Yet again the driver sighed and closed the door to the cab.
The ride over to where Soarin' now lived wasn't that far, althogh he never woke upp during the trip over there. Once they got there the driver simply dumped Soarin' on the doorstep. "I have other customers tonight, sweet dreams."
He lay there for a few minutes before the door opened.
"Mom is going to be so pissed with you when she gets home!"
The train journey was mostly quiet, except for Pinke Pie trying to make some conversation.
"Come on! There has to be something to talk about! Oh! I know! There was a stallion that looked rather sad the other day, i bet i can make him happier!" No response. "Or the fact that the changelings are moving into Ponyville!"
This was the one thing that made most of the occupants eyes move to Pinke.
"Please Pinke, i have a lot to think about. This isn't a joke!" Twilight said. Pinkie Pie looked sad, she only wanted to make some light conversation. Twilight noticed this, "What i mean i, i would love to talk right now but there is so much happening right now."
Unknown to them Chrysalis has peaked an interest in the subject.
"And would one thing have to do with the one you are carrying?" Twilight turned in shock towards the changeling Queen when she said this. She did not wait for an answer from Twilight. "Remember i can sense emotion, i can feel your love for your child. And don't worry, i would not do anything to harm it."