Chapter 13: What the Right Hoof Does
“Star Fall” stepped through the doorway with a calm expression and a relaxed gait. That held for a moment after the guard had shut the door, before it vanished. His ears drooped and expression turned slack, followed by a flash of green fire as Nictis stripped away the disguise.
He grumbled a wordless remark before sitting heavily beside the small table in the center of the repurposed guest suite.
A moment later he found a cup hovering right in front of his face, perched atop Subtle’s hoof. A tiny curl of steam rose from it. He stared at it for a few indecisive seconds before taking it in his hooves and bringing it to his mouth, steadily draining it in one long drink.
When he had finished, he lowered his hooves again, staring down at the cup with half-lidded eyes. Finally, he spoke.
“How can something that smells so wonderful taste so foul?”
Subtle chuckled softly from behind her own cup, though Nictis noted she had opted for a different drink. “I hear the taste of coffee is something that grows on you.”
“That’s a terrifying thought,” he replied, setting the cup on the table.
“I’ll admit, I do much prefer tea,” Subtle said with a small raise of her own cup, and smiled when Nictis gave a faint snort. “Which I suppose isn’t terribly surprising, given my name and cutie mark.”
“Pony names. Now there’s a subject to make headaches.” He shook his head and scowled. “Though speaking of names, I couldn’t even get that out of the last prisoner.”
“Get anything else?”
“No,” Nictis replied. “Though that may have told me a few things, anyway.”
Subtle leaned forward with a smug smile. “Hmm?”
“His refusal to talk didn’t seem nuanced in any way. There didn’t seem to be any further tactic to it other than not saying anything. He just clammed up and refused to take any active role. I put on a pretty good naive, bleeding-heart sympathy act, emotions and all. I intentionally presented a weakness, but he did nothing. I would have expected an Infiltrator to have made some attempt to take advantage of that, even if it was just getting a better feel for the pony or something subtle like that. Instead, he just sat there.”
“Hmm,” Subtle mused for a moment before setting down her cup beside the loose gathering of papers set before her. “What are you thinking?”
Nictis stared at the corner of the table for a long moment before drawing in a deep breath and releasing it in a sigh. “Well, the short version is, I don’t think he’s an Infiltrator. It’s possible, but it doesn’t quite fit. If I had to guess, I’d say he’s another one of Chrysalis’s soldiers.”
Subtle frowned slightly as she consider that. “I’ve got to say, Infiltrators are concerning enough. There are very few things she could do with soldiers hidden in Canterlot.”
“The other one you caught in that safehouse was an Infiltrator, or at least appears to be, so it’s possible he was just there to guard them.” He shook his head, slumping to the side to lean against the table. “The alternative is that they’re here to do something that Infiltrators are less suitable for. In a city, much less Canterlot, the only thing I can think of would be overt violence.”
“And if coordinated with their Infiltrators, they could do quite a bit of damage.”
Nictis nodded. “Yes. Though I have doubts that it’s their plan. At least not their primary one.”
“Because they could have come in at any time if that was their plan,” Subtle noted, “rather than setting us on alert and giving us time to ready the Guard. Yes, that’s probably not their first plan. That does still leave the possibility of it being a backup plan.”
Nictis’s frown deepened. “And Chrysalis is supposed to call in all her Infiltrators. If she doesn’t, then the princesses will move against her and she loses everything. If she does, she weakens that backup plan.”
“Which means that if she’s going to launch some sort of covert attack, she’d have to do it… well, any moment now.”
There was a moment of silence between them. A part of Nictis half expected it to be interrupted by an explosion or sounds of alarm--it just seemed like that kind of day--but it never came.
“Well, then,” Subtle said as she pulled a blank scroll out of her saddlebags and took up a quill in her mouth, somehow talking reasonably clearly as she wrote with it. “Aegis already has Guards on alert to track down any changelings that Chrysalis is communicating with, but I’ll send him a message anyway. If nothing else, he might find it useful. It’s amazing how much more alert ponies can be when “intelligence” has turned up a possible threat.”
She finished writing a moment later and waved Feather Strike over. As soon as she had it rolled up and sealed, she passed it to him, and with a salute, the Guard departed.
“Now then,” Subtle said as she stood. “Much of why the Guard lost during the hive’s invasion of Canterlot was due to Chrysalis disrupting the upper levels of command. I think we should turn that tactic around on her, and that means this is an excellent time to occupy her with the interviews she’s requested. If nothing else, it’ll separate her from the majority of her changelings, and maybe disrupt her communications.”
Nictis sighed in resignation. “As much as I loathe the idea of spending another moment with her, you’re probably right. At least then we can keep a close eye on her.”
“Good,” Subtle replied with a nod as she gathered the collection of papers up and slid them into her bag. “Then it’s time you bring her to see her captured agents. See if you can keep her occupied until her Infiltrators have all shown up, or it becomes apparent she isn’t going along with the princesses’ wishes.” She thought for a moment before asking, “Will you be starting with Fade?”
“Absolutely,” Nictis replied as he finally pushed himself up to his hooves, once again.
“Good,” she said, tucking the last paper into her bags and buckling them up. “Go get Chrysalis. I’m going to go double-check some security measures and make sure everything is ready in case they try something. Good luck.” She reached over, patting him on the shoulder. “And hey, if she starts becoming too obnoxious, at least you know that she’s about half a step away from being evicted from her own hive.”
Nictis gave another snort and a weak smile. It didn’t last long, as he thought back to Celestia’s words. As he thought on it, he arched his back, stretching with a quiet grunt, and finishing up with a quick buzz of his wings. “Okay,” he said, shaking off the lingering fatigue. “Let’s get this over with.”
They said their goodbyes and parted ways. Subtle went one way down the hall, while Nictis, and an entire contingent of Guards, went the other. It was bizarre, when he thought about it; just a few months ago, it would have been immensely unsettling to have a procession of a dozen Royal Guards escorting him. Now, it was more like a footnote; something interesting but not concerning. After all, they weren’t there for him.
It also provided a nice, although short-lived, distraction from other thoughts. Those thoughts only grew greater as he made his way to Chrysalis’s chambers, his entourage clinking quietly behind him.
As he turned the final corner, he saw the familiar sight of three changelings guarding the door, with a larger number of Royal Guard standing at attention a short distance away. The two changelings on either side made no visible reaction to his approach, though he felt their contempt rise as they saw him. The one named Elytron stood in the center of them, once again, and turned his head to stare disdainfully at him as he approached.
Nictis walked right up to Elytron, while doing his best to regard him as he would any of the changelings from Ponyville. Hostility would be counterproductive, after all.
The Guard escort halted smartly right behind him, and he spoke. “I have brought a message for Queen Chrysalis.”
Elytron eyed him darkly, and Nictis was able to catch a very faint and fleeting shift in the other changeling’s emotions. Well, Nictis thought, he noticed I actually used her title.
The other changeling’s eyes darted past Nictis for just a moment before returning to him. “Follow me,” he said, the cold tone making it clear how unwelcome he was.
Once again, Nictis walked through the main room, under the disapproving eyes of the many changelings gathered there. He followed in silence, halting when they reached the far door. There, Elytron knocked twice before opening the door and slipping through, shutting it behind him. Nictis could hear only the faintest hint of a sound from the other side of the thick door, too muted to even identify as speech, much less discern the meaning of the words said.
He stood silently, head and ears up, wings relaxed at his side, his stance tall but relaxed. He buried the fear that had welled up the first time he had entered those chambers, seemingly so long ago. He wasn’t going to show them any weakness or flaw. Instead, they were only allowed to see a changeling confident and determined in his decisions.
It was an increasingly familiar act.
Finally, the door opened to reveal Elytron. “Enter.”
Nictis nodded and walked past him, into the room.
Chrysalis lounged on a large cushion, just as she had the first time they met. Her eyes narrowed slightly as they met his, making her feelings clear despite the absolute lack of emotions reaching his senses. She watched him approach, while he forced himself to keep his pace relaxed and even. She finally spoke once he had drawn near. “Well, what is it this time?”
Sarcastic replies and scornful retorts were held in check, and Nictis replied diplomatically. “I’ve been sent to inform you that you may now interview the individuals we have captured, and to escort you to them.”
“We, is it?” Chrysalis noted. “Should I assume you were involved in their capture?”
“I was,” Nictis replied. Even if he had wanted to, there was no point in denying it. She’d likely get her answer soon enough, anyway. “I was involved in the capture of two of your agents, and directly responsible for one of those.”
Chrysalis looked down her muzzle at him in a look of contempt. “So, you weren’t satisfied with turning your back on the hive, now you’re actively working against it.”
“The changelings we captured were working to undermine peace between the hive and Equestria,” Nictis said, as evenly as if he were reading a textbook. “The hive needs that peace to survive. They have been working against that, and stopping them helps the hive.”
“You’ve been spending far too much time around Celestia and her boring, self-righteous speeches,” Chrysalis said with a roll of her eyes. She finally stood to tower over him. “Enough of this. Take me to my imprisoned subjects.”
“This way,” Nictis calmly replied, and turned to leave. Contrary to the fear and anger his earliest meetings had instilled in him, he found himself somewhat amused. While she didn’t emit even the faintest wisp of her guarded emotions, he imagined that she was finding his calmness infuriating. True or not, that made him feel slightly better.
His thoughts flashed back to Celestia, and the feeling of amusement faded slightly. Irritating her may be counterproductive, he thought as they walked through the main room again. Elytron walked directly behind them, and when he gave a sharp chitter, four armored changelings sprang to their hooves, falling in behind him.
When they stepped out into the hall, Chrysalis snickered softly, and Nictis looked back to see her eying the large escort waiting for them. “Do you think you brought enough guards?” she asked with a sharp-toothed smile as the ponies started to do their checks. “Why, it’s almost like you think I’m up to something.”
Despite his calmness, Nictis had to suppress a grimace. And then there’s that, he noted, and opted to simply ignore her comment. She said nothing further, only giving a quiet hum a moment later as she followed him down the hall, their pony and changeling escorts following in their wake.
Nictis walked in silence. The gigantic form of the queen walking beside him was no longer terrifying, but there was a deeper concern taking hold. So much was happening so quickly, and he was right in the middle of it. In many ways, he was powerless. He didn’t have the influence and power of the princesses, and if it came down to it, he couldn’t hope to match the might of the queen. “Squashed like a bug” was the unfortunately colorful term that came to mind at the thought of being caught in an outright conflict.
It was a familiar feeling.
It was the feeling of an Infiltrator, surrounded by danger on all sides. He couldn’t hope to match them in might, but overt strength wasn’t where his talents lay. Celestia and Chrysalis were in a battle of wits and words at the moment, and that was a battle he was well-equipped to wage.
He silently thought back to the conversation with Celestia as they continued down the hall. Flickers of guilt and shame came to him at some of the words, but he ignored them, as distractions from the more important matter at hoof: Celestia had set a goal, and he had to support it in any way he could.
It wasn’t even a question of whether he should. If he failed to help her, he would be failing both Equestria and the hive. It’s what he’d been trained to do, what he’d practiced and aspired toward for years. If there was any chance of influencing Chrysalis, even a little, he had to try.
And that meant he needed to put aside his own feelings, and do what needed to be done. So, he ignored the guilt of his own past, as well the growing fatigue of the day and the disgust welling up at his plans for the immediate future. He pushed them down, keeping any hint of their presence from leaking out under the queen’s senses. Then he carefully considered the feeling of concern over the uncertain future. He held onto it, thinking every worrying thought he could dig up, until it grew in his mind to wash out every other feeling.
Finally, he peeled back the armor, letting the faintest hint of the emotion seep out. The tips of his ears drooped a bit, snapped back up, and slowly began to sag again. His eyes sank down, his expression slackening slightly. His jaw tensed and relaxed a couple times, until he visibly forced himself to speak.
“Chrysalis?”
She turned to give him a scornful look, and he intentionally wavered for a moment before continuing. “I… I want to ask you something.”
He was met with a condescending snort. “Oh, now you want to talk? Funny, seemed like you couldn’t wait to get away last time I wanted to talk.”
The little flash of irritation didn’t even need to be faked, though he kept it from growing as sharply as his tired mind wanted to take it. “Just…” He sighed. “Call in all of the changelings you have in Canterlot. Don’t leave any out there for Celestia to find.”
Chrysalis held her glare for a couple seconds before scoffing and looking away. “Oh, don’t worry, little drone. You can tell your new master that I’m doing exactly as she asked.”
“No you’re not,” he replied, allowing a touch of that irritation to enter his voice before jerking his head away, mouth clamping shut. Quieter, he continued. “I know you’re not going to call them all in. You’re planning on leaving a few out there and claiming otherwise, just like before, and just like before, they’ll be found. The difference is that Celestia isn’t going to let you get away with it any more.” He turned his head back toward her, ears drooping a bit more. “So… please, call them all in.”
She stared back at him, eyes narrowed in scrutiny. Even without being able to sense her emotions, her skepticism was clear. After all, he expected it. “Funny,” she practically growled. “And here I thought you would love to see me gone. Why do you suddenly care so much?”
He looked away, head sagging. When he replied, it was in a quiet grumble. “It’s because of something Celestia said to me.”
“Oh, of course,” Chrysalis replied, and even without looking Nictis was certain she had just rolled her eyes again. “And what amazing nugget of wisdom did Sun-Butt share with you?”
Several emotions immediately suggested themselves. Prime among them were anger, disgust, and shame. He kept them closely in check, focusing on his words while allowing a subtle taste of them to escape. “She said that you and I are much alike.”
“Hah!” Chrysalis gave a single dismissive laugh before saying, “We’re nothing alike.”
“Oh, great, irony,” Nictis bitterly grumbled. “Because that’s exactly what I need today.”
Chrysalis snorted as his irritation faded again. Instead, he thought back to Celestia’s comparison, and this time he held onto the feelings of guilt and shame. “She’s right, though. When I first came here, I thought of ponies just like you do now. I took pride in the idea that we were better than them, and I took pleasure in all the schemes I pulled off.”
He lingered there for a moment, then slowly brought his head up, his expression growing firm as he closed off the glimpse of his emotions that he had allowed. “But I’m an Infiltrator. I’m not supposed to indulge my own emotions or cling to presumptions. And yes,” he said, as Chrysalis started to open her mouth to object, “I know I never completed my training, but what training I did receive was excellent, and I’ve spent many years relying on those skills for survival.”
He cast his gaze around the hall they walked down, the grand arches rising high above them, tall windows illuminating the passage. “All the same, I refused to see what was all around me. I clung to my pride and the teachings of the hive. It wasn’t until I finally stepped back and analyzed everything, like I was trained to do, that I finally acknowledged how things really are.
“It almost destroyed me,” he said, allowing a touch of slack to appear in his expression for only a moment, as if to show that the memory haunted him. “I was trained to deal with the most unpleasant circumstances in the name of survival, but the idea that the hive could be so wrong about something so fundamental was devastating. Now, everything is about to change, and I can only imagine how hard it’s going to be on all the others in the hive.”
Chrysalis snorted dismissively. “They will do fine. The hive is stronger than you think.”
“Dozens of your subjects were distressed enough just by rumors that they fled the hive to come here, to a nation that’s supposedly their enemy,” Nictis replied. “I know exactly how hard it’s been on them, because I’ve been taking care of them for months. I also know what’s coming is going to be even worse.” He turned to look up at Chrysalis, allowing his expression to harden for a moment before relaxing again. “The hive could use a strong leader to guide them through this. Changelings are going to be confused and afraid. So, as much as I dislike you, I’m willing to set that aside to do what needs to be done for the good of the hive. If you’re truly willing to work toward peace with Equestria, then…”
He trailed off, carefully measuring a pause as he guided his gaze downward, tensed and relaxed his jaw, and then turned his eyes back toward Chrysalis. “Then I’m willing to assist you in whatever way I can.”
Finished, he looked away, ears pinning back.
“Is that so?” Chrysalis flatly replied. “And why exactly would I want the help of a proven traitor?”
“Because you’re about to throw your crown away with some stupid scheme,” Nictis replied, forcing his voice to stay calm instead or snapping at her. Anger threatened to take hold, but he pushed it back, focusing instead on concern. Now was not the time to be confrontational. Chrysalis was not going to listen to defiance, but a more submissive approach seemed like something that could appeal to her pride. “And a lot of changelings could suffer if you do. I may have been separated from the hive, but I’ve never betrayed it. I didn’t even tell Celestia where to start looking for it. I want to help the hive… and that’s the only reason I’m even talking to you.”
“Mmm,” Chrysalis mused. “So how far does your offer of ‘help’ go?”
He allowed a faint touch of irritation to slip out. “I’m not going to act against Equestria, if that’s what you’re asking.” He took a deep breath, calming himself. “Mostly, I can offer advice. I probably know ponies better than any changeling in the hive, maybe even better than any changeling alive. Right now, the princesses are doubting whether you’re worth negotiating with, especially after your confrontation with Princess Cadance. I can help you convince them.”
“Advice,” Chrysalis echoed with a scoff. “And just what kind of brilliant advice do you have to offer?”
“Call in your Infiltrators, soldiers, and whatever other changelings you have in Canterlot,” Nictis replied. “All of them, and cancel any schemes you might have underway. They’re too likely to be discovered too soon, especially if it’s anything that could give even remotely the same benefit to the hive as this peace treaty could.” When she snorted, he quickly added, “It’s not like you have to shelve them forever. Put them on hold, get rid of any resources that could be tracked back to you, and wait until their discovery won’t undermine the hive.”
That caught a look of interest from Chrysalis; somewhere in the back of Nictis’s mind, a smug feeling stirred at producing that reaction.
“Also, you could tone back the aggression. It’s just going to anger the princesses more. Ponies appreciate respectful behavior, so the less sinister you come across, the more likely they’ll be willing to deal with you.” He flicked his wings. “That doesn’t mean you have to feel that way, or that you need to debase yourself in front of them. Just try to not give them the impression that you’d enjoy their untimely deaths.”
The satisfied chuckle she gave did little to discourage that impression.
“And… that’s pretty much it, for the broad strokes,” Nictis said. “I could give more precise advice on individual situations as they come up, but that would at least keep Celestia willing to negotiate with you.” And from there we can hope that her plan works, he silently added.
She remained silent for several seconds before finally looking back with a quiet, “Hmmph.” It wasn’t much of a reply, but Nictis noted the lack of prideful dismissal.
The rest of the walk continued in silence. Nictis wasn’t sure if Chrysalis was tired of the topic or if she was actually considering it, but he knew better than to push it right now. If he was very fortunate, the next push wouldn’t even come from him.
A few minutes of walking found them entering the wing of the castle where the prisoners were being kept. Mainly used for service staff and other daily business of the castle, it was perhaps less overly ornate than the rest of the castle, though only just. One hallway, leading to a number of spare quarters, was blocked by a pair of armored stallions. Nictis came to a halt just before them.
“We’re here to see the prisoners,” he stated, earning him a quick glance and a flickering of suspicion before the ponies returned to looking at the queen. A moment later one turned and called out, and a few seconds later a half-dozen more Guards marched out the hall, Horns already lighting up with spells.
“No need to scan all of them,” Nictis said as a pair walked past toward their escorts. “Only Chrysalis will be entering with me.”
There was another pause before one of the unicorns nodded, instead focusing a particularly thorough casting on the queen and himself. Her expression tightened, but she said nothing.
As the magic faded away, one of the Guard nodded to Nictis. “Very well, sir. You may enter.”
“Thank you,” he replied, and walked forward without looking to Chrysalis. He faintly heard her mutter something as she followed, though it was too indistinct to tell whether she was annoyed or amused.
He continued on, leading the way into the guest suite. The pair of Royal Guards inside nodded to him as he entered, before turning their wary attention to the queen behind him. Returning the nod, he continued on to the door at the side of the room.
Fade appeared quite relaxed, laying comfortably atop a small cushion. He looked up with a calm disinterest as Nictis entered, but his eyes widened when Chrysalis stepped in behind him. “My queen!” He cried out as he leaped to his hooves only to quickly lower himself into a bow--or at least, started to. The motion halted halfway through, his head lowered as his eyes narrowed suddenly, casting a glance to Nictis before returning to Chrysalis. Then he stood again, tall and rigid, as if at attention. “My apologies if you are truly Queen Chrysalis, but my captors have already attempted to deceive me once before.”
Chrysalis’s expression tightened. “Has someling been impersonating me?” she asked with a growl.
“Not that I am aware of,” Fade replied, “but it would not be the first time Equestria has used a disguised changeling in an attempt to trick us.” He gave a quick tilt of his head toward Nictis. “He was the first to interview me, disguised as a gray pegasus with blue eyes, a silver mane, and a cutie mark of a shooting star.”
Nictis inwardly grumbled, though he had to give Fade credit for quickly passing on important information. He quickly set that aside. “I could have some of the guards come in and cast their dispelling magic on her, if that would satisfy you.”
“It would not,” Fade replied. “They could just as easily be in on the plot and cast something else.” He inclined his head toward Chrysalis in a sort of half-bow. “I apologize and ask for your forgiveness if you are truly Queen Chrysalis, but my duty to my queen and my hive demand that I not give any response that might betray information to Equestria.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to,” Nictis said as he stepped to the side, taking a seat. “I’m going to be observing everything, anyway, so I’ll hear anything you say to her.”
Fade considered that for a moment before nodding to Nictis, and then turned back to Chrysalis. He bowed, closing his eyes and touching his snout to the floor. “Then while I can not speak freely, I will assume that you truly are my queen. I am deeply sorry if I have caused any offense.”
Chrysalis looked down at him with an expression Nictis could only describe as ‘haughty’, watching him bow for several long seconds. When she spoke, there was a hint of ice to her words. “How were you captured?”
Nictis caught the faint flick of Fade’s ears, some almost-suppressed wince. “I was travelling with another changeling yesterday when we noticed some guards following us. We separated, and the guards pursued. He escaped, I did not. They were not surprised when I was revealed. I’m not certain how they became aware of us, but they knew what we were.”
“Hmm,” Chrysalis mused. She slowly walked around Fade, while the Infiltrator kept his nose to the floor. “And what did they do with you after that?”
“They brought me here,” he replied. “Nictis came to interrogate me under a disguise. I believe he was also using that disguise when I was captured, or if not, he based it off that pony. I tried to take advantage of the typical pony sympathy, but he saw through it. The only information I gave was my name and to confirm that I am an Infiltrator. I’ve been fed, and another pony came to ask basic questions about what I was doing, but I refused to give any information. Mostly I’ve been left alone.”
Chrysalis hummed again as she continued her slow circle. She started to open her mouth, but came to a halt, eyes glancing back to Nictis before reconsidering whatever it was she was about to say. “Very well. I assume they have not mistreated you?”
“They have not, my queen.”
“Good,” Chrysalis replied. “Celestia says you’ll be released later, though she was annoyingly vague about when. We will discuss this later, when we do not have outsiders involved. Until then, you are to remain silent.”
“Yes, my queen.”
Chrysalis just snorted softly as she made her way back to the door. Nictis couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed by how short and useless the talk had been.
She had just reached the door when Fade called out. “Wait,” he said in a gasp, and they both turned back to him. He was still bowed, but his eyes were open now. “My queen, I… I’ve made many observations during my time in Equestria, and while it’s taken a while, it’s my duty to share my conclusion, especially since it may be significant to the future of the hive.”
When Chrysalis glanced to Nictis, Fade added, “It’s not sensitive information.”
Chrysalis frowned, thinking for a moment before giving him a sharp nod. “Very well. Speak.”
Fade drew in a breath, hesitating a moment before closing his eyes and speaking. “After much observation and consideration, I believe it may be in the hive’s best interests to establish some form of peaceful coexistence with Equestria.”
He remained bowed there as if frozen in place, showing only the faintest of movements as he breathed. Chrysalis shot Nictis a glare before looking back at him. “And why do you think that?”
“I can not give specific comparisons at the moment,” Fade said, “but I can say that a peaceful arrangement offers the most advantageous situation for the hive.”
She stared down at him, her eyes narrowed, lips curling. She remained silent for several seconds before relaxing ever so slightly. “I have already come to that conclusion myself,” she said, though her voice was laced with contempt. Whether he noted the tone or not, the rigid tension in Fade’s stance melted away, accompanied by a sigh of relief. Chrysalis immediately added, rather more sharply, “That does not change anything for you. You will remain silent and do nothing to help these ponies. We will discuss this further once you are returned to the hive.”
Fade’s wings twitched anxiously. “Yes, my queen,” he replied, and finally stood again, though his head remained bowed.
Chrysalis gave a final, dismissive snort and turned, exiting without another word. Nictis gave Fade a little flash of thanks before following, though if the other changeling noticed it, he didn’t react.
He had just shut the door behind him when Chrysalis wheeled on him, teeth bared. He jerked back, bumping into the wall as she loomed over him. “What did you do to him?”
“I didn’t do anything to him,” he replied, forcing himself to relax again despite the sudden pounding of his heart. “I just asked him a question.”
“What question?” Chrysalis snarled, and Nictis allowed himself to wince back. Submission, not defiance, he reminded himself.
Quietly, he replied. “I just asked him to consider, from what he had seen of Equestria, and without prior bias from the hive, what would happen if the hive tried to coexist with Equestria.”
“Do you expect me to believe that?” She spat back at him, and again he winced.
“I had to ask several times,” he said. “He kept replying with the answers he’d been taught in the hive, but eventually he started answering more with what he’d seen here. It took a long time.”
She continued to glare at him for several seconds before abruptly turning away. “Enough of this,” she growled. “Take me to the next prisoner.”
Nictis took a deep breath as he quickly stepped forward to take the lead. With Chrysalis no longer blocking his view, he could see the Guard ponies relaxing, magic winking out and spears returning to rest.
He remained silent until they had stepped out into the hall again, leading the way to the next room. He carefully measured his time, waiting until Chrysalis’s anger had time to fade before speaking. He kept his voice quiet, his head bowed slightly. “You should be proud of him.”
“And you should mind your own business,” Chrysalis replied.
Nictis shot a glance back to her, then sighed. “I mean it. Even after he came to that conclusion, he refused to help us. He said the hive needed to follow your lead. He seems convinced that going against Equestria would destroy the hive, but that turning away from you would be even worse.” Nictis slowly shook his head, grumbling. “He may have acknowledged that peace is the better option, but he’ll still follow your orders no matter how self-destructive your choices are. You could probably tell him to impale himself on his own horn and he’d try his best to follow your order.”
“Maybe I will,” Chrysalis replied, followed by a short snort of amusement. “At least it would be entertaining to watch him try to manage that.”
“Yeah, that,” Nictis said with a roll of his eyes. “That’s the kind of thing that makes Celestia want you gone.”
“Well then, I just won’t invite her to watch,” Chrysalis said, and chuckled.
Nictis sighed and led on, feeling rather more uncertain of Celestia’s hopes. What he was certain of was that the rest of his day alongside Chrysalis was going to be far too long for comfort.
Although, he also couldn’t help but notice that her sadistic humor seemed to fade much quicker than before. In fact, she looked more as if she was lost in thought as she quietly followed along behind him.
Cara gingerly extended his forehoof, inch by inch. “I-it’s okay,” he said as gently as he could, to the point that the words were barely audible. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
The tiny bird cocked its head, hopping a few inches forward before hopping back again.
“Go on, little guy,” Fluttershy soothingly told the bird, inclining her head toward Cara. “He’s a friend.”
The bird hopped a bit closer, wavered, and finally hopped up to perch gingerly atop Cara’s hoof. A moment later it reconsidered, retreating with a flutter of wings to a nearby tree.
Fluttershy giggled softly from behind a hoof. “Oh, I’m sorry. They’re still pretty skittish around strangers.”
“It’s okay,” he replied as his hoof returned to his side. Despite the shyness of the one bird, he couldn’t help but note how a few others had perched neatly atop Fluttershy’s back as she lay there, while a pair of squirrels had decided to take a break tucked into her tail. Even as he watched, another bird came fluttering in and landed atop an outstretched hoof, sharing a few soft notes before flying off past the butterflies that lazily fluttered around her. She had hardly stopped smiling since they had arrived, especially once the animals began to join her.
He settled back, looking around. They were still in the middle of the castle grounds, with the tall walls circling around them, but it almost didn’t feel like it. The space was surprisingly large, with an extensive garden covering one half, an open, grassy field occupying the other half, and the pair of them set right between the two. Above, ponies could frequently be seen flying by, and beyond that he could hear the faint sounds of the city beyond those walls, but they were all distant. Only a few other ponies wandered the grounds, and they rarely happened to pass nearby. He could almost pretend he was safely away in some forest meadow, away from everything.
He had quickly found himself mirroring Fluttershy’s smile. “I like it here.”
There was a sense of renewed happiness and compassion from her as she looked back to him. “I thought you might,” she said, and slowly looked around. “It’s always been my favorite place in Canterlot. I like Canterlot, but it can be so busy and noisy. Sometimes it’s nice to get away from ponies and have some peace and quiet. It’s all still out there, all around us, but when I’m here… it’s not so overwhelming.”
“Yeah,” Cara said, his smile faltering a bit. “I can understand that.”
She gave him a sad smile backed with a generous offering of sympathy, and he drew in only the tiniest taste. It seemed like it would be impolite to refuse such an offering, particularly given the emotion involved, but he didn’t want to feed too deeply off someone who was so supportive. Besides, he was quite well-fed enough already.
He didn’t even know if she could feel it, but she seemed to have some sort of intuitive feel for the creatures around her. It was rather impressive for a creature who couldn’t even sense emotions.
“You know, my first visit here wasn’t so peaceful,” Fluttershy said, her warm and comforting smile fading away as she sadly shook her head. “In fact, it was horrible. I was horrible.”
His smile immediately vanished, alarm leaping into his senses. The idea of Fluttershy being ‘horrible’ was so contrary to everything he had seen and felt from her that it seemed utterly alien and impossible, but she just nodded slightly.
“It’s true,” she said. “I was so caught up in the excitement of being here and seeing all the animals that I didn’t consider their feelings. I scared them. I scared myself.” Her head drooped, her voice quieter for a moment. “I don’t like being angry.”
He blinked, completely uncertain of what to do or say. He felt sympathy for her, but he had no idea how to express it to a pony.
She must have known, though, as her smile slowly returned. “But I apologized to them, and eventually, they forgave me.” She turned her head to gingerly nuzzle one of the birds perched atop her, who gave a short, melodious song in return. “It just took a little time.”
He smiled at the tender display of affection, knowing how genuine it must be coming from this particular pony. In fact, it was so peaceful that it was easy to forget that she was a pony, that he was surrounded by ponies, deep in their capital, days away from the hive he had grown up in, with heavily armed and armored soldiers on every side, watching for him to do anything even slightly out-of-line. His smile faltered, a faint tremble passing through him, but the anxiety passed quickly as he watched her. He even ventured to ask a question.
“Do you think ponies are the same way?”
Her smile brightened as she looked back to him. “I know it.”
The calm confidence of her words brought out his smile again. There was something almost unnaturally soothing about this pony, a gentle kindness that made the whole world seem just a little less threatening. If all the other ponies had just a bit of that in them, then maybe all of this could work, after all. Already, the sympathy and compassion he had felt from the ponies around him had been more than he could have hoped for, but the flashes of fear, suspicion, and even hatred he had encountered from some ponies still stood out. It didn’t help that they were the loud ones, while the kind ones, like Fluttershy, were quiet.
He took a slow, calming breath, looking over again to see her murmuring quietly to a butterfly that had drifted close to her face. She finished, gesturing with her snout as if to nudge it his way, and it drifted his way. He froze, holding perfectly still. Only his eyes moved as he watched its wavering path, the colorful insect circling once around him before floating in to alight on the peak of his horn.
He stared up at it, watching as its wings slowly moved. Careful to not make any sudden movements, he folded his forelegs, then slowly lowered his head to rest gently atop them, a happy smile on his face.
Fluttershy watched this, and he could feel the happiness growing in her. Finally, she spoke again. “So, um… where were we?”
He paused a moment to think. “Um… you and your friends had just gotten to the dragon’s cave.”
“Oh, of course,” she replied, picking up her story once again. He sat quietly and listened, occasionally glancing up at the butterfly, which seemed perfectly at peace. Listening to her story, it was almost easy to forget that they were ponies. True, changelings wouldn’t be out there on such a strange mission, and he doubted that they would have all the same interactions, but there was still something comforting about it. As Fluttershy told her stories, even the strange and unnatural ones, the ponies she described sounded more and more… normal.
He was quite happy to let himself be lost in the stories, distracting himself from the world around him, with its imposing fortress walls and spear-toting ponies. He didn’t even notice at first, some time later, when a shadow passed right over him, until several more passed by in quick succession, startling off the butterfly that had been resting atop his horn.
Cara looked up, and his heart lurched at the sight of a horde of changelings descending toward the castle.
He leaped to his hooves. After a moment of panic, it became clear that the “horde” was really only about ten changelings, accompanied by about twice that number of pony soldiers who seemed to be herding them toward the open field. Pony voices rang out, the soldiers calling out orders as groups of them and the changelings they escorted peeled off to land.
Fluttershy was standing as well, the animals that had been gathered around her having scurried off to hide in the garden. “Oh, my.”
“W-what’s going on?” he asked.
She shook her head, a faint tremble to her voice. “I don’t know.”
Another changeling swooped in for a landing, the ponies following him peeling off. He looked rather imposing, larger and heavier-set than the average changeling, and the fierce, narrow-eyed expression he wore made him only more so.
It was only a moment before he noticed the other changeling nearby, in the company of a pony. Cara flinched back as the larger drone glared at him, baring his teeth to hiss. The strength of disgust and hatred the other changeling leveled at him made him want to curl up and hide, and he staggered back away from its source.
An instant later, that source was blocked from his view by a flash of yellow. Fluttershy had stepped in between them, her wings spread protectively. She was breathing hard, almost trembling, but she held her ground as she stared back at the other changeling.
The changeling held his glare for several long seconds before finally snorting and turning away, walking towards the others who had landed nearby.
Fluttershy’s wings drooped, her whole body sagging as she let out a shaky sigh. There were several seconds of silence before she uneasily turned back towards him. “Maybe we should go somewhere a little more quiet.”
“Y-yeah,” he said, falling in beside her as she walked toward the door into the castle. “It’s too bad,” he added, quieter. “I kind of like it here.”
She hesitated, coming to a halt and biting her lip. He froze, worried he’d somehow said something wrong, but there was no sign of that in her emotions. Eventually she looked back to him. “You know, we don’t have to leave,” she said, her voice quiet. “If you want to stay, then… y-you shouldn’t let some bullies make you do something you don’t want to.” Her chin tucked down toward her chest, mane falling down to cover her face, but she took another deep breath and raised her head again to stand tall, albeit with a faint tremble.
He hesitated; she looked every bit as afraid as him, despite her offer. “...Are you sure?” he asked, wings fidgeting anxiously, and she nodded.
“Yes,” she said, and gave him a shaky smile. “If you’d like to stay, then I’ll stay, too. It’ll be okay.”
He shuffled anxiously, glancing back at the other changelings, then to Fluttershy. He didn’t understand why she had made the offer. It was clear that these changelings frightened her as much as they did him. They might hate him for being a traitor--his stomach churned abruptly just at the thought--but to them she was prey. He wanted to run away and hide, and it was clear she wanted the same thing, but she didn’t. Why?
Every instinct screamed at him to leave, but he still wavered. Words refused to form, but he finally nodded, and for some reason it made her happy. She was still clearly uneasy with the situation, but she led him back to where they had been relaxing. They lay down again, minus the small gathering of animals, and she began telling her stories again.
Soon the pounding of his heart faded as he listened to her. The other changelings--hostile, angry changelings, milling just a short distance away--faded to the background. It was strange, he thought, feeling more at ease around this surprisingly gentle pony, a creature that was supposed to be his enemy, than with his own kind.
Yet as timid as that pony was, she was still there, and because of her, so was he. She was frightened by the other changelings, yet he felt a little less afraid around her. When she told him it would be okay, he could feel the absolute sincerity behind her words, and he believed it.
He settled down, resting his chin atop his crossed forelegs again. He slowly relaxed as best he could while she continued her stories, and he paid just as much attention to the mare that sat before him as to the words she was speaking.
“That’s a lot of changelings.”
Sky grunted softly as he scooted forward to rest his chin on the edge of the cloud, forelegs hanging off into space. In the clearing below, eleven changelings had gathered under the close watch of the Guard. “Yeah, it is.”
The princesses had gathered a short distance away from the group, looking over the scene and conversing among themselves, with a few aides and guards standing nearby. Applejack and Spike appeared to be in a conversation with Twilight, while Shining Armor remained protectively at his wife’s side. And then there was Fluttershy and Cara sitting well off to the side, talking peacefully despite the occasional glance toward the waiting changelings.
Rainbow Dash’s wings shuffled, brushing against his side in the process; even given the situation, he still enjoyed the sensation. “No green eyes, though.”
He sighed. “No,” he agreed. It was hardly surprising, but after Celestia’s speech, there had at least been some hope.
Rainbow sighed, too. “Well, so much for that plan,” she said. “And here I was looking to kick some bug-princess butt.”
He couldn’t help a little snort of amusement, bitter as it was. “I don’t think Celestia would let you do that once she turned herself in,” he said. “Though I suppose if she doesn’t show up, you might still get the chance later on.”
“Eh, guess there’s a silver lining after all,” Dash grumbled.
They lapsed into silence again. Not much had been said since the last meeting with Chrysalis. Even their flying afterward hadn’t been much relief. Dash had been flying angry, and to tell the truth, he didn’t feel much like flying, anyway. They had both eventually given up and sprawled out atop a spare cloud, quietly waiting for whatever came next.
“Quietly”, however, did not mean “patiently”. Dash continued to fidget about, and Sky’s mind was still turning over the same thoughts, again and again.
Eventually, he looked over to her. “Do you think she was telling the truth?”
Dash snorted softly. “What, Chrysalis? Miss queen-of-lies? Eh.” She shrugged half-heartedly. “What’s the big deal? I mean, maybe some of it’s true, I don’t care. Heck, even Cadance doesn’t care. It’s not like we didn’t know you were involved in the attack.” She hesitated, then added, a little lamely, “We just, you know, maybe didn’t know how much you were involved.”
“Thanks,” Sky glumly replied, his chin returning to the edge of the cloud.
“Oh get off it,” Dash grumbled. “Cadance is right. Chrysalis is just trying to mess with us ‘cause she’s a jerk.” She lazily kicked at the edge of the cloud, sending off a small tuft that quickly faded away. “And heck, it’s not the first time she’s tried this on you, Sky.”
She paused for a moment after that. “Though, I dunno. Could be neat if you could remember that stuff. It’d be like a spy story or something.”
“With me as the bad guy.”
“Nah,” she said. “More like a good guy who thought he was doing the right thing because he didn’t know he was working for the bad guy. You know, kind of like Caballeron in--”
Sky’s head snapped up. “Caballeron’s a jerk!”
That actually made Rainbow snicker. “I said ‘kind of’, Sky.”
“And he didn’t do stuff because he thought he was doing the right thing,” Sky continued. “He did it because he didn’t care.” He immediately stopped, blinked, and finally added, “Which I guess might have been the same for me.”
“Except now you’re working with the good guys,” Dash replied with a showy spread of her wings and a smile. He couldn’t help giving a chuckle in reply, though it was short and weak.
“Fine,” he eventually grumbled, though it was rather more half-hearted than before. “So… what now?”
“Now?” Dash asked before letting herself flop down into the cloud again. “Now I’m thinking of lying here for a bit, maybe catching a nap before everything goes down.” As she stretched and got comfortable on the small cloud, one of her wings ended up resting against his side.
That little contact was enough to thoroughly derail his thinking. Eventually he began to relax, shifting one of his wings to rest gently against Dash’s side. There was a flicker of anxiety from her, and he caught her glancing around, but she soon relaxed again.
Sadly, the comfortable rest only lasted a few minutes before Dash tensed up again. “Well, crap. Chrysalis is back.”
Sky grunted as he looked down again. Chrysalis had just emerged from the great doors leading into the main hall of the palace, with Nictis walking alongside her. He couldn’t be sure from that distance, but neither of them looked very happy.
Dash stood, shaking her wings out. “I guess we should get down there,” she said, eyes narrowing slightly. When he grunted in agreement, she hopped off the edge to swoop down, and he followed after her.
They landed with a fluttering and buzzing of wings beside where the princesses waited. A couple nods were exchanged, but they otherwise awaited the queen’s approach in silence.
Nictis was certainly looking displeased, now that Sky was close enough to see.
When they had approached close enough, Celestia spoke a single word. “Chrysalis.”
“Princess,” the queen replied with a faint sneer, and Celestia’s eyes narrowed just a sliver. Chrysalis didn’t seem to notice, nor did she notice Nictis rolling his eyes and sighing quietly. Instead, she turned away to look at the small gathering of changelings, who were now quickly falling into a line before them. She stood before the assembled changelings in an almost picturesquely regal pose, though she eyed them with a critical eye and a small frown.
She remained there in silence for several seconds.
“So,” Celestia said, “Is this it?”
Chrysalis’s grimaced faintly. Finally, she looked back to Celestia, eyes narrowing. “You win, Celestia. That’s what you want, isn’t it? Well there you go. This is the last of my changelings in your precious little city.”
Nictis seemed to deflate slightly at her words.
Celestia stared back for several seconds before letting out a short sigh. “I’m disappointed, Chrysalis.” The queen’s expression instantly darkened. “You seem to be missing…” Celestia slowly scanned over the gathered changelings. “...at least one of your changelings. Maybe more.”
Chrysalis turned away, teeth bared in a barely suppressed growl. It quickly faded, the tension in her body slowly relaxing. “This is the last of my changelings,” she echoed, much quieter and with a look of disgust. “...who obeyed my order.”
The silence returned. It was Celestia once again who broke it.
“No.”
Chrysalis’s head jerked back around to her. “What do you mean, ‘no’?”
“I mean no,” Celestia said, firmly, and her wings spread as she stepped forward. “I do not accept this. Time and again you have made promises, and time and again you tell nothing but lies. You have told us this story before, and now when caught in yet another lie, you tell it again. We are done with this.”
“It is not a lie!” Chrysalis snarled, her body tensing with anger. “I ordered them to come here, and they refused. They say they were going to leave Canterlot and return to the safety of the hive, but they had better keep running, because once I get my hooves on them I will make sure they regret their betrayal!”
“We are not interested in your vengeance,” Celestia replied. “Nor do I trust in it.”
Chrysalis snarled and turned away, stomping her hooves against the ground as she paced. Celestia continued on. “You will gather your changelings and return to your chambers. Tomorrow we will--”
“Princess Chittri.”
Chrysalis spat the name out with a disgusted snarl before turning back to advance toward Celestia. “She was directing my Infiltrators in your city while I dealt with you. She’s the one who has disobeyed me, and I promise you, Celestia, she will be punished for her crimes against the hive!”
She halted a few steps away from Celestia, much to the apprehension of the very-alert guards nearby. Celestia met her angry expression with one of cold and calm calculation. “So,” Celestia said, “should I assume she is the one who attacked Sky?”
“She attacked Sky?” Chrysalis turned to look at him with narrowed eyes. “When was this? And how do you know it was her?”
Celestia answered for him. “You were already told of today’s attack,” she said. “And it seems likely it was her, unless you have some other green-eyed changeling in my city.”
Chrysalis’s head drew back, eyes wide in surprise. Slowly her lips curled back, eyes narrowing as her expression turned to one of raw rage. “That… vile, back-stabbing, vicious little traitor!”
She snarled viciously as she spun around, stalking away several steps, spitting muttered curses. Sky could only catch a few words here and there:
“She knew!”
“...Planned this from…”
And a particularly snide and bitter, “...smooth things over…”
The mutters ended with a cry of rage and a flash of green as her horn lit up, a blast of green fire cutting across the ground in front of her to leave a deep, smouldering rut. She stood still and silent for several seconds, the furious trembling subsiding as she calmed herself. Finally, she turned back to approach Celestia, seemingly oblivious to the many guards, who all had their weapons leveled or horns charged.
“Celestia,” she snarled, rising up to her full height to meet her eye-to-eye. “You want proof of my intentions? I will go. You can send however many of your guards you want to keep an eye on me, but I will take my soldiers and Infiltrators, I will hunt her down, and I will bring back her worthless head!”
“No,” Celestia calmly replied. “If you wish to prove your intentions, you will help us find her.”
Chrysalis’s expression grew even more furious. “No, Celestia!” she snapped, raising a hoof to point straight at the princess’s chest, though Sky noted that she did it from far enough away that it should be clear enough it would never connect; perhaps she was more aware of the wary guards all around than she appeared to be. “She may have attacked one of your precious little subjects, but she has betrayed myself and the hive, and she did it knowing exactly what would happen. She lied to me. She set me up. She probably hoped you would get rid of me for her! Her punishment will be at my hooves, not yours!”
“And you have lied to us, and tried to set us up,” Celestia said. Despite Chrysalis’s agitated state, she relaxed, wings settling back to her side. Her tone was almost conversational. “I am not about to give you further opportunities to do so. If she remains in Equestria, we will find her. You can either choose to show some sign of cooperation, or not.”
Chrysalis remained silent for several seconds, teeth bared in anger, before snorting. “Fine. Equestria can hunt her down, but I’m not leaving her fate in your weak-hearted hooves. She will be turned over to the hive for her punishment.”
“And what will that punishment be?” Celestia asked, though her flat expression suggested that she had some idea.
“I haven’t decided yet,” Chrysalis replied with a cruel sneer. “Something fitting of her crimes. Something... creative.”
“Mmm,” Celestia hummed, then shook her head. “Equestria will not hand over anyone to another nation to face torture or death. You can either have your vengeance, or you can have your crown. Which is more important to you?”
Chrysalis glared back at her for several seconds before snorting angrily. “Fine, princess, but I’ll remember this. Compromise works both ways. You just find her.”
“We will, and we can discuss what happens with her later.” Celestia gestured to the assembled changelings awaiting Chrysalis. “You may take your subjects back to your chambers to get them settled in. After that, the Guard will escort you and any changelings you think will be useful to the Solstice Hall. We’ll discuss how to find Princess Chittri there.”
Chrysalis eyed her for a moment before turning away. She paused to look out over her changelings before speaking a single, icy word. “Come.”
With that, she turned and walked away, the other changelings following in her wake. Sky caught the apprehensive look a few of them exchanged.
The queen’s pace slowed to a halt a few seconds later. The changelings following her shuffled slightly before growing very still and quiet. After taking deep breath, Chrysalis looked back. “Nictis,” she said, and to Sky’s surprise, the tone was quieter and more gentle, almost as if she were trying to be polite. “I would like if you came with me. I have some things I wish to talk with you about.”
Sky blinked in surprise, looking back to Nictis. The other changeling hesitated for only a moment before replying. “I’ll be along shortly,” he said before inclining his head toward the rest of the group, including Celestia. “I have something to talk about here, first.”
She paused, eyes darting to Celestia for only an instant before returning to him. Finally, she gave a sharp nod, turned, and walked off.
The doors closed behind the last of Chrysalis’s changelings, prompting a sigh from most of the ponies and changelings who remained; all but the nearby guards and their captain, who quickly started giving orders and sending out messengers.
As the group relaxed, Celestia addressed Nictis. “What did you want to talk about?”
Nictis grimaced. “Well, as much as I hate to defend Chrysalis, I think she’s telling the truth.”
Celestia nodded thoughtfully as he continued. “She’s proud. An Infiltrator needs to be able to set aside their own emotions and ambitions, but she’s driven by her pride. It makes her a horrible actor.” He turned to Twilight. “You met her when she was disguised as Princess Cadance. How did she act?”
A frown crossed Twilight’s face, and to her sides, Cadance and Applejack held similar expressions. “She was aloof,” Twilight said. “Cold, even. It was like the worst of the nobility, looking down on everypony, but… but there was something sinister about it. That look she gave me the first time we met…”
“So she acted nothing like the real Princess Cadance,” Nictis said, lifting a hoof to gesture in Cadance’s direction.
“No,” Twilight agreed. “She acted like Chrysalis.”
“And we were too distracted to see her for what she was,” Applejack grumbled, lifting a hoof to place it comfortingly on Twilight’s side.
“Chrysalis is not equipped to be an Infiltrator,” Nictis said. “She may lie and scheme, but she doesn’t act. I don’t think she would be willing to show such a loss of control. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s still lying about something else, but I think she was telling the truth about this Princess Chittri disobeying her.”
He turned back to Celestia and Luna, who both nodded to him. It was Luna who spoke first. “I am certain Chrysalis shall have some things to say about her disloyal princess, but I believe we would benefit from a less emotionally invested source. Would you please ask your fellow changelings if they know anything about Chittri?”
Sky straightened up, wings flicking neatly at his sides. “I will.”
“E-excuse me.”
Sky looked toward the new voice, as did everyone else present; under the sudden attention, Cara cringed back, ears flattened to the side of his head. He may have tried to retreat further, but he was stopped when he bumped into Fluttershy, who had been following right behind him.
Celestia took a small step forward, offering a small but warm smile. “You have nothing to fear from us,” she assured him, and Sky was sure the emotions from her were every bit as soothing as her words. “Please, go on. What did you wish to say?”
Anxiously, Cara looked everywhere except Celestia herself. That finally stopped when he looked back to Fluttershy, who offered her own encouraging smile. Eventually he drew in a slow breath, steadied himself, and looked back to Celestia.
“Sapph… my friend, Sapphire, he’s an Infiltrator. I-I heard of Princess Chittri from him. She leads the Infiltrators.”
“I thought that might be the case,” Celestia replied with a nod.
“It is kind of obvious,” Nictis muttered, though he at least offered a feeling of apology when he sensed Sky’s disapproval.
He also earned a quick glance from Celestia, though she looked back to Cara right afterward. “Thank you for sharing this with us,” she said. “Did he happen to tell you anything about her?”
“N-no,” Cara said, anxiously fluttering his wings a moment before catching himself and forcing them to lay still. “We… we didn’t get to talk much, and he almost never said anything about his work.” He was silent for a moment, thinking. “...He respected her.”
Celestia considered that a moment before nodding again. “Thank you.” Cara simply answered by echoing the nod, and finally slipped away.
As she turned to follow, Fluttershy’s eyes met Sky’s; they shared a tiny nod and smile, and then she walked along to continue comforting the skittish changeling. Sky watched them go with a faint smile. He knew from experience that Cara was in good hooves.
Luna waited until he was out of earshot before speaking. “It is good to have that confirmed, but I am afraid it does not tell us much.”
“I’ll ask the others, just to be sure,” Sky said, to which she nodded.
“And I’d better go see what Chrysalis wants,” Nictis grumbled.
As he left, a pegasus Guard arced down to a landing before the princesses, going into a deep bow. “Your highnesses,” he said, slightly winded from his flight. “News from the city. Three wealthy ponies have been found and admitted to the hospital, suffering from extreme magical fatigue. They appear to have been abducted by changelings several days ago, held in cocoons, and then set free within the last few hours.”
“Ponies her Infiltrators were impersonating, perhaps?” Luna said.
“That seems a likely possibility,” Celestia said before addressing the pegasus. “Find Miss Tea and deliver this information to her.”
“Right away, your highness,” the Guard replied, and a moment later shot off again.
Celestia watched him go, frowning.
“You’re thinking there may be more still imprisoned,” Luna said, “aren’t you?”
“We know there are,” Celestia replied, her expression firm. “Thirty eight of them, stuck in the depths of the hive. While we’re here talking with Chrysalis, that number may have grown. She took more ponies from right under our noses, right in Canterlot itself.”
Luna considered that for a moment before nodding. “I am afraid I shall not be joining you all for your meeting with Chrysalis,” she declared, spreading her wings to rear back. “I shall scour the dreamlands; if any cocooned pony dreams within Equestria, I will find them.”
She met her sister’s eye with a grim smile of confidence. They exchanged a quick nod, and Luna took to the sky, flying away with a chill breeze.
Celestia again stood and watched, though eventually she gave an almost inaudible snort of amusement, a faint smile crossing her lips.
“Come along,” she said, softly, and led them back inside.