Princess Celestia's Study
Princess Celestia looked up from her lunch with mild surprise as a letter plopped onto her desk in a puff of green fire. She picked the letter up with her magic eagerly. It could only be from Twilight, and a nice letter from her student was something she could enjoy reading while her meal settled. With a flare of her magic Celestia opened the scroll and began to read.
Dear Princess Celestia,
I have within my custody a female changeling of a coloration unlike those who attacked Canterlot. She claims to have lived within the kingdom for the past four hundred years, during which time she has made substantial advancements to the field of Astrophysics. By substantial, I mean she claims to have been the following scientists:
Laughing Village
Dawn Star
Waning Crescent
Night Flair
Brainy von Brawn
Twinkleshine Midnight (Included as she appears to have invented a new type of telescope)While I cannot verify these identities I am inclined to believe her claims due to her detailed knowledge of Brainy von Brawn's life, work, and her overall level of education.
Furthermore, she claims to be of a changeling hive unrelated to that of the attackers. This could be true as her eyes and back are a yellow shade as posed to blue as we saw on all the attacking changeling. She also claims that changeling hives function somewhat like kingdoms in that each is independently ruled by a Hive Queen. After listening to her passionate speech and pleas for her life I feel it would be wrong to imprison, execute, or banish this particular changeling.
I will hold her in my library until I receive your response.
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle
“Luna!” Celestia called the moment she finished the letter.
Within a few short moments a cloud of dark blue energy formed within the room, resolving into Princess Luna as she teleported to her sister's personal chambers. “What is it my sister?” she asked cheerfully.
“Read this letter from Twilight. I am going to write a reply to her right now and you should as well. Do you recall how I told you last night I discovered Lady Night Flair was a changeling?” Celestia asked as she fetched a quill and ink with her magic.
“I do. 'twas quite the tale. I believe you were hoping to use that story to discourage our people from blaming all of changeling kind for the attack?” Luna asked as she took the letter, quickly looking over it.
“I was. But now I have a better plan, it seems that Night Flair still lives and is hoping to become an official citizen of Equestria. If we move quickly we can save the lives of other Changlings who might be peacefully living within our borders.”
“That is a fine plan sister.” Luna paused as she read the letter, a deep frown forming on her face as she finished. “This Twinkleshine, she once wrote me asking me to allow night to last longer so she could study a particular star. She sent me a list of the discoveries by these very same scholars with her request. She seemed to want me to know ponykind had come to love my night.”
Celestia smiled, “Perhaps you too should write Twilight a letter.”
~~
Golden Oaks Library
Minutes later at Twilight's library two scrolls appeared in flashes of fire, dropping to the desktop beside Twilight and Meep. Twilight picked up the scroll bearing Luna's seal first and opened it, “Ok, let's see what the Princess's have to say.”
Twilight Sparkle,
You are unlawfully holding a Knight of my court. If thou doth not release her post haste we will have you arrested and put on trial to the fullest extent of the law. She is a scholar and a Lady of the Court, holding the rank of Knight of Dusk in reward for her academic achievements since the year 1836. As a member of the night court, Lady Night Flair, aka Meep of Amber, is one of my subjects. She means no harm to Equestria, nor to those who live within it's borders. This mare has in fact written us many impassioned pleas to extend the night's length in the name of scientific discovery.
Princess-General Luna Solarus
P. S.
I am not angry at you. I am simply ordering you to let her go. Celestia seems to think I worded my letter too strongly.
Twilight winced as she read the letter, “Um... heh heh. Sorry about everything.”
Twilight closed her eyes, dismissing the binding spell she had placed upon Meep to hold her to the floor. The changeling stood up and leaned over to read the scroll for herself, “It's fine. You were simply doing your duty to Equestria. I understand completely. Wait, did that say I was knighted? I don't recall that.”
“Er- it was post-humorous, when the Royal Academy of Science began bestowing Knighthood for scholarly merit in 1912 they retroactively awarded it many ponies. Don't you read history books?” Twilight asked.
“Not really. I'm an astrophysicist, not a historian. They were current events for me once. Generally I can remember events well enough.” Meep answered returning to the form of Twinkleshine in a flash of fire.
Twilight opened the second scroll. A small temporary citizenship paper fell out of the scroll as it was opened.
My Dear Student,
I have long been aware of the many changeling Hives which are spread across the world. I can assure you that her claim of the Hives being separate nations is entirely accurate. While we have been attacked by one of them, it is incredibly unjust to hold all of changeling kind responsible for the actions one nation. Unfortunately, this is something my ponies have been all too happy to do so as they have searched for any remaining members of the hive which has attacked us.
Currently the Canterlot dungeons are filled with changelings from all the hives of which I am aware. The majority of them belong to the Sapphire Hive, the one which attacked us. These will be punished in accordance with the laws regarding prisoners of war. However, the rest are simply foreign nationals who have been living abroad. Most of them have come to Equestria to escape famine or unjust rulers.
Yes Twilight, Equestria's changeling population is composed of refugees. While the Hives are each their own nation, changelings as a whole are not trusted by most species. This is only natural, the changelings of the distant past were predictors. But for the last three thousand years they have glaringly become civilized people, no different from you and I. Their history has created a fear of their kind in most people, but they are no longer the monsters they were.
Because of this I have long allowed changelings to live within Equestria. I have undercover members of the Guard who are tasked to check in on known changelings while remaining unobserved. Changelings are naturally nervous about revealing themselves and as such I have allowed their people to stay here under cover for their comfort and safety. While I was unaware of a changeling living in Ponyville, I have been making sure their underground communities were safe and prosperous wherever they could be found for several centuries.
However, the attack has naturally brought harm to these innocents. Enough harm that if I do not bring the truth of their species to light now, it may lead to a very dark time in our nation's history. I intend to use Meep, the changing in your custody, as an example of the good their species can do. To show the nation they are not our enemies that changelings might benefit from this tragedy and be welcomed into our kingdom openly.
Included in this letter is a temporary citizenship grant and identification card so Meep can come to Canterlot for an official public grant of citizenship the day after tomorrow. Please travel with her (and any family she might have.) to the castle immanently. I know you have only just returned home but this is for the good of Equestria. I will make sure you are compensated for your time.
Lastly I know you well enough to know you are feeling anxious about Meep due to the situation. She is entirely harmless, unless you are making a mockery of her field of study. To prove beyond all doubt she is who she claims to be. Based on your description of the changeling in your custody I can assure you she has most certainly was Night Flair. If you require proof of this ask her about the many times we shared a bottle of wine over dinner when she was Night Flair. She will not remember any. Meep never could handle much alcohol and has never been able to remain in one form while intoxicated, nor remember the extent of her activities while impaired.
Your teacher,
Princess Celestia Solarus
P.S.
Please tell Meep that I still have Night Flair's glasses and she may retrieve them if she wishes. They were in the hedge maze on a branch half way up a pear tree.
~~
Sweet Apple Acres
Meanwhile, at Sweet Apple Acres, trouble was brewing as three fillies began their latest project.
The End
