//------------------------------//
// Chapter 14: Bughunt 
// Story: A New Way 
// by Phoenix_Dragon 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 14: Bughunt

Nictis silently followed alongside Chrysalis as they made their way through the grand castle halls. The queen had once again lapsed into silence, a grim frown crossing her features. The expression didn’t even change at the sight of a couple castle staff quickly vacating the hallway ahead of them. Nictis found himself uncertain whether he should be pleased that she wasn’t taking joy in their fear of her, or worried that she had something nastier in mind.
So, naturally, he worried.
He was also not the only changeling to be uncertain of the current situation. The changelings who followed behind them still held contempt for him, but after seeing their queen talking with him at such lengths, and with such an unusual lack of hostility, they seemed confused as to how much they were supposed to hate him.
They turned a corner, and the doors to the Solstice Hall came into sight. Nictis only barely caught the tightening of Chrysalis’s jaw as they approached.
The unicorns standing to either side of the door raised their heads at their approach, horns lighting up as the two great doors opened.
Whatever conversation might have been underway in the room immediately came to a halt as every eye turned to them. It was the same group as their previous meeting, minus Princess Luna, and without Fluttershy and Cara sitting off in the background. All were seated around the grand table, and they all looked on at the newcomers with varying degrees of harshness. 
Nictis once again reflected on how much he hated making an entrance beside Chrysalis. It was far too easy to imagine the reaction directed toward himself.
Celestia’s gaze was not so much harsh as it was piercing. She stood, wings settled loosely at her side. “I was starting to wonder if you were coming.”
Chrysalis came to a halt, her lips curling back before forcing a more neutral expression, though her eyes were still narrowed. “I had to stop by your cozy little prison again,” she said, and Nictis noted that only the faintest hint of a growl entered her tone. “One of the changelings you’ve taken had worked alongside Princess Chittri. Your ponies didn’t want to release him into my care, so I had to take the time to question him thoroughly.”
Nictis chimed in. “When we captured one of the Infiltrators, Fade, he had been in the company of another changeling, who escaped. That other changeling was, apparently, Princess Chittri.”
Celestia nodded to him, then looked back to Chrysalis. “Do you bring us any information that may aid us in finding your wayward princess?”
“Yes,” Chrysalis answered. “But first I have something I want to say.”
“I’m listening,” Celestia said.
There was a moment of silence as Chrysalis’s jaw tightened again, but she eventually spoke again. “I understand that the behavior of my subordinate has shown poorly upon my hive and myself,” she said, and Nictis was a little surprised that she only showed the faintest grimace of distaste at the words. “I would like to… apologize for that.”
She stood there in rigid silence, while Celestia watched her.
Finally, Celestia spoke again. “Thank you.” Chrysalis’s grimace remained, but Celestia quickly continued on. “What information have you brought us?”
The tension faded from Chrysalis as she spoke. “I can provide the location of every safe haven within Canterlot, the names of the ponies that have been scrutinized for possible impersonation, and every resource we have acquired that could still be at her disposal.”
Celestia nodded, and gestured to a large cushion opposite herself. “Please, sit.”
As they both sat, Celestia spoke again. “Oh, yes. I’m afraid we’ll have to excuse Nictis.” Turning to him, she said, “It seems you have a couple guests waiting for you.”
She finished with a tilt of her head, indicating the side door.
Nictis’s ears perked up, curious and alarmed in equal measures. Despite the mystery, Celestia’s intent was clear. “I suppose I shouldn’t keep them waiting?”
She smiled and nodded, and he returned the gesture. “Princess.”
After a moment’s thought, he repeated the nod to Chrysalis, turned, and walked from the table. Opening the side door revealed a small and relatively simple hall, the kind that servants might use to go from space to space. Even as he was shutting the door behind him, he could hear a familiar voice coming from the door at the end of the hall; he hesitated a moment before continuing on.
As he neared the door, he started making out words.
“...Actually not a resin, except in the more colloquial sense. True resins are plant-derived. Technically speaking, it’s a wax. An exceptional one at that, thanks to the magical energies it’s infused with during its creation. It’s fascinating stuff, and completely outclasses other animal-secreted substances like beeswax. Changelings can build towers out of the stuff, and it’s--oh, hi Nictis!”
Nictis halted in the open doorway as his name was spoken. Subtle stood to one side, looking quite amused, but it was the other pony who had been speaking: a blue unicorn mare who beamed happily at him.
He hesitated for just a moment, a pause that was just long enough for Subtle to raise an eyebrow. “Hello, Glitterbug.”
It was no surprise to see that she was laden with a bulging pair of saddlebags, the flaps stretched tight over the tops of several books, scrolls, and other academic supplies. A worn, wheeled suitcase, with a wasp emblem across the front, lay nearby, and he had a feeling it was full of more books.
“Sorry I didn’t get here earlier,” Glitterbug said, still grinning. “It’s hard to book tickets at the last moment, but as soon as I heard about what was going on here, I had to come! What an opportunity!”
She actually giggled and clopped her hooves together, though the weight of her saddlebags caused her to stumble and almost fall, turning the last of the giggles into something rather more self-conscious.
Nictis shook himself from his hesitation and stepped forward, approaching the mares and ignoring the small collection of other ponies nearby, who seemed rather amused by their exchange. “I didn’t realize you were going to be here. As for opportunities, if you mean for studying, I’m not sure there’s much of an opportunity here.”
“Are you kidding?” Glitterbug laughed. “I get to be the first pony to make detailed scientific observations of a changeling queen’s physiology! And maybe a changeling princess’s, too!”
Nictis frowned. “I don’t think Chrysalis is going to let a pony poke and prod--” He jerked slightly as he belatedly connected what she said, his expression turning incredulous. “How do you…?” He looked to Subtle. “How does she…?”
“Because I told her,” Subtle replied with a sly smile and a clear dose of amusement.
“Miss Tea has been telling me all about what’s gone on,” Glitterbug said. “I wish I hadn’t missed so much time, I’ve got so much to catch up on!”
Nictis cocked his head to the side, looking questioningly at Subtle. “Isn’t some of this supposed to be… secret?”
“It is,” Subtle replied, still smiling. “But when Celestia was notified of her arrival, she thought it would be an excellent idea to invite her to the talks. Our understanding of changeling drones may be fairly complete, and Glitterbug’s fine work contributed greatly to that, but our understanding of the queen and princesses is rather limited. I, for one, wouldn’t mind knowing a little more.”
Nictis considered that for a moment. “That is true,” he said, though with a reluctant tone. “But as I was saying, I don’t think Chrysalis is going to let you poke and prod at her.”
“Oh, I don’t need to do a full physical inspection. I mean, it’d be neat--and if you could convince her, I’d love you forever!--but it’s not necessary. I can get basic details from sufficient observation. I’ve also finally gotten decent at that magic-ray imaging spell, so I should be able to document internal physiology in adequate detail. She can’t really object to me casting a few completely harmless spells her way, can she?”
“Yes,” Nictis flatly replied, though she didn’t seem to make note of his answer.
“I might need her to answer a few questions, too,” Glitterbug mused, then grinned again. “Oh, I can’t wait!” She turned back to Subtle. “Okay, what else do I need to know before going in? Where were we?”
“Actually,” Subtle said while holding up a hoof, “I’m afraid that I’ll have to get somepony to fill in for me. If Nictis is here, that means we need to get going. We’ve got something important coming up.” Nictis’s ears perked up at that, while Subtle looked back to the nearby group of ponies. “Quill, could you finish briefing Glitterbug?”
Returning her attention to Glitterbug, she offered her hoof, which the other mare shook. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Glitterbug,” Subtle said with a smile and a nod, which the other pony mirrored.
“And you, Miss Tea.”
Subtle then looked to Nictis and gestured to the opposite door. He nodded and followed her out.
“Quite an interesting friend you have there,” she said as soon as the door had shut.
“That is a very diplomatic way of phrasing that,” he replied, which drew a chuckle from her.
“I mean it in a good way,” Subtle said. A sly smile crept across her face. “Though she did tell me you’ve always been a little grumpy that she figured out what you were.”
Nictis just grunted, earning another chuckle from Subtle.
“Anyway,” he said, changing the subject, “you’ve obviously got something planned. What’s going on?”
She led him through a final door, entering a simple and unadorned room that was currently occupied by almost a dozen ponies. With the exception of Thunder Chaser and Feather Strike, all were unicorns, and several of them were gathered around a familiar, highly detailed map of Canterlot. A few looked up and nodded before returning to their work, while a couple were already concentrating on spells, their eyes closed and attentions distant from the world around them.
“Good news,” Subtle said, her smile growing just a little more. “You get to play pony again.”
“Oh, joy,” Nictis grumbled.





Once Nictis had left the room, Celestia’s attention returned to the queen. “So, Queen Chrysalis. Before we get further into the information you have for us, I would like to know something about the changeling we are pursuing. What can you tell us about Princess Chittri?”
Chrysalis finished shifting her position to lay comfortably on her cushion, and grimaced in disgust at the name. “You mean besides her being a treacherous and unreliable wretch?” she replied, followed by an angry snort.
“Anger will not help us find her,” Celestia calmly noted. “What we need now is--”
She was cut off by a loud groan from Chrysalis. “Oh, save the condescending lectures, princess. Of course, you’re so enlightened and divine and perfect, and we should all be just like you!” She leaned forward, baring her teeth in a sneer. “After all, I’m sure if you were betrayed by somepony close to you, you wouldn’t feel a thing, would you?”
Sky’s ears flattened back against his skull, eyes widening. The shift in Celestia’s expression was more subtle, but the hardness in her eyes and the set of her jaw were clear, and a sudden tension passed through the room. Beside him, Rainbow’s wings raised ever so slightly against his side, tense and ready for flight.
The silence lasted only a moment before Chrysalis sat back, breaking away from the exchanged glares to look over to the window. “Anyway... Princess Chittri...”
The room relaxed very slightly as she changed tack. Chrysalis frowned in silence for a couple more seconds before her lips started to curl again. “I should have seen this coming,” she muttered, turning back to Celestia. “She was always a sneaky one. I liked that about her. She was clever, calculating, and delightfully ruthless.” A hint of a smile appeared at that, but it faded quickly. “That’s why I assigned her to lead my elite troops when she matured. That’s why she seemed perfect to take charge of my Infiltrators after her predecessor disappeared before having trained a replacement. I favored her.”
Her voice turned to a growl. “I never imagined she would betray her hive and queen like this. She must have been planning this, maybe from the beginning. It was her idea to recruit new Infiltrators from the more promising changelings elsewhere in the hive, especially the Elites she had commanded. She built my Infiltrators back up from their losses.” She snorted. “And now she’s turning them against me.”
Sky noticed the faint twitch of Celestia’s ears. Whatever anger had been provoked by the queen’s earlier words had evidently faded, as she spoke quietly and calmly once again. “Your Infiltrators have turned on you?”
“Most of them remain loyal,” Chrysalis replied, wings flicking in agitation. “But some of those who accompanied her into Canterlot remain with her.”
“That would have been good to know earlier,” Celestia pointed out.
“I didn’t know, earlier!” Chrysalis snapped, then drew her head back, clearly biting back whatever she had been about to say. She finally looked away, bitterly grumbling, “I gave her goals, and she uses the Infiltrators to achieve them. I didn’t know how many Infiltrators she had brought to Canterlot.”
“I see,” Celestia said. “But you do now?”
“I may not have demanded details on everything she did,” Chrysalis said, before turning to look back to the changelings who still stood neatly behind her, “but those who remained loyal to me have informed me of what they have seen.”
Celestia nodded. “And how many of your Infiltrators remain with her?”
“From Canterlot?” Chrysalis’s jaw tightened. “Four. Elsewhere?” She shrugged, and seemed to sag slightly.
“It will be harder for four changelings to hide than just one,” Celestia noted. “Although the damage they could cause to my subjects is greater.”
“I could care less about your ponies,” Chrysalis quietly growled.
To his side, Twilight muttered something under her breath. Celestia was more clear in her response. “But you do have as much interest in catching her as we do.”
“Of course I do!” she snapped, then withdrew again, speaking in a more even but somewhat forced tone. “That’s why I’m here, princess. You wanted us to cooperate, so congratulations. You get your wish. Was it everything you hoped for?”
“We’re working toward the same goal,” Celestia patiently explained. “It would go much smoother if you didn’t insist on treating us as enemies.”
Chrysalis groaned softly, rolling her eyes. “If it’ll stop the incessant lecturing,” she muttered. Then, more clearly, she said, “Very well. What do you need, Celestia?”
“You said that you could tell us of the safe havens she has in Canterlot,” Celestia said. “That would be a good place to start.”
“Assuming she’s even in Canterlot,” Chrysalis grumbled, though she turned to look back. “Crag.”
One of the changelings stepped forward, horn lit as he levitated over a scroll. Chrysalis took it in her own magic and laid it out on the table. “There you go, princess. Every safe haven we’ve established in your precious little city. I hope you recognize how significant this is.”
Sky had to give her credit; she nearly managed to suppress the bitterness she must have felt over turning that over. Assuming, of course, that it was anywhere near complete.
“I do. Thank you,” Celestia said as she slid the scroll over to herself. Her eyes darted over it for only a moment before lifting it up to present it to Twilight as well. The two princesses looked over the document for several seconds.
“I don’t recognize any of these addresses off the top of my head,” Twilight said. “Although I suppose that--”
“That it wouldn’t be a very good hiding place if it was well known?” Chrysalis interrupted, levelling a flat glare at the young princess.
“Yeah, that,” Twilight muttered, keeping her focus squarely on the document before her. A moment later she said, “We should get some copies out to certain ponies, this could be very important information.”
“On it!” Spike said, hopping forward with a scroll and quill he had pulled from… well, actually, Sky wasn’t sure where he had been hiding them, but the resourceful young dragon always seemed to have them close at hoof. Or, claw. Whatever.
Sky’s thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a loud thump halfway around the table, and he looked up to see a very unexpected arrival: Glitterbug stood there, looking over her saddlebags, the contents of which were spilled out across the top of the table. She smiled nervously to the group of ponies and changelings looking at her, pulling the mess of books and papers into a neater stack. “Heh, sorry.”
Spotting Sky, she gave a quick wave, then pulled out one of her notebooks and a set of pencils. She didn’t seem to notice the irritated glare Chrysalis had leveled her way.
The glare only lasted a second before Chrysalis looked back to Celestia. “So there. What else do you need?”
Celestia considered the question for a moment. “You think Chittri has betrayed you. If she has, what might she try next? Where would she go, and what would she do?”
“She said she was returning to the hive,” Chrysalis said, dismissively, though she then grinned, a predatory gleam in her eyes. “I wish she would. My soldiers will be waiting for her.”
“And if she does not?” Celestia prompted.
“If she’s smart, she’ll run off to some other city or town and disappear.” Her eyes narrowed. “If she’s ambitious, she’ll stay here and try to find a way to finish things. She couldn’t make you get rid of me, so she’ll have to take matters into her own hooves.”
“How would she go about doing that?”
“How would I know?” Chrysalis replied. “She’s clever, I’m sure she could think up a dozen different ways to try to kill me, for all the good it will do her. What I do know is that she’ll do anything she can to achieve her goals.” She gave a toothy grin. “She’d burn your whole city to the ground if she thought it would help.”
Naturally, Celestia was less than amused. “Then you had best help us stop her,” she said, and Chrysalis’s grin faded with an annoyed grumble.
“Yes, yes, we wouldn’t want your precious…”
Her voice trailed off as she cast a glance to her side to glare at Glitterbug again. The mare didn’t even seem to notice as she murmured quietly to herself; to one side, her magic held a quill that seemed to be writing down everything she said--though whether it was responding to her words or she was simply talking to herself Sky didn’t know--while she focused herself on scribbling out a sketch, only looking up occasionally for reference.
Chrysalis snorted faintly and looked back to Celestia. “What I mean is, I intend to do everything I can to help catch her. I have decided on the hive’s course, and she is working against that. I will make sure she...”
Again, her voice trailed off, lips curling. She resumed with growl to her words. “I will make sure… I... what is wrong with that pony?”
She finished by again glaring at Glitterbug, who obliviously continued her doodles.
Celestia wore a knowing smile. “Are you really so shocked that there are ponies who do not immediately despise you?”
“Oh,” Chrysalis dryly replied. “So she’s mentally deficient.”
Sky thought it was a particularly unfortunate time for Glitterbug to notice that she was now the center of attention. She looked up, glancing in confusion between Chrysalis and Celestia. “Huh?”
“Far from it,” Celestia said. “Glitterbug is quite the brilliant young mare, and has made the study of changelings a focus of hers.”
Glitterbug had perked up at Celestia’s words, and smiled warmly at Chrysalis, taking the attention as an invitation to talk. “I’m happy to meet you, Queen Chrysalis. I’m a student of arthropodology, and I’m absolutely fascinated by your species.”
Chrysalis looked for a moment like she had bitten into something vile, and her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “...Why?”
“Changelings are a unique species,” Glitterbug replied. “Even aside from your innate magics and ecological niche, there are very few insectoid megafauna in the world, and certainly no other sapient ones.”
She continued to smile at the queen, who stared back at her as if the pony had sprouted a second head. Several seconds later, Chrysalis finally blinked, and then frowned. “I am not some insect for you to study.”
“Oh, no, of course not,” Glitterbug quickly replied.
Chrysalis was just turning away when Glitterbug continued. “You’re a bug.”
That comment was answered with bared teeth and a harsh glare, to which Glitterbug quickly raised a hoof. “I mean, in the colloquial sense, as an informal term for certain land invertebrates, like most arthropods,” she clarified. “Not ‘true bugs’. Which are insects. Which you aren’t.” She bit her lip as the queen continued to stare, a hoof fidgeting with her notebook before she added, “Although changeling taxonomy hasn’t been entirely settled just yet, so you might eventually be classified as something other than an arthropod, but that’s currently the favored choice.”
Her words trailed off as she continued to endure the queen’s glare, ending with her biting her lip again in silence.
Cadance broke the silence, and Sky saw she wore an expression much like the queen’s. “You know, everything would probably go a lot easier if you weren’t so hostile to ponies who are actually trying to be friendly to you.”
Chrysalis returned the look. “At least my way got her to stop babbling.”
“Cadance is right,” Celestia said, and Sky though she sounded surprisingly patient. “If you would set aside your pride and anger for a moment, you might finally see what strength there is in friendship. As a species that--”
“No!” Chrysalis snapped. “Not another one of your friendship lectures. I’m sick of your friendship lectures! You--” She cut herself off again, a hoof moving to her face as she quietly growled under her breath. After several seconds, she took a deep breath, exhaled, and let her hoof drop sharply to the table.
“We’re getting distracted,” she said, her voice icy, and she stared at Celestia with hard eyes and a barely restrained glare. “We should be focusing on how you plan to catch Princess Chittri.”
Celestia regarded her for a long moment before finally nodding. “Very well. To start with, I want you to send her a message.”
“I could send out another messenger,” Chrysalis said, “but I wouldn’t count on--”
“You’ve already caused enough problems for yourself with your attempts to deceive us,” Celestia said, and Sky winced at the hint of fire behind her words. “You should consider the repercussions very carefully if you are going to insist that is the only way you have of getting a message to her.”
Chrysalis grit her teeth, glaring at Celestia for several long seconds. Celestia met her gaze, and the two rulers stared at each other, unblinking.
Finally, Chrysalis’s lips pulled back in a look of disgust. “...I have a spell,” she quietly growled, her head drawing back as if to signal the end of their unspoken contest. “It is difficult and draining, but if Chittri is not completely ignoring me, I can deliver your message.”
Celestia nodded, her expression relaxing. “Thank you. And I think this message should come from you. If her reasons for disobeying you are as you think, I expect she would be even less inclined to obey me. In fact, I think it’s best she did not even know that we are aware of your spell.”
“Of course,” Chrysalis growled. “So what do you want my message to be?”
“It doesn’t have to be anything fancy,” Celestia said. “Repeating your order to return to you should be sufficient. Perhaps we might be lucky and this is all just a big misunderstanding.”
Chrysalis scoffed. “You are far too optimistic, princess. But fine, I’ll do it. The sooner I get my hooves on her…”
“If she obeys, I should remind you that your treatment of your subjects will color any future dealings between Equestria and your hive.”
“And ponies think I make too many threats,” Chrysalis replied with a roll of her eyes. “Fine. Just be quiet for once and let me cast.”
In the silence that followed, Chrysalis closed her eyes, a vivid green glow arcing along her horn. Sky watched, feeling as if his chitin was crawling. He half expecting the room to be suddenly engulfed in green flames, or to be covered in the dark shadow of an attacking horde, descending upon them at their queen’s command.
He nearly jumped at the gentle touch across his back, only to find that Rainbow had shifted her wing to rest across his back. He was surprised when he noticed the feelings of concern in her, and only then recognized how hard his heart was beating, or how he’d scooted back several inches from Chrysalis.
It was many more seconds before the magic winked out and Chrysalis opened her eyes. “Well, that was as productive as I expected,” she dryly said, before looking to Celestia. “She said she was very sorry, but no.” Chrysalis snorted. “I hope you have some better plan.”
“It was worth a try,” Celestia said. “And yes, I do. To start with, I want to know all about those ponies you say she had scouted out. If we know what resources she has available to her, we’ll have a better idea of what moves she might try to make…”





Nictis continued to frown, turning the small golden compass over in his hooves, the chain dangling from it. All around him, ponies worked furiously, sliding abacus beads, writing out formulas, and calling out to each other.
“T-plus-ten,” one said, hovering a pencil over the map. “Plot 3… there. That’s it.”
Subtle and Nictis both leaned over the map. A cluster of dots, connected in roughly parallel groups of three, were gathered together at the edge of a building.
“Think you can find it?” Subtle asked.
Nictis’s eyes darted across the map, then back. “It’s not even a quarter of a mile away,” he said. “You could probably see it from the castle walls.”
“Probably,” she said. “Well?”
He sighed, finally dropping the compass into the bit-pouch that now hung around his neck. A flash of green changed his appearance to that of a dark-brown pegasus mare, with a short and even darker-brown mane and tail. “Yeah,” he grumbled, and a part of him became unreasonably annoyed that the female voice didn’t grumble as well as his natural voice did. “I can find it.”
“Good,” Subtle said. “You get going. Thunder Chaser? Tell Golden Aegis of the location, then join with his unit. I’m going to dig up everything I can find on the place.”
Nictis nodded, and turned away. Opening the window, he leaped through, feathered wings biting into the air as he soared out, away from the city. He barely cleared the walls before rolling, the world spinning upside down, and he arced down. By the time he leveled out again, he had passed a good portion of the city. Then it was just a simple matter of turning and flying back over it, coming at his destination from the opposite direction.
It was a bit more complex in terms of navigation, but he wasn’t worried much about losing his way; the building in question was set along one side of a large square, just beside the main road leading up to the castle. It was about as far from a secluded hiding spot as possible.
The edge of the square came into view. He nosed down, gliding down to the street below and aiming to land just outside the square, where he wouldn’t be seen from his destination. A small gap in the crowd served as a landing spot, though a few upper-class noses were turned up at his arrival. He in turn gave them exactly as much attention as they deserved, and casually walked on down the street without a second glance.
About ten seconds later he made his way past the corner of a fancy restaurant, and nearly stumbled to a stop. Long-trained instincts kicked in, keeping him moving without visible reaction toward the nearby cafe, where he could sit and wait, monitoring the building the changeling princess had been tracked to. Inside, his mind was scrambling, trying to figure out what to do with a scenario that had already started to turn against him.
His destination was a store, an open store, with numerous customers.
Inwardly, Nictis cursed his luck. Any of them could be the changeling they were looking for, assuming she hadn’t left in the short time it took him to arrive there. It wasn’t a small shop, either; it was a sizable store, displaying all manners of high fashion that seemed to attract quite a number of wealthy ponies. Another two unicorn mares were entering at that very moment.
This wasn’t like the safe-house he had watched over. There, anypony leaving was likely to be a changeling. Here, he didn’t even know if she was still inside. She might have already left, before he had arrived. He could watch for hours, but the most he could do is observe what ponies left during that time, and hope that might remain useful information later on.
It took only a moment’s more thought before he turned. Rather than continuing on to the cafe, he turned and approached the store.
He paused at the door to make way for a pegasus mare exiting the store, who gave a happy smile and nod to her fellow feathered “pony”, and entered after her.
Inside, he was greeted by the sight of a large and classy store, absolutely packed with all manners of fashion. He only had a moment to take it in before he was greeted in a different way.
“Welcome to Madam Magnifique’s Emporium,” a chipper young unicorn mare said, stepping up to him from the nearby counter. She wore an eager smile that seemed far too large for the more casual pleasantry of her emotions, as well as a sleek, close-fitting dress that Nictis supposed was intended to be both alluring and professional at the same time; the dark gray color contrasted nicely with her light gray coat, it rode snugly on her hips, emphasizing her curves, and yet it covered her well enough to avoid any suggestion of impropriety.
He almost missed when she started talking again, mentally reprimanding himself for the lapse in attention. “We have the best selection of the most desirable fashions to be found,” she said, “and I’m sure we’ll be able to find something that you’ll absolutely love.”
She lifted a leg to sweep a hoof across the front of the store, and Nictis used the excuse to let his gaze sweep around, but he was not looking at the dresses. Nine other ponies were currently scattered about the store, including the mare who had greeted him. All were unicorns, except for an earth pony couple in the back. Unsurprisingly, none seemed immediately suspicious.
“Is there something in particular you’re looking for?” the mare asked, drawing his attention back to her.
Yes, do you have any changeling princesses in stock? The thought drew out a soft chuckle before he tamped it down to focus on his role. The mare was just starting to draw a curious look at his reaction, and he quickly spoke up to divert her. “Sorry, just a little nervous. I haven’t really gone dress shopping before, not really, but I want to look my best…”
He trailed off, giving a shy smile, and as he hoped, the mare grinned in reply. “That is our specialty. Is there anything I can help you with?”
Nictis paused with false consideration before replying, “I think I’d like to just look around at first. Can I come to you if I have any questions?”
“Of course!” she said, nodding. “Just let me know if you need anything at all, and I’ll be happy to help.”
Once she had returned to the counter, he was free to look around the store a bit more freely.
The store itself was expansive. He’d been in Rarity’s boutique, thanks to Sky, but what had seemed a bit extravagant in Ponyville seemed somewhat humble in Canterlot. The entire front was dominated by the extensive display of elegant dresses, artificial plumage styled to draw attention to the wearer. Behind that lay all manner of accessories, ranging from fancy saddle-bags with other ponies’ names stitched into them, to great golden necklaces and tiaras emblazoned with gemstones, all intended to catch the eye while displaying one’s social position and wealth for all to see. There was even a small section in the back with a variety of mane- and coat-care products to beautify a pony’s own body, with a large collection of makeup to hide any remaining flaws. All the tools to subtly mislead and sway the opinions of others.
It was a veritable arsenal of upper-class social manipulation.
And scattered throughout that arsenal were six potential changelings; it seemed fairly safe to assume the two unicorns that entered just before him were not changelings, and the store clerk seemed unlikely as well--and if she was a changeling, significantly less likely to be leaving as soon as the customers.
He slowly walked by the dresses, pretending to admire the different designs, while he was actually positioning himself so he’d be looking almost directly at different customers with each dress. It was awkward, he noted. The pupils in pony eyes were so large and distinct, and the reaction to somepony looking at them so instinctively ingrained, that it made subtle glances at close range remarkably difficult. It would have been much easier in his natural form with its more subtle eye features--except for the obvious problem with that, of course.
So he mostly observed in his peripheral vision, and only glanced when he was absolutely certain nopony was looking at him. He didn’t want to give an imposter any clue that there was someone there looking for them.
Nearby, a somewhat older mare used her magic to turn one of the dresses on display to view it from a different angle. The pale blue hue struck her from the list of possible changelings.
A graceful, well-dressed, but aloof unicorn further back in the store raised his suspicions after she dismissed the clerk in the same haughty tone he’d been hearing from Chrysalis. She eventually snatched up a set of designer horseshoes in her magic, the pink aura marking her as simply a rich pony with far too high of an opinion of themselves.
Another unicorn carried over a small bundle to the counter in her magic before passing over a sizable collection of bits, which the clerk took in her own magic; the yellow and purple magics cleared them from suspicion.
The final unicorn was one of only two stallions in the store, and the cold thrill of adrenaline teased at Nictis’s senses as he picked up a necklace, his horn lighting up green. He tamped the feeling down as best he could, noting that it seemed much too pale of a green. Changeling magic was a very vivid green, fairly rare among ponies.
Probably not a changeling, Nictis thought. Shouldn’t be too hard to make sure.
A quick glance over the nearby merchandise found a particularly sleek dress near the stallion. Nictis walked quickly up to it, making sure he postured himself just right as he gave a soft and girly squee of joy. The sound and movement drew the stallion’s attention, just as Nictis had hoped.
His disguise might not have been the most beautiful of forms he’d created, but it was still a slim and athletic pegasus with immaculate grooming, and was at that moment swaying “her” hips quite happily in his direction. Nictis ran a hoof over the dress, giving a good act of admiring it, and acting as oblivious to his attention as possible.
There was a faint flicker of amusement and approval from the stallion before his attention returned to the jewelry before him.
Yeah, probably not a changeling, Nictis concluded. He expected something a little more predatory from an Infiltrator.
Which left only the pair of earth ponies, a mare and a stallion. The pair stood shoulder-to-shoulder, talking quietly as they looked over a couple dresses. Unfortunately, he was too far away to pick out any words.
Nictis continued the act of admiring the dress long enough to be convincing before finally moving on, though he threw a final, longing glance back in case anyone was watching. Moving slowly along the row of fancy saddles and leggings, he drew closer to the pair. The mare was looking at a short and sleek dark-blue dress, a hoof lifted to lightly stroke the sheer fabric, while the stallion at her side was focused much more on her.
Nictis paused beside a collection of rather fancied-up saddles, just close enough to make out their quiet words. “...And it’s so exotic,” the mare said, her voice full of nervous excitement. “Do you think I’d look good in it?”
“Absolutely,” the stallion replied. “Though I’m probably a poor judge, love. I think you’ll look amazing in anything, but that’s because I’ll only be seeing the mare underneath it.”
In the corner of his vision, Nictis could see the stallion lean in closer to nuzzle at her cheek. The quiet words that followed were barely audible from where he stood. “And I’ll just have to use my imagination for whatever I can’t see.”
The mare squeaked softly, a hoof lifting to cover her mouth; Nictis didn’t look over, but he was fairly certain she had just blushed. A moment later she broke out in giggles.
Okay, probably not changelings, Nictis thought. It’d be pretty pointless for a pair of changelings to put on such a lengthy act, and it seemed unlikely that a changeling princess would be spending time on a lengthy courtship when she was in the midst of a potential coup. Maybe if one of those ponies was somepony important, but that seemed like a long shot.
Despite the likeliness that they were just a pair of amorous ponies, he still took a moment to take in their appearance. He then spent another minute browsing through the store--the earth pony couple continuing their quiet murmuring and nuzzling--before finally leaving.
Outside, he spread his wings and took to the sky again, his eyes quickly scanning about. Circling upward, he soon spotted exactly what he was looking for: a sizable group of guards in a nearby street, many of which were unloading from several chariots. He winged over and dove toward them, quickly picking out the form of Golden Aegis.
He back-winged hard, coming in for a quick landing beside the Guard captain, who immediately cast a glance to his disguise’s cutie mark.
“Captain,” he said, giving a nod. “We’re going to have to change plans, the--”
Golden Aegis raised a hoof, silencing him. “You’ll want to drop the disguise for this.”
Nictis paused, blinked, and then nodded. “Good,” he said, and with a flash of green, his disguise burnt away.
A tingle passed through him as the captain cast his spell, and then nodded when no change occurred. “Okay. You were saying?”
“We need to change plans,” Nictis said. “The location we got isn’t a safe-house, it’s a busy store, and it looks like the one we’re seeking has already left.”
Golden Aegis frowned. “Are you certain?”
“As certain as I can be,” Nictis said. “There are a couple ponies who I couldn’t conclusively rule out, but the chances of them being a changeling Infiltrator are slim.”
“I’d like to be more certain,” Aegis said. “We’ll need to go and check them properly.”
Nictis held up a hoof. “I agree, but not there.”
“Why?”
“Because,” Nictis said, “while I’m pretty certain the changeling we’re looking for isn’t in that store, it doesn’t tell us anything about where she really is. She could still be nearby, and if she sees a squad of the Royal Guard march into the place she just left, that will alert her. She’ll know she’s been compromised somehow, and the most reasonable response would be to abandon all existing resources as unsafe.” He blinked, then added, “Assuming she hasn’t already.”
Golden Aegis’s ears perked up at that addition. “You think she might have done that?”
“It’s quite possible,” Nictis said, frowning. “If this is really a coup attempt, and she knows Chrysalis is still in the picture, it would be reasonable to assume she would take precautions against the queen striking back. She might not expect Chrysalis to cooperate with us, but she’d likely expect some move against her.”
The captain grunted. “So you’re saying we just got a list of every single place an Infiltrator might be hiding, and it’s already completely useless?”
“It… may be so, yes.”
“Great.” The captain looked over the gathered soldiers for several seconds before turning back to Nictis. “Then we should check those ponies you’re not so sure on. What did they look like?”
“I still think it would be a mistake to rush in there,” Nictis said. “Better to intercept them out in the street some ways away. Nothing Chrysalis could give us would lead to tracking her down in some random store. If she thinks there’s a possibility she’s been found out through some other means, she’ll put even more effort into covering her tracks.”
Golden Aegis considered the argument for a moment before nodding. “Noted. What did they look like?”
“Two earth ponies,” Nictis said. “The mare was light brown with a starburst cutie mark. The stallion was yellow with a musical note for a cutie mark. They wore nothing, though the mare may be purchasing a dress. It’s only been a minute or two, they’re unlikely to have left yet.”
“Blaze!” Aegis called out, and a young pegasus stepped forward. “Up on the roof. See if they’re out on the street, otherwise wait for them to leave. Hammer!” A burly earth pony stepped forward, snapping rigidly to attention. “Your team will remain here, and Blaze will guide you in. Try to keep things low key, but make sure your team is ready to disable either pony immediately if anything happens. Our target can teleport, so you’ll only have an instant to disable them if they decide to hoof it. Questions?”
“No sir!” both ponies replied, followed by the pegasus shooting upward to the roof.
“Everypony else!” he continued. “Mount up, get ready to move.”
As the remaining Guard ponies climbed back into the chariots, Golden Aegis returned to his attention to Nictis. “And you should probably find Miss Tea. I’m sure she’ll have some new task for you, with how much of a mess this is turning into.”
“I’m sure,” Nictis replied, his wings already buzzing to life, and he gave a parting nod to the captain. Even if the safe-houses were likely to be abandoned, it would be careless to not keep an eye on them. Then, there was all the digging into how those were acquired, as well as investigating the previously-cocooned ponies for any potential information.
A sigh escaped his lips as he ascended over the rooftops. As the closest thing Subtle had to her own personal Infiltrator, he had the feeling he was going to be a very busy part of her plans.





Sky watched silently as the late-evening sky steadily turned a deep golden-red, the light of day fading away. The golden glow around Celestia’s horn winked out as the day came to an end. A moment later it was answered with the blue glow of Luna’s horn, her moon smoothly and steadily rising into the darkening night sky.
Her magic vanished, casting the moon free, and the two sisters remained standing, silently watching out the window.
It was Luna who spoke first, her voice quiet as she spoke to her sister, barely reaching Sky’s ears. “I find it distinctly ironic that our subjects’ greater acceptance of the night should make my task that much more difficult.”
Celestia looked to her sister, offering a smile. “I’m sorry?”
Luna gave a quiet chuckle, then shook her head. “I do not mean to complain,” she said, the humor quickly fading. “I do like it much more this way. It is simply unfortunate that the greater number of ponies dreaming during the day may be inadvertently helping to hide those who should not be sleeping at all. I am afraid my search may take some time, assuming there is anything to be found.”
“If there is, there are none better equipped to find them than you,” Celestia said. Her smile eventually faded. “I take it there were no nightmares to investigate?”
“Nothing of consequence,” Luna replied. “If there are any cocooned ponies dreaming within Canterlot, they are at peace.”
“At least there is that,” Celestia said as they both turned to return to the table. Sky’s attention returned there as well, to the last remnants of their dinner, and to Rarity’s continuing tale.
“Of course, normally one of Fancy Pants’s parties would be the best possible place to dig up all of the best gossip,” Rarity said, a glimmer in her eye. “He always has the most important ponies in Canterlot in attendance, after all.” She gave an exaggerated sigh. “Sadly, it was not to be. Somepony had started up the rumor that Fancy and Fleur were embroiled in some dramatic fight and were sure to separate. Again. Those rumors crop up every few months, I hear. Somepony probably saw them disagree over which hors d’oeuvre was the best and decided they’d found some irreconcilable conflict that was driving them apart.”
She chuckled softly, taking another sip of her drink. “It’s complete rubbish, of course, but it dominated the gossip circles all party. It was still a spectacular and prestigious party, and I made a point to enjoy myself, but I have to admit, I felt just a tiny bit disappointed in it all.”
The grin that followed the statement was almost completely hidden behind her glass. “Right up until somepony came walking in from the street, stepped right up to Lord Lineal Heritage XIII, and started giving orders.” She snickered softly, then gave a wave of her hoof. “Oh, nopony heard what the pony said, he leaned in close to say it, but the look on Lord Heritage’s face! At first he looked completely outraged that some stranger would come up and interrupt him, but it only took a couple words before his expression turned to shock. Even more, he tried to ask the pony a few things, but the pony cut him off!”
Rarity shook her head. “Now, I wasn’t surprised at all when Lord Heritage recoiled as if he were slapped, but the look he gave afterward! He actually looked around at all the other ponies, and I swear, for just a moment, I saw a flicker of fear in his eyes. And as if that wasn’t strange enough, he turns back, nods, and just follows along with this other pony. He doesn’t acknowledge anypony on the way. Why, he even outright ignored his wife, and I can tell you, those two are normally inseparable!
“But it didn’t end there,” she continued, grinning playfully as she looked around at her audience. All her friends were listening in with interest--even Rainbow, who Sky knew would normally find her stories of high society to be utterly boring--and now that the princesses had returned from their duty, they were politely listening in as well. “Why, everypony’s already shocked enough by this, but then the two of them go right up to Merry Hearth, and then Lord North Star. Just a few words to each, and they’re following along, too.”
She took another sip before setting her glass down. “Of course, the entire place is in an uproar when they leave. I feel a little sorry for Fancy Pants, but at least it distracted everypony from their previous rumors. As for me, well, I have to admit I was glad to have found something suspicious in all my searching.”
She crossed her forelegs atop the table, sighing softly. “And then I get back to the castle, and find out that what I’ve learned is already useless. I was so excited that I might have uncovered some changeling spies, only to arrive here and be told they turned themselves in already.”
Applejack looked to Celestia. “Any of them ponies the ones who showed up in the hospital?”
Rarity’s head jerked up at that. “In the hospital? Oh, my, I didn’t hear about that! I hope nopony was badly hurt?”
“They will be fine,” Celestia said. “They, and several other ponies, have been brought in suffering from varying degrees of magic exhaustion. They all were missing days of time, and some even vaguely remember being attacked by changelings.”
Luna said, “In addition, almost all of the victims are ponies of wealth, influence, and power.”
“I recognize those names,” Twilight said, her ears having perked up. “North Star spent a good amount of time teaching the more advanced magic classes in Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, and he’s a significant patron of the sciences. I hear he’s done some great things for magical research. The other names… they seem familiar, I just can’t quite place them.”
“Lord Lineal Heritage is one of the more influential members of the nobility,” Celestia said, “while Merry Hearth and her husband are very successful businessponies and philanthropists. Most of the others were similarly influential individuals, or the partners of ponies who are. Of all the ponies who were abducted, only Miss Green Grass was not, but seeing as she is the head of the castle groundskeepers, her abduction is just as concerning.”
Several alarmed expressions met that statement, but Celestia calmed them. “It would have been even more concerning had she not been out sick the past few days, a time that appears to match up with when she was replaced. It seems the changeling who replaced her did not wish to test its disguise by entering the castle grounds..”
“Seems like they planned to do something here, though,” Sky noted, and Celestia nodded.
“Indeed, though that isn’t surprising,” she said. “I had considered that Queen Chrysalis might wish to strike us here, in the castle. It also seems to me that Princess Chittri may wish to, as well.”
He frowned just a little. “Do you think Chrysalis is right? That Chittri might try to… attack her?”
“Possibly,” Celestia said, and he frowned a little more that her words didn’t really answer anything. “Queen Chrysalis is furious, and I would not be surprised if her anger is leading her to make assumptions. It’s unfortunate, as she knows Princess Chittri better than any other here. We can only speculate as to Chittri’s intentions, but I can think of little reason for her to remain in Canterlot otherwise.”
Sky nodded slightly as he considered that, then turned back to where Nictis had retreated at the conclusion of the meal. “What do you--”
He blinked, going silent when he saw Nictis was not sitting there. Instead, the other changeling had slumped to his side atop the cushion. His eyes were closed and his mouth open as he lay in a rather awkward position, folded over sideways with one foreleg poking out behind his back. A bit of drool had puddled at the corner of his mouth.
Celestia smiled. “Seems our questions will have to wait. I believe he’s more than earned some rest.”
Sky chuckled softly. “Yeah, probably.”
A loud yawn drew everyone’s attention back to Applejack, who covered any hint of embarrassment with a chuckle. “Reckon he’s got the right idea, though. Ah’m plum tuckered.”
“I agree,” Rarity said. “If I haven’t found any hints of this ‘Princess Chittri’ individual by now, I doubt one more engagement would discover something. I’m half tempted to make my apologies and turn in early. High society is such a wonderful thing, but it can be positively exhausting!”
A few of her friends snickered at that, including Sky. It was Applejack who spoke up. “Yeah, them hoity-toity types can be right tiring. A whole day around them? Hoowee, how do you manage?”
Rarity mirrored Applejack’s sly smile. “Practice, darling. And how about yourself? I know you’re not the most comfortable in high-society affairs, but I’m curious what has you so worn out after a day in the luxury of Canterlot Castle?”
She was answered with a snort. “Ah just spent most of the day around Chrysalis, listenin’ to her going on like a stuck pig. Sure, Ah get why she’s so upset, but she’s about as easy to be around as a pack of timber wolves, and probably even more dangerous.”
“She was very angry,” Fluttershy noted, just loud enough to be heard. “I mean, not that I can really blame her.”
“Well I can,” Dash replied with an angry jerk of her wings. “She’s been nothing but trouble since she got here, but as soon as things start getting a little difficult for her, she throws a tantrum.”
Fluttershy’s ears drooped. “She’s not very nice,” she said, in what Sky felt was a spectacular understatement. She nervously poked at her plate with a hoof. “But I still feel a little bad for her. Her own daughter turned on her. I can’t imagine how horrible that must be.”
There was a quiet lull that followed her comment, broken by a soft snort of amusement from Sky’s other side. He turned to where the other changelings were sitting, and saw Trip looking back to the still-sleeping changeling behind him. Trip flashed an awkward smile. “Sorry. Was just thinking this is where Nictis should wake up just to say ‘changelings don’t think that way’, or something.”
The changeling in question uttered a faint chittering in his sleep.
“Maybe not,” Twilight said, drawing Sky’s attention back, “but just because changelings don’t have the same kind of familial connections that ponies do doesn’t mean they didn’t have some kind of connection. Chrysalis even implied they were close.”
Rarity hummed softly for a moment. “I think Fluttershy may be right,” she said. “Clearly Chittri’s betrayal hurt Chrysalis.”
“Good,” Rainbow snapped. “She’s earned it.”
“Her behavior may have been most unfitting,” Rarity said, “but sometimes we must set aside some unpleasantness to pursue what truly matters. If we are to convince Chrysalis to become anything more than an ally in name only, with her mind set to our downfall, it seems we should show a little empathy toward her.”
“Well said,” Celestia said with a smile and a nod. “After all, we’ve recently seen how well a little bit of compassion can sway even the most disharmonious of minds.”
“What, Discord?” Rainbow said, and snorted out a bitter laugh. “Yeah, we’re really in trouble if he’s the good example.”
Fluttershy’s head came up. “He’s been doing a lot better, lately.”
“And while it was the threat of force that initially kept him from misbehaving,” Celestia said, “it was the compassion and friendship Fluttershy showed him that lead to him changing his ways. Similarly, we can not simply force Chrysalis to change her nature. Change like that has to come from within. The most we can do is plant the seed.”
“Well,” Applejack said, “at least we’ve got someone else for her to be angry at, now.”
Twilight tapped her hoof to her chin. “Well… we could try having Fluttershy talk with her. She’s done wonders with the changelings coming to ponyville.”
Fluttershy sat there with wide eyes, her ears pinned back against her skull. Her only reply was a nearly inaudible squeak.
“I don’t think it will be quite that simple,” Celestia said. “Discord was indifferent to the harm he caused to ponies, seeing us as nothing more than playthings. Fluttershy’s friendship gave him a pony he actually cared something about. It was a small change that brought about a much more profound one.” She frowned. “The problem with Chrysalis runs much deeper. She enjoys the harm she causes. It will take more than one friendly pony to give her something she enjoys more.”
“S-so I don’t have to go?” Fluttershy asked, shrinking down meekly.
“Not alone,” Celestia said, favoring the shy pony with a comforting smile. “She may see compassion as weakness, but we know better. We have shown her strength and resolution in the face of her aggression. Now we have a common goal, an opportunity to not only show her the value of cooperation, but to show how strength and compassion can coexist in harmony.”
“Do you think it will work?” Twilight asked.
“I am doubtful,” Celestia said. “But I don’t think we would be who we are if we were not willing to try.”
A few thoughtful nods followed her words, before the calm was broken as a loud snore tore through the silence, only to abruptly cut off with a clatter of dishes as Pinkie Pie snapped upright, sleepily blurting out “Surprise!”
They all stared at her, surrounded with the remains of dozens of desserts. She stared back at them, blinking a few times. “Oh,” she finally said with a weak giggle. “Um… false alarm!”
“You okay there, sugarcube?” Applejack asked, despite her chuckles.
“Yeah,” Pinkie said, wavering a little. “Just really tired. I was having a really nice dream, too!”
“Why are you so tired, anyhow? We ain’t seen hide nor hair of you since breakfast.”
Pinkie grinned. “It’s a seee-cret!” This was immediately followed by a loud yawn. “Woo. I think I better get to bed before I nod off again. I’m pooped!” She immediately froze, blinked, and then snorted out with laughter. Without another word, she got up and staggered off, giggling the whole way.
“...Well, okay then,” Applejack finally said, shaking her head. “Reckon she’s got the right idea, though.”
The sentiment was shared around the table. The ponies wished each other goodnight, while a sleeping baby dragon was gently levitated onto Twilight’s back.
Then Rainbow looked over to him, her wing brushing against his side as she started to extend it, before snapping back to her side with a flare of anxiety. “So, uh, guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He smiled back, a little uneasily, and slipped a foreleg around her shoulder to give an awkward sideways hug. “Goodnight, Dash.”
The pegasus stiffened, though there was a hint of excitement behind the anxiety. He was pretty sure a blush was starting to form when she leaped up. “Well, I need to get to bed!” she called out as her wings snapped out, carrying her up into the air. “Later!”
With that she flew out of the room, leaving behind several confused ponies and one quietly giggling Rarity.
A few more goodbyes were said as everyone started to make their way out; all but Sky, who remained sitting there for a few more moments with a smile on his face, before finally looking back to the sleeping form of Nictis.





A dull haze of nothingness slowly faded away as the world seemed to rock faintly. For a moment, everything was still again, and then the world rocked again. The sensation resolved itself to a feeling of pressure, and slowly it became clear that it was a pressure applied to his shoulder. There was a noise, too, an indecipherable jumble of sound that repeated a few times before finally becoming clear.
“Nictis.”
He blinked his eyes, random lights and colors assaulting his senses. He turned his head to the source of the sound, feeling something soft shifting beneath him, and was met with the sight of a dark blur. Several more blinks, and the blur cleared to reveal a smiling changeling.
“Wake up,” Sky said, softly. “It’s time to go to bed.”
Nictis blinked several more times as the words processed. “Oh, good,” he said, voice dry and thick with sleep. “I wouldn’t want to miss that, would I?”
Sky chuckled softly as he stepped back, and Nictis groaned. A few moments later he sluggishly pushed himself up into a sitting position. He let out a loud yawn as he stretched, followed by rubbing at his face--which was quickly replaced with pulling a disgusted expression as he wiped his cheek dry. “Ugh.”
He then turned a frown to Sky. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up.”
The other changeling stifled his chuckles, though the sense of amusement didn’t fade at all. “Come on, lets get you somewhere a little more comfy.”
“I can do that myself,” Nictis grumbled as he pushed himself unsteadily up to his hooves. “And where I was was perfectly comfortable.”
“Mmmhmm,” was Sky’s only reply as Nictis slowly trudged his way to the door. They walked along in silence down the quiet halls, a few voices faintly echoing from the distance, likely Twilight and her friends making their way to their own beds.
They continued on like that for a couple minutes, the sounds fading out one by one, until they finally reached the door to Sky’s room.
Another trickle of amusement teased at his senses. “Think you’ll make it to your room all safe and sound?” Sky asked with a smile.
Nictis snorted, looking down the hall to the very next door. “Yeah, I think I can make it on my own.”
There was a soft chuckle from Sky as he opened the door to his own room, and Nictis continued walking. Despite his own tone, he was mostly sure he’d felt a little thankful toward the other changeling for the gesture, however unnecessary it might have been. If not, he could always say something in the morning.
Reaching his own door, Nictis stopped. He stared at the doorknob. Fatigue mounted, and he continued to stare. After many long seconds, he finally lit his horn and opened the door.
It was something of a relief that the room beyond was dark, lit only by the faintest light. A single lamp was set on one of the end tables, turned down as low as it could go. A faint feeling of anxiety emanated from the bundled-up form lying on the couch near the light. Spark lay still, as if pretending to sleep.
Nictis suppressed a sigh as he stepped in, quietly shutting the door behind him. He picked out the sleeping forms of Big Shot and Cotton Candy--the latter snoring softly--and quietly circled around.
He had nearly reached the door leading to the bedroom when the anxiety he felt from Spark started to grow rapidly. He heard a blanket being pulled away, followed by a soft hissing sound and a set of hooves alighting on the carpeted floor.
Nictis stopped and looked back to see Spark freeing himself of his last blanket before creeping over to him. “Nictis?”
He nodded as Spark drew closer.
The pony came to a halt just before him. “I, um…” He rubbed one foreleg along the other as he glanced back at the sleeping ponies. Then he turned back, gesturing to the door.
Nictis quickly nodded, opening the door, and they shuffled through. On the other side, Spark stood silently, trembling faintly, while Nictis reached out with his magic. The room flickered with green for a moment before the lamp lit up, spreading a golden glow.
He looked back to see Spark looking up at his horn, and then quickly looking away. The pony drew in a deep breath, sighed, and finally spoke. “So, um…”
The anxiety wasn’t going away, but Nictis was at least comforted that there wasn’t any fear of him mixed in there. Not that it seemed to be making it any easier for him to speak.
“Is everything okay?” Nictis asked.
“Oh, y-yeah,” Spark replied, and to Nictis’s surprise, there was a flash of embarrassment. That was curious. That, and… appreciation? Nictis couldn’t be certain, it was so weak, but there was certainly something there.
The pony shook his head. “No, I just wanted to talk to you,” he said, again lifting a forehoof to rub at the other foreleg.
“Okay,” Nictis softly replied, ignoring the alarm bells that were sounding in the back of his mind. He sat on his haunches. “What did you want to talk about?”
Spark seemed to have a hard time looking at him, his gaze off toward the side of the room. “Well… I’ve just been spending a lot of time thinking, today. There wasn’t much else to do.” There was a flicker of a smile, vanishing an instant later, though he did finally meet Nictis’s eyes. “I… I actually had a lot of fun last night, and it was nice to just relax, but…”
A weight dropped in Nictis’s stomach at those words, though he was uncertain just what to make of the hint of happiness behind them.
Spark fidgeted a little more, drawing another breath before continuing. “...Well, it’s been a long time since… you know. And a lot’s happened since then. I just thought… well, maybe we could do something together. Just the two of us. Catch up on everything…”
He ended with a smile. It was a frail thing, but it held. Nictis stared back, eyes wide and ears perked in surprise. He found himself smiling as well, and had to struggle a bit to keep it from growing too toothy. He swallowed, which was made difficult by the tightness in his throat. “I’d like that,” he said, his voice quiet. “I’d really, really like that.”
His words were met with a sensation of happiness that was mirrored in Spark’s growing smile, though the sense of anxiety grew a little as well. “I’m not really sure what to do, though,” Spark said. “I mean, I don’t really know Canterlot all that well, and it seems like we should do something special, since it’s been so long and all. Maybe… you have an idea?”
Nictis almost chuckled at the hopeful sensation. As for “special” things, however, he had little idea what to suggest. He hardly knew Canterlot any more than Spark did. “I don’t know. If we were back in Manechester, I’d suggest going for a flight. I’ve… well, I’ve really missed doing that with you.”
Spark looked off to the side, thinking for a moment. “Well… I might not be able to borrow my parents’ airship, but we might be able to rent one. Or a balloon or something.”
This time, Nictis did chuckle. “I was actually thinking of Songbird, but that sounds good, too.”
Spark was silent.
For an instant, Nictis worried he had made a mistake, but there was nothing in Spark’s emotions to suggest that. Instead, the pony’s ears had perked up as he stared off into space. He absentmindedly tapped the floor a couple times, eyes shifting in little jumps as he thought. “There should be a morning train to Manechester,” he finally said in a quiet tone, as if thinking out loud. “It should get there around noon, maybe early afternoon. I’d want to take a couple hours to do checkups and maintenance. Then flying back, that wouldn’t take long.”
He looked back to Nictis. “I could be back with Songbird by tomorrow evening.”
“You don’t have to--”
“No, no,” Spark said with a grin. “I like that idea. It’s a good idea.”
Nictis hesitated, torn between happiness and worry. “I like the idea, too,” he said. “I’m just a little worried.”
“Don’t worry,” Spark said. “I’ll be thorough when I check out Songbird. Nothing will go wrong.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about.”
Spark gave him a questioning look, which lasted all of a second before vanishing. “You’re worried about that other changeling.”
Nictis nodded, and Spark frowned slightly. It was painful to feel that happiness slipping away.
Spark considered that for a few moments before speaking again. “Do you think he’d try something in public?”
“Probably not,” Nictis said. “I don’t even know if there’s any reason for him to go after you, now, but there’s still the chance.”
Spark’s ears drooped as he mulled that over, but perked up again a moment later. “I can’t just hide in here for the rest of my life. I’ll have to go out again sometime, and this seems like a good reason.” He smiled, and as much as Nictis wanted to encourage caution, the simple gesture tore at his resolve.
“Okay,” he said, and Spark’s smile grew even more. “But please, be careful.”
“I will!” Spark eagerly replied. “If it makes you feel any better, I can ask Bigs to come along. He’d probably be glad to, especially since he’d get to ride along on the flight back. He’s been wanting to fly on it for a while now.”
It really didn’t, but Nictis didn’t say so. “Okay. I…” He trailed off, finding a smile already working its way back into his expression. “...I’ll be looking forward to it.”
Spark grinned. There was no anxiety, just a sense of happiness, and even affection. “Me too,” he said. A few moments later, the embarrassed tension started to return. “Well, uh… I should get to sleep. I guess I’ll be getting up a bit early, now.”
Nictis was caught by surprise by a yawn, raising a hoof to cover his mouth and many sharp teeth, and he was relieved when the action failed to prompt any unease. “Oof. Yeah, sleep would be good. It’s been a long day.”
“Okay,” Spark said, moving to the door. “Sweet dreams, Nictis. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“You too, Spark,” he replied, matching Spark’s grin with his own. “Goodnight.”
There was a final feeling of happiness before Spark slipped through the door, shutting it behind him. Nictis heaved a deep, relieved sigh, then wiped at his cheek. For some reason, it had gotten damp again.
He turned, making his way over to the large, plush bed. His magic reached out one last time to turn off the lamp, and he crawled into bed.
Despite the excitement, he fell asleep in moments, a content smile on his face.