Scootaloo walked out of the schoolhouse feeling bored. Again.
It wasn't so much the content that she found boring, but the fact that she had learned most of it from her mother, in preparation for one day ruling the hive. She often acted up in class to ease the boredom, but Cheerilee had put her on her last warning and she didn't want detention.
Still, she was glad her mother had sent her to pony school, or she would never have met her friends.
Speaking of her friends...
"Hey Scoots, Ah just had an idea. We all know the way to Zecora's hut really well, so why don't we try to map out the rest of the forest?"
This could only go badly. Scootaloo, as Mirage, was comfortable in the forest, and Zecora was an expert at keeping monsters away from the path, but the rest of the forest was dangerous to ponies, especially foals. The problem was that this persona was known for being reckless. 'Scootaloo' would jump at the chance to explore the forest.
Fortunately, Sweetie Belle spoke up. "I don't know, Applebloom, I don't think that's a good idea. You know if we survive the forest, our sisters will kill us."
"They don't hafta know."
Scootaloo groaned, and made a decision. She just hoped that it was the right one.
"I already have a map of the forest."
The other two looked like she'd grown a second head. "What?" "How?"
She sighed. "I'll explain at the clubhouse. For now, let's just say it's to do with the thing I keep trying to tell you and failing." She grabbed her scooter and the trailer. "Come on, let's go."
At top speed, it only took ten minutes to reach the clubhouse. That, added to the fact that she was nervous about what was going to happen meant that the journey seemed to be over in the blink of an eye for Scootaloo, and she soon found herself standing at the podium in the clubhouse, preparing to have the most terrifying discussion of her life.
"Well, I guess I should start as we always do and call this emergency meeting of the Cutie Mark Crusaders to order."
The other two obviously recognised it as the delaying tactic it was. Neither looked impressed.
"C'mon, Scoots," Applebloom said. "This is obviously bothering you. Let us help."
"Only if you still want to help after what I have to say."
"You're our friend, Scootaloo," Sweetie Belle said softly. "Whatever you have to say can't be that bad."
"I... I..." She sighed. "My name isn't Scootaloo."
"What?!"
"It's just a name I use when I look like this."
"What do you mean?" asked Sweetie Belle. "How else could you look?"
"However I want, just like the rest of my kind. I wanted to tell you before, but the wedding fiasco just made it harder and more important."
"But that -" Sweetie Belle started before being interrupted by Applebloom.
"Y'all are a changelin'."
Scootaloo's head dropped. "Yeah," she admitted.
Sweetie Belle looked confused. "But I saw you at the wedding, you were as scared as the rest of us. Why were you scared of your own people."
"Ugh, that's another reason to hate that idiot. 'Queen of the Changelings'? Don't make me laugh. Sure, she rules the biggest hive, but that's still not more than about ten percent. With the numbers she lost in that ridiculous invasion it might be down to five-ish, which makes my hive bigger than hers.
"The other queens have put her on her last warning, if she starts something, they'll all step in to finish it. Nineteen against one leads to a very one-sided fight."
Sweetie Belle was shocked. "Nineteen?! And they're all as powerful as the one that attacked the wedding?"
Scootaloo nodded. "When they're well fed, yes."
The other two shivered.
It took Applebloom a few seconds to convince herself to ask her next question. "C'n we see it?"
Scootaloo was confused. "See what?"
"What you really look like."
"Oh. I g- guess." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
As her eyes opened, they flashed a bright green. A ring of green flames surrounded her, before erupting upwards into a pillar of green light, an effect unique to royals. She doubled in height as her pegasus wings were replaced by thin membranes, her body was covered in armour, and a jagged horn erupted from her forehead. The pupils of her purple eyes became slits, but the back plate was the same colour as her disguise's coat. The blue-green mane and tail, unlike any of the drones they had seen led Applebloom and Sweetie Belle to one conclusion.
"You're a queen?!" Sweetie Belle squeaked.
Mirage laughed. "Not while Mum's still alive, and hopefully not for a while yet. Queens are much bigger than this. Can I please change back now, being in this form around non-changelings is very uncomfortable."
Applebloom shrugged. "Go ahead."
More green light filled the tree house as Mirage became Scootaloo again.
"So what is your name?" asked Sweetie Belle.
"Mirage, but don't call me that when I look like this. It's important to separate my identities."
"So where -"
Applebloom was cut off by the door being slammed open by a panicked looking Rainbow Dash. "Don't worry girls, I'll... Huh?"
"Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo shouted excitedly. "You're here!" She paused. "What's wrong?"
"Er... Nothing," she replied nervously. "I just thought I saw something. Nothing to worry about. Good luck crusading. Bye." She flew off towards town at high speed.
"Well, that was weird," said Applebloom.
"You don't think she saw Scoots change, do you?" Sweetie Belle asked quietly.
Scootaloo's pupils shrank to pinpricks. "I need to go home. Now. I'll see you at school tomorrow." She galloped out of the tree house, over to the edge of the forest, and quickly disappeared into the dense foliage.
"I'm telling you, Twilight, I think the Crusaders have been replaced by changelings, or one has and is mind-controlling the other two."
"Really, Rainbow? You've been seeing changelings everywhere since the invasion. You even accused Pinkie of being one after she got distracted and didn't finish her ice cream."
"But I was flying over the clubhouse and I saw a bright green flash. It was the same colour as when that evil bug queen transformed. I took a look inside and they were the only ones there. How else do you explain it?"
"I admit that sounds a little suspicious, but if this turns out to be another wild goose chase... I'll go this evening, we should wait until they get home or we'll never find them."
"Twilight, darling, whatever brings you over at this hour?"
"Sorry, Rarity. It's Rainbow Dash and her crazy changeling hunt. Again."
Rarity sighed. "Who is she accusing this time? Honestly, I don't wear dresses the entire time, yet as soon as I turn up without one, off goes Rainbow."
"Yes, well, I think it comes with the Element of Loyalty, she just wants to make sure we're safe, and when a threat like that appears, it can be a very hard thing to be certain of." Twilight groaned. "She's been running me ragged, testing everypony. I've had to tell her that this is the last one. After this, I'm done with it."
"So, who is it?"
Another, deeper sigh. "The Crusaders. Can I see Sweetie Belle for a moment, please?"
"Sweetie Belle, can you come down here, please?" Rarity called.
Small hoofsteps were heard moving towards the stairs and down them, before Sweetie Belle became visible. "Oh, hello, Twilight. I didn't know you were visiting tonight."
Twilight smiled, Sweetie Belle always tried to imitate her sister's manners, making her a pleasure to interact with. "I wasn't. I'm just indulging Dash's paranoia. I just need to cast a couple of quick scanning spells on you."
"OK."
Twilight's horn lit up. She concentrated for a few seconds.
"Clear, and clear. Sorry about that, Rainbow Dash thought that one of you was replaced by a changeling. Sorry for interrupting your evening, Rarity."
"Why would she think that?" Sweetie Belle asked. Neither Twilight nor Rarity noticed the slight nervous twitch as she spoke.
"Because she's been suspicious of everypony since the wedding. I'm sorry I bothered you."
"It's fine, Twilight," Rarity said. "If Rainbow Dash is worried about us, the least we can do is assure her we're safe."
"Thanks for understanding, Rarity. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Bye, Twilight."
Meanwhile, as Mirage trotted through the forest, having decided to go for a walk to clear her head, she heard snoring coming from a nearby cave.