//------------------------------// // Chapter 14: Unexpected Visitors // Story: Converted // by Shaded Changeling //------------------------------// The next day was an interesting affair. The first hour was spent just trying to get Sunstreak to come out of the basement; he only really agreed to leave once Shining Armor had agreed to stay in a completely separate room. He was still stuck in his Fluttershy form, which suited him fine. As he was able to fly normally, but he still had to get used to how long his mane was now and the fact that every time someone spoke he had to fight an urge to dash back to the basement door and hide. He only did it three times. Another thing they learned was that every so often, Sunstreak would turn into a random pony. Which became rather interesting when he turned into Chrysalis with Celestia’s wings and Luna’s horn. Until Shining Armor came down and Sunstreak quickly dashed into the basement until he turned into a version of Pinkie Pie with Fluttershy’s wings. For most of the morning, Sunstreak had continued to help sort the books brought over from Canterlot and very briefly scared a foal and their mother when they walked into the Library without knocking and seeing the Chrysalis creature. “Spike!” Sunstreak replied with Rarity’s voice while he had butterfly wings for some reason. “Where does the Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide go?” “Bottom shelf. Furthest to the left.” Spike replied from upstairs, where he was handling the books up there. As soon as Sunstreak placed the book in the shelf, he was again covered by a green flash and was looking at an almost pure Changeling, except for the purple Unicorn horn and the lack of wings. Making him look like a very Changeling version of Twilight. “Typical…” Sunstreak mumbled. Looking at his wingless back. He had learned to use levitation like this, but nothing else, at least he could say that it was an illusion spell when he was like this. He was caught off guard when the door opened and two mares walked in, one was a cream colored earth pony he learned to call BonBon, and the other was a mint Green unicorn he learned to call Lyra. He recognized the name from his first time near Ponyville, and understood that Lyra had an understandable hatred of Changelings. “Twilight?” BonBon said towards Sunstreak. “Yes?” He said in Twilight’s voice, glad he was like this right now. “What can I do for you?” Please don’t let it be magic related… “Why do you look like a Changeling?” Lyra asked confused. “Oh…I was just testing out a new spell I found. Makes you look like any other pony. I was just testing its limitations.” Sunstreak said twirling his hoof. Please don’t question it… “Alright then, Twilight.” Phew… “But why do you still look like a changeling?” Lyra asked skeptically. “Oh the spell has this weird time limit on it, I’m going to look like this for the next…thirty minutes.” That’s believable right? “You know more about magic than I do, Twilight.” Lyra replied satisfied. “I’ll take your word for it.” “So what’s up?” Sunstreak asked. “We were hoping that you had a book on Detection spells.” BonBon explained. “Well, I think we do…” Sunstreak replied unsure. “Princess Celestia sent us a whole plethora of books from the Royal Library. I haven’t had a chance to catalogue all of them yet. Give me a minute.” Sunstreak walked up the stairs. “Hey, Spike?” “Yeah, Sunny?” Spike said. “Do we have any books on detection spells? BonBon and Lyra want to know.” “If we do they should be in the basement. Twilight moved them there after the Invasion to try and get a Changeling detection spell working. She never got around to it.” “Thanks, Spike.” Sunstreak walked back down the stairs to see BonBon and Lyra looking over one of the bookshelves. “We moved them down into the basement, I wanted to try and make a Changeling Detection Spell… But I got caught up with this Illusion spell I found.” “That’s our Twilight.” BonBon said rolling her eyes. “It’s just down here.” Sunstreak said opening the door to the basement. “I’ve been spending the last few nights down here trying to work on this spell…I might have been a bit too thorough on it.” “Like you always do, Twilight.” BonBon replied. “Spending all night studying.” “What can I say?” Sunstreak said. “I’m studious.” He looked back to see Lyra lagging behind. “You coming, Lyra?” “Just…Keeping my distance…” Lyra replied. “I’m still a little shaken…” “Well I can understand that.” Sunstreak said. Giant bugs mind controlling you and trying to take over your home will do that to you. “It should be just over here.” Sunstreak said as the three of them reached the bottom. He learned rather quickly to not try and understand what all the gadgets were for down here, he mostly just chalked it up to her just being a scientific type which is rather confusing given that she is also the magic user of the group…which kind of counteracts each other. “We’ve been using all the space down here for storage while we sort through the books.” “Well, you sure do have a lot of room down here.” BonBon replied, looking around the room. “What are all these…” “You wouldn’t want me to bore you with the details I’m sure…” Please don’t pick up on how non-Twilight that sounds. “Well…I suppose you’re right.” BonBon replied. “What do you think, Lyra?” “It’s…nice.” Lyra replied very uncomfortable. “Don’t worry, Lyra.” Sunstreak replied. “I’m not going to wrap you in a cocoon and brainwash you. I’m not really a Changeling. I just look like one.” “I’m still going to keep my distance if it’s all the same to you.” “No worries. I understand.” Sunstreak was looking over a bookshelf trying to find a book on Detection Spells. “I mean if I was you I would definitely be a little suspicious of anypony that showed signs of being a changeling.” He was so busy focusing on finding the book he didn’t realize the two pink wisps of flame until he grabbed the book and turned around to stare at two pairs of pink eyes. He immediately dropped the book and stared. “Um…Hi?” “Betrayer.” The Changeling that used to be BonBon hissed at him. “Excuse me?” Sunstreak replied. Trying with all his might not to try and fight these two. “You are a member of Chrysalis’ Hive.” The Changeling that used to be Lyra replied. “uhhh….no.” Sunstreak replied. Before BonBon jumped on him, slamming him to the ground. “Do not attempt to deceive us, Traitor.” It hissed at him. “You know what you’ve done.” “Well…No point in hiding it then…” Sunstreak replied looking up at the Changeling. “Yes I am a changeling. Problem?” BonBon hissed at him. “Haze!” Lyra said to the Changeling. “We are not here to antagonize him. We are here to talk.” “Yes, Blackout.” Haze stepped off of Sunstreak, backing up to be in line with Blackout. “Our Queen wishes to make a deal with you.” Blackout explained. “What makes you think you have anything I want?” Sunstreak said standing up. “We have the filly you foalnapped.” Blackout explained, as her horn glowed a bright pink color and a foggy image of Meadow inside of a pink chrysalis, sleeping. “What did you do to her?” Sunstreak said, worried. “She is unharmed.” Blackout replied. “We have attempted to remove her memories of you. But she is stubborn.” “If you hurt her…” “We would not hurt a foal. It goes against our Hive.” “Then what do you want?” “The deal is simple.” Blackout explained. “We will allow her to retain her memories of you, given what your hive has done, secrecy is no longer on our side. We have the cure for your ailment, Aloe has been hiding it from you on the orders of our Queen. We will give you the cure, and allow her to retain her memories, all you must do in return is reveal yourself.” “That’s all?” Sunstreak replied. “That is all we require.” “What if I refuse?” “If you refuse,” Blackout began the image in front of Sunstreak changing as she spoke. “Not only will we forcibly reveal you. We will also reveal your accomplice, and we will forcefully remove the foal’s memories of you. You will be stuck without any connection to your Hive, no powers, and the ponies will judge you themselves.” Sunstreak looked around the room, contemplating his options. But the problem was…there weren’t any options. He could either doom his friends, or doom himself. He sighed, “I’ll do it.” “You have made the correct choice.” “Hold up!” Sunstreak said, “What did you do with the real ponies?” “They are safe.” Blackout replied. “You will go to Aloe, she will allow you to have the cure, once you do that, the bearers will return. You will reveal yourself, and then you will be told the location of the foal. You will tell the Royal Guard where she is, and you will inform the guard. Whether you allow your accomplice to be free is your decision.” “He is not my accomplice. He is my friend.” “He is from your Hive.” “We have no Hive.” “Blackout!” Haze commented. “The others are coming, we should go.” “Understood.” Blackout replied. “You are not to tell them of this meeting.” “Got it…” Sunstreak replied. As the two of them donned their disguises. Lyra picked up the book with her magic. “Thanks, Twilight.” “You’re welcome, Lyra.” Sunstreak replied as the three of them exited the basement, to Spike’s confusion. “Best of luck on that illusion spell of yours.” BonBon said back. “I’m going to need it.” Sunstreak replied as the two of them left. The instant they left, Sunstreak transformed back into his first appearance, his half Changeling look with his Sunstreak form as well. “What were you three talking about?” Spike asked. “You were down there for a while.” Sunstreak sighed. “There’s something I need to tell you.”