The Loser's Booth

by Pickleless

Suspicious Truth

In the past, security generally was never taken that seriously. It was generally agreed by all the other nations that attacking a nation who's ruler was the one who raised and lowered the sun and moon was a bad idea.

Then Nightmare Moon happened.

And Discord.

And Chrysalis.

And Sombra.

Celestia took a moment to reflect on how her nation has been plagued with a living nightmare, an ancient spirit of chaos, demonic bugs that steal your loved ones and slowly drain your emotions away until you're too weak to fight back, and a insane unicorn who turned himself into an embodiment of evil.

But she did get Luna back. Celestia would have to say that, overall, it has been a pretty good year. She would like to keep it that way. Filly or no, as long as she's around, no is going to hurt Luna or her precious ponies. Sadly, her precious ponies have all been very nervous lately, as horrible creatures they couldn't even imagine a year ago have been attacking them left and right. Because of this, security in the castle has been very tight. The royal guards themselves have jumping at shadows, examining things they would've laughed at a year ago.

Celestia frowned, trying to think of a way to get to the left wing from the backside of the castle. At every end of the hallway was a guard, and she was pretty sure that over half of them were actually changelings. She couldn't play the lost child card, as she was sure that anypony she would turn to would actually just take back in captivity. Suddenly, a opportunity presented itself to her.

She saw Rusty Socket again coming down the hall. This was either the real Rusty Socket, or the changeling she tricked from before. If it is the same changeling pretended to be him. Celestia didn't know the changeling ranking system, if there was one, but his attitude from before implied he was a low ranking one. If he was the real one, she would finally have an ally. If he was fake, perhaps she could trick him again.

Celestia slowly trotted up to him with confidence and held her head high in a impatient, arrogant manner. When Rusty saw her, his eyes went from shock, to recognition. A shame, he must be a changeling.

"I'm ready, take me to Luna!" Celestia barked out.

Rusty blinked. "Yes, of course sir!" he quickly replied. "My apologies sir, but in case you haven't heard, my horn has been damaged. I'm stuck in this form." Rusty said with a small amount of fear. "I'm afraid I haven't been able to hear the sweet voice of my glorious queen all day. What is the current plan?"

This was almost too perfect.

"It is time for Luna to join us. Soon, she will be under our control." Celestia sneered. It was time for her to take a risk. "When the summer sun celebration comes, we will be prepared."

"What does Luna have do with our plans for the celebration?" Rusty asked.

So they are planning something on the Summer Sun Celebration.

"Nothing, really." Celestia dismissed with a hoofwave, "It simply would be unwise to have the Alicorn of the night roam free during the party."

"And what of Twilight Sparkle?"

A cold hoof wrapped itself around Celestia's heart. Twilight was here? She didn't remember Twilight coming to visit Canterlot. Celestia and Rusty entered the left wing, which was unusually quiet.

"She won't suspect a thing! We have everything under control. Now stop asking so many questions! There are still a few ponies around this castle!" Celestia snorted.

"Sorry friend. This the end of the line." Rusty growled.

Rusty quickly turned and shot Celestia with a stun beam. Cursing to herself, Celestia collapsed on the floor. Rusty calmly pulled her into a room and swapped back into changeling form. Looking confused, he hit her with a magic Celestia didn't recognize. Grimacing, he hit her again.

"Are you the real deal?!? Aw crap..." The changeling said, slapping a hoof against his face. "I was tricked a stupid little filly!"

Celestia was confused. Did he actually think she was a changeling and attack her anyway? What is he-

*BOOM*

"NOW YOU ALL HAVE ME SURROUNDED BUT YOU'LL NEVER CATCH ME!"

"Shoot!" The changeling yelled, running out of the room. Not a second later, he ran back again.

"Look, I'm sorry okay?!? Just...just stay there! I'll be right back!"

About five minutes later, Celestia could move her body again. Celestia sat and thought for a minute. This all could just be a trick set up by the changelings to make her trust them. But it was elaborate and unnecessary. There was a good chance the changeling was being sincere, but Celestia decided against waiting. Taking her chances with Luna seemed safer than taking her chances with a changeling.

Slipping out of the room, Celestia headed away from the commotion towards Luna's chambers. Luckily, the guards around her went to see what the chaos was down the hall. 'Be careful, my most faithful student.' Celestia tried to force herself not to worry. Twilight has managed far worse, but she still gets afraid whenever she knows Twilight's in danger. Opening the door Luna's room, she was greeted by loud snoring. 'Glad to see she's doing just fine.' Celestia closed the door behind her and climbed up onto Luna's bed. It took a good minute of prodding and poking to wake her up.

"HUUZNNRK! HUH?!? WHO DARES WAKE US FROM OUR SLUMBER?!?"

"Luna. It's me."

"You?" Luna blinked and rubbed her eyes. "Who are thou? And why are thou in our royal sleeping quarters?!?"

Celestia sighed. "Lulu, it's me, Tia. Canterlot is being invaded by changelings, again. They preformed some sort of magic on me that turned me into a little filly! I need your help. I need you to get into contact with Princess Cadence and Shining Armour and tell them Canterlot is under attack. Most of our troops have already been replaced!"

Luna stared at Celestia, digesting everything she just heard. "If that is true, we must act at once! That is, if that is true. If thou are truly are older sister, prove it."

Celestia sighed. "Shortly after you were born, Mother held up you up to the crowd and yelled 'ALL HAIL MOONBUTT!!!'"

"A-ah yes, I think that's-"

"About 1564 years ago, I found you asleep inside of the doughnut shop in the town that eventually became Manehatten. You had the store owner in a headlock while you were snoring away."

"We believe you! You can stop Tia-"

"One time during our estrous cycle you-"

"ENOUGH!!!" Luna screamed. "Enough Tia! Enough!.. We believe thou now." Luna said, blushing. "We shall contact Princess Cadence and Shining Armor immediately-"

"Princess Luna!" A voice called into the room. Followed by three sharp knocks. Celestia gave Luna a look, and they both nodded. Celestia hid in a nearby closet.

"Come in!" Luna called. A royal guard walked in and bowed. "Princess Celestia has requested your presence."

"She has?" Luna's brow furrowed. "Tell her We shall be there shortly." The Guard bowed, and left. Celestia came out of her hiding place and trotted towards Luna.

"A trap, I'm sure." She quietly said.

"We will send a letter to Shining and Cadence before seeing her." Luna frowned. "We shall confront her together."

"Not alone." Celestia said "Summon Twilight, she is visiting, or so I've heard. Call the other Elements of Harmony here as well. It can't hurt to be too careful."

"You wait here Tia. You can't do much like this."

Celestia hated to admit it, but she was right. There's not much she can do with a filly's body and sore wings. Being present would also give away that they knew the Celestia on the throne was fake.

"You be careful Lulu. Don't try anything by yourself."

"I will be, little sister."

"Little?" Celestia gave Luna a blank look. Luna shot a smug one right back at her.

"Don't worry Tia, big sister will take care of everything." Luna turned and trotted out of the room before Celestia could reply.

Celestia released a breath she didn't even know she was holding. Everything was going to be okay. Things were going to get messy sure, but Luna and the others now aware of the matter things should be fine. With the threat no longer directly on her shoulders, she sagged from exhaustion. Suppressing a yawn, she tried to shake the fatigue out of her. She couldn't afford to fall asleep now. All it took was one changeling taking a peek into Luna's room for her to be captured...

...

---

"Awaken."

Celestia rose her head with a jolt. She didn't remember ever falling asleep. Looking around she saw she was in the throne room. The fake Celestia, Luna, and Twilight were standing before her. Luna had a look of pity on her face. The fake Celestia wore one of mild annoyance. Twilight's expression, oddly enough, was unreadable. Celestia tried to quell her panic. What happened? How did she get here?!?

"You've been causing a lot of trouble in my castle." The fake Celestia said to her.

"This would be my castle actually." Celestia calmly replied. "And I don't appreciate you taking from me."

The fake Celestia sighed. "Why must you keep doing this? Have you not been taking your medicine?"

Celestia smiled. "Is that your game? Pass me off as a mentally unstable little filly who pretending to be you?"

The fake Celestia put a expression of pity towards her, walking up towards Celestia, she wrapped a wing around her. "About a year ago, I visited a mental ward. There, I met a adorable little filly who reminded me of myself when I was younger." Celestia had restrain a snort, but didn't interrupt.

"While I was there, she was very interested in hearing about my life. Any story about me, my mother, or my sister would leave her in awe or wonder." The fake Celestia smiled. "I truly did enjoy our little talks." Her smile quickly went away. "Sadly, you kept finding ways to break out of the hospital. I would always find somewhere in the castle, trying to convince a guard or noble that you were actually me. It's a shame how many of them actually believed you."

"Why did you never tell us about this, Sister?" Luna quietly asked. 'Luna didn't actually believe this, did she?'

"I didn't think she would cause this much trouble." The fake Celestia frowned.

"Please, do you truly believe we would talk about our mother so openly?" Celestia asked. "I could spend days reciting my life, something I could not have learned in a weekly visit. I'm surprised Luna is even humoring you."

The fake Celestia once again put on a look of annoyance. "I proved myself the real one time and time again, and I don't need to do so now."

"Very well then, let's put a stop to this right now. Twilight, my most faithful student. Cast the changeling detection spell on her please.

Twilight didn't move. She frowned, looking conflicted.

"Go ahead Twilight." The fake one said. "I don't mind."

With a moment of hesitation, Twilight lit up her horn and shot the fake Celestia. After a bright flash, Celestia found herself looking at...Celestia. Giving her a withering look.

"I trust this is adequate?" She said, starting to walk away.

"W-wait!" Celestia said, fear starting to worm it's way into her heart. "When I flew successfully for the first time, what did my Mother say to me?"

"You're a chicken no longer, Sunshine." the fake one calmly replied.

"What was Luna's first words?"

"Celly."

"What do I prefer, wings or horn?!?"

"Wings."

"What-"

"What was Twilight's first friendship report?" The adult Celestia said, cutting her off.

Small fear was turning into full blown panic. She couldn't remember.

"What happened the day we took Twilight to be our most faithful student?"

Celestia stopped and took a deep breath, she was just panicking, she's not a mentally unstable little filly-

"What is the name of Twilight's dragon?"

Celestia froze. She couldn't remember. All three of them were looking at her with nothing but pity. Luna shook her head.

"I'm going to have to send Cadence and Shining an apology. To think I was mislead so easily." Luna sighed.

"W-wait! I'm not crazy!" Celes shouted, her breathing becoming ragged.

"Don't be hard on yourself sister, she plays a convincing act. Even she herself believes it."

"I was attacked by changelings this morning, I swear!"

"And this is what it ends with. Always the changelings. I wish I never told her that tale." The Adult Celestia rubbed a hoof against her forehead. "I woke up in the streets of Canterlot. Changelings. I had some strange magic cast on me. Changelings. Some strange stallion or mare is tailing me. Changelings." Guards! Come here please!"

'This can't be happening.' Celes' mind screamed in horror 'This can't be real!' A couple royal guards came into the throne room. Twilight slowly came up to her and put a hoof on her shoulder. Her face one of complete empathy. 'No...no! No, no, no, no no no NO NO NO NO NOOOOO-'

"NO, NO, NOOOOO!!!" Celes screamed. Like a ray of hope in the darkness, Celes remembered one small detail. She ripped a quill out of Twilight's bag and ran towards Celestia. "CHANGELINGS BLEED GREEN!!!"

With a thrust, she stabbed it into Celestia's hoof. Red blood trickled out. Celes stared in horror.

"Guards..." Celestia's quietly said, her voice of disappointment. "Please take this young filly back to the mental ward downtown please."

"NO!!!" Celes wailed, throwing herself out the window. Landing in a bush, she ignored the incredible pain in the hoof she landed on and ran as fast she could. 'NO NO NO NO NO NO-' Ignoring the yells from behind her, she ran as fast as she could, as the last of the light from the sun lowered into the horizon. With no destination in sight. The lost little Filly cried into the night.

Wandering through the business District, a depressed little filly tried to organize her thoughts. Behind her she saw a fight break out between two stallions. Quickly, she retreated into a nearby bar.

The Loser's Booth.

Comments

[SCP Pinkamena]

Well shit.... That's a mind-fuck for ya...

[CookieDo]

4285767

No, it's a . Totally different.

[Tonyd5736]

[Tonyd5736]

Wow

[Neoarcad]

Oh dang, what's even happening now? Is she crazy, or not?