Allies of Equestria

by Shadowlux100

The Changeling

"Rise and shine. It’s your shift."

Courageous Shield woke semi-gently at his captain's voice. He had forgotten he had the night watch.

"Aye sir." he grumbled as he climbed out of his bed.

"Your mane is a bit messy." his captain smiled.

"It happens." Shield responded.

Courageous Shield was a strong, white coated pegasus with a short, brown and blond mane and tail, and a red and purple shield for a cutie mark. He took advantage of his strength by becoming a royal lunar guard, which was also a way to work closely with the princesses.

The captain left the room leaving Shield to suit up for the night watch. He didn’t mind it honestly, it was nice to see the moon and stars every once and a while.

He put his helmet on last, adding the finishing touch on his royal guard armor. Shield was pretty high in the ranks, but still under leadership. He shook himself to get some blood flowing. His wings were sore as he stretched them. Time to go.

He trotted out of the guard quarters and into the hallway, and then slowed to a walk. He kept a close eye on things as usual. One could never be too careful at the castle, especially ever since the changeling incident. The way they manipulated love shook all of them to their cores. He shivered at the thought. They should have been more prepared. Protocol this and protocol that. It got painstaking fast, but they all knew that it was beneficial. Even Celestia herself got tired of it. However, they are now prepared for much more.

He rounded a corner and kept walking as his path lead outside. He was looking forward to see the moon. Nothing was happening in Equestria to his knowledge. It’s typically peaceful nowadays. He continued on, plotting outside. Looking up he saw the full moon shining upon the darkness of the night. He chuckled to himself as he admired it.

"Great job, princess."

He only could take a few seconds, unfortunately. So he continued on his patrol. His path led him outside of the library and on past the kitchen and into the main hall. There he looked at the stained glass windows of the elements of harmony and such. He smiled as he looked at them. “I wish I could have had more time to meet them.” He sighed to himself.

His ears flipped forward. Time stood still for a moment. There was a slight sound in front of him, outside the great hall. He silently moved forward stalking the sound. Shield waited until the last moment, and whipped around the corner with his hooves reaching out for his prey.

"OOF!" the fellow guard hit the ground rather harder than Shield had meant for him to. His ears went limp and grew red, "oh...er sorry..."

"Celestia, kid! You sure are quiet." the brown stallion got up.

"My bad... I heard you and took action."

"Lighten up a little," the guard laughed a bit, "it’s another typical, boring, and normal night.

Shield sighed, "I guess you’re right."

"Hmhm, see you then, I’ll be a bit louder with my hoof steps this time," he smiled at Shield.

Shield half-smiled back and continued on. That was embarrassing. Not the first time either. He was just so cautious all the time. He didn’t like it either but this job was important to him.

Something moving caught his eye over a stairwell. He looked up fast, and then scolded himself for being too cautious again. He trotted over to the railing of the balcony over the stairs. Looking down, he saw a pony, a female by the looks of it, who was looking around as she slipped out a back door of the castle. Shield narrowed his eyes. Nopony should be out this late, nonetheless from the castle. He used his wings to float down the stairs to save time as he slipped out the same door after her. He floated low to the ground and kept as silent as he could while trailing her. He followed some hoof prints to get her general direction.

While he was flying he took out a piece of paper from one of the pockets on his armor with his teeth and unfolded it. A quill started glowing and hovered over it as if awaiting its command.

"Tailing a suspicious pony leaving the castle. Take whole castle guard." The quill copied every word he spoke and hovered again when he was done. "Letter away" he spoke again and the quill slipped back into his pocket while the letter folded itself into a paper airplane and flew off back to the castle. The way the magic worked, it would find the closest guard awake and unfold itself in front of them. Very convenient for quick long distance messages.

He kept his trailing strong as her trail lead to town. Her hoof prints got closer together signaling she slowed down. He was close to a house, but he surveyed the area from a distance before moving closer. After flying around each corner, he spotted a silhouette near a window. There she was. It was one of the stewardesses from the castle, still in uniform looking through the window. He stayed back, observing what she was doing before moving in.

"I’m sorry..." she whispered and closed her eyes. She opened her mouth and a green aura floated into it.

Shield was confused. He kept watching. The aura eventually stopped as she closed her mouth. She coughed a little and shook herself. Shield backed away from the corner and hid as she started back towards the way she came. She was skittish as she galloped quietly away. Shield didn’t leave much leeway as he tailed her again. He kept silent, and waited until they were away from any houses when he sped up and planned her takedown.

With one swift motion, he kicked out his front hoof and effectively tripped her. The next motion was flipping her over and pushing her down to the ground in midair. He had practiced this many times back at the castle so it went smoothly. She skidded to a halt and Shield planted to hooves on either side of her head.

"Name yourself in order of the royal guard!" he spoke with authority.

"P-please don’t hurt me!" the mare trembled and held her hooves over her face.

"Name!" he kept strong.

"I-its Carefree!"

"What are you doing out so late and away from the castle?"

"...I was just walking around, getting some fresh air." she was shaking a little less now.

"The castle has open places and a lot of room, you didn’t have to leave."

"I..," she blubbered.

"I’m going to have to report you if you don’t speak up."

She whimpered, "Please no! I wasn’t doing anything wrong."

"That green stuff has me thinking otherwise."

Her eyes widened, "You saw?!"

"Quiet, I don’t want to use any more force than I have to. I saw everything you did, now tell me what exactly you did back there and why."

She looked away, "It’s not that easy to explain…"

"I have time."

She looked up at him, "I can’t...you won’t understand."

He stamped a hoof, "Tell me. That’s an order."

She flinched at the action. "Okay okay!" He stared down at her as her eyes grew a little wet. "Please, just don’t freak out...I can explain."

"I’m losing my patience."

She sighed sadly. Bit her lip and tensed up. Instantly green flames surged through her body, starting at her hind hooves. Shield backed off a little as it happened, and as he looked back, there lay a changeling in place of the pony he had just saw.

Taking action, he snapped forward with a hoof raised in the start of a stomp. His nostrils flared and his hoof flew towards its head. The changeling saw it coming and it dodged, rolling away from him. His hoof hit the ground hard where it had just been a moment ago.

The changeling changed back into the mare, "Please calm down!! I can explain!" tears were flowing down her face.

"Why should I trust a changeling?!" he snorted angrily back.

"Because I-"

"Because nothing! I’m taking you down and then to Celestia to get rid of you!"

"Please let me-"

"No! You changelings are dangerous and an enemy to Equestria!" he dug a hoof into the ground, ready to lunge.

"No...I just-" she had more tears.

"You have 3 seconds to surrender or I’ll take you do-"

"STOP!" the cry was full of anguish. Shield's eyes widened a little. The mare dropped to the ground. Tears flowed from her eyes. "Please...you don’t understand...I was left behind when the rest of the changelings were banished...I had to copy a pony I saw in a painting in the castle to stay safe..."

Shield spoke again "What were just doing then?"

"I have to eat on the only thing I know I can eat here...I’m just trying to survive!" she looked up into his eyes, pleadingly.

"Hmph. How do I know you’re not lying?" he stared her down.

She looked defeated, "I guess you don’t...my kind isn’t to be trusted anyway…"

"I need to take you in if anything changeling."

"Please don’t call me that…"

"I’ll call you what I want."

"My name is Chryla."

"Get up, changeling."

She looked at him again, anger in her gaze. "Look, I don’t want to hurt anyone! It wasn’t my choice to be in the invading force of us! The queen just decided who would! She only told us that the love here is what we would feed on! I got left behind and I’m just trying to survive!"

Shield softened for a moment.

She continued on, "I tried to be as quiet as possible when I had to eat! I only take enough to not feel starved! Ponies hardly notice the next day anyway!"

Shield saw the turmoil in her, "Well if you feel that way changeling, you can tell Celestia yourself."

"My. Name. Is. Chryla." she spoke through teeth.

"Fine. I'm still taking you to her."

"I’ll come quietly on one condition..."

He scoffed, "What’s that? I’m kind of calling the shots here."

"Get none of the other guards involved on our way...please." she looked back at him. He was slightly startled. He thought about it for a moment, it might be better if he didn’t anyway.

"Hmph, no promises chan...Chryla."

She hung her head a little, "Lead the way…What should I call you?"

"Sir." he responded as he walked closer to her.

"Okay…"

"Start walking, please." he was standing only a few hoofs away from her, "And no tricks. I have wings."

"I know."

They walked back towards the castle, in silence. He didn’t know if he could get to see the princess this late anyway, if anything the holding cells in the lower level would do.

The castle grounds were quiet and empty as they went back inside to the castle.

"Head to the princesses’ chambers."

"Yes...er...Sir." They climbed the steps to the top of the tower. A royal solider was guarding the rooms.

"What business do you two have here?" the guard huffed. Shield noticed him, and realized that he outranked this pony.

"I require an audience with one of the princesses immediately."

"Hmph, it’s way too late and I don’t think it’s that important that you-"

"Situation level 1, solider." Shield spoke over him.

Shocked a little, the guard realized who Shield was, "R-right away sir."

The guard knocked on the door softly. "Princess?"

Magic opened the door, "Yes?" the voice came from Celestia.

"Courageous Shield requests a level 1 audience with you, m'lady."

"Let him in."

Shield motioned for Chryla to go first. She hung her head and walked in. Shield closed the door behind them.

"Courageous Shield, as a level 1 this must be important. Yet you bring me Carefree arrested? What’s going on?"

"Your majesty, she is not who she seems." The princess tilted her head.

"Show her." Shield nudged Chryla with his wing.

The mare bit her lip, and then changed into her true form. Celestia's expression changed to angry and powerful. Magic surrounded the changeling and it was thrown across the room in a moment, crashing into a wall on the other side of the room.
Chryla changed back, coughing she spoke up, "You’re majesty, please let me explain…" she tried to stand but fell as soon as she tried.

"Explain what, that you should be long gone?" Celestia spoke with unprecedented authority. Shield gulped down some of the intimidation he felt, he only imagined what the changeling must have felt.

"Please m'lady…let me talk...please." tears flooded her eyes.

"Speak."

Chryla told the same story she told Shield. As the story went on, the princess softened. "The green light your officer saw there was only a tiny bit of love from a newlywed couple in town...I didn’t take much. I’m so weak from not eating that I’m not even a threat if I wanted to be..."

"I see..." the princess spoke again.

"I don’t know what else to feed on...The queen only told us that love would power us and so far that’s the only thing that has..."

The princess spoke with a bit of compassion as she lifted Chryla back over to Shield and herself, "Chryla, I’ve seen your work here in the castle and I appreciate the change you made to your lifestyle over your queens."

"Thank you, your majesty..."

"Shield."

He perked is ears forward and stood at attention, "Yes ma'am?"

"Level 0 order: take good care of the true identity of Carefree. No other pony but you, Luna, and I must know that she is a changeling. We will work here to find an alternate food source for her. Until then, goodnight."

Shield was flustered, "Y-yes ma'am."

"Thank you so much princess." the mare was now shedding tears of happiness.

"Anything for a loyal subject in need. I do hope your ties to your old ruler are dwindled."

"They are. I never really liked her."

"Then farewell, I will check on you periodically."

Shield and Chryla dipped their heads and started to the door.

"To feed now, however, report to me." Celestia called as they exited.

The guard outside was confused, Shield could see it. "What happened?"

"Level 0. Sorry." Shield replied.

The guard’s eyes widened, "I've never even heard of level 0. Have a good night sir."

"You too." Shield dipped his head again as he lead Chryla back down the steps.

They walked in silence for a while, and even up to her quarters. There they stood for a moment before shield broke the silence.

"So...I guess we’re friends now."

"Yeah..." she looked down.

Shield didn't know what to say, "I guess I owe you an apology as well." She looked up at him.

"I’m sorry for almost killing you back in the woods. It’s not my fault I thought to not trust your kind."

"It’s alright...its kinda our queen's fault anyway."

"Well…get some sleep and I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?" Shield turned to leave.

"Wait..." He stopped. "You never told me your real name."

"Courageous Shield. Shield for short." he smiled a little.

"Thanks Shield. See you later." she slipped into her room as he left.

He walked along the hallway, heading back to his room. His shift was over and he needed to get the next guard up. It didn’t take long to get back 'home' and the next guard was already awake. Shield undressed himself and laid down to rest.

"Oi, Shield. I got your message. What happened?" the guard he tackled earlier yawned.

Shield chuckled a little, "Sorry, level 0. I can’t tell you."

The other guard's ears pointed forward, "No way. The princess trusted you with a level zip?"

"Yup."

"I’d say you’re lucky, but I don’t know what kind of order it was."

Shield laughed again, "No worries."

"G’night."

"Sleep well."

Shield closed his eyes after the short conversation and tried to sleep. A friend. He hadn't had one of those in a while. In fact, he only had one in his entire life, and that was a long time ago. But maybe this time will be different. Maybe it’ll actually be nice to have a new friend. Still, he had to be careful.