Five Nights in Canterlot

by Purple Smart

Night Three

Every castle has a secret passageway.

I'm not kidding. During the Medieval Times, every castle was equipped with a secret passageway in order to make an easy escape when it came under siege, alternatively, it could also be used to launch surprise attacks on enemies that have infiltrated the castle. In rarer cases, the passageways would be used by servants during a time of peace, to easily move between rooms. In even rarer cases, other secret passages have sometimes been constructed after the initial building, particularly escape tunnels. These passageways are often blended into the walls, making them harder to see.

Why am I saying this?

Because there are secret entrances on either side of the room.

I was wondering about where two of my cameras were placed, since the rooms they viewed were not exactly... spacey, even by the small pony standards. Then I started to realise that the only way any pony would fit in there is by crawling through them. Also, I came to this conclusion when I saw Luna crawling through them.

Winding the gearbox... and... okay.

Luna seemed to be having fun, god knows why. There's a bunch of changelings fighting all over the place, and she just pops up out of nowhere wanting to "check up on me". It's like she knows the night like the back of her han- erm, hoof.

Celestia, on the other hand, seems just as stern as I had met her the first day. She came in yelling about how I'm being so "lazy and unproductive", so I told her where most of the changelings were. I also warned her about the balcony and how most changeling were entering through there, just like I predicted. But then she started complaining about how unprofessional I was being.

"You are a guard, and you're just sitting there on your flank looking at a bunch of cameras. Why don't you get out there and fight?" She said.

So I said, "You're just standing there eating a piece of cake," because she was.

She stayed quite for a while, then said, "we are not done with this discussion," and she left. Huh.

Cadance walked by a few times tonight giving me the evil eye. I think she's afraid of actually entering the room, because of my flares. Honestly, I'm glad I don't have to deal with any more ponies. Just keep my helmet on when they show up, and everything should be fine.

Wind up the gear box... winding...

---

Meanwhile on the balcony, the changelings were working on a plan to get back their leader, the Glorious Chrysalis. Their commander—or rather, commanders, since there are two—set the plans into action.

Side note: Having an official birth name is such a trivial thing in hive colonies such as the ones changelings live in. Rather, similar to how ponies earn their cutie marks to reflect their special talent, changelings earn nicknames based on how their behavior is perceived in the hive. This works out much better than birth names, since their nicknames are easily associated with how they act.

The two commanders' names are Lefty and Righty, since they are always together. Ironically enough, Lefty is always on the right side, and Righty is always on the left. Their nicknames were given based on which eye they had eyepatches. They had both gained eyepatches from the same accident, rubble from a section of the hive that had collapsed. They managed to save each other and stick together during the damage, and now they're inseparable.

Literally, they're inseparable. The rubble crippled part of their legs and ended up twisting their wings together. They couldn't be split apart without fatal injuries. Therefore, as well as their separate nicknames, they have earned a nickname collectively: the Mangle. Most changelings just call them Mangle.

Just because they're crippled, though, doesn't mean they aren't cunning. Mangle has proven that two heads are indeed better than one, constantly collaborating with each other the reach a perfect plan for everything. Now, they have been chosen as leaders for their superior planning to get back Queen Chrysalis and restore order in the hive.

"Team Alpha!" shouted Lefty, "Move around the castle and find another way in!" Seven of the strongest-looking changelings saluted and flew off.

"Team Beta, initiate your infiltration!" Several skinny changelings nodded and flew in through the balcony, blending in almost perfectly with the shadows. A while later, a few guards in nearby rooms cried in alarm.

"Ugh." groaned Righty, "it's always team Beta that sets off the alarms. For once, can they just sneak around like they're suppose to and not show off?" He turned towards three changelings. "Alright, Team Omega, you guys know what to do."

The three changelings grinned, and quickly changed forms. Where the three used to stand, there was now Celestia, Luna, and Cadance. Or at least, what looked like the three alicorns. They quickly flew off.

"Team Epsilon, join team Gamma and move in! Go! Go! Go!" shouted Mangle together. The remaining changelings got up and flew into the castle.

A single changeling flew up onto the balcony to await orders. Lefty noticed him.

"Ah, Scout, you're back! What have you found?"

"Well, Mangle," Scout began, "Most of the guards are in the main entrance. We should be able to surround them and force them inwards. The three alicorns are staying relatively close together, but a few decoy attacks could easily split them apart and make them easier to deal with."

Lefty nodded. "Anything else?"

Scout hesitated. "Well... there is one other thing. The Archives are completely empty... except for one pony, who seems to be on guard"

"Aha!" Exclaimed RIghty, "That's got to be where Chrysalis is! They must have an extremely elite guard to keep watch of her to make sure she doesn't escape! Scout, you may leave." Scout saluted and flew off.

"Well then," said Lefty, "are you ready to pay our friend a visit?"

Right grinned mischievously. "The old 'Hook, Line, Sinker' strategy, eh?" He asked.

Lefty grinned back. "As if we could move faster any other way."

And with that, the Mangle quickly leaped up onto the ceiling. Using their working legs and wings for leverage, they climbed their way around the ceiling, heading towards the archives.

---

Well, after another rude interruption from Luna, and another quick winding of the gearbox, I guess it's time to check up on the balcony again and-

...and they're gone, all of them.

Most of the changelings seem to be fighting with the guards. Three alicorns seem to be doing a fairly decent job. Although, any fool could see that the changelings are using the old "Anaconda plan", isolating the forces from the inside and crushing them from the outside.

Then again, they don't have cameras. I should go out there and warn them.

Or, I could stay in here and not get exposed, and not get attacked as well. Yep, staying is good. I'll just bring it up if a pony survives and walks by here.

Hmm... it is a bit strange how no changelings has actually come through here. I was kind of hoping I could launch a flare into their unsuspecting faces. That would have been amusing. I wonder, since I'm spying on them, could they be spying on me as well? Keeping track of my every move?

Nah, that's ridiculous, as if they're going to sneak in here.

Winding up that gearbox, crank the handle...

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[unknowncape7377]

And... Then mangle shows up