"...It's a lot like normal hypnotism. It only works if the pony being hypnotized is trusting enough to be hypnotized. It would require that they not suspect anything. The way that Chrysalis accomplished this with the captain was by taking the place of the one pony he trusts without reservation, that being you."
Princess Cadence looked up from her contemplation, but only seemed to enter into a more intense state of contemplation, however this time she was staring directly at Stately Writ. "So how do we know if somepony has been replaced?"
"I can sense changelings who have replaced ponies, but with Chrysalis, I have to go with how they act. She's not very good at holding her temper, and so if I can flare it, then I'll know it's her. But..."
Cadence tilted her head. "But...?"
State looked away from the princess' intense stare. "She doesn't need to replace a pony in order to hypnotize them into giving away secrets. She only needs to take the form of somepony the target trusts for a small moment, long enough to talk to them alone, and that's when she would hypnotize them, only needing to ask one or two questions before ending the hypnosis and then leaving."
"So it could be any of us..." It wasn't a question.
"Yes," State nodded. "Though, as a changeling, I'm immune. Not to mention I was in the dungeon that she would have had to ask the location of at the time."
Fear and anxiety slowly built up in the room, and it wasn't only Cadence.
"So what can we do?" she finally asked.
State furrowed his brow. "I think the only thing we can do is check on everypony that the three of you trust. Did you or Shining talk to anypony else between me revealing myself and when Chrysalis arrived?"
The princess shook her head. "Shining wouldn't leave my side after that. I was actually outside the door of the dungeon when he spoke with you."
"And what about Damascus?" State asked, not hiding his anxiety.
A worried look overtook Cadence. "His wife came to walk him home, but he said he decided to stay-..."
"His family," State muttered.
Both of them ran for the doors.
"Cloak, are you there?"
"Yes, sir! What is it?"
"I need you to scout out Damascus' house, now!"
"Where is it? What are we looking for?"
"There should be a mare and a filly there. If they're missing or replaced, we need to find them!"
Shining Armor jumped as the doors slammed open. Cadence galloped up to him asking him where Damascus' family lived.
"Why? Are they in danger?" He tensed to run.
Cadence nodded vigorously. "We think Chrysalis may have replaced them to get information from him."
"Cloak, incoming address!"
After Shining gave the address he began to lead the way. "How do we know if they've been replaced?"
"I've already got my friends on it. Changelings can tell when a pony has been replaced." State nodded.
"Friends?" Shining asked skeptically.
"We communicate telepathically. So long as we are within a few miles of each other, we're connected."
Shining slowed to a trot. "Then what are we supposed to do?"
"I need to leave the castle," State said. It was a statement, not a question. State was already backing towards a window.
"What!? Like Tartarus you do!" the captain instantly had a bubble spell around Stately Writ.
"Captain, please! I can't let any more ponies die because of me! Not tonight!"
Cadence was beside Shining Armor at once. "Shining, trust him."
Shining Armor stared hard into Stately Writ, his eyes searching for a reason to keep State there. For a moment, State worried that he wasn't going to concede, until...
"You come back. We need you here."
State nodded, and was out the window as White Lie the changeling, flying into the night.
Please, don't let me be too late...
Considering how well it's gone, I suspect the worst at least for one of them.
7830866 Agreed. They are playing catch-up with Chrysalis here, and given what we have already seen from her in this story it is unfortunately a safe bet that it is already far too late.
7831009 She probably ate the filly alive while the mom watched, then cut the mother apart piece by piece, keeping her alive for hours....
Well, if you wanted Chrysalis to be TRULY evil...
7831127 Kinky.
7831198 It's just a little exaggeration based on an old observation of mine that no one in the pony world goes after escaping villains because 'it's a kid's show' and the villains tend not to become psychotic mass murderers. Otherwise, they would not have simply stood by like a bunch of buffoons at the end of this season and watched Chrysalis run off scot-free.
I tend to frown on stories that up the ante to this extent without subsequently upgrading the ponies' reactions and thought processes as well. Adult stories need to treat the adult characters as adults and permit them to think as a real person would in their situation with their individual capabilities. One also has to keep in mind how this tone and setting aging-up will affect the whole continuity.
It's why in most cases I hate psycho-killer Discord stories, for the simple fact that few ever bother to think about how Discord being always a killing machine would radically change how Celestia and Luna dealt with him in the past (assuming they could ever beat a god-level murderer who had no qualms about wiping out his enemies... and anypony else for that matter) what they'd have done with his statue, and other matters stemming from those changes.
This story does rather better, but they're still a little slow on the uptick when the danger is rather obvious. And the fact that it's canon to what was once a fun, silly story is disheartening. I dislike linking a comedy to a serious drama. The tonal clash is terribly jarring.
7831232 Yeah, I definitely know what you mean, and to be perfectly blunt your assessments of how the show deals with the big bads these days are a significant part of why I have given up on it. It has gone from (we thought) permanently locking Discord up in a statue so he couldn't hurt anyone to letting Starlight off the hook for no discernible reason, and it is really just inexcusably bad writing at this point.
7831232
That's understandable. The strange contrast is the big reason why this story is not only separate from Changeling Doll, but also written by a different author. It's not necessary for understanding the Changeling Doll, but its purpose is to explain a lot of the more serious plot points of the Changeling Doll in a way that doesn't interrupt the funny silly story that Pickleless is writing.
Indeed the danger is obvious, but when Chrysalis left, there wasn't much more they could do than stand guard and be ready to fight should she return. They didn't know where she had gone, so what were they to do? They can only chase her to where she has gone, and it is only now that they finally get a clue as to where she is. With that, they can finally spring into action.
I hope it doesn't bother you too much, the slowness of this story so far along with the contrast between this and the silliness of Pickleless' side.
I'm still not sure about White Lie's endgame. Sometimes his inner monologue suggests that, even if he isn't necessarily for Chrysalis, he is not necessarily the best friend the ponies will ever have either.
7832004
That is exactly the reason I like this story, it's a lot more grey then a lot of changeling involved stories.
7831669 Well, I do hope they quickly figure out that with some 'good' changelings on their side they can test various protective spells upon ponies and determine what can be useful in blocking the mind-control powers of the 'evil chernglerngs... ermahgerd'.
They can also see if super-powered Flurry Heart can just beat Chrysalis to a pulp, because over-powered god-child trope.
poor guy is just swimming in traps, huh?
So is this precursor to Twilight's companion? It feels like it...
Keep going! ;)
I say it again, i would like to see the relationship develop naturally, without being to fast or pushed by any other character and not just happening in the end of the story to that the story ends with the first kiss.
Well nice chapter I have nothing else to say.