Changing perspective.

by Phoenix Kitten

Change(l)ing sides.

Rarity ditched her gown and galloped out the door in front of Twilight, who started to canter out after them when the door slammed shut with green magic.

Twilight turned to face the Changeling queen who stood behind her.

"You really are an interesting pony aren't you?" Her voice warbled, sounding like there was two of her speaking in sync. She trotted towards Twilight, a green flame roiling over her body as she shapeshifted into a perfect mimicry of Princess Celestia. "Obviously or you wouldn't have perked my interest."

Twilight tried to back up but found her haunches pressed against the door. A sound proof bubble quickly forming around the pair.

"Why are you so scared Twilight Sparkle?" The changeling queen asked with Celestia's voice. A quick flash of green swept across her pink eyes.

Twilight's pupils shrank as she began to trot forward.

"That's it. No reason to be scared." She cooed as she turned the bubble around them opaque. "I'll keep you safe."

Twilight stood on her hind legs upon reaching 'Celestia' and hugged her.

The fake sun princess smiled and wrapped her wings around the unicorn, her horn glowing a bright green.

---

Applejack slammed her hindlegs into the door again,trying to get the door to open. "Come. On. You. Dang. Door!" she punctuated each word with another kick.

"That's not going to work Applejack." Pinkie bounced in place.

"Pinkie's right dear." Rarity chimed in. "That door is locked magically, and a powerful magic it is indeed."

"So what do we do?" Rainbow Dash asked. "We can't just leave her in there."

"Now now Rainbow. Twi's a smart filly. Ah'm sure if things get out of control she'll teleport out of there." Applejack assured the pegasus.

"You better be right." Rainbow Dash grumped before racing off ahead of the others.

---

The quintet reached the tower that the elements of Harmony were kept in and breathed several sighs of relief.

"All the way here and not a single Changelin' seen. Now that's some good luck." Applejack smiled.

"Twilight must be giving them one hay of a beating wherever she ended up." Rainbow smirked.

All of a sudden Pinkie started shuddering, slowing down until she was bouncing up and down like a pink jackhammer. "U-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h."

Fluttershy eeped. "A d-d-doozy?"

"And knowin' Twi's luck."

Pinkie raised one of her hooves and pointed at the tower they were headed towards before falling flat on her belly, still bouncing in place.

A light blue magical aura surrounded the shuddering pink pony and lifted her off the ground. "Well we have a direction, shall we go save our friend?" Rarity asked.

Four other ponies nodded and galloped forward, or tried to in Pinkie's case.

"This is so.... spooky." Fluttershy remarked as the quintet made their way through the seemingly abandoned capital city of Equestria. "There's no ponies or animals anywhere."

"Shouldn't those Changelin's be flitting through town chasin' us down right about now?" Applejack asked. "Ah ain't complainin' that they ain't. Ah'm just sayin'... seems awfully suspicious."

"I couldn't agree with you more AJ." Rainbow said as she swooped in low. "the rest of the city is overrun, but this path? Devoid of any Changelings. Even the tower entrance is clear."

"It's obviously a trap then." Rarity summised.

"But do we have a choice?" Fluttershy asked.

Pinkie shook her head as she rode along in Rarity's magic. "Not if we want to help Twilight."

"Well then get ready everypony!" Applejack yelled as she skidded to turn around and bucked the doors to the tower, slamming them open.

Four sets of eyes went wide, lining the carpet down the middle was a veritable army of Changelings, all chittering and buzzing their wings.

All at once they turned to look at the newcomers before standing to attention.
A single Changeling trotted down the carpet towards them,stopping and gesturing them to follow.

The five ponies looked at each other and shrugged, following the Changeling all the way up the tower,to the hallway that held the vault that held the elements.

Standing in front of the vault was a Changeling, but one that looked slightly different,

"That's far enough welp. You may leave me and my friends to talk." The odd changeling said.

The Changeling bowed and flew out.

"So glad of you all to join me." the Changeling said, a slightly jovial tone in her voice. "I was wondering if you'd come at all."

Rainbow Dash flew over to the Changeling, smacking her head against a barrier right behind the insectoid equine. "Well we were coming here anyway. I see you decided to lay a trap."

The Changeling chuckled and turned to face the quintet, a purple flame roiling over her black hide, melting it away to reveal a ruined midnight blue and deep purple striped tail, dark lavender. A spiky carapace with purple translucent bat wings poking out from under it. A ruined mane, of the same colours as the tail revealed itself along with a pockmarked horn.
Her legs had jagged chunks missing as a smaller flash of flames revealed a purple starburst with white sparkles on her flank.

Her eyes turned from the insectoid compound eyes into a pair of pure purple eyes, her fanged mouth curling into a smile.
"Hello girls."

Comments

[jillswift]

Not "perked my interest" but "piqued my interest".

[Blaze rod]

Where is this supposed take take place? When is this supposed to take place?

[AnalyticalAnarchy]

OOhhhh!

Sumpins going down at the palace

[jack the reaper]

Damit cliffhanger

[Star Brush]

OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHH SNAP!