When a changeling gets a bright idea

by Rarity Belle

Chapter 04

For the past few days had Chara just been wandering through Ponyville. Still disguised as the mare living under the name of Rusty Bucket, the mare from Dodge Junction. She never told many ponies her story while listening to each of them she heard. During all of that time had she been keeping an open ear to any news of the Elements or who they could have been. Fate just so happened to play out against her. None of them were present in Ponyville at the time she arrived, but she had seen the castle that was dubbed ‘the Castle of Friendship’ and it was an imposing structure for sure.

Over time had Chara learned one or two things about each of the six mares and though about ways to utilize that very same knowledge against them. Some of the news is juicy enough to go after of course, yet a lot of it is the same she had heard from everypony else.

It’s strange though, the changeling came to think to herself. She was just minding her own business and trotting through the peaceful town. It was strange that six of the mightiest ponies in Equestria only seemed to have each other as true friends. The whole of Ponyville knew each other and was considered a good friend, but those six always seemed to confine themselves to them, outside of when they needed somebody else along of course.

It made the disguised changeling sit down on a bench for a moment, pondering her mind about the matter. Something just didn’t add up about it. Everypony who they were, but nopony knew who they were. With the rays of the sun hitting her face, the eyes beamed a little bit with redness while the warmth travelled through the veins.

“There’s only one way in which I can do this, only one way through which this little plan of madness even might succeed,” she mumbled to herself. Of course she knew that the plan was madness itself, but that was the way she loved and liked it. Just that spark of insanity fueling her, to achieve the near impossible. It was a feeling that was breathtaking for the changeling. “I need to meet the six of them, personally, get to know them and strike them where it hurts.”

Her hoof coiled up in a fist-like form the moment she finished talking. Infiltration was the greatest asset of a changeling and she would utilize every single trick known to her. Cunningness and stealth were required, as well as a quick and honeyed tongue. A single nod she gave to herself, ready to hit the road again and make way to the Castle of Friendship itself. Chara left the bench and continued on her way, hoping that there was somepony home by then.

~~~~

In the distance it already loomed up for her, the towering spires of the crystalline castle. It was a mess to behold but at the same time was it a marvelous piece. The changeling felt conflicted about it and the sheer amounts of magic that were emitted by the place began to hurt. Not enough to be unbearable, but enough to make her feel a near constant itch on her back. Right on the one spot that she wouldn’t be able to reach with her hooves. Whomever had cast the spell, it knew their defenses well. None of the other ponies who wandered past seemed to be affected by it.

“Chrysalis,” mumbled the changeling to herself. Of course had she heard of how one of the changeling queens almost came to conquer Canterlot with her vast army. But only by the one emotion that they feed upon, were they also destroyed. A strange sense of irony it was indeed. Something about the ordeal made her chuckle for the moment.

The weather was still both warm and pleasant while other ponies just went along their way. Everything just seemed to be fine, if not for Chara. Ponyville had this rather strange sense of idyllic peace and harmony to itself. Yet the Castle of Friendship loomed even greater in the distance. It rose up like the castle of Canterlot which was always visible atop the hill it was built upon so long ago.

Chara slowed down her pace a bit to take in the breathtaking view that spread before her. It was marvelous to gander at, even better to be inside, probably. The crystals and gems that it was constructed from all shone bright in the light. Marvelous, absolutely marvelous indeed.

With new courage and cunning coursing through her body would the changeling have stepped inside the palace, weren’t it for one little fact. Because in the corner of her eye she caught something that seemed oddly familiar. Something that turned into somepony after her gaze had shifted. A white blob of color turned into the white coated, blue maned Vinyl Scratch.

Wonder had filled the changeling’s mind for just a moment. Why would that mare have been there on her own? From their previous encounter had she come to know that Vinyl wasn’t deaf, fortunately. It meant that she still could hear everything perfect, despite her choice in music-career. A grin came forth upon the muzzle of Chara, who came up with a little plan to fill her levels of red flow. She had been hungering after the stuff ever since the disembark from the train. It was her time to make a change again and hopefully get some of the nutrition that she required. It wouldn’t have been that simple though.

Chara made her way to a side-street and then in an alleyway. Hidden from the eyes of everypony was a quick plan devised. Whether Octavia intended it or not, she had spoken way too much information about the DJ, which could be used by the changeling to push all of the buttons. A quick glance was given up to the street itself. Everything seemed to be clear for her to do what she wanted, an opportunity she wanted to make use of.

In a bright flash of reddish fire had she changed her entire appearance. No longer did Rusty Bucket hid in the alleyway, instead it was Octavia Melody whom had taken her spot. Yet to make matters worse, another pony trotted out of the shadows with her. The blue coated stallion who had gone under the name of Noteworthy, stood beside her.

In reality was it all an optical illusion created by the changeling’s arcane abilities, but it would have been more than enough for her plan to work. Or at least she hoped in silence that it was. Chara took a deep breath and stepped out of the alleyway without a pony seeing her, Noteworthy followed suit and the two just began to walk down the street, they were heading straight in Vinyl’s direction.

Noteworthy began to speak about a couple of things that involved the play he had done a few days ago, basically rephrasing the words that Octavia had said to him. That mare could talk for hours about him and not realize everypony was bored of it! But it came out helpful for the matter, as the conversation was kept going, meaning that everything just seemed normal. As long as nopony came to bother them both of course.

While Chara continued on with her part of the conversation, she kept a close yet hidden eye on Vinyl. The closer she came, the more she realized that the unicorn was without headphones. That proved to be a golden opportunity for the changeling. Her tongue became wet as she could already taste the red flow of negativity that filled the air through her, but first things had to be done first of course. A deep breath was taken by her to calm all of the senses, from that moment on would she have been serious about the matter. Nothing else mattered anymore, except to push the buttons of Vinyl Scratch.

Without even knowing that she was there, Octavia and Noteworthy both wandered passed her. Of course had Vinyl wanted to wave at her friend, but she then noticed the stallion being around the earth pony. The decision was made to not do anything, yet her ears were turned to hear what was being said. And the conversation that followed was one that was both gut wrenching and heartbreaking at the same time.

“Say Octavia, how are you and Vinyl doing these days?” Noteworthy asked in his deep and classy voice. “Are you still having some troubles with her?”

Octavia had frowned at the question, it was one that she had rather avoided than answered. The mare had to tell him the truth about the matter, to vent the weight that was placed upon her heart. “It’s gotten worse, Noteworthy, I can’t make anything about her these days anymore. It’s like, I don’t know honestly. She seems so remote and isolated, so away from the world itself. Like, she lives in her own little fantasy.”

“She’s a unicorn after all, it’s what they all do,” the stallion replied with a smirking grin.

That part did Vinyl saw clear as day.

If the unicorn didn’t know any better, she drew the conclusion that the two were having a relation with one another. The way that they spoke to each other, the way that they glanced to one another, the way that their bodies sung the song of a thousand words. Tears would have come behind her shades, a deep sigh followed while her legs ceased their motion. She had to figure out what the two were up to, she had to figure out just what on earth they were planning to do.

Octavia and Noteworthy continued on with their little journey and continued to speak about a couple none worthy things like the weather and when they would perform again together. Of course did Chara knew that Vinyl was keeping a close eye on them, it was the thing that she wanted.

It was perfect to throw the last curveball at the unicorn. She also knew that an engagement with the unicorn at that point was almost unavoidable. Chara had to keep herself busy and not be spotted alone as Octavia, not if she wanted to keep Vinyl guessing. So she did the only thing she could think about.

Octavia reached for the cheek of the stallion, pulled him in closer and gave him a deep and loving kiss on the lips. Vinyl watched how the two of them shared their kiss, there was no lying about it, there was no deception possible. That kiss between them was genuine. Octavia had actually kissed Noteworthy in public. Vinyl’s worst fear had become a shattering reality! How long before she would have told her? Vinyl almost became consumed by both rage and hatred. There were options, but all of them involved tearing Octavia in half. An explanation was required from the gray mare, but later.

Huffs and puffs, streams of tears down her cheeks. Vinyl was broken, filled with hatred and ready for a slaughter. But instead of going after either of the newly made couple, the mare just turned around. She showed the world that she was strong, but inside was she crying like a foal. The mare made a step to leave, followed by another. Before she knew it, she was galloping away.

Chara had done it, she felt the hatred of Vinyl flowing through her. The stream of red flow already filtering through her was amazing. It brought her body to new heights that weren’t experienced in a long, long time. She and Noteworthy made a quick turn to walk into another street and sprinted into another alleyway. From there would he have disappeared and Rusty Bucket would have emerged from the other side.

Octavia had some explaining to do and Vinyl would have either forgave her, or shattered their friendship. Of course had the changeling hoped for the latter fact, but the decision would come to wait. She wouldn’t have just rushed over to the place to see what would happen. No, the red flow in the air would have given away whatever had happened next.

The next destination for Chara was the Castle of Friendship. After everything that had happened and with a new load of courage flowing through her, it was the only thing that she could have done. A nod was given to herself and her sight set upon the spires of the castle, a sinister grin forging itself across her muzzle.

She could speak of luck that there was nopony around to see what she was doing.

~~~~

Late in the evening had the last train to pass Ponyville rolled in the station and only a few ponies had disembarked from it. Yet among those few were there six who couldn’t be happier to be back in the little, tranquil town. Those six just so happened to be the six bearers of the Elements. Everypony stood at the station and yawned a bit, for their journey from the Frozen North had ended, almost.

“Feels good to be back here,” said Twilight to the rest of them, looking at them with a watchful eye.

Everypony else nodded to her and they couldn’t wait to roll in their beds again. “It was surprising to see how the Crystal Empire has developed in such a short amount of time. Yet their couture is something I will never be bored of. Did you see their latest line in fashion?” Rarity asked with a beaming face. She almost couldn’t hold her excitement on the matter.

Applejack had to place a hoof over her shoulders to keep the ivory unicorn on the ground. “Hehe, Ah heard ya, partner, but how ‘bout ya calm down for the time being, eh? Been a long trek by train and ya still gotta cover ‘bout half the town before yar back home.”

“Make that the whole town,” Rarity added while her ears drooped a bit. “Staying at my parents for the night. Long story involving Sweetie and cooking.”

Nopony even dared to question the mare. They all knew at least bits and pieces of what might have happened. They also knew it was a tale that she wasn’t willing to share.

Pinkie Pie on the other end had begun to hop around as she always had done, creating a bit of a distraction for the others. A thing that was much to Twilight’s very own gratitude.

Both Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash stretched their wings from the long trip. Though where the cyan mare was already in the air and doing some tricks.

It was the yellow one who remained firmly on the ground. “It’s going to be a good night, that’s for sure,” said Fluttershy in her timid and shy voice to the rest.

She wasn’t wrong with those words at all. The night was cool and without a cloud. The light of the moon illuminated the world while the stars shone bright all across the skies. It only seemed like yesterday that the six of them had been ‘thrust’ in their friendship against the dreaded Nightmare Moon. It had been years of course, but every time that they took a gander up to the moon, it was surprising to not see the well-known ‘Mare in the Moon’ anymore. A thing which either was good or bad, none of them had really decided upon that.

“Ha! You tell me, Flutters! It’s just so amazing to be back here and not being stuck in the frozen skies. I thought I would never be able to fly there again!” Rainbow commented, receiving glares from everypony but Pinkie.

“May I remind you that the first time we visited, it was consumed by an all evil unicorn king?” Twilight commented in return. “Besides, you can fly there perfectly. Not our fault that you are getting it cold that quickly.”

“Hey! I’m a pegasus, remember! I have thin blood to survive in the warmth and in the air, not in the cold!” returned Rainbow in a snarky voice.

“Suppose that’s true enough,” added Twilight, shaking her head a little. The day had both been long and tiresome along with a load of boring. It was time to just leave everypony be for the moment and hit the hay, a thing which they all wanted.

After that they had said their goodbyes and good-nights, all six of them would have taken a different path home. Fluttershy would have walked down lane, Rarity another, Applejack went over the tracks to the farm and Rainbow took for the skies. But Twilight was the one whom had one last companion with her, Spike the dragon. He had come along with them as he was as much a part of their little group as everypony else.

The dragon trotted next to the alicorn and wanted to make a remark on something. Twilight had caught the look in his eyes but was still doubting whether or not to say a word. In the end, she just spoke what was on her mind. “Spike, you have been like this ever since we left the Empire, what’s been bothering you?”

A question was asked which the dragon didn’t wanted to answer, but he had to either way. He felt like he owed it to her. “It’s nothing, Twilight, it’s just that here I’m just a clumsy nopony while up there, I’m pretty much hailed like a princess.”

“Or a prince, in your case,” chuckled Twilight for the moment, covering her mouth with a wing. Spike didn’t saw the humor in it though. “Sorry, my bad.” Moments later had a bright red blush appeared. “But I do get your point and is one which can raise some form of concern. But you have to remember this, you may have saved the Crystal Empire, but you will always be our dragon.” The last thing that Twilight wanted at the moment was to delve too much in the theories and studies she had performed. It just wasn’t worth it in the evening.

“You’re right. Maybe it’s better if it stays this way. A lot of ponies here like me too, right?”

To that didn’t Twilight have the answer yet. She was too tired to think of any answer that wouldn’t hurt the little dragon. “Let’s go home, Spike, get ourselves some good night sleep and we’ll talk further about it in the morning,” she returned to him, placing a wing around him.

Spike just gave a nod before he had one last glance up to the skies above them. The twinkles high up there gave of the reflections of gems sparkling in the sunlight, giving him a smile.