1-9: Hide and Seek
Just outside Canterlot, a flash of magic lit up the night, accompanied by a magical pop that disrupted the silence. The result was Twilight and Damselfly appearing. Twilight, however, collapsed in exhaustion.
“I was able to get us out of Canterlot,” Twilight said with a groan, “But if we stay out here, it’s only a matter of time before the Royal Guards find us. There’s no way we can get back to Ponyville at this point. The trains out of Canterlot will all be monitored. And even if we could get on a train, there’s no doubt that Rainbow Dash would be there waiting for us. And I used too much magic on those spells to be able to teleport again. So it’s only a matter of time before the Guards find us.”
Twilight may be the bearer of the Element of Magic, but that title, unfortunately, did not come with a larger supply of magic at her disposal. She may have a deep well of raw magical power, but having raw power wasn’t enough to compensate for spellcraft.
“Not necessarily,” Damselfly said, “We Changelings have our own teleport spell that’s not limited by distance. I may be a little rusty with the spell. But I can get us home.”
Damselfly lit up her horn in a blue aura. Then, a ring of blue fire appeared on the ground next to her, opening up into a hole. Twilight recognized this spell. But before she could protest, Damselfly grabbed her and pulled her into the portal with her. The portal then closed behind them.
A ring of blue fire opening up into a portal appeared on the ceiling of Carrousel Boutique. A moment later, Twilight and Damselfly tumbled through, landing in a heap on the floor. The portal then closed behind them, leaving them in the safety of the familiar boutique.
Twilight groaned in displeasure. That was all she could do at the moment to express herself.
“Sorry about that, dear,” Damselfly said as she got to her hooves, “I did say that I was a bit rusty. It’s been so long since I’ve cast that spell that my aim was off. And I never received decent practice with that spell either. But it did get us where we needed to be.”
Twilight got herself into a sitting position as Rarity lit her own horn for light, “Are you sure your boutique was the best place to come to?” Twilight asked, “This would likely be the first place anypony would think to look.”
“It may seem obvious. And to be fair, it is,” Damselfly explained, “But it is that very obviousness that I have prepared for. I am a Changeling, after all, so I have prepared for the possibility of one day being discovered. Though I do wish that day had never come.”
Damselfly lit her horn more, levitating the pedestal in front of the dressing mirror to the side. Another flash of magic caused lines to appear on the floor in the shape of a rectangle. The hinges on one side revealed its nature.
“Is that a trap door?!” Twilight exclaimed.
“Changelings are taught to be prepared for discovery,” Damselfly said, “One such way is to dig a secret bunker to hide in. This door is made from the same material that those pods are made of. This means that with the help of Changeling magic, it too can change forms. This allows us to create a trap door that can be manipulated to perfectly blend in with the rest of the floor. And it’s undetectable by any magic detection spells because it doesn’t give off any of its own magic.”
Damselfly opened up the hatch to reveal a crudely dug cave. Twilight was astonished at how antithetical it was to what she knew of Rarity. It was dark, dank, and dirty. It was also small and minimalistic. It was clear that this was more of a reflection of Damselfly rather than Rarity. It was clearly intended for no more than two occupants, likely Damselfly herself and Sweetie Belle.
Damselfly used her magic on a crystal in the ceiling that lit up the room in a blue glow. Once the cave was lit, she shut the hatch and disguised it.
“I do apologize for the uncouth nature of this cave, including the lack of a bed,” Damselfly apologized, “But if it were too big, the structural integrity of the ground might not be enough to support the building up above. And believe it or not, Changelings don’t normally sleep on beds.”
“Is it safe for me to assume that most Changelings don’t even have the luxury of a bed?” Twilight asked.
“I do suppose that is the case. I’ve never really thought about it, to be honest,” Damselfly said before lighting her horn again and summoning a blanket directly from one of her closets, “It may not be much, but you could use this to sleep on and cover yourself with.”
Twilight analyzed the blanket, which was of very good quality, “Are you sure?” Twilight asked, “This looks like a nice blanket, and I’d hate to see it get ruined.”
“Nonsense!” Damselfly insisted, “What’s more important? A material item, or making sure a friend is as comfortable as possible considering the circumstances? Besides, if it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be caught up in this whole mess in the first place. The least I could do is make it easier for you…like how you made it easier for me in the Canterlot dungeon.”
Whether she was a pony or a Changeling didn’t matter, Whether she was Rarity or Damselfly didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was that she was the bearer of the Element of Generosity, and she had earned that title. And their current predicament wasn’t going to stop her from continuing to earn the right to bear that Element.
“This whole situation is more unfair to you and Sweetie Belle than it is for me,” Twilight said, “But I suppose it’s mutually unfair nonetheless.”
Twilight had positioned the blanket so that it would hopefully avoid damage. It was large enough for her to sleep on one half and wrap the other around her to use as a proper blanket. As much as she’s used to all-nighters, Twilight wasn’t used to doing them with her magic drained, so she fell asleep relatively quickly.
Damselfly opted to stay awake a little while longer, protectively watching over her friend.
Although Rainbow Dash was flying fast enough to beat the train to Ponyville, she was not flying at her top speed. Her mind was racing faster than she was.
‘I was hoping that Shining Armor was wrong about you, Twilight. But that Changeling was manipulating you this whole time!’ Rainbow Dash thought to herself. ‘At least… I think… Why did the Element of Generosity react to that Changeling? Maybe the Elements can have more than one bearer at a time. Yeah! That must be… No, it still doesn’t make sense! Changelings are greedy monsters! There’s no reason why a Changeling would be the bearer of the Element of Generosity! Not unless Twilight is right… No! I can’t think like that! Either Shining Armor is right, and that impostor has to be taken in, and Twilight brought in to recover from brainwashing, or Twilight’s right, and she and that Changeling need to be brought back in for questioning for leaving without informing the proper authorities! Either way, they are coming back to Canterlot!’
Rainbow Dash resolved her inner conflict with what she considered a compromise. As much as she wanted to believe she was protecting Equestria, her heart couldn’t deny the possibility that Twilight was right. And if she was right, then that also meant that the Changeling is, and has always been Rarity. And she couldn’t turn her back on her friends. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be the bearer of the Element of Loyalty.
With her inner conflict resolved, Rainbow Dash continued on her way. But a nagging feeling at the back of her mind made her think that she was forgetting something.
Sweetie Belle was being protected by Rarity. Her mind wasn’t quite sure of what was happening, but she knew things were not going to be good. Suddenly, she watched as Rarity’s white fur seemed to be torn away by green fire, revealing the black chitin underneath.
“CHANGELINGS!!!” the Royal Guards shouted.
Sweetie looked down at her hooves to see that they, too, were black chitin.
“Take them to the dungeons!” a voice said. That’s when the guards grabbed the two newly revealed Changelings, pulling them apart.
“RARITY!!!” Sweetie Belle cried as she had a feeling that she would never see Rarity again.
Fluttershy was sitting in a chair next to Sweetie Belle. She had been worrying about Sweetie Belle for the past couple of nights, and it showed in the bags forming under her eyes. She hadn’t been getting much sleep, as she had been watching over the youngling each night.
Fluttershy had dozed off in her chair, the exhaustion getting the better of her when a small voice eliminated the chance of getting a little rest.
“…Rarity…”
Sweetie Belle was having a nightmare.
Fluttershy’s heart went out to the youngling, pushing aside her own exhaustion. However, if she kept this up, her own lack of sleep would harm her. She wasn’t the bearer of the Element of Kindness for nothing. But then she thought of a compromise.
Fluttershy chose to climb into bed with Sweetie Belle. That way, she could give the suffering Sweetie a comforting hug while also getting some shut-eye herself.
In her sleep, Sweetie Belle desperately latched onto Fluttershy. She did seem to calm down, but it still broke Fluttershy’s heart to know what Sweetie Belle was likely dreaming of. As her own eyes slid shut, she hoped that Rarity, or rather, Damselfly, was alright.
It was quiet on Sweet Apple Acres. It was the middle of the night, after all.
CREAK
A filly came out of a door, ran outside to the shed, grabbed an oil can, ran back upstairs, and oiled the hinges on the door to her room. She then opened and closed it again, with no creak to be heard.
CREAK
That creak came from a floorboard behind the filly, who looked behind her to see an orange mare.
“Mind tellin’ me why yer sneakin’ around, Apple Bloom?” Applejack said in a quiet but stern tone.
“Well, when Ah came outta my room, my door creaked. So Ah ran down to the shed, grabbed an oil can, ran back up here, and oiled the hinges of the door,” Apple Bloom explained innocently. She then tested the door again, “See? No more creak!”
“But why were ya outta yer room in the first place?” Applejack asked authoritatively.
Apple Bloom’s innocent demeanor dropped into a somber one as her ears folded back and her head drooped, “Ah was havin’ trouble sleepin’, and Ah was hopin’ Ah could sleep with you.”
Applejack’s stern gaze softened to one of understanding, “Yer still worried about Sweetie Belle, ain't ya?” Applejack asked, receiving a small nod from Apple Bloom, “Ah know Ah said Ah can’t tell ya where she is. But you believe me when Ah say she’s safe with somepony Ah can trust, don’t ya?”
Apple Bloom nodded, “It ain’t just Sweetie Belle, though,” Apple Bloom explained, “Ah’m worried about Rarity too.”
Realization dawned on Applejack. She didn’t just need comforting because she was having trouble sleeping. She specifically needed to know that Applejack, her big sister, was there. Her worry about Sweetie Belle and knowing that she’s separated from the one she considered her older sister all her life was bleeding into Apple Bloom’s own emotional state, resulting in a need for her own sister.
As much as she wanted to comfort Apple Bloom, and as much as she trusted Twilight’s ability to find Damselfly innocent, the fact of the matter is that it would be a lie. The bearer of the Element of Honesty had to be honest with herself just as much as others.
“Ah wish Ah could tell ya that Rarity is alright,” Applejack said, “But all Ah can do is tell ya ta hope fer the best. Ah don’t rightly know what’s goin’ on at this point.”
Apple Bloom had a longing look in her eyes as she looked up to her elder sister, “Would you still love me if you were a Changeling?”
“If Ah were a Changeling, Ah’d still be the mare Ah am today,” Applejack said with a warm smile, “And the mare Ah am today loves ya very much.”
“Would ya still love me if Ah were a Changeling?”
This question caught Applejack slightly off guard, “Well, if you were like me in the scenario where Ah’m a Changeling, or perhaps a situation like Sweetie Belle’s in, Ah’d have ta question ya first,” Applejack explained, “But you would be the same filly that you are today. And Ah love the filly you are today very much.”
Hearing this, Apple Bloom hugged her big sister, who returned the hug. It seems that what Applejack said did, in fact, help comfort Apple Bloom, at least a little.
“C’mon. You can sleep with me tonight,” Applejack said. The two sisters then went into Applejack’s room to sleep.
Shining Armor headed down the corridor of Canterlot Castle. His destination was the medical wing. As he entered, he saw his final destination. A pink Alicorn lay asleep in the bed. Her injuries were healing well. But she hasn’t woken up this entire time.
“Hi, Cadance. I’ve been seeking out the Changelings that did this to you,” Shining Armor said, “I’m sorry to say that Twilight has been brainwashed by one of them.”
Shining Armor sat down next to the sleeping Alicorn. He caressed her cheek with his hoof.
“We have yet to find the original Rarity and Sweetie Belle. They’re the ponies that have been replaced by those monsters that hurt you. As much as I’d like to hope for the best, the longer we go without finding a sign of their whereabouts, the more likely we’ll have to consider them KIA.”
The door to the Infirmary opened up as a medic entered the room, “Captain Armor, will you be staying the rest of the night here?” the medic asked. This wasn’t the first time either. Shining Armor has been coming in to visit Cadance every night. And each time, he stayed no longer than half an hour.
“I can’t. I’ve got my duties as the Captain of the Royal Guard to fulfill. And things have become more severe with a couple of Changelings on the loose,” Shining Armor said as he got up to leave, “I trust that you will take good care of Cadance.”
“I always do,” the medic said as Shining left. The medic then performed a magical medical scan on Cadance, “Hmm, that’s interesting.”
Neither the medic nor Shining were aware of a tuft of pink disappearing behind the door to the Infirmary.
A figure was hiding in the shadows, “It was a wise decision to choose a couple of operatives to act as a couple more pairs of eyes and ears to keep track of what’s going on,” the figure said, their voice being magically altered to hide their identity. They were going over the report that they just received, “With both the rogue Changelings now in Ponyville, that is where they will be sent next.”
The figure pulled out two navy blue feathers from under her cloak, as well as two vials of magic ink.
“Sending them to Ponyville will, unfortunately, have to wait until morning. They are still just ponies who are used to sleeping during the night, after all,” the figure said, “A Pegasus filly and the bearer of the Element of Laughter. Two ponies that nobody would suspect are secret operatives to a greater purpose.”
End of Act 1
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Fantastic is the most apt word to describe this entire act. Thank you for writing this!
PLOT TWIST!?
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What difference would it make? When Twilight was disregarded as wrong before the wedding, she was ultimately proven right. In Shining Armor's mind, his situation is no different than Twilight's. And unlike Twilight, Shining has evidence in the form of knowledge of Changelings and what they're like.
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Seriously?
Well, the actual "difference" is Changeling Rarity and Sweetie Belle are totally innocent. And what's Shining is doing is way worse than what Twilight ever did.
And I still feel that Celestia/Luna and/or Twilight Velvet/Night Light need to finally stop the situation getting worse with Shining's and Twilight's relationship going to get permanently fractured.
But I do love the dramatic hamster meme.
11973950
The whole situation has to do with Shining's mindset. It doesn't matter who tries to console him to what they try to say, them telling him that he's wrong will remind him of Twilight being told she was wrong when she was actually right. And there's the fact that he's fresh off of being mind-controlled by Chrysalis. So, with that trauma, he's incapable of seeing Changelings as good.
Also, I don't consider the Princesses omniscient. And they're busy. Celestia not only has to rule Equestria, but she also has to settle down the general public after the attack. So she's not even aware of this drama. As for Luna...well...she does have a role to play. She just doesn't do things the same way Celestia does, hence the twist at the end.
I like the general ideas surrounding Rarity and Sweetie as changelings, but a lot of the drama seems manufactured. For example, nobody seems to care about Shining Armor's blatant insubordination (also keeping Sweetie in prison for longer may constitute unlawful imprisonment). Twilight does not think to mention this fact to Celestia and/or Luna, despite the fact that this violation is extremely obvious and Shining might go on to kill/torture/assault what are potentially innocent civilians/crucial witnesses/important sources of changeling information due to his extremely irrational behavior and feelings? Why would he even be assigned on such a case when there is such an obvious conflict of interest?
And if Shining is not going to kill/torture/hurt the changelings, why is Twilight in such a rush exactly? What horrific thing happens if there needs to be further arbitration and Rarity remains imprisoned for a couple more days? If Shining insists they stay in prison despite Twilight being in charge of this choice, she can go to Celestia and/or Luna and have Shining follow Twilight's decision or risk discipline. If he is planning to do such things, Twilight should go straight to Celestia and/or Luna to inform them that one of their highest ranking officers is about to commit a crime. Getting the alicorns on her side also benefits Twilight by giving the guards good reason to side with her. The fact that one of their highest ranking officers is being blatantly insubordinate and potentially breaking the law is good reason to interrupt Celestia and/or Luna's other activities.
The lack of respect for procedure, authority, and law makes this feel more like an informal domestic conflict with emotional reasoning instead of a military procedure with rules, conduct, and a authority hierarchy. This is not a personal conflict like the wedding, but a formal procedure that needs to follow protocol. I understand that Shining is acting emotionally and is disregarding procedure/authority, but this is no excuse for Twilight, Luna, and the other guards to follow suit.
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You assume I haven't taken these factors into account.
When is the next chapter?