The Interrogation
The hospital room was the same as almost all others in the hospital, save for the lack of windows and the bed having restraints on it. On that bed and in those restraints was a changeling. It had black chitin, a green carapace, holes in its legs, and large eyes that were currently closed. Wrapped around it's wings and barrel was a bandage that was covered in green blood. A monitor attached to it revealed a steady heart rate.
Twilight and Applejack both stared in amazement. The last time either of them had seen a changeling, they were fighting an entire swarm in Canterlot. Bad memories came up in Applejack, who looked on the one in the bed with a contemptuous look. Twilight, however, was trying to remain of a neutral disposition.
"So", Twilight addressed the commander,"do the doctors have any idea when he could come to?"
The commander shook his head. "It's hard to say", he began,"When he was found, he had severe gouges into his sides, and splinters lodged inside them have confirmed he was attacked by timberwolves. He lost a lot of blood, but not so much as to be an immediate threat to his life. He also has damage to his throat. The doctors have done what they can, but they have next to no knowledge about changeling anatomy."
The science officer from before, who had came in with the three, chimed in. "We actually have found a few changelings scattered around the outskirts of Canterlot. Most were alive, but there were approximately nine that unfortunately died from various trauma caused by impacting structures at high speed. There was actually one that had the misfortune of being impaled on the spire of a chapel in a small village just outside the city."
Both Twilight and Applejack flinched at that revelation. While they didn't like changelings, they certainly didn't wish for such horrible fates to befall them.
The science mare continued. "We've made requests to the princesses that we be allowed to perform a dissection of one to learn more about their anatomy, but so far our requests have been denied."
Twilight thought about her teacher's reaction to those requests, and the only thought she had was Celestia holding out hope that Equestria and the changeling give could one day come to a peace agreement, and didn't want to have to explain why she had allowed ponies to cut up dead members of their species, especially if those doing that very thing were members of her own guard.
"In any case", the commander chimed back in,"the windpipe was damaged, so until it heals, I would suggest your initial questions be of a yes or no nature". Twilight nodded in agreement.
A groaning noise caught the group's attention. They turned to see the changeling in the hospital bed beginning to toss and turn, a sign it was waking up. The commander readied his spear, which earned a shocked look from Twilight and Applejack. He simply said,"We don't know what tricks he may have up his sleeve, even in those restraints."
Cricket was slowly coming to. He opened his eyes to see a bright light, which caused him to shut his eyes again to allow them to adjust. Opening them more slowly, he saw a hospital room and a group of ponies. Two he recognized immediately: Twilight Sparkle and Applejack, two of the six elements of harmony. The other ones he didn't recognize, but safely assumed they were royal guards, since one of them was holding a spear point towards him.
Twilight stepped forward. "Please don't try to speak", she told him,"Your windpipe is damaged and you'll probably hurt it more trying to talk, so for now, I'm just going to ask you some yes and no questions. Just blink once for yes and twice for no, okay?"
Cricket thought for a moment, then blinked once.
"Okay", Twilight began her questioning,"Your name is Cricket, correct?"
One blink.
"Good. And you've been traveling through the Everfree forest outside Ponyville?"
Cricket didn't do anything, until Twilight realized he probably didn't know where he was and told him he was in Ponyville, then he blinked once.
"So, you came here for help with your injuries?"
One blink.
"From Timberwolves?"
One blink.
"And you did this even though you knew you'd be taken prisoner?"
One blink.
"Okay, that clears up your arriving here. Now I want to ask about this note. It says you left your hive because you don't agree with Chrysalis, is that right?"
One blink.
"And you're giving up some of her infiltrators as some kind of bargaining chip for freedom?"
Two blinks.
"You're not. But don't you want to be free to leave?"
One blink.
"Okay, then I'll have to revisit this topic when you regain your speech. Moving on then. You said you were going to another hive in the dragon lands, correct?"
One blink.
"But getting hurt made you come here?"
One blink.
"And in your note, you said the queen of this hive wasn't hostile to ponies?"
One blink.
"Does she and her hive feed on love like Chrysalis' hive?"
One blink. This reaction caused the commander to glare at the changeling. Twilight ignored the commander for the moment.
"You said you didn't agree with Chrysalis. Did you not mean taking love from ponies?"
No blinking. Twilight clarified.
"I meant that you don't believe in taking it from forcefully like she believes you should do?"
One blink.
"Does this other hive share your viewpoint?"
One blink.
Twilight thanked him and then turned to the commander. "I'm going to request that Celestia send a diplomatic envoy to this hive, with guards there to provide security. If they are peaceful with us, then we need to ensure those relations remain the way they are."
The commander wanted to protest the idea, but he knew she was right. Many a war have been started because one side assumed the other had hostile intentions and acted on the resultant fears created by those assumptions. "Fine", he relented,"but we should contact them in writing first. I'd feel safer with a pegasus guard airdropping a letter than a group of ponies potentially walking into a manticore's den."
Twilight agreed. She didn't want to put ponies in danger, and a letter would be a safe way to open communications. She turned back to the changeling. He was making a head tilting gesture and moving his right forehoof in its restraint. Twilight mage a guess at what he meant.
"Are you saying you want to write something?"
One blink.
"Commander, please loosen his restraint so he can write."
"Absolutely not!", The commander protested intensely,"We have no idea what he might try!"
"Commander, please loosen his restraint so he can write." Twilight repeated, putting more emphasis on please.
The commander went to object again, but Twilight stopped him.
"If you don't, I will. And if you are going to arrest me, then I'll just send a letter explaining to Celestia that a commander in the royal guard wishes to infringe upon a prisoner's right to give written statement."
"Fine" the commander agreed, albeit very reluctantly. He used his magic and undid the restraint on the changeling's right foreleg. The changeling raised its good and flexed it in the air, then gestured in a come closer fashion. Twilight levitated a spare quill and sheet of parchment to him. He took the quill in his hoof and began to write something. Once he's finished, Twilight takes the parchment to read it.
"I gave up the infiltrators to prove I'm not like the other changelings. I would guess that a letter will come soon confirming that at least one of the addresses had a changeling arrested there."
A moment later, and a scroll popped into existence, wrapped in a royal seal. Twilight took it and examined the seal, then handed it to the commander. "It's addressed to you." She informed him.
The commander took the scroll, opened and read it. Once he was finished, he gave it back to Twilight. "He's telling us the truth about the addresses." he told her.
Twilight read the scroll:
To: Cmdr. Lance Point, Ponyville Royal Guard
From: Royal Guard HQ, Canterlot
Re: Prisoner intelligence
We have looked into the addresses the changeling prisoner has provided and have came to these conclusions:
1. All sixteen addresses provided have been verified to have changeling infiltrators residing in them. Operations are being planned to capture and interrogate them as quickly and safely as possible. Please do not share this information with unauthorized individuals.
2. During investigation, one changeling infiltrator was apprehended when they discovered a member of the guard staking out the property. It is a female, and she's being moved to the Canterlot dungeons for processing and interrogation.
This changeling, if cooperative, is to still be kept under secure watch until it's deemed healthy enough for transport. Barring a ruling from Celestia, he'll be brought to the Canterlot dungeons.
Twilight looked to the commander. "I am continuing my questioning, but I'm going to write to Celestia and recommend he be kept hear after he's recovered."
The commander was going to protest but elected not to. He requested her to give insight on what the guard should do, but didn't think this course of action was safe. "Well, I'm going to write to her as well and simply state that I don't agree with this idea and why."
Twilight nodded and moved another sheet of parchment towards Cricket, as well as a spill proof ink well so he could keep writing.
"So, those addresses were real. Are there any other ones you know of?"
He scribbled down a reply. "I only found those out after I stole a report from our archives. I wasn't a good soldier or strategist, so I was mostly put in the nursery for helping rear the nymphs."
"Then how did you steal the report?", Twilight asked him,"Do they not question if you're not in an assigned area?"
He wrote down more. "I snuck in during the night. There's less security because most of the hive is asleep, so none saw me."
"Then why give them to us?"
More scribbling. "To prove I'm serious about wanting asylum. The hive will figure out sooner or later that I gave up that information, and they'll be searching for me to take me back. If that happens, I'll be executed, publicly."
"So you are trusting us to give you asylum so that the changelings can't get to you to execute you?"
Cricket nodded and wrote "Yes, or at least have safety being in custody in a dungeon somewhere."
"But you'd much rather be free?" Twilight asked him.
"That would be the preferable option." He wrote.
"That's all my questions for now", Twilight told Cricket, then asked Applejack,"So, is he good?"
"Well", Applejack began,"I didn't pick up any lyin' from him. 'Course, that don't mean he ain't got some kinda trick for that."
"I kinda doubt he can use a trick", Twilight pointed out,"He's wearing a suppression ring, and we have these crystals to disrupt his magic."
"That's true", Applejack countered,"but a pony can convince themselves they're tellin' the truth when they're actually fibbin'."
"In any case", Twilight continued,"You don't think he's lying and neither do I. The guards didn't tell Celestia yet, so I'm gonna write her a letter and tell her about the situation. I'll have Spike send it so she gets it as fast as possible". Twilight then grabbed a quill and parchment and began writing:
Dear Princess Celestia,
We've had a very unusual and eventful day here in Ponyville. A changeling wandered into town. What was quite unusual about this was the fact that it appeared injured and wanting help. It was taken by the guards here to the hospital in Ponyville, and is currently being kept in the psychiatric ward in a bed with restraints.
When he was taken into custody, he had a note with him. According to the note, his name is Cricket, and he left Queen Chrysalis because he didn't agree with stealing love from ponies. He admitted to going to another hive in the dragon lands, but had to detour here because he was attacked by timberwolves in the Everfree forest.
Firstly, I would like to suggest we find and make contact with this hive by form of written letter. If this hive is not hostile to Equestria, then we should open the diplomatic channels with them and make them allies. They may even provide us the means to bring Chrysalis to justice for her attack on Canterlot.
Secondary to this, and because of his altered plan, Cricket has made a request to be granted asylum here in Equestria. On his note, he provided addresses in Equestria that changeling infiltrators are currently using, with one changeling already arrested earlier today. Cricket told us that giving us this info was committing treason, and he will likely be hunted and executed if caught.
I have personally interviewed this changeling, and everything he has told me so far has been true. I even asked Applejack to use her ability to discern lies on him and she doesn't believe he is lying, but she does admit he may be using some kind of trick to prevent her from being able to tell if he's lying. I am asking you for insight on what the guard here should do with him. The HQ in Canterlot said unless advised otherwise, he'll be sent to the dungeons and interrogated. I ask for you to please reply as quickly as you can.
Your student,
Twilight Sparkle
Twilight sealed the letter and wrote a note on the outside to Spike telling him not to read it and send it straight to Celestia. The commander went to object, but Twilight teleported the letter to the library before he could say anything. "You don't need to worry", she reassured him,"Spike will follow my instructions to the letter and send it without reading it."
"You may trust him",the commander shot back,"but I have not met this Spike, and he has not been properly vetted. This is a violation of the oath you gave, and I must inform you that I intend to hold you under arrest!"
A scroll popped into existence in front of Twilight. She took it and opened it, reading through the scroll very quickly, and then smiling. "You can inform the princess yourself that you're arresting her student", she told the commander while passing him the letter,"She's coming here in an hour or so."
The commander took the letter from her and read it himself:
Dear Twilight,
I am glad you have decided to ask for my insight into this matter. I feel a little disappointed that the royal guard did not inform me of this situation earlier, but I believe they felt they could handle this situation without needing to inform me about it.
As for what to do, I feel this decision requires my personal touch. I will be concluding my day court and coming there to meet this changeling personally. I ask you to stay with him until my arrival. Once I've spoken with him myself, I will render a decision. I am also going to compose a letter to the queen of this new changeling hive so that we may open up peaceful diplomatic channels. With any luck, we should be able to convince them to at least meet with us here in Canterlot, or at a neutral site where we can ensure the safety of any diplomatic envoy we may send.
Kindest Regards,
Celestia, Princess of the Sun
P.S. - I have asked the royal guard to concoct a cover story about this changeling not surviving his timberwolf attack. This will be shared through the press and be intercepted by Chyrsalis' spies in Equestria. I imagine that the changelings wouldn't bother hunting down a member of their hive they were sure was dead.
The commander's face flushed as he recognized the hoof writing as the princess'. He looked back to Twilight and told her"You will remain here with the prisoner, as noted in the letter, but I do not permit you to send anymore without my permission." He used his magic on the door and walked out.
The mage, who had been silent nearly the whole time, spoke up to talk to Twilight. "So, do you really think he's actually telling us the truth?" she asked.
"Not one hundred percent", answered Twilight,"but I trust him enough to give a little benefit of the doubt. All the information he has given us has checked out so far."
"Yeah, it probably isn't a good idea to trust him completely yet", the mare agreed.
An hour or so passed before the pegasus guards outside spotted Celestia's carriage approaching, Shortly afterwards, the princess herself was standing in the hospital room looking at the changeling. He looked just like all the others she'd seen during the invasion of Canterlot, but acted very different. Upon entering the room, he bowed his head to her, a gesture she wasn't expecting. The other ponies bowed in her presence.
"Rise my little ponies", she commanded of them,"and you may raise your head now mister Cricket." The changeling looked up at her, surprised she had used his name. Celestia smirked briefly at his reaction.
The commander had returned to address Celestia. "Ma'am", he began,"I must inform you now that your student here has breached her confidentiality agreement by sending you that letter without going through proper channels. I'm afraid I'm going to have to take her into custody." He then produced a set of manacles and was going to place them on Twilight's hooves. Golden magic then surrounded the manacles and they disappeared in a flash.
"That won't be necessary, commander", Celestia informed him,"I hereby grant full pardon and request that any paperwork that has been filed on this matter be destroyed. She is fully absolved and is to have no record of this incident."
The commander was about to protest, but decided not to. The princess had made up her mind and it was best not to argue. "Very well" he relented.
Celestia turned to Twilight and spoke to her. "I appreciate the brevity with which you got this information to me, but next time, allow the guards to send the letter to me. They have enchanted seals that will send the letter to me as quickly as Spike's flame magic can."
Twilight chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of her neck with her hoof. "Uh, yeah. I'll remember that for the future." Twilight replied, feeling embarrassed.
"Now", Celestia continued,"I believe there is one here in the room that I wish to speak to." Celestia directed her gaze back to the changeling. She closed her eyes and her horn glowed in golden magic. Cricket's neck began to glow in the golden energy, and the bandages around his neck disappeared, revealing carapace that didn't even have a scratch on it.
"You should count yourself lucky", Celestia told Cricket,"It's very rare that I personally use healing magic myself, and you are the first changeling I have ever performed it on. I'm glad that the process is no different than for ponies."
Cricket gave a test hum to make sure his vocal chords were working. Once satisfied, he spoke the first words he had ever said to a pony.
"Thank you, your majesty."
Celestia gave a nod. "You are most certainly welcome", Celestia responded,"And it is nice to see that you practice courtesy and manners."
Cricket apparently blushed, as his cheeks became a darker black. "I was made to do infiltration training", he explained,"every member of the hive is made to do it. They gave us all kinds of books to study, and they put a lot of emphasis on how to interact with ponies."
"And that is where you learned these manners?" Celestia deduced.
Cricket nodded. "I was only sent on one infiltration mission. I believe it was to some place called Manehattan? I can't remember too well, but it was a newer city. I was supposed to replace a baker in the city named Sourdough, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it, so I ended up working for him as an assistant named Crescent Roll. I worked there for several months before the other changelings came and got me, under the ruse that my mother had fallen ill and I needed to come home. The baker practically was pushing me out the door, saying family was more important than work."
"Well, he is most certainly correct about that", remarked Celestia, then asking,"Why couldn't you go through with taking the baker's place?"
"It didn't feel right", answered Cricket,"especially after I saw how he and his daughter got along."
"She was a very sweet filly. Just gotten her cutie mark, a loaf of cinnamon swirl bread. Sweet Treat was her name. Beige coat with brown and orange hair. greenish-cyan eyes. She was gonna make stallions fall over themselves when she got older. Honestly, I was starting to as well, but that was probably because of how much love was spilling out of her."
Celestia grew rather concerned at that remark. "You didn't do anything with this filly, did you?" she questioned, a more stern look on her face.
Cricket became rather fearful of the princess. "Certainly not", he answered her,"I would never do such a thing to one that is neither an adult nor able to give their permission for that sort of activity."
Celestia eased up. "I believe you", she said,"We've unfortunately had incidents where ponies have been abducted and had things done to them. Some were even as young as foals." That comment made every pony in the room gasp in shock, and the changeling flinch.
"Um", Cricket began,"I have never done such a thing, but those incidents may very well have been perpetrated by my hive mates."
Celestia had a disgusted look on her face. To think any creature in Equestria would stoop so low as to perform that kind of act on an innocent foal made her blood boil, and would've burned the room down if Twilight hadn't stepped in to calm her down. Cricket continued speaking.
"We're told to obtain love by whatever means necessary, even resorting to manipulating a pony's carnal desires. In honesty, that's what the changeling hive I said I was going to does."
Celestia had a surprised look on her face now. "Really?" she asked.
"Yes", Cricket replied,"It's apparently the way they choose to do things. Ponies go there and, by giving up some bits and allowing members of the hive to feed on their love, they get to have their lust filled fantasies come true."
Celestia wasn't exactly pleased to hear this. "I'm not too sure how I feel about a brothel operating in Equestria." she stated.
"Well, Queen Lepidoptera does this so that her changelings don't have to starve. She feels that offering this exchange is in the best interests for her subjects, as it gives them what they need and allows for peaceful coexistence with other creatures, at least until some creature decides to disrupt that."
Celestia digested this bit of information. Prostitution was a business she was not fond of, but this hive has apparently existed for sometime, living peacefully with some of her subjects and not harming them as Chrysalis had intended to do. "You said this queen was named Lepidoptera, correct?" she asked Cricket. He replied with a simple head nod.
"Then I shall have to make contact with her as soon as I am finished here", she stated,"You said you were taken back by the other changelings?"
"Yes", he answered her,"Once I got back, I was chewed out by my superiors for not taking the baker's place. After such a dismal failure by their assessment, I was assigned to custodial duties. This happened not long before Canterlot, which was when I got moved to nursery duty."
"I take it you weren't happy with this outcome?" Celestia inferred.
Cricket shook his head. "I never wanted to be an infiltrator, especially after I spent time with Sourdough and Sweet Treat."
"You've never wanted to cause harm to or steal love from ponies?" questioned Celestia.
"Never have and never will" replied Cricket.
"Thank you, Cricket" Celestia told him,"I will have to take my time to consider what we shall do. As I said, we will make up a story to throw off Chrysalis' hive and try to prevent them from executing you."
"I thank you for that your highness", responded,"even if you decline my request."
Celestia smiled and walked out of the room, followed by Twilight, Applejack, the commander and the mage.
"So, what do you think we should do?" Twilight asked her mentor. The group had returned to the office that Twilight and the commander originally met in. A pony had brought a pot of tea in and Celestia was having a cup.
"I'm not sure", Celestia answered her student,"I do believe he is being honest. What about you, miss Applejack?"
Applejack took her hat off and fidgeted with it in her hooves. "Well", she answered,"Ah don't believe he's lyin' either, but ah can't say for sure, since he's a changelin' an' those varmints could have a trick or two up their sleeves to beat a lie detector."
"That is true", admitted Celestia,"but you still believe him regardless?"
"Well, ah do", Applejack admitted,"I'm just not totally sure he's honest."
Celestia was in thought for a moment. She'd had time to consider the changeling's case. Now she needed input from her guard.
"Commander Lance Point", she addressed him,"What is your opinion on this matter?"
The commander took a sip of his own tea, then he answered the princess.
"I was in Canterlot and had dealings with the changelings during the invasion. Even before Chrysalis was revealed, I noticed odd behavior from some of the ponies in attendance, especially amongst ones that appeared as my personal friends. These creatures are trained to be able to trick ponies into trusting them, which is why I hold a lot of doubt about his honesty. He's been honest with us as far as we can tell, but this could be some type of ruse to pave the way for another invasion. I can't tell you what to do, your highness, but I strongly recommend he be moved to the dungeons once healthy enough."
Celestia nodded at his response. His remarks about the changeling's abilities to deceive were true, but the question was whether this changeling was an exception to this line of thought?
"Twilight",Celestia asked her student,"What do you feel you would do if you had to make this decision?"
Twilight shifted uneasily in her seat, not comfortable with the spotlight being on her now. "Well", she answered her teacher,"I would probably give him a chance to prove himself trustworthy, and go from there."
Celestia closed her eyes and smiled. "I believe that remark proves why you are one of the elements of harmony" she said to her pupil.
Cricket laid in the bed with his legs restrained and wondering what would happen to him. Either the ponies would agree and grant asylum, or reject his plea and he'd end up a prisoner. The only thing he was sure of was that they wouldn't execute him or allow the changeling hive to carry out that sentence.
The door to the room opened and the ponies from before walked in. The royal guard who the princess addressed as commander appeared to be rather displeased about something. Celestia walked forward and addressed Cricket.
"Mister Cricket", she began,"I have heard your case, and the opinions of all the ponies you see here in this room, and have reached a decision."
"And what have you decided, your highness?" Cricket asked her.
"I have decided to allow you to stay here in Equestria. You will remain here in Ponyville with my student, and she will help you to integrate into the community here. We will have a ceremony to formally introduce you and the guard will be instructed not to allow you to be harmed."
Cricket kept a straight face, but inside he was jumping for joy. He was being allowed to stay, and allowed to live freely among the ponies! He honestly couldn't have asked for anything more.
"However", the princess continued,"there are some conditions to my decision."
This caught the changeling off guard. "What conditions?" he asked the princess.
"For starters", she answered,"the guard here in Ponyville will keep you under watch day and night. The commander has already requested thestral guards be sent from Canterlot to assist in this matter. Second, you will need to keep the magic inhibiting ring you are wearing on at all times until we seem you can take it off. Thirdly, you will not be permitted to feed on any pony's love. For your nourishment, Twilight here has agreed to talk with a zebra in the area who specializes in potion making. She believes that the two of them together can come up with a liquid love concoction you can consume when needed. Lastly, we ask you to cooperate with the royal guard as a consultant on dealing with changelings. With your help, we believe we can prevent another attack like what happened in Canterlot."
Celestia moved closer to the bed and used her magic to undo his restraints. Once free, she offered a hoof to him. "So, with those conditions established, do you accept our offer of asylum?" she asked him.
Cricket thought about this offer for a moment. Once he accepted, his life would change. He wouldn't have to steal love from ponies. He could live freely among them. Most important to him, he had a chance to live his life as he wanted to, and pursue whatever endeavors he saw fit. As for the terms he had to follow? A small price to pay.
Cricket sat up, extended a hood, and with a smile, told the princess "I accept your offer."
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nice job! Though, something I noticed
Don't you mean mainly?
10654273
No, I meant many. I could've written it as many wars, but I thought that was a better fit.
10654344
okay
10654046
Thank you for pointing that out. I went back and corrected it.
I am a bit disappointed that this story is over
There are several things that don't make sense here.
They go through all the trouble to put out a news story faking the changelings death and then have him live undisguised in ponyville like that won't put his health in jeopardy since chrysalis is going to want to kill him for treason??
They say they plan to feed him with a potion instead of their normal feeding method which seems too easy as if they could easily replace it with a potion they would have already but the biggest problem with that is they don't have a potion yet and have already decided to just let him starve until they figure it out even though their own research has already shown their normal feeding method isn't harmful.
They are unhappy with the idea of there being a brothel in equestria not so much that people are being fed on but that its a brothel...and yet celestia is somehow unaware that there is and has been a brothel in operation there somehow for who knows how many years. It's presumed their clients don't know they are changelings so it's understandable they wouldn't realize it was a changeling hive but to miss its existence entirely?
The guards, they capture a changeling and yet the princess isn't contacted even though it's later shown that they could have sent her a message at any time. Generally a fic would handle this by celestia being told and then celestia doing her normal have twilight deal with it bit. They trust twilight on bringing in applejack but attempt to arrest her after she sends a message to spike and they actually wait to arrest her until the princess is there to watch them do it.
10654367
I didn't plan on this story being any longer than the two chapters. I did say that I may write a story that picks up where this left off, but I want to finish work on my other stories before thinking about starting anything new.
10654416
I'll admit there's plot holes (some of which I could better explain in a sequel story), but I'll address two points:
Celestia not knowing about the changeling hive and it operating a brothel - brothels don't typically advertise their services, at least not in normal sense. The changelings also explain what they do with their clients, so the ponies visiting them are aware they're changelings, so there's no deception in that regard.
Twilight being arrested for sending the letter for Spike to send to Celestia, but was allowed to bring Applejack in - She asked the commander if she could bring Applejack in, but she did not ask for their approval to have Spike send Celestia the letter.
Which just makes more plot holes as if there were already well known changelings everyone wouldn't totally freak at the sight of one and someone would have likely already reported them because without using mind manipulation magic they aren't going to be able to convince all of their clients that they aren't like the ones at the wedding.
Likewise if they are aware that they are changelings that would mean they would be able to transform to the customers wishes which would become fairly widespread knowledge rather quickly by word of mouth just from the demand for that sort of thing.
10654514
As previously stated, brothels don't advertise their services, and since Celestia's reaction would imply that they're illegal or at the very least frowned upon, patrons wouldn't openly discuss it.
Well it’s obvious that that guard was never the one in control here.
She shouldn’t really have asked for his opinion on this situation because he obviously isn’t impartial and therefore any opinion he gives is more than likely to be biased.
10655005
she still wants input, if at least to make her subordinates feel like they're being heard, even if their actual wishes aren't being followed through with.
10655286
Doesn’t make me wrong.
10655929
Well, once Celestia decided to come to Ponyville, they effectively relenquished their authority to her, even if not explicitly stated in the story.
10655972
Well it’s not like they’d have much of a choice.
10656139
True
10655005
Part of being a trusted leader if listening to you subordinate's opinions and also considering thier biases when making choices. Celestia wants to encourage free thinking as opposed to blind obedience. Also there is always the chance that they might bring something up that turns out to be important even if it doesn't change the decision made.
Just because you disagree in the end doesn't mean the other side doesn't have valid points to make that you should listen to.
A lie is when you, key word intentionally, say something that isn't truthful, so how they can't be lying when they themselves believe it? Unless she means someone can still say something false, when they believe it to be true, but are simply wrong, though that doesn't seem to be the case.
I can only make a guess at what you meant here.
I guess that should be "here".