Stage 5: Aggravation
"Are you really fine with me followin' you, Zecora? Applejack probably knows I'm up to no good right now."
"If you are having second thoughts about our journey, you can always gallop home in a hurry."
"No way! I wanna be a changeling-hunter!"
Zecora considered the deployment of a powder bomb to make a run for it, but she knew that she'd never be able to lose the little filly. No, she was stuck with the little crusader.
"So, where is this changeling?"
"The potion I mixed to see Twilight and Rarity was quite vague, and I could see little under their plague. But one strange thing I did spot: an errant bubble, a little gray blot."
"Uh..."
"Even with hives there is always one that will be denied."
"So we're lookin' for a changeling that got kicked out? Wait, what would a changeling have to do to get kicked out? That Chrysalis lady sure wasn't one fer her subjects actin' nice. And where are we goin'? It feels like we're just wanderin' around!"
"This is the direction the bubble sprang up, and I can get even closer with this cup."
Zecora produced a small thing from under her cloak: a glassy container with swirling emblems, sealed with a clear top.
"Is that that potion you mixed?"
"I saved a little as a compass. Mopping it up was quite a mess!"
The zebra gazed deeply into the liquid to concentrate on the tiniest pockets of air. It did not escape her attention that one of the bubbles floated off slightly to the left before it breached the surface and popped. She she stored the jar away, and pointed towards the the tall mountain that Canterlot sat upon.
"If the brew is right, that way we go!"
"What if it's wrong?"
"Then our progress will be slow."
"Wait a minute," Applebloom said, "I think that's the direction to Canterlot! We could take one of the trains there!"
"Those big noisy machines that make so much smoke? I prefer walking, like normal folk!"
"This is Rarity and Twilight we're talking about here, Zecora! We need all the time we can get!" The zebra's defensive posture brought her to revelation. "Wait, you're not scared of ridin' trains, are ya?"
Zecora tried to bring more of her cloak over her head to hide her face.
"Trains ain't scary, Zecora. I take 'em all the time!"
"They break down and glow red hot. Ride on one of those contraptions, I think not!"
Applebloom took the initiative and began to drag Zecora back to Ponyville. "It's not so bad. I'll sit with ya the entire way!"
How was she supposed to know that Zecora would shout obscenities in her mother tongue the entire way, when she didn't quake with fear?
The zebra zipped off the train in a blur of black and white when the locomotive finally squealed to a halt, and it wasn't until Applebloom stepped off the engine that she re-discovered her friend on a bench.
"I apologize for losing my brain," Zecora explained, "but now you see why I do not bond with trains."
"Yeah. Now where's this changeling?"
Zecora studied the bubbles inside the jar. She shook it, and even more bubbles emerged on the surface and gathered on one side of the tarlike substance, in the direction of one of the many more ornate buildings.
"I think that's the library." Applebloom stated. "What's a changelin' doing in the library?"
Several ponies near them turned their heads toward the filly with concerned expressions, before they resumed their business. The looks had become common due to her striped companion, but these were ones of more powerful fear.
Zecora adjusted her cloak. "The ponies here are fearful of more of the swarm. We should go quietly or we'll we misinform."
Applebloom made a zipper motion on her mouth and closely trailed her quasi-mentor as they walked to the library. The little pony had not been there since the Hearth's Warming Eve play, but she could already tell how much Canterlot had changed. Guards were on every street corner now, and they were stopped twice because Zecora looked 'suspect'.
The bubbles in the jar boiled even more furiously when they arrived at the bedecked steps of the study. Both guards outside didn't seem to trust them, but didn't impede their progress.
Applebloom was almost floored by the sheer size when they walked inside. Zecora's attention was instead spent upon the bubbles, which looked like they were about to break that jar.
"So the you-know-what's in here?"
Zecora murmured some rhyme in reply. She slowly held the jar around as she walked on her other three hooves to find the insect they sought; they were both so transfixed on the jar that they paid no attention to the signs that warned them that they had wandered into a restricted area.
"Hey!" a voice shouted from behind them.
Zecora jumped; The jar flew from her hoof and landed on the ground behind her. Both the zebra and the filly spun around just in time to see the jar smash on the floor, and tar splattered everywhere at shiny armored hooves of Gold Plum. The gray-coated, violet-maned unicorn with an eye covered in a cataract scowled at the sticky accident.
"Aw, for Celestia's sake!" he cried, "Now you left a mess, too! The janitor's never gonna let me hear the end of this!"
"We're sorry!" Applebloom apologized. "We were just lookin' fer a—"
"Lookin' for what? There are restricted signs all over this darn place, and you just waltz in here! I have half a mind to drag you to a jail cell!"
Applebloom struggled to give Gold Plum a reason not to arrest them. Zecora remained maddeningly silent during the whole ordeal, her head held low.
After he interrupted the filly a few times, the guard sighed. "That's it. Both of you are coming with me!"
Zecora finally spoke, and pointed toward the spilled contents of the jar. "Applebloom, look at his hooves. What do you think this reaction proves?"
Applebloom had been too distracted with her attempts to convince Gold Plum to spare them that she had totally forgotten about the spilled liquid. The dark goop crackle and hiss, and green smoke lifted up from the small pool, and the guard crinkled his snout.
"What in Tartarus is this stuff?" Gold Plum asked, "I know, this is some kind of stink bomb! Oh, you two are going to get it."
Zecora stepped forward, "I do apologize for my brew's strong smell, but it does the job it's meant for quite well."
Gold Plum rolled his eyes. "Oh! And what would that be, Stripes?"
"To find changelings, sir, and to find them true."
"Ma'am, I am two inches away from—"
"That changeling...is you."
"Lady, I think these fumes here have gone to your head."
"Hey!" Applebloom yelled, "You don't have to be mean!"
Gold Plum brought his face to the filly's, "Look here, you little brat—"
Zecora pointed at the guard's leg. "Before you take us away, I would like you to explain that."
His own annoyance at the two trespassers had been so complete that he was ignorant of the cut created when the jar shattered and sent a piece of glass against him. The guard lifted the offending leg into his vision as Zecora pointed at the that: a minute nick that bled a tiny sliver of green blood.
Gold Plum jumped, and waved his hoof in front of the wound. It was red when it passed, and he returned his attention to the two. "And assaulting an officer!" he exclaimed, "You both are going to get the book thrown at ya!"
Applebloom frowned. "Uh, I'm not a doctor or anything, but I don't know any ponies that have green blood."
"Green-to-Red Blood Syndrome. Very rare. Runs in the family."
"How did you get to be a guard if you got somethin' wrong with you?"
"There's nothing wrong with me!" Gold Plum shouted, "Ahem. It's just that my condition doesn't effect my duties. You know what? Both of you scram right now and I'll forget this ever happened since I'm in a good mood today."
"But you swore you would arrest us just seconds before." Zecora replied.
"I changed my mind. Now get out 'fore I change it again!" he commanded, and pointed back to the public area of the library.
"You are a changeling, ain'tcha?"
"I'm telling you," Gold Plum hissed through clenched teeth, "Get out. Now."
"But we just wanna talk to you!"
"Don't care. Out." he warned again, his muscles tense and eye twitching.
"We do not wish to bring down your disguise, only—"
"OUT!" he screamed. At the top of his bellow his good eye briefly flashed a light lime color, and his pupils contracted into that of a snake's. It lasted for just a moment before they were back to normal. Gold Plum panted before he regained his composure. "Just...get out. And don't come back."
"Please, mister," Applebloom begged, "we just need your help for somethin'."
"What did I just get through saying?"
"Hey, Gold Plum! What's going on?"
All three turned to see another guard alerted by Gold Plum's outburst.
Gold Plum looked at the guard and then to Applebloom. She had put on her best puppy eyes, and she blinked with pure innocence. He glared back with the hardest grizzled veteran stare he could, but even he began to crumble as the other guard came between them.
"I heard you shouting." the other unicorn guard said, "You want me to toss these two out?"
"Nah, I've got it." he replied, and motioned for the zebra and filly to follow him to the door. Every so often he would glance behind him to still see Applebloom's sad soulful look. When they made it to the great doors of the library he opened them and leaned in toward the two.
"We gotta find someplace more private. Either of you scream 'changeling' and you're goners, got it?"
They both nodded and did not protest when he lifted them up with a magical field and trotted out the door.
One of the guards outside greeted him.“Hey, Gold Plum. Whatcha got there?”
“Two trouble-makers. Gonna go book 'em for disturbing the peace!”
Applebloom smiled and waved at the guard as he shrank from sight, which prompted a confuzzled look. The two had no choice but to be dragged all over the city as Gold Plum took the longest and bumpiest route he could think of before he finally reached the dank inner sanctums of the Canterlot dungeons.
The watchpony at the desk was reading a newspaper and paid Gold Plum little heed as he picked up a key ring. Gold Plum dragged his two captives to a side room with a single glowing light bulb in the ceiling and one half-rotten table directly underneath. He placed them on the far end of the table and locked the door.
“Alright,” he conceded while taking off his helmet, “I don't know how you found out, but you caught me. I'm a bug.”
Zecora almost said something before Applebloom put both of her hooves on the filthy table. “I knew it! You had 'changeling' written all over you!”
“Nice try Bowtie,” he laughed, “but I've been doing this gig for twenty years. How did you really know?”
“I made a soup that could find your kind.” Zecora answered.
“So that's what that bubbling stuff was? Huh. Could've used that back at the weddin'. Hoo boy, was that a disaster.”
“Wait a minute.” Applebloom said, “If you're a changeling, why didn't you try and stop Chrysalis from tryin' to take over Equestria?”
Gold Plum breathed deep. “Bowtie, let me tell you a story. A long time ago, there was a changeling hive. It was like any other hive, full of buzzing little comrades doing their changely duties, all in service of our great queen. Unless you were like me. I got tossed out as soon as I was hatched.”
Applebloom gasped. “That's horrible!”
“Yeah, and it should have ended right then and there, but I think I was tougher than most. Had to learn quick though; self-teach myself replication and everything. Eventually I wound up here. Kinda ironic that I work for the sworn enemy of my 'queen', huh?”
“Does anypony know that you're considered a foe?”
“I'm not finished! Anyway, by the time I felt my old swarm comin' around here it was already too late. I, uh, had some explaining to do after that.”
“Explaining?”
“Yeah, explaining. Besides you two, there is one other pony that's figured me out.”
“Who—”
“Celestia. After the attack there was a bit of a security review by her. Guess who got found out. You ever seen a changeling get on his knees and beg for mercy? It ain't pretty.”
“What'd she say?”
“Well, she was mostly sore about me not just telling her about it when I first got hired. Heck, she even offered to give me a spy job. Then I told her they'd just rip me apart as soon as I showed back up and everyone else would just know who I am 'cause of my bad eye, so she let me keep doin' what I was doin'. Course, she also said that if my secret ever got public she'd disavow all knowledge. Now, you've asked me plenty of questions, so it's my turn: what do you want?”
Zecora and Applebloom eyed each other and Applebloom nodded.
The zebra began her request. “Gold Plum, we do not wish you harm, or spill your secret and raise alarm. We come to you with a request, for we need help on a great quest. Two of our friends have fallen ill to a great disease, but not the kind that makes you cough and wheeze.”
“Uh huh?”
“I believe I can make cure, but without your assistance I am not so sure.”
“Why, exactly?”
Applebloom couldn't contain herself. “Zecora said on the way here that every changeling, even babies, know the ways to big important places by heart. We need some kinda plants that grow in places only changlings know the places do on, uh, in-stinct!”
Gold Plum tapped his hoof, drawing himself deep into thought as water droplets dripped into a small pool behind them, counting every long horrible second he didn't answer. At last, he looked back up at the two. “Yeah, I remember. Hmmmm. You'll probably blackmail me if I don't go along with this. Okay, I'll do it, not that I have any choice in the matter.”
Applebloom cheered, but Gold Plum hushed her to silence. “Quiet, darnit! I can't just get up and go with you two, I gotta make arrangements. Meet me at the base of the mountain tomorrow morning, and we'll get goin' to wherever you two crazy ponies need to. Now if you excuse me, I gotta finish out my patrol.”
“Wait,” Applebloom said as he went to unlock the door, “can I...can I see what you really look like?”
“I'd really rather stay like this.”
Her eyes grew bigger. “Pleeaaaaa—”
“Alright, none of that. Fine. But you better not freak out.”
A green flame engulfed Gold Plum, and where there once stood a unicorn there was now a changeling wearing Gold Plum's armor. He looked the same as any other changeling save the large snow-white spot that covered the area around his right eye, the one that normally appeared to be a cataract. The eye itself was crimson, slowly fading to pink in the middle.
“Woah,” Applebloom awed, “What's that around your eye?”
“The reason I got kicked out.” he grunted. “Partial albino. It's the same reason I can't get this eye right when I'm strutting around as a pony.”
“Cool.”
“Meh.” he snarled as another green flash enveloped around the changeling and returned him to his normal, grumpy pony state. He put the helmet back on and opened the door before glancing back at the two. “Remember, base of the mountain, tomorrow. If you ain't there, then I ain't goin'!” and with that, slammed the door.
“Whada we do until tomorrow?” Applebloom complained.
“Waiting in this dark room would be most unwise. Why don't we gather some supplies?”
Applebloom jumped from her chair. “Oooh! This'll be just like camping! We'll go get some chocolate bars, and sleeping bags—”
Zecora heaved as she opened the door to the room and Applebloom continued to rattle off absolutely vital requirements for their trip.
“—And lanterns, and comic books, and pillows, and bug spray...”
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1776016
Well, there is the story of the official comic book.
(No seriously, read it. The art in it is awesome.)
Applebloom and Zecora crack me up
Also, Plum is prettty cool for a royal guard/ Changeling. I wonder what his part will be in the grand scheme of things
Oh, goodie!
Very interesting. A bit short, but still chock full of goodness.
Mispelled "Gold Plum" as "Gold Blum" at one point. But at least I now have an actor to picture as doing his voice.
1776086
Now the secret's out!
1723125 REGIDAAAAAAAAAAR!!!
Damn you read fast!
"and pillows, and bug spray...” lol make sure it's the industrial sized can.
Love the idea of the secret changeling in Canterlot!
Keep up the great work!
OMAKE
"If the brew is right, that way we go!"
"What if it's wrong?"
"Then our progress will be slow."
"Wait a minute," Applebloom said, "how did you plan that rhyme in advance?"
"How was she supposed to know that Zecora would should obscenities in her mother tongue"
I can't really figure out what word "should" replaced. Other than that, Apple Bloom and Zecora are best duo. I almost prefer their shenanigans to Rare's and Twi's, if only for the locophobia and puppy-dog eyes.
just pointing a minor error i saw
1776086
"Gold Blum?" As in Steve Blum? As in the voice of Starscream? Elphias from Dawn of War II: Retribution? Grunt from Mass Effect?
Oh, yes.
1776355
I was thinking more Jeff Goldbloom from The Fly, but that works too.
1776212
Magic.
1776355
No, as in Jeff Goldblum. Dr. Malcolm from Jurassic Park? Yeah, that guy.
bug spray, lol
I wonder if plum is going to imfirm the princess?
1776446 The Fly reference?
How was she supposed to know that Zecora would shout obscenities in her mother tongue the entire way, when she wasn't quaking with fear?
NOW THAT'S FUNNY!!!
"I apologize for losing my brain," Zecora explained, "But now you see why I do not bond with trains."
Geeze. Zecora. Then again she is scared.
“Wait a minute.” Applebloom said, “If you're a changeling, why didn't you try and stop Chrysalis from tryin' to take over Equestria?”
At least she didn't ask the opposite question.
So why was he tossed out the moment he was hatched?
“Celestia. After the attack there was a bit of a security review by her. Guess who got found out. You ever seen a changeling get on his knees and beg for mercy? It ain't pretty.”
I'm guessing he found out that changelings don't need to STEAL love in order to live. Since I doubt Celestia would tolerate him sucking the emotions out of innocent ponies even if it's just to live another day.
Course, she also said that if my secret ever got public she'd disavow all knowledge.
How nice. >:-(
1776666
Never seen it, but yeah, according to his Wiki page, he played Seth Brundle in 1986's The Fly.
I always remember him from his role in the Jurassic Park series though.
Fact: No one seems to point out that this changeling knows Twilight (and by extension, Rarity).
What if they told the dude they are the ones in trouble?
Pfft... Bug Spray...
i2.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/190/373/131942790061.jpg
I really don't see how plants are going to help Twilight and Rarity. Their DNA is being changed because of a mishap in a magical teleport. I think the only way to fix them would be to get the changeling DNA out of them, and the only way I think they could do that is by a really complicated spell, or something that would destroy the Changeling DNA in their bodies without harming their normal DNA.
Royal Guard outcast changeling, that sounds like fun.
well now applebloom,you just got yourself dead meat.and that meat is you,problably going to be due to zecora.
XD Bug spray.
BUG SPRAY! Me and Cloud Nova( my OC, who is, in an RP sense, reading FiMFics with me) are laughing our asses off at that one.
ever observed a fly when it lands? see the twitch? after i watched "The Fly" i started twitching like that for two weeks. im starting to twitch like that again. you have no idea how annoying that was for me. I shouldn't have started reading this. darn it
1776616 If she knew the reason, she's probably just order him to go as protection for Zecora and Applebloom as they quest for the cure for Rarity and Celestia's student.
Great chapter.
Great chapter! Really enjoying this story.
One thing: 'self-teach myself' is kinda unnecessary repetition.
sweet dear Princess Luna what has gotten into Applebloom
Hmmmm interesting
1798849
They made a usable portal gun, sooooooooooooooooo...
Up to about Chaper 3. I like it so far. It feels like a episode and everyone is wonderfully in character. Keep it up. ^^
1776264
I think it's suppose to be "shout", because "obscenities" means curses.
Sorry if this comment is late, I just started reading.
Nice Job: 10 Derps for a job well done:
1801150
Why didn't I think of that? I feel like I'm playing Scrabble with a pro again (By that, I mean when someone makes an obvious move and you feel stupid for not noticing it (I'm not implying you're a professional Scrabble player (If you are, I'm not implying it's a bad thing (I you're not, I'm not implying you couldn't be))).
1801164
I'm confused
But, thanks, I think?
Oh hey comments have ratings now. Let's test it out!
poop butt fart
Love this
The Great and Powerful Zecora doesn't trust trains! XD This story is really good, great work :)
Damn I'm late...
"and they were stopped twice because Zecora looked 'suspect'. "
Suspicious, not suspect.
Love how Zecora doesn't like trains.
2106271
because she is black, dem racists!
Underlined the problem. Remove the "we".
By the way, the reason why I write these mistake comments is because I LOVE your fic, and I wish to help in making it even better.
Racial profiling much? She's just a zebra, geez.
Wow, Celestia is always portrayed as such a... well, meanie in these fics. It's like the authors forget that this is the alicorn who sent Twilight on her friendship path in the first place. Sure she's bad at it, but I doubt Celestia would fail to stand up for this guard in his time of need...
Um... If that interferes with changelings gold Plum is screwed
you monster BUG SPRAY
What a waste of resources. A visual partial deformity simply means he would not be infiltrator. There are many other roles that would fit. The hive brought this on themselves.