A meeting at the lonely apple

Ivy opened her eyes, slowly, she felt dizzy, when her eyes focused she became afraid, she saw only blackness, she felt as if she was dangling in mid air.

"are you ok?" a stallions voice beside her asked "you're sweating."

Ivy felt a hoof on her back, she shook it off "we're here, in the nothing," she muttered defeated "we'll be stuck forever."

Ivy heard Tracer "hm?" he shook his head "what? We're in Canterlot Ivy, we got here, Lyra's here."

Lyra butted in "I'm here."

Upon hearing Lyra speak, light seemed to return to her eyes, sure enough, she was in a familiar part of Canterlot, next to Tracer, who had become a Pegasus again. And Lyra, who had managed to acquire a drink, and was slurping what looked like milkshake through a bendy straw, typical Lyra.

Tracer, once he had left Ivy, turned his attention to the cup and cocked his head "where did you get that?"

"hm?" Lyra looked confused "oh this, you know what, I think it's a curse, it always happens, spontaneous conjuration of strawberry milkshake, I don't complain."

Tracer was even more confused "spontaneous conjuration of strawberry milkshake? Well, doesn't sound too bad, anyway, to the palace!"

A nearby Pegasus foal heard this and appeared behind them "you're going to the palace? Why? Who are you? Are you going to meet the princesses?" he hopped around a navy blue trail following his path.

Tracer raised a hoof "stop, who are you?" he asked, his voice had become deep.

The exited foal stopped "Midnight sir, Midnight Shadow."

Tracer recoiled "wait, Shadow?" he seemed to recognize this name.

"yes sir, Midnight Shadow," Midnight's face became slightly afraid "why?"

"do you know Serenity Shadow?"

"yes sir, she's my big sister, or was."

Tracer's head dropped "she was?"

"but she disappeared, a few weeks ago."

Tracer raised his head "good, say, Midnight."

"yes sir?"

"where are your parents?"

"over there," he pointed down the street.

"got it, Ivy, Lyra. Come on," he gestured towards the palace, the three began to trot down the street.

"can I come with you?" Midnight appeared beside them.

Tracer shook his head "sorry, as much as I'd love having another Pegasus around, where we're going is dangerous."

Midnight sighed "ok," and walked back to his parents.

"I know this place," Ivy said suddenly "we used to come here from the academy."

Lyra nodded "it is, the academy is just over there," she pointed down the street "and the palace," she looked at Ivy, who nodded "follow me, I know a," she hesitated "short cut."

"A short cut to a Palace? You sure?" Tracer asked.

Lyra trotted past him "yep, I'm sure."

"we used to sneak in, we've a hideout in the outer wall so we can watch the Ponies going in at out" Ivy told him, following Lyra.

Tracer sighed "never slow down do they."

"That one especially," a voice in his ear said, but when he turned, he saw only the surprisingly empty street. He trotted off after the mares.

***

Ivy enjoyed this path, she always imagined being like Daring Do when she took it, leaping from windowcil to balcony across the walls in the many alleys.

They reached the palace wall, and sure enough, a small hole was at the base, Ivy pointed to it "there, that's the way," she called to Tracer, who was walking calmly along the ground.

"Why are you up there?" he called back.

"Because it's more fun up here," she replied, beginning to climb down to the floor.

"It's also more dangerous, and slower," he whispered when they had reached the base of the wall.

"It would be quicker if you fly," Tracer visibly jumped, Lyra had appeared behind him. She burst out laughing.

Ivy chuckled "yeah, it would be," she glared.

Tracer swallowed his heart, which had found its way into his throat after he jumped, and answered "I would, but I'd buzz," he began to hover, sure enough, a droning buzz filled the immediate vicinity "see, might make ponies a little suspicious, don't you think," he finished.

"Yeah ok," Lyra walked past him and looked into the hole.

"Ok," Tracer landed and followed her "we should go around, the guards'll be suspicious if we go in through here."

"Yeah, but logic and Lyra don't mix," Ivy muttered.

"Just let me do the talking," Lyra remarked, before hopping through the hole.

"That's not good," Ivy followed shortly after.

"Oh, so we're going this way, then," Tracer followed shortly after.

"Halt, who goes there?" The guards at the first point crossed their spears.

"Hello sirs!" Lyra chirped, before following with a random string of words at speeds impossible to keep up with, that in some way described their quest, from what Ivy could tell, the guards just glanced at each other and said nothing.

Tracer appeared between them, the guards glanced at him, before returning to their pose "the Princess is not receiving visitors."

Tracer dropped his head, looked at Lyra and muttered through his teeth "I think I'll handle this," Lyra

stepped back, noticing a green glint in his eyes, he turned to the guards "of course, but we have a, message from a political, associate, of hers."

The guards seemed to believe him "well, I need to escort you," he nodded into the distance and opened the spears. The group walked through the guards up to the castle.

The room was beautiful, stained glass windows showed every triumph of Equestria, which was quite a lot, for a Princess who's

philosophy is love and tolerance, the patterns projected onto the carpet along the ground, at the end of the hall stood a figure, silhouetted in the light of the two windows behind him, the figure, easily recogniseable as discord was suddenly directly before the group "leave us," he glanced at the guards, who hurried away, the doors shut, the thud seeming to trigger a fit of maniacal laughter "Ivy! You don't remember me? Of course you don't, or Blade, or Breeze, or-" he stopped when he noticed her expression "And, ah, you," his head span upside down, and only then actually aligned with his body, which was upside-down in mid-air. He drew in close and whispered in Tracer's ear "so, how's Chrysalis these days?" He grinned "is she still hot?"

"Umm. I don't."

"Yeah you do! Don't try to hide from me," he glanced around "Changeling."

"Ahem!" Somepony cleared her throat from the end of the hall "Discord."

"Visitors," Discord pulled an imaginary cloth from them, but of course, Discord's imaginationlmost knocked the three ponies onto the floor.

"I'm not receiving visitors, nor is my sister."

"Ma'am," Tracer stepped forward "if I may," he dropped his disguise "I bring word from Ponyville."

"Worst, secret, identity, ever," Lyra muttered.

"Do you present an ultimatum?" She stepped forward "where is Twilight? What have you done?"

"I do not speak for the hive, nor for the Queen."

"What is your purpose, Then?" The Princess glared into the eyes of the Changeling before her.

"I seek the freedom of the Changeling race, and an end to the hive mind."

Celestia was obviously shocked "then, if you are as you say, you have my full support."

"Honestly, that was easier than expected."

"So, is that it?" Celestia asked, her gaze lightening.

"No, your majesty," Tracer bowed slightly "Chrysalis places no ultimatum, she seeks to simply attack Canterlot, to take to by force, I suggest you close the gates, or, at least, be ready when they arrive."

"You are certain?"

"I am."

"Then I shall give the order once you are gone."

"Then we will be going," Tracer regained his old form and turned to leave.

"Before you go!" Celestia called after them "if you speak true, thank you, should you succeed, you will be rewarded."

"Yes ma'am," he opened the large doors and immediately ran into a large stallion and caused him to recoil, causing him to collide with the pony behind him sending green orbs tumbling down the steps to the palace.

"What are you doing peasant!?" The stallion was an Alicorn, the second, who was carrying the vegetables in two baskets from each side of his middle.

"I, well, I was talking to the princess, and, ah, I'll pay for your cabbages."

Discord could be heard laughing from the palace, Tracer looked back to see Celestia trying to shush him through her own laughter.

The Alicorn, who was certainly royalty, glared at Tracer, who smirked and retreated "you better, I am king Refice, and you will pay for my Cabbages!" He called after the pony.

"He definitely will!" Ivy shouted as she left his sight.

"So what now?" Ivy asked.

"Train station," the leading pony, Ivy, redirected their path.

"Where exactly is the hive?"

"I'll get us there, don't you worry about it."

The three reached the train station and immediately realised how broke they were.

"I have a card," Ivy smiled "I'm fine."

"Where?" Tracer stared at her.

She conjured a small booklet "I'm not from Equestria, so I've been here before, to visit my family, every month, so!"

"Please say it's a plus two."

"Possibly."

"What's that mean."

"Yes, yes it is."

"Really?"

"I don't know! Let's find out!"

The three ponies trotted up to the ticket inspector, though Tracer hung back a little, because he does that.

Ivy gave the stallion the booklet, he looked at it carefully, before nodding "you, and one," he was foreign, that much was obvious "go, not three."

"Oh, well," Ivy turned to the other two "I guess you draw straws, then."

"No, you mares go on, I'll, catch up."

The stallion gave this some thought, but stepped aside, Tracer disappeared from view as Ivy boarded the train.