The Breaking Point

by Windy The Warrior

Rating: everyone
Tags: Original Character, Queen Chrysalis, Adventure, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Romance, Changelings
Length: 12617

Silver Lining, a changeling from the mysterious Hive, escapes an unexplained execution - only to fall right into the hooves of a pony.

Cover art by Sipioc.

Cherry Fizz was secure. In fact, she was spectacular. She had an amazing career, a loving troop of friends, a master's degree in edible synthetics, and a pristine house. Her family was always on her side. So she smiled, chasing a dream that grew closer every day.
But it was all fake. A charade, a way to make herself happy when there wasn't any emotion in life. Just the same thing, over and over again, numbing her senses. The confection business just wasn't her calling, at least not anymore...
Then he came. The one from the alley, the one she saved on the way home from the market. The one who ran away from an execution of the masses, and will plunge the young mare into a world of criminals, dark magic, and an adventure she must never forget.
Silver Lining has a chance. Cherry Fizz has a choice. Neither of them know what they've started.

Published 2015-03-14 19:20:02 UTC
Last updated 2017-10-11 15:28:19 UTC

Chapter One

The world spun violently, throwing the changeling through the air. A bolt of light enveloped him, and suddenly he dissapeared. The new queen watched as her defective subject was evaporated like so many before him. Satisfied with his disposal, she switched off the termination spell, whirling on the next poor creature that had failed her. Within seconds, it was gone, too.

She straightened up, heaving a great sigh. Being the queen was amazing; every changeling in the Hive knew her name. Obsidian marveled at her new power; her predecessor, Chrysalis, was a fool to treat these drone imbeciles as equals to her, the mightiest of warlords. Didn't she know how great this felt? And she'd given it up for a notion as old and obsolete as incantations themselves!

Obsidian rose and, with a deadly grin, shot another dozen traitors into the sky.

Outside of the Termination Chamber, a line of changelings were contemplating their fate. They were all criminals under the queen's law, and had resigned themselves long ago. When Chrysalis the Mother had died in the One-Battle War, the next royal was called to office. Nobody had wanted to make the child leave, and she'd put up a good show. But then she started placing laws, and soon the once glorious empire's workers were being called out for honest mistakes.

Silver Lining shuffled his hooves, trying to block out the laughter of Queen Obsidian. He would enter soon, and then... Well, the lucky ones died. The rest were collected and used as bait for unwary passerby. Hunters would let the creature attempt to help, then pounce with a net. They would then bring the prey back to the Hive, where the queen would suck it dry and an agent would assume its form before flying into whatever kingdom it had come from. All the while, the bait would sit in the Badlands, rotting away. He shuddered when he thought about it.

Before he could go too in-depth, though, another changeling caught his attention. "Hey," the female said quietly. "So what landed you here? I figured I may as well ask, since we're probably not gonna leave so easily."

He frowned. "I lost a set of tools."

She smiled knowingly. "The things they're crazy over... Well, I let a support beam fall. Some of us are here because of me. Well, the remainder of us." The light-frilled girl bit her lip. "It hurts, man. But at least it's actually my fault, y'know? Unlike a lot of us." She looked down, rubbing the holes in her legs.

Silver cast a glance at the door ahead. There were now just fifteen sets of changelings before they would be terminated. "So what's your name? I'm Silver Lining, by the way."

She blinked. "Mirage. And thanks for talking to me. I don't get a lot of that."

He nodded a "you're welcome", trying to ignore the lump forming in his throat. They had a few minutes left; may as well use them kindly.

He vaguely remembered stories. Stories about before, when he had a job and a home. It wasn't much, but compared to a lot of other spots on the construction site, it was pretty nice. He'd even earned enough to buy a blanket, and his old magic teacher had sent him a book. Ah, weren't those the days...

After a moment, Silver remembered something. Magic. Sure, he was no spellweaver, but he could handle a basic flare. Teleportation, for instance.

Mirage knew that look. She chuckled under her breath, glad the young worker was thinking for once.

He began working on a makeshift escape plan, and it was finished by the time he and Mirage had come to the front of the line. He quickly projected the plan into her mind as he stepped through into the great Termination Chamber.

The entire thing was four stories tall, with a domed roof decorated by bright paintings of glory and war. A pedestal was in the center of the cathedral. The walls were covered with mirrors, and he caught his reflection.

It was a shock; worker drones, unlike war drones, were varied in shape and color. Plus, they weren't allowed to have mirrors. The sight of his lanky, frail body surprised him, and he had never seen the bright blue frill above his head before. His eyes had an emerald fade, unlike most who had beautiful, dark-faceted eyes.

He smiled, picking up a chunk of dislodged tile. He levitated it, hiding it just before the queen appeared in the center.

Obsidian, true to her name, had a jet black carapace that, besides her face and air sac holes (Silver still had no idea how they worked, but at least nobody drowned easily), covered her like armor. Her coat itself was a stormy gray that absorbed the light from the entire room. Her eyes glowed electric green, and her long, swampish mane came down to her bone-clad hooves.

Her horn glowed red, attacking a worker near the front. With a flash of light, the changeling was disintegrated. A lump formed in Silver's throat as the line of death inched towards him and Mirage.

He pushed the fear aside, launching the rock towards Queen Obsidian. She caught it, breaking her concentration long enough for the two to activate a teleportation spell.

♠

Cherry Fizz was walking home from grocery shopping. Her saddlebags were stuffed with odds and ends, and she carried another plastic one in her mouth. This one was supplies for her business, with things like whisks for chocolate and even a rolling pin for the few attempts at pastry she could make.

She reminded herself about the long drive from the market and her house, which would take an hour by hoof. She'd been fine with it this morning, but she was bone tired thanks to the crowd. Cherry decided to hail a taxi.

She pulled a satchel of bits out of her saddlebags, fishing out seven coins. She hurriedly piled the groceries into the back and sat, tucking her pink legs underneath her. For the first time in days, she relaxed.

"Alright, ma'am," said the driver. "Where're you heading this evening?" He smiled over his shoulder.

"3053 Clementine's Avenue, please!" Cherry took a deep breath, erasing even more of the tension in her withers. Then a little bit came back when the driver had to take a detour thanks to traffic. She'd come to Gallopham a year or two ago, but it was still surprising that ponies had enough cars to clog streets.

For some reason, the detour scared her. There wasn't even a feasible reason. It just scared her. A lot.

She watched the world from a frost-dusted window, surveying the streets. Towering brick apartments framed the road, and long alleys appeared every few yards. They were relatively well-lit, though, and Cherry could see restaurants and shops along the sides. The entire place, although a bit old, was tidy and well-decorated. All in all, it looked like a nice neighborhood.

So that feeling of dread that picked at her thoughts was all the more mysterious.

She narrowed her eyes, scanning the sidewalk. Then she saw it: a flash of light in an alley, like a fire except much, much dimmer. It was an odd golden color, and subtle wisps of smoke floated through the darkness. Cherry hadn't known what she would find, but that was it.

"Hey, sweetie? Could you pull over for a minute?" She addressed the driver, but didn't really register his response. He parked the car by the side of the road, and she got out to investigate the light. As soon as she was out of the car, she chastised herself for being so familiar. Staying calm was one thing, and being suspicious was another.

Cherry Fizz trotted inconspicuously to the alley, wary of nonexistent eyes watching her every move. She made it to the corner unapproached, but couldn't shake the bad feeling.

She rounded the corner and pulled a flashlight from under her trenchcoat. "Who's there?" She called. "Come out where I can see you!" She fluffed her wings, ready to fight or escape if necessary. She'd always been overly dramatic, and usually she was fine with that. It kept her safe and let her help ponies, even if she jumped to conclusions. Besides, she didn't notice much of her own behavior, anyway.

A high, strained voice spoke up. "Ah! I'm sorry, miss, but..." It trailed away with a sharp intake of breath, along with an odd click.

Cherry walked over to the dark form on the ground, despite her better judgment. The pony was hidden under a blanket. "It's okay, honey. I'm here," she soothed. This had to a foal or something, maybe somepony who had gotten lost and hurt themselves. Then she started pulling the blanket away.

First there was a striking blue frill, riddled with holes near the top. After that, the body was black, scratched and bruised. A glinting silver shell lay under a pair of insect-like wings. The hooves were wider at the base than any pony's she knew, but only in perspective with the frail build.

Then she reached the head. The sharp frill cut off quickly, giving way to a thin, sharpened horn and pocked ears. The face came to a point, and the mouth was slightly open to reveal impressive canine teeth. The eyes flickered open for a second, and there were no pupils. Instead, a green fade concentrated at the view.

She stifled a gasp as the monstrous head snapped up, surveying her with a look she didn't understand. It took her a moment to realize that it was trying to say something. Despite her instincts to run, she bent down and tilted an ear. "What's wrong, dear?" She'd tried to sound kind, but her heart was pounding.

Its jaw worked around the words, stuttering the first few times. Then two words broke through: "Help me".

And with that, he fainted.

Chapter Two

Cherry Fizz pushed the unconscious creature into the taxi, considering her options. She couldn't bring him to a hospital; they would be either too scared or curious to work properly, assuming that they even knew changeling anatomy. The police might put him under investigation, and he wouldn't get medical attention for hours, maybe days. She didn't hold it against them, but there were a lot of predictable reactions.

The cab driver had turned away, giving her enough time to hide the changeling. He finally called back. "Everything fine back there, ma'am?" He glanced back just in time for Cherry to conceal her companion. She nodded briefly and the taxi slid back onto the streets.

Alright, then. I guess we're going home, she thought. Well, maybe I can call Lemon Drop. She's had strange cases before. Then she kicked herself for even thinking about dragging her sister into this whole mess.

Unable to come up with a solution, the pegasus turned her attention to the changeling. The carapace laid across his withers was much shorter than any she'd seen before, but was thicker and wound farther along his body. It was lighter than the rest of him, a calming silver with cleverly placed folds. His wings were small and ragged, too weak to fly on at the moment. His horn, despite the odd structure, had remained intact, as did his hooves.

She knew changelings didn't have manes, but the frills on his back and head sufficed. They were slightly scorched at the edges, and now she recognized the damage from a drastic teleportation. She winced, remembering the time her youngest brother, Caramel Sweet, had tried to jump directly from school to home. That alone was enough to cover him in bruises. This changeling had come much farther, and since there had been no reports, he had jumped all the way from the Badlands.

His mouth was hanging open slightly, which Cherry found somewhat endearing. He looked to be about her age, but she couldn't be sure.

Suddenly, his eyes flickered open. A look of panic etched itself onto his face, and if not for the closed taxi window between them and the driver he would've been found. Cherry quickly shushed him, maintaining a casual appearance in case anypony was looking at her.

Silver Lining surveyed the area for onlookers, only to find that there weren't any. He had been resting his head on a bag of something that resembled leaves, and had been wedged between two soft benches. His rescuer sat a feet or two away, gazing nonchalantly through a window. There were six of them, two on the ends and four on the sides. A pane of glass kept the passengers and a driver apart. The only thing he'd known in the Hive that was remotely similar was the collection trucks that combed the streets before every execution process.

He drew in a sharp breath. "Oh Arachne, I'm in a collection..." He muttered, hyperventilating. "This can't happen. This is not happening!"

The pink and green female shot him a warning look. She leaned in and whispered, "Calm it. You're gonna get yourself caught! What, you've never seen a car before?"

He blinked. So this was normal for ponies. He shook his head, reminding himself how advanced these people were in tech. Of course this was normal... But it was terrifying.

Silver diverted his gaze to the female, taking in her features. Her coat was a pretty shade of rose, and a curly mass of forest-colored hair rested on her head. Her sharp blue eyes shone with intelligence. He shivered, hoping she was at least nice. He was already thoroughly petrified by her voice, which was richer and deeper than any female's he had ever heard.

He suppressed a gulp as she turned away, hoping she wasn't angry. When he'd first escaped, he had been hoping whoever found him would be a bit more familiar.

He reluctantly set his head back down, feeling oddly revitalized. His wounds still stung, but he felt full. He dismissed the thought, drifting back to sleep.

Cherry spared a glance for the poor companion. She looked away before the driver noticed, but she was really curious about the changeling. She recognized the feeling, but couldn't name it. Still, she would protect him. He needed help, so he would get it.

Then she realized that he'd never once said his name. She chuckled, earning a strange look from the stallion in front. Whatever was happening, she had a long way to go.

♠

Hundreds of miles away, Obsidian finished the executions.

She had tried to put the escapees behind her, but even the thrill of death couldn't distract her. It would've been fine if they had been normal, but a Shifter and a Mirror running loose... It practically radiated anarchy.

She growled as she galloped down a set of stairs. She had no time to lose for walking. She leaped from the final step, planting her robust hooves firmly on ivory tile. She spared a single moment surveying her bedchamber, just in case anyone was foolish enough to spy.

When she was satisfied, she traced a set of icons in the floor, horn lit as she did so. A wave of sparkling energy coursed through her veins, the effect of ancient magic being wielded by an incorrect soldier. She flicked the notion away. If there was anyone worthy of this destructive power, it was she who had slain millions, outsider or no, in her brief two years in office.

A white-hot line of raw magic sparked into existence, and Obsidian stood in awe for just a moment, watching the very fabric of space being torn apart by a spell. Her spell!

The line split in the center, pulling itself wider until it was a disc shape. The queen turned away for a second, as she had heard about those who were stupid enough to forget about the light. Many of her line had their eyes scorched out just from one look. She shuddered as the disc's center broke, exploding in a luminescence greater than that of the sun.

She carefully opened her eyes, wincing at the fading light. Still, she wouldn't go blind now that the initial procedure was complete. There was now a pulsing gateway hanging in the air, a wormhole into an artificial universe. It had been created to watch the world from afar and monitor subjects who were questionable in loyalty. Few in the family had ever used it for its true purpose, though; it was a weapon, stronger than machines and more invincible than magic. And it was ready.

She flew inside, landing on the single platform in existence. Her armor rang like wind chimes as they adjusted to gravity and nothingness. The swirling void around her twisted like smoke, wise after dynasties of nothing to do but think. The cold, black abyss welcomed those witless enough to listen. Obsidian shivered, new to this foreboding realm.

She willed the platform to drift forward, and it did. She gave it something to track, namely that worker who had, under his knowledge, just lost a tool set. She wasn't going to let him and the rebel get away so easily, especially when they were so close!...

The platform paused, announcing their arrival. Another gate, this time a single-sided window, broke the darkness. She frowned at the sight of pony technology, her prey sitting hidden in the back of a car, maybe a taxi.

Her education had granted her knowledge of all machines, despite her species being unable to build them effectively. It wouldn't have mattered if this was any other situation, but he was being guarded by a mare with a pink coat and green mane and tail.

Obsidian huffed, annoyed that she couldn't just kill him immediately. The rebel would be guarded as well, but this time by those who would delight in their ruler's death.

She bit her tongue, considering what she could do. Formal executions were one thing; a mysterious assassination was another that would put her life in jeopardy. She would lose her powers, at the very least. That would be worse than death...

She gently glided the platform back. She would just have wait.

♠

Moments later, Cherry and Silver arrived home.

The house was modern-built with white geometric walls and huge windows. The furniture was arranged to see outside, but still provide privacy. The taxi driver pulled the car aside and admired the structure. It wasn't cozy, per say, but it was certainly livable.

Cherry silently shook the changeling awake, disguising it by picking up her saddlebags in the same motion. He groaned, raising his head slightly. After a moment, he remembered what happened, and reluctantly climbed into a bag, switching his appearance to that of an orange. Cherry picked up the last bag in her mouth, careful not to drop it. She smiled gratefully at Gear Shift, who returned it and drove away.

When he was out of sight, the changeling rolled out of the bag and turned back. "Uh, sorry about that. It's just safer that way," he said, catching the mare's glare.

Cherry frowned. "You're so heavy! That doesn't make sense!" She nudged the door open, trudging through to the kitchen. "No offense, hon, but ouch!"

He looked down at his hooves. "Sorry. I'm still learning. Workers don't really have schools, so most of us can only change for a few seconds, never mind account for weight."

Cherry cocked her head. "Really? I thought it was an innate skill or an instinct or something." She thought for a second. "Although I guess I understand. Unicorns can't do magic without being taught, besides those weird newborn powers, and earth ponies have to learn how to manipulate luck. Even I wasn't able to fly as a filly without help. Sorry, uh...?

The changeling was confused for a moment, but then caught on. "Oh! I'm Silver Lining. And you are?"

Cherry smiled brightly. "Name's Cherry Fizz, entrepreneur and candy expert. Nice to finally meet you."

Chapter Three

Silver Lining flew silently, careful not to disturb the other workers. He didn't want them to wake up and report him to a collection. He just needed to check the shed before the day started. That way, he could grab his tools and start work earlier.

He carefully wove through support beams, unfinished walls and miscellaneous supplies. He reached the shed quickly, fumbled with the lock, and stepped inside. He lit his horn dimly, searching the shelves. Minutes later, he found the box - but there was nothing inside.

He frowned. Someone had stolen them, even with the lock. He'd been saving up for months, hoping to earn enough money to buy an apartment, at least for a little while.

Now he would have to pay a replacement fee plus a property loss additive, and it was a felony for workers to lose things in the first place. He would have to pay another fee to get out of an execution, which although steep should be doable. As long as he could pay, the queen would let him live.

He sighed dejectedly. He'd have to sleep on beams for another year in order to amount a reasonable down payment. He'd done it before, but he had been so close!

An hour later, he arrived at the Bureau of Civilian Law's worker drone subdivision. He filed a report, clipped a payment of 160 shills on it, and handed it over. The guards nearby took him to a small interrogation room, where they would give him the sum of his survival.

A bureau lawyer in an official-looking blazer brought in a few papers, then began a lecture. It was all about what to put where, and which companies were funding which laws and why. Every so often he would point to a sheet on the wall, calling out individual laws like "worker exclusive - Obsidian VII - adaptation 3.A56" or "worker exclusive -Obsidian VII - adaptation 8.L47". Silver tuned it out, but couldn't help but notice all of the laws mentioned started with "worker exclusive - Obsidian VII".

He worked quickly on the papers, dropping them in the center of the room. He wasn't given a chair or table, but he was fine with levitating them. Once those were completed, the lawyer read through and wrote down the sum.

"As you can see, you are obliged to pay immediately. The queen waits for no one." The lawyer passed the papers to Silver Lining. He reached forward calmly, then read the notes.

"What?!" He wasn't aware that he'd said it aloud; he was too engrossed in the impossible sum of 250,000 shills. "That's insane! I thought they could only come to fifteen thousand!"

The changeling in front of him huffed. "Of course not, the recent law changed that." He muttered something that sounded a lot like "worker imbeciles."

Silver blinked. "But the queen's been silent for weeks! There aren't any new laws!"

"Incorrect," the lawyer said. "She just hasn't announced them. It's right there," he said, pointing to the sheet. "Under 'worker exclusive - Obsidian VII - adaptation 7.P92'."

"But she has to announce them, right?"

"Of course not. See? 'Full Hive - Obsidian VII - adaptation 7.P01'.

He heaved a sigh, nodding slowly. He dumped out the bag of shills and counted them out. There were only 20,000 - not nearly enough to pay.

Suddenly, the guards standing on either side of the door shot forward, lifting Silver up. He let them carry him out; if he ran, someone might actually pay attention.

♠

Suddenly he registered a voice. He woke up with a jolt, nearly dunking his head into a plate of spaghetti. The pink mare across the table eyed him warily. "You okay, hon? Because you look like you're about to pass out."

He blinked, still half asleep. "Yeah, I just..." Silver nodded off again.

Cherry smiled. Her new friend, or whatever the relationship was, had a nice personality. She just hoped he'd be able to eat breakfast without checking in to Dreamland Motel.

She leaned over the table, absolutely silent. She had to stop herself from laughing if this would work... She balanced herself on the joints of her forelegs, cupping her hooves around her mouth. She was about to yell "WAKE UP!" at the top of her lungs when...

"Bleh!" The changeling leaned forward abruptly, turning his face into that of a lizard. Cherry pulled back, spinning out of her chair and landing on her rump. Silver laughed loudly. "And that's how you surprise people," he said, helping her to her hooves.

"Okay, three things," the confectioner said, wincing at the pain in her rear. "One, never underestimate my pranking skills. Two, don't do that again. Ever." She grinned slightly. "Third, what's 'people'?"

Silver smiled sheepishly. "Uh, sorry. Cultural difference. Changelings have to live with other species a lot, so we don't really use the 'any, blank' stuff. We just stick with a basic set of terms. Otherwise it's just confusing."

Cherry frowned, but nodded anyway. "Fair enough, I guess."

They went back to the meal, but it was silent for a long time. Silver picked at his food, which was confusing for a while until the mare remembered that changelings fed off of love instead. Maybe they couldn't eat food?

Still, neither of them said anything. Cherry Fizz hated silence. In fact, she was a little scared of it. Besides, she had a lot of questions as to how the changeling arrived in that alley.

She decided to speak up. "So, kid, where're you from?" She kept her head down, attempting to lessen the question's effect. "Last time changelings showed up, there was an attack. Besides, they all looked pretty much the same. You, not so much."

Silver pulled back, frowning. "But the only contact we've had was the One-Battle War. We haven't had the strength, much less the will."

Cherry eyed him suspiciously. "Silver, there hasn't been a war in Equestria for decades, at least not since the Lion War. Where did you learn history?" She caught herself, a little too late. "Oh. They probably only taught the basics, huh?"

The changeling shook his head. "Yeah, but I at least knew the stories of the war! There was a religious argument, and a lot of hate, and the good queen went to your castle city and -"

"Good queen?" Cherry snorted. "Sorry, hon, but nopony's ever heard of a good changeling queen. The last one we ponies met was Chrysalis, and she attacked us!" The pink mare didn't even bother being nice.

"Don't you dare talk about the queen that way! She tried her best to help without the siege, but you wouldn't listen! You didn't even bother to remember!" He slammed his hooves on the table, rattling the plates. He stood up and walked away sullenly.

Cherry frowned. Of course nopony wanted to remember, that had been Canterlot's darkest hour - dismissing, of course, the demon king Tirek stealing everyone's magic and strength. And that horrible queen never asked! She couldn't have, the Princesses would have said something... Right?

♠

Obsidian heaved a sigh. She had tracked down both of the escapees, and neither of them were coming back. Yet. She would have to be careful, but the moment they were alone, she would be ready.

The red one - Mirage, maybe? - was at her little rebel treehouse. She was proving to be somewhat intelligent, keeping herself surrounded by bodyguards. Clever, that one... But it was too much of a risk to let her live. Shifters like her were rare, and Obsidian was thankful for it, but it was her duty to dispose of changelings like that...

Meanwhile, the other one - she had forgotten his name - was pushing himself away from others. It wouldn't be long until she could finish him off...

Suddenly, her horn lit on its own. The alarm! She rushed to her room, leapt through the portal, and maneuvered towards the drone's location. She reached it in seconds, the platform's speed amplified by her focus. She lit her horn blindly, already casting her lightning spell before she looked through the hole.

Inside, she saw a pastel room, adorned with framed photos of various technicolor ponies. There were a few pillows, and a couch sat in a corner. A charcoal-colored changeling had his head in his hooves, tracing the insignia of the late Chrysalis. Obsidian scowled at the traitorous drone. All the more reason to kill him...

She was about to throw a bolt down when someone opened the door on both ends. In the royal chamber, there was a nosy servant. In the vision, there was a concerned mare. Surprised, she split the bolt in half, sending one through the portal and the other at her would-be victim.

Cherry saw the flash of light seconds before it hit. She flew up, yanking Silver Lining out of the way. The lightning singed her feathers, but she was fast enough to dodge the actual bolt. On the other hand, a smooth landing was out of the question.

They spiraled out of control, slamming against the far wall. The wall split, sending a crack through the already buzzing room. The air hummed with static. Both of them were knocked unconscious, but...

There was a sickening pop as the portal closed. Obsidian drew in a hiss and reared up, flapping her sheer wings. With a roar, she shot back through into her room. The platform trailed behind her, but she didn't need it. All she needed was to beat that imbecile into the ground!

♠

Hours later, Silver Lining woke up. The room was dark and gray, and all of the furniture was gone. All he could see through the thick film that floated through the air was a shifting golden light.

Suddenly, a horrible pain erupted in his back hoof. He looked back to find a facet of the glare leaping up at it, filing through the holes. Cherry was still asleep, but she might know what this was. He kicked it away passively, but it clung like... Like...

The pieces came together. Lightning equaled heat. Inability to breath equaled smoke. Heat and smoke equaled fire. And the door was blocked, so they didn't have an exit. Fire and no exit... He didn't want to think about that.

An angry shriek filled the air. Cherry shot up, flapping her wings violently. "Gah! What are you waiting for?! Teleport us out of here!"

He shook his head. "I can't. It only takes one!" He resorted to kicking the walls, but he couldn't so much as dent it.

They were trapped.

Chapter Four

The fire swirled through the room, rapidly consuming what little distance Cherry Fizz and Silver Lining had. They were backed up against a wall, and there was no exit.

Cherry let out another breath of smoke, fitting as many words through her mouth as possible. "Please tell me the wall's..." Her voice croaked. She had to breathe in another lungful of poisonous air before she could finish. Silver cringed thinking about how bad that must taste - he had air sockets, which he hadn't known the function of until now, but were keeping him relatively healthy. In the meantime, anyway. He could still burn to death, or the sockets could run out.

He quickly turned back to the pastel wall, attacking the damaged plaster. If he could break it, they had an exit. If only the mare wasn't about to pass out from oxygen deprivation; she was much stronger than the drone was.

He bit back a scream as a tongue of flame seared his back leg. He'd never experienced heat like this before - the Hive had been extremely cold, despite being in the Badlands. Everyone knew what fire was, but nobody had really felt it.

Cherry was just about done with the silence. Thanks to this changeling, she was about die! To make matters worse, she could hardly speak - and he wouldn't even respond.

She sucked in another bout of smoke, stood up, and shoved Silver Lining to the side. She landed a single good punch on the wall before collapsing. Cherry wheezed for a second, then let out a comprehensible sentence. "Don't you dare underestimate me." She reared up again, pummeling the wall.

Silver frowned. She would fall asleep if she kept doing this, and he wouldn't be able to pull her out. Still, she was making much more progress... Maybe he could still escape? The entire house might burn down, and -

He gasped. Oh Arachne, he'd slipped back into Hive mentality! If Silver started down that road... He'd be no better than the queen!

Cherry sat down again, winded. The fire had caught up to her tail, and the edges were starting to burn. There was a corner nearby that she could run to, and the air was cleaner. He quickly projected the instruction to her. She shot him an angry look. Silver tried to look reassuring, but he just didn't have the heart for it.

Cherry bit back a comeback. I don't have time for this, she thought, returning to the wall. She ignored the burning feeling in her lungs, the cruel heat of the fire. Instead, she focused on the pain in her hooves, taking it as a sign of progress.

Suddenly, a crack opened in the plaster. She grinned triumphantly, falling one more time before the final blow.

Cherry rose on her back legs, channeling all of her strength into her forehooves. The mare shattered the wall, letting out a triumphant whoop. Silver beamed. Maybe they would be fine after all?

He immediately regretted the thought as the ceiling caved, sealing the opening. Silver looked back - the inferno had almost reached them, and they were about to get buried in plaster!

He wrapped his front legs around Cherry, who seemed to have exact same thought. The changeling rose unsteadily into the air, escaping the fire by inches. Cherry drove her wings back, pushing them forward just enough. They stumbled back to the empty corner as the fire consumed the floor where they'd been standing just a moment ago.

The mare pulled in a breath of the healthier air. "We're doomed. We are absolutely doomed."

Suddenly, Cherry felt a lot heavier. She fell to the floor, wincing at the sudden loss of adrenaline.

The changeling frowned. He had to get her out of here, but...

Another idea popped into his head. Fire compromised structures. He hadn't been taught what the phrase meant together, or really the word "compromised" even, possibly for this exact purpose. But he'd heard it in passing, enough to understand a rough definition. He already tried attacking the building, and that had failed horribly, but the ceiling... Had it burned away?

Silver looked up. There was another gap in the roof, just enough for one of them to squeeze through.

Cherry gasped as she realized what he saw. She forced herself into a second wind."If you leave me here, I will drag you down!" The mare quickly wrapped her legs around his wings. The changeling lurched back from the sudden weight.

He caught himself, confused. "What? Since when... Oh." He frowned sadly. "I'm... Yeah. But I have a plan!" The ceiling crumbled a little bit. "You remember how I got here, right?"

Cherry nodded. "Teleportation." She caught on quickly. "So you're going to teleport one of us out, and the other will fly. And seeing as you can breathe more easily, I'll be leaving first." He nodded.

The mare huffed. "Don't. Just don't. I will not let my home be destroyed for nothing, kid. I know how those spells work, and it'll leave you dead. You don't have the strength to fly straight, anyway." A grim look appeared on her elfin features. "So you won't."

The changeling gasped. Cherry stood, eyes flickering bravely in the flame ahead. For a moment, he could have sworn the mare had become the late Queen Chrysalis. Which made him all the more determined not to lose her. Not this time!

But he couldn't fight her on this. The changeling wasn't sure what could happen if she fought the spell, and there was always a chance he would fail. He nodded silently, lighting his horn quickly. The destination was only yards away, and there was a clear path. He drew in a breath, focused the little magic he had, and released the teleportation.

Silver disappeared, rematerializing on the edge of the gap. He frowned at the scene below: Cherry flapped her wings wildly, but she only rose a few feet. She had a foot or so of distance left before the fire eliminated her safety zone. The mare was gaining air, but she couldn't go on very long. He was forced to back away when a section of roof collapsed.

He shook his head. She wouldn't make it, not like this, but... He suddenly noticed the huge difference between his two teleports. He had stayed awake much more easily, which meant... Maybe he could do a second spell?

Silver looked down through the hole again. Cherry was close... But not close enough.

Pain shot through the mare's veins, but she forced herself to ignore it. No distractions, not another thought. She grit her teeth. The fatigue was winning.

Her wings finally collapsed, hanging at her sides weakly. She couldn't move, couldn't even breath. There was no way to fight.

In that horrible moment, she opened her eyes. The sky above was pure blue, dotted with cotton like clouds. The last thing she might ever see.

The changeling's breath caught. He gathered energy, shooting the beam without thinking. The pegasus was engulfed in light, missing the fire by inches. A moment later, she appeared on the roof nearby.

He smiled. One danger averted. Well, kind of. But they were safe, for now...

Cherry lay on the tile, staring at the sky. Even with the stone against her back, she felt like she was falling. She wanted to draw comfort from the huge expanse of blue, but none came. Something was missing, the same something that had made the sky her retreat for years.

Silver frowned. The look on her face, the pose, the lack of movement... She was fine for the most part, but...

He dragged himself closer. The longer he looked, the larger the lump in his throat became. What happened? What had changed? Why was this odd feeling forcing itself into his mind?

"What's wrong?" He finally spoke. "What's different?" He gulped, afraid of what the answer would be. Maybe there wouldn't be an answer... He steeled himself for the looming possibility.

"Silver, my wings," she blurted. "Look at my wings." She shifted her weight so he could see. "I can't feel them. What happened?"

Silver's heart sank. "They... I'm so sorry." He gulped. "They're gone." The changeling lit his horn one more time, and she could almost see a tear rolling down his face. "Goodbye, Cherry. Forget me, please..."

♠

A nurse slammed open a door ahead. Two doctors were waiting inside. A trio of extra nurses pushed the hospital bed down the hall like precious cargo, quickly but carefully maneuvering it into place in the far corner. The uniform emergency room was blindingly white for most ponies, but the employees had grown used to it.

It was this place Cherry Fizz awoke to. For a moment, she felt like she was falling. Then she opened her eyes, blinking in the fluorescent light. There were already ponies swarming around her, talking in oddly hushed tones. For a second, she was worried that she was going deaf. Then one of them, a sunny-coated mare, turned to her and smiled weakly.

"It's good to see you awake, sis." Lemon Drop said, brushing back a lock of lime-colored hair. The unicorn carried a clipboard and red pen, in front of her, constantly taking notes on Cherry: the way her eyes moved, whether or not she was in shock, any huge tics that developed, any reactions... Basically, nothing escaped Lemon's clever mind. She was, of course, a trauma expert.

The pink mare moaned in what could vaguely be recognized as a "what happened". She was suddenly in the emergency room, she couldn't feel her limbs, and... There was something else. Something very, very wrong.

Lemon motioned to a nurse, a pale stallion with a ginger mane, and walked over to the foot of the bed. " We were hoping you could tell us. We received a call about a fire, then a second one moments before officials arrived. The first was from a neighbor, but the second was at your own house. Luckily, it was contained to three rooms, but..." She trailed off suddenly, mouth practically glued shut.

The nurse took charge. "Ma'am, there was a changeling in your house. We think it started the fire. The officials were able to save you - somehow, you were on the roof - but most of your wing feathers were burned off. In time, they will grow back, but you won't fly for weeks, even with booster medicines. Months, maybe." The entire time, he kept a stoic expression. "The infiltrator escaped, but the police are looking for him."

Something in Cherry broke. Her house had been attacked, and her wings... Not to mention, a changeling had broken in. But why couldn't she remember? Oh Celestia, had it taken her memory?

Lemon wrapped her up in a hug. It was against the professional policy, but who cared? Somepony had almost died, her sister no less... And if she didn't comfort her now, if she didn't appreciate her... When would she get another chance? More to the point, would she at all?

The other employees let them have their moment, but they had to work. A spell had wrapped itself around Cherry's mind, and they had to fix it. Lemon broke away, crying. Her sister, despite being the worse for wear, had put up a brave face.

The other doctor, a gray stallion with a slick cerulean mane, stepped forward. Suddenly, Cherry's breath caught. He looked familiar... But his face was all wrong. So was the halo that shone from his horn. And his eyes... They were cold, too professional. Too normal.

Chapter Five

Fire.

It was the only thing Cherry could remember. Except, of course, the changeling with the spell... Dear Celestia, what happened to her? The police officers had been very nice about the incident, filling in everything they could over the past few months, but she still didn't know anything substantial.

Her parents had visited the day before. Sugar & Spice and Brilliance were extremely careful about mentioning the house, which was very considerate but just made Cherry feel even more helpless, and a little bit insane. One of these days, they'd just stick her in a padded cell...

She shook her head, banishing the idea. Snap out of it, kid, she thought. Nothing good comes from sulking. It was strange; ever since she'd woken up in the hospital, she found herself catching flaws that she wouldn't have noticed before.

She sighed, lying back into the lounge chair. "That's it. Just like the last time."

The therapist nodded. "Understood. Are you absolutely sure, though? I can't imagine any large events would come to mind, but I think this time it would be helpful to look for any details."

Cherry gave him a wan smile. "I know. I just don't think it'll help much. I mean, he could've altered them anyway." She thought back to the changeling, who had been caught three days after the fire.

The therapist frowned. He waved a hoof, prompting Cherry to continue anyway. The pegasus-turned-earth pony sighed again before quickly reprimanding it. "Okay, okay. All I know is that he said he was sorry and started crying. I really don't know why they would send a spy like that, if he was so overdramatic..." She trailed off, think about the gap in her memory. There she was, falling into an inferno, then she was on the roof getting her mind wiped.

She'd gotten over the fire; that was long over. She'd also learned how to live without wings, though sleeping on her stomach was still uncomfortable. Cherry had adapted surprisingly well... Which just made her sister even more nervous in comparison. Most ponies would have curled up in a ball and died, but Cherry...

In the hall, Lemon Drop sat down sadly. The changeling was in a prison cell now, but it wouldn't say anything - not a word since it was captured. The therapist refused to let the mares meet it, as it may make the memory loss worse. Even if nothing happened as far as magic, it could still try to attack.

She drew in a long breath. She would find a way to help her sister. Whether the therapist liked it or not, Cherry would meet the changeling. Lemon already had permission from everyone else. Besides, spells didn't work the same as amnesia or the like - they only worked once per casting.

She bit her lip. Maybe this wasn't so smart...

Lemon jumped as the door popped open. Her sister stepped out, her right eye twitching. These weekly sessions were always frustrating. Clear Mind was a good listener, but sometimes he was a bit more... Persistent than would be appreciated.

Cherry waved a hoof passively, already trotting down the hall. Lemon dutifully followed. They walked through the office in silence, which they both hated but didn't particularly want to break. A single word out of place could set the staff on edge - Cherry's case had become locally famous, despite the police department's best efforts, and they were afraid the spell had altered her instincts or something.

When they finally escaped the concrete building, the pink mare heaved a sigh. Lemon noticed the shine of sweat on her forehead. Cherry quickly wiped it away, a scowl painted on her face. "That stallion doesn't know when to quit... Well, at least we're making progress now, huh?"

Lemon's ears perked up suddenly. "You remember something? That's great! What -" She was silenced by a sharp glance from the younger mare, who wanted to wait until they got home, or rather to her new apartment - in the reconstruction, her house had been changed enough that the familiarity was gone. The three rooms that had burned had been two bedrooms and a memory room. She'd agreed to sell it and had bought a small two-room apartment close to the police station and therapist's office.

Lemon brushed back a strand of green hair, trotting after her sister with a hopeful smile. A new memory hadn't appeared in months.

♠

The prison cell was dark, lit solely by a shaft of moonlight. A haze drifted through the barred window as well, making the small space even more ominous. Past a set of steel bars laid a staircase, at the end of which a guard stood. To top it all off, a thin sheen of liquid had been delicately pulled across the entrance - a magic null.

Strangely, the most off-putting thing about this place was the humidity. To Silver Lining, it was like someone had stretched an REM chamber's worth of water through the already stifling air. But at least it wasn't smoke.

The changeling rolled onto his stomach, letting himself sink into the cot. Fabric being used for bedding was much more comfortable than a chamber, although if these ponies knew how to construct any he probably would've been put there. He sighed, hoping they would wait a while longer before his next interrogation. Maybe he could stay here, if he played his cards right...

A sharp noise at the top of the stairs silenced that thought. The faint clicking of plastic keys, a door opening. A quick shuffle of the guard's metal-clad hooves and a more prominent sound of someone walking. The warm fizz of a torch.

The "specialist" stepped through the null, already examining Silver. It was a pegasus this time, a blue female with a light gold mane and tail. The changeling immediately noticed her dark red eyes.

What he didn't want to notice were the specialist's wings. They were transparent, but looked much more similar to a bat's than any changeling's he'd met. The ponies in charge of these interrogations had been sending in more and more of these, creatures that they thought would make him comfortable. They thought he was being quiet because he was afraid of "perfects", as they called themselves. They thought he believed he was "imperfect." It was just like ponies to assume these things, he knew, but it was just offensive at this point.

The mare smiled, pulling out of her pocket what looked to be a camera. She sat down close to the bars, tapped the camera gently, and nodded in Silver's direction. "Alright, where do we start... Oh, the identity. Okay then. What's your name?"

Silver stayed silent. He rolled over with his back to the specialist.

”Ah. This is going to be one of those days, huh? I understand, but you're going to have to speak up sometime." She tapped the camera again. "Here's the deal. You can ignore me like the others and spend your life cooped up until they just throw you out. Or you could give me some information, off-the-record, and I'll figure out how to tell the others that won't raise any red flags. I personally like the second one better."

Silver's ears inadvertently perked up, squashing his hopes of looking indifferent. The mare's smile widened. "I see we're making progress."

The changeling curled up slightly, raising his hooves to his face. "I thought deals were against the rules."

He instantly regretted the decision to speak when the mare suddenly laughed. "Aha! I told them, it would be better to send me in earlier, but hey! Better late than never, right?" He turned around to see her smiling like a maniac. "See, I don't exactly have rules. They know it's useless."

The mare stood up, trotted over, and pushed her hoof through the cell bars. "I'm Harvest Moon, but my, ahem, clients call me Harvey. I'm what they call a black jacket. Ever heard of me? 'Course you haven't, I'm too good. But anyone who's been behind bars knows my kind." She chuckled quietly. "So, what, we've got a deal?"

Silver rubbed his forehead. "I still don't know what's going on." The bored look on Harvey's face looked oddly out-of-place.

"New to prison. Got it. Basically, when the interrogators can't get anything outta ponies, or changelings in your case, they call me. It's my job to get information, but in exchange my client gets a few... Favors. You name it, I'll do it."

His eyes widened. Favors for information... He got up, still weighing his options. After a few seconds, Harvey frowned. "Haven't got all night, kid."

Silver shook his head, ashamed of himself. "Fine. I'll follow along."

"And what's your price?"

He sighed and stepped forward. "I just... I need to talk to someone."

Harvey nodded, already running through the request in her head. "That's tricky, but I can do it." Silver raised his hoof, hesitant. Still, it was too good to pass up. He shook her hoof, sealing the deal.

Chapter Six

The apartment had white walls, decorated with a framed picture every few feet. Unwashed gray carpet absorbed the light from the window. The furniture was modern as well, but somehow Cherry had managed to make the space decently cozy. There was a balcony on the west wall that hung over a view of Gallopham's highway and commercial district. The whole thing consisted of a sparsely equipped kitchenette and a living room with a fold-up bed, armchair, and round dining area.

Lemon winced as her hoof came in contact with the carpet, making an unexpected squishing sound. "Quite the lifestyle you've built here." She ignored the crunch under her next step.

"Yeah, I know." Her sister muttered. "But hey, it's not all bad! I've got a nice little view of the city over here!" She waved a hoof at the balcony. "Nothing like a face full of smoke to get you up in the morning."

The unicorn laughed despite herself. Cherry always had a joke to lighten the mood.

She sat down across the table from the grounded pegasus. "You've put it off long enough. Tell me about today's session."

Cherry nodded, reluctantly turning in her seat to face Lemon. "Alright. You're sure you want to hear this?" The older girl just gave her a shocked look and nodded vigorously. "Of course you do. Well, it came in a huge chunk today. I still don't know when that thing got in, but..." She trailed off, eyes locked on her steepled hooves.

Lemon's face twisted. "But, what? Spit it out!" There was no way she would go uninformed. Knowledge was hope, as she always said, this time quite literally.

The rosy mare pinched her eyes shut. "You won't believe it. Neither do I, really. It must have changed the memory or something. But from what I can tell, it didn't start the fire. It was in my memory room crying - have I told you before that this guy is a total wuss? Probably. Then there was this flash of light on the ceiling, and I barreled into him and knocked him out of the way. I think it was lightning, but that doesn't make sense. Then I hit my head and passed out."

Lemon found herself studying her sister's behavior. Her speech patterns, her body language, her facial expressions, everything. She felt a pang of guilt about treating her like this, but it was her job now. "Was there anything else? Anything at all?"

Cherry gave her a pained look, rubbing her forehead. "No, of course not."

That was a lie. Lemon shifted out of her seat and towards the kitchen. "I see. Well, if you're done, I'll make lunch. Does that sound okay?"

Cherry's grimace turned into a scowl. "I am not a filly, sister. I can do it just fine."

The sunny unicorn recognized that tone. "Alright. I'll go over our schedule then." She pulled a notebook out of her jacket pocket as she walked over to the armchair. "Tomorrow, we have a tour of the National Museum of Botany, then brunch with Ginger Balm and his medical team..."

"That's your schedule. I'm staying in." Cherry flashed a coy smile. "You can kiss up to those guys all you like, but I'm not coming."

"They are a highly respected group of doctors from Manehattan. THE Manehattan! I don't know what you want out of your career, but I will take this opportunity, and I think it will be good for you to get out of the house."

"Pfft. If they're so famous, why did you only mention Gingy? How'd he get accepted, anyway?"

"He has recently become well-known in the medical world as a brilliant scientist, and he's the reason we get to meet them in the first place. You should be grateful, if not proud to know him."

Cherry reluctantly withheld her next comment about how his status wasn't the only reason they were invited. Luckily, her sister's face was already bright red, if not for the right reason. The rosy pony stifled her grin and walked over to the fridge. "Fine, fine. I'll come, but if they recognize me I'm leaving, got it?"

Her sister offered a pleased smile before dropping the subject. "We have a few free hours after that, and then we'll speak with the ponies in charge of you-know-who." That last comment nearly sent Cherry into a fit of giggles before she realized who it was. Lemon was almost startled by how fast she blanched. "I know it's difficult, but you said it yourself. It didn't want to hurt you, right?"

"I said it didn't start the fire. I didn't say it wasn't dangerous." A faint trace of anger shadowed Cherry's voice.

Lemon frowned, but nodded her agreement. "Alright. Should I write this one off for now? We can always do it later."

"... No. Let's just get it over with." She pulled out a bag of lettuce. "If I put it off now, I'll never get it done." Even as she said it, a chill went down her spine. She distracted herself by shredding the lettuce over a bowl.

The unicorn nodded, putting the schedule back in her pocket. "If you say so. The rest of the day is free, so if you want you can stay home. I'm going out, though."

"What's the occasion?"

"Oh, there isn't one. I'm just going to dinner with Ginger. He wanted to speak with me about something. And before you say anything, we're just friends."

"Sure." Cherry couldn't help but smile a little at her sister, whose face was once again turning red. "Hey, it's no big deal! You're awesome. I'm sure he likes you, too."

"For the millionth time, it's not like that! Tell you what, I'll bet you twenty bits he wants feedback on some theory of his."

The pegasus nodded. "I'll take that bet." She turned back to the fridge, pulling out a crate of tomatoes. "And just so you know, you're a terrible liar."

The first thing one might notice about the Grand Hall was the gold. The ceiling, the railings, even the curtains shone yellow, so much so that many who visited later claimed they had debilitating headaches. Another shock might be the sheer size; it consisted of four twenty-foot levels, each one with a circular gap in the middle. In the center hung an egg-shaped nest, suspended from the ceiling by a long, silklike tether.

It was the sort of place one might call majestic. Still, the only term a local would use for it was "un-changeling".

Much to her subjects' puzzlement, this Hall had been constructed by order of Queen Obsidian herself. She had provided no explanation as to why it would be so... Pony, really. It wasn't even purely a place of royalty; instead, it also had a library inside the Nest. But one did not question the Queen's actions, no matter how odd they might be.

Of course, it had been even more difficult to find a collection of books large enough for her Majesty's tastes. Lyrical Vibrance poked his head out to the main sitting area, hoping that the Queen was still engrossed in her book.

He was wrong. "Who goes there? Come out this instant!" The drone quickly skittered into the light. Obsidian's head jerked to the side. Vibrance vaguely recognized that as a sign of curiosity. Hopefully she would be content to study him.

"Get me a quill and ink." Yes! She returned to the book in front of her before he had even rounded the corner.

Moments later, he returned with the objects balanced on his frail wings. Obsidian nodded, lifting up the book in her magic. "Come here, servant." She deftly picked the quill from his wing before dipping it gently in the ink, which she then levitated, along with the creature underneath.

"You see? I am working on a spell. Luckily for you, this requires a testing subject." She scrawled a note on the paper, messy enough that Vibrance couldn't read it and complicated enough that he didn't want to, either. "Light your horn."

He did so, watching the Queen work. In seconds, she had drawn a figure with a sleek mane and tail, like a pony, but much thinner.

"There. Stand still," A sudden wave of nausea caught him, forcing him to shift his balance. "I said... Well, fine. As long as it worked. Look." A mirror flashed into existence. Instead of a changeling, the mirror depicted a large, tan-colored Earth Pony.

Obsidian's mouth twisted into something close to a smile. "Really now, stay still..." Her horn gave off a warm pulse, and her face twisted again, back to curiosity. "Interesting. Your magic and Hive connection is somewhat intact, but your flight... Remarkable. Let's see..." She trailed off as another wave of nausea hit. This time, the mirror showed a violet-coated Pegasus mare, strikingly similar to the pony in the drawing.

The Queen's expression sent a chill down Vibrance's spine. "Hmm. Flight has been magnified, of course. Your magic is out-of-tune, but still there. Connection has dropped significantly, and continues to deplete. One more, shall we?" He nodded, regretting it immediately. She was probably just bouncing ideas; it would be safest not to respond.

A wave later, he'd been transformed into a scrawny Unicorn stallion. He felt a pang of guilt, although he didn't know why. Obsidian's expression darkened as the analysis spell flowed over him. "I lied. This will be the last, though. Just relax..." At the Queen's word, Vibrance's legs gave up on supporting the changeling. His eyelids threatened to close of their own accord.

The next wave pushed a lump into his throat. Magic or no, he wasn't about to get sick this close to the Queen. He was vaguely aware of her spell washing over him, quietly at first.

Then its power rose into a crescendo, blocking out every other sense. Something was wrong. Very, very wrong. His connection was lost entirely now. Her Majesty's incredulous glare turned into that all-too-familiar look of victory.

Vibrance's thoughts came to an abrupt halt with the final wave. Obsidian cringed, reluctantly pulling back her magic from the gelatinous figure. "Well, that's one problem solved." She poked it with one hoof, which sank into its body a few inches. "... Next time, something less gooey." The Queen gave a quick nod, summoning a janitor. She picked up her book and moved to another bench a few feet away from the mess.

Chapter Seven

Cherry took a deep breath, looking over the restaurant. Her parents were right; apparently, she really would do anything for her sister.

The style of the place was probably meant to be a modern spin on classical-era Prench, although Cherry didn't know enough about architecture to be sure. Maybe modern Reneighssance? The familiar chill of expensive air conditioning wafted through the restaurant, making her squirm in the itchy dress Lemon had forced her to wear even more spasmodically. About a fourth of the diners had ties on their hats so they wouldn't fall off when they stuck their noses up.

Was she at all surprised? Nope. Did it nevertheless give her a horrifying sense of self? You bet it did.

Suddenly she was running down a mental checklist. Haughty stance? Check. Fancy outfit? Check. Important company? Check, kind of. Make-up? Check. Perfume...?

Too late. A waitress was already leading them to the table seating a surprisingly large group of waving, laughing doctors. Lemon gave a polite smile to the diners she passed, the picture of perfection, while Cherry marched behind her, silently withering in her perfumelessness.

When they reached the table, her first instinct was too hide. Slide under the table and just curl up until she disappeared. But no, Lemon would never let her do that, at least not without a lecture on manners.

The next option was to go to the bathroom and sneak out a window, or at the very least just not come out until everypony was gone. She gave her sister a glance, trying to convey her need to leave. Instead of permission, she received an equally sympathetic and scolding look.

She shot her sister a scowl, but sat down anyway. Boy, this would be a long day.

The mare sat a few tables away, fiddling with her hooves. Her tufted ears popped up, twisting towards the subject. Every time they found their target, she forced them back down to a calm position before they could betray her intentions.

She reached up with one hoof and scratched her chin, then her right ear, discreetly activating a pair of speakers. "She's here, kid. Nothing special, pretty out of place in a fancy-schmancy restaurant like this." That comment earned her a few looks of curiosity from nearby diners, but she waved a hoof and pulled out a pen and notepad, dispelling their attention. Now she just looked like a novelist or something, voicing ideas aloud.

"Take it back!" The sudden outburst from the speaker in her ear sent the batpony reeling. That was the one thing she truly hated about these devices: feedback. "Of course she's special! How many others would've helped me?"

Harvey grimaced. "Good point. Very few, and she's not one of 'em. I can tell from here. Whatever you did messed her up real bad."

There was a long beat of silence, then a click. The lack of a reply from her client wasn't all that surprising, but for a second there was an unsettling feeling in her chest. It had been a while since she'd felt guilt, but she knew if she'd tried to soften the blow for him it would just hurt more. The poor creature had been through enough already, and things weren't about to get any better; it was best to just barrel through it while he could.

A moment later, another click sounded. The voice came through audibly exhausted. "I understand. The deal still stands."

"You sure about this? She doesn't care anymore. I promise," she replied, her gaze floated back to the rosy mare, who was too busy fidgeting in her seat to notice.

"I don't care. If I don't meet this new Cherry personally, I'll... I..."

Harvey let out a stale sigh. "Fine, fine. The deal stands." She was about to put away the notepad when an idea popped into her head. Just like any good writer, she needed to figure out his motivation. "Y'know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you like her."

"Of course," he replied. She grinned on the other end before he finished. "If I wasn't her friend, then I wouldn't care."

Her grin widened, not of satisfaction but of how innocent that was. He didn't know! "Wrong 'like', Silver. I mean to say you think she's pretty." Among other things, she thought, chuckling internally.

He stayed quiet for a second, but that just gave the batpony more time to laugh at his expense. She shut her internal dialogue up when he started talking again. "I guess so. She's smarter, though. And nicer. And funny. I think you'd like her if you met her, too."

"Never mind, kid. This isn't my division." She waved the subject off, almost ready to turn back to work. "Glad to see you're feeling better. There's nothing worse than a case of the grumps."

"Actually, there are a lot of things that are worse. Cancer, tuberculosis, smallpox, hepatitis B... Lots of things."

Harvey leaned back, rubbing her forehead. "What are you, a walking library? No, don't answer that. Just trust me. I'll be back in a half hour." She reached up towards the speakers, despite his protest. She tapped the one on her chin, but left the other one on - she wanted to hear his response. There was no such thing as useless information. At least, she'd been taught as much.

The changeling sighed, giving up on reaching the dealmaker. "Fine..." She could hear him lie down on the concrete floor, still listening intently to the radio in front of him. Unlike Harvey, he didn't have access to high technology. Another long silence echoed in her ear, and she was worried he'd turned off the microphone part of the radio, even though she hadn't been allowed to show him how. Then he spoke up, worn out again. "What will she think of me now..."

Harvey was tempted to reach up and tell him it would be okay, that this girl would understand. But that wasn't the truth; in Cherry's eyes, he would be a monster. Maybe she would remember, but memories could be hard to trust, especially with magic involved. It would take some time to see things the way he needed her to. Still, she couldn't just let him think he was alone. She reached up once more. "I heard that. Don't worry about a thing, kid! That won't get you anywhere. I'm out, for real this time. Promise me you won't spend the whole time sulking, okay?"

More quiet. "... Okay."

"You're lying. Now promise."

"I promise!"

She smiled, satisfied. "Good enough. See ya." Then she turned off both speakers, back to the job.

Now came the hard part; getting close to the subject. She surveyed the tables nearby, looking for access. She could probably explain herself as a writer researching the upper class, again, or she could go for a more specific subject. The tables around the subject's were all pretty full, and her table had a few open spots. Unfortunately, one was right next to her and the other on the opposite end.

Still, that would have to be good enough. She got up from her seat, slid a pen on top of her speakerless ear, then marched over to the subject. When she reached the table, she turned to the other diners rather than Cherry. She'd done her research, and knew these ponies were very influential in the medical world. That was her way in. "Hiya, everypony!" She chirped, already in-character.

Suddenly she had the eyes of the entire table, who were surprised to have a visitor, but luckily very happy for a distraction. she could sense their stress from a mile away, and it was extremely lucky the other diners hadn't. "I'm doing some research for a book I want to write," she explained, pulling out the notepad with her teeth and mouthing the word "see?". the she dropped it on the table so she could finish speaking. "You guys seem to be the perfect subjects for my study! Can I sit with you, just for a little while? I won't be a bother, I promise!"

A cheer sounded at the other end, originating from a very tired-looking mare who had clearly been censoring most of her thoughts for these other folks. Some others carried it through with varying degrees of enthusiasm. The rest, besides Cherry, just nodded politely. The rosy mare let out something between a yawn and a growl and pulled out the chair next to her.

She sat down, pulling the pen away from her ear to draw some lines on the paper, frantically enough to make everypony think she was writing and organized enough to assure any of them who bothered to check her progress. She quickly realized that wasn't necessary, as Cherry had situated herself away from the diners who were actually paying attention to their surroundings, besides the pony she recognized as the subject's sister, who was distracted by the meeting.

Seeing as everypony was preoccupied at the moment, Harvey jotted down a note among the lines she'd already scattered across the paper. Don't tell anypony about these notes. I need to talk to you, and you have to trust me. She tore it from the notepad, eyes glued to the meeting. After a short moment of thought, she wrote on the back, it's about the changeling. Now rip this note up if you'll listen. The batpony had never been the most elegant on communication's front, but she wasn't about to lie about anything. This would have to be enough.

She crumpled it up, then nudged the mare beside her and dropped it in her hooves. At least Cherry had the manners to keep them off the table. She watched out of the corner of her eye as the mare in white picked it up, unfolded it, and read the note, a look of boredom giving way to morbid curiosity.

Cherry gave the younger mare a sideways glare, but Harvey had seen this many times before. She just made a flipping motion with her hoof, and the subject turned the note over, curious again. Her expression sunk for a split second when she read the next part, but she straightened up and shredded the paper between her hooves, taking care to be silent about it.

Harvey nodded with a grin, already writing the next note. When you're ready to leave, tell your sister there's an emergency and lead her to the east end of the building. I'll be there, and I'll try to explain things on the way. Keep this note, as you might need it to convince her. She gave Cherry the new note, and a few seconds later received a nod of agreement. Her grin widened, and she took the chance to bid farewell to the table and leave.

A half hour later, the three mares met at the designated wall. Just like the batpony had said, Lemon had initially refused to follow, but when Cherry pulled out the note, the older pony begrudgedly obeyed. Still, when they stepped into the shadow of the east end, Harvey knew she was right about this being a delicate operation.

Before she could explain, though, the unicorn stepped forward, blocking her view of the subject. Her voice, usually sweet like molasses, turned cold. "I hope you have a good reason to drag my sister back here." The mare puffed up her chest, nostrils flaring lightly.

Harvey didn't let her surprise show. Such a blatant show of defiance would not be trifled with. "That's a pretty brave tone, seeing as I'm her only chance for real recovery. You don't have to like it. You don't even need to come with us." She copied Lemon's stance, but couldn't quite reach that height. Instead, she pulled the most official-looking glare she could. "But I'm not leaving here without my objective."

Lemon shrunk back slightly, concern bright on her face. The anger wasn't gone by any stretch of the imagination, but there was still potential. Then again, the rosy mare behind her took a full step back. She looked ready to bolt.

The batpony lowered her stance again, maintaining the glare. "Good to know you'll cooperate. I'm not answering questions, but I won't hide anything. There is no room for change in these rules. Now follow me." Then she turned and began towards the street. The sisters lagged behind for a second, but after the initial surprise they started moving too.

Harvey grinned, reaching up to her headgear. Per her deal, she made no effort to hide her speech. "Hey, kid. We're on our way."

There was a sudden shuffle of activity, then the ring of feedback as the changeling shouted unintelligibly into the radio. She grimaced. "Hold on, you're too loud. Bring it down a notch."

He quieted slightly, but not enough to help her make sense of anything. She rolled her eyes, letting her grin resurface and drown out the painful noise. "Turn down the volume or I'll turn up the speaker."

That shut him up pretty quickly. Whether he recognized it or not, the idea of having his crush hear him before he was ready was mortifying. Harvey chuckled, earning more strange looks yet. Finally a comprehensible phrase made its way through the speaker. "I'm sorry, ma'am."

"Oh, it's nothing, Silver. Just remember it won't get you anywhere if I don't understand. Anyway, we'll be there in just a mo, so be prepared." He didn't say anything in response, but she guessed he probably had nodded and forgot she couldn't see the gesture. Oh, well, social skills would come later.