Somethin' Ain't Right

Applejack was sitting next to Spike when dinner started, and she wasn't surprised at what she saw or heard. There were small conversations of, 'How are you?' 'How is the wedding planning going?' 'What do you think of..'. It reminded her of her small stint in Manehatten what her Uncle would say, "Nothing to be said but everything." She had noticed it through her stay there, it happened a lot within the elite. Words that actually meant something were said in private, unless it actually meant something. Everyone was talking, but the room was silent.

It continued that was all through dinner, at least until the dessert course. Cake was brought out from the kitchens, the best in the nation of Equestria. It was a simple chocolate mousse but everything was blended and mixed to perfection, same for the cheesecake and the strawberry rhubarb. It was no secret that Celestia loves cake. It had truly been quiet before a hand hit the table in anger. Everyone was looking around till the hands owner said something, "Now, I can understand that it is not my business, but it is clear there is an elephant in the room. We are all sensible adults, intruder or not at least let this deafening silence end." It was Rarity, the wild card of the group. "Out of everyone here I have been the most out of the loop and I demand an explanation."

After a brief moment of quiet before Twilight stood from her seat. "You are absolutely right Rarity, and as your friend I apologize. Let us not lie to ourselves there is something going on." she began pacing as she explained, "The changeling have invaded, they are here in the castle, and one of us in this room is not who they say they are."

With a sigh, and her chair moving back as she stood, eyes turned to Celestia as she wiped her face with a napkin. "I was hoping to save this for after dinner, but, it seems we must resolve this issue now." She said with her eyes looking at everyone. "It seems you are right Twilight, we cant avoid this now,so I ask. If anyone has noticed anything, something out of the ordinary, now is the time to speak."

Applejack waited, not out of fear of the backlash she may get, but out of fear for her father. He was here but so was his Queen, his life may very well be on the line. 'How should I bring it up? I know there is a lot riding on this, but so is a lot if I do say anything.' she thought. She then felt a hand on hers, she looked up to see Spike holding it. His small smile was what she really needed, that's because to her changeling half and her pony half she could feel the love from it.

Her train of thought was stopped when Twilight spoke. "As we all know, thanks to Applejacks insight, changeling feed off of emotion. With such an event as a Royal wedding, and hundreds in attendance maybe even over a thousand, this will the biggest show of raw emotion for a very long time. The real question is who could it be? I went to the library all today to research all known sightings of changelings and their know behaviors. They are known to infest till they have taken over. Its actually pretty fascinating how they do it! They insert themselves.."

She had felt a pat on her back and looked to see Princess Luna looking at her. "I don't mean to disrupt your scientific discovery, but I have a moon to raise so can you get to the point?" Princess Luna said that with a straight face.

With a blush from Twilight and few giggles from the others she said, "What I'm trying to say is it would have to be someone with pull in the environment around, someone who not a lot of people would know closely, someone who if they were to suddenly change slightly there would be no problem, and most importantly, someone to back them up with the same power."

Everyone but Applejack looked confused, questioning the real reason they were her. As Applejack stood eyes shifted to her.

"I.. Have something to say." she cleared her throat as she continued. "I know who it is, its Princess Cadence!"