Dear Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, we (the noble families of Canterlot) do humbly beg your presence in the capital to banish a great evil that has wormed into the heart of our great empire. Changelings have taken control of not just Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, but Princess Twilight Sparkle, and Prince Blueblood have also been compromised. Even a newly emerged alicorn, we have found out, has been tainted by them. As the only monarch and alicorn left, and with your history regarding changelings, we implore you to come and save our empire.

Jet Set

"What do you make of it?" Cadance floated the note over so Shining could read it. Which, of course, he did. Three times.

"It is a big pile of pony poop." Shining grinned. "But I am sure Princess Celestia will be intrigued to read it, and since we are going anyway there is no reason we can't meet with Jet and find out what his deal is."

Cadance leaned in and nuzzled the mare at her side. "You are getting better with this stuff." She finished by kissing her husband. Their announcement to the ponies of the Crystal Empire, that morning, had gone without a hitch. Explaining that they wanted 'more heirs' to the Empire explained away the results of their bedroom games quite effectively. More than one mare swooned at the idea that a stallion would so love his wife and his country that he would take on childbirth for them.

"Then we go to the station and get this silliness over with?" Shining wondered if she should feel any of the 'typical' pregnancy things. "Shouldn't I be getting sick?"

"Give it time, love. A few days at least, then, if you are so inclined, you will probably spend your mornings in the double you see." Cadance kissed the pregnant mare again and gave Flurry a kiss on the forehead too, just beside her horn. "And you, don't you think for a second that we would leave you here, oh no we won't!"

Flurry Heart giggled and her horn flared a moment then subsided, the spell that Sunburst had shown Cadance was, apparently, the most useful thing a pony could ever do for a newborn. "Gwa ga?"

Shining felt her heart melt anew at the filly. She leaned in and each of Flurry's parents nuzzled her cheeks at the same time, drawing more adorable coos from the tiny alicorn.

Celestia was glowing. She had consented to have the 'changeling influence' spell cast on her and apparently it was confirming that she had had a changeling's mind affecting ability used on her. "Let me cast a dispell then, remove whatever effect is on me." Celestia smiled and began doing just that.

"No! You cannot be trusted." Jet Set appeared to be the ringleader of the noble houses. "We ask that you remain in Canterlot until we secure the aid of a pony above reproach, as far as this situation is concerned."

"What exactly is this spell detecting?" Celestia flared her horn, playing the spell with herself as the target. She glowed again, predictably.

"The influence of changeling magic, simple as that!" Jet was looking like he expected something, something from the station judging by how he kept glancing down the street right at it.

"Expecting somepony?" Celestia had an inkling of who this 'above reproach' pony would be, but it didn't pay to show your hoof all at once, let alone the fact that she wanted to see what Jet's reaction to the question would be.

"Of course and, ah!" Jet Set beamed, spotting the pink alicorn and white unicorn trotting down the street toward them, ponies at their side keeping the chance of changeling influence at bay. "Princess Mi Amore Cadenza."

Cadance looked to Celestia, then to the bowing noble. "It is a grave accusation I come here to investigate." Cadance looked back to Jet Set. "What are your accusations, Jet Set."

Jet nodded, taking a deep breath. "Both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have come under the spell of changeling Queen Twisty Turn. Recently, Prince Blueblood has also come under their sway but we are not sure which changeling has their teeth in my good friend's mind."

"Grave indeed. Well, barring any reliable spell to detect direct, malicious, mental control, I must rely on a tried and true method… what's the matter?" Cadance looked to Jet Set, the stallion looking proud as punch.

"There is such a spell!" Jet Set cast the spell, targeting Celestia and watching her glow. "See!"

"Ah, yes, as I was saying, there is no reliable way to-" Cadance started repeating her words but was interrupted.

"But this spell is reliable! Every pony we have tested who came up negative has had nothing to do with changelings!" Jet Set was a little off-step now, this wasn't going quite right.

"This spell was created by a talented spell-wright in the Crystal Empire months ago. I had it made to detect, as you say, who has not been influenced by changelings. My husband, of course, glowed brightly. But there is a flaw you see." Cadance cast the spell on Celestia, again and once more the white alicorn lit up. "You see, it detects any touch of changeling magic. Even if Auntie had just been fed from, or even had a simple suggestion like, 'turn around in three circles before bed', it would light up for the rest of the pony's life."

Cadance began to cast a dispell and even Jet Set could see it was going to be a very potent spell. Bringing the power up to the level only an alicorn or an amazingly powerful unicorn could reach, she unloaded it into Celestia.

A link snapped. Celestia felt it break and instantly felt the loss of it. It wasn't any type of mind control, nor even a harmless suggestion. All such Twisty had used on her had been short-duration. It was the feeding bond that the changeling had with her, it was severed after spending months building it. "Happy now?"

"Your most humble servant," Jet Set bowed to Celestia and the white alicorn shared a glance with her niece, "I ask that you return the favor, dispelling all of Canterlot."

"I shan't." Celestia saw the look of shock Jet Set gave her. "For two reasons. The first is there are many ponies in the city that rely on magic for non-trivial reasons." She got a nod of agreement from Cadance. "Second is, of course, it would be abuse of power of the highest order. I will offer ponies to have themselves dispelled, if they so wish it. But I can assure you, Jet Set, I was no more under anypony's influence before than I am now."

"But… but… you were enchanted by her!" Jet Set stomped a hoof, casting 'his' spell again and watching Celestia glow. "See! You are still under her control!"

"Jet Set, dear?" Upper Crust had come up beside her husband. "I think it is time to calm down now. You have done your duty, Celestia is free from any control spells, I don't think anything could withstand the spell Princess Cadance cast." She gave the pink alicorn a little smile.

"I… but the changelings are taking over!" Jet Set sounded less and less like he had all his marbles and Upper put a foreleg over his shoulder to guide him away.

"Yes dear, let's go and work out a way to stop them, shall we?" Upper gave Celestia the most apologetic look a mare could.

"I am sorry, Cadance." Celestia had waited for the stallion to be guided away by Upper Crust. "This was quite the mess to have to come to."

Cadance stepped up to Celestia and reached out a wing to rub her 'aunt's side. "Princess Celestia, and don't you dare correct me on saying that," by the way Celestia's mouth snapped shut it was clear she was going to, "you are welcome. The support Canterlot has given the Crystal Empire makes such visits trivial… well, except to announce our big news." Cadance beamed in delight and drew her wing back.

"Big news? What big news? We were just in the Crystal Empire…" Celestia squinted a little at Cadance, wondering what her peer's game was.

"We will need a gathering, Twilight is on her way with her friends. I trust you could organize something nice and open, where everypony can see?" Cadance almost giggled with excitement.

"Of course…" Celestia hated being out of the loop, why hadn't any of her… associates, warned her about this?

"So what do you think the big news is?" Twilight was walking along, Gel at her side, with her friends fanning out on either side of them. Applejack had worked in and was at her other shoulder. She liked having two ponies she really cared for on each side of her.

"I have no idea, but my tail twitches every time I think about it, so it must be something amazing!" Pinkie Pie's volume and pitch increased as she spoke so that she was yelling the last word.

"Could it have something to do with Flurry?" Muffins walked so that Rainbow Dash's side kept brushing her own, it was a small thing, but neither of them moved the small distance to stop it.

"Oh, oh! Maybe she said her first word!" Pinkie was bouncing along on all fours, pronking between Fluttershy, who was beside Gel, and Rainbow Dash.

"I am positive it is too early for her to be talking, but she is an alicorn." Rarity pranced along, wearing the absolute height of fashion in her sun hat. "Maybe they have uncovered some hot springs and are opening a spa in the Crystal Empire? That would be amazing…"

They could see signs of rubble from where the noble ponies had cordoned off part of the city, thankfully ponies were already clearing it. "Is it just me or do crazy things seem to happen here, every other day?" Twilight watched as two big workers used their horns to lift away heavy rocks that had been brought in from nopony-knew-where.

"You are doing it again, Twi." Gel nuzzled the mare's cheek, not wanting to stuff his hoof in her mouth to silence her tempting of fate. It was one thing to do it when you had spent the day inside and knew your hooves were clean, but the streets of Canterlot were a little dusty today.

"Yeah Twi, you know that every time you say that one of us ends up with something latched on, or inside us, or trying to do both." Rainbow Dash wore a smile despite her grievance, she wasn't mad at her friend.

"Point taken." Twilight saw two stallions galloping toward them, both wearing guard uniforms. "Hi!"

The easy address of a princess was not something a guardspony could get used to and they both stopped. "Your Highness, your presence is required for an announcement in the city square!" The second stallion just nodded. Gel could feel something in the pair, the touch of changeling magic. He almost bopped himself on the head, of course they would feel that way, nearly every pony in the city had been 'mind controlled' yesterday.

"Then we should go there right away!" Twilight grinned and started following as the two guards led her and her friends in a little procession.

They kept quiet with their new audience, the guards not needing to know the details of their personal lives, nor what they thought was going to happen. Reaching the big open plaza they found nearly every pony in the city squeezed in. On a little stage to one side was Cadance, standing alone. "Twilight!" Cadance wore a bright smiled and gesture to the purple alicorn.

"Go on, princess duties I assume." Gel kissed his mate and then stepped into the gap Twilight left to press against Applejack. "And how is the other mare in my life doing?"

Applejack was a little surprised. "Ah… well darn it, now you got me flustered. Am ah really a mare in your life?"

"You know you are. Would you like a demonstration? I am not sure all the ponies here would want to watch, maybe Muffins could help hide us?" Gel spoke softly, his snout right at AJ's ear.

"What did you say to her?" Fluttershy's wings shot up. "I have never seen Applejack blush that hard!"

"I propositioned this lovely mare." Gel turned and looked at Fluttershy, feeling again the delight he had when he had been with her. Why was he so darned excited suddenly?

Fluttershy blushed just from the look, her body quivering as she thought that the stallion in front of her was going to be the father of her foal. A whole new place warmed inside her and she smiled and relaxed, despite the embarrassment.

Meanwhile, AJ had gotten her wits back together after the lewd offer, but despite how inappropriate it was, she couldn't help but think it was exciting to have him offer. And of course, as she thought that, she couldn't help but imagining him… them, actually doing it.

"Now what I wouldn't give to know why you blushed so much a second time." Gel leaned against the mare whose strength was, according to most ponies, as limitless as her honesty.

"Shh, they are about to start talking!" Rainbow Dash's hushing tone had the intended effect, but Applejack still blushed. Gel leaning against her felt nice, nice enough she leaned a little too.

Author's Note

Damn but I love writing with all the ponies of Ponyville together and happy, it gave me a warm fuzzy just to had Gel and AJ flirt, Fluttershy open up, and Muffins and RD share some casual intimacy. Oh, what's that? Pinkie wants to get in on some action? Well darn I guess we should.

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