Twilight wasted no time getting to Canterlot upon being summoned by Princess Celestia. She'd received a scroll from the sun-raising princess earlier that day, asking her to come to her castle and see her at once about an urgent matter that involved her and her friends. What it was, the princess did not specify, though Twilight knew she'd find out soon enough.
As she sped into the huge castle and before the thrones of Princess Luna and Celestia, it was only Celestia that was present, with Luna likely asleep, due to her nightly duties.
Twilight stood patiently and waited for Celestia to finish talking to one of her famed Royal Guards before turning to her ex-pupil and bidding a greeting. "I've called you here because there is something very important that you must know. It could potentially be a very dangerous situation," Celestia began, stepping down from the throne and walking down beside Twilight and beyond, prompting the Friendship princess to follow.
Twilight took a deep breath. Dangerous? "I see. What is it? Is it Tirek? A disease? Some ponies that need friendship lessons?"
"None of those," Celestia replied flatly. "I'm afraid there is a changeling among your friends. They have been disguised as one for quite a while now, going completely unnoticed."
"There's a what?!" Twilight stopped in her tracks. A changeling? This can't be good! "So, how long has this been?"
They turned a corner, and a passing guard saluted before carrying on. "I've discussed this with Shining Armor and Princess Cadance, and we've agreed that it's possible the changeling has been around since the wedding."
Twilight gulped. "Geez... What do we do?"
"It's what you will do, Princess Twilight. You must find out which of your friends is not a friend at all. The changeling must be apprehended as soon as possible. Who knows what they're planning? We cannot wait any longer. It may even be too late. So you must go now and figure out which of your friends is fake."
Twilight nodded. "Of course. And I bring them to you?" She prepared to fly off on this "assignment" of sorts.
"Yes. Princess Cadance and Shining Armor are on their way as we speak. Capture the changeling and bring it here, and we will deal with it."
Twilight nodded once again. "Right away, princess. Though capturing might not be an easy task..."
"You, of all ponies can do this. I have utmost faith in you, my former student. Now go, before it's too late."
Twilight spread her wings and flew off, heading for Ponyville.
Her castle was empty when Twilight trotted through the double door entrance in search for Spike. Her number one assistant was sure to want in on this dilemma, and she'd certainly need his help, as well.
Going up the stairs to her room, she discovered the young dragon asleep on her bed, facedown in the pillow.
She gave a momentary smile before calling his name quietly. "Spike?"
He stirred, but didn't wake. So Twilight tried again, a bit louder.
"Spike! Wake up, I need your help."
He mumbled and rolled over, pulling the covers over him up to his neck and snuggling the pillow.
Twilight sighed and rolled her eyes, trotting over and pulling the covers off him. "Spike! Wake up!"
"Wah!" He leapt into the air, startled, and collapsed on the floor. He rubbed his head and grimaced, staring up at his friend. "Hey... What gives?"
"Spike, the Princess has put me on an important task, and I'll need your help to complete it," she replied, making the bed.
Spike stood up, still rubbing his head gingerly. "Well, what is it?"
Twilight fluffed the pillow and led Spike out of the room and down the stairs as she explained to him what Celestia had told her. As she expected, Spike was appalled.
"A changeling? All this time? But who?" He nibbled his claw-tips nervously as they reached the bottom of the stairs and headed for the front doors. "Do you have any ideas?"
"No, I don't. But that's what we're going to find out. Unfortunately, we'll have to gather all our friends to do it." She went outside, Spike on her tail, and went in the direction of Fluttershy's cottage, since she was closest.
"How are we going to do that?" Spike inquired, hopping onto her back for a ride.
She began trotting. "I have a few ideas..."
"I don't like the sound of this..."
Twilight went around some ponies walking slowly and talking. "Neither do I, but this has to be done. They could be up to something no good. They have to be up to no good. Celestia made a good point when she stated this could be potentially dangerous. If this changeling gets back to the Hive, it could have information to help Queen Chrysalis make a second attack! We can't let that happen."
Spike clung to her neck. "I'm just not looking forward to seeing it," he murmured.
"It's for the better, Spike. And as much as the others won't like this, they'll understand it has to be done. At least, the ones that aren't a changeling..." She made her way over the bridge to the animal-friendly cottage that was the Element of Kindnesses home. "And I guess we'll just gather them all up and go from there."
"Wait, do what?"
Twilight reached the front door of the cottage and knocked firmly. "You'll see."
Spike swallowed hard. "I've got a real bad feeling about this..."
"Ya gonna tell us why we're here now, Twilight?" Applejack demanded, having been interrupted whilst doing important farm work. She stood beside Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity, none of which appeared amused.
They were all at the park, in the midst of a field of daisies. Twilight chose here, so if the changeling attempted an escape, it would be easier to chase down, and in the event it made a successful escape, she'd be able to see the direction it left.
Twilight paced back and forth in front of them, squinting down at the ground as she thought. "Give me a moment."
Exasperated sighs emanated from her friends.
"Twilight, dear, you've been 'given a moment' for almost half an hour. Perhaps you've got something you'd like to tell us?" Rarity said, fluffing her mane and glaring at the sun.
Rainbow fluttered into the air, earning a gaze from Twilight. "Yeah, like why the heck we're here? That'd be a good start."
Twilight shook her head and turned to them. "Okay, so the reason I've gathered you all here today is because... Well..." She fell silent and scratched the back of her head nervously.
"Well?" Applejack prodded, slightly irritated.
Twilight took a deep breath. "One of you is a changeling."
Nopony said a word for a solid minute.
"What?" Rainbow asked incredulously. "Is your head screwed on all the way?"
Rarity stepped forward and placed a hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "Twilight, dear, whatever gave you such a preposterous idea?"
"And from the blue, I might add," Applejack chimed in, chewing a piece of hay.
Twilight sighed heavily. "I received word from Princess Celestia herself that one of my friends is a changeling, and has been since the wedding in Canterlot. There's no reason to be alarmed... Unless, of course, you're a changeling."
"Um, Twilight?" Fluttershy spoke up for the first time, plodding at the ground nervously. "How are you going to figure out who's the changeling?"
Twilight stepped up to Fluttershy and studied her face closely, inciting the shy pegasus to retract her head and smile awkwardly. "You sound more nervous than usual, Fluttershy. Why is that?"
Rainbow landed and rolled her eyes. "Pfft. That's not abnormal behavior, Twilight. And you know it."
Twilight continued studying the now curled up yellow mare. "Hmmmmm... I suppose you're right... But there's only one way to find out!" Twilight took Fluttershy's hoof and led her to the edge of the woods. The others trailed along behind.
"What in Celestia's green earth are ya doin', Twi?" Applejack asked, spiting the hay out.
Twilight dragged the whimpering mare in front of the woods and let go of her. "If this is the real Fluttershy, she'll be able to call wild animals from the forest!" Twilight grinned deviously at the pony in question. "So, do it."
Fluttershy nodded rapidly and stood up on shaky legs, facing the dark woods before her. "U-um... A-a-animals... Uh... Unite?" She dropped to the ground and covered her head. "I don't do good under pressure!" she cried loudly.
Twilight smiled assuringly. "There's nothing to worry about. If you're really Fluttershy, something will show up."
"Twilight," Applejack slid up beside her. "These methods of yers ain't gonna be as unorthodox as they seem, are they?"
The unicorn stared into the woods, ignoring the country pony's question.
It didn't take long for the sound of something barreling out of the woods to capture the ponys' attention.
Twilight grinned. "See? Nothing to worry - "
A huge bear came lumbering out of the forest - and straight at Twilight.
Her heart sank. "Oh, dear..." She spun around and ran, yelling along the way. The bear chased her about while the others stood around with a variety of looks, including confused, humorous, and frightened. "It's her! It's her!" Twilight shouted at the top of her lungs.
Rainbow walked up to the cowering Fluttershy. "Uh, you gonna call that bear off, or..."
Twilight paced in front her friends yet again, thinking of a different approach.
"So, Twilight, what's the deal? Are you going to do this with each of us?" Rainbow questioned her, laying back in the grass with her hind legs crossed and her forelegs behind her head. The others sat or stood around
"I have to figure out who's the changeling. So why don't you come here, Rainbow Dash." Twilight stood in front of the lounging mare.
"I am here, Twilight."
She sighed. "Stand up please."
Rainbow growled and hopped up, facing her friend and pouting. "Now what?"
Twilight smiled innocently. "Nothing bad... But the real Rainbow is the best flier I know. So let's go ahead and see who's faster, shall we?"
Rainbow gawked at her. "You're kidding, right?"
"Uhhhh, I don't think she is, Dashie..." Pinkie answered for her.
Twilight grinned back at Rainbow, blinking.
"Weird... But okay, if you say so." She flew up to cloud level, and Twilight joined her.
"Okay," Twilight said. "Here's the plan. We fly and dodge all the clouds and fly back here. Whoever's fastest wins. If I win, you're clearly not Rainbow Dash. Got it?"
"This is going to be easy. Just letting you know."
"Go Dashie!" Pinkie exclaimed from the ground, hopping up and down.
Twilight and Rainbow assumed the position on a cloud, preparing to take off.
"Ready?" Twilight asked her friend, cocking an eyebrow and smirking.
"Born ready."
"Then go!" Twilight shouted, and in a flurry of wings and clouds, they were off.
Much to the surprise of both Twilight and her friends, she was ahead of Rainbow.
She glanced back and laughed. "Ha! I'm winning!"
Rainbow whizzed past her, the wind disturbance causing the purple pony to lose control and come careening to the earth, screaming incessantly until she landed face first into the ground, buried under the dirt.
Her friends ran over to see if she was okay.
"Twilight! I knew this was a bad idea!"
"For real?"
"Oh, my stars!"
Twilight groaned and crawled from the pit she'd made in her crash landing. Rainbow landed nearby and casually trotted over. "Well, I won. I guess I'm not a changeling, huh?"
Twilight glared up at her and spit out a wad of grassy dirt.
Not much later, she and Rarity sat at a table adorned with fabric and tools for making clothing.
"Twilight, dear, why must we do this?"
Twilight began digging around on the table. "If you can't make a better dress than me, you'd have to be a changeling. Simple as that."
Applejack moved forward from the others, who sat on a nearby bench. "Now, Twilight, suppose ya figure out she's not a changeling. Ya gonna do this crazy stuff fer each of us?"
Twilight spun around in her seat. "Yes! I am! Because it's the only way!" She turned back to the table. "Now, let's get started, Rarity."
"If that's what you wish, dear..."
Twilight began construction of her dress, whilst Rarity, directly across from her, began her own. Nearly two hours later, they finished.
The others were all asleep when Twilight excitedly announced they had finished and were ready to compare dresses.
Applejack yawned. "This had better be good..."
Rarity held up a magnificent article of clothing, worthy of a showroom. The others oohed and ahhed at the sight.
Twilight held up hers - and silence.
Rarity came up beside her friend. "Uh, Twilight, darling... All you did was sow together two squares of cloth and tape sequins to it..."
Twilight blushed and hugged it to her chest. "Well, maybe I like it...!"
Rainbow whistled innocently. "That wasn't part of the deal..." she said in singsong.
Rarity cleared her throat. "Now, as much as I'd hate to agree with her, Rainbow Dash is right. We were supposed to create beautiful dresses that everypony adores, not just ourselves..."
"And yours is butt ugly," Rainbow Dash blurted, earning a reprimanding elbow from Applejack.
Twilight tossed it to the side. "So what? Rarity's isn't that much better!"
Everypony looked away, falling silent.
Twilight stood up from the bench and stomped away. "Ugh!"
Applejack and Twilight now stood before a large cluster of trees, full of ripe, heavy apples. Buckets sat beneath them, ready to be filled with the delicious fruits.
"Are ya sure ya wanna do this, Twilight? You've never been one fer hard, physical labor," Applejack said rather honestly, not making eye contact with her.
"Today she has," Rainbow joked from afar, with the other friends around her.
Twilight stubbornly stared ahead. "Yes, I'm quite sure this is what I want to do."
"It's gettin' dark, though..." Applejack glanced over at the setting sun.
"Than let's hurry up and do this!" Twilight growled. "We kick and fill the buckets. If I win, you're not Applejack. Let's go." She ran forward and kicked a tree with both hind legs, inciting only a few apples to fall. Applejack ran over, kicking a tree the same way, and overfilling the bucket.
Twilight kicked the same tree she just had, over and over, frustrated. Only one apple fell after ten kicks.
"That's, uh... Pretty bad, Twilight..." Applejack commented quietly, already finished filling her buckets. She stood beside the overly angry unicorn as she continued bucking the tree senselessly.
No apples fell.
"Pinkie, you and I will have a bake off!" Twilight exclaimed, twitching and grinning strangely.
The sun had set, and the moon was full overhead, but here they all were, sitting at a picnic table about to watch a sweets cook off.
Rainbow leaned over to Fluttershy and whispered in her ear: "Twilight has lost her marbles."
Fluttershy nodded.
"Okie dokie, Twilight. This'll be fun!" Pinkie licked her lips at all the baking foods splayed across the table.
"No!" Twilight said. "Not fun! This is a test to see if you're evil!" She huffed and shook with fury. "Let's begin!"
Pinkie cocked her head to the side, looking concerned. "Um... Okay!" She grabbed her materials and got to mixing.
Meanwhile, on Twilight's side, batter for something slightly gross splattered everywhere, and the friends backed away a bit.
"Done!" Pinkie said happily a few minutes later, showing off her delectable cupcakes.
"Done!" Twilight shrieked, showing off... Piles of goop.
"What they hay is that?" Rainbow gagged, covering her nose. "Smells like Spikes bed."
"Hey!" Spike groused.
Twilight brought the plate of unidentifiable substance to each of her friends and offered them some, to which they politely declined.
"What's the matter? They're delicious!" Twilight yelled, shoving the plate in their faces.
"We're not even sure what 'it' is..." Fluttershy said softly, sticking her tongue out at the smell and sight of the stuff on the plate.
Twilight growled and threw the plate aside. "Here I thought we could do this easily, but noooooo... Look at the difficulty!" She pushed past her friends and over to Spike, who sat in the grass nearby. "Spike! Hand me my saddlebag! I'm going home!"
Freaked out, he grabbed it and brought it too her. She tore it from his claws, causing it to open and spill the contents, which included her Starswirl the Bearded beard.
"Ewwww! What the heck is that doing in my bag? Get that gross thing out of here!" She kicked it aside, tossing her saddlebag on.
Spike picked the beard up, looking confused. "Twilight - this is Starswirl the Beardeds' beard... Your favorite pony in history... I thought you liked it?"
Applejack took a few steps forward. "Yeah, surely you'd recognize it when ya saw it."
Twilight laughed nervously. "Bahaha! Of course! It slipped my mind! Silly me!" She snatched it from Spike and shoved it in the bag.
Applejack scratched her chin thoughtfully. "Twilight wouldn't forget about her favorite pony. Or his beard. Somethin' ain't right..." She narrowed her eyes at Twilight, who backed away, looking back and forth at the others as they closed in on her, also looking suspicious.
"Uh... It's been a long day?" she said innocently, grinning widely.
They all glared at her.
"Look! A distraction!" Twilight pointed off to the left, and the ponies all followed her pointing hoof. When they looked back, Twilight was flying away, and reverted into the changeling form.
Rainbow stepped up beside Applejack, who, amongst the others, was half surprised and confused. "Uhhhh... Shouldn't we go after it? The princess probably really is looking for this changeling."
Applejack sighed. "Nah... Let's go find Twilight. She'll know what to do. 'Sides, it's gettin' late an' I'm sure that thing ain't gonna cause no trouble around here for a mighty while."
"Good idea," Rainbow agreed. They all turned and walked away.
Twilight was later found bound and gagged in her own closet, in a magic-proof box.
