Changeling Therapy 2: Dreams And Nightmares

Note: This story follows on from the events which occur in the story Changeling Therapy, which was written just before the episode “The Times They Are A Changeling” was released. This sequel is considered a continuation of this timeline branch.

“So…” Iridis began, his face betraying an energised mix of nervousness and excitement. “You really think this is going to get me the next of my mini Cutie Marks?” He glanced down once again at this flank which was still incomplete, the first of his ‘Cutie Vessels’ filled with a solitary re-print of one of Fluttershy’s symbols.

“Sure do!” Apple Bloom replied, bouncing up and down excitedly and eliciting concordant nods from her fellow Crusaders.

“And this is how you guys got your marks?” Iridis pressed, still not sure if he was completely ready to go through with their suggestion.

“Well…” Scootaloo chimed in, chin nestled for one moment in the cup of her hoof. “Not exactly…”

“Sort of..” Sweetie Belle contributed, interrupting her fellow crusader. “I mean, we did all kinds of crazy things, none of them on their own got us our cutie marks for something specific…”

“But in the end they all kind of helped us!” Apple Bloom finished, triumphantly. “It was through all those activities we learned to help other ponies find their marks, when we decided that we all got lifted up into the air like - it was all glowy and before we knew it, pow! No longer blank flanks!”

Iridis listened patiently and nodded slowly in comprehension. “So, yes OK, I can see how the whole process was important. But this, isn’t it a little dangerous? Even for the things we’ve already tried?”

The Changeling had a point.

The CMC had been very supportive and proactive over the last year or so in trying to get Iridis’s additional Cutie Vessels filled - a term quoined by Twilight Sparkle who was still spending a great deal of energy on researching the Changeling’s remarkable transformation. In fairness he hadn’t been convinced it would work and he wasn’t honestly that desperate to acquire any new ones: he conjectured that they would happen when the time was right, especially given the precedent set by the wholly unexpected genesis of his first ever mark.

However he found that loved spending time with the CMC and their chirpy Panglossian outlook had made him feel very positive about himself. Together they had attempted all kinds of activities from the very banal right up to the more extreme - including a few that had got Iridis into a little trouble such as the time their potion making class created a cake eating fungus. Pinkie Pie had never been so devastated.

This time though the danger was of a more physical nature. The four of them sat squashed into the foreboding barrel of a wooden soapbox racer perched precariously at the top of a nearby mountain. Iridis as the heaviest was at the back, followed by Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo at the helm. The length of girth of the rickety cart was a little too restrictive and there was very little chance any of them would be be able to bale out should they get into any difficulty. Iridis wasn’t completely happy with this, but a part of him relished the promise of excitement. Even though he was not proud of the part he’d played trying to claim Canterlot for Queen Chrysalis he recognised a longing for the same kind of life giving buzz he’d felt before.

He reassured himself that despite everything they had always all come out in one piece, more or less (he swore his wings had a few more holes than before).

“And this is going to get me my mark in what?” Iridis inquired, stalling a little as he started to incubate the rush of courage he’d need to see this through.

“Well, we thought maybe you might get a racer, or something lightningy like Rainbow!” Scootaloo answered back, turning her head and beaming him a cheery smile over the feathery eruptions of her growing wings, which were now noticeably larger than when had first known her. “But then we realised it’s probably more likely you’d perhaps get one of our marks, maybe a random one from we three! You know, just like you did when you kissed Fluttershy.”

Sweety Belle and Apple Bloom giggled immaturely at this and Iridis had to suppress a blush - although in his Changeling form the signs were rather subtle. “Yeah that’s right, a kiss.” He answered, grinning inwardly.

“So, are you ready?” Apple Bloom piped up, starting to rock the card left and right in excitement.

“I’m ready.” Iridis decided and hunkered down into the vehicle, his hide squeaking a little against the grain of the wood.

Right at the very top of the peak on a rocky outcrop that pointed to the sky like a changeling’s horn the cart rocked a little in the breeze. The motion brought an ebb and flow of the distant, steep and craggy vista which swept before them all the way to Ponyville. Scootaloo had planned the route down the mountain over several days and had even taken the time to fashion a few ramps and turns at key points where the body of the mountain was insufficient in its natural shape. The ride would be straight but bumpy for the first part then they had to make three tight turns, finally vaulting over a ramp at the finale to clear a rocky scree. If all went to plan they would slow down in the long grass that furnished the periphery of the town like a flat paddle brush.

“GO!” Scootaloo yelled and they all leaned forward swinging the horizon up along a plumb line until they felt the ground leave them. After a short fall there was the first skittery bump as the wheels flexed against the dirt and rock but Scootaloo wrestled the wheel out of the the first few skids and kept the cart from inverting itself. From then on the acceleration was terrifying as they plummeted down the incline, manes and hair flapping in the breeze.

“Oh Celestia!” Cried Iridis, knowing that he was wedged in tight enough there was no chance of him squeezing out to use his wings. It was so cramped he wasn’t even sure he had the space to initiate a metamorphosis into a smaller form. He’d known this at the start of course but now he was certain a small twinge of fearful regret had settled in the pit of his stomach. But even despite this he felt a rush of life that he’d been craving, an excitement was coursing through his veins - this was what he’d needed.

“Yeeee haaaa!” Bellowed Apple Bloom, her voice mirroring the same mix of terror and joy that the Changeling was feeling himself.

It wasn’t long before the first turn raced to meet them as they thundered down a rocky channel. Scootaloo turned back momentarily, eyes blinking hard under the whipping flames of her hair, to remind them of the plan.

“Alright guys, remember to all lean or we won’t make it.”

The remainder nodded as best they good while still staying hunkered down in the rattling cart. They had all practiced by squeezing in there the night before, learning left and right as Scootaloo yelled out instructions.

“LEFT!” She screamed and the straining quartet all dutifully responded with a powerful lurch that almost brought their vessel onto two wheels. It was necessary though, as just like a bobsleigh run the turn was steep and sharp, formed from a giant quarter wheel of inclined planks that they had assembled previously and bolted into the rocky face of the mountain.

They felt the bump as the cart entered the turn and the terrifying slip as the wheels struggled with their centripetal purchase, the car veering dangerously close to the outer rim. However they held the line within what felt like a hair’s breadth and braced against the forces as they rumbled out of the turn as though from a slingshot.

Sweetie Belle raised a forehoof to her ears and rubbed there as she felt the pressure of the rapid drop puff up her sinuses, the stinging reached a peak before finally she felt the satisfying pop as everything equalised. Apple Bloom was having the same problem but the young pegasus and changeling were unbothered due to adaptations inherent in all of the flying species of Equestria.

Iridis felt his ego and id diminish and fade as he gave himself up to the excitement, danger and gloriously childlike joy of the moment. A grin spread across his face as he looked over

“OK guys!” Scootaloo screamed over the racket of the clattering wooden wheels. “This next one’s a chicane, RIGHT, then LEFT straight away.”
Everyone nodded as they had practiced this one very carefully, the interval between the right lean and left lean was very small but had to be perfect, too early and they would wander off the edge of the first bend, too late and they would launch off the incline of the second.

The first of the bends went off without a hitch even if the wheels were dangerously close to the edge of the planks, however even as the four begin to inwardly celebrate as they prepared to start the second movement of the plan, the right wheel has snapped off its bearings and was now merrily spiralling away on its own journey. Free of its circular charge the broken stump of the axle jutted free and exposed and the cart listed over the vacant space.

There followed a few seconds of sheer terror where time seemed to slow down, just long enough for Scootaloo to turn her head back and begin to open her mouth and start to wail a single note of terror. The stump of the axle clattered along the panels of the turn like a tuneless xylophone before finally embedding itself stubbornly between the seam of two sections. The resulting torque tore the bearings and front wheels clean off the car and brought its body into a chaotic spin as it shot over the edge and fell down the side of a cliff.

“We’re gonna die!” Apple bloom screamed out as they entered a terrifying free fall with a landing of hard jagged rocks below.

Iridis realised in one heartstopping and quite terrifying moment that Apple Bloom might indeed be right although it was more likely they would just experience some fairly serious injuries. It looked like he would need to take action, feeling a pang of guilt at having agreed to it despite being the ‘adult’ of the group. Summoning all his strength he strained out against the compromised chassis as hard as he could and felt it split slightly, allowing him to free himself a little.

With a blinding blue light that slowly enveloped his body in increments Iridis strained and concentrated as hard as he possibly could, reaching for a form, any form that might help slow their descent. He knew he would need to go far above his comfortable mass and volume and that it would be very hard - but it had to be done.

The cutie mark crusaders were transfixed on the approaching horror of the ground below and were unaware of the metamorphosis just behind them, for the giant resplendent imposter of Celestia was coming into being on the back of the cart. Spreading his assumed wings Iridis cupped the air and began to flap vigorously, gritting his teeth as he struggled to maintain the integrity of such an ambitious form. He wished he’d taken the time to learn something easier like a griffin, but Celestia was the only option that came to mind with a large enough wingspan to save them from their fate.
Despite his desperate flapping they still hit the ground with some force, but thankfully Iridis directed them between the pointy reckonings of a set of sharp rocky needles so at least the landing wasn’t immediately fatal.

Finally after the rolling, disintegrating mass of the wreckage has come to a stand still, littering the mountain side with thick wooden shards, the cutie mark crusaders tumbled out into a heap, bruised and shaken.

The visage of Princess Celestia landed clumsily, crumped into a white mass and then decayed with a splendid blue flash back to the form of a panting exhausted Iridis. For a moment all four lay on the ground hyperventilating; it was Scootaloo who broke the silence.

“Let’s do it again!” She yelled, jumping to her four hooves and letting out a serenade of victorious whooping noises.

“I’m going to be sick.” Sweetie Belle moaned, clutching her stomach and rocking gently in a the foetal position, trying to stave off a violent wave of nausea.

“I’m just glad we all are in one piece…” Apple Bloom commented, squiting to discern anything through her disorienting double vision. “Hey Iridis, did you change into Sweetie Bell, I see two of you, which one of y’all’s the real one?”

Iridis moved over and helped Apple Bloom to steady herself on her little filly legs. “There’s only one I assure you..” He replied, breathing heavily, but with a grin broadening across his face. “That was, well, that was…”

“AWESOME!” Scootaloo yelled, doing a fairly accurate impersonation of a certain Rainbow pony she admired. “And not just that, looks like you got your new Cutie Mark Iridis!”

He froze for a moment, could she be right? He’d never thought that this exercise would actually come to fruition, he looked down hopefully at his own flank.

“My new mark is a piece of wood….” He puzzled, out loud. “I mean, I can kind of see that but…”

“No Scootaloo!” Said Apple Bloom. “That’s just some piece of the cart that’s got stuck there like.”

Iridis gave his flank a little brush and sure enough a fairly sizeable piece of wood fell onto the ground with a diminutive and anticlimactic thud. “Oh well… Never mind, I still had fun.. But I don’t know that we want to do this again any time soon girls.” He looked left and right and noticed that Apple Bloom was still a little disoriented.

“I think it’s time to go home.” He said, helping the dizzy little filly to her feet and leading the troupe back to ponyville.

It had now been just over a year since Iridis had arrived in Ponyville and blossomed under the nurturing and kind attentions of Fluttershy. Since the two had become lovers their relationship had grown stronger and deeper as time went on. She had expected Iridis might have some trouble adjusting to the general lack of privacy at the house given the constant ebb and flow of critters that she cared for. However he pointed out that he used to live in a hive and lack of personal space wasn’t too much of an issue.

Fluttershy’s animal friends had been wary of the changeling when he first moved in, but over time and with encouragement from Fluttershy (not to mention some bribery in the way of treats) they began to more grow comfortable with him. Earning Angel Bunny’s acceptance was a more lengthy and frustrating process and for quite some time he would stomp around in indignant little peregrinations whenever Iridis was in the living room - refusing to have anything to do with him.

Eventually she lost her temper and castigated the little rabbit in exasperation and it seemed likely that was what finally did the trick. After some pathetic sulking he finally started to come around. From then on Iridis and Angel got along much better - albeit not perfectly. It was again one of those instances where the more assertive aspect of Fluttershy tipped the balance.

Discord was another matter, and given his close bond with Fluttershy she had warned her new mate there might be some ‘jealousy’ and drama before things finally settled down - however she assured Iridis that being sent to an alternate dimension filled with sock puppets was not very likely. As expected the master of chaos was not thrilled as to Fluttershy’s new ‘bug friend’, but in a testament to how much he had changed for the better he didn’t act up too much.

The one incident where he temporarily filled Iridis's cutie vessels with images of backsides was something that everyone agreed they would never speak of again.

The Changeling had found himself busy and stimulated for quite a number of months, meeting professors of magic from various parts of Equestria, helping Twilight with her own studies, exploring friendship and also getting involved in various events around Ponyville. He had even earned a modest stipend for doing a series of lectures in Canterlot about Changeling culture. Truth be told though he was beginning to feel weary of attention and was happy when things began to settle down and he could spend quality time with the lovely Fluttershy.

Sitting outside her cottage in the afternoon he quietly sipped a leaf tea. Even though Changelings fed on love they still needed water and a small amount of normal food to survive, so although he ate very little he had started to enjoy it more when he did. Herbal blends were a nice way for him to experience different flavours without the bulk of solid food.

He gazed out toward Ponyville and felt himself grow a little sleepy as the humming fussing of the birds and bees lulled him into a trance. It was short lived though as he was interrupted by a booming rush and after a small little jump he recognised the imminent arrival of Rainbow Dash.

The pegasus soared out of the glare of the sun and dove close to the ground upsetting a patch of flowers as they whipped about in her smooth wake. Coming to a stop and setting herself down in front of the Changeling she was clearly wearing a slight scowl.

“Iridis!” She asked, sounding indignant. “Am I to understand you took my ‘sister’ on a dangerous soapbox race down the mountain?”

Irids was not sure for a moment who she meant, then he remembered that Rainbow was Scootaloo’s effective bigger sister. He grinned sheepishly and raised a hoof behind his head.

“Umm, I’m sorry Dashie… look I think perhaps I got a little carried away.”

She stood on her hind legs, forelegs akimbo as she ‘tut tutted’ and shook her head. “Iridis…” She began. “I don’t know if I can forgive you..”

He seemed crestfallen and opened his mouth, a little surprised. “I’m so sorry Dash, I know it was irresponsible…”

“I’m just kidding you silly bug!” She laughed, squealing a little with delight and thumping Irids on the arm. “The CMC can handle themselves and Scootaloo was talking for hours about how much fun she had, but if you ‘really’ want to make to it up to me anyway there is one thing you ‘can’ do…”

“What might that be?” Iridis inquired, a little bemused.

“Well, you are of course a changeling.” Dash mentioned, with a tone that intimated there was more to come.

“Yeah…..” He replied, quizzically, not sure at all where this was going to go.

“Wanna help me in the most epic prank I’ve ever done?” She winked at him.

Iridis cocked his head to one side, then his mouth spread out into a spasmodic grin. He could see where Rainbow was going with this and in fairness he had always found the idea of pranks quite appealing. He thought back to how he’d tormented twilight in jest when she was trying to study his cutie vessels, turning into her brother and lamenting “Twily, you know you shouldn’t be looking at your bro’s plot!”. The remainder of that day had been somewhat rambunctious and Iridis had pledged to ease off for a while. But right now he felt like a good prank was something his needed. Fluttershy was out until later, so as long as she wasn’t the target he was game.

“What did you have in mind Dashie?”

Deep in the heart of Cantlerlot Palace, Princess Luna was subsumed in thought, pacing to and fro in the middle of one of the many corridors. Her nightly perambulations through the dreams of her subjects was normally a positive affair, but something she had witnessed last night had given her much pause for thought - anxiety even.

Somewhat serendipitously Celestia was also walking though at the same time and noticed her sister seemingly lost in thought, a slightly worried look on her face.

“Is everything ok my dear sister?” Celestia asked.

“I am not sure..” Luna replied, slightly hesitantly, looking past Celestia at some imaginary horizon.

“Perhaps it would help you if told me your woes.” Celestia insisted, unfurling her wing and gently resting the white comforting blanket over her sister’s back. She was regal and proud, standing tall and white and looking lavish in her crown, royal regalia and magical flowing hair.

“Well… I think someone might be in trouble.” Luna replied, but she seemed uncertain even herself.

“Something serious?” Celestia probed, immediately her thoughts leaping to outrageous scenarios concerning the Mane 6. “One of our friends?”

Luna slowly shook her head. “It was in a dream, last night, not mine, one of the many I passed through in my nightly journeys. I saw what seemed to be a nightmare, something wretched and sinister, but when I tried to enter I found I could not.”

Celestia rose up a little and reclaimed her wing, folding it back alongside its soft snow white twin. “My sister, why did you not tell me sooner, only a powerful magic, or mental discipline could block you from entering a dream…”

Luna again shook her head and Celestia relaxed momentarily, but it was clear to see that the Princess Of The Night was perplexed and troubled.

“It’s not that… I don’t think.” The Moon Princess conjectured. “It was more like, the nightmares were so awful that they were impenetrable. I’ve had problems entering ponies’ dreams before where the character of the nightmares has been most severe - never though something I couldn’t overcome.”

“So what does it mean my dear sister?” Celestia inquired.

“I think it may mean that somepony is in very serious trouble” Luna replied.

“You’re certain it’s not some sinister agent?” The Sun Princess pressed, wanting the best possible guarantee that something truly antagonistic wasn’t at their doorsteps.

“I heard… screaming.” Luna replied and for a moment it was as though the corridors contracted and the distant sounds of rumbling bustle in the castle fell away to a deafening tinnitus. “It was as though someone inside was in horrible pain.”

Celestia touched Luna’s muzzle with her hoof and directed her gaze so they were both looking at each other. They both let loose a quick shiver.

“OK.” Celestia broke the silence, firmly. “Do you know who this individual is Luna?”

The dark alicorn shook her head, tossing her mane around for just a moment. “Normally I should know straight away, but this time all I could be sure of was the screaming was male.”

“Are you sure that wasn’t the persona in their dream, that maybe they are a mare with a male dream-form? Couldn’t that affect the sex of the voice you heard?”

Luna cocked her head to one side only slightly. “Usually in stress when dreaming we revert to our own image. I can also normally tell the difference between a ‘natural’ voice and one projected through a ‘persona’”.

Celestia nodded her agreement, accepting her sister’s judgement in this area where she herself had less expertise. “So right now we don’t have enough to go on?”

“That’s right. The only thing I can do now is keep coming back to that place in the dreamscape and hope I can get some more information.” Luna shuddered. “It was, not nice to hear, those screams from within.”

“Are you going to be alright?” Celestia asked, her voice sensitive and reassuring.

“I will be ok my sister.” Luna replied. “I shall report to you when I know anything at all.”

The two exchanged a tender hug and Luna sighed contentedly. Even though now it had been some years since her liberation from the horror of her NightMare moon form, the echoes of the past, her long exile and isolation: it was still a burden that would take time to heal. But when she cuddled her sister, and felt close and needed and accepted again, smelling the familiar scent of her own family: she felt safe, wanted and secure. She still hadn’t gotten used to how wonderful it felt and each time was like the first time they had embraced after that dark episode.

Luna’s face lit up in a happy gentle smile, and then hardened immediately as she thought of the task ahead.

A little later that evening, after a splendid meal prepared for her by the castle servants Luna retired to her chambers, full and soporfic and asking not to be disturbed. There, invoking a lucid slumber she slipped quietly into the dream world where she had so many of her ethereal somnambulist odysseys. In the void of the ‘space’ between dreams, isotropic whiteness and oblivion she focussed hard to find the source again of the blemish that had so disturbed her just the previous night.

It was less difficult than she thought. She could sense the pulsating tumour, a dark corpuscle standing out even against the black swirling machinations of the many nightmares that plagued so many ponies. However It was denser, more sinister and more torrid than the others and she found her way towards it, hearing more strongly now the vortex of violence that swirled at its dark horizon.

Her heart beginning to fill with some dread she approached the shell of the nightmare and listened. Straining hard against the whispering rush of the surface, much like the chattering of a brook, she was sure she could catch tiny sounds of terror and suffering from within.

How to reach him… She pondered to herself, feeling out once again, as she had done the previous night to touch the surface. It emitted a hissing sound, like acid on metal when she touched it and she recoiled almost immediately. The border was so rough and so turbulent she was unsure how to break into it, painful to the touch like fast moving sandpaper.

Perhaps… she thought, then drawing a lungful of what would have been air in the real world she summoned the Traditional Royal Canterlot Voice and bellowed as hard as she could into the raging torrent.

“Citizen of Equestria, this is your Princess Luna, can you hear me?” She announced, waiting for a response that never came.

She tried again a few more times, and was almost at the point of giving up hope when she was sure she heard the faintest of cries coming through.

“Help me….” Was the sound, unmistakably male but very weak.

“Tell me your name Citizen, so I may find you in the real world!” She bellowed once more, squinting into the swirling darkness to catch a glimpse, any glimpse at all. There was no more reply though and Luna stared harder and harder in exasperation.

Then, finally, for just one moment she caught the briefest of glimpses of a pony, an Earth pony, seemingly surrounded by other ponies in a circle. Straining as hard as she could she looked to see if she could discern his cutie mark, a surefire way of determining his identity.

But he didn’t have one.

The horizon swelled like a rotten fruit in the sun and the force of the black fetid skin thumped her across the body in a painful and winding blow. Luna flew back helpless into the reaches of the void and then woke up suddenly, sweating - heart beating in her chest like an engine. It took a minute or two before she was able to fully steady herself.

“GUARDS!” She yelled, and the one of those stationed quickly burst into the room.

“Yes Princess, are you alright?” He asked, as a few more of his fellows began to stream into the room and surround the bed.

“We are fine, but somepony else isn’t….” She replied, still sweating. “Captain, would you summon Princess Celestia to us as a matter of urgency: you will have to wake her. We would ourselves go, but we need one moment to recover… tell her to come to these chambers. Your Princess commands you.”

“Yes Mamn I shall...” The Captain started, but Luna interrupted him when she realised she had regressed into the majestic plural, something she was attempting to uncondition. Old habits though died hard, especially after so many centuries of getting used to one particular manner of speaking.

“I mean, please bring my sister to me, thankyou.” She corrected herself, and collapsed back for a moment into the bed. “It’s been a rough night.”

“Bad dreams princess?” He inquired as he turned to leave.

“You could say that.” She answered, and breathing out a heavy sigh she waited for her sister to come.

“So what do you think of my amazing plan?” Rainbow Dash asked, staring at Iridis expectantly.

The Changeling had listened patiently as Dash had elucidated the ins and outs of her prank, at first grinning and nodding in agreement and then later beginning to frown as small doubts started to form over whether it was ‘too far’.

“Soo….” Iridis began slowly. “You’re sure this isn’t too far. Wasn’t there some incident lately involving the whole town? Something about zombies?”

Rainbow giggled. “Yeah, they sure pranked me hard and I learned my lesson for sure. But this prank is only against one individual, and one I know will take it will. So it’s definitely ok, know what I mean?” She leaned forward so their muzzles were almost touching.

“I don’t know.” He mused.

“Come on Iridis, you gotta be in it to win it. I saw the work you did with Twilight, that was inspired. What do you say?” The Pegasus moved back and extended a hoof, an invitation to all kinds of mischief.

Iridis thought for a moment, teetering on the edge of indecision, but something in Dash’s eyes urged him on. In fairness too he did kind of want to impress her. He reached out and hoofed Rainbow with his own to signal his commitment.

“Ok I’m in , so when do we start?”

Rainbow grinned mischievously. “Right away, come my friend, watch and learn from the master prankster!”

A little later Rainbow Dash and Iridis made their way to the Ponyville spa, only the changeling has assumed a disguise. The aim would be to sneak him into the spa without anyone realising it was was him. They had discussed various options, including Rarity, which was quickly dismissed - he wasn’t certain he could pull that act off, and even if he got away with it, there was something about it that he felt would be ‘rude’.

In the end Rainbow chose the only pony where Iridis would need to perform the least possible amount of elocution - Big Mac was the best choice. He honestly didn’t feel completely comfortable with an impersonation such as this, it felt very clandestine- a little close to a life he’d left behind - not at all like when he did impressions at parties to squeals of delight from the other ponies. Except for Pinkie Pie, whenever he tried to mimic her she always said she’d “seen better” and he was unclear what that meant.

Nevertheless he’d committed himself, and now there was no option but to follow it through, so it came to pass that Big Mac and Rainbow dash trotted into the reception of the Spa, a little to the surprise of Lotus Blossom who was currently at reception.

“Big Macintosh, I am surprised to be seeing you here!” She exclaimed in her soft inviting voice. “Vat brings you to our lovely spa? Could it be you are having your first ever treatment?”

Iridis froze for a moment, and there followed a slightly awkward pause and silence until Dash surreptitiously nudged him in the ribs.

“Eeeeeyup.” He said, as they had practised and this seemed to satisfy Lotus Blossom.

“Oh how vunderful!” She exclaimed. “Such a treat to welcome a new pony to our wonderful spa!”

“Eeeeyup.” Irids replied. The choice for Big Mac may have been a good idea.

“Ve are a little booked out right now though.” Lotus replied, hoofing through the reception ledger for any treatment spaces available in the afternoon.

“That’s ok…” Rainbow interjected. “Big Mac needs a, gentle introduction. I know the steam room isn’t normally very busy at this time of day, reckon I can take him there?”

Lotus Blossom nodded enthusiastically and smiled warmly. “Of course, please go right ahead you can pay on your way out. Some steam will definitely do vell for those big muscles! I know your sister keeps you hard at vork!””

“Eeeyup.” Iridis responded, consciously trying to keep his voice at the right pitch.

The two entered the spa area and thankfully the corridors and communal area were very clear. Dash had chosen a time that was firmly in the center of the current treatment sessions, limiting the likelihood of any awkward interceptions. Once they were sure that they were out of sight Rainbow ducked into a maintenance room, pulling Iridis with her.

“OK, now we can take the staff corridors to the other side, where our ‘victim’ is having his current treatment, it should be only him in there right now, well and the masseuse of course.”

“Alright!” Iridis whispered, now beginning to feel the same rush of excitement he’d felt on some of his previous prank forays. The doubts he’d had were dissolving under the anticipation of what was coming.

The two made their way quickly through the laundry area and past other supportive machinery, the humming heart of the Spa’s operations. The smell of fabric conditioner hung in the air as though it were a soft mist, and there was a damp humid heat that reminded him for a moment of when he was still living in the hive. He nearly gasped as little flashbacks of the warmth and sound of the colony invaded his present senses like little nostalgic pinpricks; he shook them off for now - but it felt like something he might need to come back to later.

“Focus!” Hissed Rainbow and the Big Mac form straightened up. “Stay with me, we’re nearly, OH NO….. Oh no!”

The two froze as they saw, emerging from the steam, ahead the familiar exuberant stotting silhouette of Pinkie Pie. She caught sight of them and her face lit up as she approached.

“Hi Rainbow! Hi Iridis!” She said, as the mouths of the other pair hung open.

“Umm, hey umm, Pinkie… uhh, how did you know it was Iridis? Did someone tell you?” Dash asked, worried that somehow the whole game was up, or that perhaps a reverse prank was being prepared for them.

“Oh no silly!” Pinkie replied. “No offense Iridis but your Big Mac needs a little work.”

Iridis felt almost offended by this. “Umm, how so?” He asked, with a mixture of bemusement and a small hint of indignation.

“Oh that’s easy!” Pinkie Pie replied, taking a deep breath. “Ok, so let’s start with the way you’re standing, you’re not standing proud enough, Big Mac is always proud, except when he’s a little down, that’s sad, but ooooh…. Yes, the ears aren’t quite right, big mac doesn’t have points like that you need them rounded out just slightly, the eyes are two close together maybe be about two millimeters. The Cutie Mark is the wrong shade of green too, not saturated enough, you’ve gotta green than bad boy up! Also you don’t smell like Big Mac at all.” When she had finished she looked at the other two expectantly.

“I don’t smell like Big Mac?” Iridis asked, looking into Rainbow Dash’s eyes. The Pegasus returned the same look of utter bafflement.

“Certainly not!” Pinkie replied.

Rainbow shook her head. “So, Pinkie why are you down here anyways?”

“I love this place, it’s almost as relaxing as the stream room!” She explained. “The washing machines are fun to watch, it’s warm, steamy, I like to chat to the staff. Sometimes the pipes make really funny noises, it’s hilarious!” She moved to one of the exposed pipes on the wall. “Hello Mr Pipe how are you today? I’m fine Pinkie!” And she started to engage in an imaginary conversation, imitating the ‘voice’ of the pipe with a deep posh sounding accent.

“Hehehe, pipe…..” Iridis chuckled in Big Mac’s deep voice, having to admit that even though the timing of their prank was now in jeopardy that he was finding Pinkie’s antics very funny; Rainbow however was less enthusiastic.

“Umm Pinkie, we’d better be on our way…”

“Of course Dashie, I wouldn’t want to get in the way of a good prank!” Pinkie grinned.

Rainbow face hoofed and shook her head as Iridis continued to giggle. “Ok Pinkie I have no idea how you figure these things out but, look I’m sorry for not letting you in on this one, I kind of wanted to do one with Iirids, you know?”

“Oh that’s no problem I know you love to bond with Iridis, but I really hope you’re not going to do anything too far this time, remember that lesson we taught you?” Pinkie leaned close to Rainbow and scrunched her face up somewhat as though scrutinising the intentions of her friend. The Pegasus backed off just slightly, looking slightly nervous.

“Of course not Pinkie…” She replied, and for a moment it looked as though Pinkie was unconvinced.

Soon though her expression changed to delight as she emitted a satisfied “Okie Doki Loki!”, before bounding off into a side room. The pair were sure that they heard her voice in the distance say something like: “Hello Mr Boiler!” They looked at each other for a moment with the same befuddled look.

“Anywaaaaay….” Dash announced. “We need to get this show in the air if we’re going to do this., follow me! Spike will be midway through now.”

And indeed it was Spike who was the intended recipient of the prank, and Rainbow knew that he was usually the only one in the treatment room. He’d be enjoying his weekly hot stone deep tissue massage given by one of the bulky male spa therapists. As a dragon he was a bit more robust than most of the other ponies and needed a massage so intense it would likely injure anyone else who tried it.

The two skulked up the corridor, wary of any sounds of activity outside and Rainbow pressed her ear to the door, she smiled and then nodded to Iridis. The Changeling took on another form as quickly as he could and waited by the door.

“Ok…” Whispered Dash, a naughty grin on her face.

Inside the room Spike sighed with enjoyment and relaxation, all the stress and tension in his body being pounded out with the caring ferocity that he can come to expect from this specialised service. All at once though, with a mighty crash the door flew open and a terrified Rainbow Dash stumbled into the room looking hysterical.

“SPIKE! It’s Tirek, he’s here, he’s here!” She yelled, and then just as she finished, the unmistakable shape of Tirek’s base form came through the door, grabbing Rainbow dash by the wings and laughing.

“I claim this Spa and all the ponies in it! HAAHH HAHA!” Iridis said as Tirek, doing a pretty decent job of playing the obvious Villain, complete with a gruff maniacal laugh.

Unfortunately, Rainbow had miscalculated something. Although it was usually true at this particular time that Spike would be on his own with just the spa pony, unbeknownst to the pair of pranksters, there had been an plumbing issue in one of the other rooms and the displaced patrons had all been moved.

Instead of just two victims they were looking at at least ten pairs of eyes, including Twilight and Rarity. There was a moment’s awful suspense, then all hell broke loose.

Twilight leapt up immediately and unleashed a powerful blast from her horn that hit Iridis dead on, forcing him to let go of Rainbow Dash as he flew backwards and smashed into the wall, bouncing a little down the hall. She turned to Rarity who was in danger of becoming fully catatonic and shook her a little. The rest of the ponies were now all flailing and screaming in a terrifying and energetic panic with all sorts of artifacts of the spa being tossed and knocked this way and that.

“Rarity, get everyone out of the Spa, Spike send a letter to our allies straight away, Rainbow come and help me!”

It took Rainbow a moment or two to recover from the shock of what just happened, but as soon as her wits were gathered she rushed to Twilight as fast as she could her mouth yelling a stream of protestations.

“It’s a prank! It’s a prank twilight! It’s Iridis, not Tirek!”

Twilight froze mid step and looked for a moment at Rainbow, then out of the door at Iridis who had regressed to his normal form after the shock of being hit with such a powerful blast. He looked very dazed. Very slowly she turned her head back with a murderous look in her eyes, the rest of the room had settled a little now and they too were glaring at the blue pegasus. Spike was too busy hyperventilating to know what was going on around him.

“What the fuck Dash?” Twilight shouted angrily. “Seriously, what the fuck?” She was so apoplectic that she even forgot to tone down her language, something she gave more attention now she was a Princess.

“I thought it was just Spike…” Dash whimpered through clenched teeth. “I umm, didn’t know that you were all going to be in this room.”

Twilight snorted rhythmically, and Rarity stepped up herself, incandescent with rage and deciding it was her turn to scold Rainbow.

“Rainbow! What on Earth do you think you’re doing? Here was are enjoying these fabulous treatments and you see fit to come in and heap a year’s worth of stress and worry on everyone. I’m practically feeling old already, I can feel wrinkles where I never had wrinkles! And look at poor Spikey Wikey, just look at him?” She indicated her dragon friend with a shaking hoof and truth be told Spike was not doing particularly well.

Iridis was now sheepishly limping into the room having at least recovered to some extent. He raised his hoof for a moment and timidly announced. “It’s my fault too.” He quickly shrank back as a volley of disapproving eyes glared him down.

“Ok, maybe a teeny bit too far, but honestly I was meant to be just for Spike, and I suppose his masseuse too…” Rainbow added, feeling though she was simply deepening the hole.

“But TIREK? Seriously? He nearly destroyed all of us, not to mention Equestria! Out of all the possible beings you could pick, you had to pick him, HIM?” Twilight fumed stamping, her hooves petulantly.

“Ok ok, I’m sorry…” Dash replied.

“And after we got the whole town to prank you to show you that pranks can go too far, and then go and do this? Even roping Iridis into it too? Poor thing, he’s had a hard enough time as it is!” Rarity commented.

“It was my choice…” Iridis piped up but no-one was really listening to him, the general decision was that Dash was the instigator, which was infact broadly true. However there was definitely a proportion of the anger directed at him.

“And you….” Twilight said, directing her anger now at the reformed Changeling. “You’d think that after how nicely we treated you, that you’d know better! Pretending to be my brother is one thing, but this is too far… look at Spike he’s barely able to speak!”

Iridis slowly entered further into the room and looked at Twilight. She realised quite quickly that his eyes were full of anger, but it wasn’t directed at her - she regretted what she’s said earlier to some extent, but even as that thought crossed her mind the eruption to follow was already inevitable.

“Well if you don’t want me, then FINE!” Iridis shouted, uncharacteristically agitated - more than that, boiling over as though what just happened had unlocked something in him. “You fake, you said you were the princess of friendship!” He screamed and the Alicorn’s mouth opened in shock. Iridis’s face slackened to a drained and emotional mask and with a final snort and angry display of violent stomping he ran out of the spa, clearly utterly distraught.

“Iridis…” Twilight said, trying to call after him but managing only a slight guilty whisper. “I didn’t mean it like that… I was just…”

Rarity came over to her and placed a hoof on her shoulder. “Darling it’s ok, there’s more going on with him than a bad prank and some minor regal castigation you know.”

“I’m sorry.” Rainbow interjected and this time the room had become a little mollified and everyone came to the realisation that nobody had intended things to turn out this way. “I didn’t mean it to be like this, it was supposed to be just for Spike… I hadn’t done a prank in months, maybe I just went a bit too far.”

“It’s ok Dashie.” Twilight replied at length. “Look I’m sorry I swore at you… I was very relaxed and it just a bit of a shock. Spike are you ok?” She asked, looking down at the little dragon who had simmered down at least enough to be able to communicate.

“I think I’ll survive.” Spike answered, suppressing his indignation somewhat so as to appear brave in front of Rarity. “It was at least a little epic” he ventured, but the glances he got in return intimated it was ‘too soon’ for that sort of appraisal.

“I think perhaps.” Rarity began. “That you go and see Iridis Twilight… I think he needs the ‘Princess Of Friendship’ more than ever right now. Everything is still a bit new for him. We’ll sort things out here. Go on darling.”

And with that, Twilight breathed out heavily and teleported out of the spa leaving behind the carnage to be cleared up by her friends.

Twilight had a pretty good idea where the Changeling would go and she didn’t feel the need to use any magic to locate him - in any case if he’d chosen to change forms he would be opaque to her detection anyways. It was very hard to detect a disguised changeling by magic alone.

Flying the rest of the way she approached the cosy green little haven of Fluttershy’s cottage, its proud structure surrounded with the various trapping of animal care and accommodation. Twilight rapped on the door with her hoof.

“Iridis?” She called out. “It’s Twilight, I came to say sorry, please let me talk to you. Fluttershy are you in there?”

When no reply came she rapped once again on the door, a little more firmly. “Iridis!”

“I’m here….” A voice came from behind her and Twilight jumped a little, she swirled to face him. “Oh Iridis. I came back to talk to you. I’m sorry.”

“No I’m sorry.” He replied, lowering his head and sighing deeply. “Twilight I’m so sorry, I was just so angry I… it felt like you thought I’d done it deliberately. I feel horrible.”

She looked at him. “Of course I didn’t think that. I was angry too. Ponies say things they don’t mean when they are angry. Iridis, you must understand by now that one argument doesn’t mean the end of a friendship? Right?” She inquired, probing a little, trying to better understand his pain.

The Changeling pondered this for a moment, and although he wasn’t entirely sure, he did finally nod slowly. It had been a difficult transition for him in Ponyville even after the huge stride he made when Fluttershy acquainted him with a world of intimate tenderness. One of the things he’d found very difficult to deal with was conflict. As with all relationship he and Fluttershy had had one or two minor tiffs which she had brushed off herself, but which were much more emotionally taxing for Iridis.

Getting used to the idea that arguments were a normal and perfectly surmountable part of a mature relationship was not at all easy for him. Fluttershy had sat down once to explain to him how his confusion reminded her of their visit to Starlight Glimmer’s dystopian village, prior to her being reformed. The mane six had argued around a table outside the bakery and to many of the denizens it had seemed like their friendship would surely be over.

The latest incident had been too much though. Torn between being angry at himself, angry at Rainbow and angry at Twilight in a confusing and contradictory jumble of feelings, he had been afraid and he’d felt the only option was to run away. At least now though he had chosen to face it, addressing Twilight to her face instead of hiding.

“Twilight I’m sorry. I’m sorry for taking the prank too far. I really didn’t mean it. And I’m sorry for what I said to you… it was harsh, very harsh. It didn’t feel like me.”

“It’s ok. There’s nothing to forgive.” She answered and approached Iridis and the two embraced affectionately. “Just remember and try to understand, though I know you thought it was only Spike in there, surprising someone in the middle of a treatment designed to relax and de-stress them - to that extent - might need a second thought in future.”

Iridis grinned sheepishly and looked away for a brief moment. “To be honest I did have some misgivings, Rainbow was the one who convinced me in the end. Not that I’m trying to pin it on her. I had to disguise myself as Big Mac to sneak in, so they wouldn’t know I was in the spa. I actually feel the worst about that. It doesn’t feel right, doing it when he doesn’t know I am?”

Twilight smiled, closing her eyes and cocking her head to one side. “Yes Iridis, but honestly I know you wouldn’t have done that without Dash’s encouragement - but honestly please don’t impersonate in that way again. I think you’d agree with me on think. I think we can say the matter is all settled now. I’ll have another little talk to the rest of ponies about how you didn’t mean it to play out that way.”

“That’s another thing.” Iridis pondered outloud anxiously. “I mean, you’ve been really accepting here of me, well on the whole, I’m had some prejudice; but now it’ll look like I haven’t changed at all. What will the other ponies think?”

A soft sweet voice piped in from behind them, out of nowhere. “I haven’t heard you talk like that for a while Iridis.”

“Fluttershy!” He exclaimed a visible garnish of delight suddenly smacked across his face, he went over to embrace her and the scent and closeness of her hair comforted him immensely as it slipped between the contact.

“I understand you’ve had a little, umm, excitement at the Spa?” She inquired, detaching herself from the embrace and smiling at him.

“Yeah… I feel like it all…” He stopped as Fluttershy shushed him very gently, tapping his muzzle lightly with her left front leg.

“Shhhh, don’t worry Iridis it’s all fine. Everyone had a bit of a shock, but by the time I got there to see what was going on, most of them were laughing. I don’t think it went down quite as badly as you thought. Oh and umm, you should probably prepare yourself. Discord heard about it and he’s um very ‘impressed’, you should probably expect him around later to congratulate you.”

The changeling grimaced just slightly as he imagined the effervescent and cackling Draconequus lavishing him with unwanted praise. It dawned on him that even though he was ready to move on from the incident he was likely to be treated to a gratuitous and unrelenting reminder later in the day; at least for a few hours.

“Ok.. I think I’ll get through it sweety.” He replied. “Thanks for finding me here. I do feel much better honestly. But how is Dash?”

“It’s all settled down, I think it’ll be ok.” Fluttershy explained. “Maybe no more pranks for a little while though my buglet?”

Twilight let out a cute little ellipsis of giggling at the Pegasus’s affectionate diminutive. “Buglet? That’s kind of sweet Fluttershy.”

She blushed very deeply her yellow cheeks suddenly velvety, Irids look downwards and crossed his front hooves.

“I’m just teasing.” Twilight reassured, still giggling a little. “Anyway I’m going to fly back now, just check everything is all handled. See you two later.” The Alicorn pushed off hard and the mighty swirling of her wings carried her up and away back over to the town center.

As she flew away the couple were sure they overheard her going through her friends’ names as she brainstormed new sobriquets for each of them “Pinklet, Dashlet, Raritylet… no Rarelet Hmmm….. Applelet, Jacklet… Hmm.”

“Did you hear that?” Fluttershy asked, nervously.

“What have you started....” He replied, a tone of suspenseful regret about his voice.

“Oh no… am I going to be, Fluttlet… Shylet, I wouldn’t like that. That’s even worse than Flutterguy!” She drew a sharp little worried intake of a breath and moaned out one of her adorable little squees.

Iridis simply giggled.