Identity Crisis

Chapters

Prologue: Alone
Chapter 1: Discovery
Chapter 2: Danger
Chapter 3: Fright
Chapter 4: Deception
Chapter 5: Surprise
Chapter 6: Reservations
Chapter 7: Hunt
Chapter 8: Pursuit

Prologue: Alone

The hollow echoes of hoofsteps reverberated throughout the castle.

Princess Twilight Sparkle wandered her massive dwelling. While the different rooms of her home bore the loving imprints of her friends' decorative touches, the hallways remained as majestically austere as the day the castle had first come into being. Crystal pillars gleamed with undiminished sheen, vaulted ceilings soared in unending splendor, and undamaged tiles remained firm under the trod of restless hooves. Rows of identical doorways, each leading to some oversized room or passageway, stood in immobile silence: many had not been opened in years. Above each door, intricate glasswork depicted a trunk and branches, inanimate mockeries of the living tree that had first created this palace of stone.

Over the years, Twilight had taken to walking her halls more and more often. She had developed different familiar routes that she returned to with increasing frequency, as she found simple comfort in retracing these paths. One started from her bedroom, criss-crossed across the upper floors of the castle, went down a spiral staircase, and finished in the library. Another began in the kitchen, took a left near Spike's room, and followed an outer corridor around to the dining room. But her favorite routes—such as the one she now traced out with unconsciously mechanical precision—all ended at the same destination.

The map room.

Twilight paused at the room's threshold. Somehow, it never felt right for her to enter this most important of all the rooms in her home. At least, not anymore. Not since everything had changed. Before, it had been the most natural thing in the world, to gallop in with the exciting promise of an awaiting friendship mission, to stroll to her seat for an informal pancake breakfast, or to regally march up to the circle of thrones to debate matters of great importance. Now, though, something in Twilight rebelled against the idea of intruding on this solemn museum of days gone by.

With a slight exertion of will, Twilight put a hoof forward and entered. She trudged toward the round table in the middle of the room and the empty chairs that surrounded it. She delicately took a seat on the nearest throne, the one that displayed five small, bright stars in orbit about a larger beacon of purple light. Bending forward slightly, Twilight studied the map of Equestria in front of her. As she did every day, she checked the locations of the six glowing cutie marks that floated above the pale blue map. None had moved since the last time she had performed this ritual.

She saw that a bright lightning bolt hovered over Las Pegasus.

After she had finally achieved her lifelong dream of becoming a Wonderbolt, Rainbow Dash had been the first to drift away. A weekend performance here, a few days of practice there, and almost without Twilight realizing it, Rainbow Dash was in Ponyville less and less of the time. She had never deliberately cut ties with her former hometown, and she was always faithful to spend time with her friends whenever she stopped by, but the truth of the matter was that Rainbow Dash visited with decreasing frequency. But what did it matter? Rainbow Dash had achieved her dream.

A cluster of balloons floated nearby.

Pinkie Pie's parties had become ever more popular with ponies all over Equestria. Perhaps it had started as far back as the wedding reception for Shining Armor and Cadence, when Ponyville's party pony had first hosted a prestigious event attended by influential guests from across the land. And as the fame of the friends of Princess Twilight grew—and as Pinkie had more opportunities to throw parties for well-publicized events—Pinkie had begun to receive requests to organize celebrations in all of the Equestria's major cities. Unable to turn down an opportunity to spread cheer to more ponies than ever before, Pinkie Pie now spent her days traveling from party to party, leaving a trail of joy in her wake. Currently, she and Cheese Sandwich were preparing for the centennial anniversary of Las Pegasus. It had been Pinkie Pie's idea to book the Wonderbolts for a special performance there. Pinkie Pie had provided a whole host of reasons why an appearance by the Wonderbolts would make the party super-duper-amazing, but Twilight privately wondered if Pinkie Pie had just wanted to see Rainbow Dash again.

Three diamonds shimmered above Manehattan.

Rarity's business was thriving, with new branches opening every year. She had tried her hardest to defer most of the administrative work to the stores' local managers, insisting that her job was to create fashion, not operate retail establishments. But as her boutiques multiplied, Rarity began to take more frequent business trips to ensure everything was running smoothly according to her rules of time, love, and couture. Sometimes she would spend weeks at a time in another city, combining boutique oversight with a chance to find inspiration in an unfamiliar environment. Rarity had spent the last couple months helping Coco Pommel move the Rarity for You store to a larger building, and she had sent only the occasional letter about her latest ideas for a spring line of clothing.

Butterflies rested in the woods a bit east of the town of Hollow Shades.

Fluttershy had been the most reluctant to leave. She preferred the peaceful lifestyle of caring for her beloved animals to the exciting opportunities embraced by many of her friends. If anything, she had become more reclusive over the years as her friends went in different directions to pursue their dreams. She maintained that she was content with her quiet life, and Twilight was inclined to believe her. Still, when Princess Celestia herself had requested Fluttershy's aid in treating sick birds as an epidemic swept across eastern Equestria, the pegasus had been left with no choice but to help. She had quietly asked for the Apple family and Twilight to look after her animals, and then she had left the next day without fanfare. Her work had kept her busy over the past several months, the satisfaction of using her special talent in a meaningful way balanced against her discomfort with being so far from home.

To the south, a trio of apples sat in Appleloosa.

Applejack, at least, had not been gone long from Ponyville. She still spent the bulk of her time growing apples and performing the day-to-day tasks of running a farm. She and Twilight would share a meal at least twice a week, when they would reminisce about the days when all their friends could still find the time in their schedules to put aside a whole afternoon for harvesting apples. The two would talk for hours, their meandering conversations growing ever longer, while they pretended not to notice that they laughed less often than before.

Three weeks ago, when Braeburn had sent word that a bountiful crop of apples required the assistance of the entire Apple clan to harvest, Applejack had dutifully packed her bags and taken a train to Appleloosa. Big Mac had stayed in Ponyville to look after Sweet Apple Acres in her absence, but Twilight wished it had been the other way around. She was fairly certain Applejack had been the one to leave town the last time a member of the Apple family had asked for somepony's help. Still, Twilight knew nothing would stop Applejack from supporting her family, so Twilight had kept her reservations to herself. Applejack went off to Appleloosa, and there she was participating in one of the largest apple harvests in living memory.

And a purple star stayed in Ponyville.

Twilight let out a slow sigh. Her horn glowed, and the cutie marks disappeared from the map, leaving only the colorless image of Equestria for her to stare at. Years ago, Twilight had developed a spell to modify the Cutie Map so that it showed the current locations of all her friends, rather than only display the cutie marks of those called away on missions. She had originally intended it as a way to keep track of where Rainbow Dash went to perform with the Wonderbolts, and used it only sparingly. But as the map called her and her friends on fewer missions, and as it became a rare occurrence for every throne at the table to be occupied, Twilight had found herself entrenched in a daily routine: Check the map. Locate her friends. Move on with her day.

With a slight shake of her head, Twilight brushed away her memories and turned her focus toward the day ahead. It promised to be another busy one; if Twilight correctly recalled the schedule she had made the previous night, she would not have a free moment until late in the evening. Twilight headed toward the door with a purposeful trot. She needed to find Spike and get to work.

On her way out of the map room, a flicker of light caught the corner of her eye. Turning, Twilight saw that one cutie mark had not disappeared when she had terminated her magic. Her own mark hovered stubbornly above Ponyville, seemingly unaware of the fact that the map was no longer compelled to show the location of the mark's bearer.

Twilight narrowed her eyes slightly. Then she marched out of the room without a second glance. She had things to do, and she would not waste any more time considering the unnecessary instructions of a now-useless relic.

Apparently, the map was telling her to stay in Ponyville.

Chapter 1: Discovery

“Spike! Spike!”

Twilight hurried down the hall, glancing all around in search of her assistant. It was nearly impossible to locate someone else in the labyrinthine castle, especially when there were only two residents living in the entire building. Back when they had lived in the library, it had been a much simpler task for Twilight to find Spike. There were only so many places a dragon could hide in a tree.

“Spike! Where are you? We need to review our schedule for today!”

A thud sounded from behind her. Twisting her neck, Twilight saw that an apparently featureless section of wall had slid open, revealing a narrow staircase behind. An anxious dragon hurried down the steps, a roll of parchment and quill in one claw. He paused for breath at the bottom of the stairs before turning around to close the secret passage behind him. Another loud thump came from the wall panel as it slipped back into place.

“Sorry, Twilight," Spike said, sounding a little out of breath. "I tried to get to you as fast as I could. But I took a wrong turn and ended up in the overflow library. One of these days, we really need to make a map of this place.”

“That's ok, Spike.” Twilight started to walk down the hallway, not bothering to look back to see if Spike was following. “Did you bring my schedule? What's first on the list for today?”

Spike waved the parchment he was holding as he trailed after Twilight. “Got it right here. Let's see...” His eyes skimmed the writing before him. “You've got lunch with Torch Song at noon, a report to complete in the morning on relations with Griffonstone, Twilight Time with the Crusaders in the afternoon, two hours for reading books this evening...and then three more hours of reading...and two more...” Spike looked up. “Are you planning on getting any sleep tonight?”

Twilight grinned sheepishly. “Maybe I got a bit carried away when writing that part. Well, I better get to work on that report.” She strode toward one of the castle's many office rooms.

“Oh, wait.” Spike's comment brought Twilight to a halt. “What's this note here? I think it says something about a meeting.” He squinted as he tried to decode Twilight's hastily scribbled note squeezed in at the bottom of the parchment. “Yeah, it says you have a meeting with Mayor Mare at 8 o'clock.”

“What?” Twilight exclaimed. “Oh no, I completely forgot about that! We wanted to discuss the efficiency of Winter Wrap Up and see if there were any changes we wanted to make for next year. I'm going to be to be late!”

“Don't worry, Twilight,” Spike said. “I'm sure she won't mind if you're a couple minutes behind schedule. Let me grab your breakfast, and you can eat it on the way over.”

“No time for that!” Twilight's horn glowed. Then, with a flash of light and a small pop, she vanished. An exasperated dragon was left standing in the empty corridor.

“Or, you can just do that.” Spike's gaze fell to the floor for a moment. “Well, I guess I better clean up the kitchen.”

Twilight appeared in the town square. She immediately galloped up the front steps of the town hall and burst through the entrance. Heedless of the stares she received from surprised ponies in the atrium, Twilight took a left and charged through the doors leading to the mayor's office. She came to an abrupt halt, took a deep breath, and calmly walked toward the center of the room. There stood Mayor Mare, signing documents and conversing with the aides who held them.

“I'm sorry for being late, Mayor Mare,” said Twilight.

The mayor looked over at her in surprise. “Hello, Princess Twilight. I'm sorry, did we have a meeting scheduled?”

Twilight grimaced imperceptibly. “Please, I've told you, just call me Twilight. And if you recall, we had planned to review this year's Winter Wrap Up.”

Mayor Mare gave a quick nod of understanding. “Of course. It slipped my mind for a moment.” She waved away the ponies that surrounded her. “We can finish the paperwork later. I'm sure the princess is very busy and wants this meeting over with quickly so she can return to more important matters.”

“No, it's fine; we can meet another time if you're in the middle of something—”

“Out of the question,” Mayor Mare said firmly. She moved to stand behind her desk. “I would not dream of holding up a princess. Now, what was it you wanted to discuss?”

“Winter Wrap Up,” Twilight replied.

“Right. Is it that time of year already? Do we have everything ready to begin?”

A small frown formed on Twilight's lips. “Um, we wrapped up winter last week. This meeting was to evaluate everypony's performance and come up with ideas to make the process more efficient next year.”

Mayor Mare smiled widely. “Excellent. What suggestions have you come up with?”

Twilight immediately brightened. “I'm glad you asked. With Fluttershy absent this year, many of the animals were less eager to come out of hibernation, and the animal team ended up being considerably behind schedule after spending so long trying to wake them up.”

“So we need to find another pony the animals feel comfortable with.” Mayor Mare paused as she considered this. “Surely some other earth pony shares her close affinity with wildlife.”

“Maybe. But I'm not sure if anypony else has a special talent as closely associated with animals as Fluttershy.”

“Well, I'll ask around and see if I find somepony suitable,” Mayor Mare said. She walked over to her office window and stared out at the town, lost in thought for a few seconds. “What else do you have?”

Twilight thought back through the list she had compiled over the last week. In her haste to make it to the meeting on time, she had left the physical copy back at the castle, but she fortunately could remember almost all of it. “Let's see. I know the weather team was satisfied with Cloud Kicker as the new team leader, so that wasn't an issue. But I did hear some complaints that without Pinkie Pie there to liven things up, the job of scoring lakes felt rather monotonous.”

The mayor continued to contemplate the ponies passing through the town square outside as she responded, “I'm sure the ice cutters can stand a little boredom if it means getting the job done quickly. But it is unfortunate that two of our most capable pegasi are no longer here to help the weather team.”

Twilight nodded in agreement. Only a small sense of melancholy intruded on her thoughts as she pondered the loss to the weather team. “Yes, nopony can work quite as fast as Rainbow Dash, even if others are perhaps more dedicated to their work. And without Pinkie Pie—” Twilight broke off. Something was bothering her.

“Yes, Princess?” Mayor Mare turned away from the window and gave her full attention to Twilight.

“Fluttershy's the pegasus, not Pinkie Pie.” Twilight tilted her head, suddenly uncertain. “Are you feeling alright? You seem a bit confused this morning.”

Mayor Mare took a step backward. “Don't worry about me. Now, did you have any other suggestions for Winter Wrap Up? If you don't, I have a lot of work to get back to, and I'm sure you have plenty of obligations, too. So if you will please excuse me...” The mayor glanced to the side and cleared her throat. Then she abruptly lowered her head and galloped out of the room, the door slamming shut behind her.

Twilight stood blinking in the now unoccupied office. Puzzled, she opened the door with telekinesis and poked her head through. She caught a glimpse of a gray tail at the atrium exit. In a blink, it had vanished as its owner disappeared outside.

“Hey, wait!” Twilight cried. She quickly ran after the mayor. Why was Mayor Mare acting so strangely? Her forgetfulness could perhaps be attributed to stress or busyness, but that did not explain why Mayor Mare would suddenly flee her own office. For that matter, Twilight had never seen the mayor move so fast before. Something must be quite wrong for her to exert herself so.

Twilight reached the patio outside the town hall. She scanned the open space before her, searching for a sign of the panicked mayor. To one side, a couple of unicorns chatted by the fountain. A tired earth pony lounged in the shade of a nearby tree. Another pulled a cart across the square, waving at a pegasus who leaned out a window on the other side of the plaza. Mayor Mare was nowhere to be seen.

Perplexed, Twilight trotted over to the resting earth pony. He leaned against the tree in content idleness, staring absently at the activity of daily life that passed by in front of him. His subdued green coat practically blended in with the bark behind him, though his hourglass cutie mark seemed somewhat at odds with his lethargy.

“Excuse me,” said Twilight. “Did you happen to see Mayor Mare pass by? She came out of the town hall just a minute ago.”

The pony's eyelids fell and rose again in a slow blink. “Sorry, princess. I didn't see her.” He closed his eyes once more, rested his front hooves on his stomach, and settled in for a long nap.

“I'm sorry to disturb you,” Twilight replied. She turned away and took a couple of steps. Then she stopped, thought for a moment, and looked back at the sleeping pony. “You do know your cutie mark is upside down, right?” she asked casually.

One of the pony's eyes snapped open. “What did you say?”

Twilight marched toward the other pony, peering determinedly at his face. She gestured at the symbol on his flank. “Your cutie mark. The sand is falling upward instead of downward.”

The earth pony immediately glanced down, a worried grin frozen on his face.

“Imagine that,” he chuckled. “But I need to get going, so...”

A pair of wings suddenly sprouted from the pony's back. They opened wide and quickly propelled the him skyward. He streaked away at once, shooting off in the direction opposite Twilight.

“Not so fast,” Twilight muttered to herself. Her horn lit up, and a purple light immediately surrounded the fleeing pony. She pulled the struggling pony back toward her and held him so that they were eye to eye. His hooves dangled just above the ground, flailing aimlessly as he tried to find something solid to stand on. Twilight just glared at him.

After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, the pony lowered his gaze. With a resigned sigh, he let his body go limp. A green light enveloped him, and when it had passed, his dark green coat had disappeared, leaving a shiny, black exoskeleton in its place. Grotesque holes riddled his legs, and a pair of translucent turquoise wings buzzed on his back.

A changeling.

Twilight almost dropped the pony in shock. “What are you doing here?” she demanded. “Where is Mayor Mare?”

The changeling chittered, making a noise that sounded suspiciously like a scoff. “Please, princess,” it said, “do you really think I'm going to tell you anything?” Twilight suspected that if the changeling had possessed visible pupils, it would be rolling its eyes at her right now.

Twilight remained silent for a while longer, staring at the changeling with dour intensity as her initial surprise faded. Questions tore through her thoughts in rapid succession. Where had this changeling come from? Why had it impersonated Mayor Mare? Was this an isolated event, or had other ponies been replaced as well? Could Equestria be on the verge of another changeling invasion?

Soon Twilight noticed she was no longer alone with the changeling. The unexpected turn of events had attracted a small crowd of spectators. Even as she took in the crowd's presence, a couple more ponies sauntered around the corner of a nearby house, spotted the changeling gripped in Twilight's magic, and hurried over with synchronized gasps. Their exclamations grabbed the attention of even more ponies, and in no time the crowd had grown to include several dozen confused and worried onlookers. Any hope of keeping this changeling infiltration a secret was gone.

The changeling saw the gathered ponies as well. Its peculiarly featureless eyes swept across the crowd, and its mouth lifted in a ferocious smile. Fangs gleamed as the changeling spoke. “I see your fear: you wonder if there are others like me in Ponyville. I will say, I am not the only changeling in here.” With that, the changeling clamped its mouth shut and refused to speak again.

A murmur worked its way through the crowd. Ponies hissed suspicious whispers as they glanced around nervously. Some ponies slowly edged backwards, trying to put some distance between themselves and those around them. One even fell to the ground and hid her eyes with her hooves.

“What do we do, Princess?” came a voice. “Are there really changelings in Ponyville?” All eyes immediately shifted to Twilight, who stood unmoving in the center of the commotion.

Twilight considered the question. What to do, indeed? Certainly she would need to send a letter to the other princesses. But how would they respond? The ponies who had stopped the last changeling invasion were hundreds of miles away to the north, and Twilight's friends were scattered across Equestria. How would they counter against another changeling attack? How would they even determine who to fight?

Twilight shook her head to bring her attention back to the ponies waiting for her answer. She needed to take charge, to reassure everypony that things would be alright. Twilight lifted her head and her voice to address the crowd. “Mayor Mare has been captured by changelings. For now, we must assume that others are present in Ponyville. Stay close to ponies you trust, and avoid being outside alone. Tomorrow we will hold a town meeting to discuss what measures must be taken.”

With that, Twilight pushed through the crowd and raced back toward the castle, using her magic to drag the changeling behind her.

Chapter 2: Danger

Wind rushed through Rainbow Dash's mane as she went into another dive. She felt it pick up speed as she fell, pressing against her in a vain attempt to slow her down. With a precise flick of her wings, Rainbow Dash entered into a tight roll. Sky and earth alternated around her as she streaked through the air. As the onrushing ground engulfed her vision, she terminated her spin, finishing upside down, and pulled out of her dive to soar back into the blue abyss below her.

As with any stunt, she made it look effortless. Of course, even Rainbow Dash knew that such a performance was incredibly difficult, with very little margin for error. One wrong twitch of a wing and the unforgiving ground would leave her incapacitated for weeks. But that was the thrill of flying: making the impossible seem effortless and the dangerous merely routine.

Rainbow Dash peaked at the top of her inverted ascent. She flipped upright and hovered for a moment to take in the glorious view of the heavens around her. The clear blue of unconfined sky gleamed in all directions, illuminated by the strong rays of the midday sun. Far off in the distance, insubstantial wisps of clouds broke the symmetry of the vast expanse, but they were not large enough to threaten a future storm. The weather would be perfect for the performance that evening, and Rainbow Dash was prepared to enjoy every minute of it.

“Alright, everypony, listen up!” Spitfire strutted out onto into the middle of the stadium where the Wonderbolts were practicing. Around her, pegasi flew every which way as they exercised, practiced, and—as in Rainbow's case—showed off. But as soon as Spitfire called out, every Wonderbolt raced down to land in a precisely ordered line before their captain.

Spitfire marched up and down in front of her teammates as she reviewed their schedule. “This is our last practice before the performance tonight. The ponies of Las Pegasus are expecting a great show for their centennial celebration, so we need to give it our all. We start with a flyby at the beginning of the festivities, right before the fireworks. An hour later, we present our full routine here in this stadium. Until then, I want everypony going through basic drills.” Her gaze lingered on Rainbow Dash as she passed by. “No more practicing complicated maneuvers. All of you have the routine down, but I don't want to run the risk of injuries before tonight. Am I clear?”

“Yes, ma'am!” chorused the Wonderbolts. They then took to the skies again, some pairing up to practice basic formation flying, others going off on their own to fly speed and agility drills.

Soarin walked over to Rainbow Dash just as she was preparing to zoom off again. “Hey, Rainbow Dash, want to race around the stadium?”

“Sure,” answered Rainbow. “How many—hey!” Soarin took off immediately and streaked toward the other end of the field. With a cry of indignation and amusement, Rainbow Dash spread her wings and raced after the other pegasus.

To Rainbow Dash's surprise, she caught up to Soarin after only a couple of seconds. While she knew she was the fastest pony in the air, Soarin's head start should have let him stay ahead of Rainbow for at least the first lap. On the other hoof, maybe Soarin had just accelerated slowly. Or maybe Rainbow Dash was even faster than she thought.

Regardless of the reason, Rainbow overtook Soarin as he reached the edge of the field and entered into a banked turn. She dived underneath him, feeling the soft tickle of grass brush against her hooves as she flew mere inches above the ground. It struck Rainbow Dash as peculiar to have a stadium with a grass field in a pegasus city, but she supposed Las Pegasus was not the typical floating cloud town. It probably hosted a hoofball team for the entertainment of Las Pegasus's tourists.

Rainbow's musings on the ground beneath her abruptly ended as she suddenly became much better acquainted with said earth. A hoof clipped her in the back, knocking her downward and giving her a face full of grass and dirt. In a panic, Rainbow tried to stabilize herself, but it was too late. She flipped over twice, bounced several times, and finally skidded to a halt at the far end of the field in a tangled mess of limbs.

Rainbow slowly picked herself up, her head still spinning. She carefully stretched her wings. They did not feel broken. Likewise, her hooves and neck ached, but did not seem to be terribly hurt. Fortunately, losing control so close to the ground had apparently lessened the severity of her injuries.

“Rainbow Crash!” Rainbow winced as she heard Spitfire yell behind her. Slowly turning around, Rainbow Dash saw Spitfire fly over and land right in front of her, expressions of concern and anger fighting for control of her face. “What happened? I specifically told you stick to basic drills to avoid injury.”

Rainbow took an involuntary step backward, grimacing a little as pain flared in her right hind leg. “Wait, that wasn't my fault!”

“You're telling me it wasn't your fault you lost control recklessly showing off when you passed Clipper?” Spitfire's disciplined fury seemed to be winning out over any worry she had for the wellbeing of her teammate.

“No!” Rainbow protested. “I could've handled that maneuver! But Clipper kicked me in the back when I went by.”

Spitfire frowned. Then she whipped around to face Soarin, who hovered timidly a few feet away. Around them, other Wonderbolts put their practice maneuvers on hold and gathered to watch what was happening. “Is that true?” Spitfire demanded.

“Of course not!” Soarin reared back, offended by the accusation. “I would never do something like that to Rainbow Dash!”

Spitfire glanced between Soarin and Rainbow Dash, her frown deepening. “So what happened? Rainbow Dash, are you lying to me?”

Now it was Rainbow's turn to be offended. “What? No! I wouldn't lie about a teammate kicking me. It really was Soarin's fault.”

“It was not!” Soarin shot back. He flew closer to Rainbow, and his nostrils flared menacingly.

“Yeah, it was!” Rainbow refused to back down. She jumped into the air to hovered right in front of Soarin, their angry faces mere inches from one another. Rainbow's injured wings protested the sudden strain, but she ignored the pain to glare at the other pegasus.

“Enough!” Spitfire bellowed. She lowered her volume and she continued firmly, “If you two keep acting like school ponies, I'll throw you both out of tonight's performance.”

“What?” Rainbow exclaimed in surprise. She turned to face Spitfire and gestured wildly in exasperation. “But it wasn't my fault this time! It was Soarin! He kicked me as I sped past him—wait a minute.” Rainbow forgot her indignation for a moment and gave Soarin a puzzled glance. “You were deliberately flying slow. I shouldn't have been able to catch up to you so fast.”

Shock and worry flitted across Soarin's face. “What are you talking about? I was going full speed.”

“Oh, yeah?” Rainbow Dash challenged. “Then how about a race?” She waved a hoof at the far end of the stadium. “First one to make there and back wins.” She lowered herself to the ground and crouched into a ready position. Soarin, surprised into reflexive obedience, settled into a racing stance next to her. “Ready, set, go!”

In the blink of an eye, Rainbow Dash was off. Her sore wings screamed in disapproval, slowing her down by just a hair. Still, Rainbow shot ahead of Soarin, reaching the other end of the field before he had even made it halfway. She reversed direction with a tight loop and raced back toward the confused group of watching Wonderbolts, coming to a halt just in front of Spitfire while Soarin was still turning around at the stadium wall.

Several long seconds later, he arrived and plopped down on the ground with a gasp. After a couple of large gulps of air, he weakly waved a hoof at Rainbow Dash and panted, “You win.”

Rainbow Dash crossed her hooves in front of her. “See?” she sad triumphantly.

Spitfire stared at Rainbow Dash, perplexed. “So what does that have to do with you crashing?”

“Soarin's not acting like himself today,” Rainbow replied. “He should've been right behind me in that race.” She landed and stared down at Soarin, still sprawled across ground as he tried to catch his breath. “What do you have to say for yourself?” Rainbow demanded.

“I think...I think...” gasped Soarin.

“Yes?” asked Rainbow, a bit of smugness leaking into her tone.

Soarin panted once more for breath, and then slowly got up to face Rainbow Dash. He raised his neck to its full extent so that he looked down on his shorter teammate. His eyes blazed with uncharacteristic hatred. “I think the impact should have broken your wing,” he spat.

“What?” Rainbow Dash flinched backward.

“So I'll do it myself, instead!” Soarin abruptly yelled. He leapt forward with surprising ferocity. His forelegs lashed out, and he began to pummel Rainbow Dash with kicks.

Rainbow tried to raise her hooves to defend herself, but the suddenness of the assault had rendered her a bit to slow. Soarin's first kick hit her in the chest, knocking the wind out of her. A second kick put her off balance before she could take flight, and Rainbow Dash tumbled to the ground. The other Wonderbolts rushed forward to help, but Soarin seemed oblivious to their presence as he continued to unrestrainedly pound his teammate. Rainbow saw a hoof hurtle directly toward her forehead, and then blackness overtook her.

Chapter 3: Fright

“Open up, please. I promise this will help you feel better.”

The sick robin lay limply on the blanket Fluttershy had set out. Too weak to fly, the bird could do little but lie still as Fluttershy attended to him, except to keep his beak clamped firmly shut and resist taking the medication she was trying to administer.

“Come on, now. It doesn’t taste that bad.” Fluttershy prodded the robin’s beak with the pill held in one hoof. “And the sooner you take your medicine, the sooner you can go back to sleep and recover your strength.”

The robin feebly shook his head. Gentle persuasion did not seem to work on the creature. Fluttershy would need to try a new tactic.

“You know,” Fluttershy told him tenderly, “back in Ponyville I conduct a bird choir. They make the most beautiful melodies. Hearing birdsong always reminds me of them, reminds me of home. Would you sing for me, please? It would help me feel a little less homesick, and I would greatly appreciate it.”

Fluttershy looked down at the robin with the gentlest expression of goodwill she could manage. The robin fidgeted as he stared up at her expectant eyes. He could not refuse the request of one who had been so kind to him. Eventually, he gathered his strength and emitted a feeble croak.

“Ah ha!” As soon as the robin opened his beak, Fluttershy dropped the pill down his throat. She quickly followed up the maneuver by bringing a cup to the robin’s mouth and delicately tipping some water in, which cut off the bird’s annoyed squawk.

Once the pill was down, Fluttershy set aside the cup. She picked up the robin and wrapped him in a small quilt, a gift from Rarity that had seen much use over the years. The robin wore a disgruntled expression, but lacked either the energy or the will to protest further.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Fluttershy said. “You know it was for your own good.”

She tenderly placed the robin back down on the large blanket she had spread over the forest floor. Almost as soon as he was lying down again, the robin fell into a restful sleep. Around him, other birds dozed quietly or else lay peacefully with their eyes watching Fluttershy as they waited for her to give them their medicine.

Fluttershy went about with practiced serenity, distributing pills and checking temperatures. She would occasionally pause to speak a word of comfort to a particularly distraught bird or to chat amiably with those strong enough to carry on a conversation. A wake of encouraged animals marked her passage as she moved among her patients.

As she worked, Fluttershy thought of how similar this was to life at home. These were tasks she did regularly for her animal friends back in Ponyville, and she found that treating an animal was the same wherever she went. Each creature required the same patient kindness as any other. Perhaps it was this familiarity that made it more bearable to be away from home than she had originally feared. In fact, with the large number of birds incapacitated by the illness sweeping eastern Equestria, she had been kept busy enough that she rarely had time to dwell on anything other than the satisfaction of helping so many. But there were still times, such as now, when her thoughts drifted back to her welcomingly simple cottage and the heartening presence of her closest friends.

She wondered how they were doing. No doubt Rainbow Dash was reveling in the thrill of some dangerous stunt she was performing with the Wonderbolts. Pinkie Pie could be anywhere in Equestria and doing just about anything, which seemed strangely appropriate for her. Rarity was surely enjoying the sophistication and excitement of a big city.

Really, Fluttershy’s main concern was Twilight. When Fluttershy had left, she had seen the silent plea in Twilight’s eyes that asked her to stay. Of course, Twilight was too selfless a friend to express such a request aloud. But it had been there, hidden beneath her friendly demeanor, and it had almost been enough to make Fluttershy stay in Ponyville and tell somepony else to go help the sick birds. In the end, she had left reluctantly, hoping Applejack’s steady presence would be enough to bolster Twilight’s spirit. Fluttershy hoped Applejack was not too busy running the farm to spend some time with Twilight. The company of a friend was a vital kindness.

A rustle interrupted Fluterrshy’s musings. At first, she thought it must have been some critter moving through a nearby bush. Then she realized the noise was both louder and farther away than she had initially judged. Something large was producing quite a ruckus as it passed through the forest a little ways off.

Fluttershy set down her thermometer and bottle of pills and lightly stepped around the sleeping birds. She left them lying contently on the blanket as she headed off into the woods to investigate the sound. Fluttershy wondered what sort of animal would make so much noise. Perhaps it was simply a frustrated bear that could be persuaded to stay quiet with a few soothing words. On the other hoof, it could be something far more dangerous, such as a hydra or an ursa major. Could such creatures be found so far from the Everfree Forest? Fluttershy was not sure, and she did not want to think what the presence of such a beast would mean for her animal friends.

Fluttershy peeked through a bush. Beyond, the forest sloped down to a small clearing nestled between two hills. A carpet of grass had claimed the small plot of land left untouched by the surrounding trees. Nothing was visible in the clearing, but Fluttershy heard the distinctive sounds of something heading in her direction.

Or rather, it was several somethings. Fluttershy could distinguish the sounds of multiple hoofsteps amid the rustling of leaves and snapping of branches. She could also make out a higher-pitched chitter that seemed vaguely familiar.

Then a pony stepped out of the trees. He was small and spindly. His coat was black, except for a dark blue section across his back, from which sprung two membranous wings. Small fangs jutted from his mouth, and blank, turquoise eyes surveyed his surroundings.

A changeling.

Fluttershy quickly ducked down in the shrubbery, her heart pounding. What was a changeling doing here? Had he seen her? Could she make it back to the blanket where her bird friends lay before he spotted her?

More hoofsteps reached Fluttershy’s ears as a whole group of changelings joined the first one in the clearing. A dozen or so of the creatures gathered in a tight circle, talking rapidly about something Fluttershy could not guess. Their long tongues flicked in and out with faint hisses as information was exchanged and decisions reached. After a minute or so of standing there, the discussion seemed to reach a conclusion, and the changelings unanimously turned in Fluttershy’s direction.

Barely able to see through the undergrowth from where she cowered on the ground, Fluttershy began to tremble. Was their choice of direction a coincidence, or had the changelings detected her and decided to capture her? Fluttershy inched backward slowly, her eyes straining to catch a glimpse of the changelings below.

The first changeling peered up the hill. He emitted a long hiss and took a deliberate step forward.

A blur of white and gold shot out of the woods and rammed into him. The changeling tumbled to the ground and lay still. Above his prone form stood a royal guard, an imposing, stoic figure garbed in gleaming armor. The guard remained stationary a moment longer as he checked that the changeling had been knocked unconscious, and then he moved to attack another one.

A couple dozen other royal guards emerged from the shadows of the trees and joined the battle in the clearing. Hooves flew, magic blasts zapped back and forth, and wings beat and buzzed as ponies and changelings tried to take to the sky. The confusion grew as several of the changelings morphed into images of royal guards. From her hiding place in the bushes, Fluttershy lost track of all that went on. She only saw a chaotic mess of violence.

The battle spread beyond the clearing as some of the changelings attempted to flee. One almost managed to disappear among the trees before being hit by a spell launched from a unicorn on the other side of clearing. Fluttershy missed what happened to that changeling, as her view was blocked by two pegasi swooping in front of the bush, each fighting to stay aloft while kicking frantically at the other. Fluttershy ducked as they passed overhead, hoping that neither of them had spotted her cowering on the ground. The pair's erratic flight veered off in a different direction, and they moved out of Fluttershy's sight. She waited a few seconds before venturing to peer above the shrub, just in time to see one of the pegasi slam into a tree. The other managed to break away and twist aside right before the collision, but he clipped his wing on a protruding branch and went down.

Only two ponies were left in the clearing. A large earth-pony guard stood across from an undisguised changeling. The guard lunged forward, and the changeling jumped to the right. The guard pivoted clumsily, thrown momentarily off balance but recovering instantly. He launched a hard kick with his foreleg, catching the changeling in the side. The changeling stumbled, but he balanced himself with his wings and leapt forward out of his opponent's reach. The guard closed the gap in two strides, but that gave the changeling enough time to transform. In a flash of green light, the changeling was gone, replaced by the regal form of Princess Celestia.

The charging guard halted instinctively, years of training superseding his knowledge that the figure before him was clearly a changeling. In his half second of hesitation, the changeling surged forward and launched a powerful kick to his jaw. The blow jerked the guard's muzzle sideways, and he collapsed to the ground.

Hearing the pony's jaw break, Fluttershy involuntarily emitted a small squeak of horror. She immediately clamped her hooves over her mouth, but it was too late. The changeling, reverting back to his default form, tilted his head toward Fluttershy's hiding place. He took a careful step in her direction, moving quietly so he could be alert to any telltale sounds of a hiding pony. For her part, Fluttershy cowered in complete silence and stillness, terrified that the smallest motion would reveal her presence to the changeling.

The changeling ascended the hill cautiously, weaving discreetly among the trees and continually glancing around to ensure no royal guards were sneaking up on him. He came to a halt where a patch of dense foliage made progress more difficult, not more than a couple of steps away from the bush where Fluttershy hid. Silence descended as neither the pegasus nor the changeling moved, each straining to hear an indication of the other's presence.

A minute passed. Fluttershy remained flat on the ground, refusing to even lift her head to see if the changeling was still there. How long she would have stayed there, Fluttershy did not know, but for the present her fear of discovery kept her rooted in place, overriding all other concerns.

At least, it did until Fluttershy heard a familiar voice. Perhaps the changeling guessed at the nature of his quarry, and chose his disguise accordingly. Perhaps he picked a recognizable figure to evoke a response from anypony listening. Or maybe he simply got lucky. Regardless, the clear, yet warm voice of Twilight Sparkle resonated through the void: “It's ok, everypony. You can come out now.”

Fluttershy's heart leapt, and she followed suit. To hear a comforting voice after being on her own for so long was an unexpected joy beyond anything she had hoped. Almost before she realized what she was doing, Fluttershy had sprung to her hooves and opened her mouth to greet he friend with a sincere—if subdued—welcome. But the smile crumbled from her lips as Fluttershy came face to face with the changeling that had stolen her friend's appearance.

The changeling grinned back at her with a malice that appeared wholly out of place on the visage of Princess Twilight. The eyes narrowed in smug triumph even as their lavender shade blended into an unnatural turquoise. The sleek form of the alicorn body shrank and withered as irregular holes ate away at the flawless coat. The changeling chuckled, and in a flash he hurtled at Fluttershy. Startled and upset, Fluttershy could do nothing but whimper and slam her eyes shut as the changeling bore down on her.

A loud smack reverberated through Fluttershy's ears, the distinctive sound of a hoof connecting with flesh. Fluttershy gathered in her breath to let out a shriek of pain, but then she noticed that no blow had hit her.

She cracked one eye open in reluctant curiosity. Her neck had curled down toward the ground in fright, so she caught only a glimpse of grass and bushes. Raising her eyes a bit, Fluttershy saw the changeling pulling back in surprise. A well-aimed kick had bruised his left foreleg, causing the changeling to limp slightly as he retreated from the onslaught of Fluttershy's rescuer. He ducked under the ferocious kick of a white hoof and stumbled several more steps back. He spun around, buzzed his wings, and took flight away into the trees.

“Oh,” Fluttershy breathed in relief as she watched the changeling fly off. “Um, thank you.”

“No need to thank me, dear,” came the reply, a note of worry tinging the reassuring elegance of the voice. “I am merely glad to see you unhurt amid such dreadful fighting.”

Fluttershy turned to look at her rescuer and gave a slight start. Rather than seeing the professionally dispassionate royal guard she expected to find, Fluttershy beheld a somepony quite different. The pony's mane, though bearing signs of painstakingly crafted curls, fell in the untidy mess of physical exertion. While her posture indicated poise and sophistication, the heaving of her chest betrayed the sprint she had just completed. And her carefully conditioned eyelashes could not hide the fear gleaming in Rarity's eyes.

Fluttershy took a step forward, preparing to rush to her friend in grateful relief, but memory of her recent experience made her hesitate. “Um, Rarity? Is that really you?”

An indignant frown came across Rarity's face. “Of course it is I. Why ever—” Rarity broke off as the realization hit her, which she covered by gently clearing her throat. “My apologies, Fluttershy. I almost forgot what just happened. I can assure you that I am indeed Rarity, recently returned from visiting my boutique Rarity for You in Manehattan. I had hoped to surprise you with a visit on my way back to Ponyville, but I never imagined to find anything like this happening when I arrived.”

Rarity peered off into the forest, an uncertain expression on her face. Fluttershy, though, burst into a wide smile and ran to greet her friend with a tight embrace. Rarity immediately returned the hug, the tension leaving her body as she repeated the comforting gesture.

“It's so good to see you again,” Fluttershy whispered, still clinging to Rarity, “and thank you for saving me from that changeling.”

“It's good to see you too, Fluttershy,” replied Rarity.

Rather than continuing the hug, Rarity abrupt pulled away and stood up straight. She glanced in the direction of the clearing, the worry creeping back into her face as she squinted into the distance.

“What is it?” Fluttershy asked. She, too, looked off into the forest, but she only saw trees receding into the distance. All signs of the recent fight had vanished.

“I thought I spotted something near the clearing over there,” Rarity said. “I suppose it is nothing, but I would like to check on it all the same.” With that, she trotted down the hill, aiming for a spot slightly to the right of where the changelings had first appeared. Fluttershy followed her, treading nervously as the trees thinned around her.

“It was somewhere around here,” Rarity called back. She slowed her pace, swiveling her head back and forth as she searched the forest floor. Rarity proceeded a few more steps, but then came to a halt with a short gasp.

“What is it?” Fear returned to Fluttershy's voice as she scampered to catch up to her friend. She reached Rarity's side and looked ahead to see what had captured her friend's attention. She could make out a dark shape between the trees in front of her, but she was not quite sure what it was. It did not move, but it not seem a natural part of the forest, either. A weak moan reached her ears, and Fluttershy realized what the thing was.

“Oh no, somepony's hurt!” Fluttershy gasped. She ran ahead at once, rushing toward the injured pony lying against a tree trunk. So intent was she on helping that Fluttershy did not notice the other important feature about the pony until she was almost on top of her.

Stretched out on the ground before Fluttershy, emitting subdued whimpers of pain, lay a changeling.

Chapter 4: Deception

A firm kick dislodged another clump of apples, dropping them on a predictable path to the baskets waiting below. A second kick brought the stragglers tumbling down, leaving the tree empty and the baskets overflowing with fruit. Applejack sprinted over to the next tree, spinning around as she approached it to transfer the momentum of her gallop into a powerful buck. Another couple kicks brought down the rest of the apples in that tree, and Applejack was ready to move on. Without so much as a quick pause to rest, Applejack charged toward a third tree.

The orchards of Appleloosa teemed with members of the Apple family. On Applejack’s right, Apple Fritter hauled off a full bucket, while Apple Honey set down an empty basket to replace it. To her left, Red Gala shook Apple Strudel awake from an unscheduled nap he had been taking. Several Apple relatives trailed in Applejack’s wake to collect the spoils of her furious efforts. And ahead, Braeburn stood on a hill in the center of the orchard, overseeing the massive harvest being carried out by his relatives.

“Whooeee!” he called enthusiastically. “Good work, everypony! Golden Delicious, go help Apple Cobbler harvest those trees to the south. Apple Strudel, get back to work, or I’ll have to come over there and knock some sense into you.” As his attention wandered over the different groups of ponies laboring throughout the orchard, his gaze fell on Applejack. He chuckled heartily. “Applejack, you need to take a break! At the rate you’re goin’, there won’t be any work left for the rest of us.”

Applejack finished harvesting the tree she was at before turning to stare up at her cousin. “Well,” she shouted back, “somepony’s gotta pick up the slack, what with you not doin’ anythin’.”

Braeburn bowed his head in a sarcastically exaggerated nod. “O’ course, cousin. That’s why I called for y’all to help, so I wouldn’t have to lift a hoof.”

That brought a grin to Applejack’s face. “Mighty clever of you,” she said. “And here I thought you just couldn’t wait ‘till the next reunion to see everyone.”

“Well, that too.” With a laugh and a wave, Braeburn turned away, yelling instructions to some ponies on the other side of the orchard. Applejack dipped her head and immediately returned to her labor.

It felt good to be working alongside family members. When Braeburn had sent news to all the Apple clan of the large crop expected in Appleloosa that year, Applejack had known she would want to be there. She had quickly arranged to take the next available train to from Ponyville, leaving Sweet Apple Acres in the capable hooves of her brother. Big Mac had briefly objected to her leaving town again, seeing as she had been the one who had gone to Manehattan the previous year to help the Oranges move into a new home. But Applejack had brushed aside his monosyllabic protests, arguing that she was better acquainted with Braeburn's hometown. So she had said good-bye to her family, left a note telling Twilight she was leaving, and set out for Appleloosa alone.

And Applejack did not regret it for a second. The close bonds with her family members, the comfort of being with like-minded ponies, the satisfaction of toiling together day after day—these were things Applejack relished. While working on her own farm was great, there was something special about getting together with family to help somepony out. It brought a sense of camaraderie and purpose that she had not felt for a while. In fact, Applejack could not remember the last time she had felt this content.

Applejack looked around. She had finished clearing this section of the orchard. The last of the buckets were being carried off, and ponies shouted congratulations to one another at the successful completion of the task.

Not her, though. To Applejack, the job was not done until the last apple lay stored away. Still, that marker was only a couple of days away, if the family continued to work at their current pace. Not wanting to waste a moment, Applejack hurried away to find more trees that required harvesting.

The cheerful prattle of her extended family faded as Applejack headed toward the outskirts of the orchard. She thought she had seen a few trees along the edge that had been missed during yesterday’s harvest. Checking her speed, Applejack surveyed the orchard until she spotted the keen red gleam of apples still waiting to be plucked. She walked toward the fruit-laden trees, eager to get started.

In her haste, Applejack somehow missed seeing a pony standing right in front of her. She slammed right into the other pony, sending them both to the earth in a rough tumble.

“Sorry ‘bout that. Guess I wasn’t watchin’ where I was—”

Applejack abruptly broke off. She blinked, expecting the strange sight to disappear. When it did not, she was left to gape at the pony lying on the ground across from her.

It was her.

Applejack stared into the same green eyes she saw every time she looked in the mirror. The same freckles dotted her face, and the same orange coat bore a cutie mark of three apples. Even the hat atop her head looked identical, tilted back at the exact angle that Applejack always wore it at.

Applejack warily rose to her hooves. The pony opposite her did likewise. Applejack tilted her head in confusion, and the other pony mirrored her. She raised her right hoof, and the doppelgänger raised its left. Applejack tackled the other pony in a flying leap, and the pony fell to the ground, pinned beneath her strong hooves.

“Everypony!” Applejack yelled. “Come quick!”

The pony wriggled beneath Applejack’s hooves. She responded by pressing down harder. After a moment of squirming, the other pony went still, choosing only to glare at Applejack with hatred. Applejack had never seen such an expression on her face before, and she hoped never to see such a revolting sight again.

“What happened, Applejack?” Braeburn galloped up behind Applejack, panting. Then he let out a surprised whinny when he saw the pair of Applejacks before him. Other members of the Apple family raced up behind him, gasping in turn as they beheld the spectacle.

“What the hay is goin' on?” came a voice from the gathering crowd. “Since when did Applejack have a twin sister?”

Braeburn rolled his eyes and stepped forward. “Applejack?” he asked.

Applejack shifted her weight to keep the other pony down as she answered, “I think this here’s a changeling. I found ‘em standin’ around when I came over here to buck some more apples.”

“A changeling, huh?” said Braeburn. He turned to address one of the ponies in the nearby crowd. “Apple Munchies, head into town and find the sheriff. Tell him we’ve caught a changling out here in the orchard.” A pony scampered off in the direction of Appleloosa.

“Now wait just another minute!” exclaimed the pony trapped beneath Applejack’s hooves. “Y’all’ve got this all wrong! She’s the one who’s the changeling.”

Braeburn froze. Only his eyes moved as he glanced between the two images of Applejack. The crowd of Apple family members murmured various statements of incredulity, uncertainty, and hostility. One pony muttered something about the possibility that both Applejacks were changelings, causing the surrounding Apples to glare at him in exasperation.

For her part, Applejack fought a rising surge of anger. She channeled some of her frustration into pressing down on the trapped changeling even harder. The rest she ejected in an aggravated outcry. “What?”

The shout seemed to shake Braeburn out of his indecisive paralysis. He took a few steps forward to stand beside Applejack. He reached out with one hoof to gently push Applejack off of the changeling lying on the ground. Then Braeburn reached down to help the doppelgänger to its hooves. The changeling immediately grabbed Braeburn’s hoof and sprang up confidently.

Braeburn looked between the two Applejacks standing before him. “Alright, we best figure out what’s goin’ on. One of you's changeling, and we need to find out which.”

Applejack shot at a glance at her duplicate. The changeling stood relaxed and assured, with no trace of worry at the possibility of being discovered. Applejack wondered how it could be so much at ease when surrounded by angry Apples who were determined to find out the truth.

“What did you have in mind, Braeburn?” Applejack asked.

Braeburn stood in thoughtful silence for a few moments. Then he whirled around and pointed a hoof at a nearby pony with a pale yellow coat and two-tone purple mane. “Who’s that?”

“Lavender Fritter!” came the immediate response.

Applejack stared at the changeling in shock. The changeling had spoken without hesitation, beating her to the punch while she was still processing Braeburn’s odd request. How did a changeling know the name of a member of the Apple family?

Applejack cleared her throat. “Uh, Lavender Fritter,” she mumbled resentfully.

“Hm.” Braeburn frowned as he considered this curious result. He turned back to group of assorted family members. Braeburn pointed to a pink mare with a green mane. “What about her?”

“Red Gala!” Applejack blurted out.

“Red Gala!” shouted the changeling, half a beat behind her.

Applejack grinned triumphantly. Perhaps she could win this contest and convince her family of her identity after all.

“And him?” Braeburn indicated a stallion who bore a cutie mark of three yellow apples on an amber coat.

“Golden Delicious!” declared both Applejacks simultaneously. Applejack idly considered the possibility that the changeling was merely guessing names based off of ponies’ cutie marks. Well, she would have to do better.

Braeburn continued the impromptu trivia quiz for a few more rounds. Neither Applejack nor the imposter missed a single question, and their answers came so close together it was usually impossible to tell who had spoken first. Eventually, Braeburn shook his head dejectedly and gave up.

“I don’t get it,” he said. “No changeling should know our family that well.”

The changeling turned to face Applejack with a suspicious look. “Unless the changeling knew it would be a dead giveaway for Applejack to not remember her own family.”

“Just what are you sayin’?” growled Applejack.

“I’m sayin’ you learned a bit of Apple genealogy so you could replace me,” accused the changeling.

“And since when did I start usin’ fancy words like ‘genealogy’?” Applejack exclaimed.

“You just did!” shouted the imposter.

Applejack and her doppelgänger moved closer until they were muzzle to muzzle. Their hooves stomped aggressively, and their eyes flashed with stubborn ire. The hats atop their heads bumped against each other as the ponies leaned toward one another.

“Alright there!” broke in Braeburn. He pushed between Applejack and the imposter and shoved the mirrored ponies apart. “Y’all are both actin’ like cousin Applejack would, I’ll give you that. But let’s tone it back a bit before things get out of hoof.”

“Gladly,” Applejack said through clenched teeth. “I know I’m the real Applejack. I don’t need to get all worked up by a changeling.”

The changeling opened its mouth to protest, but Braeburn spoke up first. “There must be a better way to find out who’s the real Applejack.” He turned to address the crowd. “What do y’all think?”

A chorus of suggestions erupted from the Apple clan. Somepony suggested an apple-bucking competition. Another piped up that an x-ray would reveal the true Apple. Somepony else called for a vote. One claimed that it did not matter which one was real, since they both acted exactly the way Applejack would. That pony was immediately shushed by his fellows.

“Well,” Applejack mused, disregarding the suggestions of her family members, “it seems both of us know all about the Apple family tree. But a changeling wouldn’t know everythin’ about us, right? At some point or another, they’d have to get somethin’ wrong.”

Braeburn gazed at Applejack quizzically. “So what exactly are you suggestin’?”

A wide smile came onto Applejack’s face as certainty banished her worry. “Y’all should test each of us on less familiar parts of Apple history. Stuff that only we Apples would know.” She hummed to herself for a moment, wandering through past memories as she sought one that could prove her identity. “I’ll start. Y’all remember the time I over-planned the family reunion and kept everypony too busy to make any memories?” She looked at the crowd expectantly.

An uncomfortable silence stretched across the passing seconds as nopony spoke. “I remember that,” Apple Fritter eventually piped up.

“Exactly!” Applejack agreed enthusiastically. Perhaps she would be able to convince the others that she was the real Applejack. “I set up a fritter assembly line, made the seven-legged race way to long, and put out sewin’ machines to finish the quilt. Then the hayride managed to get the barn destroyed by—” Applejack broke off and turned to her duplicate. “What was it, again?” she asked casually.

For a brief instant, Applejack thought she saw panic flash across the changeling’s eyes. But the doppelgänger quickly collected itself, and it calmly replied, “Well, let’s see...the cart was goin’ too fast and crashed into it, if I recall correctly.”

“And?” Applejack inquired forcefully. “What made the cart go out of control?”

This time, the changeling did appear visibly distressed. The changeling’s eyes shifted off to the side, similar to the way Applejack’s always did whenever she tried to tell a lie. “A cow stampede?”

“Nope,” said Applejack, savoring the sweetness of catching the changeling in a lie, “it was a whole flock of fruit bats.” Behind her, a couple of Apples reflexively nodded in agreement.

The imposter swallowed nervously. Then, realizing that its charade was over, the changeling reared up to gallop away. Before it could, though, three separate lassos had snared it and pulled it to the ground. Braeburn and Golden Delicious immediately leapt to grab the hooves of the struggling changeling.

“Alright now, what’s goin’ on here?” came a distant cry. Applejack looked up. Galloping toward the scene came Sheriff Silverstar, his bandana flapping in the wind as he ran. He ground to a halt when he reached the group and saw the thrashing pony held on the ground. “Why’ve y’all tied up Applejack?”

“It’s a changeling, Sheriff,” Applejack asserted. Silverstar gave a small start as he noticed her standing next to him. “We caught the thing tryin’ to impersonate me.”

“Well, I’ll be!” said Silverstar. His surprised expression froze as a thought occurred to him. “Y’all are certain this one’s the changeling, and not Applejack, right?”

Braeburn chuckled. “Yep. We just figured it out, Sheriff. The changeling’s all yours.”

As Silverstar and several of the Apples prepared to transport the changeling into town, Braeburn walked over to Applejack. “Mighty clever of you, figurin’ out how to prove you ain’t a changeling,” he said in a low voice.

“Thanks, but it was nothin’,” Applejack replied. “You were on the right track askin’ everypony’s name, but I guess the changeling expected that. I just got to thinkin’ that no imposter could learn everythin’ about us Apples. When you go deep enough, the lie breaks down.”

Braeburn nodded. “So it did. But if we weren’t directly askin’ it questions, we may never’ve found out.”

“I know.” Applejack stared absently across the orchard as she pondered. What if she had not run into her doppelgänger so quickly? What if it had replaced her without the Apple family noticing? Could they have told the difference? Or would the disguise have fooled them, when not subjected to intense scrutiny?

The question worried her. If the changelings were getting better at impersonating folk, ponies could be replaced without anyone else noticing. Had the changelings already started doing so? Were there more changelings in Equestria besides this one?

“I best be goin’,” Applejack muttered, more to herself than to Braeburn. “Twilight’ll want to hear about this.”

“Yep,” agreed Braeburn. “We appreciate your help with the harvest, but it looks like you need to go off and save Equestria again.”

“Sure do.” Applejack adjusted her hat slightly to make sure it would not fly off when she galloped away. “We’ve got a whole bunch of liars to catch.”

Chapter 5: Surprise

Pinkie Pie floated through the city of Las Pegasus. Her hooves brushed against the vaporous edges of clouds as she glided above them, and the breeze rustling through her mane managed to tangle it beyond even its usual state of anarchy. As she drifted through the air, Pinkie Pie savored the thrill of flying, the undiluted pleasure of drifting through empty air.

A perplexed earth pony trotted past her, appraising her with a look of pure bewilderment.

Of course, this being Law Pegasus, walkways crisscrossed the city for the benefit of non-pegasus residents and visitors. Though the city was built among the clouds, it boasted an intricate infrastructure of pathways, plazas, and solid architecture that made it the only pegasus city in Equestria to house substantial populations of earth ponies and unicorns. Every location in the city could be reached entirely on hoof.

But that never stopped Pinkie Pie. She was in Las Pegasus to host a special anniversary celebration for its ponies, and she was determined to experience the city the same way its original pegasus citizens had. Consequently, Pinkie Pie had tied a couple dozen helium balloons to her back and had taken to floating everywhere she went, her tail twirling behind her as a propeller. Her hooves had not rested on solid ground in days, and Pinkie Pie was enjoying every minute of it.

Today, though, Pinkie had far more important things to do than delight in the wonder of flight. Her present task superseded all other concerns: she had to make somepony smile.

Pinkie Pie drifted across the street to the entrance of a large building. It lacked the flashing lights and exuberant colors of the typical Las Pegasus structures; orderly rows of plain, square windows contrasted sharply with the elaborate styles of the buildings to either side. A simple coat of white paint somehow made the place stand out more than all the glamor and flare of the rest of the city, while reflecting the utility of its purpose as Las Pegasus’ hospital.

Maneuvering her balloons through the front door, Pinkie Pie entered the hospital and approached the front desk. A few quick words with the receptionist—well, quite a few words, accompanied by a party favor or two—gave Pinkie Pie the location of her injured friend. Immediately she zipped off down the hall to find the pony.

She paused when she reached the door, hearing voices coming from inside the room. She waited outside for them to finish, listening curiously to the discussion taking place.

“—still confined to his room until he explains himself. Fleetfoot is keeping guard to make sure he doesn’t try to escape.” The voice spoke with authority, but a tint of concern added a touch of personality to the professionalism.

“What about the rest of the Wonderbolts?” Pinkie Pie smiled broadly as she recognized Rainbow Dash's voice. She sounded weaker than usual and in a bit of pain, but just hearing her friend speak lifted Pinkie Pie’s spirits. Or maybe that was the helium lifting her. “Is the performance still on for tonight?”

“We’ve had to modify the routine somewhat,” answered the first voice. “We only had one reserve on standby, but with both you and Clipper out of the show, we’re having to make do with one fewer flier than I’d like.”

“As hard as it’ll be to go on without me,” Rainbow Dash said, “I bet you guys will do fine.”

“Yeah,” the other pony agreed with a chuckle. “After all, we did manage for quite a few years before you joined.” There was a short pause in the conversation until the pony continued, “Well, I should get back to the stadium. I still need to fly the reserve’s wings off in practice.”

“See you, Spitfire,” Rainbow Dash replied. “Thanks for stopping by and seeing how I was doing.”

The door to Rainbow Dash’s room opened, and Spitfire stepped out into the hallway. As she left, she called back to Rainbow Dash, “No problem. After all you’ve done for us, it’s the least I can do. Hope you feel better soon, Crash.”

With that, Spitfire turned down the hall and walked away. Once she was gone, Pinkie Pie floated down from her hiding spot on the ceiling. She certainly did not want Spitfire to think she had been eavesdropping.

Pinkie Pie knocked on the door fame and poked her head into Rainbow's room. “Dashie?”

Inside, Rainbow Dash lay sprawled out on a hospital bed. Bandages wrapped around her head and right wing, and a few bruises dotted her body, but otherwise, she appeared to be fine. However, the way Rainbow’s hooves fidgeted restlessly—and the frustrated expression that formed whenever her eyes shifted to the clock on the wall—worried Pinkie Pie. A book sat on the nightstand next to Rainbow Dash’s bed, but it did not look like it had been opened.

“Pinkie?” Rainbow’s eyes brightened as she saw Pinkie Pie. Her hooves fell still, and she sat up a little in bed.

“Hi, Dashie!” Pinkie Pie leapt into the room with a burst of confetti. She grinned happily down at her bedridden friend, who responded with something that could almost be considered a smile.

“Hey, Pinkie,” Rainbow Dash said. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m planning the Las Pegasus Centennial Celebration.” Pinkie Pie held up a poster for the event. In one corner of the poster, a trio of Wonderbolts soared through the sky. “I thought you would know that, considering I hired you to perform tonight.”

“Well, I knew that part.” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “I meant, what are you doing here? Don’t you have a party to plan, or something?”

“Of course I do,” Pinkie Pie merrily replied. “But when I heard somepony hurt herself in training today, I decided a visit to cheer her up was in order.”

“I didn’t hurt myself!” Rainbow Dash blurted out. She jerked forward angrily, causing her wing to clip against the nightstand. She winced and slowly leaned back again. “Soarin’ kicked me into the ground and attacked me!”

“Soarin’?” Pinkie Pie tilted her head inquisitively. Considering she was still floating unsupported in midair, the rest of her body rotated along with her head. “Why would he do that?”

“I don’t know!” Rainbow Dash threw up her hooves. “It makes no sense.”

“Well,” Pinkie Pie said ponderously, as she slowly spun back to upright, “if it makes no sense for Soarin’ to hurt you, then it must not have been him who attacked you.”

“That makes even less sense, Pinkie,” Rainbow flatly replied.

“Doesn’t it? Haven’t you ever encountered a creature that looks exactly like a pony you know, but acts completely different, until you’re left wondering if either you or the other pony has gone crazy, especially if nopony else seems to think anything’s wrong, but you’re pretty sure you’re not crazy, because you think you would have noticed it already?”

Rainbow Dash hesitated a moment. “A changeling?” she finally asked with reluctance.

“Yep!” Streamers flew from behind Pinkie Pie as a celebratory ringing sound signified Rainbow Dash’s correct answer. “A changeling must have replaced Soarin’ in an attempt to get to you. I thought I spotted a couple of disguised changelings following me around this morning, but I wasn’t really certain until just now.”

“What?” Rainbow Dash nearly lurched upright again, but she seemed to remember her injury and stopped halfway. “There are changelings here in Las Pegasus?”

“Well, I’m fairly sure they’re only here to capture us, but yes, there are.” Pinkie Pie rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

“Then we need to get out of here! We need to go tell Twilight right now!” Rainbow Dash’s sudden fervor quickly drained away. “Except…what about the celebration tonight? What about the performance?” Her voice faded away, before picking up again in a more subdued tone, “I really wanted to fly tonight.”

“But you can’t fly,” Pinkie Pie pointed out. “Not with a broken wing.”

“Yeah, well…” Rainbow Dash slumped back in bed. “I had kinda hoped I’d get better in time for tonight. Lying here, doing nothing—I just feel useless, I guess.”

“Useless?” echoed Pinkie Pie. The sincerity in her voice drove out her usually playful manner.

“I don’t know,” continued Rainbow Dash. “It’s just, flying with the Wonderbolts, putting on shows, pleasing my fans…it’s what I always wanted. And getting a chance to perform at a big celebration like this, at the request of Equestria’s biggest party planner…I was really, really looking forward to it. And now that I’m injured, I won’t get to do that. I won’t get a chance to do what I’m best at.”

For once, Pinkie Pie actually felt she was at a loss for words. She just hung there for a moment, suspended by her collection of brightly colored balloons. Noticing that one of the balloons was sagging, Pinkie Pie distracted herself by pulling a canister of helium out of her mane and refilling the sinking balloon. Then she turned back to Rainbow Dash.

“I’m sorry, Dashie. I really, truly, positively am. But right now, we’ve got bigger problems to worry about: we need to get back to Twilight and help her repel a changeling invasion.”

Rainbow Dash stared off into the distance for a few seconds longer, her eyes clouded with unfulfilled longing. Then she shook her head and spoke again. “You’re right, Pinkie. What’s the plan?”

“Let’s see.” Pinkie Pie pulled down a map of Las Pegasus. She circled the hospital with a red marker. “We’re here. We need to make it to the hot-air balloon dock here, so we can get to the train station on the surface and catch a ride back to Ponyville.” She drew a convoluted zigzag route across the city. “We just need to stay out of sight, avoid changeling spies, and keep you off your wing. Easy!” Pinkie Pie put on a wide smile and rolled up the map.

With a small grunt of pain, Rainbow Dash climbed out of the hospital bed and put her hooves on the ground. She swayed slightly and put a hoof to her forehead, but quickly steadied herself. Moving slowly at first, Rainbow made her way over to Pinkie.

“That’s the spirit! Let’s go!” Pinkie Pie spun around—completing one and a half revolutions—to face the door. She flung it wide open and shot through the doorway, her tail whirling behind her.

She rammed right into a pair of undisguised changelings standing in the hall.

“Uh oh,” said Pinkie Pie. She whipped out her party cannon and shot it point blank at the changelings. Caught off guard, they were unable to get out of the way and got blasted down the hallway. “New plan. Run!”

Rainbow Dash set off at a gallop, Pinkie drifting along behind her. At the far end of the hall, the changelings rose woozily to their hooves. Their wings buzzed, and they took flight after the fleeing ponies.

Rounding a corner at breakneck speed, Rainbow Dash burst through the doors into the hospital lobby. “Changelings!” she shouted. Ponies looked up in alarm, then scampered out of the way to make room for the charging pegasus. A unicorn who had been flipping distractedly through a magazine dove under a coffee table, and Rainbow Dash ran across the recently vacated couch.

Close on Rainbow's tail, Pinkie Pie peered over her shoulder to check the progress of the changelings. They rounded the bend and flew into the lobby, knocking over a potted plant in the process. With practiced skill, Pinkie Pie held her party cannon below her as she floated through air and took careful aim. A gust of wind and confetti hit the lead changeling in the face, causing him (or was it her? Pinkie was never sure) to careen off and slam into the wall. The other changeling, undeterred by the plight of his fellow, followed Pinkie as she retreated out of the hospital.

Ahead, Rainbow Dash bolted across the hospital's front plaza. She weaved around startled tourists, not stopping to apologize as she knocked a cup of coffee out of the telekinetic grip of a passing unicorn. The cup twisted through the air, tumbled the ground, and rolled to the edge of the pavement. There it flipped over onto the surrounding cloud, fell straight through the vapor, and disappeared out of sight. As the unicorn shouted in protest, Rainbow Dash ran right on by.

Pinkie Pie altered her course and flew above the heads of an earth-pony family to catch up to Rainbow Dash. “Where are we going?” she shouted.

“No idea!” came Rainbow Dash’s short response. She galloped across an arched bridge, jumping up on the railing to maneuver around a pair of ponies strolling by.

“The balloon dock is the other way!” Pinkie Pie turned around to point a hoof in the direction they should go. She slowed down for a second so Rainbow Dash could see which way she was indicating.

In the moment Pinkie spent hovering stationary, the changeling barreled into her. Pinkie Pie instinctively braced herself for a collision, but the changeling flew slightly above her. He lowered his horn, and Pinkie heard several popping sounds as the changeling thrust his way through the cluster balloons supporting her. Suddenly, without enough balloons to hold her up, Pinkie Pie found herself plummeting downward. She dropped through the cloud beneath her and fell toward the ground far below.

“Pinkie!” cried out Rainbow Dash. She instinctively dived after her friend, spreading her wings to fly down and catch her. Her left wing splayed wide, but her right wing found itself confined by a bandage. Lopsided, Rainbow Dash tumbled after Pinkie Pie, spiraling uncontrollably through the air.

“Don’t worry!” Pinkie screamed over the cacophony of rushing air. The landscape below grew larger as the two ponies hurtled toward it at a disturbingly fast rate. “Grab on to me!”

To her credit, Rainbow Dash did not waste time questioning Pinkie’s baseless logic. She twisted her good wing this way and that, maneuvering herself over to the other pony. When she got close enough, Rainbow Dash clamped her hooves around Pinkie Pie’s midriff.

“This is bad!” Rainbow shouted in Pinkie’s ear.

“This is fun!” Pinkie Pie responded. She spread her hooves, angling to the side to slightly adjust their plummeting trajectory. “Get ready!”

“Ready for what?” Rainbow Dash yelled.

The ground soared up to meet the falling ponies. They slammed directly into the springy surface, bouncing back upward as the material stretched rebounded beneath them. On the second bounce, Pinkie Pie landed on the trampoline on all four hooves. Rainbow Dash fell hard on her back next to her.

“See?” grinned Pinkie Pie. “Nothing to it. And it looks like we lost the changeling.”

“What?” groaned Rainbow Dash as she stumbled to her hooves, a feat made more difficult by the fact that Pinkie Pie was excitedly jumping up and down on the trampoline, causing the surface to lurch and pitch underneath them.

“Nice of you to drop by, Pinkie!” came an animated voice from below. Pausing in mid-jump to peer over the edge of the trampoline, Pinkie Pie saw a familiar earth pony clapping excitedly at their recent stunt. An accordion lay on the ground beside him.

“Hi, Cheese!” greeted Pinkie Pie. “Thanks for the save.”

Pinkie saw Rainbow glance between the two party ponies, an incredulous look on her face. Then she shrugged, apparently giving up on trying to understand what was going on.

Cheese Sandwich, however, did not seem at all surprised at having witnessed two ponies fall from the sky. “Anytime. So what brings you down here?”

“Well, I kinda need to head back to Ponyville,” Pinkie Pie replied, hopping down from the trampoline to give Cheese Sandwich a hug. “Sorry, but you’ll have to run the party tonight without me.”

“Let me guess,” said Cheese as he reciprocated the gesture, “you’ve discovered a changeling threat and need to report it right away.”

“Yeah. I knew you’d understand.” Pinkie Pie pulled away and motioned for Rainbow Dash to get down from the trampoline. “Have fun at the party.”

Cheese Sandwich gave a wide grin as Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie started to head off toward the train station. “Have fun fighting changelings.”

“Oh, we will.” Pinkie Pie skipped merrily as she waved back at her fellow party planner. She bounced away with vibrant enthusiasm radiating through her entire body.

Rainbow Dash, though, stared at the ground as she shuffled along behind Pinkie.

Chapter 6: Reservations

The changeling emitted a quiet sob of pain. It lay curled up at the base of a large oak tree, directly underneath a large indentation in the tree’s trunk. One of its wings bent at an irregular angle, and the changeling gingerly cradled its right foreleg close to its body. The turquoise light in its eyes seemed dimmed, as if the power normally infusing those eyes had unexpectedly run out.

Rarity looked down on the wounded changeling with both pity and revulsion. The familiar signs of a pony in pain seemed somehow distorted on the features of the changeling, creating a perverse mockery of an appalling sight. The translucent wing, as agonizingly broken as it appeared, still fluttered in an unnatural, insectile manner. The strange holes in the changeling’s legs made them misshapen in a way more fundamental than the injuries they bore. And Rarity could not suppress a twitch of repugnance in her stomach as she stared into those haunting orbs that lacked pupils. She stood frozen, immobilized by the strange reactions evoked by the sight of the changeling.

Fluttershy, of course, felt no such conflicting feelings; at least, she did not let such emotions get in the way of her helping a creature that was obviously suffering. She bent down to the whimpering changeling and patted its reflective black coat with a reassuring hoof. “It’s going to be alright,” she whispered. “I’m here to help you.”

The changeling feebly raised its head to look at Fluttershy. Its jaws parted slightly, and Rarity saw the gleam of its fangs wink in the forest sunlight. Suddenly uneasy, she took a step forward and opened her mouth to cry out a warning for Fluttershy. But then the changeling sagged back, curled its head into its body, and let out a low hiss of pain.

“Shh,” Fluttershy gently chided. “Don’t try to talk yet. Just lie here and rest for awhile. I’m going to treat your injuries and give you some medicine to ease the pain, ok?”

The changeling gave a slight jerk of its head that resembled a weak nod. Its tense body loosened a little, though the occasional shudder of pain still shook it.

Fluttershy looked over at should at Rarity and pointed a hoof to her right. She spoke in a calm but authoritative voice. “Back there I left a bag of medical supplies in a clearing where some birds are sleeping on a blanket. Please find it and bring it here.”

Rarity gave her friend a slight frown. “Are you quite sure it is necessary to—”

Rarity clamped her mouth shut when Fluttershy narrowed her eyes at her. Fluttershy bore that rare look indicating it would most unwise to argue with the normally agreeable pegasus. Not wishing to upset her friend, Rarity quickly set off into the forest at a brisk trot.

As she walked, Rarity reflected on this unexpected change of events. Just the previous day, she had bid farewell to Coco Pommel and boarded a train for Ponyville. Business was thriving for her store in Manehattan, so much so that it required a larger venue to meet the demands of an expanding enterprise. She and Coco had spent the last two and a half months organizing the transition of Rarity for You to its new location. After a successful opening of the new store last week, it had come time for Rarity to return home briefly before setting out on her next business venture.

Early that morning, the train had stopped in the small town of Hollow Shades. Recalling that Fluttershy was living in the woods nearby, Rarity had decided to pay her friend a surprise visit. After all, Rarity did not know when she would next get a chance to see Fluttershy, what with how busy she was these days managing her boutiques. A quiet afternoon of sharing a cup of tea sounded most appealing: they could catch up and reminisce about the days when they were two simple mares in Ponyville.

Rarity certainly had not expected to find Fluttershy under attack by a group of changelings.

Nor had she dreamed of finding a hurt changeling that almost invoked a sense of compassion in her. It seemed unnatural, in a way, to experience such an emotion in regards to one of their greatest enemies. Rarity could distinctly recall the invasion of Canterlot during the royal wedding, the confusion of a grand social event suddenly becoming a fight for the fate of Equestria. She remembered the firm smack of her hoof against a changeling’s face as she relished the opportunity to defend herself and her friends from the invaders. Not to mention the fact that it just felt so satisfying to get in a fight now and then.

After a short time of walking, Rarity found the clearing of which Fluttershy had spoken. She delicately stepped around the birds sleeping peacefully on the blanket laid out for them. Leaning against the trunk of a tree on the far side of the temporary animal hospital was the bag of medicine. Using her magic to place the bag on her back, Rarity silently departed to head back to Fluttershy.

Of course Fluttershy would drop everything to help a wounded creature, even if that creature was a changeling. Never mind the fact that one had tried to attack her only a few minutes previously, and had only been driven off by Rarity’s intervention. Fluttershy had not hesitated to help the moment she saw a need.

Rarity, on the other hoof, did not entirely feel Fluttershy’s desire to help. Or perhaps more precisely, the feeling was weighed against other concerns. What was a group of changelings doing in an Equestrian forest in the first place? The efforts one of the changelings had put into locating and attempting to hurt a harmless, cowering pegasus seemed to indicate hostile intentions. Was the injured changeling, whom Fluttershy so wanted to heal, an enemy of Equestria? Moreover, should not Fluttershy and Rarity return to Ponyville or Canterlot immediately, to see if their assistance was required in repelling another threat to ponykind?

Not to mention the fact that no matter how Rarity tried to ignore the peculiar sentiment, aiding a changeling simply felt wrong to her.

Rarity spotted Fluttershy’s bright mane contrasted against the more subdued tones of the forest undergrowth. She hurried over and dropped the bag of supplies next to Fluttershy. The pegasus had lain down next to the changeling, while continuing to pat its back and offer words of comfort. Upon Rarity’s return, Fluttershy dove her free hoof into the bag and searched for the medicine she needed.

Rarity stood to the side watching as Fluttershy efficiently began to bandage the changeling’s wounds. She set the bent wing in a splint and wrapped a sling around the injured foreleg. She dabbed medicine on the myriad of cuts and bruises that covered the changeling’s body. Lastly, Fluttershy coaxed the changeling to open its mouth and take a couple of pills. Throughout the entire process, the changeling lay quietly, offering no resistance to Fluttershy’s actions and displaying no signs of opposition or aggression. Once Fluttershy had finished, the changeling curled up into a ball and closed its eyes to rest. It breathed more peacefully in sleep than it had before.

Fluttershy got to her hooves and joined Rarity in removed contemplation of the changeling, watching the changeling sleep for a while without comment. When it appeared she was satisfied, Fluttershy turned to address Rarity.

“Thank you for retrieving the medicine,” she said in her characteristically caring voice. “I hated to leave the changeling while she was in so much pain.”

Rarity offered no response. Instead, she continued to observe the changeling’s slumbering form. After a lengthy pause, Rarity finally responded, “Think nothing of it. I would never hesitate to refuse a friend’s request.”

Fluttershy let out a quiet breath. It sounded suspiciously similar to a sigh of relief. “Oh, good. I was afraid you would be mad at me for wanting to help a changeling.”

Rarity considered her words carefully before speaking. “I am not mad, per se, merely cautious. After all, this changeling was part of a group that not only infiltrated Equestria, but seemed to go out of its way to target you.”

Though it was barely noticeable, Fluttershy retreated slightly behind the concealing vale of her mane. “What do you mean?”

“Think about it.” Rarity looked in the direction of the clearing where the battle between the changelings and the royal guard had taken place. “The changelings were outnumbered and ambushed. Most of them understandably fled. Yet one took the time to lure you out of the bushes and attack you. Why else would it do so, unless you were of importance to it?”

“So you’re saying those changelings were after…me?” Fluttershy whimpered.

“Perhaps,” Rarity acknowledged calmly. “It does seem strange that a group of changelings happened to be wandering an uninhabited forest so close to where you were.”

Fluttershy looked back at the sleeping changeling, the beginnings of a tear forming in her eye. “So you think the changeling I just treated was trying to capture me?”

Worried at her friend’s response, Rarity moved closer and laid a hoof behind Fluttershy’s neck. “I am afraid it seems likely, Fluttershy. We must at least entertain the possibility.” She lightly massaged Fluttershy’s back as she mustered the courage to speak what she knew she must say next. “Perhaps it would be better if we were to leave the changeling here and return to your house. You’ve done plenty for it, already.”

The muscles in Fluttershy’s back tensed up. Her head drooped slightly as she said, almost too quiet to hear, “I can’t.” Fluttershy swallowed and continued with increasing vigor, “She’s still so weak, and won’t be able to move for several hours. I don’t want a wild animal coming by and scaring her before she’s strong enough to protect herself.”

“She?” Despite herself, Rarity let her curiosity slip out.

“Oh, yes.” Fluttershy nodded. “It can be hard to tell the difference, but—”

Rarity gently interrupted Fluttershy’s explanation. “I do not doubt you can tell, but, frankly, I did not even realize changelings had genders. Regardless, I must insist we go back to your home. It will be dark soon, and I have no intention of spending the night out in the woods.”

Fluttershy said nothing. Instead, she bent down and touched a hoof to the sleeping changeling’s forehead. After a moment’s debate, she stood back up and looked at Rarity. “You go on ahead. I’d like to stay and make sure she’s alright.”

Sighing a little to herself, Rarity took a step forward. “Please, dear. She will be fine. We need to get packed and ready to leave for Ponyville.”

“Leave?” Fluttershy questioned. Her gaze dropped to the sleeping changeling.

“Yes,” affirmed Rarity. “We must find Twilight and our other friends, so we can decide what to do about the presence of changelings in Equestria.”

Fluttershy trembled slightly. She looked at the changeling, then up at Rarity, and then back in the direction of her bird hospital. Letting out a slow breath, she said, “I will go with you in the morning. Tonight, though, I will sleep out here.” She fished through her bag and pulled out a key. “If you want to sleep in my hut, you’re more than welcome to.”

For a long moment, Rarity stared blankly at the key. Fluttershy stared back with intense determination, a solemn expression of finality on her face. The two stood there, motionless, as Rarity fought with herself.

Eventually, she conceded. Rarity dipped her head and said, “If you want to.” Fluttershy nodded earnestly. “In that case, I suppose I shall keep you company, and make sure the changeling does not do anything to harm you.” She grabbed the key in her magic, and Fluttershy let her hoof drop in surprise. “Let me bring some food back for the two of us, and then we can sleep here tonight.” Rarity suppressed the feeling of distaste coursing through her body. Before Fluttershy could say anything, and before she lost her resolve, Rarity set off into the forest. She walked a few steps, but then she stopped and looked back over her shoulder.

“Fluttershy?” she asked timidly, embarrassed her behavior. “Which way, precisely, is your home?”

Rarity carefully arranged a thick pile of blankets on the ground. She telekinetically brushed aside a few stray leaves and smoothed out the top blanket. If she was going to sleep out in the wilderness that night, she would at least make sure she was decently comfortable. A few more layers ought to be enough to keep her from feeling the hard clumps of dirt beneath her.

Twirling three blankets around her with her magic, Rarity considered her options. All three clashed with the colors of the ones already laid out. Still, supposing that sacrifices had to be made when roughing it out in the woods, Rarity ordered the blankets in the least offensive combination and placed them on top of the pile. She shifted them slightly to make sure they were centered. Stepping back to admire her work, Rarity smiled. Perhaps she could sleep decently that night after all.

That grin faded as she stole a glance back in the direction of Fluttershy and the changeling. Apart from a brief supper, Fluttershy had not left its side. She had continued to tend for the changeling, covering it while it slept and feeding it some food when it had woken.

Now, though, it was time for Fluttershy to rest. Stepping lightly, Rarity went to tell her. She halted, however, when she heard the pleasant whisper of voices.

“Would your wing still hurt if you transformed into an earth pony?” Fluttershy inquired.

A weak voice answered her. It came with a subtle hissing noise, as if the mouth speaking could not help but emit such sounds as it tried to form words. Otherwise, the voice sounded soft and female. “I don’t know. I’ve never tried to change while injured.”

“Would you be up for trying?” Fluttershy asked. “If you’re feeling strong enough, that is,” she quickly amended.

“I…I think so.” The changeling wavered, but ended with confidence.

From where she stood, Rarity could not make out the changeling’s form. But she clearly saw the flash of green light against the darkening sky. Intrigued, Rarity moved forward among the trees to get a better view of the changeling and see what appearance it had taken.

Peering out between a pair of slender saplings, Rarity beheld the transformed changeling. The slight body of a young earth pony mare lay curled in the grass. A thin, untidy mane of light gray hair covered her head. Her coat was dazzling silver, reflecting the light of the rising moon with surprising intensity. A simple horseshoe cutie mark—one that Rarity had seen on many other ponies all over Equestria—finished the image.

“Well?” Fluttershy tenderly prodded.

The mare shifted slightly, twisting around as she got used to her new form. “This feels odd. There is still a slight ache in my back, where the wing would connect, but the pain has lessened, I think.”

“Oh, that’s good to hear,” Fluttershy said. “That will help you rest easier tonight.” She reached across and pulled a blanket over the changeling. “I think it’s time for both of us to get some sleep.” Fluttershy stood up.

Rarity backed away, ready to turn in now that she was sure Fluttershy would not stay up to late. She retraced her path back to her makeshift bed, already thinking of collapsing into the serenity of dreams.

“Um, I’d like to ask you something, if you don’t mind,” Rarity heard Fluttershy say as the unicorn tucked herself in to bed. “Do you have a name?”

Rarity perked up, listening intently for the changeling’s answer. For a long time, no reply came, and Rarity almost nodded off to sleep as the silence stretched uncomfortably. Finally, the changeling whispered a simple, “No.”

“Oh.” The surprise and concern was evident in Fluttershy’s voice. “Well, would it be alright if I came up with one? At least one I could use when talking to you, that is.”

The changeling must have nodded, for Rarity did not hear any response, but Fluttershy began to hum in thought. Had she any energy left to think, Rarity would have wondered at the changeling’s lack of a name and immediately put all of her creative efforts into fashioning the perfect moniker for the poor changeling.

Instead, weariness overtook Rarity at last and she drifted off to sleep. The last thing she heard, as sleep washed over her, was Fluttershy’s voice as she reached a decision.

“May I call you Mirror Coat?”

Chapter 7: Hunt

Twilight stood at her castle balcony. Below, Ponyville lay in the soft glimmer of dawn. The shadows of night still spread throughout the streets, but light had begun to claim the rooftops as the sun edged over the horizon. Pure beams of brilliant energy illuminated the dark town, bringing every building and home into sharp contrast. Soon, the sun would be up, and ponies would begin to carry out their daily routines in the comforting warmth of the day.

In the opposite direction, the magnificent city of Canterlot rose out of the mountain in the distance. Canterlot gleamed in an image of peaceful splendor, an ancient fortress of history that remained undisturbed by the long years of Celestia’s reign. Light illuminated the spires and ramparts of the royal city, the dawn blessing the elevated mountain capital before it reached down to the plains below. Pure white marble shone in the brilliant colors of the rising sun, and golden towers reflected the growing light. There stood a city of importance, of power, of glory.

To Twilight, it was a city of old memories, of a previous life that no longer felt like it fit her.

More worrisome to Twilight, though, was how serene the distant city appeared. No protective shield had been raised about Canterlot, as it had been by Twilight’s brother in the days leading up to the royal wedding. No visible defenses had been put in place, no royal guards patrolled the skies, and no summons had been sent to gather the princesses. It was as if Canterlot had done nothing to prepare for the impending threat of a changeling invasion.

Twilight wondered why that was so. The previous day, as soon as she had made it back to her castle, Twilight had sent a letter to Princess Celestia detailing the situation with Mayor Mare. She knew the princess would want to hear at once what had happened, so she had wasted no time in writing the letter and having Spike send it off.

Dear Princess Celestia,

We are once again on the brink of catastrophe. Earlier today, I met with Mayor Mare to discuss matters pertaining to Winter Wrap Up. During the course of our meeting, the mayor acted very suspiciously, and she fled her office. I chased after her, and found she had been replaced by a changeling. The changeling provided no information beyond a hint that other ponies have also been replaced.

I am certain you will agree with me that this is a matter of greatest importance, which must be dealt with immediately. I can meet you in Canterlot at once so we can consider this matter, or if you would prefer to come here question the imposter, I am keeping the changeling in my castle.

I hope you and your sister are doing well. I await your insight and guidance concerning this crisis.

Your friend,
Twilight Sparkle

Sending the letter had immediately soothed Twilight’s worry. Princess Celestia would know how best to deal with a renewed changeling threat. She always had some sort of plan, even if it was merely an affirmation that Twilight was fully capable of dealing with the situation on her own. By this point, Twilight was prepared for any sort of response from Princess Celestia. Perhaps the princess would lay out a detailed stratagem for detecting and apprehending changeling infiltrators. Possibly she would explain how allowing a changeling to think it had successfully impersonated a political leader was part of a greater scheme to lure the changelings into a trap. Or maybe Princess Celestia would simply make an oblique reference to some new aspect of friendship that would inevitably unlock untold magical power. Nothing would surprise Twilight at this point.

But nothing was exactly what had happened.

It had been almost a full day since Twilight had sent the letter, and still she had yet to receive a reply from her fellow princess. Twilight had thought a matter of such urgency would elicit immediate action, and the prolonged silence unsettled her. What possible reason would Princess Celestia have for ignoring Twilight? In the past, Princess Celestia had always at least acknowledged Twilight’s concerns, even if at times she had not seemed to give them the attention Twilight believed they warranted. What had changed?

Twilight dragged herself away from the balcony, sparing Canterlot one last expectant look as she went back inside the castle. She could not afford to wait any longer for guidance from Princess Celestia; she would need to take action herself. The thought of facing this threat on her own did not trouble Twilight too much, for she had overcome many difficulties without the princess’ guidance. It was more the peculiarity of Princess Celestia’s silence that unnerved her.

Not to mention, she thought uneasily to herself, the fact her friends were not by her side this time.

Moving at an increasing pace, Twilight weaved her way through the halls of her castle. She headed toward a guest bedroom high in the central tower, a spacious room with a spectacular view of the Everfree Forest. After securing the room with every protective spell and magic-nullifying enchantment she could think of, Twilight had locked the changeling prisoner in there. She had of course provided the changeling with an ample selection of books to keep it entertained; not knowing what literature changelings preferred, Twilight had brought a sampling of every genre kept in her library.

Twilight reached the door to the changeling’s prison. It appeared identical to all the other superfluous doors in the castle, just as uniform and unnecessary as dozens of others gateways to rooms she did not know what to do with. But on the other side of that particular door was a potential threat to Equestria.

Two short knocks announced Twilight’s presence before she swung the door open. She did not need to worry about the changeling attempting a quick escape through the open entrance, for a shield spell would prevent any passage through the doorway. She had perfected a transparent version of her brother’s famous defensive spell, allowing her an unobstructed view of the changeling inside.

The changeling stood motionless at the window. It gazed out to the wide expanse of sky that was still changing color with the coming of day. From all appearances, it seemed the changeling had stood there all night without moving. The sheets on the bed were unruffled, and the pile of books on the opposite wall was still arranged precisely the way Twilight had organized it.

“Excuse me,” Twilight said. Her voice lacked the authority of royalty, sounding more like an apologetically intrusive guest in a stranger’s home.

The changeling gave no acknowledgement of Twilight’s presence. It continued to stare into the blue void without so much as a twitch of movement.

“Excuse me,” Twilight repeated slightly louder. “I was wondering if you needed anything. I could have Spike bring you some food, if you like.” Silence. “I mean, I can’t remember if changelings eat regular food, or if they even can. I used to have a book on changeling culture, but it was burned up…when…” Twilight’s ramblings trailed off.

After several more seconds of quiet, a chittering sound finally came from the changeling. It sounded similar to a pony’s gentle chuckle. “No, I do not require any of your food.” The changeling lapsed back into its noiseless watch.

“I see,” Twilight eventually said.

Clearing her throat, Twilight tried again. “Is there anything else I can get you?” Once again the changeling did not respond. “I said,” Twilight continued, slightly louder, “is there anything else I can get you?”

At last, the changeling turned its head from the window to look at Twilight. Its featureless eyes peered at her in wordless judgment. “You know nothing about changelings, do you?” it asked.

Twilight shifted uncomfortably. “Like I said, I lost my reference guide when—”

“Trivial matters,” the changeling abruptly interrupted, its voice low but harsh. “Externalities. Things we changelings can adapt at a moment’s notice. No, you know nothing about us, Princess Twilight Sparkle. We have studied ponies for years, learning to adjust and blend in, but you do not understand enough to be able to detect us.”

“I understood enough to catch your mistakes,” countered Twilight.

The strange chuckling sound escaped from the changeling’s mouth again. “But not enough to see all the other changelings hiding in plain sight. You have no idea how many of us are in Ponyville.”

“How many are there?” Twilight demanded, a bit more forcefully than she had intended. The changeling’s vague condescension was making her uneasy.

“Enough,” came the short reply.

“And what do you hope to accomplish?” Twilight asked.

“Who knows?” The changeling smiled, its fangs giving the expression an ominous look. “You cannot tell, because you only see a glimpse of our actions. You do not understand the motivations behind them, for they are…” The changeling paused as it sought the right word. “Disguised.”

Finished with its proclamation, the changeling turned back toward the window to resume its stationary vigil of the outside world. Twilight stood in the entryway, contemplating the changeling. What did the changeling mean? What was it hiding? Twilight did not know if she should report these nebulous warnings to Princess Celestia, or if it was even worthwhile, considering the princess’ lack of response to the last message.

And what of the changeling itself? Was it a threat to Equestria that needed to stay imprisoned? Was there a way she could reach out to it in kindness and show it the magic of friendship? Twilight was doubtful such a thing was possible with changelings—and she was reluctant to try, considering what they had done to her brother and sister-in-law—but spreading friendship was her job. If yaks and dragons could understand friendship, why not changelings?

Because yaks and dragons did not steal your foalsitter and attack your family, she supposed.

“Or maybe I don’t understand ponies, after all,” the changeling said unexpectedly. “For instance, I am at a loss to explain why one is climbing up the side of your castle.” Rather than continuing to ponder the sky, the changeling peered downward from the window. It took flight and hovered near the ceiling to get a better view of something below.

“What?” Twilight rushed into the room to see what the changeling was looking at. She promptly bounced against her own shield spell and fell to the floor. Quickly picking herself up again, Twilight summoned her magic and teleported outside the castle. She reappeared floating in the air outside the bedroom window.

Looking down, Twilight was startled to see that the changeling had been correct. A grappling hook was latched onto the window of the changeling’s room, and a rope reached down to the ground from there. A pale yellow earth pony with a two-colored mane swiftly ascended the rope, having already climbed two stories off the ground. The mare wore a pair of sunglasses in what seemed to be an attempt to conceal her identity, but which actually did nothing to stop Twilight from instantly recognizing her.

“Bon Bon!” Twilight called out. “What it Equestria are you doing?”

The climber, previously too intent on her destination to notice anything else, twisted around and saw Twilight hovering above her. Without missing a beat, Bon Bon bit into the rope above her, severing the cord and causing her to drop toward the ground. As she fell, she kicked her hind legs against the side of the castle, launching herself into a sideways tumble. She hit the ground in a roll and somersaulted away from the castle. After several rotations, she sprang out of the roll into a full gallop toward Ponyville.

Twilight dived after her. She had no idea why Bon Bon had been scaling the side of the castle, but her sudden flight indicated the reason could not be good. Twilight reached out to grab Bon Bon with telekinesis, but at that moment the fleeing pony made a giant leap. She soared into the air and grabbed the horizontal beam of a flagpole with her forelegs. Bon Bon swung herself upward, launching herself high into the air. She landed perfectly balanced on the tip of a nearby roof and sprinted away. The maneuver caught Twilight off guard, and her magic missed Bon Bon. Frustrated, the princess soared after the escaping pony.

Bon Bon leapt from rooftop to rooftop as she fled from Twilight. She kicked off of a protruding chimney to rapidly change direction and vault across to a roof on her right. Twilight banked to follow, but her momentum caused to overshoot the turn and lose some ground.

Taking advantage of her small lead, Bon Bon jumped down into a narrow alley. Perhaps she sought to disappear among narrow streets where Twilight would lack room to fly, or maybe she intended to hide in one of the surrounding buildings. Twilight did not wait to find out. She shot a powerful blast of magic into the alleyway.

A couple of crates flew into the air. An old cart that was missing one wheel followed it. Then, legs flailing in panicked disbelief, an earth pony accelerated into the sky in an upward fall. She frantically reached for a nearby windowsill, but she soared past too quickly to grab it. Bon Bon rotated around to see the open atmosphere rushing toward her. Somehow, though, Bon Bon’s sunglasses stayed firmly in place as she floundered through the air.

Grinning to herself, Twilight shut off her gravity reversal spell, catching the pony and other floating objects in her telekinesis. She lowered the crates and cart gently back into the alley but held the struggling mare in front of her. Twilight glided to an empty space at the edge of the market and landed lightly on her hooves. The cessation of her magic dropped Bon Bon roughly to the ground beside her.

Twilight took in a deep gulp of air to both catch her breath and calm her vexation. She leaned down to stare directly at the earth pony lying in a heap next to her, who was still too muddled to attempt to rise.

“Let me ask again,” Twilight said softly and calmly. Then her voice rose several dozen decibels as she yelled, “WHAT WERE YOU DOING CLIMBING UP THE SIDE OF MY CASTLE?”

Bon Bon shifted nervously. She opened her mouth to speak, but it hung there limply for several seconds without any words coming out. Then Bon Bon gave a short nod, as if she had reached a decision.

“Special Agent Sweetie Drops reporting for duty, Princess,” she said with professional deference. “I heard rumors you had apprehended a changeling and were holding it in your castle for questioning. Pardon my covert behavior, but I wished to observe the prisoner discreetly and without interference.” Bon Bon looked at Twilight expectantly, as if what she had said explained everything.

In return, Twilight blinked twice in utter perplexity. She tried and failed to process the fact that the owner of a local candy store had just described herself as a special agent. She had no idea why Bon Bon not only offered Twilight a different name, but also expected the princess to apparently be familiar with her bizarre behavior. “You’re a…spy?” she finally managed to ask.

“Of course.” Bon Bon nodded. “I was part of Celestia’s anti-monster agency.”

“Her what?” Twilight was not sure if Bon Bon was attempting to hide behind a ridiculous lie or if she had gone completely crazy.

Bon Bon hesitated, an uncertain expression breaking through her composed demeanor. “She…never told you about us?”

“Uh, no.”

The sound of running feet distracted Twilight from her confusion. Spike hurried across the market, worry evident on his face. Several of the ponies he passed turned curiously to see where he was going.

Spike stopped in front of Twilight and bent over to catch his breath. “What happened, Twilight?” Spike noticed Bon Bon as she finally managed to get to her hooves. “And what's she doing here?”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out,” Twilight replied. “I caught her trying to climb up the side of the castle. She says she’s part of some secret spy organization set up by Princess Celestia, but I’ve never heard of anything like that.”

“A spy, huh?” Spike asked interestedly. “I guess that explains the cool sunglasses.”

“This is serious, Spike,” Twilight snapped. “I don’t know why Princess Celestia wouldn’t tell me about something like this. I’ve read through every government document from the last century, and none of them mentioned a secret agency.”

“That’s because it’s a secret,” Bon Bon interjected with exasperation.

“Or maybe,” Spike said thoughtfully, “it’s because there is no such thing, and Bon Bon is just making it up to try to get out of trouble.”

A thought struck Twilight. “You don’t think she’s a changeling, do you?”

Spike shrugged. “I don’t know. But it is weird she was trying to break into the room where the other one’s being kept.”

“You’re right,” Twilight agreed. She looked back at Bon Bon, suspicious creeping through her mind as she pondered the pony’s recent uncharacteristic behavior. In the background, other ponies began to form a circle around the scene. Some were already whispering about what had happened the previous day. “She’s acting too strange, just like the changeling impersonating Mayor Mare was yesterday. We can’t take a chance with this.”

“What?” Bon Bon exclaimed as magic lifted her off the ground again. “No! I’m telling the truth!”

“Uh huh, sure.” Spike did not sound at all convinced.

In a low voice, Twilight hissed at Bon Bon, “If it’s the truth, why didn’t Celestia tell me?”

A pony from the gathering crowd spoke up. “Is this another imposter, Princess?”

Twilight stared around at the inquisitive ponies around her, thinking how similar this was to what had happened with Mayor Mare. The changeling, the crowd, the same expectation that she would have answers for everypony else. She thought about the silence from Canterlot, and the answers that she had expected to receive but never had. She thought of her absent friends, scattered across Equestria and living their own lives without her. She thought of how the ponies of Ponyville kept revealing themselves to be things other than what they should have been.

She thought about how it was all up to her.

“Yes, it is another changeling,” Twilight announced confidently to the crowd around her. She spread her wings and lifted off into the air, hovering above the townsponies as she addressed them. “Yesterday, I promised to hold a town meeting about how to respond to the changeling threat. Meet me at the town hall in five minutes, and I will explain everything.”

Twilight stared down at the upturned faces around her. Some appeared worried, some uncertain, others downright terrified. “I will explain how nopony can be trusted anymore.”

Chapter 8: Pursuit

Rainbow Dash trudged in silence. Her bandaged wing still ached, and the recent fall onto a trampoline had aggravated her headache. Looking behind her, Rainbow saw the sprawling clouds of Las Pegasus floating high above, frustratingly out of the reach of anypony confined to the ground. Ahead, a cobblestone path led to the train station, where the locomotive that would take her back to Ponyville belched smoke into the clear sky.

Pinkie Pie bounced along merrily a few steps in front of Rainbow Dash, energetically singing some ridiculous song about thrilling adventures, epic odysseys, and tubas. The ever-eager party pony did not seem to mind the fact that she would not be able to attend the celebration she had spent weeks planning. She just leapt into whatever happened next, which in this case involved fleeing the changelings still searching for them in Las Pegasus.

Not Rainbow Dash, though. Given the choice between soaring in the Wonderbolts’ airshow that night and taking a train halfway across Equestria, she would have definitely preferred the former. She was made to fly, not sit by a window and watch the countryside pass her by. Maybe it was just her wing injury making her restless, but Rainbow felt a strong but somewhat indefinable aversion to leaving Las Pegasus. Still, if Pinkie was going to make the trek back to Ponyville, of course Rainbow Dash would accompany her.

She kicked forcefully at a pebble in her path, sending it flying into the air. The pebble landed somewhere in the mess of Pinkie Pie’s mane and was immediately consumed by the inexplicably deep ocean of hair. Pinkie did not even notice.

With a discouraged groan and a rough shake of her good wing, Rainbow Dash picked up her pace. She came up beside Pinkie Pie and glanced over at her skipping friend, her head bobbing slightly as it followed the motion of Pinkie’s bounces.

“Hey, Pinkie Pie,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Yes, Dashie?” Pinkie turned her entire body to face Rainbow Dash. Without missing a beat, she continued to skip along sideways.

“Uh, can I ask you something?”

“Of course!” came the boisterous reply. As she spoke, Pinkie Pie seamlessly inserted a cartwheel into her sideways bouncing. “Unless it’s about the mirror pool. I signed a non-disclosure agreement that prevents me from saying anything about it or even mentioning it by name.”

“You said you could tell there were changelings following you in Las Pegasus. How’d you do that?” Rainbow Dash raised a hoof to cut off Pinkie Pie’s inevitable response. “And don’t say it’s just you being Pinkie Pie.”

Her mouth already open to give that very reply, Pinkie Pie froze in sudden silence. She stopped mid-hop to hover several inches above the ground, her body rendered immobile by her brain’s efforts to recalibrate. Rainbow would have smirked at the comical response, if she had not seen it happen so many times before. Plus there was the annoying fact that Pinkie Pie could still float in the air whenever she felt like it, while Rainbow Dash was confined to the ground. Pinkie's hovering certainly was not true flight, but the mere reminder of what Rainbow was missing still stung.

After a couple of steps without seeing a response from Pinkie, Rainbow Dash stopped and turned toward her lagging friend. “Look, it’s fine if it’s just because you’re Pinkie. I was only wondering if you could show me how to spot changelings, so I won’t have a repeat of what happened with Soarin’.”

Rainbow’s reassurance only seemed to deflate Pinkie further. In fact, a long squeak of air leaking from a balloon issued from her as Pinkie gently lowered until her hooves once again touched the path. Her mane sagged ever so slightly, though without loosing its characteristic curl.

“I don’t really know how I do it.” By her standards, Pinkie Pie was almost whispering. Of course, that still would have been a shout, had it come from Fluttershy. “There’s something off about changelings. Maybe it’s the smile, or the eyes, or the shape of the kidney. I first saw it when a changeling copied me during our fight in Canterlot. It was kind of disappointing, seeing a changeling do only the fourth-best Pinkie impression I’ve ever seen. Well, fifth, if you count the mirror pool I’m not allowed to mention, and sixth if you count the other mirror and the Pinkie I met when—”

“So you can’t teach me how to see through changelings?” Rainbow interrupted before Pinkie’s rambling could derail the conversation too much. “I mean, apart from being a cool trick, I think it’d be really useful about now.”

“Sorry, but I can’t. It might be one of those things only I can do.” Pinkie shook her head dejectedly. An instant later, her head shot back up with a new burst of energy. “Ooh! But I can teach you how to build a party cannon. Wouldn’t that be fun?”

“Um, I think I’ll pass,” Rainbow Dash said. “I already have a dozen cannons at home.”

“You do?” Pinkie Pie asked with complete sincerity. She quizzically rotated her neck until she was peering sideways at Rainbow Dash.

“Yeah, Pinkie, I do.” Rainbow rolled her eyes. “And I see you’ve finally figured out sarcasm.”

“Yep!” agreed Pinkie. Her eyes lit up as she spotted something ahead. “And we’ve made it to the train station. Step seven completed.”

Suppressing the urge to ask Pinkie what the first six steps had been, Rainbow Dash squinted to see the train station emerge from behind a hill as the two ponies walked around a bend in the road. In typical Las Pegasus fashion, the station radiated a glamor that was lacking in all equivalent structures found in cities across Equestria. Rows of bright lights lined the walls and roof, some flashing on and off to deliberately create an atmosphere of excitement. The walls themselves were glass, providing an unobstructed view of the picturesque countryside to ponies waiting in the station or disembarking from incoming trains. A fleet of brightly colored hot-air balloons clustered on the far side of station. As Rainbow and Pinkie approached, one of the balloons detached from the parked fleet and ascended toward Last Pegasus, bearing several last-minute arrivals toward the party about to start in the floating city.

Life bustled on, ponies completely oblivious to the changeling threat among them.

Rainbow Dash rustled her wings irritably, shaking herself from her thoughts. The habitual act sent fire through her injured wing, but Rainbow ignored the pain and hurried forward to catch up with Pinkie Pie.

Ponies scurried around the two as they walked up to the main entrance of the train station. Most came from inside the building, pushing against one another as they scrambled to be the first outside. Several pegasi took flight as soon as they made it through the train station’s front doors, streaking upward in multi-colored blurs. A throng of ground-based ponies, meanwhile, surged eagerly toward the waiting transportation.

“Looks like a train just pulled up,” Rainbow Dash commented.

“Yep!” said Pinkie Pie. She held up a map of Equestria in one hoof, complete with color-coded lines indicating train routes. “That’s the 5:08 train from Tall Tale.” She helpfully traced the path with her free hoof. “In an hour, it will leave for Filly Delphia, stopping by Ponyville and Canterlot along the way.” Three more hooves pointed to the cities in question. “We’ll take that one back to Twilight and the others.” Another hoof traced the track that lead from Las Pegasus back to their home.

“So let’s get going,” Rainbow replied. If they were really going to leave, she was impatient to get the journey underway as soon as possible.

“Okie-dokie-lokie.” Pinkie Pie stashed the map behind her and bounded up the staircase in front of the train station. She hopped up the steps three at a time, her mane bobbing with the same enthusiasm she herself possessed. Rainbow Dash quickly scrambled after her.

Then Pinkie Pie froze one hop away from the top of the stairs. Not noticing the abrupt halt, Rainbow Dash continued on to the landing and pushed the door open. She took a step back to let an earth pony family with three excited foals exit the station. As the last foal scampered through the door and shot after his siblings, Rainbow glanced behind her to see Pinkie Pie frozen in place.

“You ok, Pinkie?” Rainbow asked.

In a flash, Pinkie Pie zoomed over to Rainbow Dash, one hoof clamped tight across back in a conspiratorial manner. She leaned in to whisper in Rainbow’s ear, “There’s a changeling inside the station.”

“What?” Rainbow exclaimed. Or, at least she tried to, but a pink hoof swiftly covered her mouth and prevented her cry from coming out as more than an indistinct blob of sound.

“Keep it quiet!” Pinkie whispered with surprising ferocity. She waited for Rainbow Dash to nod in acknowledgement before removing her hoof. “I’m going to go scout ahead.”

An instant later, she zipped ahead in pursuit of her quarry. Rainbow Dash watched as Pinkie pressed against a wall for cover, peering around the glass structure through an open doorway. After completing a thorough scan of her surroundings, Pinkie Pie slipped through the door and proceeded to slink through the middle of the terminal, her body pressed against the ground as she crawled.

Glancing around warily, Rainbow Dash followed at a distance. She did her best to keep her friend in sight as Pinkie slithered among the ponies going about their business. At the same time, Rainbow Dash walked with an air of forced casualness as she pretended to not be associated with the strange pink pony who was now climbing the side of a ticket booth to get a better vantage point.

Pinkie leapt onto the roof of the small stand. She twirled around as she scanned the terminal, one hoof shading her eyes as she searched for signs of the changeling. A frown darkened her features as she looked about, apparently unable to locate her quarry. The ticket vendor behind the counter leaned out to see who or what had spontaneously taken up residence atop his booth. Rainbow Dash hurried up to the pony before he could notice Pinkie Pie and begin questioning her intentions.

“Two tickets for the next train to Ponyville,” Rainbow declared assertively, doing her best not to glance up at the sight of Pinkie Pie peering through a periscope.

“That’ll be thirty bits, please.” The vendor reluctantly stopped trying to spy what was on the roof and turned to fix Rainbow Dash with a disinterested stare.

“No problem,” Rainbow assured him. She reached a wing behind her to fish some bits out of her bag. That was when Rainbow realized the fundamental flaw of performing a daring escape from Las Pegasus without any preparation: neither she nor Pinkie had brought any of their belongings with them.

“Yeah, about that,” Rainbow Dash said with a gulp. She nervously took a step backward.

“Here you go!” Pinkie Pie reached a hoof down and deposited a pile of bits on the counter. Both the vendor and Rainbow followed the hoof upward to see Pinkie return to setting up a reflecting telescope so she could make more precise observations.

“Um, thank you,” the vendor said. He clearly had no idea how to react to Pinkie Pie. After staring blankly at the sight for a few seconds, he mechanically reached below the counter to grab two tickets and give them to Rainbow Dash. “Have a nice trip.”

“Thanks,” Rainbow said. She snagged the tickets with her good wing and strolled away with all the laid-back composure she could manage. Casually glancing around, she spotted the platform for the train to Ponyville. Rainbow started toward it before realizing Pinkie Pie was still on top of the ticket booth she had just walked away from.

With a sigh, Rainbow Dash turned and waved a hoof to catch her friend’s attention. “Hey, Pinkie. Let’s go.”

In the time it took Rainbow to blink, Pinkie was by her side again, her head leaning in conspiratorially. “I can’t find the changeling,” she whispered urgently.

“Then let’s get out of here,” Rainbow replied, not bothering to keep her voice down. An immediate shush from Pinkie caused her to roll her eyes and comply. “Unless the changeling’s following us, we’ll be able to get away on the train.”

Pinkie Pie slowly nodded in reluctant agreement, not entirely wanting to give up her hunt, but willing to comply with Rainbow’s decision. Then she gasped and pointed a foreleg toward the train that would take them to Ponyville. “There he is!” she exclaimed. In an instant, she shot forward through the crowd in pursuit.

Rainbow hurried after her. Though nopony on the platform looked suspicious, she trusted Pinkie’s instincts. If Pinkie Pie had seen a changeling, then a changeling was there, and it was up to the two of them to deal with the creature. Pushing her way around ponies wandering the station, Rainbow struggled to catch up to Pinkie and her target.

Ahead, Pinkie Pie disappeared into the train, vaulting over the conductor in a giant leap. The conductor tried to cry out in protest, but the pink blur had already vanished into carriage. Rainbow Dash reached him a moment later, roughly shoved two tickets into his outstretched hoof, and ran inside after her friend.

The carriage was crowded with lively ponies coming and going. The last few stragglers from the train’s arrival were still trying to disembark, a task made more difficult by the surge of travelers flooding into the compartment. A weary, old earth pony nearly dropped the stack of suitcases atop his back as a pair of pegasus fillies darted beneath his hooves. A pair of unicorns next to him shouted at each other in an animated argument, one of them unconsciously flinging a cup of water around in his magic as he punctuated his arguments with sweeping gestures. Across the aisle, a group of school ponies gathered around a map and pointed eagerly at various cities as they debated which one they had just arrived in. Only one of the ponies had bothered to look out the window and take in the view of Las Pegagus floating above them.

In the very center of it all sat a very still Pinkie Pie. She did not move, not even blinking as a stray paper airplane tossed from the other side of the compartment passed within an inch of her nose.

Rainbow Dash carefully stepped around the energetic pair of fillies and made her way over to Pinkie. “Where’d the changeling go?” she demanded.

Pinkie Pie hung her head. “I lost him,” she answered, a hint of dejection in her cheery voice.

“Well,” Rainbow Dash said, suddenly and uncomfortably aware that Pinkie was upset by her inability to catch the changeling, “we’ll find him. He has to be on the train somewhere, right?”

“Yeah, I guess,” came the reply. Without warning, Pinkie shifted back to her usual jovial personality. “Well, let’s get going! All we have to do now is track down a changeling spy, get him to explain their evil plot, make it back to Ponyville, meet up with our friends, and fight off an entire invasion!” He grin indicated that she found the whole thing to be a grand adventure.

Rainbow laughed lightly, not nearly as enthusiastic as her friend. “Right. Easy.”