Patriots of Equestria, Part 1

Running as fast as their hooves, or in the case of Discord, wings could carry of them, Starlight and her friends dashed to the train station and without even acknowledging the train's conductor, they boarded the next train heading out of Manehattan.

"Do you think it's impolite to be doing this?" remarked Trixie as they ran into a cabin big enough to hold all five of them. "I mean, the great and repentant Trixie doesn't want to be rude."

"Time is of the instance," gasped Sunset, as the train began to move. "It's hard to be polite when two Changeling monsters are running about. Who knows where they are going or what they are going to do? They could even return to Ponyville or worse…"

Sunset froze at the thought of two Changeling monsters breaking into the Castle of Friendship and going as far as accessing the portal to the human world. However, Starlight noticed Sunset's fears.

"They won't," she said, firmly while clutching her hoof. "Not if we have anything to say about it."

"We just have to find where they are going and then, we can intercept them," added Moon Dancer, looking into some notes that she had taken.

"How do we do that?" wondered Trixie. "I mean, we are just ordinary unicorns who have no business dealing with dangerous creatures. These are Changelings who have nothing to lose and will do more than just capture ponies. We know what that is like."

"That is true," said Discord, who was brandishing a huge flyswatter. "But, don't forget that we aren't in the Changeling Kingdom anymore. That means, I can warp the fabric of reality and we can track those wanted Changelings down."

Even though Discord was determined to carry out his plan, there was no question in the minds of Starlight and Trixie that they needed to be exteremly careful. Being out of the Chrysalis-led Changeling kingdom was one thing, but dealing with Changelings that had carried out an attack on Equestria's royalty was another.

"What we need to do is to at least trap them," thought up Moon Dancer, facing the group. "We cannot approach them lightly and who knows how they will defend themselves. According to my research, they can even fire killing spells in defense."

"Killing spells?" remarked Sunset, who was deep down, in fear of her own life. "They have killing spells?"

"Yes," said Moon Dancer, laying down her notes for them all to look at. "Changelings are fierce fighters and they can kill if it means protecting their own hide."

Moon Dancer then looked up at Discord with a death stare, meaning that even he was not immune to the Changeling's furious nature.

"What?" remarked Discord, shrugging his mismatched body parts. "I can't at least prove that I am capable of defending myself."

"No magic you have can make you immortal to anything," replied Moon Dancer. "None of us have the magic necessary to make us immune to Changeling attacks. We can't confront them directly, but we can help those who are hunting them down."

Everypony nodded in reply, despite Discord's reluctance of the agreement.

...

Soon, the train arrived at the Canterlot station and they all got off, immediately noticing the heavy presence of royal guards searching, protecting and doing everything necessary to counter the threat that loomed above Equestria.

"Where do we start?" asked Sunset.

"I don't know," answered Starlight, looking around for a place that they could go to. "But, we should at least start somewhere where they were last seen."

For a few moments, Starlight looked around and eventually, she noticed a heavy guard around a random house not far from the station.

"Perhaps we could start there," suggested Trixie, already walking over to the guarded house. They all got no farther to the house, when they were suddenly stopped by the guards.

"HALT!" one of the guards barked at the group. "Nopony is allowed inside unless they are a guardspony!"

Although they weren't allowed inside, it didn't hurt for them to ask respective questions about the situation.

"What is going on?" asked Sunset.

"A small family of ponies are being questioned because they are accused of aiding the wanted Changelings," answered the guard. "They are cooperating, but we are not taking any chances at all. Our superior, Instant Justice is overseeing the questioning."

Being allowed to look inside, they saw a mare and stallion unicorn pony couple with two small foals being questioned by Instant Justice and several guardsponies. Almost immediately, they couldn't help but feel sorry for them based on the intense questioning that Instant Justice was given them.

"We found this Changeling talisman on your property," he said to the family. "Have you been harboring Changeling fugitives?"

"Our home is always open to the weary traveler," protested the father. "Have mercy, my lord of justice."

"I am placing you and your family under house arrest until I can get to the bottom of this," said Instant Justice as he turned to leave the house. "If what you say is true, then you are innocent and have nothing to fear."

"But, we are innocent," protested the father, trying to get through to him. "I assure you, we know nothing of these Changeling fugitives."

Stepping outside, Instant Justice was saluted by the guard and turned to face him, taking in a deep sigh of regret.

"I hate having to keep innocent ponies locked up," he said. "But, I can't risk any chances until everything is looked into. Keep them guarded until I say otherwise, understand?"

"Yes, Mr. Minister," replied the guard, saluting him again, much to the shock and surprise of Starlight and her friends. Just as he was beginning to leave, Instant Justice was stopped by Starlight, who teleported in front of him and incased him in a magic sphere.

"Do you mind, young mare?" he asked crossly, banging on the sphere with his hooves. "Let me out of here at once!"

"We don't want to bother you, Mr. Minister," cried Starlight, who was reluctant at her act of keeping Equestria's lawmaker incased in a sphere of her magic. "But, we have to come to aide in the hunt for the wanted Changelings!"

Instant Justice was confused upon hearing this confession, but being that they were providing help in the investigation, he was more than willing to listen to what they had to say.

"How do you know of the Changelings?" asked Instant Justice, still banging to be released from the sphere. "Who are you all and how do you know where they are?"

"I am Starlight Glimmer," answered Starlight. "And these are my friends, Sunset Shimmer, Trixie Lulamoon, Moon Dancer and Discord. We were witnesses to the bombings at the Marathon in Manehattan and we may have information that might help you find the wanted Changelings."

Released from the magic sphere, Instant Justice began to listen intently to what Starlight and her friends had to say.

…

Little did they know at that very moment, Hopper and Thumper were hard at work on preparing to carry out the next part of their ultimate plan…