Imago

      “So Spike, where did you get those bandages?” Rainbow asked. Imago and Rainbow had been walking for about half an hour now.

      “The changeling grabbed me when I walked out of the doctor’s office. I was there for a cut I had gotten when I slipped and fell on a sharp rock.” Rainbow Dash’s wing looked pretty nasty. When Imago had broken it, he yanked it out, twisted it, and snapped it upward. He admired his handiwork.

      “Finally, we’re here!” The streets of Ponyville were empty. “Let’s go check on everypony, they must be worried sick!” The library was usually the meeting place, according to Rainbow, so they went there first.

      “Twilight? Are you in here?” Imago called, opening the door.

      “Spike?!” She looked over at them. “Spike! Rainbow! You’re both alive! Where were you two? What happened? Why are you coming home this late?” They got hit with a barrage of questions. “Actually, don’t answer those questions just yet. I know the others will want to hear this too!” So Imago and Dash waited for Twilight to finish sending a message to AJ, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie that they were all home. Each and every one of them was there within five minutes. Rarity leaped to spike and hugged him, saying something about Spikey-Wikey and then she went to sit down. “Okay, now answer the questions.” They all sat down, anxious to hear the story. Rainbow went first.

      “Well I-” She started, before getting cut off by Fluttershy.

      “Oh my, your wing.” Rainbow shrugged.

      “My wing can wait. It doesn’t hurt too badly when I’m not messing with it. As I was saying, I was following, who I had thought to be Spike, to the canyon where I practice.” Every one of them had these looks on their faces, like they were foals being told a bedtime story. “He was walking kind of fast, but I was on a cloud, out of sight. He walked to the edge of the cliff and jumped off.” They all gasped. “So, I zoomed as fast as I could to save him and when I looked over the cliff there was…” They all leaned in as close as possible without hitting Rainbow Dash or Imago. “A changeling!” They all screamed. Imago clutched his ears. After everything calmed down, Dash started again. “He was doing something to Spike, because Spike was in a green cocoon similar to Celestia’s during the wedding. I dove at him and kicked him in the jaw. He didn’t pay attention to me and then-” The rest of the story was told.

      “So, the Spike we’ve been talking to for the past day and a half was a changeling?” Rarity asked. Imago nodded. She fainted dramatically.

      “We are going to need to be extra cautious.” Twilight said. “We need a buddy system.” Everyone agreed. “Good! I guess it’s settled. Always be near at least one pony.” Everyone went home except for Imago and Twilight. When they were all gone Twilight turned to him and said, “It’s wonderful having you back spike!” and then she hugged him. He returned the hug and she asked, “Where did you get these bandages?”

      “When we came back into town, nurse Redheart saw us and she gave me some bandages from a cut I got when I fell. She didn’t have anything for rainbow with her, so that’s why she is going to her now.”

      “Okay, we need go to bed.”

      “Agreed.” Twilight and Imago went upstairs and laid down in their beds, or in Imago’s case, basket. “Goodnight Twilight.”

      “Goodnight Spike.” And they drifted off to sleep.

__________________________________________________________

      Imago woke up before Twilight. He was an early riser most mornings anyway. He went downstairs and made her breakfast, bread and cheese. He left it next to her bed. Imago had no idea what to do now. He could go and try to find Rarity and see if she had a weakness. Sounded good to him. He silently opened the door and left. He slowly walked toward Rarity’s home. No rush at all. Imago did feel he was forgetting something though. He saw that one familiar pony again. Who was that, he wondered. He walked closer and the familiar pony stopped him. “Spike!” He remembered who this was now! It was that pony that his queen was controlling. What was his name!?!? He was mentally beating himself up.

      “Hi!” It would have to do. “What are you doing in Ponyville?”

      “I actually came here with Cadence to check on Twiley, and then you went missing. It looks like your back though!” He said with a laugh. “Say, where did you go in the first place?”

      “Changelings abducted me.” Imago was trying the hardest he possibly could to not attack this colt where he stood. He was furious that he had ruined the whole invasion.

      “Those pathetic parasites!” Oh, he was asking for it. “Well, I’m just glad you’re fine. Can you help me find Cadence? She went to go look around and I don’t know where she went.” He could not spend any more time around him and especially not Cadence.

      “Sorry, but I was just heading over to Rarity’s.”

      “Okay, come find me if Twiley wakes up. I want to see her.”

      “Will do. Bye!”

      “Bye Spike!” Imago ran to Rarity’s. He had to get away from him ASAP. When he got to Rarity’s house, he knocked. He heard two voices coming from inside.

      “Darling, could you please get that?”

      “Sure thing, Rarity!” No. No, no, no, no. The other was one thing. This he couldn’t handle. He looked for a place to hide. The door swung open. Too late. “Hi Spike!” He looked up and saw Cadence’s smiling face. He put his claws behind his back and dug them into it. When he is stressed, he tends to turn into his natural form. “What do you need?” He felt tons of love radiating off of her.

      “I came to talk to Rarity, but I can come back later.”

      “Nonsense! Come on in!” He walked in and had to move his claws out of his back, so he didn’t look odd. “Rarity, you have a visitor!” Imago felt like he was about to explode.

      “Oh, hello Spike!” He was about to lose his internal battle. “Do you need something?”

      “I came to talk.” He said through clenched teeth.

      “About what?” Imago was standing right next to the mare that ruined the entire Canterlot invasion for the whole Hive. He felt his left claw began to change into a hoof and he shoved the whole thing into his mouth and ran through her house looking for a hiding place. Kitchen. Nope. He felt his teeth change into fangs. He stumbled out the door and ran into a bush. Then he changed completely. The bush was small and Imago was pretty sure his horn was sticking out the top of it. He moved to a tree and hoped nobody saw him. He stayed there for about fifteen minutes before he could change back into Spike. He couldn’t go back to Cadence, so he went back to the library to tell Twilight about that guy. On his way back he remembered what he had to do today. Send his report! He went to the Everfree and lost his disguise again. It wasn’t required, but it felt better.

“My Queen?”

“Yes Imago?”

“Would you like to hear my report?”

“Yes, very much so.”

“My plan worked and I’m back into their society. Cadence-”

“HOW DARE YOU SPEAK OF THAT FILTH TO ME!”

“I am very sorry, Your Highness.” A few moments passed.

“It is alright my child, continue with your report.”

“Very well, filth and its groom are here. I have found one of the yellow pony’s weaknesses and its weakness is animals.”

“Interesting, keep working and since filth is there, I’ll send two changelings to you so they can take her back here. She will be an excellent source of food and we need to have a talk.”

“Yes my queen, I will arrange it." He walked back to Ponyville, killing various small creatures along the way and humming. He became Spike once more. He walked into the library to see Twilight and the familiar colt talking.

      “Spike, you know you can wake me up when Shining Armor is in town!” She playfully scolded. So that was his name, he thought. Well, Shining Armor’s wife would be in for a surprise tomorrow. He grinned evilly. “Spike stop it, that’s creepy.”