Fillydelphia Freedom

When Bubbles and I left the bathroom, wearing towels this time, we saw Kris still watching TV.

"You two done?" She asked us, keeping her eyes on the TV. "The TV and the water couldn't drown out your screaming."

"Heh," I chuckled. "Oops?" I then patted Bubbles on the back. "So... we should probably find her a new disguise."

"Huh?" The changeling asked as she turned to face me. "Why? I like Derpy."

I smiled at her and rested my hands on her shoulders. "I know. Me, too. But, everyone saw Derpy on TV in Ponytropolis."

"That actually makes sense," Kris said from the couch, looking over at us. "Though, maybe that Derpy is the changeling. Not our Derpy."

"Wanna risk it?" I asked, looking at both mares. Neither one said anything. Kris knew I was right and it was clear that Bubbles really liked her form. Before I could say anything, Kris spoke up.

"So, we need to find a completely new disguise for her?" She asked, turning the TV off to give us her full attention.

I shook my head. Foolish Kris. Obviously a bad idea. "Nope. She was seen entering the building and walking around outside looking like Derpy. If she changes completely, it'll be even more suspicious. I'm thinking of something more... similar. Change a couple features so that she's obviously not Derpy, but looks close enough so that everyone else will think they simply saw wrong."

"Hmm," Kris said with a couple nods. "Not a bad idea, Blossom."

"Thank you," I said, before turning to Bubbles and backing up. "Alright. Show us Derpy." The changeling nodded hesitantly and turned into Derpy. I smiled at her and took a step towards her. "Hmm... Longer hair. Halfway down your back." Bubbles lit her horn up as her hair grew longer as instructed. "Perfect. Now, away with the crossed eyes. That's a dead giveaway. Also, you should change your cutie mark. Maybe a couple more bubbles."

Bubbles nodded and made the appropriate changes. "H-How's this?"

I looked over her new form and nodded. "Let's go back in the bathroom," I said, taking her hand. The changeling smiled at me as I led her back in the bathroom and over to the mirror. I put her in front of it as I stood behind her. "What do you think?"

I could see the changeling smile lightly in the mirror's reflection. "I still... look like her."

I smiled and nuzzled the back of her neck. "You knew her?"

Bubbles nodded. "After I left my hive, I met her. I would still be with her, only I was about to be discovered... so I had to leave the city. I thought about her every day for years after."

I smiled and planted a kiss on her shoulder. "I'm sorry."

The disguised changeling gave a small sigh. “It’s fine. It’s fine, because...” She paused to turn and face me, smiling lightly. “I have you.”

I chuckled at her adorable-ness and wrapped my arms around her waist. “You’ll always have me.”

Now, it was Bubbles’ turn to chuckle. “She said the same thing.”

I moved my right hand to her cheek and looked into her eyes. She placed her hand on mine and leaned in, kissing me on the lips. I closed my eyes as I kissed back. This time, it was a normal kiss; no tongue. It felt amazing, too. Way more intimate than any sex I’ve ever had.

When we parted, I smiled with a blush. “Wow...” I then rested my forehead on her shoulder. “Hey. Let’s celebrate.”

“Celebrate?” Bubbles asked me. “How?”

After we got dressed, I took Bubbles to the bar down the street. Kris wanted to stay behind and let us go by ourselves, which, I think, meant this was a date. I opened the door fit her like a polite mare and the two of us found a couple empty seats at the bar.

“What should I order?” Bubbles asked.

“Something light, so you can still maintain your disguise,” I whispered to her. “Something light,” I told the bartender.

As the stallion went to make us our drinks, we heard the front door open. In stepped a brown mare with long white hair, wearing a tight black short-sleeve shirt and long jeans. She made her way over to us and took the seat next to Bubbles.

When the bartender brought us our drinks, the mare told him, “I’ll have what they’re having.” Something felt off about this mare, though I couldn't put my finger on it. Not until she started speaking directly to us. "You know, it's crazy, isn't it?" the brown mare said, her eyes on the bartender as he prepared her drink.

"Crazy?" I asked. "What is?"

The brown mare watched the stallion return with her drink. "We had a suspected changeling sighting in Ponytropolis 6 years ago. Now, another one earlier today."

"Yeah, that is crazy," I told her. I could see Bubbles' face in my peripheral vision. I've never seen anyone look so nervous before.

The brown mare picked up her drink and sighed. "The changeling was imitating Derpy. That gray mare on the news. Has to be the same one, right?"

"That makes sense," I replied, still unsure where this was headed, if anywhere.

"A changeling's disguise relies on its magic," the brown mare went on as she looked at the liquid in her glass. "Magic relies on concentration. Hard to concentrate while drunk." She then took a sip of her drink and let out a sigh. "Weak." She set her glass down. "The weakest, if I'm not mistaken." Her eyes then fell on mine and a chill ran down my spine.

"It's her first time drinking," I lied. Or maybe it was the truth. I didn't know. But, I had to make something up. "I wanted to start her off easy."

The brown mare chuckled. "Who said I was talking about her?"

I eyed Bubbles, then the mare again. "Because she looks similar to the mare on TV. So, I can understand the confusion."

"That so?" The mare asked me. It felt like she was burning a hole in my retinas with her gaze. She was certainly an intense one. "How long you been living here?" She asked the changeling.

I knew I had to answer for her, or her cover may be blown. "Three years. She moved here with me."

The brown mare slammed her hand down on the table. "I asked her," she said with a growl, glaring at me.
Not you."

"She can't answer you like this," I protested. "You're scaring her. Why not just leave us alone?"

The brown mare finished her drink before getting up. She then walked up behind us and put her hands on our shoulders, leaning in between us. "It's my job to keep this city safe from scum like changelings and gangs before they can become a threat." Her grip tightened on our shoulders and it started to hurt. I even heard Bubbles whimper in pain. "If I find out you two are hiding something, I will be very disappointed."

"Copper!" The bartender yelled, making the mare release her grip. "What have I said about violence in my bar?!"

The mare inhaled deeply through her nose before standing upright. "My bad." She then reached into her pocket and placed some money on the bar counter. "Their drinks are on me," she said, glaring at us one last time before leaving the bar.

Once she was gone, I rubbed Bubbles' back. "You okay?"

The changeling nodded shakily as the bartender walked over, washing out a glass with a rag.

"Sorry about that," he said with a light smile. "That's Copper. She's part of a small organization that has kept us all safe for decades. We owe a lot to them. But, because of that pressure, they can sometimes become overly aggressive."

"Thanks for the info," I told him with a smile. I then looked at Bubbles. "Shall we head home?"

"Yeah..." the gray mare said as she got up. I got up with her and was about to help her out when she wrapped her arms around me.

I smiled and rubbed her back some more. "It's okay. Now, come on. Let's get out of here."

Bubbles nodded and let me walk her out of the bar. If things weren't risky enough as is, now we had this aggressive mare after us. Things were only going to get more difficult form here on out but I was prepared. I had to be. For Bubbles' sake.