One of Us

by bkc56

Rating: everyone
Tags: Adventure, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Drama, Changelings, Original Character
Length: 13515

A couple need help finding a friend who went missing in the aftermath of the invasion of Canterlot. The problem? Their friend may not want to come back.

The entire city of Canterlot is on edge after the changeling invasion. Buildings are damaged, the royal wedding delayed, and some ponies are missing. One of those is a handypony named Tinker Cob. His employers and friends hire a private investigator to try and find him. However, this missing pony has a terrible secret. He may just disappear forever.

This story is part of The Quicksilver Chronicles, a series of stories that follow the adventures of Quicksilver and Misty as they make their way through whatever fate throws at them. While it would be good to read the series in order, knowledge of the prequels is not required to understand and enjoy this story.

Cover art by Calena.

Thanks to my pre-readers OConnerGT-R, mikemeiers, and FionaF. With a special thanks to my editor EverfreePony.

Published 2021-04-28 18:10:00 UTC
Last updated 2021-05-11 19:14:39 UTC

1. A New Job

Hunger. That’s all Tinker Cob could think about. An incessant, ever present, empty hunger. It had been several days since his last decent meal, and the scraps he'd obtained recently weren't enough to satisfy him. If the situation didn’t change soon, Tinker would have to do something rash. He needed a job, badly.

Work in Canterlot had become sparse for a handypony, even a skilled one, and Tinker lately found himself spending most of his waking hours trudging through cobblestone streets rather than fixing the odd clogged pipe or mending a broken fence. He shivered as another wave of hunger washed over him. “Maybe it’s time to move on to the next town,” he muttered.

As he walked through a neighborhood on the outskirts of Canterlot, his eyes were drawn to a house coming up on his right. It was an older two-story house with a greenhouse attached to the back. The house clearly needed some clean-up and repairs. Seemed like potential work.

Tinker walked up onto the porch. He paused for a minute or two to just listen and look around. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths, then stepped up to the door and knocked a couple of times.

After a few moments, the door opened. Tinker was greeted by a dark red unicorn stallion noticeably taller than he was.

The unicorn regarded the small earth pony with a brown and white skewbald coat. "Hi. May I help you?" He glanced down and noticed the pony’s cutie mark, a crossed hammer and paintbrush.

"Hello. My name is Tinker Cob. I'm a handypony with a wide set of skills for both interior and exterior repairs and maintenance. I mean no offense, but I noticed your house and lot could use a little routine work and general clean-up."

The unicorn ran his hoof through his teal mane. "I see. I'm not sure..."

Tinker took a half step forward. “You’ll be pleased with the work!” He glanced down, and pawed at the porch with a hoof. “And I really need a job.”

Tinker winced internally as he saw that look in the unicorn's eyes. It was the look of pity. Why did ponies have to pity him? Though he knew it was his fault for sounding so desperate.

"Did I hear someone at the door?"

The question came from a light blue pegasus mare who partially emerged from a back room inside the house. The stallion turned his head to speak to her.

"It's a handypony who is offering to do some work for us. Though I’m not sure...."

She smiled. "Oh, great. We've talked about cleaning up the lot, so I can try a vegetable garden. With a degree in botany, I should be able to grow something we can eat." She laughed as she took a few steps forward.

The stallion turned back to face Tinker again.

"You said your name is Tinker?"

"Yes sir."

"Okay. My wife is correct. We've talked about getting someone to do some clean-up and perhaps get a few other things done around here. We’ve only been married for a few months, and our work doesn't give us a lot of time to attend to that sort of activity."

"I'm sure I can help with whatever you need," Tinker quickly chimed in as he nodded his head.

"Yes. Well, let's try this. There's a toolshed towards the back of the house. Get what you need, start at the front of the property by the road, and work your way back cleaning things up. Put in a few hours, and let's see how it goes."

Tinker’s eyes lit up as he smiled. He brought a hoof to his chest and with a slight bow said, "Thank you, thank you. You won't be disappointed."

"By the way, my name is Quicksilver.” He gestured with a hoof. “And my wife, Misty."

Misty gave Tinker a slight nod and a smile before heading back into the room she had come from. Tinker and Quicksilver agreed on a bits per hour rate. He then went around the side of the house to the toolshed.

Once Tinker had the tools he needed, he got to work. He stabbed at the dirt around the base of a dead bush with a shovel and pushed with all his might. The root ball slid from the ground with ease, sending pebbles and mud flying. He smiled and tossed the bush on a growing pile of dead plants. Grabbing the shovel again, he moved to another bush.

The sun was low on the horizon when Tinker put away his tools. He shook himself, sending a fine spray of sweat in all directions. He looked over the work he’d completed, gave himself a satisfied nod, and headed to the front of the house. A knock brought Quicksilver to the door.

"Done for the day?" He looked past Tinker to see the front yard.

"Yes. I made it to the back of the greenhouse. Do you want to come and see?"

With a nod, Quicksilver followed him out and around the side of the house.

"I left any bushes that looked like they were supposed to be here.” He pointed at them as they walked. “Everything else I removed. If you want, I could pull the bushes too."

Slowly they moved towards the back as Quicksilver took in the scene. He smiled and nodded.

"Looks like you did a fine job with this. Thank you.” He turned to face Tinker. “How long to finish the whole lot?"

"I figure two days, perhaps a bit more. That’s assuming I don't need to remove any of the trees." He pointed to the back of the lot where a row of fruit trees stood along the property line.

Quicksilver glanced at them. "Right, we'll keep those. Okay. Let's have you come around after lunch again tomorrow. You can work for a few hours each afternoon until you finish. I'll pay you each day for that day's work so we keep current. Does that sound okay?

"That would be great,” Tinker said with a smile. “The work’s hard, but well, you know, earth pony…”

Quicksilver laughed. “I’m glad you enjoy it. I’m better in the lab than on the land.” They turned and headed towards the front of the house. "Let's get you your bits for today."

Quicksilver stepped into the house and levitated a small bag off a table just beside the door. Tinker took it in his teeth and dropped it into his saddlebag.

He bowed his head slightly. "Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow then."

"You're welcome. Have a good evening."

Quicksilver went back inside where Misty was sitting on a couch, reading.

"So how'd he do?" Misty asked.

"Better than I expected. I think we can count on him to finish the clean-up." He sat down next to her.

“Well, there’s a lot more to be done, if you think he can do it.” She scooted over next to him and leaned her head against his neck.

"Yea, my great aunt kind of let things go, I didn't make any progress when I got the place from her, and there just hasn't been any time since the wedding. I feel really bad about it all." He shook his head.

"It'll be okay. We have the bits to hire somepony to get the work done. If Tinker can make some progress, great. If not, we can find somepony else."

"You're right, of course. So, shall we go find something for dinner, or would you prefer to see what sort of disaster we can make here tonight?"

With a grin, she replied, "Let's go for the non-disaster. What about that little café a couple of blocks over?"

Tinker trotted away from the house of his new employers with an unusual spring in his step. The job might only last a few days, but perhaps he could convince them the house needed more repairs. It certainly did, anyway. It was a promising start at least.

He returned to the stable fly-infested dump of a hotel where he had a room. If he could move somewhere nicer, he would. The only reason he could afford this was because the owner was giving him a break on the price for doing some maintenance work around the place. At least now he had a few bits with a couple more days of work ahead. Food wouldn’t be a problem as long as he could keep this job.

The two days passed quickly, and the land was all cleared.

Tinker returned the tools to the shed and then turned to go to the front door. He was a little surprised to see both ponies standing by the greenhouse, inspecting the lot.

He took a step back in surprise. “Oh, hello. I hope I did a good enough job. If something isn’t the way you want, I can work on that right now.”

Quicksilver replied, “No, everything looks great.” He gazed around the lot. “We’re pleased with the job you did and the speed with which you got it done.”

“Thank you. I said you wouldn’t be disappointed.” Tinker smiled at them.

Quicksilver turned to face Tinker. “Indeed. When you first arrived, you said you could also do maintenance work. I assume that includes carpentry, painting, roof repair, and the like?”

“Absolutely. I should be able to take care of anything you need worked on. I can do plumbing and electrical too.” He gestured at the house with a hoof. “Anything a dwelling would need.”

Quicksilver nodded. “Good. And are you available now?”

“Yes, yes, I’m free,” he responded eagerly.

Misty snickered. “Sounds like you’re anxious to keep working.”

He ran a hoof through his mane. “Sorry, but yes, I am.” He looked Misty in the eyes. “You don’t know how much working here means to me.”

Quicksilver cleared his throat. “Here are your bits for today.” He levitated a bag out for Tinker to take. “It’s a bit heavy because I’m paying you for another hour of work.” After Tinker put the bag in his saddlebag by the greenhouse, Quicksilver levitated a second bag out to Tinker. “I want you to take some time to check the outside of the house for what needs to be done. There’s a Barn Depot store a couple of blocks away. Take this bag of bits and purchase whatever you need to get the repairs done. Have it delivered tomorrow, and then you can get started. Tomorrow you can give me a list of repairs and estimates. Is that okay?”

“Yes,” Tinker replied, nodding. “I’ve already looked at the house and know the first dozen or so things that should be repaired, mostly to prepare for winter. I’ll go get the supplies ordered right now. And thank you for this, I appreciate it a lot. And I know you’ll be satisfied with my work.”

With that, he put the second bag of bits in his saddlebag, put it on his back, gave them a little wave, and trotted off. They watched him until he reached the road. Gently leaning against each other, they slowly walked towards the front of the house.

“That’s a lot of bits. Will he actually come back?” Misty asked.

“If he can’t be trusted, it’s better to find out now, rather than later. I’d hate to need to contact the Canterlot Police. Though my gut tells me he’ll be back tomorrow.”

They gave each other a quick nuzzle and headed into the house.

The next day, mid-morning, a pony pulling a cart from Barn Depot arrived. Quicksilver stepped out front to observe.

“Good morning,” the earth pony said with a wide smile. He consulted a slip of paper. “I have the order for Tinker Cob to be delivered to this address.”

“That’s correct. He’s doing some repair work for us.” Quicksilver pointed towards the side of the house, “If you could just stack it over there?”

“My pleasure, sir. And thanks for your business with Barn Depot.” The pony started to unload the cart, and Quicksilver returned to the house.

Later, just as they were finishing lunch, there was a knock on the door. Quicksilver went to answer as Misty stood at the back of the room.

Quicksilver smiled warmly. “Good afternoon, Tinker. I see you’re right on time.”

“I’m sorry if you were expecting me earlier.” He rubbed his neck. “We didn’t talk about that, so I assumed the same afternoon schedule as before.”

“That’s perfect. Please, come in for a moment.” Quicksilver stepped back from the door. “I’d like to see your plans for repairs.”

Tinker entered the room and walked over to a small table. He then started to remove items from his saddlebag.

“Here are the leftover bits and the receipt for the Barn Depot purchase.” He set the bag and paper on the table. “Yesterday you asked for the list of projects and time estimates, so I wrote all that up last night.” He added a few more sheets to the pile. “I figure it will take me the rest of the week. Unless I discover any additional issues while I work.”

Quicksilver glanced down at the table. “Thank you, Tinker. This all looks great. I’ll review it a bit later.” He looked back to Tinker. “Is our previous agreement on your rate still okay?”

“Yes, your rate is very generous. So, unless you have some other questions, I’ll get started?” He backed up a step towards the door.

“That would be great. Just knock if you need anything.”

“Thanks, I will,” Tinker replied. He turned and left the house.

Misty stepped forward. “Well, you were right, he did come back. And I must say, I’m a bit impressed with his responsibility and organization.”

Quicksilver hummed in response as he skimmed the list of repairs. Then he looked at Misty. “He’s got a good list of stuff here, although the repairs are a bit out of my field, so I can’t tell you about the estimates. I guess we’ll see how accurate they are when he’s done.”

And thus started a long relationship with their new handypony. He was always interested, almost desperate to learn new things and take on additional responsibilities. He expanded from repairs to helping in the lab and greenhouse, and even domestic duties. In short, Tinker was becoming an indispensable part of the household.

Tinker’s next increase in responsibility came as Quicksilver and Misty prepared for one of their regular research trips.

Misty walked into the kitchen where Tinker was cleaning up after lunch. “Tinker, we want to stop imposing on our parents to watch the house when we’re away. Would you be able to take over that task? It’s pretty easy, typically just watering the plants in the greenhouse and perhaps outside.” She set a sheet of paper on the counter.

He put down the dish he was washing and turned to face her. “I can do that, no problem.”

“That’s what we were hoping.” Misty tapped the paper on the counter. “This is a detailed list of instructions. You’re always great about following directions, so I don’t imagine there will be any problems.”

He glanced at the list. “No, ma’am. I’ll follow it very carefully.”

“I know you will. We’ll be leaving in the morning and should be gone for about a week.”

Tinker’s ears dropped as his head lowered some.

“Is something wrong, Tinker?” Misty asked.

“No, not really.” He paused for a moment. “I’m just going to miss not having you both around all the time.”

“I understand.” She smiled at him. “We won’t be gone for long. And when we get back, you can take one of your trips to Ponyville. You seem to enjoy those.”

Tinker lifted his head and gave a weak smile. “Yes, that’ll be nice. It’s good to visit my kin when I can get away.”

2. The Invasion

The upcoming wedding of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and the Captain of the Royal Guard Shining Armor was pretty much all ponies were talking about. Quicksilver and Misty weren’t attending the wedding itself, but they looked forward to the city-wide celebrations that would follow.

Quicksilver relaxed on a couch in the front room and flipped through notes on one of his experiments. Suddenly, Misty galloped into the room and slid to a stop. Her eyes were wide, ears forward and alert. She glanced towards the ceiling. “Did you hear that? Like breaking glass and buzzing. Something’s wrong. I’m not sure what, but…“

“What is it?” Quicksilver asked, putting his notes down.

Misty looked at him. “I’m not sure. Something doesn’t feel right. I can’t quite tell what it is.”

Quicksilver got up, walked to the front door, and opened it. “The shield spell is down!“ he exclaimed.

He stepped outside onto the grass. Misty and Tinker remained on the porch behind him. As they scanned the sky, they noticed hundreds of small black dots moving towards the city. Panicked screams of nearby ponies filled the air.

“Changelings,” Tinker whispered. “You two get inside,“ he almost yelled. He then took several steps forward past Quicksilver and out into the front yard.

“What are you doing?“ Misty asked.

The changelings descended on the city like black rain. Some landed in the street. Several of them spun around to face the house and began advancing. Their mouths were open with fangs bared. Their wings fluttered threateningly.

Looking back towards the house, Tinker said, “I didn’t want you to find out like this, but know that I’m not part of this invasion.” His eyes were sad as he closed them. Flames of green magic surrounded him. When it subsided, Tinker had been replaced by a changeling.

Misty gasped, her eyes wide with shock. Her hooves slipped on the porch as she hastily backpedaled into the house. Quicksilver’s horn lit up as he took a defensive stance, legs wide and head lowered.

Tinker pointed at the house. “Please, get back inside. Now!” He stomped the ground. “It’s not safe out here. Lock the doors and protect yourself.”

Tinker turned and faced the approaching changelings. He let out a defiant snarl and took a step forward.

The closest changeling hissed, “You are one of us. Why do you defend this house?”

He growled, “I am not one of you, and I claim this house as my own. You may not have it or those inside.“

“We will take this house and there is nothing you can do to stop us.“ And with that, the changeling sprung toward Tinker. In mid-leap, a beam of magic hit the changeling. It dropped to the ground unconscious. Tinker turned to look and saw Quicksilver, his horn lit brightly with magic. He looked forward again as several more changelings rushed to attack. Additional blasts of magic dropped two more to the ground. Tinker engaged in combat with the others.

More changeling filled the street with every passing second. Some landed and immediately spun to face the house. They approached as if drawn by some unseen force. Quicksilver retreated inside and slammed the door behind him. It only took a second to lock and block it with a nearby couch. He turned around to see Misty standing in the middle of the room. Her eyes were wide and she trembled uncontrollably.

He moved next to her. His horn flared as he cast a shield spell. “I’ll protect the house, and we can wait this out.” He pulled a hoof around her shoulder. “It’s okay, Misty, we’re safe for now.”

“But what are we going to do?” She gave him a pleading look. “I’m scared. I’m so scared.”

“I know you’re scared, but we’re safer here than outside. They can’t get through my shield.”

The muffled buzzing of changeling wings seeped through the walls. The occasional scream from a panicked pony cut through. Quicksilver closed his eyes and lowered his head. He focused on his spell. He had to keep it active. Beads of sweat formed on his brow.

He opened his eyes and looked at Misty. “I have to shrink the shield. The whole house is too much. I’ll try to protect just this room.”

They both jumped at the crash of breaking glass from the back of the house.

Quicksilver glanced towards the kitchen. “Misty, that’s the greenhouse. Go lock the back door and block it if you can.” She hesitated. “I know you’re scared, but you can do this.”

Misty galloped towards the kitchen. A black muzzle poked through the cracked door. She gasped and slid to a stop. Pivoting on her front legs, she bucked the door closed with a bang. A quick swipe of her hoof locked the door. She ran back to Quicksilver.

“Done. Though that door won’t hold for long.”

“Anything to slow them down.” He shrank the shield to the boundaries of the room. The sound of breaking glass came from the stairway. Startled by the noise, they backed away from the stairs towards the far wall.

Misty looked towards the stairwell, “They’re… They’re in the house now.“

Hooffalls over their heads. A crash from the kitchen. Something beating on the front door. They were surrounded, trapped. Two changelings appeared at the kitchen door. They poked at the shield. Blank eyes stared at the couple. There was nowhere to run.

“Misty, I’m not strong enough... I have to reduce the spell more. They’ll be inside the room.“

Misty nodded. Her eyes darted left and right. She grabbed Quicksilver by his hoof, dragged him into a corner of the room, then flipped over a coffee table before them.

Quicksilver’s shield now barely enclosed them both. Changelings threw themselves against it. The shield crackled and shuddered with each impact. A window broke as a changeling crashed through sending shards of glass across the floor. The window next to them exploded as two more jumped into the room. The couch couldn’t hold the front door closed as more changelings pushed against it.

Quicksilver gritted his teeth as he fought to keep the shield up. Sweat ran down his face. Misty trembled next to him. The seconds ticked by. Changelings hissed in rage. Another flew through the window into the room. Though instead of attacking the shield, it turned on the other changelings in the room. For a moment, the couple were ignored.

“I think that’s Tinker,” Misty exclaimed, pointing with a hoof.

Quicksilver looked, but could only grunt an acknowledgment.

The changelings swarmed Tinker, knocking him down. One slammed both hooves down hard on his head. Misty gasped and covered her mouth. He was pinned to the floor. He squirmed and kicked. Two changelings stomped on his barrel. A crack of chitin filled the room. Tinker gasped and fell limp. The changelings kicked him a couple times, shoving him across the glass-filled floor and against a wall. Quicksilver growled. The changelings froze and turned back towards the shield. Tinker was not moving. His chest rose as he took in a ragged breath.

Quicksilver closed his eyes to focus. The shield flexed and warped under the assault. Misty looked at him, helpless.

She raised her head, tilting it as she listened. “Do you hear that? Something’s coming.“

A moment later a pink wave of magic passed through the house. They felt it wash over their bodies. The effect on the changelings was profound. It slammed into them, knocking them off their hooves. As the wave approached, the wall went almost translucent, allowing the changelings to pass through and be carried away. And in that fraction of a second, the house was cleared. Quicksilver and Misty were alone.

Quicksilver released his spell and dropped to his knees. Misty went to one of the windows and looked out.

“I don’t know what just happened, but I don’t see any changelings. The sky looks clear.” She turned to Quicksilver with a slight smile, “I think whatever happened may be over.”

She stepped back over to Quicksilver. “Are you okay? Can you get up?”

He groaned. “I think I’m okay. Just exhausted.” He looked up at her. “Get the first aid kit. We need to see if anypony needs help.”

While Misty was away, he got to his hooves. With a grunt, he pushed the couch away from the front door and opened it. When Misty returned, they stepped out into the sunlight. Ponies galloped up and down the street in panic. As they looked around the neighborhood, they noticed a few ponies collapsed on their barrels or lying on their sides.

Quicksilver pointed, “Misty, can you check that pony right there?”

“Yes, I’m on it.”

Quicksilver scanned the area. Other than the occasional broken window, there wasn’t much physical damage. He noticed the two sisters who lived across the street backed into a corner. They huddled together, eyes wide in terror.

As he approached he called out, “Are you two okay?“ There was no response. He didn’t notice any obvious injuries. Probably just in shock, he mused to himself. He moved so he was standing directly in front of them. Their eyes were unfocused, looking straight through him. They trembled with fear.

“Hey, can you hear me?“ Quicksilver yelled, stomping a hoof for emphasis.

For the first time, their eyes focused on him, but they still didn’t respond.

“Hey! Are you hurt?“

Still holding each other, the sisters relaxed and leaned back some. They smiled softly at each other, then turned back to Quicksilver. One of them said, “I... I think we’re okay.“

“I’m sure you were really scared today and probably wanted to run away. I mean, that’s kind of what we ponies do.” He paused for a moment. “We’re safe now. The changelings are all gone.” He gestured around with his hoof. “As you can see, the street and the skies are clear, no changelings.” The sisters glanced up, and then back to him.

“Right now your neighbors need your help. Can you stand?“

The sisters released their grip on each other and shakily got to their hooves. They glanced at each other. After a moment they turned to Quicksilver, ears forward, and focused on him.

“Good. Look over there,” he pointed with a hoof, “I just noticed your neighbor needs help.”

They looked where he was pointing and saw an older mare lying in her front yard. She was moving, but didn’t seem to be able to sit up. One of the sisters galloped off to her.

The other paused for a moment and whispered to Quicksilver, “Thank you.” She then trotted after her sister.

Quicksilver scanned the street briefly, then turned and walked back towards Misty. She had just pulled a bandage from the first aid kit. The stallion sat quietly, ears down.

“Misty, how’s he doing?”

Misty glanced up and smiled. “I think he’ll be okay. It’s just a gash.” She carefully started to wrap his foreleg with a bandage. He winced as she tightened it.

Quicksilver sat down next to the stallion. “Are you okay? What happened?”

“I’ll be fine, it wasn’t deep.” He gave a long sigh. “What gets me is that a changeling didn’t do this. I tripped while running away and hit a sharp rock.”

“Ouch,” Quicksilver replied. “But at least it’s not bad.” He turned towards Misty. “You about done?”

“Yeah, I just need to tie this off so it doesn’t unwind.”

“Great. As soon as you’re finished, we need to try and get some sort of organization here.” He looked up and down the street.

Several hours had passed, and the entire neighborhood had collected together. They filled the street and adjacent yards, some grouped by family, others just by chance. Quicksilver, Misty, and a couple others wandered among the groups, chatting with them to keep everypony calm. Quicksilver glanced up and noticed a small squad of E.U.P. soldiers coming down the street. He excused himself and went to meet them.

The lead pony addressed him. “Hi, I’m Lieutenant Granite, part of the E.U.P. We’re moving throughout this section of the city, providing help as needed.”

Hi, I’m Quicksilver.” He nodded once. “I’m glad to see you. How are things going in the rest of Canterlot? It’s been a bit of a bad day here.”

“I’m afraid the whole city is a bit chaotic right now,” the lieutenant answered. “We’re seeing the same thing in each neighborhood we check. Ponies have collected themselves into herds for protection and companionship. And each has a leader working to keep everypony safe. That would appear to be you?“

Quicksilver glanced back at the group. “I’m not sure how much of a leader I am, but we’re doing the best we can.”

“Don’t underestimate yourself.” Looking past Quicksilver to the herd, he asked, “So, what’s the situation here. Any serious injuries? Do you need our help with anything?“ He looked back to Quicksilver.

“We had two injuries that needed medical attention. Some ponies helped them to the nearest hospital. The rest are just scrapes and bruises.” Quicksilver pointed down the street. “We organized a house-to-house search from that T-intersection to the end of the street to make sure no one was missing.” He turned to face the crowd. “Over the afternoon, we sent each family to check their house. Some stayed, but most grabbed food and water to share and returned to the herd.”

He glanced back at the lieutenant. “Of all the houses on the street, ours was the only one that sustained any damage. I don’t know why the changelings targeted us.”

The lieutenant looked at the collected ponies and asked, “Do you mind if I speak to them?“

“I’m not sure it’s up to me. Go ahead.“

Quicksilver and the E.U.P. members walked over to the gathered ponies. The herd looked up in anticipation.

“Hello everyone, I’m Lieutenant Granite of the E.U.P. I’m here to assure you that you’re safe. The E.U.P. along with most of the Royal Guard and Wonderbolt divisions are spreading throughout the city to help and make sure that everypony is safe.

“We also set up a small field clinic a couple of streets over in the park next to the Barn Depot store. Quicksilver told me that you have just some bruises and scrapes, but should you feel the need, head there for additional aid.” A couple ponies nodded. He cleared his throat.

“It will be dark soon. I suggest that you seek shelter either in your own home, or with friends if you don’t want to be alone. Rest assured, the city is secure, the situation is being handled, and you’re all safe. There’s nothing to worry about.”

One of the ponies in the group asked, “What about the royal wedding? What happened?”

The lieutenant sighed. “I am not aware of the details, although I know the wedding did not take place. The royal sisters and the wedding party are all safe. No one was hurt. I’m sure there will be an announcement released as soon as possible.”

He paused and waited for any additional questions, then turned towards Quicksilver. “You’ve done a good job here. Thank you.”

With that, the squad turned and headed down the street.

Misty was leaning against Quicksilver, ears down.

“You two look tired, you should head back home and get some rest.” They turned to see the two sisters approaching them

Quicksilver nodded. “Yeah, it’s been a long day, but there’s still so much to get done.” He looked over the street. Fortunately, the day’s damage appeared mostly limited to torn up plants, trampled flowers, and broken fences.

She glanced back at the herd. “They’re starting to head home. We’ll wait a bit to make sure everypony finds shelter. You go home. You’ve done enough for today.”

Misty replied, “Thank you, that’s a big help. We really do need some rest.“

Quicksilver added, “Thank you. You did really well today.“

The two sisters smiled at the compliment.

As Quicksilver and Misty returned home, he scanned the street one last to make sure no pony had been left behind.

Misty was cleaning up from lunch as Quicksilver came into the kitchen.

“I’ve finished another check of the house and didn’t find anything more than what we saw last night. Just a few broken windows, a couple damaged doors, and some broken panes in the greenhouse.”

Misty turned off the sink and shifted to face him. “Well, that’s not great, but it could have been worse. Despite the mess, it looks like all we lost inside were a few pictures and nick-nacks. Did you find someone for the repairs?”

“Yes, the contractor who built the greenhouse. He figures they can get to it in a day or two.”

Misty smiled at him. “Then I guess we’re on cleanup duty for the rest of the day.”

Quicksilver collapsed on the couch and huffed. He wiped some dust that still clung to his hoof, and rubbed the base of his horn that ached after a full day’s work. He grimaced at the sight of a few broken pieces of glass they missed during the clean up. Using his magic, he quickly picked them off the floor and threw them into a nearby trash can. “Just need to get the windows repaired,” he muttered. “If only Tink--”

His ears perked up when Misty trotted in from the kitchen and sat down next to him. Her hooves nervously fidgeting in her lap, and she didn’t look up even when he gently nudged her. “So, what about Tinker?” she finally said.

Quicksilver gently wrapped a leg around her. “I’m not sure.” He paused. “He’s been with us for a long time, and I considered him a friend. But a changeling…”

“Was it all a lie?” Her voice was tight. “Was his friendship just a manipulation so he could be close to us and feed? And where did he really go on his weekend trips?”

“I don’t know.” He signed heavily. “I believe that he wasn't part of the invasion, but he hid the truth from us for so long.”

Misty wiped her eyes. “I want to talk to him. I want the truth from him. Even if it’s bad, I need to know.”

He nodded his head. “Me too. Tomorrow, we’ll figure out how to make that happen.”

3. The Search

The next day saw Quicksilver and Misty heading to Central Canterlot. After talking with their parents and other friends, they had the name of somepony that might help them find Tinker. The couple stood outside his office now. The sign on the door read: Discrete Discovery Private Investigators, Dark Steel, owner.

They knocked on the door and went in. A slight musty odor greeted them. A quick glance revealed a cluttered one-room office, packed with filing cabinets. A few scattered papers lay on the floor. Bright sunlight streamed in through a single window, casting half the room in stark shadows. Beneath the window sat a large distressed looking desk with a middle-aged light brown earth pony reclined behind it. He peered over piles of paperwork as they entered. He promptly sat up and kicked closed one of his desk drawers.

“Good day, folks. My name is Dark Steel. Please have a seat.”

They sat down in two chairs in front of the desk. “Good afternoon,” Quiksilver replied. “My name’s Quicksilver, and this is my wife Misty. We need some help. We’ve talked with some ponies we know, and your name came up several times.”

Dark Steel grinned. “I’ll assume in a good way, or you probably wouldn’t be here. So, what can I do for you?”

Quicksilver replied, “We need you to find somepony. He’s been our employee…”

“And friend,” Misty interjected, touching Quicksilver’s shoulder with a hoof.

He glanced over at her. “And a friend for almost two years.” He looked back at Dark Steel. “We lost track of him during the recent invasion of the city, and we are hoping you might be able to track him down for us.”

“I should be able to help with that. Of course, I’ll need all the particulars you have about him. Name, description, relatives, everything you know.” He picked up a pencil in his teeth and prepared to take notes on a pad of paper sitting in front of him.

Quicksilver glanced at the pad as Steel wrote. “His name is Tinker Cob. He’s a small earth pony with a brown and white skewbald coat. His cutie mark is a crossed hammer and paintbrush.”

“Well, that should make him pretty easy to spot,” Steelremarked with a smirk. He made some more notes on the pad.

“Perhaps...” Quicksilver said hesitantly, causing Steel to give him a wary look. “He has an apartment close to where we live. Both of the addresses are here.” Using his magic, he gave Steel a sheet of paper. Steel glanced down at it.

“We don’t know about relatives, but about once a month he’d go to Ponyville to visit somepony. He said it was family.”

“Okay. This doesn’t seem like it should be too difficult to track him down. I’ll check his apartment and then see if the Canterlot police know anything. Then a trip to Ponyville would be in order.”

“There’s… there’s one more thing we need to mention,” Quicksilver added. He was looking down at the desk, and Misty was staring at the floor.

Here it comes, Dark Steel thought to himself. There’s always a curve they throw at you right at the end that turns a simple job into a major pain in the flank. “Yes? I’m listening.”

“Well, you see, it’s like this.” Quicksilver lifted his head. “Tinker happens to also be a changeling.”

“He happens to be... a what?” Steel almost shouted. “What the buck is this? Canterlot just barely survived a changeling invasion, and you say you want me to go find a changeling?”

He stood up and brought a hoof up to his forehead. “Wait, wait. This changeling was living with you for two years? Buck me. Did you know what he was? What are you playing at here?” By this point, Steel was on the tips of his hooves, leaning over his desk. He emphasized his words with jabs in the air with his hoof.

“Please,” Misty choked out, “you have to understand. He was our friend. We need to talk to him. We need to…” Misty grew silent as she softly sobbed. Quicksilver stood up, stepped over next to her, and wrapped a foreleg around her to comfort her.

He looked up at Steel. “We didn’t know he was a changeling until the attack. He said he wasn’t part of the invasion. He tried to defend the house. When the changelings broke inside, he came in and tried to protect us. They took him out. He was unconscious when we last saw him.” He glanced down at Misty and gave her a little squeeze. “It was bad. Really bad.”

Quicksilver continued after a pause. “Then the magic wave came through and carried all the changelings out of the city, including Tinker. We never saw him again. They’ve established guards and checkpoints, so even if he tried to return, he wouldn’t be able to.”

Dark Steelsat back down and regarded the two with a critical eye. He jotted a few more notes down on his pad.

He dropped the pencil and held up his hooves defensively, and glanced to the side for a moment. “So, let’s say for a minute that I believe this. I’m not saying I do, but let’s pretend.” He turned back at the couple, lowering his legs. “You want me to try and find a changeling. You have no idea where he might be. And he’s a changeling, so you have no idea what he might look like. You don’t even know if he wants to be found at all. Do I have that about right?”

Quicksilver paused for a moment before replying, “Everyone we talked to said you were the best. They said you’d take cases no one else would touch. They said you always came through.” He brought a hoof to his chest and looked at Misty. “That’s what we need right now.” He returned his gaze to Steel. “We have some money set aside. We know this could be expensive, but we need to try. We can’t just let it go. We can’t let him go without an explanation.”

Misty raised her head to gaze at Steel. Her eyes were wide and filled with tears. Her lower lip trembled ever so slightly.

“I think I’m going to regret getting involved in this. Scratch that. I know I’m going to regret this.” Dark Steel leaned back in his chair with a sigh. “Okay, this is what I’ll do. I’ll give it two weeks. I’ll hit Ponyville first, and then some other towns. If I haven’t found any leads in that time, I’m calling it. I’m not going to keep taking your money looking for something that can’t be found. Is that acceptable?”

“Yes!” both Quicksilver and Misty exclaimed and flashed Steel a grin.

“Thank you, Mr. Steel,” Misty added. “We have faith that you will do your very best to find Tinker. I have to believe he can be found. We just need somepony skilled enough to try.”

Quicksilver pulled a small vial of blue liquid out of his saddlebag and set it on the desk. Steel tilted his head as he studied it. “What’s this?”

“This is how you let us know when you find Tinker.”

Steel looked up. “If…” He tapped a hoof on the desk. “If I find him.”

Quicksilver waved a dismissive hoof in the air. “Okay, if. This is a little something I’ve been working on for over a year. I call it Dragon’s Fire. It can be used to send messages over long distances.”

Steel gaze returned to the vial, his eyes wide. “You mean like how dragons can use fire to magically send scrolls?”

“Exactly. It’s not general purpose--”

“Yet!” Misty interrupted with a smile.

Quicksilver rolled his eyes. “Yes, it’s not general purpose, yet. It can’t send messages just anywhere, yet. Only to a little magically enhanced artifact sitting in the front room of our house.” He looked around the desk. “Do you have a piece of paper you don’t need?”

Steel pointed towards the overflowing trash can. “Any of those.”

Using his magic, Quicksilver selected a sheet and tore it in half. “A smaller sheet uses less of the mixture,” he remarked. Grabbing a pencil, he wrote ‘Dark Steel’ in the center. “It’s best to put the message in the center in case the page isn’t fully consumed. Now watch carefully.”

Quicksilver unstoppered the vial and poured a small splash of the blue liquid on the center of the page. Blue flame erupted, spreading out in a circle until the page was gone in a puff of smoke. He re-stoppered the vial and set it down.

“The page is now at our house, waiting for us. If you’re careful, there’s enough in this vial to send probably five more pages that size. Just don’t spill it on anything that will burn.” He winked at Steel

Steel sat totally still for a few moments with his mouth hanging agape. Then he whispered, “This is amazing. You’re gonna make bushels of bits with this.”

Quicksilver and Misty both laughed. “Perhaps,” he said. “But that’s not why I do my alchemy. Anyway, we should be headed home. I think I have a message waiting.”

Steel snickered and added, “And I got a case to get started on.”

The couple sat in the front room once again reading the same page in their books over and over without seeing it. Suddenly, there was a blue flash and a round sheet of paper dropped out of the smoke on a table against the wall.

Misty sat up straight. “That has to be from Steel.”

Quicksilver snatched it with magic and pulled it to him. “It’s round. He didn’t use enough mixture so it didn’t burn all the way to the edge.” He looked at the page. It was blank. He flipped it over and spun it around until the words were upright. “Though he wrote in the middle so we have the full message. Good.” He cleared his throat. “Q&M, Lead found, Appleloosa asap. DS”

“Misty, get the saddlebags we have packed. If we hurry, I think we can catch the next train.”

A few hours later saw them exiting the train at the Appleloosa station.

“Now what?” Misty asked.

Quicksilver looked around, “I’m not sure, we need to find Steel.”

“Hello, folks,” Steel called out as he trotted up.

They both turned towards him. “How did you know we’d be on that train?” Quicksilver asked.

“I didn’t. I figured you’d be on the very first train you could catch, which would either be this one, or the first one in the morning. All I had to do was be here for each one to see if you got off.”

“So you have news?” Misty leaned forward, ears perked up. “It’s been ten days and we were getting worried.”

“I may have a lead, yes.” He nodded towards the ticket office. “I talked to the station manager, and he remembered a skewbald pony getting off the train last week sometime. He wasn’t sure what day.” He pointed in the direction of the front of the train. “Then I had a chat with the train’s engineer, and he remembered stopping just south of the Ghastly Gorge to pick up a pony matching that description. He had flagged down the train, saying he was lost or something.

“So he appears to still be using the form you know from Canterlot. But I can’t find anyone in town who’s seen him once he left the station. Honestly, if he changed his form and caught another train, we’ll never find him.”

“So, what do we do now?” Misty asked.

“All I can suggest is you wander around the town to see if anyone looks familiar. If he wants to be found and sees you, perhaps he’ll make contact. Perhaps he’s taken a form of someone you’ll recognize. I know it’s a long shot, but sometimes, magic happens.”

Steel watched the couple turn to head into town. After a few paces, they stopped and looked back.

“Aren’t you coming?” Quicksilver asked.

He shook his head. “No. A third pony he doesn’t know would probably spook him. I’ll wait at that bar over there until you check in with me.” He pointed towards the building. “I’ll head back to Canterlot either on the last train today, or the first one tomorrow. If this doesn’t pan out, I think we may be done.”

Quicksilver and Misty worked their way up the street accompanied by the ever present clip-clop of their hooves on the raised wooden sidewalks.

Misty cleared her throat. “Hey, Quicksilver?”

He glanced towards Misty. “Yes?”

“We’ve been at this for a couple hours now. What about a break and maybe something to drink?”

He stopped walking. “Oh, I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention.” He looked down the street for a moment. “That next cross-street, there’s a café off to the right a short distance. How’s that?”

Misty sighed. “That would be great. Thanks.”

“What are you two doing here?”

The couple spun around to see Tinker a few paces away. “Tinker!” Misty exclaimed and took a couple steps towards him. Tinker took corresponding steps backwards. Misty stopped and lowered her head. Quicksilver slowly moved next to her. Tinker’s ears were back, his legs flexed.

“We’re looking for you, Tinker,” Quicksilver said softly.

“I know. I’ve been tracking you for almost an hour now. So, why are you looking for me?” His eyes darted around the street as his tail swished nervously.

Quicksilver raised a hoof and barely above a whisper asked, “Tinker, are you afraid of us?”

Tinker’s ears shot forward. “Yes, I am. I don’t know why you’re here. There’s only one outcome when… when one of us is discovered.”

Misty placed a hoof over her mouth. “No, Tinker. That’s not why we’re here. We just want to talk, to understand, to make sense of everything that’s happened.”

Tinker scanned the sky, then looked over each shoulder up and down the street. “So, you’re not here to turn me over to the Royal Guard? You’re not here for… revenge?”

“No, Tinker, we’re not.” Quicksilver raised a hoof. “I promise. All we want to do is ask you some questions. But not here on the street. Please, follow us someplace more private.”

They made their way to the bar Steel had mentioned earlier. As they entered, he flagged them over to the booth where he was sitting.

“I see you found him, it, whatever.” He shook his head. “I guess he didn’t change his form, or leave town.”

Tinker froze. “Who’s that?”

“It’s okay,” Misty said, placing a reassuring hoof on his shoulder. “We hired him to help find you.”

Quicksilver glanced around the room. “We need someplace private to talk.”

Dark Steel collected his papers and stood up. He waved a hoof to get the owner’s attention and then pointed at a door in the back. The owner nodded.

“Follow me,” he said and led them through the door to a small room with a table and some chairs. There were no windows. He closed the door, and Quicksilver cast a privacy spell on the door so no one could hear anything. They all remained standing.

“So, this is Tinker Cob,” Steel said. He squinted as he studied the pony.

“Yes, I am,” Tinker replied.

“And you’re a changeling?”

Tinker raised his head a bit and closed his eyes. There was a flash of green magic, leaving a changeling in their midst. Misty gasped softly and stiffened, but didn’t move. Steel startled and took a couple short steps back. He then shifted his stance as his gaze darted to the door and back to the changeling.

“Well, buck me. You really are one.”

Quicksilver spoke softly, “Tinker, let’s not make this more complicated. Please change back.” There was another flash, and a familiar skewbald earth pony stood before them again.

Dark Steel just shook his head and sat down. “Client privacy aside, no one would ever believe this even if I could talk about it.”

Quicksilver and Misty each picked a chair. Tinker paused for a moment, then sat opposite the couple.

Quicksilver leaned forward. “Okay, Tinker. Spill it. We trusted you for so long, and now we feel like it was all a lie.” He swept his hoof in front of him as if clearing a slate. “But what’s done is done. From now on, only the truth. I hope we deserve at least that much.”

“Yes, you do.” Tinker paused for a long time to collect his thoughts. “I admit, I didn’t tell you everything about myself, but I have never lied to you. Fortunately, you never asked anything I couldn’t answer truthfully.”

Steel stifled a small grin with a hoof.

“Something funny?” Quicksilver asked, tilting his head.

“Oh, nothing. I just had a stray thought that you need to remember to add ‘Are you a changeling?’ to your interview questions. Sorry.” The grin gone, he lowered his leg.

Quicksilver snorted once and glanced at Misty who just rolled her eyes.

Tinker resumed, “I’m a member of a small hive of outcasts. We no longer serve the queen and have no contact with her or her hive. In changeling society, if you can no longer serve, you are killed so you aren’t a drain on the hive. Sometimes an individual will escape rather than submit to being killed.”

Misty gasped. “You really kill your own?”

Tinker nodded. “It’s the way of the hive. Most don’t question it. Our leader was once one of the queen’s private guards until he lost his wings in a battle. He fled.”

His eyes drifted up as he spoke. “I didn’t know it at the time, but I saw him leave. I was checking in from my latest mission to the Crystal Empire as he walked out. Because of his rank, no one questioned him. He never returned.”

He leaned back in his chair. “I don’t know why, but we seem to be drawn to the Everfree Forest. We found a good cave and formed a hive. The problem is that we don’t have enough infiltrators to feed our numbers. The hive was starving.” Tinker let out a long sigh before continuing, “Then I stumbled upon your house. It shone brighter with love than any of the other houses around. I stood at the front door for a couple of minutes, just soaking it in before I knocked that first day we met.” He paused, smiling at the memory. “If I could get a job, I knew there would be plenty of love to collect for the hive.”

He pointed to the couple. “Working for you was the salvation of our hive. I would collect the excess love in the house and take it back to the hive. I brought so much that all the other infiltrators were able to stop struggling for mere scraps.” Tinker smiled softly. “With enough food for everyone, the sick and injured started to get better. It couldn’t restore a missing limb or wing, but it saved the hive.”

He looked down at the table. “There were so many times I wanted to thank you. But how could I without…” He closed his eyes and shook his head a couple times.

Misty glanced away and dabbed a tear from her eye. Quicksilver laid a hoof on her shoulder for a moment.

Tinker raised his head again. “I’d use the bits you paid me to buy things the hive needed, which I’d deliver on my regular trips there. I gave them any extra bits too. If they needed something they would send an infiltrator into Ponyville to buy it. The only bits I’d spend myself were for my apartment in Canterlot.”

He paused as a small shiver ran through him. “Then the invasion came. I mentioned how your house stood out with all that love? That’s what drew the changelings to attack you. It was like a magnet drawing them in with the promise of food. I tried to protect you, but there were just too many.” He shook his head slowly.

“The spell scattered the changelings in all directions. I ended up in the Ghastly Gorge, confused and weak. I climbed out and made my way here to rest. I figured I’d head back to the hive in the Everfree Forest since I have nowhere else to go.”

His story finished, he slumped in his chair with his head down.

Dark Steel ran a foreleg through his mane. “Wow. I… I’m not sure what to make of all that. This whole situation is just so, so, I don’t know what it is.” He leaned back in his chair and exhaled sharply. “Part of my job is to separate the road apples from the truth. This all rings true, but I just don’t know what to do with it. I’m just glad I don’t have to write this up in a report for a client.” He shook his head several times.

Misty turned back to Tinker. “Why did you leave the hive? You don’t appear to be injured or anything.”

Tinker thought for a few moments before answering, “The queen doesn’t like drones who think or ask questions. If one starts to question how the hive works, they just… vanish.” He shook his head. “I didn’t like what I saw in the hive. I knew better than to say anything, so, I decided to vanish myself.” He grinned as he nodded once.

“Infiltrators are killed or captured all the time. We are expendable and easily replaced. There are a hundred drones lined up waiting for their chance to prove themselves.” He waved a hoof in the air. “The hive doesn’t even send out a search team for a missing drone.”

Tinker shrugged. “So I simply never returned after my last assignment. I started using forms I’d never used before, and stuck to towns where I’d never worked. It was probably nine months before I started using this form,” he pointed to himself, “and around three months later that I decided to try Canterlot. A few weeks later, I found you two.” He set his forelegs on the table.

Quicksilver cleared his throat. “So, we were just a source of food for you and your hive. You acted like our friend, but that’s all it was, an act?”

Tinker’s ears drooped. “At first, yes, it was. I’m sorry. I was desperate, and I didn’t know you as ponies. But over the months, I got to know you. You were kind to me. I began to care about you, and what you thought of me. That’s why I couldn’t tell you the truth. I knew what that would mean.”

“And now?” Misty asked, her voice strained, her eyes brimming with tears.

“And now, I’d like to think of you as friends. I just don’t know if that’s possible anymore.”

Quicksilver put a leg around Misty, and pulled her close. “We don’t know either, Tinker, but I think we’re willing to try, if you are.”

Tinker’s ears shot forward, and he smiled. “Yes, I’d like to try too.”

4. Returning Home

Knock. knock. knock. Quicksilver lowered his hoof to the floor and pawed at the boards. Misty’s tail switched nervously.

“Do you think he’s still here?” she asked. “The last thing I said to him last night was to please still be here in the morning.”

“I think so. I hope so.” He raised his hoof to knock again.

The door opened a crack as an eyeball looked out. It then swung wide as Tinker smiled at them. “Good morning. It’s good to see you both.”

Misty took a step forward. “Oh, Tinker, I’m glad you stayed. I was afraid you might... you might have left.”

“I thought about it. I even walked outside once.” Misty covered her mouth with a hoof. “But I decided to stay and see what your plan is.”

Quicksilver turned to head down the hallway. “Right now, the plan is to get some breakfast. Let’s go.”

They found an empty table at the restaurant downstairs away from the other patrons so they could have some privacy. Quicksilver and Misty ordered some breakfast, Tinker just got tea.

Quicksilver cleared his throat. “Okay, I was up much of the night thinking about this.”

“I know,” said Misty with a little smile. “I wasn’t actually asleep when you got back up. I’ve seen you struggle with hard problems before and I know you’ll ask if you want help. So I just watched you work until I dozed off.”

He reached out and placed his hoof on hers and whispered, “I love you.”

He leaned back and sat up straight. His soft smile vanished. “It’s a hard problem. How do we get you back into Canterlot so things can return to normal?” He shrugged. “Well, our version of normal anyway.” He tapped his chin a couple times. “I don’t know of anyone we can talk to. If we mention a…” He paused and looked around to make sure no one was in earshot. “A changeling, no one will hear anything past that.”

“Remember how Steel reacted,” Misty interjected with a hoof in front of her mouth.

Quicksilver nodded empathically. “And then it occurred to me. The simplest solution is often the best. And the simplest solution here is…” he smiled, “do nothing.”

“Nothing?” Tinker asked, tilting his head.

“Exactly. We did fine for almost two years because no one knew anything was unusual.” He tapped the table softly a couple times. “If it hadn’t been for the invasion, that could have continued indefinitely. So… let’s just pick up where we left off. The only difference being, now we know the truth.” He traced a circle on the table. “There are checkpoints into the city and guards around the perimeter. But there’s no shield. Tinker, can you fly?”

Tinker nodded. “In my natural form, yes, just like any other ch… like any of us.”

“So, can you sneak back into the city?”

He absentmindedly grinned. “If they really wanted to keep us out, they’d have restored the shield. There’s a reason we’re called infiltrators. There’s no doubt some of us are already back into the city, resuming the same roles they had before. Within a month or two, we’ll be back to pre-invasion numbers.”

Tinker felt a wave of fear wash over the table. He turned to Misty who stared wide-eyed with both hooves over her mouth. Quicksilver was similarly shocked.

Tinker shrunk in his chair, head low. His ears drooped as he shook his head. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’ve been an infiltrator almost my entire life. I automatically go there. I have to work to not think like that. Please know, I would never, ever hurt a pony. That’s not me. Not anymore.”

Quicksilver wrapped a leg around Misty to calm her. She laid a hoof on his and relaxed. “We know, Tinker,” he said. “It just sort of surprised us to see that side of you. But, perhaps that’s a little of what we need right now. So, that's a yes?”

Tinker nodded. “Yes. I’m sure I can get back into the city.”

“Very well.” Quicksilver leaned forward and lowered his voice further. “I checked the Canterlot weather yesterday. There’s a storm scheduled for tomorrow night. That means no moon. We’ll take the train back to Canterlot today. Tinker, at the last weigh station before the city, you get off. Make your way to the city, take tomorrow to create a plan, and sometime during that storm, sneak in.”

“No problem.”

“Misty and I will return home, and wait for you to arrive. Any questions?” Quicksilver glanced at each of them.

Tinker’s mouth was slightly open, his forehead creased as he thought.

“Tinker, is something bothering you?” Misty asked.

“Well, I mean, sort of.” He looked at each of them before continuing, “We’ve been so focused on the plan… Yesterday we talked about my history, and today about getting into Canterlot. But I still don’t understand, why are you doing this? You know what I am, what I’ve done. Why do you even want me back in Canterlot?”

Quicksilver stared at the table for a bit before looking up at Tinker. He reached out and took Misty’s hoof. “You hid the truth from us for a long time. I understand there was no way to tell us something like that, but it still hurts. That said, you’ve been our employee for ages. I think we know Tinker pretty well. I think we know you pretty well.”

He glanced over to Misty who gave his hoof a squeeze and nodded. “I think what I… what we are trying to say is that who you are is more important than what you are. Who you are is a friend, and we want that friend to come home.”

“It’s hard,” Tinker said after a moment. “When you grow up in a hive, with no purpose beyond serving a queen, it’s hard to believe somepony can like you just for who you are. I’d like to see what that’s like.”

Quicksilver cleared his throat. “Okay, then let’s finish up here, get our tickets, and head home.”

It was close to midnight, and the rain was just starting to fall. Tinker, in his changeling form, had been sitting, motionless, on a small rise for several hours. He carefully studied the spot he’d selected to slip into Canterlot. The hoof patrols aren’t a problem. They try to make ‘em random at eight to twelve minute spacing, but a blind yak could stumble through undetected. He waited until a pegasus zipped by. One… two… three… four… He timed the duration between air patrols. Those are the problem.

It started to rain harder. With no moonlight, the visibility dropped. Tinker could no longer see the patrols, which meant they couldn’t see him. Moving low and quietly, he inched forward. A foot patrol passed. It’s time. With visibility dropping, they will increase the patrol frequency. I need to go now while they're still farther apart and can’t see.

Sitting motionless, he slowly stretched out his wings. No fast movement. Nothing to draw attention. He waited. A pegasus patrol zipped by. One… two… three… four… five… SIX. Tinker sprang into the air and flew for the gap between air patrols. Seven… eight… The rain masked the buzz of his wings. Nine… The water stung his eyes, but he’d watched this spot for so long he could fly it blind. Ten. He passed over the spot between the patrols with perhaps twenty seconds before the next pegasus. Once over the perimeter wall, he dropped down among the houses and froze.

He listened… There was no yell. No alarm was raised. No sign that he had just infiltrated Canterlot in the middle of a military lockdown. He allowed himself a small fanged smile. “I’ve still got it,” he said to himself. He flew on for a while then dropped into an alley. A quick flash of green magic later, and the skewbald pony emerged back out. Quicksilver and Misty lived just a few streets away. He started to gallop just like any other pony would if caught outside in the rain.

He rounded the corner onto their street. The house was just ahead on the left. He could see it. There was a light on upstairs, but the front room was dark. He heard several sets of hooves ahead. He shifted from the road onto the front lawns to silence his footfalls. He jumped over a hedge and dodged a tree. It sounded like a patrol working up the street. He reached their yard and slowed to a walk to quietly step onto the porch. He tapped the door twice as softly as he could. It immediately opened, and he stepped inside. Quicksilver closed the door without a sound. Misty peered out a gap in the curtains. No one moved.

Misty whispered, “They’ve passed.” She closed the gap in the curtains, making sure to overlap the edges.

Quicksilver huffed out the breath he was holding and lit a small candle on the table. The room flickered in the soft yellow light.

“Tinker, you’re soaked!” Misty said. “Let me get you a towel.” She hurried up the stairs and returned moments later with two towels.

Tinker laid out one on the floor and stood on it. He flashed into his changeling form and let the water drain off his chitin shell. He grabbed the other towel to finish drying off.

“Nice trick,” Quicksilver noted. “No doubt comes in handy after a shower.”

Tinker flashed him a grin and switched to his pony form again. He gathered the towels and tossed them at the bottom of the stairs where Misty pointed. Quicksilver and Misty sat down together on a couch. Tinker took a chair.

“Any problems?” Quicksilver asked.

“None.” Tinker smiled. “I slipped in between patrols. They had no idea I was there.” He glanced at Misty. “I’m sure I wasn’t the only one, it’s the perfect night for it. I’m sorry, but it’s as if they want us to sneak back in.”

Misty shivered. “I don’t think I want to know about that. But I’m glad you made it in undetected. You… you didn’t hurt anypony, did you?”

He shook his head emphatically. “Absolutely not, and I never would. It was a clean entry.” He paused for a moment. “What now?”

Quicksilver replied, “Misty and I have worked out a plan. For now, it’s not safe for you to walk around the city. So you’ll stay here with us. Misty made up the guest bedroom. I assume food won’t be a problem.” He winked at Tinker, and Misty rolled her eyes. “And there’s plenty of work for you here as we didn’t get much done the last couple of weeks. Once things calm down in the city, you can return to your apartment. As far as anypony else is concerned, you were on vacation for two weeks. You’re back, and everything is just as it always has been.”

Tinker closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, he looked at the couple. It was hard to see in the faint candlelight, but his eyes were damp. “Thank you. Thank you both, so much.”

Quicksilver sat in the middle of the couch with papers spread out on either side while he studied more held in his magic. Misty was across the room in a chair, reading a novel. Tinker walked in, carrying a tray with two glasses of lemonade.

“Thank you, Tinker,” Misty said. “Something to drink right now would be perfect.”

Tinker smiled as he moved across the room.

Their attention was drawn by a sound of hooffalls on the front porch. The front door began to glow in yellow magic. Then in a flash, it exploded inward. Bits of broken wood bounced off the furniture and walls and littered the floor. The doorway was obscured by a cloud of dust. Princess Celestia burst into the room along with several royal guards. The Royal Canterlot Voice thundered through the house, “I WILL HAVE THIS CHANGELING!”

Misty screamed. The tray Tinker was holding crashed to the floor, and the glasses shattered. Quicksilver jumped to his hooves, only to be tackled by two of the guards. Spears were thrust against his throat.

Misty yelled, “No! Please! Tinker’s done nothing. He’s our friend.” She glanced at Quicksilver. He was on his side, trembling uncontrollably, eyes wide. One guard straddled his barrel, the other stood at his head. Two small rivulets of blood ran down his fur from the speartips at his neck and dripped onto the floor. “No…” She tried to move, but was frozen in place.

Celestia’s horn flared with magic, and a powerful beam enveloped Tinker. He screamed in pain and lost his pony form. His wings withered under the intense magic that began to pierce his body. He screamed again and went limp.

“No, no, no…” Misty pleaded. “Please, don’t do this. Please…”

“Misty, be calm.”

Misty turned to see Princess Luna standing next to her.

“But… but…” Misty stammered.

“This is not real. Your husband and friend are safe. This is a lie. Do not heed it.” Luna stepped forward and rested a hoof on Misty’s temple, forcing her eyes away from the scene. “This is just a dream. Release it. Release the fear.”

“A dream?”

Luna nodded.

Misty closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly blew it out. When she opened her eyes, the room was empty save for her and the princess.

“We sense a conflict within you.” Luna lowered her leg.

“Princess. I’m so scared and confused. I’m not sure what to believe.”

“We will see the source of this.” Luna touched Misty’s shoulder, and the room dissolved away. It was daytime, and they stood across the street from the house. The door opened, and she saw Quicksilver, Tinker and herself walk out. Changelings landed in the street. They turned toward the house and advanced.

Misty glanced at Luna, let out a gasp, and began to tremble. “It’s the invasion!” she whispered. “I can’t… I just can’t.” She lowered her head.

“Do not fear. This cannot hurt you. It is the past. The only power it has over you is what you allow.”

Misty looked again. She heard glass break on the greenhouse and saw two changelings fly in. One in the front yard smashed through a window. Two were working on the door, forcing it open bit by bit.

Tinker was engaged with several other changelings. He fought with a ferocity that startled Misty. His horn, hooves, and fangs, every body part was a weapon. The attackers were falling one after another. Soon it was only Tinker standing. At least a dozen changelings lay around him, moving but unable to rise.

He fell to his knees and gasped for air. After a few moments, he turned and looked at the house. His mouth warped into a sneer.

“No, Tinker, don’t,” Misty yelled. “You’re too weak.”

Unable to hear her, he rose to his hooves and swayed for a moment. Then with a loud hiss, he ran and dove through the already broken window.

The surroundings faded to black as Misty turned to face Luna. “He fought for us. I had no idea how hard he fought to protect us. He was too exhausted to win inside, but we never saw what happened outside.”

“And what of your conflict?”

Misty thought for a moment with her head lowered. She raised it to look at Luna. “I’m still afraid of the changelings. But Tinker, I don’t think I fear him.”

Luna smiled softly. “That is good. It is time for you to sleep. You will not be troubled again tonight.” She turned and flew off into the night. Misty closed her eyes.

Quicksilver and Misty sat in the front room on the couch together. They were each reading a book. Tinker came in, carrying a tray with two glasses of lemonade.

“Thank you, Tinker,” Misty said. “Something to drink right now would be perfect.” She paused as a shadow of doubt crossed her face.

Tinker set the glasses down and turned to head back to the kitchen. There was a knock at the door.

“You expecting anyone?” Quicksilver asked as he stood up and walked to the door.

Misty froze. “It can’t be…” she whispered to herself.

Quicksilver opened the door. He gasped, legs flailing as he tried to back up. He slipped and landed hard on his rump. Tinker dropped the tray which clanged on the floor. Misty screamed.

“Pri… Pri… Princess Luna!” Quicksilver sputtered.

Tinker glanced at the kitchen door. He adjusted his stance. Pausing, he looked back at the princess. His muscles relaxed, and he hung his head in surrender.

“We mean you no harm, my little ponies. You have nothing to fear from us.” She stood straight, her head held high.

Quicksilver glanced past her. There were two members of the Royal Guard standing to either side of the door and facing the street. He cocked an eyebrow? Why aren’t they coming inside?

There was a long pause. No one moved. Finally, Luna spoke, “May we enter?”

Quicksilver shook his head once to clear his thoughts and stood up. He bowed low to the princess. “Please, Princess Luna, come in.” He stepped to the side. She strode into the room, closing the door behind her with magic.

Her eyes scanned the room quickly, lingering for a moment on Tinker. A shiver ran down his body under her gaze. Blank faces greeted her from the stunned couple. Tinker, head still down, trembled slightly.

“Perhaps we would be more comfortable if we sat down?” Luna offered.

Misty bowed. “Of course. Princess Luna, welcome to our home. Please sit wherever you would like.”

Luna selected the largest chair and extended a hoof to indicate they should all sit too. The couple sat on the couch, and Tinker chose the remaining chair.

Luna cleared her throat. “We would speak with you about your changeling.” She looked at Tinker who did not meet her gaze.

Quicksilver inhaled sharply. “How did you…”

“My dream,” Misty exclaimed. She turned to Quicksilver. “I had a nightmare last night. Princess Luna visited my dream… She saw the battle at the house. She saw…” She looked at Tinker. “I’m so sorry.”

Luna raised a foreleg. “Fear not. We have not come for retribution, but for understanding. We normally would not bring things from the realm of dreams out into the sunlight, but the presence of a changeling living in Canterlot with the knowledge of ponies is… concerning.”

The princess sat up straight, head raised. “While we do not condone sneaking an infiltrator into the city, we…” She relaxed and let her head come down a bit. “I understand how you may have felt trapped by the circumstances. While we learned much from Misty’s dreams, we would like to understand better how this relationship came about. Please, take all the time you require and explain just how this came to be.”

Quicksilver artfully summarized their time with Tinker, starting with the day they met. He explained Tinker working for them, the invasion and his actions to protect them, the search with Dark Steel, and the revelations in Appleloosa. Misty would occasionally add a point, including what she saw take place outside the house in her dream. Tinker remained silent the entire time.

Luna regarded them for a few moments. “What is it you desire?”

Quicksilver weighed his words carefully. “A couple days ago, I told Tinker that it’s not what you are, but who you are that matters. Tinker is our friend. We trust him. So Misty and I ask you, Princess, that you would allow us to live our beliefs. Permit Tinker to continue to reside in Canterlot so that we can continue to live as we did before the invasion.”

She turned and looked at the changeling. “Tinker Cob, tell us what you desire.”

For the first time since her arrival, he looked at Luna. “Your Majesty. The first part of my life was lived in service to an evil queen. Then I switched to living as an outcast with others like myself. Our only goal was to survive. Now I have found a place to belong. Changelings have no families, so I don’t know what that’s like. But I care about these two ponies, and I am happy when I serve them as I never was in the hive serving the queen. I don’t want to lose this. If it would please Your Majesty, I would like to continue to serve them.” He bowed his head.

“Very well, thank you. Our sister gave us discretion in this matter. Our decision is therefore final and binding.” The princess stood up. She seemed to tower over the three seated ponies.

Misty softly whispered, “Oh, please, no…”

Luna continued, “It is our decision that you, Tinker Cob, be permitted to live in Canterlot under the employ of these ponies, Quicksilver and Mist Skimmer.” She looked towards the door. “Guard!”

Quicksilver and Misty sat motionless for a moment, then broke into smiles and hugged each other. They glanced at Tinker, who was looking at them, his eyes wide and mouth hanging open. He slowly shook his head.

The door opened, and one of the royal guards stepped into the room. “Please, present the medallion to Tinker.”

“Yes, Princess.” The guard walked over to Tinker. He removed a silver medallion and chain from his saddle bag. Tinker accepted it.

The guard explained, “This medallion contains the Royal Sun Seal on one side, the Moon Seal on the other. Gold ones are given to visiting royalty and dignitaries. Silver ones like this go to their staff. The markings on this one indicate that the wearer has permission to be in Canterlot. It will allow free passage through the checkpoints.”

He turned to the princess, saluted, and left the room, closing the front door behind him.

Luna addressed Tinker, “Please put the medallion on.” He did so. Luna lowered her head and magic flared from her horn to the medallion, spilling over to envelop Tinker. After a few seconds, the magic faded.

“The medallion has now been bound to you. Only you may use it as identification. Anybody else, changeling or pony, who tries to wear it will find it... rather painful. It is for you alone.”

She turned to address the couple. “Quicksilver and Misty, we are grateful for the trust you show and the friendship you have extended to this changeling. We will speak of it in detail to our sister. And now this visit is concluded. I must return to the castle. Be well.”

They all stood up. The three ponies bowed deeply to Luna, who nodded her head in return. Then she left the house. Almost immediately they heard the sound of the princess and her two escorts taking off.

Misty jumped at Tinker and gave him a quick hug. Quicksilver stepped over next to her.

“So, it’s over?” Tinker asked. “I no longer have to fear? I don’t have to hide? I can return to my apartment and my life here?”

Misty nodded with a broad smile.

Quicksilver, also smiling, said. “Yes, Tinker. From now on, you are one of us.”

-- The End --

Author's Note

Note: Luna’s dream travel is documented in S04E19 “For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils”.