They stepped out of the elevator and onto the floor. Clover and his companions didn't quite know what to expect, but if the wide-eyed look on Onyx's face was any indication, he certainly hadn't been expecting this. The room was outfitted with finery of all sorts. Plush cushions and expensive furniture were spread out around the room and fine art decorated the walls. One wall was one giant window that looked out over the entire city, a point that had certainly caught the young pony's attention as Onyx was subconsciously drawn to them despite their escort.

As it turned out, they weren't alone in the room. Sitting on a nearby couch were two pegasi that Clover instantly recognized. It was clear that they recognized him as well as one of them jumped to their hooves the moment they saw him.

"Random Fact?!" Called out Blossomforth. "What are you doing here?"

Clover smiled at the use of his old alias. "It's Clover, now," he said in response.

"Clover?" Blossomforth looked at him curiously. "That's your actual name? Why did you try to hide it, then? It's a really common name in some towns."

He gave her a friendly smile with how casual she was acting around him. He thought about enlightening her, but decided against it. His existence would be public knowledge soon enough. "I had my reasons, but those are behind me now. Let's just say I've had a chance to reconcile with some ponies from my past."

"I'd say you and Princess Luna did a lot more than reconcile," Spectrum jumped in, not missing his chance for a cheap shot.

Clover got a bit red at the cheeks at that jab. He looked over to the masked changeling with a scowl, "was that really necessary?"

"I'm taking all the shots I can get," he said through a toothy grin. "Besides, that drama you manage to involve yourself in would make a gossiping fashionista weak at the knees from ecstasy."

A growl silenced their banter as Snider passed in front of them. "Enough of this," he said as he turned to look Blossomforth in the eye. "Don't forget, you're still in a lot of trouble. The only reason we've allowed your little pony friend to keep her memories so far is that she hasn't gone off and blabbed to anypony yet."

She quickly grew quiet and sat back down. Cloud Kicker wrapped a wing around her and pulled her close, but not before treating Snider to a scowl of her own.

"Down boy," Waffen said as he pulled Snider away from them. "She's not in as much trouble as you want to make it out to be. I mean, they did both come here willingly. It's still up for Her Majesty to decide."

"I'm more concerned with what she's going to think of our other guests," Giovanni rubbed at his temples. "It's not too unusual for us to bring somepony up here, but we've never brought so many at once. What's she going to think about us bringing her an alicorn and a foreign guard? She's gonna have all our shells for this..."

The musings that continued circulating the room suddenly went quiet when the elevator dinged again. Dozens of sets of eyes turned to watch as the doors opened, some of them far more nervous than others.

"And make sure they fix the lighting by the time I get back there," a cream colored earth pony with a vibrant blue mane and wearing a rather sparkly outfit stepped out of the elevator. "One of my backup dancers almost broke their leg when they fell off the stage."

"Yes, Miss Shores. Right away, Miss Shores," came the collective responses from her entourage. One of them holding out a smoothie which she snatched from them and took a long draw before letting out a sigh of relief. "That's the stuff," she exhaled as she strutted past them, not once stopping to acknowledge the other ponies in the room.

"And one more thing," she snapped, making the ponies following her into the room pause. "Where did you find this outfit!" She loudly complained as she gestured to said outfit. "It's like someone just dropped a glitter bomb in my wardrobe. I need pizzazz, I need color, I need this show to make Princess Twilight's recent coronation look like a birthday bash." She began to shoo them away as she opened a door further into the penthouse and stepped inside. "What was that pony's name again that did the costumes for my last show? Rarity, was it? See if you can't get her again. Her outfits were so dazzling that it made the show positively seeensational! Ow!" She emphasized the last word with a measure of fortitude that only someone who was truly passionate about their work could exert.

"What about the press, Miss Shores," her secretary spoke up again. "They keep going on about this Countess Coloratura that's been hitting the scene lately. Do you want us to see what dirt we can dig up on her?"

The pony stepped back out of her room, having ditched the colorful outfit for a more relaxed attire. However, her face was not showing the hint of relaxation. "Let that young hussy have her fun," she said as she once again strutted forward, her attention far more directed at her aide. "You just make sure the press knows that Sapphire Shores isn't out of the game just yet. That's what I pay you for, isn't it? Now shoo, I have other things to tend to. Just make sure we're ready for a dress rehearsal first thing in the morning."

Her attendants didn't say anything more after their dismissal. They just simply bowed and retreated to the elevator. Once the doors closed on her company, she finally relaxed her shoulders a bit as she made her way over to where everyone else was sitting. She didn't say anything. She just tapped her hoof on the ground and a couple of ponies carried over an extra large, extra fluffy, chair for her to sit in. Once she had taken her seat, crossing her front hooves in the process, she met the eyes of each and every creature in the room. Her eyes half lidded as she took in the scene before her.

"Now," she said, a far more serious tone creeping into her voice, causing the guards to wilt under her gaze. "Which one of you wants to explain why there are so many guests in my penthouse suite?" Her eyes landed on the masked changeling, to which she raised an eyebrow. "You're a bit far from home, child," she said. "Which of my cousins sent you?"

When Spectrum didn't answer, she instead turned her attention back to the guard with a tired look on her face. "And why in Tartarus are you lot still dressing up like we're doing another show of 'West Trot Story'? We finished our last show months ago."

"Our apologies, My Queen," Giovanni bowed to the pop star. "We only wished to keep our identities secret when we carry out your will."

Sapphire tuned a look at the three ponies and two changelings that had been brought before her, taking note that they didn't once show any shock or reaction to the conversation. In fact, the only reaction she was really getting was from the jasmine pegasus, but it was more the look of shock and adoration that she would expect from a fan.

"Ugh, I can't deal with you three like this," she groaned. "Change back already."

"My Queen...?" He looked shocked at the order.

"Don't make me repeat myself," she narrowed her eyes at them. "Clear Mind, Brass Tax, and Short Fuse," she said naming each of them off. "If I don't see another fedora again, it'll be too soon."

Without any further hesitation, the bodies of the three guards went up in emerald flames. When the flames died down, three different ponies took their place. Giovanni, or Clear Mind as he was now, was an earth pony of middling age with a light blue coat and an even lighter mane while sporting a couple clouds for their cutiemark. Brass Tax, who was Waffen before, was taller unicorn with a brown coat and a golden mane with a couple coins for his mark. Then there was Short Fuse. His height went in the opposite direction to make a short red pegasus with a fiery blonde mane and just as fiery mark decorating his flank. Needless to say, he seemed just as angry in this form as he had in the previous one.

"Much better," Sapphire nodded her approval as she relaxed back into her seat. "Now..." She said sternly. "Start talking."

Instead of explaining, Clear Mind elected to approach her. She raised an eyebrow at him and her eyes seemed to light up when he pulled out a rolled parchment sealed in green goop. "What's this?" She asked aloud as a foggy green glow appeared in the space over her forehead as she took the proffered document. She considered the parcel as she turned it around in her magic before the goop that sealed it shut just simply evaporated. She carefully took a pair of proffered reading glasses from her attendant and placed them on her nose as she unrolled the document.

No one uttered a word while she carefully looked over the words written there. She seemed to be considering the meaning behind the letter as well as the intention of its author. There was one point where something she was reading seemed to catch her off guard, her eyes grew wide and her mouth hung slightly open before she had a chance to collect herself and give the crowd a more measured look.

When she was finished, Sapphire let out a long breath that no one knew she was holding as she slowly rolled the parchment back up. She turned her gaze on the three cloaked guests but seemed to be particularly interested in Clover. "Do you know what Princess Celestia calls you in this letter?" She asked him, not once pulling her eyes away from him. "Clover the Clever," she said, eliciting a gasp from both Blossomforth and Cloud Kicker as well as several of the changelings scattered around the room.

She held up a hoof for silence after a couple moments, the room quickly falling silent yet again. "I would know if this is true," she slowly removed her glasses and passed them along with the letter to one of her underlings. "I would've also preferred that the pony princess not find out about us unless it was on our terms, but since she has..." She paused for a moment to let the tension hang in the air. "I would know if she has any inkling about what the name of Clover the Clever means to the Cocoon Hive and why we would not look kindly on any pretenders."

Clover pushed himself up from his seat and took a step away from the others. All three of the queen's guard jumped to action as they quickly moved in to surround him, making sure he wouldn't have any chance to get closer to their charge. Onyx quickly climbed to his hooves and was ready to come to his master's aide when a mass of bodies piled on top of him, keeping him restrained in the process.

He stopped struggling when he looked up to see his master looking back at him. "Stay where you are," Clover said calmly. "I'll be all right. You don't need to worry." He turned back to face the queen, who was currently smiling at him.

"Do you have any intention of disputing the claim that Princess Celestia places on you?" Sapphire said jovially even as her yellow eyes narrowed into slits, small hints of malice beginning to slip through her facade. "This is the only chance I'll give you to do so, because if I find out you're lying to me..." She let the threat hang in the air while she soaked in all the attention that was being directed her way. "Well, let's just say a quick death would be preferable to what I have in mind."

"No," Clover answered without once breaking eye contact. "I will not dispute it. As much as I might wish otherwise, I am who I am and nothing can change that."

"We shall see," she said as she slowly raised a hoof and tapped it twice on the ground. "Restrain him," she ordered.

All three of the queen's guards quickly followed the order as he felt three sets of hooves wrap around his body. His legs were kicked out from under him and his nose was pushed into the ground. One of them had even taken the initiative to grab the ends of his cloak and fasten it tightly around his body, keeping his wings firmly secured. He did his best not to resist them, but some squirming was inevitable once he lost his balance.

A brilliant green light caught the edge of his vision as cream colored fur was overtaken by emerald flames. Clover peered up just in time to see the last of her blue mane, as well the plush robe she was wearing, be consumed by the magical fire.

As the fire cleared away and her robe fell away in cinders, long slender legs began to clack against the ground as the new figure stepped forward. The color was a rich ebony, made even more profound by the light that shone through the holes scattered throughout each of her legs. Her body now towered over the tallest in the room, making the dark green rings that wrapped around her midsection clearly visible. The dark body was further contrasted by the pure ivory shell that laid across her back as well as the sharp gossamer wings that stretched out behind her.

Her mane was the same bright blue as it had been before, only now it had taken on a more silken quality as it ran down her back. Her eyes hadn't changed much either, keeping the same amber color but making her glare seem far more predatory than before.

Clover saw the sickly green magic wrap around the queen's jagged horn just as he felt something take hold of the mess of brown hair that was his mane. He felt himself violently pulled from the grip of the three guards and brought face to face with the full statue that was the queen of the Manehattan hive.

A glint of silver caught his eye and he looked down to see a long thin knife brushing against the golden fur on his neck. The knife slowly pulled away and floated up next to the queen where she ran her long serpentine tongue along the flat of the blade, a look of delight on her face. "Last chance," she said through a sinister smile. "Last chance to deny the princess's words."

"Just get it over with," said Clover, already bored with the whole cloak and dagger routine.

"Very well," she said as she moved the knife to rest against the side of his neck. "Let's see what you're really made of."

With slow and deliberate movement, the silver blade cut past his fur and into the soft flesh underneath. Clover flinched for only the briefest moment, not once taking his eyes off the one cutting into him. A warm sensation began running down his neck, leaving the surrounding fur sticky and a metallic smell filling his nostrils. Just as soon as it started, it was over. The queen pulled the knife away with streaks of crimson now painting the previously clean edge. Her grip lessoned and Clover fell back into the waiting hooves of the guards. The guards once again restraining him, along with holding a bandage pressed against the fresh cut.

The queen was no longer paying him any mind as she lapped the blood from the blade with her tongue. She took her time meticulously licking the blade clean before sucking up the rest of the sanguine fluid. She seemed to take some time considering something as she rolled it around in her mouth. A mix of emotions she was feeling were on full display for anyone who was watching her. It started with confusion and slowly evolved into shock as a visible shiver rippled over her body. Her expression softened as tears began to stream from her eyes, catching the attention of her guards.

"My Queen?" Brass asked with concern once he saw she was crying. "Is everything alright?"

The changeling queen reached up to wipe away her tears and shook her head. "It's nothing," she said dismissively. "I'm fine. Help him back up," she told them as her tears continued to flow. "Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that I'd actually have the chance to meet Clover the Clever, the one who helped bring our hive out of the dark ages and..." She swallowed hard, clearly getting choked up. "My grandfather. Welcome home, Clover."

Author's Note

I had this alter-ego of Sapphire Shores in my head for some time, and if any were around for the penthouse scene for the first version of the prequel, I hadn't forgotten where I was going with that.