And Here I Am

Celestia watched as the elderly mouse used various tools and arms from his saucer to put the numerous peices he laboriously machined from a diverse set of exotic metals that he tested and scrutinized for an hour each before deeming them fit for whatever he was making. And a lot of what he did didn't make much sense to the diarch. Asking the Doc didn't clarify much of anything.

"What was the purpose of turning the copper ingot into lengths of wire?"

"To conduct power... Transfer electricity."

"Why not just use crystal tubing to transfer power? And electricity? I thought your devices were explosion powered somehow?"

"... Yes..."

... Well that was enlightening. She had interacted with the members of the Squeak Squad enough to be comfortable leaving them in the care of a few guards at this point, but she honestly didn't have much else to do. In light of Princess Chrysalis's disappearing act, she had delegated much of her duties for the next few days to some of the few nobles she trusted with such duties. And she distracted Blueblood with non-critical work, like 'castle rations quality evaluations.' Spoilers, the rations were all under spells to preserve them.

The last thing she had thought of doing was also taken away from her, as Luna came back to Canterlot in an unusually early time of day saying that she was actually going to need until lunch before she was willing to talk to anypony. So here Celestia stood. Watching a mouse put together a box attached to a dish. It appeared that even that was coming to an end though, as Doc ran out of tiny amalgamations of metal to stuff in the metal case and he sealed it up a with a focused flame along the edges.

"So this is the device that is supposed to find changelings, right?"

"Correct. All that is left... Is to insert the data... I scanned off of... Princess Carina." As he said this, another arm came out of his vehicle (how does all of that fit in there?) and plugged the end of itself into the side of the machine. Immediately it turned on, raising the dish on an extendable rod as it began to spin. A screen slid out of the side and tilted itself towards its creator as it began to beep.

"What does the beeping mean? Does that mean a changeling is nearby?"

"The beeping means... that it is charging..."

...beep... beep... beep... beep...

"...Wonderful."

Luna started as she heard Daroach greet her as he entered her study.

"Hey Princess. This place got fixed up right-quick, didn't it? Even the hallucigenic picture is back." She winced at that, but didn't hide the newly recreated picture as she turned around.

"Yes. Well, I would actually like to apologize for that. I had forgotten that I had hung it up in the commotion. In spite of its risqué nature, I do enjoy it, but I guess I am not as confident in it as I would wish..." Daroach just shrugged his shoulders in response.

"It isn't any fur off my back your majesty. And you haven't blown it up yet, so you must be a little more comfortable with others seeing it, right?"

"Yes... I... Elfilis helped me with something. I don't think he really understood exactly what he has done, but it has helped me feel..." Ready? Grown? Adult? Confident? "... better. It is nothing that my subjects will not have already seen if they are allowed in this room anyway."

"Eh... Whatever you say Princess. So long as you're happy right?" The suave mouse bounced on his toes as he changed subjects. "Anywho, not that I mind conversation with pretty ladies, but your sister actually asked that I fetch ya for lunch before me and my boys head off to the dockyard. See what kind of labor is available, ya dig?" Luna giggled, Daroach was certainly unique.

"Yes. 'I dig.' Good luck with your airship. I cannot wait to see it complete."

As Luna walked into the dining room she caught a glimpse of Celestia laying her head on the table right before it shot up as she noticed her.

"Luna! There you are. Come, take a seat." Luna tilted her head but made her way over to her sister regardless.

"Are you alright? You seem... tired." The older sister dropped her smile and sighed before putting her head back on table.

"I stayed up all night making sure the resident thieves didn't steal anything, and then instead of going to sleep I decided to try to micromanage all the jobs I had already delegated to others. Then I decided to watch Doc make his changeling dowsing machine, which gave me a headache."

"... So, what I am hearing is that you should go to bed while you have the chance." Celestia's head flung back and threw her crown across the floor as she groaned.

"Uuuuugh. I want to spend time with you sister..."

"And we will, we have all the time in the world now. I've only been gone for a little less than a day Tia."

"I know. It felt like longer though."

"Hmm. Well if you insist on being stubborn, I do have something to share with you." The drama queen held her head back up to look at Luna.

"Oh? Do tell." The younger sister smirked as she straightened up into a more regal position.

"I have conquered the secret of Dream Matter. My dreams can now become reality!"

"Luna! That's amazing! Could you show it to me?"

"Of course! Just give me a second to-" And then she dropped like a stone and belly flopped onto the carpeted floor.

"... I never get used to that..." Celestia's attention was quickly diverted however, as a portal opened up in the shape of a crescent over her sister. Like an eye opening, or a new moon waxing. And out of it fell, of all things, a small golden statue of a penguin wearing robes. It cracked hard against the table as the sleeping alicorn woke up and quickly stood up to present her creation.

"Behold! I have the power of creation! My mind is all powerful! Bwahaha!" Her fake evil laugh promptly became a real chuckle as she saw the bemusement on her siblings face. "Hahaha, it's great isn't it?"

"It is very impressive sister. Why did you choose to create a penguin sculpture though?"

"Hm? Oh." Luna grabbed it in her magic and passed it closer to Celestia. "Something Elfilis showed me. Sort of. This is the likeness of the King of Dreamland, King Dedede."

"... The ruler of the land that created a hero capable of destroying beings potentially on the same scale as Discord, is a penguin... I need to check the gardens. I know his prison isn't supposed to be so weak yet but-" Luna quickly put her hooves on her sisters shoulders to push her back into her chair.

"Let me, Tia. I am not joking when I say you look tired. Let me worry about this one for you. Just, enjoy the lunch when it comes in and I'll check up on you in your quarters later. Okay?"

"... I'm suppose to be the one taking care of you Lulu... but okay. I'll rest now." In return for agreeing, she received a quick kiss to her cheek.

"Good. Talk to you soon." The daytime alicorn watched with a smile on her face as her sister left, with a noticeably happy sway in her steps. As the door closed behind her, Celestia turned back towards the table, took a deep breath, and then relaxed as she let it out. Her eyes closed as she simply kept her breathing calm. The Squeak Squad was out of the castle, they had finished the device, her duties were being attended to, and her sister was checking on the spirit of chaos. Everything was fine. The doors to the kitchen grabbed her attention as they opened to let in the servers.

"Ah! Thank you my ponies. It looks delicious." And it was true, a slice of pink cake with dark chocolate frosting topped with whipped cream and a strawberry. She hummed as she grabbed her fork in her magic, though she held back until the plate was actually in front of her and her ponies had left the way they came. "Bon appetite~" And she brought the fork down.

-Crunch-

... That wasn't the sound of fresh cake. Celestia pulled her fork away from the slice and looked at the now exposed insides of her meal. It's sweet appearance was only skin-deep. The sugary looking exterior gave way to layer upon layer of light green sheets of plant matter.

"... It's all lettuce? But how did-" The jipped princess stopped herself as the golden penguin caught her attention once more. "... Dammit Lulu. I'm never going to trust what's on my plate ever again."

Two-thousand, two-hundred and six... Two-thousand, two-hundred and seven... Two-thousand, OH! Well hello princess. Didn't realize you were back. I suppose that explains why the night sky has regained its luster. Tia did such a dreadful job, but don't tell her I said that... Thought that... Hm. That means my turn is coming up isn't it? I would be trembling in excitement, but then I would be scaring off the birds. They're the only ones to keep me company... Are you seriously just here to stare at me? You and I both know I'm not going to be gone for a while yet. Although... Is that wiggle room I'm imagining? I can almost sashay my hips a little bit. Interesting. What's going on out there little Lulu? Had Celestia not prepared for your return properly? Is your reappearance causing more chaos than she thought? Oh! Please tell me you tried to duel one of those pansies your sister calls a noble. Time displacement is a wonderful conductor for disharmony, and you are a thousand years out of place. Let me just... Lulu. Has that little seed of chaos thats been bouncing around your head finally bore fruit? Amazing... I shouldn't get my hopes up of course, I'm sure you're using it to do stuff like, set the tables. Or- Oh, here comes Tia. Wonder-

"Luna, for the future, can you please not replace my cake with a cake shaped salad?"

...I'm so proud...

Dr Steelpin was more than a little disturbed. Three stallions she knew from around the small town she was volunteering at, all suffering from malnutrition and magic exhaustion. Only one of them was a unicorn, so how two recently healthy earth ponies lost so much magic was a mystery she didn't know how to solve. Her expertise was nerves and bones dammit! She wasn't supposed to have to deal with magical maladies in this no-name town on the edge of Equestra.

"Doctor? Will he be okay?" And there was also her. The gray and silver mare turned around to look at her most recent patient's beloved. She must have been a new resident, Steelpin was sure she would recognize that odd combination of red fur and purple mane anywhere. Poor girl was hard to look at, her stallion must be color-blind. Speaking of whom...

"He'll live. This will take awhile to treat, lots of sustenance drips and a strict exercise regiment when to build up muscle when he finally gets out."

"But... what happened? What's wrong with him?"

"Well, I don't truthfully know what happened to him to make it this bad so quickly, but his body looks like it hasn't eaten for a week and his magic levels are so low you would think he was a unicorn on a mission. Almost completely drained. Like I said, this will take awhile to... Ma'am?" The neon mare had disappeared at some point during her explanation. "Poor girl. Well, let's try to have good news for her when she comes back..." Of course, she wasn't going to see that mare ever again. Princess Chrysalis had already gotten all the information she needed for the next town. Feed the ponies, and swap targets often enough to avoid draining them to death. She never had to worry about pony managment when she was in the hive, and until she felt ready to call herself Queen she needed to stay under the radar. One dead body was going to get enough attention as it is, once it is found...

When the Meta Knights walked into her throneroom, Queen Culicidea knew she wasn't going to like what she heard.

"... What news do you bring?" The three of the strangely shaped warriors kept silent before the one with a B one his pauldron stepped forward.

"I took it upon myself to check on the closest pony settlements to the hive for signs of Chrysalis... I am afraid, that once I make my way to the Princesses, I will have to report that it is likely that your daughter is responsible for murder on Equestrian grounds."

"... What proof do you have?"

"A body, hastily buried, with all the symptoms of having been drained by a changeling. We rescued enough ponies from your dungeons to recognize them."

"...Hmph. She made her choice. But know this, I will be punishing my rebellious daughter. She will find herself back within these walls, alive. Am I understood?"

"You won't need to worry about that your majesty. The Princesses aren't like you after all."

"You cheeky little shits. Get out of my throneroom."