Scootaloo was sitting, staring out at the amazing view through the windows of the speeding train. Looking around she could see everypony talking about the royal wedding, indeed her two friends hadn’t stopped talking about how they were flower fillies.
“I can’t wait, I’ve never been to a wedding before.” Sweetie Belle exclaimed, jumping up and down on her hooves so much that she could give Pinkie Pie a run for her money.
“Ah know but ah can't wait till I see the look on Diamond Tiara’s face when she sees us leading the princess down the aisle,” Apple Bloom snickered, rubbing her hooves like an evil villain, plotting their revenge.
Indeed Scootaloo was also excited but for an entirely different reason, for her, a wedding would be the same as a feast. There would be so much love in the air, that she would never go hungry again.
Suddenly everypony stopped as they heard the voice of the conductor say, “We are now approaching Canterlot.”
Everypony was preparing to leave the train when suddenly a pink wall came hurtling through the train. Scootaloo was thrown back as the wall slammed into her, knocking her out cold.
***
Scootaloo slowly opened her eyes to find herself inside of some sort of dungeon. It was at this moment that she realised that her hooves had been chained to a wall causing her to hang painfully by hooves. Looking down at her body, her eyes grew wide as she realised that her disguise had melted away.
Panicking, she tugged at the chains with all her strength but they refused to budge. She then got struck with a brilliant idea and attempted to shapeshift into an insect but hissed in anger as she realised that something was stopping her from using magic.
Giving in to her pride, she shouted, “Let me out of here!”
She waited for a response, however none came. She sighed irritable, she then tried to search her memories for what had caused her to be captured, however, all she could remember was the pink Wall.
She began to theorise to herself, “That wall must’ve been some form of enchanted gateway that reveals secret disguises.”
Aside from being imprisoned, Scootaloo’s other problem was boredom. To make matters worse her fragile hooves were aching from being suspended for so long and she was beginning to get hungry. That supply of love that she fed on ever since adopting her new identity and meeting those other fillies had diminished.
She was no stranger to hunger, during her brief imprisonment at the hooves of her so-called family, she faced starvation.
She had made multiple attempts at gaining someponies attention but it was in vain as nopony came. Scootaloo had no indication of what time it was, there was no clock and no window.
Suddenly her fine-tuned ears picked up the sound of hoofsteps approaching. As the hoofsteps grew louder, she decided that for now, she would play nice for her captors.
The door opened to reveal a single Royal Guard, holding a tray of oats. After placing it down in front of the prisoner, he then warned, “I am going to release you from your restraints, if you make any attempt to fight or escape then we will be forced to zap you.”
Scootaloo merely growled as the guard released her. Scootaloo was tempted to flee while she had the chance but decided on better judgement to stay put. The guard then went to secure a collar around her neck that had a chain leading to the wall. Scootaloo hissed as he approached. "You have zero chance in Tartarus if you think I'm putting that on."
"You will do as you are told, insect." The guard sneered pointing his horn at her.
Scootaloo ignored the racist slur and instead prepared herself to fight back. Suddenly Scootaloo felt an intense pain wrack up her body, causing her to spasm. "Ooops, I twitched." The guard said sadistically as he took the chance to secure the collar around her neck.
As he was leaving the cell, Scootaloo lunged at him but the collar swept her off her hooves and slightly choked her. Scootaloo screamed in anger as she picked the tray up and flung it at the door splattering food across the floor.
***
Time seemed to pass slowly as she paced across the cell, her mind clouded with anger. She seemed to hiss randomly and huff and puff. She then stopped to turn towards the cell door as she heard the distinct sound of several hoofsteps coming towards the room. She got ready to pounce again and waited for the door to open. As soon as it did, she lunged, baring her fangs however she didn't travel far as a pink bolt of magic struck her causing her to slam in the wall behind.
She didn't have time to comprehend, what had just happened as a pair of cyan hooves grabbed her and pinned her against the wall. She found herself staring into the angry magenta eyes of Rainbow Dash herself. "Where is she?" Rainbow asked loudly, her spit striking the changeling on her face.
"Where's who?" She asked, knowing full well who she was talking about.
"Don't play games with me, you know exactly who I'm talking about." Rainbow snarled.
"If you want me to talk then I'd suggest putting me down." She threatened back.
Suddenly she began to choke as Rainbow applied pressure to her throat, "How about, If you don't talk then I will kill you."
The changeling beat her hoof against Rainbow's hoof, suddenly she gasped as Rainbow was pulled away from her by none other than Princess Luna herself. Scootaloo gasped for air while massaging her throat. Scootaloo finally looked to see that Rainbow Dash had been joined by Princess Luna and the rest of the element bearers along with a white stallion with a blue mane and dressed in a royal guards uniform that instead of being the usual gold it was instead purple symbolising his superior rank, they all glared at her.
Luna suddenly commanded, "You had better talking changeling. Where is the filly known as Scootaloo."
Scootaloo explained wheezily, "It's hard to explain but essentially, Scootaloo doesn't exist, she never has. I made her up."
"She's lying." Rainbow hissed.
Scootaloo laughed mirthlessly, "If I wasn't lying then how come you have never met her parents or ever been to her house."
Rainbow didn't answer, Luna then asked, "Why, is this your way of spying on us? We are already aware of your plan to attack us."
Scootaloo peered at them with both curiosity and confusion, "What plan?" She asked.
"Don't play dumb, changeling." Luna spat.
"I'm not. I've not been to the hive in years." Scootaloo insisted.
This time it was Luna's turn to be confused, "Why would you not have been to your hive?" she asked, her voice laced with scepticism.
"Because if I went anywhere near there, I would be killed, It's why I've been posing as Scootaloo, not because I am a spy but because I'm in hiding," she revealed, however, Luna still didn't believe her.
"And why would they try to kill their own princess?"
This made Scootaloo's eyes go wide, "How do you know?"
"You do not look like your fellow drones, you look similar to a pony, in fact, you bear a resemblance to Scootaloo herself, not to mention only changeling royals can make an entire pony up."
Scootaloo sighed and looked towards the floor as she began to explain her story, "You're right, I was a princess and my name isn't Scootaloo, instead I was called Corrilea. When I was just a young Nymph, however, they discovered that I cannot fly or perform magic, I could only change my appearance. As soon as my mother: Queen Chrysalis found out, she ordered my execution. I was devastated but when a sympathetic drone gave me a key, I escaped. I found myself trapped in the Everfree Forest. That was when I saw it, Ponyville. My mother had taught me that ponies were our mortal enemies and that they would kill us if they saw us. So I did what was natural and created my own persona: Scootaloo and the rest is history."
Scootaloo was surprised to feel arms wrap themselves around her, looking up she saw Fluttershy embracing her in a hug, "Oh you poor thing."
Applejack and Rarity, however, were both disturbed at the thought of an unknown creature posing as their little sister's best friend while Rainbow Dash looked confused. "Yah better not have hurt Apple Bloom." Applejack threatened.
Scootaloo quickly shook her head, "No of course not, the only thing I did was feed on their love."
"You did WHAT!" Rarity screamed before fainting onto a couch that Twilight had summoned just in time.
Scootaloo merely rolled her eyes, "It's harmless. If I didn't feed then I would've died."
Luna nodded, "I thank you for your honesty, but until we get this situation sorted out you will have to remain here."
Just as they were leaving, Scootaloo shouted "WAIT!"
Luna stopped and turned towards the changeling, "What is it?"
"I'm hungry and normal food doesn't fill me, I need love," Scootaloo said.
"I understand, I will see what I can do." She said before the group departed and slammed the door shut locking it again. Scootaloo sighed as she felt her tummy rumble.
Scootaloo had examined as much of the cell as she could but she could find no weak spots. She knew that she was trapped and at the mercy of the ponies. Suddenly the door opened to reveal a pink alicorn with a tricoloured mane that included the colours, purple, pink and yellow. Scootaloo peered at the unknown alicorn curiously, she thought that there were only two alicorns that ruled over Equestria, it was at that moment that her face fell as she saw the alicorn's eyes flash green.
Scootaloo started backing up as the princess smiled sinisterly, "Well, well, well, as if this day couldn't get any better, my own daughter is trapped here at my mercy," she chuckled evilly.
Scootaloo gulped, despite growing braver since her exile, she was still terrified of her mother. "What is up my dear Corillea, aren't you happy to see your mother?" she asked while dropping the disguise to reveal a tall and slender changeling mare.
Scootaloo remained silent as Chrysalis began to stroke her silky mane with her sickly hooves, “We had our differences back then.”
Scootaloo snorted, pushing her mother’s hooves away from her, “Differences? You tried to kill me!”
“The past is in the past, my dear daughter. Everyling makes mistakes, even me.” Chrysalis said in a twisted voice.
Scootaloo merely rolled her green eyes, she knew full well that Chrysalis was only saying this because she wanted something.
“I’ve noticed that you had infiltrated Twilight Sparkles circle of friends.”
And there it was “I’m not being a spy.” Scootaloo told her mother, who stopped herself from snarling.
She gritted her teeth, “And why is that, darling.”
“Mother you raised me, I can clearly see through your fake smiles from a mile away.”
All pretences were now gone as Chrysalis growled, “Remember your place daughter.”
Scootaloo began to choke as she felt herself being strangled. Suddenly she released her and changed back into her disguise, just as Twilight Sparkle entered the cell.
“What are you doing?” Twilight asked accusatory while peering at the alicorn with suspicion deep in her eyes.
Chrysalis plastered a fake smile back on her face and turned towards the intelligent unicorn, “I am just interrogating our prisoner.”
“Why, shouldn’t you be planning your wedding?”
“Wedding planning can get a little boring, besides why are you down here.”
Scootaloo watched as Twilight struggled to form an answer, Scootaloo could tell that she was extremely suspicious about the alicorn, this gave her an idea.
“TWILIGHT! She isn’t an Ali - Mmmmmmph.” Scootaloo tried to warn but was cut off as Chrysalis used a ribbon from her dress to gag her, successfully silencing her.
Just as she was about to remove the ribbon from her mouth, Chrysalis used her magic to slam her into the wall and chained her hooves to it.
“No more talking for you,” Chrysalis said hooping her nose with her hoof causing Scootaloo to release a muffled hiss.
Meanwhile Twilight was looking at Mi Amore Cadenza and Scootaloo and her eyes grew wide As she realised that Scootaloo wasn’t the only changeling in the room.
Twilight suddenly fired a spell at Chrysalis, catching her off guard and revealing her true form. "You should not have done that," Chrysalis exclaimed menacingly.
Twilight got into an attack position, "Who are you?"
"I am Chrysalis, Queen of the changelings and future ruler of this pitiful land, you call Equestria," Chrysalis said menacingly.
"You've already lost changeling, I've caught you red-hoofed, trying to break your daughter out. In the name of Princess Celestia, I hereby place you under arrest." Twilight declared aiming her horn towards the changeling queen.
Chrysalis looked between her daughter and Twilight as she thought of a cunning idea. Putting her hooves up in surrender, Chrysalis exasperated, "You're right, I have been defeated."
This was the last thing that Twilight had expected, meanwhile, Corrillea was suspicious as she knew that her mother never surrendered. As Twilight summoned a pair of hoofcuffs, Chrysalis attacked. She blasted the unicorn with a spell as Corrilea gasped as she recognised the spell as a comatose enchantment. Chrysalis laughed sinisterly before breaking the chains that were keeping her daughter secured, pulling the gag out of her mouth, Corillea shouted, "You'll never get away with this."
Chrysalis chuckled, "We'll see." Chrysalis then transformed back into Mi Amore Cadenza before cowering in fear as Corrillea advanced, ready to finally strike her mother, suddenly Chrysalis screamed, "HELP! THE CHANGELING ATTACKED TWILIGHT, SHE'S GOING TO KILL ME!"
Corillea merely rolled her eyes, "Your fooling nopony, mother." Suddenly, she was blasted away as Shining Armour lunged at her and pinned her towards a wall and unsheathed a sword.
Just as he was about to stab her, Celestia shouted, "No, Shining Armour."
Shining Armour reluctantly lowered his weapon, instead, he snarled, "What did you do to my sister!"
Corillea's eyes widened in disbelief, "What! I didn't do anything to her, it was her! She shouted pointing her hoof towards Mi Amor Cadenza, who acted shocked at the accusation.
"How dare you, accuse my fiancé of attacking my sister!"
"She isn't your fiancé, she's a changeling." Corillea insisted, however, this only succeeded in making Shining become more angrier.
"Permission to use Torture," Shining asked the princesses.
"Denied, you need to control your anger, Shining," Celestia said.
The mane six crowded around Twilight with Applejack asking, her voice full of concern, "Is she going to be okay?"
Celestia used a scanning spell, to detect what her condition was and gasped, "It is a comatose spell, she will not be able to wake up until the caster removes the enchantment," Celestia explained, she then turned towards the captured changeling and threatened with sparks being emitted from her horn, "I demand you to remove this enchantment at once."
"I I I can't, I didn't do it," Corillea stuttered
"She's lying, I watched her do it." Cadenza insisted.
Just as Corillea was about to make a retort, Celestia shouted, "ENOUGH! Until Twilight is better, then I suggest that we put the wedding on hold."
"WHAT... I mean, of course, we wouldn't want to have her miss the wedding." Cadenza agreed reluctantly.
"What should we do about the insect?" asked, glaring at the changeling princess.
Celestia turned towards the changeling before declaring in a powerful voice, "Until you decide to wake Twilight Sparkle, You shall be condemned to life in Tartarus."
Corillea felt her heart stop, "NO! Please, you have to believe me, I'm being framed! Why are you ponies so stupid!" Corillea shouted as guards secured her hooves in cuffs before Princess Luna summoned a portal. Both Princess Luna and Shining Armour followed the guards along with their captive into Tartarus all the while Corillea kept resisting.
Corillea kept shaking her head and repeating the word "NO!" as the guards forced her into the small cage.
"You will released once you free Twilight from her enchantment," Luna told her before walking back through the portal. Before he followed Luna, Shining threatened the changeling, "Don't worry, we'll be seeing each other very soon, I assure you that, you will release Twilight and until then I will make your life a living hell." With that, Shining leapt back through the portal before it vanished, plunging Corillea into darkness.
Corillea was terrified, she had heard horror stories about Tartarus and each time she had laughed them off, but, now that she was experiencing the hellish place, herself, she began to doubt herself. All around her, she felt like the walls were closing in on her, the darkness suffocating her, that's when she heard it, a deep, cunning voice, "Well well well, look what we have here..."
