The Changeling Princess

"Y'all ready to go?" Applejack asked as she lifted a pair of saddlebags onto her back.

"Yep!" Pinkie Pie grinned, bouncing in place, as if the saddlebags she wore weighed nothing.

Fluttershy nodded as she finished checking Joker's wing injury and changing the bandage-like leaves.

"I haven't eaten," Spike moaned.

"Well, you should have gotten up sooner," Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry, Spike," Joker smiled at the young dragon. "We pass through a gorge where crystals and gems grow out of the wall and floor. If memory serves correctly, it's not too far south of our current position."

"Can we go there?" Spike asked. His face had practically lit up.

"Sure," Joker nodded. "It runs along these mountains, so we can use it to get to the edge without getting spotted." Joker suddenly remembered something. "If, that is, the Seers will allow it."

"The Seers?" Spike asked.

"They use the crystals and gems there for magic purposes," Joker explained as she stood. "They have special documents there that somehow survived Chrysalis's onslaught and they would kill to keep them safe. I'm not entirely sure if they'll let us pass or where they are."

"I'll go and have a look," Rainbow Dash said and before Joker could protest, she shot into the sky and towards the gorge.

"Do y'all reckon they'll let us pass through?" Applejack asked Joker.

"Should do," Joker scanned the sky. "They can be hostile when defending themselves, their young or scrolls and other artefacts. Ponies and dragons don't pose much of a threat but they do prefer it if they didn't snoop around. Changelings are a different story."

There was a whoosh as Rainbow Dash landed not too far away from Joker and Applejack.

"I only mentioned your name, Joker, and they gave us passage through," Rainbow then glanced over her shoulder. "But we have to be escorted."

"Not surprising," Joker said as she lead the way. "They probably have something there they don't want us stumbling across."

"It's not the escort I'm worried about," the cyan pegasus  caught up with Joker. "It's who's escorting us."

"Let me guess," Joker sighed. "The two that attacked us."

"Yeah," Rainbow nodded.

"Let's hope, then, they aren't going to hold a grudge."

"I have a question," Fluttershy asked quietly, approaching the changeling and the cyan pegasus. "Why do they look the same?"

"They don't," Joker replied. "If you actually look at them, you'll see things that make them different to another. Comparing the two we encountered last night; one's mane didn't ripple as much and seemed heavier. One cutie mark wasn't fanged. One of them was older."

"Why did the cutie mark have fangs?" Spike asked.

"The fangs, to some creatures, shows who's in charge," Joker explained. "The longer depends who's in charge. The sharper is for captain of the guards. Short; for lords, ladies and servants to the leader. Dull are mostly experienced farmers, foragers or hunters."

"That's just the cutie mark, right?" Pinkie Pie bounced along, as usual.

"Yep," Joker nodded. "They usually aren't silver, like the two last night. Their's were silver because-"

"We can practise magic that the rest of us cannot," two voices chorused, creepily in sync.

Joker stopped dead, a frown on her face as the two Seers glided effortlessly down from the sky. They pressed their wings to their sides as they bowed.

"Enough with the bowing," Joker groaned. "That is one of the reasons why I hate being a princess. Everyone puts me above themselves. It drives me crazy."

"Sorry, Joker," the younger one smiled weakly, her coat was dark purple instead of black. "It's natural."

"I fail to see how considering I wear no tiara or crown," Joker allowed the two Seers to lead the way.

"Sorry about the attack last night," the elder looked back at Joker. His coat was navy blue. "But you were venturing too close for comfort to the gorge. We thought you were coming to steal our scrolls and destroy us. We were going to see if we could use you against Chrysalis, but when told who you were we realised we made a terrible mistake."

"No problem," Joker dismissed. "Mistakes happen and the best thing you can do is learn from them."

"One thing Chrysalis hasn't seemed to grasp." the younger sighed.

"Over the past few days she has been trying to steal the scrolls we hide in the gorge," the elder explained. "She is determined to get her hooves on them. We know she knows that these scrolls are different to the ones she destroyed years ago."

"How?" Rainbow Dash asked. "How are they different?"

"That is one thing we aren't allowed to tell," the elder replied. "I believe an introduction is in order."

"Oh, right," the younger looked back for the first time. "I'm Mystic Crystal. I was named after I was chosen to become one of the higher ranking sorcerers."

"I'm Rune," the elder winced slightly from Rainbow Dash's attack the previous night. "I was named when I was chosen to be entrusted with secrets and to protect the secrets of the Seers."

"I'm guessing, because your cutie mark is silver, that you were taught quite a bit of magic to defend those secrets." Joker picked up.

"Nothing gets past you," Rune smiled at Joker. When he turned away, it disappeared. "Your guess is correct. I wasn't the only one. I was born before Chrysalis's ruthless attack and, like most Seers at the time, we knew our oldest ally was planning something. More of us were chosen to protect the scrolls but the majority of them were useless. They broke down in Chrysalis's very shadow. Those, like me, who took our job seriously, already had a strategy worked out. We each assigned ourselves certain scrolls to save. Once these scrolls were in our possession, we fled with other Seers. Ever since we have guarded those scrolls with our lives. Indeed, we have suffered casualties when a changeling patrol gets too nosey or their Queen gets greedy, but we're doing well so far."

"So, Mystic," Rainbow Dash was gliding effortlessly alongside the younger Seer. "Why were you chosen to be a sorcerer?"

"Well, we're Seers," Mystic said, ruffling her feathers. "When born, the father predicts what they'll be, what they'll be good at so they can be trained from a young age. However, when Rune was born, they were desperate for protectors so they would use those like me and Rune as well as those who would be better off at something else, like those who were good at finding resources. The closer the day came to Chrysalis taking over, the less hunters/forgers and finders were sent out. The Queen ordered sentries and scouting parties to keep lookout and warn them if the changelings attacked."

"We gave it our best, back then," Rune sighed. "But it wasn't enough."

"If I keep Chrysalis's attention focused on me then she'll leave you alone," Joker was already scheming. "If you can defend yourselves and take down a few changelings in minor conflicts, she wouldn't send any because if I decide to attack the castle/hive, she wants her army to be at full strength."

"We are gonna take Chrysalis on, aren't we?" Rainbow Dash asked, slowing down and flying next to Joker. "I mean, they transported us here and we're gonna leave here without teaching her a lesson first?"

"Of course!" Joker rolled her eyes. "If Twilight happens to have the Elements of Harmony with her then I'll leave the honours to you. It might be better if she lived so the changelings have a ruler. I don't fancy becoming Queen."

"One day, Joker, you will change your mind," Pinkie Pie warned.

"I know I will," Joker sighed. "Right now, I just want to go back to Equestria. If you think about it, they have no idea if we're alive or not."

"Yeah and I cannot send or receive letters," Spike moaned. "Which means when I get back, however many letters Celestia or whoever sent me, will be coming through all at once."

"I know, I'll just randomly open a portal from here to Equestria and you can send a letter to Princess Celestia saying we're fine but we have no idea what's up with her prize pupil yet," Joker said sarcastically.

There was no reply to her words from the four ponies and the young dragon. The moment Celestia's name was mentioned, the two Seers froze.

"Y'all alright?" Applejack asked the two Seers.

"Yes, yes," Rune nodded, nudging Mystic. "We're fine."

"Oh," Joker smiled awkwardly. "Sorry about that, I completely forgot about that."

"No problem," Mystic forced a smile.

"What are you talking about?" Rainbow asked, falling behind with Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, all sharing the same confused look.

"It's something the Seers aren't comfortable with," Joker answered. "I am forbidden to tell you."

"Not forbidden," Rune corrected. "Just, not allowed to mention it in front of Seers. It just reminds us of how untrusted we are."

"I understand." Joker nodded once.

An awkward silence fell over all eight of the creatures in the group. It was less awkward when it came to the four ponies. They were confused; they had no idea what the previous exchange of words was all about.

"This is the Crystal Gorge," Mystic Crystal announced, breaking the silence that fell over them all as they stepped out of the forest and near the edge of the gorge.

"Whoa." five voices gasped in unison.