Chapter 3: Urgency

Knowledge is vital to one’s well being. The stronger the will to learn, the stronger the mind.

-Starswirl the Bearded

“Here are the forms from the mayor of Fillydelphia you requested your highness,” Princess Celestia’s assistant said, using her magic to lift the stack of paper work to her. Celestia with luna at her side took the papers from her and began to look through them and make marks using her quill.

“Thank you, that’ll be all for now,” Celestia said to her assistant, focusing on the papers. The assistant bowed and left the throne room.

“Sister? Do you need assistance with those,” Princess Luna asked.

“It’s alright little sister, these are just a few maintenance forms that need updating. Why do you ask?”

“I feel as if I’m not doing as much as I should be as a princess.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll be able to perform certain duties as princess in time as soon as you get a better understanding of modern Equestria.”

“If you say so sister.” As Celestia filled out the out the forms with Luna sitting there, a royal guard entered the throne room.

“Princess, Miss Twilight Sparkle and the royal couple are here to see you. She claims it is an emergency,” he said, bowing to the two princesses.

“I see, send them in,” Celestia responded, putting the paperwork aside. The guard nodded and left the room to fetch Twilight and her group. The door to the room slowly opened up, but Twilight barged in along with her friends.

“Princess!” Twilight cried out.

“Twilight? What’s the matter? The guard told me you were here for an emergency?”

“Princess, Ponyville was INVADED!”

“Invaded? Invaded by who?”

“Well…that’s the thing princess. We don’t know who they were, we were actually hoping you would know. They were changelings that go by the name: The Mavericks.”

“The Mavericks,” confused, Celestia looked to Luna, who too seemed to be clueless.

“Princess?”

Celestia sighed, and spoke “I’m…sorry Twilight, but we haven’t heard of this group, and if we did we don’t seem to remember them now.” Everyone in Twilight’s group gasped at the Princess’ answer, except for Twilight, who was in shock.
“Come with me everyone, we are going to find out who they are.” Celestia and Luna stood up from their thrones and led the group out of the throne room and to the castle’s private library. When they got there, the group split up individually except for Luna who stayed with Celestia and the royal couple. For what seemed like hours they searched high and low, throughout the entire library, trying to locate any evidence about the invaders. Their search came close to an end when the group met up and came to the last segment of the library—The Starswirl the Bearded section.

“Something has to be in here. If anyone knew about the Mavericks, it was Starswirl,” Twilight said, looking up to his emblem that indicated the beginning of the section. She walked inside, using her magic to look and filter through the various old scrolls and books the long since passed unicorn left behind. Although Starswirl the Bearded had near endless amounts of knowledge and texts regarding creatures and magic in his writings, it seems even the father of the anamorphic spell and modern magic, held no information on this group.

“Let’s see what you’ve got AJ.” Applejack placed a small scroll on the table in the center of the library. It held the title: Changeling findings. “Way to go AJ. I’m positive this is exactly what we need,” fueling everyone’s spirits after a tiring and futile search. The ponies gathered around the round table to take a closer look and the scroll. Twilight unraveled it and began reading its’ contents.

"The Changelings are fascinating creatures with remarkable capabilities. I’ve concluded that they coexist with us ponies and look very similar, for without ponies providing them the love they need to survive, since they appear to feed of the emotion, the Changeling specie would surely die out. They possess an ability only the seers of the highest unicorn order can achieve—the ability to take on any appearance or persona they please, hence their name. This ability is a double edged blade, which is why it was outlawed by King Titanium of the unicorn tribe across the pony lands years ago , and which is also why the changelings are given a harsh reputation and conviction by the three tribes that reduces them to as much as an old mare’s tale. The changelings left the pony lands not too long ago, but even before then it has come to my attention that none of my records nor the texts of Princess Platinum’s royal library bear any information or background to these creatures except for this scroll I am writing purely based on the tale of the Changelings and an old painting of what I assume is one of their matriarchs. I hereby resign my position here as court wizard to the princess and to leave immediately in search of the changelings." It ended at the bottom of the scroll with his insignia.

“That’s all there is…” Twilight said, disappointed.

“No! this can’t be ‘all there is’,” Rainbow Dash shouted.

“Easy Rainbow. Ah’m sure it’s a good starting point for the search, and ah’ll bet there is more information somewhere in this library,” Applejack affirmed. Luna took a closer look at the scroll, catching a glimmer that caught her attention.

“Do you see something sister,” Celestia asked.

“There is something about his insignia. I remember he used seemingly meaningless objects as a catalyst for certain spells. Look sister.” Celestia and the group looked closer to the insignia and also caught the glimmer Luna had noticed. She used her magic and blasted the emblem, alarming everyone. The emblem shined and emitted a special light that stretched across the entire room.

“Of course! Master Starswirl’s holofield spell,” Celestia muttered.

“What’s going on princess?” Before Celestia could respond, appearances of scrolls faded in and out, flying around them. The alive scrolls alarmed the group and terrified Fluttershy who hid behind an amazed Pinkie Pie.

“There, that should do it, the princess sisters will surely be pleased,” the voice of a stallion echoed.

“Shining,” Cadence asked.

“Wasn’t me.” A flickering, elderly Starswirl the Bearded walked over the table where Rarity and Applejack stood. The jumped out of the way, letting the hologram make its course.

“At this rate Canterlot Castle should be completed by next year. It looks fantastic here on the mountainside, don’t you think? I’m…sure your younger sister would have loved it here,” Luna looked to Celestia, who looked down.

“Sister, do you remember this,” Luna asked.

“Vaguely, it was so long ago.”

“Good day Princess. I will see you tomorrow, I’m just going to finish up my work here.” Starswirl walked over to the wall where his large emblem no resides and used his magic on it. The emblem lit up and the wall transformed into a blinding light. When the group was able to look again, the wall was normal, and the holofield spell ended.

“Where did he go,” Twilight asked, running over to the wall. She used her magic in the same fashion as Starswirl and hit the emblem. It lit up, much to Twilight’s surprise, but surprise turned to disappointment as the emblem deactivated and turned dark. Out of frustration, she shot the emblem several more times to the point of exhaustion but to no success.

“Twilight, I’m afraid it’s no use. Master Starwirl clearly did not want anyone to find out about this,” Celestia mentioned, not helping Twilight.

“But…but, we were so close.” She looked up to her mentor, hoping for reassurance, however the princess could not find an answer Twilight sought out so said nothing. Instead Shining Armor came to his little sister.

“Don’t worry about it Twiley, we’ll get the information we need. We just need to…,”

“Look harder,” Cadence added. Twilight smiled and brushed the disappointment off.

“You’re right. Shining, Cadence, could you stay here and find some more clues that relates to this scroll and the changelings?” Shining Armor and Cadence smiled and nodded.“Girls, we need to head back to Ponyville. We might be able to find some evidence on the Mavericks or at least be able to summon them again.” The other five mares agreed and they began to leave the library. At the last second, Celestia pulled Twilight off to the side.

“Twilight, are you sure you do not need our assistance,” she asked.

“Thank you princess, but we can handle these changelings or whoever they are and we’ll solve this mystery before you know it.” Celestia paused, then nodded. Twilight smiled softly and ran out the room to catch up with her friends. Against Twilight’s wishes, the alicorn sisters staid back and helped out the royal couple search for more of Starswirls scrolls. The sounds of the four ponies muttering echoed through the silent library.

“Morpheus, the elements are advancing and heading back to Ponyville, proceed with the mission…are you sure…alright sir if you say so,” A Maverick whispered from the shadows of the bookshelves, looking to the royal family. He faded back into the shadows without a sound or trace of his presence.

Author's Note

Sorry for the long update, as I was finishing up the semester and now have the time to publish the third chapter. I'd also like to apologize again for the strange way it is printed as I am still trying to get used to the Fimfiction way of editing. Hoe you enjoy :).