The Flower Blooms Twice

by Tatsurou

Rating: everyone
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Changelings, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Slice of Life, Main 6, Applejack, Apple Bloom
Length: 23113

An indeterminate injury leads a Crusader to discover a secret about herself, one that will change her world forever...or not.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders have always thrown caution to the winds when Crusading. However, their latest endeavor has left one of their number in great pain with no obvious cause.
When Apple Bloom has her injury treated, she realizes that things in her life aren't what they seem. And when she learns the truth...
Some things are hard to deal with. But the love of a family can fix a lot of problems.

Edit: New cover art by Inkheart7 on DeviantArt.

Published 2013-04-22 07:20:02 UTC
Last updated 2014-02-01 06:11:28 UTC

Chapter 1

The Flower Blooms Twice

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo staggered away from their latest attempt at getting their Cutie Marks - Cutie Mark Crusaders Forest Rangers. In this attempt, they had charged headlong yet again into the Everfree Forest, fully intent on plotting the entire thing on a map. They had gone in with everything they thought they would need - scroll, quills, compass, water, and snacks.

Unfortunately, things had started to go wrong almost immediately, mostly due to how they had divided the responsibilities. Sweetie Belle had the map and compass, and her drawing skills proved to leave quite a bit to be desired as far as providing reliable navigation. The food, as gathered by Scootaloo, had been open in their wheelbarrow, which had drawn hungry critters - including parasprites - in swarms, and had to be abandoned. And Apple Bloom, who had brought the drinks, had gone to the wrong casks and filled their canteens with aging cider. This resulted in the three fillies wandering around the Everfree Forest hungry, slightly tipsy, and with no idea where they were going. Thankfully, though, they managed to avoid a good portion of the more dangerous hazards of the Forest, such as Poison Joke, blood lilies, manticores, hydras, bottomless bogs, tangle trees, and the Rodents of Unusual Size - which Scootaloo was certain were real, despite what everypony else said. Unfortunately, they weren't so lucky when it came to the more mundane dangers, such as pitfalls, ravines, cliffs, rockslides, and deadfalls.

As such, all three fillies had their share of bumps, bruises, scrapes, and cuts as they exited the Everfree Forest. "Well, let's never do that again," Scootaloo said with finality. "Whose dumb idea was that, anyway?"

"Yours," Sweetie Belle pointed out.

"Oh...right..." Scootaloo rubbed the back of her head nervously, wincing as she found yet another bump. "Well, at least we made it back, right?" She glanced at her flank, then sighed. "No Cutie Mark though."

Sweetie Belle checked her own flank. "None for me either." She glanced over. "What about you, Apple Bloom?"

Apple Bloom had remained silent the entire time since exiting the Forest. She looked quite a mess, with her fair share of visible injuries. Her ribbon, however, showed no signs of damage whatsoever. She blinked. "Wha?" She glanced over to Sweetie Belle. "Cutie...oh." She looked towards her flank. "No...none for me..." She suddenly winced. "Oww..."

Scootaloo walked over. "You okay? Where does it hurt?"

Apple Bloom continued to wince in pain. "My...my shoulder..."

Scootaloo glanced at her friend. "Doesn't look like there's an injury." She carelessly prodded the indicated area.

"OW!" Apple Bloom yelped. "That HURTS!"

Scootaloo jumped back. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Sweetie Belle rushed to Apple Bloom's side. "Can you walk?"

"I...I think so..." Apple Bloom tried to take a step, but her entire body was shaking. The pain in her shoulder felt like a burning brand lancing into her spine, and from there to her brain.

Scootaloo ducked back into the woods, coming out with her scooter and the - somewhat worse for wear - wheelbarrow. "Load her in!" she said, hitching them up and getting on.

Sweetie Belle carefully shifted Apple Bloom into the wheelbarrow. Scootaloo then motored her wings, getting some good speed but keeping her velocity low enough so as to not jostle Apple Bloom. Sweetie ran alongside the scooter, keeping an eye on Apple Bloom and demonstrating a respectable acceleration and stamina. Apple Bloom focused on breathing through the pain, keeping her eyes open.

Before long, they reached Sweet Apple Acres. "Applejack!" Scootaloo called out. "Apple Bloom's hurt!"

"What in tarnation?" Applejack called back, racing over. "Where in the hay have you three been? You said you were going crusading this morning!"

"We...we were going to be Forest Rangers..." Sweetie Belle stammered out.

"What?" Applejack demanded in shock. "You three are...why I...Rrgh!" She shook her head in frustration. "Big Mac, take these two home so their sisters can take care of them. Make sure they know what they've been up to.

Sweetie Belle hung her head. She was not looking forward to Rarity's lecture about ladylike behavior, the dangers of the Everfree, and overall recklessness in general.

Scootaloo looked up defiantly. She wasn't too worried about what Rainbow would say to her...at least, not compared to her main worry right now. "But what about Apple Bloom? She's hurt, and-"

"I'll take care of her," Applejack said calmly. "Don't you worry none about that. Now git on home, you two!"

As Big Mac walked the two fillies towards their homes and caretakers, Applejack brought Apple Bloom inside the big barn. "So tell me, sugarcube, where does it hurt?"

"All over," Apple Bloom said softly, "but mostly my left shoulder. It feels like fire on my spine."

Applejack looked at her in concern, glancing towards the area. "I don't see nothing," she said softly, reaching a hoof forward.

"Please don't touch!" Apple Bloom begged. "That makes it hurt worse."

Applejack stared at her sister softly. "Apple Bloom, I need to check something, and I need you to do something for me, alright?"

"I-if I can..."

"I just need ya to close your eyes, and keep em closed until I say so."

Apple Bloom nodded. "Okay, I can do that." She closed her eyes, glad she didn't have to fight to keep them open anymore.

She felt Applejack undoing her ribbon - her mother's ribbon, the one she was never supposed to take off. "Sis?"

"Don't worry none, sugarcube, I know what I'm doing."

Apple Bloom knew she could trust her sister, so she quieted. As the ribbon was pulled out of her mane, however, she felt a strange sensation pass over her body. "Applejack?" she asked, but her voice sounded strange.

"Shh," Applejack said quietly. "Don't talk, sugarcube." Applejack suddenly gasped. "Winona, go fetch Zecora!" Winona barked, and there was the sound of running paws. "She's headed for the forest by the edge of the farm, not pacing herself...Zecora must be close."

Applebloom tried to follow what her sister was saying, but without opening her eyes or speaking she wasn't sure what was going on. Besides that, her body still felt weird. The pain in her shoulder was a bit less, though.

She felt Applejack's hoof on her shoulder, just above where most of the pain was. "Don't worry none, Apple Bloom, Zecora'll be here soon, and she'll fix you up just right."

"I will be here very soon, to help my good friend Apple Bloom," Zecora said from behind Applejack.

"Zecora!" Applejack said happily. "Look, I know this looks kind of bad-"

"Not so bad, don't be sad." Apple Bloom felt Zecora's gentle hooves on her, around the source of the pain. "Injuries like this I can quickly fix. No pain will she feel while her body heals." She paused, and her tone towards Applejack became serious. "But after this through park walk, you and I must have a talk."

"Gotcha," Applejack replied.

Apple Bloom was confused. She didn't know what the big ponies were talking about. However, as she was about to ask, Zecora suddenly grabbed the part of her that hurt the most and yanked. Apple Bloom meant to scream in pain, but what came out of her mouth was instead a volcanic hiss.

"Take it easy, young Apple Bloom. The pain will end very soon."

Apple Bloom struggled to accept that advice through the pain, while at the same time trying to keep her eyes closed as Applejack had instructed. She felt Zecora applying her medicine's, and the pain slowly subsided to a dull throb. Zecora then began treating her other injuries.

After a time, Apple Bloom felt her sister retying the bow in her mane. Another shudder passed over her body, and she felt normal again. "Okay, Apple Bloom, you can open your eyes now."

Apple Bloom opened her eyes. She saw bandages wrapped around her legs and trunk. She glanced over at Zecora. "What was it? How'd I get hurt so bad?"

Zecora shook her head. "It was not as bad as your belief was led. But for now, you should get to bed."

"Zecora's right, sugarcube," Applejack said calmly. "You get to bed now. I'll bring you up some supper later."

Apple Bloom nodded, crawling up the stairs towards her room. However, as she climbed into bed, she found she couldn't sleep. What had happened? What had caused that pain? How had Zecora fixed it? And what had happened to her when Applejack undid Maw's ribbon, and why did she have to keep her eyes closed for that part?

Crawling out of bed, she walked over to her mirror, seeing the ribbon sitting where it always sat in her mane, tied up in a pretty bow. It was Maw's ribbon. Applejack said that as long as she wore it, Maw would protect her, so she was to never take it off for anything. She'd been wearing it for as long as she could remember. Her every memory had her wearing it...but no matter how she struggled, she had no memories of Maw. And whenever she'd asked, Applejack had sidestepped the question, Big Mac had fallen in deep thought until the question was forgotten, and Granny Smith would tell her, "You look just like her," before sidelining into an unrelated tangent.

It was too much for the filly. She had to know. Reaching up, she took hold of one end of the ribbon. "I'm sorry, Maw," she whispered. "I still love you." She pulled.

The ribbon untied itself and fell to the side...and green fire passed over Apple Bloom's body. She stared into her reflection in shock. Black insectoid carapace, small horn, solid brown eyes that glittered with reflected light, insect wings, and those holes in her body...

"I'm...I'm a Changeling..." she whispered, a hissing echo under her normal voice. She stared at her reflection. She wanted to cry, but no tears came. Taking a closer look, she saw that her left wing was wrapped in bandages, still slightly swollen. "So...so that was the cause of the pain..." She sank to the floor of her room, feeling her world crash around her, and let out slow, choked sobs, wishing that tears would fall.

Sometime later - she wasn't sure how long - she heard her door open. "Apple Bloom," Applejack said calmly, "I brought you yer supper. You awake-" There was a pause, followed by a sigh. There was a clatter of a tray followed by hoof falls. Then Applejack lay down besides Apple Bloom, wrapping one foreleg around her. "Want to talk about it?"

Apple Bloom blinked up at the pony beside her. "Wha...Applejack, I'm a Changeling!"

Applejack raised her eyebrow. "And?"

"I'm a...I'm a love eating monster that feeds on ponies, the worst thing to ever-" She was interrupted as Applejack stuffed her hoof into her mouth.

"Listen, nopony gets to talk about my little sister like that, not even her, got it?"

Apple Bloom nodded. When the hoof was removed from her mouth, she looked up at Applejack, confused. "But...but Changelings replace loved ones. Am I...a replacement?"

Applejack frowned. "Hoo doggy, you do ask the complicated questions, don'tcha?" She shook her head. "How about we just skip straight to the simple answers and see how much more you need to know?"

"Uhh...okay."

Applejack cleared her throat. "Well, you remember when I told you the story of how I got my Cutie Mark?" When Apple Bloom nodded, she continued. "Well, that wasn't entirely accurate. I didn't leave because I didn't like the farm or anything like that. Granny Smith thought it would be better for me to live with Aunt and Uncle Orange so I'd have parental role models growing up, after Maw and Paw passed on. But I hated Manehatten, so I came back, guided by the Rainbow." She smiled. "It wasn't long after that you showed up on our doorstep."

Apple Bloom listened attentively, trying to follow the story and find her answers.

Applejack smiled. "You were just a teeny little black ball with dark brown eyes, barely bigger than a minute. We didn't know what you were, but we decided to take care of you." She chuckled. "Found you in the cabbage patch, we did, and since there's all those old stories ponies tell their kids about children turning up there-"

"You mean they aren't true?" Apple Bloom asked suddenly, attempting a sad, disillusioned face. However, she couldn't manage to keep it straight.

Applejack smirked. "Anyway, we figured maybe there was some truth to it after all. So we decided to take care of you. Now, we had a few keepsakes from Maw and Paw - my hat and your bow, specifically." She touched the Stetson she always wore. "Since I was Daddy's little girl, Big Mac decided I should get the hat...but there was no way in Tartarus he was gonna wear a ribbon. So when you showed up, we tied the ribbon in your mane." She chuckled. "Imagine our surprise when you turned into an almost exact replica of Maw at that age."

Apple Bloom's eyes widened in shock.

"We took that as a sign that Maw wanted us to take care of you, so cousin Apple Thesis did some legal paper juggling, calling in a few favors, and managed to drum you up a birth certificate." Applejack smiled. "It's nice having a lawyer in the family, ain't it?" She glanced down. "Course, after learning what I have about Changelings - and realizing you are one - I'm guessing your shape change magic interacted with something left over of Maw in her ribbon. Granny said it was like Apple Flower had come back to us, and then she said something about the rarest flowers blooming twice. Didn't know what it meant, but that's how we named you Apple Bloom."

Apple Bloom listened to all of this, taking it all in. "Then...then I'm not an Apple?" she asked, feeling cracks in her heart.

Applejack pulled her into a tight hug. "Bloom, you may not have been born into the Apple Family in the traditional way, but you are an Apple. I suppose if somepony wanted to pick at nits, they could say you were adopted...but we made you one of us, and you learning that shouldn't change nothing."

"But I'm-" Apple Bloom paused. "How much of the family...knows?"

Applejack smiled. "Everypony older than you. Outside the family, now it's only Zecora."

"They all knew?" Apple Bloom asked, shocked. "That I was...a Changeling?"

"They all knew you weren't born a pony, but that didn't matter none to them. After the invasion when we learned what you were, we just closed ranks around ya, like the family always does to protect our own." She nuzzled Apple Bloom. "Didn't change how we saw you one iota."

Apple Bloom smiled, nuzzling her sister back. "I'm lucky I've got you for a big sister, Applejack." She winced as a strange burning sensation erupted on her flank. "Owowow!"

"Apple Bloom, what's wrong?"

"My flank! It hurts!"

Applejack stared for a moment. "Put Maw's ribbon back on."

"Huh? But-" As the pain got worse, Apple Bloom stopped arguing, quickly tying the ribbon.

The green fire once more passed over her body, and she appeared as she normally did. The burning sensation on her flank was gone...but a glittering light was plainly visible. The light then faded, leaving behind an image of an apple...wearing an eye mask.

Apple Bloom stared. "W...wha...how..."

Applejack chuckled. "Well hooee, look who just got their Cutie Mark, sugarcube."

Apple Bloom's eyes widened as she gasped. "I did! I got my Cutie Mark!" She began bouncing happily around Applejack crying, "Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes!"

Applejack chuckled happily. "Now take a good long look at that mark, Apple Bloom...and let that keep the doubts away. You are an Apple." She pulled her into a tight hug. "You are my sister."

Letting a few joyful tears fall, Apple Bloom nuzzled her big sister. "I'll remember," she said happily.

Applejack nodded. "Now eat your supper and get to bed. You're still recovering from today, and getting a Cutie Mark doesn't mean you get to stay up all night."

Apple Bloom nodded, rapidly devouring her supper before bouncing into bed. Chuckling, Applejack tucked her in. "Goodnight sis," she said, kissing her on the forehead.

"G'night, Applejack," Apple Bloom replied, closing her eyes.

As Applejack left the room, closing the door and turning off the lights, Apple Bloom thought back on the events of the day. There was a lot she couldn't really make sense of, and she knew she would have to address it all sooner or later. She also knew she'd have to think about what her apparent ancestry would mean to her future. However, one thing easily overshadowed everything else...she finally had her Cutie Mark!

Unable to help herself, she began to bounce up and down on the bed. "Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes-"

"BED MEANS SLEEP!" Applejack shouted up the stairs.

Apple Bloom immediately dove back under the covers, smiling happily.

Chapter 2

Apple Bloom stretched slowly as she woke up, blinking her eyes in the predawn light. Getting to her hooves, she wiggled her shoulders as she felt a dull throb pass through her body. Shaking herself, she glanced up and saw a note pinned to her headboard.

'Apple Bloom,
Zecora says that you can take the bandages off once you wake up. You should be fully healed.
Applejack'

Smiling, Apple Bloom removed the bandages that still wrapped her body. As the last one fell away, she blinked, since it felt like she was still wearing some. Remembering, she smiled and undid her ribbon.

She watched in fascination as the green fire spread over her body, revealing her Changeling form. Now that she had no fear of it, she stared in fascination at the black chitin of her carapace, examining the holes in her legs. She blinked, noticing that the unlit room suddenly seemed much brighter. She smiled as she realized her natural eyes must have much better night vision then she did as a pony. She turned towards her wings and saw that there were still bandages wrapped around her left one. She unwrapped them carefully, and the dull throb she'd felt since waking faded as she freed her wing. Carefully she shook her wings out, staring at their full extension. Without thinking, she buzzed them, lifting into the air...only to immediately crash into her armoire.

"Ugg...note to self: learn to fly in open space," she muttered, once more hearing the slight hissing rasp that underlay her voice. She suddenly found herself giggling. "My voice sounds funny." Turning, she opened her door and walked towards the bathroom.

Stepping into the shower - not bothering to turn the lights on as she didn't need them - she noticed a new bottle, with glowing letters on it. Curious, she read them.

'Friend Apple Bloom, how do you do?
This bottle I made just for you.
Gainst chitin rot and membrane grime,
This wash will leave you feeling sublime.
-Zecora'

Apple Bloom smiled. "Looks like Zecora made me some body wash." Turning on the water, she squirted some into her hoof and began to lather herself up. She giggled as water and soap passed harmlessly through the holes in her legs, leaving a tickling sensation behind. She started to sing a bit, but noticing the change her voice had on the song, she giggled. "I sound like I'm strangling a cat in here!" She blinked. "I shouldn't find that funny."

Finishing her shower and washing the soap away, she quickly dried herself off. As she headed downstairs, she saw Big Macintosh approaching. "Morning, Big Brother!" she called to him.

"Morning Apple Bloom," he replied with a smile. "Granny's making apple pancakes with zap apple jam for breakfast."

"My favorite!" Apple Bloom called out happily, rushing down the stairs. However, her haste resonated with the rest of her body, her wings buzzed...and she slammed head first into the kitchen door.

Granny Smith glanced down at her as she lay on the kitchen floor. "Ya know, Apple Bloom, it's considered good manners to open a door before going through it."

Apple Bloom chuckled nervously. "Sorry Granny. I'll fix it."

"After breakfast!" Granny insisted.

"Yay!" Apple Bloom quickly climbed into her chair, eagerly awaiting the promised food.

Applejack joined them soon after, and the family eagerly dug into the food that had been prepared. As they ate, Apple Bloom smiled at the family she knew she was lucky to have. Once breakfast was finished, Apple Bloom repaired the hole she had left in the kitchen door. She had found she was good with tools, although obviously it wasn't her special talent. Finished, she grabbed her school bag. "Well, I'm off to school!"

"Apple Bloom!" Applejack called out. As Apple Bloom turned back, she saw her sister smile. "Forgetting something?" she asked, holding up the ribbon.

Apple Bloom smiled sheepishly. "Oops." She sat still as Applejack tied the ribbon into her mane, and watched as the green fire cascaded over her body, turning her back into a pony.

"There," Applejack said. "Now you've got your face on. Now you're ready to-"

Apple Bloom suddenly gasped. "Ohmygosh! My Cutie Mark! How am I gonna explain it to Sweetie and Scoot?"

Applejack blinked. "Oh...hadn't thought about that..." She looked down at the Mark. "Your special talent seems to be disguises..."

"And how am I gonna tell them I discovered it without em?" Apple Bloom wailed, her eyes scrunching up. "What am I gonna say? How am I gonna explain-"

"Apple Bloom," Big Macintosh interrupted. "Do you want them to know about you?"

Apple Bloom looked from Big Macintosh's calm face to Applejack's shocked one and realized what he meant. "I...I don't want to lie to them...I think...yes, I want to tell em."

Big Mac looked down at her calmly. "You know they might not accept you, right?"

Apple Bloom gulped, then nodded. "If they can't...I'd rather know now."

Big Mac nodded calmly. "In that case..." He pulled Apple Bloom's Crusader cape out and threw it over her, tying it on carefully. He settled it so that it hid her Cutie Mark from sight. "Just tell them you've got somethin you wanna talk about at the clubhouse this afternoon. I already heard that neither of them are grounded."

"Big Mac, Apple Bloom..." Applejack looked worried. "Are ya sure this is a good idea?"

Apple Bloom looked up at her sister. "It's now or never, Applejack...and I don't wanna lie to them. I mean, if it were you, wouldn't you wanna tell Twilight, Rainbow, and the others? ...at least, after you swore em to a Pinkie Promise, anyway?"

Applejack thought for a bit. "Hmm...nah." At her siblings shocked expressions, she smiled. "I wouldn't swear em to anything before hoof. I trust em too much for that." She nuzzled Apple Bloom. "Guess you trust your friends just as much, huh?" At Apple Bloom's eager nod, Applejack chuckled. "Alright, alright. Off to school with ya."

Smiling, Apple Bloom hugged them both before rushing off to school. Once there, she saw Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo waiting for her. They ran up to her.

"Apple Bloom! You're okay!" They piled onto her in a group hug, and she hugged them back happily.

"I'm just fine! Applejack sent Winona for Zecora, and she fixed me up right as rain." She smiled. "Let's meet up at the clubhouse after school, okay? There’s somethin I gotta talk to you both about."

They both looked at her, surprised, but nodded.

"Well if it isn't the Blank Flanks!" Diamond Tiara called out, coming up to them. "Still playing your silly games hoping to get your Cutie Marks?"

"Back off Diamond Tiara!" Scootaloo snapped. "We don't need your bile over here."

Diamond Tiara smiled wider. "You three might as well give up. You'll never get your Cutie Marks."

Apple Bloom had to mightily resist the urge to pull back her cape to show her just how wrong she was. "C'mon girls, let's get inside." She and her friends went into school, taking their seats as class started.

Apple Bloom found her mind wandering as class went on, trying to figure out how her talk with Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom later that day would go. 'Sweetie, Scoot...I kinda got to tell you, I got my Cutie Mark. I don't want this to change anything between us. I still want us to be friends, and I still wanna Crusade with you both. But...there's something else I gotta tell ya, and I'm afraid you might hate me. See, I'm a-'

"Apple Bloom?"

"Changeling!" Apple Bloom found herself shouting out, blinking in shock.

"That's right," Cheerilee said happily. "The creatures who attacked Canterlot during Shining Armor and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza's wedding are called Changelings. I guess I shouldn't be surprised you know that, Apple Bloom, given that you were there. Today, we will be covering what little is known about Changelings, their magic, nature, and abilities."

Putting thoughts of later that day from her mind - and getting past the relief at her close save - Apple Bloom focused on the lesson. This might actually be useful, considering she was a Changeling who knew next to nothing about her own abilities. If nothing else, it would make an excellent starting point for experimentation.

Apple Bloom raced back to the farm, hoping to reach the clubhouse soon so that Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle didn't wait too long. As she ran, she thought about the lesson.

While there hadn't been anything useful as far as utilizing Changeling magic - nopony knew how that worked, except that it worked differently from unicorn or alicorn spell casting - she did learn a bit about Changeling flight. Apparently, the closest other flying creature example was a dragonfly, which moved its wings in the same way to maintain stable flight altitude, using body movements to effect speed and trajectory. A larger though less accurate example was hummingbird flight, which was the same way Scootaloo used her wings to accelerate her scooter.

Unfortunately, nopony knew anything about how a Changeling changed form, the one lesson that would have been most useful for her, just in case her ribbon ever came off accidentally. Sighing, she hoped Sweetie and Scoot would accept her. If they did, they could probably help her cover for any accidents. If not...accidents were the least of her worries, really.

Reaching the clubhouse, she climbed up the steps and through the door. Seeing her friends were already there, she smiled. "Hope I didn't keep you both waiting long."

Scootaloo shrugged. "Nah, not too long."

Sweetie smiled. "Besides, we really want to hear your important news."

Apple Bloom nodded. "Alright," she said quietly. "I definitely wanted to talk to you both about this in private, anyway. I...guess there's really only one way to go about it..." She took off her Crusader cape and turned side on to them.

Her friends both gasped. "Apple Bloom!" Sweetie cried happily. "You got your Cutie Mark!"

"That's so awesome!" Scootaloo said in eagerness, clapping her hooves.

Apple Bloom smiled. She'd been half afraid they'd get upset, that she had earned her Cutie Mark without them. She had severely underestimated her friends, it seemed.

"So what's your special talent?" Scootaloo asked.

Apple Bloom blinked. "I...I don't really know."

They both stared at her. "How can you not know?" Sweetie asked, confused.

"Yeah," Scootaloo piped in. "What were you doing when it showed up?"

Apple Bloom swallowed. 'Moment of truth,' she thought to herself. "Well," she said, reaching up to her ribbon, "it showed up when I discovered - and accepted - something about myself."

Sweetie blinked in confusion. "Some sort of self-realization moment?" she asked.

Apple Bloom nodded.

"So wait, you've got a philosophy Cutie Mark?" Scootaloo asked. "Your special talent is to know yourself? Talk about lame."

Apple Bloom giggled. "Actually...I think it has more to do with WHAT I discovered and accepted."

"Oh," Scootaloo replied. "And what's that?"

'Now or never,' Apple Bloom thought. "This," she said, pulling the ribbon from her mane. The green fire flared over her body, revealing her natural form.

As her friends stared at her in shock, she swallowed convulsively. 'Please Celestia, Luna, even Discord...don't let this be a terrible mistake...'

Chapter 3

Scootaloo suddenly lunged towards her, her movement making Apple Bloom back against the wall of the clubhouse. "Who are you? What have you done with Apple Bloom? Where's the rest of the swarm? What are your plans for Ponyville?" She looked Apple Bloom right in her compound eyes. "Are you a spy?"

Catching Scootaloo's tail in her mouth, Sweetie Belle pulled her back. "Scoot, if she was a Changeling spy, why would she tell us she was a Changeling? That doesn't make sense."

Scootaloo turned towards Sweetie and shrugged. "Well I never asked if she was a good spy."

Apple Bloom let out a despairing wail. "This is horrible!" she said, sadness dripping from her voice. "Not only do my best friends in the whole world think I'm a monster...they think I'm an INCOMPETENT monster!" She wailed sadly again.

Scootaloo turned back to her, looking contrite. "I didn't mean it. It was just a joke-"

Apple Bloom suddenly hissed and leapt, pinning Scootaloo to the floor of the clubhouse. "You will pay for angering me!" she hissed out.

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle screamed in sudden fear...only for Scootaloo's scream to turn to helpless laughter as Apple Bloom proceeded to tickle her mercilessly. "Stop it! Hahahahah-mercy!"

Apple Bloom hopped off her friend, smiling mischievously. "Gotcha!"

Scootaloo stared at her...then pounced. "I can't believe you did that to me!" she shouted, tickling her back.

Sweetie joined in, also tickling Apple Bloom. "Don't scare us like that!"

The tumble quickly devolved into a three way tickle fight, all three fillies tumbling over each other, laughing hysterically. As they fell backward from each other, breathing heavily, Apple Bloom suddenly closed her mouth on Scootaloo's ear with a "Nom!" sound.

Scootaloo blinked. "Uh...Apple Bloom? Why are you eating my ear?"

Apple Bloom blinked. "Cause you taste good?" she offered through a mouthful of ear.

Sweetie Belle squealed. "Oh, this is so cute! I wish Featherweight was here with his camera!"

"No picture! No picture!" Apple Bloom and Scootaloo said simultaneously, leaping back from each other.

Sweetie began to laugh, and after a bit the other two joined in.

After a time, Scootaloo was the first to calm down. "So..." she began. "You're a Changeling?"

"Yeah," Apple Bloom said nervously. "Always have been, apparently, but I never knew."

"Really?" Sweetie Belle asked, surprised. "How's that?"

"Well, apparently Applejack found me in the cabbage patch, and the whole Apple family up and decided that made me one of them." She shrugged. "According to Applejack, every member of the family older than me knows I wasn't born a pony, but don't care." She turned towards her friends nervously. "Do...do you two care?"

"Of course not!" Sweetie Belle said quickly. "You're you, no matter what!"

"What she said!" Scootaloo added.

Apple Bloom smiled happily. Her short red mane rustled quietly. She blinked, turning to look at the wavy red mane that extended a short length from the back of her head and all the way down the back of her neck. "What was that?" she asked in confusion.

Sweetie Belle thought for a bit. "Well...I don't know. Could be anything."

Scootaloo poked at one of the holes in Apple Bloom's legs curiously.

Apple Bloom giggled. "Scoot, that tickles!"

Scootaloo smiled. "So, how'd you find out, anyway?"

"Remember that weird pain I had yesterday?" Her friends both nodded. "Well, turns out I injured my left wing, somehow. Applejack got Zecora to come fix it, though."

"But..." Sweetie Belle looked confused. "If you didn't know you were a Changeling, how did you not look like one?"

"Maw's ribbon." Apple Bloom retied the ribbon in her mane. Green fire passed over her body, changing her back to her usual appearance. "According to Applejack, when she first put it in my mane, I turned into an almost exact replica of Maw at my age. She thinks it's got something to do with my Changeling magic reacting to something of Maw still in the ribbon."

Scootaloo nodded. "Makes sense to me."

Sweetie Belle thought for a moment. "You said everypony in your family older than you already knows, right? Does that mean Babs Seed doesn't know?"

Apple Bloom paused. "Probably not. ...I'll tell her next time she visits. I don't want to lie to any of my friends. But..." She looked to her friends. "For now, do you think we could keep this between us? Given how most of Equestria still feels about Changelings after what happened in Canterlot, I'd kinda like to know who knows, if you know what I mean."

Both her friends nodded simultaneously. Speaking together, they intoned, "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." Scootaloo put more emphasis on the 'hope to fly' part.

Apple Bloom smiled. "Thanks you two. You guys are the best!" She hugged them both.

Scootaloo smiled. "Nopony will hear this from us, Apple Bloom."

"After all," Sweetie said, "breaking a promise is the fastest way to lose a friend-"

"FOREVER!" Pinkie Pie shouted out, popping out of a drawer in the clubhouse dresser.

All three fillies screamed and jumped in shock. "Pinkie Pie!" Apple Bloom said after. "How long have you been in there?"

"Since Sweetie gave me my cue when she said 'breaking a promise'," Pinkie said with a smile. "OHMYGOSH!" she suddenly cried out. "Apple Bloom! You've got your Cutie Mark!"

Apple Bloom smiled. "Eeyup!" she said happily. "Ain't it wonderful?"

Pinkie Pie nodded happily, bouncing around the clubhouse. "Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh! This is so exciting! I've gotta throw you a party! EEEEEEE!" Pinkie bounced around more and more excitedly. "Sugarcube Corner, three hours!" She suddenly said excitedly, dashing back towards town in a pink blur.

Apple Bloom stared after her. "Uhh...is Pinkie Pie throwing me a cutcinera?"

"Seems like it," Sweetie Belle said calmly.

"Oh no!" Apple Bloom said, head in her forehooves. "What am I gonna do?"

"What do you mean?" Scootaloo asked in confusion.

"My special talent is disguises, because I'm this!" She undid her ribbon, reverting back to her Changeling form. "But I don't know how to change into anypony else!"

Scootaloo blinked. "Well, how hard can it be to figure out?"

"What?" Apple Bloom asked shocked. "You think I can just go-" a green veil passed over her vision briefly, "-Hi, I'm Scootaloo! Rainbow Dash is so awesome! When I grow up, I wanna be just like her, and I'm still so super excited that she's agreed to teach me to fly!" She looked straight at Scootaloo. "You really think it's that easy?" Noticing Scootaloo's shocked expression, she blinked. "Wait...does my voice sound different to you?"

Giggling, Sweetie Belle held up a mirror. In her reflection, Apple Bloom saw Scootaloo. "Whoa," Apple Bloom said. "Freaky."

"Me next! Me next!" Sweetie Belle said happily.

Blinking, Apple Bloom thought about what had happened. "Is it really as simple as-" another green veil passed over her vision "-Hi, I'm Sweetie Belle. Pleasure to meet you! Sometimes I wish my sister were a little more relaxed and less concerned with what was and wasn't 'uncouth', but I love her too much to hold that against her...most of the time." Apple Bloom stared at her reflection, which showed Sweetie Belle. "How am I doing this?"

"Well, you seem to be talking about us how you see us, sort of," Scootaloo said thoughtfully. "Maybe that's it. Maybe you just need to...think yourself into someone, and become them." Scootaloo bounced excitedly. "Oh! Do Rainbow Dash!"

Thinking about what Scootaloo said, Applebloom called up in her mind all her memories of Rainbow Dash and everything she had done or said, slipping herself mentally into a mold based on those memories. The green veil passed once more over her eyes, and in the mirror she found magenta orbs staring back at her, surrounded by cyan coat and rainbow mane. "Hmm..." she said thoughtfully. "Needs to be about 20% cooler," she said thoughtfully.

Sweetie Belle grinned. "Looks like you've got the hang of it!"

Apple Bloom let the shape change drop, returning to her Changeling form before retying her ribbon. "Yep, guess I do! This is going to be so much fun!"

As the moon hung high in the sky, Apple Bloom bid her friends good night as Applejack carried her upstairs to bed. The cutecinera had indeed been fun, filled with cake, ice cream, and all sorts of other treats. She had even 'demonstrated' her talent at 'disguises' a few times, ducking into the bathroom to change form where nopony would see her. The look on Diamond Tiara's face when Cheerilee commented on how useful and variably viable her talent was had been priceless. She'd done her best not to upset anyone with her imitations, but everyone just seemed to find her skill quite amazing.

However, now she was stuffed to the gills and very sleepy. She was hardly aware as Applejack tucked her into bed and kissed her goodnight. Slowly and surely, she drifted off to Dreamland.

A pleasant dream involving using her newfound abilities to humiliate Diamond Tiara - an idle fantasy she would never actually pursue, but it was fun to envision - was interrupted by voices at the edge of consciousness.

"How goes the progress in the other cities?"

Apple Bloom shuddered. That voice seemed familiar, and it frightened her.

"The plan is proceeding smoothly. Hoofington is fully infiltrated. We may strike when ready."

"Cloudsdale infiltration successful."

"Canterlot squadron awaiting assault order."

"Crystal City supply squadron continuing to feed off the energy released by the artifact. Swarm fully replenished, and no suspicion has been aroused. Can shift to strike pattern at a moment's notice."

"Excellent." That voice again. Apple Bloom was sure she recognized it. "High General, how goes our efforts here in Ponyville?"

"We are at condition green. Suspicion and awareness are zero, and one of the Element Bearers has already been replaced. We are ready to move forward at your command."

"We wait until we have captured and replaced at least two other Element Bearers. Then we strike. But remember...Twilight is mine."

A choral echo reached her ears. "For the glory of the Queen!"

A wicked chuckle followed. "Of course it is."

As the first light of the sun touched her, Apple Bloom shot awake. She recognized the voice now...and the laugh. "Chrysalis," she whispered, afraid.

Chapter 4

Apple Bloom did her best to keep her morning routine as close to normal as possible. Even as she calmly stretched as she stepped out of bed, her mind raced.

Okay, she thought to herself. Assuming that what I just heard wasn't just a crazy dream - and I admit, I've had some strange ones in the past - then the Changelings are preparing to make a major assault on all of Equestria, and one of Applejack's friends has been replaced. She flinched as another thought hit her, but managed to keep moving. I don't know when one of the Harmony Bearers was replaced! It could be Applejack. She kept herself from crying as she thought that. I have no way of knowing who I can trust. Anypony could be a Changeling. She carefully went over what she'd heard, hoping to find some way of knowing as she checked her reflection in her mirror, her bow sitting in the top of her mane. Then she smiled. Wait a minute! Chrysalis said Twilight was hers! If it was real, then I know Twilight ain't a Changeling! But...how do I tell Twilight without telling her I'm a Changeling? She sighed. I don't even know if it was real, and I'm in a real spot of trouble!

She walked calmly down the stairs, frowning. Applejack walked up to her. "Hey there, sis!" Applejack said happily, pulling Apple Bloom into a quick hug and ruffling her mane. "How ya doing today?"

"I'm okay, Applejack," she replied, hugging her back, hoping this was her real sister she was hugging.

Applejack looked down at her. "What's wrong, sugarcube? Did you have a nightmare?"

Apple Bloom suppressed the urge to grin. That's it! "I did," she said, managing to sound sad and worried, which, given what she suspected, wasn't difficult.

Applejack smiled down at her. "Well, wanna tell me about it?"

"It wasn't the nightmare that's bugging me," Apple Bloom said, thinking fast. "When I've had nightmares before, since the Summer Sun Celebration, Princess Luna showed up to help me deal with them. But she didn't show up last night, and I'm worried about her!"

Applejack frowned, looking worried, glancing up at Apple Bloom's bow. Apple Bloom relaxed a bit. If she was right, this was a sign that Applejack was actually Applejack, as she was worried about Luna finding out about Apple Bloom being a Changeling from Apple Bloom's dreams. "Well, I was gonna visit Twilight today," Applejack said with a smile. "How about you come with, and ya can ask Twilight if she knows what's up with Luna. How's that sound?"

Apple Bloom grinned hugely. This couldn't have worked better. "That would be great!" she said happily.

"Alright then," Applejack replied with a smile. "Let's go!"

Apple Bloom walked happily down the road into Ponyville with her sister. As they walked, she noticed that several ponies they passed seemed to have a green glow behind their eyes that she'd never seen before. Applejack didn't seem to notice. Alright, she thought to herself, either I've gone completely mental, or those ponies with the green glow are Changelings in disguise. No real way of knowing, but it's something to go on. She did her best to ignore the green glow, but she kept track of those she noticed with the glow. She also pulled closer to Applejack, who did not have the glow, trying to feel safe. Applejack nuzzled her mane.

Arriving at the library, Apple Bloom saw each of Applejack's friends, along with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. She carefully examined each one's eyes, trying to determine if there was a green glow. Only Rainbow Dash's eyes possessed the phantom light.

Apple Bloom suppressed a shudder as she embraced her friends and followed her sister into the library. Twilight smiled, folding her wings she had been preening as she turned to face them. "Hey everyone! Glad you could all make it."

"Of course, Twilight!" Pinkie said, bouncing happily. "Wouldn't miss it for a cartload of cupcakes!"

Twilight chuckled. "So much excitement over a tea party?" she asked with a smile.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes with a groan. "If it weren't you, Twilight, I wouldn't even be here," she said with a sigh. Twilight only chuckled in response.

Applejack cleared her throat. "Before we get started, though, Apple Bloom'd like to talk to ya about something, Twi," she said. "Go ahead, Apple Bloom."

Apple Bloom nodded. "Well, I had a nightmare last night, but Princess Luna didn't show up to help me with it. Is she okay?"

Twilight chuckled. "It's nothing to worry about, Apple Bloom. Luna's just become quite a bit more popular recently, and those seeking her aid more numerous. As such, her schedule is quite a bit more full. She probably just didn't have time to find your nightmare."

Apple Bloom lowered her head. "Oh. Well, I'm glad she's okay..."

Twilight knelt down. "Want to tell me about your nightmare? Maybe I can help you with it."

"Well..." Apple Bloom gathered her thoughts, trying to figure out how to present this. An idea occurred to her. "I dreamed that the Changeling Queen was gonna eat me! I kept running and running, but she kept chasing and chasing, and I woke up just before she got me! And now that I'm awake, I keep thinking I'm seeing Changelings everywhere!"

Although Twilight nodded in sympathy, Apple Bloom saw Applejack, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo look sharply but discretely at her. "I can see why that would bother you," Twilight said calmly. "I have no idea what could have caused such a dream...but maybe I can help with 'seeing Changelings'. I happen to have a spell I developed recently that will strip away a Changeling's disguise. That should help you feel safe, right?" Closing her eyes, Twilight raised her head, her horn glowing.

As Apple Bloom flinched back, she saw the wave of purple light pass over everything...and noticed her ribbon glowing strangely for a brief moment. Then Rainbow Dash fell back with a hiss, and the disguise was stripped away, revealing a Changeling. Before anyone else could react beyond shock, Apple Bloom acted. Spinning around, she bucked the Changeling as hard as she could. One hoof struck it at the base of its horn, while the other caught it in its throat. With a chocked hiss, it dropped to the floor, unconscious.

Apple Bloom quickly stepped back and out of the way as the big ponies started to panic. Eventually, Twilight managed to get control of herself. "Spike!" she yelled out over the hub bub. "Lock the Changeling up in the basement! We'll interrogate it when it comes to, to find out what they've done with Rainbow Dash!"

"But..." Fluttershy began, "but what if the Changelings have Rainbow Dash and find out the deception was...found out, and they hurt Rainbow?"

Twilight thought for a moment. "You're right. We need to find her. We split up and search for her. Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, you two stay together and search high up. Applejack, Rarity, you two search the town, house by house. Be discrete, all of you. And above all, no one go anywhere alone! We don't want to give the Changelings a chance to capture anyone else. And if you see Changelings, don't try to be heroic. Come straight back here."

The others nodded as they headed out in pairs, Pinkie mentioning they needed to stop by Sugar Cube Corner so she could pick up her candy cane copter.

Apple Bloom headed upstairs, closely followed by Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. As soon as the door was shut, Scootaloo metaphorically pounced. "You knew-"

"Shh!" Apple Bloom said, glancing around. Off in the distance out the window, she could see the occasional flare of green that she now recognized as Changeling magic, but there was none in the room. "Okay, we're clean. Go ahead."

"You knew Rainbow was a Changeling," Scootaloo finished. "How? And why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know it was her until I saw her," Apple Bloom replied. "I saw green light in her eyes. I can see a Changeling in disguise when I look at them. ...it doesn't seem like they can see me, though. And...that nightmare I told you all about? I heard Chrysalis giving orders to her entire swarm. They're planning a major assault on all of Equestria, and Chrysalis herself is somewhere in Ponyville! And I learned that one of the Harmony Bearers had been replaced, but I didn't know which one."

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle stared at her, shocked. Then Sweetie Belle spoke up. "Well, what's our next move?"

"Next move?" Scootaloo asked.

"Our?" Apple Bloom added.

"Of course," Sweetie Belle said happily. "You're the secret weapon against the bad Changelings. That means the three of us can save Equestria from them if we try! We just need to know what we're going to do next."

"Yeah," Scootaloo said. "Yeah, I like it! We'll be like...secret agents or something!"

Apple Bloom smiled, and raised her hoof with the others as they quietly shouted, "Cutie Mark Crusaders Secret Agents! Yay!"

As they grinned, Scootaloo spoke up. "So, like Sweetie said, what's our next move?"

Apple Bloom smiled. "Finding out where Rainbow Dash is so we can save her. I'm gonna see if I can tune into the hive chatter again." She closed her eyes, sinking into her mind as she sought out the voices at the edge of her awareness.

-mean, our agent was found? Chrysalis was demanding.

We have just discovered that the Changeling posing as the Element of Loyalty was discovered by the other Bearers and captured. He is currently locked up in the Library basement, guarded by Twilight and the dragon. The others have split off in pairs of two to search for Rainbow Dash.

Chrysalis choice of vocabulary left Apple Bloom blushing, wishing she didn't hear the meaning of words along with the words themselves this way. At least tell me we have her hidden somewhere secure?

No concerns there. The hidden chamber built into the cloud house is completely concealed.

Apple Bloom pulled out of the chatter, closing her mind to the discourse. "They're keeping Rainbow in her own cloud house!" she whispered quietly.

"How are we supposed to get up there?" Scootaloo asked. "I can't fly that high, and neither of you can walk on clouds."

Sweetie Belle smiled. "Wait right here," she said, leaving the room. She came back with three purple outfits. "Twilight and Rarity have been working on these, weaving all sorts of enchantments into the fabric...including the cloud walking spell." She unrolled three Mare-Do-Well outfits. "And...Rarity taught me her resizing spell," she continued, blushing with pleasure.

Apple Bloom gazed into Sweetie's eyes, glad to not see any sign of unnatural green. "Alright," she said. "We'll wear these costumes and hop across rooftops and the clouds that are still out and about to reach Rainbow's house. Then we'll bust Rainbow out of there and bring her back here. But we can't let anyone find out it's us three." Her friends nodded. "Alright, let's go!"

They donned the outfits, and Sweetie Belle resized them to fit. With the hats and capes on, no one could tell what sort of pony each of them was. With silent nods, they leapt out the window into the tree's branches, and from there towards Rainbow's cloud house.

Chapter 5

"Daring foals of mystery
Champions of right
Swoop out of the shadows
Fillies own the night
Somewhere some villain’s scheme
Is going straight to hell
Fillies-Do-Well
When there's trouble you call FDW
Fillies-Do-Well
Let's get Dangerous
Fillies-Do-Well
Cutie Mark Crusaders Superheroes, Yay!
Cloud of smoke and they appear
Masters of Surprise
Who's the cunning minds behind
That shadowy disguise
Nopony knows for sure
And nopony's gonna tell! Here comes...
Fillies-Do-Well
When there's trouble you call FDW
Fillies-Do-Well
Let's get Dangerous
Fillies-Do-Well
Better watch out you bad colts!
Fillies-Do-"

"Sweetie!" Apple Bloom hissed.

"What?' Sweetie Belle asked, snapped out of her singing.

"We are supposed to be sneaking here. That's kind of the point to the disguises."

"And?"

Apple Bloom facehoofed. "Singing at the top of your voice hardly helps with sneaking."

"Oh." Sweetie hung her head. "I'm sorry."

Scootaloo nudged Sweetie to lift her head. "Hey, I liked your song."

Sweetie Belle perked up, although her expression was invisible under the Mare-Do-Well outfit. "Sometimes, some crimes-"

"SWEETIE!" Apple Bloom snapped.

"Sorry!" Sweetie Belle replied, a laugh in her voice.

Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. "Let's focus on getting up to Rainbow Dash's cloud house. And no more talking. Or singing. Or humming. Or duck calls. Or wolf whistles. Or mummified cat juggling." She paused, blinking as she turned to Scootaloo. "Where did you get the mummified cats from, anyway?"

"Discord."

Apple Bloom stared at Scootaloo for a time, then sighed. "Let's get to the rescue mission already."

The three friends slowly slunk silently around town, seeking their way into the sky. They quickly discovered that the Changelings had actually chosen a rather good spot for imprisoning Rainbow Dash, as there was no easy way - beyond flying - to reach her house and, unfortunately for the would be heroes, none of them could fly. Eventually, they managed to scale the Town Hall and get onto a cloud near there. Unfortunately, that left them a good distance from Rainbow's house.

Glancing around, Apple Bloom took stock of their situation. Well, she thought silently, ain't this a fix. We made it up into the sky, but now we've got no way to make it over to Rainbow's. Ain't that just great. Queen Chrysalis is getting ready to mount a full scale invasion of Equestria, all of Ponyville is counting on us - even if they don't know it - and we're screwed on the first obstacle. What are we supposed to-

Her musings were interrupted as something knocked into the cloud, sending it spinning and flying across the sky to the accompaniment of a shouted, "My bad!"

The three friends clung to the cloud as it flipped end over end before smashing into Rainbow's house, the cloud they were on dispersing as they dropped to the cloud floor beneath them. They saw that the door was unlocked, and stepped inside.

Rainbow's house was, strangely, a study in contrasts. From the outside, the opulent palisades and rainbow waterfall all but screamed 'super rich', or at the very least, 'child of super wealthy family'. Inside, however, it was almost Spartan in its furnishings. What was there was comfortable and sturdy, the sort of thing one could see being passed down through 17 generations before it even needed maintenance, but nothing was even slightly showy. What dishes there were were well made but plain in appearance. Despite the size of the house, only 4 rooms showed any signs of frequent - or even recent - activity. Most of the walls, however, were plastered with photos.

Of course, there were several posters of the Wonderbolts, which was to be expected, even a few with autographs. As far as personal pictures went though, the balance was strange. There was one picture of a young Rainbow Dash with her parents, all three with happy smiles on their faces as they cuddled together. There was another of the three of them, posed together in finery, Rainbow Dash looking a little older and upset. Beyond that, the only pictures of a young Rainbow Dash was of her alone, with Fluttershy, or with Gilda. More recent pictures were of her with all her friends, although predominant were pictures of her with Scootaloo, or her with Twilight Sparkle, especially of the time since Twilight grew wings.

The three friends searched around, looking for something out of place, anything that could tell them where Rainbow was being held. However, since this was the first time any of them had been at Rainbow's house, this was akin to finding a needle in a haystack when the needle was made of hay colored wood. Scootaloo, however, found something that seemed out of place, and kept gesturing to a blank wall.

As the others came over, Scootaloo managed to convey her message. Apparently, based on the dimensions of the house, there should have been a room right there...but there wasn't. Apple Bloom looked at the wall for a time. Closing her eyes, she slipped into her magic as best she could, hoping it would work, then opened them. The wall was now a sheet of undulating green fire to her eyes, an illusion of substance. Without fear, she leapt through the wall.

The room on the other side was still unused, but beginning to be furnished, giving the impression of being under construction. There was a cloud bed and a dresser half assembled, with a set of sheets off to the side. However, attention to the room itself was detracted by the presence of four Changelings crowded around a cocoon, slowly turning to face the intruders.

Apple Bloom lunged forward quickly. Spinning, she bucked the first one right at the base of the horn with both hind hooves, knocking it out like a light. The second fell as Sweetie Belle leaped through the illusory wall, slamming into it and sending it tumbling against the half constructed armoire, which collapsed on top of it. Scootaloo took out the third, leaping down from above and bringing her forehooves together on either side of its horn, causing a brief short out of its nervous system and total black out.

The fourth Changeling braced for combat, its eyes glowing as it tried to make emergency contact with the swarm. Apple Bloom wasn't about to allow that. She leapt forward and...for some reason found her mouth wrapped around the horn, teeth sinking in. The Changeling fell to the ground, eyes glazed, a goofy grin on its face as it twitched spasmodically.

Apple Bloom stepped back, unsure what she had just done, but she could tell that all four Changelings were completely unconscious. Turning to the cocoon, she extended her Changeling horn, hoping she knew what she was doing. As she touched her horn to the cocoon, green light sparked. Dragging her horn down the side, a slit opened, spilling a good amount of green fluid and an unconscious Rainbow Dash. Apple Bloom quickly hid her horn as Rainbow began to stir.

Rainbow Dash looked up into Apple Bloom's face. "Mare-Do-Well?" she said, sounding confused. "Twilight, you said it was my turn to wear the costume..." She slipped back into unconsciousness.

The three filly friends looked at each other in confusion. None of them were quite sure why Rainbow Dash would want to wear a costume except on Nightmare Night. Besides, didn't the Mare-Do-Well costume upset Rainbow rather severely when it was first created? Why would she want to take turns with Twilight wearing it?

Shaking her head, Apple Bloom gestured to the sheets. Between the three of them, they wrapped Rainbow up in the sheets and began dragging her along, looking for a way to get her safely to the ground. Quite by accident, Sweetie Belle discovered that Rainbow's bedroom window looked directly into Twilight's bedroom window at the Pony Oaks Library.

"Well, this could be useful," Scootaloo muttered, unsure exactly how.

"I've got an idea," Apple Bloom said, undoing her ribbon and handing it to Sweetie Belle. Bending over, she reached for the sheets with her teeth.

"Are you sure you're up to it?" Sweetie asked, concerned.

Apple Bloom couldn't help but smile as the costume hid her Changeling transformation. "Eeyup!" she said, grabbing the sheets in her teeth. Spinning around rapidly, she hurled Rainbow through the window, sending her flying straight into Twilight's bedroom to land on her bed, the sheets unrolling as she landed. Apple Bloom quickly retied her ribbon, and the three friends made their way back into the library by the simple expedient of jumping into a nearby upper branch and climbing down to the opposite window.

As they got out of the outfits, Scootaloo glanced over. "I don't remember Rainbow's house being so close to the library," she muttered.

"It is a cloud house," Sweetie said. "Maybe she moved it to shorten the commute."

Apple Bloom shook her head. Something about that didn't seem right, but she couldn't put her hoof on what. "Well, we'd better get back downstairs."

The three friends went downstairs, where they found Spike sitting in front of the basement door, looking frustrated. Apple Bloom's magic sight confirmed he wasn't a Changeling. "Hey Spike, what's wrong?" she asked.

Spike smiled. "Well, the good news is that Rainbow Dash is back safe and sound, somehow." Scootaloo grinned widely at his statement, despite her role in those events. "Unfortunately, she was covered in a weird green goop, so Twilight took her up to the bathroom to clean her off...which means we likely won't see either of them for at least 2 hours."

Sweetie Belle blinked. "Even Rarity doesn't take that long to shower. Why couldn't Twilight just use magic to clean Rainbow up?"

Spike blinked, seemed to realize something, then turned his head away, coughing uncomfortably.

"Well, I'm getting kinda hungry," Apple Bloom said. "What's there to eat around here?"

Spike shook his head. "I'm afraid that Twilight wound up eating everything that was set up for tea while she was pacing back and forth worrying about Rainbow, and I was supposed to go shopping after the tea party. So much for that now."

"Well," Sweetie Belle said, "in that case, we're going to hit Sugar Cube Corner. I've got some money for milkshakes."

"But what about the Changelings?" Spike asked, worried.

Scootaloo chuckled. "Don't worry, Spike. We'll be fine. Besides, it's not like any of us are going somewhere alone, right?"

Smiling, Apple Bloom waved. "Later Spike." The three friends headed out of the library, struggling not to whoop for joy over their first successful super hero endeavor.

Seeming to realize something, Scootaloo gasped and turned to look at her flank. Finding it still blank, she sighed in disappointment. "That would have been an awesome Cutie Mark," she mumbled under her breath.

Sweetie glanced at her own flank, seeing it still blank as well. "Aww..."

Apple Bloom started to glance at herself, then stopped. "Heh," she said, rubbing the back of her head. "Forgot I don't need to do that anymore."

Scootaloo blinked at her. "You forgot you already had your Cutie Mark?" she said disbelievingly.

"Considering everything else going on, can ya blame-" Apple Bloom clutched her head as a scream of rage and frustration echoed in her mind.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN RAINBOW DASH ESCAPED!? Chrysalis voice echoed. Apple Bloom struggled to maintain her equilibrium as she tapped into the hive mind again.

Three unidentified entities entered the domicile, defeated the guards, and retrieved Rainbow Dash, a hesitant Changeling voice replied.

Chrysalis began cursing again, and Apple Bloom once more learned the meaning of several words that somepony Granny Smith's age was too young to hear. What are the positions of the Element Bearers? Chrysalis demanded.

Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie are currently doing a fly over of the Everfree Forest. Applejack and Rarity are at Sweet Apple Acres. Twilight and Rainbow are in the library, though Rainbow is still weak. The Elements themselves are locked up in the display case in the library.

Chrysalis' voice became excited. They are divided and unarmed! This is the best chance we will get. Begin the assaults - ALL of them - NOW!

"Get down!" Apple Bloom said aloud, pulling Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo to the ground. As she did, a good half of the ponies around Ponyville dropped their disguises, revealing Changeling agents. Every cellar entrance in the town burst open as the swarm of Changelings poured into the sky, practically blotting out the sun with their numbers.

Scootaloo stared up. "There must be hundreds," she whispered in awe and a bit of fear.

"427," Apple Bloom replied, "including Queen Chrysalis and the hundred that had replaced ponies around town."

"And..." Sweetie began, "how many ponies does that leave to fight?"

"Including us, infants, and elders?" Apple Bloom asked. "Around 100."

Scootaloo slumped. "In other words, we're screwed."

"Maybe," Apple Bloom said. Then she stood up. "But we aren't going down without a fight. C'mon!" She charged towards the nearest clump of Changelings, her friends following close behind her.

The vicious charge took the group totally off guard, and several were bowled over and knocked out by strikes to the horns, eyes, or throats. As Scootaloo faced off against one, she tilted her head curiously. "Say, do Changelings have nads?" she asked it.

As it covered an area on its lower body, she spun, delivering a hind hoof kick to each eye before spinning all the way around to forcefully strike the base of the horn from the side. She glanced towards the spot where the Changeling had been covering itself. "So that's where they are. I'll keep that in mind."

The three friends did their best to fight off the Changelings, and their fight gave a few other ponies ideas on how to fight back as well. However, it was only a matter of time before they would be swarmed under. Then Apple Bloom got distracted as she picked up more swarm chatter.

My Queen! Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy have been captured. The pink one was unable to use her more unpredictable capabilities while flying her copter, and Fluttershy went down taking a shot meant for her friend.

Chrysalis! Applejack and Rarity are captured! The mud assault weakened Rarity's resolve, and our agent disguised as her big brother caused Applejack to lower her guard at a critical moment.

Twilight and Rainbow Dash are weakened and captured.

Apple Bloom staggered back as she heard the reports of the capture of the Element Bearers, especially regarding both her older siblings. A stray bolt of magic flew right at her, aimed at her heart.

"APPLE BLOOM!" Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo cried out, catching her attention.

Apple Bloom's ribbon suddenly glowed a pale pink, and the blast of magic was sucked into it. It was blasted off her head, to land on the ground, burning green for a short time before turning brown. Apple Bloom reverted to her Changeling form.

As Changelings began to surround her, she heard what she was certain would be her death sentence. My Queen, this is High General Coin. We have a rogue.

Chapter 6

Apple Bloom stared around her as the Changelings began to close in on her, separating her from her friends. Sweetie and Scootaloo tried to reach her, but the mass of dark bodies blocked every attempt. However, Apple Bloom wasn't going to go down without a fight. As the Changelings leapt towards her, she spun, kicking out with both hind legs, rearing up to strike with her forehooves, viciously head-butting others. However, as she fought, she could feel the ferocity beginning to affect her mind, as she bared her teeth in a vicious snarl. She lunged forward at a Changeling that was rearing up to strike her and sank her teeth into its neck, tearing its throat out as green blood spattered her face and the grass.

She stepped back, shocked at what she had done. I...I just killed somepony. I...I didn't mean to... She stepped back, away from the still shaking body as more of the Changelings piled onto her. She struggled, but she could no longer bring herself to fight with the same intensity as before. She stared around at the Changelings that had fallen around her. She could easily count 10 unconscious, 8 wounded, and the one dead. She shuddered. She couldn't believe that she had done all that. It was one thing to fight, but...she couldn't believe she was a killer.

She suddenly heard a scream. "SWEETIE BELLE!" she called out, once more struggling against the press of bodies holding her down. She managed to buck quite a few off of her, struggling towards the source of the scream. She wasn't going to let her friends get hurt, no matter what. Clenching herself, she felt energy coursing through her body, focusing at the tip of her horn. Throwing her head back, she let out a scream of rage.

A fiery explosion erupted from the tip of her horn, blasting the press of Changeling bodies off of her. She gasped for breath, both from exhaustion from the blast of magic and from having the air crushed out of her from the press of bodies. She searched around, but she could see no sign of Scootaloo or Sweetie Belle, or anypony else for that matter. All she could see were the Changelings surrounding her, cutting off all escape.

Gritting her teeth in determination, she vainly buzzed her wings, knowing flight wasn't really an option. "Well, come on then," she said to the Changelings. "Either attack or run. I'll take on anyone!" She reared up, letting out a battle cry.

"No, you won't."

That cold voice hit Apple Bloom like ice in her veins. Shivering, she turned towards the source as the Changelings parted to let her see.

Across the empty space she saw Queen Chrysalis, staring down at her regally. Behind her, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity were affixed to the side of the Library by the green goop Changelings used to trap ponies. Twilight herself was trapped within a cocoon that hung from one of the library's branches. At another part of the clearing, Apple Bloom could see Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo struggling against 8 captors each. Scootaloo still had her teeth dug into the neck fin of the one trying to hold her head still. Apple Bloom couldn't see anyone else.

Applejack, looking across the clearing, met Apple Bloom's eyes. "Apple Bloom?" she whispered, shocked. Rainbow and Rarity immediately turned to her, surprised.

Queen Chrysalis stepped forward. "Ponyville is under my control. Soon, all of Equestria will follow. Do you think one rogue stands a chance against me?" She locked her eyes on Apple Bloom's with an intensity that rivaled Fluttershy's Stare. "Obey your Queen!" she commanded, her voice echoing inside Apple Bloom's mind as it did in her ears.

Apple Bloom wilted under the force of the command, feeling it press into her through the hive mind, trying to suppress her will, supplant her heart, control her. As she began to falter, she thought of everyone in Ponyville - nay, across all Equestria - who was counting on her to stop this. Whether they knew it or not, she was their last hope. She thought back to the last Apple Family Reunion, and the face of each and every family member filled her mind, even the faces of the parents she would never know. As their images ran through her mind, she drew strength from them. Thinking of the other Crusaders, the ones they looked to, and the Harmony Bearers, Apple Bloom shot to her hooves and looked Chrysalis defiantly straight in the eye.

"I ain't got a queen!" she proclaimed. "Just a Princess!" She paused. "Wait, umm, Princesses...well, there's four now, or is Cadance an Empress? Well, and I also do what Miss Cheerilee says, and Big Mac, and mah sis. Can't forget Granny..." She blinked. "Aww, shoot. I screwed up the dramatic moment." She looked up at Chrysalis pleadingly. "Can I get a do over?"

Applejack managed to free a hoof to smack it against her forehead. "Yeah, that's mah little sis, alright." This was greeted with a chuckle from Rainbow Dash and an amused "Eeyup!" from nearby.

Chrysalis stared down at Apple Bloom. "You expect me to, what? Just stand here and let you keep trying until you get your dramatic speech right?"

Apple Bloom nodded happily. "If'n it ain't too much trouble!"

Chrysalis' eyes narrowed to angry slits. KILL HER! she commanded silently to her swarm.

As the Changelings began to leap at Apple Bloom, an image leapt to mind. She remembered seeing once, in Twilight's lab, a glass globe with a metal sphere in the center. Lightning leapt from the metal sphere to the globe, focusing on anything that touched the globe. While the lightning in the globe didn't hurt, she imagined that - with magic and without glass - it could hurt a lot more. She locked the image in her mind as she focused on her magic, remembering the feeling of the power focusing in the tip of her horn.

A green field appeared in a sphere around her. When one of the Changelings touched it, a bolt of green lightning leapt from Apple Bloom's horn to strike the Changeling, sending it flipping back, charred and twitching. Ten more Changelings were blasted back in the same way before the rest of the swarm began to hesitate.

Apple Bloom could see Chrysalis was getting angry. She also knew she couldn't keep this up forever. Working with magic like this was really tiring. She needed some way to change the odds. Remembering the way Chrysalis had been giving commands, an idea came to her. "What'sa matter, Chrissy?" she called out, making her tone as mocking as she possibly could. "Don't wanna get your own hooves dirty? Or are ya chicken?" She began to cluck, raising up on her hind hooves to make wing motions with her forelegs. At how realistic her clucks were, she quickly glanced down at herself to make sure she hadn't turned into a chicken.

What happened next caught Apple Bloom completely off guard. All Changeling activity in the town ceased. The Changelings stepped back, forming a solid black ring around Apple Bloom and Chrysalis. Even the ones who had been standing with Chrysalis as an honor guard backed up. However, it seemed that Chrysalis was just as shocked by this behavior as everyone else was.

"What?" Chrysalis demanded. "What do you think-" She froze as a look of understanding - followed by one of unadulterated fury - crossed her face. "I see. So that's how it is." Without warning, she charged Apple Bloom.

"Yah!" Apple Bloom cried, leaping aside.

Chrysalis stopped her charge and spun, striking at Apple Bloom with her hooves and horn. Apple Bloom did her best to evade, but it was plain that Chrysalis was a much more experienced fighter. She was at a major disadvantage.

No! she thought to herself. I can't let it end like this! If only I could do tricks like Scoots. If she were in this position, she'd just- Suddenly, without realizing what she was doing, Apple Bloom sidestepped one of Chrysalis' strikes, flipped onto a forehoof and spun, striking Chrysalis in the face several times with her hind hooves before doing several back flips to gain some distance.

Apple Bloom stared down at herself. "Did I just...?" She saw a dark orange energy in the gaps of her body, beginning to fade. "How did...?"

Snarling, Chrysalis charged Apple Bloom again. "Die!" she snarled.

Could it really be that easy? Filling her mind with when she'd seen Big Macintosh working in the fields, she leapt aside quickly. Red light filled the gaps in her body, and just as Chrysalis rushed by her, she struck out with both hind hooves, hitting with nearly as much force as Big Macintosh could bring to bear.

Chrysalis rolled across the ground, coming to a halt. She stood up slowly, clutching her side where her chitin was cracked, green blood beginning to leak out.

Apple Bloom smirked at the Queen. "Eenope!" she said with a smirk.

Big Macintosh chuckled from nearby. "That's mah lil' sis!" he called out proudly.

The Changelings seemed to agree with his assessment, as a concerted hiss erupted from the gathered drones. Chrysalis eyes narrowed in fury, although - surprisingly enough - a hint of fear began to show as well. Spreading her wings, she took to the sky.

Apple Bloom gulped. She still didn't know how to fly. There was no way she'd be able to follow Chrysalis into the sky.

Seeing Apple Bloom's fear, Chrysalis laughed. "Is that the best you can do, little foal?" she called mockingly. She fired a blast of magic down at Apple Bloom.

Apple Bloom dodged to the side, and continued to dodge as more blasts followed. "I'm only 12!" she called out to Chrysalis. "What's your excuse? Forget your glasses back home? Or couldn't you ever hit the broad side of a barn?" As a piece of rubble kicked up from another magic impact, Apple Bloom spun and bucked it, sending it flying straight into Chrysalis' eye.

Chrysalis reared back with a scream, clutching her face in pain as mocking laughter erupted from the crowd.

"Yeah, you show her Apple Bloom!" Applejack called out.

"Give her the old one-two!" Rainbow shouted out.

"Show her you know how to party!" Pinkie called out.

"Give that fashion faux pas the boot!" Rarity called out.

"You can do it!" Fluttershy called quietly. "Woohoo!"

Other cheers began to ring out from the gathered ponies, ones not so easily recognizable.

"You can do it, Apple Bloom!"

"Show her what you're made of!"

"Do us proud!"

"She wants to get rough, show her you're tough!"

"Put her to her end, my young friend!"

"Show her how great and powerful you can be!"

Apple Bloom wasn't sure who started it up, but a chant suddenly began to echo through the town. "Ap-ple-Bloom! Ap-ple-Bloom!" Ap-ple-Bloom!" As the beat of the chant repeated over and over again, Apple Bloom could feel the flow of energy from the town - the raw positive energy and community love focused on her - flowing into her body, focusing once more into her horn. She gathered it all in, everything she could grasp. A small sphere of green electricity formed at the tip of her horn and began to expand. When she'd gathered all the power she could and it was the size of a softball, she launched it into the air towards Chrysalis.

The sphere flew up at incredible speeds, but Chrysalis saw the attack coming, and flew to the side. A concerted gasp of shock filled the town.

Chrysalis laughed at Apple Bloom. "What was that about my aim?"

Apple Bloom grinned. "I wasn't aiming for you." She pointed upward.

Unnoticed by everyone present, the launched sphere of magic had flown into the one cloud that was never out of the sky, Rainbow Dash's napping cloud. The cloud had absorbed the sphere, turned green, and begun to spin. Clouds were being drawn into the spinning green cloud from all over the area, especially from over the Everfree. As the clouds merged with the spinning cloud, they turned a dark green and entered the spin. Before long, a massive green storm cloud spun over the entirety of Ponyville. The sphere of lightning Apple Bloom had shot into the cloud was interacting with the mystical energy inherent in the weather, building up until sheer momentum of natural forces turned it into a sheer destructive juggernaut.

A green lightning bolt arced out of the clouds, aiming for Chrysalis. She did her best to dodge, but it was the first of many bolts arcing through the air, from cloud to cloud, arcing downward to strike at the Changeling Queen as she continually dodged.

Apple Bloom stared up at the sky. While it was obvious that the storm might eventually destroy Chrysalis, in the process it would likely destroy much of Ponyville in the process. Her trump card was too powerful, and had turned into a wild card. There was no telling what would happen now. She needed to find some way of getting up there, getting control of the storm, and stopping Chrysalis before wind funnels started to form.

A lightning bolt suddenly flashed down, striking the hillside on Ponyville's outskirts. A large boulder broke free and began to bounce down the steep hill, rolling towards the town square. Apple Bloom noticed that it was bouncing straight towards the catapult Rainbow had built to allow Applejack to launch her into the air for a trick. For some reason, it had never been taken down. A desperate plan began to form in Apple Bloom's mind as she raced for the catapult, hopping onto the launch end. Well, if this works, I'm in the sky and I can try something else crazy. If not, I'm a pancake. Apple Bloom shuddered at the thought. Well, at least I like pancakes.

Shaking that thought away, she focused herself, buzzing her wings slightly, trying to prepare for the launch. However, before she was fully prepared, she heard a crash from behind her, and found herself propelled forcefully into the air, flying straight at Chrysalis.

The Changeling Queen turned and saw Apple Bloom flying towards her. With a snarl, she sent a blast of magic at Apple Bloom.

In desperation, Apple Bloom fluttered her wings and - by sheer blind luck - managed to barrel roll out of the way of the blast. However, she was unable to stop the spin. "Iiiii'mmmm gonnnaaaa huuuurrrrllll!!!" Apple Bloom screamed out as she squeezed her eyes shut, doing her best not to lose her lunch to the spin. Cupcakes tasted much better going down than coming up...unless you were Pinkie, in which case they somehow came up whole and unblemished. She never did make sense of that. Why was she thinking about this?

She suddenly felt something gossamer thin against her face, and felt it tear. Hearing Chrysalis scream in agony, Apple Bloom opened her eyes. She had flown horn first, spinning rapidly, right through Chrysalis' right wing, tearing it in half and practically out by the root. The impact had slowed her upward flight, allowing her to coast upward slowly. She stared down at Chrysalis as she fell. Chrysalis snarled up at her, screwing up her face in concentration. Magic began to gather at the tip of Chrysalis' horn.

Apple Bloom struggled to gather her magic, but it was all she could do just to keep her eyes open. However, a small spark of magic formed at her horn.

She flinched as a blast of electricity ran through her body. A bolt of lightning from the storm had struck her. What surprised her, though, was that the lightning hadn't been painful. It had been...exhilarating. She saw that the small spark of magic at her horn had expanded from the lightning strike. She held up her horn.

Lightning began to strike her rapidly, focusing on the tip of her horn as the magic of the storm focused into her small frame. The storm slowly began to dissipate as the motive magic force that drove it was absorbed into Apple Bloom's body. She began to flinch, though, as there was more magic here than her small frame could safely hold, and she was in danger of overloading. The sphere of magic at the tip of horn reached the size of a beach ball as the clouds above her lost all trace of green. Slowly, she flipped over in the air until her horn was pointed straight at Chrysalis. As Chrysalis fired her last ditch spell to try and kill Apple Bloom, Apple Bloom released the gathered magic.

A massive pillar of green light shot down, completely consuming Chrysalis' spell as it drove her down to the ground and then into it. Apple Bloom didn't see it, however, as the recoil of the spell sent her flying into the air and scattered the clouds across the continent. Apple Bloom flipped end over end as she shot upward into the sky until she was thousands of feet in the air, on the verge of unconsciousness. As her upward momentum ended, she began to fall towards the ground. The rushing wind through the holes in her body slowly brought her back to consciousness.

She blinked her eyes at the view of nearly the entire continent laid out beneath her. "Huh...pretty..." She suddenly realized that she was falling to certain death. "Oh. That's...that's not good." She blinked for a time. "Well, if this is how I go...at least I saved everyone, right? It's not like..." She blinked a few more times. "Wait. Changeling. I have wings." She chuckled to herself. "Funny how I forget these things. Well, no time to learn to fly like when your life depends on it." She glanced around at the completely empty sky. "And it's not like I've got anything to crash into up here." Closing her eyes, she began to flutter her wings.

While she was able to generate some lift, it wasn't enough to halt her downward movement, and her lack of control in the air caused her to move around erratically. "I hope I figure this out soon!" she cried out as she dipped and spun through the air as she continued to drop.

A black shape rocketed up towards her from the ground. It was a Changeling, bigger than others she'd seen, nearly 3/4 the size of Chrysalis, and everything about this one seemed to scream male. He shot past her, halted in midair, then shot down towards her. Positioning himself carefully, he slipped under her than gained lift until his back was right up against her stomach, her legs splayed out on each side of him with her face against his neck fin.

"Take hold," he said commandingly, "and rest your wings."

She recognized his voice, even though it was spoken now and not in her head. It was the Changeling who had identified himself as High General Coin. Stopping the movement of her wings, Apple Bloom took hold of his neck fin with her teeth.

Coin began to accelerate the buzz of his wings, rapidly slowing their downward movement, showing perfect control as he approached the ground. He came in for a gentle, perfect landing in what was left of Ponyville Town Square, near the center of the circle of Changelings which remained as they had been. However, the entire area surrounded by them was now a crater. In the center of the crater lay Chrysalis.

She lay there, groaning in agony, unconscious. There were cracks in the chitin all over her body. Her mane was a mess. All four of her legs were broken. Her horn was cracked along its entire length. She was more than six feet deep into the ground.

Apple Bloom slid off Coin's back, shocked at what she'd done. She walked forward to stare down at the broken body of the Changeling Queen, her own body shaking visibly as it took all her strength to stay standing.

Coin, meanwhile, had turned his head away. He seemed to be conferring with someone, but Apple Bloom couldn't hear anything. She struggled to make contact with the Changeling hive mind, but found herself blocked. She stared up at Coin - who towered over her without trying - somewhat nervously.

High General Coin then nodded. He turned to face Apple Bloom...and lowered his head to the ground in a submissive bow. Long live the Queen! his voice echoed in her mind, a powerful affirmation.

All the Changelings in Ponyville faced Apple Bloom, lowering their heads to the ground in absolute submission. Long live the Queen! their voices cried out together in her mind, as she felt them anchor themselves to her.

Long live the Queen! the voices echoed, coming to her from all across Equestria.

Long live the Queen!

Long live the Queen!

As Apple Bloom heard the voices of the entire Changeling swarm calling out to her and felt their minds anchor to her own, she reacted as any filly thrown into this situation could be expected to react. Clutching her head in pain, she screamed and fainted.

Chapter 7

Apple Bloom could feel something just at the edge of her awareness, a quiet hum that was both disturbing and comforting at the same time. She could still feel all those minds that had assaulted hers, but they were held at a distance, seven minds holding them back, and one holding back the seven. Only the one mind now had the direct link to hers, and the quiet hum came from that thought. Apple Bloom slowly stirred. Blinking, she opened her eyes.

"Ah, you awaken, my Queen," a voice said near her, the one she recognized as High General Coin.

Apple Bloom pushed herself into a sitting position. "Yer what now?"

Coin blinked. "My Queen. You were victorious in the crown challenge against Chrysalis. As you are of Changeling royal blood, you are now Queen."

Apple Bloom was quite confused. "Wait...I'm what now?"

Coin sighed. "How much do you know about Changelings?"

Apple Bloom shrugged her shoulders. "I know how to change form. I think I'm getting a handle on the magic. And I still can't fly."

"I meant our culture, history, and such things."

Apple Bloom shook her head. "Nothin'."

Coin sighed. "We'll discuss it later then. You are still not fully recovered from expending so much magic so quickly at such a young age. Your body is not yet developed enough to handle such strain." He sat back. "If you have any more immediate questions, I will try to answer them while you are conscious."

Apple Bloom thought for a time. "I...killed Chrysalis, didn't I?"

Coin shook his head. "Her power is broken, she can no longer walk, fly, cast spells, or change form...but she still lives."

Apple Bloom stared at him. "HOW?"

"Because you did not wish for her death." Coin tapped his horn. "The combat magic of a Changeling is bound very tightly with our desires. Despite the power of the spell, she was not slain, because you did not desire her blood on your hooves." He thought for a time. "To put it in terms of that game ponies play with dice, you chose to do non-lethal damage."

Apple Bloom blinked. "I don't get it."

Coin sighed again. "Never mind." He shook his head. "Any more questions?"

"Umm...I remember hearing that you were assaulting several cities..."

Coin nodded. "Every settlement in Equestria is currently under siege."

"Is...is that still going on?"

Coin frowned. "No. We are holding position, awaiting your orders."

She blinked. "Mah orders?"

Coin nodded. "You are the queen. It is up to you where we go from here."

"So if I were to say stop the war and withdraw?"

Coin frowned again. "Then we would do so without hesitation."

Apple Bloom looked at him. "There's somethin' you ain't telling me."

Coin sighed. "My Queen-"

"Apple Bloom." As Coin stared at her in shock, she continued. "My name is Apple Bloom. I may be Queen, but I ain't really ready. I don't want that power going to my head, or lose myself to it. So you call me by name, so I remember who I still am, alright? That's an order."

Coin blinked, then chuckled. "As you command, Apple Bloom. As I was saying, this invasion is our last chance of survival. If we pull back completely, we will also have to withdraw our supply station in the Crystal Empire. Before the week is out, we will all be dying of starvation."

Apple Bloom stared in shock. "It's really that desperate? Then why did Chrysalis order the attack?"

"She was blinded by her desire for vengeance against Celestia and Twilight."

Apple Bloom blinked. "Why did she want vengeance against Celestia?"

Coin hesitated, then answered. "When Chrysalis was young, she fell for a mortal pegasus. But he chose to woo Celestia."

Apple Bloom stared. "Really? That's it? Chrysalis plunged two kingdoms into a bloody war that could have destroyed everyone...because she was jilted?"

Coin sighed. "She was never what you would call 'stable'."

"Oh." Apple Bloom thought for a time. "You said you'd stopped the offensive. Is anyone attacking you?"

"No." Coin listened for a time. "In every settlement, the populace seems to be waiting to see why we stopped. We have remained holding positions for the past 36 hours while you slept."

Apple Bloom's eyes bugged out. "I've been out of it for a day and a half? Applejack must be going crazy." She looked around at the tent like enclosure she was in. "Why isn't she in here?"

Coin hesitated. "We have been preventing anyone from approaching you while you were vulnerable. The one called Applejack is...detained outside."

Apple Bloom snarled. "If you've hurt my sister, I swear I'll-"

"She is unharmed," Coin hastened to assure her. "She is just bound with our silk. We will release her immediately, if you wish."

Apple Bloom glowered at him. "I wish it."

There was the sound of something snapping from outside, and then Applejack charged into the tent. "Apple Bloom!" she gasped out in relief, scooping her little sister into a tight hug. "You're okay. You're okay..." She glowered at Coin. "Why the hay wouldn't you let me near my own sister?"

"We were only protecting our Queen," Coin replied.

Applejack blinked, confused. "But...but you've got Chrysalis locked up in a cage, practically on display."

Apple Bloom managed to speak up as she held onto Applejack. "He means me, sis."

"Say what now?" Applejack asked in surprise. At the confirming nod from Coin, Applejack chuckled. "Well how about that. My baby sister, Queen of the Changelings."

"Ah'm not a baby..." Apple Bloom complained, but she could feel herself beginning to slip back towards unconsciousness.

Coin spoke up. "She needs rest and tender loving care right now. There is still some damage to her system from excessive thaumic discharge."

"Ah don't need you telling me how to tend to mah little sister," Applejack replied. "I've only been doing it since we found her in the cabbage patch 12 years back."

Coin nodded. "I am only concerned for her, as you are."

Apple Bloom suddenly spoke up. "Coin? How long...can you maintain position as you are now?"

Coin listened to the hive once more. "We can last a week. No more."

Apple Bloom thought for a time. "I think I've got an idea, but it'll need to wait till I'm fully recovered. Can you hold out that long?"

Coin nodded. "It should only take a couple of days. As you recover, I can also answer any questions you have regarding the swarm and how it works. However, know that it all derives from this: the Queen's will is absolute."

Apple Bloom nodded. "This should work, then..." she mumbled as she drifted off.

Cadance stood beside her husband, Shining Armor, staring down at the assembled Changeling forces in fear. They had sprung up without warning, quickly overpowering the as yet still untrained Crystal Guard. Given that half the guard had been replaced, it wasn't that difficult. They had rapidly seized control of the City, and had claimed most of the palace. Then, as Cadance and Shining Armor cowered with the Crystal Heart behind his last shield spell...the swarm had stopped. They had waited, watching the still mass of black, chitinous bodies, and then the entire swarm had turned towards the south and bowed. They had then stood back up and resumed combat positions...and hadn't moved a muscle since. That was nearly four days ago. Thankfully, the Changelings hadn't assaulted the kitchens, and a path from kitchen to throne room was left open, so neither fledgling ruler was in any danger of starvation.

Cadance turned to Shining Armor. "What do you think it all means?" she asked, confused and more than a little afraid.

Shining Armor shook his head. "I don't know, Cady. I'm as confused about this as you are." He blinked as he saw one of the Changelings walking towards them. "Get behind me, Cadance!" he said, raising his shield.

Cadance cowered behind Shining Armor, having exhausted her own magic trying to energize the Crystal Heart as a weapon over the past few days. It hadn't been successful.

The Changeling stopped in front of the barrier. It stared at Shining and Cadance for a time, then cleared its throat. "Mi Amore Cadenza, the Queen requests your presence in Ponyville for a matter of diplomatic urgency. She gives her word that you will not be harmed on your journey, and that none of your subjects will come to harm in the interim."

Shining growled deep in his throat. "If you think I'm going to let your Queen anywhere near Cady after what she pulled last time-"

The Changeling gave Shining a long suffering look. "You may attend if you deem it necessary. Princess Twilight will also be in attendance."

"What!" Shining leapt forward. "If you've hurt Twiley, I swear I'll-"

"Shiney!" Cadance snapped, bringing him out of his rage. "We aren't in any position to threaten. All we can do is what's been asked, and hope we can find a way to fix this."

Shining Armor slowly calmed down. "Alright," he said. "But how exactly do you expect us to get all the way to Ponyville? The train?"

The Changeling shook its head. "We will provide your transportation." A green portal opened, revealing Ponyville. "Simply step through."

Glancing at each other uneasily, Cadance and Shining Armor stepped through to Ponyville, where they were guided to a large pavilion. A Changeling bigger than any they had seen except Chrysalis stepped towards them. "I am High General Coin. You will await the Queen's pleasure within," he said, gesturing into the pavilion. With no other choice available to them, they stepped inside.

Celestia and Luna stood side by side on the balcony, staring down at the Changeling invasion force. Chrysalis' assault had been much more effective this time, as she had been able to replace a good portion of the Royal Guard by slipping her agents into the castle via the crystal caverns. That rat warren was still mostly unmapped, and there were so many entrances and exits, and the Guard only knew of half of them at most. As such, half the castle was already under Changeling control. It didn't help that no one had noticed that Prince Blueblood had been replaced, and had spent a good portion of the invasion ordering what guards that weren't Changelings into hopeless ambushes. However, the same halt to the assault that had happened in the Crystal Empire had happened here, leaving both Princesses confused. Celestia, however, was frightened enough that she would have lashed out at the unmoving Changelings had Luna not stopped her, with the point that a renewal of hostilities would likely doom the city.

As Celestia glowered down at the Changelings, she glanced over and noticed Luna's attire. "Luna! Why are you in your pajamas?"

Luna blinked up at Celestia sleepily. "Because I took a nap."

"But...but why would you wear your pajamas to sleep outside?"

"I didn't," Luna said bluntly. "I slept in my room."

Celestia blinked in disbelief. "But...but that section of the palace is under Changeling control! How did you get in?"

"I asked nicely."

Celestia's eyes narrowed. "W-what?"

Luna rolled her eyes. "The Changelings didn't attack me when I approached them. I mentioned I was tired, and asked if they could let me go back to my room for a nap on my bed. After a bit, one of them nodded and cleared a path for me." She levitated up a well filled breakfast tray. "When I asked to visit the kitchens for some food, they were just as accommodating."

"Luna!" Celestia gasped in shock. "That food could be poisoned, or enchanted, or have mind altering substances inside them! And they might have done something to you while you slept!"

Luna stared at her older sister through flat eyes. "Tia, neither any spells directed at me whilst sleeping nor enchantments or contaminants in the food would have passed the wards on my room."

Celestia stared at Luna, blinking. "Wards?"

Luna tilted her head. "You...did know I placed numerous protective wards upon my room well before I became Nightmare Moon, and that those wards are still in effect, and that I recently reenergized them, yes?"

Dumbly, Celestia shook her head.

Luna sighed. "Well, I did. It's why I was unaware of the Changeling invasion during Cadance' wedding. One of the wards blocks all sound when active." She flushed a bit. "I activate it when sleeping, and I slept through that invasion." She shook her head. "At any rate, when I carried the food tray through the wards, any contaminants - magical or otherwise - would have been purged." She held out the tray. "You need to eat something, Tia. At least have some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches." She smiled warmly. "They're just like you used to make me."

Managing a smile, Celestia seized one of the sandwiches in her magic. "Thanks you, Luna." She takes a bite of the sandwich. "Mmm! I begin to understand why you always asked me for these."

Luna let off a quiet laugh. Then she froze. "Sister! One of them approaches."

A Changeling flew up to the balcony. "Princesses Celestia and Luna, the Queen requests your presence in Ponyville for a matter of diplomatic importance."

Luna gasped. "Chrysalis has taken Ponyville," she whispered, beginning to feel sick. Her friends, was there any hope for them?

Celestia, however, did her best to stay firm. "What diplomatic matter, exactly?"

The Changeling stared at her. "I am not at liberty to say. I am merely here to tell you that your presence is requested in Ponyville."

"What guarantee have we that you won't enslave the city while we're gone?" Celestia asked. Not that they were really in a position to do that anyway, short of destroying the city themselves.

"You have the word of the Queen that you shall come to no harm until the matter is resolved, and that no hostile actions will be taken on our part in the meantime." The Changeling stared at her unblinking.

Celestia glowered at the Changeling, not liking his excessively calm demeanor, as if he held all the cards. "And if we refuse?" she replied, rage barely contained in her voice.

The Changeling shrugged. "Then we will raze this mountain to rubble and sow the land with salt," he replied, as if it didn't matter to him one way or another.

Luna gasped aloud. Celestia stared. "You...you wouldn't!" Celestia gasped out.

The Changeling did not respond.

Celestia hung her head in defeat. "Alright. We will come."

A portal opened before the princesses. Understanding the silent directive, they stepped through, walking straight into the pavilion. Luna gasped as she saw the other occupants. "Twilight Sparkle! Cadance! Shining Armor! Are you all well?"

"Umm, well," Shining began, not looking his best.

"Everything's going to be just fine," Twilight assured everyone. "Trust me."

Celestia stared at Twilight, afraid her faithful student had fallen under the domination of Changeling mind control. Sighing, she sat down at the table, gesturing for Luna to join her.

High General Coin stepped forward. "Representing the Crystal Empire, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Royal Consort Shining Armor."

"Royal Consort?" Shining Armor grumbled. "Couldn't they at least call me Captain if not Prince?"

Coin continued as if he hadn't heard. "Representing Equestria is Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Princess Twilight Sparkle." He stepped back, bowing to a curtain at the back of the tent. "Representing the Changeling Swarm..."

The curtain flew open, revealing three ponies in matching home stitched capes bearing the symbol of the CMC. Apple Bloom, in her Changeling form, stood in the center, also wearing the - distinctly oversized for her body - formal Changeling Crown. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle stood on either side of her as the three posed and shouted out, "CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS DIPLOMATS, YAY!"

Chapter 8

Celestia stared blankly at the spectacle before her, her mind racing. This...this is impossible! she thought silently. Apple Bloom representing the Changelings? Wait, that's the Royal Crown, only the Queen wears it...Apple Bloom, Queen of the Changelings? She shuddered inwardly. Even if that were possible, what a nightmare that could be, especially with what they just said. However, this is plainly impossible. Since this obviously can't be real, how do I explain it? She quickly ran down the possibilities.

Discord? No, since he became reformed, he wouldn't put this many ponies in danger for a prank, and before he was reformed he lacked the foresight to set up a joke that took more than a day from initialization to punch line. She mentally ticked Discord off her list of suspects. Luna? It might well be a dream prank and none of this is real. That smirk and suppressed laughter she's got on her face points that way. She pinched herself with her magic. Ouch! Okay, not a dream. Luna never mastered making dreams feel that real. She ticked Luna off the list. It's not in the style of any of the old foes our parents faced, so it won't be them, and none of the more recent threats - political and otherwise - have the resources to pull this off except Chrysalis.

Chrysalis herself wouldn't do a prank like this. She'd never let anyone but herself wear the royal crown for real...unless I'm in a Changeling cocoon, and this is all just some mental delusion conjured up by Changeling magic and my own thoughts to keep me entertained. She thought about that for a time. Yes, that seems reasonable. She began to calm down. Everypony is behaving much as I would expect them to, which fits with my memories, slowly taking me from the intense energy I felt during the invasion down to relaxed energy, making me lower my guard so they can claim my mind. She stopped. But that doesn't explain the wards. I'd never come up with that from my own head, and Chrysalis would certainly never want to give me the impression that Luna could fight her if there was any truth to it...

Which means... Celestia gulped. Which means that somehow, this is all...real. But...it doesn't make any sense!

"Are ya alright, Princess?" Apple Bloom spoke up. "You look kinda...glaze-eyed."

Celestia blinked. "Quite alright, my little pony," she replied without thinking. "This is just a lot to take in."

Although the Changelings stirred in irritation at her calling Apple Bloom 'my little pony', but Apple Bloom herself smiled. "Yeah, I can imagine this came as somethin' of a shock." She chuckled. "I mean, I only learned I was a Changeling five days ago, and now this happens." She shook her head. "But I'm glad yer here so we can resolve everything." She turned to High General Coin. "Could you let Pinkie know to bring the snacks in?"

Before anyone could say anything, Pinkie popped in out of nowhere, hopping out of Luna's flowing mane. "Oh boy!" she said happily, tossing decorations up around the pavilion as she spread sweet treats across the table. "This is so awesome! I've never catered a Peace Party before!"

Twilight chuckled. "Bet you've never catered a War Party, either."

Pinkie paused. "No, I did that once."

Twilight blinked. "What? When?"

"I don't like talking about it," Pinkie said bluntly. She finished decorating and serving the sweet treats, then turned to leave. Pausing at the door, she pulled a strangely configured helmet out of her mane, staring at it as she sighed sadly. "Sleep well, Lenny," she said quietly, before sticking the helmet back into her mane and bouncing away happily.

Everyone stared after her for a time. Then Celestia glanced around at the decorations. Streamers were decorated with circles with a vertical line through them and two half diagonal lines pointing in the same direction. Banners read 'Give Peace a Chance', 'Make Love Not War', and 'You Gotta Share'. Celestia turned back to Apple Bloom. "So...peace party?"

"Eeyup!" Apple Bloom said happily.

"Then I take it you are asking for our surrender?"

"Now why would I wanna do that?"

Celestia stared at the Changeling filly before her. "Well, what do you want, then?"

"What else?" Apple Bloom said happily. "To make peace!"

"If that is all you wanted," Celestia said angrily, "then why did you say you would raze Canterlot to rubble and sow the land with salt?" Twilight, Cadance, and Shining Armor gasped at this assertion.

"For drama!" Apple Bloom said happily.

The adult ponies all stared at her. "Drama?" Luna asked archly.

"Uh huh!" Apple Bloom nodded. "See, I kinda screwed up the drama when I first started the fight with Chrysalis, and she wouldn't give me a do over. So I knew I'd need to get it right the first time for the peace talks, so I looked through Twilight's books to find the most dramatic negotiation lines and used them. And that one sounded really dramatic!" She grinned happily. "Was a bit confused about it, though. How can you raise something downward? Sound like something only Discord could do. And salt don't grow on trees...does it?" The crown slipped down over her eyes, and she pushed it back onto her forehead.

Twilight flat eyed. "Apple Bloom...it means to burn a city to the ground and render the land infertile, so nothing will ever grow there. In essence, render the land unusable for anything by destroying all trace of life."

Apple Bloom looked like she'd just been told Fluttershy blamed her for kicking a puppy. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" she said to Celestia and Luna. "I'd have never said to say that if I'd known what it meant! I just wanted to be dramatic, I never wanted to threaten or hurt anypony!" Her eyes watered as she stared up at the Diarchs. "Please don't hate me?"

Celestia sighed resignedly. And now it all makes far too much sense...and feels far too real. Why me? She managed to smile at Apple Bloom. "It's quite all right, Apple Bloom. It's still your first week as royalty. It's understandable you might make a few political faux pas, and coming into power in the middle of a war has certainly made those errors larger than anticipated, but it's nothing that can't be smoothed over if everypony's willing to be understanding." She turned to her sister. "Right Luna?"

"I don't know," Luna said with a smile. "All things considered, I rather like her approach."

"EH?" everypony else yelled in shock.

Luna's grin widened. "Think about it. She basically said, 'Live in peace or rest in peace'. Sounds quite the slogan for an international political campaign. Why can't we use it, Tia?"

Celestia spluttered. "Luna! We can't threaten a sovereign nation! It would lead to world war! We have to handle things carefully. That's why we have politicians and diplomats."

Luna sighed. "Politics. There's a reason, methinks, the other definition would be 'numerous blood sucking parasites'."

Twilight, Cadance, and Shining Armor all suppressed snickers. Celestia gave them a look of long suffering. "Please don't encourage her."

The three CMC all tilted their heads in identical gestures. "I don't get it," they said simultaneously. The crown once more slipped over Apple Bloom's eyes.

Celestia suppressed a chuckle of her own. "Never mind," she said calmly. "Now, about this peace you wanted to discuss. I assume you have a plan for it?"

Apple Bloom pushed her crown back up. "Umm...not exactly."

Everyone stared at her. Twilight spoke up. "You called a peace conference without an agenda?" she said, shocked.

"Well, I know what I want ta happen," Apple Bloom said grumpily. "I just didn't know how ta make it happen. I knew that if I just asked for peace outta the blue, everypony woulda suspected some kinda trick or something, so I needed everypony to relax first. So I called the meeting without letting anypony know what it was about."

Luna blinked. "Then that bit at the beginning, when your General was very formal, and then you and your friends proclaimed your standard Cutie Mark Crusade pronouncement...that was to get everyone to relax?"

Apple Bloom nodded. "That's why I tried to make everything up to that point as dramatic as possible."

Sweetie Belle spoke up. "My idea. I figured the dichotomy of the scenario would be so jarring to everypony as to cause them to completely reassess the situation, and the ridiculousness of the conjunction of formality and childish innocence would cause an amused reaction. Pinkie Pie says nothing helps ponies relax as much as laughter after all."

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "Egghead," she muttered under her breath.

"Featherbrain," Sweetie replied, prompting Scootaloo to stick her tongue out at her, which Sweetie returned in kind. For some reason, this caused Twilight to break into a fit of indulgent giggles.

Luna smiled at Apple Bloom. "Well, with the exception of my sister, it seemed to have worked well. But pray tell, what would you have done if it hadn't worked?"

"This!" Scootaloo said happily, picking up her cupcake and pelting Luna right in the face with it.

There was silence in the pavilion as Luna blinked for a time. Then Luna grinned, and several pastries levitated in blue magical auras. "Uh oh!" Scootaloo said as she raced around the room to dodge the sudden barrage of pastry. In the process, Twilight, Cadance, and Shining were all hit by stray shots. They began to retaliate, hurling pastries around at each other. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom energetically joined in.

Celestia blinked. "Really, is this the way royalty should be beha-" Her words were interrupted as a pie struck her right in the side of her face. As filling dripped off her chin, she smiled. "As Rarity would say," she began, levitating the sum total of the remainder of the unflung pastry into the air, "it. Is. ON!"

Ten minutes later...

The ponies inside the pavilion struggled to clear their eyes of pastry. The entire pavilion and everything - and everyone - in it was completely coated in various forms of cake, pie, and custard. Apparently, Pinkie had popped in every time ammunition had started to run out, restocking the table. However, one thing was sure. As the CMC had hoped, everypony was completely relaxed and at ease with each other.

Celestia was the first to clear her eyes. Grabbing a clean handkerchief out of the air, she proceeded to wipe the fillies faces as the other royals cleaned themselves off. "So, Your Majesty," she said, a smile on her face. "Now that we've dealt with refreshments, perhaps we can get to the meat of the issues?"

Apple Bloom smiled. "All right." Everyone settled at the table. "As I was saying, I know what I'd like to happen, but I've no idea how to make it happen. I'm hoping all of ya could help me figure it out."

"How refreshingly frank," Luna said happily. "A political meeting that begins with what is actually desired, and then figures out the diplomatic double talk to get it done. How enjoyably unique!"

"Luna," Celestia said warningly. Luna had never had much patience for modern political discourse. Admittedly, Celestia wasn't that fond of it either, but she at least understood its necessity. "Alright, Apple Bloom. What do you want?"

"Peace between the Changelings and Equestria, leading into a full-fledged alliance."

Cadance chuckled. "Well, you certainly don't do anything half way, do you?" She marveled at how far the filly she'd first met as her flower filly at her wedding had grown and changed. "How could that possibly work?"

Apple Bloom smiled. "Always before, the reason Changelings had to use the sneaky methods of acquiring love to feed the hive was because sources were so restrictive. With the return of the Crystal Empire, however, that's no longer the case. 30 Changelings living secretly in the Empire's central city near the palace were able to leech enough love off the standard flares from the Crystal Heart to keep the entire swarm fed. One even got in close enough to do a study of the Heart, and found that such feeding neither reduced the artifact's output nor put any additional strain on its structural integrity. It's almost like harmless feeding of Changelings was one of the functions its designer had in mind."

She stood up, starting to pace as she continued to explain. "In addition, nopony noticed any reduction in the Crystal Heart's effect on the citizenry or environment from the gradual leeching. Those thirty could remain perfectly hidden and never be discovered and feed the entire swarm. However, that would only prevent starvation."

She sat back down. "However, with starvation prevented, other methods of acquiring love can be taken. Stealing love gives less strength to a Changeling then love given freely, as my battle with Chrysalis noticeably demonstrated." She chuckled, remembering. "However, acquiring freely given love takes an investment of time and effort that Changelings on the verge of starvation can't afford to make. With starvation no longer an issue, however..."

Celestia's eyes widened. "You want to find a way to completely integrate the Changelings with Equestria?"

Apple Bloom nodded. "Yup! If Cadance is okay with those 30 or so Changelings living as productive citizens in the Crystal Empire, then the rest of the swarm can feel free to take the time to integrate, make friends, form bonds, and earn the love they need to survive. Beyond that, freely given love doesn't drain ponies when fed on the way stolen love does." She slumped downward. "But...I'm not sure how ta make all that happen..."

Celestia blinked, shocked. Although the plan wasn't completely developed, Apple Bloom - in the first week of ruling a mighty country - had found a way to solve all her subjects problems and form an alliance with a powerful neighbor that would prove long term beneficial for all involved, if it could be made to work. As far as starts to rulership, that was a start for the history books.

Cadance smiled. "Well, while it makes me a little nervous, I see no reason why I shouldn't let the Changelings that have made my Kingdom their home remain and continue to be productive citizens." She chuckled. "I'm sure I can come up with some way to spin the invasion so that my little ponies can take it easily."

"Just say there was a change in leadership!" Sweetie Belle spoke up. "Kind of like when you took the throne away from Sombra. Pretty much the same situation, actually, except without the MacGuffin."

"The what?" Scootaloo asked.

"The Crystal Heart."

"But that's not a muffin!"

"Not muffin, MacGuffin. It's a magical artifact that works as a plot device."

"You're a-"

"Flirt later please," Twilight interrupted the two feuding fillies.

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo both stared at Twilight in shock. "Flirt?" they asked simultaneously. They then stared at each other. "EWWW!" they said together, turning away and making gagging sounds.

Cadance leaned over to Twilight. "Too early to stick a hoof in," she whispered, "so leave it alone. Trust me, this is my area of expertise, after all."

Celestia chose to ignore this byplay for the moment. "Hmm...actually, I think I can work with something like that as well. Equestrian history is rife with formerly hated enemies being freed from evil or despotic warlords, only to discover that the races and countries themselves had no choice in the matter. If we make use of that - and the nature of the Changelings as a hive mind that need the Queen to function - then I think we can overcome much of the negative publicity."

Luna nodded, smiling. "Especially seeing as how the new Queen still considers herself an Equestrian."

"But she can't really be a subject if she rules over her own country," Twilight piped up. "Wouldn't that constitute a conflict of loyalties?"

As the more experienced royals began debating the exact details of the new peace, Apple Bloom turned to High General Coin. Do ya think you could take over from here? I don't think I could stay awake for this much diplo-talk.

Coin nodded. Get some rest, Queen Apple Bloom. I will handle this meeting from here.

Smiling, Apple Bloom let her head rest on the table as everypony talked. Her crown once more slipped over her eyes, but this time, she didn't fix it. Instead, she let the darkness over her eyes lull her into an easy sleep, the quiet hum of the hive lulling her like a lullaby as she sank into slumber.

Chapter 9

Apple Bloom futzed briefly against the fabric of her crimson and green gown. “Do I really have to get all dressed up like this?” she asked, frustrated.

“But of course you do!” Rarity exclaimed giddily. “You’re attending the Grand Galloping Gala as an honored guest! You three need to look your absolute best!”

Sweetie Belle stood perfectly still in her pale blue gown, her head at just the right angle as Rarity instructed her. “Rarity…can I move yet?”

Rarity chuckled. “Yes, Sweetie, I’ve finished with your dress. You can move now.”

Sighing in relief, Sweetie relaxed her posture.

“Just don’t step on the gown or tumble, or I’ll have to redo the entire thing.”

Sweetie groaned, barely resisting the urge to facehoof, as that would get makeup on her pristine diamond hoofshoe.

Scootaloo groaned. “Apple Bloom, if it were anyone else, you’d never catch me dead in a dress or at one of these frou-frou parties.” She glanced over at her pale lavender and orange gown, layered like a sunset. “I just wish Rarity hadn’t messed with my hair.”

“Speaking of hair,” Rarity began.

“I have that covered,” Coin interrupted. He pulled out a red ribbon.

Apple Bloom’s eyes widened. “Is that…”

Coin nodded. “We were able to restore your ribbon physically, Apple Bloom. However, the Soma was fully expended when it absorbed that last attack spell.”

“Soma?” all three CMC and Rarity asked in confusion.

“Spirit energy,” Coin explained. “When a pony or other creature owns a specific object for a long time, an imprint of that pony or creature is left on that object long after they have passed on. Changeling magic can interact with Soma, in this case allowing young Apple Bloom to assume a young image of the former owner of this ribbon.”

“Oh,” Apple Bloom said quietly. “So that’s why I looked like Maw…” She had thought it was a sign of Apple Flower’s acceptance of the Apple child she didn’t give birth to.

“However, never before have I seen the Soma in an object actively absorb magic directed at a Changeling that would cause them harm,” Coin continued. “But I have two reported incidents of this happening. The first by our agent who had been impersonating Rainbow Dash. He thought that the ribbon had glowed when Twilight cast her spell to remove Changeling disguises because of an enchantment on the ribbon, but it was the Soma absorbing the spell’s effects that were directed at you, preventing you from being revealed as a Changeling. The second time, I saw with my own eyes an attack spell aimed straight at your chest bend in mid-air to hit the ribbon instead. I don’t know how to explain that.”

Rarity thought for a bit. “If the Soma is an echo of the former owner, is it possible some of Apple Flower’s awareness and feelings were bound up in the energy, and that’s what acted to protect Apple Bloom?”

Coin thought for a time. “I’ve heard of stranger. It’s a distinct possibility.” He stepped back as he finished tying the ribbon in the usual bow in Apple Bloom’s mane. “Unfortunately, without the Soma, the ribbon no longer triggers the normal transformation it had for so long.”

Apple Bloom nodded. “Then I guess I’ll just have to do it myself.” Closing her eyes, she focused her mind on herself. She wasn’t sure if it would work, but it was all she could think of. Just like before, she felt a slight shudder over her body as it reconfigured as she filled her mind with everything she knew of herself. Hearing Sweetie Belle’s gasp, she opened her eyes. “Did it work?” she asked, although hearing her own voice, she realized it didn’t as it still had what she’d come to think of as the ‘Changeling rasp’.

“Umm…sorta?” Scootaloo offered.

Apple Bloom looked down at herself. Her yellow coat had returned, and she felt more like a pony than a Changeling. However, there were still a couple of holes in each of her legs, she still had her fangs, and her horn and gossamer wings were still there. Glancing under her dress, she saw that the apple of her cutie mark also had holes in it, similar to the holes of a Changeling’s limbs. She sighed. “Close enough,” she conceded.

“It’s really…you,” Sweetie Belle pointed out. “It’s like a fusion of you from before you knew your heritage and your Changeling nature. Like all of you together.”

Apple Bloom smiled. “I guess so,” she replied, hugging Sweetie. “Let’s go. We’ve got a party to get to.”

“Don’t forget,” Coin reminded her, “this is also the official signing of the Peace Treaty. It’s important things go smoothly.”

“But that’s not till later, right?” Apple Bloom asked hopefully. “I’ll be able to walk around, see the castle, and try the buffet?”

Coin stared at his youthful queen for a time before sighing. “I suppose.”

“Yay!” all three fillies shouted, jumping up and down in joy.

Coin sighed to himself. Sometimes I can’t tell if I’m supposed to be a Military Commander, a political advisor, or a foalsitter. Shaking his head, he smiled. “Your carriage awaits, my Queen.”

“Coin! I’ve told you to call me Apple Bloom!” The young queen lifted her muzzle disdainfully, unknowingly appearing every inch the offended noble.

Chuckling, Coin guided the three fillies to the waiting carriage – decorated in black, green, and gold as befitting the conveyance of the changeling queen – and the four changelings hitched to it to pull it all the way to Canterlot. Once the three fillies were safely ensconced within, Coin climbed into the driver’s seat. The four soldiers buzzed their wings, lifting the carriage carefully into the sky and marking a heading for Canterlot.

Stepping out of the carriage as they arrived at Canterlot Castle, it was plain that the marvel of attending a grown up party – what had been there to begin with – had been worn down and replaced with nervousness. Simply put, none of them felt like they really belonged there, however excited they might have been in other circumstances, and the other ponies certainly didn’t look happy to see three fillies at the event. Coin, however, had apparently prepared for this as he opened a chest and presented the contents: two tiaras and one larger crown. “The crown of the Changeling Queen, and two tiaras worn by favored Princesses. While not entirely accurate, it should keep anyone from giving any of you problems.”

The two tiaras were simple black circlets with gemstones embedded that glowed with green changeling fire. The crown was several loops of black steel forged to resemble twisted thorny vines. While it didn’t look comfortable, Apple Bloom knew from wearing it before that it was actually quite comfy, if still a little big for her. However, she discovered now that bracing it against her ribbon in her mane helped it sit still and comfortably. Thus marked as important guests, the three fillies made their way into the Grand Galloping Gala.

Although it had been their intention to stick together and help each other, it didn’t take long for the three of them to get separated. Scootaloo found herself completely lost at such a fancy gathering, trying to find some way to just vanish. Unfortunately, stuffing her face off a plate of hors d’oeuvres a stallion passed near her with was the wrong approach. “What?” she said to the plainly offended nobles. “I was hungry!” She thought about what she just ate. “And it didn’t even taste very good.”

A chuckle caught her attention. “Maybe you should have found something better to eat, then.”

She spun around. “Spitfire?” she asked in shock.

Spitfire chuckled. “Come on, kid. Let’s get away from the nobles. We’re bad for their health.”

“Huh?”

Spitfire pointed at how several nobles had turned their noses up at the two of them. “That can’t be good for their necks.”

Laughing, Scootaloo followed Spitfire to where other Wonderbolts were waiting, all of them apparently having heard about her from Rainbow Dash, leaving Scootaloo rather embarrassed but pleased.

Sweetie Belle, on the other hoof, had a bit of a harder time finding her way around the party. She wandered from group to group. Each time she approached a group of nobles, she was quickly invited into the conversation, and then just as quickly ignored. It didn’t take long for her to realize that they had no actual interest in her. They only invited her in so that they could be seen talking with a ‘close friend of the Changeling Queen’. Simply put, they saw her as little more than a piece in the game of power, to be used and ignored. It didn’t take her long after she realized that about each group before she politely excused herself. Eventually, she found herself sitting by the stage, where Octavia Melody and her troupe were performing classical music for the party. She sat down to watch and listen, having lost track of Apple Bloom and Scootaloo and lost interest in politics.

Before long, a white mare with a pale pink mane sat down beside her. “Bored already?” she asked good-naturedly.

Sweetie sighed. “More like disappointed. My sister always talked so glowingly about Canterlot, and how wonderful the ponies here were, and how grand it would be to be part of the in crowd, shaping Equestria. Seeing how shallow they all are is rather…disillusioning.” She glanced up and blushed, realizing how insulting her words must sound. “I meant no offense!”

The mare chuckled. “None taken. The majority of nobles are too full of themselves to remember the noble caste was created to aid Celestia in tending to the country after Moonfall.”

“Moonfall?”

“It’s the historical name for the events leading up to Nightmare Moon’s banishment,” the mare replied. “The noble caste was created to help take up the slack for a grieving Celestia. Not that anyone remembers anymore. I’m not surprised it didn’t take Rarity’s little sister long to see the truth.”

Sweetie Belle’s eyes widened. “You know Rarity?” she asked, surprised.

The mare chuckled. “I met her when she was staying here in Canterlot. My husband and I showed her to quite a few events…the last one actually merging with Twilight’s birthday party.”

At that, Sweetie realized where she knew the mare from. “You’re Fleur de Lis!”

She smiled warmly. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Sweetie Belle. And welcome to the world of politics.”

Sweetie gagged. “You can keep it!” she insisted. “How can you handle it? Talking to all these ponies with false smiles, who are little more than vipers who would stab you in the back without hesitation?”

Fleur chuckled. “Well, there’s two ways one can do it. First, you can find those who actually are genuinely good ponies and laugh with them at the pathetic antics of the bad ones. That makes dealing with them easier.” Sweetie giggles at that notion. “Alternatively, you can achieve a position of such unassailable political importance that you can treat the bad ones however you want and no one can call you on it.”

Sweetie sighed. “That second one sounds pretty good, but the effort it would take-“

“Is minimal for you.”

Sweetie blinked. “Huh?”

“Apple Bloom, as the Queen of the Changelings, is the closest to unassailable political power anypony’s been since the day Celestia first banished Nightmare Moon. The alliance between the Changelings and the Crystal Empire is already formalized, making the swarm all but invincible. If the treaty between the changelings and Equestria falls apart because of the actions of an Equestrian noble, the Crystal Empire would be obligated to aid the Changelings if war came. Simply put, the only reason any of the nobles feel safe in behaving as they have been with you three is because she doesn’t know the strength of her position.”

Sweetie tilted her head. “I…I don’t get it.”

Fleur chuckled. “You don’t need to. Just know that you don’t need to guard your words here. Politics is the last thing you need to worry about.”

Sweetie smiled. “Sounds good. But I’d rather just listen to the music right now.”

Fleur nodded. “Octavia’s quite talented, isn’t she?”

Meanwhile, Apple Bloom was somewhat disoriented. With her Changeling abilities now fully awakened, she could feel the emotional state of everypony around her. The nobles were an interestingly divided group in this case. About a third of them were repulsed by the idea of having to treat with a child Queen, especially a Changeling. Another third were filled with avarice directed at her, apparently seeing her youth as a means of taking advantage of her, using her naiveté against her. The smallest third felt only good-natured curiosity, apparently interested in seeing where these events would go. Apple Bloom did her best to give a friendly smile to everypony, internally shuddering as she feels the revulsion her fanged smile made a good number of ponies feel.

“Ah, Your Majesty!” She turned to see a white unicorn stallion with a blonde mane approaching her. “A pleasure to meet you!”

Apple Bloom briefly tapped the hive mind, identifying the approaching stallion as Blueblood. “Your Highness,” she replies. “A pleasure, I’m certain.”

Blueblood began to speak with her, going on and on about something that was a little over her head. She filtered the words through the hive mind to translate it to a way she could understand, and was informed it was political small talk involving Canterlot fashion.

“I’m sorry,” she interrupted, “but I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She managed a winsome smile. “I’m afraid I’ve had more weighty matters on my mind.”

Blueblood smiled. “Of course, how foolish of me. Certainly a Queen as lovely as yourself would be brilliant as well, keeping her attention only for the most important matters.”

As they were near the buffet, Apple Bloom looked over, wanting to try something. However, she felt her stomach turn, though she knew it wasn’t from the food. As Blueblood continued to talk, she felt the mix of emotions from him: avarice, a desire to use her towards his own ends; overweening pride; a disquieting hunger for power; and most unsettling, a twisted lust. She couldn’t understand the full reason for all of these emotions, but the mix turned her stomach and made her nauseous.

Blueblood smiled as he offered her a selection of morsels on a platter. “Hungry?” he asked.

Apple Bloom stepped back a bit. “Umm…I wasn’t exactly raised to be Queen, so sorry if my words aren’t as polite as they could be, but there’s something I need to say.”

“Certainly,” he replied with an unsettlingly sweet smile. “I hunger for your words.”

Apple Bloom exhaled, inhaled, and began to speak. “As a changeling, I can feel the emotional energies of those around me, and naturally absorb a little from those closest to me in a manner harmless to them. However, each emotion has a taste, and those I’m getting from you are making me physically sick to just be in your presence, to the point I can’t eat anything offered here. So I’m going to have to ask you to get away from me before I call my guards to remove you from my presence.”

Blueblood’s smile turned to a frown. “What? How dare you-“

“She asked you to leave,” a hard voice came from behind him as a dark brown pegasus with a black mane, green eyes, and a golden coin for a cutie mark glared harshly at him.

Blueblood rounded on the pegasus. “And just who do you think you-“

With a flare of green fire, the pegasus’ leg turned into a blade which he held to the prince’s throat. “I’m the one who won’t hesitate to disembowel you and use your corpse as a battle standard if you don’t get away from my queen right this instant.”

Blueblood fainted dead away.

Apple Bloom smiled up at the disguised changeling. “Thanks Coin,” she said, although she still felt a little ill.

Coin gently guided her away from Blueblood’s unconscious form. “Here,” he said, handing her an apple.

She quickly devoured it in just a few bites, feeling it settle her stomach. “A Sweet Apple Acres apple.”

Coin nodded. “As you haven’t yet learned to filter out the emotions of others, I knew you might face an overload induced illness. So I brought a few apples from your home to help settle your stomach should it happen. I thought the familiar taste would help.”

She could feel him shielding her from most of the emotional energy surrounding her. “It’s not just the familiar taste,” she pointed out. “I helped grow these apples, along with my big sis, my big brother, and my granny. I know how much love and care went into carefully growing every single apple…and now I can taste it.”

Coin chuckled. “No wonder you are so powerful, raised as you have been.”

Apple Bloom blinked. “Will…will we get in trouble over what happened with Blueblood? I mean, he is the prince.”

Coin shook his head. “Not at all. In point of fact, you could request a formal apology from Celestia for his behavior.”

“Huh?”

Coin smiled. “The balance of power is still precarious. While we are here to sign a peace treaty, politically you still hold all the cards and the entire world knows it. You could probably ask Celestia to sign the Treaty with a rubber chicken if you wanted.”

Apple Bloom giggled. “While that would be funny, I don’t really want to do that. Celestia’s nice. Though I might ask that Blueblood tender an apology.”

Coin nodded. “Perhaps you should. Although you should know, given the currently charged political environment, that any action you take will likely have long lasting impact.”

Apple Bloom’s eyes widened. “Any action?” Coin nodded. “In that case, should I eat more apples?”

Coin chuckled. “If you so desire.” He handed her another to devour.

After a time, Apple Bloom reunited with her friends, and made her way to the throne. There, she was awaited by Celestia, Luna, and Twilight. Together, under much ceremony and formality – enough, at any rate, to make Scootaloo fall asleep in her chair, to the amusement of many – the Pax Apple treaty was signed, bringing an official end to the state of war between Equestria and the Changelings, and cementing the alliance between the two countries.

Coin sat back as he watched his young queen. She is a real hooffull, he thought to himself, but she’s managed to do more for our people than the past 15 queens. Perhaps having her ascend so young will turn out to be a good thing. Certainly, her youth will give her much more leeway politically than most could expect, and her adorability will win many allies.

He sighed sadly. I dread informing her, however, that she will be able to take advantage of her youth for at least another century…

Author's Note

As many questions have been asked about this, allow me to clarify.

I've mentioned Apple Bloom accessing the hive mind. At her current stage of development, the hive mind is basically a combination of a database with thousands of viewpoints adding details. She can't interpret the whole thing at once. She just sends out a query, and receives an answer. In this case, she asked the hive mind for help to not make a fool of herself at the Gala.