*Well… nothing's happened yet...*

~Don’t think like that so soon Ember.~ Ruby said.

*It’s already been a full day. Something would’ve happened by now...* I thought while watching some World’s Dumbest on Trutv. Chrisy to my right, Spark on my right, and my dogs sleeping off in the corner of the living room. It almost had family vibe to it. As if the three of us were a family.

I couldn’t argue with that. These two felt like family to me. It makes me feel... content. Like there isn’t anything I have to worry about.

Of course, I have that building I set on fire to worry about, but this moment kinda lets me forget about it.

Knock knock knock

But, then again, this world seems to know what I’m thinking all the time.

“I’ll get it.” I said with a groan as I got up. I went over to the front door and opened it to see a large number of guards right outside.

“Ember?” A guard that looked to be the leader of this group got my attention.

“Yes?”

“Can you come with us? We would like to ask you a few questions.” He asked. I instantly knew what he meant, but I needed to play dumb, and also to play cool.

“... May I ask why?” The guard seemed surprised at my question, but answered me otherwise.

“You have been accused of burning down the ‘Naughty Filly’. A social night club.” He said. “And you have been accused of being a changeling in disguise.” At that I widen my eyes faux surprise. They apparently either wanted or didn’t expect me to react like that. I saw many mixed faces amongst the crowd.

“And you want to come with you to either prove or disprove these accusations?” I assumed calmly.

“... Yes.” The guard said unsurely.

“Alright, lead the way.” I said while nodding, I then motioned with a hand for him to lead me to… wherever the hell we’re going to do this crap. But all I got were shocked ponies. They apparently couldn’t believe I was so willing.

“A-alright. But… before we continue. We have to… we have to place these restraints on you.” Another guard handed -hoofed, a pair of handcuffs. I nodded and presented my wrists. He went about putting them on me very shakily. Once that was over with the group of guards started escorting to wherever they go to carry this kinda stuff out.

“Any update on the arson case?” Strong Hoof asked one of his subordinates. Who saluted before answering.

“Sir, we received word we have Ember the Human in custody.” The guard’s reply surprised the Lieutenant, almost pleasantly.

“That easily?” He questioned. The lower ranked guard nodded.

“I was told he was put under custody willingly.”

*I knew it was too good to be true.* Strong Thought with a smirk. “Take me to him. Let’s get this over with.” The guard he spoke to saluted once more and began escorting his superior to the human. *Looks like Air Strike owes me ten bits.* Strong smirked, though, it faltered ever so slightly. *I hope… Faust, let me be right...*

The guards lead me all the way to Canterlot. All the fucking way there. We took the train there, and I got a lot of looks, varying from shock to surprised, to anger from here to there. Even the nobles were being more snobbish around me than usual. No idea why though. Has word about my being a changeling spread that quickly? Could be the case.

“Wow, word spread quickly.” I heard one guard whisper to another. Confirming my suspicions. “Hopefully we can clear his name.”

“I hope so too.” I said suddenly, for them anyway. They looked back to me and I smirked. The two guards smiled nervously.

*I just wonder what Celestia and Luna thinks about all of this…*

Lieutenant Strong Hoof stood right outside the interrogation room the accused human was sitting in. He peered in through a large one-way mirror. Though, it gave him and the other guards chills that the human was looking right at them through the mirror as if he knew they were there. Strong shook his head, there is no way the human could know that, right?

“He is acting astonishingly calm about all of this...” One guard remarked.

“It could mean that he really is innocent.” Another added, defending the widely respected human.

“Yes, it could.” Strong said steadily. “We won’t know for sure until Captain Shining Armor arrives.” The guards around Strong turned to him, confusion plastered on their armored faces.

“Why is the Captain coming?” One of them dared to ask.

“He’s the only one with any real experience with changelings. He also apparently knows a spell that can force a changeling to lose its disguise. When he arrives we’ll know for sure whether the accusations made by the colt are true.”

“But… I thought the truth or lie spell was all we needed?” Strong shook his head.

“It’s not that simple. It’s very easy to bypass that spell when you know what to look for.”

“And you think the colt knew how to do that?” Strong let out a sigh.

“Foals these days… They’re growing more and more rebellious.” That was all he needed to say, for every stallion knew this was true. Although, not entirely, yes, there were some colts and fillies that really are well-behaved. He just felt that there has been an increase of rebellious teens that don’t favor the royal guard very well.

Strong once again shook himself from those thoughts. He hadn’t the time, nor does he want to, think about today's youth. He has a human’s good name to restore.

Ah! And here comes the Captain! What perfect timing!

*Well, this is interesting* I thought after the guards took me to a room the looked scarily like an interrogation room. I am seriously starting to thing this world was based off of ours. Maybe even the other way around.

No… no… It can’t be the other way around. Earth’s too dark and grim compared to this place. On the surface anyway.

And I’ve been staring straight at the one way mirror. And that I’ve probably been creeping out whoever’s on the other side.

*Eh…* I shrug mentally. The door then suddenly opens, and Shining Armor walks in and sits across the table from me.

“Shining? The hell you doing here?” I asked, a little surprised that he of all ponies are here.

“I’ve heard you’ve been accused of being a changeling.” He stated. “I am here to prove whether or not that’s true.” He said blankly.

“Cool, so how’re you gonna do this? Some kind of spell?” I asked casually.

“Yes… something like that.” Shining nodded. “If you aren’t a changeling, then this won’t hurt.”

“Alright then, let’s get this over with.” Shining’s eyes widen, as if not expecting my response. But he then nodded and and his horn lit a deep purple and I felt a rush of magic flow throughout my body. “Oh~ Fuck that felt weird.” A shiver ran down my spine.

“Yeah, forgot to mention that.” Shining said with a relieved sigh. “I really thought you were changeling, sorry about that.” I wave it off.

“Nah. Don’t worry about it.” I smile. “Seeing you here. I kinda understand why. The whole ‘sticking me in a room’ thing.”

“What?” I looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “... Ooooooh… right… the wedding...” Shining scratched a hoof at the back of his neck.

“Yeah. That. I figured you with the most ‘experience’ with changelings, would want to prevent anything like that little fiasco happening again.”

~Wow, great story you just made up.~ Ruby commented.

*Thank you. It is sort of true though.*

“Yeah. That's kinda the case… Sorry again.” Shining said.

“Dude, don’t worry about it.” I laugh. “I get where you’re coming from. Oh and there’s something I wanted to tell you.”

“What?”

“You know there are more hives than Chrysalis’s, right?”

“Uuuuh… Yes… where are you going with this?”

“Oh, nowhere.” I lean back in my chair. “I just wanted to let you know that Twilight’s helping another changeling hive.”

“What!? Where is she!? How did they take her!?” He put his forelegs on the table.

“Relax. She’s fine.” I hold my hands in a placating way. “Just listen. This particular hive has been suffering pretty badly after the wedding, they weren't part of the invasion by the way. And in fact, I decided to get Twilight to help them when I heard, from the queen herself, what they have been through. And let me tell you, it was pretty rough for them before I showed up.”

“How are you so sure they haven’t just put you under their influence.”

“Whatever you just did earlier proves my point, I think. Whatever you did, it would have broken any kind of link the queen may have had on me, right?”

“Yes, I designed it to cancel out all kinds of changeling magic.” He said.

“See? That does prove my point; right now, I still wanted to help them out. You have no idea what you and Cadence have done to them.”

“What do you mean?”

“Dude, Shining. Cut the shit, you I know that you have gone out of yours and your wife's way to prevent any changeling from walking on Equestrian soil. I know you’ve bumped up security on border towns and cities, I know you had ponies create spells to detect changelings and force them to revert to their true form. You have to understand, they live off of love and positive emotions. And you made it that much harder for them to fucking live.” I pinched my pointer and thumb as close as I could to emphasize my point. “How the hell do you think you can just wipe out an entire race when only a small portion of them were responsible for ruining you fucking wedding?”

“I… u-uh...” He stuttered.

“Lemme answer that for you; you never thought about that. Nor did you ever think that maybe, just maybe. Not every changeling is evil. Now, don’t get me wrong, I know what you’ve been through even before your wedding. Being under someone’s spell can fuck anyone up. But, come on dude. After years of amped up security, you never had a thought like that?”

“Well… n-not really… no...” The stallion in front of wilted at my words. He also looked down in shame. He even took himself off the table, it affected him that badly.

“I thought so, but don’t feel like a piece of shit, you already are." He glared at me, and I ignored it. "But you can still do something right.” Shining looked up at me. “Twilight is doing her best to help this one hive out. And I want those guys to eventually be part of society. It would be a huge fucking help if you, you know, helped them out yourself.” Good god I said ‘help’ too many times.

Shining thought about it for some time. At least, it looked like it. If him looking at the table with a determined look suggested that. After about… a good few minutes, he looked back up, his face hardened on that determination it seems.

“I’ll… I’ll do what I can. I don’t know about Cadence...” He said. Bringing a smile to my face.

“Better than nothing.” I said. “But if Cadence doesn't like the idea. Let me talk to her.”

“Uh… Ok. Why?”

“I’ll just give her the same speech I did to Twilight, she didn't like the idea at first.”

“Oh… What did you say to her to convince her? It’s kinda hard to do something like that.”

“Eh...” I shrug. “I just put up a good argument.” I snicker. “She’d tell you different story though.”

“Why?”

“... You better ask her yourself when you have the time.” I replied.

“Ok...”

“Anyway,” I got off my seat stretching my back. “I think we should clear my name or some shit.”

“Oh! Right. The whole accusation stuff. Let’s go.” Shining nodded and left the room with me in tow. “He isn’t a changeling. We should let the ponies know, they're probably waiting outside by now.” This made me pause.

“Whoa, ponies actually care about this shit?”

“You’d be surprised.” Shining said with a tired sigh. “The ponies here can’t get enough of this kind of stuff. There’s probably a news article about already being printed.”

“Wow, ok… Good thing you came then huh?”

“Yes, though, I still think the truth will be warped in some way.”

“Oh, you have no idea...”

“What?”

“Nothing. Let’s go.”

“New development on Ember accusations.” Read the top of a newspaper. “The human with his true identity called into question, has been proven buy none other than Captain Shining Armor to be an actual human. And not a changeling in disguise. We at Canterlot Press have attempted to get a few words from the human and Captain Armor. Neither had any comments about the case. But Ember the human did have one comment to make:”

“This is not a threat, but merely a warning; You don't fuck with humans." When asked what this meant, he explained. “We humans have our own form of tolerance, it'd be best in everyone's interests to not see what happens when we are pushed passed our limits.” Reporter Gatherer has asked the human for further clarification, but unfortunately he teleported to an unknown destination.

And while his statements are vague. We have yet to determine the true meaning of his words.

“Celestia damn it.” A colt reading a newspaper banged a hoof on the table was sitting at. Earning a few looks from other Canterlottians. “How did that bug hypnotize the Captain of the guard?” He shook his head. “I’m going to need more help. Good thing my dad has lots of friends that can help me out.”

~Today was certainly eventful.~ Ruby said, a notable bit of sarcasm in the gem’s voice.

“Yeah,” I lean back in my office chair. “got accused of being a fucking changeling. Got Shining to join in on the whole ‘helping Mirages hive’ thing. Not to mention I burned down a building a few days ago.”

-True.-

=Got that right.= The voices in my head said in agreement.

~Alright, playing the sarcasm game against three of the same people is completely unfair.~

“Since when does that matter? Your thousands of years old. I thought you’d be better at sarcasm.”

~You may seriously stop with those comments. They are agitating.~

“Well, you act like you’ve only been around for a couple decades. I just think someone with your kind of life would develop a persona like Celestia. At least, when it comes to dealing with people like me.”

~Didn’t I ever tell you I fall into a dormant state when I am not worn!?~ Ruby snapped.

“No, you never did.” I respond. “That would’ve been useful info.”

~Yes? Well, it may have slipped my mind… Don’t you say it.~

“What?”

~Don’t you go telling me off about the phrases I use!~

“They are a little odd when they come from you. But, it makes sense now that you said you basically only are awake when someone’s wearing you. Or in this case, when you’re inside someone.”

~... You are disgusting.~

“Deal with it.”