First Impressions

If one were to look at the student body of Canterlot High, the first thing they would notice is just how well everyone got on with one another. Oh sure, there were squabbles and disputes every now and again, but for the most part, the students there got on perfectly well, far more so than most other High Schools. And so it was that they had all gathered for lunch in the school's massive cafeteria, discussing their day and just generally catching up with their friends. There was, however, one sore spot in all of this, and it happened as soon as the doors opened. For the one who now entered was greeted not with smiles, but with frowns and looks of distrust. Adagio Dazzle, leader of the exiled Sirens of Equestria. It had not been long since she and her sisters had been defeated at this very school, rendering them powerless, and since then, the three of them had been getting by largely due to the fact that their one-time rivals, the Rainbooms had opted to try and integrate them with the rest of the students.

Despite their best efforts however, many of the students still bore unhappy feelings towards them, as evidenced by the looks they were all giving Adagio as she made her way towards the food stations. It was something that bothered her, perhaps, more than anything. After all, what she and her sisters had wanted more than anything was to be adored, and that chance had been taken away from them forever, along with their powers. It was a bitter thought, but one Adagio knew she could not change, and thus, she simply tried her best to put up with her new circumstances. Aria and Sonata were not with her at this time, and as the Siren leader turned her head, she could see them already eating their lunch with the Rainbooms some ways away from her, on their usual table. But for now, she focused on getting her own meal, and it was not long before she reached the station. She did her best to ignore the looks she was getting, instead picking out a few lunch items, sandwiches and such, before finally reaching the payment counter.

Much like the students, the cashier was looking at her with some degree of disdain, but nevertheless did his job of taking note of Adagio's lunch before speaking to her.

"That'll be ten dollars, Miss."

Even a novice to reading people would have recognised that angry tone in which he'd spoken to her, but even so, she tried to put up with it. She reached into her pocket, pulling out her wallet soon afterwards, ready to pay the man. However, as she opened it, she let out a groan as she saw that she had little money in there. I remember now, she thought to herself, I forgot to pick up some cash before coming out today. Sliding her wallet back into her pocket, she looked up at the cashier and gave a small shrug of her shoulders. The man gave a scoffing sound before reaching forward, ready to take her tray away from her. However, much to the surprise of both him and Adagio, he was stopped by the sudden arrival of a hand at Adagio's right, holing a crisp, ten-dollar note. Adagio turned to see that it was a boy she had not noticed until now, whose eyes were fixed firmly on the cashier.

"No problem, Sir. I'll pay."

The cashier looked at the boy for a moment with some uncertainty, but nevertheless took the note off him, giving Adagio a final scornful look before gesturing for the next student. With her lunch now paid for, Adagio had a chance to truly pay attention to her lunch-time rescuer. He was about her age, at least in a physical sense, since she was technically a few thousand years older. He had a lean figure, fairly pale skin, short jet-black hair and an almost-piercing set of light-blue eyes. His attire seemed to have one common theme; A love of the colour black. Shirt, jacket, shoes and everything in-between was all a shade of that dark colour. His expression was difficult to read, though he maintained a small smile as he watched Adagio. The Dazzling regarded him carefully for a while, still clutching her lunch tray in her hands. Eventually though, she broke the silence, clearing her throat before addressing him.

"I appreciate the help, whoever you are. But I was perfectly capable of handling that matter myself."

The young man gave a chuckle before replying to that.

"Oh, I'm sure."

Whether he was speaking in jest, Adagio couldn't tell. And if there was one thing that got on her nerves, it was being unable to read people. So, instead, she simply began to move off, intending to head over to where her sisters and the Rainbooms were. However, it was not long before she found her new "friend" walking alongside her, his eyes never leaving her. After a while, she finally turned to look at him, at which point he spoke up at last.

"Would you mind if I were to join you?"

This was, needless to say, something Adagio had not been expecting. Ever since that fiasco at the Battle of the Bands, the students of this school had been avoiding her and her sisters like the plague. And now, here was this stranger, asking to join her at lunch as if it was the most normal thing in the world. As one might expect, Adagio was rather conflicted in this. Surprise, suspicion and general annoyance all vied for position within her mind right now. In time, however, she simply shrugged her shoulders at him.

"If you must."

Her words were short and to the point, but even so, that did not seem to damper her companion's smile one bit. She walked on through the cafeteria, the boy close behind her, and it was not long before they earned the interested of more than a few of the students they passed. With Adagio and her sisters being as unpopular as they were, many of them looked on with surprise to see this boy keeping her company. It was one of the few instances where Adagio felt that she had something in common with these people. Eventually, Adagio reached the table where the Rainbooms and her sisters were seated. However, she felt that it might not be such a good idea to expose her family to this newcomer just yet, and so instead chose to find somewhere else to sit and eat. As she passed the table, Aria and Sonata looked up to her, their faces bearing both surprise and confusion at her actions. Adagio shot them back a look that, with any luck, let them know that she would explain what was going on later.

And so it was that she and the boy made their way towards the outermost edge of the cafeteria where, thankfully, there was a lone, unoccupied table. Adagio placed her tray down, taking a seat at the table before picking up her sandwich and taking a bite. The boy sat opposite from her, taking out a can of soda that he'd been carrying since she first encountered him, taking a brief sip from it. There was silence between the two for a while, but it eventually broke when the boy spoke up at last.

"Well, I must say, I never thought I'd have the chance to speak to you."

Adagio raised an eyebrow at that.

"Really. And what, pray tell, is so important about speaking to me of all people?"

The boy let out a chuckle.

"Seriously? You're Adagio Dazzle! Leader of the Dazzlings! That alone makes you worth talking to!"

It was a tone she had not heard for some time. But she knew it all too well. The manner this boy had just spoken to her was unmistakeably one of admiration. He wanted to be here with her. Why, Adagio didn't know, but even so, it was the first time in a long time that any student here, save for the Rainbooms, had treated her like anything other than mud. But, rather than showing appreciation for his mannerisms, Adagio maintained her stoic appearance as she replied.

"If you know who I am, then I have to ask why you'd wish to sit here with me. My sisters and I aren't exactly popular right now. Being here is probably going to be social suicide for you, you do know that, right?"

The boy scoffed at that.

"Oh sure, I've heard what people have said. But I don't really care for that. After all, I remember seeing you and your sisters up on the stage during the battle of the bands. You were incredible, every single time."

Adagio watched him carefully as he spoke those words, still not quite believing what she'd heard. There didn't seem to be a hint of sarcasm or falsehood in his voice. And yet, there was something there she couldn't quite put her finger on. Even so, the fact that she was listening to someone who seemed to have nothing but positive things to say about her was a welcome change of pace.

"I appreciate the kind words, boy. But surely you know what I am? What my sisters are? What we planned?"

The boy nodded at that.

"Of course I do. I was there for the whole thing. But it doesn't matter to me. Just...hearing your songs, the way you outright owned the stage...how could I not love that?"

The Siren leader let out a chuckle at that, still unsure of what to make of all this. She regarded him carefully, trying to see if there was anything potentially wrong with him to make him say these things. He seemed perfectly healthy at first glance, no issues to speak of. If he was lying, he was very good at hiding it. And if it was true, that he meant what he was saying to her, then she could not help but feel some small measure of comfort in that. Whenever she and her sisters had received praise for their songs, it had always been from those under the influence of her magic. To hear it now, from someone seemingly free of that, was a new experience she had not known. She gave a small smile, but only briefly. For as her mind dwelt on his words, his compliments of her singing, she began to dwell on one very obvious fact of her recent life. As such, she raised a hand upwards and gently placed it upon her bare neck, turning away from him slightly as she spoke up.

"I suppose you'll have to do without hearing those songs now."

Turning, Adagio noted for the first time that the boy began to look somewhat stern. His eyes bore the clear signs of being angered by something, though it was not until he spoke that she began to understand why.

"It was a travesty, what was done to you. You had a great gift, and did not deserve to have it stolen like it was."

This was, perhaps, the most intriguing thing yet about him. If he was there, hearing her songs along with the rest of the students, then he was most likely under the same enchantment as they were. He was, Adagio had to admit, an outright victim of her and her sisters. And yet, not only was he praising and defending her, but also denouncing the decision to strip them of their magic and singing. The whole experience was quite surreal to say the least, and for the first time in a very long while, Adagio did not know how to react to all this. However, as she sat in silence, she began to notice something. It was subtle, but she could still sense it. Although she and her sisters had lost their powers, they still remained somewhat sensitive to magic, and here, in this place, Adagio began to feel it. The best way to describe it was that the air felt different, almost charged, like the air after a lightning strike. She had not expected to sense such things, but soon she began to realise that she had, in fact, been feeling this for some time now.

Realisation then dawned on her as she began to understand that this sensation, that had been quietly unnoticed in the back of her mind until now, only began when she met this youth. She turned her eyes towards him, seeing him sit there as he busied himself with his drink. Thankfully, he didn't notice as she began to study him. It took only a moment, but that was all Adagio needed to confirm that this boy was truly the source of the sensation. There was magic in him, and more importantly, it was a kind she recognised. Now that she realised that there was enchantment at work here, she could get a better feel for it, and soon enough, she felt that this magic was very much akin to the kind that Sirens used. At first, she suspected that this might explain his attitude towards her, that perhaps he might still be under their spell, praising her like the other students once did when they had their powers. But that suspicion was short-lived, as further concentration led her to realise that there were tiny differences in the magic within him. Whatever power this was, it was more than likely that it belonged to him, and not her.

Realising that there was more to the boy than she first thought, a terrible thought began to creep into her mind. Has he been trying to trick me this whole time? Luring me into complacency? It was not a thought that endeared itself to her, that much was certain. However, if there was one thing Adagio knew how to do, it was turn things in her favour. If this boy thinks he can outsmart me, he has another thing coming, she thought. So, with a new purpose in mind, she gently cleared her throat before assuming a different posture, with one hand carefully placed at the top of her chest, her face looking at him in the most innocent manner she could muster. On top of that, she began to speak in her "special" tone, the way she knew males like him enjoyed hearing from her.

"Oh, I do so appreciate you being so kind towards me. So many have talked down to my sisters and I...I just didn't know what to do!"

The boy turned back to her, his expression softening from what it had been earlier.

"You don't need to worry about anything, Adagio. I can promise you that."

The Siren had to resist the urge to smirk at that. Got him, she thought. Boys just can't resist wanting to help some poor, helpless maiden. Makes them feel all noble and heroic. Pointing her head downwards slightly, she aimed her eyes upwards towards him in the most convincing puppy-dog way possible.

"I cannot thank you enough. You truly are a blessing."

The boy gave chuckle at that briefly before speaking up again.

"Well...helping a special young lady like you...how could I not?"

Adagio let out a faux-giggle at that, which the boy seemed to smile at. Adagio also noted that he was starting to lean closer, perhaps feeling safer about approaching her. Once again, the Siren leader had to fight the urge to give away just how easy she thought this was going. Instead, she leaned forward like he did, looking at him in an increasingly-amorous manner. The boy gave a nervous chuckle, which Adagio noted was actually rather adorable, before looking right into her eyes, almost entranced by them. They grew closer and closer, like the kind of scene that would play out in a thousand cheesy romance movies. However, rather than end in a kiss, it ended with the boy being taken surprise by Adagio, as the latter swiftly raised her hand and grabbed onto the collar of his shirt, dragging him closer and glaring at him in an angry manner.

"Do you take me for an idiot?! I have lived far too long to fail to recognise manipulation when I see it!"

The boy, as one might expect, was rather taken aback by this turn in her behaviour, and briefly struggled against her grip. However, as it became increasingly clear to him that Adagio was not fooling around in this, his expression became more steely, and then, to Adagio's surprise, a small smirk appeared.

"I must congratulate you then, Miss Dazzle. I was hoping I would see this kind of talk from you."

Adagio raised an eyebrow at that.

"If you wanted to see me angry, there were easier ways of going about it."

The boy chuckled at that.

"Naturally. But after everything I've seen and heard of you, I knew I'd need to get a better feel of you, to get in closer. After all...out-of-town types like us cannot take unnecessary risks."

Those words caught Adagio off-guard immediately, and she released the boy from her grip, allowing him to lean back into her chair. After leaning back herself, she watched him carefully, as if seeing him for the first time. The way he looked at her now, not with admiration, but with sheer concentration, was quite a U-turn. But always, his words repeated themselves over and over in her mind, until finally, she broke the silence.

"You're...Equestrian? Like me?"

The boy nodded.

"My name is Vanidicus. And yes, I am from Equestria. But I am no pony, if that's what you're worried about."

Adagio considered that carefully, raising her eyebrow at him before addressing him yet again.

"Then...what are you, exactly?"

The boy, Vanidicus, gave a small smirk before leaning in closer again.

"Tell me. How much do you know...about Changelings?"

Consulting the Rainbooms

"A Changeling?"

The confusion and surprise in Sunset Shimmer's voice was clear as she looked to Adagio, who simply nodded in confirmation. The two of them, the Rainbooms, Aria and Sonata were all sitting together in various places in what was traditionally the Canterlot High music room. Nowadays, however, it had become the Rainboom's unofficial headquarters within the school, even though they mostly just practiced their music here. Since the Dazzlings had been accepted into their group, so to had they been permitted to join them whenever they met up here. But even so, despite this acceptance, there were still clear signs of division between them, evidenced by the fact that both groups largely kept to their own side of the room. The one notable exception to this was Pinkie and Sonata, who were sitting together in the middle of the room, quietly having a soda-drinking contest, oblivious to everything that was going on. Adagio, ignoring the two girls' antics, let out a sigh and replied to Sunset.

"I was as surprised as you, but I think he's the real deal."

Sunset considered that carefully, but was soon interrupted from her train of thought when Rainbow spoke up.

"Er...not to sound dumb or anything...but what the heck is a Changeling?"

The former unicorn regarded her friend, a concerned look on her face. It didn't happen often, but there were times when she forgot that her friends were not as versed in the lore of Equestria as she was. She looked around as all of her friends, even Pinkie Pie at this point, watched her with great interest. As such, she took a deep breath before starting to explain herself.

"Well...when I was growing up, they were only myths. Tales were told of creatures that could disguise themselves as anything. And with that power, they'd get close to ponies, imitating their loved ones. By doing that, they fed off the power of ponies' love for one another. When I was young, they were just children's stories. The kind of thing parents would tell their foals to make sure they behaved."

Sunset narrowed her eyes somewhat before continuing.

"But recently, that no longer seems to be the case. When Twilight visited us last, I got the chance to catch up and find out what's been going on in Equestria during my absence. Turns out, the Changelings were real. They launched an all-out invasion of Canterlot, our capital, and very nearly won. Thankfully, Twilight and her friends managed to drive them out."

With every word she spoke, the Rainbooms all looked utterly aghast as they began to understand the gravity of the situation. And Sunset could not blame them. To hear that such creatures existed was one thing, but to find out that one of them was here? Among their own people? That was something else altogether. The girls all looked to each other, showing clear concern about all this. Turning, Sunset noted that even Aria and Sonata were looking worried, which wasn't something that happened often. Meanwhile, Adagio kept silent, looking deep in thought over all this. Given that she was the one the Changeling approached, it was hard for Sunset to guess how she was feeling about it. However, her attention was drawn to Rarity, who spoke up after a long silence.

"I say, Sunset, those creatures sound utterly ghastly! But...if you say they waged outright war with your people...does that mean we have a full-on war criminal on our hands here?"

That was a question that caught everyone's notice, even Adagio's. Sunset thought long and hard about it before answering her.

"Hard to say. We know so little about their people. It could be that this one wasn't involved in the Canterlot invasion. We won't know until we question him."

The girls all nodded at that, seemingly satisfied with that. In time, however, a new sound could be heard. And as Sunset turned, she saw that it was none other than Adagio herself, who had been quietly muttering for a moment before speaking more loudly.

"Whether he was involved or not, I can assure you, Changelings are dangerous. Although there was never any real proof, our kind had often been thought of as distant relations. Both of us feed off emotions to some extent, and both of us used magic to make it happen, albeit in very different ways. We met a few during out days in Equestria, and let me tell you, they were most unpleasant creatures. Scurrying about like the insects they were. They were not the kind we wanted to stick around to find out about."

The Rainbooms listened to Adagio's carefully, all somewhat interested in hearing their old rivals' opinion on the matter. After all, the Sirens themselves had been more than a handful when they had access to magic, so if they, of all people, were providing a warning on these creatures, that was saying something. After this, Applejack looked towards Adagio and spoke to her.

"So...how'd you respond to this little revelation of his?"

The Dazzling leader gave a brief shrug of her shoulders before leaning back into her chair and folding her arms.

"I didn’t say a thing to him. After he told me what he was, I went straight to you girls."

Needless to say, that surprised them a great deal, but what was even more surprising was that it was Aria who ended up questioning her about it.

"Why? Didn't you think you could handle this little bug yourself?"

Adagio had not trouble detecting the slight tint of mockery in her younger sister's voice, and so shot her a dark look, prompting Aria to look away while quietly chuckling to herself. After a brief moment, Adagio turned to the otters, still frowning a little.

"My reasons are simple. After everything that's happened to the three of us, I wasn't about to risk inviting even more trouble by sticking around with that boy."

Sunset nodded at that. Wanting to keep out of trouble was probably a wise move, given the Dazzlings' history, but she wondered for a moment if there wasn't actually more to it. Adagio had not said it outright, but the former-unicorn had the distinct impression that her real reason for coming forward about this was to ensure the wellbeing of her sisters, Aria and Sonata. From the short time in which they'd known each other, the one thing that had always stood out about Adagio was how protective she was of them. As such, Sunset couldn't help but give a small and appreciative smile towards the Siren leader. However, she quickly looked away before Adagio actually caught sight of her. Thankfully, her attention was then drawn to Fluttershy, who began to speak up in that quiet and meek way she was so famous for.

"Um...where is he now? I mean...if you don't mind me asking."

Sunset shook her head a little before answering.

"It's fine, Fluttershy. When Adagio told me who it was we were dealing with, I asked some of the guys to stick close to him and keep an eye on him. Given everything that's happened to this school because of people like me and the Sirens over there, they didn't hesitate to volunteer to help keep him under control."

Fluttershy considered that for a moment before speaking up again.

"But...won't Principal Celestia get mad if we do that? I mean...he hasn't done anything wrong yet...right?"

Sunset knew Fluttershy had a point, but it was not her who comforted her on the matter, but rather Applejack.

"Don't y'all worry about a thing, sugarcube. We're just keepin an eye on the fella. If he don't do harm ta us or others, we ain't gonna do so ta him."

Fluttershy heard the honesty in her friend's words, and for a brief moment, she gave a smile that let everyone know that she was okay with that arrangement. However, that smile soon vanished once Rainbow spoke up, who first scoffed before addressing the group.

"Ugh! Are you kidding me! I mean, no offense Sunset..."

She then turned to the Dazzlings and gave a somewhat stern look at them before continuing.

"...or you girls...but every time something weird like this shows up at the school, things go crazy real quick. I say we just break out the guitars, sing a song and BOOM! Problem solved before it even starts!"

Many of Rainbow's friends groaned at that plan, with Sunset especially slapping her forehead with frustration over the sheer brashness of it. However, before she could speak about it, Aria interrupted her.

"I never thought I'd say this, but I agree with Rainbow. The bug is a problem, and you girls have the power to make that problem go squish. Case closed."

The word "squish" had been emphasised by a very dramatic clenching of Aria's fist, which was an image that caused Fluttershy to hide behind her long hair. As the shy girl was being comforted by Rarity, Sunset frowned at Aria, and then at Rainbow, before giving her response to that plan.

"Just because we have the power, doesn't mean we're going to use it for every problem that comes up. We have to be more responsible than that. This Changeling could have attacked Adagio to try and get whatever it is that he wants, but he didn't. Instead, he approached her like anyone else and spoke to her. Through deceit, I admit, but still not something to use magic against. I say we do the same. We talk to him, question him, and find out what he's after."

Aria let out another scoffing sound and leaned back into the wall she'd propped herself up against. After giving her sister a quick glance, Adagio addressed Sunset.

"Her could always lie about his intentions, dear."

Sunset nodded at that.

"Maybe...but it's still the right thing to do."

Adagio considered that for a moment before letting out a sigh, shrugging her shoulders and leaning back into her chair. It wasn't a gesture of agreement, Sunset knew that, but it was one that showed she was at least willing to go along with this plan. Not much, but a start, Sunset thought to herself. Looking around, she saw that all of her friends were looking equally unsure about all this. Sunset could not blame them, for this was a dangerous road they were going down. In truth, even Sunset had doubts about speaking to this Changeling. It reminded her of an old saying she'd read about once; Accepting a serpent means inviting poison into your heart. Those words had always made her shiver every time she thought about them, and for a moment, she wondered if this was truly the right thing to do. So, letting out a sigh, she stood up from her chair and addressed the whole group, Rainbooms and Dazzlings together.

"Alright then...let's bring him in."

Interrogation

The mood in the music room was, understandably, quite tense, as both the Rainbooms and Dazzlings sat or stood in their various spots, watching the door of the room with both anticipation and some degree of fear. They counted the moments, waiting for their new arrival to get here, but soon, that patience was rewarded, as the door slowly began to creep open. The girls all watched as a pair of boys began to enter. The first was one they knew well. Flash Sentry, Sunset's former boyfriend, and head of one of the school's other bands. Beside him stood Random Insert, known as Randy to his friends, the sight of whom Sonata couldn't help but give a wave to, which the boy nervously returned. However, both he and Flash gained stern looks as they both stood aside, allowing a third entrant into the room. And it was here that the girls tensed up a little. For there he was, the Changeling in human skin, walking in slowly, taking in each and every person in the room as he entered.

The girls did not appreciate his glance, especially with those piercing blue eyes of his. As he entered however, the girls all saw that he was accompanied by another two of the school's male students. First, there was Big Macintosh, Applejack's older brother, who was watching the Changeling intently. Though they could not blame him, since the guy was being exposed to his younger sister right now. Beside him stood an even larger boy, Bulk Biceps, who was perhaps the least acquainted with the group, but still on relatively good terms with them. The sight of all four of those boys being used to escort this one person might have seemed like overkill, but when visitors from Equestria were concerned, one couldn't be too careful. The boys escorted the newcomer to a chair in the middle of the room, and both Mac and Bulk placed a hand on his shoulders before forcing him to sit in it. With their visitor now seated, Sunset gave him a somewhat stern look before gesturing to Applejack. The farm girl nodded at her before reaching behind her and pulling out a length of rope, after which she began to approach the boy.

Aria, though, couldn't help but chuckle at that sight.

"Jeez, Apples. You could at least take him out to dinner first before breaking out the bondage gear."

Applejack shot Aria a look of annoyance, as did Adagio for that matter, before getting back to the matter at hand. She stood next to the boy and began wrapping the rope around his middle, pinning his arms to his body. After this, she made sure the rope was secured to the chair, which would make movement even more difficult for him. Having made sure the knots were tight, Applejack gave a nod to Sunset, after which the latter turned to the four boys.

"Thanks for your help. We can take it from here."

All of the boys, Flash especially, gave them concerned looks after hearing that. However, after giving each other silent glances, they nodded in agreement before making their way outside. However, Flash gave a "we'll be outside if you need us" look to Sunset before exiting, which the latter responded to with an appreciative smile. With the boys now gone, the girls were alone with the Changeling, and the mood was quite definitely an uncomfortable one. This was the first time anyone in their group had ever done something like this, and all of them were feeling a little on-edge about it. Fluttershy especially seemed worried about it, taking refuge right behind Rainbow as she looked at their captive. In time however, the silence was broken, but to everyone's surprise, it was the prisoner who spoke.

"Well? Here I am. What did you need to speak to me about?"

The girls all looked to each other, as if daring one of them to speak up first. Eventually though, Sunset gave out a sigh before speaking.

"Let's start with the basics. What's your name?"

The boy raised his eyebrow at that before answering.

"I'd have hoped Miss Dazzle would have told you that, but very well. My name is Vanidicus."

Sunset looked rather taken aback at hearing that.

"That's Latin."

The other girls looked at her, showing more than a little interest in what she'd just said. Sunset, however, frowned as she turned to face them.

"It means liar."

Vanidicus nodded at that.

"Aside from our Queens, Changelings do not bother with names. However, since that wasn't going to work in this world, I figured I needed one. Given my people's nature, it felt an appropriate choice."

A few of the girls nodded at that, but only briefly. The boy had a point, but it was still a grim one. Sunset though was not impressed.

"You're not making a good case for yourself by choosing a name like that."

Vanidicus shrugged his shoulders as best he could within his restraints. Taking a deep breath, Sunset looked to her friends, even the Dazzlings, hoping that one of them would speak up after this, Thankfully, one of them did, and Adagio herself no less.

"Tell me, bug...how did you get to this world? And when?"

The boy narrowed his eyes somewhat before giving an answer.

"It happened many years ago. My hive needed information regarding the ponies living in Canterlot. As one of the soldier class, I was chosen to infiltrate the city and learn as much as I could before reporting back. However, during my investigation, I happened upon an old room, containing...a mirror."

Sunset's eyes widened at that. This creature had used the mirror to get here? She shouldn't have been surprised, given that, aside from the spell that Starswirl the Bearded used to banish the Sirens, that portal was the only means to enter this world. But even so, to know that he had been in Canterlot raised many questions, but she was sure to save them until he finished explaining himself.

"Under normal circumstances, I would have ignored the thing, but I was unfortunately discovered while observing it. A scuffle broke out between me and one of the guards, during which I tripped and fell into that accursed thing. When I came to...here I was. I didn't realise what had happened, but I figured that this world may need investigating, for potential future infiltration. However...when I'd learned as much as I needed to, I tried returning...but the portal was closed."

Sunset understood well what this being had gone through. Until Twilight made her alterations to it, the magic mirror could only open every few years. If Vanidicus didn't know when it was usable, it was understandable that he would feel himself trapped here after a while. Turning, she looked upon her friends. All of the girls, especially Adagio, were listening to every word he was giving them. They didn't know if he was telling the truth, but nevertheless found themselves enthralled by his story. Sunset scratched her chin a little before speaking to him.

"How long ago was this?"

Vanidicus looked down at the ground and let out a deep sigh.

"Many years. Centuries at this point."

All of their eyes widened with shock after hearing that. This guy was centuries old? It was a surprise, but then, there was precedent for young-looking beings who had long lifespans, with the Dazzlings being just three examples of such. However, as she dwelt on that thought, a realisation came to Sunset.

"Then...you weren't part of Chrysalis' invasion?"

The girls all watched as Vanidicus' head snapped up, looking at Sunset with a look that could only be described as hatred.

"Do not dare speak that name to me! Where did you hear of it?!"

Although taken aback by that, Sunset managed to recompose herself, clearing her throat in readiness for providing the Changeling with his explanation. However, to her surprise, Adagio began to walk alongside her and speak on her behalf.

"From what we heard, Queen Chrysalis attempted to invade Canterlot, and quite recently. So tell us, why are you so upset by that name?"

Vanidicus seemed to have calmed down somewhat after hearing that explanation, and thus began to give her answer.

"Much like lowly insects, we Changelings to not get on well with other hives. More often than not, we'll fight amongst each other before we get to any of the ponies."

That much seemed to make sense, at least in a small way. It was one of the things that had actually sunk into the girls' collective knowledge from their science classes, that insect colonies, like ants, will often fight each other for food or territory. If Changelings were much the same way, then such conflicts would be quite a bloody experience. Although he had not outright said it, Vanidicus did manage to give away that he was from a rival hive. And if that was the case, then Rarity's earlier fear of him being some kind of war criminal was quite definitely put to rest. However, as they dwelt on this, they began to notice that Vanidicus' expression was changing, becoming one of realisation. His voice had changed also, sounding utterly mortified.

"If Chrysalis finally felt safe enough to attack the ponies outright...then that means...my hive is no longer a threat."

He hung his head in silence after that, and for a brief moment, the other girls didn't know what he was talking about. However, as the moments passed, understanding dawned on them, and they began to comprehend what it was he had just figured out. In all likelihood, his hive had either been wiped out, or severely crippled by Chrysalis' forces. Either way, there was little chance of him returning to that place even if he knew how. If what he said was true, then all he once knew would be long gone by this point, his fellow Changelings all exterminated. It was, to be sure, an unhappy thought. And as such, for the first time during this entire interrogation, Fluttershy emerged from behind Rainbow and spoke softly to him.

"I'm...I'm so sorry."

Vanidicus looked up at her, showing clear surprise that anyone would speak to him like that. For a moment, the girls wondered if this being had ever heard a kind word in his entire life. Regardless, his expression softened somewhat as he responded to Fluttershy.

"I have been living without them for years now. But...your concern...is appreciated."

The shy girl gave a small smile before taking a step backwards. Adagio, who had largely been quiet during all this, nevertheless kept her eyes on Vanidicus. She had always considered herself an expert on reading people, and ever since she'd exposed his identity, she could not help but feel that he had been completely honest about everything so far. That was not something that squared in her mind, given her knowledge of the Changeling race. As such, she took a step forward, gaining his attention as she spoke.

"Tell me something, Changeling. Why are you telling us all this? I know this is an interrogation and all, but still..."

The boy nodded at that and gave a dry chuckle before replying.

"And why should I keep quiet exactly? I have no plans to make you or your new companions into my enemies. I seek no conflict with you or anyone else in this world. I admit, I was surprised to see you so readily go to the Rainbooms about my identity, but even so, it is not something that concerns me."

Yet again, Adagio sensed no lie in his words, no flicker of falsehood in his expression. It was something she was sure to relay to Sunset, giving her a glance and a nod to let her know he was telling the truth. So far, things had been going well. Vanidicus didn't seem to have any interest in causing trouble, they were starting to understand him and his origins, and every question had been answered honestly and openly. None of them had been expecting things to go so smoothly, especially Adagio and Sunset. However, a new thought suddenly occurred to Sunset as she considered all this. She realised that there was one vital question they'd neglected to ask him thus far, and as such, she stepped forward and began to ask it.

"Tell me something, Vanidicus. Why did you approach Adagio as you did?"

The Changeling's expression grew somewhat stern as he looked towards her.

"I needed to learn more about the kind of person she is...before I went ahead with anything."

Sunset raised an eyebrow at that, as did Adagio, the latter stepping forward with a hand on her hip, speaking to Vanidicus in a more authoritative tone.

"Went ahead with anything? Pray tell, boy, what is it you wanted from me exactly?"

Vanidicus leaned back into his chair, staring intently at Adagio, his expression somewhat softer when Sunset had been speaking to him. Giving a small smirk, he gave the Siren her answer.

"What I want, Miss Dazzle...is a Queen."

The Bargain is Struck

If there was one thing the Rainbooms and Dazzlings had not been expecting during this interrogation, it was exactly what Vanidicus had just said to them. Many of them turned to each other, silently asking for clarification that they'd all heard the same thing. The whole room was so quiet at this point you could have heard a pin drop. But no, as with everything else, there was no hint of deception in the Changeling's face, continuing to stare at Adagio. He meant exactly what he'd said. When that notion finally began to sink in, a sound could finally be heard. However, that sound was actually the start of a snicker. Turning, Vanidicus saw that it was Rainbow, who had her hand clasped over her mouth in an effort to stop herself from laughing. Although somewhat annoyed by this, Vanidicus then noticed that Aria was close behind her. Then, as the moments passed, more and more of the girls began to look as though they were doing the same. In time, all of them, even Adagio, couldn't hold it in anymore, and so simply resorted to laughing out loud at what they'd just heard.

Vanidicus was somewhat taken aback by this, his face showing that he clearly wasn't expecting this to be the reaction to his words. Further still, this loud laughter had drawn the attention of the boys who had been stationed outside, with Flash poking his head inside to see what was going on. He looked on with an expression of outright confusion at the sight of the Dazzlings and Rainbooms united in shared laughter, looking to Sunset for clarification as to what was going on. While still laughing, Sunset waved him off, letting him know that everything was okay. Flash was still unsure about all this, but nevertheless retreated back outside, closing the door behind him. The Changeling, meanwhile, simply leaned back into his chair, his face bearing all of the tell-tale signs of annoyance. He waited for the laughter to die down, which, unfortunately for him, didn't happen for some minutes yet. However, when it did happen, it was slow, and by the time it was finally over, all of the girls took a moment to catch their breath, with Aria especially wiping a tear from her eye.

"Oh Faust! I needed that!" she exclaimed.

As the girls recovered, they all turned to Vanidicus as he let out a sound of clearing his throat, still looking annoyed at all of this.

"Are you quite finished?"

Even though a chuckle or two still escaped their lips, all of the girls nodded at him, with Sunset finally addressing him after all this.

"I'm...I'm sorry. It's just...wow...I was not expecting that!"

Vanidicus rolled his eyes so much that, for a brief moment, the girls were worried that they might pop out of his skull. However, when he turned to look at them again, his face bore that same serous look he'd been giving them through most of this.

"I was not aware that my words were so amusing. Tell me...what exactly tickled you so much about them?"

Sunset looked to the other girls, all of them showing the same expression, that being, they were all surprised that Vanidicus had failed to recognise what it was that he'd just asked of Adagio. Then, as time passed, Sunset began to wonder if it wasn't, in fact, them who had made an error of interpretation here. Stepping forward, she raised an eyebrow before speaking up to him again.

"Well...you asked Adagio to be your Queen, right? What does that mean to you, exactly?"

Vanidicus gained a look of confusion at that question before looking deep in thought over it. From the looks of things, he'd clearly been expecting this to be a fairly simple thing to understand. But, if they wanted clarification, then they were going to get it. Lifting his head up again, he began to answer.

"I am a Changeling. A solider. Literally bred to follow and obey commands. My life is that of one who obeys. For that, I require a Queen. One to rule me."

Whatever humour had been in this room until now had decidedly been swept aside with those words. The girls all looked to each other, with Adagio especially being rather taken aback by what she'd just heard from him. At first, they'd all assumed that he'd been asking, for all intents and purposes, a romantic partner. Now it turns out that, what he truly wanted, was a master. In one instant, the group looked at him in a completely new light, seeing him not as a threat, but as someone who had been serving for such a long time that he knew nothing else. It was a wake-up call, that much was certain, and for the first time during this entire encounter, none of them knew what to do or say to him. So, as one might expect, a massive silence had fallen over the proceedings, with nobody stepping forward or addressing him. That is, until Adagio herself broke that silence after a minute or so.

"I thought you said you've been in this world for centuries? If that's the case, then you've clearly managed to get by without someone lording over you."

Vanidicus frowned at that.

"Surviving isn't living. No Changeling, drone or soldier, wishes to go it alone. We need others. We need our leadership. Without it, we simply fall back on our instinct, day in and day out. Feed off love to survive. And so, that is what I have done. For years, I have merely been eking out whatever living I could get, feeding off scraps of affection that I could gain from whoever I encountered. And I assure you, without the powers I had back in Equestria, without my transformations, such gathering has been difficult to say the least."

Adagio's expression softened considerably after hearing that. Like everything else, she sensed no lie in his words. And if that had been his experiences here in this world, then for once, Adagio could actually sympathise with him. After all, both she and her sisters had also been scraping by for many centuries in this place, cut off from the great power they once wielded in their homeland. To hear of someone else experiencing that kind of plight was a strange experience for her. However, she had lived for far too long to allow one person's sad tale to sway her entirely, and so she regained her steely expression before placing a hand on her hip and speaking up to him.

"So you want me as you Queen? Your master?"

Vanidicus nodded at that.

"I need to serve. It is what I live for."

Adagio seemed deep in thought over that, turning to face Sunset, hoping she might have some insight that would help here. But the former unicorn merely shrugged her shoulders at her. Sighing, Adagio turned back to Vanidicus before speaking to him.

"But...why me? I mean, don't get me wrong, I appreciate people wanting to serve me as much as the next former despot. But why me specifically?"

Vanidicus looked at her as if she'd just asked the most ridiculous question in the world.

"Are you serious? I told you before. I saw what you were like during the Battle of the Bands. Your commanding presence, the way you swayed others to you. Trust me, Miss Dazzle, you are a perfect candidate."

There it was again, that genuine sense of praise and admiration he was giving her. It was the kind of thing Adagio couldn't help but give a smile at. He meant every compliment he was giving her, and for once, the Siren felt some liking for the lad. However, this pleasant moment was ruined for her by a sudden, and very loud, laugh from Rainbow.

"Ha! Hate to break it to ya, buddy. But Dazzle and her sisters aren't really in the market for world domination anymore. Because, ya know, they kinda lost."

Adagio shot Rainbow a dark look, to which the latter merely responded to with a shrug of her shoulders. Although it annoyed her a great deal, Adagio had to concede that Rainbow had a point. If she and her sisters had been victorious at the Battle of the Bands, that was one thing, but Vanidicus was seeking her out as a Queen even after knowing that the three of them had failed and lost their powers. It was something that inevitably caught her interest, as evidenced by the raised eyebrow she now gave him. Seeing this look, Vanidicus began to explain himself.

"Victory and ability are not the only things a Changeling requires of a Queen. There are also certain...qualities."

He turned and looked at Rainbow.

"Qualities you and your group lack."

Rainbow frowned at that, which Adagio had to resist the urge to smile at, but nevertheless kept on listening as the boy carried on.

"They require cunning. Ruthlessness. Ambition. A sharp mind. And Miss Dazzle has those qualities in spades."

Hearing yet another genuine compliment, Adagio let out a chuckle before brushing aside some of her massive hair.

"Well...one can't fault the boy on having good taste, I suppose."

Many of the Rainbooms, and even Aria, rolled their eyes at that, which Adagio did her best to ignore. After this, she stared at Vanidicus before speaking up again.

"So tell me, Vanidicus. Exactly what would I gain out of this little arrangement you're proposing?"

The Changeling’s eyes lit up slightly, perhaps sensing hope that his request might actually be taken up.

"You would gain my services of course. Whatever you desired of me, I would give."

Adagio raised an eyebrow at that.

"Anything?" she asked.

"Anything!" Vanidicus answered.

Adagio shifted her eyes from left to right a little before continuing, a sultry smile creeping onto her face.

"Even...you know?"

Sunset stared at her with her mouth agape.

"Adagio!"

The Siren shrugged her shoulders at that.

"What? He's offering!"

Sunset shook her head after hearing that, turning to look at Vanidicus.

"You know, you don't have to live like that. You could do whatever you wanted if you wished."

But the Changeling merely frowned at her.

"I have spent centuries without leadership, Miss Shimmer. I know what it is that I ask, and I know that I desire it."

The intense look he was giving her made it clear that he meant that. Seeing little way of convincing him otherwise, Sunset instead took a step backwards, after which, Vanidicus resumed his attention on his prospective Queen.

"But service is not all that I can offer. You and your sisters sought adoration, praise, the feeling of being desired. I may not be able to provide you with the negative energy you once fed upon, but I can at least shower you in the other things you wanted."

Adagio placed a finger to her chin, looking deep in thought over that. After having gone so long being the centre of everyone's ire at this school, having someone around to heap praise after praise on her and her sisters would be a very welcome change of pace for all of them. Plus, having a little helper attend to her every whim certainly sweetened the pot. However, as she dwelt on that, a new thought came to mind. A thought that very much reminded her of this creature's nature. As such, she focused her attention on his before addressing him.

"And this need of yours? Your impulse to feed off love? Do you, perhaps, seek to take that kind of power from me while you are in my service?"

Vanidicus looked as if this was not something he'd actually thought about until Adagio asked about it. After a few attempts where he fumbled his words a little, he finally managed to get out a coherent sentence.

"Well...I will still need love to feed. If, during my service, you were to gain some kind of affection towards me...I would consider that quite a boon."

Yet again, there was no lie in his eyes, Adagio saw that. But her mind thought over what she'd just heard from him. Feeling affection? It was not something she foresaw happening anytime soon. After all, while she'd experienced many lovers over the centuries, very few of them had gained any real affection from her. Whether she would feel as such for Vanidicus, she couldn't say. But regardless, she'd heard all she needed to, and took a step forward.

"In that case, my lad...let's see if you have it in you to make that happen. I accept."

All of the girls, even Aria and Sonata, looked to her with surprise and shock on their faces, but none more so than Vanidicus himself. His face soon broke out into one of pure joy however, as he bowed his head down before her.

"Oh! Thank you, my Queen! I promise I will not disappoint you!"

Adagio chuckled at that.

"See that you don't, boy. Because if you do, then my Rainboom companions here will be more than willing to ensure you don't cause trouble. Now then, do be a dear and run along, would you?"

Vanidicus nodded before getting on with his first official order from his new Queen. However, immediately, there was a problem, as he was still technically tied to the chair. But, rather than ask for help from one of the girls, he instead opted to try something that, frankly, was more ridiculous to look at. Grunting, he began hopping in the chair, inching it bit-by-bit towards the door, with the girls all watching with more than a little amusement. Eventually, he reached the door, but like everything else, was prevented from knocking thanks to his restraints. Instead, he simply banged his head against it a few times. This got the attention of the guys outside, who opened the door and saw Vanidicus in his chair before them. The boys all gave each other confused glances before looking up at the girls. It took a few moments, but they all just shrugged their shoulders at them, to which they interpreted as asking them to take Vanidicus away. So, they each grabbed a side of the chair and began dragging it out, closing the door behind them.

Many of the girls were still quite taken aback over what had just transpired before them, but Adagio still kept on smirking to herself, seeming rather pleased with how things turned out. However, she was then jarred from her train of thought by a tap on her shoulder, which she saw to be Sunset, who then spoke to her.

"So, just so I have this clear in my head, did you just get yourself a boyfriend...or a servant?"

The Siren leader gave a chuckle at that before walking away, swaying her hips in that manner she was so infamous for.

"My dear Sunset. When it's me...there's hardly a difference."

Continuing to walk away, Adagio was soon joined by her sisters, and together, the three of them left the music room, leaving the Rainbooms more than a little confused about how to take all this. However, as usual, it was Rainbow who spoke her mind on the matter.

"Did our beaten enemies just recruit an evil minion right in front of us?"

As one might expect, the only answer she got was a collective shrug of everyone's shoulders.