Twilight bit her lip, looking down at Big Macintosh she sighed.

He had a roll of gauze wrapped around his head, and a lump on each side.

"Whew," Applejack whistled as she sat next to the changeling. "Ah ain't never seen a pony do this before. Not even Applebloom."

"Is he going to be alright?" Twilight asked glancing at the orange mare.

"He'll be fine." She replied. "Remember how he injured himself during that one harvest? The branch didn't just land on his back, he was looking up when it happened. It got him between the eyes and then most of the blow hit him on the back."

"B-But... Is he going to be alright?" Twilight asked again.

"E-Eeyup..." Came a small response.

"Big Mac!" Twilight yelled as she wrapped him in a hug.

With a huff all the air in his lungs was forced out, his eyes switched tot he sides, trying to find the problem. He looked down and saw a black shell, a pair of bright violet eyes staring at him.

"Uh, Twilight, ah think he needs some air. His coat is turnin' a bit dark." Applejack said.

Twilight let go and Big Mac fell back in the bed, breathing in deep breathes he forced a smile towards her.

"Howdy," he grinned. "Why Am ah in a bed? Wait..." He crossed his eyes a strange look forming on his face. "Who am ah? Where am ah? Who are yall?" he asked pointing a trembling hoof at them.

Twilight shot back, eyes wide, Applejack's jaw dropped.

And then he began to laugh. They both turned red in the cheeks, glaring at him. Twilight hit him on the back on the head while Applejack hit him a few times in the chest with her hat.

"Big Mac, that was horrible!" Twilight yelled at him, crossing her fore-legs she looked down at the floor.

"Twilight," he said. "Did ah tell ya your cute when your angry?"

"Yes, right before I kicked your flank." She smirked as his grin disappeared.

"Hey now, your the one who turned into Pinkie." He said. "Ya know nopony could catch her."

"Did I?" Twilight asked with a smile.

"Ya could atleast go get some medicine from the cabnit." He said turning over. "Or maybe somethin' to wet ma'h whistle..."

"I already have something for that." Twilight said.

Applejack looked over at her friend, a confused look on her face.

Big Mac rolled back over and his eyes widened again.

Twilight wrapped her fore-legs around his neck, his muscles tensed before he sunk into the kiss. Twilight pulled away with a small smile, she looked at the floor in embarrassment. Big Mac was still stunned but a had a lazy smile on his lips.

"Twilight!" Applejack yelled snapping them both out of their thought's. "Now that was just-"

Big Mac leaned forward and wrapped his screaming sister in a two legged hug. Twilight stood there, not sure to laugh or gasp.

"Ah'd suggest ya start runnin' before she get's free." Big Mac said simply.

Twilight opened the door and quickly shut it. Laughing the whole way down the stairs she heard a thud and a door being slammed open. She jumped down the rest before running through the front door.

She charged her horn and disappeared in a flash, leaving a mad Applejack to stomp and curse in front of the porch.

"When ah get ma'h hooves on her!" She yelled. "Ah'll buck her into next week!"

"Sis, that was a lot of fancy words ya just used." Applebloom said as she and the other crusaders stood in shock.

Whispering Oak's library

Spike was reading through a tome on changelings, a steadily growing stack of notes were next to him.

A flash went unnoticed behind him, he paused and rubbed his claw before getting off from the chair. He stopped and stared at Twilight for a second.

"I'm guessing Big Mac is awake?" He asked. "Are you alright...? You seem flustered."

"I'm fine, and yes, he did wake up." She smiled. "Wow, I was there all morning." She said looking out the window.

"Yeah," he shrugged taking an interest to the light. "I guess we both were."

"We?" She questioned. "What were you doing? I thought you always slept in when I'm not here?"

"And I thought I'd never have to help find a cure for a condition never heard of in history." He replied rolling his eyes. "I've been gathering more notes, I was about to take a break when you teleported in." He said nodding towards the stack of paper.

"Wow, your staying up to help me?" She asked reading over them. "Wow, this is impressive and informative. Good work Spike!" she grinned taking on her unicorn form again. "Are you hungry? I didn't get breakfast this morning."

"Sure, but how about after we go shopping?" He smiled. "Some of the fruits and vegetables were too bruised to use after the break-in. I was going to go out myself, but having you with me would make things easier."

She smiled before patting his head spines. As he ran to get a parchment, she sighed in relaxation, looking out the window she stared out at the bustling town.

Spike tapped her on the fore-leg, she stood and he jumped onto her back. She picked up her saddlebags and put her bits into the right one.

Twilight opened the door with a flick of magic and locked it with another. Humming a small tune while feeling the warm breeze go along her fake coat brought a small smile to her lips.

'This day can't possibly get any better.' She thought. 'Unless the cure is found...' She sighed.

As they neared the market, she noticed a dark grey earth pony come out from an alley. She ignored him and kept trotting ahead, listening to the other resident's talk about the day.

Once she had entered the market, the talking had turned into a mere whisper. She stopped and checked the list.

"Come on Spike, let's see if Carrot Top got that new shipment." She said trotting in the carrot vendor's direction.

The ponies she passed glanced down at the ground almost as if shamed to be near her, she gave forced smiles as they meekly gave a hello.

"Hello Carrot Top," Twilight greeted. "Could I get four of the fresh crop?"

"I-I'm' sorry..." The mare said looking away. "I-I can't sell to you. I would if I could... Really, I am."

"What do you mean you can't sell to me?" Twilight asked. "Is there something wrong?"

"Twilight, I get my crops from Canterlot, and the ponies there don't appreciate me selling to a changeling, even if you are Equestria's savior. I'm sorry, I really am." She replied sniffling. "When I heard, I was torn, either be out of the job or I can keep selling... But at a cost."

"S-So, you can't sell anything to me because you'd be fired?" Twilight asked.

"As stupid as it is, yes."

"Well, alright, I'll be on my way then." Twilight said lightly trotting away.

As they went to the stalls, Twilight and Spike got the same reply. Twilight left the last stall in sorrow, hanging her head low she began her trek home.

She was taken by surprise when a green pegasus swept in and took the saddle bags off from her shoulders.

"Hey!" Twilight yelled at the pony. "Come back here!"

He merely snickered, but that fell when he realized he had a unnamed passenger. A very mad passenger.

Spike climbed up onto the stallion's back and grabbed a wing before biting down. The stallion's wings shot to his side in an instant, they both fell down to the ground in a tangle of wings, legs, and arms.

Twilight rushed over and stopped when she saw Spike emerge from the mess, saddle bags in one arm while the other was against his side. He spit out a mouth of feathers before smiling.

She was about to scold him when the pegasus got up, a crazed look in his eyes. Twilight was charging her horn when the stallion went cross eyed and fell, behind him was a dark grey stallion holding a wooden plank.

He picked up Spike and set him on his own back before walking up to Twilight.

"I presume you are Twilight Sparkle?" He spoke with a Trottingham accent.

"Yes," she replied. "Thank you for that, I couldn't have imagined what he would have done to Spike." She said placing the small draconian on her back with her magic. "Who are you though?"

"Me?" He smiled. "I'm the pony here to help; as soon as I heard about what happened, I came galloping over." He said. "Not once has a pony in recorded history been turned into a changeling." He said.

"But, how are you going to help me then?" She asked suspiciously.

"I did say recorded history," he said simply. "Would you care if I accompany you back to your residence? I want to start immediately."

"Start what, exactly?" She asked trotting forward.

"Just a few tests, but those are for my associate later. She will arrive in the morning." He said. "So, would you happen to know of anywhere I could stay?"

"You could stay at the library, there's a guest bed in there."

"Well that sounds delightful," he grinned. "My name is Brown Recluse." He said. "Ironic considering that I'm grey." He laughed. "The reason for that is because there was an accident at a science fair when I was a colt. One second I'm just standing alone, the next I hear a crack and I'm covered in chemicals." He stopped and shook his head.

"That's horrible." She said. "You weren't hurt? Were you?"

"No, no," he said. "Only colored. It didn't taste very good though, I'll tell you that much." He laughed. "Oh, is this the library? Whispering Oak's? You know, I recall going to a theme park by that name. I loved the roller coaster, The Screaming Oak I think it was called?"

"Really?" She asked. "That's interesting." She said opening the door.

"Finally, home sweet home." Spike sighed jumping off from his caretaker. "I'll be right back, I'm getting some ice and then I'm going to sleep."

Twilight watched with a frown as he walked away, cradling his arm. She sighed shaking her head.

"He's very brave," Brown said. "You should be proud to have him for a personal servant."

"Personal servant!?" Twilight yelled. "He is anything, but that!" She yelled pointing a hoof at him.

"My apologizes," he said. "Poor choice of words, it's just a normal assistant wouldn't have done that. Atleast willfully, and completely disregarding their well being for another's personal belonging's."

"Yes, well, he's not a normal assistant. He's my number one assistant." She said watching him smirk at the doorway. "But he's going to the hospital tomorrow and he's getting grounded for pulling a stunt like that."

"Well fine!" He threw his one good arm in the air. "Next time, I'll just let the thief get away with all of our money!" He grumbled trudging up the stairs.

"Now, just go up-" Twilight was saying before Spike screamed and ran down the stairs.

"Twilight! Twilight!" He yelled pulling her head down by the ears. "There's a cockroach in the bedroom!"

"A cockroach has got you all worked up?" She asked in disbelief. "Didn't you just take down a thief?"

"No Twilight," he said through his teeth. "It is a very big, black, bug. A very dangerous, bug." He said raising the scales above his eyes to emphasize his point.

Her eyes widened in anger, she nodded and excused herself from the room.

Lavender flames crawled along her body before resting at her eyes, she nearly took the door off it's hinges when she opened it. She gritted her teeth when she saw the changeling standing in the middle of her room.

"I thought I told you-"

"Quiet!" He whispered. "Mare need's to be quiet, it's not safe." He said eyes switching back and forth.

"The only one in danger here is you." She said.

"I remember your earlier threat, so if I came back, even with the promise of death, what do you think I came to warn you about?" He asked with a small amount of pride.

"I don't know, but if death couldn't keep you away, then what is it?" She asked glaring at him.

"Old queen has sent spy here," he said. "He plans to kidnap mare, leave another drone to take your place afterwards. I do not know his identity, but I can help look for him. If you would allow it...?" He bowed.

"Fine, if it will keep you away from me, go and look for this spy." She said. "Just don't go harassing ponies."

"I will not need to be near any," he said tapping his horn. "I cans sense- he's here!" He said suddenly.

"What are you talking about? How can he be..." She trailed off as she remembered Brown coming from the alleyway, watching her. "He's down there with Spike!" She gasped.

"I wouldn't worry about him, you won't be seeing him for quite a while. That and he's taking a nap at the moment." Chuckled a scratchy voice.

Twilight fell with a muffled cry, a quick flash of green appeared behind her. There stood Brown Recluse, a black holed horn glowing on his fore-head.

"No!" The changeling yelled charging.

The stallion smirked before blasting the drone into a wall. He slumped against the wood, a small moan coming from him.

"I expected more of a challenge, really." He sighed. "Not that I don't mind." He flashed a fanged grin, his eyes gleaming with a green light. "I've got her my queen." He said. "I'll take care of the drone and transport her to the hive."

He opened the closet and took a piece of fabric out, ripping it he tied it around the changeling's torso and muzzle before throwing him in. He looked over at Twilight, a mischievous gleam in his eye.

"I hope you'll enjoy your new home," he said. "My queen."