“What do you mean he’s missing?!” Twilight spoke out in shock as Celestia broke the news to her fellow brides.

“It is just that, I have every available pony currently searching for him. Even Luna’s Night Guard have been sent out during this time, and you know how much they hate coming out during the day hours.” Celestia groaned slightly, remembering the complaints she had received from Luna on behalf of her guards. “Never the less, we shall continue the search to find him.”

“Ah don’t know what teh think. Why would he just up’n leave like that? Ah know he was purty bad off a few days ago. With all that’s happened.” Applejack sighed remembering how depressed Midnight had become, and remained for a few days after the death of his adoptive daughter. “But ah know that dern fool better than ya’ll think. An ah don’t recon he’d ever go off an disappear without a reason. He’s still got *urp* us’n all that.” She gave a slightly sickened expression for a moment before shaking it off. “Do ya’ll think he…. ahem, he…” She trailed off for a moment before quickly turning and running out of the room.

“Applejack?” Rarity began but stopped as she felt a hoof on her shoulder.

“She’s fine Rarity, probably just morning sickness.” Celestia stated with a slight smirk. “When I was with foal, I had the same problem. I would be in the middle of morning court, then without warning I would startle everypony by teleporting from the throne room, only to return a short time later. For the first three months I was a complete mess. But in the end, it all worked out for the best.” Celestia smiled warmly to the white unicorn, she returning a worried smile back before turning back to the door that Applejack had just run through.

“I don’t mean to keep pestering you Tia, but is there anything that we can do to help? I mean, we are Midnight’s brides as well. We should at least put as much effort into finding him as the rest of the guard.” Twilight sighed feeling a pang of worry in her gut. She knew Midnight in and out, and knew that he would never forsake his loved ones for any reason. Disappearing into thin air was never even a possible scenario for more than a short while. But several days without even a word from him was beyond rare.

“Twilight, I know how you and the others must feel, and believe me, I am doing everything within my power to help in locating our beloved…” She paused as a guard entered into the room, panting a little to catch his breath before speaking.

“Princess…” He paused, taking in a breath. “Your majesty, several of the forensics staff have found something, I think you and the others should take a look at this.” He gulped slightly seeing the stern look of determination suddenly spread across the Sun Goddess’ face as she nodded to him and the others.

“I take it that you’ve located something within his chambers?” She asked as she and the others began to follow him out of the room with haste.

“Yes, but I will let them explain everything. I was only notified to bring you to the room for a thorough explanation.” He stated as they picked up pace toward the King’s former quarters.

After a quick stop to advise Applejack of where they were heading, the farm pony managed to subdue her morning sickness with sheer determination before following them to the place in question. As they entered the room, Celestia stepped forward, her presence garnering the attention of the forensics ponies that had been called out to investigate the room to see if anything was out of place.

The small group quickly bowed to the Queen before they began. “Your majesty, I believe that we’ve uncovered some… slightly disturbing evidence.” A young mare unicorn began as she stepped forward.

“Proceed.” Celestia responded as she followed the young mare to the balcony of the room, watching her horn light up as a beam of energy shot out to the floor, making several sets of oddly shaped hoof prints to begin to glow.

“I believe you are familiar with this type of print.” She stated, only to cause the Queen’s eyes to go wide as realization set in.

On the floor of the balcony were several sets of hoof prints, all of which began to glow as they traveled from the balcony to beside the bed within the room. Celestia and the others walked over to near the bed where a large spot of magical residue was glowing brightly on the floor, indicating that a spell that required a massive amount of magical energy had been used.

“Your Majesty, I believe that a small group of changelings may have come and taken the King while he was still within his human form.” The young mare said with a sigh.

However, this bit of news didn’t faze the Sun Goddess as she turned, heading back to the balcony, her eyes staring hard at the hoof prints that were leading from the room to the balcony, and then back out into the room once again. She paused in her stride as the others watched her demeanor quickly change to something else. Something they had never seen before.

The Sun Goddess’ fur began to slowly stand on end, her wings slowly unfurling half way out as the feathers began to bristle. Her mane and tail no longer the gentle flicking wave that it once was, but now a more pronounced flicker, as if it had turned into a flame. At the corners of her eyes, a purple mist began to form as it slowly began to seep out and flow upward, seemingly evaporating as it went. After a moment her eyes shot open revealing a wide pupil that quickly straighten into a slit, her normal light lavender iris having turned a glowing purple. Her normal proud and regal stance shifted to a slightly more feral, and dare I say, territorial.

“That changeling scum.” The words seeped out from her like the most potent venom. Her mane and tail flickered like a wild fire dancing about as it too shifted into a blue and purple haze.

“If I find out that she has taken my husband with her deceptive magic, then sending her to the moon will be the least of her worries.” The Sun Goddess snarled as a single hoof scraped a deep gash into the cobble stone floor.

The others looked worriedly toward the Sun Goddess, never before having seen her angry, much less furious. That was of course until what she had said finally set in with the others.

“What?! What did you just say Tia?” Twilight snapped back as her own frame began to seem to wither into a more feral state. “Chrysalis… she has him?!? She growled out seeing the princess nod. This only becoming the catalyst that caused Twilight to begin to turn into her own state of fury. Her body slumped slightly, taking on a more aggressive pose as her coat slowly turned to a blistering white. Her eyes turning into a bright red as her mane and tail turned into a roaring fiery inferno.

“You three, gather your elements and meet back here as quickly as possible. We are going to pay that pathetic excuse for a pony a little visit, and get our stallion back.” Celestia snarled only to cause Twilight to nod as she stepped in between her two friends, her horn lighting up as the three vanished in a flash of purple light.

“Oh yes, that changeling is going to pay this time. I won’t be as lenient as I was when I cursed her.” Celestia growled as she slowly left the King’s former quarters, several stunned forensic ponies being left shivering in her wake.

The changeling queen appeared with a loud snap of magic in the form of Celestia. Two of her most trusted drones in the guise of Midnight’s foals as well, adding to the deception to keep him happy, and giving as much love as possible.

Chrysalis had planned this event out thoroughly, making sure to have much of the castle cloned to that of New Canterlot Castle. Even going as far as to obtain toys for the foal’s rooms. The areas in which the human would be living in the most would be realistic copies of the real things, while the rest of the castle would have enchanted illusion stones that would project a visual guise of the real thing. This was to keep the human happy in case he decided to take a walk through the castle.

“My dear, would you like to rest for a while longer? I’m sure that our foals would love to have a little play session once your energy has returned.” Chrysalis stated with a warm, but very fake, smile.

“As much as I would like to take a nap, I… I… don’t want to leave them.” He choked out as he hugged his children warmly to his chest.

The two foals managed to let their burps out as an exhale as they too, hugged the human back before speaking.

“We can take a nap with you daddy.” Marina stated with a smile, the fake Starlight giving a makeshift, fake yawn to emphasize his, so called, tiredness.

“Yea, I could use a nap. Then we can all play together.” He giggled, giving a bright smile as the human gave a soft chuckle.

“Then by all means, let’s go take a nap.” He smiled as he packed the two foals with him to his quarters.

Once the human had left the throne room, Chrysalis let out the loudest burp she had ever given before falling to the floor in a heap, rubbing her stomach while smiling.

“I do believe that I have enough love to feed almost half of my hive now.” She purred quietly as several lines of changelings began to slowly file into the throne room, visibly shaking in delight at the love that was emanating from their queen. “Come to me my subjects. I have plenty of food for you all, and will soon have far more.” She giggled evilly, watching as the drones all began to file into rows and trot by her as she emitted the love she had absorbed.

Just down the hall, the human and the two changelings entered into his chambers, quickly jumping onto the bed and pulling the covers over them. The human hugged the two foals to him as he got comfortable, the children giving a devious smile to one another just after he had closed his eyes.

‘I think I’m going to enjoy this human.’ The faux Marina stated through the hive link.

‘Same here, it’s been a long time since I’ve been this full for more than just an hour.’ The faux Starlight replied, giving a slight snicker.

‘Plus we have the cake jobs. To think that we were ordered by the queen to act like foals just to keep this human happy. I think we’ve lucked out far more than we have ever thought possible.’ Marina snickered back.

‘Yea, let’s just hope that those idiots from Canterlot don’t find out though. I would hate to be on the raw end of that deal.’ Starlight groaned.

‘Better enjoy it while we can then. No use complaining until something does happen. So rest up, and enjoy the free meal, brother.’ Marina grinned as she lay her head onto the chest of the human.

‘Will do, sister.’ He grinned back, doing the same as they close their eyes, letting sleep take them.

Author's Notes:

Edited by ReFro