Chapter 9:
Everything went smoothly with all of Ocean Blue's possessions being brought into her new home and unpacked. The five girls said fairly little during the process continuing to think about how Luna is spending so much time helping Ocean Blue. Things got even murkier when Pinkie asked where she had gotten all of the new stuff seeing that not a single item was old or used and Ocean Blue had stated the princesses had a guard escort her through Canterlot and that all of her things were put on the Royal account. All of them had no memories of the princesses ever doing something like that for any other pony, even other royals or delegates from other areas. It seemed that the girls may have been wrong to ignore Twilight's previous talks about how it seemed strange but they pushed those thoughts aside..
Everything was done and everypony was taking a break before they all left to go about their days when Big Mac stopped by the front door looking for Applejack. He did not yet know whose home this was and politely knocked to get everyone's attention.
"Sis, can ya'all come back to the farm to lend a hoof real quick?" Big Mac said.
"Yeaup." Apple Jack replied. "Well, looks like I better get goin' I will see ya'll later."
As Apple Jack was making her way towards the door, Ocean Blue turned out of the kitchen with some lemonade for everypony. She stopped in the middle of the room when she saw Big Mac, and Big Mac froze right in the middle of the doorway. Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy all looked at Ocean Blue wondering what was wrong with her. Rarity of course had a better idea than the rest and tried to help things along a bit.
"Oh here, let me help you with that dear." Rarity said while using her magic to move the glasses from the tray and brought one to everypony.
During this same time, Apple Jack had tried to get her brother to allow her to pass but his gaze was frozen on Ocean Blue.
"What's the matter with ya?" she asked.
Apple Jack then saw the look on his face and traced it back towards Ocean Blue and immediately had an idea what was going on.
"Oh, my big brother finally found somepony he likes!" she thought to herself happily as it always made her sad to see her brother never liking any of the mares who tried courting him.
Apple Jack then waved her hoof in front of his face a little causing both him and Ocean Blue to break from their trances.
"Let's get goin' big brother." She said with a grin.
"Yeaup." Was Big Mac's reply.
Big Mac and Apple Jack then proceeded towards Sweet Apple Acres while the other girls all enjoyed their lemonade. The girls looked at Rarity for some kind of insight as to what just happened, but she only shook her head to say this was not the right time. Once everypony was finished with their drink they excused themselves to go on with the day and let Ocean Blue settle in.
When they were far enough away from Ocean Blue's house Pinkie Pie chimed in asking Rarity flat out what that was all about. Rarity then proceeded to do one of things she enjoyed the most… gossip. She proceeded to tell them everything she knew about how Ocean Blue had a little crush going on for Big Mac and judging by Big Mac's behavior around her Big Mac likely also had a crush on her.
As they continued walking, the finally bumped into Twilight as she was heading in the direction of Ocean Blue's house.
"Oh hello Twilight." Fluttershy said.
"There you girls are, I found something in my studies and I have something very important I have to tell you. Where is Apple Jack?" Twilight said.
"She had to go back to the farm to help out with something." Rainbow Dash said.
"We need to get her; I need to tell all of you this." Twilight said. Her horn began to glow and in a flash of purple light, they were all gone.
Back on Sweet Apple Acres near the front door of the barn, another flash of purple light appeared and everyone arrived at the farm. They all looked around wondering exactly where on the farm Apple Jack may be at when they heard two voices coming from inside the barn. The door was slightly ajar and they all huddled closer to the door to better hear.
"Why I am proud of you big brother, you finally found a mare who interests you." Apple Jack said happily.
"Yeaup." Was Big Mac's response.
"Do you think she likes you back?" Apple Jack inquired.
There was a long pause and then in a quiet voice Big Mac replied. "Yeaup."
"Then why are you all nervous? And what is this mare's name?" Apple Jack asked.
Big Mac was about to answer when the door creaked a little. They both looked towards the door as it moved slightly. Apple Jack then made her way over to the door to investigate. On the outside of the door, Rainbow Dash had accidentally directed too much air from her wings onto the door's surface causing it to move. The girls all backed away from the door when they heard hoof steps approaching. When Apple Jack looked outside she was pleasantly surprised to see all her friends.
"What are ya'll doing here?" Apple Jack inquired.
"Miss egghead here found something in her studies and she needs to tell all of us something important." Rainbow Dash said.
"Hey! For the last time I am not an egghead!" twilight said while pursing her lip a little in irritation.
"Whatever, anyways, now that we are all here, what was it that you wanted to tell all of us?" Rainbow Dash continued.
"Not here, we need to go to the library." And just as she finished saying that, her horn glowed and in another bright flash of purple light all of the girls were gone. Big Mac then stuck his head out of the barn door wondering where all of them ran off to in such a hurry.
Back in the library all of the girls appeared startling Spike a little.
"Can ya warn me ahead of time before you do that again? It always makes me a little woozy" Apple Jack said while shaking her head side to side slightly.
"Spike!" Oh spike, there you are, can you get me that book I found earlier?" Twilight asked to spike.
"Right away." Spike said.
"Ok, will you tell us what this is all about now?" Rainbow dash asked clearly getting bored.
"I have found something out about our new friend "Ocean Blue" and you all need to hear it." Twilight said.
All of the girls looked between one another and then looked back towards Twilight where she then continued.
"Have you girls seen or noticed anything strange about her?" Twilight asked.
The girls again exchanged glances between one another not sure what Twilight was getting at.
"She seems nice to me." Fluttershy said and the others nodded.
"You girls have not noticed the color of her magic when she uses it? You have not thought it odd how much time and energy the princesses seem to be putting into helping her? Have you not seen her front hooves?" Twilight said.
As twilight went on, the girls began getting more and more confused not certain what she was ranting about.
"What you are going on about sugar cube?" Apple Jack finally said.
"Yea, so what that Princess Luna helped get Ocean Blue her house and so what that all of Ocean Blue's new stuff was bought on the Royal account?" Rainbow Dash said dismissively.
"Wait, what!" Twilight yelled. "Luna helped get her new place and they bought all of her stuff for her? This proves my point even more!" Twilight said perhaps a little too happily.
"And what point would that be dear?" Rarity said still not sure what Twilight was talking about.
"It started on the train back from the wedding; I looked over to see out the windows when I saw Ocean Blue's front hooves. They were black with holes in them. When I did a double take, I could have sworn I saw some green light and her hooves were "normal" again. I saw it again during her "Welcome to Ponyville" party right before she ran to the bathroom. Every time I see her horn glow when using magic it is a dark green. Pony unicorns don't have green aurora around their horns. I also followed her one night back to her hotel room and when she got there she closed her curtains right before a bright green flash of light could be seen coming from inside. She is a changeling!"
The entire group gasped at Twilight's accusation.
"Now hold on there sugar cube, that is a serious accusation, and she seems so nice, how could you say something like that about our friend?" Apple Jack asked.
"I never said she was my friend." Twilight replied harshly.
The girls gasped again.
"Think Twilight, if Ocean Blue were a changeling, why would the princesses be helping her so much?" Rarity asked.
The others nodded at this.
"This only supports my idea further as I said before. The princesses have never treated another pony like this before. That can only mean one thing, she has brain washed the princesses just like how Chrysalis did to my brother!"
The other girls did not gasp at this; instead they stood still deep in thought. Twilight was at least right about one thing, it was strange how the princesses were helping her, and it was nearly unheard of for Luna to be seen during the day unless she had to.
"You can't be serious can you? All of the changelings were expelled from Canterlot by your brother and Cadence. And even if she were a changeling somehow controlling the princesses, why would she come here to Ponyville?" Rarity asked.
"That is something I have not figured out yet but I have an idea." Twilight replied.
At this moment, spike returned with the book which Twilight took from him in her Magic and turned the pages to the spot she wanted.
"This book says that when a queen changeling is removed from her position within the hive, another will take her place. This changeling will look for a suitable mate with which to start laying her own eggs to continue the hive. I think this changeling is a new queen and she intends on starting a new hive now that Queen Chrysalis and her drones have been defeated."
Upon hearing this, Rarity began to squirm a little in uncomfortable nervousness. Apple Jack was not there when Rarity spilled the beans to the other girls after leaving Ocean Blue's house and Twilight saw this and asked. "Rarity, is something the matter?"
"Well… um… you see… no… nothing is the matter." Rarity responded but Twilight gave her a fairly close approximation of Fluttershy's stare causing Rarity to crumble. "Well you see… Ocean Blue has a crush on Big Mac, and it would seem that Big Mac might have feelings for her as well." Rarity said.
"What!" was all that Apple Jack could say in pure shock.
