Sunset left the portal on the Equestria side without any issues, being more than used to the effect of changing into a unicorn. Spike on the other hand wasn't and a landed onto the ground with a light groan.
"Are you alright?" Sunset asked as she used her unicorn magic to gently set him back on his feet.
"Yeah," He said as he managed to stay standing, despite still being a little dizzy, before gasping when he noticed he no longer had dog paws, "Huh? Didn't expect to change like you girls do. What am I?" He asked, before looking at his reflection in the mirror portal, "You didn't tell me I would turn into an awesome dragon!"
"You never asked," Sunset teased with a smile and giggle as she playfully rolled her eyes, "As much as I also enjoy having access to my unicorn magic and seeing you enjoy your new body, we can't stay long."
"Right. We have to save the girls," Spike responded with a nod, "Can I come with you and the girls for visits from now on."
"I will talk to Twilight about it."
"Sunset, are you here?"
"Yes, Twilight, and with another guest, if that is ok," Sunset responded.
"Who? I doubt it would be one of the girls," Twilight questioned with a raised eyebrow as both her and the other Spike entered the room, and both gasped when they noticed another Spike, staring at them in shock.
Both Spikes were drawn into each other and could stare at the other in shock.
"Wow, talk about seeing double," Both Spikes spoke at the same time.
"Let me guess. The Spike from your world?" Twilight asked.
"Yes, he was the one who suspected something was wrong and actually made a convincing case for it," Sunset answered, still somewhat annoyed she lost an argument to a dog.
"Right. Well, despite the strangeness here, we shouldn't dally too long," Twilight suggested, getting a nod from Sunset, "Come with me and I will see what I can do to help you."
Twilight then led Sunset and both Spikes to the library for some research in order to best address their problem.
After a few hours of research and some fun chatting between the two Spikes, they finally managed to find a way to expose Changelings that could be easy to use in the human world. After hours of careful and intense expert spell casting, the two were putting their finishing touches on their enchanted orb.
"Ok. This should do it," Twilight told her with a smile as she continued channeling the final spell into the orb.
"I hope so. A shame we couldn't borrow the crystal heart. It would make things so much easier."
"I know, but I doubt that would go over well, even if you are only borrowing it for a few hours. Perhaps, you girls using your own rainbow power could have the same effect."
'Perhaps," Sunset agreed as the two stopped their final spell, completing the orb, "A shame it took us hours just to find out about this ancient anti-changeling enchanted orb and even more hours to complete it."
"Indeed. No wonder it was abandoned as only the most talented of unicorns working together could complete it, but I guess it still was better than nothing," Twilight mused, before shaking her head, "No matter. Now, save our friends."
Sunset simply nodded, before making her way to the two Spikes.
"You couldn't talk until after you were exposed to magic when your Twilight first arrived to the school? That sounds terrible."
"Oh, it wasn't. Being Twilight's dog was and is still great. She didn't have any human friends before she met the girls and I was the only thing she had to prevent herself from being completely lonely. Even now with more friends she is still my greatest friend in the world!"
"Sorry to break up your little heartwarming talk, but we got what we need and now must save the girls." Sunset spoke, before letting out a long yawn.
The two Spikes nodded and said goodbye to the other, before Sunset and her Spike went through the mirror portal. Once they were back to the human world they noticed it was very late and both let out a long yawn.
"I guess we are stopping him tomorrow. Him and the girls should already be long asleep like we should be."
"Twilight, must be so worried about where I am," Spike mused.
"Hopefully, but I have the feeling with that human changeling being the only thing on her mind, you are an afterthought, though if not, I will talk to her tomorrow about it. Now, you are spending the night with me, so let's go, before we pass out on the sidewalk," Sunset managed to mumble tiredly as she picked up Spike and led him to her apartment.
After a good night's sleep, the two were well rested and were thinking of the best way to expose him in front of all of the others.
"If only there was a way to have them all in the same place, then once he is exposed, we can perhaps use our friendship power to help him become like those new Changelings back in Equestria."
"Sounds tricky. How are we going to do that?"
Suddenly, Sunset felt her phone vibrate and saw her friends had sent her texts. It was about how their boyfriends agreed to have them attend the same fancy restaurant and Twilight's even include her asking if she had seen Spike.
"How convenient," Spike noted, after Sunset read out the texts.
"I guess he is done with being sneaky and is ready to make his final move," Sunset mused, after responding to each of the texts and assuring Twilight Spike was with her, "We are really lucky we made ours just in time."
Spike could only nod, more than happy he decided to follow his instincts, just in time to save Twilight and the rest.
Later in the evening, the Rainbooms entered the restaurant, wearing different and fancy dresses, Rainbow's was a simple rainbow styled one. Applejack was green with even green and red apple decorations on it and she was even wearing a green scrunchy instead of her usual red one. Pinkie's was yellow and blue with yellow and blue party balloons decorations on it and her hair was in a ponytail with blue and yellow party confetti. Rarity's was a dark blue with indigo diamond decorations on it and her hair was in a wavy ponytail with a diamond shaped scrunchy. Fluttershy's was yellow with decorations of blue butterflies and her hair was in a ponytail with both a butterfly shaped scrunchy and pin.
"Hello girls! May I say you all look lovely tonight for your date," Rarity praised.
"Thanks, Rarity. Never thought I would do, or enjoy doing this," Rainbow responded.
"I have been waiting for this moment for you to finally have a crush, since we entered puberty, Rainbow," Rarity gushed with a smile on her face.
"Yeah, yeah," Rainbow grumbled as the rest chuckled, "Now, where are all of our boyfriends?"
"It is a little ungentlemanly for a gentleman to make a lady wait," Rarity agreed.
"Oh, I am sure they are simply late for reasons out of their control," Fluttershy brought up.
"Yeah, I doubt our boyfriends would make us wait if they had a choice," Pinkie agreed.
"We will know when they get here," Applejack piped up.
"Oh, I already am!"
Both girls turned and was stunned to find Cool Lightning standing behind him and looking menacingly.
"Cool. Nice to see you are here. I am ready for our best date yet," Rainbow spoke with a smile.
"So am I, but I am sure I am the only one who is going to enjoy it and the rest of you… Well… like they say, love hurts."
"What are you talking about, stud?" Rainbow asked with a raised eyebrow.
Cool Lightning only smirked, before turning into Rough Country, then Radiant Sapphire, and so on. When he turned back into Cool Lightning the girls could only stare at him in pure shock.
"I… What are you?" Rainbow asked in fear, getting fearful nods from the others.
"I am your worst nightmares," He said as he approached the girls.
The girls could only brace themselves for the worst, still too shocked to really defend themselves.
"Hey! Stay away from my friends, you sneaky evil changeling!" Sunset shouted as she tossed the orb directly at him.
As soon as the orb touched him it emitted an enchanted shock, causing him to fall to the ground while crying out in pain. He suddenly changed forms once again to one the girls haven't seen before. He had pitch black skin and creepy red bug like eyes.
"What did you do to me?"
"Exposed your true form changeling!" Sunset snarled.
"Sunset, what is going on here?" Rainbow asked, getting nods from the other girls that were tricked.
"Girls, this is a human changeling."
"You mean like those creatures Princess Twilight told us about."
"Yes, Spike was suspicious of him and after making a compelling case," Sunset began, before giving Twilgiht an amused look, "Really, Twi? Teaching your dog how to reason? I am never going to let it go that he managed to best me in a logical argument."
"Hey, if he is smart enough to talk like a human, might as well teach him things like one," Twilight responded.
"Fair enough," Sunset conceded, "Anyway, after investigation, we saw him change forms and I quickly put two and two together. After seeing Princess Twilight and hours of research we made a primitive Changeling exposing and capturing, enchanted orb." Sunset finished explaining, getting nods from the others.
"What are we going to do with him?"
"Twilight thinks we can use our friendship power to turn him into one of those new and improved Changelings and I think it's worth a try."
"No. Whatever you are doing to me, I won't…"
"Relax. Despite you tricking my friends, I understand it was a part of your nature you don't have control over. We are here to help you, so you no longer have to worry about that," Sunset assured him.
"Not like I have a choice," He grumbled.
Sunset simply nodded, before joining the others and changing into their powered up forms. The defeated human changeling closed his eyes and prepared for the worst as the girls used their friendship power on him. After a few seconds of not feeling anything, he opened his eyes and all he could see was a bright rainbow light. Once it was gone he noticed instead of being black, he was a light blue and strangely he didn't feel like he needed more love anymore. He was also free to move now and he quickly got up.
Sunset and the others powered down and were pleased to see he had changed.
"How are you feeling?"
"I don't know what you did, but I don't care. I'm leaving," He responded as he made his way out.
"Hold up! You aren't going to apologize for tricking us?" Rainbow asked with a raised eyebrow.
"It was for survival and nothing more, so I don't regret it. I don't want to make an insincere apology."
"Wait, why are you leaving? Aren't we friends now?" Pinkie asked.
"No, we don't even know each other and I don't care to." He responded.
"Why not?" Sunset asked with a raised eyebrow, "Every other foe we have defeated and helped ended up being our friends," She pointed out, getting nods from the other girls.
"I am not them. That was their decision and this is mine," He countered.
"Fair enough," Sunset conceded, "Though, why not give it a try?"
"I don't want to befriend someone who shocked and exposed me. I understand why you did it, but it still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth."
"Hey! We did it to help you! To prevent you from having to constantly rely on love from others!" Sunset argued, getting more angry.
"Look, you can't force someone to be your friend and I just don't want to. If you truly cared about friendship you wouldn't be trying to force it on others."
"I… Alright, you made your points. Just get out of here and stay out of trouble," Sunset conceded, before sighing in defeat.
"I no longer need to thanks to you. Next time there is a changeling, just use whatever you used on me without hurting them first, than perhaps that Changeling will befriend you girls."
"I will keep that in mind," Sunset grumbled as she and the rest watched him leave.
"What an ungrateful jerk," Rainbow complained with an annoyed look.
"Yeah, what a party pooper jerky pants," Pinkie agreed.
"As much as I hate to admit it, but he had a few good points. We can't force him to be friends and even though it was to help him, he has every right to still be annoyed with our method."
"Even though there was no way I could have had you girls use our friendship power without exposing him first," Sunset grumbled.
"Some things are just meant to, or not to be. It's none of our fault and sometimes there is nothing we could have done, or could do," Fluttershy mused, "I hope he will be ok and actually find some friends who he is able to bond with."
"I am sure he will. If he was able to put on a convincing act and get girls with different tastes to fall for him, I am sure he can make a lot of friends when he acts that way genuinely," Rarity assured Fluttershy.
"At any rate, we beat another threat! What do you girls want to do now that we are all free?" Rainbow asked.
"Slumber party at my house. It has been so long!" Pinkie suggested with a cheerful grin.
The rest of the girls and Spike nodded, before they happily went on their way.