//------------------------------// // Alternate Ending // Story: How Change Love // by Skylight77 //------------------------------// Miley’s body dropped as the shield’s cracks surrounded the entire bubble, her body flashing from bottom to top more fiercely than ever. Something split right then when the flash reached above her head. Very hesitantly, she opened her eyes, trying all her might to lift her head to look at Rainbow. Rainbow’s hoof pulled back one last time. Teeth gritting, hooves burning, sweat dripping, and the thought of Fluttershy holding her in place, supporting her the best way she could, she didn't stop. Fluttershy was counting on her, and she wasn’t gonna let Fluttershy down. With all her might, she thrusted her hoof forwards. But then, Rainbow caught sight of Miley’s eyes. All of Equestria froze to her at that moment. Miley’s lifeless eyes… They were pulsating with a fresh batch of tears flowing outside them. Her body was shaking heavily against the ground, teeth and fangs grinding together in a firm grip while she struggled to feed her lungs. But what stunned Rainbow most was the sight of Miley’s horn. That last strike chipped off the tip of that horn, and it now lay rest right next to Miley’s shaking head. It now dawned on Rainbow Dash what her actions were doing. Every strike with her hoof that she laid on that shield… Miley was in pain… so much pain right now. And Rainbow was causing all that pain. She wanted to stop. She wanted to freeze her hoof’s motion and not cause that pain anymore. The thought of seeing her daughter in pain because of her, begged her to stop. But no. Rainbow Dash didn’t stop. She didn’t listen to her thoughts. She listened to her heart. This wasn’t about the pain she was inflicting. Miley was in danger. In danger from herself. And Rainbow Dash would save Miley, even if it meant having to hurt her. The world around Rainbow Dash suddenly took motion again. Her hoof struck the shield one last time. The clang echoed in her mind. And then, her hoof went through, shattering the shield. Miley’s body was blown back, her screaming echoing in Rainbow and Fluttershy’s mind. Her body flashed from bottom to top. When the flash reached her horn, it snapped off. The green flames slowly fizzled out as her body and horn were flung. The magical waves stopped blowing. Miley’s body fell to the cloud. The plop echoed with her body stopping on her back while her horn rolled to her side. Her eyes were shut tight with her wings and limbs spread out, lying flat. She wasn’t moving at all. The world around Rainbow and Fluttershy came back to them. Rainbow’s breath was heavy while her eyes grew stiff. Fluttershy’s heart sank into a black hole seeing the sight of her daughter. “Oh no… M-Miley!” Fluttershy cried as she ran to Miley’s body. “No, no, no…” The sight of Fluttershy sobbing just above their fallen daughter pulled Rainbow’s heart, threatening to rip it out of her body. A few more heavy breaths came from her before realization dawned. “No! What have I done?!” All feelings returned to Rainbow’s body and she rushed to Miley. “Rainbow! She's hurt! We have to take her to the hospital!” Rainbow gasped at the thought. “But Fluttershy! She’s a changeling! What can they do?” Fluttershy’s breath shook her body. “We… W-We have to do something!” “But if they…” Rainbow stopped to look around. They weren’t gonna get anything done standing around questioning themselves. She looked for the best and fastest answer to her last problem. “Fluttershy. Get to the cloud ride. Hurry!” Fluttershy didn’t have time to ask as Rainbow flew towards the bed. Fluttershy ran to the window as Rainbow quickly took the covers, came back to Miley, and wrapped her body as well as her broken horn in the blanket, covering her completely. Rainbow then flew to the window where Fluttershy was waiting in the back seat of the cloud ride. She took Miley as Rainbow delivered her. “Hold on tight, Fluttershy!” Rainbow attached herself to the front of the cloud ride, flying quickly away. ______________________________________________________________________________ It was quite late in the night, but the hospital was still in operations for its patients. Despite how great and friendly a town Ponyville was, it was constantly plagued with ponies getting themselves hurt in one way or another. Their constant operation hours left it quite useful in a case of emergency. This was one such emergency in more ways than one. The front doors had burst open without warning. Two pegasi, one flying, one running, rushed to the front desk. One of their yellings disturbed some of the waiting patients and frightened the receptionist. “This is an emergency!” Rainbow was shouting. “Our Miley is hurt! You have to do something!” The receptionist, a yellow pony with blue hair known as Nurse Snowheart, was about to respond until Fluttershy released the covers enough to show Miley. Seeing the initial changeling, Snowheart’s eyes shrunk and she shouted. “But that’s a changeling!” A few ears sprang up at this mention. “That thing’s-” “In so much pain and needs help!” Rainbow interrupted, standing on top of the desk. “Please! You’ve gotta do something for her!” Snowheart stumbled back out of fear from both Rainbow and the changeling that Fluttershy was holding. “E-Even if that thing’s safe, this is a hospital for ponies. We can’t- AHH!” Snowheart was suddenly interrupted by a rather violent shove from another pony, a white pony with pink hair known as Nurse Redheart. Rainbow and Fluttershy flinched from the crash. “Her horn is broken! We have to start treating her now!” Redheart shouted. “But that’s a-” Snowheart was interrupted. “I’LL TAKE CARE OF IT!” Redheart jumped over the desk and next to both pegasi. “You two follow me to room twenty-seven! Hurry!” Without thinking, Rainbow and Fluttershy followed Nurse Redheart wherever she went. They didn’t care how the help came. They were willing to accept whatever they got that would help Miley. They soon reached room twenty-seven and allowed Nurse Redheart to take Miley inside. As the door shut, their tensions narrowed. The life of their daughter now depended on what the hospital could do for her. That feeling, left Rainbow Dash worse for wear. As she waited, her wings vibrated in anticipation, wanting to do something, anything besides waiting around. “Fluttershy,” Rainbow said, turning to her. “Stay here. I’m gonna-” “There it is! That’s the room!” A group of three earth ponies, one brown stallion with grey hair, one blue stallion with a darker blue hair, and a light purple mare with two shades of light green hair came rushing. Rainbow noticed that they were heading to the room Miley was in. “Hey!” Rainbow shouted flying in their path. “Don’t try to stop us!” the mare shouted. “We saw a changeling taken in there! We have to stop it!” “You’re not laying a hoof on our daughter!” Rainbow shouted. The mare and Rainbow pressed their heads together, attempting to overpower the other. “Your ‘daughter’ is a changeling! Do you intend to doom us all?!” Fluttershy gasped as the other two other stallions started charging at Rainbow from both sides. “Look out!” she shouted. Rainbow released her head away from the mare, causing her to stumble forward. Before the stallions reached, Rainbow brought herself in the air with her wings while the mare jumped back, both avoiding the two stallions as they collided. Rainbow landed herself further away, but kept herself in front of their path to the door. She stood her ground with her wings flared, watching the stallions recover from their bumps while the mare joined them. When they recovered, they stared Rainbow down. She didn’t back off. As soon as they started charging forward, she engaged her wings and flew towards them. “STOP IT! STOP IT RIGHT NOW!” Both sides froze in their tracks as Nurse Redheart appeared out of nowhere. She turned her glare and shook a hoof towards the three attackers, who were frightened from her shouts. “This is a hospital and you are not gonna disturb my patient with your senseless fighting!” Fluttershy rushed to Rainbow’s side as Redheart scolded the attackers. It was a scary moment to be involved in. Being by Rainbow comforted her. “A-Are you crazy?!” the mare said, hesitantly stepping forward. “If that changeling recovers, do you realize what it could do to us?” Nurse Redheart’s head practically grew in their view while fire burned behind her. “I don’t care if Tirek himself is in that room!” Her voice echoed in their ears, causing them to back away. “A patient under my supervision will not be disturbed! So leave now or her life will be on your hooves!" Both stallions gasped at this consequence and turned tail. The mare turned her head left and right, then back at Redheart with a panicked face. She cowered and ran with them. “And you!” Rainbow and Fluttershy flinched, surprised at why Redheart was suddenly yelling at them. “You two are to not leave this hall, or your daughter’s life will hang over you in a greater consequence than those assaulters! You will not screw this up for me!” Rainbow and Fluttershy had to jump out of the way as Redheart rushed back to Miley’s room, leaving their position no regard. The door closed behind her and all they could do was gasp quietly. It was odd. Nurse Redheart acted like the sake of Miley’s life was as important to her as it was to them, if not more. And they had no idea how. Now they weren’t sure on what to be more worried about. They were already worried about Miley’s well being. Now they worried if Nurse Redheart would come back to yell at them, whether more ponies would come to attack Miley, and the one thing that was on Rainbow’s mind right now. She said it out loud. “I guess leaving to tell our friends is out of the question…” ______________________________________________________________________________ The longer the time ticked by, the more anxious their minds were. Rainbow continued to fly pace back and forth from the door while Fluttershy sat herself against the opposite wall, hoping for the best of Miley’s condition. The more they waited, the more they wondered if listening to the doctor was really the best idea right now. What could they do? Nurse Redheart seemed pretty intent that she could help. Thinking thoughts like this was all they could do. But thankfully that moment ended when the door opened. Rainbow stopped pacing and Fluttershy looked up, finding Nurse Redheart coming out. She looked at them, her expression unknown, not even saying anything. “How is she?” Fluttershy asked as Rainbow landed to her side, wanting the same question answered. Nurse Redheart took a deep breath and released it without opening her mouth. “You should come see this,” Redheart responded before re-entering the room. Rainbow and Fluttershy glanced at each other. They would be wondering about Redheart’s sudden change in nature, but Miley was more important. They followed Redheart inside. This room looked like a setting for a single patient. The only bed in the room was at the center, where Miley layed. Slowly, they walked towards her, hoping she was alright. Most of her body was exposed, but her head held a few wires while her broken horn was completely covered in bandages. All they could see was a stump. “Miley…” Fluttershy walked ahead of Rainbow and to Miley’s side. She could see that her eyes weren’t shut tightly like they were before. In fact, they seemed pretty calm, like she was just sleeping. Even her breathing was settled. “Is she okay?” Fluttershy asked. “Well…” Redheart closed her eyes and turned her head down. “It’s a little difficult to answer, but I’ll say this.” She turned her attention towards a beeping monitor. The monitor seemed to beep at the rate a patient would have when recovering. “Besides her horn, your daughter’s physical health is maintaining quite well. Her body seemed to suffer a bit of magical strain, but nothing serious.” She paused to put a hoof to her chin. “She…” Redheart trailed off, turning her head away. “Hmm?” Fluttershy turned her attention to Redheart. “What happened?” Rainbow asked. “Tell us.” Redheart shook her head. “I don’t know…” The response made Rainbow and Fluttershy glance at each other again. “Can you tell me what caused her to be in this condition?” The question left a bite at Rainbow and Fluttershy’s hearts. They realized they never told her what happened and were unsure of how to say it. “Miley…” Fluttershy started. “She was panicking… believing she was taking advantage of us by stealing our love.” “She was using the power of our love to fuel her magic,” Rainbow continued. “I think she was trying to banish herself away from us, hiding behind a shield.” Her muscles tensed and she grunted. “I had to stop her… and she resisted me. But… she tried too hard to resist, and this is what happened…” Nurse Redheart nodded and closed her eyes. “So that’s what it is… and she’s doing it again.” Both Rainbow and Fluttershy lightly gasped. They turned their gaze to Miley as Redheart continued. “As I said, physically, your daughter should be fine. But mentally is another story.” She lifted her head and opened her eyes. “It’s like she already accepted her fate and refuses to see the light. She should be waking up already.” Fluttershy’s ears twitched. “‘Should’?” Redheart nodded and looked towards Miley. “But… she’s resisting it, refusing to wake up. And if she has no will to let her mind return…” She didn’t have to finish for Rainbow and Fluttershy to fill in the blanks. “But why is she doing that?” Rainbow asked. “Why doesn’t she want to come back to us?” “I was hoping you would know,” Redheart answered. “You are her parents aren’t you? At least, that’s what you’ve been describing her. And if there’s anything that would give her reason to wake up, it would be from you both.” Rainbow and Fluttershy glanced back to Miley’s sleeping figure. Fluttershy thought deeply, thinking about Miley, thinking about what happened to her. Fluttershy thought about why she resisted, what she did the past few days, and what she was searching for. But more importantly, what did it all mean to Miley? “Miley is afraid.” Both Rainbow and Redheart turned their attention to Fluttershy as she spoke. “She’s confused about what she's doing. She thinks that she was only being a part of our family to steal our love. But that isn’t true.” Fluttershy looked to Rainbow. “We’ve been sharing our love with open hooves to her. And that’s not the same as stealing.” She turned to Miley with a firm look. “I have to show her the difference. I have to share my love with her, so that she could understand. And then she’ll come back.” If the circumstances weren’t so dire, Rainbow Dash might’ve gagged at how sappy it all sounded. But this was about a changeling, a creature who fed off love in order to live. As far as she was concerned, there was no reason why it wouldn’t work. She gave her nod to Fluttershy. Redheart nodded as well. With the clear, Fluttershy walked to Miley. She thought about all the wonderful times they’ve had together. A vision of Miley playing in the garden came to her thoughts. She saw Miley and Rainbow flying together. Laughter of all three of them echoed. The feeling of playful fear from Rainbow’s antics came as well. And of course, words used in a bedtime story sounded. Fluttershy reached Miley and leaned her head down. All those memories, the feeling of those memories, she kept them at heart with this movement. Whether it be pain or happiness, the love that justified the end was all that mattered. And when she reached Miley’s head with all those feelings in mind, she planted a gentle kiss just below the bandages. As her forehead was being kissed, Miley’s body began to twitch. A very light groan could be heard coming from her. The beeping monitor picked up its pace, catching Rainbow and Redheart's attention. Fluttershy continued with the kiss, sharing her love to Miley. And after a few moments of holding that kiss, Fluttershy retracted her head. The groaning stopped, the twitches ceased, and the monitor’s beeping returned to normal pace. Fluttershy didn’t take her eyes off Miley. She kept her eyes on Miley at all times, keeping her memories alive to show just how much Miley meant to her. But… nothing happened. Rainbow gasped. Redheart put a hoof to her mouth in worry. And Fluttershy… she kept holding onto her memories, waiting for the moment that Miley opened her eyes. It took her longer to realize, they weren’t opening. She whimpered a gasp while her eyes pulsated. “What happened?” Fluttershy asked, keeping her eyes on Miley. “S-She’s not waking up. What did I do wrong?” “Oh… this is worse than I thought,” Redheart started. “You said she was afraid of stealing your love, right?” Fluttershy nodded. “But she’s not stealing my love. I’m sharing it with her.” “But your daughter thinks she is. She’s resisting the love that is being present to her, trying her very best not to feed from it.” Fluttershy’s tears returned. “What can I do?” She turned her head to Rainbow and Redheart. “How can I give my love to her if she won’t accept it…” Her head sank and she began to sob. Nurse Redheart didn’t know how to answer. If there was an answer, only Rainbow or Fluttershy would know it. This situation, it left Rainbow Dash in a deep thought. It left her heart in an aching world of pain. She experienced this feeling not too long ago. And the decision she made she thought she would grow to regret. She would regret it, if Fluttershy didn’t make the same decision right now. “Fluttershy, kiss her again,” Rainbow said with the most firm tone she could muster. It left Fluttershy scared. “But Rainbow… Miley won’t accept my love. If I try again, she’ll keep resisting.” Rainbow Dash glared towards Miley’s body. “You can’t think about Miley’s feelings anymore.” Fluttershy gasped hearing this coming from Rainbow’s mouth. “If I had thought that when the time came, Miley wouldn’t be with us right now.” Rainbow closed her eyes and lowered her head, thinking back to that tough decision she made. “When Miley was trying to leave us, we tried to tell her to stop. She didn’t listen of course. She thought that what she was doing, being in our family, was a bad thing. I tried to stop her and make her understand, but she didn’t listen to me. She didn’t listen to us. So I attacked her shield. That was fine, right? Stopping her from leaving us and making a terrible mistake? I had to save her from herself.” Rainbow paused and opened her eyes, looking at Fluttershy. “But then… she looked at me. She showed me the tears in her eyes. I felt torn. Seeing her horn chipped off, I realized that I was causing her pain and suffering from pounding on that shield. She was begging me to stop, begging me to let the pain go away. And if I listened to her, what would’ve happened?” Rainbow stomped her hoof to the floor. “I didn’t stop. Sure I was worried about what would’ve happened if I didn’t. But knowing what would happened if I did was worse. She wanted me to stop. But I didn’t care about what she wanted. Because what she wanted, wasn’t important. No. The only thing that mattered, was what she needed.” Rainbow pointed a hoof. “Fluttershy, what she needs now is love. It doesn’t matter if she doesn’t want it. It’s what she needs. And you have to give it to her.” She narrowed her eyes. “Even if you have to hold her down, and give it to her by force… just like when a foal refuses to take medicine.” Fluttershy was speechless, her mouth held agape. This was something else coming from Rainbow. She spoke through experience. All those times of serious injuries, any times of falling sick, Rainbow experienced them. She experienced the pain of having to receive what she didn't want, and having to receive what she needed despite her protests. Now… those moments were speaking a thousand words. And every word talked about what Miley needed. Rainbow already caused an action that would fill her with regret. And that regret would fold true if Miley wasn’t given what she needed. Fluttershy turned her attention back to Miley, taking every word Rainbow said to heart. This wasn’t about what Miley wanted. This was about what Miley needed. Despite her heavy heart denying Miley’s wishes, she held onto that care, the care of saving Miley from herself. Fluttershy planted her second kiss. Miley’s breath moaned, her eyes squeezed, and her body twitched once again. Fluttershy ignored the resistance and continued. Even the increased rate of the monitor didn’t stop her from sharing her love. Fluttershy released her kiss with a grunted sob, hoping Miley would wake up. But she didn’t. “Please Miley… Please stop resisting.” Fluttershy reached down and kissed Miley’s forehead again. The same resistance came about, but more intensely. Even the monitor was beeping faster. “Listen to us… Accept my love, please.” The more Rainbow Dash watched, the more it ached her heart. Every kiss that Fluttershy planted created the same results, each one more intense than the last. The next kiss caused Miley’s body to tense. It was like the love she was being shared was hurting her. But the only pain that was being caused was from her own resistance. The more Fluttershy kissed, the harder it became to resist. Why couldn’t she understand? Was it really wrong to force her to return? These thoughts swam across Rainbow’s mind. The more she thought, the more her hopes edged. But then, something clicked. She was resisting herself. This feeling, it told her that it was the same for Fluttershy. All these worries, all these doubts. This was why Miley still resisted. Rainbow Dash started walking over to Fluttershy. She had to put aside her pride, put aside her embarrassments. She had to do something she never thought she’d do, think in a way she never thought she’d think. But it was all for their daughter, and she didn’t want to let her down, no matter how much Miley wanted to be. She put a hoof to Fluttershy’s face, and turned it towards her direction. Fluttershy looked into Rainbow’s eyes. The confidence, the hope, the love, she could feel that entering her heart from looking into those eyes. And then, Rainbow leaned in to kiss her. It was firm. It was passionate. But more importantly, it was filled with her love, her care. The worries were dissipating. The regrets were forgotten. As they held the kiss, Miley’s body tensed more violently than ever. The monitor was beeping at a pace that spanned four beats a second. Her body started to glow. That glow spread, and it entered Rainbow and Fluttershy. Their bodies returned the glow, and they released their kiss. Looking into each other, both minds were in sync. It was what they felt that Miley needed to see, needed to understand. Even if there was reason to doubt, that wasn’t important now. They looked down to Miley, thinking of only what was important to her. She needed love. And not the love she fed off. But the love that told her they cared. The love that would tell her she felt the same way. Rainbow and Fluttershy leaned down together, and kissed both sides of Miley’s forehead. The glow around Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Miley, all brightened as they connected. Miley’s moan grew louder as the kisses were held. The monitor’s speed increased to eight beats a second. When they released, two halves of a heart were left behind. The magical glow led those hearts along Miley’s body. They circled around her, creating a green flame that only engulfed above her. Miley’s body was changing once again as the hearts led the flames. The holes in her legs and wings filled. Her body turned from black to yellow with her mane and tail forming into a smooth blue. And then the spikes on her head vanished. When the transformation was complete, the two halves of the heart connected. The crack was still visible, but it hovered just above Miley’s own heart. And then, the struggles stopped. The monitor slowed its pace. The glow faded from Rainbow and Fluttershy. But Miley’s body still glowed. She was breathing heavily, yet carefully. Finally, her eyes opened. The first thing Miley saw, was the smiling faces of both Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy looking down upon her. Her eyes began to tear up. This feeling in her heart, she couldn’t describe it. She didn’t know what it meant. But it kept calling to her, aching her. It was much like how her magic called her to the love she fed. But this time, it was different. “W-W-Why…” Miley could barely ask. She could feel the heart floating above her beating. “I-I… steal love… your love.” A hiccup escaped her mouth. “W-Why do you keep making-” Fluttershy gently put a hoof over her mouth to silence her. “Miley,” Fluttershy started with the softest tone. “You are not stealing our love. You never did.” Miley’s eyes focused on Fluttershy’s. The love that they expressed continued to taunt her, continued to torture her. “L-Love… is what I need to live… I-If I’m not stealing it… how am I…” The feeling that she couldn’t describe continued to grow. The heart above her beated faster. “Do you like having to steal?” Fluttershy asked, and Miley shook her head. “Do you enjoy breaking hearts?” Miley shook her head again, her heart beating faster. “Do you want to be a bad pony?” This time, Miley couldn’t find it in her to answer. But the increased beating of her heart told her and Fluttershy the answer. Fluttershy smiled. “Then don’t be. Just because you need love, doesn’t make you a bad pony.” She leaned down to nuzzle Miley’s cheek, increasing the heartbeat even more. “If you need our love to live, we understand. We’re willingly sharing you our love. That’s not stealing.” She lifted her head and looked Miley in the eye. “And even if you didn’t need our love, we’d still give it to you. Because in a way, everypony needs love. It is what we do and what makes us love each other. That feeling…-” She pointed towards the beating heart. “-comes from your heart. Not your mind. Listen to your heart, and you will understand that feeling too.” As Miley’s mind cleared from Fluttershy’s words, her body began to glow brighter. Something came from underneath the bandage on Miley’s head and it formed into a glowing bandage similar to the cracked heart floating above her. The bandage connected with the heart, sealing the cracks. It glowed along with Miley’s body. And then, the heart began to sink, sink within Miley’s chest. As it disappeared inside, sparkles were left behind, trailing down her body and splitting into two. They crawled along her body until they reached both sides of her flank, giving a shimmering glow. Even the part where Miley’s heart was, glowed. When the glowing stopped, Miley’s flank was no longer bare. The sparkles left behind that same cracked heart with the bandage, the same one that entered her heart, the same one that she thought up herself. That feeling... she understood it now. That feeling… it wasn’t the love she fed off. It was the feeling of actual love, the love that ponies felt. The love of being in a family. That feeling, it made Miley smile for real. It wasn’t a smile she hid behind. It wasn’t a smile from the love she stole. It was a very real smile that came from her heart. A tear escaped her eye. She threw herself to Fluttershy, and openly cried. Fluttershy accepted her embrace with open hooves, hugging her passionately. “There, there, Miley. There’s no reason to feel bad anymore. You’re not a bad pony.” She moved her mouth closer to Miley’s ears and whispered. “You’re a good daughter.” The more Nurse Redheart watched the scene unfold, the more surprising it was. She couldn’t keep her hoof away from her mouth through it all. If a changeling could earn a Cutie Mark, she just witnessed one. A Cutie Mark was obtained when a pony recognized their special talent or realized what made them special. It was a type of magic that flowed through all ponies. They had no control of what their magic would form their Cutie Mark into. Miley, being a changeling, could control the shape and form of her Cutie Mark at will. But this wasn’t magic that was being controlled by her. It was a magic that came from the heart, a magic that formed not only her form, but her Cutie Mark as well. And that wasn’t all that surprised Redheart. Glancing over towards Rainbow Dash, she saw a smile that was similar to Fluttershy’s, along with a tear that Rainbow didn't hide. Redheart found it hard to understand the relationships between the two. It felt like something was off. But the more she thought on it, the more she believed it couldn’t be more right. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy weren’t just two ponies to Miley Heart. They were two opposite halves of what made the perfect mother figure to Miley. And even under these circumstances, their boundaries never crossed unless needed. It was no wonder why Rainbow Dash or Fluttershy didn’t seem to do something when a circumstance needed them to. But the answer was, it didn’t need them. When Miley was being threatened by three ponies wanting to take her out, it was Rainbow Dash who defended her. When Miley needed to understand the difference between good and bad, it was Fluttershy that assured her. Rainbow Dash was the guardian angel, while Fluttershy was the caring angel. Two opposite halves that represented the perfect mother figure. Seeing and understanding this family brought a tear to Redheart’s eyes. She couldn’t be happier for them. The sobbing stopped. Miley picked her head from Fluttershy’s chest, looking at her with all her love. “I do love you mama,” Miley said as her tearful eyes slowly closed. “I really do.” Her smile didn’t falter. As her eyes closed, Fluttershy gently laid her back on the bed, tuckering her in. “I know, sweety,” Fluttershy said as she tucked Miley’s wings comfortably before placing the covers over her. “I know.” Fluttershy closed her eyes. And then, Fluttershy hummed a tune. It was a pleasant tune that everypony knew. A pleasant tune that even Miley knew. She hummed, and Miley listened. ______________________________________________________________________________ Miley opened her eyes when the humming stopped. She smiled brighter than ever, warming Fluttershy’s heart. Seeing how real that smile was made Fluttershy so happy to be Miley’s mother. “I’ve never seen such wonderful parents before.” Rainbow and Fluttershy caught attention to Nurse Redheart’s voice. She was wiping a tear away from that sight. “This has been such an interesting learning experience too. I’m sure you both will take good care of her.” “Thank you nurse,” Fluttershy said. “And if it wasn’t for your help, we may have never gotten Miley to wake up.” Rainbow paused to put a hoof to her chin. “Speaking of… how did you know so much about how to treat her? I mean, I’m glad that you helped, but I thought this was a hospital for ponies.” Nurse Redheart covered her mouth and giggled. “I may be a pony nurse, but that’s no reason to limit myself to just pony physiology.” Rainbow gagged at the use of complicated words. “Even though my medical degree only makes me liable to treat ponies, I’ve always wanted to try my hoof at other sentient beings as well. Besides changelings, I’ve also learned the inner workings of zebras, griffons, donkeys, and yaks.” Both Rainbow and Fluttershy’s eyes grew while Nurse Redheart blushed. “And, to be honest, the reason I was so anxious to treat your daughter is because I didn’t want to have a chance at treating a changeling slip away.” Rainbow Dash gulped at this, unsure of how to feel about it. Fluttershy was feeling the same way. But when they looked at their daughter, all they saw was that smiling face. It told them that it didn’t matter how it came to be. In the end, their daughter was safe and cured, and that’s all that mattered to them. “Well… thanks for helping our daughter,” Rainbow replied. “It means a lot to us.” “My pleasure. But…” Nurse Redheart paused, and immediately Rainbow and Fluttershy didn’t like where this was going. “There’s still another matter about your daughter that we have to discuss.” Redheart turned her head over to the desk. Rainbow and Fluttershy initially thought this would have something to do with the fact Miley was a changeling. And they were right, but not exactly how they thought. When they saw that item, they already knew, and their hearts sank at the sight of it. Even Miley saw it, and her smile faded. The item they saw, was Miley’s broken horn. “As you know, your daughter is a changeling,” Redheart started. “And without her horn, she won’t be able to control her magic anymore.” A collection of frowns filled the room, even from Miley. It seemed like their happy ending was gonna be left bittersweet. “Is there any way we can repair it?” Fluttershy asked. “Well… yes, and no,” Redheart answered. “We have a way to implant a prosthetic horn. However, since this is for unicorns, that leaves very theoretical issues.” Nurse Redheart picked up a clipboard, giving them a stern look as she went over the details. “First, since your daughter’s a changeling, we have no idea if the implant will allow her to even use magic again. And if it did, she would only be capable of controlling magic that a unicorn would be capable of. Any of her changeling magic will not work.” Redheart flipped the page over. “Her changeling magic is still with her, but they won’t be controlled through this horn. That means she won’t be able to absorb love from anypony, or change her body’s appearance again. Her body could change through another changeling’s magic, but that’s a different matter.” Redheart turned her eyes up to Rainbow and Fluttershy. “So the possibility of repairing her horn is very slim, and very limited. What do you wish to do?” The atmosphere in this hospital room grew very tense. Rainbow and Fluttershy looked at each other with the deepest concerns. It seemed Miley was never gonna be able to use her magic again. They looked at Miley with even more concern. Miley of course heard all of this, and they wondered how she was taking it. They looked at each other, all with concern. Everypony was silent. And then, Miley closed her eyes and smiled. “I’m not a changeling. I’m a pegasus!” All eyes grew wide. “Miley… Are you sure?” Fluttershy asked. Miley giggled. “I’ve always wanted to be a pony, ever since you took me in. Please treat me like one, please?” Rainbow Dash chuckled and looked to Redheart. “I guess that’s your answer nurse. Our daughter’s no changeling. She’s our pegasus filly.” Nurse Redheart couldn’t help but giggle. “A pegasus at heart, but she still needs a changeling’s diet. Luckily, you two seem to cover that really well.” Fluttershy gasped as a thought came to mind. “Wait, without her horn, how will she be able to feed off our love?” “Oh don’t worry. Her horn may be gone, but her magic can still feed from your love as long as you two continue to physically share that. She won’t be able to do it herself, so you’ll have to be more observant of her.” Fluttershy smiled and hummed a question. “How often should we do it?” The question made Redheart giggle again. “As often as you would feed a normal child. You’ll figure it out.” Fluttershy couldn’t help but join in with Redheart’s giggles. “But if you want specifics, I’m sure your daughter can never gain enough love to be full. But she’ll tell you when she’s satisfied. And as long as she’s satisfied, she’ll be able to go a full day before getting hungry again. Although, stressing activities may accelerate that.” “Say…” Rainbow cut in. “What about giving her some actual food, like cupcakes, and sandwiches. Would that help?” Redheart put a hoof to her chin and hummed. “Well, no, that won’t help her at all. But if you add your spice of love with your daughter in mind to it, I’m sure she’ll be able to taste its pleasant aftertaste.” Rainbow Dash took a glance towards Miley. “Huh… Is that why she always had trouble chewing her food?” Even though she knew the answer, Miley nodded for her anyway with a smile. “But just remember.” Redheart’s tone changed. “She may be a changeling, but she still needs water just like everypony else. Be sure to give her plenty as she’s recovering.” Fluttershy nodded. “We’ll do that. Thank you again.” “No problem,” Redheart replied. “You’re free to take your daughter home now. I’m sure your love will help her recover faster there. And, one more thing.” Redheart paused, waiting for Rainbow and Fluttershy to hold open ears. “If there’s anything else wrong with your daughter, please, let me know. I’d be happy to continue treating her.” Giggles were released from both pegasi and their now changed daughter pegasus. “Thanks nurse,” Rainbow replied. “Will do.” As Fluttershy picked Miley from her bed and onto her back, Rainbow moved to the door to open it for them. Nurse Redheart watched their smiling faces as the family started leaving. She couldn’t be happier for them. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were genuinely grateful. But none were as happy as Miley Heart. In the end, she got what she always wished for. She was a filly pegasus, a daughter to a loving family. She no longer had to hide from them, no longer had to change. It was her dream come true. It was love.