//------------------------------//
// The Horror of the Truth 
// Story: A Gifted Pony, with a Life-Changing secret. 
// by StarShooter174 
//------------------------------//

	As the alicorn landed softly, Star Shooter froze with horror. She didn't know who it was, but she knew she was a princess. If this princess knew her and her brother's secret, her life would end right then and there. No pony moved, as if the silence was too much to bare, the alicorn broke the silence as she looked toward Flower Wishes, "Do you even know what these two are, young pegasus?" Flower looked puzzled, "They're other pegasi. What else?" The dark blue alicorn closed her light blue eyes that sparkled like stars and shook her head. "They are not pegasi."

Star Shooter and her brother tensed. The alicorn knew, she was the princess of night, Shooter guessed, and this was it. Flower opened her mouth to ask something, but was interupted as five ponies appeared. "Princess Luna! What are ya doin' here?" Applejack asked, Shooter noticed that the six were there, Rainbow Dash had just been flying high above. The alicorn, no wait. Luna replied without hesitation, "Me and Celestia found out who the two changelings were inside the city are." Twilight stepped closer to the princess with a confused yet anxious look, "Who?" Luna looked back toward Shooter and her brother. "So it is not obvious yet? The one who knew the calming song you use when lost in the Labyrinth," Everypony looked toward her. "And the one who disappeared and suddenly comes back to retreive his sister," Everypony looked toward her brother. There was a silence that felt  as if it had lasted years, every one knew what they were now, there was no way of going back to the normal life she had wanted, and got.

But the possibly worst thing was that she and her brother could be killed on the spot, right there. There was a scream from the other side of the large garden, but no one moved. It was so quiet that Shooter could easily tell who had a fast, panicked breathing rate, or a slow, calm breathing rate. It seemed to be a whole hour before there was any sound other than breathing as the silence was quietly broke by a small, shy voice. Star Shooter's ears had been down the whole time without realizing it, they shot up as she looked over to a bush nearby as the the terrorfing farmiliary voice spoke.

"Star? Stark? Is that you?" The Changeling was small and scared, as soon as she saw the other ponies she ran and hid behind Shooter. "And the young Changeling only completes the fact that they ARE Changelings." The princess walked closer slowly, as Star Shooter thought of any way to get Hope out of here before it was over. She couldn't think of anything before the Princess of the Night was only a few yards away.

This was it. Her friends knew, the Elements of Harmony even knew! It was over. There was nothing that could be done, nothing that would change anything as Luna charged up her magic to change them, forcfully, into their true forms. Her, Stark, and Hope would all die here, or be tormented then killed. Either way, it was over and nothing could be done. Then Stark spoke up, "So, you're going to kill two Changelings that don't even want to be a part of the Hive? That would rather watch all of the evil Changelings be painfully burnt to a crisp, than help the evil Changelings? Not to be rude, because I understand you the Princess of the Night, but, are you even thinking straight! To you, every single Changeling may be evil and cruel. But we've been INSIDE the Hive and know that not every single Changeling is evil. Me, Star, and Hope, have been trying to find a way to get all of the good Changelings out before they are all slaughtered. We've been trying to do the right thing since we escaped. We only want to help." He sounded true to the heart, and he was. But there was one problem, will they trust them?

Twilight and her friends exchanged worried glances, all but the stubborn pegasus that would never trust a Changeling. Flower was still trying to get everything straight, and Princess Luna wasn't even considering it being the truth as she readied to cast the spell. Star looked at Hope, she was shivering, scared straight at any possible outcome. Stark looked toward her and nodded his head just before turning back to Luna. "Princess Luna, you will not have to use force for us to change to our true forms." As he finished there was a flash of soft blue as Stark changed back to his Changeling form. Not long after, Star did the same, except when she did the flash was silver. Immediatly Twilight came over with a look of interest on her face. The three knew exactly what the purple unicorn was interested in. Star didn't look away form the unicorn, or the princess, as she turned her body sideways so Twilight could see the mysterious star-shaped hole on her flank, the spot where a cutiemark would be.  Stark did the same, but each hole was unique. His was a cloud, and Hope's was a heart. Twilight pulled Luna aside to talk to her, as she did so Star saw a small chance of escape. Stark seemed to aswell, he called the other two over so they could talk.

"We might as well make a plan incase she decides to... Yeah, you know what I mean,"Stark nervously glanced over toward Rainbow Dash, who hadn't taken her eyes off them since they transformed. "Star, you take Hope and fly away as fast and as far as you can if it comes to that. The signal will be when I start stammering and stamp my back right hoof twice." Star looked over toward the princess, then at Rainbow. She seemed didn't seem... Angry, or mad at all. She had sympathy toward the three. She felt sorry for them! It was the last thing she would have expected from the rainbow-maned pegasus that always glared at her. Her eyes were full of concern and... Regret? For what? What had she done that she regretted? And why look at them, why not one of her friends instead? What was going through her mind? Did she notice her flaws and told Luna that it was her? She couldn't tell, but it was something toward them. She turned back to Stark, "Stark, Rainbow Dash has regret and concern toward us. But mostly Hope." Her brother looked relieved. She had just used her ability no other Changeling or pony had. The ability to detect another pony's feelings toward any one, but that didn't matter at all.

Twilight had been speaking to the princess for awhile now, the sun began rise as the stars disappeared from sight. Star looked over toward the other ponies. Her other friends had arrived a few minutes ago, Flower Wishes was telling them what happened. But what caught Star's eye was Rainbow Dash, she walked over to meet her. She wasn't taking any chance with her near Hope. "Uh... Star, I have something I need to ask you," Rainbow began nervously. Star told Stark and Hope and went over toward the bushes to speak with Rainbow.

"If it's that you regret something, I already know, just not what." Rainbow was surprised. She spoke more nervously than before, "Well, uh... I do regret something, but that doesn't matter right now... I was going to ask if, maybe I... I could uh..." Star was silently listening with patience, she could stand a stammering pony for so long though, "I was wondering if I could, just well... If I could help you get away from here if Luna decides to... Well, ya know..." Star perfectly understood what she regretted. "You feel bad for Hope because she's young and shouldn't be facing death so early in life when she could end up living in peace and harmony with both ponies and Changelings together." Rainbow was speechless, she had it all right. Luna had turned around while they were talking, they were oblivious to her approach until they turned to go back to their friends. Before they knew it they were in front of Luna. "And exactly what were you two talking about?" Rainbow had a lie already planned in case this happened, "I was curious how Changelings work in a Hive, so I figured I could take a few minutes to ask about it." They were both smiling, it seemed convincing enough to them at least. They went back to their friends as Luna was about to announce her decision on what to do. And what she said made Hope start to tear up, Stark began stammering, and Star tensed to grab Hope, transform, and fly as fast as she could.

She jumped up and transformed while holding Hope. Stark blocked Luna and provided time, while Rainbow didn't move at all. "Rainbow Dash! Get moving! Two of the Chagelings are getting away!" Twilight yelled at her friend so she would bring the two back. But Rainbow still didn't move, she just stood there staring at nothing... Star looked back at her as she flew, she was staring at completly nothing but the sky. Star looked to where she stared, and her eyes widened as she saw the danger. It wasn't Celestia thankfully, but a giant, scaled creature soaring through the sky toward them. Her mouth turned from a frown to a happy smile. She called out to the beast as it flew closer, "Nexus! Nexus, what are you doing here?" She asked her dark green dragon friend. He was about half the size of a red dragon, only because he was young, and not yet full grown yet. "I caught your scent on the wind and decided to come and say hello, but..." His lively youthful voice trailed off as he spotted Stark and Luna. He swooped down and blocked Luna's next attack, she look surprised for a moment but quickly began fireing again. Nexus gaurded Stark as he caught up to Star and Hope. The three flew off as Nexus battled the ponies. He didn't hurt them but he did tire them out, he them turned and went off to help Star, Stark and Hope.

Nexus heard another set of wingflaps behind him. As he turned around, he saw the rainbow-mane pegasus. Before he could say anything or move, she said something he became cheerful to hear.

"I'm coming with you. My loyalty to my friends still stands, but I want to help the Changelings. I also believe that not every Changeling is evil."