Trials of a Changeling Queen

by CTVulpin

Prologue: The Framing Device

Starlight Glimmer sighed as she fell back onto the soft reclining chair the spa attendant had led her to. “This is just what I needed,” she said.

An echoing sigh came from the chair behind her. “Tell me about it,” the chair’s occupant said.

Starlight felt her spirits lift at the thought that somepony could finally empathize with her. She decided to move with caution though, and test the other pony’s willingness to be a sounding board. “You ever have one of those days?” she asked.

“Lately, for me, they’re all one of those days,” the other pony said. Starlight giggled and relaxed into her chair a little more. Her companion spoke up again before she could decide how to proceed. “I might actually visit Ponyville more often, just for this place.”

There’s a good opening, Starlight thought. “I’m not from around here either. I’ve been trying to make friends, but it’s not easy. They’re not saying it, but I think everypony knows about my past. I may have been a tiny bit… completely and utterly evil?”

The other pony giggled. “Ponies have thought the same way about me, now and then.” Her voice turned hollow. “Especially now.”

“Finally, a pony I can relate to,” Starlight said. She plucked the cucumbers off her eyes and twisted in her seat to get a look at her companion. She couldn’t make out much thanks to the bathrobe, mud mask, and cucumbers, but she could tell the other pony was a unicorn mare with pale blue coloring. “My name’s Starlight Glimmer,” she said.

“Trixie Lulamoon,” the other pony responded. She held out a hoof blindly in Starlight’s general direction, and Starlight twisted further to shake it. “Starlight Glimmer,” Trixie said slowly. “Ah. You’re the pony with the village of no cutie marks, right?”

Starlight twisted back right-way around and sighed. “You heard about that.”

“Just the headlines, really,” Trixie said. “With me, all anypony can talk about is my connection to the new Changeling Queen. My performance group broke up and my shows just keep turning into fights between pro- and anti-Changeling factions.”

“I used a time travel spell to try and write Twilight Sparkle’s friendships out of history,” Starlight said.

Trixie plucked the cucumbers off her face and twisted around to look at Starlight. “Wow,” she said, “that is a story I have got to hear.”

“Really?” Starlight said.

“Yes,” Trixie said. “Tell you what: meet me in the steam room after we’re done with this. You tell me your story, and I’ll tell you the tragic tale of how Changeling Queen Patch nearly ruined both her life and mine.”

Starlight considered the offer, but only for a second. “Sure.”