> Oscillation: Back and Forth
>  by TundraStanza
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Ch. 1: La Culla Di Newton
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The morning light shimmered, giving the library's surroundings a nice shine.  Both occupants were certain that everything was fine as they opened the door.  Four teal hooves and two violet feet skipped along the ground.  However, the rest of the residents quickly ran for cover.  A lightning bolt struck a random spot on the ground.  Then, a metaphorical flood gate released the rain.

"Oh, mother of Celestia!" The dark cyan eyes became irritated. "Who put Muffins in charge of weather?"

"So sorry, darling.  I can't seem to get the hang of this today."

Spike blinked. "Uh... why does Rarity have Rainbow Dash's cutie mark?"

The resident changeling's red tail went droopy. "This is not fine at all."

---

Ocellus shapeshifted into a jackalope and hopped as quickly through the rain as possible.  Spike ran closely behind.  Upon reaching a sunny patch near her unicorn friend, she changed back to her default form.

"Rarity, what's going on?" Spike blew a short burst of fire at an incoming hail sphere.

Ocellus bit her lip to prevent her from shifting instinctively. "Why are you out here doing Rainbow Dash's job?"

"Whatever do you mean, Ocellus?" Rarity tilted her head, horn lit.  The clouds moved wildly and in sharp corner turns. "I've been on cloud duty for as long as I've known you."

Ocellus copied her friend's trademark four-sound effect. "Ah-puh-ka-chi!  You're a seamstress for generosity's sake!"

"Pretty sure that's Applejack's calling." Rarity didn't even bat an eye while snow covered half the bridge she was standing on.

Spike inhaled and put his claws together. "Did you hit your head recently, Ms. Rarity?"

Ocellus lit up her horn. "Okay, please humor me for a second and just look at me."

"Oh, very well." Rarity turned around. "But I really don't have time to play this morning."

Upon contact with Rarity's forehead, Ocellus cast her 'memory spell'.  Several images flashed in the back of Rarity's eyes.  There was the time her Element of Harmony chose her.  She forbade her group from speaking of "Tom" ever again.  She held the back of a conga line at Ocellus's birthday party.  When Ocellus released love energy in a huge burst, Rarity's eyes had sparked at the new wardrobe ideas for her friend.

She returned to the present.

"Bu-whaaaa?!" Rarity shook her head. "What am I doing messing with the weather?" She looked down at a sharp right. "And why do I have Rainbow Dash's cutie mark?"

"I was hoping you could tell me." Ocellus motioned with her hoof in expectation. "Where is the weather team?"

Rarity hummed. "For some reason, I recall a notice regarding the feather flu crippling most of the team in one go.  The rest quarantined themselves for safety.  Rainbow Dash is in her cottage." She flinched at her last statement. "Her cottage?! Ugh, no. That's supposed to be Fluttershy's!"

Spike's shoulders slumped. "You mean, you're not the only one with a mix-up?"

"Only one way to find out." Ocellus shifted into a cheetah, nommed Spike by the neck, and ran.  Said dragon yelled at the sudden change in speed.

Rarity winced at the sight of a frozen pony with a sunburned behind.  She slowly turned around before galloping after her friends.

---

Ocellus gently set Spike next to her before she knocked on the cottage door.  A cacophony of animal noises startled her back into her own carapace.  Rarity caught up to them, taking a moment to catch her breath.  Carefully, Ocellus pushed the door inward.  At least, the assortment of animals running wild matched the collection of sounds.  Amidst the critters, a stressed out Rainbow Dash was flying around, grabbing a fox into a cage.  In the next moment, a snake escaped her grasp, leaving her to crash into a wall.

"Rainbow, what's going on?" Ocellus used her wings to hover over a racoon that fled out the door.

"~These animals won't listen. No, not one little bit! That cat is spilling litter while that mongoose throws a fit!  This wild fury is too crazy, but it's what my cutie mark is telling me.~" The pegasus pony looked hopelessly at her flank.  Upon which, there were three pink butterflies pictured.

Ocellus took a deep breath, crawled under a vulture chasing after a dog, then held out a hoof. "~Take one moment to listen. This might sound kind of strange. You may think you belong here, but the circumstance has changed. Your cutie mark is not matching... to the truth imprinted on our memory.~" She cast her memory spell, sending images flashing within Rainbow's mind.

It started with the time Rainbow accidentally splashed mud over the changeling.  The next image showed her giving her new red-tailed hawk the name "Duck".  She and Ocellus worked together to save their friends after falling out of a hot air balloon.  There was the time Rainbow mopped the floor with a few changelings that had hissed the word "traitor" at Ocellus.

Dash shook her head. "What the heck? Why am I trying to herd Fluttershy's animals? Where's my cutie mark?"

"It's over here." Rarity waved. "Though, don't ask how I got it. I haven't the foggiest idea."

"Quick, without thinking, where is Fluttershy now?" Ocellus pressed.

"Sugarcube Corner!" Rainbow blinked twice. "How do I know that?"

"I have a suspicion, but we'll need to see Fluttershy to know for sure." Ocellus trotted outside.

As soon as she was clear of the cottage interior, she levitated Spike onto her back.  Ocellus shapeshifted into a wolf and ran.  Rarity galloped after her.  A few mice had found the cutlery and were holding them like villagers would hold pitchforks.  Rainbow Dash screamed before flying in pursuit of her friends.

---

Where Dash's situation had too much happening, Fluttershy was trapped in a silent presentation.  She was pulling out party favor after decoration.  Those in attendance had either nodded off or were looking at her with disbelief.  A brief glance showed that her cutie mark was a trio of balloons.  Yet, when she tried to make a balloon animal, it popped into three separate pieces.  They landed as two patches above a downward-facing curve.

Rainbow motioned with a hoof at the poor thing.  Fluttershy quietly mumbled an apology before trotting over.  Once she was within reach, Ocellus cast her memory spell.  In a rush, Fluttershy saw a whole bunch of past events: the Element resonating with her, the time she stood up to a dragon for her friends' sake, fawning over Ocellus's new colors, and when she cheered for Rainbow Dash's Sonic Rainboom.

Fluttershy massaged her mane above her eyes. "Rainbow Dash? Why do you have my cutie mark?"

"Probably the same reason you've got Pinkie Pie's." Dash pointed it out.

"I'm starting to see a pattern here." Ocellus nodded.

"Do you know why all of this is happening?" Spike leaned over.  When he realized he was losing balance, he quickly straightened his back.

"More importantly, is there some way to reverse the damage?" asked Rarity.

"I think so, but I'm going to need your help to do it." Ocellus looked at her.

"Me?" Rarity was taken aback. "I don't know anything about cutie mark mix-ups."

"Come on." Ocellus turned toward the entrance. "I'll explain on the way."

"Shouldn't some pony stay to entertain the guests?" Fluttershy looked between her friends and the bored audience ponies.

"I think you've done everything you can here." Rainbow gently nudged her. "Ocellus looks like she has got a plan."

"Oh... okay." Fluttershy nodded and followed her friends.

---

Hammer and nails could be heard before the group made it to Carousel Boutique.  Most of the lower windows were covered in wood boards.  Mold was growing on some of the exterior decorations.  They saw some pony swinging a hammer.  A measuring tape was haphazardly dangling around her neck.

"Wait, stop! What are you doing?" Rarity called out.

Applejack turned her head.  Bags were under her eyes.  One of her mane bands had snapped loose.  She spat her hammer onto the ground.  She sat in defeat.  She tried to smile at the sight of her visiting friends, but the thin line that was her mouth threatened to crack under the strain.

Rainbow crossed her hooves while she hovered over the rest of them. "Let me guess, your talent that you're sure you've had your whole life is working against you today?"

Applejack sniffed and nodded. "How did you know?"

Fluttershy twiddled her hooves. "It feels like a running gag that won't stop."

"There's something else going on, and it isn't your fault." Ocellus trotted up close.

"How can it not be?" The board that wasn't quite nailed securely fell behind Applejack's tail. "I can't seem to get the sewing machine to listen to me!  What did I do?"

Ocellus lit up her horn. "First thing's first: you need to see this."

Various points of Applejack's life flashed before her eyes.  There was that race where she and Rainbow learned there were more important things than winning.  She helped hold Fluttershy in place until the chaotic touch could be removed from her mind.  She remembered asking Rarity for dress specifics before realizing she had no grasp on form.  It all went back to the time she slowly warmed up to the idea that Ocellus wasn't bad just because she was different.

Applejack gasped and the measuring tape slid down her back. "What in tarnation am I doing here?  This ain't my calling!" She took a running start.

"Where are you going, AJ?" Ocellus called out.

"I need to get to Sweet Apple Acres!" Applejack hollered. "I'll catch up with y'all later!" She galloped away.

"Wow, she seems eager to get back to work," said Spike.

Ocellus chuckled. "Some things never change."

---

Rarity nearly fainted at the sight of the rags and tattered hats inside.  Fluttershy muttered that the fainting couch probably wouldn't respond to the unicorn, considering the circumstances.  Clearing her throat, Rarity went into commander mode.  After showing the others where the cleaning supplies were, she focused her efforts on throwing Applejack's failed creations out of sight.  Fabrics, strings, needles, and blueprints flew around in her magic glow.

As the fashionista set up models with new attire, the others went about the boutique itself.  Fluttershy convinced a swarm of spiders to leave the house.  Ocellus brushed through the cobwebs with a feather duster.  Spike scrubbed the floors while glancing every so often in Rarity's direction.  Rainbow Dash rushed around the building's exterior, wiping up all the gunk.

An hour or so had passed.  By that point, Carousel Boutique was gleaming. Its showcase was glittering.  A few passersby stepped into the place.  The entry bell rang merrily.  Rarity put on her best sales pitch, appealing to the customers.  Ocellus asked her to meet up at the library during her first break.

Sighs of relief were passed around.  At least one thing was back to normal.  Rainbow Dash flew off to deal with the misaligned clouds.  Fluttershy headed to her cottage to calm down the ravaging beasts.  Ocellus took to the sky as an eagle.  She carried Spike with her talons.

---

Sweet Apple Acres was still standing.  As she was descending, Ocellus could see that Applejack was finishing up a few repairs.  She also caught the tail-end of a conversation Applejack was having with a straight-maned Pinkie Pie.

"You're so much better at all of this than I am." Pinkie stared in awe.

"Well, this is my calling, no matter what today says." Applejack adjusted her hat. "Oh, hey! There they are."

Spike tumbled forward on the ground several times before he stopped on his rear. "Whoa! Are you okay?"

Pinkie blinked twice. "You just took a dirt tumble and you're asking me if I'm okay?" She put some effort behind a chuckle.

Ocellus shifted to her default form before landing next to them. "Sorry about that, Spike.  The ground looks a lot closer with eagle vision."

Spike sighed and shook his head. "It's okay. I'm used to it."

"Hey, Ocellus." Pinkie slowly waved a hoof. "What brings you here?"

"A wake-up call, I hope." Ocellus's horn glowed before it made contact with Pinkie's head.

In a trance, Pinkie Pie saw herself dance midair with fireworks behind her.  She watched a bubble pop, sending Ocellus with a broken wing onto the cliff beside her.  She was excited to be a part of the heroic team of Mare-Do-Wells.  She got to throw Ocellus's first surprise party.  The flashes centered in on Pinkie somehow using Ocellus's magic as a boom stick.

Pinkie's poofs returned with a vengeance. "Wow! That's almost more fun to witness the second time around! Do it again!"

"Maybe later," said Ocellus. "Right now, I think Ponyville could use some of your natural cheer."

Applejack smirked. "I think I know just the entrance we can use."

---

"~The townspeople need you. They've been sad for a while. They march around, face-a-frown, and never seem to smile. And if you feel like helping, we'd appreciate a lot... if you get up there and spread some cheer from here to Canterlot!~"

With one swift motion of her hoof, Pinkie threw the nose glasses to the side. "Persona!" A blip of white light made her repeat the action. "Come on, ponies! I want to see you smile!"

"Pinkie!"

The rest of her friends quickly finished up their tasks and gathered around.  Spike pulled out a marching drum and tapped out the rhythm as the group picked up the chorus.

"~A true, true friend helps a friend in need.  A friend will be there to help them see. A true, true friend helps a friend in need to see the light! That shines! From a true, true friend!~"

---

Everyone else resumed their normal business.  However, the bearers of Harmony and their dragon companion sat around inside the library.  Five cutie marks were still emblazoned on the wrong ponies.  Ocellus paced the floor, creating a large circular hole in it.

"I just don't understand," said Ocellus. "You have your memories back.  Every pony else seems to think you're all back to normal.  Why aren't the cutie marks back to normal?"

"Maybe it's like a cold?" Fluttershy suggested. "We've treated the symptoms, but not... the... cause.  I'm sorry."

"No, don't be sorry." Applejack waved a hoof dismissively. "You might be onto something."

"So, whose butt do we have to kick to get our marks back?" Rainbow crushed an imaginary object between her hooves.

"Now, now, there's no guarantee that the solution is so barbaric." Rarity levitated a compact to double-check her eyeliner.

Pinkie Pie offered Spike a hot-carrot on a bun with pickles.  He gladly accepted it and crunched a bite in his mouth.

"One, two, three, four, five." Ocellus stopped pacing. "I only cast the memory spell five times today.  Is it possible that... I'm forgetting something important?"

"How can that be?" Spike asked between bites. "You and I were the only ones that noticed anything was wrong with what every pony was doing."

Ocellus hopped out of her pacing hole and levitated a standing mirror in front of herself. "Better to be safe instead of ruling it out too hastily."

As the changeling's horn glowed against the glass, her own past rolled out before her.
---
> Ch. 2: Saikoro
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What is that thing?"

The little girl yawned, flicking her tongue in the process.  She blinked as lights and colors slowly took more distinct shapes.  Three ponies stared in a mix of confusion, wonder, and caution.  She didn't like the taste of any of the emotions.  With a whimper, she tried to shrink back into the egg sack.  But there wasn't enough of the shell left to hide her mostly white form.

"Oh, no... I think we're scaring the poor baby."

She tasted concern.  It wasn't disgusting like the previous emotions, but it also wasn't enough to convince her to come out.  Her tiny, light blue orbs swiveled left and right, back and forth, absorbing information about everything she was seeing.  This room was wooden, triangular, and lit artificially.

"It's kind of cute, in a weird way."

Her gaze transfixed on the little, white pony.  Curiosity.  That emotion was mutually traveling to and from her.  She wiggled her little nubs, warbling for something.  But she didn't know what she wanted.

---

Ocellus wandered around the ceiling.  She thought it fascinating that she could turn the entire room upside-down just by walking all the way up the wall.  The mare with purple and white stripes nearly had a heart attack when she witnessed the little bug filly's antics.  She pleaded with the infant girl to come down.  If the bug filly had suffered so much just from growing out of her larval stage, how much pain would accidental head trauma cause?

With four separate plops, Ocellus released the ceiling and aimed her fall toward the mare.

"Wheeee!" Ocellus chittered before landing.

"Good stars, what am I going to do with you?" The mare shook her head.

Ocellus looked straight into the mare's eyes. "Ma... Queen."

The mare sat down in bewilderment. "W-What did you just say?"

"Mama Queen." Ocellus tilted her head. "Mama Queen... scared." Her little black ears flopped down.

The mare trembled as she hugged onto her little bug filly.

---

"Mama Queen.  Dada King.  Shining Armor... big brooder."

Night Light rubbed his temple. "She's not even three years old yet.  How is she speaking this coherently?"

"Never mind that!" Shining Armor rustled his mane. "Are you hearing the words she's using?  Evil rulers aren't something two-year-olds are supposed to be contemplating!"

Twilight Velvet motioned with her hoof. "Boys, please, let's try to calm down."

"How can I calm down, Mom? This is crazy!" Shining slapped a fly away with his tail.

"All this loud noise is making her stressed out." Velvet pointed out.

Indeed, the bug-like filly was lying against the ground.  She looked around, trying to find anything and everything else to focus on.  But it was difficult to concentrate through the smells of frustration, confusion, and worry.  There were hints of sweet love, but they were hard to nibble without also taking in the bad tastes.

"I... ugh..." Shining groaned. "Just once in my life, I want to be right about something."

Night Light leaned closer. "Son, what are you saying?"

Shining froze before looking away. "It's nothing. Forget it."

Ocellus inched toward the white colt. "Shining Armor... big madder?"

Shining exhaled. "You're lucky you're cute." He gently patted the back of the bug-filly's neck. "I'm not mad at you.  I'm mad that we don't know anything about you.  If anything happens to you, we might not be able to do anything to help."

Velvet nodded slowly.

Night Light gently smiled. "How about we try shortening those titles for now, young filly?  You can call us Dad, Mom, and Big Bro."

Ocellus flitted her tongue. "Dada... Mama... Bro-Bro."

Shining Armor chuckled. "Hey, I like that."

---

Canterlot was a much bigger place than the house Ocellus lived.  The streets were practically covered in other ponies and stuff.  Confident facades, eagerness, small pains, indignation... all of the emotions surrounding her were enough to make the bug-filly dizzy.  She was only able to keep her mind anchored by holding a hoof against her mom's side.  Her mom smelled of a calm love with a dash of excitement.  Ocellus couldn't help but think that was dissonance.

Every so often, Ocellus thought she caught the attention of a random pony's eyes.  Her worry didn't settle, even when she turned around to see no pony specifically looking at her.  Her mother picked up some groceries while chatting with the ponies behind the posts.  More than one asked if something was wrong with the daughter.  The last one tried to pawn off some ointments with names and side effects with too many syllables to pronounce in one breath.

Twilight Velvet paid for some flour, while leaving behind the "all-natural, imported greases".  Ocellus was glad to leave the source of predatory glee.  Standing at that particular post had been suffocating.

---

For everything that made her different from the ponies, learning magic was one thing that made her the same.  Her parents and her brother helped her practice during some of their free time.  At first, she was only able to lift one or two small objects at a time.  But after a few days, she was lifting a full saddlebag with little to no fatigue.  She was progressing so rapidly, that Night Light asked if she wanted to attend a school for gifted unicorns, a place that could teach her far more than her family could by themselves.

Ocellus's wings carried her into a backward flip in her excitement.

---

"That thing is not a unicorn!"

Ocellus's ears rang, even from outside the admittance office.  Aside from feeling hurt from the accusation, she wondered what the point was of closed-door meetings.  She would have thought a prestigious school, where Princess Celestia herself was one of the teachers, could afford something more than paper-thin walls.

"Excuse me, that's my daughter you're objectifying!" retorted her mother's voice. "If a horn and magical capability aren't enough to allow some pony to pass as a unicorn, I don't know what does!"

There was a sigh. "Mr. Night Light, can you please control your wife?"

Her father's voice calmly responded, "I'll let her know if she says anything I disagree with."

She snorted, barely holding back a laugh.  A passing janitor gave her a weird look before continuing his trek through the hallway.

The first voice in the office harrumphed. "We'll see if she can pass a little entrance exam."

Ocellus nodded to herself.  Basic reading comprehension and simple math had been a cinch to pick up.  How hard could a little pencil-and-paper test be?

---

The five-year-old felt a cold sweat in the holes of her hooves.  This was no pencil-and-paper test.  This was a panel of judges and a blackboard.  What was she supposed to do?  She looked to the side.  Her parents smiled in encouragement.  Lapping up their extra love tasted good, but it did little to get rid of her own nervous feeling.

The custodian wheeled in a cart into the room.  It was full of hay, topped with a rather ornate egg.  It was purple and covered in green polka-dots.  An illustration pasted on the side showcased a rather basic-looking dragon.  On either side, the shell of the egg was drawn as being split neatly into halves.

"Your time begins now, Ms. Ocellus," said the judge on the far left.

This was a timed exam?!  Was there a world record for doing the impossible?  She patted both sides of her face.  She needed to focus.  First, she tried levitating the egg, getting a feel for its weight.  It was about as heavy as one of her full saddlebags, but the shape felt completely foreign to her.

Next, she tried applying magical pressure at two different polka-dots.  Perhaps making the egg hatch was as simple as ripping it apart.  After about ten seconds of the egg sitting firmly in place, she concluded that it wasn't going to be so obvious.  In desperation, she crawled up the cart and tried petting the egg.  It remained motionless and completely intact.

With flopped ears and a drooping tail, Ocellus's wings carried her back to ground level. "I...I can't do this.  I'm sorry."

All four judges furiously scribbled on their clipboards of pages.  Ocellus grimaced.  How could this first step be allowed?  Were other students in charge of baby dragons?  And if so, why had she seen none of them in Canterlot?  Yet, as soon as she thought of a way to ask, something exploded outside.

The noise scared her something fierce.  Her horn glowed in a bright chartreuse.  The burst of magic slammed into the egg, making the entire cart rattle.  Before she could really get a good look, more magic burned through her body.  Her horn, her torso, and even her wings let loose huge magical blasts.  These beams and bolts of green burst through the walls and ceiling of the room.  Every pony inside ducked for cover.

Ocellus screamed.  Her thoughts pleaded for the pain to end.  Had minutes passed or had it been an eternity?  Whatever it was, the surge was interrupted by a something holding her shoulder.  She turned to look, seeing a calming face.  She smelled... a type of love that no other pony else possessed.  This could only be one pony.

As suddenly as the power had pushed her, it faded into more familiar levels.  The beams and green lightning shut off.  Ocellus found herself falling to the floor on her rump.  After a stray tile hit the admittance officer on the head, every pony else peeked out from their hiding spots.  Was it over?

"Your name is Ocellus, correct?" asked the newcomer.

"P-Princess Celestia!" Ocellus shook. She struggled to figure out which hoof was supposed to bend while bowing. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to-"

"You have a rare gift, young mare," said the princess. "Not many ponies have such high calibers of magic sleeping within."

"Wait, what?" Ocellus looked up quizzically.

"I believe those with great power should be taught how to control it and find a constructive focus."

Ocellus still wasn't completely sure where this subject was going. "Wait, what?"

Princess Celestia held a hoof out toward the desks before bringing it back to her chest. "Ocellus, I propose that you take up your magical studies directly under my personal tutelage."

The bug-filly's eyes were threatening to become dinner plates. "Wait, what?!"

"Well?"

Both her dad and her mom were nodding while grinning like idiots.

Ocellus's face finally settled on an excited smile. "Yes! Absolutely! I accept!"

The princess glanced over the filly's shoulder. "Your wings are beautiful."

"Wha...?" She turned to follow her gaze.  Experimentally, she gave her wings a single flap.  Their holes were absent, they looked larger than before, and were a nice shade of crystal red. "Whoa..." She blinked a couple times. "But wait, why is the entrance exam about hatching a dragon egg?  Isn't that next-to-impossible?"

"It's a bit of a relic from a couple hundred years ago," admitted Princess Celestia. "The idea wasn't so much as to hatch dragons.  Rather, it was a test of ingenuity and the acceptance of failure.  It helps determine which students are willing to accept their limits and which ones need to work on letting go of their pride."

"Oh, huh." Ocellus tapped her chin. "I never thought of it that way."

"In your case, I don't think those standards are applicable."

"Why do you say that?"

Princess Celestia pointed her wing at the cart.  Ocellus trotted around and looked.  A series of cracks had formed in the egg.  Green dots and purple shell gave way to a little head followed by tiny claws and a chubby, spade-like tail.  The hatchling and the bug-filly stared at each other.

This baby dragon was definitely the cutest thing Ocellus had ever witnessed.  If any harm was brought upon him, she would strike down every creature in her vicinity, including herself.

---

"Hmm... the Elements of Harmony?  Where have I heard that term before?"

Ocellus scribbled something on a notepad while levitating her book back into her saddlebag.  She galloped along a pearly white walkway.  She slowed for a quick wave upon passing her classmate Minuette before continuing her rush.  Sure, it might have been faster to fly, but she needed her wings to peruse the archives faster than the ladder.

She floated her key into the door lock and practically rammed the door open with her magic. "Spike! I need your help to search for 'Predictions and Pro...'" She looked around wildly before spotting her dragon-child on his back at an uncomfortable angle. "'...phecies.'" She was so glad that she never made a crossed-heart promise regarding her 'any harm' dogma all those years ago.

Spike groaned as he sat up. "The next time you swing a door in my face, please knock first."

"Sorry," said Ocellus.  Her eyes wandered over to a ripped box with wrapping paper on it. "What's that for?"

Spike leaned over and picked up what was left of the box. "Well, it was a present for Moondancer's party, but..." A teddy bear fell out along with half of its stuffing.

"Oh, Star in Yellow!" Ocellus swatted herself in the right ear. "That was today?!"

Spike nodded. "You had me pencil it down last month before dinner.  You even told me it was impera-...imperi-...uh..."

Ocellus rolled her hoof. "'Imperative'? A synonym for 'important'?"

"Yeah, that." He made a hand-cannon motion with his claws.

"Okay, okay, don't panic!" Ocellus galloped to one side of the archives. "I'll work on a quick fix for Moondancer's present while you look for 'Predictions and Prophecies'.  Let's do this!"

"Um, alright." Spike grabbed the ladder, slid it to one of the high shelves, and climbed. "Why do you need this book specifically?"

"I'm trying to cross-reference my thesis." Her magic pulled together some threads and stuffing to the teddy bear's hole. "I'm fairly certain that's the last place I had read the phrase 'Elements of Harmony'."

"Found it!" Spike pulled out the book in question and flipped through it.

"Done!" Ocellus put the stuffed toy in the box and cast a quick repair spell on the wrapping paper. "This will wear off tonight, but she'll have opened it long before then.  How soon do we have to be there?"

Spike glanced up at the indoor sun dial right next to the giant window. "Five minutes."

"What?! But the West Courtyard is practically on the other side of the district!" She magically yanked Spike and the book off the ladder and onto her back. "No time for stressing! We've got to go!"

"Pretty sure you're the one stressing."

Before Spike could add to that snark, the bug-filly's crystal-like wings were already pushing air behind them.  Spike stuffed the book into a saddlebag before holding on for dragon's life.  To the casual observer, it looked like a black, red, and violet blur rushed out of the royal archives.  What neither carrier nor passenger noticed was that the key had been left in the lock.

A figure in a dark green hood approached the door.  In a faded magenta glow, the key turned completely over.

---
> Ch. 3: Pawn To E4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ocellus! I'm glad you made it." Moondancer blinked and adjusted her glasses. "Are you alright? You look like you just ran a marathon."

Several panting noises escaped Ocellus's self-control.

"Oh, nothing like that." Spike chuckled. "She just couldn't wait to be here and see you again." He pulled out the wrapped box. "Here, this is for you."

"Aw, thank you." Moondancer levitated it over to a nearby table. "Every pony else is already talking around the refreshments.  Take your time and enjoy yourselves."

She levitated a couple party hats and put them onto the guests.  Lyra hopped over and called for Moondancer's attention.  As soon as they were out of earshot, Ocellus trotted over to a seat attached to a table.  Once she gained control of her breathing so that it could be quiet, she pulled out the copy of 'Predictions and Prophecies'.  Spike stood off to the side with his arms crossed.

"Seriously?  You're reading before the party even starts?" He fiddled with his hat string. "We're on break. You know? A time to relax and unwind?"

"This is my best chance to find the main source." Ocellus flipped through the pages. "Ah ha! 'The Elements of Harmony: See 'Mare in the Moon'?"

"'Mare in the Moon'?" repeated Spike. "I thought that was just an old ponies' tale."

"M, m..." More pages were flipped. "Here! Mare in the Moon! One thousand years ago, on the night of the longest day, the Elements of Harmony were used to banish a pony of darkness and wickedness. Legend foretells that when the thousand years pass, the stars will align and aid her escape. It is then that she will bring about nighttime eternal." She gasped. "Spike, do know what this means?"

"Which cupcake do you want?" Spike brought back a couple different treats. "Chocolate or vanilla?"

"Vanilla." Ocellus paused, grunted, then shook her head. "Spike, this is serious! Tonight is the start of the Summer Sun Celebration, the night of the longest day.  That means the Elements of Harmony need to be found now!  We need to inform Princess Celestia right away!"

"I'm pretty sure she's busy with the celebration's preparations." Spike set a cupcake with lighter icing on the table while chewing up one with darker icing. "Is now really the time to bother her with old legends that don't have any current evidence?"

"That's exactly why this can't wait." Ocellus magically pulled some parchment and a quill from her bags. "If the Mare in the Moon returns and brings nighttime eternal, there won't be a summer sun to celebrate!  Crops will slowly die out, the world will be frozen stiff, and no pony outside of a select few will survive!"

"Some pony is paran-...parini-... uh..." He wiped his mouth with his arm. "Irrationally scared."

"Just get to writing!" She practically shoved the paper and pen into his abdomen.

"Okay, okay..." Spike held the parchment with one hand and the tip of the quill in the other.

Ocellus cleared her throat:

"Dear Princess Celestia,

It has come to my attention that tonight, on the longest day, marks the legends' prophecy of the Mare in the Moon's return.  Should the eternal night come to pass, Equestria itself will surely face the brink of destruction.  That is why I request with urgency that we locate the missing Elements of Harmony before this turn of events can come to pass.  Their power is the only known force that can fight against the impending darkness.  I await your response with due diligence and discretion.

Your Faithful Student,

Ocellus"

After rolling up the letter, Spike gently blew a stream of green fire.  The parchment dissolved as a purple wisp carried it away. "There, it's sent.  But I wouldn't hold your breath."

"Oh, I won't have to, Spike." Ocellus nearly choked on the scent of her own confidence. "Princess Celestia trusts me wholeheartedly. She'll see how dire the situation is."

"Hey, Ocellus?"

The resident bug-filly yelped and nearly fell over.  Fortunately, her hoof managed to slam down on the table for grip.  Unfortunately, vanilla icing went right into her hoof's holes.  She groaned, knowing how long that clean-up would take her later.

"I couldn't help but overhear part of what you were saying." Moondancer smiled. "Did you mention the Elements of Harmony?"

"Uh, yes." Ocellus hastily rubbed a napkin through her hooves. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, in my quest to study everything, I happened to check out a copy of 'The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide'." Moondancer levitated out a red-bound book. "If you need information on them so earnestly, you can borrow it."

As the aura on the book transferred from the unicorn to her friend, said friend smiled. "Thank you so much, Moondancer.  You may have just saved all of Equestria."

"Well, I don't know about that." Moondancer chuckled. "It's just one resource in the literary sea."

Before Ocellus could object, Spike belched up a cloud of purple and green smoke.  It swirled around in the air.  In the next second, a letter marked with the royal seal popped down at Ocellus's hooves.

"See, Spike?" She held her head high. "I told you she'd want to take immediate action."

Spike unraveled the scroll and cleared his throat:

"My Dearest, Most Faithful Student Ocellus,

You know that I value your diligent input and you have my complete trust.  However, you simply must take what you read from dusty old books with a grain of salt!"

Ocellus blinked twice. "Wait, what?!"

---

There was more to the letter, but Ocellus couldn't get her mind off one specific phrase.  Make some friends?  What in the world did the princess mean by that?  She had plenty of friends: her mom and dad, Spike, Bro-Bro, Cadance, and her classmates.  Why did she need more to distract her from her pursuit of knowledge and magic?

She had managed to put on her brave face before getting on the carriage.  Her parents hugged her and Shining Armor petted her on the frill.  Spike heaved their starting supplies before climbing up himself.  For ceremony, the royal guards driving the carriage galloped their hooves while their wings did the real work.  Soon, several clouds separated Ocellus and Spike from their childhood home.

"Hey, cheer up!" Spike wiggled his feet. "Maybe the ponies in Ponyville will be way nicer than the Canterlot nobles."

"I don't care if they're saints of the hippogryph temple! They couldn't possibly see the severity of Nightmare Moon's return." Ocellus sighed. "How could she just brush me off like that?"

"It'll be okay," he insisted. "Uh... hey! We'll be staying at a library while you're overseeing the Summer Sun Celebration's preparations! Doesn't that make you happy?"

Her wings glinted and she perked her head up. "Yes! Yes, it does!  I'll run through the preparations as efficiently as possible, then swing by the library to study the Elements' reference guide for any hints."

He lifted a claw. "And... the princess's order to make new friends?"

"That's just some mentor advice," she said to herself as much as to her companion. "Friendships take time to develop properly, and they aren't going to help save Equestria anytime soon."

---

"Really? You're the overseer that Princess Celestia sent?"

"Is that going to be a problem?" Tempting as it was to magically defend herself, Ocellus chose to keep her wings closed and her horn's glow off.  She scrunched her nose at the scent of displeasure and disbelief radiating off the orange pony in front of her.  Thankfully, it seemed to simmer down into a resigned acceptance.

"I suppose I can trust the princess's judgment if nothing else." The mare adjusted her hat. "Mighty sorry about that. From a distance, I thought you might have been some new breed of timber-wolf.  Name's Applejack."

"Apology accepted, Ms. Applejack." Ocellus nodded. "Am I to understand correctly that you are in charge of food for the banquet tonight?"

"You reckoned right." Applejack's grin gave off a proud scent. "Want a sampling to make sure it's up to the fancy-schmancy standards?"

"Well, just as long as it won't take too long-"

Ocellus's ears were assaulted by a triangular piece of metal.  Her back was throttled by at least a hundred hooves.  Before her mind could swim through the collected feelings of excitement and familial love, she and her dragon had been plopped into a couple of seats.  A table was quickly covered and overflowing with various apple-themed dishes.  All the while, Applejack introduced several names of her family members.

The overseer had a sinking feeling that she would not be leaving anytime soon.

---

Once the orchard of Sweet Apple Acres was far behind them, Ocellus retched into the closest trash can. "M-Mama? I don't need any more food this week. I'm full."

Spike snapped his claw while holding out a bottle and a cup. "Stay with us, Ser Ocellus. Antacid?"

A couple pills floated out of the cup and the bottle levitated in a light green glow.  After swallowing the medicine and some water, Ocellus stood still until she could breathe normally.  Her stomach was still in pain, but it ceased to violently contract at that moment.

"Dusk's Dawn, why did every single one of them insist on feeding me their pie?" She ran her hooves down her muzzle. "There was enough there to put the starving in Zebrica into a food coma."

He put the cup into a bag. "Well, maybe a walk around will give you some room for the real banquet."

She groaned with a hoof against her stomach. "Can we change the subject from food?  What's next on the list?"

Spike flipped over the princess's letter. "Weather sorting.  There's supposed to be a pony named Rainbow Dash in charge of clearing the sky."

Ocellus glanced up at the numerous clouds. "Looks like some pony is slacking."

A large, muddy object sent Ocellus head-over-hooves.  The tumble sent what was left of the water bottle spilling onto the ground.  She groaned as she stood up, still covered in the wet dirt.

"You picked a bad day to leave the Everfree Forest, mutant timber-wolf!" yelled some pony.

"Whoa. Déjà vu." Spike scratched his head.

Ocellus glared at the attacker. "For your information, I'm here on behalf of Princess Celestia to oversee preparations for tonight's Summer Sun Celebration.  My name is Ocellus."

"Oh." The pegasus blinked twice. "Uh... huh.  I guess real timber-wolves aren't that good with words.  Hang on.  I'll get you cleaned up." 

The light blue pony rushed off.  A moment later, she returned with a light gray cloud.  She hopped on top of the cloud several times.  As soon as it rained out its contents, the cloud turned white.  Ocellus was drenched.

"No need to thank me!" The pegasus smirked with closed eyes. "Just your neighborly pal Rainbow Dash helping the littler ponies."

Ocellus spat and muttered, "I'm not that short."

Rainbow Dash finally got a good look at the visitor. "Whoa! Are you going through a goth phase? And... a cutting-your-own-hooves phase?"

"These are the hooves I was born with." Ocellus shook her head. "I don't know why they have holes. They just do. Also, they don't even hurt."

"O...kay, then." Rainbow shrugged before resting her back against another cloud.

"You said your name was Rainbow Dash?" Ocellus looked up. "The same Rainbow Dash in charge of clear weather for the Summer Sun Celebration?"

"That's me." Rainbow waved her hoof without even batting an eye.

"Hmm. Last I checked, 'cloudy' isn't the same thing as 'clear'."

"I'll get to it after I finish chillaxing." Rainbow flicked her tail.

Ocellus opened her right eye slightly more than her left. "Well, there aren't that many hours before tonight, and that's a large number of clouds still present."

Rainbow turned onto her side in irritation. "Hey! I could clear this whole sky in ten seconds flat!"

Ocellus squinted. "You're bluffing."

Rainbow stood tall.  She gave off the scent of determination.  In a multicolored streak, she rushed through the sky.  Cloud after cloud poofed away.  At one point, Ocellus and Spike thought they saw a glimpse of the pegasus punching and kicking.  True to her word, the sky was completely clear ten seconds later.

"What did I say?" Rainbow asked rhetorically.

The bug-filly's jaw dropped.  She couldn't even blink.  Spike watched the pony do a midair jig.

Rainbow laughed. "You should see your face right now.  You crack me up, Ocellus.  Can't wait to hang out some more!  Later!" Without another word, she was gone.

"Wow, she's amazing." Spike pointed a claw up.

"Narcissistic, maybe." Ocellus shook the water off her wings, holding them open to dry faster. "We've still got more to do."

---

"Beautiful," Spike said as the pair entered Town Hall.

"Yes, the decorations look like they're coming along nicely." Ocellus nodded.

"Not them." Spike held his quill in the direction of the back of the center room. "Her."

The mare in question was a pearly unicorn.  Her mane was purple and curled.  She was currently voicing negatives at several different colored ribbons in her magical grasp.

Ocellus trotted closer. "Excuse me."

"Just a minute, darling!" called the unicorn with a hoof wave. "I'm in 'the zone', as it were." Eventually, she settled on a couple red ribbons with extra sparkles. "Rarity, you've done it again. Now, how can I help- WA-HA-HA!"

Ocellus sighed. "Let me guess.  I look like a mutant timber-wolf."

"What? Perish the thought!" Rarity immediately got in Ocellus's face, patted her torso, and gazed at the crystal-red wings. "You're a living embodiment of avant-garde. C'est magnifique!"

"Uh..." Ocellus tilted her head. "Thank you?"

She smelled desire and wonder coming from the unicorn.  The fawning over every last detail made her uncomfortable with the attention she was getting.

"Who are you? Where are you from? I simply must know!" Somehow, Rarity managed to lift the bug-filly with her hooves, not her horn's magic.

"M-My name is Ocellus." Ocellus stared back. "I've been sent from Canterlot to oversee-"

"Canterlot?!" Rarity gasped with glee. "The glamour! The sophistication! I've always dreamed of living there! Oh, I can't wait to hear all about it." She rubbed her cheek against her new friend.

Ocellus looked left and right before slipping into a gallop. "Oh, wow! Would you look at the time? I've got to go!"

Despite the little valentines dancing in Spike's eyes, he managed to grab Ocellus's tail before being dragged out. "We'll be at Golden Oaks Library during our stay... my love."

"Okay!" Rarity waved. "We'll reconvene later!"

---

The sweet smell of infatuation threatened to make Ocellus nauseous.  She lightly tapped his face with her wings. "Hey, Crushing Sheep. Please return to Equestria. What's next?"

"Huh? Oh!" Spike pulled out the list and skimmed it. "Music. It's the last one."

"Oh, finally." Ocellus sighed in relief.

A rhythm of sounds caught their attention.  Just beyond some bushes along the path, they saw several birds of different colors.  They were lined up on the branches of trees, chirping to a choir's melody.  A faded yellow pegasus flew up to one of the branches and the song halted.  Evidently, one of the birds wasn't quite keeping pace with the rest.

"Greetings!" Ocellus called out.

The pegasus mare yelped.  Several of the birds flew away, echoing their conductor's startled expression with chirps.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry." Ocellus folded her wings. "I didn't mean to scare you or your birds.  I just overheard the music and... it sounds wonderful." She added a supportive smile.

The pegasus softly landed and stared at her.

"My name is Ocellus.  I'm from Canterlot to oversee the Summer Sun Celebration's preparations."

The birds returned to the branches in their original positions.

"What's your name?"

This pegasus slowly took a step forward, but said nothing.

"You know, if you keep holding that face, it'll get stuck that way.  Eh heh heh..." Ocellus chuckled nervously.

No response.

"Uh... I should go.  Keep up the good work." Ocellus took a step back.

The pegasus's wings opened and pushed her toward the bug-filly. "You're so cute!"

"Wait, what?" Ocellus was bombarded by vibrant cyan irises and the scent of platonic desire.

"What kind of creature are you?" Feathered wings flapped like crazy. "Where can I find a den of you to snuggle and to feed and to protect?"

It wasn't nearly as bad of a touch as Rarity, but this still made Ocellus uncomfortable. "I...I don't know. As far as I know, I'm some off-shoot type of pony that no pony else has heard about. I also don't know if there are any more of me anywhere."

"Oh, you poor little girl." The pegasus hugged her between hooves. "Would you like to stay with me?"

"Actually, I already have a family of ponies." Ocellus gently pushed. "They're in Canterlot."

"Oh, that's good." The mare loosened her grip. "Are they feeding you well?"

"Very well, thank you." When Ocellus felt a hoof brush past her frill, she couldn't help but purr and stick her forked tongue out.

"Gee, look who's popular today." Spike stepped into the open.

The pegasus gasped. "A baby dragon!" She rushed over. "I've never met a baby dragon before! He's so cute!"

"Ah, so this is what it feels like." Spike put his hands behind his head.

"He talks?" The mare looked with intrigue. "I didn't know dragons can talk."

"Well, I don't mean to brag." Spike smirked. "But-"

Ocellus cleared her throat while magically dragging her baby dragon along. "Well, it was an interesting chat, but we should probably get going."

"Wait, what's his name?" The mare followed behind them.

He sat up backwards so that he could face the pony. "I'm Spike."

"Hi, Spike. I'm Fluttershy."

---

"And that covers my whole life." Spike tapped his chin. "Well, not what happened today.  You want to hear about today?"

"Oh, yes please." Fluttershy nodded eagerly.

"Sorry to interrupt," Ocellus turned Spike around. "It looks like we've arrived at where we'll be staying for the duration of the Summer Sun Celebration. We've got some last-minute plans we need to go over and can't get sidetracked. Goodbye, Fluttershy. Maybe we'll talk again later."

"Oh, uh... okay." Fluttershy's ears flopped. "Talk to you... later."

Ocellus shoved Spike inside and shut the door behind her.

"Really tactful, Ocellus." Spike rolled his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Spike. If we keep stopping to chat with every last pony interested in one or both of us, that legend requiring the Elements of Harmony will rip our tails off." Ocellus looked around. "Could you get the lights, please?"

"Surprise!"

An entire building's worth of ponies appeared when the light switched on.  Confetti rained down and noisemakers clattered.  Cheers filled the air.  Scents of happiness overwhelmed Ocellus and she just had one thing to say.

"Why...?"

"Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie and I threw together this surprise party just for you, new visitor!" A puff ball masquerading as a pony hopped around, making it very difficult for Ocellus to keep her eyes on her. "Were you surprised? Huh, huh, huh?"

"Very much so." Ocellus managed to say between Pinkie's breaths. "A library is supposed to be a quiet place."

"Well, that's silly!" Pinkie pressed her mane against the bug-filly's face. "What kind of a surprise party is quiet? I mean, duh! Boring! You see-"

At this point, Ocellus could only hear white noise as she trotted into the building.  Maybe she could drown out the noise with the sound of a straw pulling liquid.  She took a bottle, poured its contents into a plastic goblet, and then set it back upright.  Glancing around, she eventually found an orange bendy straw.  She started drinking while her ears held closely to her head.  The noise didn't stop, but Pinkie's voice did... for a split-second.

"Wow! I didn't know any pony liked hot sauce more than I do! I mean, sure. I sometimes put it on cupcakes just to feel adventurous, but I never thought of drinking it all by itself!"

Ocellus blinked and looked down at the contents of her cup.  It was dark red and bubbling continuously at one edge of the top.  This was hot sauce?  Strange, it didn't feel very hot.  Come to think of it, it didn't really taste like anything either.  She shrugged and continued to sip at it, hoping beyond hope that the pink one would eventually run out of things to say.

She levitated one of the chip snacks toward herself.  She bit it between sips of her allegedly hot beverage.  The snack tasted salty.

---

After an uncomfortably long stay in the restroom, Ocellus came back into the main lobby.  Most of the party guests were trotting out the door.  She couldn't help but smile a little that the library would soon return to its proper volume: quiet.

"Oh, there you are!" Spike called out. "We've got to go watch the sunrise!"

"What?" Ocellus's tail went stiff. "But I never got a chance to read the reference guide!"

"I'm sure the prophecy was just an overactive imagination." Spike patted her gently. "That's what storytellers do."

She looked down at the floor while walking toward the door. "I hope you're right."

---

"Presenting Princess Celestia!"

The curtain was drawn back to reveal... nothing.  Murmurs were exchanged between the ponies in attendance.  Pinkie looked underneath some ponies' hooves, guessing that the princess was hiding.  With the scents of every pony's worry amplifying her own trepidation, Ocellus glanced out the window.  Four stars honed in on the moon.  The splotchy image of a mare's head vanished.

A sudden laughter startled Rarity, sending her over the railing.  Applejack threw a large bucket of apple sauce over.  Rarity landed with a splash.  Upon coming up for air, she went on a rant about how ruined her mane was.  So, she was fine.

Back on the balcony, bluish-purple smoke gathered around.  It gave off a glittering sheen, like the night stars.  A couple large, black wings parted the smoke.  The figure looked tall enough, but it wasn't Princess Celestia.  Everyone else in the room stared in bewilderment.

Ocellus gulped. "Oh, Feragon, that's... Nightmare Moon."

"Well, well, well." Nightmare Moon's tone smelled malicious to the bug-filly. "If it isn't my little ponies, all gathered to witness me."

"Your ponies?" Rainbow snorted while trying to fly closer. "What'd you do with the princess?!"

Fluttershy hugged Rainbow tightly, preventing her from closing the distance.

"What?" Nightmare scoffed. "Is my crown void just because I've been trapped all these years?  Was Celestia so cruel as to wipe my existence from the history records?"

"Just once, I wanted to be wrong about something!"

The outburst drew everyone's gaze to the lower space.  Standing there was the filly with the onyx carapace, the crystal-red wings, and the fiercely cyan gaze.

"But the signs were all there!" Ocellus stomped her hoof. "The thousandth year, the longest day, the stars aligning... everything!  The Mare in the Moon is standing there, right now!  Nightmare Moon is here to bring about an eternal night!  Tsuaf-ram-it!"

The crowd collectively gasped.  A few sparse voices asked what was going on.  Nightmare Moon's mane and tail swirled around, gliding her down to stand in front of the bug-filly.  Ocellus spread her wings and lit up her horn, trying her best to look intimidating, even as she shook in place.

"What kind of abomination are you?" asked Nightmare Moon. "If you're trying to be an alicorn princess, your imitation is sorely lacking."

Ocellus bit her lip. "I never asked to be born this way."

Nightmare guffawed. "Well, whatever you are, you're right about me." The numerous fangs in the mare's grin put the bug-filly's jaw to shame. "Listen well, fillies and gentle-colts!  You have all seen your last day.  For tonight... will last... forever! Ah ha ha ha ha!"

A couple ponies in police garbs tried to rush her.  However, the swirling purple smoke released lightning bolts.  The places where the two ponies were standing, were quickly replaced by piles of ashes and hats.  Pegasi in royal armor flew down from the opposite side of Town Hall.  But Nightmare turned into a wisp of purple smoke and slipped away, leaving them to grab nothing but air.

Rainbow finally pulled free of her friend's hug.  She flew after the nightmarish smoke.  But as soon as she flew out the open door, Nightmare Moon was nowhere to be seen.  Ocellus carried Spike and galloped through town.
---
> Ch. 4: Bishop to Bishop-8
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Everfree Forest was a blight on Equestria's existence.  Its horrors were so dark and unnerving that whispers had made it to Canterlot.  There were mashed creatures that were more deadly than their parts.  Noises were hushed and would crescendo at random.  Even the plant life would spring to attention and attack unwanted intruders.  All of that was considered the least of the problems to prospecting wanderers.

But if the passage she read was correct, this was where Ocellus needed to go.  It was the last known location of the Elements of Harmony, the only magical artifacts strong enough to surpass Nightmare Moon.  She looked between the edge of the forest and the reference guide in her magical hold.  With Canterlot and Ponyville, she could always pick up a lingering sense of the pride from the builders and the owners.  The Everfree Forest emitted no emotional scents, and that terrified her.

She couldn't bring herself to risk Spike's life in a place like this.  That was why she left him under a blanket inside Golden Oaks Library.  With one last flip through the pages, she closed the book and put it in her saddlebag.  It went without saying that this would be a long night.  If she failed, it would be even longer than that.

"And just where do you think you're going?"

Ocellus jumped and spun on her hind legs.  She sputtered in confusion at the sight of the five ponies that had introduced themselves to her that day.  After some metaphorical grilling and false starts, Ocellus was encouraged to tell them everything she knew about The Mare in the Moon and the Elements of Harmony.

Applejack looked at her carefully, silently nodded to herself, then smiled at the rest.  They all seemed eager to help their new friend on her quest to save the world from a cold and painful end.  Ocellus cringed, but realized they had a point.  If Nightmare Moon wasn't stopped, it wouldn't matter where they were when all was said and done.  They might as well add their eyes to the search.

The journey through the forest was tedious and draining.  Many obstacles threatened their quest: rock slides, treants, giant river worms, and illusory phantoms.  The rag-tag team was exhausted upon reaching the ruins of an old castle.  But seeing something at the back of the first room gave them something to renew their spirits.  It was an ornate statue with five different stone orbs arranged in a unique balance.

Pinkie Pie was the first to touch one of the orbs. "Oooo! That tickles!"

"Huh?" Rainbow Dash tapped the same orb. "Uh... is this another prank, Pinkie Pie?  This rock isn't really triggering anything."

"Nope, it really tickled!" Pinkie hopped up and down.

"Perhaps you still have the jitters from that last fight." Rarity wandered to the other side of the statue near a different orb. "Stone isn't really known for causing- Whaaaa?" She blinked twice. "For that matter, maybe I'm getting the jitters too."

Curious, Fluttershy flew up to one of the upper orbs. "Oh, my. That feels very soothing."

"Hmm..." Applejack trotted up to the orb closest to the floor. Something made her mane stand on end. "I see... a silver cloud?"

"Alright, you guys can stop now." Rainbow hovered over to the untouched orb. "It was weird enough when Pinkieeeee?" She shook in place as her tail whipped around wildly. "Holy smokes! I feel like I can do anything!"

Ocellus watched each of their reactions and tapped her muzzle.  Before she could think any further, a shadowy cloud billowed in from the entrance.  She stared wide-eyed as Nightmare Moon appeared with a literal storm cloud over her head.  Each of the ponies stopped what they were doing and yelped at the sight.  Suddenly, a crazy thought crossed the bug-filly's mind.

"Every pony! Keep touching the Elements! I've got an idea!"

"Nooooo!"

Nightmare raced toward them, half as a dark alicorn and half as the purple smoke.  Ocellus leaped with her wings spread wide.  She landed on the center platform that looked barren.  Upon contact with the stone plate, her horn and torso glowed a bright green.  Energy poured from all five of the ponies into the orbs and it surged into Ocellus.  Just as Nightmare Moon's hoof was within an inch of her, a magical wave lashed out, blowing the Nightmare away.

The magic surging through Ocellus took the form of green flames.  It surrounded her and changed her very appearance.  One moment, she looked just like Applejack.  In the next, she looked like Rainbow Dash.  Her form cycled through Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie.  Finally, it gave her back her own onyx and red shape.  Blinding light filled the room... and then, it stopped.

---

Ocellus's vision was a bit bleary upon waking up.  She blinked a few times before shapes became distinct.  Morning sunlight made her grumble about the downside of all-night study sessions.

...

Morning sunlight?!  She bolted upright on all fours.  Looking around, she was in that ruined castle.  All of her new acquaintances were sprawled on the floor around the decorated statue.  One by one, they worked on waking up.  Although, the Element orbs were absent from their platforms.

Ocellus hopped down to the floor. "Is every pony okay?"

"I think so." Fluttershy massaged her face with her wings.

"Warn me next time we're going to do something like that," said Rarity.

"That. Was. Incredibl-azing!" Pinkie jumped several meters into the air before landing on all fours.

Rainbow chuckled. "That's not even a word, but I agree."

"Wait, what happened to the Elements of Harmony?" Applejack looked around.

Ocellus sat down and pressed her front hooves together. "I think... we're the Elements of Harmony now."

Rarity pushed up one of her mane's curls. "Come again?"

"We felt the magic of each Element react to a specific pony." Ocellus pointed at Applejack. "Integrity." She pointed at Rainbow Dash. "Perseverance." She pointed at Rarity. "Inspiration." She looked at Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. "Compassion and Optimism.  Those were the interpretations of the five known Elements."

"What about you?" Rainbow asked.

"I felt it when your Elements connected to me." As easily as blinking, she turned into each of the ponies before their eyes.  She reverted to herself before continuing. "My Element can't exist without all of yours, and in turn it gives your Elements strength." She smiled. "The Element of Unity: A strong bond that ties thicker than blood."

"You've come a lot farther than I could ever imagine."

A ray of sunlight carried a spinning entity.  In the next moment, it entered the room through a window.  Upon reaching the floor, it grew out into a welcoming presence.

"Princess Celestia!" called all the ponies.  They bowed.

"Please rise," insisted the princess. "I am proud of what you have all accomplished here today.  You brought life back to the Elements of Harmony in yourselves, you've given Equestria a future it can look forward to, and..." She turned around and walked toward some fading smoke. "You've given me a second chance."

"Second chance?" Ocellus echoed. "I don't understand."

Near the entrance of the room was where Nightmare Moon had fallen.  But there was no more Nightmare.  Instead, there was a dark blue alicorn pony.  She inhaled sharply as her eyes opened.  She sat up and looked in shock at the approaching princess.

"Luna." There was a crack in Princess Celestia's calm she used for crowds. "My sister."

"Sister?!" echoed the other ponies behind Ocellus.

"Oh." Ocellus tapped her horn. "Duh, of course day and night would be siblings."

Celestia sat down, facing her sister directly. "For distancing myself in your time of grief, for being deaf to your concerns, and for abusing the Elements of Harmony just to shortcut our conflict one thousand years ago... I am so sorry."

Luna blinked twice and leaned back slightly. "Thou art apologizing to us?  To me?  But I hath promised destruction upon countless of our subjects for simply averting their gaze from me!  Tartarus, I'm pretty sure I followed through with that promise on more than one!"

Celestia sighed. "True, we'll have to inform the loved ones of the slain.  We will let them decide what you should do to reconcile."

Luna chuckled sadly. "'Twould be a critical error for me to refuse forgiveness if you're letting me off so lightly for my transgressions.  So, please relinquish your sorrows.  I seek no repayment for your past choices."

"Are you sure?" Celestia twiddled her feathers. "Because I'm fairly certain the drawn ropes with chains are still working in the basement if you doubt my sincerity."

Luna's complexion became green around her nonexistent gills. "Okay, thou art making it weird. I forgive you, alright?"

"Alright." Celestia nuzzled her. "Thank you."

The sisters embraced.

"Hey!" Pinkie Pie interjected. "You know what this calls for?"

---

There were so many supplies around for the Summer Sun Celebration.  Ponyville decided to use them to also celebrate the return of Princess Luna.  For all the attention she desired centuries ago, now she didn't know what to do with it.  After twenty or so compliments were thrown about her looks and how great it was to have her back, she spent the rest of the festivities hiding her face behind one of Princess Celestia's wings.  Those who could still see her swore she was blushing.

Well into the afternoon, the celebration came to a close.  Guards hooked themselves to the front of the carriage.  Goodbyes were said to the princesses.  Ocellus and Spike had their bags packed up.  Yet, her holed hooves refused to climb up.  She wasn't sure what this feeling was.

"Hard to believe it hasn't even been two full days, hmm?" asked Celestia.

"Y-Yeah..." Ocellus looked down before turning her head to face the princess. "Did you hear back from the 'loved ones'?"

Celestia nodded. "They came to the conclusion that they didn't have enough power to demand the execution of an alicorn princess.  So, Luna's punishment will be helping them perform their ritualistic service, ensuring that the departed can rest in peace."

Ocellus's ears perked up. "Wow, that's... rather humble of them."

Celestia giggled. "That's pretty much what Luna said too." She folded her wings. "Are you ready to return home?"

"I guess so." Ocellus shrugged.

"What's up?" asked Spike.

"I just..." Ocellus shook her head. "I feel like there's something else I can do here.  I followed your directions all the way through, and even made friends with a group to do something nearly impossible." She cycled through the forms of all five of the ponies. "And yet... I don't feel finished.  It makes no sense."

Celestia hummed. "I may have an idea.  Would you mind waiting in Canterlot until the end of your break?"

Ocellus changed back to herself and tilted her head. "Uh... sure, I can wait."

---

It was another beautiful day in Ponyville.  Not much was happening, outside of the usual work and chatter.  A train was just arriving at the station.  Clouds were being prepped for a light sprinkle scheduled for later.  A pony with headphones was leaving a fruit stand just as it was closing for lunch hour.

"Hard to believe it has been a whole week, huh?"

"Yep, it certainly is, Pinkie," answered Applejack.

"Aw... how'd you know it was me?" Pinkie pretended to pout.

"Well, who else would throw their voice way behind me while asking me a question from way out in front?"

"Just me!" Pinkie giggled as she bounced out of sight.  The next instant, she was giving her friend a hug.

Rainbow hovered over. "Hey, AJ! Got any bruised leftovers? Just put it on my tab."

"No, RD." Applejack smirked. "All I've got left is this perfectly ripe granny smith."

"Oh, darn." Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Beggars can't be choosers."

"Well, fancy meeting you lot here." Rarity trotted by, wearing a pair of daisy-themed sunglasses.

Fluttershy grunted while carrying three different bags on her at once. "Hello, girls."

"Heh, you got enough stuff there, Rares?" Rainbow shook her head.

Rarity contemplated. "Hmm, maybe I could use another bag just to be sure."

Fluttershy's head suddenly gained several sweat drops. "Oh, well, one more wouldn't be so bad."

Pinkie Pie sighed. "Hoarders, am I right?"

Applejack and Rainbow shared a couple laughs.  A large cart filled with suitcases suddenly rolled past all of them.  It looked like it was heading straight for... the tree-shaped library.

"No, wait! Stop!" yelled a young girl's voice.

A flash of light green magic shot out.  It broke a wheel off, sending the whole cart tumbling to the left.  Its wooden side barely missed the library's outer wall.  Buzzing noises followed along with some creature heavily breathing.

"What'd I say?" asked a little boy's voice. "The 'come-to-life' spell should never be used!  But, no. You insisted this would be better."

"I couldn't just load the bags off into your hands like last time!" insisted the girl. "It was only a day's worth last week. Would you really have preferred pulling such a heavy load manually?"

"I was literally hatched to serve you! That's my job!"

"You're more than a servant, young dragon! So much more!"

The arguing pair stood in front of the cart, lamenting its contents.  By that time, the watching ponies shook themselves out of their stupor and trotted over.

"Ocellus?"

The bug-filly turned around and blushed. "Hey, every pony.  Sorry you had to see that.  I swear this was a one-time outburst."

"For today at least," whispered Spike.

"We're happy to see you, but what are you doing here?" Applejack adjusted her hat.

"Oh, right... um..." Ocellus patted herself over.  Eventually, she levitated out a fancy slip of paper. "I live here."

"Say what?" Rainbow's jaw dropped.

"But what happened to Canterlot?" asked Rarity.

"And your family?" added Fluttershy.

"Well, Princess Celestia had to follow the standard procedures to make this arrangement work." Ocellus passed the paper to Spike. "Sure, my parents and my brother were a little surprised at my decision, but they supported it.  My foal-sitter was disappointed that she couldn't use me as an excuse to visit them. I know she has a backup excuse.  But I digress." Ocellus waved a hoof dismissively. "I'm ready to live out on my own, in a manner of speaking.  Officially, I'm here to continue my studies on the magic of Unity and the connections it has with the other Elements." She playfully stuck out her tongue. "But really, I just wanted to spend more time with all of you."

She smelled surprise.  That much, she anticipated.  She then felt a number of hooves hugging her all at once.  Pinkie Pie suggested a slumber party for her first night living in town for good.  Applejack offered to help move some of Ocellus's luggage into the building, and she roped Rainbow into helping her out.  Rarity pulled out some of her supplies to find any complementary colors.  Fluttershy turned her hugging attention toward Spike.

It was another beautiful day in Ponyville.
---
> Ch. 5: Ārprāts
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I just have one question: What's a bachelor party?"

Every pony in the group laughed for Spike's enthusiastic naivete.  Fortunately, Ocellus had brought an encyclopedia ready for such terms.  As Spike read the passage and scratched his head, the rest of them got to chatting about possible differences between a typical wedding and one for royalty.  Their talk ranged from speculation to hype.

Applejack held her hat against her chest as she looked out the window. "Uh... there's something giant on the tracks ahead.  Any idea what it is?"

The rest gathered around her window to take a look.  Sure enough, there was a pink, transparent sphere.  It looked like the entire capital city was trapped within its volume.  The train didn't slow down very much as it chugged right through the edge.  Inside the passenger car, every pony saw a pink wall slide toward the rear.  When it reached Ocellus, she felt... an urge to remain steadfast.

"Wow! What was that?" Pinkie asked.  She looked back out the train at the pink field behind them.

"Ocellus, are you alright?" Fluttershy hesitantly reached with her wing.

"Huh?" Ocellus blinked. "Yeah, why do you ask?"

Rainbow Dash looked over. "O? I'm flattered, but is that really necessary?"

Ocellus looked down at her hoof, at her wings, and the multi-colored tail attached to herself. "That's strange." With a blink and a rush of green fire, she recovered her onyx carapace.  She glanced behind herself. "That barrier felt like Shining Armor's magic."

"I suppose royal weddings are a serious business." Rarity looked outside at all of the guards patrolling around the train station.

Ocellus nodded slowly.  Even as the train came to a stop, the strange feeling wouldn't leave her.  The guards let her group pass, but she could smell tension behind the warriors' cold facades.

---

"Bro-Bro!" Ocellus flew up to the wall that several guards were standing.

"Guards, stand down," Shining Armor ordered before giving his sister a tired smile. "Hey, Lus.  Sorry, I couldn't meet you at the station.  I've had my hooves full, reorganizing the guard rotation."

"Yeah, I was meaning to ask about that." Ocellus looked at the armored ponies standing around. "Is all of this really necessary for a wedding?"

Shining sighed. "The situation is more complicated now. We just got an anonymous tip that someone or something will threaten Canterlot. Better to have the reinforcements and not need them than vice versa." He channeled a large beam of his magic upward at the barrier.  It wobbled a little before resuming its current state. "Phew... and needing to reinforce the barrier every six hours is a murder on the skull."

"Do you have any leads on the potential threat?" asked Ocellus.

He shook his head. "Not really.  By keeping the barrier to only allow the invited wedding guests inside, that should narrow the options for anything from the inside causing trouble."

"By the way, that barrier might have done something to me when I passed through it." Ocellus tapped her chest. "You know how I wrote to you that I can sometimes take on the forms of my friends?"

Shining raised his brow. "I thought that was just when the Elements were being used against Equestria-wide crises."

"Actually, I've gotten a little more control over it." She transformed herself into Rarity. "See?"

"Whoa... that's, uh... very different than just reading about it happening."

"Well, just as we entered the city, I felt the need to stand my ground and... well..." She switched her form to Rainbow Dash. "It forced me into this form."

"That's strange." Shining scratched his mane. "My shields can't do anything like that."

Ocellus recovered her default. "I didn't think so either. Does it maybe have different properties on creatures that aren't ponies? ... or a dragon?"

"Maybe." Shining nodded slowly.

"Oh! Do you think we can test some things out like combination spells?" Her eyes practically glowed as she smiled.

He chuckled. "Once I'm married and come back from the honeymoon, I'll be sure to make a day just for you."

She flicked her wings once. "Okay, I'm going to hold you to your word."

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

The mare's voice surprised Ocellus.  But that quickly turned to joy. "Cadance! It has been too long! How have you been?"

The youngest alicorn princess deadpanned. "Terrific." She trotted closer, lowered her head, and whispered. "What are you doing here? Don't you remember the plan?"

Ocellus blinked twice. "The plan? Oh! In all the excitement, I rushed ahead of my friends!" She flew up and looked back. "Be right back!" She flew away.

"Honey, who was that?" asked Cadance.

"What?" Shining tilted his head. "Dear, that was Ocellus.  You know, my little sister?  You used to foal-sit her.  She's here to help with the wedding setup like Princess Celestia asked."

"Oh, heh heh, right." Cadance slowly nodded. "I just didn't recognize her, because... she grew so much since then?"

Shining chuckled. "Yeah. Time moves by so fast."

---

Preparations for the rest of the day were non-stop.  Rarity had to re-do the dress colors three times, because Cadance said that she didn't like them.  She tasted exactly one of the hors d'oeuvres before swatting a full platter's worth into the trash.  She put up a huge fuss when one of Fluttershy's birds sang off-key.  Then, she compared Pinkie Pie's party ideas to those of a five-year-old.

At first, Ocellus tried to chalk it up to pre-wedding stress.  She had read several bad romance comedies where the brides turned into metaphorical, and sometimes actual, bride-osaurs.  However, something seemed off even for that explanation.  Whenever she sensed the negative emotions coming off Cadance, they weren't actually anger and frustration.  It smelled more like a cross between disinterest and mild annoyance.

"How are these ponies friends with you?" Cadance asked after calling a break for the evening.

Ocellus shrugged. "Half luck, half divine intervention."

"Love-love-lovely." Cadance chuckled, but it sounded forced.  Her disarming smile did little to hide the scent of disgust.

Had she always been this two-faced?  That didn't match up with what Ocellus remembered.  In the past, whenever Cadance wore a certain expression, Ocellus could smell an emotion that matched.  Cadance was the type to wear her feelings openly, her love especially.  What had happened since their last interaction?

---

"I'd be more surprised if the princess wasn't a bit short-tempered." Rarity adjusted a scarf. "Her big day is almost here!"

"There was some room for her criticism." Fluttershy fiddled with her drink's straw.  Her off-key bird cawed.

"I thought she was super nice!" Pinkie was playing with a couple of dolls that looked suspiciously like the cake toppers.

"Eh, sorry. I didn't see much of her today." Rainbow curled and straightened out her left wing. "I was in physical therapy all afternoon to make sure I don't pull a muscle during the Rainboom."

Ocellus clenched one hoof on top of the other. "You bring up some good points.  But still..."

Applejack looked the bug-filly up and down.  "You're still worried that something else is wrong?"

"Maybe I shouldn't have brought it up." Ocellus stood up from the table. "I'm going to turn in for the night." She trotted away.

Applejack adjusted her hat. "Girls, maybe we shouldn't dismiss her worries so soon."

"Why ever not?" asked Rarity.

Applejack looked the whole group over. "Remember what happened the last time we dismissed her for being worried, just because we thought it was nothing?"

"Oo! Oo! I know!" Pinkie waved her hooves around. "Ocellus flipped her lid looking for a unity problem to solve and ultimately turned a bunch of ponies in the park into oranges so that they could... work together... to un-fruit... themselves." She inhaled sharply. "Ohhh."

"Exactly." Applejack nodded.

Rainbow said, "We should probably stay with her to make sure she doesn't resort to that level of insanity... again."

"And at least one of us should keep an eye on Cadance," suggested Fluttershy, "so that Ocellus has a second opinion to work with."

"Alright, sounds like we've got our agreement," said Applejack. "Any opposed?"

They remained silent.

Rarity raised her drink. "For Ocellus."

The others performed cheers with their beverages. "For Ocellus!"

---

After empty cans were set down, there was a belch of green fire.  A moment of silence followed.  Then, a much deeper, yet flameless burp sounded out.  Two guys were reclined next to a private swimming pool.

"Aw, you beat me again?" Spike scoffed. "How do you do it?"

"I've been around a lot longer than you." Shining Armor's tail lightly tapped his chair. "Thank you. This is probably the best bachelor's party I've ever attended."

"Really?" Spike turned his head. "How so?"

"Well, I've only been to one other one." Shining exhaled at the bit of mane in his vision. "Let's just say the bride at the time was not happy to hear her groom had been at a club with seven other mares."

Spike's mouth opened wide. "What? You mean...? Oh Celestia, no! Bet the bride had some choice words for him."

Shining crossed his hind legs. "Words, flower pots, an old record player... maybe even an elephant, if you ever hear his side of the story." He shook his right hoof dismissively. "Point is, I'm happy to be relaxing with a bro right now."

"I'm glad you approve, Prince Shining Armor." Spike held a fist over his heart.

Shining closed his eyes. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that title."

---

When the bridesmaids wrote in sick, Ocellus's friends were the first choice to be replacements.  They worked on rehearsing their respective walks up the aisle.  Princess Celestia stood up front, laying out the basics.  Ocellus came out with a pillow, to practice being ring-bearer.  Spike came along with an empty basket, pretending to toss flower petals on either side.

After the rehearsal, Cadance asked to speak with Ocellus in private.  Shining Armor nodded and left without hesitation.  Celestia decided to use the opportunity to check up on Luna.  A glance was passed between the rest of the mares.  They walked out of the room and the doors were slowly shut behind them.

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash had managed to silently fly through the top of the entrance before the doors closed.  They hugged the ceiling while looking down.  Fortunately, the "only" occupants of the room were speaking too loudly to notice the eyes.

"Where have you been all this time, drone?"

Ocellus was confused at the scent of disappointment. "Wha...What did you call me?"

Cadance gazed with burning green. "How long have you been walking around without a proper disguise?  You'll ruin everything!"

Ocellus backed stepped back, coughing at the smell of hostility. "I don't understand, Cadance. What did I do wrong?"

...

"You really don't know?"

Ocellus shook her head.  Her eyes threatened to drip water.

'Cadance' turned around and took two steps toward the entrance.  Then, her horn glowed a sickly green.

"W-Whatever it was, I'm sorry." Ocellus shook in place, not noticing a green circle appear on the floor around her hooves.

"No, you're not... but you will be."

At this point, Ocellus felt herself physically sinking.  She gasped and looked down at the green ring engulfing her and clouding her vision of the ball room.

"Ocellus!" Rainbow yelled while diving down at an angle.

"Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness!" Fluttershy stuttered before following the other pegasus.

The doors slammed open as Applejack, Rarity, Spike, and two guard ponies charged inside.  'Cadance' shot out two green beams of magic.  These beams latched onto the pegasi, then slammed them down onto the heads of their friends.

Ocellus tried casting counter-magic at the fires swallowing her into the floor, but that did nothing to stop her descent.  She beat her front hooves against the magical force-field. "Guys!"

Spears were held out, pointing at the fake princess. "Who are you and what have you done with the princess?"

'Cadance' smirked. "Oh, beloved! Can you be so kind as to detain your subordinates?"

Pink spheres surrounded the guards in a way that forced them both to drop their weapons.  Shining Armor stepped in, staring off into space while a green glaze covered his eyes. "Yes... honey..."

"Captain, what are you doing?" The second guard pony banged his hoof against his spherical prison. "Let us out of here!"

"That's two problems taken care of." The false Cadance looked back at the unconscious pile. "Now, what to do with these five. Hmm... oh! I know just the thing."

She cackled while surrounding the ponies and dragon with a large ring of green fire.  They sank into the floor before it swallowed up any sign that they had been there.  Meanwhile, peeking through a crack in the doorway was an eye with a blue iris.  It rolled away before singing something about a "super sneaky pink".

---

Water dripped against a rock.  The echoing stirred Ocellus from her sleep.  She looked around before pulling herself up to stand.  It was some kind of cavern.  Reflective rocks jutted out of the walls.  Some wooden support beams looked worn and ready to fall apart.

"Hello?" Ocellus called into the cave. "Is any pony there?  Hello!"

She swiveled her ears.  Nothing but dripping water replied back.  She ignited her horn, trying to get a better look into the distant darkness.  Some broken railways marked up the floor into one of the tunnels.  She trotted along, trying to understand what had happened before she fell unconscious.

...

Ocellus came across a slightly more open cavern.  The tracks led into a circle of metal, boxes, and rust.  Had this been a turntable station?  How long had it been here?

"Oh, you're awake."

Ocellus gasped as she quickly scanned around her.  Eventually, her attention was drawn to a figure trotting around a rusted crate.  It was wearing a large green hood, covering their eyes, but showing off the owner's glowing magic.  A unicorn?  Why did their excitement smell so... wrong?

"That's good.  My Queen may have wanted you to rot away silently.  But I wanted you to wake up."  A hoof flipped the hood back, revealing a mare with a violet mane and magenta highlights. "What's more fun than watching the hope drain from a victim's eyes personally?"

"Your queen?" Ocellus tilted her head. "You mean Cadance?"

"Ah, so even our own kind can be fooled by My Queen's perfect disguise." The unicorn mare chuckled. "And here I thought pigs would fly first."

"Well, I did see a few pigs fly a while back." Ocellus tapped herself. "Wait, what do you mean by a disguise and 'our kind'?"

"How depressing." The unicorn trotted closer. "You're supposed to be Celestia's prized pupil in magic, aren't you? Didn't she teach you anything about illusion magic? Perhaps ponies really are a weakness to this land."

Ocellus stepped along the turntable's circumference. "But, you're a pony too."

"And every day, I'm reminded of how disgusting they are just by looking at myself." Teeth were grit. "But that's enough reflection for one day. Let us see if your practical magic is as weak as your mind."

Violet eyes stared while magenta light ignited the horn.  Ocellus was about to fly up until her wings rattled against the cavern's ceiling.  Flinching, she put up a warding spell.  Her foe unleashed a concentrated beam that splashed around the ward.  The bug-filly waved her front hooves around.

"Wait, wait, wait! We don't need to fight!" Ocellus insisted. "I can tell that you're upset about something.  Wouldn't you rather talk it out?"

"Why? So you can trick me and stab me in the back?" The unicorn poured more magic into the beam. "How naive do you think I am?!"

Her ward was cracking apart.  Ocellus hopped on the tracks into the covered turntable.  The mare followed after her.  As Ocellus exited the other side, she grunted while casting something at the circle and everything on it.  It spun around, far more quickly than it safely should.  The unicorn yelled from inside the spinning structure.

As Ocellus galloped into another tunnel, she gasped at what was in front of her.  That unicorn appeared in a flash of white sparkles.  She was charging up another magenta beam.  Unable to comfortably turn around, Ocellus kept galloping forward.  Green magic replaced her form with Pinkie Pie bouncing overhead.  She narrowly dodged the unicorn's second beam attack.

Shifting back to herself, Ocellus cast directly at the pony's cloak.  There was a gasp as the cloth forced itself over the mare's face.  Then, some of the cloak snaked around, tying the unicorn's front hooves together.  As the mare fought against her own outfit, Ocellus ran further along the tunnel.  The sound of another spell-cast and the faint scent of smoke told her she didn't have much of a head-start.

Ocellus took several turns throughout the tunnels.  At one point, she ran straight over some broken tracks and a chasm.  Her wings flapped frantically before she could fall too far.  As she flew toward the other side of the pitfall, a scent of irritation caught her attention.  A magenta glow stopped her in place, forcing her wings to remain horizontally open.

"You are clever, student of Celestia." The unicorn stood at the edge. "Why Queen Chrysalis didn't listen to my recon about you is mind-boggling.  However, it appears you've reached the limits of your arcane arsenal.  So, here's my proposal: Swear fealty to My Queen.  I will not only spare your life, but I will show you the magic that I have learned over the years, spells and curses beyond anything the ponies would even dare to record."

Ocellus sighed before shape-shifting into Rainbow Dash. "Wouldn't twisting a dagger in my back be easier?"

The unicorn frowned. "I beg your pardon?"

The multi-colored pegasus shifted into Fluttershy. "No matter what..." She took on Rarity's shape. "... I will never..." Next was Applejack. "... abandon my family, my friends..." Finally, she shifted back to herself. "... or my country."

The mare snorted. "Such a long-winded speech.  Perhaps you're more related to My Queen than I thought."

The magenta aura tossed Ocellus onto the tracks on the other side.  She groaned from the impact before managing to turn around.

"Go, then. Reunite with your friends. Their fate to be trapped down here will be the same as yours!" With a light-red pop, the unicorn teleported out of sight.

---

After an indeterminable time, Ocellus had wound up in a more open area of the cave.  Her ears swiveled to the sound of something colliding with rock.

"Ow!"

"Spike?" Ocellus galloped toward the other voice.  A large pile of rocks and broken wood blocked off a tunnel.

"Ocellus!" Spike's voice sighed in relief. "Thank Celestia."

"Wait, is that Ocellus?" asked Fluttershy's voice from another blocked off path.

"Hey!  We're all here!" Rainbow's voice was muffled.

"Somehow, we got trapped behind these rocks!" Applejack called out.

"I've been trying to use my gem-finding spell to look for a weak spot," Rarity added. "But I can't figure out what is in these walls."

Ocellus grunted while casting at one of the boulders in her way.  However, she coughed and the rock hadn't moved an inch. "This isn't good." She panted. "I used up too much magic in the skirmish earlier.  Now, I don't have enough to move these rocks."

"Sounds like you've had it rough down here." Pinkie munched on a slice of cake with apple pieces.

"Yeah, I- Pinkie?!" Ocellus jumped and whirled around. "I thought you were trapped with the others! How'd you get out?"

"I was hungry, so I picked up a snack and came here." Pinkie pointed some of her mane at the bug-filly. "Can you believe her sometimes?"

"That doesn't- oh, never mind." Ocellus sat down and hummed. "Actually, do you think you have enough snacks to share with the rest of us?"

"Hmm, I think so." Pinkie shuffled a hoof through her mane.  She pulled out a bag of potato chips, Rainbow Dash, a cup of fudge swirl ice cream, Rarity, a lettuce-wrap, Fluttershy, a cherry torte, Applejack, a sapphire cupcake, Spike, a blueberry muffin, and a dirt-covered alicorn princess in that order. "Oh, and some waters too!" She pulled out several plastic bottles. "Just in case of water emergencies."

"Cadance?!" Ocellus rushed over to the new pony's side.

Cadance exhaled voicelessly.  Her eyes barely opened at the sound of her name.  That was until she locked eyes on the blueberry muffin.  She hurriedly scarfed it into her mouth and chewed.  Half of a water bottle's contents splashed on either side of her mouth while the rest made it in.

"Oh, real food. I nearly forgot how sweet it could be!" She blinked twice before looking around her.  She trotted over and hugged the bug-filly. "Lus! I'm so happy to see you again!"

Ocellus quietly cried while smiling. "You remembered me."

"I take it you're the real Princess Cadance?" Applejack prompted.

"Yes, I am." Cadance nodded slowly. "I'm sorry. I don't think I've had the pleasure."

Ocellus quickly introduced her Ponyville friend group.  It was a nice moment.  Although, the topic of discussion quickly went to where they were and how they got there.

"The creature that captured me called herself Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings," said Cadance. "They can take on the appearance of loved ones and they feed off the affection given by ponies meant for each other. She dragged me into the gem mines deep underneath Canterlot."

"Why that rotten!" Rainbow Dash stomped on her empty chip bag. "When I get my hooves on her..."

"Queen Chrysalis." Ocellus looked down after taking a drink. "The pony that attacked me mentioned that name too."

"Was she being controlled, like Shining Armor?" asked Fluttershy.

"I don't think so." Ocellus shook her head. "The way she talked about how flawed Chrysalis's hindsight was... it makes me think she was serving out of obligation rather than a brainwashing spell."

Rarity cleared her throat. "As fascinating as that sounds, I think we'd all like to get out of this dusty hole in the ground first."

"You can teleport us out," said Spike.

Again, Ocellus shook her head. "Normally, I'd agree. I have gotten better at control.  However, I used up a lot of magic to get away from that fight.  I don't even have enough strength left to transfer me."

Cadance tapped her muzzle. "Maybe there's a way to remedy that."

"Huh?" All eyes turned toward the princess.

"When I first saw Chrysalis's true form, she kind of looked like a taller, older, fatter version of you."

Ocellus's eyes widened.  The aggressive unicorn's words echoed in her mind.

'Perhaps you're more related to My Queen than I thought.'

"Does...Does that mean I'm... a changeling?" Ocellus looked through her hooves. "Huh... suddenly, a lot of things click."

Spike held his hand to her side. "Are you okay?"

Ocellus held her hoof near her neck.  She inhaled deeply.  Then, she exhaled and straightened her hoof out in front of herself. "No matter what species I am, that doesn't change the life I've lived. Whether I was abandoned or smuggled into a city of ponies, my real parents are Twilight Velvet and Night Light.  They, Bro-Bro, and Spike are the family that have been there for me." She smiled. "And my friends are all right here!"

Applejack nodded approvingly. "Couldn't have said it better, sugar cube."

Ocellus looked over. "Sorry, Cadance. What was your idea?"

"Well, what if we tried feeding you love?" asked Cadance. "That might give you enough of a boost for your teleport spell."

Ocellus blinked twice. "You know, I vaguely recall eating emotions out of the air when I was really young.  But ever since my entrance exam into Princess Celestia's school, I never felt that hungry." She shuffled her wings about. "I mean, I've felt cravings for normal food, but never that intense level of gnawing pain."

"Does that mean if you tried to eat love now, you'd get a tummy ache?" Pinkie Pie tilted her head.

"Only one way to find out." Ocellus stood up.

"Every pony!" Cadance's horn lit up in a gentle sky blue. "Focus your feelings on how much you care about Ocellus."

The rest of the group stood up.  Pinkie swept up all of the garbage into the void inside her mane.  Ocellus closed her eyes and focused on what she could smell.  Platonic affection tickled her nose.  For the first time in years, she willed herself to absorb some of it.

Her eyes snapped open, glowing white.  Her wings shimmered a strawberry red.  Her horn ignited with a forest green tone.  Her magic surrounded everyone there.  Ponies, dragon, and little changeling vanished with a poof.
---
> Ch. 6: Atjaunošana
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Several ponies were standing outside in the castle gardens, watching the proceedings through magical projection.  Canterlot Castle's ballroom was full of guests.  Princess Celestia stood at the top of the staircase.  Internally, she was getting worried.  Minutes passed, and there was still no sign of the bridesmaids or the ring-bearer.  Yet, she continued to smile, if for no other reason than to maintain a sense of calm in all her little ponies.

Shining Armor had insisted on the wedding going forward anyway.  He said something about them falling and needing to rest for the day.  Still, he reasoned, that was no reason to make every pony else wait.  After a couple more minutes, Celestia turned toward the organ player and nodded.  She promised herself she would check on their well-being personally once the ceremony left the ballroom.

As the trademark song echoed throughout the walls, two unicorn guards opened the doors.  The bride trotted inside, carrying herself with glee.  Maybe it was a little too much, but she picked up her pace.  Her dress picked up several flower petals along the aisle, as well as a few thorns.

Celestia closed her eyes and waited for the organ to wrap-up.  "Today, we are gathered to witness the matrimony between Captain Shining Armor of the Royal Guard and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza-"

There was a flash and a bang in the middle of the aisle.  The ponies closest to the small kaboom blinked and held their ears in pain.  Six ponies, a young dragon, and a signature bug-filly had arrived.  One of the pegasi dramatically pointed a hoof at the stairway.

"Objection!"

Her friends looked at her in bewilderment.  Fluttershy pulled her hoof against her chest.  She blushed.

"Sorry," she muttered. "I've always wanted to say that."

Celestia dropped her calm face for genuine confusion.  Why was there a second, scuffed up Cadance down on the floor?  Meanwhile, 'Cadance' had a more venomous expression toward the extra arrivals.

"Why are you here?!" She pointed her hoof. "There was supposed to be a sorcerer keeping watch on you all day!"

"It seems you lack communication with your own servants," commented Ocellus.

"Hold up." One of the guests scratched his head. "How are there two Princesses Cadance?"

The Cadance with dirt marks and split-ends stepped forward. "That one is a changeling called Chrysalis. They can change their appearance and feed off ponies' loved ones!"

'Cadance' surrounded herself with a pillar of green fire.  The dress was ripped away into ashes.  Her hooves, wings, and horn grew and filled with holes.  Her eyes turned a sickly green with dark blue pupils.  She chuckled deeply with a pair of fangs protruding from her mouth.

"You're right, little princess." Chrysalis slowly trotted down the steps. "And there's so much love in the ponies of Canterlot. It's practically a banquet!  As soon as my army breaks through that pesky barrier, you'll all be the main course. Mm-hmm ha ha ha!" There was a squelching sound as her eye focused on one part of the group of arrivals. "Well, well, well... looks like one of my drones is here early."

Ocellus stood next to Cadance. "I am not your drone!"

Chrysalis pretended to style her weed-like mane. "Now, now. Is that any way to address your mother?"

Several guests gasped.

"That's right! I laid your egg-sac personally. So the life you've lived? All thanks to me!" Chrysalis cackled.

Ocellus cleared her throat. "Mother, noun. A female in relation to her child or children. Definition two: an important figure in the origin and early history of something. Mother, verb. To look after someone kindly and protectively, sometimes excessively so."

Chrysalis paused mid-laughter. "What are you doing?"

Ocellus smelled curiosity and affection.  She turned her head toward a face in the crowd. "There is some pony who matches those meanings far greater than a queen who left their egg in the middle of nowhere." She steeled her gaze at the taller changeling. "You may share blood with me, but you gave up the right to call me your child the instant you abandoned me. You forgot I even existed." She flared her red wings. "Tartarus, one of your own subjects told you exactly who I've become, and you brushed her off!  You're no mother!"

"That's my girl!" hollered Twilight Velvet.

"Tch." Chrysalis scoffed. "Well, it's not like I need you." She turned toward the pulpit. "Sweetheart, could you please lower your shield?"

Flashes of green flickered in the stallion's eyes. "Y...N-No... I... must... protect... every pony..."

Chrysalis fired a spell at his head. "I said, 'Please'."

Shining Armor cried out in pain as the green glaze took over his eyes entirely.  He turned his horn upward and sent out a spark.  The spherical barrier surrounding Canterlot fizzled out.  A swarm of buzzing noises filled the air.  Ponies outside and in the streets screamed as charcoal-covered beasts fell upon them.

Some of the windows of the ballroom crashed open.  An immeasurable number of changelings filled the building.  They hissed and growled, chasing ponies all over the place.  Celestia grit her teeth and flew forward.  Her horn clashed with Chrysalis's like a broadsword.

Following her mentor's example, Ocellus picked out a changeling drone and headbutted it.  Applejack kicked the torso of another changeling.  Rainbow Dash drove her hooves into three more of the invaders.  Rarity magically grabbed a camera, used its flash to blind a changeling, and then did a back-flip kick.  Fluttershy whacked a couple changelings with her tail, apologizing immediately.  Pinkie Pie stuffed a changeling into her Party Cannon, before firing it at five others.

Spike directed some ponies out of the ballroom.  He slashed his claws and breathed fire in the faces of some of the changelings that got too close.  Twilight Velvet and Night Light ran up to their son, trying everything they could to wake him up.  Cadance pulled herself next to her beloved.  She concentrated and focused a magical aura close to the stallion's eyes.

Celestia and Chrysalis had flown toward the ceiling of the ballroom.  The princess fired a bright yellow beam.  The queen countered with a green burning spell.  Chrysalis yelped at the force she was facing.  The colliding magic was slowly getting closer and closer to her.

On the floor, one changeling drone flopped in a stunned daze after the other.  The Elements of Harmony held their position in the center of the madness.

"How many have you guys gotten?" Rainbow Dash whooped. "Never mind! I've got more!"

"Looks like Fluttershy might be pulling ahead!" Pinkie Pie pumped Ocellus's torso before forcing her to expel a spread of magic bullets.

"I'm sorry!" Fluttershy's tail whacked a single-file line of drones like dominoes. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Applejack bucked one, spun around, and bucked another. "Just a few more, and we'll be home free!"

Rarity took a glance at the next wave of drones entering the windows. "Darling, I think you spoke too soon."

The queen's front hooves grabbed a couple of her changelings out of their flight path.  She inhaled sharply.  As she did so, the light in their eyes faded.  They crumpled to ashes, and she smiled.  She launched a couple extra pulses into her current magic beam.  Celestia gasped as the advantage was lost to an equidistant spell struggle.

"How could you do that to your own subjects?" asked Celestia.

"Mind. Your own. Business!" Chrysalis grabbed three more flying changelings, absorbed their magic, and blasted three extra pulses into her spell.

Now, the green spell beam looked larger and was pushing the yellow beam back.  Celestia's wings gained a red glow like embers.  She glanced down in worry.  If she gave into her fire now, she might not have a kingdom left to save.

Just as the end of her golden ray was about two centimeters away from her, something shook.  Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy tackled the head and side of Chrysalis.  Ocellus flew under and magically pulled Celestia down.  The queen's burst of magic rushed by and blast a hole through the front wall.

"Princess, are you okay?" Ocellus held her mentor's left hoof between both of her own.

Celestia exhaled. "Better, now that you're here."

Their moment was cut short.  A green glow yanked Ocellus out of grasp.  Chrysalis stood on the floor, wrecked wings fully spread.  Rainbow and Fluttershy had been fastened to the floor by some green gunk.

"Ocellus!" The rest of her friends called out.

The bug-filly struggled, but the queen's spell held all of her limbs in a frozen state.  She stared defiantly at the one who would dare call herself a mother.

"You're right about one thing. I don't care what you are!" Chrysalis hissed. "If any of you interrupt my meal, I won't hesitate to destroy her here and now!"

She opened her mouth wide, showing off her forked tongue and fangs.  Meanwhile, Ocellus grunted and flinched.  She could feel her strength being leeched away.  She couldn't concentrate on anything that could stop the outward flow.  She sighed, thinking of the most... draconequus idea she ever had.

Through some force of will, she unleashed all of her emotional magic at once.  Her love, her dreams, her sorrows, her hope... all of it went into that release.  Chrysalis screamed, as an enormous wave of light and feelings launched her into a pillar between two windows.  The crown-like piece of her head fell off, passing by her crossed eyes and foaming mouth.

Ocellus spread all of her limbs wide.  Magic surrounded her and took the shape of a green cocoon.  After a few seconds, it cracked open.  Swirling light covered what was inside.  Full, teal hooves touched down onto the floor.  Her horn curved up with a singular spike just above that.  Her tail now wagged about like a dragonfly's wing.  The only thing that remained of the previous Ocellus were her crystal-red wings and her cyan eyes.

Pony, dragon, and changeling alike stared in awe at the finished transformation.

"Ocellus? Is that you?" Spike reached out his claw.

She blinked twice. "Yeah, Spike. Why are you looking at me like that?" She glanced down, then gave herself a once-over. "Oh.  Um... this is new."

Rarity held her cheeks while her eyes danced. "So many possible complementary colors! Ideas overloading!"

Some pony galloped into the ballroom.  Ocellus braced herself.  However, the lavender unicorn's gaze shifted over to the far wall.  The mare trotted over and stood atop the crown-shaped antennae.  She cast a harsh red spell at the queen, cremating her on the spot.

"The queen is dead. Long live the hive."

In a mix of growls, most of the changelings in the room echoed the unicorn's tone.  She fired a spell into the sky.  It exploded as a star-shaped firework.  She lifted her front hooves.  A timid changeling and a fierce changeling grabbed her hooves and lifted her up.

"If you ever seek out the hive, Student of Celestia," the unicorn called out, "Look out for Twilight Sparkle. I want you to show me exactly how far your magic can grow."

Changelings poured up and out of the city of Canterlot.  Guard ponies, that had been fighting by hoof and by spear, cheered.  An enemy's army was retreating.  The invasion of Canterlot had been repelled.

Cadance panted after she finished casting.  Shining Armor blinked slowly and shook his head.

"What...What happened?" He looked around.

"How much time do you have?" Ocellus flew over and chuckled.

"Lus?!" Shining's jaw dropped. "How long was I out? What'd I miss?"

Cadance kissed him. "Welcome back, my Shining Armor."

He sighed and gave into his lover's embrace.  He let the moment hold.

---

The next day, the wedding was completed without issue.  Cheers were had, Rainbow went boom, and an after-party song sent the new couple along in the decorated carriage.  Love was in bloom.

Ocellus trotted into her room for the night.  She levitated her dress onto a plastic pony model.  Spike walked in soon after with a yawn.  He decided to draw a bath before bed.  Meanwhile, Ocellus's face fell into her pillow.  She had been going non-stop since she arrived in Canterlot.

"Please, come back to me."

"Huh?"

Ocellus stood in front of a glowing tree.  Its branches were prismatic and shimmering.  Five diamond-shaped gems were adorned on its branches.  A tugging sensation pulled Ocellus chest-first toward the glowing tree's canopy.  She tried flapping her wings, but she wasn't slowing down.

"Curious, that I would see this here."

She blinked and looked around.  Several vines grew around the tree.  In the next moment, it shattered.  The reformed changeling found herself floating in an expanse of the night sky.  A path underneath her hooves looked like it was made from the very stars.  A face she had not seen in several weeks flew closer.

"Princess Luna?" Ocellus tilted her head. "What is all of this?"

"Many do not remember the dream-scape in its purest form." Luna rolled her hoof. "It is unsurprising that you have forgotten its appearance as well."

"The dream-scape..." Ocellus hummed. "I guess that explains how I was standing up without leaving bed." She did a double-take. "You acted like you saw that tree somewhere else."

"Do you mind if we take a detour, little changeling?" Luna beckoned a door toward herself. "What I need to tell you requires another perspective for the complete picture."

"Uh... sure." Ocellus swam froggy style through the space. "Where to?"

Her head popped through a pile of red leaves.  Luna trotted by across a bridge.  The bridge vanished behind the princess while Ocellus pulled herself out of the leaves.  A white filly with a mane that resembled a sunrise hopped around, pile to pile.  When she saw Luna, the filly blinked twice.

Luna's right wing opened. "Sister, that tree appeared in your apprentice's dream."

The filly pouted, but just as quickly regained her composure.  In a glowing outline, she grew into an alicorn pony taller than Luna.  Ocellus gasped, then tapped herself on the head.  Of course, dreams could have things that didn't meet real-world logic.

"Are you certain?" Celestia asked.

"There was no mistaking it for any other." Luna shook her head.

"I see." Celestia nodded slowly. "Ocellus, how much have you learned about the Elements of Harmony?"

Ocellus exhaled. "That's a loaded question.  The reference guide had legends of the past usages of the Elements when they were still in rock or gem forms.  Most of what my friends and I figured out about them after Nightmare Moon's return were through trial and error.  They can be used to pull off nearly impossible feats in combination, but isolating one for too long can lead to catastrophe."

"Yes, that sounds much like our experience with them," said Luna.

Celestia curled her wings downward. "The first time we went chasing after the Elements, they were nothing more than a vision Starswirl had."

"Starswirl the Bearded was an oracle?" Ocellus's eyes opened wide.

"Can neither confirm nor deny." Luna glanced off into empty dream space.

"What we found was a tree that held the artifacts in brilliant crystals." Celestia chuckled. "Perhaps a little on the nose, Starswirl dubbed our discovery the Tree of Harmony."

"Our first test of faith was using them to protect Equestria's order from Discord," said Luna.

"We tried pulling some of their magic into ourselves to match the next threat." Celestia sighed. "But we were shortsighted."

"We lost an entire city off the map." Luna shook her head. "It was like using a sledgehammer for a bent nail."

"And then... well, you saw what happened to the Elements when one pony tried to be Unity all by herself." Celestia looked over.

Ocellus nodded. "They turned to stone, waiting for some pony else to wield them."

Celestia nodded. "I don't know why you saw the Tree of Harmony in your dream tonight.  But it happened before we told you what it was.  It's probably a sign of things to come."

"Oh..." Ocellus pressed a leaf under her hoof.  It turned into a gust of dandelion seeds. "When will it happen?"

"Difficult to pinpoint exactly," Luna admitted. "Could be a year. Could be another century."

"If you see the threads of destiny calling you to the Tree of Harmony again, please let us know." The dream pulled Celestia away. "We'll guide you to it personally."

"Farewell, Ocellus." Luna slowly sank into a whirlpool.
---
> Ch. 7 (Arc Finale): Quantità Di Moto
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ocellus gasped, pulling herself away from the mirror.  She was back in the present, in her home in Ponyville.  She held her hoof against her chest.  She exhaled softly.

"What happened?" Applejack trotted up beside her. "Are you alright?"

The faithful changeling student stood up and closed her eyes. "Spike, take a letter.  Tell Princess Celestia the threads of destiny are pulling."

---

Celestia and Luna led the group of friends along the edge of the Everfree Forest.  Fog rushed around them as the princesses lowered and raised their respective celestial bodies for the night.  Rainbow was surprised when her gusts did absolutely nothing to the fog.  To remedy this, Celestia and Luna weaved their magic into a double-spiral.

This combination parted the fog on either side of the group.  While fog still blocked the sight of everything behind, two large slabs of stone stood in front of them.  As the rest of the party looked at the tops in wonder, the princesses trotted toward either side.   Each of them pulled off their crown and pressed them against a spot in the rocks.  An outline of a sun and a crescent moon glowed and the giant stones rumbled.

Like doors for giants, the stones gradually parted ways.  There was a cavern with a glittering light far inside.  Once the doors were fully opened, the princesses retrieved their crowns and donned them again.  A spring tapped open and sprayed water into a natural pool.

"So, this is where you ran off to."

Ocellus flinched before turning around.  A familiar mare in the tattered remains of a cloak stepped out of the fog.

"Twilight Sparkle," Ocellus remembered.

Rainbow shook her hoof. "What are you doing here, stooge to Chrysalis?"

Twilight harrumphed. "The late queen rules no longer. Or did you not witness her retirement?"

"You mean when you murdered her!" Rarity pointed out.

"Murder is such an ugly word." Twilight sighed.

Applejack frowned. "Have you been following us?"

"It wasn't that difficult." Twilight scoffed. "You five were emitting reality-defying magic that could be sensed for miles by any pony with the lowest expertise of the arcane."

Pinkie's eyes spun in her sockets. "Could you say that again, but slower?"

"I was mostly keeping tabs on Celestia's student, but I sensed that your cutie marks weren't right." Twilight glanced over. "Or did you always have three apples where balloons should be?"

"So... you were... stalking Ocellus?" asked Fluttershy.

"Again with getting caught up by details." Twilight face-hoofed. "We're not getting anywhere at this rate."

"Where do you want to go?" Spike crossed his arms. "If you think you can just take the Tree of Harmony, you've got another thing coming!"

Twilight waved her hoof dismissively. "I'm not interested in appropriating that overgrown weed. Perhaps I'll study it at a later date, but that's not why I'm here."

"Then do tell." Luna raised her brow. "Why are you here?"

Twilight levitated a satchel to her side. "Student of Celestia, I challenge you to a magic duel.  I want to see if time and that transformed body of yours have improved your skills."

"Another match?" Ocellus tilted her head. "But, you technically won last time.  Shouldn't that be enough?"

"That was back when you had a dire situation and were low on time." Twilight grinned with half-open eyes. "But you're not running against a clock this time, are you?  We can do this at our leisure."

Princess Celestia waited and listened to the entire exchange.  Then, she trotted up to her student. "How do you want to respond to this challenge?  Is it safe to ignore her?"

"Maybe it would be better," admitted Ocellus. "But, there's something about her that needs to be confronted. This whole 'being better' mentality needs to be either quelled or satisfied."

"If you need help, we're here to give it," offered Applejack.

"Thanks, but she specifically challenged me to a duel," said Ocellus. "That doesn't really say one pony against a crowd." She stepped out from her group. "Alright, Twilight. I accept your challenge. But understand this: If any of us suspect that you're cheating or about to inflict lasting harm, I can't promise that my friends will hold back."

Twilight shrugged and removed her cloak. "I expected nothing less, from those that rely on assumptions and camaraderie."

---

Ocellus conjured a green shield that looked like a spinning crystal.  Twilight responded by casting a magenta shield, resembling a transparent cocoon.  The unicorn fired off five small magic missiles.  The changeling countered with five green blasts.  Their spells bounced off each other's shields.

Twilight levitated out two identical logs from her satchel.  They clacked against the ground.  She cast a stream at one of the logs, transfiguring it into a hissing snake.  Ocellus fired her own spell at the other log.  It turned into a chatty mongoose.  The two former logs wrestled with each other into a quick state of exhaustion.

The unicorn's horn glowed a bright red.  Three images of herself appeared next to her.  The changeling grit her fangs, summoning three clones of herself.  Twilight created flaming orbs that her illusions launched.  Ocellus magically pulled water from the cavern pool, whipping the incoming fireballs.

With a chuckle, Twilight pulled out a couple of cattail reeds.  She magically conjured a wind that drew a specific, harmonic tune from the reeds.  Ocellus's eyes darted while her mental gears turned.  Then, something clicked.  She crossed her front hooves over her chest.  After a second, the changeling unleashed a series of pink rings.  The rings rushed around and past the unicorn.

Twilight gasped. "What... is this?" She held a hoof up to her eyes.  Water dripped onto her hoof.

"It's a taste of the love I feel for every pony else," said Ocellus.

"But, changelings can't generate love on their own!" Twilight took one look at Ocellus's face, and that argument died.

"A lot of things 'can't' happen." Ocellus's wings flickered. "Yet they still have happened."

Twilight Sparkle took four steps backward.  She grit her teeth and sniffled.  Not even three seconds later, she turned and ran through the fog.  A magenta flash indicated that the unicorn had teleported.

"Bye! Don't be a stranger!" Pinkie Pie waved.

"I feel sorry for her." Fluttershy twiddled her mane.

"I kind of get it." Applejack nodded. "It ain't easy seeing your entire understanding buck itself upside-down."

"Well, that's no fault of any pony but Sparkle herself!" Rainbow crossed her front hooves while flying in place. "She made a challenge, then ran away before it was done."

"Hopefully, she learns something from all of that," said Rarity.

"Are you okay?" Spike walked up.

"Yes." Ocellus nodded. "If anything, I feel more ready."

---

Standing taller than two minotaurs, the tree gave off a faint glow of light.  Five branches spread out from the top of the trunk.  Each of the branches had a hexagonal indentation.  The largest hollow space was at the point where the branches split.

"This is the Tree of Harmony," said Princess Celestia.

"It kind of looks like it's dying," remarked Rarity.

"It may very well be," said Princess Luna.

"Well, we're here." Applejack looked at the others. "What do we do now?"

Ocellus scratched her head. "I'm not entirely sure.  The vision was kind of vague, and I don't know how much of it was literal."

The changeling hovered up.  She reached out and touched the trunk's hollow point.  Nothing happened.  She tilted her head.  She tried funneling a little magic from her horn into the spot.  There was still no response.

"Oh! Oh!" Pinkie Pie hopped up and down. "Maybe we should do that thing we did against Discord?"

Rainbow shrugged. "Worth a shot."

Ocellus nodded and flew back.  The wielders of Harmony stood in unison, channeling their internal magic together.  A white light was sent forward.  As Ocellus cycled through the forms of each of her friends, another layer of color was added to the wave: red, orange, yellow, green, and blue.

Something in the magical wave compelled Spike to step forward.  He held out his hand to Ocellus's side and closed his eyes.  Ocellus glanced down, smiled, and then resumed her focus.  Her transformative fires made her a copy of the young dragon.  A layer of purple was added to the wave.

Seven lights rose from their chests.  These lights resembled stars and floated toward the Tree's crevices.  A new indentation was added next to the one at the top of the tree.  Then, all of them were filled by prismatic gems.

Upon the ponies, the misplaced cutie marks slowly faded while their true marks returned.  Magical petals surrounded each creature.  They glowed brightly, forcing Celestia and Luna to squint through the intense light.  Just as quickly as they appeared, the flowers shattered open.

Applejack hopped onto her hind legs and clasped her front hooves together.  Three rocks rose out of the ground behind herself.  She made two opposing punching motions before slamming down her center of gravity.  The rocks launched to either side of the cave while the third one rushed out of the cavern.

Rainbow Dash flew in place while a lightning bolt crashed down upon her.  But instead of burning her hide, it funneled into her front hooves.  She rolled the electricity around into a floating orb.  Then, she held her hooves together, expelling the discharge into one of the rocks.  After sparking and shaking, the rock split into several pebbles.

A diamond-shaped force-field appeared in front of Rarity.  She sent it hurling like a discus.  The purely magic diamond bounced around the sides of the cave before returning flawlessly to her magical grasp.  She conjured several more to box herself in.  Then, she dispelled all of the shields at once.

Two dark Venus fly-traps sprouted near Fluttershy.  They hissed and dripped acid.  When the pegasus opened her eyes, they went silent.  She whispered something incoherently to any pony listening.  The carnivorous plants sank into the ground before crawling away.

Pinkie Pie popped up and slid around.  A pink substance appeared underneath her hooves.  Most of it disappeared as soon as she had moved to a different position.  However, she did manage to sweep a hoof against a little of the substance and lick it.  Her lips moved to the syllables of "butterscotch icing".

When Spike emerged, he was surprised at a sense of weightlessness.  He then turned to look behind himself.  A set of wings hummed behind him.  He lowered himself to the ground to get a better look at the wings.  They looked like a dark green copy of Ocellus's.  He laughed genuinely at the sight.

Ocellus stepped out of the light and her eyes went wide.  It wasn't by much, but she felt like she was taller than her friends.  She looked down at her hooves that had grown.  Her tail and wingspan had extended to compensate.  Additionally, she sported a pair of fuzzy antennae that trailed above her horn.

Fluttershy's wings spread out. She blushed when she saw Ocellus's new look. "Too... cute..."

"I don't understand." Ocellus looked at the princesses. "I thought we were giving back the Elements of Harmony."

Celestia nodded. "You did. It seems the Tree of Harmony is thanking you for returning them."

"Unique gifts for each of you," said Luna. "Do take care in how you use them."

Pinkie Pie back-flipped onto a frosting trampoline. "You're welcome and thank you, Tree of Harmony!"

Rarity yawned. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I think I'm due for some beauty sleep."

"Race you back to Ponyville!" Rainbow blasted out lightning to dart off quicker.

"Oh, you're on, sparky!" Applejack lifted up a board of rock and surfed on it across the ground.

"Wheeee!" Pinkie conjured a giant frosting slide that vanished after she zipped out of the cave.

Rarity summoned her diamond-shield and rode it like magic carpet.  Fluttershy whistled and a vine stalk carried her away.

"Need a ride?" Ocellus offered.

"Nah, I think I can handle this time." Spike's wings buzzed behind him, agreeing with his statement.

Ocellus chuckled as she followed her dragon home.  Celestia and Luna took one last look at the rejuvenated Tree of Harmony.  Then, they hugged each other before teleporting back to Canterlot.

---

Six months later...

After sweat, tears, and close calls, the castle at the end of the forest path was completely refurbished and redesigned.  Enchanted wood was layered on top of the stone remains.  The ground-floor windows were made of transparent gems, while the upper-level window frames were left empty, save for a few iron bars each.  The gargoyles had been molded to have gentle smiles.  Outside the entrance, a few guard ponies were stationed with jade-decorated armor.

Inside the castle, the halls wound around to different rooms.  One of them sheltered a zebra as she used a mortar and pestle behind a bubbling cauldron.  In another, various crystals floated around as an orange and white unicorn fiddled with some metal bits and a tome.  There were several guest bedrooms, a mess hall, and an indoor greenhouse with plant-life of all shapes and colors.  At the very end of one hallway, there was a library consisting of one hundred filled shelves.

The throne room had been smoothed out and cleaned up.  Sun and moon ornaments were still present.  But there were extra pedestals marked with other trinkets: a golden yellow apple, a silver cloud with a lightning bolt divided into thirds, a carved ruby, a blue butterfly, and a statue resembling a balloon doggie.

Banners marked two throne seats.  One had an interpretive outline of a dragon's head.  The other had a simple crown with two antennae attached at the base.  At the floor in front of the thrones, Spike was sweeping dust away with a broom.  Ocellus was on one of the seats, occasionally flipping the next page in a book.

"Viscountess!" A pegasus in jade armor galloped into the throne room.

Ocellus bit her lip, then looked up from her book. "That still sounds weird, Phoenix Down. Could you please call me Ocellus?"

"Oh, sorry." He cleared his throat. "You have a visitor from the changeling hive."

"That hive?" Spike dropped his broom. "You think it's Sparkle again?"

"We don't know that for sure." Ocellus placed a ribbon in the middle before shutting her book. "Send them in."

A few minutes later, the door opened as the viscountess and her ambassador took their respective seats.  The visitor cast a long shadow into the throne room.  Unlike the shadow, the entity seemed jittery and unable to keep their eyes on one spot.

"Greetings, visitor," Ocellus called out.

The visitor knelt low, revealing themselves to be a changeling drone. "Your Viscountess-ness, I am not worthy to be in your presence."

Spike snickered before whistling innocently.

"It's okay," insisted Ocellus. "How may I help you?"

"I have been starving for several days." The drone shivered. "I...I can't force myself to feed mercilessly like Chrysalis used to. It's just wrong! But it hurts to stop." A growl escaped his throat and another from his abdomen. "I wasn't sure when I saw you transform in Canterlot, but after Twilight Sparkle returned to the hive so shaken, I just knew there had to be another way. Can you... teach me how to show love instead of hoarding it?"

Ocellus flew forward and gently landed in front of the drone. "Please rise. I can sense that your emotional stress is real, and I believe that your desire is true." She held her teal hoof against his black hoof. "I'll tell you as much as I can. What is your name?"

The timid drone took a chance and looked up. "I'm Thorax."
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