//------------------------------// // Prince Typhoon // Story: Paradox: The Story of Prince Typhoon // by Pixielations //------------------------------// After a long week of diplomatic discussions with her mother and sisters-in law in Ponyville, Tidal was ready to return home to Canterlot. She missed her children, and hadn't gotten much sleep since she had arrived. Sluggishly making her way towards the train station, Tidal prepared for a blissful night of good sleep. Upon returning to Canterlot, Tidal began to feel ill. She made her way up to her quarters, blaming the sudden illness on her lack of sleep throughout the week. As the maids set down her luggage, Tidal was welcomed by her excited wife. "Tidal!" Nightingale squealed, embracing the small pegasus mare. "I missed you so much!" "I missed you too!" Tidal replied, excitedly. "The thing is, I don't feel very well." She added, briefly collapsing into Nightingale's hooves. "You're probably just tired from your trip." Nightingale said, gently setting her spouse on the bed. "Get some rest, I'll see you in the morning." Nightingale added, leaving the room so her wife could sleep without interruption. After tossing and turning restlessly, Tidal finally drifted off to sleep. Throughout the night, she felt odd sensations throughout her body, but brushed them off, until the next morning. Tidal awoke to find that overnight, some major physical changes had occurred. She no longer looked like a mare. Her body was much more stalky, and her facial shape had completely changed to fit the look of a stallion. She had grown several inches, but was still quite small for a stallion, as she had been as a mare. She went to speak, and noticed her voice was much deeper than before. What had caused this to happen? "Nightingale!" Tidal Wave called. "Oh, there you are!" Tidal Wave froze. "Nightingale, are you pregnant?" Tidal asked, noticing her wife's belly had begun to protrude since she'd seen her a week before. "I was waiting for you to notice." Nightingale replied jokingly. Tidal had been so busy that she had completely spaced that they'd decided to use magic to try for another foal. "Nightingale! I'm so excited!" Tidal yelled, embracing her wife. "How come you didn't tell me?" "You've been so busy with your duties, I just couldn't seem to find the right time to." At that very moment, a million more worries popped into Tidal's mind. Would her spouse still be pregnant once all of this was over? She was increasing desperate to solve this, not just so her current children would remember their mother, but so her future child would know who she actually was. After completing her conversation with Nightingale, she wandered off to think about what could have caused the incident. After some thinking, Tidal had finally figured it out. Just before Tidal had left Ponyville, she had been helping Aura with potion-making. Aura, being the big klutz she is, had spilled a potion on her. Believing it was incomplete and wouldn't have any affect on Tidal, Aura went to clean Tidal up before sending her on her way. However, they both noticed that, by the time Aura had gotten a cloth, the potion had soaked into Tidal's coat. Looking back, Tidal realized Aura had been nervously speaking and gazing at her for the remaining hour before she left. Had the changes begun sooner? One Day Earlier... Aura had wanted to say something, but felt as if it wouldn't help the situation. Her sister-in-law was becoming taller by the minute, and her face was slowly becoming larger and more masculine, as was the rest of her body. Aura knew she had to be the one to find a cure immediately, as in a matter of mere hours nopony would remember Tidal as she was before. Throughout the rest of the day, ponies continued to gaze upon the young princess as if she'd grown a second head. She noticed she had been stumbling around a lot, but didn't think it amounted to much. However, ponies were noticing many more changes. Parts of her hair had begun to fall out, leaving a shorter cut that would typically be seen on a stallion. Her hooves began to grow shaggy, revealing a color underneath that resembled her mane. Her body continued to become more muscular, with her wings enlarging as well. By morning, to say the least, she was nearly as tall as Princess Luna, and nopony had any idea where the effects would end. Aura, after a long period of time, began to notice that her memories of her sister-in-law were slipping, and that Tidal may end up being Typhoon for the rest of her life. Back in the present, Tidal continued her conversation with her wife. "Will you excuse me for a minute?" Tidal said, running off. In her private bathroom, Tidal sobbed. She would likely never become a mare again. Gazing upon herself in the mirror, she hardly recognized herself. Doubts ran through her mind. What if I never figure out how to change back? What if I'm stuck living a lie for the rest of my life? She thought to herself, further complicating the situation, unaware that she was not the only one worried. "Nightingale, have you seen my son today? It isn't like him to be hiding like this." Luna asked. "Yeah, he disappeared after I delivered the news. I'm really worried I upset him, but he was really excited to try for another baby a few days ago." "Can you go check on him for me?" Luna asked. "Of course." Nightingale replied, heading towards Tidal's quarters. Nightingale entered the room, proceeding to knock on the bathroom door. "Typhoon? Honey, can I come in?" Tidal whipped her eyes. "Sure." "Typh? What's up with you today? You seem so off." "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." "Sure I would. You're my husband, and I trust you." "Nightingale." Tidal said, embracing her wife. "I'm not a stallion." "What? Typh..." Nighty replied. "My name isn't Typhoon either. My name is Tidal Wave, and I'm not your husband." Tidal sighed. "I'm your wife." "I'm not sure what you mean..." Nightingale replied. "You've always been my Typhie, ever since I came to study under your mom." "No, I wasn't your 'Typhie' until I woke up this morning! Don't you remember me Nightingale?" In that moment, Tidal realized the only way to convince her wife was to use the spell. The Gemini Spell. Tidal grabbed the necklaces off of the dresser, placing one of Nighty's neck, and the other on her's. Finally, one thing that hadn't changed in this mess. She recited the words to herself as she felt her soul fuse into Nightingale's body. Finally, it all went black. After an extended period of time, Tidal woke up on the floor of her bedroom, gazing upon Nightingale. She looked at her hooves. They were hooves of a mare. "Nightingale!" "Tidal! What happened?" Nightingale asked. All I remember is dreaming about some colt that looked just like you. I kept calling him Typhoon, and I was married to him, and I...Tidal..." "If only it was a dream..." Tidal mumbled to herself. She looked to her left to see her children fast asleep. "Just a dream...right. Wanna go get some breakfast while the twins are still asleep?" "Sure, I could eat."