//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Forgiveness // by WingKnight //------------------------------// Ocellus was standing in the main library of the Castle Friendship, waiting for Princess Twilight to come back from speaking with whatever creature that might be able to help her. But Ocellus couldn’t help but wonder; if she was just talking to one of her friends, why all the secrecy? Suddenly, Twilight re-entered the library and said, "Good news! Sunset said that you can come over and talk to her, and I got permission from both your mother and father as well as King Thorax. So, we're in the clear.” Ocellus nodded, but asked with uncertainty, "Alright, but can I just ask. . . why all the secrecy?” Twilight let out a small chuckle, and she said with a knowing smile on her face, "Well, let's just say that where you’re headed, things will be kind of familiar and completely different all at the same time." Ocellus blinked her eyes, and said, "Okay. . . I’m not really sure what that means. Or how I'm going to meet Sunset.” Twilight pointed and said, "She that mirror right over there? It’s really a portal that Starswirl the Bearded created over a thousand years ago. All you need to do is just walk through it, and Sunset will be to take it from there. Watch this. It just needs a power source to activate it.” Twilight lit her horn and used her telekinesis to lift up an old book. It was brown, with a red and gold sun on the cover. Twilight placed the book onto a pedestal above the mirror. Purple lighting-like magic began to flow through a bunch of parts that focused it all into a spear, which then shot itself at the mirror. The surface of the mirror then became a reflective light blue. Ocellus stared at the mirror portal with amazement and said, "Wow! That was incredible!” She then turned to Twilight and asked, “So, what now? I just step through and she'll be on the other side of it?" Twilight nodded encouragingly and replied, "Yep! Just walk right up to it and you will pass right through it. But there is something that you should know. Once you crossover, things will change, but not in the way you’re familiar with." Hearing this, Ocellus couldn’t help but feel a little insulted, as not looking like themselves is what changelings used to be all about. “I think that I be all right. After all . .” A quick flash of her changeling magic surrounded herself, and in her place was an exact copy of Twilight, right down to the cutie mark. “I’m somewhat used to not looking like myself sometimes,” the copy said with a cheeky smile. The original just rolled her eyes and let out a small chuckle. “Well, that is true, but no changeling has ever been known to have crossed over,” Twilight warned gently, “So, you should probably just be yourself." Ocellus switched back to her true form, and then she started towards the mirror. A look of awe overcame her as her hoof disappeared into the mirror as she put it to the glass. Ocellus cast a nervous look back at Twilight and asked, “This is safe, right?” Twilight nodded and said, “Of course. I would never put any of my students in danger. Just walk, don’t run. Trust me on that one." Ocellus gave a nod, and she stepped through the mirror. As she flew through a tunnel of infinite colors, she felt as if warm water was passing over her. Then, before she knew it, Ocellus appeared on the other side, breathing heavily, on all fours, and not at all noticing her new form. "Don't tell me that Twilight forgot to tell you about how you won't look like yourself?" a voice said. Ocellus turned around but saw nothing. "Who's there? Are you invisible? Is that something that you can do here?” Ocellus asked as she looked around for the owner of the voice. The voice laughed and said, “Oh no, it's not like that. I'm just up here ‘cause I wanted to see your expression when first saw what we look like in this world." Ocellus tilted her head up, and she noticed the large statue of a horse that rested atop the portal she had just came through. However, what really caught her attention, and got her mouth dropping, was the sight of who or what was talking. It was a girl with red and gold hair, orange skin,and wearing a pair of blue jeans with a blue top and a black and gold short sleeve jacket. As the girl stood atop the plinth of the statue, she held a small rectangular device in the air and aimed it at Ocellus. Click! The girl looked at the object and smiled, “Oh I am so keeping this one!” The girl jumped off of the plinth and approached Ocellus, wearing a friendly smile as she did so. “I’m Sunset Shimmer by the way. It’s Ocellus right? I figured you would like to see what you look like.” Sunset turned her cellphone to show Ocellus her new look, which gave her a bit of a shock. She was the same type of creature as Sunset Shimmer, although she had on a black shirt with a navy blue skirt, along with a bright red jacket with a white collar. Her skin was still teal in color, and her mane had turned into hair that was a light shade of red that was long and wavy. But her eyes where what shocked her most. They were still blue, but now they had wide cat-like pupils. "Wow. . . is that really me?" Ocellus said in wonder. “Yeah, it is,” Sunset said with a nod, “Took me sometime to get used to seeing myself like this, but you get used to it. So, anyway, Twilight told me what happened with you and your friends. And I would love to tell you, but on two conditions.” Sunset gained a more serious demeanor as she continued, “One: that you hear the whole story before I tell you my friends’ names, because believe it or not, you kinda actually know them, in a way.” Sunset then relaxed a bit and smiled as she went on, “Two: we go to Sugarcube Corner for some hot chocolate, ‘cause it’s kinda cold out here! Deal?” Ocellus couldn’t help but shiver a bit, as it was quite cold out, so she nodded and said,"Deal." After arriving at Sugarcube Corner, Sunset had Ocellus grab her usual spot while she went to went to get the hot chocolate. As she sat, Ocellus watched all the faces that passed by. She recognized so many of these people. The CMC, Bon-Bon and Lyra, there was even Sugar Belle working with the Cakes. "Enjoying the view?” said Sunset as she suddenly returned. Ocellus flinched in response to getting caught in the act of something.This would always be enough trigger the instinct of fight or flight, especially in the old days before Thorax became King. But, Ocellus quickly remember that Princess Twilight trusted Sunset, so she found no reason to fight or flee at the moment. Nevertheless, Ocellus blushed and said, "Sorry, it's just that I didn't think headmare Twilight really meant it when she said things were the same and completely different at the same time. And I love to learn is all.” Sunset handed Ocellus her cup of hot chocolate with a smile. “Well then, I better tell you about Anon-a-Miss before you get overwhelmed with everything,” Sunset decided, “You see, it all started at the start of winter break. . .” Sunset told Ocellus the entire story, minus the names of her friends. They would tell her their part of the story later. "So, that's Anon-a-Miss,” Sunset concluded, “Sure, I got picked on for something I don't do, and it was rough. But things have ended far worse for others that have gone through this kinda thing.” Ocellus felt nothing but sympathy for the girl in front of her. "That's some story. . . and all because three girls wanted you away from the sisters? That is just low. It reminds me  of a certain former leader who took the form of somepony’s fiancé.” Sunset raised an eyebrow at this, but decided to save her own questions for later. Instead, she asked, "So, now that you know my side of Anon-a-Miss, do you want to hear my friends’ side of it? Because once you know who they are, you might se their counterparts in a different light.” After taking a sip of her hot chocolate, Ocellus gave a nod, her curiosity getting the better of her. Taking out her cell phone, Sunset texted the girls to meet at Sugarcube Corner to meet with someone from Equestria. Soon enough, they texted her back. "Well, they should be here in about fifteen minutes,” Sunset said, and she put her cell phone away and asked Ocellus, “So, care to tell me abit about yourself?” Ocellus nodded enthusiastically, “Sure thing! Ooh, let's see. . . where to start? Oh! I know, how about I tell you about how me and my other creature friends ditched school and nearly ended up getting it shut down.”