//------------------------------// // Chapter 20: Thoughts and Questions // Story: Changeling Fate // by Nightmare Rift //------------------------------// Twilight’s POV: I decide to visit Celestia the day after Night Crystal had her fear experiment. I decided that I needed to know what Celestia has seen Night Crystal do. However, I need to talk without giving away the fact that she is actually a Changeling. This might be harder than I thought. I teleport outside of Celestia’s throne room. I appear to see a sign that says, “This room is closed until further notice. Please ask a guard if you are unsure how to get to Celestia.” Great, well I guess I should go find a guard. I turn around, my head hanging low, and start to walk away. Only to walk straight into one of Celestia’s legs. “Hello Twilight. What brings you here today?” “It’s Night Crystal, she is starting to concern me. I come to you with a story and ask in return you share anything that she has done recently.” “Of course. Before you say anything, however, you should see what is in the throne room.” We walk through the doors and I immediately see what is wrong. Directly in front of Celestia’s throne is a sword stuck in the ground. “What is that?” I ask Celestia, shuddering. “That my dear student is Sombra’s sword from the War of Crystal. It was placed there by Night Crystal when she came to visit me with the little colt. Which I may have murdered the second he got into my throne room.” “Well it wasn’t a normal colt, it was an Umbrum colt. I met him the morning before the Gala. But my question is why is the sword still stuck in the ground?” “Well, now I feel less awful about murdering him. The sword can only be removed by a pony wielding dark magic. I had Luna try the day after to remove it by calling upon Nightmare Moon’s form and magic. She was unsuccessful in removing the sword. I tried removing the floor from the room, but that didn’t work out either. I would bring her back to remove it, but neither Luna or I could detect dark magic coming from her when we met her.” “Maybe I can change your mind. She was experimenting yesterday on the Cutie Mark Crusaders. The red crystals that were on her Gala dress collect and store fear. After she finished, her eyes looked liked an Umbrum‘s or Sombra’s eyes. Then when she got angry with me, she had the purple shadow coming off of her eyes. Lastly, when she walked away from me yesterday, she left a trail of shadows behind her. So now that you know that, do you truly think she is free of dark magic? Or do you think she is just hiding it from you?” “I cannot be sure, but I do not want to risk her sanity further by allowing her to think she might be able to remove it. For if she thinks she can, and then fails. We don’t know what could happen to her then. She could be driven mad by the desire to be able to, or she could be forced into a sadness in which we could not bring her out of. Better to leave her be then to risk either of those options. Now, you must do the same, do not encourage nor try to halt her curiosity with the crystals. For if you do, it will only lead down a path of darkness. Do you understand?” “Yes. Although, I did try to tell her to bring the crystals to you. Then she yelled no, and I just let her be. Did I already fail in the task that you have sent me on?” “No, but Luna received a letter from her, asking for audience with us both regarding an important matter. I do not know what that matter is, but I have a feeling it might have something to do with the crystals. You must not be here when she arrives, so I urge you to go home now. Be safe, do not let fear consume you.” I teleport back home, only to find Night Crystal in the library, looking through a journal that Celestia gave me from Sombra’s private study. “What are you doing in here?” “Oh, Twilight, you’re back. Spike here was kind enough to find me everything you have on Sombra. He even found Sombra’s old journal in a stack in here. I hope you don’t mind. I am going to borrow it to see if I can learn more about him. Bye!” “Wait!” But she is already gone, leaving nothing but a small piece of paper behind. It reads: You will not see this journal again, so I hope you read it. If not, sorry. This is private material that I am sure he doesn’t want anypony to read. I will take good care of it for you, have no worries. I am worried. Not for the journal, for her sanity. However, most importantly, I worry for her mind. If it is slowly being consumed by darkness, how do we get her to see the light again? Night Crystal’s POV: As I appear at home, I think of the note I left Twilight. I never truly thought that I would become so sneaky and secretive. However, I suppose that after all, I am a Changeling who knows dark magic. I am fully consumed by it, and no matter what I or anypony else does, the fact that I am consumed by it can’t be changed. However, I have more important things to do then to worry about that now. Tomorrow I go visit Celestia and Luna to funnel fear into them. The day after tomorrow I have to go try to find gifts for Spike, Starlight, the mane 6, and Zecora. So, nine presents and a lot of hard thinking that needs to be put into finding them. Since in a little less than a month is Hearth’s Warming.