One would've expected such a night like this to have an immense stillness. A gentle calm. But to think a stillness could be achieved tonight of all nights was nothing but a farce.
Lyon shivered with discontent as he walked along the remote dirt path. He flew as high as he could into the sky to keep from crashing into the landscape beneath him, until his wings grew sore and he was forced to land no more than twenty minutes ago.
It wasn't until soon after landing that he realized just how close he was to ending up in the Everfree Forest. From the current path, he traversed its very outskirts, not daring to barge into there unless he was sure he'd come back out alive. Not that the forest was his destination, anyhow.
He sniffled, feeling the cold evening air already begin to take its toll on him. Tonight was far colder than any night of the summer so far! Whether it was possible influence from Princess Luna or the Everfree itself, Lyon knew he had to get inside before he shivered himself unconscious.
He recognized the path he was on, but that meant Ponyville was still a twenty minute walk. He needed to get there quick before anyone else did, but he was drained of energy and couldn't even break a light sprint.
"C-Come on, Lyon," the changeling said to himself in a shaky tone. "Almost t-there... almost..."
From time to time, Lyon found himself looking ahead of him, then glancing behind at the path he just came from. It was a rounded path in spots, yet in some cases it was straight enough to look back a mile, if the time was right. Lyon saw no sign of any creature, at least in the places he could see. Then again, it was too dark for now to see much.
But the one thing that wasn't too dark for him was Canterlot. From where he stood, the city shone eerily in the distance, its fore lights still glowing red, but the alarms were completely inaudible. He didn't doubt that countless royal guards and pegasi were scouring the area where he jumped in that very moment. Or had they already known his goal by now?
He hoped Spike was okay. He hoped they just lulled him to sleep and he was resting in bed, and that he'd deal with these problems on his own time. Surely, they'd grant him that luxury, right?
But as the lights of the grand city continued to shine almost sinister-like, he was doubtful. Regardless, he refused to let it get to him and decided to continue forward. The further down he walked, the more light pollution he noticed trickled its way across the sky. While it didn't re-energize him, it did give Lyon all the more reason to keep walking.
He continued to pace his way along the dirt, even as his muscles began to ache. A yawn escaped his lips, and he felt exhaustion start to creep up on him. Now he remembered why he scarcely used magic.
Who knows what could go wrong?
Lyon could feel the tension in his body suddenly lift as Ponyville came into view at last. He laughed joyfully to himself and continued forward, misshaping the dirt beneath him. With every step the town grew closer and closer, and details became clearer, even at nighttime. Distant signs became legible, and distinct landmark buildings of the town could be singled out from the rest.
Being so late at night already, most of the townsponies had already turned in for the evening, but there was still a fair deal of activity from those who better preferred the night.
Lyon considered turning back into his typical form, but already on the verge of collapse, it would most likely be dangerous to attempt such an act. He'd have to sneak his way through back to his house and just hope lady luck would be on his side.
Then again, if these last few days were enough of an indication... she'd probably be waiting to kick it instead.
"Spike... Before we get there, I need you to swear to me... that everything you're saying and everything you're thinking, you can 100% say that you trust with your gut."
"I swear."
Twilight Sparkle stared down at her young dragon assistant, watching him with an unsteady gaze that didn't worry him, but herself. She only ever looked at Spike this way one other time, when she first adopted Owlysius and Spike had tried to sabotage her trust in the owl.
However, this time it wasn't out of anger, but of fear. Fear she was being misled, fear she was walking into what could've been a trap. But like the guards told her back on the mountain—and just as she attempted herself soon after—the dragon she saw before her was no changeling.
So why did she feel uneasy?
"Okay," Twilight said after a moment of silence. Even after Spike turned away to gaze out the window overlooking Ponyville, the unicorn caught herself watching him carefully, but not of the concern he bad been replaced.
She was wondering what that changeling did to him in such a short time. He insisted nothing. She believed something.
As Spike watched outside the window, Twilight stepped away and walked over to the rest of the group, who had been whispering conversations back and forth for the last several minutes.
"Well?" Applejack asked. "Anythin'?"
Twilight looked down and sighed oddly. "He's still sure of it."
The others exchanged nervous glances, all except for Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash, ever since the changeling escaped the jail, was arguing over wanting to let loose at the next changeling she saw.
But Fluttershy... Twilight didn't know what to think of her face. She seemed to be in thought, but at the same time patience.
"Alright, so here's my plan:" Rainbow began to explain with arms wrapped around Rarity and Applejack, "We stop in Ponyville, lure the changeling to Twilight's place, and when he opens the door, BAM!"
The pegasus released the two mares for just a moment to allow her own hooves to smash together, mimicking a brawl.
"We crack his head open, take him back to Canterlot, and let Twilight's brother knock an explanation out of him!"
"Easier said than done," Applejack said dryly. "We have no idea what this thing is fully capable of. For all we know, he might've already booby-trapped the Library and got the upper hoof."
Twilight raised her hoof to call attention on her.
"Look," she began, "all that Spike's told us is that the changeling doesn't deal with confrontation well."
"Ah, so he's a coward then?" Rainbow quipped.
"Or he's merely dragging us along until reinforcements come along?" Rarity suggested.
But Twilight shook her head. "I'm... I'm not sure. Anything seems likely, but I... can't put my hoof on anything yet."
Curious, she turned to the butter yellow pegasus sitting quietly beside her.
"What do you think, Fluttershy?"
Calmly, Fluttershy panned her eyes around the collection of mares before her. She felt her nerves acting up, but she kept her composure.
"I think we should listen to Spike."
"W—" Before Rainbow could retort, Applejack clenched a hoof over her mouth. Twilight nodded a 'thank you' and turned back to Fluttershy.
"Can you tell us why?" Twilight asked kindly, even though its delivery still sent Fluttershy recoiling faintly. "Don't worry, I'm not angry."
Fluttershy stepped forward again and let the words form in her head before speaking them out.
"Well," she began, "the way Spike talks about him... it... it seems that it's more afraid of us than we are of it."
Rainbow tried to speak up again, only to remember the hoof still clamped around her lips. Snorting in frustration, she resigned to the floor.
"Plus, considering how he tried to protect everypony on the train before, he doesn't sound like he's hurt anypony so far or even wants to hurt anypony, like Spike said."
"Except for Lyon," Rarity said suddenly, only to apologize a moment later.
"That's... that's another thing I wanted to talk about."
"What?" Twilight asked.
Fluttershy swirled her tongue in her mouth, and she felt her heart beat faster, making her unsteady.
"Spike said the changeling knows a lot of things that only the rest of us would know about. Things we've never told anypony, or things we did in private. Things that only we could understand. Things only Lyon would know about."
"I'm not sure I'm liking where this is going, but..." Rarity said before trailing off. "... Darling, what are you saying?"
Fluttershy sighed through her nostrils, her eyes far more attentive.
"What if he's telling the truth? What if he... is Lyon?"
The girls all watched Fluttershy cautiously, and in some cases dumbfoundedly. They exchanged looks between each other like they saw a ghost or were listening to a complete nutcase—and for all Fluttershy knew, that's most likely what they saw her as.
Everyone except Spike, who had overheard the conversation and her hypothesis, one that share his in a way, and couldn't help but lend a smile to the mare. She noticed after a moment and smile back to him.
"If we were wrong all along... then he has a lot of explaining to do," Twilight said in an unsure tone, but anyone could hear the bitterness in her tone.
And the smiles were gone.
Lyon hadn't noticed it well in the past, but for being so late at night, Ponyville was still fairly alive. If ponies weren't clamoring into the nearest nightclub for a quick jig-and-a-jug, they were strolling the streets and taking in the evening breeze, which was considerably warmer in town than out, as Lyon had also noticed.
He ducked his head, avoiding the streets and hiding in between buildings in the shadows of alleyways. If he encountered anypony approaching him, he'd do his best to hide in the darkest shadows available, wait for them to pass, then be on his way again. It was one of the few bearable quirks of his kind. Hiding in the dark was far easier than in his usual form.
Even luckier, he remembered that the side of town where he lived was not as populous, meaning it wasn't as lit up as the rest of Ponyville—so as soon as he reached the area, he allowed himself to stand freely. He hadn't realized how straining it could be to crouch for such long periods of time.
"Maybe that's a changeling thing too...?" he questioned, mirroring what Spike had told him from earlier in the evening.
The walk back to his house was free of any unwanted guests. Even if somepony were to see him now, they likely wouldn't notice his form from afar. The night was far too dark to make out much detail beyond ten feet, much to his liking. Of course, bumping occasionally into an exposed tree stump was always a disadvantage.
However, remembering the outlines of the buildings, as well as following the familiar paved brick path simply by touch, it wasn't long before he recognized his own street. Then the changeling let out a satisfied groan of laughter as his quaint little cottage greeted him back. In any situation, seeing the familiar coat of yellow paint was always a welcome sight.
The house stood the same as it did when he left a few days ago; nothing had changed, and nopony tried to break in. Then again, Ponyville never was the type of town for that.
Unfortunately, Lyon always kept his main house key in his satchel, just for safekeeping. But if he remembered right...
"Come on, come on..." Lyon muttered to himself as he dug through the potted plant on his front step. He always kept it under the welcome mat for easy access for the first three years, until he came home to Rainbow Dash passed out on his couch.
At 2 AM. Drunk.
Needless to say, this was a better—though dirtier—alternative.
"Aha!" he exclaimed as he pulled out a small brass key coated in a thin layer of dirt, which he swiftly scraped off. Lyon walked up to the door and carefully inserted the key into the lock. It clicked with ease as he twisted.
Lyon opened the front door, and was welcomed to the empty darkness of his living room. Everything was untouched, a good sign that no one was home but him. That meant no Rainbow, no Rarity...
No Applejack. No Twilight. Yet.
Shaking the thoughts away, Lyon immediately went upstairs, navigating down the hall until he found his bedroom. The smell of the scented candle he had placed down the night before he left was still fresh in the air. The bed beckoned for him from the corner of his eye, but he couldn't sleep now. Not until he was gone.
He walked past the bed and headed straight for the closet a few feet away. The closet itself was a relatively small room, capable of holding up to two ponies, and that was without the four shelves. The same carpet in the bedroom also coated the floor of the closet. And if he listened close enough with a step, he could hear the wood beneath it creak and turn.
Now he knew why.
He tore away at the closet carpet, taking bits and shreds of it in his hooves, his muscles twitching from exhaustion, but he refused to stop.
After a minute of pulling and ripping, a large hole of carpet was gone, and beneath it lay a polished, yet dirty texture of wood. Seams connected together in four corners, and a latch sank into the wood, revealing that the piece of floor beneath Lyon was instead a hatch.
"Tun katna borsomana for dae..." Lyon spoke softly to himself as he gripped the latch carefully in his hoof. With one quick pull, the wooden door opened, and a short barrage of dust scattered around the closet, forcing Lyon into a brief coughing fit.
When the dust cleared, Lyon rubbed his eyes clear of any dust before opening them, only to find himself staring at what lay before him. A small, yet thickly archer's bow sat snugly in a faux leather pouch, with its synthetic string still held firmly by the supports. Laying beside it were four identical pouches containing what he knew to be arrows made of the same wood as the bow. Each pouch, if he remembered, contained up to 10 arrows. He opened one of the pouches and counted them individually, and sure enough he was correct. Their tips were still sharp, and the smoothness of the wood never faded.
He brought one of the arrows up to his nose and took in the scent. It had acquired the familiar smell of the household over the years—but there it was, still as he could remember it.
Lavender.
He remembered now. He crafted these from the body of a felled Lavender Tree. It was coming back to him. The days he spent putting it together. The tuning and refining. Just thinking about it made his head hurt and his arms ache. And he missed that.
He took the bow from its resting place and inspected it closely. He hadn't noticed it from the angle it laid, but here he was able to see the properly fitted iron sights, one of the more latest touches on his weaponry. These days, he didn't need it so often—but he always kept it just for an occasion.
And should he be forced once to fight drenched in blood, it would once more have a purpose, he believed.
Lyon sat on his knees in the darkness of the closet, holding the bow tightly, and closed his eyes. He felt the air escape his lungs too fast, but he didn't care, as much as he wanted to.
They came back to him. The memories, they haunted him again. They always would, he knew that.
"Lyon, look! I did it! I caught it!"
"Aren't you worried?"
"It should be another week, and then it'll be—"
"We need to talk about her."
"Are you gonna make the bad guys go away?"
"I'm not leaving you!"
"Save yourself!"
"Help me, Lyon!"
"Lyon!"
"Lyon!"
"LYON!"
"LYON!!"
"Traitor."
Suddenly, he heard a noise, and before he knew it he was on his hooves, his bow and arrow at the ready as he faced the noise.
Only to find himself staring Twilight Sparkle down the sights.
"Easy, easy!" he heard a voice yell, but it wasn't hers. Looking down, he saw Spike standing beside her, startled by the sudden movement, but otherwise in a semi-calm manner. "It's okay, Lyon! It's okay. It's me. It's Spike. Remember?"
Lyon froze and swallowed the saliva in his throat. Shakily, he lowered the bow and tossed both it and the arrow to the bed.
"We... we didn't mean to... scare you," Twilight eventually said.
It was the first thing he heard her say since the wedding, and he already could tell she was suspicious. The way she looked at him, the way those words just fell out with no real emotion to it.
The way her eyes met his... She was scared. But at the same time, she wasn't. He didn't know how to explain it in his head.
He couldn't bear to look at her.
"Hello, Twilight."
She said nothing. The only thing she returned was a cautious glare, an instant contrast compared to just a second ago. She seemed as if she was deciding whether to listen to reason or attack him at the faintest movement. Her eyes said it all.
Lyon felt hurt, but he understood why. She seemed clueless and unsure of herself about this moment. But at least there was a silver lining. She didn't immediately try to kill him.
Yet.
"I thought you went back with the Guard," Lyon said to Spike as he slowly walked back to the closet to pick up the remaining arrow pouches, along with the already opened one.
"The Guard held me until Twilight arrived," Spike replied slowly with a glance up to Twilight. Lyon stopped and watched the two from the corner of his eye.
"I can see that."
He eyed Twilight for just a second before walking over to the bed. Twilight recoiled slightly, but otherwise didn't move. Lyon opened one of his drawers and pulled out a decent-sized sack, capable of holding all four pouches and even a few extra items such as canned foods.
Twilight quickly realized what was happening, and with a whip of her magic, she held everything in place telekinetically.
"Excuse me, what are you doing?" she asked.
"Leaving," Lyon said bluntly, looking down to his constricted hooves. "Well... trying to."
"You're not going anywhere," Twilight replied bitterly. "Do you have any idea the kind of situation you're in? Do you have any idea what you've done?"
"I exploded my way out of prison?" Lyon jested with a chuckle. "Not the first rodeo of mine."
"Enough with the jokes, changeling!"
Whatever could resemble a smile on Lyon's face vanished with the very word. Changeling.
Twilight called him a changeling.
He wanted not to be surprised, yet he couldn't help feeling the bitterness gnaw on the back of his neck, threatening to swallow him whole. He bit his tongue, almost to the point of drawing blood, but he stopped before it got to that point.
"Do you have any idea the kind of hell I've been through these last couple days?!" Twilight continued, almost completely failing to notice Lyon's facial change. "I've been kidnapped, my foalhood sitter was tortured right underneath me, my princess was attacked and imprisoned, and my best friend is missing! And I don't even know if he's okay!"
Twilight walked towards Lyon slowly, her magic increasing pressure on his hooves. He felt it hurt, but he kept his face straight. Tears ran down the unicorn's cheeks, and her eyes turned red.
"For all I know, he could be dead! Dead and rotting somewhere in a cave and I would have no idea! And you're here cracking jokes?! After what you did?!"
Spike called out to her gently, but she didn't react. She continued forward until she was face to face with Lyon, her magic on the verge of breaking the bones in his arms. But he did not falter.
"I'm not playing any games with you, changeling," she threatened with a crack in her voice. "You may have lied to Applejack, and you may have lied to my brother. But you will not lie to me. Do you understand?"
Lyon didn't pry his eyes away from hers as he nodded.
"Easy," he said in almost a strained manner. "I understand."
In that moment, Twilight realized what she was doing and ceased her magic. Whatever was in her grip fell, and the pressure in Lyon's hooves immediately lifted. Twilight sighed frustratedly, but the anger never left her face. She wanted to break him in, but what would that make her?
She closed her eyes, refusing to meet his gaze.
"I want the truth. No more running around. No more explosions. No more lies. No more deception. No more hurting or capturing. No more. I want to know the truth, and nothing but. And if you don't give me what I want, I will turn you over to the Royal Guard before you can even blink. Do I make myself clear?"
Lyon nodded, keeping his mouth shut, only to realize her eyes were still closed.
"Yeah."
"... Good."
Twilight opened her eyes, but they were drawn to the floor beneath her. Lyon glanced over at Spike, who had his hands opened as if attempting to separate the two from afar. He lowered them slightly, but seemed ready to get between them if need be.
"Are they out there?" Lyon asked, his voice cracking from the silence. "The o... Your friends?"
Twilight nodded.
"Okay," Lyon whispered. Sighing through his nose, he looked out the window beside him. The night was calm, and not a single soul was to be seen. A part of him wanted to disobey Twilight's rules and jump out, to run deep into the woods and brave the elements alone.
But he knew he'd never get far. Even then, the thought of leaving Twilight to wonder hurt him. He wanted her to remember him just as he was at the wedding. To remember the way he kissed her, and believe it was true to his heart.
Unfortunately, he knew he had no choice anymore. And the only other choice was to be strapped to a chair and have the truth kicked out of him. That would hurt more—and not just him.
"Okay. Let's go."
With a little nod, Twilight turned around and headed for the door, passing Spike with an unsteady eye towards him. The young dragon could only nod to her. The mare's gait faltered for a moment before she opened the door. She stood aside to let Lyon go through first.
Lyon could feel his heart skip a beat every few seconds. He was nervous. He hadn't been nervous in years—not accounting recent ones, that is.
Nearly stumbling on his own hooves, Lyon started for the door, giving Twilight a faint nod as he passed through the doorway. Her eyes never stopped watching his, like she was looking for something, anything to take her side. It only made her more unsure of herself.
Lyon walked carefully down the steps of the stairwell, occasionally looking back to see Spike and Twilight following behind. A few moments later, the three emerged on the ground floor.
Only for Lyon to get tackled to the ground by a cyan blur.
"I knew it! He got Twilight! I knew I couldn't trust you! You're going down, you littleyuaaagh!"
Rainbow Dash paused mid-sentence as she was yanked into the air by a purple aura. She was able to turn just enough to see Twilight glaring at her.
"Rainbow!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing?"
"I... I thought he did something to you!" she claimed, dangling in the air. "I wasn't gonna take a chance letting him get to the rest of us!"
Twilight sighed as she lowered Rainbow onto the floor. She was annoyed, but at the same time she at least understood.
"He's not gonna do anything to me, or any of us. And if he does, he knows very well what happens next. Isn't that right?" Twilight finished, turning her head to Lyon who still sat on the living room floor. He nodded as he got back up. "Good."
As Lyon regained his balance, he panned his eyes across the mares before him. All of them were a mix of emotions, from hurt and shocked, to curious and furious. Applejack was just as angry as she had been back in Canterlot. But the one that interested him the most was Fluttershy. The way she looked at him up and down was prying, yet concerning.
"The changeling has agreed to tell us the truth. All of it, or as much as we can think of," Twilight stated.
"Where's Lyon?" Applejack sputtered out before anyone could say anything. "Huh? Can he answer that? Can he answer where my best friend is? Or what's left of him?"
"Applejack..." Twilight walked over to the mare and rested a hoof on her back. "One step at a time. Okay?"
Applejack turned to Twilight with her mouth open, but nothing came out. She let out a frustrated puff of air and reluctantly nodded to her friend.
Twilight turned back to Lyon. "First things first..."
Her horn glowed a faint purple, and this time Lyon was the one enveloped in its glow. He felt the magic travel through his body, even through his head, but it didn't hurt or cripple him.
"This is a lie-detection spell," Twilight explained before he could ask. "One of the most advanced spells of the last century, this spell will be able to break through the barriers of even the most skilled liars. The caster will be able to know what's real and what's not. So don't even think of trying to lie to us."
Lyon looked at the girls again, then to Spike, who motioned him in the distance. The changeling nodded carefully.
"I'd never lie to you guys."
Twilight's glowing horn turned red for a moment. She glared at him.
"... unless it was necessary," he finished with a faint grimace, to which her horn blipped green. A sign of truth.
"Alright... Alright then."
Lyon motioned to the couch. "We can sit down, if you want."
The six ponies and dragon all motioned over to the couches, each one taking up a spot, but leaving enough for Spike to scooch in between Fluttershy and Rarity. Lyon, however, took the lone chair by the fireplace and brought it close to the group. He plopped himself down slowly, trying to sink into the fabric the way he remembered. He closed his eyes and sucked in a breath of fresh air. He felt a bout of anxiety build up inside, but he kept calm.
Once again, he eyed the group before him. Their expressions didn't change all too much, but they at least seemed a bit more intrigued, as if not letting their anger get the best of them. That relieved Lyon, knowing he wouldn't be pummeled to death by his own friends. Then again, that might have been a better alternative than... well...
"Alright," Twilight spoke, "should we begin?"
Lyon nodded.
"Good. We'll start with—"
"Ooh! Ooh! Me first, me first!" Pinkie Pie suddenly exclaimed. Before Twilight could interject, Pinkie asked, "What's your favorite color?"
"Pinkie!" Twilight exclaimed, glaring at her friend. "This is serious!"
"I am taking it seriously! See?" The pink mare proceeded to cover her grin with a hoof, only to reemerge with a frown. "Detective Pinkie Pie is on the case of the missing Lyon! And she will never stop, never rest, until he is back home safe and sound!"
Twilight audibly groaned and rolled her eyes.
"Blue."
The group turned their heads back to Lyon.
"What?"
"Blue. My favorite color's blue," Lyon repeated. "Though it's kinda more of a bluish-green thing I like, but I guess more towards blue."
Twilight gazed at her own horn, expecting to see a faint glimmer of red. Instead, all she saw was more green. They didn't take it anymore than a basic answer. Anypony and anybody had a favorite color.
"I think I'll ask the questions for now, if that's okay with the rest of you."
A collection of nods and positive murmurs spread through the group, and Twilight readjusted herself on her piece of the couch. The unicorn then took out a notebook and a pencil, quickly jotting down what Lyon assumed to be a basic set of questions for her to ask. As she did so, Lyon glanced up at the clock, and found himself surprised that it was only just approaching eleven o'clock at night. He could've sworn it was far later than that.
"Alright," Twilight said with a sigh as she looked over her notes, "that should be enough."
Lyon looked back to Twilight. "Wait."
Everyone stared him down again, the only two worried faces being Spike and perhaps Fluttershy. Lyon raised a hoof gently to assure them, hopefully, that it was nothing bad.
He sighed.
"Are you sure you want to know whatever it is you're looking for?"
"... Did you seriously just ask us that question?" Rainbow asked with a deadpan expression.
"I'm trying to spare you a bit. Once I tell you this stuff, there's no going back. Everything will change, and I... I don't think you're gonna like it."
"Sounds like you're implicating something," Applejack muttered angrily.
"If you're thinking what I think you're thinking, that's not the case. It's something... honestly, I guess you can say it's worse."
Applejack's angered expression turned to concern, but not towards the changeling. She looked at Twilight with uncertainty, then to her horn, which blipped a familiar green—but how could she even be sure what that meant?
Twilight looked at Lyon with an expressionless stare. "We're sure."
Sighing himself, Lyon shut his eyes for a moment and brushed a hoof through his mane.
"Okay. Ask me then."
Twilight closed her eyes.
"Where is Lyon?"
He knew it was coming. It was always going to come up, but not so soon, he hoped. Never, he wanted. But luck abandoned him, didn't it?
"I am Lyon."
Green, it glowed.
Twilight froze. Yet Rainbow laughed.
"Pfft, haha! Nice one, Twilight! Really got us there, didn't you?"
But she wasn't laughing with her. She wasn't really doing much, other than looking cross eyed at her own shining horn. Gradually, the laughter died down.
"... Twilight?"
Twilight didn't respond to Rainbow Dash. Her eyes fell upon the changeling sitting before her, words failing to form the sentences in her mind.
"But... you... you're a changeling."
"Yeah... I am."
Everyone's expression had changed upon the realization only now dawning on them. A couple silent gasps filled the room, and most of the anger had faded away. Overall, it seemed more that they were unsure what to think. Spike, however, seemed relieved that was all they looked to be.
Twilight seemed desperate, showing clearly on her face, and she engaged Lyon in several questions, none of which were on the book, and all of which were more or less the same question.
"Are you the real Lyon?"
"Yes."
"Are you our friend Lyon from Ponyville?"
"Yes."
"Are you the same Lyon that was with us on the train to Canterlot? The one I've known since the Summer Sun Celebration? The one who's been living here for five years?"
"Yes, yes, and yes."
Every question rang Twilight's horn green like a bell. She paused in disbelief, watching the changeling stay still and calm as he had earlier. She was waiting for him to crack a smile, a deceptive sneer, a jest to show that he was joking, playing with her emotions! Anything!
But it never came. All that showed on his face was sorrow towards her. Towards everyone around him.
"I... I don't understand. You can't be him... Lyon is... he's a... you're a..."
She couldn't finish the sentence, but Lyon knew what she meant by it.
"I've been a changeling my whole life," he stated clearly. "My disguise just let me blend in. Let me be... normal."
Twilight stared at the armrest, thinking the questions over in her head and looking at her notes again. She cleared her throat, an attempt to collect herself, but she was visibly shaking. She wanted to be intrigued, or maybe even happy. Lyon was here! Alive!
But he was a changeling. The same kind of changeling that tried to...
She was confused. She needed more. Something more.
"I'm okay," she said quietly. "I'm okay."
"Take your time. All of you," Lyon replied. "I know this is a lot to take in, but I promise you I'll explain as best as I can—"
"You lied to us."
Lyon stopped and turned to the source, Applejack. She was glaring at him again, but it wasn't the same kind of glare as before.
"What?" he asked.
"You lied to us. All these years, you were pretending to be someone else behind our backs. You were using us. That's what this was, wasn't it?"
"No, it wasn't."
The horn glowed green, but Applejack didn't notice, or if she did, she didn't care.
"Yakshit! You pretended to be someone I could trust, someone I could be safe around, and you used me just to get your fill! You changelings feed on love, ain't that right? You knew I liked you, and you used that. Used me. Didn't you?"
Lyon looked on at her with hurt in his eyes, but she blocked it out.
"AJ—"
"Don't call me that. You don't deserve to call me that."
Every time Lyon tried to explain, she would shut him down. She looked him up and down, and all he knew she could see was just another changeling. No Lyon. Just changeling.
"I... I can't do this," she confessed shakily as she went for the front door. "I thought I could, but I... I can't."
"Applejack, wait," Lyon pleaded, but she refused to listen to him. The others were too clouded to do the same. In a moment, she disappeared into the night.
Lyon sighed and shut his eyes, burying his head in his hooves. He hated it. He hated this. It was the only thing he wanted to avoid. He thought it over in his head. Questions flew around, at first in single file, but they soon packed themselves tightly, threatening to burst out for all to see.
"I don't know what to say," Lyon muttered loud enough for them to hear. "I really don't."
"The truth would've been nice," Rarity said almost monotonously. "Five years ago."
She left too. Soon afterwards, Rainbow Dash followed, but she wasn't entirely there as she made her way out the door. Part of her seemed to want to stay, to ask something, but the rest of her wanted to be gone, to leave before she did or said something she'd regret.
"You really got us good... didn't you?"
And she was gone, flying into the night. Lyon wanted to stop her, but he was too weak. He eyed Pinkie Pie; all the energy she sported when this all started was gone, her mane and tail deflated and sagging against the couch.
"Pinkie?" Lyon called out to her. She looked at him with tearful eyes.
"I... I thought you were my friend."
"I am. I promise, I am."
Green, she noticed. But the tears continued to fall.
"I... I need to be alone."
Following the others' examples, Pinkie lifted herself from the couch and retreated out of Lyon's home, shutting the door behind her. Like the others, Lyon wanted to say something, but he felt afraid he'd only make it worse.
Only Fluttershy, Twilight, and Spike remained. Twilight was not as distraught as she had been before. It seemed she was partially still eager to ask questions, but the enthusiasm faded with each disappearing friend.
Spike eyed Lyon the same way he had before the wedding. He knew it was him, and he wanted to feel glad. Of course he was glad. But all the same, he felt the same hurt everyone else had felt. Yet he didn't have the strength to leave.
"I'm sorry," Lyon said weakly. Twilight just looked at him.
"... Did you ever plan on telling us who you were?"
He sighed.
"I don't know."
Her horn glimmered green again, and his face further cemented it. Twilight was sitting in front of Lyon, her best friend. The same best friend that helped her track down Nightmare Moon. The same best friend who kept her sane during Discord's rampage. The same best friend that made her laugh and smile every time she ever felt down.
The same best friend that kissed her when Queen Chrysalis attacked Canterlot.
It had all soured.
"It's getting late," Twilight said with a glance up at the clock. "We should get home, Spike."
"But I..." Spike stammered. "But... what about—"
"Go," Lyon insisted. "I'll be fine. She's right. It's too late for this."
Spike looked back at the changeling with bewilderment. But he saw Lyon's calm eyes staring him back, and all he could do was wonder how he could be so relaxed. But a closer look showed it was just a facade of his, masked by confidence.
He had done the same thing every time he faced Rarity. But now it was such a contrast. How could he ever compare the two?
"Okay," Spike finally said after a moment of silence. He pushed himself off the couch and followed alongside Twilight, who started for the front door.
Then she noticed Fluttershy watching Lyon with what she could only describe as sorrowful bliss.
"Fluttershy? You should head home. We can... we can pick this up another time."
She nodded faintly to the mare, but she never took her eyes off the changeling, who noticed her stare after a moment. He asked her if she was okay. She never answered.
"Will you be?"
He looked to her, then to Twilight, then back to her. Slowly, Fluttershy also removed herself from the couch, but before she left, she took Lyon and embraced him in a hug, her soft fur brushing up against his hardened shell of skin.
"It'll be okay."
He rested his head against her shoulder, taking in the softness and the warmth of her body, but it only lasted for a few moments before she pulled away. He almost didn't want her to go, but he didn't want Twilight to fear him for anymore of a reason.
"We'll see you soon. Okay?"
He nodded simply.
Lyon watched the pegasus walk to the door, with Twilight and Spike letting her pass through first before they followed. Before she left, Twilight looked back at Lyon one last time. He hadn't gotten up from the chair, and he was looking at the floor, almost in shame.
She opened her mouth to say something, but refrained from it. With nothing to say, Twilight shut the front door, leaving Lyon to himself.
It was only after they left that he looked to the door. Their silhouettes outside the windows faded into the night. Lyon shut the lights off in the living room, encasing him in the darkness.
Without words of his own, Lyon slowly retreated upstairs to the bedroom and saw his bed once more begging for his form. But he couldn't sleep yet. One more thing.
Numbly conjuring up magic within his horn, Lyon's body glowed with a familiar shade of green, before he was enveloped in harmless fire. He could feel his limbs change and contort the way he remembered them.
When it was over, he looked in the mirror that stood near the dresser. What looked back at him was the creature he always believed himself to be. Gray stripes, bow-and-arrow cutie mark, green eyes.
But no smile.
A face so familiar, and yet like a stranger stared him back.
Lyon could feel his head pound harder than it ever had been, the after effects of the spell now cursing him boldly. With a weak moan, the stallion climbed into the covers and collapsed onto the mattress.
He watched the ceiling as if it had something to offer. But it had nothing of value to him, yet he could not stop staring. His heart pounded in his chest, and he felt the skin beneath his fur protrude goosebumps that only made him shiver more.
Lyon closed his eyes, but the uneasiness didn't go away. That was when he realized he was afraid.