Principal Celestia slid back into the driver’s seat with a sigh.
“As expected, Quills and Sofas is not housing any undercover changelings. Just a large variety of pens.”
“Did you check underneath the cushions of the futons?” The Princess questioned, more as a acknowledgment of failure than an actual suggestion.
“If I missed any human bodies stuffed inside a small sofa, then our world deserves to get steamrolled.”
The two Celestias sunk into their seats in the parking lot, hope sinking right along with them. It was almost eight o’clock in the evening, and they had searched practically every establishment in Canterlot City to no avail. The Principal was silently grateful that she was good friends with the mayor of the city; otherwise they would have both been stuffed in a jail cell for trespassing by now.
The Principal had gone with her standard dress outfit, opting to appear as if she was supposed to be examining every corner large enough to store a love-sac and the human it held inside. The Princess had forgone the gown she had arrived in and swapped out for a simple t-shirt, jeans, and an old beret that the Principal used to wear, in an attempt to draw as much attention away from herself as possible. The two decided that the Princess would be referred to as Celestia’s older cousin who was visiting from out of town.
“Well, that’s every warehouse, field, and public building in the city. Either they have got the kids stashed in an apartment building, or we need to start searching outside of Canterlot,” the Principal admitted.
“Perhaps . . . the Changelings have never been afraid to travel long distances in the past. I figured that they would want to stay nearby with the limited mobility that this world introduces, but I suppose our only option is to start looking on the outskirts of town.”
The Principal started her car and pulled out of the parking lot. “Where to, then?”
“Is there any farmland nearby?” The Princess rubbed her chin in thought.
“Nothing beyond Sweet Apple Acres, but we searched that area already.”
“How about any forests?”
The Principal pulled onto the main road. “Well, there’s the Everfree Forest up north—”
“Everfree?” The Princess interrupted. “You have an Everfree Forest?”
“Well, yes, we do. Is there something special about it?”
The Princess straightened up in her seat. “Go there immediately. In Equestria, the Everfree is one of the few places in the country which holds enough wild magic to cause massive destruction if it is not contained. I do not want to assume that your world is parallel, but I would not be surprised if the Changelings set up base somewhere inside.”
“That forest did start to give me the creeps as I grew older,” responded the Principal, “I had lots of fun there as a child though. We’re already traveling in that direction, so we should reach the main portion of the forest in about thirty minutes.”
Silence settled inside of the car, as it had repeatedly done throughout the day. It became apparent that despite technically being the same person, the two of them were opposites in things to bond over beyond their current situation. They each brought up meaningless conversation topics occasionally, but awkward silence seemed to pervade all of their time together throughout the day.
“You have a nice car. It’s reminds me of my chariot,” the Princess mentioned.
“Ha! Don’t tell my sister you said that. I’ll never hear the end of it.”
“So you do have Luna in this world? I was going to ask, but it never came up.”
“I . . .” the Principal hesitated, “I last saw her on Thursday morning. I don’t know what has happened to her since then.”
The Princess stared out the window. “I’m sorry. I should have realized.”
“There was nothing you could do. I just hope we can get her back.”
They lapsed into silence once again, the Principal gripping her steering wheel tightly.
The Princess turned to face her.
“It’s my fault.”
“What is?”
“Everything that has happened here. I should have been able to stop it.”
The Principal slowed down the car and glanced over at the Princess. “What are you trying to say?”
“Nothing has gone according to my plan. The Changelings were never supposed to defeat us.”
The Principal shrugged. “I find no point it lamenting it.”
“No, you don’t understand,” she said. “They were never supposed to defeat us. There was no chance that they could succeed. They were never supposed to have any military might. They should have been caught when Chrysalis began sleuthing around Canterlot. I should have stopped her when she confronted me. The Elements of Harmony should have stopped her. If they failed, Cadence and her husband should have stopped her. But for some inexplicable reason, every single plan I had in place fell through, as if fate struck a new whim that involved destroying everything I worked for. That’s why I’m sorry. Because I was so confident that I could stop them, that I never even thought it could possibly get this bad.”
The Principal took in Celestia’s words, making sure she understood most of the Princess’s descriptions. “It sounds like you’re doing something now, though. A new plan to save this world. Is that not enough?”
The Princess responded with a cold chuckle. “Only because I opened the portal to this world.”
The Principal turned to her in shock. “What?”
“When I was released from my pod, I thought escape was the best option. I rigged up a stable connection between the two sides of the portal by using my own copy of Sunset’s journal. Right as I finished it the Changelings pounced on me and forced me to flee,” she explained. “I trotted right into their hooves. I only managed to cut Twilight out of a pod while I was escaping and briefly explain to her what I was trying to do.”
“How did you escape in the first place?”
She hung her head. “Luna missed the whole invasion. I was already stuffed in a pod by the time she realized what had happened, but she cut me out and sacrificed herself so I could escape. And I could not even do the one thing I was supposed to,” she growled.
“Alright,” the Principal pulled over and stopped the car. “Do you think anyone would have done better in your situation?”
“Perhaps they would not have, but I am not the average—”
“Ah ah ah,” she interrupted, “you’re missing the point again. You could have done something, but you failed. You know this. And now you’re taking steps to resolve your mistake. That’s what happens when we make mistakes: we own up to it and make it right. I thought you would know this by now,” she shook her head and turned back to the wheel.
“I . . .” the Princess searched for an adequate rebuttal, but paused. “I have not been in the best mindset as of late.”
The Principal offered a smirk. “I can tell. We can work out your problems later. Now, let’s get to the Everfree.”
“Indeed.”
She started the car and pulled back onto the road, the two lulling into a thankfully more comfortable silence than before. They reached the outskirts of town, forest overtaking the general surroundings from the previous suburbs. Princess Celestia abruptly startled in her seat.
“I can sense magic all around us. This ancient wood . . . it truly does parallel our world’s.”
Soon enough the car was shrouded in the shadows casts from the thick forest.
“Can you feel the magic leading you in any direction? We cannot exactly start cutting through the underbrush.”
The Princess closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. She stayed silent for a few minutes. “The largest gathering of magic is to the west of us. It does not appear to me as being a section of forest, though. Is there a clearing around there?”
“A clearing west of us . . . well, I know the mountains begin over there . . . ?” The Principal opened her mouth in realization. “Of course! Camp Everfree is in that direction!”
“Camp Everfree?”
The Principal clapped her hands together. “It’s a camp that we bring students on a summer trip each year, if the budget allows. The Changelings wanted to make it our venue for the Fall Formal . . . how didn’t I see it sooner?”
The Princess smiled. “It looks like we have our place, then.”
“I might know a few shortcuts to get there,” A strained look crossed her face. “The camp is its own little hole in the forest. If there are any Changelings on patrol there, we have nothing to defend ourselves and no quick method of escape.”
“I suggest we prepare your car for a rapid exit then,” said the Princess.
The two continued through the forest, adjusting their route toward Camp Everfree. Soon enough they reached the grand wooden entrance way.
Unsurprisingly, the camp was empty at this time of year, shrouded within a mixture of lush ferns and yellowing oak trees. Principal Celestia parked the car and stepped out, taking a deep breath. “It’s always good to be back!”
The Princess slid out of the car and followed the Principal through the entrance. “Are you familiar with the layout of the camp?”
“Of course I am,” the Principal exclaimed. “I’ve been visiting here since I was a child. Do you see that stone sundial over there?” She pointed to an object at the center of the courtyard. “Luna and I made that. I still wonder how we managed to carve the stone correctly.”
They walked up to the sundial. The Princess lined herself up and peered at the shadow it cast. “It is accurate. Very well done.”
“. . . Thanks,” she said, slightly unnerved by being complimented by herself. “Let’s split up. I’ll go check the boarding area to see if the current groundskeepers are here right now. You can scan the cafeteria.”
“Please yell if you need me.”
The two parted ways, and the Principal went over to the small cabins which normally housed the two groundskeepers. Hopefully they had left for the winter by now, but if they were still occupying the campgrounds, she probably come up with a good excuse for her presence. I do not know if I will be able to convince them that the Princess is my cousin, though . . .
She thought back upon the Princess’s admission of guilt in the car. As much as she felt that the Princess did feel guilty about what happened, a nagging sense in the back of her mind kept questioning whether she had actually gotten to the root of her problems. The Princess’s confession felt off, like it was not what was truly weighing down her conscience.
She climbed up the steps to the main cabin and knocked on the door. After a few seconds, she heard shuffling from the inside. The door swung open.
“Welcome to Camp Everfree! How can we help you?”
Timber Spruce, a young tanned man with a mop of green hair, stood in front of Celestia with a vacant smile across his face.
“Hello Mister Spruce, it’s great to see you again. You see, I just happened to be in the area and decided I would bring an old relative of mine to view the scenery of the place. I wanted to inform you or Miss Daisy in case you thought someone was sneaking around the camp.”
Timber paused. “Welcome to Camp Everfree! How can we help you?”
“. . . Huh? I’m sorry?”
“Welcome to Camp Everfree! How can we help you?”
The Principal waved a hand in front of Timber’s face. He showed no recognition of her, unflinching. She peered into his unblinking eyes, searching for any sense of cognition. For a split second, she imagined they flashed a green hue.
She bolted down the steps of the house and ran back to the Princess. She was in the cafeteria, examining an old soup pot.
“Princess! You need to see this!”
“What’s the matter?” She asked concernedly.
“Just follow me!” The Principal responded, racing back to the main cabin.
The two reached the front of the steps, only to see that the door had closed again, Timber nowhere to be found. The Principal knocked on the door once more.
This time, a girl with raspberry skin appeared in front of them, also hosting an empty gaze. “Welcome to Camp Everfree! How can we help you?”
“Hello Miss Daisy,” The Principal said. She paused, however.
“Welcome to Camp Everfree! How can we help you?”
The Princess’s brow furrowed.
“Watch this,” she whispered to the Princess. “What is the capital of Australia?”
“Welcome to Camp Everfree! How can we help you?”
The Princess leaned in to the Principals ear. “I wonder if she will even respond to nonsense,” she raised her voice. “How many beans make five?”
“Welcome to Camp Everfree! How can we help you?”
The two slowly backed away from Gloriosa, and when they reached the bottom of the steps, she closed the door behind her without a word of goodbye.
“Well, I think we have found our place,” the Principal commented.
“Yes, indeed. A Changeling would have attacked us immediately, but these two seem harmless. Perhaps the relative isolation of the area has led the Changelings to not waste their energy on converting them into fuel?” The Princess wondered aloud.
“Maybe that’s it,” the Principal said. “At least we know that the Changelings are occupying this area now. We just have to find them.”
They scanned over the camp, but the fog from the previous few days had not completely let up, still obstructing their view. The Principal could still make out the gentle lake a distance away, still somehow glimmering against the setting sun with a luster that almost made it seem like the entrance to another world.
“Want to go for a swim?” The Principal joked. “It looks quite heavenly over there.”
The Princess stepped back. “I am afraid not. I do not trust my coordination in this body yet.”
“Oh well,” the Principal sighed. “I guess that rules out the climbing wall too, or the rock . . . the rock quarry!” She exclaimed.
“The rock quarry?”
“Yes, it fits!” The Principal grinned. “When Luna and I went here, we went exploring around the rock quarry and found an old cave down there full of crystals. We got in so much trouble, but the place was so beautiful. I bet you that’s where Chrysalis is keeping the bodies.”
“Crystals are powerful objects to store magic in. It is worth checking the area.”
They made their way through the patch of trees to get to the rock quarry. The walk was a bit longer than either had hoped for, and the awkward silence overcame them once more. The Principal decided to try and push a conversation through.
“So . . . what’s your relationship with Sunset?”
“I don’t want to talk about that,” The Princess immediately shot down.
So much for making things less awkward. The two lapsed back into silence as they continued onward.
“I just want to know more about her. Now that I know she is not from this world, I would at least like to understand what she is actually like. Who she actually was.”
The Princess sighed. “She was a student of mine. It was more like a mentorship, however. She was—is, I should say—one of the brightest minds in Equestria. She knew it, too.”
The Principal slowed down and leveled herself next to the Princess. “You already told me this last night. Why did she decide to inhabit this world?”
“We had a difference in opinion on where her studies should develop, so I removed her from my tutelage. She decided to visit this world in response.”
“What did she want to study?” The Principal asked.
“Subjects that would improve her political advantage, or introduce new disciplines of magic that had not been touched for centuries. She would have learned them eventually, but she was beginning to ignore the other studies I requested of her in their stead. I had to put my hoof down, or else her education would become far too unbalanced.”
The Principal thought back to Sunset’s academic prowess. “What changed in Canterlot High? Sunset willingly took subjects across the board last year.”
“She had mastered most high school level subjects by middle school. In Equestria, Sunset had more motives than just enjoyment of education to keep herself learning. I doubt she told you about what happened to her parents.”
“They only exist on paper, as far as I am aware.”
“Well, even less than that—” The Princess cut herself off. “No, I shall not say any more. It is not my place.”
The Principal frowed. “Don’t clam up on me now.”
“All you need to know is that she had a complicated home life. I shall not betray her through gossip. It is her story to tell alone.”
“Fine,” she said. “But now you worry about betraying her? Gossip is where you draw the line?” The Principal rebuked. “After not visiting her for a year and a half? After refusing to see her? You have not explained your role in her life, Princess.”
The Princess took a step away. “I may not have handled her perfectly, but she made mistakes that she must live with. I want to make sure she understands how things ended up this way before I visit her—”
“Hold on,” the Principal interrupted, “Judging by the way Sunset looks at me, she despises you. How poor was your handling, truthfully?”
“She would not open herself up to me, and I was not going to tolerate any disrespect toward myself or others, even from my pupil. I tried to help her, I really did.” The Princess’s eyes sunk in, lost in thoughts and memories that had been buried a long time ago.
“So that’s what your character is, then,” growled the Principal, “You’re willing to shoulder the blame for the fall of a nation, but the minute you might have to admit that you could not properly help a little girl with family issues you play the victim. My God, you even have the audacity to blame her for it.”
The Princess glared at her. “She was not a little girl in Equestria. She was an adult, capable of making her own decisions. She pushed the limits on what study was deemed as acceptable, so she suffered the consequences.”
“Maybe she was looking for something more from you. You were probably the closest thing to a strong mother figure she had, from what you told me. She probably wanted to be like you, going out of her way to research politics and whatever special magic you mentioned. I bet you didn’t even bother to reach out to her. No wonder she left to a whole other world; from her perspective, you might as well have sent her there already!”
“Stop pretending like you understand the whole story!” The Princess stomped. “Do you truly believe that I did not try? I have had students before. If Sunset wanted to find a mother in me, I would have let her! Sun and Moon up above, I would have welcomed it! I tried to be a teacher, I tried to be a mother, I tried to be a friend, but she would never let me break through! It was as if she never considered herself worthy enough for my attention, yet got angry if I did not give it to her! I was stuck! I am still stuck!” The Princess turned away and sat herself on the ground, wiping her eyes. “Excuse me,” she croaked out.
The Principal watched in awe as the leader of a whole nation tried not to snivel in front of her. I guess I pushed it a little too far. She gently took a step forward and placed a hand on the Princess’s shoulder.
“Princ—Celestia,” she said quietly, almost a whisper, “What I am about to say may be a projection of my own worries on to Sunset. But I think I might have an idea of why Sunset never opened herself up to you, or at least not fully.”
“What’s that?” She sniffed.
“Sunset is an ambitious girl. You would agree, yes? She wants to have an impact, to be remembered.”
“More or less.”
“You are immortal, Celestia. In three-hundred years from now, will you still remember Sunset? Will you still think of her when you teach another student? Will your life—your endlessly interesting, ever-shifting life—have changed because Sunset was there? I take back saying that she wanted to be like you. No, she studied those disciplines in order to have the most impact upon you. You were supposed to be her vessel towards immortality, one way or another. I—I suppose I have tried to do the same thing, in a way,” The Principal looked up at the forest around them. “Saying that I have fifty years left on this earth is generous. I am not immortal like you. People like Sunset and I, we need some proof that our years will not have been wasted in that regard.”
The Princess sniffed. “Sunset was never one for figurative language, but she would definitely agree about the immortality part.” The Princess turned back to her. “How do I fix this?”
“You show her the truth,” the Principal said. “Show her that your life has been altered in a significant way because of her existence, and that it will never return to the way it was. Show her that she has someone who cares for her, and will continue to when she stops believing anyone will.
“You said that you always wanted to be a teacher. I have no doubt that you are an amazing educator, but being a teacher takes more than that. Students do not just disappear when they leave your school, when you give them every last bit of your knowledge and wisdom. No, someone—somepony—that is a true teacher never stops when the teaching is over. You treated Sunset like a case to be solved; you knew what was wrong with her—whatever it is—but when she proved unfixable, you tossed her aside. A real teacher does not do that, when they have the power to do otherwise. They keep trying. Even if that student is out of their tutelage. Or even in another world. You showed Sunset that you did not care for her. So show her the opposite.”
Neither spoke for a while, letting the rustle of the trees fill the void between them. The Principal cleared her throat.
The Princess stood up. “Excuse me. That was unbecoming of me,” she apologized.
“Don’t mention it. I hope it’s not treason to speak against royalty in Equestria,” The Principal remarked. “We’re almost where I remember the cave being. I am sure it is not as easy to find the entrance anymore.”
They got back up and found themselves in front of the rock quarry. Although it was quite an open area, lots of brush and vines covered the sides, so any secret openings were not easily discernible. The Principal walked over to a group of hanging vines and split them open, only to find more rock behind them.
“Is there any way to speed this up? It’s getting dark,” asked the Principal.
The Princess furrowed her brow. “I may be able to reach out with magic, but this whole area is already flooded with it. I can try.”
“Please,” The Principal said.
The Princess closed her eyes and let the air focus around her. The Principal once again noted that the area heated up, even though the sun had almost completely set. The Princess guided herself over to an almost completely hidden crevace, and began running her hands along the vines.
“Here,” she said. “I feel a different flow of magic from over here. It generally ebbs and flows, but it feels like sharp pulses in this area.
The Principal walked up next to her and parted the vines, stepping over the brush that covered the floor. “A machete or something would be nice right now,” she commented. However, in between the thick plant life were holes that showed a hollow opening behind them. The Principal broke through and started into the cave.
The Princess stepped in behind her, and the two began strolling through. The walls began to fill with crystals the farther they advanced, glittering and gleaming as if they had been polished just yesterday.
“Chrysalis used a set of crystal mineshafts under Canterlot as her base as well,” said the Princess. “I hope they did not set up as deep into this cave as they did there.”
After a few more minutes of walking, they turned a corner into a larger section of the cave. The Princess stopped and warily leaned against the wall, catching her breath.
“What’s the matter?”
“The amount of magic emanating from farther in is almost overwhelming. I do not believe the Changelings could create this much magic.”
They continued forward. “Perhaps they have been building up magic to store for later?” The Principal asked.
“That’s not how this magic works. If anything, they have been feeding off of the magic here.”
“Ah.”
They turned another corner and found themselves in another large room, however this time the walls were lined with large green sacs.
“Bingo,” said the Principal.
“How many can you count? I see about sixteen.” The amount of pods was actually fairly small, and the two walked up to begin expecting them.
“Yes, about. Look in here,” the Principal pointed at a face inside of a pod. “That’s a student of mine. Flash Sentry.”
Flash was in an upright pod, and looked as if he was peacefully sleeping.
“Why these specific students? Flash did not deserve this.”
“Changelings feed off of love. So these people around you had the most love being sent in their direction,” The Princess responded. She walked across the room, examining some of the other pods. She abruptly stopped. “Principal.”
“Yes?”
The Princess motioned her over with a hand. She was standing over another pod, although her head was turned slightly away, as if she did not want to look at the person inside.
“Who is it? Have they taken people outside of my school or—” The Principal stopped talking as she saw who was in the pod.
Luna was in a sac lying across the floor, still in her work outfit. In contrast to Flash, she was scowling, and her shoulders looked arched in pain.
The Principal clenched her fists.
“Are you okay . . . Celestia?” The Princess placed a hand on her shoulder.
The Principal sat down in front of Luna and placed her hand on top of the pod. Her lip trembled, eyes filling with sorrowful anger. “They should have taken me instead. Why did I get away, but she is stuck in here, barely even living?”
The Princess took her hand off of the Principal’s shoulder and grimaced. She found no words of comfort.
“Why would they do this to you . . .”
“We will save her,” The Princess said, an empty consolation.
The Principal stood up with fiery determination in her eyes. “Princess, do you remember when I said I did not want to get involved with all of this? That I did not want to fight? That I should stay out?”
“I do.”
She clenched her fists. “Not anymore. They brought Luna into this, not me. Anyone who does this to my sister will get their ass kicked off of this goddamn planet. I’m done letting the Changelings walk all over me.”
The Princess offered a comforting smile. “I am glad to hear I have another ally.”
“I do not know how I can help you, but I will try,” she said as she turned back to Luna, taking in her features, trying to remember the happier times they had together.
“Stop, Principal,” the Princess said suddenly. “Every ounce of love you feel for her gets sent right into that pod in front of you. I know it will pain you, but mourning the situation any further will only empower the Changelings. It is a vicious cycle that has trapped many small groups in the past.”
“Let’s leave then,” The Principal covered her eyes from view, but the Princess could still see her tears.
“Very well. I am more confident that my plan is founded on a correct assumption now.”
The two made their way back out of the cave, which was fortunately not terrible to backtrack through. They exited the rock quarry and got back to the main camp. The sun had completely set by that time, and the woods were shrouded in darkness. As they got closer to the front gate, the Princess paused.
“Stop,” she said. “Look between the gates.”
Two sets of glowing green eyes stared back at them.
“Welcome to Camp Everfree!” They said in tandem. “How can we help you?”
Gloriosa and Timber began repeating the phrase over and over again, slightly gaining in volume each time.
“Princess,” The Principal worriedly exclaimed, “I do not think they are just the Changeling’s hostages. They are the alarms!”
They slowly backed away. “Once I say go,” the Princess started, “We run straight through them to the car.”
“And if they try to stop us?” The Principal questioned, still focused on the two teenagers.
“We outrun them.”
The Princess leaned forward and prepared herself, the Principal quickly following suit.
“And . . . go!”
They rushed forward, directly between the two teenagers. Whatever force they had in holding the women back was broken through immediately, and they sped over to their car. The Principal hopped in the driver’s seat and turned on the engine.
“Drive!” Yelled the Princess as she jumped in the back. The Principal threw the car into reverse and spun around, speeding out of the forest. The two camp chaperones were left standing at the front gates, watching them without any attempt at following.
“Did we lose them?” The Principal asked.
“Yes we did. I suggest we head home immediately.”
“You do not need to tell me twice—”
The Principal paused when she glanced back in her side mirror.
“Hey, Princess?”
“Yes?”
“Check the back window.”
The Princess turned herself around. What she saw made her let out a startled cry.
Barely visible in the night, four mystical green blurs were speeding along behind the car, keeping up the chase.