Once the Cutie Mark Crusaders and myself untangled ourselves from our hug, Sweetie Belle dragged us all to her room to hang out. Well, once I gave Rarity the hoodie back of course. The unicorn in question waved us upstairs with a request that Sweetie Belle and myself get ready for dinner in an hour.
Sweetie Belle’s room was a lot more complex than I expected, my knowledge of girl’s rooms coming from my experience with my sister. Admittedly Rarity probably had more money to contribute to the room than my parents or I had for my sister, so that probably helped. Against one wall was Sweetie’s bed, while a board of pictures and other memorabilia took up another wall. Various toys and music sheets were scattered in one corner, with a record player being the centerpiece.
Once we were settled, the three fillies began bombarding me with questions about what was going on. Mostly focused on their concern for me, why I was crying after Twilight cast a spell, etc. I held up a hoof to quiet them down and began to explain the past few days to them. Well, minus the more gristly parts like the fact I died twice and was a dude now in a filly’s body. Which made me a filly now I guess?
Wait, am I a girl now or still a guy? I mean I’ve been thinking of myself as a guy but I also haven’t really been correcting others when they use girl names. Plus I am a filly.....
“So....you’re going to live with Princess Luna instead of Twilight?” Sweetie Belle asked, her head tilting to the side in confusion.
“Yarp.” I nodded.
“And your name is actually Summer Storm, not Flurry Heart?” Scootaloo made the same head tilt as her friend, her face more filled with surprise than confusion.
“Yup.” I felt my ears flip back as I gave a nervous grin to the three fillies. “Sorry for any confusion, I promise it wasn’t on purpose. But yeah, I’m actually Storm. Still friends?”
“Wow.” Apple Bloom blinked before all three fillies grinned at the same time. Was creepy, but adorable in a way, since it wasn’t a malicious grin, just a happy grin. “Of course, we’re still your friend Fl- Ah mean Storm. A name is just a name, we’re friends because you’re fun to hang around with!”
“Yeah! And if a new name means you’re going to be less awkward and cooler, all the better!” Scootaloo cheered, her wings buzzing a bit in excitement. “Plus I thought we’re supposed to be learning how to fly together. Can’t do that if we aren’t friends!”
“Besides, we promised to help you find your cutie mark. We can’t call ourselves the Cutie Mark Crusaders if we break a promise like that, can we?” Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes, a smile emblazoned on her face.
I couldn’t help but let my mouth form a dumb smile, my eyes glistening with tears. Damn this body and its emotions! “Thank you. I don’t know what I could do without you girls.” I sniffled and wiped the budding tears from my eyes. “Honestly, I think you three are the first ponies I can honestly call friends. God that sounds depressing.”
Scootaloo suppresses a giggle with a hoof. “I mean, we all have to start somewhere, right?” Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle both nod in agreement.
Apple Bloom clears her throat, her eyebrows lowered in concern. “Ah got a question, Summer. Are ya sure ya want to never see Twilight again? Ah know she hurt ya bad, but cutting out kin isn’t something that should be done lightly.”
I winced, shaking my head and feeling my wings fidget. “I mean, I dunno. I know she’s supposed to be my family, but I dunno how I feel about her right now. She messed with my mind after all, and I’m a bit of a mess because of her. Hell, I am not sure what gender I am any more thanks to her.” I bit my lip, saying a bit more than I meant. I couldn’t help but blush a bit in embarrassment as all three fillies raised their eyebrows in unison.
“I mean, you look like a filly to me.” Sweetie Belle offered, her voice tinged with confusion.
“Yeah, do you feel like a colt or something?” Scootaloo tilted her head again.
“How did ya feel about wearing a dress?” Apple Bloom asked, waving a hoof at me. “Ah saw Rarity showing ya two filly sized dresses after all.”
“I dunno. I mean, I feel like a filly, this body is a filly after all.” I sighed, looking at the ground. “I don’t think I like the idea of wearing a dress though. A bow and stuff is one thing, a dress is another.”
“What would you rather wear then?” Sweetie Belle gently nudged me, making me look up at her. “You wouldn’t be the first filly or mare to wear a suit instead of a dress. You just have to ask Rarity, she won’t be bothered I promise.” I still felt embarrassed at admitting my mostly buried conflict but couldn’t help but nod, prompting a gentle smile from the filly.
“Yeah, Ah know Bon Bon wore a suit when she got married to Lyra.” Apple Bloom smiles at the memory. “Mah sis said she looked good too.”
“I-I’ll probably ask Rarity when we go back down then.” I cleared my throat as I pushed the embarrassment away. “Anyway, is that some music stuff?” I waved a hoof at the music sheets, trying to change the subject.
“OH! Yes, lemme show you!” Sweetie Belle sped over to the record player, lifting one of the records in her magic. “Time to introduce you to DJ-Pon3!”
Princess Luna yawned, prompting a yawn from one of the two guards flanking her. The coffee Spike made helped keep her awake, but sleep was still beckoning her something fierce. Writing a letter to her sister and pouring over the paperwork needed to make Summer Storm a true pony in the eyes of the law required time, time that robbed Luna of valuable energy. But before the Princess of the Night laid down to rest she had one last mission in mind.
As she stepped into Ponyville’s General Hospital many of the ponies in the welcoming area bowed, those unable to lower their heads in respect. Luna gave them the acknowledging nod they deserved but quickly headed towards the stairs, speed outweighing decorum. Thankfully the rest of the journey towards the changeling prisoner’s hospital bed was mostly empty, the late afternoon hour meaning most ponies in need of care were already being tended to.
Instead, Luna braced herself for an interrogation session, something she didn’t enjoy but would pursue with the determination required. The changeling in question was the reason why Flurry Heart died and determining why it wanted the baby alicorn was a priority. If it was a move from Chrysalis that would mean the changeling queen was seeking revenge, if not that opened more questions.
Luna forced herself back into reality as she reached the door to the prisoner. On either side were two of her sister’s Day Guard, armored and ready to beat back an escapee. The two Night Guards who flanked her took a position next to their counterparts, allowing Luna to enter the room alone as she wished.
Inside was a single hospital bed with a changeling in it, bound to the bed by leather restraints around each leg. On its horn was a magic-suppression ring, blocking its ability to use its magic and hopefully shapeshift as well. As Luna approached the prisoner, she saw that it seemed to be asleep, its eyes closed and chest slowly rising and falling.
The changeling itself was different from the ones she saw during Queen Chrysalis’ attack on Canterlot. It looked almost a head bigger than normal and based on Twilight’s story it was also stronger and faster. Once Luna reached its bed, the changeling opened its eyes, revealing not the fully teal eyes of most of its race but instead, it had eyes like a pony, albeit teal and with slitted pupils.
“Princess Luna.” The changeling gave a low chuckle, its voice deeper than the changelings Luna met before. “It’s an honor. I’d bow, but I’m a bit tied up at the moment.”
“Perhaps we should skip the niceties then and get straight to the questions.” Luna cleared her throat, keeping her face in the practiced stoic mode reserved for dealing with particularly annoying subjects and prisoners. “First of all, what is your name? It would be rude to simply call you ‘prisoner’ during this whole exchange, no?”
“If you insist. You can call me Nightshade, Princess.” The changeling gave a low hiss of a chuckle.
Luna nodded and wrote her answer on the scroll, noting that the changeling seemed to be actually responding to questions. Previous interrogations from the Guard ended in the changeling simply remaining silent during the whole process.
“Who sent you to kidnap Flurry Heart?” Luna narrowed her eyes slightly as Nightshade responded by simply laughing in response. “What is so funny?”
“Do you really expect me to reveal the identity of my client so easily? Have some respect, Princess.” Nightshade chuckled, its mouth turned up in a toothy grin.
“Was it Queen Chrysalis?” Luna baited, expecting the same response as before. But worth a shot. If the changeling queen was planning a return that could spell trouble for Equestria.
Nightshade snarled, its face twisting in rage. “Do not mention that failure of a queen in my presence, Princess.”
Luna smiled internally, while not a clear name it did strike a name from the list. “Not a fan? Very well. Why are you so different from a normal changeling?”
“That is easy, I am a praetorian.” Nightshade rolled its eyes, its tone dripping with amusement. “Think of me as usually a guard for the queen or her voice when she isn’t around.”
“Interesting.” Luna wrote his response down, thankfully reaching the last major question. “Why were you attempting to foalnap Flurry Heart? Money, fame, magic?”
Nightshade simply smiled in response and closed its eyes, refusing to respond. After repeating the question twice Luna shook her head and left the room. No use in forcing an answer after all.
Twilight sighed as she packed, her mood somber and full of guilt. She fucked up hard this past month. Flurry Heart was dead and gone, and the pony now residing in her body was traumatized thanks to her shortsightedness. Luna and all her friends were angry at her. Even Shining Armor and Cadance were likely to turn against her for killing their foal, and for good reason.
I am probably going to end up banished, or worse. Magic kindergarten!
Twilight set another book into her bag and set the whole ensemble to the side. As always she packed light, after all, it was a trip to the Crystal Empire not the other side of Equis. Hopefully, if she was banished Celestia would let her return to pack and not just leave immediately.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her bedroom door, it opening to reveal Spike. “Hey Twilight, you okay?”
“I-I dunno Spike. I messed everything up. Flurry Heart is dead, and Storm is hurt.” She flicked her ears back, tears stinging the corner of her eyes. “I don’t know what to do now. Everything I’ve tried backfired something horrible.”
“Yeah, I guess you did...” Spike winced and shook his head. “I’m sure Rainbow Dash and everypony else just need a few days to think about stuff. As for Storm...yeah I think she’s gonna need some time before you should try to mend things. But I am confident everypony will still be your friend, you just got to give them some time.”
“I hope so Spike, I really do.” Twilight sighed, rubbing her forehead with one hoof. “I just hope that Shining Armor and Cadance don’t kill me.”