There was a loud crash as one of the light bulbs in the chandelier above blew out. A series of small shards of heated glass rained down upon the pony waiting patiently below.
Each fragment hit almost eerily with their sharp edges against her sides, but each one slid away and left no mark.
Celestia sighed, shaking a few settled pieces from her back. Sky watched nearby, eyeing the strange ceremony curiously. She had explained her motives, but he couldn't help but feel scared each time a new shower of glass sprayed down upon his Queen.
After a few more showers, the room was plunged into darkness.
"M-my Queen?" Sky called. "Why didn't you just turn it off?"
He heard her sigh. "Because Luna knows where the switch is. She would have turned on the lights the second she got worried."
"Oh."
The two stood in shadowed silence.
"My Queen?"
"You can just ask the question, Sky."
"Oh. Um..." He shuffled his hooves. "I... I... I think... I think I love you."
He blushed as he felt Celestia's head alongside his own. "Don't worry, my little Changeling." Her lips grazed his cheek. "I might just love you too."
-----
"Sister? Are you in there? Your lights are out."
"I am aware of that, Luna."
She shifted awkwardly. "Well, I guess it's fine... may I ask why?"
"Because I... I don't want you to see me right now."
"Why not?"
There was a shuffling, and the door closed gently behind Luna. "Can you trust me?"
"I will always trust you, sister."
Slowly, a pair of glowing blue eyes opened to Luna's right.
"S-sister?"
Another pair of eyes opened. And another. And another. Within moments, all but one splotch of the room was dotted with the eyes.
"Do not be afraid, Luna."
A dim gold glow lit the room, illuminating the face of a Changeling Queen. Her eyes sparkled in the light, evoking a strange feeling of family from the Night Princess.
"It's me." The creature ahead of her was speaking, but the voice was that of her sister.
Slowly, the light intensified, defining the faces around the eyes; pupil-less lenses became defined pupils as Luna slowly recognized members of her guard and workers around the castle.
"S-sister? What did they do to you?"
The Queen looked away, glancing down to a Changeling beside her. "They did nothing."
"B-b-b-b-but you-"
"I know what I am!" Celestia replied forcefully, her eyes narrowing towards her sister. "And I am placing my trust in you! I protected your identity when the Nightmare overtook you, and I wish for you to do the same for me!"
Luna gaped around at her guards before snapping her mouth shut and nodding firmly. "You may trust me. I will not speak of this."
Celestia sighed. "Thank you, Luna."
The Changeling at Celestia's side chirped loudly, nudging her with a hoof. The two carried on a conversation in chirps, as Luna waited awkwardly.
"Whenever you talk to me where others may hear, please call me Cocoon."
"Of course." Luna turned to leave, but looked back at the last second. "When will you tell Equestria?"
"When I am ready."
The second Princess nodded, leaving the room.
Celestia looked around, meeting the eyes of every one of the Changelings in the room.
"Please, sit down."
They all obeyed, despite being slightly confused.
"Now please... tell me everything about you."
-----
One Month Later
-----
"We understand that thou has been displeased with the absence of thine Princess of the Day! Fret no longer, citizens of Equestria, for your Princess is alive and well, and shall be making an appearance once you all quiet!"
The panicked masses fell silent under Luna's call, looking up to the balcony.
"If you see anything that frightens you, do not fret! All is well!"
A loud muttering broke out, ponies clamoring to understand why such a message would be needed.
-----
The regal Alicorn posed in front of a mirror, fretting up at her crown.
"Is this really necessary?"
"Yes." Celestia replied, watching from the other side of the pane. "Refold your wings, you look like you just ran a marathon."
"I feel like it!" The second Celestia replied, obediently fluffing her wings. "You made me change all over again to fix minor details!"
"Whatever do you mean? Your crown is off-kilter."
"Thanks." She fixed the tilt, before frowning again. "Oh deary me, you're missing one of the points on my butt-tattoo! Better redo everything!"
"I don't sound like that." Celestia replied. "But thank you, Sky. For everything."
The other-Celestia frowned. "Oh, my precious little pastel ponies, I've missed you so much! Teeheehee!"
Celestia frowned again, taking on the form of one of the Solar Guards. "My hatred for you has reached a peak."
"You won't be thinking that tonight~!"
"Cloudy Sky!" Celestia yelled, blushing furiously.
"Sister!" Luna announced, looking back from the balcony. "Oh, uh, sister! Are you coming out here or not?"
"Here goes nothing..." Celestia muttered, donning her golden armor.
"Yeah, like you're the one this whole facade is resting on." Sky simmered, shifting his hooves.
Celestia trotted out into view, seeing a dozen other guards at various points in the crowd, each resonating with the green essence of Changeling. Sky followed after her, his disguise reviewed over and over until every little detail was perfect.
"Citizens of Equestria!" He yelled, his greatly-more-feminine voice subduing the crowd. "I have come before you today to address the problem of my absence!"
Celestia glanced up at him, waiting for the key moment.
"I do not wish for you to be fearful of what I am about to say. This is the truth of the matter and shall not be taken lightly. Please, my subjects, do not flee."
He looked down, meeting Celestia's eyes. She nodded.
A dozen-and-two ponies vanished under pillars of green flame.
A dozen-and-two Changelings took their place.
The real Celestia soared up into the air without hesitation, her gossamer wings catching the sunlight and directing it upon the masses below.
"Do not fear, my little ponies! This is no corruption, no attack. I... I am Princess Celestia."
The gasps and screams rose up around her final words, the Changelings in the crowd fleeing to the rooftops to avoid the angered masses. There was nothing she could do anymore, she realized, she was the enemy, and they were the prey.
"Changelings, come to me!" The small group fluttered up to the balcony, trying to act as Equestrian as possible. "Go down to the entrances and barricade them." She instructed calmly. "Inform the other Changelings to disguise themselves or hide. Instruct the guards to set up at their outer posts. Dismissed."
As the ground clambered off into the castle, Luna trotted up to her sister. "They will accept it in time."
"Like they accepted Discord or Nightmare Moon?" She sighed. "Admit it, sister, they are as close-minded as the Griffons."
"That may be true." Luna answered. "But they need time, and kindness. Discord threw the world into chaos and was not gentle in the process. Nightmare Moon attempted to exterminate the pony race by pushing the sun from the sky. You are still you, just in a different skin. They will find their way in time."
Celestia turned, walking away into the darkness of her room. "We shall see, my sister. We shall see."