//------------------------------// // Chapter 11 // Story: Mirror's Image // by Evilpresident //------------------------------// Chapter 11 The sound of wood scraping on tiles was all that broke the silence in Night Light’s hobby room as he moved his chair back and forth to find a comfortable position to work in. Night Light squinted his eyes and bit his lip in concentration as he held the last piece in his magic grasp. It took him nearly two years but finally, his scale model of the R.A.S. Harmony was nearly complete. It was a beautiful piece of engineering on a small scale and would become the centerpiece of his collection. If he managed to finish it, that is. Night Light had always enjoyed building models airships but today his heart just wasn’t in it. Something was missing. Something purple that would sit by him at times and comment on whether or not the bow was painted in the correct color or if the mast was slightly off-center. Something white that just wouldn’t shut up about that new filly he was dating. With a sigh he levitated the last piece, the rudder, back into the box and closed it. Night Light missed his little filly and colt. Life just wasn’t the same without those two. Both Twilight and Shining Armor had left the house, so Night Light didn’t see them as often as he liked to but at least he knew that they were safe. And according to her letters, Twilight was even happier than she had ever been in Canterlot, which made Night Light happy in turn. Shining Armor was always a subject of worry for Night Light. Becoming captain at such a young age… Night Light was awfully proud of his son but also terribly worried about his son’s safety. Not that Twilight was any better: Nightmare Moon, Discord, hydras, cockatrices, parasprites; Twilight Sparkle seemed to be a filly-shaped monster-magnet. The muffled sound of something breaking drew his attention. Night Light slid out of his chair and walked out the room. “Maybe tomorrow,” he said as he closed the door. He quickly made his way to where he thought the sound came from. In the living room, Twilight Velvet was crouched over a few shards of clay. “I broke it.” She looked up at Night Light with tears in her eyes. “My magic waned and it slipped and…” Velvet began sobbing loudly. Night Light wasted no time and rushed over to his distraught wife. Treading carefully to avoid the remnants he helped Velvet back to her hooves and hugged her. “I broke it,” Velvet said again as Night Light rubbed her back in a comforting gesture. His eyes wandered to the shards on the ground. The largest shard had some chicken scratchings on it. ‘Twilight Sparkle – 4’ it said. “Her hoofprint,” Velvet said, absently pointing at the shards. “I accidentally dropped it.” Night Light reluctantly let go off his wife and gathered the shards together with his magic. Luckily the clay hoofprint had shattered into large pieces which could easily be put back together. “Don’t worry dear,” he said. “Let me just get some glue and we’ll fix this.” The blue stallion all but ran back to his hobby room and grabbed the tube of glue he had left on his desk. “Here we go,” he said as he returned to the living room, triumphantly floating the tube in front of him. “My hero,” Velvet said as she dried her tears. Night Light quickly lifted the pieces up again and glued them together. It wasn’t perfect but it was whole again and that was what mattered. He traced his big hoof over the imprint of the little hoof. It was so tiny compared to his and for a moment, Night Light thought back to the day Twilight was born. How she had grabbed his hoof and refused to let go. Night Light lowered the cast onto the coffee table, to allow the glue to set. “Nighty, I’m scared,” Twilight Velvet said as she sat down on the couch. “I want my foals back.” “As do I.” Night Light frowned. “But we have to have faith in Princess Luna and Twilight’s friends.” “I know, but I’m just so scared,” Velvet said with a whimper. “Don’t worry,” Night Light said as he settled next to his wife. “If Applejack and Rainbow are half as stubborn as Twilight always says, then I don’t think we’ll have anything to worry about.” “But what if she doesn’t want to come back?” Velvet said, her voice betraying her rising fear. “What if she likes her real mother more? What if-” Night Light laid a hoof on her lips, gently silencing her. “You are her real mother, don’t you ever forget that,” he said as he moved his hoof away. “We raised her from a little foal to a beautiful young mare and no pony, or Changeling, can take that from us, you hear me?” Velvet nodded and kissed her husband. “Thank you, Nighty.” “Any time, my love,” Night Light said. “What were you doing here anyway?” he asked. “Oh nothing,” she lied. “Just going through some old junk…” Night Light hadn’t noticed until now but the floor was strewn with various bits and knickknacks that he vaguely recognized. “Look, I found Shining Armor’s old drawings,” Velvet said with a smile on her face. She picked up a stack of papers and floated them towards Night Light. “Remember this?” She held out the first drawing which had two big blobs and one little blob sitting in front of a house. “I’m pretty sure I wasn’t that fat,” Night Light laughed as he looked at the portrait Shining Armor had drawn so many years ago. He took the stack of papers from Twilight Velvet and began to leaf through them. Their house, grandma, their house again, a royal guard, Twilight, some weird monster with holes in it… “Shining Armor was quite the little artist when he was young,” Night Light said as he pulled out that particular drawing. “Do you think he…” He frowned and showed Twilight Velvet that picture. Velvet’s eyes widened in shock. “I-I think so,” she stammered. “Do you remember that night? When he came in, screaming that there was some monster in Twilight’s room?” she asked. “I think I do,” Night Light tried to recall the memory. He took another look at the drawing. The monster his son had drawn was towering over a crib with a little purple blob in it. “Do you think that was her? The Changeling queen?” Velvet asked. “I don’t know. I didn’t think much of it at the time but now…” He ran his hoof over the drawing. “It can’t be a coincidence.” “To think that she’s been in our house,” Velvet shivered. “In Twilight’s room. She could have taken her at any time.” “Don’t think like that,” Night Light said as he put the drawings down again. “Come on, let’s clean this place up. Wouldn’t want those two to come home to a messy house, right?” “Right,” Velvet said, a small smile finding its way onto her face. It was the first time since the wedding fiasco that Night Light had seen her smile. That smile faded quickly though as Velvet looked at him. “Do you ever think about her?” “Every day,” Night Light said, his eyes growing a bit moist. “I always wonder if she would have been like her. Would she have been the princess’s student as well? Would she have made such wonderful friends? Would she have saved the world?” Velvet didn’t say anything. A few tears ran down her cheek. She quickly wiped them off and turned back to her husband. “I just… I don’t know, Night Light. I just don’t know,” she eventually said. “Neither do I,” Night Light admitted. An awkward silence hung in the air as neither of them knew what to say. Words were not enough to express their feelings and could be considered wasted. “I’m kind of expecting them to just walk back in,” Night Light said after a few minutes. “You know how Twilight would rush home, eager to show off her report card. Or how Shiny would knock on the door in the middle of the night when he forgot his keys, again.” Twilight Velvet nodded and leaned into Night Light, who slung a fore leg around her and pulled her close to him. *Knock-knock* Night Light and Velvet looked at each other and shared a small laugh at the well-timed interruption. “I’ll get it,” Night Light said. “It’s probably my boss, wondering why the hay I haven’t come to work.” “He gave you two weeks off,” Twilight Velvet reminded him. Again, Night Light reluctantly let go of his better half and stood up. “Let’s find out then,” he said. He quickly made his way to the door, hesitating for just a second, before turning the knob and pulling the door open. “Yes? Can I…” he started to ask but the words quickly got stuck in his throat. His eyes widened as he saw exactly who was at the door. Panic started to form as he took in her image: green eyes, dark coat, aqua blue mane, holes everywhere. The spitting image of the mare that had been haunting his nightmares since the wedding. Night Light was usually a level-headed stallion but seeing this Changeling at his front door made his blood boil. He was just about to demand her to leave, when she opened her mouth and said something that made his heart skip a beat. “Daddy?” Night Light stared at the cloaked mare, a bewildered look on his face. That voice… The Changeling returned his stare, a hopeful look in her eyes. Night Light remained quiet, unable to form the words he wanted to say. Neither of them said anything for a while, which made Twilight very nervous. “I-I’ll just go,” she eventually stammered, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. “No!” Night Light cried out, having found his voice again. “Don’t leave! Don’t you dare leave!” He rushed at her, his hooves quickly wrapping around her in an attempt to keep her there. For Twilight, those strong hooves were familiar. They made her feel safe and they made her forget her worries momentarily. “Is it really you?” Night Light whispered. “Yes, daddy,” Twilight whispered back. “I know I don’t look like me anymore but… I’m so sorry for worrying you,” she said, relishing in his hold. “That wasn’t your fault,” Night Light said, breaking the hug and turning back to the door. “Come,” he said. “Your mother is going to be so happy.” Twilight hesitated. Her father was happy enough to see her. But he didn’t know the truth about the real Twilight Sparkle yet… - “Who is it?” Twilight Velvet called out, not looking up from her work. She was sorting through Shining Armor’s drawings, in the hope of finding any more sketches of the Changeling queen, though all she found were more pictures of random things that colts draw. Airships, dragons, wagons, Twilight Sparkle. One of those didn’t really belong, Twilight Velvet mused. “You’re not going to believe this,” Night Light said as he walked back into the living room. “Believe what?” Velvet asked, looking towards the door. “Hi,” Twilight said nervously as she walked in after her father. Twilight Velvet stared at the Changeling. The Changeling stared back. For a while, silence reigned. One could even hear the pitter-patter of that annoying mouse that lived under the floorboards. “Twilight?” Velvet eventually broke the silence. “Twilight Sparkle? Is that you?” “Y-yes, mom,” Twilight stuttered. “It’s me, sort of…” Twilight’s eyes widened as she was all but thrown to the ground by her mother in a desperate attempt to get to her. “My baby!” Velvet cried out. “You came home! You came home? Where’s Shining Armor? Is he okay?” “Calm down, dear. You’re overwhelming her,” Night Light said calmly. “Hehe, sorry…” Velvet said as she helped Twilight back to her hooves. “Your coat feels so strange,” she noted. Twilight’s face reflected her confusion. “Why are you taking this so lightly?” she asked. “I mean, I’m not a pony. I’m not your daughter and-” Both Velvet and Night Light laid a hoof on Twilight’s lips. “Don’t you ever, ever dare say that again,” Velvet said. “You are our little filly, whether you like it or not,” Night Light said jokingly as he and Velvet removed their hooves. “But-” Twilight tried to say. “No buts,” Night Light cut her off. Her mother gently tugged on the loose cloak, pulling it off of Twilight. The Changeling instinctively flexed her wings, much to her parent’s surprise. Velvet and Night Light took a moment to observe their daughter. “Twilight, I think we need to explain some things to you,” Velvet said eventually. She sat down on the couch and patted the cushion next to her in an inviting way. Twilight Sparkle took up the invitation and sat down next to Velvet, while her father settled in next to her, sandwiching the young mare between her parents. The Changeling was feeling a bit uncomfortable like this. “I could change into my old form, if you want me to.” “No, don’t,” Velvet said. “Don’t be ashamed,” Night Light added. “We love you the way you are.” It was safe to say that Twilight was a bit shocked. She had gone over a dozen possible scenarios in her head, from angry parents to sad parents to even downright furious parents. In all her planning, she had never expected them to react quite like this. She had come in, expecting screaming and crying and disowning… She had even prepared a mental checklist for this situation. “Twilight, there is no easy way of saying this,” Velvet started. She wrapped a fore leg around Twilight and pulled her close. “So we’re just going to say this bluntly.” She looked at her husband, who nodded, encouraging her to go on. “We’ve always know you weren’t our daughter by blood,” Velvet said. “But we raised you, we loved you and still do so. For all intents and purposes, you ARE our daughter.” “You knew?” Twilight uttered. “How could you know? Why didn’t you tell me?” “We noticed… things. Things that normal fillies don’t do when they grow up,” Night Light said with a frown on his face. “And we just didn’t know how,” Velvet said. “How could we tell you that you weren’t a pony? Would you have believed us?” She frowned. “Even I still find it hard to believe and I have you sitting here next to me.” Twilight remained quiet, thinking about this situation. Her parents knew. They knew that she was an imposter. But they didn’t care. They loved her anyway… “She,” Twilight uttered. “She took your real foal and…” she couldn’t finish that sentence. “I’m sorry.” Velvet shook her head. “You were just a foal at the time, you couldn’t have known,” she said. “But I am angry with her, for taking away my little filly.” Velvet shuddered, as the last memory she had of the other Twilight Sparkle was holding her cold and lifeless body while she was desperately pleading to whatever deity was listening to have her daughter open her eyes. “If I ever meet her face to face, I don’t know what I’d do,” Night Light mused. “A small part of me wants to scream at her. Hit her, maybe even kill her.” He cleared his throat as he said that. “But another, stronger part of me wants to thank her for giving us a little filly to love.” Twilight was at a loss for words. Her parents genuinely didn’t care that she was a Changeling! They truly loved her regardless of what she was. Twilight was actually feeling bad right now for ever doubting them. All three Unicorns converged in a group hug; she was their filly and nopony else’s Twilight could feel their love and basked in it, now realizing for the first time just how much they loved her. They sat like that for a few minutes, before Night Light broke the hug. “Twilight, can you tell us what happened to Shining Armor?” he asked. He didn’t really want to disrupt the moment they were sharing but Shining Armor was more important that exchanging hugs right now. Twilight nodded. “He’s in the hospital right now,” she said. “I sent one of my guards with him. The… the queen did something to him.” “We know,” Velvet said, clearing her throat. “We need to go and see him right away.” “Indeed,” Night Light said, feeling slightly giddy. An hour ago they were afraid of losing their foals forever. Now, they had one back and the other was within walking distance . “Let me fix my disguise first,” Twilight said as a flash of fire engulfed her. The flames died down to reveal a purple Unicorn. “How do I look?” she asked. “Like you,” Twilight Velvet said, slightly shocked at the display. “Only these are a bit different,” Night Light noted, his hoof running over two wafer-thin wings on Twilight’s back. “They feel so fragile,” he said as he rubbed them. “And they’re a bit ticklish, so please stop that,” Twilight laughed nervously, wondering if she had just given her father further means of annoying her. Of course, that was his sacred duty as a father. “Sorry,” Night Light said but not before tickling the base of her left wing a bit more. Twilight’s annoyed face meant that he had succeeded in bothering her, which in turn mean that things were back to normal. Or at least as normal as things would be from now on. “Here, try this,” Velvet said as she slung Twilight’s cloak back onto her back and clasped it shut around her neck. “What do you think, Nighty?” “Can’t see a thing,” Night Light said honestly. “Good, let’s get going then,” Velvet said. - Twilight walked with a spring in her step towards the hospital alongside her parents. So far, her birth mother had been wrong about her family and friends. Her parents still loved her, Princess Celestia still loved her, despite the minor incident earlier. But Twilight still had eight ponies and one dragon to cross off of her checklist. Cadance had a good reason to hate her, as Chrysalis had imprisoned and mistreated her for a month because of Twilight. Shining Armor had the same reason to hate her. Twilight had no idea of what the queen’s mind magic had done to him. And then there was the fact that Shining Armor had been a single spell away from Changelinghood. Spike... Twilight didn’t know what to expect from him. And then there were her friends… Thinking of them caused the spring in Twilight’s step to fade as she resumed her normal pace. Twilight wasn’t sure about them accepting her. As much as she hated herself for feeling that way, she had to accept them hating her as a viable outcome. Rarity would never want to be seen with her in public, Rainbow Dash would be furious about missing out on impressing the Wonderbolts, Fluttershy would probably be just plain scared of her, Applejack would be angry for what happened to her own brother and Pinkie Pie… she would probably be very Pinkie about the situation. On the other hoof, maybe Rarity would see her new shape as a challenge to make more and more beautiful dresses. Perhaps Rainbow Dash could teach her how to fly. Fluttershy could possibly find a use for Twilight’s emotion-sensing ability when it comes to taking care of animals. And Applejack could always use some extra farmhands that needed only to be paid love. And Pinkie Pie… was just Pinkie Pie. She’d find a reason to throw Twilight a party, whether or not her friends accepted her. “Twilight?” Velvet’s voice broke Twilight’s chain of thought. “We’re here.” “Oh?” Twilight looked around, only to see the entrance to the hospital in front of her. “I must have been daydreaming,” she said. Three simultaneous thuds were heard besides her. Night Light and Twilight Velvet noticed three sets of hoof prints around Twilight. “Twiley? What are those?” “These are the guards I mentioned,” Twilight said nervously. “I may have forgotten to tell you this but I’m apparently the Changeling princess and heir to the throne.” Night Light and Velvet nodded. “We figured as much at the wedding, when Chrysalis shouted that at us,” Velvet said. “You three, stay outside,” Twilight said to her three invisible stalkers. The Changelings blinked into existence for a few seconds to bow before her and turned back invisible. Twilight turned around and walked towards the entrance of the hospital, her parents trailing after her as they tried to process what had just happened. - “I’m looking for Shining Armor,” Twilight said as she rushed up to the receptionist. “He was brought in a while ago.” “Shining Armor?” the receptionist, a pale grey Pegasus, asked. “Let’s see… ah yes, Shining Armor.” She leaved through the papers on her desk. “Are you family?” she asked. “I’m his L.S.B.F.F.” Twilight said, earning her a confused look from the Pegasus. “She’s his little sister,” Night Light said. “And we’re Shining Armor’s parents.” “I see,” the receptionists said. “You may visit him in room… room 302,” she said, reading the number off the paper. “Thank you,” Velvet said. - “Come on,” the doctor said. “Eat the chocolate.” The blue Pegasus waved the half-eaten bar of chocolate in front of Shining Armor. Shining Armor refused to do so and turned his head away, much like a stubborn foal would if presented with mashed alfalfa. “Listen, if you don’t eat this, your recovery will take a lot longer. Surely you want to get out of here as quickly as possible, right?” The white stallion cocked his head in confusion. “I give up,” the blue Pegasus said, tossing the bar of chocolate back onto the tray. “Are you sure this is the only way to fix this?” “Positive,” the brown earth pony said. “Trust me, I’m a doctor.” “In what?” the Pegasus asked furiously, having run out off patience. “Why am I even listening to you?” he asked himself. “Shining Armor?” a feminine voice called from outside the room. Two mares and a stallion came in. “Shiny!” Twilight Velvet rushed to her son’s sickbed. “Are you his parents?” the doctor asked. “I am doctor Quick Fix. I’m in charge of all patients that have come in contact with the Changelings.” “How is he doing, doc?” Night Light asked. “Better than when he came in,” Quick Fix said. “The ‘doctor’ here told us to feed him chocolate. Imagine my surprise when that actually worked. Of course, I have no idea if this is a long-term solution but for now it’s worth a shot, at least until we find something better.” “What ‘doctor’ are you talking about?” Velvet asked. “Him.” Quick Fix pointed to the Earth pony behind him. Or more specifically, to the spot were said Earth pony had been. “Where did he go?” Twilight Velvet asked, faking innocence. She knew all too well that the stallion had been another Changeling. “I… uh… never mind,” Quick Fix said. “What’s important right now is that Shining Armor makes a full recovery. I don’t suppose you can help feed him his medicine?” “Shiny was a fussy eater when he was a foal,” Velvet said. “Just let me try.” “Mother knows best, I suppose,” Quick Fix said with a chuckle. “Now where did I put that bar?” Quick Fix had placed said chocolate bar on a tray. That tray was now empty, save for the scraps of foil and paper that had been wrapped around the bar. The bar itself was now lodged in Twilight’s mouth, who was chewing on it like it was made of the finest Ambrosia. Quick Fix, Night Light and Twilight Velvet stared at Twilight, two of them already used to Twilight’s shenanigans when it came to chocolate. Eventually, Twilight managed to swallow the bar and spoke up. “I regret nothing,” she said, licking her lips. The real doctor rubbed his temples. “I’m going to take my break now,” he said. He walked outside, muttering something about crazy ponies. “You can show yourself again,” Twilight said once she was certain Quick Fix was out of hearing range. The Praetorian shimmered back into view, still in his Earth pony disguise. “My princess,” he said with a bow. “Stop that,” Twilight said. “And why didn’t you leave once you dropped Shining Armor off?” “I couldn’t find an opening,” the Praetorian said. “Those ponies refused to let me slip away. They bombarded me with questions.” Twilight noticed that her guard was lowering his head and shoulders, assuming a submissive position. “I’m not going to punish you,” Twilight said as she noticed the Changeling’s behavior. “Just go outside now and join the others.” The disguised pony’s eyes widened. He nodded furiously. “Yes, my princess,” he said with a deep bow, before turning invisible and running off. Twilight Velvet and Night Light were staring at the spot where the guard had been. “You’ll get used to it,” Twilight Sparkle said, noticing their looks. “I’m not sure if I want to,” Night Light said with a frown on his face. “Whether we like it or not, we have to accept that they are a part of Twilight’s life now,” Velvet said, as much as she hated to admit it. Night Light nodded. “Of course, dear,” he said, though he obviously had his doubts about everything. “Hey mom, dad? Would you mind if I go visit Cadance?” Twilight asked. “Of course not,” Velvet said. “I think she’s in room… 404?” She looked at Night Light who nodded. “Great,” Twilight said. “I’ll see you later, okay?” “Don’t you dare disappear again, hear me?” Night Light said playfully. Twilight just rolled her eyes in response. - “Room 402, room 403, room 404,” Twilight listed as she walked through the hallway. Twilight had always hated hospitals. They always smelled like chemicals and bad food. And the first memory she had off a hospital was when she last hugged and kissed her granny Twinkle. The poor mare had passed away later that evening. Heart failure, the colts in white suits had said. So Twilight wasn’t feeling particularly comfortable at the moment. But Twilight had to do this. Cadance had suffered the most of all ponies involved. Compared to what happened to her and Shining Armor, Twilight’s problems seemed minimal at best. She noticed that there were no guards at the door. Cadance probably sent them home, Twilight thought. That was one thing she always like about Cadance: that even though she was a princess, she didn’t ask to be treated like one. ‘Knock-knock’ Twilight rapped her hoof on the door a few times. “Come in,” a familiar, weak voice said. Twilight hesitantly pushed the door open, steeling her nerves and preparing for Cadance’s reaction. The room was the same as any other hospital room, though you could see that the staff had did their best to make it a bit more worthy of a princess. Softer sheets, cleaner floors, possibly better food. Cadance stared at her visitor. “Hi,” Twilight said nervously. Cadance was sitting up in her soft bed. Twilight flinched as she saw her former foalsitter. Cadance’s face was pale and she looked emaciated. Her left front hoof had a cast on it and several IVs were inserted into her front leg. All in all, Cadance looked worse for wear. “Twilight Sparkle?” Cadance asked weakly. “Is that really you?” Her face cleared up as she realized who came to visit her. Twilight nodded. “It’s me, Cadance. It’s good to see you.” “Good to see me?” Cadance let out an amused laugh. “Twilight, you have no idea how glad I am to see you!” The pink Alicorn struggled to get out of bed but Twilight stopped her. “Don’t get up,” Twilight said as she gently laid a hoof on Cadance’s chest. “I’m right here.” “I can see that,” Cadance said with a smile on her face. “Oh Twilight, I’m so glad that you’re okay. When the Changeling queen told me that she was after you… I was so worried but I couldn’t do anything…” “It’s not your fault,” Twilight said as she shook her head. “Trust me, I have some choice words for her the next time I see her.” “See her? Twilight? You’re not telling me you’re going back to her, are you?” Cadance asked, worry clear on her face. “What did she do to you? Did she hurt you? I swear to Celestia, if I ever find her I’ll… I’ll…” “Calm down please,” Twilight said anxiously. “You’re still weak, so don’t overexert yourself.” “Thank you, Nurse Twilight,” Cadance said with a roll of her eyes. “I’m not made of glass, you know,” she huffed. “Sorry,” Twilight said, looking down at her hooves. “I’m just so sorry about what Chrysalis did to you.” “Twilight Sparkle, don’t you dare be sorry about that,” Cadance said, perhaps a bit more forcefully that she had intended. “But-” Twilight opened her mouth to protest but one look from Cadance cause her to hold her tongue. “What the Changeling queen did wasn’t your fault,” Cadance said, her eyes softening again. “You’re just as much a victim as I am.” “But I didn’t spend a month in a cave,” Twilight muttered. “And Chrysalis did what she did for me.” “I know,” Cadance said. “She reminded me every time she came to visit me. At first I thought she was pregnant or something. I should have realized sooner that she was talking about you…” “So you already know about my little secret?” Twilight asked nervously. Cadance nodded. “Chrysalis told everypony at the wedding. Well, every pony that was still there after she revealed her true form.” “So my friends really know?” Twilight asked. “How did they react?” Cadance nodded. “They do. And from what I’ve heard, they’re fine with it. Three of them are on a rescue mission as we speak, along with Aunty Lulu.” - “Shouldn’t she be waking up by now?” Rainbow Dash asked as she pointed at the snoring princess. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for sleeping past noon but this is a life or death situation we’ve got on our hooves here.” “You know we’ve been trying since dawn but she’s sleeping tight. Dash, could you rustle up a cloud or something?” Applejack asked. “A big raincloud, if possible.” “Sure thing,” Rainbow Dash said with a salute, before flying off. Meanwhile, Luna snored on, blissfully unaware of what laid ahead of her. “Why yes… *snore* I would like another moon pie…” - “Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash,” Cadance said. “They went along with Aunty Lulu to save you.” “Shouldn’t we send them a note? I really, really don’t want them anywhere near the hive,” Twilight said. Her mind was a bit more at ease, knowing that three of her friends were risking life and limb to save her. That was the main reason that Twilight didn’t want them near the hive, as they risked potentially losing both. “Lulu’s also trying to settle things peacefully with the Changelings,” Cadance explained. “She and Celly wish to work things out before they escalate.” “That’s good,” Twilight said. “But I doubt the queen will accept. She really, really hates Princess Celestia.” “We’ll see, Twilight Sparkle. We’ll see,” Cadance said. Both of them fell quiet, though the silence wasn’t terribly awkward this time around. Twilight took these moments to let everything she had learned so far sink in. She also had a few minutes to prepare for the inevitable question that Cadance was sure to ask next. “What do you look like now?” That one. That was the question Twilight had been waiting for. “You sure you want to know?” Twilight asked nervously. “I’m told that I take after my birth mother.” “I don’t care,” Cadance said, trying to sound confident. But on the inside, she was trembling. “Just show me, please?” she asked, despite knowing that this was an awful idea. Twilight nodded. Using her magic, she closed the door and sealed it shut. And then she took her cloak off. A small gasp escaped Cadance’s mouth. “They’re pretty,” she said as Twilight tossed her cloak onto a nearby chair. “You really think so?” Twilight asked as she spread them. “I can’t fly with them yet, I can only float and fall at the moment.” “In that order?” Cadance teased. “But is this what you look like? Just a regular Unicorn with insect-like wings?” Cadance could only hope that this was the case, but she was fairly certain that it wasn’t so. Twilight shook her head. “I’m just not terribly good at transforming yet,” she said sheepishly. “Some parts remain Changeling for some reason. And then there’s the voice-acting…” “Voice-acting?” Cadance asked curiously. “My voice sometimes changes when I think of a specific pony,” Twilight said. “Could be fun at parties!” she said, using Pinkie Pie’s voice. “Oops, see what I mean?” Cadance allowed a small laugh to escape her, though she quickly turned serious again. “Go ahead, Twilight.” Twilight Sparkle nodded. “Here goes,” she said as she undid her disguise. Cadance watched with baited breath as the flames licked over Twilight’s form. Panic began to build up as the little filly she used to foalsit disappeared in the flames and was replaced by the creature that haunted her nightmares. “What do you think?” Twilight asked nervously. She flashed Cadance an awkward smile “I-I don’t… please, change back,” Cadance whispered unintelligibly as she closed her eyes. Those fangs, they were just like the queen’s! “Didn’t quite catch that,” Twilight said nervously. Whatever it was that Cadance said, it didn’t sound good. “Change back!” Cadance cried out. “Please, I don’t want to, I didn’t think you would look so much-” The Alicorn began to sob into her hooves. Twilight backed away as she reapplied her disguise, all the while stammering apologies. “I’m sorry,” she said as she bumped into the wall. As her magic lock on the door broke Twilight turned and ran out the room, leaving her cloak behind. “Wait!” Cadance lifted her head and yelled after her but Twilight didn’t seem to hear her plea. “Don’t go,” Cadance said, even though she knew it was futile. Cadance began to sob into her hooves again. She though that she’d be able to handle seeing her favorite little filly like that but Twilight had been right, she did look an awful lot like Chrysalis. She didn’t understand. Cadance had been able to stand up against the real deal at the wedding, so why couldn’t she bear to see Twilight like that? Her favorite little filly was now a Changeling. And not just any Changeling but a Changeling princess, someday to be queen… “Will you become like her?” Cadance asked out loud, though nopony was there to answer her. “Turning to force to get what you want?” Some part of Cadance could understand why the queen did that to her. From what she understood, Chrysalis needed Shining Armor’s love in order to provide Twilight with enough love and energy. “I’ve already lost two of my daughters, I won’t lose a third,” Chrysalis’s voice echoed through her head. As much as Cadance wanted to deny it, she too would act as the queen had if she were to find herself in that position. Cadance tried to get out of bed but didn’t find the strength to reach for the wheelchair beside her bed. Instead, she just leaned back into her pillow, hoping that Twilight would come back soon. She silently cursed her weakened body as she started to feel sleepy. The nurse had given her painkillers some time ago, before Twilight came to visit and they were kicking in. “Please, Twilight…” she whispered. “Come back,” Cadance managed to say before drifting into a dreamless sleep. - “That went well,” Twilight said to herself as she paced through the hallways off the hospital. She didn’t have any clear direction in mind and was simply wandering around. Sometimes she’d take the stairs and go up or down a level. And that had gotten her lost. Twilight frowned. She had only been meaning to wander around a bit so she could calm down. Her heart was still pounding too fast for a healthy mare. Of course, Twilight had no idea how that translated to Changelings but that was the least of her concerns at the moment. She shivered involuntarily as she thought back to Cadance’s reaction. The poor mare had been terrified of her, Twilight realized. Twilight should have realized that Cadance fearing her was a viable possibility. The pink Alicorn had suffered under the queen’s imprisonment for a month, having been denied food and medical care. “Let’s see,” Twilight said absentmindedly. “I think I’m on the sixth floor? How the hay did I get up here?” Twilight shrugged as she noticed the arrows pointing that would lead her back to the stairs. “First thing I’m doing when I become queen: add signs,” Twilight said as she thought back to the halls of the hive. A door behind her burst open and a disheveled grey Unicorn came running out. “You’ve got to help me!” he shouted when he saw Twilight. “What’s wrong?” Twilight asked. “The princess! She’s-” Twilight gasped as the stallion turned to stone before her eyes. She took an involuntary step back to get away from the statue, whose face was twisted into an eternal scream. “That will teach you to mess around with my mind,” Twilight heard a familiar voice coming from behind the still stallion. Princess Celestia strode over to them, a malicious look in her eyes. “Move along, mare. This stallion dared to take a peak in my mind and was punished accordingly.” Twilight stepped back in fear. The princess was acting up again! Whatever that stallion did, it had caused the princess to act like she had before. “Unless, of course you are an associate of his,” Celestia said as she turned her cold eyes towards Twilight, glaring intently at her. “Are you?” “No,” Twilight quickly said, hoping not to become the next target of Princess Celestia’s vengeance. “Good,” Celestia said. “Keep it that way. Run along now and-” Celestia sank to her knees, her front hooves grabbing at her head. She let out a loud scream and collapsed. “Celestia!” Twilight cried out, rushing back to the fallen princess. She used her magic to lift the princess up. “Talk to me, princess.” “I thought I told you to call me ‘Celestia’ or did you forget that already, princess Twilight?” Celestia said weakly. “It happened again,” she stated. “Indeed,” Twilight said with a frown on her face. “I only saw the aftermath though.” Celestia forced herself back onto her hooves, with a little help from Twilight. She quickly lowered her horn to the stone Unicorn and turned him back to his normal squishy self. “That… was an interesting experience,” the stallion said. “I’m dreadfully sorry,” Princess Celestia said. “Can you ever forgive me?” “You wouldn’t be the first patient that attacked me,” the stallion said. “And you probably won’t be the last.” Princess Celestia nodded. “But where are my manners?” the stallion asked as he noticed Twilight again. “My name is Deep Thought.” He offered a hoof to Twilight, who politely shook it. “Doctor Thought, I fear that we might have to post-pone our sessions for now,” Princess Celestia said. “At least until Luna comes back.” “Yes, that would be advisable,” Deep Thought said. “Just prodding the memory seal caused a major reaction and I’d hate to see what a full unsealing can do to you.” “You found what’s wrong with her?” Twilight asked, genuinely amazed. “I don’t have all the answers yet,” Deep Thought said. He looked at Celestia, who nodded her approval. “But it would appear that Princess Celestia has a few dozen memory seals, all of them very intricate and complex. I foolishly reached out to one and was treated to an angry princess.” Celestia nodded. “It was like before, with you Twilight. Once again I couldn’t control myself. I was thrust back into my old mindset and turned on the good doctor here.” “Well, I trust that I will hear from you again soon, princess?” Deep Thought asked. “Would you like to schedule a new appointment, perhaps?” Celestia shook her head. “Not yet, I don’t know when Princess Luna will return.” “Very well,” Deep Thought said. “I’m sure I will see you again soon. Good day, princess. And good day to you too, miss…” “Twilight Sparkle,” Twilight said with a smile. “Miss Sparkle,” Deep Thought said. “I know I shouldn’t comment on this but are you aware that you have wolf teeth?” Twilight ran her tongue over her teeth, only to find two fangs protruding. “Oh, yes. I’m here to have them removed, you see.” She quickly made up a reason. Despite not being as experienced as Celestia, the stallion seemed to believe it. “Indeed,” Deep Thought said. “But dental surgery is on the second floor, not the sixth.” With that said Deep Thought trotted back into his office. Twilight noticed that he was still shivering a bit from the experience. She could relate, having spent nearly six hours as a statue before Fluttershy saved her. “How did your meeting with your parents go?” Celestia asked. “Very good actually,” Twilight said with a smile on her face. “They still love me, they don’t care that I’m a Changeling and it turns out that they already knew!” she said excitingly. “That’s good to hear,” the princess said. “See? I told you not to worry so much.” Twilight nodded. “Cadance was a little less enthusiastic though…” she said. “I-I scared her.” “What did you do?” Celestia asked. “Nothing,” Twilight muttered. “She asked me to show myself and she started to cry. I hightailed out of there and walked around a bit to calm down. That’s when I ran into you, well into Deep Thought.” “I think Cadance is afraid of Chrysalis,” Celestia mused. “And you look an awful lot like her when you’re in your Changeling form. Perhaps you should avoid it when dealing with Cadance.” “I think that’s for the best,” Twilight said. “Has she told anypony about what the queen did to her?” Celestia shook her head. “She said that she was locked in the caves under Canterlot but that’s it. She hasn’t said a single word about it.” “Do you think she’ll be okay?” Twilight asked. “I think so,” Celestia said. “You know Cadance, underneath that delicate Alicorn lies a strong and independent mare. And she has all of us to back her up, remember?” Twilight just smiled. Perhaps things would turn out for the best anyway, she thought. “Come, let’s go and visit her together,” Celestia said, leading the way. “Hey, Celestia? Can I ask you something?” Twilight knew that she would probably get a joke answer in return though. “Of course you can,” Celestia said, not taking the obvious opportunity much to Twilight’s surprise. “What do you want to know?” “That spell, the one you used on that doctor, that wasn’t the same as you used on me, right?” Celestia shook her head. “No, it wasn’t. I’ve lived for a long time, my faithful student. And one needs a hobby to pass the time. Some collect stamps, I create spells. Well, I used to.” “Really? Why did you quit?” Twilight asked curiously. “There’s only so many spells one can create before the art of it grows… stale. So I found a new hobby,” Celestia said. “Sure, it’s not as exciting but train spotting helps me relax.” Twilight stared as Celestia walked past her, wondering what an all-powerful solar goddess found relaxing about watching trains. - Cadance’s eyes opened again. Her medicine-induced sleep had been rather short, lasting only for half an hour or so. At least, that’s how long she thought it lasted. “Good morning,” Celestia said. “How are you feeling?” “Awful,” Cadance whispered. “I think I’ve upset Twilight.” “I’m fine," Twilight said from in the doorway. “I was more worried about you.” “Twilight, I’m so sorry,” Cadance said as Twilight walked up to her. “It’s just, when I saw you like that… those teeth…” Twilight smiled, her mouth suddenly filled with razor-sharp fangs. Cadance screamed as Twilight lunged at her. - “Aah!” Cadance woke up with a start, nearly rolling out of the bed. She was breathing heavily and her heart was going a mile a minute. A knock on the door made her jump. “C-Come in!” she almost yelled. She was still shivering from that nightmare and had wrapped her hooves around herself to calm her nerves. The door opened, revealing her aunt. “Are you alright?” she asked. “I thought I heard you scream.” “No, I’m fine,” Cadance said. “Just a nightmare, nothing to worry about.” She wasn’t really sure whether she was reassuring herself or Princess Celestia. “That’s good to hear,” Celestia said. “I heard from Twilight that she gave you quite a scare. Can she come back in?” “What? Of course!” Cadance said. The purple mare walked into the room, though she stayed near Celestia’s side and a fair distance away from Cadance. “Hi,” Twilight said. “Twilight, I’m so sorry for yelling at you,” Cadance said quickly. “You just looked so much like her that I-” “It’s okay,” Twilight interrupted her before she could rant some more. “I’m fine and I think I understand why you reacted like you did.” She frowned. Cadance sighed in relief. “Hey, Cadance? Are you allowed to leave the bed?” Twilight asked. “To go to the bathroom,” Cadance answered. “And to visit the gardens,” she added. “Why?” “Because I have a surprise for you,” Twilight said gleefully. - After some help from Twilight and Celestia, Cadance had gotten into her wheelchair. Twilight was happily pushing her forward, even though it was a rather awkward position for her to stand up on two legs. “Where are we going?” Cadance asked. “To room 302,” Twilight said. “What’s in there?” the princess of love asked. “You’ll see,” Twilight said with a knowing, yet mischievous look on her face. Cadance knew that look all too well and it usually meant that Twilight was up to no good. It didn’t take them long to get to room 302. Cadance could hear the voices of Twilight’s parents coming from within. They were talking to somepony. Cadance’s heart fluttered. Could it be? Celestia pushed the door open and Cadance saw him. “Shining Armor!” she cried out in joy. Twilight pushed the wheelchair up to his bed. With newfound energy and a blatant disrespect for her wounded leg and bodily state, Cadance leaned out of the wheelchair and embraced Shining Armor. “Shining?” Cadance looked at her fiancé, who wasn’t returning her gesture. “What’s wrong with you?” Shining Armor just tilted his head in confusion, staring at her with those green glowing eyes of his. “The queen did something to him,” Twilight explained. “She was draining him of his love,” Cadance said. “She told me so herself.” Twilight nodded, looking down in shame. “Maybe I can…” Cadance’s horn sparked and fizzled. “Cadance, no!” Celestia said harshly. “You’re not well enough to be performing magic!” “I don’t care!” Cadance said, determination clear in her voice. “I have to try.” Twilight watched in awe as Cadance performed her preferred magic spell. The weakened Alicorn persisted, despite her body crying out for her to stop. A small, pink heart popped into existence. For some reason, Twilight found herself thinking that it looked rather delicious. She watched intently as it floated over to Shining Armor. The little, almost cartoonish heart hung in front of the stallion’s face for a few seconds, before exploding into a shower of pink energy. Shining Armor blinked a few times, the green glow disappearing slowly but surely from his eyes as they gradually turned back to their natural blue. “Ugh, Cadance?” Shining Armor groaned. “Is that you?” Confusion was clear on the stallion’s face. Why was everypony he loved standing around him? “Yes!” Cadance cried out, embracing him once more. This time she got a definite reaction, though it was still rather weak. But that was no surprise, considering what he had been through up until now. The other ponies watched from a distance as the two lovers enjoyed each other’s company, having been separated from each other for such a long time. “What… what happened?” Shining Armor asked eventually. “Are we married? How was the wedding? I can’t remember,” he said rapidly as he only managed to get a blurry memory of the wedding. He remembered Twilight getting sick and then… “Both you and Twilight were taken from under our noses after the rehearsal,” Celestia told him. “You were replaced by two copies, while the Cadance you were to marry initially was an imposter as well.” “What?” Shining Armor’s eyes almost bulged out of his eye sockets. “How could- how couldn’t I have noticed?” “It’s not your fault,” Cadance said. “I told her everything she needed to know. She was threatening you, Shiny.” Cadance lowered her head in shame. “Can anypony please explain to me what happened?” Shining Armor asked. “I mean, all of it. What happened at the wedding?” And so, Celestia, Cadance and Shining Armor’s parents recounted their view of the wedding and what had happened afterwards. Twilight on the other hoof told him about what happened afterwards, at the hive. “B.B.B.F.F. I’m so sorry,” Twilight said once Shining Armor had been brought up to speed. “I-I’m not your real L.S.B.F.F.” “Show me,” Shining Armor said, his face suddenly as emotionless and indifferent as the rest of the Royal Guards. “Okay,” Twilight agreed. “Cadance, do you want to leave the room?” Cadance shook her head. “I’ll be fine,” she lied. Twilight nodded and undid her disguise. She did her best to keep the flames down, so she wouldn’t needlessly startle Cadance again. Shining Armor stared at her. Twilight could feel his eyes wandering all over her, taking in her new features. “You look just like the monster,” Shining Armor blurted out. “The one I saw looming over your crib.” He turned to his parents. “I told you I wasn’t lying.” “We know now,” Night Light said. Cadance glared at Shining Armor. “What?” he asked as he noticed her giving him a nasty look. “Apologize,” Cadance said, pointing to Twilight. “You called her a monster.” Shining Armor looked at Twilight, who was nervously shuffling her front left hoof, and then back at Cadance. “I did no such thing,” he said smugly. “I said she looked like one, not that she was one.” Another glare from Cadance quickly shut him up and wiped that smirk from his face. “Okay, fine…” Shining Armor lifted his front hooves up in an inviting gesture. “I’m sorry, my L.S.B.F.F. I didn’t mean to compare you to that thing. Hug?” “You big oaf,” Twilight said with a roll of her eyes. She quickly approached her brother and gave him an awkward hug. “Her wings are ticklish,” Night Light said, causing a smile to form on Shining Armor’s face. “Are they now?” Shining Armor teased as he grabbed his sister just a bit tighter and began to tickle her. “Shiny! Stop!” Twilight laughed. Maybe things would work out for the best, she thought as she suffered through Shining Armor’s tickle torture. “You are my little sister,” Shining Armor said, halting his torture for a bit. “Don’t you ever say otherwise, you hear me? Else I’ll have to tickle you some more!” Twilight didn’t know what tomorrow would bring. But today, she had her brother back. And that was all that mattered. - - - And now we know what Celestia actually uses that big telescope for. Also, wolf teeth is a dental problem that some IRL mares have. E/N: Well, that happened. Um...yeah...and stuff. Oh! I’d like to be the first to congratulate EP on a successful meme reference. It’s too vague, you dope. Some people might not get it. Well fine! We’ll just have to help them out in that case. Here ya go kiddies! Have fun and don’t spend it all in one place. http://i.imgur.com/LX4to.jpg