//------------------------------// // Epilogue: Happy end? [Edited] // Story: Celestias Protégé // by Dradavar //------------------------------// Celestias protégé By Dradavar --- My Little Pony, Friendship is Magic © Hasbro --- --- I do not own the intellectual properties this fan-fiction is based on --- Epilogue: It will never be the same "So there is only one problem left" said Rarity, making all the others look at her. "Shining Armor" she stated, Twilight flatten her ears; she was right. "Cadence," Celestia asked turning around, "would you please go and bring Shining Armor back here?" Cadence nodded and walked to the door, slowly opening it and leaving. The doors close with yet another loud boom. Twilight's ears were still flattened against her head, which Velvet noticed. "What's wrong?" she asked, careful not to startle the changeling. Twilight gulped and looked into Velvet's eyes. "You haven't seen him, how he reacted. I don't know if he will accept this; not after all that has happened." "He will" Night Light soft voice was reassuring. "He has to believe us. We are his parents and he lived most of his foalhood with you by his side. He knows what changelings are and what they do, but remember that you showed him that there are changelings who don't use ponies just as a food source." Celestia furrowed her brows and turned back to Twilight. "Which makes me wonder, how exactly did you survive all those years? You had to eat something, right?" Twilight nodded lowering her eyes she looked to the floor. "Right. I had to eat and we changelings eat love. That never changed." She looked back up, into Celestia's eyes. "But I never forced them to give me love. All the love that kept me alive was the love they shared with me that they would otherwise have shared with their real daughter." Celestia nodded, her ears perked as she heard the sound of the throne room doors opening. Shining was walking in, still wearing a rather grim expression. Cadence, at his side, was wearing a disappointed glare, shaking her head at Celestia. Celestia understood the gesture. "So, Shining Armor- " her voice was calm, looking down on her captain, "-have you calmed yourself yet?" Shining nodded, looking at the changeling in the hooves of his parents. His expression changed; it turned sad, almost regretful. "So it's true?" he whispered, looking at Twilight and his parents. "You are the real Twilight?" Twilight shook her head, "I'm Amethyst Sheen. But yes, I was Twilight Sparkle for the last thirteen years" she got out of the embrace and tried again to get up. Her legs were wobbly and were almost buckling underneath her. Shining Armor's expression didn't change. It was still the sad, regretful expression. But not for long. He shook his head. "No, I just can't," he suddenly states, taking a step back. Raising a hoof he pointed at Twilight. "How do I know you haven't brainwashed them all already?" "Shining!" Velvet exclaimed, making Shining shirk. "Watch your mouth, young colt!" "No I won't!" he snapped at Velvet. "She is a changeling, mom! We can't trust her!" A soft thud could be heard as Twilight fell back on her haunches, a sad expression on her face, she was on the edge of tears. Celestia stepped between them, looking down on Shining Armor with a disapproving glare. "You should be ashamed of yourself!" her voice was angry, something nopony was used to hearing in her voice. "You should be ashamed to talk like that about your sister!" "THAT'S NOT MY SISTER!" he shouted at Celestia. "She is a love-sucking beast! We should take her away as fast as we-" Velvet slapped Shining Armor. "Velvet!" Night Light exclaimed. He rushed to her, stopping her from attacking him again. Tears were streaming down her face. Shining Armor took another step back, slowly raising a hoof to his cheek. "Your sister, your real sister" Velvet's voice was quivering. "She was the only pony who wasn't afraid of her. She was the first pony who didn't see her as 'love-sucking beast'! That's why she took Twilight's place! She did it so YOU wouldn't have to grow up without your sister!" she turned back around embracing her husband. Soft sobs could be heard. Night Light was looking at Shining with a disapproving glare, "I'm disappointed in you, Shining. Not only did you make your mother cry- no, you make Amethyst feel bad and defiled the things Twilight did for this changeling!" Shining turned around, looking at Cadence. She was looking away, an angry look on her face. Shining turned around and ran away. "Shining!" Twilight called after him but Shining ignored her. Before leaving the room he turned around, his expression was angry. "I resign!" he shouted, turning back around he ran away as fast as he can. "Shining..." Twilight whispered, more tears escaping her eyes. "Excuse me." Cadence looked shocked. Giving Twilight a friendly nod, she turned around to follow Shining Armor. "How rude" Rarity stated, slowly walking closer to Twilight and Velvet with two hoofkerchief in her magical grasp. Velvet and Twilight both took them with a nod and a word of gratitude. Rarity's expression was calm- confused, but calm. Suddenly she smiled as she looked down on Twilight. "Why are you smiling like that?" Twilight asked, dabbing her cheeks. "You know what incredible chance this is?" she squealed. "I'm the first pony who will ever make a dress for a changeling!" She clopped her hooves. "No, you won't," Celestia said with a sad smile, "a pony five hundred years ago made one for an ambassador. You will be the second." Rarity's smile weakened a little bit but returned to the bright glee after a moment. "Well then, the second. Still, this is a chance of a lifetime!" She looked at Twilight with a friendly, warm expression. "So I was right!" Rainbow Dash suddenly exclaimed, flying into the air, and startling all the ponies in the room. "She IS a spy!" She smiled, slowly flying down and nudging Twilight with a big smile. "But you are our spy" after the words had escaped her mouth she looked like she felt out of place. "Told you!" she exclaimed folding her front legs before her chest. "Um, I-it might be a little strange-" Fluttershy's voice was almost unhearable and she was still hiding her face behind her mane. "B-but I never had a chance to have a changeling as friend." She was wearing a weak smile. "I knew it aaaaaaaaall the time" Pinkie chirped, bouncing up and down. "You taste different!" Looking at the confused expressions, her smile widens. "Remember that day Luna came to town and scared us all and you put your hoof in my mouth to tell me that nothing bad would happen? Your hoof tastes different than any other hooves." She giggled. Scratching her chin she looked at Twilight. "Yours tastes more like tomatoes then grass. Or maybe more like brocooli than tomatoes? Vanilla icing than chocolade cream?" "Ya could have told us!" Applejack exclaimed, ignoring Pinkie's rambling and taking a step closer to Twilight. "I didn't even know what a changeling was before the invasion." She embraced Twilight, a big smile on her face. The others quickly followed Applejacks example and cuddled up in one big group hug. "We love you!" her friends said in a choir, tightening their embrace. "And I love you girls" Twilight smiled.