//------------------------------// // Extra 1: The Princess of Lightning -Jetstream // Story: The Heroes of Olympus: The Other End of the Pit // by Surprise Pie //------------------------------// Jetstream Shimmersky was a young pegasus living in Cloudsdale. While she spent her early years learning to fly, and perfecting that art, another fascination quickly came to her: magic, and reading. Jetstream grew up in a well-off family who proned the happiness of it's members above all else. Jetstream was never spoiled as a filly, but she never lacked any of the necessities to have a happy life. By the age of fourteen, Jetstream was an incredible flier. She entered competitions which she won with relative ease, and even put on her own shows. Prize bits came in as a regular flow for the young mare, but her true passion remained in reading about magic. At fifteen, she was still a blank flank, which didn't bother her much. It was when she decided to get a job at the Cloudsdale Library that she discovered her special talent. There she sat, tending the library, and passing time with her muzzle deep in Starswirl the Bearded's latest release. A small flash illuminated the room, momentarily distracting the young mare, but thinking nothing of it, she resumed reading until the end of her shift. It was only the next morning, when her mother watched her lazily step out of her room, that she learned of her cutie mark. "Honey, have you seen your flank lately?" asked her mother. "What do you mean?" Jetstream turned to look at her flank. Was it not to her surprise that she find a book as her cutie mark? Letting out an excited squeal, the young mare cheered as she came to the realization that books were her special talent. Her mother and father congratulated her, and her younger brother, who had been starting to hunt his cutie mark with some of his friends from flight school, asked her how she did it. "Well, I was reading a really good book on magic, and a flash of light caught my attention. Now I know that this was because of my cutie mark appearing!" Jetstream replied to the colt. "Just remember Jetstream, put on a good show tonight." reminded her father. * * * Now nineteen years of age, Jetstream reveled in her happiness. She had a huge financial boost from putting on flight shows, and the Head Book Keeper in the Canterlot University of Magic had recently stepped down. Jetstream had only just dropped off her application for the job, and was on her way to what would be her last show. She had already announced her "retirement" to her fans, who's reactions were understandably negative. Many ponies had even burst into tears in the stands. Others simply kissed their left-front hoof, and raised it to her in a sign of respect. Jetstream herself couldn't help but feel a little sad at the thought of leaving this part of her life behind, but she knew it was for the best. Instead she promised the crowd that she would put on the best show they'll have ever seen from her. Little did she know, but Princesses Celestia and Luna were in attendance. Jetstream did her very best to wow her final crowd. She pulled all sorts of maneuvers and tricks. "And now, for my grand finale! Witness the speed of the fastest pony alive!" she called out to the crowd, her voice magically amplified by a spell a unicorn friend had placed on her. The fans cheered loudly in response. Jetstream rose high above the cloud stadium, and with a quick turn of her wings, pulled into a ninety-degree nosedive. The very air around her seemed to scream as she picked up speed. Suddenly, a cone of mist and light formed at the tip of her outstretched hooves. She was almost there. Just a little faster and she would succeed. And then it happened. In a blast of lightning, the very air round her exploded, rippled, shimmered. She had done it. The Sonic Thunderboom had worked. This was a technique she had been working on for years. The crowd went nuts. Cheering and applause from all sides. Jetstream flew about at her new-found speed, leaving a trail of lightning in her wake. When she finally stopped, the crowd cheered more. "That's the end of it, everypony! I really hope you enjoyed it, because I'm afraid this is goodbye! But don't worry, before I go, I want to establish this: Every passing year, on this day, I want Cloudsdale to play host to a competition. The aim of this competition is to follow in my hoofsteps: To become the most talented flier in Cloudsdale. This "Best young flier's" competition will determine who is the best, and ponies of any age up to twenty can enter. From this day forward, I want you young ponies to put everything you've got into your goals, never give up. I certainly didn't, and look where it got me! I'm a renowned flier, and soon-to-be head Book Keeper of the Canterlot University of Magic!" The crowd cheered even louder. "Thank you, everypony! I wish you all the best of luck in the future!" she added, before flying off to her dressing room. Though she wore nothing to her shows, Jetstream found it calming to go to this room before and after every show. The entrance was guarded, so nopony would ever come disturb her, save her parents. However it was not her parents who came to visit her this time, but rather Princesses Celestia and Luna. "Princesses..." the young mare immediately dropped to her forelegs in a bow. "Rise, my little pony." said Celestia. "We wanted to congratulate you on your final show, Jetstream Shimmersky." "Please, just call me Jetstream, Your Highness." "Then you will call us by name when we speak privately like this." said Luna. "In any other case, you will call us "Princess". We must say we were rather impressed by this particular performance. Breaking the sound barrier and light barrier as you did is no easy task." "Thank you... Luna." Jetstream nervously replied. "It hasn't escaped us that you mentioned applying for Head Book Keeper at the University, either. I believe a letter of Royal recommendation is in order." added Celestia. Jetstream stood there, jaw hanging open. After a few minutes, she finally spoke: "You... You'd do that for me?" "Why of course! It's easy to see your dedication for books, especially books about magic! Your cutie mark proves it, and wanting to work for a magical institute only adds to the proof. But tell me, have you found a place to stay in Canterlot?" said Celestia. "No, not yet." Jetstream sighed. "At the moment I still live with my parents here in Cloudsdale. I was going to ask to live in the dormitories at the University until I found myself an apartment." "Why don't you come with us?" said Luna. "I may have an idea as to what we can do for you in that regard." "Shouldn't I pack my things first? Or tell my parents I'm leaving? I may be nineteen now, but my parent's point of view regarding any decisions I'd have to make is still important." said Jetstream. Celestia thought for a second. "We can take you home for you to do that, then we can go to Canterlot. I'd actually like to meet your parents, Jetstream." she said. "Oh, by the way, brace yourself." Before Jetstream could ask why, a brilliant golden flash blinded her, and she snapped out of it, she found herself on the front porch of her parents' house, Luna and Celestia still there. "Let's go in?" said Luna. A few hours later, Jetstream had talked to her parents about leaving, and had packed her belongings. Her mother had tears in her eyes, but she smiled nonetheless. "I'm really proud of the mare you turned out to be, Jetstream. You'll make a fine Book Keeper. I have faith in you. Just promise me this: If you ever meet your special somepony, please come introduce him. A surprise foal and wedding could be enough to give your father a heart attack." Jetstream laughed. "Don't worry, Mom. I have no plans to start a family anytime soon. And I doubt I'll ever meet a special somepony. I'm too much of a bookworm for that." This was probably enough to send her mother into a panic of her own. She wanted grandfoals, yes, but at the same time she had told her own mother before moving away that she'd never get married either. And now she was the proud mother of Equestria's greatest flier, who was also a scholar who earned herself the attention of the Regal Sisters themselves, and of a young colt who would gladly follow his older sister's hoofsteps in the domain of professional flying. Jetstream wrapped her mother in a warm hug and made her final goodbyes, before stepping out of the house with her luggage. Luna and Celestia were waiting for her by the door. "Brace yourself." said Luna. Prepared for it this time, Jetstream closed her eyes. When she opened them, she found herself in a vast garden. "Welcome to the Lunar Gardens of Canterlot Castle. I have some royal business to attend to before I must set the sun, so I'll leave you with Luna." said Celestia before trotting off inside. "Your sister seems to be in a hurry." noted Jetstream. "Well, attending the show put a little dent in her schedule for the day." said Luna. "What about yours?" "I'm supposed to be sleeping at the moment. I'm doing what you would call an "all-nighter". Besides, nightly duties are usually very quiet. Most ponies are asleep when I am in charge. Anyway, what Celestia forgot to tell you is this: We want you to stay here, in the castle. We have a suite ready for you to unpack and settle in. The university is only a short flight away, just enough to wake you up every morning, on the way to work." Decidedly, surprises just kept coming for Jetstream today. "I'd be honored... But why are you two so generous with me?" asked the young mare. "To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure what ideas go through the mind of that sister of mine. Personally I believe it's because you have some kind of special gift. Something my sister sees in you that could mean big things in the future." explained Luna. "A gift? Well I'm a talented flier, and books and magic fascinate me to no end, but to have a power of my own? That would be a dream come true." "Really? Explain." said Luna, interested to hear what the young mare had to say. "Ever since I started reading about magic, I've been absolutely captivated by it. It's been my lifelong wish to be able to use magic. I wanted to be an Alicorn so I could help ponies of all races. I wanted to be the one who would help make Equestria a better place to live in. I want to become somepony who can make a difference." Jetstream explained. "Your mindset is pure. Your ambitions are high, but your ideals are for the greater good. I will help you however I can. Perhaps we can engage in research. That is something you could look through in your new library." Luna suggested. "That sounds like a great idea!" Jetstream turned to enter her suite, which she and Luna had stopped in front of as they talked. "I'm proud to call you my friend, Luna. I really hope we can talk like this more often." Jetstream said. "As am I. Remember that if ever you find that you are unable to sleep, come find me here. I'm always up for a good chat." replied Luna. * * * Two years had since passed. Luna and Jetstream regularly found themselves talking, studying, comparing notes and observations, into the wee hours of the morning. The Lunar Alicorn was a veritable gold mine of information. There was much that she knew, and little that kept her from seeking to know more. In that sense, Jetstream was exactly like her. Luna had turned out to be correct: working at the library at the university definitely payed off. It was on Jetstream's twentieth birthday that she made a discovery. "There was once a King, in a time far before our own, who had infused a wish-granting power. Lynotrach, the founder of the First Alicorn dynasty. He created a special stone that was used to make his descendants Alicorns, but it fell into less charitable hooves, and the King took it with him to his own grave, and with his dying breath, cursed the stone to grant one last wish to whoever he would call worthy. Apparently he even cursed himself in the process, leaving his ghost trapped in the tomb, waiting for one to come fulfill his Legacy." said Jetstream, reading over her notes to Luna. The Lunar Princess stood there, a dumbfounded expression on her face. "This temple has been lost for nearly five millenia, countless generations of archeologists trying to find the temple. The tomb was sealed with a powerful spell. It requires the magic of a Birth Alicorn to open the gate. Thankfully, I've found it. The problem is, I can't use magic to charge the stone." Luna shook her head, before going on with sharing her own findings for her research. Over the past year, she had been studying the possibility of Earth Ponies and pegasi being capable of making outward use of their inner magic, perhaps even to replicate what unicorns do every day. She had recently made a breakthrough, which she explained to Jetstream. The pegasus grew wide-eyed at the thought that she could use magic. "It'll take some creativity, but with practice, we'll be able to make this work." Luna added. "Pegasi have a subconscious ability to control weather. I want to bring this forward in your mind, because that might help us. I suggest this: channel your flight magic and temperature control in a way that you would be capable of summoning your weather power at will." It took a few days before the pegasus met with a result. She felt a numbing jolt in her front hooves as she concentrated, and when she brought them close together, a thin lightning bolt connected them. After a few weeks more of practice, she was able to manipulate her surroundings as well as any unicorn with her magic. Then one morning, Jetstream approached Luna, who had just finished setting the moon. "I took the day off work for a few days. Headmaster Silverhorn says I deserved them. Anyway I made the necessary preparations for the journey. All I need now, is you." said the pegasus. "Me? May I ask, what for?" responded Luna, puzzled. "The entrance to the Tomb of Lynotrach is protected by a powerful spell, only a Birth Alicorn can open the gate." "A Birth Alicorn?" "An pony who was born an Alicorn. The only ones still alive today are you and Celestia, and seeing how your sister is busy with Sun Court, you're the only one I can ask to help." "I can definitely help you out, but don't you think the Ancient King's descendants would have gotten in at some point?" said Luna. "It's impossible. King Lynotrach married one of his subjects, with whom he was deeply in love. This unfortunately meant that his foals, and every following generation, would not be born as Alicorns. In order to assure his own succession, he created a powerful artifact, the Focusing Stone. The Stone's purpose was to grant the wish of anypony who could sufficiently charge the stone with magical energy. The King's intention was to have his successors ascend through the Stone, to take the reins of the Ancient Lands. Unfortunately his descendants were subject to greed, and used the stone for other purposes. One of his younger descendants even went so far as to strike back at him with his magic, mortally wounding Lynotrach in the process. It was in his dying moments that the Ancient King sealed his tomb with a spell, that could only be broken by another like him: a Birth Alicorn. He also had cursed the Focusing Stone with a final wish: that he would never find eternal rest until the Stone's power was used one last time, by a pony he would deem worthy to carry his legacy. I'm hoping I can be that pony, for the good of all of Equestria, and for the Ancient King's sake." Luna simply nodded, and said: "Pack your necessities, we leave in one hour." * * * An hour later, Jetstream stood in the center of the Lunar Gardens, the Princess of the Night had yet to arrive. Jetstream had made sure to pack only what she absolutely needed, including some emergency food supplies, water, a first-aid kit consisting mostly of bandages and a few well-sealed potions and ointments to speed healing. Healing spells were something her magic couldn't do. Luna obviously didn't know where the Temple was located, but Jetstream did, and Luna could search her mind to teleport them both to the entrance. "Brace yourself." Luna said. A flash of darkness enveloped the two mares. They instantly found themselves standing before an imposing structure. The Temple was a huge stone pyramid covered in moss. Before them stood a large gateway, two hoofprints carved at the base, words in a foreign tongue written above the prints. "This is the part where I need your power, Luna." said Jetstream. "What do you want me to do?" "Place your front hooves in the slots on the gate and channel your Alicorn Magic into them." Jetstream explained. The Lunar Princess approached the gate and placed her hooves in the prints. A deep blue light emanated from them for a minute, and when it dissipated, a loud crack could be heard from the gate. Slowly, the meillenia-old stone doors slid open, revealing the deep darkness of a Tomb that has not seen the light of day, or felt the warmth of sunlight, in over five thousand years. Jetstream turned to give Luna a big hug. "Thank you for getting me this far, Luna." she said. "I'll go it alone from here. If I succeed, I'll see you back in the Lunar Gardens with the Focusing Stone at hoof." She turned towards the darkness, and with her magic, generated a bright sphere of lightning that orbited circled above her head. "Jetstream!" Luna called out The young pegasus turned her head to look at the Alicorn. "Just... Be careful, OK?" "Will do." And she delved into the Tomb, the stone doors closing in her wake. This was it, she was alone. Ever so close to her goal, Jetstream couldn't help but feel both excited and nervous. She carefully made her way deeper into the Temple. After about half an hour of walking, the young mare arrived in the first trial room. According to the notes left behind by the Ancient King, the first room contained a riddle. Solving the riddle was the only way to get through. The riddle was engraved in an older dialect of Equish. "Bring the light of the sleeping bones, But do not awaken the resting drones, Look around thee to see thy fate, For thou art not one who opened the gate." "The light of the sleeping bones... What's that supposed to mean?" Jetstream asked herself. She thought about it for a second, pondering the various meanings that "sleeping bones" could have. "Sleeping bones could mean the dead, but it could also mean literal sleeping. The dead do not see the light, so the darkness is eternal. In the literal sleeping, the light would be the moon." She then began to ponder the third line. "To see my fate... Hold on." Jetstream concentrated, and generated two more lightning sphere that took position in key points in the room, to offer a full lighting of the room. All around she saw a crystalline cavern. Ancient glyphs lined the walls. on one side, a picture of an Alicorn reading a large book could be seen. The Alicorn looked like her, only some parts of it were different. This Alicorn wasn't entirely a pony. One of her wings was replaced with a bat wing, a deer antler stuck from the upper-left side of her head, her tail was that of a dragon, her front right leg and hoof had been replaced by a lion's paw, one of her eyes was smaller, of a yellow with no iris, and a red pupil. A fang stuck from the left side of her mouth. Jetstream stared at the figure for a moment. "How could this be my fate? Is this what's going to happen to me?" she shuddered at the thought. Choosing to think of something else, Jetstream turned her attention to the riddle once more. "The resting drones... I wonder what that meant." As Jetstream turned around, she found herself face to face with... herself? Another Jetstream was standing right in front of her, wearing an expression identical to her own. Only one type of creature fit both the idea of a "drone" and who could copy appearances... "A Changeling? Why here of all places?" asked Jetstream. "Because I had to see you one last time before I headed back to my hive, my daughter." replied the changeling, before being enveloped in an emerald flame, revealing the form of Jetstream's father, Shining Skies. "So you can disguise yourself as my dad, so what? Wait... you called me your daughter...what are you trying to imply?" "My dear Jetstream, I am your father. This is indeed a disguise, but I've always been your father, and always been a Changeling." "WHAT!?" cried Jetstream, dumbstruck. "It's true. I am a Changeling, Jetstream. Look into your past and you'll see the signs." He was right. Luna had taught Jetstream how to recognize a Changeling, and her memory of her father didn't lie. Shining Skies was a Changeling, there was no denying it. "Does... does Mom know?" Jetstream nervously asked. "Of course. It was Princess Luna who helped us become compatible. She's always kept a close eye on you, from the day you were born." Something clicked in Jetstream's mind. "Why are you here, anyway? And how did you even come in? The gate was closed and only Luna or Celestia can open it." asked Jetstream. "I came to see you, of course, I wanted to help you achieve your goal. Luna was kind enough to open the gate for me. Let me help you, Jetstream." "This is my quest, Dad. It has to be this way. I'm sorry.” Jetstream said. Shining Skies looked disappointed, but said nothing. “One question, though, before you go, Dad.” she added. “What is your base form? What do you look like in changeling form?” A flash of green flame cloaked Shining Skies, revealing a bug-like pony. Even in Changeling form, Jetstream’s father retained many of his key characteristics. His mane was of the same color and style, and his eyes had remained the same. As it happens, Jetstream herself possessed these same characteristics as well. While she had her coat color from her mother, her silver-streaked mane and golden eyes were from her father. Her manestyle was also identical to Shining’s. “My changeling name was Nashoba. In the changeling tongue, it meant “Demon trapped in stone”. I don’t know what inspired my caretakers to call me that, but then again I quickly developed my own pony identity, so I gave up that name and opted for this one.” “Well Dad, I vow to you that someday, while I rule Equestria alongside Luna and Celestia, Changelings will no longer have to resort to disguises to fit in. I will try everything I can to make Changelings become an accepted part of our society. I will create an alliance between the ponies and the six changeling hives, and it will all be for the better.” promised Jetstream before hugging her father, and reluctantly parting with him. “Don’t forget to put on a good show, honey.” he replied, just like he did before each of her flying shows. That sealed the fact that the changeling walking back up to the gates was indeed her father. Turning her attention back to the riddle, Jetstream sighed. Nothing had changed, despite the written warning of the second line. However, after giving the riddle a little more thought, it all became clear. “Shine the light of the sleeping bones... There was no doubt about it, moonlight is what she needed, but how to summon it? Summoning the moon was an Alicorn power, and Jetstream was here to gain those powers, meaning she had yet to acquire them. She took a quick look around, and found a strange gap in the ceiling. Another bit of text was engraved by it. “The Eternal Moon rests where one must strike. Aim true and it will be night.” Jetstream concentrated, and summoned a lighting bolt between her hooves. The bolt moved from one hoof to another like a snake. Focusing on her target, the pegasus mare let fly the bolt, which stuck true to the target, causing the stone in the gap to shatter into tiny pieces. A beam of silvery light shot down from the hole, illuminating a pattern on the floor. A distant creaking sound was heard, and the sound of stone sliding on stone caught Jetstream’s attention as the way to the next challenge opened. Jetstream quickly walked to meet her next challenge, her electric spheres following her. She found herself in a large puzzle room, with big boulders laying in a variety of spots. Another ancient text lined the far wall. “The stones on thy left are in place, but for thy right, there is no space. Complete the right same as left would be and thou shall see, the next challenge awaits thee.” “This one isn’t a riddle. It’s a simple instruction to a simple puzzle. I think the point to this is to move the boulders so that the pattern on the right matches the left.” Thinking a little further, Jetstream realized why this challenge was so different from the previous one. “The other challenge was designed for one who mastered magic, and who had the intellect that is common in unicorns. This challenge is based on physical strength, with the size of these boulders. This is a challenge built for Earth Ponies, who were much stronger than unicorns. Pegasi also had strength, but that was out of athleticism, flying all the time was just as much of an exercise for the wings as the legs, with takeoff and landing being important to each flight.” Jetstream flapped her wings and had a good look at the stone placement on the left pattern, and then flew over to the first boulder on the right pattern and began to move it. The effort was much more than Jetstream anticipated it to be, and after placing the third of seven stones, she was exhausted. Instead she resorted to using magic. With her lightning, she created a kinetic field around a boulder, and with it, levitate the boulder to it’s place. She repeated the process with the other two boulders into place. With a loud click, the sealed doors opened and revealed the path to the third challenge. The challenge room was far more massive than the other two. It was bigger than the Cloudsdale stadium, and there was plenty of room to fly. This was obviously a pegasus-centered challenge. Jetstream looked to the wall for instructions. “Prove thy worth of wings by breaking the barriers of sound and light whilst passing through the ring.” “Huh, this one isn’t even in rhyme... Oh well. Anyway, “Breaking the barriers of light and sound?” I wonder if that means a Sonic Thunderboom? That’s probably the best explanation.” Jetstream immediately got to work. It had been three years since she had last done her Thunderboom, but it wouldn’t have to be a problem, because she still kept the form thanks to flying to and from the university, and the weekly race with Luna. It took a few minutes to get up to speed, but when Jetstream was ready, she immediately positioned herself to pass through the suspended ring just as she would break the barriers. Turning sharply, Jetstream saw the misty light cone form in front of her hooves and redoubled her efforts. She was met with perfect success, and the ring lit up with a blue and silver light, which connected with the door at the end. The door illuminated and soundlessly opened. As Jetstream stepped into the room, a luminous warning made itself known. “The King of the First Alicorn Dynasty awaits thee, champion. Thou must pass a final test: earn the King’s approval and claim the Focusing Stone.” Jetstream took a minute to process the new information. King Lynotrach’s ghost was waiting for her up ahead. She was so close to her goal. The Focusing Stone was within her reach, all she had to do is vow to the King to fulfill his Legacy. As she stepped into the final room, the first thing she noticed was the purple glowing gem placed on a pedestal on an altar. That was her goal: the Focusing Stone was right there. The second thing she noticed was a ray of sunlight emanating from a hole in the ceiling. Jetstream slowly approached the stone, her senses on the alert to the possible presence of the ghost of Lynotrach. It was as she was about to touch the stone that the Alicorn King appeared. His golden glowing form shimmered in the darkness. “O blessed champion, thou hast come far to find this place.” said Lynotrach. “I have, Your Majesty. I have come to relieve you of your burden. It’s time for the Focusing Stone to be used for it’s one and only purpose. The time has come for Equestria to once again become a true paradise for all.” “Thou words are truthful. You are honest, Jetstream Shimmersky. I have one more thing I must ask from you before you may take what is rightfully yours.” “I’m listening, Your Highness.” said Jetstream, eager to take the stone and fulfill her dream. “I want thee to swear to me that thou will not use this Stone for evil. It has only enough power for one more use, after which it will disappear. I want thou to swear that thou will indeed fulfill my Legacy, and to use the Stone only for good.” Jetstream expected Lynotrach to ask her something like that. She was more than glad to do it too. She took a deep breath and vowed: “I, Jetstream Shimmersky, solemnly swear to King Lynotrach that I will make no evil use of the Focusing Stone. The Stone will be used for it’s original purpose. I also vow to release you, King Lynotrach, from the curse you placed on yourself. I wish for you to find eternal rest, and that you once again meet those whom you loved so much on the other side.” Satisfied, the King floated aside, and said: “You are well spoken, Miss. Shimmersky. I wish to thee the greatest of success and luck in your future as an Alicorn Princess. Take the Stone, it is yours. I will guide you to the area of your choice, and will remain with the Stone until you use it.” said the Ancient King. “Then take me to the Lunar Gardens, near Canterlot Castle.” “So it shall be. Prepare yourself.” A golden light emanated from the ghostly king, and Jetstream immediately found herself, with the Focusing Stone securely placed in her saddlebags, in the very center of the Lunar Gardens. The shimmering form of the Ancient King floated at her left. “Jetstream!” cried a familiar voice. Luna came running towards her, a large smile of on her face. “Thank goodness you’re alright. When your father told me you chose to go it alone, I was worried sick something bad would happen to you.” “I’m fine, Luna. Actually more than fine. Princess Luna, meet King Lynotrach. Your Majesty, this is Luna, Princess of the Moon. As I take it she is daughter of your sister, Queen Galaxia.” The two Alicorns regarded one another for a few minutes. It was Luna who broke the silence. “It is... an honor to meet you, King Lynotrach. Mother told little of you, but she did say you always acted for the good of your subjects, no matter the cost to you. I am honored to call myself you niece.” “And I am honored to learn that my dearest sister’s daughters have so well taken care of this kingdom. Equestria appears to be a happy place. This was a wish I had for my own, but alas, it was not to be.” Lynotrach responded. Jetstream removed the Focusing Stone from her saddlebags and placed it on the Lunar Altar, from which Luna surveyed the dreams of her sleeping subjects. “Luna, this is the Focusing Stone, this is what I’ve been on the hunt for for the past three years. It’s only got one use left in it, and it’s going to be to free Lynotrach and fulfill his Legacy.” Jetstream concentrated, summoning as much power as she could muster into her hooves, and unleashed it upon the Stone. The Focusing Stone began to turn from purple to white. Jetstream poured even more power into the Stone, not stopping until the stone was pure white and began to levitate. Then Lynotrach spoke: “The Focusing Stone is ready. Touch it and make thine wish.” The soon-to-be Alicorn did just that. Power radiated from the Stone as she spoke her wish. When she had finished, the Stone’s glow intensified, and Jetstream felt a tingling feeling all over her body. The last thing she saw before losing consciousness was Lynotrach, who had said: “You have fulfilled my Legacy, I am now free to enjoy Eternal Rest amongst my loved ones. Thank you, Princess Jetstream, and may your reign be a powerful one. You have the blessing of King Lynotrach.” And then he vanished. * * * “She’s coming around.” said Celestia. Jetstream rose from the covers of her bed. Her entire body felt strange. It felt as if she had been suffering for so long, she had forgotten about the pain, and that now the pain was completely gone. She felt alive, strong, and most importantly, she felt complete. Jumping out of the bed, the new Alicorn immediately stepped up to her full-height mirror. She immediately noticed something new: a horn on her forehead. She continued her self-examination and found that she was almost a foot taller, and her cutie mark was different. A silver lightning bolt crossed over the book that had been her cutie mark since she was fifteen. A sense of pride filled Jetstream’s heart. She had done it. She had ascended to Alicornhood and was about to be crowned. She wanted to get to her functions and begin ruling as she had promised, but that could wait. For the time being, there were festivities and celebrations to be had, and all these ponies were going to be here to see her. While the idea of having an adoring crowd was nothing new to Jetstream, it was still new to her to be called “Princess”. The coronation was a grand celebration, thousands of ponies had gathered from all over Equestria to attend. At the front row stood Jetstream’s parents, and her brother too. Her mother was crying tears of joy. Her brother was cheering and waving at her. Her father was staring at her, a smile on his face. Next to Shining Skies stood six Alicorn ponies. Considering there was only three (including herself now) Alicorns alive today, Jetstream suspected her father told his former hive’s Queen about her interest in Changelings, and naturally, all six Changeling Queens would come to the coronation to meet her face to face. Celestia approached the new princess bearing a chest. “This officializes you as a Princess of Equestria.” she had said. “It’s your very own regalia. It includes a crown. a brooch, slippers and four matching bracers for each of your legs, to replace the twin bracers you already wear. Each piece is specialized to you. Your royal emblem is engraved upon the brooch, and come in the color that we believe best suited you.” Using her new-found unicorn magic, Jetstream pried open the chest and found each item Celestia had mentioned. Unlike Celestia’s regalia, which was gold, and Luna’s regalia, which was black and silver, Jetstream’s was green with a golden lightning bolt stamped in the brooch. With a quick spell, she donned her new accessories with pride and excitement. Though she wasn’t the kind of mare who would go head over hooves for some nice jewelry, this regalia was now a symbol of who she was. She turned to the crowd, and raised a hoof. Silence was instantaneous. Then, the new princess said: “I would like to thank each and every one of you. In one way or another, everypony here has had a part to play in my ascension. Truly, if it weren’t for the love I have for each and every single pony in Equestria, I would not be an Alicorn today. I want to see Equestria prosper for the rest of eternity. I want to defend this wonderful land we all call home, and make it an ever-happy place, I want Equestria to have eternal peace. And I promise to you all that this is exactly what I’m going to do.” “This is why I am here now. I wanted to become a guardian to Equestria, and now here I am. Listen, everypony, and listen well. My name is Jetstream Shimmersky, and I am the Princess of Lighting! And I swear on the Legacy of King Lynotrach that I will protect you all, no matter the costs!” she cried out to the crowd, which erupted into cheers. * * * A month had gone by since the coronation, and Jetstream had gotten used to the royalty life. While the protocol annoyed her a little, she knew it was necessary to establishing herself as a true Princess. Luna and Celestia had taught her much on her new Alicorn powers and she had learned to control the four facets of Pony Magic, she was able to raise the sun and moon, and lower them as well. However, Jetstream had opted for a more fitting role for herself. Becoming a princess had obviously meant she was no longer able to work at the Canterlot University of Magic’s library as Head Book Keeper. Instead, the Princess of Lightning had chosen to become the Head Book Keeper of the Canterlot Archives. This massive library had always been a sanctuary to her in the three years she had been living there, and now she was in charge of it. This meant she would meet many esteemed authors of every subject possible regarding the inclusions of their works in the Archive. She was particularly interested in meeting the likes of Starswirl the Bearded, who had been one of her favorite spellweavers when she was little. She was reading an interesting tome about ponies who didn’t have their type’s magic, but rather that of a different pony type. Her favorites were a pegasus who could use unicorn magic though his wings, and an earth pony who could use unicorn magic with her hooves. She had briefly pondered the possibility of a lesser pony type being able to use Alicorn magic, but dismissed it upon remembering the requirements for it. One needed to possess the magical abilities of all three pony types to be able to use Alicorn magic, which was shard magic that was only usable and complete when all three pony magic types came together in one body. It was that she felt a presence spying on her. Quickly turning towards the source, Jetstream called out: “I know you’re there. Show yourself!” A changeling stepped out from among the bookshelves. It was taller than most and wore a crown. What stood before her was one of the six Changeling Queens. Jetstream had a hard time telling them apart, but she managed to identify them fairly well when they wore their hive’s colors, like this one was. “Queen Dianthia. What owes me the pleasure of your visit?” asked the Princess. “Oh nothing major, Princess Jetstream. I know you are fond of learning new things, and your interest in us Changelings has not gone unnoticed either. Nashoba was right in telling me about you. We could become close collaborators.” replied the Queen. Despite the hellish look changelings had, Jetstream could tell that Dianthia’s expression said she meant well. “You had my curiosity, and now you have my full attention, Queen Dianthia. Please, do continue.” “Before we go any further, allow me to inform that I am not on official business. Therefore feel free to treat me as a friend. Please, call me not by title, only by name.” “Right then.” Jetstream said, dropping the formalities. “ What were you saying about this “collaboration” idea, Dianthia?” “Straight to the point, eh? Allow me to elaborate. You wish to establish friendly relationships between ponies and changelings, correct?” “Yeah, I do. And you have something in mind that would benefit the both of us?” “That’s right. I suggest to you this: come live in my hive for a few months. I have a vast library of my own, you know. During your stay you’ll be able to learn many things about Changelings that nopony could ever dream of learning.” Jetstream was dumbfounded. An invitation to live among the Changelings for a few months? This was a golden opportunity indeed, but how would Celestia and Luna react? What would her subjects think? "I... I need a while to think about it. Feel free to stay awhile, I should have an answer ready by tomorrow evening." said Jetstream. The next evening, at dinner, Jetstream found herself in the middle of a small feast. She had told Luna and Celestia about Dianthia's idea and both seemed to agree that it was a good plan. "The plan would be to have me gone for about five months." Jetstream explained, "While I'm there I'll be learning not only about Changeling society and how their government functions, but also how to tame and control the part of me that is a Changeling. I want to learn to use my changeling powers, for the good of all of Equestria." The Changeling Queen made a quiet entrance in the royal dining room, and took a seat directly across from Jetstream, to Celestia's right. "Have you come to a decision, Princess of Lightning?" she asked. "I have. I'll take you up on that offer, Queen Dianthia. I believe that learning to tap into my Changeling half will help me become a better ruler, more capable of defending my subjects." "Words well spoken, Jetstream." complimented Luna. "I wish you the best of luck during your stay." "As do I." added Celestia. * * * Four months had gone by since Jetstream had started living in Dianthia's Hidden Hive, in a giant mesa in the San Polomino desert. Every night, Jetstream looked out from the stone balcony of the royal guestroom, and saw the bright lights of the budding city of Las Pegasus, out in the distance. She didn't feel alone, quite the contrary, she'd made plenty of friends among the changelings. Only the very best of the changelings in any hive had the permission to inhabit the Hidden Hive. Dianthia had explained that changelings usually live in colder climates. "Our main hives are located in the Rocky Mountain range in southwestern Canterda. The cantadians are accustomed to much colder climates, come winter. Snowfalls can range from a few inches, to as much as a dozen feet of snow. Pegasi there actually opted not to control the weather there during the winter, save a few special occasions. Temperature can range from zero centigrade, to as cold as minus fifty centigrade. Summer there is actually very much like Equestria, only a little cooler. Even then, that can vary. Anywhere from fifteen centigrade to thirty-five centigrade, although the mid twenties are most common, when there is no rain." explained the Queen. "You mentioned that only the elite from any hive can come here, why?" Jetstream had immediately asked. "Changelings who have earned the esteem of their Queens are given the option to live here. To call it an "elite" isn't really valid. It's more of a small reward for changelings who do not show hostility, open or not, towards ponies. Only a few chose to come live here, the rest often either choose to live among ponies in the many cities of Canterda, primarily Vanhoover, Trotonto, and Mountreal, and others come to live in Equestria, like your father did." "Which hive did my father belong to?" "Nashoba, or rather Shining Skies, belonged to Queen Formora's hive. As High-Queen, it was my privilege and pleasure to grant him the permission to live in Cloudsdale. I see it was well worth it. Your father would be proud to see you now, Jetstream. You've almost come to terms with your Changeling heritage." Indeed, the Princess of Lightning had begun to master the art of the disguise. Another power she had already mastered was to sense the emotions and minds of other living things. This was particularly difficult to pull off with other changelings, because most of them were devoid of emotion, although Dianthia had assured her that it was a choice they made of their own accord. Disguising herself had proven to be a bit more of a challenge. It was impossible for a changeling to disguise themselves as other changelings, to help prevent impersonations and the starting of civil wars between hives. Also, it helped to have a visual image of the creature one would disguise themselves as, resulting in frequent trips to Las Pegasus to practice disguising as various ponies, while under the watchful eye of the High-Queen. Today's lesson had begun on a more complex note: putting on an original disguise. The goal for this was to have Jetstream disguise herself as a pony who didn't exist, a design entirely based on her imagination. Her initial idea was to return to her pegasus form. Her instructor, a wise changeling named Wellan, had applauded her idea. This disguise would mask her royal identity, but it wasn't exactly an original disguise. Jetstream tried something different. A flash of green flame surrounded her as she took on a new look. Her coat was now lavender, and her mane had grown a little, it was a deep purple with a pink highlight running through it, and her tail was the same. Jetstream had opted for a horn rather than wings, because she hardly used her wings to get around the hive. (AUTHOR'S INSERT: Yes, Jetstream disguised herself as Twilight, despite the fact that the latter would not be born for another two thousand years.) The Lightning Princess had obviously kept the form in terms of flying, by heading out for a hour every morning after waking up, and every evening before going to bed. It was upon resuming her normal appearance that Jetstream noticed something odd. A green flame had added itself to her cutie mark. She showed Wellan her newly updated special talent. All he said was: "I'm no expert on ponies, but I'm going to guess that your cutie mark represents not only what you like, but in this particular case, both the flame and the bolt mean who you are. The bolt representing your Royal Element, and the flame representing your Changeling heritage." It was then that Jetstream realized that her time training with Changelings was over, it was time to return to Canterlot. She informed Dianthia of this and gathered her belongings. It was as she was about to leave that Dianthia said: "Know that you are always welcome among us, Queen Jetstream." The Alicorn blinked for a second, before replying: "Queen? Don't you mean Princess?" "In ordinary times, I'd agree with you, but it is my pleasure that after a quick discussion with the other queens, we have agreed to bestow upon you an honorary status. You will henceforth be know to Changeling kind as Jetstream Shimmersky, Seventh of the Changeling Queens. If you ever happen to be in the area of the Cantadian Rockies, do stop by for a visit, I'm sure any of your new colleagues would be glad to have you." With those words, the Princess of Lightning teleported with a flash of silver light, instantly finding herself in the Lunar Gardens, next to a mildly surprised Princess of the Moon. Recovering from her stupor, Luna asked: "I trust your time with the Changelings went well?" "It did. I've come in touch with another piece of my destiny. Changeling Magic is now mine to control, which means a whole new league of pranks we could pull on Tia." Jetstream replied with a devious smile. Luna smiled in the same manner. A light whistling noise came from above, followed by the overcast of a serpentine shadow lazily passing overhead. "But first it's time for you to meet Discord, an old friend of Tia and myself." Hearing his name, the Draconnequs came in for a quiet landing next to Luna. "Discord, Lord of Chaos, at your service, Princess Jetstream." he said. "Jetstream Shimmersky, Princess of Lightning, Seventh Queen of the Changelings, at yours, Lord Discord." Jetstream curtly replied. "Seventh Queen?" asked Luna. "It's an honorary position," Jetstream added, "because of how happy the Changelings were of having me over. Honestly I think it's because of the trade agreements I'm working on establishing between Changelings and Equestria." "Fascinating... you master all sorts of magic, don't you?" said Discord. "It's my goal. I want to be as powerful and knowledgeable to protect Equestria as I can." "Then perhaps we could explore a more... Shall we say, chaotic, side of magic?" he proposed. "That sounds like an interesting proposition, I think I'll take you up on that offer, Discord." Jetstream agreed, her curiosity piqued by the idea of possibly using Chaos Magic.