//------------------------------//
// A change, and not for the better. 
// Story: The Elder Dragon 
// by Rennoc215 
//------------------------------//

	Twilight re-read the letter. Then she read it again. Something just wasn't feeling right about it.
Just a few minutes ago, Twilight had received a letter from her mentor. It read:

Twilight,
Please come see me in the Canterlot castle immediately.
Your mentor,
Celestia.

Twilight shook her head, trying to shake the grim feeling. Her teacher needed her, so she would go. "It can only be so bad, can it?" She asked herself, trying to raise her morale.
Oh how wrong a naive young princess could be.


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The castle was eerily silent as Twilight passed through the golden gate. That, and there wasn't a guard in sight, which was worrying on its' own. "Hello?" Twilight called warily.Much to her dismay, nopony answered. Slowly, she passed down the hallways, heading towards the royal chamber. The longer she was in the empty citadel, the greater her sense of foreboding grew.
This was much different than her weekend trips to the Everfree castle, where the silence was serene; This was torturous. There should be hundreds of ponies scuffling about, but right now, there was hardly a mouse to disturb the pristine silence. There was only the sounds of her hoofsteps and her breathing to keep her company, which led the fortress down a spiral into a whole new dimension of eerie.
Finally, she had reached the twin doors which led to the princess' throne room. These too, were unguarded, which usually meant that the room beyond was empty, but if Celestia is as punctual as is believed, then she would surely be beyond these brazen doors. Slowly, Twilight pushed the door open, and was comforted by the sight of Celestia sitting serenely on her throne.
"Princess Celestia," Twilight stated, relieved to see her mentor safe. "What's going on here?" She asked, itching to know the answer.
"Ah, Twilight, You're here. Good," Celestia said, completely dodging the question as if it hadn't been asked. "I bet you are wondering about the summons. This," Celestia stated, motioning towards a glass jar filled with oil, "Is why. I summoned you here to further your education."
"This jar contains a magic substance which will transform your body. We simply call it "The Black Oil." I summoned you here so that you can further your knowledge."
"But what does it do?" Twilight asked slightly curious.
"It is not the question of what it does, but the fact that it does. Don't worry, the change is painless, and then you can join us." Celestia stated, her eyes slowly boring into Twilight's own pair.
Twilight stood motionless for a few moments, conflicted. Celestia has never misled me before... But this is strangely reminiscent of the wedding... Twilight thought, holding her position. "I'd like to study it first, If that's alright," Twilight said warily.
"You can have all the time in the world to study it after you expose yourself to it." Celestia said, coldly.
That was the key that Twilight needed. This wasn't her mentor; Her mentor would always be willing to let Twilight experiment. "I think I should leave," Twilight said, uncertainly, backing away slowly. "I need some time to think this over."
Celestia glared down at Twilight, her eyes cold and expressionless. "But Twilight," She said, her voice disconnected and cold. "Isn't the pursuit of knowledge the most noble goal?" She added, her voice warbling in pitch and tone. As she stood, Twilight started to notice other changes between this creature and her beloved leader.
After all, her beloved teacher had fur, not a strange, cracked porcelain body plating. Nor did thick, viscous oil leak from her tear ducts. "Who are you?" Twilight cried, pleading with a cracked voice.
"Do you not remember your own mentor?" Not-Celestia taunted, oil oozing out of her mouth, dribbling down her chin. The impostor rose, and slowly approached the paralyzed Twilight. "Maybe the warm embrace of your loving mentor will help," She drawled, drawing closer with stiff, jerky motions. "Wouldn't that be nice? A comforting presence, and your memories, if only you would join us."
"Yes," Moaned a cadre or guards which had suddenly surrounded the purple princess. "Join us..." As she glanced at the crew, she realized that they all had the same porcelain skins and jerky, marionette motions. The worst part: She had known a few of these once-noble soldiers, before they changed. Before they became these mindless... things.
Realizing her fate, she shouted "No," and quickly teleported. She didn't aim, but she moved as fast as she could. Before any of the guards or Not-Celestia could cast a counterspell, Twilight had vanished in a flash of light.
Only to reappear above the throne Not-Celestia had recently been sitting on. With an "Umph," she fell into the once proud seat. As one, the impostors turned, and Twilight shook her head to clear the recent fuzz from teleporting. "Now now, Twilight," Not-Celestia cooed. "No need to run."
With those words, Twilight stood up, and stepped forward, challengingly. "Now listen here, you fiend," Twilight spat, reaching her hoof forward. "You will tell be where Princess Celestia is, and I'll spare all of your horrific lives." Not-Celestia only laughed. "I mean it," Twilight shouted, fighting to hold her composure. "Tell me!" She shouted, slamming her hoof down.
The group stopped their slow chuckle, and only stared at her. Twilight then heard the sound of doors opening, and she saw even more fallen guard pour into the room, filling it with a sea of porcelain faces. "Your fate is sealed," they all say, a perfect choir. "Join us," They finish, before slowly advancing on the now surrounded princess.
"No... No... Stay back," Twilight protests, yet they advance heedlessly. "No!" Twilight shouts as they surge forward, and she casts another rapid teleportation spell, this one with far more power.
The next thing she hears is the silence. Normally, it would be suspenseful, but after that moaning chorus, Twilight finds peace and safety. Slowly, Twilight cracks her eyes open, and she finds herself on the outskirts of the Everfree forest. An apt location if there ever was. And thankfully, she was on the outer edge near ponyville.
"Maybe something in the library will be able to help me," Twilight said, optimistically, as she began stumbling in the direction of her home town.
Oblivious to the oil sticking to her hoof.