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// A winter morning 
// Story: The Wrong Hoof 
// by ChainGunDragon 
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It was a cold winter morning as Twilight was engaged in her studies, warm inside her large, wooden library. She was reading through a book she recently acquired. Analyzing each word carefully, the purple mare was still trying to make sense of the elusive age spell, founded by Star Swirl the Bearded long ago. Once again finishing the last few words in the book she read so many times, Twilight brought forth a potted rose as a test subject. She wanted the rose to help her see if she could finally get this spell to work for her as it had once worked for Star Swirl. Her horn began to glow with a bright and powerful magic as the alicorn concentrated. She was beginning to lose faith that she was talented enough to ever wield this magic. If it didn't work this time, she would be lost, defeated, and worst of all, a failure in her studies. Her horn glowed brighter as Twilight prepared to put everything she had into this final attempt when she was interrupted. A knock on the door broke her focus, and ended her spell. Filling with frustration, the alicorn went to answer the door to find out who could be disturbing her this early in the day.

The door swung open and revealed a white mare with a lustrous purple mane, hiding under a robe hastily put together with scraps of cloth.
"Rarity?" Twilight asked as she was trying to figure out why a mare so proud of her appearance would wear something so crude.
"May I come in?" The pony asked with a voice that was undeniably Rarity's. "I don't have much time, and I need your help. Please, may I come in?"
"Of course," Twilight said as she stepped out of the way, giving Rarity room to enter. After Rarity was inside, Twilight quickly closed the door behind her and pulled out a chair to let the robed mare know that she was welcome to make herself comfortable. "What do you need help with? And why are you wearing that cloak?" She had many more questions than this but those were the two at the top of the purple mare's head.
"I-I'm afraid I d-don't know where to begin," Rarity stammered as she pulled down the hood of her robe. Twilight almost instantly noticed that something was different about Rarity's face. She couldn't quite place her hoof on it. All she knew was that it was different. "We've traveled far and wide to find an answer to our grief, some place where we can live in peace without being shunned by all those around us. Ponies were our last option after being violently rejected by the zebra's, and then the griffons."
"What are you talking about?" Twilight asked as new questions arrived in her head every second. This can't really be Rarity can it? Who is this mare? Who is she talking about? She then realized what was different. This Rarity didn't have a horn.
"Please, you're our last hope. We can't face exile again. I know we've caused trouble but our hooves were forced."
"Who are you? Answer me, now!" The alicorn demanded as she began to worry about where the real Rarity might be. What if she were in trouble? What if this impostor had hurt her? At that moment, the stranger closed her eyes, and started to glow a sinister green as her coat turned a dark, cold, grey. A sharp, misshapen horn grew on her head as her mane disintegrated, eyes turning a light blue as holes bore into her legs. Tattered, insect-like wings spread from her back as the stranger's coat was now a deep black.
"P-Please... Y-You must understand," the changeling stuttered nervously as it saw the purple pony's expression turn from confusion to hatred. Twilight’s horn started to glow as she closed her eyes. “Chrysalis was trying to look out for her people!” the shapeshifter shouted trying to appeal to the alicorn before she took action. Her horn glowed brighter as the changeling started to sweat. “If you hurt me, you’ll never find Rarity!” He blurted out in a panic. The magic withdrew from the air as Twilight’s horn ceased to glow.
“What did you do to her?” Twilight asked, torn between anger and concern for her friend.
“C-Come with me a-and I’ll take you to her.”
“And why should I trust you?”
“Y-You don’t have much of a choice.” The changeling started to feel relief when he saw the pony take time to consider his offer.
“Fine. I’ll go.” Twilight leaned in close to ensure that her next few words would stick in the impostor’s mind. “But if I see the slightest sign of trouble, you’ll regret it.”
“O-Of course, princess,” the changeling mumbled as he made his way to the door, disguising himself as Golden Harvest, an Orange mare with a slightly darker orange mane. Twilight still hadn't gotten used to that title. She had gotten used to being called all sorts of things, egg-head, nerd, but princess? Some things never grow on you.

The changeling stepped outside into the cold, once again putting on her hood, hoping not to draw attention.
“So why are you doing this?” Twilight asked the shapeshifter curiously. “I don’t believe for a second that you’re innocent, so what do you really want me for?”
“I’m telling the truth, princess. If you don’t believe me, I can’t help you.”
“Stop calling me that.”
“Princess?”
“Yes, that. You take orders from Queen Chrysalis. Calling me a princess makes it sound like I’m one of you.” Twilight looked around with uncertainty as the changeling was leading her deep into AppleJack's orchard, on the border of the Everfree Forest.
“I’m very sorry twilight, but these were my orders, you must forgive me.” The Golden harvest lookalike said nervously while stopping dead in her tracks.
“It’s fine, just don’t do it again,” said the purple aliicorn, brushing past the changeling, trying to pick up the pace.
“N-Not for that.” The shapeshifter paused for a moment, still stationary. “For this.” Twilight turned to look back at the changeling curiously as the alicorn was trying to figure out what she meant. It quickly pieced together in her mind as the world went dark.