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// Chapter 2: Equestria at Last 
// Story: A New Ruler 
// by ThePrinceOfTheNorth 
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Chapter 2: Equestria at Last

I steppded through the portal after Prince Winter and Princess Luna. A warm breeze flowed over me as I came out the other side.

“Open your eyes, Ella,” said John. I’d closed them as I’d gone through the portal because I’d felt a sharp pain in my forehead that still lingered, but I opened them. Everything looked too real! I was in Canterlot, the walls gleaming brightly with their gold inlays in the morning sun. The marble was whiter than on eathe, and the gold was shinier! It was amazing! I ran over to the nearby balcony to look out over Equestria. I saw the Royal Gardens below me, and fields that seemed to go on forever, looking more vibrant than any field back on Earth, an offf in the distance, I saw Ponyville, no mistaking Sweet Apple Acres for any other orchard. I stood there, taking it all in. I didn’t notice John walk up beside me in my stupor.

“Magnificent, isn’t it,” he said, to which I nodded very quickly. “See that village over there,” he continued before I interupted him.

“Yeah, Ponyville,” I said.

“Very good,” he said with a smile, “I also see your horn is coming in.”

I gave him a quizzical look, and reached up to my forehead. Sure enough, a horn had grown about ten inches out from my forehead. “I felt that. Why didn’t I notice it until now,” I said, moving my hand across it.

“Well, it could be because, being a master, the process of your transformation should be slightly less painful,” John replied. “

“How bad,” I asked.

“Hard to say,” he replied bluntly, “These things differ from person to person, but it is usually agonizing for alicorns. I’m actually suprised you didn’t pass out.”

“Really,” I asked, wiping some blood from may face that came from my.

“Quite indeed,” he said, “But that tells me it will be far worse later on, or it happened when you stepped through the portal.” I stood for a moment, coming to terms with what John had just said, and hoped it wouldn’t be as bad as he thought.

“Come,” John said, “Luna’s already with Celestia in the throne room. This way.”

I followed John into the throne room to find Luna and Celestia chatting. Cadence and Shining Armor were also there, along with a strange white alicorn with white hair and a white-star cutiemark who I wasn’t familliar with. We stopped before them.

“Princesses of Canterlot, Northhold and beyond,” said John, “I present to you Ella, the newest edition to the Equestrian throne.” All four princesses nodded at me.

“Welcome to Canterlot, Ella,” said Celestia kindly.

“Ella,” said a voice from behind me. I turned to see a familliar face jumping toward me.

“Teddy,” I exclaimed as he landed on me, “I thought everyone had their memory wiped!”

“Not me,” he replied with a smile, “I wanted to remember my friends!” Ted rolled off of me, and I got up to look him over. His hair had already changed to a mane and he’d already grown a tail, both blue, and a horn, so he’d either be a unicorn of an alicorn. I also noticed he had gotten taller.

“Age reversal and progression,” John said, reading my face, “Reversal usually happens to those at and under twenty years of age, so expect to come out an alicorn filly.”

I nodded, starting to feel a bit dizzy. “Looks like more changes are starting,” said John, “It seems their’s a bulge in your pants. Guards, help Ella to the guest room, before she passes out.”

“No, take them to my quarters,” said Luna, “I’d prefer to watch over them with Winter until Ella wakes from the fever dreams I sense coming.” A guard nodded and came over to me.

“I’m fine,” I said, almost falling over, “Er, maybe not.”

“Don’t worry,” said Ted with a smile, “I’ll show you around when you’re feeling better. I’ve only been here a few hours, but Cadence gave me a tour.”

We arrived in the Luna’s room a little while later. It, like the rest of Equestria, looked too real. The purple silk that hung from the ceiling, the purple banners with a cresent moon emblazioned on them, too real. The guard set me down on the bed, which felt very soft as I ran my fingers across it’s silk covering. I lay ther for some time, taking in the softness of the bed. I noticed then that a strained layer of skin still covered my horn.

“It’ll hurt when it comes off,” said Ted, “I’ll be here for you, though.”

“So will we,” said John as he and Luna walked in, “It is our room, after all.”

At this point I passed out from exhaustion and was quickly lost to the fever dreams Luna had predicted.