“Princess, we didn’t know you were here” Rarity said as they enter the living room.
“And why would I not be?” Candace replied. “This is after all my future in-laws house”
“Well shouldn’t you be in like, I don’t know, the palace?” Rainbow said.
“Maybe she doesn’t want to be there” Fluttershy commented.
“Tea anypony” Velvet asked bringing in a large platter of small foods and drinks “Sorry I'm Twilight Velvet, Twilights mother”
“That will confuse matters ah little mam” Applejack stated.
“It’s fine if you just call me Velvet” she said. She placed it on the coffee table in the largish room they were in. “Twilight said she would be coming down shortly. Evening said that she would be late with Shining Armour, something about a medical check-up”
“Who is Evening?” Pinkie asked. “Is she a new pony?”
“You remember that changeling Shinning said we didn't know what to do with?” Cadance said. The group nodded, “that’s her”
“Oh. But wait why would you want a changeling at the wedding?” Rarity asked.
“Because Rarity, would you stop me? “Twilight said coming into the room, her insect wings buzzing subtly in annoyance.
“Twilight, what happened to you girl?” Applejack asked walking up to her and looking over the saddle carapace. “You look half like one of those bugs”
“Oh, Oh, oh, Does this mean I can throw a ‘Twilight is a changeling’ party” Pinkie asked bouncing around the living room.
“Darling, can you explain the saddle you are wearing?” Rarity asked. “I would love to make some”
“No you wouldn’t want to. Before you ask, no I can’t remove it and yes I am like one of those ‘bugs’ as you put it Applejack” twilight said, sounding annoyed. “Sorry, but it’s been a rough recovery”
“Ah its okay sugar cube we all are here to help you along. Ah don’t care if you’re one of them. Ya still Twilight to me” she stated.
“Yeah, I mean sure whatever” Rainbow said, looking unimpressed.
“If you’re not going to feed off of me, then yay” Fluttershy muttered softly.
“I would love to do a range based of that saddle of yours, but that can wait. Besides, a line of clothing that could be used for either gender would be amazing” Rarity said.
Twilight's friends jumped into a pile of hugging with her as they finished up. She cried a little as they hugged her. She looked as Cadance was sipping neatly tea with her mother.
“Well, now that’s out of the way; Ya going to tell us why your part Bu- Changeling?” Applejack said, getting an elbow in the flank by Fluttershy. The group sat down on the couches as Twilight looked back on her wings. They buzzed before stopping and folding against the Carapace.
“Well, when the queen tired to make me into one of them. I think I rebelled mentally against her and managed to break free using my flame armour, the whole body covered in fire thing” Twilight began to explain. “I think my magic must have infused with the remnant magic’s when Evening Star changed me before to get past the changeling drones and the latent magic of the saddle caused it to fuse with me permanently. I'm kind of like Evening now in being a Half Changeling, half pony” she continued.
“Which would make sense when you think about it” Evening Star said, walking in with Shining Armour in tow, “Sorry I'm late, but having a royal guard escort who was late-“
“-I was held up was all” Shinning interrupted, walking past her and kissing velvet. “Afternoon Mum”
“Hello Shinning” Velvet said, “we were just having tea”
“Thank you but no thanks mum” he replied. “Is dad back from Germaney yet?” he asked.
“He should be here in later today in preparation for the wedding” Velvet said. “The Ambassador said something along those lines anyway, he is always busy since that fiasco years ago involving a Pony with genocide tendency”
“Quick question” Rainbow said, she walked up to Evening star and poked her in the chest. “Why are you here?”
“That’s the other reason Rainbow. She is a half Changeling half pony like me” Twilight said walking up to her side. “And like me, we share the same mother and father”
Rainbows jaw hit the floor as the teacup Rarity was levitating hit the hardwood floor and shattered. A gasp came from Pinkie and Fluttershy eeped. Applejack walked up and looked her over.
“Well why ya didn’t say so sooner sugar cube. Names Applejack and sister of mah friend is a friend to me” Applejack said holding out her hoof.
“Thanks I guess” Evening said shaking it back. “I don’t get it? Why be so friendly to me after what we did”
“That wasn’t you darling. That was Amaryllis as Luna explained to us weeks ago” Rarity said. “Besides, you’re not feeding off of us now are you?” she continued to say nervously
“Not now no. But Twilight or I could demonstrate with the Rainbow one” Evening taunted. Rainbow fell for it and tried to punch her, only to be held back by Applejack. “It’s called a joke. Neither I nor Twilight can feed off love to sustain ourselves; but we can use it to boost our magic but that’s about it I think”
“Well that's good” Applejack said. “But don’t provoke Rainbow. She can be a bit hot-headed”
“The Rainbow one, I must admit, when I was under the control of Amaryllis, I tasted your love. Oddly enough it tasted like a fruit salad” Evening stated. Rainbow looked over with a glare. “What? I tasted every pony here and yours was the most interesting”
“Oh, oh, oh, what does mine taste like?” Pinkie asked bouncing around Evening. She clicked her tongue as a small amount of love was extracted there and then to pinkie giggling.
“Urgh, I am not a fan of yours. Pure sugar like from the bag kind of sugar” she said sticking her tongue out and gagging a little. “But yours would make a changeling sick from too much of it”
“So now what happens?” Rarity asked.
“Well, seeing as Twilight has recovered we were going to re-hold the wedding and try it over” Cadance stated.
“Sounds good; Twilight by the way, Celestia wishes to speak with you at your earliest convenience, something to do with your tutelage?” Shinning said. Twilight moaned, but nodded.
“I will head there tomorrow and speak with her in pony. But for now, let’s talk about something else” she said as they all sat down on the couches.
~0~0~
The next day came without so much as a problem, not that there would be now that Amaryllis is gone. Twilight woke to the sounds of Birds chirping with a steaming mug of something on her beside cabinet. Taking it in her new coloured magic, orange, she sniffed it.
The Aroma was like that of lavender with a hint of something she couldn't place. Bringing it to her lips she tasted it. The Effects was immediate, she felt something course through her body refreshing her tiered mind and body.
“Whoa what was that?” she asked no-pony in particular as she stretched her limbs with the mug still in her magic. Walking into the main kitchen, her mother was behind the counter eating cereal.
“Morning twilight, how was your sleep?” she asked.
“Not bad, better than trying to be taken over by Amaryllis” she admitted taking another swig of the coffee stuff in her mug. “Did you make this?”
“I think it was Evening Star, she was out early this morning with Cadance. Something about learning about Canterlot” Velvet said as a colt walked in.
“Morning dear” he said kissing her on the cheek, “Twilight, how are you feeling”
“Not bad Dad. How was Germaney?” Twilight asked. Night Light sighed.
“Not well, they are talking about succeeding from Equestria because of this colt. He has the whole parliament under his hoof and the military is mobilising. I'm trying but it’s not going well” he admitted, pouring himself a cup of coffee from the decanter. Taking a massive swig of the black liquid he sighed.
“Understandable” Twilight said, “What about your job?”
“Still maintaining it” he replied.
“Do you think that you will need to remain there if it escalates?” Twilight asked. She was deeply concerned about this; if the country succeeded then her family would be in trouble and probably be sent back should the government demand it.
“No, as I'm legally an Equestrian citizen as is your mother, we won’t have to worry too much” he replied. “Don’t you have a meeting with the princess in an hour?”
“Yeah I do. I better get going then. Good to see you again dad” she said hugging him.
“You to my dear” he replied.
~-~-~
“I'm sorry Mam, but Celestia is not taking any visitors at the moment” the royal Guard stated, Twilight was fuming.
“Do you have any idea who I am?” Twilight asked through gritted teeth.
“Um no?” the colt said. Twilight sighed.
“I am Twilight sparkle, the Princesses current student” She said. The Colt stiffened but nodded in response.
“I uh, one second” he stammered opening the door and entering the room.
Twilight smirked as he exited whilst apologising to her and letting her in. She found that Celestia was lying down on a large cushion like she did all those years ago, with a book in her magic.
“Twilight” She said, her voice almost as if she had been crying for some reason or another. Twilight nodded and walked to where she would normally sit. Placing a cushion down she sat on it and the pair simply sat there for a few minutes without saying anything.
“Twilight, I wanted to apologise for how I have been acting” Celestia said, breaking the almost eerie silence.
“About time” Twilight replied, “Why did you do it? Why did you want to kill Evening star or even block my true magic?”
“You were not ready for that kind of magic Twilight” Celestia said firmly back.
“Not ready? When would I have been, on my deathbed?” the Lavender hybrid spat back.
“Twilight you must understand, your magic went out of control and almost destroyed Canterlot. I cannot allow for that to happen again” Celestia said.
“I had one mishap when I was younger. So what? That’s no excuse to treat me like I'm so kind of monster” Twilight replied.
“That is not the reason and you know it, your powers rival that of my own if not greater” Celestia said, “You were supposed to be a prodigy in magic. I couldn't have it so that you burnt everyone around you. Your powers when you were angry about something forced your real magic out for some time”
“Your point, How about what I feel now” she replied. “I have full control over it-“
“-only because of the training I gave you with restricted magic” Celestia replied. “As for Evening Star, Changeling Larva are never allowed to mature”
“You heartless monster” Twilight said getting up. “I want to seriously incinerate you right here”
“Try it, I cannot die by fire I control the sun” the princess said getting up to rival Twilights anger. “Go on then my student I want you to try it. This room is magically enchanted to withstand anything” Celestia walked up to Twilight who was now confused at her mentors current state of mind, she was always calm and collected, now she was demanding twilight go all out. “I know you don’t have the gall to try it. Call it a princesses Intuition”
“You’re not the Celestia I knew. She died the moment I found out about your murders” Twilight said. The princess took a step back. “Oh don’t think I didn't do my research for nothing. I know full well you killed many ponies who dared stand up to you, or even the changeling's who had no way of defending themselves”
“Murders huh?” Celestia said, “So another one won’t matter then”
Twilight sighed dropping her head, before looking back up her eyes orbs of pure red, “You will not get away with this ever again” she said, her voice reverberating. Her coat drained to a pure white, much to Celestia’s surprise, flames of purple and orange flicked into existence around her hooves, mane and tail replaced with her magically burning flames. Her cutie mark had also altered when in this form to be that of an ornate purple sun flanked by six others.
Celestia took a step back again, tripping over her cushion as Twilight let the flames engulf her completely forming a kind of perpetually burning armour. Her eyes went wide as she stepped forward to meet with her mentor. Her insect like wings replaced with a pair of burning phoenix wings. Amidst the flames all Celestia could see was the pitiless red orbs of Twilights eyes.
“I had no idea that you were capable of this level of control” Celestia stammered.
“You better believe it bitch” Twilight stated.
Celestia screamed out in pure fear as the inferno that Twilight had conjured whilst walked up to her was sent catapulting into her covering form. Twilight watched, her face not altering from pure disgust as her teacher was engulfed in the flames of purple and orange.
After five full minutes of burning, the flames died down leaving behind Celestia, but not as she knew her. What remained of her was now a shaking cowering filly unicorn, no mark nor any resemblance to her Alicorn form, wings gone hair a light pink. The filly looked up at the mare before her.
“Who, who are you? Where’s my mama?” she asked, innocently. Twilight sighed before walking to the door. “Please I want my mama!”
Twilight sighed as turned around and looked at the Filly who had grabbed her back leg like a missing child. Twilight picked the filly up in her orange magic and levitated her in front of her eyes. “what’s your name then?”
“Celestia” she said almost innocently. Every part of Celestia that was her before being the complete princess she was not five minutes ago. Every part gone, she was now a normal unicorn filly.
Twilight sighed as she opened the door to a waiting Shining Armour. She placed Celestia on his back and walked past. Celestia giggled a little and grabbed onto the armour and jumped up and down.
“Have an early wedding present from me to you” she said comically as she walked past.
“What wait Twili who is this and what’s going on?” he asked rushing to her side.
“Basically, that’s the princess. I went a little overboard” Twilight admitted
“Over board, that’s an understatement”
“I burnt away everything that was evil of her and she reverted to this age” Twilight stated. “I'm not sure how, but she is no longer an Alicorn as you can tell”
“What about the sun?” Shinning asked, “Can you quit that please”. He looked over his shoulder as the filly nodded and stopped bouncing on his armour. she gave him the puppy dog eyes before he sighed in defeat.
“I'm not sure. But Luna probably knows about this now anyway” Twilight said as the Lunar Princess walked up. “If not she will now”
“Will now what?” Luna asked walking up.
“See that filly?” Twilight said grabbing her with her own magic. “This is Celestia without any evil, anger, hatred or anything. Pure innocence”
“Who did this and how?”
“I did” Twilight stated. “I used my magic to burn it all away from her. This was the result”
“You have wings and a horn? Are you a peg-a-corn?” the Filly asked.
“She truly does not know me?” Luna asked. “I suppose this is for the best, Shinning I know this is a lot, but can you look after her?”
“What me why me?”
“Papa!” Filly Celestia said as she was let down and bolted to his armoured leg.
“That’s why. Besides she needs some pony to teach her right from wrong. Do not fear about the sun’s rotations. I will be dealing with that” Luna said. “Now that is sorted out, it’s time for you to leave then Twilight”
“Pretty much yeah, anything I find out about them, I will let you know” Twilight said.
“About what?”
“I'm leaving for the borderlands between Equestria and the changeling wastes to learn more about their- my kind now I suppose. Don’t fear, I will be home regularly”
“I hope so” Shinning said. “You’re not staying for the wedding?”
“Are you kidding?” Twilight laughed, “Course I'm staying”
“Thank goodness” Shinning stated.
End of the main story