My Little Queen

by Pen Mightier


My Little Twilight


Big Apple Inn, Appleloosa, a few moments later


"Fluttershy?"

"Yes?"

"It's alright to come out now."

"Is it g-gone?"

"No."

"T-then I'll stay u-under here i-if it's alright?"

Twilight could only sigh and shake her head as she regarded the quivering bed. She peered down underneath at the pair of trembling emerald orbs glimmering with tears in the dark. "Fluttershy, it really is alright. I mean, look, does she really look harmful to you?" Twilight asked, pointing a hoof at the little filly who was running about in circles chasing the sheet of paper flapping about on her horn.

"Yes." Fluttershy's voice sailed up from underneath the bed. "Very yes."

"Just give it up, Fluttershy." Spike muttered. "It's Shining Armour all over again."

"I'm not brainwashed!" Twilight asserted, "I'm perfectly fine!"

"Shining Armour. All over again." Spike repeated for emphasis.

"Gah!" Twilight growled in frustration. "Just what part of that looks like an evil brainwashing love-sapping monster?" She asked, hoof still pointing at the filly who had resumed sitting back on her haunches, pawing her hooves at the piece of paper. She leaned back so far in her epic struggle that she rolled backwards onto her back in a fit of giggles, little hooves flailing out at thin air.

"A-all of her. S-she's a ch-ch-changeling." Fluttershy whispered. "And ch-changelings are scary. And d-dangerous. And very scary."

"A changeling filly." Twilight sighed. "She's about as dangerous as Angel."

CHOMP

"Y'know, I actually don't disagree. She is as dangerous as Angel." Spike said, nodding at the little changeling filly chomping on his arm, stubby little fangs barely tickling his diamond-hard dragon scales.

"Spike! It's eating Spike!" Fluttershy squeaked fearfully.

"I'm....pretty sure that's her way of showing affection." Twilight murmured, weakly, watching the little filly happily chewing on Spike's arm.

She was even making happy nibbling noises, something along the lines of 'Munyamunyamunyamunya'.

"Sure she is." Spike rolled his eyes sceptically. "So, uh, can I start screaming now?" He asked, giving his arm an experimental tug. The little filly, however, was fastened as tightly as a small furry Ursa trap. "Or maybe...now?"

"Uh, well, perhaps she's just hungry." Twilight suggested helpfully.

"Great. That makes it so much better." Spike muttered, deadpan. "What if changeling-ness is contagious, you know, like zombies? What if I became a changeling dragon?!" He paused for a moment as he considered the prospect. "Y'know, that would actually be pretty cool. I could, like, transform into Rarity's ideal pony. Or the Masked Matterhorn. I'd be, like, the transformer dragon!"

"We can't have that now, can we?" Twilight picked up a bowl of red apples off the room's dining table with her magic.

"What, me becoming cool?" Spike blinked.

"Here you go, little one. I'm pretty sure this is much better for you." Twilight said, offering Lia the biggest, shiniest apple of the bunch.

"I lost to an apple. Gee, thanks." Spike muttered. "Oh, I'm free." He said, pulling his liberated arm away. The little filly's jaw had dropped wide open as she stood transfixed at the sight of the apple, releasing Spike's arm.

"Pikca! Was syea ra irs mea chanti?!" The little filly's eyes glimmered brilliantly. 'Fruit! With great happiness, is it my birthday already?!' Twilight's mind translated for her. She couldn't help but feel a little pang of sympathy. What sort of life could this little filly have lived to consider fruit a once-a-year occasion? And to remain so indomitably cheerful despite all that?

'She has your resilience' Twilight couldn't help but think of Chrysalis once more. "No, little one. From now on there will be apples and everything else every single day." Twilight said, giving her a sad little smile as she pushed the fruit into the little filly's hooves.

It was so big, or, rather, the filly was so small that she had to sit back on her haunches to hug the apple with all four hooves. She gave it a few experimental sniffs before cooing excitedly, "Pikca irs?", 'What fruit is this?'.

Twilight, in a sudden little whim, decided to tap into her newfound reserve of changeling knowledge. It came surprisingly easy, about as easy as reading off a tourist guide, if tourist guides creepily haunted your brain like those drinking games one remembers but could never recall actually learning. "Pikca irs Aurelia.", 'This fruit is an apple'. She replied in changeling.

"Whoah, you speak changeling too?" Spike gasped. "I don't remember a book on that in our library. I think I'd remember a guide to speaking creepy-nese ."

"She wasn't the only thing Chrysalis left me." Twilight said, tapping her head with a hoof. "I'm not sure what else, but I've at least got a changeling dictionary in here. I sure hope Chrysalis at least catalogued everything with the Dewhoof decimal system."

"Lia!" The little filly booped her nose against the apple, nuzzling it affectionately. "Teeheehee, Lia!" She rolled away in a fit of giggles while hugging the apple tightly.

"So, um, if I understand what you told me, and I, uh, sort of hope I'm wrong." Fluttershy murmured, peering out from under the bed. "But poor Chrysalis has...passed away and left you with her child? And she's your niece?"

"Yes." Twilight nodded.

"That's....so sad." Fluttershy whispered. "So you'll be looking after her, Twilight?"

"She has nopony else. She is alone in the world now." Twilight said. "And Chrysalis asked me not to tell my brother. She doesn't want anypony to know she is her daughter. She doesn't want this little one to, well, inherit her crimes." She said bitterly.

"The poor thing." Fluttershy sniffled, eyes watering up. "Chrysalis...was a good pony, wasn't she?"

'Only the Element of Kindness could ever think that so easily' Twilight thought to herself. "Yes. She proved that there is good in everypony." She nodded, feeling guilty for what little bitterness she still harboured. "Even her."

"I'll help." Twilight was surprised by the sudden conviction in Fluttershy's voice. "I-if that's alright with you, I mean."

"Fluttershy? Aren't you, well, afraid of her?" Twilight blinked in disbelief.

"I am. I'm very very afraid." Fluttershy whispered, "But when I think of how frightening it is to be all alone in the world, to grow up without even a mother, that is so so so frightening I could just scream." She gave her extremely quiet little whine of a scream as she stomped a hoof in the floor. "It's not fair! Nopony should have to be that way!" She gave her little battle cry against all the injustice in the world. "No, Twilight, she won't be alone. At the very least we'll be there for her." She said in a very surprising show of assertiveness.

"Fluttershy..." Twilight felt awed by just how much her best friend was still able to surprise her, even now after so long. "Are you sure you'll be alright?"

"I am frightened. But that doesn't matter. She does." Fluttershy asserted. "I'll help, Twilight. I promise." She said, giving Twilight a look of genuine determination, though her lips still quivered with the telltale signs of fear. "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." She went through the motions shakily but determinedly.

"Thank you, Fluttershy. Thank you, thank you, thank you so much." Twilight felt a sudden flood of relief and gratitude well up within her, one so overwhelming she couldn't help but pull her best friend into a tight hug. "I-I thought I'd have to face this alone with her. But no, you reminded me. I have you, I have everypony." She struggled to put her relief into words.

"Yes, we'll be here for her, for you, Twilight." Fluttershy smiled. "No matter how frightening."

"Yeah, Twi, we're all right behind you." Spike, number 1 assistant, said, patting Twilight reassuringly. "Like, 100 yards behind you." He added.

"Spike...?" Fluttershy raised an eyebrow.

"I'm joking, jeez." Spike rolled his eyes. "Talk about a tough crowd. Of course I'm going to help. Twilight town doesn't run on Sparkle alone." He gave Twilight a nudge to which Twilight replied with a little chuckle.

"Sure, Spike." Twilight said.

"That's better." Fluttershy nodded approvingly.

Splat.

Their little moment was interrupted by a mysterious little sound. Twilight, Fluttershy and Spike looked around at the source. They very quickly regretted it. They could only clutch their bellies and mouths as their stomach contents threatened to rebel against their tummies.

The little filly had both her forehooves raised. The armour plating on her hooves had slid open just enough to reveal an array of seemingly hollow ducts characteristic of changeling hooves. Though the filly's were noticeably and inexplicably heart-shaped for some reason, reminiscent of cookie-cutters. The ducts were all aimed at the apple. Except there wasn't an apple anymore. In its place there was a greenish black cocoon, trailing thick glistening strands of what looked like spider silk up to the ducts on the little filly's hooves. The filly was twirling her hooves about the cocoon as she spun the apple about in all 4 hooves, wrapping it with more and more layers of her spider silk, or changeling silk rather.

"Just....what is she doing?" Spike asked, raising an eyebrow.

"She's putting her food...in a cocoon." Twilight murmured, eyebrow twitching dangerously.

The little filly looked up at Twilight, smiling expectantly, as if waiting for her approval.

"From what we gathered from Chrysalis, their people were starving and short on food. Maybe storing away their surplus food in cocoons is part of their way of life." Twilight thought out loud, tapping a hoof on her chin. "Maybe cocoons help preserve food? Maybe they're airtight?" The scientist inside her theorized.

"Maybe you'll get to find out? You're going to be her food after all." Spike said with a grin.

"Spike!" Twilight growled.

"Hey, just sayin'." Spike shrugged.

"Changelings feed on love, don't they?" Fluttershy said.

"Chrysalis told me changelings can only feed on those who love them directly. That would explain their shapeshifting, actually." Twilight mused thoughtfully. "I wonder if she even knows how to feed?"

"Well, you could always, perhaps, teach her?" Fluttershy suggested.

"Yes, of course. Hey, little one, I'm your lunch." Twilight gestured at herself.

"Oh my, I wouldn't put it quite like that." Fluttershy gave a little giggle, "If you think about it, mommies nurse their foalies, don't they? Isn't it just like that?"

"Except it's cooler cause it's wireless." Spike added.

Fluttershy and Twilight gave Spike an odd look. "Uh, sure Spike." Twilight said.

"Um, do you love her?" Fluttershy finally popped the big question, twiddling her hooves together. "If you don't mind me asking, I mean."

Twilight froze midway through patting the little filly as she handed her another apple. 'Do I?' Twilight thought to herself, panic rising. 'I couldn't love Chrysalis, she died.' She thought urgently as she peered down at the little filly in fear. 'What if....what if the same thing happens to the little one. Oh no!' She clutched her head in both hooves as she frantically ransacked her mind for ideas.

The little filly gave a happy giggle as she clutched her own head in imitation.

Smoke began to rise up as Twilight's frizzled mane began to spark. "Oh no, oh no, oh no." Her mind began to flat spin into hysteria. Again. Except her spiral was cut short by the strange but soothing sensation of something blowing on her mane gently. She looked to her shoulder and found the little filly perched there, blowing gently at the smoke pluming out of Twilight's mane.

"Was granme ga, siss fayra." The little filly said with a determined smile, 'With a will to protect you, I put out the fire'.

"It'll be alright, Twilight." Fluttershy said, patting Twilight comfortingly on her other shoulder. "We'll both try. Though, um..." She eyed the little filly fearfully, "I may have to try harder. A lot harder-er." She whispered, voice shaking.

"Thank you, Fluttershy." Twilight gave her a grateful nod. "But if there's anypony who's gonna be lunch, it should be me." She said determinedly, picking the giggling little filly up in her hooves and placing her in her lap. She picked up the uneaten apple and, with a few skilful flourishes of her magic, she sliced it up into seedless little pieces. "Come, eat up, little one." She said, offering the bite-sized pieces to the little filly with her magic.

"Does she have a name?" Fluttershy suddenly asked. "It's just a little suggestion if that's alright. It might make it easier to love her if she has a name? Maybe a cute one?" She said, watching the little filly peer at the floating apple pieces curiously, tilting her head this way and that as she pawed at them with her forehooves.

Twilight popped a piece of the apple into her own mouth to demonstrate for the little filly. "See? Eat." She said, making exaggerated munching motions before making a big show of swallowing. "Here, you try."

"Eat!" The little filly repeated, opening her mouth wide and devouring the nearest floating piece. "Mmmmm!" She cooed heartily, flailing her rearhooves about as she clutched her cheeks with her forehooves in obvious delight.

"Yes, that's right. It's been an entire day. We can't keep on calling her 'she'." Twilight agreed, watching the little filly happily devour another piece.

"Yeah, 'it' more like." Spike said.

"Spiiike...." Twilight growled under her breath.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry." Spike muttered.

Twilight levitated the foal up before her. She gave a little squeak of surprise in response but flew into yet another fit of giggles as she flailed her hooves about in the weightlessness. She eyed the apple pieces floating about her and began to make swimming motions towards the nearest one.

"What shall we name you, little one?" Twilight asked.

"Omomomom." The little filly answered through a mouthful of apple pieces as she floated upside down in front of Twilight.

"Good idea. Let's go with that." Spike agreed.

"A name is a really big thing." Fluttershy said. "It's the only thing you can truly call your own."

"Yes. And it'd better be a special one." Twilight nodded, thoughtfully. "Yes, Aurelia. Aurelia. That is your name."

"That's a wonderful name." Fluttershy said approvingly.

"Aurelia? Huh, now that's an unusual name." Spike said. "Don't ponies like more straighforward names?"

"Yes, but I think this one is fitting." Twilight said.

"Does it mean something?" Fluttershy asked, curious.

"'Aurelia', 'gold', but it also another word for 'Chrysalis' or 'coccoon'." Twilight said. "In her language, it means 'Fruit of the gods' or 'apple'. Chrystallis used to call her her the apple of her eye after all."

"You're naming her after her mother?" Spike blinked, "But didn't she say..."

"Yes, I know, Spike." Twilight said, "And I had thought about it. But she was Lia's mother. She deserves this much. And it's not the first thing that comes to mind with that name. It's too obscure."

"Oh, great, you've even thought up a nickname for her." Spike groaned. "But aren't pony names kind of, what's the word, audacious?"

"You mean auspicious?" Twilight giggled, much to the little filly's shared amusement. "Yes, they tend to be. The more literal ones moreso. But the neutral names are fine. I mean, I'm 'Twilight Sparkle' and I ended up a librarian in a little town. And Fluttershy..." She nodded at her best friend who gave a sheepish smile in response, "She's the best animal caretaker in the world."

"Well, you're also the personal student to the Princess and the most powerful magic-wielding unicorn in 1000 years." Spike pointed out, "But nope, that has nothing to do with 'Sparkle' at all."

"Alright, I agree hindsight is 20/20. But using your supreme logic, oh great pony name etymologist, what do you think 'Aurelia' might grow up to be?" Twilight demanded with a smile.

"Oh, I don't know, don't call me psychic or anything, but I think she'll be...." Spike looked up in mock thoughtfulness, "A changeling queen. Of doom. Ooooor, I know, maybe....a changeling queen? Of, y'know, doom."

"But, that would be horrible." Fluttershy gasped. "Please, don't."

"Spike, you suck at this game." Twilight shook her head, "I think she'll grow up to be like a coccoon, a humble child whose actions will speak for her, one who nurtures, one who protects, one who will change the world."

"Pwotec!" Lia giggled in between swimming after apples.

"See? She agrees." Twilight said.

"Yeah. Question is who she'll be protecting. Us or the changelings." Spike muttered.

"Oh, so cynical, Spike." Twilight rolled her eyes as she patted Lia on the head, earning her a happy little yip from the filly. "Perhaps there will come a day when you will protect both worlds, is that not so, Lia?" Twilight asked the little filly.

"Lia!" The newly christened Lia gave a loud yip of approval as she did a midair roll.

` "See?" Twilight asked.

"Whatever, Twi." Spike sighed, "Now, lemme guess, I'm the one cleaning up after her from now on?" He asked pointing at the apple coccoon and the sticky changeling silk all around it. The silence from Twilight was telling. "Yep, knew it." Spike sighed, waddling off in search of the dustpan.

Evening soon came, early as it always did in the winter months. Fluttershy stayed for a quick meal before retiring to her room, saying she needed to pack for the return journey. Applejack had returned from her business trip with Applebloom in tow but had gone straight to her room with a thunderous scowl on her face. Twilight didn't even get a chance to ask her what happened before her farmer friend disappeared behind her door.

"Somethin' went very wrong." Applebloom had helpfully stopped to explain, "Ah had never seen cousin Braeburn lookin' that shifty like. He changed his mind on the deal and is chargin' us triple for them prize apple sapplings. Big sis blew her top and almost burned her hat. I'd better go and make sure she doesn't break her head or anythin'." She had said before quickly disappearing after her sister.

"I'd better come with them tomorrow." Twilight said as she returned to her room to find Spike turning down the lanterns for bed. "It sounds worrying." She paused to toss another log into the fireplace for the night. It crackled on merrily, promising enough warmth to last the night.

"If Applejack's that angry it must be." Spike nodded in agreement. "Will you have time though? Cause I'm sure you've got more to pack." His sarcasm could have probably melted away all the snow and wrapped-up winter all by itself.

"You think so?" Twilight asked, looking at the mountain of items jammed atop her suitcase. There was everything from the various souvenirs, a sappling of a rare shrub she had picked up, an interesting fossil specimen, a sample of buffalo tribe divination in an airtight jar, the room's sink and wash basin, towels, blankets, the pillow, and even a token attempt at sticking a few drawers in. "Do you think I should pack more?" She asked worriedly, "I mean, just suppose, hypothetically, theoretically speaking, if we were to extend our holiday, what do you think we'd need when we get to Gryphonia? Or Minos? Or maybe Prance or Germane? Maybe I should pack warm if we go to Maregentina?"

"Twi? Do we need to go over this again?" Spike raised an eyebrow as he crossed his arms impatiently.

"Sorry, sorry. You're right." Twilight nodded with a sigh. "Let's get to sleep and leave everything to tomorrow."

"At least we know she's ready to go." Spike said, pointing at the little filly curled up inside Twilight's scarf where it sat atop the chaos towering above the suitcase.

"Did she fall asleep?" Twilight asked, trotting up to her suitcase.

"I don't know. She just sat around a lot. And when I thought I lost her I find her there." Spike said.

"She must think it's a nest or something." Twilight tilted her head to one side as she peered down at the snug little filly. "Let's get you to bed then, little one." She said, scooping the little filly up and carrying her in one hoof over to her bed.

"Now that she's back I need to go next door to speak to Applebloom. You go on ahead, Twilight." Spike said at the door.

"Just a chat. No cards, Spike. We have an early day tomorrow." Twilight called after him.

"Yes, mom." Spike muttered his reply as he left.

"Mom." Twilight chuckled to herself as she hopped onto the bed and curled up next to the little filly.

"Iaaaa..." Lia moaned softly.

"Sorry, little one, did I wake you up?" Twilight asked. The little filly looked up at her slowly, forcing a grimaced smile up at her, before snuggling up against her fur for comfort. "What's wrong?" Twilight frowned, curling a hoof around the little filly protectively.

Then she felt it, a soft but niggling pang at the back of her mind, like a space pleading to be filled. She raised a hoof to her head, brows furrowing. Sure, she could pick up translations of whatever the little filly said. But feelings as well? Were they....connected somehow? Is this how the hivemind worked? Twilight's mind whizzed as she thought of the many possibilities for experimentation and applications in the field of Friendship.

But the trembling little ball in her hooves quickly brought her runaway mind to a screeching halt. 'No, Lia's more important right now.' She thought to herself reproachfully. 'That empty space....was that...?'

"You're hungry, aren't you?" Twilight murmured bitterly. The little filly had eaten plenty that day and still she wasn't sated. It could only mean one thing - she needed to feed on something else entirely - Love. The thought hung like a dark cloud on Twilight's mind. The solution was obvious - she had to love Lia.

The question is, how do you even begin to love somepony? Does one simply decide to do so? She was barely halfway through studying friendship. How could she even begin to practice something she barely understands? Were there even books on the subject?

"Iaaaa..." Lia gave another soft moan, giving her a forlorn look, her fluffy ears drooping morosely.

Twilight tightened her embrace about the little filly. "I know, I know, it's difficult getting to sleep when you're hungry. But you have to. Don't you worry, I'm sure I'll find a solution. Promise." She said, inwardly cursing herself for daring to utter such hollow words.

If not books then what else could she turn to? Experts? There was no way she could ask Cadence, obviously.

There was a little sniffle. Twilight felt her heart sink at the sound. She looked down to find Lia's big turquoise eyes brimming with tears, her little lips quivering with obvious discomfort. The little filly still struggled to give her a watery grimace through her tears but was very obviously losing the fight.

'Such a good, brave little child.' Twilight thought, sullenly, 'She deserves better.' She gritted her teeth angrily.

A sudden thought occurred to Twilight. It was a little something her mother used to do to comfort her. It always worked no matter how inconsolable Twilight used to feel as a filly. She had little else to try, might as well. She summoned up the old but word-perfect memories, of warm nights and soft cuddles under fluffy blankets, of the old lullaby that would carry her off to sleep without fail each and every night.

"Twilight night, Twilight night." Twilight sang softly.
"Come watch over my child tonight." Lia's fluffy ears perked up.
"Go to sleep now you'll be alright
Mommy'll hold your hoof, safe and tight.
Ms. Moon on high will be your night light.
Sleep now and let your dreams take flight."

As Twilight sang her little song she couldn't help but recall her own mother. She thought of how warm, how safe and secure she'd feel in her hooves, how every soothing word felt like a comforting blanket wrapping her nice and tight.

She felt a pang in her heart. Lia doesn't have anypony like that. Not anymore. To be so small and alone in such a vast, uncaring world.

Fluttershy was right. It was frightening. It was beyond frightening. And nopony should have to live like that.

Lia squirmed against Twilight, moaning softly as she curled her legs up into a little ball. Twilight had read it was a sign of foals experiencing 'colic' or tummy pains. In this case it was obviously hunger. Twilight bit her lip as she sang the second verse.

"Twilight sleep, Twilight sleep
I will make you a bed of galaxies
Tuck you in a blanket of starfields
lay you upon a pillow of night lillies
and sow your dreams with hope seeds
grow now, that fruits of love you might reap"

Lia seemed to settle a little as she snuggled deeper against Twilight's chest. Twilight felt herself instinctively hold the little filly closer against herself. The little bundle of warmth felt so soft, so wonderfully warm against her.

What would her own mother do? Twilight Velvet would never, ever leave anypony alone, no matter what. She even saw Spike as her very own child, giving him all the love he'd ever want or need from a mother.

Wait. That's it.

It hit her. It was like a sudden lightning bolt. It was so simple, so obvious. This filly needs a mother. Twilight can be her mother. No! She is her mother. And she would love her as her very own.

"Twilight dream, Twilight dream
Of meadows of honey and streams of cream
taste the sweet evergreens and sugary sunbeams
listen to the stars twinkle and the moon gleam
feel the melody of this Twilight serene
Forever till tomorrow, Twilight dream."

It felt like a dam broke in her heart. A flood of warmth and happiness surged, filling her to bursting. It was a feeling so wonderfully fulfilling and light that she felt her heart, her entire self, rise up like a balloon.

She gave Lia an experimental snuggle. The little filly gave a weary giggle in reply, squirming up against the nook of her neck. Every little giggle, every gentle show of affection, everything gave Twilight another surge of warmth.

'This....this is Love.' Twilight reeled from the overwhelming feelings. Her lips quivered, rising into a smile. Her cheeks felt warm and wet. She raised a hoof to her cheeks and was surprised to find tears; tears of happiness.

She felt a soft nip on the big warm balloon. She felt it deflate a little, the surge of feelings settling into a calm flow, allowing her to bask in the warmth all the better. It was pure bliss, complete happiness. As she hugged the child against her she knew from the very core of her being that she needed nor wanted for anything else in life. This, this little filly, was everything.

'It's Shining Armour all over again.' Spike's words echoed in her mind.

Uncertainty reared their ugly heads. Doubt treacherously stabbed her heart. Her mind rose up in a rebellious coup d'etat over her feelings. Worry and anxiety took over. Was she being brainwashed? Manipulated? Like her brother before her? Would she become a mindless husk unable to think for herself like he did? She was the one who saved him back then. But what of her? Who would save her?

The dam slammed shut. And then the pain came like a hammer to the head. She raised a hoof to her head, wincing in absolute agony. Stars flashed in her eyes as her entire world spun. What little bit of her mind managed to think through the pain came to a horrifying conclusion - this must be the headaches Shining Armour went through when he was brainwashed.

The little nip on the balloon quickly ceased. "Iaaa. Was gwanme ga, zash yor! Huwt!" Lia gasped, tapping both forehooves on Twilight's muzzle worriedly. "Twiley Huwt!"

Twilight felt a pang of guilt. Was that Lia finally managing to feed? And did she just stop her from feeding? Because she worried the little filly?

"No, no, I'm fine, Lia." Twilight said reassuringly, nuzzling the little filly. "And what was that you just called me?" She asked, suddenly registering what Lia had said.

"Twiley!" Lia giggled, tightening her hug about Twiligh's muzzle, giving her a loving nuzzle. "Teehee Twiley Twiley!"

"You're more like your father than just your appearance." Twilight joined in her giggles, booping her forehead against Lia's, eliciting a fresh fit of giggles from her. Every sound, every breath, seemed to tug at Twilight's heart, giving her yet another little dose of happiness. "I can only hope you'll....you'll grow up to be just like your mother. Just, just like me." Twilight whispered, wistfully, taking refuge in that soft, blissful feeling once more. "My little Twilight. My little Twilight Aurelia." Just for tonight at least, brainwashing or no, she'll allow herself this little bit of heaven.

For her sake.