Silence dominated the waiting room as Kyle sat on the floor, grumbling to himself. “Stupid Ponies… can’t even get a chair.” he mumbled, hitting the ground beside him with the palm of his hand. Of course, ponies didn’t exactly need chairs to sit in, but still, the hard tile floor wasn’t exactly the most comfortable spot to sit on after a brush with death.
The thought of his recent battle brought his injury back to the front of his mind. Kyle looked down at his chest, which was covered in white bandages. His shirt had been torn apart during the fight, and the last blast from the Sha had burned his chest. Though the doctors said it wouldn’t be anything life threatening, it still hurt pretty badly. Kyle mumbled under his breath, and a familiar ball of jade-green mist formed in front of him. He reached out to touch it, and the soothing mist ran through his body to the burn, mending some of the tissue and easing the pain.
Kyle reached into his pocket and felt his hand brush against something hard. He grabbed the object and pulled it out. It was the black crystal, the one that had been left behind after the Sha’s defeat. Kyle gripped his hand around it and closed his eyes. Inside the crystal, he could feel the raging emotions, sense the turbulent energies of the Sha, begging for release. Yet they held no power, trapped as they were. The remnants of the Sha could not influence even the weakest of minds from its crystalline prison. Kyle smiled slightly, already imagining the other Sha likewise trapped for all eternity.
The double doors across the room from him opened, and Kyle’s head jerked up. Twilight walked into the room, looking tired. Her mane was messed up, with a few hairs sticking out of place. Spike was right behind her, holding a folder full of papers. Kyle stuck the crystal back into his pocket as Twilight turned towards her assistant. “Spike, go ahead and take those back to the library.” Twilight sighed. “I’ll take care of them later.” Spike nodded and walked out of the doors next to Kyle, out into Ponyville.
Twilight, meanwhile, sat down next to Kyle. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Silence reigned again. Finally, Twilight turned her head to look at him. “You doing alright?” she asked.
“I’ve had worse.” he muttered, summoning another Healing Sphere to ease the pain.
“I didn’t mean physically.” she corrected. “I know your body can take a beating, but I also know that the Sha shook you really badly.”
Kyle was silent for a moment. He just looked down at the tile floor, has hand brushing across the crystal in his pocket. “Just… I’ve seen some good men go down because of the Sha.” he finally said. “Earlier today, I thought I was going to see another.”
“Hey, everything turned out alright.” Twilight smiled, wrapping a wing around Kyle’s torso. “Scootaloo’s not hurt, and Thunderlane only has a sprained wing. Honestly, I’d say you got the short end of the stick in that fight.”
“Right…” Kyle closed his eyes, his mind flashing back to the cavern he had fought in. The evil aura permeating the very air, the crumpled form of Thunderlane on the ground, the green cocoons in the back of the room…
“Hey Twilight.” Kyle said suddenly, opening his eyes. “You mentioned the Changelings probably cocooned up those other foals, right?” Twilight nodded. “I read their name once before, in that book you left for me at Fluttershy’s, but there were no details. Can you tell me anything about them?”
Twilight sighed. “Honestly, not much is known about the Changelings.” she admitted, retracting her wing. “We only know a few basic facts. They’re a race of insectoid-like creatures whose natural forms are Pony-like in shape and size. However, they have a hard chitinous exoskeleton, rather than fur, posses both a horn and a pair of insect-like wings, and often have holes in their legs for some reason. They are organized into hives, ruled over by a queen, and it is believed that they possess a hive-mind, telepathically linking them to one another.”
“Changelings get their names from a unique ability. They can transform their bodies and take on the form of a Pony. They often do this and infiltrate cities and towns to collect their food - love. They feed off of the love energy of other creatures, with Pony love being by far the most potent.”
“Does draining the love from a Pony harm the Pony?”
“Long-term exposure has not been documented.” Twilight replied. “However, short-term exposure to their love-draining abilities has shown no negative side-effects.” Twilight sighed once more. “Unfortunately, that’s really all we know about Changelings right now. Most of the world didn’t even know they existed until a hive Queen, Chrysalis, tried to impersonate Princess Cadence a few months ago. She was going to be wed to my big brother until I found the real Cadence.”
“Well if they’re in league with the Sha… I guess the Sha of Deceit was kind of a fitting one for them to serve.” Kyle chuckled weakly. He opened his mouth to speak once more, but the doors across from him opened once more. Princess Celestia stepped forward, her expression neutral.
“Mr. Slater, please come with me. We have much to discuss.” she said simply, turning and walking out of the hospital. Kyle hesitated for a moment before pushing himself to his feet. He summoned another Healing Sphere to keep him going before waving goodbye to Twilight and walking after Celestia.
Celestia led Kyle through the streets of Ponyville, away from the town’s center. Ponies stopped and bowed as Celestia walked by, staring after the pair as they walked away. Eventually, the pair reached the town limits. Celestia continued walking, headed out into the open fields surrounding the town. In the distance, Kyle could just make out Canterlot Mountain, with the royal city barely visible on the side of the mountain.
“I’m certain you’re wondering why I’ve brought you out here.” Celestia said, causing Kyle to jump at the sudden noise. “Firstly, I wish to tell you that Scootaloo is alright. She is exhausted from her experience, and will remain in the hospital for a few days, but is physically uninjured and does not remember the experience. She will recover quickly.”
“That’s some good news.”
“Indeed. Good news that almost was not.” Celestia replied, turning her head to look at him. “I heard all about your fight with her in the cave. How you said the only cure for her possession was death. How you fully intended to kill this little filly.” Kyle suddenly felt very small as Celestia turned to glower at him, her wings fully extended. “Have you anything to say to this?”
“I… uh…” Kyle stammered. Celestia’s glare deepened, and Kyle gulped. “I uh… can explain.” he began, his voice still shaking. “Back on Azeroth we can’t…. that is, we don’t have these harm- Elements of Harmony to uh… defeat the Sha. If someone was possessed, the only way to… well, for lack of a better word, to ‘save’ them was to… well, kill them.”
Celestia’s glare slowly softened. “I understand your reaction.” she said quietly. “This incident will be dropped, for you withheld your final strike and spared Scootaloo’s life.” Kyle let out a breath of relief. “However, you must realize that the rules here are far different from the rules on Azeroth. There are multiple solutions to every problem. Next time, think outside the box.”
“Yes ma’am.” Kyle replied, his voice still shaking slightly.
“Now, for our next order of business.” Celestia continued. “Twilight informed me that you recovered a crystal from the defeated Sha. May I see it?”
Kyle nodded and reached into his pocket, pulling the black crystal out and presenting it. A soft golden aura surrounded the crystal, and it floated out of his hand, hovering just in front of Celestia’s face. She closed her eyes, and a soft hum resonated from the crystal.
Suddenly, Celestia’s eyes sprang open, and she gasped. The aura surrounding the crystal faltered, and it fell towards the ground. Kyle jumped forward and reached out his right hand, barely catching the crystal before landing in the grass at Celestia’s hooves. “Is… are you alright?” he asked, pushing himself back to his feet.
“That Crystal.” Celestia murmured, her eyes closed once more. “It is the prison for the remnants of the Sha’s power, correct?” Kyle nodded. “The energy is dark, evil… and familiar. I know I’ve sensed something like that before. But it was long ago… like a memory, buried by the sands of time.”
Celestia fell silent for a time, allowing Kyle a moment of thought. If Celestia had sensed the Sha energies before, then that meant that she had faced them before. But surely she would remember such terrible creatures. So why had she forgotten about them? Kyle scratched his head, feeling more confused than before.
“We should discuss this with my sister.” Celestia said, breaking Kyle out of his thoughts. “Come, Kyle. We must fly to Canterlot.” Celestia bent down on her front hooves, presenting her back to Kyle. Kyle hesitated for a moment, unsure how wise it was to climb atop someone so important.
When Celestia turned her head to look at him, her expression was one of questioning and slight impatience. Kyle sighed and clambered onto her back. “Hold on tight, Kyle.” she warned, spreading her wings. “I’m sure you’d rather not experience a long drop and a sudden stop.” Without any more warning, Celestia pushed off with her powerful wings, sending her rocketing into the air with a screaming Human atop her.
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“Welcome to Canterlot.”
Kyle stared out over the city, his eyes wide with wonder. Stormwind was nothing compared to the grandeur of this city. Even Dalaran, home to the most powerful magi on Azeroth, paled in comparison. In the light of the setting sun, the buildings and roads glowed with a golden hue, shimmering and sparkling like a million precious gemstones. A seemingly endless array of streets and thoroughfares criss-crossed each other in a spider web-like array, all leading towards a single focal point - the Castle, resting up against the side of the mountain. Behind the city, the sun was setting, and a quick glance confirmed that Celestia’s horn was indeed glowing.
Celestia flew over the palace grounds, and Kyle couldn't help but stare once more. The palace was even larger than he had expected from a distance. Despite Kyle’s assumptions, the castle was not actually pressed directly against the mountain. Instead, the grounds completely encircled the building, with the section between the castle and the mountain containing what appeared to be animal sanctuaries. “Fluttershy would love it down there.” he commented, pointing at the sanctuaries. “All the animals and stuff.”
He could have sworn he heard Celestia giggle. “Ask Twilight about the Grand Galloping Gala when you return.” she said, angling herself upwards and banking towards the tallest tower in the castle.
A few moments later, Celestia landed on a balcony atop the tower. Kyle scrambled off of her, falling to one knee as he landed. His knees wobbled slightly as he pushed himself back to his feet. “Need to get my land-legs back.” he muttered under his breath. He turned his head towards Celestia, only to find that she was gone. Kyle whipped his head in the other direction, barely catching a glimpse of her multi-colored tail passing through the doorway. Kyle hurried after her, afraid of getting lost in the palace.
Kyle followed Celestia down a seemingly-endless flight of stairs circling the tower. Finally, they reached the ground floor, and Celestia took off in another direction. Kyle quickly lost all sense of direction as he followed her through the maze-like interior of the palace. “How do you keep track of where everything is?” he asked.
“I’ve lived here for over a thousand years.” she replied. “I’ve had plenty of time to get used to the castle, though I admit it can be daunting to newcomers.”
“No kidding.” Kyle mumbled as they turned yet another corner. Kyle peeked around Celestia and found himself staring at a door flanked by two Pegasi stallions in shining golden armor. The door seemed to be made out of bronze, and had a large orange sun engraved in it.
“Guards, Mr. Slater here is my guest for the evening.” Celestia said. The two Pegasi saluted and stood aside, allowing Kyle to pass. Even with his back turned, he could feel the suspicious glares the two Pegasi were giving him. Kyle sighed in annoyance. Even if they were just looking out for the Princess, surely she could handle herself if she had the power to raise the sun. Kyle pushed the thought from his mind as he followed her through the entrance.
Kyle had been expecting to see a grand, ornate living area behind the door. After all, Celestia was the ruler of Equestria, and the being who raised and lowered the sun every day. Surely she could have whatever grand trophies she desired. Instead, Celestia’s quarters were surprisingly modest. The first room contained a number of large sofas centered around a marble fireplace, with a writing desk propped up underneath a window. Four doorways branched out of the main room. The leftmost one led to a large balcony overlooking the rest of Canterlot. The right-most one led to what Kyle guessed was Celestia’s bedroom. The other two sloped up and down, respectively, with their hallways curving around on themselves, preventing Kyle from seeing where they led.
Kyle looked back towards the fireplace and noticed a large shape resting on one of the sofas, its features hidden by the glow of the fire behind it. As the door closed behind him, the figure raised its head, revealing a long, flowing, dark-blue mane. “Ah, sister, you’ve finally returned.” Luna said, sitting up from her resting position. “How is the young one? Is it serious?”
“Given the circumstances, it could have been far worse.” Celestia replied, taking a seat on her own sofa. She motioned with her wing for Kyle to do the same, and he picked a third sofa, electing to sit rather than lay down as Princess Celestia was. “Scootaloo will make a full recovery and be out of the hospital by the end of the week. Thunderlane sprained a wing, but nothing too serious. Mr. Slater here, on the other hoof, got a nasty burn across his chest.”
“I’ve had worse.” Kyle said, repeating the same line he had used on Twilight that afternoon. The mention of his injuries brought the pain back to the front of his mind, and he grimaced. He summoned another Healing Sphere and touched it, shivering as the cooling mist dulled the pain once more.
“I’m afraid we’ve little time for pleasantries.” Celestia said, her expression grim. “This crystal that you have found, Mr. Slater. It worries me greatly. I know that I have felt something like it before, and I had hoped the flight from Ponyville would jog my memory, but I still cannot…” she trailed off, her eyes closed and her brow furrowed in thought.
“Crystal?” Luna asked, tilting her head slightly. “May I see it?”
Kyle nodded and reached into his pocket, pulling out the black shard. The shard was surrounded by a dark blue aura and floated in front of Luna’s face. She closed her eyes as well, but almost instantly they sprang open. “What is this?!” she demanded, flinging the shard towards Kyle. He had to throw himself down onto the couch as the Shard impacted on the sofa where his chest had just been. “Remove this from my sight at once!”
Kyle scrambled to pull the shard from the sofa, hiding it back in his pocket. Celestia’s eyes were open once more now, and she was staring at her sister in a mixture of confusion and worry. “What is it, Lulu?” she asked. “Do you… remember that energy?”
“Far too well.” Luna replied darkly. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, forcing herself to calm down. “This shard. From where did you recover it?” she asked, staring at Kyle once more.
“Uh… The Sha of Deceit.” Kyle replied. “When Applejack touched Scootaloo, the Sha was purged from her and killed. When it vanished, it left this crystal behind. From what I can tell, it contains the remnants of the Sha’s energy.”
“Sister, you know something.” Celestia interrupted. “You remember that energy from the past as well. Where did we encounter it?”
Luna sighed and closed her eyes once more. “The Nightmare.”
“The Nightmare?” Kyle asked.
“Yes. Surely you have heard of the Nightmare Moon incident?” Kyle nodded his head. “The story goes that I gave into my resentment and hatred and, through my own dark powers, became Nightmare Moon. This is only partially true. I indeed did allow my resentment and sorrow to grow and fester, but I had never dared to think of insurrection. Not until… it… came along.”
“It?” Celesita asked. “What are you talking about, Luna? Why have you never told me any of this?”
“Some things are best left unsaid.” Luna replied simply. “Yes, it. A creature of dark and terrible power. It came to me, spoke to me, kept me company during the lonely nights. While all the Ponies slumbered through my beautiful night, only it would remain to observe my masterpieces. For a time, I thought it was my friend.”
“Do you know what it was called?” Kyle asked.
“It told me its name once. Alp’tauum. Alp’tauum was the only one I ever felt comfortable confiding in. For months, it kept me company. Until one day, when my sorrow and anger were at their peaks. Alp’tauum offered me something I had desired forever. A way to make our Ponies love me and love my night. I accepted its offer. It told me to go to the throne room, and I listened. When I did, it possessed me. It took control. I became Nightmare Moon.”
“After that… well, we all know what happened.”
“And… what happened to this… Alp’tauum?” Celestia asked.
“When your student, Twilight Sparkle, and her friends turned the Elements of Harmony against me - no, us - Alp’tauum was ripped from my body and destroyed utterly. His corruption could not stand against the purity of the Elements of Harmony. I had been purged, and realized what a terrible mistake I had made.”
The trio fell silent. For several minutes, the only sounds that could be heard were the chirp of crickets from outside, and the crackle of flames from the fireplace. Finally, Celestia looked over at Luna. “Well, I suppose that explains why you continued to refer to yourself as ‘us’ once you returned.” she said with a small smile. Luna grinned weakly in return as Celestia turned her head towards Kyle. “What do you make of this, Kyle?”
“I… well, I can’t say I’ve ever met an Old God personally - thank the Light for that.” Kyle said slowly. “But from what you just said, Princess Luna, Alp’tauum sounds like it would be an Old God. Worming its way into your heart and mind, no doubt whispering to you that Celestia and the other Ponies did not love you, turning you away from everyone else. And finally taking control and enacting its plan.”
“Indeed. But, there’s one thing I don’t understand.” Celestia said. “How could that be the same energy connecting the Sha and… Alpta’uum… Unless…”
“My thoughts exactly.” Kyle replied. “The Elements killed it, but failed to destroy its spirit. Thus, we have the Sha, the remnants of the Old God Alp’tauum.”
“But I was released from his grasp years ago.” Luna said, speaking for the first time since she had finished her story. “If the Sha were created back then, why are they only now starting to reveal themselves?”
Kyle was silent for a moment, thinking. If Alp’tauum had really been destroyed by the Elements of Harmony years ago, then surely the Sha would have been around ever since. So why now? What had happened to make the Sha rise up?
“Could it be your arrival?” Luna asked. Kyle’s head jerked up in shock, and Luna ducked her own. “I mean no offense, Mr. Slater, but… the timing is suspicious at best. An alien arrives through an unstable portal, and less than a week later a threat emerges that is new to us but familiar to this alien. Do you see my -”
“No Luna.” Celestia interrupted. “Kyle has nothing to do with the Sha appearing at this moment, intentional or otherwise. I imagine something else has occurred to allow the Sha to roam more freely.”
“Wait a second… that’s it!” Kyle exclaimed. “Twilight told me before that the Elements of Harmony were sealed away now, correct?”
“Of course!” Celestia said, her eyes opening wide. “If the Elements of Harmony were what vanquished Alp’tauum in the first place, then it’s likely that their power was holding the remnants of his spirit at bay. The Elements were put back into the Tree of Harmony last month to stop the Everfree Forest from expanding. With their energy now sealed into the Tree, there’s nothing to hold the Sha back!”
“Except for the residual energy of the Elements left in their previous bearers.” Kyle finished. “It all fits into place! Their sudden reappearance, their apparent counter to the Elements of Harmony, their weakness to the Element bearers… it all makes sense!”
“But wait… Sister, you said the foals in the cavern were held in place not by Sha Energy, but by… Changeling Cocoons?” Luna asked, shuddering slightly. “Where do they fit into all of this?”
A sudden feeling of dread washed over Kyle. “Changelings. The insect-like shapeshifters?” he asked. The Princesses nodded. “I uh… may have an idea, but I… doubt it’s pleasant.”
“Little information surrounding this whole ordeal seems to be pleasant.” Celestia sighed. “Very well. How do you think they fit into this?”
“Well… On Azeroth, we have dealt with three Old Gods in the past.” Kyle began. “C’thun, Yogg-Saron, and the remnants of Y’shaarj. One thing tying them together is that each Old God seemed to have a race of insects serving it.”
“Really?” Luna asked.
“Yeah… Well, kind of.” Kyle admitted, rubbing his chin. “We never really figured out if the Nerubians were actually servants of Yogg-Saron, since most of them were controlled by the Lich King when we found them. But C’thun had an army of insects called the Qiraji, and when it was alive, Y’shaarj was worshiped by another group of insects called the Mantid. Both served their respective Old God with undying loyalty, and the Mantid even seemed to have some reverence for the Sha, even though the Sha of Fear completely wiped out their empire. So… this is kind of a scary thought, but perhaps the Changelings were once servants of Alp’tauum? And now they serve the Sha?”
“This is a disturbing thought.” Celestia said slowly. “But… it is a very real possibility, if what you say is true.” Celestia fell silent for a moment before speaking again. "We must warn our citizens.” Celestia said, pushing herself back into a sitting position. “If they do not know the threats, they cannot prepare for them.”
“But what should we say?” Luna asked, sitting up as well. “That the spirit of the creature that created Nightmare Moon has returned and is being assisted by the Changelings? Ponies will panic, Celestia. There will be chaos.”
“Ponies will die if we do not do something!”
The two sisters fell silent for a moment. Finally, Celestia looked over at Kyle. “What is your opinion, Kyle?”
“Me?” Kyle asked, surprised. “I, uh… I’ve never been good at politics. You’re asking the wrong guy, here.”
“But you know the implications of this situation more heavily than anyone else outside this room.” Luna replied. “If you had to make a choice, what would you do? Speak, or remain silent?”
Kyle took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “I uh… I guess I’d tell them the truth.” he finally said. “But only enough to warn them of the threats. Tell them to stay in groups and not to wander off after dark. Tell them that the Changelings may be coming back. But don’t tell them that the incidents in Ponyville are related to the Changelings. Princess Luna is right. We don’t need to start a panic.”
Celestia nodded. “That sounds reasonable.” she agreed. Luna looked unconvinced, but said nothing. “There will be an emergency announcement tomorrow, where I will tell Equestria of the threats we now face. Also tomorrow, the ambassador from Griffonia will arrive, along with the One of the Minotaur Chieftains and the Dragon Elder Council’s Head Speaker. Kyle, I would like for you to join us at the meeting. Your input would be invaluable.”
“I… suppose that would be alright.” Kyle said. “But… no speaking in front of a crowd?”
“Not unless you count five creatures besides yourself a crowd.” Celestia chuckled.
“Right right, I think I can manage.” he nodded.
“Very well. I’ll inform the guards that you’re to be treated as a national representative.”
“Shame I won’t be dressed for the part.” Kyle sighed, looking down at the remains of his clothes. His pants were torn and caked with dirt, and the tattered remnants shirt had been discarded long ago, being beyond repair, leaving only the bandages covering his chest.
“I’ll have Twilight send a set of the formal attire Miss Rarity designed for you.” Celestia replied. “It would be quite a hassle to send you back to Ponyville for one evening, only to drag you back here at the break of dawn tomorrow. If you’d rather, I have arranged for a room to be prepared for you.”
“I think that would be better.” Kyle agreed.
Celestia pushed herself off of the couch and moved towards the doorway back into the castle. “Come, Kyle. I’ll show you to your room.” Kyle stood up and followed the Princess out the door.
As the door shut behind him, Kyle saw Celestia speaking quickly to one of the guards flanking her quarters. The stallion turned to glance at Kyle with a raised eyebrow before returning his attention to the princess. He saluted sharply and spread his wings, taking off down the corridors. Celestia smiled and motioned for Kyle.
He followed behind as Celestia weaved her way through the labyrinth that was the castle. Again, he was forced to wonder how anyone could find their way around without a guide. After a few minutes of twisting and turning, Celestia stopped in front of a door and opened it. “I hope this is to your liking.” she said, stepping inside. Kyle stepped in behind her.
The room was quite comfortable-looking. Pressed up against the far wall was a rather large four-poster bed atop a slightly-raised platform with steps leading up to it. Cases filled with books lined the walls, and a reading desk was sat underneath the window, with a candle placed on the corner. A doorway on the right side of the room led to what appeared to be a bathroom, and if the steam was anything to judge by, a bath had already been drawn for him.
“It’s… more elegant than I’m used to.” Kyle admitted. “Honestly, I’m more used to a cot on the ground and a simple tarp between me and the stars. But I suppose this is a nice change of pace.” he added.
“Excellent. I’ll leave you be until morning.” Celestia replied, walking towards the door once more. “Make sure you get some rest. Tomorrow’s a big day.”
“Like there’s such a thing as a small day in this world.” Kyle shot back with a smile. The door closed as Celestia stepped into the hallway once more, leaving Kyle alone.
For a moment, Kyle considered just stepping into the bath, but a twinge from his chest told him that stepping into hot water wouldn’t be the most comfortable thing for his burn right now. Instead, he summoned another Healing Sphere, pulled a book out of the shelf at random and sat down on the bed. “The Elements of Harmony - A Reference Guide.” He read the title aloud. “Huh. This might be useful.” Kyle opened the book and…
… was interrupted by a knock at the door. Kyle sighed and set the book aside as the door opened and Princess Celestia stuck her head in once more. “Kyle, this just arrived for you. From Ponyville.” she said, levitating a small package into the room. “Twilight sent it to me through Spike and said it was for you.”
“Thanks.” Kyle said, taking the package. The door closed once more, and Kyle turned his attention to the package. “Alright Twilight, what did you send me?” he murmured as he opened the package. As he saw what was inside, his eyes teared up. He fell to his knees and sent a silent prayer of thanks to the Light before moving the package over to the reading table. “Dinner time.” he grinned, picking up the fork and knife that had been included and cutting into the still-warm slab of venison.