//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 - Changeling for the Better? // Story: The Changeling Princess and the Student of Love // by Pen Mightier //------------------------------// ~Chapter 1~ - Changeling For the Better? - A Few Weeks Ago, Hearts and Hooves Day Kitchen, The Royal Apartments, Crystal Palace, Crystal Empire "The perfect stallion you and I must find~" A cheerful voice sang over the sound of the steaming pot and the merry crackling of the fire oven. Four hooves trotted on light, airy steps across the crystal linoleum floor as their owner bustled about the kitchen. Their owner's pink horn glowed with a soft, pink radiance that flooded almost every surface across the kitchen, filling it with industrious activity. Vegetables flew in a holding pattern around a busy chopping board, salads tossed themselves excitedly into the air, even the bread dough seemed to puff up with pride before her expert leadership. " One to really make her heart soar~" Princess Cadence stood for a moment amidst the organized chaos she was conducting flawlessly to sing into a soup ladle, swaying from side to side to the rhythm of her own love song. "This one's not too young, not too old~ This one's loving, charming and bold~" A voice joined hers at the door. A maya-blue unicorn sporting a straight, silky two-toned blue mane trotted in to join the princess. The princess gave a little giggle as she gestured for the unicorn to share her laddle. "Ladies and gentlecolts, give it up for the talented Minuette!" The princess announced to their imaginary audience. The blue unicorn echoed her giggle before quickly joining in by her side. "This one's not too silly, not too uptight." They joined their voices together, matching their rhythm without dropping a beat. They both noticed another unicorn mare standing in the adjoining dining room, carefully balancing a stack of plates and cutlery in her soft lilac magic. "Take it away, Twinkle Shine!" They called out to her. "Uh, um...." The unicorn's marshmallow-white coat turned a shade of pink as she peered back at them bashfully from underneath her soft, puffy lilac mane. "I, uh..." She glanced down at her hooves, as if hoping she might find the lyrics tattooed there. "Ah..." She shifted uneasily, ears drooping as trepidation rose. She shot the two expectant mares in the kitchen a few fearful awkward glances, almost begging them to have mercy on her. Fortunately somepony else stepped in for her. Unfortunately she wasn't the most helpful of ponies. "Give it up." A voice called out from living room. The young midnight-blue thestral mare lounging on the loveseat pointed an accusing hoof at the awkward unicorn. "We haven't heard a proper peep from her since the wedding. Why should she start now?" "Tsk, Night Blossom, we've been over this." The maya-blue unicorn, Minuette, quickly spoke up before Cadence could. "You may be the next princess to Transylmania, but you're here as her highness' Lady in waiting. Everything you say and do reflects on princess Cadence and the mentoring she gives you." She said, sternly. "Now Twinkleshine and I may not be princesses but we're your fellow hoofmaidens, and we must treat each other with respect and kindness as her highness has so rigorously taught us." "Yeah, yeah, mom." The thestral, Night Blossom, waved a hoof dismissively at her fellow hoofmaiden. "I'm just trying to be helpful here. You and her went through the whole bridesmaid changeling mind-control thing at the wedding. Can't you, y'know, talk it out of her?" "Night Blossom!" Minuette snapped angrily, "This isn't the place or time to bring that up! Show some sense!" "I'm afraid I must agree." Princess Cadence said, softly yet firmly. "There is such a thing as tact, and I'm afraid...." She looked around at the trembling Twinkle Shine. "Oh, Twinkle Shine, dear, it's alrig-..." Before she could stride over to comfort the quivering unicorn she had already bolted out of the room in a flood of tears. "Twinkle Shine!" Cadence called out, making to race after her. Except the saucepan chose to boil over and the kettle to whistle at that exact moment. "Oh, by the Crystal Heart..." She swore, turning her attention back to her cooking. "Minuette, please go after Twinkle Shine." "Yes, ma'am." Minuette nodded, rushing out of the kitchen after her fellow hoofmaiden, pausing in the living room to shoot Night Blossom a dirty look before carrying on her way. The thestral rolled her eyes as she rolled off the couch and onto the floor. "I was just trying to help, Princess." She quickly explained with a sigh as she shuffled over to the kitchen, fluffy bat ears bowed low. Her golden harlequin eyes seemed to be filled with genuine regret. "I know, Night Blossom." Cadence sighed, efficiently taking the reigns of her kitchen once more. "You're just..." "Yeah, I know. I know." Night Blossom said impatiently. "I look in the mirror too, you know. You don't have to spell it out." "Twinkle Shine still feels guilty over what happened at the wedding. Well, she and Minuette both." Cadence said, patiently. "Minuette's just handling it better. But being brainwashed by changelings into turning on your loved ones is no small matter. I think both have shown great courage in even coming out of their rooms since." "So she just needs to get over it, right?" Night Blossom concluded. "Well, yes. But it's not as simple as..." Cadence began, as patiently as she could. "Yes! I know exactly what she needs to get over it!" Night Blossom suddenly tapped a hoof triumphantly against the floor. "I have it, princess! A way to help her! I know somepony who knows somepony who can definitely get her over this." "That's excellent, Night Blossom. But I think you should...." Cadence ventured. "I'll get on it right away!" Night Blossom cantered off, half-propelled by her hooves, half-rushed by her wings. "....tell me what you have planned first." Cadence sighed to herself, shaking her head. "Princess Celestia, you made it seem so easy." She sighed, recalling her own tenure as a hoofmaiden to Celestia. In Cadence's quiet zeal in coming into her own as a princess she had decided to take on hoofmaidens, to help educate ladies in waiting as is the royal Canterlot tradition. Her little ad for hoofmaidens had garnered more attention that she expected. So much so that she had had trouble turning down applicants, both hopefuls and hopeful parents. Minuette and Twinkle Shine were earnest fillies, both very promising. Both of them having been her juniors in school helped. Night Blossom....had her heart somewhere around the right place, Cadence was sure. The bright and quick-witted thestral was just rough around the edges and showed as much promise as she did attitude. She wouldn't have been her first choice but Luna had quietly intervened, urging her to take on the young thestral as she was likely the Principality of Transylmania's last hope for a sane government, difficult as it was to believe. Her hoofmaidens had gotten along like a house on fire, literally. The cheerful if overbearing Minuette, the tactless Night Blossom and the quiet and withdrawn Twinkle Shine tended to rub each other in all the wrong ways. Sometimes she suspected she was all that kept everything together. She was more right than she knew. Unfortunately, the whole wedding fiasco hadn't helped at all. She had hoped to try and bring the three closer together by making them her bridesmaids. That plan backfired almost immediately. Night Blossom had given up entirely on Twinkle Shine and Minuette and walked out, prompting her to get Lyra Heartstrings as a last minute replacement. And then there was the untold damage done when the changelings gatecrashed the wedding. Worst of all was their brainwashing poor Minuette, Twinkle Shine and Lyra into turning against their own princess. Minuette had been profusely apologetic for months. Twinkle Shine had been entirely inconsolable, withdrawing so far into herself that Cadence had had to struggle to even get her to come out of her room. The oven timer's jovial ringing brought her attention back to her labours. Yes, for tonight at least she had more important matters to focus on, namely Hearts and Hooves day. With everything that's happened since the wedding and the crystal heart incident, with both having been occupied with getting the fledgling nation back on its hooves, they've had little to no time for each other. But tonight it'd be a night for just the two of them. It would be perfect! She had channelled Twilight Sparkle and her borderline obsession in planning the evening. She had everything planned and listed out to the last detail, everything from all of Shiny's favourite dishes to a cozy candlelit dinner by the fireplace to 4 hours of scheduled cuddling and snuggling as is Shiny's habit, and... "Cadence, honey?" A voice called out from the living room. Speak of the handsome demon! "Yes, Shiny, dear?" Cadence trotted over to peer out of the doorway, putting on her brightest smile. Her smile quickly fell as she noticed how her handsome colt of a husband had his royal guard dress uniform on, a suitcase by his side. "Oh..." Her mouth became a touch dry. She quickly picked herself up, grimacing as best as she could. "Is everything alright, dear?" She asked, walking over to her husband, trying to sound as supportive as she could despite her rising dread. "Yes, everything's alri-..." Shining Armour's brilliant blue eyes fell a little as he sighed. "No, it's not. I'm sorry, hon, they want me in Canterlot urgently. Again." "That's alright, Shiny. You are needed by many after all." Cadence said, understandingly. 'Not just me.' Cadence reminded herself, bitterly. "I wish." Shining Armour rolled his eyes. "I'll be honest, Cadence. I flipped the cart with our wedding, and then with the whole Sombra mess. And now there's me moving out here, away from Canterlot. I suspect the court wants to consider a replacement." He sighed in admission. "No surprises, really. At the rate I'm going Twilight would make a better guards captain than me." "Oh, Shiny." Cadence pulled close to him. "Come on, hug." She said, sternly. "Cadence, I..." Shining blinked. "You need a hug. Hug now." Cadence said in a tone that could silence manticores and move obese nobles into running marathons. She raised her forehooves invitingly for him. Between that and her stern look there was no room for escape. "Thank you, hon." Shining sighed, pulling her into a tight embrace, squeezing her mane against his broad chest. "I don't care either way. With you, I need nothing else, my love." He whispered into her soft, silky mane. Cadence felt a light tug on her heart at his words. She knew he was lying. Being guards captain meant the world to him. But she still appreciated his words. She felt more than just a tug, her heart falling away through her stomach, as she was lifted up into Shining's strong hooves. She gave a soft little squeak, quickly curling her forehooves around his neck for support. But she knew deep down it was unnecessary. There was no place safer than Shining's forehooves. "My Cadence, my love song~" Shining sang, softly, twirling around gently with her in his forehooves. "Love's in bloom wherever you go~ I know I can't win, without you by my side~" Cadence sighed as she gazed back up at his soft sapphire blue eyes. "I've loved you since the day we met~ I need you here by my side~" She sang, caressing the soft fur of his cheeks with a forehoof. "Oh, Shining." She sighed. "You'll be fine, I'm sure. You went above and beyond what any other soldier, any other stallion, would have done for his country and his loved ones. Celestia would have nopony else for guards captain." She said, reassuringly. "I know I wouldn't." "Thank you, hon." Shining nuzzled his wife on the nose playfully. "I love you, so so much." "And I, you, my Shining Armour." Cadence gave him a light peck on his cheek before climbing out of his forehooves, though reluctantly. "Would you like dinner before you go out saving the world?" She quickly offered. "My train leaves in 15 minutes." Shining said, shifting a little nervously. "They're already holding it for me." "Then take a pegasus chariot." Cadence reasoned with a pout of protest. "Haha, yes, arrive in Canterlot in style with a crystal pegasus chariot. That's exactly the message the court needs." Shining quickly shook himself, "Sorry, hon, what I meant was, 'that's kind, but no thanks'. The chariots are yours, for your use as princess. I need to be seen doing this by myself, even if it's something as trivial as taking the train." He reasoned, returning her peck on her lips. "Oh....you were cooking dinner, weren't you?" He eyed the kitchen, biting his lip with regret. Despite how busy she was with matters of state his kind, loving wife, all-powerful alicorn princess of an entire nation, always sparred time for the trivial things like making him his meals. "I'm so sorry, hon." The pain on his face was evident as he glanced between the kitchen and his wife. "Gah, why do I mess up everything I touch! I..." "Ssshhh, it's alright, Shiny." Cadence pushed a forehoof up against his lips. "It's alright, it was just some soup and sandwiches." She said, lying perfectly. "Go on, don't miss your train. I'll be waiting right here for you." She said soothingly. Shining gave her a grateful if watery smile. "Thank you, hon. You're the best love song ever." Shining gave her one last hug before hefting his suitcase in his magic. "See you in two weeks." He threw her a casual salute before trotting off. "Two weeks..." Cadence's heart managed to fall even further. "Yes...see you." She allowed her brave facade to drop as the front door to their royal apartments closed behind him. It felt like the door just closed on her own numb heart. She didn't get to wallow in whatever it was she was feeling for long before she was interrupted by a low murmur. "Whoah, smooth." The comment was punctuated by a loud smack. "Ouch!" "Shut up, Night Blossom." Minuette's voice hissed. "Uh, busted." She squeaked as Cadence turned to face the three young mares huddled behind a corner of the living room. "Sorry, your highness, we were just worried." She said, apologetically. "Um, yes, sorry." Twinkle Shine nodded, meekly. "Jeez, how lame was that." Night Blossom muttered, earning herself another sharp nudge from Minuette. "Ouch! Hey!" "Come and have some dinner before it gets cold, girls." Cadence sighed, gesturing at the dining room. "We might as well eat everything ourselves." She sighed, her appetite long since gone out the door with Shining. "Thanks, but I'll pass. I've got a hot Hearts and Hooves date waiting for me- OW!" Night Blossom got another rap on her dawn-blue mane. "Minuette, what gives?!" "Princess, I know just what you need." Minuette ignored her fellow hoofmaiden's protests as she trotted out to join her princess. "You need some quality me-time at the crystal spa tomorrow, have yourself an invigorating crystal mud bath, a rejuvenating massage, a revitalizing cream bath..." The maya-blue unicorn sighed wistfully. "Then you'll feel all youthful and beautiful again." Without any warning she struck the finishing blow. Cadence seemed to freeze in her tracks, turning to stone faster than Discord receiving a mouthful of Harmony to the face. "Princess?" Minuette leaned in in front of her princess' face, her face suddenly twinged with concern. "Equestria to Princess Cadence." Night Blossom waved a hoof in front of Cadence's face. "Minuette! You broke the princess!" She said accusingly. "What?" Minuette shot back. "All I said was....oh." She threw a hoof in her mouth. "Ooops." She mumbled around her hoof. "I swear you only open your mouth to switch hooves." Night Blossom rolled her eyes. "Now, gimme a second while I unbuck your mess. Princess, you're an Alicorn Princess. You're by definition eternally..." Night Blossom was about to be the voice of reason when Cadence interrupted her. "H-he's l-lost interest...already." Cadence wore a haunted look on her face, eyes wide with panic. "S-Shining's a-avoiding me." She gasped, clutching her face. "It's these wrinkles, it must be." She squeaked, stretching her face, feeling her deep imaginary wrinkles. "With everything that's happened I must've left myself go. Oh, Shiny, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" She cried. "Princess, that's just silly!" Night Blossom snapped, "You're an alicorn princess! You're eternally young and beautiful! That colt's just blind and stupid if he....!" She received a kick in the shins from Minuette. "Ouch! Minuette!" She barked, "That's it! I've had it with you!" She dive-tackled Minuette, sending them both rolling away behind the nearest sofa. "Argh! Bring it, bat!" Minuette shot back. "Y-you two!" Twinkle Shine rushed forwards to push the two apart. "I-I need to do s-something." Cadence's panic, meanwhile, went on unabated. "My emergency stores! That's it!" She gasped, grasping for her last pereceived shred of hope as she rushed off for her room, leaving her hoofmaidens to sort themselves out for once. Ten minutes later found Cadence and Shining's room an upturned shipwreck with contents of drawers and cupboards upturned and emptied onto the floor. A veritable mountain of bottles and containers was slowly growing in one corner as Cadence tossed bottle after bottle of ointments, creams and cosmetics out of her latest rummage. "Here it is!" She declared triumphantly as she finally uncovered her sought-after treasure at the bottom of her vanity mirror's innermost drawer. "Flax and Wheat's Magical Honeysuckle Youth Extract." She read out the bottle's label. She had received it from her good friend Rarity after her brief stint making beauty products at Flax and Wheat's Wellness Centre. "Yes, if anything will help me, it's this!" She declared, excitedly unscrewing the bottle with a touch of her magic. In her zeal she overdid her magic and upturned the bottle, upending its contents in the drawer. "O-oh no!" She cried, trying to salvage what few precious drops of the magical remedy she had left. "Oh, by Crystal Heart..." She swore, realizing there was a book at risk of getting damaged by the spill at the bottom of the drawer. She quickly fished it out before the honey extract could ruin it. Then it struck her. 'What's a book doing in there?' She thought, frowning a little, her spilt honey extract forgotten for a moment. She eyed the book, turning it over and over. It was not of common pony-make, fashioned out of unrefined flattened bark rather than their usual parchment and more modern paper. The single green heart insignia on the cover quickly reminded her of what it was. She had found the mysterious tome in her room following the fiasco of a wedding. Thinking it must have belonged to that horrible changeling queen, she had almost thrown it out. Then she stayed her hoof, realizing that, as princess, it was her duty to investigate potential threats to her nation. But she had since hidden it away and forgotten about her little project. Now it has resurfaced, at such a moment too. She bitterly cursed her fortune. Things had gone downhill since that ruined wedding. She flipped through the pages of the tome absentmindedly as she reflected on how Shining had slowly grown distant since, becoming busier and busier with his guard captain work. She knew he felt guilty for almost failing his nation and her, twice. That's just how he was. But what if there was more to it.... "I am a mess." Cadence sighed, placing a forehoof on her cheeks, feeling more imaginary wrinkles in her immaculate fur. "Why am I wasting my time on this, I need to..." She was about to toss the book aside to go back to salvaging her honey extract when she noticed something. There, on the page open before her, was a little note pinned in with a teal green mane pin. Unlike the rest of the book the note was written in Equish. "Youth Shapeshifting Spell." It read. Cadence's eyes widened. A manic, hopeful little smile played across her lips. This was it. This. Was. IT!