“How did you ever handle it?”
Celestia looked up from the comfy she was drinking, looking over at Cadance as the young mare came up beside her.
“Handle what?”
“……how did you handle carrying that thing?”
“Ah, you are wondering how I handled my daughter Pupa.”
The look the look that came over Cadance’s face then caused Celestia to frown, “and I am also wagering from your expression that you are wondering how I could see her as my daughter.”
“…Ye…yes, I have a hard time seeing it, I mean…their changelings!”
“And they are a beautiful race Cadance, and I cannot believe you would allow your mind to be so poisoned against that truth.”
“But that was over a thousand years ago,” said Cadance, “they’ve changed Celestia, they have become monsters and if you would just…”
“Cadance,” said Luna behind her, “we cannot believe you would speak this way, we thought Celestia taught you better.”
“But…but they….”
“Cadance,” said Celestia softly, “I understand you anger over this, but with the Crystal Empire back the changelings have a chance to redeem themselves, and besides, eventually you ponies will want to trade with them once again.”
“WHAT!”
Celestia sighed, and then twitched, her eyes flashing green for a moment before she turned towards Luna. “Luna, take care of this, I must go.”
“Celestia what just…” started Cadance, only to stop as Celestia left the room, turning to Luna with a questioning gaze. "What was that…why did her eyes…”
“I expect Chrysalis was contacting her, for Celestia has long been connected to the hive mind.”
Cadance actually looked sickened, and Luna knew where her mind was taking her. “Before you vocalize that thought, Celestia would never let her personal feelings for her daughter Pupa or her lover Anthra get in the way of protecting her ponies, and after the attack she spent days going over every one of her memories to make sure she had not missed anything, to make sure she had not heard anything from the hive, which she had not, for in their starved state, the hive had shut her out.”
Cadance continued to look sickened, causing Luna to growl, “Cadance whether you like it or not, your crystal ponies will someday soon come to you asking to let the changelings back into their empire.”
“But why?”
“Because Changelings and Crystal Ponies share a symbiotic relationship, for before the empire was built, Crystal ponies were the ones who provided food for the changelings. Crystal Ponies are as you know fountains of love, and due to this, they can supply infinite amounts of love without repercussions. Also, Crystal ponies are immune to changeling coercion magic, and have an innate sense of when that magic is being used by rogue changelings. On the other half of the coin, in exchange for their love, Changelings grant Crystal ponies the ability to manipulate crystal, and can also grant unique abilities to any others who willingly give their love, how else do you think Celestia was able to move the moon?”
Cadance’s eyes widened, “what…you don’t mean, but that doesn’t make any sense, Twilight was able to move the sun and moon and she…”
“She is the alicorn of magic, and because of that she has a knowing far beyond even ours. It was through the combined efforts of Pupa and Anthra that Celestia was able to call upon the magic to move the moon, and it was changelings years before them who made it so that the unicorns of old could move both the sun and moon before we were allowed to take up our stations. Changelings are more important to the working of the world then you will ever know if you remain blinded so, and they will continue to be so if Twilight agrees to carry the child, so you must learn to accept them.”
Luna then got up, heading for the door before stopping as Cadance spoke up.
“Would you have…have carried it?”
“Without question,” said Luna, “and I would have considered it the highest of honors. Now, I suggest that you return to the Crystal Empire and clear your head, for until you do, you will only be a hindrance here.”
She then turned and left, leaving Cadance alone with her thought, and a hope that the young alicorn would see the darkness that had grown in her heart…before it was too late.