//------------------------------// // Prologue: Let Me Tell You A Secret // Story: The Changeling Who Broke The World // by Bucking Nonsense //------------------------------// "Let me tell you a secret..." "Inside of Canterlot Castle, there is a secret room that only Princess Celestia goes into or out of. This room is filled with magical mirrors, each one being a gateway to another world. Celestia has been creating them in her spare time, trying to work out a way to find a very specific world. Why? Well, you didn't hear this from me, but a thousand years ago, she went into one of those alternate worlds, and met her very special somepony. Crazy, right? You'd think that she'd have looked a little closer to home for a sweetheart, but..." "Well, anyway, the mirror she went into ended up getting messed up somehow, and she couldn't return to that place using the original mirror, no matter how much she wanted to. Whoever locked up that mirror did a real number on it, and even she can't break the spell that bars the way. However, what was done once can be done again, so she's tried, over and over again, to recreate that one mirror. Of course, if there's an infinite number of alternate worlds out there, then it would take a very, very long time to find the right world. Of course, she has the time, and the patience. Gotta say, I hope that whoever that guy is, he's worth waiting for." "But in the meantime, that means that there's who knows how many mirrors that lead to other worlds. Some of those worlds are radically different from the one we know. Worlds that have never seen unicorns, pegasai, earth ponies, alicorns... or changelings." "Ah, now I've got your attention, don't I?" "Good. Lay your bag of bits on the table, and I'll give a little more information. Just remember that, if you get caught, you didn't hear this from me. Celestia would have my hide if she found out I told anypony about this. No, that's not a euphemism: When I got banished from Equestria, she said that if she ever found out I divulged privledged info, she'd hunt me down and have me skinned. Still, money's money, and it ain't like you're planning on using this to hurt anypony, after all." "Just one other thing you should know, though: Some of those mirrors, I've heard, have a transformational effect. What that means is, some places don't have anything remotely like creatures like you or me, so when you pass through, you get turned into something else, something that does exist there. I have no clue what it might do to a changeling, but I don't think you'll mind. From what you've told me, since we've started drinking this morning, being a changeling stinks. I reckon you'd jump at the chance at being something other than what you are now, right?" ------------------------------------ "Let me tell you a secret..." "Inside of Canterlot Castle, there is a secret room that only Princess Celestia goes into or out of. Rumors say that this room is filled with magical mirrors, each one being a gateway to another world. Celestia has been creating them in her spare time, trying to work out a way to find a very specific world. Why? Well, you're a little bit young to understand, but the princess once traveled to another world, and fell in love with a handsome king there. However, a wizard placed a curse upon the mirror that leads to the one she loves, so she's been trying to make a second portal. It hasn't worked yet, but she keeps trying..." "Anywho, in the meantime, the mirrors that don't go where she wants, she keeps locked away, in case she ever needs to return to one of them." "That means that there's who knows how many mirrors that lead to other worlds. Some of those worlds are radically different from the one we know. Worlds where there's no magic whatsoever, and worlds where everyone, from the smallest peasant child to the mightiest of rulers, can perform magic." "Ah, now I've got your attention, don't I?" "Good. Come sit here with me, and I'll tell you a little bit more. Now, these mirrors are kept in a special room, like I said, but it just so happens that there's a secret way into that room: See, one of those mirrors loops right back around into our world, right? It's connected to a natural mirror, a chunk of crystal in an otherwise unremarkable field. It's less than an hour's walk from here, so it's easy to reach. The two mirrors connect once a day, and only for a short period of time. I'd say about three minutes, so you'll have to be quick. When the sun is at its highest, you can walk right into the crystal, and come out in Celestia's secret room." "Why doesn't Celestia know about this? Well, when she tried the mirror, she walked through just before it closed, so she thought that it was just a one way trip, I think. Anyway, it's a very short window of opportunity, but once you're in, you can search for the world you want with no problems. The best part is, magical knowledge can transfer from one world to the next, and you, little lady, know more about magic than most unicorns. You can go in, learn everything about how they do magic there, and come back here, still able to work spells. Imagine how impressed Celestia would be if you were to walk up to her and show her that you're just as good at magic as Twilight Sparkle is... or even better? You could wind up being better than every unicorn in that special school of hers put together." "Anyway, you didn't hear this from me. Just make sure you go in at a time when Celestia won't be likely to catch you, like, oh, say, the wedding tomorrow. Just remember one thing, though: No matter what world you go to, Friendship Is Magic. The day you can grasp that one fundamental truth will be the day that you can truly make magic your own." ------------------------------------ "Do you truly think that it will work, dearest?" "I certainly hope so, love. Our world has been locked in unending strife for far too long. The cycle has been repeating itself for eons now, and no one thinks to try another way. A wheel that spins, yet goes nowhere, should not exist. The cycle must be broken, so that our world can begin to move forward. That cannot be done by anyone other than an outsider, someone not bound by the cycle from birth. I just hope that they'll forgive us for manipulating them so." "It was not done with malice, so I think that they will. That young filly has a good heart, in spite of all the misfortune piled upon her young shoulders, and that changeling... well, I believe that, when he sees what our world has become, he'll understand why we've done all of this. Besides, they'll have each other for support. Together, they should be fine..." "I'm not worried about them getting hurt... Well, not too worried, anyway. I worry more about what will happen when they meet... her."