Second Verse, Same as the First

by Obsidian Chitin


Dungeon at Night

“Have you ever seen a changeling look like this before?”

“I can't say I have. They usually either look like the pony they're imitating, or they don't. I've never seen one go halfway.”

Rainbow Dash... No. She wasn't Rainbow Dash. She needed a name, but she was a changeling. She didn't deserve a name. She was nothing.

The changeling opened her eyes slowly. She was in a cell in some dungeon. Torchlight shone through the bars, illuminating four ponies inside the cold gray cell. Two of them were guards. Rainbow recognized the armor they wore signifying them as Luna's personal guard, though their special bat wings were just as obvious. Which made sense, since Luna was one of the ponies in the cell, wearing a look of curiosity. The other pony was Trixie, who seemed disgusted just to be in the same cell as a changeling.

The changeling didn't blame her.

“M... Mirror...” The changeling croaked out.

Luna frowned, but her horn glowed softly as the wall next to the changeling's bed shimmered and began to shine before becoming a mirror.

The changeling looked at herself. She was definitely a changeling, she had the same body structure and nuances, but her mane was prismatic and her coat was cyan. Her eyes were one solid red, though glowing softly. Her wings were bug-like. It's doubtful she'd be able to fly nearly as fast as she used to.

A quiet sickly laugh left her mouth. The mirror vanished. The laugh got louder, and fresh tears streamed down her face.

“Please... Please tell me you are here to end my miserable existence.” The changeling croaked out with a sad smile. “Here I am, a changeling who really does think she's somepony who she obviously isn't. I don't even hold a candle to the real Dash. I don't deserve to live...”

Trixie's disgusted look turned into a disturbed one.

“This one is different.” Luna said.

“Well, I've gathered that much.” Trixie said with an eye roll. “Can't say I've seen a changeling panic.”

“Indeed.” Luna said. She then approached the changeling and...

Hugged her.

The changeling's eyes went wide, and after a second she cried once again as she hugged back.

“Shush little one, everything will be okay...” Luna cooed.

“N-No, it won't! I'm a fake, a perverted parody of who I should be! I shouldn't exist!”

“Everypony has a purpose.” Luna replied.

“I don't! I'm... I'm just a stupid changeling...”

“You are different.” Luna said, which caused the changeling to stop crying.

“Wh-what?”

“You have the mind and the personality of a good pony. You may not have her body, but you have at least a small part of her soul. I've seen it in you.”

“You have?”

“Yes. You may not be Rainbow Dash, but you are still somepony.”

The changeling nodded.

“You need a name.”

Trixie frowned. “Well, it's just a cheap imitation of Rainbow Dash, so it only seems fair to call her Wob Niar.”

“Wob... Niar?” The changeling asked, confused.

“Rainbow backwards, obviously.” Trixie said with an upward turn of her muzzle.

The changeling rose an eyebrow.

“It was something I heard Pinkie talking about one time. Something about an evil twin. While you aren't a twin, and the princess seems oddly convinced that you aren't evil, the name suits you.”

The changeling paused, then nodded. She had a name. It was kind of a stupid one, but it was a name. She had an identity.

“Th-thank you so much, Trixie.” Wob Niar said with a smile.

“Don't thank me, this was Luna's idea.” Trixie said as she motioned her head towards the tall alicorn princess standing next to her.

“...Right. Thanks, Luna.” Wob said.

“You are welcome, Wob Niar.” Luna said. “I don't intend to keep you in a dungeon for the rest of your life, though I feel you will have... difficulties if you attempt to live on your own. Thus, you shall live with the Knights of Harmony.”

“The Knights of what?” Wob asked, her head tilted.

What?!” Trixie shouted, looking like she was just slapped in the face.

“The Knights of Harmony bear the Elements of Harmony in times of war.” Luna explained. “Trixie is the Knight of Magic, and you will live with her.”

What?!” Trixie shouted again. “That thing has to live with me?! I refuse!”

“Yet you were eager to help the poor thi- pony a moment ago.” Luna said. “Besides, I am the princess of the night, and you are my protege. Would you prefer that I pull rank?” She added with a mischievous smile.

“...Fine.” Trixie huffed, defeated. “But I'm not doing this alone! It's going to have to live with the other Knights of Harmony, too.”

“Wha...?” Wob said.

“Every day, you will be passed on to the next Knight.” Trixie explained. “First, I will have to deal with your sorry flank, then I get to toss you on to the next poor sap.”

“What?” Wob asked again.

“Urgh! Are you really this stupid?” Trixie raised her voice in frustration. “What I'm trying to say is-”

“No, it's not that.” Wob interrupted. “I get the living conditions. I just... When did you become Luna's student? What the hay are the Knights of Harmony? And why aren't you talking in third person?”

“Third... Person?” Trixie asked, a small blush on her face. “How did you... Never mind. How could you not know of the Knights of Harmony? You must know at least a bit about the Bearers of Harmony, given who you are copying.”

“Well, yeah! Twilight, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Applejack, Rarity, and of course me!” Wob said with a proud puff of her chest. The pride quickly deflated. “Well... Not me me, but... You get what I mean. Those mares are my best friends! Why wouldn't I know about them?”

“Well, did you really think that The Solar Empire would be the only nation with ponies dedicated to the Elements? Luna has her own group as well, led my none other than me!” Trixie said proudly.

“The Solar Empire? The hay is that?” Wob asked, irritated. “Last I checked, we lived in Equestria!”

“'Equestria' is not a country.” Trixie replied, “It's a political and economic union of The Solar Empire, The Lunar Empire, and more recently, The Crystal Empire.”

“Still, I haven't heard of a Solar or Lunar Empire!” Wob shot back.

“How dumb are you?” Trixie asked with more than a hint of arrogance. “Let me give you a history lesson. Many years ago, well over a thousand, Celestia and Luna triumphed gloriously over Discord. They both decided to take the reformation of the land into their own hooves. The land was split into half; One half was ruled by Celestia, and operates by day. We live in the other half, the Lunar Empire. It is ruled by the fair Princess Luna, and operates by night. Over here, ponies are nocturnal. While there are far less farmers in this country, there are far more industries, especially with manufacturing.”

Wob blinked, and the realization hit. “This... This isn't my world.”

Trixie frowned. “Come again?”

“It seems similar, but this isn't the world I know. The one I know has one nation, Equestria, not two. Celestia rules by day, Luna by night. And there aren't any Knights of Harmony, and you most certainly are not Luna's student!” Wob explained. “Also, you have a really, really obnoxious habit of speaking in the third person and referring to yourself as 'The Great and Powerful Trixie'. Even though you're neither.”

Trixie rubbed her chin with a hoof. “This is most puzzling...”

“I think I can offer an explanation.” Luna said. “It would also explain the state this changeling is in.”

“What's that?” Trixie asked.

“Something must have happened to a Rainbow Dash of another life.” Luna said. “Whatever happened caused her consciousness to be transported here, into the body of a changeling.”

“That could explain why you were able to detect Rainbow Dash's soul in her, even though we both know Dash is in Ponyville right now.” Trixie said with a nod.

“So I'm not even in my own world. Great.” Wob said with an eye roll. Though, without pupils or irises, one couldn't actually tell. “This day sucks.”

“So, you're not changeling scum.” Trixie said. “Not mentally, at least.” She added.

“No, I'm not. I'm Rainbow Dash!” Wob said with a smile.

“Yes, though perhaps you should retain the... unique name Trixie gave you for now. As stated, we already have a Rainbow Dash.” Luna said.

“Fine, I'll use Trixie's stupid name.” Wob said with a groan.

“Hey! I told you, Pinkie came up with it!” Trixie replied.

“When did she tell you that?” Wob asked.

“It was a while ago, after a Gala that went absolutely dreadfully.” Trixie explained. “She was going on and on about some mystery novel she was working with somepony named Lyra on.”

“What was it about?” Wob asked, curious.

“Something about somepony framing Rainbow Dash for murder. I don't really remember much, I tuned out most of it.” Trixie said.

“Yeah, she's a good mare, but she doesn't know when to shut up sometimes.” Wob admitted.

“Oh good, I'm not the only one who thinks that.” Trixie said. “Perhaps we can get along alright.”

Luna nodded, and turned towards the guards. The cell door was unlocked then opened.

“Let's go, my little ponies.” Luna said, then frowned. “You know, my sister says that all the time, but I don't really get why. It sounds rather awkward. I mean, you ponies are smaller than me, but not enough to be 'little'.”

“I'll admit, I find it weird, too.” Trixie said.

“One of my sister's quirks, I guess. That and her love of cake.” Luna shrugged.

Luna and Trixie led Wob out of the cell, and into a new life.