“No, I don’t actually remember why I decided that.” Luna confessed. “And that doesn’t explain why you called us sisters.”
“That… actually makes this little less believable.” Hunter sighed as he sat down under a tree. “You might as well sit down, we’ve got a lot to cover.”
As Luna took a seat across from Hunter, Selene chose a spot next to the human. “I must ask, how are you sitting so close to an alicorn?” Luna asked. “For that matter, how were you able to take hold of me? Before it seemed impossible for us to share such proximity without you suffering from near debilitating levels of pain.”
“From what we’ve been able to figure out, it has something to do with being in the dreamscape… dreamrealm? world of dream? here. It seems that the thing causing my headaches only works while in the real word.”
“I am unsure how that would work.” Luna admitted.
“It has to do with your physical body, not your consciousness. When I fell asleep there was enough space between us so that I wouldn’t get any headaches. Now, I have to assume when you do this dream visit thing your mind leaves your body; therefore, no pain.”
“That is sound reasoning.”
“Oh, and we’ve figure out what’s causing the headaches.”
“You’re getting off track.” Selene said while gently poking Hunter with her hoof. “Start at the beginning and move forward from there.”
“That sounded far more cliché than you probably intended. I do understand what you were going for though.” Hunter chucked then turned back to Luna. “Right, sisters, ok. At some point after my daring escape from the diamond dogs, I came across an ancient magic stone-”
“He means he fell and landed next to it.” Selene teased the human.
“That showed me several visions of the past.” Hunter continued, trying his best to ignore the alicorn mare that was now gently prodding his ribs. “One of which was of how two little fillies got their cutie marks.”
“One of which?” Luna asked.
“Yeah, we’ll get to the others later.” Hunter answered. “The relevant one showed a pair of fillies joining a group of unicorns to raise the moon. Once the moon was fully raised, they all looked up to see that it was only half there.”
“Only half there?” Luna asked.
“Half moon, the first half moon.” Hunter answered. “Along with two fillies who had just earned their cutie marks; a crescent moon, and a gibbous moon.”
Luna studied the human carefully, she had never know Hunter to be untruthful, and she wanted to believe him, she had no memory of what he was talking about. Shifting her focus to the mare sitting next to the human, Luna was unsure of what to make of her. Her impression of this other mare always lead her back to Nightmare Moon, but something no longer sat right with that assessment. The strange mare’s cutie mark was of the gibbous moon, and not her own crecent one. Thinking back to when Hunter had been taken by the Diamond Dogs and she had entered his dreams in order to find him, Luna remember the concern that this other mare had for Hunter; the desperate look the mare had when she told Luna where the dog’s had taken him. Hunter’s voice drifted through her mind as Luna recalled a part of the scene she didn’t know she had heard. Hunter had called out a name, it wasn’t Luna’s or any pony that she was familiar with. Instead it belonged to the mare sitting next to Hunter; the mare who had protected him, the mare that he had placed his trust in. As the mare’s name echoed through Luna’s mind, a flood of memories came rushing in.
“I remember.”
“So, how are you?” Discord asked.
“Discord, you spin some tale that somehow both changes everything and nothing.” Celestia answered. “Not only did Luna have a twin sister, but you combined them into one being, which then became Nightmare Moon. Now you ask how I am? How do you think I should be?”
“You seem to be rather confused,” Discord replied, “and somewhat agitated. Both very proper responses in a situation such as this one.”
“Discord. Now is not the time for levity.” Celestia said sternly. “If you are capable of merging two beings into one, are you therefore capable of separating them?”
“I… I don’t know.” Discord confused. “My phenomenal cosmic power has always been used to mix things up, not straighten them out. I’m not even sure how I would go about doing such a thing.”
“Why am I not surprised.” Celestia sighed.
“Are you even sure you want to try?” Discord asked. “They have been one pony for a long time now, it might be better to leave her the way she is.”
“What exactly are you suggesting?”
“They are probably no longer two beings, instead they have completely merged.” Discord elaborated. “If that is the case, then trying to separate them will only do more damage. Besides, think how your precious little ponies will react when they find out that you have a second even more secret sister.”
“They will learn to accept her, just as they learned to accept Luna.”
“Aren’t you getting ahead of yourself? Discord asked. “Not only do you not know how to separate them, if they can be separated, or even if you should.”
“Then what exactly are you suggesting that I do?”
“Be patient for just a little while longer.” Discord smiled. “After all, when a human is involved, things are neither simple nor straight forward.”
“May I ask you something?” Emeraldium asked, turning towards Blueblood once Luna entered the dream realm. “The human, Hunter, you said he’s attracted to the princess?”
“Did I?” Blueblood answered. “I do recall telling you about the rumors about him and aunt Luna. They are just rumors though.”
“It does seem likely,” Emeraldium countered, “I saw the look on their faces when they first saw each other.”
“Even if there is some attraction there, they are unable to act on it.” Blueblood sighed. “It really a shame when you think about it.”
“So he is open to the idea of being involved with a mare then, correct?”
“I suppose, but why are you asking?” Blueblood queried, unsure if he liked the direction the conversation was taking.
“Why? Are you jealous?” she teased. “Don’t worry, when it comes to love the more the better.”
“J-jealous?” Blueblood stammered. “N-no, I am not jealous. I have seen many a mare chase after a stallion for their position or wealth.”
“Oh-ho, are you speaking from experience, young prince?”
“More than you could know.”
“The prince has a dark side, I like it.” Emeraldium smiled seductively.
“I’m… flattered? Where you not just talking about being interested in Hunter?”
“I also said the more love the better.”
“I do remember you saying something along that line, yes.” Blueblood nervously said, inching away from the mare.
“If he isn’t interested in pursuing the princess, what type of mare do you think he’ll go after?”
“I’m sorry, but what?” All the fear that was in Blueblood voice was replaced by utter confusion. “I don’t understand the question.”
“The human, do you think he’ll fall for somepony like me?”
“I… have no idea.”
“I just need some love…”
“Ummm, pardon?”
“I’m sta... so lonely. My job takes me all over and I never really get a chance to connect with somepony. I know the old stories about humans, how full of emotion they are. I just want… just need a little bit of that.”
“A little bit of that?” Blueblood asked. “Wait… there is something familiar about you.”
“F-familiar?” Emeraldium stammered. “No, I don’t think so.”
“Are you sure? Perhaps at one of Fancy Pants’ social gatherings?”
“I doubt that we have ever met before. I’ve only been to Canterlot once, and it wasn’t for a social gathering.” the mare replied.
“Oh, I could have sworn that we met. Your voice, it sounds very familiar.”
“My voice?”
“Yes, your voice. Your accent, and speech pattern… your coat and gems… did you attend the Great Galloping Gala?”
“No.”
“Then did you attend the Summer Sun Celebration?”
“Did you not hear me when I said it wasn’t for a social event?” she demanded.
“No, no, I’m going to figure this out…” Blueblood said, now ignoring what the mare had just said. “If it wasn’t at the Gala or the Sun Celebration or one of Fancy’s get togethers, then it must have been at the Nightmare Night Masquerade Ball!”
“Why are you still listing social events? I clearly said I never went to one.” the mare said as her annoyance began to build.
“Not the Ball? Then the Hearth’s Warming Eve pageant?” Blueblood asked again, seemingly oblivious to the mare’s irritation.
“Are you even listening?”
“Harts and Hooves day?”
“If you won’t listen, then I will make you listen.” she threatened, channeling magic into her horn, causing a brilliant green aura to appear.
“The Royal Wedding! The one between Princess Cadence and Shining Armour.”
The mare froze at the mention of the wedding, her eyes darted back and forth and her magic disappearing. “Wedding… I was never at…”
“I knew it!” Blueblood exclaimed. “You voice, your magic, it’s exactly the same as Queen… oh dear…”
Hunter woke with a jolt. In front of him was the mare he had just met, who was busy staring down Blueblood who had somehow wedge himself between the human and the wall.
“What?” Hunter groggily said as he tried to piece together what was going on.
“Hunter! You’re awake! That mare isn’t a mare!” Blueblood blurted out. “Quick, use your weapons and strike her down!”
“What?”
“I mean, she a mare, but she’s not a pony!” Blueblood explained, as he moved to ensure that the human was still between him and the mare. “Use your weapons! Use them before she devours us!”
“What are you going on about?” Hunter demanded as he tried to turn to face Blueblood.
“That pony is a changeling! Not just any changeling, she’s… she’s…”
“Queen Chrysalis.” Luna said as rose to her hooves. “I am surprised to find you here. Although after your defeat at Canterlot, I would be surprised to find you anywhere.”
“I’m surprised that you found me at all, princess.” Chrysalis taunted as a wave of green magic washed over her, abandoning her disguise in favor of her true form.
“Well that’s… different.” Hunter muttered, studying the changeling’s new form. Questions about what was now standing before him raced through his mind. Was she an insect with pony qualities? A pony with insect features? Neither? Both?
“I must ask, do we have to worry about any other changelings?” Luna asked, her voice breaking Hunter’s thought process. “You are the Queen of the Changelings after all.”
“Was the Queen of the Changelings.” Chrysalis corrected. “My failure during the invasion, and subsequent inability to feed my changelings led those that survived to… remove me from power.”
“So, this is the changeling that you told me about?” Hunter asked as he stood. “She’s odd looking, but not worth panicking over.”
“‘Odd looking’?” Chrysalis asked.
“You were just trying to eat him, you don’t get to complain about what he calls you.” Blueblood scolded Chrysalis from behind Hunter’s legs.
“Eat me?” Hunter asked. “Really? How does that work?”
“They leach all of your emotions away until the only thing that is left is a mindless shell.” Luna explained.
“That sounds unpleasant.” Hunter remarked. “Like having a lamprey biting into you.”
“Did you really just compare me to a leach?” Chrysalis demanded.
“You were planning on eating him,” Blueblood countered, “I think he gets to make what ever comparison he wants.”
“...fair enough.” Chrysalis relented.
“So, why me?” Hunter asked. “Not to sound mean or anything, but you could have grabbed Blue and been gone while Luna and I were off in dreamland.”
“I could have, but he was not who I was after.” Chrysalis answered. “My real target was you.”
“Me?”
“Yes. I know the old stories, the ones that talk about how full of emotions humans are. If I had managed to subdue you and return to the hive with a human as my prisoner, my title, my crown, it would all be restored.”
“Why, though? Why would bringing me to your hive restore your position?”
“Because it is said that human emotions are far greater than that of a pony; that a human who loses control over their emotions are capable of far more than any pony. The stories say that a single human could feed a hive or weeks. Seeing you here, I am inclined to believe them.” Chrysalis said, licking her lips and smiling.
Unease washed over Hunter, as the expression on the changeling’s face twisted into a strange combination of hunger and lust. Hunter’s feet shifted as his hand slowly moved towards the c8 carbine he was carrying.
“I can sense it,” Chrysalis lustfully said as she moved towards the human, “everything you are feeling, your fear of me, the concern you have for your friends, the hesitation to attack, all topped off with just the slightest amount of anger. It is delicious. You are delic-”
Chrysalis was cut off as a blue bolt of magic energy struck her. Reeling from the impact, the changeling turned to face her attacker.
“You are just as careless as they said you are.” Luna said, her eyes narrowing as she challenged magic into her horn. “To focused on what is in front of you that you never see anything else. Now, surrender and I won’t harm you.”
“You speak a pretty big game, princess.” Chrysalis taunted. “But we both know who will win.”
“Yes, we do; and it shall not be you.”
“You forget that I once overpowered your dear sist-” Chrysalis was cut off by the sound of rubber striking flesh a moment before she collapsed to the ground.
“Huh.” Hunter muttered, looking over the unconscious changeling. “That really is the worst case of tunnel vision that I ever saw.”