Chapter 1: Revelations
The hoof mirror had been floating in the same place for nearly half an hour as Sweetie stared at her reflection. She had spent much of the previous night doing the same. It was strange, the changes being minor, yet striking.
“Sweetie, please,” Rarity said suddenly. “If you keep staring like that, ponies will start to think you're vain.”
She and Virgil had come over to see how the newlyweds were settling into their new home. Virgil had decided to make breakfast before they left on their honeymoon and the aromas wafting in from the kitchen were mouthwatering.
“Sorry, Rarity,” Sweetie said, looking at her sister with a smile.
Rarity had to keep from flinching. She knew dragons that bonded to another took on physical traits of their mate, but to see slitted, draconic eyes staring out from her baby sister's face was... unsettling. Thankfully, Rarity was distracted by a roar of irritation from upstairs.
Spike came storming downstairs. “How do you deal with this thing?!” A comb dangled from his hoof-and-a-half length mane where his head spines used to be. “I'm gonna cut it off!”
“Don't you dare!” Rarity scolded. “Your new mane may take some getting used to, but I think it's quite lovely.”
Rarity's magic took hold of the brush and got to work as Spike crossed his arms in a huff. As she worked to tame Spike's unruly mane, Virgil exited the kitchen, balancing a plate in each paw. The first was placed in front of Spike and Sweetie, being their hosts. The next two were for Rarity and himself.
Rarity looked at her sister's plate, specifically the two sausage links beside her crepe. Fluttershy had noticed Sweetie had developed sharper teeth at the reception and Sweetie wanted to see if her diet had changed to match Spike's. She had sampled a bit of chicken from Spike's plate, and found the taste to be quite appealing. This was strange because she had tried it once before out of curiosity and had nearly thrown up at the bitter, rotten taste. Midnight had also mentioned how different some things tasted to him since becoming a pony, so she assumed it was related to one’s dietary needs.
“Are you sure this doesn't bother you?” Rarity was snapped out of her thoughts by Sweetie's question.
“Oh, I'm sorry, Sweetie. No, it's merely... unusual. I just need to become accustomed to it. Did you, by chance, adopt his love of gems?”
“No, thankfully. I tried to taste one but it just hurt my teeth and tasted like dirt.”
“Well, that's a good thing. It will be expensive enough keeping gems for Spike,” Rarity pointed out. “Now, finish up. You don't want to miss your train.”
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Morning in the Apple household tended to follow a schedule one would think was set in stone. Of course, parties like the one the night before tended to interfere with that. Not to mention when said celebrations brought in visitors from out of town, the Apples tended to offer their guest rooms. That being said, there were still chores to take care of and Big Mac was still in bed at seven in the morning.
Applejack wasn't stupid, nor was she deaf, and with her room right next to her brother's, she knew he wasn't alone in there. And so, once again, she was trotting down the hall with a malicious grin. One of her favorite games was 'give the floozy the boot', and it was game time.
She threw the door open and yelled out, “Alright, big brother. Time for breakfast. You too, Miss Quick n' Easy. You've served your purpose here so if ya can...” She trailed off as she yanked the sheets from over her brother and his play thing, dumbfounded.
“Um... Good morning,” the mare said awkwardly.
Applejack rubbed her eyes, trying to remove whatever was in there causing her to see things. Still, the same sight as before. Of all the thoughts running through AJ's head, one stood at the forefront of her mind at that moment.
Ah just called Princess Luna 'Miss Quick n' Easy'!
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Never before had breakfast at Sweet Apple Acres been so... uncomfortable. Applebloom had shoveled her food down and ran out the door, likely trying to escape from the situation. Velvet and Orion, however, were rather enjoying it as they sipped on their coffee. The older couple were definitely glad they took Applejack up on the offered guest room. They might have missed this otherwise.
“S-so, uh... H-how did y'all two... You know... hook up?” Applejack asked nervously.
“Sir Macintosh was delivering some of your family's cider to the palace and had stopped at a local pub for a drink before returning to his hotel. I was also visiting the same pub.”
“Really?” Applejack asked, honestly interested now. “When was this? He ain't made that run for a few years.”
“Well,” Luna hesitated. “Shortly after I tried out for the Wonderbolts?”
“You tried out for the Wonderbolts?” Orion asked. “Isn't that a little... Unfair? I doubt they would turn down a princess.”
“I took the guise of a pegasus. I have always loved flying, and seeing as I had few royal duties at the time, I wanted to fly with the best by my own merits. Sadly, there was still much I was unfamiliar with of this era. Though I had learned to speak as the common pony, that which is considered appropriate behavior for a stunt flier had changed, unbeknownst to me.” Luna sighed. “I made an utter fool of myself, nearly hurt many ponies, and almost ruined my friendship with Rainbow Dash.”
“So, y'all knew each other for that long?” Applejack asked.
“Eeyup,” came her brother's reply.
“When did y'all become an item? Are y'all an item?”
“Three months ago,” Luna answered. “I had asked him to keep it a secret, as to protect the privacy of your family, but I meant from the public, not his kin.”
“Well, Princess, in his defense, tellin' the family is 'bout the sa-” Applejack was cut off by the front door slamming open and a distraught Applebloom running past, tears streaming down her face.
“What happened?” Velvet asked after processing what happened.
AJ sighed. “She was probably turned down by Twilight.. again. Ah swear, that girl needs to just let that go.”
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Applebloom shut her door behind her and collapsed on her bed.
“I'm sorry, Applebloom,” Nightshade said from within the young mare's head, trying to comfort her friend.
“Ah just don't get why she's gotta be so stubborn 'bout this,” Applebloom said quietly. “Even Midnight said he's okay with it, so why ain't she?”
“I don't know. Maybe she was in a herd once and had her heart broken?” the deceased filly offered.
“Maybe.” Applebloom flopped onto her back and let out a sigh. “So... You said you had an idea?”
“Well, you might want to come in here.”
Applebloom raised an eyebrow. “Why do Ah got the feelin' this is gonna be one of them ideas you're gonna have to talk me into?”
“Uh... Because it probably is,” Nightshade admitted.
“Alright, Ah'll hear you out.” Applebloom closed her eyes and took a breath, relaxing against her pillow. The sensation of falling only lasted a few seconds before her hooves clicked on the marble floor of Nightshade's chapel, its resident sitting at her favorite pew. Applebloom took a seat beside. “So what's this plan of yours?”
“Well...” Nightshade began slowly, clearing her throat and refusing to make eye contact. “I'd like to talk to her myself.”
Applebloom looked at her as if she grew a second head. “Uh, Nightshade... She can't see or hear you, remember? How are you gonna talk to her?”
“Um... That's the part you might not like,” the young unicorn said as she winced. “I'd have to use your body.”
Applebloom blinked slowly, her friend's words struggling to find purchase in her mind. Eventually, what was being said clicked, but the meaning eluded the farmer. Clarification would be needed, a well thought out inquiry into the details of the scheme.
“Huh?”
Nightshade finally managed to look Applebloom in the eye, though her nervousness was still obvious. “B-basicly, you would hang out here for a bit, and, um, I'd take over your body.”
Applebloom was taken back by that. “Ah-Ah don't know. Havin' somepony else usin' mah body is... Wierd. What if Ah don't like it? Ah don't know how to talk to you from in here.”
“Oh, that's easy, you just talk,” Nightshade assured her. “And if you decide you don't like it, all you have to do is walk out the door and you'll get your body back.”
Applebloom bit her lip, thinking about whether or not to go along with it. After a minute or two, she released a breath and held out a hoof. “Alright, Nightshade, let's do this!”
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“... So I just said, 'Honey, that's not a banana.’”
An uproarious laugh filled the room at poor Orion's expense. He knew his beloved wife could be a vindictive bitch sometimes. She had even warned him that his cheesecake theft wouldn't go unpunished, but he didn't think she'd break out that story, and to the princess no less.
“Do not be ashamed, Orion Sparkle,” Luna said, trying to reassure him. “The first time I had seen one, I thought a stallion had angered my sister. Tia was quite embarrassed when I confronted her. She has yet to live it down.”
“Alright, y'all,” Applejack managed after regaining her composure. “Enough 'bout royal dildos. Ah'm still wantin' to ask you a few questions, princess. Now, just ‘cause you're a princess don't matter one bit. Mah family comes first. Ah want to make sure you ain't gonna break mah brother's heart.”
“I understand, Applejack,” Luna said. “My sister and I have always been rather critical of each others-”
“I'm going out,” Applebloom said, cutting off the princess on her way out the door. “I'll be back later.”
“She seems to have recovered quickly,” Luna stated.
Applejack let out an exasperated sigh. “Ah swear, there's somethin' goin' on with that girl. Princess, can Ah talk to you in private?
“Of course,” Luna replied, allowing the earth pony to lead her into the kitchen.
Applejack cleared her throat as she turned to Luna. “You know all that psycho mumbo-jumbo, right? How do you know if somepony's crazy?”
Luna raised a brow at that. “Why? Do you believe Applebloom to be ill in her head?”
“Ah ain't sure no more. She's got an imaginary friend.”
“At her age? That is rather unusual.” Luna pondered that for a moment before continuing. “Is there anything you can tell me about this imaginary friend? Anything at all could help deduce the cause of this unusual behavior.”
Applejack took a moment to think about that before shaking her head. “Not really anything about the friend, but she's been actin' more and more... Well, not herself. Ah did hear her call it 'Nightshade', though. Sorry Ah don't got more for you... Uh... Princess?”
Luna was staring off into space, eyes wide with shock, before shaking her head and looking back at AJ. “Nightshade...” After a moment, she turned back to Applejack, a stern look in her eyes. “Gather the others and meet me at Twilight's house!”
With that, the moon princess lit her horn and vanished, AJ's concerned inquiries ignored. She reappeared on the front step of the house attached to a great oak. Luna knocked a little more vigorously than she normally would have. After several minutes, Luna pondered whether or not to go inside. Surely they would understand if it turned out to be nothing, right?
The dark ruler took a deep breath and wrapped the door in her handle. It opened with ease, not even locked.
“Hello?” she called, stepping inside.
Only silence answered.
“Midnight? Twilight? Is anypony here?”
“Yes,” Came an answer just before she was slammed into a wall, held by a dark aura. “Long time no see.”
The mare that stepped out from the shadows still resembled the young farmer, though the cat-like eyes were a far cry from normal.
“Nightshade!” Luna growled. “Let her go!”
“Oh, I will... As soon as I overthrow a tyrant. I want you to deliver a message to your sister.”
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The sound of whimpering echoed off the pristine, white walls. Chains rattled as the mare pulled at her bonds. Despite all her strength, they held firm. Her hope was crumbling, replaced by the feeling of being betrayed and used.
“W-why?” she cried out. “Ah thought you were mah friend!”