Shattered Harmony Part 1 - A Fallen Star

by Phazon_Corrupted_Unicorn

Prologue

“Get back here, Changeling!” the alarmed shout of a guard echoed through the castle, shattering the calmness of the day. A figure whipped around a corner and dashed down the hall, a bundle wrapped around it's chest.

“Need to get to the Princess!” the figure grunted as she ran toward the ornate doors at the end of the hall, each one decorated with a silver moon, emblazoned on a backdrop of navy blue.

“Stop her!” the figure heard the three guards chasing her start to catch up and she willed her hooves faster. She screeched to a halt in front of the doors, then she raised a hoof and slammed it against the metal barrier.

She didn't get more than two off before she was tackled to the ground. She gave a cry of protest and worry as she glanced down at the bundle. She barely had time to look at the angered face of one of the guards before her head turned sharply to one side and her cheek burned from pain. She alighted her horn and threw two guards off her, then she spun and slammed the third guard in the chest with her back hooves.

“I need to--” she started to say, panic in her voice, before she was interrupted by another hoof slamming into her throat. She gave a gurgle and coughed, trying to get her voice back.

“We will hear no lies from you, Changeling scum!” one of the guards stated, venom thick in his voice. She looked up just to see one of the guards turn around and shoot his hind hooves out, aiming for her nose.

“WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!?”

All three guards were thrown backward by the power of the Royal Canterlot Voice and the Changeling turned to look as Princess Luna stepped out of her room, her eyes alight with the fire of anger.

“Prin-” the Changeling tried to say, but her throat still hurt and her voice came out in a whisper. She took a few deep breaths and massaged her throat with one hoof, while the other pushed her off the floor so she could stand up, then she tried again. “Princess, please. You need to help me,” she begged, her feeling of concern came back with a vengeance. As Princess Luna turned to look at the Changeling, she could feel her concern shrink into a pinpoint and she cowered, wishing she was smaller.

Princess Luna turned her attention to the three guards that had gotten to their feet and were shaking their heads.

“Captain, why doth thou and thy comrades do interrupt our day?” her voice was calmer, but the anger was still there.

“We apologize,” the captain bowed, then he straightened and glared at the Changeling, “but we found this Changeling scum running through the castle, looking for you. We tried to prevent her from disturbing you, but we have been unsuccessful.”

“Indeed,” Princess Luna sneered, anger being replaced with slight frustration.

“However, we wish to rectify what we can,” the captain stated and he motioned to the other two guards, who moved forward, “we will be taking this thing to the dungeons where Princess Celestia shall deal with her.”

“That won't be necessary,” the two guards froze at the statement, then looked at Princess Luna, “if she desirest to talk with us, then we shall grant her such an appointment.”

“Princess?” the captain asked, “are you sure that's--”

“If thou hast forgotten, we are an Alicorn. We are quite capable of defending ourselves from any attacks,” Princess Luna waved the three guards away then, without waiting for acknowledgment from the guards, she motioned for the Changeling to follow her.

The Changeling glanced at the three guards, then cautiously followed the Princess of the Night beyond the ornate doors. She jumped slightly as the doors closed behind her with a soft thud. She glanced up at Princess Luna and her mouth hung open.

Now that she was standing close to the Princess she was taken aback by the sheer size. The Princess stood twice her height, her wings folded back. The Changeling shrank back until she felt the bundle move slightly against her chest, then she remembered why she'd made the trek and a small flame of courage ignited in her chest.

“What is thy name?” Princess Luna asked, sitting on a navy cushion embroidered with her cutie mark.

The Changeling swallowed, then answered, “Shrapnel, your Highness.”

“Shrapnel,” the Princess repeated, then smiled, “I apologize for the treatment thou hast received at the hooves of our sister's guard. If thou didst require an appointment, then thou couldst have made one during Night Court.”

“I tried!” Shrapnel burst out, then caught herself, “but the guards took one look at me and tried to have me arrested, for something I didn't do! I wasn't here during the invasion! I didn't have time to explain to the guards my reasoning, so I bolted into the castle, hoping to run into you.”

Princess Luna raised an eyebrow. “Why wast thou hoping to run into us? Would that not cause us pain?” she asked.

“Uh, what?” Shrapnel asked, then her brain processed the statement, “oh, no!” she said quickly, “not physically run into you, I was hoping to talk with you and give you something.” She pulled over another cushion and moved it in front of her, then she untied the bundle from around her neck and gently laid it on the cushion.

Princess Luna leaned forward, curiosity apparent on her face. She pressed her nose into the bundle, then pulled back as she felt it move slightly.

“What is it?” she asked, then gasped as Shrapnel pulled away the blankets that obscured her view.

There, lying on the cushion and fast asleep, was a small Changeling foal. The small band of chitin around it's middle shimmered in the soft light of the room and, as Princess Luna watched, the tiny gossamer wings on it's back buzzed slightly against the blanket. It yawned softly, it's small fangs shining in the daylight, and sparks blossomed out of it's stub of a horn.

“This is my son,” Shrapnel said, gazing down at the sleeping foal with a loving look in her eyes, then she looked up at Princess Luna, “I want you to raise him.”

Princess Luna pulled her head back in surprise, “why us? We are a Princess, and thus we have many duties.”

“Because,” Shrapnel gazed up at her, “you do not bear the same hatred for our kind as your sister does. I don't want my son to grow up in a land where he learns to hate others. Queen Chrysalis was right about one thing. Equestria has more love than any other land, and it's that kind of magic that I want my son to learn,” she looked down at her foal who had pulled the blanket over him and rolled over, “I want my son to show others of Equestria that we are not something to be feared, but that we're caring and can be helpful, if only they give us the chance.”

Princess Luna nodded in thought, “it is true that we do not bear the same hatred for thy kind as our sister, but would not the guards get suspicious if we were seen with a Changeling foal by our side?”

“He is not old enough to understand how to use his latent changing ability, but perhaps you could use an illusion spell on him?” Shrapnel asked, after thinking for a second.

“The only illusion spells we know are proximity spells,” the Princess replied, then sank into thought. “But,” she said slowly, “it would give us an excuse for thy child to remain close to us.”

Shrapnel nodded in agreement and smiled, then she looked at the Princess, staring down at her child. “Then, you'll do it?” she asked, cautiously.

Princess Luna thought for a while as Shrapnel fidgeted during the wait. Then Shrapnel gave a yelp and jumped slightly as Princess Luna nodded, meeting her eyes.

“We shall do it. We shall raise him as thou wouldst. It will be difficult, but we see a higher return than the costs,” she agreed.

Shrapnel let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. “Alright,” she said, “I'm not sure how much you know of mothering, but Changelings are different from other Ponykind.” She scooped up the sleeping foal in her hooves and passed him over to Princess Luna, who took him and stood there, staring down in wonder and confusion at the child.

Shrapnel moved closer to the Princess, “The first thing you need to know is...”

Princess Luna stood there, holding the child in her hooves for the next four hours while Shrapnel went over the duties and responsibilities of being a mother. Princess Luna subconsciously raised the moon when it was time while Shrapnel concluded her lecture, then stood and looked lovingly down at her child. Princess Luna didn't miss the look.

“Perhaps thou wouldst enjoy being part of our maid staff? It would allow for thee to see him whenever thou wouldst like,” she suggested, causing Shrapnel to blink, then step away, waving her hooves.

“Oh no, I'm afraid I've been away from the hive for too long. While I've fed off some of the ambient love that pervades Equestria, I am in need of a more concentrated dose,” she stood and moved to the door, then paused as she looked back at the small Changeling. “He doesn't have a name. Changelings are given a name after they reach the age of five and they have found a niche to fill in the hive. I understand that other Ponykind name their children when they are born, is this right?” Princess Luna nodded, and Shrapnel continued, “then perhaps you would like to name him?”

Princess Luna was taken aback, then turned to look out her balcony windows, at the night sky. She stared at each of the stars, as well as her glowing moon, then she turned back to Shrapnel.

“We have found a good name for the child,” she stated, her horn glowing slightly and, as Shrapnel watched, a bright star appeared in the night sky where there was none, “We shall call thy child, Midnight Star.”

“Midnight Star,” Shrapnel stated, then nodded and smiled, “it's a good name. I'm glad that my mission was a success.” She trotted over to Midnight Star, still asleep, then bent down and gave him a kiss on the forehead, below his horn. Then she walked back to the door and pressed a hoof on it. “Goodbye, my son,” she pushed open the door and slipped out, leaving Princess Luna and Midnight Star standing in the middle of the room, moonlight shining down on the Princess of the Night, causing her mane to glow and cast a halo of sparkling lights around the small foal in her hooves.

“Midnight Star,” Princess Luna whispered, then turned and laid him down on the blanket, wrapping him up and slinging it around her chest. Her horn glowed and she felt a drop of magic distill on the child. Happy, she walked out the door, shutting it behind her and heading down the hall to start Night Court.

Author's Note:

Chapter one, or more like the prologue, of Shattered Harmony! Here we meet Shrapnel, Midnight Star's mother, and Princess Luna, his caretaker.

As always, read and comment. If you like something or don't like something, tell me in the comments. Don't just downvote without a reason. I want to hear it!

Comments

[dream1990]

i love it a lot and i can't wait to see more chapters for this story when they come out

[Phazon_Corrupted_Unicorn]

3123897
Thanks! Chapter one will probably be set in the future, after the show. I've got ideas for it, I just need to organize them and write them down. This story I hope to make my best work, as I've had this one floating around in my head for the past six months, working out kinks and smoothing out ideas. I just hope that I can write down what I have in my head as sometimes it's hard.

[dream1990]

3124584 Your welcome and ok

[Ampathy-Engine]

My two favorite things in mlp: Luna and Changeling!
i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/293/590/6f6.gif

[Phazon_Corrupted_Unicorn]

3125214
Glad you enjoy it so far! As Discord would say, "Twists and turns are my master plan."