Silver Spirit, Ghost of Equestria.

by Powerdrainer

Echoes Of The Past

Edited by Slayerseba, Halusm, and Clawder.

Special thanks to JarOfHearts

Echoes Of The Past

<<>><<>><<>>

Plunging into the depths below the city, hair whipping around in the wind, energy began to build as Danny silently argued with Eclipse and Fenris.

The burn mark on his back, inflicted by Sweetie Belle, lost to the fear she consumed, still smoked as he gritted his teeth in anger.

"Because they are worth fighting for!" he roared.

Thumb Thumb

With an instant burst of light, the Murgröna awoke; its light spreading out into the city as Danny shot up to save Sweetie Belle from herself.

Yet unknown to any there, something else reacted as well.

Slowly spinning on its pedestal, the Crystal Heart began to pulse; a rhythmic beating, lasting for only a few seconds, yet it sent a ripple of shock through all the crystal ponies present to witness this event. And before long word reached the recently crowned royal couple.

Of course, this unexpected event sparked an investigation, while rumors and fear began to spread like wildfire.

What happened to the Heart? Why did it beat like it did, only to fall silent again? Was it somehow related to Sombra?

Princess Cadance and Shining Armour did their best to calm their subjects to the best of their abilities, but the shadow of Sombra still hanging over the crystal ponies after all those centuries of subjugation could not be easily undone with mere words.

Adding to it was that neither Cadance nor Shining Armour witnessed the event; nor was Cadance able to find anything wrong with the Crystal Heart itself. Yet those who did were insistent on what happened, and with no explanation available and Sombra potentially still out there, the Heart was placed under twenty-four-hour watch and princess Cadance had to be notified the instant another event transpired.

"And I. Will not. ALLOW YOU. TO HARM THEM!"

Thumb Thumb

The Heart pulsed again with a vibrant light, lasting for nearly ten seconds with a dozen guards and hundreds of crystal ponies to witness; the light fading in the last pulse right as Princess Cadance teleported to the scene.

Again no explanation could be found or given, and the Heart resumed its slow spin as it spread its protective influence across the empire; watching the one it connected with; waiting for the one whose heart beats true.

A protector.

A savior.

A crystal knight

<<>><<>><<>>

"And that is how we changelings drain the various positive emotions from our targets," Erlea finished, her voice echoing in the mostly empty and long unused classroom. "So knowing that-"

"Hold on," Sweetie Belle interrupted, sitting on the floor near a lectern; the only wooden item still present of the original furniture. "I get the active feeding thing, where you use your bite. But this passive feeding, eh…"

With a sigh bordering on a groan Erlea sat down on the spot, a hoof held against her head. "I already explained this three times now," she grumbled.

"Sorry," Sweetie Belle squeaked.

"We latch on to the bond of love, in whatever form it exists between our target and the pony, or other, we're impersonating. Then we use it to siphon this energy into ourselves," Abella explained, also present in the room because, by her own words, she did not want to miss this.

"But how does that work?"

"Trust," Danny said, leaning against a wall as he watched, mostly silent until now. "Kinda obvious in hindsight," he remarked, scratching at his stubble. "They think the disguised changeling is their friend, family, or loved one, which has its own bond of trust. And trust is what they need to latch onto to feed as it happened with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. The difference is, this trust is not for them, nor do they trust whoever it is they feed upon, which may explain why this passive feeding is not as filling to them, and damaging to their target in the long run. They take something that is not theirs."

He paused for a moment, lost in thought.

"Of course this is different with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. It's still passive feeding, but there is trust between both parties. And as we have seen, it is far more filling than the other option."

All three present looked at him, Sweetie Belle in dawning understanding, Abella and Erlea in surprise and awe.

"I've seen a lot in the Murgröna," he answered to their stares. "Please, continue."

"Right… yes, that," Erlea fumbled. "Ehh… so apparently trust is a big part of this… which we somehow missed… ehh… Hold on a moment," she groaned, rubbing her temples.

"Need some help?" Abella snickered.

"No, I can do this. Just give me a moment."

"It's okay to struggle with this," Danny told her. "Before now, all you had to worry about was surviving and screw the finer details. But now, a change like this isn't easy. Even for the tribe of change. So take your time."

"Yeah," Sweetie Belle agreed. "... Wait, a tribe of change?"

"Right, you wouldn't know," he said. "Why not explain this to Sweetie Belle," he suggested, looking at Erlea. "Perhaps you'll figure out how to continue as you do so."

"But that means we need to tell her our entire history up until the fall of Yoke," Erlea replied, confused.

"Yes, yes it does," he grinned slightly. "And who knows, maybe you can both learn something from this."

"You're plotting something," Abella said suspiciously, leering at him.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Danny answered with obvious fake innocence.

"Right," Abella drew out the word, then snorted. "Might as well give it a shot. Erlea certainly isn't getting anywhere with her incredible teaching."

"Hey!" Erlea protested, but failed to counter the point. "If we do this, you need to help as well," she grumbled, looking at Danny. "We all know the story, but only from being told by the others. The Murgröna wasn't able to show us any of that due to its dormancy."

"Fair enough," Danny agreed as he sat down beside Sweetie Belle. "Still, this is your history. So you two tell this story, and I'll add the finer detail when required."

For a moment Erlea was silent, though the small ear twitches gave way to Danny she was conversing over the hive mind.

"I'm right here, you know," Abella deadpanned, revealing the recipient of this unheard conversation.

"Eh, what?" Sweetie Belle said, confused.

"Erlea most likely asked her over the hive mind if she agreed with my suggestion," Danny chuckled as Erlea looked at him, surprised. "The ear twitches gave it away."

With a groan, Erlea slunk down, hooves over her ears. "Of course you would recognize that now."

Danny laughed in amusement, needing a moment to compose himself before nodding in agreement.

"That, and more. But we're getting distracted here. Sweetie Belle still needs to learn how to control her hunger, and you need to relearn what it is to be a changelink."

"So that is what you're up to," Abella jumped up, then hissed in pain; slowly sitting back down again while holding a hoof to her bandaged barrel.

"Yes, it is," Danny confirmed. "And when you teach Sweetie Belle about what you are, you can rediscover who you were in turn".

"Eh… What?" Sweetie Belle said, completely lost.

"Well then," Danny smiled. "Time to tell a story."

<<>><<>><<>>

"There is also another matter we need to discuss," Frostbite said after draining his mug.

"Which is?"

"The numerous duplicates of you, and the problems this will cause in the long run."

"Problems? What do you mean?"

"Right now several different versions of you are out there. This on its own is nothing to worry about. In fact, if all of you were focused on the same task there would not even be a problem. But each different version of you is living a vastly different life compared to you. The longer this goes on, the more out of sync you will be with the rest. This will cause a lot of strain on your mind once you remerge with them, as different memories will overlap. It would be most wise to keep the time split to no longer than a day, otherwise, it may become a difficult ordeal to merge all of you together again."

"That… sounds kinda obvious now that you said it."

"These things usually do, but worry not. The time you have been split should not have been too much to cause any major problems; though do expect some… discomfort. Especially from your side of the experience, with everything you have learned in the short time you have been here."

"And then there is whatever is going on over at Ponyville," Danny sighed out as he reached for the lukewarm drink on the table before him. "Life can never be simple to me, can it?"

'Master, something has happened!'

Eclipse’s return was as sudden as it was alarming. So much so Danny leaped up from his seat, alarmed, he didn't even realize he knocked over his half-full mug of cocoa.

"Great One, what is it?" Frostbite asked, alarmed by Danny's sudden movement.

"Apologies," Eclipse's voice came from the floor, and two glowing eyes materialized in the returned shade. "A lot has happened since I left, not all of it good."

"Explain!" Danny demanded, and Eclipse did; relaying everything his Ponyville counterpart said had happened to him and the need for knowledge to possibly have a fighting chance against Discord.

"No," Danny groaned. "Never simple at all."

<<>><<>><<>>

With a bark, Cujo phased through a tree in chase of the scent he was following. Behind him, Danny flew around the obstruction carrying the same duffle bag he 'borrowed' from the Apples when he was out to gather something to eat.

This time, however, the contents of the bag were vastly different.

Numerous herbs and berries filled the bag for about a quarter, though it was already too much as far as Danny was concerned. The reason for which being the pungent stench coming from the haze berries he collected.

He did know they stunk, the knowledge of the Murgröna aiding him. It was a strange method this type of magical foliage used to maximize its spread.

At first, the smell it produced was sweet and enticing, drawing animals in. But when they eat a certain amount, the smell becomes one of rot and decay, scaring them away. Then it reversed the process to draw in new carriers for its seeds.

The stench also gave away just how potent the berries were, and these stank worse than anything he had smelled before this.

Of course, it would fade over time, but the less stink there is the less potent the brew would be the berries were used in.

In fact, the handful of berries Danny studied back in the hive barely had any smell to them, which explained in part why he was so ill-prepared when harvesting them fresh from the plant and why Zecora used so much of them in the first place.

It was also why Cujo kept a distance between the two of them.

At least the smell would scare away any creature in the forest otherwise interested in hunting them. Except for any and all manticores who held these plants within their territory for their initial attraction to animals. Bring their prey to them, so to speak.

The stench emitted and now hanging thickly around Danny could very well bring them to him, knowing the scent of a potential prey wandering too deep into their hunting grounds.

"I really should have gotten those things last," Danny muttered, breathing through his mouth.

Still, what's done is done, and now he followed after Cujo as they searched for the remainder of ingredients Zecora needs.

With a bark, Cujo slowed down, nose in the air and sniffing rapidly.

"It's close," he called out as Danny landed, putting the bag on the ground between a tangle of tree roots.

"How close?" he asked. However, before Cujo could answer something slammed into his chest, knocking him off his feet with a cry.

"Are you okay?" Cujo asked, cautiously stepping into view for the downed human.

Danny, lying dazed on the ground, looked up at the entangled branches. A substantial weight pressing down on his now bruised chest.

"Tackle weed," he groaned as the softball-sized seed rolled off him; the fine barbs covering its surface, meant to hook into an animal's fur like velcro, unable to grab onto his spandex suit.

"Well," Cujo said, his nose close to the large seed, "found it."

"Yay," Danny groaned unenthusiastically.

Slowly sitting up, Danny glared at the seed the appropriately named tackle weed had flung at him.

"Magical world, magical creatures, magical plants… eugh. And this is not even the first time I've been attacked by a plant. At least I know there aren't any more of these things around."

"You sure?" Cujo asked.

"Yeah, tackle weeds always grow a distance from each other due to how they spread their seeds: throwing them at high speed at any creature they feel approaching through their root system. The seed will then get stuck in their fur, forcing them to carry the damned things around for a few days before it falls off. Though each plant only produces one seed, because of how large it is. Fortunately, that also means one should be enough for us… I hope."

Grabbing the slightly malleable seed, Danny shoved it in the bag; its many barbs instantly hooking onto the rough fabric and forcing him to apply some intangibility to stuff it all the way in.

With a grunt he swung the bag over his right shoulder, once again regretting his decision to collect the more difficult to gather ingredients.

Shaking his head, and forcing himself to ignore the smell hanging around him, he took to the air once more.

"Let's just go and get the rest of the things we need," he muttered.

'Master, I return with news,' Eclipse made herself known, almost causing Danny to drop his bag.

"Gha! Eclipse, don't do that," he called out after catching himself.

"I'm sorry," she said as her eyes materialized in the shadow now returned to Danny.

Shaking his head, noticing Cujo looking at him, he gave a small upwards nod to the green pup telling him to continue.

"Fine," Danny replied as he followed after Cujo. "You can talk on the way. But I'm sure that whatever it is, it can't be worse than the stink I'm carrying right now."

Eclipse quickly informed him, and he soon learned he was wrong about his assessment.

<<>><<>><<>>

Having observed the progress of Danny from a distance, the Elder had retreated back to the sanctum of Tree of Life.

Just like the young man, others were working on improving themselves. Though not always aware of doing so, or with a clear goal in mind.

Even then, it came as no surprise to her when she found one of the seeds fully grown; shining a bright but not blinding orange, and she knew young Scootaloo had grown in ways she did not yet realize herself.

Sadly, her friends seemed to be far behind, though the growth of this kind cannot be rushed.

It did come to some surprise, when she inspected the remaining two seeds, she found one of them glowing. It was a faint but strong glow, and she knew the one connected had taken her first step towards growth.

Done with her inspection of Tree of Life's children, she set her sight on Tree of Life herself.

"Your daughter has grown incredibly since we last saw her," she said warmly. "Necronomicon found a wonderful spot for her to take root. I'm sure you would approve. She certainly enjoys her place in the world. And she has your sense of humor as well," she added with a chuckle.

Some of Tree of Life's leaves rustled in a non-existent wind and the Elder's smile faded.

"But there is still a lot that needs to happen before they are truly ready. The children still have much to learn, and Daniel has only just accepted his role of savior after so many years of denial and regret. They all need time to mature. Time, I fear, they do not have. Their paths are clear to me for the next few steps, but blurred in uncertainty the further I look."

Tree of Life stood silent.

"I fear for what is to come, and that I will not be able to see it in time," she placed a hand on Tree of Life's trunk, sighing deeply.

"I hope this plan works."

<<>><<>><<>>

After the worrying warning from Eclipse regarding Discord, Danny had made his way over to the library once more, avoiding several familiar, and a couple of unfamiliar ghosts on his way there.

Now standing at the entrance, the doors open and uncountable rows of books greeting him, he stepped inside and moved towards the reading nook in which he knew he could find the Librarian.

Hovering on the spot near a burning fireplace, a stack of literature on either side and several sizable books hovering before him, the pages turning every now and then, the Librarian hummed contently as he took a sip from a steaming cup; the distinct smell of tea reaching Danny as he approached.

"Hello," he called out, and the Librarian paused mid-sip.

"Daniel Fenton," the Librarian said, lowering his cup and books to a table, then turned to look at his guest. "Back so soon? And not to return a book I see, which means the allure of knowledge has beckoned you once more."

"It has," Danny nodded. "The books you lent me have proven invaluable already, but other things have happened after that."

"As they usually do. So, tell me, how may I be able to assist you this time?"

"Apparently a powerful reality bender is out there. Name's Discord, and a real pain in the backside. I hoped there is a book here that may help me figure this guy out. Maybe even his lifebook, though I doubt I'll be that lucky."

"Discord?" the Librarian repeated, slightly shocked.

"You know him?"

"No, but I have heard of him. Once. Necronomicon spoke of him during one of our conversations, though he quickly changed the subject when he did and refused to speak any more of it, nor did I pry any further into this matter."

"And the secrets just keep coming," Danny muttered, shaking his head. "So Necronomicon knows Discord. Probably the other way around as well, which tells me absolutely nothing," he sighed. "Nothing new there. Anyway, I think I still know my way over to the lifebooks. Is it okay if I go there myself and see if I can find anything that could be of use to me?"

"I have no problems with you going on your own. The lifebooks will be blank to you if you are not allowed to know their story, and all other knowledge stored here is free to all who seek it."

"Thanks," Danny nodded. "I'll let you know if I have more questions."

"Of course," the Librarian nodded as well. "And I hope you find the answers you're looking for."

"So do I," Danny said, leaving the helpful ghost behind.

Retracing his steps back to the lifebook section was simple enough. Finding the right aisle in the ever-expanding area, not so much. Worse still was that he wasn't sure if Discord's name was his real name, just as it was with Celestia and Luna. At least with them, he had Eclipse to help him out, but now he probably needs to check each book starting with D just to be sure.

At least he could now duplicate himself.

Passing numerous rows of bookcases, he eventually found himself back where he first was brought by the Librarian when searching for Celestia and Luna's lifebooks.

Following the markers on the sides of each bookcase at the start of a new aisle, he located the D section quickly enough. Passing through the aisle with speed, scanning the spine of each book until the second letter of the alphabet moved up to i, he slowed down, muttering some of the names as he read them.

"Dia Slide, Dinged Bell, Disco Fever… These are some weird names," he remarked as he slowed down. "Okay… Disco. Disco. Even more Disco… Guess their parents had a severe case of boogie fever when they named them… Which is probably a name as well. Ponies are weird. Hmm…" A band of energy split him in two, and moments later four of his were quickly scanning the shelves.

"Anything?" one of them asked after nearly twenty minutes of searching.

"Nothing here," another replied. "Found some griffon names. Or, I think they are griffon names. Maybe something else. I dunno."

""Same,"" the remaining two replied simultaneously.

"To no-one's surprise," the first one remarked.

"Well, Necronomicon apparently doesn't have a lifebook. What if Discord is the same?"

"It certainly looks like it, but then again, we have only searched this small part of the library. Discord's lifebook could be hiding anywhere."

"Well, he is all about chaos. Maybe his book is under C?"

"Sounds too predictable, so I doubt it."

"And going with the chaos thing, it could just as well be hiding among the cookbooks. Assuming there is a lifebook to start with.

"I think the Librarian would have said something if that was the case. He certainly knows more about this place, and the books in it than we do."

"True," the other three agreed simultaneously.

"So, no lifebook of this guy?"

"Guess not, no."

"It would have been too easy anyhow," one of them snorted. "Besides, even if we did find it, chances are I can't read it anyhow."

"So, what do we do then?" one asked.

"Some books about chaos in general sound like a good idea. Maybe something detailing Equestria's history. That should tell me something."

"We could get that back in Ponyville as well," another remarked. "And what Eclipse has told us, Twilight and her friends have a lot of experience with the guy."

"Still wouldn't hurt to see if there is anything here, though."

"True."

"If I may interject," Eclipse spoke up, drawing their attention to their shadows. "Something else has happened as well."

"Great, more bad news," one Danny groaned.

"Not bad news, per se," Eclipse said. "Your other self in Ponyville has encountered a mare he believes to be a descendent of someone called Spring Breeze. Her Cutie Mark is apparently the same."

"Spring Breeze?" one of them said, surprised. "But that means-"

"If true, she is one of them," another cut in. "Has she shown any signs other than a similar Cutie Mark? Changelink like wings, fangs, transformation capabilities?"

"Not that I know of, but your other self is positive she is related… He did find her in your home, searching the place for something."

All four stiffened at that news.

"No doubt about it then. Celestia only uses those who are 'cursed'."

"Doing her dirty work in exchange for a cure that will never be found."

"Spying on me while Celestia herself stays on the sidelines."

"Your other self wants you to find Spring Breeze's lifebook for this mare to learn the truth about herself," Eclipse informed them.

"Right," all four nodded, then rejoined in a burst of light. "Discord can wait a little while longer. This comes first," and he flew off without another word.

<<>><<>><<>>

Well, can't say I expected this to be easy," Danny remarked as he pulled one of many books titled Spring Breeze from the shelves.

"Just how many are there?" he wondered as he looked at the mass of books. "Thousands… More?"

"Just as with us humans, it is not uncommon for them to share the same name," the Librarian made himself known, approaching Danny. "Apologies for sneaking up on you like this, but after you mentioned Discord I couldn't stop thinking about how Necronomicon reacted when he spoke of him, and I can't shake the feeling this was far more important than I initially believed it to be."

"You're probably right," Danny told him. "As far as I can tell, he does not have a lifebook. Or if he does, it's hidden someplace."

"No lifebook?! Are you sure?"

"Nothing on the shelf with his name. It could be the same as with Celestia and Luna, but I have no idea where to start looking if that's the case."

"This is most puzzling," the Librarian replied, surprised and confused. "And quite worrying as well. The books of Celestia and Luna were frightening in their own way; their names altered as they were. The idea there might be another is troubling. But if there is no book to start with then… then this Discord may be similar to Necronomicon."

"Neither option appeals to me," Danny said, shaking his head. "But right now I need to find the lifebook of someone else."

"Another lifebook? What for, if I may ask?"

"There is someone back there, a descendant of this pony. She's a child of mixed heritage but believes this to be a curse. Not really her fault, though. She's been lied to, her whole life. I want to set that right."

"You certainly are busy trying to help so many."

"Yeah, no kidding. Now I just need to figure out which Spring Breeze is the one I'm looking for."

"That may prove to be a time-consuming task," the Librarian commented as they both looked at the numerous books.

"At least I can duplicate myself, but still…" he fell silent, thinking. "Say, you once told me these books are, for a lack of better words, alive."

"It's not a good way to describe these books, but yes. It's how they know who is trying to read them, and if they are allowed to do so."

"Which means they understand what is happening with them… Sort of. Hmmm," he looked at the book in his hand, then the many others. "I wonder," he put the book back in place, then took a step away.

"I'm looking for the lifebook belonging to Spring Breeze of Yoke from over a thousand years ago. Her descendant needs to know of her heritage and the lies she was made to believe."

"I'm afraid that is not going to work," the Librarian said. "The books-"

With a flurry of sound, as if millions of pages turned all at once, the books around them started to shift and move and both Danny and the Librarian watched as some of them sprung off their shelves, floated in the air, then returned to their places.

More and more books began to move, almost making the walls of literature seem like an endless wave as the two stood there and watched without a sound.

For minutes this continued before the library calmed down again, and all the books returned to their proper places except one. A book of which the cover seemed to shift in color depending on the angle you looked at it slowly floated over to Danny, then bobbed in the air before him; the name on the cover reading: Spring Breeze.

Holding out a hand, the book lowered itself and opened to the first page.

The page was blank to Danny, but as he watched the book produced a detailed family tree starting with Spring Breeze's parents; her mother Fire Blitz, and her father Chip. Named so for the chipped fang he gained as a colt.

Danny quickly moved through the names as the family tree continued on the next page, then the next, until he reached the end, leaving only a handful of names. All of which he didn't recognize, except one.

"Eclipse," he said, never looking away from the book. "Did my other self figure out who this mare is by any chance?"

"Yes," she replied. "It's B-"

"Bon Bon," with a snap Danny closed the book.

"Danny," Eclipse said. "She has the ability to transform."

"And believing it to be a curse," Danny muttered darkly. "She needs this book."

"It… The books, they heard you… They answered," the Librarian said barely above a whisper, looking at Danny as if seeing him for the first time. "How? In all the years I have watched over this library, never has anything like this happened. But you, the lifebooks allowed you to read them, and now they answer your call. This… this is not normal. It is as if the books know something, and you are the one who needs to be told to make it happen."

"What do you mean?"

Before the Librarian could even begin to formulate a response, a small shadow moved over the pair, and both looked up to see another book hovering over towards Danny.

Surprised, Danny reached out with his free hand and grabbed the light blue book out of the air.

"Apple Pie," he gasped upon seeing the name, and the book flipped open; a detailed family tree appearing to him again.

His eyes widened when the last names were written down.

<<>><<>><<>>

"Ponies and Changelings had foals together?!" Sweetie Belle half-shouted her surprise.

"That's what I just said," Erlea deadpanned.

"But… but… why does nopony know about this?"

"You already know the answer," Abella said without humor and Sweetie Belle stiffened in shock.

"You mean Princess Celestia made everypony forget?" she gasped, not quite believing it.

"Worse," Danny told her. "She made everyone believe the foals of pony and changelink heritage are cursed. Linking it to Nightmare Moon, and refusing to see them as anything more than that."

"We changelings…" Erlea paused, blinked, then corrected herself. "Changelinks still show some traits we got from our pony ancestors. Mom has her eyes, and the frills of several of us look more like manes. Almost all of us can eat pony food now, but it won't sustain us, though we can throw it back up in the form of this jelly we used to encase you."

This bit of news caused Sweetie Belle to flinch, her face turning a few shades of green.

"There used to be larger differences, depending on what our fathers were," Abella continued. "If they were a pegasus, any changelink would grow larger wings and be able to fly for much longer than usual. Earth pony meant greater strength. And if they were a unicorn their nymphs would have greater magical strength, and a different color corona compared to the usual dark green."

"Most of that is gone now," Erlea said bitterly. "Sometimes a nymph hatches with a pony trait, but it's rare. Especially with how few of us do hatch… Nor have there been any eggs for almost four years now."

Sweetie Belle was silent, looking at the floor as she thought.

"It's different for the pony side of things," Danny said when no one else seemed to do so. "Though this is mostly because of their healthy numbers, and they are not starving to death. Still, it is somewhat uncommon for a foal to be born with changelink traits with how diluted their changelink blood has become. But when it shows… Well, Celestia happens. Though… " he trailed off, tapping a foot as he thought.

"Though, what?"

"There is something I have been wondering ever since the Murgröna showed me the memories of Apple Pie. And I'm surprised you haven't as well," he looked at Sweetie Belle. "Though seeing it and being told about it are two different things entirely."

"What are you talking about?" asked Erlea.

"Besides the obvious differences a pony/changelink hybrid has, there are other, more subtle differences as well. Like the ability to sense the emotions of others. It is in no way as noticeable as fangs, changelink like wings, or the ability to change the color of your mane and coat, which means it is possible Celestia doesn't know about these traits being connected, or that it exists at all. With that in mind, and the pony Apple Pie was, I can't help but wonder if there may be a connection between them?"

"You should wonder no more," Eclipse said as she slid up the wall; her eyes materializing in the dark image.

"Eclipse? What do you mean?"

"Events transpiring in both Ponyville and the Ghost Library have uncovered an expected, but no less surprising revelation. I'll leave it to your other self to explain everything in detail, but this is something you all should know. Apple Pie's descendants are still alive and numerous. And as you derived from her name, she is the ancestor of both the Apples and the Pies."

"""WHAT!?""" a trio of voices shouted.

"You mean they are of changeling blood?" Erlea jumped up, shocked.

"Changelink, and yes," Danny said. "And it explains a lot. Applejack's ability to tell a lie. Pinkie Pie's sensitivity to the emotions of others. They are traits they inherited from Buzz and the other changelinks in their ancestry."

"Then Apple Bloom is part changeling, eh, link as well," Sweetie Belle gasped.

"A small part, but yes."

Abella and Erlea were stunned into silence, though the less than subtle ear twitches gave away they had a lot to say about what they just learned. And Danny knew that right now, every changelink able to hear them would no doubt have a similar reaction to them.

After all, it is not everyday you learn that some of the ponies who they fought during the invasion of Canterlot were also the descendants of the pony who first taught them to talk.

"We should tell Apple Bloom this," said Sweetie Belle.

"Danny's other self is already planning to give her Apple Pie's lifebook," Eclipse informed her. "The Librarian said it may be possible for her to read it."

"Learning more about herself and her lost history may prove worthwhile in the long run," Danny nodded.

"For her and Bon Bon," said Eclipse.

"Wait, what?"

"Bon Bon is also related to the changelinks. She has unknowingly revealed her color shift capability to your other self, and she turns out to be related to Spring Breeze."

Sweetie Belle looked surprised, but Danny seemed almost angry at this news.

"Which also means she has to be working for Celestia."

Now the ear twitching of Abella and Erlea stopped as well, and both stared at both him and Eclipse with large, disbelieving eyes.

"I take it my other self also has a lifebook for her to read."

"Yes."

"Good."

"There are some other things as well, but as I said earlier your other self will be better at explaining everything in detail. He should return here after delivering the books to the version of you in Ponyville."

"Okay," he nodded. "Maybe something good may come out of this."

Eclipse nodded, then fell from the wall and returned to Danny's feet.

Standing in silence for a moment as he mulled all of this over, Danny eventually turned back to the fillies.

"Okay, th-"

"How?" asked Erlea.

Danny was confused for only a moment, then showed a thin smile.

"These things have a habit of happening to me. But I don't know any more than what Eclipse just told us. Not until my other self returns here, at least."

"But… what do you mean by Bon Bon working for Celestia? She makes candy, and sells it in her store," Sweetie Belle said, confused.

"She does, yes," Danny grimaced. "But that is not all she does, apparently." A frustrated sigh came from him, "I learned this from Celestia's lifebook. Whenever a pony is found with 'symptoms' of this 'curse', specialized agents of hers will ascertain the severity of this corruption. Those of them with fangs or changelink wings, or some other thing not pony which is not easily hidden will be taken away under some cover story. In truth they are recruited in an organization who do Celestia's dirty work, sometimes with risk to their lives, in exchange for any and all treatments that may cure them," he revealed with poorly concealed disgust.

"The second worst part is that these ponies are almost always foals when they are found. Born with their 'abnormalities', or develop them in their early years. Meaning they are told from the start that they are cursed, abnormal, and what they have is something to be ashamed of. The worst thing is that because of this, some of them will have cosmetic changes done on them. The removal of their fangs or wings. This so they look normal again, allowing them to return to their families under the guise of being cured, while in reality, they will stare at their reflection in disgust because they are not normal."
No one said anything, their shock keeping them from doing so.

"S.M.I.L.E., that is what Celestia called this organization," Danny continued. "The Secret Monster Intelligence League of Equestria. They are the ones who go out and find any hidden threat and subdue it before it threatens society at large. This of course also includes those like themselves, which really puts the 'Monster' part of the name in perspective. Though the only monster there is the one who came up with the name."

"Tha- that is terrible," Sweetie Belle stuttered.

"And the reason… One of the reasons she needs to be brought down. Hard."

"But how would you do that?" Abella, overcoming her shock, asked.

"Honestly, I have no idea," Danny admitted, sighing deeply. "It has to be done in a way where she can't just deny it, cover it up, or twist the truth in some way where she goes free. Her lifebook helps, but on its own, it will not be enough. And if I go there, reveal everything, myself included by calling Astina it will probably become an even bigger mess," he held up his hands in a fake panic to ward off danger. "The Terror of Amity Park here to attack the princess with his minion of darkness," he let his arms fall to his sides. "Or something else ridiculous. But you get the idea."

"Then what will you do?" Abella asked.

"For now, prepare. Find as much evidence against her. And just as important, train. If I go against Celestia, I need every advantage I can get. It's why my other self is back in the Far Frozen, to gain mastery over this ice power I have."

"This… I can't believe she did all of this," Sweetie Belle said, voice breaking.

"Why would she even think it is a curse?!" Erlea shouted, jumping to her hooves in righteous anger.

"Nightmare Moon," Danny answered. "When Luna got corrupted, her fur became black, her eyes became slit, and she gained fangs. This was because of Fenrir, but Celestia did not know this. Even more, when Luna was corrupted, she also infected her closest guards, twisting and corrupting them into true monsters. Monsters I once fought before, back on my world after they were released from Pandora's box," he grimly added, then held up a hand. "Long story, and not at all important right now. It's already causing a lot of frustration for Fenris, and neither of us knows how they ended up in Pandora's box in the first place. As for Celestia, when she first encountered the ponies and changelinks in Yoke, she saw ponies with fangs, pitch-black changelinks, and several of them with slitted eyes. I won't excuse her for what she did, but at the time she believed them to be afflicted in a similar way as Luna. Though she purposely ignored all the signs that proved otherwise, because what else could it be? And in doing so, she turned a terrible mistake into a gruesome crime."

"That- but- she- GHAA!" Erlea shook in rage as words failed her.

A pair of legs wrapped around her neck, and before she even realized what was happening Sweetie Belle had pulled her into a hug.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, tears brimming in her eyes.

Surprise and shock quickly replaced the anger she felt, and for a moment Erlea stood stunned on the spot.

"What are you apologizing for?" Abella asked. "You didn't do this."

"No, I didn't," Sweetie Belle answered, still holding Erlea. "But I did hurt you, and the others and it made me feel awful. But to know you were hurt so much worse by… by somepony everypony thinks is the kindest and most beloved pony there is… I may not have done those things, but I have to apologize for it. No pony else has done so for so long," she squeezed a bit tighter, enough for Erlea to start flailing her legs while trying to pull her off, much to Abella's amusement.

Finally, Sweetie Belle released her, and the ivory filly stepped away with a sad smile.

"Feeling better?" asked Danny.

"Not really," Sweetie Belle shook her head.

"... Ponies are weird," Erlea responded after a second. "And no, not at all."

"Me neither," Danny sighed. "Not until this has stopped. All of it."

"But not on your own," Sweetie Belle stomped a hoof, looking up at him with determination burning in her eyes. "You said you were training to be better; to prepare for when the time comes to stop Celestia. Then I will too! I will learn to control this… this hunger. And I will learn to control my powers!"

Danny looked at the young pony with wide eyes, recognizing his younger self in her desire to do what is right.

Of course having lived that life he knew the dangers it posed and had no intentions of allowing her to get into any more danger than she has already gotten.

He also knew there was no stopping her, or her friends once they made up their minds.

"It won't be easy, you know that," he said, and Sweetie Belle gave a single, firm nod. "You also do realize that if you start to train your powers, you most likely burn through the fear you have already consumed? Meaning you will need to eat more fear to keep going," Sweetie Belle faltered for only a second, then nodded again. "And you do know that if you go through with this, your life will become much more difficult in the long run, with ghost hunters out there to take you down?"

"Wouldn't they try to do that anyhow?"

"... Yeah," Danny had to admit. "They would."

"Besides, if I don't learn to use these powers my life would be even more difficult."

For a moment Danny's mind flashed back to all the times he had numerous mugs, plates and glasses shatter on the floor as he went intangible outside his control; all the times he sunk through the floor for the same reason, the accidental discharges of his ectoplasm when he sneezed and all the other things that drew attention he didn't want.

"Yes it would be," he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Okay, if we're doing this then we're doing it properly. First, you need to learn about this hunger, to prevent another feral phase to happen."

"Right," Sweetie Belle nodded.

"I'm not expecting you to master it on the first try, but some measure to control it is needed before anything else. The books I brought will have to do before then, so study them inside and out."

"Hm," Sweetie Belle once more nodded determinedly.

"And the same goes for you two," Danny turned to the two changelinks in the room. "Even without your hivemind, I know what you're thinking. Besides the questions, if ponies and I are crazy, yes, by the way, you all need to know what to expect."

"That's why I have been reading that book you gave me," Erlea deadpanned.

"Yes, but only you," Danny countered. I'm not saying all of you need to learn each book inside and out, but this city does house several ghosts now. Wind Chill and I will keep the more extreme events to a minimum, but even so, you need to know what to do just in case. As you have already experienced, it may very well be the difference between life and death."

Both Erlea and Abella looked at him with large eyes, but it wasn't until Sweetie Belle gasped he realized they were looking past him.

"Well then," a weak but determined voice spoke up, and Danny turned around to see Chrysalis standing on slightly shaking legs in the open doorway. "Then I suggest we all start teaching each other."

Author's Note:

The tackle weed was created by, and used with permission from JarOfHearts.

Please share your thoughts and opinions down in the comments.

~powerdrainer

Comments

[Clopian26]

The excitement I love when the stories update did the best Danny phantom stories on this site, well written, interesting storylines and characters you can really get invested into. We appreciate all the hard work all of you are putting into These stories.

[Powerdrainer]

10875310
Thank you. Not just for your feedback, but also for the time you took to leave a comment. No-one else seems to do this anymore. Just... thank you.

[Rune-wing]

Yes it is here a awesome chapter

[furryman]

The Legend of Apple Pie: A Changelink to the Past

[theillustriousq]

Great Chapter. Looking forward to the next. :)