Changeling Trust

by Nightmare Rift

Day 47: Tension

Styx’s POV:
The three of us arrive at the staircase entrance to Twilight’s castle. I sense something is off, so I tell Sombra and Starlight to stop. I hesitantly approach the doors, I open them, but as I go to step through I am launched backwards. My wings come out upon instinct, I catch myself and fly back to the door. I switch to look like Applejack and try again. This time I am allowed through the doors. I have Sombra and Starlight each try, but to no avail. I tell them to wait outside while I go in and get this sorted out. I switch into my own form and proceed towards the main room containing the map. I hear voices as I approach and cautiously peek into the room.

“We can’t just keep those three out, it isn’t fair,” says Twilight, looking at Starswirl.

“I won’t allow them in, they are a threat, and no amount of you trying to convince me otherwise will change that.”

“So how does that help us solve the problem of the Pony of Shadows?”

“It doesn’t, but it makes me feel safer.”

“Alright, I have a spell here that could work so that I could do the banishing spell myself, while the Pillars hold open the portal to Limbo.”

“Lets see it then,” says Starswirl, looking over a piece of parchment that Twilight puts on the table in front of him.

I know that the map will call all the bearers to wherever the Pony of Shadows is located, as is the map’s way of doing stuff. Starswirl agrees that the spell would work, but they have no idea where to find their villain. As if on cue, the map starts making cutie marks appear including Starlight’s, Sunburst’s, and the symbol of a river. I wonder what that is about? Oh, my wings are glowing. “Well, would you look at that? The map calling two of the very ponies you don’t want in the castle or anywhere near you. Shame really, I was having fun watching this go down,” I say as everypony whips around to face me as I saunter into the room.

“How did you get in here?”

“Easy, I disguised myself as one of the bearers and sauntered right on through your spell.”

“That shouldn’t be possible, I accounted for every type of magic I know.”

“Well, all except the one magic that you can’t use. Changeling magic. Dark Changeling magic. So Twilight, when do we leave?”

“As soon as we discuss what the plan is. Which requires Starswirl to drop his spell and allow Starlight in here,” Twilight says, looking expectantly at the pony in question.

He does begrudgingly and in saunter Starlight and Sombra. The latter of who comes and stands directly next to me, so close in proximity that I can feel his side rising and falling. Twilight looks confused but speaks nonetheless, “ We shall go to Hollow Shades, confront the Pony of Shadows, and banish him to Limbo, however it means we first need to get the Elements back. So first stop the tree, second stop Hollow Shades.”

“Twilight, try first stop, Hollow Shades. No stop to the tree needed,” I say pulling the Elements to my location, the tree letting go of them willingly. Twilight stares in disbelief at what I just did, and Starswirl looks even more concerned about me then he did originally.

All of us saunter out of the castle, I send Sombra home and tell him to stay there and both Mystel and Orla are in school right now, and won’t be back until after I do. I told him that I would be fine, especially considering that I can use dark magic. Starswirl mass teleports us to Hollow Shades and we start to head towards the large stone circle on the ground. As we all step into it, it collapses beneath us, sending us plummeting. I recover and look to Starlight, she mouths the words, friendship problem, I nod my head, knowing just what to do. The Pony of Shadows appears and the Pillars, minus Starswirl, and all the bearers, minus Twilight, all open the portal to Limbo. Twilight sees Stygian trying to get out at the same time I do, she goes flying in to try to save him. I send Starlight in after her to help convince Stygian to leave the darkness. Twilight amplifies the conversation with Stygian outwards to let the Pillars hear him. "All I wanted to do is make copies of the artifacts, not steal them. I just hope now they can forgive me."

"They will, but you need to come out of the darkness first."

Twilight and Starlight come out, pulling Stygian with them. With everypony else shoving the Pony of Shadows into Limbo. Everypony starts cheering for Stygian, but only I realize that a tendril of Limbo has come to take the price for imprisoning a pony. I watch as it leeches Stygian's magic from him, knowing very well nothing could be done to stop it. The tendril starts to move back towards the portal, but sees me and comes over, taking the form of a pony. One of black and pink, signalling that it knows that I am the one who gave up love. The figure and I hug, parting as if we are old friends. As the tendril recedes, I turn to look back at the group. I look over to see all of them staring at me. "What?"

"Did you just hug a pony ephemera of Limbo?" asks Twilight, somewhat bewildered.

"Yes, over the years that Sombra has been trapped, I have communicated with Sombra and Limbo. Speaking of, how do you feel, Stygian?"

"Fine, see, I can still use my mag-?" his voice dies as he realizes he can't use magic. "What have you done to me!?"

"Nothing. Limbo took its price for freeing you, and trapping the Pony of Shadows back into itself."

"Why wasn't I told the price? Why weren't any of us told that price?"

"Because you do not care to listen to Limbo. You were given ample warning, but everypony that tampers with Limbo doesn't care to listen to it. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a family to get back to." I say, vanishing on the spot, depositing myself into my room.

I appear to find Sombra looking at the spell book that I forgot I had hidden. I clear my throat, alerting him to my presence. He leaps off the bed to face me. "Why did you keep this?"

"I kept it because of you. I didn't need any of the other princesses finding it."

"So why didn't you burn it like I told you too!?"

"I didn't want to lose the last piece of you I had until I got you back!" I leap onto the bed and start crying. Why does he have to yell at me for not doing something before I got him back?

"I didn't mean to raise my voice at you. You know I never will hurt you. I just want to know why. What do I mean to you? Who am I to you? Am I still a father? Or am I something different now?"

I don't say anything and eventually he lays down next to me. Content to just let the tension diffuse on its own. After at least an hour has passed, I decide I can't be mad at him forever. I roll over and snuggle into him. Curling myself into a small ball, letting him know I am willing to forgive him.