Product of Friendship

by AzuraKeres

05 - Mom?

When Wisteria came to the School of Friendship, she knew to expect a crowd, but to still see such a vast throng of young creatures trotting around these halls left her a bit unnerved. Were all of these creatures zealous of friendship as Ocellus?... Who is she kidding? Wist considered it best not to roam around for too long else they have her all rah-rah for friendship as well.

“So what do you think about our school?” Ocellus asked the unsettled mare. “We teach everything from the cores of friendship to the studies of various skills collected from all the lands from Equestria and beyond.”

“Wait,” Wist perked at the blue changeling's latter statement. “You teach things besides friendship!?”

“Well, yes." Ocellus said matter-of-factly. "Friendship is something we hope for creatures to aspire to, but there have to be places where it can be applied to.”

“Yeah,” Wist tilted her head. “I’m not following where you’re going with this.”

“Think of it like this: friendship gifts harmony. Harmony gifts unity where all creatures can work together by resolving their conflicts. And in daily life, it improves teamwork and encourages creatures to become whatever they wish to.”

“Teamwork and validation then,” Wisteria sighed. “Not sure I get the whole value in it. I think I’ve been doing pretty well on my own.”

“Is that true?” Ocellus gave a worried glance at the mare. "You've been on your own?"

“Okay, I wasn’t always on my own. I did have a pair of caretakers, but they don’t count as friends. They’re other than that.”

“Sounds like it was more," Ocellus happily suggested. "Well, I’d be happy to enlighten you about friendship if you’d like.”

“Thanks but no thanks,” Wisteria whisked a hoof. “I’m only here for Starlight Glimmer. So, where is she exactly?”

“At this hour, Headmare Starlight is likely in her office right about now,” Ocellus answered. “But how about we hide that cake away before a certain mare catches a glance of it.” Ocellus pointed at the cake that she had Wist lug around on her back. Its brightening glaze caught the eyes of many students, but Ocellus kindly turned them away. Less stress on Wist's part. If it was left to her, she would've lashed at them with a small hint of a hex. Nothing like magic to solve all of your problems.

“You said she’s occupied with this class thing you spoke of,” Wist pointed out. “We should have plenty of time.”

“It’ll ease Starlight’s mind if she knows it’s well and hidden.”

“Ugh," Wist groaned. "So we’re going for another detour?”

“Don’t worry Wist, I promise it’ll be the last.”

Ocellus and Wist traveled the halls and reached a door that led to an office. Wist noticed pictures of Ocellus with groups of numerous creatures and also a tall green...isn’t that Thorax?

“Hey, who’s the green bug in that picture?” Wist asked Ocellus as she set the cake on the blue changeling’s desk.

“Oh, that’s Thorax. He’s the leader of the changeling hive in Equestria. He’s a little awkward at times, but he’s very caring and firm when he needs to be. I should introduce you to him when we get the time.”

“Is that so?” Wist guessed that makes sense given how her bout with him played out. Still, it’s quite astonishing he turned into such a massive dragon. The other changelings she drugged never reached that kind of height. “Well, since we dropped off the cake, that means we can finally go and see Starlight. C’mon, you’ve already had me waiting long enough.”

“I’m sure you could’ve gone to her anytime if you wished to.” Ocellus said as she took a seat before her desk. Wist paused at that response and raised a brow at the changeling. “When you followed me on my errand, I noticed that you would take constant glances at another direction. Those glances always seemed to line towards the School of Friendship. Changelings have the ability to focus their smell on a specific love of a creature, but it’s something that one would have to train themselves to master. Usually, that role would go to foragers.”

“So you knew then?”

“I did,” Ocellus nodded. “But I didn’t want to say because I was worried about how you would react. Though I do have to ask, why did you go along with my errand if you can track Starlight?”

“Does that really matter at the moment?” Wisteria gave Ocellus a keen look. There was a hidden intensity in Wist’s eyes that Ocellus sensed.

“Wist,” Ocellus started. “I didn’t bring you in here to trap you. I just want to talk with you.”

“And I don’t want any creature to know I’m in disguise. Sounds kind of difficult if there’s one that knows walking around, don’t you think?”

“I don’t know why you came here and why you’re looking for Starlight, but I saw from how you acted with Lil’ Cheese that you’re not a bad changeling. Whatever you have against Starlight, I’m sure we can sort it all out.”

“If I wanted your help, I would’ve asked. What I want is for no creature to get in my way.” Green flames suddenly emerged around the green mare as the form before Ocellus turned to ash, revealing a black changeling with a glimmering green mane.

Ocellus widened at the changeling’s appearance. “A queen changeling?” Wist did not provide Ocellus a chance to react as she quickly cast a blue wisp upon her. The wisp entered the blue changeling and then she faltered and felt her pectoral before glancing at Wisteria again. “What? What did you do to me?”

Wisteria grinned. “While I’m with Starlight, you’re going to behave yourself by taking a good nap. By the time you wake up, I should already have what I want.”

Ocellus let out a yawn as she struggled to keep her head craned above her desk. “No...Wist, it doesn’t have to be this way.”

Wisteria shushed the older changeling by placing a hoof onto Ocellus’s lip as Wist gently rubbed upon the back of Ocellus’s neck. Wist’s touch felt strangely calming, tricking Ocellus’s body to relax as it seemed inevitable that slumber would claim her. “You’re a very kind creature, Ocellus, but you should know, too much of that can make one gullible. I had to learn that lesson the hard way.”

When Ocellus finally succumbed to her slumber, Wist changed back into her pony form and made her way out of the office. But before she left, she took one last glance at the sleeping changeling. “You know, I didn’t really hate your little errand…”

She then paused for a moment before shaking her head. There was no point dwelling on it anymore. She’s already made her move, now it’s time to see it through.

Wisteria carefully opened the door, cautious of students that may look her way. When she shut the door, her nose went awry for that scent. She’s still here.

---

“Hmm,” Luster mumbled to herself as her classmates raised from their seats and made their way out of class. Her class with Ms. Applebloom had concluded, but Luster was left baffled throughout the course of her lecture. Not of the content of the lesson, no, but of its purpose.

Luster was to last to raise from her seat as Ms. Applebloom was erasing the markings she made on the chalkboard. Ms. Applebloom turned to meet Luster’s way when her student called for her.

“Ms. Applebloom,” Luster started.

“Luster Dawn, right?” Applebloom responded. “Starlight did say you a bit of a bookworm. Come to ask for some more answered questions I reckon.”

“I won’t deny that,” Luster admitted. “There are plenty of things that caught my attention in your lecture. But my main question would be, how does it all matter to friendship?”

“Is that what’s been eatin at ya?” Applebloom asked.

“Well, it’s a bit difficult for me to link friendship with potion-making. Where would a creature attempt to apply the concept?”

“Likely never,” Applebloom answered. “But I think it's a fun topic to teach creatures who are interested and the course does encourage student collaborations for upcoming projects. You see where friendship plays now, don’t ya?”

“I’ve done potion-making before, but never with another pony. I hope I can find some creature that can keep up with me.”

“Well aren’t you confident in your skills,” Applebloom smiled. “If that’s the case, you’re going to have to learn to be patient with others and learn to divide responsibilities..”

“How would I even begin to do that!?” Luster faltered. “I don’t even know any of my classmates. We haven’t even established friendship yet.”

“This would be a great opportunity wouldn’t it?”

“Um, okay, so, the first thing I should do then is...um…”

“I’m right here if you have any questions?” Applebloom pointed out.

“I think I need a visual example of this.”

“I’ll do ya one better,” Applebloom walked to a long desk that stood before her teacher’s desk. On it was variants of chemicals and tools that she had utilized for today’s lecture. “Let’s concoct a potion together.”

“A practical example would stand more beneficial," Luster rubbed her chin. "Alright then, what are we making then?”

“Well, since you’re likely ahead of all of my students in this subject, we could go for a more intermediate product. Let’s see, based on what we have here...” Applebloom then clapped her hooves. “I know, how about we spruce ourselves a love potion?”

“Love potion?” Luster’s cheeks held a red blemish. “W-we’re not planning on using this, aren’t we?”

“Course not,” Applebloom waved a hoof. “Forcing love on others is wrong. It just takes me back is all.”

“You have a history with that kind of potion?”

“Yeah…” Applebloom rubbed the back of her head. “Not something I'm really proud of, but it was a very insightful lesson.”

“I see,” Luster walked to Applebloom’s side. “So where do we begin?”

---

“So it’s as I feared,” Twilight sighed as she loomed over the mare on a stretcher. Just when Twilight concluded her meeting with Mayor Pipsqueak, news of an incident at a market was addressed to the two of them.

Twilight was anxious about what she might find and to her dismay, it turned out to be her worst-case scenario.

“Diamond,” Silver Spoon rushed to Diamond Tiara’s side. “Please tell me you’re going to be alright?”

Diamond managed to halfway open her eyes as she tried to give her friend an assuring smile. “It’s okay...I’m...tired.” Her eyes shut again and she appeared to have fallen asleep.

“What happened to her?” Silver Spoon asked the Princess.

“Princess Twilight,” Gallus approached the Princess. “We both realize whose work this may have been, right?”

“Some creature did this to Diamond!?” Silver Spoon was alarmed. “Who was it? That creature is going to get a mouthful out of me!”

“Calm yourself Silver,” Twilight placed a hoof on Silver’s shoulder. “Your place should be with Diamond. Don’t worry, her condition is not severe in any sort. She’s just fatigued, that is all.”

Silver looked back to her sleeping friend and then nodded at the Princess, “You’re right Princess. It’s just such a shame. We had plans with Twist to discuss the opening of her candy store. Today was supposed to be its opening event, and now we have to postpone it because of this.”

“I’m sorry for this inconvenience,” Twilight said. “When this issue has been resolved, I promise that the perpetrator and I will do our best to make this up to you.”

“Are you saying you plan to endorse Twist’s candy store?” Silver widened her eyes. “That is guaranteed to attract customers. Diamond might think of this as a good enough tradeoff.”

“Well before any of that, how about seeing to your friend's recovery.”

“Yes Princess,” Silver bowed and then left with a group of ponies that escorted Diamond to the hospital.

Mayor Pipsqueak, who was observing from the sideline, then approached the Princess. “She’s here, isn’t she?”

“There’s no other way to explain this,” Twilight said. “There hasn’t been any other creature that shares this kind of M.O. since Chrysalis had led the hive.”

“What do we do?” Mayor Pipsqueak asked in a lower tone, cautious of the neighboring ponies that viewed the incident from afar. “Increasing the number of guards even more than you suggested earlier would no doubt cause concerns. It would likely get this changeling to leave town.”

“Not to worry,” Twilight assured. “Since we now know she’s here, this is a great opportunity to try out this artifact that I had Moondancer to personally craft for me.”

Twilight withdrew a green string from her saddlebag.

"That's an artifact?" Mayor Pipsqueak wondered.

"I know it's not all that impressive, but this string should lead me to her with the remnant of magic she left upon her previous victims. She appears to be adept at inserting emotions into others. Terrifying as that might be, it does take time for that spell to dissipate. More than enough time for me to extract."

"Princess," Gallus voiced. "If that is the case, then why haven't you been using it?"

"This tool is a rush job on Moondancer's part. She guarantees that it will work, but she also said that it's so fragile that it will shatter after an hour of use. Plus, its range is not particularly great. So, I only get one chance until Moondancer can make another.

"Then I will believe you will find this Wisteria." Mayor Pipsqueak concluded. "But going by what you said about your encounter with her, my mind would be in a lot more ease if another alicorn was here."

"Luna was a great teacher to you in the matters of politics and leadership, but we should be understanding that she no longer holds that obligation to be wary anymore."

"I know Princess, but she still visits Ponyville quite often. I just wished it was conventionally at this time."

"If we're done talking about your favorite Princess," Gallus voiced. "We have a dangerous changeling on the loose that we should take care of."

"You are right," Twilight nodded. "The threat has to be contained before anything else. Mayor Pipsqueak, I suggest you have creatures return to their homes, but don't tell them the true reason as to why."

"Or else Wisteria catches wind and will escape," Mayor Pipsqueak said. "Got it." The stallion headed to the group of creatures watching from the sideline and spoke to them.

Princess Twilight held one end of the string and walked about until she could get a reaction from the string. A few yards away from Diamond's market, the green string glinted and perked towards a direction.

"Got a hit?" Gallus asked.

"I do," Twilight confirmed. "Let's hurry before the string dies. I don't want Wisteria to complicate things more than she already has."

---

Wisteria let out a yawn as she continued walking through the halls. For some odd reason, Wisteria feels as if she's been walking in circles.

Starlight's scent is prevalent wherever she went in this school, making Wisteria anxious if she can pinpoint the mare's exact location.

This was rattling the changeling's mind. It shouldn't be this hard. She's already done it plenty of times in the past. Why is it different with her?

"..." Wisteria didn't like the conclusions she thought of. There's a chance…that she's letting her senses go awry. She's able to tweak it if she's like, but at most times it's just to save herself from boredom.

If that's what is going on, then does that mean Wist is just prolonging her meeting with the mare?...No, no, no, she couldn't be nervous. That wouldn't make sense. She's already so close. She should be ecstatic…

"Looks like it's a success," Wisteria perked her ears at a voice. She filled it to a door that revealed two mares. And before them was a table full of--

Wisteria burst into the room, alarming the two mares. "Are you two making potions!?"

"Uh," Applebloom started. "We were. But we're done now."

Wisteria approached the table and observed all of the tools and ingredients propped atop it. She can make sorts of spells with this stuff. Especially with rainbow flows. That stuff is nearly impossible for her to extract.

Her eyes then dawned upon a vial with a thick pink liquid. "Did you guys make a love potion?"

"Huh?" Luster was shocked. "How do you know? It's near impossible to comprehend a potion without an appraisal spell."

"Well, it's not all that impossible," Applebloom voiced. "You just need to have good eyes. And I'm thinkin this miss has a good pair as well."

"If you two are finished," Wist started. "Think I can have a chance to craft some stuff?"

"Students are not allowed to craft potions alone," Applebloom said. "It has to be a party of at least two around for it to be permitted."

"For real?" Luster and Wisteria voiced.

"Yes, for real. Some creature has to be around if something goes wrong. But that's beside the point right now. I've already stuck around long enough. I should really be going to my office."

"Wait, Ms. Applebloom," Luster voiced. "I would like to see what this mare is capable of. She sounds to be quite good with crafting potions."

"That's because I am," Wist proudly said. "I've basically been doing it for my whole life."

"Then I think we should compare our talents," Luster said. "This could be a good learning experience for both of us."

"This would meet the requirement of that rule," Wisteria considered.

"Okay," Applebloom waved a hoof. "I'm happy that you two are passionate about this topic, but you two are still new students to this school." Applebloom glanced at Wist. "And I don't think I've met you before, so you gotta be new as well. What's your name?"

"It's Wist. And if you're going to keep saying stuff like that, then you might as well stick around."

"Wha?" Applebloom faltered. "But I can't. I have documents in my office to file out."

"Please don't go Ms. Applebloom," Luster grabbed onto Applebloom's hoof. "Don't you think this is a great opportunity for friendship for me?"

"T-true…," Applebloom admitted. Luster and this Wist character do happen to share a similar passion. This could be the friend that Luster needs to break into things here at School. But... Applebloom shouldn't be neglectful of her other duties.

Applebloom's ears perked when she heard a lock click. Her eyes tracked to the door where Wist stood. "Then it's decided then."

"Wait, now hold on a minute! I--"

"Ooh," Luster clapped her hooves. "This is going to be so much fun."

"Now, where should we begin?" Wist wondered as she returned to the table.

"We have to try something unique. You've studied potion-making your whole life, so there have to be some rare products that you know."

"I have many I can think of," Wist confirmed. "Hmm, how about we try a hair growth spell."

"Isn't that the same as doing mane magic?"

"I'm not sure how that works in horn magic, but brewing a potion to do the same is fairly easy if you know the right measurement of ingredients."

"There's actually such a thing," Applebloom was astonished. "Rarity would be mighty interested in it if that really exists."

"So this intrigues you then?" Wist grinned.

Applebloom sighed. "I can't say I'm not anymore. I'm gonna be mighty late at Sweety Apple Acre for sure. I sure hope Big Sis doesn't get too riled about it."

"We need a list of the ingredients, Wist," Luster voiced. "I'll write it down for you."

---

“...”

“...”

“We’re not just going to stand here,” Smolder asked Ocellus. “Are we?”

“I think we should just wait,” Ocellus recommended. “Wist isn’t hurting any pony. And it looks like she’s enjoying herself.”

“But she’s still here for trouble if she has all that hate in her like you said she does.”

“It is concerning,” Ocellus admitted. She and her dragoness companion peered through the narrow window of the door to catch a glimpse of Wist with Luster Dawn and Applebloom. Ocellus had conveniently set off an alarm on a locket that Smolder gifted her that lets the dragoness know if she’s ever in need of help. Ocellus made sure to keep a hold of it in her drawer when she sat at her desk. Sensing that her talk with Wist was likely to fail, she needed to ensure that there was another creature around to be aware of the potential danger.

As soon as Wist had left, Smolder came into Ocellus’s office seconds later and woke the changeling. Tracking Wist was simple at that point now that she has become familiar with the scent of her emotions. But to think that Wist could be so easily distracted…

“Look,” Smolder said. “I’m going in there. I’m not going to risk this kid acting up here in my school”

“No Smolder, I think our best option is to bring Headmare Starlight here. She is who Wist is looking for after all.”

“Then you bring her. And while you’re at that, I’m going to hold her down.”

“But Luster and Applebloom are already doing that for us. Don’t you think you’d be endangering them if you stepped in?”

“It’s okay, I got this.”

“Smolder, you’re not listening. They’re...She’s...is she looking at us?” Ocellus backed from the door when she noticed Wist looking at their way. The disguised changeling looked unamused.

“No choice now, right?” Smolder stated as she broke through the door. “Hey!”

As soon as Smolder bashed the door open, a green circle lit beneath the dragoness and released a black gas that enveloped around her. “What is this stuff?” Smolder masked her face, but she already breathed in the smoke before it quickly dissipated.

“Smolder,” Applebloom voiced as she tried to approach her.

“I wouldn’t get too close if I were you,” Wist informed.

“Wist,” Ocellus spoke. “What did you do to Smolder?”

“Wait,” Luster voiced. “What’s going on?”

During their confusion, Smolder began to giggle and then sputter into a burst of uncontrollable laughter. The dragoness faltered to the ground, clenching upon her stomach. The dragoness gritted her teeth, trying her best but failing to hold in her voice.

Wist glanced upon a window in the classroom. She assumed if she simply flies to the highest floor of this building, she will likely find her.

“Stay right there Wist,” Ocellus told the disguised changeling. “You have to undo this.”

“Oh don't fret yourself,” Wist said. “What I gave her isn’t that strong. She won't cause more than a few...oh…" Wist widened at the emotions that were emanating wildly from the dragoness. "Ew, I don't be around to see that. I would've just thrown the love potion of I knew that would happen."

A green light emitted from Smolder's eyes as a toothy smile was plastered on her face.

With every creature now shocked by this, Wist transformed into a bird and soar out of the window.

Ocellus attempted to pursue her, but Smolder grabbed her leg. Ocellus looked back to the dragoness and was appalled by the saliva slipping out of Smolder's mouth.

"Smolder," Ocellus struggled to escape Smolder's grip. "Please, you have to let me go."

"Smolder…wants…Ocellus," Smolder said and then gleamed her face before Ocellus's. "Now!"

Ocellus was becoming more and more unnerved by Smolder's behavior. She attempts to cast a spell to make her escape. However, before the blue changeling could complete the spell, the dragoness crashed her lips upon Ocellus's own, surprising not only the blue changeling but the other two mares that bore witness.

"Luster," Applebloom voiced. "Close your eyes!"

"I…are they using tongue?" Luster's cheeks flushed red.

Applebloom rushed to cover the eyes of the enamored mare. "Dagnabbit you two," Applebloom leered at the two teachers. "Don't you two have any shame?"

Ocellus managed to push Smolder's face inches away from her. "She's not doing it on purpose," Ocellus shouted. "Help me get her to st-"

Ocellus's mouth was smothered again by Smolder that bore her claws into the ceramic floor, making her impervious to Ocellus's push, as the blue changeling's hindlegs dangled about.

"Smolder, stop that right now," Applebloom decided to leave Luster's side to try to pull Smolder back. "You're going to end up suffocating her."

Luster couldn't help but stand there in a stupor as she became witness to something quite scandalous. Her only movement was a brief turn to the window where the mysterious creature flew out of. What was that black smoke she trapped the dragoness in?

"Luster," Applebloom called. "We'd really appreciate it if you could give us a hoof here!"

---

Wist ascended to the highest floor of the school, looking through each of the windows to find Starlight. Wist was starting to get anxious that she made a bad call stopping to steal some potions. Well, at least she managed to snag a vial of rainbow flow on her way out.

Still, she was peeved that she couldn't finish the hair growing potion. It does wonders to hold a creature in place.

"Wisteria!" Wist stopped at the sound of a familiar voice. Looking down behind her, Wist was surprised to be faced by the Princess again.

Wist perched upon the branch of a tree to camouflage in the setting, but Twilight's gaze did not avert from the disguised changeling. At a closer look, Wist can see a strange green thread being held by the Princess's magic. One of its ends was pointing towards Wist.

"I know that's you, Wist," Twilight said. "You might as well come down. And don't think about setting your traps again."

Wist descended before the Princess and revealed her true form to Twilight. "How'd you find me?"

"Through a pony, you've already harassed. But that's beside the point. Wisteria, please stand down. You can't continue to do this to creatures."

"You've caught me at a bad time Princess," Wisteria said. "I'm already so close, there's no way I'm going to leave now."

"Not if it means sapping the love out of another creature."

"I don't know what I'll do," Wisteria confessed. "I just have to see her."

"So it is a creature," Twilight said. "But who do you know that lives in Ponyville?"

"Hey!" Wist shouted. "Don't you go extracting information out of me!" Wist's horn lit green as bunches of blue wisps emerged from her and shot towards Princess Twilight.

Though Twilight was startled by Wist's sudden reaction, she still evaded the wisps with ease. However, when she looked from behind herself, she saw the group of small blue flames turn the course and follow behind her.

"A hex spell," Twilight deduced. "But how is it following me?"

"Don't expect to get any more answers out of me," Wist said. "You're a smart mare; figure it out yourself."

The wisps Wisteria summoned can passively act on its own since she has already placed a mark on Twilight. Every creature seems to be so oblivious of Wist's glyph spells.

With them, she has either the option to tag an item along with it to make contact upon whoever she sneaks it on or to tag a bullseye on them to make it easier for her spells to hit its target. It's inevitable for creatures to be tagged by her. After all, she has found a way to cast the spell without providing a hint with a glow. It's a unique camouflage spell she learned that she's only been able to apply to her glyphs. Just think how terrifying she'd be to approach her without knowing whether she's casting a spell or not.

Wist's snout suddenly flared and she secretly cast another glyph spell that motioned beneath the ground and went towards a nearby bush next to the school.

A blue griffin suddenly emerged from the bush and ascended above from Wist's glyph. "Guess it is impossible to mask my emotions from a Changeling Queen."

"This is getting nowhere," Wisteria groaned. "Will you two just leave me alone!?"

"Not until you've atoned for what you did to those creatures," Gallus scolded. "They were just going about their daily life, and you had the gall to muck up their day for a simple meal."

"Spare me the moral high ground," Wist rolled her eyes. "Life is never fair to others. Every creature is going to have bad days. If not me, then eventually something else."

"That's a pathetic excuse to make for harming creatures."

He's so lucky he's up there. If my glyph was just a few seconds faster, I'd have him eat his own words. And he would be enjoying every moment of it.

Princess Twilight shot a blue beam upon the wisps, dissipating specks of them away. Wisteria smacked her teeth at this. "So she knows a counterspell to my wisps then. And I can't really do much while she's in the air like that."

Wisteria hated to admit this, but she concluded that it's probably for the best that she makes her escape. With possession of only spells that alter emotions and only two last satchels of Devil's Dust, she doesn't have much to pick from to stop this alicorn. If Wist desires to find an opportunity alone with Starlight, she has no choice but to retreat and try again later.

"I was so close," Wisteria growled. Wist looked towards a forest from afar. Wherever it leads, it's better than being under the eyes of the Princess.

"Where do you think you're looking at?" Gallus said as he made a quick descent upon Wist.

"Oh, well thanks for making this easier for me." Wist had already pulled the glyph back to collect the Devil's Dust back into a satchel in her saddlebag. But, since the troublesome griffin is willing to approach her so stupidly, then she must oblige to give him his deserving punishment.

The glyph lit a dark light as it streamed black smoke around Wist. Gallus was surprised as he shot through the smoke and fell to the ground.

The griffin coughed and heaved as he struggled and failed to pick himself back up. Wist wanted to wait for the eventual laughter, but it'd appear that the griffin was closer to losing his consciousness than anything else. Wist was unamused by this, but at least she can take solace that she made a fool of the griffin.

Wist smirked at the struggling griffin and then made her way to leave the school grounds. But just when she thought she was in the clear, a purple light briefly blinded the Changeling as she appeared before her.

"What in Equestria is going on out here!?" Starlight demanded.

"..."

"Hm?" Starlight noted Wist's presence and then widened her eyes in surprise. "You're a Changeling Queen. Then that would mean you're Wisteria."

"..."

"Why have you come here? You better not be here to hurt any of my students."

"..."

"Hey, are you going to say anything?"

"..."

Starlight was befuddled by the blank face on this Changeling. It's almost as if her entire body had shut down. Starlight looked at her surroundings and noticed Gallus and Twilight's predicament.

Her eyes tracked back to Wisteria and took a step towards her. Though she may be a queen, Starlight stood the same height as her. That probably means that she's still growing. That's right, she's still young.

"Look," Starlight started. "I don't know what sort of problems you may be dealing with that led you to act this way with others, but I can help you if you like. Just undo the spells you've cast and we can go to my office and have a talk, alright?"

"..."

"It'd be nice if you could say something," Starlight said.

"...Mom?"

"Uuh, what?"

Before Starlight could ask the Changeling to expand on her words, Twilight suddenly tackled Wist from the side.

"Hey!" Wist had snapped to her senses and tried to leer at the Princess that constricted her body behind Wist. "Let me go!"

"I'm so sorry about this," Twilight apologized. "But I'm not dodging these flames all day."

At the mention of flames, Wist became aware of the incoming wisps that Wisteria had honed towards Twilight.

"That's going to hit both of us!" Wisteria warned as she continued to try to shake Twilight off of her. "Get off of me!"

Failing to remove the Princess, Wisteria decided to undo the incoming wisps, but then she felt the Princess's horn touch her own. Whatever magic the Princess surged into Wist, it was completely ruining her concentration.

"You're crazy!" Wisteria shouted. Wist resolved to gnaw the Princess off of her, but she already lost too much time. The first row of wisp shot into Wisteria, and then the others that followed flowed past her and entered the Princess.

Wisteria widened her eyes in surprise of what just happened. To think that she would be bested by a creature with her own magic. Poison would be so disappointed in her…

Twilight fell to the ground as Wisteria followed suit atop the Princess. Their eyes were half-lidded as Wist felt the Princess place a hoof over her. Determined to hold her down till the very end.

Starlight rushed before them and spoke, What just happened? You two are going to be fine, right?"

"Wist," Twilight yawned. "Casted sleeping wisps upon me. With this many…I'm certain we'll be immobile for a few days...I leave things to you, Starlight…"

Twilight's head fell to the ground and succumbed to slumber. Wist on the other hoof clenched her teeth and hissed. She tried her hardest to fight the slumber back, but she knew deep down that this was a fruitless struggle.

Starlight startled the sleepy Changeling when she crouched before her and held her face up when a hoof. "It's okay Wisteria," Starlight spoke softly to her. "I'm going to keep you safe. So just rest."

What are these emotions that were surging inside of Wist? Such hatred, such longing, such bliss. How in Abyssinia is she supposed to describe this?

Wist's head rubbed upon Starlight's hoof. Did she do that on purpose? It sort of felt instinctual. Like something she wanted to do for a long time, but something was always blocking her way. Her way to feel her mother's touch.

Comments

[Jubjub3000]

Aww! It's adorable!

So, they captured her in the end, I wonder why wist thinks starlight her mum though...

[Batpony46]

10227140
I wonder too by the question now is will she find out who her real mother is later on only time will tell

[GamePlayer64]

MOM?! Oh... Crap. Chrysalis' ranting about Starlight must of made Wist in her egg believe Starlight's her mother!

[Starlight Nova]

So is Chrysalis going to be the main villain, or is she going to be like a greater scope villain?

[Emotion Nexus]

I've noticed one of the main flaws of your writing is the inconsistent tenses.

It goes from past to present tense constantly. Filled with odd sentences that make little sense due to the way it's presented.

Definitely well written just lots of errors.

Anyways I'm assuming that Wist is being pulled to Starlight due to her connection to Chrysalis.

Friendship School is well thought out, and Silver's concern is adorable.

Good Chapter, though could use some editing.

[GamePlayer64]

10227193
And who to hit with Devil Dust for turning her real mother to stone

[Starlight Glimmer1]

10227231
Considering the circumstances....

Probably neither.

[Asolem2]

"Spare me the moral high ground," Wist rolled her eyes. "Life is never fair to others. Every creature is going to have bad days. If not me, then eventually something else."

If that's your view on life then you have no right to complain about them interfering with you

"I'm so sorry about this," Twilight apologized. "But I'm not dodging these flames all day."

I'm honestly suprised she hasn't managed to dispels them all

"You're crazy!" Wisteria shouted.

No she's winning