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The Queen Finds Love3,914 words
The Nymph Meets The Tabby6,146 words
The Nymph Sees The Night9,367 words

The Nymph Sees The Night

It was the day of the celebration that very eve, and Chrysalis, apprehensive though she was to go towards the place where the Mare In The Moon herself would reappear after a whole millenium, knew two things.

One: Harry was excited to meet actual ponies, since meeting drones didn't exactly... stick in one's mind, considering their similar appearances. He had been able to identify Thorax, Pharynx, and Ocellus, but that was because he "saw some sort of color on their chitin in his mind."

Two: One doth not argue with yon omnipotent immortal creature of chaos. One way or another, they were going to Ponyville.

A gout of flame burst from the corner of the room, and Chrysalis smiled, turning to see the emerald-robed Professor Minerva McGonagall. "Have a nice trip, professor?," she asked coyly.

Dusting herself off, Minerva replied, "No worse than when you controlled the destination, Your Majesty," before her form blurred and in her place was a simple tabby cat, the spectacle markings around her eyes being the only thing you could use to tell it was the accomplished Animagus and transfiguration teacher.

Smirking, Chrysalis turned to Harry, who was hugging Ocellus for a short farewell. His purplish-black unkempt mane had been marginally tamed (about as tamed as you could have it; Harry's hair pretty much never lay flat,) and his deep emerald eyes showed he would miss Ocellus from the moment he left.

A small ping in the back of his head brought his attention to Chrysalis, whose nod he answered with one of his own, and he said one last bright, "Goodbye, Ocellus!" before trotting over to his mother.

At a single unspoken signal, the two changelings, Queen and Ward alike, wreathed themselves in green flames before emerging as their disguises.

Chrysalis, under the agreed name of Crystalline Cloud, was an elegant and tall unicorn mare with coat of white and mane a red that paid tribute to Harry's birth mother, Lily Evans/Potter. Minerva, under the assumed name of "Pearltongue," hopped onto Cloud's back.

Harry, on the other hand, was an Aegean blue pegasus colt with purple eyes and a crimson-amaranth mane and tail with an emerald streak, named Unseen Lightning. The agreed story was that Lightning was in Ponyville with his mother, Crystalline Cloud, for the Summer Sun Celebration, and Pearltongue, another family's cat interested in the festivities, was tagging along for the night.

"Ready?," Harry asked his mother.

"As I'll ever be," Chrysalis answered, with Minerva nodding, and the two disguised ponies started down the tunnel to Ponyville.

Two hours later, in a place nowhere near our intrepid trio...
Skies northeast of Ponyville

Twilight Sparkle fumed silently in the pegasus-drawn chariot.

Why didn't the Princess take my warning seriously?, she thought to herself as she tuned out Spike, a baby dragon she had hatched on the day she became Celestia's student who had become her invaluable assistant, reading Celestia's directive to her; oversee the plans for the celebration in the hosting town of Ponyville, and, to her chagrin, make some friends.

"Look on the bright side, Twilight," her faithful dragon assistant said, "the Princess arranged for you to stay in a library. Doesn't that make you happy?"

Snapping upright, Twilight said, "Yes. Yes it does. You know why? Because I'm right! I'll check on the preparations as fast as I can, then get to the library to find some proof of Nightmare Moon's return."

Confused, Spike asked, "But then... when will you make friends like the Princess said?," to which Twilight retorted softly as they landed, "She said to check on preparations. I am her student and I will do my royal duty... but the fate of Equestria does not rest on me making friends."

If only she knew just how much she had underestimated the seemingly innocuous task's importance...

Meanwhile...
Temporary Entrance - Tunnel To Ponyville

Finally arriving at the other end of the tunnel, Crystalline Cloud said in a flawless Trottingham accent, "Now, Lighty, I'm letting you and Pearltongue wander around, but that does not mean you have my leave to goof off. Remember, be at Town Hall by nightfall so we can watch the Princess raise the sun."

Lightning nodded, Pearltongue hopping onto his back as the colt galloped off, and Cloud rolled her eyes, thinking to herself, You've earned this chance to just be a colt, Harry... twenty times over, in fact, before she cantered off towards a building that looked like a giant gingerbread house.

Her preliminary studies told her that was one of the best places to get some delicious sugar, and she didn't want to ditch her disguise when the ponies all exuded love for the Princess. She was careful like that.

Luckily, one of her local operators had lent her some bits, so she wouldn't have to mind control anyone to get anything; another useful piece of the "plan," since changeling brainwashing required constant attention and she didn't want anything blown before she could put the pieces into place for her invasion.

Meanwhile, with Lightning…

Harry Potter, under the disguise of Unseen Lightning, walked through the bright streets of Ponyville in amazement.

As his first excursion from the hive, he was amazed at how different the atmosphere was.

Pegasi, Unicorns and Earth Ponies were chatting in the streets about the celebration, and many other things caught his eye; a mint green unicorn sitting like a human, a purple unicorn speaking to two armoured white pegasi, a blue pegasus lazing about on a cloud-

Wait, Lightning thought, armoured white pegasi?!

Harry’s mind snapped back to something his mother had said as they were walking down the tunnel: if you see any white ponies in gold armor, do not let them find you out as a changeling! They’re Celestia’s royal guards!

And, as Lightning saw, they were talking to a purple unicorn with a starburst cutie mark. He began to walk casually in her direction, and listened to them.

He noticed a small dragon whelp as he got close, and heard them say, “Maybe the ponies in Ponyville have interesting things to talk about!,” and gesture to a pink mare with a fluffy mane… just as he bumped into her. “Come on, Twilight, just try.”

He saw the mare’s eyes dart between him and the unicorn, who he suspected was Twilight, and felt a little scrutinized.

“Uh… hello?,” Twilight greeted, and no sooner than she did, the pink mare gasped, jumped up in the air, and shot off past her.

He noticed the pegasi had taken their leave, but he was still apprehensive, so he said, “Um… hello, miss.”

Twilight shrugged and derisively said, “Well, that was interesting, alright,” before she turned to Harry and said, “Hey, kid. From your accent, I’d say you’re not local. What’s your name?”

“Oh, uh… Unseen Lightning. Me and my mother were visiting from Trottingham for the Summer Sun Celebration, with our pet cat Pearltongue.”

At this, Pearltongue meowed and hopped down, getting Twilight’s attention. “Well,” she said, “it’s nice to meet you, Lightning, but we have to get going. I’m very busy.”

As Twilight trotted off, Spike piped up again. “I’m Spike, Twilight’s personal assistant. You’ll have to excuse her; she’s not very sociable.”

As Spike ran off to catch up with Twilight, Lightning sighed before opening up a link. Mom, some royal guards just dropped off a purple unicorn and a baby dragon in a chariot. They didn’t test me, but a pink mare sped off when she saw us.

After a bit, Crystalline Cloud spoke back to him. I’m familiar with the mare from scout reports. She’s the town party planner. She’s also right in front of me, preparing us some cupcakes.

At this, Lightning blinked. Cupcakes?

Cloud giggled. Harry, one thing about being a changeling is that, if you find some love directed to you and you haven’t had any in a while, you may blow our cover. Fortunately, Changelings can digest sugar to substitute for love. A couple cupcakes each should keep us until the whole Nightmare Moon incident blows over.

Satisfied, Lightning declared, I’m going to see if I can tail the unicorn and the dragon. If she’s on business here, she must have been sent to supervise preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration, before he began to trot after Twilight and Spike.

A few seconds earlier…

As Crystalline Cloud put the cupcakes in her saddlebag and made to leave Sugarcube Corner, she was bowled over by a pink blur saying, “New ponies, new ponies! Okay, focus, Pinkie. Party Cannon loaded? Check! Punch? Check. Cupcakes?… Right! Let’s do this!”

When Cloud had got to her hooves and checked herself over, seeing no hint of black chitin, she breathed a sigh of relief that her disguise had held… before noticing the cupcakes had spilled on the floor and going back towards the front desk.

Before she could react, Cloud was face to face with a pink mare with a fluffy mane, staring at her with wide eyes and saying, “Oh, jeez! I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you there and- Oh, Celestia, another new pony! Now I need to make more cupcakes for the party- Oh, horseapples,” she said after looking behind Cloud, “I ruined your cupcakes! Here, let me make you some more!”

She then darted into the kitchen, and the sounds of rapid mixing, filling, and strangely enough, a fast-paced song about cupcakes echoed from the back room.

Confused, Chrysalis heard Lightning speak through the hive-link. Mom, some royal guards just dropped off a purple unicorn and a baby dragon in a chariot. They didn’t test me, but a pink mare sped off when she saw us.

A purple unicorn with a baby dragon?, Cloud thought. Associated with Royal Guards? I wonder who that could be… although by corroboration in the timing, she must have met the pink mare alongside Lightning.

After a bit, Cloud answered him. I’m familiar with the mare from scout reports. She’s the town party planner. She’s also right in front of me, preparing us some cupcakes.

At this, Lightning paused before replying, Cupcakes?

Cloud giggled in her head. Harry, one thing about being a changeling is that, if you find some love directed to you and you haven’t had any in a while, you may lose your disguise and blow our cover. Fortunately, Changelings can digest sugar to substitute for love. A couple cupcakes each should keep us until the whole Nightmare Moon incident blows over.

Skeptical but curious, Cloud simply closed the link and hoped for the best.

Soon after the link was closed, a blue pony with a warm smile came to the counter and said, “You’ll have to excuse Pinkie Pie. She’s particularly enthusiastic about meeting new ponies and throwing parties for them. I’m Cup Cake.”

Shaking off her surprise, Cloud replied, “Crystalline Cloud. Me and my son are visiting from Trottingham for the Summer Sun Celebration. Anyway, Pinkie offered to make me another six cupcakes to replace the ones I dropped.”

Cup Cake nodded, but before she could confirm what kind they were, six different cupcakes were laid on the counter; raspberry with cherry frosting, vanilla with apple frosting, mango with coconut frosting, grape with raspberry frosting, black currant with blueberry frosting and a marshmallow in the shape of a moon, and orange with banana frosting.

Blinking, Cup Cake said, “Were these the cupcakes?”

Dumbfounded by how Pinkie guessed completely right, Cloud nodded and put the cupcakes in her saddlebag before turning to leave again, half listening to Pinkie saying, “Just apple-vanilla cupcakes for the party!”

As Lightning tailed Twilight and Spike, he noticed the landscape change from a rural town to a dirt road, leading to a farmhouse surrounded by apple trees; an orchard.

As he came near the fence, he heard Spike. “Summer Sun Celebration official overseer’s checklist: Number one, banquet preparations; Sweet Apple Acres.” Sure enough, as the two came into sight, Spike brandished a pencil and scroll.

Sweet Apple Acres, Lightning thought. That’s a nice name.

His thoughts were interrupted, however, from a cry of, “Yeeee-haw!”

Turning to the source, Lightning bore witness to an orange earth pony with a tied blonde mane, three red apples on her flank, and a cowboy hat, rushing up to an apple tree before twisting around and delivering a firm kick to the trunk with her hind legs, which, as Lightning noticed, caused all of the apples to fall neatly into the baskets below.

Turning away from the orange pony, who held her head up in pride, Lightning saw that Twilight wasn’t at all enthused to mingle with them, sighing before saying, “Let’s get this over with…”
()
Lightning snuck up beside Twilight, intending to surprise her as she raised her head and introduced herself. “Good afternoon! My name is Twilight Sparkle.”

From the look on her face, Lightning surmised, she did not expect the swift and firm hoofshake as the orange pony replied, “Well, howdy-do, miss Twilight! A pleasure makin’ your acquaintance. I’m Applejack. We here at Sweet Apple Acres sure do like makin new friends!”

“Friends?,” Twilight asked, vibrating from the vigorous hoofshake. “Actually-y-y, I-“

“So,” Applejack cut in, “what can I do ya for?”

After Spike stopped her still-shaking hoof, chuckling at the interaction, Twilight cleared her throat and said, “Well, I am in fact here to supervise preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration… and you’re in charge of the food?”

“We sure as sugar are!,” Applejack answered. “Would you and your tagalong colt care to sample some?”

Twilight quickly looked behind her, seeing Lightning wave and nod, but quickly composed herself and answered, “As long as it doesn’t take too long.”

However, Applejack had already sped off and rang a triangle, yelling, “SOUP’S ON, EVERYPONY!”

This declaration was met with a rush of different coloured ponies with various apple-themed cutie marks, and when the dust cleared, Lightning, Twilight, and Spike were seated at a round table with a square-patterned tablecloth.

Lightning, remembering Changelings could digest sugars, smiled eagerly as Applejack popped up beside Spike, saying, “Now, why don’t I introduce y’all to the Apple family?”

“Thanks, but I really need to hurry,” Twilight said, though she was quickly rebuffed from departing by Applejack listing off the Apples as they left various dishes on the table. “This here’s Apple Fritter, Apple Bumpkin, Red Gala, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Caramel Apple, Apple Strudel, Apple Tart, Baked Apple, Apple Brioche, Apple Cinnamon Crisp-”

She paused for breath before finishing, “Big Macintosh, Apple Bloom, aaaaand,” she paused to stuff an apple into Twilight’s mouth, “Granny Smith.” She turned to an old green pony with a pie cutie mark, a whited-out mane, and an apple-print scarf around her neck, sleeping in a rocking chair. “Up an’ attem, Granny Smith! We got guests.

Lightning couldn’t make out what Granny Smith said, but Applejack said, “Why, I’d say they’re already part of the family!”

Twilight spit out her apple before laughing sheepishly and saying, “Okay, well, I can see the food situation is handled, so we’ll be on our way.”

This declaration was met with disbelieving looks from most of the family, Lightning noted as he polished off an apple cupcake, along with a sad-eyed Apple Bloom asking, “Aren’t you gonna stay for brunch?”

“Sorry,” Twilight said, “but we have an awful lot to do.”

The Apples looked disheartened, though they perked up when Lightning said, “I certainly enjoyed the sampling. The spread is sure to be wonderful.”

The sad looks of the Apple family, however, if only for a moment, we’re enough to get Twilight to say, “Fine.”

At this, the Apples let out a cheer, and Lightning sent out a small message to Cloud saying, Mom, the Apples are almost as numerous as the hive! I’ll be hanging back with Twilight and Spike - the unicorn and dragon respectively - for brunch with them.

Receiving a wave of understanding from his mother, Lightning dug in, Pearltongue following suit.

A few minutes later, with Cloud…

Cloud watched from a distance as Lightning and Twilight stumbled away from Sweet Apple Acres, bellies full.

Cloud surmised that Lightning wouldn’t need the cupcakes soon, since he was consuming large amounts of natural sugars that would fill his reserves, but the surprising thing was that the Hive’s reserve had also been filled, albeit only slightly.

Made with love, indeed, remarked Cloud in her head, and she turned around to leave Lightning to it…

…only to, after a blue blur sent the three into a mud puddle, come face to face with one of her operators, Nectare, in disguise.

Nectare’s record included one of the longest and most ambitious successful infiltrations in Chrysalis’ hive; on one of Princess Celestia’s own secret services, the Secret Monster Intelligence League of Equestria, a.k.a S.M.I.L.E, under her identity as Sweetie Drops. After an escape from Tartarus, a bugbear Drops had captured, S.M.I.L.E was dissolved unofficially, so Sweetie Drops took up residence undercover in Ponyville as Bon Bon the candy maker.

“Bon Bon,” Cloud greeted.

“Hello, miss, do I-,” Bonbon replied, before a brief flash of green in Cloud’s eyes had her glance around. “Not here,” she said, and the two departed for an alley.

Once they were isolated, Bon Bon said, “My Queen. What a surprise to meet you, but we must be brief. Lyra is expecting me.”

“Of course,” Cloud said. “The fact that you gave me these bits from your own purse is greatly appreciated, Nectare.”

Bon Bon nodded and said, “It was nothing, my Queen. Tell me, have you tried the Apple family’s cuisine?”

Cloud chuckled. “My ward has. You were not joking when you said they made their goods with love. He could taste it himself, besides the sugars. That purple pony, however… who is she, other than an overseer?”

Bon Bon paused for a moment, then said, “Twilight Sparkle. Newest student of the Princess… but I can sense something deeper in her. It feels like… a Core Magic, though it doesn’t seem as though she knows how to access it.”

Cloud’s eyes widened. The Core Magics were powerful forces that only a select few were born with. Each race had one to their name, but there was one Core Magic, the Core Magic, that any race could theoretically access.

“Just as well that I made no final plans to leave you in the background, Nectare. If the Core Magic of Harmony has chosen this place to assemble her pony Bearers, it would be prudent to keep a… personal eye on them.” Cloud turned around. “I will bring up moving here to my ward. Consult the mayor about any vacancies in town.”

At Bon Bon’s nod, the two exited the alleyway, Cloud heading to the library at Pinkie’s request and Bon Bon going to meet up with Lyra.

With Lightning, a couple minutes ago…

“I haven’t had that much food in a long time,” Lightning said as the three cantered away from the orchard. “Before mom adopted me…”

Lightning considered getting his past off his chest… but he barely knew Twilight, so he simply said, “…well, I’m better fed now.”

“Ugh… I ate too much pie,” Twilight said beside Lightning. “And you ate just as much, and you’re not experiencing stomach pain?”

Spike looked between them, then decided to change the subject back to their task. “Hmm… there’s supposed to be a pegasus pony named Rainbow Dash clearin’ the clouds.”

This got Twilight’s attention, and she looked up… to a very cloudy sky. “Well, she’s not doing a very good job, is she?”

Their musing was interrupted by a blue blur crashing into Twilight, which smacked her and Lightning (and Pearltongue) into a mud puddle.

When Lightning got out from under Twilight, he saw a sky-blue pegasus with a vibrant multicoloured mane and tail get up, look back sheepishly, laugh, and say, “Uh… ‘scuse me?” She then flew a small distance up and said, “Lemme help you.”

She then flew over, brought a raincloud over the two, and bounced over it, summoning a torrent of water and drenching the two below. “Hehe… oops. I guess I overdid it. Um, uh… how ‘bout this?,” she asked rhetorically as she circled Lightning and Twilight, kicking up a twister of prismatic wind around them that dried the mud and cleaned them off.

“My very own patented… Rain-Blow Dry!,” she said before setting down lightly on the ground. “No, no, don’t thank me, you!re quite welcome.

Lightning chanced a glance at Twilight, who looked quite irate at her poofy, swirled mane, and couldn’t help but laugh along with Rainbow Dash and Spike. He could only wonder how he looked after he went through all that, and Pearltongue (a.k.a Minerva McGonagall) did not look amused at her fur being fluffed up. One could imagine her thinking to herself, Don’t blow your cover, Minerva. It’s not worth lecturing the mare.

“Lemme guess,” Twilight asked, “you’re Rainbow Dash?”

The mare looked up from her pile with Spike, then sprung up and answered, “The one and only!,” as she flew up. “Why, ya heard of me?”

Twilight, ever the serious one, said, “I heard you’re supposed to be keeping the sky clear!,” before sighing and continuing with, “I’m Twilight Sparkle, and the Princess sent me to check on the weather.”

“Yeah, yeah, that’ll be a snap,” Rainbow Dash said dismissively. “I’ll do it in a jiffy, just as soon as I’m done practicing.”

“Practicing for what?,” Twilight asked, to which Rainbow answered, almost with a reverence in her voice, “The Wonderbolts!,” pointing to a poster behind them. “They’re gonna perform at the celebration tomorrow, and I’m gonna show ‘em my stuff!”

“The Wonderbolts?,” Twilight questioned with a rhetorical edge, to which Rainbow simply replied, “Yup.”

“The most talented fliers in all of Equestria?,” Twilight asked, which confused Lightning briefly.

“That’s them,” Rainbow responded, which led Twilight to snark, “Pfft, please. They’d never accept a pegasus who can’t even keep the sky clear for one measly day.”

At that, Lightning realized Twilight was goading Rainbow Dash, especially when Rainbow Dash said she could clear the sky in ten seconds flat.

Lightning could only hide his amusement as Twilight said, “Prove it,” and Rainbow went zipping through the sky, smashing clouds straight out of the sky.

Pearltongue, however, was surprised, thinking, I don’t recall Chrysalis telling me pegasi were literally responsible for weather! Never mind the cloud walking… I’ll have to bring this up when we next meet.

“What’d I say? Ten. Seconds. Flat,” Rainbow boasted, continuing with, “I’d never leave Ponyville hangin’.”

Twilight and Spike were dumbstruck by the speed and skill with which Rainbow confronted the task, while Lightning was awestruck by the speed a living, breathing equine could achieve.

Rainbow chuckled, saying, “You should see the look on your face. Ha, you’re a laugh, Twilight Sparkle. I can’t wait to hang out some more.”

She then rubbed her hoof endearingly on Lightning’s head and zipped off.

“Wow, she’s amazing!,” Spike commented, before laughing at Twilight’s frizzed-up mane.

Twilight groaned, before the small gathering of ponies cantered off to town hall.

In Town Hall…

“Decorations,” Spike said, before his eye caught something and he said, “Beautiful…”

Twilight, who was focused more on the state of Town Hall, remarked, “Yes, the decor is coming along nicely. This ought to be quick. I’ll be at the library in no time. Beautiful, indeed.”

“Twilight,” Lightning said, rolling his eyes, “I think he’s talking about the other unicorn,” to which Spike nodded.

Twilight looked down. Sure enough, the young dragon was fixated on a luxurious white unicorn with a curled purple mane and tail. Where Rainbow’s coat was windswept and tomboyish, this mare’s was immaculately groomed, not one hair out of place, and her eyelashes matched, framing eyes that sparkled like sapphires. Cementing this image of luxury was an image of three blue diamonds on her flank.

Said unicorn was currently absorbed in her work, levitating ribbon after ribbon before her eyes before dismissing them.

Lightning and Pearltongue glanced at Spike. His wide, smiling mouth and eyes with hearts in them spoke of a deep fixation, a romantic inclination.

Lightning thought to himself, If mom was here, she’d probably note this down on some file for the little dragon. How far apart in age even are they?

(In a dark library, Chrysalis felt a distinct urge to write, “Young dragon likes Ponyville fashionista, must check age gap before trying to capitalize,” in her folder for intriguing harvest cases.)

Pearltongue, however, rolled her eyes and thought, Young love like this would be a scandal Rita Skeeter would kill to get her hands on… never mind the existence of unicorns that can use magic with their horns.

“How are my spines? Are they straight?,” asked Spike, to which Twilight rolled her eyes and struck up her topic.

Or at least tried to, as she got no farther than a “Good afternoon,” before the mare interjected.

“Just a moment, please. I’m ‘in the zone,’ as t’were,” she said before tying a sparkling red bow and saying to herself, “Oh, yes! Sparkle always does the trick, does it not? Why, Rarity, you are a talent,” then turning to the group…

…and getting no further than “Now, um, how can I help you-“ before she clamoured at the state of their manes and tails with a somewhat warranted, “Whoa-ha-ha!”

Lightning stifled a chuckle before Rarity said, “Oh my stars, darlings! Whatever happened to your coiffures?!”

“Oh, you mean my mane?,” Twilight said, while Lightning, quite unused to the language of French/Prench, tilted his head in confusion. “Well, it’s a long story. I’m just here to check on the decorations and then I’ll be out of your hair.”

“Out of my hair?,” Rarity balked. “What about your hair?”

She then pushed Twilight out the door, to her surprise, and Lightning shrugged, saying to his mother, Mom, got another detour on our hands. A mare named Rarity took exception to our hair being frizzed up after Rainbow Dash blow-dried us.

Spike pretty much floated out the door behind them, leading to Pearltongue shaking her head.

Lightning considered asking either Spike or Rarity their ages… but decided it wouldn’t be good manners for Rarity and Spike was most likely too transfixed to answer.

At least he escaped the dress-up show Twilight was roped into after his hair, in its typical messy sort of state, was fixed. Truth be told, Rarity had tried to tame it, but gave it up as futile after quite a few tries.

Finally, Rarity settled on clothing Twilight in a bedazzled saddle corset, with a centrepiece of a lozenge-cut emerald.

“Now, go on, my dear,” Rarity said as she tightened the corset. “You were telling me where you’re from.”

Twilight had difficulty choking out her words with the sheer degree of compression her barrel was experiencing. “I’ve… been sent… from Canterlot… to-“

“Huh?! Canterlot?!,” Rarity said in surprise, sending the two mares flying in opposite directions. “Oh, I am so envious, the glamour, the sophistication! I have always dreamed of living there! I can’t wait to hear all about it!”

She then got close to Twilight and, eyes half-lidded, said, “We are going to be the best of friends, you and I.”

“Mom always said a lot of Canterlot nobility were self-assured snobs,” Lightning said, “and that the worst of them all was the Princess’ nephew, Prince Blueblood.” It wasn’t a lie, of course; Chrysalis had told him that the only nobles in Canterlot she remotely considered good company were Fancy Pants and his wife, Fleur de Lis. The rest of them, in her words, “had snouts so high up they could smell their snouts burning in Celestia’s sun.”

Rarity nodded. “Yes, the clientele is a little dry, but there’s bound to be a few charming people if you just look deep.”

She then glanced at the emerald and declared, “Emeralds? What was I thinking? Let me get you some rubies!”

While her back was turned, Twilight bolted. “Quick! Before she decides to dye my coat a new color!”

Lightning, however, stuck around to apologize to the mare before he and Spike departed with the mare.

Later…

“Wasn’t she wonderful?,” Spike said, to which Lightning said, “At least she was understanding once I explained.”

“Focus, casanova,” Twilight chided softly. “What’s next on the list?”

Spike cleared his throat before saying, “Oh, uh… music. It’s the last one.”

Just then, tones of birdsong rang through the air, prompting some confusion from the trio as they hid in the bushes.

What they saw was a butter-yellow pegasus with three pink butterflies on her flank in front of a veritable chorus of different birds. The one bluejay on the branches, however, was singing quite out of tune.

“Oh, my,” the pegasus remarked. “Um… stop, please, everyone.”

Surprisingly to Lightning and Pearltongue, the whole choir ceased, and the pegasus flew up to the bluejay. “Um… excuse me, sir. I mean no offence, but… your rhythm is just a teeny-tiny bit off.” She then fell softly back, her bubblegum pink mane cascading in the air, and prepared to recommence the rehearsal. “Now, follow me, please. A-one, a-two, a-one, two, three-“

“Hello!,” Twilight piped up, which had the effect of scattering the birds and surprising the mare. “Oh my, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten your birds, I’m just here to check up on the music, and… it’s sounding beautiful.”

The mare didn’t seem to know how to respond to this, awkwardly pawing at the ground and looking to the right, which had the effect of shrouding her turquoise eyes from Twilight.

Twilight smiled sheepishly for a bit, then introduced herself. “I’m Twilight Sparkle.”

After a moment of silence, she decided to ask, “What’s your name?”

The mare awkwardly and quietly said, “Um… I’m Fluttershy…”

“Fluttershy, hm?,” Lightning guessed. “I’m Unseen Lightning, and this is Pearltongue.”

The cat immediately got Fluttershy’s attention, and she perked up immediately. “Oh, um… hello, little kitty. I’m Fluttershy.”

Pearltongue rolled her eyes. She’s got the makings of Hufflepuff in her…

Fluttershy tilted her head. “Um… what’s ‘Hufflepuff?’”

This caused Pearltongue to shoot up, startled. Sweet Merlin, can she…?

“Merlin?,” Fluttershy said. “I don’t think this is an ordinary cat.”

This confirmed Pearltongue’s suspicions, and she was only saved from being further prodded by Spike coming out of the bushes, saying, “Merlin? Hufflepuff? What’s with all these words being thrown around?”

This immediately caused Fluttershy to shift from a demure mare into an excited one as she gasped and said, “A baby dragon!,” before shooting over to Spike, knocking the ponies and cat out of the way to rush up to him. “Oh, I’ve never seen a baby dragon before. He’s sooo cute!”

This caused Spike to glance back to Twilight, saying, “Well, well, well…”

“Oh my, he talks!,” Fluttershy said. “I didn’t know dragons could talk. That’s just so incredibly wonderful, I-I just don’t even know what to say!”

“Well,” Lightning said, collecting himself, “mom always told me about the Dragonlands to the southeast, between Griffonstone and Kirin Grove. She never goes there, though; she’s worried they won’t like her.” Not necessarily a lie; he had learned some Equan geography just in case he got lost so he could navigate to the Badlands by the various settlements and countries.

The real reason Chrysalis stayed away from those areas, however, was that the Kirin were notorious for their temper and the transformation thereof, the Griffons had fallen from Grace since the Idol of Boreas was lost and the line of kings fell, and the Dragons only had love for their gem hoard… which they also snacked on.

Either way, Twilight quickly put Spike down on her back and said, “Well, your birds seem to be back, so we’ll leave you to it.”

Of course, it only took a moment’s decision for Fluttershy to walk along with the trio, striking up a conversation with Spike that lasted all the way to the library.

Trying to play up the “Spike needs a nap time” card only temporarily separated the two, however, since Lightning let her into the library for the party he was forewarned about.

“Huh. Rude much?,” Spike chided.

“Sorry, Spike,” Twilight apologized, “but I have to convince the Princess that Nightmare Moon is coming, and we’re running out of time! I just need to be alone so I can study without a bunch of crazy ponies tryin’ to make friends all the time. Now, where’s the light?”

“Too bad,” Lightning said, before he joined the ponies in saying, “SURPRISE!”

Twilight groaned.

“Surprise!,” Pinkie said. “Hi, I’m Pinkie Pie and I threw this party just for you! Were ya surprised? Were ya? Were ya? Huh? Huh? Huh?”

“Very surprised,” Twilight said, before bitterly adding, “Libraries are supposed to be quiet.”

“Well, that’s silly!,” Pinkie said. “What kind of welcome party would this be if it were quiet? I mean, duh! Bo-ring!”

Lightning decided to tune out most of Pinkie’s recount of her day, looking for his mother, when he found her at the punch table.

“Oh, dear, miss Sparkle,” she said, “I believe you might want to pour the green bottle for punch. That red one is hot sauce.”

Twilight’s eyes widened as she checked the label, then said, “Great, another pony trying to make friends…”

“Just being courteous, my dear,” she retorted lightly as Lightning jumped her. “You did look after my little Lighty, after all.”

At this, Pinkie gasped, saying, “Oh, so this little scamp is your son? I’m glad to see you both!”

Twilight, who was drinking her punch with a kick, saw this as a chance to slip through the crowd, but she was stonewalled by Cloud stepping in front of her. “I don’t believe we’ve properly met, dear. I am Crystalline Cloud. Me and my son were visiting from Trottingham for the celebration, but we may just decide to move in with all the excitement here.”

“Twilight Sparkle,” she replied, “and likewise. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need some peace to look into-“

“The seal breaking?,” Cloud interjected. “In a way, you could say that is what brought us here as well. A nuisance said if we weren’t on the train to Ponyville this morning, he’d smuggle us on the express while we slept. Besides, Lighty could use the excitement.”

Twilight’s eyes widened, before she pushed by Cloud and up the stairs to the loft.

“Should I follow her?,” Lightning asked, to which Cloud replied, “No. She’s even more clueless about the One Core Magic than Starswirl dearest. Still,” she continued as she passed Lightning a cupcake from her bag, “I have no doubt she can puzzle it out once dear Luna comes back.”

In the noise of the party, the conversation was missed, and after eating a couple cupcakes, Cloud and Lightning joined in the festivity.

Of course, with Fluttershy satisfied with her interview of Spike, she soon turned towards Pearltongue, who pretended she was one of a special sort of animals from another world.

I feel like a character in a Muggle fantasy novel, she thought.

“Ooh!,” Fluttershy exclaimed. “Imagine if critters like you and… somepony like me who can understand animals… were central elements in a Daring Do novel!”

Yes, Pearltongue lamented. That does sound thrilling.

Stepping out from the party, Lightning looked up.

Displayed clearly in the sky was the moon, the mark of Luna’s seal emblazoned clearly in its craters.

But was it him, or were those four stars… inching… closer?

Lightning’s eyes widened. The seal is breaking…

His thoughts were cut short by his mother, who came out to escort him to the town hall for the sunrise. “What’s wrong, dear?”

She and Pearltongue then glanced up… and saw it.

Pearltongue hopped off, then, out of sight from the townspeople, turned back into Minerva. “The legend is true, then… Let us hope that the aftermath will have no casualties.”

She then turned back into a cat, hopped on Lightning’s back, and the three headed to face destiny.

Town Hall

As the townsponies waited with bated breath, Cloud ruminated on what she knew of the Mare In The Moon.

Princess Luna, younger Princess of Equestria. Protector of dreams, and ruler of the night. Became envious of her sister’s daylight, which eventually led her to develop that darker side of herself, Nightmare Moon, and force her sister, Celestia, to seal her away on the moon… not that it held her back any at Trot, she added as she unconsciously rubbed at one of the spots her chitin had been blasted through. The two of them sealed away Discord, spirit of chaos, and before that… the gap in my memory, though I do remember it involving King Aspen of Whitetail Woods, Queen Novo of Mount Aris, and the Abyssinian King, Shadepaw.

Such was an unsettling thing; the whole Hive had forgotten something only a few weeks before Discord was sealed away, and when a false memory tried to insert itself, it caused them splitting headaches. The whole thing stunk of Chaos Magic… but if Discord wanted them to forget something, how horrible was that thing?

Her thoughts on the matter were interrupted when she glanced up at the moon - and the Mare was gone.

“…The pony who gives us the sun and the moon each and every day,” Mayor Ivory Scroll’s voice rang out, now apparent to her outside of ther musings, “the good, the wise, the bringer of harmony to all of Equestria…”

As Fluttershy prepared to conduct the fanfare, Lightning thought, This is going to be exciting.

“…Princess Celestia!”

The curtain was drawn. The spotlight illuminated emptiness.

“This can’t be good,” Twilight said as confusion became apparent.

Rarity revealed Celestia’s absence. Pinkie, to Lighting’s amusement, kept a bright outlook… then yelped as a blue mist floated from the balcony… and resolved itself into a black mare, to Twilight’s horror (and weak gratification at being right,) with slit eyes that gleamed like turquoise, a wispy mane that appeared like the skies of the dreamscape, and as she smiled, Lighting saw her teeth were wicked points.

“Nightmare Moon…,” Twilight said as Spike fainted off her back, which almost seemed to prompt the mare to speak.

“Oh, my beloved subjects. It’s been so long since I’ve seen your precious little sun-loving faces,” she said, and Lightning could certainly notice the contempt she had for the sun - and with it, her own sister.

I couldn’t imagine even Pharynx being so… contemptible to his brother, he thought as Rainbow Dash made to rush the mare - and was only stopped by Applejack holding her by the tail. A tad abrasive, maybe a bit too teasing, but contemptible? Our bond is blood and brood, especially theirs!

As if to break the mood at her mocking taunt of “Why? Am I not royal enough for you? Don’t you know who I am?,” Lightning said, “Mother talks so much about the young sister of night, the guardian of dreams… even corrupted by your own long-festered envy, you possess an ethereal, moonlit radiance… Luna Duskchild.”

This comment was met with gasps from the crowd, and while Nightmare Moon seemed enraged to be called Luna after so long… Cloud noticed the slightest blush at being said to possess such a radiance, and smirked.

Lightning, Cloud thought, I don’t know anything about your family, but you can be such a ladies’ colt sometimes.

“While I am… offended somewhat by being associated with that name,” Nightmare said, “you do at least acknowledge the crown I used to hold… and after all these years, all the signs, the legend shall be true, and the crown of Equestria shall belong solely to me, Nightmare Moon, as it should have been a thousand years ago!”

“I know the legend,” Twilight interjected, “and I don’t know why Princess Celestia dismissed me to this town, but you can’t expect everypony to simply bow to somepony over one night!”

“Hmph. Remember the day you had, little ponies,” Nightmare said with finality, “for it was your last. From this moment forth, the night… will last… forever!”

She punctuated this statement with a wicked cackle that made Pearltongue roll her eyes. Talk about chewing the scenery.” she thought as Nightmare Moon’s mane cascaded into a dark vortex encompassing the entire ceiling.

“Seize her!,” Ivory called to the guards in vain. “Only she knows where Princess Celestia is!”

In vain it was, not because the guards had fled, but because Nightmare summoned lightning to blast them away before she snapped up Lightning, to Cloud’s shock, and flew off to the Everfree, to the Castle.

Following Twilight, Chrysalis felt a pit of worry in her stomach… and it tasted bitter.

One thought alone made her pause; Is this what being a mother is supposed to feel like?

The thought that she was just realizing it, if it were true worry, made her think something else… but she pushed that aside to tell Twilight, “I have no idea what that crazed mare wants with Lighty, but please… bring him home safe.”

By the time Lightning had stopped seeing the scenery of the Everfree treetops, he was set down almost ceremoniously onto a cold stone floor, in the center of a gaping room.

“Audacious as you are,” Nightmare Moon said, making him freeze and turn, “you recognize our sovereignty, our right to rule, and… we admit, you made us feel loved in a crowd of fear.”

As he turned, his eyes were unwillingly drawn to the plinth, bearing five stone globes with hexagonal jewels embedded.

Nightmare noticed this, and said, “Walk with us, colt. Half of those relics used to be ours, but we do not jest that, after one thousand years, we and our beloved sister have faded from their power.”

With that, Nightmare ushered Lightning up a set of stairs gently, to an empty room that was much more plain, where she continued.

“Once,” she said, “this was the seat of Our power. We presided in this wood as symbols of the unity our mentor, Starswirl The Bearded, had helped achieve. We were the gift of dream and rest, and Our dear sister ruled the vivacious hours of sunlight, day in and day out. Never any time for Us! ‘Not now, Luna,’ ‘I have propositions to peruse, Luna,’ ‘We’re not fillies gallivanting around anymore, Luna!’ Even when I voiced my concerns, she had to wave me off being the benevolent ruler she was. Her shadow only grew over us… and then, when she dismissed our state for the last time, it consumed us. Became me… Nightmare Moon.”

Lightning laid a hoof on her. “I may not interact much with my mother,” he said, “but I know she loves me. She works day in and day out, but when she came home and finishes her reports, she always gave me care and love from the bottom of her heart, reading me stories and giving me the best home cooked meals. Ruling ponies isn’t such a free job as teaching classes on creative arts, so I’m not surprised, as the kingdom grew, your sister had less time to preside.”

Nightmare nodded. “Your argument is solid. However, our last push before we rebelled was to have the night be longer for a third of the year, in the winter time.”

Lightning shook his head. “It could be misunderstood by Celestia’s loyalists that you were forcing this on her, or trying to set up a kingdom to wage war with how tense your relationship must have been at the time. I don’t think she’d ever want to subject you to even the prospect somepony might try to dispose of you, immortality or not!”

Nightmare blinked. “That… is an interesting point, young colt. We were viewed with contempt, even as the protector of dreams, seeing as we repelled their nightmares, and the night is said to be where things go bump.” She then had a wry smirk. “Speaking of being disposed of…”

Lightning looked mildly worried as a mist began to swirl around Nightmare Moon’s horn, then his eyes widened as it coalesced around him, then… a feeling as if a cool breeze swirled within him as he opened his eyes.

“We are not so assured of ourselves that We did not take into note the sign, from high above in a palace surrounded by the Nyx We twisted into Our forces,” Nightmare explained. “A pegasus maneuver thought to be impossible is bound to be from the Core Magic selecting avatars! Therefore, since you have been so very kind, cordial, and above all rational in our presence, we grant you a boon containing an inadvertent insurance our lighter half created ten years ago.”

Lightning looked somewhat scared. “You-you mean-?”

At his tone, Nightmare’s eyes widened as her smile became somewhat concerned. “Perish the thought, young colt. ‘Tis not a lethal spell. In the night, Thou shalt be lighter, thy trait more potent, and your eyes shall be sharper. The assurance is this; when power and blood meet mine armor at my site of defeat, I shall be renewed for a new life free of my past.”

Before he could ask what Nightmare meant, her ears pricked up, and she frowned. “As I thought… She once more resides in the hearts of our people. My fragment hath failed to stem the advance of six ponies.”

She then conjured an elliptical cocoon around Lightning, saying, “We shall hope to be back, but if we are not… ‘‘twas nice to meet you, young colt. As for the ritual of Nightmare Night we observed… we admit we, Luna and I, most prefer the Sugarcube Corner white chocolate-covered marshmallows with orange-zest suns, along with the dark chocolate with blueberry helmet decorations.”

Then the cocoon solidified on the wall, and he knew no more until five minutes later, when it disappeared.

Back in Ponyville, Crystalline Cloud sat and stared, but in her mind, she had some measure of assurance of her son's wellbeing.

Being the Hive Mother, the queen, she was connected to each and every one of her brood with a passive empathic bond that could be turned into a telekinetic channel between two or three minds, with her as the relay and the anchor.

Though Lightning's mind had quelled, it was not entirely silent. A dormant presence had settled in almost unnoticed, but having lived so long, she quickly determined it to be non-violent, an incomplete and inert anchor point that posed no threat to the three key elements she had compartmentalized most things into; the Hive, Harry, or the Queen.

In fact, it seemed to be a blessing; one that would benefit Harry under the night, she realized, and she put together that it was placed by Nightmare Moon.

Fortunately, as she remembered, Lightning was relatively at ease (surprisingly) with the darkened Princess of Dreams, maybe a little too much to be healthy, and as she looked to her side in the windowless basement of Golden Oaks Library, Minerva McGonagall's face was uncertain as hers.

"Do you truly think Harry will be alright in a Dark Lady's care?," she asked, to which Chrysalis returned to her changeling form and said, "I'd heard many rumours of Luna's intentions, and her neglected past. If anyone can relate to her, bring out the softer side of Nightmare Moon, give Princess Luna a shoulder to lean on... it would be that child Thorax saw collapse weeding the garden, only to be lashed."

Minerva's face became a tad solemn at that, but before she could say anything, the sun, held in place below the horizon by the whims of alicorns, rose on a joyous town, so she simply nodded, and blurred back to Pearltongue.

Likewise, Chrysalis changed back to Crystalline Cloud, and after Pearltongue hopped back on her back, the two set out to welcome Lightning, and the newfound Bearers, back to Ponyville with fanfare.

When Lightning awoke, he looked at the much brighter scene in front of him.

Celestia, a large white pony with golden regalia, peytral and tiara inlaid with a single amethyst, and a long, flowing, iridescent mane that brought to mind the dawn light, was tenderly embracing a much smaller mare, blue with a blue mane, almost glistening mithril hoofshoes, a petite black crown, and most tellingly, a patch dark as night on her flank with a white crescent moon; Princess Luna, and he assumed, young as a filly and severed from her powers - for the time being, until she could accept that charge again, though Harry had a feeling she'd need some strict concern in the future. (Given the aside glance to him, she could not have had her memory erased entirely, and his mother's lessons about guilt over your instinctual or impulsive actions told him it would lead to some... drastic unwarranted actions. Compound that with a dominion over dreams, and Harry wouldn't put it past her to make herself suffer in the sanctuary of her own mind.)

Of course, the most obvious thing was that he was being looked over by Twilight and the others, and on close inspection, he silently thought to himself, So those are the physical form of the Core Magic of Harmony.

He thought this because, as Twilight fussed over him, he noticed each of the others wearing ornate golden peytrals, each inlaid with a gem that thrummed with magic.

Angling his eyes upwards, he saw that they were complemented with Twilight's sixth accessory; a tiara inlaid with small inert aquamarines, loops of gold creating a lattice that held triumphantly a bezel containing a star sapphire in the shape of a six-point star. This star sapphire blazed even brighter than the other five gems in a light incorporating all of theirs, and instinctively, he knew he was in the presence of a power all tribes and creatures should revere: The Element of Magic, strongest and chiefest aspect of the Core Magic of Harmony for its simple existence as a symbol of the most unassailable magic ever.

These are my first friends in the world of Equestria, he thought as the light almost beckoned him to stand by it, and he did, knowing the six Bearers were all worthy of his trust and would likely expect him to aspire to the same example, and most likely my first ever lifelong friends.

This was interrupted by Lightning being loaded onto Celestia's chariot as they rode swiftly back to Ponyville, the newly purified Princess Luna in tow. Too tired to confirm his theories on why Celestia vetoed Luna's plans, he just slept until he found himself in his mother's arms.

Dawn of A New Day
Ponyville Square

As Twilight watched the warm welcome Celestia and Luna were having, not to mention Crystalline Cloud embracing Unseen Lightning as only a mother could, she felt wonderful... but at the same time, she felt hollow, thinking, Is this all? I just learned the magic of friendship, and now I'm leaving my closest five friends in years.

Such emotions, of course, did not escape her mentor, who cantered up to her and said, "Why so glum, my faithful student? Are you not happy that your quest is complete, and you can return to your studies in Canterlot?"

At that, Twilight felt even more hollow, more distant from the relentlessly studious mare she used to be as she looked into the sorrowful faces of her new friends and her faithful assistant, and replied, "That's just it; just when I learn how wonderful it is to have friends, I have to leave them."

However, Celestia smiled at this, saying, "Spike, take a note, please. I, Princess Celestia, hereby decree that the unicorn Twilight Sparkle shall take on a new mission for Equestria; she must continue to study the Magic of Friendship!"

The pleasant surprise was evident on her and her friends' faces, even little Unseen Lightning, as Spike's quill continued to write and Celestia said, "She must report to me her findings... from her new home in Ponyville!"

Twilight's friends surrounded her as she answered, "Oh, thank you, Princess Celestia! I'll study harder than ever before!"

Of course, we cannot forget our little pegasus nee changeling, who joined in the revelry at the wondrous decree with his mother... on the outside, and on the inside, the two still reveled, yes, but Chrysalis' gears were turning already.

Harry, she spoke in their heads, I think you need a much more scenic location to grow up in, and you could certainly do with more friends if your first one happened to be an estranged princess. As such, I've decided to go through with the outpost plan.

Really?! Thanks, mum, Harry thought back. I can't wait to make more friends without Dudley able to scare them off!

Chrysalis chuckled in her head, but it rang somewhat hollow, as she was reminded that Harry still sometimes lingered on his doubts, and needed someling to reign him in before he tried to befriend some of the most aggressive changelings in her guard. A healthier environment would be intriguing for him, not to mention she could already tell three younger ponies would likely keep him busy if they got together.

Nevertheless, everything was set, in Chrysalis' head. She had her nymph. She had her eye on those six mares. She had her alias. All the pieces were in play, all the first connections built.

Now it was time to watch... so when she acted, she could be sure of her post-game strategy if things went south.

Meanwhile, in a far-off place, a mysterious figure perused his books... and stopped upon one that was glowing.

"Maybe I should pay them a visit," they said. "Not like there's much to do, with the latest haul split..."

Omake: The Old, Overly Complicated, Confluence Subplot
In the noise of the party, the conversation was missed, though Lightning noticed that, for a second it looked like there were two Pinkie Pies, one chatting away, and one heading right for them.

That one motioned for them to come out, and they cautiously followed.

Just outside the Golden Oaks…

The moment they were out of sight, their beckoner was wreathed in green flames, though they were oddly licked with blue, before a very different changeling stood before them.

The changeling could still be recognized as Pinkie in the shadows, her pink fur was now black chitin, and she had very noticeable fangs in her mouth.

“Who are you?,” Cloud asked, and the peculiar changeling saluted as she said, “Paryniax. Necrosian Honor Guard, Head of the Party District which handles love collection. Me and the rest of the Honor Guard were sent by King Elytra to this universe to assess the political clime in the Hives.”

Lightning, confused, said, “You look so much like Pinkie.”

Paryniax had a small and wistful smile on her face as she said, “In Elytra’s questing for power, he tore his way through many plots for power and subsumption, including one Bureau world. One of them was the conversion and integration of the Bearers of Harmony by an alternative Chrysalian Hive. So, in a way… I am her.”

“Enough explanation, Paryniax,” Cloud gently chided. “I assume you have some news of the political landscape?”

Paryniax nodded, before saying, “The hives are talking of a Confluence at the same time as the Grand Galloping Gala. Queen Herrah of the Deepweavers and her alliances with King Lindwyrm of the Palehallow and Queen Vespa of the Goldcomb are due to be renewed. Queen Vanessa of the Apocrites has gone silent, and her Changelings seem to be marshalling military forces to take the neutral territories of the Eternal Land under someling named Hoaxe. Any scouts sent by the other powers have gone silent.”

This last piece of news shocked Chrysalis greatly. Queens and their amplitude were meant to be unassailable to ordinary Changelings, though frequencies could be changed. Whoever this Hoaxe was, he would have to be fought against.

Author's Note:

Okay, I know you're going to be asking me a few things, so let's knock them out of the park here.

-Changelings can digest sugar as an alternative to love. I got this from the MLP Time Loops; specifically, the Loop where Fluttershy got her Looping Alicorn status by befriending the Changelings before the wedding.

-The delay around the Pinkie Pie scene was twofold: I lost my proofreader Szilu, and I couldn’t decide whether Cloud/Chrysalis should meet Pinkie first or Lightning/Harry should run into her along with Twilight. With a little motive, however, plus a little hype music (I Will Give You My All and A Hat In Time’s Rush Hour music,) I put two snippets forward, tried putting them together, realized the fuss was for nothing, and came back swinging with a full two consecutively timed snippets, and even got in a little of the Sweet Apple Acres scene! I will be using my trusty rusty denotation, the Moustache Spike, to show where this vaunted block held me, and where my midnight motion paused for battery concerns… of my phone, which I use to bring up clips and make the general script (minus Harry and the Changelings and some scenes that need to be wedged in here and there) authentic as can be.

Which reminds me… shout-out to Arlynn, the dragon who delivered the fateful comment to get me off Falak’s Tectonium-garbed tuchis (which I lost the schematic to overhaul, which means a bigger delay for the overhauled version of Chaos On. Joy… still, on with the changeling!) and even delivered the somewhat performative vote (though not in the manner I intended, which was rating the comments on which the snips were written) for the highly-expedited poll (expedited because the modified Sugarcube Corner scene fit so well as a synchronous piece that setting the tunnel exit scene later in the timeline was pointless. I would have given it a week otherwise.)

-The name “Nectare” for Bon Bon as a changeling comes from nectar, as in flower nectar, which bees use to make honey. Everything in her hive backstory is adapted from actual canon: Sweetie Drops capturing the bugbear, the acronym, even the motive for coming to Ponyville. I put in the meeting segment because I wanted to show that there are local operators in Ponyville holding down steady positions. (Also, my phone needed charging.)

-The Core Magics aren’t really going to be a new concept, just a branding of powerful concepts. Here is a list of the Core Magics as codified now:

All-song: The Core Magic of Inspiration, which is intrinsically linked to the life of Sirens. The All-Song, for a Siren, is the ability to inspire emotion, feed from emotion, and use their voices to perform magic. The All-Song as a Core Magic is the magic from which Heartsongs forge their essence and influence; not a magic on its own, but able to inspire magical wonders such as the works of Harmony.

The Wavelength: The Core Magic of Resonance, which only manifests naturally in Changelings. The Wavelength is the diversity of the hives, and the unity of those within them. It manifests differently in each Hive’s Royal, and resonates among their Hive. Their Wavelength’s power, or Amplitude, is higher in a Hive’s Royals, and its diversity, or Frequency, separates Hives.

Harmony: The Light Core Magic. Catalyzed by truth to self and harnessed through bonds, Harmony, or the Magic of Friendship, is a Core Magic theoretically accessible by all races. Chief among those that can wield it are the Elements of Harmony, those who can resonate with the physical catalysts that share the name. Forged by Spirits of Harmony, these “Trees” sometimes bear prophetic markings, and are the source of physical Elements which, used together, aid their Bearers in tapping into the power of Harmony. Elements are easily spotted by incredible common events like the Sonic Rainboom, young friend groups like Zecora and Capper’s, and can sometimes include those touched by Harmony Magic in its fold as Lost Elements; Elements that serve and further amplify the Magic of Friendship, but are not the six core concepts that tie the magic together. Especially strong among these is the Lost Element of Empathy, which can catalyze Harmony in lieu of Magic. While the Pillars planted the Equestrian Tree of Harmony with the aspects of Hope, Beauty, Bravery, Strength, Healing, and Sorcery, Starswirl was unable to understand true friendship and, as such, unable to finish the Harmony-based spell Twilight completed in Magical Mystery Cure.

The Primal Magics: Primal Magics are the magic of concepts, and spirits of concepts. It ties the spirits together, and affords them power over reality itself. Yes, this Core Magic is Discord’s ability to warp reality, float, et cetera. By extension to Cosmos and Eris, this Core Magic like many others, is neither good nor evil, just… power, to be done with as a mind wishes.

Ata’axi: Ata’axi, or Shadow’s Touch, is the Core Magic of Shadows, intrinsically associated with the Umbrum race. Ata’axi is a magic that enshrouds with darkness, ensnares with illusion, and enables those of the atapon, the shadow folk or Umbrum, to thrive on fear. Sombra’s half-umbrum nature, and his study of dark magic, gives him a mastery of the darkness, able to travel swiftly as a mass of shadow and smoke, entangle his foes in illusions of their worst fears, and manipulate the dark forms of the magical crystal known as atapriax, which can inhibit magic and petrify ponies. Only one force can deter the dark side of Ata’axi; the light of love, which inters the Umbrum beneath the Crystal Spire and vanquishes constructs and creatures of shadow like Sombra and his dark crystals. Nevertheless, despite its dark use, Ata’axi is a Core Magic that can be used for good and evil in equal measure.

-A comment to Lightning being awestruck: Oh, kiddo, you have no idea how fast that mare can go.

-Yes, I looked up the word “clamour.” It’s a loud and confused noise, and I figured it fit Rarity’s exclamation. I was originally trying to figure out if it would be suitable for her follow-up.

-I read up on horse maturity, decided ponies were probably different than earth horses, and promptly threw the book to the side, with appropriate comical Wilhelm cat and glass break. We never get a consistent time scale, right?

-Yes, the particular cut of gem for the emerald on the front of the corset Is called a lozenge cut.

-I had to consult Netflix on my tablet because a clip cut out before I could copy the line, “Quick! Before she decides to dye my coat a new color!”

-I did check the far shot. The bluejay singing out of turn is the one bluejay in Fluttershy’s choir.

-I decided to put down a side story in the form of Paryniax’s showing up, then decided the Confluence didn’t need to be so complicated as to warrant creating blatant rips of five bug characters. As such, the Confluence as I plan it will be toned down, and the segment with Paryniax was cut into an omake.

-When McGonagall compared her situation to a Muggle fantasy novel, I was left with the unenviable position of finding a fantasy novel from around 1991 where the main human protagonist can talk to animals. Looking in the 80s, I decided on a book named Dragon’s Milk. Eragon, while its writer was born in the 80s, was published in the 2000s.

-I considered having Chrysalis/Cloud ruminate about the immediate future events in Town Hall, but realized the dialogue I had planned would require she knew Harmony intrinsically. Even for some creature that’s lived since Starswirl’s age, Harmony’s power would escape her because she’s most likely never had a true friend, even considering the more sympathetic direction I was sending her in. I mean, in DoTW, Cadance and Chrysalis were childhood friends a la this, albeit still with a disguise in between, but I think doing that here would be a bit too far off for people to understand. I will have a minor omake when we get to Canterlot Wedding about a certain animation that I’m surprised no one has co-opted into a story.

-The sympathetic direction I’ve been taking her may not be the most authentic, but I wanted Harry to get some genuine care. He deserves it after even a week of burns, starvation, and bullying in the Dursley house in my opinion. Of course, this is still the same schemer, even if I want to write her seeing her hive as less of an army and more of a family. Her drones understand this dynamic, Thorax understands this dynamic, Ocellus understands this dynamic. The family looks after its own, but is content for them to do their own thing as long as they report to her on occasion (which is why Nectare is content: Chrysalis lets her pursue her life as Bon Bon.) Of course, Chrysalis will still somewhat resent the ponies for foiling her, but Harry will help her tone it down.

-Oh, Chrysalis, you have no idea how horrible she was… The rumination on Luna’s history in this story was a snap decision, since I, as previously stated, couldn’t have Chrysalis intrinsically know Harmony.

-Make no mistake, I have no plans to ship Harry with Princess Luna. I mean, he’s just a kid, and she’s a millenium-old immortal Alicorn princess! Luna Lovegood is a much fairer target, if we’re playing straights. Of course, Harry would definitely have to know how to charm if he's going to be good at feeding on willing love. Playing into someone’s - I’m kidding. It was a spur of the moment, but it builds some character to do something unexpected.

-Having Nightmare Moon snap up Lightning was a response to my spur of the moment. You can’t just hit up an immortal corrupted Alicorn with her real name and expect to sit out the whole thing, after all. He still won’t be involved in the main journey, but he will get a little something extra. After all, he’s still not received any real knowledge about his position in the wizarding world other than, “here’s a wand, here’s an owl, here’s your books, try not to get into too many adventures at magic school."

-Yes, Chrysalis, a good parent’s job is to worry when their charges are imperiled somehow.

-My mental disorders like Autism gave me a serious "Bad Dobby" case in school sometimes; smacking myself in the head with the table, my class textbook, and usually crying it out on the leather couch in my 4-6 school. For that, I can somewhat relate to Luna. (I still remember making a "wicked child" rhyme on those couches...) So, I figuratively told Chrysalis to tell her Hive that one's self, like impulse and instinct, should not be grounds to beat oneself up over it.

Unjustified suspicion, on the other hand... 😒(Insert: ashamed_Scootaloo_emote) I can be very intolerable about drama like that. One of my unreleased characters (named Sunny Glimpse) is an overprotective big sister to the target of said suspicion, to the point of going full-on "Black Knight" in order to protect her.

-The mindset of "build, watch, act" is something that fits Chrysalis, in my opinion. It's from one of Ben King's lines in the first Saints Row: "I (became a power in Stilwater) by knowing when it was time to build, when it was time to watch, and when it was time to act." That kind of mindset would be something Chrysalis would need, now that Harry's presence is making her consider, "What if things go wrong? What happens to the Hive if all her gambits fall apart?" So she's playing a long game right now; blending in with the crowd, getting a read for the ponies around her, trying to figure out a viable adoptive mother for Harry mostly.

-The mystery figure is not important to the main story.

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Comments ( 16 )

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PactOfSkyranger

PactOfSkyranger #1 · Nov 26th, 2021 · 1 · ·

It's here.

I await your feedback.

ArlynntheDragon

ArlynntheDragon #2 · Nov 26th, 2021 · 3 · ·

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ITTTTTTTTTTTTTSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! I have been waiting a long for this moment. I look forward to the next chapter of this epic. Until then, mellonin.

Magnus_Flare

Magnus_Flare #3 · Nov 26th, 2021 · 1 · ·

Well that took a while, great chapter wonder how things turn out with the outpost

also really hoping for peace between Chrissy Royal Sunbutt and luna

Melody Song

Melody Song #4 · Nov 28th, 2021 · · ·

Lot to read but worth it!!! Loved this chapter, can't wait for more!

Clopian26

Clopian26 #5 · Nov 30th, 2021 · · ·

I’m so interested to see Where this goes

PactOfSkyranger

PactOfSkyranger #6 · Jan 18th, 2022 · · ·

Before I reply to two of the commenters with some explanations, I should say that I need a way to portray Harry's exploration of Ponyville. It's the main roadblock of this in-between of Ticket Master and the premiere. Also, major spoilers for key parts of the plan.

As of the 19th (as in, almost immediately when the clock struck midnight on the 18th,) the spoilers have been encoded to preserve anticipation. I retain copies of the original text in a secure place, since I had a few minutes to premeditate this change.

11119109
Desperation. Explanation: SSB3YW50ZWQgdG8gcmV2ZWFsIHRoYXQgQ2hyeXNhbGlzIHdhcyB0cnlpbmcgdG8gc2VjdXJlIGEgc3RlYWRpZXIgc3VwcGx5IG9mIGxvdmUuIFNoZSBkb2Vzbid0IGtub3cgb2YgYSBiZXR0ZXIgd2F5LCBhbmQgZnJhbmtseSwgbG92ZSBpcyBkd2luZGxpbmcgc28gc2hlIGRvZXNuJ3QgaGF2ZSB0aGUgdGltZSB0byBmaW5kIG9uZS4gSXQgd2FzIHRvIGNyZWF0ZSBpbnRlcm5hbCBjb25mbGljdCwgdG9vLiBJIHdhbnQgdG8gcG9ydHJheSBDaHJ5c2FsaXMgYXMgZGV2aW91cywgc29tZXdoYXQgc2VkdWN0aXZlIG9uIHRoZSBqb2IsIHlldCBzaGUncyBvbmx5IGp1c3QgZGlzY292ZXJpbmcgd2hhdCBtb3RoZXJob29kIGlzIGJlY2F1c2Ugc2hlIGFuZCBoZXIgY2hpbGRyZW4gd2VyZSBib3JuIGZyb20gdGFpbnRlZCBtYWdpYywgYm9ybiBhcyBhZ2dyZXNzaXZlLCBlbXB0eSBjcmVhdHVyZXMuIEhhcnJ5IHdhcyBhYnVzZWQsIGdpdmVuIG5vIGxvdmUgYXMgYSBjaGlsZCwgYnV0IGhlIHN0aWxsIGhhcyB0aGF0IG9yZGluYXJ5IGNhcGFjaXR5IGZvciBlbW90aW9uLiBFdmVuIHRoaXMgd2l6YXJkIGJ1c2luZXNzIGRvZXNuJ3QgY2hhbmdlIHRoZSBmYWN0IHRoYXQgQ2hyeXNhbGlzIG5lZWRzIHRvIGdvIGFnYWluc3QgaGVyIG5hdHVyZSBhcyBhIGNyZWF0dXJlIHRoYXQgZWF0cyBsb3ZlIHRvIGdpdmUgaXQgdG8gSGFycnkgYXMgaGVyIHdhcmQsIGJ1dCBhbHNvIGFzIGhlciBmYW1pbHksIHNvbWVvbmUgd2hvIGRvZXNuJ3QganVzdCByZWZlciB0byBoZXIgYXMgIm15IFF1ZWVuLCIgYnV0IGFzICJNYW1hLiI

11121921
That does sound good. However, my redemption arc had its initial starting posts set a little differently. 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

Holy cow, the encoder makes a mouthful.

soundwave1248