Changing Our Destinies

by silent_user

Chapter 26 - The Heroes in Our Lives

In the end, one of her siblings had decided to take mercy on Applejack and Rarity.

Do we really need them to find Twilight?

Do we really need Twilight?

Will Twilight really make things easier for us?

Now, all of the fillies lay fast asleep on the bed that just a few days ago accommodated Twilight and Rainbow.

She stared at them intensely.

I thought I could trust Twilight and Rainbow.

Now I am confused, unsure if I have even been betrayed.

The alicorn had been correct.

They had pressured them.

They had caused Rainbow to snap.

Mother did that.

I trusted that she would do good.

But it went awry.

Would it have been better if she had done the talking?

Truth be told, at the time, she had been grateful that the responsibility wasn't on her.

I never thought Mother would fail me…

In the end, Twilight had saved her, hadn't she?

But… I lost so much…

Why did she lose so much?

Celestia… Mother… The circumstances…

Live was so complicated.

But at the time, it was easy.

I agreed…

Rainbow has so much influence over her…

She messed with our plan…

It had been easy to blame her and only her in the moment.

But Isabella knew…

Why did Twilight know, though?

We didn't tell them anything that would indicate we planned to replace Rainbow or felt confident we could do such a thing.

She couldn’t have known.

The young alicorn didn't even know what changelings were when Mother had revealed herself to her.

However, it was good that Twilight was aware of our plan…

She may have nearly died, thanks to Twilight's sheer rage at the revelation, but only now did she realise that she would have forever regretted it had they moved forward with the idea.

Because…

I know it wasn’t your fault.

It was ours.

Ours and theirs.

She remembered the sheer fear in Rainbow's eyes she had seen before the young pegasus had bolted with the alicorn in her hooves.

It wasn’t just a bad dream…

You were afraid of me…

Of us…

Mistakes had consequences.

She had done everything to build trust.

Yet she had failed twice.

We showed you that we can’t protect you…

And you thought we were going to use her, didn’t you?

The plan had been safe, of that she was sure, but the blue filly obviously didn’t agree.

You think we don’t care about her…

That we were willing to risk her…

Fillies were complicated.

Ponies were complicated.

Yet at the same time, they were easy.

You had trusted us…

We had a chance…

Was it gone now?

She stared at the remaining fillies again, which were still sleeping soundly.

I hope when I find you, I can show you that we really do mean no harm…

Until then, there were at least two more chances to prove that ponies and changelings could coexist.

***

Darkness.

No dreams.

Only darkness.

No necklace…

She was in the void again.

This time there was no necklace acting as a source of light.

Her breathing became heavier.

She closed her eyes.

They can’t hurt you…

They can’t hurt her….

We will win…

Magic will help us…

It is all in your mind…

They are trying to confuse you…

Don’t let them.

She opened her eyes again.

Darkness was still surrounding her, but she would manage.

At some point, morning would come and save her from this void that threatened to consume her.

You won’t trick me a-

“Hello!”

Huh?

“Are you there? Younger me?”

Future me!

“I am here!” Rainbow shouted.

Surrounded by nothing, they were slowly trying to guide themselves to each other.

“Let’s take turns shouting!” Her future self suggested while trying to determine in which direction she should walk.

“Ok!” Rainbow, too, made her way slowly towards the voice.

They continued filling the endless void with noise until they felt each other.

Big wings enveloped Rainbow, yet her eyes reported no one was there.

For all Rainbow knew, a terrible monster had just captured her.

The barely noticeable frightened shaking of the wings holding her indicated otherwise. “L-Lets sit down, ok?

“I don’t feel comfortable standing when I can’t see a thing.”

The filly could feel her older self sitting down and herself being placed on her lap.

You are scared.

The older pony did a terrible job of hiding it.

"It's ok… We will be fine." Rainbow assured her.

It said it couldn't hurt us… yet.

Her future self seemed to not believe her.

She continued to hold Rainbow in her wings, using the filly as the only point of comfort in the darkness she couldn’t explain.

Darkness that raised a frightening question she dreaded to ask. "Where is the necklace?”

“What about the necklace?” Rainbow could understand that her older self wondered why their source of light was gone.

But the way the older mare had sounded indicated that there was more about it.

Now that I think about it, it had my cutie mark, didn't it?

“It is the physical manifestation of our element. It symbolises the Element of Loyalty, though it is not needed to wield its power.” And since she was the bearer of Loyalty, the necklace had taken on her cutie mark.

Only now, it was gone.

“It rejected me. I am not its bearer anymore." Deep bitterness lay in the filly’s voice as she thought back to the short but, in her opinion, deeply unfair conversation she had held with her element.

A conversation where she felt she had been in the right yet had cost her something amazing that Rainbow knew she had been supposed to receive in the future.

“Oh.” Her future self didn’t know what to say to that. Instead, she still didn’t understand why the necklace was gone. “But I am?”

“It wants us to die. It thinks we are unworthy. It wants Twilight to snap and kill the other bearers, killing you in the process,” Rainbow spat.

There is no necklace for us.

We weren’t chosen.

We were used.

And now it seemed they were no longer useful to Loyalty.

Though her older self seemed way more concerned with another part of her claims, that made her doubt if the filly actually knew what was going on. “Twilight wouldn’t-”

“She would, and she will. You seem to have no idea what she is capable of.” Rainbow thought back to how her fillyfriend had tried to use mind magic on her.

Actually… did they save me there?

There was no time to entertain that idea. “You have let your world of fake rainbows blind you.”

Because the world is a terrible place to live in when you are able to see it for what it really is…

Full of vile ponies…

A place where I made so many mistakes in…

Where I doomed my parents when I refused the ESS…

Where our ruler is a monster out to get me…

Where even the gods hate me…

"This is what happens when you fall to Celestia. You are part of her sun rays that are blinding Twilight, trying to keep her from seeing the truth. But at some point, that just becomes too much, and when the sun continues to hurt your eyes, then you do what's necessary to regain sight," she mumbled absentmindedly while all of those thoughts began swarming around in her head again.

“T-That was… that was quite the metaphor…” She should feel offended.

But it was the truth.

She had admitted to her Twilight that it was the truth.

“Twilight did act oddly,” older Rainbow conceded.

The filly began sobbing in her hooves. “S-She will kill everything. D-Dark magic is taking over her. She l-loves you. She wants you. She will t-try to get you.”

You killed me, didn’t you?

You killed Spike…

You doomed yourself to eternal suffering in a desperate attempt to achieve happiness…

Nothing will be able to save you from that once you have reached it…

Alicorns live forever.

“S-She w-will t-try t-to m-make h-herself h-happy, c-causing e-eternal u-unhappiness.” Why did Rainbow even care?

It wasn’t her Twilight, was it?

Her future self still sounded sceptical towards the claims about her friend, which she found outrageous. “S-She is happy-”

“Is she? Are you sure she is?” Rainbow immediately shot back.

I saw her in those memories.

I heard her tales.

She is like me… like you… why can’t you see it?

What happened to me…

“She is a princess. She must be,” older Rainbow tried to brush her off.

“This is not how it works.” The filly glared at her, though it wasn’t like she could see that.

We know that.

“She has to… I don’t know,” her future self conceded. “I always thought she was.”

Then you more than likely didn’t really care to look.

Which threw into question why older Rainbow prioritised Twilight and not her element, as well as its involvement in all of it. “You don't seem too bothered by what I told you about the elements.”

“Deep down, I always knew I didn't deserve it. That I have become a caricature of loyalty.” That sounded different.

That sounded…

That sounded like me…

Was that good? “I know. What is loyalty?”

“Loyalty is…” Older Rainbow hesitated for a moment. “It’s when you stand by one’s side no matter what,” she said with conviction in her voice.

Conviction that sounded forced.

It is, isn’t it?

No…

It isn’t.

“But shouldn’t you be staying by Celestia’s side if that is the case? Wouldn't that be loyalty, then?

“You chose her, and you should stand by that choice." At the same time, she said that it made her question her commitment to Twilight.

It’s different with Twi…

Is it?

Why is it?

“I-I betrayed her now… but if I hadn’t… yes?” She could feel the frantic heartbeat of the mare that still kept her in her lap.

At the same time, her future self had trouble sitting still, rocking forwards and backwards as if she was unable to find a comfortable position.

And there was some sweat beginning to drip on Rainbow.

I thought you were afraid before…

But it was nothing compared to this.

This was someone who was terrified.

You are acting as if Celestia was standing behind you, carefully examining your answers…

As if you need to be ready to fly for your life at any moment…

Or fight for it.

And it was all because of her.

She was doing that to her future self with a simple line of questioning.

And now Rainbow knew she needed to see this line of questioning through till the end. “I, too, am not quite certain what the perfect answer is, you know? I want to stay by Twi’s no matter what. I promised her I would… I told her I would fulfil her every wish…”

“Then you must stay by her side.” Her older self relaxed, thinking they were on the same page.

But they weren't. "Must I?”

“Y-You s-should.” In an instant, the mare was back to panicking.

Rainbow could feel her wing being squeezed.

There still was nothing here besides both of them, and it seemed that the filly which caused her so much discomfort was also the only thing available to spend comfort to the older pony.

Yet Rainbow had a feeling that soon she would no longer seek her for it, despite that. “If she tells me to kill myself?”

What then?

Would we do it?

Or rather…

Should we do it?

“…you shouldn’t do that.” She had been defeated.

Her younger self had destroyed her attempt at trying to squash the question of what loyalty means with a nice phrase.

A phrase that boiled it down to a criminally bad and, more importantly, wrong simplification.

And one that she had been expected to heed for a very long time.

Among many other things.

To her despair, though, the filly was only beginning to pick her apart. “Why?”

Did no one ever question you on that front?

If this was your philosophy…

Did you never think it through?

Rainbow wings formed into fists.

If you didn’t think this through, then you more than likely also didn’t come up with it…

They did.

But her future self was still giving her answers. “…this isn’t loyalty anymore.”

There is something.

You thought of something.

You are hiding it.

“You know the answer, don’t you?” The fists disappeared.

Instead, she hugged the mare, trying to give her comfort and the necessary boost to speak the truth.

Indeed, the truth was her reward. “I do,” her older self mumbled as if in a trance.

But again, the actual answer remained hidden for no one to hear. “Then why pretend?”

“Because then I would have to admit that I am a horrible pony…

“That I failed…

“Never learned…

“Lost the fight and gave in…

“That I still am a horrible pony…” Yet by saying those words, her future self had admitted it.

Though, it wasn’t like in the books.

She didn’t feel free.

She didn’t feel relieved that she wasn’t hiding it anymore.

Instead, she felt deeply sick.

Rainbow noticed how she was pried away from her, only for the older mare to simply lay down on the ground completely as if all will to live had left her.

This wasn’t what she had wanted to accomplish. “Are you, though?” In complete darkness, she carefully tried to pull her back up, but her attempts were all in vain.

“Yes.” It sounded crushing.

This is… me.

How I sound to Twi…

That was a scary thought.

I don’t want us to be like this…

I want us to be happy…

Real happiness and not the fake one you have been given.

She wouldn’t leave herself like this.

She needed to continue to be strong and see this through. “Why?”

“I betrayed my friends and my element because of my inability to resist Celestia, her ponies and her terrible system, playing along instead.” It had been so easy to just go along like everypony else.

At some point, she had even stopped thinking about it, so ingrained had the lie become, until the past had visited her out of nowhere.

“This isn’t just your fault. Twi should have seen your suffering like you should have seen hers.” How come they had so easily seen through each other, yet their future selves didn’t?

Then again, Twi tends to be really dense sometimes.

Rainbow chuckled to herself at the thought.

You couldn’t even see a giant bug when it was right in front of you.

Before the giggling became audible, her future self spoke again. “She can’t-”

“I know. But she should have.” Being a bit oblivious sometimes was ok.

But who are we if we can’t recognise when a friend suffers?

…if our fillyfriend suffers….

Twilight was dense sometimes, but one thing was for certain.

You move heaven and earth just to make me happy…

And you see my suffering…

The alicorn may not have seen through the princess.

She may have bought the lie of the changeling queen being a researcher.

But you always see when I am sad…

You always see it and manage to cheer me up…

“Since when did you become so wise?” The older mare didn’t remember herself acting like that when she was a filly.

I don’t care that she isn’t my Twi.

I don’t care that you aren’t me.

Every version of us should achieve true happiness.

Rainbow tried formulating her thoughts into words. “You… I… i-it’s just… I want her to be happy, you know? Every version of her… even if you don’t love her…. You can’t allow her to create her own misery. Please promise me you don’t, else it will reach you, too.”

“I promise I won’t.” Her future self assured her, slowly regaining her confidence.

That isn’t enough.

“Dashie, of course, I will take some measures along the way, but don't become a champion of Discord just because you want to get one over the elements, ok?”

You are right, Twi.

I should…

I should try to make them not go against us instead of only trying to work against them.

That didn’t mean she thought that the elements were in the right. “Please promise me to show them that you are worthy. My life depends on it as well as yours. They want us both dead as well as those we love.”

Maybe this is why they hate us.

Maybe you can show them that we can do this if given the chance.

Maybe then they wouldn’t have to fight gods.

“I-I will show them! I can do this!” Her element didn’t think she truly deserved to bear it.

She didn’t think she truly deserved to bear it.

But the mare also had never tried to genuinely live up to it.

So maybe, just maybe, if she really tried, there might be a possibility that she could say that she represented the Element of Loyalty without feeling like a fraud.

Show she did deserve it after all and help her friend in the process.

And to do that, you must free her from the blindness the sun is causing her.

“Stop, Celestia,” Rainbow almost demanded.

“I will!” Her future self spoke as if she had suddenly been released from a life in prison.

Is it because I am your younger self?

Or has no one ever been there for you before?

No one did manage to reach you but the image of what you once were.

It was time to try once again.

Would Rainbow get her answer this time? “What is it worth to be loyal to?”

“Friends! Family! Love!” Those that held you dear in their heart.

Those who really care about who we are.

It was still an oversimplification.

But a way better one than before. “Country? Rulers?”

“No!” There was a familiar tone of bitterness in the voice.

Not surprising after what has been done to us.

What she did to both of us.

But it wasn’t about them. It was about their element. “Why?”

“Because patriotism blinds us! We should care about our country, but we shouldn’t let supposed duty blind us!” All the fallacies she herself had fled into. “We don’t fight for countries, but for everything that is attached to them or at least what we think is attached to them.”

And if all is lost…

If there is nothing there to fight for anymore…

One can only try to bring it back to the way it should be.

There is no shame in abandoning it, though.

Why fight for something you can’t identify with?

A place you can’t be happy in.

Let them live in what they have built for themselves and try to find another place.

A new place.

A place she would want to fight for.

We have no duty to fight for anything. If it hasn’t earned our loyalty, then we don’t need to give it any.

There were other things and creatures that deserved it far more out there that Rainbow knew.

Her older self was oblivious to the other option she had chosen, though, continuing instead. “And we certainly shouldn’t be loyal to ponies just because they are our leaders! We should look at them as the ponies they really are!”

And preferably not give in to them.

But by now, she wasn't holding it against herself anymore.

Who knows how long they tortured you until they broke you?

Who knows how long they would have tortured me?

Rainbow knew she wouldn’t have lasted for long.

Maybe now that Twi is here…

Though it didn’t really matter.

She can just edit my memories and make me her lapdog at will, and there is nothing I could do about it.

“That includes those around us.” She was snapped back to reality.

Only the black void around them had prevented her future self from the nightmarish expression that had been plastered on Rainbow's face.

“If Twilight tells you to go kill yourself, then she doesn’t care as much about you as you do about her.” And that meant that she would not deserve her undying loyalty. “Loyalty is a two-way street. It can be gained, but it can also be lost again.” The older mare finished speaking what she had kept to herself for so long.

“Y-You knew that… y-you knew all that…

“You must have known it since I knew it.” And it was obvious why she had pretended that she didn't.

Such a definition of loyalty was not one any government would want to be propagated.

Yet her older self took her younger self’s deep sadness about what had been done to her as an accusation. “…I-I am sorry. I know that I am a disappointment masquerading as a hero… I-”

We both did that.

But we both still have a chance.

Nothing was lost yet.

As long as they didn’t lose themselves.

But she felt incomplete, with only Twilight seemingly able to change that.

Our purple parts that make at least me feel whole.

Loyalty needed to be convinced. “You… p-promise… become my hero…

“Please let me be proud of myself… please…”

“I will…

“I promise I will.”

***

She had left the peacefully sleeping fillies.

There was a pony waiting for her, after all.

What are we doing to our families?

Our friends?

Our loved ones?

Just because they are ponies?

How can we do this?

There was a pony waiting for her?

That was a lie.

He wasn’t waiting for her.

Or was he?

Why do I get to speak to him?

Why do I even want to speak to him?

One way or another, she was dreading the conversation that was about to unfold.

"It's ok. Talk to him. We know you want to."

She had been given a special pass.

Would it change the outcome?

Maybe I should just let him be?

“Don’t. He came for you.

“He willingly came here.”

Did he, though?

He doesn’t know I am a changeling.

In her eyes, it was sheer luck that he ended up at the right place.

But now she couldn’t resist.

She needed to make sure.

She dropped her disguise and walked to his cell.

Whether or not green goo would soon replace it would, in large part, be up to her.

She stopped in front of him and stared him in the eyes.

Silently and confused, he returned the look.

…

…

…

“Spitfire?”

She broke eye contact and focused on the wall behind him. “The name I have been born with is actually Isabella.”

Soarin smiled at hearing her voice. “You should have told me.

“You should have told us all. We would have been there for you.”

Would you?

All of you?

The hive mind stayed silent.

You wouldn’t.

“I could have never told you.” She wasn’t allowed.

And he would have suffered the consequences.

Either by her birth family or Celestia and her ponies.

And I would have lost you.

One way or another.

Yet now he knew.

And as expected, he was in danger of a terrible fate.

A terrible fate caused by her and her family, yet he was just smiling, happy at having found her finally.

He didn’t realise the danger he was in.

Do you trust me that much?

Are you an idiot?

How do you even know it is really me?

She unlocked the doors and went into the cell. “How do you know it is me?”

“Why else am I here?” The hive mind filled in the blanks of what had transpired for her.

How they had saved his life.

Treated him quite well, for a prisoner, until now.

The suspicious conversation that had transpired with Lyra and that had been overheard by him.

And how she had behaved just now.

“We could be tricking you,” she reminded him.

“Why? To what end?” Soarin asked.

To what end…

Again, no answer from the hive mind.

“I don’t know,” Isabella had to concede.

There was no good reason.

He should have been allowed to die.

He should have been cocooned.

She shouldn't behave like a confused mess, instead of the soldier that she was.

“Have you always been her?” It was the only answer Soarin dreaded.

If one day, there had been another Spitfire.

One he might have befriended, only for her to be replaced without his knowing.

Never realising the fate that had befallen her.

What then?

Could he forgive her?

Should he look for the original one?

What about the new one?

“Does it matter?” Isabella avoided the answer.

Would you choose her?

…

You would, wouldn’t you?

“You are her. You are the only choice.”

“I…” He didn’t know.

Did it matter?

What if she had been Spitfire for a day?

What if she had been Spitfire for years?

Was the time she had been Spitfire for the deciding factor?

I am not Spitfire.

I am…

Both.

And she wanted to be accepted as both.

Yet she feared no one would ever want both.

“If you harmed her…

“I wouldn’t be able to overlook that.” He decided to settle on. “But I could try to forgive you…

“And I think you didn’t harm her.” He recalled how little he knew about her private life.

The many little odd things.

Nothing suspicious on its own.

Yet together, they formed a picture.

A picture he could finally place.

And so, he took a gamble that had just felt right at that moment. "I think you were her from day one.

“I don’t know how or why, but I know it is the truth.”

Isabella could feel the emotions being directed at her slowly changing.

Fear, doubt, and hostility were melting away second by second.

Instead, familiar feelings were returning.

I-It doesn’t matter!

You still only want her!

Only her!

“Don’t throw it away. This is a gift.”

So many of her siblings were dying to see their loved ones like this.

And here she was, not wanting to take his hoof.

“I am Isabella. I have been adopted into that family, and Spitfire is only a cover name. A pony that never existed.

“I joined the Wonderbolts with the sole intention of infiltrating them and weakening the Equestrian army from the inside.

“It was all preparation for us killing Celestia and taking over.” He wasn’t a filly.

He had to see how terrible that was.

There is no way you will be able to look past that.

Would that make her happy?

“I…

“I didn’t see you killing a single pony.” And they had killed many changelings.

Or rather ponies that officially had been labelled changeling spies.

Seriously?

"Sure. Why would I? There was no need up until now.

“But I would have.” Or would she?

“Look… I don’t know why you are telling me this…” It raised so many questions. “You are her.

“I can see it in your eyes.”

They aren’t even the ones I use for my disguise, and even then, they could be faked.

“I can hear it in your voice.”

Voices, too, can be faked.

“You behave like her.”

We are masters of infiltration.

“You speak exactly like she would, even if I can’t understand why you are trying to drive me away.”

Because you will hurt me.

“But see…

“If you weren’t her, then why drive me away? Why not use me?”

…

“If you didn’t care about me, then why come in the first place?”

I shouldn’t have come.

He placed his wing around her and hugged her. “We have known each other for so long. I refuse to believe it was all fake.

“Please don’t drive me away.

“I know you would never participate in something like that for no reason.

“Give me a chance to understand that reason.” He let go of her and pointed at the holes in her legs. “They change nothing. All this changes nothing.

“I have no doubt that once you told me everything, I will be there fighting side by side with you.

“Because I don’t care what you are.

“I came here because I care about who you are.”

It hurts….

It hurts so much!

It hurt because she could sense that he had spoken the truth.

She could sense that he still loved her.

A changeling.

He didn’t care.

She always thought he would.

But he didn’t.

Not even a bit.

Yet she wasn’t Skylar.

She knew that a relationship between them would make both of them unhappy in the end, no matter if they both wanted one or not.

And she had no hope that they could work through it.

I shouldn’t have come.

If she hadn’t, she could have forever told herself that he didn't come for her.

That he would hate her the moment she revealed herself.

But she had been curious if he really would.

And this was the price.

“It doesn’t have to be an issue!”

No… it is.

And even if we ignore it…

I need to do this.

To protect him from the life of unhappiness I would bring him.

“I hate you!” she slapped him hard. “You think I will accept you by my side!

“Accept a pony!”

He looked surprised and deeply hurt, rubbing the area where she had hit him.

"Grow up, Soarin. I admit I was curious, but there was nothing more.

"I am a highly trained spy. Of course, it all felt real for you, or else I would have done a terrible job.” She grinned at him with sheer maliciousness and superiority. “We spies don’t feel anything for those around us.

“It is part of the job, and I won’t make a fool of myself and risk my reputation for someone like you.

"What could you even offer me?" She dug the knife deeper into his heart. "You have nothing.

“No status, power, money or connections.

“You aren’t even a good flyer. You would have never made it onto the main team.

“I don’t even know why you joined the Wonderbolts.”

Soarin stared at her, tears creeping up his eyes.

Rage gripped him, but guards that had shown up behind her would ensure that he would never hit the creature that was causing it.

Isabella leaned in for the final strike. “Maybe if you had power, you would have at least had some fun with me. How do you think I got my former position?

“But you don’t. And honestly, I am not even sure if it would have even changed anything in the end.

“You are just not my type.”

***

Her younger self had silently hugged her for what felt like an eternity.

She didn’t mind.

And that was an understatement.

Yet she was forced to break the silence. “I had actually been hoping to see you again.

“I talked to them.”

“Who?” Rainbow asked.

“AJ and Twilight...” But despite the moment they had shared and her younger self's encouragement, she wasn’t about to reveal anything about her wife to the pony that seemed to hate her most. So, she quickly went on to the pony Rainbow cared about instead. "Twilight had been acting weird when I talked to her… I am worried.” Especially after what she had just learned.

You hurt her deeply…

I know you have the right to reject her, but…

“I… How do I fix all this?” The mare felt silly for asking a filly that question.

“You still stand by… AJ?” That felt weird.

AJ…

My lips shouldn’t speak that nickname…

Rainbow had a feeling it would result in unnecessary trouble.

Only you get a nickname from me, Twi…

Ok. Flutters does as well, but only because I had given her that one already.

“I do, and I won't compromise on that in any way." Her future self reaffirmed.

Why though?

She didn’t seem to have helped you at all with your troubles.

How could her older self love a pony she didn't feel confident to confide in and who also couldn't see her suffering?

Rainbow didn’t understand.

But she chose to ignore it for now.

Loyalty.

Gods.

Get them off both of your flanks.

“Get her to listen to you.” If Twilight had killed her in the future, then she probably had stopped listening to her.

But she needs to listen for us to help her…

Because we don’t have the power to force her.

"Tell her that Princess Celestia is her mother. Use that info strategically to build trust and get her to listen to you.

“Once she does, you need to use that opportunity to get her head clear enough again to continue listening to you while you guide her back on the right path," Rainbow told her.

Easy…

Really really easy…

Not.

But she would do well in not making her future self realise just how shaky that plan was.

For it to work, the mare would need a giant amount of confidence.

“Daughter? How will lying get her to trust me?” Older Rainbow seemed sceptical.

“Twi is her daughter. She was Celestia’s pawn from the very beginning. Celestia even engineered her creation,” Rainbow spat.

Disgusting!

You are a vile, disgusting being, Celestia! You don't deserve her!

“How could we…” Her future self mumbled.

They were lying so much to her.

So much more than she had thought.

How couldn't the Princess of Friendship see what her friends were doing?

How they were happy being instrumentalised by the princess in exchange for petty bribery.

How they all stayed silent, failing to alert their friend to what was going on around her.

Twilight somehow couldn't see, and no one was showing her.

Confused, she remained alone.

How could the elements allow it?

How could her own mother be behind all of it?

I am sorry…

I need to make sure you will do this.

“Remember, she will kill everypony, including Applejack,” Rainbow pressured her future self.

“AJ?” For some reason still hadn’t thought about that aspect.

“Yes.” Rainbow reaffirmed her statement.

“I must-”

“You are right.” The older mare was interrupted before she could reach a conclusion Rainbow would have had trouble with. “You must stop her.

“You must stop her because, as I said, in the end, she herself won't be happy either.”

“But how? What you proposed might not be enough." And what, then?

I know…

If only you would love her, too…

But her older self didn’t. “Help her…

“Just help her…

“Prevent her from drowning in the sea of lies that has been created around her.”

“I-I don’t love her.” Her future self mumbled. “Will she ever get over me?”

I fear not…

Not if she is in any way like Twi…

But what mattered most right now was to stop that version of Twilight from destroying all of their lives. “She might…” Rainbow offered.

Am I really as special as Twi said?

Surely there were other ponies out there that could claim the alicorn's heart?

At least in the event that she was gone.

I mean… there aren’t for Twi…

But maybe for her older self?

“What if I fail?” Was there a plan B?

Please don’t…

“I don’t know exactly what happened,” The filly conceded. “She wouldn’t want to kill you, so I have trouble understanding how you died in the first place.”

“I... I died?” It was so weird to learn that directly about her death.

I already said that.

“You did,” Rainbow repeated once more.

“But she didn’t kill me?" At least, this is how her future self interpreted what she had been told.

I would like to believe she didn’t.

“She was being vague.” Her younger self tried to avoid answering.

“How do you know all this?” Silently the mare begged that Rainbow would tell her that it was all a joke after all.

But it wasn’t. “It was included in my Twi’s vision.”

And so, her older self was forced to play out the scenario. “If AJ died… and if Celestia was overthrown, leaving no one to oppose Twilight… if all my friends are dead and the elements broken…

“If Twilight forced me to love her against my will…”

If you lost your own Twi…

It was obvious what she was alluding to.

However, her younger self couldn’t allow this outcome. “This time, you could try-”

“At that point, I wouldn't want to anymore.” Heroes had limits.

This, older Rainbow knew, was hers.

Ok! Ok! We can’t let it get to that point then!

If Twilight snapped, then her future self seemed unable to handle the consequences and fight to get everything fixed.

And that would only mean sadness for that future, as well as no proof to show the elements.

Why can’t we just fight them?

But Twilight told her they shouldn’t try to spite them, so she would at least try to do what she thought they would want.

Also, it wasn’t like fixing the future was something she didn’t want.

“Then you need to hurry up. I don’t think there is much time left.” Rainbow urged her older self since she had genuinely no idea how much time was left until Twilight would snap.

“I-I need more information...” This couldn’t have been all, right?

I wish I could give you that…

Or at least know what really transpired myself.

“There isn’t much more. Help her understand her feelings. All of them.

“Be there for her.

“Take that loneliness she must be feeling away.

“Make her smile.

“It is all that matters.”

***

Isabella halted.

Sadness and rage were gone again, replaced by familiar feelings once more.

“Why did I join the Wonderbolts? Don't you remember?" He grinned victorious as if he had just solved a deep mystery.

Oh no…

No! No! No!

"I only wanted a pony I had already under my hoof by my side! To make things easier!" She desperately tried to keep up the act.

“You are a terrible spy and an even more terrible liar Spitfire,” Soarin shook his head with a relieved expression. "And since you are, I do think that there is more.

"I know it was all real.

“I do think you fell for those around you.

“Dare I say it? I don’t know if you love me, but I know that you don’t care about your reputation enough, to not be with the one you love.

“And you wouldn’t care what that pony would have to offer. You aren’t like that, Spitfire.” He chuckled. “Have some fun? Really?”

She couldn’t help it. She went red.

Well, as red as her chitin allowed her, at least.

“I remember how proud you were when you got your position. For hours you rambled about how you worked so hard for it.

“You almost bashed Fleetfoots face in when she just joked about you getting it that way.

"Seriously, Spits. We both know you wouldn’t let anyone with those intentions even touch your tail. I always wondered how you were able to growl at stallions who thought about you in that way before they even opened their mouth.

“I realise now that you had quite literally a sixth sense for those things,” he winked at her. “You are the reason I became a Wonderbolt because you encouraged me to sign up.

“You practically begged me when I said that I was unsure if that was the right choice for me.” That memory was one of his most cherished ones.

I did, didn’t I?

I couldn’t allow us to grow apart…

Because…

Well, it still doesn’t matter.

“We agreed to never talk about that night.” She faked an offended face.

“Well… I also thought we agreed that you would never hit me.” Soarin tried to lighten her mood.

“We never did.” A smile.

For a second, he was rewarded with a smile.

A small sign that he was on the right track.

That all the mean things she had said, as well as her anger at him, were indeed just a facade.

Only the reason eluded him. “Maybe we should so that it doesn't happen again,” he offered.

“Isabella, it is your decision.

“Just know that he won’t be there forever.”

I know…

I know…

She sighed. “Look… I know you have feelings for me.”

“I had hoped that it would be more romantic than that…” But there was no romantic confession.

“I know… but to be fair, you can’t surprise a changeling in that regard.” She flashed him a predatory smile. “Also, we both know you would have never dared to come forward.”

Silly ponies…

We almost always have to do the first step.

“You are cheating,” he chuckled. “If I had a built-in emotion detector, I, too, would have been way more confident about confessing to you.”

A perfect opportunity she couldn’t pass up. “My my Soarin. Did I ever say I, too, have feelings for you?”

He began to sweat. “Umm… technically not b-but you do, right? J-Just give me a chance! I-”

Reality Spits.

Remember reality.

“Soarin… you know I wanted to protect us there, right?” She allowed him to step out of the cell, and silently her siblings, that had rushed forward, disappeared again.

Hey! There isn’t going to be any funny business!

“We didn’t say there would be.”

“Are you sure? Now that you brought it up-”

No funny business!

“We just want to give him and, if you want also, you some privacy regardless.”

“Yeah. Also, knowing you, you would tell us all the details afterwards anyways.”

Hey! I would not!

“Spits?” Soarin snapped her focus back on him. “You zoned out there. And you looked kind of flustered.”

“Sorry,” she went red with embarrassment.

“I said that I am unsure why you thought that we need protection, nor why this was the way you chose to go about it,” he summarised what she had missed.

“Soarin… for one, we changelings are hated…

“I don’t want you to become hated for associating with one. They might hurt you if they catch you and figure out you are associated with us.

“They will probably try to squeeze every last bit of information out of you.” And there was no hive mind to help him or protect them from him revealing anything.

“I am not scared. I am a soldier.

“I fight for what I love, and I will never allow myself to reveal anything about you,” he swore.

What you love, huh?

"You only became a soldier because I… well, we didn't want to talk about it anymore, but you know what I mean." Maybe she should have tried other less embarrassing approaches first before deciding to go this way to convince him to sign up with her.

Then again…

It was worth it.

“Just one more huge reason why I should continue to stay by your side,” he reasoned.

Can’t argue with that, can I?

And to her dismay, the hive mind once again didn’t help her out with any retorts.

“What about your family, your frie-”

"Without friendship, I wouldn't be here." He doubted that he would have figured out to look in the Badlands for her on his own.

“But your fam-”

“They have known you since you were a little… foal? Anyway, the point is that I am certain they would understand and agree with me." Though, he should try to get in contact with them and let them know he was safe and maybe, just maybe, that he found what he was looking for.

Unbelievable.

You are, as always, absolutely unbelievable.

“Ok, first of all, you are and always will be a moron.

“Second… I-I didn’t want to tell you this…" She looked down at the ground. "I really, really didn’t.

“Soarin…

“I-I-I-“ Isabella didn’t know how to say to him what needed to be said.

“It's alright, Spits. Just tell me. It won't change my mind anyway,” he tried to assure her.

But she couldn’t.

And so she said something else.

“This is just like Skylar.

“She thought she found love in a pony.

“She trusted him.

“And was rewarded with betrayal, heartbreak and pain.

“He sold her out to the sun after she revealed herself.

“Mother killed him for it, but she didn’t thank her. She still loved him and mourned the dead body of that traitor!” Would she, too, if he did that? “He deserved it! How could he do that to her!”

I-I don’t want this to end like-

"I came here fully knowing you could be one.

“I don’t care that you are.” He hesitated. “I-I don’t know anything about what happened with them, but this is different.

“I will not have come this far only to crush you now,” another hug.

For the first time, one of full love.

You need to tell him.

He deserves to know.

“Soarin, if this works out... I will never give you a foal… or our equivalent," she whispered.

He stared at her.

“Spits… is this what-”

The changeling began sobbing uncontrollably in his wings.

“Spits… This really isn’t-”

“But it's not fair! I simply can't offer you what any other real-"

Soarin placed a hoof on her mouth. “Any other mare you mean. And any other mare wouldn’t be you,” he whispered back.

“You failed in what you tried to accomplish.”

Her attempt to save herself from heartbreak would have nearly cost her the one creature that cared about her the most.

I failed.

She leaned her head against him.

But you were right about him.

Which is why miraculously, I still won.

It was crazy how life worked sometimes.

Comments

[LastToTheParty]

Finally, a chapter that focuses more on Isabella once again . Her interactions with the ex-Wonderbolt may be a bit cliché, trying to push him away as she fears what could happen in a relationship, but it is nice to see her getting some happiness after all the hardships she went through.

I am curious whether the fillies will stay for a more extended period in the hive, now that Twilight and Rainbow are once more MIA . It would be interesting to see them trying to adjust to living there.

Finally, the conversations between the versions of Rainbow leave me curious about what will happen to the future timeline. Initially, I did not think, that much of a story would develop there and it would just be the point of divergence from canon, but as both timelines now interact, I am left wondering what will happen, and if changing the future will once again change the past .

[origami]

So what will happen to Soarin now? Guess we'll have to wait on that.

[silent_user]

11658591
I am afraid there seems to be no other way
But hopefully, it is at least something to look forward to

[silent_user]

11658491
Cliche?
I assure you this was never done before in like ever
But seriously. I know it is a classic, but how could I resist?
After all, I tried setting it up so hard. What happened with Skylar, the way Isabella reacted to Fluttershys question in chapter 17, Soarin desperately looking for her...
Isabella mourning for everything that she thought she had lost.
It would have been outright criminal not to do this

I am curious whether the fillies will stay for a more extended period in the hive, now that Twilight and Rainbow are once more MIA . It would be interesting to see them trying to adjust to living there.

I think some would be quite happy about that

Finally, the conversations between the versions of Rainbow leave me curious about what will happen to the future timeline. Initially, I did not think, that much of a story would develop there and it would just be the point of divergence from canon, but as both timelines now interact, I am left wondering what will happen, and if changing the future will once again change the past .

We will see
I am certainly dying to further this plotline

Thank you for sharing your thoughts

[Theresa]

11656738
The elements are quitters who are expecting miracles from children and and ditch them when miracles don't come. They are not to helpful right now unless twilight can pull off some successes . Yes Celestia certainly needs it but even if they wanted it no way it will happen.