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Unexpected Changes- Part 13,839 words
Unexpected Changes- Part 26,486 words
Dawn Of The First Day- Part 14,290 words
Dawn Of The First Day- Part 24,265 words
Who You Really Are- Part 17,438 words
Who You Really Are- Part 23,140 words
Who You Really Are- Part 35,029 words
Who You Really Are- Part 41,989 words

Who You Really Are- Part 4

"Bright Side, what did you hear?" I asked.

"Nothing! I didn't hear anything, I don't know what you're talking about!" She replied.

"Is that why you're holding a chair between us?" I replied.
She looked at the chair and dropped it onto the grass and said, "Nooo, I was holding it there because I was...looking for...uh...an..."

"Excuse?"

"Yeah! That's-! Not what I was look for at all. Heheh."

While Bright Side tried to maintain a calm and collected expression, she was displaying anything but. After only a few seconds of me pressing her on what she knew, she started running. And running. And running. I don't know how long I chased after her, it must have been at least an hour before she settled down. At least as much as she could before summoning a chair to hold between us. But she knew, it was obvious she knew. And honestly, that was terrifying. I wasn't sure if she could see the sweat coming through my transformation, but it was there. My heart felt as though it was trying to stave off a knife. I didn't want to hear any more insults, I didn't want Cadence and Shining Armor to deal with a problem I'd made. Sombra could, though. I didn't really care what he did. I took a deep sigh and with a heavy heart I said, "You know, don't you?"

"Know? Know what? I don't know anything, haven't I said that enough times? Heheh!" she said, her facade even more obvious than before.

"You know I'm a changeling, don't you?"

"What? You? No way!"

"It's fine, you can stop acting. But, do you see how you reacted? Do you see how scared you are of me? That's the whole reason I hid myself in the first place, because everywhere I go everypony acts like I'm going to hurt them. Or what happened years ago was my fault. Some ponies have even tried to take my life. I never did anything to anypony, yet I'm the one always on the defensive. That's just...it's just not fair."

"So...you changed yourself, to fit in?"

"Yeah. I just wanted to see what it was like to live as another pony, to live as a pony."

Bright Side took a step towards me and then stepped back, bringing up the chair with her magic in defense. "How do I know this isn't a trick? That you're not going to hurt me as soon as I get close."

I shook my head and said, "It doesn't matter anymore. You won't see me again, I'll just sit inside the castle and stay there until I can go home." I gave her a false smile.

"The castle? Why would you-"

"Don't worry about it, just let it go. I'm sorry for lying to you, and I wish you the best with your restaurant." I walked away. I thought that would be the end of it, but it wasn't. Instead of just leaving me to sulk and marinade in my own pity, she followed me. She didn't say a word to me and neither I to her, but she was there.

However, once I'd made it back to the castle, she couldn't help herself in saying "YOU'RE STAYING WITH THE ROYAL FAMILY!?"

"Huh?" I said, not paying much mind outside of coming up things I could in my room, "Oh, yeah. Celestia is my mother and something was going on so she wanted me to stay here for a while."

"Wait, Celestia? You mean you're that Canterlot changeling everyone is always talking about? Shifting Sands?"

"You-You know about me?"

"Duh! Everyone in The Empire has heard about you. I wouldn't be surprised if everyone in the world knew by now. We thought you were a myth though, some crazy story or rumor that was just being thrown around. I never thought you'd actually exist."

"Well I do." I smiled. "Would you like to come inside?"

I opened the crystal doors, not expecting anything more than a polite decline. Instead, I was met with a rushing wind and the sound of screams. "WHERE IS HE!" Shouted a voice.

"I don't know what you're talking about, how many times do I have to tell you!" Cadence screamed, blasting back a black mass out of the doors. The mass turned into a thick shadow and faded away like smoke. The beam struck the dirt where it was and encased it entirely in crystal.

Before leaving it said, "This isn't over...."

Cadence ran out the doors to fire another bolt at it, but it was completely gone at just the last second. "Dang!" She turned around and looked down at us and said, "Oh, hello. Can I help you two?"

"Cadence it's me, Shifting Sands." I said.

She let out a breath of relief and said, "Thank goodness. Shifting Sands, I'm sorry but you have to go. No, we all have to go and now."

"What? Why?" Bright Side asked.

"Don't worry about it, you're going to be fine." Cadence said, a gentle tone in her voice.

"Uh, no duh. The question was because you're trying to take my coltfriend away from me." She grabbed me by the tail and pulled me close to her.

"Are you still on that!?" I replied.

"You never denied it." She said with a tone of absolute pride and confidence.

"I SAID LIKE BUCK I AM!"

"Exactly, you said you are."

"I-Wait! No, that's not what that means!"

"Look, We don't have time for this!" Cadence said. "Shifting Sands, go get your stuff. We're heading to the train station."

"Cadence, at least tell me something about what happened!" I asked.

"There was a changeling here, a queen. It started out so weak but as we fought it only got stronger. Shining Armor got injured pretty badly, but he'll be alright. My dad is nowhere to be seen and that thing was looking for you. We have to go, now!" And I don't know how she did it, but she also said, "If Chrysalis really has any relation to this situation then we're all in danger. I have to keep you safe, just listen to me!" Somehow, without moving her mouth.

After hearing that, I nodded and ran inside to get my things. Bright Side came with me, for some reason.

The inside of the castle was a mess, the walls blown through and shattered, unconscious guard ponies lying everywhere. Their armor looked to be melted into them, it had to be painful, even I couldn't stop myself from cringing when I saw it. And then there was the black crystals growing out of the walls, it felt like they were trying to take life from everything around them.

I ran into my room, grabbed my stuff and ran back out. It didn't take more than a few minutes, but something was off. Something inside me kept saying that I should be more on guard in the present moment. That whatever was going on wasn't actually over, it was just, waiting. We met with Shining Armor at the front door, he had burns across his body and his horn looked like it'd been cracked nearly all the way through. It'd heal with enough time, but the power required to do that in general was horrible.

Cadence and Shining Armor and I ran to the train station and took the soonest one they had. Bright Side, had joined in, teleporting a note to her brother at the hospital. I argued against her coming with us, but Cadence and Shining were both adamant that we didn't have enough time for that. So she came with us. I hadn't even spent two days in The Empire, yet I was already on the run from something. Could it have been one of Chrysalis' sisters? Had they found me? If so, how? I didn't know what to think. I asked if I could write a letter to my mother and Shining said it was a bad idea since we were trying to keep low. Any magic emitted by either of them, and myself, could blow our location.

I sighed and said, "Way to go, Shifting. You've already messed things up."

Bright Side struck me on the back, I think she left a mark, and said. "Hey, no more pity! Every time I see you doubt yourself, I'll slap you so hard that- That it'll hurt really bad!"

"Please don't abuse me to make me feel better." I asked.

"Feel better and I won't have to abuse you." She smiled and threw a hoof around me. Though a little crazy, she was right. I did make a friend today, and that should always be a cause for celebration. I smiled back and gave her a hug. To which she responded by pushing me back and saying, "We're close, not that close."

"You're a strange filly. Call me your coltfriend but won't even let me hug you"

"Yep." She smiled. Shining and Cadence held back some giggles but it was clear as day that they were enjoying the show. "By the way, Shifting, don't hide yourself just to make friends, that kind of thing can really hurt you in the end. You're lucky you found me and that I don't really care."

"You're right, being myself is the best I can do. I just need to stay true to who I really am."

I said that, but inside I had to wonder who that really was. Inside I was feeling ashamed of myself, they had no idea what was going on, but in the end it was because of me they were uprooted so quickly. Shining Armor was so badly hurt, and though she kept a smile on her face, Cadence was worried. Worried a lot. I thought maybe it would just be better of I leaped out that train then and there and just ended it, but I couldn't. I was too scared.

We spent the rest of the day and the night on the train, and awoke first thing in the morning to get used to our new hiding spot. Ponyville. I hoped, I prayed, for the sake of all that was good that nothing bad would happen in Ponyville, that no one would get hurt and everything would stay the warm and happy place it was supposed to be. But I knew that wouldn't be the case, I knew that whatever was happening that lead to this, would only continue.

Two of my seven days had been wasted, and I remember on that day, with all the clarity of my heart, thinking one thing. One thing that would forever bind itself to my soul and personify all of my hopes, dreams and fears. One thing. One small sentence.

I hope I'm strong enough.

Author's Note:

I bet you guys thought you wouldn't be getting another one of these for a while, huh?

Chapter is short. Very short. Shortest chapter in the story so far, and there's a reason for that. We're stepping into the first arc.

It is time for all things that slumber, to awaken.

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