A tryst with destiny

by Monki

Chapter 5: Time for a change, Changeling

Chapter 5:

About three weeks later, there was a knock at the door of the bakery where Eva and Apple Cookie had just finished breakfast. Her saddlebag was already packed with a purse of bits, a lot of photos, Mr. Midnight’s map of Equestria (revised by Sunray), the city map she had kept as a souvenir and a bottle filled with bubbling green liquid carefully wrapped into a blanket. When she opened the door she saw the newly promoted unicorn-guard wearing the insignia of a lieutenant on his shoulder, smiling at her.

"Your carriage has arrived, Princess Eva," he solemnly said after saluting. She saw Shining Armor waving at her through one of the windows of the carriage.

"Are you sure you want to come?" she asked Apple Cookie who lifted a heavy looking suitcase onto his back.

"Sure thing, Sugarcube, wouldn't miss this for the world," he replied joyfully. "Maybe I can teach those old changelings a few more tricks back at your village before settling down in the Empire."

Eva took her Cutie Mark Crusader Cape from a hook next to the door and Apple Cookie locked the door with a massive iron key while she slipped into her club cape. Apple Cookie has decided to follow her to her village to experience the changeling lifestyle before he'll travel to the Crystal Empire.
"You were right, saying ah was alone long enough, stuck in the same routine every day." So he had asked her for a change of scenery which she happily accepted.

Both of them walked over to the waiting carriage pulled by six Pegasus ponies. She recognized the beefy former officer as one of them. He got degraded to a sergeant and was moved to the Air force where he could utilize his strength even better. Although he was degraded he didn't appear too sad about his new unit. They entered the carriage while the unicorn officer stowed away their luggage using his horn-magic. Inside they met Shining Armor in his best ceremonial uniform and Master Sunray wearing his trademark cloak.

"Could we make a side-trip to Ponyville? I have a score to settle with somepony." Eva asked everypony around her.

"Of course!"

"Officer please take us to Ponyville- err- where exactly?" Shining armor wanted to know

"Sugar Cube Corner!"

"OK please take us to Sugar Cube Corner in Ponyville."

"Aye aye M'lord!"

They heard him call his order and with a jolt the carriage began to move. It took the carriage only a moment to fly over to Ponyville. Eva remembered the long march she had to walk to reach Canterlot from Ponyville. Traveling by air is much more comfortable than walking all the way by foot.
With another jolt the carriage came to a stop in front of that half-timbered richly ornamented bakery.

"Well that looks interesting, but the decoration maybe is a little bit over the top..." Apple Cookie commented while inspecting the bakery. Eva quickly left the carriage and entered the building. She once again got greeted by the jingling bell at the entrance door.

Behind the counter both Mrs. Cake and Pinkie Pie stood there staring out of the window at the carriage outside. Hearing the bell both of them then turned around towards her.

"Oh, hi Eva! Did you come to make good for the party I couldn't throw for you?" Pinkie Pie asked in her wound-up way of speaking.

"Err- no actually I came to pay my debt." Turning to the older mare she said: "I apologize for my last visit, Mrs. Cake. I came to pay for the goods Pinkie gave to me."
She then put the jingling bag of bits onto the counter. Amazed Mrs. Cake took it and emptied the content onto the table. With eyes wide opened they watched at the heap of bits on the counter, growing with every second.

"That is really nice of you, dear, but that is way too much money. We can never accept that amount. The muffins Pinkie gave you cost only a fraction of this," she replied, almost speechless.

"This will be more than enough to pay for Pounds flight-camp and for Pumpkins magic lessons. Take it or throw it away. Do as you wish. You may also buy Pinkie a present as a reparation for grounding her."

"That's a great idea!" Pinkie remarked as she looked at Mrs. Cake with sparkling eyes, eagerly grinning.

"Fine why not," she replied after noticing her gaze.

"Yay, thank you Mrs. Cake and thank you too, Eva." Pinkie started to bounce up and down in excitement.

"No, I have to thank you. I hope we will meet again." She then turned around and left the shop.

"Hey wait! What about your party?!" Pinkie catcalled her but the door was already shut with the tiny bell covering her words.

The next stop was Sweet Apple Acres. Another debt Eva had to pay. However this one wouldn't be that easy. All of them exited the coach and Eva knocked at the red-painted door of the farm house.
It got opened by Apple Bloom, whose face brightened up seeing her fellow Crusader.

"Eva! Look everypony it's Eva! Hello, welcome back!" she squealed excited while turning back inside the house. Over her shoulder Eva saw Applejack, Big Mac, Granny Smith and the Crusaders sitting at the table. The air was filled with the scent of another delicious meal Granny Smith had just prepared.

"I even brought some company," Eva said stepping to the side so all of them could see her fellowship.
Apple Cookie was the first one who entered the house.

"Cousin Apple Cookie, what a surprise." Applejack greeted him.

"Apple Cookie, long time no see. How's the business in Canterlot?" Granny Smith wanted to know.

"Yeah, about that- I am going to visit Eva's village, so I won't be around for some time."

"So yer headin’ to Manehatten?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Manehatten?" He looked at Eva confused.

"Well that's a long story-" Eva interrupted. "I'd like you to meet Master Sunray, the arch mage of Canterlot."

"Hello everypony" he greeted everyone present reserved.

"- And finally someone dear to me."

"Good afternoon" Shining Armor said after entering the farm house.
Shocked Applejack dropped her spoon she had held in her hoof the whole time after she recognized the Prince.

"Yer-yer majesty!" She clumsily bowed down before him.

"Majesty?" Big Macintosh asked confused.

"Bow down ya stupid horse that's Shining Armor, the Prince of the Crystal Empire!" Applejack whispered through closed teeth to her brother.

"A Prince in this ol' house?! Oh my, ya should’a called! It’s way too dirty for a Prince here," Granny Smith yelled exaggeratedly.

"No no please that won't be necessary. I ask everypony to stay calm since we are here in a delicate issue."

"A delicate issue? What about that?" Sweetie Belle wanted to know.

Eva cleared her throat. "I know it sounds very strange but I am here to apologize."

"Apologize fer what?" Applejack asked puzzled.

"Hush!" Scootaloo hushed her.

"You see, I wasn't honest with all of you. I am the Eva who came here about four weeks ago. I am the same Eva who joined the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

"Yeah that's why you are wearing this awesome cape!" Scootaloo remarked pointing at Eva's cape proudly but got hushed by Sweetie Belle this time.

"Yes, right-" Eva continued, "but I was also that Eva who stole some of your apples at the southern orchard in the shape of a bunny."

"That doesn't even make sense-" Applejack thought out loud.

"It will in a second- However I'd like to thank you everypony for your kindness, I really enjoyed my stay here. I really appreciate being a Crusader, because of this it makes me even more sad saying that I lied and betrayed you all."

With no further words she changed into her original form.
This time all of them dropped their spoons astonished. All of them except Big Macintosh who stayed rather collected.

"I am a-" Eva started.

"Changeling!" Applejack abruptly arose to take on a combat stance.

"Well yeah- "

"A whatnow?" Granny Smith asked puzzled.

"She is a changeling. One of those evil creatures that invaded Canterlot. They can disguise themselves as anypony and brainwash them. It appears that they even brainwashed the Prince again. What do ya want here, fiend?!" Applejack yelled.

"No, she didn't brainwash me or anypony else, and we are not disguised changelings. We followed her here because we wanted to," Shining Armor intervened.

"Yeah, sure you say that since she commanded ya ter do so!"

"Applejack, mind yer manners. This is a Prince after all." Granny Smith scolded her once again.

"Don't cha understand? She hypnotized those ponies to follow her biddings. Ah know 'cause ah’ve seen that once."

"So they ain't staying for desert?" Granny Smith asked still confused.

"As I said before, I am here to apologize for lying to you. I can understand that you don't trust me, and I will give back the Crusader cape if you want me to." The gloominess in her voice didn't convince Applejack.

"Applejack, do ya remember the last family reunion when Aunt Applesauce slipped on an egg which had fallen down during the egg an' spoon race? Do ya remember when she slipped and fell right into the hen-house?" Apple Cookie piped up.

"Yeah, that was hilarious!" Apple Bloom burst out laughing.

"Now my question: Why should ah remember this if ah am either a controlled pony or a disguised changeling?"
Applejack remained silent, but didn't relax yet.

Big Macintosh arose from his chair. "Enough!" his voice echoed through the kitchen.
"Can't ya see the truth when it stands right before ya, Applejack? This is a changeling, yeah and she was a changeling all along, so what? She never meant harm to any of us. She even became a Crusader. The fillies didn't have any prejudice nor did I. Look her in the eye an' tell me she's a bad person!"

He moved over to the party and hugged Eva, then he brohoofed his Cousin Apple Cookie and slightly bowed before Sunray and Shining Armor.
"You knew the whole time?" Eva asked him astonished.

"Nope, but I had a feelin'. Also I've never seen a bunny with blue hair before," he winked at her. "It's good t’see ya, Cousin Apple Cookie."

Now Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle jumped up their chairs as well and ran over group hugging Eva.

"Didja opened the Crusader branch in Canterlot yet?"

"No sorry, I forgot. But I certainly will next time I go there, I promise."

"So ya promise me that you won't hurt or brainwash us?" Applejack asked Eva, slightly relaxing.

"I promise" Eva solemnly swore lifting a hoof.

Applejack abandoned her combat stance seeming very relieved.
"OK, but that wasn't everything-"

"Ah knew it!" Applejack replied tensing up again.

"I told you I was going to Canterlot to meet my father. Well everypony, please meet my father now." She pointed towards the door at Shining Armor.

"You mean that old dude in the red cloak is your father?" She saw Scootaloo's doubting face.

"No, him!" she pointed again.

"Cousin Apple Cookie is yer father? Who had ever guessed- So ya actually did belong to the family-"

"Urgh, no, no, NO! HIM! She stepped right next to her father putting her hoof on his chest.

"Pff what?! The Prince is yer father? Don't make me -"

"No, it is true Applejack. I am indeed her father," he piped up.

This time everyponies mouth dropped open including Big Mac's.
"You see her mother the changeling Queen disguised herself as my fiance without me knowing. Well I am not proud about how it happened but I am very proud that it happened. I'd like to thank you all for your understanding and for accommodating my daughter."

"So that means you’re a Princess?" Sweetie Belle asked in her over the top high-pitched voice.

"Well yeah, kinda-" Eva scratched her head embarrassed.
Sweetie Belle squeaked jumping around excited.

"So will ya stay for dessert, or not? Granny Smith called from the back.

"No Granny, we have to move on, there are some other ponies we need to convince."

"Ah what a shame, I'll pack ya some of the apple compote into a jar so ya can eat it when ya arrive."
She slowly moved over to the steaming pot and poured some thick apple grout into a bottle. Then she handed it over to Eva.
"Princess or not, you kids needa stay healthy-" she mumbled while she returned to her seat.

Several hours later Eva knocked on the door of her mother's office.
"Mom?" she asked while opening the door. Her mother seemed even more tired and depressed than she used to be. She rose her head and after recognizing Eva she quickly got up moved over to her and slapped her with her hoof in the face, leaving a burning red mark on her cheek.

"Where have you been, young lady?! Sneaking away like that, you stupid little brat! I was worried sick!"
Her furious screaming changed into a soft sobbing while she embraced her child.

"You were worried?" Eva was puzzled. She always thought her mother wouldn't care about her.

"Of course I was! So tell me, why did you run away. I was worried sick. We searched the whole area for you-" She gripped her daughter tighter.

"Mom, before I explain everything to you, you should meet my guest I brought along."

"A guest? So you ran away because of a colt-friend? I should slap you once again."

"No, mom, not a colt-friend." Eva pushed her over to the entrance door of the building.
After opening it she saw Shining Armor standing before it who had waited for Eva's return.

"You--?! Why are you here?" Chrysalis's eyes narrowed and her voice got more despicable.

"So you do remember me?" he asked it like a rhetorical question.

"Of course I do! Because of you and your precious little 'Princess' we ended up here fighting to survive!" Eva noticed how she emphasized the word 'Princess' exceptionally contemptible.

"I am here because our daughter asked me to," he calmly continued speaking unimpressed.

"Our daughter?" she lifted a brow. "What do you know about her-?"

"Not much yet, I admit, but I am going to change that. That's why I'm here. I want to make peace between our races."

"Peace?!" she spit out the word. "I know your peace- you would let us starve in the wilderness without hesitation just like you did back then-"

"You never asked for help. You never explained your situation. We could have helped you if you just had asked for help, but you were too proud to do so- or maybe too afraid?"

"Go, I don't want to see your face. Leave this place so I can retain the rest of my dignity." Chrysalis was frenetic.

Meanwhile some changelings got attracted by the argument. Some looked through the windows of the living quarters other stood on the street watching them.

"This here is Master Sunray. He is a grand-scholar of Canterlot and he maybe has a solution for your dilemma."

Eva noticed a growing invisible aura around her father's body. Although it was not love he felt for Chrysalis she could easily tell that this invisible aura resembled the growing sympathy he felt for her.

He quickly dashed over to the Chrysalis taking her hoof. "Please let us help you. Don't let your pride take over your logic. Please, can we go inside and discuss our positions?" Seeing his face close to hers she blushed and turned away.

"Please, mom, listen to him!" Eva begged her.

Chrysalis's gazes wandered between Shining Armor, her daughter and Master Sunray.
"So you introduced all of you except one- Who is this pony?"

"Ah am called Apple Cookie, yer highness. Ah came here to learn about the changeling cuisine. Ah was some kind of a foster-father fer yer daughter during her time in Canterlot." He gallantly bowed down before he spoke.

"Bah! 'Your highness', you say. Look at me. Do I look like a Queen to you? I once was a Queen but that time is long gone."

"Ya know what, actually ya still do look like a Queen to me. I can see a determined, beautiful and proud ruler of a tribe. She is only buried beneath a heap of hate, doubt and regret," he said, smiling staring into her big green eyes.
Chrysalis dodged his gaze by looking at the sandy ground embarrassed.

"Fine, you may come in. It doesn't look like I have a choice anyway."
All of them exhaled relieved. It seemed like they passed the worst part of this conflict. While Apple Cookie, Shining Armor and Chrysalis entered the house, Sunray held Eva back, shaking his head.

"They need to be alone. Trust in them. Instead you may show me the way to your teacher."
Eva nodded and together they walked down the street towards her old school. It was late afternoon and the low sun threw long shadows on the ground. School was over by now and every changeling-youngster went its own way. She entered the building while he waited outside.

She found Mr. Midnight sitting in his chair behind his teacher's desk scribbling some notes on different pieces of paper.
"So you really did return." Once again he spoke to her without looking up. Eva wondered how he does this: Always knowing when and who comes to him. Then she remembered, he was trained by Clover the Clever.

"I am glad to see you are healthy and alive." He finally looked up staring at her face.
"I am also glad to see that you have grown. Not in body size but in maturity. Did you do as I ask you?"

"Yes I found information about your friend, Sunray. I am afraid to say that he had passed away."

Eva couldn't help but see his sad expression. Breathing heavily, he said:
"I-I see that pains me to hear. However I expected it."

"Hmm nah, he is waiting outside!" she burst into laughter.

"Don't you mess with me, young lady!" he arose furiously.

"No, I swear, he is right outside of this building." She looked him deep into the eyes.

"You definitely have grown.” He walked towards the door and stepped outside in the remaining sunlight of the setting sun. Right in front of him stood Master Sunray throwing a long shadow on the ground.

"Impossible!"

"Hello dear friend, long time no seen," Sunray replied removing his red hood.

"You have grown old, my friend," Midnight remarked.

"So did you..." none of them moved.

"I came to apologize for what I did back then. I learned the truth about you from our master and this persuasive girl-" Sunray nodded towards Eva. He finally moved towards his old friend who remained motionless. Reaching out with a hoof he said: "Can you ever forgive me?"

"I can forgive you for yelling at me and insulting me but, there is one thing I cannot forgive you for."

"And what might that be?" He stopped a leg-length in front of Midnight.

"You blew my date with your sister Sunbeam, you moron!" Midnight said while a grin spread over his face.
"Come here, you old crock" Both of them laughed and hugged each other. Eva was glad that they were finally able to settle their dispute.

*****

Author's Note:

Spoiler:
______________________________________________________________
I added the "alternate Universe" tag to counter complains about Clover's gender, issues in timeline and the age of the Crusaders. Initially I didn't want to add that tag, since in my head I always think of other dimensions, human earth, or Twi and Trixie being Zeppelins whenever I read "Alternate Universe", but unfortunately I was forced to do so.

Comments

[Asterix]

"So they ain't staying for desert?" Granny Smith asked still confused.

Mine with extra sand please
Pd: I am just kidding