> Split Heritage
>  by Deathlightning21
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Celestia huffed and calmly trotted to her room in Castle Canterlot where she ruled over Equestria with just and fairness for all with her sister Luna. It was a tough time in court today with the rising problem with Equestria’s safety from an outside threat that was very close to Celestia. The Princess trotted inside her room and looked around for…

The Princess was then attacked by something small and midnight black. It gripped onto her back tightly in a tight...hug? Celestia looked at the being hugging onto her only to find her daughter, Sunlight, hugging Celestia’s chest to near breathless tightness. Celestia smiled down at her daughter and wrapped her own hoof around her daughter.

“How are you Sunlight?”
Sunlight looked up at her mother with a giant grin on her face. “Good, momma!” Her
grin seem to widen, if it was possible for the filly to manage. “I stayed right here and waited for you to be done talking to the other grown ups.”
Celestia could not hold in her laughter from her daughter’s child like charm. Sunlight was only a few years old and growing up to be a fine mare. Though there was the problem of her changeling half. 

“Say momma, can you tell me the story of papa again?”
Celestia had a questioning look on her face. “But I just told you the same story before I left for court.”

Sunlight’s face dropped to a one of mild sadness “But everytime I try to think of it, I forget. You're the best at telling the story too! Not like Aunty Woona who’s way too serious about it.”
Celestia giggled once more “It’s Luna.”
Sunlight let go from her mother and watched her move to the bed “That’s what I said, Woona.”

Celestia climbed onto her bed and patted the space next for her for Sunlight to lay down next to her. Sunlight’s smiled and hopped onto the bed next to her mother. “Are you gonna tell it?”

Celestia simply nodded and Sunlight’s famous grin returned and listen to her mother tell the story.

“In a land quite like ours there ruled a powerful princess pony with her just as powerful princess sister. They ruled for many years, keeping Equestria safe from any harm with the help of their many friends. But the oldest of the two sisters...

“You, momma!”
“Yes, me. Now listen to the story.”	 

“The oldest started to feel lonesome around her wonderful castle. Sure, she had many friends, family, and many matters to attend to. But her heart felt as if… it was missing something. She had her sister returned to her from her long time away but something was still missing.

“What was it?” Sunlight asked.
“You already know what it is from how many times I have told this story.” Then Celestia gave her a playful look. “Or did you forget again?”
The filly only smiled.

“As I was saying, The Princess did not know what was missing from her heart. So the princess went on a journey to find out. But on the way she encountered an enemy to her kingdom. It was a changeling, races of Equestria that can change their form and drain other’s love right from them.”

“I can do that?” Sunlight asked with a tilted head.
“Not the draining part but you sure as may change your form.”
Sunlight looked at herself then thought long and hard about changing herself into something new but only a sizzle came from her horn. The young half alicorn sighed a disappointed sigh.
Celestia patted her daughter’s head. “Maybe someday soon, now do you want me to keep telling the story?”
Sunlight only nodded.

“The Princess and the Changeling despised each other at first. Apparently the changeling was banished from his hive after his recent folly. The Princess took… an odd pity on the changeling and decided to stay with him for some time. They huddled in a cave and swapped stories of their life. Over the passing days the two decided to put aside their differences to be more like friends. Then from that single choice a beautiful moment of growing their relationship even more, filling the princesses heart and bringing hope for a friendship towards the Changelings and the Ponies of Equestria.” 

Celestia finished her story and looked upon her daughter cutely nuzzled into Celestia’s warm fur and sleeping soundly.

“You will have to tell her eventually, sister.”
Celestia looked to the voice to see Luna emerge from the shadows with a serious look on her face.

“I’m not in the mood for this Luna.” Celestia tore her attention away from her sister and back to the calmly sleeping halfling next to her. 

“If you do not tell her then I will.” Luna made the mistake of taking a single step forward.

Celestia’s head snapped back to Luna with the sun’s wrath blazing in her eyes. “You will speak nothing of this to her!”
Luna quickly took her hoof back to where it once was.

Celestia’s emotions calmed down and snuffed the blaze in her eyes “Please, let me just enjoy this while I still can… when she comes of age to understand… then I’ll tell her everything about her, what is happening with the Changelings… and whom she truly shares her blood with.”

Luna nodded and left the room in silence to let her sister cherish the moment with her daughter.

Celestia sighed and drapped a wing over Sunlight. “A day will come when you will have to chose for yourself… And I hope that day never comes. Because the choices you will have to make will weigh heavily on us all. I swear as your mother that I will do my best to shield you till that day arrives.” She leaned down and placed a kiss on her daughter’s forehead, “Goodnight Sunlight,” then blew out the single light of the royal bedroom with a simple magic spell from her horn.            

> Chapter 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Her mother’s sun slowly rises into the sky to lighten Equestria’s skies once again. A now teenaged Sunlight arisen from her mound of blankets and yawned ever so tiredly. Her pure white insectoid wings fluttered as Sunlight rose from her sleep. Her straight down rainbow mane was in a rat’s nest style and covering her eyes. She jumped out of her bed and trotted over to her mirror.

“Mirror Mirror on the wall, who likes to wake up so early in the morning?” She moved out of the mirror’s way so it showed nothing but her room in it’s reflection. Giggling and getting ready for the day she combed her mane into the way she liked it, admiring the way it shined and its mix of her mother’s mane colors. Now with her eyes visible they were her mother’s shade of pink with the white of a normal’s pony eye replaced with a darker shade of pink which she liked, but couldn’t show anyone but her…

Just then a sudden knock came from her door. She removed herself from the mirror and checked through the eyehole that her mother insisted she get for it. Sunlight saw Vanilla, her royal bodyguard and off time, on time nanny. Vanilla was a bright blue mare with a braided mane of brown and dark blue colors. Along with her royal guard armor she replaced the helmet for a single flower in her mane that smelled like vanilla ice cream.
Sunlight opened the door for her bodyguard and Vanilla stepped right in with a fine, “How do you do?”

Sunlight closed the door back up and hugged her ‘nanny’. “Hey Vanilla!”
Vanilla herself just patted the teenage halfling’s back and smiled. “Do you remember what day it is today?” Vanilla was hoping she would remember this time.

Sunlight tapped her chin then smiled. “It’s my birthday!” Sunlight started to bounce up and down like her godmother whenever she got happy.
Vanilla rolled her eyes and stopped her bouncing. “It’s not your birthday, that was last week. Today is when Princess Celestia shows you around the town for the first time.”
Sunlight’s expression changed from a one of happy to a one of most unexpected confusion. “Why would I need to see the town? I got everything I need right here in the castle!”

“Well you're going to need to learn about Canterlot if you're going to take over the kingdom some day.”

“But I already know all about governing and princessing stuff.” Sunlight frowned. “And I had a magic lesson with Godmother Sparkle today…” The halfling’s frown turned into a full on pout. 

“Don’t try that stuff with me, young miss. You are going to have a fun day with your mother around the town and you will like it,” Vanilla said, then turned to the door. “Now get changed so we can meet your mother.” Sunlight groaned and shifted her appearance to look more like a normal alicorn. Her pure white insect wings formed into normal wings with snow white tips. Her pink carapace vanished from her back entirely and the extra pink from her eye turned to white.

“Alright, where is mother right now?” Sunlight asked, trotting back over to Vanilla. 
“She’s at the castle gates waiting on you. I was asked to make sure you got there in one piece and didn’t get lost again on your way there.”
Sunlight merely rolled her eyes. “Psshh! That was only one time Vanilla. I can handle myself.”
Vanilla raised her eyebrow.
“...Okay twice.”
It went higher.
“T-three times…”
Can it get higher than that?
“Four, I’m sure its four!”
Yes! It! Can!
“Fine, I got lost many times, happy that I can say it openly?” Vanilla nodded and trotted out the door with a smirk on her face, and Sunlight was right behind her with a scowl pointed to her nanny’s head. 

After a few wrong turns made by Sunlight, and Vanilla dragging her back on course to the gates, they finally arrived and there was Celestia awaiting her daughter on the chariot. Sunlight climbed on and looked up at her mother with a worried face.
“Is this going to be long? I want to be able to get to my magic lesson today.”
Celestia looked down at her child. “We will be visiting all of Canterlot today. So I already sent a letter to Twilight saying that your lesson was moved to tomorrow so we could have this opportunity to share this moment together.”
Sunlight sighed and slouched in her place in the chariot.
Celestia placed a reassuring hoof on her daughter’s back and smiled at her. “I’ll make this as quick as possible and as enjoyable as possible for the both of us.”

Sunlight slightly smiled and nodded as the chariot started to move and their tour of Canterlot started. Celestia explained many of the places they passed as being resturants and other odd buildings called “tailors”. Sunlight thought that they only had tailors in the castle. 

Many of the rich and no so rich looking ponies they passed bowed to them in respect, and if she was being honest to herself, Sunlight felt a bit overwhelmed and in some dark way loved the… love she was getting from these ponies. It was almost intoxicating…

She knew she couldn’t feed off of love like the other changelings she read about, but she could still FEEL the love from the subjects. Sunlight had to shake her head to keep herself from going love crazy. This was one of the reasons she didn’t like coming out of the castle and into town. This feeling was always too much for her to handle without her shaking it off quickly. 


Celestia noticed her daughter’s weakness. “Is it the love again? We can go back to the castle if you want.”
Sunlight shook her head again and looked up at Celestia with a weak smile. “No Mom, I can handle it.” Celestia nodded and continued to tell her daugher about the sights and sounds of Canterlot.

Sunlight rarely got to the town as much as a ruler-in-waiting should have, but the castle was good enough for her. The love in there wasn't overwhelming and the library was something to die for. Godmother Sparkle taught her the wonderful meaning behind books when she was younger and she couldn’t stop loving them since. Thinking about them helped her keep her focus off of the love messing with her senses.

“Say mom, what are we going to do after this?” Sunlight asked her mother, interrupting her ramble about the town.
“I have some documents to get done tonight concerning the…” Celestia almost said something Sunlight was not ready to hear and cleared her throat. “Just some documents…”

Sunlight looked confused for a moment then shrugged and went back to looking at the town.

The time of the sun’s setting was near so the duo returned back to their home to prepare and to make sure Luna was awake for it.

“Sunlight, could you make sure your aunt is awake?”
Sunlight nodded and traveled across the vast hallways of Castle Canterlot to Princess Luna’s room. Sunlight gave the door a brief knock. “Aunt Luna? Aunt Luna are you awake?” There was a lack of response from the door so Sunlight checked to make sure it was unlocked and then lightly pushed it open.

As soon as the door was open, Sunlight’s aunt became more and more visible with her imposing stare that always made Sunlight feel smaller around her aunt.
“I heard you the first time Sunlight…” Luna spoked with a annoyed tinge to her voice. Sunlight looked down at her own hooves and let out a “sorry” to her aunt. Luna merely shook her head and trotted past Sunlight and to a place for her to raise the moon.

Sunlight watched her moon baring aunt leave and sighed, leaving her head hung low and returning to her own chambers. Vanilla was there waiting for her and spotted Sunlight with her hung head and trotted to her.
“What happened this time?” Vanilla asked the sad looking halfling.

The soon to be princess looked up at her nanny with a face of small sadness. “Oh, you know….Luna.” Sunlight trotted past Vanilla and into her room, quickly reforming into her natural look. “I just don’t get it… ever since I was a kid she always gives me this look… like… She has to tolerate me or something.” The halfling climbed into her bed and layed down, her head placed upon her own hooves. “I really wish I could know what makes her act like that…”

Vanilla sat down in front of the bed and put on her best reassuring face for Sunlight to see. “Maybe she’s just jealous.”

“Jealous? Over what?”

“Well…” In truth, Vanilla knew the real reason why Luna felt the way she felt for her niece but she was under orders not to tell Sunlight about anything about “that” topic. “Luna and Celestia are close sisters… so she just feels like you're cutting into her time with your mother.”

Sunlight thought about it for a second or two, no longer than 5, then understood what Vanilla was getting across. “Ooohhh, I see now! Thanks for telling me, Vanilla.”

Vanilla felt bad for taking advantage of her gullibleness but it had to be done. After a mental sigh of relief, Vanilla spoke up. “Anything else you need Sunlight?”
Sunlight just shook her head.
“Well if you need me just send a letter, okay?”
A quick nod from Sunlight.
“Alright, stay safe, kiddo.” Vanilla lightly bowed and trotted out of the room.

Sunlight looked out of her window and up to the now night sky of Equestria. Sunlight wondered how her mother was doing right now or how her aunt was going to spend her night.

Then the ever powerful tidal wave of sleep washed up against Sunlight’s eyes, and with a quick yawn and a rub of the eye, Sunlight covered herself up and cuddled into her bed to sleep. 

> Chapter 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

This was Sunlight’s favorite part.

She watched in awe as her Godmother Twilight A. Sparkle used her magic to make a swirling ball of pure magic with tints of fire magic worked into the spell. With a glow from her horn, Twilight unleashed the energy within the magical ball into a mini firework display.  

Sunlight clapped her hooves together and cheered for her Godmother’s amazing talents with her magical abilities.
Twilight looked over to her goddaughter with a smile. “Now your turn.”

Sunlight nodded and concentrated her magic into doing what Twilight just showed her to do. Her magic focused into her horn and concentrated on making the small ball of energy. She was doing well, the ball was slowly forming in front of Sunlight at a steady pace. But the part she was doing wrong was keeping her eyes closed and not making sure that the energy did not get too large.

“Sunlight, you might want to-”

“Do it now? Alright!” Sunlight’s horn glowed a bit more brightly and the energy ball, that was the side of a upright table, started to go off.

“NO, WAIT!”

Outside


Applejack was just on her way to give Twilight some fresh grown apples. It had been a whole two years since the two did something no one else expected and it was soon to be their anniversary for it and Applejack thought that these apples would be a great gift before she got Twilight something really nice. 

As soon Applejack approached the famed Ponyville Library a massive “Boom!” was heard and some of the Library’s window’s shattered from the explosion. 

Applejack panicked and rushed to the door, dropping the apples, opening it up.
“Twilight! Ya’ll okay in here?!” Applejack’s eyes searched the wrecked room with piles of books on the floor for Twilight.

Twilight soon stuck her head out of one of the piles of books. Her mane was a mess and her coat with riddled with cartoonish black spots like she was just in a loony toons skit. 
“I’m fine, Applejack.” She looked around quickly. “Where’s Sunlight?”

Sunlight popped her head out next. Her alicorn form intact but her mane was in the same mess that Twilight’s was in.
“Sorry Twilight… I should have payed more attention it’s size before adding in the fire magic...” Sunlight hung her head in shame.
Twilight sighed “It's alright. Go upstairs and clean up while me and Applejack clean this place up.” Applejack herself was already starting to pick up books that landed on the floor. Sunlight nodded and slowly trotted up the stairs to the bathroom.

Applejack looked at Twilight. “I dun get it. Hows the daughter of Princess Celestia so darn bad at magic? You’ve been teaching her for years now.”
Twilight shook her head. “I don’t know myself, Applejack. Celestia thinks it might have something to do with her Changeling side. All I can do now is help her the best I can.” 
Applejack nodded and returned to cleaning up the books. All of the girls were informed of Sunlight’s changeling side in case if anything were to happened that would need her to stay with them for a while. 

Meanwhile upstairs in the restroom, Sunlight sat in the tub and staring at her reflection in the warm water. She let out a deep sigh and reverted back to her true self and looked back into the water.
“Why can’t I get it right? Mom is the best magical pony that everypony knows. How does she expect me to lead Equestria or some other kingdom when I can’t even master a simple spell like that?!” Sunlight attacked the water, splashing water onto the floor and wall. After the strike, Sunlight placed her face into her hooves and lightly sobbed. She removed her hooves from her face and saw from the reflection in the tub that looked back at her. She looked at the watery image of herself and saw only one thing.

A Loveless Freak.

A Failure.

All of her subjects liked her because she was Celestia’s daughter. None of them truly love her for being herself.

But who would even love a mismatched freak? 

Sunlight suppressed her negative thoughts and finished up her bath. After a quick wash up she got out of the tub and dried herself off and exited the restroom.    


But before she did, she took one last look into the mirror. She slowly approached it and saw not her real self, but her alicorn disques. 

“Look at me… I will never pass as a perfect girl, or a perfect daughter, can it be? I’m not meant to play this part? Now I see, that if I were truly to be myself, I would break my people’s heart.“

She leaned up against the mirror and watched herself in it.

“Who is that girl I see, staring straight, back at me? Why is my reflection someone I don’t know? Somehow I cannot hide, who I am, though I’ve tried. When will my reflection show who I am inside?”

She looked deeply into the mirror and at her Alicorn reflection “When will my reflection show...Who I am… inside.” She looked away from the mirror and exited the bathroom.

Twilight looked at the slowly approaching halfling. “Are you going to be alright?” Sunlight looked up at the worried unicorn and nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

Sunlight looked around the now fixed up Library. All the books were placed back onto the shelves and the windows looked like they were going to be replaced soon. Also it seemed that Applejack had left already.

“I’m about to head over to Rarity’s to make sure she’s alright. Want to come with me?” 
Sunlight thought about it a nice walk sounded good right now. “Sure, that sounds nice.” 
Twilight smiled and nodded. “Don’t forget to-”

“Change back, I know, I know.” Sunlight’s form changed back to her Alicorn self and waited for Twilight to lead the way to Rarity’s store. 

The trip wasn't a long one. They arrived at the eccentric fabric store owned by the one and only Rarity. Twilight was first inside followed by Sunlight.

“Why hello Twilight! It’s always great to see your face.” Rarity greeted them from the comfort of her very fancy chair. She layed up the best she could from the extra weight of her pregnancy. “What brings you and Sunlight here?”

“I just wanted to check up on you. Since Spike is away helping you sell your new line clothing I figured you could need a check up.”

“I do wonder how my Spikey Wikey is doing in the rough business of clothing marketing. I hope he can handle it all by himself without me.” Rarity put a hoof to her chin in thought. 

Meanwhile

Spike was getting frustrated with the colt in front of him. “For the last time! Just tell me what color of dress you want so I can get it and then you can buy something already!” Spike was getting very mad at this buyer right now.

The colt was just as mad as Spike was right now. “I’ve told you the same thing, buster! My wife wants very specific dress Miss Rarity made. I do not think just saying the color will help you find it if your being this incompetent with customer support!”
“I don’t even know what that word means and I feel insulted!”

“I can do more than use big words to insult you dragonboy.”

The two were butting heads by this point in the argument. “Is that so tough guy?” 


Back in Ponyville


Rarity shrugged. “I’m sure he is handling everything just fine.” Rarity then showed a face that she just remembered something. “Oh! That reminds me. I wanted Sweetie Bell to go and pick up a few things from the market.” Rarity turned her head towards the stairs. “Sweetie Bell! Please tell me you're out of the shower so you can go run the errands I told you to do!”

“Coming!” The mare that came down the stairs that made Sunlight’s jaw drop.

She was so pretty to Sunlight. Her face was beautiful and her body seemed to rivaled any top of the line model she had seen back in Canterlot. The way she trotted just mesmerized Sunlight and the finishing blow was shaking her mane back and forth to get rid of any water left in it.
Sweetie Bell trotted up to Rarity. “What was it you wanted me to get?”
Rarity simply levitated over a list and gave it to Sweetie Bell.
She briefly skims through the list and looks back at her sister. “Why do you need pickles, a gallon of fried beans, peanut butter supreme… and a pint of dragon milk?”

“Well as you know Sweetie Bell mares that are pregnant, like me, develop odd cravings for various foods and drinks. Now go get them before I start to get cranky.” And with a threatening giggle Sweetie Bell was off and out the door.

Sunlight was still glued to Sweetie Bell’s person and stared at the door as she left with mouth hanging wide open. Twilight waved a hoof in front of her eyes and called out her name. 
Sunlight shook her head and looked nervously at the two. “Well… I have to… go and… BYE!” With that she ran right out the door.

Twilight was left scratching her head. “What was that all about?” Rarity on the other hoof was just giggling a knowing giggle.

Sunlight had avoided being seen by anypony while trying to find that mare. When she did find her she hopped into a nearby bush and watched Sweetie buy what Rarity asked her to get.

‘She seems so nice and kind… pretty in all areas… maybe she could.’ With a shake of the head she dismissed that thought but it came back hard like a slap to the face. After that she knew why Sweetie was pledging her every single thought.

She had a crush.

She could feel it swirling in the middle of her chest and quickly spread to the rest of her body. She watched Sweetie Belle buy the last item and something out of impulse she might have just regretted.
“Wait!” She shouted, jumping out of the bushes and landing on her face.
Sweetie Belle gasped and ran over to her to help her up. “Are you okay?”

Sunlight made her blush go away and looked at the area that Sweetie’s hooves occupied “Thank you… I-I’m fine.” That blush seemed to work it’s way back onto Sunlight’s face.

Sweetie Belle breathed a sigh of relief. “That's good, I thought you were really hurt for a second.” Sweetie then got a closer look at Sunlight. “Wait… You’re Princess Sunlight! What are you doing here? Don’t all princesses just live in Canterlot?”

Sunlight kicked some dust here and there. “Well… I just come here to train my magical skills with my Godmother Twilight Sparkle. I’m sure you know about her… seeing how your sister is really good friends with her… and stuff.”

Sweetie’s eyes widened. “Wow! I wish I could be her magical student. I bet you're great at magic if you're learning from the best.”

Sunlight’s guts twisted and she looked straight down at the ground. “Well… n-not really the greatest…”
Sweetie tilted her head at first then understood what Sunlight meant. “Oh..I uh..didn’t mean to.” Sweetie Belle had to think of something quick.  “How about we forget what I said and go get something to eat?” 

Sunlight looked up Sweetie Belle with an astonished look on her face. “G-Go with you?”
Sweetie Belle smiled at the halfling princess. “Of course. I feel bad for bringing that up so I thought I could just treat you to lunch as an apology.”

A date.

Sunlight didn’t hear the real reason for the dinner because fireworks were going off in her head. Her grin seemed to cover half of her face. “That sounds like a great idea! Where are we going?” Sunlight seemed to be bouncing up and down at this point. 

Sweetie Belle watched her bounce in pure joy with her eyes. “You seem to get really happy over good news.” 

Sunlight stopped mid bounce and looked at Sweetie. “Um, Is that a bad thing?” 
Sweetie merely giggled and shook her head.
“Oh, good.”
The two mares trotted their way to a nice looking place to order food from. They took their seats and awaited the arrival of their waiter. “So Sunlight, what can you tell me about yourself?”

Sunlight’s hoof traced the wood marking on their table, thinking of things she could tell Sweetie that didn’t make her look like a freak in her eyes. “Well… I like to read books.  Twilight showed me how great they could be and it helps pass the time in the castle.”

“That sounds interesting, what else?”

Sunlight told Sweetie about herself often leaving out that she was bad at magic, a forgetful spaz, a half changeling princess. Anything that would paint herself a total loser in Sweetie Belle’s eyes. To Sunlight, princesses could have no flaws, it would make them look bad in front of their subjects even though she would love for them to accept her for who she was.

“You sound like a fun mare to be around.” Sweetie giggled which in return made Sunlight blush.
“Thanks Sweetie Belle.”

After their meal, Sweetie looked at the nearby sun dial. “I have to head home with Rarity’s things now. Catch you later?”
Sunlight nodded so fast her head was about to pop off.
“Alright, hope to see you soon.” And with a wave Sweetie Belle gathered her things and trotted back to her home.

Sunlight waved until she could no longer spot the mare of her dreams. She was so nice and pretty! How could Sunlight resist falling for her so soon? 

Sunlight bounced happily all the way to the Train Station to await her chariot back home.

Canterlot Castle

“And then we went to go get something to eat, then we talked, then she said ‘Catch you later’! Isn’t she just the best?!” Sunlight giggled, finishing her “date” story with her mother. 

Celestia smiled at her daughter. “It seems you have made a new friend today Sunlight.”

“I’m so happy that I did!” Sunlight plopped down in front of her mother. “Do you think she likes me?”

“Of course she likes you, you are friends after all.”

Sunlight shook her head. “Not like how all of my subjects and Vanilla like me. Like… well… like, like me. Like how you and Dad like each other.”

Celestia looked at her daughter with a worried look. “Why are you thinking about such things so soon? You just met Sweetie Belle not even a day ago.”
Sunlight twiddled her hooves and a dull red blush started to manifest onto Sunlight’s face “W-Well… she’s nice and… very pretty… um...”
Celestia’s all to knowing grin crept onto her lips. “Does my little sun princess have a crush?”

Sunlight’s dull blush turned into a very bright pink one. “What?! Noooo of course I don’t, What would ever make you think that?!”
Celestia merely touched one of Sunlight’s flustered cheek.
“Well… that doesn’t prove…” With a sigh Sunlight looked down. “I do have a crush…”

The sun matron patted the space next to her for Sunlight to join her on her bed. Sunlight did so and Celestia began to speak. “Sunlight, it is natural for you to fall in love at this age. Teenagers are a special case when it comes to their emotions and must be treated with extreme care. The only way to make sure that this Sweetie Belle likes you back is to not rush things with her but get to know her better than anypony else. Do you understand?”

Sunlight slowly nodded.

“Then go get some sleep and think on what I have told you.”
Sunlight nuzzled her mom and she returned the nuzzle and watched as Sunlight exited her room. 

Celestia levitated over a picture frame she kept close to her bed. “If only you could see her now, She is growing up so fast.” With a kiss to her picture she placed it back down. “Good night my love.” She layed down on her regal bed and blew out the candle.  

  

     
  

                    

  
> chapter 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Today was the day.

Sunlight was going to ask Sweetie Belle to be her marefriend today. She had it all planned out. First she would go by and make sure she wasn’t too busy with helping Rarity with any pregnancy related issues. Then they would go to where they had their first date at. Then Sunlight would ask her to be her very special somepony!

Sunlight managed to keep her cool during the trip to Ponyville. Once they had landed in town and Sunlight stepped off of her chariot, it seemed that every kind of butterfly had been released into her stomach.  

The young princess took a seat at the table she was to meet Sweetie Belle at. They had been meeting here ever since they first met a whole month ago.

But to Sunlight, it felt like a whole year.

Just as Sunlight was about to drift off to another fantasy of a dashing Sweetie and her in a castle, Sweetie Belle could be seen trotting up to the table.

Sunlight's famously huge grin spread across her face as she caught sight of her big time crush. Sweetie took her seat across the table from Sunlight.
“Hey Sunlight!”

Sunlight suppressed her blush from just seeing Sweetie and gulped down her nervousness.

"H-Hey Sweetie Belle!" She watched as Sweetie Belle leaned forward, seeming particularly happy today.

"You won't believe the day I've had!" Sweetie began in a happy tone. "Since Carousel Boutique closes early today, Spike didn't have to work past 12:30!" She leaned forward with joy and continued with, "So Spike is at home taking care of Rarity, and I'm free for the day!"
"That's… Great!" Sunlight smiled, this time feeling her cheeks warm again as she prepared herself for the question. "Um…"

"Oh, right! And I had the funniest thing happen," she said, adjusting herself to be comfortable for her story. Sunlight felt a mix of disappointment and relief when she was interrupted, but listened intently to her crush. As she spoke, no matter what tone she was using, everything began to sound softer and sweeter to Sunlight as she basked in Sweetie Belle's beauty. Her glistening mane, her pure white coat, her emerald eyes that sparkled with her excitement… The word "perfect" was  going through Sunlight's mind as she blushed.

"… And it turns out, it wasn't anything at all!" She finished with a chuckle, though it sounded like more of a giggle. Sunlight smiled with her, but couldn't help feeling her heart flutter at the sound of her laugh.

"It sounds like you had a good day," Sunlight commented, trying to transition smoothly into her question.
"I did. And you can only imagine how happy I was when I remembered I was meeting with you again today, too!"

Sunlight's heart skipped a beat.
"… Really?"

"Really!" The smile on Sweetie's face only added to Sunlight's feelings at that moment. "We've only known each other for a month, but I really enjoy talking to you."

"… R-Really?" Sunlight stuttered, starting to sound like a broken record.

"Of course! I feel like even when some of my stories sound boring, you just always seem interested. And I really like hearing about you, too! Your life is so interesting!" She giggled. "I love spending time with you!"

Sunlight's feelings intensified and her heart raced. She could feel every single beat. Her face was noticeably red. Was this even happening? It was the perfect moment.
"Y-Yeah… I like talking to you, too." She managed to get out a somewhat normal-sounding sentence. She gulped, readying herself for her confession.

"S-Sweetie Belle… I really need to tell you something."
Sweetie nodded then spoke up, “Theres also something I should tell you. Its just too important not to tell you.”

“Oh, What is it?” 

“Well, I met someone~!” Sweetie smiled widely and clapped her hooves together. 

Sunlight tilted her head. “You met a new friend?”
Sweetie shook her head. “Not exactly like that, even better”

“A best friend?”    

Sweetie shook her head once more.
“I think its better that I showed you.” Sweetie Belle looked behind her and called out a name, “Button Mash!”

A brown, weak looking colt with his patchy mane in bangs and very greasy looking to Sunlight. He trotted up to the girls but didn’t seem too interested in them, rather he just pulled out a grey thing with big buttons and just seemed to pay more attention to it than them. 
“Sunlight, I would like you to introduce my newest coltfriend, Button Mash!” 
Button Mash just mumbled out something close to a “mya” and went back to his device. Sweetie Belle just seemed to giggle and look at Sunlight.
“Isn’t he just the best coltfriend?”

Broken

That is what Sunlight felt inside. All the butterflies dropped dead and her heart seemed to be slowly freezing over and cracking apart at the seams. She couldn’t stop the tears from falling down her cheeks in rapid streams.

“Sunlight?”

Sunlight heard something, but it all sounded like dead noise to her. Her crush was literally crushed in front of her eyes. Stomped into little pieces by this “Button Mash”. Sunlight’s tears stream down her face faster. 

She had to get out, now!

She stumbled getting out of her chair and picked herself up quite easily and raced back to her carriage.

Sweetie was confused. Why was Sunlight acting this way?
“S-Sunlight, Wait!” Sweetie left her own seat to chase after her friend. 

Button Mash on the other hoof just shrugged and stared into his Gamecolt.
“Was it something I said?”

Sunlight scrambled to get into her chariot. The guards tried to ask her what was wrong but Sunlight just yelled at them to get her out of there, weeping and crying at the same time. The guards nodded and did their jobs, flying the chariot away from Ponyville and away from Sweetie Belle. 

Sweetie Belle huffed and panted as she watched the chariot take off. She was too late to try and catch up with it. Sweetie’s mind was racing trying to find an explanation for what had just happen to her friend…

Canterlot Castle

Celestia raced to her daughter’s chamber. When she arrived she heard the heart twisting weeping of her daughter inside the room. Vanilla was there looking at the door with a worried face. Once the guardspony saw Celestia she straightened up.
“Princess…”

“How long has she been like this?” 

Vanilla sighed and looked down.
“A few hours at best. She won’t let anyone in or talk to anyone.”

Celestia started for the door.
“She’ll listen to me. Go one with your duties for the day Vanila...I’ll handle this.”

Vanilla nodded and trotted down the halls of the castle and hoped that Celestia could reach Sunlight.

Celestia slowly opened the door to her daughter’s room, It was a total mess. Pillows and stuffed animals were thrown about, the curtains torn, and most notably the mirror was shattered from having the chair thrown into it. Most heart wrenching for Celestia to see was her daughter, Sunlight, in her true form covered with covers and her cheeks stained with salted streams of tears. “Oh, Sunlight….”

Celestia climbed onto Sunlight’s bed and hugged her tightly, whispering to her that it would be alright and caressing her mane. Sunlight held tightly onto her mother and weeped into her chest, hoping all of this was just some sick dream that she would awaken from. She wanted to forget this more than anything she had forgotten before. 

She wanted to wake up to Vanilla yelling at her for forgetting the way to the restroom and going to the spa instead, her mother reading her bedtime stories just before bed when she was just a filly.

She wanted  to wake up to a special somepony that would hold her close and accept her for being a halfling.

Her memories forced her to watch all the time she spent with Sweetie Belle…

Sunlight’s memory

It was a sunny day to have a picnic!

Both of the mares giggled at the stories they told one another. Right now Sweetie Belle was going on and on about something her friend Scootaloo did with a bucket of chicken eggs and a single ramp to impress Rainbow Dash. It ended up with Scootaloo falling into the pit and having Rainbow Dash clean her off.

Sunlight couldn’t help but giggle at that story. Sweetie Belle was starting up another story we're herself and Scootaloo pranked Applebloom on a date. But Sunlight was far too busy debating putting her hoof over Sweetie’s shoulder. She had seen many ponies in Canterlot do the very same thing with their special somepony. Maybe perhaps doing the same thing would surely let Sweetie know of how Sunlight feels for her. As Sunlight’s hoof reached over to do this, a butterfly landed right on her hoof. Sweetie Belle looked at the butterfly and giggled softly at the sight.
“Looks like you made another friend.”
Sunlight blushed and nervously giggled along with her crush.

The butterfly then flew over to Sweetie’s nose and expanded it’s wings, making it seemed like Sweetie had big monster eyes. Sunlight could not help but laugh at her friend’s new spectacles and soon Sweetie joined in as well.

Sunlight laughed with her friend and wished someday this day would be like every other day she had with Sweetie Belle.


Sunlight’s room.

Sunlight whimpered at that memory. To her, every memory she had with Sweetie Belle hurt to even try to remember. She sobbed into her mother’s warm fur and held tightly onto her as though if she were to let go, the dark feelings that wrecked inside her body would swallow her whole.

Celestia slowly rubbed her daughter’s mane and calmly said to her, “Mommy’s here now, its all right.” She heard Sunlight’s sobbing lower down and soon stopped all together. 

“Now then, why don’t you tell me what happened to make you such a mess.”

Sunlight rubbed the last bit of tears from her face and looked up at her mother “Sweetie Belle… had a…”She felt like bursting into tears again.

Celestia got the point her daughter was trying to get across and hugged her tighter. 
“Did she know that you liked her?” 

Sunlight slowly shook her head, her tears building up again.

“I should have warned you on the dangers of having a crush. Sometimes in the end instead of getting your dream pony you end up… well, being crushed.”

Sunlight looked down and nodded in understanding.

“And Sunlight.”
Sunlight looked back up at her mother.
“Don’t let this one bad incident define how you will act towards Sweetie Belle in the future. You two might not be what you wanted, but you two are still friends and you should cherish even that when you're around her.” Celestia nuzzled her daughter. “You remember the story I told you about Luna?”

“You mean the story where she let her negative emotions control how she acted and felt towards others?”
Celestia nodded. “Bad things always happen to those who let their darker emotions, such as grief and envy, take control of them.”

“B-But it will hurt..”

“I know it hurts sweetie, I know it will hurt for a long time, but trust me when I say you should look to the brighter side of things then rather dwelling in the dark.”

Sunlight nodded her head and leaned on her mother.
“Okay mom… I understand.”

“Good. Do you want me to cancel your magic lessons for the time being?”

Sunlight nodded again.
“I’ll have Vanilla send a letter right away to Twilight. Do you need me to stay for awhile.” With a final nod both Mother and Daughter stayed in that room and held one another.      
	       
	
	     
> Chapter 5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The sun shined into Sunlight’s room once more.

With a groan, the young princess slowly raised from her bed and rubbed her eyes. She climbed out of the soft bed and over to her new mirror after she had broke her last one last night.

She was a mess. Her mane went into every direction known to ponykind, her eyes were still dark pink from her crying, and the stained fur didn’t help either. She quietly pulled out her things to clean herself up and got to work.

She had a rough night. After her mother left and kissed her forehead goodnight, Sunlight couldn’t seem to even get more than an hour’s worth of sleep until she finally collapsed. With the last touch up, she started to look like her normal self again.

She activated her alicorn guise once again and trotted out of her room to find something to get her mind off of last night.

Sunlight trotted through the castle and nodded to the occasional servant bowing to her, or a guard saluting her. She started to wonder how her mother could handle any of this attention that her people normally gave her.

‘Well,’ Sunlight started to think, ‘Mom isn’t a half changeling so she doesn’t have to block out the love overdoses…” With another sigh, she kept on her path through the castle’s many hallways.

While Sunlight was not looking, a servant mare bumped into her and both of them crashed into the floor. Sunlight shook her head and looked at the mare in front of her. She seemed to be a maid that worked here in the castle. Her coat was a sandy blonde color which went well with her lighter blonde mane and emerald eyes. 

“Ohmygosh! I’m so sorry I wasn't looking…” Sunlight helped the maid up who was groaning.
“I-It’s no trouble Princess Sunlight….”

Sunlight had an even more worried look on her face. “B-But I trotted right into you! The floors aren’t so soft an-”
Before the Princess could go on, the Maid simply shook her head with a smile. “I said it’s alright, Princess Sunlight. We might be mere servants in your employ but we know how to take a beating ourselves.” 

Sunlight slowly nodded, still not sure if this Maid was telling the truth about her condition. “Um… M-may I ask your name?”

“You can ask me for anything, Princess. My name is Dusty Handmaiden, but most of my friends just call me Dust.” Dust smiled at the princess warmly.

“It’s nice to meet you, Dust… um... say, I was wondering… What do servants do for off time?”

Dust raised an eyebrow. “Why would you need to know that?”

“I just need something to get my mind off of… something that happened yesterday...”

Dust then understood what the Princess was trying to get across. The news spread like wildfire about what had happened yesterday to the young princess in Ponyville. How that cruel mare broke her fragile little heart was just terrible! Dust tapped her chin then got an idea.
“Alright Princess, I have just the thing that somepony like you would just love to see.”

Sunlight tilted her head and was about to ask what, but Dust just grabbed her hoof and whisked Sunlight away.

Ponyville

Sweetie Belle was just in a complete mind twister at the moment.

She was trying to figure out what had happened with Sunlight the other day during their normal meetup. The events flashed through her mind in repeating fashion over and over again.

With an audible grunt and a mental buck to the head, Sweetie laid her head down on the desk.

“Sweetie? What seems to be the matter?” Spike asked, having heard the grunt on his way to the laundry room to wash some things up that was in the basket he was holding. 

“Oh it’s nothing, Spike… I’m just confused about something right now,” Sweetie explained to him, still having her head on the desk.

“It doesn’t sound like nothing.” He had placed the laundry basket down and walked over to Sweetie Belle. “Now, let’s try to start from the beginning.” 

Sweetie raised her head and looked at her brother in law. “Well...You know Sunlight, right?”

“Of course, who wouldn’t know about Celestia’s daughter?”

“Well… I don’t know how it happened or what I did to set her off, but… I caused her to run off crying...”

Spike was having a hard time believing that, she wasn’t called Sweetie for no reason. “How did you manage that?”
“I already said I didn’t know what I did!” She said, slamming her hooves down and glaring up at him.

“Easy, Sweetie Belle…” Spike held up his hands in defense, trying to show her he didn’t mean to make her mad.

Sweetie’s face turned from an angry glare to a look of regret. “Sorry… I’m just so worked up about this.” She placed her face into her hooves. “What did I do wrong?” She asked herself and Spike. 

“I might know the answer to this little predicament.” A voice spoke up from behind them. Both of them looked up to see Rarity right there in the doorway.

“Rarity?!” Both of them cried and rushed over to her side.
“What are you doing out of bed?! With how close the baby is you should be in-”

“Hush, Spike. When I hear my little sweet sister going through drama then I must be there to help her through it.” Rarity then pointed to Sweetie’s Belle’s bed. “Now get me on the bed.”

With a sigh Spike picked up his beloved and carried her all the way over to the bed and placed her down softly.

“Rarity… What did you say about knowing what's going on with Sunlight?”

Rarity looked to her little sister and sighed. “It appears that the poor dear had a crush on you.”

Sweetie Belle’s jaw almost hit the floor and her eyes went as wide as saucer plates “W-Wha wha wha… C-Crush…???”

Rarity nodded. “It was quite easy to tell actually. The way she would talk about you with that happy tone, how she would just sit there and admired what you had to say...” Rarity giggled. “It was quite charming actually~”

“This is serious, Rarity!” She sounded like she was about to actually cry. “How could I do that to her?! Just shoving Button Mash into her face like that is just so terrible!” She threw her head into the bed. “I’m terrible!”

“Oh come on Sweetie Belle, its not like its your fault… Well, it kinda i-OW!” Spike rubbed his side after a hard elbow thrust and got the ‘shut it or you're on the couch’ look from Rarity. 

“What Spike is trying to say is that you couldn’t have possibly known about Sunlight’s crush when you told her about Button Mash.” Rarity tried her best to comfort her little sister in her time of crisis. “It was an honest mistake, Sweetie.”

Sweetie Belle lifted her head to look at her sister. “But you didn’t see her Rarity, she ran off crying and didn’t even look back. I shouldn’t be anywhere near her ever again and I deserve anything Karma is throwing at me.”

Rarity shook her head. “You’ll get nothing done avoiding Princess Sunlight like you plan to. You have to talk to her right away if you have any chance of fixing your relationship.”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely. I had to learn the same thing when I was around your age… Though it involved a giant snake monster and a petrified Rainbow Dash but thats a whole other story.”

Sweetie Belle tilted her head slightly and was about to ask.
“It’s better if I told you after this whole mess is cleaned up.”

“Well, how should I do this? Write her a letter or something?”

Rarity once again shook her head. “This is a very important matter Sweetie Belle, face to face is a more important way of working this out rather than a silly letter.”

Spike scratched his head confused “But… Isn’t that how you asked me out?” 

“Hush, Spike.”

Sweetie Belle looked to be in deep thought.
“And whatever you pick, we’ll be there to help how ever you need us to help.” Rarity said to her placing a hoof over her sister’s own hoof. Spike joined in his own hand on top of Rarity’s and Sweetie’s hooves.

“Alright, let’s go get my friend back.” Sweetie Belle smiled a hearty and determined
smile.

Canterlot Castle

“Are we there yet?” Sunlight asked, trying to keep up with the maid who was much more in-shape then she was.

“Almost Princess, it’s just right down this hallway.”

“That’s what you said the last two hallways ago!”

Dust giggled to herself. It was easy to forget that Sunlight was still somewhat of a child at heart and not an all powerful Princess like her mother or aunt. Just then after her giggling Dust spotted a wooden pair of doors that read “Staff Only” on a sign above the doors. Dust grinned and grabbed Sunlight’s hoof once more and rushed down to the set of doors.

“Is this it?”

Dust nodded. “It might not look like much but its something to see from the inside.” With that said, Dust opened the doors and reviled what Sunlight thought of a miniature juice bar. There were maids and butlers chatting over recent events, off duty guards drinking down cider and hoof wrestling, and ponies just seeming to have a good time with each other's company.

“Welcome to the Servant's Quarters.” Dust smiled brightly at the stunned looking Princess.

“This is… is… wow...” Sunlight tried to find the right words to describe such an unexpected sight. “I thought the servants just went home…”

“Well, technically, this is our home. Most of us live here in the castle since we don’t really have homes of our own. Celestia and Luna are so kind for letting some of us stay here.”

By this time most of the ponies noticed the Princess in the room and started to straighten up at the sight of her.
Dust then turned to the ponies. “It’s alright guys, you can relax. Sunlight just wanted to learn more what we servants do and wanted to hang out with us… to, you know… get her mind off things.”

Sunlight could see the faces in the room tense up and have a look of worry for the Princess. This caused Sunlight to shy away from them and blush. It seems that about the whole castle heard about her outbursts.

“So, as her loyal servants and best of friends, we are going to show Sunlight here a grand time!” The ponies cheered and Dust swung a hoof over Sunlight’s shoulder. “Come on, I’ll show you around.”

Dust explained and showed what the Servant’s Quarter had to offer. Their first stop was to the counter were many drinks were being served to the ponies there. 

“Two Sweet Apple Acre Ciders, please.” The pony behind the counter nodded and started to pour the drinks for the two mares.

“What’s cider?” Sunlight asked her tour guide.
“Cider is one of the best drinks out there. And the ones made by Sweet Apple Acres is the best cider you will ever taste.”

The pony placed the two mugs in front of the mares and went to serve other ponies about. Dust grinned and picked up her mug and started to chug the sweet drink down while Sunlight slowly picked up her drink with two hooves and lightly sipped her first drink of cider.

The drink taste so good~! Sunlight grinned and continued to sip from the mug as if it was a cup of tea. 

Dust placed her mug down and looked at Sunlight. The way she was drinking it just made her chuckle lightly. “I can see this is your first cup of cider.”

Sunlight nodded, still having her grin on her face.

“So Princess...” Dust started, lightly pushing her empty mug away mentioning for a refill. “What do you do all day?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, it’s just that you never come out of that room of yours. The only time I do see you out of your room is when you're either with your mother or stepping out to let us clean it.”

“I-It’s just that I’m in there studying my magic… and… stuff...” It was the half truth Sunlight just told to her new friend. The rest of that truth was that in her room, that’s when she could be in her real form and not in the Alicorn one.

“Oh, alright then.” Dust could see that Sunlight was hiding something but she didn’t want to push the Princess any further. Sunlight returned to her drink, sipping the cider happily. As Sunlight was sipping, Dust started to hear the music cue up for a dance.
“Hey Sunlight, wanna dance?”

“I-I don’t dance…” She said through the mug as her mouth was still inside it.

“Well, you don’t learn anything by not doing it.” She grabbed Sunlight by the shoulders and dragged her to the dance floor, leaving her poor mug falling to the ground.

A group was already at the dance floor, dancing to the upbeat music that the band was playing. The music was unlike anything Sunlight had ever heard. Most of the dance music she had heard was from formal parties with royal guests and fruit punch. Here, the punch was replaced by the sweet taste of cider and the musician's violin was be played in a much simpler fashion.

Dust had brought them to the center of the dancing, which made it no easier for Sunlight to start dancing. The Halfling watched as Dust cut loose as she seemed to dance like no tomorrow. 

Unsure of how to dance to this new music, Sunlight started to mirror Dust’s movements and started to dance just like how her friend was and was loving the feeling of each of the movement she mirrored.

“Thats it, you’re getting the hang of it!” Dust cheered the young princess on as she danced. 

The other ponies seemed to stop and watched the princess dance and cheered her on. The feeling Sunlight was having was nothing short of amazing and wonderful. As the song started to finish up, Sunlight was now dancing on top of a table! When the song finished the servants cheered and applauded Sunlight for her mad dance skills.

Sunlight was panting and looking at all of subjects cheer for her, and the love she was feeling from them tasted to amazing! It was like someone mixed in her favorite foods into a smoothie (ew). She was far too busy drinking in all of the love when she failed to notice her hooves starting to be caught in a green magic.

Sunlight had her eyes closed, taking all of the love, then suddenly… It all stopped. She opened an eye to look at the ponies who were once cheering and chanting her name… yet were now staring up at her in shock and confusion.

“What?... Is something wrong?” She asked them but no one seemed to answer her. Dust timidly stepped forward and was trying to form words to say something.

“What is it Dust?”

“Y-Y-Y-Your a…”

“A what?” Sunlight had this bad feeling building up in her chest slowly.

“A changeling spy!” One of the guards spoke up, quickly getting off of his seat and reaching for his spear. Some of his fellows started to follow suit. “How dare this bug impersonate one of our princesses!”

Sunlight looked down at herself and gasped. Her guise had fallen and now she was fully exposed to them all. She looked back at the approaching guards, looking to arrest her!

“No, wait! I can explain everything!” Sunlight tried to stop them with her begging words but they kept on advancing to her. Her body was shaking and her tears were forming quickly. Was she really going to be arrested and shunned by her own people?! The thought made her quiver in fear and hiding her head under her hooves, she started to whimper.

“Stop right there!” Somepony spoke up from the crowd. Sunlight lifted her head and looked to the voice. It was Vanilla standing right at the door. The guards looked at her in confusion.
“Why should we? Our orders are to bring in any Changeling spies that we find!” The lead guard pointed his spear Sunlight’s way. “And I think we just found one.”

Vanilla trotted forward and socked the rude guard right in his gut. He wheezed out a curse and fell over holding himself. Vanilla shook her head and moved up to the shaken Sunlight.
“Are you alright dear?”

Sunlight nodded her head slowly.

“Good. Lets get you back to your room and have a little chat about this.”

Sunlight looked down the whole way as Vanilla marched her back to her personal quarters.

Outside the Castle

Sweetie Belle was trotting towards the castle’s large shining gates with fiery determination. She approached the two guards whom seemed to be talking to one of the maids. When the maid caught sight of Sweetie Belle, she threw her a scowl and trotted away.

Sweetie wondered what that was about. She shrugged it off and looked to one of the guards. “May I come in?”

“What for?”

“I wanted to see the Princess about something. I have a message from Rarity that she wanted me to deliver to the Princesses.” Rarity had told her sister that this little fib was sure to get her inside.

The other guard looked over Sweetie, then grew a look of distaste. “Strong Hoof, this is that mare! The one that Dust told us about.”

“You mean the one that-”
The other guard nodded his head to Strong Hoof.
Strong looked back to Sweetie with the same look the other guard had. “Sorry miss, but the princesses are not seeing anyone today.”

“But I have to-”

“Quiet! We will not let you inside this castle, nor will any guard.”

“You don’t understand, I’m trying to-”

“Oh we understand well enough little girl.” The other guard spoke up. “Now beat it before we make you leave.”

Sweetie sighed and slowly trotted away from the two. She was so close to apologizing for what she did to her, and now the entire castle was angry at her. She must have made Sunlight feel so terrible that the whole entire guard wanted to lock her away for what she did.

She made it back to where Spike was waiting for her.
“So, how did it go?”

“I didn’t even make it inside the castle. Apparently they know what I did to Sunlight.” She sighed and sat down right there. “This is hopeless.”

“Now don’t go talking like that. I’m sure there’s a way we can fix all of this before it gets any worse.”

Spike looked to his side and saw a female guard trotting by them. “And I got just the plan to sneak you inside. Wait right here.”

Sweetie tilted her head as she watched Spike trail after the female guard and lead her into an ally. Moments later she heard a loud crashing noise and Spike walking back with a bag he must have found in the alley.
“What's your size?”

“My size? What's that got to do with anything?” 

“I have a plan!” Spike grinned but Sweetie had a bad feeling about Spike’s new ‘plan’.


Near Sunlight’s Room.

Vanilla closed the door to Sunlight’s room and sighed. She hoped that this wouldn’t reach back to Celestia or Luna. If they found out that Sunlight blew her cover then the whole city might be in uproar. She feared for how Sunlight might be treated then if this went from bad to worse.

“Um… Excuse me.”

Vanilla turned around to see Dust standing right behind her. “Oh, Ms. Handmaiden. Cleaning duty is not for another 5 hours. You should just go back to your break.”

“I’m worried about Sunlight. Hay, ALL of us are worried about her… If.. If that was even her.”

Vanilla scratched the back of her neck. “Well… That was her. That was just a spell that had gone haywire and turned her into that new look. It’s nothing to be worried about at all.”

“But I didn’t see her horn glow, so that couldn’t have been a spell.” The maid was getting serious now. “What are you hiding, Vanilla?”

“Me? Hiding? Surely you jest, Ms. Handmaiden.” Vanilla chuckled and patted Dust’s shoulder. “Now just run along and return to your break.”

“No Vanilla, I know something is wrong with Sunlight and I have to know!”

Vanilla sent a deadly scowl Dust’s way. “You don’t have to know anything Ms. Handmaiden! The Princess’ wellbeing does not concern you or any other part of the staff. It was a misused spell and that’s all there is to it.”

“N-Not all of it…”
The two peaked their heads up and looked at Sunlight who was still looking like a half changeling.
“It’s alright, Vanilla… I trust Dust with this.”

“But Princess, she might let the rest of the castle know! This is a very important matter, you can’t just trust a random servant you just met today.” Vanilla fully turned to Sunlight. “Now go back inside and get some rest before anyone else sees you.”

“Vanilla, your screaming might let the rest of the castle know about me.”
Dust was now shocked to see Sunlight have such a stern tone and face. She always thought of her as a fragile little thing.
“Now let Dust inside so I can explain it to her.”

Vanilla sighed and, shockingly, smiled. “Alright Princess… You win.” Vanilla chuckled and trotted out of Dust’s way. “You can go in.”

Dust blinked at the beefy mare then looked at Sunlight. She had a look that was just begging Dust to come with her.

Dust slowly nodded and trotted into Sunlight’s room. Sunlight followed her in and Vanilla closed the door behind them and kept watch for any other ponies looking to talk to the Princess.

Sunlight trotted over to her bed and Dust soon joined her on it.

“So… Is this a spell? … A curse maybe?”

Sunlight shook her head and shifted into her normal alicorn look. “This is the spell.” She shifted back into her halfbreed look. “This is normal.”

“So you are a changeling?”

Sunlight shook her head again. “N-No… You see… It all started when my mother met my father. He was a Changeling exile who was banished from his hive after the attack on my cousin’s wedding day.”

“Princess Cadence?”

Sunlight nodded again. “They fell madly in love with one another after staying with the other inside a cave. That’s where my father lived before he met my mother.” Sunlight looked down at her hooves. “Then I was born… The doctors and nurses were shocked at first, scared even.” She chuckled. “Scared of me…”

“Why didn’t they tell anyone?”

“Luna explained everything to them and made them promise to keep their mouths shut about me being half changeling.” She looked back to Dust. “She can be very scary sometimes..”

Dust nodded. “So… What happened at the Servant's Quarters?”

“I think it was from being tired and all the love I was eating.”

“You can eat love?!” Dust looked at her in shock. She thought those were only rumors and scary stories about how Changelings interacted with other species. 

“Sure, all changelings need love to survive… Well, not me. I can still eat normal foods and can even sometimes block out the love around me.” Sunlight shifted uncomfortably. “But it smells so good sometimes… And I normally get overdosed sometimes when me and my mom visit the town. When that happens, I just normally pass out and my mom just says I have a medical condition.” 

“You overdose on it because you drink too much of it?”

Sunlight shook her head. “No, its more like I pass out because I block it out and it overwhelms me.”

“I see…”

Sunlight sighed and layed down on her soft bed “It’s not easy… I can never go outside and let them see me for who I really am, wearing that stupid get-up just about everywhere I go… It’s so terrible…” She sniffled. “I know it’s safer to wear it because some ponies won’t understand… Like that guard at the juice bar.”

Dust hugged Sunlight lightly and nuzzled her under her chin. “Thats not true. When you left, everyone - besides those plotholes - was so worried about you.”
Sunlight looked down at her maid friend.
“We are your faithful servants, Princess Sunlight, and your best friends.” Dust smiled at Sunlight warmly.
Sunlight smiled back and nuzzled her friend.
“I should get going. Don’t want Vanilla throwing me out when we’re like this~” Dust giggled and started to get up.

Sunlight was confused by what Dust said. Don’t ponies normally lay down together in a bed nuzzling each other? 

But before Sunlight could think more about it, Dust laid a sweet, quick kiss on Sunlight’s cheek and scampered off.
“See you later Sunlight.” And with that, she was out the door.

Sunlight blushed hard and held the kissed cheek. She smiled and laid back down on the bed.

Castle Gates

“This is not going to work, this is not going to work, this is SO not going to work…” 

Sweetie Belle had that doubt on replay the whole way to the gates. Spike had the bright idea of dressing her up in some guard armor, thinking that would get her in. She sighed and kept trotting up to the gate.

Strong Hoof, one of the two ponies at the gate, looked Sweetie Belle over as she approached. With a nod to the other they both opened the gate for Sweetie Belle.

“Huh… I guess it did work…” Sweetie Belle relaxed and trotted through. “Good work guys… See you later… At the place we meet up.” Sweetie Belle said in her best gruff and tough voice.

Strong Hoof just rolled his eyes. “New guards..”

Sweetie Belle trotted faster when she was inside. Nothing was going to stop her from reaching Sunlight now.  
	
	   
	
     
 

          
	

 

                 
> Chapter 6
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunlight sighed happily as she laid there in bliss.

Dust had just left her room as their talk about what Sunlight truly was and it went better than anything she had ever experienced in her life. She finally had someone else in her life that wasn't her mother or Vanilla that accepted her for who she was and Sunlight could not be happier about it.

She laid up and trotted over to her mirror. She was still in her halfbreed form and was smiling. It felt like she hadn’t smiled in a long time prior to her ‘incident’ with Sweetie Belle. Thinking of which, Sunlight wondered if Sweetie was having a good time or not with her new coltfriend…

Canterlot Castle

By all accounts Sweetie Belle was not having a great time. She was trying to be fast as possible in this heavy armor. It was so noisy and cramped and- OW!

There went another one of her mane’s strands. She rubbed her helmeted head and hoped this would all be over soon. As she was trotting all over the castle trying to find Sunlight’s room, she passed a sandy blonde mare who looked to be a maid for the castle.

As the two passed one another, Sweetie could have sworn she saw something in the maid’s eyes that… reflected an odd color. Sweetie just shrugged it off and kept on her search for Sunlight.

Sunlight’s room.

Sunlight giggled to herself and her reflection in the mirror a light knocking came from her door. She assumed her Alicorn form and trotted over to her door, opening it slowly.
“Hello?”

Her own mother was standing right there with a smile on her face as always.
“Hello my little Princess~” She hugged her daughter and nuzzled her. “How are you faring right now?”

Sunlight hugged her mother back.
“I’m doing fine Mother, a friend of mine helped me feel better.”

Celestia’s smile brighten. “That’s wonderful to hear Sunlight. Do you mind if I come in to talk about it? I am quite curious to hear about this new friend of yours.”*

Sunlight nodded quickly and led her mother into the room and sat down on her bed and awaited her mother to join her. Celestia took a seat of her own and looked to her daughter.
“Now then, tell me about this new friend of yours.”*

“Her name is Dusty Handmaiden! She works here as a maid inside the castle.”

Celestia tapped her hoof. “I normally know all of the maids and butlers by name but I have never heard of her before…”

“Maybe she’s new?” Sunlight suggested to her confused mother. Celestia nodded and agreed with her daughter.
“Perhaps, I have to look into it later but right now please tell me about your day with this “Dusty Handmaiden.”

“Well, It all started with… Um… Mom?”

“Yes Sunlight?”

“Do you hear that buzzing sound?”

“Buzzing?” Celestia tried to hear what her daughter was hearing but no such noise reached her ears. “I don’t hear anything like that. It must be some bees who snuck into the castle.”

Sunlight was about to retort that but she instantly felt weak. “Ma?”

“Sunlight? Whats the matter?” Celestia was starting to get more worried for her daughter’s safety and health.
“I don’t know...I feel really weird…” Sunlight rubbed her eyes, feeling a bit tired now. 

Celestia chuckled, relieved that it was just her lack of sleep catching up with her. “Alright dear, I think it’s time you had a little nap.”

“But mom, I still want to tell you about my day with Dust….”

“You can tell me when you wake up. But now you must rest and regain your energy.” Sunlight slowly nodded and climbed under her covers to start sleeping. “Good night, Sunlight.” She leaned down and kissed her daughter’s forehead light and trotted out of the room. She turned to Vanilla who always seemed to be on guard when Sunlight was in her room. “Make sure no one disturbs her, she needs her sleep.”

“Yes Princess.”

Celestia nodded and trotted down the hallways of her enormous castle. She felt a bit more at ease knowing her little Sunlight was becoming much better since her heart was broken by Sweetie Belle. Unlike most of the maids or other servants in the castle that blamed the mare for Sunlight’s emotional pain, Celestia mostly blamed herself for what had happened.

She remember that she promised that she would always be at Sunlight’s side to protect her. It seems that she had failed in her promise to her one and only daughter. With a heavy sigh she trotted into her chambers and was surprised to see Luna there.
“Luna? What brings you here?”

“Sister, have you forgotten that it is almost time to lower the sun? I’ve been waiting on you since I awoke.” Luna was always one to get her royal duties done and done well. 

“Forgive me Luna, I was simply checking on Sunlight before she took a nap.” She trotted out to the balcony and prepared to lower her sun.

Luna merely rolled her eyes and got into her position to raise her lovely moon up into the night sky. “I do not understand why she must take up so much of your time when you could be doing your duties.”

Celestia giggled and looked down at her sister. “When you have children of your own you’ll come to understand what I am more concerned about in life.”

“If you insist, sister…” The two powerful Alicorns lit their horns with their magic and moved the two celestial bodies to their now designated spots in the sky. After this was done, Celestia trotted over to her bed and pulled out one of her favorite novels. 

“Did you hear what happened earlier today, sister?” Luna asked, standing in front of the bed and facing Celestia. 

“No I did not.” She said, still looking into her book.

“Apparently there was a Changeling that escaped when it was found out. Sister, I know why you are hesitant to take the actions but we must make it known that we will no longer tolerate their spy games.”

Celestia sighed and closed her book. “I was just getting to the good part...” She looked at her sister. “Yes Luna, I know we must do what we must but we should not do it with spears and daggers in our hooves.”

“You only say this because of Sunlight and your so called ‘Husband’.”

That comment phased Celestia but she kept up her poker face. “I say this is because I do not want a war on our hooves. Imagine what that could bring upon Equestria if we went to war with the changelings.” 

“But Sister, we must show the-” Luna was about to go on as the door opened up, Dust peaked in her head.
“I hope I’m not interrupting something important.”
Celestia shook her head. “You were not. Is there something you would like to tell us?” Luna huffed and and did not looked pleased that she was so rudely interrupted. 

Dust nodded and fully trotted into the room. “Princesses, I was asked to fetch you because a guard just returned from a patrol wounded and wanted to tell you that it was a Changeling ambush. They are coming in from the front.”

“Why would they do this? Changelings are known for their stealth not their brawn.” Celestia was largely confused by this information and tried to ponder what might be going on. 

“It doesn’t matter now. Now we must prepare for their invasion,” Luna said trotting out of the room. “I will inform the public while you amass the guards.” 

Celestia nodded and trotted out of the room with her sister leaving Dust alone. Dust looked worried for the moment then calmed and smiled that her leaders had everything planned out. Then another thought passed her mind as she remembered something that made her face turn to one of dread and worry.
”Sunlight...!” With that, she dashed out of the room.

Sunlight’s room

Sunlight was awaken by the sounds of many hooves trotting through the hallways outside. She got out of her bed, shifted into an alicorn, and peeked outside to see what was going on. All the servants seemed to be getting escorted out of the castle by some of the guards. 

“What’s going on with everypony?” As she asked this, Vanilla and a white mare trotted up in full armor. “Vanilla? What is going on with everypony? Is something bad happening?”

“Sunlight, there is an army approaching Canterlot as we speak. We must get you out with the rest of the ponies.”

“What about my mother? Is she safe?”

“Celestia is helping the guards get into position to help ward of the army as we escape. She’ll be joining us very soon.”

Sunlight nodded and followed Vanilla to where they needed to go to leave the threatened castle.

Medical ward.

The wounded guard cringed as he was laid down on the bed by the nurses. After that, the nurses left for him to get some rest. Sometime later after the nurses left, the guard woke back up and slowly laid up in his bed. He turned his head and activated his green magic to slide open the windows of the ward. Suddenly after all of the windows were open, warrior changelings climbed through the window and huddled around the wounded guard. The guard himself smirked and looked to the changelings around him.
“You remember your missions?”
They nodded.

“Good. Tonight the changeling hive will grow stronger then ever before in our small history.” The guard got out of his bed and shifted his form entirely. It seems to be a much older and stronger male changeling. His right eye had a magical scar burned over it. “Tonight, I, General Chale, will succeed where the might of Queen Chrysalis had failed us all! Tonight I will not simply give my suggestions to anyone and be burned for it! Tonight I lead the charge into Canterlot when their backs are turned!”

“Tonight! All of Equestria’s love will make us stronger and in turn we will rise! Go, my brothers and sisters! For the glory of our hive and the future of all changelings in Equestria!” The Changelings stomped their hooves for their general and started to breach the castle from the Medical ward, trapping nurses, guards, and doctors in their green goo as they went.

General Chale smirked. “All according to the plan so far.” He turned to one of the changelings at his side. “Is she ready to play her part?”
The changeling nodded.
“Good, I’ll send her in right away.” He lifted his hoof to look at the red crystal inside his gauntlet which glowed with dark magic. “Time for the show to begin!”

Canterlot gates

Celestia watched as all of the guards amass at the gates to defend their homes and loved ones from the approaching Changeling hoard. She was worried about her subjects and castle works and hoped they would get out safely. 

Suddenly she felt a cold and dark energy flow through her that made her shiver. She noticed this happened to the rest of the guards who could feel magical energies. She had an idea of what could have possibly done such a thing but it would be impossible for it to be a real thre-

The horns sounded. Celestia had been told that it was to warn everyone that the army was approaching but… something seemed off. The guard on the watch out was telling them he only saw one changeling coming straight this way. As he was telling more information to the rest, a dark crystal shot through the tower and soon made it collapse slowly, thankfully not harming anyone around it. 

Celestia’s eyes widen as she saw the crystal and tinier ones form around it. Her bodyguards were trying to get her to move away from the scene but she had to know if he had returned.

But what caught Celestia by surprised was not the dreaded lord of the north. It was a changeling wearing similar armor but in the normal changeling fashion. The being swirled with dark magic, glowing a hideous purple and with green energy surrounding it. It stood on the gates, and then Celestia got a much better look at the changeling… and her eyes widen in disbelief and fear. 

It was Queen Chrysalis that was doing the damage. Her eyes were the same bone chilling Red and Green as King Sombra’s but even worse. She was even more tainted by his brand of magic and seemed to radiate it. Tiny dark crystals formed at her hooves, growing slowly with each passing moment. 

“Oh no…”

“Ponies of Equestria!” Chrysalis’ voice sounded distorted and twisted, sounding like a mix of a terrible demon and herself. “Your new master has arrived!”

Canterlot Castle

“Vanilla, I’m getting worried about mother..”

Vanilla looked back to the young princess and smiled kindly to her. “Don’t worry Sunlight, Celestia can handle herself. Right now we need to get out of here while we still have the time to.”

Sunlight nodded and kept behind the two guards that were leading her to the train-station on the other side of town so they could be evacuated with the others. 

Sunlight looked at the other guard that joined her and Vanilla. She had a white coat but that’s all she could tell about her thanks to all that heavy armor.
“Um… Miss?” Sunlight spoke up to the mare. “What do you think is going to happen?”

The mare seemed to jump at Sunlight’s voice and didn’t look back at her. ”Well… Uh... I think that everything is going to be okay.” The mare tried to sound tough and gruff to the princess.

“Well… Alright then…” Sunlight looked down, still worried about her home and all the ponies in it.

As they were about to round the corner they heard doors being slammed shut. Vanilla and the mare were quick to hurry to the sound, and feeling like she would get lost again, Sunlight joined them.

They soon arrived at the sight of where the sound came from. Sunlight saw her mother, Luna, and a hoof-full of guards trying to keep the doors closed. The older alicorns were trying to catch their breath. 

“Mom! Luna!” Sunlight galloped ahead of the two guards and hugged her mother tightly. “I was so worried…”
Celestia hugged her daughter tightly. “As was I…”
The two embraced, and Sunlight looked up at Luna and then back to her mother. “What happened? Whats going on in the city?”
*Celestia looked up at her sister and Luna nodded to her sister.* Celestia sighed and looked down at her precious daughter. “Sunlight… I… I never really did tell you the truth about your father...”

“Are you sure this is the right time for this Princess?” Vanilla asked, looking down the way they came for any invaders.
“I am sure, Vanilla.” Celestia looked back to her daughter. “Sunlight… The truth is that you never had a father.”

“Wha?”

“The truth is… is that…” Before Celestia could finish, a loud bang came from the door and some of the guards almost lost their grip. Celestia’s horn had activated and she helped keep the door closed. She let go of her daughter and trotted closer to the door to help keep her magical effect on the door constant.

“Mom!”

Celestia turned back to her daughter and smiled weakly. “Don’t worry about me, Sunlight. Just follow your aunt and Vanilla out of here before they catch you.”

Luna looked shocked. “You can’t be serious, sister! I should be here helping you with the invasion.”

Celestia shook her head at her sister. “We can’t have both halves of the kingdom being taken today.” She looked back at Sunlight. “And Sunlight will need you more then I need you right now.”
Luna was going to saying something, but she knew deep down that her older sister was right. She nodded and trotted over to Vanilla.

“Mom, what were you going to say about Dad?”

Celestia sighed. “I’ll tell you when all of this is put back to what it should be. Now please, go with your Aunt.”

“O-… Okay mom…” Sunlight turned around and left her mother and the guards at the door.
Celestia smiled again. “I love you, my daughter...”

The four ponies ventured towards the trains. As they were about to step outside of the castle they heard doors being broken down and sounds of conflict following. Sunlight was about to go and try to help, but Luna stopped her.
“Be smart, Sunlight. Sister wanted us to escape and not be caught by the invaders. Now turn back around and get on the train.”

Suddenly, a changeling rushed past Luna and tackled Sunlight. The halfling yelped as she was tackled to the ground and looked up at the changeling. It seemed to grin evilly as he raised a hoof up to hit Sunlight. Sunlight coward in fear and closed her eyes.

But… the hit never came. Sunlight opened her eye to see Dust standing over the now unconscious Changeling assaulter. Dust turned around and helped Sunlight off of the ground. 
“Are you alright?”

Sunlight slowly nodded and stood when she was back on her hooves. Vanilla and the white mare were soon at Sunlight’s side.
“Princess, are you alright?”

“I’m fine Vanilla, thanks to Dust he didn’t get the chance to hurt me.”

Vanilla turned to Dust and smiled. “Guess I was wrong about you before, miss Handmaiden.”

“No offense taken. Now lets get on that train.”

The group, now on the train, looked back as they saw Canterlot being slowly taken over by the horde of black creatures. Sunlight sat down and held herself, hoping her mother was alright… and this was all just one big bad dream. Dust was at Sunlight’s side and hugged the princess tightly. Brushing her mare’s mane and saying, 

“It is going to be alright. It will be over sooner than you think, Sunlight.”     
	
	            
	
	     
	
	                 
	 
> Chapter 7
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The train grind to a halt as it reached it’s destination. 

The doors hissed open and Sunlight trotted out with the others. Sunlight looked around to noticed that they were now in Ponyville, far away from the siege of Canterlot.

Suddenly Sunlight was hugged tightly by someone. It was Twilight who seemed to be very worried for the halfling.
“Thank Celestia that you're alright!” Twilight pulled back to look at Sunlight better. “When we heard Canterlot was under attack we all waited to hear news about what happened.”

Sunlight looked down, looking like she would cry again. “Mom didn’t make it... She stayed behind to make sure we got out.”

“Oh Sunlight, I’m so sorry.” Twilight hugged Sunlight then let go of her, still having a hoof around her. “Come on, the rest of the girls are waiting for us.” And with that the party comprised of two princesses, two guards, a maid, and a unicorn teacher went to the library.


Canterlot Castle


Celestia groaned as she woke up, slowly but surely getting back up to her hooves. Her eyes weakly opened to see that she was in her own dungeon. She could hear the whimpers from other ponies that were captured during the assault. She hoped that Sunlight was not among them.

“It seems that you are fully conscious enough to join us.” She heard the voice speak to her and turned to look at the changeling who the voice belong to. It was General Chale of the changeling army that managed to seize canterlot. “How are you fairing Princess? After our men busted down the door, you suffered quite the little headache.”

“How did you control your queen like that?”

Chale’s smirked lessened. “Straight to the point I see.” He lifted up his gauntlet covered hoof to show the dark red crystal that laid in it. “This is the tool I used to seal your Kingdom’s demise.”

Celestia’s eyes widened and her mouth hung agape. “You fool, don’t you realize the kind of magic you're playing with?!”

“I do not care what it is. All I know is that it has the power I need to change the fate of my hive forever!” He looked at his gem and admired it. “You may call me simple minded for saying that, but this is what must be done for the changelings.” His eyes traced back to Celestia. She could already see the faintest of taints of corruption inside them. “I’m sure you understand what it means to do what must be done for the betterment of your ponies no matter the heavy price that choice comes with it.”

“I’ve seen everything I needed to," Celestia simply said, and sat down on the hard floor of the dungeon cell.
The general smirked. “Enjoy your slice of peace now, Princess, for it will be a very long time that you ever get it again.”

“Why are you doing this?”

Chale chuckled. “Why every changeling does what he or she does; to gain love to become stronger than ever before.” Chale chuckled again and shook his head. “But I suppose you need more than just the basic reasoning. Stay here for a while and I’ll tell you my personal reasoning for this attack.”


Changeling Hive, 20 years ago
(Key)
(This is Text-Chale telling the story)
(This is Text-flashback)


“My Queen, I urge you to rethink this strategy. The Princesses are bound to notice that you’re a fake.” It started a few days during The Queen’s plans to infiltrate your niece’s wedding and then attack from the inside. I had my concerns with the plan, thinking it would put every changeling at risk.

But the Queen just would not hear it. “I do not understand your concern, General. This plan is flawless in just about every way imaginable. Once I have the handsome sap under my hoof we’ll have the golden keys to Canterlot.”

“But my Queen, what if-”

“Are you questioning my judgement, General Chale?”

“Only that-” Before he could finish Chrysalis attacked him with a magical beam of light, burning one of his eyes. The general laid there on the ground holding his face and screaming in pain.
“Never question me again General, or you’ll face more pain than a burned eye.”

The general looked up at his queen and watched as she left, shifting into Cadence again and leaving the hive. “I knew from that day forward that she was never fit to guide our hive to our perfection. I had to do something or our race would have faced the most serious problem.” The general got up slowly and trotted weakly over to one of his queen’s desks. He opened the drawer and pulled out a rolled up letter.

It was the sealed letter of invitation to Shining Armor’s sister, Twilight Sparkle. Shining had given it to Chrysalis to check over and make sure everything was in order for it to be sent. With the green glow from his horn he sent the letter away to the address coded into the magical letter. 

“Thanks to me, Princess, your prized student was able to sniff out Chrysalis and save the real Princess Cadence… Though if I am being completely honest with myself I regret that decision...”

“But that doesn’t explain how or where you got Dark Magic from.”

“I was getting to that part.”


Ponyville Library, Present


Sunlight was in the middle of a heated debate at the moment.

Rainbow Dash, Vanilla, and Luna were arguing that they should just storm the castle already and kick the changeling right out of town like last time. While Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy were trying to explain to them why the plan wouldn’t work... more or else Rarity and Applejack. Fluttershy was just throwing in bits of her opinion and suggestions.

Sunlight and Twilight were standing in front of their bickering friends and it was all starting to get on Twilight’s nerves. Her horn started to glow.
“Alright, enough already!” She used her magic to separate the two groups. “Nothing is going to get done if we just sit here and squabble about what we are going to do.”

Dash flew over to Twilight. “It’s pretty obvious what we SHOULD be doing, Twilight. We should be going over there and kicking some major changeling flank right now.”

“Rainbow Dash does have a point. The longer we wait here the more time the changelings have to fortify themselves inside Canterlot.” Luna spoke up, trotting over to Twilight.

“No way we’re gonna just rush in all plum stupid like a filly who just got her cutie-mark.” Applejack started up again. “We got to be smart about this and not get ourselves caught.”

Rainbow Dash flew in face to face with the southern pony. “How do we know that you're not a changeling?”

“Wha- Why would ah be a changeling? Where did you get such a stupid idea like that?”

“You're trying to stop us from going to Canterlot and saving everypony there.”

“I’m saying that we should be smart about this!”

Pinkie Pie, hopping around like a Pinkie Pie should, pulled a shifty look around the whole room. “How do we know that ALL of us aren’t a shifty shifty bug?” 
The girls started to look at one another. Even Luna was giving them all looks.

“Well... um... I know that I’m not a changeling... if that helps…” Fluttershy spoke up for the first time during the meeting.
Suddenly Rainbow went right into Fluttershy’s face. “How can we know for sure that you're NOT one?”
Fluttershy trotted backwards and eeped.

Twilight stamped her hoof to get everyone’s attention. “Alright, enough already!”
They all blinked at her.
“Pointing hooves at each other won’t help anything. What will help everyone is calm thinking.”

“Maybe you have a spell?” Sunlight brought up. “You know... to detect changelings in disguise.” 

“Thats brilliant, Sunlight!” Twilight hugged her and started to look through her books. “Sunlight, can you help me look?”

Sunlight nodded and trotted over to Twilight’s side to help search for a book like Sunlight had described. Even Applejack joined the search while just about everyone else kept a close eye on each other.


Chale’s Story


Where I found this crystal of power was during the Queen’s so called “Banishment” and my hive’s lowest point…

Chale was patrolling the area around the Hive’s entrance. His mind burned with hatred that he held for the ponies of Canterlot and also for his own Queen! Her blunder nearly cost the life of his own people and the safety of their hive!

He also cursed himself out as well, seeing the blunder of his own ways when he sent that horrid letter. But he knew deep down that Chrysalis was the one with the most blame for this mess.

But before he could rant on this topic further there was a large crack of energy through the air, a highly visible energy, and the general could feel something of a high potency coming his way! With a slight check of his head he felt the object pass right over his head and crash somewhere in front of him. 

He galloped over to where it landed and gasped at the sight of it. It was a single, curved gemstone inside a tree that glowed with an ominous purple shade. Chale slowly approached the odd gem and inspected it more. It merely looked like a Unicorn’s horn but twisted to fit a more darker image. Where the gem was submerged into the bark of the tree, tiny crystals with a grey shade to them started to grow on the surface of the tree. Chale had never seen anything like this before and did not know what it was truly capable of. It could have been a threat to his hive! He reached out to touch the thing but as soon as his hoof made contact with it, a devastatingly cold wave passed through his body and seemed to rest in every inch of himself. His vision slowly turned to black as he heard tiny whispers.

I was told that I was found later in a deep sleep. I awoke in the medical care and found the very same bracelet on my leg.


Canterlot Dungeons


“And that, Princess, is my story.” Chale finished.

Celestia’s eyes narrowed. “You truly are a bigger fool than I first thought, Chale.”

Chale banged on the cell door and sneered at her. “Shut your mouth. Be lucky I still let you live along side your precious subjects.” He leaned in closer. “Soon you will see how you are-... uh… I… Shut up!”

Celestia raised an eyebrow and tried to extend a hoof to Chale. “General?”

Chale backed away Celestia as if she was on fire! His breathing was irregular and his eyes were as wild as any wild animal Celestia had ever seen. “SHUT UP! ... I’m trying to listen! ... Mirror? What mirror?! GET OUT!” He ran off, still screaming his head off to things that were not there.

Celestia was now pitying the poor changeling…


Celestia’s room


Chale galloped in and slammed the doors behind him. He was currently using the
princess’s quarters as his own personal headquarters. He rubbed his face and looked
around, trying to find the source of all the voices he was hearing around him.
“What? What do you want!?”

“THE MIRROR! TO THE MIRROR!”

Chale looked around the room quickly, spotting a mirror and galloping to it. He tried to take a moment to himself to catch his breath, but the voices, the cold unyielding pain forced him to look into the mirror.

What he saw made his whole face turn pale and made him jump back in fear. In the mirror’s reflection he did not see the proud general… he saw a monster. It’s fur was an inky black and seemed to look like it was dripping off of it’s body and forming back on. It’s jaw was formed into a snake like grin that showed off a pair of monstrous fangs that could pierce the souls of brave colts and mares alike. The worst part was it’s EYES its discolored eyes the reeked of corruption. Purple smog came from them as it just looked and grinned at the frozen general.

“Hello General Chale, I thought it was high time you and I met face to face!” The
monster spoke to him through his mind.

“Wha-What are you?”

“Check your shadow recently?”

The General blinked at that and took one simple look at his shadow, and saw a form that was so unlike his. It looked to be that of a tyrant’s shadow.
“T-Thats not mine…”

“Thats right, it is my shadow! And very soon that will be my body!”

The general didn’t understand what this thing was telling him. “You're not making sense! What magic did that princess place on me!?”

“This is something you brought on yourself! Soon I will be whole once more thanks to you, General Chale! There are no elements or magic from the heart to stop me now! HAHAHAHAHAHA!” 

The thing continued to laugh as the General looked at the mirror in total fear about what he had done this time to put his people in harms way once more.            
	
	 
	
	
	
	           
	
      
> chapter 8
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Wha-Wha-... What are you?”

The monster in the mirror, his opposed shadow, grinned at him. “I am the lord of the north, the shadow that haunts every dark corner, the iron hoof the crushed freedom and hope, I am the Tyrant that was freed from his icely cell!” He grinned once more. “I am also your shadow. The view has been nice for some time but I grow weary of staring at your behind all this time.”

“You won’t control me any longer!” Chale tugged on the gauntlet on his hoof, trying to pull off the evil device from his leg and be rid of this monster.

“HAHAHAHAHA! Try as you might Chale but it will not budge. When you touched my horn you and I joined as one being to crush our foes! Now that you have fulfilled your side of the bargain we will have a “parting” of sorts.” Chale looked back at the mirror to see the monster trying to pull something off of his own leg.

He truly was his shadow…

“Poor General Chale, always trying to protect his hive but always dooming them in some aspect later. This is your legacy, this is your life!”

“No! I won’t let you!” Chale turned and made for the balcony. If he was able to hurt his body enough, the monster could not use it! He reached the outside but his body made magical motions of it’s own. A dark crystal formed right in front of Chale and a magical flash hurt his eyes.

He rubbed his eyes and blinked to regain his vision. He was surrounded by a burning changeling hive! All the changelings struggled to help one another to put out the fires and save the ones that WERE on fire! Chale tried to move but his hooves were chained down by burning metal.
“No!” He pulled and tugged. “This isn’t what I wanted for them! I wanted to help them raise not fall!”

But on the outside in the real world, Chale’s lifeless eyes were vacantly staring into the crystal. His shadow chuckled and started to swirl around his seemingly soulless body. The shadow slowly crawled up Chale’s legs and soon his back and chest. Before long, the shadow covered all of his being and swirled around his eyes, changing their color and shape soon after…


Twilight’s Library

“Found it!” Applejack told the others as she pulled out the dusty book from the top shelves. Sunlight and Twilight trotted over and watched Applejack climb down from the ladder and hoof the book over to Twilight.
“Thanks Applejack” She leaned over and nuzzled the southern pony while Rainbow made a ‘blech’ noise.
Twilight held the book up from the ground with her magic and started to flip through the pages. “Hmm… Apparently whoever made this book knew something about a secret changeling invasion some 10 years ago. It seems that she made this book to help defend ponies from their tricks.” She smiled. “Wish we found this sooner.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes impatiently and and tapped her hoof on her leg. “So, how are we going to do this?”

Twilight looked up from her book to look at the impatiently fast pony. “Well, I want you all to line up, then we can start the debugging.” Twilight chuckled to herself ” … Get it?”

Luna rolled her eyes.

Pinkie tilted her head.

Applejack scratched her head.

Rainbow narrowed her eyes at Twilight.

Rarity thought about it.

Spike face palmed.

Fluttershy kicked the floor nervously.

Sunlight wasn’t sure what part of the joke to get.

Dust slightly/nervously laughed at it.

The younger of the two guards giggled.

Twilight just groaned and trotted up to the line. “Let’s just get this over with…” She first did the spell on herself. Her horn glowed as a magical aurora swirled around Twilight. It just simply swirled around her, then slowly died down.

“Just to settle any doubts that I’m not who I say I am.”

“Don’t worry Twilight, we know only you could have made a joke that bad.” Rainbow snickered along with the bouncing Pinkie Pie.

Twilight shook her head and trotted up to Fluttershy and started to do the same spell to her “Don’t worry Fluttershy, this won’t hurt a bit.”

Fluttershy nodded nervously and watched as the purple magic swirled around her. When the magic faded, Fluttershy looked at the purple pony. “Well?”

Twilight smiled. “Don’t worry Fluttershy, you're still you.”

“Oh well, that’s a relief. I mean I already knew I was still me, but having you say I’m still me really helps.” Fluttershy smiled and then trotted over to the other side of the library.

After she was finished with Fluttershy she started to move down the line of ponies, using her spell on her friends as she went. Sunlight turned to the white guard. “Um, excuse me..”

The guard looked at Sunlight, her helmet covering most of her face. “Yes, Princess?”

“How do you think everyone is in Canterlot? I know I shouldn’t be so worried but I just can’t help but worry about everyone there.”

Before the white guard could speak up, Dusty was there to speak for her. “Don’t worry so much, Sunlight. This whole mess will be over before it even starts. Just like I said.”

“Okay Dust, I’m really hoping you're right about that…” She looked at her godmother who had just approached her. “My Turn?”

Twilight nodded and prepared her horn for the spell.

Sunlight braced herself for said spell and felt it wash over her, revealing her halfling form to everypony in the room. She didn’t expect anyone to gasp or be shocked about it, but she could’ve sworn she heard the guard next to her gasp lightly in surprise. Which Sunlight should have been prepared for, seeing that not every guard was informed of her real identity.  

Sunlight saw the spell go away and Twilight gave her a smile to let her know that she was alright.

Twilight then moved onto the white guard next to Sunlight and used her spell on the guard. When the spell showed who was under that armor, everyone seemed to be thinking what Rarity was about to shout.

“Sweetie Belle?!”

Twilight’s magic had shown through the armor that she had on. Her face was beet red and she nervously smiled. “H-Hey guys….”

Sunlight looked down to the floor and scooted away from Sweetie Bell as far as she could. Sweetie was about to say something to her but she was soon pulled back by Dust whose facial expression showed that she was ready to beat Sweetie into the ground.
“I don’t think she really wants to be around you anymore after what you did to her.”

Sweetie formed her words quickly to try and make her case. “No, You don’t… I-I didn’t know she-”

“I’m sure you know full well what you did to her! If I ever see you around her again I’ll be sure to-”

Sunlight finally spoke up after being quite after the reveal. “That’s enough, Dust. I don’t want you putting a hoof on her.”

“Sunlight you can’t be serious. She put you through the worst agony of your life and you just want her to be left alone?!”

“Yes Dust… Can’t you just do that for me?”

Dust’s once angry face faded away and she let out a sigh. “I understand Princess, I’m sorry for acting out so brashly…”

Sunlight nodded and tried to look at Sweetie Bell to see her face but she could not muster the willpower to do so.

Twilight looked between the three. “I think we should take a break and… discuss what happened…We’ll finish up with Vanilla and Dust later, Agreed?”

They all seemed to nod their heads in agreement and trotted off to their own place in the Library to think things over….

The Balcony

Sunlight sighed as she leaned over the railing to the library’s balcony. “It just had to get worse….” She told herself solemnly. She looked up into the night sky that Luna had made not too long ago. It was not like her natural way of doing it, filling the night skies with dashing and radiant stars that complemented the nice blue hue the night time sky gave off. Tonight had no stars and only the moon was there to give light.

Twilight and Applejack trotted up beside the sad princess and looked at one another, unsure how to start this.

Applejack decided she should be the first one to speak up. “Hey there Sunlight… How are you holdin’ up?”

“Terribly…”

Twilight hugged Sunlight in a warm embrace. “It’s going to be alright Sunlight. We’ll rescue everyone in Canterlot soon, just you wait.”

“It’s not that, Twilight… Well it is that but… There’s more to it.” She looked to the both of them. “I’ve been thinking lately that maybe I’m not cut out to be a princess.”

Applejack seemed shocked at this revile. “What are ya talkin’ about? I think you’d be a great fit for bein’ a princess.” 

“No I’m not! I can barely master a spell right, I get upset over the littlest of things, I’m forgetful, and to top it all off I’m a half changeling FREAK!” She sniffled, on the verge of tears “After everything that has happened today and what's happened before… Do you really think that anyone would accept me for who I truely am?!” 

“You don’t know that they won’t or not Sunlight, just give them time to-”

“No Twilight! They won’t accept me!” The poor thing now had tears streaming down her face. “No one will… Not them… Not Luna… Not Sweetie Belle… Not anypony..”

Twilight gently raised Sunlight’s face to meet her own. “Sunlight, it’s going to be fine. Want to know how I know it will?”

She sniffled. “H-How?”

Twilight smiled and looked over to Applejack. “When Applejack first asked me out onto our first date, I didn’t know what to think. I was confused, scared, unsure, and most importantly how our friendship would be if we did start to date.”

“I was scared also. I mean I was brave an’ all when I asked Twi would fer a date, but waitin’ for her to react is another thing to be brave about.”

“I don’t understand….”

“What Applejack means is that you can tell everyone about who you are and you have to be ready to face any backlash you might get with all the bravery intact.”

“Exactly!”

“Thank you both for the advice… But… I don’t think telling everypony in Equestria about my real self is anything close to asking another pony out...”
“Well, it’s still the moral of the story Sunlight.” Twilight started. “Understand?”

She nodded softly and the two mares hugged her tightly. Sunlight smiled and hugged the two mares back. Even though some or most of the ponies wouldn’t accept her, it was nice to know she had others to count on if ever a bad day came her way again.


The Main Room.

Vanilla and Dust sat together inside the main room of the Library. Dust was looking off into space and Vanilla was looking right at her. “Would you have done it?”

Dust looked up at Vanilla and tilted her head. “Huh? Do what?”

“Hurt Sweetie Belle. Would you have actually have done it?”

Dust nodded. “I would have done it gladly a second time as well.”

“Why? Mares like Sunlight get rejected all the time. It’s part of life.”

Dust then switched her position so that she would be constantly looking at Vanilla right in the eyes. Her very stern eyes. “You don’t get it, Vanilla. As part of the royal staff it is my job to make sure Sunlight has everything she needs to be happy. When she gets sad I get sad, when she gets the litle bit worried about if she’ll be late for school hours, I’ll be sure to get her there on time. So when I see that little brat around my charge it makes me so mad I would send her to the moon within a heartbeat.”

Somewhere within the library, Luna shivered and looked around from where a draft could have come in.

Vanilla was very confused about why a maid like Dust would care so much for the Princess like that. Then Vanilla went over what she had just said. “Your charge?”

Dust eeped with surprised, not knowing she would go as far as to say….

“Alright you ponies! It’s time to finish up with Vanilla and Dust so we can get to work.” Twilight said as she, Applejack, and Sunlight we’re re entering the room.

Vanilla turned back to Dust to let her know but she was already gone. Vanilla searched the room for her only to see her lining up already for the check up. She raised her brow at Dust. She knew something was up with that maid.

The two Ponies got in line for Twilight’s spell.
“Ready?”

They both nodded and awaited Twilight to start.

The Unicorn’s horn glowed and the aura spiraled around them. The crowd watched on in anticipation.

Vanilla had her eyes closed the whole time. She never trusted magic in the first place so she didn’t know if this spell would harm her or not. When everything went silent she cracked open one eye to looked at the group of ponies that were all struck with a bad case of hanging jaw.

“Did it work?”

Twilight nodded and pointed with her horn towards Dust. Vanilla looked over to see in Dust’s place was a dark brown changeling!

“Um… What’s up guys…?” Dust said nervously and looked at all of them. The magic faded around the two and Dust started to back away from the group of ponies who all started to trot towards her slowly. 

“Wait, I can explain everything and it will all be clear soon enough.”

Dash punched her hooves together. “You can explain after we beat you to a dirty pulp!”

“I know this looks very, very bad for me. But you have to understand I did it for a reason!”

Dash was ready to pounce. “I bet the reason was to make sure we didn’t get to Canterlot to save the others.”

“No! It’s not like that, I swear!”

Rainbow Dash had enough of Dust’s stupid changeling mind games and launched herself for the pouncing.

“WAIT!”

Dash stopped mid pounce and hoovered in the air. She looked back to Sunlight who was the one that told her to wait.
“What’s going on here?”

Sunlight trotted up to Dust and looked her in face. “I… I think we should hear her out.”

Everypony. “WHAT?!”

“Look, I know this is probably the most stupidest thing I have ever said in my entire life but… I just have a feeling we should try to talk to her… M-Maybe we could learn something from her.”

Vanilla sighed and looked to the girls. “You heard her, let’s talk to the bug.”

Dust breathed out a sigh of relief and smiled at Sunlight. “Thank you, Princess. I swear what I’m about to say will help everypony retake Canterlot.”

They nodded. “Now gather ‘round, this is going to be a very long story.”

Canterlot Castle

Two Changeling soldiers slowly opened the room to Chale’s headquarters, spears first. They looked around into the pitch black room for their general.
“Sir? Is everything alright in here? We thought we heard screaming.”

There was no response. The changeling that talked looked over to his buddy Wilhelm and nodded forward.
“I’m right behind you.”

Wilhelm nodded and trotted forward into the black room. He tried to see through the darkness but he didn’t see anything useful about the General’s well being. He turned around to talk to his buddy but before he could, something wrapped around his neck and with a final scream, Wilhelm was dragged into the abyss.

The other guard gasped and ran inside after his friend. He called out for him but nothing answered him.

He had to get help, and fast. 

He turned around for the door only to be closed on him. He gasped and shivered in his armor. He held his spear up high and tried to find another way out. He felt he bumped into something and looked up at it.

He saw Sombra’s Shadowy face armed with an evil grin. “Hello there~”

The guard screamed with every bit of air he could muster from his lungs… then nothing… Silence..