Ever wonder what would have happened if Shining Armor actually DID marry Chrysalis? Do you wonder how much farther it would go, and if Chrysalis would ever see the error of her ways?
I'm Shining Armor. Years ago I made a mistake. The royal wedding of Cadence and I... Little did I realize my "wife..." Turned out to be the Queen of the changelings. I didn't realize until after we had our first kid that he was not normal... He was a changeling. And now, I'm stuck in a position I can't get out of...
Back at the Canterlot wedding of Cadence and Shining Armor---the real Cadence and Twilight didn't make it to save her brother. The kiss was planted and the marriage was done. Slowly over the years the life was sucked out of Shining Armor and the love was always drained out of him, but he didn't care. As long as he had his loving wife Cadence right? That is... until after their first child he realizes his 'Cadence...' is actually the queen of the changelings.
"We're not going to make it, Twilight!" Cadence shouted in distress. Twilight was nervous, but determined to make it to the wedding in time. They made it to the castle and burst through the doors, but they were too late. The kiss was planted upon the changeling queen and Shining Armor. The life was instantly sucked out of him, but yet he felt pleasure do to being under Chrysalis' spell. Cadence's heart shattered into a million pieces seeing the sight of her groom placing a kiss on the muzzle of an imposter.
Chrysalis pulled away to break the kiss as everyone cheered violently for the new royal couple. The bride and groom walked down the isle followed by the princesses and all the crowd. Pushing away the real Cadence and Twilight away with little attention as if they were ghosts. Tears streamed down the pale pink cheeks of the princess, as anger flushed throughout her. She felt she almost knew this would happen... because the queen of changelings could tell how strong their love was for each other...
But that was the past now. Cadence had not been seen since the wedding, she had fled to the Everfree forest feeling she could not show her face again knowing Chrysalis would keep her disguise to keep feeding off her husband's love. Cadence had lost all hope. Twilight no longer visited her brother. She had failed her friend and old foal-sitter, and was not the same since. She had barricaded herself in her library, fearing she would ruin the life of another friend. She never got her reward of becoming an alicorn due to turning away society and her friends.
As for Chrysalis and Shining Armor, they had their first colt and Chrysalis had gained enough power to take over Equestria. She had overthrown Princess Celestia and Luna and they had now lived in the two sisters castle in Canterlot. Everything had went downhill since the wedding. Chrysalis now didn't disguise herself in front of her "husband," for after they had their first child Shining Armor had realized his mistake. For his son was a changing. The colt had his mother's eyes, hair color, and his changeling looks, as he had his father's hair style and flank color. They named him Zany.
Zany was a bouncy, happy colt, but in Chrysalis' free time she taught him to be a heartless monster and what the deeds of a changeling were. Other than that, Shining Armor was left to care for his 6 year old colt all by himself.
Zany pierced a paper fort with his wooden sword to reveal his father hiding behind it. "Haha! Sir Jeffers! On guard!"
Shining Armor held a floppy paper sword in front of him. "No fair! Your sword is way overpowered compared to mine!" He giggled. Zany swing his sword with heavy, rough movements as he poked his father's chest. "Well it seems I've won!" Zany smirked.
"Oh really...." with swift movements Shining Armor tackled his son playfully and tickled him. Zany squealed and giggled on delight as he squirmed. "Dad!" Shining Armor smiled at his son until he heard the door creek open. Zany swiftly jumped up and ran up to hug the pony at the door. "Mom...!"
Zany had always been a mama's boy. He felt he could relate to her more, yet, he honestly loved his father more because he treated him fairly. Chrysalis flinched and pushed Zany away gently, rejecting his hug. "What are you two doing?" Chrysalis snarled.
"I'm just... playing with Zany..."
"Zany is not one who is to 'play!' He is a heartless changeling! He hunts and takes the love from others." She sighed and paced back and forth. "He's about to go on his first hunt and your teaching him how to 'play'... Zany!" Zany quickly ran in front of her and sat up straight. "What is the first rule of hunting?"
"Don't get caught."
"Second rule..."
"Don't come back until you have had your fill of love..."
"Third rule?"
"Always stay disguised...?"
"Yes, good. Now, do you feel ready?"
"Yes..."
"Alright... go..." Zany flew outside and upward, flying high in the sky. Now-a-days ponies were so used to seeing changelings they weren't surprised anymore, and parents of young fillies and colts had to tell them eventually about the world they lived in. But for now, all they could do was warn them. But strangely enough today no pegasus was in the sky.
He flew above the city but saw no ponies of interest. He seemed to have flown into the Everfree forest when he saw a pony that caught his eye. He didn't know what it was about her, she was like every pony else. He flew down and hid in the bushes. The filly was sitting by a lake as she shuffled the water with her hoof. Zany searched her mind for someone she cared for. He found a mare named Derpy Hooves.
He didn't want to disguise as a girl, especially not on his first hunt. But something about this filly made him feel different. Perhaps it was just because it was his first hunt...
He disguised as the grey mare and and walked out of the bushes. Zany looked into the young filly's thoughts and found her name was Dinky. "Dinky...?"
"M-mom?...!" Dinky turned in surprise and distress.
Zany panicked. "W-what am I suppose to say?" he thought and then said, "y-your father is worried, my dear Dinky..."
"My father?" Dinky looked deeply into Zany's eyes and noticed his eyes were not mix matched. Zany could feel his stomach filling with love until it suddenly stopped. "Your not my mother..."
"W-what do you mean?"
"I've... never known my father..." the young purple filly looked down for a moment and then met his eyes once more. "Who are you? Really?"
"W-what am I suppose to do!? If I undiguise I'll be breaking two rules!" Zany felt there was nothing left to do, as he sighed and undisguised himself. He stood tall as the mare looked deeply into his eyes. He had never seen anything like her eyes before... they were... mix matched and he could do nothing but stare back into them, nearly getting himself lost in them. Dinky did not seem scared. She stood up and walked closer to him, examining him with every step. Zany took a step back as he was hesitant of the purple mare's swift moves. "What... are you?" She asked.
He blinked in confusion and surprise. He was surprised the filly did not act in fear. "You don't know what I am?" Dinky shook her head. Zany was unfamiliar with the outside world, and he started to notice that the ponies outside the kingdom looked similar to his father. No holes in their hooves or hair, fur that shined in the sunlight, he couldn't understand it. Every pony seemed to get along as well... just as it was said it once did in the, now destroyed, changeling hive. Years before when Chrysalis left for the bigger path of taking over Equestria, she felt no need for the changeling army who she had conquered years before. Now she had a husband to take care of her child and Celestia and Luna were imprisoned in the royal jail cell, only given the magic of being forced to bring day and night.
"Well?" The purple mare broke the young colt out of his thoughts. He had recognized the filly as unicorn, learning from his father about the species. He sighed and finally admitted, "I-I... am a changeling..."
Dinky blinked in confusion, "what's a changeling?"
Zany's eyes widened. He was surprised the filly was not familiar. "Um... it doesn't matter... right now..." he looked away in embarrassment.
"Want a muffin?"
"A what?"
"A muffin!"
"What's a muffin?"
Dinky gasped loudly. "You don't know what a muffin is!? Man, you really need to get out more!" Dinky's small horn began to glow as a muffin suddenly appeared in her hoof. Zany took it hesitantly and examined it. "What? It's not poisonous, try it!" The young filly gave a warm smile. Zany opened his mouth and slowly took a nibble. His pupils widened extensively as he took another bite.
"T-this is... delicious! It... it tastes like love..."
"Um... I don't know about that but okay! Wanna play?"
Zany finished his muffin as he looked up at her mix matched eyes. He flipped his tail in excitement, "you... want to... play?"
"Sure, why not!" The two foals played for hours, pretending to sail at sea, making paper airplanes, and much more. The night came, as Dinky turned the lake water into muffins. She jumped in, squealing in excitement as Zany jumped in after her. For some reason, Zany felt his stomach filling with love, but Dinky didn't seem weak a bit. He suddenly froze as he heard a rustle in the bushes. A tall mare jumped out, hissing, making the purple filly scream. Zany was surprised to see his mom.
Derpy heard Dinky's cry in the distance while delivering Zecora's mail. She dropped all her mail and rushed to the small female cry. She grabbed Dinky out of the muffin lake and swooped her up in her arms. Zany gasped at the suddenly actions of everything around him, but his mother did not care to pick him out of the muffins. She just stood. Silent. Suddenly his father appeared right by her side and grabbed his son out of the lake. His horn began to glow as he turned the lake back to water. "I-I'm terribly sorry, Mrs. Hooves, it will never happen again."
Derpy looked at him angrily with one eye and the other pointing to Dinky's direction. "It better not!" Her voice was filled with dread as she looked at the changeling colt in horror. She quickly flew off, leaving nothing but silence.
"I can not believe you disobeyed me!" Chrysalis growled in anger as she paced back and forth in front of her son. "You broke all the rules of hunting, didn't you!?"
"N-no, mother..."
"Ok, name the one rule you didn't break."
"I got my fill of love..."
Chrysalis rolled her eyes. "You need to be better!" She stomped her hoof on the ground. "This will be your last failed hunt! Understood?"
"Y-yes..." tears rolled down the colt's cheeks.
"Don't you think your being too hard on him? It was his first hunt," Shining Armor said defensively.
Chrysalis stopped pacing and thought for a moment. "Perhaps I can use this to my advantage..." The white stallion looked at his wife in confusion. The queen looked back at her son. "I need you to find out more about this... Dinky..."
"But you just said-"
"I know, I know, but... I feel this could be a powerful unicorn... her mother is a pegasus and her father is an earth pony... yet she is a unicorn... find out more about her. And bring me back the information you find..."
"Chrysalis stop... it's getting late... let our little colt sleep..." Shining Armor protested.
Chrysalis sighed, "fine. But tomorrow I will get more information on that unicorn..." the next day Zany was woke up by the calling of his mother. "Zany!" He rushed to the kitchen and licked his hoof to pat his matted hair down, having no time to brush as it sounded urgent. "Are you ready to get mummy the information she needs?"
"Yes mother."
"Then go! Not a moment to lose..." Zany opened his wings as he flew out the window. He sighed as he thought of the mare, losing himself in thought. Her purple coat, her straw colored hair, and... those eyes... he was pulled out of his thoughts as he ran into a mare, flying with another larger image. Zany shook his head, "t-terribly sorry miss..." The male beside her hissed in defense.
"D-Discord it's alright... it's not anything out of the ordinary... just another changeling..." the soft-voiced mare sighed.
"Just another changeling? There are more of my kind?" He questioned.
"It's all you ever see anymore..." Discord spat. The yellow mare by his side gave him a small kiss on the cheek, trying to calm him. Zany had never seen anything like it before... An animal with a horse head, with one dragon wing and one pony wing, and a bunch of other animal parts. Zany examined him in curiosity. "What are you?"
Discord crossed his arms. "I'm a draconequus..."
The yellow mare sighed and ended the conversation, "we must be going..." The couple flew around the young colt, leaving him alone in the polluted air. He sighed and continued on his trip to Dinky. He traveled to the Everfree Forest where he had seen her last to find no pony there, except a peculiar looking zebra. Zany was not used to using his magic yet, but sometimes he had to use it. He would not want to come back to his mother telling her he had no information. But something else inside him urged him even more to see the filly. As his horn glimmered green, he tracked the purple filly to a small, worn-down cottage in the middle of Ponyville.
Perhaps it could be easier than he thought. He began flying as things were starting to come together and make sense after the yellow mare had told him of his species. Now that he thought about it, he had realized the black stallions that lined the streets quite often when he would look out the castle window. They all had horns like his and wings like his, and a beetle-like back like the Queen.
But he was different... he didn't understand... he was white, while the rest of the changelings were black. He had hair while the other changelings were bald. He was fed as a baby while the rest of the changelings had to feed for themselves. He did not understand how something so different could be considered a changeling... yet treated like a regular pony... as he thought harder he realized something about the couple he bumped into. The draconequus was so much different, yet the yellow mare treated him as if he was any regular stallion. It was nearly like him and Dinky.
He soon arrived at the small cottage and hid under the window of Dinky's room. Dinky sighed as he mother scolded her. "What's so bad about changelings anyway?" She questioned.
Her mother answered with a sigh, "Changelings are heartless creatures. They cannot love the same way we do, for they devour our love..."
"But mom... he seemed dif-"
"All changelings are the same... they are heartless monsters that drain the love out of you..." Derpy left the room, closing the door slowly behind her without letting her daughter speak anymore. Zany quivered at the thought of being a heartless monster. He slowly but cautiously peaked his head to see in the window, only to find being face to face with the purple filly.
She gasped in sudden surprise, "y-you shouldn't be here..."
"I... wanted to see you..." Zany's ears flopped back.
Dinky sighed, "my mother has forbid me from seeing you again..."
"W-what? But it was only one time we were together...!"
"I know but... I can't disobey my mother..." she looked away in distress as Zany's eyes grew wide.
"P-please don't leave me... your the only friend I've ever had and I-"
"I'm... the only friend you've... ever had?" Zany nodded in embarrassment, meeting Dinky's eyes once more. Dinky looked away and thought. She sighed and looked back to her changeling friend. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to go to the forest for a bit... meet you there?"
Zany filled with excitement as he smiled, "you bet!" The small colt opened his wings and fluttered quickly to the forest. Without wings, Dinky decided she would teleport there for smaller travel. The two met at the lake and sat beside eachother. Zany stared into the crystal clear lake water as he gazed in wonder. "So... " Zany had to pretend he didn't know her father was an earth pony so she would be less suspicious of the conversation. "So I saw your mom is a pegasus... is your dad a unicorn?"
"Actually, no..."
"Then how are you a unicorn?"
"Well... My father is a great inventor, and he goes to different places in this thing called a Tardis, with a bunch of cool gadgets. He might have done some weird invention to make me a unicorn or... I don't know..."
"How do you know all this if you've never met him?"
The purple mare looked away at the water, staring at her reflection. "My... mom told me... It's kinda hard... Mom knows nothing about what it's like to be a unicorn... plus without support from my dad things aren't all that easy... So... how about your parents?"
"Well... My parents are Shining Armor and Chrysalis and-"
"The King and Queen of Equestria!? So... your really a Prince!?" Dinky's mix matched eyes sparkled in amazement.
"I guess so... but... not a very good Prince... I don't even know about my kind except-..." his voice slowly trailed off, thinking about when he was three and his mother began training him and telling him he was heartless.
"Wow... you know... your really interesting..." Dinky gave a warm smile of joy to the colt beside her. "Changelings aren't as bad as every pony says they are... or at least your not..." they gazed into eachothers eyes, feeling calm and happy with each other. Their thoughts and gaze was broke when they heard the distressed call of a worried mother. "Oh no, I-I have to go..." the young filly got up and quickly ran away toward the cry, as Zany reached his hoof out as if to stop her.
"Dinky- wait-!" But he was to late. The young filly disappeared into the distance as the eager colt stood up and drooped his ears. "Will I ever see you again?"
"Blow out your candles, Dinky!" ThunderSoar shouted with joy. It was her 16th birthday and although Dinky felt her mom's "cake decorations" and presents were getting to "young" for her, she still could not help feeling overjoyed to have all her friends there. ThunderSoar and LightningDash, Rainbow Dash and Soarin's kids; ElegentGem, Spike and Rarity's 7 year old "baby" dragon; Screwball, Discord and Fluttershy's mare who just recently turned 15; and finally BubbleBash and Pumpkin Pie, Pinkie Pie and a clown she met at the circus named RedSuit's children. And to top it off, all of Dinky's "Aunts and Uncles" were there.
Dinky took a big huff in and with one blow, she blew out all her sixteen candles. Every pony cheered and began handing her their presents of all color wrapping. Rainbow wrapping from the Soarin family, pink and red from the Pie family, Orange wrapping with red apples on it from the Apple family, white bedazzled wrapping paper from Spike's family, and mix matched color packaging from the draconequus family.
Dinky looked around and noticed there was one pony that was always missing from her life. "Where's Aunt Twilight?"
"Uh... it don't matter Sugar Cube... she don't come 'round these parts much anymore..." Apple Jack stated.
"I miss Twilight..." Pinkie Pie added.
Silence filled the room for countless seconds. Rainbow Dash finally tried to get off the subject and asked, "Say AJ, why don't you have a stallion, huh?"
"Rainbow, I told y'all I ain't looking for no 'special some pony'"
"Come on, it really is nice to have the company."
"I got plenty of company with mah family."
Dinky opened her presents getting makeup, collectables, and... "Sweatbands?"
LightningDash smirked and moved his hoof to his chest as he replied, "Only from your best athletic friend." ThunderSoar rolled his eyes and corrected, "from your best athletic friends."
Dinky giggled and sighed in happiness. "Thank you all so much for coming, and as for all the girls, time for our sleepover!"
"Aw, can I at least stay!?" ThunderSoar begged with a puppy dog face, "I'll be good!"
Dinky giggled but responded, "sorry, girls only."
That night was quiet. Everypony had fallen asleep around 2:00am due to Lightning Dash's kicking. Dinky was the only one left awake. She cautiously and quietly got up, creeping to the kitchen. She grabbed one of the leftover muffins her mom had made earlier and took a piece of paper and a pen. In all the years since she was six, she had dearly missed her changeling friend.
On the paper note she had grabbed she wrote a letter: "Dear Zany, Today was my sixteenth birthday, but... it wasn't all I thought it would be. My mom still thinks I'm into 'my little humans', so she got me the collectors doll of Bonnie. But, she did cook more muffins today, so your in luck in that way. It kinda hard, it's really sad not seeing you, but I can't image how hard it feels not seeing your only friend for ten years... but by now who knows, maybe there is someone else you've made friends with. I hope you have a good rest of the night. Your best friend, Dinky"
This was how they communicated for 10 years. They got to know each other extremely well through these notes, and Dinky would always leave a little surprise with the note---a muffin.
***
Tonight was the night. Zany was going to tell Dinky how he felt, face to face. How he longed to see those sparkling, mix matched eyes. But tonight he would finally see them again. Zany rushed out of the castle as his mother and father slept. Now since the last time they had met, Zany had learned much more about the world they lived in. As he went out, he noticed he was a bit hungry, and decided to stop for a midnight snack. He spotted a grey mare wondering the streets, looking exhausted and worn down.
Zany read the mind of the older mare and found a brown stallion named the Doctor. He disguised and went down for his quick meal. He read the mare's mind once more to out her name was Derpy Hooves. He didn't know what it was about her, but something seemed familiar. "Mrs. Hooves?"
The grey mare darted around and ran up, hugging him tightly as if she hadn't seen him in ages. He could feel his stomach filling up quickly, realizing the love between the couple had been very strong. "Thank goodness you're okay... I was worried sick as to what had become of you... it's been 17 years!"
Zany had become much more skilled in his hunting, knowing every move to get out the situation, or how to caress a pony. But he was silent. He remembered it was Dinky's birthday and had a sudden flash back of his first day with Dinky. He realized he was taking love from her mother. In panic, he quickly responded as he lifted the mare's head with his hoof, "I know, my darling. But I cannot stay long. For there are more universes that need my help. I love you, but I will indeed see you soon." He said his farewell to the mare and quickly ran off.
It was too late to take back what he had did now. His stomach was full and he could only hope Dinky would not be angry if she found out. It had been so long he had nearly forgotten the looks of Dinky's mother. He sighed and changed back to his changeling self, when something caught his eye. He noticed a flower shop across the street and saw elegant looking red roses in the window. He felt a beating in his chest and quickly moved his hoof to his chest. "What is that?" He shook his head. "I must be getting sick or something."
He walked to the flower shop and stared at the closed sign on the window. "I'm sure they wouldn't notice if one rose was gone..." He picked the lock with his magic and slowly but cautiously walked in. The scent of perfume and flowers lined the air thickly, nearly gagging him, but he grabbed one rose and walked out, closing the door softly behind him.
He flew to Dinky's house with the rose and found the muffin and note on her window sill. He took the note and read it, giggling at the thought of the old show he watched when he was a colt called "My Little Human." He never really understood it, but it was funny to watch the "humans" mess up at points. He could not wait to see the purple mare once more.
He peeked in the window and saw all the mares filling the room, with Dinky sound asleep on her bed. He sighed, knowing it was a "sleepover."
He gazed at Dinky and sighed. How he longed to see her golden mix matched eyes. She hadn't changed the slightest bit. Her smooth, purple coat, her straw colored short hair, it was almost as if she was glowing, even though she was asleep. He couldn't wake her, especially at a sleepover. He decided instead to leave a note that read: "Happy Birthday, Dinky... Your best friend, Zany"
He left the note and rose at her window sill, and left back to the castle.
The next day the girls quickly rushed home, for tonight was the big night. The gala was tonight, and being the day after Dinky's birthday, she considered it a late birthday present for turning 16, even though it wasn't technically for her. The gala was not as fancy as it was before, nor was it even in Canterlot. Since Celestia and Luna's defeat the gala was continued my the Pinkie Pie and the others, as a memorial event of the past. You no longer needed a ticket due to the poor ponies forced into bankruptcy for multiple reasons, another part of everything going downhill since the changelings.
Ponies still dressed up to this new gala for memory sake, even though they did not have to. But Dinky and her friends where all planning to get dresses and tuxedos from their aunt Rarity. Dinky was excited yet... she didn't really have anypony to dance with. ElegantGem was planned to dance with ThunderSoar, and her other friends all had their own "special some ponies." Dinky received the note and rose on the window sill and smiled. She grabbed a vase from the kitchen and filled it with water, placing the special rose in her room for safe keeping.
The night came soon enough and everyone got dressed and ready to go. Dinky wore a sparkling yellow gown with a long, silk skirt. She had her hair curled with a small muffin hair piece right by her ear in her bangs.
Unfortunately, despite continuing the Grand Galloping Gala for memory purposes, it was still the most changeling-infested place of the entire year. Chrysalis was not at all upset the ponies continued it, for it gave all the changelings plenty of feeding time considering all the love emitted from the cherished event. Ponies from all around gathered at the event. From Canterlot to Manehatten, all came. But instead of having the event indoors like they did in the past, they moved it into an "outdoors" event. They still had a beautiful garden, and they had enough bits for a stage and DJ set, with the area around speaker sound as the dance floor.
The ponies enjoyed it anyhow, despite the change. Dinky stood to the side awkwardly, looking in awe at the blinking lights and listening to the sound of the DJ. This was her first time at the Gala, for her mom felt it was no place for "kids."
"Alright, are you ready for your first gala meal, Zany?" Chrysalis questioned with a smirk upon her face.
"Yes mother..."
"Excellent. Go, my son. Make mummy proud."
Zany was now 16 himself, and being a teen the same age as Dinky, he figured it was time he finally see her once more. So ponies would not be suspicious, he disguised as a brown stallion with short, shaggy blonde hair resembling Dinky's in a way. He was wearing a tux for effect and walked out onto the dance floor. Vinyl Scratch and her husband Record Split were playing an up-beat song on their DJ set. Zany tapped Dinky's shoulder as she turned around in confusion.
Her eyes sparkled in the moonlight, as Zany froze in place in amazement to her sudden change in looks. He shook his head to regroup and held his hoof out towards her. "Care to dance?"
Dinky slowly took Zany's hoof and began dancing with him, not responding but looking deeply into his eyes. "Do I know you...?"
"I believe we've met before..."
Dinky paused as his voice echoed through her head. She finally realized who was before her. "Zany!?"
He smiled sheepishly. "Was it my eyes that gave it away?"
"Your eyes... and your voice..." Dinky smiled with delight, "I can't believe your actually here!"
"I wouldn't miss the chance to see you..."
"Alright! So, how's every pony doing tonight!?" Vinyl Scratch shouted. The crowd stomped their hooves in applause and cheered. "Awesome. As much as I know everypony likes our up-beat songs, we also know everypony has got that little soft spot. So we have very special guest this evening singing a little soft song... So give it up, for Sweetie Belle!"
Sweetie Belle was about Dinky's age, as her voice had become even greater than when she was a filly. Sweetie Belle sang in a soft but enchanting voice, singing a slow song she had wrote herself.
"We may be different But that's what makes us special. I gave you my heart, And you gave me yours..."
Soarin walked up to Rainbow Dash in embarrassment as he held his hoof out, "I know you don't like slow dances but- would u-?"
Rainbow Dash smiled and took his hoof, "of course..."
"And as the years go by, Your touch warms my heart It is such an unusual love But we can make it work, If you stick with me.
Because I can't keep from sayin', I love you."
Zany was surprised at how much the song related to him and Dinky's relationship. As the song came to an end, Zany twirled the purple mare and came face to face with her once more. Dinky blushed, but it did not feel the same not seeing the real Zany. "Let's go to the garden, we can have more privacy there and we can talk..." The couple walked to the garden of the Gala and hid behind the bushes and trees.
Dinky stared into his eyes and sighed. "I want to see the real you, Zany..."
"But... I don't know... What if someone catches us...?"
"We'll be fine... ponies don't come to the garden much until after all the songs... please...?"
Zany sighed, "Fine..." Green fire surrounded him as he undisguised to reveal his true self. Unlike Dinky, Zany had changed a bit since the last time they had met. His mane was a bit longer and had developed holes in it, his wings had also fully developed, and he now had a beetle-like back resembling his mother's.
Dinky stared into his turquoise eyes, the white stallion gazing back and nearly getting lost in hers. Dinky sighed and said, "its been a long time since I saw you last..." The purple mare slowly closed her eyes and leaned in, but Zany hesitated and leaned back. He put his hoof to Dinky's lips and sighed, "we can't..."
"W-what? Why not?"
"Do you know how dangerous it is to kiss a changeling? T-the love would be instantly sucked out of you!"
"I'm willing to take the chance..."
"We just can't... I'm sorry Dinky..." Zany looked away in embarrassment. "Without a heart, it just... wouldn't be safe..."
Dinky lifted her hoof and put it on his chest to feel something pounding. "That's a heart beat! Don't you get it? You wouldn't hurt me!"
"I just can't take any chances...!"
Silence filled the area for several moments. Derpy was on the dance floor, but noticed Dinky wasn't in sight. She walked to the garden, knowing Dinky liked nature and wild-life. The grey mare's heart sank at the sight she saw. "Dinky!"
Dinky's eyes widen and her sight darted toward her mother. Derpy filled with anger as her face began turning red. She dashed up to the white stallion and grabbed his shoulders roughly, lifting him high off the ground. "I was told you would never be seen near my daughter again!"
Without thinking Dinky's horn began to glow. Ponies began seeing the commotion and walking over. "Mom, don't hurt him!" The purple mare's magic shot from her horn, hitting her mother knocking her back into a tree. Zany quickly took the form of a fly to be unseen, but was hurt to leave Dinky alone. He flew off toward the castle, trying to reach home quickly. Dinky looked around, stares from all ponies on her.
Tears came to her eyes as she quickly ran off, followed by her weak mother, leaving many ponies in awe and confusion.
I thought I made myself clear I didn't want to see that changeling stallion again!" Derpy shouted in anger and disbelief.
"Mom, he is different than the others-"
"All of them are the same! They have no hearts! He cannot love you!"
"He has a heartbeat!"
Derpy froze in place, but stood her ground. "How do you know?"
"I felt it..." Without a father to defend her for her actions, she could do nothing but argue with her mother.
"It's impossible... No changeling has ever had a heart for over a thousand years!"
Tears came to Dinky's eyes. She got off of her bed and stormed out of the house. She was stunned her mother didn't believe her.
Shining Armor sighed as his wife and son talked about the Gala. He missed going with the real Cadence, but there was nothing he could do now. Chrysalis laughed with a smile upon her face, "you did an excellent job, my Prince. You have gained her trust just enough she actually almost kissed you! But... why did you hesitate?"
"I was already full..."
"Well it doesn't matter, it's over now! You have indeed made mummy proud all these years. Now, next-"
"I'm not doing this any more..."
Chrysalis was stunned by his quick reaction. "What!?"
"I'm not going to help you anymore, I'm done! I will no longer gather information for you..."
"Oh... really...?" Chrysalis circled the Prince. She sighed and continued, "it's a shame... I really didn't want it to come to this..."
Zany's eyes widened, "come to... What...?"
"Well without you, I guess I'll just have to deal with the mare myself... clearly YOU don't want to 'hurt' her anymore... So who better to continue than the Queen? That unicorn is a threat to my throne, and if I let it continue, I could lose my place..."
***
This had never happened to her before. Dinky had never even disobeyed her mother! The purple mare suddenly ran into her best friend Screwball, who happened to be coming her way. "Hey- um... something wrong, Dinky?"
"Well..." The two mares ended up in the Everfree forest where Dinky usually sat to think by the lake. She finished her explaining, and had she not been so down, she would have noticed the devious smirk on her friend's face. Dinky began feeling weak surprisingly fast. "Screwball... I-... I don't feel too well..."
The purple earth pony smirked and snickered as green fire surrounded her. She was revealed to be none other than Queen Chrysalis herself. Dinky gasped, but was too weak to teleport away. "Q-queen Chrysalis!?"
"That's right, in the flesh." Chrysalis sighed and lifted the purple mare's head with her hoof. "Love... such a stupid thing..."
"W-what?"
Chrysalis chuckled and backed away. "Did you really think Zany loved you? He's been working for me the whole time, gathering information from you to make me stronger..."
"W-what do you want from me!?"
"I want your power, young mare. You have more of it than you think... CHANGELINGS!" Her call echoed through the woods, calling changelings all around to her voice. "A meal for u, my hungry children." The changelings surrounded the young mare, making it impossibly for escape. It was not long before Dinky collapsed and the changelings hurried off, leaving her laying motionless on the ground.
Zany hurried through the Everfree forest, hoping to find his friend in need. After moments of looking, he finally found her, collapsed on the ground. He picked her up and brought her to his back, and began searching for the exit. "Don't worry, Dinky... I'll get you somewhere safe..."
He looked around as darkness surrounded them. It was almost as if the trees were purposely surrounding them. He heard a rustle in the bushes and stopped dead in his tracks. "W-who's there?"
A female voice came from the bushes, "is it true? A changeling helping a mare?"
"Y-yes... she's my best friend and I need to find a resting place for her quickly...! She's weak from my mother taking her love..."
The mare in the bushes squinted her eyes to a sudden realization. "Your the Queen's son?"
"Yes..."
A pink mare with long purple, pink, and yellow hair came out of the bushes. "Follow me, I know somepony who can help us... By the way, my name is Princess Mi Amora Cadenza. But you can call me Cadence..."
The three ponies began walking, when Zany took the name into consideration. "Princess Cadence? THE Cadence?"
"Yes... you've heard the stories, I presume..."
"Why are you helping me? Especially when my mother is Equestria's enemy...?"
"You may be Chrysalis' son, but your also my Shining Armor's son..." Cadence sighed, "if only I hadn't run away, I could have saved Equestria so much trouble...."
"How have you survived so long?"
"The zebra I'm taking you to, Zecora. She fed me and left me a place to sleep. She doesn't have many visitors..." The three arrived at a small hut built in a tree. It had grown some vines, and the air was a bit musky, but it still felt like home to the zebra who lived there. They walked in as Zecora made a potion.
"Who is this? A changeling I missed?" The curious zebra asked.
Cadence took Dinky set her on the couch, wrapping her in a warm blanket. "This is..."
"Um... Zany... My... name is Zany..." the white changeling finished.
"He is a 'friend' of Dinky, and found her in need. The love has been drained out of her by the Queen..."
"I see. I will make her some soup, to get her out of this loop..."
Zany tilted his head in confusion, "what?" He had never really got rhymes, but he just went along with it.
"So, son of Queen... Do you think yourself mean?"
"Mean? W-well... I've always been considered a monster... because changelings lack hearts..." The zebra walked up to Zany and put her hoof to his chest.
"Hey what are you-"
"Hmm..." She then picked up his hoof and raised it to touch her chest. "What do you feel?"
"A heartbeat?" She walked him over to Dinky and pulled the covers down. She placed his hoof upon her chest and asked, "what do you feel now?"
"A heartbeat." She then moved his hoof to touch his own chest.
"And now?" He felt a massive thumping meeting his hoof, and was puzzled.
"That's impossible... Changelings don't have hearts..."
"Perhaps this is not the case, your feelings should not go waste. Your father is a stallion, your mother is a changeling. A pair that's strange, but can be changed. You have your father's heart, so you and Dinky shall never part."
"So... it's true... I really do have a heart?"
"Indeed..." Zecora dipped a cup into her pot and pulled it out, now full of soup.
Zany sighed. "I was starting to think Dinky was immune... but... obviously that's not the case..." Zecora opened the young mare's mouth and poured it. Dinky woke up from the sudden warm liquid sliding down her throat. She sat up to see Zany beside the couch. She jumped out of the blanket clean on her hooves now alert, standing before him. "You!"
"Huh?"
"I can't believe I trusted you! Ugh! All this time..." Dinky filled with rage and ran out of the hut, not even questioning as to how she got there. Zany ran after her.
"Dinky stop! Your too weak! Just let me explain!"
The purple mare felt her legs almost collapsing below her. She soon ended up tripping on a rock, collapsing on the ground. Zany finally caught up as Dinky covered her face trying to hide her tears. "Just leave me alone!"
"Dinky my mother made me! If I didn't she would have hurt you!"
"Just go..."
Zany sighed. He began walking away when he thought of something that could just possibly work. He began singing, "And as the years go by, Your touch warms my heart It is such an unusual love...
Dinky slowly uncovered her eyes and lifted her head to look at Zany. His voice wasn't perfect, but it wasn't bad either.
"But we can make it work, If you stick with me.
Because I can't keep from sayin', I-..."
Zany's ears folded back as he got caught on the words. "I..." He sighed and took a deep breathe trying to gain the courage. "I love you, Dinky..."
Dinky's eyes widened as she heard the words leave Zany's mouth. She got up and hugged him, as they went back to the hut. Zecora greeted them once more, seeing they had worked things out.
"You two should get some rest. Dinky is in no condition to leave right now, and I'm sure your tired as well, Zany," Cadence said.
"Dinky can sleep in my bed, to help cure her dread. I will sleep on the couch."
"And where do I sleep?" Zany questioned. The zebra didn't answer, but gave a wink, and he knew exactly what that met. The couple walked to a medium sized bed in the corner of the hut. They both blushed, and Dinky broke the silence but asking, "would now be an awkward time for cuddling?"
"I-I guess not..." The two laid down in the bed and laid next to each other. Zany wrapped his hooves around Dinky and sighed.
"What are we going to do...? Chrysalis... she thinks I'm..."
"We'll figure it out in the morning..." He yawned. "Let's just relax and get some sleep..."
***
Cadence nudged the shoulder of Zany, hoping to wake him up. "H-huh?"
"Zany, Dinky, we need to get to PonyVille... now..."
"Why?"
"Chrysalis is planning an attack! If we don't get there soon Equestria will be in danger once more like it was years ago! And without Equestria's most important elements, we stand no chance!"
"Why does my mother want to take over?"
"She wants more power... she wants the elements of harmony... she wants magic..." The couple got up from the bed.
Dinky stood tall, "then we can't waste another moment!"
The three ran out of the forest when Cadence stopped at Fluttershy's cottage outside the forest. "We have to get the elements of harmony... it has been a long time since we have used them..." Cadence knocked on the door of the yellow mare but there was no response.
"The elements of harmony?" Zany asked.
"Indeed... why do you ask?"
"I... didn't know they actually used to exist..."
Cadence sighed. "Not many your age even know about them anymore..." The mares and stallion ran to town square of Ponyville to find Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Apple Jack gazing at the sky. They looked up to find the sky looked black, lined with changelings.
Fluttershy covered her mouth in awe, "oh... My..."
"We have to get Twilight..."
The three ran to the tree house nearby when Rainbow Dash looked down after hearing the familiar voice. "Princess Cadence!?"
Cadence knocked on the door of the tree house, only to be responded with, "Go away!"
"Twilight? It's me... Cadence..."
The purple mare's eyes widened. It had been 17 years since she had heard that voice... it had been 17 years since she had left that tree house. The door creaked open to reveal the mare's purple eyes. "C-Cadence?"
"Twilight... we need your help... the elements... without you they are incomplete... we can make Equestria the same as it once was..."
Twilight looked away and sighed. She closed the door slowly, leaving Cadence, Dinky, and Zany feeling hopeless. Suddenly they heard the door unlock, as the purple mare came out wearing a golden crown with a pink gemstone in it resembling her cutie mark. She brought out five necklaces with gemstones resembling the other mane five's cutie marks.
Pinkie Pie was the first of the five to notice the mare come out of the tree house. "TWILIGHT!!!"
Apple Jack looked down from the sky and saw her, "huh?!"
The five mares ran over and hugged the friend they had lost years ago. Twilight handed them the elements, when Cadence interrupted their moment, "I hate to interrupt, but..." she pointed to the sky. "We have company...!"
Chrysalis stopped the changleings and looked down at the nine ponies. She looked to Dinky and Zany and smirked. "I'll take the blonde mare and my son... you all take the others..."
Beside the changeling Queen was her husband, under her spell. He had sprouted changeling wings and his horn became deformed, along with his zombie-dazed eyes. Thousands of changelings charged at the ground, right toward the mane six and Cadence, but leaving Zany and Dinky be.
"Huh?" Dinky was confused. She looked around but no changeling in sight was coming after them. Until the tall changeling queen and the white stallion charged at the ground in front of them. They landed and stood up tall, as Chrysalis made green fire surround the couple.
"Mom! Dad! What are you doing!?"
Chrysalis laughed. "Did you really think I loved you or your father?" The queen hissed. "You were a mistake!"
Tears came to the young stallion's eyes, "you lied to me... all this time... you've said I was heartless! But... I really do have a heart..."
"Yes, yes, that... Sadly you got that from your father. If you didn't have a heart you would have worked perfectly! But obviously that's not the case..."
"What have you done to dad?...!"
"I just made some... minor adjustments... but enough chit-chat..." The queen's horn began glowing a bright green as she blasted at Zany. He dodged the blast, but was stunned.
Outside the green fire the mane six and Cadence fought the changelings. Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie battled duplicates of their families, while AJ battled her brother Big Mac, Twilight battled Flash Sentry, and Cadence battled duplicates of Shining Armor.
"Theres too many!" Twilight shouted.
Cadence replied, "we have to get to the Queen!"
As Rainbow Dash kicked a canceling disguised as Soarin, she remarked, "I say we blast her into stone!"
"If we have enough power..." Twilight finished.
Meanwhile Derpy heard the commotion and ran outside. "Oh no... DINKY! My little muffin, where are you!?"
"I'm right here mom!"
Derpy turned around to see her daughter standing before her. "Oh thank goodness your safe, I was worried you-"
"No, I'm the real Dinky!" Standing beside the grey mare was another Dinky.
"No, I am! They're changelings! You have to believe me mom!"
The changelings disguised as the grey mare's daughter kept piling up. The real Dinky was within the green fire with Zany and the changeling Queen.
Chrysalis growled. "It's time to end this once and for all!" Her horn glowed bright, as she combined her magic with her husband's. The ball of magic surrounding their horns grew larger and larger.
Dinky turned to the white stallion beside her. "Kiss me..."
"What?...!" Zany blushed. "B-but I-"
"Just do it! You have a heart! You won't hurt me! Just... trust me..."
As the bolt of green magic darted toward them, Zany's lips met Dinky's. The blast hit the couple. Smoke lined the air. There was silence.
As the smoke cleared, Chrysalis gasped, "W-what!? How is this possible!?"
Zany opened his eyes and broke the kiss. The blast hadn't effected them at all! They were surrounded by a green, magically glowing bubble shield. The fire around them froze, and then crumbled. The glow from them blinded the changelings as they fled, leaving Chrysalis and Shining Armor behind.
"W-what!? Where are you going?! You cowards!"
Twilight smiled and walked closer, "the magic you had in Equestria is gone, Chrysalis. You have shown every pony who you you truly are! The power of love and friendship will always overthrow evil, no matter how deadly!" The mane six began floating and glowing as Twilight closed her eyes. "No matter how long the evil lasts, love and friendship will never die..." The purple mare opened her eyes to reveal them to be pure white.
A rainbow shot from the purple mare's crown as it surrounded the changeling queen.
"NOOOOOO!!!"
***
The smoke cleared once more. The six mares floated to the ground as before them was a statue of the queen.
Shining armor fell to the ground, stunned and confused. The changeling wings on his back disappeared and his horn returned to normal. He shook his head and got up to his feet, to find in front of him Cadence.
"C-Cadence...? Is... that really you...?"
"It's me, Shining Armor!" Tears came to the pink mare's face as she hugged the white stallion. It had been years since they had truely seen each other. Shining Armor looked at the statue of his wife.
"Cadence... we'll start all over... we can... Cadence..." Shining Armor kneeled before her as a ring appeared in his hooves with his magic. "Will you marry me? So we can start our life together all over again? Be the mare I truly fell in love with?"
"Of course!" Cadence hugged him happily and looked at Zany, guesturing for him to come over. Zany ran over and joined the hug, squealing, "I'm going to have a step-mom!"
Celestia and Luna flew down to the group of ponies. Derpy ran over and hugged Dinky, thankful she was okay, with a whole new perspective on Zany.
Celestia walked over to Twilight and lifted her head with her hoof. "You've come a long way, my faithful student. You have finally deserved what I meant to give you years before..." The white mare's long horn began glowing a bright golden color. Seconds later, the glowing faded away. Everypony gasped, as Celestia finished, "Princess Twilight..."
"P-princess!?" Twilight gasped in astonishment.
"Your a princess now, Twilight!?" Rarity squealed.
The ponies were overjoyed. Equestria was back to the way it used to be. Suddenly a blue telephone box appeared close to Dinky and Derpy.
"Huh?" Dinky was confused. A tan stallion with brown hair walked out.
"Hello, Derpy..." The grey mare hugged the stallion tightly. He looked at the purple mare beside her and smiled. "You must be Dinky..."
"Who... are you? Have we met?"
"Not likely, no... but let's just say we're related..." He winked. "I must go though... there ponies out there that need my help..."
Derpy kissed the stallion's cheek as he turned and stepped back in the telephone box, closing the door behind him. "Who was that?" Dinky asked.
"That... was your father..." she smiled.
"M-my father!?" The purple mare ran after him, but it was to late. The blue box disappeared. Dinky sighed and walked back to her mother. "Will I ever see him again?"
"Of course... he'll be back..."
All was well again. Equestria was safe, and happy once more.
