The beginning of the end

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The sound and feeling of fists and shoes making their way onto my face. The last memories of the world I called "Earth".

Let me explain a bit of what happened before we get too deep, my name is Ian. I had been bullied, again, for the third time that day. There were three students who abused me on and off school grounds. A portly one, a skinny kid, and one who genuinely seemed to want to kill me. Why they beat me up I never understood, they didn't even go to the same school but were always able to sneak on, find me and well...you get it.

This was part of my morning routine. Wake up, tell the sun how much I despised it, walk to school, get beat up at school, go to lunch, get beat up at lunch, walk home and get beat up on the way. On weekends it was pretty much the same, except they stalked me and beat me at whatever location I was heading to.

Honestly the only thing that keeps me going is watching this cute little show. What was it called? "My licking foamy"? No that can't be it. "Tie sticking tony"? No wait... that's right "My Little Pony: Friendship is magic"! I do so enjoy the show, but unfortunately I wouldn't be watching it today, as my eyes had swelled shut and I was beginning to lose consciousness in the middle of the side-walk. I lifted my arm into the air, flipped them the bird and then...darkness.

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"Please, I know what they've done, but he's different!" I heard a voice cry out urgently. Female...scared, frail...sad. "I understand your plight but we cannot take it!" A rough male voice replied as a sharp thud pierced my ears. "But you have to! I-I can't take care of him anymore! Please for the love of-"

"Don't you dare say her name while holding THAT in-front of me." The male cut her off, he sounded angry, threatening even. I kept my eyes closed so I wouldn't get involved...what? I had gotten beaten up three times today already, I don't need a fourth.

"Please!" The woman began to wail repeatedly, but each time was met with an equally harsh "NO". Then she began to scream bloody murder. "CELESTIA! CELESTIA PLEASE HELP ME! I BEG OF YOU!"

The guard replied in a scream, a strange mix of fury and...fear? "BLASTED MARE!" His breathing became so heavy that even I, a half conscious 17 year old, could hear it. Man this guy was so scared that...did she say "Celestia"?

Then it happened, a light blinding as the sun broke forth through the darkness of my eyelids and a new voice came too. Calm, kind, loving..."My dear, whatever is the matter? Why are you crying?" She gently said to the woman who could barely maintain her voice "I-I- My princess! I-" She stopped herself and tried to calm down. "My princess, this child. I have been taking care of him for for the month, but I cannot support him anymore. The looks I get from others, the things they say it’s," she sobbed a bit. "It's all too much my princess."

Hearing all this I began to wonder if I had fallen "asleep" before some sort of LARP field or something.

"Before I give an answer I must know a few things. First of all, what is your name? Second, where did you find him? And third, and the most pressing, why me?" said the calm and collected voice, and all the questions this woman asked, the other answered.

"My name is Gemstone, your highness! And I found him weeks after the attack, in a broken down house, there was rubble everywhere. He was crying, alone, and I didn't have the heart to leave him there so I began taking care of him. I can only assume he had been freshly hatched. And the reason I chose you princess is because out of everypony else, you're the ONLY one I know who could look past what he is and love him. Please, look at him, he's no threat to anypony!"

Hmm...strange. I feel like I'm being lifted, probably moving me out the way for this crap. I mean "Everypony"? "Princess Celestia"? "Mare"? Really? I like MLP but pretending to be the characters? Of all the places I could end up knocked out, I end up HERE! I opened my eyes to get a good look at the people around me, but instead of people in MLP themed costumes...standing before me was the REAL Princess Celestia!

I stared for a moment and a single thought crossed my mind, "DON'T RAPE ME!" my mouth dropped. The princess looked me over, her eyes piercing every part of my body. I didn't like it, it felt as if I was on roll call for execution. I watched carefully so she couldn't get the drop on me if she wanted to do anything sneaky. I then began to notice, I was floating. Bloody hell that's awesome! If I survived I had to remember that sensation.

"I'll take him," she said "but if anything happens to make me regret this decision, I WILL hold you responsible," she turned to the guard lowering her voice "Understood?" The guard gulped, the quaky mare nodded her head in excitement and thanked the Princess, then stuck her tongue out at the guard and ran off. "I must be dreaming." I thought as THE Princess Celestia carried me off inside the castle, that yellow glow surrounding me as I float through the air.

I looked around, panned glass painted by what I could only assume to be a master, beautiful tapestry showing the sun and the moon, floors that seemed to be made of a type of crystal or glass. I enjoyed the sight of it all. Then I saw a throne, gold, the ground curved to stand above the rest of the floor, surrounded what looked like fountains on each side. It was all so beautiful.

As I admired the place, the alicorn had sat me down in the chair and began eyeballing me again, as if not sure she made the right choice. Her horn began to glow yellow and I realized it, this crazy horse is going to kill me. The yellow light grew on her horn, then streamed out and struck me in the chest. "This is it isn't it? My life is over. I'm dead! I'M DEAD! I'M-"

*Snore*

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I slowly opened my eyes to be greeted by the rising sun, I remembered everything that had transpired and did I ever smile with glee, it was a dream, thank goodness. I began my day as usual, "Hello sun, I hate you!" I rubbed my eyes with my hooves and remembered today was sunday and i needed to take...the...trash....out....HOOVES!? "That's not right, humans have hands, not hooves. The dream I had last night couldn't be real!" I panicked and looked around. There were wooden bars around me and toys.

I noticed a conveniently placed mirror beside me. I shuddered to thinking about what I looked like now, but I had no choice. I looked into the mirror and saw myself..."I'm a changeling...a....baby changeling". This was something I had not expected, and like any rational person I cried out furiously in rejection of this new reality. I shook my head and closed my eyes.

"I'm going to count to ten and when I open my eyes, I will be human again. AM I UNDERSTOOD UNIVERSE!?" I began my count...1...2...3...4...I felt strange, like I did last night. I opened my eyes prematurely to see myself floating infront of Celestia once more. I wasn't scared this time, I was angry, rage filled every fiber of my being. I pointed my hoof at her and said "LISTEN YOU! IF YOU DON'T TURN ME BACK INTO A HUMAN RIGHT NOW I'M GONNA TAKE MY FOOT er...HOOF! AND SHOVE IT SO FAR UP YOUR FAT FLANK-"

Celestia cut me off, "You're so adorable. Who’s a cute little changeling? You are! Yes you are!"

My expression went blank. Was this woman cooing at me? After all I had said? I grinned at what had just smacked me across the face. I'm the only one who can understand me, no matter what I say or who I say it to, to them it only comes off as adorable baby gibberish. What they don't know, won't hurt them right? I don't need to be nice at all, I can be as crude and nasty as I wanted to and they would never notice! This may not be so bad.

"Lulu would you come here please," Celestia called to her sister, who despised sunlight almost as much as I did. "I want you to come see our son." she continued as she began walking to her bed chambers.

"I apologize dear sister. I didn't hear you, it sounded like you said our..." she stopped as she stared at me. A multiple of blades came to my throat in the fraction of a second I had known her, covered in a glowing blue aura. "I shall kill you", they became inflamed, "with fire".

"That joke isn't even funny in my world. What's next? A Leeroy Jenkins reference?" I looked to the side thinking to myself.

"Lulu, stop. He's our new son, I adopted him last night." Celestia said, calmly lowering the flaming weaponry her sister had floating around me, with her own magic. Lunas eyes didn't seem to like this, they squinted and twitched with every second they looked at me.

"Oh I'm going to make your life a living hell for that!" I spoke to her.

"I think he likes you!" Celestia exclaimed.

Luna stepped back a bit, unsure of trusting me. She really shouldn't have in all honesty. She raised her hooves and held me "Hey hooves off! I've seen the pics, I know what you've done with your sister!" I scream angrily at her. Which I guess to her ears sounded like I was giving affection. She began hugging me while cooing in that same irritating tone as her sister.

"Target locked" passed through my mind.

I raised my hoof and slammed it into her face as hard as I could, again and again and again! I laughed with excitement of the pure power I could feel myself dishing out upon her! My righteous fury knew no bounds! However...my strikes came out as nothing more than light taps. I pushed on though, trying harder and harder until..."It" happened. The diaper I was wearing, became heavy and...warm, I knew it could only be one thing. I cried.

Luna noticed and her face curled with the scent she had picked up. "GUARDS! GUARDS!" She screamed using her classic royal canterlot voice. Funny, it didn't break your eardrums when it came out of the TV.

Two guards, one a white coat the other grey, stormed in and I was quickly tossed to them. Literally. She TOSSED me, to them. If I could still flip the bird...anyway, the white coated guard caught me in his teeth. And I kinda feel sorry for him for this, but because he was unaware of what had happened, his mouth grabbed a bit too much of the diaper and he caught a taste of my misery.

His eyes opening larger than I had ever imagined a ponies could. He gently handed me to the other guard and walked off very composed, and soon left our sights. A few moments later you could hear him screaming in disgust. My, the pony vernacular is colorful. Luna walked up to the grey guard, "Uhh," her head still facing the way the white coated guard went, the hallways now filled with sounds of gurgling and more colorful words. "go...change the child willst thou..."

"Yes your highness!" the guard said and took me through the beautiful halls, questioning why he had a changeling. He wasn't paid to think, so he said, and just kept to himself. He opened the door to the bathroom where the other guard had vanished to

"OH DEAR CELESTIA I CAN STILL TASTE IT!" are the words that had greeted me.

The grey guard took off my diaper and conjured another one out of thin air, quite impressive really. He took the one I had been wearing and asked his suffering friend if he wanted a second course. The white coat, of course, only screamed again.

"Come on Captain, it couldn't have been that bad," the grey colt stated giggling. "now are you sure you don't want seconds? There's plenty left!" The white coat went into a stall and began hurling as much as he could to get the taste out.

The white colt, i had seen him before. Shining Armor was it? Poor dude.

The grey colt began laughing. Now like I said, I felt sorry for Shining, he had no idea what was going on. So as I saw his friend laughing...my mind triggered once more. "Round two. FIGHT!" I had "accidentally" released some liquid in his face.

"OH-OH-COME ON! REALLY!?" He roared.

I smiled innocently. He changed me, as if he lightning had struck, and quickly took me back to Celestia. She looked at the two ponies who had the eyes clearly saying they wanted nothing more to do with me. "Why are you wet?" she asked politely to the grey one, as if she didn't already know.

"Uhh, there was a leak in the bathroom, your highness..." he stammered. "At least you can't call him a liar" I thought to myself. And smiled as if I never had a clue.

"Dear sister, what wilst thou do with him?" Luna questioned. Celestia paused for a moment. She then magically caused a pen and paper to float to her. Seriously, when do I get to do that stuff?

She began writing the letter, "Dear Twilight Sparkle, my favorite student. There has been a new edition to the royal household. I would like you to bring your friends over so that we may celebrate this new arrival. You may bring anyone you wish. Signed, Princess Celestia." The paper vanished in a flood of light. I'm guessing that's how she sends it through spike, but i'm not sure.

Luna picked me up again and by this time I was kinda tired, I didn't know why as it was still early. I guess baby changelings don't stay up for too long. She held me tightly and began humming then I began to fall asleep.

"Sister, I hath no knowledge of what thou hast been thinking, but taking in the spawn of our enemies? Thy decision may not have been well made." Luna discouraged. "This creature’s purpose is surely destruction of thine throne. We must make haste and rid it from the kingdom before it is too late."

I cracked open my eyes a small bit to see what was going on. Celestia peered at me once more, but this time her gaze was more relaxed. I didn't know what that meant.

"You are right Luna, this child is dangerous", She turned from luna to walk through the hallway. She gestured her head telling Luna to come along, who followed without question. "Changelings feed on love and what more love could a changeling get if it were being raised by a good family?"

Luna raised a brow, she began probing for information "What are thou planning, Tia? Ye have always had a knack for knowing things and not telling me"

Celestia looked to her sister and said "Come to the welcoming party, it'll be held in the gardens." Completely ignoring her sister’s question.

I couldn't stay awake any longer, and I fell asleep.

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"WELCOME TO YOUR NEW HOME BABY!"

My eyes burst open, wandering around to find out what the hell just shouted into my ears and woke me. It was Pinkie pie. Of course, she invited them into the castle to meet me. They were all there, Spike, Big mac, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. They had even brought the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Celestia picked me up with her magic, again, I honestly felt tired of being picked up.

She began speaking to them about how she met me and why she felt it was a safe idea.

"Princess, what have you named him?" Sweetiebelle asked with zeal, popping up and down like a firecracker. Celestia looked at me and pondered what she would call me. Her eyes zooming in closer into my face. Really, has she never heard of personal space?

"I shall name him, Shifting Sands, in favor of his changeling nature." She smiled at me as the ponies began talking among themselves. I didn't pay attention really, looked around to see that I was in the garden, hedge mazes, the statue of discord, it was prettier in person than on a screen. I was plucked out of the air by a red pony, the one named Big Macintosh.

"Hooves off! I've read the fics I know what you've done...with spike." I said to him then snarled at him, he smiled as if it was a game. I understand I couldn't be understood verbally, but did they even attempt to look at the facial expressions I was making?

He passed me off to twilight sparkle, who gave me a stern look.

"Ah that's right, changelings affected her the most out of any other pony in the show. Of course she would like me the least. Speaking of which, am I in the fannon or cannon universe?" I muttered to myself.

"Hey Rainbow Dash, come over to my house tomorrow, I need you to help me make the secret ingredient for my special cupcakes!" Pinkie pie squealed.

"Guess that question is answered", I said with a slight giggle. I closed my eyes again. They began passing me around, each pony cooing at me again and again, honestly I hated it. I really did.

"Put me down..." I said hoping for some miracle understanding as I was passed to Pinkie Pie. "Put me down!" I shouted at them. They continued, and passed me to applejack. The kinder they were to me the angrier I got, I couldn't stop getting angry for some reason. Then they passed me to Fluttershy, who already looked worried. "PUT. ME. DOWN!" I screamed at the top of my baby lungs as a blast of giant green energy radiated from my tiny horn straight into the sky. I felt better, dizzy, but better.

Everypony looked to each other, they set me on the ground and looked at me, their eyes gave off glints of disappointment and anger. I didn't like that...it was the same look those bullies gave me.

I looked around and all I could see were those eyes, those angry, angry eyes. It was an accident, why were they so angry? Nopony got hurt, right?

"Stop staring at me...Leave me alone!" I cried out to them, but to no avail, their glares got sharper, especially Twilights. "Stop it, leave me alone! STOP!" I screamed in a wretched voice.

The sound of a hoof hitting the ground had been made, and very loudly. "ENOUGH! It seems I made a mistake in accepting this rotten beast!" Celestia's horn began to glow intensely, more so than the first time I'd seen it. "I will destroy this creature and return balance to my kingdom" My eyes widened. I was terrified. I closed my eyes tightly and prepared for my fate as my tears streamed down my face.

Instead of a blast from a magical beam, I felt a hug, it was Celestia. She was holding me and gently rocking me. "It's ok, my little pony, there's no need to be scared," she whispered gently into my ears, calming me. "Nopony is going to hurt you." I looked her in the eyes as she said those words to me. I felt a warmth that had not existed since my own mother died… "I promise." She said as she wiped the tears from my eyes.

I looked around to see that the stern look on Twilight’s face had disappeared. The looks of anger had vanished from all their faces, replaced with looks of concern. "What was all of that? I felt so scared…" the tears began to come back to my eyes and I cried into Celestia's neck.

I was happy she was there. "Thank you Mom...I was so scared...thank you!" I said trying not to cry but still failing miserably. I don't know why i had called her that, maybe my emotions had gotten the better of me.

"You're welcome my son" she responded.

"Lucky guess" popped into my mind, there's no way she could understand me.

Whatever that was though, that...hallucination, that vision...no, that nightmare or whatever "it" was, I never wanted it to happen again. I believed it would never happen again. But something deep inside me said that was just wishful thinking.

"Tia, I knew thy decision were improper" She whispered, "That beam was powerful, too powerful. Release the child, tis the only thing to do before it is too late." She urged her sister. Celestia completely ignored her, and only began comforting me again.

At least I knew the beam part was real.

"The guest of honor seems to be tired." She said with that same motherly warmth as before, "Luna, would you be so kind as to lay him down in his crib?"

Maybe she really was rethinking her choice to take me in.

Luna picked me up with her magic, spinning me around into different positions, being careful my horn did not aim at her. She stopped for a moment, her gaze shifting about her head before slowly turning.

"Where is the crib again, Tia?" She asked sheepishly.

She put on a sneer and uttered the curse, "In your room, that's where he'll be sleeping for now."

Jaw dropped, eyes bucked. Yep, that pretty much describes Luna’s face upon hearing that.

"I believe you two are going to have a good time together", Celestia said with a sarcastic smile.

"Oh yes this will be the start of a beautiful friendship", Luna grunted at me, gnashing her teeth.

Changeling VS Alicorn

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It's been a week since that fateful day. The day I got locked into sharing a room with the Princess of the Night. Luna. Honestly, it's not so bad. I sleep across the room from her, next to the window, very pleasant scenery. However, if you can ignore the horrific snoring! You should be fine. Seriously, the sound of a BULLET doesn't even compare to her snore. I'm not kidding, she snores and the room shakes.

And let's not forget-

“YES MY LOYAL SUBJECTS, IT WOULD BE MY HONOR TO BECOME THY NEW QUEEN” Luna shouted in her sleep.

-The famous, Royal Canterlot voice.

You wanna know something else? She's nocturnal. That means whenever she isn't blasting her voice in my ears during the day, she's blasting them with video games and equestrian songs during the night!

I wasn't even aware they had video games in this universe, let alone bucking Ipods! How the hell did Steve Jobs even manage to get here anyway!? I haven't sleep in the entire week i've been here.

I look into a mirror to see my bloodshot red and blue eyes. I had to do something, this snoring, it was too much! TOO MUCH!

“What could I do to stop this racket!?” As my thoughts raced a thousand miles an hour. Luna's snores got louder and louder to me with each breath she took. I looked around profusely, my neck feeling as if it would snap from all the turning it was doing. The snoring continuing to get louder and louder.

I cracked. “AHHHHHHHH!!” I looked to the mirror inside my crib and grabbed it. I lifted it over my head screaming “FOUL BEAST OF RACKET, I BANISH THEE TO THE FURTHEST AND FOULEST DEPTHS OF TARTARUS AND BEYOND!” I tossed the mirror at Luna's head, but it instead smacked the rim of her royal bed, and made no damage to her at all.

I didn't even wake her up. The snoring continued, I placed my hooves on my eyes and quietly sobbed in agony.

“BE SILENT YOU INSOLENT CHILD! I must raise the moon as my sister lowers the sun.” Luna screamed, of course THAT would wake her.

“I didn't ask for your job description you stupid horse!” I retorted shaking my hooves, which I had begun to hate, being unable to flip the bird and all. If I could though, I am fairly certain my fingers would be sprained due to constant use.

“Cease thy attempts at flattery, young one!” she said sitting up. “To raise the moon requires a great deal of mental focus, one which I hath by getting a full day's rest," she stepped out of the bed "And thou ar-” She stepped onto some of the glass from the mirror.

She caused some of the pieces to float near her.

“Did thou attempt an assassination on royalty!?” She fumed causing some of the glass to float around my face. “I knew thy intentions were full for treachery!” The shards began shaking.

The door to the chambers opened, “LuLu? It sounded like the baby was keeping you awake so I-LUNA!” Princess Celestia had screamed in terror. “What are you doing!?”

Luna's face was filled with shock. Her eyes shot to the glass “What? NO!” She dropped the glass attempting to explain herself “I- He!” She aimed her hoof at me.

Now was the moment I had been waiting for, I reached out to Celestia and began crying out to her. “Help me, please!” Celestia's eyes turned towards me filled with sadness, she picked me up with her magic and laid me down on her back.

“Luna, I had expected better of you. To endanger such an innocent child, what purpose could you have had?” She said with a delicious blend of worry, confusion and sternness.

“Sister! An attempt on my life had been made, looketh upon the ground, glass is everywhere and all from his mirror!” She pointed to me again.

“Luna, did you ever think it was an accident?” Celestia said defending me with a calmed but strict voice.

“ACCIDENT?! Tis clear across the room, on the side of my own bed!” Luna's eyes began popping out of her head, disbelieving of everything that was happening. “How could that be an accident?!”

Celestia Focused her gaze on luna, it was so sharp it gave me chills, and I was in the other direction.

“You are fully aware he has magical capabilities and that they are growing. We are not sure how changeling magic acts as they grow, it could be similar to a unicorn and their bursts of uncontrolled magic.” Her voice clearly showing disappointment.

“Maybe you are right sister, my eyes did not actually see any assassination attempt.” Luna resigned.

Celestia nodded her head in agreement with her sister. She turned around and open the door. “I want you to get some sleep, you could use it.” Her voice returned to being it's usual composure.

Luna lowered her head even more and looked at me as Celestia was walking out the door. I smiled and stuck my tongue out at her. The anger clearly smashed back into her face. Head cocked back and she gave me a look that just screamed “War”. Scrunched up face, bared teeth, sharp eyes. Yep, the whole she-bang. And you know what? It was a war I clearly won.

Celestia let me sleep on her back the entire day, I had never been so happy to get something as simple as rest.

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I awoke to find myself in my crib, perfectly content with the day's victory. That is until I looked up and saw Luna's crazy stare. Her main of flowing space was somehow messy, her eyes dilated and shrank in direct response with her breathing patterns, which were heavy and sporadic. Her eyes were as bloodshot as mine were.

Something told me today's little mix-up kept her from sleeping.

“Hell-oooo- Shifting SAAAnnddsSSSS” She said to me in an obviously demented tone. “Want to play a game with Mother Lunaahhhh?!” Grinding her teeth mid sentence.

My eyes had never been so huge, now she really was a crazy horse. In retaliation I threw my toy plane at her head. It bounced off showing no effect. She picked me up with her magic and spun me around until I couldn't look straight.

“Thy know the embarrassed mother today,” Her eye twitched, “To be made a fool of, by a mere foal...such a thing,” Her eyes began blinking at different intervals, the synchronization was completely off. “Such, such, such, such a thing is truly a misfortune.” She began nodding.

She drew me straight to her face and looked me dead in the eyes “For you.” She then set me down on the floor and said “I will give you one chance. Bow before your Princess and Mother and I will forgive you.” She opened the door, as if challenging me to run, like she was looking for an excuse to vent her craziness.

I stood on my hind legs, raised my hooves high over my head, puffed out my chest and screamed “COME AT ME BRO!” Then I ran like a little filly out the door in an attempt to get to Celestia. Luna quickly followed suit.

“Don't worry little one, I shall only stun thee!” She said as she began firing magic bursts from her horn. One had hit the wall, the next I barely evaded by moving my head to the right, another hit the ground where I was going to be, I ran around it, and the last one went through my leg. Yeah seriously, THROUGH my leg, these holes are convenient aren't they? Anyway they showed no visible damage to whatever they hit so I didn't feel as “dead meat” as I thought should.

I began coming on a split, going left or right. One led to Celestia the other led to something I don't even wanna know. “I was with Celestia the whole day, I had been staying here for a whole week. I should remember this.” I murmured to myself. I turn right and began pushing myself to go as fast as I could.

“Thou shant escape!” She began firing more bursts of magic, these actually singed wherever they hit. She clearly turned her laser from stun to kill. I jumped to avoid one, pushed over a small decorative table which blocked the other, an unknown number had just been striking around me, but that was going to change. I had to had to push myself onto my front hooves to continue running as her aim was getting sharper and closer.

It was right there! The door to Celestia's room! I can make it just a few more-

Luna had teleported in-front of me.

“BUCKING WALLHAX!” I screamed as I turned and ran the other way. “I'm gonna report you to Microsoft! Or Sony! They are SO gonna ban you!” I screeched at her running away, quickly losing energy.

“Changelings have powers right!? Come on CHANGELING POWERS ACTIVATE! Form of, something that won't get me killed!” I thought with a brain that was beginning to overheat from stress. “SHAPE OF... SOMETHING, ANYTHING JUST CHANGE YOU WORTHLESS BODY!” Screamed aloud. Nothing happened.

I looked out the panned glass windows and felt a deep urge. If this urge could be translated, it would surely be something like “CELESTIA WAKE YOUR FAT FLANK UP AND SAVE YOUR SON!”

I continued running with no energy left, slowing down and Luna catching up.

“Pretty much screwed here.” I groaned as my back began to itch.

Luna fired off another blast of energy, and I was so focused on getting that itch scratched that I didn't notice the blast had gone under me completely and broke down a door. How was that possible? I looked behind me to see my wings flapping. I was flying. See this was the kind of experience that made this new life worth living. Then I dropped and fell to the floor and began rolling.

Yeah, if I survive, I gotta learn to use these things.

I rolled under a guard who picked me up, a yellow coated fellow. His armor covered his mane but his eyes were deep blue on one and green on another. He seemed nice enough, something about him didn't sit right with me though. He looked at me a bit too deeply...I named him Pedo-Pony.

Luna arrived shortly after, totally composed as if nothing had happened. Gotta admit, crazy horse knows how to work it.

“I'll take him General Flat Top.” She said with a certain demure. He handed me over and she took me back to her room and held me over the crib. “Thou hath put up a good fight, but I clearly outmatch thee in every way” she said as that psychotic expression crept back into her face.

Well I was toast, not much to say there. She had me, nowhere to run and even if I could I didn't have the stamina. Her horn began radiating a blue light, the light in the room slowly began being over shadowed by it. She started cackling.

“SHUT UP!” I shouted as I grabbed her face and slammed my head into hers. She dropped me into the crib as her eyes rolled back into her head, she lost her balance and fell down unconscious. I just looked at her with amazement, never had my hard head saved me. I sat there in the crib, shocked, petrified, unable to move or think. A burst of energy hit me.

“And THAT is how Equestria was made!” I exclaimed with glee and gumption before falling out exhausted.

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I awoke to the sound of screams. Luna had forgot to close the door last night, and in-front of it was the early morning janitor. He was crying into his hooves due to the extra work me and Luna gave him. I heard someone walking around, it was Celestia walking through the hall, passing by the door I saw her eyes closed and humming a softly tune.

Well, I had survived the night, I had used my wings, even if on accident, and I managed to knock out an alicorn like a BOSS. I felt pretty good about myself.

“Oh yes!" She stopped in-front of the door and opened her eyes. "Luna, please wake up.” Celestia gently beckoned her. And what do ya know, Luna woke up.

“Yes, dear sister?" Luna grunted, it was clearly a lot of effort for her.

"Are you alright?" Celestia questioned.

"I'm fine, i'm just tired. I do sleep during the day afterall" Luna replied with grogginess in her voice.

“Yes, yes I know. But if it is too much trouble...” Celestia seemed unsure.

“Nothing is too much trouble dear sister.” Luna still groggy and yawning a bit.

“Well alright then. It seems I shall be gone for a few days, and I entrust you with the task of raising the sun and the moon.” Celestia said, with that calm voice I had grown to be so accustomed to.

Luna on the other hand shot up like a rocket and began running her mouth a mile a minute. “I-I-I-I-I- B-B- UHH- There- Uhh- You see..." She stopped to collect herself, "Sister I can't take care of both sun AND moon while keeping the child!” She panicked, must be worried I was gonna knock her crazy horse face out again.

“Luna calm down, I know you are not ready for that kind of responsibility yet, so I've asked Twilight and her friends to take care of him for us. This way I can take care of business, and you can take care of the Solar and Lunar cycles.” She said as if she had rehearsed.

She walked up to the crib, and seeing I was awake, leaned her head in and began cooing at me.

“How is my little Shifting Sands doing this morning? Hmm? He doesn't look so well. Does Mama need to comfort her baby boy again?” she said with that tone.

I grabbed a small plastic car and shoved it into her mouth. Her head came back to the upright position her eyes staring into space. Probably wondering if she had done something wrong.

“If you wanna comfort me, do it when I'm being attacked by your crazy sister!” I shrieked in rage. Of course, she did not understand, she took the toy out of her mouth and kissed my forehead. She then walked out with the car in hoof. That was my favorite toy too...

Luna's eyes shot towards me like arrows. "Do not think that this is over young one, there is an entire night between today and tomorrow. We will have a rematch, and I will win!" She said threateningly.

I flicked her nose and went back to bed. If this is going to happen again, I'll need ALL the rest I can get.

----------

Nightfall had shown itself again. Me and Luna were staring at each other, both of us trying to ware down the morale of the other. Neither one of us made a move.

"Art thou prepared for thine defeat"? Luna said to me, clearly full of stamina.

"This might be harder than i thought..." I whimpered to myself.

The tension was thick, the air itself became the only barrier between me and Luna getting into a brawl. Neither of us moved, the tension grew thicker, I could feel the sweat drip down my head and seeing Luna's smile grow didn't help. I didn't know what to do. Luna obviously wasn't going to give me a chance to escape, and every move I could think of making led to an inevitable defeat.

Then I threw caution to the wind and made my move.

"Knight to F5" I said as I moved the chess piece to the side of my king.

"Queen to F5" She said as she took my knight and gave me that wholeheartedly happy grin.

I tossed the board on the side of the room and walked to my crib and pointed to it, signaling her to put me back in.

"Could ye possibly upset? Pray tell what could have possibly upset thee?" She said her head held up high. I pointed to the bed again.

"Ye are obviously upset." She said as she picked me up and dropped me in the crib. "I hath shown my mind tis the superior one!" Luna screamed in her royal canterlot voice.

I turned the other way ignoring it. A this point my ears had adjusted to being broken by her voice. Luna began dancing in victory. I gave her a look of distaste, and she only continued to dance the night away. I then heard this ringing. Not the usual that came from her voice, it was different, deeper. A strange hiss had begun to creep into my ears along side the ringing.

In a snap, I desired to leave the castle. I don't know where I wanted to go, or how to get there, but I had to leave. I began shaking the crib screaming out in rage. I began kicking the bars with my hind legs and after three to four good ones, they were beginning to crack

"I know ye are upset, but aren't thee taking it a bit too far?" Luna said frantically, more than likely worried she would get in trouble again.

I ignored her and broke two of the bars and jumped out the crib and ran for the door, I began to treat the door the same way i did the bars. I was encircled in a blue glow and pulled away from the door. It was Luna, blocking my path. She picked me up with that same magic and brought me near, I growled, snarled and tried to bite her.

"What hath gotten into thee?" She wondered, "Even for thee, thine behavior is surely unkempt" her voice lowered and she sharpened her gaze.

She reacted in the only way she could, she frantically shook me around the room until I snapped back into myself.

"Whatever caused ye to behave like that, we cannot have it happening while ye are away. Are we understood?" She closed up on me.

Unfortunately I didn't hear a single word she said, a strong movement in my stomach made it's way to my throat and then...

The castle walls were filled with Luna's screams, the windows shattered, the floors cracked, the grounds shook, lightning and thunder broke through the sky. All this and Celestia STILL didn't wake up.

"Oh...you're mad now. Uhm, any chance we could forget this ever happened?" I said and tried to smile innocently. I even made a squee sound. She put me in the crib, used her magic to fix the bars and put a barrier around me. She left to clean herself, once she had came back she ignored me and began booming her music and playing Diablo 3.

Thanks to the barrier she had place, the sound didn't get through too much. I laid back thinking about the day i would experience tomorrow.

"Being taken care of by the Mane 6? This is clearly going to be trouble, I can imagine it now. Rainbow Dash ignoring me in totality, Pinkie Pie screaming out my ears, Rarity treating me as if I'm filled with diseased, Fluttershy...poor thing." I said regretfully.

"Who knows how badly I scared her at the party, applejack might take good care of me, and then we come to Twilight. I'm not even sure what to think of her. I might as well be stuck with another 'Loona' once that point is reached. I guess I'll find out tomorrow, it is a new day after all."

The triple threat and single fret

View Online

Here I sit at Sugarcube Corner, with the pink mare known as Pinkie Pie. She is...to say the least-

“ARE YOU ENJOYING YOUR DAY BABY!? ARE YA!? Because if not we could play the favorite word game! IT'S WHERE YOU GUESS THE FAVORITE WORD OF THE OTHER PLAYER! One of mine is cumquat, it's a funny word! Now you say it! Did you know how much I like funny words? There's an even better one but you have to guess that one, guess! Come on! Guess! YOU CAN DO-”

“SHUT UP! FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS DECENT, SHUT UP!” I scream as I shove my hoof into her mouth.

Where was I? She is, to say the least, infuriating.

I take my hoof out of her mouth because she's still mumbling over it anyway.

“Aw is someone cranky? Let's see if we can change that!” She screamed at me with that happy voice.

I grab her head and look her dead in the eyes. “Pinkie. I will end you.” I gave her the same headbutt I gave Luna. No effect.

“Oh Oh Oh! Is this a game!?” She squeed.

I tried again and again and again, no effect, every time! NOTHING! Why? “What makes you so immune, monster, tell me!!” I raged.

I turned her head to the side and looked into her ear, I had to make sure there was a brain in there. I couldn't see anything, it was too dark.

“OH! IS IT MY TURN YET!?” She exploded in joy, shortly before she grabbed my head and turned it to the side.

What on earth is she-

She stuck her head into one of my ears and came out the other.

“PEEKABOO!” She shouted.

“Who-What...WHAT?! How is that even possible!?” My mind raced as pinkie was, apparently, ghosting through it.

She pulled her head out and looked at me. “Hey what kind of Pie do you like? Banana? Cream? Pumkin? Apple? Oh we have really good apple pies, the best apples in all of equestria come from here! Sweet apple acres, where my friend Applejack works, speaking of Applejack she's the pony of HONESTY! She's the most bestest and honestestest(?)Pony I know!”

I grabbed her ears and screamed at the top of my lungs, desperately bashing my head against hers on a beat.

“WHY. DON'T. YOU. MAKE. ANY. SENSE!?”

I heard the crying of two more kids. A filly and a colt, it was Pumpkin and Pound cake. I hadn't seen them all day, pinkie kept me downstairs and them upstairs. Probably trying not to burden herself too much, it would make sense after-

I watch her bring down the two foals. “Why does my logic not work with her?” I murmured.

She sat the two Cakes next to me and began to entertain us. I wasn't sure what I was seeing.

“What...what exactly is going on here?” I asked.

“I think she's doing a mime?” A small female voice said.

My eyes shot open and looked around, “Who said that?”

“Uhm, me?” The voice said.

“Me who?” I stammered. A pony that could understand me? That shouldn't be.

Pumpkin grabbed my head “ME, ME THAT'S WHO!”

My jaw dropped. “You...You can talk?”

“Yeah, we can.” A small male voice said. I turned around to see it was Pound Cake.

“You act like you've never talked to another foal before.” Pumpkin said as she nudged me.

“Err, well, no. I haven't spoken to another before, you two are the first.” I said stunned.

“HEY PAY ATTENTION BABIES, YOU'LL MISS THE FIREWORKS!” Pinkie screeched.

“She brought pyrotechnics...while BABY SITTING!?” I said with a terrified face.

“Don't worry about it, we'll quiet things down.” Pound cake said to me, taking a small nod to his sister. They both began to cry out loud.

My expression deadpanned. “Yep, this is the true definition of 'quiet', you two are amazing”

Pinkie began to panic, she ran around the room looking for toys to silence the two cakes. Nothing worked. With each new toy they only cried louder and louder.

“Uhh don't cry, look!” She said zooming in a puff of smoke and reappearing with a bag of flour. She tore it open and and let the flour cover her.

The cakes burst into laughter at the young mare. Pinkie seemed exhausted from the little they did, and said “Looks like it's time for a nap”

She picked us up, took us upstairs and set us down in the bed and walked out.

“How..did you do that? All you did was cry, and she was drained...” I questioned them.

“Practice. Now let's figure out what we're gonna do next. New kid, you've got horns AND wings, how well can you use them?” Pumpkin Cake asked sternly.

“I can't really use my wings...or my horn. They're really more for show than anything else.” I said withdrawing to a squeak.

“UGH! Who is this guy? What kind of pony can't use their horns OR wings?!” Pound Cake impatiently burst forth.

“I'm not a pony. I'm a changeling.” I corrected them.

“A what?” They said, with combined timing that only twins could do.

“A changeling. I can transform, fly and use magic...well, I can't but my kind can.” I stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Interesting.” They both said.

“Will you two cut that out? It's creepy.” I said as I turned my head.

“This coming from the guy with holes in his body.” Pound Cake retorted.

Touché...

“Look if I could use my abilities I would, I just don't know how...and last time I checked, no one was giving lessons to changelings.” I gave in.

They both popped me on the head and pointed at themselves. Them? They were going to teach me? They couldn't be serious, right?

Pumpkin crawled up to me.

“The first thing about magic is you have to realize your desire. Feel what you imagine, and imagine what you feel and make it real!”

“But how do I-” Pound cake slapped me.

“Did she ask for excuses? No? So do it!”

“Alright! Alright!” I raised my hooves in defense.

I closed my eyes and concentrated, I focused harder than I ever did in my human life. It felt odd, to actually be trying to succeed instead of just giving up and letting yourself fail. I opened my eyes to look at the cakes.

“Did I do it?” I asked worriedly.

“Not even a glow”, Pound Said to me, with little to no comfort I might add.

Failure again, I had gotten used to it so I shouldn't be hurt, right? But it did, probably because I tried this time.

“Well let's try your wings!” Pound Cake pointed to my back. “The way I use mine is like this!” he began flapping his wings and causing himself to float. Obviously he wasn't good at explanations, that, or he was trolling me pretty hardcore.

I tried flapping my wings by scrunching my back, nothing happened. I tried again but got the same result.

“Ok so your wings are useless.” Pound Cake gave me a disappointed stare.

I sighed deeply and told them “I had used them once before, but it was on accident, my back was itching and I was trying to get it off”

Pumpkin and Pound knocked on my head again, speaking in a twin voice that REALLY creeped me out. “Helloooo! Do we really have to connect the dots for you?”

I knocked on their heads, “Helloooo! Yes.” I gave a blank expression.

They facehoofed themselves, then me. “You know, we met not 10 minutes ago and we already have a deeply physical relationship, good job, everypony.”I gave an expressionless face to them.

“If you flew trying to scratch your back, then obviously that feeling was the key!” Pumpkin said getting rowdy.

Wow, was I really so stupid that it took two baby horses to point that out? Whatever the case may be, I had to test their theory out. I attempted to scratch the spot on my back as I did the night with Luna. Lo and behold, they began to flutter and I began to float. The feelings that ran through me were incredible, impossible to describe.

“I knew you could do it” Pumpkin gently said to me.

I smiled, I had done something right. If only my dad could...my wings slowly stopped. My dad...that man...he was a big time lawyer who always expected the best of me. I always tried my best and that's all that mattered to him. I could always count on my mother, regardless of what mess I had made she would always be there. Then that day came, I had to be no more than 6 at the time. I ran out into the street to chase after a rolling toy I had dropped, and then my mom...

After that day I couldn't live up to his expectations and so he treated me like a deathrow inmate. No kindness, No laughter, No time, No love.

“Hey snap out of it! What's wrong?” The twins shouted at me. I shook my head to focus myself. I had been crying, lost in my memories.

“Sorry, I just…” I cleared my throat, “So you said something about a plan?”

They looked to each-other with worried expressions, then back to me. “We can only make it work if you learn to control your wings better. I can help but you'd have to give up your nap.” Pound Cake put his hoof on my shoulder. Why is he all touchy now?

The rest of nap-time was spent with them explaining the basics of flight, practice and explaining the plan to me in detail, then we tried to get some rest.

“Time to wake up guys! Time to wake up!” A high pitched voice entered the room.

Who on earth could that be? The cakes and I must have, at most, gotten a minute of sleep.

We were suddenly picked up and placed on floor and loud singing began. We looked to each-other and realized it could only be one thing. Pinkie Pie.

We stared at her.

“Time to put plan into action?” I asked Pound and Pumpkin cake.

They nodded.

I cried as hard as I could attracting Pinkies attention. She made her way to me and began her attempts to calm me with silly faces. While she was distracted Pumpkin used her magic to unlock the chest of toys on the side of the room, Pound Cake went in and dug up a ball, blocks, and a marionette puppet.

He then made his way out the door and signaled the first part was done, then went around the corner to set things up. Seeing the sign, I stopped crying and hugged Pinkie with deep caring, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the hug. Holy hell is she fluffy.

Pound Cake came back then signaled to Pumpkin that it was her turn, she understood what she had to do. She began making toys float out of the chest and began biting them, she made sure one of them hit pinkie so that she'd notice. Pinkie saw her and instantly put me down to take the toy out her mouth, Pumpkin ran past her and out the door, where she was picked up by Pound Cake and flown downstairs.

Pinkie chased after them, she tripped on the puppet, her legs had been tangled by the strings of the puppet Pound Cake had placed on the stairs. I could hear her falling down them, it didn't sound pleasant.

Pumpkin Came up through the floor, it was my turn again. I grabbed a blanket and then she pulled me through the floor. I flew down, over Pinkies head, and into the kitchen. I met Pound Cake and he handed me the ball, grabbing the ball I flew into the bathroom and placed it in the tub. I flew back to Pound Cake, having done my job and made sure things were going according to plan.

He looked at me and nodded. Things were almost done, I flew over to the counter to check on Pumpkin, she was ready. I nodded to her and she hit the bell, obviously since pinkie was the only one here, and sugar cube corner with the closed sign on, she'd assume it was a theft.

She ran out to see what was going on

I grabbed Pumpkin and we flew through the roof and back into the bathroom. We met Pound Cake along at the destination, we plugged up the tub and he broke the nozzle, soon it would begin to flood.

At this point we needed to do one last thing and buy some time, Pinkie had no idea I could fly so obviously I was the best distraction.

I flew downstairs and peaked around to see if pinkie was there. The coast was clear so I landed and positioned myself as if I had fallen down the stairs, Pound Cake stomped down the stairs, adding emphasis to this illusion and being effective for the plan. He took one hard stomp and indented a certain spot on the stairs. I told him it was enough and he flew back to the bathroom. I cried again bringing pinkie to me, the look of fear on her face was incredible. I had no idea what was running through her mind, but obviously it wasn't good.

She picked me up and began checking me for injuries, I clearly knew that nothing would surface so I had to go act on the fly. I slapped her, wailed, and wiggled around to make sure she couldn't hold me. She placed me on the ground and ran to get something to take my mind off the, “pain” I was feeling. Once she left the room I flew out into the kitchen and pulled out the drawers, the drawers with ALL the dangerous objects in them. This wouldn't be enough, if I played the same joke twice, she'd catch wind.

So I went into the fridge and poured ketchup all over the floor, I then went into the mess of sharp objects and made a small pocket for myself. I then took a knife and stabbed it through a hole in my leg. Perfect is the word that ran through my mind. I cried aloud, wailing as if I had been hurt even more. Pinkie ran in and when she saw it, all the color drained from her body.

She ran over to me, picked me up, put all the sharp objects in the sink and began looking me over again.

It was at that time that I saw Pound Cake, he signaled it was time. I kicked out of pinkies grip and flew upstairs.

“SINCE WHEN COULD YOU FLY!?” She screamed in confusion. She then ran after me, she really shouldn't have. The water was spilling over the stairs and hallway.

Once she made it upstairs I had sat on the far side of the hall, she saw me and made a mad dash.

Almost there...

She continued.

A bit more...

She was determined to end this.

“NOW!” I screamed to Pumpkin. She had turned the blanket invisible so Pinkie couldn't see it, but now it was visible, and in-front of pinkies face, blinding her. I flew out the way of the incoming equine and onto the roof, Pinkie tried to stop but the water on the floor prevented it. She smacked right into the wall.

At that moment the ball had flowed out of the tub and followed the current of the water down the stairs. Pumpkin nodded to me and flew downstairs to wait for me and her brother. It was time to end this. I took one last look at Pound Cake and we started.

Pinkie took the blanket off her face and I once again flew downstairs. She was careful of the water this time, she wouldn't be fooled into another one of those invisible traps, but she wouldn't need to, they were clearly visible. No way she would fall for it then, right? That is unless a certain baby pegasus happens to, “accidentally” fly into you while walking down the stairs.

She walked onto the blocks and tripped down the stairs and onto the ball, it had been locked into place by the indent Pound Cake made when stomping on them. The ball bounced her into the air and onto a chair that had been placed for her safety.

She fainted.

Mission: Mess with Pinkie Pie.
Status: Accomplished.

We woke her up and helped her clean the mess we had made. After that we all gave Pinkie a big hug, she knew we were just playing after all and still loved us.

Pinkie put us back in the the crib and left.

“You did pretty well new guy” Pumpkin and Pound said to me in total, complete, horrific unison.

“Thanks, we'll have to do it again sometime.” I nodded to them.

I hugged them. You know it was nice having friends to play with, maybe being in the care of the mane six wouldn't be so-

“Do you mind?” I said to Pumpkin who was trying to eat my shoulder.

“Sorry, force of habit...and you do kinda look like cheese.” She squeed.

I shrugged it off and laid down to get some rest. Who would be taking care of me tomorrow? I wondered. It didn't matter too much, I could fly now, so if things didn't work out I could always leave.

I closed my eyes and awaited the morning to greet me.

---------

I awoke to the morning sun, and rose to greet Pound and Pumpkin Cake. They were nowhere to be found.

"Hello? Is anypony there?" I said curiously.

"No one but us" Whispered a strange voice from nowhere. I couldn't categorize it as male or female, it just existed.

"Who said that?!" I shouted looking around myself.

"No one." It laughed. "Someone."

"Which is it?" I questioned it.

"Both and neither." I relaxed.

"What do you want from me?" I said with a shivering voice.

"I want you to tell the truth." It echoed.

"What do you mean, 'tell the truth', I haven't lied to anyone!" I shouted.

The bed morphed into a claw and held me, the walls melted around me and behind them, darkness.

"Oh but you have. To yourself. These ponies don't care about you, none of them do." It teased me.

"You're wrong! They do care! They care a lot!!" I challenged it.

"You think so? Why? Because these are the same Technicolor Donkies you used to watch when you were human?!" It screamed at me as the grip of the claw got tighter.

"DO YOU HONESTLY THINK ANYONE WOULD CARE FOR INSIGNIFICANT BRAT LIKE YOU!? THEY DON'T LOVE YOU! THEY PITY YOUR PATHETIC EXISTENCE! But this is something you know, isn't it?" It began to antagonize me.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" I denied shaking my head, trying my best to block out the voice.

"Admit it, you know they wouldn't accept you if they knew about you and your...poor mother. Am I correct in saying that? Isn't that why you shrugged off the two cakes when they asked if you were ok?"

I remained silent. Tears began falling from my eyes.

"Awe did I hurt your feelings? Boo hoo, poor little murderer! Don't worry though, I only want you to tell the truth so I can give you power." The voice began vibrating into my body.

"Power?" I questioned.

"I know you, better than you know yourself. 'Why am I so weak?' 'Why couldn't I help her?' 'I wish I had the power to change things'. Those are your thoughts, correct? You want power and I can give it."

My expression went blank, the tears still streaming.

"Surrender to me, admit your worthlessness and give me all you are. I promise you, the power to change things for the better will come. You'll be more powerful than you could ever imagine! Just admit it."

Those words echoed in my brain over and over again. Was it right? Should i give into it?

"My patience grows thin boy! Answer me!"

Everything turned black, but in that darkness I could tell there was someone there. It didn't matter though, I didn't have the strength or the courage to resist.

"I admit" I resigned.

"Admit what?" It growled.

"I admit I-"

---------

I woke up in a cold sweat. It was all a dream? Just a bad...bad dream, everything was ok now.

It was still the middle of the night, and I could tell it would be a long one. I held onto Pumpkin, at the very least, if anything happened she could use magic to help me. I closed my eyes to fall asleep, and as i did i heard ringing and hissing.

Something told me my days in Ponyville wouldn't be as relaxing as I thought.

A day for remembrance

View Online

After last night's terrible experience I didn't get much sleep. I stayed awake most of the night.

I sigh to myself as I rub my eyes. “Hey Pumpkin, wake up,” I gently shook her, “I need to ask you something.”

She began to open her eyes, “What's the problem?” She yawned out. Her eyes showed that she really needed the sleep.

“I-Would you guys still be my friends if I was a murder?” I hesitantly asked.

“What's a murderer?” Her eyes still only barely open.

Of course she wouldn't know what a murder was, she was still a foal. I wasn't going to get any of the answers I looked for from her anyway, even if she did know, there's no way she'd believe I killed my mom when I was human.

“It's nothing, go back to sleep.” I gave her a gentle smile and watched her as she drifted back into dreamland. The smile quickly left as soon I was sure she was sleeping, I flew out of the bed and over to the door. I made sure to be silent, as pumpkin was still freshly asleep, she'd wake up if the buzz of my wings got too loud. It made things go a lot slower than I would have originally liked, but eventually I made it.

“I can't burden these ponies anymore, I have to leave.” I reached for the handle, anticipation building, my mind burning. I grabbed it.

The door opened and slammed me into the wall. I didn't know I could leave such deep imprints in walls.

An oh so too familiar voice hit my ears. “Pinkie you said he was in the crib, but he's not.”

I fell to the floor causing an ample thud.

“Please no. Please for the love of all that's good, don't let it be...” I shut my eyes tightly, trying to ignore the harsh reality.

I heard the door creek, “Never mind Pinkie, I found him. He uh, tried to hide behind the door” The female voice said, I dreaded this day.

I cracked open my right eye to see a blur. It was blue...the next words I heard echoed in my ears with terror.

“bring him on down, Dashie”

“Dashie”

“Dashie...”

“Dashie......”

My eyes grew with each repetition. Was today the day my world would end? Was today the day I would FINALLY die?! My mind flashed with agony and a single word. A single, elongated, word. Said by Darth Vader.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

She picked me up and brought me downstairs where Pinkie had been waiting on us.

Along the way I had been repeating the same word over and over again "Nope, Nope, Nope, Nope, Nope, Nope, Nope, Nope"

I honestly could not believe this had happened to me. Of ALL the ponies that I could be Sat by today, this one!? WHY!? Was i not suffering enough being a BABY?! No obviously not, there was more of my soul to drain.

"What have I ever done to you universe!? Why does thou torment me!?" I raised my hooves towards the ceiling in pleading.

“Be careful with this one, Dashie.” Pinkie gave a Semi-serious tone. Rainbow Dash only rolled her eyes and walked out the open door.

"Yeah, that's nice Pinkie" She replied with utter sarcasm.

"I'm serious! Watch out for him! He may be fun but he's dangerous!" Her voice still semi-serious.

She looked back at Pinkie and shot towards the sky, me in hoof screaming bloody murder. No, no, it wasn't because she was jetting a 90 degree angle with me, a child (in body) still adjusting to the sensation of flight. It was more because she accidentally, or I at least I assume it was, dropped me around...oh..eighty-thousand feet.

My reaction was cool and reflected though, I maintained a positive composure.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I'M GONNA DIE! NO PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE NO! NO! NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO”

ಠ_ಠ ...Shut up.

Ok so maybe I did panic a little. Anyway, at around ten or so feet from the ground she caught me.

And I know what you're thinking, "Why didn't you just fly", right? Simple, the fear I felt from being dropped caused them to clench to my back like a little filly.

“Whoops, sorry little guy, I kinda got into the feel of things” She sheepishly grinned.

“Once my lungs get back into my chest, i'm going to send you to the glue factory!” I said, trying to strangle her.

She began flying again, this time just above the houses. She was more cautious this time, and thank goodness, because another trip like that would surely cause me to hurl. Speaking of which, I wonder how Luna and Celestia are doing. I did miss them, even Luna's music blasting in my ears.

As I reminisced over the few memories I had with them, and before I knew it, Rainbow Dash had landed us in a field. Green went as far as the eye could see, with beautiful mountains standing tall in the distance. This clearly wasn't Ponyville.

“Just stay here,” She commanded me, as she jumped into the sky and began flying around.

She was very graceful, beautiful even, the rainbow streaks caused a sense and of joy and aspiration I had yet to feel.

I grabbed a rock and threw it at her. Dead center too. She crashed into the ground causing a small crater. Once she had managed to pull her head out of the ground she zoomed straight up to me.

“Did I do that? Oh what ever was I thinking? Bad changeling!” I said playfully smacking my own hoof.

“Not impressed with what you saw huh? Well how about this!” She said once again zooming high, she stopped and stared down.

“Oh no.” I grimaced.

“SONIC RAINBOOM!” She screamed dive-bombing the ground.

Rainbow Dash, was not only about to break the sound barrier, but also the visible light spectrum. In-front of a baby. Not only could she possibly deafen me, but blind me as well.

Best. FoalSitter. Ever.

The mach cone began to form around her. I didn't have much time left before the boom went off. I had to stop her before she ruined what little joys I was getting from this body.

I jumped into the sky myself and began barreling towards her. I honestly must be insane.

“I honestly must be insane.”

See? Even HE knows it.

I pushed as hard as I could flying at her, but I wasn't adjusted to the work flying required. My back began to ache, and I, to slow.

I was a sitting duck, standing right in the middle of the direct path with a Sonic Rainboom. I was a goner...again.

Rainbow crashed into me, and I went into the ground with excessive force. The crater I made was even bigger than the one she made, about eight or nine times bigger.

The pain in my body was indescribable, the very thoughts in my brain caused pain.

Rainbow Landed in-front of the hole, “Oooh oh man, I can't believe that just happened" She stuck her head in, “Uhh, you alright Shifting Sands?”

“Did you inject that license plate of pirate with nuclear water bagel yet? ” I screamed out of the hole.

“Don't worry! I'm gonna go get help!” She said in a hurry, dashing away.

“OFF WITH THEIR BUTTS!” I shouted, then blacked out.

--------------------

I woke up in the hospital. The blue pegasus standing over me.

“So is he gonna be ok?” Rainbow asked the Doctor, a light green unicorn with a frizzy blue mane and tail. His tail looked like it had been in a wild fire, scorched, uneven, blackened. Which is weird considering his profession. His eyes were different too, one bigger than the other.

“Yes this chair is perfectly fine! Could use a tad more oil though, but overall the wood is perfect!” He said talking to a window.

He was obviously qualified to take care of me.

“I think I would've been better off in the hole...” I whispered.

“No, I mean the changeling, and i'm over here!” She facehoofed.

“Oh yes him? He'll be fine, remarkable little thing he is. It seems his fractures, cuts, and bruises began healing instantly. Although his bullet holes don't show any sign of closing any time soon.” He said pushing a cotton swab through them one of my holes.

I looked up at the Doctor and thought “My life, was in the hooves of this colt.” I began to hyperventilate, the heart monitor went off like a car alarm.

“Is he gonna be alright!?” Rainbow Dash said startled by the sudden increase in beeps.

“Yes, perfectly fine! That just means he's ready to leave. Give him some apple juice and his throat should be good as new! Oh and don't forget, he'll need reading glasses, poor thing has horrible eyes.” He assured with a certainty I could not believe.

His very voice and every word it uttered caused a rush of fear and dismay, “You gave HIM legal responsibility over my body!?” the heart monitor rose rapidly. My eyes rolled back into my head.

"DOCTOR SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH HIM!" Rainbow Dash screamed in fear.

"Excuse me, young missy, i've been working here for years. I think i know a thing or nine about medicine!"

"THIS WAS THE COLT IN CHARGE OF ME?!"

I fainted again.

--------------------

“Ian....Ian...Wake up Ian...” A woman's gentle voice reached my ears. It was familiar, too familiar.

I looked around myself, a room of darkness slowly filling. Once the room filled i turned around to see my mother, standing over my bed trying to wake my younger self up.

I opened my eyes to see my mother, her light magenta eyes looking down at me. I reached out to her and she smiled. She reached out to me and lifted me into the air, the sound of our laughter filling the place. She pulled me to her and held me tight, that warmth I would never forget.

“This day... I remember it...” I said with a weak voice.

“Ian, don't forget to bring something to entertain yourself. It's going to be a long trip, today.”

“Ok Mama, but which one should I take?” My younger self questioned looking at the toybox. I was so indecisive back then it was crippling.

“Hmm, how about,” she reached in ”This one!” Pulling out clear ball with a turtle figurine in the center.

“Yeah that one!” The small me said in said in excitement.

I watched her pull my younger self through the door into a blinding light, that loving smile on her face. I followed her into the light and found myself outside, at a cross walk. I watched my younger self toss that ball into the air multiple times, 4, 5, 6, 7, each time I smiled at myself for being able to go higher each time.

“Mama, why do turtles have shells?” The child me asked in innocent curiosity.

“Hmm? Oh, so that when a turtle sees something scary, something that it doesn't like, it can always hide away! When the turtle is in it's shell, nothing can hurt it.” She said radiating in her heavenly glow, smiling. Always smiling.

“That's cool, Mama!” My younger self said tossing the ball into the clouds once more.

“Move it kid.” Some stranger said as he shoved me aside. I missed the chance to grab the ball out the air but I wasn't going to let that stop me from having fun..

It bounced on the ground and rolled into the crosswalk. I chased after it, knowing little about the high speed chase that I was about to be struck by.

“Ian! NO!” My mother screamed, rushing in and pushing me out of the way of the incoming car.

I closed my eyes, I couldn't bare to see that sight again.

“MAMA! MAMA WAKE UP!” A voice pierced through the shroud of shadow.

The darkness lifted and I saw myself screaming to my mother while she lay on a stretcher. She opened her eyes to look at me, the woman who had eyes bright enough to challenge the sun was gone. And in her place was this woman, who's eyes were pale and empty. She was slipping and even then I knew.

“Ian, don't worry. Mama,” she took a jagged breath, “Mama will be fine.”

I was too shocked to know how to reply to that, all I gave were tears. Her shaky hand wiped them away each time.

“You know Mama loves you, right?” She said her weak voice failing her. I nodded. “Then do Mama a favor, no matter what happens. Never give up your hope or joy, and share them with others whenever you can. Protect them.”

“Like the turtle...?” I whispered.

“Yes, sweetie. Like the...turtle...”

They moved her into the ambulance and drove away, the police by my side holding my shoulders.

The doctors said she died on the way to the hospital. When my father heard the details of her death, he cut me off. I was just a walking burden to him now, and when we got home, he showed it by breaking my nose. I deserved it, what i had done could not be forgiven by any standard.

There was no way to apologize, to bring her back and say I was sorry. She didn't deserve it.

She was a good mother, she did her very best to make sure I was Ok. She fought for me in every way necessary. She even used her last breath to tell me she loved me, and tried to make sure I would stay happy after she passed. Even on her deathbed, she treated me with kindness. And what did I do? I killed her. I murdered her.

I wasn't a person worth breathing, let alone loving.

“It was all my fault. I should have known better...” I said to myself, my voice lacking any and all kind of emotion.

The darkness of this strange world began to wrap around me.

"I wish I could change that moment, to make it how things should have been. To make it so I died that day instead of you."

--------------------

I awoke to Rainbow Dash flying in the sky again, myself laying in that same patch of field as before. I sat up and looked around. It had all been another dream.

“I'm sorry mom...I really didn't mean to.” I sobbed to myself.

Rainbow Dash saw I was awake and flew down to me, “Hey there little guy, what's the matter?” she said getting too close to me.

I turned my head down and wiped my tears away. The guilt I felt was eating me away, I couldn't force myself to look at her. I couldn't even talk to anyone about my problems because of this form.

Rainbow walked to my side and sat next to me.

“Look kiddo, i'm not sure why you're crying. Hay i'm not even sure if you can understand me. But...whatever happens, I want to you know i've got your back.” She put her hoof around my shoulder.

I simply ignored her, my mind still replaying the events that had come forth. I wonder what would have happened if I had them about it, about the woman I killed in cold blood. Would they still try to be my friends then?

Rainbow Dash smacked me on the back and floated in-front of me.

"Now come on, I saw your flying skills, you're in need of a Rainbow Dash special work out!" She gloated.

"I honestly wish you had been turned into cupcakes." I sighed as I stood up and made myself hover above the ground.

"DID I SAY YOU COULD LEAVE THE GROUND, MAGGOT!?" She screamed.

My head cocked back from the shock, I landed in direct obedience to her.

"MAGGOT, I WANT YOU TO START FLAPPING THOSE LITTLE WINGS AS HARD AS YOU CAN AND THE ONLY THING I WANNA SEE IS A BURST OF WIND TRAILING FROM YOUR BACK SIDE, AM I UNDERSTOOD!?"

"SIR, YES SIR!" I said in reply. The hell was I doing?

I began fluttering my wings as hard as I could, creating a small breeze.

"NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" She shouted.

I tried harder, but got little results.

"I SAID THAT WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH, ARE YOUR EARS NOT WORKING!?" She knocked on my skull.

I tried even harder, I even began to sweat, but only got a small improvement, and I was also losing the strength to keep it up.

"IS THAT THE BEST YOU CAN DO, YOU WORTHLESS MAGGOT!?" She said adjusting herself to my height to scream in my face.

"Do. Not. CALL. ME! WORTHLESS!! YOU STUPID HORSE!!!!!!" I erupted as my wings burst into green and blue flames and rocketed me forward, the burst powerful enough to cause a gust across the valley. I was stunned at how fast I was going

"Upgrade acquired." I exclaimed as my horn also became covered in flame, turning me into a living fireball.

"Achievement: SWAG!" My joy blooming like a flower, until I ran headfirst into a tree.

Rainbow Dash followed up behind me, "That was awesome! Not as awesome as me, mind you, but still AWESOME! You've got potential Shifting Sands, some real potential...Uh..You stay here, I need to go practice my Sonic Rainboom."

I waved her off.

"Wait...Sonic Rainboom?! I KNEW I SHOULD'VE SENT YOU TO THE GLUE FACTORY!" I screeched trying to pull my head out of the tree. No go, the tree was holding on tight.

I sighed. "I really hate this mare"

I waited for the sound and flash, but nothing came. Was she alright? Was she going even higher? After 15 good tugs, I finally managed to get out of the tree, I saw that she had just been floating there, pondering to herself.

"What on earth could SHE be thinking about?" I mirrored her movements. She flew back down to me. "No, no, I can't outshine you. Today was your moment, it wouldn't be fair for me to take it. Besides, it got your mind off whatever was putting you down." She remarked humbly.

"Rainbow Dash...you're a good pony, i'd even be willing to call you my friend, if you weren't such a walking death trap, but thank you for everything." I said relaxed, content with the morning sun setting into night.

Once she landed I walked up to her and crawled on her back and laid down. I was too tired to do anything else in the day.

She smiled at me and laid down where she stood.

Today may have had it's ups and downs but at the very least nothing too strange happened. No voices, no images of ponies turning against me, no unexplained rage. Nothing. That made the day worth going through, even if I was stuck with the worlds worst foal sitter. She'll make a fine glue.

The diamond and the rough

View Online

I awaken with a yawn and stretch of my arms, slowly opening my eyes. I look around me to see if Rainbow Dash had woken up herself, to my surprise she was not around me. Nor was I in the same place, rather I was in a bedroom.

The place smelled of perfume. Mannequins designed like ponies around the room, with a mirror on the far right of the room. A window on the left with frilly curtains. If I didn't know any better I'd say this room belonged to, Rarity. I had to leave as soon as I could. I jumped off the bed, began batting my wings and made my way to the window. I looked around to make sure there wasn't a pony within sight. I opened the window as quietly as I could and flew out.

“Huh, that was actually easy. Maybe things are finally turning my way.” I said with a light hearted grin. Before I was jumped by a blur of white. Rarity? No, too small. Sweetie belle? No, too soft.

I landed onto the floor, rolling backwards with this thing ontop of me.

“Not on the first date!” I screamed as I kicked that fluffy mound away from me. I stood and faced it to see, Opalescence.

The famed cat of terror and destruction.

“Oh great, cats. I HATE cats” I deadpanned, as Opal hissed at me bringing out her claws. “And you're obviously none too fond of me either, so do us both a favor, ya fuzzball. Let me go, and we can both be happy”

I began pushing my hoof into the floor, prepared to fight. I had the upper-hand with my superior human intellect. I leaned my head down, preparing my horn for action.

Opel stretched her arms and legs out, raising her tail and hissing even louder.

“So, you gonna let me go, or are we gonna do this the hard way?”

We stood there, sizing each-other up.

Opal made the first move, dashing for me. I quickly ran the other away.

“HELP! HELP! SOMEONE GET THIS THING AWAY FROM ME!” I whined and shrieked in terror.

You see I didn't hate cats because they weren't my kind of animal, rather, I was terrified by them.

I jumped on one of the Ponnequin to avoid the clawed beast, however she simply began clawing her way up to me. I jumped down and kicked it over causing a rather nice crash into a dresser. Served it right. I lifted my nose at it.

Opal still wasn't done though, she ran at me again and I, once more, ran the other direction.

“Wait a second, I'm a changeling. Why the hell am I so scared of a cat?” I pondered.

I turned around once more to challenge the clawed terror and looked it in the eyes as it made it's way at me. Those eyes.

“Oh yeah, now I know why i'm scared. DEM EEEEYYYEEESSS!” I screamed running up the bed frame of Rarity's bed. Opal clawed her way up the wood and cloth. I looked around and had nowhere to go. Wait! The window!

“If I fly fast enough I can leave without any additional issues!” I grinned happily at the thought of freedom.

“Well would y'all look at this? Leavin' yer winda open with a baby in the house. Some ponies I tell ya” I heard a heavy southern accent say in disappointment.

“Well it's not my fault, I made sure it was closed before we left. It must have been Sweetie Belle.” A voice posh voice.

“Rarity and Applejack? They're BOTH watching me? I have to get out of here, now!” I said making a dash for the window.

“Oh well, no harm done I suppose” I heard the marshmallow mare say, before she magically closed the window, with me still careening towards it. I splat on the window, my face crunched and my body aching.

“I...Hate you all...” I said as I began sliding down with a ear piercing squeak.

I fell to the floor, Opal staring down at me with a smile on her face, claws out.

“EEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYSSSSSSSSSSS” I internally squealed.

Opal wasted no time, she slashed her claw at me.

“Hold on there partnar!” The southern voice shouted out before tying the white cat down with rope. “See? I told ya it was a good idea to bring mah rope”

“Applejack, really! Is there any need to be so rough with my poor little Opal Woppal?” She said levitating the cat and undoing the rope with her magic.

“Yer Opal Whoapal was just about to give the Princess' new baby boi a bad haircut.” Applejack stomped a hoof.

“Puh-Leez, Opalescence wouldn't hurt a fly!” She said defensively for the demon. “Besides, I can't have his hair tied up all day. Maybe Opal was just trying to help mommy by, shaving a bit off the top” You could easily tell she was making it up.

I just shook my head, trying to take it all in. Then something hit me in the face, stringy, silky, annoying, and, blue? I grabbed it to try and find where it was coming from and I ended up pulling my own head forward.

It was hair, my hair.

“I have hair!? Since when!?” I said, unsure whether to be happy or not.

“Rariteh, just make sure that thing don't skin the princess' boy none, ok?” Applejack said giving up all hope for Rarity.

“Fine.” Rarity raised her head away from Applejack. “Now if you'll excuse me” she used her horn to push Applejack out the room and close the door. I guess I was only being sat by Rarity after all. She looked at me, circling around me, the same way Celestia had on the night of my arrival.

“What are you-” I cut myself off as am orange ribbon popped out of thin air and onto my head. My jaw dropped, soon a green bow tie had appeared on my neck, then a frilled grey sweater appeared on me.

“Nothing! Nothing works, no matter what color I put on you, I can't take the attention away from those darned holes! Unless...IDEEAAAA! Opal, stay here and watch over Shifting Sands while i'm gone.” She said trotting off with a smile.

I turned my attention to Opal, who had cracked that LOVELY grin on her face.

“Son of a Filly did not just leave me here with Psycho Kitty.” I deadpanned and hoofed my face.

Opal began closing in, slowly, as if enjoying it. I tried to fly away but the sweater held my wings down.

“I don't suppose we could, put the recent past behind us and become good friends, right?” I whimpered.

She took out her claws, still closing in.

“Think Ian, what are you gonna do!? You just lost one your entire arsenal, and your opponent is coming in for a quick kill WHAT DO YOU DO!?” I thought to myself in a panic.

“Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right B, A, Start?”

The cat stopped.

“It worked?”

She began closing in again. Apparently she just was confused by my words. I wonder how they must have sounded to her.

“I don't want to die, I was just getting used to being here. And then miss pish and posh comes along and is all 'Oh no! He doesn't match the color of the drapes! Let's find something to change-”

Green flames had erupted from the ground and I had been engulfed in them. My skin boiling and my bones breaking. I could feel every molecule in my body exploding and reforming and changing into something else. The flames became hotter, and tightened on me, burning my skin even more than it already was. Lucky for me though, the clothing was burned off too. Most of it, the bow had just been singed.

My throat was being blown up like a balloon, my spin being stretched and ripped from the seems.

My mind told me to fear it, but my body told me to enjoy it. And I did.

The flames spiraled around me before jotting off in a shock-wave of power, breaking the window, scorching the room, and blasting back the deranged cat. I stopped and looked around for a moment, things were lower than they were before, or rather, I was higher. I looked to the ground to see my black, holed hooves had turned white and marshmallow like...and not holed..

I burst with joy “I transformed? I TRANSFORMED! HA-HA! THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT! TRANSFORMERS ROLL OUT!!” I stood up shouting to the roof.

I closed my eyes, my grin getting bigger each second and began shuffling and moon walking. I spun around, 'grabbed' my nether regions and screamed “HOO! C'MON NAO”

I opened my eyes to see Rarity, her mouth agap.

“Uh, I can explain?” I retracted back down to my front hooves. She looked at my horn to see the bow.

“Shifting Sands. May I kindly ask WHAT THE HAY YOU'RE DOING IN MY BODY!?” She screamed, piercing my ears worse than the Royal CanterLock ever had.

“Hmm, I guess that explains the weight.” I muttered.

“WHAT?!” A wall of flame burst forth from behind her. “DID YOU JUST CALL ME FAT!?”

How was she doing that without setting fire to the place? Where did it even come from?

“Wait! You can understand me?” I was baffled. I was no longer stuck with baby gibberish! I could speak! And the first pony to hear me, was Rarity, whose weight I... just... oh hell....

“I'LL TARE YOU APART!!” She screamed blasting me out through the wall, into a the street with nothing but her voice.

“Dur-hur-hur, did anyone see that bus?” I said dizilly.

“A BUS!? DID YOU JUST SAY I'M AS BIG AS A BUS!?”

I shook my head to regain my senses.

“Rarity! Listen, about the weight thing!-” She ran and bucked me in the face. Next thing I knew, I was looking at myself sit on Celestia's back, in an Oprah house.

The other me looked back and saw me “Oh, that time already?” he stated as if it didn't bother him in the least.

“Where am I!?” I Panicked.

“You're a week in the future. Don't ask, I don't know how either.” Again with that nonchalant tone. "But don't worry, I know how to send you back. Tomorrow is a very special day.” He said jumping of Celestia's back, smiling at me with his fangs bared. She didn't seem to notice as she was crying. Apparently this was the part of the play where the hero dies.

He walked up to me and said “Close your eyes and brace yourself”

“Brace myself? For wha-” I, er, He bucked me in the face, and I found myself laying on the ground again. I sat up to see rarity running at me, as she did right before she bucked me the last time.

She literally bucked me into next week, where I literally bucked myself into last week.

A word reverberated in my soul.

“WHAT!?”

Gonna pretend that never happened. Until next week when it does happen.

She tried to buck me again, but i managed to avoid because, you know. Future knowledge and all.

I got up and ran as fast as I could, leaving a blazed trail behind me. I don't even wanna think about what would happen if she unleashed full fury.

She kept up with me, her bloodshot eyes locked onto me like prey. I tried to explain, but she only got angrier each time I tried. We ran through a park track, one with a bunch of trees. It was familiar.

“This is the where the running of the leaves takes place! Awesome! Maybe I can figure a way out of this” I thought to myself. “If I succeed, I will have some time to figure things out. If not, well I don't wanna think about that”

I ran to the edge of the track and stopped, and turned to her. She stopped aswell ready to pummel me into mud. Her hooves lifting to smash me again.

“RARITY WAIT! There's something I need to tell you!” I said ready for total destruction. She stopped to hear what I had to say.

“Better make it quick, your next words will be your last!” She threatened. I could tell she wasn't kidding.

I bucked a tree behind me and caused the leafs to fall on her.

“SUCCESS!” The leafs burned into nothingness. “Oh, you look angry. Did anyone ever tell you red isn't a good color on you?” She began to produce steam, snarling like a lion.

“Ok, plan B.” I kicked copious amounts of dirt into her mane, coat and mouth. I then ran to the center of the park through the trees.

“Ok! I have eleven, maybe ten, seconds to figure out how I transformed.” I heard a voice crack like thunder and and strike like lightning. “Think! I was just mimicking Rarity and poof! Let's try that!” I rushed myself.

I saw a newspaper on the ground, I picked it up and sat down on a park bench. I raised the paper in-front of my face and shut my eyes, praying for the best.

“Excuse me, have you seen, well, me, running around?” Rarity asked.

I hesitantly lowered the paper, nodded my head and pointed in a random direction.

“Oh thank you, Lyra” She said galloping away.

“No problem, Rarity.” I continued my charade.

Something was wrong, she stopped and turned around. I could hear faint whispers.

“Wait a second...Lyra doesn't have a mustache!” She looked and ran full speed at me “SHIFTING SAAAAANDS!”

“Oh crap!” I said running away mach eighty-three through the track. I began weaving and bobbing through the trees and bushes and suddenly found myself outside a bridge leading to the center of Ponyville. I ran through it and stopped, looking around to see what I could do.

“Gotta run, gotta hide, gotta go right now, gotta go, gotta go, gotta go!” I said galloping in place.

A roar erupted behind me, it caused some ponies to faint in terror. I slowly turned to see Rarity, her eyes bright crimson.

“BAD DAY!” I said running away again. “What would twilight do in this situation!? Think!” I began transforming again, my body became purple, my mane reached down a bit into my face. I turned a corner and passed by the REAL twilight.

“What the!?” She gasped.

“I saw you punk!” Rarity shouted leaping onto her.

I heard screaming in the distance behind me.

“Thank you Twilight for being so convenient.” I bowed my head in respect for what may have been the last time I would see the lavender horse.

After a brief second or two I continued straight ahead and ended up at Sugar cube corner.

“Time to ditch this form. I gotta become someone rarity would never expect.” I heard a pompous voice on the side of the store. I walked forward and saw somepony being rude to Fluttershy.

A pegasus male, white maned and tailed, with light green eyes and dark grey coat. His cutie mark was a dollar-sign clock.

“I don't care WHERE you were going, you tripped ME and I demand you pay me what I am owed!” The rude stallion stated.

“But sir, it wouldn't have happened if you, um, weren't running so fast...” The weak Pagasus, Fluttershy whimpered, leaning back.

“ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY IT WAS MY FAULT?! LOOK, YOU!” He put his hoof on her muzzle “Either you pay me what I am owed or I will bring legal action!”

“B-But I don't know what you want.” She said now a small whisper.

“Isn't it obvious? Your actions have delayed me far too long, so you will pay me all the money I have lost in the time I wasted on you!” He roared. Fluttershy began to cry. I didn't like this sight at all.

“Nobody messes with MAI WAIFU!” I screamed internally. “I think I know just who to become,” I cleared my throat. “Treat me like a pushover, and you'll get the once over!”

A green flame engulfed me. I had become iron will, except my fur was green instead of blue, but close enough.

I walked over to the situation.

He began to roar again. “Now do as I-”

“EXCUSE ME!” I interrupted “May a I ask what is going on here?”

“Iron Will? Where did you come from? And what happened to your fur?” She questioned.

“Not important, tell me what's happening here and now.” I said trying to play off the question.

“Well, you see I was going to get some food for my pet, Angel, he's a bunny. And as I was walking I accidentally tripped him. I said I was sorry and I really am!” She whimpered again.

I looked to the stallion “She said she was sorry, move on.” I demanded.

“SORRY DOESN'T CUT IT YOU BIG LUMMEX! I own a business running the pegasus races! Every second I am not at work I lose money for potential races, racers and sponsors!” He said provokingly.

I leaned in close to him. “Last time I checked, you had wings. You could have used those to get where you needed to go. Not even that, if such a big shot, like yourself, is here. Why walk? Why not have someone take you? Unless of course, that was a bold face lie you just told me. If that was a lie I would have to assume this is a scam.” I stated matter-of-factly

His eyes grew, I knew I hit the nail on the head. Time to press further and seal this conversation.

“If this were a scam, i'm afraid I would have to involve the police. But that is, of course, after you deal” I cracked my knuckles, “With me.” I deepened my voice on that last part, It just really felt right.

“N-N-No need to go so far old chap! Accidents happen every day! Uhm, I'll be on my way.” He said flapping his wings, flying away at speeds that would challenge Rainbow Dash.

After he left my sights, I left the area. Iron will is too big a target and too much of a blow heart to arrive without a big event. I wouldn't get far with this form, not to mention I was green.

“Hmm, one of the Cutie mark crusaders would work. But which one?” I said as I had once again been covered in flame. “What? I transformed, again? I didn't even do anything this time, who am I now?” I looked at my hooves to see they were yellow. I was low to the ground so that could only mean-

“APPLEBLOOM!” I heard a country voice shout behind me. I looked and to my surprise, it was Applejack.

“Applebloom, Rariteh lost the baby and now me and the girls gotta look for him. You go back to Sweet Apple Acres and take care of the farm while we're lookin'” She said with that dominating southern voice.

“And if I refuse?” I back sassed.

She squinted her eyes before stomping a hoof on the ground, causing some cracks.

“And it's a good thing I NEVER even thought of such a thing!” I said sheepishly trotting past her in the direction to Sweet Apple Acres. After a few hours of being lost I found it, and the red stallion Big Mac made me work the rest of the day.

Plowing the fields, Bucking Trees, Planting seeds, Moving barrels. Yeah it all sucked. And I didn't want the real Applebloom to get in trouble for me.

“Uhhhhhhh” I heard a country voice say, but not Applejacks this time. I looked at the corner of my eye and it was Applebloom. Apparently she had never seen another, herself, before. But I took that as my cue to leave and ran out the gate as fast as I could.

Trotting down the streets at night was good, the nice breeze, good lighting. A very serene setting. Suddenly, I heard a rumble. It was my stomach.

“I'm hungry? But how? Changelings feed on love. Why am I hungry?” My stomach began hurting, as if I was being kicked.

I winced in agony.

“ARGH! Ok, this is not fun.” The pain got worse.

My hooves began turning to normal.

“I was using up my power? I must have been dishing out more than I was taking in. CRAP!” The pain began reaching onto my back and hind legs. Every attempt I made to move hurt me, deeply, as if knives were being stabbed into every inch of my body.

“Look at you, all tuckered out and nowhere to run” I heard a Posh echo.

My eyes had blurred, I couldn't see straight.

“R-Rarity...?” I barely managed to get out.

“Sorry, not quite.” The voice replied with a small hiss.

“Who are you?” I questioned.

“Who am I? I'm hurt. Shifting Sands, was it? You don't remember my voice? Such a thing could break your mothers heart! Or spine, depending on the circumstances. ” It was trying to provoke me, and it was working.

“I said, 'WHO ARE YOU'?!” I weakly challenged it, barely audible. I heard a sound, cracking, clicking, buzzing.

“Who am I?” The voice had changed. It was menacing and calm, filled with a heavy darkness.

“Before I answer that question, answer one of mine. Who are YOU?” It asked in a relaxed demur

I don't know why, but this question caused strife in me. I knew who I was afterall. Right? Ian, the bullied teen who became a baby that is who I am, right?

I stammered trying to get out an answer, but trying to reply seemed to be out of my reach for that one though.

“So, you don't know, do you? Don't worry, all will be revealed soon.” It chuckled.

“What do you want from me?” I groaned.

“Oh so many ways to answer that.” It hissed again. “Your transformations have weakened you. It will ruin a great many things for me if you die, so you may no longer transform.”

“You don't control me.” I laughed at it, falling asleep.

“I control many things, as you will learn in time. I also always know what's for the best.” The voice said vanishing into the night.

I couldn't stay awake much longer, the pain was too much. I felt myself being lifted, the pain just stopped. I could see and move again. It was Rarity, I thought for sure she was going to thrash me, but she didn't. She just took me back to the boutique and laid me down in the bed.

“Shifting Sands, I want you to know I heard about what you did for Fluttershy. And about the weight thing, we're going to pretend it never happened. You are a child and you do make mistakes.” She said with a soothing voice.

She looked at me and smiled. She had a black eye.

"I guess I know who the screaming came from now." I laid my head to rest and drifted into a lovely dream.

--------------

The next day I felt better than ever, time to make my grand escape. “When somebody tries to block, show them that you rock!” I screamed to myself. Nothing happened.

“I want it NAAAAO!” I screamed again. No result

“I can't transform..” I sighed, “That sucks a major ton of butt...Ah well, it's a new day and I-”

Opal jumped on the bed and brought out her claws.

“Am so screwed it's not even funny.”

Opal however didn't attack me, she clawed into the bed a message.

“I'll be watching”

“Yay! I have a stalker now, my life is complete!” I sarcastically screamed.

I hopped out of the bed to search for Rarity, finding her sleeping outside the door. What on earth could she have been thinking?

I began shaking her head violently.

She yawned and woke up slowly. "Oh, good morning Shifting Sands." She stretched, her body began cracking and popping. I'm gonna guess the floor isn't a comfortable place to sleep.

"Hey, Rarity, can you teach me that bucking thing you did before?" I asked.

"I wonder what adorable little things you must be saying." She replied.

I lowered my head. A thought then came to my mind and I started gesturing the kicking motion I saw her preform on me.

"What?" She was confused.

I pointed to myself and began motioning again.

"You want me to buck you?" She bemused.

I shook my head furiously and pointed at myself again and gestured the kick.

"You want to learn the buck?" She cautiously said.

I nodded.

"It's a move Applejack taught me, i'm sure she could teach you better than I could, but i'll do my best!" She shouted in victory, the wind running through her mane.

At this point i've learned to stop asking questions.

Exile

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“Stop it, Rarity.” I said aggravated that Rarity was humming in my ears. “Knock it off, Rarity.” I said trying to smack away the magically floating brush that was mauling my new mane.

“Oh stop fidgeting, Shifting Sands. You want to look dapper when I take you over to Twilight's, Don't you?” She questioned with her lip pushed out, showing she wasn't paying any attention to me, as I nearly broke my neck shaking my head is direct response to her question.

“Just a bit of make up should do the trick...” She whispered, she slowly began lifting make up products with her magic and pushed them towards me.

I smacked them out the air.

“LISTEN YOU! I am not a DOLL! I said i'm not going to the library and that's FINAL!” I stated with finality.

“Hmm...your gestures, the tone in your voice...even though I can't understand you, I can tell one thing. You must be absolutely excited to be going over to Twilight's house!” She said gleefully.

“How, in the blue popcorn farts of hell, did you make it through kindergarten?” I said with a stare of confusion mixed with disbelief. “This is your last warning, I-” She smacked me with some sort of evil fluffball, it gave off all manner of dust, obviously trying to choke me.

“FINISHED! What do you think?” She turned me to the mirror.

“I think the fiery passions of anger I desire to give you, that burn deep within my soul, shall never be washed away by the passage of time, for this act is far too heinous, a transgression.” I said, with my hair styled like Elvis.

We heard a bell, Rarity looked and trotted towards the door. I was still looking at myself in the mirror, wondering how I got into this mess. I then proceeded to slam my face into the desk, repeatedly.

“Shifting Sands! Stop!” Rarity screamed in horror, “You'll ruin your freshly done mane!”

“Rarity, I think a bigger issue would be the fact a baby is damaging his brain.” Twilight corrected.

“Oh right” Her eye-lids lowered a bit, and she looked to the side. And I wasn't too fond of the tone she said it in, obviously she didn't forget the insults of yesterday.

I rubbed my hooves through my mane, turning it back to normal. It's droopy, but somehow spiky, normality. Though the fact it was in my face could get annoying. Rarity only turned her head, insulted that I didn't grovel down before her, for all the work she did. Twilight then began to lift me using her magic.

“Anything to say to Rarity before we leave, Shifting Sands?” She said playfully.

“Yes, your flank is still huge!” I roared. She pinched my cheek, and waved goodbye as Twilight left the store with me on her back.

---------------------------

At the library, Twilight had sat me down in the middle of the room, on a table with supplies on them.

“Spike, can you get me the reference guide on changeling anatomy?” She asked, giving me odd stares.

“This Sparkle Vampire named horse better not be thinking about cutting me up” I thought to myself

Spike went to get the book, climbing onto the ladder and rolling his claw over them, as if he'd remembered the feel of each one. After a second or two, he'd found it and jumped down and brought it to twilight. She then opened the book and stared at it, then back at me, then back at it, then back at me.

To which my only response was, “Look at your book, now back to me, now look back at your book, back to me. I am not your book, you're a stupid horse, now look at spike, back to me, where is my hoof? It's across your face, I slapped you, because i'm dead tired of being glared at!”

The slap didn't yield much effect.

“Aggressive, aren't you?” She said rubbing her cheek.

“Hey, you can't slap Twilight like that!” Spike defended.

“Spike, he's a baby, don't worry about it.” She attempted to calm him.

“But Twilight-”

“Ap-Ap-Ap! No. Calm down Spike, I know you care, but we can't get too angry with him.” She continued being a calm stupid animal. “Now, i'm going to go get Applejack to help me, you stay here and watch over him.”

“Alright.” Spike said with a small halo appearing above his head.

What? You expect me to say something? I told you, I gave up questioning the things that happen in this world. Between getting kicked back and forth through time, the walls of fire appearing out of nowhere, and the insanely happy horses somehow going in one ear and out the other, I am completely immune to this sort of thing.

As soon as Twilight closed the door his halo turned into horns.

Nope, still not questioning it.

“I know what you said, unlike Twilight I can hear what you're saying.” He challenged getting in my face.

“Then you'll understand when I say, BACK UP OFF ME!” I pushed my head against his, suddenly entwined in a battle for skull supremacy.

“I don't know what you're planning, but it won't work! Not so long as i'm watching you.” He stated as if he was on some soap opera.

“Spike, your fire, does it just go to the Castle or is It programmed to send only to Celestia?” I asked, giving a small smirk.

“Well it goes only to Celestia, it's an effective way to call for help. So don't get any ideas!”

I got onto my hooves and walked to the staircase on the right and picked up a book that was left on the ground.

I then tore out several pages from it. Around twenty or thirty.

“HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! THAT WAS ONE OF TWILIGHT'S FAVORITE BOOKS!” Spike shrieked.

I then took those pieces of paper and went to the desk which was held in the center of the room. I picked up a small quill and wrote, 'Your son is in danger, please come as soon as you can.' along with many, many, many nasty things about Celestia.

I then curled them up, put a little ribbons on them, threw the ink onto the rest of the table and climbed up the ladder leaning on the bookshelf, and placed the handmade scrolls between as many books as I could. I then jumped down and walked up to spike.

“Spike, i've just torn out multiple pages from one of Twilight's favorite reference guides, thrown ink all over the décor, and wrote a notes saying that I was in danger and Celestia should come get me, along with many rude things about her. As you can guess, Twilight has little knowledge of how smart I really am, but she has total knowledge of how smart you are. She also knows how jealous you can be, like that time with Owlicious.” I stated matter-of-factually

“Hey, how did you know about-”

I cut him off by raising my hoof, continuing myself “Twilight will obviously be back to see that her book is shredded and ink is all over, so all I have to do is point toward you and then the shelf. Since Twilight thinks i'm just a normal baby, she will obviously look to you as the source of the problem. She may even kick you out.” I prepared myself by turning around.

He took a deep gasp in horror.

“Fire in the hole” I stated with a grin.

I bucked him in the stomach, causing his magical flame to encase the entire shelf and it's contents.

Once the fire had calmed down, we both looked at it. Beautiful.

“Oh don't worry, your magic only works on scrolls. Those got to Celestia just fine, the books however, are perfectly burnt. Congratulations!” I shook his claw.

His jaw dropped and his eyes shot towards me like a bullet, terrified and unsure of what to do.

“I sure hope whatever Celestia was doing wasn't important.” I tapped my chin.

Meanwhile at Celestia's undisclosed location.

“This requires a clear mind, i'll need to be as calm I can get if you wish me to close this seal” Celestia said to a quaking mare with a very odd color scheme, teal body and orange mane and tail.

“What happens if you lose your focus?” The mare asked fearfully, as if she couldn't hold still for even a moment.

She looked at the mare, “Well, I suppose whatever evil was locked into place would get out and i'd have to get into a battle with it. But honestly, what are the chances of that?” She laughed off the idea. She then began using her magic as a portal opened infront of her, bolts of lightning shot towards her general area, and the ground quaked. The shaky mare held her eyes shut, and loud roars came from the vortex. Cryptic symbols began appearing around the portal and screams of thousands echoed forth and the portal closed completely.

“Done, see? No troubles.” She said happy with herself.

What? You thought the notes were going to appear while she was busy? Shame on you for thinking such an awful thing would happen!

The flurry of notes then fell onto her and she read each one. Every, single, one.

“TWILIGHT SPARKLE!!” She screamed and shot into the sky.

Meanwhile back at library.

“Spike, you might wanna close your mouth. Bugs are going to nest if you don't close it.” I smirked at him.

He looked at me “How could you?!” He pleaded.

“How could I? You have no idea who I am or what I am capable of. I have torn creatures more than yourself apart and drank their blood (Prototype 1 & 2), I have seen my comrades die before my very eyes, crying out to me for help (modern warfare 3), I have slashed throats and entire bodies to shreds (ninja gaiden), i've gone toe to toe with hundreds of soldiers, without getting a single scratch (Dynasty warriors), and I have battled creatures who have used meteors in attempts to destroy me (Bayonetta). DO NOT, and I repeat, DO NOT! Underestimate me. I am out of your league.” I threatened

Spikes eyes bulged, pupils shrunk, he then fainted and fell to the ground. I may be responsible for the emotional and mental scarring of the dragon...Sweet! I sat there with a smile on my face, before turning my head around to see all that I had done. I then returned my gaze back onto spike who was still out.

“BORED NOW!” I shouted. I looked to the staircase to see another flight of stairs leading down.

“That's where Twilight does all her experiments. Could be worth a glance or two, anything to get me from being bored” I said traveling down the path to the basement.

There I saw test-tubes of all shapes and sizes, Tesla-coils, beakers filled with colorful liquids, machines standing tall with colorful buttons all over them. No doubt, this is one of the best places i've been to since I arrived. I traveled down the stairs and walked up to the beakers and test-tubes in the center of the room.

“So many chemicals, so many colors, I wonder what they do...” I pondered, picking up a couple vials of blue, grey, black, and red liquids. I wanted to get a closer look, but I was having a hard time holding onto them, and they began slipping.

“Uh-oh...”

Meanwhile upstairs.

Twilight had just returned with Applejack beside her, both of them ready to give me the proper care I need. Twilight then saw all of her burnt books, and a fainted spike. Her expression ranged somewhere from shocked, to angry, to demented.

“SPIKE!!” She screamed, but to no avail, the dragon was still out. A sudden rumble came across the house, a boom rather, then smog began lingering. What on earth could that have been? They wondered before looking to the basement entrance.

“Uh, Twilight. Where's Shifting Sands?” Applejack asked with a quizzical look.

“I don't-” It suddenly struck them. That I could be down in the center of that explosion.

Twilight covered her head in a magic bubble, she didn't want to breath the toxic fumes I had been exposed to.

She then ran down into the basement and grabbed me with her magic, creating a protective veil around me and brought me back upstairs.

“Shifting Sands, are you ok!?” She worriedly asked.

“Haha. Why are you so purple? Snrk, Hahahaha” I Said, seeing everything behind Twilight as a blurry mix of colors.

“He's gonna be ok, right Twi?” She started holding her breath in anticipation.

Twilight looked at Applejack with a partially confused face. “Well there doesn't seem to be any problems” She looked back at where I was, only to learn I had somehow escaped her magic field. “Huh!? Where did he go?!” She panicked.

“I'M BATMAN!” I said smacking the ground next to twilight, after jumping off the railing at the top of the stairs.

“Oh, I found him!” She smiled.

I ran back up stairs and jumped off the railing screaming “DU-NU-NU-NU-NU-NU-NU BATMAAAAAAAAN!”

Smack dab into the ground again.

Applejack blinked, “No problems, huh?”

I slid on my back across Twilight's back “Whoa...You feel so purple, but taste sooo blue!” I slid onto her face, still on my back. “Snrk Hahaha!” I fell onto the ground again.

Twilight smiled and squeed to AJ.

“Hahahaha! You're an apple? And a horse? Does that mean your family is full of horse apples? HA!” I slid across her underbelly somehow defying gravity.

“Twilight.” She deadpanned.

“Yes AJ?” Twilight replied.

I grabbed Applejacks face “MY PARENTS ARE DEAAAAAAAD! No wait...just my mom...I made myself sad” I flopped to the ground.

“He's not gonna be like this forever, right?” She asked, bemused.

I scooted myself along the ground using only my hind legs, I scooted to spike.

“Dude, dude, wake up dude. Dude! Duuuude. Dude. Yo, Dude?” I slapped him “Dude, wake up dude. Dude.”

He opened his eyes and looked at me.

“Spike! I may have just realized something!” I said shaking.

“W-What?” He was unsure if asking was the right option.

“I think i'm a ghost!” I said horrified, my big blue eyes bulging from my head.

Spike sat there, silent.

“I mean, just look at my hooves.” I raised them, “They can't touch anything but themselves” I brought my hooves together, “See!”

“...What's wrong with you?” He asked, befuddled at the comment I had just made.

“NOTHING! WHY!?” I quickly answered, looking around, shaking like an earthquake had struck.

He looked to see Twilight conversing with Applejack about the situation. He walked over to them and asked what was going on, but the best they could answer him was with a shrug.

“Spike, ah need y'all to start a bath. We wanna wash off whatever is on him.” Applejack ordered, as if she was prepared for this situation. Spike ran off to do as he had been told

“WHAT ARE THESE THINGS ON MY BACK!?” I yelled, scared of myself. I accidentally began flapping my wings and started to hover. “Whoa...” I leaned on my side and soon began spinning in circles. “GET ME OFF THIS CRAZY THING!!”

Applejack grabbed me and rocked me, humming a softly tune. It was enough to calm me down.

“Thanks AJ, I don't know how this day could get any worse.” She let out a deep sigh.

“What exactly were y'ah workin' on down there anyway?” Applejack whispered, trying not to stir me up again.

“I may have been experimenting with changeling repellants...” She withdrew.

“Why ahn earth would y'all do that?” She deadpanned.

“Well, since no one really has this kind of an opportunity, I thought Shifting Sands could help me make a small repellant I could sell, this way Equestria would be safe from changeling invasions!” She tried to put an upbeat tone to what she said, it failed.

Applejack simply stared through her lie.

“Hey, my equipment doesn't pay for itself, you know.” Twilight blinked, turning her head towards her lab on the right.

Spike ran back in, telling Applejack the bath was ready, and after a quick wash I was good as new, for the most part. Applejack dried me off and took me to bed, perhaps a small nap could get me to come back from whatever reaches of space I was in.

As I lay in the bed I closed my eyes and began to dream, darkness was everywhere. I turned around in the shadows to see Twilight's head, a giant head. It gave me a blank stare and shot me with a blast from her horn, I went spiraling into an ocean of rainbows and started flailing my body, I sank into the water and was eaten by a giant snake, and inside this snake was a party of shoes, hats, mice, flowers, and other versions of me. Some with big heads, others with small bodies, some with horns that made shapes like hearts or spades. They all looked to me and waved, I stood there, smiled and waved back.

The room and everyone in it melted and turned into quicksand, I started sinking as Super Mario and Spider-man came running by, using my head as a platform to cross. In the quicksand I fell out of an hour glass and landed in the library. Twilight, Applejack and Spike were all there. But their faces were blank. They turned themselves to me and said, “Would you like know a secret?” I slowly nodded.

“You're standing on a rhino” They said. I looked down to see I was indeed standing on a rhino, which had quickly morphed into a Venus fly trap and bit down on me and threw me out the window. Breaking through the glass I suddenly found myself in space. Luna passed by on a comet playing a violin, while Celestia was eating the moon like a cookie. I started falling towards a vast black hole, in which I was sucked in and blown up into millions of me, which bloomed into flowers, and then ran and refused back into the original me. I turned my head around my body as if I were an owl and started barking.

The room flashed white, and in that split flash, I was standing as a human in-front of me as a changeling. The human me reached out his hand and the changeling me did the same with my hoof. The second we touched we turned into doors, we opened revealing Fluttershy and a taco. And then we closed and burned to ashes, and from our ashes I was reformed with a phoenix body. I flew into the sky where my wings melted like wax, and my liquidized wings then reformed into jeff goldblum. He spoke to me “Stop need so love many before bed.” He then exploded and I found myself in a room with another changeling me.

“I thought today was suppose to be special” I said to him.

“You don't think tripping absolute balls is special?” He retorted before he flew off, on a cloud of spaghetti, candy, and confetti, to Celestia with Twilight's body and Applejacks tail.

---------------------------

I awoke with my eyes wide open, with only one word to describe my experience, “Whoa...” however that didn't seem to be enough.

I heard clacking, the now familiar sound of hooves making their way to me. It was Applejack, making her way to check on me.

“Hey there sugar cube, how y'all doin' nao?” She asked, that southern accent never getting old.

I looked around to see if anything was out of place, everything seemed to be in order so I nodded to her.

“C'mon then, we need ya downstairs.” She bobbed her head to the left, gesturing to me to follow.

What could they need me, a baby, for? I followed her out of the room and down the steps.

A sudden “Surprise!” had blasted me back a bit, and to my surprise, a party had been thrown in my honor. The room was filled with ponies I had never seen, or at least never met personally. Even sir Pedo-Pony managed to arrive.

I looked up to see if there was a banner saying what this party was about, there was. It was just a simple banner saying, “Welcome, Shifting Sands!”

A welcome party? Kinda late isn't it? I mean i've been here for a long while now.

“Ya' look a little puzzled there, little fella.” Applejack said, with a warm smile.

Pinkie Pie managed to pop out of a hole in the floor and surprise me.

“Since the party we had in Canterlot had to be cut short due to your...uhh 'malfunction' I decided to make it up to you and throw you a new one here!” She screamed shooting out like a rocket.

“That's nice, but your a little late, aren't you? I mean it makes sense if I had just arrived, but i've been here for days. What exactly took that thought process so long to register this party?” I questioned her. She only smiled and giggled, I wonder what she was hearing.

Pinkie Pie called Applejack into the kitchen, she need some help with the cake. I really hope Applejack is wide awake, other wise i'm gonna need to go to the hospital again.

“Pinkie Pie throws parties just for the sake of throwing a party, so don't expect them all to make sense.” I heard a small male voice direct at me. I looked to see it was Spike, scowling at me.

“Something wrong, pretty boy?” I said sarcastically.

“You got me in a lot of trouble today, you know that!” He aimed his claw at me pouting.

“No! Really? I had no idea, that was so wrong of me. Bad changeling!” I said playfully smacking my own hoof.

“You're a real jerk, you know that?” He frowned at me.

“If you think you're in trouble now, wait until Celestia shows up. I signed them all with Twilight's name, and if she thinks YOU sent them. Well, let's just say it won't be pretty.” I grinned.

“What's your problem? I haven't done anything to you, and neither has Twilight. Why are you so mean?” He got up in my face again.

“Because having friends is overrated. I never had any before and I don't need any now.” I pushed him back.

“Is that so? You know what I think?” He got BACK in my face.

“No, and I don't care.” I said walking away from him, he followed me.

“I think you're just lonely. That you've been so lonely that you're too scared even try to make friends.” He said, shooting that arrow in a spot too sensitive to handle.

“Whose ready for some cake!” Pinkie pie screeched aloud to everyone, who then turned their attention to me.

I gritted my teeth and slammed his head into the ground.

“You don't know ANYTHING about me!” I snarled at him.

The crowd gasped.

“Shifting Sands!” I heard Twilight and the rest of the girls scream in conjoined shock.

I turned my head in disgust and walked back up the stairs.

“Oh no you don't, mister!” Twilight yelled, using her magic to pull me to her.

“Where do you think you're going?” Rarity jumped in, “Calling me Fat is one thing, but this time you went too far! How dare you lay a hoof on my Spikey-Wikey!”

“He called you fat?” Applejack said, baffled at the thought.

“Indeed! This one right here is a lot smarter than you give him credit for.” She stomped her hoof.

Twilight gasped, “So Spike was telling the truth when he said YOU did all those horrible things around the house to get him in trouble! I thought Spike was just making up excuses for being irresponsible, but I see I was wrong. You're just downright mean!” She began snorting smoke. “Just wait until we tell Princess Celestia about this!”

“No need.” I heard a voice echo. “I heard it all” The crowed turned to see Celestia at the door. She walked past the stunned ponies to meet mr, “I am very disappointed in you, Shifting Sands.”

Her gaze pierced me deeper than anyone else' had, but none the less, I kept my expression cemented in anger. But inside I was crying, helplessly, endlessly, pathetically.

“I'm sorry to have burdened you all with him” She grieved.

Burden. That word, the word that was so heavy on me. It shattered my bones, broke my spirit, defeated me so many times. And now it was back for more.

“It's ok Princess, no one could have foreseen this.” Twilight comforted her.

“Again, I am sorry, but I am not done with my duties. When I saw the crudely writ I hope one more day will not be too much.” Her glare hardened on me.

“Fluttershy is scheduled to take care of him tomorrow, i'm not sure if that's the right choice.” She heavyheartedly rejected her mentors request.

Fluttershy began to speak, “Girls, are you sure you should be-”

“It's ok Twilight, i'll be there to make sure he doesn't do anything.” Rainbow Dash offered, cutting off the quiet mare.

“It's perfectly alright, I can-” She tried again before being cut off by Twilight.

“Then it's settled. And for his punishment, since he obviously doesn't like anypony, nopony will deal with him directly.” She said furiously.

Celestia began walking out the door, but when she noticed Pedo-Pony, she paused for a second. She then continued her exit.

Everyone else soon followed, Twilight sat me down on the bed upstairs and walked out. No one came to check on me, no one came to talk to me, no one.

---------------------------

The next day I was sent over to Fluttershy's house, not a single word was uttered to me, even then. Every time Fluttershy tried to speak to me, Rainbow Dash would stare her into silence.

I sat on a couch, with all of Fluttershy's animals avoiding me the same way everypony else had. Rainbow Dash had just been sitting in-front of me, stabbing me with her eyes.

I began to think to myself, “What do you know, rejected in two worlds. You have no one but yourself to blame. If you had been nice then maybe, just maybe, you could have made some friends.” I sighed, “That's all ruined now, they all think you're a bad seed, and Celestia will probably send you away just so she won't be bothered looking at you.”

“Rainbow Dash can you come here a minute? I need help feeding all of the chickens.” Fluttershy called out.

“Sure thing!” Rainbow called back, she then looked at me and said, “Don't you dare move from that spot.” then left.

“I'm sorry girls, i'm sorry to have been as much a burden here as I was at home.” I sighed once more, “I should do you all a favor and leave” I jumped down from the couch and walked over to the door. I looked up at it wondering how I would get out without making too much noise. That is, until a ferret passed through the doggy door and by me, lifting it's nose in my opposite direction.

I walked through the door and made my down the yellow strip of land leading to the gate. I flew over and continued my walk of shame to the entrance of a world that many feared. The place known as 'the Everfree Forest'.

I smiled morbidly, thinking of how much happier everyone would be with me gone. With that thought, I ventured into the world of the strong.

Perceptions and Deceptions

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(Authors warning: I personally feel this is the worst chapter I have ever written. Just skip past it, continuity wise, not too much happens.)

Back at the library, Twilight was cleaning up her lab. The place still had that odd smell from when Shifting Sands broke some of the vials, the liquid on the floor began burning a hole. What a mess, all the work she had poured out from researching changeling characteristics and similarities to insects, gone. Well, not all of it, she remembered the recipe she used, and if anything she knew it somewhat worked. It caused changelings to act incredibly weird though, almost Pinkie Pie weird.

“TWILIGHT!” Spike yelled through the door, “You have a visitor!”

Twilight wondered who would be asking for her attention. No one was in trouble, as far as she knew, and the baby wasn't in her care anymore. She made her way up the stairs and to the door, it was a familiar shape, a white coat with a flowing mane of aurora borealis. It could only be, Celestia.

“Hello, Twilight, is Shifting Sands still here? I must find him and bring him home at once.” She said with her eyes closed giving a small smile.

“No, sorry Princess, he's already in the care of Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.” She responded.

“Oh it's quite alright. I'll just go get him then, take care!” She said walking from Twilight, giving a small wave.

“You too!” Sparkle waved back.

She went back into her library and closed the door. Then another knock, or rather, bangs hit her door. Several of them, rapid pace too...what could be going on now, she wondered. Coming back to the door she saw Rainbow Dash flailing her arms around trying to say something.

“WE-EI-SE-DFID-UHJ-GONE!” She managed. Twilight asked the poor mare to collect herself and to try to convey her message again. Taking a deep and slow breath, she let out, “WE LOST SHIFTING SANDS!” Twilight gave a small nod and smile, then collapsed to the floor. “Uhh...Twili-”

Twilight burst forth, “WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU LOST HIM!?”

“Well, you see I left to help Fluttershy with her animals and then when I came back, he was gone!” Rainbow dash withdrew. “Oh this is bad, this is so bad! What are we gonna do!? When the Princess-”

“THE PRINCESS!” Twilight gasped “She's already on her way over to Flutterhy's cottage!”

It was now Rainbow Dashes turn to faint, and she did it with eloquence, placing one arm over her forehead and falling back, no doubt Rarity herself would be proud.

“That seems a bit dramatic don't you think?” Sparkle deadpanned.

“Look, me and Rarity got into this bet after hearing about the weight thing, and it's a long story...”

“We can talk about this later! Go get Applejack and tell her to bring Winona. And I don't care what you tell her, but do not tell her the truth! I'll go see if I can slow down Celestia long enough to think of a plan.” Twilight urged.

Rainbow Dash gave a salute and shot off in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres. Twilight ran out the door, towards the direction of her mentor. It took quite a while to catch up, odd considering that she had been on her doorstep not too long ago. Was she in a hurry? Finally the colorful mane came into view, with Celestia right next to Fluttershy's house.

“Ohhh no.” She grimaced before perking up and shouting, “Celestia wait!”

Celestia lifted her head and looked back to see Twilight gunning for her.

“Twilight, whatever is the matter?” She leaned her head down, eyes still closed.

“Uhh, I just thought I would give you the new lesson I learned about...uhm, friendship! Yeah!” She put on a fake smile that reached high onto her face.

“Alright, I'm listening.” Celestia replied with her calm demure.

“Uhh, I thought it be best if..I..gave it to you with the rest of the girls!” She began to sweat, her smile becoming more obvious by the second.

“Oh, alright then, let's go inside. Two of them are in there anyway right? I can wait for you to get the others.” She started walking to the door, only to have Twilight jet infront of her from a stream of purple and pink.

“NO WAIT! I uhh, wanted to ask how you were doing? Yeah! That's it, how are you doing Princess?” The stress in her voice becoming more and more evident.

“I'm doing fine, Twilight. Now if you don't mind, I would like to bring Shifting Sands home.” The princess sternly declared. She walked to Fluttershy's door, Twilight unable to think of anything else to say or do, she could tell her mentor was becoming agitated and didn't want to further her temper. Celestia lifted her hoof moved it to knock, suddenly, she stopped. Why? Didn't she want to bring the child home? There was the door, and as far as she knew, he was in there. Something was amiss, Celestia's nostrils began flaring. She's smelling the air? Twilight thought, looking puzzled.

“Celestia?” She suspiciously called out.

Celestia snapped out of whatever trance she was in and bared her teeth for a moment before quickly covering it with a smile.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack had arrived at that moment, with Winona running along side them.

“Oh Rainbow Dash and Applejack! Whatever are you doing here!?” Her forced surprise resounded.

“Well Rainbow said sumthin' about yall needin' Winona for sumthin about...what was it? Cheerin' up the little feller.” Applejack said turning her head to Celestia “But I see it's time to bring the little guy home.”

“That's right, it's time. In-fact he should have been home a long time ago, but there have been some..” She looked to Twilight “Minor setbacks, although I am sure the, 'little problem' I was having is done with. Right, Twilight?”

Twilight lowered her head “Yes, Princess.”

Celestia knocked on the door, and waited for a response, it took a while, but Fluttershy opened the door just enough to see who was at it, and unleashed an incredible scream in horror, or at least, the best her voice could do. Which would be around ten or so decibels.

“Princess Celestia!?” Were the words she uttered.

“If it's alright with you Fluttershy, I would like to come in.” Celestia said gently.

“Uhh I don't think that's a very good idea” She said, her eyes bolting around her head.

“Why is that?” Celestia responded, once again showing the aggravation in her voice.

“Well, uhh...you see...” Fluttershy began sinking back, slowly closing the door in the vain hopes that Celestia wouldn't notice. It was however, quite the contrary.

“Fluttershy, I can see what you're doing. Now why shouldn't I come in?” Celestia started raising her voice. Scaring poor Fluttershy even more.

“I-I won't let you in.” She whispered.

“Excuse me?” Celestia asked, unable to hear the squeak that was Fluttershy's voice.

“I-I...don't think-”

“No, scratch that. I demand you let me in!” Celestia finally fumed cutting the gentle mare both in words and in spirit.

Flutershy looked behind her, then put on a brave face. “I will not let you in!”

Applejack's, Celestia's, Rainbow Dash's and even Twilight's jaw dropped. Did they hear right? Did Fluttershy, of all ponies, just deny Princess Celestia's wish?! Was she being brave? Or was she being stupid?

“I don't believe you heard me.” Celestia's face began turning red, “I SAID LET ME IN!”

“I-I heard you just fine! There's no need to shout. I stand by what I said, I will not let you in.” She puffed out her chest in defiance.

“Ha-Ha! Do you have any idea who you're talking like this?” Her anger beginning to explode even further “I AM PRINCESS CELESTIA! I AM THE PRINCESS OF THE SUN! I RULE OVER YOU PATHETIC PONIES AND YOUR PATHETIC TOWN! THE ONLY REASON I HAVE NOT BANISHED YOU, IS BECAUSE I AM FEELING NICE TODAY! DO NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE YOU WEAK AND SICKENING EXCUSE FOR A PEGASUS! NOW DO AS I SAY AND OPEN THE DOOR BEFORE I LOSE MY TEMPER”

Fluttershy kept her brave face and didn't move an inch, her only response was a well practiced, “No.”

“AHHHHH!” Celestia finally lost it, her anger was booming. “Princess wait, she didn't mean it!” Sparkle said, trying to diffuse the situation before something worse, happened. Celestia turned her head to Twilight and said,

“SILENCE FOAL! I HAVE HAD ENOUGH INSOLENCE FROM ONE OF YOU!” She pushed her student back with her voice alone. She turned her head back to Fluttershy, “I hope you're prepared for oblivion!”

“Hey, Celestia!” A voice called out, Fluttershy finally opened the door, “You mad?” A golden beam shot out from the door, blasting Celestia back through the gate.

“PRINCESS,” Sparkle, Rainbow And Applejack collectively screamed then looked to the doorway, “Celestia!?”

“Ugh...” The downed Celestia groaned, “W-What..Who would dare strike me!? Do you have any idea who I am!?”

“No, but that would've been my first question.” Said the voice, the holder stepping out of the doorway revealing a snowy body, a flowing mane of colors. It was Celestia, looking mildly annoyed. “So, do you mind answering that for me?”

The downed Celestia stood up, showing the blast was very effective.

“Actually, I do mind. Do you mind allowing me inside, so I may take, Shifting Sands?” She smiled.

“Why yes, I do.” Celestia chuckled, “Oh I'm sorry for being so rude, but do you think you can stop pretending to be me? I wouldn't want my little ponies getting confused.”

“Oh, my pleasure. It was getting a tad stuffy in here anyway,” She complied, her form being wrapped by green flames, the area changed in color, the wind carried an ominous feel, the flames then spread out and became spherical around the stranger. Celestia began walking towards the flames, which had started to die down and fade, revealing a holed body and long blue silky hair. “Is this better?”

“Queen Chrysalis!” The girls screamed, Twilight began charging her horn, Rainbow Dash and Applejack prepared for a fight, tensing themselves.

“Better, but I would prefer you stop messing with my friends.” Celestia said calmly, stopping her advance mere inches away.

“Hmm? I thought you would prefer a familiar form.” She said, patronizing the sun princess, finally opening her eyes to reveal their green and blue nature.

“I thought it a bit strange to see a royal guard here.” Celestia began walking around the shape shifter Chrysalis.

“And if I may, why are you here?” The shape shifter asked, walking around Celestia.

“Same reason as you, to bring him home. Although, you'll be quite shocked to learn he isn't here.”

“Oh, then, may I know where he is?” The copy snickered, stopping in her place

“No.” Celestia said, doing the same. Her horn began charging with golden light, “I think it's time you leave, before I am forced to act.”

“Hmm, really now? I'm sorry, but physical bouts are not my forte. I much prefer a...battle of the minds” The unknown foe said, her wings beginning to produce a high pitch screech. Walls began to rise from the ground and curved into a large dome. Encasing the fraud along with everyone else inside, though there was no source, light shone in as if it was high noon. The area that was Fluttershy's cottage now stood as a red rocky wasteland.

Celestia faced the shape shifter with full attention, and in turn the shape shifter did the same. They both smiled at each other. Celestia made the first move, charging in with her horn and aiming at the foe's neck, the foe's saw her aim and lowered her horn and cashed it with Celestia's. The counterfeit Chrysalis drew her head back and sharpened her horn like that of a blade, in which she used to horizontally slash at Celestia. Celestia ducked her head and made a quick stab at the fake, who seemingly left herself open, she flew back into the air high into the dome and shot six fireballs at Celestia, who in response raised a shield of light. The shield only held against two of the blasts, the third one destroyed it and the shock wave threw Celestia far back. Celestia winced in pain for a moment, but she noticed a fourth one heading toward her.

She spread her wings and began galloping avoid the fourth blast by a large margin, she began flapping her wings and soon enough started galloping through the air. Celestia noticed the fifth and sixth blast heading towards her, but managed to avoid them with ease by going higher. The blasts were not done with her though, they stopped and flew towards Celestia once more. She hadn't noticed them, and one hit her left wing, causing her to stumble through the air. By pure luck she avoided the sixth blast, but as it was becoming more evident that if Celestia didn't regain control, she would be hit again.

The blast turned it's attention back to Celestia, who was still struggling to get control, the blast was getting closer. She managed to control her wings well enough for her to hit the ground running, she shot off a spear of energy into the center of the blast, causing it to implode on it's self. Celestia ran towards the edges of the dome, the foe watching, charging herself for more attacks. Celestia started running on the walls of the dome, going higher and higher around the mock. Celestia's horn started to glow and a spike grew in her path. Running past it, she grabbed it with her mouth and it shattered into a new form, a large, golden battle hammer. The hammer was had spirals along it's handle, spikes along it's neck and the hammer itself was larger than Celestia's own head, yet she acted as if it were as light as a feather.

Celestia leaped at the fake with great speed and precision, and slamming the hammer into her face, breaking it in totality. The fake hit the ground like meteor, but she stood up as if the crushing force she was dealt meant nothing. It was her turn again, she began shooting magic bolts at rapid pace. Celestia opened her wings, and flew at the barrage of magic missiles. She noticed most of the blasts were meant to scare, purposely aimed off center to cause panic in the target. She really was adjusted to mind games, Celestia thought. Celestia, seeing through this, dove straight into the center, her wing beginning to cause her agony. She spun to the right, avoiding a vertical line of blasts, she flew lower and leaned to the left avoiding a small cluster of energy. She grabbed onto one of the passing blasts with her teeth, and once again the hammer was formed. Celestia slammed the giant hammer onto the phony Chrysalis, but she in turn used her horn stab into the mighty construct, and hold it off.

“Mind telling the class how you managed to turn my own attack into your weapon!” The unknown one outraged in confusion.

Celestia stomped her hoof, and the hammer reversed it's form. The now becoming the end, and vice versa, due to this, the hammer was set free of the fake's horn and Celestia made no waste of the opportunity and smashed it against her foe once more, the construct had again been destroyed and only seemed to annoy the fake.

“This isn't my first mental battle.” Celestia smiled.

The doppelganger was suddenly struck in the face by a pink stream of energy, it was Twilight who started running to help her mentor.

“Ah, ah, ah. No cheating...” The knock off said, the ground infront of Twilight beginning to warp. Something started to rise from it.

“TWILIGHT GET BACK!” Celestia screamed at her student, luckily for her, it was just in time. Twilight jumped back just as a incredibly large mouth had come through and tried to snap down on her. Twilight froze in fear at what was staring at her.

“Pop quiz.” The shape shifter gave an awful grin, as another head rose from the ground. They opened their mouths revealing four fangs in each mouth, both had forked tongues. “Ophidiophobia is the fear of...”

“SNAAAAAKES!” Twilight shrieked in fear, running back to the girls.

“Correct! A+!” The fake started giggling.

The twin headed serpent following her. Rainbow Dash flew at one of the heads as fast as she could, but the snake whipped her away with it's tail. The serpent opened it's mouths and tried to bite down where she lay, but Applejack's rope had made it just in time to pull her away from the danger. She picked up the unconscious pegasus and began running towards Twilight. The snake, still not giving up it's pursuit.

“MhHa-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!! As fun as this is, I'm afraid-”

“SCHOOL'S OUT!” Celestia cut her off, smashing another golden hammer into her face. This time the hammer held, so she brought it back for a second strike. It cracked, but held, time for a third. The cracks were bigger, but it could still be used, but how many more times did she have? It was time to find out, she thought.

Four, she smashed it into her face at a downward diagonal angle.

Five, the hammer reversed again, and on the return the fake's horn clashed with the hammer, holding it in place.

Six, Celestia pushed through the hold and gave a downward swing, smashing the fake into the ground.

It's affecting her now, gotta keep going, Celestia said internally. The counterfeit Chrysalis got up, now was time to continue.
Seven, Celestia gave a hard strike to the shape shifter's side.
Eight, the fake growled and the ground spewed forth spires of ice, Celestia flew back into the air, barely avoiding them. She saw the ice was like a virus, spreading onto anything it touched. She had to make sure she didn't touch it...She flew to the right, curving along the sides of the dome, and with a hard kick off of the walls, she rocketed toward the fake and managed another hit. The strike was powerful enough to knock her away from the ice. Celestia charged her opponent.

Nine, She began the strike, dragging the hammer through the ground and finally smashing it into the chin of the foes, the rocky earth also played it's part. Ten, she poised herself for the next strike-It shattered.

The fake laughed, and became engulfed in circular flames. Bursting forth came a winged serpent, Celestia leaned to the side, missing the bite of her foe. But she was not done, it's revenge time. And that means, sudden death.

The serpent hissed out, the spires of ice began shooting shards at Celestia. Celestia gave it her best effort in avoiding them, even using that to her advantage, using the shards rapid fire on the snake that was chasing her student, causing it to become a large ice sculpture. But that's exactly what the fraud wanted. With Celestia so focused on avoidance of the ice shards, she wouldn't notice her. She took the opening and wrapped around Celestia's body, holding her in place as a shard grazed her wing and began to turn her into ice. The serpent looked at Celestia face to face.

“Don't worry, I'll take good care of the boy.” That reappeared on her face.

“Sorry, I don't hire bad babysitter's”Celestia's horn charged with energy and blasted out in a shockwave, launching the snake to the ground, this time she stayed down. The walls of the dome began to fade, and the ice on the white mare had melted.

“Curses...I was so close...too...” She faded away.

“Celestia!” Twilight said galloping towards her mentor, with Applejack and the still unconscious Rainbow Dash next to her. “What was that all about!?”

“An old friend, and enemy...and if she's after shifting sands, then that can only mean trouble.” She looked around to her student, “She's been weakened, she won't be able to do anything more for a few days, at the very least a week.” She turned to the forest and made her way to it,

“Applejack we can't let her go alone...” She said, clearly holding the weight of worry. Applejack told her that she had to make sure Rainbow Dash was alright, she needed to be taken to the hospital.

Twilight nodded to her friend and began following close behind Celestia. “No, Twilight, you and your friends stay here, I can take care of myself in there. Now go, rest. Everything is fine now.”

Twilight still felt the heavy boulder known as worry, but she obeyed her teacher's orders. She noticed that she hadn't seen Fluttershy during the entire ordeal, she ran back to the cottage to see the mare unconscious in the doorway. She lifted the mare with her magic and started making her way to the hospital, just as Applejack was. A small thought struck her on her travels though, where was Winona? She probably ran off somewhere during the confusion, nothing too much to worry about since she's a pretty bright dog.

Celestia smiled and walked into the forest, after a few minutes she stopped and looked behind her.

“You know, you didn't have to hit me so hard with that thing.” The voice of the fraud echoed.

“But it was just so much fun!” Celestia replied with a Pinkie Pie level of joy.

“Ugh, you sadistic freak...” The imitation's voice echoed as she seemed to mold out of thin air. “Games over, stop dressing up like a girl.”

Celestia began to burn in subtle green flames, when the flames died they revealed a changeling with streaked back, rough, blue hair. His horn split into two, his mouth displaying a single fang instead of two. “What can I say? I really get into character.” He said with his suave voice, “By the way, shouldn't YOU be in your casual attire as well, Marissa?”

Green flames passed over her, and underneath resided a pony, a unicorn to be more precise. She looked to be fairly tall, perhaps around the same height as a certain blue alicorn. Light blue body, with a red mane and tail. Their eyes matched their mothers, the changeling queen.

“Darius, this seemed like a lot of work just to make sure they didn't come after him.” She stated, questioning the mentality of the changeling infront of her. Her voice being seductively divine.

“About that, what were you thinking? I told you to take your time and wait for the girls to show up, but you tried to rush right in with only Twilight Sparkle there.” he said arrogantly. “If we're going to put on a good show we need a full audience. Because of your impatience we got stuck with only four of them.”

“Look, I hate it when we pull these stupid theatrics, you can't blame me for trying to get it over with.”She replied with slight annoyance. “Besides, the only reason we do them is to fill your belly, and your ego.”

“Ah, but that is where you are wrong! That is where you miss the point! As an actor, it's your job to pick up what I, the director, am thinking.”

“I tried, but all I got was elevator music.” She said, acting cute.

“Ha-Ha, funny. But really, Marissa, I truly do believe you are missing the vital concept of our little display.”

“Which would be?”

The changeling sighed “All the world is a stage, and all men and women are merely players.”

“Mhm, I have no idea what that means.” She put it very bluntly.

The changeling put his hoof on his face. “Fine, I'll put it into terms you can understand. Say you're playing a video game, it's no fun if you simply win right away without any challenge, right? You want something that will hold your attention, keep you moving, on your toes. Correct?”

Marissa nodded.

“Now imagine how the designers of that video game feel. They want you to enjoy their game, they want you to spread word of their creations greatness, but to get what they want they must capture the audience, the gamers, with their story. Now how do you do that?” He said, a sly grin growing.

“I don't know?” Marissa scratched her head.

“The answer is simple. If you wish to capture the audience, if you wish to get what you want, you must put on a good show” He said, turning his head to a cocoon hanging on a tree. A small window occupied the center, showing Shifting Sands inside. “Now, let's take our little brother home.”

Only a matter of time

View Online

I awaken in a spotlight, my blurred eyes and dizziness keeping me from doing much of anything.

“Ow, my head...What's going on? Where am I?” I pondered to myself.

“That's what I'd like to know as well.” A familiar tone, but no one I knew personally. I tried to correct my vision as best as I could and looked around and there I saw it, or rather, her sitting across from me in a spotlight of her own.

“Queen Chrysalis!? I knew you were behind this entire plan!” I exclaimed, as if breaking a century old case.

“Child, I've not met you before in my life. And as for this plan, do you not notice the chains on my body holding me in place? Why would I chain myself with somepony as obviously moronic as yourself?” She berated, barely able to keep herself awake.

“Well considering how badly your Canterlot plan went, I just assumed you'd have done something that stupid sooner or later.”

“Excuse me?! My plan was foolproof!”She growled, offended.

“Uh huh. I wonder where I am.” I tapped my chin.

“Don't ignore me! You're a pathetic waste of space! You should be on the ground begging for my attention!” Her voice rising in anger.

“Pathetic? Nigga please, I'm flawless.” I shook my head, causing my hair to breeze around me. Totally fabulous.

“Now, now. You two shouldn't be fighting.” A voice echoed from the darkness.

“Who are you, and why do you sound like I want to punch you?” I deadpanned into the shadows.

“He just sounds like that, but there are more pressing matters at hand.” A sensually seductive voice echoed aswell.

“Holy crap your voice is hot!” I screamed in excitement.

“Thank you. It has brought many a stallion to bow to my will,” the voice replied.

“But Morgan Freeman, how did you get here?”

“....”

*Click Click*

“NO, MARISSA PUT THAT DOWN!” The first voice panicked. The sounds of them fighting over what I assume to be a gun was both troubling and entertaining.

“Boy,” Chrysalis suddenly spoke to me. “Who are you?”

“I'm Shifting Sands, apparently, and why do you care?” I raised my eyebrow in suspicion.

“You are still a changeling, and therefore, I am your queen. I am responsible for you, but tell me, how is it you managed to survive? You're obviously too young to be on your own.” Her eyes narrowed. She was trying to get this information for another reason. What on earth could it be?

“I'm being taken care of by Ce-”

“IT'S TIME TO GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD!” shouted the Morgan Freeman pony.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold on there, Jigsaw. First off, who are you? Secondly, why am I here? Thirdly, why is SHE here? Fourthly, and the most important question of them all, why am I here?” I questioned to her.

“Shifting Sands, we are your brother and sister. Marissa and Darius.” They stated

“Lies! I was adopted.” I screamed.

“Why don't you ask Chrysalis.” Marissa replied.

“Chrysalis, you have kids?” I said, laughing a bit. It had to be a joke.

“Indeed I do. You see, every now and again, while preforming the task of feeding my subjects, I preform some...necessary duties. In these duties I do from time to time bare children. It's not that big a deal, really.”

“Come on, Chrysalis. Tell the full story!” Darius screamed.

“I have no idea what you mean.” She turned her head, smiling in her secret.

“You don't 'just have kids.' You plan them out!”

“She does what now?” I reeled back, a bit taken, by surprise.

“Each half-bred changeling has unique traits about them. Special kinds of magic, multiple things to feed off of. Like my sister and I, who feed on attention.”

“Ok. That's nice. Seriously, I'm having a hard time caring about any of this. Get to the point.” I started yawning.

“Fine, we'll give you the short version. Each time Chrysalis has attempted an heir, she abandoned them, left them to fight on their own if they were lucky enough to hatch. That is, until recently.”

“Nooo..” Seeing where this story was going, I did not like it one bit.

“She gave life to a new changeling, one with very unique talents. Unique even among her other children.”

“No, no, no...”

“She handed this changeling over to someone she believed would take care of him, regardless of what his kind did.”

“NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!”

“Under the guise of a poor, miserable pony, she gave you to Princess Celestia. But why would she do this? What about you would cause her to hand you over to the enemy?”

“BUCK YOU! STOP CONVOLUTING MY LIFE MORE THAN IT ALREADY IS!” I began shaking my head, rejecting everything they had to say.

“Our father, who specialized as a master manipulator, gave us our special magic. Telepathy and Illusions. All we have told you is straight from her own mind. However there's a part we can't get to, a place where the information stops. It's like it's not there. We thought if we brought you here first, the rest would just show up, but nothing.” Darius stated, as if he'd practiced the line for years in his own head.

“Nope, I am not getting involved in this. I just wanna return to being human!” I stood screaming into the darkness.

“You were human...?” Marissa gasped.

“Yes, I was. Why? Do you know of them?” I raised a brow.

“Yes, we used to be humans too. We didn't think there were others!” Darius said, getting excited.

“Hahaha...humans...haha! You think you can ever be human again? My poor deluded children, you can't return to being what you never were.” Chrysalis mocked, grinning as if she'd assured victory.

“Say what now?” My interest had been piqued.

“Oh! You didn't know? My children, those bodies you inhabited, those human shells, nothing more than that. Shells. You see, while the changeling grows in their cocoon, the changelings mind is placed inside a fresh and empty vassal, this is where the changeling grows mentally. I believe on the human earth they're called 'stillbirths' yes? Anyway, that body only 'lived' as long as you were in it, and obviously you're not in it anymore. Are you?” Her voice filled with cruel satisfaction, held in a sarcastic motherly tone.

“I-I- You- H-How can that-? W-W- You mean I'm...”

“Dead? Yes, in a way. Changelings have a subtle, passive magic about them while they are in human form. It forces a horrible life upon them, pain, anger, hunger, every horrible thing you could think of is caused by their passive magic. When the changelings mind returns to it's body during infancy, it has an insatiable need, a hunger for something it never had. Love. The changeling is then taught how to feed on love by turning into another pony, but the love they get as another never fills the void they feel in their heart. They never feel loved for who they thought they were. And thus our holes are made.” She lectured.

“Why are you telling me this?” I began to withdraw.

“You don't seem to be very hungry. You're an infant, but you aren't searching for a source of love. Why? You should be running around begging for love from every creature you see, yet here you are, calm and collected...I don't like that, and I want to know why!” She screamed.

“I had a loving mom, why does it bother you so much that I didn't lose myself to some strange hunger?” I shook my head and realized what I had said. I honestly thought I wasn't going to get involved in this. When I refocused my eyes back on Chrysalis, she was...less than happy. She was baring her fangs and glaring daggers.

“I think playtime is over, kiddies. Shifting Sands, mama needs to speak with you.” She said, rising to her hooves.

Marissa screamed “Don't try anything! Those chains on your body-”

“Are fake. Your father's illusions couldn't fool me, and yours are leagues below his.” She sneered as the chains broke and disintegrated into nothing. The world of shadow faded and revealed a large cave. She began walking towards me, her eyes glowing like hot coals. “A cave? Last time I checked, you were changelings, not common filth. If you wanted to keep me prisoner you should've done it right and used a castle. Why must all my children be failures?”

“Mama needs to check herself 'fore she wrecks herself! WHOOWAH!” I leaped at her horn first, but she caught my attack in a magical field and brought me to her, levitating me through the air. “This went down a whole lot differently in my head.”

“Put him down!” Darius and Marissa screamed, blasting bolts of electric magic at her, missing every shot.

“Oh come on! She's right here,” I pointed. “Also! Marissa, you look like a bad Luna OC.”

“HA! You owe me twenty bits, Marissa.” Darius shouted in glee, despite the dire situation.

“Shut up and shoot!” Marissa retorted, continuing to fire small bolts at her, still managing to miss the motionless target that was standing right in front of them.

“I'm afraid I don't have all day, children.” Chrysalis jeered, staring at me with immeasurable contempt. Their magic bullets were STILL missing her.

“Oh for the love of god...JUST HIT THE STUPID HORSE-BUG ALREADY!” I screamed, panic in my voice.

“Right, I think we're done here.” Chrysalis calmly let out before giving off a shockwave of magic knocking my "saviors" into unconsciousness.

“I'm so screwed.”

“Don't worry, I don't want to hurt you. I just want to explain some things to-AH!” Winona had bitten Crysalis' back leg, disrupting her attention and dropping me from her magical field. Winona let go and ran towards me, barking. I had no idea what she was saying, but I jumped on her back and we rode out of the cave into a forest, bobbing and weaving through trees, jumping over tree trunks and rocks.

“ONWARD MY LITTLE PUPPY! WE RIDE!” I screamed into the sky, enjoying my freedom. But that was short lived. Winona froze in her tracks, her eyes green and her mouth agape. I muttered, “Buck my life.”

Chrysalis held my body in a magical grip once more and made her way to us. “Shifting Sands, would you like to know a little story?”

“No”

“Too bad. Once upon a time there was a queen, she was beautiful and powerful-”

“Didn't know you were into fantasy.”

“SILENCE!”

My eyes opened wide and I clenched my mouth shut.

“Where was I? Oh right, the queen was beautiful and powerful. She took care of her loyal subjects with pride. She took it upon herself to take care of their every need, she found it to be easy, effortless even. Though the queen knew it would not always be so easy to care for her kingdom, so she made a decision. She would make way for an heir who would help her feed the kingdom and one day take over and protect it. So each time the queen went to feed her kingdom, she gave life to new children. These children were very diverse in abilities, but time and time again the queen saw their flaws. Flaws that would no doubt be the downfall of the kingdom she worked to maintain.”

“Does this story have a point? I'm kind of falling asleep here.” I yawned.

“We're almost done. Just be quiet and listen to the story. The queen had begun to give up hope, all her children lacked what she needed in an heir: POWER! That is, until one day she happened upon a knight as she was preparing to feed her kingdom once more. She and the knight laid down together in love. The queen did not know it yet, but she was pregnant with the knight's child, and that child would be her saving grace. A few days later, the queen had failed in her attempt to feed her kingdom. She had attempted to take another and was forced out.

"The queen didn't think much of the failure, and carried on attempting to feed her kingdom as usual. But there was a shame she could not live down in that failed attempt, shame that always bit at the back of her mind. It was in that shame that she gave life to the knights son, but this only enraged the queen. A reminder of her failure, she would destroy this reminder just for some small peace of mind. She readied herself to destroy the child with the powerful magic she had mastered-”

“I thought you said we were almost done.”

“Interrupt me again and see what happens. I dare you.”

“Sorry...”

“Right. She let out a large volume of magic at the child, not wanting a single iota of him to see the light of day again. The magic struck him, but the child remained, unaffected. It seemed to be smiling, in fact. The queen approached this child and gave a small stream of magic into his teeny tiny head. Still, he remained unaffected.

"She wondered what was happening, so she made a large orb of magic and placed it on him. And to her surprise, the orb began to shrink, and shrink, and finally vanish into the child. She poked repeatedly, asking how this was possible, but with each touch she found herself a little weaker. She realized... the child could absorb magic, even through such simple means as contact, the queen was stunned. The perfect heir had finally arrived, her defeat was truly a victory, but even then she wanted revenge for the humiliation she suffered.

"So she devised a plan. She would take part of her own consciousness and place it in her child, she then would give that child up to the kingdom that defeated her, being ruled by his base emotions of hunger and lacking any real will, he would become more and more like his mother. And once his power was ripe, he would force his rule into place, and the kingdom would bow to him. And if they didn't, he would destroy them all. But a while after she gave him up, she met him once more, though she didn't know it right away. When she did learn, she was shocked to see the child had a mind all his own.

"This was bad for the queen's plan, as that would mean the child could end up suppressing his mothers consciousness. She had to fix this, and she did it by telling him that if he dared to push back against her plan, her consciousness would not only fight him for supremacy until his death, she would rain down destruction on that kingdom again and all in his name. His true name, prince Variance. He would lose everything he ever cared for, and more. The end.” She smiled, placing me gently back on Winona.

“I can't believe it...you're...in my, your mind is...that thing that's been taunting me...and you planned on me...you turned me into a-a-”

“I believe the correct term is 'sleeper cell' and yes, I did.”

“I believe the correct term is time bomb! Why would you do such a thing?! Don't you care about how I feel in all this?”

“No”

“I'm your son! You even said I was the perfect heir...”

“You are.”

“You're my real mom...and you don't even care...”

“Aw, Variance, don't say that. I never said I didn't love you, I do.”

“Y-You do..?” A small smile crept onto my face.

“Of course I do. If I didn't love you I would have never given you the warning, I would hate to do something drastic and hurt my child.” She began nuzzling me.

“Why do you even have to do this? The revenge will only make you happy...” My voice began to sink as I turned my head down.

“Variance,” She turned my head to look at her, “Listen to what mama has to say. Mama loves you, she truly does, but while she loves you...” Her eyes began to glow and a horrible smile grew on her face “She loves herself more.”

“Y-You're a bitch!”

“Well, at least you know which side of the family you get it from. Now be a good changeling and take a nap.” She shot a small beam into my chest and I fell into a slumber of pure darkness. When I awoke, I found myself still on Winona's back, emerging from the Everfree forest, we made our way past Fluttershy's cottage, into the middle of Ponyville. She started sniffing the ground, looking for a scent and when she caught it she made her way to it. I closed my eyes again, still tired from Chrysalis spell, and heard faint gasps, whispers and the like. I heard the noise of a worried mother, a scared sun princess crying out in joy, but breaking through that noise, in my head, was a voice. It chanted loudly and victoriously.

“Long live the queen”

Unexpected changeling

by The ancient one

The beginning of the end

Changeling VS Alicorn

The triple threat and single fret

A day for remembrance

The diamond and the rough

Exile

Perceptions and Deceptions

Only a matter of time