A Changeling has to earn back the trust of the friends that she had. Before she revealed she was a Changeling, she was pretending to be an Alicorn.
Night Crystal has revealed herself to be a powerful Changeling instead of an Alicorn. Now she must earn back the trust of her friends if she is to continue to live on the edge of Ponyville. If she can’t regain their trust within 90 days she will be forced to move into solitude in the mountains, never to return to civilization. If she succeeds, she will be allowed to stay. But who is she trying to convince to trust her again? Or does everypony need to trust some other pony? But can she do that while also keeping her feelings about a certain stallion in check?
Sequel to Changeling Fate. Cover art wasn’t created by me, credit to Derpibooru.
Styx's POV: While I must admit that this wasn’t where I planned to be at this moment, it could’ve been worse. I am currently sitting in the dungeons under Canterlot, locked in the most pathetic chains I have ever seen. I gaze around the small, dark, gloomy, plain gray cell I was placed in and ponder why Celestia and Luna thought a magic inhibitor would stop me from doing magic. It doesn’t, but over the last few nights I have snuck in more dances with Sombra, well the projection of him anyway. However, with nothing inhibiting my magic, I could technically get out whenever I wanted. Instead, I chose to stay here, humoring Celestia and Luna. I decided to act civilized rather than making my life difficult. Discord and Twilight have visited me each once before today, Discord being sad that I was in here. Twilight was just shocked and betrayed, but I think she got over it eventually. Today I am to duel Luna and Celestia while in Changeling form with Sombra’s sword and my magic. Simple enough I suppose, but it is going to be shown to everypony in Equestria by the use of specific unicorns essentially broadcasting it through their magic. Twilight is the source of the footage and is connected to the other unicorns. Cadence is showing it to the Crystal Empire. She was informed as soon as I was locked up. I was told by Twilight that Cadence wasn’t surprised at all. She knew something was different about me the moment she met me but neglected to say anything to Luna or Celestia. Her and Shining forgave me already and told me to visit them the first chance I got. Well, I knew to visit as soon as I get a letter telling me that she had the baby, but first, I have to get through Celestia and Luna.
I am escorted by two guards to the grounds where I am to duel. I watch calmly as Celestia and Luna put on their armor and grab their weapons. Celestia speaks toward Twilight who is now filming. “Today Luna and I will battle Styx. Anypony who knows her may have known her as Night Crystal or Skylight. She has been lying to all of us. But today, we will fight her to see if she is truly who she says she is or if she is lying again. If she is Styx, then this battle will take time. If she is not, then this won’t take much longer than a minute."
Hm, interesting speech. Although I can say that the second option is what is most likely going to happen. Since these two are foal's play to me. I am more powerful than Sombra was in his reign, since even he was a match for these two sisters. Although they think they are going to win, they are wrong. I am released from my shackles, the magic inhibitor is taken off, and I am offered armor. I take the armor and transform it into an altered version of Sombra’s cloak, crown/helmet, and hoof armor. My cloak being purple instead of red, but the silver being the same. Luna and Celestia draw their swords, and as do I a beat after them. I give myself over to my training. My eyes glow green, purple flames come streaming off my eyes, and I wait for the attack to come. I watch them take off into the air, and their blades come crashing down, only to meet mine. I continue to push up and slice both of their blades in half. They stand staring at me in shock for just long enough to allow me to bring a blade to each of their throats. Celestia yields, but Luna isn’t done yet. She smacks the blade away and flies into the air again. I lower my blade and wait, for I know her next attack won’t be with a sword. Twenty individual magic blasts come raining down on me, only to find me not there. I continue to dodge as Luna continues to bombard me. I hear Celestia shouting at Luna, something about yielding because I could kill her if I wanted to. She isn’t wrong, but I don’t mind toying with Luna and indulging in her foalish behavior. She will tire soon enough.
“Stop!” yells Twilight, managing to use the Royal Canterlot Voice. Although she is a princess, it is a very difficult thing to produce, or so I was told by Celestia a while ago.
Luna flutters down, landing next to her. “Why does thou want us to stop?”
“Because this is pointless, look at Styx.” Luna, Celestia, and Twilight look at me. “She isn’t even trying to avoid you. Let alone the fact that she has never attacked you before now. Even now, she doesn't appear to have any intention of hurting you two."
“My dear friend Twilight is correct.” Twilight looks angrily at me at that remark. “I have not even shown you half of the power I possess. On top of that, I have no desire to overthrow you. I just want your respect as an enemy, and your trust that I will bring no harm to anypony. I wish to continue my life in Ponyville with all of the friends I have made, as I have never meant any ill intent towards them. I accept whatever you may see fit for my life from now on,” I say looking at Celestia.
“Okay. You have proven that you mean no harm to any part of Equestria. You have most of my trust. Still, you will have to prove to me you mean no harm by earning the trust of everypony else back.”
“The same for us. We think thee would make a good sparring partner,” Luna cuts in.
“However, in order to stay in Ponyville, you must prove that you have the trust of all of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, along with Discord, Spike, and any other pony you have gained trust from.”
“Easy as pie.”
“But you must do so in 90 days. If you fail to show us that your trust is regained, you will go into solitude in the mountains, not to make contact with anypony ever again.”
“Deal. However, I must ask. Would you be okay if at some point I decided to bring Sombra back from Limbo?”
“An even better challenge. Regain the trust of your friends and have the bearers, Spike, and Discord come to trust Sombra within those 90 days.”
Well, that wasn’t what I was expecting, but I had no choice. So now all I had to do was regain trust, in my Changeling form. I was not allowed to change form for any reason. So the bearers and I went to Ponyville to begin this process. Discord knew the whole time so I didn’t need forgiveness and trust from him. I’ve had it the whole time. The bearers and Spike forgave me the minute we left Canterlot. Fluttershy knew since Hearth’s Warming Eve so I gained her trust immediately. The bearers understood my reason for lying to them about who I was. Starlight was hesitant at first, but apparently Twilight talked to her and she accepted me back, mostly. She will take a little more working on. The rest of Ponyville, that was easier said than done, as they were all very unsure about me.
Styx's POV: I have been hiding in my house for the last five days ever since we came from Canterlot after my battle. I have had zero interest in going out until I knew Applejack could come with me. Today is that day, so I crawl out of bed and saunter downstairs to meet Applejack outside. I grab my saddlebags and some bits, and Applejack and I go to the market to get some of the main ingredients for food. As for me, I need food, and some party supplies, both from Pinkie and some not from Pinkie. All of Ponyville knows who I am, as Royal Pin and Lyra combined magic to broadcast to Ponyville. I guess you could say that Filthy Rich was right after all; there was a Changeling in the tree. Either way, he still ain’t getting into my house. I take a deep breath and step outside my house. I see Applejack standing there smiling as if nothing has changed. Yet, everything has.
“Ready to go sugarcube?”
“Not really, but what choice do I have? I can’t stay inside my house forever if I want to start getting everypony to trust me again.”
“You’re correct about that, I just hope they can forgive ya. Ya never did anypony harm. You're still the same pony they knew, just… just…”
“Uglier?”
“Well that wasn’t the way I was gonna put it, but yeah, close enough.”
“You really are the most truthful pony Applejack, but sometimes I want to hear the lies. I guess I have no pony to blame but myself, still doesn’t mean that I couldn’t hope. I…”
“You what sugarcube?”
“I guess I always hoped that I could one day live peacefully among other ponies, in this form, without being judged and blamed. I guess even if you try to break something in slowly it doesn’t help. Cause you know, we’re here, and I am still shunned and hated, even though no one is alive to remember the war. I am blamed and hated for another reason, for my lie, and what I look like. What do you think of me Applejack? I want the truth.”
“To be honest, I don’t know. You are still the same pony I knew, personality wise; but you don’t look like you. So I guess what I am trying to say is that, I like you for who you are, and not so much what you look like.”
Applejack starts to rise and glow as she finishes that statement, indicating her honesty. I will never know that feeling, as I never will have everypony trust me fully again. If Sombra was here, I would just move the house and go hide in the mountains with him. Unfortunately, I can’t do that yet. I have other mountains to climb first, starting with going into town to be stared at and having everypony run away from me. As Applejack grounds herself, I see her cutie mark start to glow, indicating that the map is calling her. Great, she has to leave, therefore leaving me to make my town excursion on my own. Applejack runs off towards Twilight’s castle, leaving dust in her wake. I continue to walk into town and as I do, the shops all close and the vendors all leave. All but one, the Apple Family cart. I guess Applejack told them to be nice to me. I look at the cart, expecting to see Big Mac, Applebloom, and Granny Smith. Instead, all I see is Big Mac. I cautiously approach him, and as he turns around, his expression is one of complete calm, like always. I hear a psst come from a shop nearby and see a yellow hoof sticking out of a door, Applebloom, waving for Big Mac to come inside.
“Eenope,” he says, stamping his hoof down.
“Good morning, Big Mac. How are you doing today?”
“Good. How are you Styx?”
“Well I could be better if you couldn’t tell from the lack of shops and vendors open. Did Applejack tell you to be nice to me?”
“Eeyup. But I ain’t one of them superstitious ponies. Ya still act the same as always, so I don’t see any reason to treat ya differently. You're still a pony just like me. Just cause ya look different doesn’t bother me any.”
“Thank you Big Mac. It is nice to have somepony who doesn’t mind. Can I get two dozen apples?”
“Here’s a sack, take your pick. 15 bits is your total.”
“Big Mac, wouldn’t my price be 20 bits?”
“Eeyup, but not today. I wanna be nice to you because nopony else seems to want to give you a chance. It’s like Zecora when we first met her, just we already know you.”
“Thanks Big Mac.” I walk towards Sugarcube Corner and see that surprisingly, it’s open. I step through the doorway expecting to see Pinkie Pie up front. Instead, I am greeted by a pie in the face. I clean my face off with my magic to see baby Pumpkin Cake giggling. I pick up a cupcake and toss it in her face. She licks off the icing and giggles again. I suddenly have another pie on my back. I look up to see Pound Cake giggling hysterically, apparently hard enough so that he has to land down on the floor by his sister. I bop him on the nose with a cupcake, causing the giggles to continue. Suddenly the giggles stop. I look up towards the kitchen entrance to see Mrs. Cake and Mr. Cake staring at me in shock. I grin sheepishly and clean up the small mess the twins and I made. “I’m sorry for coming in unannounced, but-”
“I don’t care that you came in unannounced, I want to know how you got the twins to giggle,” Mrs. Cake interrupts, looking at me in shock.
“Both Pumpkin and Pound threw a cake at me and then I bopped each of them on the nose with a cupcake. I’m sorry if this wasn’t a good idea. I can leave if you don’t want me and my hideous self in your store,” I say as I turn to leave.
“No, wait! I didn’t mean to sound like that. I just haven’t heard the twins giggle in a while. I was kind of shocked, but I would love it if you stayed. No, I’m not saying that just because Pinkie told us to try to be nice to you, but because you just showed us that you are still the same pony you were before. Pumpkin and Pound don’t seem to care that you look different, they both somehow knew it was you. So I don’t care either. Would you like to stay for some Strawberry Shortcake and tea?”
“If you don’t mind. I haven’t eaten since last night, so I am hungry. Thank you so much Mrs. Cake.”
I spend about 2 hours with them chatting and help put the twins to bed. I thank them before heading off to see if I could get any more stores to let me in. Alas, no other vendors open their doors, so I guess I will just have to live off of apples and some varied pastries for a little while. I canter home, put the food away, and head to bed, hoping tomorrow is a better day.
Styx’s POV: I hear a knock on the door, so I saunter downstairs, open the door, and see Twilight with the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Twilight is smiling at me as if nothing had changed. The CMC on the other hand, well, they are staring at me with fright evident in their eyes. An interesting thing, since over the last few days I have been around them constantly. Shaking off that thought, I smile and ask, “What brings you here Twilight? And why are the Cutie Mark Crusaders with you?”
“I am here to ask you to come teach at my school! As for the Cutie Mark Crusaders, they want to ask you something.”
Applebloom speaks first, “We wanted to ask you if you would be willing to be our pony of interest for school.”
Sweetie Bell next, “What Applebloom means is that we would you like you to come talk to our class as like show and tell.”
Scootaloo finishes off, “That means that we would like you to come talk about yourself and The War of Crystal to our class so that we can learn about it. Not from textbooks, but from somepony that actually lived through it. Ms. Cheerilee says that if we ask you and you say yes, then we can go last so you can comment on other ponies' presentations about the War. It would be amazing, as much as we appear afraid.”
“Are you girls afraid of me?”
“No, we were just nervous about asking you and what your reaction would be. So would you be willing to help us?” asks Sweetie Bell.
“Of course girls, I would be delighted to! When is this presentation?”
“Tomorrow!” all three fillies excitedly shout.
“Goodness. Well at least I don’t have to prepare a speech. You girls can go home and I’ll see you three tomorrow.”
“Alright!” the three yell as they go running off.
“So Twilight, about that teaching position, what in all of Equestria would I be teaching?”
“Eeeee! You kind of represent trust, even though half of the town doesn’t trust you right now. However, who better to teach it when they know so much about how important it is to be yourself, and earn friendship through trust? You! So what do you think? I even have a classroom all ready for you to teach starting in three days, if you want to that is. You can decorate it and use whatever you need to teach your lessons.”
“Twilight, I would be honored to do that! I promise to be the best teacher I can be.”
“That is all I ask.”
I go back inside and spend about 2 hours cooking some different apple confections, since I have ingredients that Pinkie brought me yesterday. I spend the rest of the day cleaning and tidying up my house. I go to bed thinking about what tomorrow is going to bring, a presentation, and commenting on the things fillies can find in textbooks that are beyond inaccurate.
I yawn and groggily get out of bed. I go over to my closet, but decide against getting dressed as I don’t need to scare the colts and fillies any more than I will just by being normal. The CMC promised to meet me at Sugarcube Corner to show me to the school house. As I arrive at Sugarcube Corner I see the three fillies all standing in a line patiently waiting for me. Although their expressions betray everything, smiles like wide canyons. They see me and Scootaloo waves for me to follow them, so I do. Not like there are any shops to go into anyway, even if I didn’t want to go. Applebloom tells me on the way that there will be five presentations total, including me. We reach the schoolhouse and I am amazed to see parents with their foal’s presentations in hoof. Wow, the poor things can’t even carry their own presentations. We all enter the schoolhouse and I settle myself comfortably in the back, sitting on the ground, noticing that I am much taller than the average pony. The presentations begin and I am already bored. As the four presentations progress over the next four hours I make a mental list about everything they get wrong.
Sombra being evil. Crystal ponies being unhappy with reign and forced to fight. Changelings were not involved. Umbrum are still alive and in hiding. Children were forced to fight or their parents would be tortured/killed. Sombra being on the losing end of the war. Celestia and Luna stepped in when they were close to winning.
I make another little mental list about things they got right.
War started over a feud between two royal ponies with access to military forces.
That is it, that is all that is correct through all of the presentations. Cheerilee quiets the class, gestures to me, and says, “And our last presenter, who is standing in for Applebloom, Sweetie Bell, and Scootaloo. Please welcome Styx.”
“Wow, they were too lazy to put a presentation together so they just had a pony come talk for them instead,” Diamond Tiara pipes up from the front row.
“No, they were willing to come find me and ask me to speak about the real events of the war,” I say, keeping my voice steady.
“How would you know about the war?”
I flick the lights on and say, “Because I lived through it.”
Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, and two colts scream. Cheerilee calms them down and I start to explain. “I am Styx, the last known dark Changeling in existence, and I was a filly, about your age, when I aided King Sombra in the War of Crystal.”
A little filly in the back raises her hoof and asks, “So you’re a traitor to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna?”
“In a way I was. However, today I am not. I stand as an equal to them in most ways, but I don’t want to rule anypony. Now in regards to King Sombra being evil, he is not. Anything but, he was a kind and fair ruler, much like Celestia and Luna. Or better if you ask the Crystal ponies their thoughts. The Crystal ponies were happy with Sombra’s rein and weren’t forced to take part in the fighting. All they had to do was provide food for the troops. Most of the troops were Umbrum and Changelings, all willing volunteers.”
“What do the Umbrum look like?” a colt from the second row asks.
“Like this,” I say producing an image of one with my magic and showing in comparison to a normal pony.
“Woah, that’s cool, are there any still alive?”
“No, as soon as Sombra was killed, they all vanished. As the Umbrum were in link with him. Speaking of being killed, no children were forced to fight. All but one Changeling foal remained at home and lived a normal life during the war.”
“No way, that can’t be possible,” Diamond Tiara says, as if she was all knowing.
“As much as you read history textbooks, I can tell you that most of them are wrong. I was the one Changeling foal that chose to aid in the war, mostly by raiding villages for food disguised as a normal pony filly. But enough of that, did you know that Celestia and Luna almost lost the war? Had they not taken action against Sombra, his troops would have won.”
“Liar!” yells Filthy Rich from the back of the room.
“Oh, I wish that were the case, but no. Fun fact: Celestia and Luna sentenced hundreds of Changelings to death after the war for being traitors. Then they killed the parents of every other Changeling foal except mine, thereby putting all of them into normal pony foster homes. All but one of those foals ended up starving themselves to death. The last one threw himself off the roof of Canterlot castle. Filthy, you know nothing of how hard that was to watch fillies of my own kind kill themselves, just to get out of a world run by Celestia and Luna. I almost joined them, but I thought to myself why would I. I have so much to live for. Thankfully Celestia and Luna let me live, as much as it came back to haunt them later. Well that’s all I got, have a good day everypony.” I finish and go running out of the school house and back home where I immediately fall into bed and pass out from exhaustion.
Styx's POV: I wake up the next morning and prepare for my first lesson at Twilight’s school. Thankfully, it is easy to teach trust, so my first lesson is simply going to be a bunch of scenarios on trust. Holding something above some creature else’s head, creature knot, and an assignment for homework, etc. I refrain from wearing anything again since I don’t need to scare any creature off with my wardrobe choice. I grab a few things in my magic for my classroom, and gallop towards the school. Twilight told me to arrive early so she could show me my classroom. I enter the front doors to see Twilight patiently waiting for me, she gestures with her hoof for me to follow. Twilight is being eerily quiet, something I don’t enjoy. I think it might be that she isn’t quite used to seeing me in full Changeling form, along with being about two heads taller than her. We arrive at a room at the end of the hallway and enter. The room is decently sized, tall ceilings so I have no fear of running my head into the ceiling, painted midnight blue, and oak desks for the students. Twilight floats me my roster and says, “Here is your class lists, there are only two, and I would like to ask you if you would be willing to stand in the front entrance area with me today so I can introduce you to the students?”
“Of course Twilight, I would be glad to. Although I must ask, why are so uneasy today? You seem tense and barely acknowledged me when I walked in this morning.”
“Sorry, I guess I am nervous about how the students are going to take to a teacher that...that…”
“Looks like this?”
“Yes, I know the Changeling won’t have any issues, but it is the rest of my students. Mostly my pony students since, they have been taught all their life to hate the very image and idea that is you. I guess we should be going,” Twilight finishes as she turns to leave the room. I place all of my items in the room where I want them and follow her.
We arrive at front, and I say, “Twilight, thanks for telling me. I hope that I can prove to you that I belong here and want to better your students.”
“You already have. Oh, and I should tell you that the students don’t have school tomorrow. So you won’t have to come for the next three days.”
“Cool, thanks Twilight,” I say as the students begin to come in, she points out most of them to me, mostly the ponies. However, she has a few come over, specifically the dragon named Smolder, Yona the yak, Gallus the griffon, Silverstream the hippogriff, Sandbar a normal colt, and lastly Mystel, the orphaned Changeling. No words are passed between us other than Twilight introducing us and us saying hi to one another. As we finish up, the warning bell rings, telling students and possibly teachers to get to their classrooms. I bid Twilight goodbye and head towards my classroom, no students are in my room during the first or third block of time due to having this as a new class. So, I contemplate how to organize my room to fit my needs for the day. Since I am going to have activities that involve being in a circle, I decide to shove the desks towards the front of the room, leaving enough in the back to have the students form a circle.
The bell rings signally end of first block and then students have just enough time to get to their next class. Students start filing in, including all of the students that aren’t ponies. Mystel sits at the front which makes Gallus and Silverstream give her a confused look. I’m guessing because she sits in the back in all of her other classes. As much as the other creatures are confused they still sit by her. Safety in friendship and numbers. As the next bell rings signifying the start of class, I quiet the class down. “Quiet students. Now some of you may have met me already this morning, but for those of you that haven’t, my name is Styx. I will take any questions you have about the class and me.”
Mystel’s hoof shoots straight up in the air, along with Yona’s, Gallus’s, and Sandbar’s. I point to Mystel first, “Are you a Changeling?”
“Yes, I am a Changeling. I don’t look like you because, I never accepted the rule of Celestia and Luna after the War of Crystal. Yes, I was alive during the war.” I point to Gallus next.
“How did you meet Headmare Twilight?”
“I was looking to fit into pony society and I went looking for the princesses. I ended up wandering into Ponyville, and found Headmare Twilight’s friends and eventually Headmare Twilight herself.” I point to Yona next.
“How did Changeling become a teacher here?”
“Headmare Twilight asked me to teach here, since I knew so much about the Elements and how important trust was in friendship,” I say, pointing to a Sandbar next.
“What exactly is this class about?”
“This class is about trust. Not just about gaining it, but having it and ways that trust can be broken or mended. If we are all finished with questions we should begin. So students if you will all form a circle in the back of the room, we can get started.”
The students make a circle in the back and we play creature knot, where all of the students grabbed the hoof or claw of another student, so all creatures were on their hind legs. I tell them that they must untangle themselves to form a circle again without letting each other go. I tell them to begin as Twilight walks in. “Hello Twilight, come to check on me or the students?”
“Admittedly, I came to check on you. I see your still here and your students are doing a little trust exercise. So, I guess that means everything is going well?”
“Professor Styx were done!” I hear a pony yell across the room. I look behind me to see that they have indeed done it and are all smiling and laughing merrily. I hold my hoof up for Twilight to hold her thoughts. I walk over to my students and set them on their next task, leader, or essentially the leader has to guide everyone else through an obstacle course, as every other creature will be blindfolded. Calling out directions each time. I set up the course out of books, metal hoops, desks, chairs, and some cones I snuck from a construction site around the back of the room. I hover a blindfold to all creatures but Silverstream. Entrusting her to lead her team through the course. I place glowing magical arrows on the floor to guide her in how the course works, and tell them that if any creature runs into an obstacle they have to start over. I let them begin and walk back to Twilight and say, “Yes, everything is going well.”
“I’m glad, I just hope that everypony else can see how much you are still the same pony, just you look different. I was honestly worried about how this was going to work out, but I see that I have nothing to worry about. I’ll let you continue your lessons in peace.”
“Thank you Twilight,” I say, watching her walk out and turning back to my class. I turn to see that Silverstream has managed to guide the whole team through. We switch the leader so that each student has a turn. After they finish I give them their homework assignment, to gain the trust of a complete stranger. As the students file out to go to lunch, I go to follow but change my mind. I am not hungry as the students filled me up with positivity.
My second class goes essentially the same, except this one is all ponies, so it is silent. Since they have all been told to fear anything that looks like me. As the students leave I grab the grade book that I made during my third block off, to record attendance and any grades, whether that be participation, homework, or projects. I head out and wander home, hoping not to see anypony on my way. I contemplate teleporting home, but I can’t muster the energy to do so.
Styx’s POV: I wake up to hear birds chirping, which is odd because no birds ever get near my house. As I am so close to the Everfree Forest, so I crawl over to the window and look outside to see Mystel. I glare at her and close the blinds to my window. I wander outside, still fuming that she thinks she can stalk me all day. Well, I guess I’ll give her a bit of an interesting day. Hunting for meat, essentially useless flying and tricks all the way to Cloudsdale, and ending at Twilight’s castle to have her explain why she will most likely have been following me all day. Well, explaining it to Twilight, not me, as I don’t really care. I have no interest in any other Changelings, as most of them were foolish to accept the reign of Celestia and Luna. While she didn’t have a choice as she was born into the reign, I still don’t particularly like any of them. She does tug at my heartstrings a little bit, since she is an orphan like I was. However, if I fall in love with her as being my child then I will not be able to keep providing her with that love. Since, when I free Sombra, I will not be able to continue to love.
You are giving up what!!?
Ow. I will have a headache for the rest of the day no thanks to you. Also, yes, it is my choice and my decision. Besides, is it really that big of a price to pay for your freedom?
Yes! Do you not understand that by giving that up you will never feel any type of love? Family or romantic, ever again. Meaning that all of the love you had or still have for me you will never feel again?
I do understand, and if it means bringing you back then I am willing to do it. Don’t you know how badly I want you back?
I do know, but how is giving up the feeling of love worth having me back?
It is worth it, because it means I have the one person who I know will love me unconditionally for the rest of my life. I also know that you will know I love you, even though I can’t feel it for you ever again.
I suppose, but how does that work if we ever want to have children? It’s not like you can just suddenly learn to love again. You don’t need to do this, I’m sure there is something else that Limbo would want. It’s not like it can take you and trap you in it in exchange for my release.
No, it can’t. However, the only other thing that Limbo wants it shall not get.
What would that be?
My own body. My own black, chitin, bug like body.
A beautiful body may I add.
Not important right now.
It isn’t, hmm, well never mind on that then. Anyway, what would happen to your soul then? I’m assuming it would inhabit another’s body?
Yours actually, your newly freed body. We would live in reverse to what we are now, except I wouldn’t also be trapped in Limbo. Like you and your precious body that just had to go to Limbo with you.
Not like I had a choice my dear, Celestia chose that.
Sure. Anyway, so now you know why I would rather give up my ability to love. It is much less valuable than my body.
I suppose so, but it doesn’t mean I won’t continue to argue this with you at a later date. Go hunt my precious river. I will speak to you later.
I will, I love you.
I love you too.
As Sombra fades from my mind I take off into the Everfree Forest to hunt, keenly aware of the Changeling young close at hoof. I soar above the canopy scanning the forest floor for a plump mouse or vole. I spot a small movement near a bunch of fallen acorns and plummet into a headfirst dive. With fangs all the way out, I snatch and kill the vole, taking my prey to the highest cliffside to eat. I land and gently set down the vole. Hearing a small thud behind me, I turn to face the young Changeling, who is wearing a face of shock and disgust at what I just did. “Can I help you?”
“Why did you just kill it? I mean Changelings, or ponies otherwise don’t eat meat. So, it’s not like your going to eat it. Are you?”
“That’s exactly what I am going to do. So if you would rather not watch, then I suggest you turn around or go down a cliff lower, or all the way into the forest. Up to you, but I would decide quickly,” I say, turning back around. I lay down and proceed to take a large, juicy bite out of my vole. I hear a gagging noise come from behind me and turn my head just enough to see Mystel vomiting over the opposite end of the cliff we are on. I finish up my meal and throw the bones off my side of the cliff. I lick my chops clean so that I don’t scare Mystel as I go to comfort her. I reach Mystel and say, “Now I know you haven’t ever seen anypony eat meat, but long before you were born, Dark Changelings ate meat. It wasn’t anything foreign to us, in fact, it was norm. When Celestia and Luna took over they forced all of us to no longer eat meat. Hence the reason for the relative skinny and short stature of all of you today. Me eating meat is still the reason I am larger and taller than all of the adult Changelings you know. So, just don’t think about it, are you ready to continue following me the rest of the day?”
“I think so, where are we going next?”
“Cloudsdale.”
We take off, her still behind me, I do all sorts of aerial tricks on the way up. Cloudsdale isn’t far from Ponyville, but it is still a little ways up there. At least for me, for Mystel I’m sure it feels like it is a long way as she isn’t use to flying long distances. So I’m surprised that she is keeping up with me all the way. We land in Cloudsdale and I decide to check in on Spitfire and maybe finally meet Soarin. We head over to the Wonderbolt headquarters and head inside. The Pegasus at the front desk is thoroughly shocked to see us, and quickly says something into the phone. Apparently she called security as I see six guards come running towards us. I turn around, pulling Mystel to me, and form a shield around us. All of the guards don’t see this so they all end up bouncing off, I project my voice to outside the bubble and say, “I am here to see Spitfire, tell her that Styx is here and tell her to bring Soarin along too.” The Pegasus mare at the front desk doesn’t move so I emphasize my point, “Now!” She quickly does so and up comes Spitfire and Soarin.
“Somepony care to tell me why all of the guards in this building are surrounding my friend and her guest!” she pauses waiting for an answer, “No, well then get back to work and while your at it, you all can call the rest of the ponies that are supposed to come into today and tell them they get today off! Now move it!” She blows her whistle, emphasizing her point. A shrill sound to say the least, I can’t imagine hearing that almost all day. Rainbow said that Spitfire blew it almost constantly during Wonderbolt Academy, so I am really glad that this is the most that I will be hearing of it today.
The guards leave and the receptionist begins making calls. I drop the shield and turn to Spitfire and Soarin, “Thanks Spitfire, I didn’t know what else to do.”
“No worries, I knew who you were as soon as Flare sent for me and Soarin. By the way, care to introduce me to your guest?”
“Oh, this is one of Twilight’s friendship school students, Mystel, she is following me around today for some reason. I don’t care to hear the reason so I haven’t asked her. How have been Spitfire?”
“Good as can be, holding up, Dash has been showing up so that is always good. Soarin here has been trying to lay off the pies, but we all know how well that works. Isn’t that right Soarin?”
“Yes Spitfire, although I haven’t had a pie in a week. Cause I have been in your sights almost the entire week, so it has been going better. Good to finally meet you Styx, even though the first time we were supposed to meet you would have been Night Crystal. But hey, no judgement here, I guess I understand why you did it. So what did you come here for?”
“Mostly just to check in and say hi, since it has been a little while.”
“Well you know, you should come by more often, maybe watch a few routines and try some out with us,” says Spitfire.
“I might take you up on that, I could use the challenge. Good to stretch my wings and test my limits now and then.” I hear a snicker behind me, I don’t turn, and pretend I didn’t hear it. I probe around into the mind of whoever is behind me, Celestia. I bid Spitfire and Soarin a good day and then Mystel asks to use the restroom. I tell her how to find it, and once she is out of sight I turn around to face Celestia. “Can I help you Celestia?”
“Well shoot, I didn’t think you heard my snicker,” she says, revealing herself.
“It is difficult to tell if my ears twitch at a sound as my movements are much more subtle than that of an average pony, being that I am a Changeling. Now if you will excuse me, Mystel and I are going to continue our day, meaning that we are going to Twilight’s castle. So, if I ever catch you following me again, my next response will not be as calm and collected as this one.”
“Okay, I just wanted to see if you were making progress. But I can see that I left you in good hooves with Twilight.”
“Actually I haven’t seen Twilight all that much, so not really. Bye Celestia.”
“Goodbye Styx.”
As Celestia vanishes, Mystel comes back and we descend from Cloudsdale all the way down to Twilight’s castle. I am sure that whatever reason she has for following me can’t be good for me, but I will stay and listen to it anyway once we arrive and find Twilight.
Styx’s POV: We land in front of the main doors and we walk inside. I have a feeling that Twilight is going to be in the library, so I head that direction with Mystel close behind. Twilight comes careening around the corner, plowing into me. We go crashing into the wall.
Ouch! You okay?
I’m fine Sombra, thanks for asking.
Twilight and I get up, and I check her over for injuries. Nothing is broken, maybe bruised, but that is it. “What’s the hurry Twilight?”
“I just got news that Ms. Harshwhinny will be going around to different locations and seeing which location is the best fit for the Equestria games. What did you need Styx?”
“I am here to bring one of your students to explain why she has been following me all day. Mystel?” I say, watching her come out from behind a pillar in Twilight’s castle.
“Mystel? The orphaned Changeling? Why have you been following Styx all day?” Twilight asks skeptically.
“I just wanted to know how she lived her life and what she did on a daily basis, but I have a feeling today wasn’t a normal day, was it?”
“Nope, my day has been purely to show you what I do when somepony follows me around all day. Including a rare thing I do on occasion, eating meat. So, now that you figured that out, what do you want with me?”
“I guess I hoped I could learn how to fend for myself, and hoped to convince you to let me stay with you. I don’t want to go back to the orphanage in the hive.” Mystel says meekly.
“That’s it? That’s all you wanted? What was the matter with just asking me?”
“Well, every time I asked something to the headmare at the orphanage I would always get yelled at. So I have refrained from asking questions altogether. I didn’t think you would listen to me since you were busy and have other things on your mind.”
“Well, the second part is true, but the first isn’t. Don’t ever be afraid to ask me anything, I won’t get mad. Actually, don’t be afraid to ask anypony here in Ponyville a question. Now, about the headmare in the orphanage. Was there anything that she did to you or any of the other children that would seem cruel?”
“Well, just before I left to come to Twilight’s school, I saw her grab two young in her magic and hauled them off towards the punishment room. We have heard rumors about that those children often get tied up and beaten.”
“Mystel, could you recognize the two children she carried off?”
“Yes, I was close friends with one of them, the younger one, but I could recognize the other one if I tried.”
“Mystel, how old are you? And in comparison, how old was your friend?”
“Well, I’m 8, she is probably about 3 or 4. I don’t know for sure though.”
“Mystel, you will come with Twilight and I to the orphanage in the hive and we will make sure that the headmare is punished, and we will get your friend out of there.”
“Okay, so how are we getting there?”
“We are going to fly. Ready, Twilight?”
“Ready Styx.”
We run out of Twilight’s castle and take off into the air, flying towards the hive. I lead the way as neither Mystel nor Twilight have ever flown to the hive. As we come up upon the Changeling hive, I fall back to let Mystel lead the way to the orphanage. We touch down outside a large, black stone building that looks the same as the day I left it all those years ago. Twilight and I flank Mystel as we walk in, as I don’t need her getting snatched up before we can talk to the headmare. Inside there are children milling about; some playing ball, some reading, and even some taking care of babies. There is a desk with an adult Changeling behind it. I feel Mystel shake in fear and know that this must be the headmare. She sees Twilight first, Mystel second, and me last. She jumps slightly upon seeing me.
“Are you here to return Mystel for misbehaving in your school? If so, I am sorry that we couldn’t drill manners into her.”
“Actually no, we come looking for one of Mystel’s friends. So we will just take a look around for a few minutes.”
“No worries, I’ll be in the back, just holler if you need me.”
I get the feeling the back means the punishment room. “Mystel, what does your friend look like? Because I am going to follow the headmare.”
“She is orange, with a yellow tummy, and teal wings. I’ve never seen another kid like her, her name is Orla.”
“Okay. You two go see if you can find your friend out here. I am going to follow the headmare.” The two head off to scour the house, and I walk behind the desk to follow the headmare. As I peek my head into the hallway I see the headmare disappear into the last room on the left. I creep slowly towards the door, as not to make the floor squeak. As even though the outside and walls are made of stone, the floor is old wood. As I reach the door, I hear crying. I cautiously open the door just a crack until I can see inside. However, the sight that greets me is not what I wanted.
A small purple Changeling is laying on the floor, blood pooling beneath her. Dead. I knew the headmare would be mean, but I never expected her to resort to killing children. I look towards the headmare as she says, “Orla, you know that this was inevitable, as both you and Violet never listened and always disliked everything I told you to eat or do. Now seeing that Mystel and the Princess of Friendship are here looking for you, I can’t very well tell them the truth. So I have no choice but to kill you and dispose of your body and Violet’s. Now hold still while I tie you up.”
I can’t take it any longer, I barge in and tackle the headmare to the ground. Sinking my teeth into her neck, killing her instantly. Orla has already seen death, but once is enough. So I throw up an unseeable shield, meaning that I can see in, but Orla can’t see out. After I teleport the headmare’s body into a volcano, I remove the shield spell from around Orla.
She sees me and looks scared at first, but once she notices the lack of the headmare she comes running to me. Hugging my leg and doesn’t want to let go. I lift her up in my magic and look at her and ask, “Do you want to hold a funeral for Violet in a very special place?”
“Yes, I do. I want a home.”
“Orla, I’ll take you home. You and Mystel can live together. Do you remember Mystel?”
“Of course, she was like a big sister to me. Is she here?”
“Yes, and we can go see her now if you wish.”
“Yes please, but what about Violet?”
“I will come back for her, and take the three of you for a funeral later tonight. For a proper Changeling funeral.”
I place Orla on my back and walk back out to the front. I see Twilight and Mystel standing on the other side of the desk waiting for my return. As soon as Mystel sees Orla on my back she comes flying over the desk. I gently place Orla down on the ground and walk over to Twilight. Placing a sound-blocking shield around us I say, “Violet, Orla’s friend and the one Mystel said she could recognize is dead. The headmare killed her in front of Orla’s eyes. I had not been there Orla would have shared the same fate. I killed the headmare and teleported her body into a volcano.”
“Good, I sent a letter to Mala, a Changeling excellent with working with fillies, asking if she would like a job as the headmare in the orphanage. I just received a letter back saying she would love it. So I will send another one telling her to come immediately.”
“Sounds good Twilight. While you get that all sorted out, I am going to take Mystel and Orla to hold a funeral for Violet.”
“Could I come?”
“Twilight, as much as I know you want to come to do research on Changeling funerals. The other children need you here to look after them and introduce them to the new headmare. I will tell you about the funeral tomorrow if you wish.”
“Of course, I understand. You will be telling me tomorrow about the traditions of the funerals. I'll see you tomorrow then.”
“See you tomorrow Twilight.”
I turn back towards Orla and Mystel to see them both crying. “Are you two ready to send Violet off to the heavens?”
“Yes,” they reply in unison. I take them back to the room. I clean up Violet’s body and seal her wound back up. Then I teleport us to the one place that I remember enjoying so much, the Crystal Gardens. Never seen by anypony except Sombra, myself, and possibly Cadence and Shining Armor. It was a special place, it was where Sombra took me one day to play with me, two days before he was killed and sent to Limbo. As we appear, the girls are in awe. I walk them towards a patch of grass and say, “Girls, go pick a few crystal flowers for the funeral.” They both scurry off together. As they pick flowers, I conjure up a small coffin made of Changeling stone, along with a piece of color changing fabric. I swathe the coffin in the fabric as the girls return. They plucked one big violet colored rose and a few blue and orange lilies. “Which flowers go on top?”
“The violet one goes on top, and the rest go inside,” says Mystel, looking down at the coffin.
“That is a beautiful coffin, how is the fabric doing that?” asks Orla, staring captive at the fabric.
“It is Changeling fabric, so it changes color until it finds the correct color that the pony wants. Except in the case of a funeral, it will continue to change color, since the pony it belongs to has passed.”
“Cool,” both of the girls say in unison.
I gently place Violet’s body into the coffin, then allowing the girls to place the flowers inside. I close the lid, and lower the coffin into the ground. I take the Violet rose and replant it over the grave. I manifest a small rectangular section of small metal fencing around the grave, and place a small plaque on the outside of it, saying,
Here lies a Changeling of great strength and heart. Violet A sister, a daughter, unwanted, but still loved. Rest easy, you are loved by many.
As I finish up the plaque, both girls break down into tears. I hear a small sob from behind me, and whip around, only to find Cadence, standing alone, watching us. I nod as I pull the girls close with my wings comforting them as they say their final goodbyes to their friend, or sister in a way.
Once they are done, I teleport all of us back to my house, and tuck the two of them into my bed. Leaving myself to go sleep on the couch, but it is worth it, as I hear the small snores of the two Changelings not long after.
Styx’s POV: I have woken up for the past two mornings to Mystel and Orla still in bed, so of course, today is no different. I wander to the kitchen and see a note taped to the outside of my kitchen window. It is from Twilight, telling me to meet all of them at the castle. It also says that Twilight will have told the others about Mystel and Orla before I get there. I teleport to Twilight’s castle and appear in the map room.
“What’s going on Twilight?” I ask, making Fluttershy jump a little at my unannounced appearance.
“I wanted to gather everypony because we are going to the Crystal Empire; to give it the best shot of possibly hosting the Equestria Games."
“Well, I’ll be Twilight. You’re sayin’ we are all goin’ to the Crystal Empire today?"
“Yes, because we are in charge of making sure that Ms. Harshwhinny is treated to the best day ever and is thoroughly impressed by how amazing and prepared the Crystal Empire is to host the Equestria Games. We know that Ms. Harshwhinny will have flower luggage, and will be arriving two trains after ours. To give us time to prepare our tour, ending with a spa treatment and meeting with Cadence and Shining Armor at the Crystal Castle.”
“That’s great Twilight, but what am I to do with Mystel and Orla while I am gone? I can’t leave them by themselves, now can I?”
“No you can’t, that is why I asked Big Mac, Applebloom, and Granny Smith to keep them company. They can share my bed while I’m gone. Mystel can help Big Mac a little bit and Orla can help Granny cook.”
“That would be amazing Applejack! I’ll go get the girls and meet you at Sweet Apple Acres.”
I teleport home to get the girls and head back to the farm. Applejack, Big Mac, Applebloom, and Granny Smith are all waiting for us outside the house. I introduce the girls to the Apple family and tell them that they will be staying here while I am gone. I tell them that they will be well looked after and that I will get them when we get back. Once the girls are settled into the Apple farm, I teleport Applejack and I back to Twilight’s castle to meet up with the others. Then, off we go to the Crystal Empire.
No matter how many times I come to the Crystal Empire, the radiant blue gemstones of the castle and the plethora of colors of crystal houses never ceases to amaze me. We leave the train station and head towards the castle to meet with Cadence to go over what Ms. Harshwhinny should see around the Empire. We make it to the castle, managing to avoid any Crystal ponies seeing me. We enter the castle but I am immediately stopped by the guards.
“Let me in.”
“Sorry, no Changelings are allowed into the Crystal Castle until Princess Cadence has had the baby.”
“I’m so sorry Styx, please come in!” I hear Cadence yell through the door, more to the guards than myself I’d wager.
The guards humbly apologize and move out of my way. I enter the castle and make my way towards the main throne room. “Styx, you made it! Are we all ready to go over what we are going to do?”
“Actually Twilight, I feel it would be best if I didn’t help all of you out. Seeing as I am, well, an unreformed Changeling.”
“That shouldn’t change anything darling. After all, aren’t all races of ponies expected to compete at the Games?”
“Actually Rarity, no. Changelings have never been included. Nor do I think they are very eager to join. I don’t plan on being at the games unless I am needed for security reasons. Cadence, what do you think?”
“As much as I hate to agree, as I feel you need to be included, I also think it would be best if you didn’t help. But, would you consider sticking around to have dinner with us?”
“I would be honored Cadence. I will be out enjoying the many things the Crystal Empire has to offer while trying to avoid Twilight and the gang. Maybe I’ll go see Sunburst.”
“That sounds like an excellent idea. Starlight and Spike can go with you, show you around,” says Twilight eagerly.
“Sounds like a plan to me.” The three of us make our way out of the throne room. “Although, I should warn you two that the Crystal ponies might be very excited to see a Changeling like me.”
“Why would that be? It’s not like your a hero in the Crystal Empire. Are you?” asks Starlight, pondering why they would be excited to see an unreformed Changeling.
“Actually, seeing as I am an unreformed Changeling, like the ones that fought for Sombra in the War of Crystal, they might be ready to worship me for my bravery and managing to live under the radar of Celestia and Luna without being caught.”
“Oh, well I this will be interesting. Honestly, I think that I would enjoy seeing how a hero is celebrated in the Crystal Empire.”
“Haha Starlight. I don’t know what they do, or if any will recognize me.” We exit the castle and start our walk to Sunburst’s house. On the way we decide to get food and stop by the library to see if there are any books on the Crystalling ceremony. Since Cadence and Shining Armor are going to need to hold the ceremony after the baby is born. We surprisingly make it to the library without any Crystal pony seeing me, let alone seeing a baby dragon. As we enter, the librarian doesn’t acknowledge us until Starlight asks where to find information on the Crystalling. The librarian looks up and stares at me in shock.
“Styx?” The librarian hesitantly asks.
“Yes Rosetta?”
“You are alive, how is this possible? I thought that none of Sombra’s Changelings survived the war, especially one as young as you. Didn’t you go into a pony foster home?”
“No, I was allowed to live with my adoptive Changeling parents. They were allowed to live after the war. They died about two years ago. I honestly didn’t think any of you would be able to recognize me.”
“Of course we would recognize you. You were known as King Sombra’s adoptive daughter. Although I guess now you two probably would be more of lovers, eh?”
In that moment I am so glad that no one can see me blush. “Well, that is up to a lot of interpretation, but one could fantasize I suppose. How have you been with the Crystal Princess taking over?”
Rosetta’s appearance turns full crystal as she spoke, “It got better knowing that one of Sombra’s trusted Changelings survived this long under the rule of Celestia and Luna without yielding.”
She starts hootin’ and hollerin’ so loud that Starlight, Spike, and I have to cover our ears. It isn’t long before a mass of Crystal ponies barge in the library doors. Apparently loud yelling signals to every other Crystal pony that a dark Changeling has survived. In seconds, I am surrounded by a bunch of cheering ponies, leaving Starlight and Spike in the dust.
Sombra, any way to help?
I can try to use your body as a vessel for speaking, but I can’t guarantee it will work.
Good enough for me, do it!
You will still be able to see, but I will be moving, talking, and your appearance will change to look like me.
That’s fine, just do it!
A large surge of dark magic courses through me as Sombra projects his voice, mind, and body to mine. A weird sensation, but almost comforting, a king embracing his queen.
“Silence!”
A hush falls over the crystal ponies as they realize that their King is now who stands before them. They all immediately take to a bow in honor of their king.
“That’s better, now Starlight and Spike, please stand up. You don’t know me as a King, so I expect no respect from you except as my equal. As for my loyal subjects, I would expect better behavior towards the would have been Queen, especially one that has made it unreformed for over a thousand years. Now I expect you to act civilized, do not make me do this again.”
“Of course King Sombra,” all the Crystal ponies say in unison.
Thank you Sombra.
Of course, any time my love.
As my body returns to my control I bid the ponies to rise. A small foal rises first and asks, “How did King Sombra do that? If he is trapped in Limbo?”
“While his physical body and soul are trapped in Limbo, a piece of his soul also lives in me. When he is released from Limbo his piece in me will go back to him.”
“I see, thank you Styx. One more question, how did you escape from reforming?”
“I lived in the Changeling hive in solitude for that time, growing up and practicing dark magic, until the Crystal Empire returned.”
“Thank you. When will King Sombra come back to rule?”
“Unfortunately, he will never rule as set by Celestia and Luna. Besides I think Princess Cadence is doing a fine job. However he will definitely come back to visit all of his subjects, and catch up with you once he returns.”
A unicorn stallion pipes up, “But King Sombra is the rightful ruler of the Crystal Empire!”
“Don’t let Princess Cadence hear you say that. What is bad about her rule other than you had yet to turn crystal until I showed up?”
“That’s just it, until you showed up we have just been living mundane lives. Nothing good has been happening.”
“What if I told you here soon a royal baby is going to be born and a Royal Crystalling will happen?”
“What!?” yells the group of ponies.
“Yes! I promise Sombra agrees with this and understands why Cadence must continue to rule. For if she doesn’t than Equestria will spiral into war again. Once was enough, don’t you think?”
“Yes it was, I think that Princess Cadence’s rule is prosperous, but we have shut ourselves in our houses and not wanted to participate in the world. Maybe it’s time to change that,” says Rosetta.
“Now would be the time to start as the Equestria Games Inspector is here to deem if the Crystal Empire is worthy of hosting the Equestria Games. If you start participating in bettering the Empire I can promise life will look up, and I may even come visit more if you do. I can at least tell you I will be back for the Royal Crystalling. So go, better the Empire to show King Sombra that no matter what has happened you will make the best of life. Show your King you will continue to better the Empire even though he no longer rules it!”
As the Crystal ponies run out of the library cheering they all turn crystal. I smile at the way I handled them, and turn back to Starlight and Spike, both of whom are still standing in their spot staring at me.
Well done my queen.
Thank you my king.
“Starlight, you in there?”
“What did I just witness?”
“A body manifestation transfer, very complex dark magic, achievable only when a pony is in Limbo or trapped where the other doesn’t know. Sorry, something you will never be able to learn.”
“That’s okay, I was just trying to process how you and Sombra did that.”
“I can say with utmost certainty, magic. Now care to finish leading the way to Sunburst’s house?”
“Of course, this way.” We walk out of the library to see almost all of the Crystal ponies out and about, cleaning, opening the shops again, and having everyday conversations with each other. We head towards the northern edge of the Empire to arrive at Sunburst’s surprisingly simple house, orange gemstone, with yellow gem accents. We spend the next few hours musing over his library until we receive a letter to go back to the castle for dinner. We bid Sunburst goodbye and head back to the castle at a quick gallop.
We arrive at the castle and are directed towards the dining hall. As the doors opens I see it will just be all of us and Ms. Harshwhinny, no other unexpected guests. “Princess Cadence! Why is there a Changeling being invited into your dining room!?” exclaims Ms. Harshwhinny loudly as I take my seat, directly to the left of Cadence.
“This is Styx, and you can thank her for all of the merriment and liveliness of the Crystal ponies today. As I heard that her return to the Empire made quite a large impact on the spirits of the Crystal ponies. So I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss her as just a Changeling.”
“Well, I’m impressed. Now tell me, Styx, why were the Crystal ponies so excited to see you exactly?”
“Well, seeing as the Crystal ponies were protected by Changelings during the War of Crystal, and they all knew me very well from when I was young and often was with Sombra when he checked in on all of the Crystal ponies. So, I am kind of a hero to them for making it over a thousand years without submitting to Celestia and Luna’s rule.”
“Interesting, well I think it is safe to say that the Crystal Empire has more than earned the right to host the Equestria Games!”
We finish dinner in peace and I am so excited that I helped contribute to making it possible to have the Crystal Empire host the Equestria Games. All of us return on a train to Ponyville that night. I go and collect the exhausted girls from Applejack’s simple and of course, apple themed bedroom at the farm, and take them home. Putting them to sleep in my bed, leaving me to once again sleep on the black velvet couch.
Styx’s POV: How does one adjust to the news that Pinkie Pie is getting married to Cheese Sandwich, having never met him? I am about to meet him for the first time and hope that he isn’t too afraid of me. He will be spending more time around me since they have decided they are going to build a house in Ponyville, near the backside of Sugarcube Corner. Leaving just enough room for a pathway between buildings for supplies to be brought to the back instead of through the front door for Sugarcube Corner. From what I’ve heard of, Cheese Sandwich is very similar to Pinkie. Although I guess I expect him to be afraid of me. After all, everypony else is.
Pinkie and Cheese Sandwich’s wedding is tomorrow, but that does mean all the planning needs to happen. More specifically, dresses and tuxedos need to be made, and a pony needs to be chosen to do the vows since Mayor Mare is sick. All that can wait though; right now I am in charge of being a test for Cheese Sandwich. Can he learn to get along with a pony he has been told to fear since his foalhood? If not, well, Pinkie will marry him anyway. If he does, then, all will be well with the world and I don’t have to worry about him.
I arrive at Sweet Apple Acres and see the barn is fully decorated for the arrival of Cheese Sandwich. I enter the barn and immediately find Cheese Sandwich speaking to other ponies. His eyes revert to me, and his eyebrows shoot up in fear. He springs to the top of the barn, holding back a scream. All of us look up at the rafters to see Cheese shaking on the beam he stood on. It seems he was ill prepared to handle me, and it doesn’t seem like he has any intention of coming down.
“Cheese, please come down. She won’t hurt you, she is my friend. She just wants to get to know you.”
“But why would an evil Changeling want to get to know a normal pony like you or me, Pinkie?” His comment stings, but I don’t let it get to me.
“Because she needs friends and needs support. You are just like the townsponies, judging a newcomer by their appearance before meeting them. Now come down before I party cannon blast you down.”
“Okay,” he says, leaping down from the rafters, slowly coming to stand next to Pinkie. I move slowly towards him, and as soon as he is next to Pinkie, I hold out my hoof in greeting. He gingerly reaches out his hoof and shakes it with mine, keeping it short and sweet. I don’t stay long, and start heading out. Once I'm outside, the party goes back into a normal, happy atmosphere. Pinkie sees that I am leaving, and catches up to me. She tells me to meet her at Sugarcube Corner tomorrow morning. I promise to be there and leave the party in peace. I have already caused enough ruckus and don’t need to add to it. I swing by Rarity’s boutique to grab my dress. I fly home to rest, unsure about my conservation with Pinkie tomorrow about whether I am to be in or just come to her wedding. Either way, I know a Pinkie Promise is going to happen.
It can’t come soon enough. I am waiting for Pinkie in Sugarcube Corner to discuss my role in her wedding. I’m nervous, but also hopeful that Pinkie will see my side and let me not be in the wedding, but still come, just undercover. I hear the faded gold bell jingle above the door and I look up to see Pinkie slowly walking towards me. She has a look of determination on her face. As she approaches me, I see her take a big deep breath in, and as she reaches me she says, “Styx, you will be in my wedding as my mare of honor, no buts. Pinkie Promise?”
Styx’s POV: Well that wasn’t what I was expecting. “Mare of honor? Pinkie! Do you know how hard you are going to be freaking out later today when you realize what that entails?”
“Yes, I am okay with that. So Pinkie Promise to be my mare of honor?”
“Fine. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. There, you happy now? Even though Cheese Sandwich is still deathly afraid of me?”
“Yes, I know in time that Cheese will warm up to you once he sees how nice and normal you are.”
“Pinkie, I’m not normal, so stop pretending I am. Nopony understands what you do. Nopony understands that I am just like everypony else, I just look different. Now you should go get ready, and so should I.” I leave without another word, leaving Pinkie to stare as I walk away.
I put on my new dress that Rarity made for me, it was the one I asked her to make for formal events, but it isn’t as elegant as a dress for the Grand Galloping Gala would be. Black, with sky blue at the end of it, flowing, but not poofy. So here I am, waiting in a back room with Pinkie and all of the girls except Twilight. Each bridesmare was to be walked down the aisle by the groomsponies that Cheese Sandwich chose or together if Cheese Sandwich didn’t have enough to cover all of the other bearers. So, four, plus the best stallion to walk me down, if I agreed to it. For a best stallion Cheese Sandwich chose a navy blue stallion with yellow gold eyes named Royal Pin. I decided to agree, just to humor Pinkie. Although the size difference between him and I is a sight to see, as if walking an unreformed Changeling down the aisle isn’t enough. The poor stallion is scared out his wits, so I cast a small calming spell on him to make him seem more relaxed during this piece of the wedding. The groomsponies I have no idea who are, nor do I particularly care.
The wedding begins, Royal Pin and I will be the last to walk down before Pinkie Pie. As the rest of the bearers make their way down, I feel Pinkie tense up behind me. “Pinkie what’s wrong?”
“What if they don’t like you being in my wedding? What if this whole wedding is a party catastrophe!?”
“Pinkie.” No reaction, her breathing still heavy. “Pinkie! Take a deep breath and relax. I don’t care what anypony thinks of me being in your wedding, nor should you. You asked me to be in it because you are my friend.”
“Your right. Now go out there and do what you are meant to do!”
It is indeed my turn to walk out with Royal Pin. I link my hoof with his and we proceed to walk down the aisle. An extravagant little area, Pinkie chose one of Apple family’s orchards, the one with the most vibrant red apples. The altar is made of simple white oak wood. However, the most impressive thing is Cheese Sandwich’s tux that perfectly matches Pinkie’s dress. Courtesy of Rarity, Pinkie’s dress is similar to her last gala dress, but in white with tiny yellow accents. The Cutie Mark Crusaders and Mystel were flower girls, and Orla got to be the ring bearer. Pinkie’s family didn’t want to come to the wedding so the Cake family stood in as her surrogate family. Mr. Cake got to be the one to walk Pinkie down the aisle. He wouldn’t admit to it, but he thinks Cheese Sandwich is perfect for Pinkie.
The looks I receive from the ponies gathered are mostly ones of fear, mixed with anger, mixed with disgust. I ignore all of them as we reach the end of the aisle, next out come the flower girls, and just behind them is Pinkie and Mr. Cake. I hear Cheese Sandwich take a sharp inhale of breath and slowly let it out. As Pinkie reaches the end, she gives me her bouquet, and turns to face her soon to be husband. I zone out for the duration of the vows as I don’t want to hear them. I assume they are whatever the usual pony vows are, as I have never been to a wedding up until this point. Crystal Empire/Changeling vows are quite short, about 5 short sentences, and don’t have a whole lot of meaning behind them. As soon as I hear cheers from everypony else I briefly join in, and then we get to go eat.
Wedding receptions are really boring, especially when you are the unreformed Changeling in the room. Mystel and Orla have it easier since they are reformed, so they are welcomed easily. The toasts and speeches can not come soon enough, because then I can leave. I hear Pinkie starting the toast and speeches, being the mare of honor I get to speak first after the happy couple. Pinkie talks about all of her friends and how they supported her, and also about the Cake family being the best family ever. Cheese Sandwich talks about how they met and how they were meant to be. Cheers come after both speeches from the assembled ponies. My turn finally comes, “Cheese Sandwich, you really are a lucky stallion, one worthy of Pinkie Pie. Being one of her friends, I wish you two the happiest marriage and hope that you two will be prosperous for the rest of your lives.” My speech gets no cheers, except from the other bearers and anypony that knows me and has welcomed me back into society, so much less deafening. I snarl, hiss, and disappear in a flash, not wishing to hear anymore of the wedding.
Pinkie’s POV: As Styx disappears in a flash of swamp colored green, I turn to Royal Pin to have him finish up the speeches. I don’t listen, as all I can think about is how angry and hurt Styx is, still not being treated like somepony normal. After Royal Pin finishes and the cheers settle down, I address all of the ponies present, “Now everypony, I know today is a happy occasion, but the truth must be said. What is wrong with all of you!?” Cheese tries to get me to calm down, but I shrug him off and continue, “Styx is just like all of you. Trying to live her life as normally as possible and you just refuse to try to get to know her before you judge her. She is no different than when we knew her as Night Crystal, she just looks different. So as you continue on your days, try to get to know her, because right now, you are all making her feel excluded. Nopony likes that, so I need all of you to Pinkie Promise me right now you will try to get to know her better!”
All of the ponies gathered, except the Cake family, Apple family, and Mystel and Orla, do the Pinkie Promise under my watchful eye. As my wedding ends, I hope that for Styx’s sake that they do get to know her, before it is too late.
Starlight’s POV: I wake up in my room, my cutie mark is glowing, well, best go to the map and see where I am going. I wander into the map room to find Twilight staring hard at it, breathing heavily. I look at the map to see I am being summoned to Canterlot. Twilight is not happy about me going to see the Princesses without her, especially since it is a friendship quest by myself. Although, much to my disapproval, she insists that I bring a music box that she can transform herself onto and talk to me. It is a cute, small, gold and teal music box that plays soft orchestral music, mostly cello and violin. Twilight sends me off at the train station, unfortunately, the train must stop at Appleloosa first before going to Canterlot. Thankfully I don’t have to get off there, so I don’t have to deal with seeing Braeburn or any other members of the Apple family.
I arrive at the pristine white brick walls with accents of gold iron gates and designs on the roofs of Canterlot Castle about an hour and a half after leaving Ponyville, it is dark outside, so I will meet with Celestia in the morning. I am escorted to a guest room by two unicorn Night Guards. They leave me alone and I decide to sleep since I don’t have anything to unpack, as I only brought a small bag with my toothbrush and a spellbook.
I wake up the next morning and a guard escorts me to a private dining room for Celestia, Luna, and their guests. I arrive to see Celestia has made pancakes in the shape of faces, I almost feel bad for eating it. Luna walks in looking sleepy, she doesn’t acknowledge her sister’s breakfast, grabs a pineapple, and wanders back out.
“My sister never acknowledges that I get up every morning to make breakfast that she never eats. However, I’m sure that Luna will also say that she does something that I never acknowledge.”
“Well, I guess we will see tonight when I spend a little time with her.” We finish eating and then I spend the day watching and learning about what Celestia does everyday. When Luna awakes I proceed to spend time with her. Mostly learning about what prep she does before she enters the dream realm. I wander back to my room and Twilight decides to check up on me. I admit to her that I believe that the Princesses are not the best at communicating, so they are the friendship problem.
“Uh!” I look at her questioningly, “Sorry, you just used Princesses and ‘not the best’ in the same sentence and it is making me nervous.” Twilight then starts breathing heavily.
“Well their not, so, what should I do?”
“Their fine, you should just let them work it out, I’m sure there is two other ponies that are having a friendship problem.”
“No. Twilight, they are the friendship problem, now leave me alone so I can deal with them tomorrow.” I turn my back to her and lay down to sleep, ignoring her as she returns home, letting the music box play.
I wake up the next morning to pancakes again and as Luna comes in I address both of them, “Princess Luna, Princess Celestia, I figured out the friendship problem.”
“Wonderful Starlight Glimmer, what is it?” asks Celestia quite cheerily.
“You two.” An angry snort comes from Luna, whilst a surprised whinny comes from Celestia.
“I beg your pardon, us? There is no friendship problem between us.”
“We agree with our sister.” Luna says quite sternly, while glaring at Celestia.
“While you may not see it, I do, but Princess Celestia, what do you think about the fact that Luna never appreciates how you make her breakfast every morning?”
“I don’t particularly like the feeling, but I at least I make an effort to smile.”
“And Princess Luna, how does it make you feel that Celestia never notices how much work you put in to lining the walls with fresh lavender every night?”
“It does upset, but at least I work, and not have fun with dignitary ponies all day. Also, like smiling is that hard.”
“I beg your pardon, what do you do all night? You felt around giving ponies lovely dreams.”
“ENOUGH!” I yell, sending the sisters away from each other, casting a spell to switch their cutie marks. They stare at me in shock, “There now you will know what it is like to be each other for the day.?”
“Switch our cutie marks back this instant,” says Celestia.
“I can’t, the spell lasts 24 hours. I think this is still a good idea?”
“Alright Starlight Glimmer, we will try our your plan for the 24 hours.”
“Good. Not like you had a choice.” They both glare at me, “I should stop talking now shouldn’t I?” I follow Luna around for the day, having her following Celestia’s list for the day. Timberwolf rumors in the forest outside of a smaller village, rose smelling competition to judge, school ribbon cutting ceremony, etc.
We return to the castle that night to have Luna immediately retire to bed. I meet Celestia in the hallway and give her Luna’s list for the night. I am so sleepy I lay down on the floor and immediately fall asleep. My dream starts out normal enough, I am sitting with Celestia eating pancakes like we did this morning, suddenly I’m falling. Pancake faces start talking, “I care, I care, I care, I care.”
“Ahhhhh!” POOF! I land on a bed of flowers. I stand up to see Celestia in front of me, looking down at me worriedly. I shake off the flowers and then my dream turns into being in the red carpeted throne room of Canterlot. Nightmare Moon appears, and Celestia says, “Don't worry, I know how to handle Nightmare Moon.”
“But can you handle me?” a mysterious flaming pony behind us says as she appears.
“Who are you?”
“If Luna can turn into Nightmare Moon, you can absolutely turn into me, Daybreaker! The more powerful, prettier version of you!”
“No! I will never turn into you!”
“Haha, you wish!” Daybreaker says, diving towards and addressing Nightmare Moon. “I shouldn’t have banished you to the moon, I should’ve destroyed you!”
“No! Day, night, sun, moon, Equestria needs balance! Without balance there is no harmony!” I breathe in and start bawling, “I’m never going with gut again! Equestria will fall, because of me.”
“No, this will not happen Starlight Glimmer, my sister and I will get along. We both had a hard day and poor Luna has to work alone in the dark.” I lift my head up to look at her, “I understand now how hard it is to do her job and I’m sure she agrees that my job is also difficult. So,” Celestia says, taking off towards the battle raging on near us. She gets in between Nightmare Moon and Daybreaker, stopping each of their bolts with her wings. “I will never turn into you and Luna will not be allowed to turn into Nightmare Moon again. So, you will never exists here or in the real world!” Celestia shouts, shoving the bolts back towards their respective ponies, instantly vanquishing them. I sit up and carefully walk over to a seated Celestia, looking at her in admiration. She makes a dream ball appear of another pony, Styx, and looks into it. Styx seems to be having a normal dream, but the ball soon turns red indicating a nightmare is fast approaching. Luna told me about this in a dream one night, but it is nothing like witnessing it happening. “Do you want to come with me Starlight Glimmer?”
“I think it would be best, maybe so your not as alone?”
“Agreed, ready?”
“Ready.”
We teleport into Styx’s dreamscape to find a nightmare I wouldn’t want to tangle with. Styx is normal with glowing greens eyes, with purple shadows streaming off of them. She is facing towards Twilight, the other Elements, Celestia, and Luna. All of who are looking at each other as they link hooves, ready to destroy Styx, killing her, destroying her very being. As the rainbow beam forms and comes crashing down on Styx, I hear a wailing scream come from her. I react on instinct and try to put a shield around her. However, I only succeed in failing as my magic doesn’t work in the dream realm.
“I know Starlight Glimmer, but how? I’ll bring Luna here to see if she knows!”
As Celestia disappears I start to think about how to help Styx. How to let her escape from a nightmare unlike any I have ever had. Trapped in a society that fears her and wants to kill her, alone and with almost nopony to trust. Wait, she might trust me, or better yet Sombra. But, do ponies sleep while in Limbo?
“No, ponies do not sleep or dream while in Limbo. However, Starlight Glimmer, we can access the dream realm, same as Luna.”
I whip around to see Sombra standing behind me, smirking as if he does this on a daily basis. “So can you help? Since I assume you have been listening in in my head?”
“I could help, but that would be too easy of a way out for you and Celestia. So I will not help, but instead impart to you some wisdom. Those that suffer in fear also gain power in equality,” Sombra says, vanishing from sight.
“Those that suffer in fear also gain power in equality…” That’s it! Equality, the very thing I forced onto my village, can be used in a different way to show Styx courage. This is a dream, so now I just need Celestia to make her dream and mine dream the same one. As if on cue Celestia returns with Luna. “Celestia, I need you to make my dream the same one as Styx’s.”
“But how would that help?”
“I don’t think you any better ideas, so do it!”
“Why? What wisdom have you gained that would help?”
“The wisdom imparted by your nemesis,” I hear Sombra say as he comes into view of the three of us.
Celestia and Luna immediately shove me behind them, as if they are going to protect me. Humph, well fine, if you think that is going to stop him from contacting me, too late. “What do you want Sombra?”
“Absolutely nothing, other than to help out Twilight’s star pupil,” he says, grinning wickedly at the sisters. Although, he is avoiding looking towards Styx, I’m guessing he doesn’t want to watch a close friend? Lover? suffer through her nightmare.
“What did you tell her?”
I pipe up as not to be excluded from the conversation, “Those that suffer in fear also gain power in equality.”
“I don’t understand what that could possibly mean in terms of helping out Styx with her nightmare.”
“Exactly, so if you are done trying to get technical, make the dreams the same.”
“Alright Starlight Glimmer, if you think that is best, then we shall go.”
As Celestia gets ready to make the dream, I take one last look at Sombra, and surprisingly, he is mouthing the words, “Help her” to me. I nod in acknowledgement as we disappear into one dream.
We appear in a realm not much unlike what Twilight described the realm under the rule of Nightmare Moon. A dark, desolate, and unforgiving wilderness. Not caring about what Celestia or Luna do, I race towards where Styx is facing her nightmare, turning myself into a dark Changeling in the process. I then duplicate myself too many times to count in order to show Styx that equality is power in her nightmare world. As I reach Styx I see her eyes widen in awe and happiness as a bunch of what look like kin come racing towards her. I run up to her and hug her tight, not planning to let go until the nightmare ends. The duplicates all form a ring and hug the two of us, creating a cocoon of Changeling bodies. I dare to close my eyes as the light comes bearing down on us, the weight of the beam threatening to tear me apart. I’m free falling, I open my eyes to see that my duplicates are gone and I am back to my normal self, still hugging Styx. She comes to, opening her eyes, and gazes around before landing on me.
“What just happened?”
“A lot, but why don’t we wake up first, then we can discuss when I get back to Ponyville.”
“Okay, I’ll see you soon then Starlight.”
I start to fade away, only seeing a glimpse of Sombra and Styx talking as I wake up. I wander to the balcony where Celestia is laying down with Luna, their cutie marks switched back to normal, and they turn as I start my sleepy, rickety walk towards them. “Well done Starlight Glimmer, you have solved your friendship problem, but also discovered something new about yourself. I think the map says your task is complete, so I guess you should be going.”
“Thank you Celestia, I hope to not have a repeat of any of that anytime soon. Goodbye Luna.”
I take the Ponyville Express back home and walk to Styx’s house to talk about the dream. Although, I can’t fathom how I am going to ask her about Sombra. I knock on her door and hear her hoofsteps descending the hollow sounding stairs. She opens the door and freezes, “Are you okay Styx?”
“Honestly, no, but I don’t get a choice about whether to feel okay or not. The dream however, Sombra told me all about it.” She gestures me in as she continues, “Thank you Starlight, I’m glad I can trust someone to understand the struggles of being seen as a villain.”
“Of course, although, you should be thanking Sombra. He gave me the hint on how to help you.”
“That is true, but you came up with the plan all on your own. Sombra just had to lead you in the right direction to how to help me.”
“Alright I'll give myself some credit, although, I am curious as to why Sombra didn’t help you himself?”
“Well, let’s just say that while he has access to the dream realm, he can’t do much in it. He can travel to dreams and communicate to the ponies in them, but no dream manipulation.”
“Interesting, but why would he help me and not just tell Celestia?”
“Arch-nemesis, besides, he sees you as much closer to me than Celestia. So, he was more willing to help you. Along with wanting to see Celestia upset, after all, she did deal the final blow. But enough of that, how was Twilight with this whole thing?”
“Oh, I haven’t actually told her yet.”
“Oh boy, well you best get back and not keep her waiting then. Since we all know how Twilight gets when somepony else is sent on a friendship mapquest.”
“You’re right, I should get back. I guess I’ll talk to you later then.” Walking myself out the door. I jump as I hear it slam rather quickly behind me, but I think nothing of it, just Styx being Styx.
Styx’s POV: My morning starts easily enough, no unsolicited visits from anypony, and I get to send Mystel and Orla off to school with packed lunches of watermelon sandwiches, an apple, and a small piece of Changeling candy. Hopefully they like their lunches, as I have no idea what they ate in the hive at the orphanage. I wave them goodbye as they walk towards the town and the schoolhouse. I turn to go back inside when Derpy lands and holds out a letter for me, I take it from her and give her a tip of bits, as she has never messed up my mail. I walk back inside to see the letter is from Cadence. I rush to open it and see the word baby printed at the top, and then an actual letter. I read the letter,
Dear Styx, I am pleased to announce that I will be having the baby shortly, probably within the next 30 days, probably closer towards 30 though. I have asked the Cake family to make a cake that is baby themed. Shining had the fun idea of sending Twilight and her friends on a scavenger hunt around Ponyville, giving them clues that all funnel around the idea of a baby. Pinkie Pie will probably know as she will most likely read the Cake’s letter I sent to them. I did include in their letter that they can talk to you, since you have known for a while. We plan to be there later this afternoon for the hunt and surprise party. I would also like for you to cast a magic concealment spell over Twilight's castle so that she won't detect my magic hiding my baby bump.
See you then, Princess Cadence
This will be an interesting day indeed. I bet Pinkie has indeed read the letter and is trying really hard not to tell anypony else. Knowing that she isn’t the best at keeping small secrets, hopefully she can at least keep one this big. Well, after reading this letter, I suppose I should go check on the Cakes and Pinkie, just to make sure all is going smoothly. Don’t need the surprise being ruined before the scavenger hunt has even begun. I arrive at Sugarcube Corner to see Pinkie reading the very letter that she wasn’t supposed to read, but she was bound to, since it was left out in plain view on the counter for anypony. I clear my throat and Pinkie jumps, “You aren’t supposed to be here, I was supposed to close the shop for the day and then I got sidetracked reading this definitely not important letter.”
“Pinkie, I already know what that letter says, and I know for a fact that you didn’t read the whole thing or you would know that you can talk to me about it.”
“Oh, that’s what the letter meant by Styx knows about this. I get it now, but seriously, do you think I can keep this secret all day?”
“Pinkie, I have faith in you, and Cadence and Shining Armor are relying on you to keep this a secret until after the scavenger hunt this afternoon.”
“Okay, I believe you. I have a lot of work that I promised some ponies to help them out with. So, I guess I'll catch you later at Twilight's castle." Pinkie says, bouncing happily out of the store and down the lane.
Confused, but satisfied with her answer nonetheless, I wander out of the shop, hanging the closed sign as to help Pinkie out. I suppose this means that I have nothing else to do until this afternoon, so I guess I should go collect more firewood to sell. Since while ponies don't particularly like to come to me, they are starting to need to stock up on firewood for the coming winter, and they don't want to chop the wood themselves. Although, a tree equals about five families, unless you are Filthy Rich and then you need the wood of two trees to yourself because you think you are better than everyone else. Although the more they buy at once the more expensive it gets, so essentially I'm charging Filthy extra. Since nopony else buys more than they need. At least I can do this without being interrupted. As I make it to the forest I see that the Timberwolves are staying hidden today, probably since I am much bigger than the average pony. I spend the next few hours chopping down trees so I have plenty for when the rush comes next month.
I teleport all the wood home and then myself since I don't feel like walking. It is now nearing night so I decide to teleport to Twilight's castle. I appear in the map room to see that Cadence and Shining have indeed arrived, with Cadence using a concealing spell to hide her baby bump. I would say she would be worried that Twilight could detect it, but unfortunately thanks to my spell it isn't possible. Cadence is the first to see me, she winks at me before saying, "I suppose we can all be off to get settled in and meet at the center of the town now that everypony has arrived."
Twilight whips around to see me, and bolts towards me, knocking me over whilst giving me a hug. "Good to see you too Twilight. Although, you could let me up."
"Right, sorry, I'm just excited that you could come to Cadence and Shining Armor's visit!"
"Of course Twilight, why wouldn't I be here? Unless I suddenly lost track of time in the woods. However, I am here now so we can get on with whatever Cadence and Shining Armor have in store for us."
"Of course, Twily, I want you and your friends to meet us in the middle of the town by the fountain in the morning. We need to get settled in and rest, but you guys can get there early."
Everypony goes running home, or up to bed, and Pinkie stays behind to talk with Shining. I teleport home, knowing that to make it through tomorrow I will need to sleep.
Styx’s POV: The next morning we all meet in the square and Pinkie is having a small panic attack as she can’t wait to be able to talk about it, and she has had to keep it to herself, me, and the Cakes all yesterday. Shining Armor prided her on keeping it this long, but told her she had to keep it to herself just a bit longer. Everypony is looking around so I float the clue down in front of Twilight. She opens it and reads it aloud, "You've got a scroll, your on a roll, why don't you take a peek where young ones spend their week? A piece of paper will continue this caper." She pauses for a second to think, "The Ponyville Schoolhouse!"
There is the lightbulb, so off to the schoolhouse we go. We arrive and I grab a Foal Free Press newspaper from Featherweight and hand it to Twilight. She looks skeptical, "Twilight, 'a piece of paper will continue this caper,' remember?"
"Yes, okay." She scans the paper for the clue, "Ah-ha! Though this hall is rather small, in it you'll find files of all kinds. Take a look on the back of the birth certificate of Applejack."
"I don't like where this is goin'." says Applejack, looking at the paper with concern. So we head to town hall to do just that. Although I'm wondering if anypony is piecing together what all of these things have in common. Lunch however is not one of them, as much as Rainbow Dash wants it to be.
We make it to Town Hall, and I give a stern look to Mayor Mare, to not spoil it. Pinkie leads us to where the birth certificates are kept. She shuffles through the files until she finds Applejack's birth certificate. Twilight grabs it and awes at the baby picture before turning it over to read the next clue, "This next place is where you can buy a table or chair, or some comfy beds to rest little heads?"
Pinkie rushes out, yelling "Furniture store!"
We all race after her to find her outside the Quills and Sofa shop with a crib, with a note on it. Twilight stoops her head to read it, "It seems we've saved the best for last, we hope you have had a blast. Now it's time to take a break where you can get a slice of cake."
"Sugarcube Corner!" All of the others yell in unison. Sheesh, only took us an hour to get to that. We rush over to Sugarcube Corner, and Twilight immediately goes looking for a prize.
"Twily, we sent you to all of the places today that have something in common."
"First we went to the schoolhouse, then Town Hall to look at a birth certificate, then a furniture store, now here." She pauses, "You and Cadence are having a baby!"
"Tada!" Says Cadence and Shining, both stepping away to reveal a baby themed cake.
"A baby Twilight, a baby!" Pinkie yells, no longer able to hold back her joy any longer. I simply sit down in the corner, wanting the friends to enjoy this surprise together. We have cake and celebrate, I take the spell off of Twilight's castle and eventually we head back to our homes. Promising to get together the next few days to discuss Starswirl's journal. The one I accidentally gave to Starlight as a Hearth's Warming present. Twilight had made progress but very little, so we are getting together to research it. Well, I'll dwell on that later, for now, it is time to sleep.
Styx’s POV: “I figured it out! Starswirl and the other Pillars trapped the Pony of Shadows in Limbo about the same time as the War of Crystal was going on. Wait Styx, did you know Starswirl?” Twilight says, her voice softening as she finishes.
“Yes, well not really. Sombra fought him on one occasion, I just also happened to be with him at the time. So unofficially, yes. Does he know my name? No. Anything else you found out Twilight?”
“I also figured out the spell that they used. I just need to modify it a little bit to be able to bring them back!” yells Twilight.
“Now wait an apple bucking minute! You're telling me that these legendary ponies were real, and actually left artifacts behind after they vanished.”
“Yes. They did, and I don’t think we have to determine who gets what,” Twilight says, gesturing to the map in the middle of the room. The map indicating the item, and who has to get it.
I teleport home to get some rest before tomorrow, since Twilight sent me home, and since, while they get the Pillars out of Limbo, I have to get Sombra out.
Twilight’s POV: “Why does this have to be so much waiting?” I groan out. The map sent all of the other bearers to gather the artifacts, and I am stuck here trying to figure out the spell to unbanish the Pillars from Limbo. Starlight has been quite helpful as she is able to decipher Starswirl’s hoof writing. Which I am super thankful for, as I would never be able to get this spell figured out otherwise. Sunburst has been here helping to translate from Old Ponish, although I had to send Styx home, since he is still really uneasy around her still. The others set out this morning and I told them to meet me at Ponhenge this afternoon after they got their item. I also told Styx last night to sleep and meet us at Ponhenge this afternoon. I hope she shows up so that we have some back up. Even if it means she is bringing Sombra back at the same time that we bring the Pillars back.
Applejack went to get Rockhoof’s shovel, Rarity: Mistmane’s flower, Rainbow Dash: Flash Magnus’ shield, Pinkie: Somnambula’s blindfold, and Fluttershy: Mage Meadowbrook’s mask. I essentially told all of them to get their artifacts and go straight to Ponhenge.
Styx’s POV: Each of the bearers set out their objects on one of the stones of Ponhenge. I sense unease in Starlight, and approach her. “Starlight, what’s wrong? You seem worried that something bad is going to happen.”
“I don’t know, I’m trying to think about this logically. Twilight finished one of Starswirl’s spells, thereby earning her wings. I tampered with one and almost doomed all of Equestria. I am trying to think about if this is really a good idea. I mean the Pillars must have known what they were doing when they trapped the Pony of Shadows in Limbo, right?”
“I understand your concerns Starlight, and I know that this shouldn’t happen. But, I also know that Equestria will benefit from having the Pillars back. Even if that means having to defeat the Pony of Shadows again, just without losing the Pillars themselves. For now all we can do is trust Twilight, and hope she knows what she is doing.”
Twilight, Starlight, and Sunburst all aim the spell of undoing banishment at Starswirl’s journal. As the three beams hit the journal, the Pillars all appear above and come hurling down towards the ground. I watch as Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash in turn catch the Pillar that they each represent. I simply stand to the side, letting it happen, while also having brought Sombra back as well. Starswirl is the last to come down, Twilight catches him in her magic and lowers him down. He stands up and looks around. His eyes come to settle on me, and they widen in recognition of what I am. Starswirl lets loose a bolt of magic, one intent on vanquishing me I imagine. I close my eyes knowing it is too late to stop the bolt.
Styx’s POV: “I would be careful where your next spell is aimed, Starswirl,” says a deep voice next to me. I open my eyes to see a tall and dark figure, Sombra. I sigh in relief as I look back towards Starswirl and see a red shield in front of both Sombra and I. I am guessing Sombra saw it before I did and had enough time to do something about it. Something else catches my eye above us. I flap open my wings and ascend towards the top of the spherical shield. I reach a glowing blue ball suspended in midair pointed back towards Starswirl. Sombra caught the bolt, put up a shield, and then aimed it back towards Starswirl in case he attacked again. I start laughing maniacally as I drop back down next to Sombra. I recover soon enough to catch Twilight and Starlight both staring in shock, and confusion.
“What in the hay just happened?” Applejack asks, voicing what I imagine to be every other pony’s question.
Sombra brings the shield down, along with making the bolt disappear. I go to speak, but Starswirl says something first, aimed at Twilight. “Why did you bring us back?”
“I thought if we had you back Equestria would be better protected.”
“You can’t bring only the Pillars back!”
Out from the center of Ponhenge pours a giant shadowy figure, the Pony of Shadows. “Your attempt to imprison me has failed Starswirl! Allow me to assist you!” Sending out shadow tendrils the Pony of Shadows breaks the stones of Ponhenge, no longer allowing a banishing spell to be used. Starswirl begins to try to summon up his magic, but succeeds only in making a tiny spark. The Pony of Shadows cackles, sending a beam of dark magic towards Starswirl. Twilight counteracts with her own magic. Starlight joins her as Twilight’s magic starts to lose ground. Together they overpower the Pony of Shadows, but he vanishes last second, melting into the clouds.
“Well, with that on hold, it seems as though we now must deal with the other problem at hoof,” Starswirl says, turning to glare at Sombra and I.
I hiss in return and pull up my own shield around us. The rest of the Pillars line up next to Starswirl. As if in response the shield becomes purple with a green outline, a mixture of mine and Sombra’s magic, infused with a hint of dark magic. Starswirl’s eyes widen in panic, as I say, “Why so surprised Starswirl? Recognize me now? Recognize Sombra now? How about this!?” I let loose a bolt of Changeling magic into the ground, changing the scene to exactly where I was when Sombra fought Starswirl. I hear Twilight gasp, partly in horror, partly in awe, and maybe partly in interest. I ignore her and focus on Starswirl.
“You know this Changeling, Starswirl?” Mage Meadowbrook asks.
“Yes,” his voice failing, “I just never thought that that same Changeling would be alive today. Let alone King Sombra.”
“But he isn’t King Sombra anymore,” pipes up Twilight.
“You have a lot to learn about royalty and kingdom affairs, Twilight. As the Crystal Empire is still standing today, Sombra is still the King of it. Therefore, if he wanted, he could seize control from Princess Cadence and Shining Armor. Although my terms with me bringing him back stated that he would not do that. But that doesn’t mean he is not allowed there, and it also means that he technically should still be addressed as King.” I say, watching Twilight’s mouth hang open in amazement while also looking flabbergasted all the while. I get great joy watching somepony know something Twilight doesn’t, it makes me feel all gooey inside. Twilight looks at me like we need to discuss the abilities of my Changeling magic in detail later. I nod my head in agreement and continue on, “So, Starswirl, what’s the plan? Or should we go back to Twilight’s castle and discuss it in more detail after some refreshments have been given?”
“I will not go anywhere with the likes of you, evil creature. Let alone with the evil ruler of the Crystal Empire. A villain all the same, even though your friends think you’re reformed, you never truly are.”
I flinch at that comment, and see Starlight do the same. After all she did enslave an entire village to give up their cutie marks. Then to get revenge on Twilight, she almost destroyed all of Equestria by using one of Starswirl’s spells. So, I guess I should say that Starswirl’s comment was hurtful to more than just me. I look at Twilight but see her only looking down. Betrayed, I send a bolt flying towards Starswirl then teleport Sombra and I back to my house. As it is getting dark anyway, I figure now is the time to leave.
Starlight’s POV: As Styx disappears, her bolt comes flying towards Starswirl. Twilight deflects it away, and makes it fizzle out. It takes her a little while as Styx’s magic is powerful. “Starlight, why didn’t you help me?”
“I figured you deserved to deal with it on your own since you didn’t even bother to defend Styx against Starswirl.”
“How could you say that?”
“Because, you don’t realize how hurtful that comment was. How did it go, oh yeah, ‘a villain all the same, even though your friends think you’re reformed, you never truly are.’ Now tell me Twilight why do you think that hurt Styx? What about me!?”
“I’m sorry, I know I should’ve defended her, but what does this have to do with you?”
“Twilight! I enslaved an entire village, and almost destroyed Equestria as we know it! That’s what it has to do with me. Do you know how much it hurts to hear anything coming from anypony else about my past as a villain? Saying I am not truly reformed?”
“I’m sorry Starlight. I really am.” She turns around to face Starswirl, “Styx, the Changeling, and my friend Starlight are both reformed villains. They no longer have any interest in making any ponies lives’ miserable.”
“You say that until they turn against you, go back on their promises, and start craving more and more power,” Starswirl says, glaring at me all the while.
I have heard enough and teleport myself back to Twilight's castle to my bedroom. I flop down on my bed and begin to sob. I can only imagine that Styx is doing something quite similar right now. At least she probably has Sombra to comfort her, I don’t have anybody right now. If only Sunburst would come back before the others. He would help console me, I think. I like Sunburst, but I don’t think he sees me in the same way. I drift off to sleep, my energy drained from crying.
Styx’s POV: I slam my bedroom door behind me, delving into my thoughts, wondering why I got so embarrassed in front of Sombra over Starswirl’s comment. I guess I do like Sombra in more than just a fatherly way now. We are the same age after all, but I can’t probe his mind for any sign of my feelings for him being returned. For if I try, it will only end in questions that I don’t want to answer.
I hear the door creak open and curl up even tighter, because I don’t want him to see me crying. I hear the metallic thuds as he takes off his armor and crown, along with the whooshing of his cloak. I feel him tenderly sit down on the bed and scoot closer towards me. Seeing that I am at the edge of my bed, I can’t get any further away from him. Sobs continue to rack my body as he sits next to me. I feel his hoof stroke my back, following the curve of my spine, flowing over the bump that holds my translucent insect wings, and stopping shortly after that. I feel him take a deep breath in before whispering, “What’s wrong?”
I don’t respond as I am still whimpering and crying. I continue bubbling out tears until I have finally composed myself enough to roll over and sit up directly next to him. I don’t look up, as not to meet his gaze. I slowly answer him back, “I guess Starswirl’s comment got to me a lot more than I initially thought. Especially because I am still trying to earn the trust of all my friends back. Then, looking to Twilight for support, but getting none, didn’t help me feel very confident about her trust in me.”
“I’m sorry you have to experience this. I know that you tried to open back up, but sometimes it is best to harden our hearts and move on. Sometimes the past that people know, continues to shroud the good we have done in the present. Should we-”
I lift my hoof up to his mouth to silence him. After he understands, I lean against him, resting my head under his, and relaxing in his warm embrace. He is stiff at first, but he soon relaxes and wraps his tail around my rear end. Although I am larger than normal ponies, he is even larger than me, so normal sized ponies look like they could be fillies next to him. Bulkier than Celestia, but about that height. Settling into his embrace, I am content to just breathe and fall asleep.
I wake up to realize I am laying fully down next to Sombra. I tense up as he wraps a leg over me, pulling me close like a filly would a teddy bear. I hear him mumble a few words, but I can’t quite make them out. I don’t want to wake him, so I lay in his embrace, slowly relaxing again, and he continues his incoherent mumbling. “Styx, would you be my queen and most importantly my wife for the rest of time?”
I freeze. I look at Sombra’s eyes, still closed, so he is dreaming about making me his wife!? Oh goodness, I can’t let him think that I heard that. I quickly lay my head back down and pretend to be sleeping. I hear him take a deep breath in and gently shake me, “You awake my precious river?”
“I am now. Should we go downstairs and I can make you your first breakfast in a 1000 years?”
“I would like that. Although I guess that means I have to let you go?”
“Yes it does. Now if you want food anytime soon you should let me go.”
He unwraps his leg from around me. I quickly jump out of bed and scramble down the stairs, almost tripping down them. I hear him chuckle at my ungraceful descent down the stairs. I enter the kitchen, grateful to be out of that awkward situation, I whip up some pancake batter and add chocolate chips, since chocolate is one of his favorite things. I know that Mystel and Orla beat us up and already left for school. After school they go to Sweet Apple Acres to help Granny Smith cook. I must strain to hear Sombra come wandering down the stairs, since with no armor on he is quite silent. He enters the kitchen for just a second before there is a knock on the front door. He wanders over to the door, which I can see from the kitchen, he opens it and in walks, Starlight? Who isn’t at all phased by the fact that Sombra opened the door. I quickly wash my hooves, dry them, and meet Starlight in the living room. “Starlight, what’s wrong?”
“Everything!” She yells, while starting to cry. I motion for Sombra to go eat, and sit down on the couch next to Starlight. “Why did Twilight -sniff- have to bring Starswirl back!?”
“She thought it would do Equestria good. Although, she may just be tearing her own friendships apart.”
“What -sniff- is that supposed to mean?”
“It means that by bringing him back, she may be losing the trust and friendship of two ponies that she helped reform.”
“When did you -sniff- become so wise?”
“Last night apparently. Last night Sombra told me that it might be time to harden my heart and move on. Some can only see the bad we’ve done, they don’t care to look at what we are doing now.”
“Thank you Styx. You know, you are a really amazing pony, Changeling or not. I truly wonder if Twilight forgave me for what I did.”
“Starlight, what you did may have been extreme, but that doesn’t mean you didn’t learn. Look how far you have come from where you began. That is the true measure of character in a pony in my opinion.”
“Do you mind if I have breakfast here? I didn’t eat at the castle as Starswirl was there.”
“Of course not Starlight. I just hope you don’t mind Sombra.”
“Oh, right, him. I don’t mind, after listening in on the presentation you gave at the school house; I am not surprised at what was wrong about Sombra. He actually seems really nice and sweet.”
“Shall we?” We walk into the kitchen to find Sombra picking at his food. “What’s wrong Sombra?”
“Oh, nothing, just thinking about my dream last night and about what today might bring.”
“Sombra, whatever today brings we will all get through it. However in order to face the day, we must all eat and keep our strength up.” I whip up some fresh pancakes for Sombra, Starlight, and myself. I decided that I should eat real food as positive emotion is in short supply in my house right now. No more words are spoken for quite some time as we don’t need to ask each other to pass anything, as we are all capable of magic. As we all finish up, I clear the dishes, and we all make our way to the living room. Starlight takes the chair and Sombra and I take the couch. “So, we should probably head over to Twilight’s castle shouldn’t we?”
Starlight stares for a second before responding, “Yes, we probably should. As much as the three of us aren’t welcome by Starswirl.”
“Well, at least we have magic strong enough to combat Starswirl.”
“Yes. Hey Styx, do you mind launching the same bolt you launched at Starswirl at me to see how long it takes me to get it to fizzle out?”
“If you are sure you can handle it.” I don’t question it, as I assume that Twilight had difficulty fizzling out my spell, hence Starlight asking to try it.
“I’m sure.” I let loose a bolt of magic, Starlight catches it and has it fizzle out within ten seconds. “That took Twilight at least three times as long. I can’t believe I did it. Alright, let’s get to Twilight’s castle.”
Styx’s POV: The three of us arrive at the staircase entrance to Twilight’s castle. I sense something is off, so I tell Sombra and Starlight to stop. I hesitantly approach the doors, I open them, but as I go to step through I am launched backwards. My wings come out upon instinct, I catch myself and fly back to the door. I switch to look like Applejack and try again. This time I am allowed through the doors. I have Sombra and Starlight each try, but to no avail. I tell them to wait outside while I go in and get this sorted out. I switch into my own form and proceed towards the main room containing the map. I hear voices as I approach and cautiously peek into the room.
“We can’t just keep those three out, it isn’t fair,” says Twilight, looking at Starswirl.
“I won’t allow them in, they are a threat, and no amount of you trying to convince me otherwise will change that.”
“So how does that help us solve the problem of the Pony of Shadows?”
“It doesn’t, but it makes me feel safer.”
“Alright, I have a spell here that could work so that I could do the banishing spell myself, while the Pillars hold open the portal to Limbo.”
“Lets see it then,” says Starswirl, looking over a piece of parchment that Twilight puts on the table in front of him.
I know that the map will call all the bearers to wherever the Pony of Shadows is located, as is the map’s way of doing stuff. Starswirl agrees that the spell would work, but they have no idea where to find their villain. As if on cue, the map starts making cutie marks appear including Starlight’s, Sunburst’s, and the symbol of a river. I wonder what that is about? Oh, my wings are glowing. “Well, would you look at that? The map calling two of the very ponies you don’t want in the castle or anywhere near you. Shame really, I was having fun watching this go down,” I say as everypony whips around to face me as I saunter into the room.
“How did you get in here?”
“Easy, I disguised myself as one of the bearers and sauntered right on through your spell.”
“That shouldn’t be possible, I accounted for every type of magic I know.”
“Well, all except the one magic that you can’t use. Changeling magic. Dark Changeling magic. So Twilight, when do we leave?”
“As soon as we discuss what the plan is. Which requires Starswirl to drop his spell and allow Starlight in here,” Twilight says, looking expectantly at the pony in question.
He does begrudgingly and in saunter Starlight and Sombra. The latter of who comes and stands directly next to me, so close in proximity that I can feel his side rising and falling. Twilight looks confused but speaks nonetheless, “ We shall go to Hollow Shades, confront the Pony of Shadows, and banish him to Limbo, however it means we first need to get the Elements back. So first stop the tree, second stop Hollow Shades.”
“Twilight, try first stop, Hollow Shades. No stop to the tree needed,” I say pulling the Elements to my location, the tree letting go of them willingly. Twilight stares in disbelief at what I just did, and Starswirl looks even more concerned about me then he did originally.
All of us saunter out of the castle, I send Sombra home and tell him to stay there and both Mystel and Orla are in school right now, and won’t be back until after I do. I told him that I would be fine, especially considering that I can use dark magic. Starswirl mass teleports us to Hollow Shades and we start to head towards the large stone circle on the ground. As we all step into it, it collapses beneath us, sending us plummeting. I recover and look to Starlight, she mouths the words, friendship problem, I nod my head, knowing just what to do. The Pony of Shadows appears and the Pillars, minus Starswirl, and all the bearers, minus Twilight, all open the portal to Limbo. Twilight sees Stygian trying to get out at the same time I do, she goes flying in to try to save him. I send Starlight in after her to help convince Stygian to leave the darkness. Twilight amplifies the conversation with Stygian outwards to let the Pillars hear him. "All I wanted to do is make copies of the artifacts, not steal them. I just hope now they can forgive me."
"They will, but you need to come out of the darkness first."
Twilight and Starlight come out, pulling Stygian with them. With everypony else shoving the Pony of Shadows into Limbo. Everypony starts cheering for Stygian, but only I realize that a tendril of Limbo has come to take the price for imprisoning a pony. I watch as it leeches Stygian's magic from him, knowing very well nothing could be done to stop it. The tendril starts to move back towards the portal, but sees me and comes over, taking the form of a pony. One of black and pink, signalling that it knows that I am the one who gave up love. The figure and I hug, parting as if we are old friends. As the tendril recedes, I turn to look back at the group. I look over to see all of them staring at me. "What?"
"Did you just hug a pony ephemera of Limbo?" asks Twilight, somewhat bewildered.
"Yes, over the years that Sombra has been trapped, I have communicated with Sombra and Limbo. Speaking of, how do you feel, Stygian?"
"Fine, see, I can still use my mag-?" his voice dies as he realizes he can't use magic. "What have you done to me!?"
"Nothing. Limbo took its price for freeing you, and trapping the Pony of Shadows back into itself."
"Why wasn't I told the price? Why weren't any of us told that price?"
"Because you do not care to listen to Limbo. You were given ample warning, but everypony that tampers with Limbo doesn't care to listen to it. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a family to get back to." I say, vanishing on the spot, depositing myself into my room.
I appear to find Sombra looking at the spell book that I forgot I had hidden. I clear my throat, alerting him to my presence. He leaps off the bed to face me. "Why did you keep this?"
"I kept it because of you. I didn't need any of the other princesses finding it."
"So why didn't you burn it like I told you too!?"
"I didn't want to lose the last piece of you I had until I got you back!" I leap onto the bed and start crying. Why does he have to yell at me for not doing something before I got him back?
"I didn't mean to raise my voice at you. You know I never will hurt you. I just want to know why. What do I mean to you? Who am I to you? Am I still a father? Or am I something different now?"
I don't say anything and eventually he lays down next to me. Content to just let the tension diffuse on its own. After at least an hour has passed, I decide I can't be mad at him forever. I roll over and snuggle into him. Curling myself into a small ball, letting him know I am willing to forgive him.
Styx's POV: I beat the girls out of bed this morning and am making them peanut butter pancakes for breakfast. I hear footsteps come down the stairs, I turn, expecting it to be Mystel. Instead I turn directly into Sombra's chest. I take a deep breath in and look up into his eyes. His eyes hold a deep, brooding, but lustful look. One of which I don't dare to stare at too long. I quickly step backwards but only proceed to run into the stovetop. Sombra steps backwards and turns around to go wake up the girls. I don't dare question what that was about, as I don't want to face him, and need to finish making breakfast. Basil slithers in the kitchen window with a mouse he caught, I know this is for me, as he already ate. I gently take it from him and swallow it whole. This is a routine he does two times a week, and in return, I promised to take him with me wherever I go next. He goes and curls up in his bed on top of the fridge.
I finish making all the pancakes and yell for the girls and Sombra. Mystel comes running into the kitchen and plops herself right into her seat. Shortly after Sombra comes in with Orla on his back, still looking sleepy. After all, she is still a baby, being only 3 years old. Being so young Orla can't quite feed herself, so we feed her, and Mystel helps her eat her lunch at school. He levitates her into her chair, goes to sit next to her, but before doing so he looks to me. A look of uncertainty passing across his face. I nod my head in reassurance, as he has never fed her before. I have always done it, until today, when Sombra wants to try. Thank goodness Sombra has a horn, for his hooves are shaking so bad, I'm not sure he would be able to feed her by hoof. I look at Mystel to see that her eating has slowed and she is watching Sombra intently. I rest my hoof on her shoulder, letting her know it's okay. I quietly start eating, reminding Sombra that he too needs to eat. I only ever have one pancake as the girls provide plenty of positive emotion for me. The girls often don't feel their emotional hunger, but feel greater physical hunger.
We finish up breakfast just in time for my wings to start glowing, great. Just what I needed, a friendship quest when I have to take Basil, the girls, and … Sombra. "Styx, why is my cutie mark glowing?"
Orla, who is now mostly awake says, "You have to go on a friendship quest!"
"She is right Sombra. Which also means we get to take the girls, and I have to take Basil. So shall we go to Twilight's castle to see where we are going?"
"I guess I don't have a choice do I?" Sombra grumbles out.
"Nope, neither do I so we might as well go."
We make our way to the castle to see only Twilight and Starlight waiting for us, whilst also starring, completely dumbfounded at the map. I look at the map and see why, we are going to the Crystal Empire. Nope, can I turn around and go back home now? Of course not, my wings are glowing. Four symbols glow above, and then we are adding plus two ponies and a snake. "So, Twilight, any news from Cadence or what?"
"Nope, but I guess let's get this show on the road. To the train station!"
"Yay, train time!" shouts Orla excitedly from Sombra's back.
Orla has never been on a train, let me say that trains are fascinating for a 3 year old filly. Mystel has been on a train once, but is still also fascinated by it. About an hour long train ride later, we stand at the station in the Crystal Empire. It is nearing night so we head straight to the castle to get settled in. Sombra and I are sharing a room, and the girls are also sharing. We head to bed, knowing tomorrow we must sightsee with the girls, but also deal with the friendship problem.
Styx's POV: I wake up feeling as if today will not be ending well. I plop out of bed onto the floor, then stand up. We are to join Princess Cadence and Shining Armor for breakfast and then head out with them. Sombra joins me in the land of the living, and we saunter downstairs. Mystel and Orla are already downstairs eating. Mystel is trying to feed Orla but she refuses to eat. Sombra goes over to her and takes over from Mystel, and Orla starts eating. I take my spot in-between Cadence and Sombra. "So Cadence, you said you might know what the friendship problem is?"
"Yes, I believe my subjects and I are the friendship problem. Ever since Sombra's brief appearance in the library, my subjects have been lively, but also disheartened at my ruling. I am hoping that Sombra being here and approving of my rule will they see that they need to change."
"Cadence, it isn't a one way street, it's-"
"Princess, you can't be serious? You must also learn to view these ponies not as subjects, but as ponies worthy of getting to know. I know all of my subjects by name and what they do. While times have changed for professions, no time has passed for any elderly to pass away."
"Sombra is correct, as Rosetta, the librarian is still alive, as if she hadn't aged a day since we last saw her. I would recommend getting to know your subjects before trying to rule them."
"Of course, I guess I should try, will you two accompany me then?"
"Of course, we would love to! Twilight and Starlight can take the girls sightseeing today!"
We finish eating and split up for our tasks of the day. We decided to start with whoever we came across first, which just happened to be the Crystal Corn salespony, Corla. A wonderful mare that has a family consisting of herself and her adopted son, Gelto Berry. As we approach the cart, both her and her son bow.
"Please rise Corla and Gelto, there is no need to bow to your Princess."
They stay bowed, I nudge Sombra, "Corla, Gelto, rise as your King commands."
At this, they rise, "King Sombra, you have returned, will you come back to rule us once again?"
"No, the Crystal Empire belongs under the rule of Princess Cadence now, so I expect you to treat her as such, and listen to her. Now I want you to gather everyone, and tell them to be able to see the balcony in 30 minutes."
"Yes my King."
They scurry off and I address Cadence, "This will be the easiest way to address the ruling situation. Please be patient, however I will say, you need to be more confident when you give commands. If you sound feeble and unsure they will never listen to you."
"Okay, I'll try my best. Thank you Styx. Well, I guess we should head to the balcony."
As we finally make it to the balcony, we see that basically all of the Empire has gathered to listen. Sombra starts, "Citizens of the Crystal Empire, your King has returned, but not to rule you. I pass the ruling onto Princess Cadence, as I was bound to by my return contract from Limbo. I'll still be here to visit and make up for lost time. I'll now let Princess Cadence speak."
"Confidence, Cadence, confidence."
"Citizens, I take this ruling from Sombra and will try my hardest to rule as he did. Give me some time and I will be the ruler you need. I wish to get to know you all better, and you will bow to me and rise as I command. You no longer bow to your King, you bow to your Princess. Thank you."
Instead of cheers, Cadence receives angry yelling, so I speak on her behalf, "Silence!" A hush falls over them. "You need to treat your Princess with respect, she needs to learn to rule as well as King Sombra, so I want you to be there to teach her what you know. King Sombra was raised to lead, Princess Cadence wasn't, she was given this role to play. I want you to be better than this, rise up to help your leader learn how to rule and rule with the same compassion King Sombra did."
Cheers ring out and Cadence steps forward proud and tall. The cheers increase, and I turn to leave the balcony, knowing she can take it from here. As I disappear through the curtain I hear the cheering grow, and I head down the stairs to go meet the girls in the main foyer. My wings start to glow, indicating that the friendship quest is done. As I reach the bottom Orla comes bounding to me, and asks, "Would you have been Queen if Sombra hadn't been banished?"
"Probably at some point yes, but that time is over and now Princess Cadence needs to rule to keep Equestria in balance."
"Dinner is served!" yells a serving pony from the doors of the dining hall. We enter and discuss with the girls about what they did all day. They apparently went to the library, visited Sunburst, and picked crystal berries straight from the bush. They even brought a basket full of them back to take home so I can make stuff with them. Soon the table descends into silence, only an occasional cough can be heard from Shining, who is currently fighting a cold.
"Princess Cadence, would you excuse Styx and I? We have some things we need to discuss about today in private. Food was delicious, thank you so much for being a gracious host even after today's events."
"Of course Sombra, it is my pleasure to have you back. See you two in the morning then."
I take that as my cue to get up and leave. Sombra follows awfully close behind me to our bedroom. When we get back to the room, I enter first, and then Sombra who slams the door behind him. The girls are still at dinner and will be escorted to their room by guards. "What were you thinking today!? What came across to you as saying that ruling is a skill to be learned and bettered everyday? It's not, it is a trait already born into a leader."
"I don't know, what did you want me to do? Let our subjects' think that Cadence isn't even trying to get along with them?"
"No! I don't know! I just thought that there was surely a better way."
"Well there isn't, so I'm not sure that we should stay another day. Since clearly us trying to work as one ruling entity doesn't work. I know the girls will understand. Good night Sombra."
"That's not what I meant. I meant that we should have come up with a better solution, not just-" I tune him out as I have heard enough. I crawl into bed, and fall asleep, not wanting to hear anymore.
I wake up to Sombra getting out of our bed, "Don't follow me Styx." he says, knowing I woke up. Of course I am going to do just that, but I will wait a few minutes. I turn into a mouse and follow his scent, all the way out to the Crystal Gardens. When I arrive, he is sitting on a bench talking out loud to himself. "Why am I so stupid? All I can do is push her away, even though I want to pull her closer! Why can't I just tell her the truth about me, my feelings, us!? ARGH!" He slams his front hooves down on the bench, breaking it in half. He doesn't move, he only sobs as I back further into the foliage of the garden, not wanting to face him. Especially after he told me not to follow him. I sneak my way out of the garden back to our room. Not knowing what tomorrow will bring, I lay back down to sleep.
Styx's POV: I wake up to a note from Sombra on the nightstand.
Styx, The girls and I will have returned home by the time you wake. Come home when you want to, I'm sorry for last night, I wasn't thinking straight. I will make dessert tonight for you and the girls out of the crystal berries. I am using a recipe my mother taught me when I was a filly.
Sombra
I decide to just go straight home. Cadence will have the baby soon enough, but best to leave her to rule in peace for right now. No need to stir up more trouble than yesterday. I appear in the living room to see Sombra reading his old journal, and the girls playing hide and seek around the house. As both girls run upstairs I lay on the couch, as Sombra is in the chair. I planned to look at his journal but it seems that I will be unable to until a later date. I curl up into a ball and await any conversation from Sombra.
"Your silent and brooding demeanor suggests that something is indeed wrong. Don't tell me that I am the reason for that."
"And if it is?"
"Then we need to resolve it before the girls catch on to our not talking to each other. As we don't need to involve them in our quarrel."
"Our quarrel? The only time anypony calls an argument between two ponies a quarrel is when it is between lovers. Are you implying that that is what we are?"
"And if I am?" he asks, smirking as he used to when we were being mischievous around the castle.
"Then we need to have a discussion when the girls aren't here. However, we won't be able to for at least the next three days. So, you'll have to hold off for a little while. For now, let's move on and spend time with the girls. Starting with you making dessert while I make dinner. Are you making the Crystal Berry Parfaits you made me when I was a filly?"
"Yes, I assumed that it would be nice for the girls to have something that you had back when you first knew me. So I went with something close to home."
"I'm assuming you took the girls to the market to get everything you needed?"
"Yes, I also thought that you would want to make the Crystal Berry Lasagna, since it is one of your favorite meals we ever made together. So I also got all of the ingredients for that."
"Thank you Sombra. Let's just leave the girls to their game and cook."
We begin cooking our individual meals and of course, Sombra finishes first as it was easier. About thirty minutes later I finish with dinner and Sombra calls the girls down to eat. As I dish out a piece for each of us, I have come to realize that Orla wants Sombra to feed her more than she wants Mystel or I to. Both of the girls dig in eagerly and both, not surprisingly, love it. The nice sweet, flaky layers with berries and honey in between. Mystel helps me clean up dinner while Orla helps Sombra bring dessert to the table. The girls slowly eat their parfaits, commenting on how good they are. I take my first bite and am instantly transported back to a time when he brought me this treat for my birthday back when I turned five. It was a very special day, one of which I wish that I could relive, but I could only do so alone. "Ah-hem."
I focus back into reality to find that Sombra and the girls are done and I have barely touched mine. The girls are falling asleep so I leave my dessert to help get them ready for bed. I lay Orla and Mystel each in their respective beds, telling them goodnight before going back downstairs to finish my dessert.
As I arrive downstairs I realize that Sombra is passed out at the table sleeping. Knowing that this is my chance, I charge my horn and touch it to the ground. Instantly I recreate the scene of my fifth birthday. My adoptive parents and Sombra sitting around me. I sit down at the table and then go back to my vision of Sombra feeding me the parfait. At one point he boops me on the nose so I have to lick it off with my tongue, so I do so. Wait, why is there actually whip cream on my nose? I stop the magic of my horn and blip back to reality. I see Sombra awake and sitting at the table holding my spoon, having just booped me. He sets the spoon down, blushing all the while, before booking it out the front door. I lick the whip cream off my nose and go chasing after him. We arrive in the middle of the town, the fountain. I hide behind a building as he sits down on a bench. "Why am I so stupid!? Why couldn't I have just left her alone? I shouldn't have ruined her daydream, after all I was asleep not mere minutes before. Argh!"
I can't stand him beating himself up like this. I run out from behind the building and straight for him. I stop right next to the bench in front of him. "Sombra, you didn't ruin the daydream, you just surprised me is all."
He looks at me in shock, "But, you looked so happy in the dream and then you stopped as soon I intervened. I shouldn't have done anything!"
"Stop beating yourself up over every little mistake. Everypony in Equestria makes mistakes like this. Even Celestia, Luna, and Starswirl. They just won't admit or try to learn from those mistakes. You can, but what you did wasn't a mistake, it was just a surprise. So, let's go back home and rest."
"Okay, but I promise not to intervene again in something like that."
"It's okay, nothing happened. Besides it was making it even more real for me." I say, and he looks at me as if he is still at fault. I open my mouth to say more but don't. He already has taken the blame, and he doesn't know how to let it go. We walk home in silence, all the while I think about what it must be like for him, never really having somepony to tell him that mistakes are okay, that they are a part of life. Always having to be the picture of perfection, never showing weakness to anypony else. However, there is nothing I can do except let him come to it on his own terms. We reach home, I clean up my dessert and wander to my bed, not telling Sombra goodnight as he has already locked himself in his room. I want to read the journal, but refrain from doing so, as I don't want to upset myself even more.
Styx’s POV: I told Sombra that I was going to collect wild zap apples for dessert tonight, as a special treat for the girls. He told me not to be home too late so I could make the dessert and so he didn’t have to come find me. Typical of him, always worried about my welfare, even though I can look after myself. ZAP! One bunch of spooked Timberwolves has been served to the forest. I decide it isn’t worth it to chase them. I wander over to the zap apple trees and don't understand why the Apple Family doesn't just harvest these from the forest every year, just bring along a unicorn to scare the Timberwolves. Oh well, more for the two girls, Sombra, and I. I pick approximately three dozen zap apples, a dozen for each of the three desserts I am making tonight. Well, that Orla and I are making. Mystel wanted to spend some time with Sombra to get to know him better. Since him and I are practically their parents now. Hence why Orla wanted to learn to cook some stuff with me. I start my walk back and notice some good trees to use for firewood. I guess I could come back tonight and chop them down. I make it home and Mystel and Orla come running out, plowing into me. Taking me to the ground and hugging me tight. I carry them both inside somehow, plopping both of them onto the couch, leaving them at the mercy of Sombra the Ticklemonster. I head into the kitchen and set the apples down, soon Orla has escaped and has come into the kitchen. She asks if she can help cook, I nod my head in acknowledgement, directing her to cook and stir the apples.
"Mom?"
"Orla, you have never called me mom before. Why the sudden change?"
"You are becoming more like a mommy everyday to me and Mystel. I don't know if Mystel can quite accept that yet, but I can. I always wanted a mommy like you." She says, snuggling up next to me for a brief second before going to stir the zap apple mixture in the pot.
I wish I could give her the love she deserves, I shake and partially black out. As that thought passes I return to normal and continue mixing up the final pot of dessert tonight, Zap Apple Jello. I think Orla is going to like it the most as she loves the Purple Jello from Sugarcube Corner. These three desserts are essentially dinner and dessert tonight, so we basically let the girls cheat tonight, although they are still getting their fruit in. The three dishes are Zap Apple Jello, Zap Apple Pie, and Zap Apple Jam (something the Apple Family thought only they knew how to make) with normal biscuits. All of us eat until our stomachs are full. The girls proceed to go to bed shortly after they finish, so I decide that now would be the best time to go out to cut firewood.
Sombra insists that I wear a small black crystal necklace so that he can track me in case I don't come back before 2am. I humor him and wear it, but I tell him not to worry. I'll be fine, I am very aware of my surroundings and am difficult to see in the pitch black of the forest. Besides, no normal pony would even want to go near the Everfree Forest. I meander my way back to the trees I found earlier and begin my chopping of wood. I get the first one done and teleport the bundles into the back room of my house. WHACK!
I wake up to feel something on my horn. I try to take it off with my magic only to find I can't use magic at all. I look around to see I now reside in a damp, gray concrete cell with nothing but a small bed. I reach up to my neck to feel for the necklace, but it's gone. I hear something scrape against the metal door. I look up to see Starswirl dragging the key across the bars. I am too weak to move, so I don't try to lunge for it. "Good evening my dear Changeling. Hope you are finding your accommodations suitable for your needs." I hiss in response. "Now none of that my dear, after all, you will have to learn to get along with me eventually."
"Let me go Starswirl!"
"Why would I do that? After all, you are the reason my life is so difficult. It took me a while to find out how to inhibit your magic."
"Why are you pretending to be nice? I know you have nothing but hatred for me."
"Because I can, because you're my prisoner. Also, here is your trinket back. I left the tracking spell on it since I have warded the entire place from being tracked. Here is your only meal for the day. You'll get a meal each midday, should be enough," he says, wandering off, not looking back at me. I put the necklace on and crawl into bed, willing Sombra to find me. I put my hoof over the crystal and fall to sleep.
Styx’s POV: I wake up, still groggy from being knocked out yesterday. I crawl out of the rickety, barracks type bed and crawl towards the food he has left me. Funny of him to think a Changeling can survive off of just food. I just wish that he could at least try to talk to me, since I am going to be here awhile. Instead he shuns me and since he figured out how to inhibit my magic I am left with nothing to do but sleep and count the days, hoping Sombra will find a way to find me.
Sombra's POV: I have tried over and over again to track her, but to no avail. It has been three days since she has gone missing, the girls are starting to get worried. Orla is taking it the hardest, although Mystel is starting to break. Mystel is trying to look strong for Orla, but the facade can only hold so long. Orla comes up to me in my room with Mystel trailing behind her. "Dad, where is Mom? Is she coming back? Did she not want us anymore?"
I pick Orla and Mystel up, "No, she will come back, even if it takes me years to find her. I will bring her back to us. She will always want you. Now should we get you off to school? Wouldn't want Mom to find out you've been slacking in your studies while she has been gone, would you?"
"No, we wouldn't. Orla, why don't you go get changed. I need to talk to Dad about something." Orla gets down and wanders off before Mystel turns back to me, "Where did Mom go? Is there something awful that you don't want to tell us?"
I don't speak for a second, fearing what will happen if I tell her what I fear the most. I open my mouth and tell her anyway, "Mystel, my sweet girl, Mom might have been kidnapped."
"Kidnapped!"
"Shhh! Yes, kidnapped, by a pony known as Starswirl the Bearded. He was a great sorcerer, one intent on making sure neither I nor my Changelings ever made it to victory in the War of Crystal."
"Was Mom one of your Changelings?"
"Yes, one of the bravest, little soldiers ever. She was about your age when she did most of her operations in the field. Mainly stealing food from Celestia's camps. However, I was soon imprisoned in Limbo. For 1000 years I stayed in Limbo, your mother set me free. However, at the same time, Twilight set Starswirl and a bunch of other very important ponies free. Starswirl did not like your mother or I at all. So I believe that he has figured out a way to trap your mother in a place I can not track her. So I don't know how long it will be before I can find her." I hear a sharp intake of air come from the door, I whip my head up to see Orla standing in the doorway. I float her over to me and kiss her forehead. She calms down immediately and we all walk downstairs to get their lunches ready.
When lunches are packed I open the door to let them go on their way, but Orla motions for me to walk them to school. I guess it is sort of for security purposes now. I do as I am told and walk with them. I drop them off and begin my walk back home. As I reach the house I see that Filthy Rich is trying once again to look at the house. I am large, but also quite quiet, so I sneak up behind him. I look over him and clear my throat. He turns around and screams, "Get away from me you fiend! You and that Changeling can leave me well enough alone!"
With that said, he takes off running. I yell after him, "You will never get in this house as long as me and her are still alive." I go inside, shutting the door gently, as it has seen enough slamming for its lifetime. I make my way up into my room, and sit down to try tracking her again. Hoping at some point it will ping her location. So I can bring Mystel and Orla's mother back to them.
Styx's POV: Day Five is here, but still no closer to figuring out how to make the necklace ding. Starswirl refuses to talk to me about anything, including how long he plans to keep me here. I can only survive off of prison food for so long until I starve. He tries to pretend that he doesn't know I can't live off of just food alone, but he knows I need emotion.
Day Eight comes, I roll out of bed to see if Starswirl has dropped off my meal yet. No, good, it means I might be able to talk to him about the War. I hear hoofsteps approaching and turn to face the door. "Starswirl, what was it like to imprison my kind?"
"Surprisingly, uneventful, your kind never went down fighting like others. Griffins, seaponies, even regular ponies fight back more than your kind ever did. However, I always wondered why that is. What is it about your kind that makes you so docile when imprisoned?"
"Honestly, we know that we will starve from lack of positive emotion, so we try to conserve that energy as long as possible. While we can share the emotion between us, eventually we need to recharge from a normal pony. Which is why the current hive makes sure to have ponies dedicated to going out and collecting that emotion. Also, we never saw the point, fighting back was just a useless waste of time and energy."
"You know why I am keeping you here don't you?"
"Yes, you are following out the order you were given so long ago. Instead of trying to get to know me, and trying to make friends with me."
"I know I should, but just the memories that Sombra and you bring back are just too much for me to forget. I'm sorry."
"I know." He runs off, which I am fine with. Knowing that he doesn't want to relive that war anymore than I do. I eat, crawl back to my bed and sleep.
It is Day Ten of my imprisonment, and Starswirl has just brought me my meal for the day. I take the tray, but stop as I hear an anguished scream come echoing from somewhere far away. "How is he still able to project his voice across Equestria? I have accounted for every type of magic I know. ARGH!"
Starswirl stomps off, leaving me grinning evilly and wide enough to send a small filly running home. I quickly eat to give myself more strength before I take the necklace off, and touch my horn to it. Using the last bit of energy I have, I call forth pure dark magic, sending it pulsing into the crystal. Allowing it to send a signal to Sombra, showing him my location. I put the necklace back on before collapsing out of exhaustion.
Sombra's POV: I hear a ping come from the necklace. I touch my horn to it to track it. It comes up with a location under the frozen ground of the tundra around the Crystal Empire. I don't bother to grab Twilight and all of her friends, I just go. If it means giving my girls back their mother, I will do it alone and fast. As I appear in the doorway to the bunker that has been built to imprison my girls' mother. I realize that I need Twilight and her friends to take on whoever is holding her hostage. I teleport all of them to my location.
"What in the hay is goin' on here?"
"I need your help to rescue Styx, she has been missing and her tracking necklace finally just pinged. This is her location, and I need your help to take down whoever is holding her prisoner."
"Of course, Styx is our friend and we need to save her. She is a vital part of Equestria." Twilight says, rallying her friends behind her.
Twilight, Starlight, and I blast the door, sending it flying. I race to the cell in which the necklace pinged, not caring about doing justice to whoever imprisoned her. I find the cell to see her collapsed on the floor, my precious river. I smash through the cell flinging the door through the brick wall on the other side. I sit down and gently cradle her against me. I take off the inhibitor ring and push as much positive energy and love into her. Love? Have I gone soft? Have I truly fallen for the Changeling that I once called daughter? Yes, it seems I have, but it doesn't matter now. What matters now is that she is safe and she will live. I hear hoofsteps running towards me and put up a shield just in case. I turn to see Twilight and her friends, standing with Starswirl. Starlight is pushing at the shield, so I let her in. Soon all of the rest of them are too. I deny them all, as most of them sided with Starswirl when we first got back. Starlight was a villian just like both of us, so I am less guarded around her. "Starlight, I will transport you and her back to our house to our girls. Take care of her for me until I return."
"Of course Sombra. I won't let you down."
I send both of them home and turn to face the rest of the herd. "Starswirl, why do you not care about anyone but yourself and the Princesses? You target the creatures of my rein, but do nothing to try to resolve that hatred as we have."
"Sombra, this wasn't his fault, he was trying to help her." Twilight says, I'm assuming to try to calm me. Sorry, opposite effect.
"Help!!? Do you even care to hear her side of the story before taking sides!? Or better yet, do you even know what a starved Changeling looks like?"
"Yes I want to hear her side and no, I have no idea how to tell if a Changeling is starved. Starswirl says he was feeding her. He-"
"No! He fed her food, not emotion. Without positive emotion they starve. I hope you realize that she was starved of that emotion for eleven days Twilight Sparkle. You will be lucky if she isn't dead!"
"What? She has been gone eleven days?" She turns now addressing Starswirl, "You had her eleven days supposedly helping her? You could have very well killed her."
"Now Ms. Sparkle, it was never my intention to do that. I didn't know that sh-"
"YOU DIDN'T KNOW!! STARSWIRL! You are a liar. You knew that Changelings starve without emotion. You used to starve my troops in the dungeons under Canterlot, which is oddly what this area resembles closely."
"Okay, what if I did know that. Surely you can't expect me to keep alive the very creature Celestia, Luna, the Pillars, and I were sworn to destroy?"
"Darn tootin' you shouda. You, Mr. Dabearded, knew darn well that she was our friend."
"She was an absolute pleasure to have around. She always made our lives a little more interesting. Besides, now you have just admitted that you, well, kidnapped her." Rarity has a point there.
"Fine, yes. I finally figured out how to inhibit her magic, but I guess I missed a type. Pure dark magic. Only capable of being used by those who know darkness. So, time for the true test, Celestia."
As if on cue, Celestia and Luna appear in a flash of light. I pull all of the bearers to me, inside the shield. Twilight resists, so I let her stay out. Of course she won't choose the side against her mentor.
"Starswirl, your reasoning for summoning me and my sister better be good. I-" Celestia stops upon seeing me in a shield with all but one bearer.
"It is Celestia, I ask you here to pass judgement. These ponies come into my lab space unannounced and take one of my test subjects. One of who was a willing participant."
"He kidnapped Styx by force, and in turn has done injustice upon the very title that he holds." I say, keeping my voice steady.
"My dear Sombra, you must be joking, Starswirl? Kidnap somepony? Ha!"
I'm livid! I grab Celestia in my magic and teleport with her.
Styx's POV: I slowly pry open my eyes to see Starlight floating a warm washcloth to my forehead. I look around for Sombra and don't see him. Starlight is giving off so much emotion that I feel quite rejuvenated, plus, I feel the rush from what Sombra poured into me while I was passed out. "Starlight, where is Sombra?"
"Back at the base where Starswirl held you captive last I saw."
"So why did a portal to the Dream Realm just open?"
"I'm guessing Sombra got angry."
"I need to go there now, but I need someone to take. Will you go with me?"
"Will I be safe?"
"Yes, nothing can harm you unless I will it."
"Then of course."
At that, I take us both there, through a portal, high in the sky. As we materialize on the other side I see a scene of horror going down. Sombra has brought Celestia up into the realm, and he did not do so by means of any normal unicorn magic. He did so by dark magic, as his eyes are neon green with violet flames streaming off. The nightmare he is making her live is where she is being turned to stone by the bearers of the Elements. So, Twilight and her friends. He is projecting his voice into the nightmare itself, "You know nothing of fear. You know only of power and coercion. You refuse to see the bad in somepony you always knew as good. The opposite is also true. You laugh when a mentor is accused of kidnapping, but you cry when you banish your sister for a crime less than that. Where do your morals lie!?"
"I don't know, maybe nowhere."
"Find them to undo the nightmare."
I decide to watch, not intervene, but Starlight had other plans. "Sombra, you saved Styx, Starswirl knows what he did is wrong, isn't that enough? Why do you have to torture Celestia? One crime is enough!"
I can't hold my tongue, "Starlight, you don't understand. This isn't torture, this is justice."
"If this is justice then what is torture?"
"Torture is putting somepony in a nightmare here in the Dream Realm and leaving. He will not leave until she has found the morals she needs to. Thankfully, no time passes in the real world while somepony is in here. This all happens in a second. This is why nightmares just appear, happen, and disappear in your head. Whereas dreams do see the passage time. The Dream Realm is a place of teaching."
"Really, this doesn't look like this is getting us anywhere. We know that Celestia will not find the morals."
"You are correct in that, Ms. Starlight, but this will give her time to ponder her decisions. Both past and present. I will release her soon enough, but not until she reflects. However, I think it is time for you to go."
Just like that Starlight is gone. I feel my bound connection change to Sombra. I feel the internal tug to go closer to him. Since he has one trapped in a nightmare, the realm expects him to put the other he is linked to in a nightmare or dream. He releases Celestia and we go plummeting back down to the ground, Starswirl's base. Celestia comes down and turns to Luna, "Luna, can you go into the Dream Realm in the middle of the day?"
"That takes a lot of power and energy, but I can if I need to."
"It is where I took her, showing and telling her what needs to change. And, now that Styx has joined us, we can hear the other side of the story."
"I was kidnapped by Starswirl, and I was starved of emotion. I only know of ten days, but another has passed since I passed out the night before. My magic was inhibited, and I was only able to activate my tracking necklace by a surge of pure dark magic. That was the last memory I had before passing out. So, Celestia, what have you to say?"
"Honestly, I don't know what to say, other than I have to side with Starswirl on this one. I can never know if the trust for you I have is enough. So, I'm sorry Styx, I am afraid I can't do anything for you."
I flare my horn, but Sombra puts a restraining hoof in front of me. I relax and let Celestia, Luna, and Starswirl leave. All of the bearers turn and look at me in disbelief. Of what I am not sure. "So, who do you believe, Twilight? Starswirl or me?"
"Honestly, I just heard two different stories from Starswirl, so I believe you. I can't believe Celestia believes him, after all, he never liked you from the start. Especially since you were associated with Sombra. Now I guess we can just go back home and relax."
"Agreed Twilight, let's go rest. I want to see Mystel and Orla again."
We teleport home at just the right time as the girls are coming home. Starlight was teleported back to Twilight's castle to meet up with them. I open the door for the girls and they come flying in. I hug them tight, not wanting to ever let go again, but knowing I will have to sooner or later.
Styx's POV: I jolt awake as I hear somepony come crashing through the front door. Poof! Up goes a shield, I'm guessing Sombra heard it too. Ever since I came back he constantly protects me and the girls, from everything. I open my door to see Twilight standing patiently outside. "Sombra, it's just Twilight we're fine!" I yell. Obviously I got his attention as the shield goes down. "Now Twilight, what in all of Equestria is so important that you are breaking down my door this morning?"
"Cadence had the baby! I'm an aunt!"
"Twilight that's wonderful! But that is no reason to come breaking down my door. A simple letter or a small knock on the door would have sufficed."
"Sorry, I just got super excited. Come on let's go!"
"Sombra!"
"Yes Styx?"
"We are going to see the baby Cadence had, I'll be back tomorrow. Make sure the girls have lunches packed for school tomorrow morning."
"Alright, will do, have fun, be safe. Wear that necklace!"
"I will, bye!"
I grab the necklace and Twilight and I take off running towards the train station. The rest of the crew is meeting us there. We arrive just in time for the train that is departing to the Crystal Empire. We board and sit in one car, making sure nopony else sits near us to hear the news. I hope Cadence and Shining read the book that I gave them on the Crystalling. Cause if they didn't, this trip is going to be longer than I thought. "We need to get Sunburst when we get there."
"Why? Is it because he might have some spells hoarded that could make life easier?"
"Exactly Starlight. We don't know what the baby is, but if it is a unicorn then we could be in for some serious trouble." We arrive at the station to see Shining Armor waiting for us. However he looks as if he hasn't slept in quite a while. We exit the train and approach Shining.
"Shining Armor, how is the baby and Cadence doing?"
"Twily! They're both doing great minus the fact the fact that we haven't slept soundly since the baby was born. Let's go, maybe somepony will have an idea of how to help."
We start the walk to the castle, but I teleport Sunburst to us. "Sunburst, we need your help. The baby is here and we need a spell to curb the magic."
"Gotcha covered, already had it ready to go. However, I should warn you that Starswirl is here along with the Princesses."
"Well, at least I know what magic to use against him if need be. Although I doubt he will try anything with Celestia and Luna around. Thanks for the heads up though."
"No problem, it's the least I can do."
We reach the castle and head up to where the baby is. As we approach the room, I take flight, hovering above the group as they enter the room. Starswirl sees me and frowns. I grin in response, knowing fully well he doesn't know the consequences of starving me. However, right now the focus needs to be on the baby, who is called Flurry Heart. A little Alicorn foal, a giant challenge for ponies that don't know how to raise one. Being Changelings means that some of us are born with a horn and wings. So raising an Alicorn just comes with greater magic capabilities in comparison. However, not my young, so, not my problem. Sunburst gives Cadence the spell to curb her powers to be performed during the Crystalling. "So, Cadence have you called your subjects to gather for the Crystalling?"
"The Crystalling?"
Oh dear Sombra. Give me the patience to deal with these fools. I flutter down to the ground and take a deep breath. "The Crystalling ceremony that must be done to every pony born in the Crystal Empire? Especially if it is a Royal Crystalling. I gave you a book on this. Where is that book?"
"Somewhere in the castle's library."
"Let me guess you rearranged the whole library, so I will be almost zero help in finding it."
"Yep, I asked Twilight to rearrange the library."
"Twilight, how did you organize the library?"
"Alphabetical I think?"
"Well, everypony, to the library!"
Everypony meaning all but Celestia, Luna, and Starswirl. They opted to go out and watch the Crystal Heart. We arrive in the library to no organization at all, and Twilight realizing she never finished organizing. I simply sigh and begin looking, knowing that I will have to perform the ceremony if we don't find it. Especially since I bought the last copy from the bookshop, meaning there isn't a printing company that even has records of making the book. Cadence brought Flurry along for I don't know what reason, other than to make everypony's life difficult. Half the time I am dodging bolts, while protecting the books, while trying to find the one book we need.
"I found it!" yells Rarity. Oh thank goodness. Cadence and Shining read over it as the rest of us try to catch Flurry. Unfortunately we have to physically catch her as our magic wouldn't work, as she would just break out. I hover, watching her pattern of movement while the rest try to catch her. I notice a star pattern and charge forward as she is going to the center. Miss. She deviated from her pattern and is now shooting magic. I duck, weave, and dodge to avoid the many bolts while also trying to prevent the books from being destroyed. Flurry Heart lets loose one more bolt at the same time Sunburst comes walking in the door. He ducks as the bolt goes flying out. I follow it out the door to see it bouncing off the wall down the hallway, and out to the city, and finally right into the Crystal Heart.
Well, that just happened. A broken Crystal Heart lays on the ground. A little Flurry Heart flies happily into Cadence's arms, as if nothing is amiss. Starswirl immediately tries to chain the baby, however, due to circumstances Celestia stops him. I try to stay calm as Twilight is starting to hyperventilate. “Twilight, breathe. Deep breaths in and out.” She does so and I look to Sunburst, “Sunburst, you don’t happen to have a relic reconstruction spell on you, do you?”
“Can’t say that I do, however, I did see one in the library when we were there. I’ll go get it.”
He runs off and returns in less than a minute. Thankfully, Celestia, Luna and Starswirl can run the relic reconstruction spell while the rest of us help to run the ceremony.
“Ahhhh!”
Screams come from outside. I peek my head out from behind the curtains that are set up around the Crystal Heart to see a massive winter storm taking over the Empire. With the Heart broken the weather outside can get in. Cadence realizes what is happening and starts to cast a shield. “Cadence, don’t.”
She stops and looks at me puzzlingly, “Why? I need to protect the Empire.”
“No, you need to hold the ceremony. I will protect the Empire, but we need to hurry.”
“Okay, be careful Styx.”
I smile at her as I take to the sky. I land on the top point of the castle and cast the shield spell. I muster as much energy as I can into the spell, willing it to hold the storm at bay that is raging outside. I watch as the bubble grows until it encompasses the whole empire. I briefly look down to see Cadence and Shining holding up Flurry Heart. The words of the ceremony are said and all of the crystal ponies bow down, filling the veins of the Empire with love. I watch the love funnel into a crystal that Sunburst is holding, then he runs behind the curtain. I soon see a teal blue bubble overlap my own, so I release mine as I feel the Empire return to normal. I flutter down to where the Heart is to see it in one piece. I breathe a sigh of relief and turn to look at Cadence.
“Styx, thank you for protecting the Empire.”
“Of course Cadence, it is my home as much as it is yours.”
Cadence nods her head in thanks, and I start heading towards the train station, not wanting to talk to any of the bearers, or Starlight, or Sunburst right now. As I don’t need to start a fight after such a happy occasion. The Crystalling is after all, a very happy and momentous occasion. I wish that Sombra could have been here to witness that again. Especially since we never had a Royal Crystalling, since Sombra never married, meaning he never had foals. Although now I don’t think having foals after having two adopted ones is considered appropriate. Ooof! I fall flat on my butt as I look up to see the very pony I was thinking about. I stand up and look up to meet his gaze.
“You my dear need to watch where you are going. However, I guess this is a good way for you to know that I didn’t miss the Crystalling. I enjoyed it, even though it wasn’t one of my own foals. Maybe one day, if I ever marry and have foals, I could bring the child here to have a Crystalling ceremony,” he says, giving me a mischievous smirk. I lightly smack him with my hoof for even thinking about that. Especially since we haven’t gotten around to discussing what we are supposed to be, since he thinks that we are lovers. Although, I guess I shouldn’t complain since I had hoped that he would think of me in that way. We both walk to the train station to take the train headed home.
Styx’s POV: I can’t move. I yell for Sombra, and I hear him come running down the hallway, loud thumps echoing off the walls. He bursts into my room, the door flying opening fast enough to hit the wall behind it. I flinch at the sound and then realize my wings still work, but it isn’t going to be good enough to move myself, since flying requires a large amount of energy. Sombra approaches me on the bed, “What has happened my dear river?”
“When I was starved by Starswirl it affected my legs, and I am unable to use either of my back legs, but thankfully there is a known cure. It is an old story from my adoptive parents. When my mother was young she was starved by her parents and was forced to seek the help of Celestia and Luna, their combined magic was able to fully restore her legs. She said it was the best decision she ever made, even though Celestia and Luna were wary of her at first. Due to the wariness, she promised never to conspire against them, although obviously she did, since she aided you in the war. But, I can’t ask Celestia and in turn, Luna, for help since Celestia has deemed me the aggressor of the Starswirl incident. So we need to get help from Twilight and then travel to the Crystal Empire."
"And how do you propose that happens? You can't walk, let alone fly. I can carry you but I'm not so sure I should be out and about in the Crystal Empire after the last time."
"Nonsense, as much as Cadence wasn't happy, that wasn't your fault. It was your subjects' fault, and their loyalty to you. They will take time to warm up to Cadence. However, we can't dwell on this now, I'm afraid if I stay paralyzed too long I will cease to be able to ever have hope of waking again. No Changeling knows what happens if one continues to live paralyzed. Whether we live normally or if eventually we starve just because we can't move or do much of anything. As for how I am moving, basically teleportation spells, and you carrying me minimal distances. Lets go get Twilight, the girls will be fine. I told them to sleep all day to rest after the adventure of hiking we had yesterday."
Sombra nods his head in agreement, runs to put his armor on, and then teleports us to Twilight's castle. I expect us to appear in the map room, instead we arrive outside the doors of the castle. Having enough of this being not allowed into Twilight's castle, I summon up dark magic and teleport us into the map room. We blip in and see that Celestia, Luna, Starswirl, and Twilight are in deep conversation, unaware of our arrival. I place the invisibility spell to cloak us in order to keep our presence a secret until the two sisters and Starswirl leave. We don't have to wait long as the group's whispering soon finishes. As soon as those three have vacated the premises, I release the invisibility spell and address Twilight, “So, I suppose that is why I had to take the hard way into your castle then?”
“Ahhh! Oh, it's just you, yes, Starswirl is trying his hardest to make your life difficult. He believes that I shouldn’t interact with you, so does Celestia. However, I have told them over and over again that you are my friend and I will not shut you out in a society that already hates you. So, what brings you here?”
“Well, as you can see my back legs don’t work at all. So, I need your help, along with Cadence to restore my legs back to normal.”
“How did this happen?”
“A consequence of Starswirl starving me. Only the power of two Alicorns can restore my legs, however I can’t ask Celestia and Luna for help, so I have to come to you. Would you be willing to help me?”
“Of course! I’ll get the girls and meet you at the train station. Sombra, do you want to get Starlight?”
“Of course, which direction is she?”
“She is in her room, upstairs, third door on the right. See you three at the train station.”
She teleports off and Sombra goes to get Starlight. I hear a scream about thirty seconds later, I teleport myself upstairs and see that Starlight is on top of Sombra and is staring down at a spider on the floor. I hover the spider in my magic to Starlight’s bedroom window and set it down on the tree a few feet away from the window. Starlight slowly comes down off of Sombra, and sees my legs. “What happened to you?”
“I am paralyzed in my back legs from Starswirl starving me. So, I need the help of two Alicorns, so Twilight and Cadence. Twilight is grabbing the rest of the girls, and we need to meet them at the train station. Ready to go?”
“Yes, I suppose so.”
Sombra lights his horn, teleporting all three of us to the station just in time for Twilight and the gang to make it there. As the train pulls up I drape myself over Sombra’s back and we board.
Styx's POV: As the train approaches the station for the Crystal Empire I haul myself onto Sombra's back letting all of me, minus my head, hang limp. Twilight and the group run ahead to the castle to fetch Cadence and Shining Armor. "Sombra?"
"Hmm?"
"What would happen if Cadence and Twilight can't fix me?"
"We would continue life as normally as possible. I would however have to take care of chopping the wood. Although, I think that old Pearl could probably make you a wheelchair of some kind to give you mobility again. At least so you could go to the market, cook, and go places with the girls."
"Do you think for Hearth's Warming that we should officially adopt the girls?"
"I suppose it would be good to officially have them as our daughters. However, right now, we need to worry about getting you better." I look forward to see Cadence and Shining Armor racing towards us, with the bearers trailing behind. We head over to a patch of grass and Sombra lowers me down.
"What happened Styx?"
"When Starswirl had me imprisoned I starved. After a certain time period my body realizes that and I become paralyzed."
"What are Twilight and I supposed to do?"
"I don't know! I hoped that you guys would know. Had Celestia said anything to either of you?"
"Yes."
"Twilight? You know something I don't?" I am shocked that she didn't say anything on the ride here.
"Yes, she told me how her and Luna helped your adoptive mother, but told me I wasn't allowed to help you. Since she doesn't trust you. Starswirl told her that you would become paralyzed. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."
"Twilight, it's okay. I'm glad you told me. However, I don't want you to feel pressured into helping me just because I am your friend. If you don't want to go against Celestia I understand."
"No! I will help you. You are my friend. For once I can say that Celestia is wrong to trust Starswirl. I think that Celestia has too much pride in her own judgement and too much belief in Starswirl. However, I did ask Cadence to ask another pony here to help. Luna."
What!? Well, alas I am doomed. Sure enough, out from behind the nearest building comes Luna. She looks angry, but not towards me. "Princess Luna, why are you here?"
"We are here to aid Princess Cadence and Twilight in helping you. Although it may not permanently fix you as us and Celestia did for your adoptive mother. It may work but not fully, meaning you might experience weakness or temporary paralysis occasionally."
"That's fine, as long as I get my legs back."
"Princess Cadence, Twilight, I want you each to conjure a healing spell. Make it one from the happiest memory you have."
They both light their horns and summon a healing spell. Luna instructs them to touch horns and point their combined beam at me. As the green light comes flooding over me I close my eyes. Submitting to it, and hoping it does its job. I feel the beam die and open my eyes. Cadence and Twilight have collapsed from exhaustion and Luna has disappeared. I wiggle my way up to standing, only to find myself back on the ground. I try again, hoping to get them to work. I collapse again and admit defeat.
"Try again, one more time, I'll help you." Sombra says, looking at me with tears brimming his eyes.
I would rather not see him cry so I try again, leaning on him for support. I'm standing, wiggly, but standing. I try to take a few steps forward, I succeed, with the support of Sombra. I lean off of him and try to take a few more steps. Thunk! I'm on the ground again. I lie on the ground and turn my head to stare at my back legs. I get them to twitch as if they were moving, but I must admit to needing to get help to get around. "I suppose this means it is time to go see Pearl."
"Pearl? The pony in a wheelchair?" Cadence asks, sounding shocked.
"Yes, Pearl helped many of my soldiers after they were injured in the war. We are now assuming that he can help Styx find something to help her walk. However, I do commend you for your effort, unfortunately no amount of your magic could ever compete with Celestia's and Luna's. You helped at least a little bit, however she will still need something to help her. You should go rest, all of you. Styx and I will go to Pearl and meet you guys at the castle in the morning for breakfast."
"Alright, be careful. Styx, I'm sorry for not being more help. Sombra, I need your guidance, as a ruler. What did you do when you lost a soldier?"
"I gave them a proper burial, but also thanked and comforted their families. Each soldier was unique and brave. Go rest now Cadence."
At that, all but Twilight turn to head back to the castle. Curious about how she is taking this experience I ask, "Twilight, what are you thinking?"
She comes flying at me, hugging me full force as she says, "I'm so sorry Styx. I'm sorry. I wish I could have done more for you. Please let me know if you ever need anything from Canterlot or anywhere else in Equestria. I will go and fetch it for you."
I detach Twilight, and lift her head to meet my gaze. "You did the best you could. I couldn't have asked for more. This isn't your fault, it's Starswirl's. Don't worry too much about me, Pearl is excellent at his job. I'll see you in the morning for breakfast okay?"
"Okay. I'll see you in the morning then."
Twilight begins her wander back to the castle as Sombra helps me up. We begin the slow walk to the far Eastern section of the Empire. We arrive at a large teal green crystal barn, also known as Pearl's home. Sombra knocks on the door and it opens immediately.
"King Sombra." He says bowing. He soon rises and continues, "Styx my dear girl what happened to you?"
"Starswirl the Bearded happened. He starved me, and now I need your help."
"Of course, come sit down." I hobble over to the chair and unceremoniously plop myself in it. "We just need something to hold your back end up essentially. Well, I will need to get new measurements, as you have grown up much since I last saw you."
That earns a small chuckle from Sombra and Pearl turns to look at him in shock. Sombra notices this and asks, "What?"
"Nothing, just shocked since I haven't heard you chuckle or laugh ever in my time knowing you."
"Well, I suppose you have Styx to thank for lightening me up. Along with our two adopted daughters."
"Well, I'll be, my dear King Sombra having daughters. Well, you done turned him soft now haven't you Styx?"
"I suppose I have. Although a dark king still lies in there somewhere."
Pearl chuckles, while Sombra gives me a teasing glare. "So it seems that you can use the legs but need support in order to do so.” So, Sombra lifts me in his magic on top of a table so I can lay on my side while Pearl measures. Pearl wheels himself over to the table and pulls out a tape measure. He writes the measurements on a paper and then takes the paper over to his metal work station. Sombra comes and sits in the chair while I continue to lay on the table.
"Would you rather sit with me?"
"Kind of. This table isn't actually all that comfortable, as much as I loved to lay on it when I was younger. We can leave Pearl to work until I need to try something on.” As I finish, Sombra floats me up and into his lap. He positions my back legs in between his and he leaves me to maneuver my top half to be comfortable. I decide to hug onto his left front leg and just cuddle with him. I feel him kiss my right ear and then he wraps his other front leg around me, just to make sure I don’t fall down. We sit like this for what seems an eternity, with Pearl banging on metal in the background.
“Styx, I am ready for you to try this out. I think this will give you much if not hopefully all of your mobility back.”
I open my eyes to see that Pearl has constructed what appears to be full back leg bracers. They are currently silver but I am assuming that they can be painted to match my color. Sombra lifts me off of him and sets me into the bracers. As he lets go of me, I fully sink into them and feel as if I could walk normally. Pearl looks at me expectantly, I nod for him to release me off of the stand. It is a small drop to the floor but I manage to stay on my hooves. Sombra goes to stand next to Pearl and they both give me an encouraging wave to get me to try to walk to them. I hesitantly take a step forward, expecting to fall. I don’t, I take a few more and make my way over to both of them. I start crying and hug Pearl tightly, not wanting to let go. “Thank you Pearl, this means so much to me.”
“My dear, it is my honor to help somepony like you. Especially when it means so much to you and my King. You go and sleep in the guest bedroom while I get this painted to match you. I’ll wake you two early in the morning so you two can make it to breakfast I am assuming?”
“Yes, we are having breakfast in the castle, and I would love if you would join us Pearl.”
“Alright, I will, just to spend time with you two. Now shoo, go rest you two!”
Sombra lifts me in his magic and he shuffles us off to the bedroom. He lays me down, takes off his armor, and then joins me. I drift off to sleep while being cuddled in close to him.
Styx’s POV: I wake up to Sombra still cuddling me, and see Pearl wheeling his way into the room. “Sombra, time to wake up. Pearl is ready, and I think he may have even polished your armor.” I say, looking at his armor to see that it is extra shiny. He takes a deep breath in and stretches. I look next to his armor to see that my bracers stand awaiting me. I pull myself to the edge of the bed and hover the bracers over to me. I slide them on my back legs and instantly regain my sense of confidence. Knowing that I can move as I once did, with zero limitations. I walk to Pearl and hug him yet again. I turn to see Sombra putting on his armor and realizing that it definitely needed polished. We all walk out of Pearl’s house to head to the castle. As we reach the castle I see two guards posted as usual. They see us and open the doors directing us towards the dining hall. I’m guessing that means that the rest of the group has already begun eating breakfast. We enter the dining hall to see all of the ponies gathered picking at their food, not really wanting to eat. I’m assuming until they hear of how I am getting along. “Well no need to be so somber my fellow friends.”
“Styx!” shouts the entire dining room, minus Flurry Heart who just bubbles out a sound. Starlight is the first to reach me and Sombra separates himself from my side. Starlight gasps in shock as she sees me standing on my own. I chuckle and smile at her, knowing she will be asking the most questions instead of Twilight as soon as we get to the train. The rest of the ponies, except for Shining and Flurry come over to take a look at Pearl’s handy work.
“You can all thank Pearl for the amazing job that he did. Finding a way to give me all of my mobility back into my legs, and being able to hide it so well, by matching my coloring so well.” They all start thanking Pearl and Cadence asks him to join us for breakfast. He agrees and we all sit down to a hearty meal. Pancakes of all varieties: blueberry, strawberry, chocolate chip, peanut butter, and lastly oat. Sombra immediately goes to the chocolate chip ones and I dive for the blueberry ones. I love my fruit more than chocolate, but I take a single chocolate one just because. Pearl strikes up a conversation with Applejack about how he built the bracers and invites her to come learn how he does it one day. She gladly accepts and I grin knowing that maybe one day Applejack can teach the craft to another pony. So that if wars continue to happen, all ponies can have the opportunity to continue to live life to the fullest. We finish eating and Cadence and Shining walk us to the train station, leaving Flurry to take a nap until they return. The whole ride I get bombarded with questions about how it feels to have full leg bracers on. Mostly from Starlight, as I predicted, with Twilight taking notes as Starlight asks them.
“How does it feel?”
“Like I have full use of my legs back, and since he lined them with a thin layer of soft fabric I don’t really notice them all that much.”
“How does he do all of that work without the use of his own back legs, not to mention without any magic?”
“He is quite adept at his craft and has learned to use his Earth Pony strength to his advantage. Which I think is why Applejack was so interested in it. Is that right Applejack?”
“Well, I suppose so. It is a mighty fine craft after all. Especially since it has helped so many ponies after wars. Although, I definitely want to go back and visit him again soon. I would love to learn, just to bring it to Ponyville, bein’ more central and all.”
Starlight continues her intense questioning, and Sombra seems content to let her onslaught continue even as we are getting close to Ponyville. As the train pulls into the station we all get up and begin walking home. Thankfully, Twilight’s castle is the opposite direction as my home from the train station. Sombra and I arrive home to see the girls snacking on some watermelon and salty crackers. They see us come in the front door and come tackle us to the ground. As we hug the girls tight Orla notices the bracers and asks, “Mom, what are those things on your back legs?”
“Those Orla are my bracers to help me walk, since I can’t use my back legs without help. I still am a normal pony, I just need help getting around. So, now that your father and I have returned so we go get some dessert?”
“Yay!” Both of the girls shout as they go running out the door. Sombra and I following close behind.
As we reach Sugarcube Corner I see that all of the other bearers have had the same idea, along with many other towns ponies. Bringing their families out for dessert as well. Mystel runs off to sit with the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Orla and Sombra go join the Cake family, and I go to sit in the corner. I don’t want to disturb the peace of the atmosphere, at least Sombra is a plain unicorn that can do dark magic. So most of the other ponies aren’t that scared of him. I stand in the corner and levitate myself a double chocolate chip cookie. Nopony pays me any mind and I plan to keep it that way. Thankfully, Twilight and the others notice me, but don’t draw attention to me. I am happy to just be standing and to have my friends around me.
Styx's POV: It is Hearth's Warming today and I decided that it was time to tell the girls about my inability to love. I made sure to get up early to make the girls their favorite breakfast, along with getting a large mouse as a present for Basil. I hear the girls come running down with Sombra casually following behind. They gasp as they see the amount of presents that lay under the tree for them. Changelings don't celebrate Hearth's Warming, but supposedly ponies are told that three reindeer called the Gift Givers of the Grove bring presents each year. While it is true, a lot of the presents were bought by Sombra and I. Mostly Sombra as he can at least see all the vendors, but I did all the wrapping. As he is not the best at it, since he was never taught how. One of the presents is a card with the word story on it, which we are saving for last.
As the girls finish their sightseeing of the prsesnts, they come prancing into the kitchen to see what breakfast is. Sombra stands in the doorway watching. I hover over the biggest bowl of watermelon and pancakes of multiple flavors, including chocolate chip, strawberry, blueberry, cherry, and peanut butter. "Happy Hearth's Warming Orla and Mystel!"
"Happy Hearth's Warming Mother!" They say in unison, leaving me feeling warm and fuzzy inside. As they dig in, with Orla trying her hardest to eat on her own with a little help from Mystel, I wander over to Sombra.
"Happy Hearth's Warming my king."
"Happy Hearth's Warming my queen. Are you ready for today?"
"As ready as I can be. Now let's not worry about that now, let's go join the girls in eating."
We sit at the table and eat, encouraging Orla to eat on her own, but eventually Sombra helps her. As soon as we finish eating the girls run to the tree and begin sorting out all of the presents, including a little pile for Basil. I start to do the dishes, but Sombra stops me, "The dishes can wait until after presents."
He walks with me to the living room and helps me get out of my bracers as I sit. The girls admire them for a second before pushing a small box in front of me. "Mom you go first, cause if it wasn't for you, none of us would have a home here," says Mystel.
I submit to this and carefully open the small box. Inside is a small necklace with a heart charm. I open the heart to see a picture of Orla and Mystel on one side and then a picture of Sombra on the other. I smile and Orla uses her magic to take it from me and put in around my neck. "Orla, when did you learn to do that?"
"Mystel and Daddy helped teach me so that I could put the necklace on you," she says grinning from ear to ear.
"Thank you, I will cherish it always. Now, should we get onto the rest of the presents?"
I give Orla and Mystel each a present from their piles, along with giving Basil all of his to unwrap. The girls each gave Basil a small wicker basket to put his blankets in. Sombra and I each got him two more blankets to put in those new beds. Mystel's present from Sombra is a small midnight blue dress for formal occasions. Same with Orla, with hers being buttercup yellow. My presents to the girl were two stuffed animal crystal looking bunnies. The girls got many other gifts from the Gift Givers, but I am not sure where we are putting all of it. Oh, well, anything for my two girls. We hand the girls the last present, the one they must open together.
"Why does the only thing the card says is story?" asks Mystel, staring at me expectantly.
"It is time for me to tell you an important story. One that will affect the rest of our lives. So, I want to tell you how your father got to be here with us. Long ago, he ruled the Crystal Empire, but soon a war broke out between him and Celestia and Luna. This war raged on and on, unicorns, Earth ponies, and pegasi on Celestia's side and Changelings and Umbra on Sombra's side. I was just a filly when this war started but I helped out during the war, raiding villages for food. As the war drew to a close Sombra's army was winning but Celestia and Luna would not allow that. They intervened and banished him to Limbo, leaving the Changelings to fend for themselves. I was with foster parents and mine were allowed to live. Twelve other Changelings young were sent to pony foster homes, all of which either starved or threw themselves off of Celestia's castle. I stayed in hiding until 2 years ago when I came out of hiding. Slowly gaining friendship from Twilight and the other bearers. Soon I had to reveal myself, and you know the rest. However, the one thing you don't know is that I can't actually feel love for you two or Sombra."
"Mom! You don't love us!?" Orla shouts starting to cry.
"No, I love you very much, or as close to feeling love as I can. In order to get your father out of Limbo I had to give up something, in this case, my ability to love. I still care deeply for you two and Sombra."
"Oh, so you just can't feel the emotion, but you still love us, like we love you."
"Yes, now do you two want your last present?"
"Yeah!"
I hand them the skinny box that has their adoption certificates in them and watch them open it. They both stare at them confused, until Orla asks, "Mom, what are these?"
"Those are your official adoption papers."
"Wait so you actually adopted us as your kids?" asks Mystel puzzlingly.
"Yes, you are now officially ours and not under the care of the orphanage."
At that they both come barreling into Sombra and I. Taking us to the floor and hugging us tightly. Sombra and I hug them both tightly and we lie there in a content pile until I hear Sombra kiss Orla and Mystel each on the top of their heads. The girls go running off to their rooms and each come back with a present for Sombra. He looks at me questionly and I shake my head as I have no idea what is in them. He takes Mystel's first, and opens it, it is a picture frame with a picture of all of us on our hike. He smiles and thanks Mystel. He takes Orla present, opens it, and pulls out a small purple crystal rose in a black clay pot. He hovers it over to the front window sill and thanks Orla. Sombra tells them to go play and helps me into my bracers. He hovers a small box in front of me and kneels down, "Styx, I know I should've popped this question sooner, but now that the girls are ours, I think it is time. Will you be my special somepony forever?"
"Yes!" I yell, too excited to keep quiet. He hovers the promise ring to my horn and gently clasps it around it. I hear a small squeal and I look towards the stairs to see Mystel and Orla smiling and crying. I wave the girls over, we stand together, I pull out a camera, and take a picture. One big happy, fully together family.
We take the girls out to dinner that night, we come home and they fly upstairs immediately falling asleep after so much excitement for the day. With the girls asleep, Sombra and I head to his room, as he has the bigger bed. We lay down in bed, and snuggle close. It is a time for thankfulness and sharing time with what would be my loved ones. I sit up and look at him, "Sombra, you remember before I was kidnapped how you mentioned that we were having a quarrel?"
He sits up and looks at me before speaking, "Yes, I think it is time to discuss that. What do you feel for me? Do I still feel like a father, or do I feel like something more?"
"Love is a fickle thing, you know I can't feel it. But I guess I feel whatever the closest thing is to that for you. Admiration, adoration, just not actual love. I want to feel it for you, but you know I can't. Definitely not as a father though, but more. You?"
"I know I'm in love with you. I just didn't know if you were ready to accept that from me. However, if you are, then I think we can take our relationship further."
"I think I am ready to accept that, but we can't take it too far. As I'm not ready for that, and the girls are in the next room over."
"Fine, but I can still do this," he says, leaning down and kissing me. I am surprised by the sudden boldness, but I melt into him. He gently lays me down, never breaking contact with my lips. He holds his weight off of me, and then releases the kiss. "You know, you really turn to mush when I do that. I wish I would have done it sooner."
"Well you've got all night to turn me to mush. However, you probably shouldn't do it too much, as I will probably start moaning eventually."
"I can handle that," he says, kissing me again. I relax and enjoy this time. Eventually we both tire and fall asleep.
Styx’s POV: The Equestria Games are upon us and Sombra and I are to be guards to all the royalty of Equestria, including the normal guards that all of them normally have. However, extra security is needed for the Saddle Arabian royals, as they are under threat from the Eastern Griffins, of which the griffin student at Twilight's school is not a part of, he came from the group of North Eastern Griffins. The Eastern Griffins are violent and unforgiving to anypony. Thankfully, Sombra and I are well equipped to deal with anything that today may bring, other than maybe the hundreds of glares that we are receiving from everypony that walks by, mainly me though, since nopony particularly likes me. I am forbidden from changing, so I can’t do much about it other than try to ignore them. The two Saddle Arabian royals are quite calm and don’t treat me any differently, then again, they have never met my kind so they would have no reason to fear me. I look towards the main entrance to see two Crystal Empire archers coming in with their bows and arrows. They approach me and I finally recognize them, Chrome Shield and Scarlet Arrow. The two that held me hostage while working for another pony, whose name escapes me because I don’t care to remember and I killed them. I greet them with a head nod and they do the same. “Good luck you two, I wish you the best in the Games today! Represent the Crystal Empire proudly today.”
“Thank you!” they both say in unison and proceed towards their respective areas for number assignment.
I look towards Sombra to see him staring at the sky, after all, that is where the attack is most likely to come from anyway. I turn back towards the gates to see that they are locking them and placing a magic barrier. That is our cue to head up to the royals to stand guard there. Sombra and I walk towards the upper booth holding the royals, but what I find up there is the last thing I expected. I see Celestia, Luna, Twilight, Cadence, Shining Armor, two royals I don’t know, the two Saddle Arabian royals and a small colt, similar in dress and shape to the Saddle Arabian royals. The colt is a surprise, but not my business, so I pay no mind to him. The colt on the other hoof has a different idea. He goes over to Sombra and stares at him.
“Casho, leave the guard alone,” pipes the royal that I assume is his mother.
Sombra chuckles and says, “No worries, he is just curious, I can’t fault him for that.”
Sombra kneels down to the colt and smiles, giving the colt a little nudge back towards his parents. The colt readily gallops towards his parents and that is when I hear an ear-splitting shriek. I whip my head upwards to see a massive hoard of griffins descending towards the stands, right towards the colt who is not near anyone. I run towards the colt shielding his body with my own. I feel a net come around me and know that I am captured, and holding the colt under me. I see the rest of the griffins turn and start to fly away as I see Sombra leap towards the net I am in, but another net comes around him. Well, I guess that means all three of us are going to be hostages. Not saying that is much of an issue for any of us, except the colt.
Sombra’s POV: The journey to the griffins’ homeland wasn’t nearly as long as I thought it would be. Although Styx is holding onto the colt, therefore, the griffins got what they wanted. I see what looks like jail cells with holes in the ceilings. The next thing I know, I am falling into one of them. I use my magic to slow my fall and then I am crushed under the weight of Styx. Not wanting to use her wings as not to show them that she can fly. I push her off of me to see that she is still holding the colt. I sit up and take the colt away so she can shake herself off. The griffins will find out soon enough that you shouldn’t capture a female changeling who is protecting any young, and her mate. Well, sucks for them, I will just sit back with the colt, and watch the chaos happen around me. I shuffle the colt and I into the back right corner of the cell and look at Styx. She is looking at me with gratitude and longing. She looks down at the colt in my hooves and sighs, she glances up at me and I know that she is wishing for something. I know she wants a foal of her own just as much as I do, but that has to wait, we have the royal colt to protect and bring home. Styx turns away from me and turns into one of the things I have never seen her turn into before. A black dragon, it suits her, and it will get the job done. I put a protective shield over me and the colt to protect from the falling debris that is raining down upon us from the ceiling and walls. I watch her fly off and can only imagine the looks on the faces of the griffins as a dragon comes out of their cell block.
THUNK! A griffin just tried to get into our shield, HAH! That is never going to work. At least twenty more griffins land behind the first one and I think that means that I need to take care of these ones. I make a small shield to protect the colt in a bubble that will move with him should he be frightened. I step out of my shield and pull out my sword, deciding that it isn’t worth my effort to use magic. These are probably well trained soldiers, but not nearly as well trained as me or any of my Umbra. I place the sword handle in my mouth and begin a battle to protect this colt. The clashing and banging becomes just another part of the world around me. I parry attack at the same speed that I am cutting down the guards. They are willing to die for their cause, and so am I, it’s just that I don’t plan to let anyone get close enough to me to let that happen. I swing and spin until a large thump shakes that ground. I turn towards the colt to see him climbing up onto Styx, who is still a dragon. I look at her and see her nod her head, indicating me to get on. I split my sword into 10 swords with my magic and send them all flying towards their targets as I run and jump onto Styx’s back. I wrap one leg around her right wing and the other around the colt, and then we are in the air, flying back towards the Crystal Empire.
I look behind me to see the damage that she laid down upon the Eastern Griffin kingdom. Except all I see is broken buildings and ashes. I can barely see a few griffins that are alive and weary, but they are few in comparison to those that lie dead. I turn to look at the colt who is looking back towards the carnage.
“Who is Styx?” meekly asks the colt.
“What?”
“The name written in flames says Styx.”
“Styx is the dragon you are riding on, Styx is also the pony that threw herself over you so that you weren’t captured just by yourself.”
“Thank you Styx,” says the colt, hugging onto one of her back spikes.
She huffs in contentment as we start to come into view of the Crystal Empire.
Styx’s POV: I glide down towards the stands and start shrinking myself to still hold the two ponies, but to fit onto the balcony of the arena where the royals are. I land and the two Saddle Arabian ponies come charging up to me to get their son, Casho. Sombra glides off and then I change back into my normal form. The two Saddle Arabian ponies look at me in shock. “What?” I ask, expecting them to lash out in fear or anger.
“You are a changeling?” asks the father.
“Yes, the last dark one of my kind. The others have all turned to brighter colors and look much different than myself. Most ponies do not like me or my kind, let alone King Sombra, who is my husband.”
“Ah, I see. You are amazing and are always welcome to visit us in our kingdom if you wish. We always enjoy company. I have heard of the great King Sombra, however, I did not expect to ever meet him again. Although, I suppose that is the best part about life. Hearing everyone’s side of the story. Afterall, my kingdom chose not to side during that war, we kept to ourselves and only opened back up relations after the war was over. However, I am glad to see you King Sombra.”
“Me too, Haakim. I see that you and Amira had a wonderful son that you always wanted. Quite brave he is too. We will most certainly visit in the future,” says Sombra with joy sparkling in his eyes.
“Yes, Casho is brave, but you and Styx are the bravest of everypony right now. Thank you for bringing him back, both of you. Will the griffins be bothering us in our lands anytime soon?” questions Amira.
I answer for Sombra, “No, they should not bother you for a while. If you ever need help with them, please feel free to send me a message and I will come aid you.”
“Thank you,” both Haakim and Amira say in sync.
Sombra and I assume that our task is done, so we both teleport home and relax until tomorrow comes. When Starswirl will learn not to mess with a changeling, especially one set on revenge and one who plans to make his life miserable. Although, I will have to talk to Twilight tomorrow morning to learn where Starswirl is living, and I know without a doubt that he will not be home. Too busy catching up with Celestia to worry about what could happen to his home while he was gone in Canterlot.
Styx's POV: Having returned home from the small war I decide that it is time for Starswirl to learn not to mess with a Changeling. Thanks to Twilight I know where Starswirl lives, and I know that he is working on a new spell that can change Equestria forever. This spell entails putting multiple pieces of multiple spells together to create a new spell. One stemming from the Elements of Harmony. I don’t know its exact purpose, but I have a feeling it will not be good for me. His house is in the Western Mountain Range and is hidden under a dense forest of trees. I leave Sombra in charge of the girls for the day and begin my train ride/flight to his home. I take the train all the way to Las Pegasus and begin my flight west from there. As soon as the forest comes into view I dive down under the canopy of trees and begin my search for his house. For being an all powerful unicorn, he doesn't hide things well. In fact, it is in the middle of a large clearing with no tree cover around it, except for the large trees that make up the canopy over it. I use my magic to detect if he is home, he isn't, which means my task will be easy.
I enter his home and immediately come upon something that looks similar to the Ponyville library. The only difference being that there are a lot more notes scattered and his bed is in an entirely different room. However, I don't see his journal, so I must go looking for it. I start by cleaning up all of the notes and putting them into a nice stack on the desk. And lo and behold his journal is under all of the paper on his desk. I pick up his journal in my magic and open it to the last entry.
Spell I write this as a reminder as to how much of the spell I know.
As all turns around Evil has come back Good is still reigning Banish those who hide
Protect from the darkness Turn the tide of war around Make unicorns, pegasi, and Earth ponies All under one mind
Protect from those who change To those who want to see reverse From those who once ruled Save the Crystal Empire from ruin
Reminder of those lost ? ? ?
I can't believe how close he is. Three lines away from Sombra and I's destruction. I rip the page out, teleport that page home, and set the journal next to the pile of notes. I light the notes on fire and continue to leaf through the journal. Finding all of his notes that he took on me when I was imprisoned.
Styx Still alive Dark Changeling magic Possible invisibility spell Capable of light unicorn magic Pegasus flight Earth pony strength Uses tracking spells Immortal life unless starved Can outlive Alicorns?
I start to realize that it is a good thing I am burning this, he knows too much, and he is relentless in making sure I can't be around in Equestria. I flip to another page.
Sombra Alive Pulled from Limbo by Styx Mortal enemy Dark unicorn Knows the dealings of Limbo Accepted by society
As I watch the last flames sputter out on the notes and set the journal down. I light the journal on fire and find a piece of parchment and quill to begin writing him a note and a warning:
Starswirl, Should you wish to know what was on the pages that are now ashes, come find me. I'll be more than happy to tell you, for a sickening price.
Yours truly, Styx
I sign the letter, laying it down in front of the ashes. Knowing that one day, he might come looking for me. I teleport home, knowing that a summons from Celestia is waiting for me, calling me to her, and what my life holds after this. But at least after this I will be able to change whenever I feel like, and no one can stop me, not even Starswirl.
Styx's POV: I rise the two mornings and teleport myself to Celestia's castle. I appear to see that Twilight is joining us as well. I made sure that Sombra is home with the girls so they didn't have to deal with Celestia. "Celestia, it is time for you to pass judgement on me. So now I ask, am I to leave to the mountains or am I allowed to stay and live in peace?"
"You have not gained the trust of the townsponies, so you will leave for the mountains with Sombra. He will be allowed to go into town to get food, but that is it. Mystel and Orla move to Twilight’s castle and will be allowed to visit on the weekends. I will have spells up to prevent you from going to many places within Equestria. You will go to the mountains in the South and not come back. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Celestia, however, do know that I will not stay there forever. I could outlive you if I wished. Heed my warning, I will return." I spit out and vanish to move the whole house to the South Mountain Range. It doesn't take me long and then I teleport the four of us to Twilight's castle to say goodbye until the weekend comes around. As we make our way to the map room I see that all of the bearers are here, along with Big Mac, Granny Smith, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, the Wonderbolts, the Cake Family, Spike, Starlight, Discord, and even Cheese Sandwich. It seems Pinkie is throwing us a goodbye party, one of which isn't really goodbye, just come visit again soon.
"Styx and Sombra, I hope that you will come back to visit often. As we will all miss you and so will all of the students from my school. However, I will let you know that I told Celestia to not put up a spell around Ponyville, as it would freak out the rest of the town. It also means that you will be able to visit us here as often as you would like. I can't thank you two enough for what you've done."
"Thank you Twilight. Thank you to all of you. This means a lot to both of us, and of course we will come back to visit. However, we must move the house still and Celestia is coming in the door right now. So we will be off." I teleport us off not knowing whether Celestia was actually at the door. As we land in the South Mountains I tap my horn to Sombra's to initiate a large teleportation spell on the house. With our combined magic we succeed. We enter the house and see nothing got too jolted around, except for Basil. I go and kiss him on top of his tiny head and apologize to him. I put on my crystal tracking necklace and decide to visit Cadence one more time before truly going into solitude.
As I fly down towards the Crystal Garden I can't help but wonder if Celestia actually put up spells to prevent me from getting into places. Eh, it's not like her too. I land and alarm bells start blaring, guards come rushing out of the castle, and I simply plop myself onto a bench, and put a shield up around me. I grin wickedly as the guards come running full speed into the shield, only to find themselves back where they started, at the gate they came in. After much more fruitless efforts by the guards, even the unicorns tried to use magic to get in. Ha, as if that would ever work. Soon Cadence comes out to see what the ruckus is. I smile at her and she dismisses the guards entirely. I bring down my shield as she approaches and sits down on the bench.
"I'll have Celestia take the spell down over the garden for you. After all this Empire is technically yours and Sombra's. If I could give it back to you two I would, but Aunt Celestia forbids it and I can't convince her. Especially once she has made up her mind, with or without Starswirl."
"Don't worry too much about Starswirl, he will be occupied in finding me in order to determine what I know. As I burned all of his precious work, so if he wants to know he must seek me out."
"How devious of you, however, I want you to know that you are welcome to visit anytime you like. It is my Empire and I will let my guards know that if it is you that they should simply ignore Celestia's orders."
"Thank you Cadence, you are like a sister I never had. Maybe this weekend Sombra, the girls, and I can come have dinner with you and Shining and Flurry."
"I would love that, I'll make sure to prepare a feast. In fact, what do you say to a feast where the whole Empire is invited!?"
"Cadence! That sounds wonderful, I can't wait until then! I do have one more question, Cadence."
"Anything."
"If Sombra and I ever have a foal, would you be willing to let us come and do a Royal Crystalling? Sombra never got the chance to take a wife before he was sent to Limbo so he never had a child. It is one of his dreams still, and I am hoping that he could one day get it."
"Styx, I would be honored to hold another Royal Crystalling and I'm sure all of the Empire would have their spirits lifted if we did. So, yes, please come back if you ever have a foal. I would be delighted to have you."
"Thank you Cadence, I am going to miss you. However, I should be going, before Celestia decides to show up."
"Of course, however I think I need a hug before you go."
I oblige by her wishes and give her a hug. Knowing that I have a friend and an Empire behind me to defend me if need be. I take off and return back to the house deep in the mountains. Looking forward to the journey ahead of me. Including my wedding that Celestia isn't invited to.
As all turns around Evil has come back Good is still reigning Banish those who can’t accept new
Protect from the light Turn the tide of war around Make unicorns, pegasi, and Earth ponies All under one mind
Protect those who hide From those who rule So those who want to see change Save the Equestria from ruin
Reminder of those lost So life can be whole Make the world end By removing those who rule
Exceptions are made The Crystal Empire rises Changelings are at peace Two Alicorns will rule One unicorn shall die By the Elements
