> To Be Different
>  by Astrocity
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> 1. The Fateful Beginning
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Crash!
 
I woke up with a start at the sound. I didn’t like it. Tears welled up in my eyes. I started bawling and screaming. There were more loud noises coming from outside the room—screaming, crashing, and muffled yells. I clenched my eyes shut and kept crying, hoping to make the noise stop. I didn’t know how long I cried, but when I stopped crying, my face was damp and my throat was sore.
 
Usually when I cried, one or two big creatures would come into the room. I always felt better when one of them picked me up as they talked to me in a soft voice. I didn’t understand them, but the way they rocked me back and forth and the way they spoke made me feel better and sleepy. This time though, they didn’t come.
 
The loud noise had dulled. I poked my muzzle between the bars of the box thing I sat in and looked around the room for the two creatures that took care of me. I saw the fluffy toys I liked to chew on in the corner of the room and the place where the big creatures changed the soft, white thing on my bottom, but I couldn’t find the two big creatures. I was about to cry again until the door creaked open and a black thing’s head popped in.
 
It was as big as the two that took care of me and kind of looked like them too. It had a pointy horn on its head, light blue eyes, and two sharp teeth sticking out of its mouth. It was a funny-looking thing. The creature turned its head left and right as it looked around the room. I stood on my hind legs and leaned against the bars, my head barely reaching above the side of the box thingy I stood in. I wanted to get a closer look at the strange thing. It was about to leave, so I called it back. My voice came out as a small whine. The thing poked its head back inside the room and looked around again before its eyes landed on me. I gave another whine, this time louder.
 
The door opened fully, revealing the strange creature. The rest of its body was black except for part of its back and its wings. I noticed there were holes in its wings as well as its legs and tail. Its wings buzzed to life as it fluttered over to where I stood. I smiled and giggled at the creature. It looked so silly.
 
It raised one of its brows when it looked at me. I wanted to play with it, so I tried to climb out of the box. But I'm still too small. My hooves clung to the edge of the box as I try to pull myself up, but my hind legs hung in the air and pressed against the bars. The creature flew closer to me and shook its head. I gave another push over the edge of the box and reached for one of the holes in its legs. I felt myself tilting forward.
 
There was a tug at my tail as I was about to fall. It was the creature biting onto my tail as it hovered in the air. It gently lowered me to the ground before sitting down and spitting out my tail. It let out a sigh and wiped its forehead with a hoof. I crawled up to the black thing and began sniffing and poking the holes in its legs and wings. It yanked its legs away and took a step back, giving me a harsh glare. I felt something wet gathering around my eyes again. It softened its glare and gave a sigh before sitting closer to me. I immediately took that chance to play with the thing by pawing at its tail.
 
It gave a toothy smile before wrapping two hooves around me and lifting me up. I squealed as it carried me back to the box. It set me down, opened the window by the box, and gave me another smile. It started making its way out the window, but I bit on the end of his tail. I didn’t want it to leave yet. It shook its head at me and pulled its tail out of my mouth. It turned to leave again, but I clung onto one of his rear legs. It pulled its leg away and glared at me. It made some hissing noises as it pointed at me and then at the box I was in. I didn’t know what it was saying. It was about to leave through the window again, but I held onto its body.
 
It opened its mouth to say something again, but a loud sound boomed from outside. A clear, pink wall came out of nowhere and threw the creature out the window with me hanging onto it. It screeched and flailed its legs as we soared in the air with other black creatures that looked like the one I was holding onto. I giggled as I felt the wind rush through my mane and brush against my body.
 
This was fun.
 

~~~~~~~


Chrysalis shrieked as she soared through the air uncontrollably, all coming to a stop when her muzzle met a mouthful of dirt. She spat out the soil offending her taste buds, gave one look around, and groaned at the sight.
 
They were back where they started.
 
The land around was mostly barren except for the few vegetation that managed to survive the horrid conditions. The outside entrance to their hive was a simple cave opening that led to the dark, intricate underground tunnels where it was much cooler than the ground above. It wasn't glamorous. It wasn’t a castle or a city. But it was home.
 
Chrysalis shakily stood on her hooves. A painful groan escaped from her. "It seems I may have underestimated these ponies. Curse that wretched unicorn! If it weren't for her, everything would have been perfect! Defeated by love, how humiliating!"
 
She shook herself of the dirt that clung to her and straightened her mane. "All those plans, all those days pretending to be Princess Mi Amore Cadenza wasted." Her face twisted at the memories. "Another day longer would be maddening."
 
She wanted nothing more than to crush Equestria under her hooves and stomp on it until there was nothing left but dust. Was that too much to ask? 
 
One of her subjects trotted up to her, bowed,  and made a few chirps and clicks.
 
"What? What do you mean we have a ‘small problem’?" she asked. She was in no mood for any more bad news after a failed attempt of an invasion. What more could possibly go wrong?
 
Giggling and screeching caught her attention, bringing her gaze towards the source of the sound. Not far off in the distance, another changeling was being squeezed in the grip of a small foal. The baby pony giggled happily as she played with the strange creature. The poor changeling tried to scramble away, but the foal clung onto him and was dragged along. The rest of the changelings backed away from the foal, in fear of being the foal’s next plaything. The queen looked at the scene with utter confusion before her face contorted into a grimace.
 
"Where did this one come from?" she asked the swarm. An air of authority radiated from her voice and glare.
 
A changeling, much to his reluctance, was shoved forward from the crowd. Under Chrysalis’s demanding gaze, he began explaining in a rapidfire of clicks.
 
"So she grabbed onto you and came with us during the spell?" she asked. The changeling blinked, then nodded. Chrysalis put a hoof to her head, feeling a headache growing with the situation forced onto her.

"Perfect. Just perfect... Why not add a baby to the mix? Heaven and stars, what am I going to do with you? It’s not like I can go traipsing around Equestria looking for her family."
 
She felt two hooves wrap around one of her legs and found the foal looking up at her with her blue eyes, filled with awe and wonder. Chrysalis returned her stare with a scowl of her own. The foal smiled, laughed, and moved under her towards her rear where she began swatting and tugging her tail.

“Cease your touching, foal!” shouted Chrysalis, stepping away from the baby. The little pony followed after her unafraid and continued its playing, taking strands of her tail in her mouth.
 
Chrysalis grimaced at the display. However, love and affection poured out the foal. It was delicious. Here sat a foal, giving out love like candy. A smile crept its way onto Chrysalis’s face, revealing her fangs. An idea hatched in her head. A wonderful idea.
 
Pulling the foal away from her tail, she nuzzled the little pony. “You poor thing. How would you like to live with me, little one?” she asked in a motherly way. The foal returned her affections, sending another delicious wave of love to her. Now that Chrysalis got another look at the foal, she somewhat resembled her. She was a pony with a dark coat, a teal mane and tail, the same color as hers, as well as two eyes as blue as the sky. It would be easy for Chrysalis to think of her as one of her own—her own daughter. Chrysalis cradled the baby in her hooves, earning a laugh from the foal.
 
“Mother Chrysalis is here to care for you,” she said. “But what should I call you? Every princess needs a name.” She looked at the foal sucking on her hoof. She was an earth pony, so she couldn't fly or do magic, and of course, since she wasn't a changeling, she wouldn't be able to alter her appearance, the deceitful nature that made a changeling. She couldn’t change who she was. She would remain the same pony she was for the rest of her life. After going through many names in her head, one finally stood among the rest.
 
“Nymph… How does that name sound?” Chrysalis asked the foal.
 
She let out a giggle and clapped her hooves.
 
Chrysalis smiled at the foal. “Does little Nymph want to help Mommy destroy the princesses?” she cooed.
 
The foal giggled as she was lifted.
 
“Yes, you do! But that will have to wait until you have matured. For now, it is time for Mommy to get to know her new daughter.” The changeling queen placed the foal on her back. The queen, the foal, and the changelings flew into the cave, the little pony laughing all the while she rode on Chrysalis’s back, unaware of the world she was thrust into, as they traveled into the dark abyss of her new home.
> 2. A Birthday Wish
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ten years later…

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always lived in these caverns. Glowing green moss covered the walls and rocks of the dark tunnels. Despite it being dimly lit, I knew my way around this tunnel like the back of my hoof. After all, when you’re not allowed to leave the hive because it’s “too dangerous outside,” there’s not much else to do other than walk around and meet every changeling. The reason why I couldn’t go outside was because Mommy said that there were bad creatures out there that would hurt me. I didn’t know what she meant by that. She said that I would be able to go out once I was old enough.

Mommy is queen of the changelings, which makes me a princess. She’s really pretty. She’s a lot taller than the other changelings, and she has a pair of pretty wings and a horn. I wish I had wings and a horn like hers. For some reason, I don't look like everyone else. I don't have wings or a horn, and I don't have holes on my body. When I asked Mommy about it, she said I was special. Even though I look different, she said that I'll always be her little changeling. I'll always love my mom.

Today was my tenth birthday according to Mommy. I decided that today I would sneak out of the hive and finally see what it was like outside. I hugged the wall of the tunnels and ducked behind a boulder whenever I could. Beside me was my best friend, Happy. He, like everyone else in the hive, was a changeling. Changelings didn't have names. Mommy said that names were a burden for them to carry and that we only had names because we were their rulers. I didn't understand what she meant by that either.
 
Happy had a name because I gave him one. I called him that because he was one of the few changelings that actually smiled. I've known him for a really long time, ever since Mommy made him my playmate. He looked after me and would often worry about the things I did. It’s easy to tell the difference between changelings. For example, Happy had ears that were a tiny bit longer, eyes that were a lighter shade of blue, and his fangs gave him a toothier grin than the others.
 
Right now, Happy was trying to convince me not to leave. He gave a gentle tug on my tail and gave a worried hiss. I had never been able to understand what these changelings say, but I learned to read the feeling behind their words by the expression of their faces, like reading a book.
 
Happy’s face said, “We should go back, Nymph.”
 
I turned to him and whispered so that nobody else could hear. “Come on, Happy. We’re so close! I just want to get one look and then we can go back.”
 
He hissed and pointed towards where we came.
 
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t be such a hatchling.”
 
Happy gave an annoyed hiss.
 
“Hisssss yourself.”
 
We were now near the entrance of the hive. The glowing moss grew thinner as we got closer. The actual entrance to the hive was a large wooden door guarded by two changelings, separating me from the outside world. Mommy made sure that those two guards wouldn’t let me leave. Of course, that didn’t stop me one bit. I wasn’t going to take the front door to get outside.
 
Instead, Happy and I snuck into the storage room next to the entrance. At first glance, everything looked normal for a storage room filled with random junk and doodads, things I don't really understand what they're for let alone where they came from. But this room was special. At the corner of the room, hidden by conveniently placed boxes, was a spot where instead of rock was soil. I found this room months ago. I’ve been digging a way out since then, with a little help from Happy. I had him promise to keep this a secret. Being a princess and ordering him to keep quiet about it helped out.
 
I pushed the boxes aside and began crawling through the small tunnel. For a few minutes, it was dark as I crawled to the outside with Happy behind me. As soon as I reached the end of the dark tunnel, I began digging with my hooves. Like a worker drone in the cavern, I dug, not down but up, where I knew there was something waiting for me out there. It wasn’t long until the dirt gave way and light poured into the tunnel. The light was blinding, but it was warm on my face. I shielded my eyes with a hoof and scrambled out the hole. I slowly removed my hoof.
 
There were so many colors. The ground below me was a light shade of brown and was warm under my hooves. Above me, I saw colors of red, orange, and purple—the sky, I think it was called. I’ve seen these things in books when Mommy taught me. Far away, I saw trees and mountains and something perched on the side of the largest mountain. But what stood out among the rest was something bright in the sky, slowly sinking behind the trees and the mountains.
 
It was called a sun.
 
She told me it was a thing to be feared and hated. But when I saw the sun sinking in the horizon like a dying flame, I couldn’t help but look at it with wonder. It was hard to describe it. It was a feeling of wanting. It was freedom—no more walls, no more ceilings, just open air as far as the eye can see. With all its warmth and brightness, the sun left a kiss on my cheek.
 
I wanted to show my mother the sunset. Maybe then she wouldn’t see the sun as a detestable thing. Seeing the outside world with my own eyes was different than looking at the pictures. I could see, touch, and hear everything. The shadows grew as the sun was swallowed up from afar. Soon, everything was dark again. Only this time, instead of a ceiling above me, there was a sea of stars, twinkling and glimmering in the sky. In the sun’s place was something white and round: it was the moon.
 
“Wow…” I finally managed to say.
 
I stood there taking in everything until I was shaken by the changeling next to me. Happy pleaded me to return to the hive.
 
“Alright, Happy. Let’s go back.” The changeling gave his toothy grin, and I laughed.
 
We went back to the hole we came from. I made sure to cover the hole with a rock before going back into the tunnel. Happy and I snuck our way back into the deeper part of the hive where Mommy and I lived. In these parts of the hive, the tunnels were lit by green-flamed torches that hung on the walls. There were more changelings around, but I made sure to take the path with the least amount of changelings.
 
Eventually, we reached my room. Happy slumped on the ground while I went to my bathroom to bathe and wash the dirt off me. Once I washed the evidence off my fur coat, I trotted back to my room to see Mommy in my room.
 
“Mommy!” I shouted as I went up to nuzzle her. She craned her neck down to nuzzle me.
 
“Hello, my little changeling princess. How was your day?” she greeted.
 
“It was great!” I said. “Happy and I played a lot of games and I finished reading a book and…” I was about to tell her what I saw today, but then I remembered that I had to keep that a secret. “… and then we played hide-and-seek.”
 
She gave a chuckle. “My, it certainly sounds like you’ve had a wonderful day.”
 
I looked around and noticed that Happy wasn’t around. “Where did Happy go?”
 
“Hmm? Oh, I sent him to retrieve your dinner. It should be ready by now. Come along, Nymph.”
 
I followed my mother out the room, and we made our way to the throne room. For some reason, I always ate in the throne room with all the other changelings watching. I’ve grown used to their stares by now. I was enjoying a bowl of apples, freshly picked by some of the changeling servants, while I sat on a small throne next to my mother. The throne room looked magnificent with its regal appearance and black and green colors. Mommy and the changelings never ate, or at least I’ve never seen them eat. I was always the one that was eating, while everyone else just sat with their horns glowing green. For some reason when everyone’s horns stopped glowing, Mommy looked tired when all she had done was sit next to me. I rubbed the side of my face against her body to comfort her. Just a simple action would bring her spirit up and bring a smile to her face.
 
“Thank you, Nymph,” she said.
 
The changelings left and returned to their tasks. Most of them worked on expanding the hive or serving me and my mother. Some of them, however, went up to the surface. Usually, they came back with food. Other times, they would bring back nothing and their horns and Mommy’s horn would glow like before. And sometimes, they didn’t come back at all. I’ve always wondered where they had gone. Maybe they loved the outside world so much that they left the hive?
 
Once Mommy felt better, she turned to me. “Since it’s your birthday, I have a surprise for you.” She clapped her hooves twice, summoning a changeling into the throne room. It was Happy who flew into the room. What he was carrying made my mouth water.
 
“Is that…?” In Happy’s hooves was a plate holding a slice of a small white pastry with strawberries and a candle on top. It was almost as big as my hoof.
 
“Yes, Nymph. It’s a cake. I know how much you’ve always wanted to try it, so I sent him to get one for you.” I’ve only seen a cake in a book, and I have always wanted one ever since. Although it was smaller than the one I saw in the book, I gladly accepted the gift. I took the plate, giving Happy a smile which he returned with his own. “Blow out the candle, Nymph, and make a wish,” said my mother.
 
I could have wished for a lot of things, like a horn or a pair of wings like Mommy’s. But instead, I made a different wish. I closed my eyes, blew out the candle, and made my wish. I wished Mommy could see the sunset with me. I opened my eyes and looked at my mother. She gave a warm smile.
 
“Happy Birthday, Nymph.”
 
I took a bite out of the cake. My taste buds were overwhelmed with sweetness. It was one of the best things I had ever eaten. “This is delicious! Mommy, you should try some!” I said to my mother, holding the cake up to her. She tittered when she saw a bit of cake stuck on the tip of my nose.
 
She shook her head. “No thank you, Nymph. I’m full at the moment. It’s your gift, so you should be the one to eat it.”
 
My ears dropped. “Really? I wanted to share it with you.” I turned to Happy who was waiting for orders. “Do you want some, Happy?”
 
He shook his head.
 
I shrugged my shoulders and finished the rest of my cake, covering parts of face with its tasty goodness. I cleaned myself up with a napkin that was given to me by my mother.
 
Since I was older now, maybe Mommy would let me go outside now and maybe even watch the sunset with me? I cleared my throat. “M-Mommy?”
 
“Yes, dear? Is something wrong?”
 
“No, I was just wondering…” I felt nervous asking her the question. “Am I old enough to go outside now?”
 
She took on a stern expression. “You cannot leave the hive until you are older.”
 
“But how long until I’m old enough?” I whined.
 
“Until you’ve learned all there is to learn about being a princess,” she said firmly. “There are things out there you are not ready for yet.”
 
I could feel my anger rising. “What could possibly be so bad out there that you want to keep me locked in here?”
 
Mother remained firm on her decision. “I’m sorry, Nymph. But you have to stay in the hive until I have deemed you are ready. For now, I want you to return to your chambers. It is getting late.”
 
I stayed silent as Happy led me to my room. As soon as we entered my room, I started kicking and screaming, letting out all my frustration in my tantrum. I didn’t understand why she thought I couldn’t take care of myself out there. Outside seemed much more peaceful than I thought. I’ve stepped outside before and nothing bad happened to me. I wanted to leave this dark and dreary place. I’ve only had a taste of what was waiting for me outside, and I craved for more. Outside was so much better than being in this hive. It was bright and warm and colorful. In here, it was dark, depressing, and boring.
 
When I stopped my tantrum, I looked around and found my room in a complete mess. My blanket and pillow was thrown off the bed. Books were scattered all over the floor. And I found Happy taking cover under the bed. I think I might have scared him a little because he flinched when I poked my head under the bed.
 
“Sorry about that, Happy,” I said. He chittered quietly. “I’m alright now.”
 
Happy had crawled out from under the bed and began patting me on the shoulder, giving me some more hisses of comfort followed by his goofy smile.
 
“I just wish she didn’t keep me locked up in here. ” I sat on my haunches. “Just once, I’d like to show that I can take care of myself.”
 
Then an idea hit me. “I know what I can do!” Happy tilted his head and gave a questioning hiss.
 
“She wants me to be older, right? Well, what if I acted older and showed her that I can take care of myself? If I go to the surface and show her I can handle myself, then she’ll let me go outside whenever I want.”
 
Happy shook his head quickly. “Of course it’s a good idea!” I replied. I began making my way out the door. I turned my head to the changeling. “You can come too, unless you’re too scared…” I heard him give a sigh of defeat before flying after me.
 
We snuck our way back to the hole to the surface. Many of the changelings were asleep by now, so it wasn’t hard to reach the place without getting caught. Once in the storage closet, I moved the boxes out of the way and climbed through the hole with Happy following me. At the end of the tunnel, I pushed the rock that covered the hole aside and climbed out. It was dark outside, but I preferred this darkness than the hive’s darkness. It wasn’t completely dark outside. Everything bathed in the moonlight. I was free again. The fresh air nipped at me. It felt great.
 
I felt a tug on my tail and turned around to see Happy, who had a worried look on his face. I smiled. “We can’t go back now, Happy. Getting outside was the first step. The real adventure begins now.”
 
I saw a light in the distance. It was coming from the object that was perched on the side of the large mountain. I figured that would be worth checking out, so I began sprinting in that direction. I laughed as I felt the excitement build up in me, while Happy flew beside me. I was finally going to see the world with my own eyes.
> 3. A New World
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sun crept towards the apex of its ascent. My hooves grew heavier with each step I took, and beads of sweat dripped down my body. It didn’t help that my dark fur coat absorbed the sun’s rays like a sponge. My mouth was dry, and my stomach let out a ferocious growl. Happy and I had been walking for hours now, and I learned that it can get hot outside the hive—very hot. While I was getting the life sucked out of me by the heat, Happy looked perfectly normal despite the unbearable temperature.
 
“Happy, why don’t you look as tired and miserable as I do?” I asked between pants. He smiled and tapped his chest. “So your shell thingy keeps you from getting hot? Lucky…”
 
I should have been more prepared before going on this trip, like remembering to pack something to drink and a snack. But then again, I didn’t know where the changeling servants got the food they served me. My vision began to blur, and my legs gave out on me. I made no effort to get up again. My legs ached, and I wanted a break. I just wanted to lie on the hot ground until my legs stopped being sore. When Happy saw me fall, he immediately went up to my side and started chittering and hissing quickly. I looked up to see his worried expression.
 
“I’m fine, Happy. I just need to rest a bit.”
 
While I was resting on the ground, I heard the fluttering of wings. I felt two hooves wrap themselves around my chest. The ground left me as I was hoisted into the air, though my rear hooves still touched the ground. I found Happy dragging me towards the shadow of a large rock. He set me down in the shade. The cool ground under me was refreshing, and I found myself closing my eyes. The last thing I heard before falling asleep was Happy’s voice making more frantic sounds.
 

~~~~~~~

 
At the changeling hive, Queen Chrysalis sat on her throne, which was finely carved from the stone of the cave it was in. Every now and then she would fidget in her seat as she listened to her changelings’ reports. Although the throne matched with the room, it wasn't exactly comfortable or meant to be sat in for long hours. She listened to her subjects, a bored expression on her face, as they droned on.
                                                                                                          
She would much rather spend her time with her foal, Nymph. She loved to listen to Nymph’s little stories about her day and the things she saw around the hive. Even today, the foal’s love remained as strong as the first time she was found. A love as strong as this was very admirable, especially towards a changeling like her. It was innocent and pure, an unconditional love. Nymph loved her simply because she did. She didn’t ask for anything from it. She loved Chrysalis like a daughter loves her mother. She had so much love to give, just barely enough to feed the changeling hive. But Chrysalis knew that a growing hive couldn't keep thriving off of Nymph alone, which was why she needed to take the throne from the Princesses.
 
Chrysalis hoped to place Nymph on the throne in the Princesses' place. With her as ruler, there would finally be a pony who understood changelings, that they aren't monsters. Nymph would be a changeling ruler in the flesh and skin of a pony. She would lead the changelings into a new era, no longer having to hide in the underground caverns. But before she could become ruler, Chrysalis had to keep Nymph from knowing about her own kind. She wanted to keep Nymph from siding with the ponies who shunned and hated changelings. If she found out, she may be swept back into the ponies' world, leaving behind the world she grew up in.
 
A changeling servant interrupted her thoughts. She bowed to her queen before giving a hesitant and worried hiss. Chrysalis blinked a few times. "Nymph is missing from her room? Have you checked the deeper part of the caverns? She's always exploring the hive."
 
The servant nodded. Chrysalis furrowed her brows. "This had better not be a joke. Where is my daughter?"
 
The poor changeling could only shrug her shoulders in response. "Then find her! I want this entire hive searched until I know that my daughter is safe!" The servant sped off to relay the order to the other changelings.
 
Chrysalis slumped in her throne. She couldn't have possibly left the hive. The guards would have stopped her. She’s probably playing hide-and-seek. That must be it. She’ll show up soon, safe and sound.  She couldn't help but worry about Nymph. It may have been mother's instincts telling her something was wrong, and Nymph was involved somehow.
 

~~~~~~~

 
Sometimes I would dream the same thing over and over again.
 
In my dreams, I sat in the dark alone and I would get scared. I wanted to cry because I was lost and afraid. But then I would see a light. It was warm like the sun. Two voices would tell me I was going to be okay, that I was going to be safe. I didn't know who those voices belonged to, but when I heard their voices, the darkness didn't seem as bad as it was before. I didn't feel scared anymore. It was the same feeling I got whenever Mommy was around.
 
It was usually at this point I wake up from my dream with a damp feeling around my eyes. When I first started getting these dreams, I cried and Mommy would come and comfort me. Sometimes I would sleep with her when I got these dreams. She always made me feel better. She would speak to me the same way as the two voices from my dream. Even though she said it was only a dream, I didn't think it was one. It felt real, those voices from my dream. And every time I had that same dream, I wondered whose voices those were.
 
I woke up from that dream with the usual wetness around my eyes. When I woke up, I noticed a soft feeling under me. It wasn't the ground. It was a bed, one that was more comfortable than what I was used to. I found myself not outside but inside a room. The room was, how should I say, different from what I was used to seeing.
 
The room didn't look like it was part of a cave. The floors were made of wood, and the walls weren't made from rocks but from something else. Pictures of apples covered the room from floor to ceiling. In the corner of the room, I saw a large mirror. Sitting up to look at my reflection, I saw that my fur coat was dirty and that my mane, once well-kept and brushed, was a disheveled mess. Mommy would scold me if she saw her princess looking like this. There was only one question racing through my mind: How did I get here?
 
A window revealed the setting sun. Quite some time had passed since I fell asleep in the desert. The last thing I remembered was hearing Happy. My eyes widened when I realized that Happy wasn’t around. “Happy? Happy, where are you?”
 
I looked around the room for the changeling. I looked under the bed, inside a wardrobe, inside the drawers, and even under the rug that sat at the center of the room. I grew frantic when I couldn’t find Happy anywhere. I didn’t like waking up alone in some strange place. “Happy if you’re playing hide-and-seek, you can come out now!” I called louder. I didn’t receive any response from him. “This isn’t funny, Happy! Where are you?”
 
I heard heavy steps coming from outside the door. My voice died in my throat. My muscles tightened. I was paralyzed with fear. Who is that? Is it Happy? No, his steps sound lighter. What if it was the reason I was here? What if it wanted to eat me? These thought clouded my mind as fear took over me.
 
I had to do something, anything to survive. I willed my legs to start moving, and slowly they did. But by that time, someone was at the door. I had no time to think, so I dove under the bed, letting the blanket hang off the edge and cover the opening in front of me.
 
The door creaked open, followed by the sound of the monster's steps coming into the room. I shook uncontrollably. I was scared. Tears gathered in the corners of my eyes. I wished Mommy was with me right now. She would protect me. She was strong.
 
Any minute now she would come and save me and scare off the monster. I saw the shadow of the monsters’ legs on the blanket. From the size, I guessed the monster was bigger than me. I held my breath as it got closer. My heart pounded in my chest. If it beat any louder, the monster would probably hear me and find me under the bed. Something unexpected happened though.
 
I heard a voice.
 
"Hello? Li'l filly? Where'd ya go?" said what I assumed was a male voice. It was odd hearing the monster speak the same way as me and Mommy, except he had a weird accent. I heard him search around the room looking for me. For some reason, he kept calling me a filly, whatever that was.
 
At last, he came to my hiding spot. Separating between me and the monster was the blanket. I watched him crane his neck down and take the blanket between his teeth and slowly lift it up. I curled into a tighter ball, wishing I could just disappear right now. A yellow muzzle and a pair of light green eyes poked under the bed.
 
"Well there you are! You had me worried there for a sec," said the creature. I said nothing. I was too scared to form words. He continued to talk, baring his teeth at me while he spoke excitedly. "Hey there! You feelin' better now?"
 
Instead of answering, I backed away as far as I could and tried to give him my most threatening hiss, but that came out more as a whimper. He stopped flashing his pearly white teeth and looked at me with what I thought was concern. "Whoa now. I ain't gonna hurt you," he said in a soft voice. He backed off a little and gave me some space. "Come on out now. I don't bite."
 
I didn't trust him. He could be lying and was probably trying to get me to come out so he could eat me. Though, I was curious to know what he looked like. Did he have eight legs? Did he have a second head? Maybe he had scales like the dragons from the stories I read. I tried to imagine what the rest of him looked like, but he always looked strange in my imagination. I decided to take the risk and take a small peek, just one peek to satisfy my curiosity and then it was back to safety under the bed.
 
I crawled forward, taking cautious steps so that he didn’t pull something on me. From under the bed, I could see four yellow, fur-covered legs ending in hooves like mine. The creature remained where he was. I gathered up my courage and took the first step out into the open. Once I was out, I looked up and was left speechless.
 
I began circling around the creature in front of me, taking in every detail of him. He was as tall as a full-grown changeling, about a full head taller than me. Like his face, the rest of his coat was yellow. He had a long, honey blonde mane and tail as well as a picture of an apple on his flank, which I thought was pretty weird. The strangest part wasn't the clothes he wore, though that still seemed odd to me. It was the fact that he looked kind of like me except he was male, older, and brightly-colored.
 
There was only one explanation to this: he was a special changeling like me. I've always thought I was the only changeling who was different from the rest. There was a strange fascination in seeing another changeling like me.
 
As I examined the yellow changeling, he cleared his throat and bared his teeth again, which I realized was actually a smile. "It's nice to meet you. My name's Braeburn. What's yours?"
 
I stopped my examination of him when I realized what I was doing. I backed away and regained some distance from the odd changeling. I looked at him warily before I answered. "Nymph," I replied quietly.
 
"Well howdy there, Nymph. Let me be the first to welcome you to Appaloosa!" he shouted while rearing on legs.
 
I could only stare at the changeling.
 
He was so strange. His appearance, his personality, his clothes—everything about him was strange. Is this what happens to a changeling on the surface? I asked myself. My stomach growled loudly. I realized I hadn't eaten anything since yesterday.
 
Braeburn let out a chuckle. "Sounds like you're hungry. Come join us for supper. My wife's cooking is one of the best things you'll ever eat. You can wash up in the bathroom down the hall."
 
I didn't want to go anywhere with him, not without Happy, but my stomach was begging me to go and find some food. So I nodded and followed Braeburn out of the room. Pictures covered the walls as we walked. These pictures had more changelings like Braeburn, all different in colors and sizes, and they were all smiling.
 
I couldn’t believe there were more of changelings like me. It was like meeting a relative I never knew about.
 
As we walked, Braeburn broke the silence. “It was a good thing I found you and your brother when I did. Bein’ out in that desert must’ve been tough for the both of you.”
 
I looked at him in confusion. “Brother?” I asked.
 
“Yep. It was him who came lookin’ for help and found me while I was harvestin’ apples. Right now, he’s probably talkin’ to my wife downstairs. He’s a real quiet fella, but he seems nice.”
 
I had no idea what Braeburn was talking about. I didn’t have a brother, and there wasn’t anyone with me other than Happy. I soon got my answer when we entered the kitchen where I saw two changelings like Braeburn talking to each other.
 
One of them was a female changeling with a red mane and tail, light green eyes, and a picture of a pair of cherries on her flank. The other was a young male changeling with a gray mane and tail, light blue eyes, and a flank without one of those weird marks. His coat matched mine. The changeling gave me a familiar toothy grin.
 
“Happy?” I asked in disbelief.
 
I barely recognized my friend. He had fur like me and somehow lost his wings and horn. He was also smaller and looked younger than he was before, though he still looked older and bigger than me. I knew it was Happy by the way he smiled at me, but what I really wanted to know was how he changed into what he was now. The next thing that happened really caught me by surprise: he started talking.
 
“Nymph, I’m so glad you’re alright,” he said. Happy’s voice was soft and quiet. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Happy was talking to me, not hissing or chittering but with actual words I could understand. This whole day felt like a weird dream. I was about to ask Happy about it, he silenced me with a look that said, “I’ll explain later.”
 
I nodded my head and sat at the dining table. “Well Nymph, this is my darling wife, Cherry Jubilee,” said Braeburn.
 
She gave a warm smile. “Why, hello there, sugar. Feelin’ better now?”
 
“Hello Mrs. Jubilee. I’m fine now, thank you.”
 
“Please, call me Cherry. And that’s good to hear. Supper should be ready by now, so just wait a moment while I get it.” Cherry Jubilee got up from the table and trotted into the kitchen, leaving me with Braeburn and Happy.
 
I decided now would be a good time to get some of my questions answered. “Why do you have a picture of an apple on your flank?” I asked Braeburn.
 
He arched a brow, giving me a strange look. “You mean my cutie mark?”
 
“Cutie mark?” I parroted.
 
“It’s a mark ponies get when they find their talent. Didn’t your parents tell you what a cutie mark was?”
 
I shook my head. I ended up with more questions than answers. “No. What’s a pony?” Disbelief and worry were written all over Braeburn’s face, while Happy’s expression was filled with panic as he shook his head frantically.
 
Braeburn placed a hoof on my forehead. “Your temperature seems normal. Maybe that heat took a lot out of you than we thought.”
 
Cherry Jubilee came back with a bunch of dishes balanced on her back. “Hope y’all are hungry for some apples and cherries.” She laid the dishes on the table.
 
There were all kinds of dishes with apples and cherries. There were apple fritters, cherry pies, apple sauce, some kind of cherry stew, apple juice, and other various apple and cherry dishes. My mouth watered at the sight of the food in front of me. Happy and I were each given a plate filled with a bit of food from each dish as well as a glass of apple juice.
 
“Eat up you two,” Braeburn said, taking a bite of his apple fritter.
 
I gingerly took a bite of my slice of cherry pie. As soon as it made contact with my tongue, I gobbled up the entire slice as if it was the last thing I was going to eat and dug into the rest of my meal, forgetting my table manners.
 
It was good. It wasn’t often I had food like this when I was back at the hive. While I ate, Braeburn and Mrs. Jubilee stared at me.
 
Braeburn took this time to asking questions about us. “So where are you two from? Your parents must be worried about y’all.”
 
I was going to answer, but Happy cut in before I could say anything. “We’re from Canterlot,” he said.
 
I gave Happy a questioning look. We weren’t from Canterlot. I’ve never even heard of that place. But from Happy’s expression, he wanted me to stay quiet.
 
“Canterlot?!” shouted the two colorful changelings.
 
“Why, Canterlot is hours away from Appaloosa! How in Equestria did you two end up all the way out here?” asked Mrs. Jubilee.
 
Again, Happy did all the answering. “We were with our parents when we came to Dodge Junction while on vacation. Nymph and I got off on the wrong stop, and since we didn’t have any bits for another ticket, we decided to try and find our way back by walking. Of course, you know how that turned out.”
 
“Well, I hope you two learned a lesson from that,” she said.
 
“Oh, we did. Right, Nymph?” asked Happy. I could tell Happy was bothered by something by the tone of his voice and the look in his eyes.
 
I wasn’t sure whether to lie or not, but I trusted Happy. He must have had a good reason for lying. “R-right... Won’t do it again,” I said.
 
Cherry Jubilee gave a smile. “Good. It’s gettin’ late. You two can sleep here for the night. Then tomorrow, we can figure out what we’re going to do.” I didn’t realize that it had already grown dark outside.
 
“That sounds great. Thank you,” said Happy.
 
“You’re welcome! I won’t have two foals sleepin’ outside now.”
 
So now Happy and I had a place to rest for the night, and we were fed. Happy didn’t really eat much. He barely touched any of his food. He only ate when Braeburn or Mrs. Jubilee told him to try a certain dish. Happy didn’t have that strong of a reaction to the food like I did. But when Cherry Jubilee asked him about the food, he smiled and said it was good, even though he only took tiny nibbles. While Cherry cleaned the dishes, Braeburn led us to the same bedroom I slept in earlier.
 
“Y’all can stay here for the night. I hope you don’t mind. It’s not much,” said Braeburn.
 
“We don’t mind at all,” replied Happy. “Sorry if we’re being a burden to you.”
 
Braeburn waved his hoof dismissively. “Aw, don’t you two worry about that. Cherry and I don’t mind helping ponies, especially two lost foals. Now get some rest, you two. If you need me or Cherry, y’all can find us in the last room down the hall. Goodnight.” With that said, he left the room, giving me and Happy some privacy.
 
Once the door closed and the sound of Braeburn’s steps faded away, I turned to Happy. “Happy, what is going on?!” I nearly shouted. “Where are we? Who are they? How did we get here? Why do you look so different? Why can you talk now?”
 
I was silenced by a black hoof on my mouth. Happy brought his other hoof to his mouth and shushed me to be quiet. “Princess Nymph, you must be quiet before I can give you an explanation. It is important that the other two don’t hear us.”
 
I was about to ask another question, but instead I nodded my head and waited for Happy to continue. Once I was quiet, he began his explanation. “Princess, those two cannot find out who we are.”
 
“How come?” I interrupted. “They’re changelings too, aren’t they?”
 
Happy looked like he was choosing his words carefully. He seemed really reluctant to answer my question. “No… They are not changelings…”
 
“What do you mean they aren’t changelings? Of course they are! They look so much like us.”
 
“They aren’t. They’re…” he began to say.
 
“They’re what?” I asked. If these creatures weren’t changelings, then what else could they be?
 
Happy seemed to be struggling to finish his sentence, but eventually he let out a sigh of defeat. “They’re… ponies…”
 
“Ponies?” I said out loud, sounding out each syllable of the foreign word. He nodded his head. “But wait. You aren’t a pony. You’re a changeling. So why do you look so different from what you were before?”
 
He closed his eyes and was engulfed in a bright green flame. I was about to scream and panic when I saw Happy disappear in the flame, but he reappeared again, back in his bigger changeling form, before changing back into a little pony.
 
“Whoa! How did you do that?” I asked.
 
He seemed to be out of breath and exhausted as if he ran a marathon. “It’s something changelings can do,” he wheezed out. “We can take on the form of any pony.”
 
“Oh! Can I do it too?” I closed my eyes and scrunched my face in concentration. I imagined myself looking like Mommy, with wings, horn, and everything. When I opened my eyes, I saw Happy staring at me. “Well, did it work?” I looked at my body. It was still the same small, hole-less body. There weren’t any wings on my back, and when I felt my forehead, there certainly wasn’t a horn there. All I got was disappointment.
 
“Aw, I was really hoping to look like Mommy,” I said. I guess I couldn’t ever be a normal changeling. I gave myself another look in the mirror and brushed a lock of my teal mane back. I was going to be different for the rest of my life. Seeing myself in the mirror brought another question to my mind, one filled with dread.
 
“Happy, am I…” I began but immediately suppressed that thought. What am I getting worried about? I know what I am. Mommy is a changeling, and so am I. I’m her changeling princess and always will be. Maybe I got stuck looking like a pony when I was baby? My worries seemed to fade the more I thought about the matter, but there will still that hint of doubt that wouldn’t go away, like a bad aftertaste.
 
For a while, Happy remained silent. “It’s getting late. You should take the bed and sleep. I’ll rest under the bed.”
 
I crawled into bed, and Happy tucked me in just the way I liked it. Once I was tucked in, he grinned. “Goodnight, Princess.”
 
A yawn escaped my lips. Even after napping in the desert, I was still tired. “Goodnight, Happy.” Happy turned off the lights, bathing everything in the unfamiliar darkness of someone else’s home. It was a little scary, but I had to bear with it. Grownup princesses aren’t scared of anything.
 
After a moment of silence, I spoke up again. "Happy?"
 
He grunted in response from under the bed.
 
"You were the one that found Braeburn and saved me, right?"
 
He gave a quiet chitter.
 
A grin crept its way onto my face. "Thanks, Happy. I'm glad you came with me to the surface." There was another chitter from him, acknowledging my thanks to him. I decided to let Happy sleep and waited for sleep to come, letting my mind wander.
 
I wonder what Mommy’s doing right now…
 

~~~~~~~

 
Chrysalis paced nervously in the throne room, still awaiting news of her daughter’s whereabouts. She had issued the order a while ago, and there still hasn’t been any word of Nymph. When no guard or servant had shown up with her daughter, she decided to take matters into her own hooves.
 
Her wings fluttered furiously as she raced down the tunnels while startling every changeling she passed by. She looked in every room, in every nook and cranny. She even checked the hanging cocoons to see if Nymph had hidden herself in one of them again. Nymph was the type of foal to easily get curious, so it wouldn't be surprising to find her pretending to be a hatchling. How she wound up in a cocoon was always a mystery to Chrysalis. But today, Nymph was nowhere to be found.
 
Chrysalis let out a frustrated groan. "Where is she?"
 
She went to Nymph's room hoping to find a clue, but instead she found the room in complete disarray, as if a certain chaotic draconequus came and redecorated. She knew a tantrum when she saw one. Chrysalis let out a quiet tsk-tsk at the sight. She walked over several of the objects that lay on the floor and looked around for the filly. Nymph wasn't under the bed or in the bathroom.
 
The changeling queen rubbed the temples of her head with her hooves. "Why is it so hard to find one little filly?"
 
Just as Chrysalis was about to leave the room, she stepped on something. She lifted her hoof and found a bit of soil stuck to the bottom of her hoof. The kind of loose soil found on the surface. Alarms rang in her head as soon as she saw it, a sign Chrysalis wasn't hoping to see.
 
"Guards!" she shouted, summoning ten guards to the room. They lined up in front of her in a uniform manner. "Go to the surface and find my daughter!" she commanded. "I want her brought back here immediately and unharmed." She turned to the last guard in the line. "Notify the others that I will be gone for a while. I will go look for my daughter as well." The guard gave a salute to his queen before running off.
 
She turned to the rest of the changelings. "It is of utmost importance that we remain hidden while we are out there. I want all of you to disguise yourselves while we're in public, and do not give away your true form. Is that understood?"
 
The line of guards simultaneously saluted. "Good. Now let us be off. Quickly!" Chrysalis flew off and left the hive, followed by a small swarm of changelings. In the night, they looked like ghosts wandering the barren desert. They moved swiftly and stealthily in the air. The only sound heard was the fluttering of insect-like wings. Chrysalis and her changelings were now in a dangerous world, a world where their kind was unwelcomed. They were in enemy territory.
> 4. Next Stop
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Light broke through the horizon, casting its rays over the mountains and the landscape. The chilly air nipped at my nose and ears. At least the sunlight provided some comfort. In front of me, Happy led the way, looking like a pony again, though he had a serious expression on his face. We walked past the entrance of the farm in silence, passing by all the pretty apple and cherry trees that dotted the orchard. I wondered if this was where the servants got the apples.
 
Happy told me to stay quiet. We had snuck out of Braeburn and Cherry’s house just before sunrise. For what reason, I didn’t know. Happy wanted us out of there as soon as possible. We didn't even get to say goodbye to Braeburn and Cherry Jubilee before we left.
 
I struggled to stay awake. A yawn escaped my lips every so often, and I fought to keep my eyelids open. I would rather be in bed back at the house than walking outside right now. The comfort of being under the warm covers on a soft bed was tempting, but Happy told me it was important that we got out. That and he threw the covers off me and dragged me out of bed…
 
We trotted away from the farm until we came to the center of a town. There were more wooden buildings like the farmhouse, all of different colors. It was nice to see colors that weren’t the usual gray, black, and green found back at the hive. The place was reasonably deserted. Even I wouldn’t be outside if it was going to be this chilly at this time. We hid between two buildings, though I didn’t see any reason to, especially since there wasn’t anyone around. It was like back at the hive when Happy and I tried to sneak out, except I was actually outside now.
 
Happy peeked around the corner before turning to me. “Princess, if we leave now, we might be able to make it back home before your mother notices you were gone.”
 
I raised a brow. “Home? I don’t want to go home yet.”
 
His eyes widened. “What do you mean you don’t want to go?!” he shouted.

I rolled my eyes. “It means I don’t want to go home just yet. Happy, we still haven’t seen the thing on the mountain yet.” Now that the sun was higher, I could make out the object that perched on the side of the mountain. It was white, making it stand out from the mountain it was part of, and there was even a waterfall coming out of it. I pointed at it. “See that? That thing.”
 
He followed my hoof towards the direction I was pointing in. He turned back to me, his head shaking frantically. “Nonono, that’s nothing!”
 
“Nothing…?” I deadpanned.
 
He straightened his back and looked me in the eyes. “Nothing.”
 
I didn’t buy it. I’d known Happy long enough to tell that he was lying. He looked worried and… scared, though I couldn’t really tell for sure. He was probably scared of being outside with me when Mommy told me I couldn’t. If he really was that scared of Mommy, I could just tell her it was all my idea in the first place, sparing him from trouble. But there was no way I was going to miss out exploring the surface. Who knows when I would get another chance like this?
 
I matched his gaze with my own. “Alright, Happy, I’ll go with you.” His features relaxed at hearing this. “Or… we can go to that cool thing over there and then go back home, where I leave out the part where you took me outside.” And just like that, he tensed up, all his worries returning. I felt sorry for doing this to him, but he left me no choice. I had to do this before I spend my days back in the dark cavern.
 
I began walking away, stopping only to look back at him. “Coming?”
 
He opened his mouth to say something but closed it. With a heavy sigh, he followed after me. “Okay, but after you’ve had your fun, we’re going back home.”
 
I was giddy with excitement now that Happy was on board. I let out squeal as I hopped around, only to have Happy’s hoof cover my mouth. He made a zipping motion across his mouth with a stern glare to go with it. I had nearly forgotten about that and sheepishly smiled. “Sorry,” I whispered.
 
He put a hoof on his forehead and sighed. “If this is what you want to do, then you better listen to what I say, okay?” I excitedly nodded my head. Happy trotted in a different direction from the mountain I planned on heading towards.
 
“Huh? Where are you going? It’s this way.”
 
He kept on walking. “We’re taking the train there.”
 
I tried to keep up with him. “The train?”
 
We stopped at a wooden platform that sat next to a pair of metal rails. There was no one around, so it was just us two. “It’s easier to just show you. Just wait.”
 
I sat down as we waited. Happy kept looking down the tracks as if he was expecting something. I twiddled my hooves and played with a lock of my mane. What is Happy waiting for? Just how long are we going to wait? While waiting, I tried to change the way I looked like the way Happy does again. I shut my eyes, trying to picture myself with pretty wings and a horn like Mommy’s. I cracked my eyes open and felt the top of my forehead. There was nothing there. I looked behind and didn’t find any wings either. Still can’t change yet…
 
The floorboards shook underneath my hooves. Off in the distance, something puffing smoke was heading towards us. It looked like a metal monster with a really long body that stretched down the rails. It let out a loud whistle and a terrifying screech as it came to a stop, startling me. I jumped at the sound and hid behind Happy, staying as close to him as possible. I made sure that Happy stood between me and the big monster. Happy, however, didn’t look frightened at all.
 
“H-Happy, what is that?” I asked, peeking around him at the metal creature that hissed steam.
 
He chuckled, not worried at all about the scary thing that could possibly eat us. In fact, there were tired-looking ponies coming out from the holes in its body. “That’s a train. Follow me, Nymph. You don’t want to get lost in the crowd.”
 
“We’re getting in that thing?!” I shouted, earning a few ponies’ attention.
 
He clamped a hoof on my mouth again and laughed nervously. “It’s her first time riding the train,” he said. Everyone went back to doing whatever they were doing. He brought his hoof away from my mouth and craned his neck to whisper in my ear. “Nymph, please don’t attract attention.”
 
“But Happy, you want me to get inside that?” I asked, pointing towards the monstrosity.
 
“You’ll be fine. Look, it’s not even alive. It’s just ponies controlling it from inside.”
 
I glanced at the thing, and Happy was right. I saw a pony leaning outside a window at the front, but that didn’t calm my nerves at all. How do ponies control something as big as this?
 
Happy placed a hoof on my shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe.” He gave me his toothy grin. I couldn’t help but giggle at his expression.
 
We walked towards the train with me still sticking closely to Happy’s side. Happy stepped inside with no problem. I took a deep breath and steeled my nerves before cautiously placing a hoof on the train. When nothing happened, I walked the rest of the way inside. It wasn’t that bad, or so I thought. The door closed shut behind me, causing me to yelp. As if that wasn’t scary enough, a voice started talking from nowhere.
 
“All aboard for Ponyville!”
 
A loud whistle sounded out before the train lurched forward. I clung to Happy for dear life. What’s going on? Whose voice was that?
 
Happy held onto me and stroked my mane. “It’s okay. We’re just moving.” His soothing touch was enough to calm me down. I wasn’t scared. Grown-up princesses don’t get scared, especially in front of their subjects. I was just surprised. That was all. “Now let’s find some seats,” he said.
 
We walked into a room with rows of seats and windows lining both sides. There were only two other ponies in the room, though there was something about them that caught my attention. I nudged Happy’s side. “Happy, look! One of them has a horn! Oh, and the other has wings!” I pointed to the ponies.
 
The gray pony with blonde mane had feathered wings, not the kind changelings had, and for some reason, her eyes weren’t straight. She wore a saddlebag, and looking further down, I saw she had bubbles for her cutie mark. What do bubbles mean? The other had pale purple fur, and her smooth horn, unlike Mommy’s, poked out of her blonde mane. She also had a pink bow tied to her mane. A cutie mark that looked like yellow sparkles covered her flank. Her head was leaning against the gray one with her eyes closed.
 
Happy brought my hoof down. “Remember what I told you?”
 
“Oh, right.” It was hard not to be excited to see ponies with horns and wings, almost like a changeling except they only had one or the other.
 
We sat down across from them. My attention immediately went to the window where the scenery rushed past us. I pressed my face against it as I watched all the trees, rocks, and mountains pass by. All fear I had for the train ride was abandoned. I poked Happy to get his attention. “Look how fast we’re going, Happy!”
 
I heard a light tittering nearby. “First time riding the train?” I turned around and found the cross-eyed mare (I think that’s what Happy told me female ponies were called) smiling at me. I nodded silently. “Hi, my name’s Derpy. My little Dinky used to be like that when she was little.” She nuzzled the sleeping pony. The mare, Dinky, flicked her ears at hearing her name but didn’t wake up.
 
“I am Prin—“ I began to say, but was cut off by a nudge in my side from Happy.
 
“Nymph. This is Nymph, and I’m her brother, Happy,” he said. He shot me look telling me to keep quiet. Oh right, no attention towards me.
 
“So, where are you two headed?” she asked.
 
“We’re on our way to Canterlot.”
 
“Oh, Canterlot? I heard it’s a really nice place and that it looks even more amazing during the Grand Galloping Gala.” She kept going on and on about some place I didn’t know. “… and then there’s the castle where the princesses live.”
 
“Wait, did you say ‘princesses’?” I asked. I didn’t know there were other princesses.
 
She nodded. “Yes, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna live in this really big castle in Canterlot.”
 
The sleeping mare stirred from her sleep and sat up, rubbing her eyes. “Huh? Are we there yet?” She took notice of me and Happy. “Oh, hello. Who are you?”
 
Derpy introduced me and Happy for us. “Dinky, meet Nymph and Happy.”
 
She gave a friendly wave, which I kindly returned. “It’s nice to meet you.”
 
Lush, green fields replaced the dry desert, grabbing my attention. My face was glued in front of the window again. Off in the distance, there were a lot of trees bunched together. A forest—it was called, just like in my picture books. Fields of grass shook as the wind blew, like a sea of green, rippling and wavering. Above, the sky was blue again, stretching on endlessly and watching the world below. I wondered what it was like up there. If I had wings, I’d fly up and find out for myself. Mommy is really missing this being cooped up at the hive.
 
“Isn’t it beautiful?”
 
I turned around to see Dinky sitting behind me with a smile on her face. When did she get behind me? I grinned at her and nodded.
 
Suddenly, darkness filled the room. I couldn’t even see my hoof in front of my face. What’s going on? Why can’t I see anything? Even though I hadn’t been out on the surface long, I was pretty sure things didn’t get that dark that quickly. Of course, I clung to the closest thing I could find. It wasn’t long until light filled the room once again, and looking out the window, I found out we just went through a mountain! How was that even possible? Apparently, in that brief time in the dark, I clung to Dinky’s side, thinking it was Happy. She stifled a giggle behind a hoof, as a blush burned on my face. Off to the side, Happy and Derpy were smiling at the sight. I broke away from her, doing my best to compose myself.
 
“Everyone, please have your tickets ready,” said a pony in a blue uniform, a stallion I think he was called according to Happy. He stopped in front of Derpy. “Tickets, please.”
 
She craned her neck down into her saddlebag, her head completely hidden in the bag. Her head came back out with nothing. She checked the other side, shuffling the items in her bag, while the stallion tapped his hoof patiently. She looked back up, a frown on her face. “I-I’m not sure where I put it. It was just here!”
 
Happy nudged my shoulder and slipped something under my hoof. I glanced down and found a piece of paper under my hoof, and looking back at him, I saw he had one too, hiding it from view of the ponies in the room. Is this a train ticket? Where did Happy get this? Then, it all made sense. Derpy and Dinky's missing tickets and the sudden appearance of our own—Happy stole these! I couldn't believe Happy would do such a thing!
 
I couldn’t take their tickets when they had been so nice to us. I knew what I had to do. I whispered to Happy. "Psst, Happy. Give me your ticket." He raised a brow and slightly shook his head. "Just do it or I'll turn ourselves in for stealing!" I whispered to him.
 
With an annoyed look, he passed the ticket to me without attracting the others' attention. Derpy was still searching for her ticket, going as far as to check under the seats, with Dinky helping her out. I coughed lightly. "Are these your tickets?"
 
Derpy's head popped up from the seat she was looking under. Her eyes widened at seeing the tickets in my hooves. "Oh, yes! Thank you!" The stallion in uniform took them and punched a hole in each ticket stub.
 
"Well, now that that's settled. Tickets, please?" he asked me.
 
I awkwardly shifted in my seat. "Um, we don't exactly have tickets..."
 
"You can buy tickets now for twenty bits."
 
What's a bit? Whether or not I knew what a “bit” was, I still didn't have any on me. "We... don't have any bits either..."
 
"Two kids with no tickets and no bits?" he asked. "As soon as we reach the next stop, you two are coming with me to see the police."
 
I paled at the idea of seeing the police. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good by the nervousness on Happy's face, giving me enough reason to feel uneasy at the moment. All I wanted to do was see what it was like outside and show Mommy that I was big enough to go out on my own. I stared down at my hooves, trying to keep the tears from flowing. Happy held onto me, providing little comfort to the situation.
 
"Wait, what if we paid for their tickets?" asked Dinky. I raised my head to look at her. She would do this for me and Happy? "Mom, can't we help them out?"
 
Derpy nodded and smiled, one eye looking at us and the other looking up at the ceiling. "I don't see why not. If it weren't for them, we wouldn't have found our tickets."
 
I beamed at Derpy and Dinky. "Oh, thank you! Thank you!"
 
The cross-eyed mare pulled out a sack that jingled when it shook and poured out a bunch of shiny, gold coins into her hoof. "This should cover it." The stallion took the coins, deposited them into a pouch, and brought out two tickets for me and Happy before hole-punching them.
 
The smile wouldn't leave my face as I held the ticket in my hoof. The stallion left to go to the next car, leaving just the four of us in the room. I wrapped my hooves around Dinky and gave a squeeze. "Thank you so much!"
 
Dinky laughed as she tried to pry me off. "We heard you the first time. What are friends for?"
 
I gazed up at her. "Friends?"
 
She ruffled my mane. "Yeah, friends."
 
I never really had any friends other than Happy. The other changelings were usually busy serving me and Mommy. I was really happy to have Derpy and Dinky as friends.
 
"Now arriving in Ponyville," said the voice I still couldn't seem to find.
 
There was another screech coming from outside, though this time I didn't cling to Happy. I lurched forward in my seat as the train came to a stop. A whistle pierced the air. Happy and I left the train as soon as the door opened up.
 
He hastily pushed me towards the exit of the platform. "Thanks for helping us out," he said, "but we really need to get going."
 
"Bye Nymph! Bye Happy!" They waved goodbye to us.
 
I waved back at them. "Bye, hope to see you again," I said, smiling.  Another push from Happy got me walking, and as we left the train station, a pang of sadness hit me at the thought of leaving those two. Even though I hadn't known them for long, I was going to miss them.
 
Who knows, maybe we’ll meet again? If Mommy ever lets me leave the hive that is…
 

~~~~~~~

 
Chrysalis and her small swarm of changelings soared over the dry desert, the sun beating on them relentlessly. Their search for the foal turned from seconds to minutes, minutes to hours. Yet, there was no sign of her in this barren place. A desert was no place for a pony, much less a foal, which was all the more the reason to find her as soon as possible.
 
Nymph is a smart foal, she thought, biting her lower lip as she scanned her surroundings. She’s going to be okay, especially with that other changeling with her. But when I get my hooves on him, he and I are going to have a long talk.
 
Though she kept telling herself Nymph was fine, dreadful thoughts crept into her mind. This miserable place wasn’t called the “Badlands” for nothing. Changelings weren’t the only things living in the Badlands. There were more dangerous creatures out there, most of whom would probably be delighted to see a foal, not as a guest but as their next meal. She shook her head of these thoughts. Focus on finding Nymph first. Worrying will get me nowhere.
 
In the distance, a small town could be seen. Hoping it wasn’t a mirage, she headed in that direction, her changeling guards following. As she neared the town, she could make out the colorful inhabitants that were unmistakably ponies. Her heart sunk at the sight of them. If Nymph had seen them already, then it could ruin her plans. That and if she claimed she was a changeling out in public, then there was no telling what these ponies would do to her.
 
“Disguises on now,” Chrysalis ordered. The guards obeyed, each taking on the form of a random pegasus, making up different colors in the spectrum. In a burst of green fire, Chrysalis changed her appearance. She was now a black pegasus mare, still keeping her mane, tail, and eyes the same color. Her horn and crown were missing, and all the holes and fangs vanished in the transformation. Her tattered, insect-like wings were replaced by a pair of feathery wings. For the finishing touch, a thorny, red rose adorned her flank—her cutie mark. She now looked like any other normal pony.
 
Chrysalis dived behind a large rock with her guards following suit. Though it was still a long walk from where they were, it was unlikely for a pony to be way out there. She peeked around the boulder, checking to see if there was any pony around. When there weren’t any, she turned to her guards, all uniformly lined up in front of her and waiting for their next order. She trotted down the line and inspected each disguised changeling, making sure everything looked as it should be so that they wouldn’t stand out among the crowd. Having their cover blown and inciting mass panic was the last thing they wanted to do.
 
“I want you five to be earth ponies and you two to be unicorns. You there, change your cutie mark to something involving a fruit. You, the brown one, style your mane into something different and turn that pear into an hourglass.” She went down the line one more time, eyes scrutinizing at every detail.
 
“Yes, this is much better. Now I want all of you to begin your search of this town, but do not arrive all at once. Instead, I want you to walk into the settlement one at a time every half hour or so. I will go first. Do not attract attention to yourself or reveal our intention here! We cannot be discovered at all! Is that understood?”
 
She received a simultaneous nod from the group of changelings in front of her. “Good. If you find any sign of Princess Nymph, notify me as soon as possible.”
 
With that, the changeling queen took off towards the small town, a serious expression on her face. Her mane and tail billowed in the wind as she flew, taking longer flaps with her new wings. Her eyes were focused on the incoming town.
 
Please be safe, Nymph. Mother Chrysalis is coming to rescue you.
> 5. New Faces
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sun hung high over us. There were more ponies out and about now, all of different sizes, ages, and colors. I never saw so many colors, especially on a pony; they made up all the colors of my crayons. I gaped at the sight. So this is Ponyville?
 
Everywhere I looked there were ponies. There were ponies selling all sorts of stuff, little ponies playing with each other, and even ponies flying and pushing clouds like it was nothing. I began galloping through the streets, taking in everything I saw—the ponies, the houses, even the flowers. From behind, Happy chased after me.
 
"Nymph, come back here this instant!"
 
I didn't hear him. I was too busy exploring. I wandered into the heart of the town. Straw-thatched buildings surrounded me from all sides. I was so distracted looking at everything that I failed to notice the pony standing in my path.
 
My sightseeing came to a sudden, painful halt. I fell on my haunches and rubbed the sore spot on my forehead from the collision.
 
"Hey, watch where you're going!" shouted a voice.
 
I glanced up and saw a filly getting onto her hooves with the help of a colt. The filly looked about the same age as me. She was light yellow with a long, orange mane that was tied by two blue bows that matched her eyes. A horn was perched on her forehead. She was a unicorn. The piercing glare of her eyes matched the scowl on her face.
 
She wasn’t happy.
 
"S-sorry," I stammered, "it was an accident."
 
By the time Happy caught up, the colt stepped between us. He had a beige coat and a brown mane, the same color as his eyes. Resting at his sides were two feathered wings. He held out a hoof. "Hey, you alright?"
 
I nodded, hesitantly taking his hoof and getting onto my hooves. Happy watched with a serious expression, while the filly continued to stare daggers at me. I withdrew my hoof from the colt and tried to hide behind my mane.
 
The colt turned around to face the filly. "Knock it off, Pumpkin. She said she was sorry," he said. "Now say you're sorry too."
 
She crossed her forelegs and raised a brow. "Why do I have to say sorry? You're not the boss of me."
 
"I'm older than you," he retorted.
 
She threw her hooves in the air. "By like a couple seconds!"
 
"Well, it was an accident, so say you're sorry."
 
"Fine!"
 
She trotted up to me. "I'm... sorry for bumping into you too," she grumbled.
 
I worked up the courage to speak to her. "It's alright..."
 
"Well now that that's out of the way...” the colt began to say. “Hi, my name's Pound Cake. You've already met my sister, Pumpkin Cake." He nodded to the filly.
 
I brushed my mane away from my face. “Hello, my name’s Nymph, and this is...”
 
Happy kept a wary gaze on the other two. "Happy," he replied bluntly.
 
Pound held out his hoof, which I took with my own, giving it a good shake. “It’s nice to meet you. I haven’t seen you around here before. Just moved here?”
 
 "Not really," I said, "just passing through."
 
He withdrew his hoof. "Well, want to hang out?"
 
I tilted my head. "Hang out?" There were a lot of trees to hang from, but what was the point in that? Maybe it's a pony thing.
 
"Yeah, we can show you around town if you want."
 
That sounded like a good idea, so I nodded my head. "Sure!" A growl from my stomach was made loud and clear, gaining everyone's attention. I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment. "Um, do you know where we can find food?"
 
Pound chuckled before replying. "Oh, you can grab a bite to eat at our place. Let's go."
 
Pound led the way while I trotted next to him, and Pumpkin walked behind us with Happy. Pumpkin settled for staying silent toward me. Pound moved closer to me. "Don't mind her. She'll get around to you eventually," he whispered.
 
We stopped in front of a large building, made to look like sugary treats. I had to keep myself from drooling all over myself. It wouldn’t be princess-like if that happened. "You live in that?" I was tempted to take a bite out of the delicious-looking house.
 
Pound gave a boyish laugh. "Yep, and trust me, it's not as good as it looks."
 
We walked inside and were greeted by the sweet smell of baked goods. I took a deep breath, taking in the delicious scent. "Wow, everything smells so good!"
 
Looking around, I saw there were other ponies in the room eating some kind of treat. At the front, there was a glass display with different types of cake and goodies.
 
A light blue mare with a pink mane that looked like frosting came up to us. She held a tray of pastries on her back. "Well, hello there. Are you two friends of Pound and Pumpkin?"
 
"Hi Mom, this is Nymph and Happy," said Pound. “They’re new around here.”
 
The mare smiled at me and Happy. "Hello, it’s nice to meet you. What can I get all of you?"
 
Pumpkin ran up to her, bouncing in her steps. "Oh, oh! Can I get one of Pinkie's super special cupcakes with extra sprinkles?"
 
"Why don't I get you all one?" she asked. "Oh, I have to get to another customer. Be right back." Mrs. Cake left to attend to another pony at a table, while we grabbed a seat at another table.
 
"So what's so special about Pinkie's cupcakes?" I asked.
 
Pumpkin gasped, while Pound laughed behind a hoof. "You've got to try it! You haven't lived until you've had one of Pinkie's super special cupcakes."
 
Wow, it's that good? I wish I can try one now. As if on command, a pink mare popped up from under the table and presented four cupcakes, one of which had extra sprinkles on it. "Did somepony say they want a cupcake?"
 
Happy and I nearly fell out of our seats at the surprise appearance. Where did she come from?
 
She turned towards me. “Hi there! I’m Pinkie Pie!” Her eyes narrowed as she leaned uncomfortably close to my face. From the corner of my eyes, I could see Happy getting ready to pounce if anything should happen. "Hmm, you look kind of like someone I've met before."
 
"I-I do?" I asked, uncomfortable with how close her face was.
 
She bounced back up. "Yeah! You remind me of someone who was a big meanie pants, except you're not mean, at least I don't think you are. You're not a meanie pants, are you? Meanie pants don't get to try my cupcakes."
 
I looked at Happy for answers. His face was filled with confusion, probably what mine looked like right now. "Um, no?"
 
She gave a big smile. "Oh, good! Eat up, everyone!" She slipped under the table where she had mysteriously vanished. I sat there utterly confused. "What was that about?"
 
"It's just Auntie Pinkie Pie being Auntie Pinkie Pie," said Pound as he and Pumpkin dug into their treats.
 
I stared at my own colorful, teal cupcake that was drizzled in light blue sprinkles, the same as Happy’s. I nibbled my own dessert. My eyes widening at the sweet taste of vanilla and frosting. I munched on the rest of it, and finished the cupcake in a matter of seconds. By the time I finished, I now had a smile on my face and a filled stomach.
 
“Mmm, that was good. Got anymore?” I asked. I saw Pumpkin snickering, trying hard not to burst out laughing. “What? What’s so funny?”
 
There was a tap on my shoulder, and I turned around to face Pound. “You’ve got something on your nose,” he said, pointing to the tip of his muzzle.
 
My eyes drifted down, crossing to look at my muzzle. There was a bit of teal on the tip of my nose. I quickly wiped the frosting with a hoof, doing my best to hide my blush. Pound and Pumpkin burst out laughing, though it wasn’t out of unkindness. A joyful giggle escaped my lips as we laughed. Happy watched us as we had our fun, a grin on his face.
 
“Hey, why aren’t you eating your cupcake, Happy?” asked Pumpkin.
 
Happy seemed to snap out of it when his name was called. “Sorry, what did you say?”
 
She pointed to his cupcake, still untouched. “Your cupcake. You still haven’t taken a bite out of it.”
 
He glanced down at his cupcake. “Oh, I’m full already.”
 
I raised a brow. I didn’t remember him eating anything since yesterday. “Full? But Happy—“
 
“I’m full,” he interrupted, a hint of irritation in his voice. He shot me a glare, though the siblings didn’t seem to notice. I didn’t say much more after that.
 
“Aw, come on! Just try one bite. It’s one of Pinkie’s super special cupcakes!” insisted Pumpkin. She gazed at Happy with large eyes and a pout to go with it.
 
Happy gave a sigh. “Fine. Just one bite.” He stared at his cupcake before diving in, taking a tiny nibble of the frosting. “Mmmm,” he said with a smile, though it sounded kind of forced. Pumpkin raised a brow but didn’t question further. He pushed his cupcake away. “Hey, how about we talk about something else?”
 
“Oh, can I ask you two something?” I asked Pound and Pumpkin. “What’s it like?” They both shared the same look of confusion. “You know, having wings and a horn? Can you fly or do magic?”
 
Pound scratched the back of his head. “Uh, okay, I guess. I mean, I can sort of fly, but I don’t really learn to fly until I go to flight camp this summer.”
 
“Same with me, except I’m going to get magic lessons,” said Pumpkin. “Why do you ask?”
 
I couldn’t stop my mouth from curving into a smile. “Because flying and using magic are cool!” I’d seen some of the things Mommy could do with magic, like making things float without touching it, and the way she could fly around wherever she wanted looked really cool. “Right now, I’m just waiting for my wings and horn to show up.”
 
Happy shoved a hoof over my mouth. “She’s just kidding, of course!” he said, laughing. “Right, Nymph?” He took his hoof off my mouth and quickly glanced in my direction. I really didn’t like it when he did that.
 
I nodded. “Yeah… kidding.”
 
Like Pound, Pumpkin stared at me as if I grew a second head. “You’re weird.”
 
I tilted my head. “I am?” I didn’t think I was weird. Every pony I had seen so far seemed weird to me and so much different from a changeling. But me? I wasn’t weird. I was as normal as a changeling can be, if I ignored the way I looked.
 
“Hey, let’s go do something else now,” Happy butted in.
 
I perked up at the idea. “Yeah, I want to see Ponyville more!”
 
Pound and Pumpkin nodded in agreement, though the latter glanced suspiciously at me and Happy. “Alright,” said Pound. “Mom, Dad, we’re going to show Nymph and Happy around!”
 
“Okay, but be back before dark,” said Mrs. Cake as she attended to a customer.
 
We trotted outside, the sun wrapping us in its warmth. Our tour began with Pound and Pumpkin’s home, which I learned was also a bakery called Sugarcube Corner. The name couldn’t be more fitting. From there, we wandered all around Ponyville. Ponies would sometimes stop to say hi to Pound and Pumpkin and even wave hello to us. Although once or twice, I would catch someone make eye contact with Happy before continuing with their day. Hmm, are changelings here too? From what I’ve learned from Happy, changelings could change the way they looked, though I had a feeling that some of these ponies were changelings. There was a certain air to them. Something about them stood apart from the rest. It was their faces, I think. They seemed to be on edge—nervous, just like Happy.
 
We stopped in front of a store filled with clothing and white ponies without faces. These ponies stood still, and some of them wore clothes. I shuddered at the sight of them. They were creepy. They looked almost alive, yet they weren’t. Their cold, faceless expressions faced the windows, almost as if they were looking at me. It was unnatural. Everyone had a face and some kind of expression to go with it. Though with these white ponies, they were all the same, despite the different clothes they wore.
 
We walked inside the store. A bell chimed above the door as soon as we entered. A white mare with a styled, violet mane trotted downstairs. A pair of glasses sat on her muzzle, and a measuring tape hung around her neck. “Hello and welcome to Carousel Boutique, where every garment is chic, unique, and magnifique. How may I help you today?”
 
“Oh, nothing today, Rarity,” said Pumpkin. “We’re just showing Nymph and Happy around.”
 
I nodded absentmindedly. “Uh huh…” I wanted to get away from the white ponies as soon as possible. Unfortunately, we weren’t going to leave anytime soon.
 
“Hello, dearies. My, whatever happened to your mane?” Rarity asked me.
 
It was true my mane hadn’t been brushed in a while since leaving the hive. The lack of a brush didn’t help much. I nervously held my mane and stroked it. “It’s been a long few days…”
 
The white mare tsked, shaking her head. “Well, I can’t have you leaving looking like that.” With Pound, Pumpkin, and Happy following, she ushered me into another room with a large, comfy-looking bed and more of those creepy, white ponies. Rolls of fabric and sketches of designs cluttered the room, and sitting at one side of the room was a mirror surrounded by small brushes and jars filled with all sorts of cream and powder. A brush floated next to her as she led me to the mirror. “Excuse me for the mess, but I wasn’t expecting company. Now this won’t take long.”
 
I held my mane closer to me. “I don’t know…” I wasn’t exactly comfortable with a stranger touching my mane.
 
“Oh, it’ll be fine, darling.”
 
I sat on my haunches and watched myself in the mirror, while Rarity brushed the knots out of my mane. There was a tug at my mane when the brush’s bristles got caught in the tangles, but for the most part, it was pleasant and somewhat relaxing. Though, Pound and Pumpkin seemed bored judging by the expression on their faces in the mirror.
 
“You really should take better care of your mane. It’s quite lovely—so smooth, so soft, just simply divine!”
 
I blushed at her comments. “Thank you. Mommy also says the same thing when she brushes my mane.”
 
“Oh, is that so?” asked Rarity.
 
“Yes. Mommy tells me to try to look my best because I’m a prin—“
 
Before I could finish my sentence, the door to her room opened, revealing a yellow pegasus. “Oh, sorry, Rarity. I didn’t know you were busy,” the yellow pegasus said quietly before hiding behind her mane. In the corner of my eye, I saw Happy give a sigh of relief. Again, I almost forgot that I was supposed to keep the princess thing a secret.
 
Rarity set down the brush. “Fluttershy, I’m so sorry! I almost forgot about our spa appointment.”
 
“It’s okay. I’m sorry I interrupted you and, um…” The one called Fluttershy glanced at me.
 
Rarity followed her gaze to me. “Oh! Fluttershy, this is Nymph, and the one over there is her brother, Happy.” She pointed at me and Happy.
 
“Hello Fluttershy,” I said to the pegasus, earning a quiet mumble in response. I didn’t know what else to say. “Um, I like your mane. It’s really pretty.”
 
“Thank you…” she whispered, and for a brief moment, I saw her grin. “I like yours too…” I smiled, now having a grin to match hers.
 
“I’m sorry to cut our meeting short, Nymph, but perhaps we can continue another day?” Rarity asked me.
 
I nodded. “That’s alright. I don’t mind at all.” We all walked outside the boutique as Rarity put up a “Closed” sign on the door. “Bye Rarity. Bye Fluttershy. It was nice meeting you,” I said, waving goodbye.
 
“It was nice to meet you too,” Fluttershy said quietly.
 
“I hope to see you and Happy again. Maybe next time I can help him style his mane?” added Rarity.
 
Happy grunted, frowning at the idea. I giggled. “Sure, that sounds great.”
 
“Alright, see you later, Rarity, Fluttershy,” said Pound. “We’ve got more of Ponyville to see!”
 
Rarity and Fluttershy went off to their appointment, while the rest of us went to our next destination. Pumpkin trotted beside me as we lagged behind Pound and Happy. “So, what were you going to say back there?” she asked.
 
I turned to Happy, who was busy listening to Pound, talking about who knows what. It couldn’t hurt to tell at least one pony… I thought. “Well, can you keep a secret?”
 
Pumpkin arched an eyebrow. “A secret, huh? Okay. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” she said, doing strange gestures with her hooves.
 
I had no idea what was the point in the strange ritual, but I trusted that she wouldn’t tell anyone. “Okay, no one else can find out about this.” I glanced around to check that no one was within earshot and to make sure Happy was still busy. “I’m actually a princess,” I whispered.
 
I expected more of a reaction from Pumpkin. Instead of shock or a gasp, she said, “Right… and my mom is Princess Celestia.”
 
“Really?”
 
She rolled her eyes. “No. How could you possibly be a princess? You don’t even have wings or a horn or a crown like the princesses.”
 
“I’m serious! I am a princess! I’m just… different. At least that’s what my mommy tells me.”
 
From the look she gave me, she didn’t believe me at all. “Uh huh, sure.”
 
I stared at her. “You don’t believe me, do you?”
 
“Nope,” she simply replied. “If you don’t want to tell me, then just say so.”
 
I huffed at Pumpkin’s stubbornness to believe me. Why won’t she believe me? I’m telling the truth! We didn’t talk much after that. We came across a dirt road leading to an orchard of apple trees, reminding me of the one belonging to Braeburn and Cherry Jubilee, though this one didn’t have any cherry trees.
 
“This is Sweet Apple Acres where we get our apples,” said Pound.
 
As we walked past the gate, I heard voices. “… fer the last time, Rainbow Dash, I didn’t know you were sleepin’ there! And ya shouldn’t be sleepin’ there either!” The mare who said that also spoke the same way as Braeburn.
 
We found the source of the voices. The voice from before belonged to an orange pony with blonde mane and a hat. She was talking to a blue pegasus with the most colorful mane I had ever seen. I think they were arguing about something. “Hey, working for the weather team is hard work, so can you at least not buck this tree?”
 
“What’s going on?” asked Pumpkin.
 
The two mares turned towards us, noticing us for the first time. “Oh, it’s nothing. Rainbow Dash, here, was sleepin’ in my trees again when I bucked her out of one,” said the orange pony. Her eyes drifted to me and Happy. “Oh, howdy there! Haven’t seen you around here before. New in town?”
 
“Yeah, we’re giving them a tour of Ponyville,” Pound answered for me and Happy. “Uh, should we come back later?”
 
“Nah, we were just about done here anyway. Right, Rainbow Dash?” She glared at the blue pegasus.
 
“Yeah…” replied Rainbow Dash, muttering something under her breath.
 
“I’m Applejack,” said the orange pony, taking my hoof and shaking it, as well as me. “Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres! We grow one of the finest apples in Equestria.”
 
“My name’s Nymph, and this is Happy,” I said, pointing to him with my free hoof.
 
The rainbow-maned pegasus flew up to me. “I’m Rainbow Dash, fastest flyer in Equestria! You’ve probably heard of me, right?” I shook my head. “Helped save Equestria a couple times?” Another shake from my head. “Come on, you’ve at least heard of the Sonic Rainboom.”
 
“Sonic Rainboom?” I asked.
 
Rainbow Dash dropped down, falling on her haunches with her mouth hanging open. Applejack and the others sniggered. Eventually, Rainbow Dash shook her head. “Kids, these days…”
 
I looked around at all the trees. “So you have to harvest all these trees?” I asked Applejack.
 
“Yep, though usually Big Mac or Apple Bloom helps. Big Mac’s out sellin’ apples, while Apple Bloom is with her friends.”
 
“Why don’t we help out?” I suggested. All eyes were on me now. “We can make a game out of it.”
 
“I’m alright with that. Sounds like fun,” said Pound. Pumpkin and Happy nodded in agreement.
 
Applejack adjusted her hat. “Well, if y’all really want to help, then I guess it’s alright.”
 
Rainbow Dash shot to the air, doing a flip. “Yeah, a little competition between me and Applejack! Though, it’s a no-brainer who’s going to win this.” She smirked.
 
“Oh yeah? We’ll just see who wins. We’ll do two teams, and whoever finishes with the most apples wins.”
 
“Alright, I choose Pound and… Happy!”
 
“I’m fine with that,” said Applejack.
 
“Um…” I wanted to be on the same team with Happy. Though I wanted to say something, I never got the chance.
 
“On the count of three, we go. One, two…”
 
“Three!” Rainbow finished as she flew towards the first tree.
 
Applejack followed soon after with a furious look on her face. “Rainbow Dash, you cheater!” she shouted. The rest of us chased after the two.
 
With a swift kick, Applejack knocked the apples out of the tree. Armed with large baskets, Pumpkin and I scrambled around to catch the raining apples. We ran from tree to tree, kicking trees and collecting apples. It was a lot of work.
 
A shattering crack drew my attention to the whirl of movement from the other side of the orchard. I watched as Rainbow Dash sent a flying kick to one of the apple trees. The tree swayed and shook, and the red fruits plummeted into the baskets of the speeding duo below.
 
"Hey Nymph, get your head in the game!"
 
Pumpkin’s voice snapped me out of my gaze. “Huh? Oh, sorry!”
 
Even though Applejack was better at bucking apple trees, Rainbow Dash managed to catch up to her. The race soon neared its end. I could see the last tree we needed to harvest, as well as the other team’s. My lungs burned, and my legs were sore. Just one more tree and we would win. It was a matter of who got to the last tree first as we made a mad dash for it.
 
Rainbow Dash and Applejack led the front of our teams. They were neck and neck, side by side. The rest of us chased after the two, while I followed last in the group. I strained to put everything into my legs, just so I could keep up.
 
Just when I least expected, a small rock crossed my path. One of my hooves bumped it, and I found myself falling. I slid forward on the ground until coming to a stop. A sharp pain shot through my knee. Happy was the first to notice me and rushed to my side immediately.
 
“Nymph!”
 
Everyone else stopped in their tracks when they turned towards me. Happy helped me up to my hooves, but the pain in my leg flared when I stood.
 
“I’m fine,” I said, but the bloody scrape on my knee wasn’t exactly “fine”.
 
“Whoa nelly! You sure you’re okay, Nymph?” asked Applejack.
 
I didn’t want to be the reason for Applejack losing, so I wiped away the tears in my eyes and nodded.
 
“Y-yes, I’m—“
 
When I took my first step, I nearly fell over. I would have fallen if Happy wasn’t there to catch me.
 
“You don’t look so good there, sugarcube. Why don’t we get that leg of yours looked at? Can you walk, at least until we get to my place?”
 
I nodded. “Okay.”
 
With Happy for support, I managed to limp to the red building that was Applejack’s home. It was mostly quiet on the way there. A few words of comfort were given by the others. It didn’t help ease the pain, but it felt nice to listen to them.
 
When we reached the farmhouse, Applejack brought me to a chair in the kitchen. “Wait here while I go get the first aid kit,” she said before leaving the room.
 
While I sat down, Rainbow Dash moved closer to get a better look at my knee. “It doesn’t look too bad. You’ll be fine in a day or two.”
 
“Really?” I asked. I glanced at my knee, which had stopped bleeding a while ago but was now caked in blood. The scrape on my knee still stung and was tender from the fall.
 
“Positive, squirt. Take my word on this.”
 
Applejack soon came back with a white metal box in her mouth. “Alright now, let’s see that leg of yours.” She inspected my leg, slowly bending and turning my leg. I winced a few times as she bent my knee. She hummed to herself thoughtfully before setting my leg down. “Well, nothing’s broken. You just got a nasty bruise and a scrape. Now, hold still while I clean it.”
 
She took out a brown bottle, some cotton balls, and a roll of bandages. As she dabbed a cotton ball with whatever was in the bottle, she said, “Uh, this is going to sting for a bit.”
 
Before I could ask why, she started cleaning the cut on my knee. She held the cotton ball in her hoof and brushed it against the bloody mess on my leg. Though her strokes were gentle, I couldn’t help but let out a shriek at the unexpected sharp sting. “Ow ow ow!”
 
“Sorry, Nymph. It’ll be over real quick.”
 
Instead of the soft touch of cotton, I felt a blazing fire burning into my skin. This was much worse than when I tripped. Yet, it only lasted for a few seconds, even though the pain felt like forever.
 
Most of the blood was gone and cleaned from my fur. I watched Applejack put away the bottle of awful stuff and take out a tube of some sort of cream. I tucked my legs close to me. “That’s not going to hurt, is it?”
 
She shook her head and looked me in the eyes. “I’m sorry for not warning you before, but I promise this won’t hurt at all.”
 
I didn’t know whether to trust her word or not. What if she was just saying that? What if it actually did hurt? But there was something about the look in her eyes, something there that said everything was going to be okay.
 
Mommy gave me that look before. When I was little, when I had a bad dream, she would wake up tired, and I would be crying next to her bed, usually after wetting my own bed. Every time I had a bad dream, she would let me climb in bed with her. She would whisper words of comfort to me while she stroked the back of my head.
 
I always felt calm when I looked into her eyes. I always felt safe. I remember one time when I climbed into bed with her. She looked at me with those same eyes and said: “There’s nothing to be scared of, Nymph. You’re a strong princess. You have to be. You’re stronger and braver than you think, so don’t be scared. Remember this and you’ll grow up to be a fine princess.”
 
I looked back at Applejack. I hesitated at first, but then, I showed Applejack my leg again. She squeezed the tube and poured white cream over the scrape on my knee. It felt cool on my skin. Like Applejack said, it didn’t hurt at all. She then wrapped my knee in bandages.
 
“There! All done.”
 
I stood up and tested my leg. It still hurt when I pressed down on it too much, but I was fine for the most part. “Thank you, Applejack.”
 
She smiled. “No problem at all, Nymph.”
 
I took a few steps forward. “Well, we better get going. I want to see more of Ponyville.”
 
Pound and Pumpkin stepped in front of me. “You sure you’re okay?” he asked
 
“Yeah, we can always show you the rest of Ponyville tomorrow,” said Pumpkin. “Also, it’s getting kind of late. Mom and Dad want us home soon.” The sky had taken a lovely shade of orange and violet as the sun began to set.
 
The smile on my face faded. ”Oh… Okay, that’s fine too, I guess.” I wanted to see more, but then I remembered why I was here in the first place. Canterlot was waiting for me on the mountainside. “Bye Applejack. Bye Rainbow Dash. It was nice meeting you two.”
 
Applejack gave my hoof a heavy shake. “Same to you, Nymph.”
 
“Sorry that the whole tripping thing happened to you,” said Rainbow Dash, “but you had fun, right?”
 
I nodded and smiled. “Yes. Yes, I did.”
 
We all said our goodbyes and made our way towards Sugarcube Corner. I didn’t say much as we walked. Neither did Happy, but he rarely talked around these ponies. I was happy just listening to Pound and Pumpkin talk about their lives and whatever was on their minds. Sometimes I wondered what it would be like if I lived here, outside of the hive. My mind kept wandering back to home. If I hadn’t snuck out, I wouldn’t have seen all of this. I wouldn’t have seen the sun. I wouldn’t have met so many ponies. And most of all, I wouldn’t have made new friends.
 
My thoughts came to a stop when I bumped into Happy. We stood in front of Sugarcube Corner. He arched a brow and looked at me curiously. “Sorry, Happy. I’ve just been thinking.”
 
“Thinking about what?” asked Pound. Pumpkin was looking at me with a curious look too.
 
“It’s… It’s nothing.” Happy stared at me. He knew there was something on my mind. I couldn’t hide that from him. “Okay, maybe it’s not nothing. I’m just sad.”
 
“Sad about what?” asked Pumpkin.
 
My throat grew tight, and I tried to force the words to leave my mouth. “I’m sad that I’ll never see you two, or everyone else I met, again.”
 
There was a hoof on my shoulder. It belonged to Pumpkin. “Who said we’ll never see each again? You’re coming back here tomorrow, aren’t you?”
 
“Yeah, I’m sure your parents would let you,” said Pound.
 
I avoided their gaze. “Um… I don’t think so.”
 
“Well, why not?”
 
Before I could say why, Happy spoke for me instead. “Because we ran away from home.”
 
Pound and Pumpkin stared at us. Pumpkin was the first to say something. “Really?”
 
I nodded. Though I wasn’t going to leave the hive forever, there was still some truth to what Happy said.
 
“Oh, well, why don’t you and Happy stay with us?”
 
Happy didn’t seem too keen on that idea, but I was more than happy for it. “Really? You’ll let us stay?”
 
“Well, I don’t know how long Mom and Dad will let you stay, but I’m sure they’ll let you two stay for tonight.”
 
I was so happy that I wrapped my hooves around Pumpkin and gave her a tight squeeze. “Thank you.”
 
“You’re welcome,” she gasped. “You’re kind of hugging me too tight.”
 
I let go of her and gave a sheepish smile. “Whoops.”
 
Pound and Pumpkin slipped inside the house. “We’ll talk to our parents and see if it’s okay. Wait here for a sec,” said Pound.
 
I was now alone with Happy. “Didn’t you want to see Canterlot?” Happy asked. His face was serious.
 
“I still do.”
 
“Then you know we can’t stay here very long.”
 
“I know,” I said. “But can we please stay just for one more day?”
 
“Your mother isn’t going to be happy about this.”
 
“Please, just one day—that’s all I’m asking for.”
 
He scrunched his face in thought before sighing heavily. “One day, and then we’ll go straight to Canterlot and back home, okay?”
 
“Thanks, Happy.”
 
Pound and Pumpkin soon came back. “They said yes!” shouted Pumpkin.
 
I beamed back at the two of them with a smile to match theirs. “Really? This is great!”
 
“It’ll be like a sleepover!”
 
“Yes, a sleepover!” I shouted. “What’s a sleepover?” The two siblings stopped in their excitement. They glanced at each other before looking at me strangely.
 
Was it something I said?
> 6. Mother Knows Best
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A rock went flying into the air as Chrysalis trotted, kicking small plants and pebbles that were unfortunate enough to cross her path. Night was soon approaching, and she couldn't find a single hair of the foal.

"Where could she be? She had to have passed by this place." Curiosity alone should be enough to draw the filly's attention. However, there was also the likelihood that Nymph ran into the local fauna that inhabited the Badlands.

Chrysalis shook her head of the grim thoughts. "No, she has to be alive. That changeling must be with her. Why, if anything happened to her..." 

To say she had the look of a caged manticore that had been prodded by a sharp stick was mildly describing it.

"Ten years, " she said. "Ten long years of careful planning are not going to be tossed away that easily!" 

"Howdy there!" said a voice. "You seem a little lost. Need some help?" 

She turned around and was met by the smiling face of a stallion. She held back her scowl after another stallion had approached her for the sixth time. After the third one, she had grown tired of these small, tasteless snacks. At least this one was easy on the eyes. She quickly fixed her mane and let her charm do the rest. 

"No, I'm fine," she said, but then added, "though perhaps you can help me find somepony. I'm looking for my daughter. She goes by the name, Nymph. About this tall?" She held a hoof out, measuring Nymph's height. "Seen her, cowboy?" she asked in a slightly huskier voice. She closed the distance between the stallion and herself. 

"Sure have!" he said, taking a few steps back. "Though, it's getting kinda late, and you must be hungry. I can tell you more about it after we get something to eat at my place."

Chrysalis tittered behind a hoof. "My, aren't you a gentlecolt. Lead away." 

He raised a brow. "Uh, alright. It ain't that far," he said as he began leading her. 

In her mind, Chrysalis was grinning. Once she finds Nymph, she could take her back home before any of these ponies put some nasty thoughts in her head. Maybe she'll even have time to collect some love for the hive in this town. The stallion seemed like a good donor. 

"Oh, by the way, I'm Braeburn," said the stallion.

"Rose Thorn," she said. "But you can just call me, Rose." It was at that moment that her flank "accidentally" bumped into Braeburn's. He coughed, pretending not to notice. She flicked her tail against the apple on his flank, watching the turmoil of emotions stir behind his straight face. And oh, did she enjoy it. 

When they had reached an apple and cherry orchard, they found a mare waiting by the door. "No sign of the two?" the mare asked. 

Braeburn shook his head. 

"Well, it looks like they've gone ahead," she said. "I wonder why they've gone and hightailed it out of here." Her eyes drifted to Chrysalis. "Well, hello. Who might you be?" she asked, her eyes switching between Braeburn and Chrysalis.

"Rose Thorn. She's their mother," Braeburn said. "You might want to make room for one more for supper." 

Chrysalis looked up and down the mare. A smirk crept its way onto her face. She couldn't help but let out a small laugh. "My, Braeburn, I didn't know you had such a beautiful wife." 

Cherry Jubilee smiled and blushed. "Well, aren't you a flatter? Where are my manners? My name is Cherry Jubilee, but just Cherry is fine. Oh, do come in." 

When Chrysalis entered the house, she saw a table set up in the dining room, already prepared for supper. She was ushered into a seat at the table by the mare.

"So I'm guessing you're way out here lookin' for your kids?" she asked as she filled a plate for Chrysalis. 

Chrysalis eyed the food disgustingly before hiding herself behind a grateful smile. "Oh, yes, I terribly miss them." Well, she missed one of them. She kept up the act anyway, even watering her eyes to make it more believable. "I'm so worried about my little Nymph. Where are they? Are they here?" she asked. 

Braeburn and Cherry both looked to each other with a worried glance.

"Well, you see, Rose," Braeburn said, "they were just here last night. But I'm afraid you just missed them." 

The heavy weight on Chrysalis shoulders grew. "M-missed them?" 

He nodded. "We were going to help them out, but they disappeared at the crack of dawn before I woke up." 

"I see..." she said. Things were getting complicated. "Do you know where they could have gone?" 

"I think they were trying to find their way back to Canterlot."

The alarms in her head rang wildly. Memories of a past defeat came to her mind like a moving picture. Behind a closed mouth, she grit her teeth. 

"Rose, sug, you okay?" Cherry asked. "You don't look alright." 

Chrysalis let out a deep breath, and said calmly, "I'm sorry, but just knowing Nymph is out there is worrying." 

The mare draped a hoof around her. "I'm sure she'll be fine with her brother, Happy, to look after her. But right now, what you need is some rest before going back out there to look for your foals." 

"Yes, perhaps you're right," Chrysalis said, taking in every detail of the mare next to her, from her plump hips to the lush curves and contours of her body. "Can you help me to a bed? I seem to be tired all of a sudden." 

"Sure thing. So you need something to eat before you hit the bed, dear?"

Chrysalis glanced at the food and shook her head. "I'm fine."

"Okay then, you just rest up in the guest room," she said, as she began to guide Chrysalis upstairs. "Braeburn, dear, can you clean up while I help her?" 

"Yeah, sure, Cherry," he said, as they ascended the stairs.

By the time Braeburn had finished the dishes, a mare who looked like Cherry Jubilee sauntered into the room with a swing in her hips, catching the eye of the only stallion in the room. 

"She tuckered out?" he asked. 

"Out like a light," the mare said in a voice to match her appearance. Inside, the changeling queen grinned to herself as she drew in the delicious warmth that radiated from the stallion. Sweet, savory love shared between loved ones.

"I'm sure I'd be exhausted too if I were in her position," he said. 

"Aren't you sweet?" Chrysalis said, pressing against his side to cover as much surface area as possible. Her little "snack" was turning out to be quite the meal. 

"Yeah..." he said, leaning into her. "Hey, Cherry, I've been thinking." 

"Oh, have you?" she asked as she began leading him upstairs where the bedrooms were. 

"Seeing Rose and meeting those kids, makes it feel like we've been missing out on something special in our lives."

Chrysalis paused in her step. "What are you saying? That we need a kid to make ourselves feel important?" 

Braeburn shook his head. "No no, nothing like that! It's just... you saw the way she cared about them. I was kinda hoping we'd have some lil apples and cherries running around the orchard in the future. A little foal to love and raise, you know?" 

Normally, this was the kind of conversation he should be sharing with his wife, and normally, Chrysalis couldn't care less about what any stallion had to say. But currently, his wife was taking a nap in the guest room, leaving Chrysalis to carry on the conversation. 

"Braeburn, raising a foal the way you want them to grow up isn't easy," she said. Especially one as curious as Nymph.

"Sure, you feed them, change their diapers, and love them. And before you know it, she's grown so much bigger, and you realize she's not a baby anymore. But what about when she grows up to stop listening to you? What then? After all the work you put into raising a foal, what do you do when she runs away? What if she stabs you in the back, all because of some stupid ponies who think they have all the right answers?!"

The silence that followed was palpable. She looked at the stallion to see if he had caught onto something strange with her facade, but he was lost in his own thoughts. 

"Well," he said, "I'm not one to think too much on a problem like Big Mac, but I'd say to just let it all play out." 

Chrysalis's mouth hung open. "W-wha... You... What?!" 

Braeburn shrugged. "If we raised her right, then she'll know to come back. It'd make sense she would want to see the world. I mean, the farm is great and all, but there's more to Equestria than that. And every foal will reach that age when they start rebelling. But sometimes, you just gotta let her learn her mistakes and pick her up when she needs the help. Give her a place to go to when she's got nowhere else to go. Parents just gotta be there for their kid."

For a while, Chrysalis said nothing. 

Braeburn nuzzled her cheek and smiled. "And besides, who said our kid's going to be a filly?" 

Chrysalis mulled over his words as they walked up the stairs. She stopped in her steps in front of the guest room. Braeburn looked back curiously when she stopped.

"Cherry, dear? Coming to bed?" asked Braeburn. 

Chrysalis wrapped two hooves around the stallion's withers and pulled him to her, feeling the warmth of his body and his breath on her neck. She inhaled the extra bit of love that mixed with his scent. She whispered in his ear, "You talk about being happy with a foal to raise. But would you love a child that wasn't your own?" 

"Wha... What do you mean?" Braeburn asked. 

Chrysalis looked into his eyes. Her eyes briefly took on a glowing shade of green before returning to normal. The stallion in her hooves fell limp. She opened the guest room door, revealing a snoring red-haired mare lying on the bed, before tossing the stallion next to her. 

A green flame erupted around Chrysalis, revealing her pegasus form. She closed the door and tossed her mane, making her way towards the front door. Outside, where night had taken over Equestria, Chrysalis trotted in the direction of the town's center where her loyal guards should be waiting. She cast one contemptuous look at the mountainside that held Canterlot and wrinkled her nose. 

"Only a mother knows what's best for her child," she said, thinking about the stallion's words. He left a bitter taste in her mouth. 

She set off to rally her guards. She was going to need more of her changelings if she was going to pay Celestia a visit. It seems her plans had been moved up sooner than she would have liked. 


~~~~~~~


“What are sleepovers like?” I asked around the crayon in my mouth.

We sat around a table at the front of the store, drawing on pieces of paper with crayons. Most of the crayons were broken and dull, and some of the colors were even missing. I stuck to only a few colors as I colored my drawing. 

Pound tapped his chin with a blue crayon. “I guess it’s like a party but at night,” he said.

“Did somepony say party?!” shouted a voice.

A pink blur sped towards us, and we found ourselves wrapped in a mare’s hooves.

“I love love love parties! I throw all kinds of parties—slumber parties, birthday parties, surprise parties, tea parties—you name it!"

"Birthday parties?" I asked. I never heard about this part about birthdays before. 

"Yep! I just love making other ponies happy! Why, I wish I could throw a party for somepony every day."

Pound wiggled in her hooves. "Don't you kind of already do that, Pinkie?"

She released her grip, causing all of us to fall into a pile, and giggled. "Oh, yeah!"

"Pinkie, dear," called Mrs. Cake, "can you lend a hoof in here?"

"Okie dokie! I'll be right there," said Pinkie, and she sped off toward the kitchen.

I picked myself off the floor where Pinkie dropped us. “I’m guessing it’s never a boring day with Pinkie around,” I said.

Pound pulled himself from under Happy and Pumpkin. “Nymph, if you’ve been around Ponyville as long as Pumpkin and I have, then you’ll know there’s never a boring day around here."

"Yeah! There's always a big monster terrorizing Ponyville every month or so," said Pumpkin, pretending to be a ferocious monster. 

"That sounds scary," I said. 

"Not really," she said. "You get used to it." 

I hope I never get used to seeing monsters like those two. 

I looked at Pound's drawing. "What's that?" I asked, pointing to his picture. It showed three blue blobs with yellow streaks.

"It's the Wonderbolts!" he proudly exclaimed. "The best flyers in Equestria!" 

"Pfft, that doesn't look anything like them," Pumpkin scoffed. 

Pound glared at her. "Oh yeah, and what did you draw?" he asked. 

With a piece of paper held in her mouth, she showed us her drawing. I saw a simple drawing that looked kind of like me and goofy drawing that looked like Pound. What I didn't understand were the red and pink hearts that surrounded us.

"I call it, My Brother Is a Doofus," she said with a grin. 

Pound frowned, his cheeks a little more red than usual, while I was left confused. 

"Ha ha, very funny," he said, reaching to grab the picture, only for Pumpkin to pull it away with a bigger smile on her face. Soon, it was a flurry of movement between Pound and Pumpkin until Pound gave up and sat down, grumbling to himself all the while. 

I went back to finishing my own drawing. The black crayon I had been using had shrunk to the point where it was hard to hold between my teeth. Every so often, I had to spit out the nasty crumbles that broke off the crayon.

"That's a nice drawing," Pumpkin said over my shoulder. 

I spat out the stub of crayon to admire my own work. "Thanks," I said. "It's a picture of me and my mom."

Pumpkin giggled. "You even drew you and your mom like the princesses."

I glanced at Happy at the other side of the room. He was busy tossing a ball and looking bored. He said he didn't want to draw with us, but at least this was more fun than what he was doing.

I leaned closer to Pumpkin to whisper. "A princess is nice and all, but I like the sound of being Queen better."

A stallion's head poked through the door that separated the storefront and the kitchen. "Alright, kids. It's time to eat," he said. 

"Okay, Dad," Pound and Pumpkin replied. 

We walked into the back of the store, which was also the family’s kitchen and dining room. I followed Pound and Pumpkin’s lead and took my seat at the table beside them with Happy beside me as always. A dinner plate slid in front of me as Pinkie passed by, carrying a stack of plates on her head, despite wobbling on her poofy, pink mane. 

Mr. and Mrs. Cake soon arrived with an assortment of goods, much like my meal with Braeburn and Cherry Jubilee. It made me wonder: Do ponies always eat this much? In the past few days in the outside world, I’ve seen more food than I ever did my entire life.

“Go on, eat as much as you want,” Mrs. Cake said to me and Happy. “There’s plenty to go around.”

"Thanks," I said, as a generous helping of food fell on my plate.

Dinner conversation was mostly filled with questions of “What’s that?” and “What does it taste like?” I made sure to pick one of everything on the table. There wasn't a moment where I wasn’t stuffing my mouth with whatever I can get my hooves on.

"Thish ish real good," I said between bites. 

Happy bumped my side with a hoof. "Nymph, don't talk with your mouth full," he scolded. 

"I'm so glad you enjoy my cooking," said Mrs. Cake. 

Pound raised a brow. "Yeah... uh, Nymph, you do realize you're just eating cauliflower and broccoli, right?" 

I swallowed my food. "Whatever it is, I like it! I've never tasted anything like this before."

Pumpkin leaned towards her brother and whispered something in his ear, which he replied with a mere eyeroll.

It wasn’t long until I had to slow down eating. My tummy was starting to hurt. And bulge…

Pumpkin let out a low whistle. “Whoa, you can sure eat, Nymph. I haven’t seen anypony eat like that since Pinkie came with me and Pound on a field trip to the chocolate factory.”

“Who wouldn’t go crazy for all that candy?” Pinkie said as she took a bite out of a cake that she had seemingly pulled out of nowhere. One bite was all it took for her to finish it.

“Uh, Pinkie. You’re not allowed to go near the factory anymore after you ate a year’s supply worth of chocolate. Remember?” said Pound.

Pinkie crossed her hooves with a harumph. “Well, maybe they should have been more specific when they told me I could take a free sample.”

They all laughed, and so did I. As I watched them talk about their past experiences, I thought about my own dinner experience back at home, and I realized that it was never like this. I wanted what this family of ponies had, but I'm not sure what it is. 

Mr. Cake stood up from the table. “I think it’s about time to clean up.”

Pinkie bounded out of her seat. “Oh, it’s time for the slumber party!” she said as she ushered me and Happy up the stairs. Pound and Pumpkin ran after us.

“Don’t stay up too late,” Mrs. Cake called after us.

“Okay, mom!” the siblings called back.

Pinkie brought us to a loft above the shop. A single bed sat at the center. Strips of colorful paper hung from the walls and ceiling. Colorful round objects attached to strings floated in the corners of the room. It wasn’t anything like the room in Appaloosa. Though, it was nice to see something different. I’ve had enough of the usual dark cavern walls.

“Welcome to my room! This is where the party ideas happen," said Pinkie. 

My ears twitched at a sound that filled the room. It was coming from a strange box with a spinning plate and a funnel. The box was singing somehow. How did it work? Ponies kept the most interesting things in their homes. The hive could sure use one of these.

“Don’t forget the party hats!” Pinkie shouted.

Suddenly, something was forced on my head, causing the hairs of my mane to block my view. Brushing my mane aside, I was greeted by an odd sight. On top of everyone’s head were bowls. Not small bowls, but large bowls, each holding something different inside.

“Okay, so we have Pumpkin and Pound on chips and salsa. Nymph is taking care of the cookies. Happy is handling the popcorn. And I’m on cupcake duty!”

“Aw, Aunt Pinkie, why am I on salsa duty again?” asked Pound. ”Do you know how hard it is to dip like this? Can’t I trade hats with Pumpkin?”

It was then that a small triangle thing dipped into Pound’s “hat” and floated into Pumpkin’s waiting mouth.

“I may not be able to teleport now, but I can at least do this much. Bet you wish you were a unicorn now, huh, Pound?” Pumpkin said with a smug look.

Pound rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, just pass the chips already.”

I looked up, trying to get a glimpse of my own hat. The contents above my head shifted with every movement. My hoof reached up to blindly grab a cookie but failed to grasp anything. Instead, I tipped my head forward enough to drop a cookie in front of me, which I gladly took in my mouth.

“Hmm, maybe the hats could use some work,” Pinkie said. “I was hoping to find a way for ponies to bring the party with them. I guess it’s back to the drawing boards. But first, let’s party!”

I watched the growing horror on Happy’s face as she grabbed his hooves and pulled him near the singing box. Pinkie shook and wiggled with the rhythm, while Happy swung with the movement of her hooves, desperately trying to pull his hooves free.

“Come on, Happy! It’s time to get your dance on!” Pinkie shouted.

I only snickered when his pleading eyes met mine.

"Hey, Nymph. Want to play pin the tail on the pony?" asked Pound. 

I looked over and watched as Pumpkin was spun around while wearing a cloth over her eyes and holding a pinned fake tail in her mouth. If birthday parties were anything like this, then I wouldn't mind having a party for all my birthdays. 

I smiled as I went to join them. “Yes, I would love to.”


~~~~~~~


After a whirl of games and enough sweets to last me a lifetime, the party had ended. Pinkie's room looked much worse now than it was before. Pinkie seemed proud of it, saying "A room can only get this messy from a great party." When Pumpkin had started nodding off, Pinkie decided it was time for us to "hit the hay." Though, I would rather go to sleep instead.

She brought us to Pound and Pumpkin's room. It was a simple room with only two beds, one at each side. With one side covered in what looked like stuffed animals and another side covered in pictures of blue pegasi, I think I can tell whose side was whose. Pinkie nudged us into bed. Pumpkin and I shared one bed while Happy and Pound shared the other.

With a flick of a switch, Pinkie turned off the lights. "Nighty night, everypony." 

"Goodnight, Pinkie," we all said. 

When the door shut behind the pink pony, the room was quiet with the sound of everyone's breathing. Perhaps I was growing used to sleeping in other ponies’ homes, but I never felt more at home than I did now since leaving the hive. 

Home, huh? I wonder what Mommy is doing...

I tried to get comfortable, but I couldn't, no matter which way I lay. I turned towards Pumpkin and whispered to her. "Pumpkin, are you sleep?" 

Grumbling something under her breath, she shifted and turned to face me. "No, I'm just lying here awake for absolutely no reason..." 

"Oh, that's good. I was afraid of waking you up," I said. 

She sighed. "Nymph, what do you want?" 

"Well, I'm just wondering... Are we friends?"

She yawned. "Yeah, sure, whatever you want us to be," she said. "Just go to sleep." 

"So you're not still mad about me bumping into you earlier?"

There was a pause. "Listen, Nymph. I wouldn't be sharing my bed with someone I hate."

"Oh, I see," I said. We both fell into a brief silence. "I think it's nice to have friends, don't you?" 

She gave a soft grunt.

"But not everyone has a friend, and that's what worries me." I stared at the ceiling. "My mother—I don't think she has a friend."

"Your mom?" she asked.

"Yeah, she's always busy with work and taking care of me. I don't think she's ever tried making actual friends," I said. She had her changelings, but she never laughed or played with them like I do with Happy. "She must be pretty lonely. I can’t imagine what’d it be like if I didn’t have Happy around."

As soon as I said that, a particular loud snore came from the other side of the room. One of Happy’s ears twitched at the sound of his name. Even now, it seems like he’s doing his job of looking after me.

"I'm sure other ponies would be her friends, if she'd let them," said Pumpkin. 

"Maybe," I said. "I should tell her that when I see her again. Thanks, Pumpkin." 

Pumpkin was already fast asleep as her snores joined the others'. 

I thought about my mother. For the first time since leaving the hive, I felt my first moment of regret. My mother was lonely, and I had left her all alone.

A terrible feeling lingered inside me, and I moved closer to Pumpkin in the bed we shared.

"Maybe I should have stayed home..." I said.

I was glad my pillow was large and soft because it did well muffling my sobs, as I lay there knowing that my mother was alone and looking for me.
> 7. Mistaken Identity
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Above me, the stars twinkled and I found myself in front of a castle’s doors. At the slightest touch, they parted open. Setting hoof inside, I noticed a few things. The grand pillars, high ceilings, and bright polished floors were nothing like the hive, just to name the obvious.

No, something felt off. There were rooms, rooms, and more rooms inside. One led to another and another would lead to more. Up a flight of stairs and down a spiral staircase. A kitchen, a dining room, and a reading room were some of the things I wandered into. But for a place so big, there was not a single pony or changeling around.

After wandering around without any real direction, I stopped and sat down.

“Where am I?” I said aloud.

“In a dream,” said a voice.

I turned to whoever had spoken. I was in a rather large room with a magnificent throne at the end. In it sat a pony, who was busy signing scrolls and papers as they flew out of one pile and into another.

She sighed without looking at me. “Even in a dream, there is still work to be done.”

“Who are you?” I asked.

She stood taller than any pony I’ve seen, almost as tall as my mother. She had a starry mane and a moon on her flank. The mare had a long, majestic horn and a pair of feathery wings. On her head sat a dark crown. She put down the piece of paper she was writing on.

“Greetings!” she bellowed, shaking the walls of the room. “We are Princess Luna, Ruler of the Night! Tis wonderful to finally meet you!” A second later, she started blushing. In a much quieter voice, she said, “Oh, do forgive me. I still haven't gotten over old habits and learning the lingo used these days takes some getting used to.”

Dream or not, my ears were still ringing. “What did you mean by finally meet me? Where are we?”

She put down her quill. “It is as I said. We are in a dream. This place you are standing in is the castle in Canterlot.”

I raised a brow. “Canterlot? But I've never been to Canterlot."

“I may have made changes to your dream. It was so terribly dark in here that I couldn't see where I was going. So, I brought this dream to the castle.” She began walking down from her throne towards me. “Isn’t it lovely, my little pony?” she asked, nodding to a set of beautiful stained-glass windows showing a group of familiar and not-so-familiar ponies.

Though, what really caught my attention was the last thing she said. “O-oh, I’m not a… I mean, I'm pretty sure I'm not, um…” I stammered, watching Princess Luna grow more confused.

“Are you alright?” she asked worriedly.

I nodded. “Yes, I'm just…” I shrunk under her questioning gaze. “Before, you said something about meeting me?” I asked, changing the subject.

“Ah, yes. It has come to my attention for many years now of a lost child in the realm of dreams. For a long time, I have known but could not identify whose dream it was. With a dream as pitch dark as yours, the only thing I had to go by were the voices.” She now stood in front of me. “Now, what is your name?” she asked.

I swallowed my nervousness. “Nymph.”

Her head leaned closer to meet my level. “It's so nice to meet you, Nymph,” she said softly. “Is there anything you would like to talk about?”

“Well…”

“Oh! You’ll have to excuse me while I make things more comfortable.” She chuckled.

The room melted and warped. In place of a throne was a long, red chair. Across from it, Princess Luna sat in her own large seat, while a lit fireplace crackled between us. She held a clipboard and a quill in her magic. A pair of glasses rested atop her nose.

With her magic, she adjusted a framed piece of paper with fancy words and writing on it that read “Diploma,” whatever that was, before smiling at me.

“Now, please. Lay your head on that couch over there. I think you'll find it way more comfortable.”

Unsure what was going on, I did as she said and hopped onto the couch, curling comfortably in my spot.

“Comfortable? Do you feel okay?” she asked.

I nodded.

“Good. These sessions are meant to be intimate—that means close and personal. Now, what problems do you seem to be having?”

“Oh, I don't have any problems,” I said.

She tapped her clipboard with her quill. “None at all? Truly? How fortunate. Then, tell me about yourself.”

“Like what?”

“It can be about anything.”

I fidgeted on the couch. “Anything?”

She nodded. “Anything you feel like sharing.”

I scrunched my face in thought. It's not easy trying to find something to talk about. “I don't know…” I glanced towards the patiently awaiting princess. “Well, today I made friends.”

The princess perked up at this. “Wonderful! Tell me about them.”

“One of them is named Pound. He’s a pegasus. He also has a sister named Pumpkin,” I started. “We had a lot of fun playing together, and they showed me around town. Do you know they live in a house with a giant cupcake on top? It’s not real though, in case you were wondering.” The thought of them made me smile.

Luna scribbled something on her clipboard. “Go on.”

“The rest of their family is nice, too. They made all this good food for me. Oh, but you should meet these other ponies in Ponyville who are just as nice,” I continued. Everyone I met in Ponyville came to my mind, as well as a mother and daughter on a train and a loving couple in an orchard.

“Oh, I'm sure I am well acquainted with some of them,” she said, writing something else down.

“Yeah. It was really fun.” My smile dropped. “But…”

Luna looked up from her clipboard. Her quill stopped writing.

“I also did something bad. I ran away from home and left my mother without her knowing. She must be worrying about me, while I'm here having fun seeing all sorts of things in Equestria. ” My hoof idly runs through my mane as I stare at the ceiling. “Does that make me bad person?”

A hoof rested on my shoulder, and I found Princess Luna smiling warmly right next to me. “Every pony needs to see the world at some point in their lives. Of course, a mother will worry about her child because to her that child has become her entire world. Your mother will feel lost and confused. So it falls upon you to hold her hoof and re-assure her that everything is alright.”

I let that thought linger in my head for a while. “Re-assure her…?” I repeated.

Princess Luna nodded.

“Is that what I'm supposed to do?”

“It is not my place to tell you what you should do, but rather, I am here to guide you in making your own choices.”

I let her words sink in. “Thank you, Princess Luna,” I said. “I guess knowing what to say is part of being a princess.”

She chuckled. “Well, there is that. But, such wisdom only comes from experience and learning from past mistakes.” The look on her face turned solemn. “And I have had more than my fair share of mistakes.

I raised a brow. “You, a princess, make mistakes?”

“Yes, I know it sounds hard to believe, Nymph. But I was a case when I grew up—a case of jealousy and pride crashing to the ground.” She let out a heavy sigh. “And when I woke up, I was a different pony altogether.”

There were all sorts of emotions that crossed her face when she spoke. It was a blend of sorrow and hurt, all bottled up inside her like one of Pinkie’s sarsaparilla.

I stared at her. “So everyone makes mistakes…” I said aloud.

“Everyone,” she repeated. “To call oneself perfect is foolish. What really matters is what you do after your mistake.”

A ringing clock appeared out of thin air in front of Princess Luna. She took it in her magic and glanced at the time before making it vanish with a poof.

“It’s about time that you wake up from this dream,” she said. “But before we part, is there anything else you want to talk about?”

My mouth opened to say something but closed as I thought better of it. There were still things I needed to sort out with myself.

“No. I'm fine.”

“If you are sure,” she said. 

Before I can say goodbye, a pair of feathery wings wrapped around me. I looked up to see Princess Luna’s muzzle above me. Her head moved close to my ear and she whispered, as if passing on a secret:

“If you ever find yourself feeling all alone in the world and doubting that you will ever feel loved again, it is best to find someone else who also feels the same way.”

Just like that, it was as if she knew what I had been feeling. My eyes watered as the room melted and was washed away by tears. Maybe she knew what it was like to feel lonely too.

“Goodbye, Nymph.” The words echo in my head.


~~~~~~~


Nymph.

“Nymph.”

“Nymph, wake up!” shouted a voice.

I opened my eyes. “Huh? What?”

Something orange brushed past the corner of my eye. I felt warm and cozy under the blanket, more comfortable than I've ever been in all my times of waking up. Except, the thing I had been holding seems to be squirming a lot.

“Pumpkin?” I asked.

“Yeah. Good morning to you too,” she said, a little sourly. “Now would you let go of me? I want to get some breakfast.”

“Oh, sorry.” I reached a hoof to my face to rub my eyes but pulled back when it touched something wet.

“Are you alright, Nymph?” Pumpkin asked, glancing my way. She gave a worrying look.

“Yes. I'm just…a little confused.” I wiped the tears from my eyes. “Must've been a dream.”

“What were you dreaming about?

Only faded pieces of a dream came to me as I tried to grasp them before they disappeared. “Um, there was a castle and a big chair and… I don't remember.“ There was something important I had to remember but what was it?

“Well, don't think about it too much. We’ve got a lot to do today.”

I slipped out of bed, careful with the leg I hurt yesterday. There was an itch on my knee that I couldn't scratch because of the tightly wound bandages on it. Applejack really knew how to keep the bandages from coming undone.

I walked slowly out the door, following Pumpkin.

What greeted me downstairs was the sight of Pinkie stirring a mixing bowl while working with a frying a pan. “Morning, sleepyheads! Sleep well?” She asked sliding a plate that was holding a stack of brown discs. It looked soft. Almost fluffy looking and drenched in dark brown liquid.

I nodded quietly while shoving a mouthful of the thing that Pinkie made. Whatever it was, it tasted great. Happy gave a curious glance at me as he poked his food. Looking around, I noticed the only two ponies who weren't around were Pound and Pumpkin’s parents.

“Mr. and Mrs. Cake went out to pick up some fresh ingredients for the bakery,” Pinkie said, as if reading my mind. “They should be back soon.”

She bounced towards Happy, filling his plate with more food. “Eat up, Happy! No need to hold back. We’ve got plenty of yum-tastic pancakes to go around.”

The pony-disguised changeling smiled awkwardly and took another mouthful. “Tastes great…” he said while looking ready to spit it out at the first chance he gets. 

Licking up the last drop of syrup on my plate, I held out my plate towards Pinkie. “More please.”

Pinkie trotted towards me, giggling as she gave me my second helping. “Coming right up!”

Another helping is served and eaten just as quick. I held out my plate. “More.”

Another serving. I held out my plate. “Mo—”

“I think you've had enough, Nymph,” Happy cut in.

I looked at the surprised looks on everyone’s faces and at my own empty plate. “Oh…”

“But hey, I'm sure we'll find something later for you,” said Pumpkin.

“Yeah!” Pound said. “There’s a lot of places you haven't seen in Ponyville! Like the bowling alley or the candy store or…”

“Or the library!” Pinkie joined in.

Pumpkin stood up from her seat. “Yeah! The one near the ice cream stand!”

Pound got up from his seat. “Pinkie, do you mind if we go show Nymph the library now?”

“Not at all. You guys go have fun and say hi to Twilight for me. I'll clean up here,” she said, picking up the dishes.

As we all left Sugarcube Corner, I turned to Pumpkin. “Twilight?” I asked.

“Yeah! Didn’t you know that Princess Twilight Sparkle lives here in Ponyville?”

I shook my head. “Why here, though?”

“You see,” Pound began, “back when we were little, Twilight did all sorts of things for Equestria and saved Ponyville a bunch of times with her friends.”

“So what’s so special about the library?” I asked. “And why are we going there instead?”

“Because that's where she spends most of her time. Pumpkin and I like to see her when we have nothing else to do.”

When we finally reached a tall oak tree with windows and a door, there was a gold plaque propped up in front of it.

“What's it say?” I asked.

“In memory of the Golden Oaks Library. Where a home once stood, hope still grows,” Happy read out loud. “A memorial just for a library?”

I scratched my head. “I don't get it.”

“I hear the library used to be a lot bigger than it is now,” Pound answered. “That was before some attack on Ponyville that Twilight had to save us from. Mom and Dad said we were too young to remember.”

“She was kind of homeless for a while,” Pumpkin added. “But that doesn't matter anymore because she got her own castle outside of town! See?” She pointed to the crystal building way across town. How I didn't notice that was beyond me.

I stared at what she pointed and compared it to my own hive. “Huh.” It was certainly a lot shinier.

We approached the large tree. Inside, there were books that covered every surface from floor to ceiling. Shelves lined the walls and tall stacks of books, all alphabetized and categorized by subject and author, towered beside the shelves. There was just barely enough room to walk through the aisles. As we walked in, I couldn't help but notice something with what Pound and Pumpkin said about the princess.

“How come you don’t call her Princess Twilight?” I asked. “She has the title, after all.”

Pumpkin shrugged. “I don't know. Twilight is just Twilight to us. Almost everyone calls her that. She’s also our friend, so it would feel weird to call her that, or so she says.”

“I think she gets embarrassed being called a princess,” Pound said. “Maybe she just wants to be normal around everyone.”

How strange. Who wouldn't want to be called a Princess or a Queen? With my eyes wandering around, I didn't notice who was standing in front of me as I walked inside.

“Whoa!” shouted a tall, scaly creature as we nearly collided. He pivoted away from me, then wobbled in his steps as he tried to right the swaying stack of books. “Surprised me there. Good thing I've got plenty of practice from dodging Rainbow Dash’s crash landings.”

If there was one thing Mommy ever told me to always avoid, it was…

“D-d-dragon!” I shouted.

I ran behind Happy, using him as my shield. Mommy told me there were dragons that sometimes roamed the Badlands. It was also one of the reasons she told me not to go outside.

“No no, he’s okay! Spike is a nice dragon. Aren’t ya, Spike?” Pumpkin said, nudging the dragon.

Spike shifted the stack of books to one arm. “Well yeah. I'm not going to hurt you.”

I peeked from behind Happy. “Really?”

“Honest,” he said, holding a claw to his chest. “I've been living here ever since Twilight and I stepped into Ponyville, and not once have I ever hurt somepony…intentionally.”

I trotted slowly towards Spike to get a better look at him. “This is my first time seeing a dragon.”

“No worries. But if you thought I was scary, you should see the others. They are huge!” He chuckled. “Say, I never got your name.”

“Nymph. And this is Happy,” I said, pointing to the disguised changeling. He gave a small wave of his hoof and the tiniest of grins.

“So are all of you here to check out a book?” Spike asked as he brought another book from the shelf to the growing stack in his arms.

Pumpkin jumped between us. “Nah, we’re showing Nymph and Happy around town. We were going to meet up with Twilight. By the way, is she here today?”

“Same place she always is.”

“Thanks, Spike. Don’t trip.”

The dragon made a snort. “Puh-lease! As if I would start tripping on an old book as long as I’ve been arou—”

Where once stood a tall, scaly dragon was now a pile of books. A heavy sigh came from the green spines sticking out of the mess. I giggled as I passed by him.

As we trotted farther back of the library, the room seemed to grow darker. The stacks of books blocked the windows from daylight. Loose papers littered the floor and the air smelled like old pages.”

Something deep and rumbling reached my ears. “Do you hear something?” I asked.

Snores erupted from a dark corner. Closing in on the snores, we saw the sleeping form of a pony tucked away in the corner, out of sight from any passersby. A large, open tome made her pillow, and a melted candlestick sat unlit on the desk she was leaning on. Long purple feathers lay strewn about on the floor around her.

“Is that the princess?” I asked, looking at the mare with the messed mane. Everything about her went against what I thought how a princess should look. I thought she would look more majestic and princess-like than this.

A particularly loud snore left her mouth. “Huh? What did you say, Princess Celestia?” she asked, blearily looking around. When she got a better look at us, her face took on a rosy color. “Oh… hi. What are all of you doing here at this time of the night?”

“Twilight, it’s morning,” Pumpkin answered back.

Twilight let out a yawn and smacked her lips, glancing at one of the library’s windows. “So it is.”

I watched as she scratched herself and stretched her wings. “She’s a princess?” I whispered to the others.

Twilight's ear flicked towards me, and she cleared her throat. “Yes, I am. And who might you be?”

“My name is Nymph,” I answered. “Princess Twilight, what are you the princess of?”

“Please, just Twilight is fine, and to answer your question, I am the Princess of Friendship.”

I waited for her to continue, but it seemed like that was all she had to say. “But…” I tried to find the right words to say. “Who are your loyal subjects then? Over where do you rule? How can you be the Princess of Friendship?”

Twilight chuckled behind a hoof, which I found slightly annoyed by. As a fellow princess, I'd like my question to be taken seriously. “I’m afraid you misunderstand, Nymph. My job isn’t to rule over everypony, although that kind of work falls onto me sometimes. I serve to help ponies all over Equestria with their friendship problems.”

I thought about this longer. After not having said anything for some time, she frowned. “Is there still something you don't understand?”

I crossed my hooved and closed my eyes as I thought about this. “I don't know. It sounds kind of silly to put all that into a title like Princess.”

“Nymph!” Happy hissed behind me. “Mind your manners.”

I thought Twilight would get mad about what I said, but she laughed instead. “True. If I was still me from many years ago, I would probably agree. But I’ve learned over time that friendship can be a powerful force.”

More questions piled onto my already existing questions.

“What are you working on?” Pound asked.

Twilight picked up the tome on her magic. “Oh this? It's just research on changelings.”

I suddenly found myself wanting to know more. Finally, something interesting to talk about that I knew a lot of. But why did Happy look so scared?

“Are you talking about those bug things that attacked Canterlot years ago?” Pumpkin asked.”We talked about that in class last week.”

Attack? I had never heard about any attack. “What are you talking about?” I asked Pumpkin.

“You don’t know? There was this big royal wedding and then these evil shapeshifting bugs invaded the city.”

“Yeah, I heard Rainbow Dash had to beat up a bunch of them before one of them took her by surprise,” Pound added.

I shook my head. “No, that can't be right. It’s not true, is it?” I asked Twilight.

She nodded sadly. “I’m afraid so. My close friend and foalsitter, Princess Cadance, was replaced by a changeling during her own wedding preparations. If I hadn’t suspected the changeling queen of impersonating Cadance, then we would have never known.” Her eyes took on a hard look as she talked.

My legs trembled as mixed emotions filled me. My mother? Hurting ponies? Not just her, but other changelings were part of it too? Now that can't be right.

“Oh dear. Are you alright, Nymph? You don't look well.”

I nodded slowly.

One of Twilight’s wings fell over my withers. “Well, it’s nothing to worry about. My friends and I got rid of those changelings, so there's nothing to be afraid of.”

“But, that doesn’t mean they’re evil, right?” I said. “There has to be a reason.”

“Changelings have shown to feed off of the love a pony gives, emotionally draining the pony in the process. They are incapable of feeling anything like love. Else, why would they need to feed on other ponies?”

I didn't know what to say. What’s worse was Happy wasn't saying anything about all this. He had a stoney look in all his silence.

Something inside of me burst, letting hot emotions spill out. “No..." I said, then in a louder voice, "No, that's not true! Changelings aren't bad!"

"Nymph—" Twilight began, but I interrupted her.

"They would never do anything like that!" I shouted. "When was the last time you ever talked to a changeling? When have you actually gotten to truly know a changeling? They're not bad creatures!"

In all my yelling and shouting, the touch of Twilight’s wing vanished and in Twilight’s eyes I can see shock and something else that’s too hard to read. “While it’s true that it’s been some time since I've seen a changeling, I think it's safe to say that most ponies who were at Canterlot at the time would agree with me. But why are you trying so hard to defend them?”

“Because…”

Happy coughed loud enough to get my attention, cutting me mid-sentence. I couldn't say anything. My tongue was tied.

“You seem pretty upset over this,” Twilight said. “Pound. Pumpkin. Can you two leave us for a moment? We can meet up later for lunch. Maybe a picnic.”

I had nearly forgotten the two other ponies in the room, who had been mostly quiet in all this talk about changelings. “Uh, sure,” Pound said, beginning to leave. “You coming, Pumpkin?”

Pumpkin glanced between me and Twilight, looking unsure of leaving. “Yeah…” She turned to leave, but looking back she asked, “You’ll be back with us quick, right, Nymph? We’ve still got lots to do.”

I let out a grin. “Of course.”

“Spike?” Twilight called out. “Do you think you can pick up some more quills and paper at the store?”

“Sure thing!” Spike called back.

At the front of the library, there was a click as the door closed behind them. Now it was just me, Happy, and Princess Twilight.

“I see that you are genuinely upset over this,” said Twilight. “So how about this? You tell me what you know about changelings, and I'll tell you what I know. I'm sure it'll be an educational experience.”

“I think we should get going,” Happy said as he pushed me towards the front and reached a hoof against the door.

The door stayed shut.

“No no no, you must stay! Come. Sit,” she said, leading us to a comfy-looking sofa by another section of the library. Happy sat so close next to me that I could feel him shaking, or perhaps I was the one that was shaking terribly.

Twilight disappeared in a flash of light and came back a second later, carrying a tray of sweets, a pot of tea, and teacups. “Cookies? It’s made with love.”

I shook my head. “I'm not feeling very hungry,” I said.

When she offered it to Happy, he shook his head also.

“Hmm, suit yourself,” she said, setting the sweets aside and pouring herself a cup. She took a sip. “So… Nymph. Tell me what's got you bothered about changelings.”

My mouth felt dry, and the look she gave me was giving me chills—a calm smile that was hiding something. Nothing good can come from things that are purposely kept hidden. I licked my lips. “W-well, it just seems hard to believe that changelings would do anything bad.”

She set her teacup down on a saucer floating in her magic. “I've seen them first hoof, and I assure you that they aren’t all nice and friendly. What I saw that day, seeing every pony I care about get hurt, is nothing one ever forgets. Good and friendly just isn't the impression I got from a full-on invasion.”

“Maybe the changeling queen had a reason for invading? What if she needed help? What if she didn’t know how to ask for help?”

“And that's a good reason for kidnapping my brother’s fiancée? How about terrorizing ponies? How does that justify what they're doing? If there's even a single good reason for what she did, then please by all means tell me because it's not like I spent countless nights having nightmares about it!” The emotions she had kept so well hidden on her face were starting to show, like little cracks on a mask.

I'm at a loss. What could I possibly tell her at this point? “I just think that Queen Chrysalis cares about her changelings very much. I'm sure she wouldn't have done something so terrible if she wasn't desperate,” I said more to myself than to Twilight.

For a while, she didn't say anything. She hadn’t taken her eyes off us either.

“Funny… I don't remember ever mentioning her by name.”

The silence was thick, suffocating all of us and any attempt to continue the conversation. It’s as if all the air got sucked out of the room. Then, two things happened at once: Twilight’s horn glowed and Happy tackled me aside.

A brilliant light shot from her horn just as Happy came barreling into my side. The bolt of magic flew, just barely grazing me. The next thing I knew, I was on the floor.

“Run!” Happy shouted, jumping to the side to avoid another beam.

I wanted to do as he said, but I found myself frozen in place. Where had that nice mare gone just a moment ago? All I saw was a terrifyingly angry princess.

“Nymph, I need you to run far away! Now!”

The next shot went straight for Happy. There was no cry as he fell down, unmoving.

That seemed to snap me out of it because I found myself screaming. I ran through the maze of books, kicking up loose papers and knocking down stacks of books. Because of the bandages on my leg, I had to settle for an awkward gait than running as fast as I could.

I came to a dead end, a corner of the library where there were just more books. The sound of a set of hooves approached me.

“There’s nowhere to run,” she said, her horned lowered at me like a brandished spear. She took a step forward. I took a step back. “How dare you? Pretending to be two little foals just to feed off of some unsuspecting pony. But that won’t work. You won't get a shred of pity from me.”

I started throwing books at her. My hooves reached blindly behind me, fumbling to grab the next solid object. But, it was useless. The books floated in the air before rearranging themselves in a neat stack.

“There’s more of you, aren’t there? Tell me! Which pony in Ponyville is a changeling?”

“No!” I cried back. I tried to reach for another book, but my hoof came back empty.

By now, Princess Twilight Sparkle was directly in front of me. “I won't let you or any changeling hurt my friends,” she said. “Not this time.”

In all her hate-filled anger, I wondered why she looked like she wanted to cry.

The light from her horn flew towards me. Too scared to move, backed into a corner with nowhere to run and no place to hide, I shut my eyes because that's all I could do.

A sort of whoosh sound passed my ears. I expected pain, but there wasn’t any. Not even a feeling of anything happening to me. When I opened my eyes, I was still my same old self and still in the same room, only now with a confused princess.

She stood, looking like a snuffed out flame. All the fire in her was gone. “You’re… not a changeling,” she muttered.

I didn’t know if it was a fluke or just dumb luck, but I used the chance to bolt through Twilight's legs and make a break for the exit. Going under her had shaken her out of whatever thought she was thinking.

“Nymph, wait!”

I tore through the library, kicking back books to slow her down, until I finally reached an open window. Throwing caution to the wind, I threw myself out the only exit in the whole place. A flowerbed outside cushioned my fall. A tight squeeze on my leg reminded me of my bandages, which had gotten dirty. I ripped the bandages off with my teeth and made a sprint away from the library. Twilight shouted something behind me, but whatever she said was drowned out by the sound of my heart in my ears as I ran past ponies. I couldn't see what expressions they wore on their faces as each face blurred with the next. Everything looked strange and unfamiliar to me as I ran through parts of town I must have been through at least once. Where was Happy? Where was Mommy? This was wrong, all wrong. It wasn't supposed to happen like this.

Then, something familiar met my ears. “Nymph?”

I looked to my right, noticing Pound and Pumpkin, each carrying one end of a picnic basket.

“We were just about to bring sandwiches for lunch with Twilight.”

I stepped away from them.

“Hey, what's the matter?” Pumpkin asked. She glanced inside the basket she’s carrying. “You're not allergic to daisies, are you? We have other stuff just in case.”

I shook my head. “I'm sorry,” I said before running off towards the town outskirts.

“Wait! Where are you going?” one of the twins asked.

“Leave me alone!”

I kept running until I reached a thick forest. Pushing through, I lost myself among the bushes and thickets. It grew dark under the canopy. Menacing trees with scary faces and outstretched arms, filled my vision. Something would scratch against my side as I ran, perhaps a tree branch or a monster hiding in the dark. It wasn’t until I reached a clearing in the canopy that I slowed my pace, panting breathless until I fell into a large patch of grass.

Now alone and scared out of my wits, I finally let it all out. I bawled and wailed, letting tears spill out and wet my cheeks while my nose started running. Wiping my face with my hoof only smeared everything. I was a mess.

I wasn't a grown-up. I wasn't a princess. Worst of all, I wasn't a changeling either. I wasn’t any of these things right now. I was just a stupid little filly who didn't know what any of these things meant and lost her close friend because of it.

Just when I thought about crying again, the snapping of a twig drew my attention to the other side of the clearing where I sat. A part of me felt happy that perhaps Pound and Pumpkin had followed me.

Shakily, I called out, “Pound? Pumpkin?”

Something came prowling out of the thickets. A wolf-like head with glowing eyes and rows of sharp wooden teeth emerged from its covering. A foul stench hung in the air. Then, two more similar faces appeared beside the leading wolf.

I slowly stood up, not taking my eyes off them.

A piercing howl broke the tension, and I started running.

I didn’t care where I was going as long as I was away from those monsters. The dirt beneath my hooves grew rockier. Loose stones wobbled underneath me, threatening to toss my balance. I climbed onto higher rocks. Sneaking a peek behind, I saw the wolves were having some trouble finding firm ground, but it wouldn’t stop them for long.

“Go away!” I shouted, tossing stones at them. A stone landed square in the face of one of them, but it only seemed to make it angrier.

At the top of the rocks was a dead end. Nothing but a cliff and a river to stop me in my tracks. A growl behind me told me that the pack had caught up. I whipped around in time to see one of their faces coming towards me quickly. A roll to the side narrowly saved me as one of them pounced into the river below with a splash and was carried off by the current. The second one wasted no time coming after me with another pounce. On my back, I kicked my hooves out, catching onto the twigs of its body and sending both it and myself over the edge. Luck had been very generous when my front hooves grabbed onto the cliff.

I was now face to face with the last remaining wolf. I saw its glowing eyes as I struggled to keep myself up, and I can’t help but think that Mother was right. Outside was dangerous.

As a million thoughts raced through my mind, the wolf made a lunge for me. But then, it looked like it was getting further away, and I realized that the wolf wasn’t getting farther away. It was me. I had let go without realizing it.

Out of all the thoughts that raced through my mind, only one stood out to me: Why?

Everything had been going great up until this point. But in an instant, everything had changed. Where were my friends? What happened to Happy? Why was I here in the middle of a forest being chased by wolves? How could things have gone so terribly wrong?

I fell into the running water. It got into my nose and mouth as I thrashed and kicked helplessly. I was as good as a pebble tossed into the current. With every splash, I tried to scream for help but it came out garbled as I sputtered for air. The price of not knowing how to swim was going to be costly. My limbs began to tire out, and my worst fears settled in when my head dipped below the surface.

Out of nowhere, I hit something in the water, kind of like a wall. Something started pulling me out. I was left shivering on a warm surface. My nostrils burned and water wouldn’t stop coming out of my mouth in a fit of coughs. I couldn’t see much behind my wet mane, but there was a tall shadow blocking the sun. No longer in immediate danger, I let myself close my eyes.

When I open my eyes, this will all be a dream and I will still be at the hive with Mother and Happy and all the other changelings. And I will still be a changeling, just as Mother has always said.
> 8. We Can Work It Out
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Happy is a changeling, one of thousands under the rule of Queen Chrysalis.

The plan for the invasion was simple. Changelings break through the shield. They do what they do. They feed off ponies’ love. They take over Equestria. It was as how Queen Chrysalis had described it.

Now with a small child suddenly added to the mix, things had taken a turn for the unprecedented. 

Caring for a pony is nothing at all like caring for a changeling. Ponies have wants and needs that cannot be satisfied by changelings’ means of feeding. They cry when they want to eat. They cry when they've made a mess. And sometimes they cry for seemingly no reason at all.

What strange creatures they are. Despite the ability to change into them, changelings can only scratch the surface in understanding ponies.

In Canterlot all those years ago, Happy could have ignored the room with the foal. But all it took was a moment of curiosity to incite a monumental change in the hive. A small ember at first, it began to spread like wildfire.

He took his punishment and served the foal like royalty, following her small commands and playing with her when asked to. Of course, there was the matter of protecting her from any hungry changelings. It was arduous, certainly, but that was not the punishment he thought it was.

The real punishment had come in the form of a question that he had never been asked before. “What's your name?” the foal had asked.

He shrugged.

“Well, you have to have a name. Doesn't everyone? I have a name. Mommy has a name.”

He shook his head.

Not wanting to let the matter drop, she continued. “Can I call you, Happy? Because that's how you look when you smile.”

Another shake of his head. But she ignored him.

“Happy! Happy! Happy is Happy!” she shrieked, jumping and running around as if she had said the most clever thing.

It wasn't as clever as she thought it was. But it was certainly the nicest thing she had given him. And the thought that he was warming up to her was terrifying—terrifyingly new.

What a massive burden, being an individual of thought. Having to think of consequences for one's own actions and straying from the status quo. What good does it do for the hive’s survival? What does having a sense of person accomplish? A foreign concept as useless as this has no place among changelings.

But he hung onto it.

Masked behind a veil of indifference and following every order like any other. He lived each day with only his equine charge in mind. How absurd is it to see a pony among changelings? The Queen said it was for their survival, but there were always less and less changelings in the hive with each passing day. Once numbering to a thousand, the changelings were now dwindling to a few hundreds. If he were a little more brave, he would use his newfound individuality to ask her, “Are we surviving?”

But he kept that question to himself, letting it float around in his head.

Their secret was out now. Their existence is known. Suspicions are on the rise, leaving every pony a little more cynical, a little more distrusting. What else to do but hide and hang on to the little hope that hasn't been butchered to pieces? The others don't see, but he can see, that the future is dark and bleak and will remain that way unless something changes. All these thoughts, thinking he’s becoming his own person, he stuffed down into the far reaches of his mind so he can live without these new worries.

However, one day while looking after his charge, he found himself conflicted.

“Happy,” Nymph had said, while scratching the cave walls with a rock as if it was a piece of chalk. “Have you ever been outside?”

He hesitated answering her question with the usual nod or shake off his head. But she continued anyway without waiting for his answer.

“I want to go outside someday,” she said, not taking her eyes off her drawing. “I imagine something wonderful happens there.”

When he joined her gaze on the wall, he saw images of mountains and trees and a sun, all copied from the limited books she was allowed—books stolen from ponies.

“You'll come too, won't you, Happy?”

That smile, that look of anticipation of things she couldn't yet see, was unbearable, especially when surrounded by the spoiled hopes that have been gnawed to the bone. The lonely hunger craves for the companionship of another and the warmth of feeling wanted, and for a moment when she called him by his name, he caught a taste of those things.

A name, one that was given purposefully, is not something that can be easily dropped, made much harder by the princess it was given from. Being asked questions with no answers and talking to a pony of Canterlot origins could only lead to cataclysmic consequences that have yet to unfold. And, oh, how awfully regretful he was when he didn't stop her from going outside because he thought pity of her.

What a terrible punishment it is to be different, he thought.


~~~~~~~


Happy awoke to the dull throbbing in his head, like sledgehammers on his skull, and the sound of wheels on steel rails. A pervading numbness filled his senses.

“I see you're awake,” a voice said.

He turned his head and cracked an eye open to the pony in front of him.

Princess Twilight Sparkle sat, garbed in crown and other paraphernalia associated with royalty, making her the princess she actually was. It was a far cry from the sleepy librarian back at Ponyville. A set of steel bars stood between them. “Isn’t it amazing how much one can learn about changelings from a single invasion? Feels like all your senses fried, right? And all it took was a magical feedback to overload your disguise.”

His eyes widened as he scrambled to his hooves and made a charge for her, hissing with bared fangs and letting some spittle fly. The bars of his cage were too narrow, barely enough for his muzzle to fit through. His hooves stopped short of reaching past the bars.

She stood unflinching. Whatever emotion she may be feeling at the moment, he couldn't tell. Even standing inches away from her, there is a muteness between his senses and her emotions, a disquieting silence between changeling and pony. What had she done to him?

Twilight gave a hard stare. “You have questions you need to answer.”

He retracted his hooves and sat with tired breaths. But his eyes never left Twilight’s, matching her glare with his own.

“Why did you have a pony with you, and a filly at that?”

Happy sat silent.

Twilight slammed a hoof on the ground. “Talk!” she shouted. “I know you can. Back at the library, you told the filly to run away. She's not a changeling. I know that much when I tried to dispel her disguise. So why were you two in Ponyville?”

At last, a muffled emotion managed to seep out of her—anger. He turned away from the princess and laid his head on the steel floor of the cage in a show of apathy.

Her lips formed a thin line. “Fine… Be that way. You'll be talking soon anyway once we’ve stopped. Soon, there won't be anywhere to run.”

A tarp covered the cage, obscuring his view. The slow clop of her hooves grew distant until silenced by the door to the next train car. Once he was sure she had left, he let out sigh and got to work, bucking against the steel bars and rattling the cage. Like a desperate caged bird, he slammed into all sides. His thrashing soon slowed until all that was left was a bruised and defeated changeling.

A nearby rustling and the loud clatter of an overturned crate drew his attention.

“Get your butt out of my face!” a voice shouted.

Another joined. “How about you get your face out of my butt?”

The tarp obstructing Happy’s view was thrown to the floor, revealing a pair of familiar faces. Two childlike faces stared back at him in wonder, like spectators in a zoo.

“Whoa, it really is a changeling!” Pumpkin shouted, getting close to the bars. 

Pound threw a hoof in front of by her. “Pumpkin, get back! What if it bites?”

She slapped his hoof away and approached dangerously close to the cage. “I don't know… It kinda looks sad in there.” She stood face to face with Happy. “Do you know what happened to our friends? They were in the library too. Nymph ran away last we saw her.”

In a burst of green embers, where Happy once stood was a familiar-looking pony, only much older to reflect his years of experience in his service to the queen. “It’s all my fault,” Happy said. “I got careless.”

“Happy?” Pumpkin asked, watching the grown stallion with wide eyes. There was a tired look on his face—the face she had thought belonged to a brother of a friend she had made. It was hard to imagine this was the same being that hovered protectively over the strange filly.

He barely acknowledged the other two ponies. “I was supposed to look after her.”

“So is Nymph a changeling too?” she asked.

He shook his head. “No. She never was. If only I had stopped her sooner, we wouldn't be in this mess!” He went to the opposite end of his cage and thumped his head against the bars. The steel rang on his skull. “And now I've lost her. Maybe for good…” he said in a quieter voice.

Hoofsteps approached his side of the cage, and he was surprised to see the pegasus sibling in front of him. “We heard Twilight’s friends are out looking for Nymph. We’ll find her. Right, Pumpkin?” Pound said.

She sauntered to his side. “Of course! Once we get this whole mess sorted, we’ll all be happy.”

Happy stifled the urge not to scoff at that idea. In what situation can a changeling and a pony find happiness together? “That's nice and kind of you kids, but if you haven't noticed, I'm trapped in a cage and we’re probably a long way from where she is.”

“Why don't you just break out? Changelings have magic, right?” she asked.

This time he didn't try to hide the roll of his eyes. “You ponies don't know a thing about changelings. The most I can do is change how I look, and even that won't get me out of this.”

Pumpkin tapped the side of the cage and hummed to herself. “Then we just gotta break you out,” she said.

“You’d trust me, a changeling?” Happy asked. “The only thing keeping me from harming you are the bars between us. Do you really want to take that chance?”

“He has a point,” Pound said. “Are you sure this is a good idea, Pumpkin?”

She crossed her hooves across her chest. “Well, not exactly good idea… But it’s an idea,” she said.

She found a pair of hooves on her shoulders and Pound giving her a serious look. “What if he attacks us? You heard the stories.”

“Yeah, and the headless pony was a story too,” she said, shoving his hooves away. “Look, I'm not saying that all changelings are good, but I'm not saying they're all bad either. All I'm saying—all I'm saying— is that just this once we might need to trust him to find Nymph.”

Pound opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn’t find the right words to convince her otherwise. A heavy sigh left his mouth. “Right… And how will you get him out? If you haven't noticed, these bars are pretty sturdy.” He rapped the steel bars with a hoof.

Then, he saw her—Pumpkin was smiling a smile that would no doubt lead to trouble. “Don't worry! We've got this all sorted out.”

“We do?” Pound asked.

Happy gave an incredulous look. “You do?” It had taken the child only a few seconds to come up with an escape plan. Would it even work?

“Yeah…” She turned to Pound with an uneasy look. “But you're not going to like it.”


~~~~~~~


The train whistled its arrival. The door to the train car opened, and Twilight walked in wide-eyed at the sight before her. Standing in the room of the train car were two familiar foals from Ponyville. One was in a cage. One was outside.

“Twilight! Help!” Pound shouted from his cage as Pumpkin tried to force the door open. 

“How did you even... What are you two doing here?!”

The little unicorn ran up to her. “Pound followed you after you took the changeling away and got locked up by it when he tried to free it.”

“That's not what happened! It was all Pumpkin’s idea!” he shouted from his cage. “What did I tell you about trusting him?”

Twilight hurried across the room. “Hold on. I'll let you out, Pound.”

The lock to the door opened. Pound ran to Pumpkin’s side.

“You two have a lot of explaining to d—”

A set of hooves kicked into her side, sending her into the cage. Pound, who stood closest to her, bursted in green flames before turning into a black stallion. An overturned crate lifted itself, revealing the other Cake twin.

“Sorry, Twilight! Nymph needs our help!” Pound shouted as they made their way to the train door.

Dazed and confused, she stood up to look at them. “Hey, wait! Come back here!”

Whatever she had to say fell on deaf ears. The trio dashed into the streets of Canterlot, losing themselves in the bustling crowd of ponies.

“Do you think she's going to be mad at us, specifically? Pumpkin asked, dodging the leg of a passing stallion.

“Pumpkin! Mom and Dad are going to kill us when they hear about this!” Pound shouted. “Even worse, we just locked up a princess! We are going to be grounded on the moon!”

“I told you weren't going to like it,” she said, shaking her head. “But I'm sure it’ll all work out for us.”

“How long do you think before Twilight catches up to us?” Pound asked worriedly.

“Assuming she figures out that she can use magic to tear that cage apart,” Happy began, “I’d say a good few minutes.”

In the distance, ponies turned to watch a raging inferno coming from the train station. “We are so dead...” Pound said.

“I couldn’t care less about what happens to you two,” Happy said. “As long as I get away and find the girl, Princess Twilight can do whatever with you.”

The twins glared at him. “I kinda liked it better when you were quiet,” Pumpkin muttered. “But you’re not losing us that easily. We’re in this together until we find Nymph.”

As much as Happy wanted to ditch the two foals, there were more important matters to attend to, like the pony princess that was bound to catch up to them. “Alright, fine! Take a right around this corner! I know where we can lose her!” Happy shouted to the two.

They turned around a corner cafe and lost themselves in a crowded midday market. Bumping into mares and stallions and being the center of their ire, they ducked under produce stands and scurried past various items, breaking a merchandise or two in the process. Behind them, they can hear the Princess calling:

“Pound! Pumpkin!”

Running beside Happy, Pumpkin whispered, “She’s getting closer!”

“I’m thinking! I’m thinking!” he hissed back. His eyes darted in front of him until landing on a peculiar object.

“In there!” he shouted.

They dove into a rather large box by a cloth-covered stand selling decks of cards and other stage props. The box closed shut.

Princess Twilight came to a stop in front of it.

“Interested in something the Great and Powerful Trixie has to offer?” asked a mare wearing a magician’s robe and hat. She leaned over her stand while giving a smug look. “I see you’ve finally taken an interest in grand illusions. Since we’ve known each other for such a long time, I suppose I can give a discount. Though, perhaps you should start with a card trick, hmm?”

“Trixie…” Twilight greeted back, dropping her tone. “I’m not here to buy anything. I'm only here to—”

“You’re right. What was I thinking? We should start with something smaller.” Reaching over with a hoof, Trixie pulled a shiny gold coin from Twilight’s ear, which flicked in annoyance. “Pull enough of these and you can afford the next lesson.”

Twilight took a deep breath, exhaling slowly before talking with Trixie again. “I just need you to open that box over there,” she said calmly, pointing to the box.

Trixie strode over to the box. “Oh, this? Trixie has done one of her greatest illusions in this. Why, it all took place in Las Pegasus...”

A stomp of a hoof silenced Trixie as Twilight glared at her. “Open the box. Now.”

Dropping her smirk and adopting an scowl, Trixie opened the lid. Emptiness greeted them. “There, happy?”

Twilight leveled her gaze. “Open the false back.”

Trixie rolled her eyes and reached in to do so, revealing an empty hidden compartment. “Any other secrets you want to spoil?” she asked bitterly.

Twilight took a step closer, eying the hidden compartment before looking left and right of the box.

“Where… No, nevermind. That's all.” She turned around and began looking in another part of the market.

As Trixie watched her leave, she let out a snort. “Idiot,” she mumbled. She pulled up the table cloth of her stand. “You can come out now.”

A head peeked a glance outside before two foals and a stallion stepped out. “That was way too close,” Pound said.

“Thanks, Trixie,” Pumpkin said.

Trixie smiled. “No problem. Anything to ruffle her feathers. It helps to have a false back for your false back.” She pulled at the back of the box to reveal another door into the same hidden compartment. “Great for escaping tax collectors and ponies you don't want to meet.”

Her eyes then met Happy’s, and he didn't feel as hungry as before and felt a little less numb. “Of course, I’d have done it for you too, handsome,” she said, flicking her tail against his flank as she walked by.

Behind him, Happy could hear the sounds of gagging. He ignored the kids. “You’re too kind, but I really must be going and take these kids home,” he said, pushing the twins ahead of him, a little more forcefully than was needed.

“Catch my next show in Manehattan. I'll show you a few tricks of my own.” She winked, while he smiled politely. He made sure to savor the taste in these rare moments.

Now with Twilight no longer tailing them, they galloped away from the market and towards a park by the castle. There was a bridge that crossed over a stream. They hid under there while they caught their breath.

Panting and gasping for air, Pound and Pumpkin collapsed on the cool grass, while Happy snuck glances around the park.

There was a tap on his shoulder and a voice that was uncharacteristically quiet. “Happy?” Pumpkin asked.

He turned to look at her. “Yes?”

Her eyes were averted, paying more attention to her hooves that were busy crushing a blade of grass. “Why did Nymph run away?”

Happy was silent.

“We saw her back then. She looked scared, even when she looked at us.” She stopped her fidgeting and stared into his face. “What’s going on? What's the real reason you two are together?”

Happy hesitated. He had broken so many rules and done unprecedented things as a changeling. He couldn't even keep a foal safe. There wasn't much left to lose. He was deigned to become an outcast if he returned.

“She said something about being a princess,” Pumpkin added.

Pound trotted to Pumpkin’s side. “Princess? Nymph?” he asked.

Pumpkin nodded. “Yeah, that's what she said.” She turned to the changeling. “What did she mean? Is she really one?”

The changeling-turned-pony stared at the young filly before him. “Yes and no…” A heavy sigh left Happy’s mouth. “You wouldn't understand. You're just kids. Just go home back to your carefree lives and forget this ever happened.”

“How can we understand if you don't tell us anything?” Pound asked. He trotted closer, leveling his gaze with Happy’s. “We may be kids, but we do listen sometimes. We can't go home acting like everything's alright when clearly nothing is alright.”

Happy’s eyes went to Pound’s and then Pumpkin’s. None of their usual cheerfulness was there, just worried eyes for a pony they only met yesterday.

With no sign of the princess, he walked out of their hiding place and sat down. “It’s been so long, but I still remember it clearly after all this time,” he said. His gaze drifted upwards towards the towering spires of the castle. “Nothing’s really changed since then. It all began a long time ago, here in Canterlot…”


~~~~~~~


Sore. Tired. Wet. I woke to all these feelings as well as something smooth and scaly underneath me.

“Awake, dear?” a voice asked.

My throat felt dry. My voice came out raspy. “Where am I?”

“Sailing down upon the sunny, splendiferous stream we call Everfree,” he sang.

I opened my eyes and was met by a smiling purple serpent. “What… What am I doing here?” I was too tired to be scared.

He shrugged. “You tell me. One moment I'm enjoying my daily mustache grooming, and the next I find you swimming in the river.” He traced a purple lock of his mustache that seemed mismatched with the rest.

Sitting up, I gazed down the river we were going down and the forest at our sides from the back of the serpent. Memories came flooding back to me. The library. The princess. The wolves. All of this was too much for me. I couldn't stop the tears from flowing or the choked sounds coming from my mouth.

"Oh dear…” he said, looking oddly worried about me. “Now now, don't cry. I'm not scaring you, am I? It would be dreadful if that were the case.”

I shook my head, trying to wipe my tears and running nose. The realization that I was crying in front of someone didn't make me feel better.

“How about you tell me who you are?” he asked in a softer voice.

Stifling another sob, I wiped the tears from my eyes and quietly muttered my name. "Nymph..."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Nymph. But why are you crying?"

The thought of being apart from my friends and Happy got me hiccuping. Hiccups are the worst. I could only get out one word: "Lost."

"Anyone with eyes can see that,” he said. "Ponies always get lost in this forest. Why, I don't think they know where they're going half the time."

With one of his long appendages, he stroked my mane. His touch had a calming effect that stopped another wave of tears that threatened to spill out from me.

"There's something else upsetting you, isn't there?"

I gently tossed my head, sniffling.

"Would you like to talk about it? If you don't want to, then that'll be quite alright."

My hiccups began to dwindle once I've calmed down. "I lost one of the few friends I have, and I don't even know where to look for him.”

The serpent gasped. "My, that is a tragedy. But I'm sure you will find your friend."

"But how?"

He thought about it for a moment. "When you have no idea which way to go, sometimes the only thing you can do is pick a direction and keep walking."

"How is that going to help?" I asked him.

"Well, you might find someone to point you in the right direction. You found me after all."

I slowly nodded my head. "That’s true, I guess."

"You may not know it, but all paths eventually cross, paths that lead to here and there. And maybe unexpectedly, you will find your friend along the way."

He had a nostalgic look in his eyes. It told of his vast experience and the things he has seen and encountered.

"So where do I start looking?" I asked.

He stroked the magnificent violet strand of his mustache. "Perhaps the princesses might know."

"The princesses?" The memory of meeting Princess Twilight was still fresh in my mind.

"I'm sure the ones in Canterlot can help you with your problem."

It wasn’t a plan I looked forward to, but there wasn’t much I could do. I needed to convince them to help me. "But how do I get to Canterlot?"

"I can give you a ride and get you as close to Canterlot as I can."

“You’d do that for me?” I asked. "Thank you very much.”

"It’s no problem. No problem at all! You’ve been such a wonderful acquaintance."

"And you're a very generous serpent,” I said.

He chuckled. "It took another pony to show me how."

He picked me up in his claws, holding me carefully as if I was the most fragile thing in the world.

"Hold on tight," he said. And with that, we sailed down the river. His long body slithered across the water, almost as if he was sliding across the surface.

With only the sounds of running water and the serpent’s occasional humming, it was a peaceful journey down the river. I spent the time staring at my reflection in the water. This wasn’t my first time seeing my reflection, but it felt like I was looking at someone else. I saw a sad little pony starting back at me.

I must have been staring for quite a long time because then he asked me, “Something else on your mind?”

I didn't take my eyes off. “What are ponies like?” I asked. “What can you tell me about them?”

“Shouldn't you know?”

“I don't,” I replied. “Not really.”

He held his other claw to his chin. “They are scared, panicky creatures, though my experiences with them are limited.” Although it wasn't the answer I was hoping to hear, he added, “However, I once met a pony who helped me with my moustache problem.”

I eyed at the mismatched strand of hair on his face. “I think it's lovely.”

He chuckled. “Thank you. Your compliments are appreciated. But the point I'm trying to make is that you shouldn't judge a pony at first glance. You'll find there is something more to a person than you would have thought.”

I paused. “Say if I did find there was more to someone,” I said. “Something bad… Does that make them a bad person? 

“Let me tell you something,” he began. “I am a monster, but that doesn't mean I have to act like one. I've seen ponies, both good and bad, try to cross the river, and sometimes good ponies have to do bad things because they think it’s right. So who knows? Monsters can be good. Ponies can be right.” With one of his claws, he gently tapped my chest. “You decide what's good. You decide what's right."

I held a hoof to my chest to where he touched. “I don't think you're a monster…” I said, to which he let out a roar of laughter.

We soon stopped in the middle of a larger body of water.

“We’re here!” he shouted, holding an arm out before us.

I looked around the forest. “Where is here?”

“Canterlot!” He pointed up towards a hole at the start of a trickling waterfall, and just beyond that, one could make out the edge of a castle wall.

I craned my neck upward and stared at it in awe. “How do I get all the way up there?”

I stood uneasily on his claw as he raised it higher until I was brought at the same level as the hole. Only now do I realizing that it wasn’t naturally made. It was perfectly round, unlike any tunnel I've ever been in.

“Just follow this storm drain until you see light coming from a circular lid,” he said.

I gave the tunnel a worried look. “Alone?” I asked him.

He nodded. “I'm afraid so. I’d come but I'm much too big and much too claustrophobic for that.”

I stared down the dark tunnel and took a deep breath. “Okay, here I go.” I stepped off his claw.

“Good luck, dear!” he shouted as I started my trek into the darkness. His words rang in the tunnel. “I hope you find your friend!”

A part of me hoped it wasn't too late to turn back.

The floor was damp. And the smell—oh, the smell— was a punch to my poor nose, like moldy food mixed with rainwater and who knows what. I really didn't want to know, especially since I was stepping in it, fumbling in the dark but still moving forward. Rumbling and unknown sounds echoed off the walls. Something squeaked and ran past my legs, and I couldn't help but give a startled shriek.

I crossed a small room with light coming from the corner of the ceiling and the wall. The stench made sense now. There were bits of trash in here, probably from outside—an old banana peel, a muddy ball, a wet pile of flyers and paper. I could hear the sounds of ponies talking and the sound of hoofbeats. It was bustling and bright out there while I was inside, taking glimpses of passersby. I moved on.

In the dim light, I saw a rung of ladders that lead up to a circular, metal lid. Little rays of light poked holes in the medal. I climbed up and ascended into freedom. Replace the walls with rock and dirt and it would be just like home.

The lid felt heavy, but it budged against my hoof. Cautious eyes peeked out. I quickly ducked as a thundering set of hooves ran atop of the lid. My body clutched onto the ladder for dear life.

Come on, be brave! I told myself.

Fighting against the scared part of me, I risked another glance outside. Throwing the lid to the side, I climbed up, only to hit my head underneath someone's cart. Crawling out, I took my first breath of fresh air since walking in that dark, smelly tunnel.

“Out of the way!” someone shouted.

I yelped, stepping aside as gruff stallion galloped by. I stepped back and bumped into someone.

“My goodness! A riff raff!” a mare yelled at me. She wore a flashy dress and sparkling diamonds all over. “Don't touch me with those filthy hooves!”

The stallion who accompanied the mare stomped a hoof. “Away, scoundrel! Shoo shoo!”

He didn't need to tell me as I was already running. While running, I overheard some of the things ponies were saying:

“Did you hear about Upper Crust?” a stallion walking with his wife asked.

“With who?” The mare gasped. “Sounds like something a changeling would do. You've seen how unfaithful she's been.”

There were more conversations like that:

“A changeling, you say? I knew it!”

“They say she might’ve been a changeling!”

“Good riddance to her.”

“Only a changeling can be with someone that handsome.”

“No really! A changeling really did steal my mail! I swear!”

And some more.

I scrambled past ponies’ hooves, earning a few more shouts after being nearly stepped on. I dove under the tablecloth of an outside table of a corner cafe. My mouth was dry, and I was still winded from all the running.

In my head, I kept saying the same thing to myself: You’re a pony. You're a pony. You're a pony. It was one thing to be a pony. To be surrounded by them was frightening. I tried being brave, but being brave is much harder than being scared.

“Hello, are you okay?”

Startled by the new voice, I let out the scream I've been holding in and held my hooves to shield my face.

“Oh no no, it's okay. Don't be scared. I won't hurt you,” she said softly.

When I stopped screaming, I peeked between my hooves and saw the worried look of a mare poking through the linen. She was pink. Her long horn came nearly close to scraping the underside of the table.

“Would you like to join me up there? At the table?”

I stared at her, then nodded shakily before leaving my hiding spot.

When I joined her at the table, she asked me, “Isn’t that better?”

I took the time to really look at this mare. Pink coat, hidden under a long white dress and a matching wide-brimmed hat that shaded her from the sun. It kind of looked like there was something under the back of her dress.

“Tea?” she asked, holding an ornate teapot in her magic.

I nodded.

She poured me a cup.

The cup trembled in my hooves. I sniffed it experimentally before taking a sip. I spat the scalding hot, bitter liquid out to the side.

She held two containers that matched the teapot’s design. “Cream and sugar? I like mine sweet too.”

I only nodded while she dropped a few spoonfuls of sugar and a bit of cream into my tea. With my tongue still sensitive from the hot drink, I made sure to blow before taking another cautious sip. This time it was better.

For a while, we were silent. The look on her face seemed to hold an endless amount of patience as she drank, as if waiting for me to speak. She would cast glances at other nearby ponies, usually at those who walked or sat together in pairs. An occasional hum would leave her lips as she studied passing ponies.

I hesitated my first sentence between us. “You're not going to yell at me?”

Finally, her eyes were on me. She held a hoof to her chest. “Why in Equestria would I yell at you?”

I shrugged. “I don't know. Other ponies have been yelling at me for no reason. Did I do something wrong?” I glanced to the street just as two stallions got into an argument. They were calling each other a changeling, even though I knew for sure none of them were one.

“Those ponies are just scared,” the mare said, frowning at the scene. “After the whole changeling debacle, I guess some ponies still worry about who to trust these days. Some have even gone to blame others for their own misfortune.”

I wetted my dry lips. “And have you ever met a changeling?”

My eyes studied her face, expecting a sharp reaction. But her face was calm. “Once,” she said, albeit a little sadly. “I was thrown inside a cave by one.”

“Oh,” I muttered uncomfortably. All the things I’ve heard about changelings from these ponies have only made me sadder and more confused than I've ever been in my whole life. I had an urge to apologize, but then I remembered I wasn’t a changeling. An apology would feel pointless coming from me.

I distracted myself with trying to flatten a fold in the table’s linen. “Are...you still scared too?” I asked.

The mare shook her head. “No,” she said. “Not anymore.”

My eyes fell on her again. “Why?” I couldn't hide the curiosity from my voice.

How can she be okay with that?

“I've had time to think,” she answered. She stared into her cup with a thoughtful look on her face. “I ask myself, if I was ever put in a position of that changeling queen, would I do the same thing? For my ponies, I probably would… I don't think I can ever hate her, not completely.” Her face turned serious. “It wasn't entirely her fault. It was the hunger—a feeling that went deep inside them and ate them from the inside and out. And it’s not like we’re perfect either. For the entire time we’ve known changelings, no one has ever fathomed the idea that ponies and changelings could coexist.”

I took in her words, letting it swirl around in my head and sink in. “Do you believe we can live together? Is there even something worth redeeming in a changeling?”

“Perhaps deep down…” she said sadly. “But when an entire race has to feed off of other ponies’ emotions, it makes it difficult. Hunger can make anyone desperate.”

There was always one question that's been on my mind since I've lived in the hive: “What do changelings eat?”

“Love,” she answered. “The inspiration behind symphonies and novels and the cause of many conflicts among pony kind. And even now, it's still a problem. It’s one of the strongest forces in nature that can bring ponies together and tear them apart.”

“You seem like you know a lot about love,” I said.

The corners of her lips curve upward in a manner that seemed mischievous, and yet very pleased for some reason. “I dabble,” she said. She picked up her tea, probably lukewarm by now, and eyed it. Steam started to rise from her cup before she took a sip.

My thoughts drifted toward all the changelings and ponies. “Will we be scared forever?”

She didn't say anything at first. Her eyes locked gazes with mine, while my question hung in the air between us, staring at both of us in the face. “I wouldn't know,” she said at last. “Someone is always scared of something.”

“Maybe we don't have to be scared,” I said to her. “Maybe the world would be a little less scary if we all just try to see things differently. And in the end, it'll all work out.”

She remained silent, staring at me intently. There is a glimmer of something behind her eyes. I shied away from her intense gaze, shriveling in my chair.

“At least, that's what I believe,” I finished quietly.

Finally, she smiled. “Perhaps. Impossible things have happened before.”

“Nothing’s impossible,” I said. “Just the other day, I never thought I would get to Canterlot, but here I am. Hooray…” I cheered weakly. Most of the excitement drowned back in the Everfree.

The mare picked up on my gloom. “You don't seem too happy about that.”

“It’s complicated,” I answered, burying my face in my hooves.

“What did you hope to accomplish by coming here?” she asked.

I looked up from my hooves. “I need to talk to the princess so she can help me with my friend.”

She raised a brow. “And what makes you think you can go see her?”

“I don't know… My friend needs my help more than ever. But what can I do? I'm only a child,” I said, with the composure of a filly nearly on the verge of tears and straining to be a grownup. I already had my chance to cry when I lost my friend. Now I had to stop crying and fix this. “She has to listen to me. How else can I fix my mistake?”

“Why her, though?” she asked.

I wiped my eyes before any tears could fall out. “Because I'm not sure who else to turn to.”

The mare turned around as if to fix the neck of her dress, but all of a sudden, she held one long pink feather in her mouth. The tip of it darkened into a shade of violet. It was one of the prettiest feathers I have ever seen. She pulled out a quill and parchment and began writing something down. “Show the guards at the castle this letter and this feather. Then you can see the princess,” she said before handing me the letter.

I couldn't read any of her curly writing. “But how is this going to help?”

She straightened her dress and adjusted her hat. “Trust me. I have my ways of contacting the princess. Unfortunately, I have to be somewhere else soon,” she said.

From across the street, a white stallion trotted up to us. He had the body of a stallion who could probably fight the elite of changelings but had the face of a grown child. “Ready to go, dear? The train to the Crystal Empire is here.”

She broke her gaze from me to nuzzle his cheek. “In a minute, Shiny. Let me say goodbye to my friend.”

The stallion glanced at me, giving a smile and a nod at my presence. “Afternoon,” he said to me.

I nodded and returned the greeting in a small voice. “Afternoon.”

The mare turned towards me. “You are a smart little filly. Great change comes from ponies who are willing to make a change. The only thing you need to do is to keep your heart open and to be good to the people in your life.”

“Okay,” I mumbled, looking at my hooves.

Her hoof touched the side of my face and lifted it up to her smiling face. “Everything will be okay.”

Using magic, she took out a hairbrush from her bag. Without even asking me, she ran the brush through my unkempt hair, tugging knots free. She even went as far as to dab the corners of my damp eyes and cheeks with a napkin.

“A word of warning,” she said, “the princess may seem intimidating at first glance, but you must remember that she’s still a pony like any other.”

A cough by her side. “Um, Cadance, honey?” the stallion said as the mare started wiping the storm drain grime off my face. 

“Oh, right,” she said somewhat embarrassingly. “Goodbye.” She stood from her chair and walked side by side with the stallion that accompanied her. He whispered something in her ear to cause her dress to oddly ruffle before she swatted him on the shoulder. But later, she leaned into him lovingly.

I watched her go, and I found myself alone again.

Sitting at the table, I stared at the things the peculiar mare gave me. It was my ticket to seeing the princess. I was only a short walk away from clearing this mess I've gotten Happy in, and then we could finally go back.

I wanted to call the hive my home, but suddenly “home” felt like a stranger to me. Was it still my home now that I know I don't belong there? I wasn't sure what to do after I've rescued Happy. Shoving those thought aside for later, I got up and headed straight towards the castle.

There were two guards by the front gate. Identical white unicorns, garbed in gold armor, stood at each side. They held pointed spears at their side and stood at attention. I gave myself another pat down and fixed my mane once more. I needed to look the part of someone meeting royalty. Casting aside any last moment anxiety, I strode forward with an air of confidence.

Crossed spears blocked my entrance. “Meeting with either princesses is scheduled appointment only. Leave.”

I flapped the letter Cadance wrote in front of one of the guards’ faces. He snatched it with magic and scanned the paper. His face seemed to go from its former stoic neutrality to unexpected disbelief.

I pulled out the pink feather from behind my ear and asked in my most adult voice, “I request an audience with the princess in charge.”

The guards, who not long ago told me to leave, gave a small bow of their heads. “Right this way, miss,” one of them said as he led me past the gates.

Although this change in treatment would have made me happy not so long ago, I couldn’t bring myself to find joy in it. I just wanted my friend. The castle doors loomed in front of me. Too big for any pony I've ever seen. Too ridiculous for any use other than to let others know that it was the entrance. The rest of the castle was just as grand and more magnificent than the speck on the mountainside it was days ago.

The guard leading me exchanged some short words to two more guards watching the entrance. The looming doors opened easily with two ponies pushing it. A sense of familiarity overwhelmed me as I took my first step inside, as well as a foreboding sense of dread.

Led by stalwart stallions armed with spears, like executioners bringing me before my final judgment, I walked with a stoic face, feeling the jitters of anxiety dance in my stomach. What was this princess like and will she listen to me? If my past meeting with Princess Twilight was anything to go by, I only hoped she was more understanding. Because if not, then all of this would have been for nothing.

Who cares about going outside or seeing a sunset when there are more important things going on than the stupid little dream of a stupid little filly with no home and no family. None of it really mattered, as long as there was a problem between ponies and changelings.

I have to get this through to the princess or otherwise run the risk of losing those I love.
> 9. Arrival
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A set of hooves left the train upon its arrival in Canterlot. 

Green eyes looked about, hardly giving an interest to the ponies around her. The mare walked with an air of elegance, earning the attraction of nearby ponies who would stop to catch a glance at her, and she loved every bit of it, especially the waft of infatuation coming from these ponies. Like a mix of lightning and lavender, it struck her nose with an overwhelmingly pleasant sensation.

It was too bad that Chrysalis wasn’t here for pleasure.

She kept an eye out in the crowd of ponies.More than once, she had to maneuver around a Canterlot snob, a spoiled rich brat who flaunted his wealth. She had no trouble taking their love and found it even more satisfying to reject their advances after toying with their little hearts. The disheartened looks on their faces were priceless.

However, she paid the most attention to the sound of little foals. Children were accompanied by their parents. Sometimes, a filly would cry out to her parents about something trivial, or a mother would scold her child for misbehaving. A mare gently calmed her baby with soft cooing and a rock of her hooves and was rewarded with a nuzzle to the crook of her neck.

Chrysalis’ face was unreadable as she watched. It made her feel…not good. Whatever the reason, it also made her feel very hungry. Distracted by her thoughts, she bumped shoulders with a passing pink mare wearing a white sun hat and dress.

“Sorry,” the mare apologized.

Chrysalis mumbled a half-hearted apology under her breath and continued on without looking back. “Stupid ponies...”

At the same time, being around so many ponies was aggravating. She may have the appearance of one, but that didn’t mean she had to get friendly with the locals. Friendship means nothing in the grand scheme of things. Ponies were sources of food, and there wasn’t any point in being friends with food.

A strange sadness washed over her. As her mind drifted towards those ponies she hated, a single image stood out—the smiling face of a little filly. Chrysalis shook her head of that thought.

No, I am not going to love them. I am not growing soft!

She needed to find a way inside the castle. She had already given orders for her changelings to infiltrate Canterlot. By now, they were probably trickling in by the dozens. More planning went into this than the fews days she had during the royal wedding. With all the distrust among the citizens of Canterlot, it was even easier to sneak in, ironically. Ponies were quick to blame, and the guards couldn't arrest every pony based on mere suspicion. No one could tell who was a changeling, and it made for the best cover.

The castle where the two sisters resided, however, was where she needed to be. The thought of Princess Celestia on her immaculate throne, smiling down on her little ponies with that mockingly condescending grin—she clenched her jaw at the image of the princess. A poor bystander was unfortunate enough to stand in her path and receive a forceful shove into a fountain as she passed by.

Ahead, there was a cafe with tables outside where she could rest while keeping an eye out. When left alone with her thoughts, Chrysalis couldn't help but think about the little filly, who grew up raised by changelings. Where did she go? What has she learned? More importantly, who will she betray?

Children are so easily influenced. The thought of Celestia filling Nymph’s head with useless things like “friendship” and other pony garbage made her want to wring someone's neck.

“Excuse me, miss?”

“What?!” Chrysalis shouted, only to see a shaken mare holding a notepad. Clearing her throat, she made sure to add some sweetness to her words. “I'm terribly sorry. What did you say?”

The waitress collected herself, trying to act nonchalant about it. “W-what would you like to order?”

Chrysalis quickly glanced at her menu. Nothing in particular caught her eye—pony food was always unappealing—so she settled with something random. “Tea.”

“What kind?” asked the waitress.

Chrysalis stared at the young mare. There’s more than one?

“What tea is good?” she asked.

“Well, we have black teas, green teas, herbal teas…” the mare listed on.

Chrysalis couldn't care what she drank, unless love was involved. “Whatever you recommend,” she answered.

She jotted down the order. “Alright, one order of chai tea and will that be all today?” the mare asked, maneuvering the pencil in her mouth.

Chrysalis felt a headache growing from talking to this mare. She just wanted this pony gone. “Yes…” she said, trying to keep up a smile. If there was no one around, she would have already drained the mare of most of her emotions.

When the waitress left, Chrysalis slumped her head on the table and sighed. “All this work for a lifetime of never going hungry,” she groaned. “The things I do for love…” Her eyes drifted to the street outside and studied the passing ponies, particularly young couples. So carefree and so happy—they wouldn't last a second in a changeling’s shoes.

While sitting in outside, she overheard something particularly interesting.

“I always thought working in a castle would be exciting,” said a stallion.

Chrysalis sat straighter, perking her ears towards the seat behind hers.

“It isn't,” a mare answered. “I’ve only seen the princesses a few times. Most of the time it’s just tidying up the rooms of the castle.”

“At least you get to see the castle, Sundance.”

Chrysalis barely registered the waitress leaving a lidded paper cup and a few sugar packets in front of her as she eavesdropped on the two ponies. She opened the lid of her cup and began idly stirring in sugar with a spoon to let out the steam. A visible grin crept onto her face as she sneaked peeks behind at the mare and stallion. 

“I guess,” the mare, Sundance, said. “Working for the princesses is a lot of pressure. I still get nervous whenever I meet them, especially Princess Luna.”

“Too intimidating?” the stallion asked.

The mare shook her head. “Not exactly. It’s just scary how fast she caught up to a thousand years of history. Years ago, she didn’t know how to use a modern shower, and all of a sudden, she knows how to make her own coffee. Did you know she has her own espresso machine now?”

Listening to the two ponies laughing, an idea hatched in her head. It was like a ticket into the castle was presented to her on a silver platter.

A maid from the castle? What luck! Chrysalis thought. So, she waited, listening to every detail about this mare’s life, making notes on her speech and her habits, her friends and her enemies—everything.

When it looked like their conversation was winding down, it was time to act. Chrysalis brushed a hoof through her beautiful mane, ran a few lines in her head, and got up from her seat, carrying her untouched cup of tea. Just as she passed the mare, her hooves just so happened to “trip”.

Tea spilled everywhere, particularly on the mare who had given a startled yelp as she stood up, dripping from head to hoof.

Darn, lukewarm… Chrysalis thought to herself.

Feigning a flustered look, Chrysalis scrambled back onto her hooves. “Oh my goodness, I am so sorry!” She wasn't. If she could do it again, she would. “Are you alright?”

The mare tried to shake off the liquid, spraying most of it everywhere. “It’s not that bad. At least it wasn't hot coffee.”

Grabbing a wad of napkins, Chrysalis attempted to clean up the mess. “Here, why don't you go clean yourself in the restroom?”

The mare nodded and left the table. As Chrysalis watched her leave, she turned to the stallion. “I better go make sure she’s alright. Don’t go anywhere, handsome.”

The stallion gave her a strange look. “Yeah…sure,” he replied.

Leaving, she chuckled quietly to herself, and her smile took on a twisted look. If someone had been looking closely at her, they would've noticed a glimmer of fangs in her grin.

The mare was using paper towels to dry herself when Chrysalis entered. Upon noticing Chrysalis, the mare grinned. “I'm just about dry now.”

Chrysalis tried to look apologetic. “I am just awfully sorry to have tripped like that.”

“No worries. No one got hurt,” she said.

Chrysalis nodded as she took a step closer, glancing between the door and the mare. “So, how long have you two known each other.”

The mare smiled. “Since university. U of Fillydelphia. We’ve dated for a while now.”

“Oh? Has he popped the question yet?” Another step.

A heavy blush covered the mare’s face. “No, but I think he might soon.” She fiddled with a lock of her hair. “I'm just so excited and nervous. What if he wants to start family? I mean, we’ve talked about it. You know, hypothetically. But then I’d have to quit my job to raise a foal.”

Chrysalis nodded in agreement. “Of course. Raising a child demands sacrifice. You have to think about their future and yours. But, it is up to you to decide whether to pursue your career or raise a family.”

The mare eyed her curiously. “Do you have a foal? You hardly look like you had a child. I mean, your figure looks amazing.”

Chrysalis let out a chuckle. “No. I am a career mare. There are too many important things going on in my life,” she said, falling into a somber quietness. The changeling queen trotted closer until she stood behind the mare. “But if I did, I'd do anything for her, even if it means changing the world for her sake.”

“Sounds a little extreme, don't you think?” the mare in the mirror asked.

Chrysalis’s eyes fell on the mare’s reflection. “To you, I suppose, but not for a changeling, no.”

“What do you mean a change—”

Then she noticed Chrysalis’s vibrant green eyes in the mirror. Her own eyes flashed green before she subsequently collapsed on the floor.

“Now just take a little nap,” she whispered into her ear. She dragged the unconscious body to one of the empty stalls and took the saddlebags. One look inside revealed a cleaned and pressed uniform, a badge with the mare’s picture and ID, and a bag of bits.

What did this pony know about raising a child? She didn't know the sacrifice one had to go through. All those years playing the role as Mommy while planning Equestria’s downfall. All those times Nymph asked for her, crying after a bad dream or falling down. All the “I love you’s” she has ever uttered without realizing what she was saying it to.

She was a fool for even trying.

No, a fool is someone who lets their heart sway their thoughts and their emotions cloud their judgment.

She closed her eyes and breathed through her nose, feeling the magic transform her body. When she came out, she was an earth pony mare, completely dry of any spilled liquids. She brushed a hoof through her mane before sauntering to the table with her saddlebags.

“Everything alright, Sundance?” the stallion asked.

“Yes, I’m fine,” she answered. “I just remembered that I forgot something at work. You don't mind if I go grab it, right?”

The stallion raised a brow. “Really? Right now? I was really hoping we’d do something together.” His hoof drew circles on the table. “I kinda had this thing planned out.”

Her hoof fell over his. “So sorry about this. How about dinner and a movie tonight?”

A smile lightened his face. “That sounds great, Sundance.”

He moved in to nuzzle her, but she moved in quick to place a kiss on his cheek, catching him by surprise.

“Thank you for being so understanding,” she said. “Though, I apologize if I may seem tired when I come back. Just don't go asking any questions.”

“Right… Understanding,” he mumbled holding his hoof to his cheek. A dumb smile was plastered on his face when the mare left the shop.

Her tongue brushed against her lips as she licked the last tastes of her meal. She giggled to herself, feeling better than she ever did in the past decade. This was going exceptionally well. What luck finding one of the princess’s servants! What stupid, careless ponies did Celestia have! 

As long as things went her way, she wouldn't need a defenseless, little filly to help with negotiations. Who needs the love of one filly if she can have everything she wanted by force?

She adjusted her saddlebags and trotted leisurely towards the castle. “Ponies… Ha! Gullible—every last one of them.” In a quieter voice, she repeated, “Every last one of them.”

There were many ponies walking around in front of the castle. Fortunately, many of them weren't ponies in the first place. She could feel their gaze as she walked. It wasn’t as if she was drawing attention. No, they were merely getting ready and looking for a sign, patiently waiting for things to come to fruition as they have done so all these years.

Each stride towards the castle fanned the flames of her hatred, building up into an inferno centered on the one pony she had once triumphed over. She remembered it clearly—the sight of these ponies’ beloved princess lying helplessly on the floor. Their mighty ruler of Equestria, nothing more than a pathetic and weak mare. Victory should have been hers then. But why wasn’t it? Victors were awarded, and losers were punished. Wasn't that how it worked?

No matter. What happened was in the past. She needed to focus on the present and her future.

When she reached the castle gates, she squelched her anger under a false smile as she approached the guard posted. It was a unicorn. Her eyes lingered on the stallion, who imperceptibly stiffened at seeing her. 

The unicorn barred her entry with a spear. “Halt,” he said.

Chrysalis stood in front of him. Tch, security check. But no problem.

She flashed a disarming smile. “My name is Sundance. I work as a maid in the castle.” She presented her badge, hoping it would be enough to grant entry. Of course, it never is.

The guard scrutinized the ID and then looked at her. “Hold still, miss. Just going to do a routine check for any concealed items.”

“Can never be too careful, right?” She laughed.

The changelings she had roaming nearby tightened their circle around the castle, creating a wall of bodies from outside glances.

A unicorn guard pointed his horn towards her, slowly going from her head to her hooves before stopping at the bag of bits kept in her bag.

“Is that the only metal you brought?” he asked as he pulled the coins out.

“Yes,” she answered.

He put the bits back. “And one last question for your clearance.” The guard eyed her, gauging her reaction. “What blend of tea does Celestia like?”

The edges of her smile almost faltered. Almost. Of course, there were measures put in place for the castle’s security. A simple question requiring a specific passphrase. Then again, such a simple measure is only a trivial obstacle. She calmly looked into his eyes, meeting his gaze. 

“I'm afraid I don't care much about what that idiotic princess drinks,” she said, holding her gaze on the stallion.

The guard jolted in place as if about to move, but remained standing as he was. His eyes cast a dull gaze once a green shimmer overtook them. The guard hadn't noticed his surroundings nor the feeling of her magic already working into him.

Chrysalis stepped up to the pony and leaned in to whisper, her lips almost brushing against his ear. “Now,” she said, “will you let me inside?”

His head nodded lazily, and he stepped aside, keeping his weapon at rest.

She smiled as she trotted by. “See? That wasn’t so hard.”

Things were going to be much different this time around. She was much stronger now and more prepared than before.

“And one more thing,” she said, a dark look surfaced underneath her smile. “I want you to attack the first guard you meet. Just make sure you get everyone‘s attention. For me, please?”

The guard nodded dumbly. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Excellent,” she said as she passed through the gates.

Just inside, she will be meeting her fated enemy. There will be no distractions. No royal wedding. No Element Bearers or dragon or Shining Armor or Mi Amore Cadenza. There will only be her and Celestia in the same room, and once she has done what she needs to do, she will quietly slip into the life of an Equestrian princess, pulling the strings to help her changelings.

It was about time Celestia and her ponies deserved their rightful punishment.
> 10. The Rain, the Sun, the End of the Run
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So that's it, huh?” Pumpkin kicked a rock into a pond. “We just wait and watch as Equestria throws itself into a war between ponies and changelings?”

Happy had gone over the events that led to the present from the Canterlot invasion to running away from home. He told everything—Queen Chrysalis’s plans for a coup and Nymph’s role as the pony face for changelings once the Equestrian throne has been seized.

“It will likely happen,” Happy said. “Now with Nymph missing from the hive for so long, I don’t know what my Queen will do.”

Pound shook his head. “Is there anything we can do? Anything you can do?”

He shook his head.

“So you just sit here and let the other changelings take over Equestria? Do you even care about Nymph or is she just a snack for you changelings?”

Happy stared hard at them. “Do you think I want this to happen?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. “The only thing I gain from this is the hope that we changelings get to see another day without going hungry. But if changelings don't come out of this as winners, you might be witnessing the start of a slow extinction.”

New feelings welled up inside him. It twisted his insides like a red hot knife.

“I know she’s only a filly! She has nothing to do with our pain! She doesn’t deserve to be chained to the punishment we bring ourselves!”

Without looking at them, he could tell what faces they were making. Sympathy oozed out of the two ponies. Whether it was for their lost friend or the dire situation of changelings, he didn’t know. Even if it was for him, it was underserved—he was a changeling and they were ponies.

He continued: “That little filly is the hope that things will be different for the better because she is the only pony that could ever understand a parasite like me.” He thought he felt something wet slide down his cheek. “That's why I need to find her.”

After a long silence, Pumpkin stepped forward. “Nymph is our friend. We’ll help you, Happy.”

“What can you do?” Happy asked.

“The only thing we can do,” she said. She stood up and looked at Happy and then Pound. “Be there for her.” She began walking with Pound following beside her.

The changeling stomped a hoof. “No! It’s too dangerous for you two,” he said. “You’ll be risking your lives by getting caught up in this fight.”

Pound and Pumpkin trotted ahead, ignoring the changeling’s warnings. “How do we get to her?” Pound asked. “Ponyville is a long way from here.”

They neared the entrance to the castle as they aimlessly walked. Happy grew more anxious the closer they got. “Are you two even listening to me?!”

He nearly bumped into the twins as they suddenly halted. “Wait… Isn’t that...?” Pumpkin began.

Trotting towards the main doors to the castle was a small pony—a black speck escorted by immaculately white guards. “Holy moly! It is!” Pound shouted.

The twins sprinted towards the gates. “Nymph! Nymph, wait!”

A guard armed with a spear blocked their passage. “No entry without an appointment.”

“But that’s our friend!” Pumpkin shouted, trying to see past the guard.

“An appointment is still required,” he said resolutely.

“But—”

A pair of hooves wrapped around the foals’ shoulders. 

Happy smiled to the guard as he held them. “So sorry to have bothered you. You know how easily excited kids are.” He started pushing them away from the guard. “Come along now, dear niece and nephew. You've had your fun. Leave the guard to his duties.”

They felt an uncomfortable squeeze on their shoulders as Happy led them away. They strode away from the castle, heading into an alley away from public view with Happy still holding the two ponies.

When they had reached a dead end, Pumpkin swatted away Happy’s hoof. “Where are you taking us? Nymph is back at the castle!”

The changeling let out a sigh, giving an annoyed look. “You two have a lot to learn about changelings,” Happy scolded. “The first thing to know about changeling infiltration is that there are always other ways to get in.”

He walked over to a sewage cover, popping off the lid leading into the sewer.

Pumpkin wrinkled her nose. “Gross, we’re going down there?” she asked, but Happy had already begun climbing down the ladder.

Pound and Pumpkin gave each other a look before descending after the changeling, allowing the darkness to swallow them up. A light blue glow surrounded Pumpkin’s horn as she concentrated. What little illumination they had gave them enough light to see. The entire sewer system was built from stone. Something had scurried in the corner of their vision, escaping the reach of their light.

Happy continued to trot ahead even as they scrambled to keep up. The repulsive smell was almost enough to make the ponies lose their lunch.

“Agh! It stinks!” Pound shouted, covering his nose.

“You don't have to follow me,” Happy said.

“We’re going,” the twins both stated with absolute finality.

Happy grunted to himself, knowing he was dealing with children.

“So…” Pound began. “What's the second thing we need to know about changelings?”

The uniformly layered stone bricks changed as soon as they turned a corner of the sewer passage. Along the stone wall was a large gaping hole leading elsewhere. The light from Pumpkin’s horn couldn’t reach the end of whatever lay beyond the entrance.

“The second is knowing your way around a cave,” Happy said as he trotted into the dark opening, like a great open maw of a horrific beast.

Pumpkin swallowed the lump in her throat. “No turning back,”  she said.

Pound placed a hoof on her shoulder. “No turning back,” he said as they cautiously entered.

The path had narrowed considerably the further they walked until it was only as wide as a grown pony. Like the catacombs described in only Daring Do novels, it seemed to keep going on as a long winding path, occasionally branching into others. However, the path eventually widened as rocky walls revealed embedded crystals of varying sizes, glistening in Pumpkin’s light. Pound and Pumpkin let out sounds of awe when they entered a spacious opening.

“How long has this been here?” Pound asked.

Happy began climbing atop a pile of rocks that sloped towards the ceiling. “Since the last invasion,” he said, tossing a couple of stones and giving a few knocks on a particular spot. “The cavernous mines are like a maze. To the unprepared pony, they will be lost for a while. But if you’re a changeling that knows its way around secret passages like me...”

He pushed against a large stone. Gravel and loose dirt fell as he dug his way up. His efforts were rewarded when light poured into the dark tunnels, reflecting off the crystals. Pumpkin and Pound followed after Happy through the opening.

“Are we in?” Pound asked as he peeked outside.

Pumpkin shoved him out and looked around with a disappointed frown. “This just looks like an old shed.”

“Because it is an old shed,” Happy answered, pushing a crate to cover the hole. “It’s used to keep tools to maintain the castle’s garden and pristine outer appearance.”

“Why are we in some old shed?” Pound asked.

He peeked out the door. “Just one of the many unused routes of the invasion plan,” Happy said. ”Of course, my Queen will never enter a pony’s place like this. Too undignified. She will try to find another way while harvesting love for herself.”

Seeing no other pony around, he walked out, motioning to Pound and Pumpkin to do the same.

They sneaked through the castle gardens towards the main building. As they moved, Pumpkin gave another look around. “Have you noticed the lack of guards around this part of the castle?”

“Yeah, where are they?” Pound added.

Happy muttered to himself under his breath. “No guards…” Realization struck him as a sense of dread washed over his features. “It’s already started. We have to find Nymph before things get worse!”

“What's happening?”

“From what I can assume, the guards are heading right into a diversion. With no warning, they'll be thrown into a state of panic and chaos. The changelings will start attacking!”

“Hey, look up there!” Pumpkin pointed towards the sky.

“Looks like a fight.” Pound squinted his eyes. “Is it just one changeling? I think it just fell.”

“Oh, horseapples! It’s Nymph!” Pumpkin shouted.

“Happy, we have to save her now!” Pound yelled. But there was no response from the changeling. “Happy?”

When they turned to the changeling, he was no longer there and had already gone ahead, flying towards Nymph as fast as he could with his pegasus wings and catching her with open arms.

They watched as their friends fell to the earth, watched their friends plummet to the ground like a raindrop. Nymph—a droplet of a filly and wondrous amazement, held in the arms of a thimble of a changeling.


~~~~~~~


Moments before...

Another grand set of doors stood before me, just as large as the other.

With a pegasus guard beside me and another guard gone to announce the princess of my arrival, I couldn’t help but tremble. My legs felt too heavy to move.

“Nervous, kid?” the pegasus asked. As with most of the guards, his coat was white, but the differences between them were more obvious than between changelings. “It’s usually like that at first meeting with Princess Celestia, but it’ll be alright.”

I didn't say anything, only nodding my head at his words.

The doors opened, revealing a large room with a long red rug and high ceilings held by pillars. Stained glass windows covered the walls from floor to ceiling with pictures of ponies, most of whom I recognize, especially the purple mare.

My hooves echoed as I crossed the room and stood before the throne. A mare stood by it with a paper and quill ready, and sitting there, the princess watched with a patient smile. The pony who sat before me must have been at least three times my size and at least a full head taller than most of the ponies I've seen. She could probably stand as tall as my mother. Maybe taller.

Like Princess Twilight, she had a horn and wings. Her long mane stood out the most with the way it flowed in a nonexistent breeze. It's almost hypnotic. Her face practically radiated in the sunlight.

She reminded me of someone, strangely, but I couldn't quite remember where. Someone darker? Maybe someone in a crowd. When I saw her, I blurted out the first thing that came to my mind. 

“Wow, you must be the biggest pony I have ever seen,” I said.

One of her ears twitched, but her face didn't show any reaction. It was like she was wearing a mask—no real show of her feelings. She might as well have been those pony statues from Rarity’s boutique. Nothing about her expression was right. She's had too much practice trying to hide her real expression.

“Hello, my little pony,” she greeted.

The way she said that sent a shiver down my back like a trickle of cold water. Standing before her while she sat on her throne, I felt very, very small. 

“For what reason have you come seeking my audience?” she asked.

“Are… Are you the princess?” I hesitantly asked.

She allowed a small grin under her mask and nodded. There was a twinkle of amusement in her eyes. Maybe curiosity.

“For over a thousand years, I have ruled the lands of Equestria and risen the sun each day.” Her great white wings flared to their full span in a dramatic show before nestling at her sides. “To answer your question, yes, I am.”

Unsure of what to do, I kneeled before her. “Princess, my name is Nymph, and I need your help.” This was it. Everything I’ve done has led me to this moment. My eyes met hers. “My friend is in danger. If there's one pony who ponies will listen to, it’s you, isn’t it? Princess Twilight will surely listen to you.”

One of her brows raised slightly. “Twilight Sparkle? She has been my faithful student for a very long time. What has happened?”

I felt my bravery start to crumble, but I pushed through.

“A lot of things happened. She hurt my friend and has him right now. I need your help, please!”

The princess allowed a frown on her face. “That doesn't sound like Twilight at all. What was the cause of her actions?”

“Er… uh, because…” I was stammering, trying to find a good way to phrase my sentence. I couldn't even look her in the eyes.

“A changeling…” I mumbled quietly.

One of her ears twitched. “Excuse me? Care to repeat that?”

I swallowed my saliva to ease my dry throat. “Because of a changeling.” I cringed at the last word.

All sound in the room vanished.

A veil of uneasiness had settled into the room. The pony that had been recording the exchange stopped writing after I uttered those words. The guards grew stiff, judging by their tense faces.

Lastly, there was the princess. Her face seemed to harden, though it was very hard to tell. There was a change in her expression that could've gone unnoticed if one wasn't paying close attention. The slight furrow of her brow. The brief falter in her otherwise calm demeanor. The muscles in her jaw tightening.

The radiance that once came from her seemed to cast a shadow around the features of her face, and that face held a hidden tiredness.

She pushed the conversation along, nevertheless. 

“My, how awful,” she said, giving me a pitiful look. She gave me an assuring smile, despite the tension in the room. “I have recently received a report of a changeling in Ponyville by my former student, but do not worry. We will find where the changeling has taken your friend and safely return him.”

I shook my head. “No no, you don't understand. My friend wasn’t taken by a changeling. He is a changeling,” I said. My hooves found themselves clasped over my nervously beating heart. “Please. My friend has always been a changeling for as long as I’ve known him, and I need you to tell Princess Twilight to let him go.”

I could feel everyone’s eyes on me, and it made me wish I was anyone else but me right now. I felt like a freak, like I didn’t belong even though I looked more like them than any changeling I’ve met.

Judging by the look on Princess Celestia’s face, she hadn’t expected to hear those words coming from me. Her smile had cracked, revealing her shock and confusion. I had honestly expected anger or even disgust, but she looked like she couldn’t understand where I came from, as if a filly from an unknown world dropped in front of her.

After some time thinking and perhaps carefully choosing her next words, she asked, “Why have you befriended a changeling?”

I glanced at my hooves, if only to avoid looking at the princess in front of me for just a moment. “Well… I live with them. My whole life actually. This is my first time seeing Equestria, you see.”

Her horn glowed briefly, and her eyes widened slightly. “You aren't a changeling.”

I nodded slowly. “I know.”

She held a hoof to her chin. “Tell me. Where are your parents?”

Hesitation gripped my tongue. She means my real parents. My pony parents. The ponies who only came to my world’s existence in these short few days.

“I don't know.”

She nodded slowly, holding a hoof under her chin. “This is quite serious.”

“Princess Celestia?” I asked. What is she planning?

Princess Celestia gave two stomps of her hooves. “Guards!” she bellowed, causing the guards in the room to stand at attention. “Take her to the castle infirmary for medical examination.”

My eyes widened as the guard marched to my side. “What about my friend?”

She forced a smile on her face, as if trying to dismiss the tension in the room. “I will meet with my student about the changeling matter. For now, we will make sure you’re healthy. Then, we will find your family for you. Doesn't that sound nice?”

Even though I heard the words, I just couldn't believe it. “No…” I shook my head. “No, you can't do that!” I pleaded.

There was a frown, which I imagine comes from how rare someone challenges her authority. ”I’m sorry, but this discussion is over.”

“Come on. Let’s go,” the pegasus whispered to me.

I ignored him. “I don't want a new family! The changelings are already my family!”

Pitiful eyes look down on me. “You're confused. Your real family isn't with them.”

“I know who my family is!” I shouted back. "The one I've known all my life, the one who has raised me to be a respectable princess is my mother—Queen Chrysalis."

A gasp came from the mare beside the princess, but the princess made no reaction.

My body trembled, either in anger or in fear. Maybe both. But I had to stand up for the changelings and my mother. If I don't, who will? 

Princess Celestia's lips moved. "Do you have any idea what happened years ago, here in Canterlot?"

I let out a shuddering breath. “I know about the invasion, and I know they eat love. I can also put together how they get their love. But after all those awful things they did, don’t you think maybe they can change?”

“People can’t change that easily, Nymph,” she said.

“But not impossible,” I added.

She stared at me for a while with the same pitying look on her face before closing her eyes. “I think some rest will help clear your mind.” She looked at the guard. “If you would, please.”

I stomped a hoof. “Don’t do this! You’re making a big mistake!” A firm hoof touched my shoulder to lead me away, but I swatted at it. “They're all I have left!” I bawled on the floor as the stallion picked me up and carried me away on his back. “Don’t do this…”

What I needed most right now was for somebody—anybody—to listen to me. But no adult would listen to a child’s words. Even if they did, how could anyone possibly understand what I’m going through right now? When your confidence is shaken and your world is shattered, you can’t help but cry and wish things were better.

So that’s what I did.

The stallion carried me out of the room as the princess began a hushed discussion with her advisor.

“The princess will find you a nice home,” he said reassuringly. “You'll see.”

I couldn’t find the right words to say and whimpered miserably.

We walked the halls, which were strangely empty of the guards that once dotted every corner and door like statues.

“Where is everyone?” he mumbled to himself.

Another pony, this time a unicorn, ran by us. She’s wearing a black dress with a frilly white apron.

“Hey, where are all the guards?” he asked her, while I kept my gaze on the ground.

“A changeling was spotted in the castle maze! Guards are being relocated outside to capture it before it reaches the princess. I've been notified to tell any remaining guards to keep Princess Luna locked in the safety of her room.”

The guard nodded. “Let me bring this filly somewhere safe, while you find someplace to hide.”

“I will, but I first need to warn Princess Celestia,” she said.

When I finally spared a glance at this new pony, I couldn't believe what I saw. For a moment, I caught a glint in the pony’s eye when she looked at me. I could already see those sharp green eyes being on a tall changeling’s face.

She knew. I knew. She and I should have reached the same thought: What are you doing here?

We both stared at each other until finally, the mare broke away.

“I have to go now,” she said hurriedly and galloped away out of sight.

The guard brought me to a nearby room filled with beds surrounded by curtains.

The stallion put me on the bed and began closing the curtains around it. “Stay in here and hide. Don't come out of hiding and don't open the door to anyone else. Got it?”

I blinked and nodded wordlessly.

He left in a hurry and closed the door.

I slowly walked to the door and put my ear against it, listening to his fading hoofbeats. When all was quiet, I opened the door just a crack. The hall was empty both ways. I took that as my cue to leave.

That was Mother. I was sure of it. But, what should I say to her? There were so many things to talk about, and to do that, I have to go back to the throne room. There was just one problem. The castle was very large, and I had no idea where I was in it.

It was while I was wandering down the hall that three earth pony guards rounded a corner.

“You there! Halt!” one of them shouted.

Uh oh. I turned and ran.

They gave chase. “Stop!”

Being bigger than I was, they were going to catch up to me. I ran through a door and up a spiraling staircase, leaping five steps at a time. My wounded leg still ached, and my breath was ragged. All the excitement and traveling was catching up to me.

When I got to the top, I threw the door behind me. There wasn’t anywhere to run up here. I was on top of a tower overlooking all of Canterlot. With my hooves leaning on the railing of the balcony, I could see all of Canterlot too. The ponies below looked like ants. It looked like a fight was going on at the castle entrance. Ponies fighting each other from the looks of it. What was going on? Thundering hooves could be heard behind the door.

The door flew open with a bang.

Before I could turn around, a heavy weight pressed down on my back and a pair hooves wrapped around my chest and neck.

“Hold its legs! We don't want this one to escape!”

“Let go!” I screamed, kicking and squirming. I was scared. They were hurting me. My teeth latched onto one of his hooves, and I bit down hard. There was a shout. His grip loosened, and I took that chance to butt him with the back of my head and kick him between the legs.

I was free of the weight pressing on me as I pulled myself out from under the guard. But my hooves couldn't find a railing or ground. There was nothing solid around me. 

Realization sunk in quick. I was tumbling in the air and very much falling like an apple bucked from a tree. My mane whipped in the wind, and the world was spread out below me with lands as vast as the sky. Without the fear of plummeting to my death, I imagine this was what it was like to fly—hovering between the world below and the sky above.

I'm falling… I thought. I tried my best. There was still so much to do and so much to see. I only came across a fraction of Equestria, still yet to visit more. I thought it would be even better to have seen Equestria with Chrysalis. Eyes closed, I waited.

Caught by surprise, I slammed into something, knocking the wind out of me. A pair of hooves wrapped around my body. My eyes opened. It was a black pegasus. Even when he made himself look older, I could recognize him in an instant.

“Happy!”

He was struggling to keep us in the air as we hurtled towards the ground in an uncontrolled spiral. “Hang on tight!” he yelled over the rushing wind.

My hooves were losing their grip around his barrel. “I’m slipping!” I cried. “Happy, I can't hold on!”

“Nymph, look at me!”

My eyes were shut, too scared to watch the ground growing closer. “I can't!”

“Look at me!” he screamed.

I opened one eye towards his face.

“You’ll be fine,” he said. “I won't let anything bad happen to you.”

Both eyes were open now to see his warm toothy smile.

He glanced below and tightened his grip. “Hold on!”

The sound of branches ripping as we tore through the leaves filled my ears. We smacked through every tree branch on the way down until finally landing in a bush. My head and everything hurt. But I was alive.

A hoof prodded my side. “Nymph...” Happy called.

When my eyes fluttered open, Happy threw his hooves around me, stroking the back of my head as he held on. “Don't you ever scare me like that.”

As much as I wanted to hold him, I shoved him away and threw my head behind the bush. Horrible sounds came from me as I emptied my poor tummy. My heart was still racing, and everything felt terrible. With watery eyes, I finally threw my hooves around Happy.

“I’m sorry,” I croaked, burying my face into his chest. “I’m sorry...”

He looked unsure what to do with his hooves before finally settling on patting my back. “I should be the one apologizing for putting you through all this.” A sigh escaped his lips. “I’ve failed as your guardian.”

“No, it’s my fault,” I said. “You did nothing wrong. It was all my idea. I should have been more responsible.” I held onto him a little longer until finally saying the thing that had been on my mind: “I talked to the princess about changelings.”

He stiffened.

"Why…?" I asked.

“It’s the life of a changeling… I’m a fraud,” he said. “We don’t feel things the way normal ponies do. It’s all an act. A skill in survival.”

“But haven’t you ever wished you were wrong and that all those things you feel are real?”

“All the time,” he answered.

"And what about me? Were you ever my friend? Or was that a lie too?"

A look into his eyes told me the truth, but he said it anyway. "Our friendship is not a lie nor will it ever be."

Tears began gathering in my eyes, which he brushed away with a hoof. A smile made its way to my lips. Despite all the things I had been through, I was glad there were some things that stayed the same.

Our tender moment was interrupted by a pair of bodies tackling me to the ground.

“Nymph!”

Even with my body still aching, I still managed a smile at seeing the two ponies I had come to know recently. “Pound! Pumpkin! You're here! I thought you were in Ponyville!"

Pumpkin gave me a squeeze. “Well, we were but then you ran away, and we knew something was wrong!”

“I don’t understand. How did you find me?” I asked.

My eyes drifted towards Happy, who only gave a heavy sigh. “It’s a long story.”

Their explanation was incredible to say the least. Running from the princess? Magicians and secret passages? Now that we were together again, I couldn’t help but laugh, which had felt like something I hadn’t done in a long time. It was just good to see them again after all that I’ve been through. Even though I had known Pound and Pumpkin for only a short time, they had done so much to find me.

“I'm so glad to see you again,” I said, wrapping my hooves around them. “I'm so sorry for running off without telling you what was going on.”

“It’s fine, Nymph,” Pound said, giving me a comforting pat. “It’ll be okay once we get back to Ponyville.”

I broke up our hug. “No. We have to go to the throne room where Princess Celestia is.”

“Are you kidding me?!” Pumpkin shouted. “After all we went through?! If you haven't noticed, there is a fight going on! Getting further in isn’t going to be easy.”

“Well, getting to Canterlot wasn’t easy for me either,” I said. “I've crossed a desert, fought monsters, nearly drowned, and fell out of a tower just to get to where I am now. Nothing stopped me then. Nothing’s going to stop me now.”

Pumpkin shook her head. “This is crazy…” she mumbled.

“Well, maybe it is. We have to help my mother, even if she’s a changeling.” I blinked the tears away, trying desperately to wipe them away. “I need to save her."

Happy moved between me and Pumpkin. “This isn’t your fight. Changelings and ponies are destined for conflict. Nothing you can do can change that. You’ll only get hurt.”

“I have to do this,” I said. “There are people that need my help. It doesn’t matter who they are.”

Happy closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh, so full of conflicting feelings. Pitiful eyes finally opened to look at me, searching for hope. “What can you do? You’re only a child.”

In those eyes, I saw myself for what I was—a ragged, tired little filly who has seen and been through so much. “I know that… I know I’m a child. That’s all I ever was to begin with, and not much has changed since I left the hive. I never understood anything, and it was because I was still a child.” A small smile slipped from memories of my time in Equestria. I thought about how a changeling queen felt about her place in a world of ponies and how lonely she felt, and I thought about how less lonely she must be when I came into her life. “But still, it's my duty as a princess and her daughter. It’s a chance to do something right for once.”

A heavy sigh left his lips. “You know there’s going to be another confrontation between the princess and the queen, and there is going to be a winner and a loser. What makes you so sure you’ll make a difference?” he asked.

I smiled, trying to copy the grin he always gives me. “Things’ll be different this time. It has to.”

For what felt like the first time in ages, he chuckled and then I saw him smiling that smile of his. Even as a pegasus, two of his teeth still seem to stick out as he smiled. “You ponies are always too optimistic for your own good.”

“But you like them just the same,” said Pound.

Coughing behind a hoof, Happy tried hiding his embarrassment. “I do not,” he stated.

Pumpkin bumped her flank against him. “Do too! You care about Nymph and to some extent, I think you even care about us,” she teased.

“Nymph fell under my responsibility. She would be sad if anything had happened to you two.”

“Say all you want, but deep down you care about us, too.”

His eyes fell on me with a softened look. “Perhaps,” he said. “It’s not often a changeling puts its trust in a pony. But if there is one pony I should place my trust in, it’s Nymph.”

A grin made its way to my lips. “I love you too, Happy. You and Mother and every changeling in the hive.”

He furrowed his brows.“Careful when saying that to a changeling.”

“Why not? Love makes life worth living.”


~~~~~~~


In her throne room, Princess Celestia was in the middle of discussing with her aide, Raven Inkwell, of the matter about the little filly that had been escorted out of the room by one of her guards.

“Would you like me to send a message to Princess Twilight Sparkle about the missing filly, Your Highness?” Raven asked.

“No, I will personally write to her. I would like to hear what my former student has to say about this.”

A knock came at the door before opening to reveal a lone earth pony mare. Her attire showed her occupation as one of the castle’s maids.

“Raven, would you please excuse us? There’s something I need to talk to Sundance about.”

The pony looked between the princess and the new arrival unsurely before leaving the room.

Celestia glanced at the guards in the room. “Guards, would you please escort Miss Inkwell safely to where she needs to?”

The guards in the room left without a word, leaving Princess Celestia with the earth pony, whose expression morphed into a frown once they were alone.

The alicorn’s eyes held a sad look as she stared at the pony. “I hope you’ve come here to talk things peacefully.”

“I’m afraid not,” she replied.

The distance between them closed as Celestia stepped off her dais and the mare walked forward. There wasn’t a hint of fear or uncertainty on either of their faces nor was there falter in their steps.

“We’ve clashed once before. There will probably be many more conflicts to come.” A heavy sigh left Celestia’s lips. “There really is no other way, is there?”

The mare’s eyes bore into the princess—a look of pure wrath, harbored over the years and soaked in the desire of vengeance.

“No.”

Celestia matched her stare with her own unrelenting resolve. “Is this really worth it?”

The mare’s outfit caught fire, burning the pony’s fur and flesh away, leaving behind charcoal skin. There was no scream of pain but instead came laughter brought by some twisted, dark humor. It filled the great hall, where once an alicorn lay crumpled before a changeling.

When her laughter had subsided, the changeling queen looked at her pony equal without a hint of a smile on her face. “For my changelings, love is worth dying for.”
> 11. Where Our Hearts Lie
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The commotion at the front of the castle could be heard as we snuck around a corner of the castle. Guards fought against each other and against the swarm of changelings that had jumped into the fray, disguised as other ponies. There was hesitancy on the younger guard ponies, too inexperienced to tell their fellow ponies apart. Then, there were those who threw away caution for their own safety, even if it meant hurting their own. Heads butted. Hooves kicked. A guttural cry pierced the air that may have belonged to a pony or a disguised changeling. I couldn’t tell. The mass confusion gave us the chance to run past the fight and inside the building.

Inside, groups of unconscious ponies lay along the path as we got closer to the throne room, still breathing thankfully. They were guards and ponies that worked in the castle. The ones who remained awake held unfocused gazes and never took notice of our arrival.

Was this Mother? Is this what stealing love does to them?

I grimaced as I stepped over an unarmored mare who lay sprawled out on the ground, unaware of her surroundings. We swiftly galloped toward the throne room, sidestepping a few ponies while I tried to piece together my memory of the castle. Beside me, Happy held a serious look.

When we stopped to catch our breaths, he looked at Pound and Pumpkin. “You two. I can't guarantee your safety beyond this point. You can still leave now.”

A spark of determination lit up in Pumpkin’s eyes. “When we’ve come this far? No way!” she said,  grasping my hoof.

Pound held a look to match Happy’s and held onto my other hoof. “Nymph is our friend, and we’ll see this through with her.”

Happy looked at me. Despite looking like a pony, I could still see the changeling behind those blue eyes.

“Nymph,” he began, “now, more than ever, you need to choose: ponies or changelings?”

He was giving me another chance to back out like Pound and Pumpkin. If I stayed with ponies, I wouldn’t be caught in whatever fate holds for the changelings, while also keeping Pound and Pumpkin out of this mess. But, I couldn’t leave the changelings to their demise.

Noticing my struggle to choose, he added, “You don’t have to feel responsible for us. Those who aren't loved are fated to disappear, and we changelings have become used to going unloved for so long. You’ll be happier living among your own kind.”

I shook my head.

“You don’t know if that's true,” I said. “I can’t think of being happy without you or Chrysalis in my life.” Pound and Pumpkin let go as I held Happy’s hooves in my own. “I'm not going to choose. I don't want either side to get hurt.”

His frown deepened in a way that seemed to pain him. “That decision will lead to more hardships and hold an even greater cost.”

“If it means doing what I think is right, then I’ll pay whatever cost. I want to live in a future with both changelings and ponies.”

We held our gaze for a long while until he let out a heavy reluctant sigh. “Okay, Nymph...”

I smiled, trying to coax a grin out of him. “It’ll work out. I’ll make it happen.”

His hoof brushed a stray hair out of my face. A small smile came out of hiding on his face. “I hope so, Nymph.”

We continued our journey, racing to where Princess Celestia and Queen Chrysalis were. By the time the door to the throne room came into view, a looming sense of dread began to hover over my head at what may lie before us, its sharp tip pointed at me. Was Mother alright? Was Princess Celestia alright? Awful thoughts of what lay behind the door popped into my head.

I hope I’m not too late.

We wasted no time trying to get the door open, but it didn't budge against our weight. Magic held the door shut in a purple glow.

The sound of someone clearing her throat revealed that we weren't alone.

At the other end of the hallway, there was a familiar purple pony. Her emotions were laid out before me—a face holding back barely contained rage. But there was also confusion. Frustration. Betrayal. Uncertainty?

Most of all, she looked tired.

Despite her feelings towards changelings, she was unable to act upon her vengeful thoughts. In all that anguish, I thought it was strange that she had a pleading look on her face. “Stop. We don't need to do this. Please. Stop,” it said.

Twilight Sparkle trotted closer towards us. “We need to talk.”

Happy immediately jumped in front of us, putting herself between us and Twilight. Even as a pegasus, his fangs showed. The hairs on his neck seem to stand as he sent a heated glare and a warning hiss towards the princess in front of him.

“Leave at once!” he shouted.

She shook her head, unfazed by him. “I'm afraid I can't do that.”

Her horn glowed, and there was a pop.

I had been standing directly behind Happy until a flash of light put me at a distance behind Princess Twilight, along with Pound and Pumpkin. The next second, Happy made a dash for Twilight Sparkle.

“The ponies are with me,” she said, firing a shot at Happy.

He sidestepped the attack, twisting his body in one fluid motion and lunging at her with his fangs. She teleported out of the way. “Get away from Nymph!” he snarled.

I had never seen Happy look so feral. It felt out of place with how he usually was. His calm demeanor had exploded into a tempest of rage, fueled by a desire to protect.

Why should I let her near you?” she asked, unshaken.

Hot air escaped his nostrils as they slowly walked in a circle, waiting for the next move. “Because she is my charge and if anything should happen to her, I would never forgive myself.”

Twilight’s eyes narrowed. “Is that guilt? You're a changeling, aren't you? What makes you any different from any other changeling? What makes you different from Queen Chrysalis? Where was that guilt all those years ago?”

Happy matched her gaze with a determined look of his own. “I have changed from who I was before!” He forced sincerity onto his face despite the tension in the room. “I want to believe I’ve changed. That I’m no longer I mindless, hungry parasite. Because if I can change, then it means my Queen can change too.”

“Lies! All lies!” she screamed, firing her horn again. A shot grazed his face as he tried to dodge her incoming attacks. His disguise burned away, revealing his true form. “She hurt my friends! She hurt my family! And I almost lost all of them because she wanted to take over Equestria!”

A hiss escaped his throat as his blue eyes connected with Twilight’s. His wings buzzed as he took to the air to dodge another barrage of attacks.

I took a step towards Happy, but a pair of hooves held me back.

"Nymph! You'll get hurt!" Pumpkin shouted.

I struggled in her grip. "I don't care! He's my friend!"

Pound stepped in front of me, gently holding my shoulders. "You don’t have time for that. You have to stop your mom and Princess Celestia from fighting."

I glanced at Pound and the ensuing fight. “But...”

He smiled, which brought some comfort in knowing I had friends who wanted to help. “Pumpkin and I will stop them from fighting.”

“Knowing Twilight, she's the kind of pony who doesn't want to fight,” Pumpkin said. “We'll convince her somehow.”

I moved closer to the door as I watched my dear friend fend against the Princess of Friendship, listening as their shouting voices carried into the hallway.

With Twilight busy fighting, there wasn’t anyone holding the door in place. I glanced at Pound and Pumpkin, who nudged me on with reassuring smiles. Their lips mouthed the word “Go,” urging me on before anyone noticed.

Surely, they could stop Twilight or Happy if things went towards one side or the other. The belief in my friends gave me the courage to move forward.

Leaning my weight against the door, it budged open. When the gap was big enough, I slipped through, closing the door behind me. The chaos of the room made itself known to me in the form of another explosion that rocked the room and shook the ceiling. There were multiple holes poked into the walls. Shards of glass and debris covered the floor. Broken murals and destroyed pillars replaced the once pristine look of the throne room.

Two bodies, one black and one white, flew around the room, shooting magical beams at each other. I took cover behind one of the broken pillars as a stray beam incinerated the ground next to me. Even from the entrance of the room, I could hear what they were saying.

“Tell me, Chrysalis. What do you seek from all this?” Celestia asked as she tried to outfly her pursuer.

Chrysalis shot a beam in front of Celestia, hoping to stop her in her path, but the princess rolled out of the way in midair. “I seek the destruction of this cruel world!” Chrysalis shouted. “The world is on the wrong track toward destiny. For changelings, it will mean the end of our kind! That is why today I will rule over Equestria!”

Celestia had begun to slow down as exhaustion began to take its toll on her. “I failed my ponies once, and I will not make the same mistake twice,” she said between breaths. “Queen Chrysalis, I will stop you from hurting my ponies and stealing their love!”

Chrysalis scoffed. “Look at you, who passes judgment! You, who sits on her throne, above anyone and anything! Far above punishment and living without a day of misfortune in your pampered life—you haven’t felt the hardships a changeling has gone through and know nothing of our hunger. It is time you know what it feels like to truly fall from grace!” Chrysalis screamed.

A beam hit Celestia in the wing, and she went down, her other wing desperately flapping to keep her up like a bird that's been struck. But, she didn't go down without giving a little something back.

She sent one last shot directly into Chrysalis’s side, leaving a charred carapace. A deathly wail rang in the air.

My heart skipped a beat.

Their crumpled forms hit the hard marble floor, but only Celestia managed to stand, just barely on her hooves. She shakily walked up to the changeling queen. Feathers were missing from her left wing, and the feathers that were left were charred black. Her wing fell limp at her side.

Princess Celestia limped toward the fallen changeling. “Surrender, Chrysalis. The outcome is decided.”

Chrysalis turned her head toward Celestia, struggling to lift her head off the ground. “Then, do it. If you truly wish to stop this, then finish me.”

Celestia pursed her lips before closing her eyes and letting out a deep breath. When her eyes opened, she picked up her resolve once more. An intense heat filled the room, coming from the light of her horn. It was as if the sun was in the room, threatening to burn anyone who got too close. Chrysalis shut her eyes against the light. Her body went limp, accepting her fate to the princess standing before her.

“No!” I cried. I ran over to my mother and stood between the two, feeling the scorching heat on my face. Sweat began to form on my forehead. It was as if I was back in the desert, only much worse.

Princess Celestia stood in front of us. Gone was the tranquil mask. “Move.”

That one word sent a shiver down my back, but I only clung to my mother by the withers and shook my head, unable to speak. My heart pounded in my ears, but it could have belonged to the changeling whose life I held in my hooves.

There was a forceful tug on my body when Celestia used magic, but I held on stubbornly, gripping so hard that I fear Chrysalis would disappear if I let go. Eventually, the princess gave up when she realized I wouldn’t be letting go.

“She is an enemy to Equestria! Step away from the changeling!”

“I won't let you hurt her!” I replied.

Chrysalis breathed in gasps, her chest rising and falling with each struggled breath. Compared to Celestia, she was very small and feeble, and I was the only thing standing between her and the princess’s wrath.

“I must warn you that if you continue to associate yourself with this changeling, you will face the same punishment as all changelings.”

At that moment, all the fear and nervousness that threatened to tear me apart was smothered. I never imagined myself being brave in front of an Equestrian princess, but I found myself standing up and glaring into Princess Celestia’s eyes.

“I’m not running away from this! I’m not going to leave her alone anymore. I’m going to stand by my mother. As Princess of the changelings, let me take the punishment in her stead.”

For the first time, beyond the blinding heat of anger, hesitancy flashed across her face. In her eyes, I saw how torn and lost she looked—her real emotions. She didn’t want any of this. She was a gentle pony trying to fill the role of an executioner, and I saw how much that hurt her. Her duty to her ponies was a burdensome weight without an end.

“Why do you go so far for a changeling?” she asked. “None of that love is real. Changelings only disguise themselves as other ponies to take the love they can’t make themselves.”

“Maybe that’s why they try to look like ponies—they want to know what it feels like to have all the little things that make up a pony’s heart,” I said. “To know what it feels like to love—I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. With time, maybe changelings can learn to love back.”

“Do you know what you are doing?” she asked with a stomp of her hoof. The floor cracked underneath her. “There are crimes Queen Chrysalis hasn't answered for. Stripped of your ordinary life and taken from your family, you would still take her punishment after all you've been through?”

“Yes…” I answered, brushing my cheek against Chrysalis’s neck. “I don't mind.”

I watched tears stream down Celestia’s cheeks. She bit her lip, struggling against her inner self. “Very well. Then, prepare to face your judgment, Princess Nymph.”

Chrysalis’s eyes flew open. “No!” she yelled. “I won't let you punish her!”

She twisted herself so that her horn pointed straight at Celestia and let out a cry as light shot out.

Things happened quickly as a surprised Celestia suddenly surrounded herself in a golden bubble, deflecting the beam upward. An explosion sounded above us, rocking the whole room. Bits of the ceiling flaked off before coming down in a rain of debris. The whole ceiling began collapsing.

As it came down, a black pair of hooves wrapped around me as Chrysalis pulled me close. She threw herself over me as everything darkened in the dust and falling ceiling. Smothered in a changeling’s warmth, I watched as everything around me crumbled.


~~~~~~~


It was dark. It was scary. I couldn't see. I couldn't move. I cried out for my mother. “Mommy?”

Breathing hard, struggling not to cry, I tried to turn my head, but something painful kept it pinned down. My eyes burned when I tried to open them. My heart raced under the crushing darkness.

A voice answered, one who wasn’t my real mother but one that I've come to know and love. “Yes, dear, I am here. Don’t open your eyes or move too much. There’s dust everywhere.”

Alone in the dark, we are just voices, stripped of our outward appearances.

“I’m scared,” I whispered. My left ear stung awfully. The weight of another body pressed heavily down on me. 

“Everything will be fine, my daughter,” she said.

I could feel her ragged breath on my neck and her body wrapped around me securely. My fear calmed down some.

“Why?” I asked. “Why all of this? Why do you have to fight? Was there a reason for calling me your daughter?”

There was a pause before she spoke.

“I'm sorry for not telling you. I was afraid you might hate me. The monster you saw before is who I am.” She shifted above me and let out a painful groan. “Until I met you, I was all alone in the world. If I hadn't met you, would I have been happy? I suppose things would have been different for you and me. You would have lived a normal life had I not robbed you of your future.”

“Those times you said you loved me—was any of that real?”

Another pause, this time longer.

“Nymph, this is my truth to you,” she began. “I will love you as hunger loves a changeling and as love loves to watch a changeling hunger. I will love you as revenge loves hatred and as hatred loves to hurt the victims of revenge. I will love you as misfortune loves a pair of ponies who love their child, who one day disappeared and caused them to suffer at the thought of love. I will love you as fortune loves a suddenly parentless child, who has found love among loveless creatures.”

Something wet touched my face, and I realized it was her cheek. “So for the love of me, please do not hate me because I have only just begun to know what it is like to love.”

"I will always love you,” I said. “No matter who I am, I will always be your daughter and will always love you.”

“That’s all I ever wanted to hear,” she answered. “Even though you were a pony, I thought I would come to hate you, but I was wrong. I want to live for my changelings, but most of all, I want to live for you.”

A fit of coughs overwhelmed her.

“Mother?”

“I’m fine, Nymph,” she said. “For now, go to sleep. Help will come find you.”

Enveloped in the warmth of her body, I went to sleep beside her, trapped together in the hot, cramped darkness.


~~~~~~~


I was alone on a moving train. It was night time.

“Where am I?” I asked out loud.

The door of the front end train car opened, revealing a familiar blue mare, but where the door led to seemed to be a mystery because it looked like nothing more than a window of light.

“Congratulations, fortunate child of destiny!” she shouted, shaking the walls with her voice. “By a stroke of luck, you have been chosen to live out the rest of your life.” Realizing she was shouting, she coughed behind a hoof and spoke in a quieter voice. “Well, luck and a slight intervention.”

“Oh, it’s you...” I said. Fragments of a dream came back to me. “Princess Luna.”

She nodded and slowly walked past the rows of seats to the aisle I sat in. “I have heard about your bravery and self-sacrifice. I apologize I could not be there at the time. I had been kept away from the conflict by my own guards.” She sighed, shaking her head. “While their loyalty and sense of duty are commendable, I wish they would not treat me so frail.”

Memories of a falling ceiling and being surrounded by darkness came to me. “What happened?”

She sat beside me. “Your physical body is fine now after the entire roof came down on you. However, you have been sleeping for quite a bit.”

“And my mother…?” I asked.

Her lips parted open, but she hesitated. Her eyes couldn’t meet mine. “She is...not well. She did not share the same fortune as you.”

“What do you mean?” I put my hooves against her shoulder, looking into her face. “She’ll get better, won’t she?”

Princess Luna gave me a sorrowful look.

I trembled in my seat, biting my lip to keep the tears from falling. But this was a dream, and it didn’t do much to stop it. “Why couldn't it be me?”

She shook her head, causing ripples in her long flowing mane. “It can’t be you for fate had other plans.”

“But I still haven’t done a thing for her!” I began to openly weep. “She’s been suffering all her life, yet she got hurt saving me. I lived a carefree life up until this point, and the only thing I could do was tell her I love her. How is that fair?”

She put a comforting hoof on my shoulder.

“Telling someone you love them is the most important thing you can do,” she said, turning to me. “Everyone deserves to be told ‘I love you’ at least once. To a mother like her, those words mean more than the entire world. Your kind words are not meaningless, Nymph.”

I fell into a thoughtful silence.

A screech filled the air as the train lurched to a stop. Princess Luna stood from her seat and began walking towards the exit, while I followed behind her. The doors opened, leading to who knows where. Outside was pitch dark, where not even the light of the city or the stars shone.

“It is best that you get off on this stop,” she said, nudging me.

I turned toward the Princess. “Can a child like me really make a difference?”

“It doesn't matter if you have wings or a horn, or if you're a pony or a changeling, because what you have makes up for it in spades.”

“And that is?” I asked her.

There was a twinge of a smile on her face that didn’t go unnoticed by me. “Empathy, dear.”

“What’s that?”

She pointed a hoof toward my chest. “It means that no matter who you are, you'll always find a way to listen to the hearts of others.”

I held a hoof over my heart and looked into the smiling face of Princess Luna.

"Empathy," I repeated to myself.

She gave me a gentle nudge with her wing, and I cautiously stepped off the train and onto the dark ground. The train whistled and began chugging along on invisible rails. Princess Luna stuck her head out the window and waved her hoof.

“Farewell, Nymph!” she shouted. “It’s time to wake up!”

The light of the windows rushed past me until there were no more train cars left, leaving me in the darkness in my own thoughts as the train faded into a speck in the distance.


~~~~~~~


Sound came first. A constant beeping that made my ears twitch. Then came the feeling of a soft fabric over my body and an itch in my ears. I tried to move but was stopped by something wrapped around my hooves. That same something also wrapped over parts of my head.

Finally, as I opened my eyes to the world around me in who knows how long, I saw a white room with a changeling lying in the corner on a soft-looking chair. A small bandage covered his cheek.

His eyes were closed, but the twitch of his ears gave him away. From the moment I recognized Happy, his eyes shot open.

“Happy...” I called to him.

His appearance changed in a fiery burst before revealing a pegasus stallion. "Nymph…" he said. His toothy grin covered his face.

"Where…?"

“You’re in a private room in Canterlot’s castle where doctors and nurses are monitoring your health.”

"What happened? How are you here?"

He smile grew wider. “You can thank your friends for that.” He walked to the side of my bed. “Your friends stood up to the Princess when she could have blasted me while I was down. Twilight Sparkle is still the Princess of Friendship, and what kind of friend would she be if she didn’t trust the two ponies who look up to her. She’s at least smart enough to listen to them.”

"And the changelings?"

"Being looked after by Equestria's Royal Guards in one of the grand halls."

"And my mother?" I asked.

He paused, a look of uncertainty crossed his face.

Before I could get an answer, a stallion wearing a white coat walked in. He was a unicorn.

"I see our patient is awake. How are you feeling?"

"Sore," I grumbled.

"Well, that's not surprising. You were pinned under all that rubble for a while, but we managed to save most of you."

"Most of me?"

The bandages around my head unwrapped themselves as the unicorn worked his magic. Dried blood stained the white gauze, leaving me worried about the wound I got. Lastly, the bandages around my legs came undone as well as any equipment strapped to me. There wasn’t a scar on my legs, showing they had healed spectacularly and were no cause for worry. He brought a mirror over to me.

The first thing I noticed was my hair was different. Someone had lopped off a sizable chunk of my mane, giving me a short hairstyle. That was disappointing. Rarity would probably feel the same way. The other thing that stood out were my mismatched ears. My left ear was torn at the tip, probably the cause of the pain I felt when the castle came down on me. Surprisingly, it wasn’t bleeding, but the healed portion of the wound left a terrible scar.

"The rubble tore your ear,” he said. “Although it's still healing, there's going to be a bit-sized hole in it."

My hoof gingerly touched my ear, and I flinched as the area still felt tender.

"Overall, you are underweight for a filly your age. You need supplements for your vitamin deficiency, but it's nothing too serious. For the most part, we’ll need to keep you here for a short time until you’ve healed up."

"Can Happy stay?" I asked him.

He glanced at Happy. A trace of nervousness flashed across his face before resuming his smile. "As long as you want him to."

This pony knew Happy was a changeling. I wondered who else knew about him.

The pony cleared his throat. "There's also someone here to see you," he said.

I watched as he opened the door, and a purple pony carrying saddlebags walked in with an apologetic look on her face. There was a short exchange between both ponies before the stallion walked out.

“Twilight?” I asked.

In her magic, she carried hundreds of different flowers. There was also a hint of embarrassment on her face when she couldn't decide where to put all of them. Without a table big enough to hold the flowers, she set them on the floor by my bed.

“They’re for you.”

I didn't know what else to say other than "Thank you."

She looked down and fidgeted with her hooves in an unprincess-like manner. "I'm sorry," she said, finally gazing in my direction. She also looked in Happy’s direction, who stared back with a curious gaze. "To both of you. For putting you through so much."

There was a princess apologizing in front of me. I didn’t know what to say or how to react.

"It was wrong of me to assume all changelings are bad. I’ve been so afraid of them for so long that I let fear consume me," she continued. Her ears folded down, while her eyes glistened, full of hurt and regret. As she looked at me, her sorrowful look turned to relief. "But after seeing Nymph put her trust in changelings, I think maybe it's about time I learn to trust changelings too."

“Changelings can change, Twilight,” I said. “Ponies can change, too. Right, Happy?”

Happy nodded, then added, “Maybe not physically, but yes, ponies can change.”

That earned a giggle out of me and Twilight.

Her eyes lit up, and she reached into her bags. “Nymph, I have something for you.”

She pulled out a folded piece of paper. There was a drawing of a small filly who looked like me, holding a bandaged heart. “It's a get-well card.”

The card opened up, showing a message saying, “Get Well Soon.” Around that message were names. Names that I knew.

My eyes followed each name listed. "It's everyone I've ever met. How?" I asked.

Twilight smiled. "Happy helped me track everyone down."

I glanced at the changeling, who gave his toothy grin in response.

There were even all the princesses' names. Their names had the nicest looking curls and written in larger letters, standing apart from the rest. Princess Celestia. Princess Luna. Princess Twilight.

But, there was one name I didn't recognize. "Wait, who's Princess Mi Amore Cadenza?"

Twilight chuckled. "A foalsitter who knows how to give good advice," she said.

I gingerly put the card on my bedside table, careful not to crease the paper.

“Thank you. I love it," I said.

The warmth of joy spread across her face. "I'm glad."

My hooves gripped the sheet covering my body as I finally got to the question that's been on my mind since waking up.

"Can I see my mother now? Chrysalis, I mean."

Happy and Twilight gave each other a somber look.

"Should you be getting up so soon?" Twilight asked. "You just woke up after days of sleeping."

“Please,” I said, staring at Twilight with utmost seriousness. "Carry me there if you have to. I need to see her."

She gave a solemn nod. "Okay, Nymph."


~~~~~~~


As part of our agreement, Twilight had brought a wheelchair for me to sit on, while she pushed me from behind using her magic. If there weren't more urgent things to do, I would have probably had fun with the wheelchair.

We made it to a different part of the castle where there were lots of ponies wearing white coats. I'm told they were doctors, ponies who healed other ponies. They were all busy tending to the ponies that were affected by the invasion.

At the far end of the hall, it was not as crowded with pony patients, and there were more guards standing around. We stopped at a door guarded by two ponies.

"No outside visitors are allowed," one of them said.

Princess Twilight stood beside me. "She's family, and I'm here to look after her."

They glanced at Happy.

"I know he's a changeling," she said. "He's her friend."

“No other changelings are allowed to see Queen Chrysalis,” he stated.

I opened my mouth to argue, but Happy interrupted before I can say anything. “It's fine. I'll stay here,” he said.

Holding a wing over me, Princess Twilight gave them a questioning look that also held a subtle message that spoke “I dare you to argue back”.

Conceding, the guards opened the door for us, and we stepped in without any problem.

In all my life, I had never seen my mother harmed in any way, but for the first time, I saw her at her weakest and most vulnerable.

Her body was wrapped entirely in bandages, hardened casts where her limbs should be. There was a small tube that went from a drip and into her neck. There was even a tube that went from a machine to her mouth. Bandages also wrapped around her eyes, robbing her of the sight of our presence. A constant beeping filled the terribly quiet room. Bedridden and unable to move, Chrysalis looked far from being the mighty changeling queen she was before. The only sign of life from her was the subtle rise and fall of her chest.

Twilight wheeled me closer to her bedside.

“Mother,” I said to her, “I’m here now.” The words felt heavy on my dry parched lips. “I’m sorry. There’s so many things to apologize for.”

I paused to collect my thoughts.

"I’m sorry that I couldn’t see how much you needed me. If I had grown up sooner, I would have seen the pain I caused you by disappearing without a word. I might have even understood your loneliness." A heavy sigh left my lips. "I’m sorry that there’s not much I can do. After all, I’m only a child, but I’ll stay by your side. You should never have to feel alone again."

Rearing against the side of her bed, I leaned in and gave her exposed cheek a parched kiss. “I love you, Mom.”

Twilight sat beside me, staring at the changeling queen’s broken form. "We've always been fighting each other," she said to Chrysalis. "But I never understood why, and I never tried to understand you. But, I'm glad you were able to find love and friendship in Nymph."

I listened to her words silently.

The door opened, and another familiar princess entered the room.

I watched as the large white pony crossed the room to us. "Princess Nymph," she greeted.

“Princess Celestia,” I greeted back.

Princess Celestia had bandages wrapped around one wing, but she seemed to heal nicely for the most part. She wasn't wearing her mask this time. There was a genuine apologetic expression in her eyes—eyes filled with regret. She joined me and Twilight in watching over the changeling in the room.

“I’m sorry about what happened to Queen Chrysalis,” she apologized. “I only wish things did not come to blows.”

I glanced between Princess Celestia and Queen Chrysalis, watching their silent conversation.

After a moment of silence, Celestia spoke out loud, "The changelings are waiting for you, Princess Nymph."

I looked at her, bewildered. "Me?"

She nodded. "Right now, they need someone to lead them in their time of need. The changelings are lost. They need someone who understands them. They need their Princess."

My eyes drifted to my mother and back to Princess Celestia. I wanted to stay by my mother’s side, but she also held a duty towards her changelings. The changelings were her reason for everything, and I couldn’t abandon them.

“I need to help the changelings first, but I will be back by your side, Mother. I promise,” I said to her.

As we left the room, Happy joined us, escorted by Princess Celestia’s own guards. I figured they were there to keep an eye on Happy and to protect their own princess. With Princess Celestia leading, she took us to another wing of the castle. There was a room with a large door, heavily guarded by ponies from wall to wall.

Inside there were even more guards covering the walls and flying in their air to keep watch, while the changelings made up the inner crowd of the room. The changelings all sat before us and watched as we entered, tracking our every movement.

From my wheelchair, I tapped Princess Celestia on the back of her leg. “I don't understand. What am I supposed to do?” I whispered to her.

She allowed a small grin. “You're their Princess. Where do you want to take them?” She put a wing on my shoulder. “They can find a home in Equestria as citizens, but they need to understand that by doing so, they need to stop with the old ways. You need to reassure them of a future they can look forward to.”

We got to a stage that stood in front of every changeling. Twilight parked my wheelchair in the center and took a step back to stand next to Princess Celestia. Happy came to stand by my side, shedding his disguise. I sat in front of an audience of changelings as I mentally prepared what to say to them.

The changelings all looked at me, searching for an answer—searching for hope.

I stared into the crowd of changelings, feeling the weight of my title for the first time. "Hi," I greeted everyone. With the silence of the audience, my voice carried throughout the entire room. “You all know me at Princess Nymph, and you all know that I'm not an actual changeling or a princess by blood.”

I paused, trying to find the right words. These changelings needed help, and I needed to show them that they were going to get the help they needed.

“You're tired. You're hungry. You're afraid of what tomorrow will hold for you."

There were nods all around.

"But, things don't have to be that way. Not anymore," I said. "You can get the love you need  if you only learn to live with ponies. Equestria can help us. Right, Twilight?"

The Princess stepped forward. "As long as Equestria can build a relationship where both parties can agree, I will do what I can to aid the changelings. They can even apply for citizenship if they wish to receive the same benefits as Equestrians. But, there will be laws placed to protect the interests of both Equestrian and changelings.”

I turned back to the changelings. "See?" I said. "You don't have to face this problem alone."

The crowd quieted, trying to make sense of the proposal. There were mixed feelings about working with ponies.

“I lived among you almost my whole life, and I learned there’s so much more to every one of you. You brought me into your hive and raised me as one of your own. You even trust me as your princess. Now, I’m asking you to share that trust with other ponies.”

No one uttered a sound, but some of their wings fluttered with piqued interest.

Happy transformed next to me and stepped forward to address his kind. "Love is earned, and trust is needed between ponies and changelings,” he said. “This means you can’t pretend to be somepony to steal their loved one’s love. I know this goes against our old ways, but I think it’s much better to be wanted for who you are than to be wanted for being somebody you’re not."

I watched with bated breath, gauging their reaction towards this new direction.

A hum of activity filled the air. I saw the changelings nodding to one another, watching a chorus of chirps fill the hall. I smiled as their chirps evolve into a stampede of hooves. During the applause, a pony guard walked up to Princess Celestia and whispered something out of earshot from me.

Nodding to the guard, Princess Celestia walked up to me with a proud smile and leaned close to my ear. “You have done an excellent job helping your changelings, but they will need a name if they want to apply for Equestrian citizenship,” she whispered. “Now, I will let you and Twilight oversee the changelings here. There is something urgent I must attend to.”

An escort of guards led Princess Celestia out, leaving me, Twilight, and Happy to sort out the rest. I could name a few changelings, but naming hundreds was too much.

An idea came to me. I turned to the audience. “Starting now, we’ll build trust between ponies and changelings,” I said. “Starting with the first step.”

I scanned the crowd before deciding on a random changeling. “You,” I called out towards a small changeling in the front.

All the changelings focused their gaze on her, singling her out of the crowd. The changeling looked around before pointing at herself. There was a short burst of transformation around her throat. "Me?" she asked, surprising me with her voice. I didn’t know that she could do that with her voice. Changelings never cease to amaze me.

“What do you want to be?” I asked her.

She glanced around hesitantly at all the other changelings, but I held a smile to my face as I waited. “I… I want to be a teacher,” she said.

“That’s great!” I told her. “What do you want your name to be?”

Shock and confusion crossed her face. “You're making me choose?”

I nodded. “This is your life you’re deciding. You should get to pick your own name.”

She looked down and fiddled with her hooves. It didn’t take long until she met my eyes again. “I want to be Ocellus.”

“Ocellus,” I said, “that’s a nice name.”

Ocellus smiled at her name. I went to each changeling, asking for their name. It took some coaxing at first, but each changeling was able to give their own name. Twilight began working on the paperwork needed for the changelings, while Happy helped sort out the named and unnamed. With each name, I felt my heart grow lighter as I listened to each changeling’s name and ambition.

For the first time in my life, I felt like I’ve done something meaningful as a princess to changelings.


~~~~~~~


Feeling much better, I returned to Chrysalis’s room without the need of a wheelchair to tell her the news, while Happy and Twilight continued working with the other changelings.

What I saw stopped me in my tracks.

The guards posted in front of the door were gone. The bed had been neatly made and was missing a changeling queen. She wasn't under the bed or hiding in any corner of the room. There wasn't a trace of her ever being in the room. I checked the room number to see if I had walked into a different room, but it was hers. She couldn't have gone anywhere looking as she did.

Someone would have taken her somewhere else.

No… She couldn't have… I just saw her yesterday. Maybe the doctor ponies took her to heal her wounds.

I waited in the room, watching the seconds tick into hours on the clock hung on the wall. The sunset brought an orange glow to the room, casting shadows onto the wall. Still, she was nowhere to be found. Hope that she was coming back waned as I stared at the door and waited for her. When the last of the sunlight died, I knew she wasn't coming back.

I didn't get to say goodbye to her one last time.

I told her I would be back to stay by her side, and now she was gone. I curled on the bed where she previously occupied and shed my lonely tears. Without anyone to see me, I cried my heart out.

At some point, doctors came in looking for me when they couldn't find me in my room. I went through a series of examinations without much talking. They asked about my health and if I was feeling pain, but I only gave short answers without any details. They knew what was wrong with me and even tried their best to cheer me up with smiles and treats, but I just couldn’t cheer up. Food and fresh linen were brought to me each day, eventually making Chrysalis's old room my room.

Even as the days passed by, I hadn’t seen any changelings since I spoke to them, not even Happy. He was probably busy along with the other changelings in their transition to being a part of Equestria. Or perhaps news of their queen’s death devastated them, and they were in mourning over her. I wouldn’t blame them. It was my fault she got hurt.

After spending days following an erratic sleep schedule, I was still awake late into the night when I heard someone knock on the door. No one visited me at such a late hour, so imagine my surprise when Princess Celestia strode into the room with a guard by her side.

Before I can get a question in, she said, “Nymph, let’s go for a walk.”

Confused, I nodded and followed after her. The guard watching her held a stoic expression. His eyes never met mine as he held his forward gaze.

We strolled through the gardens before the sun was even up. Even at night under the moonlight, the flowers looked beautiful. Despite her long legs, Princess Celestia matched my pace so that we were walking side by side.

Just when I thought it was going to be an entirely silent stroll, Princess Celestia finally spoke up. “I’m sorry for your loss,” she said. “We tried our best to save her, but she succumbed to her injuries.”

I looked up at her, but I couldn’t say anything. The reminder of my loss left me in a quiet mood.

She continued on. "You and Chrysalis pretended to be a family. You weren't a changeling. She wasn’t a pony. It's still quite an enigma how such a relationship came to be, one built on a lie."

My lips parted, trying to put feelings into words. "Our family was a lie, but it was a lovely lie, nonetheless,” I said, looking at the flowers by my hooves. “Not all lies are bad. The ones we tell ourselves and help define who we are—those are the lies we take away the most from."

I grinned as I thought about Chrysalis, the memories of happiness replaced the tragedy of loss.

“I think the greatest lie Chrysalis told herself was that she hated all ponies. But, I know that isn’t true,” I said.

Celestia gave me a questioning look. “Oh? And why is that?”

I looked her in the eyes. “Because she loved me.”

Her eyes softened, and she fell into a thoughtful silence.

“We both found love from this lie,” I said at last.

We came to a place in the garden where there was a view of the city and the rest of Equestria. We watched the sunrise as night became day. Over the treetops and mountains, over the winding river of Everfree, over the desert of the Badlands, the light stretched and fell softly on our faces, greeting us with the dawn of a new morning. The warmth of the sun felt nice in the crisp morning air as we watched the sunrise together.

Princess Celestia made a thoughtful noise. "If she were here with you, I'm sure she would have been so proud to raise a filly like you."

My eyes began to well up. Princess Celestia opened a wing and held me against her chest. I buried my face in her coat. She kept silent and held me as the morning birds chirped away.


~~~~~~~


Our stroll continued even further as we began leaving the castle premises and going into the city.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

She kept going forward. "Back to the beginning."

Her words were puzzling and didn't leave much of a clue.

We walked down a street lined with homes and came to a stop in front of a house.

"What do you mean the beginning? The beginning of what?"

"The beginning of your life,” she said. “This is your home where your birth parents live. I found them after searching through reports of a missing child matching your description."

“My parents...” I whispered. I shook my head. "But… The changelings.”

"It was decided by them. They voted that you go back to your pony family." She crouched to my eye level. “The changelings want you to be happy. They think you need other ponies in your life, and these ponies have been waiting for a long time for you.”

The changelings didn’t need me anymore. They were given a new chance at life to start something new, and this was their way of giving back to me.

She led me up to the front steps of the porch, while her guard stood on the sidewalk patiently. Princess Celestia always stood next to me, never leaving my side as I slowly walked. Finally, we arrived at the front door.

“I guess this is goodbye,” I said, looking at her. “I know I didn’t get to see Happy off, but can you tell him I said goodbye? He’s always been my closest friend, and I wanted to tell him how much he meant to me.”

She nodded. Her eyes drifted towards the guard who watched us from his position. “Yes, I will tell him,” she said. She wrapped her hooves around me in a hug. “Goodbye, Nymph.”

She pulled away and turned to the door. I was meeting my pony parents for the first time in ages. I wondered what they were like. Princess Celestia reached out with her hoof and gave two knocks on the door.

As she pulled her hoof back, she stepped behind me and whispered into my ear. An entirely different voice left her lips. "No matter where I am or how far apart we are, I will always love my changeling daughter. Thank you, Nymph."

Shocked, I whirled around in my spot. "Mother?"

Princess Celestia no longer stood beside me, having vanished alongside her guard.

As I thought about going out to look for her, the door opened. A mare’s voice called from behind me.

“Hello?”

I froze at the sound of a voice I had not heard in a very long time. I slowly turned around to stare face-to-face with the pony, who only existed in my dreams and brought me comfort with her voice.

My eyes glistened. “Mom?”


~~~~~~~


Two changelings watched from afar behind a bush, staring at the little filly left on the front steps of her pony home.

“Why didn't you see her off as yourself?” Happy asked, reverting to his pegasus disguise.

Princess Celestia burst into flames, her form burning away until a changeling stood in her place. A jagged scar snaked across her form, a discolored streak of dark green that ran from her elytra to her neck.

Chrysalis sneered. “And have her following me back?” Her face turned melancholic. “No, this is for the best.”

She watched as a mare answered the door. The mare’s legs buckled, and she leaned against the doorframe. A stallion came forth to hold her, as they stared at the filly with disbelief. Tears were shed, but the taste of joy coming from the group of ponies danced on her tongue. Chrysalis watched as a loving couple reunited with their lost child. No longer was there a filly on her hooves to take care of. Chrysalis had filled the filly-shaped hole in the hearts of the loving couple by returning their daughter to them. 

What is one more hole to her changeling body?

She walked away from the scene. “Come now, Happy. We've got a lot of work to do with the Princess.”

He broke into a trot by his queen. “Did she make the right decision for changelings? Living among ponies?” he asked. “You are still our Queen. You have the last word on it.”

“The Princess and I also struck a deal of our own.” Chrysalis clicked her tongue. “I don't like it, but for the hive’s sake, I'm willing to give it a try. There is more work to be done after this new development.”

While Happy went on ahead of his queen, she changed her form to that of an ordinary pegasus. “A lovely lie, huh?” She chuckled to herself. “What an apt way to put it.”

All it takes is one special encounter, whether it’s a happy encounter or a painful one, to change the course of someone’s life. Their world had changed completely. Life for changelings was going to be different because of one pony, a filly who showed love towards loveless creatures. They took off towards the hive, leaving the little filly in the world where she belonged, hoping to one day cross paths with her again.
> Epilogue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I never dreamed that there’d come a day when I’d find myself far from the Badlands, enjoying a cup of tea with a princess.

Months have passed, and over time, I’d grown used to being surrounded by ponies. My mane had grown a little since then, now just reaching my shoulders. My hoof brushed a hair back, touching my torn ear. The hole in my ear remained just as the doctor had said, but I didn't mind. This imperfection only reminded me of the changelings I once lived with, which made it all the more lovely.

I glanced at the pink pony sitting across from me. “Princess Mi Amore Cadenza?” I asked from my seat. We sat at an outdoor table by the same cafe where we met for the first time.

“Please, call me Cadance,” she said. “It’s a lot better than calling me by my full name.”

Instead of a long dress and hat, she wore a golden tiara with matching shoes and a necklace. Without a dress to cover her body, I could see the wings folded at her sides—bright pink tipped with violet, like the feather she had given me. A crystal heart adorned her flank.

“I heard what happened from Princess Celestia, and I’m glad things worked out for the changelings,” she said. “Celestia has also told me a lot about you. Do you still go by Nymph or have you changed your name to your birth name?”

I cringed at the thought of having any other name than the one Chrysalis gave me. “My name is still Nymph,” I said. “It’s the name I grew up with. Although, my parents haven’t gotten used to it yet.”

Princess Cadance nodded, pouring me a cup of tea and using her magic to drop two cubes of sugar into it. “So, Nymph, how have you been?”

My face lit up. “I’m doing great,” I told her. “I’ve been writing to Pound and Pumpkin. They said they’re going to visit Canterlot next weekend with their parents.” There was a smile on my face as I fidgeted in my seat excitedly. “I can’t wait to meet with them again. It feels like it’s been forever.”

She giggled. “It sounds like you made wonderful friends in Ponyville.”

I nodded. “I’ve been telling my parents all about them, and now they want to meet them!”

“That’s wonderful!” she said. “As a parent myself, I know they would want to get to know your friends. But, what do you think about your pony family?"

I held a hoof to my chin, trying to sort out my feelings. “They’re very nice, but it’s still strange. They want to make up for all those years they missed out on since I’ve been gone.” I stared into my cup’s reflection. “They’ve gone a long time without me, and I’ve changed so much.”

“You’ve certainly grown up to be a bright young mare,” she said.

A hollow laugh escaped my throat. “It’s funny. I sought out to become more grown-up, but I ended up showing how much of a child I really was. Until I went out to see the world, I never really understood changelings or their problems.” I held the cup between my hooves and let out a sigh, watching the ripples under my breath. “Little by little, I learned more about them—their shapeshifting, their hunger for love, their fear of what tomorrow would bring. It wasn’t until I learned more about them that I could make a difference in their lives.”

"That is a lot to expect from a child," she said, pouring herself a cup. "You've been through so much."

"I had to," I said. "I had to keep Chrysalis from making a mistake."

I blew the steam from my tea before taking a careful sip.

“I really thought she was gone,” I said somberly. “I saw how awful Chrysalis looked. Everyone thought she wasn’t going to make it. But then, a miracle happened.”

The Princess gave a thoughtful hum, stirring milk into her tea. “Perhaps it's a reward for those who are willing to die for love.” She took a sip of her cup. “Love is its own magic much like the magic of friendship.”

"Love, huh?" I said as my mind drifted. “Happy said that those who aren’t loved are fated to disappear, but that’s not true. Loveless creatures can find love in one another and their hearts will be bigger for it because they understand what it is like to feel unloved.”

Cadance set her teacup down and looked me in the eye. “Tell me. Do you think her love for you was real?”

I paused.

“It might not have been real at first, but she made it real,” I said. “And that’s all that matters in the end.”

"I heard some rumors about Queen Chrysalis. There’s been an arrangement set up between her and Princess Celestia. I heard that changelings will soon be able to live in Equestria, openly and freely. And from what I’ve gathered about Chrysalis, I heard she's still not entirely thrilled about her own end of the deal. The details of it have been kept confidential."

I nodded slowly. “I’m glad she’s at least doing okay.” The last time I saw her, she said goodbye and disappeared along with Happy. I only wished she could have met my parents or have said goodbye as herself.

A bell tolled from a distant clock tower.

Princess Cadance stood from her seat. “I think that's all the time we have for today. I will check up on you again next week.”

I nodded. “Sure, Cadance. I'm still not sure what therapy is, but I like talking to you.”

She let out a chuckle. “We can keep talking even while I’m at the Crystal Empire. You can write letters to me.”

"Thanks, Cadance,” I said as I got out of my seat.

Before we went our separate ways, Princess Cadance waved goodbye. “Goodbye, Nymph.”

I waved back to her. “Bye, Cadance!”

As I turned a corner, a passing stallion and mare walked by talking to each other. My ears perked up as I overheard their conversation as they crossed the street. I stared at the pair of ponies.

“This is for the best. Think of our future," said the blue earth pony.

There was a derisive snort from the light green pegasus. “What bothers me is she's making me work with her student on friendship lessons of all things.” Her feathers ruffled. “And of course, the goody-goody little princess is still mad about that incident with her brother. I barely did anything to him!”

The stallion made a toothy grin. “You’ve changed a lot since then. Maybe ponies are starting to rub off on you?”

“I have not grown soft!” she shot back, but then her face softened and made a wistful expression. "But some days, I think she has changed me."

As they disappeared around another corner, I walked in the direction of the pair of ponies and followed after them, picking up the pace with my hooves. There were joyful tears in my eyes.


~~~~~~~


All my life, I had been trying to become something I wasn’t, but changelings were no different than I was. We lied to ourselves in believing we were something else. A pony, a changeling. A mother, a daughter. But, lies aren’t all bad because we could be whatever we wanted to be.

My name is Nymph, a changeling princess, daughter of Queen Chrysalis.