Sometimes, it's weird learning you have a nephew in law. It's also weird learning that he's a changeling, and the son of the ponies who attacked your kingdom. What's a sun princess to do?
[What if story of the events of Unexpected Changeling: what it means to be loved.(reading not required) Quick warning to those who have been reading the Unexpected changeling fic. This fic contains some future concepts for that story. Just throwing a heads up, this does contain spoilers for it.]
So Celestia and Luna have a new nephew! That's great! Now all they have to do is let Shining Armor know he's been a dad for about five years, deal with the fact that his kid's a changeling, and restore power to the queen who attacked their city! There is no way this could end badly!
I limped across the yellow, dirt trail, leaving hoofprints of blood with each step. “I can't believe I'm reducing myself to such levels...” I groaned. The earth starting to feel like a sharp knife to my aching body, and unusable leg. I looked ahead to see a castle come into view, it's white spires and golden tops mocking me with each breath. I trudged on, coming upon a pair of giant, violet door with two guards standing beside it. “Just a bit more...” I said before I fell to the ground, the open wounds on my right foreleg and my stomach taking their toll. I pulled myself across the ground with my good hoof.
“Stop right there!” Two unicorn guards shouted, their eyes the same color as their manes and tails, blue. “Where do you think you're going, changeling!?” one of them said.
“Move.” I replied, inching ever closer to large doors behind them.
They aimed their spears at me, holding them directly to my face. “Come any closer, and we will execute you on the spot!”
“Get out of my way. Now!”
“And why should we listen to you?”
My tail exploded into a green and blue consuming fire, the strands of hair wrapping and weaving itself into a new shape. As the fire died down, it revealed that I had transformed my tail into a large fist. The guards, presumably on impulse, pulled their spears back preparing to stab me. I rushed my new appendage towards them, and managed to smash them through the very doors they were protecting. “No reason.” I stretched my hand to the guards and grabbed them. I took a deep breath, started sucking out their magic through it and into my body. I let out a heavy sigh and the wound on my stomach and foreleg began to close over. “Much better.” I said, tossing the guards away, and turning my hand back into my normal tail. I picked myself off the ground and continued to limp inside. Entering the throne room, I looked upon the panned glass windows, showcasing the many events that shaped the kingdom. The large ruby red rug extending just infront of me, the pearl colored flooring. It looked almost like it had been carved out of diamond. And in the center of the room, the 'legendary' princess, Celestia, sitting on her throne. Her guards stood in a row, blocking my path. Their horns charged with magic, ready to strike me down at any moment.
“This is a lot less subtle than the last attack.” A female voice said.
I looked past the guards to see a tall, white alicorn. Her mane nothing short of living aurora borealis. “Get your sister out here, Celestia. I don't have time to play with your pawns.”
She gave me a disappointed look. “You've quite the nerve to demand something of me, in my own kingdom, no less-”
I rolled my eyes and slung my arm at her, transforming it into a long claw, and grabbed her throat. I was puzzled as I looked at her, sitting there, her expression was unchanged. She had maintained complete composure. The guards began to react, and hit me with a basic offensive spell, a small magical beam. I forced more claws to grow from my arm, and held them down. I began sucking the magic out of them as I had done earlier. Unfortunately, the magic hadn't healed my leg, like I thought it would, so I tossed them away, scattering them across the room. I let go of Celestia's throat, turning my arm back to normal, and said, “I can tell when someone is looking down on me. Stop it.”
“What do you want?”
“I want you to get your sister out here. I won't say a word until you're both in my presence.”
Celestia gave me an angry stare and replied, “Fine” before her horn started glowing in golden magic. Luna appeared in the room, sleeping and floating in the air, still under the covers. She fell to the floor and woke up flailing around. “She's here. Now what do you want?”
“My mother has gone missing. I need you two to find her.”
“Ugh! Tia! Really, please understand that there are easier ways to contact me!” Luna screamed, just before looking at me. “Sister, why there is a changeling in the room.”
“He says he wants us to find his mother, for him.” Celestia replied, her gaze as sharp as an arrow.
Luna stood up, shaking off the blankets and took a step towards me, her horn glowing brightly with dark blue magic. “We will not fall for any trap you set, now leave!” she said.
“Are you going to find my mother, or not?” I asked, looking directly at Celestia.
“I have already said no!” Luna shouted, charging at me. I stayed still, waiting for Celestia to answer.
“Stop!” Celestia shouted. Luna stopped dead in her tracks.
“But sister-!”
“I want to know more about him before I deliver a judgment.” she turned her ever piercing gaze back to me. “Who was your mother and why should we help you?”
“My mother was the one who led the attack on your city. Queen Chrysalis. And you should help me because, if you don't, your city will burn.” I replied.
“Is that a threat?”
“No. It's a guarantee. My aunts have taken over the hive and are making some severe changes, one of which is to erase all traces of past failures. Meaning your kingdom, and unfortunately, me.”
“You? What do you have to do with-”
“My mother, in hiding her true identity, spent some...'comfy' nights with the target, Shining Armor.”
Luna gasped. “Oh my...”
“They are planning their attack as we speak, and when they do, you will not be ready for it. I want my hive back to the way it was, and you want the safety of your citizens, the only way that can happen is if you can find my mother.” I smirked.
“Hmm...” Celestia raised a brow.
“Well!? Will you help me or not?”
“Why should I? From the sound of things, I have no reason to help you.”
“What!?”
“Thanks to the information you've given me, I can now take precautions to keep my subjects safe from said threat.”
I started gritting my teeth. “You-”
“I am fully capable of handling any situation that presents itself. So tell me, why should I help you?”
“You can't just leave me to die!”
“I can't? Why not?”
“You...” I hung my head, defeated.
“What is your name?”
“Variance...”
“Alright, Variance. Listen closely. I am not too pleased to see you, a changeling, stroll into my presence, demand things of me, attack my guards and act like you hold a full hoof of cards.” I kept silent. “I understand you're scared-”
“Scared!?” my head shot up, “I'm not scared!”
“You were shaking when you grabbed me, and even now I can see the beads of sweat dripping down your face.”
“What?!” I scrapped my hoof across my forehead and looked at it, my hoof was glistening in the light.
“To think you have the right to act in such a manner, and still expect something from me, is a level of arrogance I have never, in all my years, seen.” she stood from her throne and walked towards me. “Obviously you are ignorant of the way things work around here, so allow me to explain. If you really want my help, then I suggest you learn some respect!” her wings opened and golden magic shot out like a hurricane, encircling me, and even shooting from the ground with the appearance of fiery pillars. I stumbled across the quaking floor, and tried to use my injured hind leg, the result of which was falling to the ground. I looked up to see her standing above me, her eyes shining pure white light. I held my arms over my head, trying my best to hide away from her gaze. My eyes closed of their own accord, and I braced for whatever fate was to befall me.
“Are you alright?” Celestia said, gently.
I opened one of my eyes, just a little bit, and beheld a concerned look on her face. Her eyes filled with a gentleness I hadn't seen before. I closed my eyes again and said, “Don't take pity on me... just end it already!”
“You're bit melodramatic, aren't you?”
“What?” I pushed myself onto my flank.
“I'm not going to kill you.”
“W- Why not?”
“Well first of all, you're a child-”
“Hey! I'm a changeling warrior! Prince to the hive and heir to the throne! Show some respect!”
She leaned in close to my face and said, “Ho-ho, do you really want to travel down that road, again, little mister?”
I shut my mouth and crossed my arms, and looked away from her as she pulled her head back. “Now as I was saying, secondly, I'm not that kind of pony. Now, please explain why you thought it was a good idea to break into my palace, and attack my guards? You could have injured yourself!”
“Why does that matter?! I'm the spawn of your enemy!”
“You're a child!”
“And what makes you so sure of that? Huh!?”
“That magic you were cowering from? Scanning spell.”
“Well aren't you a bag full of surprises.”
“Variance, be respectful.”
“Yes ma'am... Hey wait a minute-!” her head quickly drew back into my face. “Fine...” she smiled and returned to towering above me. “Will you please help me find my mom?”
“I will consider it. Waging a war on my kingdom, attacking my subjects, harming me and my family are things that cannot be taken lightly. I will weigh the decision and alert you when I have come to an answer.” she and Luna turned around and started walking away from me.
“But my mom-!”
“I know your mother well enough to know she can handle herself.” Celestia replied. I grumbled to myself, and leaned onto my hooves, and started to limp away. “Where do you think you're going?”
I turned around, “Uhm, I'm leaving?”
“Not in your condition you aren't.”
“Excuse me?”
“Yes, excuse him!” Luna said. “Sister, are you seriously inviting this creature to stay here!?”
“It's not an invitation.” Celestia replied.
I returned my focus on the door saying, “Well then, good-”
Only to be cut off by the white alicorn, saying, “It's an order.”
“...What!?” Luna and I screamed.
“You don't honestly expect me to let you travel like that, do you? You're dehydrated, malnourished, covered in scrapes and scratches, in serious need of a bath, and your leg is broken!” she replied, teleporting me to her side.
“You... what's the catch? There's no way anypony would be this kind to a changeling without expecting something in return.” I pulled away.
“Well, yes, that is true.”
“I knew it!”
“I just need to make sure you're not putting yourself in more danger. I rather not send out a unit for you and your mother.”
“You're going to look for my mother?!”
“Still weighing the options. For now, let's get you cleaned up, shall we?” She walked away, her head held high.
“This is wrong on so many levels...”
“Tell me about it.” Luna said, standing next to me..
I was brought to a new room, I looked upon the large, white tile floors, the large golden tub, already filled with warm water, the huge chandelier at the top of the room, beaming down it's light through the crystals hanging on it, shining a prismatic series of rainbows onto white walls. “Well? Do you like?” Celestia asked.
“Whoa...” I replied, astonished.
“Well, come on, it's time to clean you up.” she walked towards the tub.
“Clean me up?”
“Yes, dear. You need a bath.”
“Bath... that sounds good... what's a bath?” Celestia stood there, her face displaying the blankest expression I had ever seen. She didn't say a word, she just looked at me... and then she wrapped me in her magic and lifted me over the tub, and dropped me in. “Hey-!” she dumped some odd smelling liquid on my head. I reached into my mane and pulled my hooves back, quickly looking at the strange goop. “WHAT IS THIS!?” I saw a strange shadow in the water, just infront of mine. I looked up and it was a floating bubble of water. It burst and the water fell on me. My hooves were now covered in white bubbly stuff. “YOU'RE TRYING TURN ME INTO STEW! I KNEW YOU COULDN'T BE-” another bubble of water fell on me.
“Relax, it's just a bath.” she said, taking off the golden horseshoes on her front hooves. She began rubbing my head, gently, and that bubbly stuff began to grow. I prepared myself, in case I had to fight the alicorn. But then I began to sink lower into the water, I began to relax more and more as she massaged my head. “See? Just let the water cleanse you.”
“Hey... why are you doing this for me?” I said, my eyes closed.
“Didn't we already go over this?” she replied.
“Yeah, we did, but it doesn't make sense. Why would you care if I got hurt? I came here expecting a spiteful relationship, not-” more water splashed down on me. “This!”
“Do I really come off as such a hateful pony?”
“Well... no. It's just, weird.”
“I know how it feels to lose a loved one when you're young. Granted, I wasn't as young as you, and I knew my sister would come back. But you and your mother...”
“My mother is fine! You even said it, 'she can handle herself' remember!?”
“Yes, how foolish of me to forget.” she said, as another bubble of water splashed me. “Alright, I think it's time to get out.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Call it a feeling.”
I opened my eyes to see the water had turned completely black. “Hey, what happened?”
“Oh, nothing. Let's just get you out of there.” her magic lifted me out of the tub and onto the ground. I shook myself, flinging off any liquid I could.
“You know, we have towels for that!” Celestia hollered, covering her face.
I stopped. “What's a towel?” she suddenly threw a fabric onto my face. I struggled trying to get it off of me, wrestling with it for around twenty or so seconds. Then, suddenly, Celestia just took it off of me and threw it into a bin on the far side of the room. Good riddance to that. I stood tall and said, “Alright, so have you made your choice about my mom?”
“Hmm, I'm feeling a little peckish. I can't make such a big decision on an empty stomach, you know.”
I sighed and stomped onto the ground with my hind leg, “Listen-” A sudden shock sent itself up my spine and I fell over, in pain. I had completely forgot about it being broken.
Celestia leaned in and squinted her eyes at my leg. “Hmm, that doesn't look too good.” she conjured a white cloth and wrapped it around my leg with her magic. “You'll have to wait until tomorrow, when we can better treat it. Our doctor is off of work around this time.”
“It's fine, it'll heal on it's own.”
“Variance, what exactly happened to give you such wounds?”
“My aunts attacked me, gryphons tried to eat me. The usual stuff when living in the changeling kingdom. Why?”
“No reason.” she smiled. “Come on, let's go get you something to eat and then we can put you to bed.”
“I'm sorry, did you say 'bed'? You don't actually think I'll be sleeping here, do you?”
“I know you will. I already have a bed for you, in Luna's room.”
“Hm... Wait, what? How do you-” my stomach growled.
“Two against one, let's go.” she said, lifting me with magic and placing on her back, walking out the room.
I sat at the long, cloth covered table, drinking a glass of water because Celestia made me. I looked at the spread of foods, fruit kabobs, hay and grass salad, soups, gelatinous molds, ice-cream, pumpkin pies and the like. My eyes ran across everything it could. But none of it looked any good to me. I put the glass down, sighed and said, “Is this really all there is?”
“Hmm? Is it not to your liking?” Celestia asked, sitting across the table from me, eating soup, levitating the spoon with her magic. It made me somewhat jealous that she could use magic so freely like that, while I had to conserve mine.
“No, it isn't. There isn't a single piece of meat in sight.” she dropped the spoon, and her mouth fell agape. Her eyes her eyes had widened and there wasn't a single movement from her. “What?” I turned my head to look at Luna, who had been sitting at the end of the table nearest to us. She had the same look on her face as Celestia.
“You...eat meat...?” Luna asked.
“I like to, but mom says not to feed my unicorn half with physical foods, or it'll make me weak. But my aunt Cicada would sneak me a few slices of pony meat every now and again.”
“You eat ponies!?” Celestia gasped.
“Sometimes. Other times it's stuff like donkey, cow, manticore ...does fish count as meat?” Their expression hadn't shown any sign of improvement, if anything, their jaws appeared to have fallen lower than before.
Luna looked to Celestia, and Celestia returned her glance, then they both looked back at me. Luna returned her eyes to Celestia and said, “I can't believe you let him into our home...”
“I didn't know he ate...that!” Celestia replied, whispering “How was I to know?! It's not exactly something you bring up in a casual conversation! 'Oh, hello, how are you? Also, do you eat ponies?'!”
“You must be out of your mind to think he's sleeping in my room, now!” Luna whispered back.
“He needs somewhere to rest for the night!”
“Then let him sleep in your room!”
“I can't do that!”
“Well why not!?”
“I am clearly within earshot of you two, I hope you know this.” I said, interrupting.
Celestia and Luna gave me a short stare before hurrying to compose themselves. “Ahem... so, Variance, what else do you eat? Perhaps we could provide some of that.” Celestia asked.
“But I want meat...” I said, my head hanging low.
“Let's not talk about that-! Er- Ahem, is there anything else you would prefer to eat?”
“Well-” I felt a hoof touch my back, and in a kneejerk response, flames shot out of my body and swirled around. The flames traveled along my skin, my body changing as it passed. When the flames vanished, I had become a giant king cobra. I wrapped around whatever had touched me, not having any conscious control. I saw a gray pony with a black mane and tail, his eyes shrank small enough to make them seem black as well. I opened my mouth, my fags dripping venom, and hissed as I leaned forward to bite him.
“VARIANCE! STOP!!” Celestia shouted. I snapped out of it, shaking my head. I looked at the pony and tossed him away and transformed back.
I got back into my chair and continued. “Well, while this stuff isn't my thing, I guess I can try some of them..” I started shoveling food into my mouth, like I had never even heard of chewing. The food splattered everywhere.
“Sister.” Luna said.
“Yes?” Celestia responded.
“I'll be locking my door, tonight. Have fun.”
Celestia looked at Luna with a deadpanned expression. “Thanks.” was all she said.
I hopped onto the table and continued eating everything within sight, crawling around, just devouring everything, including Celestia's and Luna's food. I fell off the table and hit the ground, and let out a large burp, my stomach full. “Not the best, but it was pretty good.” I said, rubbing my fat stomach, “All things considered, I wouldn't be too upset if I had to stay a few more days.”
I sat atop a grassy hill, looking down upon the thousands of changelings working within the rocky crevasse, my mother beside me. “Mom?” I said.
“Yes?” she replied.
“Do you really think I'll be able to do it...?”
“Feeling nervous about the big day?”
“Yeah... I'm scared. I don't know if I can do it... what if I fail? What if the kingdom falls because of me?”
“Variance, I wouldn't have chose you to be my heir if I didn't believe you could do it. Have confidence. Remember, even if you lose everything else, you'll still have me.” She said, looking at me with her beautiful, harlequin eyes.
I took a deep breath and said, “Mom, you've seen how I am. I can't control my abilities, but everyone else can! Even Tara does it better!”
“Tara is a year older than you, and your power is more complex than theirs. Give it time, you'll learn.”
“Maybe...but even so, I'm a coward...I can't stand up to anything I know presents a challenge...”
“Variance...”
“But look at changelings like B.T. he's gotten into hundreds of fights, and not once has ever backed down!”
“Variance-”
“He's the same age as me, mom! Maybe I shouldn't do this... maybe I should just renounce-” she put a hoof over my mouth.
“Variance. Don't dishonor me in such a way.” she took her hoof away.
“I'm sorry, but, I'm just-”
“Stop comparing yourself to others, learn to accept yourself. I know how it feels to have the weight of an entire kingdom bearing down on you, I went through it myself with my father, but I've trained you so you won't make the same mistakes I did.”
I turned my head to her and said, “You made mistakes?”
“Yes...”
“What happened?”
She let out a deep sigh and pointed towards the swarm of changelings below us, working hard, providing love to the younger changelings. “Do you see them, Variance? The thousands of changelings?”
“Yeah.”
“There used to be millions....” She pulled me closer to her and said, “If the time ever comes, I want you to know, you'll pull through. Even if you don't believe it, you will.”
I grimaced and said, “How do you know that..?”
She playfully slapped the back of my head. “Just trust me, alright?”
I smiled. “Alright!” I said, laying my head on her side.
I slowly opened my eyes to the blurred, thin, green window just infront of my face. “Variance? Are you here?” I heard Celestia call out. I groaned and climbed out the window, consequently falling from the ceiling to the floor. I picked myself off the ground and shook it off.
I rubbed my eyes and said, “Yes, is there something you need?” she was staring at the roof with an open mouth. “What? What's the problem?” I looked up to try and find where her vision had positioned itself. But I couldn't find anything out of order. I only saw my cocoon, and the roof. “What are you looking at?”
“It's...nothing,” she shook her head, “Anyway, just hold still.” she said, as her horn shone a golden light upon me. “That's quite impressive. A single day and you're almost at full health.” the light stopped.
“A warrior never stays down for long!” I puffed out my chest.
She smiled and said, “Very true little warrior, and if it's alright with you, I would like to put your abilities to the test.”
My chest deflated and I tilted my head. “Why?”
“They've piqued my interest, and whenever something interests me, I can't really help myself in learning about it.”
“Hmm... Alright, I'll play your games, but you have to decide on my mother, today.”
“That sounds fair.” she nodded.
“So when do we start?”
“Well, if you're up to it, right now. Do you think you can teleport us into the library?”
“Of course I can, no problem!” I said, puffing out my chest once more.
“Alright, then let's get started.”
“Only one problem!” I deflated.
She chuckled, “You don't know where it is, do you?”
'Heh...” my head sunk low, an awkward smile upon my face.
“Alright, how about the throne room?”
“I can do that, no sweat.” I stomped my two front hooves onto the ground and focused on the task at hand. My horn began to glow, and a thin, water-like veil of green fire began to open from the ground, and spread beneath Celestia and I. “You might want to lay down, if you're not lower, or as tall as me, I'll have a hard time trying to get you through.”
“Well I could just sit you on my back.”
I shook my head. “No, I can't have physical contact with you or...well, it could get strange.”
“Strange?”
“It's best not to say.”
“Alright, I won't question any further.” She said, as she lay down on her side. She was just high enough so that I could get her through without issue. My focus went back to the throne room, my mind recalling the directions as clear as day. It was then that Celestia and I began to sink into the floor, as though we were standing in quicksand. Celestia went under quicker than I did, but I wasn't too far behind. As we sank under the fire, we began to travel through the castle, through the beams, floors, paintings, windows, everything within our path zooming past us with miraculous speed. But as soon as we passed by the throne room, we rose from the ground through another pool of fire.
I began panting heavily upon arrival. “See...? I told you I could do it...”
“My, that was amazing. I don't think I've ever seen magic like that.”
“Only in the changeling kingdom.” I smirked.
“Princess!!” I heard the voice of a mare scream. I turned my head to see who had shouted, but I was struck by a stream of purple magic, sending me flying back into a pedestal holding a vase. The vase fell onto my head and dazed me.
“Variance!” I heard Celestia shout as she ran towards me. “Variance are you alright? Variance? Variance!”
“I'm fine, just a bit dizzy. Also, please refrain from shouting into my ears like that...”
“Princess what are you doing?! That's a changeling!” that voice shouted again.
“Yes, Twilight, I know. But he's a guest, not a threat.”
“Twilight...?” I said, leaning to the side to get a look at the mare speaking. I saw a purple mare with a black mane and tail, purple and pink streaks flowing through them. “Twilight 'Sparkle'? That's Twilight Sparkle?!”
“I am, what of it!?” she shouted, giving off a snarl.
I got onto my hooves and walked towards her. “That's weird...” I began to circle her.
“What? What's weird?” she said, following my every movement.
I stopped and sat infront of her and said, “You don't look like a cheap skank to me...”
She paused for a moment and gave me a blank stare, before finally shouting aloud, “WHAT!?”
“My mom said you looked like a cheap skank, like the kind of mare you'd find on the side of the street sucking a bunch of-”
“Well your mother was wrong!” she turned her head to Celestia “Princess, who is this?!”
Celestia walked over and stood beside me and said, “Twilight, I'm not so sure you're ready for that kind of information.”
“Oh princess, it can't be that bad.” she said, glowing in confidence.
“Twilight, this is Variance. Prince of the changeling kingdom... he's your nephew.” the smile on Twilight's face vanished and she fainted.
“That went about as well as expected.” I said. “So what do we do now?” I looked to the tall mare beside me.
“Well I'd like to know what she came here for.” Celestia replied.
“But she's out like a light.”
“Don't worry, I can change that.” Celestia cleared her throat and said, “Twilight Sparkle! Get up or you will fail this lesson!”
Twilight rocketed to her feet as though she were in a life and death situation. “Sorry Princess! I just-” Twilight looked around the room. “Oh. Sorry...”
“It's quite alright, it was a surprise for me too. But we can talk about that later, right now I'd like to know why you're here.”
“Oh right!” she said, before unleashing a bright smile, “Shining Armor and Cadence are on their way over here, and they asked that I be here when they arrived. They didn't tell me why, only that they wanted me here.”
“I see, very well then, I'll have the necessary preparations put into place for you three.”
“Thank you princess.” She bowed.
“So, I'm going to meet my dad?” I said.
Twilight's eyes refocused on me. She nervously approached me and said, “Yeah... I guess... So, you're my nephew, right?”
“Yep!” I said.
“I see...and your name is Variance, right?”
“Mhm!” I nodded.
“Well, Variance, it's nice to meet you.” she smiled
“Nice to meet you too, auntie Sparkle.”
She looked away from me, her hoof on the back of her neck. “'Auntie Sparkle' that's gonna take some getting use to.”
“Really? Why?”
“Well, I've never had any nieces or nephews before. I don't really know what to expect of it.”
“Sounds fun to me.” I began to hop around.
“Fun?” she said, her head bouncing to my rhythm
“Why do you say that, Variance?” Celestia asked.
“Well, in the changeling kingdom we put a lot of emphasis on family relationships. Afterall, we only have one another. So when you say you never had any nieces of nephews, I think it's a cool experience. I mean, it's fun to learn more about your family, to get closer to them and see how special they are, isn't it?”
“Yeah, you're right... I didn't think that changelings thought like that...” Twilight replied.
“Hmm. I was testing his abilities, but perhaps you could do it for me, Twilight.” Celestia said.
“Princess, I don't know. Maybe...”
“Come now, Twilight, I think you should spend some time with him. I mean, who knows, you might just learn something that's never been documented before.”
Twilight gave a beaming smile and began giggling, staring at me with large eyes. “I sense great darkness ahead of me.” I said. She grabbed me by the tail and dragged me around the castle, eventually stopping at what appeared to be a garden.
She placed me in a chair and summoned a pen and notepad, levitating them with her magic, and said, “So, Variance, tell me what the average day of a changeling is like.”
“I'd love to!” I smiled
She gave another beaming smile. “Great!”
“But I can't!”
Her smile died. “W-Wha-Why not!?”
“Mom says that changelings never talk about themselves. It's rude and opens us to our enemies who could use those secrets to destroy us.” I said, watching as Twilight groaned and slammed her face into the ground. I just sat there, puzzled, as time passed by. “Are you alri-”
“I GOT IT!” she screamed popping out of the ground. “What if I promise not to reveal anything I learn, ever!?”
“That could work!”
“Yes!” she cocked her arm back, as though she'd won a prize.
“If your word meant anything!” I laughed.
“What?! B-But you said changelings value family, I'm family!” she drew closer, giving a terrifyingly jolly smile.
“Yes, you are.” I pushed her back. “But I just met you, so I can't just put my faith in you like that.”
“B-But I'm the student of the princess! That should be enough to prove my qualities! Come on! You can tell me, right?” she began quivering her lower lip.
“Auntie Twilight, what element do you bear?”
“Oh, I'm the element of magic.”
“That's not exactly the element of honesty, is it? I have no reason to think you won't lie to me, even if you seldom do.”
“Ugh!” she groaned, “Isn't there anything you can tell me!?”
“Well, I could say a few things here and there.”
“Really?!”
“But I won't.”
She gave me a bemused look and said, “You just love doing that, don't you?”
“Sometimes. Anyway, I suppose I could tell you something, but only on one condition.”
“What is it!?” she said, speeding mere inches away from my face.
I pushed her away, again, and looked to the maze and said, “You have to catch me.” looking back to her with a grin.
“What are the rules?” she raised a brow.
I cleared my throat and said, “No locator spells, no teleportation spells, and no time spells. And to win, you must make physical contact with me.”
“Fine if that's what it- wait, how did you know I know those spells?”
“Let the games begin!” I said, jumping onto the ground and running into the maze. I turned the first left I encountered and stopped. I smirked as I jumped into the hedge wall and watched as Twilight passed me by. I jumped out of the hedge and said, “Yooohooo! I'm right here!”
“Gotcha!” she shouted, her horn glowing brightly.
A coat of lavender magic had surrounded me and picked me up, holding me in mid air. “Hey! That's cheating!”
“No it's not. You never said anything about levitation spells, and if I remember correctly, I simply have to touch you to win.” she began to walk towards me.
“You're right, but can you keep your grip?”
“What?” she asked. I closed my eyes and focused my intentions. I opened my eyes and began to suck in the magic aura surrounding me. “Hey, what's going on?! I can't-”
“Just a bit more...” I said, absorbing more magic into my body.
“What are you doing?!” she said, as the spell broke.
“I'm free!” I shouted, using my wings to hover in place.
“What was that?” Twilight asked, breathing heavily, probably from the stress.
“Oh, I just absorbed the magic required to keep the spell in place.”
“You absorbed my magic?! That's not possible! Magic comes from the heart of the user, it can't simply be taken into somepony else!”
“But I do it all the time...”
She took a few steps forward and said, “But how?! I've never once read about those sort of spells, I've never even seen it referenced.”
“It's not a spell. It's just something I do” I shrugged.
“Absorbing magic...I can't even wrap my mind around it... all the books I could publish...the knowledge I'd have... I might even have a library named after me!”
“Auntie Sparkle?” I backed away a bit.
Her eyes locked onto me like a predator, “Variance... come here!” she screamed, jumping at me.
“Alright.” I said, unleashing the freshly absorbed magic from my body. I unleashed it in a flurry of flames, transforming myself into a giant snake, as I had done the night before. I leaned in close to her face and said, “Here I am, auntie Ssssssparkle.”
Her ears dropped, and she let out a deep sigh and ran away faster than my eyes could register. I chuckled, listening to her screams and chased after her, crushing the maze walls as I moved. “Stop chasing me!”
“But I thought you wanted to learn more about me.”
“I do! It's just-” she turned around to look at me, and then ran fast enough to blaze her trail.
“Auntie Sparkle? I'm jussssssssst trying to help you! Come on, don't run! I promisssss I won't eat you!”
“Stop talking like that!”
“Sssssorry!” I said, laughing. Before I knew it, I had lost track of time, and had continued to chase her for hours. The maze was totally destroyed by the end of the ordeal. Twilight was worn out, and so was I. We just lay sprawled out on the ground, near one another, neither of us able to move. “Auntie Sparkle...” I said.
“Yes, Variance?” she replied.
“I had fun today.”
“I'm glad to hear it.” she smiled.
“Auntie Sparkle...” I began to cry.
“Variance, what's wrong?”
“I'm scared....” I clenched my teeth, trying to hold back my tears.
“Why's that?”
“I know how the world generally sees changelings, and my dad's first impression wasn't a good one... I don't want him to hate me.”
“I think it might be a shock, but I don't think he could hate anypony, he's not that kind of stallion.”
“My mother tried to destroy everything he cared about, anypony else would hold a grudge...” I gasped, trying harder to hold back the tears streaming down my face. “He never wanted me, he never asked that I be born. Why would he accept me...?”
Twilight wrapped me in her magic and pulled me closer. She held onto me and said, “Variance...you'll see, there's nothing to be worried about. It'll all be fine.”
“I hope so..” I said, just now managing to hold my tears back.
Twilight began to stroke my mane and said, “Hey, Variance?”
“Alright...today's the day...” I said, staring at myself in a rivers reflection. My body felt heavy, like my legs were to collapse at any moment. I lifted my horn and channeled my magic into the water, the magic ran deep down, all the way to the bottom. I forced my magic deeper, past the ground into a sphere held in place by stone grips. The river froze, like time had stopped, and split apart. The ground cracked and broke apart with the sphere rising from the ground. The sphere was made of a thin glass, covered in gold designs. It shined brighter than the sun, and gave life to the surrounding area. Sprouting flowers and bringing to life the spirit of whatever animal happened to be around. I bowed my head.
“Who are you? And why have I been resurrected, young changeling?” the sphere asked.
“I am Variance, heir to the changeling throne. And I have brought you back because...it is my time.” I lifted my head.
“Ah, welcome young prince. You've come in preparation for your grand day, haven't you?”
“I have.”
“But you are not ready, are you?” The sphere's light got brighter, and bent it's shape to mirror me. I looked “You come here with a sense of duty, but it is not of your own accord, is it?”
“To be honest, I don't want this day to happen...I'd rather my mother keep control. I've no problems in being a prince.” my eyes drifted towards the waters, “I'll have to become an amazing warrior, a magnificent ruler, a calculated strategist and so much more...I don't know if I can do it...”
“The responsibility you face is great, but fear not, for I will prepare you for this day as I have done for all who came before.” the mirror image of me grew taller, my horn larger and a crown placed upon my head. “I will turn you into a king like no other. I promise you.” the light version of me exploded, and I was blinded. The energy flowed around me, and I could feel something. I didn't understand what, but it was incredible. The light changed, it grew darker and melted to the ground.
I heard a voice, whispering calling out for me. “Where are you...?” the stone claws released the orb reached for me. I ran out of the way and and watched as the world started to crumble. The sky, the water, even the air itself, all shattering and falling into an infinite void.
“It's a dream...” I said.
“Where are you?” the voice roared, shaking the already unstable ground beneath me. I sank into the ground, being pulled by what felt like fangs piercing me. “You can't hide it, I will rip it from your very skull if I have to.” I fell out of the ground and into the void, where two large intense purple eyes made themselves known. I tried to look away but I couldn't, some force was holding my eyes in place. I looked deep into them and for every second I did, I felt like I lost a little bit of my own mind. My own soul. “That's right, don't resist, just let me—” Light of gold, brilliant raspberry and dark blue broke through the void and surrounded me, forming a shield. “What? No! that's impossible! Who is protecting you!?” The shield sent out a wave of magic and broke the eyes into pieces. With that, I woke up screaming in a bed with Celestia, Luna, and Twilight standing above me. Their horns and eyes glowing and their expressions filled with righteous rage.
“Variance, are you alright?” Celestia asked.
“I'm fine...” I said, flying up to her and holding on to her neck.
“Who was that?” Twilight asked.
“I don't know, but to use dream magic to pull information from someone, they must be very advanced.” Luna replied.
“We were lucky Luna checked on him when she did, otherwise it could have been much worse.” Celestia said.
“It was Marzena...one of my aunts...” I said, gripping Celestia tighter. “She's dream hunting...”
“Dream hunting?”
I nodded. “She's running through the dream world looking for my mental signature. Once she finds it, she'll...” I grit my teeth and buried my face in Celestia's neck.
“Variance, I thought you said family means everything to changelings. Why would your own aunt try to hurt you?” Twilight asked.
“My aunts hate one another, but more than anything they hate me for being my mother's son. Marzena was the worst. And even though they hated me, they always warned me about her whenever we met.” I replied.
“She's that dangerous?”
“Marzena feeds on the consciousness of other creatures. Everything that makes you who you are is a meal to her. Once she's done, you become no more aware than a rock. There's a story that my subjects tell around burning villages.” Twilight cocked her head back, her brows raised and her ears dropped. She raised a hoof and opened her mouth to say something, But Celestia quickly closed it. “It's about how Marzena rampaged through the land, feeding on anything she could find as a rebellion against my mother being crowned the queen. She killed off hundreds of innocent creatures, and thousands of changelings. She kept healing herself by attacking changelings or any being unfortunate enough to cross paths with her. My mother was exhausted, battered and bruised but she somehow kept fighting, resisting Marzena's feeding through sheer willpower alone. The battle lasted three whole days, my mother was able to force her into submission and with broken bones, wounded flesh, and drained will, stood victorious. For her treason against the throne, she was banished to the eternal chambers. A place where you're forced to live out the worst memories of other changelings for all eternity. I don't know how she got out, but now that my mother's gone-”
“She's free to rampage looking for you...Celestia this is terrible.” Twilight said.
I let go of Celestia and landed infront of her. “You promised to decide on finding my mother today. And now we don't have much time, what's your decision?”
She closed her eyes and said, “You understand that if I do this, I may have to battle your mother again one day. And if that happens...” she looked at me. “You'll be in the war too.”
“I do...” I dragged a hoof across the ground.
“I see.” she opened her wings and stood valiantly. “Variance, prince of the changeling kingdom. Your request has been considered greatly, and it is with all my authority that I deem your request...denied.”
“What!?”
“And furthermore, you are to be held prisoner within the walls of my kingdom. Never shall you leave until the day you perish!”
“Celestia,” Twilight called, confused. “What are you doing?”
“Yeah, Celestia! What are you doing?! I trusted you!” I tried to run past her, but she teleported me back where I was.
“Understand that this is for the good of everyone.” she shot out a beam of magic into my chest and I fell back into unconsciousness. Marzena hadn't attacked again that night.
I awoke in the library, a spiral of books surrounding everything. “What happened?” I asked myself, rubbing my temples. And then it hit me. “CELESTIAAAAAAAAAAA!!!” I roared, my magic surging through the room. I launched myself into the air and broke through the ceiling with a pillar of fire. It swirled and morphed into a spear as I flew high into the sky and divebombed into the main palace. I smashed into the ground, my hooves breaking through the tile floor and the force shaking the castle itself. The fire lashed out scorching the walls. I turned my tail into a the head of a dragon, roaring and snorting fire ready to devour whatever I chose. “CELESTIA!! I WILL—” I saw a white unicorn with a blue mane and a lighter blue stripe through it and my magic, everything I was going to say and do, had stopped instantly. The unicorn had blue eyes, his cutie mark was a shield with a small star on it. “Uhh...”
“I guess this is him?” He said. Celestia, sitting in her throne, nodded. The unicorn walked up to me and said, “Hey there, little guy. I...I guess I'm your dad.” I retreated and started walking back. I was too afraid to speak to him. “Hey, it's alright.” he said in a calming voice. “I'm not going to hurt you.”
“You...you're...”
“Go on.”
“You're my...” he nodded. “Dad?”
“Yeah. I am.” I jumped onto him and held him tight. I held him as though I were going to lose him. Tears streamed down my face and I grit my teeth trying to hold them back. “There we go, just let it all out.” he said wrapping a hoof around me. “I heard about how you thought I'd react. What do you think?”
I pulled away and looked him straight in the eye. No malice, no hate, no ill-will. I teared up again. “It's fine.” I said before clinging back onto him. “Everything's fine.”
“Glad to hear it, champ.” I must have spent the next half hour crying my eyes out. But he was there comforting me every moment of it. Once I finally calmed down and cleared my eyes of liquid pride, I saw a pink alicorn standing next to Celestia with a gentle smile on her face. She had a mane shifting from rose, to pale gold, to dark violet. Her eyes were purple and filled with kindness.
“Who is that?” I asked pointing at her.
Shining Armor looked at her and then back at me and said, “You don't know who she is?”
“Nope.”
“Really?” The alicorn said. “I'm Cadence, your fathers wife...so I guess I'm your step-mother.”
I looked to Shining Armor. “I didn't know you got married recently.”
“We've been married for five years.”
“Really? I never heard of you.”
Cadence's face shifted halfway between annoyed and bemused. “Steals my stallion, bears his kid and I don't even get a mention?” she grumbled to herself.
Shining Armor laughed a bit, trying to cover his chuckles. “Don't worry about it sweetie, he's here now so you can get to know him. But, you'll have to wait until after me.” he picked me up by my horn and held me in his hoof upside down. “Fatherly dibs.” he said trotting out of the room, me still in hoof.
“Yay~” I said, wiggling my hooves.
“So little guy, what would you like to do?”
“Hmmm” I said rubbing my chin. “I have the perfect Idea!”
“There should be a limit for how intensely you can hate something, but so far, I'm not finding it.” Twilight said in my gigantic claw.
“Come on, Twilight, play along.” Luna pleaded from my other claw.
She snarled and said, “Fine.” she cleared her throat and said, “Oh please, oh please! Someone help me, for whatever shall I do against such a horrid beast!”
“Let them go, Malthazeer!” Shining Armor said, dressed in his old knight attire, a spear aimed at me. “Do not make me slay you again!”
“Bwahahaha! Foolish little pony, I have captured both the princesses of harmony! Their power is mine! My power is unlimited!” I roared, currently a giant dragon. Shining Armor shot a magic beam towards my chest, the magic bounced off and hit the ground. “Still you challenge me? I shall show you the futility of your life!” I breath out a sea of green fire towards him. He conjured a shield around himself and the fire passed over him. I cackled.
Shining armor fell to the ground, panting. “He's too strong, there's no way I can win!” he said.
Twilight said in a monotone, “Oh no, it seems our valiant knight has failed us, we are surely doomed.
“No, not yet!” Luna enthusiastically replied. “Brave knight! You must use the master spell!”
“But I do not know if I have enough strength!”
“We believe in you! Don't we, Princess?” Twilight wasn't paying attention. “Princess?” she was staring off into the distance, a solemn look on her face. “Princess!”
“Yes?” she said, finally snapping out of it.
“We believe in our great knight, don't we?”
“Yes...I guess we do.”
I cackled, “Your faith is misplaced, girls, watch as I prove it!” I lifted my giant foot and stomped down where Shining Armor stood.
“Knight!” Luna gasped.
“Oh no...” Twilight said.
From between my toes came a shining light, a blue magic shot forth from it and struck me in the chest. I let Twilight and Luna go and fell on my back. “Impossible!”
“Now, your majesties!” Shining Armor shouted. Twilight's and Luna's horn started to glow and Shining Armor shot off another bolt of magic into the sky. Luna and Twilight mixed it with their own bolts and it fell down and struck me. “Nooooo!”
“Back to your dark pit, evil one!” they all shouted, except Twilight, she yawned it.
With that, a large pillar of fire shot high into the clouds. Shining Armor stood tall, chest out and Luna and Twilight by his side. I hopped out of the fire pillar, normal, bouncing towards them. “That was fun!”
Twilight patted me on the head and gave me a small smile. “I guess it was.” she gave an angry glare to Luna and Shining Armor before walking away.
“Did I do something wrong?” I asked.
“No, Variance, she's just upset.” Luna replied.
“About what?”
“It's nothing, I'll go talk to her.” Luna trotted off.
“So, now what?” I asked my father.
He turned around and looked at the smoldering ash from Celestia's gardens. “I think you should go inside, Cadence probably wants to spend some time with you too.” he cleared his throat, his eyes to and fro the garden. He smiled.
“Ok!” I said. As I made my way back inside, I happened across Luna and Twilight. They were arguing about something. I hid behind the castle door and watched them in the throne room.
“You can't honestly expect me to be ok with this, can you!?” Twilight shouted.
“I understand how you feel but we don't have a choice.” Luna defended.
“No choice? No, there was no choice when you became Nightmare Moon, there was no choice when we sealed Discord, but this? This is madness, Luna! And you stand before me with a straight face, like it doesn't even matter. You didn't utter a single word against the decision, you acted as though we have no choice!”
“Because we don't, Twilight. This is how it has to be, if Celestia says-”
“Don't get me wrong, I respect you both. You're always so wise and helpful, you aren't infallible, there could be another way!”
“Well, what would you have us do? And what if you were wrong? Could you take that chance?” Twilight was silent. “It happens tonight. If things go right, then you won't have anything to worry about.”
Twilight sighed. “I can't believe what we're bout to do.” she looked to Twilight. “How can I live with myself. ”
“The same as the rest of us...a day at a time. It hurts...I know, but it's for the best.”
“Do you think he'll forgive us?”
“Of course, he'll be happier this way...he has to be.”
“Is that the lie you tell yourself to bear this burden?”
“It's not a lie if you don't know the truth.”
“What are they talking about?” I whispered to myself. “Twilight said something about a decision, did she mean the one Celestia made?” I thought about how Celestia simply decided to ignore my plea for help, and decided to keep me prisoner. It made my blood boil. I calmed myself down and walked inside, asking where Cadence was. Twilight didn't look at me, she turned and walked away. “Auntie Twilight?”
She stopped for a brief moment and ran off. “She'll be alright, Variance, she just has something on her mind.”
“Alright.” I said, pretending to be somewhat oblivious. “Where's Cadence? Dad said he wanted me to spend some time with her.”
“I believe she's with my sister.”
“And where's she?”
“Probably overseeing tonight's celebration.”
I tilted my head. “Celebration? What for?”
Luna chuckled. “You'll see.” she lifted me onto her back. “Come on, let's find my sister.”
It was weird how quickly Luna warmed up to me, not too long ago she wanted me gone, now she's treating me like her own. Something was off, I wasn't sure what, but something didn't feel right.
