A New Day

    The skies are clear now that the threat in Canterlot has been literally thrown across the horizon. The ponies watch the distance, expecting a swarm rising up. After the sun went down they settled back into their lives. They celebrated the wedding of Princess Cadence and Captain Shining Armor with a reception of the ages.

    Of course I was present as well, why would I not be. I am one of the nobles that were invited to the wedding and I am well known throughout Equestria as Lady Emerald, teacher of pony socials. Princess Cadence came to my home and personally invited me. But I found out that was not the Princess at all, it was the changeling queen, Chrysalis.

    I took a guess that since I am the one who understands how ponies works that I would be a great help to them in finding new ways to get food. Unfortunately for her the Element of Magic found out who she was and freed Cadence. It was a beautiful display seeing Chrysalis and her swarm being blown away by the very thing they fed on.

    I watched them all dance with my green eyes. Oh, I haven’t said which one I was. I am the light blue unicorn mare with the light purple mane with light blue highlights. My dress has a slight fairy look to it and a single earring in one ear. My escort is Raindrop, a yellow pegasus stallion. We feel differently about the attack on Canterlot.

    “My queen why is it we didn’t go after her? She almost destroyed our home and we almost got exposed due to the force field,” he said again for the billionth time. “We are not going to get revenge Raindrop. It will expose us more than the shield. And stop calling me queen, we are in public,” I repeated for the billionth time. “You can call me Emerald or ma’am.”

    I swear him calling me queen near earshot will get us caught. “Yes ma’am,” he said. Looking up at the clock tower I sighed. “Raindrop it’s time to go home, can you retrieve Cupcake and Rook?” He nodded trotting into the crowd.

Through Raindrop’s Eyes

    Nodding to my queen I moved into the swarm of ponies. I don’t know why my queen wishes us to stay here amongst them. We have two hunters, we can just be in a safe cave nearby and live our lives as what we are while they bring us the love we need. Who am I to argue against our queen? She is extremely kind, kinder than any queen in the world. The rule against taking on one under a different queen is one she broke many times through a loophole.

    She says that any changeling queen may take one from a different swarm if it has been abandoned or banished. Only two of them fit that statement, Onyx and Tulip. Onyx to weak to hunt, so he was abandoned. Tulip was banished for attacking, on more than one occasion, the royal warriors.

    Glad I wasn’t apart of her swarm. Leaf, our second scout, ran away because the queen used him as a punching bag for no reason, every day. Wormwood, our hive keeper, his queen only let him have enough love to keep him alive. And Azure won’t even speak about what her queen did!

    They all came to my queen for safety and a new start. She never refused any of them. I wonder if she is doing this to keep the other queens from hunting them down. Her self-shield kept us from being blown away with the blue queen’s swarm. She made sure that we stayed here on the ground.

    I guess I should look for those two. “Excuse me sir,” I said to an elder unicorn. “Yes my good fellow,” he replied. They all seem polite to us. “I am looking for my friends, Cupcake and Rook. Have you seen them?” I asked trying to maintain a smile. The elder colt tapped his chin with his hoof, obviously thinking. “I remember meeting a nice mare by the name Cupcake. She might be by the punch bowl.” I thanked him then trotted over to where he pointed.

    Finally making my way through the crowd, I saw the female hunter chatting with a white unicorn. “Cupcake,” I said. I hated disguised names, they sound fake to those who know their real names. She turned her head to me, her pink and white candy cane mane bouncing from the movement.

  “Raindrop, it is good to see you,” she said her voice like honey. “I was just talking to Miss Rarity here about my dream dress.” My green eyes met a pair of aquamarine. This Rarity was very stunning…for a pony. “Hello darling, enjoying the reception,” she said. She sounded very regal.

  “Yes I am, but I am afraid me and my friend here have to go,” I said trying to voice it regally for her. “Aww, come on Raindrop! I was staring to have fun,” Cupcake whined. “I’m sorry, but Emerald asked that I fetch you and Rook,” I said keeping myself from laughing. Rook was a stupid name; don’t know why he chose it.

  Cupcake perked her ears. “Oh,” she said. “You know Lady Emerald?” the white mare asked. “Me and Cupcake are personal companions of Emerald,” I said proudly. Cupcake turned to leave with me at her tail. “See you later Rarity!” she shouted.

  Finding Rook was easier since Cupcake had a tracking spell placed on him. He was playing chess against a purple unicorn mare. By what Cupcake told me she was winning. Both were ignoring the crowd around them and stared at the pieces.

  Because they were unicorns, they had a special ring on their horns to prevent them from casting any spells except levitation. I have no clue how these ponies did that. The mare finally levitated a piece and began smiling happy of her move. Rook just smirk at her. He moved a knight piece (the only one I know the name for) knocking over hers. “Checkmate,” he said.

   The lavender mare looked at him dumbfounded. “Good game,” Rook said. She regained her posture and nodded. “Yes it was. I must say you are an excellent player,” she replied. They both shook hooves and Rook came over to Cupcake and I. “ Hey guys.”

Through Emerald’s Eyes

   It has been almost an hour after she sent Raindrop to get her other broodlings. I was beginning to worry about them. They know not to feed in public, only from a window from our home. I hope they aren’t causing trouble. I was about to give up and head into the crowd of ponies when Raindrop emerged with Rook and Cupcake trailing behind him.

  “Rook report,” I said. Every time my broodlings go anywhere I make the higher ranked do the report, unless one of my scouts was with them. “I was playing a game of chess with a unicorn mare while Cupcake was chatting with a unicorn mare named Rarity,” he said automatically. I always wanted names of those they spoke to.

   “What is the name of the mare you played with,” I asked. Rook thought a moment. “I’m sorry ma’am, I don’t recall her name,” he said sadly. They never like to disappoint me. “It’s all right Rook,” I said sounding motherly. “Try to get it the next time you see her.”

   Cupcake looked up to me with her ruby eyes. “Emerald do we have to go home,” she whined. Raindrop glared at her. He doesn’t like it when another questions me. “Yes we do Cupcake,” I said getting a de-ja-vu feeling. Every time she goes out she wants to stay out. I think she is nervous around us. “We don’t want to make the others worry now do we?” I asked. She nodded sadly. Poor girl. We began to walk away from the reception when a large figure stopped in front of us.

   “Leaving so soon,” she said. It wasn’t hard to figure who it was. The white mare was Princess Celestia herself. On occasion I met with her to give advice when she asked. “Yes Princess, we are. I have a little one at home being foal-sat by my friend,” I said. It wasn’t a complete lie. I did have a child at home; he was the last egg I had before my hive was attacked in the changeling war.

   “Tell Pinwheel I said hello,” she said moving out of our path. “I will,” I replied. Pinwheel was the name he came up with after seeing pinwheels in a toyshop when we first came to Canterlot. We trotted down the road to our large home.