Ep.1: Stolen Artifact

Ep.1: Stolen Artifact

Compromise pt.1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In a small room held the priceless and oldest relics known to Changeling kind; The Morph Stone. The priceless less artifact is the way they get premature Changelings. They lure lost or curious foals into the forest and take them, after another hour of free time they are forced to take the ancient relic for a moment slowly turning them into one of the Changeling race.

Less and less foals have fallen for the trap nor do they even walk to specify the voice. It's now become a display for royalty ever since the banishment of Princess Luna life's been even rougher. It's been one thousand years since the youngest princess; Princess Luna was banished for a thousand years. Said, "She will plunge Equestria into eternal night". What a nice thought that would be it is after all close to the thousandth year. Maybe... maybe it might actually happen, who knows? Probably not. Another priceless artifact is displayed on the walls of the room surrounding The Morph Stone, it stated: On the thousandth year of the longest day six little ponies will come together and defeat the Mare in the Moon.

A young Changeling maybe around nineteen walks the halls of the castle. He walked around the small room with the relics; he does that every day. The Changeling soon heard a scream it came from the small room holding the relics. He rushed to the deep toned scream. "What's wrong Mirage?" the male Changeling prince asked.

"P-Prince Mirror Shard! T-The Morph Stone it's gone!" Mirage exclaimed pointing to the empty display case. To his horror... it was gone.

"Where is it?!" Mirror Shard the prince of the Changelings hissed at the Changeling royal guard.

All Mirage did was give a lost shrug. "I don't know Prince Mirror Shard, who could've done it?" Mirror Shard scratched his head with his hole covered left hoof.

"No idea Mirage," the Changeling took his hat off with his yellow magic. Mirror Shard gave a quick pat to his saddlebag. Silence was all that was heard.

The prince sighed with disappointment. Mirage is the best guard we have? Mirror Shard watched the Changeling guard snoop around the odd shaped room. Another sigh left Mirror Shard's mouth. It could've been the fact that the guard had a pipe and a top hat on. "Who could've done it Mirage?" the Changeling prince asked laughing immediately after. "And how would you know?"

"Elementary my dear Mirror Shard," he pat the prince's hat which already had a bowler hat on. Mirage blushed realizing he had just touched the heir to the Changeling Empire. "Eh... s-sorry p-prince," the male, deep toned Changeling fixed Mirror Shard's abnormally white mane. Mirror sighed and looked at his oddly Pegasus like wings. It's an anomaly. He then heard a voice. "Mirror Shard? What are you doing in here your supposed to be protecting the other hall explain yourself," the Queen of the Changelings demanded. She was slightly on the angry side, but... she really loves and cares for Mirror Shard as if she was the one who gave birth to him. Silence filled the air yet again.

The prince pointed at the empty and broken display case. "Who had the nerve to steal from us?!" the Queen demanded to know. There was a note: Dear Queen Chrysalis,

Hey there mommy, how's it going? For me, for my tribe it's going downhill! Time to see how you like it when something is taken from you.

"Crud, it's them," Chrysalis sighed. There is another type of Changeling an albino, this type has magic, and flight, they can't transform however.

"Q-Queen, there's something on the back," Mirage pointed. So there was: As we all know, we can't transform, and since you put a price on our heads we got your little prince here to do it for us.

"Is this true son!?" she exclaimed starting to float in the air.

The prince was shocked. "You believe them?!" Mirror Shard defended himself. He pushed his scarf closely.

"I know Mirror, but... no, you couldn't have," she pulled her head away. "I'll send Changelings to ask every-pony," Queen Chrysalis offered.

Mirror Shard agreed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finally after hours of asking Changelings, they all Changelings spoke the same. They saw nothing except the prince carrying something on his back. The door slammed behind the Queen. "All evidence points to you Mirror, I can't let my subjects believe I'm growing soft my son," she began taking a breath.

"Wha-What does that mean?" the prince asked words catching in his throat.

The green eyes of the queen met the prince's Ruby red ones. "I'm sorry, you're on your own," she turned around. Behind her turned body was tears rolling down her black face.

"What!?" Mirror Shard spat out in shock.

She never cried this much if ever. "I'm sorry my little Changeling, I must banish you," she quickly turned back to look at her whatever is
left of her kingdom. Changelings were angry they were just outside throwing stones. Mirror Shard's eyes teared in the corners. "I'll lift the banishment if you can gain the respect of the Changelings once again," she said over her shoulder before her son walked out.

"I will don't you worry," he promised turning back to face his mother.

Mirror Shard walked out getting hit by stones one after another. "I'm going, I'm going," he hissed and ran away before getting hit with more rocks.

Mirror Shard felt a bad feeling growing in his stomach as he walked. He had never been outside the hive this is scary to him. He heard a voice. He froze in his tracks as the voice drew closer. It was a small group of Changelings who he in needs of his life he had to avoid. When he looked up he saw he had not been caught and he kept walking. After what felt like days but only been moments he saw a shred of light. He saw a chance to get out of the forest without thinking he ran for it. He as soon as he saw a few ponies he immediately changed into a jet black unicorn stallion, red eyes, with a pitch black bowler and a black and white scarf. He looked around and saw a recognized face. One that could help him get back into the hive, a purple unicorn with a light purple dragon. He ran to her in hopes to befriend her how hard can that be . . . right?

Mirror walked alongside her whom looked confused. Silence fell down for a while. Finally the purple unicorn looked at him in question. "Um . . . do we know you?" the lavender mare asked looking at the shrugging dragon.

He shook his head. "No, I'm uh . . . I'm Mirror Shard," he introduced.

"I'm Twilight Sparkle, I am here to check up on the Summer Sun Celebrations," she said proudly still in disappointment that the she is forced to make friends.

"You seem down, any reason why?" the disguised Changeling asked knowing the answer.

Twilight was unsure if she should tell this random stallion. "Why do you want to know?" she questioned further.

He rubbed his head with his not so hole covered hoof. "Just wondering, maybe something about an evil entity, or you know something like that," Mirror Shard looked away from Twilight.

Twilight realized he knows that something is happening. "Yes, Nightmare Moon's return," she shuffled her hooves.

He nodded. "Ah, yes Nightmare Moon," he tipped his bowler hat.

"We'll talk about that later alright?" she offered. This doesn't count as being friends.

He nodded and followed her and the purple dragon. "Why are you following us anyway?" Spike asked him.

"Uh . . . I was . . . uh . . . sent . . . by Princess Celestia," he said holding back the need to gag.

Twilight clapped her hooves for a moment. "Great, that means I don't have to do this whole darn thing," she said aloud.

"Alright, official overseer's checklist, first we have the food, Sweet Apple Acres," Spike smelled fresh baked goods. The disguised Changeling even couldn't help but lick his lips. Soon enough a mare at the top of her lungs yelled: "Yeehaa!" that caught the attention of the stallion and Spike.

"Hello my name is Twilight Sparkle a-" she was caught by the mare grabbing her hoof and shaking it up and down. She squeaked aloud. "Howdy do Miss Twilight mah name's Applejack," the orange mare with a cowboy hat on said; she stopped shaking. Spike and Mirror Shard snickered together as Twilight's hoof wouldn't stop shaking. She smiled at that. "And this is Mirror Shard," Twilight pointed at the laughing stallion.

As soon as he stopped laughing his flank off he was bombarded by Applejack who grabbed his hoof and shook it for a while. "OW!" Mirror Shard managed to get out.

"Ya'll want to stay for brunch?" Applejack asked the group of three.

Twilight shook her head but was stopped by a little filly and her sad face. Twilight Sparkle sighed and looked back at AJ. "Fine," she agreed forcefully.

A large group of ponies cheered. The Changeling smiled at the bountiful food before him. Not as good as love but... he took a bite of the fresh apple pie made by the oldest one of the family. "Better!" he accidently said aloud a blush growing on his face. Eyes were on him and him alone. "Uh... good pie, who made it?" he asked changing the subject.

"Mah Granny," the filly said muffled with food in her mouth.

"She's nappin' well jus' put her meal on hold, dig in every-pony," the orange earth mare spoke up for her entire family.

He took another bite. "Thanks, and we can have seconds?" he asked rubbing his head.

"Of course, I'm one of the most reliable of ponies, I'd never lie to a friend," she rubbed up against Twilight who then spit out her food. She gulped. "Well, I see food is taken care of so we'll just be going," Twilight saw Spike check the food item off the checklist.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Twilight walked with her new acquaintance. He groaned felt his stomach gurgle. "Uh... well, that's a first," he blushed. He had never actually had trouble digesting any food but I guess when all you eat is berries that are brought to you, you don't tend to have any trouble digesting. Spike looked to the sky for a pony. There is supposed to be a Pegasus pony named Rainbow Dash clearing the clouds," Spike looked to the cloudy sky.

"Huh, not doing well," the black unicorn brought up. In a flash some-pony hit him. He looked up he saw some-pony. "Oops, eh... sorry," the mare apologized.

Remember for my place in the hive. Mirror Shard whooshed his mane and picked up his now muddy bowler hat and scarf. "It's okay," his right eye twitched.

"Let me get that," the mare went and grabbed a cloud. Soon enough she was over head of Mirror Shard. The rainbow maned mare leapt on the cloud. He was soaking wet. He sighed releasing some of his anger. "Oops, maybe I did it a little too much, let me help," the mare swirled around the stallion. She beforehoof looked at the stallion before asking for a thanks. She will defiantly not get a thanks from either of Twilight how was caught in the cross fire or him. His mane was spikey. His hat drifted away in the wind too. He tried sighing again this time no avail. "You must be Rainbow Dash?" Twilight the now puffy maned mare asked with an annoyed tone.

"The one and only, you heard of me?!" she gasped and went out of ear shot of Twilight Sparkle but not so much the disguised Changeling. The mare looked for the rainbow maned pony. “You know what screw it, c'mon she'll do it eventually," Mirror Shard groaned and started walking away. Shard was followed by Twilight and Spike

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Décor was next. Shard was never really the decorator type but he'll do sometimes a card or two. He saw a white mare. He chuckled at Spike's lovey dovey eyes. "You know what? Spike, Mirror Shard, can you just go?" she pleaded. Spike levitated off the ground and floated to her.

"I guess," Shard shrugged.

He trotted over to the mare. "Hello, I-" Shard was cut off by the mare.

"Just a moment I'm in the zone as it were," the white mare said.

"I just needed a few things to ask you, can't we compromise?" Shard asked in hopes of a yes.

She finally put a ribbon on the pilled and turned to him. She squealed as she looked at his spikey light white mane. It rivaled the mare's coat. "Goodness me! What ever happened to your mane!?" she poked his mane with a stick.

"It's a long story," he admitted rubbing his mane.

"Well you can't go like that!" the mare used her magic lifting Mirror to her side.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Soon enough they were in her shop. "So, where are you from?" the white mare asked squeezing Mirror Shard's side.

He whimpered lightly. "I'm... Mirror... Shard... I'm uh... from Canterlot," Shard fell to the ground as the mare released her grip on him.

"Canterlot! Oh, I always wanted to go there! Oh, where are my manors? I'm Rarity," Rarity continued to dress Mirror Shard.

"Rubies, rubies are just for you" she said smiling as she walked off.

Mirror Shard gulped as he used his ruby red magic to drag Spike with him. "Quick, before she dyes my coat!" he exclaimed dragging Spike behind him.

She was wonderful wasn't she?" Spike said sitting on Twilight's back.

Mirror sighed lucky he was able to get out before his coat was dyed. "Alright, what's next?" Twilight asked raising an eyebrow.

Spike looked to the list. "Music." He responded putting the checklist in Twilight's saddlebag.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The three walked following the sounds of birds. They smiled and walked to see a butter yellow Pegasus pony. Mirror walked backwards. "I am not going over there," Shard said looking at the butter yellow Pegasus.

Twilight rolled her eyes. "Fine, me and you will go, Spike you stay there," Twilight demanded as she looked to Mirror Shard.

With a sigh he nodded. "Fine, we'll both go," he knows he wants to gain the trust of her but, it's hard to when these ponies are so crazy.

Twilight Sparkle and Mirror Shard walked up to the Pegasus. "Hello," the mare squeaked loudly.

The two saw as birds flew away. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare away your birds," Twilight said chuckling nervously.

The butter yellow Pegasus flew down. She scrapped her hooves along the ground. The two felt awkward a little. "Uh... I'm Mirror Shard, this is Twilight Sparkle, um... what's yours?" Mirror asked avoiding contact with her eyes.

The Pegasus muttered he couldn't understand what she said. "Uh... what?" he asked the mare repeated even quieter.

"O-One more time please," he requested of the mare.

After so much more asking the mare her name, she whimpered. The two gave up. "Well your birds are back, so, we'll be going," he said walking off. Spike came into view of the yellow mare and she leapt to him.

"Oh a dragon!" she said happily. "I've never seen a baby Dragon before, what's his name!?" the mare asked happily a smile on her face.

"I'm Spike," the baby dragon said proudly.

The mare stared at Spike. "Hi Spike, I'm Fluttershy," the butter yellow Pegasus said walking behind Twilight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After some rather long walk the four made it to the library, as well of a long description of that dragon's life.

"Well, would you look at that, we're here, well, this is where we're staying," Twilight said happy soon she could not talk to that darn yellow mare.

"Right, uh... were we are staying, we'll make sure the sweet little dragon will get his rest," Mirror said sheepishly smiling as he did so.

"Oh, alright, well, you seem like a great couple-" the Pegasus was cut off.

"She's not... we're not... gah!" he flailed his arms in the air in anger. "Look, let's just go, alright?" he huffed hearing Twilight giggle as he tripped over himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The lavender unicorn used her purple magic to unlock the door carefully. They walked inside. "Look, I just need to rest without these darn ponies interrupting me," Shard sighed immediately after soon shocked as the lights flickered on.

"Surprise!" a pink earth pony jumped in front of the three. Mirror Shard almost lost control of his transformed state.

"What the heck?!" he hissed a he slapped the earth mare's hoof away and got up.

"Hi I'm Pinkie Pie! I saw you, but I didn't see you, hi," the mare bounced around like a rubber ball.

Mirror ignored her and got to his hooves. "Whatever Pinkie Pie, I'm Mirror Shard," he introduced huffing angrily at the pink mare.

The pink mare was more fixated on the jet black unicorn than Twilight Sparkle. "Hi Mirror Shard, I'm going to like you," Pinkie Pie said to Mirror Shard smiling as she bounced left and right. Mirror ignored the mare and walked to the punch to pour a glass of punch. As soon as he took a sip something felt... off. Suddenly heat spread around his mouth and he rushed upstairs.

Twilight soon joined him in the room. "Nightmare Moon shall return," she muttered catching the attention of Mirror Shard.

"Exactly Twilight, Nightmare Moon will return and bring forth an endless night," he looked to the moon a smirk coming onto the Changeling's face.

Twilight heard the door creak open to see Spike. "C'mon Twilight and Mirror, the party's just getting good," Spike said nether ponies accepting.

"These ponies are crazy!" Twilight exclaimed bringing a pillow on her face.

Mirror nodded. "You got that right," Shard sighed putting his hooves on his face.

Moments later Spike came back. "C'mon Twilight, it's time to watch the raising of the sun," Spike smiled as he gestured his claw forward.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The three watched as their mayor; Mayor Mare walked up on stage. "Fillies and gentlecolts please welcome Princess Celestia herself!" she cried out as she raised the curtains reveling nothing. Rarity went back and looked to the room. She ran back out.

"She's gone!" Rarity exclaimed as a giggle was heard from behind her.

Suddenly a black alicorn appeared behind her. "Oh no," Twilight spoke under her breath.

Mirror Shard smirked. "Oh yes," he said under his breath.

To be continued...