The next morning, little did I expect to be up before the sun, but I was. I didn't want to disturb Twilight cause who knows what she could do if I got her in a bad mood, so I went downstairs carrying a lantern with me, giving just enough light to see where I'm going and went down stairs, from there I began searching the shelves for a good book to sit back and read.

Several hours later, the sun had begun to rise and I was still sitting there reading, I had nearly finished the book I was reading when I noticed Twilight coming down the stairs. “Morning Twilight, sleep well?” I asked.

She yawned. "Well enough."

“I didn’t want to wake you up when I did cause it was pretty early when I woke, so I came down here and picked out a book to read.” I explained. “I just happened to find this one interesting.” I said pointing at the book titled ‘Origins of Equestria’.

"Ah. I read that one all of the time."

“The part that interests me the most is the…” I paused for a moment to try to remember a certain part. “Windigoes, I think that’s what they’re called. Am I right?”

"You are correct. They feed off fighting and hateful feelings, freezing everything they can." Twilight said.

“And it took one from each of the three tribes to stop them from freezing all of Equestria all by learning to care for one another and build a friendship among the tribes.” I added, then looked at Twilight with a hint of curiosity. “Would anything in the book happen to have any relation to what happened the day that Melodic and I rescued Fluttershy?”

"Not in the book as far as my memory recalls." Twilight said thoughtfully. "However... Something of the sort did happen a few years ago."

“You mean when Chrysalis was physically defeated?” I asked. “Were you there when it happened?”

"Mhm. I was knocked out for most of the... 'main event' shall we say."

“Do you remember the pony that defeated her?” I questioned curiously.

"Of course I do." Twilight responded.

Then, with the interest of a school filly, I looked at her and asked. “Who was the pony that defeated her?”

Twilight was about to answer when the library door opened and Melodic strode through the door. "Oh sorry. I should have knocked."

“Oh it’s alright, I was about to tell Mist who defeated Chrysalis a few years ago. Unless you want to tell him.” Twilight replied.

Melodic froze. "I hate having to remember that. I can tell him. Come. Walk with me." He turned and left.

I stood and followed. We went nowhere in particular as we walked. “So… who was it that defeated Chrysalis?”

"I really hate having to remember that time." Melodic said, not answering the question.

“Why are you avoiding my question? What happened that day that you hate remembering it so much?” I asked as I stopped in front of Melodic.

Melodic sighed. "It was my first day in Equestria. I was called to help out in the war against Chrysalis."

“So… It was you… You defeated Chrysalis on that day?” I questioned. “Why would you hate to remember the day you became a hero to Equestria?”

"I was still a human when it happened, so I was misunderstood by some of the ponies. That, I could get over. It was what happened next..."

“You don’t have to tell me what happened next, I have the answers I was looking for.” I told him. “That means more than anything I have ever done in my days on Earth. I was never seen as a Hero to anyone on Earth except my family, who would never see me again.” By the time I had finished, I was looking at the ground, heartbroken.

"If it makes you feel any better, my family is dead. It was years ago, before I even came to Equestria." Melodic said.

“If I had been given the opportunity to see them one last time... just one last time… I wouldn’t be so heartbroken when I mention them.”

"Just one time huh?" Melodic said. "I was lucky enough to get that when... Well... when I died myself."

“We should stop talking about that before I find myself crying my eyes out.” I stated.

"Agreed... I don't want to remember what Chrysalis did..."

“I’ll not bring it up again, for your sake.”

"It's fine. I've been asked by a lot of ponies to recount that incident anyway."

“But if it makes you feel any better about yourself, I’ve done things that I don’t like remembering myself, and none of them pretty.”

Melodic nodded but made no other reply.

“Anyway, is there something you were needing when you showed up at Twilight’s?”

"Just a book, but I guessed I got side-tracked."

“Well, I was reading Origins of Equestria earlier this morning and it sparked a few questions in my head and now I have the answers. And it turns out that there have been other ponies with the very mark I bear on my tags, they were called ‘Shield-bearers’, they were granted this ability through the notice of a great act of heroism or the insight of a great act of heroism in the future.”

"Huh... Wonder why Celestia didn't give me one." Melodic wondered. He shrugged. "Ehhh, it's probably nothing."

“I wonder what Celestia saw in me that convinced her that I would someday perform a great act of heroism.”

Melodic shrugged. “I wouldn’t question it. You’ll know when the time comes or something like that.”

"You're right, I'll find out soon enough." I replied.

Melodic nodded. "We should head back to Twilight's."

I looked at him and nodded before asking as I began to follow him back to Twilight’s. “What was it like when you turned into a pony?”

“Painful.” he said. “It just didn’t feel right.”

“I didn’t really feel it, mostly from being unconscious.” I stated. We weren’t very far from Twilight’s when I looked at Melodic. “I really should have considered getting breakfast before leaving.” I said as I heard my stomach growl.

“It doesn’t really matter. Twilight will get you something. Oh yeah… one thing… Ponies don’t eat meat so… get used to fruit and vegetables.”

“I’m familiar with eating fruits and vegetables constantly, had to do like that when I was in the hospital back on Earth at one time.” I stated.

“Then you’ll be fine. I had the massive cravings…” Melodic laughed.

“So, from what I’m guessing… Fluttershy is your marefriend?” I asked, the thought coming out of nowhere.

“Mhm. I thought I told you that…” Melodic said.

“Oh.” I said as I facehoofed. “How could I forget?”

Melodic laughed. “She’s so cute! I think I was like… blessed or something, to have her.”

“Well, anyway. You have met Amanda, haven’t you?” I asked.

“Only briefly.”

“Well, other ponies have been taunting and ridiculing her just for being here and I don’t think that scaring off one group of them will stop the others, knowing how hardheaded some of them can be.” I said, looking a bit depressed as I remembered how Amanda was being treated that day. “I wish there was a way that we could solve that. Like, stop it from continuing to happen.”

“Maybe I could do something? I do have a lot of influence here.” Melodic suggested.

“What could you do?” I asked curiously.

“I don’t know.” Melodic admitted. “But I have to do something, don’t I?”

“You do what you have to do.”

“Will do.”

“Another thing, I don’t know what I should do, but… I think I’m falling in love with Amanda. I just don’t know if she’ll feel the same about me or if she even loves me at all.” I said. “What could I possibly do?”

“Oh god… not another one.” Melodic rubbed his temples. “Gives me a headache whenever ponies come to me for relationship advice.”

“I-I’m sorry, if I need to talk to somepony else I will.” I apologized.

“It’s fine. Just everypony thinks that since I am the ‘Element of Love’, that I can help them. What you should do is follow your heart. Don’t worry about the outcome.”

“I also have to face the issue of self-confidence, back on Earth I was confident with everything I did, but now, here in Equestria, I’m just not so sure of myself.” I said, looking at the ground. “It hurts me to know that I used to be so confident and now… I’m suddenly trapped in a world of uncertainty, where I feel nothing but loneliness and uncertainty.”

“Hey, you faced an entire changeling army.” Melodic said. “Of course you have confidence.”

“That was spur of the moment confidence, it was temporary.”

“Well, try and use that to your advantage with Amanda.” Melodic reasoned. “Try and approach her when you have a moment like that.”

I felt a mysterious pang of emotion wash over me at the moment he finished, as if something inside me snapped, rendering me speechless.

Melodic seemed to notice. “What’s up?”

“I… I-I just… I don’t know, something happened when you finished your last sentence, I just don’t know what.” I replied after moment’s of silence.

Melodic shrugged. “This just keeps getting weirder and weirder.”

“I have to talk to somepony about this.” I said. “But who would know what could have caused what happened to me?”

“Twilight, she knows all about this stuff.”

By the time I was about to respond, I faceplanted into the door of Twilight’s library and home. “...Ouch…”

“Nice one.” Melodic said sarcastically.

“Hay, with everything that just happened I got distracted.” I shot back.

“Yeah yeah.” Melodic opened the door.

“Hey you two, everything okay?” Twilight asked.

“I wish I could say yes.” I replied, looking at the floor.

“Why? What’s up?” Twilight asked.

“Well… It’s hard to explain, but I had one of those weird emotional pangs where I just couldn’t speak.” I replied. “I don’t know what could have caused it and I was hoping you would know, maybe Melodic could explain it in more detail.”

Melodic shook his head. “Even I can’t explain this better than him. It’s definitely not love though. I’d be able to feel it.”

“So… how are we going to figure this out?” I asked.

“What exactly was happening when you felt… this thing?” Twilight asked, gesturing for me to take a seat.

“Well I was just asking for some advice when all of a sudden it just hit me and I just couldn’t speak for a moment.” I replied.

“This might take a while, so I’m just going to go.” Melodic said. “I’m just borrowing this.” He held up a book. Most of the title was obscured, but it clearly said ‘Daring Do’ at the top. “I am allowed to, correct?”

Twilight nodded then looked at me. “Then we’ll have to replay the event as though it just happened, which will mean I would have to experience it through your eyes.”

I got a nervous look suddenly. “You mean… look into my memories… like soul diving or something of the sort?”

She nodded.

I quivered at the thought of having another pony’s soul inside my own body, sending chills down my spine. It took me a moment before I could ignore my feelings and calm down. “Alright, do what you must.”

Twilight grabbed my shoulders and pressed her horn against my head.

“Ouch! You didn’t tell me it would hurt. Having another pony’s soul going into my own body.”

“Sorry. I’m not used to this.” Twilight’s voice seemed to echo from inside me.

“Just… be careful in there.” I warned.

“I’ll be fine.”

"I just don't want you finding any memories that I want to… forget." I said in a disheartened tone.

“I’ll… keep clear of those."

"Thank you." I replied as my tone brightened.

“Ok… here… we… go.” Twilight had managed to find the memory and was now examining it. The images of only a few minutes ago flashed up in my mind and in front of my eyes.

It wasn't too long before the moment I had felt that emotional pang and was rendered speechless. "Can you figure out what it is?"

“I’m not sure… But you were definitely talking about that other human…” Twilight withdrew from my mind. “It’s probably got something to do with her.”

"I met her my first day here, when I came to from my collision with the ground." I explained.

“I see… Unfortunately, I can’t help you anymore than this.”

Hearing this, I sighed. "I guess all I can do is what Melodic recommended I do."

“You best do that. I’d trust him with my life.”

“So… If Chrysalis really has found a way to manifest herself… how will we defeat her?” I asked, changing the subject to that of something more important than my own issues.

“Same way we did last time. Powerful, undeniable love.”

"And what will happen if I fail to fulfill my destiny as a shield-bearer?" I asked.

“I… I don’t know.” Twilight stated. “You’d have to talk to Princess Celestia about that.”

“I don’t think I like where this discussion will go, but I will if I must.” I said solemnly.

“I know you won’t.” Twilight replied.

“I guess the sooner I talk to her about it then the sooner we will be able to prepare.” I stated.

“That would be best.” Twilight answered. “Oh and Melodic did leave something for you, he dropped it off in the middle of the night, though it had to be heavily modified so that you could use it in terms of defense.”

I looked at it for a moment, confused as I didn’t recognize it at first, then it hit me. “It was my combat knife, I guess he had it fitted so that it would be able to fit on my forehoof.”

“He did.” Twilight replied.

I was about to say good bye when all of a sudden, Melodic burst through the door, seemingly out of breath. “Twilight… Mist… Amanda… in ER… come… quick.” he panted.

Twilight’s horn lit up and the three of us were surrounded in a magenta colored aura before vanishing and reappearing in front of Ponyville hospital, where we rushed though the door and to the desk. “What happened?” I asked, a wave of panic covering me.

“She was brought in by a few ponies that found her out beside the forest, she appeared to have been attacked by something. She’s stable for now but she’s barely responding to our treatments.” The nurse at the desk replied.

‘This sounds like the work of the changelings.’ Melodic thought to himself. “Mist, come with me. We’re going to investigate the scene.”

I nodded and followed him.

Author's Note

Sorry I haven't updated in so long, been distracted by other things.

Anyway, vote and scribble down a comment for me to read.