Author's Note
Prologue
Most of this story takes place BEFORE Nightmare Moon, in what I'll call the Discord Era. During that time, at the very edge of Equestria was a tiny little town unaffected by Discord's magic, Canterlot. Canterlot was protected by all the alicorns and unicorns. During that time, right next to it was the Crystal Empire which was protected by love. Thus, this story is more focused on Canterlot than Discord's Empire. When the story flashes forward (it starts right after Chrysalis' defeat), it will be during the post-changeling war. Canterlot is ruled by King Sol and Queen Diane, while the Crystal Empire is ruled by Sombra's unnamed parents. Comment or send a note if you do not understand.
Estella
"Cheers to the defeat of Queen Chrysalis!" Twilight raised her glass, clanking it soundly against her friends'. Grinning broadly, proud of the accomplishment, Twilight barely noticed the slight frown on Celestia's face. Celestia seemed to raise her glass slightly lower than the rest, and was far less excitable. Having had many experiences with unhappy ponies, Pinkie was the first to notice Celestia's mood towards the entire gang.
"What's wrong?" Pinkie blurted out, popping another doughnut into her mouth. "Aren't you happy Chrysalis is finally gone?" Celestia winced at the thought, quickly masking her hurt with her usual look of regality. Smiling as broad as she could, Celestia took three deep breathes before talking.
"Nothing's wrong. It's just that Luna's birthday is in a week, and we won't be celebrating this year." Celestia murmured quietly, sipping at her cider.
"Why not?" Twilight inquired, curious as to why Luna's birthday was an event of grieving.
"It's also the birthday of Estella, Luna's twin sister."
"What in tarnation?!" Applejack cut in. "Luna has a twin sister? How does no pony know?"
"Well, Estella created the stars. 2000 some years ago, when the three of us had just come to power, I took control over the day and the sun, Luna took over the night and the moon, and Estella took over the stars and the clouds. Then 1500 years ago, Project Parasite began."
1500 Years Ago: Canterlot Science Lab
"Bring out the parasites!" Ponies darted left and right trying to obey King Sol's orders. Celestia held Luna and Estella back from the dangerous experiment. The two curious fillies tried hard to peek in, their curiosity getting the better of them. The large machines and tiny little cute creatures fascinated them, with their tiny little wings and large green eyes. Their father was at the center of commotion, which only intrigued them more. Celestia, who had overheard her mother and father talking about the risky project knew better than to let Luna or Estella into the lab.
"It'll be over soon." Queen Diane comforted the scared Celestia, patting her shoulder. Queen Diane actually wanted no part in the project, but due to being one of the most powerful alicorns in all Canterlot, she had to participate in the last spell to increase the power. Giving Celestia one last look of encouragement, Queen Diane trotted off to the center.
"Now stay here-WHERE'S ESTELLA?" Celestia shrieked, noticing her missing sister. Looking towards the test tables, Celestia watched in horror as Estella sprinted towards the one in the center. Estella's tiny little butterfly wings beat at the air in an attempt to add more speed.
POOF! Estella reached the center of the experiment right at the moment of the spell's climax.
"AH!" she screamed, her voice distorted. Estella's features began to exchange with the parasite's. While the parasite grew longer and prettier wings, Estella's once unique and beautiful wings turned to that of a dragonfly's. The parasite's razor sharp teeth dulled out as Estella's grew pointy at the tip. The change was too much for the parasite, who quickly collapsed. Now every bit of magic was aimed directly at Estella. The power was too much. It tore holes into Estella's hooves and her beautiful long, straight hair. The whole room watched in horror when Estella's horn was also torn.
"Estella?" Nurse Loveheart called, carting in a tray of delicacies. "Are you feeling better, dear?" Estella opened her eyes, feeling woozy. She couldn't remember anything about the day before. It was as if someone had removed that memory. She stretched out her arms.
"AH!" She shrieked again, seeing her decapitated arms. "What happened yesterday? All I remember was being at the lab!"
"Congratulations." Estella heard someone sneer to her right. "You're the unsuccessful experimentation for Project Parasite, you royal highness." Estella angrily turned to her right to be face to face with Prince Sombra of the Crystal Empire.
"Sombra?" Estella scowled, glaring at the prince of the Crystal Empire. She had run into him at the Royal Feast, where he had stolen her dolls and strung them from the towers. All in all, Sombra was just a big bully.
"I see you've grown out of you baby mane." Sombra commented, poking at her turquoise hair. "Last time I saw you, you still had those ridiculous yellow streaks and blue mane." Estella grabbed her mane, gasping when she saw she had developed a similar style to that of Celestia's, but with turquoise coloring rather than rainbow. However, while Celestia's mane flowed regally, hers simply fell in her face.
"So has Luna. Her hair's like the night sky, Celestia's like the rainbow, and yours is like a mud puddle." Sombra snickered. That was more than enough for Estella.
"Well, your mane isn't that fine looking either!" she snapped, shoving Sombra towards the wall. This seemed to only make him happier, seeing her so furious. Rolling his eyes, Sombra trotted back towards Estella's cot, completely unfazed. Sombra sat back down in the visitor's chair.
"Why are you here anyways?" Estella asked, knowing very well everytime Sombra took the time to visit anypony, it was for his own good. And she couldn't think of anything she had to give, seeing her current state was a dragonfly-pony hybrid.
"Well, according to that doctor's research, you are a brand new species. And according to Celestia, while you were comatose, you changed your shape to different ponies. At one point, you were a mirror image of Celestia." Sombra narrowed his eyes, a smirk creeping onto his face. "You're no longer a pony. You are a changeling."
Previously on Star of Canterlot
"Well, according to that doctor's research, you are a brand new species. And according to Celestia, while you were comatose, you changed your shape to different ponies. At one point, you were a mirror image of Celestia." Sombra narrowed his eyes, a smirk creeping onto his face. "You're no longer a pony. You are a changeling."
"A WHAT?!" Estella shrieked, galloping over to the giant mirror in her hospital room. Sure enough, she looked nothing like her sisters. There were holes torn in her hooves, mane and horn. Her wings were also torn, and were sharp at the edges. Protruding out of her mouth was two long fangs and even her eyes had transformed to a snake's with back slits.
"Don't you look charming?" Sombra sneered, admiring his own reflection, with his perfectly groomed black hair and red eyes.
"I know you well enough to know you wouldn't be here unless it was for your own good. What do you want from me?" Estella tried to be as calm as possible, her head swirling with worries. Sombra took his time to reply.
"Your siblings and you are the future of Equestria. The prophecy said Celestia and Luna would be the ones to save Equestria from Discord, while you'd be the one who reformed Equestria afterwards. I want in." Sombra smiled, looking almost nice.
Estella was infuriated. All Sombra wanted was a part of Equestria? This was why he had bugged her all day? And now here he was, pretending to be almost sincere. Yet, some part of Estella couldn't bear to feel completely angry at Sombra. If their places were swapped, she was sure she'd also pester him nonstop.
"Why target me? Why not Celestia, who supposedly has the loyalty of all ponies? Or Luna who has the love and adoration of everypony? Why me, the one who has no connection? You could easily be overthrown." Estella asked, slowly inching towards Sombra, making the situation all the more uncomfortable.
And of course, it was at that moment Luna chose to barge in.
"HEY SIS! YOU'RE ALIVE!" Luna shrieked, wrapping her arms around her sister. "You look awful."
"How do you think I feel?!" Estella snapped. Spending the afternoon with Sombra put a real damper on her attitude.
"What are you doing here?" Luna hissed, finally noticing Sombra who was casually shooting lasers towards flowers in the room. Sombra gave Luna a shrug, focusing completely on zapping a pot of daisies.
Estella suddenly felt a weird sensation tingling up her spine, something that never happened before her transformation. It seemed like she could sense love, even the slightest crush. Not only that, right before her eyes, her hooves slowly melted to look exactly like Luna's, and soon enough she was the mirror image of her sister.
"Estella?" Luna squeaked, noticing how different her sister looked. Sombra also turned around, also noticing the flash. His eyes widened as big as the plates in the castle.
"Oh my Equestria! Why are there two of you?!" Sombra yelled, banging his hoof on the ground.
"Oh! I think I know the counterspell!" Estella said, feeling the odd, tingly sensation again. ZAP! A few seconds later, she looked exactly like Celestia. And then her mother. And then Sombra.
Sombra facehooved, watching Estella fail was a lot more exhausting than he thought.
"I got it!" And finally, Estella was herself again.
"Estella, you're no longer one of us. You're different."
