I was doing my usual routine as a princess: wake up, eat, do an open court, lunch, read, dinner.
So far, this is what my list looked like:
~~Wake up.~~
~~Eat.~~
~~Do an open court.~~
Lunch.
Read.
Dinner.
I was currently heading over to Sugarcube Corner, courtesy of Pinkie Pie's request. Since I was going over, I decided I would stay for lunch.
But I had to stop my trot when I heard whimpers and cries. There was nopony I could see on the road. I perked my ears, so I could distinguish where the sound was coming from.
Slowly, I trotted over to the right where the sound seemed to be coming from. A few ear flicks later, I was in front of a cardboard box where the sounds were loudest. With much caution, I opened the flaps of the box.
I will never, ever, ever, ever forget what I saw.
It was a black changeling nymph with a messy, navy blue mane with a teal streak. At the base of her blue insectoid wings were little feathers, and her horn was gnarled and holey. Her eyes were catlike and baby blue. She had a few holes in her legs, but not a lot.
And she gazed at me with big, sorrowful eyes. Dry tears could be seen on her face.
I glared at her hatefully as memories of Shining Aromor's and Cadence's wedding flooded my mind.
Tears began runniing down her cheeks. My expression soften.
How did nopony notice you? I levitated the nymph out of the box. She immediately began to struggle in my magical grasp. Tears ran down her cheeks at surprising speeds.
"Sh, sh, shh," I whispered. I began to rock the nymph back and forth. "It's okay... I won't hurt you."
The nymph stared at my with quivering eyes. She sniffled and sneezed.
I giggled. "Good bless you," I said while nuzzling her. She giggled and gurgled playfully.
Suddenly, I saw pink and red stuff seep out of my chest. The nymph opened her mouth and... ate?.. it eagerly. She smacked her lips and cooed at me. She folded her ears and nuzzled me.
Wait... What just happened? Is this how changelings obtain love?
Then, she said one word that put me in a state of shock: "Mamma..." She fell asleep.
I teleported me and her to my castle library. I nestled into my couch, still levitating her, until I was in a comfortable position. Carefully, I brought the nymph into my hooves, and I began to cradle her and rock her back and forth. She cooed in her sleep.
"Mamma," she mumbled. She turned in my hooves for the sake of comfort.
By Celestia and Luna almighty, the nymph thinks I'm her mother... Mother Faust, please help me...
The nymph suddenly struggled in my grasp. She opened her mouth and made high pitched sounds. I folded back my ears to make as much noise fade as I could.
Tears began rolling down the nymph's cheeks. "Mamma! Mamma!!"
"Sh, shh," I whispered. "Um, Mamma is here... Yeah, Mamma's here... It's okay, um..." Huh. I should name her, but what.
Let's see... Black, blue, and teal. I can't really work with that. Now that I think about it, her mane and tail look like BBBFF's mane and tail. That's strange. Why in Equestria would a changeling have the mane of my broth-
Sweet Celestia... Did the changeling queen, Chrysalis, have sex with my brother!?!!
Wait... But the changeling refered to me as her mother... Is that because I'm the first being she saw, or is it because I smell familiar? Maybe Chrysalis was carrying a small amount of Shining's DNA. But, then again, we know nothing of changelings. For all I know, Chrysalis can pick the appearance of her nymphs!
I groaned. I still hadn't thought up a name for her.
I stared with frustrated curiosity at the nymph. Black, blue, teal. Black, blue, teal.
Teal is usually to describe nebulas seen through telescopes or the sea. Black is usually to describe darkness. Blue is usually to describe the sky...
The nymph turned in my hooves again and muttered, "Mamma..."
I nuzzled the nymph who cooed appreciatively upon receiving more love of the pink and red mist that seeped out of my chest.
Hmm... Changelings also digest love...
I smiled. As I nuzzled the nymph again, I whispered, "Don't worry. Mamma is here, Midnight Love."
The nymph gurgled and cooed. "Mimight... luv... Mamma..."
Suddenly, Spike ran in waving a letter in his claw. He froze when he saw Midnight Love.
He sputtered out, "Tw-Twilight?"
"Yes, Spike," I replied nuzzling Midnight again.
"Why do you have one of those?"
I felt my coat bristle slightly. A growl clutched my throat. Anger burned in my mind. I gritted my teeth and managed to grumble out, "Spike, don't you ever call Midnight Love something that vile of attitude. I expect you to respect your new sister."
Spike's eyes bulged from his face. "Sister?!"
"Yes, Spike. I'm going to be this nymph's mother. I found her on the street in a box..." I nuzzled her again. "... and now I'm going to care for her and love her." I shot a glare at Spike. "And you're going to be a kind and loving brother!"
Midnight Love began to blubber at my raise of voice. I glanced at her with worry and began to gently shush her again. Spike gawked at the scene.
He shook his head before holding up the letter again.
"Princess Celestia needs you right now, Twilight."
I furrowed my eyes. "What for?"
He shakily held out the letter. "See for yourself."
I skimmed the letter. My eyes widened as I charged a teleportation spell that sent me, Spike, and Midnight Love to the Canterlot Castle Grounds.
A few guards lost their unchanging expressions for a split second upon seeing an alicorn, a dragon, and a changeling appear in deont of them.
"Nothing to see here," I said. "Just Princess of Friendship coming through by Celestia's orders." I began walking toawrds them. "Step aside, please." They parted, and Spike and I, with Midnight in my magical grasp, trotted to the interior of the castle.
Spike and I, with Midnight Love still in my magical grasp, trotted into Canterlot Castle where Pri- I mean, Celestia! Where Celestia will be waiting for us in her throne and court room. I winced as I remembered the letter's words...
Dear Twilight,
I ask you to come to Canterlot Castle immediately. A foe has appeared but is on Death's door, if not in his living room. (Yes, Death has a living room. It's quite nice actually.) Your presence, along with Cadence's is required for imperative reasons. Please, Twilight, come soon.
Your friend,
Celestia
Celestia's cutie mark had been stamped on the bottom in red. She never stamps in red unless it's an utterly dire situation. The last time she had stamped in red was when Tirek appeared. A tear leaked from my eye as I recalled the blistered and marred and charred form of what I had called 'home'.
I sighed. Never see that tree again. At least, not with the same knots and layout. That would be impossible, unfortunately. You can't replace a home and personal belongings.
"Mamma!" I looked over my shoulder to see Midnight Love trying to grab me. Tears had begun to well up in her eyes again. I giggled to myself.
"Needy much," I asked the whimpering Midnight Love. I stopped walking to levitate her safely onto my back. As soon as her holed hooves tooched my coat, she cooed and began eating my mane. Soooo getting a shower after this...
"Twilight," Spike asked. "Um... She's-"
"Yes, Spike. I know Midnight is eating my mane. Just let it go. We need to see Celestia," I responded quickly.
We arrived at the throne room where both Celestia and Cadence were. Celestia nodded at a guard. The guard made the rest of the guard leave after bringing in tall, covered figure.
"Twilight, Cadence," Celestia said calmly, "I have called you here to see Queen Chrysalis before she dies." The covered figure showed her frail, black face and chipped, gnarled horn. Her green eyes lacked luster.
Cadence's eyes bulged. Sweet Celestia, she does not look happy...
"Why," she said through gritted teeth.
"She asked for a favor before she left forever."
"Fine," Cadence huffed.
I breathed slowly. "What is her asked favor, Celestia?"
Chrysalis released a harsh, raspy cackle that warped into a cough. "My asked favor, little princess, is that you all look over my nymph," she said in a pained tone. "I am dying and cannot raise her. I placed her in Ponyville last night, hoping you would find her. Thankfully-" She interrupted herself by coughing. "Thankfully, she had subconsciously placed you under a Maternal Spell."
"I... A what spell?"
"A Maternal Spell. It raises one's maternal instincts drastically." She coughed again. "When you saw the crying nymph, you felt the urge to nurture and care for her. The nymph felt the urge and strengthened it for her own well-being." Her horn glowed green. "There. I removed the spell." She began coughing again.
I suddenly felt... like I didn't need to spoil and overprotect Midnight Love, but my need to keep her safe and nurture her is still there. Celestia, changelings are weird...
"Um, thanks, I think," I said.
Chrysalis shook her head. "No, little princess, thank you. You're willingly going to watch over my nymph. Nopony, nobody for that matter, has ever accepted a changeling nymph under their care before." She wheezed.
"Chrysalis? I have one question."
She coughed. I could see some blood dribble from her mouth. "Shoot, little princess."
I took a deep breath. "Why does Midnight Love's hair look similar to my brother's hair?"
Chrysalis blushed a bit. Pink was scene on her smooth, black cheeks. "Well... Shining Armor left quite an imprint on me that when I gave birth to my nymph, I designed her mane to remind me of him. I also added pony features since I knew I couldn't keep her." She coughed. "I never thought I would fall in love with my own choosen prey..."
Celestia, Cadence, and I began gapping at Chrysalis. Cadence then whispered, "You fell in love with my Shiny..?"
Chrysalis' face flushed red. "W-well, he was just... so kind and caring and generous and... The way he looked at every creature it just fascinated me..." Suddenly her expression warped into anger. "But he didn't accept my kind." She began coughing and wheezing.
"Well, u-um... Thank you, Queen Chrysalis..."
"Please, Twilight. There's-" She coughed again. "There's no need for formalities. Chrysalis is just fine."
My eyes narrowed. I stomped my hooves. I heard Midnight Love whimper in fear. "No, Chrysalis! It is not fine! You don't deserve to die! You only attacked and invaded to protect her race. And now..." I charged my horn which blazed with power. "... I will save it..."
I shot the blast at Chrysalis woth now widened eyes. She began screaming in harsh growls. My magic surrounded her. She was soon cocooned in my magenta aura.
"Twilight! Stop," Celestia yelled.
"N-no," I replied with tears in my eyes. "I-I have to save her..."
Chrysalis' harsh screams resounded through the throne room, but her screams morphed into pained, honey-soft screams as I felt my magic healing her. I heard her chiton chipping and breaking being replaced by soft fur. Suddenly, Midnight Love began screaming and whimpering and bawling. I turned my head to see her eyes filled with white and tears streaking down her face. Tears flooded from my own eyes...
But I didn't stop. I continued healing Chrysalis. I felt my magic mend her hair. The split ends disappearing, and the holes being filled.
On my back, I felt Midnight's chiton chipping and being replaced by sot fur. She stopped screaming but continued whimpering.
"M-mamma," she whimpered.
"I'm sorry, Midnight..."
I gelt my magic attack her wings, fixing the holes and making them with a wider span.
My magic faded around Chrysalis. Before I blacked out, a tall, white figure with a bouncy teal mane trotted up to me and whispered, "Thank you..."
"M-Mamma?"
Warmth...
So much warmth everywhere...
It felt so nice. I never, ever want to leave the warmth. The warmth began to shift. This also felt nice. Like the warmth was caressing me.
I heard a cooing noise when I opened my mouth. Was that me?
Eh... Who cares. As long as the warmth stays.
I snuggled into the warmth. Then, this warm, moist thing touched my head. Another cooing noise sounded when I opened my mouth. All this warmth was so nice...
Suddenly, the warmth disappeared. A loud, wailing noise of sorrow resounded in my ears. I don't know where it came from, but it sure is annoying.
After who knows long, warmth surrounded me again. But it was different this time. It didn't feel as soothing as the warmth as before. This warmth was more scratchy and didn't have that positive feel.
"Do not worry, little one," a gentle, buzzing voice whispered in my ear. "Somepony will find you. I wish I could stay and care for you, but that is impossible. For I am dying, little one. Don't cry for me. Cry for your people. I'm sorry, I can't stay, but know: I love you."
The voice disappeared and that positive feel vanished completely. Coldness gripped my heart.
I miss the warmth.