Hidden Ancestry

Warm sunlight streams onto my face, and my eyelids twitch against it.

I sit up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

Suddenly the events of last night crash into my mind. I fall backward and cuddle under my covers, whimpering into my forelegs.

“Luna… Momma… I'm scared!”

No-one answers.

I wonder briefly if I should tell my friends, but immediately decide against it.

I shake my head clear, and trot into my bathroom, only to stop in my tracks when I catch a glint of myself in the mirror.

I can't help but stare at myself. My irises have a faint yellow tint along their inner edge, and my pupils are now triangular in shape, though it's far from obvious with my eyes fully adjusted to the daylight.

The next thing I notice is the two bony nubs growing out of my head, just above my temples, small enough that I could easily hide them under my mane.

A faint scent of brimstone brushes my nose, fluctuating with my breath. Curious, I suck in a lungful of air, and let it all out at once. The smell immediately strengthens, confirming my suspicions. Interestingly enough, though the scent is on my breath, I can't taste anything unsual.

Aside from a patch of scales on my withers, I notice no other changes to my anatomy. All in all, the changes are mild and thus quite easy to cover. The only problems are my eyes and the brimstone on my breath.

Obviously, I can't go out with my friends without doing something about my eyes and breath, but as long as I keep my distance from others, I should be able to pass for normal in public.

Just in case, though, I brush my mane over my new hornlets and toss a pair of sunglasses into my saddlebags before taking care of my animals, who either don't notice my transformation or don't care.

Once they're all fed, I take a deep a breath, and walk into town.

Right before I enter the town square, I take off, flying just high enough to clear Town Hall, and then I soar until I finally land at the door of the castle.

I knock once, and almost immediately I hear Twilight's voice: “Come in, Fluttershy!”

I put on my sunglasses, and open the door slowly. It doesn't take long for me to see Twilight sitting at her throne, sipping at a cup of tea while reading the Ponyville Express. In the smaller throne next to her, Spike is reading a Power Ponies magazine.

“Um, Twilight?”

“Yes?”

“Could… you have Spike send a letter to Princess Luna? There's something I want to talk to her about.”

“Oh, uh, sure. Spike?”

He hops up onto his feet, and pulls out a parchment and quill. “Can do, Fluttershy!” he says with a flourish. “Just tell me what to write!”

“Um, actually, I… I'd like to write it myself… if you don't mind.”

He quirks his eyebrow and shrugs, but he nonetheless passes the parchment and quill off to me.

Using my front hooves to hold the paper down, and with quill in mouth, I write:

Dear Princess Luna,

I'm coming over to Canterlot to discuss an incident that happened between the time of your visit last night and the time I woke up this morning. You'll see what I mean when I get there.

Your daughter,

Fluttershy

Once I'm satisfied, I roll the parchment into a scroll and give it back to the little dragon.

“Alright, Spike, you can send it.”

“On it.” He  takes a deep breath and breathes out a green flame, sending my letter out to Canterlot Castle.

“Well, I better get ready. Don't want to keep her waiting.”

Before I have a chance to turn around, Spike burps out another scroll.

“‘Dear Fluttershy, If this is what I think it is, then we have no time to lose. I'm sending out my chariot to pick you up immediately. It should arrive at the castle shortly. With Love, Luna?’” He stares at the paper for a moment, looks over at me, and back at the paper.

After several more seconds of silence, he says, “What the hay? Why did she say love? And why are you wearing sunglasses?”

I take a few seconds to contemplate my answer. Deciding to tell a half-truth, I take a deep breath. “If I tell you a secret, you both have to Pinkie promise not to tell anyone, okay?”

“Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” they chorus.

“Okay, well… oh, how do I say this… you see, Luna's my m– ”

I'm interrupted by a knock at the door.

I sidle over to the door, and poke my head out.

There, sitting in front of the entrance, is a black, gothic carriage pulled by two thestrals.

“Well, I guess this is it,” I say to myself. To the thestrals, I say, “Do you know?”

One shuffles uncomfortably, the other simply nods.

“Know what?” Twilight asks.

“Remember: you Pinkie promised.”

“Of course.”

“Luna's my mother.”

Without waiting for a reaction, I close the door and climb into the carriage, which immediately takes off for Canterlot.