Chapter 1: The Beginning

The Beginning

Hello reader.  What you are about to read is a story of dimension jumping, time travel, and a little bit of violence.  This will cover the tragic story of a certain changeling that many have come to hate and the discovery of a secret operation.  If you cannot handle tragedies, then I highly suggest that you be on your way and find some other story on this particular website.  How could someone like me post a story on a website like this?  Well, I won’t go into much detail, but let’s just say that it involves a certain draconequus.  Why are you even reading this?  Shouldn’t you be reading some other story on some other website instead of reading a story in the dark corners of this so-called “FIMFiction”.  But no matter, I might as well begin.

It started with a flash.  I managed to escape those wretched ponies, but I never imagined I would end up in a place like this.  Oh, where are my manners?  I forgot to introduce myself!  My name is Illusion Storm.  The story goes like this.  I have recently been on the run from a group of ponies that are out to get me.  The reasons behind them trying to literally kill me, I do not know.  All I know is that this group has bullied me for quite some time.  Now, I’m not talking your average name-calling and punches.  I’m talking full scale beatings from time to time.  Anyways, they had hunted me down and tried to dispose of me for good.  So I ran.  I ran and ran and ran and ran, until I came to a cliff.  Two ponies in the group had me cornered.  I myself happened to be a unicorn and used a spell to teleport away.  Unfortunately, during my anxiety of near death, I did not calibrate the spell properly to teleport me to a desirable location.  Where I had teleported was unknown to me, but I did recognize one thing…the Equestrian flag.

‘I don’t think I’m on the island anymore.’  I thought to myself.

I recognized that flag because while I was on the island of the Solis Occasum Beaches, I had read up a lot on other islands.  I had heard of the land of Equestria, a big island where most ponies tend to reside.  The island that I am from is not like this though.  About 1,000 ponies live on the Solis Occasum Beaches, but it is quite a popular tourist attraction.  The reason behind that are the sunsets.  On the island that I am from, the sunsets are abnormally beautiful.  Many ponies believed it was the work of a god, but that was proven false.  Also some rumor about sea ponies, but who cares.  Anyways, the Equestrian flag was in the book I read.  Knowing what happened in this area before I was born, my kind would not be welcome here.  The fact of the matter is, I am actually not a unicorn like I mentioned before.  I am actually a creature known as a changeling.  Changelings have the magical ability to shapeshift into any type of pony that they desire, with the exception of an alicorn.  The only known changeling to be able to do that was Queen Chrysalis herself.  But I must move on from my pitiful ranting.  Changelings are a unique creature because they have to feed on love energy.  Love energy is made when two ponies fall in love with each other.  During this, love energy is made.  Changelings must use their shape-shifting powers in order to disguise themselves as a pony and take their place in life.  Once their place in life is taken, that pony’s best friends and family will not notice any change and continue to create love energy which can then be absorbed by the now happy changeling.  Unfortunately, some changelings are easily picked out because of a shift in the pony’s personality.  For instance, let’s say that some pony was all happy and nice, but then a changeling took their place and that pony now appears to be angry and mean.  Ever since that incident in Canterlot with the Princess’s wedding, changelings have not exactly been welcome.  There has been a rebellion though.  Many ponies believe that changelings should have equal rights.  Changelings need love energy to survive, and ever since they were cut off from it during their banishment after the wedding, ponies realized that it was wrong.  But not everypony thinks that.  Many think that changelings are vermin and that they should be wiped out, but of course, not all of us are evil.  Now in my case, I have a way to get around town without having to take somepony’s place in life.  A while back, I designed myself a new pony that I could shift into at will…but there was a flaw.  Since the pony that I shift into did not exist in the universe, he could not have a cutie mark.  That, and I chose not to have a cutie mark since I am quite confused about who I am emotionally.  To cover up my blank flank, I had a cloak made for me to shroud myself in darkness should that become necessary at some time.  Its other function was of course covering up my blank flank since seeing a teenage stallion without a cutie mark is very rare.

Moving on with the actual story, I soon realized that I had appeared in a small town.  I analyzed my surroundings, and sure enough, I recognized this as well.  This was a small town called Ponyville.  I had read up on this town during my time at the Solis Occasum Beaches, and it looked just like it had in that book.  I stood up, dusted myself off, and curiously gazed at the ponies surrounding me.  There was a marketplace nearby, so naturally there were ponies of all ages purchasing items from different booths.  After reflecting upon how sudden this change was, I realized that I had no place to stay.  Now I know what you are probably thinking, “Why not just teleport back to the Solis Occasum Beaches?”  Well you see, that island is a long ways away from Equestria, and one cannot just simply teleport there.  How did I end up here then?  Well, that’s simple…I somehow teleported onto a ship in the middle of the ocean before my horn malfunctioned and teleported me here.  Dear lord my life is weird.  Moving on with the story, I remembered that I had left all of my bits on my dresser at home.  Discovering that I was royally fucked, I began to contemplate on what to do next.  My thoughts ranged from becoming a bounty hunter to stealing bits from other ponies.  I kept on thinking, but then the most abrupt thing happened.

“Hi there!”  A loud and obnoxious voice called out.

I was startled by the sudden sound, and turned around to face who the voice had come from.

“Umm…hi?”  I said, quite nervous.

“Sorry if I startled you, but I could not help but notice that you were looking a little gloomy here at the market, so I decided to give you a personal warm welcome to Ponyville!”  The pink mare exclaimed with a gleam in her eye.

“Yeah ok, I am a little down in the dumps but…wait, how did you know I was never here before?”  I asked, quite disturbed.

“Oh, I see everyone that comes in and out of Ponyville!  Some people say I’m a psychic, but that’s just silly!”  The pink mare said.

“I see…anyways, I must be going now…”  I said, now more disturbed than ever.

“Hold up there!  You really think I’m gonna let you leave without me introducing myself?!  My names Pinkie Pie, and I work at the

Sugarcube Corner!  What’s your name?”  Pinkie Pie asked.

“…Illusion, and I’m from…well, let’s just say a long way from here.”  I said in a quiet voice.

“Illusion, that’s a nice name!  Although I feel like I have seen it before in some weird Discord X Celestia fanfic.  No matter!”  Pinkie Pie said with a wide smile.

“Ok, well, I REALLY think I should be going…”  I said, slowly trying to step around the pink mare, but she quickly stepped right in front of me once more.

“Wait!  Maybe I can help you with whatever it is that’s troubling you!”  Pinkie Pie suggested.

“Maybe…do you think you could help me earn some bits?”  I asked, now re-considering leaving Pinkie behind.

“Oh, OF COURSE I CAN DO THAT!  You need to take lessons on how to be a little less silly!  Follow me, I know a friend that can definitely help you with that!”  Pinkie said before turning around and motioning me to follow her.

I was quite confused, and a little concerned for this seemingly insane pony, but I followed anyway.  Pinkie Pie led me out of the marketplace, and to the households of Ponyville.  The design of the buildings were very different from what I had on the Solis Occasum Beaches, and they interested me.  I had seen these types of buildings in the book I read, but to see them in person is a whole other story.  I peered over some of the roofs, and saw something that shocked me.  There was a massive castle right in the middle of this quiet town!

“What the hell is that!?”  I asked, shocked.

“Oh that?!  That is Princess Twilight Sparkle’s castle! Surely you know about her!”  Pinkie exclaimed.

“No, I actually don’t.  Can you explain?”  I asked Pinkie.

Pinkie Pie stopped dead in her tracks and turned around to look me in the eye.

“You mean to tell me that you have NEVER EVER EVER EVER IN A MILLION YEARS heard of TWILGHT SPARKLE!!!???  Wow, you weren’t kidding when you said you weren’t from around here!  Princess Twilight is the newest alicorn princess in Equestria!  Her proper name is Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship!  She and her friends go around Equestria and solve friendship problems.  I happened to go on some of those trips, and they were fun!”  Pinkie explained to me.

“Ok, thanks for the info.  Might as well continue on our way, the sun is going down.”  I told Pinkie.

“Oh my gosh, your right!  Quick, this way!”  Pinkie said before dashing away down the street.

“Hey, wait up!”  I shouted before darting after her.

She began laughing, and ran even faster.  Being the kind of pony/changeling I am, I sped up.  We ran and ran, until eventually she took a sharp turn into an alley.  I turned into the alley as well, but she was nowhere in sight.  I looked around, knowing that she was messing with me.  A trash can fell over, and I turned to face it, only to find myself staring straight into the eyes of Pinkie Pie.

“AAAAAHHHHHH!”  Pinkie screamed at me.

I jumped back, obviously very startled by that.

“AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!  WOOHOO!  I JUST KEEP GETTING BETTER AND BETTER!”  Pinkie said before doing a little dance and saying, “Go Pinkie, go Pinkie.”  Over and over again and again.

“Yes yes, I get it, but can you please proceed with leading me to your friend that can help me?”  I asked, quite annoyed at the mare’s actions.

“Yes indeedy!  Come on, she’s close by.”  Pinkie said before gesturing me to follow her once more.

We walked on and on, and I began daydreaming.  I thought of the Solis Occasum Beaches’ sunsets, and how I would miss the place so much.  I thought of my good friend, Horizon, who had also been in the same fight as me that one fateful day.  I then realized that I would probably never see either of those things again, but my daydreaming was interrupted by me hitting my head on a very hard surface.

“Watch where you are going, silly!  We are here!”  Pinkie said.

I looked up, and as soon as I saw where I was, my jaw dropped.  I was standing right in front of Princess Twilight’s castle.