Friends.
They're so amazing to have. They pick you up when you're down, they forgive you even if you do something stupid, they're somepony you can just be yourself around.
So then why do some ponies push others away? As the Princess of Friendship, I mulled over this question for a good while. The answer... well, it almost broke me.
Those ponies push others away because they are afraid of losing them forever.
Now that may not seem that life-changing for one to figure out, but consider the fact that I was an immortal alicorn. That assured that I would always outlive my friends, that I'd have to see their lives rush past...
I couldn't bear the thought, so I delved myself into research. I searched for days, weeks even, for ways of keeping my friends alive as long as me, short of dark magic.
Eventually, I found out how, but not in the way I expected.
Heh... it's ironic, really. A big part of the reason why Chrysalis chose me to be her successor was to tear my friendships apart. When I got out of that cocoon, I told her exactly what I thought of that. She was dying anyway, and I didn't have any use for her, as she had told me everything I would need to know while I was trapped. Including how to make conversion cocoons in the first place.
That was what I needed. That was the key to keeping my friends alive. Queen changelings are basically alicorns. The only reason why Chrysalis was on her deathbed was because of starvation.
She wasn't the only one, either. Once I had been converted, I flew to the hive as quickly as I could. It was... it was a pit of pain and torture. Changelings were filling hospitals by the dozens, sick from starvation. New wings were being built onto the hive simply as cemeteries. I still remember the seeing one poor nymph begging her mother to wake up. Her mother had died two days before. The poor thing didn't even have a name.
I managed to save her, take her under my wing, I even gave her a name, Blessed Soul. But I knew that I couldn't do the same for every orphaned changeling in the hive. I swore that day that the changelings, my changelings, would never have to go hungry again.
So I waited. I fed. Passive feeding is harmless, so simply spending time in Ponyville and absorbing the emotions willingly given to me gave me enough to feed the hive and then some. It also gave me plenty of time to raise my new daughter in secret.
I couldn't let anypony know of course. I mean, Spike and Starlight knew, of course! Heck, Starlight volunteered to test the cocoons! But other than them, nopony could know. Especially not my friends. Until I had stored up enough love to convert them, they would know nothing about the situation.
Oh, and not just them! No, it would be too cruel to just let Pinkie, Rarity and Applejack watch their sisters' lives go past. I couldn't convert stallions, but I still prepared cocoons for Maud, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom!
But they couldn't know. I had to keep them in the dark or they'd reject me and I'd be alone again. Sometimes, I wondered if Chrysalis expected me to do this, expected me to convert my friends. But I had fallen too deep to get out the easy way. I simply had to gather enough love and convert them all at once, and keep them unaware until then!
...So when they came to my castle that morning, saying that there was a changeling alert for Ponyville, I panicked. And when I panic I tend not to think straight.
I had enough love, I thought to myself. My changelings would go hungry for a while, but they would live! I was only a few days behind, anyway! All I had to do was capture them and convert them!
Yeeeaah, I was... not in my right mind. At all. I am so glad Spike and Blessed Heart were at the hive on business. I didn't want them to see me like that.
Spike never agreed with the plan in the first place... I wish I'd listened to him. He kept telling me that my friends would accept me for who I am, and some might even take the offer willingly. I just pushed him aside, thought he was being too idealistic... I'm so sorry Spike, I should have believed you.
I'd captured Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Pinkie, along with Scootaloo, before I realized my mistake. It wasn't the reactions of Rainbow and Scootaloo when they emerged from their cocoons, I had expected that. (Well, I didn't expect to convert Scootaloo, but you know what I mean.)
It was the reaction Sweetie Belle had. The tears, the fear... I just broke.
And yet, I still didn't stop. I put Sweetie in a cocoon and captured Applejack and Apple Bloom, all the while thinking that I had gone too far to go back. I was so broken that until Applejack finally managed to talk some sense into me, I just kept capturing them and putting them in cocoons. When I finally came to my senses, I ran off to my bedroom. I just couldn't live with myself.
I almost decided to stop living entirely.
If everyling else didn't come and comfort me, I probably would have.
I still can't believe that they were so willing to help me after all I had done, but then again, it's like I said earlier; friends will always forgive you, even if you do something you think is unforgivable.. They'll cheer you up when you need it the most.
After that, we set out to look for Rarity. When we found her, she was sobbing over losing Sweetie Belle. She didn't seem to notice me, so I motioned the others to come. Hearing events from her side of the story... It broke my heart all over again. If Fluttershy hadn't comforted me, I would've broken into tears and Rarity would've noticed us all the earlier.
...I still remember what happened when she did finally notice us...
"Oh no." Rarity whispered. The nine of us just stood there looking at her for a while before she spoke again, her tone drastically different. "No. No no no NO NO!" Her horn, likely reacting to her anger, flared. "I WILL NOT GO DOWN THAT EASILY! I WILL NOT BECOME ONE OF YOU! I-"
I'm sure we would've been blasted into a paste if Sweetie Belle didn't shout, "RARITY, STOP IT!"
Rarity jumped a little, and her magic diffused. "Sweetie Belle?! I..."
"She didn't know, Rarity!" Sweetie Belle screamed. "Don't hurt Twilight, Rarity! She was doing this so she wouldn't have to say goodbye to you!" Tears entered her eyes. "She'd live forever while you and everypony else would have to go away!"
Rarity shook her head in disbelief. "But Sweetie Belle, don't you..."
"NO!" Sweetie shrieked. "She apologized, she... she was just..."
I was so surprised... so surprised that I hardly noticed when Rarity told me to convert her.
The next hour or so felt like eons. The nine of us didn't talk much, though Pinkie, Rainbow, Starlight and Applejack started playing a card game to pass the time.
When I heard the cocoon burst, I turned around immediately. "Ugh." Rarity grumbled. "That stuff is icky, I don't think I'll ever..." She paused. "Ever... Oh sweet Celestia, Twilight, this power is amazing! I feel like I could move mountains!"
I looked up hopeful. "D-does that mean you forgive me?"
Rarity turned to me. "Hm? What's that, Twilight?" I repeated myself and she put her hoof to her chin. "Well, I still have questions about your motives..."
I sighed. "Maybe I should give a full explanation..."
So I told everyling of the dilemma I'd had, how Chrysalis had captured me it the depths of my desperation. Their eyes actually started to tear up when I described the effects the emotional shortage was having on the changelings, and they sighed with relief when I told them that passive feeding was harmless. Of course, they repeatedly pointed out the problem with my 'convert everypony' plan, but Rarity just nodded with understanding and muttered to herself the whole time.
"And now," I finished, "We're low on love again and I have no idea how to restore it quickly. M-maybe you could think of something, Rarity!"
Rarity sighed and looked at me. "Well, I do still think we need to work on your method, but I do daresay you're right." A unique look entered Rarity's eyes, the kind she gets when she has a brilliant idea. "Let's go pay your sister-in-law a visit, shall we?"
"And so that's why we're here." Twilight finished, looking at Candace nervously. "I-I know that you have no reason to believe me, but-"
The changeling queen was interrupted by a loving hug. "Why wouldn't I trust you?" Cadence asked. "You're still the Twilight Sparkle I foalsat all those years ago. You just have a bit more responsibility now."
Twilight's eyes gleamed with hope. "Does that mean that you accept my request?!"
Shining Armor gave a laugh. "Of course, Twily! You know we couldn't turn away anypony - or in this case, anyling - in need."
Tears came to Twilight's eyes. "Thank you so much!"
Cadence Smiled warmly. "No problem at all, Twilight."
"I've gotta tell the others!" Twilight excitedly sped out of the room at a speed that rivaled Rainbow Dash.
As she rushed out the doors, Twilight heard Cadence call out, "Good luck with the kingdom!"
"Thanks, Cadence." Twilight whispered as she ran into the courtyard and her friends came into sight.
"Well?" Rarity asked. "Did they accept your proposal?"
"You mean your proposal, Rarity." Twilight responded. "And yes! They did! A good number of changelings are going to be coming here under royal protection so that they can absorb the latent love emanating from the crystal heart! The hive is saved!"
"Now don't get ahead of yerself, Sugarcube." Applejack interrupted. "We still need to talk with Celestia about all o' this."
"And deal with all those snobby nobles." Rainbow Dash scoffed. "If you can even call them that..."
Twilight looked at her friends with tears in her eyes. Starlight was taking the opportunity to talk with Sunburst, who took the whole thing rather well. Applejack was giving Twilight a supportive look. Rarity was busy sketching out possible dresses for the group's new forms. Rainbow Dash was lazily buzzing around the courtyard, getting used to her new wings. Fluttershy was chatting with one of the changeling guards escorting them, and she seemed to have a blush on her face. Pinkie Pie was playing with Spike, Blessed Soul, and the Crusaders.
Twilight looked over this scene and smiled. "No matter what happens, I know we can overcome it together."
SEVEN YEARS LATER
"Alright everyone!" Text Book called as the last bell of the day rang. "Remember that you have homework due on Tuesday!"
Blessed Soul couldn't help but smirk as she packed her saddlebags. She had the project in the bag! Her mother was practically a living encyclopedia! She ran home as fast as she could, given Ponyville's traffic. Even though she had wings, Blessed Heart preferred to walk from place to place. After all, it was harder to spot a young changeling queen like her if they stayed in a crowd than if they flew.
Reaching the doors of the castle, she smiled at the guards as they let her by. "Mom!" She called as she entered the living area of the castle. "I'm home!"
"I'm in the library!" Twilight's voice echoed from deeper in the house as Blessed Soul set her saddlebags on the rack. "I'll be out in a second!"
The young queen shook her head. "Seriously, Mom?" She muttered. "You know pretty much everything..."
Before she could say anything else, she detected a presence in the house, one other then her mom or Uncle Spike. She didn't see anything, so that left only one possibility...
"I know you're here, cousin." She whispered. "You can't trick me that easily."
Before long, a pouting pink alicorn filly appeared seemingly from nowhere. "Aww, and I worked so hard on that invisibility spell too..."
Blessed Soul laughed and ruffled her equine cousin's mane. "Maybe next time, Flurry He-argh!" She was cut off by a certain dragon sneak-hugging her from behind. Realizing she'd been had, she gave her cousin and uncle death glares. "You two are going to regret this, you know."
"Sure we are!" Spike gave a hearty laugh. Even though he towered above the two, as well as most ponies and changelings, he was still gentle as could be. He'd never really grown too big like other dragons could, he was too kind. "You might wanna get tips from your aunts first, though..." Spike suggested.
Blessed rolled her eyes. "After what they did to me on April Foals? No, Aunt Pinkie and Aunt Rainbow are on my hit list as well."
"We are?!" Blessed Soul jumped as Aunt Pinkie, along with her other aunts, uncles, and cousins walked in, along with her mother and the four crusaders. "Oh and by the way..."
An explosion burst through the room, scattering confetti everywhere while every pony, 'ling and dragon shouted "HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLESSED SOUL!!!"
Blessed Soul grumbled – she had, once again, forgotten her own birthday – but she couldn't keep the smile off her face. "You are all terrible. I love you guys so much."
"We know." Black Lance responded, holding his wife and son close. He pushed forward a cardboard box with holes in it toward Blessed. "Fluttershy, Black Breeze and I got you a very special present. I know usually the presents come after everything else, but you might want to open it first."
After looking at her mother for approval, Blessed carefully opened the cardboard box to see a terrarium inside. When she saw the sole occupant, she gave a small gasp. "A Maredegascar hissing cockroach..."
Babs Seed gave a whistle as Blessed Soul took the terrarium so that everyone could get a good look. "Now that is impressive. They cost a small fortune at best!"
"Well, somepony found them being sold on the black market, so they gave them to us to make sure they get a good home." Fluttershy explained as the frightened insect started hissing. "Promise to take good care of her?"
Blessed Soul nodded, then looked at her new pet. "What should I name her, though?"
Applejack shrugged. "Don't worry about it, Sugarcube, it'll come to ya, it always does." She rubbed her son's head, to his annoyance. "Took forever for me 'n Thorax ta come up with Applewing's name."
Thorax nodded. "And when we did, we knew it was perfect for him. Speaking of..." He pulled out two presents and put them on the table, prompting the others to do the same.
Soarin' couldn't help but whistle when he saw how many presents were on the table. "I know she's a princess and all, but this is a bit much..."
Rainbow Dash laughed. "Puh-leez, Blessed's one of the most casual kids I've ever known! Spoiled is one thing she isn't."
Soarin' chuckled as he saw Prismatic trying and failing to socialize with the other foals. "Yeah, I guess you're right."
In the kitchen, Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich were flitting to and fro, putting the finishing touches on the food they had started preparing beforehand, while their daughter Confetti watched on. "How are they my parents...?"
"Beats me." Confetti yelped and turned to see Verdant Flame sitting on the adjacent haybale. "I mean, you're a huge grump and they're... well, they're Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich!"
Confetti raised an eyebrow. "Is that jealousy I hear?"
"It's nothing." In truth, Verdant was jealous of her - at least she had both of her parents, instead of a mom and a good-for-nothing farce of a prince. (Her mother's words, not hers.)
Once the party had ended, Blessed Heart curled up with her mother on their favorite reading chair as Uncle Sunburst and Cousin Moonflare searched through the multitude of tomes for a certain Spellbook. "Well, Blessed?" Twilight asked her daughter. "Did you have fun today?"
Blessed Heart nodded. "Yeah, I got to spend time with my family, I got an awesome pet..." Her eyes lit up as the cockroach in question started hissing from the table next to them. "And I just came up with the perfect name for her." She gave a small chuckle at the tiny pet, who had stopped hissing and instead was hiding in the shade of a plant decorating the terrarium. "Welcome to the family, Chrysalis. It's weird, it's wonderful, and I wouldn't trade it for the world."
Twilight giggled and embraced her daughter. "Happy birthday, dear."
Blessed Soul rolled her eyes but returned the hug. "Thanks, Mom."
Author's Note
I'm proud of how each of these parts is told in a different way, the first two being different versions of first person and the third being in third person. considering the situation, I think it works well!
I love the epilogue I came up with SO MUCH!
WOOT! EDIT! Most of it is setup for a connected story.
Edit 2: clarifying a thing. minor fixes for overall quality.
Behold.
As before, Hate mail will be torn to shreds, but I would really like honest opinions.
Tell me if you want another story featuring Blessed Soul! I am willing to make it!
