3: Homeward bound

Flurry’s head spunn, being abruptly teleported was never pleasant, even more so over long distances. Getting her bearings, Flurry found they were in the Canterlot train yard, or at least she assumed that's where they were, the tracks and cars kinda gave it away. She saw ‘Shiny’ hurrying over to a group of guards standing near one train in particular.

“Guards! Ready the train to leave immediately, we are returning to the Empire, NOW!”

The guards saluted before running off to their duties, Flurry felt a wing wrap around her, immediately she tried moving away, not wanting to be this close to the clingy mare.

“I won't lose you again, we're going back to the Empire and staying there until Celestia comes to her senses, or those monsters have sucked them all dry.”

Flurry gave her a deadpan look. If I could feed like my siblings, I would drain you my self just for that comment.

Flurry was ushered onto the train, though much to her protest. Just as they were about to be onboard, a flash of violet light appeared behind them.

“Cadence, Shining wait!”

Both turned to see Twilight, appearing from her own teleport.

“Please don’t go.”

“Twily, Celestia just put our worst enemy in the best spot they could ask for, the same ones who foalnaped your neice, my daughter, how did you think I was going to respond?”

“I was hoping for anything but this.”

“I’m sorry Twily, but were not taking any chances.”

Twilight nodded. “I understand, I’ll come visit you all once things get settled down here.”

“That might not be a good idea, we will have no way to tell if your really you or not.”

“Actually you can.” Twilight said as a scroll appeared in her magic. “This is an anti changeling disguise spell, we’ve been using it recently as I’ve only just perfected it.”

“How can I know if this works?”

As if to answer his question, a second Twilight landed next to the first.

“Sorry, I don’t have as much magic as she dose, had to fly here.” Said the second Twilight.

“Shinning, use that spell and hit both of us, I’ll remain the same, ‘other’ me with be revealed as a changeling. Also note he admitted he doesn't have the same power, they can duplicate our appearance not our skills.”

Not without a mind probe, but that only works for memory. Flurry mused.

Shining read through the spell quickly, igniting his horn he shot the spell at both Twilights, as told the second ‘Twilight’ was revealed to be a changeling, who quickly backed away from the clearly angry unicorn.

“Alright, I’ll believe the spell works, but were still leaving. I will never trust those, things. No matter what you or anypony else says.”

Twilight let out a sigh of disappointment. “Alright, I guess that's fair after all that's happened. But I’m still coming to visit as soon as I can.”

“Alright LSBFF.”

Shining and Twilight embraced in a quick hug, Cadence never let her eyes leave the changeling who just stared back. Soon enough Shining boarded the train and the three of them were off, Twilight waved as the train left the yard, and then Canterlot. Picking up speed as it went, making for the Crystal Empire with all speed.

“And you're sure the spell will work on all changelings?” Twilight asked, looking back to the changeling still standing where he was.

“Yes, we were afraid of the Evil One infiltrating and attacking us, we had wards all over the hive. I’m rather surprised you haven't developed your own counterspell.”

“We’ve been working on it for the last decade, but we didn’t have any reliable way to test it, even after the Shadow War started, prisoners are very cooperative. I can see in your spell where we were going wrong, a few more months and we would have finished ours anyway.”

“Do you think he’ll be anger when you tell him?”

“I won't be telling him until after all this is over, maybe it will help them accept you.”

The changeling gave Twilight a sceptical look. “You're awfully accepting of us, especially after what our kind has done over the years, not to mention your attack on our hive.”

Twilight chuckled. “I’m the princess of Friendship, we need to start somewhere, so why not with me?”

The two of them stared off into the distance, staring off in the direction of the Crystal Empire.

~o0o~

Flurry was not happy, not one bit. Once they had left Canterlot, she accepted the fact that she was going to be stuck in her current situation for the time being, so she made the best she could. Unfortunately her ‘parents’ weren't making it easy. At first she had wanted to sit by the window, watching areas she had never seen before roll by. Cadence had made her sit with the two of them, away from any windows, as they talked with her, telling her about her ‘real’ home. Shining had asking her if she had ever eaten pony food before, while slightly annoyed at this, Flurry had told them about the different dishes she had made, most of them were ‘pony’ origin as they put it. Speaking of food, Flurry’s stomach decided to make itself known..

“Um, is there any chance we could get something to eat? I’ve just realized that I haven’t eaten in, maybe two days?”

Cadence's eyes went wide. “Yes certainly, I’m sorry, we just got so caught up.”

Cadence called a servant, requesting they be brought a large lunch as quickly as possible. The mare trotted off quickly to bring them their food.

“You guys don’t make anything yourself?” Flurry asked questionably.

“We often don’t have time with running the Empire, it's there job anyway.”

“Caddy is right, between all of our duties it's just something we don't have time for. Celestia and Luna are the same way.”

“So neither of you do anything for your selves?”

Shining looked to reply, but was cut off by Cadence. “We have a responsibility to defend and protect every pony in the Empire, having servants doing the little day to day things come with the job I'm afraid.”

Any further conversation on the matter was forgotten as the train staff brought in three carts, each with a silver domed try on them. Flurry eyed the trays hungrily, she really didn’t care what was under them, she was just hungry. The servants removed the trays before leaving, revealing three large salads. Flurry’s seemed to be just a bit bigger, it was loaded down with every green and vegetable she could imagine. For a moment Flurry wanted to just dive straight in, forgoing simple table manners. She controlled herself, knowing that her mother, her changeling mother that is, would scold her to no end if she did, regardless of not being there she knew she would find out.
Flurry took up a fork in her hoof, digging into her salad with as much speed as manners allowed. Not even two bites in she noticed Shining and Cadence weren't eating yet.

“What?” She asked after swallowing her mouth full.

“How did you learn to eat like that?” Asked Cadence warrily.

Flurry tilted her head. “What with my hooves? I can’t use magic right now, how else was I supposed to?”

“Well,” Shining spoke up. “It's just that, you were with changelings until now.”

“And?” Flurry asked wondering where this was going.

“We didn’t expect you to know, well table manners.”

Flurry gave Shining a deadpan look. “Were changelings, not animals. Were you expecting me to eat snout first?”

Their silence was all the answer she needed.

Flurry could only sigh. “Yes I know table manners, as well as many other things, we were educated, not savages.”

“I’m sure they thought they were educated,” Cadence began. “But you're going to receive a proper education in the Empire, you're going to learn how to be a proper pony.”

Further argument from Flurry was cut off, Cadence used her magic to bring another fork full to Flurry. She didn’t argue out of fear of being ‘fed’ more by Cadence, something she found degrading.
After eating Flurry tried again to connect with her first parents, talking about spells and magic, seeing as all three of them could use magic. Shining was open to talking about magic with her, until Cadence insisted she forget what she had learned before, telling her she would learn proper magic. After that the remainder of the trip was Cadence, effective telling Flurry of all the things she would no longer need to do, as well as all the things she ‘needed’ to forget.

Eventually the train arrived in the Crystal Empire. Once they were off the train Flurry took in the sights of the Empire for the first time, everything was made of Crystal, and not just built but carved, there were no seams on any of the corners of any of the buildings. It reminded her of how well build the hive was, quietly she wondered if there was some long lost connection. They made their way to the Crystal Spire, Flurry had seen it ever since they had stepped off the train, but you couldn’t really tell how big it was untill you were right up next to it.

“W-wow, it’s huge!” Flurry said astounded.

“If you think that’s big, you should see the stadium out back, we held the Equestrian games here not long before you were boun.” Shining said proudly.

“There's a stadium in the back yard?!?”

“We can talk about that latter, right now we're going to get that changeling magic out of you.”

Flurry could only roll her eyes. The three of them walked beneath the Spire, and Flurry saw the Crystal Heart for the first time.

“Is that…”

“The Crystal Heart, you’ve heard about it?” Cadence asked with a raised eyebrow.

“About as much as anyone outside the Empire, a magic artifact keeping the Crystal Empire safe. Now I see where I get the shape in my cutie mark.”

At Flurry’s mention of her cutie mark, both Shining and Cadence looked down, not having thought to look before. Her mark was a green heart shield, stylized exactly like the Crystal Heart, in the center of it was a blue eight point star. Both Shining and Cadence shared a look, not sure what to say.

“It’s not polite to stare at someone else’s flank like that, not unless you're trying to get something.”

Shining could only look away with a blush.

“Flurry! How could you say something like that? A mare your age-”

“What? I am turning twenty this year, last I knew that was considered an adult.”

Cadence snorted stomping her hoof. “No this is the changeling magic, we will be rid of it.”

Cadence walked over to the Heart, Flurry in tow. Bringing her horn near the Heart, Cadence powered her magic, sending it into the Heart. The Crystal Heart pulsed then glowed, a wisp of magic floated off of the heart, it twisted and turned in the air drifting towards Flurry. Flurry tried to back up, not knowing what this magic was or what it could do, but she was held fast by a pink wing over her back. The magic touched Flurry’s barrel, instantly she felt warm inside as the magic flowed through her. She felt her changeling aura flare, becoming stronger. She could sense the emotional state of everyone around her, she no longer needed to focus on anyone to sense their surface emotions, it was just there. Her range seemed to be about the same, perhaps just a bit larger, but not by much. She felt Cadence next to her, she was hopeful, proud, and happy but there was a twinge of something else, something she couldn't place, but it seemed off. Shining was also hopeful, nervous and happy as well, he lacked the offness of Cadence. The nearby guards were curious, nothing more.

Flurry looked back at the Crystal Heart, she felt love, pure limitless love for everyone and everything around it. There was also a deep magic, something that seemed oddly familiar, like a faded memory that she couldn’t quite remember. The magic faded until it no longer flowed from the Heart to Flurry, the Heart suddenly spun faster letting off a burst of magic, turning everypony under the Spire crystal. Flurry looked down at herself, seeing her body transformed into semi transparent crystal for the first time.

“This is the magic of the Crystal heart, and with it that changeling influence is gone.” Cadence declared turning to Flurry. “You are no longer lost my daughter, welcome home.”