"Hello dear readers." A rather familiar draconequus chirps as he drinks a cup of tea upon a rather comfy looking chair. "We need to talk."

He dips his saucer into the tea and then eats the tea cup. "It seems a few of you feel I'm... let's say over exerting my power upon our dear Princess Snowdrift. That I'm forcing her to move and act a certain way." He sighs and snaps his claws sending the still tea soaked saucer and chair away.

"While I admit I'm lending her a hand so to speak here and there, that's mainly to keep her out of jail and to prevent everypony from screaming 'changling' at her in a moments notice. If you really think I'm forcing her to think a certain way I'm afraid you are mistaken. Her thoughts are her own. If I just made her act and think like Snowdrift this wouldn't be any fun for you or me." Swirling his hand, a mirror appears before him showing the scene in the dining room with the rather nervous Snowdrift.

"Now I know being the great being of chaos you probably don't trust me, but alas it is the truth. You see I'm barely doing anything to her at all. It is YOU who drive the story, not I." He turns to give you a smirk, but then sighs.

"But Discord, I hear at least one of you say. What about her personality? Isn't that you're doing? Aren't you forcing her to BE a certain way. Fill a certain role?" He stops to scratch his chin, watching the befuddled bat princess through the mirror with interest.

"And that's just the thing. I've done nothing of the sort. My magic gave her a body and role to play true, but it's her own mind that came up with the personality. In sort she's acting as she feels 'Snowdrift' should act. When I make her say certain things, it's her mind that chooses the phase, the tone. I find that very... interesting. Or did you think I chose this human at random? Oh no. I feel there is a part of her that really wants to embrace this role. Then again who knows?"

"But I'll tell you what. If you truly feel this is all in error and I'm back to being a mean ol' villain. I'll let you fix it all right now. When you vote at the end of this particular installment. I'll add a "Get out of role free' card" He goes as far as to make air quotes to you to drive his point.

"You will be given a chance to set her free, return her to the human world and this will all be a bad dream. The story ends here."

"Or." He smiles, and with a snap two more mirrors appear. One with the new Princess Blueblood shown inside, and another with the strapping stallion guard Sand Gust.

"We can see how this all develops. The choices are yours dear readers..."

* * *

"-my lovely daughter's sweet sixteen!" Mom proclaimed happily to the ensembled ponies, many who gave out little whoops of congratulations.

Wait what? Sweet sixteen? Then that meant. It was my birthday today!? Ugh, it was almost poetic. I didn't really exist before this, so why not it be a date of my birth?

"Eeee! We are going to have the best of time tonight Snowy!" Skyla said as she pulled me close with a wing. "Mom threw a huge celebration for mine last year and it was great! Well most of it was."

"Oh sweetie, choosing your personal guard wasn't that bad." Cadance said with a roll of her eyes. Skyla on the other hoof frowned.

"Mom I had like the entire Empire of teen stallions lining up to 'be my knight' it took hours." She huffed turning her head away. "Honestly I don't know why you made it a thing."

"Oh? Then I suppose I should go tell your personal mare guard Emerald Shield that she's fired?" Cadance said nonchalantly as she sipped some juice. Skyla's reaction was instant, as she turned toward her mother with wide fearful eyes.

"What? No! You can't do that! She'll think I hate her!"

Cadance couldn't help but let out a giggle. "Seems like your personal guard is more like a close friend."

Skyla blushed. "W-well I mean given we spend so much time together..."

"And that's why we started it." Another voice added. I was surprised to see it was Aunt Twily. Had she a hoof in this? Was it a tradition now or something?

"Just what are you blabbering on about?" Bluebelle scoffed, taking a seat. It was originally far from any of the other already seated princess's, but Aunt Tia quickly changed that by literally picking her up with magic and placing Bluebelle to her right. The new princess didn't look happy, but apparently she knew not to argue with her 'mother'.

"Something you yourself will deal with in a couple of years my fourteen year old daughter." Celestia said in her calm collected way, though I was pretty certain she only mentioned the age to tease Bluebelle. By the looks of her, it worked.

"Bah, it's not my fault the potion made me this young." She actually crossed her hooves like a little filly in a time out. I had to stifle a laugh, it was adorable.

"She should be thankful she didn't drink as much as Sombra did." Skyla whispered to me.

I suddenly was very curious as to what the former evil king now looked like.

"Now when a Princess turns sixteen, they must choose from a group of willing volunteers. This chosen stallion or mare will become the personal guard of the princess for the next four years, as they learn to become the future ruler they are destined to be."

"As much as my friends and I have accomplished, Equestria is still a very dangerous place. Tempest showed us that rather strongly." Twilight said with a frown. So the events of the movie did happen here as well. Guess that wasn't too surprising.

"As such we thought it best to have a companion with Skyla almost at all times." Cadance added. "Some pony who would had passed certain test and criteria that we could trust to look after her."

"And I thought it'd be a great way to build a strong friendship." Twilight added, "and given how much you care for Emerald, I say it worked."

Skyla blushed but said nothing. Was Emerald just a friend? Skyla was Aunt Caddie's daughter. Though that didn't look like a crush blush. Wait how would I even know what that was?

"We as well find it to be a marvelous idea." Mom agreed with a nod. "Hence the reason we've adopted it here in Canterlot as well. It was a pain sorting out all the applicants, but I feel well worth it in the end."

That made sense really. They test and present the princess with a group of ponies their own age, and let them choose who will be there personal guard, and likely friend. Skyla apparently enjoyed her choice, and Blueblood would have to choose in two years time when she turned sixteen.

Yes, sixteen. Odd that seemed... My eyes widened.

SIXTEEN! I was turning sixteen! That meant I was about to do this myself!

* * *

Meanwhile in another part of the castle, Sand Gust stared at his helmet. He hadn't been certain before when he had passed the tests, but now he was certain.

He wanted to be the one Princess Snowdrift chose for her personal guard. After all what better way to get to know her? She had agreed to date him to, so that meant he had a good chance.

He hoped.

* * *

"Oh dear, seems like our princess has yet another event in store for her, but a deal is a deal. You can let Snowdrift go home and the story ends here. Or we can follow a different pony for a bit..."

Author's Note

https://strawpoll.com/sssrw4bk

Choice A: Return Snowdrift to her human self in the real world. This whole ordeal will be nothing but a strange dream.

Choice B: Follow Bluebelle and Skyla as they try to find a gift for Snowdrift. Being Bluebelle of course doesn't have one.

Choice C: Sand Gust is ready to try his hoof at being chosen by Snowdrift as her personal guard, but what should he do to get ready?