The Moon's Change

Chapters

Prologue: The History of the Changelings
Chapter 1: Lost and Meeting
Chapter 2: A Lost Friend

Prologue: The History of the Changelings

It is the middle of the semester at Starswirl University, and MoonStar is having a fun time with all her classes, and passing them with flying colors...well, all except one of course. Thanks to the dragon amulet she found and passing her Mythology class with an A-, she is taking a higher division course of the same class, Mythology 1B, but dealing with more concerns, issues, and the problems these creatures hold. It is a required class to graduate, and she only needs to pass it with a C or better. This time, her professor is none other than Dr. Bookworm, a Ph.D. scholar of all mythological creatures, and the most ruthless, but kindly, professor the university has ever known; their topic for this month is on changelings.

The class groans and moans in disappointment because of how complicated and difficult they are from start to finish, and MoonStar was the very same. Dr. Bookworm explains that since the changelings were recently reformed, thanks to the spread of news by Twilight Sparkle and the rise of King Thorax, they can actually make it a fun experience. Although, what they know right now about the reformed changelings were little or none, but what helped them was the new Changeling ambassador to show the new allegiance of the Changeling Kingdom, Equestria, and The Crystal Empire. MoonStar tries to pay super close attention to each of the new details the reform changelings have to offer, but she feels it didn't feel right to learn about these reform creatures. When the class was over, MoonStar went to Dr. Bookworm to ask him on an important topic.

She said, "Excuse me, Professor Bookworm? I understand we need to learn about the mythology of the changelings to pass the class, and I deeply appreciate King Thorax to send us these changed terminologies for us, but could it be okay if I can write my essay on the original changelings, the one ran by Queen Chrysalis?"

Dr. Bookworm looks at her after listening to her question, and his response is, "Well, Ms. GalaxyChaser. While I am glad you are learning so much in this class, and especially with the changelings, but ever since word came to us by Princess Twilight Sparkle on their reformation, it's much easier to learn about the reform changelings on a grand scale, and we are still learning much about them, so that makes the old changelings...um...shall we say...obsolete. However, I appreciate you want to learn how they originally lived, and the culture they hold, I suppose if you want to if you can find some information about the unreformed changelings, I might boost your points up, a little."

MoonStar simply nods to him and agrees to take it as a challenge for herself. When class was over, she steps outside of the department building and plans to get ready to do this essay. She removed her saddlebag, and touch her amulet. Afterward, she slowly changed into her dragon form, Thraka Flamouria, and ties her saddlebag around her waist, so it doesn't fall off. At first, she had a hard time getting used to her second form, but after months of practice, she flies with ease and decides to go where she might think they once lived at, Everfree Forest. As she travels through the skies, Thraka wonders what kind of amazing stories and facts the unreformed changelings possessed. The kind of stories they hold, the culture they wield, and so much. Thraka's mind was elsewhere, but out of nowhere, a scream was heard from a distance and said, "WATCH OUT!" Thraka turns her attention to the scream, and notice that a pegasus was close by and was about to hit her. Thraka screams as well and immediately dodge the pegasus coming by and made a sigh of relief. She was closing in on Everfree Forest and lands near the entrance.

Thraka removes the saddlebag around her waist, touch the pendant, returning herself back to MoonStar. She begins to investigate Everfree Forest to get an idea of how the old changelings lived their lives under Chrysalis's rule. As she was inspecting the area, she believes that the old changelings were a lot better and honestly cooler because of how very mysterious they were. She knew a bit about the changelings' story when she was a filly. All she knows is that the changelings follow a powerful leader, the Changeling Queen, and lead them all to their salvation and paradise.

In the depths of Everfree Forst, there were whispers and cries of anger coming from the trees. Queen Chrysalis, living the rest of her days in Everfree Forest, is slowly thinking of ways to exact her revenge upon Starlight Glimmer after what she witnessed on that faithful day. She almost had it all: The Conquest of Canterlot, the capturing of the princesses and the Mane 6, and even created powerful clones to stop Starlight in her tracks, but all have failed...She is living in a small cave, and all she had to endure to eat is nothing but nuts and berries, and some water she needs to filter. Outside of her "home", she slowly went mad and insane and feels she is truly alone after losing her kingdom against Starlight and her companions, Trixie, Discord, and Thorax as an unreformed changeling and before becoming the new king.

The angry Chrysalis said, "Lost...Gone...Forgotten...I had it all before she took it all away!!! That fool, Starlight Glimmer; all that I've done to cater to my army, my kingdom, my subjects, gone!!! I will continue to vow my revenge against her, but I must do so in a stealthy manner. *Sigh* For the last couple of months, all I've done is survive on nuts and berries, and purified freshwater. I'm sick of this stuff!!! I need love, I need to feed, but where...?"

After her self rant was over, her hearings pick up a small fainted noise in the distance. She picks her head up and listens to the sound in the airway. Distances away, MoonStar got caught in something in her hind hooves, like a twisted twig, and she pulled herself out. Chrysalis couldn't believe it; someone is really in the forest, and it was enough for her to get a new plan going. She smirks to her delight and went into hiding in the shadows, and follow the noise until she found the source.

MoonStar, still having a hard time covering the forest from head to hooves, feels she is lost and confused.

She said, "Oh Man...If I knew how mysterious and dangerous Everfree Forest is, I shouldn't even be here at all. Never you mind that, MoonStar. You've dealt with a lot of nasty things in your life before. The Wendigos with Fiery Heart that one Hearth Warming Day, the dragon change with this amulet, the switcheroo spell gone wrong with Twilight, the Cutie Map calling me to Canterlot and dealing with Luna's friendship issue, the comet being that close to Equestria with Rarity, and that inter-dimensional travel to Ponyland. I'm sure nothing bad will happened to me this time."

Or so she thinks...as she was walking, she heard some mysterious wailing, and it was a small filly noise.

The small mysterious filly said, "Welp me...Mummy...Daddy? Where are vou?"

MoonStar got a bit scared that there was a chilling voice in the forest, but can it really be a small filly calling for help? She has no clue what it is, and she really needs to do this essay for those bonus points, and hope for the best. She takes a deep breath for 10 seconds, looks ahead to the forest with her head held high, and slowly being to walk into the deep dark section of the forest. Chrysalis plans to lure MoonStar into the deep part of the forest, and fool her to be captured in her clutches, but only when they meet face-to-face. This...is the beginning of MoonStar's longest battle she'll ever face...

Author's Note

This prologue was written last year, but I have made some modifications and some additional spelling and grammar and punctuation to make this prologue more fluid and unique. I am currently using Grammarly to help me find errors and mistakes in my spelling and grammar, hoping it doesn't lead me to make the story confusing for you all. I plan to expand to a bigger audience, and as of right now, I am currently nervous about how this revised prologue will turn out to be. Any kind of feedback and comments are greatly appreciated. Thank you for finding the time to read my story.

Chapter 1: Lost and Meeting

MoonStar takes a deep breath and slowly walks into the depths of Everfree Forest. At first, the forest itself didn't felt that bad; the trees were calm, the grass isn't overgrown, flowers grew everywhere that looks and smells beautiful, and the forest creatures living in the peace of solitude. She still feels a bit uneasy about going further down into the forest, and continue to listen to the sound the little filly made.

She said, "Okay...this isn't so bad. I used to read up that this old small road leading to the depths of the forest is quite dangerous, but this isn't too awful. Still, I mustn't be too quick to let my guard down too quickly. I have a bad feeling that if I drop down for a single second, something evil will scoop me up and cut my lights out forever."

Moving onward, she puts on her brave face and moves at her own slow pace. As the forest slowly begins to lose its guiding light, the darkness begins to swallow her whole, only to never see the sunshine again...

Meanwhile, Chrysalis still follows her voice inside Everfree Forest, and continue to make the small filly voice to distract her from her sight of vision. Although she is currently taking the form of a small filly, she must ensure this newly hatched plan cannot fail nor falter at all. Moving along from shadow to shadow, Chrysalis believes, as of this moment, she isn't going to make this plan a success, after what kind of mistakes she made in the past. The mistakes she made that she failed to capture Canterlot during Shining Armor and Princess Cadence's Wedding, and losing her kingdom to Starlight and Thorax.

Speaking in her small filly, but somewhat odd, voice, "Now...were is 'hat voice coming fwom?! I 'now that somepony is in 'hese fowest, and if I cannot find 'hat voice, I won't get my wevenge against Starlight! I mustn't 'ive up, I will find 'hoever is 'ere."

She spent her time searching for the mare that is lost in Everfree forest and found nothing. All of a sudden, she heard a voice in the distance, and it is the lost mare, MoonStar, approaching in her current direction. Chrysalis hides back in the shadows, and continue to play her innocence when the moment strikes.

MoonStar looks around, and the forest is slowly beginning to diminish its light, leaving behind a curtain of darkness, and consumes her. As the forest went dark, MoonStar lights herself up with her magic and inspects the new surrounding areas. She made a big gulp in her mouth and swallow whatever saliva her mouth made, and she thinks her fear and anxiety is slowly consuming her mindset right now.

She said, "Oh boy...what a foolish mistake this turns out to be...I can hardly see anything in this pitch-black darkness. Hello! Are you out here, little filly? If you can hear me, please answer me! I want to help you get home to your family!!"

The forest is filled with so many dark elements that make it feels more like a jungle than a natural forest at all. She notices the trees are slowly decaying in her surroundings, the grass is overgrowing with thick weeds, the forest critters becoming much more savage and rabid that if any will bite you, you'll receive a horrible disease, but these are just thoughts that MoonStar automatically came up in her mind to scare her, but did it work? It did. The little filly voice slowly speaks up once again, but makes it harder for MoonStar to listen to it.

As of now, the forest was consumed by darkness, and all MoonStar sees is complete darkness. Her eyesight was pitch-black and she cannot see an inch or two ahead of her. She could still see with the light source from her horn, but now, her magic is the only light source keeping her move forward in the dark forest. She listens again to hear the filly's voice, but heard absolutely nothing. She felt something roll into her surroundings; something wet, but dry at the same time. It made her cough and wheeze as well. She just searches and searches and searches some for a couple of seconds, and then...she collapses.

As her filly self, Chrysalis notice that the fog is rolling in, and can feel herself coughing as well from it, but she knows what kind of fog it is.

Chrysalis, as the small filly, said, "Oh No, it's 'he Collapse Fog. Legend 'as it t'at if you aww caught within 'hat fog fow a few seconds in, you'll lose consciousness. At le'st it isn't stwong enough to kill you anyway. Anywho, 'here did t'at voice gone to? It has gone cuiet for a couple of minutes."

When Chrysalis walks around the fog and covers her mouth and nose to not lost her own consciousness, she looks around the trees and grass but found nothing. All of a sudden, when searching for the voice of that mare, she trips on something big in her way and slams down face-first into the ground. She slowly gets up, and rubs her muzzle because it hurts her, and groans in pain. She got a bit mad, and heavily pants, but when she looks down, she notices a mare sleeping below her. She gasp in shock and couldn't believe her eyes; it was the mare she was looking for. Since she is unconscious, she quickly changes back to her normal changeling self and helps MoonStar leave the fog because even she knows she will become an asset to her plan.

Later on, MoonStar slowly begins to regain her conscious back, and slowly wakes up but feels very light-headed as well. She looks around her surroundings again but notices that she's back at the entrance of Everfree Forest. Standing next to her was Chrysalis, but back in her little filly form, and needs to ensure this will all come into play soon enough.

MoonStar said, "Oh, my head...where am I?"

Chrysalis, "Oh! 'Hank goodness you're awake! I 'as so scared that I finally 'ound somepony to welp me find my wummy and daddy? W'o are you anyway?"

MoonStar said, "Me? Why I'm MoonStar GalaxyChaser. Hey! You're that little voice I heard in the forest; I was unsure if I was being crazy to hear a filly's voice out there in that scary dark forest. Say, who are you anyway? If I got the chance to introduce myself, you should try to do the same."

Chrysalis said, "Me? I'm called...um...um...Poppy! Poppy...um...Seed! Yeah, that's it!!! I'm Poppy Seed."

Chrysalis is becoming very nervous because she didn't manage to get this far in her plan, and needed a fake name to get her to believe; she made quite a very large and huge, but silly, grin on her face to feels she was gonna get away her elaborate disguise.

MoonStar said, "Poppy Seed, huh? Well, Poppy Seed, why did you come here to the forest in the first place? Don't you know it's dangerous for a filly your age to just walk casually into this forest alone? Well, I'm glad I found somepony to talk to and not feel alone, even if you are half my size. In fact, I'll be happy to help you find your parents! If we can know where they are located."

Poppy Seed said, "You 'ill?! Oh, 'hank you, WoonStar! I want to see my wummy and daddy again real soon, so 'lease, take poin' for me!"

MoonStar said, "Now, do stay behind me at all cost, and stay close by as well! I'm gonna make sure you are back home in no ti...OOF!!!"

When MoonStar nods in agreement and happily takes lead in front of Poppy Seed; behind her back, Poppy Seed smirks in an evil delight, and rubs her hooves together that a sucker like MoonStar fell to her sorry excuse of a story. Poppy Seed grabs a nearby wooden branch, inspects the thickness of the size and radius, and immediately whacks her in the back of the head. MoonStar being unconscious again, Poppy Seed changes back into Chrysalis, and grabs MoonStar by her scarf. She smiles to her delight that finally, she can used this pony to plot her revenge against Starlight.

Chrysalis said, "MWUAHAHAHA!!!! You naïve, insufficient, and pathetic pony fool. You play right into my little trap, and I shall use you for my advantage against that ignorant, and despicable, fool, Starlight Glimmer; once I've finally built my new army, she and that traitor, Thorax, alongside his goons of imbecilic traitors as well, I'll make sure what I lost will finally be regained, and soon, I WILL ONCE AGAIN RAISE MY ARMY FROM THE ASHES LIKE A PHOENIX, ENSLAVE ALL THE PRINCESSES OF EQUESTRIA, DESTROY STARLIGHT GLIMMER AND HER RAT PACK, AND RULE ALL OF EQUESTRIA ONCE AGAIN!!!!! MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!"

After her little monologue speech, Chrysalis drags MoonStar in the dirt by the edge of her scarf, and take her back to her campsite, to be sealed into one of her green cocoons. The last thing to be seen of them was a mysterious green fog that engulfs them both to nothingness...

Author's Note

Oh My Goodness, there were so many dialogue changes and additional changes that I need to write out in this chapter when I wrote this last year. One thing I should mention that if you see misspell words when Chrysalis was Poppy Seed, I did that on purpose to ensure that she is pretending to be a kid that didn't hold on to proper sentencing and pronouncing. With Grammarly's help once more, this became a more effective chapter this time, and I will make sure to make any tweaks and changes. Be aware that I am a writer that holds many surprises. I might say something in the Author's Notes that connects back to the story. Just be ready for that pretty soon.

Chapter 2: A Lost Friend

In the small city of Clifton, New Ponshire, there lives a red stallion, carrying a small basket of fruits and vegetables on his back, traveling downward towards the city of Fillydelphia at a modest pace. His name is Fiery Heart, a sweet and caring stallion that minds the safety of himself, his community, and most of all, his friends. His parents sent him to the Fillydelphia/Baltimare metropolis area multiple times before because he knows the layout of the cities, and where to drop off his deliveries. One day, he was tasked by his father to drop off a cart of freshly cut fruits they harvested from their local fields and to be sold in the produce markets. Once Fiery Heart got his father's approval to leave, he instantly takes off to the big cities.

As Fiery Heart was walking down the road to Fillydelphia, he remembers the time that he was caught in a snow blizzard with a mare he crosses path with, MoonStar GalaxyChaser. He remembers it all like it was yesterday. He speaks in his New Britaineigh accent and looks up to the bright blue Equestrian sky, "Man, what a crazy time that Hearth Warming Day was. The day those foolish wendigos tried to freeze me and that gal, MoonStar, into popsicles and with a carriage crew as well. Woo...what a time that was...Still, I am wondering how is she doing these days and age. It's been, I don't know, months, since I've last seen her; knowing her for that brief moment in time, she must be a very busy mare to even talk to a bloke like me. I hope I get to see her one day before I return back to Clifton. Maybe when I got free time today, I'll stop by at Starswirl University, and see if I can find her over there, and maybe...just maybe...we can go out for smoothies. Yeah, I'll like that a lot!!!"

After he was done talking to himself, and thankfully no one was there to hear him, or else some ponies would call him crazy and insane; he focuses his aim back towards Fillydelphia, promising his father to drop off the fruit basket at the produce market, and pick up his payment of gold bits. When he arrive at Fillydelphia, he stop by the market, drop off his supplies, and got paid for his efforts. He thanks the store manager, and he looks to his pocket watch. He notices that it is the late afternoon; knowing he is a full-fledged adult, his parents don't mind him coming home late, but as long as he follows curfew he has enough time to see all of Fillydelphia at any disposal. His first thought is to go see MoonStar at Starswirl University if the campus isn't too busy nor closed off for the day. Fiery Heart is too shocked by how big and huge Starswirl University compares to the community college he goes to at Clifton. All-day, he looks around campus trying to find MoonStar, and even going to great lengths to ask some of the students nearby if they know her. Sadly, not everyone knew her and was feeling a bit disappointed. The last pony he bumps into happened to be MoonStar's Mythological Professor, Dr. Bookworm.

When he stop Dr. Bookworm, Fiery Heart asks him, "Excuse me, sir? I'm looking around campus for a mare called MoonStar GalaxyChaser. Do you know, by any chance, where the fine lass is?"

Dr. Bookworm immediately stops to hear a stallion's voice and turns around to see the fine fellow. He was shocked that he happens to know one of her students, and quickly reply, "MoonStar GalaxyChaser? Oh! You mean a blue mare with a yellow and turquoise mane pattern, birthmarks looking similar to yours around the neck, face, and hooves, a yellow crescent moon cutie mark, and tinted green eyes?"

He got very excited, and there was a spark in his eyes that someone finally knows who MoonStar is, and cannot wait to see her once again. He approaches in his personal space and said, "YES! That's her! Do you know where she is?!"

Dr. Bookworm pushes him away from that he has invaded his personal space and doesn't want anypony entering in it. He fixes and adjusts his glass with his stern expression, "Well, young stallion. Sadly, I cannot disclose information about my students to you since I have not seen you around campus before, but I will say that she is taking my class of mythological creatures for the semester. We are learning about changelings, and I've given her the liberty of writing an essay of the old changelings that were run by Queen Chrysalis; the unreformed ones if you aren't fully aware of them. If anything based on my knowledge of these wonderful creatures, the last time I've seen her, she took off immediately for Everfree Forest to begin her report on them. I hope this is enough for you to find her if you plan to seek her out; you have a lovely afternoon, sire."

Dr. Bookworm takes his leave and says his final goodbyes to Fiery Heart. Fiery Heart did the same but he is confused because he has no idea where exactly Everfree Forest is at. Growing up, he never steps out of Clifton, New Ponshire, New Britaineigh, and most of the Fillydelphia/Baltimare metropolis area his entire life. This is all new information to him, and he isn't sure where this place might be.

In his state of confusion, he said, "Everfree Forest? That's a new place I've never heard of before. I've seen all of New Britaineigh, Fillydelphia/Baltimare, Manehattan, all of Northeast Equestria and that's it. Although, I suppose what I can do now is figure out where this forest is located. I gotta find the university library, and begin my own research on this 'Everfree Forest', but first, I need to ask someone. Hehe."

After the promises himself, he ask a student nearby if he knows where the university library is; the student points him to the nearest location and told him specific instructions to get there. He thanks the student and finally, about 5 minutes later, he found the library. Inside Starswirl University Grand Archives Library, his research on Everfree Forest became vague and complex since learning this place is still brand new to him and doesn't know what kind of things it holds. During his time in the library, he grabs a nearby book from a shelf on geological location and checks the index in the back of the book to find the forest he needs to find.

Fiery Heart softly whispers in the library halls, "Everfree Forest...Everfree Forest...Hmm...AHA! 'Everfree Forest, a forest located between the Canterlot Mountains and the town of Ponyville. Legend has it that whoever steps into this forest will be trapped within a labyrinth maze, never to see daylight again. If you plan to enter the forest against your will, take precautions and ask for a guide who was even lucky enough to leave the forest alive. Legend also states that The Ruins of the Castle of the Two Sisters still stand there to this very day. If you plan to enter these forbidden walls, be prepared on what's to come.' A labyrinth maze? Really? Well, this is still all new to me, but if her professor says she's over there, might as well start there since I plan to see her anyway."

He reads up on the location of the forest and writes it down on a small piece of paper. Afterward, he leaves the library with a smile on his, reaches for another parchment and writes to his father. During the first 2 minutes, he finishes writing his letter and uses a mail fire to send it back to Clifton to tell his father. In his letter, he wrote, 'Dear Father, I have finished making my delivery to Fillydelphia, but...I plan to see an old friend here in town, and if it's alright with you, could I stay in town for a few weeks and get to catch up with her? I am an adult, and I want to be treated as one. Sincerely, Fiery Heart.' In about 10 minutes, his father replies back to him and his message is firm and direct, just like Fiery Heart is. In his letter, Fiery's father said he wants him back to Clifton as soon as possible for the next harvest, but instead his message turn in a different direction. He said that he and his mother will be back home soon in a couple of weeks; their concern why is his aunt in Appaloosa catching a disease after being caught in the rain trying to rustle up some loose cattle. In the end, he is free to stay and go to his choosing since he is an adult after all. Though if he did plan to go home, which he won't, his father reminds him that he needs someone to keep an eye on the fields for him, so he can have time for himself. He puts the letter away, and Fiery Heart got super excited that he can stay out as much as he can, but what about the cart? He needs to take it back to Clifton and not leave in hanging around in a city that somepony will steal it. He realizes that an old friend he knew from Clifton attended Starswirl University 2 years ago and he is an undergraduate in the field of train locomotion; after finding his pal in the last 2 hours, Fiery asks him for a huge favor to take the cart home to Clifton. He shows him the letter his father sent him, and Fiery Hear reminds him about a favor he owns him when they were kids. He remembers what was that favor was, and he accepts the offer. He said he will take the cart home to Clifton by this weekend since he needs time to study, but he promises to watch the cart.

Fiery Heart looks up the bright blue sky again and said to himself while standing out on the gates of Starswirl University, "Okay, with the cart secured to be taken back to Clifton this weekend and my parents going to Appaloosa to see my sick aunt because of some disease she picks up, I can finally see where this 'Everfree Forest' is located. I can not believe that after months of silence, and not seeing her again, I will finally get to see an old, and familiar, face once again...Here I come, MoonStar GalaxyChaser!!!" He runs off towards the west where the sun begins to slowly set behind the faraway Canterlot Mountains, on his way to Everfree Forest with a big heavy smile on his face to see MoonStar again after their months of separation and silence. He makes sure they will get smoothies together as his promise to her. Although he could've gone to the train station and buy a ticket to get to Ponyville Station easier, Fiery Heart is a stallion of adventure and wilderness. He feels better if he can see Everfree Forest with his own eyes by moving westward towards the grand city of Canterlot and Ponyville. This marks the beginning of Fiery Heart's grand adventure of his own.

Author's Note

OH MY GOSH!!! This has been a nightmare of a chapter to revise. There were so many grammatical errors and missing sentences to make the story stand on its own. This is surely a chapter that cannot stand on its own if left alone. Despite writing this last year, I can now see why no one would even consider reading this piece of garbage. Some sentence structures were left alone if it makes sense, but I had to redo EVERYTHING!!! If this is gonna be a big project for me, I have a big challenge to work on my own here. Wish me luck...