Well, this is better than just relying on memory. Usually, I would relay this sort of information to the hive. However, the lack of such a feature among ponies prevents such a convenient way of storing information. Therefore, I shall write down my experiences within this diary. It gives me a sense of control in all of these situations I am currently forced to cope with.

Ok, my arrival at the capital of Canterlot was a success. Securing an attempt to gain citizenship also went without any obstructions. As expected, my past acts as a queen caused minor obstacles to emerge. The lack of food for one will be an issue. Although, using the princess of love might work. Staying close to her might allow me to passively absorb love from my surroundings. The lack of a disguise also puts me at a disadvantage. But the worst part will be acquiring citizenship.

However, it would seem that I may have found help amongst these ponies. The following entry describes the events that led me to find a possible ally in my struggles.

Walking through the castle caused me nothing but trouble. As one would expect, the ponies that weren't related to the military outfit jumped away at the mere sight of me. Such a pathetic and cowardly reaction was to be expected from them, however, it affected me. After severing my link to the hive, the constant companionship shared between the linked members disappeared. A sense of isolation settled in after a couple of days. I would never show this side to a pony. But on the inside, I felt truly alone for the first time since my birth.

Although this was entertaining at first, this is now a hindrance. I want to ask for directions but the ponies keep running away. I groaned mentally while attempting to communicate with the servants.

"Scouting the area for possible escape routes?" Celestia inquired from a corridor I had just entered.

"As entertaining as it would be to try and cause trouble. It would be counterproductive for me, given my situation," I replied while trying to keep my hostility at a minimum. "I'm trying to get directions to the library. I want to start studying for the citizenship test. However, that is quite a problem with your servants running away at the very sight of me," I added with an annoyed tone.

Celestia looked around and seemed to notice the servants hiding behind the corner. Letting out a sigh, she turned to me with a defeated expression. "As cunning and hostile as you were before, you're behaving. Therefore, as part of my duty to ensure that you aren't held back by discrimination from my subjects, I will help you," Celestia said in most cordial tone possible.

"Finally, something goes as planned," I said in a low voice. Celestia's ears twitched and she frowned at me. "What?"

"Nevermind. Simply follow," She replied while shaking her head in disapproval.

Walking through the castle, I couldn't help but wonder why ponies worried about the appearance of their buildings. The Hive was a spire of ever-shifting tunnels and dead-ends. It was a fortress that allowed only those that could feel the changes a safe passage. These castles and houses had little tactical value. Once the interior was memorized, one could easily maneuver their way wherever they wanted, whenever they wanted. Silk curtains, decorated windows, grand arches, silver candelabras, ornated jars and vases, blooming flowers and gardens, and carpets soft enough to hide the sound of hooves.

A burglar could easily steal the portraits and the decorations if they so desired. An army of flying soldiers would have an easy time to spot and eliminate the guards within the castle. So many security breaches could happen at once that I couldn't help but wonder something.

How did we never defeat the sisters? That reminds me, where is the blue one? Oh, right. Nightmare Moon. I concluded as Celestia finally stopped before a door. Unlike her throne room, this one had huge wooden doors.

"This is the library. It is open to the public, to the students, and travelers. There is a public entrance through the gardens. This is the castle's entrance. Unlike the rest of the public, you have access to it beyond its working hours. Make good use of the time you have to prepare," Celestia said before leaving.

"Will do," I muttered while opening the door.

I will admit, the volume of books stored within those walls is impressive. However, libraries are unnecessary in our kingdom since all of our data is stored in the Hive Link. After the initial shock, I made my way towards the area where a mare was talking to a strangely-dressed pony. Wearing a short cape covered in stars, along with a beige tunic with blue lines at its edges, a pair of black pants, and a pair of round glasses that lacked support for the ears, but seemed to be held in place by a thin chain.

Their coloration was also odd. Their coat was a pale, almost gray, pink. Their mane and tail were composed of three different colors. A trail of more vivid pink, a beige trail, and a mint trail. And lastly, they had cyan eyes. They seemed to carry themselves with a bit of respect. I assume that they are noble. However, this is just conjecture, I wasn't aware of their gender until the mare spoke.

"Very well, sir Crystal Dawn," The mare said while stamping the book he handed to her. "The book has been marked as returned. I'll update your library card," She added while running a crystal over the card the colt left on the counter.

"Thank you, I'll come back later if I find a book to take home," He replied with a courteous voice.

That was when the mare let out an EEP, and the colt stopped to stare at me.

"H-How may I-I help you?" The librarian stuttered while backing away.

Letting out a sigh and dropping my shoulders, I raised my hand to my forehead before answering. "I need books on the history of Equestria for a citizenship test," I replied with an annoyed tone.

"T-T-Then-!" That was when I was first hit by a surprise.

"In that case, your best bet is to look over the Equestrian unveiled section. If you're looking for the specific parts usually covered by the test, you should check Modern History of Equestria by Arch Rune. The test usually has one surprise question. But that tends to be related to the classes given by the teacher Clock Quill. He makes the history segments for the test. If I'm not mistaken, his main focus this semester has been the fall of the Everfree Castle. This topic is mostly explored in the Prophecies for Modern Ages by Starswirl the Bearded," The colt said without stuttering.

That is an information dump if I ever have seen one. I thought while staring at Crystal Dawn.

"And the section you're looking for is that one," He said while taking a step to the side and pointing in a straight line. "Good luck with your studies," He added before setting off on his own.

That has to be the longest conversation I held with a civilian pony so far. And by far the most productive one I ever had since leaving the hive. I mused while heading towards the area discriminated by the colt. After taking the two books he recommended, I went on to try and find a place to sit.

Little did I know that in the entirety of that crowded library, I would find seats as easily as I could breathe. Whenever I approached a table, the ponies would instantly run away and clear it. Therefore, I ended up sitting alone. I don't know what I expected. My main focus, for now, is the test, however, I need to secure a source of food as well. My only bet so far is Cadance, whenever that filly goes, love follows. However, based on my first impression with her, it would seem that Celestia made her wary of me. I deduced while staring at the cover of the book.

Books are such frail things. If soaked, the ink is lost, if burned, the entire record is destroyed, time itself degrades these feeble pieces of paper as if they had no meaning. Yet, with the corner of my eyes, I could see plenty of ponies handling them with care, others not so much. But they still came to read the words written in them. In a way, this could be compared to the Hive Link. Grand storage for knowledge and guidance, but built with the limitations of a species that lacked a shared mind.

And that was when my second surprise occurred. There was a sudden sound of a chair being moved in front of me. Lifting my head, I saw the same colt from before. He sat in front of me with a book and started reading. It felt, somewhat comforting to not be isolated from the rest of the library. I will need to interact with others to live in this society. And to find a husband. He didn't say a word, neither did I. We both stood there, reading our respective books for about an hour.

"You took my recommendation," Crystal said without removing his eyes from the book. With a glance, I noticed his eyes were moving unusually fast. "You never met before. And you took my advice. Isn't that naive? I could be trying to trick you."

"You did not stutter. Nor did your voice change. You stared me in the eye and spoke clearly and concisely. There were no twitches, pupil dilation, change in heart rate, forced smiles, or signs of ill intent. There was no reason to doubt the information you provided," I replied while reading a chapter about the post Discord Era. There were plenty of opportunities to take the kingdom during this period.

"I could be a good liar," He replied bluntly while turning a page. "What then?"

"Your emotions were clear. A cyan blue aura emanated from your words. Your intent to aid me was clear," I answered finally gaining his full attention. "Besides, it will be a long while before a colt like you can even dream to trick me," I added while looking in his eyes.

"I'll have you know that I turn eighteen in three months. I am an adult," He replied with a frown on his face.

"Compared to me, who lived more than a thousand years, you're still a colt," I replied with a smirk.

"You say that, but that just means your an old hag," He replied with a cocky smile.

"So, I take it you have an interest in older mares?" I replied with a wink. "The mare at the reception desk is quite the looker. She should be in her late twenties," I added with a wide smile as his ears folded back and his eyes widened. His cheeks flushed before he pouted at me.

"I never said that. And you have no proof," He replied with his voice stable, but with his face red as a tomato. After that, there was just silence. Honestly, teasing him was the best fun I had since I left the hive. I wasn't about to let it end like that.

"You said that your birthday will happen in three months, correct? You'll be an adult by then," I said with a disinterested tone.

"I am an adult. And yes, I will have my birthday in three months," He replied with his eyes focused on the book.

"Well, my citizenship test will happen in two months," I said with the same tone as before. "If I pass because of your advice, I'll treat you to a very special birthday present. Something only a mare with my level of experience can give," I added while stretching my leg to caress his with my hoof.

His reaction was instantaneous, he immediately closed his legs while pushing his chair away. His ears folded back while his eyes almost jumped out of their sockets. Instead of just his cheeks turning red, his entire face turned red as he placed both his hands in front of his crotch. The fur around his neck stood up as his lips trembled. It had to be by far the best reaction I ever had from a pony in all of my life. There was a hint of lust combined with shame and fear emanating from him. A most delectable display that amused me to no end.

"Y-You shouldn't o-offer yourself like that to others," He said while doing his best to look brave and unfazed. "I-I am an educated stallion. A-and as such, I would never trade h-help I offered wholeheartedly, f-for such a c-carnal desire," He added while trembling on his seat. "H-however, there a-are those t-that would take advantage of y-you. S-should you say such t-things to them," He continued while his eyes couldn't focus on one spot of my face.

"You're too easy to play with," I replied while chuckling. "But, don't worry. I only tease cute colts," I added with a smile.

I swear that I saw steam come out of his ears as he turned his gaze to the floor, and then placed his hands on his knees. "Y-you're the c-changeling that s-started living in the c-castle, right?" He asked with his facade completely shattered.

"That I am, did you see me on the news? Such a naughty colt, scoping me from a distance. Of course, you want to get on with the popularity that I have and turn into a celebrity. Such a cunning plan to get famous and climb the social ladder with ease. Be careful, I also punish bad colts like that," I said while licking my lips and showing my fangs.

However, that was when his response changed. His ears perked and his breathing got normal. His heart rate diminished and his gaze became focused on mine. The emotions I had evoked from him dispersed as he began to emanate animosity. "I am not like that. I will not use others to achieve my goals. I will attain all of my desires through my efforts alone. I will not abuse the fame of others. And I did not plan to use you. There were no pictures of you in any of the newspapers. I didn't know what you look like. It was pure coincidence that I met you here. Therefore, do not assume that I would stoop soo low as to leech off someone else. Do not lump me with those ponies."

It seems I touched a nerve. This is my first acquaintance in my new life. And the only one that spoke with me without trembling in fear. I better remedy this. I concluded while staring at him.

"I apologize. I went too far in my prank," I said while lowering my head.

"No, I should be the one apologizing. It is far from polite to snap at a lady," He replied with his head low. His animosity disappeared and was replaced with melancholy and shame. "What is a changeling?"

His attempt to change the subject was subtle as an elephant walking in a glass store. I couldn't help but snort and chuckle at the now timid stallion that seemed to be trying to ruminate over something. It was endearing in a way to play with someone like this. "You are not a conversationalist, are you? There are subtler ways to change the subject. But, answering your question: I don't believe you're entitled to that information, yet. You might have helped me with acquiring information. That earns you the title of a small benefactor, not of a confidant," I replied with a smirk.

Crystal stared at me for several seconds with his left ear twitching up and down. He leaned forward and began to scratch his chin while staring at the table. He seemed to be plotting something. I was sure that he would try to bargain for information or something of the sort. However, what came next surprised me. "What she's saying is: I need to earn the right for the information I seek. And I can do that by doing favors to earn her trust, as to become her confidant," He muttered while tapping his index finger on his cheek. "The question here is what kind of favors would win me the credentials required. All the information I have is that she is attempting to pass an exam. The information is insufficient to determine a decent approach or fast method of earning her trust. However, with my current credentials, I might be able to ask as to what she would consider helpful in her situation. Or that might be entirely impossible. And the best I can do is that. But first I should weight the options as to not overstep my bounds and degrade my credentials."

He is mumbling. About me. In front of me. This pony probably isn't the type to socialize. I concluded while closing the book and getting up.

"Would it be too much of a bother if you were to appear in the public entrance tomorrow, around seven o'clock?" The stallion asked while scratching his chin. "I believe I might know of a way to aid in your studies," The same aura from when he gave me directions on the books emanated from him as he said those words.

Raising an eyebrow at him, I gathered the books before leaving. "I'll consider. I have a tight schedule," I replied before leaving to return the books.

And that was the last I heard from the stallion during that day. The attempts to communicate with other ponies were a fiasco. All that I gained from interacting with that pony was a reminder of my current isolation. As much as these ponies claim to be warm and welcoming, if they are faced with creatures that they have little knowledge of, they will turn tail and steer clear of it. Regardless of them having good intentions or not. This is one of the many reasons major peace was never an option that I would consider during my reign as queen.

And exactly because MAJOR peace isn't an option, I decided to seek something minor. However, the level of solitude I am currently forced to endure is much larger than I had originally anticipated. I believed that attaining housing within the castle walls of one of the most beloved ponies in Equestria would aid in breaking the obstacles imposed by my appearance. However, they seem to have worsened it. I can only hope that the situation changes as time moves on, otherwise, I shall be meeting with a cold embrace within months.

It is with great pleasure that I announce my first well-succeeded interaction with the opposite sex in a long term conversation that did not involve regular proceedings such as protocols for returning a book. Moreover, the female in question did consider me a small benefactor. This gives me a chance to gather special information, not only regarding an unexplored species, but also the intricacies of regular interactions and social skills. The facade, although broken by said female, was extremely effective in starting a conversation. Forcing social anxiety to subside and attempting contact while keeping a somewhat composed manner that I usually maintain for most short-term exchanges was effective.

I eagerly await the chance to further explore how to develop such skills. Although, I could live without the certain sexual comments the mare in question brought up during our exchange.

Author's Note

HERE WE GO!!!!!!

I hope you guys liked it. Please let me know what you thought of the story and chapter!!