Breaking Boundaries

Chapters

Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX
Chapter X
Prologue
Chapter V

Chapter I

The sun shined brightly over the town of Ponyville as Blazing Feathers did pushups on a cloud. He counted each push as the sweat on his body made his yellow coat sparkle in the sunlight. After one hundred pushups, the pegasus stood on the cloud as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Morning exercise, done," he observed to himself. "Morning flight," he began as he got ready to kick off the cloud.

"Getting ready for your morning flight, Stripes?" a familiar female voice called out, making Blazing groan.

"How many times do I have to ask you to stop calling me that, Rainbow?" Blazing asked as he sat down on the cloud while the cyan-blue female pegasus with technicolored hair landed next to him.

"Oh, lighten up, Stripes," Rainbow Dash said as she elbowed him in the side with a smile on her face. Ever since Blazing first met Rainbow Dash in Cloudsdale as children, she always used that nickname due to his unique set of orange stripes around his body.

"I hate that name," Blazing groaned as he hung his head. Rainbow chuckled. "So, how was the wedding?" Blazing asked in a desperate effort to change the subject. Rainbow beamed in excitement as she did a backflip off the cloud.

"Best wedding ever!" she called out. "There was this evil queen! A bunch of changelings invaded! Princess Cadence and Shining Armor used some kinda magic, and whoosh! They all went flying in all directions! Then, as the bride and groom said their "I dos," I got to do a Sonic Rainboom!"

"Wait, changelings attacked Canterlot?" Blazing asked as he blinked.

"Ah, it was nothin'," Rainbow shrugged it off. "Especially with me there!" Blazing shook his head with a chuckle. Ever since he knew the Rainbow, she never lacked confidence.

"I should've been there to help," Blazing observed. "I was always ready to stand by the Princess's side whenever danger occurred."

"You retired from that life a long time ago, Stripes," Rainbow countered. "Besides, with my friends and I on the job, nothin' can go wrong!" Blazing groaned at the nickname but chuckled at Rainbow's fearless loyalty. "Anyway, you wanna race for your mornin' flight?!" Rainbow challenged with a grin on her face. Blazing smiled at the offer as he got to his feet. "That's what I thought!" Rainbow said as she landed next to him with her wings ready to kick off the ground.

"Now Sonic Rainbow, and now Flaming Feathers," Blazing stated with a grin.

"That's probably a good idea," Rainbow agreed. "I don't think Ponyville could survive both a big bang and fire at the same time." Blazing had a gift almost as rare as the Sonic Rainboom, in which his wings would catch fire while flying fast enough. Some pegasi had similar rare gifts in which their wings could generate an element at will or during tense situations. Blazing had a friend whose wings could cause electricity.

"Alright," Blazing smirked. "One hundred laps around town!"

"You're on!" Rainbow agreed as she spread her wings. "One, two, three, go!" Rainbow counted in under a second before taking off, leaving a flash of technicolor in her place.

"Hey!" Blazing protested as he took off after her. Blazing flew as fast as he could without igniting his wings. It was a bit of a struggle, but he managed to catch up with Rainbow after twenty laps.

"Having trouble there, Stripes?!" Rainbow called through the rushing wind as Blazing reached her side.

"Not a chance, Technicolor!" Blazing countered as he increased his flapping. The two flew fast enough to cause a gust of wind to pass through the trees with every lap. Another twenty laps with neither passing the other.

"Looks like you're getting tired, Stripes!" Rainbow called out. "Why don't you call it quits!?"

"In your dreams!" Blazing countered as he flapped his wings harder.

"Careful there, Stripes!" Rainbow smirked. "Looks like your wings are smoking there!" Blazing ignored her as he kept flying further ahead. They had flown sixty laps now, and Blazing had taken the lead. However, Blazing was getting tired. Normally his morning flights consisted of just a relaxing flight around the town, but he could not ignore a good challenge from Rainbow Dash.

"Later!" Rainbow called as she passed Blazing with ease after another twenty laps. However, Blazing was not ready to quit. Just another twenty laps and the race would be over. Blazing could push himself further, but he was not one to go back on the terms of a challenge. He said he would not fly fast enough to ignite his wings, and he would stick to that promise.

"I'm not losing this one!" Blazing declared as he pushed himself a little harder to catch up. Five more laps. Four more laps. "Just, a little further!" Blazing flapped his wings hard and fast to try and catch up with Rainbow Dash. He closed his eyes as he dived for the cloud they started their race on and crashed in the fluff.

"Bout time you showed up," Rainbow's voice called. Blazing looked up to find Rainbow lounging on the cloud with a victory smile on her face. Blazing chuckled as he pulled himself out of the cloud while panting.

"Still the best flier in Ponyville," Blazing observed. Rainbow smirked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Ponyville?" she countered. "Try all of Equestria!" Rainbow proclaimed as she stretched her arms outward. Blazing chuckled as he rested on the cloud.

"Face it, Dash," Blazing began. "If I could fly at top speed, you'd have lost that race."

"Yeah," Rainbow chuckled. "For a second there, I thought you were gonna go full blaze o' glory."

"Thought about it," Blazing said as he lay on his back. "And I just finished working out, so my muscles are a bit strained." Rainbow looked at Blazing.

"You doin' okay?" she asked.

"Just a bit of lotion, and I'll be good," Blazing answered as he sat up, wincing as his muscles ached.

"You need help getting back home?" Rainbow asked as she sat next to him.

"How do you have so much energy, Dash?" Blazing asked with a smile. "You just flew around Ponyville a hundred times and act like it's nothing."

"Looks who's talkin'," Rainbow countered. "You've been working out ever since I knew you. What's your excuse? Are you getting lazy?"

"I have been slacking off a bit," Blazing blushed as he scratched the back of his head. "Ever since I moved back into town, I just thought I'd kick back, relax, find a girl, y'know?" Rainbow smiled at Blazing.

"That's no excuse for slacking off, Stripes," Rainbow said as she nudged his shoulder, making him wince. "Sorry!" Rainbow smiled. Blazing chuckled.

"No worries," he said with a smile. "I'll get myself back up there soon enough, but for now," he got to his feet with a bit of a struggle. "I better get that lotion."

"You sure you don't need help?" Rainbow asked.

"Dash, you just got home," Blazing countered. "You go enjoy yourself," he ordered with a smile.

"I can enjoy myself later," Rainbow countered. "Right now, one of my best friends needs help." Rainbow helped Blazing up. "What kind of a friend would I be if I ignored that?" Blazing smiled at Rainbow as she helped him fly off the cloud into town toward the library.

"You're the best, Dash," Blazing complimented as he smiled at her.

"Don't get all sappy on me, Stripes," Rainbow said with a smile. "I'm not the dating type." Blazing chuckled.

"You're a friend, not a girlfriend, Dash," Blazing countered.

"Are you saying you wouldn't date me?" Rainbow asked as they landed just outside a house across the road from the library.

"It's not that," Blazing began. "I've just always thought of you as the sister I never head." Rainbow smiled at Blazing's observation. "That, and I thought you had a thing for Applejack," Blazing added with a smirk.

"Watch it, buster," Rainbow stated firmly with a smirk.

"That's not a denial," Blazing chuckled.

"Want me to give you bruises over your aching muscles?" Rainbow glared at Blazing as he chuckled.

"Whether or not it's true, I don't care," Blazing said in defense. "I'd be happy for you no matter who you find worth sharing your life with." Blazing smiled at Rainbow, earning a smile from the cyan-blue pegasus. Blazing walked to the door and opened it before looking at Rainbow over his shoulder. "I'm glad you and your friends are safe. Changelings aren't known for being merciful."

"Ah, those guys were no sweat," Rainbow shrugged with a smile. Blazing chuckled.

"See you later, Dash," he said as he walked into the house.

"Try not to overdo it next time, Stripes," Rainbow winked as he closed the door. Blazing groaned as he rolled his eyes.

"I may have zebra stripes, but that doesn't mean I like the name, Dash," Blazing sighed as he walked through the living room of his house. Blazing walked up the stairs. Walking was easy as all the pain was in his upper body and wings. Blazing went straight ahead into the door on the other side of the hall at the top of the stairs.

"Now, where's that lotion?" Blazing asked as he opened the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. Inside the medicine cabinet was mostly oral and facial care materials like a toothbrush and shaving cream, but off to the side was an almost empty bottle of blue gel. "Oh, it's almost gone," Blazing observed as he grabbed the bottle. "Looks like just enough for now, but I better go get more." He pulled the cork out of the bottle and poured the gel into the palm of his free hand before setting the now empty bottle down to rub the solution into his muscles. The gel was cold to the touch of his fur but soothing.

After applying the lotion, Blazing gave his upper body a bit of a stretch. "Much better!" he groaned with a smile. "That woman sure knows how to brew a good lotion." Blazing picked up the empty bottle, gave it a quick toss, and caught it out of the air before leaving the bathroom. "No better time than the present to pay Zecora a visit." He walked downstairs with a spring in his step and a smile on his face until he got to the door and left the house.

"Hi, Blazing!" a collection of young girl voices caught him off guard until he found the source and smiled.

"Well, hello, girls!" Blazing smiled at a white unicorn with pink hair, an orange pegasus with purple hair, and a butter-yellow earth pony with rich red hair tied up in a pink bow. "Did you girls enjoy your time at Canterlot?"

"We sure did," Scootaloo said as she jumped with a smile on her face.

"None of you got hurt up there, did you?" Blazing asked as he crouched to meet their eye-level with a look of concern on his face.

"We're okay," Apple Bloom said with a smile. "Applejack and her friends were there."

"You should've been there to see Rarity's dresses!" Sweetie Belle added with a beam. Blazing chuckled at the white unicorn's admiration for her older sister.

"And Rainbow's Sonic Rainboom was awesome!" Scootaloo added with a cheer. Blazing smiled at all three of them. "You should've been there!"

"I know, but if I wasn't here, who'd be left to protect Ponyville?" Blazing asked with a smirk.

"That's true," Sweetie observed. "Blazing's wings have that special power." Blazing casually spread his wings, which were as yellow as his coat at the base, but faded to a dark red at the tips.

"Sure, Blazing's wings can catch fire when he flies, but that's not as awesome as Rainbow Dash's Sonic Rainboom!" Scootaloo proclaimed confidently before blushing at the older pegasus. "No offense."

"None taken, Scoots," Blazing chuckled. "Rainbow is a better flier than I am, that's for sure." Scootaloo beamed.

"You think I'll be as good a flier as you two?" Scootaloo asked excitedly. Blazing looked at Scootaloos wings for a second. The young pegasus's wings were tiny, even for her age. He would hate to tell her she would never fly, but he knew she could just as easily be a late bloomer. Blazing offer her a smile.

"You're still quite young, kiddo," he said as he ruffled her hair. "But, just keep flapping those wings and never stop believing!" Scootaloo chuckled at the playful advice.

"So, where are ya goin', Blazin'?" Apple Bloom asked as he stood upright.

"I just ran out of some muscle lotion, so I was gonna go to Zecora's to get some more," Blazing answered as he started walking. The Cutie Mark Crusaders followed after him.

"Hey!" Scootaloo called. "Let's all go together!" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle cheered in agreement.

"We could get our marks for escorting!" Sweetie Belle proclaimed. Blazing chuckled as he walked with them.

"Now, I'll let you three walk with me to the edge of the forest," Blazing began, "but after that, you three should look elsewhere for your marks."

"But, how can we get our marks in escorting if we don't escort someone?" Scootaloo protested.

"How often do you girls act as escorts?" Blazing asked with a smile on his face.

"Well, um," Apple Bloom began as she scratched her chin in thought. Blazing chuckled.

"It's not that I'm ungrateful for the gesture, girls," Blazing began as he looked at them.

"Then why won't you let us?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"It's 'cause he thinks we're too young to be going into the forest," Scootaloo pouted.

"But, we've gone into the forest lots of time," Apple Bloom protested. "When we helped find Fluttershy's lost chicken. When ah mixed that heart's desire potion."

"I know you three can handle yourselves when you go to see Zecora," Blazing interjected. "But, you three just got home from Canterlot. Don't you think some of the others would love to see you too? Like Twist and the Cakes?" The trio blinked.

"Yeah," Apple Bloom smiled. "We ain't seen none o' the others yet."

"C'mon, Crusaders!" Scootaloo proclaimed. "We can look for our marks after we've seen our friends!"

"And maybe we can find our marks in greeting others after a long trip!" Sweetie Belle suggested. They all cheered and took off toward town while telling Blazing "Goodbye" as he chuckled.

"Those girls never give up," he mused as he kicked off the ground to fly the rest of the way. He reached the edge of the Everfree Forest and landed on the ground to continue on foot. Blazing traversed the thick leaves of the forest for several minutes, keeping his senses alert for anything that might be on the hunt. Zecora may have settled in an area not active by the forest animals, but any who came to visit still had to be careful.

As Blazing passed a bush, the sound of someone grunting in pain caught his attention. He stopped to open his ears as he looked around. "Is someone out there?" he called as he looked around. There was no response. He stood there for a minute before he began to continue toward Zecora's hut. The sound reached his ears again. He stopped and looked toward the source of the sound. "Hello?"

"H-h-help me!" a weak female voice called out. Blazing blinked and rushed into the bushes to find the source of that voice.

"Where are you?!" Blazing called as he looked around.

"O-o-over here!" the weak voice called out. Blazing looked over to where the voice came from and rushed over.

"I'm coming!" Blazing called as he jumped over a bush and stopped short at what he found. There, on the ground, lay a severely injured female changeling. Blazing stared at the creature lying on the ground as she looked up at him.

"Help me," she pleaded weakly. Blazing narrowed his eyebrows at the changeling before he walked over and picked her off the ground bridal style.

"There's a healer nearby," Blazing explained. "Hang in there."

"Y-y-you're actually going to help me?" the changeling asked.

"Why wouldn't I?" Blazing asked as he carried her through the trees.

"Because I'm a ch-changeling," she stuttered as she hung her head to the side.

"You're a creature who needs help, and I'm not about to ignore something like that," Blazing stated as he carried her. "You just rest, and we'll be there shortly." The changeling groaned as Blazing carried her until he found Zecora's hut. "Zecora!" Blazing called as he approached the door. "Zecora, I need you to open the door!" Just as Blazing got to the door, it was opened by a female normal with a white coat lined with black stripes and a mohawk to match. The woman was covered with jewelry on her ears, neck, and wrists. When Zecora saw what Blazing held in his arms, she gasped.

"Oh, my goodness!" Zecora cried as she stepped to the side. "On the bed, now!" Zecora ordered as she pointed to a bed at the side of the room. Blazing rushed the changeling inside, ignoring the tribal decorations all over the interior of the hut. "What happened to the young one?" Zecora asked as she rushed to grab some bottles and herbs.

"I found her like this in the forest," Blazing explained as he lay the changeling on the bed.

"Step aside," Zecora ordered as she came up with the bottles, pouring some of the solutions on clean rags. "Blazing, I need you to mix those herbs I just placed on the counter in the cauldron," she ordered as she placed a rag on the changeling's forehead and got another rag wet with the potions.

"On it!" Blazing proclaimed as he rushed over. "Any specific order?" he asked as he grabbed the herbs off the counter.

"Just mix," Zecora ordered as she started cleaning the cuts on the changeling's body. Blazing dropped all the herbs into the cauldron and began mixing with the stick leaning on the edge of the black tub.

"Why are you helping me?" the changeling asked the gasps and groans.

"Hush now, child," Zecora said with a soft voice as she coated the fresh cuts with the lotions she brought with her. "You're in bad shape, dear shifter."

"Zecora, how long do you want me to mix this?" Blazing asked as he kept stirring. Zecora looked at him from the changeling she tended to.

"That is fine," she said. "Now, take one of those empty vials and fill it with the potion." Blazing walked away from the cauldron to grab an empty bottle as Zecora resumed treating the changeling. When Blazing filled the vial, he took it to Zecora, who took it as she offered the shifter a soft smile. "Drink this, and you will regain your strength." The shifter glared at her.

"You're just trying to poison me!" she groaned.

"If we wanted you dead, Blazing would have left you to die in the forest," Zecora assured with a soft smile. The changeling looked at the vial for a second before she opened her lips, and Zecora began to spill the contents onto her tongue. The changeling blinked and gagged.

"That tastes awful!" she groaned.

"Trust me," Blazing said as he crouched by the bed. "It'll make you feel a lot better." The changeling groaned as she let Zecora pour the potion down her throat while fighting the urge to gag. The liquid rushed down the inside of her throat until it hit her gut, where she felt the pain being washed away by warmth from the inside. After she emptied the vial, Zecora lay it on the floor next to her as she continued to clean the cuts.

"She had to have been out there for days," Blazing observed as he got to his feet.

"What makes you say that, my dear?" Zecora asked as she tended to the changeling on the bed.

"Rainbow Dash just told me how changeling attacked Canterlot during the wedding," Blazing explained. Zecora hummed without taking her eyes off the creature before her. "I didn't get all the details, but she said something about there being some kinda magical explosion that sent the changelings flying." Blazing looked at Zecora as he found a seat. "Since the wedding was three days ago, she had to have been out there this entire time."

"That is a possibility," Zecora began as she pulled the rags away from the now sleeping changeling. "It is also a possibility this one could be of a different hive," Zecora observed as she got to her feet with all the supplies in her arms. Blazing got up to help her pick up the empty bottles and dirty rags.

"Let me help you," Blazing offered as he won a smile from the witch doctor. "Even if she isn't part of the group that attacked the capital, that wouldn't explain how she got out here in this condition." Blazing looked at the changeling sleeping on the bed. He knew after Zecora worked her magic, everything would be right as rain, so it did not bother him to see the creature in such a peaceful state.

"This is true," Zecora observed as she placed the supplies on the counter. "I have to admit; I am proud of you for bringing her to me." Blazing looked at Zecora in curiosity.

"You sound like a mother rewarding her child for doing a good deed," Blazing observed with a smile. Zecora smiled back at the pegasus with a wink.

"It pleases me so to see equine take such risks for creatures they don't know or understand," Zecora began as Blazing placed the supplies he carried on the counter with the rest. "You remember when everyone in Ponyville was so scared of me, they would run and hide every time I visited."

"Actually, I didn't live in Ponyville at that time," Blazing observed. "But I understand what you're talking about." Blazing returned to his seat near the bed. "I just couldn't leave her out there like that," Blazing stated as he watched the changeling sleeps.

"Well, she just needs rest now," Zecora stated as she stepped away from the counter. "But, she was not the reason you came into the forest, to begin with, is she?" Blazing looked at Zecora before he felt around his naked body for the bottle he had brought with him only to find it was nowhere to be found.

"Oh, I must've lost the bottle when I found the changeling in the forest," Blazing observed.

"The lotion for your muscles?" Zecora asked. Blazing inclined his head.

"Sorry, I lost the bottle," Blazing apologized as he looked at her.

"It is of no concern," Zecora stated as she walked over to the shelves of empty bottles. "You found a creature in desperate need of aid. You losing the bottle can be forgiven." She grabbed an empty bottle before going to a shelf with smaller cauldrons to grab one. After she got a small fire started under the new cauldron, she walked over to her stash of herbs. "The next thing you need to worry about is what to do with the young changeling," Zecora observed. "You know I do not have space in my hut for another."

"I'll take her to my home," Blazing stated matter-of-factly. Zecora looked at him as she began mixing the herbs into the small cauldron.

"Are you sure that is a wise choice, my child?" Zecora asked.

"She's a creature in need of help," Blazing stated. "Who the hell would I be to ignore something like that?" Blazing looked at the sleeping changeling on the bed.

"How are you going to get her home?" Zecora asked. "The recent attack will have made changeling unwanted amongst the equine."

"They already have a bad rep," Blazing stated. "But we both know everything's not as it seems." Zecora smiled at Blazing. "I'll wait until after dark when everyone's asleep."

"Will you need help getting her to your home?" Zecora asked as she filled a bottle full of the gel Blazing used this morning for his muscles and sealed it with a cork. "She will not fully recover by sunset." She gave Blazing the body.

"I didn't expect her to be," Blazing said as he took the bottle as he thought about the trek back to Ponyville. "Maybe it'd be a good idea to have some help." Blazing offered Zecora a smile. She pulled him into a warm hug, which he returned with a smile.

"I would be happy to help you in any way I can, my son," Zecora said happily. "But, do you think you could start calling me "mom"?" It had been over ten years since Blazing found out about Zecora being his birth mother, and in all that time, he never referred to her as such.

"But, you didn't raise me," Blazing observed as he pulled away from the hug.

"I know you had were raised by a wonderful woman," Zecora observed with a smile. "Autumn will always be the mother who raised you, and I have no desire to change that." Blazing smiled at her.

"Maybe someday," Blazing observed with a smile.

"I will not force you to do anything you are uncomfortable with, my dear," Zecora smiled. "Go ahead and rest yourself. I will fix you something to eat." Blazing gave her one more hug before going back to the seat by the bed.

Chapter II

The changeling groaned as she opened her eyes to find herself indoors instead of lost in the forest. She looked around to find a light grey earth pony with dark grey stripes lining her body and a smile on her face; a zebra. "Welcome back, child," Zecora hummed softly. The changeling tried to sit up, only to be stopped by Zecora's gentle hand. "Easy child. You are still healing." The changeling looked at her body to find all the cuts cleaned, and the pain from the crash was gone.

"Where am I?" the changeling asked.

"You're in Zecora's hut," a male voice got the changeling's attention, making her look up to find the yellow pegasus with orange stripes and a welcoming smile on his face.

"Wait, I know you," the changeling observed as she strained her eyes.

"I'm Blazing Feathers," Blazing introduced himself. "I was the one who found you half-dead in the forest." The changeling blinked before she looked at her body again, then returned her gaze to the young man smiling at her.

"Wait, I'm a changeling, and you still helped me?" she asked.

"You needed help," Blazing stated. "I'm not about to let any creature in need die like that." The changeling sensed his sincerity as she raised an eyebrow. Blazing took a step up and found a seat by the bed. "Do you have a name?" Blazing asked with a soft smile. The changeling lay on the bed staring at him with suspicion.

"You have nothing to fear, child," Zecora chimed in with a smile. "You are among friends who only want to help."

"Why would you help me?" the changeling asked.

"We don't care what you were born as," Blazing stated. "Even if we found an injured Ursa in the forest, we'd do what we could to help the poor thing."

"Be it pony, animal, or changeling," Zecora began, "we'd do everything we can to make it better." The changeling watched them with narrowed eyebrows.

"My name's Filia," she finally answered after a minute.

"That's a lovely name," Blazing smiled. Filia hummed as she raised an eyebrow at him.

"So what?" Filia asked. "Am I waiting to be taken, prisoner?"

"What do you mean, child?" Zecora asked as she walked up with a wet rag. Filia blinked as she looked at her. "You are not our prisoner; you are my guest."

"You're guest?" Filia asked. "Don't you know what's been going on?"

"You mean with the Canterlot Wedding?" Blazing asked. "We know about that."

"You do?" Filia asked.

"Oh, yeah," Blazing answered. "Almost all of Equestria knows about that."

"And you still help me?" Filia asked. "There must be something you're not telling me." Zecora reached the wet rag up to Filia's forehead, who pulled away with a hiss. "So, you're trying to poison me!" Zecora remained calm as she watched the changeling.

"It is just water, child," Zecora explained.

"Likely story!" Filia hissed. Blazing walked up and took the rag to wipe his face before giving it back to Zecora and standing there. Filia watched him with her eyebrows narrowed for a minute.

"See," Blazing offered. "Nothing's happening."

"You could be using something that only affects changelings!" Filia hissed.

"Equestria knows of changelings," Blazing countered calmly. "But apart from what happened in Canterlot, we hardly ever see your kind; how could we make a poison that only affects you?"

"You could've come up with something while I was unconscious!" Filia glared.

"In less than a day?" Blazing countered. "It would take teams of ponies to come up with something like that." Filia watched him with a raised eyebrow. "Again, if we wanted you dead, I would've left you in the forest. Why go through all the effort of bringing you someplace safe so you can heal?"

"And to further show our good faith," Zecora began. "My son is willing to take you to his home where you can re-energize." Filia blinked.

"Wait, what?!" she started to sit up, only to be stopped by Zecora.

"Easy, child," Zecora urged. "You still need time to recover."

"Whatever!" Filia hissed. "What was that you said about going to your home?" She looked at Blazing.

"I have plenty of room in my home in Ponyville for you to stay," Blazing explained with a soft smile. "You can rest there while you regain your strength."

"You're kidding, right?" Filia countered.

"Look, it's just a place to rest until you're strong again," Blazing explained. "Once you're able to return to your five," Blazing stopped to scratch his chin, "or is it tribe?" Filia raised an eyebrow of annoyance at him before he shook his head. "Anyway, once you're strong enough to leave, you'll be free to go. Simple as that." Blazing offered a smile.

"Just like that?" Filia asks. "My kind attacks Canterlot, and you're just going to nurse me back to health, then let me go? What if I'm responsible for the attack?"

"What if you are?" Blazing countered matter-of-factly. "The point is, you needed help, and I wasn't going to let you suffer out there." Filia lay there staring at Blazing for a minute. "Alright, here." Blazing got up and walked to the door to open it before standing aside. "You can go right now if you feel strong enough."

"Blazing, she needs-" Zecora began before he held a hand up to her.

"You're not our prisoner, Filia," Blazing began. "You're just a creature I found badly injured in the forest. If you feel strongly about it, you can go now. Just remember, you're in the middle of the Everfree Forest, and the only town within ten miles is Ponyville." Blazing walked back to his seat to watch Filia as she lay in the bed. Zecora looked like she wanted to protest but kept her muzzle shut. After a few minutes, Filia folded her arms with a huff.

"Fine," she groaned. Blazing smiled before he got up and closed the door.

"I promise, nothing will happen to you," Blazing assured.

"I'd worry about yourself more than me," Filia groaned. Zecora hummed before she got up to walk to Blazing.

"My dear," she called softly as she walked by him. Blazing got up and walked with her to the other side of the hut. "Are you sure you want to take such a chance?"

"I know you better than to try and talk me out of something like this," Blazing stated as he looked her in the eye. "Is this some kinda test?" Zecora smiled.

"You know I could not be more proud of you for going out of your way to help a creature in need, darling," she mused softly.

"What can I say?" Blazing asked with a shrug. "I had good mothers and a life dedicated to helping others in need." He smiled at the zebra in front of him. Filia looked at the two as she sensed the love they shared for each other.

"I know you will do your best for young Filia," Zecora smiled at him before kissing his forehead. "I will help you take her home." Zecora walked over to a long, brown cloak hanging on the wall as Blazing walked over to Filia on the bed.

"It's after dark," Blazing explained as he crouched by the bed. "We can slip you into my home without causing a panic."

"You have no problem helping me, but you don't want any of your equine friends to see me?" Filia retorted.

"I would have no problem letting my friends see you," Blazing countered. "I just understand others won't react the same way as I do if they see you. Especially after what happened at Canterlot." Filia looked at Blazing, who offered her a warm smile. Filia then looked at Zecora, who was tying the cloak around her neck.

"So, she's your mother?" Filia asked as Zecora walked over to fill a small back with some supplies.

"She is the woman who gave birth to me, yes," Blazing answered with a smile. Filia looked at him as she sensed the mix of love and respect he had for her.

"Doesn't that make her your mother?" Filia asked as she watched him.

"Yes," Blazing answered as she looked at Filia. "But she's not the one who raised me. So, it never felt right to call her my mother."

"You don't seem convinced when you say that," Filia said with a raised eyebrow as she faintly sensed guilt. Blazing looked at Filia. "I can tell you care for that woman."

"You're looking better since you woke up," Blazing stated in a desperate effort to change the subject. Filia blinked as she looked at her body. Her wounds seemed to have healed quite a bit since she woke up.

"I must have been absorbing their relationship this entire time," Filia thought to herself as she hummed.

"What do you think, Zecora?" Blazing asked over his shoulder. "You think she could walk on her own?" Zecora finished tying off the bag of supplies before she looked at the shifter in her bed.

"It looks like she has been absorbing our energy since she woke up," Zecora observed as she walked up. "Even so, I would recommend she remain off her feet until tomorrow."

"To think," Filia sighed, "I've been reduced to this."

"You will be fine, child," Zecora said with a smile as she walked up. Filia blinked as she suddenly sensed the love of a mother coming from the striped witch doctor. Motherly love directed at her? Filia looked at Zecora, who only smiled at the changeling.

"I'm not your daughter, lady," Filia snorted. Blazing blinked at this.

"Whoever said you were?" Blazing asked while Zecora only chuckled.

"It is of no concern, my dear," Zecora said as she rested a hand on his shoulder. Blazing looked at Zecora, who hoisted the bag of supplies over her shoulder. "Would you mind if my son carried you into town?" Zecora asked Filia with a smile.

"It doesn't sound like you're giving me much choice," Filia groaned.

"As I said," Blazing began, "you're more than welcome to leave whenever you want." Blazing moved closer to the bed as Filia looked at him. "We only want to make sure you're fully healed before you go." Blazing offered a smile. Filia watched him as she sensed only sincerity coming from him. After a minute, Filia extended an arm out to Blazing, earning a warm smile from him as he scooped her up bridal style while she held onto his shoulders. Zecora smiled at them as she walked to the door.

"So, what's in the bag?" Filia asked as Blazing carried her to the door after Zecora.

"A few supplies for the trip," Zecora answered as she opened the door. "As well as a few herbs to help speed up your healing process."

"I thought you said you guys didn't know changelings that well," Filia observed as Blazing carried her out the door.

"Zecora's not native to Equestria," Blazing explained. "That, and she has more knowledge than most around here. Like, how dragons grow, what parasprites are, supernatural."

"Blazing, my son," Zecora interjected. "You need not place me on such a high pedestal."

"Why not?" Blazing asked as they walked through the forest together. "You deserve the praise." Filia watched the two as she focused on the emotion between them.

"I only do what needs to be done," Zecora observed with a smile. "Just like the man my son has become." Blazing blushed.

"Oh, I'm nothing special," Blazing retorted.

"Girls, girls," Filia groaned. "You're both pretty! Now can we just get to wherever it is we're going so I don't have to listen to this?" Blazing chuckled.

"I thought changelings thrived on love energy," he observed with a smile.

"That doesn't mean we like this mushy stuff," Filia groaned. Blazing smiled at Zecora as they walked through the forest. "So, what's this town you live in, pegasus?" Filia asked.

"My name's Blazing," Blazing explained as he continued walking. "And my hometown is Ponyville. I grew up in an orphanage, where-"

"I just asked what the town is, not your life's story, pal," Filia interjected. Blazing shrugged.

"Your loss," Blazing hummed. "I had quite the adventurous life in my youth." Filia looked at Blazing with a raised eyebrow. "Oh, yeah. Adoption. Cloudsdale. Specialized training. Exploring foreign nations."

"I get it," Filia interjected, "you had a full life." Filia groaned. She watched the trees and vines as they walked through the forest. "So, how long was I in the forest?"

"The wedding was two weeks ago," Blazing answered. Filia blinked.

"I've been lost in the forest for two weeks?!" she asked as she looked at Blazing.

"Rest easy, child," Zecora said as she walked by Blazing.

"How the hell did I survive for so long out here?" Filia asked.

"Actually, I found you ten days ago," Blazing answered. "And you were almost dead. It's a wonder how you were even able to speak when I found you."

"I can only hypothesize you used what little strength you had left to absorb whatever energy was in the area," Zecora observed as they continued walking. "In times of desperation, changelings are known to subconsciously absorb anything they can reach to stay alive for as long as possible." Filia was surprised at how accurate Zecora was in her assumptions.

"The point is, you're still alive," Blazing piped up. "If I hadn't found you when I did, Zecora wouldn't have been able to save your life."

"So, I was in your hut for the last ten days?" Filia asked. Zecora nodded.

"It was my pleasure to offer you a place to rest while you healed," Zecora said with a smile. Filia found this quite confusing. Why would a couple of Equestrians go so far out of their way to help a changeling like her?

"We're at the edge of the forest," Blazing observed. "Zecora, would you go on ahead to make sure the coast is clear?"

"I can wait here with Filia if you need the rest," Zecora offered.

"I was only sour the other day because of a one-hundred lap race around Ponyville right after my morning workout," Blazing defended himself. "I can handle carrying Filia while you make sure everything is okay." Zecora rested a hand on Blazing's shoulder as she smiled before walking ahead out of the forest.

"Why don't you call her "mom" if she's your mother?" Filia asked as she watched Zecora go on ahead.

"I told you," Blazing answered. "She may be the one who gave birth to me, but she's not the woman who mothered me. It doesn't feel right calling her that. At least not yet." Filia looked at Blazing just as he started walking after Zecora. "Now would be a good time to hold your questions for later," Blazing said. "We don't want to draw attention to you so soon after what happened in Canterlot."

"I still don't understand why you're doing this for me," Filia hummed before being shushed by Blazing as he left the forest and entered the town. Blazing carried Filia through the streets under cover of night as Zecora guided him through areas with no one around to see them. Finally, after a few minutes of rounding corners and passing through houses, Blazing met up with Zecora in front of a house across the road from a treehouse.

"The door's unlocked," Blazing whispered to Zecora, who turned and opened the front door before stepping aside to let Blazing inside. Blazing carried Filia inside as Zecora followed behind him. Filia looked around the dimly lit interior as Blazing carried her upstairs into a bedroom down the hall. Zecora followed to open the bedroom door for Blazing, who carried Filia into the bedroom before placing her on the bed. Filia found the soft bed quite welcoming instead of a stone floor covered in straw and leaves.

"This is," she began as she felt the bed. "Comfortable." Blazing smiled at her. "You sleep on this?" she asked as she looked at Blazing.

"Don't changelings have beds?" Blazing asked.

"No," Filia asked as Zecora placed the bag of supplies on the drawers on the other side of the room. "Or, at least I haven't. I've only ever slept on stone surfaces covered in whatever we can find."

"That sounds horrible," Blazing observed.

"Well, you have everything you need to help Filia heal for a month," Zecora observed as she walked to the door. "I will now return to my hut."

"Hold on, Zecora," Blazing called out. "It's pretty late. Maybe you should consider staying the night."

"That is a generous offer, my son," Zecora answered. "But, how would you explain to the others why I spent the night in your home?"

"I'll say you stopped by early in the morning before everyone else woke up," Blazing answered matter-of-factly. "You can use my bed while I sleep on the couch downstairs." Zecora smiled at Blazing.

"Does Zecora do that often?" Filia asked.

"Only when the situation calls for it," Blazing answered as he stood up. "But this is a different matter. Besides, it wouldn't hurt for her to be here to check on you in the morning." Blazing smiled at Filia. "Now, you should rest."

"Apparently, I've been resting for the last two weeks," Filia groaned.

"But you could still use more time to heal," Zecora suggested as she pulled out a small bottle from the bag and walked over to the bed. "This bottle will help you to sleep until Celestia's sun rises in the morning." Filia raised her eyebrow at Zecora and opened her mouth to protest.

"Filia, remember, if we wanted you dead, we wouldn't have done so much for you over the last two weeks," Blazing interjected. Filia rolled her eyes before she took the vial into her hand. "I can promise you; you'll wake up feeling even better tomorrow." Blazing smiled. Filia held up the vial to examine the liquid inside for a few seconds. "Would you like some help opening it?" Blazing offered as he walked up to the bed.

"Thanks," Filia offered as she held up the vial to Blazing, who took the bottle and pulled the cork out before giving it back to Filia. Filia took the bottle and cautiously drank the contents. The liquid was soft and had no flavor as it passed down her throat. Almost instantly after drinking the potion, she felt sleepy. "If I die," she began with a yawn, "I'm gonna haunt you for the rest of your lives." She soon passed out on the bed into a sound sleep.

Zecora and Blazing smiled at Filia as she slept before quietly walking out of the room and close the door behind them. "I'll take you to my room, Zecora," Blazing offered with a smile as he began to guide her down the hall. Blazing opened the door to the master bedroom and stepped aside to let her in.

"Blazing, my son," Zecora began as she stepped to the door.

"Yes, Zecora?" Blazing answered.

"As much as I appreciate your offer, it is not my place to take your bed," Zecora observed.

"It's not a problem, really," Blazing began before Zecora took his hand and guided him into the room. "Zecora?"

"Be still, my son," Zecora interjected as she untied the cloak from her neck and dropped it on the frame of the bed. She looked at him with a warm smile. "You have made me so proud over the last two weeks."

"As if I haven't done anything different since I was a teenager," Blazing countered as he scratched the back of his head with a blush on his cheeks. Zecora pulled him into a warm hug, which caught him by surprise at first before he returned the embrace with a smile of his own. She planted a kiss on his cheek before she pushed him onto the bed. "Wha-?" Zecora chuckled as she pulled herself into the bed next to him while he blushed furiously. "Ah, Zecora? This isn't the kinda thing we do around here."

"Be still, my son," Zecora said as she lay on the bed. "Nothing is being done tonight that will cause us any regret or discomfort." She smiled at him as she lay on her side. Blazing sat on his side of the bed as he blushed. "You need not hide your excitement from me. It is only natural for such a male to be aroused by such beauty." Blazing blushed even more as he tightened his legs together.

"You are beautiful, but you're also my mother," Blazing observed. Zecora smiled brightly at him.

"Rest, my son," Zecora said softly before closing her eyes. Blazing sat there with his cheeks burning at the thoughts Zecora planted in his head. He found himself looking her body over as she lay on his bed. The last time he was with anyone so beautiful...

Blazing's blush faded as his mind trailed off to distant memories, and he sighed while curling his legs against his chest. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to protect you, Water Wait," he said to himself as tears began to slide down his cheeks. He sat there silently, crying for a minute before he felt a tender hand rest on his arm. He lifted his head to find Zecora with a concerned look on her face.

"Are you alright, my son?" Zecora asked softly.

"I was just thinking about her," Blazing answered through a sniff. Zecora sat up to pull him into a warm embrace, and he leaned into her hug as tears stained his cheek. Blazing leaned into Zecora's embrace as she pats his head like a mother caring for her frightened or heartbroken child.

"My only regret is that I was not there for you in your hour of need," Zecora hummed as she rubbed his back. Yet, Zecora could not help but feel a sense of pride at this moment. It was rare for Zecora to actually mother her own child, so she truly cherished these rare moments.

After a few minutes of caring for Blazing in his moment of need, Blazing lifted his head to look at Zecora as he wiped away his tears. "Do you feel better now?" Zecora asked as she rested her hands on his shoulder. Blazing nodded as he looked at her. "It warms my heart to know you have such a big heart, Blazing," Zecora mused as she planted a kiss on his nose. Blazing smiled softly.

"I just do what I think is right," Blazing said softly. Zecora reached up to caress Blazing's cheek.

"I hope you understand that I will always be here for you," Zecora said softly as she looked into Blazing's eyes. Blazing thought about all the times he spent with Zecora. He loved her company and caring nature. After a minute of staring into each other's eyes, they leaned closer until their lips met in a tender kiss. Blazing closed his eyes as he leaned into the kiss while reaching a hand up to caress Zecora's cheek. Blazing's member began to grow hard from the arousal as Zecora laid on her back while pulling him over her. Blazing broke the kiss as he lifted his head.

"Wait," he said as he took a breath. "We can't do this. You're my mother." He started to sit up before Zecora grabbed his arm.

"Blazing," Zecora said softly as she looked at him. "You need this."

"Incest?" Blazing asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You need something to help take your mind off the pain," Zecora countered. "I am here and more than happy to help you."

"It's not right," Blazing protested. "What if something happens?"

"If you mean the possibility of conception, you need not fear," Zecora assured as she rubbed his arm. Blazing looked at her.

"You mean you can't get-" Blazing began.

"Blazing," Zecora interjected as she took his hand in her own. "Forget about the details. Let yourself go." She gently pulled Blazing over her as she rubbed his sides while looking into his eyes.

"But-" Blazing began to protest before she placed a finger against his lips. Zecora tenderly grabbed the back of his head to pull him into another soft yet deep kiss. Blazing leaned into the kiss as he felt her smooth, naked body against his. Zecora's body was perfectly formed and cared for due to her life spent in the Everfree Forest and her knowledge of natural herbs and remedies that keep the body strong and healthy. Blazing soon lost himself in the moment as he pressed his hard cock against her wet flower.

Zecora remained silent despite the stimulation she was receiving as Blazing began to grind his throbbing meat between her legs while feeling her lower back with her hands. Blazing broke the kiss as he looked into Zecora's eyes, who smiled at him softly as she reached down to grab his cock and guide the head into her entrance while she curled her tail around his. Blazing bit his lip as he thought about what was happening until Zecora inclined her head. Blazing took a breath and began to press his length inside slowly.

Zecora pulled Blazing's body against hers as he engulfed his entire length into her precious entrance. "That's it, darling," Zecora whispered. "Let it out." Zecora kissed Blazing's neck as she held onto him before he started moving his hips with soft groans. Zecora sighed in bliss as she felt a male inside her again. It did not matter if that male was blood-related. What mattered was that she was there to help him.

The stimulation fogged Blazing's mind. As they began to make love, he forgot about the fact Zecora was his mother. Instead, he just engaged in the forbidden activity and focused on claiming this woman as his mate, even if only for the night. Blazing focused on rutting his hips inside Zecora, who held onto him lovingly as she took in his length.

"You have grown so much, darling," Zecora moaned softly as she started to bite his neck. Blazing groaned as he rutted Zecora harder and harder with each passing second. Finally, Blazing lifted his head to look Zecora in the eyes before she pulled him into another deep kiss while he rutted her. Soon, they both became lost in the passions of their incestuous love-making. The flushing and slapping sound of their hips colliding along with their deep, wet kissing filled the room. Finally, Blazing stopped rutting as he pulled away from the kiss to look at her.

"Can I try something else?" Blazing asked. Zecora smiled at him as she rubbed his arm.

"Anything you want, my darling," Zecora answered softly. Blazing pulled out of Zecora with a wet pop as he sat up.

"Get on all fours," Blazing ordered. Zecora smiled as she rolled over and got on her hands and knees as she moved her tail to the side while smiling at him over her shoulder. Blazing stared at the precious area between Zecora's grey cheeks. Then, Blazing moved up and slid the head of his throbbing cock against Zecora's plump asshole. Before going further, Blazing looked at Zecora, who smiled at him over her shoulder before inclining her head.

"Go ahead, darling," Zecora encouraged. "Explore your desires and needs." Blazing took a breath before he began to push his erection into Zecora's tail hole. Zecora offered no resistance at the intrusion. Instead, she stayed silent as she watched her son penetrate your ass as he gripped her cheeks.

"This isn't too much for you?" Blazing asked shakily. Her ass was tighter than anything he had ever felt before, but she took him in like a champ. Zecora smiled at him over her shoulder.

"Don't speak, just love," Zecora encouraged. Blazing bit his lip as he began to rut his hips. He struggled to move, even with the lube of her love juices combined with his leaking precum. While Blazing groaned from the bliss of the tight entrance he was rutting, Zecora watched him with a loving smile while moving her lips with his movement. How could she be taking this so easily when it felt like this was her first time getting analed?

Blazing slowly quickened his pace the more he moved. The stimulation of her tight inner walls clinging to his throbbing length drove him closer to his climax. "Don't hold back, darling," Zecora said calmly. "let it all out inside me." Blazing looked at Zecora as he groaned from the bliss. Zecora smiled at him as she moved her hips with his. Blazing gripped her cheeks and began to rut as hard as he could, struggling through the tightness with heavy groans until he gave one last hard thrust deep into her ass. Zecora hummed softly as she watched him cum in her ass while her flower soaked her inner thighs.

Blazing held that position as he panted. His cum filled Zecora's ass so much it leaked out the edges down her inner thighs, mixing in with her love juices. While panting, Blazing looked at Zecora, who only offered him a warm smile as she reached back to caress his cheek. Blazing opened his mouth to say something before Zecora pressed a finger to his lips. Instead, she started to lay down, using her ass to pull him down with her, making him spoon her in the bed. She then reached back to grab his arm and pull it over her belly before she closed her eyes with a smile on her face.

Blazing lay there spooning his mother as he rested his palm against her belly. Here he was, sharing a bed with the woman who gave birth to him after making love with her. He thought he should feel guilty about what he just did, but nothing about this felt wrong for some reason. He nuzzled his muzzle against the back of her neck as he closed his eyes and quickly drifted to sleep.

Author's Note

Just to let you all know, I did not intend for this chapter to turn out the way it did. I just kept on writing and what you've read was the result. So, I humbly request that you be respectful in your displeasure if you have any.

Thank you for your time. Enjoy.

Chapter III

The sound of chirping birds filled the room as the sun shined through the window on Filia's face, making her groan as she opened her eyes. She sat up on the bed, feeling stronger than before. When she noticed how much better she felt, she looked to find the cuts on her body were almost gone. "Wow!" she thought to herself. "That witch doctor must really know her stuff."

Filia looked around the room when she suddenly noticed something that explained how she could heal so quickly. "Wait, that's not the herbs." She lifted her nose into the air and took a big whiff. "There's a lot of love in the air," she thought to herself as she took it all in. Soon, she caught a whiff of something else. "What's that?" She pulled herself out of bed and followed that smell out of the bedroom. She looked around and found the source of the smell was coming from downstairs.

"Hello?" Filia called out as she followed the smell.

"Sounds like our guest is awake," Blazing's voice called out before the sound of footsteps could be heard, and Blazing appeared at the bottom of the stairs with a smile. "Hey, you're looking better this morning." Filia could sense something different about Blazing.

"What's gotten into you?" Filia asked as she walked down the stairs.

"What do you mean?" Blazing asked as he offered Filia a hand. Filia stared at Blazing's hand for a second before she took it, and he helped her walk the rest of the way.

"You seem more," Filia thought for a second, "positive than yesterday."

"It is a good day to be in positive spirits," a familiar voice called from within the kitchen. Filia looked to find Zecora wearing an apron as she worked the stove while Blazing guided her to the dining table. Blazing pulled out a chair for Filia, which she sat un as she looked between Blazing and Zecora.

"You two had sex, didn't you?" Filia asked matter-of-factly.

"W-w-what makes you say that?" Blazing asked while trying to hide a panic.

"You have no need to feel concerned, my son," Zecora said as she walked up with a plate. "Changelings can sense such things," she explained as she untied the apron and stripped naked in front of them both before tossing the cloth onto the back of a chair.

"Sex is as common to changelings as meals are to you equines," Filia explained as she watched Zecora. Blazing blushed sharply.

"Even incest?" he asked as he watched Filia in shock. Filia only shrugged.

"I've slept with my mother many times," she answered matter-of-factly.

"Wow!" Blazing proclaimed as he took a seat by the table.

"So, you would not mind if I came to bed my son every so often?" Zecora asked with a smirk.

"Mom!" Blazing cried out before slapping a hand over his mouth. Zecora beamed at Blazing as Filia smirked at both the moment and the amount of love filling the air. "I mean, Zecora!"

"Look, dude," Filia interjected. "It's obvious you care for "the woman who gave birth to you," so why don't you buck up and address her appropriately? Seriously, it's weird, even to a changeling like me."

"There is no need to pry, child," Zecora countered as she took a seat by the table. "Though I am pleased to hear him call me that, I have no desire to force him to use terms he does not desire." Blazing blushed.

"Looks like I'll have to beat some senses into your boy, Zecora," Filia stated before she looked at the food Zecora placed on the table a minute ago. Blazing blinked as he looked at Filia.

"Wait, what?" Blazing asked. Filia looked at him.

"What?" Filia asked. "I was just making light conversation. Isn't that what you equines do?" Blazing and Zecora smiled at Filia.

"Honestly, I have to admit we've even gotten that much out of you," Blazing explained. "We expected you to run off as soon as you woke up."

"The thought hadn't even crossed my mind," Filia said mockingly, making Blazing's smile fade away. "Seriously, it didn't," Filia said as she looked at him. "I woke up, felt a lot of love in the air, smelled something different, and came down here. That's it." Blazing looked at Zecora, who only smiled at Filia as she listened to her speak. Blazing looked at Filia and scratched the back of his head.

"So, you think you'll stay for a while?" he asked. Filia thought about what her next step should be. She had a golden opportunity here. Instead of going straight back to Chrysalis so soon with nothing to show for it, she could stick around to gather information on the equines to take back to her mother. The latter would surely earn her more favor with the queen, as gathering valuable intel so soon after such a colossal failure would aid them in another attempt at conquering Equestria.

"Sure," Filia answered with a shrug. "Why not?" She leaned back in the chair as she rested her dragon-like feet on the table. Blazing blinked.

"Really?" he asked.

"Of course, you'd want me to leave," Filia sighed as she removed her feet from the table and got to her feet.

"No, I'd love for you to stay," Blazing countered as he got up after her while Zecora just sat there watching with a smile.

"Oh no," Filia said sarcastically. "You don't have to lie to me. It only makes sense that an equine like yourself wouldn't want a changeling like me hanging around your house." She turned away from Blazing walked to the door until he stepped in front of her.

"I did say you could leave whenever you want," Blazing began, "but it's really not a problem for you to stay. In fact, I'd love it if you stayed." Filia looked at Blazing as he offered her a soft smile.

"You sure you want a changeling hanging around right now?" Filia asked. She already knew the answer by sensing Blazing's emotions alone, but she wanted to hear him say it.

"I'm sure," Blazing answered with a smile. Filia caught herself smiling back at him. "Please, my home is your home from now on," Blazing offered as he gestured back to the table where Zecora sat patiently with a smile. "Do you eat at all?" Blazing asked as they walked back to the table. "Zecora's known for making the best herbs and medicines you could ever ask for, but she's an excellent cook as well. I've always found her waffles to be the best in the world."

"Not that I need to," Filia began as she took in a breath, "but that sure does have an inviting smell." Blazing smiled as he helped her into a seat before returning to his own.

"And maybe later, I'll fix you some of my famous hot chocolate," Blazing suggested.

"What's that?" Filia asked as she took her seat.

"A special treat that excites the tongue as it warms the heart," Zecora answered. "My Blazing always makes it with love, and it is always the best." Blazing blushed at the compliment before looking at Filia.

"I'll fix you up a batch later," Blazing offered.

"You make it sound like some kinda love potion," Filia observed as she watched Blazing take his seat.

"When you have a cup of my son's hot chocolate, you will believe it is," Zecora smiled at Blazing, who blushed at the compliment again.

"Zecora, stop it," Blazing pleaded, earning a chuckle from the changeling sitting next to him.

"Your mother really does love you, Blazing," Filia observed as she watched them with a growing smile on her face.

"And why shouldn't she?" Blazing asked as he fixed a few plates for each of them.

"You don't address her as your mother," Filia answered bluntly. Blazing looked at Filia. "Sorry," Filia said as she raised a hand in defense. "I tend to be a bit touchy about relationships. I couldn't imagine calling my mother by her name like that."

"I guess it's just a personal quirk," Blazing observed. "See, I was raised by a wonderful woman named Autumn Leaves."

"Why didn't Zecora raise you?" Filia asked as she looked at the food placed in front of her.

"A life in the Everfree Forest is too dangerous for a child," Zecora answered with a bit of a frown as Blazing gave her a plate.

"Then, why didn't you leave the forest?" Filia asked.

"Since I am not native to Equestria, the citizens of Ponyville feared me," Zecora explained. "Every time I tried to visit, it was as if the town was deserted. The windows were barred, the doors were shut, so I thought it was better for me to stay in my hut."

"Nice rhyme," Filia stated with a smirk.

"Sometimes, I think she should rhyme all the time," Blazing stated.

"Rhyming aside," Zecora interjected. "My home was in the forest. I settled in my hut since I first came to Equestria and have not left for anything outside of the need for recourses. Until last year, that is, when a small group of girls accused me of cursing them." Filia blinked at that last sentence.

"Curses aren't real," Filia thought to herself before pushing the fact aside to continue the conversation. "So, you abandoned your son to stay in a dangerous forest?" she asked.

"Hey, don't make it sound so harsh," Blazing countered. "She knew what she was doing. If she left her home in the forest, she'd be an outcast, and I'd be the target. It's already hard enough being the only pegasus with stripes." He said that last bit with a groan as he looked at the orange stripes over his yellow coat. "At least the only one I know of."

"You got your stripes from me, my son," Zecora said with a smile. "I think they are quite lovely."

"Yeah, well, you don't have to deal with some of your best friends calling you something you hate all the time," Blazing countered with a chuckle.

"You know it is her way of telling you she cares," Zecora said with a smile.

"Who's this "friend" you're talking about?" Filia asked.

"Rainbow Dash," Blazing answered proudly. Filia scratched her chin at the name. Something about it sounded familiar. "She's a pegasus, like me, with blue fur and rainbow hair and tail."

"If I weren't a changeling, I would think she was your girlfriend, with the way you talk about her," Filia stated with a smirk.

"Nah, I think she likes girls," Blazing countered. Filia hummed as she noticed Blazing had no feelings of resentment. "Honestly, I think whoever wins Rainbow's heart will be the luckiest equine in the world," Blazing said with a smile.

"I don't need to be a changeling to see you care for her," Filia observed. Blazing smiled at her before she suddenly shifted into a brown female pegasus with golden hair.

"Well, I've known her for a while, and we get along like brother and sister," Blazing said as he raised an eyebrow at Filia. "Uh, what's with the sudden change?" Filia pointed at the front door just as there was a knock. Blazing blinked. "How'd you-?" he began before she pointed at her head as if to say "I'm a changeling, idiot". Blazing blinked before he looked at the door. "Come in!" He called. The door swung open, almost flying off the hinges as Rainbow came in.

"Hey, Stripes," Rainbow called as she rushed in. Blazing groaned at the nickname. "Where the hell've you been? It's been almost two weeks."

"Oh, sorry, Dash," Blazing said as he scratched the back of his head. "I've been with Zecora this whole time."

"Really?" Rainbow asked. "What could you have been doing at Zecora's for-" she stopped when she noticed the brown pegasus sitting at the table with him and Zecora. "Who's this?" Blazing blinked.

"Oh, uh," Blazing scratched his chin as he thought frantically.

"This is Golden Chocolate," Zecora said with a smile. "Or, just Chocolate." Filia looked at Zecora for a second.

"Chocolate, huh?" Filia asked herself before she smiled at the name. "It has a nice ring to it."

"Yeah," Blazing agreed. "She's an old friend I met some time ago."

"Really?" Rainbow asked with a raised eyebrow. "How come you never mentioned her before?"

"Well, um," Blazing scratched his chin.

"It's because he respects my privacy," Filia interjected casually with a smile. "I'd rather not have people talking about me to everyone they meet, you see?" Filia smiled at Rainbow Dash.

"Sounds like an odd request to me," Dash observed with a shrug. "Ah well. More of the spotlight for me." She spotted the untouched plate of waffles in front of Filia. "You gonna eat those?" she asked with a smile.

"No, please," Filia answered as she pushed the plate over with a smile. "Help yourself." Dash took the plate with a drooling smile and started eating.

"So," Dash asked through a mouthful. "You vere jusht vishiting Zechora?"

"Rainbow Dash," Zecora sighed. "You should know better than to speak with a full mouth." Rainbow swallowed.

"Sorry," she blushed. "So, you were just visiting Zecora?"

"Yeah," Blazing answered.

"It didn't have anything to do with our little race, did it?" Dash asked with a knowing grin.

"I ran out of the lotion for sour muscles, so I went to get some more," Blazing began, "but when I got there, she needed help a few things, so I stayed to help out. It took longer than expected." Rainbow looked at Zecora, who inclined at Blazing's explanation. Rainbow shrugged and continued to eat the waffles.

"Ish thish Shecora'sh cooking?" she asked, earning raised eyebrows from the other three. She swallowed. "Sorry. Is this Zecora's cooking?"

"It is," Blazing answered with a smile. "When we were done at her hut, she came home with us this morning to drop off some things, and I asked her to stay for breakfast." Blazing smiled.

"Good choice!" Dash complimented before inhaling the rest. Filia watched the cyan-blue pegasus eat with disgusted intent before Dash took a moment to chew and swallow before putting the plate on the table. "That was excellent! So, how long will you be staying in town, Chocolate?" Dash asked Filia.

"I dunno," Filia answered. "Could be a few days, maybe a few weeks. Only time will tell."

"I hope you stick around for a while," Blazing offered with a smile. "It's nice to have new faces around."

"You can say that again!" Dash said as she ruffled Blazing's hair, earning an annoyed look from Blazing before turning to Filia. "Hey! Maybe you and I could have a quick race sometime! It would be great to have a new flying buddy!"

"Eh, I'm not the racing type," Filia replied with a shrug. Rainbow's jaw dropped to the floor.

"How could you not-" Rainbow began before Blazing quickly got up from his seat and started pushing her out the door.

"Okay, we'll chat later," he said frantically. "I'll catch you later, Dash!"

"Hey, wait, what about-?" Dash tried to protest before having the door closed on her. Blazing leaned his back against the door with a sigh.

"Rude, much," Filia stated as she reverted to her normal form.

"Sorry," Blazing offered as he walked back to the table. "How'd you know she was at the door?"

"I could sense her coming," Filia answered. "I'm a changeling, remember?"

"Right," Blazing sighed as he took his seat.

"So, why'd you rush her out like that?" Filia asked as she rested her feet on the table again.

"I didn't want anything to happen," Blazing answered. "You've been through a lot, and I was getting worried you might lose control of your magic or something."

"I had enough energy to keep up an image," Filia explained as she rolled her eyes.

"Be that as it may," Blazing countered. "Rainbow's one tough cookie. If she coaxed you into a race or something, Celestia knows what could've happened."

"I had it under control," Filia assured as she pulled her feet off the table and got up from her seat. "I know how to put on a performance when I need to."

"I never said you couldn't," Blazing defended himself as he sat up in his seat. "In all honesty, I'm impressed at how well you handled the situation. I used to be able to come up with a story on the spot, but now I'm a bit rusty." Filia looked at Blazing when he said this.

"What could you have done that required on-the-spot storytelling?" Filia asked.

"Active life," Blazing answered with a shrug. "I told you I got around a lot before coming back to Ponyville."

"Did you?" Filia asked as she scratched her chin.

"Last night, when we were on the way home," Blazing answered. "You kinda shrugged me off at the time."

"Oh," Filia replied as she looked at the floor. "Sorry about that."

"It's no problem," Blazing replied. "I'm sure it's been a stressful time for you." Filia hummed to herself as she thought about the events at Canterlot Castle.

"Yeah, it has been rough," Filia observed before she looked at Zecora. "You sure have been quiet this entire time."

"I have had no need to say anything this entire time," Zecora replied with a smile before getting up from her seat. "And now, it is time for me to take my leave."

"Already?" Blazing asked. "You haven't even eaten-" Blazing began as he pointed to the empty plate at Zecora's seat. "Oh. I guess you have." Zecora smiled as she leaned down and planted a kiss on Blazing's forehead.

"Remember, you can call on me whenever," Zecora said softly. Filia caught herself smiling at the couple as Blazing smiled at Zecora.

"Don't be a stranger," Blazing paused. "Mom." Zecora smiled at him before she walked to the door. Filia watched the motherly woman as she lifted her tail to give one last teasing glance before walking out of the door. Filia did not need to see Blazing to sense his arousal at the gesture. Filia sighed as she thought about her own mother and found herself longing for such affection. Filia may have slept with Chrysalis multiple times, some times nightly, but it was more to please her queen than it was out of love.

"Everything alright over there?" Blazing asked, pulling Filia out of her train of thought.

"Your mother is really great," Filia said as she looked at Blazing.

"Thanks," Blazing smiled softly.

"I can tell you love her," Filia offered him a smile. Blazing watching her with a soft smile.

"Why shouldn't I?" Blazing asked. "Ever since I first met her, she's been nothing but wonderful."

"When did you meet her?" Filia asked.

"Not too long before I first left Ponyville years ago," Blazing answered. "I was exploring where I shouldn't have, and if it weren't for her, I wouldn't be here now."

"So, why'd you leave town?" She asked.

"Kinda had no choice," he answered. "Things were getting tense in town, and my mother, that is my adopted mother, moved us out before I could get hurt." Blazing looked at the ground as he remembered that day when his childhood friend was blamed for the death of the mare who adopted him, and shortly after, others started pointing fingers at Blazing for his gift.

Filia watched Blazing for a few seconds as she felt the emotional rollercoaster he was now riding. Disbelief, fear, confusion, anger, everything that would make anyone hyperventilate, but he remained calm. She took a moment to think of how she could easily break him from his trance before she piped up. "Honestly, I'm glad you found me." Blazing looked at Filia. "I admit, I'm still skeptical about you, but I do believe if it were any other creature, I wouldn't be standing here talking to you." Blazing smiled before he got up from his seat.

"You think you're well enough to go out for the day?" Blazing asked as he walked up to her.

"What do you mean?" Filia asked.

"Well, I'm sure you don't want to stay locked in this old house the entire time you're here," Blazing observed. "I figure I could show you around town, let you rejuvenate from the love energy."

"You'd really take the risk of making me stronger like that?" Filia asked. "Not that I'm ungrateful, but I could use the opportunity to feed on love energy and destroy the whole town."

"Six of the most powerful equines live in the town and have saved Equestria several times in the last two years alone," Blazing countered with a smile. "I'm sure we can handle a single changeling. Besides, taking the time to get to know everyone might make a friend out of you. I can only think of the possibilities of two nations uniting into a more powerful nation." Filia raised an eyebrow at Blazing, who only smiled as he offered her a hand. "At the very least, I'm doing the right thing by helping a creature in need."

"Is this guy for real?" Filia asked herself. She hesitated for a minute as she thought about this whole situation before taking his hand as she shifted into the brown pegasus form she took when Rainbow Dash was here.

"How will we explain to your friend why I'm out and about after saying I like my privacy?" Filia asked.

"We'll tell her I convinced you to meet my Ponyville friends," Blazing answered quickly with a smile. Filia watched him for a minute before she smiled.

"Okay, Stripes," Filia said with a smirk. "You've got yourself a date with Golden Chocolate." Blazing rolled his eyes with a heavy groan.

"I'm gonna kill Rainbow Dash for coming up with that name."

With that, Blazing guided Filia to the front door and out to explore the town.

Chapter IV

Blazing guided Filia through the streets of Ponyville as she took in the love energy flooding the air. "So," he began, "where shall we go first?"

"How should I know?" Filia replied with a shrug. "This is your hometown. You know it better than I."

"I was mostly asking myself," Blazing chuckled as he scratched the back of his head. "Let's see; there's Sweet Apple Acres, Sugar-Cube Corner, the Golden Oak Library." Blasing blinked. "Oh! That's an excellent place to start!" He declared as he looked at the tree across the road from his house with a smile.

"A library?" Filia asked with a raised eyebrow. "What's so special about a library?" Blazing began guiding Filia toward the library with a smile on his face.

"That's where Twilight Sparkle lives," Blazing answered. "She came to town not long before I did. Actually, it was thanks to her and her friends my mother was able to start visiting Ponyville without scaring everyone off." Filia hummed as she immediately recognized the name.

"Twilight Sparkle was that unicorn leading the charge against the changelings," she thought to herself as she walked with Blazing. "Getting as much info on her could really help mother with another assault." Blazing guided Filia to the front door and opened it.

"Twilight?" Blazing called. "Are you home?"

"Blazing! Wassup?" a young voice called from upstairs. Blazing smiled up at a purple baby dragon with no wings walking down the stairs with a smile on his face.

"Hey, Spike!" Blazing replied as Filia stood next to him. "Spike, this is Fil- uh, Golden Chocolate," Blazing introduced Filia with a smile as Spike reached them. "She's an old friend of mine from years ago."

"Call me Chocolate," Filia said with a wave of her hand.

"Nice to meet you, Chocolate. I'm Spike." Spike said as he extended his hand out to Filia, who raised a brow in confusion before she took it.

"I wanted to introduce Chocolate to everyone," Blazing explained with a smile. "Is Twilight around?" Blazing asked as he looked around the library.

"Who is it, Spike?" Twilight's voice came from the basement doorway as the lavender unicorn walked in with a smile. "Oh! Hi, Blazing!" Twilight greeted warmly.

"Hi, Twilight!" Blazing replied before gesturing to Filia beside him. "This is my friend, Chocolate," Blazing introduced.

"Hi," Chocolate said as she waved her hand. Twilight smiled at the chocolate-colored pegasus standing next to Blazing.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Chocolate," Twilight greeted warmly. Filia looked at Twilight over casually.

"This is Twilight Sparkle?" she asked herself. "She doesn't look special."

"I see you've already met my number one assistant, Spike," Twilight observed with a smile. "Without whom, I would be lost." Filia sensed the relationship between Twilight and Spike was strong. The sense of loyalty and trust flowed between these two like the clear stream of a river.

"So, you actually live in this library?" Filia asked as she looked around.

"Yes, I do," Twilight answered proudly. "Princess Celestia sent me here to supervise the Summer Sun Celebration a couple of years ago."

"That wasn't the only reason," Spike observed, making Twilight blush.

"Yeah," Twilight chuckled. "The princess also sent me here to make friends."

"Really?" Filia asked with a raised eyebrow. "Supervise an event and make friends? In a library?"

"Isn't it wonderful?!" Twilight asked in excitement, making Blazing chuckle. Filia could sense Twilight's overwhelming love of the books that filled the shelves.

"Okay," Filia hummed. "Maybe I can come to Twilight to learn more about equine culture later," she thought to herself. "Probably not. I don't wanna arouse suspicion." Filia cleared her throat. "Well, at least I know who to turn to if I want to check out a book."

"Oh!" Twilight said in delight. "Do you like reading?! What's your favorite book or series?! Would you like to check out Daring Do?"

"Twilight," Blazing interjected. "We can talk about books later. Right now, I need to show Chocolate around town. Meet the others." Twilight blushed.

"Oh," she chuckled. "Sorry. I tend to get carried away."

"Now, that's an understatement," Spike joked as he walked off to do his chores. Twilight shot Spike a glare as he walked off while both Blazing and Filia chuckled.

"So, I noticed," Filia hummed. "So, about that tour?" she asked Blazing.

"Right," Blazing said before looking at Twilight. "We'll catch you later, Twilight."

"Come back any time," Twilight replied with a smile.

"See you later, Spike!" Blazing called.

"Later, Blazing!" Spike replied while dusting the books on the shelves while standing on a ladder.

Blazing guided Filia back to the door. "So, I think Sugar-Cube Corner should be our next stop. Maybe we'll bump into the Cutie Mark Crusaders."

"The what now?" Filia asked as they got out the door.

"Hi, Blazing!" three young voices called out, making Filia jump. She looked to find three young equines, one of each class, smiling up at Blazing.

"Oh, hey, girls!" Blazing replied with a smile as he crouched down to give them all a group hug.

"Where have you been?" the orange pegasus asked.

"Yeah, it's been ages," the yellow earth pony added.

"Did you get lost in the forest?" the white unicorn asked in concern. "We tried to form a pussy to try and find you." Filia raised an eyebrow at the word "pussy" before the orange pegasus rolled her eyes.

"A "Posy," Sweetie Belle," she groaned. "Not a "pussy," a "posy." Blazing chuckled.

"Girls, I'm fine," Blazing assured them. "I just spent a lot of time with Zecora, that's all."

"You were at Zecora's this whole time?" the pegasus asked. "Why were you gone for so long?"

"Zecora just needed a lot of help with some things," Filia piped up, getting the trio to look at her.

"Who's this?" the earth pony asked.

"Is she your girlfriend?" the pegasus asked excitedly.

"You found a special someone?!" the unicorn asked excitedly.

"She's just an old friend," Blazing explained with a blush. Filia found herself smirking at Blazing as she felt his embarrassment.

"I take it these are the Cutie Mark Crusaders you were just talking about?" Filia asked. Blazing blinked.

"Oh," Blazing chuckled. "Chocolate, this is Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom," he introduced while pointing at the pegasus, earth pony, and unicorn. "CMCs, this is Golden Chocolate," Blazing introduced as he stood upright while gesturing to Filia.

"Hi," Scootaloo said.

"Howdy," Apple Bloom added.

"Nice to meet you," Sweetie Belle offered. "So, are you Blazing's girlfriend?" Sweetie whispered as she leaned closer to Filia, who could not help but chuckle at the excitement of the young equine.

"I'm just his friend, Sweetie," Filia replied. "Stars! Equines have such weird names."

"Are you sure?" Scootaloo asked with a raised eyebrow. "Not even a secret girlfriend?" Blazing chuckled.

"Aren't you three supposed to be in school?" Filia asked. "Young equines go to school, right?"

"It's a Sunday," Blazing answered. "There's no school on weekends."

"You went to school, right?" Apple Bloom asked. Blazing blinked as he thought about an answer.

"I was homeschooled," Filia answered casually. "The family traveled a lot, so they taught me while on the road."

"Well, that makes sense," Apple Bloom accepted the answer.

"Damn, I need to work on that," Blazing thought to himself. "Well, we were about to go to Sugar-Cube Corner," Blazing said with a smile. "Why don't you three come with us? I'll buy you each a treat."

"We'd love to," Apple Bloom said.

"But we were going to go find our marks," Scootaloo added.

"Planning another adventure?" Blazing asked as they all began walking down the road.

"You know it!" Scootaloo answered excitedly.

"We were thinking about photography," Sweetie Belle answered as the trio walked with Blazing.

"I thought we agreed on skydiving," Scootaloo countered.

"Skydiving?" Filia asked.

"I know! It sounds awesome, right?!" Scootaloo asked while Blazing chuckled.

"You might want to think about that for a bit," Blazing suggested.

"What's there to think about?" Scootaloo asked. "We just jump out of the sky and open the parachute!"

"How are you going to get high enough to do that?" Filia asked.

"Oh, that'll be easy," Scootaloo shrugged it off with a smile. Filia opened her mouth to protest before Scootaloo turned to the others. "C'mon, Crusaders! Let's go get our marks!"

"Cutie Mark Crusader Skydivers! Yay!" the three cheered in unison before taking off in a flash, making Blazing chuckle while Filia stood there in confusion.

"Why the hell was I concerned for them?" Filia asked herself. At that moment with the Crusaders, she felt genuine concern for their safety, and she had no idea why. "It's just an act. You have to keep up an appearance here. That's all."

"You gotta love their enthusiasm," Blazing observed, pulling Filia out of her little trance.

"Are they always like that?" Filia asked.

"Every time they're together," Blazing answered happily. Filia hummed as she looked where the girls were running.

"Aren't you concerned they might get hurt?" Filia asked, making Blazing look at her with a smile.

"Why so concerned?" Blazing asked with a smirk, making Filia blink as she continued walking with him.

"I'm not," Filia answered. "I just know you are concerned for others' safety." She looked away. "Shit, this is going to be a pain in my ass!" Blazing chuckled.

"They've been trying a lot of crazy things for almost two years now," Blazing answered. "I know they can handle themselves." Filia hummed as she walked with Blazing through town until they reached a house decorated like a gingerbread house. "Here we are! Sugar-Cube Corner."

"Interesting design choice," Filia observed as she looked the house over.

"Just be ready for a surprise," Blazing warned as he opened the door for her.

"What do you mean?" Filia asked just as she passed Blazing through the door. Blazing and Filia were showered with confetti as a loud pop filled the air, making Filia jump in shock.

"Surprise, Blazing's friend from the Desolute Zone!" a pink earth pony called from the door before pulling them both in suddenly.

Inside, Filia found the room filled with equines of every age and color welcoming her with a loud "surprise", each of them wearing a proud smile on their faces. Filia looked around in both shock and confusion at the overwhelming flow of positive emotion flooding the room.

"Welcome to Ponyville!" the pink equine cried. "I'm Pinkie Pie, and I threw this party for you!" she excitedly explained as she gestured to everything inside. Filia looked around in shock to find the shop's whole interior decorated with balloons and streamers. Filia began to feel dizzy from all the excitement and emotion filling the room.

Blazing pulled Pinkie to the side and glared at her."How'd you know about her?" Blazing sharply asked in a hushed tone.

"My Pinkie-Sense told me you were coming," Pinkie answered with a smile.

"Not that," Blazing countered as he looked around while Filia slowly walked up while rubbing the back of her head. "How'd you know about where she's from?" Blazing asked while pointing at Filia.

"You mean the Desolute Zone?" Pinkie asked happily. "Silly; My Pinkie-Sense told me."

"Pinkie-Sense?" Filia asked through a soft groan.

"Uh-huh," Pinkie answered proudly. "My body randomly shivers, shutters, and twitches whenever something's about to happen. I call it my Pinkie-Sense!"

"So you know I'm a-?" Filia asked as she squinted her eyes a bit. Blazing started to panic as Filia spoke.

"Hey!" Blazing interjected.

"A changeling?" Pinkie asked quietly. "Oh, you don't have to worry your scally little head," Pinkie said as she patted Filia's head. "I won't tell anyone. Cross my heart and hope to fly; stick a cupcake in my eye!" Pinkie crossed her heart, extended her hand out, then poked her closed eye with a smile as she made her pledge. Blazing sighed in relief as he found a seat.

"Damn, Pinkie," Blazing sighed. "Don't scare me like that!"

"Care to explain to me what just happened?" Filia asked as she notably struggled to sit next to Blazing.

"Filia, this is Pinkie Pie," Blazing said as he hung his head while gesturing with his hand. "Pinkie Pie, Filia."

"Hi!" Pinkie greeted happily. Blazing lifted his head to look at Filia. Filia could sense Pinkie had no ill intentions against her, but she still kept her guard up as best she could while slowly regaining her composure.

"Are you okay?" Blazing asked Filia.

"I'm fine," Filia answered as she rubbed her forehead. "Just give me a minute."

"Would you like some water?" Pinkie asked. "Or maybe some orange juice? Do you even drink?"

"Pinkie!" Blazing softly growled.

"It's fine," Filia interjected. "I just need a minute."

Blazing wanted to reach up to rub Filia's back, but he hesitated before Filia lifted her head. Blazing watched her with concern in his eyes before Filia looked at Pinkie.

"So, about this "Pinkie-Sense"?" Filia asked. "What the hell is that about?"

"Pinkie Pie has this uncanny ability of breaking all the laws of physics somehow," Blazing explained. "She can somehow sense things before they happen, appear out of nowhere, suspend herself in midair, revert time around her; I can go on."

"And that weird pledge thing?" Filia asked.

"The Pinkie-Promise!" Pinkie answered happily. "No one ever breaks a Pinkie-Promise." Suddenly, Pinkie's expression went from joyful to serious in an instant as her eyes narrowed sharply. "No one!"

"How can you be sure?" Filia asked. Blazing pointed at Pinkie.

"I could've told everyone what you are last night when you first came into town," Pinkie explained happily. Filia thought about what she just heard. If Pinkie could sense things before they happen, as Blazing suggested, there could easily be a mob breaking down Blazing's door in the middle of the night, but no one seemed to know about Filia. If Twilight knew, she would have attacked Filia on the spot when they first met, but she seemed to have no idea.

"Trust me when I say, you don't ever want to break a Pinkie-Promise," Blazing answered. "It won't end well for those who do."

Filia looked at Pinkie, who just smiled happily at her. Filia sensed no threat coming from the pink equine whatsoever, though something about Pinkie told Filia she better be careful about her.

"Hey, Stripes!" a familiar female voice called as a cyan-blue arm wrapped around Blazing's neck suddenly, making him groan sharply. "What're ya doin' hiding in the corner? TIt is a party, after all!"

Filia watched Rainbow as she hummed in thought. "If Pinkie told anyone I'm a changeling, this one would surely have attacked first."

"Dash, will you please stop calling me that?!" Blazing groaned as he pushed Rainbow off.

"Not a chance, bro!" Rainbow countered before grabbing Filia's wrist. "Now, c'mon! This party's for you, and everyone wants to meet you!" Filia went wide-eyed as she looked at Blazing as if crying for help before Rainbow pulled Filia into the crowd. Blazing rolled his eyes as he got out of his seat to follow.

"Don't worry, Blazing," Pinkie called as she bounced beside him. "No one will find out."

"I trust you, Pinkie," Blazing said as he looked through the small crowd. "But, that doesn't mean I'm not worried something will happen."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that," Pinkie countered. "Your dear friend, Pinkie Pie, has got you covered." With that, she disappeared into the shop.

"I don't know how she'll do it," Blazing sighed to himself, "but I know she can do it." Blazing walked into the crowd to find Filia before feeling a hand on his shoulder, making him look to find an orange earth pony with a hat on, greeting him with a smile.

"Howdy. Blazin'," Applejack said. "Why haven't ya mention yer friend, Golden Chocolate, before?"

"She likes her privacy," Blazing answered with a smile.

"Well, ah sure can respect that," Applejack accepted the lie with a smile. Blazing internally sighed with relief. "So, why the sudden change o' heart?"

"I convinced her to come and meet my Ponyville friends," Blazing answered with a smile.

"Well, darn tootin'," Applejack smiled. "That's some good news, but we better find her before Rainbow gets all carried away."

"Agreed," Blazing replied as he looked around. It did not take long for him to find Filia chatting with a white unicorn with stylized purple hair. Blazing and Applejack walked over to the pair with smiles on their faces.

"Chocolate," Blazing called, getting the two girls to look at him.

"Blazing," Rarity called joyfully. "Your friend is quite the charm, darling! Why in Equestria would you not tell us about her?"

"I see you've already met our fashionista," Blazing observed with a smile.

"Rarity's quite the smooth talker," Filia observed with a smile. "Quite energizing."

"Oh, darling," Rarity said with a chuckle. "I merely complimented on the magnificence of your beautiful coat. You must tell me what conditioner you use!"

"That, Rarity," Filia began with a smirk, "is my little secret."

"Oh, what I wouldn't give to know it," Rarity mused as she smiled at Filia. Blazing smiled at Filia as he realized she must have recovered from her dizzy spell a moment earlier.

"Chocolate," Blazing interjected, getting the girls to look at him. "This is Applejack." Blazing gestured at the orange equine, who took her hat off with a smile at Filia.

"Pleasure to make yer aquatints," Applejack said happily.

"Are you from the south?" Filia asked.

"Nope," Applejack replied as she put her hat back on. "Born and raised here in Ponyville. Well, most o' my life, anyhow. I lived in Manehattan with my cousins for a while, but that didn't last."

"Wait," Filia blinked as she realized something. "Apple Bloom wouldn't happen to be your little sister, would she?"

"She sure is," Applejack answered proudly.

"You know she and her friends are planning on skydiving?" Filia asked. Applejack sighed as she rolled her eyes.

"Is that what they're up to?" she asked as she looked at Blazing.

"What can you expect from three girls focused on getting their marks like them?" Blazing asked with a smile.

"Ya gotta point, there," Applejack admitted with a chuckle.

"Seriously?" Filia asked. "None of you are concerned about their safety?"

"You'd be surprised what those three have been through over the last couple o' years," Applejack explained. "Why, just a few months ago, Apple Bloom made herself a potion that gave her the Cutie Pocks." Filia blinked.

"Seriously?!" Filia asked in shock.

"Don't worry," Blazing interjected. "Zecora knew just what to do to cure her." Filia looked between the two equines in disbelief. "Like I said before," Blazing began as he rested a hand on Filia's shoulder, "those three have been through enough for me to know they can handle themselves. They just might need a nudge in the right direction every now and again." Blazing said that last bit while winking at Applejack, who smiled at him in return.

"These equines are crazy," Filia thought to herself as she watched all the party guests enjoying themselves. "Children getting themselves into trouble. Non-magical equines breaking the laws of physics. So much love and trust between one another."

"Hey, AJ?" Blazing called, pulling Filia out of her thoughts as she looked at Blazing. "Do you know where Zuro is? I haven't seen him around since before the whole Canterlot crisis?" Filia blinked as she heard the name while watching the equines talk.

"Zuro?!" she asked herself. "He didn't even hide his name?!"

"Me neither," Applejack answered with a look of worry.

"What about Zuro?" Rainbow asked as she walked up.

"I just asked AJ if she's seen him recently," Blazing asked as he looked at Rainbow, who blinked at the subject.

"Angel hasn't seen him either," a yellow pegasus girl with pink hair said as she walked up with a sorrowful look on her face. "She said he left for Canterlot the day of the wedding and hasn't been back since."

"Hey, Fluttershy," Blazing called as he looked at her before he blinked. "Wait! He went to Canterlot?" Fluttershy inclined her head.

"With any luck, the treasonous bug was squashed during the explosion," Filia hummed to herself as she listened to the conversation.

"Angel's quite concerned," Fluttershy explained. "She could give birth any day now, and Zuro's not here for it."

"Who's Zuro?" Filia piped up to keep up the illusion of being an equine.

"He's a pegasus like us," Blazing answered as he looked at Rainbow Dash. "Quite the guy, too."

"Yeah!" Rainbow added in excitement. "He's rich. He always puts others before himself. He and Angel are about to have a baby, getting ready for their wedding!"

"Long story short," Applejack interjected. "Zuro's a good friend o' ours. A real Colt Scout, to say the least. The fact that we ain't seen him in a while is unnervin'."

"What did that bug do to make all these equines think so highly of him," Filia observed. "That good, huh?"

"I think I speak for all of us when I say we'd trust Zuro with our lives," Blazing said. "Some of us know him as Guardian because of his selfless acts."

"Guardian?" Filia asked.

"He's put his own life on the line more times than we can count to help others," Rainbow answered cheerfully.

"He's good with animals," Fluttershy said softly with a blushing smile.

"He's a hard worker," Applejack added with a smile.

"Alright, guys, enough," Blazing interjected. "You keep going on like this, and you'll make him sound like some kinda Garry Stue."

"Whatcha talking about?!" Pinkie Pie asked as she suddenly appeared between them all, earning a few gasps.

"How'd you-?" Filia began to ask before she shook her head as she remembered this equine's ability to defy physics. "We were just talking about someone called Zuro," Filia answered.

"Oh, he should be getting home right about now," Pinkie replied with a smile. All the equines blinked at what Pinkie just said while Filia narrowed her eyes.

"What makes you say that, Pinks?" Blazing asked as he watched her.

"Duh!" Pinkie replied as she rolled her eyes. "My Pinkie-Sense, silly."

"Well, let's go find out!" Rainbow stated as she hovered into the air before taking off toward the door, only to be stopped by Applejack grabbing her tail.

"Whoa there, nelly," Applejack said as she held onto Rainbow. "If Zuro really is comin' home, we should give him the chance to be with Angel alone."

"I agree," Blazing added. "As much as I wanna see that son of a draconaquus, the one most deserving of seeing him after so long is Angel." Rainbow pouted as she folded her arms while landing on the ground. Filia got to her feet.

"Excuse me," Filia said. "Where's the little girl's room?"

"Up the stairs!" Pinkie answered as she pointed to the staircase lining the wall. "First door on the left."

"Isn't the public restroom over-" Applejack began to ask before a fluff of pink got stuffed in her mouth. Applejack looked down to find Pinkie's tail gagging her.

"That room's occupied right now," Pinkie explained with a smile. "Besides, Chocolate's our new best friend! Just don't take too long."

"Thanks, Pinkie," Filia offered with a smile before she began walking toward the stairs.

"If I get rid of that treasonous bug, Mother will surely reward me when I return," Filia thought to herself as she walked up the stairs. She reached the top floor, looked around before shifting into a ladybug, and flew out an open window. "Now, where is that snake?" she asked herself as she opened her senses. She scanned the town for anything outside of the overwhelming love the equines shared for each other. At first, she felt nothing until something caught her attention. "There!" She looked at a large house down the road toward the south of town. She flew towards the house at a relatively fast paste, especially for the form she took.

She landed on a window and looked inside to find the interior decoration resembling a changeling's color scheme. The walls were all black with green accents. Pictures of three pegasi, a blue male with black hair, a blue female with black hair, and a red male with black hair, lined the house's walls and shelves. They looked like the closest of friends as they did many things together. Filia tore her eyes from the house's design to find the female pegasus in a loving embrace with a changeling. The pegasus's belly was swollen, almost about to pop. "That must be Angel," Filia observed as she focused her senses on the changeling. "That's definitely Zuro," she said to herself as she narrowed her eyes at him. Using her magic, Filia carefully opened the window enough for her to slip inside.

"I missed you so much!" Angel's voice whimpered into Zuro's chest. "I thought something terrible happened to you!"

"I'm home now," Zuro softly offered as he rubbed her back. Filia found a perch on the couch in the middle of the room to watch them. Usually, she would have struck already, but the emotions filling the room stopped her. It was clear the equine felt nothing but love for the changeling holding onto her, but Filia could feel Zuro returning that love. Angel looked up at the changeling as her tears stained her cheeks.

"I heard they arrested a changeling at the castle," Angel whimpered. "After you didn't come home, I thought it was you."

"It was," Zuro explained as he caressed Angel's cheek. "But, Princess Celestia saw fit to return me home." Filia blinked at this.

"The equine monarch let a changeling go free?!" Filia asked herself as she watched. "Changelings and equines are enemies!"

"How?" Angel asked. "Why?"

"Princess Luna told Celestia about my dreams," Zuro answered. "If it weren't for the Princess of the Night, I'd probably be dead by now." Angel choked on a sob as she clung to her fiance. Zuro hugged Angel as he looked at Filia with narrow eyebrows. Filia blinked.

"Shit!" she proclaimed as she tried to hide her presence without moving.

"You can show yourself," Zuro said, earning a confused look from Angel. "I sensed your magic when you opened the window."

"Guardian?" Angel asked as she looked up before Filia flew up and reverted to her natural form in front of them. Angel gasped at the appearance of the second changeling in her house. "Who are you?"

"Princess Filia," Zuro said as he watched Filia step up with a glare on her face.

"Traitor!" Filia hissed.

"Guardian, what's going on?" Angel asked. Angel would get defensive as soon as she saw anyone threatening Zuro, but she was in no position to fight given her current state.

"This is Princess Filia," Zuro explained.

"And you're a traitor to our hive!" Filia hissed. "You managed to get away when that barrier appeared around Canterlot, but now that you're here, I can finish what we started." Angel stood between the two changelings.

"Don't you dare touch my Guardian!" Angel said shakily. Zuro rested a hand on Angel's shoulder. Angel looked at Zuro, who offered her a soft smile before he had her step to the side. Zuro looked at Filia blankly.

"Are you really going to kill me in front of my fiance?" Zuro asked.

"A changeling and an equine?" Filia asked. "I've never heard of anything so pathetic."

"My father had a relationship with an equine," Zuro countered.

"He, and everyone else in your family, are traitors!" Filia growled.

"What have we done against the hive?" Zuro asked calmly. "We never sold anyone out. We never gave information to the royals. We only wanted to live happy lives." Filia glared as Zuro made a valid point. The only thing Zuro did was leave the hive years ago, and by the sound of it, made a reputation for himself. "Look, princess," Zuro said as he took Angel's hand in his own. "All I want is to live a life with this woman." Filia looked between the two as she glared. "I know it's not normal, but I don't give a damn. I've always been fascinated by equine culture, and now I'm living with them. Peacefully. Happily." Filia stared at him for a minute.

"What about your hive?" Filia asked.

"I still love my family and the hive I was born to," Zuro answered. "But now I have a family here," Zuro said as he rubbed Angel's swollen belly. Filia stared at the pregnant equine's belly as she contemplated the situation.

"You really got this woman pregnant?" Filia asked.

"We didn't plan for this to happen, but since she's carrying my child, I'll give my life to protect her and our unborn baby," Zuro answered.

Filia hummed. She never thought she would hear of a changeling mating an equine, let alone see the results for herself. She reached out with her senses and could tell the life growing inside Angel was indeed an equine and changeling hybrid. "How the hell should I handle this?!" she asked herself. "This thing is an abomination! But, it's a changeling! Should I take it away? Should I destroy it? What the hell should I do?"

"Princess," Zuro called, getting Filia to look at him. "If there was ever a time I would request anything from the royal family, this is that time. Please, let me have my family." Filia watched Zuro with a glare. "You've spent some time with the equines, haven't you?" Zuro asked, catching Filia off guard. "You've seen Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and the others. I've only thought of them as friends ever since I first came here. They've done more for me over the last few years than the entire hive did for me in my youth. I'd do anything to keep them safe. Even if it means killing you." As Zuro said those last words, Filia suddenly felt something heavy in the air. Something that made her tremble on the inside. Zuro was serious.

"You dare threaten me?" Filia asked. "I could've killed you back at the castle."

"But, that barrier spell activated, I know," Zuro interjected. "Look, right now, the ball's in your court. You can attack and force me to defend everything I know and love, or you can stay with us in Ponyville." Filia blinked. "The equines are more understanding than you'd think, and I could use some help raising my child."

"You're offering me a home here?" Filia asked. "Even after I threaten to kill you?"

"I guess being an equine has rubbed off on me," Zuro answered. They stared into each other's eyes for a long, silent minute. "I'm sure at least one of them knows about you right now. Am I right?" Filia thought about Blazing and Zecora and all they have done to keep her alive over the last two weeks.

"Filia," Angel called, getting the female changeling to look at her. "Please don't take my Guardian away from me." Angel held Zuro's hand in her own tightly as she watched Filia. "I've spent the last two weeks unable to sleep because I thought I lost him. I don't know what I'll do if I lose him so soon after getting him back." Filia stared at the pegasus as Zuro embraced her from behind while keeping an eye on the changeling princess.

The love Filia felt Angel had for Zuro was so powerful; it was deafening. Even more so than the sudden rush of positive energy she felt at Sugar-Cube Corner. They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity before Filia turned to the window.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Filia sighed before she looked at Zuro. "I'm sticking my neck out for you, Zuro. Don't make me regret this." Zuro smiled at the princess.

"Thank you, Filia," Zuro said as Angel clung to him through tears of joy. Filia turned to the window as she began to shift into a ladybug. "Filia, before you go," Zuro called, getting Filia to stop and look back at him. "Angel and I would love to have visitors more often. Don't be a stranger."

"We'll see," Filia replied before flying out the window. Filia flew with such speed it could cause a draft if not for her small size. "What the fuck am I thinking?!" she asked herself.

She made her way back to the open window at Sugar-Cube Corner, where she slipped back inside as she shifted to the brown pegasus form she had in front of Blazing and the others. Then she rushed downstairs to find everyone still mingling as if she never left, except for Blazing, who sat by the counter with a sad look on his face. She walked up and sat next to him.

"There you are!" Rainbow called out as she suddenly landed on the seat next to her. "What took you so long?" Rainbow asked, getting Blazing to look at Filia in surprise as tears stained his cheeks. "Stripes here thought you ran away!" Rainbow chuckled.

"Sorry it took so long," Filia offered with a smile. "Just took time to look round the town through one of the upstairs windows."

"See, Stripes?" Rainbow asked as she looked at Blazing. "You're too good for your friends to abandon you!" Blazing only stared at Filia with a grateful smile.

"Have you been crying?" Filia asked. "Your eyes are red." Blazing blinked as he wiped away the tears from his face.

"Sorry," Blazing said as he sniffed. "I'm a bit sensitive." Filia could sense the joy coming from Blazing.

"This equine's actually happy to see me?" she asked herself as she chuckled at him before patting his back. "This is going to take some getting used to if I'm going to stick around."

"Oh, buck up, Stripes," Rainbow said as she patted Blazing's back hard, earning a glare from him.

"Stop calling me that, Dash!" Blazing growled under his breath.

"Not a chance, big guy!" Rainbow replied with a chuckle.

"Maybe we should go home for the day," Filia interjected.

"Aww, already?" Pinkie asked as she poked her head from behind the counter. "But the party's not over!"

"I appreciate the gesture, Pinkie," Filia replied with a warm smile. "But I think all the excitement is getting to our friend here." Filia rubbed Blazing's back reassuringly. "Don't worry; we'll see each other again."

"Well, alright," Rainbow said. "But, you better be ready for another race, Stripes," she added. Blazing rolled his eyes at the name.

"Alright, Dash," Blazing said as he stood up with Filia. "Chocolate and I are going to head home for now. Just know that I'll kick your ass in the next race!" Blazing gave Rainbow a challenging smirk. Rainbow returned the grin as they both gripped each other's hands in a firm shake as if to seal the deal.

"Catch you later, bro," Rainbow offered as she fist-bumped Blazing's shoulder. Blazing chuckled at the technicolored pegasus.

"See you later, Dash," Blazing replied before walking off with Filia.

"Thanks for the good time!" Filia called as she walked out of the store with Blazing. After leaving the store, they walked side-by-side down the road toward Blazing's home by the Golden Oak Library.

"Where'd you go?" Blazing asked under his breath. "I thought you left for your hive."

"I just took a minute to rest," Filia lied. "Now I need to think about how I'm going to deal with that traitor and get more info for Mother."

Chapter VI

The rest of Filia's day was uneventful as Blazing did everything he could to keep the truth of what she is a secret from the whole town, especially Rainbow Dash and the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Filia sat by the window in her room, staring at the night sky in awe. This is not the first time she took notice of the star-spangled canvas overlooking the sleeping land, but now that she knew the young princess, Luna, was responsible for the glittering beauty, something about it seemed more appealing.

"To think one equine put so much time and effort into painting the sky like this," Filia thought to herself as she lay her cheek into the palm of her hand. "I want to be sick of the idea, but-" she paused as she watched the stars. "How can anyone hate something like this?"

Suddenly, Filia felt that sting in her back again, which made her flinch before she looked at the rooftops of the neighboring houses. Nothing out of the ordinary, or at least what she learned was usual for the equine culture, caught her attention. Filia scanned the immediate area to find a single unicorn female staring at her through the window, and she dove out of sight.

"Shit!" she hissed at herself.

"I see you," a familiar voice filled Filia's head, making her blink.

"Mother?" she asked herself as she peaked her eyes over the edge of the windowsill to look at the unicorn, who only smiled at her.

"How long do you intend on staying in this place?" Chrysalis' voice filled Filia's mind again. Filia took her pegasus form before she opened the window and flew out and across the road to meet the unicorn.

"Mother?" Filia asked as she landed in front of the stranger, who only smiled at her. Filia held nothing back as she pulled Chrysalis into a warm hug. "Oh, I've missed you!" Chrysalis stood there for a few seconds before she returned the hug.

"I'm glad you're still alive, child," Chrysalis observed. Filia broke the hug to meet her mother's gaze.

"I almost wasn't," Filia began before she looked around. "We should talk somewhere more private. Follow me." Filia took Chrysalis' hand and ran down the road toward the forest.

They ran for a few minutes before reaching the brush. Chrysalis wasted no time releasing her disguise and sitting on a cloud of green magic with her legs folded while watching Filia. "Now, explain yourself," Chrysalis ordered firmly.

"Well, the barrier threw me-" Filia began as she looked at Chrysalis.

"Release your magic," Chrysalis huffed. "You know I can't take you seriously looking like one of them."

"Oh," Filia blinked as she looked at herself before releasing her guise. "Forgive me, mother." Chrysalis inclined her head.

"Continue," Chrysalis ordered.

"Well, that barrier sent me all the way here to the Everfree Forest," Filia began. "Whatever that magic was, it drained me all of my magic. I couldn't change my shape; I was injured all over, I could barely even feed on the energy from the pathetic animals of the forest."

"So, how'd you survive?" Chrysalis asked as she watched her daughter pace back and forth as she told her story. Filia stopped to look at Chrysalis.

"I was," Filia began before she groaned in frustration while scratching her face with both hands. "An equine rescued me!"

"A pegasus male?" Chrysalis asked with a raised brow. Filia nodded in reply. "You were disguised when he rescued you, weren't you?" Filia shook her head.

"It took everything I had just to stay alive," Filia explained. "I knew I was done for until Blazing showed up."

"You're telling me, this Blazing Feathers knows you're a changeling, and he helped you anyway?" Chrysalis asked with a brow. Filia nodded. "Why have you not killed him?!" Chrysalis cried out as she stomped to her feet, making Filia flinch.

"He's been useful," Filia answered quickly.

"How?" Chrysalis asked as she towered over her daughter.

"When I came to," Filia began as she looked at her mother. "I questioned his motives, and I still don't trust him. But, his eagerness to help me has given me the golden opportunity for recon." Chrysalis blinked. "Today alone, I learned about those six equines who were at Canterlot and what they do in this town." Chrysalis' glare turned into a smile as she sat on her cloud of magic again.

"I knew you would have a good reason for your actions," Chrysalis mused before she narrowed her brow. "However, I'm still curious as to why you didn't reach out to me all this time."

"I've been out this entire time," Filia answered quickly. "Blazing has been healing me this entire time, and I only just regained enough strength this morning to change my shape."

"And if I were to question Blazing myself, he'd confirm this statement?" Chrysalis asked.

"Yes," Filia answered without fear or hesitation. "Please accept that answer," she told herself without breaking her confident smile. "Why the hell am I concerned for that equine?!"

Chrysalis smiled at Filia. "So, the barrier drained all your strength and threw you out here in the forest before this Blazing Feathers found and nursed you back to health; now you're taking this perfect opportunity to give me any and all information you can about the equines?"

"Yes, mother," Filia answered with a firm nod of her head and a smirk on her face. "With me here, gathering intel, you can better plan another strike on these creatures." Chrysalis grinned at her daughter as she got to her feet; her cloud of magic disappeared as soon as her butt stopped touching it.

"That's my girl," Chrysalis mused as she spread her great wings, ready to take off. Filia watched Chrysalis stand there without moving for a few seconds before she got curious.

"Mother?" Filia asked. "Something else on your mind?" Chrysalis slowly looked over her shoulder at Filia with a threatening look. Fila stood her ground when she saw the glare in her mother's eye.

"What about that treasonous scum?" Chrysalis asked firmly.

"Shit!" Filia thought to herself without moving an inch or changing her expression. "I can't tell her I let him live, let alone in this town!" Filia lifted her chin high while keeping eye contact with the changeling queen. "He's dead," Filia answered. Chrysalis raised an eyebrow at this. "I found his body in Canterlot. I drove a claw through his heart to make sure." Chrysalis stared into Filia's eyes for several seconds before her expression softened, and she smiled at the princess.

"Well done, Filia," Chrysalis hummed. "I'll have a drone come to check on your progress."

"When can I expect the drone?" Filia asked.

"Don't," Chrysalis answered as she spread her wings again. "You just continue gaining information on these equines." Chrysalis kicked off the ground before Filia could say another word, leaving Filia in the dust as the queen flew into the night skies.

Filia coughed as she flapped her wings to clear the dust out of the air. When the dust settled, she looked for her mother in the skies but only found the stars sparkling. She scanned the sky for several seconds before she let out a sigh of relief and fell on her hands and knees, trembling in fear.

"Shit!" she cursed under her breath. Filia stared at the ground as she heaved heavy breaths while trembling from head to toe. "Why the fuck was I so terrified?!" Filia had been in the queen's presence since the day she hatched many years ago. Chrysalis always had an intimidating presence, but Filia felt she would break if the queen remained even a second longer.

Filia pulled moved her legs to the side to sit down as she whipped her brow before a little black bunny caught her attention. The timid creature came to investigate the noise before Filia growled like a manticore, sending the rabbit hopping away in terror. Filia snorted when the rabbit disappeared into the bushes. "Filthy creatures," she sighed as she pushed herself off the ground before brushing the dirt off her hips.

"why was that so intense?" Filia asked herself as she used her magic to change to Chocolate. "She's my mother! I have no reason to be that scared of her!" Filia questioned her nerves as she flew back to Blazing's house and into the opened window of her bedroom. She closed the window behind her; then she closed the blinds before she released her magic. She dragged her feet on the floor as she walked toward the bed, where she let herself fall face-first into the blankets.

After a few seconds, she pulled her face off the bed to get some air. However, she was not in the guest room she had been staying in for the last couple of days. She looked around to find a barren wasteland instead of a comfortable living space. "What the hell?" she asked herself. Soon, her eyes fell upon a lone pegasus male sitting in the dirt; his yellow coat crusted in mud, and the orange stripes lining his body faded.

"Blazing?" Filia asked as she slipped off the bed. The pegasus ignored her as she walked up. "Blazing, what's going on? Where are we?"

"As if you don't know!" Blazing snapped, making Filia flinch.

"Blazing?" Filia asked.

"Haven't you caused enough trouble?!" Blazing asked.

"What are you talking about?" Filia asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Just look around!" Blazing ordered as he gestured to the dead earth around them. Filia looked to find what looked like the remains of Ponyville; equine statues with familiar faces standing perfectly still with looks of horror on their faces. Splotches of green slime shattered everywhere.

"Wait," Filia observed. "This is-"

"This is all that's left after you changelings took over!" Blazing barked. Filia blinked as she looked at the equine who cared for her. Blazing glared at her with red eyes from crying. "Rainbow Dash! The Crusaders! My own mother! All gone because of you!" Blazing took a step forward with each description before jabbing a finger into Filia's chest at the last word.

"No!" Filia protested. "I didn't do this!"

"I've had enough of your lies!" Blazing screamed, his voice cracking over the emotion flooding his body. "I saved you from the forest! Helped Zecora nurse you back to health! Take you into my home, and how do you repay me?!"

"I-" Filia tried to get a word in.

"You have your fucking hive capture everyone I know and love, and now they're all gone, thanks to you!" Blazing screamed."

"Blazing," Filia began.

"Get the hell out of my sight, you ungrateful piece of shit!" Blazing ordered.

"Blazing, this isn't my-"

"GO!"

Filia kicked off the ground in a panic as she felt Blazing's anger reach a breaking point. She struggled to fly off the ground before she hit a statue of three young equines huddled together. She froze when she saw who they were. "Sweetie Belle? Apple Bloom? Scootaloo?" Filia looked at their panic faces frozen in place during their last moments. "What the fuck's going on here?!"

"Everything we could ever want."

Filia gasped and looked to find Chrysalis towering over the statue with an evil grin on her face. "You did wonderful, Filia!" Chrysalis cheered. "The information you gave me was more than enough for me to claim all of Equestria!"

"No!" Filia cried. "I didn't tell you anything! This isn't how it's supposed to be!"

"How else did you expect it to go?" Chrysalis asked as she smashed the CMC statue with her magic, making Filia gasp. "This has always been our goal!"

"Not like this!" Filia protested as she looked around at the destroyed world. Suddenly, she felt a firm grip around her neck, making her gasp for air as she saw the queen lifting her off the ground. Filia gripped Chrysalis' arm as she kicked the air in a desperate effort to break free.

"You've played your part very well, child," Chrysalis hummed. "But now it's time to remove the thorn in my side."

"No!" Filia gasped as Chrysalis pulled her closer as she opened her mouth wide. Filia braced herself for what was to come before Chrysalis's eyes glowed a pure white, and Filia fell to the ground. Filia looked up to find the face of a navy-blue alicorn looking at her.

"I'm watching you," the alicorn stated before fading into a cloud of blue smoke, taking the barren scenery with it.

Filia sat up in her bed and looked around to find herself back in the bedroom she had been sleeping in the last few days. "What the hell?" she asked herself before a knock came from the door.

"Chocolate?" Blazing's voice called. Filia looked at the door with a jump.

"Y-yes?" she answered. The door opened, and Blazing stepped in with a welcoming smile.

"Morning," Blazing greeted. Filia looked to the window to find the sunlight bleeding through the closed blinds.

"It's morning?" she asked herself.

"Everything alright?" Blazing asked as he sat on the edge of the bed, getting the changeling to look at him.

"Yeah," Filia began before swallowing. "I just had a bad dream."

"Changelings have bad dreams?" Blazing asked.

"Is that hard to believe?" Filia asked. "And why'd you call me Chocolate?"

"That's your new name," Blazing warmly answered. "As long as you're here with me and my friends, you're Golden Chocolate."

"And what if I don't want you to call me that?" Filia asked.

"Do you?" Blazing asked.

Filia thought about her given name and everything that had happened the last couple of weeks. She remembered Blazing's Hot Chocolate from yesterday and how much she loved that simple concoction. All the equines who treated her with nothing but love and kindness since the changeling met them. Then she thought about that dream she just woke up from and how awful it was in comparison. Filia soon smiled at Blazing.

"Actually, I kinda like it," she admitted. Blazing smiled at Filia- no; Blazing smiled at Chocolate.

"Well, would you like some breakfast, Chocolate?" Blazing asked as he stood.

"You know I don't need to eat, right?" Chocolate asked.

"I thought it would be nice to ask," Blazing answered as he began to leave the room.

"I'd love some breakfast," Chocolate called, getting Blazing to look at her with a smile.

"Okay," Blazing warmly said before leaving the room.

Chapter VII

"That was better than I thought it would be," Chocolate complimented Blazing's cooking as she leaned back in her seat while rubbing her full belly.

"Glad you liked it," Blazing said as he picked up the dishes. "I learned from my mom. She's the best cook in Equestria."

"Zecora?" Chocolate asked as she watched Blazing carry the dirty dishes to the kitchen.

"No, my adopted mother, Autumn Leaves," Blazing answered as he started washing the dishes. "She would drag me out of bed every morning after cooking breakfast for us, and I loved her cooking." Chocolate relished in the amount of love energy coming from Blazing for the woman who raised him.

"Where is she now?" Chocolate asked.

"She lives in Canterlot with her wife now," Blazing answered as he put the washed dishes in the dish rack to dry.

"Her wife?" Chocolate asked.

"Yeah, she met a gryphon when we lived in Canterlot," Blazing answered.

"A gryphon?" Chocolate asked. "That's surprising. They never leave Gryphon Stone. Not to mention their bad attitudes."

"Well, Gallow is different from most gryphons," Blazing explained as he walked back to the table. "She's kind, loving, good with kids, and doesn't take shit from anyone." Chocolate smiled at the respect Blazing had for the gryphon. "I admit, I was hesitant about her at first because I had no idea what she was or anything like that, but she quickly earned my trust. Gallow and mom got along so well; they got married. They've been together ever since."

"Interesting," Chocolate observed before she looked to the window.

"What is it?" Blazing asked.

"I sense panic," Chocolate answered. Blazing got up and walked to the window to find nothing out of the ordinary.

"Nothing's going on out there," Blazing observed.

"Someone in the library is freaking out about something," Chocolate explained as she walked beside Blazing while in her pegasus form.

"The library?" Blazing asked. "Okay, then we don't want to worry about it."

"Really?" Chocolate asked. "Isn't that where Twilight lives?"

"That's why I'm not worried about it," Blazing answered with a smile as he walked to the couch. Chocolate looked confused.

"But, isn't Twilight like some sorta protector or something?" she asked. "She did help stop my hive from attacking Equestria, after all."

"Yeah, but if only she's the one panicking, then it's nothing serious," Blazing explained. "When she freaks out, it's usually about some kinda scheduling issues or something that's not threatening to Equestria." Suddenly, a loud bank, followed by a quick earthquake, shook the house. Chocolate jumped as Blazing raised an eyebrow. "Though, that's never happened before." Blazing got up and walked to the window to find leaves scattered all around the library, and it looked like the roots were ripped from the ground.

"Should we be concerned now?" Chocolate asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Might as well go see what's going on," Blazing answered as he walked to the door. Chocolate followed Blazing out of the house. They walked to the library, and Blazing opened the door to find Spike sitting on the floor covered in pillow armor with a helmet on while looking like he just got struck by lightning. Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie gathered around with mixed shock, confusion, and concern expressions. Twilight frantically ran back and forth, collecting books, scrolls, ink bottles, and quills while the others watched.

"Uh, what's going on here?" Chocolate asked.

"Oh, hey guys," Rainbow greeted the two.

"Twilight here got a letter from the princess telling her to go to Canterlot to take some kinda test," Applejack explained as she straightened her hat.

"All this over a test?" Chocolate asked as she looked at the mess within the library.

"Trust me," Blazing began. "Twilight Sparkle does not take such things lightly, especially from the princess."

"Tell me about it!" Rainbow added as she hovered over Blazing and Chocolate. "Just earlier this year, Twilight made the whole town go crazy because she missed sending a letter to the princess."

"Say what, now?" Chocolate asked as she watched Twilight running.

"Don't ask," Blazing answered before Rainbow could.

"Enough chatting!" Twilight yelled as she ran between Blazing and Chocolate, with Spike levitating in her magic. "We have to get to the station, now!"

"Nice to see you too!" Blazing called out through the door.

"Hello! Goodbye, Blazing!" Twilight called back as she continued running.

"We better get goin' too," Applejack said as she walked by. "Spike said the princess wanted us to be with Twilight on this one."

"So sorry to rush off like this, darling," Rarity said as she followed Applejack.

"Maybe we can have tea later to make up for it," Fluttershy said while hiding behind her long hair. "If you want, that is."

"That'd be nice, Flutters," Blazing warmly answered.

"Not before I kick your butt in another race, Stripes!" Rainbow called as she flew out of the door.

"Stop calling me that!" Blazing cried out in vain.

"Aw, don't be such a sower pony," Pinkie said as she bounced by them. "We'll have a big party when we come back!"

Blazing and Chocolate watched the seven leave for the train station as Blazing closed the door to the library behind them. When the girls and Spike were gone, Chocolate turned to Blazing, who looked at the clouds in the sky as he took a breath or two to help ease his frustration at Rainbow's nickname for him.

"They all care for you, you know?" Chocolate said, pulling Blazing from his thoughts.

"I know," Blazing replied with a warm smile. After a minute, Blazing looked back at the clouds before kicking off the ground to fly to one of them.

Chocolate watched Blazing as he flew up while thinking about how much the equines unconditionally cared for each other, or at least those she met. Even Blazing's adopted mother found love with a woman of another race. Changeling's never should such care towards each other. When it came to the changeling hive, you either stand tall or get stomped on. Even if a changeling helped another, there is something to be gained.

"Would you like to join me up here?" Blazing called, pulling Chocolate out of her thoughts to look at the cloud, of which Blazing perched himself. Blazing waved at her from the cloud, earning a smile from her before she kicked off the ground. Chocolate stepped on the cloud, losing her balance at the softness before settling her rear down. Blazing chuckled as he sat next to her. "Comfortable?" Blazing asked as he watched her while she felt the white fluff under her.

"I've never felt anything so soft," she observed.

"You've never sat on a cloud before?" Blazing asked.

"I've never had the chance," Chocolate answered as she continued testing the softness. "I always strived to please the queen. Always at her beck and call, doing everything she asked, never faltering."

"Sounds harsh," Blazing observed as he watched her. "Princess Celestia always let us have time to ourselves." Chocolate looked at Blazing. "It didn't matter what position you were in, be it royal guard or scribe; she would always give you personal time."

"How could someone so powerful be so generous?" Chocolate asked. "To rule an entire country with the power to control both the sun and the moon and not use it to control the population?" Blazing watched Chocolate.

"Look around," Blazing said as he gestured to the town below. Chocolate followed his hand and looked at the equine roaming the streets, laughing, playing, shopping, etc. "Every one of us under Celestia's rule has the freedom to live as we want. To may who we choose. To go where we please. Can you say the same about the queen?"

"I can't," Chocolate answered as she stared at the cloud. "But, what about those who get out of line? Those who commit crimes or even betray the princess?"

"Well, no one in Ponyville would do such things," Blazing answered. "But, I've heard the princess has severely punished the wicked. She turned a draconaquus to stone, banished an alicorn to the moon, and has sent many creatures to Tartarus." Chocolate blinked.

"She banished creatures to Tartarus?" Chocolate asked. Blazing only nodded in reply. "I knew Celestia was powerful, but I never knew she would do something like that." she thought to herself. Suddenly, she felt something drape over her back, and she looked to find Blazing's wing over her shoulders before looking at him. "What are you-?"

"Oh, sorry," Blazing said as he pulled his wing away from her. "I don't know why I did that." Chocolate watched Blazing sit there with a blush on his face as he looked at the horizon. Chocolate could sense his embarrassment shoot through the roof as he sat there. After a minute, she tenderly grabbed his wing and pulled it over her shoulders, making Blazing look at her in surprise. Then Chocolate rests her head on Blazing shoulder. Blazing watched her in amazement for a few seconds before he wrapped his wing around her as though he wanted to protect this moment.

"Why am I doing this?" Chocolate asked herself as she rested in Blazing hold, finding a comfort she had never felt before. A comfort she never wanted to fade away. She closed her eyes so she could relish this moment as time seemed to stop. "Why don't I want this to end? This isn't me. This isn't what I want, is it?"

"Chocolate?" Blazing's voice called, pulling Chocolate from her thoughts as she looked at him. "Are you okay?"

"I-" Chocolate began. "I don't know." She looked at the cloud they sat on. "I've never felt so at peace before." Blazing watched her as she observed the events. "I find myself not wanting this to end." She looked at him. "You've done more for me than anyone ever has, without reservation."

"I'd even risk it all to save the queen of the changelings," Blazing stated as he looked into her eyes.

"Why would you do such a thing?" Chocolate asked. "You'd save someone who attacked your capital; threatened your kind-"

"Everyone deserves a chance," Blazing interjected. "Even if it kills me, I'd rather die saving lives than save myself at the cost of another." Chocolate stared into Blazing's eyes in disbelief.

"Blazing," Chocolate began, only to pause, unable to find the words.

"Yes," Blazing said as he tightened his wing over Chocolate's shoulders. "When I first found you in the forest, if I had to do it all over again, I would in a wing beat." They silently stared into each other's eyes for several seconds.

Chocolate found herself in complete disbelief at what Blazing had just told her. She did not doubt that if Chrysalis found her in the forest, the queen would think her weak and leave her to die. She reached out with her senses to find Blazing held nothing back in his statements. The energy coming from his body radiated with truth and conviction. This equine showed dedication to his pursuit of saving lives, no matter what.

Chocolate could not hold it back any longer. She found herself wanting to return the same care Blazing showed to her. She leaned in and locked her lips with Blazing's, catching him by surprise. Blazing's eyes went wide for a few seconds before he leaned into the kiss as he reached up to caress her cheek. Several seconds passed before they gently broke the kiss; Chocolate sat there with her eyes closed while her lip hung open; Blazing opened his eyes to see her face. Soon, Chocolate opened her eyes to meet Blazing's gaze.

"I-" she stuttered. "I don't understand." Blazing looked into her eyes as he rubbed his thumb against her scaly cheek. "Why did I do that? What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing's wrong with you," Blazing softly answered.

"Changelings feed on love; we don't fall in love," Chocolate countered as she looked away. "And even if we did, I only just met you. We barely know each other."

"What's wrong with that?" Blazing asked as he pulled her chin to face him. "We can get to know each other. Take our time."

"It's not possible," Chocolate countered.

"And why not?" Blazing asked.

"Because I'm a changeling, and you're an equine," Chocolate stated. "We're just too different."

"My mother married a gryphon," Blazing countered. "Interspecies relations aren't impossible." Chocolate opened her mouth before Blazing placed a finger over her lips. "I'm not going to push you into anything you don't want. If you don't want this to go anywhere, that's fine."

"How can you be so kind?" Chocolate asked.

"Loving mothers, good friends, the good feelings I get from helping others," Blazing went through a checklist with a slight smile on his face. Chocolate rolled her eyes before looking over the cloud. Blazing watched Chocolate as she stared at the white smoke. They lay there in each other's hold as the peace slowly pulled them into a drowsy state, and they both fell asleep on the cloud.

Chapter VIII

The school bell rang, and all the young equines rushed out of the small building, laughing and smiling at the end of the school day, while the Cutie Mark Crusaders walked out together.

"So, what are we gonna do to get our marks today, Crusaders?" Scootaloo asked as she grabbed her scooter from the side of the schoolhouse.

"Why don't we go visit Blazin' and Chocolate?" Apple Bloom asked in reply.

"Again?" Sweetie Belle asked. "We just saw them yesterday."

"Yeah, but Chocolate's only visitin'," Apple Bloom countered. "We don't know how long she'll be here, so we should make the best of her time here."

"But, what about our marks?" Scootaloo asked. "There's still so many things we haven't tried yet."

"Like what?" Apple Bloom countered with a raised eyebrow. "We've done bowlin', hand glidin'; we even tried workin' for the Foal Free Press." Scootaloo scratched her chin as she thought about all the activities they tried out to earn their marks, and every time she thought of something, she bit her lip when she realized they had already done that.

"Hey, maybe we can ask Chocolate how she got her mark!" Sweetie Belle suggested. "We know how Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and all the others got their marks, but we don't know how she got hers. Come to think of it, we can ask Blazing how he got his mark too!"

"You might be on to something," Scootaloo excitedly observed. "C'mon, Crusaders! We're going to Blazing's!" Scootaloo hitched a light wagon to her scooter before slipping on her helmet while giving her tiny wings a few flaps. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle both hopped onto the wagon before Scootaloo used her wings to drive her scooter with great speed.

"What even is her mark?" Apple Bloom asked as she scratched her head.

"I don't know," Sweetie Belle replied. "I never got a good look at her butt to find out."

"It's a golden heart!" Scootaloo answered as she drove her scooter. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked at Scootaloo with raised eyebrows. "What?" Scootaloo asked as she glanced over her left shoulder to look at them.

"You said that with such enthusiasm," Sweetie Belle answered. "Did you actually look at her butt?"

"So what if I did?" Scootaloo countered. "She's got a good body. Not as good as Rainbow Dash, but she still looks good." Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked at each other before looking at Scootaloo.

"Scoots, do you like girls?" Apple Bloom asked. Scootaloo pulled her scooter to a screeching halt before looking back at her friends, who gripped the edge of the wagon to keep from falling out.

"What? No! I just know a good body when I see one!" Scootaloo defended herself while her cheeks flushed red.

"Scoots, it's okay if you do," Apple Bloom countered quickly.

"yeah," Sweetie added with a smile. "There's nothing wrong with girls liking other girls. Like your aunts!" Scootaloo slowly smiled at them as they reassured her.

"Nothing wrong with it at all," a female voice caught the attention of the Crusaders as they looked up to find Chocolate hovering over them with a smile.

"Hi, Chocolate!" the Crusaders said in unison.

"Hi, girls," Chocolate replied as she landed on the ground next to them.

"Where's Blazin'?" Apple Bloom asked as she looked around.

"Whoa!" Scootaloo's voice cried. The other three looked to find Scootaloo's helmet spinning on the ground where she stood. They all looked up to find Blazing flying through the sky with Scootaloo in his arms. Blazing performed all kinds of aerial flips and tricks while Scootaloo laughed and cheered at the experience.

"Right there," Chocolate said as she watched Blazing fly Scootaloo around. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle watched with broad smiles on their faces.

After a few minutes of flying around, Blazing dove down and softly landed in front of the group before putting Scootaloo down, her hair all frizzled from the wind in her face.

"That was awesome!" Scootaloo cheered as she smiled at Blazing.

"Better than Rainbow Dash?" Blazing asked with a raised eyebrow over a smirk.

"Er, a close second," Scootaloo answered casually. "No one's better than Rainbow Dash!" Blazing chuckled as he ruffled Scootaloo's purple hair.

"Who's next?" Blazing asked the remaining Crusaders with a smile.

"Ooh! Ooh! Me!" Sweetie Belle cried while jumping in place with her right hand extended into the air. Blazing chuckled and scooped her into his arms, bridal style, before kicking off the ground. "Wee!" Sweetie cried out as Blazing carried her through the skies.

"You think Blazin' would make a good daddy?" Apple Bloom asked Chocolate with a smile, earning a blink from the older pegasus.

"Are you kidding?!" Scootaloo called as she walked up. "That stallion loves kids! Think of how he makes time for us!"

"What about your sister, Rainbow Dash?" Chocolate asked.

"Oh, Dash and Scoots ain't related," Apple Bloom answered.

"But, she could be my big sister!" Scootaloo countered. "That would be so awesome!" Chocolate chuckled at the young pegasus' excitement. "Anyway, she's in charge of the weather in Ponyville, training to be a Wonderbolt, and she keeps Equestria safe with her friends!"

"Sounds like a busy equine," Chocolate observed.

"She still makes time for us, especially me, but she has more to worry about than Blazing," Scootaloo added.

Blazing landed on the ground before putting Sweetie Belle down, her two-toned pink and purple hair messy from the flight and a big grin on her face. Sweetie stumbled a few steps as she walked back to Apple Bloom's side. "That was awesome!" she sighed.

"How about you, AB?" Blazing asked with a smile.

"I'm good," Apple Bloom answered with a thankful smile.

"Oh, c'mon, Apple Bloom!" Scootaloo protested. "It's not every day an earth pony can fly with a pegasus!"

"That's okay, Scoots," Blazing said as he ruffled the orange pegasus' purple hair. "She doesn't have to fly if she doesn't want to. Though, the offer still stands," Blazing told Apple Bloom with a smile.

"Thanks," Apple Bloom replied with a thankful smile.

"So, what brings you three to this neck of the woods?" Blazing asked.

"We wanted to ask you guys how you got your marks," Scootaloo answered with a smile as she stood by her friends.

"I never told you that story?" Blazing asked as he scratched his chin while looking at a stray cloud in the sky.

"Shit!" Chocolate cursed herself. "What the hell am I gonna tell them?"

"Well," Blazing began, "I was a little older than you three when mine appeared. Not too different from how Rainbow got hers." Scootaloo blinked as she bounced in excitement. "I was very competitive as a colt, always racing other pegasi, but I wasn't good. I lost every race I participated in. So, I did everything I could to make my wings stronger. I worked out daily, working my wing muscles and doing everything I could to get faster." Chocolate watched Blazing as he told his story while taking in every last ounce of joy the three fillies were radiating. "One day, I challenged myself to my limits. It wasn't a race against anyone else but myself. To fly faster than I ever had before." Blazing's excitement increased with every word as he told the story with his hands and wings. "I flew as fast as I could, and I flew faster! The wind was rushing through my hair and tail! My wings sliced through the wind like a hot knife through butter! I didn't realize it at that moment, but my wings actually were burning!" Blazing extended his wings as he looked at them. The yellow base where the bone protruded from his back fading to a rich red as they held the feathers. "That day, I learned that my wings somehow could generate fire." Chocolate blinked as she stared at Blazing's wings.

"Wait! What?!" she asked herself.

"That night, at home, my mom smiled at me so brightly," Blazing continued. "I had no idea what put that smile on her face until she pointed at this," Blazing turned to his side to show the pegasus wing engulfed in flames sparkling on his flank. "It wasn't until years later I understood why this was my mark."

"Wow!" the Crusaders said in unison.

"Why would flaming wings be your talent?" Sweetie asked.

"Now, that is a story for another time," Blazing answered with a smile.

"Could he be one of those rare breeds of pegasi that can conjure the elements with their wings?" Chocolate asked herself as she stared at Blazing's wings.

"Chocolate?" Blazing's voice pulled Chocolate out of her thoughts as she blinked. "The girls want to know how you got your mark too," Blazing explained. Chocolate could sense his concern as she looked at the girls, who all smiled at her eagerly.

"Well, my story's not at exciting as Blazing," Chocolate said with a warm smile. "I just have a gift for match-making, is all. I can't tell who likes who and if they should start a relationship."

"That's it?" Scootaloo asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, I know a couple of pegasi who really liked each other," Chocolate began, "so I told them to be together. That's when this appeared," Chocolate thought about Zuro and Angel when she told that story. She only partially told the truth, as that was the day she came up with her disguise, as well as the day she encountered Zuro and chose to let him live.

"Aww!" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle said in unison as they smiled at Chocolate, who blushed slightly.

"Eew!" Scootaloo countered. Blazing chuckled as he picked Scootaloo up.

"You won't think it's disgusting when you find your mark, Scoots," Blazing said with a smile.

"Yeah, right," Scootaloo countered as she jumped out of Blazing's hold.

"Just you wait, Scoots," Blazing began, "one day, you'll find your marks, and it won't be some kind of extreme sport like Dash. It'll be something simple. Maybe even something you'll share with your friends, like Dash and her friends."

"That would be so cool!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

"Yeah!" Apple Bloom agreed. "All three of us gettin' our marks together! That would be cool!"

"Maybe we can get our marks in listening to mamby-pamby stories!" Scootaloo groaned as she put her helmet on her head while getting on her scooter. "C'mon, Crusaders. We've got better things to do!"

"We did love your stories," Apple Bloom said as she pulled herself into the wagon hitched to Scootaloo's scooter.

"Yeah," Sweetie Belle added. "Thank you for sharing, you guys." Sweetie sat next to her friend before Scootaloo used her wings to zoom away. Blazing chuckled as he watched the trio leave.

"I don't remember being as obsessed with my mark as those three are," Blazing observed.

"What's so special about those marks again?" Chocolate asked as she stood next to Blazing.

"They're a big part of who we are," Blazing answered. "They show us what we're most skilled at.

"Sounds like a prison to me," Chocolate observed.

"Not really," Blazing countered as he began walking down the road with Chocolate. "Many think that the mark is a sign of the one and only thing we can do in our lives, but the mark is more of a trophy of what we're best at. The one thing I'm known for is my flaming wings, but I'm good at cooking and stuff."

"So, say your mark is that of a rock?" Chocolate asked.

"I imagine that'd mean you know more about rocks than anyone in the world," Blazing said as he scratched his chin. "Or, you focus on the study of rocks more than anything else, but you could still be good at baking."

"Interesting," Chocolate observed as she walked with Blazing.

~~)oOo(~~

The next afternoon, Chocolate sat on a cloud by herself as she looked over the horizon. She had a few minutes to herself since Blazing needed to run some errands for the house. Chocolate did not mind being alone for a few minutes; she relished quiet moments under Queen Chrysalis' service, especially since they were few and far between.

Chocolate thought about the events of the day before and what she had learned about equine lives. Despite her best efforts to think about almost anything else, she could not tear her mind away from one event that happened yesterday. The moment she felt Blazing's lips press against hers. That moment she gave in to her base desires and leaned into Blazing's warmth. She never felt more charged before, and she wanted that feeling again.

Chocolate sighed as she lay on her side while staring at the land in the distance. "What's wrong with me?" she asked herself. "I shouldn't be feeling like this; I'm a changeling!" she quietly cursed herself. "And why is he so damn trusting of me? Why is he so open and caring? Especially when he knows what I am?" Chocolate asked herself these questions repeatedly since she woke up in Blazing's home. "How is he able to make me feel like this?" She paused as she asked this question as if listening for an answer that would never come. She sighed at the silence as she sat up on the cloud.

Suddenly, the skies filled with bright lights coming from the north. Chocolate watched as the light painted the skies with every possible color. She stared in awe at the lights as her body filled with warmth and comfort, unlike anything she had ever experienced before. A warmth that amplified the feelings she felt towards Blazing.

"What the hell?" She asked herself as she stared at the lights. She followed the source until her eyes met the icy horizon of the frozen north. She narrowed her eyes to try and see better before shifting them to eagle eyes. Eagles could see from great distances, but even with the improved vision, she could only make out sparkles from the frozen wasteland. "Why would anything be coming from the north?" She asked herself. "There's nothing there but-" she froze when she thought of the only possible thing that could be out there. "Impossible!"

Chapter IX

"So, do you know anything about the Crystal Empire?" Blazing asked Chocolate as they sat on a cloud just above the edge of the Everfree Forest. A week passed since Twilight, and her friends left Ponyville for Canterlot. When the six returned, they explained how Princess Celestia gave Twilight a task to save the Crystal Empire, and now the great city's light can be seen across Equestria.

"Only that it's an ancient city powered by love and magic," Chocolate answered in her changeling form. Being in a secluded area, Chocolate felt comfortable enough to be in her natural form without fear of being discovered by the equines. "The empire was way before my time. I don't think even Chrysalis knows much about it."

"Powered by love, huh?" Blazing asked as he admired Chocolate's unique form. "Sounds like the perfect place for a changeling." Chocolate looked at Blazing with a raised eyebrow. "A city powered by love. Changelings feed on love. It almost sounds like two sides of the same coin."

"I guess that makes sense," Chocolate observed. "But, if we did belong there, why'd we leave? Why don't we remember it?"

"Maybe you should ask your queen," Blazing suggested.

"Fuck no!" Chocolate countered as she sat up. "What am I gonna do? Go up and be like, "Hey mom, why don't we live in the Crystal Empire?" She'd likely bite my head off for even suggesting such a thing."

"Two questions," Blazing began as he smiled at Chocolate. "One, 'mom'? And, second, why would she do something like that?" Chocolate blinked when she realized her slip of the tongue.

"Oh," Chocolate began as she hung her head. "I guess I never told you Chrysalis is my mother."

"No, you didn't," Blazing casually observed, making Chocolate blink at his reaction.

"That doesn't shock you?" Chocolate asked.

"Why would it?" Blazing asked.

"I just told you I am the daughter of Chrysalis, queen of the changelings, and you're not surprised?" Chocolate observed.

"So what?" Blazing asked. "I'm the sun of a zebra who was adopted by a lesbian. Twilight's the princess's protege. A baby dragon's living in the library. The world's full of fun and interesting facts, and I've seen and heard a lot of them. Having a princess as a friend is cool, but nothing to lose my head over."

"Okay, you're full of surprises," Chocolate observed with a raised eyebrow and a smirk before leaning against Blazing's shoulder. "Anyway, Chrysalis has made it clear she wants Equestria. She never backs down from something she wants. I've seen her kill changelings for even considering other options that don't involve her desired target."

"Harsh," Blazing observed as he draped a wing over Chocolate's shoulders. Chocolate stirred in Blazing's hold.

"Y'know, being Chrysalis' daughter means I could be a lot like her in so many ways," Chocolate explained. "Aren't you worried I'll do something horrible to you?"

"I don't see a cold-hearted, blood-thirsty creature sitting next to me," Blazing answered. "I see a friend I've spent almost a month with who's given me no reason to distrust her."

"You're too trusting," Chocolate stated. "One of these days, your kind-heartedness is going to get you killed."

"Well, when that day comes, I know I'll die doing what's right, even if it kills me," Blazing replied. Chocolate lay in Blazing's hold as she watched the lights in the sky coming from the north. She knew she had to turn against Blazing someday, but everything she experienced as an equine made her dread that moment.

Suddenly, Chocolate fell to the cloud and looked up to find Blazing struggling with Rainbow Dash. The blue pegasus tried to charge Chocolate with a glare on her face while she swung her fists in the air. "Dash?" Chocolate asked as she watched in surprise.

"Let me go, Blazing!" Rainbow cried. "That thing's a changeling!" Blazing covered Rainbow's mouth as he held her against him.

"Dash, calm down!" Blazing growled as he held onto her. "I know she's a changeling!" Blazing's statement gave Rainbow pause as she stopped struggling while keeping a sharp eye on the changeling on the cloud. "I'll explain everything, but you have to calm down." After a few seconds, Rainbow relaxed her muscles. "Chocolate, can you make another cloud or something? I don't want to just drop her." Chocolate inclined her head before she waved her hand, making a green cloud appear beneath Blazing and Rainbow. Blazing let Rainbow go, and they both landed on Chocolate's cloud.

"You better have a damn good explanation, Blazing!" Rainbow growled as she kept her eyes on Chocolate.

"Her name is Filia," Blazing began. "I found her half-dead in the Everfree. I took her to Zecora to heal her, and she's been with me ever since."

"Wait!" Rainbow blinked. "You saved it!"

"What was I supposed to do?" Blazing countered.

"Oh, I don't know," Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Leave it for the Timber Wolves! Lock it away! Alert Princess Celestia and have her deal with it!"

"You know I won't let a creature die like that!" Blazing countered as he glared at Rainbow. "And that "thing" is a she!"

"It's a changeling!" Rainbow countered as she gestured to Chocolate with her hand. "They attacked Canterlot! Tried to ruin Twilight's brother's wedding! Take over Equestria! You do know they're bad news, right?!"

"Yes, I know about the fiasco at Canterlot," Blazing sighed.

"And you saved it anyway?!" Rainbow continued.

"Her!" Blazing snapped. "And, yes, I did! I would've done the same thing to you if you were a changeling! You know that!" Rainbow looked at Chocolate, who quietly sat as she watched the pegasi argue. "And before you go on about how she could be using me, I already know the risks." Rainbow sat on the green cloud for a few seconds before she kicked off to hover.

"First thing's first, let's get rid of this green cloud," Rainbow began, "it's gonna cause a panic."

"Good point," Blazing observed as he looked at Chocolate. "You think you can bring one of the other clouds closer?" Chocolate inclined her head as she waved her hand, making her magic cloud disappear while bringing a natural cloud under Rainbow. Rainbow sat on the cloud while Blazing returned to Chocolate's side.

"Okay, so your friend, Chocolate, was a changeling this entire time?" Rainbow asked.

"I think that's already been established," Blazing answered.

"You seriously trust her; after everything that's happened?" Rainbow asked.

"If she wanted to do me harm, she's had plenty of opportunities to do it," Blazing answered.

Rainbow stared between Blazing and Chocolate as she thought about her options. Chocolate kept a close eye on the pegasus as she sensed her emotions. Confusion, rage, and excitement, just to name a few.

"Okay, Blazing," Rainbow said after a few seconds of silence. "I trust you."

"Whoa!" Chocolate blinked. "Just like that?!"

"Blazing's one of the most trustworthy equines I know," Rainbow stated with a smile. "If he trusts you, that's good enough for me!"

"Thank you, Dash," Blazing said with a smile. Rainbow offered Blazing a small smile before looking at Chocolate.

"But, I'm still gonna keep an eye on you," Rainbow stated. "If you do anything to Stripes or any of my friends, I'll make you regret the day you were born a changeling!" Rainbow slammed her right fist into the palm of her left hand as she threatened Chocolate. Blazing groaned at the nickname Rainbow gave him.

"Dash, changelings are part of a hive," Chocolate explained. "We're almost completely useless on our own."

"Do you expect me to believe that after what your queen did?" Rainbow countered.

"Chrysalis is on another level than a drone, like me," Chocolate countered. "She's the damn queen."

"Yeah, but if changelings are anything like her, they can get stronger like it's nothin'," Rainbow observed. "You guys feed off of love energy, right?"

"Dash, I thought you trusted me," Blazing piped up.

"I do, Stripes," Rainbow countered. "You can't blame me for being careful." Blazing narrowed his brow at Rainbow.

"It's okay, Blaze," Chocolate said as she moved to Blazing's side. "Besides, I don't even wanna go back to the hive." Blazing smiled at Chocolate as she leaned on his side. Rainbow watched Chocolate with a raised eyebrow. "The past month has been so strange and wonderful at the same time."

"How so?" Blazing asked as he draped a wing over her shoulders.

"The equine life is so different from changelings," Chocolate began, "It's a change of pace I'll have to get used to, but one that I'm liking. That, and," Chocolate paused as she looked at Blazing, "you've done more for me than anyone else ever has." Blazing smiled at Chocolate.

"That's so sappy," Rainbow said as she rolled her eyes. "So, when are you two gonna get married and start a union between our races?"

"Dash!" Blazing snapped as his cheeks flushed red.

"Why do all these equines think I should marry Blazing?" Chocolate asked herself.

"What?!" Rainbow asked as she raised her hands in defense. "It's obvious you two are in love; you should make it happen."

"Dash!" Blazing snapped again. Chocolate could not help but giggle at the two pegasi. Blazing blushed harder when he noticed Chocolate's reaction.

"Okay, I'm gonna dash," Rainbow said as she stood on the cloud. "I'll be keeping my eyes on you for a while." Rainbow spread her wings as she prepared to take off.

"Rainbow," Chocolate called. Rainbow stopped to look at Chocolate. "Thank you for understanding." Rainbow stared into Chocolate's blue eyes for a few seconds.

"Just be careful about your disguise from now on," Rainbow urged before taking off. Chocolate and Blazing watched Rainbow fall away.

"Do you think she'll tell the others?" Chocolate asked.

"Rainbow's not the type to turn her back on her friends," Blazing answered. "She may be hot-headed, but she's one you want as a friend."

"Do you think you can trust all of them with the truth?" Chocolate asked as she looked at Blazing, who looked back.

"Are you saying you want them all to know?" Blazing asked. Chocolate thought about how she wanted to answer before she felt a sudden sting in her spine. She sat up and tried looking over her shoulder to see if anything was there. "You okay?" Blazing asked.

"Is there something on my back?" Chocolate asked as she turned her back to Blazing, who examined it closely.

"I don't see- wait," Blazing said as he slid his hand over her scales.

"What?" Chocolate asked as she looked at Blazing over her shoulder.

"Weren't your wings black?" Blazing asked. Chocolate spread her wings as she looked at them to find they appeared more crystal blue-green instead of black. Though they maintained their dragonlike shape, the color in her scales began to change.

"What the-?" Chocolate said as she stared in awe.

"I take it that's not normal?" Blazing asked.

"No," Chocolate answered as she gave her wings a few flaps.

"Have you been feeding?" Blazing asked. Chocolate blinked as she thought about the answer. For the first few days, she kept her focus on getting the information she needed for Chrysalis, but as the days turned into weeks, the changeling lost herself in the warmth she felt from everything around her.

"I haven't been paying attention," Chocolate observed.

"Maybe Zecora has the answers?" Blazing suggested. "We should go see her."

Chocolate paused as she thought about the day she faced Zuro. "Did he look different?" she asked herself. She was so focused on her task to kill Zuro on the spot; she ignored the details of his body. "He was in his natural form, wasn't he?"

"Chocolate?" Blazing called, pulling the changeling out of her thoughts.

"I think I know someone else who may have the answers," Chocolate observed as she changed to her pegasus form. "Follow me." Chocolate jumped off the cloud and flew toward the town. Blazing took off after her. Chocolate landed in front of Zuro's house as Blazing landed next to her.

"Zuro?" Blazing asked. "What would he know about any of this?"

"Trust me," Chocolate said as she knocked on the door.

"Come in!" a female voice answered. Chocolate opened the door and stepped inside to find Angel sitting on the couch with a bundle in her arms, pressed against her breast. The pegasus looked up and smiled at her guest. "Hey, Blazing," Angel warmly greeted.

"Hi, Angel," Blazing replied with a smile. "I see the bun is done baking." Angel giggled.

"She's been a handful, but I couldn't be happier to have her in my arms," Angel said as she smiled at her baby.

"Angel, is Zuro here?" Chocolate asked as she closed the door behind them before reverting to her changeling form. Blazing blinked when he saw Chocolate change in front of Angel.

"Chocolate?!" Blazing cried out. "What are you doing?"

"It's okay, Blazing," Angel called. "I already know about Filia." Blazing blinked as he looked at Angel. "Let's just say she paid us a visit a few weeks ago."

"It's Chocolate now," Chocolate corrected, getting Angel to look up.

"Oh?" Angel asked.

The door opened behind Blazing and Chocolate, who both looked to find Zuro walking in with a few bags over his shoulder. When Zuro saw Blazing and Chocolate, he blinked before quickly closing the door behind him. "What's going on?" Zuro asked.

"Zuro, I need to ask you something," Chocolate said as she walked up to her fellow changeling. Zuro looked between Chocolate and Blazing.

"So, he knows?" Zuro asked.

"You can trust him," Chocolate answered. Blazing stared with intent as Zuro released his guise in front of everyone while walking to his wife. Chocolate took in the features of Zuro's body to find there was a significant change. His scales changed from black to grey with white highlights. His wings were now transparent and a crystal blue-green color.

"Wait, you're a changeling too?" Blazing asked in shock.

"Really?" Chocolate asked as she raised a brow at Blazing. "You're not surprised about Chrysalis being my mother, but Zuro being a changeling does surprise you?"

"This one is catching me off guard," Blazing defended himself.

"I trust this isn't going to be a problem?" Angel piped up as she looked at her guests. Chocolate noticed a change in her personality since the last time she saw her. Angel seemed more confident, and the energy she gave off was protective and threatening.

"I'm not here to cause trouble," Chocolate stated as she watched the couple on the couch. "I just wanted to ask you something," she said as she looked at Zuro.

"What about?" Zuro asked.

"Your body," Chocolate answered. "I didn't notice before, but you've changed." Zuro paused before looking at himself.

"Yeah, that started happening around the time I proposed to Angel," Zuro explained before looking at his princess. "Why do you ask?" Chocolate only turned to show her wings. Zuro immediately got up from his seat to get a closer look. "It's happening to you too?"

"I just noticed it a few minutes ago," Chocolate explained. "I suddenly felt a sting in my back and looked to find this. I was hoping you could give me an answer." While the two changelings examined Chocolate's wings, the two pegasi watched with intent.

"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure how or why this is happening, but I think it has something to do with the energy around us," Zuro explained. "After spending so much time with my new friends here in Ponyville, I noticed I stopped needing to feed. I accepted the change, and suddenly I changed."

"Just like that?" Chocolate asked.

"As I said, I don't understand it," Zuro answered. "But since I changed, I've never felt better. I'm not hungry anymore. I don't feel the need to lash out. Everything's different, and I love it."

"You don't think it's some kind of new sickness to us?" Chocolate asked.

Eventually, Blazing walked to Angel with a soft smile on his face as he looked at the bundle in her arms. "So, when did the baby come?"

"A week ago," Angel answered with a smile.

"And, nobody told me?" Blazing asked. Angel gestured to the seat next to her.

"We have our reasons," Angel said as Blazing sat next to her. The baby let go of Angel's teat, giving Blazing enough of a glance to find it had changeling features. The baby's scales were blue, a shade darker than her eyes, and her ears were thin and changeling-like. A set of fangs protruded from her lips against Angel's breast as the baby fed.

"Yeah, that would be hard to explain to everyone," Blazing observed as he reached a hand to tickle the baby's chin. Angel watched with a smile as her child seemed to enjoy the attention. "Have you picked a name?" Blazing asked.

"Actually, Dili named her," Angel said as she rested the baby over her shoulder to pat her back.

"Dili?" Blazing asked.

"Zuro's little sister," Angel explained as she heard a little burp by her ear before resting the baby back in her arms. "Her name's Bluejoy. Because she's blue, and she brought us all joy."

"Sounds perfect," Blazing observed with a smile.

"Guardian and I agree," Angel said as she watched Bluejoy give a big yawn. "So, how'd you find your changeling?"

"In the forest," Blazing answered as he looked at the two changelings, still lost in their conversation. "She was half-dead, and I couldn't just leave her there."

"And she hasn't caused you any trouble?" Angel asked as she looked at Chocolate.

"Not at all," Blazing answered. "She's actually been adjusting quite well."

"Interesting," Angel observed.

"You said she paid you a visit before," Blazing observed as he looked at Angel, who looked at Chocolate with a glare before looking at Blazing.

"Just be careful, okay?" Angel urged.

"She threatened you, didn't she?" Blazing asked, only getting a nod from the other pegasus. "But, she didn't do anything to you, right?"

"Blazing," Angel began.

"If she does anything wrong, I'll take the blame," Blazing interjected. "I've been keeping my eyes on her ever since I found her, and I don't think she's a threat."

"Blazing, if she kills my husband-" Angel began to protest.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you or your family," Blazing interjected again.

"I already swore I wouldn't do anything to Zuro," Chocolate piped up, getting the two pegasi to look up. Angel opened her mouth to say something. "We felt your stress rising," Chocolate said before Angel could speak.

"Honey, I know you don't trust her," Zuro began, "but if Filia-"

"Chocolate," Chocolate corrected. Zuro softly smiled at Chocolate.

"If Chocolate says she's not going to do anything, I know she won't," Zuro finished.

"That's not enough for me, Guardian," Angel protested. Blazing stood up and walked next to Chocolate.

"Zuro is quite the capable fighter, fueled by your love, and you have me and a few others to turn to if things go south," Blazing explained.

"Wait, others know about Chocolate?" Zuro asked.

"Pinkie let it slipped she might know something, and Rainbow just found out earlier," Blazing explained. "Those two and Zecora helped heal her. Between the girls and us, I think we can handle her if she steps out of line," Blazing said as he looked at Chocolate as if warning her not to try anything.

"The last month has been too good for me to try anything," Chocolate said as she looked between the three. "I think I'm starting to understand why you left," Chocolate said as she looked at Zuro, who smiled at her before going to sit next to his wife.

"And I'll defend everything I have here until my dying breath," Zuro stated as he looked at his daughter.

Chocolate watched Zuro and Angel as they huddled around their baby. Chocolate could feel the energy radiating from the trio, which started to make her dizzy. She took a step back as she shook her head with a soft groan.

"Chocolate, are you okay?" Blazing asked as he stepped up. Zuro looked at Chocolate.

"She's not used to the energy yet," Zuro observed. "You should probably take her home."

"She's been here for at least a month," Blazing began, "how could she not be used to it yet?"

"Some changelings react to the energy differently," Zuro explained.

"He's right," Chocolate added as she turned to the door while shifting to her pegasus form. "Some take to it easy, others take it slower, and some even lash out if they're not used to it."

"Glad you're not the type to lash out," Blazing observed as he walked with Chocolate before looking back at Zuro and Angel. "At least I know I have someone else I can look to if I need any help."

"I'm glad you took it well," Zuro smiled.

"Hey, when you've seen the shit I've seen, almost nothing is a surprise," Blazing stated.

"This coming from the guy who was surprised that Zuro is a changeling," Chocolate retorted.

"Hey, I wasn't expecting an old friend to be a changeling," Blazing countered.

"Sure," Chocolate rolled her eyes. "Now, let's go, so I can recover."

Chapter X

Chocolate suddenly woke up in her bed as she sat up in a panic. She looked to the window to find the shadow of a changeling looking at her from outside. She quickly removed the blankets before getting out of the bed to rush to the window, which she opened.

"Princess, I've come for a report on your progress," the changeling stated matter-of-factly before noticing her wings.

"Not here!" Chocolate whispered as she pulled herself out of the window, closing it behind her. "Follow!" She took off toward the forest, the drone following close.

Chocolate knew the equines were sleeping in their homes, but she kept alert if she and the drone needed to change forms. After a brief flight without incident, they landed within the boundaries of the Everfree Forest, where Chocolate turned to the drone with a glare.

"You couldn't have chosen a better time to contact me?!" Chocolate hissed.

"Forgive me, your highness," the drone bowed his head in respect. "I'd have come during the day, but I didn't want to raise suspicion." Chocolate quickly gripped his throat as she glared into his eyes.

"You can come up with a better lie than that!" she hissed.

"I was watching you from a distance," the drone said as he choked for breath.

"Spying on me?!" Chocolate observed.

"Observing!" the drone choked.

Chocolate dragged the other changeling toward a tree, which she slammed him against as she glared into his eyes while pressing her arm with her entire body weight against his chest. "Start talking!"

"Chrysalis ordered me to get your report," the drone began, "that's the truth!"

"There's more to it than that if you were spying on me," Chocolate interjected. "Hidden from my senses, no less! I swear to the stars, you better give me a fucking answer before I slit your throat!" She raised her hand as it to the form of an Ursa claw to his neck. The drone swallowed as he sensed her rising rage.

"Chrysalis suspected you were defecting, so she had me come to observe you," the changeling explained. Chocolate slammed her arm into his chest before letting him fall to the ground, coughing for breath as he sat there clenching his chest.

"Why would she think I'd do such a thing?" Chocolate hissed as she paced back and forth.

"You tell me," the droned said as he regained his breath while looking at his princess. "You're the one getting close with a pegasus." Chocolate shot him a glare. "Tell me, princess. How will you explain to the queen how you feel about Blazing Feathers," he paused as he smirked at her, "while letting a traitor live."

Chocolate glared into the drone's eyes as if trying to burn his soul with fire as he got to his feet.

"I could've told the queen you lied to her," he began, "but I wanted to give you the chance to explain yourself."

"You do know who you're talking to, right?" Chocolate said as she took a step closer, making the drone take a step back. "I could slice open your gut and watch as your insides paint the ground where you stand, or rip out your heart and force you to watch it stop beating." She could see the fear in his eyes as he stared into her eyes.

"What would you tell the queen if you kill me?" he asked as he backed into the tree while staring into her eyes. "I'm expected to return with a report. If I don't return to her, she'll take action."

"You're a disposable drone on an errand," Chocolate countered. "Chrysalis won't waste the entire hive for you." The drone gulped again as Chocolate stepped so close, he could feel her breath on his scales. "Then again, it would be better to let you live." A few seconds passed, and the drone began to relax before Chocolate stabbed him in the gut with the thorn protruding from her elbow. "Because you're going to tell her I've not forgotten my place, and I am on task."

"You-" the drone gasped.

"Poison," Chocolate explained. The drone looked at Chocolate in surprise. "Don't worry; it won't kill you yet. First, you're going back to the hive, and you're going to tell Chrysalis that the Crystal Empire has returned." She removed the thorn and began to walk away. "And I killed you because you pissed me off."

"Why should I go back now?" the drone asked as he gasped from the pain.

"Because the poison will make your death all the more painful if you don't," Chocolate explained as she spread her wings. "And Chrysalis may have the cure for you."

The drone watched as Chocolate kicked off the ground and flew back to the town. "Now, what am I gonna do?" Chocolate asked herself as she approached the house. She opened the window to her bedroom and quietly slipped inside before closing it behind her. She stopped and looked around the room, which had given her so much comfort ever since Blazing took her in. After that encounter, this room would not provide her that same comfort. She looked at the unmade bed for a few seconds before she looked at the door. She warred with herself about whether or not she should return to the bed Blazing gave her or to find someplace else to sleep for the rest of the night.

Chocolate walked past the bed and out the bedroom door before turning down the hall to Blazing's room, where she entered quietly. She looked to find Blazing sound sleep in his bed with the blankets covering him from the waist down. She could sense the pegasus at peace in his dreams as she watched him closely. "The changelings, who made my life hell ever since I was born," she said to herself as she stared at the sleeping pegasus, "... or the ponies who've been nothing but kind to me? Even if only a few of them know the truth."

Chocolate began taking baby steps toward Blazing's bed. "If they reject me, I'll have no one to turn to, nowhere to go." She softly sat on the edge of the bed next to Blazing, being careful not to wake him from his peaceful sleep. "If I reject them, I'll have to return to that hell." She carefully slipped under the covers next to Blazing before snuggling closer to him, taking in the warmth of his body as she could sense his emotions begin to shift from peace to happiness. "I don't want to return to hell," she told herself as she snuggled closer to the pegasus. "I want happiness and peace."

~~)oOo(~~

Chrysalis sat on her throne with her legs spread wide as she held a drone's face against her soaking slit while she moaned in pleasure. "Yes!" Chrysalis moaned as she hed her subject please her. "Make your queen happy!" Other changelings watched in hunger as Chrysalis moaned in bliss at the pleasure.

"Queen Chrysalis!"

The gathered changelings scattered as Chrysalis hissed at the interruption before shoving the unfortunate drone to the ground. "Who dares-?!" Chrysalis paused when she saw the drone she sent to Ponyville collapse to the ground in front of her. "What's this?!" Chrysalis stood up from her throne and stomped toward the injured changeling.

"Filia!" the drone gasped. "She poisoned me!"

Chrysalis only raised an eyebrow. "You must've pissed her off, then."

"Please, your highness," the drone begged. "Cure me!"

"What do you have to report?" Chrysalis asked as she watched the dying changeling.

"Please-!"

"Report!"

"She only said she hasn't forgotten her place," the drone gasped. "And that the Crystal Empire has returned!" Chrysalis blinked as she heard these words.

"The empire?!" Chrysalis thought aloud as she looked into the distance.

"There's more!" the drone added the bated breath.

"Speak!" Chrysalis ordered as she looked at her subject.

"Please, highness," he pleaded. "Give me the cure, and I'll tell you!" Chrysalis hissed as she snatched the changeling off the ground and held him in the air by his throat.

"You dare!" Chrysalis hissed as the drone struggled against both the poison and her grip. "I'll find out the rest later," Chrysalis hissed before squeezing his neck so tightly it snapped. When the drone's body fell limp in her hand, she let it fall to the ground before turning to her throne. "Throw out the garbage!" she ordered as she walked to the throne. Four changelings flew in and carried the body away as another approached the queen while getting on her knees.

"Shall I resume pleasing you, my queen?" the changeling asked. Chrysalis folded her legs.

"You did well, but I no longer need your services," Chrysalis answered.

"Is there any other way I might serve you, my queen?" The changeling asked. "Perhaps I could find out about the princess?"

"No," Chrysalis answered. "Leave Filia be for now."

"As you wish, your highness," the changeling said as she bowed her head before flying into the maze of the changeling hive. Chrysalis placed her chin in the palm of her hand as she relaxed into her throne. "Filia's obviously hiding something from me," Chrysalis said to herself. "I'll let her play her games for now. After all, what child doesn't go through a rebellious stage?" She thought about what the drone just told her about the Crystal Empire. "Sypher!" Another changeling flew in and bowed his head as he landed in front of Chrysalis.

"Yes, your highness?" Sypher answered.

"Go out and find what you can about the Crystal Empire," Chrysalis ordered. "But do not go there under any circumstances."

"I shall leave at once, your highness!" Sypher said before flying away.

"I doubt there's anything of worth to me in the Empire," Chrysalis said to herself as she leaned on her throne. "But if Filia has defected, I can't rely on her for any more information."

~~)oOO(~~

Blazing stirred as he woke from his peaceful sleep to find something clinging to his torso. In confusion, he looked to see Chocolate still asleep with him in her hold. "Chocolate?" Blazing asked as he watched her sleep soundly. Rather than wake her up, he tenderly wrapped his arm around her back and watched her as she slept.

It only took a few minutes of waiting before Chocolate began to stir. Chocolate opened her eyes and looked up to find Blazing smiling softly at her. "Morning," Blazing warmly greeted Chocolate.

"Hi," Chocolate sighed as she held onto Blazing, who could see something bothered the changeling clinging to him.

"What's wrong?" Blazing asked as he patted Chocolate's head. Chocolate stayed silent for several seconds before she tightened her grip on Blazing.

"I don't want this to end," Chocolate said as she buried her face in the fur of Blazing's chest. Confused, Blazing rubbed her back in an attempt to comfort her. "Blaze; a changeling showed up last night," Chocolate explained.

"What did he do?" Blazing asked as he held Chocolate close.

"It's not what he did; it's what I did," Chocolate choked on her words as she began to cry. Blazing watched her as her tears began to stain his coat. "I may have made a terrible mistake!"

"Calm down," Blazing said as she held her close. "Talk to me; what's going on."

"I was angry and scared," Chocolate explained. "I didn't know what to do, so I poisoned him!"

"Why would you do that?" Blazing softly asked.

"He found out about Zuro," Chocolate answered. "I was supposed to kill Zuro, and I didn't want that changeling to tell her I failed!" Chocolate removed her face from Blazing's chest to wipe her tears. "Now, Chrysalis might come for me. If she does, I don't know what to do."

"Hey," Blazing said as he pulled her chin up to look at him. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

"But, what about you?" Chocolate asked. "You've done so much for me; I don't want anything to happen to you." Blazing pecked her forehead.

"Whatever comes our way, we'll face it together," Blazing reassured Chocolate.

"Is this a bad time?" a familiar female voice called from the window, making Blazing and Chocolate jump as they turned to find Rainbow poking her head through the open window.

"Rainbow Dash!"

Prologue

The barrier grew weaker with every strike From the changelings as they bashed their black, scaly fists against the pink aura of magic, desperately trying to get it.

"Come on, drones!" a female cried out as she slammed her fist against the wall. "Just a little more, and we can feed!" She slammed her fist once again, and a crack formed under her scales. A grin formed on her face, and she doubled her efforts. "And with me leading the charge, I'll solidify my place as the next queen!" she growled as she punched the barrier. She pulled back her fist to the point her elbow almost hit her back and gave one hard swing. Crack! The crack she made shattered, and she grinned. She looked around to find the other changelings were just as successful at that moment, and the barrier came crashing down in the fragments that disappeared as they fell. "Charge!"

"For the hive!" another shifter cried out as they all flew straight for the city. The lead female hovered in place as she watched her drones attack with a smile on her face.

"Finally!" she mused. "We can feed!" She watched the changelings land on the streets, causing the ground to shatter and crack at their dragon-like feet. The equine natives began running in terror as their great city was being invaded. After hovering for a minute watching her changeling brethren attack the city, her eyes turned to the castle, and she flew toward it. As she approached, she could see the changeling queen standing on the balcony with a grin on her face.

"Mother," the shifter called as she landed. She looked around to find other changelings were already at work encasing the Equestrian princess in a clear, green chrysalis. She also noted the royal guard captain stood at the altar with a blank expression on his face while the young princess the changeling queen came to replace was being shackled by shifter magic. She turned to the queen standing on the balcony with a grin and bowed her head."The city is ours!"

"Not quite yet, my darling, Filia," the queen countered as she watched the chaos unfold around the city. Filia looked at the queen in curiosity.

"Mother?" Filia called. The queen gestured to the spot next to her, to which Filia walked up without hesitation. "Princess Celestia is imprisoned. Princess Cadence is helpless. Our assault overpowers the guards. Shining Armor is clearly under your spell. There's no one left to stop us."

"Unfortunately, there are," the queen countered. "Six of the equine are on their way to the Elements of Harmony." Filia blinked.

"The magic of legend?" Filia asked.

"The tools used to imprison Nightmare Moon for a thousand years and encased the chaotic one in stone for even longer," the queen said as she inclined her head.

"Twilight will stop you, Chrysalis!" the younger alicorn cried out as she struggled against the green shackles tied to her wrists. The queen chuckled as Filia glared at the young princess.

"Silence, welp!" Filia barked before a hand rested on her shoulder.

"Leave her be, my darling daughter," Chrysalis ordered as Filia looked up at the queen. "There's no chance young Twilight, and her friends will ever get to the Elements in time." Chrysalis looked at Filia with a smile.

"I will see to it they are stopped!" Filia declared confidently.

"I have something else for you in mind," Chrysalis countered.

"Order and I obey, mother," Filia replied with a bow of her head. Chrysalis chuckled before she looked at the city.

"You remember Gnator, don't you?" Chrysalis asked.

"How can I not?" Filia replied as she rolled her eyes. "That fool only joined the army a year ago. Honestly, I don't know why you gave him so much attention."

"It's because he's the younger brother of that traitor who left the hive years ago," Chrysalis explained. Filia blinked at Chrysalis.

"Wait, a deserter?" Filia asked.

"The boy's name is Zuro," Chrysalis explained. "Apparently, his family has a history of abandoning the hive to be with the equine, and they didn't bother to share their spoils." Filia glared. "I had Gnator feed his big brother information about this attack so we could get rid of them both at once." Chrysalis smiled at Filia. "I want you to find them."

"Considered it done, mother," Filia bowed her head before spreading her wings and flying off the balcony.

"You might want to find some equine to feed off of before you do," Chrysalis suggested. Filia stopped and looked at the queen as she hovered in place. "Zuro has spent a few years amongst the equine, feeding off their love energy the entire time. I know you're stronger than most shifters, being my daughter, but luck favors the repaired."

"I won't fail you, mother," Filia bowed her head and flew off. Filia observed the carnage as she flew over the buildings. Changelings were all over the town, chasing equine around every corner. "There's no way we can lose," she said to herself as she smiled at the chaos. She stopped in mid-air to close her eyes and open her senses. "I need to feed," she told herself as she focused on the cloud of emotions filling the air. Most of it was fear of the assault mixed with desperation to protect loved ones. After a minute, the image of a blue female pegasus filled her mind. "Whoever this one is, she sure is loved," she observed as she began to shift. Her scales folded on themselves as her body began to change color from black to blue, and black hair grew on her head. Then her bat-like wings sprouted feathers, and her transformation was complete. "Now, to find your lover!" she grinned as she flew off.

Filia dawned a look of terror as she flew through the streets as if she were being chased. "Help!" she cried out in desperation before she rounded a corner to find a fellow changeling flying back into a wall. He shook his head and looked up to find Filia in her changeling disguise and blinked.

"Angel, what the hell are you doing here?!" he asked in horror. "I told you to stay home!" Filia blinked in confusion before she realized who this changeling was.

"Zuro!" she called with a glare. "You traitor!" The shifter blinked before another tackled him to the wall. Filia blinked at the sudden attack. "Gnator!" Zuro called. "Stop this!"

"You brought this on yourself!" the second changeling growled as he held his brother against the wall by his throat. Filia grinned at this wonderful happenstance.

"Oh, this is perfect!" she proclaimed. They looked at her as she reverted to her natural form.

"Princess!?" Gnator called in shock. "I got this one!" he growled as he glared at Zuro.

"Unfortunately for you, you've outlived your usefulness," Filia declared as she pulled the thorn from her left elbow. Both changelings looked at her in confusion as she raised her wand at them. "Time for you both to die!"

"What?!" Gnator called as Zuro grabbed Gnator's wrist.

"Move!" Zuro called out as he yanked his younger brother out of the way just in time for Filia's green magic energy to hit the wall where they were. Filia growled as she chased after them, blasting at them with her magic as they flew through the streets.

"You and your family will suffer!" Filia cried as she tried to strike them down.

"Why is she doing this?!" Gnator could be heard as he flew with Zuro.

"Classic tactic!" Zuro answered as they rounded a corner. "Use the friends of your enemy as bate to eliminate both!"

"But, I was loyal to Chrysalis!" Gnator protested. Filia managed to hover in front of them, stopping them in their tracks.

"You and your family deserted the hive before!" Filia observed. "For that, you will pay!" She raised her wand for another strike before a flash of pink coming from the castle caught their attention. All three changelings looked at the castle as the light flashed from within.

"What the hell's that?" Gnator asked.

"Equine magic!" Zuro answered.

"Mother!" Filia cried out as she took off toward the castle. She flew faster than she ever had before as the pink light grew brighter. Just before she got to the balcony, a bright flash exploded from the castle, and another barrier expanded from within. Filia tried to stop, but she was not fast enough. She collided with the barrier as it sent her flying away from the city hard and fast. She had no control over herself as she flailed her arms and legs in a desperate attempt to stop herself, but it was no use. The magic of the new barrier zapped her of all her strength, and she found herself flying toward a forest just outside of a small town. She fell through thick branches and vines until she hit the ground with a thud.

Filia groaned as she regained consciousness. As she struggled to open her eyes, she only felt pain throughout her body. Fighting the pain, she opened her eyes and looked around to find everything dark around her. She tried to pick herself off the ground, only to fall as the pain shot through her arms. "Ah!" she cried out in pain. She lay on her side as she shivered from the pain. "Mother?" she cried out with a weakened voice. Her physical strength was completely gone. "Mother?" she cried out desperately through her magic. She looked at the sky in vain as the only thing she could see was the leaves, branches, and vines of the forest she found herself in. "Damn it!" she cursed as she mustered what little strength she had to curl up.

"How am I gonna get out of this one?" she asked herself as she lay there. She tried reaching out with her senses to find any source of energy she could find. A forest is a home to all kinds of creatures. She could try to feed off whatever filled the air from the animals around her. Or at least she could use whatever there was to keep her alive. As she reached out with her senses, she found something to absorb.

After several unmarked hours of scavenging anything she could absorb, she found enough strength to start crawling. "I'm sure I saw a town outside the forest," she observed as she painfully pulled herself through the mud. As she dragged herself on the ground, she found she was in worse shape than she initially thought. She stopped to look her body over and found fresh cuts and bruises all over her body. "Damn it!" she cursed as she lay on her back. "I've got to get to that town to feed!"

She struggled on the ground for so long; she had no idea how much time had passed. She did not even know how long she was unconscious. Was it just a few hours, or did that barrier knock her out for days? "Mother?" she tried reaching out again. "Where are you?" She looked at the trees overhead as tears began to stream down her cheeks. "Is this how it all ends? The princess of the shifters lost in a forest with no one to turn to?" She closed her eyes as she lay there, seemingly accepting her fate as she waited for darkness to claim her.

"Is someone out there?" a male voice called out.

Chapter V

Blazing opened the front door of his house to let Filia in. After she passed him, he walked in, closing the door behind him. As soon as Filia heard the door closed, she released her magic and reverted to her natural form with a sigh of relief.

"Are you okay?" Blazing asked as he watched her.

"I'm fine," Filia answered as she slumped on the couch in the middle of the room. Blazing watched Filia for a few seconds before he walked towards the kitchen at the other side of the room.

"How about I make some of that hot chocolate I promised?" he asked. Filia looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Some what, now?" she asked.

"Hot chocolate," he answered. "You know? That love potion thing we talked about this morning?"

"Oh," she sighed as she leaned back in her seat. "Sure, whatever."

Despite Filia's careless answer, Blazing smiled at the fact she accepted his offer and continued into the kitchen. Filia sat on the couch staring at the floor as she listened to the sound of rushing water. After a few seconds, she looked at her body to find the cuts almost wholly gone. The amount of energy she absorbed would have increased her power tenfold if she were not so weak. "This is ridiculous!" she thought to herself. "I'm Queen Chrysalis' daughter! I shouldn't be in this pathetic state!"

"It takes a few minutes to boil the water," Blazing said as he stepped into the room, pulling Filia out of her thoughts as she looked at him. Blazing offered her a warm smile as he leaned against the wall. Filia tore her eyes from Blazing to look around the room. She scanned all the pictures hanging on the walls and sitting on the shelves until she spotted a picture of Blazing with a unicorn female. She pulled herself off the couch and walked to the image hanging on the wall.

The picture showed Blazing standing beside a unicorn female with a yellow coat that matched his own. Her hair was a royal blue and curly, much like Pinkie Pie's. Both Blazing and the unicorn looked happy together as they stood net to each other.

"Who's this?" Filia asked. Blazing walked up to look at the picture.

Filia suddenly sensed nothing but heartbreak and sadness coming from the pegasus standing by her, and she looked at him to find tears running down his cheeks. Whoever this equine was, she caused him great pain somehow.

"That's Water Weight," Blazing softly said as he reached up and slid his fingertips on the glass of the frame. "She and I worked together in the fields." Filia sensed annoyance, followed by love, then joy, and finally, heartbreak. "She was absolutely fearless and full of joy. We fell in love. I was even willing to ask her to marry me." Blazing's lip began to quiver as he recalled the events.

"What," she said. "Did she cheat on you or something?" Blazing closed his eyes and turned away from the picture.

"She was killed," he answered. Filia looked at the picture. When she looked to where Blazing went, she could not see him.

"No wonder mother was so desperate to claim this land," she thought to herself. "Love is more powerful than I thought, and Equestria's full of it. Damn!" Whistling pulled Filia out of her thoughts, and she looked toward the kitchen.

"It's ready," Blazing called out. Filia looked at the picture again before turning toward the kitchen.

"So, uh," she began as she thought about what to say next. "Did Water like your hot chocolate too?"

"She loved it," Blazing answered as he came out with two mugs in either hand. He offered one of the mugs to Filia. "Careful, it's hot." Filia reached up and took the mug from his hand in both of hers. She stared at the contents of the cup as it steamed from the heat. She took a whiff of the brown liquid and found the scent inviting. She raised the cup to her lips and let the contents spill into her mouth. Filia's eyes went wide at the sensation flooding her taste buds. "Good, huh?" Blazing asked just before Filia guzzled down the whole drink. "I take that as a yes," Blazing chuckled. Filia gasped as she licked her lips.

"More!" she demanded as she held the mug to him. Blazing chuckled.

"I guess Chocolate was a good name after all," Blazing observed as he took her cup. "Luckily, I boiled enough water for seconds." Blazing went back into the kitchen to make her another batch.

Filia followed Blazing into the kitchen. "How do you make this stuff?" she asked as she watched him. Blazing looked at her with a smile before turning to the kettle on the stove.

"First, you need to boil water," he began. "Next, you need one of these." He held up a small package for her to see. He tore the chocolate open and carefully set it to the side so he would not spill any of it. He took the kettle and poured the water into Filia's empty mug. "Now, you add the chocolate," he explained as he took the bag of chocolate and poured it into the cup.

"That's all?" Filia asked.

"Not quite," Blazing answered. "You need to mix the chocolate into the water, and then it's done." Blazing took a spoon and stirred the hot chocolate before he handed the cup to her, which she took with vigor. "Try to enjoy it a little slower," Blazing said as he chuckled. "It'll last longer that way." Blazing's suggestion made Filia smirk, and she took a sip of her drink. "I guess changelings can take the heat better than us equines. I usually have to let it cool a bit, or it burns my tongue."

"Are you kidding?!" Filia asked. "This is amazing!"

"Thank you," Blazing chuckled. Blazing took another sip as he walked past Filia into the living room. "Well, I think that went pretty well, all things considering."

"What did?" Filia asked as she followed him into the room.

"Meeting my friends," Blazing answered. "You got to meet them all without a hitch."

"And it was easy to make those fools think I was one of them," Filia thought to herself. Suddenly, she looked at the front door before she took her new pegasus form. Blazing looked at her before he followed her gaze just as there was a knock.

"I sense three disappointed children," Filia whispered.

"The Crusaders," Blazing observed as he got to his feet and walked to the door. He opened the door and smiled when he saw the Cutie Mark Crusaders looking upset. "Hi, girls!" Blazing greeted.

"Hey, Blazing," the trio said in unison.

"Let me guess," Blazing began with a smirk on his face. "No marks?" The girls shook their heads in reply.

"We're definitely not getting our marks in skydiving," Scootaloo groaned.

"You three actually tried skydiving?" Filia asked as she stepped beside Blazing.

"Why don't you three come in?" Blazing offered as he stepped to the side to let them in.

"Thanks, Blazin'," Apple Bloom said with a thankful smile on her face. The trio walked in one by one.

"Is that hot chocolate I smell?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Oh! Can we have some?!" Scootaloo asked excitedly.

"Yeah!" Apple Bloom added. "You make the best hot chocolate, Blazin'!" Blazing chuckled at the three.

"I see no harm in making some more," Blazing said as he closed the door before walking to the kitchen. "Make yourselves comfortable while I get it ready." The Crusaders hopped onto the couch in the middle of the room while Filia watched them, unable to hide the smile on her face.

"Zecora wasn't lying when she said others love your hot chocolate," Filia observed.

"It's because I pour my heart into it," Blazing called from the kitchen.

"Oh, hi, Chocolate," Apple Bloom greeted warmly.

"How are you liking Ponyville?" Scootaloo asked.

"It's different from what I'm used to, I'll say that much," Filia answered as she looked for a place to sit.

"Good different?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"So good, it's nauseating," Filia thought to herself before she sat on a chair not far from the couch. "Yes, Sweetie," she answered.

"That's awesome!" Scootaloo cooed.

"Yeah," Apple Bloom agreed. "Maybe y'all should live here!"

"Yeah," Sweetie Belle piped up with a smile. "And you and Blazing can get married and have kids!"

"Whoa now, Crusaders!" Blazing chuckled as he walked in with three cups of hot chocolate on a tray, which he sat on the table in front of the trio. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, now. Chocolate's only visiting."

"Oh, come on," Scootaloo cried as the Crusaders took their cups. "You two are perfect together!"

"Yeah," Apple Bloom agreed.

"You've only just met Chocolate today," Blazing smiled at them.

"But you both are pegasi," Scootaloo observed. "You know each other; you get along-"

"Scoots," Blazing interjected. "Chocolate is just a friend. That's all. And don't you three get any ideas about brewing a love potion." Blazing added with a smirk.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that," Sweetie Belle said after a sip of her hot chocolate. "We've learned our lesson."

"Love potion?" Filia piped up.

"These three brewed a love potion for their teacher some time ago, and things got a little," Blazing paused as he thought about what to say next.

"All of Ponyville could've been overrun with starving, uneducated equines!" Apple Bloom cried.

"Now, it wouldn't have been that bad, AB," Blazing chuckle.

"Let me guess," Filia began. "Pegasus feather, rainbow, and a tuft of a cloud?" The crusaders nodded in unison. "Yeah, that's some powerful shit."

"Chocolate, language," Blazing huffed. "These are kids!" He looked to the Crusaders. "Don't you three start using words like that, you hear me?"

"We promise!" Scootaloo cheered.

"Me too," Apple Bloom agreed.

"Me three," Sweetie Belle said as she raised a hand. "But, why?"

"Swear words aren't for little kids," Blazing explained. Sweetie Belle shrugged before she took another sip of her hot chocolate.

"You make the best hot chocolate, Blazing," Sweetie complimented.

"Hands down!" Scootaloo agreed before sipping from her cup.

"Hey, why don't you tell us how y'all met?" Apple Bloom suggested.

"Yeah!" Scootaloo agreed. "How'd you two love birds meet?"

"Scoots, we're just friends," Blazing countered. "Now, let's see," he thought as he scratched his chin.

"He saved my life," Filia piped up. Blazing blinked as he looked at her while the Crusaders watched her intently. "It was in the middle of a forest far from here. There I was, lying half-dead in the bushes. I had no food, no water, and my chances of survival dropped rapidly."

"She telling the truth?" Blazing asked himself.

The Crusaders watched Filia in awe as they listened to her tell the story as if she were telling a ghost story.

"I was too weak to move," Filia continued. "I couldn't even lift my wings." She spread her wings for effect. "I thought I was done for when all of a sudden, this strapping young pegasus came to the rescue!" The Crusaders smiled at Blazing, who scratched the back of his head in both embarrassment and confusion. "The last thing I saw was this yellow pegasus scooping me up and carrying me away, and the next thing I knew, I woke up in a warm bed."

"Wow!" The crusaders said in unison.

"You really saved her, Blazing?" Sweetie asked.

"Of course he did!" Scootaloo answered for Blazing. "He's strong and caring! He'd never leave an injured equine like that!"

"That's amazing!" Sweetie cheered.

Filia took in all the positive energy flooding the room. The Crusaders may have been young, but they were full of love and joy for Blazing, and Blazing had little to no negative energy in his body. Filia could not help but smile at the change of scenery. The hive always felt cold, harsh; you had to be strong to survive. Here, she felt like she could let her guard down, even if only a little bit and part of her relished the feeling.

"Yeah, Stripes is cool but not as cool as me," a familiar raspy female voice called from behind Blazing, making all five of the others jump in surprise.

"Dash?!" Blazing squeaked. "When did you come into my house?!"

"The door was opened, and you all were focused on Chocolate's story about how you met," Rainbow explained. "Sweet moves on rescuing Chocolate, Stripes," she said as she nudged his shoulder with her elbow while smirking. Blazing groaned at the nickname.

"I just did what any sensible equine would've done," Blazing replied. "And for the last time, stop calling me Stripes," he glared at Rainbow.

"Dream on, Stripes," Rainbow said as she took his cup and drank the rest of his hot chocolate. "I may be awesome, but you still make the best hot chocolate!"

"I would've made you some, Dash," Blazing groaned.

"Yours was getting cold," Rainbow replied. Blazing rolled his eyes.

"Weren't you at the party?" Blazing asked.

"Everyone left after you two did," Rainbow explained as she plopped onto the couch next to Scootaloo. Filia noticed how the excitement in the young pegasus spiked at that moment. Filia did not need to sense the emotion to know Scootaloo admired Rainbow Dash.

"That's surprising," Blazing observed. "Everyone loves Pinkie's parties."

"Yeah, it was weird," Rainbow said as she scratched her chin. "Everyone said they were feeling tired, so they left." Blazing looked at Filia, who rubbed the back of her neck.

"I guess I absorbed more than I thought," she thought to herself. Suddenly, a sharp sting ran down her spine, and she looked to the window, trying not to react to the pain. She stared out the window, her eyes darting left and right across streets, bushes, and houses within view. She could not see anything.

"Hello! Earth to Chocolate!"

Filia blinked and looked at Rainbow, who had a confused look on her face.

"Everything okay over there?" Rainbow asked. "You blacked out on us for a minute." Filia looked at Blazing, who she sensed was very concerned with what happened.

"Sorry," Filia began. "I tend to fade out like that from time to time. Nothing to worry about." She offered the five equines a reassuring smile as if nothing was wrong. The Crusaders looked at each other while Rainbow shrugged.

"Maybe you need some rest?" Blazing suggested. "You have been on a long trip, after all." Blazing's suggestion gave Filia an idea, and she gave a great yawn as she stretched.

"I was up pretty late last night," Filia answered. "Maybe a quick nap will do me some good."

"Chocolate, you're speaking my language!" Rainbow grinned. "Mind if I crash on your couch for a while, Stripes?" Blazing got up and pulled Rainbow up.

"Not happening, Dashster!" Blazing said as he began pushing her toward the front door. "You can find yourself a touch branch or soft cloud to take your power naps on like always."

"Hey!" Rainbow protested. "Is this about your nickname?! I promise to use it less often!"

"Out!" Blazing ordered as he pushed Rainbow out the door. The Crusaders could not help but chuckle at the smirk on Blazing's face. Before Rainbow could protest further, Blazing slammed the door and leaned his back against it.

"Rude, much?" Filia asked. "That's the second time today."

"Can you blame me?" Blazing asked.

"Does this mean we have to go too?" Scootaloo asked.

"Maybe you three can try your luck at hot chocolate making at Sugar-Cube Corner," Blazing suggested with a smile.

"Why would we do that when yours is the best?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Hey, you never know," Blazing began with a friendly smile. "Your hot chocolate may be better than mine."

"It's worth a shot," Sweetie thought out loud.

"I dunno," Apple Bloom piped up. "Last time I tried to make anythin' at Sugar-Cube Corner, it turned out pretty bad."

"That was baking," Scootaloo corrected. "This can't be worse than that."

"And even if you don't get your marks in making hot chocolate," Blazing interjected. "You'll at least know how to make a tasty treat for yourselves."

"That's a good idea!" Apple Bloom smiled. "But, can we still have some of yours?" she asked with a worried look.

"Any time," Blazing answered with a warm smile. The trio hopped off the couch and wrapped Blazing in a group hug while saying "thank you" in unison. Filia smiled at the four equines before they split.

"C'mon, Crusaders!" Scootaloo cheered. With that, they rushed out the front door, leaving it opened for Blazing to close before he looked at Filia.

"You okay?" he asked. Filia sighed as she released her disguise.

"I don't know," she answered. "I've never felt anything like that before." She looked out the window as Blazing watched her in concern. "If I have to hazard a guess, I'd say it was a changeling high in the ranks looking for me."

"What makes you say that?" Blazing asked as he looked out the window before closing the blinds.

"It's just a hunch," Filia observed as she watched the blinds. "But, part of me hopes I'm wrong."

Outside the house, atop the neighboring house, stood a crow peering through the window before Blazing closed the blinds inside. The blackbird spread its wings and took off toward the mountains in the distance. After flying for a few miles, a flash of green magic transformed the crow into a changeling.

"What the fuck are you up to, Princess?" he growled under his breath as he flew.

The changeling arrived at a cave in the mountains and walked right in to find the rest of his hive gathered around fires to keep warm. Many of the changelings were either injured or unconscious from their endeavor at Canterlot Castle. The changeling ignored his kin as he walked through to find the queen sitting alone in the far end of the cave. He stopped before he got within ten feet of his queen and dropped to one knee.

"I found the princess, your highness," he said with a growl. Chrysalis looked at the drone who spoke.

"Alive?" Chrysalis asked.

"Yes, your highness."

"And, you didn't think to bring her here?"

"Forgive me, your highness," the changeling began. "But, the princess was with a pegasus male name Blazing Feathers." Chrysalis raised her brow at him. After a minute of silence, the changeling dared to glance at his queen.

"What is she doing with the equine?" Chrysalis asked sharply, making the changeling tear his eyes away from her.

"I'm not sure, your highness," the changeling answered. "When they're alone, she doesn't even hide what she is."

"You mean to tell me this Blazing Feathers knows she's a changeling?!" Chrysalis hissed, getting the attention of all the other changelings in the cave. The lone drone only nodded in reply. Chrysalis glared at the changeling in front of her before looking away. "What are you up to, my child?" she asked herself out loud as she scratched her chin. The drone looked at her. After a minute, Chrysalis' demeanor appeared to settle. "My Filia never does anything without reason, but why allow this pegasus to know the truth?" The drone wanted to say something but kept his lips sealed tight out of fear. Chrysalis looked at the drone. "Consider yourself lucky, Torck," she began. "For a second, I thought about ending your miserable life where you kneel."

"Th-thank you, your highness," the drone studdered.

"For now, I need you to gather the hive and return to the castle," Chrysalis ordered.

"What of the princess?" he asked as he looked up.

"Leave her to me," Chrysalis answered. The drone bowed his head.

"Yes, your highness!" he said before getting to his feet. "Alright, everyone! We're returning to the Desolute Zone!"

Chrysalis walked to the cave entrance as the changelings began moving to look over the land. In the distance, she could make out the small town where her drone just did recognizance. "You've never disappointed me before, Filia, but I'm curious as to what you're up to," she thought to herself. She spread her great wings and took off toward Ponyville. "You better have a good explanation, my daughter."