For once in the last couple of days, I had woken up on my own accord, and it felt weird. No Luna, no Celestia, just me, myself, and I. The sun had managed to creak through the little cracks in the curtains, where said curtains had failed to fully block out the world outside. It made the room look kinda cozy despite how big and grand it actually was, but I knew I wasn’t going to stay in here all day. I still got a whole city to explore, which I was looking forward to, and being cooped up all day would suck.

I quickly took care of my morning routine, brushing my teeth, using the bathroom, taking a shower, and I’m ready to face the day ahead. Maybe today I will go ahead and spend the day in the castle, as I might as well get acquainted with the insides of this place. It’s only where I’ll be staying for the next couple of years, so putting off on learning the castle will surely only have benefits, right?

Anyways, I closed my door to… wow, nobody. No Celestia, no Luna? Apparently they were ‘going back to schedule’ as per usual, so I should probably just assume that my adopters are doing whatever the heck princesses do, and not question my sudden solitude. After all, how could I turn up some time to myself?

So I began to walk through the halls while humming the little tune I heard yesterday while exploring Canterlot. I’m also just going to skip breakfast today, it’s what I normally do anyways, but it’s something I’m gonna do today.

I’m a little rebel.

I stopped myself around the sixth turn, seeing as I am now thoroughly confused as to where the heck I am. I looked here, looked there, and shrugged before heading off in another direction. I don’t really care where the heck I end up, but I just hope I end up in some random location by the end of my wandering. Oh look, a nice long line of ponies who ranged from rich, to your usual everyday pony.

Every single one of the ponies looked at me and kept staring with mixed looks of hatred, fear, confusion, and mostly just disdain. A few of the richer looking ones simply turned their noses, while the ones closest to the doors started staring at the two guards in front of said doors.

Both of the guards that were standing in front of the doors had also caught sight of me almost immediately after one of the rich ponies nudged them and pointed at me. “Ah, you must be Prince Nogla. We’ve been informed about you… do you wish to see Princess Celestia right now?” One of the guards asked.

“Wait, why’s this line here?”

“This is the line for Day Court. I’m certain that Princess Celestia would be willing to hold up the line-“

“Why aren’t you two taking care of that damned bug? For Celestia’s sake-“

The doors opened with two ponies walking out, both with smiles and a couple of documents, being tailed by Celestia who waved the two mares goodbye as they went down the corridor. Well, speak of the devil and she shows herself. Celestia immediately noticed me and smiled. She walked over to me, all regally with a glare, like she’ll regally kick my ass, before kneeling down and nuzzling my cheek.

“Good morning Nogla. I am surprised that you managed to make your way to the throne room. Do you need anything? If you wish to have breakfast, I can have a guard escort you to the dining hall. If you’d like to wait, then I can go until eleven-hundred and make you pancakes!”

“Uh… I was just walking around the castle to try and get familiar with it. Though pancakes do sound lovely right now.”

“Uh… Princess?” One of the nobles in line piped up. “Are you being mind controlled by that thing?”

“That thing has a name, my little pony. And to answer your question, I am not under the influence of any kind of mind controlling spell; those simply won’t work on me. Nogla here is a prince, adopted by me as my son, and Luna has adopted him as well, as an aunt. As such, I shall tend to him as I see fit, and I believe Nogla can help out with day court.”

“Wait what?” Everyone, myself included, shouted.

“Uh… are you sure I should be helping? I can barely even lead a school dodgeball team during gym class. You think I can decide whether or not somebody gets something important like a loan?”

“Well, I mostly wish to keep you here with me so I may spend some time with you. And it will help with getting my little ponies used to you.” Well, I can’t really argue with that, because my brain has melted into a pile of goo, but it’s still something I can’t argue against. “Ms. Inkwell, feel free to send the next partitioner in please.”

“Of course, your highness,” the secretary opened the door and a rich looking pony walked in, looking mildly concerned about the changeling(me) sitting beside the throne, before handing the Princess a few documents.

“This looks like you wish to purchase a piece of land for… what exactly? This is exactly where the marketplace in Canterlot is,” Celestia looked over the documents really quickly, jesus. Well, she was only the second one. “And you would like to buy several streets where there are already established businesses. Please…”

“My name is Quick Buck, your highness. You see, Princess, I have been meaning to find a better way to sell my wares, but there simply is not enough space for them in the marketplace. So I would like to buy out the entire thing and control what is happening-”

“Uh…”

“What is it, you freak?”

“That sounds really bad, like really bad. For starters, you buying the marketplace would lead to you being able to tell who can or cannot sell anything in the marketplace… isn’t that land owned by the crown or something?” I looked up at Celestia who shook her head.

“It is a Canterlot City property. While the Crown is stationed in Canterlot, the city has its own city council and regulations. It just happens that myself and Luna have chosen to have our home and palace in this wonderful city,” she corrected. “But you do raise a good point, Nogla. This seems like an attempt at promoting anticompetition, which is quite bad for the economy. Unfortunately, Quick Buck, I cannot allow this to happen, and this is a matter you must take up with Canterlot City Council.”

“But your highness, you were my last hope for this! Please, my business-”

“Hold it, Quick Buck, how much money do you make in a month?”

“Fifty thousand bits a month, why does that matter to you? You’re a Changeling, you probably don’t even know what a bit is!”

“It’s a type of currency, I know that much. But Fifty Thousand a month… twelve months in a year- oh look, you’re making six hundred thousand bits a year. At a minimum, you’re already a millionaire. Boohoo, you don’t have all the money in the world. I believe some of those fine ponies down in the marketplace are smaller, family business, yes?” Celestia nodded. “Aight Quick Buck, go with what my mother told you, and just go home. Before you say I have no right in saying what’s going on, I’m just giving you advice; is it really worth making it seem like you’re disobeying the Princess of the Sun? Bringer of the Morn? The very pony that is the highest power in Equestria, if not the world? While also in her castle where she can sick the entire guard on you for starting a coupe?”

Quick Buck opened his mouth to speak before closing it. He glared at me, bowed to Celestia and stomped out of the room while grumbling what sounded like slurs.

“I have yet to see a noble change their tune so quickly about having their petition being denied,” Celestia grinned. “I should use that argument more, it would save me a lot fo headaches.”

Most of the other petitioners came and went without a hitch, some asked me about what it’s like to the ‘son of Celestia’ despite me being a changeling, others brought actual problems up that were solved. All of them were shocked that I was a changeling, and a quarter of those petitioners had asked if Celly was being mind controlled by me, all of which received a resounding no. As it turns out, Celestia is so old, that she has some resilience to basic mind control spells.

“The last petitioner of the day!” Celestia clapped her hooves. “I’m surprised that you hadn’t said much beyond the first petitioner. You sure did have a lot to say to that noble, some of which was slightly uncalled for, but it was entertaining to see how angry you can get at a noble, and in turn, make them just as angry.”

“I coulda actually insulted him, Celly. I was just telling him the truth; he’s well off and doesn’t need to expand his business any further. Sure, maintaining said business is important, but snuffing your competition out, most of whom aren’t as well off, is fucked up. And I get angry over it… So who’s the last petitioner?” I asked.

“Somepony named Trixie Lulamoon,” Ms. Inkwell read off her clipboard. My ears perked up. As in Trixie from yesterday? The only pony to treat me incredibly well despite what I am?

My first pony friend?

“Well, let us see what Ms. Lulamoon has come to ask of us today. I heard she has… been struggling quite a bit since Ponyville.”

The doors opened and Trixie, her hat and cape were notably absent, walked in and her expression lit up upon seeing me. The showman quickly bowed to Celestia. “Good afternoon… your highness. Trixie has come to thank your… son! Nogla, it is great to see you-“

“Hey Trixie!” I hopped down from my spot next to Celestia and felt my wings go ‘buzz’ as I hovered on over to my friend. “So, how’s your day going?”

“Oh it is wonderful! Trixie is scheduled to put on a show for a school, where she will get paid a small sum. While not nearly as much as you have given Trixie, it is still much better than the last few months she has had to endure with barely any shows, and by extension, very little money.”

Trixie had chosen now to pull me into a hug and start nuzzling her cheek into mine. This was nice, I like this. I want to keep this pony.

“Am… Am I missing something?” Celestia asked while cocking her head.

“Oh, Princess, this little changeling you have adopted is wonderful! Trixie has told him of her woes, and he had not only bought her dinner, but given the rest of his money to Trixie! Now she has at least seven hundred bits to keep her going until next year!”

“Nogla, is that why your guard didn’t return your money pouch last night?” I nodded. “Well… I cannot say I’m disappointed or mad. In fact, I am quite happy that you’ve managed to make a friend so quickly. What’s more, you’ve helped a pony in need! Oh, I wondered what my grandfoals would have looked like from time to time if I ever had any foals to begin with!” Celestia clapped her hooves with an almost childlike glee.

“What does that mean?” I asked. I really don’t know what Celestia is implying.

“Oh nothing, Nogla. Though I must point out, you have just flown across the room to greet Trixie. Perhaps Cadence is pulling some strings?”

“What does the Princess of Food have to do with me and Trixie?” For some reason, the mare’s eyes widened. Trixie then reeled back and started to choke on her spit for a second.

“T-Trixie can see where this is going, Nogla is a tad too young for Trixie’s preferences… And she would prefer to not know what giving birth is like.”

“What does that mean again?” I asked, cocking my head.

“You’ll learn when you're older,” Celestia said while snapping a picture with a camera she hadn’t had until just now. “I can’t wait to show Luna this picture!”

I could see a little mischievous sparkle in Celly’s eyes as she watched Trixie alone, bumbling about what she had just said, while I was completely clueless.

Meanwhile…

Quick Buck grumbled to himself as he stomped through the streets of the plaza. If it weren’t for that stupid bug pointing it out, this plaza would be his! Every street leading in and out of the plaza would also be his, and his business would flourish far, far more than its current state.

“Stupid bug’s probably mind controlling the Princess, that is the only reason why Princess Celestia wasn’t practically begging for me to buy this stupid place out.”

“I believe I know of a way to solve your problems,” Quick Buck stopped to see a rather attractive looking mare, a unicorn no less, standing behind him.

“And how will you solve my problems? My business is beginning to fail, and there’s no way you’re going to be able to get me the rights to the plaza even if you tried!”

“Well, it is quite simple. But first, may we speak somewhere more… private if we can? I can explain everything, and tell you why I am interested in helping you.” The mare purred. “After all, I have some issues with the changeling that was adopted by Princess Celestia!” Quick Buck grinned.

“And what does this plan involve?”

“Follow me and I can tell you everything!” The mare rubbed the stallion’s chin in a seductive manner. Quick Buck nodded dumbly before following the mare into a dark alleyway.

Quick Buck had followed the mare, who went by Chrysilium, into a simple little house. It wasn’t anything spectacular, but the mare didn’t seem to mind. It was entirely unassuming and on a street where Quick Buck knew guards patrolled the least in Canterlot. Once inside, the unicorn had closed the door before turning to the stallion, who had just taken a seat at the coffee table.

“Now… that we are here, let us get down to business. I suppose I also do not need this disguise now that we are alone…” Chrysilium was engulfed in green flames, which slowly began to break away as it revealed a black exoskeleton. A wavy, almost transparent followed a jagged, rough horn. Insectoid wings fluttered as they were revealed for the world to see, and long, hole riddled legs finally began to give way. Now, instead of a unicorn mare that stood roughly at Quick buck’s height, stood a changeling that stood at Princess Celestia’s height.

For some reason, Quick Buck still found this thing to be very attractive

“Before you start screaming, I am merely here to collect a rogue, little drone that believes it is wise to mind control a foreign leader into adopting it. And for my plan, I need you, Quick Buck.”

“A-and why should I trust you?”

“Because I wish to make peace between my kind and Equestria, but I cannot do that if a drone is mind controlling the Princesses, can I? That little drone still has plans on taking over Equestria, which is why he had defected from my Hive… unfortunately old habits die hard in my drones, and this drone in particular, needs to be eliminated.” Queen Chrysalis silently added that she mostly just wanted to take something away from the Princesses, anything that seemed to make them happy.

“So… Can I get your help, little pony?”

“It depends…”

“I can convince the Princess into letting you buy the marketplace plaza.”

“Well… count me in!”

“Foolish foal,” Chrysalis whispered before going into her plan with the stallion.

I poked and prodded at my food, Day Court went on for much longer than expected, so instead of breakfast or lunch, we were having brunch. Good thing for me too, since I’m still not hungry. It’s a shame too, since this looks like a nice little salad mixed with what looked like French Toast, which was actually called Prench Toast. Seriously, the amount of stuff that sounds eerily similar to actual places on Earth is a bit scary, but I suppose it comes along with the fact that this supposedly a parallel universe to mine.

At least that was Twilight’s working theory given the presences of people that not only went by the same names as her friends here, but acted almost exactly the same in my world. Jesus, when I end up going home, I can’t tell anybody about this can I? Not without being seen as a lunatic at least. Can I even really go home? I mean, nobody who goes missing, is presumed dead, and comes back is ever really looked at the same ever again.

I wouldn’t be treated the same as I would if I never showed up in Equestria.

“Are you alright, Nogla?” Celestia asked.

“At first I just wasn’t hungry, I don’t know why, but after some thinking, can I even go home?”

“Of course, once the portal opens up-”

“Yeah, I can go home once the portal opens up again, but… nothing will be the same. Time frames aside, I won’t be treated the same. Instead of me being treated as ‘Nogla, that one kid who’s just kinda there’, I’ll be ‘that one kid who apparently died and came back’. I don’t think I’d want to go back on just that alone. I’m already as good as dead by the time I can even go back home, assuming time moves the same across both dimensions and the last, so if I never go back, not much would change. And if I stayed here, I don’t think many would be accepting of me even a decade from now.”

Celestia paused midway before taking a fork full of lettuce and swallowing. “Well, I am sure your mother would be overzealous to see you again after thinking you were dead.”

“And then she wouldn’t treat me like how she did a week ago.”

“Over my life, I have seen many things, experienced nigh everything. From foals not knowing their place in the world, to young adults questioning if life is even worth living… and I know what it is like to not be able to see your loved ones for quite some time, I did have to banish Luna to the moon for a thousand years, and I still treat her as I did back then, if not a little better. Even if I do try to force some more time with my sister whenever I can, I still treat her as I do. However, this is because I knew Lulu wasn’t dead, in fact, I don’t know if I would be able to treat my sister the same if she were to suddenly die and come back alive and healthy the next day, week, or even a year from now.”

Celestia lifted me up with her magic and pulled me into a feathery embrace that made me melt.

“So while I cannot give you a definitive answer, there is always a next time for the portal to open, should you ever wish to return to your home. But if you do not, then you will always have a place in Equestria.”

My stomach finally growled.

“Well, I shall leave you to your meal, I must finish up and attend a few meetings I have scheduled. If you need anything, you can ask a guard for something, or to summon me, or find Lulu if she is awake at this hour.” I nodded and gave Celly a nuzzle, which made the Mare of the Morn seize up for a moment, before she nuzzled me back, and got up to go perform her Princessy duties. Suddenly I didn’t feel so hungry again, but I still ate the food; it would be rude not to.

The next day, I decided to go on a walk around Canterlot again, now that news about me has probably spread even more now with me being in Day Court, and potentially in a newspaper. So hopefully more ponies will either be accepting of me, or at least not. Celestia had given me a new money pouch, saying that I deserved it for ‘being such a good friend to Trixie’, according to Sharpened Dagger.

I stopped at some point, looking into a jewelry store and eyeballing a nice little pocket watch. It wasn’t golden, but it was mostly made out of silver. There wasn’t a shot in hell my small amount of bits would be able to buy that, but it was a nice little watch. Perhaps I can…

“Do you want that watch, sir?” Sharpened Dagger asked, appearing out of nowhere. I yelped and that got a little smirk out of my guard. “I take it you didn’t know I was here, which meant I’m doing my job well.”

“Yeah, you gotta give me stealth lessons at some point! I wanna sneak up on Luna or Celestia one day.”

Sharpened Dagger smirked. “I can definitely give you pointers, though I have found it nigh impossible to truly catch either of the Sisters off guard. Some theorize that they can pick up on magical signatures of other creatures, which would make sense since some unicorns can do exactly that. And alicorns are a mix of all three tribes, but on steroids.”

“Aw, I wanted to scare the shit out of Celestia mid paperwork.”

“I still wouldn’t recommend that, as it would probably end very poorly for one reason or another. Besides, aren’t you a changeling? You could just shapeshift into anything you want-”

“I dunno how to do that. I uh… am pretty young and no’ling could teach me before I was tossed out of my Hive.”

“Well then… c’mon. If you want that watch I can get it for you. Believe it or not, you have your own personal fund that’s actually significantly more than the bits given to you each time you head out, which is already pretty substantial as is. I, or the Princesses just need to be present when you wish to use that personal fund on substantial purchases like that watch.” My eyes widened in shock as my guard practically dragged me into the jewelry store.

“How many bits do I have in my money pouch again?”

“Let’s just say, you have at least three weeks' pay of a new recruit in the guard.”

“What the actual fuck, that is way too much for somebody like me.”

The guard chuckled. “I take it you aren’t used to having that much-”

“I’m just… holy shit, that is… can’t I put half my personal fund into some charity or something? Like I know I won’t be spending even a quarter of it, so I might as well put it into something that’ll help ponies out.”

“That can be arranged.” The guard patted me on the back and went to talk to the store owner.

I walked out of the jewelry store with my new pocket watch, the same one I was eying, on a chain around my neck. At the very least, this will help others differentiate me from other changelings should the need arise. On another note, this is a really nice watch that I can use to actually tell the time with, and I can do it in a cool way too! I held the watch in my magic for a little bit before allowing it to fall on my chest, where it swung side to side with every step.

“So, where to next-”

“Oh dear Celestia, it’s that changeling!” A couple of mares walked up to me and started going on about how ‘cute it is’, or ‘I can’t believe I’m seeing such a tiny little changeling’. Great, back at home I was kinda tall, and apparently I’m short here. That’s good, that’s really good actually. I hate how people point out how tall I am, but now the exact opposite is happening, where everypony’s pointing out how short I am.

“What the heck is going on?” I asked while being manhandled by a couple of ponies.

“Didn’t you see the newspaper?” One of the mares asked.

‘What?”

“I just got us a copy sir,” Sharpened Dagger said, emerging from the ethereal dimension this guy seems to reside in. “Judging from how you’re on the first page, I’d say you’re going to be really popular soon if you already aren’t popular.”

The two of us sat on a bench, and I had ended up leaning on my guard, who made zero protests, so I just didn’t move. As Dagger had said, I was on the first title, and the headline read ‘Princess Celestia Adopted a Changeling’ and it started going on about how cute the whole thing was. From a shot where I was being carried away by Celly on her back, to how I refer to Celestia by a nickname on occasion.

“Surprisingly, nothing says you’re mind controlling the Princess-” Sharpened stopped when a flash of light blinded us momentarily.

“I think that camera guy has you beat on stealth,” I chuckled.

“Those damned journalists, we can never truly catch them before they run off with material for their latest scoop…”

“Say, you don’t actually mind me leaning on you like this, right? I know you’re my guard and you pretty much just go with whatever I’m doing, but I know I must be invading your personal space.”

“Don’t sweat it kiddo, it’s kind of like having my own son. Never had any foals of my own, so this is as close as I’m getting to that. It’s… pleasant.”

I couldn’t tell if my guard was lying, but he seemed to be pretty genuine.

“Well, let’s expect some scandalous articles, like how you’re dating Celly, and I’m what popped out. Soon enough, some’ll start theorizing that you also might be a changeling.”

“Ha! I wish I was dating Princess Celestia! What good colt hasn’t dreamt of doing that at least once?”

“I can get you two hooked up-”

“No, notta. She wouldn’t have interests in a simple guard like me.”

“You never know until you try! Come on, I can get you hooked up with Celly and-”

“The problem with that is, I would have to get used to ‘Celly’ and learn how to stop treating ‘Celly’ as Princess Celestia. I haven’t tried to court the Princess mostly out of fear, but also because I know how hard it would be for me to see past the Sun, and just see the mare that lies underneath. Plus, wouldn't it be weird to have me marry your mother?”

“Meh, my actual father was barely in the picture. If he was, you think I would be here, leaning on a guard? No, I’d probably be like every other freak that is my species, and try draining said guard for every ounce of love he’s got… like I am about to right now.” I pounced on my guard and the two of us began to wrestle…

Why did I think this was a good idea? It just felt right.

Kevin snickered to himself when he managed to fool the guards, he had just infiltrated the Castle, the second Castle of the Two Sisters, and it wasn’t even that hard! All he had to do was change into a guard and he was allowed in! Kevin the Changeling God, that is how his kind will remember him for pulling such a task, while performing a duty specifically given to him by the Queen herself! Kevin walked down the hallways and stationed himself outside of a door, which he could sense had some nobles in it.

Just select one, follow them, and kill them in a way that grabs everyone's attention, and do it with that defective drone in the close by. That’s the plan the Queen had laid out for him, and it was perfect! He could torture one of these foul ponies, and kill them all in one go! All while capturing that stupid drone that thought mind controlling the Princesses would save him from the wrath of the Queen.

For now however, he would just have to patrol the halls like any Royal Guardsman would, and bide his time for the right time to strike.

Sergeant Dagger carried me on his back throughout the castle, as I was tired. Despite my greatest efforts, I could not pin this guy down while wrestling unless Sergeant Dagger let me. It didn’t help that the dude was trained for fighting, and also probably had a good hundred kilograms on me. Eitherway, we had a lot of fun, and now… Sergeant really doesn’t feel like some guy that’s just watching over me because he gets paid to do it.

“That little wrestling match really took a lot out of you.”

“Well, I was never the most… fit buggy in the Hive; I’m not built for fighting. I would much rather sit down, read a book in front of the fireplace, and relax. Hence why… I left my Hive.”

“Hah! I feel ya. I would much rather not fight anypony, but the opportunity to give my skills to the Princesses and keep their palace safe is something I simply couldn’t pass up!” My guard nuzzled me… holy fuck. We stopped out of my room, and the door was opened with a simple little tap from the guard’s hoof. I was then laid down on my bed, and the guard pulled the blanket over me.

“If you need anything, I’ll be right outside the door. I believe one of the Princesses will be coming by to wish you goodnight, but I think you’ll be out like a light by the time one of them shows up. Sleep tight, Nogla, and don’t let the… bedbugs bite!”

“That was horrible and you know it.”

The guard laughed before heading to stand guard by my door.

Author's Note

welp. things are gonna pick up next chapter. so be prepared!