The Moon's Light

By the next day, Twilight, Trixie, Crowley and Moondancer traveled though Equestria, paying any library with millennia old books a visit in the search of anything about Changelings. While not being their destination, the group reached a small town. They wanted to rest there, as Crowley got sick from the train.

“I'll never get used to these trains.” she said. Looking around, she noted, “Is it just me or is this village weirdly build? All houses are put like an equal sign.”

“Yeah, now that you say it...” agreed Trixie. Of all towns they could choose to take a break in, they had to choose the weirdly build one. Only one street, a row of neatly placed buildings on either side. In addition to that, all houses were painted in the same boring shades of beige and gray.

“This village does not look natural.” said Crowley, commenting on the local architecture.

“Well, it does not look 'natural' because this community is somewhat new.” said a Unicorn mare approaching them. “Just founded a few years ago, by me.”

“Wow! New communities pop up rarely in this day and age.” said Twilight. “Besides the founder, who are you?”

“Starlight Glimmer. And you?” she replied, adding a question on her own. “And why are you here?”

“The name's Twilight Sparkle. My friends and I are just here to take a break from a long train journey.” explained Twilight. “We travel though Equestria because the Princess asked us to research Changelings.”

“Changelings? Mm... my village has a library, so far mainly consisting of recovered books from a few surrounding ruins.” said Starlight, “Maybe there is something about Changelings. Mm, that word sounds familiar… Well, besides that article by Quill Snap.” She then left, leaving a weird feeling in Trixie and Moondancer.

“Mm! Let's check this out.” decided Twilight.

“Of course.” said Moondancer. “You and Crowley can do that. Trix, follow me!” The two mares left, leaving Twilight and Crowley wondering what they split up for.

“You're suspicious about this Starlight, aren't you?” guessed Trixie.

“Yes.” confirmed Moondancer. “You?”

“I sense something. In this village and Starlight.” said Trixie. “But I have an idea.”

The library, if you could call it that, was a small, makeshift library. With a handful of contemporary stuff, the main body of literature were old tomes, dusty, moldy and otherwise damaged, similar to the books in the castle of the two sisters. They learned from the librarian that this place is a bit of a passion project of Starlight.

“You see the Cutie Marks everyone has?” whispered Crowley.

“The Equal signs? Yes.” answered the undercover princess. “I wish I had Spike with me, then I would inform the Princess of this oddity.” Said dragon requested to stay in Ponyville. His job is to care for the Golden Oak, but Twilight just knows he will spend most of his time with Rarity. Luckily she asked Minuette and Lyra to cover the Library for Spike. “I hope Moony and Trix are fine.”

Moondancer and Trixie were not fine. Not after seeing a massive wall just covered in Cutie Marks. “Ah, another cult. Yak dung.”

“What do you mean with another cult?” asked Moondancer worried about her friend.

“Roam has quite a few cults, ran into a few... why do you think did I leave Roam?” answered Trixie. “Now, what do we now?”

“You could give me your Cutie Marks.” Starlight found them. Dung!

“What the hay! What are you doing with the Marks! How! Why?” asked Moondancer.

“It isn't about the marks, I just make sure my friends don't leave me again!” yelled Starlight, charging her horn.

“Friends? There are easier ways to find friends, Starlight.” said Trixie. “Like... using a dark artifact to fight the Princess' personal student.”

“Wait, what?” That brought her out of the loop. “Context? The hay are you talking about?”

Trixie walked to her, pretending to be confident. If she learned one thing in the industry, then fake it 'til you make it. “I am from Roam. Roam sucks for Unicorns, I never learned to do magic properly. I... got my hooves onto a dark amulet and used its power to become a famous magician. In my magical high, I challenged Twilight – as in Princess Celestia's personal student - to prove myself the better magic user. I lost, but gained friends and a proper teacher.”

“If you stop running your cult and return their marks, I am sure Twilight could do the same for you.” said Moondancer, less confident than Trixie. “Not necessarily a teacher, you seem to be very good at it, judging by your Cutie Mark.”

“Mm, that mark is useless.” Keep her talking, thought Trixie. “Cutie Marks took my friend.”

“How?” Seriously. Trixie may have studied a limited part of magic, but Twilight sneaked some friendship lessons in there. At no lesson did Twilight ever say anything about Cutie Marks taking friendships.

“He got his first. A magic mark. He then moved to Canterlot to study at the Princess' school.” said Starlight darkly. “To this day, I haven't seen Sunburst ever since.”

“Starburst? Oh, I had classes with him!” said Moondancer. “Have you ever tried to contact him? The idiot misses you.”

“Idiot?” asked Trixie.

“For our graduation ball, he didn't ask out anyone. He said something about it 'being unfair to Starlight'.” recalled Moondancer. “Looks like he meant you.”

“Then why didn't he never contact me!” yelled Starlight, her magic flaring up.

Moondancer said, “His parents put a lot of pressure onto him. I remember, after he didn't score full on a test, his parents stormed into our class room and picked an argument with our teacher. He was so embarrassed! I think he is still under his parent's hooves. He was always rather spineless.”

“Ways to talk about your classmates, Moony.” said Trixie sarcastically.

“Oh please, it is true.”

“Mm, he was rather timid after he got his Cutie Mark...” remembered Starlight. She looked to the wall of Cutie Marks. “I've overdone it.”

“Then fix it.” said Trixie.

Starlight stepped in front of the wall and blasted it with magic. The marks left their places and returned to the Ponies around the village. She turned to the two Unicorns. “Do you think Twilight would take me as a student?”

“Sure? But why would you need a teacher?” asked Trixie.

“Besides having a reason to leave this village, I want to learn more about magic.” she said. “And Twilight is the Bearer of the Element of Magic! And I could help with the Changeling research.”

“Then lets go to Twilight. She and Crowley should be in the Library.” said Moondancer. “The name's are Moondancer and Trixie Lulamoon by the way.”

Twilight and Crowley were relieved when they saw their friends walk into the makeshift library. Even though they were followed by Starlight.

“The ponies here got their Cutie Marks back.” said Twilight dryly. “I suppose you know why, Starlight?”

Starlight froze, she was surprised how aware the Unicorn in front of her is. “Yes... but I realized my mistake and fixed it. And I... I have read something about the Changelings.” She summoned a book. “I found this in a ruin near the Northern Tundra-I mean the Chrystal Empire.”

Twilight took it. She saw a book mark and opened that page. Reading it, her eyes widen. “Oh, by sweet Celestia! That-That's not only the secret behind the Changelings but also what had happened to Radiant Hope!”

“The Queen from the Chrystal Empire? The one before Sombra destroyed it?” realized Moondancer.

“Yes. This book is a diary by an admirer who tried to win her with a love potion. It failed and turned her into a Changeling! The Progenitor of Changelings in fact. But if it is Chrysalis isn't written here. But she is the only Changeling Queen we know of.” said Twilight. “None the less, this book is invaluable. We need to show it to the Princess.”

“C-Could I come with you to Canterlot?” asked Starlight.

“Sure. But may I know why?” asked Twilight.

Starlight told her about Starburst, their friendship and their split, at the same time telling about her cult. Starlight then remembered, “Moondancer said she met him in class. Did you, too?”

“Yes, but not in class. I rarely attended the classes as I was taught by the princess herself, but I met him and his parents once.” explained Twilight.

“Ah, I remember that drama...” said Crowley.

“Drama?” asked Trixie. “Oh, spill the tea!”

“Quite a few students were jealous of Twilight.” said Moondancer. “Turns out Sunburst's parents peaked in High School, as they tried to convince Twilight to give up her spot to Sunburst.”

“Sunburst was so uncomfortable when that happened.” said Twilight. “After that, he was avoiding me. I suppose you want to reunite with him? I think I can help.”

Three days later, they reached Canterlot. Over the journey there, Starlight warmed up to them, mainly to Twilight and Moondancer as they discussed the contents of the diary. She also bonded with Trixie, as they talked about their magic education and Trixie's experience with Roamese cults. “Seriously, three cults? Were you cursed of something?” chimed Crowley in at times.

Reaching the city, Starlight felt a culture shock. She is used to small towns set in nowhere. But Canterlot is so big! Starlight couldn't be mad anymore at Sunburst and his family to move here opposed to the dead end village they lived in.

Walking though the city, two Unicorns approach them. “Twilight! You're back already?”

“Yes!” she replied. She looked to Starlight. “Starlight, these two are my parents.”

“Oh, you have a new friend?” asked her mother. “Hello, dear.”

“She is the reason why I'm back already.” said Twilight, “She found a book that revealed how the Changelings came to be. We want to show it to the Princess.”

“Ah! Then we won't distract you any further.” said her father. “Farewell.”

The two left and the group continued their way to the palace. Starlight said, “Your parents must be proud of you.”

“They are.”

“If they aren't being worried.” added Crowley. “The incident in the Chrystal Empire being just one example.”

“I'm not that danger-prone, Crowley.” said Twilight.

Celestia was excited to see that her niece was back and pleased when she saw a new face following her. Albeit she was a bit surprised that it was another Unicorn. “Ah, Twilight! Why are you already back? And who is this mare?”

“This is Starlight Glimmer, she helped us with the research.” explained Twilight.

Starlight continued, “My village has a library that specializes in rescuing old books from the surrounding ruins. One of them turned out to be a diary belonging to an admirer of Empress Radiant Hope.” Queen, Empress, the diary used these terms interchangeably.

“In fact, we figured out what had happened to her-”

“You figured out what happened to our old friend?” asked Luna excited, appearing besides her sister. “That is wonderful!”

“Not really, Radiant's fate isn't exactly good, if the diary is to be believed.” said Crowley darkly, her wings lowering as did her ears.

“According to the diary, the Empress was the first victim of the love potion – which also means this diary let's us finally put a name to the inventor of this cursed elixir. Well... it failed and backfired.” explained Starlight, levitating the diary. “She turned into the Changeling Progenitor. We believe her to be Queen Chrysalis.”

“That...” Luna was shocked about her friend's fate. “Do you think we could break that curse? If it really is that Chrysalis.”

“We could try.” said Twilight. “Trixie and Moondancer, would you help.”

“Yes!” said Moondancer.

“No. That isn't the type of magic I can handle.” said Trixie, “But I am sure Starlight would.”

“Of course...” agreed Starlight silently.

“Oh, which reminds me.” said Twilight. “Princess, you remember Sunburst, right?”

The princess rolled his eyes. “Did his parents harass you again?”

“No.” Twilight explained his connection to Starlight. “I wanted to reintroduce the two. Didn't he start to work for you?”

“Exactly! Ah, I see.” answered Celestia. “Guards! Could one of you fetch Sir Sunburst?” With that, two guards left the throne room. “Starlight, your friend is one of my researchers of magic, albeit he had been dipping into history as of lately. He will help your group with the antidote for Chrysalis.”

“Oh really?” Starlight peeked up, working with Sunburst sounds great.

Soon said Stallion came into the throne room. “Your Highness? You asked for me? I think I found a clue relating to Unicornia.” He trotted into the room and stopped when he saw the mares. “Twilight? Star-Starlight? Is that you?”

“Yes, it is me. I am sorry I never contacted you.” she apologized, her ears lowering in shame.

“You didn't? Mm, I thought my parents just destroyed any letter from you that could have 'distracted me from my studies'. Either way I am not mad.” he said. “I am happy you're here, but why are you here?”

Twilight told him, “We met her while researching the Changelings. You two will help us developing an antidote for the Changeling curse.”

Starlight gave him the old diary. “Read that, marked page.”

So he did. “Love potion? Admirer? Ah! Radiant Hope, the last ruler of the Chrystal Empire! Eh, looks like I am really wrong with that Unicornia clue.”

“What is Unicornia?” asked Trixie.

“Unicornia is an old city that is lost. It used to be the capital of the Unicorn tribe.” explained Twilight, trying to fight the urge to jump into a detailed lecture of the city. “We only know myths about it. Some people even argue it ever existed.”

“That is partly because there have been contradicting records of it being destroyed, but still being mentioned decades later.” added Sunburst. “I assume some other city got renamed Unicornia, considering how proud our ancestors were about it.”

Luna could not but laugh. “Unicornia is, well, was real. But that is not the topic for now, you two can research it when this is done. Now, you will research this in the Chrystal Empire. You'll go there in a week's time. Twilight, you and your friends can rest until then. If you excuse me, I need to rise the moon.” She was leaving, then stopped. “Oh, and Sunburst? Unicornia got rebuild multiple times. Like you said, they were proud of it.” Then she left.

“Of course! Rebuilding! It matches the myths of Unicornia's magic!” he said excited. “That explains why it got mentioned after being destroyed!”

“Huh?” was a noise Trixie made. “Doesn't every city have residual magic?”
“You mean ambient magic. This is not what I mean. There are myths that Unicornia run on magic. Lamps running on magic, self repairing houses, houses held together by magic! Every last brick was enchanted.” corrected her Sunburst. “Now, if you excuse me, Starlight and I need to catch up!” With that, he dragged his childhood friend off.

Starlight enjoyed to spend time with Sunburst. She knew Sunburst did enjoy it as well. But there was something bugging her mind. But she snapped out of it when Sunburst made another cauldron blow up. “Ah, I was never good with potions.” complained Sunburst. “Well, I better clean this...”

“Sunburst, I need your advice.” said Starlight.

“You sure you want my advice?” asked Sunburst uncomfortable. “I won't say I have a good grip on life, so... eh, shoot.”

“When I met Twilight and the others, Trixie said Twilight could teach me about magic.” explained Starlight. “Should I ask her?”

Sunburst was surprised. “You think you need a teacher? Well... I suppose you could ask her. Asking doesn't hurt, does it?” He fixed the cauldron with a spell. “But seriously, do you need a teacher? You seem to be very gifted.”

“Yes, but most of my learning was done in self studying-” “Which can backfire and doesn't always yield good results.” “And she is the Bearer of Magic! No way I am close to her!”

“Like I said, it doesn't hurt to ask.” said Sunburst. “And she taught Trixie a bit.”

“Yes, but Trixie's reasoning... and the thing with the Cutie Marks...”

“Starlight, I doubt she has any hard feelings about this.” said Sunburst strictly. “If she would have any grudges about this still, I don't think she would have invited you to help with Project Crystal.”

“I think you're right.” she said, “But I will ask her after this is done.”

“Yeah. Did our guy write anything about the potion making in his book?” he asked. “Making an antidote while guessing the ingredients for the potion is nuts! Ah, why did the ingredients change so much over the millennia!”

“Well... the Changelings happened.” shrugged Starlight. “I check on Twilight and Moondancer's attempt. Please don't melt the floor while I am gone.”

“Oh come on! That only happened once the last three days!”