Alicorn: The Lost Princess

In the cloud-top land of the pegasi was a small family of three. For years the couple had pleaded for a child with the powers above. Be it the universe, nature, or magical beings. They desperately wanted for a child to share their love with.

When the miracle had finally found them, it came in a bundle of pink blankets. They were much older than most parents, and ponies said it to be impossible, but the truth often does not care what ponies believe to be possible. Their blessing was to be called ‘Cadence’.

A pink foal, grew into a spunky filly. Small, thin, and frail, but full of life. Her ailments were evident in her appearance. Half the size of her peers, in height and weight. However, her spirit was twice the size of the average filly.

She was energetic, and outgoing, but despite her likable personality, she lacked meaningful friendships. She had often blamed her small stature, or her general frailty. But, it came down to one factor. Her blank-flank. Cadence, unlike other fillies her age had yet to get her cutie-mark. And well into teenager-hood, it was a source of great embarrassment.

Not only was she small and blank-flanked, but her ideals were often discredited as well. It seemed she was very difficult to take seriously.

Despite years of dismissals and rejection, Cadence’s heart never hardened. She never gave up home that friendship and love were worth looking for, even if years of searching had proved fruitless.

Cadences sat on her bed, beside her mother. “You have so many friends, Cadence. What do you mean?”

“I have so many acquaintances, mom.” She insisted. “Nopony ever gets too close… nopony wants to be seen with such a social parasite.“ she lamented. “I don’t understand why I can’t just move to Canterlot and go to the Unicorn Institute.”

Her mother wrapped one wing around her. “You know they don’t let Pegasi attend…” she reminded. “You can always go to Cloudsdale Community College!” She said, as if it were a consolation prize.

“Mom!” Cadence shouted. “Everypony I go to school with now will be at Cloudsdale Community… I just want a fresh place to start over.” She huffed. Her mother’s sad expression shook her. “It’s not that I want to be away from you…”

Her mother nodded, disappointed. “No, I know, I understand… it’s just… these are the cards life has dealt us.”

Cadence rose from her seat. “I am proof that life can be changed.” She said stamping her small hoof to the floor in her bedroom. “You have always said I was born from a miracle.” she thought for a moment.

Her mom rose to meet her. “Now Cadence, everypony says things like that…” she gulped. “Miracle is such a vague term.”Cadence looked her mother over for a moment. Silence fell over them. “That’s quite enough for tonight, let’s get you into bed.”

As the light flicked off, Cadence threw the covers from her body. Using her small wings, she fluttered about the room throwing clothes into a bag. Tossing a water bottle and emptying her forbidden snack stash into it as well. Saddling herself with her belongings, she set out to prove her family and everypony else wrong.

Making her way to the edge of the clouds, she stood and looked down at the earth far below. What a long drop it was, it made sense why no pony dared enter their city… well… how could they? Only Pegasi were light enough to walk on the clouds.

Stepping off she allowed her weight to fall. It was a soft fall, until she opened her wings and began to soar, for the first time really flying. Sure she had flown from place-to-place, but this was something else. Flying with no direction, no constraints.

Below her, as she glided across the air, was a tiny white speck of a stallion. His brilliant coat reflecting the light of the moon back at her. Blasts of magenta fluttering through the air around her.

She spiraled down, landing harshly in the brush. The sounds of shaking leaves and breaking twinge startled the unicorn stallion. “Who goes there!” He shouted. He was only a little older than Cadence, but to him she probably looked like a filly. He was just older than teenage, probably fresh out of school as well. Cadence stayed behind the brush, heart beating nearly out of her chest as she watched him slowly creep toward her. His glowing horny growing unsteady. “I’m not afraid!” He shouted, though his body language begged to differ. When he saw the tuft of tricolored hair, he paused. “Come out of there.” He commanded.

She reluctantly complied, tucking her wings into her sides as she slowly climbed out of the crash site.

He stared at her, small and thin, but evidently a mare and not a child as he had suspected. He looked her over, taking note of her wings, but showing no aggression. “You should not be here.” He spoke softly, “it is not safe.”

Cadence stretched her legs as he spoke. The ground down here was not as forgiving on the joints. “I know, I know… I just want one chance to prove I can-“

The stallion cut her off. “Our king, he is a tyrant. That is why I am out here so late into the night.” He released a breath. “I am training for the war he has proposed… it is not safe for ponies like you here…”

Cadence frowned heavily. Taking a seat in the grass. It felt so strange against her flank and legs. Itchy and cold, but also calming. “If I could show him… show everypony… I’m smart and-“ tears welled in her eyes. “They don’t like me back home either.” The confessed interrupting her own statement.

The stallion sat down beside her, “eh, if you know you’re smart, being popular isn’t all that important.” He sighed. Looking over at her. He’d never seen a Pegasus in real life. She was stunning. “My name’s Shinning Armor.”

“And you’re a soldier?” She asked.

He hemmed and hawed. “I guess so.” He replied, knowing what that meant.

“Then why didn’t you slaughter me? If you hate Pegasi and Earth Ponies?”

Shining Armor gasped. “I do not hate anypony.” He insisted. Returning his eyes to the sky. “It is not my choice to fight in the king’s war.” He explained. “My dream was to learn the protection spell, to create and protect… not to fight and steal land of other ponies.”

Cadence looked him over. “My dream is to…” she thought for a moment. She had spent all her time thinking of ways to be more likable…but in doing so she’d lost what she’d really wanted. To be loved for who she is, in all that rejection and turmoil about who ‘liked’ her or how many friend she had… she forgot about those that loved her. “I guess to be loved.”

Shining looked back at her and their eyes met. “I think we all want to be loved.” He replied. They stared at each other for a moment. “Would it be insane…”

“If we kissed?” She asked, their minds melding to one another. “Why would we do that?”

Shining Armor looked away. “I don’t know, for the hell of it I guess…” he muttered. “I’ve never kissed somepony.”

“Me neither.” Cadence looked away too. “Though, we’ll probably never see each other again.” The turned back to one another.

Slowly they leaned in, the forbidden, and unheard of titillated them. As their lips pressed together an orb of teal magic surrounded Cadence, pulling her away from him. By no effort of her own, she floated into the sky and in a painless transformation took a new form.

Her small frame now replaced with a still slender, yet tall build. Completed now with a horn to match her wings, and fresh crystal-like heart for a cutie-mark. She fell to the ground, stumbling to catch herself. “Your… horn…” Shining stammered in disbelief.

“My… horn?” She replied, feeling the top of her head. It was new to her. “Oh God what has happened to me…”

To be loved, is to be changed.