Son of Eternity

Chapters

What Happened Before...And After
Glimmer of Hope(Misty)
Almost Forgotten(Misty)
Broken Kindness
Only In My Dreams (Shade)
Awakening (Shade)
The Chains that Bound Them (Fluttershy)
Clearing the Mist (Misty)

What Happened Before...And After

Chapter 0- What Happened Before...And After

1000 years before the birth of Shade.

In a cave underneath the earth, the Council of Changelings sat at a long stone table. Torches dotted the walls and the normally talkative changelings were quiet and upset. No one spoke more then a few words until their leader, Queen Sharptooth came into the room. She walked up to the head of the table and sat, holding her head in her hooves for a long moment. Every changeling ceased moving as she finally raised her head. “My subject, I have grave news. We are in danger. The alicorns have defeated Discord.”

The room erupted into a hubbub as the queen banged her hoof to restore order. The changeling next to her raised his hoof. “Yes, Rocking?”

“My queen, does this mean that the alicorns were able to defeat Discord?” He asked.

Sharptooth sadly nodded. “Yes. They have petrified him, and I can only fear that we will be next to fall to them.”

As the changelings started to chatter again, one of them raised her hoof. “So, what can we do?”

“Only one thing. Survive. I have a plan that will lead us to victory against them, but it will take many years. But, you all must trust me. Do you?” No one moved, then they all eventually nodded.

“Thank you all. Now, I must finalize the details of our plan with my daughter.” The queen sadly walked down the length of the table and left the room.

. . .

In the queen's bedroom, she sat tiredly with her daughter, Dark Sun. “Listen to me carefully, my dear. The future of our race depends on you now.”

“But, can't we live peacefully with the alicorns, Mother?” The young changeling said.

The queen reluctantly shook her head. “Listen to me. Our race will hide out for one thousand years. And this is what you must do.” She patted her daughter's stomach. “When you become pregnant, you must have every changeling with the ability to cast magic, cast magic into your womb.”

“But, why?” Dark Sun asked.

“We will always have females, our bloodline will. And with this gift, we must prepare our offspring. This will charge your child with magic, then the same to the next, and the next. By the time one thousand years have passed, we will be ready. I need you to pass a message down for me.”

Dark Sun nodded. “What is it mother?”

“When the time has come, turn Celestia to stone so that the sun will fall. Then under the dark sky..” Her mother gave her a frightening grin. “The changelings will be ready to get revenge for all of this.

9 1/2 months before the birth of Shade.

“It won't work, my queen!” Shifting Rocks ran after the changeling queen. “It's impossible!”

“It has to be done.” Chrysalis said. “I'm the first queen that can't pass on magic to my daughter. She rejected it the entire time she was in my womb. It can't end with me! We need one more!”

“My queen, it it impossible! You cannot have a child with the Princess! Nopony can! No mortal creature can have a foal with an immortal!” He stammered out.

“Who said that it was going to be a mortal?” The queen said, turning to her subject.

Rocks paled. “My queen...”

Chrysalis stopped him. “Listen carefully. I have enough magic to free Discord himself. Now, I will trick Celestia into the Everfree Forest, detain her for a while and let THEM do what they need to.”

“But, won't they produce a pony or...whatever Discord is?” He asked.

“Nope.” Chrysalis said. “I will put some of my own essence inside Celestia's womb. That way, she will give birth to a changeling and we will come for him. He will have the power we need to finally finish the plan that our ancestors put in place for us so very long ago.”

The male changeling shifted his weight. “And, what would that be?”

Chrysalis turned away and continued walking down the hall. “The power to usurp the princesses, of course.”

7 years after the birth of Shade.

Chrysalis and her daughter Dancing Mist, struggled into the changeling's cave, bloody and bruised. Immediately every changeling in the room ran up to them, asking questions.

“No. No questions.” She rasped. “It was a failure. We didn't know how strong...”

“Quiet my queen.” Shifting Rocks, the queen's adviser knelt by her. “What happened?”

“Shade.” Chrysalis said. “Shade and his cursed mother. We just about had him and were going to bring him back, but she arrived just in time. Not only that, but the brat killed my mother! Killed her!” She spat out a glob of blood. “We failed, but I WILL make them pay!”

“But, how my queen?” Her adviser asked.

Chrysalis winced as magic was applied to her leg. “I have enough magic to release Discord. Now since Misty wasn't able to absorb all the magic we need, we'll have to wait. Celestia's going to cast a major memory wiping spell on all of Equestria. Fortunately, it won't penetrate underground so we won't forget about him.”

Shifting wasn't so convinced. “If Misty wasn't able to absorb the magic, doesn't it mean that the plan failed?”

“Of course not! I still have magic, don't I?” Chrysalis smiled at her adviser. “I'll just need to have a foal with the princess's son, be him willing...” She hissed as her leg smarted. “Or not.”

3 minutes after Shade's defeat

The changeling queen stood over the body of her enemy. But when she thought about it, he wasn't merely just her enemy. He was her tool, her adversary and for a very brief time, her lover. But alas, he wasn't needed anymore and Chrysalis didn't want him to come back and ruin her plans.

Sobbing reached her ears and she turned to see Shade's former mare, Fluttershy weeping over his body. She had also been a pain to Chrysalis. A minor one, but one just the same. Right before Shade had died, she had explained that she would make her suffer. And as she watched the pegasus cry over the lost of the one she loved, she was happy that it was beginning.

She walked over and rested a wing on Fluttershy. “It's sad, isn't it? Personally, I had plans for him to live and rule next to me. It would have worked, him by my side and crushing anypony in my way. But when I thought about it, it could have never worked. He wouldn't turn against his precious mother.”

The pegasus spoke from between clenched teeth. “You didn't have to kill him.”

“Oh, but I did.” Chrysalis patted Fluttershy on the head. “See, Shade is a rather resourceful little changeling. If I had left him alive, then he would have found some way to thwart my plans. Remember how he avoided all of his father's attempts to control him? I decided to play it safe, and simply eliminate my threat.”

Seeing a flash of light next to Shade's body, Chrysalis realized that it was Shade's promise necklace and reached down toward it. She jerked back in surprise as Fluttershy slapped her hoof as hard as she could. “Well, what's this then?”

If looks could kill, Chrysalis would have combusted on the spot. “Don't touch him or anything on him. You've done enough.”

Chrysalis appeared to think for a moment, then whirled around to smack Fluttershy on the cheek, spinning her to the ground. “You aren't in control, pegasus. I will do what I want, when I want and how I want to do it. And the first thing...”

Chrysalis summoned magic to her, rather easy seeing as how the changeling's body was virtually nothing but magic. She lifted Shade's body into the air, causing Fluttershy to gasp. “What are you doing?!”

“The son of the princess.” Chrysalis said. “Supposed to be her greatest weapon, and turned out to be her greatest weakness. Although, he did fight well.” With a blast of magic, she launched Shade's body far towards the Everfree.

“Shade!” Fluttershy made as if to launch herself towards her changeling's flying body, but was grabbed and yanked backward with magic.

“He's gone, Fluttershy.” Chrysalis said. “It's time for you to realize just how the rules are going to be now. Let's go pay a visit to the family, shall we?” With a flash of green light, Chrysalis and Fluttershy disappeared.

What the queen forgot was that Misty was still in that field. After Chrysalis disappeared with Fluttershy, the changeling sat and looked at the direction that she had thrown Shade's body. About, ten minutes passed, then she rose up and flew towards the forest as fast as her wings could carry her.

20 minutes after Shade's defeat.

“Get her OUT of there!” Luna launched herself at the changeling queen, who merely swatted her away.

Celestia struggled, but it was no use. Not only was she still weak from the sudden drain of her energy, but her hooves were stone and she couldn't free herself. She tried again to cast a spell, any type of spell, but the strain nearly made her pass out.

The princesses were in the throne room with changelings around the whole perimeter of the castle. Unlike the changelings at Cadence's wedding, these changelings had red eyes. Celestia shuddered as a cold feeling raced down her spine. She glanced downwards to see more of her lower half turn gray.

Celestia lurched forward as Fluttershy threw herself and tightly grasped the princess, sobbing. “Dear Fluttershy, what...”

“She killed him.” The pegasus sobbed. “He didn't have a chance, Princess. Shade tried, but I was there when he slipped away. I gave him all the love I could, but...” She collapsed against the princess's side, crying harder.

Celestia winced as another flash of pain raced though her body. The alicorn bent her head and wrapped a wing around the crying Fluttershy, softly weeping with her. The alicorn deeply cared for her son, and the truth from somepony she trusted shook her to the core.

Chrysalis lazily strolled up to the weeping pair, pausing only to lift Luna into the air and drop her next to her sister. “Oh, come on you two. Smile a bit! It's gonna be a GREAT day!”

Celestia looked up at the queen. Tears still streamed down her face, but her intense anger forced the changeling to take a step back. “Chrysalis, I don't care how long it takes, but you made a big mistake by taking my son from me.”

“See, here's the thing.” Chrysalis said. “Usually, I'd actually be rather intimidated by you threatening me. But seeing as how your sister was so easily beaten, and you're slowly turning into stone, it's not that frightening.”

Luna slowly raised her head. “What...is happening to my sister?”

Chrysalis was only to eager to explain. “Celestia and Shade have a physical bond, because of Celestia's attachment to him and Shade's physical structure. Seeing as how our dear princess in immortal, if Shade were to die prematurely, then Celestia's body will reject her soul. Basically, she's going to turn into stone, much as how Discord is.”

“But, then where will her soul be?!” Luna cried.

“In her body.” Chrysalis said with a smile. “It'll just be too weak to keep her body active.”

Celestia gasped as the gray coloring reached her chest. “Chrysalis, please. Stop this. I know you have the ability to.”

“Sorry Celestia.” The queen walked up to the solar princess. “After all these years, I will finally be the one to complete the plan of my ancestors.”

Fluttershy pulled her face away from Celestia's side and stared at the changeling. “Why? That was made a thousand years ago. Why couldn't you have tried to make peace with everypony?”

Chrysalis looked at her. “Because, we had Equestria first. Then these two alicorns swooped in and took it from us! We never-!” She stopped and gave the trio a creepy smile. “I don't need to reassure myself. I have completed my plan and now the results will be shown.”

As the gray reached Celestia's neck, Luna and Fluttershy tried one more time. “Please! Just cure it!”

Celestia refused to plead for her life, instead staring Chrysalis in the face. “You truly think that you've won, don't you?”

“Of course.” The changeling queen said. “The Elements won't work without that one.” She pointed at Fluttershy. “Luna will never have enough time to formulate a plan against me, and your son is dead. Whatever made you think that I haven't won?”

Celestia gave a final smile. “Just wait and enjoy the small time you have ruling Equestria. I promise the answer will be quite shocking.”

As the princess finished speaking, she raised her head. The gray finally went up her neck and covered her entire head, all the way to the tip of her horn. Luna burst into tears at the loss of her sister, but Fluttershy glared at Chrysalis.

“Oh please. Will you stop acting like you're going to do something?” She burst out saying. “It's annoying!”

Fluttershy was quiet for a moment, twirling her necklace around her neck. “I wonder Chrysalis. Why couldn't you take Shade's necklace off, if he was dead?” With that, she turned away as two changelings flew next to her to lead her away.

A very brief chill raced though Chrysalis’s spine, before she shrugged it off. “No time for threats now.” She spun around next to Luna. “It's time to run a country, my style!”

2 hours after Shade's defeat

Deep in the Everfree Forest, a lone zebra was picking her way though the woods. She wasn't lost, oh no. She was simply looking for any roots or plants she could use for her potions. Her name was Zecora and she had lived in the Everfree for quite a while.

After she had helped the Bearers with a ridiculous case of Poison Joke, she had become friends with almost everypony in Ponyville. She was asked several times if she wanted to live in the town, but she had declined. Living in the woods was easier for her, seeing as how she could normally find anything she needed for her many potion ideas.

As of today, she was actually looking for Poison Joke, trying to develop a immunity potion for the strange flower. Her concentration was broken however, when she heard a female cry from the woods. “Help!!”

Zecora glanced around, but didn't see anything. Turning back to the task at hoof, she assumed that she had only been hearing things. That thought was crushed however, when she heard the cry again. “Help me, please!”

“Oh! A cry for help I hear/Where are you exactly, my dear?” Zecora called out, trying to walk towards the cries.

“Help me!” Finally locking the area of the voice, the zebra ran towards it. She turned past a tree and stopped short, seeing a strange dark blue figure and the flash of gold. She knelt down by the pony. “A horrible wound I am seeing/Are you still among the living?” She checked for a pulse and a heartbeat, but felt nothing. She was about to turn away from the pony to find a way to move him, before noticing something strange by his nose and mouth. There was a small leaf by it.

And even though there was no wind, or movement in the forest, the leaf was moving.

Author's Note

Okay, okay. I tricked you all. Sorry.

Glimmer of Hope(Misty)

Chapter 1-Glimmer of Hope (Misty)

Have you ever had that time where everything seems perfect? Everything's in place, your plans are solid and nothing seems like it'll go wrong? And then it does? That's pretty much my entire life. Although, it's better then being used your whole life in a thousand year old plot to rule a country.

I got off lucky.

I sat in a cottage in the middle of the Everfree Forest with a comatose changeling, waiting for a strange zebra to come back from the forest. It's been a patten, a routine going on four months now. Sitting, waiting, and hoping. Hoping that I hadn't completely ruined any hope for Equestria's future.

I'm Dancing Mist, but just call me Misty. I'm the daughter of Queen Chrysalis who used to rule over all of us changelings. Now she rules over most of Equestria, but we'll get into that later. I was supposed to be next in line for the plan that had been running though us changelings, but it stopped at me. Apparently my body couldn't handle the magic that the changelings had been passing down for years, so my mother was forced to trick two immortal beings into having a child for her. And no, I don't have all the details on that, nor do I really WANT them.

Either way, that child was Shade, the comatose changeling that I was sitting by now. He hadn't known about his life until I tricked and captured him. I had brought him underneath Sugarcube Corner, and never had been able to rid myself of the guilt. My mother had raped him so she could bundle his essence into her own child, then brutally murdered the child in front of Shade.

And here's the part that I was never able to get over. Null lived with us for a while, and I grew attached to the little changeling. My mother hadn't even told me that he was going to just be ruthlessly murdered for her benefit.

And Shade himself. I stood up and tucked the covers over his body, sadly remembering more. This changeling had been though a lot, and now it was so close to being for nothing. He had fought us and his father. He even stood up against the entire town when they hated him, and it was all my fault.

When Shade had left Ponyville during a storm, he had landed at his friend Fluttershy's house. She had taken him in, and I had trained Shade to use his powers. But, I had fallen for him during that time and fell hard. His personality and drive to learn all he could was just...cute to me. Okay, I'll admit it, I adored him. What I didn't know is that he didn't feel the same way to me.

I had snuck over to Fluttershy's house to tell him how I felt, but I saw that he gave a promise necklace to her. The crushing realization hurt just so much, I felt my heart split into pieces. I remembered slinking away and actually going to that field we were at. And I cried. I cried a lot. I had be so oblivious to the real fact, which had been that Shade had never been in love with me. And then, my fear turned into anger.

My mother, instead of comforting me used my anger to manipulate me into capturing Shade. So I did, catching him when he was on his way back to Canterlot. I brought him to my mother, hoping that I could change his mind. And...that's where she raped him. She'd kicked me out of the room, but I could HEAR her. I felt horrible. Even when I snapped and burnt his side with lightning, after we had escaped that haunted me. It still does.

I stood up in the cottage, temporarily breaking away from my memories. I walked over and picked up a cup filled with water. Magically, I opened Shade's mouth and trickled some water in. I raised his head and made sure that he actually swallowed the water. Zecora, that's the zebra's name, told me that he would be able to eat and drink, but that's about all he could do beside breathe. Not to mention that we needed to be VERY careful so that he didn't choke.

Where was I? Oh, right. About four months after all that, we found out that her plan had worked and that my mother WAS pregnant. In order to prevent anypony from trying to find us, she used her magic to free Shade's father, Discord. And in an act of cruelty, I disguised myself as him and attacked Fluttershy, beating her and saying that I didn't love her. Yet another act that's caused me nightmares. I made it so that Shade had to hide from everypony in Ponyville and his own friend Twilight almost killed him. He did stop Discord though, which I was thankful for.

And finally, I was so overcome with pure rage at not Shade, but Fluttershy! I deluded myself, thinking that if she was dead that I could win over Shade for myself. I remember threatening her, and attacking Shade while she was watching. Then when he was gone visiting his mother, I captured her, threatening to kill Shade if she didn't come. I wish I had left it at that. But no, I was blinded and told her to write a letter saying how she didn't want to be with him anymore. She was smart and left a code for him, because I'm sure that I actually would have killed her.

Shade, being as naive as ever, came to her rescue. And as he was talking, I came to a realization. Even if I did kill Fluttershy, he'd never truly love me. And that's what I had wanted the whole time, true love. And I thought, if I can't have it, there's really no reason for me to take it from him. So I let Fluttershy go, knowing that Shade will never love me, but at least he could like me.

And then Chrysalis came and took him away. Gone. Fluttershy started to panic and I tried as hard as I could to find and teleport myself to where they were, to no avail. Eventually we both felt a strange tingle and teleported to the field where she was. And we saw, that she had been busy. Shade lay on the ground apparently dead and so was Null. I had ran over to Null as Fluttershy reached Shade and started to cry. I also began to cry when I saw the long slice across Null's throat.

Chrysalis taunted Fluttershy for a little bit, and tossed Shade's body away. She then teleported away assuming that I would join her again later. But, she was wrong. The first thing I did was take the body of the young changeling and bury him in the field, erecting a gravestone for him. Then, I had shot away to the Everfree.

I had located Shade's body lying in a patch of grass. He looked dead, with the wound in his chest and the loss of blood. I didn't know what had driven me to try to save him, but it felt like he was still somewhere in there. I started dragging him, calling out help every few seconds. And then, she heard me.

I learned from Zecora that she was a loner, only heading into Ponyville a few times out of the year. She had heard a bit about Shade's adventures, but not enough to recognize him on sight. In fact, when she saw Shade lying on the ground, his body only held his unicorn form for a few moments before he had shifted back to his natural changeling form. I had hidden myself for a little bit, until I decided to trust that she was friendly. I told her that Shade needed help, and she instantly took him to her home. She offered to let me stay with her also. I was beginning to decline, but I realized that I had no more loyalty to my mother anymore. She had used me for so many years, just as she had used everyone that ever came into contact with her. So I made a hard decision.

I turned away from my mother.

Over the past few months, we heard that my mother had been looking for me for a long time. In fact, one of Shade's friends, the other pegasus named Rainbow came by and told us the news. My mother had a bounty out for me. I hadn't though that she cared, but I didn't think that was the only reason she wanted me back. Rainbow would come from time to time and update us as much as she could, which wasn't much.

After I had escaped with Shade's body, Celestia had turned to stone. Rainbow said that she didn't know what had happened to Luna. She did know that Chrysalis had made good on her threat and had Fluttershy as her personal slave. Apparently Rainbow had been able to talk to Fluttershy for a little while and told me that Chrysalis had been treating her horribly. It didn't help the fact that the pegasus couldn't escape from the castle. Rainbow shook with rage when she told me how my mother had let some of her changelings...have their way with her.

She also kept her on a actual leash whenever she was with her, and had her heavily guarded at night. Changelings also inhabited Canterlot and Ponyville and nopony was allowed to step out of line. Everypony had to actually worship my mother, which was ludicrous to me. My mother was playing around with Equestria, and it hurt that I had a hoof in that.

I told Rainbow on one of the few times that I could talk to her that I would do anything I could help, and she told me that if Shade actually was still alive that I needed to wake him up. Did I know that none of Shade's friends trusted me? Yes, but I wasn't going to let that stop me from trying to right my many wrongs.

Zecora and I hadn't spoken much in the beginning, only exchanging a few words from time to time. It wasn't easy that she only spoke in rhymes either, but we made it work. She was the one that figured out that Shade actually was alive and that I wasn't hallucinating. I told her all about my mother's plan and how I had been the one to do a lot of her dirty work. She had asked me if I was ready to change my ways and I had answered with a yes. She then said that if I was truly going to prove that, then I was welcome to stay with her. And so I did.

A knock at the door jolted me out of my memories. Like clockwork, I instantly tossed a blanket over Shade's body and cast an illusion that there was nothing there but a table. I shifted my body, causing my horn and wings to disappear in place of black and white stripes across my coat. In less than a minute, I was an exact copy of Zecora. Not trusting myself to speak as well as she did, I walked over and opened the door, only to see the zebra that I now resembled.

“Every time my form you take/I remind myself that it's an fake.” She said, smiling and walking in.

I stepped away, closing the door as she deposited some flowers on the real table in the room. “Well, it was your idea Zecora. I'm just following orders.”

“My order they were not/You also made that plot.” She replied, sorting out her flowers.

I stepped over to the fake table, removing the illusion and the blanket. “Quiet you are today/Is there something you wanted to say?” Zecora asked, walking over to me.

I sighed. Zecora always knew if I was bothered. “I'm worried Zecora. It's been four months and we haven't been able to wake him up.” I looked at her, tears in my eyes. “My mother's wreaking havoc on Equestria, and Shade's the only one that might be able to stop her.”

“To give one pony all the fate/is the quickest way for him to hate.” Zecora said.

“I know. He's not the only one that can stop her, but he's our best hope.” Zecora pulled me into a hug as I continued. “Is there anyway we can wake him up?”

“For a while it was most profound/But a cure I might have found.” Zecora let me go and we knelt down by Shade's body. “He still breathes air/but his soul is not fully there. Bring it back we must/Or Shade's body will return to dust.”

I was excited by this news. “He's still alive then?! That means we have a shot at bringing him back!” I leapt up. “Tell me what I need to do Zecora!”

Zecora turned to face me. “To bring his soul back here/You must find the one that he loves dear.”

I simmered down a bit. “But, that's Fluttershy. She's under the strictest guard in all of Equestria. She barely leaves my mother's side.”

Zecora shook her head. “You must not give into doubt/Or from this coma, he will never get out.”

She was right. I had to figure out how to get into Canterlot and bring Fluttershy here, or Shade would eventually die for real. I'm not going to lie and say that I wasn't frightened, but I knew what I needed to do. “Alright Zecora. I'll do it. Do you have any ideas at how I could get inside?”

Zecora thought for a moment. “I thought of a way, but I had doubts/Perhaps one of Shade's friends could help you out?”

I frowned. The only one of Shade's friends that had spoken to me was Rainbow, and I knew that she didn't fully trust me. But the truth was that they might have a way for me to get inside the castle. I was going to have to suck up my pride, and my fear. “I will Zecora. It's rather late now though.”

“Yes/Best to start when the day is fresh.” Zecora started to stir the cauldron as I yawned. “I will watch Shade,go and rest/Tomorrow you will be put to the test.” She told me.

“Thanks Zecora.” We always had one of us awake at all times and it was supposed to be Zecora's night to sleep. The fact that she was giving up her turn made me realize just what I was going to do in the morning. I rose and gave Zecora a quick hug. Then after giving Shade a quick kiss on the cheek, I grabbed a blanket and curled up on the ground. As Zecora started humming to herself, I drifted off to sleep, dreaming of the sun.

Almost Forgotten(Misty)

Chapter 2-Almost Forgotten(Misty)

With a jolt, I shot out from underneath the covers. I didn't know what it was, but something had jolted me awake. Then I realized that it was only excitement. After months of hiding and worrying, I was finally going to strike out against my mother. Rolling out of bed, I glanced around for Zecora. She wasn't in the hut, but I felt that it would be okay to run outside for a little bit.

I quickly dashed out the back door over to Zecora's little pond. After dunking my head in it, I ran back inside and shut the door behind me. Feeling refreshed, I went around stirring some flowers and roots into the cauldron for Zecora to make breakfast. I hadn't needed to eat normal food, but I had been getting weaker because I didn't have a source of love to feed on. Zecora cared about me, but that didn't mean she necessarily loved me. Normal food helped, but I knew that I was going to pass out eventually if I didn't have love.

As I worked, I glanced over at Shade. Strange for me to say, but he was a beautiful changeling. No, really. Most changelings had blue eyes and not many defining features. Shade's eyes were pure green and longer fangs then I did. Seeing him like that...

A thud at the door jolted me back to my senses. I slipped over and opened the door, letting Zecora in. She deposited her flowers and roots on the table and came over to see my progress. Nodding, she said, “Well done Misty, very neat/Soon we will be able to eat.”

“Come on Zecora. I've been doing this for a few months now.” I pouted. She laughed and walked over to check on Shade.

“His condition has not improved/Have you seen him move?” She asked.

I shook my head. “No, I haven't sensed anything from him either, not that I really could.” Zecora had figured out that if Shade moved, at least a little bit that it would be a good sign.

Zecora sighed. “Seeing him like this is quite a sight/Can you sense anything from his bite?”

I slightly winced, bad memories rushing in. “That's a no also. I think that when his soul shattered, it broke the curse that the spell was attached to. It's just a normal bite mark now.”

The zebra spooned some of the simmering broth into a bowl and sat next to Shade. As she started to slowly spoon-feed him, she spoke to me again. “Your bad memories will not last/For you, it was all in the past.”

I shook my head. “I guess. But this isn't the time to talk about what's happened before! It's time!”

Zecora nodded as she gave Shade another spoonful. “Before you disappear in a flash/you need to talk with Rainbow Dash.”

“We agreed to meet in the forest.” I said. “That way we shouldn't be observed by anypony, or changeling.”

Zecora gave Shade a final bite and walked over to me, pulling me into a strong hug. “Your journey will have much peril/Please, promise me that you will be careful.”

“I will.” I said. “Nothing's going to get in my way of bringing Fluttershy back here.”

Zecora pulled away and sat next to Shade again. “Thank you so much Zecora. For everything.”

The zebra quickly swiped a leg across her face. “You are very welcome, now head off you/Much you soon need to do.”

Before I left I knelt down by Shade's side. “I'll wake you up. I promise.” Then I kissed his forehead, and left the cottage.

. . .

The Everfree Forest had a couple of small clearings hidden throughout the forest. There was one that was a little ways back from Zecora's hut, and that was where I was headed now. The clearing was a small patch of grass with a pond nearby. Because it was surrounded by trees, it wasn't noticeable from the sky and it was very hard to find from land.

This clearing was my own special spot, a place for me to get away if I needed time to myself. And I had, many times. Zecora never asked me what I did here, so I never felt inclined to share. I didn't do much though.

I would sometimes bathe here, or have small picnics when I wanted to be outside for a while. But seeing as this was were I buried Null, I would mostly sit in silence out of respect. Sometimes I would talk to myself, asking myself questions and trying to figure out the answer.

I had a different reason for coming here today though. When Zecora had spoken to Rainbow about out meeting when I was asleep, she told her to meet me here. So currently I was sitting on a tree stump, waiting for her to arrive.

I heard a rush of wind and in a few seconds the cyan pegasus landing in front of me. She took a second or two to take in her surroundings. Her gaze lingered on Null's grave, a mat of leaves and a gravestone that I had chiseled his name on. “That's where you buried him?” She asked.

I nodded. “I had covered him up in the field, but after I took Shade to Zecora's I returned there and brought him here to give him a proper burial.” I sniffed and swiped a leg across my eyes.

Rainbow tapped at the ground. “I'm sorry. That must have been hard for you.”

“I don't intend for you to believe me, but I never knew that it was going to happen.” I began to say, but Rainbow cut me off.

“You've said that before and I believe you.” Rainbow said. “What you should be worried about is convincing Twilight.”

A spark of excitement shot though me. “She can help?!”

Rainbow shrugged. “Twilight and Shade were really close. If anypony has any idea of how to get into the castle, she probably will.” She pointed at me and frowned. “But you have a big obstacle Misty. When I told my friends about what had happened, Twilight took it the hardest.”

“Is she still blaming herself for almost killing Shade?” I asked in surprise. “I thought that was resolved between them.”

“It was.” Rainbow walked in front of me and sat down. “You have to understand that Twilight would never hurt anypony. Ever. The fact that you tricked her so badly that she almost killed him haunted her. In fact, she just know revealed that to us.”

I thought about that for a moment, and then realized something. “Oh, and Celestia is her mentor...”

“Exactly.” Rainbow brushed her mane back. “She's never been able to bring that topic up with the princess. And seeing how you caused that incident, she's not going to welcome you with open arms.”

“I have to try.” I stubbornly said. “She has to wake Shade up so that he can free Celestia.”

“Why can't you just wake him up?” Rainbow asked. “You've told me that you love him. Isn't that what it takes?”

I slightly flinched, sadness washing over me. “It does, but he doesn't love me back.” Memories of my past started to creep up on me, but I pushed them away.

“Oh, sorry.” Rainbow looked upset. “Well, I'm not going to try to stop you from talking to Twilight, but I do want to warn you. If you're in a disguise, get out of it after you're in her house. If she finds out herself that you're a changeling...”

I tilted my head. “You said that Twilight wouldn't hurt anypony.”

Rainbow stood up. “The times have changed and my friends are on the edge Misty. Do you really want to be the first changeling to test her?”

As I looked into Rainbow's eyes, I knew that she was dead serious. “Go Misty. Find Twilight and see if she can help you. And if at all possible...” Rainbow walked up to me and lightly hugged me. “Free my friend. Please.” The cyan mare jumped back, spread her wings and took to the skies.

I stood alone in the clearing for a while, thinking. Then I narrowed my eyes and shifted myself into a red pegasus with a white mane and tail. “Call me Candy Cane.” I thought to myself, grinning. Then I launched myself into the air and headed towards Ponyville.

. . .

Seeing how the sky was in a permanent state of being almost dark but not quite there, it didn't take me very long to reach the town without being seen by many. I looked over the town and gave a sigh of relief. From my distance, it seemed like my mother hadn't completely destroyed the town. I shook my head and refocused. Maybe it looked okay, but that didn't mean that it wasn't in trouble.

I dropped from the sky and gave a neat landing on the road leading up to Ponyville. Not wasting time, I trotted into the town. I slowed to a walk notably as I sensed two changelings heading towards me.

“Hey, who are you?” One of them said to me. “Are you even from around here?”

I nodded. “Yeah! I was just out of town for a few months.” I looked around, pretending to be completely oblivious to what was going on in the town. “What happened here?”

The second changeling glanced at his partner. “Should we give her the grand tour?”

The first one nodded. “Go ahead. I'll report to the queen that we still haven't located her daughter.” He walked off, taking off into the sky.

The renaming changeling lit his horn and cast a green mist over me. I felt an itching on my side and a strange compulsion to shed my disguise. I would have, except that I had been shifting for years and sometimes forgot who I was. The annoying feeling left me, and I made sure to not indicate that I had been bothered.

“Sorry about that.” He said. “My name is Cactus.”

“Candy Cane.” I replied. “What was that?”

Cactus turned towards the town and motioned for me to follow. “Our queen orders all changelings to walk in their normal forms. Come with me and I'll tell you all the rules.”

As we started walking together, my senses were going off the charts. All these changelings were relaxed and acted completely in control, which they were. I saw that the ponies weren't tied up or anything, but they sure were enslaved. Nopony was just running around having fun like I had seen before, and it hurt me knowing that I had a hoof in that. Frowning, I shook my head furiously. I needed to stay focused.

“There aren't that many rules here, but I'll tell you the few we have.” Cactus said. “One, no changeling can shift. I assume that’s until we can find Dancing Mist.”

I nodded. “That's the queen's daughter, right?”

“Correct.” Cactus continued on. “Two, no unicorns are allowed to cast magic without permission. You're a pegasus, so you don't need to worry about that.” I nodded. “Three, no flying off from the town without permission. And four, you must take part in a lecture about our queen.”

“Uh, okay.” I said, acting confused. “Who's giving the lecture?”

“The sun princess's former student.” He said, looking over to the large tree in the middle of town. “And she won't be pleased.”

. . .

Cactus had planned to introduce me to Twilight Sparkle, but he had winced, held his head and told me to go on alone. So now I was standing in front of the library that I knew she lived it, nervous. Very nervous.

I raised a hoof and knocked on the door. I heard shuffling around and a crash. I patiently waited until the door swung open, revealing a purple unicorn.

“Oh! Hello there! I'm Twilight!” She said, smiling. “Did you need something?”

I nodded. “I'm new here and was told to come get a lecture from you.”

Twilight sighed. “Ugh, I hate that lecture. Come on in.” I walked in as she shut the door behind us.

“Oh....I though this was a library?” I said.

She sighed behind me. “It was.”

I looked around the room. The shelves were all but bare, a few books on them from here from there. There was a black rug on the ground and a large mirror hanging on the wall. Twilight walked over to the bare shelf and levitated a book in front of her.

“Alright, let's get started.” Twilight opened the book and started to read. “By Order of her Majesty, Queen-”

I set my hoof on the book. “Twilight, you don't have to read that.”

Twilight was slightly confused. “Uh, yeah. If I don't, I'll be thrown into one of Canterlot's dungeons. I can't leave Spike all alone.”

Now was the moment of truth. “You don't have to read it because I already know all of those rules. I was there when Chrysalis thought them up.” Not giving her a chance to respond, I shifted my body and shed my disguise. “And to be fair, I don't like them either.”

Twilight stared at me for a while, different emotions showing on her face. I sat completely still, not wanting to show myself as a threat to her. Finally she spoke, “Why are you here? The disguise, you don't need that. What do you really want?”

“I do need that disguise Twilight.” I said. “I guess you could say that I've fallen out of favor with my mother.”

“She has been looking for you.” She said. “Go to her! Haven't you done enough to us?”

I didn't want her to convince herself that I was still evil. “That's why I'm here. I need your help.”

Twilight adopted an angry look on her face, warning me that I was going to feel her anger. “Really now? Just how Fluttershy needed help when her changeling was running for his life? Just how Shade was running for his life when you tricked all of us?!” She stood up, walked over to me and got right in my face. “Just how I almost killed him because of what you did? And you want to come back and ask for my help?!”

“Please Twilight.” I begged. “I know what I did was wrong, I really do. The nightmares I've been having for the last four months has been the latest proof of that.”

“Maybe if you had thought before trying to ruin our lives, we wouldn't BE here!” She yelled. I was completely silent at this point. Pushing Twilight over the edge would be very poor for the both of us, so I wanted her to think. I resolved to myself that if she refused to help me that I would find a way to get in the castle.

“Misty, let me ask you something that will decide if I will listen to you, or if I'll turn you in too your mother.” Twilight said, suddenly calm. “What did Shade say, when he saw you with Fluttershy?

“Huh?” I was so shocked by the question that I had to take a moment. “He-he gave me a choice. The choice to kill Fluttershy or let her go.”

Twilight continued to stare. “Why did he give you that choice when he could have saved her himself?”

I was quiet again. “He knew what I was going to do.”

“I don't trust you Misty.” Twilight said. “But I will believe you, because I also know what you are going to do.” She sat. “So, why are you here?”

“I need to take Fluttershy back to Shade and to do that I need a way into the castle.” I spat out before I could stop myself.

Twilight nodded and without a word, walked over to the large mirror. She tapped it twice with her horn and nodded to me. “There you go.”

“Wait.” I said. “Why so easily? Didn't you say that you didn't trust me?”

“There are two reasons that I am not going to hold you longer Misty.” Twilight said. One, because out of everything we've tried to do to rescue Fluttershy, this is the best plan so far. And two,” She smiled at me. “You're going to have a very hard time convincing Fluttershy. Also, I can't leave this portal up for too long.”

Walking over I glanced in the mirror. Instead of showing our reflections, I saw a room with a bed and a lot of pictures. “Why did you never use this portal?”

“We weren't ready. We still aren't.” Twilight said from behind me. “But we have time to prepare now.”

“Twilight.” I said. “Thank you. I'll make this up to you.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “You can do that by getting my friend out of there. Hurry up now, or this portal will be discovered.”

I wanted to hug Twilight but she was right. Without another word, I leapt into the mirror.

Author's Note

Sorry this took SO long!

Broken Kindness

Fluttershy groaned as she awoke. In the distant recesses of her mind, she could recall days when she had woken up from the sunlight streaming through a window, or because the warm body that shared her bed had rustled fitfully in its sleep. She knew of times when her life had been peaceful and happy. Most of all, she could remember Shade, but like all things she held dear, these memories were of a period of her life that was long past. She kept them locked tight in the back of her mind, the only place left where she had any strength or control.

Chrysalis had long since broken her heart and her body.

The soft yellow pegasus sat up with a whimper, feeling dozens of aches and pains throughout her body, inside and out. She put a hoof gingerly to her face, feeling a lump under her eye that one of the Queen’s favored guards had given her the previous evening.

She looked towards the expansive windows, vainly trying to guess the time of day out of habit, despite the fact that all she had ever seen since the death of her love had been the same dingy, grey, dismal twilight. Though she hadn’t cared much for flight in her life, now she felt an odd sort of kinship with the sky. It mourned for Celestia in the same way she mourned for Shade, the colors mirrored her soul with uncanny accuracy—and they were both slowly dying.

The omnipresent dusk was robbing Equestria of strength and warmth, slowly draining the land of its vitality despite the best efforts of Princess Luna. With Chrysalis able to overpower her and keep her captive in her quarters, there was only so much Luna could do, and a short, unbalanced night cycle was all she could manage.

Fluttershy, meanwhile, could feel herself dying, and there were no alicorns doing their best to keep her alive. In a way, she was grateful for that. The pegasus longed for death now, in a way that would have horrified and disgusted her just a season or so ago. She would give anything for the chance to be free, to be without the pain and misery and shame of her existence—and for the chance to see Shade again. Hope had burned out, and it somehow made her life easier for it.

Voices sounded outside the door, and Fluttershy’s eyes widened reflexively. After last night, she knew she looked just as bad as she felt and—she gave a tentative sniff at her midsection and winced—smelled. The Queen hated her pet to be so offensive to her senses, and Fluttershy wasn’t surprised to see a pair of burly changeling guards enter the room bearing spears, making way for a pair of the Queen’s personal retainers. Captive ponies tended to the grounds and the building. Members of Celestia’s former staff were responsible for maintaining the Princess’ former chambers, where Chrysalis now lived. To care for Fluttershy, though, were more changelings. Ponies would be too kind, would try to help her and give her hope.

Fluttershy got to her unsteady hooves, the burning in her rump and flanks making her legs wobble as she stood. The guards eyed her keenly as the pair of smaller changelings unhooked her collar from the wall and began to lead her away. Every step was difficult, but Fluttershy dared not let herself fall. She knew from experience that if she stumbled, the changelings would merely drag her down the halls on her face.

The guards that followed chatted back and forth in low voices, but the pegasus ignored them. She knew they were talking about her—probably making lewd jokes about why she needed to be bathed so often. From their vantage point, they could likely see very well why. She merely kept her head down and her ears low as she walked. There was no point to trying to preserve her dignity anymore, though she still yelped and jumped forward a few paces when one of the guards prodded her under her tail with the butt of his spear.

Bathing was hardly a relaxing experience, either. The changelings scrubbed her roughly, and the water was freezing cold, brought in from the pond outside. Without the sun’s warmth, it was only a matter of time before the water would begin to freeze over. Fluttershy shuddered at the thought as she chattered and shook from the frigid cold of her fur and feathers. The guards gave her just enough room to shake herself out without getting the rest of them wet, and they marched back to Chrysalis’ chambers. There were no blankets, no warm towels, no loving changelings with eyes like emeralds and a tender touch to dry her. Instead she sat and shivered and hoped that she could catch pneumonia and die.

The guards left the room, and Fluttershy felt a sudden blaze of anger. If her old self could see her now, how shocked, how fearful would she be? Fluttershy wished that an unwary changeling would enter her reach again. Chrysalis had ordered that nopony—no, Fluttershy corrected herself, nobody—could approach her pet alone but her ever since the pegasus had tried to maul a changeling guard with her bare hooves. He had escaped with his life, and the beating Fluttershy had endured was almost worth avoiding the intended rape for the night, but she knew that if she ever
got a second chance, she would kill any changeling she could reach without a second thought.

Her spirits fell as the door opened again, and the changeling queen entered the room. “Good morning, my queen,” Fluttershy said mechanically, as she was expected to every morning. Thankfully, Chrysalis didn’t force her to show any enthusiasm. She much preferred to see the pegasus broken and hopeless.

“And good morning to you, my pet,” the monarch replied, placing the usual derogatory emphasis on the word “pet.” Chrysalis looked over Fluttershy. “Eech, what an ugly bruise,” she spat, taking note of the shiner Fluttershy now wore under her eye. “It’s amazing you can’t learn to behave after all this time.”

The pegasus gritted her teeth and choked the urge to talk back. “Yes, my queen,” she muttered instead. Chrysalis knew full well that she hadn’t misbehaved or fought back. “Well, I’m famished, but since you can’t seem to keep yourself in check, I think you don’t get any breakfast today. Perhaps you should go have some private time while I eat, instead.”

Fluttershy sank a little, her stomach growling at the prospect of being deprived yet again. “Yes, Your Majesty...”

In a way, Fluttershy wasn’t disappointed, because what Chrysalis referred to as her “private time” was the only time she felt like a pony anymore. The guards led her away by her chain, taking her to the main audience chamber, where they left her alone, knowing there was no way to escape and nowhere to go. Once upon a time, Princess Celestia had ruled from this very hall, overseeing justice and ruling her subjects with a wise and gentle touch. Fluttershy had been in this very hall to be decorated along with her friends for saving Equestria from Discord. This room hardly looked like the chamber of her memories.

Before approaching ponies could reach the massive throne that dominated the opposite end of the hall, they had to pass by the statue. In the very center of the room, surrounded by dilapidated furnishings and boarded-up windows, stood Princess Celestia, frozen in time and space. With the death of her son, Celestia had fallen, encased in stone. Her face was forever locked in an expression of shame, pain, and sorrow—both for her subjects and herself.

A small, oddly ornate placard was set into the base of the statue, displaying the Elements of Harmony for all to see. There was no point in hiding them anymore. Even if the Bearers could break into the castle, even if they could rescue and free Fluttershy and get to the Elements to fight Chrysalis, she knew the Element of Kindness would never work for her again. Her heart was too hard, too cold, too angry. The pony who had wielded that Element so often in the past was gone.

As usual, Fluttershy fell at the statue’s base, bowing as much as her battered body would allow her to. Discord had said that he could still tell what was going on around him while encased in stone, so Fluttershy always bowed in the hopes that the Princess could still see her, too. Fluttershy sat on the base, curled up against one of Celestia’s legs.

“Hello again, Princess,” Fluttershy began, quietly. “It’s me again. I know a couple other ponies come in here from time to time, so I don’t want you to be confused...

“It’s—” she faltered, “I have no idea what day it is anymore. I feel like I’ve been here for years. Every day is the same. The weather never changes, and my life never changes, and the pain never, ever, ever changes!” She collapsed despondently, letting her head fall into her hooves as she began to weep. For minutes, the only sound that echoed through the massive hall was that of small, wracking sobs.

“Oh, Princess, I miss you so much. I miss Shade, I miss my friends...” The pegasus finally looked up, tears running down her cheeks. “Can you see from where you are? Do you see what these monsters do to me? I feel so bad for being so selfish, but I just want it to stop! I want it all to stop, but Chrysalis won’t let me die...”

Fluttershy barely stirred as a low laugh came from the doorway. Chrysalis walked up, grinning and shaking her head. “Oh, how I wish I could record this and play it for everypony in the world. An Element of Harmony, one of the most powerful ponies in all of Equestria, begging her fallen leader for death. I bet your friends back in Ponyville would get a real kick out of seeing you again, wouldn’t they? To see how I lead you around on a leash like a dog? To see how you’re good for nothing but being used by my guards?” The changeling queen put a hoof to her chin thoughtfully. “You know what—maybe that is a good idea. Maybe I’ll send your old friends a message, let them see you being taken like the little whore you are.

“I mean, you know why you’re here, right?” Chrysalis asked idly, turning to a small notch in the boards covering the window and looking out over the enslaved ponies laboring on the grounds. “Why all these bad things keep happening to you?” Fluttershy didn’t respond, simply hanging her head dismally. “Everypony out there knows about you. They know who you are, they know that you were the love of Shade’s life. You are a symbol to all of ponykind of his rebellion and his fight for the sake of love.” She let out a cruel chuckle and traced a hoof slowly down the exposed stained glass. “And they all know how you suffer. How futile your life is, and by proxy, how futile it is to resist. Every day you are at my side we show the entire world that I control their lives.” She turned and galloped back to stand face to face with the frozen Princess, staring madly into her eternally sad and regretful eyes.

“I hope you can see it, Celestia,” she spat angrily, her voice rising feverishly. “I hope you see it all—how I’ve beaten you, how I control everything, how I denigrate and use your helpless little ponies, and I hope you have nothing else to think about FOR ALL OF ETERNITY!” The Queen wheeled around, snatching up Fluttershy’s leash and dragging her back to her chambers in a wild rage, the helpless pegasus stumbling and bouncing off the ground and walls along the way. Fluttershy was flung to the ground on her rough carpet patch and cinched to the wall again. Chrysalis departed with an enraged scream, slamming the door with such force that it cracked one of the stones surrounding the frame. The fear and pain finally overcame Fluttershy, and she slumped to the ground, falling into an uneasy sleep.

Author's Note

THIS CHAPTER WAS NOT WRITTEN BY ME.

It was written by OtterMatt. Go tell him how good of a writer he is.

Only In My Dreams (Shade)

Chapter 6: Only In My Dreams (Shade)

“Uhh...” I groaned, unable to move. My head was spinning and I felt a horrible burning pain in my chest, like I had been ran though with a sword. I laid wherever I was for a few more moments, trying to orient my body in anyway I could.

“Hello? Are you awake?” A voice floated into my subconscious as I struggled to move. “If you can hear me, sit up.”

Sit up? It was hard enough to even think properly. Nevertheless, I knew that lying here wasn't going to solve anything, so I tried to move.

I was stiff as a board, so every movement hurt...a lot. Still though, I struggled on and eventually pulled my aching body into a sitting position. My entire body felt like it was on fire and I reeled like I was going to pass out. Then, I opened my eyes.

Nothing. I was sitting in a room of complete darkness. I turned my head left and right, up and down. Nothing. I put my forearms in front of me, thinking the room was small, but I didn't touch anything.

“Where...where am I?” I said out loud, my voice echoing throughout the empty room.

“Your mind.” It was the same voice that I had heard a few minutes ago. I glanced around again, but seeing as how it was still dark I saw nothing.

I heard a sigh. “Sorry about that. Here.” A soft green glow came from in front of me, and I saw a small changeling. He looked to be about thirteen or fourteen years of age.

“Who are you?” I said, panting a little bit.

The changeling shook his head. “Save your energy.” He walked a little closer and stood in front of me. “I'm glad that you've finally woken up.”

I was glad as well, but still very confused. “How long have I been here?”

“I believe that it has been four months now.” The changeling said. “Yes, you arrived here four months ago.”

Four months?! I started to panic. “What?! I gotta get out of here!” I made as if I was going to move, but a horrible flash of pain lanced though my body. I stopped moving and groaned.

“You're still healing.” The changeling said. “Try not to move, okay?” He walked up closer and stared at me, as if he was studying my body. “How did it happen?”

I winced and rubbed my chest, pulling my hoof away to see blood on it. “I failed. I failed Fluttershy, and I failed Null.”

I thought I saw the changeling wince at my words. “Really? How do you know that you failed them?”

“I should have stopped her!” I snapped. “We were there, but instead I was thrown around like a foal! I should ended her life right there! But I couldn't. Not even after she drank my son's life away like water. All I did was fail!” The realization of my words hitting me, I slumped over and wept.

As I cried, I felt a hoof on my shoulder. I looked into the changeling's green eyes. “But, maybe your failure also gave you the chance to succeed.” He said.

I was at a loss for words as I looked at his eyes. Most changelings had blue eyes, only special changelings had different colored eyes. But I knew that I had missed something drastic. The changeling's eyes were green. “Wha-”

He smiled. “I wish we could have met like this in a different situation, Dad.”

I couldn't believe my ears, or my eyes. But, I knew in my heart that this changeling really was my son, “Null?”

Without another word, he wrapped his forearms around my neck, and the two of us sat there for a while, helping each other through a period of sorrow, but also a little bit of hope.
. . .

“And then you passed out.” Twilight Sparkle said to Fluttershy, summing up the last part of the pegasus's last four months in hell.

Fluttershy nodded and turned back to Shade, slowly running her hoof through his hair. It had been two days after she had escaped Canterlot. Twilight knew that she was taking a major risk by being gone for so long, but she didn't care. As soon as Rainbow had been able to let her know that Fluttershy was free, she dropped everything and headed for the Everfree.

Twilight was worried about Shade, but more so about Fluttershy. Her friend was thin and malnourished, not a surprise seeing what she had gone through. But that wasn't was frightened her the most. When Twilight looked into her eyes, she saw fear...and anger. Her anger and hate was so palpable, Twilight wasn't sure her friend was still in there.

“Twilight.” Fluttershy whispered. “Why won't he wake up?”

Twilight was quiet for a few minutes. She knew that she needed to tread very lightly and she didn't want to damage Fluttershy any more then Chrysalis had already. “I think I know why, and it's not your fault.”

“Then what is it?!” Fluttershy snapped, startling Twilight.

Twilight stared at her friend for a moment, then said, “Fluttershy, how do you feel right now?”

“What do you mean?” Fluttershy said. “I feel fi-”

“No, you don't.” Twilight said.

Fluttershy glared at Twilight. “Who are you to tell me how I'm feeling?”

Twilight quietly looked at Fluttershy, and then sighed. “If you're feeling fine, then what did I do to make you mad?

“What?” Fluttershy's face took on a look of shock.

Twilight made a snap decision and let loose with her words. “Fluttershy, the reason he won't wake up is because of you.”

Fluttershy's eyes widened. “What?”

Twilight winced at the look in her eyes, but she continued. “You have so much anger inside of you that it's blocking out the love for Shade. It's to the point that instead of being able to gulp your love down like he needs, his body is forced to drink it through a straw.”

Fluttershy stood there, looking at Twilight. The unicorn was worried that she had further broken her friend, and wouldn't be able to live it down if she had.

“It's me...” Fluttershy whispered to herself.

Twilight stepped over to Fluttershy. “No, Flu-”

Fluttershy held her hoof up, stopping Twilight in her tracks. “It's always been me, hasn't it?” Twilight didn't move or speak as Fluttershy thought. “The reason he came back when we found him under Sugarcube Corner. The reason that he had to run when Discord came back, and why he beat him. The reason he...” She glanced at Twilight again. “The reason he died.”

“Twilight?” Fluttershy continued. “Twilight, was it all my fault? Everything that happened to him? Was I the cause?”

Not caring, Twilight crossed to the other side of the bed and laid her hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder. “No.” She said, her voice starting to break. “It's not your fault. It never was, and it never will be.” Fluttershy looked at Twilight for a moment more, then broke down and wept. Twilight held and cried with her, both of them letting go of the emotions that they had kept bottled up for four months.

And as the two of them wept together, neither of them noticed a slight twitch come from below them.
. . .

A sharp flash of pain lanced through my chest. “Ahh!” I screamed, jumping away from Null.

“You can feel it?” he asked.

I nodded, tears springing to my eyes. “It feels like I'm being stabbed over and over!”

I saw Null smile. “That's great!”

“Great?!” I tilted my head. “Um, no! It hurts!”

Null sighed. “Your body is feeling pain again. That means that it's finally healing.”

“But the only way I could heal is if I receive lo-” I gasped. “Somepony must have found me!”

Null nodded. “Yeah. And that means we have a little bit of a journey in front of us.”

“What journey?” I asked.

Null pointed behind me. “Look.”

I turned to see a door standing alone in the middle of the room. “That is one of the doorways to your lost and forgotten memories.” Null said. “If you want to wake up again, you have to remember.”

“So, I just walk through it?” I asked.

Null nodded. “Don't worry, dad. I'll be with you through the entire thing.”

I nodded at him, then turned to the door. Walking up to it, I laid my hoof on the doorknob. “Well, there's no going back now.” I took a deep breath, and yanked the door open. A field of light surrounded me, and I was lost in it.
. . .

Slowly, I forced my eyes open. “Great. Where am I now?” I thought to myself as I rose to my feet. “Wait a second...”

I was standing in a spacious lawn, a backyard to be specific. And there were foals everywhere, none of them looked to be more then seven or eight. I turned to see the backside of Canterlot Castle.

“I'm in Canterlot?” I said to myself.

“Yup.” I jumped as Null walked next to me.

I was slightly confused. “Null, I don't remember this. Are you sure that this happened to me?”

Null smiled. “This is your memory. A locked one, to be exact.”

“Locked?” I asked.

Null nodded again. “You've had a powerful spell put on you since your youth, Dad. It's weakened enough to the point that we can break it. And we need to. Come on.” He trotted off, forcing me to follow.

As we traversed to the doors that lead to the inside of the castle, I was trying to be very careful to not bump into anypony. Null looked back at me and chuckled.

“We're in your memories, Dad. You and I don't truly exist here.” he said.

I twisted around another pony. “Point?”

Null rolled his eyes. “You can walk right through them.” To prove his point, he stepped through a small unicorn mare and continued on.”

I sheepishly smiled. “Oops.”

The two of us finally reached the doors of the castle. Null pulled me aside as the doors opened to reveal my mother, my aunt, and a young Twilight.

“Okay, now I'm certain this didn't happen.” I remarked to Null.

“Wait for it.” Null muttered.

The doors burst open again and a dark blue shot out, latching onto Celestia. I took a double take as I realized that it was...me.

“What?!” I gasped. “I thought that Celestia kept me hidden from Equestria!”

Null shook his head. “When you were seven, Equestria knew that you existed. Everypony knew what a changeling was, but they didn't know that there were more of them that existed in the world. That changed on your eighth birthday.” Null clapped his hooves and the world went dark.

“Null!” I yelled, starting to panic. “Null!”

I heard him laughing. “Take the blindfold off.” I did, and couldn't have been more surprised by the result.

The sky wasn't blue anymore, but had a deep red tint in it. The backyard wasn't beautiful anymore, filled with holes and little fires. Null pointed up and behind me, causing me to see a large smoking hole in the side of the castle.

“That's that room that I have to sweep out...” I thought to myself. “Where are we, Null?”

Null pointed at the middle of the lawn. “Your eighth birthday.”

The two of us ran to the middle of the lawn. Reaching it, I was shocked by the sight. There was a dead female changeling lying on the grass and two parties were standing on each side. On one side was a much younger Chrysalis and an even smaller changeling. I assumed that was Misty. On the other side was Celestia, Luna, and myself. But what shocked me the most was that my horn was dripping blood. In horror, I looked at the changeling on the ground. Sure enough, she had a bleeding hole in the middle of her chest.

“Dad, you need to pay attention here.” Null said. “This won't be easy.”

I nodded and started to listen.

Chrysalis ran a hoof across her eyes, I assumed that she had finished crying. She looked at my younger self with such hate, I could feel it radiating from me. I guess that my hyper emotional abilities were viable even then, because my younger self shook so much that my mom laid her hoof on me.

“You, you killed her.” Chrysalis said in a husky voice, a voice that was still filled with tears.

“I told her to go away...” My younger self said in a broken voice. I must have been forced to kill her, or it had been an accident.

Celestia glared at Chrysalis. “I warned her many times.”

“But you couldn't stop your spawn?!” She snapped at Celestia.

“You are the reason that he was born.” Celestia said back, barely able to contain her rage.

“My mother gave me the idea, but she never thought that I would truly carry it out.” Chrysalis ground out her words. “And how I wish that I hadn't. Don't worry Celestia, we'll be back.”

“Really now?” Celestia said.

A truly evil grin spread across the changeling's face. “Oh yes. Would you like to know why? I'll tell you. Because when all is said and done, and we return, I'm coming straight for him.” She pointed at my younger self. “And when I have him in my grasp, I will make him weep. He will cry out for you, Celestia in his time of need and you won't be able to answer.” She stepped up and got right in my mother's face. “He will die with the memory of your failure being that last thing he ever remembers.” With her threat given, she turned and gently lifted her mother's body with magic. She stalked away with Misty behind her.

My mother wrapped my younger self in her arms. “I'm so sorry, Shade.”

My younger self sniffed. “It-it's not your fault. I didn't want to kill her, but my magic overcast and...

My mother put her hoof over his mouth. “Shh. I know. And that's not what I'm sorry for. Luna, you can go.” Luna nodded, hugged me and left without a word. But I saw in her eyes that she knew what was going to happen.

“Shade.” Celestia turned back to my younger self. “I need you to listen to me. I'm going to...send you away for a while.”

“What?!” He started to panic. “I don't want to leave you!”

“You won't.” She said. “You'll still be with me, but you just won't remember me.”

I saw the realization slam my younger self like a ton of bricks as he slumped into Celestia's forelegs. “Shh, my little one.”

“Why...”, my younger self muttered as he clutched at Celestia.

“Equestria needs time to recover.” My mother said. “I was afraid for this day, and I wish that I could have prevented it.” Tears started to flow from her eyes. “This spell will wipe the memory of you from everypony in Equestria.”

“You can do that?” My younger self muttered.

“I had been planning this for a long time.” My mother replied. The two stood there for a few more seconds before my younger self pulled away.

“Mom, do it.” he said. As my mother opened her mouth, he shook his head. “I don't want anyone else to suffer. Not like Misty, not like Chrysalis, not like her mother. Please. I'll see you again.”

The tears were unchecked at this point as my mother stood in front of me. “Shade...”

Even thought my younger self was crying, he managed to wink. “I love you, Mom.”

Celestia was able to manage a small smile. “I love you too, my little changeling.”

And after that, her horn lit up. With a flash of white, the world faded away.
. . .

Twilight and Fluttershy had continued to sit by Shade as the two talked, Twilight trying to help draw Fluttershy's emotions out.

“I can't believe you would feel that, Fluttershy.” Twilight said.

Fluttershy sighed. “Twilight, I'm only a shell of what I used to be. I'll never be able to use the Element of Kindness again.

“Don't say that.” Twilight said.

“But it's true.” Fluttershy replied. “Every time I think of Chrysalis, I'm filled with so much anger...it scares me.”

“Is that the only thing that scares you?” Twilight asked.

Fluttershy nodded, then shook her head. “No. It's Shade.”

Twilight's eyes slightly widened. “He's never scared you before.”

Fluttershy shook her head again. “It's not that. I'm afraid that he...that he won't love me anymore.”

“What?” Twilight asked, slightly shocked. “Whatever would make you think that?”

“Look at me, Twilight.” Fluttershy said. “Can somepony love this broken shell I have to call a body?”

“Fluttershy, we're all struggling.” Twilight started. “And you have the best proof that Shade won't stop loving you.”

Fluttershy raised her eyebrows. “Really?”

Twilight smiled and reached for Fluttershy's necklace. Quick as a flash, Fluttershy smacked her hooves away and clutched it. “I'm sorry, it's a force of habit now.” She muttered.

“And there's your proof.” Twilight said. Suddenly, she went still.

“Twilight?” Fluttershy asked.

“Shh!” Twilight hushed her friend. “Look.” She pointed at Shade. His head had been lying on its side so that Twilight could examine his eyes. But as the two mares looked, they saw that his face was pointing at the ceiling.

“I didn't move him.” Fluttershy said, shocked.

Twilight smiled. “Fluttershy, he's waking up.”
. . .

I forced my eyes open again, finding myself in my mother's throne room. “Null, why are we here? And what was that memory supposed to show me?”

Null trotted up to my side and sat down. “Dad, you were supposed to be kidnapped when you were eight.”

“I wasn't though.” I said.

Null nodded. “Right. Here's what happened. You were in a secret relationship with Dancing Mist for six months. You two hid it really well.”

I winced as the force of that struck me. “No wonder Misty was so angry when I started to be with Fluttershy. She still loved me.”

“A changeling's bond is very hard to break, Dad.” Null said. “Look at me, for one.”

“But I don't understand.” I said, remembering something. “My mom gave me back all my memories, right.”

“Yes, but she didn't lock all of them.” Null pointed out. “When you were hugging Celestia, Chrysalis locked two very important memories of yours. One, was your love for Dancing Mist. That lock on your brain is the only reason you were psychologically able to not be with her.”

I scratched my head. “So after we make our choice, we're stuck with it?”

Null smiled. “In a manner of speaking. Changelings can date, but that bond is the ultimate form of trust. It's made to help our species survive. You felt it with Fluttershy, didn't you?”

I thought back to those many months ago, when I had told Fluttershy about my love for her. “It was such a warm feeling...”

“That was your body and mind accepting her. It wouldn't have connected unless Fluttershy had felt the same, which we know that she did.” Null continued. “If she hadn't, then no consequence. It's funny though...”

“What is?” I asked.

“Logically speaking, you should be dead by now and I should be long gone.” Null said. “Even with the fact that you're one of the strongest changelings alive, you shouldn't still be alive.”

I shook my head. “I don't understand it either.” My hoof flashed to my neck and my eyes widened. “My necklace!”

Null nodded, suddenly more quiet.. “And now we come to the second memory. Look.” I turned and down the hallway was my necklace, floating in midair.

“How did it come off?” I asked.

“I think that's the reason you didn't die.” Null replied. “You two have a very strong bond.”

I smiled at him, then turned back to the piece of jewelry. “So, I just go grab it?”

Null looked down the hallway. “Yeah. Go ahead.”

The look in my son's eye confused me, but I shrugged my shoulders and moved on. As I took a step onto the carpet, two things happened. One, every statue on the walls shifted and shot up on either side of the red carpet. And two, a bolt of lightning slammed right in front of me.

“Ahh!” I jumped backwards, only to crash into an invisible wall. Glancing behind me, I saw that Null wasn't there anymore. He was sitting on my mother's throne.

“Null?! What's happening?!” I shrieked as the statues started to turn green.

“I can't help you with this part!” Null yelled back. “Just keep pressing on to the necklace! And whatever you do, don't stop walking!”

I gulped and began my trek to the middle of the room.

To say that it was scary is the understatement of my entire life. If I hadn't had to keep moving, I would have been downright petrified. My stomach was flipping in every direction and every hair stood on end. The statues continued to ooze green mist and shake as I walked. I glanced outside the windows and saw a strange red swirling pattern in the sky.

And there was the lightning. Oh, the lightning. Every time a bolt struck down, I almost leaped into one of the statues. The only reason I didn't do that was because those scared me as well. I had no choice but to slowly pace down the aisle, my worst fear all around me.

By the time I finally reached my necklace, I was shaking and shivering all over my body. Null had somehow reached the middle of the room while I had been fighting my fear. I reached out and took my necklace, smiling as I rubbed the familiar diamond. As I started to put it on, Null stopped me.

“Dad...”, he started, but looked down. “Are you sure that you're ready? To go back? To face the world how it is now?”

I smiled at my son. “I have to. I made a promise that I'd always be there.”

He looked up at me, and pointed at my mom's throne again. A door had appeared there. “Put the necklace on, and touch that door. I'll speak to you again. And Dad?” He hugged me. “ Good luck.” Suddenly, he was gone.

I put the necklace around my neck, letting it go to clink into place. Instantly, the entire rooms started to shake. I turned towards the throne, but then the unexpected happened. Instead of the lightning striking around my body, it struck me.
. . .

Twilight was reading one of Zecora's books for a possible explanation when Fluttershy tapped her shoulder. “Twilight, is Shade supposed to be...sparking?”

Twilight turned towards the changeling as she saw electric sparks dancing on his body. “What?” She said as Fluttershy wrapped her forelegs around him. She tapped her head, thinking. Suddenly, her eyes widened. “Fluttershy, get back!”

Fluttershy let go of Shade, right as electricity burst around his body.

“Ahh!” Both mares were knocked backwards from the burst. Fluttershy hit the ground as Twilight slammed against the wall.

Fluttershy pulled herself up and was set on running towards Shade when Twilight yelled. “No, Fluttershy! You'll be electrocuted!”

Fluttershy turned back to Twilight. “Twilight, he deserves to see something he needs when he wakes up. I have to do this.”

Twilight was torn. She didn't want Fluttershy to be hurt, but she knew where she was coming from. She sighed and nodded. “I'm pulling you out if you're dying on me.”

Without a second thought, Fluttershy flung herself on Shade, crying out as the electricity start to lance through her. Twilight lit her horn and cast a spell on Fluttershy to nullify the damage.

“I can't hold this for long.” She thought to herself. “Please wake up..”
…

Pain. That's just about the only thing I could think of. I couldn't scream, couldn't cry. I knelt on the ground reeling in the pain.

Don't....fall...I knew that if I fell to the ground, I was done. Whatever you do, don't stop. Null's words flashed through my head. I knew what I needed to do.

With a lot of effort, I slowly planted my forelegs into a position so that I could push up. And the pain from doing that made me think that I was going to die on the spot. I refused to stop, pushing against the ground until I was able to stand. And then, I started to walk.

Each step felt like I was slogging through mud, except that it HURT. I didn't try to think or plan my steps, I just walked. Step after step after step.

Tears started to fall from the effort of walking. Electricity was flowing throughout my entire body. I could feel it reaching every inner pore of my insides and was surprised that it hadn't cooked my insides.

I...can't...stop. My mind struggled to coax out rational thoughts. Must...continue...

Another step and another, and another! I continued to walk, and then tripped.

As my body crashed on the ground, I involuntary curled into the fetal position. And at that very moment, I was certain that I was going to die. I was ready to lay there and welcome the darkness...

Until I opened my eyes again and saw a pair of beautiful teal eyes in front of me. I saw that the door was open and there was pure light behind it. And in front of me was Fluttershy, reaching out for my hoof.

I stared at it, convinced that there was no way that I would be able to grasp it. But she simply smiled at me and said four words. Four words, no more, no less.

Come back to me.

I felt a surge of energy slice through the pain that was torturing me. With a scream, I forced my right foreleg up and grasped Fluttershy's hoof. I felt a tugging on my body...

And it was done. The pain had finally ended. I stood there for a few moments, shaking. Null came from nowhere and laid his hoof on my side. “Dad...you did it.”

I hugged him. Tight. The two of us stayed like that for a few moments before Null pulled away. “How do you feel?”

“Like I just walked through a lightning storm, what do you think?” I said with a smile. I held my hoof and gasped as electricity danced on it. “What?”

“And the second memory. Your innate control over electricity.” Null said. “Chrysalis charmed you to have an irrational fear of it. That way, you're strongest power would be taken from you. But you still were giving her hell without it.” He added with a smile.

I looked at the door of light as the room shook. Null pushed me. “You need to go. Your mind is repairing itself and you can't be in here when it's done.”

“Where will you go?” I asked my son.

He smiled. “I'm a part of you, Dad. I'm going to stay right here, with you. Maybe we'll never talk again, but at least I can share some of your life.

I hugged him for the last time. “Null, thank you. Thank you so much.”

He squeezed me back. “I love you, Dad.”

“I love you too.” I replied, letting go of him. With a deep breath, I turned to the door.

“Don't forget, when you get your strength back, you need to start training your electricity, get your body acclimated to it.” Null said. “And you know, you missed my birthday.”

“Want a present?” I snarked at him, causing him to laugh.

“That'd be perfect! And I have the perfect idea.” Null said. “Send my mother's soul this way, would you? I have words for her.”

I nodded. “Consider it a belated birthday present.” I turned to the door and stepped through it, light covering my body. And then, I knew nothing.
. . .

Fluttershy stepped back from Shade as his body stopped sparking. With a huff, Twilight broke the spell and stood on the other side of the changeling. She started to speak, but stopped when Shade began to move.

Fluttershy and Twilight hoped with all of their might as the changeling's body stirred on the bed. And then, it was like a miracle, he slowly opened his eyes.

“Shade.” Fluttershy whispered.

The changeling's eyes finally focused as he looked at his mate. “Hey....sweetheart.” he managed to say, his voice cracking. “I'm really, really sorry...that I took so long.”

Awakening (Shade)

Do you remember when you'd break something, or cause an accident, and it really wasn't your fault? How your parents would convince you not to worry about it, try to help you feel better?

I wish I could have that luxury.

It has been a week now, a week ever since I left the realm of my own mind and returned to the real world. I don't remember much of the week, except that Fluttershy rarely left my side, if she left it at all. I was drifting in and out of consciousness the entire time, so I wasn't sure.

Zecora, she told me her name was, she fed me because I wasn't able to move without a lot of pain. Which was understandable, I had been lying there for a long time. I couldn't keep the shock out of my voice when she told me that I had been asleep for four months.

“What?!” I had exclaimed when Zecora told me. “I gotta get up! I gotta see where my mother is! I got-

“You need to rest.” Fluttershy had softly chastised me. I had wanted to press the issue, but I let it drop, seeing an unfamiliar look in her eyes.

While I had recovered, I was greatly disturbed by the way my marefriend had been acting. She put up a brave front around me, feeding me with as much love as she could, but I knew that wasn't the full case. I had taken the time to study her. I saw that she was much, much thinner than the last time I had seen her. I had a faint image of her looking dirty and bruised, but she looked cleaner now. Some of her bruises were still there, she couldn't hide them well enough from me.

And her emotions...it had taken a few days for me to use my gift of sensing emotions, but when I did...

I sensed her love for me, and her fear. But...her anger...she had so much anger. I had attempted to ask her what had happened while I was...well, almost dead. But anytime I attempted to bring up the subject, she'd tell me not to worry about it. That's when I sensed the flashes of anger from her. I tried to ask Zecora, and Twilight and Rainbow whenever they were able to sneak away, but I received the same answer, telling me to worry about recovering.

So I did as they said. I knew that when I was able to use my body again, they'd tell me what I wanted to know. I'm not going to lie, the wait was agonizing. And as I recovered, the looks I saw my friends give each other and the emotions I sensed from them began to truly frighten me.

. . .

The day finally came when I was going to stand up again. It might not seem like a big thing, but it sure felt like it to me. Not only was Fluttershy and Zecora there, but Rainbow and Twilight had been able to sneak out as well. I felt really grateful that my friends were willing to risk their lives to spend this time with me.

“Now remember, you need to take it easy.” Fluttershy reminded me.

I was sitting up in the bed as Fluttershy gently mopped my forehead with a washcloth. “I know, Flutters. I'm not going to just start running around.”

Zecora walked to the other side of the bed. “You need to listen to her, you know/Your body still has to grow.”

I tilted my head. “Um, what?”

Twilight smiled. “I think she's trying to tell you that you're going to have to relax a bit more before you try to start training.”

“Training for what?” I asked. “What happened out there?”

“Well...” Rainbow started.

Fluttershy instantly snapped at her. “No, Rainbow!”

As Rainbow slammed her mouth shut, I winced at the rush of anger that flowed from my mate. “Flutter-”

She put her hoof over my mouth. “Please, Shade. Just...just start walking first.”

I gently nodded. “Alright.”

Fluttershy removed her hoof from my mouth and stepped back from the side of the bed. I slowly moved my hooves until I was sitting up and facing the side of the bed, looking out over the room. I pushed myself a bit forward, seeing Twilight and Rainbow take a few steps forward. I felt better knowing that they'd catch me if I was about to taste the ground.

Carefully, I pushed forward a bit more until my back hooves barely touched the ground. I pushed myself forward, my back hooves fully hitting the ground. I pitched forward, causing my friends to gasp.

“Shade!” Fluttershy yelled.

With a solid thud, my front hooves hit the ground. The force of the impact caused me to bow my head. I wobbled on my legs, trying to reorient myself. I heard hoofsteps as my friends stepped forward to steady me.

“No!” I snarled. “Let-let me do this.”

The hoofsteps stopped. “Are you sure about this?” Rainbow asked.

“Rainbow Dash, let him be/This task is not meant for you or me.” Zecora spoke up.

After a few more seconds, I felt myself steady. I searched deeper in my body, trying to find something...

“W-what?” Fluttershy spoke up.

I felt my body shimmer, causing me to raise my head and open my eyes. I looked around at my friends, seeing Twilight and Rainbow watching me carefully. Zecora had a small smile on her face and I felt joy radiating from my mate. I raised my hoof, looking at my leg. It was covered in blue hair. I looked up at Fluttershy. “H-how do I look?”

The yellow mare walked forward and gripped me in a hug, softly rubbing my head. “You look wonderful.”

“You did it, Shade!” Rainbow yelled, as Twilight simply smiled at me.

Zecora walked around the bed and tapped my back. “Very good, but you have no time to rest/It is time to start your real test.”

I sighed. “I'm ready to start.”

. . .

Yeah, I wasn't ready to start.

Twilight decided to be the one to help me train with my emotion controlling and my lightning powers. As grateful as I was, I assumed that it would be rather easy for me to control.

Nope.

Sensing emotions was something that my body naturally did, so that should only come back with time. My other abilities were going to be a lot harder to return.

Twilight wanted to start by manipulating emotions. Before I had been stabbed, that was the hardest power to control and use in general. It's not just taking an emotion to feed from. It's actually removing the emotion so that pony can't feel it for a amount of time. I had only done that one other time before, and that was so I wouldn't die.

“Why do you want me to use the most tiring ability I have?” I asked Twilight.

“Because if you can use that without problems, then your other powers should be a lot easier for you.” She replied. The two of us were standing deep in the Everfree, where we wouldn't be discovered by changelings flying overhead.

I sighed. “Twilight, I never even used this ability, except for once!”

“And when did you use it?” She countered.

“After I fought you.” I replied.

She winced but continued, “Exactly. You never know when you'll need to use it. So, let's go!”

I sighed. “Alright.”

I focused my senses on Twilight. I sensed worry, fear and hope from her. “Let's see...”

I narrowed my eyes, honing in on the worry. I inhaled as I tried to draw the emotion out of her soul. I felt myself sweating and shaking a bit.

In a snap, I felt a disconnect. My eyes widened as I felt myself detach from the emotion. The force threw me backwards, causing me to hit the ground with a thud.

Twilight gasped. “Shade! Are you alright?!”

I groaned. “Uhhh...I lost a hold of it...”

“But you're alright?” She repeated.

I nodded. “Yeah, I think.”

“Great!” She said. “Let's go again!”

“Wait, what?” I asked.

“You said that you wanted to see what happened when you were unconscious.” Twilight said. “If you really do, then you'll need to be at your best. None of us are going to let you leave the forest until we know that you're ready.”

I sighed. “Why all the wait, Twilight? Why can't I just know?”

“Shade...” Twilight began. “Please trust me, you're going to want to be ready.”

. . .

I'm going to just say it right now. The next few weeks I felt like I was living in hell. Twilight and I practiced with my emotion abilities for a few days. The hardest part was indeed, actually robbing emotions. If I succeeded, Twilight wouldn't feel that for a few hours and it was dangerous to try to steal more than one at a time.

We also worked on how deceiving I was whenever I shifted. I worked on all of our friends, but even with my natural affinity for deceiving, it wasn't easy. Especially trying to be Fluttershy.

“I don't know, Shade...” Twilight said. “It doesn't seem like her..”

I was at that moment, attempting to be my mate. “A-are you sure? Do I need to straighten my mane more?”

“That's not the problem.” Twilight said.

I sighed, dropping the shift. “What's wrong?”

“Well, that's not how she acts now...”

“I know!” I snapped. “And for whatever reason, none of you will tell me!”

Twilight's eyes flashed. “Don't get mad at me, Shade.”

“I'm sorry if I get a little agitated for not knowing what happened when I was just about dead!” The two of us stood there for a moment, not talking. Then I sighed. “Twilight, I'm sorry. I'm just worried about Fluttershy, I haven't even started learning about my electricity...

Twilight walked forward and hugged me. “I'm sorry. It's not fair of me to keep so much from you. Here, follow me.”

“W-what?” I asked.

“You wanted to see a little of why we've been sheltering you? I'll show you, but you aren't going to enjoy it.”

. . .

Twilight and I silently walked deeper into the forest. “Wow...” I said. “Hidden paths and everything.”

“Fluttershy showed me this path.” Twilight said. “You'll see why in a moment.” Taking the hint, I shut up.

The two of us arrived in a small clearing. It was a small field, surrounded by trees. I looked up and saw that branches and leaves covered the top, hiding the clearing well.

“What is this place?” I asked.

Twilight looked at me and I sensed sadness from her. “Shade...do you remember the way back from here?”

“Sorta, why?” I replied.

“I'm going to wait for you, because this is something you need to see alone.” Without another word, Twilight left me alone in the clearing.

I looked around the clearing, just relaxing for a while. And then, I saw a large stone in the middle and it looked like it had a bit of writing on it. I walked closer, kneeling down to get a better look.

Dancing Mist

A great friend, and a true hero.

May you forever rest in piece.

“No...” I said, stepping back. “No, no, no!” My voice broke and I fell on my rump. “No, Misty! NO” I felt anger flow through my body and a spark. “MISTY!”

In a bright flash, electricity burst from around my body as I started crying as hard as I could. The bolts flew from my body, striking trees and branches everywhere. I couldn't control my power, and I didn't even try. I had failed, and in that process, a friend had died in the process.

I shamelessly wept, my lightning flying everywhere. And suddenly, I felt something touch my shoulder. I looked up to see my mate. “Flutter-”

She put her hoof over my mouth and hugged me. I tried to push her off because of the electricity, but it didn't seem to affect her. Seeing that, I tightly embraced her. As I hugged her, my electricity slowly calmed down and stopped completely. The two of us sat there for a while, not talking.

“Shade...” She began.

“I failed her, Flutters.” I said. “All of you, and I never knew just how badly.”

“Stop.” Fluttershy said. “Shade, it wasn't your fault.”

“It was.” I said. “There's a reason that she's dead, and that you're all hurt and why I rolled over to you the other night and you almost broke my neck!” She looked back at me, a bit shocked.

“Shade, I'm not ready.” she said. “Not yet, please.”

“Why can't you tell me?” I asked.

Fluttershy looked down at my neck. “It hurts...” She looked back up at me. “Shade, can I make you a promise?”

“Anything.” I said.

“You need to not blame yourself for Misty's death, and train.” she said.

“And in return?” I asked.

She looked at my face. “We'll talk. About everything. Why you scare me in your changeling form, what happened to me...everything.”

I leaned forward and gave her a kiss on the forehead. We hadn't kissed on the lips ever since me wake up call. “I promise.”

She stood. “I know this is very hard, Shade and I'm so sorry.” I saw a few tears fall from her eyes as she turned and left.

I took a few more minutes to look at Misty's grave. “Misty...nothing I say can pay you back. But I promise, I will make her pay.” I stood up and left the clearing, with a new goal in mind.
. . .

My days were busy now, full of training and recovering. Twilight and I both decided that it would be better to focus on my electricity now that I had my emotions under control. I learned that it was triggered by my emotional state, which decided if it would be easier or harder to focus or control it. I remember that it was borderline impossible for me to direct it from my horn at first. It flew from my hooves, my mane, once it flew from my wing.

That got weird.

We learned that if I wanted to be in any sort of water, I couldn't have any sparks of my electricity active. If I did, they would clash and I'd be rendered unable to move. If it was a little bit of water, I'd be okay. For the most part.

I remembered what Null had told me when I was still dreaming. I worked as hard as I could to strengthen my body. Not only for myself, but for Null, Misty and Fluttershy.

I had failed them, and I owed this to them. And I would not fail again.

...

Very late the next night, I stumbled into the cottage, quite tired. I hadn't drained any emotions for the entire day. Twilight and I had been training, which wasn't fun to do hungry, believe me. She had headed back for Ponyville under the cover of darkness and directed me to head back to Zecora's.

“Zecora...” I started. “Where's Fluttershy? I'm slightly short of starving right now.”

The zebra turned towards me. “She is not here, but I hope you don't mind/Fluttershy told me that it's finally time.”

“Time...Time!” I gasped. “You guys think I'm ready?”

“Possible not as much as we hoped/But you have done much, you deserve to gloat.” She replied.

I shook with excitement. “W-where is she?”

“Follow the path, go left, than right/There waits the one with whom you spend your nights."/.” She said.

I walked forward and hugged Zecora. “Thank you.”

The zebra smiled and pushed me away from her. “Go!”

I nodded to her and left the cottage from the back door. I followed the path as she said, but I focused hard and did see a path leaning towards the right. I took it, and walked up it, seeing a opening in front of me.

“Alright, Shade.” I said to myself. “It's time to see what I let happen during my nap.”

The Chains that Bound Them (Fluttershy)

The moon was nice.

It was always rather nice, but nighttime was the best. I hadn't been able to look at the moon when I was Chrysalis's slave...and none of us have seen the sun in months.

I sat upon a hill that overlooked Ponyville, my second home and the home of my dear friends. I hated to be so far from it, but I knew that after my escape, the changelings would be on high alert to find me. I was the symbol of our oppression and now I was free. Chrysalis wouldn't let that go unpunished...

A sigh escaped my throat as I looked over my town. I knew that if this ever ended, it wasn't going to be the same. Not anymore. She had done so much to us...

I shook my head as I heard rustling from behind me. Turning, I saw the familiar blue coat of my changeling...or could I even call him that? I had been so horrible to him since he awoke. I couldn't sleep next to him, or let him touch me. Even when he was able to shift again...I couldn't do it. He was being so patient with me and I knew I was hurting him. And it wasn’t his fault, it was mine. Whenever I saw him, the memories of what they did to me returned, I had to force myself to remember that he wasn't them. He would never be them.

I turned around completely as Shade walked up to me. He sat down, flicking his ears as he stretched. “Quite a walk to get up here.”

“It's hidden, and peaceful.” I replied. “They don't usually fly over the Everfree, not since they have the town and castle.”

Shade looked at me, studying me and I turned my head away. “Stop it!” I berated myself. “You know better then this, Fluttershy! He's not like them.” I raised my head again, giving me a smile. At least...I really hope it was a smile.

I must have succeeded, because he smiled back. “So...” he said, raising his hoof to let a spark of electricity flow along it.

“You're getting much better at that.” I said, trying to avoid the reason for us being here.

Shade shrugged, letting it run up his leg. “I guess. It's like the memories of doing this from being a child are finally coming back to me. I wonder why I even have this ability though...when you think about who my parents are, it doesn't make sense.”

I tapped my chin. “Maybe it's because of what Chrysalis did to turn you into a changeling in the first place?”

“Makes sense.” Shade replied, smiling as he caused the spark to disappear. “She's just about made of mana now...it would make sense that I got a fair bit of it as well.”

I nodded, searching my brain for another topic. I decided to stick with what he liked to talk about. “So those sparks...does that always happen?”

He nodded, tapping his hooves together to make a bridge of electricity. “Gentle reminder of what I can do, it seems. I'll say, I gotta get creative with it.”

“How so?” I didn't ask just to stall, I was actually curious. Twilight or Zecora was usually with Shade whenever he practiced.

“Well, I can shoot a beam of it from my horn, of course. Twilight told me that I should fight with it how I fought her when I had normal magic.” Shade explained. “When I was fighting her, I relied more on speed and tricking her then brute force.”

I nodded, starting to understand. “So it would be easier for you to win a fight if you're distracting your opponent?”

“Yup.” He replied, smiling. “Shooting a lot of it, bouncing it off objects in the room. I can even coat myself in the stuff and run REALLY fast. Granted, last time I tried that, I ended up running into a tree.” He rubbed his head, wincing. “That was not fun.”

I giggled, a real giggle for the first time in days. “So that's where you got that big bump from. And you told me that Twilight nailed you.”

“Well...” His face slightly flushed as I giggled again. He ended up chuckling as well, and it felt like old times for a few seconds, before all this had happened to us.

I knew I couldn't distract him forever, which showed when he looked at me. “Shy...why did you want me to come here?”

I sighed, folding my wings tighter against my body. “You need to know what happened whils you were...”

“Dead?” He bluntly asked, causing me to wince.

“Yeah.” I walked closer, sitting down and looking at him. “What do you want to know first?”

He lowered his head, his forehoof rubbing a scar along his chest. Zecora told us when he awoke that the scar would be there for the rest of his life, looking like a crack whenever he was in his changeling form. His eyes slightly lit up, causing me to gulp as he looked back up me. “My mother.”

I sighed. “After Chrysalis threw you into the Everfree, she teleported the two of us to the castle. Misty didn't come with us, she was still in shock about what had happened. When we landed in the throne room, I cried out to the princesses to help me. Celestia instantly flew at us, but when she landed on the ground, her hooves were stuck to the floor.”

“Stuck to the floor?” Shade asked, confused. “What, did Chrysalis put glue everywhere?”

“Her hooves were turning to stone.” I replied. The look of shock and pain on his face just about caused me to stop talking, but I couldn't. I had to tell him everything that had happened. “She turned to stone, and Princess Luna was brought down by the sheer numbers of the changelings that attacked her.”

Shade's eyes flashed with anger, lightning flashing more frequently along his body. “Why?”

I struggled to remember just what Chrysalis had told the princess. “She said because you're a changeling, you and Celestia had a special bond...and that she couldn't die because of her immortality but...”

“Something just as worse.” He replied. “Permitted to live...and watch her kingdom fall apart around her.”

I knew what I needed to tell him next. “She left the princess in the throne room...it's not used right now. She let me visit her once a day...sometimes even twice.” I winced as I knew what he was going to ask next, and I wasn't ready to tell him. I knew it would hurt...no. I quickly moved on. “All of the ponies that served in the castle were moved to the outside as slaves, there's mostly only changelings in the castle now.”

“And Ponyville?” Shade asked. He considered that his second home, so I knew he wasn't going to enjoy this either. “It was also overtaken, rather quickly. The few times I went there, I saw that the changelings had made everypony into slaves for them.”

Shade was growing very quiet, something that was worrying me more and more as time went on. “And our friends?”

“Twilight, as you know, surprisingly has the most freedom.” I replied. “I don't know about Applejack, but Rarity and Pinkie Pie have been under constant house arrest. Pinkie's been forced to supply food, I'm sorry, they're called “rations” to the ponies. I don't know what Rarity does, but I know she's not happy. Spike is mostly left alone, mostly forced to stay in the library. I'm not sure what Rainbow does, but she has been able to get us information, as you know.

Shade was quiet for a longer period of time. His expression grew darker as his eyes trailed to the ground. “What about the rest of Equestria?”

“More of the same, the cities that I've seen.” I told him. “The basic point was to tell others to not attempt to help take back control from Chrysalis, and no one has tried.”

Shade looked back up at me. I tried to think of anything to divert his question, but I didn't have enough time. “What happened to you in there?”

I tried to feign innocence. “I don't...”

“Shy, if you could have, you would have woken me up as soon as Zecora found me.” He replied. “I remember what Chrysalis told me before I died. She said she would break you...what did she do? Why won't you let me hold you, or even come near you in my changeling form?” I heard his voice break as he struggled to compose himself. “Why won't you let me love you?”

I turned away as I snarled. “Because of what they did. She...she hurt me, Shade. She beat me, and insulted me, and let her changelings do whatever they damn well pleased to me.” I wanted to stop, to tell him that I was mistaken, or that I had forgot, but the words were flowing now and I wasn't going to be able to stop them. “I slept next to her bed, tied to the wall by the neck with a chain. I wasn't allowed to see the sky, only when Chrysalis took me around to demoralize the ponies she had conquered.”

“D-demoralize?” The stutter in his voice should have clued me in to stopping, letting his brain process what just had been done to me. But I kept going...I had to keep going, or I would never be able to tell him.

“You're the princess's son, Shade.” I said bitterly. “Everypony knew that. And everypony knew that I was the one you loved, Chrysalis most of all. And when you were gone and I was captured...she paraded me around like a trophy, showing the world what she could do to one of the Elements of Harmony.” I looked at my legs, still scarred from my life underneath the changeling queen. “I can never use the Element of Kindness again...not how I am now.”

I looked back up at the changeling, anger still rushing through me. “Like I said before, I was allowed to visit the princess's statue. I spoke to her in the hopes that she could hear me, to tell her about our problems. I knew that being there would help...and I hoped that she could free herself. But she never did and I was always dragged back to that room...to wait and see if I would be used...or beaten...or starved...” I snarled again, shaking my head. “That is what happened to me.”

We were both silent, Shade's eyes slightly wide as he tried to take in all of the information I had just given him. I stared at him, my anger starting to fade. I saw his body shudder and I thought he was going to start crying again. “Shade...”

“All of that.” He said, holding up a hoof. “After I failed?” I couldn't do anything but tell the truth, nodding to him. At that, Shade sat on the ground and curled into a ball, weeping.

My words had struck him deeper than the horn that had killed him. I was stuck motionless, watching the crying changeling in front of me. He wasn't crying tears of anger, but tears of regret. I knew what he was thinking at that moment. He had always told me many times that he'd never fail me. And in his mind...he did.

I stepped forwards, stopping as Shade shifted back into his changeling form. He didn't notice, continuing to cry. The memories instantly rushed through my head, telling me to turn away, leave because of the evil he would do to me. I kept walking towards him, making progress until I was standing directly in front of the weeping changeling. And then...I did something that I hadn't done in over four months because of my anger, pride, fear or my memories.

I sat down and hugged my Shade, the one that I knew loved me deeply.

He uncurled and fell into my legs, wrapping his own around me as he cried into my neck. Shade had been trying to do so much by himself, not asking for help from me or even his mother. He had the feeling that it was up to him to protect everyone, and it wasn't. He might be the son of the princess, but that doesn't mean he has to do it alone. And as I held him, I knew that he still cared about me. The sorrow...the outright pain that he was feeling right now...I knew that he always would. And I knew that he really did need me...and that I would always be there for him.

I wrapped my wings around him as we sat together, not caring about anything around us. As his crying started to slow, he moved his head back to look at me. He spoke, his voice husky from crying, “Fluttershy, I...”

I covered his mouth with my hoof. “Shade...I'm so sorry. Nothing that happened was your fault, nothing at all.”

He gently moved my hoof from his mouth, giving me a smile. Oh, how I had missed that smile, so very much. “I love you, Fluttershy.”

I smiled back at him, something that felt so foreign to me. “And I love you, Shade. I will always love you.” Gently placing my hoof behind his head, I pulled him towards me, giving him a deep kiss.

Our legs wrapped around each other as we both fell deeper into the kiss. I felt something...warm. It was so warm and it was around us. I felt the shell that I had created for myself during the last four months peel away, feeling warm light surround us. I'm not sure how I knew, but I could tell that it was our bond. The bond that we had created when he gave my necklace all those months before...it was growing stronger. More powerful. Shade and I were truly and forever linked together, and at that moment, I could not have been happier.

After what felt like forever, and I wished it could have gone for that long, the two of us finally parted as he ran his hoof through my mane. “My Flutters...” he whispered.

I smiled at him. “That light...”

He pointed down at my neck. “You can't see it...but you have a small scar. Looks like a lightning bolt.”

“That means...our bond?” I asked.

He nodded. “ The bond of a changeling. You and I...forever. That is, if that's what you want.”

I kissed him again. “Nothing would make me happier.”

He smiled and chuckled a bit. “That smile...you have no idea how much I have missed that smile of yours.”

I slightly lowered my head as part of my mane covered my face. “Not as much as I missed you, Shade. My changeling.”

“Always and forever.” We kissed again, it felt like I could kiss him forever at that point. And I wanted to, but I stopped as I saw him look out over Ponyville.

“Shade...” I started.

“No more.” He said as he looked over the town. “Chrysalis had her fun. She hurt you, my mother, my son and my friends. And I will make her pay for that.” I was still, watching him as he flicked his wings. He stood up and turned towards the forest. “Shall we?”

I walked over to his side, reviling in the feeling. I wasn't scared around Shade anymore, and I never wanted that feeling again.

“Come on, Shy.” Shade said as he kissed my neck. “I have to deliver a belated birthday present to my son.”

Clearing the Mist (Misty)

My hooves hit the flagstone floor, and I took a moment to catch my balance and orient myself in my surroundings. Behind me, I could feel the air ripple and distort as the portal sealed itself shut, becoming a simple mirror once again. I was in a bedroom. The furnishings and the paintings on the wall made my heart skip a beat as I realized whose bedroom it had previously been.

My guilt almost overcame me as I walked up and put a hoof to the bed’s undisturbed surface, knowing this was where Shade had grown up. I swallowed the guilt back down and took in more of the room. If nothing else, the omnipresent dust made me hopeful, because it meant this was a place where I was unlikely to be discovered. The dust lay spread right up to the door, which meant this room had been left unopened for a long, long time.

Okay, I thought to myself, taking a deep breath, time to get to work. One, find Fluttershy. Two, convince her I’m not evil. Three, get her out. I had to take a second breath. Only the first of those items would be simple, and convincing Fluttershy to trust me would probably be nearly impossible by this point, depending on how bad her captivity had been.

Still, I wasn’t about to gain anything by standing here and counting the holes in my hooves. I had to get to work.

Better to hide or go in disguise? I pondered. In disguise, I might pass unseen, but I would be expected to know how things operated around here. Besides, I might have been able to fool one guard’s detection spell in Ponyville, but the capital was crawling with changelings. It was probably better just to stick to the shadows for now, and my changeling form was adequate camouflage for that.

I listened at the door for a moment and, hearing nothing, decided to go. The door swung open silently despite its neglected state, and I crept into the hall. The corridor was dark—darker than I had expected. I slunk along the wall until I made my way to a window where I could glance out and try to get my bearings.

I thought back to before the attack on Canterlot; the intelligence reports that our scouts had brought back contained a basic layout of the castle and a few key locations. For instance, I knew that most of the servants’ quarters were in the lower floors of the eastern wing, and Celestia and Luna’s chambers were at the top of the western one, but I had no idea where I was at the moment.

Far below me, the castle grounds spread out, covered in guards as they escorted captive ponies to their duties and supervised. I could see the main gates and the front door to the castle, which put me in one of the wings—and quite a ways up, too. I tried to find a way to tell direction, but without the sun it was hard to tell north from south anymore. I bit my lip, worried, but then slumped as the answer stared me in the face.

I was in Shade’s bedroom. Shade was Celestia’s son. Of course their quarters would be close together, which meant I was in the western wing. The simplicity of the oversight was enough to make me slap a hoof to my face in exasperation.

Despite the embarrassment, the realization left me with a renewed sense of tension. If I was close to Celestia’s chambers, the odds were good Chrysalis was near, too. There would be plenty of guards and no shortage of suspicion. I was suddenly very glad I’d scrapped the disguise idea.

Glancing around, I hopped and fluttered up the wall to grab hold of the ceiling beams. Between the dim hallway and the gloom outside, I was nearly invisible. I would just have to watch out for detection spells and such. With a deep breath, I began to crawl slowly along the beam’s length, following the hallway further into the building.

Fluttershy awoke, automatically rubbing away the tears brought on by her recurring dreams. She knew it hadn’t been too long since she’d passed out—she was still as hungry and tired as when she passed out—but otherwise, she had no way to mark the passage of time. She sniffed one last time and looked around, hardening herself, like every other morning.

Clearly, Chrysalis hadn’t returned. It didn’t seem as though anyone else had, either. She rubbed gently at her bruised face, trying to get some blood flowing again after her restless nap, when a sound at the door made her freeze. She could hear a muffled thud, like hooves hitting the ground, and a soft grunt. Fluttershy rolled upright to watch the door carefully, and managed to keep herself from flinching when the latch clicked quietly.

The battered door slid open just barely wide enough to admit a single female changeling before it was closed again. Fluttershy’s eyes widened, and her pulse began to pound. She had waited for a chance like this for a long time now...

The pegasus tried to appear resigned, as normal. “Well, it’s been a while since a female came here. No matter,” she said flatly.

The visitor froze, staring in shock at her. Fluttershy tensed, waiting for her to approach. The changeling’s mouth worked up and down, trying aimlessly to form words, as she took a hesitant step forward.

Almost... Fluttershy thought, growing frustrated. “Well, come on, then,” she said in the same monotone, keeping her expression lifeless, “what do you want? Just come to beat me, or are you just looking to get off?”

The changeling froze, her hoof stalling in midair. “What?”

Dammit, close enough! Fluttershy leapt up, hooves outstretched and teeth bared. Still frozen, the changeling had no time to react, merely flinching slightly as the pegasus charged at her throat. The chain around Fluttershy’s neck snapped taut, jerking her clean off of her hooves with nothing left in her grasp but a few stray hairs from the changeling’s mane.

The visitor backpedaled quickly, eyes wide and fearful. “What are—Fluttershy, why—”

Fluttershy jumped back onto her hooves, staring the changeling down. “You’re either brave or stupid to come in here alone. Your Queen expressly forbade it, after all. Don’t remember the last one of you I got my hooves on?” The pegasus chuckled darkly. “Well, come on. If you want it, you’re gonna have to take it.”

“Fluttershy, it’s me... Misty...”

Inside Fluttershy’s mind, everything seemed to go dark as her memories rushed back. In a heartbeat, she was at the end of the chain, straining to get at Misty. “You!” she shrieked. “You did this to me!”

Misty recoiled. “N-no, I never... I want to help—”

“Help me? You tricked my mate. You tried to kill us both, and then you practically succeeded! My love is dead because of you.” The pegasus slumped, her rage evaporating in an instant as she collapsed into herself, wrapping her hooves around her body. “Do you know what my life has been like?”

Misty shook her head slowly. “No, I’ve been... away. My mother and I aren’t really on speaking terms right now.”

Fluttershy’s eyes glittered darkly as she looked up at Misty. “Oh, really? Maybe I should alert the guards to you being here, then. Maybe they’d do me a favor and kill me already.”

“This—this isn’t you,” Misty whispered. “What did they—what did I do to you?”

“Every single day,” she began, choking back a quiet sob, “every day I’m either starved, beaten, humiliated, or raped—if not all of them.” She could hear Misty’s gasp, but she continued on anyway. “Chrysalis uses me like a puppet, to parade on a leash for all of Equestria to see. She uses me to show everypony how useless it is to fight back, because she could break the Element of Kindness.”

Misty took a hesitant step forwards, taking a closer look at the captive pony’s condition.

“I’ve lost so much weight my feathers are starting to fall out,” Fluttershy muttered. “There’s not a part of my body that hasn’t been abused by Chrysalis’ guards. I don’t ever have any privacy, not even to use the bathroom, and nopony has said a kind word to me in months.”

Fluttershy looked up to stare into Misty’s wide eyes. “And it will never, ever change. There is no hope. She won’t let me die, and even if I got away the only reason would be to kill myself. I could—” she sniffed, breaking down. “I could almost endure it if I knew Shade were alive. All I want to do is see him again.”

Misty put a hoof gently to Fluttershy’s shoulder and almost jumped as the pegasus instantly latched onto her, weeping fiercely into her chest. Near tears herself, Misty put an awkward hoof around Fluttershy’s shoulders and tried to comfort her as best she could.

“Fluttershy, I—” she hesitated, unable to find any words that would do justice to her feelings. She finally settled on “I’m so sorry.” For several anxious minutes, Fluttershy let her emotions pour out. As the sobs began to subside, Misty drew back enough to look her in the face.

“There’s something you need to know,” she said softly. “Just being here is a death sentence for me, so there’s a very big reason I came to see you.” She reached out a hoof and lifted Fluttershy’s chin. “Shade isn’t dead.”

The pegasus’ eyes widened and then darkened as she shook the hoof away from her chin. “Don’t you mock me,” she muttered.

“I’m not, Fluttershy. If I’m discovered here, I’ll be killed, but I’m going to get you out. Shade is barely alive, and he can’t recover without your help. He’ll die unless he can get the love he needs.”

“Then why don’t you help him, since you love him so much, too,” Fluttershy countered, her mocking tone taking on a hopeful tinge.

“I—” Misty hung her head. “Because he doesn’t love me.” The changeling sighed. “He loves you, and without that bond I can’t help him. But he’ll die without you, and I won’t be able to live with myself if I let him fade away knowing that I could have saved him.”

Fluttershy looked up, awed. “You... You really mean it...”

“Y-yeah, I do.”

“Take me to him,” Fluttershy demanded, clenching at Misty’s shoulders with a surprising intensity.

“I will, but not right now.”

The pegasus’ eyes bored into hers as her grip tightened. “Take me to him,” she repeated, her voice desperate.

“I swear it, I will! The palace is crawling with guards, and your coat will stick out like the sun in the daytime!”

“I don’t care how many guards there are...” Fluttershy muttered, but released her hold on Misty anyway. She sank to her haunches. “So what’s the plan then? I won’t be alone other than now.”

Misty bit her lip as she thought. “Okay, Shade’s room isn’t under surveillance, so I’ll hide out there for the time being. After nightfall, I’ll make some kind of distraction, come back here, and get you out.”

Fluttershy’s face was uncertain, but she nodded. “Okay, if that’s the best way...”

Misty gave her one last hug. “I promise, I’ll get you out. No matter what.”

With a last thankful nod, Misty trotted over to the door, peeked outside, and slipped out into the silent hallway.

Fluttershy lay back down, trying to stifle her emotions lest something go wrong, but inside of her was a feeling that was so foreign she barely recognized it. The embers of hope that had been doused so long ago were flickering back to life, and the feeling lent strength to her.

She was going to see Shade again. They could be together. Things could be like they used to be. Nothing mattered other than that.

I crawled out from under Shade’s old bed some time after what passed for nightfall these days. I couldn’t afford the risk of someone just deciding to check the room, no matter how long it had gone unattended, so under the bed seemed like the logical place to catch a nap. The dust clung to me like a blanket, and I had to take a moment to get as much of it as possible off.

Once I was back to my usual lustrous black, I took off. I had work to do.

I made my way to the kitchens as carefully as possible, making sure to avoid any contact, changeling or pony.

Thankfully, the kitchen was deserted. After all, changelings don’t typically eat food. I had to break the lock off of the pantry with a bolt of magic, but it didn’t seem to draw any attention. Inside, I rubbed my hooves together in nervous, malevolent glee as I searched for my ingredients.

I grabbed a whole box of kitchen matches, and I took the time to cut the heads off all of them. The sticks I swept away onto the floor, and the match heads all found their way into a small sack. I found a length of rough rope that I could stuff into the mouth of the satchel, and I tied the sack as tightly as I could.

I was pawing through the shelves at the back of the cupboard when I heard the sound of a startled breath. I spun around to see a white earth pony mare in the doorway. We stared at each other, our eyes wide.

“Y-you—you’re the fugitive!” she gasped softly.

I winced. “Yeah, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone about that.”

“Why—what are you doing?”

I grinned wickedly. “I’m gonna do something that’s going to make my mother very unhappy with me.”

The mare’s ears flicked forward curiously. “Like what?”

“I’m going to free Fluttershy.”

I thought the pony’s eyes couldn’t get any wider, but I was wrong. “Are you... You mean it?” she asked. I nodded in response. The mare put a hoof to her mouth as her eyes softened. “Bless you,” she whispered.

“Thanks,” I acknowledged. “Where’s the flour?”

“Um, back left,” she offered, still confused.

“Thanks!” I dove into the shelf and came up with a large sack. I portioned some of it out into a second, smaller sack and grabbed my bundles in my mouth.

“Good luck!” the mare said quietly as I bounded back into the hall and fluttered to the ceiling.

Thankfully, while the daytime was always dismal and gloomy, the nights were just as dark and shadowy as they always were, thanks to Luna’s efforts. I was able to crawl out a window and down the side of the castle without being spotted against the dark stonework. I looked around, taking the time to study the rough patrols of the grounds.

We changelings haven’t been the sticklers for discipline that ponies are, so our routines are slipshod at best, but I was still able to get a bit of an idea when no guards would be around. I stuck close to the wall, where no one would be able to sneak up behind me, and made my way as far to the opposite end of the building as I could.

At the southeast corner of the castle, I laid my parcels down, the tighter bundle underneath. I looked around anxiously; this was the part where anything could go wrong. If the wick didn’t stay lit, if a guard came across it before it went off, if it went off before I was in position—anything could make this a fool’s errand in a heartbeat.

Implying this isn’t a fool’s errand already... I thought darkly as I focused on creating the smallest possible spark I could on the end of the lengthy rope wick. The dry fibers caught, not sparking into life, but still smoking enough that I could tell it would continue to burn.

I crept back along the wall as quickly as I could, taking more chances than I was comfortable with. Once I was in position outside Celestia’s chambers, I could wait as long as I cared to, but every moment until then was a moment that could ruin my whole plan. The journey was uneventful, and I made it up the wall without incident. I flattened myself against the stone, just above the hall window outside of Celestia’s bedroom. I held my breath, waiting and watching, and while the guards were granting a few changelings access to the room I slipped inside to cling against the ceiling.

My hooves gripped the rough woodwork easily as I hung directly over the two stationed guards with nothing else to do but prepare myself for the signal. Inside the room I could hear a few voices, but I didn’t think anything of it until I heard the faint voice of Fluttershy coming from the door, pleading.

It felt like hours until I saw the guards come back out and head off down the hall. I gritted my teeth and tried not to make a sound. I was furious. I knew full well what had been going on inside those doors, but I couldn’t do anything about it. If I could succeed, my plan would be revenge enough.

Without a warning, there was a sound like a clap of thunder and the window frame flashed orange with an intensity that left me seeing points of light behind my eyelids, even as far away as we were. The guards jumped and stared at each other, not knowing what to do. I could hear voices shouting outside, and I took my opportunity.

I dropped from the rafters like a ton of bricks, driving the first guard’s head straight into the flagstones as I landed on him. The second guard gaped as I fired a bolt of magic at him, picking him up and slamming him into the wall with bone-rattling force. Both guards were still.

I yanked open the door and charged in. Fluttershy lay on her mat, completely oblivious to the commotion outside, curled up in a ball and sobbing quietly.

“Fluttershy, come on, we gotta go!” I called to her.

“Go away!” she yelled, her voice muffled by her coat. “Don’t look at me!”

I trotted over and pulled gently at her elbow. “Come on, Shade’s waiting for you!”

“You left me to this,” she muttered sullenly.

“Fluttershy, we need to go now. I promised that I’d get you out, and so help me, we’re going!”

I shoved my head underneath her body and levered her up. She had been right about one thing: she was almost pitifully light, and I quickly got her slung over my back. I charged into the hall and towards the window without stopping.

“I really hope you remember how to fly, Fluttershy...”

Fluttershy gasped in shock as I dove out the window. All four of her hooves latched around my neck and barrel as I struggled to get us airborne.

“FLAP!” I screamed.

Her threadbare wings extended, and with her help I was able to get us going up instead of down, but as I had expected, her butter yellow coat was very visible, and it wasn’t long before we were spotted. We both shrieked as the first bolt of magic flew past my head.

“Fluttershy, you gotta fly yourself now! We need to get out of here, Shade’s waiting for you at Zecora’s!”

She nodded resolutely and let go, granting me the mobility I would need to stay alive. We flapped for all we were worth, side by side. I fired a few stray bolts of magic back underneath me to try to discourage pursuit, but the fire was coming back faster and stronger as we climbed.

A few guards took to the air after us as we streaked off towards the forest on the outskirts of Ponyville. I glanced over. Fluttershy was steadfastly beating her wings to the limit, unwilling or unable to look anywhere but her destination. I peeled off, using the darkness to my advantage. I swung back, unseen, and caught our pursuers right across their flanks. The first went down with a hard cross of my hoof in his jaw, and I slammed into the side of the other, both of us firing our magic as we tussled in midair.

I felt his hooves against my face and horn, felt his ribs giving way under my hooves, felt a pinch in my midsection as a bolt narrowly missed. I tugged at his leg, rolling him underneath me where I could stomp down on the base of his wing and send him tumbling slowly into the foliage.

Panting hard, I caught up to Fluttershy, and we made our way west, the forest beginning to roll under our feet. She looked over at me.

“Misty, you’re hurt!”

I looked back, bewildered. Fluttershy was right—the bolt hadn’t missed me as much as I thought it had. There was an ugly scorched hole in my side that hadn’t been there before, and rivulets of thick blood ran out to be swept away in the wind.

I glanced around for any sign of pursuit. It looked clear, so we dropped down, coming to an exhausted landing in the thick of the forest. Without the adrenaline of the fight and the flight, I was realizing quickly just how hurt I was, and how much the day had taken out of me already. I turned to Fluttershy on shaky hooves. “Can you find your way to Zecora’s?” I asked.

She nodded. “I’m sure I can.”

“Good.” I dropped to my knees. “Because I’m not sure if I’ll make it there...”

I could see Fluttershy run over to my side, but I could feel my vision going a bit dark around the edges. Everything I had done that day, all the preparation, all the work, all the fighting—it had left me exhausted. I tried to pay attention to the buzzing sound in my ears, and I finally focused on Fluttershy’s voice.

“No, Misty! Please, stay awake.”

I frowned, unable to feel the touch of her hooves anywhere on my body. “I—I just need t-to rest...” I forced out, feeling myself start to give in to the pull of unconsciousness.

“No, please, please, don’t die, Misty,” Fluttershy begged, crying over my back.

Am I dying? Is this what dying feels like? I rolled onto my uninjured side and strained to look at my chest. The blood from the wound was pouring out steadily now. I really should be feeling something from that—I am dying...

Despite the revelation, I laughed. Fluttershy stared at me, confused and worried. I looked up at her. “I told you, didn’t I? I t-told you it was a d-death sentence to be there...”

The pegasus put a hoof to her mouth, trying to remain brave as her tears leaked out to fall on my body. “Misty, please...”

I slowly lifted a hoof and placed it on top of hers. “It’s okay. Just—just get to him. Help h-him. Give him all—” I gasped, forcing against the effort of breathing. “Give him the love that I can’t.”

She stared blankly at me. I met her eyes, my own cold and hard.

“And you make that bitch of a mother pay for what she did.”

Fluttershy nodded. “Thank you, Misty. Thank you for everything.”

I tried to nod back as she faded out of my sight. I don’t know if I did or not, but I couldn’t fight it anymore. The black embrace was so warm and so deep, and I let myself slip into its arms.

The dark hoof fell, limp, away from Fluttershy’s, and the pegasus slumped over the still form, weeping.

How such a thing had come to happen, she would never understand, but in the space of an hour the changeling mare had gone from a hated enemy to a friend willing to lay down her life for the one she had wronged. Wiping the tears away from her eyes, Fluttershy closed Misty’s eyes and kissed her gently on the cheek.

The gaunt pegasus stood, quickly finding her bearings in the familiar woods. She strained with the effort of lifting Misty’s corpse, but changelings were light as a rule, and she was able to situate Misty’s body over hers to carry, much like Misty had carried her out of Chrysalis’ room. Her steps were slow, burdened as she was, but Fluttershy was not going to leave Misty behind. She walked steadily into the forest towards where she knew her love lay waiting for her. Under the darkness of the night sky, it was hard to tell how much time was passing, but it didn’t matter. Nothing would keep her from Shade now.

Her steps remained constant. She was used to living with weariness and hunger. Undeterred, she finally saw the small glow of a light between the trees.

Zecora tipped the last of the warm broth into Shade’s mouth, wiping stray drops away with a cloth. She sang a Zebrician fable softly to herself as she placed the bowl in the sink, turning to her rack of herbs and medicinal plants. She stuck her tongue out the side of her mouth as she pondered over the choices, only to jump back and gasp as her door suddenly fell open.

“Oh my stars above, has your mission—” She stopped, staring at the yellow pegasus carrying Misty’s still form. “Fluttershy?” she breathed.

The pegasus lowered herself gently to the floor and allowed Misty to slide off her back before she fell unconscious.

Author's Note

Go over and give OtterMatt some love for this chapter. It was great!

Also, give some love to Spabble for editing! You two rock.