Morning Star

Chapters

Chapter 1: Dreams
Chapter 2: A Life Revealed
Chapter 3: Changeover
Chapter 4: First Meetings
Chapter 5: Timid Wings
Chapter 6: Discovery
Chapter 7: The Sting
Chapter 8: Revelations
Chapter 9: Heart of Sol

Chapter 1: Dreams

Fluttershy was...well, shy. Few ponies really know if she was named for that reason or if it was just coincidence, but even her best friends agree that it's a fitting name. Even with this being the case, she was literally the kindest pony you could ever hope to know. It was no coincidence that the Element of Kindness chose her as its bearer after all. Still, her shyness was sometimes cumbersome when it came to meeting new ponies...

Especially colts and stallions.

You see, along with shyness, Fluttershy was blessed with profound natural beauty...the kind that one would have to purposefully hide for it not to be seen. While her friend Rarity would have given her horn for such a gift, Fluttershy considered it a curse of sorts sometimes. When she would love to hide and blend in for example, her image made her stand out among a crowd of other ponies – even her own friends. That was not to say that she did not want a special somepony of her own one day, but those that attempted to court her did not understand her. They were too pushy, or impatient, or even mean...sometimes a combination of all these. Even before becoming the Element of Kindness, Fluttershy avoided ponies like this.

In addition to these things, Fluttershy also had a plethora of secrets...some of which even her closest friend Rainbow Dash did not know. These secrets kept her at a distance from other ponies, even if she didn't mean to. It was something that had caused a great many annoyances among her friends. She loved her friends and treasured them...but there were just some things she wasn't ready to tell anypony about.

She enjoyed spending time with her friends, namely Rarity and Rainbow Dash. Rarity would have a spa day with Fluttershy every Thursday, and Rainbow Dash would stop by whenever she felt like to have the pink-maned pegasus watch her do a new trick or two. Twilight Sparkle unfortunately would often be busy with studies, and Pinkie was...well, Pinkie. The last mare, Applejack, rarely had time for anything outside of her chores, save for the winter time. While Fluttershy was happy enjoying her time with the two friends that consistently had free time, she also had her own chores to do concerning the animals she sheltered and provided for.

Still...when night would come to a close and all her charges had been taken care of, she was lonely...the young pegasus longed for a romance to call her own.

Rarity had many suitors awaiting her, as did Twilight Sparkle, and even Rainbow Dash. Pinkie Pie did not seem interested at the moment, and Applejack was too busy for any such thing. Was it wrong then for Fluttershy to be so withdrawn? Was she being too picky? Questions like these would plague her mind on a nightly basis, and it only became worse as time went on.

Today was a day like any other for the kind pegasus, and she woke with the sunrise, as she always did. Her pet bunny named Angel hopped off of the bed as she woke, and smiled up at her as she yawned cutely and stretched.

Fluttershy climbed out of her blanket and quickly made her bed before facing the bunny with a smile. “Good morning, Angel. Are you hungry?” As expected, the small white animal nodded furiously as he pointed towards the door. “O-okay, Angel. I'm going. I'm so sorry for making you wait, you must be so hungry.” The bunny rolled his eyes and sighed, which caused the pegasus to giggle. “Well since you've been good, I'll make you fresh salad with carrots, apples, and a cherry.” As she left, her companion bounded out the door after her and downstairs, eager to start the day.

After making sure her charges were all fed and taken care of, Fluttershy headed for the marketplace to gather supplies. Since Fluttershy didn't have a normal job, her friends didn't know how she made money. This was one of her secrets that she was uncomfortable with, especially since it had much to do with her past...so like always, she promised herself that she would reveal all to her friends one day.

“Howdy sugarcube!” shouted a certain stetson-wearing mare, causing the demure pony to nearly jump out of her skin.

After a few seconds of catching her breath, the pegasus replied, “Oh, h-hello Applejack.”

The cowmare smiled and gestured to her large cart of apples. “Y'all here fer yer usual?”

“Oh, um yes.” the pegasus responded with a smile as she reached into her saddlebag and fished out a pouch of bits. She pushed a number of them to the orange earth pony with a kind expression. “I-is that enough?”

Applejack nodded with a smile. “Same price ev'ry time, 'Shy.” She then hoofed two bags of apples over to the other mare. “Two dozen apples for ya. Thank ya kindly.”

The yellow pegasus tied the two ends together with startling speed and hung them around her back, behind the saddlebag. “Thank you so much, Applejack. I just can't get enough of your apples.”

Applejack chuckled heartily and smiled. “Ah reckon if ya could get enough, Ah'd go outta business. Yer mah best regular customer, y'all know that.”

Fluttershy turned to her friend as she walked away and smiled. “Well I can't help it if your apples are so good. Thank you again, Applejack. I'll be back next week.”

“See ya, sugarcube. Y'all take care now.” the earth pony called as her friend walked away. After the mare was out of earshot, the earth pony shook her head with a sigh. “Poor filly needs ta take a break sometime.”

“You're one to talk, AJ.” shouted a voice from above.

Without even having to look, the cowmare smiled and shrugged. “It's different with me RD. Ah got mah whole fam'ly to look after. Fluttershy's got them animals, but Ah think they could take care of 'emselves. That girl needs a colt in her life.”

The rainbow-maned pegasus floated above her friend with a grin. “Again, you're one to talk.”

“Will you git outta here? Yer gettin' a big head again and botherin' me!” the farm mare shouted.

The speedster pegasus giggled and nodded. “Alright fine, I'll leave you alone.” She then smirked and pointed a hoof at the earth pony. “For now...”

The farm mare sighed sadly as she watched the rainbow streak retreat. “G'bye sugarcube. Ah'll tell ya someday...”

As night began to fall, Fluttershy finished with her chores and sat down on her front step with a cup of tea, the same as she always did, awaiting her nightly visitor. It didn't take long before the soft beating of wings on the night air caused the pegasus to look up, only to see the embodiment of night itself approaching.

She bowed respectfully to the being. “Good evening, Princess Luna.”

The young alicorn sighed and rolled her eyes. “Please rise, dear Fluttershy. We have asked thee to refer to Us simply as Luna, as a friend shouldst.”

The pegasus giggled and rose to her hooves. “And I've asked you to practice your modern speech.”

The princess was about to retort, but decided against it and nodded. “You are correct. Apologies, I still find myself slipping into the old tongue without knowing it.”

“It's okay Luna, really.” the humble pegasus responded with a smile. “Besides, I think it's endearing.”

The elder being nodded with a soft smile. “I appreciate your patience with me. Adjusting to this new time is proving more difficult than I originally thought it would be.”

The pegasus nodded with a smile. “It's okay, Luna. I'll always be your friend and help in any way I can.” She then turned towards her cottage. “Would you like to come in for some tea?”

“That would be lovely, Fluttershy. I thank you.” the lunar princess responded with a smile.

“Oh, but I just don't know. I-I just haven't found anypony that I like is all.” the pegasus commented as she sipped her tea.

The two mares' conversation had started out innocent, but had quickly delved into a subject that the shy mare always tried to avoid: her romantic life. It was, in fact, nonexistent...but that didn't stop the princess from trying to help.

“Well...what if I were to assist?” the dark blue mare suggested.

Fluttershy thought it over for a moment, and realized that her shyness would alienate everypony that tried to court her. The princess did know her better than most – perhaps not as well as Rainbow Dash, but then no other pony knew her that well. Still, it couldn't hurt...could it?

Fluttershy looked down at her tea and sighed. “I don't know...I just feel like maybe my special somepony can't be found in Equestria.”

“By what you have explained, that may be true.” the alicorn said, causing the pegasus ears to flatten against her head in hopelessness. “But,” she started with a grin, “there may be ways around that problem.”

“Wh-what do you mean?” Fluttershy asked, now utterly confused.

The alicorn stood and nuzzled the pegasus with affection. “Do not worry yourself on the matter, my friend. I will take care of it, I promise. Now sleep...I will be back tomorrow with news concerning my search.”

“R-really? You would do this for me?” the pegasus asked in disbelief.

The princess smiled and nodded. “You have given me your friendship, and in doing so, happiness. It is only right that I return the favor, as a good friend should.”

Fluttershy was however, reluctant to allow a princess to do work on her behalf. “Oh, b-but I am happy, Luna.”

The lunar alicorn shook her head with a warm smile. “Not as happy as you could be, little one. Now sleep...I shall return tomorrow.”

The gentle mare was still unsure, but was not about to argue further with a princess. “O-okay then. Th-thank you, Luna.”

Luna opened the door to the cottage and smiled back at the pegasus. “As Rainbow Dash would say, 'We are friends...and friends look out for each other.'” And with that, she disappeared into the night sky.

Fluttershy lay in her bed and watched the full moon out of her window, its soft light warming not her body, but her heart. Still, it also caused another feeling to stir within her again...the feeling of loneliness. She wished with all of her being that she could have a special somepony beside her to sit on nights like this and just stare at the moon, talking about everything...and nothing. It was a silly notion after all, but one that her heart always ached for.

As she finally turned away from the window, Fluttershy sighed sadly as she closed her eyes. “Where are you, my prince?”

Chapter 2: A Life Revealed

I watched closely as Cygnus demonstrated how to take down a shadowbeast, only to be surprised when another approached me from behind as I was focused on my mentor.

“Vega, defend yourself!” he shouted at me, snapping me out of my focus and allowing me to react. I let my instincts take hold, and only focused on an image in my head...one of a k'tra walker – a large carnivore with bright green scaled skin, a wide gaping maw of hundreds of teeth, and four powerful legs.

The change only took a second, and the next time I opened my eyes, it was to see myself towering over the shadowy entity. This monster and its ilk plagued our lands, and knew not of fear or mercy. With that being the case, I snatched it up in my jaws and bit down as hard as I could, crushing its spine. I heard the creature wail in pain before dissipating into bad-tasting black goop. I spit out the remains and reverted to my common form, rubbing my shoulder as I looked to Cygnus.

“Thank you for watching out for me, Cygnus. That was nearly the end of me.” I told him with a smile.

The older Celestial grinned and ran a hand through his long violet hair as it stuck in clumps to his mottled crimson skin. “If not for you being a morpher, my warning would not have saved you. Thank your quick reflexes.” He then gestured to the felled game we had come for. “Gather our prize and let's head home. Night will soon be upon us, and you must eat to restore your strength after that action.”

I nodded and pulled the rope off of my chest, tying the creatures back limbs together. I then knotted the rope and began to haul our catch with me. “Yes, that would be good. I can already feel the other wanting to be free.”

He smiled back at me and also nodded. “It is the price you pay for the gift you have. All power has a price, youth...remember that.”

“I will, elder. Thank you for your wisdom.” I responded with respect.

We arrived hours later to a darkened camp with only the community firepit in service. The twelve others' eyes widened at the sight of what I dragged into camp, and I just smiled. “I hope that the lot of you are hungry. Castor and Pollux, I want the two of you to prepare our meal while I meet with Old One.” The two younger males flashed grimaces but knew by now not to question me, so they both grabbed cutters and began to skin and butcher the animal.

“You have risen to be a strong leader, Vega. Your father would be proud.” Cygnus remarked as we walked towards a lone tree.

I nodded and sighed. “I know.” I looked to the older one with a look of interest. “Elder, why are there so few of us left?”

The red-skinned Celestial sighed as he walked, a limp showing in his left leg. “I would prefer if Old One told you, as it is not a happy answer.”

Knowing that I would not be able to get anymore out of him, I kept silent as we continued our walk to the large tree in the meadow of the forest.

Now I'd never actually met this “Old One” before, but my father had spoken of it many times, as did Cygnus. Supposedly, it was a guardian that watched over us and protected us from those that would do us harm. I believed there had to be more to it than that though, as my father had been killed by a beast one cycle ago, and the beast that did it was never seen again. I didn't particularly believe that this “Old One” was really all it was made out to be, but for the moment I humored those of my tribe.

After another ten minutes of walking, the two of us arrived at the tree and I saw something waiting for us. It was the visage of a female Celestial, though not one I'd ever seen before. Her skin held the same mottled quality as mine, but was not the normal red is should have been. Instead, her skin was a vivid blue, and her eyes were cyan instead of gray. Lastly, her hair was a strange entity in itself...a flowing visage of the night sky, complete with the twinkling stars that dotted it. Her eyes shone with power, intelligence, and wisdom. The being was something to be awed, and revered. Without thinking about it, I immediately dropped to a knee in respect.

Contrary to what I thought would happen, I heard Old One giggle as a young female would. “Please rise, young Vega. It brings Us pleasure to finally meet thee.”

I was confused with her way of speaking, but was able to decipher what she meant. I stood and averted my eyes from hers in respect. “It is an honor, Old One.”

I could see as she turned to look at Cygnus with a roll of her eyes. “You refrained from speaking unto him Our true name?”

The elder shrugged his shoulders with a nervous smile. “I had assumed it was meant only for my ears.”

With that answer, Old One turned back to me. “Why do you avert thy eyes?”

“Out of respect, Old One. It would be disrespectful of me to gaze upon your face” I answered meekly.

She stood still for a moment before responding with, “We appreciate your respect young Vega, but you needest not avert thy eyes. In fact, We request that you look upon Us as you would any of your own.” I did as she asked, once again seeing her eyes. “Good. Now, We understand that you have a question for Us. Speak it.”

I was still a little intimidated by her commanding tone, but stood tall and nodded. “I wish to know why it is there are so few of my people left...and if possible, I wish to know what is to happen to us.”

The authoritative look in her face was lost, and she looked away in what I could only perceive as shame. “Apologies for that, dear Vega...but perhaps We should explain why that is.” She then pointed a three-fingered hand up at the sky, motioning to the stars. “What do you know of the stars?”

I looked heavenward and shrugged. “Our legends say that they contain the souls of our ancestors, and that it is considered a great honor to be named after one.”

“Were you ever told of the naming ceremony?” She asked me.

I shook my head. “Only very little. I only know that only the village elder and the parents of the youth are allowed to bear witness.”

I looked back to Old One and she smiled softly. “Well it is time you learn the truth. The name chosen comes from Us...We name each and every one of you.”

“So...” I started to respond.

Old One cut me off with a smile. “Yes, We were there when you were named...when all of you were named. We personally name all of Our children.”

“Children?” I asked in confusion. “Apologies Old One, but I do not understand.”

Old One pointed to a place on the ground next to the tree. “Sit please. This will take some time to explain.” I nodded and did as I was asked, noticing that sometime in the conversation Cygnus had disappeared. I looked back to Old One and waited for her to continue. After meeting with my eyes, she turned to the stars. “The legends your people have about the stars are close to the truth, but are not completely accurate.” The powerful being pointed to a star...the one that I was named after. “As you well know, this is Vega. What you do not know, is that the star ceased to exist before you did. You see, each star is a life...and so long as the life remains, so too does the star.” She then turned to me with a smile. “Vega is you...and you are Vega. Your life and the star's light are one and the same.” The blue Celestial then kneeled in front of me and placed her hand on my chest, over my heart. “The night and its denizens are Our domain. We make and maintain them, Vega...and so you are Our son.” She must have sensed my apprehension, because she asked, “Tell Us, have you not wondered why you do not remember your parents before your tenth year?”

Now that she mentioned it, she was right...I couldn't remember anything about my father or mother before age ten. “I have always wondered that, Old One...but what does that have to-”

“We were getting to that.” she interrupted with a smile. “You see, Our older children take unto them a younger child to raise and guide as he or she grows. It is why your markings are never the same.” I looked over my arms and noticed the jagged violet rings that rounded my arms up to my shoulders, along with my unique tribal symbol on my chest. I looked back to her and she nodded. “In truth, you all are only related by species and way of life...you do not share blood.”

The massive influx of information hit me like a physical blow, and I closed my eyes with a sigh. “Why now...why are you telling me this right now?”

“Because,” she started with a loving smile, “it is your time to truly lead the people that remain.” Her eyes fell as she looked towards the village in the distance. “Cygnus will not live much longer...and this knowledge and wisdom must not die with him. Your destiny is far greater than his ever was.”

“And why is that, Old One?” I asked, now both interested and confused.

“Because, you will receive your second name today, dear Vega.” she responded with a warm smile.

I gasped in shock. Only six Celestials in my people's four millennia of history had ever been graced with a second name. It was a sign of both power and respect among the tribe, as the name was only given by Old One herself. To be bestowed with a second name caused one's tribal mark to change, forever identifying them as one of Old One's chosen few.

I looked back to Old One, and she looked up at the star in the sky...my star. “Yours is not the only world We look after, Vega...and on the other, your star is the one that presides over the rising of the sun. It is for this reason that the denizens of Our home call it the morning star.” Old One looked back at me with eyes full of love and wisdom. “From this day forward, you will be known as Vega Morningstar – the guiding light for those looking forward to a new day. You will provide guidance for your people until the time comes when you may pass that duty to another who is worthy.”

I noticed my markings glowing out of the corner of my eye, and looked down to see the violet mark rearranging to form my new name in the ancient tribal language of my ancestors. I looked back to Old One with a smile of my own. “I thank you, Old One. This gift you have bestowed upon me will not be wasted.”

“We know it will not, Vega...which is why We chose you.” she responded. “And please, no more of this 'Old One' nonsense. From now on, you will refer to Us by Our name of Lunacae Lightflier.” She then placed her delicate hand on her chin in thought. “That seems too long...We suppose Lunacae will suffice.”

I nodded. “Yes, Lunacae. One more question, if I may...”

“You wish to know why there are so few of you left...” she responded sadly, to which I nodded. The blue Celestial then closed her eyes and breathed deeply. “You are the last of Our children on this world...and We have reached our limit for how many We are able to create here. The rest will be up to future generations.” She then stood with a sigh. “Apologies, but it is time for me to return.”

“Wait!” I shouted as Ol-...Lunacae began to walk away. She looked back at me expectantly. “Will I see you again?”

Her fingers ran through her beautiful hair and she nodded. “We think so. Continue to impress us, Vega...and perhaps we will meet again sooner than you think.”

I was unsure of what she meant by that, but I nodded with a smile. “I'll try. Safe journeys.”

The being smiled once more before fading away into the night, leaving me to walk back to the village alone.

I arrived just as the last of the light from the fire died, and night was fully upon me. Luckily, Cygnus had apparently cooked and prepared a share of the meal for me, which I was thankful for. The elder was always watching out for me...and I was going to miss him whenever he left us.

I ate my meal in silence as I looked up at the moons and stars overhead. All my years of life, I had always gained a sort of peace from the night sky and its heavenly bodies. I suppose that it all makes sense now, with the truth revealed to me. Even so, knowing that I was in fact connected to the night sky was still odd for me. There was so much I didn't know about my life now...the lives of all of us, really. It was frightening, to be honest. Still...I had learned through my father's teachings that the unknown was never something to be feared. After all, some of the greatest things our people had learned came from discovering and deciphering the unknown. It was a virtue that had passed down through our people...and one of the many I prided myself for having.

Like any rational intellectual though, I questioned myself often. After all, arrogance and ignorance go hand-in-hand, and those were two characteristics that I did not want...for myself or my tribe. These questions would range from the normal “am I doing the right thing” to more personal questions. Lately, it was a question of my future and the future of those I presided over. What was to become of us? I knew now the destination, but not the path we would take to get there. It was depressing in some ways to know that Lady Lunacae could no longer have her hand in the creation of our lives, but she had obviously hinted at something with future generations. What exactly, I did not know...but I also knew that she would reveal it in time. Nonetheless, the thought gave me hope in a time of hopelessness...and it allowed me to smile a bit as I finished my meal and bathed myself in the dual moonlight.

Sleep came slowly tonight, which was the exact opposite when compared to normal. Perhaps I was thinking too much...but I could not help myself. After all, a lot had happened in such a short time. With that being said though, I knew that things would only get more complex.

I closed my eyes and breathed a sigh of relief as the familiar feeling of sleep started to wash over me, and my last image was that of the moonlight overhead.

Chapter 3: Changeover

Like most days recently, everything was a blur of events that I took little to no interest in. The days bled together, the months passed in the twinkling of an eye, and planetary cycles had gotten away from me. I ended up being a mere shade of my former self...simply a ghost floating through the cold air of reality.

After meeting with Lunacae for the first time (who because of her place in our lives, I had come to call the “All-Mother”), life became very hectic and was a constant barrage of change...most perceived as negative. Not a year after getting to know our common matriarch, the tribe began to fall apart.

The first to be taken was my dear friend and mentor, Cygnus. The shadowbeasts had began appearing in much larger numbers, and while I was more than capable of fending them off, the older Celestial could only handle so much. I was protecting the village when he was attacked, and he fell in battle. Even though grief threatened to consume me at the loss of my oldest comrade and family, I could not help but have a bit of pride in him, as he had lived and died as a warrior. Even though I never got a chance to say my farewells, I knew it was the way he would have wanted to leave world of the living.

The next were the two friends, Castor and Pollux. They had attempted to take Cygnus' place as guardians of our people. They did their job well, but at the ultimate price. Both had sustained mortal injuries in a shadowbeast raid on the village, but they had protected those that could not fight. Both left us with a smile on their faces.

Six of the remaining nine of us chose to venture out into the world and find a new, safer place to stay. I chose to stay, along with a young male named Orion, and a female a little older than me named Cephei. While I never really believed in such thing as “sacred ground”, I felt that our first settlement – which I had dubbed “Primus” – had to be protected. After all, this was the only place that the All-Mother had appeared, so I wanted to be sure that it was preserved...if not for myself, then for future generations. After losing three to death and near all the rest to abandonment, I was under no illusions about life. Life was sacred...but life was also fleeting. It was a thing to be treasured – both because of its fragility, and its magic.

This outlook on life became my entire belief about it...and thus, became me.

The truth was that every time I was forced into a battle situation because of those wretched beasts of darkness, I was terrified. Often my limbs would be shaking with fear, and I felt nauseous. Still...it was because of this belief that I fought on, to ensure that my two remaining companions could live to do...

To do what?

What did I believe their purpose with me was? To protect me? That was laughable. Neither one of them were capable fighters and both ran at the very sight of anything remotely dangerous. No...their job was to keep me sane so that I could protect them and this place for as long as was necessary.

I had not heard from All-Mother in many cycles...I had honestly lost count of how many since the night I met her in person. The fact was that I missed her dearly. That one night had made an impression on me, and with Cygnus gone, she was all I had. Call it heartless, but I never really bonded with Orion or Cephei. The two of them were closer than I had thought possible, but I ended up being the outsider. Perhaps is it was being a morpher, or perhaps it was my second name...I could no longer relate to them. I had not a mate, nor a true friend. All-Mother was my world...and I would die for the chance to see her again. I hoped with every fiber of my being that she had a plan in mind for me more than this, as the death and loneliness had taken and was taking its toll on me...if this was all there is, I would wish for death.

After the night of Cygnus death I started making a nightly pilgrimage to the tree, in hopes that perhaps the being would make an appearance before me again.

Today would be like most other days for me and the remaining two Celestials. I would make my way to the Twilight Grove to hunt, I would gather some different wild vegetables for us to eat, and I would do a quick patrol of the lands surrounding what was left of our village...and maybe tonight would be the night when she returned. Cephei and Orion would probably do some repairs to the longhouse or mess about doing who-knows-what. It didn't bother me that much, really. Both of the others had a rather sheltered life in comparison to me, so they didn't worry a whole lot or had much of an ambition to do anything more than survive. It was all well and good though, as I felt any decent functional group needed to have at least one or two who kept innocence alive.

As usual, hunting was very simple and easy. Hunting, fighting, surviving...I had spent my life doing it, and so had become very proficient at it. I had learned the territories and behaviors of the different beasts that inhabited our world, and so was skilled in tracking and capturing them with ease...even with our twin blue stars' rays of daylight beating down on my neck and shoulders. The day was very warm, and the humidity of the rainforest didn't help. Still, I was used to this by now, and so was well accustomed to the heat and dealing with the sweat that came with it. I managed to trap a few smaller leapers and a few small warm-bloods I wasn't familiar with, but they looked tasty all the same. I gathered a few wild vegetables from a well-known growing spot and headed back to Primus, pleased with my catch today.

“Wow Vega, you really went all out today. Should I get started on prepping it?” Orion asked as I entered the village.

I nodded with a grateful smile. “That would be great Orion, thank you. I'm going to do a quick patrol around the grounds. I'll return at nightfall.”

My patrol was exactly what I'd expected it to be...dangerous and eventful. The shadowbeasts had increased tenfold since last year, and it was now a daily occurrence for me to have to thin their numbers. It was frightening at first, but my animalistic instincts took over the second or third time it happened, and from then on it was simply second nature.

I still don't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

I mention all this because while there was plenty to do, the patrol was not near as intense as it usually would. While this would cause a less experienced being to pass it off as a break that the forces of the universe had given them, I was worried. I looked up at the sky and noticed that the day was nearly over, so I took one last look at my surroundings before morphing to my regular form and heading home.

I walked for miles before I started to notice the familiar trees and shrubs, but was stopped by the sight of a special visitor...the one I'd been hoping to see for what seems like a lifetime now.

Lunacae.

She looked different, wearing garments that I'd never seen before. It definitely wasn't animal skin or furs like I was wearing, and it was very complex and...beautiful. Her hair looked exactly the same as did her face...but her eyes were sad. With our people's natural plated skin, there wasn't much expression to be found in the face...but the eyes always told volumes.

And hers spoke of misery, and pain.

I walked briskly towards her, only for the All-Mother to stop me. “We must go...now.”

“Has something happened?” I asked the being before me. “Perhaps you could join us for a meal, if you have the time.” I then started to walk towards the main camp of the village.

“Vega, please wait!” she shouted...

But it was too late.

Stains of blue blood were everywhere, and the entire bonfire site smelled of blood...and tears. It had been a massacre without me. I was right to be worried earlier when I thought the patrol had been too easy...and as I walked around the campsite, it became clear that these shadowbeasts not only thought on some degree, but that they were out for revenge. Blood was everywhere, and I also saw bits of flesh strewn about.

I sighed as I looked at a severed finger on the ground. “Why...” I then turned to the blue Celestial beside me. “Why didn't you save them?”

Her face was an impasse, and she simply stated, “It is not my place to meddle...only to create.”

“And you don't look after your creations?” I snapped back angrily.

Lunacae looked genuinely hurt by my comment. “I am not perfect Vega, no matter how much your people may wish it to be. I make mistakes as well...but in this, I have not. I am here to guide, not to protect. That was always the people's job.”

“Then why even create us if we will all just die anyway? What's the point?” I retorted in a rage.

The blue Celestial sighed and shook her head. “I never expected to come back here after meeting you...but things have changed. I was searching for someone...someone unique.”

I turned my gaze back to the burning, bloody scene. “And what exactly does that have to do with me?”

If not for my overwhelming feeling of loss and anger, I would have been surprised at how I was speaking to All-Mother...but she apparently was understanding enough not to say anything about it. She placed a hand on my shoulder as I continued to survey the scene. “I think I have found that person.” I turned to see her smiling at me. “Perhaps it is time for you to come home...to your true home.”

I squinted suspiciously. “What do you mean by my true home? This is the only 'home' I've ever known.”

“I am speaking of the other land I live in...the one I look after as ruler of the night and its many denizens.” she responded. She then pointed her hand to the distance outside of the forest. “Those that have left here have found a safe haven away from the shadowy monstrosities that have plagued your people for so long...and they have become self sufficient, no longer needing my guidance.”

“You don't seem to upset by this.” I responded curiously.

Lunacae sighed and shrugged. “No mother wishes for her children to have no need for her, but every mother wishes for her children to grow up strong and be able to watch out for themselves. It is a sacrifice I am willing to make for their continued survival and happiness.” She then placed her hand back on my shoulder. “You however never did find that camaraderie with your people, beyond simple tribesmen and women. There is a reason for that, dear Vega.”

“And what reason is that exactly?” I asked with interest.

“Well,” she started with a warm smile, “you were created differently than the others. You are truly unique.” Her hand reached into her chest somehow, and she pulled out a swirling mass of vivid blue energy. “This is soul essence, the very embodiment of the magic that makes life possible. It is with this that I created your people.” Before I could react, she placed her hand on my chest, where a strange crackling hole of energy opened, out of which flew wisps of red energy. “You are different, because I gave you your own unique energy. While it is true I created you in my image, you are your own person in every sense of the phrase. It is this uniqueness that causes me to question whether I placed you in the right realm.”

She closed the void on my chest and I looked up at her. “How exactly am I unique though?”

She pointed to my chest, that just a second ago had a painless hole in it. “Because while the others' essence spectrum is attuned to mine, yours is not. You are somehow different, though I am not sure how. I created you exactly the same as the others, but it appears that you changed somehow.”

“Is that a bad thing?” I asked worriedly.

She shook her head with a smile. “If my life has taught me anything, it is that 'different' is not synonymous with 'bad'. All I mean to tell you is that perhaps this world is not where you are truly meant to be.” I then felt as her hand held mine gently, the scaly plates of our palms rubbing against each other. “So, would you accept my invitation?”

I thought about it for a moment, weighing the options as best I could. The more I thought about my predicament, I realized she was right. Even in my own tribe and even being the tribal leader, I had always felt like an outsider. Not less, but different. The issue that was bothering me was this: would things be any different wherever All-Mother planned to take me, or would it be exactly the same? Was I destined to forever be outside of others, or could I truly find one or more that could accept me, even if I was different? At the moment, I saw no other options. With the massacre of my two comrades, I was left alone in the world. If death did not take me, insanity would...so it appeared my choice was made.

I looked to Lunacae with a blank face and nodded. “I accept.” I then pointed to the remains of Orion and Cephei. “I wish to bury them first.”

Lunacae nodded before snapping her fingers, causing two strange tools to materialize in front of us. “I shall help you. Grab the other shovel, and we will commend them to the ground, where they may sleep peacefully.”

Breaking the ground and digging with the “shovels” was much easier than doing it by hand. What normally would have taken nearly an entire day was done in only a few hours, and after laying the two bodies side by side, we packed the earth back in and covered it with an assortment of stones found on the bed of a stream. I kept one eye on Lunacae, and was concerned to find her shedding tears nearly the entire time. She assured me she was fine, but I was still worried. Perhaps it was from looking at her as a creator of sorts, but I was unprepared to see her weeping.

She covered the last bit of the grave with stones before reciting something in another language...a language that was oddly familiar, and yet not enough to be able to understand it.

A few final tears dropped from All-Mother's eyes before she looked to me sadly. “If you are prepared, we should leave before daybreak. There are many things to take care of when we arrive so that you are taken care of and provided for.”

I nodded and retrieved my k'tra-tooth necklace – the only thing I truly owned – before turning to the blue Celestial. “I'm ready.”

“Very well.” she answered before taking my hand in hers again. “Close your eyes and hold your breath.”

I did as she said and felt as the world itself seemed to fall away. The sensation of humidity, of the ground beneath my feet, and the smell of the forest...all gone.

I continued to hold my breath until I felt the air change again. There was a slight coolness to the air, along with what felt like grass beneath my feet and the sound of a river nearby.

“You may breathe and see now. We are here.” said Lunacae's voice beside me, so I opened my eyes and took a deep breath.

Words cannot describe the beauty.

The grass was a vivid green, even in the soft moonlight of night. The river was crystal clear, and the forest nearby teemed with life. I smiled wide, showing my fangs to the open air with a chuckle. It was only when I looked to my companion by my side that I was shocked.

Where once there was a blue-skinned Celestial, there was now something that resembled the gro'vaa of home. It had four legs that ended in hooves and was covered in dark blue fur. It had large wings, as well as a strange spiraled horn sticking out of the forehead. The eyes were large, and seemed to sparkle in the light of the moon. Lastly, was a large billowing mass of hair that was growing out of its head and flanks. This hair looked not like normal hair, but more like the night sky itself.

It was at this moment that who it was had been confirmed for me.

“L-Lunacae?” I stuttered out nervously.

She nodded in response and smiled. Her face was much more expressive than mine was, so much so that I could tell different expressions without having to look at her eyes. “Yes, Vega.”

“W-what are you?” I asked – I would again be surprised at my lack of manners had I not been in such shock.

A smile was my answer again, with her gesturing to herself with a hoof. “I am what is known as an alicorn. To quickly put this world in perspective for you, there are three different types of ponies...”

“Ponies...” I echoed.

She nodded. “Yes, beings of Equestrian origin the basic body style is the same save for a few differences. The first is what is known as an 'earth' pony. This pony lacks wings and a horn. They are very powerful and have a talent for working the land to grow food. The second type is what is known as a 'pegasus' pony, or pony with wings and no horn. As you can assume, they are very adept at flight and speed, and are known for their battle prowess. Lastly are the unicorns, reveled for their skill with magic.”

“Magic?” I asked in confusion.

“Yes,” she responded warmly, “magic. Unicorns have a horn but no wings. They can create and channel magic to do many things ranging from simply holding things without touching them, all the way to changing the fabric of reality.”

I tilted my head to the side as I ran my eyes over the alicorn. “And what about alicorns?”

Lunacae giggled and shook her head. “Alicorns are the most rare type of pony...so much so that at the moment, there are only two in the world: myself, and my sister. Furthermore, an alicorn can only be created by another...and in doing so, the alicorn that creates another is bound to him or her by blood. Also, my sister and I are immortal.”

“Immortal...that word's unfamiliar to me.” I responded in confusion.

“It means we do not age past a certain point.” she answered quickly. “This means that death by time is never an issue.”

“Ah.” I replied with realization.

“Anyhow,” she started again, “I would recommend we have you stay with somepony that-”

I interrupted her with, “Somepony?”

She planted her hoof on her face and sighed. “Ah yes, I should mention that words are slightly different here. 'Everyone' is now 'everypony', no one is now 'no pony', and so on. You are bright, I am sure you can work it out.” She then cleared her throat. “Anyhow, I know of a pony that has room for you, and if I request it she will give you room and board in return for the chance to study you. She can also tutor you in New Equestrian tongue.”

“You speak a different language here?” I asked with a worrisome tone.

She nodded. “Yes, we do now. The pony's name is Twilight Sparkle, and she is currently one of the only ponies who know the language of the Celestials. It is a language all of Equestria used long, long ago...and is the one you are currently speaking now.”

I bobbed my head from side to side as I thought it over before nodding. “You have a point. I guess it would be best to start with the language first then.”

“Good,” Lunacae responded gladly, “then I will ask sister to contact her tomorrow to introduce her to you.” She then yawned and shook out her hair. “I apologize, but I must return to Canterlot now to rest.”

“Canterlot?” I asked (by this time I felt bad about asking so many questions of All-Mother, but I knew literally nothing about this world).

She nodded and pointed to the mountains in the distance. “It is the seat of royalty for all of Equestria. Here, I am known as Princess Luna, and my sister is known as Princess Celestia. When in public, you must remember to address me by my title and adjusted name so as not to anger or confuse any ponies.” She then yawned again and pointed to the forest in the distance. “That is known as the Everfree Forest...and for the moment, I have a feeling you will feel more at home there. Stay there for tonight, and tomorrow Twilight Sparkle will come to fetch you. I warn you that she is not accustomed to someone like you, so prepare yourself for questions. She means well, but can become a little overexcited.”

I shrugged. “It appears to be the best choice I suppose. Very well, I will make my way to the Everfree Forest and will await summons. I'll always be camped near water, in case this Twilight Sparkle needs guidance to get to me.”

Lunacae nodded with a smile, then nuzzled against my face. The gesture was very new to me, but I could tell from her expression that it was an act of affection, so I simply smiled as she did so. She then looked into my eyes with a soft, tired smile. “I must return now. Sleep well, Vega...and welcome to Equestria.” And with that, she flew away into the night.

I watched her as she left for a moment before focusing my gaze on the forest with a grin. “Home sweet home.”

I made my way through the forest, following the sound and smell of water. I soon came upon a small stream that seemed to feed into the larger river outside of the forest, so I made camp there. I could hear and see many different animals watching me as I did so, but at the moment none of them seemed worrisome. Just to be safe, I nestled myself in a large broad-branched tree as I let myself begin to drift off to sleep.

A new world, a new life...but only time would tell if it was for better or worse.

Chapter 4: First Meetings

I was brought into the waking world by the sound of many different animals chirping, growling, roaring, or just making noise in general, and even though it was relatively early in the day still, I was happy to have awakened this way...it reminded me of my ancestral home. Needless to say, it was a wonderful way to wake up, and I stretched and yawned with the outlook that today would be a good day.

That was until I opened my eyes and looked down.

In front of me was the half-eaten corpse of a large furry animal. It had wings and a long tail with a stinging spike on the back.

That's right...I'd forgotten to eat last night.

I looked back to what must have been my meal in the night and sighed. I was glad that I hadn't attacked any of the nearby town's residents in my instinctual hunger-rage, but was mentally kicking myself for forgetting about food. Whenever this happened, my animal instincts would take over and find food for me, sometimes hurting or killing beings I did not want to harm. I was lucky this time, but I had to make sure from now on that meals became a top priority for me. Lunacae had trusted me enough to bring me to this world, so I was going to be sure that I did not hurt this planet's sentient beings out of something so primal as hunger. Simple though my people may be as far as technology, we still had advanced far in the ways of social norms for the more “civilized” beings of the universe, and with Lunacae being our All-Mother, we were well versed in astronomy.

To put it simply, it was considered barbaric even in my people's culture to be unable to control the most basic instinct to eat when hungry.

Was I different from the rest of my people? Yes. Was it more difficult for me to control my animalistic instincts? Definitely. Difficult, but not impossible.

I looked once more at the fresh kill before turning towards the stream and preparing to bathe.

I don't know whether it was the inherent beauty of this world or maybe it was just exhaustion, but the water seemed cooler and cleaner than the river water of my previous home. Even the air seemed to carry an underlying feeling of happiness and security. Along with the dirt and blood washed away in the water, my worries and fears were dusted away by the soft breeze of the forest. Just in the short time I'd been here, this very atmosphere of this world was soothing and relaxing my cares away...which begs the question of why Lunacae hadn't brought me here sooner. Compared to Primus and the world it was upon, this was a paradise.

As I finished cleaning myself, I was dimly aware of something approaching, though I knew not what. I looked to the sky and saw that it was midday, by seeing the single sun was in the middle of the sky. I figured that with the day being well under way, the approaching being could only be either some wild animal, or this Twilight Sparkle I was to meet. I trained my senses in the direction of the disturbance, and heard a hard surface rhythmically tapping against the dirt...hooves. Well that narrowed it down, as only a few beings in the forest had hooves.

With the possibility of my first meeting with one of these “ponies”, I figured it would be a good idea to clothe myself, so I quickly shook myself dry before placing my skins back on and scaling a tree. Just in case I was incorrect about what was approaching, I thought it would be better to be hidden than exposed and vulnerable.

The answer to my questioning was answered when a small violet pony walked into the small meadow next to the stream, along with another pony that was pale yellow with wings. I could tell just by observing that both were very nervous to be in such a dangerous place, and wished to leave as soon as possible, so I figured it would be best to reveal myself to the both of them.

I hopped down from the tree I was in, landing a good ways away from the two ponies. The winged pony squeaked in fright and hid behind her companion, but the violet pony had a horn that began glowing softly as she gazed at me questioningly.

The horned pony stared at me for a moment before stepping forward with a smile, speaking in a language I couldn't understand. Just form listening, I could tell it was the same language Lunacae had spoken when I had buried my two partners in the forest, but that still did not help me understand it.

Seemingly realizing her mistake, the horned pony cleared her throat and smiled again. “Apologies for that, I had forgotten you don't speak Modern Equestrian.”

I was honestly surprised at her fluency with my language, but for the moment I let that feeling go. I had to make a good first impression, so I crossed my arms over my chest and bowed my head slightly before standing again. “It is no trouble. I assume you are Twilight Sparkle?”

“I am.” the pony answered with a nod. “The pony with me is my dear friend, Fluttershy.” Twilight Sparkle then turned to the shuddering pony and motioned to me while saying something to her.

The pink-haired pony looked up from behind her friend nervously, until she caught eyes with me. Immediately her face came out from behind the violet pony and the winged pony approached me with what I could only decipher was curiousness. She fearlessly approached me, even being only half my size.

This Fluttershy looked me over for a few moments before looking back to my eyes and smiling. She said something to me in her language before turning back to her friend.

“F-Fluttershy?” Twilight Sparkle stammered. “W-what do you mean 'he's good'?”

The yellow pony looked back to me for a second before saying something else to the horned pony. I looked to Twilight Sparkle in confusion. “What is she saying about me?”

The violet pony furrowed her brow before stepping in front of me. “She says that your eyes are kind, whatever that means.”

I chuckled and nodded. “Eyes are doorways into the soul. My people have learned over thousands of years to read the eyes of another to determine how they feel, because as you can imagine, our faces are none too expressive. I find it interesting that such a young and timid soul can read my eyes though.”

Twilight Sparkle smiled and nodded. “Fluttershy is special on a number of levels. She has a way with the animals of the forest, so much so that she can tame or scare away even the rowdiest of beasts.”

I nodded. “That is quite impressive.” The yellow pony then whispered something to her friend. “What's she saying?”

“Just that she wants to leave now. It's dangerous in the forest, so we should stay here too long.” Twilight Sparkle answered.

I nodded again. “I take it Princess Luna has explained the situation?”

The violet pony shrugged. “She explained enough. She told me that you need a place to stay and someone to teach you the language of this land.”

“Nothing else?” I asked.

The horned pony shook her head softly. “She told me that anything else is up to you to reveal.”

I decided at the moment that it would be best to keep my more savage proclivities to myself for now, so I simply nodded with a semblance of a smile. “I will reveal all in time. For now, it would be best to show you exactly what I truly can do, and then make our way to your abode.”

I looked over the two beings, trying to decide how I should look. I decided I would be a pegasus pony, as I had always wanted to know what it would be like to fly. I stepped around the yellow pony a few times, visualizing what I was to become before nodding and standing a ways away from the both of them. I then focused and felt the change begin. My stature as a whole was vastly reduced, and I felt as my fingers and toes melded together into hooves. Next was the change of my skin from plates to regular skin, with fur running over it. I felt my hair change and a tail sprout from behind me, and lastly I felt wings appear on my back. I fell forward onto all four limbs and continued to let the change take me.

A few minutes later, the change stopped, and I opened my eyes to see the two ponies staring at me in shock. Twilight Sparkle sputtered a few times before muttering, “Y-you're a changeling?”

As confusion overtook me, I felt as my face contorted to show confusion. It was an alien sensation for me, but one that I welcomed on some level. “What's a changeling?”

“A changeling is a ravenous organism that can change forms into anypony. They feed off of the emotion of love.” Twilight Sparkle responded, her horn glowing slightly.

I laughed and shook my head. “No, I'm not a changeling. For the record, I can change into nearly anything I can see, and I eat normal food, just like the rest of you.”

Fluttershy whispered something, and Twilight Sparkle shook her head. The unicorn then looked back to me with a smile as she wiped her brow with a hoof. “Phew, that's a load off my mind. You had us worried for a second there.” She then turned towards the edge of the forest and beckoned me. “Well, this should allow you to pass unnoticed among the local populace. Follow me, and I'll get you to where you're going to stay.”

As we walked through the town, I noticed that every pony was unique. While my fur was the red that my skin was and my hair was the same silvery color as my eyes, every pony in town was unique in color, style, and mannerisms. There was even one I noticed flying through the air that had a rainbow in her tail and hair. The world itself was colorful and vivid, as were the beings that inhabited it. Even without a warm temperature, this place would feel warm and inviting. It was truly beautiful, and I was pleased to have been invited to stay here.

We arrived at what originally looked like a large tree, only for me to find that it was in fact, a building. Twilight Sparkle invited me inside, so I followed her and her friend in. What I originally thought was a simple home, turned out to be something else completely. There were shelves all around the main room, filled with...something.

I turned to Twilight Sparkle and pointed a hoof at the shelves. “What are those?”

She arched an eyebrow and looked to where I was pointing, before looking back at me. “You don't know what books are?” I shook my head. Her eyes widened and she used some unseen force to levitate a book over to her and I. The book promptly opened and the pages flew, before stopping on a random page. The script was similar to my own people's written word, but not enough that I could decipher what it meant. She pointed to the words with a hoof and smiled. “Books are like scrolls, in that they hold information. While scrolls are mainly used for letters and whatnot, books contain facts, stories, and even pictures.”

I nodded a few times before smiling. “Wow...I do hope my people develop books soon. They're missing out.”

Twilight Sparkle giggled and nodded. “They are. If I didn't have my books, I'd probably go crazy.” She then motioned to a small reptilian creature that I hadn't noticed was staring at me from the top of a stairway. “That's Spike. He also speaks the language of Celestials, so he can understand you. Say hello.”

I cleared my throat and looked to the reptile. “Greetings Spike. I am known as Vega Morningstar.”

“Wow!” Spike exclaimed with excitement. “You speak Celestial? That's so cool!”

I looked to Twilight Sparkle in confusion, and she sighed. “The word 'cool' is used as slang for something that's good. For example, instead of saying that something is good or nice, you can substitute the word cool instead. It usually only applies to actions or things though. I'm sure once I tutor you in our language, you'll pick up pretty quickly on our slang terms, especially if you spend time around Rainbow Dash or Spike.”

“Rainbow Dash?” I asked in confusion, my face once again showing this emotion.

Twilight smiled and nodded. “She was that blue pegasus with the rainbow mane that you saw earlier. She's...well, you'll know when you meet her.”

It was then that Fluttershy stood in front of me and extended her hoof, which I assumed was a salutation of some sort, so I took her hoof against my own and shook it slightly...finding it odd that I was able to hold her hoof without any fingers. She then nodded with a smile before leaving the home.

“Fluttershy said she'll be back tomorrow to check on you.” Twilight Sparkle said. I looked to her and she pointed to a book she had laid on a table. “That's a translation guide for Celestial to Modern Equestrian, and vice versa. It's what I used to teach myself and Spike your language years ago, so I'm sure it'll help you learn our language as well. A lot of the words and sounds are similar, so I'm sure you can pick it up in about a week or so.”

I nodded as I sat at the table awkwardly, my form no longer made for chairs. Instead, I sat down on the floor...only to find that this was in fact how the table had been designed. “Yes. I've noticed that whenever you speak Modern Equestrian, it sounds very familiar. Just not enough to allow myself to understand what you're saying.”

She nodded. “I thought the same thing about Ancient Celestial the first time I started learning. I promise, if you're half as smart as Princess Luna told me you are, you'll pick it up pretty quickly.” She then turned to the door and began to walk away. “Anyway, I have to meet with some of my other friends, as I'm going to bring them by later to meet you. I figure it's best to get it all out of the way so that they're familiar with you. Spike will be here though, and he'll start making dinner in a few hours. Will that all be okay with you?”

I leafed through the book a bit before looking up at the unicorn and nodding. “That is great. You have my thanks, Twilight Sparkle.”

She nodded with a smile. “Good. Spike is just as versed in Celestial as I am, so if you have any questions, just ask him. I'll be back later, Vega. Good luck!” With that, the violet unicorn left.

I immediately set about reading the book, being quite pleased that it was written in both my language and the one I was to learn. This allowed me to make connections between the different words, as well as the way they looked and sounded. Pronunciations were in place, as were pictures of what the letters looked like on their own, and what sounds they could make...and so on and so forth. In actuality, it was extremely similar to my native language, which would make sense by what Lunacae had told me. Apparently all of Equestria had spoken my people's language at one point, but my language evolved and changed over thousands of years. This meant that I already understood many of the mechanics, sentence, and word structure that would lead to being fluent in this language.

Hours passed, and I found myself quickly becoming familiar with the language...so much so that when Spike asked me what I fancied for a meal, I was able to respond in Modern Equestrian. Sloppily, but I did it nonetheless. He was utterly shocked that I was able to grasp and speak the language so quickly, but when he realized the many similarities our two languages shared, he understood and let it go.

Still...I would be speaking falsely if I said I wasn't going to enjoy Twilight Sparkle's reaction.

After gaining the basics of the language – enough to hold a conversation – I spoke with Spike about many things, mostly asking questions. I learned that he is actually a dragon – a fire-breathing reptilian of magical nature. I learned that magic was the basis for the entire world I now resided in, and that Lunacae and her sister, Princess Celestia, controlled the passing of days. I learned that upon becoming corrupted, Lunacae forced her sister into a position where Princess Celestia banished her own sister to the moon for a thousand years (which is what the beings here call planetary cycles). Also, she was purified upon returning by Twilight Sparkle and her five friends, which are known as the Elements of Harmony – a magical representation of the six traits that promote harmony in the world.

Spike told me much about the world and the way it worked, along with the personalities and mannerisms of his friends and their families. I found myself soaking all this information up like...like something that absorbs things. By listening to the way the young dragon spoke, I also began to perfect my speech in Modern Equestrian, so much so that by the time Spike began to prepare the meal, I was nearly fluent in the language. It was startling just how simple it was to understand now that I'd had some time to study it, and I was pleased with the results.

What a surprise this will be for Twilight Sparkle and her friends.

“So, what's your story?” asked Spike, speaking in Modern Equestrian now.

I shrugged. “There is not much to say, Spike. I have spent much of my life protecting my people and simply surviving. That is all.”

The small dragon frowned and nodded. “Well that's a downer. Hopefully here you can live a life better than that.”

“One can hope.” I responded, now speaking completely in the new language, both for practice and ease of understanding for the dragon.

The food that young Spike was preparing smelled wonderful, unlike anything I'd smelled before, and it made my stomach growl with anticipation.

At that moment though, Twilight Sparkle returned with her friends.

Six ponies filed into the library (who would think there would be a special name for a building that held books?) and I saw varying colors. One was bright pink, with a darker pink mane and tail. She wore possibly the brightest smile I could ever imagine on her face, and she seemed to bounce with every step. The next pony I noticed looked very elegant and was beautiful to behold. She was a unicorn of the purest white, with a violet mane and tail and eyes as deep as the ocean. Next was a light blue pegasus with a rainbow-patterned mane and tail, who from earlier I knew was Rainbow Dash. She was very sleek and aerodynamic, and I could tell just by looking at her that she was built for speed. The last pony was a dark orange, with a soft blonde mane and tail, both held together with a hairband.

“Hello Spike! Wow, that smells good.” Twilight Sparkle announced. She then looked to the dragon with a pleading expression. “I hope you made enough for all our friends.”

The dragon chuckled and nodded. “Sure did! I knew they were coming, so I made sure to make it just in case.”

The violet unicorn nodded before glancing at me, then back to Spike. “So how did he do?”

“I did wonderfully, Twilight Sparkle. Thank you.” I responded with a triumphant grin.

The entire group of ponies gasped, and the mentioned unicorn fell onto her rump with a shocked expression. Her mouth was moving as if trying to say something, but no words emerged. Finally she composed herself and smiled excitedly. “This is amazing! It took me almost three days to learn Celestian, but you learned Modern Equestrian in just under three hours! Princess Luna wasn't joking when she said you were smart.”

I smiled gratefully and nodded. “Well I am flattered, Twilight Sparkle.”

“Just Twilight is fine, Vega.” the unicorn responded happily.

“Vega? Like the star?” spoke Fluttershy loudly. She then blushed in embarrassment. “Oh, um...sorry.”

I grinned at the endearing qualities of the pegasus and nodded. “We do indeed share the same name, but I was not named after the star...it was named after me.”

This caused Twilight to eye me with suspicion. “What do you mean it was named after you? That star is at least a thousand years old.”

“So am I.” I responded, beginning to get a better feel for their speech.

The orange pony stepped up in front of me for a moment, as if sizing me up before she backed off and nodded at Twilight. “He's tellin' tha truth, sugarcube. It don' make sense ta me either, but he ain't lyin'.”

“Princess Celestia never told me about any of this...” the violet unicorn responded in a daze.

I grinned and motioned to the door. “Well it's dusk by now, so come outside...there's something I want to show all of you.”

We arrived outside just as the last light of day was waning, allowing the many stars that grace the heavens to be seen as Lunacae's night began to overtake the day. I waved a hoof across the sky with a smile. “Princess Luna told me that every star is or was a life. She made them...both of them.”

For the longest time the six ponies were silent, apparently letting that information sink in. Finally, a happy sigh emanated from Fluttershy as she gazed at the night sky. “Sometimes, I love to just sleep outside in my hammock, underneath the stars. It's so beautiful. To think that every one of those diamonds in the sky was made for someone...it's amazing.”

In that statement, I heard the awe and innocence akin to that of a child, and I couldn't help but smile at it. The other ponies said nothing, but gazed with similar looks of awe at the heavens, clearly contemplating what I had told them.

“You know Vega,” Twilight started with happiness, “your star is known as the 'morning star' here. It's the last star everypony sees before the day starts.”

I nodded as I looked to the sky with company. “I know. It is why Princess Luna bestowed the name Morningstar upon me. She assumed it would be a fitting title.” I then shivered as a cool wind blew through my feathers. “Come...we should retreat indoors before it gets any cooler.”

All of us arrived inside just as Spike was setting a large table for the eight of us. I was amazed at the young dragon's skill with the culinary arts, as well as his good manners and intelligence. He had told me of how Twilight Sparkle had raised him from a hatchling, so I assumed she had something to do with his character.

The meal was wonderful in every sense of the word. It was tasty, filling, and apparently relatively simple to make by what the pony named Pinkie Pie had told me. Still, it was quite possibly the most amazing thing I'd ever eaten, and I made sure to tell Spike so.

With my hunger sated and a new language learned, I was well ahead of what I had expected, which was definitely a good thing. I spent the rest of the night relaxing – a relatively new activity for me – and getting to know all the other mares (I had found that is what they call adult females around here, with adult males being 'stallions'). Pinkie Pie was very hyperactive but fun, while Rarity was very elegant and proper, which I had assumed given the unicorn's image. Rainbow Dash was also a lot of fun, but her humor sometimes came off as a little crude (I didn't mind in the least, but Rarity did). Applejack, the farm mare, was very warm and inviting, along with giving off an aura of strength and determination. I could tell right away that her and I were going to be good friends.

Friends...

That was a word I'd held at a distance for such a long time...but here were alien beings to me, and I'd become familiar with all of them very quickly and they'd welcomed me in kind. It was a foreign environment to me, but one that I could grow to enjoy. To have others who care about me more than just someone who protects them or watches over them...it's a nice feeling.

After our meal was finished, I helped Spike clean. I was unsure of the social norms of pony society, but for me at least it was expected to help clean up if you are a guest in someone's home. Twilight tried to argue with me, but I was politely firm and she relented, allowing me to not feel completely useless in her home. After all, the mare was offering a place for me to stay until I could make my own home...and I would need to ask her at some point exactly how I should go about doing that.

Since this world was to be my home now, I had quite a few things to think through. Normally, the first priority would be safety and survival, but it appeared that in this world those were two things extended to all who lived and breathed here...and of that I was thankful. Secondly, I was going to need to find a way to work and live here autonomously. Something told me that these ponies used some sort of currency in lieu of trading goods, so I had to find some work that I could do in order to have some income. Lastly and most importantly, I was going to have to either lay low and be a ghost amongst the populace, or I was going to have to have a decent relationship with everyone, whether it be a working relationship or personal. I was under no illusions about social dynamics, so I knew that it was unlikely everyone was going to like me, but I figured the more ponies I had on my side, the easier and nicer my life here would be.

Upon finishing the dishes and cleaning up the downstairs, I was joined by the other mares as they brought two drinks known as apple cider and sarsaparilla. I was unsure of what they were exactly, but both were sweet and tasted good, although the cider packed a bit of a 'kick', as Applejack mentioned. The six mares were all talking to me and giggling at my responses, but at that point I was unsure of what I was saying. For some reason the world was kind of hazy, and I was unbelievably relaxed. Before I could realize it though, I had fallen asleep.

I woke in the middle of the night with a very urgent need to relieve myself, and so I stumbled out the front door, found a secluded bush behind the library, and did so. It was awkward, being a pony and all, but I quickly finished and sighed as I looked up at the moon. The night was slightly cloudy, but beautiful, and I sighed happily as I leaned against the side of the house. My mind was still a little hazy, but it was clear enough to realize what had happened to me and that the moon had never looked more beautiful than it had tonight. Perhaps it was because I was not fighting for my life or perhaps it was because I now had the beginning of friends...I don't know. What I did know was that for the first time I could remember, I was honestly happy. No cares, no worries...just sincere happiness.

My momentary carelessness was interrupted when I heard a twig snap, and I whipped around instinctually and prepared for a fight. This caused what was approaching me to let out a small squeak of fright, and then dart behind a bush...the bush I had used...

By its reaction, I had an inkling as to who had approached, so I softly called, “Fluttershy?”

The bush stopped shaking and a pink mane appeared, followed by a pale yellow body. The pony looked at me nervously before slowly exiting from behind the bush. She looked up at me in embarrassment and nodded. “H-hello, Vega. I'm so sorry that I was watching you, but I was curious. Please don't hate me...” She then looked back to her hiding place, and then her fur...which was a bit matted now. “Why is that bush wet?”

I looked away with embarrassment of my own and cleared my throat with nervousness. “Umm...I had to relieve myself...”

“Y-y-you m-mean...?” she asked.

I nodded. “Yes...you should bathe now.”

The yellow pegasus stuttered a few times before fainting, and I sighed. I shifted to my normal form and picked the small pony up, then carried her inside the library. I then grabbed a cloth from the kitchen along with some sudsy liquid, which Spike had called 'soap', then wet the cloth and proceeded to gently wipe the timid mare down as she lay unconscious. I was now mentally kicking myself for not remembering that these ponies had indoor plumbing, and berated myself even more for causing such mortification upon the young mare. I was aware of basic privacy, so I avoided her personal areas, and instead continued hand-washing her coat and mane. When she was sufficiently clean, I placed the soiled rag into the sink and ran hot water over it, before carrying the mare back upstairs and placing her quietly into the room with all her friends, who were still asleep. I set the mare down next to her closest friend, which appeared to be Rainbow Dash, and chuckled at the sight of the rainbow-maned pegasus. She was lying on her back half-covered, with her front legs kicking in the air every now and then, as if she were running.

I was aware that in civilized society it was still considered taboo for a male and female to sleep in the same room, let alone the same bed, so I quietly left the room and closed the door before heading to my own bedroom.

I will admit, even with being perfectly content with sleeping on the ground my entire life, the bed I was given from Twilight was amazing. It was soft and the covers were warm, and I was quite pleased with the result. It allowed me to relax and begin to fall asleep very quickly, and before I knew it, sleep once again claimed me.

Perspective change – Fluttershy

I woke up back in the room with my friends, next to an animatedly dreaming Rainbow Dash. I looked at my best friend and giggled softly before sitting up, trying to remember the dream I'd had. I remembered that in my dream I'd gone outside after hearing some noises, only to find Vega...and a soiled bush.

Why would I dream about something like that?

This thought was overtaken by feeling a slight dampness on my skin, and I ran a hoof over my coat to find that it was moist. I nearly began hyperventilating at the notion that I had in fact not dreamt that, but stopped when I didn't smell anything...gross. Instead, I smelled of soap. The realization hit me like Pinkie's party cannon...

He'd washed me?

Embarrassment washed over me and I felt my entire body warm up as the feeling overcame me, but it abated when I realized that privates were untouched. I mentally thanked Celestia over and over again for sparing me of that experience, but then found myself oddly feeling thankful towards the stallion for taking care of me. Even when I was defenseless, he didn't take advantage of me in any way and had taken care of me after I'd fainted. I couldn't help but think of how much of a gentlecolt he was, and I smiled and blushed a bit at the very thought of him.

He was different, but not bad. I saw it that day when I first met him...a kindness and gentleness within his eyes that I'd only seen in the eyes of the princesses. Even upon finding the bones of a manticore where I'd met him, I couldn't be mad at him. After all, even the bears I look after have to eat. I dont get angry with them about it, so why should I with him? I hoped now that he was living in Ponyville, he wouldn't feel the need to hunt anymore, but realizing what he was, I knew it was always a possibility. Even with that being the case, I couldn't feel myself being afraid of him. I had only met him yesterday, but I somehow knew that he would never hurt any of us.

I hope we can be friends...

Chapter 5: Timid Wings

“Subject is covered in plated skin, akin to a crustacean or insect and...Spike, are you taking note of this?”

“Yep, I gotcha Twi.”

“Good...umm subject appears to be of a young age, but claims to be thousands of years old. Subject is male, is around six-point-five feet tall, and is much heavier than a pony of similar dimensions. Observation suggests very dense skeletal structure that allows for heightened durability and physical strength. Subject is similar to a changeling in that it can morph its form into any being it wishes, but unlike a changeling is not limited to pony-like forms. Subject is of an ancient race known as Celestials, a race which until now was believed to be myth. Subject shows a staggering amount of intelligence as well as the ability to quickly learn and assimilate new experiences into its working knowledge.”

I growled as I was awakened by the voices, and rolled over to see Twilight Sparkle observing me as I slept...which was rather odd to say the least.

“Subject is an omnivore, and is similar to an upright primate in locomotion. It has six fingers and six toes, crimson skin, and gray eyes. No genitalia to be seen, however...” she continued reciting.

I grumbled and sat up. “The subject is wishing you would speak quieter if you are going to analyze him while he's sleeping.”

Twilight Sparkle snapped out of her study of me and smiled sheepishly. “S-sorry about that, Vega.”

I looked outside to see the sun already a good way above the horizon, so I looked back to her with a smile. “It is no trouble, actually. I usually rise with the sun, so I have actually overslept.” I stood and stretched, enjoying the feel of my muscles stretching. I then sighed and morphed into a pony. “So, what is for morning meal?”

Twilight Sparkle and Spike shared a meal of vegetables and leafy greens put together in what they called a “salad”, along with a rounded red-skinned fruit known as an “apple”. Perhaps it was because I was in the form of a pony, but both tasted amazing to me, and I found myself not missing meat in the least.

Perhaps I could come to enjoy this life.

It went without saying that I left the library as soon as the meal was finished, in a desperate dash to find Fluttershy and apologize for the indecency of the previous night. It was at the top of my “things to do” list (as Twilight Sparkle referred to it), so I gathered directions from the mare and dragon before departing for the pegasus' home.

I was not very familiar with the way ponies (or anyone, for that matter) approached an issue like this, but I suddenly felt very nervous about it. Regardless of what society one was from or how they grew up, bodily waste was considered disgusting and unwanted in any way, which just made what I'd done to the poor mare all the worse. Here was an already timid mare that had likely never seen death before as I had...and I'd urinated on her. By accident, but it happened nonetheless.

As I rounded a grassy bend in the sloping hills that led to a bridge over a river, I was finally able to see Fluttershy's home in the distance. Even from such a long distance away, my sharp vision allowed me to see that it was fashioned out of what appeared to be living plants, the plants themselves having been grown in such a way that allowed somepony to live inside of it while the grasses still grew and flourished. As I did with many things since learning about the mysterious force of this world known as “magic”, I assumed that to be the case and went on my way.

I began to notice that the closer I moved towards the quaint home, the more beautiful the scenery would become. The grass was softer and greener, the trees looked healthier, and more small animals could be seen going about their lives. Small rodents could be spotted skittering about the grass and trees, and different flying animals of various colors soared overhead, or from tree to tree. While the rainforest my previous home of Primus was located in was considered to be a hotbed of life, this place was unlike any other. There was no danger, nor was there the permeating humidity that was so familiar...instead, there was simply beauty and life. The smell of the grass and trees mingled so well with the crisp scent of the air itself to produce an atmosphere unlike any other I'd experienced.

It was a truly wondrous experience.

As I approached the steps leading to the comparatively large home, I noticed that there were a great number of animal burrows and pony-made homes scattered about the house itself, the ground around it, and the trees. Twilight Sparkle had advised me ahead of time that Fluttershy was known to have a talent for understanding and caring for animals, but I honestly never expected her to be so at ease with so many around her...or being so close to the dangers of the Everfree Forest. She was either very brave or very foolish.

That truth remains to be uncovered.

I stepped in front of the dutch-door (exactly where that term came from, I am unsure) that led to the inside of Fluttershy's home and immediately became very nervous with this confrontation. I was a being that had been forced to survive in one of the harshest lands, along with some of the most dangerous foes...and here simply apologizing to another that I had wronged was terrifying me. I rapped three times on the red wooden door and waited for the owner of the home to appear. It took a few seconds, but I heard some shuffling inside as someone approached the door. I mentally prepared myself for a very awkward meeting and took a deep breath to steel myself.

The door opened just a crack, and I saw a large, vivid cyan eye looking back at me. “H-hello?”

I stepped towards the crack to where she could see me and bowed my head respectfully. “Hello Miss Fluttershy. I simply wished to apolo-” I was cut off as the pony let out a very undignified “eep” of surprise and slammed the door in my face, which caused me to jump back to avoid being injured. I sighed and knocked on the door again. “Fluttershy, I simply wished to apologize for how I wronged you. Even though an accident, what I did to you was disgusting and loathsome.” There was no answer, so I sighed again. “Very well...I will leave you alone then.”

I turned to leave and trotted quickly down the pathway leading to the bridge, only to be stopped by the feeling that I was being watched. I jerked my head to the left and right to try and find the prying eyes, but saw nothing. Then I looked behind me and saw two large cyan eyes looking back at me, very closely.

“Gah!” I shouted as I fell back onto my rump, very clumsily and very stupidly...and act that would surely get me killed had it been a hostile.

“Oh, oh dear, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you.” said a soft, sweet voice from my side, and I turned my face to see that it was indeed the pony I had hoped to apologize to.

I breathed a few times to calm my racing heart before sitting up. I looked to the pale yellow pegasus to see her staring at me with concern, so I simply said. “I will be alright. No concern necessary, Fluttershy. I should have been more alert anyway.” I raised my hoof to the mare and asked, “Why did you decide to speak to me now? You shut me out when I knocked.”

The pale yellow pegasus hid her face behind her mane and mumbled, “I-I was n-n-nervous.”

'For good reason, no doubt.' I thought. I then sighed and lowered my head in shame. “Fluttershy, I wish to formerly apologize for what I did to you last night.”

I turned my eyes towards Fluttershy's face, only to find that she was looking at me with a kind smile. “Oh, it's okay. It was embarrassing, but it was an accident.”

I shook my head and gritted my teeth in self-loathing. “Accident or not, I am still responsible...and even in my people's culture, that is a severe social crime.”

Thankfully she did not argue with me. Instead, she just nodded slowly and responded, “I forgive you then.”

I was taken aback by this reply. For a few seconds, my mouth just hung open in shock, but I finally composed myself and quirked an eyebrow up in confusion. “Just like that? I violated you.”

Fluttershy giggled softly and motioned to her house behind her. “I work with animals all day long, Vega. Can you even imagine how many times I've been soiled or even bitten?”

“But your friends say that you have a mystical power with the animals of the forest.” I inquired.

She shook her head. “There's nothing really magical about that. I'm just observant and patient. The animals my friends see are so well-behaved because of how much time I've spent getting them that way. Any scared animal will bite or scratch anypony that gets too close. I have to earn their trust through patience and good will. It can take a long time, but I think it's very rewarding. I've been doing this a long time, and the only animals I haven't made friends with are ursas, cockatrices, and dragons...well except for Spike.”

I couldn't help but chuckle and quipped, “Young Spike is about as much a dragon as I am.”

Fluttershy giggled softly at this for a bit before going silent. She then blushed and looked away, hiding behind her mane again. “Besides...I know you cleaned me.”

I shrugged and lowered my head a bit again. “Well since I was the cause of your predicament, it only made sense that I should try and fix it to the best of my ability.”

“Exactly.” the pegasus answered. “If you had really wanted to violate me, you could have done it when I was unconscious and helpless...but you didn't.”

“It would have been a horrid thing to even consider, for me.” I responded with a darkened expression at the prospect.

“I know.” she responded plainly. “In Equestria, we call that being a 'gentlecolt'.”

“And what is a 'gentlecolt'?” I asked, now interested.

She giggled lightly and looked directly at me with those sparkling cyan eyes. “A gentlecolt is a male pony that shows great qualities. He's kind, chivalrous, honest, generous, honorable, and gentle. At the same time, he is strong and every bit a stallion.” The pegasus then sighed, staring with a distant expression. “There are so few real gentlecolts left in Equestria anymore.”

I shrugged and smiled. “Well I'm not really a colt, but I hope that I can be all those things for you and the others.”

Fluttershy looked to me again and smiled gently, with a dreamy expression. “I think you already are all those things.” For a few moments longer she simply gazed at me with...well, with an expression I can't quite quantify. She then shook her head and blushed deeply before pawing the ground with a hoof. “Um...I'm sorry about that. I'm not feeling very well, so I have to go. Bye...” she then quickly turned around and cantered to her home, closing the door behind her.

I mentally punched myself in the face and sighed, surprised that I'd managed to thoroughly embarrass the same pony not once, but twice in two days. I sighed and felt my wings twitch a few times beforesettling. With my apology out of the way, I turned and headed back towards the library.

As I made my way through town, I couldn't help but gaze up at the many pegasi that flew in the skies above me. I had wings on my back now, which meant that it was physically possible for me to fly...but I had no idea how. I didn't even know how to move my wings yet on their own. Maybe I'd ask-

“Hey Vega!” shouted a raspy female voice from above me.

I looked up to see a familiar cyan weatherpony pushing a few clouds aside to clear the skies. “Greetings, Rainbow Dash. How does this day find you?”

The named pegasus did a few loops as she descended from high above before landing gracefully in front of me. “Things are going pretty good, Vega. Where did you go this morning? You were gone before I woke up.”

I sighed and explained what had happened the previous night, and as things progressed, the cyan mare's face changed from interest to shock, and her eyes grew wider and wider.

After I finished, she was completely silent, her mouth moving slightly, but no speech escaping it. I simply stood in silence, awaiting whatever vocal thrashing I was about to receive...so imagine my surprise when the rainbow-maned pegasus erupted into fits of laughter.

“Oh Celestia, that's rich!” she wailed through laughter. Luckily for me, there was no other ponies around that particular stretch of road, so there was no danger of anypony coming to investigate the reason for such loud laughter...which would only cause more problems. After a few moments, the mare calmed down enough to speak, and smiled at me. “Let me guess, you went to go apologize to her, right?” I nodded. “And when you knocked, she slammed the door in your face.”

I nodded softly with a sheepish grin. “I did rather deserve it however, so I hold no ill will towards her.”

The mare giggled and patted me on the shoulder with her wing. “Let's just say that Fluttershy definitely lives up to her name. Give it a day or two and try again. I bet you can get her to talk to you then.”

“That will not be a problem, Rainbow Dash. As I turned to leave, she left her home and followed me out. I then had my opport-” I started, before being interrupted by a loud gasp.

Again, the cyan mare was dumbfounded, though I knew not for what. “So Fluttershy actually left her house after that and came after you?”

I nodded nervously. “Is that bad?”

Again the mare was silent for a moment before responding with, “No...that's actually a great thing for you. I just never expected her to do that. Usually for something on that level, you can expect to not see her for a few days at least. Fluttershy doesn't hold grudges or anything, but her shyness can make her look rude sometimes. I guess you don't have to worry about getting the wrong idea about that, because she actually came to you. This is huge...she's never done something like that before.” The mare then walked around me in an appraising manner before stopping in front again. “There's something special about you. I don't know what it is, but Fluttershy can see it, apparently. Consideryourself lucky...she isn't that open to just anypony.”

“And why am I lucky?” I asked. I then realized how that sounded and added, “I did not intend for that to sound the way it did.”

The cyan pegasus smirked and shook her head. “Don't worry Vega, I know what you meant. Anyway, you're lucky because Fluttershy is literally the kindest pony you'll ever meet. You're lucky because if she made that effort for you, she wants you as a friend.”

I sighed and lowered my head. “I don't know...I embarrassed her again.”

“How so?” asked Rainbow Dash, now with interest and a little concern.

I recounted the conversation between Fluttershy and I, as well as her behavior. During most of it, Rainbow Dash seemed rather impressed with me...but at the end, she was smirking. I don't like that smirk...it just shouts, “I know a secret.”

So I asked, “What is the reason for the smirk?”

Her grin just grew wider and she shook her head. “Nope, not telling. You'll have more fun figuring it out yourself.”

I rolled my eyes and grumbled, “I assumed you would say that.”

“Then why ask?” she questioned with a grin.

I shrugged. “Because I am an ignoramus.”

“I know what that word means!” she shouted triumphantly. “It's a fancy way of saying somepony's stupid!”

I chuckled and nodded. “Yes...it is.”

Rainbow Dash then looked at me meaningfully and smiled. “Fluttershy can be a really great friend to you if you let her. Treat her good, Vega. You'll find out what I mean.” She pointed at my wings next. “So, to change the subject, do you know how to use those?”

I chuckled dryly. “When you arrived, I was literally just thinking that I should ask you how they work.”

She smiled in response. “Cool. Okay, well if you're going to be a pegasus, there's a few things you need to know.” She then grinned deviously. “This first lesson is going to be fun...for me at least.”

Her expression unnerved me, and I took a few steps back. “I am suddenly having second thoughts about this.”

She shook her head. “I just thought I'd scare you a little, with you being a newbie and all. Anyway, this first lesson is going to be embarrassing for you, but I need to show you something about a pegasus' body.” She began to move closely to me, and I took another step back. She placed her hoof on myshoulder and smiled. “Trust me.” I stopped retreating and stood still. When I did so, she ran her hoof along my neck softly, giving me chills. She then breathed warm air on it as well, and ran her tongue along my jawline. I was frightened when my wings extended to full-length with a loud **POMPF** sound. She giggled at this and walked around me again. “Sorry about that, but I had to show you this.” She pointed at my wings as she stood at my side. “This is what pegasi call 'popping'. It happens whenever a pegasus gets excited in...well I'm sure you can guess which way.”

I rolled my eyes as I stood there with a very obvious visual arousal sign. “Is that the only reason you did this to me?”

She shook her head with a grin. “No. Next I want you to focus and see if you can feel any new muscles you didn't notice before. You'll know it when you find them. When you do, I want you to try and move them.”

I wasn't exactly sure what she was speaking of, but closed my eyes and did as she asked. She was in fact, right. When I mentally ran through my body, I felt a tightening of muscles in my back, as well as the ability to feel those bundles of muscles and control them. I felt as my wings moved stiffly.

“Good, you found them.” she stated, and I opened my eyes to see her looking at me with a smile. She then pointed at my wings. “That'll go away pretty soon here. The next thing you need to know about pegasi is a rule...and it's a rule that you both have to follow and make others follow with you: never let another pegasus touch your wings in public, and not in private unless they're your special somepony.”

“Special somepo- oh...I understand.” I commented.

“Yeah.” the cyan mare answered.

I raised my eyebrow at her in confusion. “Might I ask why?”

She gained a smirk and she gently ran a hoof over the tip of my left wing, and my legs gave out as a shock of pure pleasure shot through my entire body. My mind was hazy and my wings were trembling a bit, but I stood again and looked to see her grinning. “That's why. It's really intimate. The best way I can explain it is it would be the exact same as having another pony touch your 'naughty parts'.”

I did not have to be a genius to understand what she implied by the use of the phrase “naughty parts”, so I simply nodded and answered, “No touching the wings...understood.”

The rainbow-maned pegasus smiled and pointed to my wing, explaining, “Your wings are really sensitive for a reason. That same sensitivity will let you feel the wind through your feathers when you're flying. It'll let you sense temperature changes in the air very quickly, as well as any crosscurrents. All of this is very important for pegasi, because we live most of our lives in the air, so we have to be able to feel it very closely. Rule number two is for your own safety as a pegasus: never fly during a storm unless you literally have no other choice. First of all, the wind can blow you off course and cause you to crash. Rain can soak your feathers and make it difficult to fly as well. The most dangerous part of a storm is the lightning though. Unless you're a lightning-wrangler that's trained to handle jolts of electricity, you could be seriously hurt or killed if you're struck by lightning.”

“No flying in storms. Understood, Miss Rainbow Dash.” I answered respectfully.

“Good.” she responded with a grin. “Last but not least is a rule mostly for new fliers like you. If you ever go to Canterlot, do not fly over the Celestial Palace. You can be arrested if you do, so hopefully you'll listen to me on that and not end up in the dungeons.”

I nodded again. “Understood.”

She smiled and shrugged. “Other than that, it's pretty straightforward.” She ran her hoof under my outstretched wings and in the space between them on my back. “I can feel that your flight muscles are really strong, so once you get a handle on the actual mechanics of flying, you should be fine. Start off with hovering and basically go from there. If you need help to get started, just watch the way a bird flies and copy them. Pegasus wings work the same way.”

“Birds?” I asked in confusion.

She rolled her eyes and sighed. “I guess you don't know what birds are after all. Birds are those colorful feathery animals that fly around. They only have two wings and two feet, and they have a hard beak for a mouth. They're masters of flight, so if you can't find a pegasus to teach you to fly, the birds can teach you a lot just by watching them.”

“Can't you teach me?” I asked.

She sighed and lowered her head a bit. “Vega I'd really love to, but I have training to do in order to keep in shape, as well as work. I just don't have the time, sorry. And don't bother asking Fluttershy...she barely flies at all.”

“A pegasus that doesn't fly?” I blurted out rudely.

The cyan pegasus shrugged. “She can fly, she just usually doesn't. Her flight is more of a leisurely floating, not actually flying. Just practice on your own and I'm sure you'll have it down in a week or two.”

I nodded with a smile, fluttering my wings a bit. “Sounds like a plan, Rainbow Dash. Thank you for all your help.”

She punched me playfully in the shoulder and grinned. “No problem, Vega.” She then ascended to the sky and shouted, “I'll see you around!”

I waved farewell to the pegasus and looked to my sides, pleased that my wings had resigned themselves to their folded-up form against my sides. I then extended them with the newfound muscles and grinned, glad that I was making some progress...both with flight and with...

Fluttershy.

During my talk with Rainbow Dash, I had completely forgotten what had transpired between the two of us. Because of what the cyan pegasus had told me about the timid mare, I had nothing to worry about. Quite the opposite in fact, and this made me happy. Finally, I was making a true connection with others.

I was making friends.

Chapter 6: Discovery

The weeks that followed my initial arrival upon this planet (which I had learned was named Equis) went rather quickly, and mostly involved lessons from Twilight Sparkle, as well as questioning from her as well. I didn’t mind in the least, of course, as the new information and knowledge that came with these sessions allowed me to further integrate myself into normal society, so much so that I often went for days changed into pony form.

That was at least until today.

The Elements of Harmony had gone to a faraway land known as the Crystal Empire, as a calamity of sorts was occurring there. I was not told the details, only that they were needed to protect it from an ancient and powerful being.

This left me alone in Ponyville...cut off from my new friends.

I had come to realize exactly how much my new friends meant to me, namely Fluttershy, Twilight Sparkle, and Rainbow Dash. The three young ponies had taught me much about both friendship and living in general, just in the short time I’d known them. I could only imagine how much I would learn in the coming weeks and months, but that could wait until they returned.

And so, since I was left to my own devices, I returned to the Everfree Forest.

This would be one of the few times I didn’t come to the forest to hunt, and so I simply morphed to my original form and strode about the woods, taking in the sights and sounds that populated it. Over the past few weeks, the beings that inhabited this forest had learned to keep their distance from me. It was strange to think that where I once feared the beasts of my ancestral home of Primus, I was now an apex predator. It was strange in a way, to know that nothing would ever hunt me here, but it was also a refreshing change.

And so, as I strolled slowly through the forest, I couldn’t help but take in the beauty of it...the wildness of it.

It was something a mere pony could not enjoy, as this place was very dangerous for one such as they. For one such as I, however, there was a sort of peace I garnered from it, along with the feeling of belonging on a level that I only found with my newfound friends.

Oddly enough, the only animals that didn’t keep their distance were the birds of prey, namely a large breed of avian I’d come to know as the Nighthawk. From what I’d been told by Twilight Sparkle, the large creature had been hoof-crafted by All-Mother Lunacae herself.

In the Nighthawk, I could see her creative character showing through. It was a very large, dark blue bird with gleaming black talons, a large flesh-tearing beak, and eyes of the fiercest yellow. Its true beauty would only be shown when night fell, however, as the feathers would then glow translucently in the moonlight, giving it a very auspicious appearance. The predator avian was almost as large as the average pony, with a wingspan that was a sight to behold. Even with all of this, the bird apparently only ate fish and smaller warm-bloods...squirrels, rabbits, and the like.

Which was why when one of the majestic creatures took its place beside me as I sat upon the bank of a river, I didn’t think twice about it.

The Nighthawk that had joined me today was one I was familiar with. It had a very noticeable scar running across the forehead, leaving a bald patch where feathers would be. Another attribute that made this particular creature unique was that it had been the only one to directly approach me, though whether it was out of curiosity or genuine interest, I didn’t know.

As I sat next to my neutral companion and enjoyed the scenery, I was faintly aware of a presence approaching from beyond the chasm that led to the Palace of the Two Sisters. I extended my senses further and was now keenly aware of whatever it was...and also aware that it was a predator. Interestingly enough, even when it was close enough for me to hear its breathing, I sensed no hostility from it...which was odd.

Finally wishing to see what I was up against, I turned myself and scanned the bushes before finding what looked like large insect wings hidden behind a shrub, along with a faint buzzing sound.

I sighed and stated openly, “I can see you, so you may as well reveal yourself.”

Rustling was my response, followed by...Fluttershy? No wait, this doesn’t make sense. I know for a fact that she has not returned yet, so this can’t be her...and it doesn’t smell like her either.

Realization dawns upon me from my studies with Twilight Sparkle, and I stand quickly and let loose a warning growl. I firmly stated, “I know you’re not my friend...you smell different, changeling.”

Instead of fear, surprise, or even aggression...I beheld an impressed expression cross the not-Fluttershy’s face. Blue fire quickly overtook the pony’s form, and when it dissipated, I was left looking at a completely different pony.

It had a shiny carapace akin to that of an insectoid of some sort, and wings to match. Fangs were clearly visible over the bottom lip of the creature, and holes marred the hooves and legs of the creature, making it look as if it were decomposing. It had a single curved horn, as well as the most piercing glowing blue eyes I’d ever seen, devoid of any pupil or iris.

“You saw through my disguise...that is a first. Well done.” it said in a buzzing rasp of a voice.

Okay...changelings aren’t supposed to be able to speak, from what Twilight Sparkle told me.

“You can speak?” I blurted out.

The changeling rolled its eyes and sighed. “Is that really so unbelieveable?”

I shrugged, coming to my senses. “A little, yes.”

“I’ll tell you what’s unbelievable...” the pony-mockery started, “a creature I’ve never seen before that garners the respect of the most feared beasts of the Everfree, seemingly from out of nowhere.” The eyes then narrowed as it said, “Just what are you and where did you come from?”

“Well,” I began, relaxing my stance a bit, “I am what the ponies call a Celestial and-”

“Wait wait wait,” the changeling interrupted, now obviously in disbelief, “a Celestial? As in the ancient beings that were created by the pony-princess of the night?”

I gasped and nodded slowly. “Um, y-yes. How did you know that?”

The next time the changeling spoke, the buzzing that backed the voice had all but disappeared, and it...was bowing in reverence. “A thousand apologies, great Celestial. I didn’t know.”

I raised my eyeridge and asked, “What’s all this about a ‘great’ Celestial? We are simply the children of Lunacae Lightflier.”

“She allows you to speak her name?” the changeling spoke with a gasp of shock.

I nodded with confusion. “Uh, yes...she does. Is that so surprising?”

The changeling quickly composed itself before looking me in the eye again. “Apologies, but yes...it is. Let it simply be said that your people are not the only beings directly created by Mother Luna.”

Wait...did this creature just call Lunacae “mother”?

“Did you just refer to her as ‘mother’ or did I mishear you?” I asked curiously, and with a bit of excitement.

A smirk played across the changeling’s face as it nodded. “I did indeed. My race was created directly by her as well, in case you hadn’t figured it out. Where did you think she had the idea to give us the ability to change forms?”

The more I thought about it, the more things started to make sense. These beings were actually the pony version of Celestials, albeit with a very different way of gathering sustenance. This left just one question though...

“If you truly are the children of the All-Mother, then why attack the ponies?” I asked with a hint of anger.

Twilight Sparkle and her friends had told me of the massive changeling attack upon Canterlot, as well as the “queen’s” intentions to completely overtake Lunacae and her sister. It was in fact one of the reasons why I had been so apprehensive to show my true form and abilities, as shape-morphing skills were almost completely associated only with changelings.

Which was why what the changeling said next took me by surprise.

“Just as there are multiple species of ants, there are multiple species of changelings. My specific species is solitary...we do not share a hive mind with the self-appointed Queen Chrysalis, and neither do we answer to her. All that we share is the ability to disguise our form, the ability to feed off of emotions, and the physical form.” she explained.

I began to understand that it was a bit ignorant of me to be so prejudice, so I responded, “Apologies then, I did not mean to offend.”

The changeling smiled a fanged grin and shook its head. “No harm, no foul. It’s not the first time my kind have been lumped into one giant race, and it certainly won’t be the last.”

“Well what makes you so different from the others then?” I asked inquisitively, taking a seat against the rocks bordering the stream.

“Well for one,” the pony-like creature started, “my kind can use magic, the same as unicorns can. Also, I personally do not have any problems with the ponies of the surrounding village, nor do I want to harm them. Most importantly though, I am capable of free thought and speech.”

“Do you have a name?” I asked with a relaxed grin.

The changeling nodded. “I do. By my kin I am known by a name that your tongue cannot pronounce, but you may simply call me Dragonfly. It is as close to my true name as your words can come.”

I bobbed my head a few times in thought before muttering, “Power, intelligence, and respect.”

“What was that?” Dragonfly asked curiously.

I looked up and shook my head. “Nothing, just talking to myself.” I then stood and eyed it suspiciously. “I sense no hostility from you, but do you truly hold no ill will towards the ponies?”

A grin was my immediate reply as Dragonfly responded, “I’m three times as strong as a pony, faster, and more durable. If I really wanted to hurt one, I could. That being said, I’d really rather not do that. First of all, it would be stupid, because even if I got away, I’d be hunted. Secondly, there’s no reason for me to. Lastly, it would be counterproductive. Unlike the the changelings of Queen Chrysalis’ hive, my kind does not need to steal the emotions from ponies to feed upon them. Instead, more often than not, I can sate my hunger on just the ambient emotional energy that fills the air. So you see, there would be no reason for a takeover or even the need to hunt. I simply change my form, walk throughout the pony town until I’ve had my fill, and then leave. It’s a simple life.”

I was quite pleased to be given yet another piece of knowledge, and to find that there were, in fact, exceptions to rules...and I felt I could share this with Twilight Sparkle when she returned. For a moment, I contemplated asking Dragonfly to come back with me, as it couldn’t be very decent to live alone in the forest. However I then remembered just how prejudiced fearful ponies could be. They would not think to differentiate between changelings, and the fact that one could talk would only cause them more fear.

So for the moment at least, I felt it best to simply take this new information and leave things as they are.

I looked Dragonfly and nodded with a neutral expression. “Well it is nice to find that there are certain rules that have exceptions, namely the one that ponies believe is true that says that all changelings are as the ones that attacked their capital. I would consider you a friend, if you would have me.”

“You know, changelings don’t normally have friends...but I think I’d like that. And a Celestial no less...this could be fun.” Dragonfly answered, then motioned to the Nighthawk that hadn’t left my side. “Besides, Nighthawks are proud and powerful creatures. For this one to be so comfortable with being around you, there must be something very different about you.”

I looked at the large avian and smiled before turning back to the changeling and shifting my stance a bit. “Well she and I are not quite friends yet, but it is nice to have such a powerful and beautiful creature be so comfortable around me.”

Dragonfly grinned and trotted over to me and responded, “Nighthawks are not the most physically-affectionate beings of this world. If she is comfortable being this close to you, you are a friend.”

I nodded as I once again locked eyes with that of the large predatory bird before me, and realized that Dragonfly was right. In those eyes I saw so much more than mere instinct. This creature actually thought, as I did, and understood complex things such as the difference between a friend and ally. There was a life behind those eyes, and wants and needs, as well as true emotions...and right now she was caring about me. Even with how fierce her face was, the eyes told a very different story from what the face did.

It was a wonder what the eyes held.

I looked back to Dragonfly and nodded respectfully. “Well it was a pleasure to meet you, Dragonfly. Can I see you again?”

The changeling smiled a toothy grin and nodded. “Just come back to this place, and I’ll find you.”

I nodded once more before focusing my energy and changing my form to that of the new avian friend beside me, and once the change was over, I could see the joy in her eyes. I locked my gaze with hers before taking flight into the sky, ready to spend the night enjoying the air with this majestic creature of the night.

Spending the evening with the female Nighthawk was probably the best idea I’d had in a long time. While it’s true that the species isn’t as physically affectionate as say, a pony, after all my years being a morpher, I was well aware of the different behaviors of different animals.

For example, the only time a creature such as a bird of prey spends any amount of time with another of its kind is if they are fighting for territory, or if they are mating.

This did not seem to be the case with the Nighthawk flying through the air with me, however. There was so much more to her than simple instinct, and that fact had been proven on a few occasions just in the short time I’d become familiar with her. She knew the difference between my different emotions, and the very fact that she could consider me a friend spoke volumes.

After all, instinct didn’t allow for “friend”...only enemy, ally, or mate.

As I was soaring through the cool night air with my companion, I couldn’t help but take in the scenery. Besides a pegasus, a Nighthawk had been the first from I’d ever taken that allowed for flight. It offered a whole new perspective on the world itself, and more than just what I could see. It offered freedom, and the simple joy of feeling the wind in your feathers and on your face. There were so many experiences that were made available for me because of my abilities. I could feel the freedom and joy of flight, the thrill of a hunt, or the simple relaxation and happiness that came with enjoying time with friends.

Perhaps I could bring my new avian friend to meet some of my pony friends sometime.

As dawn began to overtake the beautiful night, my companion and I decided that it would be a good idea to get some sleep. After all, while the both of us were naturally nocturnal, I still had to conform to a diurnal schedule, for my friends’ sakes.

As I arrived with my new friend back at her roost, I couldn’t help but take in the beauty of the sunrise upon her home. It was truly wondrous to behold, and even though she was no longer glowing in an enigmatic way, her feathers still shined in the daylight. I simply gazed at her for a moment before offering a happy warble and flying down to the ground to shift my form.

Although I did not regret my night with the Nighthawk, I now needed to hunt or else I’d risk losing control while I slept. So with that in mind, I changed my form again to that of a k’tra walker before lumbering off towards the inner forest, hoping to find a meal worth hunting.

It took some hours past dawn, but I finally tracked and took down a small water serpent. The large beast was no match for the reptilian predator of my home, and as expected, it fell after a ferocious fight.

As I cooked up the fallen beast and began to ingest the tough, gamey meat, I let my mind wander.

As I expected, the first place I found my thoughts were on that of my friends...all of them. The ponies, the misunderstood changeling, and the reclusive Nighthawk. All were dear to me, as they were honestly the first I could honestly refer to as friends in thousands of years. When I thought about that fact, it was in a way depressing.

I had lived several pony lifetimes over, and it was unknown exactly how long my people lived. After all, I had referred to Cygnus as “old”, but that was only by his age relative to mine. In truth, there had not been one reported death from age yet. All were because of accidents, natural disasters, or the shadow beasts.

Perhaps the All-Mother would have an answer for me.

The second thought that came to mind was more personal and focused...it was of Fluttershy. The young pegasus had been a great boon to me, both because of her friendship and her unwavering kindness and willingness to help. She understood me on a level that not even Twilight Sparkle did, and not because the unicorn didn’t try. No...it was much more than that. In some ways, Fluttershy and I were very similar. We both enjoyed the simple things that life had to offer, we both made it a point to be polite and kind whenever possible, and we both cared a great deal for nature as a whole.

Truth be told, as the days passed, the bearer of Kindness had been on my mind more and more. If she was not around and her name entered a conversation, I seemed to slip into a bit of a daze as thoughts of her ran through my mind. It was a confusing condition to say the least, but it did not seem to have any adverse effects.

Perhaps if I ignored it, it would go away.

As I finished my evening meal and cleaned myself up, I quickly morphed back to the form of a pegasus and flew to town.

I arrived at the library and fished the spare key out from under a certain rock on the front garden before unlocking the door, replacing the key, and closing the door behind me.

With Spike also with his friends, that left upkeep of the library to me alone, which I didn’t mind in the least. I only read a book or two per day, and always put them back in their place. The dishes were always washed, the small bits of laundry always done and folded, and even the floors are mopped.

How the library gets so messy when Twilight Sparkle is around is beyond me.

As I finally made my way upstairs to my provided room, I looked longingly at the bed. In honesty, I didn’t know how I’d slept without one until coming to Equis...and at that moment, it looked to be the most wonderful thing in the world.

That was until...

“We’re back!” shouted a familiar female voice from downstairs.

Ugh...Lunacae help me.

I turned away from the bed that was practically begging me to lay in it, and trotted down the stairs to see a beaming Twilight Sparkle and Spike.

The lavender unicorn looks up to see me flitting down the stairs and smiles as if she’s just won a contest that proved her to be the smartest unicorn in all the land, which I would not be surprised of in the least...so long as she keeps it to herself and-

Wow...I’m cranky when I’m sleepy.

“Vega, you’ll never guess what’s happened!” Twilight Sparkle exclaimed with glee.

I sighed and closed my eyes. “I can’t guess, but I’m on the edge of my seat, Twilight Sparkle.”

I heard her huff as she answered, “Vega, I’ve asked you to just call me Twilight like a million times.”

“Actually you’ve only asked me one-hundred forty-four times...forty-five if you count this one.” I opened my eyes to see her staring at me in shock and I smiled sheepishly. “Sorry...my brain counts for me.”

“Wow...burn.” Spike muttered with a grin as he walked away.

Twilight Sparkle’s momentary shock wore off and she continued. “Anyway, not only did we save the Crystal Empire, but I also passed Princess Celestia’s test! Isn’t that great?”

I offered a tired smile and nodded. “It is, Twilight Sparkle. I’m so proud of you. You should tell me about it.”

She giggled in excitement and nodded vigorously. “Okay! Well first we were summoned by Princess Celestia herself, but you already know that part. Next we-”

“Vega, wake up!”

I nearly jumped out of my skin at the high-decibel shout startled me out of my short nap, which in all honesty I don’t remember falling into.

I looked to the face of Twilight Sparkle and she glared at me. “You haven’t slept yet, have you?”

I shook my head as my heart began to slow and responded, “No, but I’ll be alright.”

“No, you go to bed...right now.” the unicorn mare ordered.

“But-” I attempted to argue, only to be shut down as a zipper magically closed my mouth.

“No backtalk, Vega.” Twilight Sparkle ordered. She then shoved me lightly towards the stairs, but with a caring smile. “I know that you’re naturally nocturnal Vega, so it’s okay.”

I unzipped my mouth and shook my head. “But I’ve learned to rise with the sun, so it’s no big deal.”

The unicorn continued to push me and shook her head. “I can learn to walk on my rear legs everywhere I go, but that doesn’t make it natural for me...or a good idea, for that matter.” As we reached the bottom of the stairwell, she smiled warmly and inclined her head. “Go on. I’ve got a lot of mail to go through today and I’m going to spend time with my friends, so I’ll be okay without you.”

I felt bad about leaving her to go without me for some reason, but at this point my body overrode my mind and forced me to climb the stairs, heading towards the wonderful bed that awaited me.

As I reentered the room I immediately flopped down on the bed and sighed happily, pleased that I was finally going to get the rest that I deserved.

As I rolled over onto my stomach and curled my limbs beneath me, I found my thoughts once again focusing on a certain kind pegasus. Her smile, her eyes, her soft mane...for some reason all of it was running through my mind at a dizzying speed.

This time however, I didn’t have the strength to ignore it, so as my eyelids fell and exhaustion began to overtake me, Fluttershy’s face was the last thing I thought of as sleep claimed me.

Chapter 7: The Sting

Before I could realize what was happening, I was suddenly very aware that I was awake, after feeling like I fell asleep only moments ago. It was not an uncommon situation for me, and let me just say that I specifically hate that feeling. That is besides the fact that when I awoke, it was clear that not only was it still daytime, but that there was another in the room besides me...someone powerful. I knew this because I could feel waves of energy radiating off of this unknown person so much that my skin tingled.

Contrary to what my instincts were telling me, I knew that if there were truly ill will within whoever it was that was watching me, I would have been dead by now, as I was completely helpless while asleep. With that being the case, I gently opened my eyes as I got to my hooves and shook my untidy mane out...

And I beheld one of the most amazing creatures I’d ever seen.

She was an alicorn, like Lunacae, though taller and a stark white with a multicolored mane. Even with the amount of raw magical power radiating off of her, it was clear that in her heart at the moment was only benevolence, so I lowered my guard completely and smiled.

“You must be Princess Celestia.” I voiced gently. I lowered my head in a soft bow and said, “It is an honor, your majesty.”

I heard as a giggle was stifled, and the tall mare shuffled around closer to me. “Arise, young one.” I did as she asked and found myself staring back at two bright magenta eyes. “I know who and what you are Vega Morningstar, and I must say that it is a pleasure to meet one of my sister’s children.”

I let a smile grace my face as I responded, “And it is a pleasure to meet the beloved sister of All-Mother Lunacae.”

At my response, the white alicorn’s eyes widened in surprise. “Sister allows you to call her by her natural name?”

I nodded. “She does. Though she recommended I call her Luna when in public with your subjects, as it would raise too many questions that are not to be answered at the current time.”

“I agree.” the princess responded with a grin. “Nonetheless it is quite an honor for sister to give you the knowledge of her ancient name. You must be very special to her.”

I shrugged as I stretched. “Lunacae spoke of me being unique to the others of my kind in some way, though I am unsure how exactly. Regardless, the fact that she took a personal interest in me speaks volumes.”

“You are one of the last of your kind directly created by Luna, Vega.” Lunacae’s sister responded kindly. “More than that, Luna has told me of the difference within you...about your uniqueness. This may be part of the reason she has taken interest, but I would bet there is more to it than that. While I am often known as wise and all-knowing by my subjects, the truth is that Luna has the ability to see much deeper beyond the surface, seeing previously hidden attributes in both people and situations.” She then sighed as her eyes gained a far-away expression and a wistful grin. “It is something about her that I envy, though I would never tell her. She would never let me live it down.”

I chuckled at the implication of the sisterly bond the two alicorns must share.

“Anyhow,” the tall white pony started, “I am sure you are wondering why I came to see you today.”

I nodded. “While it’s flattering to have a princess watching over me as I sleep, it does cause me to question why, exactly.”

The regal alicorn nodded with a warm smile. “And it is a perfectly logical question to ask. Well, it is quite simple, really...I wished to know if Luna’s search yielded promising results.”

“Search? Search for what?” I asked in confusion.

The tall white pony’s eyes widened in surprise. “Oh my...she hasn’t told you.”

I growled, starting to get aggravated. “Told me about what?”

The princess suddenly stood up with a sheepish smile. “Oh my, well would you look at the time? I have to...umm...change the...royal carpets! Yes, they can get so filthy with so many ponies walking on them. Well, um, it was wonderful to meet you Vega, but I must be going now. Farewell!”

Before I could muster a reply, the princess disappeared in a bright flash of white light...leaving me blinded, frustrated, and very confused. What had she been speaking of? More so, why had All-Mother Lunacae not told me the truth? What was the truth?

I did not know, but with the stars as my witnesses, I was going to find out.

“Vega?” called a voice from the hallway leading to my room. A moment later a violet unicorn stepped in and asked, “Vega...you seem angry. Are you okay?”

“You can send letters to the princesses, yes?” I asked softly. The unicorn nodded, so I continued with, “I need you to send a letter to Princess Luna please...I need to see her as soon as possible.”

The young librarian eyed me curiously before asking, “Are you sure you’re alright? You seem really angry.”

I sighed and lowered my gaze to the mess of sheets and comforter that was my bed. “Just please contact the night princess for me. It is very important.”

Sensing the urgency in my voice, she nodded. “Okay Vega, I’ll write her a letter right away. Is there anything specific you want me to tell her?”

“Only that I need to speak with her.” I responded with simplicity.

The studious mare nodded and retreated to the lobby of the library, again leaving me with the many thoughts flying through my head. It was as if the bog locusts of Primus were buzzing around my head, intent on making me unable to make sense of anything, but one thought rang out clear as the day itself.

Lunacae had been hiding something from me, and I had a right to know what.

After a short but urgent letter sent to the moon goddess herself, Twilight advised me that Lunacae would be meeting with me at sunset at the library, which was perfect for me because it gave me time to get my thoughts in order. As much as I tried not to, my mind went down dark paths of betrayal by who I considered to be my mother, and the most important person in my life.

Lunacae had originally made it sound as if my coming to Equestria was for the best for me...but had that been a lie? Was I really just a pawn in some greater game? Creator or not, I believed that no being had the right to use me or any others the way I began to believe I was being used. The cold ice of betrayal once again ran through my veins, and I had to fight back the other within me to keep from rampaging and destroying the entire town.

Though maybe that would show her...

No...I refuse to think like that. Revenge is not the answer, as it only leads to more suffering and in my case, death. It had become a sad and often debilitating reality to me over the years, but one I was still no closer to feeling at peace with. It was times like this that I wish I didn’t care. In some dark corner of my soul, I wished to simply lose myself in the rage and despair that came with this strong feeling of betrayal, and just destroy until there was naught but ashes around me.

But no...that would not be fair.

I owed the All-Mother the chance to explain herself before I condemned her. After all, it was she that gave me and my people life, and until now, she had not given me reason to distrust her...so I would see how this would pan out and react accordingly. Thanks to my many years of both self-training and...accidents...I’d learned to think more rationally and thus put the raging beast inside me within its cage during moments like this.

So with that decided, I opted to take a walk to clear my mind.

It would be nearly twelve hours before the evening was upon us, so I had quite a bit of time to kill. With that being the case, I decided to go see some of my other friends. I knew that at this time of day, Fluttershy would be busy with work and Applejack would be working her stand in the market, which only left Rarity, Rainbow Dash, or Pinkie Pie. In honesty Pinkie Pie was interesting, but in my current mood I didn’t want to risk snapping at her and hurting the poor mare’s feelings...and it was likely that Rarity as well would be too absorbed in her work to adequately hold a conversation.

Rainbow Dash it is, then.

Since first meeting the speedy pegasus, I had practiced greatly with flight in both the forms of a pegasus and a Nighthawk, so much so that I now actually felt more comfortable flying than walking. With that being the case, I opted to flit above the ground slightly much like...

Fluttershy.

There it was again, that feeling that came about whenever I thought about her. A strange feeling of elation coupled with...nervousness? Why was I nervous? I don’t get nervous, least of all when thinking about a friend. After all, Fluttershy would never do anything to hurt me. She was the most gentle, kind, soft-spoken...

‘And beautiful...’’

I growled at the thought that had seemingly been injected into my mind. Since when did I find beauty in the mere form of another? It didn’t make sense to me, and in honesty, it was aggravating. These new actions my mind seemed to take whenever the humble pegasus entered my mind were beginning to severely anger me...so much so that at times it interfered with my daily life if I wasn’t careful. Hunting, for example, was now a dangerous prospect. If I lost my focus during my tracking, I could very well become the target for another predator, as unlikely as that was. As paranoid as the thought made me, my rational mind made sure to advise me that death by another predator was all but impossible.

That did not quell the storm within my mind, however.

The young cream-colored pegasus had been on my mind a lot lately...more so than should be warranted for a mere friend. I thought about her, I talked about her, and more recently, I dreamt about her. It was maddening because of the fact that I had no idea why my mind seemed so interested in the mare. Not that there was anything wrong with her of course, but the question still arose...

Why her?

It was one of the things I honestly didn’t have an answer for, simply because of the fact that I was entirely unsure what exactly fascinated my mind so much about her. It was one of many questions I needed answers to...but somehow I no longer felt I could trust Lunacae with this particular conundrum...yet.

Though my mind had been elsewhere the entire time, my wings had apparently taken me to my destination of their own volition, and when I next looked up, I was flying towards a familiar cloud abode. The tall and majestic tower that was accented with rainbows somehow just screamed Rainbow Dash, and not because of the obviousness of the rainbows themselves. No...it was the “attitude” of the entire place ‒ strong, bold, and also serene.

The rainbow-maned pony put up a tough front and prided herself on being such a “tomcolt” as she referred to herself, but her eyes told quite another story. In her eyes I saw gentleness that rivaled Fluttershy, but also a resistance to show it. I would also see a great care offered to her friends, as well as a much deeper emotional pony than she showed the world.

And that was just what I could decipher from one analysis.

The truth was that like her friends, Rainbow Dash was infinitely complex and held much more potential than what she currently was. Perhaps she already knew of her potential or perhaps she did not...but what I did know was that who she could be would cause her to be the very best of herself in so many ways.

As I knocked on the door of the cyan mare, I couldn’t help but once more take in the beauty of her home, but a second later the door opened to show a smiling pegasus...but something was off.

In her eyes, I saw sadness.

“Rainbow Dash,” I asked curiously, eyeing her with uncertainty, “what troubles you?”

The mare grinned wider and shook her head. “Nothing’s wrong, Vega. What’s up?”

I looked around to be sure we were alone before responding, “You should know by now that you can’t hide anything from me, Rainbow Dash. If you do not wish to talk about it I understand...but I’m here for you if you do.”

The cyan mare poked her head out the door beside me and looked around before beckoning me inside and shutting the door behind her. She then sighed and sat down on the floor that was made of clouds. “I guess I’d have to tell somepony about it sooner or later, and I don’t like lying to you, Vega.”

I took a seat relatively close to the mare, keeping a slight distance, as I was unsure of how she would react. “What troubles you?”

The cyan mare kept a brave face and didn’t let fall a single tear, but she didn’t have to. As always, her eyes told more than tears ever could as she responded, “My parents are coming to visit me.”

I raised an eyebrow and asked, “Why is that a bad thing?”

The pegasus squirmed a bit and raised her eyes to look at me. “My dad and I don’t really get along.”

“For the way you’re feeling, I’m sure that ‘not getting along’ is an understatement.” I observed.

She nodded. “I don’t think he wanted me.”

Family had always played an important role in my life, as even though my “parents” were simply adoptive caretakers, the family group was still something we placed great importance on. Because of that, I knew just how alone and worthless being unwanted could make one feel...whether it was true or not. Perhaps Rainbow Dash was wrong...or not. Either way, how she felt was giving her a large amount of anxiety as well as sadness, and so I took it upon myself to help my friend in need.

“Rainbow Dash.” I whispered gently, causing the athlete to look at me. When she did I said, “I can’t pretend to know how you’re feeling. After all, I was never really close to anyone in my homeland, save for my mentor, Cygnus.” I then smiled. “But I do know that you don’t have to go through this alone. You have friends that care about you and will help you through anything that’s bothering you...if you’ll let them.”

“I know,” she said with a defeated sigh, “I just want to handle this on my own is all.”

“And how exactly are you planning to do that?” I asked curiously.

Again the mare sighed as she responded, “I have no idea.”

I gently patted her back in what I hoped was a reassuring manner as I replied, “I also think it’s important to do things on our own. It gives us confidence in our abilities and lets us know that we are fully capable of being independent...but we also need to remember that sometimes, it’s better to take help when it’s offered.” I then smiled. “I can’t force you to do anything Rainbow Dash, but I hope you realize that your friends all care about you and are more than willing to help...you don’t have to go through this alone.”

“I guess you’re right.” the pegasus mused, seemingly to herself. “But this is my family, and I want to see if I can handle things on my own first.”

I moved to stand directly in front of the troubled mare and corrected, “Your friends are your family too, Rainbow Dash...and I know that if you can find it within yourself to swallow your pride and ask for support, they’d be more than willing to give it.”

After a few seconds in thought, the mare smiled as she looked up at me. “You’re right, Vega...and thanks. You can bet that if I start feeling like it’s too much, I’m going to come and find you all.”

I patted her side reassuringly and nodded. “That appears to be a sound plan.”

Seemingly revitalized, Rainbow Dash hopped up with a smile. “Thanks for the talk, Vega...I really needed it. Anyway, you want to go for a fly? I need to stretch my wings and clear my mind.”

I chuckled and nodded. “Flight with a friend sounds nice, Rainbow Dash.” I then smirked as I unfurled my powerful wings. “I’ve been practicing though, so I hope you’re in the mood for a race.”

“A race?” she asked quizzically with a grin. “You do know who you’re talking to, right? I’m only-”

“The fastest flier in Equestria...supposedly.” I interrupted with a smug grin of my own.

This earned me a glare from the rainbow-maned pegasus as she retorted, “You’re on, Vega.”

I threw the door open and blasted into the sky, with a cyan blur following very closely.

”That’s no fair, you cheated!” yelled the cyan mare beside me as she panted wildly.

I rolled my eyes and shot back, “Hey, I didn’t make you fly through that cloud. That was completely your fault.”

“Y-yeah well...” the mare said, trailing off.

I smirked as I turned on my side upon the cloud, looking her in the eye. “I may be a lot faster than most pegasi out there, but I think we both know that had you not plowed through that cloud, you would have won. With that in mind, what would you normally say?”

“You got lucky...” she grumbled with annoyance.

I nodded. “Yes, I did. Still, it was fun, and truth be told, I needed to clear my mind as well. Thank you for that, Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow Dash turned to her side as well, now facing me. “Something’s bothering you too, eh?”

I nodded with a sigh. “Two things, actually. I’m not sure if you’d care to hear them though...they’re rather silly in comparison to your issue.”

I felt as her hoof lightly punched my shoulder as she responded, “Hey, if it’s bothering you, it’s not silly. What’s eatin’ ya, Vega?”

I shrugged and said, “Well, the first issue has to do with Princess Luna.”

“Go on.” she coaxed excitedly.

“Well,” I started, gaining my bearings to keep from becoming angry again, “I received a visit from Princess Celestia this morning. I won’t bore you with details, but suffice to say that during our conversation, I have found that it’s quite possible Luna had a hidden agenda in bringing me here...something other than what she told me.”

“And what did she tell you?” Rainbow Dash asked with concern.

I closed my eyes in disdain as I responded, “Well originally she made it sound as if she were saving me. She made me sound special and unique, and that because of that she wanted to bring me here to keep me safe and give me a better life. Now however, it seems that may not be the case.”

“I’m not really all that close with Princess Luna, but I mean she doesn’t seem like a bad pony. Maybe it’s just a misunderstanding.” Rainbow Dash said thoughtfully.

I sighed and rolled over onto my back, placing my hooves behind my head. “I surely hope so, Rainbow Dash. More than anything else, I do not know if I could stand the betrayal of the most important person in my life.”

“She really means that much to you?” my companion asked curiously.

I chuckled and nodded. “She does. She is the All-Mother, having created my entire race..but more than that, she is all I have left to hold onto. I have no family, no true home, and no purpose as of now. If the one person I thought I could trust and hold to a higher standard has actually used me in such a way, I don’t know how I’ll react.”

“That’s rough, Vega.” she whispered. The cyan mare then raised an eyebrow. “That’s pretty intense, so do I even want to know what the other problem is?”

I shrugged. “The other problem actually isn’t nearly as important, at least I don’t think so. It’s more annoying than anything else.”

“I notice that you’ve stopped talking all proper, like Princess Luna.” Rainbow Dash remarked with a grin.

I chuckled nervously. “Y-yeah, it’s hard to keep that up when I’m stressed, and being around you girls more and more has affected my speech styles.”

The pegasus beside me giggled and shook her head. “It’s okay, Vega. It makes you less intimidating.”

I raised an eyebrow as I looked to her and asked, “Since when am I intimidating?”

“You can change into anything and you eat meat...” she quipped with a grin.

I shrugged. “Yeah, I guess that makes sense.” I then furrowed my brow. “You all aren’t afraid of me or anything, are you?”

This earned me a roll of the eyes as my companion responded, “I said intimidating, not scary. The princesses can be intimidating too, but we love them. Just because we know you can be dangerous doesn’t mean we don’t want to be friends with you.”

“But I could easily tear you apart.” I responded, my self-fears beginning to manifest.

“You can,” she started with a warm smile, “but you won’t.”

I quirked my eyebrow up and asked, “And how do you know that?”

“Because,” she began, placing a hoof firmly on my chest, “you’re good. Maybe you can turn into big strong scary things, but that isn’t who you are.” I nodded at her half-compliment and she smiled. “So, what’s this other problem then?”

I shrugged with a sheepish smile. “Well...it has to do with Fl...”

As I trailed off, the mare prodded me with a hoof. “You’re gonna have to speak up, Vega.”

“Fluttershy...” I breathed with frustration.

“Fluttershy?” the pony asked curiously. “Why is she a problem? I thought the two of you were cool now.”

“We are,” I began, rubbing my face with a hoof, “but maybe that’s the problem...or maybe it isn’t.” I groaned in frustration. “I don’t know...”

I heard the mare roll over closer to me until our wings were touching. “What do you mean, Vega?”

I sighed and placed my foreleg over my eyes. “During the past month, I can’t seem to get her out of my mind. Whenever I’m not around her, I’m talking about her...and whenever I’m not talking about her, I dream about her. More recently, I’ve begun dreaming about her as well.” I then removed my hoof and opened my eyes to see the cyan mare smirking at me. I raised an eyebrow and asked, “Why the look?”

A giggle was my response as the mare brought a hoof to her lips in an attempt to stifle bouts of laughter that threatened to erupt from her. Sadly, she was unsuccessful as she rolled around in a fit of loud laughter that shook the very cloud we rested upon. For a few minutes she reveled in laughter before finally stopping.

I growled, “What’s so funny?”

“Oh, this is just too perfect!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed with a grin.

My frustration had changed into anger once more, at the thought of secrets being kept from me...especially when it concerned me. I needed to get away...before I did something I’d regret, so without another thought, I rolled over and beat my powerful wings, sailing into the Everfree Forest.

In the past, I had used my battles against the shadow beasts to vent my anger and frustration, but here I had no such luck...and so I had spent the last six hours tearing massive fissures into the wild forest, leaving nearly an entire acre of the dangerous land flattened.

As I lay by a small stream that was running through the devastated area of forest, I reflected on my outburst, and of just how close I had come to harming Rainbow Dash because of my anger. There was no doubt in my mind that had I not come to the forest, I would have killed her. It wasn’t really her fault either, it’s just that the events of the day had been catching up with me and her laughing in my face without explanation didn’t help the situation at all...but perhaps I shouldn’t have let myself get so riled about it. Nonetheless, by the sheer destruction I’d committed to the forest, it was clear that there were some things I needed to get worked out.

“Vega?” shouted a familiar raspy voice from behind me.

By the stars...of course she would find me.

I turned to see a certain cyan pegasus mare looking over the carnage with a fearful eye, before her gaze fell upon me. “Vega...what happened?”

“I did.” I responded simply. I didn’t bother shifting my form to that of a pony, simply opting to remain in my original form.

The mare landed beside me and asked, “Why?”

I shrugged. “I had a lot of frustration built up and no way to release it...and when you started laughing at me, it just tipped me over the edge.” I sighed and lowered my head. “It shouldn’t have, but it did.”

I heard as the mare sat down beside me and said, “Vega, I’m really so-”

“Don’t...just don’t.” I interrupted sternly. “You didn’t know I would react like that...frankly, neither did I. You didn’t do anything wrong, so don’t apologize. I just need to learn to control myself better.” I growled angrily at myself and said, “Had I not left when I did, I would have injured you because of the rage building within me.”

“Vega...” she whispered in concern.

I sighed and shook my head. “You need to go, Rainbow Dash. Until I can quiet my mind and get this thing with the princess worked out, I’m a danger to all of you. Please, just go. I promise I’ll come see you when I’m ‘better’.”

For a moment she hesitated before poking me in the shoulder with a hoof. “You better...” The cyan mare then took flight, leaving a rainbow trail in her wake.

Hours passed and night was nearly upon the town of Ponyville, so I shifted to my pony form and made my way to the library for my meeting with Lunacae.

Upon my arrival, the sun was setting and the moon was rising, signaling the arrival of evening, as well as the time for my meeting with the All-Mother, and no sooner had I thought this then the princess herself appeared in front of me with a blinding flash of light.

The dark alicorn looked to me with a sigh and said, “Come Vega, we must speak privately.”

I followed the night princess to an empty meadow behind the library and growled, “So I’m sure you already know what I’m going to ask, don’t you?”

The mare stopped and turned around with a sad expression. “I am truly hurt that you think such bad thoughts about me, dear Vega.”

“Then why don’t you tell me why you really brought me here?” retorted angrily.

The mare grimaced and responded, “I know not what you have heard, but I brought you here for your own well being, Vega. I care for you as any mother cares for her child, and I only want what is best for you.”

My anger began to ebb away, but I wasn’t going to give up without a fight. “Then what was it about this ‘search’ your sister told me about? Apparently she thought I was a part of it.”

Lunacae sighed as she sat upon her haunches. “Perhaps you are, perhaps you are not...I do not know. To set the record straight, this ‘search’ of mine is not why I brought you here.”

This put my mind at ease finally, but then one question still bothered me... “Might I ask what this search of yours is for?”

The All-Mother looked to me and shook her head. “It is rather private to a dear friend of mine, so I apologize Vega, but I cannot reveal it to you. Know simply that should the situation suddenly include you, you will not be disappointed.”

“Whatever that means.” I remarked with a roll of my eyes.

Lunacae then did something I didn’t expect...she hugged me tightly, and for some reason, it calmed me. “Vega, I care for you deeply. You mean the world to me and I only wish for you to be happy and healthy. I would never lead you down a path that did not lead to either of those.”

It was at that moment I truly felt different for once...and all my problems and mental issues melted away in the warm embrace of the alicorn princess. Before I could stop myself, I reached my forelegs up and embraced the taller pony, relishing in the warmth and care she offered to me...and it felt unfathomably fantastic when instead of pulling away, she leaned into me and sighed happily.

Family...I had a family.

After a few minutes, we broke away and she asked, “Do you now understand just how much I care for you? Could you feel it?”

In her eyes I saw the utmost sincerity, and for the first time, another emotion that I couldn’t place. It was the culmination of immense care and concern, along with the longing to be closer to me on a personal level...but it answered my her question.

“Yes...I do.” I responded with a smile.

The mare placed a hoof on my cheek and whispered, “I love you Vega...”

I quirked an eyebrow and asked, “What does that mean? What is ‘love’?”

Obviously pleased with being able to teach me something new, the alicorn princess smiled warmly. “Love is an emotion that is difficult to quantify, Vega. As every star in the sky is different, so are there many types of love. The love I have for you is that between a mother and her child. It is a nigh unbreakable bond that is more powerful than friendship, and can transcend time itself.”

I nodded slowly, coming to understand what she spoke of. “And how does one feel with love?”

The dark pony placed a hoof on her chin in thought before responding, “That is a difficult question to answer, Vega. Different people react to love differently, and different reactions are common with different types of love. One thing that holds true for all types, however, is the powerful desire to be closer to the person you love. You care for them deeply, and you think of them often and fondly.”

I nodded with a smile. “I understand now.”

The night princess smiled warmly and said, “I knew you would understand, my dear. Your vast intelligence and ability to learn quickly is one of the things that make you so unique.” She then leaned forward and brushed her lips softly in a kiss upon my forehead. “I must return to Canterlot now, but I would see you again soon if it is not too much to ask.”

Feeling a new and stronger bond with Lunacae, I smiled and responded, “I would like that. You know where to find me, All-Mother.”

She smiled once more before spreading her majestic wings and taking flight into the night, leaving me feeling much wiser and also much calmer now that I’d spoken with her...but it was at that moment that I realized a very frightening revelation...

I think I might love Fluttershy...

Chapter 8: Revelations

No...no no no, this can’t be possible...this can’t happen.

“Bad, bad bad bad bad bad...” I voiced openly to myself as I paced the desolate field of the Everfree. What was wrong with me? It was true that Fluttershy was the eldest of her friends at nineteen years of age, but that still meant I was some eons older than her. This was wrong...it would be akin to courting a youngling of my people.

I was at odds with myself now. Cygnus once told me that we cannot control who or what we care about, and it was a teaching I still held close at hand for times such as these, but in this case it wasn’t helping. I was not supposed to care for one so young...not in this way, in any case.

The worst part about it however, was that now that I knew the possibility of what I felt for the young pegasus...I was excited. I was excited by the prospect, though also very, very afraid. Everything my morals taught me said it was wrong...

What to do?

I needed to talk to someone about this...someone who had experience in such a connection, but I realized that I knew not if any of my friends were even romantically involved with another, let alone if they had in the past. It meant that unless I decided to swallow my pride and ask one of them about it, I was on my own.

Right...that’s never going to happen.

I’d fought off some of the most voracious enemies my people have ever known...the shadowbeasts. So what if this was a brand new experience...I could handle it....

Right?

I snarled and pushed the unsure thoughts away. For the time being, I could not think about that. Rainbow Dash had been rather worried about me, and she was one of the friends I was closest to, so with that in mind I shifted to my pegasus form and took to the skies toward the home of Rainbow Dash.

I approached the large cloud tower that was the home of Rainbow Dash and caught a glimpse of her through one of the open windows, napping on a sofa-like piece of furniture with her pet tortoise, Tank, resting on her back. In honesty she was rather cute, though I knew for a fact that she would never wish to be referred to as such, so after a few moments of taking in the endearing sight, I made my way to the front door and knocked loudly a few times.

My sharp hearing picked up a groan from inside followed by what sounded like someone falling onto the plush floor, and then a few moments later, I was greeted by a bleary-eyed pegasus.

Her eyes widened in surprise and she stammered, “V-Vega! Oh my gosh, are you okay? Are you feeling better? What happened? Are you-”

I stopped her rambling with a hoof to her mouth and just chuckled. “I’m fine, Rainbow Dash. I just had a few things I had to work out, but everything’s alright now.”

As I dropped my hoof from her mouth, her eyebrow raised. “Are you sure? I mean, I get a little mad sometimes, but I’ve never destroyed a forest.”

I shrugged. “We all have our own ways of coping. I did that out in an area that could recover quickly, and where no ponies or animals would be hurt. I just didn’t want to hurt any of you is all.”

Rainbow Dash sighed as her eyes closed. “I can’t say I agree with you wanting to go all off on your own like that, but I guess you’re right...we all have our own ways of dealing with things.” She then opened her eyes and gazed directly at me. “Just promise me that you’ll try and talk with one of us if you get all flustered like that again, alright? We’re your friends, and we care about you, Vega.”

I smirked and commented, “That’s rather ‘mushy’ of you. I think I like this new side to you.”

“Tell anypony about it and I’ll knock your lights out.” she growled.

I chuckled. “Aaaaand it’s gone.”

“Fluttershy’s really the only one I feel comfortable talking about feelings with.” she admitted as she stroked the shell of her pet. “She just...I don’t know. She knows things about me that no pony else does...and with her, that’s okay. I trust her.”

I nodded slowly with a smile. “That sounds like a wonderful friend.”

Rainbow Dash looked at me with a grin and sighed happily. “The best. I don’t know what I’d do without her, Vega...she means everything to me...even more than the Wonderbolts.” She shrugged as she laid back against her cloud sofa. “The world just wouldn’t matter as much without her in it, know what I mean?”

Without meaning to, my thoughts turned to the kind yellow pegasus...and I began to smile. I nodded slowly and replied, “Yes...I know exactly what you mean, Rainbow Dash.”

For a few moments, I was left to my own thoughts of our mutual friend, until Rainbow Dash asked, “You really like her, huh?”

I raised an eyebrow as I turned to her. “Well of course I do, she’s a very close friend.”

“No, I mean you like her.” she reiterated with a raise of her eyebrows.

It took me a moment to catch on to what she was implying, and I nearly fell over in shock. “W-what? No! I-I mean, well...I...”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes as she giggled. “Come on Vega, I’m not all into the whole lovey-dovey stuff like Rarity is, and I’ve been told I’m not the most observant mare, but even I can see that you feel something for Fluttershy that’s different from the rest of us...more than just friendship.” The cyan mare then nudged me softly and added, “Whatever you’re doing that’s making you drag your hooves in telling her, don’t take too long. There’s a lot of stallions and mares with their eyes on her.”

I looked to her and asked, “Eyes on her for what?”

“For a marefriend...or a ‘mate’ as you like to call it.” Rainbow Dash replied smugly.

For some reason, this awakened the primal side of me...the need to protect what was mine. I quickly fought this instinct down however, reminding myself that Fluttershy was not mine...and I didn’t think she could be. It just would not be right, seeing as how I was many lifetimes older than her...besides the fact that we were completely different species. Whether or not I could take the shape of a pony, the fact would always remain that I wasn’t one.

I didn’t belong here.

Before I could think too long on the passing thought, I trotted towards the door with a simple, “I have to leave.” I then took to the skies and flew towards Canterlot.

I arrived nearly an hour later and landed at the carriage arrival dock outside the palace, which was the only place that was legal to fly within the limits of the palace.

As I approached the palace, I was stopped at the gate by a duo of guards, and the one on the left stated, “Halt! Please provide a letter of invitation from one of the princesses or leave. There are no unauthorized entries allowed.”

I didn’t have such a letter and didn’t wish to cause an uproar by just forcing my way in, so I walked away towards the city.

I had been trudging the streets for nearly four hours, and night had begun to fall as the moon peeked over the horizon to the west. Ponies were closing up their shops and heading home, and the nightlife of Canterlot took its place.

I had found myself in a lovely garden, simply dubbed “The Canterlot Gardens”. It was well-tended, most likely by ponies specifically employed to do so, and though it was a comparatively small piece of land compared to the rest of Canterlot, is was wrought with a beauty that allowed my mind to calm and the ache in my heart to subside, if only for a moment. Much as it disappointed me, the fact of the matter was that I did not belong here in Equestria. I was dangerous, volatile, and far too old to be falling in love with ponies.

I once again questioned All-Mother’s reason for bringing me here, though with heartache instead of anger.

Once again, I found myself isolated. I began to realize more and more that my place here was a mockery in and of itself. In a society that abhorred consumption of meat, I was an omnivore. In a place that was largely non-violent, I was extremely dangerous and explosive...so much so that sometimes I purposefully sought to hunt, simply to sate my need for a fight. I was beyond the age of all who lived, save for the two princesses that ruled, and so could never hope to find a mate of any kind. My friends treated me as if I were like them, though the truth was that I was very different from them. By the stars, I even had to hide my true shape just to blend in.

I didn’t belong here.

As the despair and shadows of loneliness began to consume me, I wept by the fountain that portrayed the two beautiful princesses.

Perspective change ‒ Princess Luna

“Lightning Quill, please take note.” I spoke to my assistant. The young unicorn colt levitated his writing instrument and an open scroll before looking to me, so I continued.

“Dear Twilight Sparkle,

Though I fully understand the importance of safety in Ponyville, I do not think it prudent to cause an unnecessary panic. Please continue to observe the situation, and see if you can discern the cause behind the deforestation within the Everfree. If there is reputable danger involved, please advise me immediately, and I will send a detachment of the guard to accompany you...but only if there is true danger.

With love,

Princess Luna of the Night”

I then looked to my assistant with a smile. “Please tip the mailpony ten bits and ask him to make haste.”

The colt nodded before rolling up the scroll. “Understood, princess. Will there be anything else?”

I shook my head as we exited the palace near the Royal Gardens. “No, that is all for the time being. I thank you for your assistance, my friend. Rest well.”

“Thank you, princess. I will have the letter sent first thing in the morning. Goodnight.” the colt responded before trotting away, leaving me to gaze upon the night with a smile.

It had been quite a while since I had resumed my duties as ruler beside my sister, and even now I could not help but feel content merely to be with her again. It was times like this that I realized just how petty my jealousy those thousand years ago had been...it was not worth the heartache it caused both of us.

Perhaps I could bring pride to myself and sister again.

I turned my head to my left and announced, “I am taking a leisurely flight in Ponyville. I request two of the Night Guard to accompany me.” Before I could blink, two powerful-looking gray pegasi landed and saluted me. I grinned and inclined my head to the sky. “Thank you both. Let us be off.”

The night air was lovely, and the sky was clear of clouds, which allowed an unfettered view of my night. It was a view I reveled in, because with thanks to Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy, I knew for a fact that many ponies loved my night. They would hold parties during it, they would court each other during it, and some, such as Fluttershy, would simply gaze at the sky with wonder and awe.

In my youth, I enjoyed the nightlife of Canterlot quite a bit, though with my coronation, spending my nights in such a way became a past I was unable to revisit.

Nonetheless, the night was my realm of power and revelry, and I enjoyed the charge I was given. Even after so much time tending it, every night felt special...even more so because of the few ponies that were special to me. Fluttershy, Twilight, Lyra...

Vega...

It was because of these few and one or two others that I felt so fulfilled...more than I had ever felt before. It took many years, but I had found that the most important things in life were rarely things. No...instead they were ponies...or my child.

As we passed over the edge of the town, I allowed my mind to drift to the pony I was on my way to meet, just as I did most nights. Fluttershy was my answer to sister’s Twilight Sparkle. While I cared for both, Fluttershy was a close personal friend, much as Twilight was as such to Tia. The Element of Kindness had chosen her as its bearer for good reason...a fact that was shown the many times she would comfort me or chase away my loneliness.

Not even a goddess could ask for a better friend.

My company and I arrived at the familiar abode, and I turned to my two guards with a smile. “You both know the drill.” The two guards nodded and flew around each other in a tight circle, condensing the moisture in the air into a small cloud that they could rest upon. They then moved the cloud high into the air, far away enough to give me auditory privacy, but close enough that they could keep watch in case of the unlikely event that I should be endangered.

As I expected, Fluttershy was sitting upon her back porch, sipping a mug of hot tea underneath a blanket, staring at the sky. I landed as quietly as I could, but like always, she heard me. The years had done wonders for the pegasus’ nerves though, so she no longer jumped in fright at my approach.

Instead, she simply smiled warmly and lifted up the blanket to allow me to scoot in next to her. “Good evening, Luna.”

“It is indeed, Fluttershy.” I replied happily as I sat next to my friend, relishing the warmth she provided.

“So how is your night so far?” my friend asked curiously, passing a sweetened mug of tea to me.

I sipped the steaming, lemony, herbal mixture and sighed as it quenched my thirst and warmed my insides. “It is going wonderfully. How has the past few weeks been for you? I apologize I was unable to visit...things have been rather hectic since the incident in the Crystal Empire.”

Fluttershy smiled warmly and shook her head, her soft pink mane swishing slightly against my coat. “It’s okay, Luna. I know how demanding your life can get when something like that happens, so I don’t worry about it. I know you’re my friend, and if we can’t see each other for a little while, that doesn’t change. Besides, you still send me letters every other day, so I’m never lonely.”

“Then I am a good friend, right?” I replied coyly.

Fluttershy giggled and nodded. “The best.”

“Good.” I answered with a grin as I took another sip of the steamy beverage. “So how has Vega settled in?”

At this, she sighed, and for some reason, this placed me on edge. “I...I don’t know. I haven’t seen him for almost a week.”

I raised an eyebrow and asked, “Has he been hurt? Did the two of you have a disagreement of some sort?”

Fluttershy shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t think so. In fact, he and I were becoming really good friends. Lately though, he always seems busy. All the rest of my friends say he’s okay, but I’m worried I might have said something wrong since he keeps avoiding me.”

I smiled and rolled my eyes. “You are a wonderful friend, Fluttershy. I cannot see why he would avoid you, but if it is the case, I am sure it is for a very good reason.”

Suddenly, a voice in the distance caught both of our ears, and I turned my head to listen better as we both went silent.

Fluttershy’s eyes widened as she said, “That’s Rainbow Dash! She’s never out this late...”

“And she’s calling for Vega.” I added worriedly. I levitated the blanket off of us and stood, shaking out my mane and tail. “Come...something may be wrong.”

“Fluttershy, Princess Luna!” shouted the voice, much closer this time. The two of us looked up to see the cyan pegasus gliding over to us before landing in front of me. She offered a short bow before asking, “Have either of you seen Vega? I can’t find him!”

I raised my eyebrow and asked, “What do you mean you cannot find him?”

Rainbow Dash shrugged with worry clear on her face. “Just what I said, I can’t find him. We were talking earlier today, and all of the sudden he just up and flies away.” She then lowered her voice and added, “And don’t tell anypony this, but he’s really fast. Somehow he lost me, and I have no idea where he is now. None of the other girls have seen him either, and I even asked Derpy...she sees everything and even she hasn’t seen him.”

The worry began to creep into my heart that something terrible might have happened, but I took a breath to calm myself. “When was the last time you saw him?”

She shrugged. “Early morning.”

“You were up in the morning?” Fluttershy questioned with a sly grin.

The rainbow-maned mare rolled her eyes with a huff. “He woke me up to let me know he was alright.”

“Alright?” I asked with increasing dread. “What has happened? Why would he not be well?”

The cyan mare looked at me with seriousness before responding, “I’m sure you’ve heard by now about the Everfree Forest being torn up, right?”

I nodded. “Twilight Sparkle sent a report to my sister about it, which Tia asked me to handle.”

“Well,” she began, rubbing her mane nervously, “that may have been Vega’s fault...” I stared at her for clarification, so she sighed before continuing. “Okay look, before he went to talk to you last night, he had kind of a freakout after flying away from me. He basically warned me to stay away, because he was worried he’d hurt me. Anyway, yeah...the forest is literally his fault.”

My eyes widened at the information, and I gulped noticeably. “Very well...that explains the situation with the forest.”

“If it helps at all, he said he did it in a place that would grow back quickly, and that there weren’t any animals around.” Rainbow Dash added.

I let out a breath I did not realize I had been holding and nodded. “It does help, actually. Thank you, Rainbow Dash. I assume you have checked all of Ponyville?” The mare just stared at me with a blank expression, and I giggled nervously. “Right...apologies. That only leaves the Everfree and Canterlot. I will check the city, I wish for you and Fluttershy to make a few passes above the forest. If the two of you are not successful in finding him by midnight, return to your homes to rest and we will continue the search the following day.” I then took flight and nodded to the two guards perched on the cloud above us before turning my gaze to the two pegasi in front of me. “If you find him, please approach him cautiously. If he is indeed the cause of the devastation, he may be very dangerous and emotionally unstable. I would prefer if you coax him instead of attempt to force him to do anything...that means you, Rainbow Dash.”

“What? I can coax just fine, thanks.” the speedy pegasus defended.

I smiled and nodded. “Good, because I will be counting on that skill. Please stay safe, and watch over each other.” I then took flight towards the city with my guards in tow.

The search of the city yielded absolutely no results, even after nearly four hours of searching. Dawn would be on its way in another two hours, which meant I would need to rest soon. However, I felt it would be impossible to slumber with the fear that Vega may be in danger, and I could not assist him. I had come to think of him not just as one of my children, but as my son...special. And so the mere fact that he could be injured caused panic to rise in my veins.

But then a soft cry caught my attention.

As I flew over the Canterlot Gardens, my ears picked up on what sounded like sobbing. I stopped in the air and motioned for my two guards to wait at a distance, so they did as I asked as I approached the garden.

When I landed near the center of the garden, the soft cries were easily noticeable, and as I walked around the large granite fountain, I found a lone pegasus weeping to himself...a pegasus I knew well.

“Vega...” I whispered cautiously.

The pegasus stopped weeping and turned his head to look up at me, tear tracks clear on his cheeks. “Mother...”

He did not refer to me as All-Mother, Lunacae, or even "princess"...it was clear this was serious. Never had I seen him so broken, his very stature seeming small in comparison to normal. True that as a pony, he was always smaller than me, but his heart and presence always made him a giant in the eyes of anyone that knew him. Now...he seemed so insignificant.

I hurriedly crouched before him and wrapped my wings protectively around his smaller form. “Vega...I was so worried. No one knew where you were.”

“I want to go home...” he whimpered.

I nodded slowly and nuzzled into his messy mane. “Of course. I will escort you personally back to Twilight’s and-”

“No...” he interrupted. He then looked up at me with tears again streaming down his face. “I want to go back.”

It took me a few moments to realize what he meant, but when I understood, I felt my heart break as I asked, “Why?”

His bright eyes looked up at me and he shook his head. “I don’t belong here, mother...I’m a monster.” He then chuckled darkly and added, “I’m sure by now you’ve heard about what happened to the forest...well I had to do that to keep myself from killing Rainbow Dash.” A growl followed this before he rhetorically asked, “What sort of friend has to abandon a friend to keep from killing her?”

“Just because you are at odds with yourself is no reason to call yourself a monster.” I replied sternly. “Do you truly believe you are the only one who battles with the darkness within them?” He looked up at me again, and I just nodded. “The Elements of Harmony cleansed me, allowing me to regain control of my mind and body...but the darkness that gave rise to Nightmare Moon will never truly be gone.” I placed a hoof on my forehead as I closed my eyes in thought. “Whenever anger or any other strong negative emotion begins to overcome me, I can hear the voices. They promise me power, fulfilled wishes, and contentment.” I then lowered my hoof to Vega’s face and caressed his cheek softly. “Believe me Vega...you are far from alone in feeling as if you are a monster.”

“How do you live with it?” he asked with building hopefulness.

I smiled and answered, “The friendship of a few special ponies helps, as does the love of my sister. Running away when you feel what is inside building with pressure is no way to handle it.”

“But what if-” he attempted to reply, but I held my hoof softly to his lips.

“You would never hurt them, Vega...any of them.” I responded with a loving smile. “Speaking of your fears and verbally venting your emotions to a listening ear helps more than destroying a forest. Just as I would never willingly harm my sister, you would never willingly harm any you care for...no matter how upset you may be. Though a feral entity may dwell within, you must always remember that it is you who is in control...not it.”

He sighed and relaxed just a bit, but I could tell he was still troubled. “That’s not all that worries me though, mother.”

I laid my head gently atop his as I softly stroked his back. “Speak your heart to me, Vega...I will always listen.”

“W-well,” he began nervously, shifting a bit in my embrace, “do you recall when you explained love to me?”

I nodded with a smile. “Yes, I do. More questions?”

He shook his head as he laid his head upon my chest. “No questions...more of a confession.” The stallion then sighed loudly as he stated, “I think I love Fluttershy...”

I pulled back just a bit so that I could look at him, and then frowned. “And is this a problem?”

“Of course it is!” he exclaimed, though still speaking softly. “I’m tens of thousands of years older than her...it’s...wrong.”

“Why?” I asked with a knowing smile.

He ignored my expression and snorted in frustration. “Because I feel as if I am enamored with a youngling, which even in my people’s culture is wrong.”

I smiled again and shook my head. “Physical age matters not, Vega. My sister is my elder by nearly eight centuries, and I am your elder by nearly double your age...yet both my sister and I allow ourselves to feel and revel in the youthfulness of this world...of its denizens, our subjects. It is that innate youthfulness that allowed me to fall prey to the jealousy that fueled my transformation into Nightmare Moon, but it is also that youthfulness that allows me to still find friendship among those such as young Fluttershy. The heart knows no age, my son...and you would do well to not ignore its call. Some go for their entire life without ever finding such a thing as you feel for Fluttershy...so do not squander such a connection.” He furrowed his brow in thought for a few moments before I added, “She cares for you deeply as well, Vega. I know not if it is infatuation, mere friendship, or love, but it is clear that she feels strongly connected to you.”

Again he looked up at me, this time with a hopeful expression. “Do you really think so?”

I kissed the top of his head softly and nodded. “Yes, I do.” I then released him from my grasp and nudged him with my muzzle. “Off you go, Vega. You have greatly worried two pegasi, and it would be smart to let them know you are well.”

He looked up at the sky curiously. “But it’s well after midnight.”

I smiled and shook my head. “I know the two of them well enough to know they will not be able to sleep until they know you are well. Do not waste time.”

Finally, he allowed a small smile to crease his lips as he turned around and embraced me softly. “Thank you, mother.”

The use of this new title caused happiness to alight within me, and I returned the embrace before releasing him and watching him fly away into the night. I then looked to the sky and nodded to the two well-hidden guards before turning towards the palace and flying home.

Chapter 9: Heart of Sol

I arrived back in town to see a very upset cyan pegasus pacing upon the clouds that made up the front “yard” of her home. As soon as she saw me she blasted off and flew in my face with a fierce glare. “You. Inside. Right now.”

I had never seen the rainbow speedster this upset before, so I was definitely not going to argue at this point. Instead, I obeyed and entered her home.

As soon as the door closed behind me, I turned to see the angry mare pointing at her cloud sofa. “Sit.”

I complied with the order and sat down on the cushy surface, and then noticed the state of my friend.

Her mane and tail were frizzy and very unkempt, more so than usual. There were subtle bags under her eyes from lack of sleep, her eyes were bloodshot as well, and her wings and tail were twitching in agitation. It was clear she had stayed up all day and now all night, waiting for me...which meant she worried about me.

It was unlike her to worry so much.

“Now,” she began, advancing upon me with a frown and a glare, “what the hay is up with you just flying off and making us all worry? What, you don’t trust us enough to tell us what’s going on? Or is it just me?” There was a measure of hurt within her eyes as she asked this, but it increased tenfold when she added, “Am I such a sucky Element of Loyalty that you don’t trust me enough to talk to me?”

Her final comment caught me off-guard. Twilight had explained to me how the Elements of Harmony worked. The magical artifacts bonded with the soul of he or she that embodied the virtue they stood for...and strengthened that attribute tenfold. So while I thought it silly that Rainbow Dash would be getting so worked up over this, I understood how serious it was to her to believe that her assumed lack of loyalty was the cause of the distance I kept between myself and the others.

Perhaps it was time I was completely honest with her, no matter how painful it may be.

I focused on one of my favorite forms...that of a Skytracer male. I felt as my form grew and elongated, becoming similar in stature to my natural form. Instead of chitinous plates however, I grew soft feathered down before being covered in feathers both large and small. The tail of my pony form became long and elegant tail feathers, while my mouth became a flesh-tearing beak. My eyes shrank a bit and became the fierce silver gaze of a bird of prey, and my four hooves changed to yellow taloned appendages with four opposable digits on each. My wings grew larger, stronger, and more elegant. Lastly, all of the feathers on my body changed from the mottled red the were to a bright white, with soft brown accenting it and specks of black around the top of my head.

I opened my eyes and stood before Rainbow Dash, whose mouth was now agape in shock.

“V-Vega?” the mare asked in caution.

I nodded and allowed myself a smile. “Yes, my friend...I am still Vega.”

The mare looked over me curiously, admiring the plumage that came from my large wings and tail. “Wow...what are you?”

I gestured to myself with a clawed hand and smiled. “I am what is known by my people as a Skytracer...the only other known intelligent lifeform on my homeworld. I took this form because it is more comfortable for me, and the mere visage of them is known to have a calming effect on those who witness their beauty.” I then lowered to the furniture again and sat down, motioning for the pegasus to do the same beside me. Once she did, I sighed and began to explain. “I have lived far longer than all of you combined, and have lost nearly all of who I grew up with. The only one who has endured the trials and dangers of time is Luna. She...” I began, taking a breath to compose myself as the emotions of happiness threatened to draw tears from my eyes, “she is my mother, and the only family I have left.” I turned my gaze to the mare by my side and continued, “You are not at fault for my lack of trust, Rainbow Dash. You are as loyal a pony as anyone could ever hope to be...but you must understand, trust comes differently to each person. For one such as me, who has lost nearly everyone I know, I find trust difficult to give to anyone.”

The pony shifted closer to me, and laid her head against my shoulder. “Vega...I’m your friend. More than that, I’m the Element of Loyalty.” She then nuzzled my feathers a bit, and I swear I heard her let out a little purr of happiness...akin to a feline. “I will never abuse your trust, and I will never leave you hanging.” The rainbow-maned pegasus then sighed and lowered herself to her stomach, laying her head on my leg. “I don’t know how close you consider us, but you’re one of my best friends. I can talk to you about stuff I can’t tell the other girls, and you don’t judge me if I’m having an off-day or if I get a little sappy or mushy.” Those rose-colored orbs looked to mine of silver, and she smiled wistfully. “I came to terms a long time ago with the fact that no matter how awesome I am, one day I’m going to get old and die...just like all my friends. I hope it’s after I’m retired from the Wonderbolts and have maybe a foal or two of my own, but it’s going to happen some day...not you or even the princesses can stop that.” A single tear dropped from her eye as she explained this, but she pushed on. “What I’m trying to say is that it doesn’t matter if I stay here or end up all the way in Saddle Arabia...if I ever caught wind that you or my other friends needed me, I’d be there. Nothing will ever change that.”

Yet another surprise that I had not expected from one so young.

The sheer determination and care within the mare’s words was palpable, as if she were giving me a physical gift of her loyalty. I felt it as she spoke, and the truth could not be denied. It was true that out of the other Elements of Harmony, Rainbow Dash was not known for being very sensitive in public...but this instance proved that it was simply a front to protect her image as being a no-nonsense athlete, built of steel and stone. She was far more sensitive than she let on, and I feared that this defense mechanism was brought about by some sort of young-life trauma or another life-changing event.

“Rainbow Dash...why the pretending?” I asked with concern. “Why do you pretend to be so insensitive and nonchalant in public? It is clear to me that in truth, you aren’t that way.”

The mare smiled up at me as she answered, “You’re the only one besides ‘Shy that sees this side of me...you know that, right?”

“So you’ve said before.” I replied with a smile. “Why is that though? Why not be this pony around all of your friends?”

The mare shrugged her shoulders as she exhaled a breath, its soft current flowing over the down of my thigh. “Because you and ‘Shy understand what it’s like to be different.” She then stood up on the sofa and gestured to herself. “I mean let’s just start with my mane. A rainbow-patterned mane and tail aren’t exactly common, and rainbows in general carry a certain idea with them...”

I was confused at what she meant to imply, and responded with, “I am not sure what you mean. Explain, please.”

She rubbed her mane nervously with a hoof before saying, “Okay...umm, has it ever happened with your people where a male likes another male or a female likes another female?”

I shrugged. “Well I can’t say it’s common, but yes...it’s happened.”

The mare nodded. “Okay...well here at least, rainbows are kind of a ‘sign’ that somepony likes others that are their same...umm...what’s it called...”

“Gender?” I offered.

She nodded. “Yeah, that.”

It took me a moment to understand what she was trying to explain to me, but when I did, I couldn’t help but widen my eyes a bit in surprise. “Wait, so you...?”

The cyan pegasus sighed and deflated a bit. “I don’t really know...but that’s still a problem.”

I cocked my head a bit in confusion at the matter. “Why is that a problem?”

“Because filly-foolers and colt-cuddlers are...kinda taboo.” she replied sadly. “It sucks, but it’s reality...and that’s why it’s a problem. Basically I’ve been picked on my whole life because of it, so I figured the tougher I got and the more awesome I got, the less ponies would bug me about it.”

“And since you’re still doing it, I take it that tactic works?” I inquired with a bit of concern.

The mare nodded. “Yeah, it does...but if I just act like I actually feel, all that would be for nothing. I’d go back to being known as a closet filly-fooler instead of an awesome flier.”

“So you’d rather be false about who you are as a pony than risk a rumor that may be inaccurate.” I confirmed.

The mare pawed at the cloud that was the ground of her home. “W-well when you put it that way, it just sounds like I’m being stupid.”

“I just wish to stress that those are your words, not mine.” I replied with a grin.

The mare rolled her eyes with a small blush and shoved me. “Shut up.”

I then dropped my smile and reached my taloned hand to clutch her shoulder affectionately. “For the record, Rainbow Dash, I trust you and care for you very much. You are also my best friend, and I do hope you don’t take my actions personally. Luna knows me better than I know myself...and she is my mother. I love her and can speak to her about anything, and she will understand.” The mare attempted to speak, but I simply shook my head with a smile. “I promise from now on that I will seek your counsel when I come upon a similar issue. While it is true that you may not fully understand everything, I know you care for me and wish to lend your ears for my well being.”

The mare smiled and nodded. “That’s all I ask, Vega.” Rainbow Dash then nudged me to the door. “Go on...’Shy’s really worried about you too. You need to go see her.”

I took a knee and hugged the mare tightly, and felt as she also latched onto me, striving to be as close as possible for the embrace.

As we held each other, I leaned my beak to her ear and whispered, “Thank you, Rainbow Dash...thank you for caring so much.”

The mare giggled and nuzzled the side of my face. “You’re welcome, you big goof.” I pulled away and spread my wings, but was stopped by the mare. “Wait, aren’t you going to change into a pegasus?”

I smiled and flapped my large wings, and once I left the shade of her home, the light bent around my long, elegant primaries...causing me to shimmer and disappear to the pony. “It pays to be a Skytracer, Rainbow Dash. I will see you later.”

The rainbow-maned pony smiled and nodded. “Awesome. Alright then, I’ll see you later.”

I watched the pony walk back into her home before I gave my wings a powerful flap of my wings, and headed towards the cottage near the forest.

Though just after dawn, I knew the butter-colored pegasus would be awake with the sunrise, as she kept a rooster with her chickens, and he always made sure to get her up early.

As usual, I could see that Fluttershy was tending to the many animals that took refuge in or around her home, and the gentle, graceful movements she made simply accentuated the beauty of who she was as a pony. It reminded me that her kindness truly knew no bounds, and as I thought this, I felt a warmth rise within my chest.

I landed next to her, causing the small pony jump in surprise when she saw me, retreating behind a bush and quivering in fear.

I chuckled a bit and called, “Fluttershy, it’s only me...Vega.”

The timid pegasus’ head peeked out of the bush, and she shook it to remove a few leaves from her mane. “V-Vega?” The mare then approached me cautiously, eyeing me with uncertainty. “You look...different.”

I smiled and nodded. “It is the only other sentient being on my planet. They are known as the Skytracers...and are-”

“Beautiful...” the mare interrupted. Seemingly realizing what she said, she then hid her face behind her mane. “O-oh, umm...I’m sorry. It’s just...your feathers are beautiful to look at.”

I looked to the smooth white and beige down that covered me, and nodded. “They are indeed. They are the pride and joy of my people’s feathered counterparts.”

“I wish you could look this way all the time...” the pegasus commented dreamily. Her face then lit up a deep scarlet with a blush as she muttered, “Um, I mean...o-oh dear, umm...”

I chuckled heartily and shook my head. “Fluttershy, calm yourself. I know what you meant.” I then looked at the body I now had. “Truth be told, I had not thought to use it very often before coming here, as I didn’t know how to fly before then.” I sighed. “The only downside to this form is the need for copious amounts of warmth. Skytracers are not made for cold climes. It would be dangerous for one to live here during autumn or winter without a warm home.”

Fluttershy tilted her head to the side cutely as she smiled. “I like the way you look now. Oh, I hope you don’t take it the wrong way, but the way you normally look is...well...”

“A little frightening...I know.” I replied with a grin. “It’s alright Fluttershy, I don’t hold it against you.”

“Th-thank you...” she mumbled demurely.

I took a few steps towards the pony before kneeling in front of her, focusing my fierce-looking silver eyes on her own of aquamarine. “Fluttershy, I am so sorry to have worried you. I was at odds with myself, and after visiting Rainbow Dash I realized I should have come to one of you before fleeing Ponyville...but I was afraid.”

The timid pegasus looked up at me with concern. “Y-you were afraid? Of what?”

I shrugged. “I’m...not sure, actually. Let me be the first one to tell you that age does not equal knowledge...there is still much I don’t understand in regards to myself, let alone this world.”

She smiled gently and nodded. “It’s okay, Vega. I’m just glad you’re not hurt.” The mare then gestured to her home. “Anyway, I was just about to have a little breakfast after feeding the chickens. Would you like some?”

I nodded with a content smile. “That would be lovely, Fluttershy.”

As we both sipped some morning tea with a few muffins, I couldn’t help but admire the mare’s abode. I found it strange that I had spent so little time in it, and yet it always surprised me somehow. Compared to my relative size, it was small of course, but very warm and inviting all the same...just like the mare that owned it.

Suddenly, as we finished the amazing breakfast herbal tea, Fluttershy jumped up from the table in excitement. “Oh my, I almost forgot to introduce you to a new friend I met the other day! Stay here, I’ll be right back!”

As the pony rushed away in a hurry, I allowed myself a laugh at how excited she would get about animals, especially befriending a new one. In truth, it was one of the things I admired the most about her. Whether large or small, herbivore, omnivore, or carnivore, Fluttershy sought to befriend all animals...no matter where they came from, or what they looked like. Many ponies were terrified of anything that ate meat, often shutting themselves inside their homes if such a thing was even mentioned to be nearby. Fluttershy, on the other hand, didn’t mind it in the least. She had come to understand that simply because one is different doesn’t mean they are bad.

If I was honest with myself, it was likely a large reason my heart reached out for her.

Suddenly, I heard a rather loud, yet happy screech...one I knew well.

Fluttershy reentered the room with a thick cloth blanket on her back, and a certain nighthawk upon it. “I found her late last night outside with a broken wing.” She then pointed to the wing, which was bandaged and in a sling. “It took some time to get her to calm down, but once she realized I wouldn’t hurt her, she came with me and let me take a look at her.”

The scar gave who it was away, and though my form was different, as soon as her eyes locked with mine, I could tell she knew who I was.

As Fluttershy moved over to the table to introduce me, her guest hopped off of her back and onto the table, quickly making her way to me. Her golden eyes held my own for a moment before she began preening the feathers along my arm and chest, cooing softly as she did so. I let my instincts take hold a bit, and returned the gesture with the feathers atop her head, which she would be unable to reach on her own.

Fluttershy, by her token, stood still in shock. It was clear what was happening was likely the last thing she had imagined from the two of us, and yet out of the corner of my eye, I could see her face twisting up into a warm and happy smile.

“Oh my, you two know each other, don’t you?” she asked, though by now I was sure it was a question she already knew the answer to.

I used my beak to fluff up a few of the cranial feathers before looking to Fluttershy and smiling gently. “Yes, we do. I have flown with her a few times already, and she is a good friend to me.” The regal nighthawk then did something I never would have imagined she would do...she placed her head against my chest and nuzzled it in a rather affectionate manner, fluffing her feathers as she did so.

“That is so precious! She really likes you!” Fluttershy squealed in delight.

I chuckled a bit, actually enjoying the affection from my avian friend. “She does seem to, doesn’t she?” I shrugged. “Being more in touch with my feral side probably helps, I guess.”

“Did you want to take her home with you when she’s better?” Fluttershy asked with a bright smile.

“Like a pet?” I asked the mare, to which she nodded. I shrugged. “I’m not sure she’d be up for that.”

“Why don’t you ask her and let her decide for herself, Vega?” the animal caretaker suggested.

I actually found it to be a good idea, so I did as she asked.

I turned my eyes down to the nighthawk who was currently quite comfortably nestled within the feathers of my arm and chest, and asked, “Would you like to come home with me? I can watch over you, spend plenty of time with you...and you’ll never be alone again.”

A part of me didn’t expect a response, but to my surprise, the nighthawk looked up at me and nodded curtly. The animals must be smarter on this world or something...

“I think that settles it then, Vega. Did you want to name her?” Fluttershy asked excitedly. It was clear that she was in her element at the moment, as the happiness was practically dripping off of her.

I shrugged as I again turned my gaze to my new companion. “Not sure. What do you think?” The dark bird of prey trilled happily, so I nodded with a chuckle. “Alright then, give me a second to think.” I thought of all the different names I knew of that I liked...many of which meant something to me, because most were either friends of mine or some of my own people.

And suddenly it came to me.

“Adhara.” I answered fondly. “After my adoptive mother...the one that raised me. She taught me manners, sciences, and morality. She also taught me empathy, and care for others.” I looked down at the avian and smiled. “Does Adhara sound good to you?” My new companion nodded a few times before again burying her head in my chest, which caused me to smile. “Adhara it is, then.” I then chuckled as I gestured to the newly-named Adhara. “I wonder why she’s so cuddly all of the sudden...not that I’m complaining.”

Fluttershy looked up at me with a fond grin. “Well, feathers are much softer than your normal skin...umm, I hope you aren’t mad because of that.”

I shook my head with a chuckle. “Not at all, I was just curious.”

The pegasus blushed cutely as she shuffled her hooves a bit. “Umm, w-well pegasi do the same thing if they really like somepony. I-I guess birds are the same as us...or the other way around.”

I chuckled and nodded. “Yeah, Rainbow Dash explained to me that wings are a little private anyway.”

For some reason the mare looked shocked as she squeaked, “S-she touched your wings?”

I understood her emotions immediately, and worked to dash her surprise. “Just to show me, Fluttershy...no other reason.”

Fluttershy looked...relieved? Strange...

“O-oh, okay. I was afraid she might have...violated you or something.” she explained before her hooves shot up to her mouth with a gasp of shock. “Oh no, did I really just say that? Rainbow Dash would be so upset with me, and then she’d never want to see me again for being such a horrible friend...” As if a faucet had been turned on, tears began to form and rapidly fall down her cheeks. “I didn’t mean to think that, I’m such a bad friend for thinking like that about my best friend...”

I grabbed the mares hoof in my hand and rubbed my thumb on it, getting her attention. I then gazed into her lovely eyes and said, “Fluttershy, you need to calm down. You were just looking out for me, and that’s fine.”

Fluttershy blushed a bit and nodded slowly. “Y-yes, I wanted to make sure no pony was taking advantage of you or something.” She took a deep breath before pulling her hoof away rather awkwardly. “I-I’m sorry for overreacting like that, Vega.”

I pulled my hand back and shook my head with a smile. “It’s okay, Fluttershy. I’m still rather new here, so I could use someone to watch over me. As a fighter and predator, I am a master. My social skills, however, are rather lacking.” Realization dawned upon me suddenly as I stammered, “I-I haven’t done...umm...anything lewd or something, have I? Because honestly, I would have no idea if I did.”

The yellow pegasus frowned a bit as her brow furrowed. “Well there are a few things...”

‘Great...’

She hummed a tune to herself as she thought for a few moments, then her eyes widened and she looked to meet my eyes. “Oh, um, you might want to keep from being seen in public without Rainbow or I with you next week.”

“Why?” I asked suspiciously.

The mare’s cheeks colored a bit with pink as she replied, “It’s mating season...”

I clicked my tongue as I took the information in. A “mating season” was nothing new for me, as most animals tended to synchronize their estrous cycles among their own kind, and as much as I hated referring to my new friends as animals, there were quite a few things about them that held very similar to their less-than-developed ancestors...this being one of them, apparently.

With this new knowledge gained, I then asked the next question I could think of. “Is this a patriarchal or matriarchal society?”

She raised her eyebrow at me as she asked, “Umm, matriarchal...why?”

I sighed and rolled my eyes. “Two princesses...I assumed as much. I just wished to make sure.” I then focused my own eyes of silver on hers of aquamarine as I added, “So I assume the females around here may get rather aggressive, yes?” She nodded slowly, her blush increasing. I raised my brow as I asked, “So why would it be a good idea to be with you or Rainbow Dash?”

Her ears perked up at this as she explained, “O-oh, well pegasi have a different cycle than earth ponies. Our season doesn’t start until the beginning of winter, just after the first snow.”

My instincts began to roil within me as Fluttershy mentioned her mating season, and I had to actively fight to keep them under control...more so than usual because I care for her. I was going to have to address the issue sooner or later, but I was unsure how to do so. Courting rituals were definitely not my strong suit, and with this being a female-dominated civilization, it was unlikely they would be anything similar to my own...that, and I still needed to be sure of my own emotions toward the young pony. I would take Lunacae’s advice and “go with the flow” as Rainbow Dash called it, but nonetheless, I needed to know more.

I needed to get to know her better.

“Fluttershy,” I began, taking care not to wake the slumbering avian against my chest, “I was hoping that perhaps you would join me for an outing when you are free. It has come to my attention that I do not know you very well, at least not as well as I should for all the kindness you've shown me, and I wish to change that.”

A faint dusting of pink again lit up her cheeks as she stated, “W-well, I think that w-would be nice, Vega. Umm, w-what did you want to do?”

I shrugged. “Perhaps something simple. I was thinking a walk through the Everfree, ending with some downtime in a meadow near the river that runs through it.”

The shy pony’s eyes widened as I said this. “Th-the Everfree Forest? O-oh no no no, it’s too scary.”

I shook my head with a smile. “The nature of the Everfree is untamed, but you need not be afraid of it. With me there, you have nothing to fear at all...I swear it.”

Fluttershy’s posture relaxed slightly, and she seemed to grow a bit with confidence. “Are you sure?”

I nodded happily. “I’m positive, Fluttershy. To you, I am a friend. To the wilds of the Everfree, I am a great predator. None will approach maliciously while I am by your side.”

Finally, the mare’s tense muscles relaxed and she smiled with a soft pink yet again dusting her cheeks. “O-okay. Umm, I have things to do the next few days, with the animals preparing for winter, but I can meet you in the afternoon on Friday. Would that be alright?”

I again nodded. “Friday sounds wonderful, Fluttershy.” The moment was then interrupted when my stomach growled loudly, and I chuckled. “Well, I should probably get going. Twilight is likely wondering where I am, and I must feed to sate my instinctual side.”

Fluttershy smiled and stood with me. “Umm, okay then. I guess I’ll see you Friday?”

“You will.” I replied with a grin. I then turned my eyes to the slumbering avian in my grasp, and nuzzled my beak against her head. “Adhara...wake up.” The nighthawk looked up at me, and I allowed myself another smile. “I have to return home now, but I will return whenever I can to keep watch over you until you are healed...and then you can come home with me.” Adhara cooed happily as she nipped a few times at the down feathers of my chest, then waddled over to Fluttershy again.

The pony giggled as the bird of prey hopped upon her back again, fluttering her wings a bit when Adhara settled herself. Fluttershy then looked to me with a smile. “I’ll keep her safe and healthy and make sure her wing heals correctly. You get some rest, mister...I know you didn’t sleep yet.”

I chuckled and nodded. “Yes, you are correct. I was just so worried about you and Rainbow Dash that I could not rest until I assured the both of you that all was well.”

The pale yellow pegasus nodded before smiling. “And I think that’s very kind, but you still need your rest.” She motioned to the door. “Go on...go and rest now. Rainbow and I will still be here when you finish.”

“Very well, Fluttershy. Your concern is appreciated.” I replied as I made my way to the door, changing my form to that of a pegasus before turning around to meet her eyes again. “Please, do not worry yourself about me. I will be well after a good sleep.” I then offered one last smile before opening the door and rocketing into the sky.

I landed rather sloppily in front of the Golden Oaks library, the crash from not sleeping finally hitting me. The past day and night had been very stressful for me, more so than anything else in my life thus far.

What was happening to me?

Millennia had passed before, and I had no breakdown of any kind...yet I live here in a place with friends, safety, and love, and I cried...a few times. Equis was bringing out emotions I didn’t know I had, and it was getting more and more confusing as time went on. I had thought that by now I knew where I belonged in the world, and what I was meant to do...but it seems that isn’t the case. There was so much about other people that I just didn’t understand...there was so much about myself that I was learning for the first time as well.

I morphed my form into that of a pegasus before pushing open the door to Twilight’s library, and was immediately assaulted by a shout from a certain unicorn.

“WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!?” Twilight shouted at me angrily as she stood next to a bookcase, a bag packed and levitating next to her.

I chuckled lightly and scratched the back of my head nervously as I replied, “Well, I had some issues I had to work out with Luna.”

Twilight looked up at the wall, where a simple clock sat. She turned back to me and growled, “For thirteen hours?”

I sighed and trotted over to her, and shook my head. “Look, I’m very sorry to have worried you. If it’s any consolation, my leave wasn’t for pleasure.”

She shook her head as she also sighed. “No, it’s no consolation at all...that just makes me worry more.”

I raised my eyebrow at her. “You should know that I’m perfectly capable of protecting myself, Twilight.”

Her expression completely softened into concern, and she pressed her hoof to my chest. “Your body is strong, but your heart is not. You have hardly any experience dealing with anything of an emotional nature.” She then looked at me intently as she dropped her hoof. “Just know that you can always confide in us, Vega. We’re not strangers, we’re your friends and we care about how you’re feeling.”

I nodded. “I know...Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy made me realize that. I’m sorry I went off on my own, I was just confused and didn’t know what to do. I promise, it won’t happen again.”

Twilight eyed me curiously for a few moments before nodding. “Good. Now go on upstairs and get some sleep...I can practically smell the exhaustion on you.”

I nodded with a grin as I turned to ascend the stairs. “Yes ma’am.”

An hour and some time later, I was lying in my bed, staring up at the wooden ceiling. With a relaxing bath, I was well on my way to collapsing into unconsciousness, but allowed myself some time to come down from the intense stress of the day. Apparently I had gained a pet (though I didn’t think of Adhara in such a way), and I had also politely asked Fluttershy to get to know her better. Though it was true that my time away had begun with pain and confusion, it ended with good things.

My thoughts were torn from me when I heard several sets of hooves coming up the stairs, and I sat up in bed just before the bedroom door was flung open. In the doorway I saw Twilight...but then two others emerged from behind her.

Lunacae and her sister.

“Well here he is.” Twilight commented as she stood awkwardly.

Silence reigned for a few moments before Celestia ordered, “Leave us, Twilight. We wish to speak to him alone.”

Clearly taken off guard by Princess Celestia’s order, Twilight hurriedly left the room, closing the door behind her...and leaving me alone with two alicorns.

Princess Celestia stepped forward and touched her horn to my head before I could move away, and I felt as my form changed. Moments later I was in my true form, and I looked up curiously at the sun princess. “How did you do that?”

Princess Celestia’s expression was beyond surprise; it was full-blown shock. “I...I shouldn’t have been able to.”

Luna stepped up beside her sister and smiled warmly at me. “Well that proves it then...it is him.”

I stared at them in confusion. “What do you mean? What am I?”

Luna smiled at me again and said, “Change into the form you chose earlier this day.” My eyes widened and I proceeded to ask how she knew, but she simply shook her head. “Do not ask how I knew, just do it please.”

I shrugged and did as she asked, changing into the visage of a Skytracer...and again noting just how nice it felt to be in this body. I opened my eyes after the change was finished, and nodded. “Alright then, there we go. Any reason why you asked me to do that?” Without warning, Princess Celestia shot forth and embraced me tightly. I stood awkwardly for a moment before bringing my arms around her back. “Umm, it’s nice to see you again?”

Luna giggled lightly before moving to my side and smiling. “It seems we’ve found just how you’re different from the rest of your kind, Vega.”

Princess Celestia released me and stepped a small distance away before smiling warmly and stating, “There is a prophecy Luna wrote many years ago during a time when she was more intimately connected to the forbidden magics, just before she became Nightmare Moon...it is titled the Prelude to Chaos. It tells of a time when magic will be so plentiful, it will even be found within friendship itself in tangible form...we know these as the bearers of the Elements of Harmony.”

I raised my eyebrow at this. “Luna’s prophecy foretold Twilight and the others?”

“Not directly,” Princess Celestia replied, “but in a broader sense, yes. They are one of many signs that have come about that lead to a great calamity in the near future, somehow involving Discord and another ancient evil that we have yet to identify.”

I had been told by Twilight just what the Elements of Harmony were, what they had done in the past, and what had happened to Discord...but, “How does this involve me?”

Luna hopped elegantly up onto the bed (if there is such a thing) and sat next to me. “‘The body of Night, and the heart of Sun. When Harmony fails, the bright morning star shall shine its light towards victory.” She then smiled at me and said, “In case you have not picked up on the fact, it is about you...we just were not sure until recently. When you changed your form to what you are now, your essence called out to Celestia, and she felt it, even from Canterlot.”

The sun princess stepped forward and reached into a nonexistent hole in her chest, bringing out a swirling red mass of energy to rest on her hoof.

Luna then looked to me and smiled. “That’s where your essence spectrum came from, Vega. Your body was made in my image, but your soul essence changed to be that of one of Celestia’s children...the Skytracers. You are the one we have been searching for, and your ability to change into the form of a Skytracer proves it. None of the other shapeshifters of your people have been able to do so...only one with the same essence spectrum as my sister would be able to make such a change.”

I looked to the two alicorns before asking, “So technically, I have two mothers?”

The sisters looked to each other before giggling, and Princess Celestia nodded. “I suppose you do. Curious how that works out, yes? You have the body of Luna’s children, and the soul of mine...of the Skytracers. You are the fusion of the two.”

I sat completely still for a moment as my mind took in all this new information, and then shook my head to clear it a bit. “This is an incredible amount of knowledge to take in, and even more so with sleep deprivation.”

Princess Celestia smiled before trotting to the door. “Well we shall leave you to rest then, Vega. Come Luna, we must depart.”

Lunacae stood up off of the bed before nuzzling me affectionately. “Good day then, Vega. Sleep well.”

I nodded as I returned the gesture with my beak, and watched as the two alicorns left the room, closing the door behind them. I collapsed back onto the bed as I was again left alone, and with my mental exhaustion increasing my physical exhaustion, I found it impossible to keep my eyes open any longer.

As my eyelids shut, a thought decided to inject itself into my fading consciousness, though it was too late for me to rouse myself from the coming slumber...

I had forgotten to feed.