Love's Lesson Learned

Chapters

Introduction
A Chance Encounter (Preface)
Cruel Fates
The Invasion
Love's Lesson Learned

Introduction

Knowing how to handle your emotions and deal with choices concerning love can be some of the most difficult lessons life will teach you as in most cases you’ll unknowingly choose to learn the hard way. I nearly cheated my way past this lesson, but life used harsh reality to make sure I learned. I had all I had ever wanted right between my hooves. Call it karma, righteousness prevailing, or true love conquering all if you will. Doomed as I was to fail, my heart wouldn’t allow me to give up the dream I dreamed. There was a castle to claim, a knight to stand beside me, and a kingdom of ponies full of life-sustaining love for one that would rule them. I believed for a few brief minutes that it really was mine for the taking. I’ve learned since then that it’s unwise to do as a changeling does, feeding off the love of one pony’s heart for another, and hope to change that heart at the same time. I’ll tell you the tale from the start in hope that you, my little ponies, won’t make the mistakes I had made. I hope that if you find yourself on my path, you’ll know how to escape my fate.

A Chance Encounter (Preface)

In Canterlot’s University of Magic there studied a jet-black mare with a simply styled canary mane drawn back and draped down the side of her neck. Star Crystal’s cutie mark told of her newfound talent in jewelry with a crystal star connected to a few links of gold at the top point. It was a good fit for her who considered herself to be a fashionable pony that could appreciate a well cut gem that sparkled just right in the light. She knew a few of the other unicorns who served as her classmates. But she decided to strike up a conversation with an unfamiliar face during her first days. A classmate she ran into in a number of her general classes was studying sentinel and warding magic. His name and cutie mark hinted her toward his desired future of becoming a member of the Canterlot Guard. Shining Armor also had a talented sister who was once watched over by an alicorn needing hooves-on practice with foal psychology. His family had become so pleased and comfortable around the foal-sitter that the princess was unofficially adopted into the family. He shrugged when asked if he was particularly close to the princess. She could see a sparkle of interest in his eyes and faintly blushed muzzle. Maybe he felt an alicorn was out of his league.

They continued to meet between and even after their classes. You’d never think to put the two together, but they became fast friends. Sometimes all you need to do is move two bright hearts close together for those bonds of friendship to begin. Others might say that a choice stallion and an elegant mare can’t help but take interest in one another if encountered frequently enough. Really, their exchanges were innocent enough and their conversation quite normal. Time allowed for bonds of trust to form, small and large favors were exchanged such as overnight work on an emergency Mother’s Day gift or trip to the crystal caves below Canterlot when she needed the comfort of a friend to brave the dark and unknown.

Through their young adulthood, they were powerful and dependable supports for one another. Two events made this more apparent than others. Wanting to remain in Canterlot with her friend, she stayed with her mother after a heartbreaking divorce. Living with her was a small annoyance as she frequently told to avoid her mother’s mistake in falling for some middle class stallion who couldn’t support her expensive tastes and a lavishing lifestyle. She loved her father and it was hard hearing anypony speak that way about him. Her mother seemed happy with Armor and his family when she heard about an alicorn foal-sitter and a daughter gaining admittance to a very exclusive school for gifted fillies. So the situation wasn’t as bad as it could have been. Shining Armor provided the support he could, even if he was the one in need. His sister was the only pony closer to him than she was, and it was hard to see her sent away to live somewhere far away. She stood by him and promised that there would be chances to see her in the future. But as busy as he was becoming with entering the guard reserve, that time never really came. She could only push him to write his dear sister and be sure to stay in contact. She even did some writing to be sure Twilight Sparkle could go about Princess Celestia’s errand without worrying about her big brother.

The time came for them to pursue their separate dreams when their studies had ended. He past his examination with flying colors and was admitted into the lower ranks of the guard. He was stationed at the walls or the gates for his strength in ward and shield magic. She enjoyed surprising him at his post with snacks or a lunch to eat during the day. Their visits were permitted as long as she didn’t interfere with his position. This was made easy by some accommodating stallions who agreed to hold his post while the two took a moment’s time together. Luck passed her by as well when she found herself in conversation with an old master of her trade. She would be taken on as an apprentice to take the shop one day, after every secret had been passed on and the old master felt ready to give up his legacy. The pair couldn’t have been happier; nor with one another. It was during these happy days that the two took notice in how much of their life had been shared with the other. In these days, the caught themselves thinking on the other more and more.

Cruel Fates

Fate and destiny are not kind to those who wait and lack the courage to reach out for their desire. While the growth of their friendship had hit an invisible ceiling, they concentrated on their craft. It only took a few months for him to start a slow climb up the ranks within the guard. Her mentor found her to be an easy student to teach and a quick learner of the trade. Praise and encouragement continued between the two. Of course they still took time to meet one another while they were able. Still they visited the complex mines below Canterlot. Even in those days, they knew they hadn’t seen all there was to behold of the crystals that appeared to grow at a magical rate. Both still wondered if more could come of their friendship. She particularly grew hopeful that he’d show some interest soon. The fear of taking steps back from the happy state of the relations held them back from taking that step forward.

It was his approaching promotion to captain of the guard that gave her the courage to try her hoof at adding romance to their lives. They cheered and celebrated together, as one had reached the greatest height of their dream. She started to craft a helm in secret as a gift to mark the occasion of his achievement. It was made to code and near matched the proper shape. But with some gems from their cavern and a bit of her personal flare, she customized it for him and had it presented for his ceremony. A new captain in the guard mandated such an event of course. She risked a nuzzle as she told him how proud she was. It was a little cute to see him blush in front of the stallions he’d soon command. She was allowed to tour parts of the castle while the new captain was familiarized with some new responsibilities. By chance, she met a beautiful princess upon searching rooms she was permitted to enter. She recognized the princess when they got to talking. It was the alicorn who once watched over a younger Twilight Sparkle years ago. Princess Cadance somehow knew of her untold love. Maybe it was the work she had put into her gift of the way she congratulated his promotion. The princess gave her sound advice. Nothing would happen if she did nothing and her chances were of course limited. She would speak to armor about her thoughts and feelings in hopes that something new chapter would start for their lives.

She was able to talk with the princess for some time more until the new captain came to find them. The greeting was interrupted by an alarm calls for help from the guards posted outside the doors. Before a move could be made, a swarm had broken through the doors and smashed through windows to occupy the room held by the princess and her guests. There were far too many to handle with the number of guards immediately available. All ponies were put on alert to hold their position to prevent further advances by the invaders. A few impatient members of the swarm moved to dispatch the captain and take their target alicorn. Shining Armor reared up and trampled one aggressor. The princess’s charm spell held off one changeling invader. A ward from the captain’s horn blasted the others out the window. He had every confidence in his ability to protect two of his closest friends. His confidence shook when the changelings took on new shapes. He stood against familiar faces now. Chaos broke loose when the invaders rushed forward to take girls. The captain was able to remain untouched with his own personal wards intact. But the changelings were using tricky tactics to draw attention away from the girls. While they fought to capture, decoys would take shape of the alicorn or his friend and allow capture to draw away his attention. The tactic worked. But in the end, they left with only the lesser target. For today, the alicorn was safe. Shining armor was overwhelmed and confused. He heard cries for help as Star Crystal was disabled and carried away, but those cries were mimicked by many changelings until they were successful and out of Armor’s range. Though pegasus guardsman would give chase, there would too many changelings to fight through. The flying ponies were tackle them out of flight to insure the mission’s partial success. The unicorn was gone, but it wouldn’t be known until the chaos had ended moments later.

For the next several days her world was strange and dark. She could feel that she was floating in something warm and thick. What terrified her more than the dark was the inability to find a patch of air to breath. Somehow she was surviving in the tight chamber without air. Realizing this calmed her mind just enough bring her out of the panic attack that started when her eyes opened nothingness. She could hear voices outside her prison, but couldn’t understand anything through the fluids and the barrier that held her in. The time she spent in silent darkness couldn’t be measured from the inside. It had to have been days at least, maybe weeks. Her mind had withdrawn from all thought. It was like sleeping without rest as she sat still suspended in whatever filled her small space. Harshly she was yanked into awareness again when her lungs ached and cried for air. Whatever magic has been satisfying the need broke. She struggles and writhed fearfully in her small space, using her hooves and her head to press against the walls around her. It was her horn that pierced the chamber and tore the space that freed her. She yelped as gravity took over and dropped her a few short feet to the ground.

She coughed and groaned from the impact. It took her some time before she tried moving her weak unused muscles. Finding holes in her hooves and legs made her stop and stare. Terror possessed her mind when she realized she had freed herself from. The torn chamber above her was a changeling chrysalis. She had grown into a tall lanky love leeching shape-shifter, a changeling. Her beautiful yellow mane and turned into a slimy green and her legs and neck were thinned and lengthened. Her escape alerted smaller changeling minions who went to draw the queen’s attention. Another changeling closer to her size came into view. She could see the queen’s age in the eyes and the color of a fading green mane. She felt many things as she looked up to the Queen standing over her. Star Crystal was angry, afraid, and saddened all at once. The Queen had a strange voice, smooth and alien. It nearly made her false apologies sound truly sincere. The queen could see that her newest sister antagonized her. She was prepared for such a reaction.

She asked the poor girl to recall the events about her capture, particularly the thoughts and emotions she felt. The force sent to take away the alicorn found a stronger candidate filled with a stronger love to survive the transforming. “You are here in her place because the guardsman in the room was fiercer about protecting the princess, not you a mare ready to confess a long suffering love to him. The heart does not lie, my dear. Who did your shining knight defend and who was sacrificed? He defended the pony most important to him.” She wouldn’t believe it. Shining Armor couldn’t have had any control over who would have been taken away. Even if he had… he was fulfilling his duty as captain. The Queen saw seeds of doubt had been planted. She gave her new sister one more chance to join her cause and perhaps turn the knight’s heart her way. The chance to return to him just caught her ear. “Take him for yourself,” the queen said. “Leave nothing to chance, and take what is owed. I can teach you a changeling’s ways. You can become the very center of his world, the one he will always stand beside.” Normally, such an idea wouldn’t appeal to her. She knew love couldn’t… shouldn’t be forced. But the queen’s magic easily twisted her unprotected and fragile mind to her will. Yes… why leave things to chance when she could form the life she wanted with her own power? The queen continued to sell her on the powers she could use to build up her dream. Total control over ponies around her and flawless disguises that she could use to bend even more ponies to her will. In the coming days, Star Crystal would forget her name and become Queen Chrysalis, as she was born into her new life by breaking out of her chrysalis chamber.

The Invasion

When the time came, a message was sent as the queen had instructed. Canterlot was warned to lay up the best defenses they could muster, for there would be an even greater invasion heading their way. The crown was passed on to Queen Chrysalis who would head this invasion. She knew the spell he would cast, and she knew how she would pass it while all of Canterlot watched outward for a threat to present itself. Because it was a difficult spell to maintain, entrances from under the ground would be left unshielded. She could make her way in from another entrance. Flying though her caverns below the city brought back memories of crystal hunting days with her best friend… soon to be groom. She grinned to herself as she neared the cave’s entrance within the city’s boarders and the shield’s protection. Entering Canterlot was easy from there once she disguised herself to blend in with her own city folk. In the form of a guard, she would have unhindered access to the castle. She honed in on the love radiating from the bride to be, who was inspecting decorations made in the ceremony room for the coming wedding.

Chrysalis stepped into the room from the darkest corner. The princess was fragile and alone. She made quick work of apprehending the poor alicorn and drawing a large dose from a love-filled heart while she dropped the princess through the stone floors and down into the caves below. It was easy. She felt no remorse in sealing out the one in her way. If the princess escaped the enclosed chamber inside the cavern, it would still take at least a day for the poor soul to stumble upon the cave’s great highway that connected to the entrance chambers on either end. Even more time would be needed to learn the chambers and the paths that would free her from the dark underground. She took the form of her newest prisoner, and continued the princess’s work in preparing for the coming wedding. She wasn’t looking forward to what had to be done next… but at the same time, she couldn’t wait to see him again even if the smile on his face was meant for another mare.

It was easy to pull him aside. A groom would always accommodate his bride. He knew something was amiss the moment auras of green magic surrounded her horn. Thankfully, there was no way for him to defend against her magic. It was strange and unfamiliar to him and any mentor he might have learned under during their days together in studying magic. Sadness surprised her when she looked upon the hypnotized stallion before her. This wasn’t what she wanted. This wasn’t even close to the moments she had dreamed of. The queen’s grip on her mind faded with distance and time away from manipulating magic. When her mind reformed, terrible guilt filled her chest. She couldn’t watch his wide staring green eyes and pressed her muzzle under his. She sobbed to herself only once in shame of what she’d done. She apologized knowing she’d be the only one to hear it. Her shining knight had found love in the princess below the caves. They should be celebrating together. But instead, she was here to tear everything apart. In the moment, she was torn between her options. It wasn’t too late! She could wipe memories away from the bride and groom in order to take part in the festivities after assisting in the fight against the invasion. But she would be on the hunt and easy to stalk, thanks to the curse of the chrysalis that held her before. Or she could continue as planned... and take a chance at having everything she had wanted from the start. The plan was already half done. Draining his love for the bride would give her the strength needed to conquer Canterlot and add an entire city of ponies to the changeling force. The alternative was death. The queen would know if her betrayal and she would never be safe. She loved Shining Armor, but saving his wedding was not worth forfeiting her life.

“Armor... my Shining Armor... What have I done to you?” The hypnosis faded with her concentration to hold the spell. She just didn’t know what she could do. He would awake to find his ‘bride’ upset and pressed against him. His comfort was hard to accept while knowing it wasn’t meant for her. But she took it nonetheless. It was as if a piece of her dream was falling back into place and solidifying into reality. The groom placed light kisses on her head and cheek in efforts to comfort his bride. Maybe if she played her cards right, she could succeed in the end. She and her Shining Armor could be happy… the price would fall on the doubtlessly frightened princess captured below their hooves. She promised her ‘groom’ that she would be fine. It was nothing more than silly stressful things were just affecting her mood. Playing the part got easier over the day. A few more of the handsome stallion’s kisses swayed her motivation toward obtaining her nearly forgotten dream. But still, she needed time to think. Leaving the princess below meant she accepted herself as a monster. She didn’t want to lead that life. But if it meant her stallion would give his golden heart… well, she wasn’t sure if the price was right.

In the following days, she continued to manage preparations for the big day. Thankfully she didn’t need to worry about the more tedious details such as the guest lists or the invitations. Those were taken care of before her arrival. Celestia herself took her away from her duties to speak about the groom’s newest additions to the guest list. The silly stallion had forgotten to invite her own sister along. Celestia had taken liberty in inviting Twilight Sparkle along with the other Elements of Harmony. She would of course agree to the change and thank the princess for catching the oversight. This new information made her a bit nervous, even if the new guests were assigned to help her with the final preparations. This was a force that had overcome The Mare in the Moon and Discord himself! She quickly dismissed the worry when she remembered there was an army behind her in this invasion. Even the Elements couldn’t stand against such large numbers… right? In either case, she made sure this information was relayed to her lieutenants on the other side of the shield. The shrine holding the elements would need to be captured quickly to avoid that risk.

The next day, guests were starting to arrive for the big day. Ponies from distant lands were finding places to stay for the night and prepare for the next day’s events. She groaned when she realized that this last day was going to be more strenuous than those passed by. Last minute changes and final arrangements meant a busy day. She turned to her sleeping groom and smiled. Seeing him there under her covers reminded her what she was working toward. She kissed the white muzzle in front of hers until her groom stirred from his sleep. He rather enjoyed waking up in such a manor. During her short time as his bride, she had already formed her own bedroom rituals with her groom to be. Between her kisses, he was able to mutter a “Mornin’ to you too.” It made her chuckle and she returned his smile. She really did have it all; all she had ever wanted.

Later that day, Shining Armor’s guests would arrive. The sister was the she encountered. She of course recognized the slightly nerdy unicorn… but the dancing and chanting only confused her. It seemed to be related to the real princess’s foal-sitting days. She’d have to work harder on playing her part of more like Twilight Sparkle came expecting her to act and react in specific ways. She forced herself to taste the… apple treats another guest had been set in charge of. Personally, she never enjoyed apples fresh or baked. But to avoid trouble, she tasted what the baker presented and went on her way. The dress was beautiful, but she had to make some changes to the color and shape. Even if it wasn’t her own black coat under the dress, she still knew what she wanted the dress to look like. Thankfully the seamstress was very accommodating to her requests. On the way to the music rehearsal, she was nearly startled out of disguise by a booming sound overhead. But she smiled when she looked up and recognized the colorful ring expanding overhead. She heard about Ms. Rainbow Dash from a letter he received from his sister. The music rehearsal was rather pointless. The pegasus coordinating had added one bird who simply could NOT keep his notes. The reception planning was even more ridiculous, but she’d say nothing more of it after it was over. She decided it better to leave things to Celestia’s trusted country ponies. For most of the day, she looked forward to the evening. They’d take care of the rehearsal and retire for the night. Another night sharing a bed with his groom would fix all the stresses that had occurred that day.

When she retired to her shared home with her groom, she wanted nothing more than rest and affection from her shining knight. She received both in happy quantities until he left to decide what he’d be wearing for the ceremonies. She chuckled to herself as he went to leave their room. Stallions... leaving everything to the last minute. Her attention didn’t spark again until a knocking came at the door. She huffed… though sure it wouldn’t be anything important from the other side of the barrier, she went to investigate. She watched from the door atop the stairs and saw an upset sister walk in next to her brother. Ugh! And he was wearing that damned emblem again. She interrupted their conversation and pulled him into the next room. She couldn’t change his mind, as she was interrupted by his near breaking of her spells that kept him from the truth. Luckily, she was in a room where she could perform the spell again. She was worried to see the sister running from them when they came out… but decided there was no pony she could call or warn that would believe what she saw, coming from her mouth.

As time drew near for the rehearsal, her thoughts turned to the princess lost in the caverns below. If Cadance was lucky, now would be near the time she could be expected to escape. She suddenly had a new use for her silly chattering bridesmaids. It was the simplest idea she could think of. No pony would miss them if the bride decided to make some last minute changes. She placed the ponies under a powerful hypnosis and sent them to guard the cave entrance. Even if Cadance knew how to find her way out, there would be one more obstacle to pass before returning to the wedding. New bridesmaids needed to replace the ponies she sent down to the cave. She didn’t like the idea, but electing the sister’s guests made the most sense as Twilight Sparkle would be presenting the rings as his best mare. Again, she was pleased with the seamstress who excitedly buzzed away at modifying the dresses for the occasion. She rather liked the fashionable one. She guessed it was due to their similarities, being finer mares with a taste for finer things. Even though she trusted the marshmallow’s skills, she opted out for the dressed rehearsal.

Celestia directed them until it came time for the rings. She MISSED the rehearsal? The best mare had to be one of the last ponies she expected to miss a date with all that organizing she’s supposed to be good at. What could she be doing? Surely there had to be a reason. The surprise came with the purple unicorn burst through the ceremony doors and began making accusations! Anything she could have said in her defense would have condemned her further. Playing the stressed bride card seemed like her only choice. That way, she could let her knight do all the talking. She made a tearful exit and directed her groom to set that problem straight. The result was beautiful. The ‘magic expert’ even believed the bit about healing spells for her poor brother’s migraines. All the blame landed on Twilight Sparkle, and the room was emptied. Everypony had the rehearsal they needed. It was time to get rid of this problem, even if a tongue-lashing from her brother had ended the issue. The poor pony was reduced to begging for forgiveness. She must have been hurt by the disappointment she caused for her brother. It did pain her to see her groom’s sister in such a state. Not long ago, they were friends writing back and forth to one another. At this point, it didn’t matter. The queen banished her down to the same caverns. She’d be left somewhere that wouldn’t permit the timely exit needed to foil her plans. There wouldn’t be enough time for her to escape.

The next morning started the first day that the two would spend as stallion and mare. He woke her with gentle nuzzles and a promise that she’d receive more of her attention later that night. For the morning, he wanted to make sure that every security measure was taken. He was not fooled by the note’s timing. If there was a real threat, it would strike today. All precautions would be taken, and then he would join in the ceremony. It was all he could do for the safety of his bride and the ponies of Canterlot. He wished the Princess of the Night could watch from her tower while he was otherwise busy. But her sister decided against it. He couldn’t know if she deemed it unwise to wake her younger sister or if she simply believed it unnecessary. In either case, he couldn’t challenge Celestia’s authority. If she had enough confidence in her own strength, so would he. He gave the shield his last beam of energy and put everything he had into its push. He was a bit disappointed with its strength… but decided it was likely due to the length he had held the shield up in the first place. With that final thought, he moved on to the ceremony.

She was nearly ready for the ceremony herself. The dress had been fitted to her frame by the lovely seamstress who also generously volunteered to fix up her mane for the occasion. Once she was alone, she enjoyed a private victory with a small celebration. Finally, she’d be married to her truest love. Finally she’d have the life she had sought after for well over a year’s time. And then… she would have it all. Canterlot’s beloved princesses would fall to the immense power she had obtained from Cadance and Armor’s power. Her changeling army would feast on the love that the castle city teemed with. When their numbers had grown and could grow no more, they would fly from Appaloosa to Ponyville and everywhere in between. Equestria would belong to her changelings. Everypony’s love would belong to their rising kind. It would all begin tomorrow. This day would be hers to treasure and remember in the coming days.

The day had gone perfectly so far. The guests had gathers and Everypony was in place. Her knight was even so sweet as to hold still while she subjected him to her strongest spell. It would keep their wills together as one, but it did require her to direct his every move in order to keep his hypnosis from appearing in an obvious manner. He also had those glassed green eyes again, but there was nothing she could do about that. That was what she told herself while she walked the aisle after the music cue anyways. She reached the altar and stood before her groom. All who saw her agreed she did look like the happiest bride they’d seen in their days.

Everypony’s attention was drawn to the back of the room. THAT UNICORN’S time could NOT be more irritating. The ceremony was a few mere words away from closing when Twilight Sparkle spoiled her perfect moment... AGAIN! ‘No matter…’ the queen thought, ‘She’ll be tossed out for her insane accusations. We can repeat the… horse feathers.’ Both her prisoners had escaped together. There was no way for her to suppress the real princess while her knight was under her control. The plans would have to be moved a day forward. She let them accuse her. The truth would be reveals in moments either way. An intense light pillared up from The Queen … a shame to destroy the seamstress’ work on her mane and dress… The Queen stood before everypony, and displayed every bit of her confidence with her plan. No pony challenged her while it was clear that the captain was under her control, especially the real princess and the sister. They wouldn’t risk another banishing to her caverns. Celestia alone showed the courage. But the Queen, being armed with the love between her knight and the real princess, was more than a match for a lone alicorn. They stood off, ironically like properly dueling ponies. Celestia couldn’t allow a changeling to take her castle. Chrysalis was too close to her goal to be stopped now. They prepared and fired a spell at one another. Chrysalis summoned up the stolen strength she held and grinned as Celestia’s magic shrank away at the changeling’s new power. She cried out for another push into her spell’s strength just as Celestia was failing. The added energy crushed Celestia’s spell and kicked her head firmly enough to send the alicorn princess off her hooves. The hardest part was over, she believed. All were too weak to stand against her or has been crushed for trying.

Twilight Sparkle and her friends ran for the shrine under the defeated Celestia’s orders. The queen knew they wouldn’t get far. The bulk of her army had been tasked to guard the path and the shrine itself. She had another task to complete. She and a number of her subjects started work on a chrysalis chamber for the fallen Celestia. Only she knew that the alicorns were the true targets of the raid that had taken her away. In the time it took to incase and mount a new chrysalis, the ponies had been stopped at the shrine while trying to obtain their ‘secret weapon.’ Everything she needed to worry about was bundled and locked in ceremony chambers. She kept only a few of her select units nearby while the others began their task of feeding on the love in Canterlot and forming the chrysalises they’d need to turn the town toward their cause. She looked out the large windows of the ceremony room as her plans were put into action. Canterlot was falling. Soon, there would be no resistance to oppose her. Her attention was jerked away from the sight before her when something broke her spell on the Captain. So he was freed. But why did that matter? The Queen had already drained everything he could use to conjure up his shield again. The invasion was already midway. Ha! And what, mush was this? Their undying love was going to make all their problems go away. She allowed them to try whatever it was that they were planning. But... No! IT WAS WORKING!? The princess was fueling the captain with love to conjure a shield!? Before The Queen could prevent anything, the deed was done. The sheer force of the new shield sent The Queen out of the castle and beyond the city walls before she truly comprehended what was happening. In a flash of magic light, it was all ruined. She had lost everything.

Love's Lesson Learned

She was fooling herself to think she could fix the day’s result. Even if she had the power, it would take too long for her to fly the winding caverns to bypass the shield in place. She couldn’t stop herself from trying. It would have meant giving up on the most important dream she’d even dreamed. She couldn’t let that shield conjure mark the end of it all. Escaping the army was easier than she thought. It turned out that they still followed her after such a humiliating and preventable defeat. She decided not to risk believing that her mentor lacked the power to take control again and have her dragged back to the place of her turning. It seemed like hours before she found her way back into the castle. The time flying to the cave and to the top again caused her to miss the ceremonies. The reception was not yet underway. Urgently she took the form of another pony. Her heart pounded with fear of discovery and the power they could force upon her while infiltrating the city alone.

There was no pony left she could trust. Her fellow changelings would no doubt become hostile if she left the shield’s safety. At the same time, she could think of no way to return to a normal life without the fear is discovery, either by detection of her shifting magics or by changeling scouts who would be much more sensitive to the magic around her form. She could think of no option that did not end in some horrible manner. Outside her new home there was no safe place for a lone changeling, and returning there would be nothing short of suicide. She couldn’t think of a way to dispel such strange… strange magic! She knew what needed to be done. Or rather, she knew who could help her. The reception was going to begin but she was in no proper state for that, even if she disguised herself. Her flight was straight and fast. She passed out of the shield’s protection and headed for the Everfree forest.

Though she wasn’t sure where she was going, Chrysalis knew what she was looking for. There was only one pony known for living in the forest. She wasn’t sure what she would tell the forest pony when she found her home. She expected that she’d be recognized as a changeling right away, as she had no intention of disguising herself for this encounter. She wanted a cure for this curse. She knocked her hoof against the door, still full of spinning emotions. The striped pony who opened the door showed cautious surprise until she understood the reasoning behind her visit. Chrysalis explained that she was on the run and needed to dispel powerful magic before she could be hunted down. Zecora gave her good and bad news. There was a way to reverse the curse, but she could only give instructions. The secret to shedding away the changeling’s curse was to give away the love that sustained them. It wasn’t a perfect cure, as life would still depend on love. The difference between a hostile and hospitable changeling was the love they received. A changeling could continue their pony life if they were strong enough to ignore the lies of a changeling queen who would turn them. She wasn’t sure how to take that news. Her choices could be connected to everything that had taken place over the last few days. Zecora made her promise to visit again, as she wanted to be sure the poor soul found her way back home and on to happier trails.

She reverted to her unicorn self as she stepped out of the striped pony’s hut. Black fur, a canary mane and tail, and emerald eyes defined her true identity again. From there, she would head into Ponyville hoping to find a place she could stay for the night. She remembered the baker’s gracious demeanor, and noted the cutie mark she recalled seeing on her flank. The apple family farm was nearby. If they were as accommodating as Twilight suggested in her letters, it would likely be her best chance at finding somepony who could take her in. Her tale captivated the small family’s attention, especially the small filly who must have been a member of the crusaders that her pen pal had mentioned. She was surprised with the hospitality she received. Their kindness would have moved her to tears, but she kept a strong face. She was especially surprised by the great stallion who covered her from the cold with a cloak when they found her, and brought her to an empty bed once she’d explained her appearance. She would correctly guess that she had been given Applejack’s room for the night, as she was away in Canterlot for a wedding she’d been invited to attend. She wasn’t able to leave without being treated to some breakfast and supplied with some small things to eat on the train back to Canterlot. She thanked the Apple family graciously and went on her way to town with Big Macintosh. Though she preferred to make the walk alone, nothing she tried to explain would convince the stallion to let her do so. She decided to take it for what it was… an extension of kindness to watch over her safety.

When they arrived in town, there were a few stops she wanted to make before heading for the station. She had heard about the Carousel Boutique. The pony who had turned the strange structure into a creative space for dress-making had made quite a name for herself after crafting dresses that were seen at the Gala last year. No doubt Rarity’s name would spread even further when word gets out about her putting together the princess’s wedding gown along with all those worn by the bridesmaids. She wasn’t sure why she stopped there. There wasn’t much she could do while the fashionista was still in Canterlot. She made a not to herself to find the post office when they came near the station. Twilight’s library was truly a sight to behold. It couldn’t rival the size of Canterlot’s library, but she had to see it for herself when Twilight had written that all the books and her own room fit inside a massively thick tree. She was sorely tempted to have a look around. But she knew Twilight and her dragon assistant were also likely at the castle today. She tried to dismiss the red stallion when they reached the station. But it seemed he had promised his granny that she wouldn’t be left alone until she was on the train home.

“S-star?! Star Crystal! You’re safe! You’re alive!!” She turned to the sound of her name. It was a surprise to hear it, and even a greater surprise to hear it in Twilight Sparkle’s voice! Greater shock was added to her paralysis when the purple unicorn bounded to her and squeezed tightly around her neck. “We thought you were lost in the changeling ambush months ago, how did you get here!?” The younger unicorn pressed her tears into elder’s neck. Again, as she had several times in the most recent days, her emotions were mixed. She was overjoyed to find that she could still have Twilight’s love. It gave her great hope that many Canterlot ponies would react in the same manner when news of her safe return had spread. “Spike! Urgent letter!” The small dragon hurried to them, and pulled what he needed from Twilight’s saddlebag. “Princess Celestia, I have wonderful news! The unicorn Star Crystal who was taken by the changeling ambush in place your niece, Princess Cadance, had made an escape and a safe return to Ponyville. Please make sure this news reaches Shining Armor. He will be able to bring to news to her family in Canterlot. She and I are boarding the next train to bring her home. Signed, your student, Twilight Sparkle.”

Star Crystal told her story to the young mare who sat close to her for the ride. She was captured, placed in some sort of evolution chamber, and had nearly been forced to join in the battles that emptied the changeling warrens. She was tempted with power over other ponies and the ability to take their shapes. She decided it best to leave out her falling to that temptation and the events that followed. Instead she’d explain that she couldn’t be tempted to do such things, even if it meant having the love of her Shining Armor. When she looked down at her friend, she realized it was the first time she had confessed that love to anypony since she had talked to Princess Cadance. “Don’t worry. I know about the wedding, and I’m just as happy for him as you are.” Twilight seemed relieved to hear it, but she felt awful given the circumstances knowing that Star Crystal had likely been waiting to come back to him. “He’s going to cry when he sees you.” Star Crystal smiled, knowing that much was probably true. “I hope he doesn’t feel guilty about what happened… had he written or mentioned anything to you?” He hadn’t. Twilight knew he reacted as anypony would after losing their closest friend that way. If Shining Armor did blame himself, he didn’t show any indication to his sister.

Star Crystal could see the congregation standing at the station as the train pulled in to a stop. The princess and Shining Armor must have worked quickly to tell Everypony who would want to know that she was safe and on her way home. It wasn’t her own family who stood front and center. She didn’t expect any of them remained in Canterlot to begin with. Instead her first welcoming came from all of twilight’s family which included the newest addition, the newlywed Princess Cadance. Her steps shy steps forward were met with a rush of clopping hooves as Shining Armor and his parents met her with a large group embrace as if she were one of their own. She didn’t know if the intensity of the reunion was getting to her or if being something new with a different way or processing love had been the cause. Maybe she simply hadn’t realized how much love there was just for her right in her home town. Being in the center of the surrounding embrace was overpowering. She cried and laughed with them all at the same time. When she was released, she found that even more ponies had come to see her. Her mentor in the jewelry store had come right away then the news was received. There were also some old classmates she and Shining Armor knew from Canterlot’s University of Magic. Celestia herself had arrived after passing on Twilight’s note to her newest nephew.

Everypony wanted to hear the story and it was decided that those who wished to stay with her would gather at Princess Cadance and Shining Armor’s home. While she did wish some member of her own family could have come to see her, she had always felt like an adopted member of Armor’s; just as Cadance had in her foal-sitting days. In either case, she was surrounded by ponies who were overjoyed to have news of her safe return. She retold the story she told to Twilight Sparkle on the way back. It was true that she had been turned into a love-dependent changeling and had managed to escape while the invasion was taking place. She told them of her visit to Zecora’s hut and the advice she had received. Together the group declared that if love was all she needed, there would be no worries for her. Her mentor still had the room above the store empty for her to reside again. Twilight Sparkle made her promise to write again. She agreed and looked forward to getting those letters again. Night Light and Velvet Sparkle told her to visit often, as did Shining Armor and Cadance.

Before she was left to the comfort of her home, she stopped Cadance from leaving. There was at least one more thing that needed to be said. “You remember the advice you gave me that day… and I’m sure you know who it was about. Shining Armor forgave himself for what happened that day. It was the best I could get out of him for now. But I wanted to be sure that you knew there are no ill feelings between us. I’m happy for you both, more than you could know. I still have my best friend… that will have to be enough for me.” The princess must have known that there was still a big part inside the unicorn that wished she had been the one in the white dress that day. She embraced her newest friend with a single hoof around her neck. “I saw him during those hardest days after you were taken away. I know the two of you had been very close for a very long time. And I know those feelings don’t go away even after he managed to move on.” The princess loosened her embrace to look Star Crystal in the eye. “I can see that you’re starting to move on as well. I think it’s rare to say so but in your lucky case, I think being around him and his family… your second family…?” The unicorn nodded to confirm the princess’s assumption. She had been more or less unofficially adopted into Armor and Twilight’s family. “Yes. I think being close to them will help you become more comfortable with your place there. I can’t take claim on his entire heart after all, and the rest of it belongs to his family.”

Star Crystal appreciated the princess’s words. She was glad that his bride would trust him to be around somepony who was nearly an interest of his. She shook her head as that thought passed her mind. That was thinking like a possessive Queen Chrysalis. The princess’s advice proved helpful in the coming days. Spending time with Shining Armor, his bride, and his family did indeed help her fall back into normalcy and accept her place as his loving sister. She couldn’t convince herself that it was for the best to have lost her chance to be his bride. But she accepted it as a happy consequence for her hesitation and the actions it led to. Slowly, her life was on track again. She never did have to worry on Zecora’s warning, as she was ever surrounded by the love of her family around her.