A change of heart

"Why should we believe you?" Shining Armor almost growled the sentence. Haha! Joke's on him, I can tell he's more doubtful and distrustful than actually angry - he knows lying won't do me any good at this point. He and Twilight tried to soothe a still-overloaded with information Celestia.

"Why wouldn't you?" I knew I messed up even before I felt the heat of his anger.

"You made me say horrible things to my sister!" He shouted. "When she tried to warn us, your queen made me renounce her!"

"You. Did. WHAT!?" I say, and Twilight cringed.

"I did nothing of the sort!" He defended, fuming. I felt his hate resurface little by little, but I just smile.

"Oh, you didn't know?" I say coyly, and though he tried to mask it with rage, he could not hide the doubt in his eyes - not from a changeling; not him, not Celestia. "Did you know that queen Chrysalis and her house aren't exactly known for their mental manipulations? It's not their role. They are good on the defense of the hives, getting Scorpans and Salamanders and whatnot off our backs, but they aren't exactly master-level mind-benders. They can get good with practice, but as I said, this was sudden."

His doubt nearly took solid form now, and I knew he'd wait until I had explained (or messed up) to say anything. Celestia was still pretty much out of it, her mind off thinking about something else.

"Part of the reason Chrysalis had me scrounging for love more often than my previous house was because I can use memory magic." That, and a good lay produced lots of energy, but they don't need to know that. "Since it's a bit of mind magic, through a series of letters, she had me review the lies she had been feeding you all."

Why not ask around the group if the plan is solid? She's not that self-absorbed; queens like that don't last- no, they don't get to be queens or even go past having a fancy name. She asked the transfers to her hive. She asked me. After all, she wanted the day to be perfect... our collective insanity got in the way, however.

Ho... Shiny is going to hate what I'm going to tell him!

"For others... well, they were simple. They amount to: 'I am the bride', 'I am flawless', and 'you want to protect me no matter the cost'." The other mares cringed... well, I hated doing this to them, but who knows? Purple changelings keep going on and on about 'what happens when you get caught' and that telling them the truth could bring some closure or whatever. Especially if they are doing the 'replace a departed pony they don't know has passed' routine.

"If you, Shining, had been one of those, then abandoning Twilight would have meant that either you thought she needed some alone time, or that you'd rather leave her than hurt her; even with her power the mind magic wouldn't be able to make you act that against your own role or self." The others seemed relieved somewhat... I can't even imagine what they must have gone through if they did anything under Chrysalis's spells. Well, Celestia is simply too powerful; Queen Chrysalis could only do so much...

"Basically, she made you look the other way when she did something strange, and dismiss those who said otherwise."

*****

"Applejack, was it?"

"Yes princess. Pleased ta meetcha."

"Could you come over for a bit? I think there's something on your hair."

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"Fluttershy! What are you doing in the gardens all by yourself?"

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"Pinkie Pie, I'd like to discuss the music, could you come with me for a moment?"

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"Ah, Rarity, I suppose you want to take my measurements... lock the door, I don't want interruptions; it's a waste of my time."

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"Rainbow Dash, I heard you were going to perform a 'Sonic Rainboom', could I talk to you in private? I have a little special request."

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"Ah, Cadence, my dear niece, nervous about the wedding? Just a few more days to go!" Celestia smiled at the pink pony, then raised an eyebrow. "Are you feeling well? You have been acting a little... strange."

"Oh no, far from it!" The pink princess cheerfully replied, then her face settled on a smirk. "I've never been better."

The smaller pony then looked at the princess of the sun up and down. "I could ask you the same, having stressful days at court?"

Celestia allowed herself a small chuckle and a twitch - she caught herself before she made a grimace. "Something like that... old Flare feels his projects are overshadowed and being ignored; he's a little addicted to attention." She whispered the last part, even though there was nopony with them.

"I have been practicing a stress-relief spell just for this kind of situation!"

"That is quite alright, my dear." Celestia politely declined, bowing slightly in an appreciative gesture. "It would take more than a stiff professor's cries for attention to affect me."

"Please... you are going to oversee the ceremony yourself! Princess Celestia of Equestria, performing the role of the pony who is to pronounce me a married mare! I simply must repay you, even if it is something this simple." The younger pony insisted, walking forward ever so slowly.

"Oh, alright, if it is so important for you..."

"Don't worry - it's more subtle than my other spells."

*****

I smile smugly, knowing shining Armor is going to utterly despise what's coming. Hell, even now, the wheels in his head are turning, and he doesn't like where they are taking him.

"Your's had to be much more subtle - even more so than others, since you shouldn't over-complicate the suggestion spells by having to include two ponies, you know? Having the others overlook your strange behavior as well would be too much." Oh... here it comes! "Before she was able to make you unable to hold the shield, she told you: 'I am your fiancée', 'You see my actions as lovely', and the one you're going to hate the most: 'You are going to defend me as only you would'."

Oh, the look of a hater that realizes he's no better than that he hates is... pretty horrible tasting. Great, I feel guilty now, but he wanted the truth? He got it. And he earned it by being a jerk. Ugh, I wish I still had use of my horn, and my hooves down on something solid... I think I'm going crazy again from being half-blind, if I thought I would enjoy his reaction. Shining Armor looks like he's stopped breathing, and Twilight looks really hurt. So much for 'nothing protects like the truth'... well, seems like few things are as painful.

Sometimes... I wonder why we are the way we are, with all the secrets and lies and all that jazz built into our very selves.

"Congratulations, the one chance you had to break free, and you wasted it by being the kind of monster that would rather disown his family than doubt his life." I say, blearily looking at the textured ceiling of the hospital... give me a dark, smooth hive over this sterile white any day of the week. "I heard there is a special place in Hell for traitors like us three."

"T-traitors?" Fluttershy stammered.

"Madness from near-starvation is no excuse, I shouldn't have agreed to the new 'plan'. Shining you just heard..." I turn to Celestia, and all I feel is that emptiness again. "Celestia was given the dying wish of a Queen of old... and just spat on us."

"It wasn't my intention." She said, tear tracks still on her face.

"You knew what the Elements were used for!" I say, a little more forcefully than I'd like."You could have said something! You could have done more!"

Her eyes widened, and whatever she's thinking about must be quite intense.

*****

"Luna, stop!" Celestia cried out, the servants fearfully hiding behind the throne, due to the being blocking the gate.

"I am Nightmare Moon!" The black creature roared. "Those ungrateful worms shall learn respect! The night! Will last! Forever!"

The mare laughed madly, lightning shone through the hall as thunder punctuated the severity of the situation.

A stallion tightened his grip on a mare, covering her eyes as if to spare her her fate should the creature of darkness decide to strike them.

"That will destroy everything!" Celestia yelled, the maids whimpered behind her.

"So?" The... monster in front of her said. "They shall appreciate Us, or perish!"

"You cannot be serious!" That couldn't be Luna! She... Celestia knew she was unhappy, but that was too extreme! There was no way she would have missed signs of something that dire!

"I meant every word, dear sis-sister." The black mare said, the stutter accompanied with a twitch.

"I will not allow you to do this." Celestia spread her wings and stood firm.

"Then di-...! I will ki-...!" Nightmare Moon seemed to be choking on her words, and shook her head from side to side. "I shall get rid of you!"

The black horn began to shine, prompting Celestia to guard her servants, but for some reason Nightmare Moon's spell struck a pillar, shattering it and causing the servants to huddle closer together.

The way the mane of stars and night trashed about, her erratic demeanor, it all made it clear. Celestia saw that Luna was still there... somewhere.

The problem was reaching her... their powers were too closely matched for her to try anything! It could kill both of them!

The Elements... their lights had been dimming ever so slightly during the centuries, but they were still the most potent form of magic she had access to.

*****

Traitor to the Elements? Would that be the reason... No, no... NO! It- it was all for Equestria! It was impossible to know!

*****

Celestia charged her magic, not having time to catch her breath nor tend to her injured wing. The flight to the old castle now in the middle of the expanded Everfree Forest had done a number on her as her ene-opponent turned more aggressive and accurate in her attacks, making her fear she was losing her sister to the Nightmare. Equestria wouldn't survive Nightmare Moon... she had to do something! And she would not let Luna's hooves be stained with blood by some demon wearing her skin! She had to use the Elements of Harmony... on her sister.

Hiding the Elements in the old castle, under the pretense of being an ordinary old statue commemorating harmony, was a rather cunning, if simple, plan. Leaving them there was even easier. Rogue weather and wild beasts from the encroaching forest made for an excellent deterrent, and she hoped time had done its part...

The jewels shone in response to the magic she was pouring into them, but to her dismay there was no blinding explosion of light. She had little time then. She pointed her horn and fired.

They connected with one another.

This was... wrong, on many levels.

This presence was too dark. As much as Luna was attuned to the night, she also was the moon and the guiding stars; she was light as well as darkness. This? This was just a... a deep hunger, all too eager to consume.

There!

She threw her magic, and as much power from the elements as she could muster, at the part where the darkness tried to tear into another essence. She could feel it... that was Luna. She tried to surround it with purification magic, but it simply wasn't strong enough, the darkness eroding away the protective shield, anxious to resume its feast.

She could feel the Elements fading away from her grasp.

'No!' She mentally yelled. 'Please! Help me save my sister!'

She pleaded and begged, all the while pouring as much power as she could into the frail bubble that separated Luna from the evil madness.

The Elements grew dim.

'She's been there for me for millennia! I can't lose her like this!' She pushed and pressed and forced as much of herself into the spell as she could.

It wasn't enough, the beast still had too strong a grasp on Luna.

She threw herself at the darkness. 'Save her!'

She roared as she fought and tore through the abomination of magic, giving it a target other than the lonely princess of the night. 'I don't care what happens to me! Save her!'

The Element of Magic became brighter, slowly but surely.

For her sister and the world, Celestia fought with fury unmatched, mind focused into a single goal as her power was released with unrivaled ferocity upon the Nightmare. Sheer vehemence preventing the monstrosity from overtaking the shield.

She wouldn't last forever, though. She could die if she tried to do anything more -like separating them- as well.

So be it! If her life would rid the world of that thing, so be it! She would banish Nightmare Moon to save them!

The Element of Generosity flared to life, quickly followed by the rest of them. A wave of light coursed through the immaterial plane the sun princess found herself in.

The wall separating the two essences grew in strength until it was made impenetrable to the Nightmare, it being unable to comprehend the forces giving the shield its strength. Celestia was left alone as the blackness was pushed away from herself...

The moon and the stars came to her aid, lending power to the spell, as the Elements created a second wall around the demon.

A prison.

Celestia watched in abject horror as four stars wove her banishing spell into a net on top of the seal of the thing possessing their mistress, then connected it to the moon...

And pulled.

Princess Celestia stood alone in a ruined chamber, inside a weather-worn castle, in the middle of a forest full of deadly creatures.

Her mouth hung open in shock as her wide-open eyes slowly turned to the night sky.

Six lifeless stones fell to the ground as the magic powering them became dormant, but for the time being that event went largely unnoticed by the princess.

Rose eyes began filling with tears as they took in the sight of the full moon.

Engraved upon her surface, there was a silhouette of a mare with a horn.

Only one thought remained inside her mind.

'I could have done more.'

*****

Cele-princess Celestia gave off such a strong feeling of sorrow I was starting to feel sluggish. A part of me still wanted to yell at her, though it was getting smaller with each wave of misery that washed over the room.

Shining Armor was trying to speak, but the shame made him unable to even look at her sister.

Twilight was torn between the princess and her brother, though the other ponies comforted them. Ponies rely much more on physical contact... of course, I've experienced it while disguised, but not like the display in front of me, and certainly not from another changeling. The differences in society, huh?

Yeah... the education needs some updating - ponies gave me sympathy, for Pit's sake! And Fluttershy is comforting the princess while Pinkie is trying to get Shining Armor to stop brooding.

I'd like to yell some more... say stuff like : 'The Elements were at the center of everything! With them the Crystal kept us safe and fed! You ruined us!' But I don't wanna, I'm not feeling well... and that's a little speculation on my part anyways, since I've been piecing together things from the tales of the pre-Discord era.

I'd like to see her reaction when I tell her stuff like... comparing her to Discord or a windigo... the Fall alone caused great disasters as each hive did stupid things in search of power like trying to tame Scorpios instead of killing the starry bastards.

I'm getting ideas of revenge again, aren't I? I need a little more energy, before I do something really dumb.

I feel heavy... the beeping is getting slower... oh, the princess opened the door and there he was! The doctor! He's speaking, but I can't make out anything. Something about my blood? Yeah, it's red, what of it? I'm no longer under Chrysalis's influence, or else it would be green.

My forehead is itchy, right around my horn.

"Let's see, blood chemistry is compatible... this medication should help you." He said, now next to my bed, before sticking a needle in me. Well, if it's medication, who cares?

"Her heart rate is dropping far too fast." Huh... I feel a trickle of sympathy again. Things are getting a little blurry.

I want to go back to my hive... back home...

'Iris? Are you alright?'

Que-Queen Concordia?! I missed you! Oh, my Queen, it's a pleasure! Why are you speaking like a pony? Is that a nickname? Oh well, I don't care.

'I don't think you are feeling very well.'

Nonsense! I'm just a little tire- oh! Your hoof is touching me! Yay!

'This is too much excitement for you...'

No! Please, don't leave me! I-I learned about the Elements today!

'You should rest'

No! Remember? Those of us who listened to the tales dreamed with being the ones to present the Elements to the Queens! We didn't care about being their rightful Bearers, just bringing them back was enough! But they do have Bearers now!

'Shh... do you need anything?'

Oh! Don't worry- well, I'm feeling weak, I'd like some Love Honey...

'Honey?'

No- well, if that's all we have? Alright. I know things are rough. Can... can I get a hug? See, ponies give those to each other when they aren't feeling well, and- and I know they might seem unnecessary among us, but I'd like to feel a little closer to the hive.

'Like this?'

I'm scared. I can't feel anything. I'm sad, mostly because the ponies around me are sad. Chrysalis did something bad, and I got hurt. Please, please don't leave me again. I can't feel you. I just need a little more love... yes, just like that... thank you.

I've been isolated. I get the energy but I can't feel you. I'm scared.

*****

Doctor Stable's horn dimmed, the spell he had readied becoming unnecessary.

"That was quite the scare." He said, listening to the changeling's heart monitor - slower than the average they had measured previously from her, but constant. "She said something about 'the ponies' being sad, right? Maybe it had something to do with it?"

"She thinks I'm her queen; her original one." Fluttershy said, a crying changeling nuzzling her softly when she approached to hear her mumbling better. "She's afraid."

"Wait... if their blood is saturated with magic, but changelings are starving... shouldn't there be more magic inside them?" Rarity mused, letting go of Twilight slightly.

"That would make magic their blood instead of their actual blood." The doctor said, shaking his head... changelings invalidated a great deal of the usual protocol. In this case, he would usher visitors outside to get the patient to rest, but if he did he would risk the life of the patient! And it didn't stop there! If their mental stability was threatened by 'hunger', and the invading queen went crazy from switching to abundance so quickly, then it would be a rough road to recovery... and it seemed that she said something that affected everypony else during her daze.

Celestia took deep breaths as the rest of her body worked on autopilot; the composure she had trained for thousands of years shattered upon receiving a blow that struck too deep and too hard on wounds too old to bear.

"She's very afraid. Pony buildings are too bright and 'squared'... it-it seems changelings aren't made to be alone for long." Fluttershy cooed, trying to calm the changeling by patting her gently on the uninjured parts of her body. "There, there, Queen Concordia would like you to rest."

"I-I need to think." Shining Armor said, mind still reeling.

'As only you would.'

Those words would haunt him.

'... even if you betrayed them.'

Those words would haunt her.