Celestia

Luna and I played six rounds of our game (I won 3, she won 3. We always tied.) before we got any information. Mom teleported in, along with a steel-colored Earth pony with teal eyes and a white mane. She was clutching a piece of paper and seemed terrified of something, but I wasn't sure what.

"Princess Twilight! You have to banish her! Or throw her in the dungeon! Or both!" she demanded of my mother.

"Whoa." I said. "First of all, my mother is the princess, and therefore, doesn't have to do anything."

"Second, you just entered a room containing two Equestrian princesses. You should be bowing." said Luna.

"Third, who needs banishment? Besides you're attitude, of course." I finished.

"That freakshow Alexandria!" she yelled. "She nearly killed me!"

"You're clearly not understanding how this whole list thing works, so let me explain. You're supposed to address all the issues we pointed out in the order we pointed them out in." said Luna.

"Yes. Apologize to our mother for making demands, bow to us, then tell us your stupid problems." I said.

"Excuse me, but who the hell are you?" she asked.

"We are the two most important ponies of your generation." I said. "We're the princesses. Show some respect."

"Dude, really? You're thirteen."

"Yes, which means I've been important for thirteen years longer than you. Follow the list. Now." I said angrily. She seemed taken aback, but complied nonetheless.

"I apologize for my outburst, Princess Twilight." she said. Quickly, she dropped to one knee and lowered her head in the general direction of Luna and myself. "I was just very… passionate in my hopes that Alexandria gets brought to justice."

"Alexandria?" asked Luna. "You mean Rarity's daughter?"

"Yes. That little mutant maimed me a moment ago." she said.

"Do you remember Alex?" I asked my sister. She nodded. "So do I. We met her once or twice, and she seemed nice enough. I can't really see her hurting anypony like this."

"You don't know that freak like I do!" she shouted.

"Watch your tone when addressing us!" I said loudly. "Alexandria wouldn't just attack you without reason."

"Are you saying I deserved what I got?"

"Why, yes, actually." said Luna. "I'm glad you worked that out."

"Can I say something?" asked Mom. "I did notice that Platinum Pendant here and her friend were giving Alex a rough time, but she still had no right to attack a fellow classmate."

"Yeah!" said Platinum.

"In that same breath, you need to apologize for picking on her." said Mom.

"B-but… I… she's… She's a dragon!"

"Yes, and you're a brat." I said. "Apologize to her."

"Give me one good reason."

"Besides the fact that two princesses just ordered you to do so?" asked Luna. "Alex has potential to be important. You don't want important people angry at you."

"What makes you think she'll ever be important? She doesn't even have a Cutie Mark."

"Her mother is an Element of Harmony. Equestria would've been destroyed many times over if it weren't for the Elements." I said. "As for her lack of Cutie Mark, that doesn't mean anything. Luna and I don't have ours yet, and we're going to be important. And just look at you. You have a Cutie Mark."

"What's that supposed to mean? she asked.

"It means you don't have any talents, and your destiny is being a spoiled baby who has everything handed to them. You'll never amount to anything." I explained. As I finished that sentence, the look of complete depression and hurt that flew across Platinum's face said one thing: Overkill.

"Tia." said Luna quietly. "Too much."

"That's not to say that you can't change that." I said quickly. The last thing I wanted was a crying little filly making a ruckus. "Maybe if you change the way you talk to people, you can find something you're good at. Something relevant. It's not too late for you."

"Celestia, please stop talking." said Mom. "Platinum, I apologize for my daughters. Can I see the letter?"

"Here you go." said Platinum, handing the note over. As soon as Mom looked at it, Dad teleported in.

"Twilight, we have a problem." he said.

"I noticed. Rarity's daughter nearly killed somepony." said Mom, skimming through the note.

"Not just that. A huge problem. I don't think Rarity is going to be particularly happy about it."

"Well, what is it?"

"Um… Let's send Platinum home, first." said Dad, giving his fingers a snap. The familiar green haze surrounded her, and before she could protest, she popped into light, disappearing from the room.

"Well? Out with it!" said Mom. "What did Alexandria do?"

"Alexandria didn't do anything, really. It's Alex we have to worry about."

"Huh?"

"King Sombra met with Alexandria and divided her personality into two different ponies, one dragon, one unicorn. The unicorn calls herself Alexandria, the dragon is simply Alex. Alex is trying to revive Sombra, who apparently died bringing her to life. I lost a coin toss, and now I have to tell Rarity." he said, rubbing his temples.

"I don't envy you." said Mom. "Good luck with that."

"You're not going to help me?" he asked. "She's going to kill me!"

"If it makes you feel better, Daddy, we'll go with you." said Luna.

"That would make me feel a lot better."

"Oh, I'm coming, I'm just not going to say very much. I have to pay Diamond Tiara a visit." said Mom.

"Okay. Let's go." I said, grasping my father's arm. We all linked up and teleported out in a flash of light.

---

Luna

We appeared in a circular building with mannequins, sewing machines, and sewing machines. A white unicorn was sitting at a table, working on a dress. Rarity.

"Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where every dress is chic, unique and magnifique! If you would please refrain from teleporting in or out of the shop, I would be happy to get to you in a moment." she said, not looking up.

"Rarity, it's us." said Dad. "I have to talk to you about something."

"What is it?" she said. Apparently, she just noticed our mother, because she continued her questioning with a little more concern. "What are you doing here, Twilight? Aren't you giving a tour?"

"Er… I'm going to go talk to Diamond Tiara. Conjure will tell you about it." said Mom, rushing out of the store.

"Twilight is hiding something." said Rarity.

"Not really. She just doesn't want to be around when I tell you." said Dad. "You should probably get Spike down here for this. It's about Alex."

"Oh my." said Rarity. "Spikey! Get down here, please! We need to talk!"

"Coming!" came a voice from upstairs. Down the stairs slid a wingless, purple and green dragon. He was pretty short by dragon standards, only about as tall as me (6 feet.)

"Okay. Before I tell you, you should be prepared for bad news."

"Bad news? About Alexandria?" asked Rarity.

"Yes. Today, she bit another student." said Dad.

"That's terrible! Why?" asked Rarity.

"Why she did it isn't important. It's what happened afterwards that matters."

"What happened after?" asked Spike.

"How do I put this? She had an… accident. She's not exactly the same as she was before."

"What do you mean?"

"Her soul has been ripped. The positive side and negative side her personality got pushed into two separate bodies. Your daughter is gone, replaced by Alex and Alexandria. I don't think I can fix her."

"What?" asked Rarity. "What did you just say to me?"

"I'm sorry, Rarity, I'll try my best, I just don't know how well I'll do." he said fearfully.

"Conjure, you are the royal alchemist. One of the most powerful unicorns in history. You're going to fix her." she said.

"Like I said, I'll try, but it might be impossible. I have no clue what I'm working with." Rarity walked over to my dad and grabbed him by the collar.

"Fix my daughter!" she yelled.

"Rarity, I think you need to calm down." said Dad. She reared her hand back and slapped my dad hard across the face.

"Don't tell me to calm down! I'll calm down when you give me my kid back!"

"How dare you lay a hand on the prince?!" I shouted angrily. She had some nerve. I was tolerant enough as to not say anything about not bowing, but the moment you hit my daddy, you've gone too far.

"Luna, relax." he said, rubbing his face. "Rarity is my friend, and sometimes friends argue. When they argue, sometimes things get out of hand. I know you're just worried and upset, and I will try my best to revert Alexandria to her original state."

"You damn well better!" she huffed. "Well? What are you waiting for? Get on with it!"

"Alright." he said. "Girls, go tell your mother that I'll be tied up for a while." He snapped his fingers and disappeared.

"Let's go, Tia." I said, grabbing her shoulder. I concentrated and dark blue aura surrounded us. We popped out of the shop, reappearing right outside, where Mom was standing. Behind her was a pony. Not just any pony. An alicorn. There weren't any of those left, not even Mom was an alicorn. But that wasn't just any alicorn. It was Cadence.

"Mom?" said Celestia quietly.

"Huh? What are you girls doing out here?" she said. She hadn't seen Cadence yet.

"A better question would probably be 'What is Aunt Cadence doing here?'" I said, pointing behind her.

"Don't joke about Cadence." said Mom, turning around. She caught sight of her sister-in-law and stepped backwards in fear and confusion. Nopony could believe that Cadence was here. It was impossible. Cadence committed suicide before me and Celestia were born.

"Hello, Twilight." said Cadence. This couldn't be happening, this had to be fake, but everything about here was right, her light pink coat, her purple, pink and gold mane, her purple eyes, every detail looked exactly like the pictures Mom showed us.

"C-cadence?" asked Mom. "How are you here?"

"The universe is big. It's vast and complicated and ridiculous. And sometimes, very rarely, impossible things just happen and we call them miracles." said Cadence. Mom started to stomp her hooves lightly.

"Sunshine, sunshine…" she began.

"Junebugs awake." said Cadence, bowing her head and covering her eyes.

"Stomp your hooves…" said Mom, stomping harder and twirling around.

"And do a little shake!" said Cadence, spinning around and shaking her tail at Mom, who had done the same. Mom turned back to face Cadence, then grabbed her by the throat angrily.

"What are you doing, Twilight?" she asked in terror.

"It's 'ladybugs awake'. Not Junebugs. What do you want, Chrysalis?" said Mom angrily.

"Ladybugs? Damn, I knew I was off." said Cadence, in a very different voice. An echoey, insectoid voice. The voice of a changeling. "Cadence" burst into emerald green flames, and when she emerged, she resembled a black robe-clad beetle with a small patch of swamp on it's head.

"Chrysalis, words cannot describe how pissed I am, so you better have a good effing reason as to why you were impersonating Cadence."

"Greetings to you too, Princess Twilight." said Chrysalis. "I always have a good reason."

"Care to let me in on it?"

"How are you Chrysalis? I'm fine, and you, Twilight? I can't complain. So, what brings you here?" she mocked. "Has Equestria completely disregarded the custom of polite small talk between visiting dignitaries?"

"I am in no mood for your bullshit!" said Mom angrily. Her eyes became fiery red, her coat a pale orange, and an unnatural heat began to emit from her body. Oh no. Mom almost never got this mad.

"Chrysalis, I think you should tell Mom what you came here for, unless you enjoy third degree burns." said Celestia.

"I'll tell you, but I can't do it here. We have to go somewhere safe." said Chrysalis, looking over her shoulder in panic.

"Nowhere is safe for you, so long as I'm around." said Mom. "I promised Silver I wouldn't go after you, but if you come running to me? He can't stop me."

"Twilight, I know I did some things that were morally questionable at best, but right now, we need to put our differences aside for the benefit of all."

"You mean for the benefit of you, right?" asked Mom. Her mane and tail glowed orange, a danger sign that she was losing control. My mom is slightly pyrokinetic, which means that under certain circumstances, she could control fire. Not much, but enough to hurt somepony.

"Twilight, I'm sorry, okay? I really didn't want to kill Celestia, or Luna, but I did what I had to do. I hated every second of it, but I did it, sort of like what I'm doing now. I hate to have to come ask you for help, but I have nowhere else to turn." said Chrysalis. Mom loosened her grip on Chrysalis slightly, just enough to give Chrysalis a little more time to explain.

"Talk. Now." said Mom, mane returning to her normal purple.

"I can't, not here. It's dangerous."

"It's also dangerous to piss me off! Spill it!"

"I'm just trying to help. If they know that I know, they'll be on me even more."

"Who will be on you?"

"My children!" exclaimed the queen of changelings. "This is about the changelings, and you have to help me in order to save them! Oh, and your precious ponies."

"Why? What are they up to?"

"They… hit puberty, I guess is the best way to explain it. I can't get into it now, but if we go somewhere safe…"

"I don't know…" said Mom, calmly. She returned to normal completely and she let go of Chrysalis.

"A true, true friend helps a friend in need…" sang Chrysalis.

"Ugh. Fine. Canterlot Castle?" asked Mom, grabbing Chrysalis by the arm.

"Sounds good." she said, linking with Mom. Me and Celestia, already knowing the destination, teleported out. When we arrived, we were in the Canterlot throne room. Chrysalis took a seat on the throne, kicked her hooves up on the hoof-rest and smiled.

"Now you can help me with the revolts." she said with a smile.