I wish I could dream. I have heard that word many times since I've been in Ponyville. And yet my sleep is as dark as the cave I once slept in.

But not tonight.

I couldn't tell if I was asleep or awake, but I heard the voice all the same.

Come.

I was standing on stone. Was I actually dreaming?

Come!

I recognized where I was. And then I recognized the voice. This wasn't a dream.

Welcome home my beloved changeling.

This was a nightmare.

Have you nothing to say to your Queen?

"Why am I here?"

You've survived. You're stronger than others. You've managed to put yourself at the heart of Equestria. You may be of some use to me.

I didn't like the sound of that.

"What do you want?"

I want you to remain where you are. You will learn everything you can. And when the time is right, you will return to me. Together, we can take over Equestria.

An intriguing thought, but this was the changeling that had abandoned me. She had left me to fend for myself in the woods! Though power was an entertaining thought, I couldn't trust the being in front of me. So there was only one option.

"What if I refuse?"

The cackling echoed through the cave.

You would not refuse me! I am your Queen.

"Yes. My Queen who left me for dead in the Everfee Forest."

Yet here you are!

"You have no idea what I've been through over the past year. I've seen things that would make you cringe in fear. I've suffered more pain than you ever will. You think that I would come crawling back after I've become free?!"

Free? Changelings can't be free! You can only serve. And you serve me!

"Yet here I am."

Fool! You really believe those ponies will accept you? You are the enemy!

"You couldn't be more wrong."

Really? Have you become so blinded by their kindness? They will never trust you!

"I'm more at home with distrustful ponies than I ever was with the hive! And nothing, nothing you say will ever convince me to return!"

You would abandon me for those worthless creatures?!

"Gladly."

The cave shook. It was too easy to tell she was angry.

You will do as I say or you will die!!

"Kill me then!"

Oh, I will do far worse than kill you. You’re no changeling! You’re not worthy of that status! Let us see how long you survive when you have no power!

A steering pain hit my head. I felt the walls close in around me. I was going to die in this cave! I could hear Chrysalis laughing as I was crushed. The pain in my head intensified until I couldn't take it any more. I screamed.

-------------------------------------

I sat up in my bed screaming.

"Shade?! What's wrong?! Shade!! It's alright! You're alright!"

I made eye contact with Twilight, her look of worry calming me down. I took a few deep breaths, focusing on the alicorn the whole time. She sat down, putting a hoof around me in a hug.

"It's okay. It was just a bad dream."

A shudder went through my body. We're dreams always so real? I still felt some pain in my head. How could pain from my dream still exist? I put a hoof to my head. Wait... I felt my head a little more. Twilight looked up, her eyes widening.

"Shade?"

My head slowly turned to her, her expression still one of shock.

"Where's your horn?"

My hoof was against where my horn should have been. How could a horn just...

"Chrysalis."

Twilight's shock turned to horror.

"What?!"

I lowed my hoof and took another deep breath.

"She... She came to me in a dream. She must have connected with me again. And she wanted me to....to come back. I refused and she got angry. She... She said she was taking my power!"

"What do you mean she took your power?"

"My horn Twilight! I don't have a horn anymore! I can't change!"

She looked me up and down.

"You mean... You don't have magic?"

"No magic. I'm not even really a changeling anymore."

"You still look like a changeling. What else would you be?"

I focused for a minute. No mental connection. No feeling of emptiness. A smile formed on my face.

"I think...I'm a pony."

——————————

I walked down the street, humming to myself. I hadn't felt this good since... I don't think I've ever felt this good! I feel like a new pony! In fact... Iama new pony! And I'm determined to enjoy my new status.
I found myself arriving at Sugar Cube Corner. I walked in to see the Cakes working away while Pinkie was letting the foals chase her. Pinkie waved to me as I entered.

"Hi Shade! You wanna take over?"

I could see, to my surprise, that she was getting tired. As she passed me, I jumped in front of the foals.

"Gotcha!"

The foals didn't even slow down. They tackled me to the floor and began laughing.

"What happened to your horn?"

I looked up at Pinkie. She was staring at my forehead. What was I supposed to tell her?

"Well... I lost it."

"Do you need help finding it?"

"Nah. I think it disappeared because I haven't been with changelings in a long time."

I hope she bought that.

"You look more like a pony now!"

That brought a smile to my face.

"I feel like a pony. It's nice."

"I hope I'm not interrupting."

Pinkie and I looked to the doorway. Twilight was standing there with a bemused look as I had two foals crawl over me.

I shook my head.

"Not at all. What's up?"

"I've received a letter from Princess Celestia. She... She wants to meet you."

"Princess Celestia? Why would she want to meet me? How did she even know about me?!"

The alicorn began to look nervous.

"I sort of told her about you in a letter and... She wants to meet you now."

I stood up and narrowed my eyes.

"Why do I feel like you're keeping something from me?"

"I'm not keeping anything from you! Can't a princess just meet ponies?"

"Yes. But trade the word pony for a changeling that participated in the Canterlot invasion, and you get a different idea of why she wants to meet me."

"So you think she wants to throw you in a dungeon?"

"What did her letter say?"

"It said she wants to meet you!"

"Did you tell her about what happened last night?"

She didn't respond.

"Did you tell her?"

"Yes."

"So I'm a former changeling that was part of the invasionandI've had recent contact with Chrysalis! Wouldn't you throw me in a dungeon?!"

"Of course not!"

"Can you say the same for Celestia, or any of the other royalty?"

"The princesses are always fair!"

I heard sniffling behind me. I looked down to see Pumpkin and Pound holding onto Pinkie's legs. They were close to crying. I let out a sigh and looked back to Twilight.

"Let's not argue in here."

She nodded in agreement and we left.

We walked back towards the library side by side. We never made eye contact or said a word.
The library came into view. There was a chariot hooked to two pegasus guards standing in front of the door. I glanced at Twilight.

"Going to surprise me with a trip?"

"I'm sorry. I should have told you."

Yes, you should have. And now I would be forced to go back to Canterlot. We arrived at the chariot and I stepped on. The guards glanced back at me. I couldn't tell if they were afraid or suspicious. Either way, I didn't like it.
The chariot took off and we were on our way. I looked down as Ponyville passed below. Ponies looked up and waved, hoping to see who it was. Soon the buildings ended and the town began to shrink as we flew further and further away.
I sat down on the chariot floor. What was going to happen? Would I be thrown in a dungeon? Would I be welcomed with open hooves? A thousand other questions rushed through my mind as we flew, always going from good to bad and back again. What was the point of even thinking of a positive outcome? I knew what was going to happen. I would be seen as an enemy.
I looked over the top of the chariot wall to see that we were descending. I glanced forward. Canterlot! The castle towered over every other building. And the rest of the city looked alive. There were almost zero defenses, leaving the whole area at risk of invasion. I shook my head. It was those kind of habitual thoughts that would make Celestia doubt I was different.
The chariot touched down and we hopped out.

"Twili!"

I looked up to see a white stallion run up and hug Twilight. She hugged him back, a look of surprise on her face.

"What are you doing here?"

The stallion pulled back.

"Celestia asked Cadence and I to be here for this."

He turned to me.

"So this is the changeling?"

Great. Back to not having a name. I straightened up.

"My name is Shade. And you are?"

"Shining Armor. I would have thought every changeling knew about me."

Shining Armor... Ah! So this is the stallion she'd been siphoning love from. Twilight stepped over next to me.

"Is Princess Celestia waiting for us?"

"Her and Cadence are in the throne room. We're heading there now."

He turned away and led us towards the castle. I felt my nerves getting worse with each step. Now I had to facetwoprincesses?!
We walked inside, our hoofsteps echoing against the stone floor. The doors to the throne room opened as we neared them.

"ENTER!!!!"

I ran behind Twilight.

"What was that?"

She sighed. "That would be Princess Luna."

Check that.Threeprincesses. This day was getting better and better.
A quieter voice emanated from the room.

"Welcome, both of you."

Twilight smiled, walking into the throne room.

"It's good to see all of you."

Was I supposed to follow? I felt a hoof on my shoulder and turned my head. Shining Armor was nodding into the room. I walked forward slowly. What was going to happen?
When I was halfway to the end of the room, Twilight was already giving Cadence a hug. By the time I arrived she was sitting, waiting patiently. I sat next to her, unable to get myself to look at the princesses.

"IS THIS THE CHANGELING?"

I flinched at the booming voice of Princess Luna. Was she always this loud?

"Luna, perhaps you should lower your voice."

Thank you! At least Celestia was being considerate. But what about-

"So you've been in contact with your Queen?"

Cadence. I glanced up slowly. I was about to lay eyes on the alicorn that had defeated my entire race. And she had done it with love. Perhaps she would be compassionate to my... I locked eyes with her. Her eyes were as cold as the stone beneath me. I lowered my head again. If she was cold, what must the other two be like?

"You refuse to answer her changeling? You are in the presence of your conqueror!"

"Luna!"

I looked up again, but this time I looked at Celestia. I couldn't read her expression. She just stared back at me. I took a deep breath.

"I am honored you would want to meet me Celestia. And it is an honor to be in the presence of all the princesses of Equestria. My name is Shade."

Celestia bowed her head.

"Greetings Shade. Do you know why you're here?"

"I can guess. I am after all, a changeling."

"Not according to Twilight. You recently underwent a transformation, correct?"

I nodded as Cadence stepped forward.

"And this was caused by Chrysalis?"

"She wanted me to help her conquer Equestria. I refused. So she punished me."

Luna scoffed.

"She considers being a pony punishment?"

"For a changeling, yes. We're used to being hundreds of ponies. Having to remain as one pony, especially as ourselves, would be as bad as death for most changelings."

Celestia began to look thoughtful.

"And for you, Shade?"

"I'm fine with it. Changing my appearance would only get me into trouble."

Cadence walked down to me, pacing around where I sat.

"Why did you come to Twilight? Of all the ponies in Equestria, you wound up with her in Ponyville."

"When you and Shining Armor launched us into oblivion, I wound up falling into the Everfree Forest. By the time I was discovered, I was wounded and dying. Twilightbroughtme to Ponyville."

"So you're saying it was a coincidence that you were found by her?"

"When I saw her I was afraid she would kill me then and there for what I was. Do you think I wanted to die?"

"You could just be saying what we want to hear."

She walked back to her seat and sat down. I glanced at Twilight, a shocked look on her face. Something told me she wasn't used to seeing Cadence angry. I understood though. My kind had nearly destroyed her life. Whywouldn'tshe be angry?
Celestia cleared her throat.

"I would like to know more about your current appearance. You no longer have wings or a horn."

I stood up and turned in a circle.

"My wings were torn apart by timberwolves. My horn disappeared when Chrysalis took my magic."

"And what did Chrysalis say to you?"

"She offered me power. She wanted me to spy for her, to learn everything I could about Equestria. I said no."

"Why?"

"A week after the invasion, I felt my connection to her break."

Luna inched forward.

"Your...connection?"

I shuffled my hooves, a bit uneasy about revealing so much about changelings. But then again, I wasn't a changeling anymore.

"Every changeling has a connection with the Queen. A mental connection so that we can all feed. She feeds on love and then rations it to the rest of the horde. She broke her connection with me. That meant she was willing to let me die."

"So your leader considered you a liability."

"She considered me dead weight. A changeling hundreds of miles away from her, trying to siphon love off her body? I'd have done the same thing."

"You would have abandoned one of your own?"

"Yes. I'm sorry if that sounds heartless, but that's how I've thought for a long time."

Celestia stood up.

"You're saying you no longer think that way?"

I shook my head. I looked at each of the princesses. Celestia seemed thoughtful, Luna suspicious, and Cadence seriously thinking. Had I been able to prove myself? Celestia sighed.

"We will need to discuss this. Twilight, you may stay. I wish to hear your side of this. Shade, you will have to wait elsewhere."

I narrowed my eyes. "Where exactly?"

"I'm afraid until we've made our decision, you'll have to be under guard."

"Where do I have to wait?"

"I promise you won't be mistreated.”

I stomped my hoof against the ground.

"Where are you putting me?!"

My voice echoed through the room. All four princesses stared at me in shock. I took a deep breath and straightened up. I heard hoofsteps coming from behind me. A guard appeared on either side of me. I glared up at Celestia.

"Even you see me as nothing but a monster."

I turned and let the guards lead me away. I heard Twilight call out in distress.

"Where are they taking him?"

I looked over my shoulder.

"Didn't she tell you Twilight? Monsters go in the dungeon."

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