“So…why did your, mother and, father agreed to have this…Doctor Love pony become your god-father anyway?” It had been a couple of days since Lance and I set off on our journey. For the first day, I barely said anything, just walked, and answered a few things that needed to be answered. (Or just to pass the time quicker for us) Flashes of what my dad looked liked crossed through my mind every time I thought back to him. Just remembering how he looked, like an old stallion, unable to move that much; and confound to his bed like that. Heck, even when he was very sick, so sick that he was puking, dad was never in bed. He was like one f those ponies who couldn’t sit still, always on the go. As I said…seeing dad like that, It was hard. I hoped Rainbow Dash got the cure in the record time like I was told. It would still be a long time before dad was back to his old full self, but still; it was better then watching him waste away to nothing. When ponies would cross path with us, I would quickly change, not by much mind you. I made my body a black unicorn coat, and filled my holes as I did so. It was an easy small transformation; that didn’t require a lot of my love storage. But mostly, if I could, I always went as my true Changeling like self. Even though I did have nearly a lot of love inside my body, still, I didn’t want to risk over using it on things I didn’t need to always do. “I mean, from what Lighting told me…he’s well… a sex crazed unicorn.”

“Oh he is,” I answered shaking my head. “Nina and I, we considered him our uncle in a way, he’s been to every last one of our birthdays, holidays, you name it. But, he is also the closet pony that dad truly trust to take care of us if something were to happen.”

“I see…” he answered looking ahead. Canterlot was just up the way, from what I understand, beside the train from Ponyville going up through the hills and such; there was now a walkway and such. Yes it took longer, but by the time the train was there and back, it too the same time to walk. And beside, we didn’t have the bits, nor did we start from Ponyville ether.

I Remembered coming here a lot when visiting Doctor Love with ether dad, mom, or as the whole family, so I knew the area rather well, for this placed never changed that much. And also, as we walked, at times I would notice air ships, bearing the mark of my home, going in different ways. Lance told me these were ponies who needed a place to stay, or were too many beds filled to take the wounded or sick. At least the only ponies who were killed, were a few, and were the guards who sworn to protect the lives of those inside the walls of the city.

“He’s a good pony, don’t get me wrong,” I answered Lance after a while. “Sure he is a little…random at times; but he knows when not to go too far…at times,”

“Do I even want to know?” he asked me as I chuckled shaking my head.

“No…you don’t.”

We kept on walking, soon entering the grand city of Canterlot, looking around as we did. Many of the unicorns here just watched us with weird, distasteful. Mom was right, the ponies of this place were very high class, and if you didn’t look the part; they looked down at you. Some just kept out of our way, I mean, I would too if I saw somepony wearing a weapon that was showing a bit from their cloak. “So where is this Doctor Love, at then?” Lance asked me as I looked back at him, as we made our way through the streets. I had long since reverted to my pony self to keep any prying eyes off us, seeing how my home WAS attacked by Changelings not even a week ago.

Looking back at Lance, after he asked me his question, I pointed forward a bit, a little bit to the left of where the castle was. “He lives and works in that area over there,” I answered him as we kept on walking down the street. “I’m guessing a few blocks away maybe and we’ll be there…and oh, be warned about what type of job he does.”

“What does he do for a living?”

“You’ll see.” I sated as we kept on walking.

After a bit, I noticed a small group, four in totally of the Canterlot Guards making their way toward us. Was it because of our weapons, and our cloaks? “Stay you two,” one of them spoke as we stopped at once. I know for a fact that I didn’t wish to cause trouble here. “Sate your names,”

“I am Lance, guard of the Crystal Empire,” Lance spoke holding hoof over his chest. As I then did the same.

“And I and Shadow Knight, son of Lighting Knight,” after placing my hoof back down, the guard nodded.

“I thought as much,” he answered. “Word came to the princesses that you two were coming, and they wish to speak to you before you travel onward on your way.” Before ether I or Lance could speak again he then went on. “It would be wise to speak to them first before doing anything else.” I turned to look at Lance, the earth pony nodding his head sharply as I nodded back. After agreeing with the guard, he turned and started to escort us toward the castle.

“Your Highnesses,” The guard escorting us bowed on his forelegs as me and Lance stood before the three Princesses. Standing in the middle, the largest of the three, stood Princesses Celestia, her pinkish white coat stood out from her gold shoes and necklaces and crown. Her mane having different shades of color, flowing through the air as if wind was pushing along it, and her tail. Her wings were pressed to her sides as she looked to the guard and nodded. On her right was her sister, Princess Luna. Her coat was that of a dark blue, in a way, dark like the night sky. Like her sister’s mane and tail, it flowed in the air, but her mane and tail were two shades of blue, the middle, looking like stars. Her shoes, necklace, and crown that of black. The last was the newly princess, Twilight Sparkle. Her coat was that of a shade of purple, as well as her mane, a darker shade, with pink streak. Her eyes held wisdom, and her crown was that of the Element of Magic. She hadn’t aged at all, a sure sighed beside the horn and wings that she was indeed an Alicorn. “I have brought the two you wished to speak to,”

“Thank you Sir Guard,” Celestia spoke, her voice holding much wisdom. “You may return to your post,” he bowed his head once more and turned, walking between me and Lance as he did so, the mighty doors closing behind him. “Welcome Shadow Knight, and Lance,” Celestia spoke out as she and her sister and Twilight descended down the stairs. “I do wish we were speaking on much better and less grim terms.” The Princess of the Sun, eyes locked onto mine as I flinched back a bit. “You look much like your father,” she told me. “You may lower your form; you do no have a reason to fear us here.”

I gave her and the other two a look; I knew that they knew of my Changeling form, because dad would send letters at time to the princess, (mostly to Twilight Sparkle because of her wanting to learn about how I am) and such. Though, this was the first time I had been before the three, face to face. I nodded as I took off my cloak so they could see, my body shuddering as the flash of fire of green covered my body. My coat becoming the hard black shell, my wings showing once more, my mane and tail returning to normal, and my curved horn shown. Some of the guards around me and Lance flinched and ready to raise their weapons, when Celestia stopped them. “There is no need to fear,” she spoke, this time to her guards. “We knew of what Shadow was, and he is not like the Changelings you have grown to know.” She held her hoof up toward the guards making them slightly relax, but not fully at the same time. The large Alicorn moved over toward me and Lance, the other two staying back for the moment as I watched Celestia. When coming here with my family during the years, I had seen the sisters many times when they would come out and speak to their subjects. Never once did I meet them as I was now. To what they wanted from us; it was unknown.

“Welcome Shadow Knight, as well as you Lance,” she spoke, nodding her head slightly. “I am…deeply sorry for what had transpired, I wish there were more we could’ve done, to prevent the loses of what had happened in the Crystal Empire. But such things are even out of the control of even Alicorns.”

“I understand,” I spoke. “Just knowing that you could do what you could, says enough for me.” She gave me a small smile, before I went on; tilting my head to the side as I spoke. “But…if I may Princess Celestia, why have you asked to see Lance and I? Is there any truly needed reason as to why you have summoned us?”

“Near a week ago,” she sated walking back to the other two. “We received a letter from Shining Armor, saying that you, with the pony named Lance, were on a mission to rescue your mother and sister…again,” she looked down, a great sadness in her eyes, even Luna and Twilight shared these looks. “I am deeply sorry for what happened.” Luna then walked up next as she spoke.

“You two have traveled a long ways to get here, and we know why. The words of Changelings being in the Everfree Forest did not pass us; and we went as well to see. Though they seemed to have been a step ahead, for all Changelings were gone.” I sighed to myself. Still, I would have to go there, just to see if I could find some sort of clue. “And after such a long track to get from your home to here, we would like to offer you a hot meal, and a bed to sleep in.”

“I thank you for the offer,” I answered. “But I…huh, what?” I felt Lance tap my shoulder as he whispered.

“Shadow…we should take their offer…now before you get all huffy about it, let me say something.” I frowned, but nodded all the same. “We’ve been on the road for a while, our supplies are nearly gone. A day or two to rest and restock is just what we need…and didn’t you say you had a girlfriend here or something?”

He was right…Crystal…how was I to face her? I killed her father!

I know, every time I went back to that time, where I killed him, I thought back to saying ‘I had no choice, ether him, or me,’. But…I still killed him, and it changed me forever, I now knew what my father spoke of when he said killing was never easy. When I slept, I kept seeing it over, and over again, running through my mind of my killing Quake! I would wake up in shakes, I couldn’t breath. Even now I was having a small problem breathing just thinking of this! No doubt, the princesses could sense what was wrong with me, and after a while of convincing, I gave in…maybe a few days here would help; and I still needed to speak with my god-father…and Crystal.

After being settled into my room, a few servants came to ask if I needed anything. Inside the castle, I stayed as my Changeling form, and I could sense that it was scaring them slightly. When en I at last got them to leave, I took a moment to look around my room to see what I had within. The bed was large, that was the first thing I noticed, I mean, my bed was pretty big back home, enough to fit me and maybe two others, but this one, I swear, its like I could toss and turn all night and not fall off! A large glass door a bit off to the middle wall, leading to a outside area, small, but enough for myself and three others to speak outside if we wanted to. it was still bright outside when I quickly checked. Closing the door softly, I looked about once more, seeing a desk, with a scroll and a quill with books beside it. Along the wall closer to the door, my armor and sword hung there. I was about to go and sit down, before a soft knock, came from the door. “Come in!” I called out, going toward the bed. When the door open, I was shocked and surpised at who I was seeing…Princess Luna.

She was the younger sister of Celestia, so it made sense that she was smaller then her, but, she was still a bit taller then me. I remembered father telling me of how she wanted both mother and him dead, I could understand that, but she didn’t give them a chance at all! only her sister and a few others. Though, at the end, she did see them for what they were…but what was she doing here, what possible reason could she have, of speaking to me? “Have thy settled in well?” she asked me as I gave a small amused look, it seemed the stories were true, she still spoke much like in the old ways. Though, I guess it was because she was trapped for one thousand years on the moon, so she couldn’t have known at the time of the way we speak now. It baffled me, as to why the Night Princess was here, what could she want with me?

“I have Princess Luna,” I spoke, giving her a small bow as I did so. “Thank you for asking. And if it is able, could you please thank Princess Celestia as well for giving Lance and I these rooms to stay for the few days?”

“I shall relay the gratitude,” she answered me with a small smile. “But, I would like to speak to you, if this is able?”

“Of course,” I told her as I got off the bed. “What is there you wished to speak to me of.”

She was still for a moment, before once more starting. “I…I would like to tell you, how sorry I am for the lost you have received thus far.” She looked away before at last saying. “Though, I do wish this world were that of a true peaceful one, things such as these are painful to see.” She then looked to me before asking. “When word reached us as to what happened, I was glad not as many as we thought were taken from this world. Though, any death, is not worth celebrating.” Yes, how true she was of this. “And I’m sure the one who is known as Rainbow Dash,” she went on to say. “Shall gather the cure needed for your father, and save him from a impending doom.”

Now It was my turn to say nothing, the words she choose, hitting a cord within my being, sensing this, I saw her look as she shook her head. “Forgive me…I did not mean for that to come out as it did so.”

“No…no it is fine,” I offered her as she looked up to me. “I know you didn’t mean it as such, I too also hope that the cure reaches him in time. He is my father after all.” after a moment of nether speaking I then asked. “Was…that all you wished to speak to me of?”

The way she looked at me, I knew she wanted to say something, but it was as if she couldn’t at the same time, like something she held deep within her heart. She at last took a deep breath before saying. “You…already know how I felt about your mother’s and father relationship but then, yes?” The fact you wanted them dead because you thought mom was controlling him and that all Changelings were the same. Yes, I greatly knew of that, having read dad’s own book when he was imprisoned. When I gave her the nod of my head she too could only nod back. “Truthfully, I thought back then that all changelings were alike, much like Chrysalis was when she tried to take Shining Armor, and as well as this Kingdom…such a vial one she was.”

“She did it for her subjects,” I pointed out as she looked to me. “I am not agreeing with her terms, but tell me this, if your subjects were in need, and a kingdom had it, it you were desperate enough…you would’ve done the same.” She said nothing as I sighed. “If you came here asking for forgiveness, it is not in my place to give it. yes you did judge my mother and father wrongly, but it was them, not me.”

We stared at each other for a long moment, before the Princess of the Night slowly nodded her head. “Forgive me then,” she answered bowing her head slightly. “I…I did not wish to make it seem like I was taking the easy way out by trying to apologize to you, and not to them. I do hope, that one day, I may look them both in the eye, and tell them, how much I was wrong of them.”

“I’m sure you will princess,” I told her with a small smile. “I’m sure you will…but if you excuse me, I…have somepony to see, before Doctor Love.”

“The daughter of the one you killed?” I slightly flinched as I slowly nodded my head. “We received a letter from Shining Armor, a detail letter of what happened. This letter was to be forward to the one known as Crystal Glimmer, but what possible…”

“She’s my mare-friend,”

The air about us grew still as I saw Luna slowly look away. “I…didn’t know, it must’ve been painful…” I could only nod my head. “The letter sated he was under the control of one of the Changeling Queens, studies to the body showed as much, but…it was left out who killed him, and now I see why.” She looked at me again. “I shall ask my sister, and also Twilight Sparkle not to tell them the name of who did it, this choice, is along your shoulders.”

Holding my pony form up, meaning that of a full black body coat, much like when I walked into the city first, I copied my father’s cutie mark as I wondered through the streets of Canterlot. I always did hate this place so much; it felt like all of their eyes were locked along you, watching you, judging you without saying a word at all. these were all upperclass ponies, and you could tell by the way walked, seeming to push their chest out, not a care in the world other then their money or looks…I hated it. I bet they didn’t even care what was going on, or the other ponies coming here for the help they needed.

After a bit more walking, I came to a large building, the home of Crystal’s grandparents. My body felt tensed, like I was going to meet them for the first time all over again. Taking a deep breath, I slowly closed my eyes, and knocked on the door, slow, but a bit too loud. “Coming!” I heard a voice from inside, remembering it was the voice of her grandmother, of Sky Blitz. Soon the door opened, and showed the grey Pegasus looking at me. Her eyes…seemed darken, and I knew why. She looked at me, tilting her head to the side, but before she could say anything, I changed my eyes colors, to that of one she saw me in, my Changeling eyes. “S…Shadow?” she asked as I nodded with a soft smile. “Come in, come in…what are you…?”

“I’ll explain later,” I answered coming in. “Do you mind if I use my Changeling form?”

“By all means yes, but are you alone, what of your mother and father, or your sister you spoke about what…” she stopped, as I looked away, my actions, no doubt speaking more words then what any verbal ones could. “Are they….”

“Mom and Nina were taken,” I whispered. “Dad…posion.”

She said nothing for the moment, the air, still, the only sound heard, came from outside in the streets, the clamors of ponies going about their daily duties. “What of Crystal?” I spoke at last. “How…is she?” I had to pretend, to not know of the letter sent to them, if she knew, then she would ask questions; questions I did not wish to answer.

“Quake, was killed,” she spoke…the sadness and grim in her voice. “A letter, came in, sating what had happen, that he was being controlled…the only thing they left out; was the one who killed him.” Sky looked away from me, tears slowly running down her cheeks. “His body came a day ago, and we had to bury him…a mother should not have to bury their child.” She wiped her tears. “But no…Crystal…she’s been in her room, only at her father’s grave did she come out. other then that, I’m afraid if she is truly eating.”

“May, I…?”

“By all means yes,” she answered, with more of a plead then a agreement. “Maybe you can help her!” I surly doubt it…

Climbing up the stairs, and stopping at the room I was told, I took a huge deep breath before knocking. “I don’t want to be bothered, Grandmother,” I heard her call out, her voice, so shallow… “Just…”

“…It’s me, Crystal,” I heard a huge intake of air from the inside, followed by a thump of the floor before the door was swung open quickly. Crystal…her mane looked a mess, her face, mated with dried tears, her eyes; bloodshot. She looked to me, and I to her, before she then threw her arms around me quickly and held me close. I brought one arm slowly up, and held her, as she then broke down into tears.

“You haven’t been eating much,” I spoke after closing the door.

“I don’t feel like eating,” I looked about, finding food that was, looking rather fresh. A simple orange and toast, well; the toast looked stale slightly.

“Just eat the orange, please?” she looked to me, then to the orange, before nodding. She took it in her hooves and slowly peeled away the skin, before the soft squish like sound of her consuming it; was heard. Her room was a mess, things, looking like they were thrown all about. Like someone enraged. I could see broken pieces of crystals about as well, well, in one section of the room. Even her bed, even though she looked like she didn’t get much, if not any sleep whatsoever.

We just…talked, I told her why I was here, the look she gave me, shocked, fear, sadness…I couldn’t tell, all I knew, was that she didn’t want me to do this, even when she verbally said it; I knew it before hand. But this was something I had to do, I had to go and try to do something…I just had to! “I hope whoever killed father is alright,” I jerked and looked to her, we were sitting on the egde of her bed, she looking down before saying. “We knew everyone back home Shadow…so…nine times out of ten, whoever killed him, knew of him. Or were friends with him in the guards.” Oh you have no idea Crystal…no idea. “I…I know father was being controlled after reading that letter…how could’ve I been so blind to see the sighs?!”

“Don’t blame yourself, Crystal.” I answered placing a hoof on her shoulder. “How could’ve anypony knew this would happen?” I looked to her, seeing her looking away before she then said.

“I think…it’s just this feeling I mean, but I think daddy knew this was going to happen.” I remembered talking with him, that night I came to dinner. He knew alright, but I think he knew far more when he was under the control of Cocoon or Chrysalis. Maybe in the back of his mind, even if they tried to make him not know, I think he really did know. As strange as it sounds. Mother told me long ago that we have to be very careful if we were to take full control of somepony, that we know what we are doing. Or something like that happened with my grandfather, when he was controlling my grandmother, could happen.

“Whatever the case,” I spoke rubbing her mane out of her eye. “If he did know…then he kept you and your grandmother safe…”

“I supposed, but…it just…it just hurts,” she clenched at her chest softly as i looked down once more; before pulling her into a hard hug.

Afterward, we just…talked. It was strange, going from what we were just speaking of to a whole new topic, or topics. She asked how long I would be saying, and I told her a few days. She asked if we could spend those few days together, and I agreed. Telling her I was staying at the castle, she was slightly surprised, if the look she gave wasn’t clued in enough. “So who are you looking for?” she asked, having told her after a bit I was also looking for someone to help.

“He’s my god-father,” I answered. “Name is Doctor Love,”

“You mean…that pony that opened that…oh…”

“Yeah…the same one, really though I’m surprised I haven’t…” WHACK!

We both jerked, Crystal screaming in shock as I just help my jaw dropped. Does he have bat ears or something?! His cheek pressing along the glass window, a wide grin along his face. He looked just like he always did, as if time hadn’t even touched him for some reason, still wearing the trademark red tux he was known for. His grin was impossible wide, before waving as he said. “I’m baccccccccccccck!” he yelled out. “Did you all miss me?”

Author's Notes:

Dear bloody god! I am sooooo sorry for such the long wait, just so much stuff was happening and at long last I found my passion to write once more! and I think the title of this chapter, is also a double meaning