I watched as Koolaid gently rocked the filly back and forth. After crying, she fell asleep peacefully in his arms. That's rather nice and all, Frost knows the poor girl needs a rest, but I can't really continue my story as she sleeps. I don't really know what to do in the meantime. As soon I fall asleep, I'm doomed, so I can't really take a nap either. All that really leaves is making small talk with Koolaid, who is, well, Koolaid. Not really having the opportunity before, I stopped to take a good look at Electric Koolaid.

If I were to sum Koolaid up in one word, it would be 'Clown.' Electric has bright, lime-green fur. In stark contrast, his mane was a light pink color. The same light pink as Celes' actually. He was wearing a dark purple jacket that was too small to zip up. I'm guessing it was for style more than anything, although why I couldn't guess; The jacket only added to his completely garish appearance. His eyes were a dark orange. The kind that kinda gave you the chills if you looked at it for too long. Overall, the stallion looked like how he acts, unhinged. Remembering that ponies have cutie marks, I glanced down at his, a cup of liquid being split out turning into a haze of clashing colors. I decided to ask what was considered the best universal conversation starter.

"So how did you get your cutie mark?"

Koolaid stopped rocking Celes and turned to look at me. His tale was thumping and he was tapping his hindleg hard against the floor. Despite being on his high, he seemed to be keeping his cool. He suddenly got a nostalgic look on his face as he collected his thoughts.

"I was born to a rather poor unicorn family. Even if you are poor, if you live Canterlot, you usually are a noble, which entitles you to certain benefits."

"You're a noble then?"

"No, I'm not, and my parent's weren't either. Because of this, both of them had to work to pay the bills. Living in Canterlot is pretty expensive. When I was ten, something happened to my dad. Suddenly, he quit his job and started drinking and betting the money we had on races in Cloudsdale, probably hoping to get lucky."

"Why did he do that?"

Koolaid wore a frustrated expression, with a sigh, he seemed to relax. "I don't know. I didn't bother to find out why. I was young and angry, and blamed everything that went wrong on him. My mom didn't seem to blame him, so I guess something awful must have happened to him. I never bothered to find out why, and I guess I never will now."

"I'm sorry to hear that..."

Koolaid gave a gentle smile. "I was pretty torn up, but since I've entered this bar, I've been getting better." He looked down at Celes and stroked her mane. "Besides, instead of focusing on how things went wrong with my parents, I want to make sure I'm there for my daughter."

"So you worked it out then?"

"That she's Second Chance? Ever since I saw her I had a feeling, but what you told me pretty much confirms it."

"When you started telling your story, I started to suspect she was your daughter, but I didn't want to give you false hope."

Koolaid tightened his grip around Second and kissed her forehead. Rocking her back and forth again. I sighed, closing my eyes and rubbing them. Talking about things really did help, but today still really, really sucks.

"You still haven't told me how you got your cutie mark."

"Oh, my apologies." Koolaid straightens out again pushes his mane back. "With my father turning into an imbecile. I in turn also became a complete idiot. Alas, I was a determined idiot who wanted to make my parents happy again. So I started learning the way of an illusionist. I thought if I could entertain my parents maybe my mother wouldn't be so miserable and my father would stop drinking. Everything I did only seemed to bother my parents, but the children at school loved it. Making the other kids happy made me feel better in turn. Eventually I struck gold as I learned my Mother loved it when I played music. I found that I enjoyed making music as well. As I got older, I just put the two together the best I could."

"You became a DJ, music and parties."

"Precisely."

That makes sense I guess. I wonder if Electric Koolaid is his real name or just a stage name...

"...How long does my daughter have to live?"

Koolaid stared at me nervously. That's the million dollar question isn't it? What exactly happened to Second Chance back there? My best guess is they were going to use her life force as fuel to make her into a somewhat decent imitation of Celestia. I doubt they could get power equal to the goddess herself, but using about 90 years all at once would definitely get them close. Instead, Second got only her childhood memories and only a vague idea of Celestia's current life. When I interrupted the spell, that should have damage controlled it somewhat, but not to this degree. She's simply gone from frail and sickly to healthy. It's as if she has a natural resistance to changeling magic. The only ones who can resist changeling magic though are change-

...No.

"Koolaid, important question regarding your daughter's health." I try to calm down and look Koolaid in the eye. "How did you lose your wife, and how long ago was it?"

A flash of pain crossed Koolaid's face. "About 8 months ago-"

Ohhhhh-.

"She just disappeared-"

-hhhhh no-

"The royal guard couldn't find her. No one knows what happened to Flower Fields..."

Iiiiiit's a smaaall world afffter allllll~

I cleared my throat. "I'm not really an expert on these things, but...30 years, maybe. I interrupted the spell, and because of that it didn't affect her as strongly as it could have. That alone shouldn't have helped her to resist it as much as she should've though. It's possible she could have a natural immunity if her mother happened to be a changeling."

Koolaid's face twisted into confusion. "Flower wasn't a changeling. We were married for ten years. I would've caught on eventually. I don't think it's possible. Can a pony and a changeling even have a foal?"

"If the changeling stays in the form of a pony the whole entire pregnancy period, then yes. It's a bit rare, sometimes a changeling in disguise for a long time just puts up with it. They find it better than switching back briefly and then trying to explain to their lover how they're not pregnant anymore all the sudden."

"I loved Flower Fields, and I know she loved me back. I don't..."

'Just because I'm a changeling, doesn't mean I didn't love you.'

"Just because she was a changeling, doesn't mean she didn't love you."

Electric Koolaid quietly sat there. With what was probably the hundredth sigh that day I scooted over to Koolaid and Second and poked her gently.

"Mmm?.."

"Hey Celes, you wanna hear how this ends or sit this one out?"

"I would like to hear how this ends, thank you Elmer." She smiled gently at me.

Geez, what a strange family this is...

---

Have you ever had your brain get fried so hard that it starts mixing up your senses? Be able to taste green, see emotions, you know, have everything get real mixed up? I have never been more freaked out in my life. Reality was literally falling apart at the seams, and don't know if I was actually moving forward or tasting running. Luckily, I was actually moving forward, and soon found myself outside of the stallion's (who I now know to be Koolaid,) little...fuddle bubble; Whatever you want to call it. Looking around I saw the little filly, (Who is obviously Second,) stuck in the magic buck-up bubble. My first thought was to run off and have nothing more to do with this situation, but when I saw Second, something inside of me screamed to get her to safety. Looking back, it probably was motherly instinct, or something along the lines.

Dashing towards Second Chance, I stuck my hooves inside the bubble and lost all feeling in them. Grabbing her, I flew off towards the maze, there were a lot better places I could've probably gone, but it was the first place I saw, and anywhere to get away from here. I didn't really have a second to relax and think, as my little damsel in distress decided to buck me in the gut as hard as she could. With the wind knocked outta me, I dropped her and she bolted off into the maze.

"YOU'RE WELCOME!!!" I yelled after her.

Okay, okay, the little filly got away that isn't really all that bad. I mean, she's in the castle maze, why would Changelings even head out there? ...Then again, why is every changeling hanging out in the gardens, for that matter? With a groan I force myself up and check myself over. No real injuries luckily. Seems like the strange stallion wasn't a trained fighter or-

"HOLY OMNIPOTENT GOD NO!"

DEAD CHANGELINGS! DEAD CHANGELINGS EVERYWHERE! WHY ARE THERE SO MANY DEAD CHANGELINGS?!? AHHHHHHHHH!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-

"Bi-Big brother!"

"AHHH!!!"

I whip around and see a little changeling colt flinch away from me. Okay, okay, it's just Prince Puppet, calm down. The lime green one is gone. W-well, when you think about it. It's not like the ponies I watched get murdered was any worse. I mean, it's kinda different, I'm the same species as these guys but-

*Hic*

Oh, Puppet's traumatized, right.

"Hey kid, you alright?"

"Th-they're all dead..."

"Yeah." I pull him in and give him a hug. "Yeah that happens sometimes."

"M-my friends... They are were all my friends."

You could have the purest heart in the world, or a complete and total crazy psychopath, at the end of the day, you're a just somepony who's tired from it all...

"Kid, go back to Mom and tell her what happened."

"But-"

"Don't worry about what if, just turn into a royal guard or something and get out of here. I'll chase after the filly alright?"

Puppet rubbed his eyes looked at me. "Be careful big bro, okay?"

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

Puppet stared at me for a second longer and ran off. Geez... If the kid wasn't crazy I'd probably enjoy having a little brother.

...He just called me big brother.

"WAIT! PUPPET! HOLD ON!"

Aaaand he's gone. Does he know I'm Prince Slumber? Do they all know I'm Slumber?!? Then what about the sleeper agent?!?

...I am the sleeper agent, again. Of course I am, what was I thinking?!? Chrysalis can't make any sleeper changelings until she eats me! She could've made another prince, but she obviously spent the time making Puppet! I am the frikkin sleeper changeling, AGAIN! Oh Frost why?!? I thought I was getting away from... Why would she make me aware of being a changeling if I was suppose to undercover though? Uuuugh! This doesn't add up! Okay, deep breaths...

First things first. I put on the disguise I usually use around the castle. A earth pony by the name of Rusty Socket. My idea with him was to be kinda boring and dull looking, somepony nopony would pay attention to. Somehow, I worked my way up to being the royal treasurer. Turns out being slightly competent puts you above 99% of the nobles in this place. I think Celestia may have also liked that I wasn't a very flashy pony. It's a little hilarious that the state funds are being manage by a changeling, but whatever. I work hard at my job anyway.

I gave a serious nod to the royal guards as I passed them in the maze. If they were actual ponies, I was someone important enough they wouldn't bother. If they were changelings, they probably just assumed I was one of them. If they didn't, I could just switch back for a second and glare at them. Now that I'm actually moving, I can think-Ah! There she is!

"Hey, Lil' Filly!"

She didn't looked hurt at all. I gave her a warm smile. She was probably nervous, the poor thi-

"Did you find the filly?" She scowled at me.

"What?" What?

"Then why are you bothering me?!? Keep looking!"

Hold on a second. "Forgive me sir, but... Why are you disguised as her?"

The filly look alike groaned and face hoofed. That's a bad sign. Crap, if I just screwed up some plan of theirs that will make me look suspicious. I tried to keep my nerve as she glared at me.

"Didn't you get the order!?! There's no way she could've escaped without help! Some of us are pretending to be her in hopes of luring out her allies!"

Crap, they're catching on to me!

"My apologies sir!" I saluted. "I was unaware. I will continue my search!"

"Good." She grunted. "Now go!"

Not wanting anything more to do with changeling, I turned and hurried towards the castle. If they haven't found her yet then she was probably already out of the maze by now. Especially if she had Celestia's memories. I would be strange for her not to know how to navigate her own labyrinth. I breath a sigh of relief as I approach the front of the castle. It was a little nerve wracking to be surrounded by all those walls. Okay, now that I have time to thi-

"Yo!"

Oh come on!

"You work at the castle?"

"Yes, how may I help you?"

"DJ PON-3! Apparently the princess wanted me to play at the summer sun celebration?"

Oh crap, I can't let her into the castle!.. ...Or can I? If they want her talents for the summer sun celebration, I doubt they're going to shove her into a cocoon or anything.

"Hey, you okay there pal?"

"Y-yeah, uh..."

What am I thinking?!? Even if they're not planning to do anything to her, it's still incredibly dangerous! I need to get her to leave!

"Hey, you're looking kinda pale-"

"Pon3 right? My name is Rusty Socket, I am the royal treasurer for Canterlot. I apologize but there's an emergency going on the castle. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to go back."

Pon3 frowned. "What's going on? Does the Royal Guard have it under control?"

"Um, we're working on it."

"And what exactly is happening?"

Don't say changeling invasion!

"Griffon invasion!"

No! Stupid!

"I mean Parasprite infestation!"

"Uh-"

Better! Now just ask her to leave!

"I'M NOT A CHANGELING!"

NOOOOOOOOOO-

"OKAY! Okay! Calm down dude! It's okay! I believe you."

"R-really?" Breathing a sigh of relief.

"Yeah!" Pon3 gives me a smile. "I mean, I live in Ponyville and I know how crazy parasprite infestations can be! It's alright bro, calm down! I dunno what's up with the changeling or griffon thing, but if you really were a changeling you would glow red on a detection spell."

My whole body glows red as she lights up her horn. Her smile disappears.

Oh crap.