"I do not think I have ever felt so angry in my entire life..."

Pan looked over at Celestia, and nodded in understanding. The two of them were waiting with Pen Stroke in the throne room. The two royals were standing by the balcony, the chancellor reviewing a few documents a little further back. Due to the drama of the morning, the first official piece of business, 'Urchin', had been delayed until that afternoon. Given that the little lady was absolutely coated in filth, Luna had decided to give the little one a bath after the tyke had finished her brunch, and then see about getting the little one a dress to wear for her official audience with the emperor. Pan had the feeling that this was, in part, an excuse to give the princess something to think about other than the fact that her heart and mind would no longer be fully under her own control for the next year...

...As well as give her older sister the opportunity to grill the changeling (figuratively, thank goodness) about what had just transpired. Thankfully, Pen Stroke had helped in calming the princess down (Pan had honestly thought that it would be impossible to reason with the princess, but the chancellor had managed to get through to Celestia. He idly wondered if the two had some sort of a history: The princess definitely seemed to listen when Pen Stroke spoke). However, when Celestia had first walked in, Pan had been almost certain that, with the look that was in her eyes, she was going to rip off Pan's head with her bare hooves, then parade around the town with it affixed to her horn as a warning to others...

After a moment's thought, Pan admitted, "I admit, I've only ever been this angry once before, and that took some doing."

Looking at the changeling, Celestia said, her voice rising in anger, "I don't know what you could possibly think..."

"I was this angry when my brother was murdered," Pan stated, cutting her off suddenly.

The princess, shocked, seemed at a complete loss for words. After a moment, she said, "I apologize. I didn't... Blast it, I let my anger get away from me." Her expression remorseful, she asked, "Did you ever find who did it?"

With a sad little laugh, Pan said, "Yes. I was there when it happened. I couldn't do anything about it, though. The one who killed him was... overwhelmingly strong, and I was only nine years old at the time..."

"My word," Celestia gasped, horrified. Her expression sorrowful she stated, "I... cannot imagine what that must have been like."

Looking out at his city, Pan kept silent for several seconds, then said, "Even now, I can remember the laughter of the maniac who took him from me. I swore, when I looked down upon what was left of my brother, that I would make that fiend pay for what he had done, no matter what it took. And his time will come, regardless of the distance now between the two of us..."
--------------------------

...Prime timeline, five years after the death of Androctonus Bicolor...

In the modern era, the number of beings who can be considered true masters of the mystic arts is quite small. Those who possess skills beyond a true master, the rare few who have attained a level of skill and power that defies all comparison, or even comprehension, are often called 'Sage'...

And even the mightiest of sages will bow his head in the presence of the Starsmith.

The legendary sage amongst sages who forged a fallen star into a lance so great and terrible that even Celestia and Luna fear to speak its name aloud, this near-mythological figure had long ago stepped out of the limelight. He had grown weary of every snot-nosed, jumped up fool with a title above baron walking up to him, demanding his precious time and effort for a trivial task that any half-trained apprentice could manage. He had also tired of having to fight off the armies of assassins, mercenaries, and fell beasts of the underworld sent to take revenge on him, or the wannabe overlords seeking to capture him and force him to work on their doomsday weapons or arming their death legions with unstoppable weaponry. While devastating armies with his mighty hammer had been entertaining in his youth, he was no longer so enthusiastic about ultra-violent battles to the death, and he went to amazing lengths to ensure that no one would ever find him again, so that he could practice his art in peace and seclusion.

...So you can imagine his surprise when Pan arrived at his doorstep, a rucksack full of rare metals on his back, and began banging on his door.

The massive, gloriously bearded and burn-scarred minotaur opened the door after fifteen minutes, when it was clear that Pan was not going to leave. Angrily, the Starsmith shouted, "Quit banging on the door, whelp, I'm trying to work in here!"

Panting heavily, exhausted from having to navigate a nigh-unclimbable mountain range to reach this secluded hut, the changeling said, "I need something made."

Looking down his muzzle, the smith said, irritated, "I don't make weapons anymore, kid. Get lost, and forget you ever found this place." The minotaur turned to leave...

"It's not a weapon!"

The minotaur stopped, then slowly turned and looked the changeling over. "I don't make shields or armor anymore, either."

Shaking his head, Pan said, "It's nothing like that."

For the first time, the Starsmith's expression became something other than an angry scowl. A half-smile forming on his face, he asked, "Then what is it?"

Pulling open the heavy backpack, Pan pulled out a scroll, and unrolled it. Showing the diagram inside to the Starsmith, he waited for an answer. He didn't need to wait long.

With a massive, world-shaking laugh, the minotaur said, "Incredible, kid. You have my attention. Come inside. I'll pour you a beer, and we'll talk."

"Ummm, I don't drink alcohol," Pan admitted, shyly.

With another massive laugh, the Starsmith said, "You do now."

Pan gulped loudly, then nodded. When the most legendary of magesmiths, who can transform a piece of meteorite into a weapon that can challenge the rulers of the heavens themselves, tells you that you will drink a beer, you will drink a plucking beer.
------------------------

...Three days later.

The forge filled the small hut with heat, even now, six hours after the fire had been doused. It would be days before the blacksmith would be able to work with anything that was magical in nature, due to potential interfernce from the various rare and magical metals that he'd spent the last three days working with, but that was a small price to pay for building something so unique. The kid might not look like much, but he had a serious brain in that skull of his.

The Starsmith, admiring his masterpiece, chuckled. It really didn't look that impressive, now that it was completed. A small sphere, not much larger than an infant minotaur's fist. However, if you knew what was inside of it, and what it did, you'd be far more impressed...

...And terrified. With just a few minor modifications, this could be changed from a tool that would level a playing field into a weapon of limitless destruction...

"It's done, kid," the Starsmith said, nodding to himself. "Keep in mind, it'll do what you asked, but nothing more. I made absolutely certain of that: I may not have much to do with the world these days, but I'd rather not be responsible for destroying it, if it's all the same to you."

Pan, more than a little bit tipsy, nodded, then said, "Thanksh, shir. I really appreciate it."

Chuckling, the minotaur said, "No problem." He paused, then added, "And after you take care of that bastard, Winter, come look me up. I suppose I might be willing to take you on as an apprentice, changeling or not."

Pan took the object, then promptly swallowed it, moving it into his stomach pouch. "I'm honored, shir. But that's not going to be anytime shoon. I have about six years before I need to use it, and I want to be shure I enjoy the time I have, on the outside chance it doesn't do what I hope it does..."
-------------------------

Back in the Alternate timeline...

His expression softening, Pan smiled, and said, "But that's a discussion for later today. We have a great many tasks ahead of us. First, I want to get Urchin's situation taken care of: It would be unkind to keep her waiting to receive her name, having gone without one so long. Then you, your sister, and I will have talk a few things out. I think it's past time we cleared the air, and made a few plans. And this evening, we'll all have a word with the nobles about what happened last night." His eyes narrowing, he added, "I think it's time they learned what happens when they get on my bad side."
-------------------------

'Urchin', Luna was happy to see, cleaned up nicely. And her original suspicion was right: The unicorn was not naturally brown, but instead her coat was white, with a light dusting of freckles upon her face. Her mane and tail, however, turned out to be a pleasant hazel tone. After Luna had toweled off the young filly, the two made their way towards the royal wardrobe. It was just as impressive as Luna remembered it, filled with many a fine dress, as well as a number of royal vestments, including the robes of the kings of old. It did not take long to find a dress that would fit the little filly: There had been a number of princesses in the empire, over the generations, and they had ranged in size from thin to thick, and from short to tall. Selecting a lovely looking dress of green silk with that matched the filly's eyes, Luna was surprised to hear the girl gasp when it was presented to her. It took a moment for Luna to realize why...

This dress was worth more than this child would expect to earn in her lifetime... and in this room, there were dozens of dresses of even finer quality. Just the cost of the silk from one of the sleeves would be enough to feed her for a year, even if she ate like a glutton thrice a day. It was startling for the princess to realize just how great the distance between this filly and a princess was.

Perhaps she could try to do something about that...

Smiling down at the filly, Luna said, "Try this one on, little one. We want you looking your best when you get your new name."

Nodding energetically, the filly gently took the dress, then, after a moment's pause, asked, "Could you show me how? I've never worn one before..."

Luna could not help but smile more broadly as she answered, "I'd be happy to. And then, we'll see about some jewelry to go with it." The little gasp that the filly gave in response was the most adorable thing that the princess had ever heard.
---------------------------

Urchin had to admit, for the first time in her life, she felt pretty. She felt princess pretty, in fact. She had barely recognized herself in the mirror after her bath, and she'd not noticed how bad her smell had become until she'd been thoroughly scrubbed and perfumed. And the clothes! She was now decked out in a dress literally made for royalty, not to mention a pair of emerald earrings, and a green silk band around her neck with an emerald the size of a sparrow's egg at her throat. She felt like she should be sparkling with every step, or at least be shimmering. She could hardly believe that, just yesterday, she'd been digging in compost piles for food...

She was so lost in her own little world that she nearly collided with a young colt who had turned the corner. The look on the colt's face spoke louder than words how amazing the filly now looked. In spite of herself, and the fact that she shouldn't be anywhere near this shy, she couldn't help but blush a little bit at the attention. The colt's mouth was literally hanging open, clearly at a loss for words.

"Ah, Gold Coin, I was hoping we might run into you," Luna said, smiling. "This young lady and I were on the way to see the emperor. Do you know if he is still in the throne room?"

Having difficulty taking his eyes off of Urchin, Gold Coin nodded, and said, "Aye, your majesty. I was asked to make certain that all was well, and see if there was anything that you needed."

Smiling, Luna said, "How very courteous. Yes, all is well. Would you do us the favor of escorting us to the throne room?"

With an elaborate bow, the colt said, "Gladly, your majesty. Right this way."

He was kind of cute, Urchin admitted to herself.
-------------------------

Sitting upon the throne, Pan could not help but smile when Luna and 'Urchin' walked into the room. The little filly that Pan had seen last night, covered in dirt and smelling strongly of refuse, was now a distant memory. The young lady looked like she could easily be royalty, or at least nobility.

...Fitting, that.

Smiling, Pan said, "If I did not have Luna here to swear it was so, I would not think that you were the same filly I carried on my back yesterday. You look positively radiant, young lady." The filly blushed brightly, eliciting a chuckle from all gathered. "I've had some time to think on what should be done with you, and I've had a few minutes to talk things over with my chancellor, and putting our heads together, the two of us worked out a possible solution, in regards to where you'll be staying from now on."

Pulling out a scroll, Pen Stroke stated, rather formally, "After Sombra's purge of those who held a connection through blood to the royal family, a number of estates were left without an owner. Since these lands, manors, and titles are currently vacant, they revert back to the crown, until a suitable lord or lady can be found to take possession of them." Closing the scroll, Pen Stroke nodded, then added, "Plans are being drafted, in regards to what will happen to those empty holdings, and those plans are hardly relevant to this conversation. What is relevant, however, is that the emperor has, after a short consultation with myself, decided that one of those holdings, along with the estate and the title that goes with them, should be passed on to our young guest today."

The young filly's eyes widened in surprise. Grinning, Pan said, "I understand that you are a bit young to be expected to be able to run an estate all on your own. However, I am given to understand that, until you come of age, the the task of overseeing the manor and all of the holdings that come with it will be up to your guardian. This means that we just need to find you an able guardian to watch over you and your estate until you turn twenty-one."

With a theatrical sigh, the changeling said, "Sadly, I cannot fully take on the role myself. There would be talk if I were grant a filly lands and titles, then take her in as my ward. I would rather avoid that sort of innuendo. And I can't give the role to a noble, since the combination of their own holdings and yours would cause a serious shift in the balance of power amongst the nobles. I can't have that." Especially since one of them is a treacherous bastard who is going to regret ever having been born in the near future, he added silently. "A pity that there isn't somepony who would be willing to take on that role. Somepony who is above such petty concerns."

Pan was worried for half a second that Celestia would beat Luna to the proverbial punch, but the elder princess stopped herself just before she raised her hoof. While they'd not discussed this beforehoof, she was wise enough to see where this was going... and the slight smile and ever-so-subtle nod implied that she approved wholeheartedly.

Raising her hoof, Luna said, "I would be willing to take on that role. If I will be here for the next year, at least, I would not mind seeing to the upbringing of the young filly."

Nodding, Pan said, "Very good. Then that leaves only the naming of our newest member of the nobility." Turning towards the chancellor, the changeling asked, "Pen Stroke?"

Pen Stroke pulled out another scroll, then, after finding his place, stated, "The previous lady who held the title in question was named Shimmering Radiance. I doubt she would have minded our young filly taking on that name herself."

Chuckling, Pan said, "That sounds like a suitable name for a unicorn filly." With a nod, he turned towards the filly, then asked, "Does this all meet with your approval?"

Urchin, now Shimmering Radiance, had the look of a filly who had suddenly found out that not only was the tooth fairy real, but as her one millionth customer, had woken up to find a check for one hundred million bits under her pillow. Awestruck, she could only nod mutely.

"Then kneel." Once the filly had knelt, Pan smiled to himself. Moments like these, he reflected, were what made all the headaches worth it: Using the rank that he had fallen into to do something to make someone else's life better than it was. In a formal tone of voice, the changeling decreed, "Then by the power vested in me, I, Emperor Pandinus Imperator The First, Ruler of the Crystal Empire And All Who Doth Dwell Within, do hereby bestow upon you the name of Shimmering Radiance, and the title of Archduchess of the Grand Groves. Stand and be recognized."

As the newly christened Shimmering Radiance rose, Pan chuckled, then added, 'You know, I half expected your cutie mark to appear with that. Well, I suppose we'll have to wait and see: I'm certain that your mark will be impressive. We all have high hopes for you, young lady." His expression turning a little more serious again, he said, "Archduchess Shimmering Radiance, the princesses and I have a great deal to discuss in private. If you have no objections, we shall leave you in the care of Pen Stroke and his son, while we get a few things straightened out. I shall check on you in a few hours, as well as the princesses. Is that acceptable with you?"

Still too shocked to speak, 'Shimmy' could only nod mutely.

"Excellent," Pan said, nodding. He then turned towards the princesses and said, "With that important bit of business done, if nopony has any objections, we'll discuss the future of the kingdom in the royal council chambers. I am told that it is much more comfortable there. I'm also given to understand that there will be cake and tea."

Celestia brightened visibly at that, and even Luna seemed to be heartened by that bit of news. Both nodded in agreement, and once Pen Stroke and Gold Coin had left with Shimmering Radiance in tow, the three royals left as well.

None of them mentioned the fact that with this one action, Pan had essentially thumped the proverbial nose of all of the nobility in Equestria: By giving the highest possible rank in the nobility to a penniless orphan, he had essentially turned the established order on its head. Further, by granting guardianship of Shimmering Radiance to one of the princesses, he had ensured that, should anything happen to the filly, the wrath of not only the emperor, but also the princesses of Equestria, would fall upon the head of the perpetrator like a ton of bricks. That were on fire. And were clutched in the teeth of angry tigers.

He'd essentially told every noble in the Crystal Empire that the status quo was no more, and if they didn't like it, they could take it up with the ladies who make the sky move...