CHAPTER 1: SHALL MY LOVE FOLLOW YOU HOME?

It was at first a quiet day in the heart of the great kingdom known as the Crystal Empire. However, that peace was ruined by the looming overcast and ominous message which remained situated in the skies above. The moon covered the sun, and nopony could understand why. Panic had not erupted in the streets just yet, as many were skeptical enough to believe that it was perhaps a simple mistake on Canterlot's end. However the cause of these events was already in the empire, having used her talents to make her way all the way to the castle unknowingly. There she knew her goal awaited her, she sought an audience with Princess Cadence. And now, in the heart of this great empire, she had her audience.

"Who're you?" Princess Cadence raised a brow at the creature before her, wearing her appearance. "A changeling?" Further off in the distance, a quill moved all on its own as Princess Cadence paid no mind to it, allowing it to write over her piece of parchment.

The doppelganger of Princess Cadence only frowned then, before twirling her hoof a bit on the marble floor beneath her. She smiled softly then, gracefully, and everything about her possessed the same amount of beauty that gave Princess Cadence the same adoration. Princess Cadence couldn't help but cringe before the sight, knowing full-well that this creature was wearing her appearance but still able to act in such a manner, it was all distastefully charming. "Maybe Princess, do you dislike changelings?" The doppelganger glanced up at the princess curiously with a raised brow. "Do you hate changelings? Despise them?...Kill them?"

Princess Cadence, still, remained composed. "I don't see where you're going with this, obviously you're a changeling, which is apparently why you've become so defensive against my claim. So tell me changeling, what're you planning to accomplish?"

The doppelganger gave off a tired look as she just wore a soft smile. "Please don't get me wrong princess...I don't hate you."

Those faint words caused Princess Cadence to raise a brow then, "There is no other reason. Of course your kind is still bitter about your defeat in Canterlot and your failure to ruin my wedding day! If anypony has the right to be upset, it's me."

The doppelganger soon just trekked back and forth in the throne room. "I know princess. I just wanted to ask you some things."

Princess Cadence squinted at her for some time, unsure what her motives were before leaning her head back some. Her eyes widened as soon enough, an even bigger influx of guards made their way into the throne room readily with haste.

An individual guard spoke out then, accompanied by the bellied roars of his fellow, "Protect the princess!"

Princess Cadence looked to her guards worriedly before raising a hoof, "Calm yourselves my-"

But it was the mysterious trespasser whom simply went on the defensive. She cast a spell all too familiar to Cadence. It was a transparent light blue barrier which shielded her around a certain perimeter. She cast the spell with ease, and it let off a harmonic ringing melody similar to chimes blowing in the wind. The doppelganger only tilted her head to the left then. "What is love princess? I hear you're the princess of it. Your love is grace and it protects these lands, would you explain that to me?" She gave Princess Cadence a tired glare then, a menacingly frightening glare despite her size.

Princess Cadence flinched, appearing offended due to the question. Although she was also thrown off track by the changeling's magic. Was this creature really a changeling? That was most certainly alicorn magic, which wouldn't be possible for any changeling. So how was this creature before her able to mimic her spell with such ease? She leaned forward from her throne somewhat, before just speaking in a calmed tone, wanting to have a normal conversation with the creature if possible. If Princess Cadence could, she'd prefer diplomacy over violence anytime. "Yes, love does mean quite a lot to me changeling. So much so, that yes, I, nor would any of us, ever kill a changeling. You must be misunderstanding, whatever happened to any changeling was only an unfortunate consequence of their own decisions. Love is something special, and cannot be put into words so easily. It's something you feel inherently deep within, a feeling of joy, nervousness, happiness, and so much more, all possibly at once. There's so many ways to describe love to know it's one of the most cherishing things one can find. Love is happiness."

The doppelganger looked away from Cadence at that moment, to focus only on the ground for some time. She glanced back up at the princess quietly, with an actual expression which could be described as innocent curiosity. "Does love kill?"

Princess Cadence's expression twisted into one of disgust for a moment after hearing such words, "What?"

The doppelganger looked at her desperately, pleadingly almost. "Does love kill? Is it a weapon, as much as it is joy?"

Princess Cadence shook her head, desperately wanting to clear up such an insane way of thinking. "Of course not! Love isn't something as horrible as a weapon! It's an emotion of purity used to spread happiness and peace, not violence little changeling." She paused, squinting a bit at the creature centered in the middle of the room, "How could your mind even come up with such a possible conclusion?" Now she was the one whom appeared desperate, before just wondering silently.

The guards all remained focused on the barrier, their lances fastened on the target within. They however kept their postures as stiff as statues, refusing to move or even twitch as long as this creature was in range of their princess.

The doppelganger within just looked at Princess Cadence, just as baffled. "Love and peace?" She glanced to the lower left with a heavy frown and saddened eyes as she closed them soon afterwords. "I see." She appeared satisfied. "So it wasn't a lie."

Princess Cadence flinched yet again. "A lie?! What would you know? You feed on the love of others!" She yearned to argue with this changeling, the kind who not only attempted to ruin her wedding day but now also mocked the sanctity of love. For now, the princess rose from her throne, and started making her way down the steps. "Do explain your reasoning, won't you?"

The doppelganger shook its head at her. "I heard ponies think of love differently than us. I heard love guides them. I'm shocked to see it was true. So love isn't just food? It can be so much more?" The doppelganger sighed with relief, as she chuckled softly afterwords, closing her eyes. "I knew I wasn't wrong." She regarded Princess Cadence with a peaceful expression then, as if she had all the answers she needed. "Big sister always told me I was sick. But I thought, maybe I was just different." But just as she'd said that, the doppelganger let off a heckling cough, wheezing afterwords as she gagged into her bent hoof which she now used to cover her muzzle. The changeling looked at her hoof soon afterwords tiredly, noticing it was covered in a green goop. "I also think you're wrong though princess. Love can be a cycle can't it? Love took away my sister, and for your loved ones, wouldn't your love for them ensure you do all you can to protect them? Can't love bring harm to us, just as much as happiness?" The doppelganger paused, still wheezing in soft shortened breaths, as her voice even started to change. Princess Cadence observed keenly, still unsure if the creature before her truly was a changeling.

The doppelganger's image began to fuzz in and out of sight, shimmering like static and showing a more understandable believable form. It was a changeling, and she was tiny, weak, and tired. But her appearance in particular only reminded Princess Cadence of one other, and that caused the princess's demeanor to sink heavily as she could easily connect the pieces afterwords. That green gangling mane, those eyes indifferent from a pony, and that figure, that face, that lighter version of such a distastefully haunting voice. Princess Cadence muttered beneath her breath with a light scowl, "Chrysalis?...." She then leaned her head back, before squinting at the changeling. "So she had a little sister. You're only just a larva, yet you traveled all the way here to find her?" That true appearance, her words, they all made sense now. Princess Cadence however wasn't worried anymore, only curious. "What were you thinking? You can't possibly believe you can threaten me? I'm a princess, you're practically a filly."

Princess Exuvia continued to wheeze as she spoke faintly. "I know I can princess. Because I love my big sister more than anything."

This caused Princess Cadence to flinch yet again as she got uneasy due to the confidence in the child's voice. "Stand down little changeling! I refuse to fight one as young as yourself! Go back to where you came, you're obviously not well."

Princess Exuvia lowered her head. "The ponies love for one another, their subjects, their families, I'm happy I found a place where I don't feel so alien. Where love isn't just food, and it's as great as I've felt all my life." She frowned heavily, wearing an annoyed expression as she closed her eyes. "And I'm sad that it had to be you ponies who took that all away from me." She glared at the princess then, coughing once again for a second before her body started to become enveloped in a light blue mist. "Just as you would all do anything to protect those you love. I will do anything for my big sister. I will become anypony or anything if it means I'm one step closer to bringing her back! To bringing her peace! I will dethrone Equestria, Princess CADENCE!"

Soon the very castle grounds began to shutter and tremble as if affected by a great tremor. The halls and pillars shook uncomfortably as light pebbles of debris rained down over the heads of all present in the throne room.

Princess Cadence's pupils dilated at the scene before her as she couldn't understand how such a weak and frail changeling larva could've possibly caused such a magical reaction in her castle, and continue to cause it. Princess Cadence had to think on her hooves and she knew it, she swiped her hoof then, before shouting to her guards. "EVERYPONY OUT!" Before breathing heavily and regarding the little changeling before her. "I never imagined Queen Chrysalis could be the target of such affection."

Princess Cadence, manifested a scroll as she looked it over for a second, before that scroll disappeared in a poof of smoke.

The crystal guards all were hesitant, but gave Princess Cadence a salute. "But, as you wish...Princess Cadence!"

However,...

Soon the shield surrounding Princess Exuvia disappeared, as reappearing from the veil of blue mist would be a figure that sent chills down Princess Cadence's spine, and caused all of the guards to halt. Standing now in the center of the throne room would not be a doppelganger of Princess Cadence, nor would it be a simple mirage. Each and every one of them could feel the ominous atmosphere, and the frosty chill which radiated from the being as her mane of sapphire flame flowed in the now blackened throne room. A tinier version of Nightmare Moon stood in the center, as all eyes were fastened on her. Princess Cadence staggered back before her horn started to glow a radiant luminescent crystal shade, as she couldn't help but gulp but still stand defiantly. "What are you?...No ordinary changeling, not even Queen Chrysalis, was capable of such a metamorphosis."

Princess Exuvia raised a blackened hoof as she wore a blank expression. "Big sister called me a puca." Exuvia became lost in a sea of memories then, recalling when she'd first heard that word. Chrysalis would use it often, and Exuvia couldn't help but overhear it once. She knew Chrysalis thought she was special, maybe she was, she didn't pay any mind to the word however.

Princess Cadence froze then. "A puca!?"

Princess Exuvia raised a brow at Princess Cadence then, a little surprised she recognized the word. "Mhm?..."

Princess Cadence shook her head. "But puca's aren't changelings!"

Princess Exuvia blinked a bit, still a little confused. "What're you saying?"

Princess Cadence stomped a hoof defiantly, angrily. "I'm saying there's no way you can be a puca little girl! AND a changeling!"

Princess Exuvia just laughed, before shaking her head at Princess Cadence, and glaring at her in silent anger. "Liar." Then sprouting from the shadows which now enveloped the room, twisted black tendrils emerged from the infinite black, as if exiting from a sea of ebony shade and latching onto anything within its grasp. The black tendrils wrapped themselves around the guards first, before pulling them in closer towards Exuvia and slowly submerging them into the darkness, consuming their very beings as they'd writhed and attempted to escape. Princess Cadence only watched in horror and shock as her guards were slowly enveloped into shadow, disappearing as if they were never there to begin with. Princess Exuvia just lowered her hind legs before focusing on Princess Cadence. "Princess Cadence, don't be afraid." Exuvia sighed, "You still have much to answer for."

Prince Shining Armor, whom was on the outer perimeter of the Crystal Kingdom, couldn't take his eyes off the sky. He just stared at the endless eclipse, and the midnight blue which surrounded it. It all felt so cold and ominous, almost as if he were looking at an entirely different world. The scene gave him chills, accompanied by the hollow northern winds which only made it worse. Shining Armor was currently accompanied by two guards, wearing a hooded cape which he'd also used as a scarf. He felt alone out here, almost like a tiny figure under an infinite all seeing eye, as if the sky was a presence in itself, watching him. The longer he regarded the eclipse, the more he simply wanted to turn away from it and return to the castle, which he soon did. "Come on guys, let's get out of here. I'm sure Cadence is a little worried as well since we've been out for so long."

The guards only nodded in reaction, and remained situated on opposing sides of their prince.

Shining Armor continued to trek through the snow, as the three continued down the path leading towards the Crystal Empire casually. Shining Armor however appeared to be lost in thought the longer he trekked, unsure just how dire this situation might be. He often worried about the conditions back home, and how Twilight was doing. She was often thrown into the front lines of many dangerous situations considering the fact she was one of Elements of Harmony now. Shining Armor frowned. "You think too much."

One of the guards cocked a brow at Prince Shining then. "My Prince?"

Shining Armor just waved a hoof, disregarding his own words. "It's nothing, sorry about that."

But soon, appearing in the distant horizon, in view of the Crystal Empire would be a bright yellow flash.

Shining Armor just looked at it, as did his guards, as Shining's expression sunk. "C-Cadence?" The prince then simply bolted off into an extensive sprint, as he used his teleportation magic in periodic bursts forward. What the heck's happening at the castle!?

The guards followed him in suit. "P-Prince Shining!"

Time had passed by as if minutes were seconds for Cadence, and she'd lost track of it as she'd attempted to keep this creature she knew to be dangerous away from her kingdom and subjects. She couldn't let any harm befall them.

Princess Cadence and Princess Exuvia now remained situated in the air, as Princess Cadence abruptly turned away from the girl, and then bolted in the opposite direction, straight towards the regions in the northern mountains with a mighty flap of her wings. She glanced back at Princess Exuvia, whom was hot in pursuit almost immediately as she saw that she was still wearing the appearance of Nightmare Moon. Princess Cadence squinted at Exuvia then, also noticing the changeling had deep bags underlining her eyes, and her exhaustion was apparent. Princess Cadence muttered to herself, "So your magic does come at a cost." Tears swelled in Princess Cadence's eyes, as she looked ahead again. I'm sorry I was too late to react my faithful guards. I promise I won't let your loyalty and drive to protect me go in vain. I will stop this monster here and now, that I promise you. Forgive me for this Shining Armor, I can't risk you to. If this child wants a confrontation with the alicorns of Equestria...She shall have it.

Princess Exuvia flapped her wings, as she sped up, gaining ground on the princess before her. As they soared through the midnight skies, cold winds beat against their coats as Exuvia could tell that she was the one whom was getting far more affected by the hazardous weather out here in the cold north. Each flap of her wings was tiresome, yet her motivation to complete her quest was even more fierce. She paid no regard in the direction they were going, nor did she really care. She just kept her eyes fastened on the alicorn before her heading straight into the heart of the blizzard. Exuvia assumed she was being led away from the kingdom for obvious reasons, of course Princess Cadence probably didn't want to bring anymore harm to her subjects. "This is fine..."

Suddenly a thick shadow overcast Princess Cadence, causing her eyes to snap wide as she glanced back in bewilderment. There, hurdling over her would be a thick large sphere of embodied darkness, heading straight for her. Princess Cadence immediately attempted to react, "AH!" But she was far too late, as the sphere made contact with her, and Cadence felt a burning sensation scorch her body, causing her to flail and react in suit as she'd pushed herself away from the sphere which dissipated, but still caused Princess Cadence to plummet down to the icy hills as she rolled down and landed in an open field of bedded snow. Her right wing was immobile, as she breathed heavily and looked off into the distance of the thick blizzard to see Exuvia touch down some ways ahead of her. She glared at the changeling then, angrily. "You're obviously delusional, little puca."

Exuvia began a slow approach towards Princess Cadence, as they both now stood in the open field of snow facing one another, out in the pale moonlight of the full moon which covered the sun. It was a beautiful scenario Exuvia believed, and she knew this was only one milestone she'd have to accomplish in order to feel satisfied. She ignored Princess Cadence's words, and began her approach slowly, silently, still glaring at the princess intently. "It's over Princess Cadence."

Princess Cadence backed away some.

But as Exuvia felt another chill of the cold wind blow, her heart throbbed painfully as she coughed yet again. She covered her muzzle with her hoof, wheezing and breathing heavily as the cold became more severe. She shivered horribly, and simply placed a hoof over her chest, attempting to calm herself as her heart ached and she remained focused on the ground for some time.

Princess Cadence nodded, "It is over."

And emerging from the blizzard, guided by a luminescent blue light, would be another figure. That figure stood beside Princess Cadence in that moment, halting to look upon the wheezing Princess Exuvia with curiosity.

It was Princess Luna, whom wore a fiercely determined expression as well. Princess Luna spoke out, "For you."

Princess Exuvia looked upon the two with half closed eyes, tiredly as she heard the sound of trotting behind her.

And finally, emerging in the distance would be a third figure. It was none other, than Princess Celestia.

This caused Princess Exuvia's eyes to widen, in shock, as her gaze remained fastened on Princess Celestia in disbelief. Princess Celestia?

Princess Celestia spoke out, in regards to Princess Cadence. "Cadence! Are you alright? We are very grateful for your letter."

Princess Luna nodded to Celestia, "Yes, thankfully this creature was just as foolish to announce itself so publicly."

Princess Exuvia just glanced down, still with wide eyes, silently and in disbelief.

Princess Celestia spoke faintly, as the three surrounded Exuvia. "So, do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Princess Exuvia, however raised her head, looking up towards the sky for some time, before a large grin spread from cheek to cheek. They're all here. Each and every Princess of Equestria. All of them are here. Right here before me Chrysalis. She burst into wild joyous laughter then, causing each of the princesses to stagger back questioningly. Princess Exuvia just looked back at Princess Celestia first, which could only be described as an expression of pure ecstasy and excitement. "ONE," Her gaze drifted to both Princess Cadence and Princess Luna. "TWO, THREE! BIG SISTER! THEY'RE ALL HERE!" She stood on her hind legs as she spread all four hooves, "Ahahahaha!" Her laughter drew on as she soon became enveloped in a veil of pink smoke.

And soon, bursting from the ground on all sides would be stone spikes, spreading all throughout the open field of snow.

Princess Celestia immediately took to the skies as she glanced around hurriedly. "LUNA!? CADENCE!?"

Princess Cadence and Princess Luna were protected by a small barrier. Princess Luna caught sight of her sister's gaze as she looked up at her and gave her a reassuring nod, ensuring that Cadence was protected from behind the barrier.

Princess Celestia then focused back on the cloud of pink smoke before her.

As the cloud of pink smoke cleared, Princess Celestia spoke faintly, "That's no changeling."

And standing, smirking at Princess Celestia would be a female draconequus, as if a living embodiment of Discord. Then as she stood there, two single trails of blood rolled down each of her cheeks from her eyes, and she ignored it, refusing to acknowledge the strain as she slapped her tail against the bed of snow beneath her as her body shimmered with black magic.

Princess Celestia's nose wrinkled up a bit at the sight of it, as she glared right back at the puca.

Princess Cadence looked on from behind the barrier, still unable to connect the pieces. What could you have possibly been planning by taking such a creature under your wing? Just what were you up to, Chrysalis?