It's been one day since Rainbow's Solar Knight training, as well as her confession as to her crush on Twilight, and said cyan alicorn was working on shielding spells, similar to those Shining Armor, who knew of the Knights, but wasn't one, due to his position as Captain of the Guard, had done just before the changeling invasion and the more, ahem, statistically less safe combat spells. as Rainbow still wasn't used to the concept she may very well have to kill someone.

She was currently working on casting both at the same time, which was difficult due to the fact magic shields were created to stop all spells from all directions, including from the inside.

"Come on, Rainbow," Spitfire said. "Even Soarin and I got this in an hour."

"Well I'm not you two, now am I?" Rainbow retorted as she tried to fire a spell out of the shield, which only resulted in said spell dispersing on the magic dome.

"It is quite alright, Rainbow," Celestia said. "Even Luna and I had trouble with certain spell combinations when we first tired them. Even Twilight once had trouble with those types of spells." A small smile came to the solar alicorn's face as she recalled that even, which ended in a burnt cake, cold tea, and a destroyed wall.Her expression then became sorrowful as she remembered the reason Rainbow was now an alicorn. "If only I had told her," she said, referring to the fact she regretted keeping her and Twilight's relation from her.

"Told her what, Princess?" Spitfire said, bringing Celestia out of her thoughts.

"Told Twilight that I'm her mother. Perhaps then, we wouldn't need to worry if Twilight truly has become corrupt, or if it is simply a misunderstanding."

"We could always ask her legal parents if something's up," Rainbow said, her shield still up. "You know, see if she's been acting weirdly. She did go to visit them after that summit, and again a day after that."

"That may very well work, Rainbow," Celestia said. She turned to the two wonderbolts and said, "I want you two to pose as reporters, and go to the light family house, and see what you can discreetly get as to if something is wrong with Twilight."

"Yes, Ma'am," they said, saluting. "We'll do our best," Spitfire said before they walked away to follow through on their orders.

Celestia then looked to Rainbow and said, "That's enough for today, Rainbow. You've been trying it for nearly three hours, and the fact you're still on your hooves is impressive."

Rainbow stopped the spell, panting heavily, and said, "Thank you, Princess."

"Of course, Rainbow," Celestia said, smiling as she did so. "What's been on your mind since yesterday, Rainbow?" she asked, noticing Rainbow's saddened expression.

"Oh, nothing, Princess. Just. . . thinking on some stuff, is all."

"Oh," Celestia said, moving beside her most recent student. "Like what?"

"Honestly? Do you remember me telling you about mt biggest fan, Scootaloo?"

"Yes. May I ask why you ask that?"

"It's just, well," Rainbow paused, not sure how to say what next. "Well, I told you she was an orphan, right?"

"Indeed."

"Well, there's a reason I get along with her so well, and it might have to do with that small fact."

Celestia was about to ask what she meant when the words registered, but she had to ask to make certain. "You'r one too, aren't you?"

Rainbow laid down on the ground. "Yeah. Never knew my parents. A few times in cloudsdale, when I was a filly, I thought I saw a stallion that had my hair, and thought he was my dad. When I last went there, I was able to track him down, and, with a small illusion spell Twilight cast on me, I asked him if he had a daughter, and he said no, that he had never even been married. I guess I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up, huh?"

"That's for you to answer, but if I may ask, what brought it up?"

"Just that everpony I know has family, and I don't. Scootaloo, at least has an aunt she stays with. Me? Nopony. You have family in Princess Luna and Cadence, even Twilight, and she has a large family. All of my friends have had somepony to care for them." Rainbow began to tear up, but a white wing draped itself over her. She looked and saw Celestia sitting next to her.

"Rainbow, I know my words can't fix the pain you went through as a filly," she said, "but I think I have something that may bring both of us happiness."

"What's that?"

"Well, ever since Twilight became a princess, which she should have been to start off with, I suppose, I've wanted to spend time with her, as a mother should, and you have always wanted a parent, correct?" Rainbow nodded. "Well, I just had a thought, if you're willing. If you are I was hoping to adopt you."

"But Princess, why? If I do, then what about Twilight? Wouldn't it be considered incest or something?"

"I suppose, if you just look at official records, but one thing you must know, Rainbow, is that there have been siblings, one of whom has been adopted by the others family, that have gotten married. It's so commonplace in Equestria, I'm surprised you haven't heard about that until now. The way most ponies, even some nobles, actually, look at it, is that as long as you aren't related by blood, it's not incest, even if others prefer to go by legality."

"I appreciate the offer, Princess," Rainbow said, "but I don't know if I should. I need some time to think on it."

Celestia let a small smile escape. "I understand, Rainbow. "Take all the time you need. I can wait for an answer."

"Thanks," Rainbow said. Celestia began to get up, but stopped when Rainbow said, "I do kinda still want you to sit next to me, princess."

"Of course, Rainbow," Celestia said as she sat back down and draped a wing over Rainbow.

The two sat in silence for a few minutes before Celestia said, "I do know for a fact that Twilight is one of the former, if it helps you decide."

"A little, but I'm going to see what the others think. As subtle as possible, obviously, but still."

"Of course, Rainbow. Take all the time you need. And you don't need to call me princess, Rainbow. You are still one of my daughters friends, even if she's been corrupted."

"Right, I'll try to remember that," Rainbow said.

"That is all I ask," the solar alicorn replied.

A few more minutes passed by in silence before Rainbow spoke up. "Uh, Pri- I mean, Celestia, is it okay if I ask Twilight out?"

Celestia smiled. "Of course you can, Rainbow," she said. "Who knows, if Twilight is corrupt, then you may be the one to free her."

"I hope so," Rainbow said, though it was with a small smile on her face.

The moment, though, was interrupted as Pinkie came hopping in. "Hey, Dashy," she said, not surprised at all that Rainbow was an alicorn.

Rainbow jumped and turned, saying, "Pinkie, what are you doing here?! This isn't just an area of the castle you can enter when you want!"

"Well, obviously, if you're just a normal pony," Pinkie said with her usual smile. "Only the princesses and Knights can come when they want."

"How do you know about the Knights?" Rainbow asked, lighting her horn and charging a stun spell.

"Stand down, Rainbow," Celestia said as she got up. "She knows of them because she is one."

"What? Then why does she still look like an earth pony when she should look like an alicorn?"

Pinkie laughed. "Because I'm not a pony, silly," she said before she was engulfed in green flames. When they faded, a changeling with pink chitin and blue eyes with yellow wings stood where the party pony once stood. "I'm a changeling. Why else do you think I wanted to be everyponies friend back in Ponyville?"

Rainbow was about to say something before her face took on a look akin to trying to process a lot of information, which, technically, she was. A minute later, she said, "That does explain a lot." She turned to Celestia. "And why wasn't I told. Pinkie's one of my best friends."

"Because I was afraid you would want her to be either killed or imprisoned when you first found out. The fact you aren't now, honestly," Celestia said, "is a little surprising."

"To be fair to her, Princess," Pinkie said, still smiling, "she's gone through a lot in the past two days, and it might have made it to where she didn't act on instinct, or at least not as often or quickly."

"Yes, I suppose," Celestia said., getting up. "Now, what do you have to report?"

"Well, the changelings in Ponyville, the idiots they are, are getting something ready. None of them know that I saw them at a meeting in, get this, Twilight's castle. With Spike being the one recording it. That means either she doesn't know this, unlikely, seeing as how just the slightest pressure from her will make Spike tell, or, and this is the more concerning one, she knows, and let's it happen, which begs the question as to why, and I doubt it's a party."

"That is cause for concern," Celestia said.

"Yep, which is why I sent a message out to the other changeling Knights to let the Knights they work with about what's going on, because if Twilight's been corrupted, then things are going to get sad and depressing."

"Good," Celestia said. "Tell them I want them to conduct investigations as to if there are any other changelings."

Pinkie saluted and said, "You got it," before flying away.

"Still a little weird," Rainbow said, "but at least this explains a lot about how she has her abilities."

"Yes, I imagine it does. Even before I recruited her, a few months after Luna's return, I knew she had unusual abilities for an earth pony, and learning she is a changeling explains most of them. The only one it doesn't is her pinkie sense."

"I can imagine," Rainbow said before spreading her wings. "Well, see ya later, Celestia. Need to plan the date," she said before jumping into the air and flying off.

As she made her way to her room in the Solar Spire, Rainbow began to think over what to do for the first date with Twilight. She figured they'd go somewhere they both liked. Doughnut Joe's, maybe.

"Okay, so definitely going there," she said as she landed, "but what if she doesn't want to go there? Then again, it has been a while since she went there, and she did say it was her favorite restaurant in Canterlot, so that's doubtful. And I'm turning into Twilight." Rainbow walked into her room and laid down on the bed in the back of the room. "Okay, now that that's decided, what should I wear," she said. "Wait, why do I care? We're naked to begin with."

Rainbow was on her bead a few more minutes before getting up and, casting the illusion spell, hid her horn and left her room, and made her way for her friend's rooms so that she could see what they thought on the whole incest/not incest thing. She knew Pinkie wouldn't care so long as those involved were happy. Twilight, according to Celestia, any way, was accepting of ponies like that. The others? Who knew?

As luck would have it, she ran into Applejack on her way to the rooms. "Oh, hey, AJ," she said.

"Hiya, there, Dash. What'cha been up to?"

"Not much," Rainbow replied. "Listen, can I ask you something?"

"'Course ya can," Applejack said. "What is it ya wanted to ask?"

"Well, you see, I have this friend back in Cloudsdale. Her name's Blue Thunder, and she recently got married to a stallion that was her adoptive brother. I asked her family and her other friends on it, and they said that as long as she was happy, they would be, and it got me wondering as to what you and the others think of that. If it could be considered incest or not, I mean."

"And you want ta know what ah think on it?" Applejack asked.

"Yeah," Rainbow said sheepishly.

"Well, I'm not for it mahself, but if that makes other ponies happy, then to each their own, so long as it's not in the apple family," she said. "That help?"

"Yeah, a little," Rainbow said before she started walking towards the rooms. "Thanks, AJ!"

"No problem, RD," Applejack said. Hm, that's a little interesting, the farm pony thought. Might want to keep a eye on her, and maybe ask Empress Twilight to look up records for her friend. Something just didn't seem right with that story. Applejack then made sure to follow Rainbow as she talked to the others, as she asked the others, meaning Rarity and Fluttershy, the same thing. Fluttershy gave a similar answer to Applejack's. Rarity went the legal way of looking at things, but hid it well, saying that it was very unorthodox. Both of them saw Applejack, and followed Rainbow with her to Twilight's room.

She knocked on the door, and Twilight stepped out. From where they were, the three mares couldn't hear what was being said. "What do you think, Empress," Applejack asked Rarity.

"I don't know, Applejack, but I'd guess something similar to what she asked us," Rarity responded. "Now quiet, so I can cast a listening spell." Applejack just bowed her head, and Rarity's horn lit. When the light faded, they could now hear the conversation.

"Rainbow," they heard Twilight say, "why would you ask me that?"

"I just wanted to know what you thought on that. You still haven't answered my question, by the way."

Twilight, though it couldn't be seen from the distance Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy were at, rolled her eyes and said, "Well, if you have to know, I don't really care about that, so long as they aren't related by blood." Here, as far as the three eavesdroppers, it looked like Rainbow began to hop a little.

Before anything could be said, though, she stopped and, somehow, took on a more serious tone. "Well, thanks, Twi," she said before she began to rub the back of her head. "There's actually something else I wanted to ask you. It's totally different from the other thing."

"What is it?"

"Well, you see I was wondering if you, um, well, uh, why can't there be an easy way to say this?"

"Just say it, Rainbow," Twilight said, clearly annoyed.

"Okay, here it comes," Rainbow said before taking a deep breath. "Will you go out on a date with me?"

Author's Notes:

Cliffhanger!
In seriousness though, relating to the point Fancy said in an earlier chapter, I really have no idea what I'm going to do with Celestia if Twilight wins. I want your guys' help to decide. The criteria is this:No death, and no mind control. For an example of what is acceptable(fun fact: did you know some people actually mix accept and except? I'm not kidding.), Celestia loses her alicorn status and is reverted to a unicorn with normal magic by Twilight due to a spell from the book. The more ironic the option, the better, so please leave a comment saying what you'd want to happen to Celestia.