Life, Lies, and Love

by

TheDeinonychus

Part 3

Suspect

The door swung open violently, banging hard against the wall before slowly swinging shut under its own momentum. It was just enough time for the confused and panicked unicorn to slip into the library. Twilight stood in the middle of the tree house's common room, her eyes wide and legs braced as she panted for breath. Hairs were out of place in her mane, and her tail was held high in panic. The mare's outward appearance matched her inside. A million things spun through her mind at once as she tried to process what she had just seen moments before. Tried, and failed. At times like this, the unicorn had always fallen back on her tried and true scientific method, to analyze every bit of information one piece at a time.

First, she was outside of Lyra and Bon Bon's house. That itself wasn't too out of the ordinary, despite the late hour. Second, she was behind a bush, peeking into their living room. All things considered, that wasn't too strange for the lavender mare. Inside the dimly lit room, she had seen Lyra, which was perfectly fine and expected. But, that wasn't Bon Bon she had seen the green unicorn with. The scene played in her mind again as she thought about everything. What Lyra was doing...what she was doing with that changeling. What they had done together...

A tremble ran up Twilight's spine as she couldn't stop the scene replaying in her head. If it had just been two ordinary ponies she had caught, that would have been bad enough. But this. This...

"GAAH!"

She covered her head with her hooves, trying to block the mental images that kept popping up. After a few minutes, she had managed to calm her frantic breathing and get her heart rate back to a more manageable level. Another minute and she had gotten back to all fours, but her mind was still troubled. It had been a few months since the attack on Canterlot, and she knew that many of the changelings had ended up in the Everfree Forest. She knew that there was a chance they would become a problem again, but this? She had always thought that, if they were to try another attack, it would be in force like before. This...this wasn't right.

Trying to keep her mind from wandering back to another re-run of the night's events, she made her way over towards a small writing stand set up in one corner of the room. Spike was, thankfully, already asleep at this late hour. It just wouldn't help for him to see the unicorn's worried state right now. Owloysius was likewise gone, having been told by Twilight that he wouldn't need to assist the unicorn tonight. With a sigh to help steady her roaming thoughts, Twilight tried to make sense of what she had witnessed. Lyra was apparently living with a changeling. Willingly living with a changeling, no less! But why? How could she after what they did? After what had happened? Unless...

Twilight's horn glowed as she levitated a quill over to herself, holding the writing feather in her magical grip as her lips closed around the soft plume. She didn't want to admit it, hoping that she was wrong. Could Lyra really be working with the changelings? She just shook her head at the thought. That made no sense, none at all. If she wasn't working with them, then the only answer was that she was one as well! As her lips chewed lightly on the quill, she let that thought sink in. Changelings were impersonating two of her friends. But why? Ponyville wasn't as well defended as Canterlot, so why didn't they just attack all at once?

Levitating the quill from her mouth, Twilight narrowed her eyes as she looked towards the blank parchment resting on the writing stand in front of her. With a dip into the little ink pot, she brought the quill to the blank sheet.

Dear Princess Celestia

I have dire news to report. It would appear that two changelings are...

Are what? Impersonating two ponies she barely knew before a couple months ago? Hanging out with their friends? Performing concerts for the citizens of Ponyville? Twilight pressed a hoof to her face. Just what was she missing? Just why were these two changelings in Ponyville? It didn't add up. She couldn't just send a letter to the Princess without knowing exactly what was happening. She wasn't even sure if Celestia had fully recovered from her ordeal with the changeling queen yet. Her hoof moved from her forehead to tap lightly upon the writing stand. A moment later the parchment with its half-started message was crumpled up by the unicorn's violet magic and tossed into the nearby waste basket.

She needed more information. Needed to find out just what these changelings were doing here. Standing, she took a step towards the door, intent on finding out exactly what was going on. Then her eyes passed over the clock hanging on the wall. On second thought, she would find out what was going on first thing in the morning...

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Lyra groaned in discomfort, a shaft of light resting right over her face and filtering through her eyelids as she struggled to keep them closed. Like most mornings, she didn't want to open them and admit that it was time to get up. Sunlight wasn't the only thing pestering her out of her dreams, though; there was something poking uncomfortably at her cheek. With a sigh and another groan, the unicorn lifted her head and made to push herself up from the bed. As she did, the bed under her shifted about.

She opened her eyes, only to instantly regret it, the bright light hurting for a moment before she narrowed her eyes to slits. Once her eyes had adjusted she started to take in where she was. She was still in the living room, having fallen asleep on the couch. Blinking back some spots in her vision, she looked down at her 'bed'. Rather than sheets and pillows, she took in the sight of a sprawled out changeling. One of the spines in Bon Bon's fin had been poking her in the cheek. As Lyra looked at her sleeping lover, she giggled a bit as memories of the previous night started to come back.

Leaning down, her lips gently closed around some of the skin stretched between two of those spines. Her teeth gently nibbled upon her lover's fin, coaxing a soft moan from the changeling and causing her to tremble and squirm slightly under the green mare. After that bit of fun, Lyra nuzzled up towards Bon Bon's ears, whispering softly.

"Up and at 'em, sugar-rump."

The sleeping changeling groaned and mumbled something to the negative. A slight nip at her ear left her little room to protest. With a long, toothy yawn the changeling started to wake. Squirming a bit under the warmth of her unicorn mate, Bon Bon started to slowly open her eyes. She still felt tired and wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep. She wasn't tired from last night's 'activities,' despite how exerting they were. She had simply gone to sleep with a full stomach. A slight green blush came to her cheeks as she thought about how large of a meal it was.

"Erf...do I have to?"

"Hmm...no, but if I've got to get up, so do you," Lyra chirped, giving another nibble to those tattered black ears before she started to slip off from on top her marefriend. Once on the floor she raised her rump into the air, lowering her head as she stretched her legs out, getting the stiffness out of them. Bon Bon just rolled over onto her back, lifting her hooves into the air as another yawn escaped her wide open mouth. "I've got to head back to the cafe today. It was so late when we left I didn't even think to collect my money last night."

Tucking her legs back against herself, Bon Bon rolled over onto her side to face the minty unicorn. A little smile curled her black lips as she watched Lyra stretch some more, watching the same flank she had nibbled on the night before flexing as its owner worked the joints of her back legs. With a soft giggle she reached a hoof out, gently batting at the unicorn's tail.

"Hehe, alright then. Do you mind if I stay home for now? I was wanting to do a few things around the house."

Her stretching done, Lyra looked back over her shoulder at her unusual lover. With a tilt of her head she turned around to face her.

"You're not feeling sick again, are you, Bonny?"

The changeling blinked a bit at that. Shaking her head she reached a hoof out again, this time rubbing it softly against a mint green cheek.

"Oh! No, no. I'm fine. I was just wanting to do some stuff in the kitchen." Bon Bon smiled, her fangs parting a bit as her long, slim tongue flicked out and ran over her lips for a moment. "I'm thinking I might try making some taffy today."

Lyra could just chuckle at that, watching that tongue flick about for a moment. There clearly were some advantages to having a changeling for a lover. But still, something she had been wanting to ask came to mind.

"Hey, Bon. I've been meaning to ask you something. You're a changeling, so you don't really have a cutie mark, right?"

"Um, yeah." Bon Bon raised an eyebrow at that, wondering what her marefriend was getting at.

"But you're very good at making candy and sweets. Is that because your, um, disguise has a candy cutie mark?" The changeling blinked a bit. She had never really considered it. Looking off into space, she slowly rubbed a hoof under her chin as she thought about what it could mean. Sure, when she used her glamor to appear to be a pony, she had a candy cutie mark. But that was only because the mare she had copied had the same mark. She had never known if that pony's talent was for making candy, or eating candy, or what. She had never even gotten the chance to eat candy till she came to Ponyville, let alone make any herself.

"You know, I'm not sure," she said after a few moments. "I know a pony's cutie mark represents their special talent. I mean, with how well you play, it's no wonder your cutie mark is a lyre."

Bon Bon smiled as she thought back to the previous night's rather energetic recital. Lyra blushed a bit at the compliment, her tail flicking about with mild embarrassment.

"I don't think I can, well, copy a pony's talent just because I can copy their appearance." Bon Bon continued, her eyes shifting to the floor in front of her as she let her front hooves hang off of the couch. "I suppose I'm just good at making candy, cutie mark or not. I mean, I never got the chance to before I came to Ponyville. And since it matched my glamor's cutie mark, I knew I'd have to try to keep people from getting suspicious. I just never thought I was that good at it."

Lyra considered this for a moment, but only just. Leaning in close, her lips gently pressed against the changeling's. She watched as Bon Bon's eyes brightened, a smile curling her lips.

"Mmm...well, cutie mark or not, I can't wait to taste some of your taffy."

A flash of green rippled before Lyra's eyes, and the creamy earth pony had replaced the changeling. With a sly smirk, Bon Bon pressed a hoof against the unicorn's nose.

"Oh go on you silly thing. You better bring home some bits instead of spending them all, or I'll have to charge you for that candy." She winked to her lover. Lyra just blushed at that, trotting over towards the front door as her horn glowed a soft green. Bon Bon's saddle bags levitated over, settling onto the unicorn's back. The two mares shared everything, and wearing each others' saddle bags was just their way of reminding the rest of town that they belonged to each other.

"Heh, alright alright. I'll be back soon. Don't blow up the kitchen while I'm gone." Lyra said as she opened the front door.

Bon Bon just stuck her tongue out at the unicorn, having returned it to its much more pony-like appearance. "Love you!" she cooed as Lyra stepped out the door. Lyra had half expected to find Twilight once again waiting for her on the doorstep, but thankfully the purple librarian was nowhere to be seen. With a happy sigh she smiled at the warmth of the sun as she started trotting down the street, once again heading towards the market square.

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The soft clop of hooves upon cobblestone rang out as Lyra trotted her way down the street, heading towards the market and the cafe where she had preformed last night. It was such a nice day, and her spirits were still high from the night before, so much so that the mint green unicorn was virtually oblivious to everything else around here. Especially the bushes growing along the side of the street. In particular, the fact that one seemed to spontaneously grow a pair of binoculars as she passed.

The lenses gave off a slight glint in the sunlight, but thankfully not brightly enough to be noticed. They slowly followed the minty unicorn as she trotted down the street before disappearing back into the bush. Inside, nestled in the obfuscating cover of leaves, the purple librarian consulted her field journal. Her horn glowing a soft violet, Twilight levitated up a small quill as she laid her journal out on the ground in front of her. After taking a moment to collect her thoughts, the lavender unicorn moved the quill to scratch across the blank page while she quietly dictated to herself

"Research Log

Day One

Suspected changeling Lyra, henceforth referred to as 'Subject A,' left home shared with suspected changeling Bon Bon, henceforth referred to as 'Subject B.' Subject A heading down street towards the market square. Subject B remains in the house.

After some consideration, I have decided to continue observations of Subject A. While observing Subject B at home would be easier, I do not yet know if there are any other changelings involved, and would not want to be alone if they were to find me. While observing Subject A in public will be more difficult, Subject A will be less likely to retaliate in public."

Satisfied with her notes, the journal closed with a soft purple glow before it, the quill, and her binoculars levitated into Twilight's saddle bag. Peeking out from the bush, the librarian could just make out the mint green form of Subject A in the distance. With a deep breath, she slipped out from her hiding place and started to make her way down the street as well, keeping a safe distance.

Twilight didn't like having to spy on anypony. The last time, when she had tried to understand the mysterious 'Pinkie Sense,' everything had turned into a disaster. But this was different, or at least that's what she told herself. These were changelings. Changelings! If they were here, then all of Ponyville could be in danger. Even if it meant she had to sneak around and spy, she had to know what they were up to before it was too late.

All about her, ponies went about their day, moving from shop to shop, walking with friends...some fillies were even chasing a hoop as it rolled down the street. But she didn't have time to stop and watch any of that. She was on a mission, one which the fate of Ponyville might rest upon. Following her target into the market square, Twilight tried to blend into the crowd. Just another pony going about her business. At least, she hoped that's what she seemed to be, even while her eyes were fixed firmly on the green unicorn. Slowly she worked her way a bit closer, slipping from group to group, winding her way through the other ponies to get a better view of where Lyra was headed.

The space in front of the cafe was full of ponies, where the previous night it had been lined with benches. Lyra smiled, waving to a group of passing mares as she stepped up to the front door. Everypony she passed by was talking about her performance, and it gave the musician a thrill to hear how they spoke of her music, although praise wasn't the only reason she had taken the job. Using her magic to push the door open, a small bell chimed, announcing her arrival.

Inside, a number of ponies were seated, dining on small but fancy breakfasts and brunches in one of Ponyville's few upper class establishments. A few of them looked up from their meals, smiling and waving as they recognized her from the night before. Lyra could just smile brightly, practically drinking in the recognition. That is, until somepony came up and addressed her.

"Good morning, madame, how may I..." The regal stallion paused for a moment, looking over the unicorn mare in front of him. "Oh, it is you, Miss Heartstrings."

"Morning, Horte!" Lyra said as she brought her attention from the customers to the cafe's head waiter.

"May I help you?" Horte Cuisine said in his light accent. He had been born and raised abroad, but had lived in Ponyville so long, his accent had been slipping as of late. It wasn't a bad thing by any means, before he had some customers complain that he was hard to understand. Still, he preferred to keep the refinement he was brought up with.

"Um, I'm just here to pick up my bits. Sorry I forgot to get them last night. It was so late I didn't want to bother you about it." Horte just looked at the green unicorn for a few moments, his eyes narrowing a bit more than usual.

"We would prefer it if, next time, you did not run off our most generous customers..." The waiter pony pony let that statement linger a bit as he quietly stared down the green mare in front of him. Lyra shrunk back a bit; she had been worried that her sudden change of style last night may have upset some of the more sophisticated ponies in her audience. In her opinion, it had been worth it to see every pony else enjoying the night. But still, the risk that some would take offense to it had been there, and now it was coming back to bite her in the flank.

"S-sorry about that. I did make sure to play the softer song first though..." Lyra offered up her most apologetic smile, hoping she hadn't just blown her chance at another performance at this particular cafe. Eventually the earth stallion sighed, rolling his eyes a bit.

"It does not matter. The performance was good for business either way. At least we have more customers today, even if they are more," Horte Cuisine narrowed his eyes a bit, an annoyed look coming over his face, "common." After a moment to compose himself, he coughed lightly. "Please wait here. I will return with your fee."

Lyra watched as the waiter pony turned and slipped into the back office of the restaurant. Satisfied that she hadn't caused herself any more trouble, she returned to looking about at the customers again. Horte was right; while there were still a fair number of upper class ponies here this morning, a lot more were dressed casually. That is to say, not dressed at all.

She let her gaze slowly move across the cafe, turning to look outside at the ponies dining out front and...wait. Was some pony just pressed up against the window for a moment? The unicorn didn't have time to investigate as she heard hoof steps approaching her. Horte had returned, a small sack held delicately in his teeth.

"Here you are, madame. Your fee," he said as he held out the bag of bits. Lyra smiled, her horn glowing softly as she levitated the bag from the waiter and over to her saddle bags.

"Thanks. So, when did you want me to do another recital again?" Lyra asked, smiling hopefully to the waiter. All she got in return was a narrowed gaze and a stony expression.

"We will consider it." And with that, Horte turned and headed back towards the kitchen to pick up another customer's order. Lyra watched him go; all things considered, that was probably a good sign, coming from Horte. He never was one to offer another pony a favorable face. With a shrug, she turned and pushed the door open. The little bell chimed again as Lyra made her way back out into the market.

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The green shade of a delicately pruned shrubbery made a convenient, if cramped, refuge for the purple unicorn. Twilight had to dive into the cover of the leaves as she noticed Lyra's eyes settling on her. As she heard the bell and saw green hooves passing by, she cautiously peered out from between the branches, leaves and twigs stuck in her mane.

"Ah ha! Taking money from the cafe, that's suspicious, right?" The librarian whispered to herself as she watched Lyra head over towards a flower stand, talking with some of the ponies there. Pulling herself back into the obscuring shade of the bushes, she levitated her quill and journal out of her saddle bag.

"Subject A seen receiving money from local cafe. Clearly, taking money from other ponies is a sign of suspicious beha-" The quill slowly stopped its crawl across the page. A thought had just dawned on Twilight. Lyra was getting money from this cafe. The same cafe she had performed at the night before. The book made a slight thud on the ground as her horn stopped glowing and her hoof pressed to her forehead.

"This isn't suspicious at all!" She groaned, her mind trying to puzzle out any hidden meaning it could to find the facts she was hoping to find. "Wait. She's a changeling, which means she has to keep up her disguise to prevent ponies from finding out." Twilight's eyes lit up as the thought formed.

"Sooo...if she did a performance, it would be suspicious if she didn't come back to get paid for it. So she's just doing this so she won't look suspicious! That makes it even more suspicious!" A smile curled the librarian's lips, quite pleased with her deductive reasoning. With a flick of her head, she scribbled her notes into the journal and slipped it back into her saddle bag, along with her quill. With a quick look to make sure no pony was looking her way, she slipped out of the shrub, making to follow the supposedly disguised changeling.

She didn't have far to look; Lyra was still standing next to the flower stand. Trying to look as casual as she could, Twilight made her way over to one of the many picnic tables set up around the market square, settling down on the seat to keep an eye on her quarry. She watched as Lyra levitated a few bits out of her saddle bag over to the orange mare tending the stand. In return, the mint unicorn took a bouquet of flowers. Just what would a changeling want with flowers? With a glow of her horn, she pulled out her journal, setting it in front of her as she took down more notes.

Eventually Twilight had lost track of just how long she had been sitting there. She watched as Lyra went from stall to cart, talking with ponies, purchasing things, generally going about her average daily business. All the while, the purple librarian took down notes of everything the mare did. With a sigh she looked over her notes. Nothing added up. Nothing seemed to explain what she had seen last night!

She was sure something was amiss, but nothing else she had seen pointed to Lyra being anything but a normal, average pony. Was she mistaken? Did she really not see what she thought she did last night? No, of course not. There was no way she could have mistook what she had seen for anything else. Changelings were in Ponyville, that was a fact she couldn't argue with. But if so, then why did things seem so, well, normal?

There had to be something she was missing. Something that would prove she was right. That Changelings had infiltrated Ponyville. But try as she might, Twilight couldn't find one damned thing. With a sigh her forehead dropped onto her open field journal. She could just confront Lyra with it, but what would that accomplish? The last time she had tried that, she had risked loosing her friends, her mentor, AND her brother! It didn't matter that she was right that time. If she was wrong about this, she would just make a foal of herself in front of all of Ponyville.

"Well, well. If it isn't the filly-fooler that thinks she knows how to play music..."

The voice brought Twilight's gaze from its up close inspection of her journal to across the small plaza she was sitting in. Ahead of her she saw Lyra, the bouquet of flowers still held in her magical glow. The green unicorn was approached by two fillies, one pink, one gray.

"Uh, what?" Lyra said to the two as they came up to her. Twilight recognized the two fillies. Applebloom had talked about them a few times when she had gone to visit her friend, Applejack. They were the local school bullies. Apparently they had moved on from making fun of foals their own age and had decided to start accosting grown adults.

"Well, if you didn't hear me, I guess you must still be as tone deaf as you were last night!" Diamond Tiara sneered, flashing a malicious smile to her friend, Silver Spoon. The gray filly started to giggle, grinning back to Tiara. Twilight watched the three of them from her seat at the picnic table. Any other day, she'd be inclined to break up the display with a threat to turn the two trouble makers into potted plants. But today, she watched with interest. If anything was going to prompt the supposed changeling into showing her true colors, it would be these two. And it would serve them right to have their insults come back to bite them in their flanks.

Lyra stared at the two fillies in front of her, confused as to just what the two of them were up to.

"Um, you two shouldn't be saying things like that. Especially to somepony older than yourselves." Tiara just narrowed her eyes up at the older mare, a smirk curling her lips as the light of the sun glinted sharply off of the delicate crown that was her namesake.

"Oh? And what are you gonna do about it? Chase us off with more of your awful music?" The little loudmouth fumed up at Lyra, malicious intent burning in her eyes. "I was going to get to stay up late last night, all because father wanted to listen to your music. Then you had to go and ruin it by sounding like a bunch of trash cans being thrown around! I had to go to bed early when we got home!"

"Hey! It's not my fault if your dad didn't like my music!" The older mare tried to defend herself, forgetting that she was a grown mare dealing with two fillies. Rude fillies, but fillies none the less.

"Oh, I wouldn't expect a filly-fooler to understand. That's so pathetic. I bet you scared off every coltfriend you tried to get. So of course you had to hook up with another filly-fooler!" Silver Spoon was, by now, laughing too hard to throw in her two bits. Just laughing and pointing her hoof mockingly at Lyra.

But Lyra didn't see the two laughing, teasing fillies anymore. She had locked up, her mind thrown back to another time. One which she had tried so hard to forget. In front of her she saw not the bright, sunny market square. It was a ball room, brightly decorated. All around here, school fillies and colts dressed in elegant garb. And it was if every one of them was pointing at her and laughing as she stood there. Alone.

The magical glow about her horn started to waver, flicking back and forth before eventually it gave out. Tears started to well up at the corners of her eyes. As the the bouquet, meant for her dear sweet Bon Bon, hit the ground, her hooves turned of their own accord. Tears trailed past her cheeks as she ran for the only safe place she could think of. She ran for home.

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That...

That wasn't the reaction Twilight was expecting. She watched the exchange, waiting for the changeling to spring into action. To attack or at least threaten the two fillies before her. Instead she watched as Lyra turned tail and ran, trying to choke back sobs. At that moment, Twilight wished she had intervened between the unicorn and the two fillies. Even if Lyra was a changeling, it didn't excuse the two foals from teasing her like that.

"Geeze, what a cry baby" Diamond Tiara said as she and her friend both watched Lyra run off down the street. The two fillies shared another laugh between themselves. Feeling quite smug, they turned and started to go back to their planned day.

The field journal glowed a soft violet as it levitated up, closing before it was tucked into Twilight's saddle bag. Those two foals needed to be taught a lesson. Maybe not turned into cacti, but at the very least told off. Her gaze set, Twilight left her seat and started to trot her way over towards the trouble makers. The librarian picked up her pace as she noticed the two fillies walking off, but her plans for disciplining the two were suddenly cut short as something barreled into her.

The impact sent Twilight flying, landing with a thud on the hard cobblestones. Her saddlebags were thrown aside, and she found herself laying on her back, sprawled out and dazed.

"Oh for the love of Peppy..." The purple mare slowly sat up with a groan, rubbing a hoof against her still spinning head. As she opened her eyes, she was greeted by another pair right in her face, the two golden orbs looking at her intently.

"GAH!" She jumped back, startled by the closeness. She eyed the mare sitting in front of her for a moment. "D-Derpy!"

"You ok, Twilight?" The gray pegasus asked, her skewed eyes blinking a couple times as Twilight settled down from her scare. There were letters scattered about the street, having spilled from the mailmare's saddlebags.

"Erf...what have I told you about watching where you're going?" Twilight said as she continued to rub her head, her horn glowing slightly as she started to gather up the scattered mail.

"Sorry, Twilight. But I saw a strange looking pony over there!" Derpy said, pointing her hoof off to the side. Twilight's eyes followed the pegasus's hoof over to where she was pointing towards an empty alley. After a moment, Derpy noticed that the aforementioned pony was gone. "Huh? W-where'd she go?"

The purple librarian sighed as she carefully moved the letters into a neat stack in front of the mailmare. With a shake of her head she looked back up into Derpy's mis-matched eyes.

"Derpy, you need to be more careful. You could get hurt if you don't watch where you're going."

"Sorry Twilight..." The gray mare looked down, her golden eyes drooping for a moment before her head shot up, eyes bright once again. "Oh! Since you're here, I've got something for you!"

Twilight watched as she started to dig around inside one of her saddlebags. After doing the same with the other bag, the pegasus came up with a small package tightly held between her teeth.

"Sorry it's late, though." She said as Twilight took the package in her magic. It was wrapped in plain brown paper with a bit of twine keeping one end closed. After untying the twine, she slowly slid the book from it's packaging.

"Alteration Spells and Their Relation to Pony Physiology; A Theoretical Study, by Star Enchantment M.B.M."

"M.B.M?" The gray pegasus asked, her eyes shifting positions for a moment in confusion.

"Magistrate of Biological Magics," Twilight said with a nod before she looked back to the book. Derpy's confused state persisted as Twilight studied the cover of the book. This had been one of the new books she had ordered for the library. But why? Sure, she suspected it would be an interesting read, but there had been a reason for her to order this particular book. It took a few moments for the memory to come back to her.

"Um...thanks, Derpy. I should probably be getting this back to the library now," she said, a slight blush starting to come over her cheeks as she levitated her saddlebag back to herself. Checking to make sure her field journal was still inside, she placed the new book, back in its paper packaging, next to it before settling her bags back across her back.

"Alrighty, Twilight!" The mail mare gave her a small salute before taking back off into the sky. Twilight watched her drift about from side to side for a moment before heading over some shops and out of sight. Twilight stayed there for a few moments more, looking down at her hooves as she thought about her reason for ordering this book.

It had been a few weeks before everything had started getting strange. Back before she had known that Changelings were in Ponyville. She had ordered the book in hopes that it would help her in her work on a new spell. A spell to help Lyra and Bon Bon start a family together...