The dungeon was actually very pretty, it was, after all made out of crystal. But Skyla fought against her guards, changing into all sorts of different ponies. One guard was opening the cell door and the guards threw the changeling in, who growled as they shut the door. The ponies walked away, leaving the filly changeling quite alone, so she had no pony to feed off of. "Fools, idiots" she growled. 'I wish I could just have one pony, just one, that would accept me for what I am.' The filly sighed, anger turning to sadness. 'I would do anything for that.' She whispered, staring at her black, hole filled hoofs.
'Anything? This girl is desperate!' Chrysalis laughed. 'But I don't need to bribe the child to get what I want from her. All I need is her at my side, someone with such potential, how horrible to waste upon the good.' She snarled. 'My queen, what do you request I do?' A changeling asked from behind her. The alicorn creature turned. 'Bring that princess to me, she is, after all your princess!' The Queen said, turning back to the ball she had been gazing at. 'Take whoever you need and be careful around those pesky elements! I think they might be able to see one of us a mile away!" She complied. "Of course, your majesty, right away!" The changeling walked off, secretly dreading the arrival of a new royal who would boss him around just like the queen.
Princess Skyla had no idea of her rescue to come, or of her royal place, or even how to control this new power of hers. "Come on..come on…" She urged herself trying hard to turn into the filly she once was. "Ugh! It's no use!" She screamed. Suddenly, she heard the unmistakable turning of the doorknob. The creature scampered to the corner, wondering if it was a guard come to punish her. The door did open, and it was a guard. Skyla inched a little closer, just to get some of her hunger of love gone. However, she did not see any pony the guard cared for. "I know you're there, kid, I can hear your hear your heartbeat, it's actually kinda faint, yet fast, weird." He said. "W-who are you?!" Skyla gasped. "One of your own, princess Skyla…Right?" The guard said. "One of my own? Are you a-" Skyla started. "Changeling? Yeah" he said. Suddenly the guard was engulfed in green flames, and was a Pegasus changeling with green eyes. The filly did something the changeling didn't expect, she actually smiled.
"You are! You are!" She gasped in delight. "Yes, your majesty, of course." The changeling bowed low and grimaced out of the girl's view at how he hated bowing to creatures. "Your majesty? Me? You mean, I'm still a ruler and I actually fit in too ? This is amazing!" She laughed. "I thought you were going to be all cold hearted and sullen, how are you happy right now?" The other changeling said, looking up to her. "Yes, well it's better now that… Wait, how did you know that?" The girl asked. "We changelings can do all sorts of things, and I bet you can do even more since you're the princess, and you're all powerful and stuff like that." He added in, he had to get this filly on board to coming and making the colony invincible in some way. "I don't care, princess or not, I'm just happy I get to leave this place, and never see my parents, the elements, the princesses, any pony that can stop me ever again!" She grinned. "Really? You want to leave your family behind?" The changeling asked. "Yes, of course, I have nothing here to stay with, I can't even change into some pony I really want yet!" The filly giggled. "You can't change yet?!" The changeling gasped, truly shocked. "Er.. I can, just not by will it just,sorta, happens." Skyla said, shrinking down a little bit. "You… Some kind of savior you are!" The changeling sputtered. "Savior? Ok, can you please explain this to me? Nothing's making sense!" The girl cried. "The Queen will explain, to you and everyone else." The creature mumbled.
"T-the Queen? Queen Chrysalis?" The filly whispered. "Yeah, who else?" Then the changeling noticed the girl trembling slightly. "Oh come on! She's pretty evil to tell you the truth, then again, we all are.." He said. "There are some nice changelings, right?" Skyla asked. "None that I know of.. Come on, we have to get a move on." The changeling said, pulling the child up. He transformed into the guard and looked out the door behind him, the cost was clear. He looked down at Skyla and breathed a huge sigh. "Will you stop looking at me like that?" He asked. "What? Oh, I'm looking at you funny? I was wondering… You seem to know about me, what about you?" Skyla asked. "Seriously, where's the angry filly that seemed to hate her whole family?" The changeling sighed. "You just have to get the right words, and the right pony to get me like that, or perhaps pressure me.." The filly flushed red. The guard pushed the filly out the door and tried to ignore the girl's questioning eyes. "So… You going to tell me about yourself?" She asked. "Fine, but you have to catch up and not dawdle, the queen will get impatient." He said, closing his eyes and making a cloak appear on himself. He motioned for the filly to get under the cloak so she could not be seen. "How did you do that?" The girl asked up to him. "You can change into anything you want when you're an experienced changeling, even a guard with a cloak on." He muttered back, rounding a corner. "Cool! So what do you do for a job? Are you like a hunter, a servant, a-" the filly found his hoof in her mouth. "Why do you have to care about me so much? It's rather annoying, you know." The changeling growled. "I don't really know.. What's your name?" Skyla asked. The guard stopped walking and the little changeling bumped into him. "Did you.. Just ask me for my name?" He said, looking down at her with a astonished look. "Yes, is that weird?" The filly asked, tilting her head. The guard walked on and answered. "Look, you do not address changelings by name unless they are high in power, like the queen and you soon too. I don't even think I have a name." He said, finally pulling the filly out of the castle. "Oh! Can I name you then?" She gasped. "Why would you want to do that?" He asked, changing back to his true form. "Since we're already friends I thought I should address you by something." The filly said. "Friends?" The changeling asked, lifting the filly onto his back to take her to the changelings domain. "Of course! I mean, we walked together, talked together, we're practically best friends now!" She cried, almost slipping off. "Stupid kid." The changeling muttered. He started to fly and the filly gasped. "Er, you have been in the air.. Right?" The he asked, looking back at her. "I'm an alicorn, of course I can fly! I thought of a name for you!" She said, "Ok, but it better not be fluffy… heart.. kisses, or any pretty thing like that" he said. "Berry, I thought that was a nice name!" Skyla said. "Berry? It sounds like a pony name…" The changeling murmured. "What did you expect?" The filly huffed. "Fine, but can't you call me like.. Shadow, or like, Thorn or-" He was interrupted by the girl. "Hey! I have high authority! I'm a princess, you said so! So, I'm naming you Berry, got it?" Skyla grumped. "Fine… Your majesty." He snickered. "What? Why are you laughing?" Suddenly, the child's green eyes turned darker. "If you want to laugh you can, laugh at my miserable life like my so called family probably is! I don't think you want to know what will happen to them! They will kneel at my hoofs and then.." She gave off a little frightening giggle. "Then, they will get what they deserve." She said, sharp teeth bared at him. "I.. I'm sorry, okay? Fine, call me Berry, you sounded like the queen… And here I thought you were a sappy brat." Berry said. A few minutes later, they arrived at the home of the changelings. Skyla was surprised to see it was in a dark forest, far from any ponies, and actually underground. "Here we are, the hive." Berry said, setting the filly down. "Er, well.. Home sweet home! Right?" Skyla laughed, trying not to panic at her new settlement. "Nope." Berry sighed. The changeling pressed a knob in a nearby tree and the entrance appeared. "Let's go." He muttered, nodding to the stairs. "Right.." Skyla said softly, almost wishing she were back in that pretty dungeon.
When the young princess flew in, all the changelings turned. There was a great sound of buzzing and twittering at the sight of her. Suddenly the whole group bowed in unison. "Thank-" She was cut off by a jab in the ribs by Berry that said not to use her perfect manners. She grunted softly and the changelings turned away. "Princess Skyla, I presume?" A changeling in green armor said, walking up to them. "Yes, it's me." She said, looking around uneasily. "The Queen wishes to see you." The guard said. "I thought so.. Where do I go to see her, exactly?" The little girl asked, flushing red. "I'll take you." The guard muttered, grabbing her rather grudgingly by the hoof and leading her away. Skyla waved good bye to Berry, but he didn't reply and walked away. A few minutes later, she saw she was at a door that looked very more elegant than the rest. "Go in there" the guard grunted, then left in rather a rush. Skyla realized that all the other creatures seemed to have left as well. The girl inhaled and opened the door.
When the changeling child entered the room, Queen Chrysalis didn't notice, she was instead gazing at a glowing orb. When Skyla stepped closer, she saw many ponies she knew. There was a guard who walked into greet them, she remembered he was her uncle, Flash Century. The ponies already there was Shining Armor, Princess Cadance, all the element of harmony, and barely visible was Fable, who seemed to have a splitting headache and was holding her breath in constrain behind these adults. When the girl saw her father, she gasped and ran into his open arms. "Flash.. Did you find the changeling?" Twilight asked, also embracing him. "Did you find Skyla, daddy?" Fable asked. "I didn't find the changeling anywhere, and as for the princess" Flash looked to the rulers of the empire. "I couldn't find her." He sighed. Cadence choked a sob and buried her face into Shining's shoulder. "Well, we can't just leave a changeling out free in a city full of love!" Rainbow said. "Don't you go rushin' off, Rainbow Dash." Applejack said. "What are we to do now?" Rarity asked, trying not to show her fear. "It's simple, right? We can't do anything.. We have to wait, I guess." Fluttershy whispered. "I HATE WAITING!" Pinkie squealed, causing the Twilight to scream. "QUIET! We can't find that changeling and that's that! We're all going to have to accept that!" She cried. "Mommy?" Fable asked, tugging on her mother's tail. "Can we find Skyla soon? I miss her.." She sighed. "Honey, we will find her, I'll never stop trying to get her back, I promise." Twilight said, nodding to her brother. Chrysalis laughed at the princess's words. "Oh, Twilight, you shouldn't make promises you can't keep! I hope you die from exhaustion right after you realize your niece is never coming back to you." Suddenly a soft, sweet voice spoke behind her spoke. "Excuse me?" Skyla tentatively said. Chrysalis turned and the small changeling leapt back. "Oh my, I'm sorry, my darling child!" The Queen said in a fake sweetness. "I'm sorry too! I was just freighted, sorry again!" Skyla laughed nervously. "Such formalities! But I would expect nothing less from you, princess Skyla." Chrysalis said, holding the girl's chin in her hoofs. "You know my name?" Skyla asked. "My dear child! How am I not to know my heir's name?" The elder asked. "Heir? Me?" Skyla asked. "But I'm heir to the crystal empire!" She gasped. "The crystal empire? I'm sorry, sweetheart, but I think in order to be the heir to that kingdom," Chrysalis suddenly leaned in close to the girl ear. "You can't be the enemy." She whispered. "enemy? But I-" She was interrupted by Chrysalis. The queen was engulfed in flames and was the changeling filly, a mirror image of Skyla. "Then, they will get what they deserve." She imitated, using the exact, precise pitch and sounds she had few hours ago. "What? How did you know I said that?" Skyla asked. "You'll find out soon enough, my princess, once you find your plan for revenge on those menacing elements of harmony." The Queen growled. "Elements of harmony? I don't want revenge of them! I want revenge on my whole- wait what? I.." Skyla gasped. "Don't deny it! I know you want revenge, we all do! It's in your blood, Skyla" Chrysalis whispered. "My… My blood? I can't.. What do you want from from me?" The girl asked. "I don't want anything from you! Revenge is something you want from yourself." Chrysalis whispered. "I can't! I.. I don't want revenge!" Skyla credit. "Such a disappointment.. Ah well! You're living with me now, my princess, my heir." Chrysalis said. "B-but I don't want revenge! I don't want to hurt any pony!" Skyla said, tears filling her eyes. "You will, my dear! Don't worry! You will!" Her queen laughed. "I.." Skyla panted. "Queen, may I please go to my room? Do I even have a room?" The filly asked. "My Skyla! Of course you have a room! You're a princess!" Chrysalis cooed. "A guard will take you there!" She said. Skyla started to walk away, when the queen's chilling voice reached her. "Sleep well my darling! Oh, and Skyla, dear?" The filly stopped walking. "Yes?" She asked, softly. "Don't worry! With me at your side, you finally snuff out all that horrible love in you, it can't be here, it's a weakness you know!" Chrysalis laughed
Skyla gave a tiny slight nod, turned, and left. When the girl was gone, queen growled in disgust. "Soon, she will finally see what she truly wants. But she has that light that the ponies raised her to have, then again, all light gives away so easily to darkness! I'll make that brat's heart as hard and black as coal, so not even she can find the glow." The queen's laughter filled the halls, making Skyla stop in her tracks. "I'll never be that evil, right? No, never. Nothing could ever make me abandon the love inside!" She whispered. But she couldn't be more wrong.