The sun was bright in the sky and Luna had gone to bed to get ready for her shift and Shining Star was visiting Celestia watching her work. Celestia was mainly just listening to the people talking about their daily lives and how bad things are and how they worked over and over.

Shining Star couldn't be in the room however. She just had to watch from the back room. But she felt excited. Being a ruler, seeing a ruler in action made her feel in awe. Celestia had been a ruler for a long time and it showed.

After awhile Celestia was able to break away from the people and go back to her other duties. Shining Star joined her as she walked down the hall. "That was amazing Celestia"

"What was?" Celestia asked.

"The way you rule. Your kind and gentle. But firm and strong..I could never do that" Shining Star said.

"It's nothing special Shining Star. I'm just listening that is all" Celestia explained. "We princess's are here for the people, one day you'll be a leader as well"

"I'm not a leader type. I'm more of inventor. I love to build things and casting magic. I can't really talk to others" Shining Star pointed out.

"But you are talking to me just fine" Celestia said.

"That's because I know you. Being a ruler is all about talking with strangers or something weird like that" Shining Star said.

"Well it is a lot more then that but your only eighteen. You have a lot to learn" Celestia said as they walked.

"I've studied all my life. I want to do more then learn, I want to experience it now. And I'm older then I look" Shining Star said.

"I heard from Cadance about the room you lived in. did you know they found some very strange things in that room" Celestia said. "Like those time spells in the walls"

"All of them?" Shining Star asked. "I knew about them but I didn't understand why they were there"

"Someone wanted you to stay young...I'm afraid our studies have lead to...some bad news" Celestia said.

"What bad news?" Shining Star looked worried.

"Your body was being fed time magic. Day in and day out...for around a thousand years" Celestia said looking at her before she stopped. "The magic affected your aging process. As far as we can tell you have a few years before you stop aging altogether. You might if your lucky get to be twenty one"

"But...that means...I'll be a teenager forever?" Shining Star asked looking scared.

"I'm sorry Shining Star. But I think so" Celestia said with a nod.

"Then...my dreams will never come true.." Shining Star hung her head.

"Your dreams? What are they?" Celestia asked hoping to cheer her up.

"Truth is...I always wanted a family. It's always been a dream of mine because I never had one growing up" Shining Star explained.

"That is a noble dream. And I know how you feel" Celestia smiled at this. She realized they shared that dream. It wasn't her only dream but it was a big one. "I had a dream like that once myself"

"Luna told me about that.." Shining Star admitted. "But at least you have a chance"

"I wish that was true...but my love was lost sometime ago..." Celestia said.

"Oh...I'm sorry" Shining Star felt worse now. "I guess we princess's don't have it easy huh?"

"The only princess's that do are in fairy tales" Celestia answered plainly.

In Ponyville they had finished eating and Twilight felt a lot better now that she was full. "Haaa..that was good"

"It really was!" Velvet said wiping off some crumbs off her daughter's lips with a cloth.

"Mom! I'm not a kid anymore!" Twilight said huffy but it only made her cuter.

"You'll always be my baby girl. Even if you are a princess" Velvet said smiling.

"Thanks mom" Twilight smiled at this. "But please don't baby me in front of my friends"

"I'll try. But no promises" Velvet said with a grin.

Applejack watched them and realized she had forgotten what it was like to be around her own family. The last time she talked with them she had a fight with them. Fluttershy and Rarity saw this but didn't say anything. Rarity however stood up and dusted off her dress. "So are we ready to go?"

"Yeah. I think it's time to finish today's duties" Twilight got up as well. "Shall we ladies?"

"Okay!" The rest of them got up and left the place for Winter Sugar to clean up.

The group made their way to the hospital charity party. There was several doctors and business men all around the place talking. Fluttershy smiled at Rarity as they walked up to the event. "This looks like a fancy party. Did you make any dresses for this?"

"No" Rarity said plainly. "I'm not in the mood for dresses right now"

"Oh uh...okay" Fluttershy felt awkward talking to her as she was now.

"Hey princess!" A girl called out running over to them. "Hey!"

"Huh?" Twilight looked over and saw Sharp petal running up to them. "Hello? Who are you?"

"My name is Sharp Petal and I'm a friend of Rainbow Dash! She told me all about you!" Sharp Petal said catching her breath.

"You know Rainbow Dash? How is she?" Twilight asked.

"She's...not good" Sharp Petal said. "She...she was hurt and...she lost her eyesight...she's blind"

"WHAT!?" The group said in shock. Twilight grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her a bit. "Where is she!?"

"She's actually in the hospital. They moved her into a room on the second floor while they figure out how to help her" Sharp Petal explained.

"We have to go see her!" Twilight said running off. Her friends quickly followed after her leaving Sharp and Velvet there.

Twilight soon ran into Rainbow Dash's room. "Rainbow!?"

"Huh?" Rainbow Dash was sitting in a wheel chair looking out a window with bandages over her eyes. "Twilight, is that you?"

Twilight ran over and hugged her. "Rainbow Dash! Are you okay!?"

"Whoa-whoa...calm down Twilight" Rainbow Dash felt around and hugged her back. "I'm fine"

"How are you fine!? Your blind! How are you fine!?" Twilight said in a panic.

"Well sure I am...but I'm getting used to it" Rainbow Dash said patting her back. "Your hugging me a little tight"

"Oh sorry" Twilight let go of her and looked at her face. "How did this happen?"

"It was a stupid prank gone bad that's all...Rainbows really burn" Rainbow Dash admitted sarcastically. "Looks like my dreams of being a Wonderbolt is over though"

"I'm so sorry Rainbow Dash...I wish I could help" Twilight said. "Even alicorn magic can't heal blindness"

"Hey stop already..you sound like Fluttershy now" Rainbow Dash pointed out. "I'd rather you not sound like..you know?"

"Like a none-winner?" Fluttershy asked walking in.

"Fluttershy? I-I didn't say that" Rainbow Dash said. She didn't mean to make it sound like an insult. "It wasn't meant to sound like that"

"Sure it wasn't" Fluttershy said. She sounded annoyed and hurt. Different from the normal Fluttershy. "I'm glad to see your okay at least"

"Fluttershy. Please don't be mad with her. That's just how she is, it's good that she's like that she's taking losing her eyesight pretty well" Twilight said.

"I've improved in my skills as as flier. The old Fluttershy was a loser. But now the loser I see is the quitter here" Fluttershy said strangely cold.

Rainbow Dash knew she deserved that. She really was a quitter. But she didn't' know what she could do now. Twilight stood up and turned to Fluttershy. "That was uncalled for Fluttershy. What happened to you?"

"Oh, that was uncalled for? How about all the times you people used me. The time Rainbow Dash traded me for a book? Or the time I tried my best to help her win in the Equestria games trials at Rainbow Falls? I got betrayed and insulted. And I'm going to far?" Fluttershy said annoyed.

"Fluttershy..." Rainbow Dash hung her head. "You have every right to blame me and even hate me.."

Fluttershy let out a sigh. "I don't hate Rainbow Dash. Even though I should and I have every right to. Your still my friend"

"But Rainbow Dash, are you sure your okay with being insulted?" Twilight asked concerned.

"Sometimes Twilight we need to let out our feelings.." Rainbow Dash said strangely calm and polite.

Twilight didn't realize it at first. But now she saw that her friends all of them were acting off. Like their Terra clones actually. She she was the only one still the same. "Rainbow Dash..do you want to come with us? We're going to be hanging out for awhile at the charity"

"I'd like that" Rainbow Dash said.

"Here" Fluttershy went over and pushed the wheelchair forward for Rainbow Dash. "Sorry about the harsh words. I don't know what came over me"

"That's the Fluttershy I know" Rainbow Dash smiled as she was pushed out of the room.

Twilight watched them and couldn't help but think the Terrasects had something to do with their strange behavior. She would have to pay them a visit and she knew just how to do it.

She walked out and each of the girls were visiting with Rainbow Dash. Rarity smiled and was the first to hug her. "Glad your okay"

"Thanks girls. I can't tell you how much I needed to hear you all" Rainbow Dash said rather happy.

Outside Velvet was checking out the appetizers. "Oh that looks nice...a bit small though"

Then a man in a tux came over to her. "Hello there beautiful. I haven't seen you in Ponyville before"

"Oh hello there sir" Velvet smiled at him making him blush a little.

"May I ask your name?" He asked.

"I'm Twilight Velvet, nice to meet you" Velvet said flattered that this man was flirting with her. But she knew his type and wasn't into it.

"So what are you doing here?" He asked looking her over.

She could feel his eyes on her and felt gross. "Actually I'm here with my daughter. She's princess Twilight, have you heard about her?"

"Wait..your princess Twilight's mother!?" he then backed up. "I uh..I'm sorry I just remembered I have to...uh..oh look over there one of my friends is over there!"

She laughs as he ran off. She knew that most men would be too chicken to actually ask her out. She was like a queen now being the princess's mother and all. "Boys. All they care about is a woman's body"

"Nice move there" Sharp Petal said with a laugh. "You know how to get men off your back"

"Thanks Sharp Petal. I've been around" Velvet said happily.

"I know what you mean. Boys crawl for me!" Sharp Petal pointed out.

"So are you a friend of Twilight's?" Velvet asked.

"Oh no. we never even met before today" Sharp Petal said. "I just wanted to help Rainbow Dash out"

"That's kind of you" Velvet said.

"We're a lot alike" Sharp admitted. "We've both been burned by people we viewed as friends.."

"Oh..I'm sorry to hear that" Velvet said making a sigh.

Sharp Petal nodded and sat down on a nearby chair joined by Velvet. They continued their talk for awhile getting to know each other.

Twilight and the others got down there and Pinkie spoke. "So what are you girls doing after this?"

"Well I'm staying around here" Rainbow Dash said. "I can't really leave"

"I'm going to Canterlot for a bit to learn magic" Rarity said.

"I don't really have anything to do" Applejack admitted.

"I have to train with Misty" Fluttershy pointed out.

"I have some things to take care of myself" Twilight said.

"Wow. Everyone is busy except for Applejack huh?" Pinkie asked.

"I'll find something to do" Applejack said crossing her arms.

"But we'll be in touch more often right?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Of course!" Twilight said happily. "We're all friends here"

"Yeah!" The girls said in unison and each of them hugged Rainbow Dash.

"Now let's go have fun. This is a party after all" Twilight said. They each nodded and joined to the charity party.

It was a couple hours later when all the girls were tired full of cider. Twilight looked at the time and noticed it was getting late. "Oh! Oh no!"

"What is it?" Applejack asked taking another sip of her cider.

"My blind date! I'm going to be late!" Twilight said before she got up. "I have to go! See you girls tomorrow!"

"Bye" Rarity said quietly as the others waved to her as she ran off.

Twilight dashed to the park where she found Melody waiting for her. "Melody! Sorry I'm late!"

"Your about fifteen minutes late actually" Melody pointed out but kept her smile. "Are you ready to meet your first date?"

Twilight bit her lip and nodded. She was more nervous then she realized, could she really go through with this? She didn't know. "I hope so..."

Melody smiled and brought out...Big Mac. Twilight's jaw dropped at this. She had no idea Melody would pick HIM of all people. "Uh.."

"This is Big Mac. Applejack's older brother!" Melody said excitedly. "He's a hard worker. He's strong and kind. He's perfect for you!"

"Well I-" Big Mac tried to talk but Melody spoke over him. "So? Do you think you could date him?"

"Uh...I don't know how I would feel about dating my friend's brother. I mean sure. He is kind and handsome. But he's much older then me. He's more married to his work then most..I just don't know if he'd want to date me ether" Twilight explained.

"I'll give you two some time then" Melody said before giving them some space and leaving.

"Sooo...I uh" Twilight didn't really know what to say to him.

Big Mac smiled at her and turned his attention to the lowering sun. Twilight saw this and looked at it as well. "I'm sorry about Melody. I asked for her help on finding someone to be with me. I didn't think she would go after you"

"Eyup" Big Mac said plainly. He thought it was sweet that Melody did this for Twilight. But Twilight was right about him. He was older then her and he really was married to his job and he really wasn't prince material.

"Thanks for showing up though. We're more like family then anything else huh?" Twilight said smiling. "It's a beautiful sunset huh?"

"Eeyup" Big Mac turned his head to look at her and patted her shoulder. Twilight could tell that was his way of saying good luck which made her happy.

"Thanks Big Mac. Applejack is lucky to have such a great brother" Twilight said. Big Mac nodded and walked away leaving Twilight to think about things.

Melody went over and sighed. "You didn't even try to date him Twilight"

"That would be like trying to date my brother. No thanks" Twilight said. "It was a nice shot Melody. But it was still a miss"

"You okay?" Melody asked. She could tell Twilight had her thoughts elsewhere. "You seem distracted"

Twilight nodded. "It's my friends. Their acting strange. It's like I don't even know them now"

"That's just your nerves talking Twilight" Melody stopped and listened to the wind. "Just relax and let yourself be carried away in normal day problems. Not something supernatural or evil for once"

"Maybe I am over thinking it.." Twilight said. "Thanks Melody. I should get going though"

"I'll have another date set up soon for you!" Melody said. "And this time you better GO on a date!"

"Okay. Okay I'll try, I promise" Twilight said with a bit of a laugh before she left.

Back at the castle the sun was going down and Shining Star was finally finished with the first prototype of her device. She turned it on and stepped back watching as it glowed. The device flashed and started to hum working perfectly.

"Yay!" Shining Star jumped a little enjoying her victory. "Now I can create more!"

Without even a slight break she was already back to work. She ended up working until it was completely dark out. Luna was now out as she worked. Luna watched her through the window enjoying her happy look as she worked. She had never seen someone get so excited over something like that.

Luna went back to her duties as Shining Star used her magic to work on her magi-tech. The night seemingly passed as Shining Star finished yet another device. She had made a ton of them throughout the night and she couldn't help but be excited.

She looked over her blueprints and grinned as she added to it. She was brimming with ideas. But staying up all night made her really tired. Even if she couldn't age she still got tired. She ended up falling asleep in her work room.

In her dream she was sitting in a quiet room and a figure stood over her. It was bright in the room so she couldn't see very well. Just a shadow. "Shining Star? Do you know why I call you that?"

The voice was of a man's she smiled as if she knew who it was. "Because you love me?"

"No..." The voice said rather coldly making Shining Star look down at her feet. "You are not of our world. These people are not yet ready to know about you. Your going to live in this room until the day you most likely will die"

"But...daddy...why?" The young Shining Star asked confused. "I want to make friends..."

"Friends? Friends are nothing but trouble. Your much to important to me for something as foolish as friends" The voice said.

"Can't I at least see mommy again?" Shining Star asked.

"Your mother abandoned you child. She wanted nothing to do with a girl such as yourself...due to that curse of yours" He pointed out.

"But...you said it was normal for kids to have those.." Shining Star said tears in her eyes. The man walked over to her and gently patted her head. "...I lied..."

Shining Star gasped in shock as he got up and walked to the wall. "Your a curse on the royal family and you will be locked up in this place for as long as you live. Your lucky I have use for you later or I would have you join your mother in her special place under that tree"

"Wait! Don't leave me down here! I'm sorry daddy. Please don't leave me!" Shining Star cried out as the figure left and the wall closed on her.

The little girl fell onto her knees and cried. She cried out for her mother and hoped this was all a nightmare. "Mommy!"

A dark light came from the wall behind her and Luna stepped into her dream. "So that is how it happened? Your own father locked you away and...did away with your own mother...but why say your cursed?"

Shining Star looked back and saw her still in tears. "Wha...who are you?"

Luna could tell Shining Star was in a deep sleep. She couldn't tell this was the dream realm. She was stuck in this nightmare reliving her days in this..cage. That's all Luna could say to describe it. "Do not fear me child. I am Luna, a friend"

"Yo..you want to be...friends..with a freak like me?" Shining Star asked confused.

"Shining Star...your not a freak just because your an alicorn. Your a wonderful person and one of the most beautiful girl's in the kingdom" Luna tried to encourage her. Don't let your fears rule you"

Shining Star shook her head. "But I..."

"Can you tell me why your father called you cursed?" Luna asked.

Shining Star stood up and lifted her little dress up revealing strange looking tentacle like appendages coming from her nether regions. Luna looked at this sight in horror. She had never seen tentacles coming out of such a place. Luna's jaw dropped confused and unsure of what to say. "Uhhhh..."

"I'm a freak! Mommy left daddy because I was born with these! They didn't do anything wrong!" Shining Star said as a tentacle came up to her face and she smiled a little as it moved around. Almost like it was playing with her. "Hehe..."

Luna watched and soon realized those tentacles inside of her were her only company all those years. They kept her from going mad from being alone. She unknowing raised herself using those tentacles as a friend. "You...are a strange one Shining Star...but a freak you are not"

"Really?" Shining Star asked with wide eyes.

"You have friends inside of you do you not?" Luna asked.

"Your right! Their not bad things. Their friends! And I have lots of them!" Shining Star then gave a hug to her tentacle. Luna wasn't sure she was sane but she was glad to see Shining Star's past. At least a bit of it. Her sister would want to know this.

The next morning Shining Star awoke with Luna standing over her looking at her worried. "Shining Star?"

"Luna?" Shining Star rubbed her eyes a bit. "Odd...I had a dream with you in it..."

"I'm afraid it was no dream" Luna said sitting down with her. "That dream..it was about the past wasn't it?"

Shining Star didn't like to talk about her past so she curled up in a ball without saying a word. Luna gave her a hug hoping to cheer her up a little. "Did your father really do that to you?"

"...He wasn't my real father...when I was little I thought he was..but then I found my mother's journal in my room. She left it there to tell me the truth..." Shining Star explained.

"You told us you never knew your family" Luna asked concerned.

"I was barely three at the time. My mother was killed and my father I have no idea what happened. But I was locked in that room for all my life. You can't expect me to remember my entire childhood that was several hundred years ago" Shining Star said.

Luna didn't say anything. She just kept hugging her. She felt like she knew her better now. Her past was full of loneliness and hurt. Shining Star looked at her and sighed. "Do you think I'm a freak too?"

"You know the answer to that. Of course I don't. Tell me...are those...tentacles real?" Luna responded.

"Yeah...you want to see?" Shining Star asked.

"I uh...yes?" Luna wasn't sure. But she was curious more then she realized.

Shining Star nodded and turned away from her. She didn't want to flash her or something perverted like that. Luna watched as a couple tentacles moved from her lower region and around her. She was in awe and grabbed one. She felt it throbbing in her hands and blushed. "Their like..."

"Ye-yeah...they are...you know..." Shining Star blushed deeply feeling everything Luna was doing.

Luna grinned as she turned Shining Star towards her. "Then let me make you feel better with my body and less with words"

Shining Star turned red from blushing so much as Luna laid her down and kissed her gently. "Mmmmmm..."

Some guards were walking by and heard some strange noises. They heard both princess's in there moaning and one guard was about to check on it when the other one stopped him. "I wouldn't do that"

"Why?" He asked turning away from the door.

"Just trust me on this okay?" the captain said.

"Okay. Your the captain" The other guard left with the captain confused on what was going on.