Just Like You - Chapter 1

>"C'mon Anon, let's go play!"
>A pink p0ny skips happily through the statue garden.
>Another lovely day in Equestria...
>The weather, that is.
>The quality of the day itself is pretty low.
>You're stuck hanging out with the Princess' stupid niece.
>'Mi Amore Cadenza'.
>Dumb name.
>You walk through the statues slowly, Cadenza skipping to and fro.
>"I love this place."
>You don't respond.
>Not that you don't agree, the statues in the garden are quite beautiful.
>Some of them, at least.
>The one with a large dragon-esque thing that looks like it's singing an opera.
>A tiny bit unnerving.
>The rest are impressive, however.
>Some look like champions of war.
>Other, dressed in fine gowns, ambassadors or peace-pushers.
>Was an interesting sight the first few times.
>It quickly loses it's luster.

>Cadenza walks over to you.
>"C'mon Anon, let's play!"
>The Princess, Celestia that is, assigned this one to play with you today.
>By that, she means to keep you in sight 24/7.
>She's no more a playdate than she is a pink watchdog.
"I'm alright, thanks."
>She frowns.
>"Aww, come on, you need to cheer up!"
>She skips around you.
>"Let's play a game or something!"
>Either she's getting horribly bored of being around you, or she actually wants you to feel better.
>Option A.
"A game?"
>Her eyes light up, as those are nearly the first words you've spoken all day.
>"Yeah! We can play I Spy, Charades...uh..."
>A bit of devious thinking...
"How about hide and go seek?"
>"Ooo, okay! I LOVE that game!"
>She starts fluttering her wings in excitement.
"Hey, no flying."
>With a pout, she returns to the ground.
>"Fiiiine."

>Like a gentleman, you offer her the first go.
"You can go first, Princess."
>She audibly groans.
>"Princess is such a dumb title. Call me Cadance."
>You roll your eyes.
"Fine, Cadenza."
>She glares, clearly upset with your choice of name.
>"Hmph. You better start running, because when I catch you, you're getting a smack!"
>She giggles and hides her face, starting to count.
>"One...two..."
>Now's your chance.
>You bolt out of the garden area, leaving her to her counting.
>Heh, what a sucker...
>A game where the goal is to avoid her?
>You could play that all day.
>Where to spend this time, however, was a puzzle.
>How could you find an effective place to hide?
>She knows this castle better than you do.
>Guess you have to go with what you know.
>You take a sharp turn, heading for the one place you know she won't find you.
>The Labyrinth.

>Left, right, right, left, straight, left...
>Like clockwork.
>The statue of the Princesses comes into view.
>The comfortable stone slab awaits you, as usual.
>Taking a seat, you can only hope it takes Cadenza a while to find you...if she finds you at all.
>Maybe someone will find you though.
>"Hiya."
>Looking to your left, the black holed being is already sitting next to you.
>She holds out a hoof in your direction.
>Really?
>You don't respond, turning back towards the statue.
>The lack of an offering confuses the changeling.
>"What, no apples today?"
>You roll your eyes.
"Sorry, Chrissy. I was hoping me visiting would be enough."
>After a small pause, she responds.
>"I guess so."
>Now that she mentioned it, you could also go for an apple.

>"So, Cadenza's all over your flank again?"
"Yeah, another Celestia Playdate."
>You told her about these often.
>You're pretty sure she knows as much about the young Princess as you do, considering how much you share.
>"No matter how much you push her away on these, she always keeps playing with you."
>Sighing, you turn towards Chrissy.
"When your aunt is the Princess who raises the Sun, you don't have much of a choice."
>"You suuure? Maybe it's just because she likes you!"
>As she says that, you shudder.
>How could anyone ever think that?
>You liking a girl?
>No way!
>Girls are gross.
"Yeah, as if I'd ever like a GIRL."
>"Oh so, you don't LIKE girls?"
"Never!"
>"So you LIKE boys?"
>And THAT just makes you gag.
>Chrissy laughs at your expense.
"Just shut it, I don't LIKE anything. And Cadenza surely doesn't LIKE me."
>"If you say so~"

>"I don't get why you just try to enjoy time with her."
>You fold your arms, pouting.
"She's not my friend...she's just the Princess' watchdog, keeping an eye on me."
>You turn to your companion.
"Besides, it's much nicer relaxing here with you."
>After a flash of silence, you heave hooves coming closer.
>That was a LOT faster than you had hoped.
>"Ano~n, I know you're in here! I'm gonna find you!"
>There goes the relaxing.
>Chrissy starts freaking out.
>This is normal, unfortunately.
>Ever since you met her, she never wanted to see anyone else.
>She said normal p0nies won't understand her like you did.
>It seemed touchy, so you never questioned her.
"Chrissy, calm down."
>That won't work.
>It was worth a shot though.
>"Anon, she can't see me, I need to hide..."
"Then hide!"
>"but I don't want to leave yet!"
>What?"
"What do you mean, you have to stay hidden!"
>"Yeah, but you were only here for like 5 minutes..."
>She's getting all prissy NOW, of all times?!?
>Stupid girls!

"Chrissy, I'm sorry I didn't get to stay long, but you need to hide!"
>"I'm TIRED of hiding..."
>Now she's slumping on the stone bench, tears in her eyes.
>STUPID GIRLS AND THEIR EMOTIONS!
>You shake her.
"Come on, get up, she's coming!"
>"I don't care, I don't want to go back to doing nothing!"
>Did she really do nothing else except see you, here?
>You hear Cadenza's footsteps approach ever closer.
>Think fast, kid.
"Look, if you hide, I promise I'll come see you tomorrow!"
>She stops crying.
>"...what?"
"Yes! And the next day, and every day after that!"
>She stands up.
>"Really? You mean it?"
"YES! I don't care what it takes, I'm NOT letting you get found out right now!"
>Chrissy stares at you for a brief moment, her horn glowing a dim green.
>With a smile and a nod, she runs off into the maze, dashing out of your view...
>...and barely escapes being noticed by Cadenza.

>"Found you, Anon!"
>She runs up to you, hoofing you in the gut.
"OW."
>"THAT'S for not saying my name correctly!"
>You walk out of the Labyrinth with Cadenza.
>Purposefully taking a few wrong turns.
>Wouldn't want her knowing the quick way to the center, would you?
>When you finally escape, she sighs.
>"I'm glad we're out of there. That place gives me the creeps."
"Not me, I like it in there."
>"Oh..."
>Silence.
>"Anon, was there anyone in there with you?"
>You freeze.
>She turns back to look at you.
>"Anon?"
"No, there wasn't."
>"You sure? I heard voices..."
"I was talking to myself."
>"..."
"..."
>"...you're a weirdo, you know that?"
>Whew.

>You're lead back to the Princess of the Sun, who is handing off the throne room to her sister for the night.
"Good night, Luna."
>You always had a respect for Luna, since you really liked the nighttime.
>"Good night, Anon."
>Luna walks towards the throne room, while you're left with Cadenza and Celestia.
>"So, Anon, how was your day with my niece?"
>Before you can get a word in edgewise, she explodes.
>"It was GREAT! We were in the gardens, and played games, and we we were in the Labyrinth, and it was a lot of fun!!!"
>Wow, she really played up a boring day.
>Did she really enjoy it that much?
>"That's wonderful. I trust you'd want to play with him again sometime?"
>She nods happily.
>Well, there's the death sentence.
>Now you CAN'T avoid it.
>"You can run along now, Cadenza."
>"Bye Anon, it was fu~n!"
>She trots off and out of the castle.
>Good riddance.

>Meanwhile, in a hive, hidden away from Cantorlot...

>Chrysalis returns to her clutch.
>She enters the cave where her hive sleeps...
>The changelings there are vast in number.
>As she walks through, she approaches the center of the hive.
>There two changelings are seated, upon large thrones.
>"Chrysalis, my dear..."
>"Hi Mommy, hi Daddy."
>She hugs the two figures in the thrones, clearly the queen and king of this clutch.
>She was, after all, a princess.
>The queen talked to her husband.
>"My King...I am starving..."
>"I know, my Queen. I'll have the drones bring you some food right a-"
>The Queen slams her hoof down upon her throne.
>"No, not for food! I'm famished...I feel powerless..."
>Chrissy watched as her parents discussed.
>Every day, her mother grew weaker.
>She walked up to her mother and rubbed against her leg.
>"There there, mommy, you'll be okay."

>As her head nuzzled her mother's leg, a green energy escaped her horn.
>It floated in the air, above her head.
>The spiraling mass of energy caught her mother's attention.
>"What..."
>The mother drew her hoof towards the energy.
>"This energy..."
>The mass flew towards the Queen's horn, being absorbed.
>A sigh of relief comes from the Queen.
>"Is this..."
>"...love?"