Changing Lanes 42

>While you knew something was being kept from Anonymous, the thought that Luna could have lost it and become... well, you, once again never crossed your mind.
>You suppose it only further cements that she and you are merely halves of a whole, rather than distinctly separate entities.
>As reality fades away into the familiar embrace of the star-studded dream realm, you exhale deeply, just relishing the serene, peaceful quiet.
>Just as you let your mind drift, a disturbance within the air causes you to refocus.
>Such an occurrence is quite normal, as it usually signifies somepony is having a nightmare of some sort.
>It is how Luna can sense when somepony is in need of her assistance, as keeper of the dream world.
>You have always been able to sense those same calls as well.
>What is unusual tonight is this disturbance in the calm void seems to be beckoning to you specifically.
>Not unlike a terrible case of poison ivy, such a focused outcry will be nearly impossible to ignore, as you glide in the direction of the swirling air.
>The closer you get, the more severe and focused is the sensation, as a door gradually comes into view.
>While most doors that lead to a pony's dream have their personal mark upon them, this door is strangely absent of identity.
>Suspicious, you glance around, half expecting to see either Anon or Luna screwing with you.
>They are the only two capable of manipulating this endless realm, aside from you.
>But nopony is in sight, it truly is just you.
>Even if they were hiding, you would be able to sense them.
>For a time, you stand at the foot of the featureless black door, unsure what could be on the other side.
>Then again, nothing can harm you in the dream world, so why are you hesitant?
>Pushing your nagging anxiety aside, you crack open the door, and step inside.
>To your surprise, there looks to be literally nothing within this place.
>An endless black sea is all that greets your eyes as the door behind you slowly swings closed.
>Gradually, the blank slate surrounding you begins to shift and lighten just a bit, revealing a dark, overgrown forest.
>Yet the trees and underbrush are eerily silent, devoid of the sounds of wildlife.
>Taking a few steps, your eyes slowly adjust to the darkness, still finding no sign of anypony.
>Normally when you step into somepony's dream, you can catch sight of them almost instantly.
>So what the hay is this place?
>Without warning, a bright flash of blue flame circles you, making you instinctively jump.
>"The mouse finally finds the trap. Took long enough."
>The voice seems to come from every direction, echoing around you.
>Looking down, you see archaic sigils burned into the ground, glowing with a soft light.
>It's been a long time wince you've seen this pattern, but you know what it is.
>A binding spell, albeit a very poorly made one.
>Rather than feeling chained down to the ground like a proper spell would do, you feel only a slight tug at your form, pleading with you to stay.
>But curiosity gets the best of you, so you play along for now to find out just what is going on here.
"Well, I'm here now. If you want me here so bad, why don't you show yourself?" you bark in irritation.
>The trees ahead of you part, as a figure makes its way towards you, while the flames die down just a bit so you can get a better look at you "captor".
>Before the pony makes it to you, you connect her tall, slender form with the voice you heard.
>Chrysalis.
>Focusing, you shift the treetops above you away, letting a full moon shine down and illuminate the area.
>Chrysalis flinches a bit, no doubt surprised that you can still modify her dreams.
"This 'trap' is like tying floss around the neck of a manticore," you gloat. "You're playing with one of the big ponies now, Chrysalis."
>"So I see," she say, stopping at the fiery line between the two of you.
>Chrysalis's luminescent eyes study you, as she remains silent for a time.
"Well, you summoned me. What the hay do you want?" you grumble, growing impatient.
>"You certainly aren't in a very cheery mood tonight, Nightmare Moon," Chrysalis says with a smug grin. "Or do you go by 'Anonymous' now?"
>You aren't exactly surprised to hear she knows the truth about this whole mess, considering she probably does have a lot of spies within Canterlot's gates.
>Your lack of surprise does seem to catch Chrysalis off-guard, but she again remains silent.
"So you know how Anonymous wiped the floor with you, congratulations on figuring it out. Is that all you need?"
>Your response gets a chuckle from the changeling queen as she begins to pace around you.
>"Considering I am still alive and well, I would not consider Anonymous beat me. Merely caught me out," she says, slightly irritated as her smirk turns into a scowl.
"Spin it however you want, I don't care. I suppose that cockroach you sent today was merely 'caught out' as well?"
>"Not one of my brighter children, I suppose," Chrysalis says, devoid of emotion. "No matter, there's plenty more of my offspring that have replaced guards in Canterlot. Just waiting."
"Why would you tell me this if you know I'm bunked with Anonymous?" you ask, confused.
>"I want to offer you a deal, Nightmare," Chrysalis coos.
"A deal. What in Equestria could you possibly offer me?" you ask, chuckling at the absurdity of this conversation.
>"How about a body to call your own?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.
>You're waiting for the punchline as you instantly silence yourself.
>However, Chrysalis just sits there, waiting for an answer.
>She's actually serious about this? How is it even possible?
"Humor me," you respond, causing Chryssy's eyes to light up.
>"I thought that might pique your interest," she says, practically gloating. "All you need to do is lead me to Anonymous, or lead him to me. Once I drain him of all that he's worth, you get what's left."
>Normally, you would be all for the idea.
>But instead of enthusiasm, your stomach drops, a wave of nausea washing over you at the thought.
>Where is this feeling coming from?
>Nevertheless, you push your thoughts aside, seeing an opportunity to unravel Chrysalis's plan.
"You're going to have to be more specific that that, Chrysalis. What exactly are you going for, and what do you mean I 'get what's left?'"
>Chrysalis's initial response is to grin, a light chuckle emanating from her.
>"You don't actually expect me to just come out and tell you, right? Even if you were to eagerly accept my proposition, I'm not that stupid."
"One can hope," you mumble. "Why are you so keen on taking my power? and ho do you expect to do that?"
>Chrysalis stops smiling, her face turning very grim and serious.
>"Unlike your princesses, I do not have the fortune of eternal life, nor impeccable health. As much as I hate to admit it, your owner seems to have done something irreparable to me in our first meeting," she says, her voice increasingly somber. "But now, I see Luna's little mistake has led to some.... interesting side effects that greatly interest me. But that is enough answers for you."
>At this point, you tire of the changeling queen's presence, focusing your mind as a violin appears beside her, playing a somber tune.
"I care little about your sob story, Chryssy," you announce, as she glares at your abrupt interruption and your musical interlude. "If you think I would even consider helping you, you're even more deperate and idiotic that anypony could imagine."
>Chrysalis growls in anger, but otherwise gives no retort.
>Seeing a chance to prove a point, you raise a hoof and slowly step beyond the lines of the trap Chrysalis had created for you.
>Her eyes go wide as she looks at her trap, then you.
"Seems somepony needs to work on her spellwork," you taunt with a smirk, turning your gaze downward. "Your sigils are quite sloppy, at best."
>"It doesn't matter, you can't harm me in a dream, anyways," Chrysalis replies, though her voice betrays her uneasiness.
>Once again you raise your head, glaring at her intently as an idea forms.
>As you focus your energy, you shift the form Chrysalis sees before her, your alicorn form twisting and growing at a prodigious rate.
>While in reality you are still unchanged, what Chrysalis sees before her is a massive dragon-like creature with your coloring and markings.
>What bravery she had feigned before instantly disappears, as the creature looks down at her cowering form with a grin.
"Sweet nightmares, Chryssy."


>For the first time in a long time, you feel nervous as you come across the portal to Princess Celestia's dream.
>Last time you met did not go so well, though you admittedly had a lot on your mind you wished to release.
>Now, as you prepare to face her again, you pause a second to alter your visage, your trademark blue armor fading away to nothing.
>Your mane droops down in front of your face, the alien feeling causing you to flinch before you brush it aside
>It feels strange being without your armor and helmet, but if it helps to avoid confrontation, it is worth it.
>With a deep breath, you step through the symbolic doorway, the bright flash of light enveloping you.
>As Celestia's dream slowly forms, you find yourself having to squint as the sun hangs brightly in the sky.
>Underhoof, the silky touch of warm sand greets, as the sound of lightly lapping water fills your ears.
>After what seems like an eternity, your eyes finally adjust to the blinding daylight, as you scan the tropical scenery for any sign of the white alicorn.
>You only hope you find her before she spies you, a difficult task considering your pitch black coat stands out in this colorful backdrop.
>Cautiously, you make your way along the beach, pausing from time to time to scan the area before continuing onward.
>The few palm trees and sparse patches of grass sway in the salty sea breeze, the movement a rather unneeded distraction.
>After a short time, you see somepony laying on the beach off in the distance.
>As you close in, you recognize the billowing bright mane of Celestia, apparently taking a nap upon the sandy dunes, shaded by an umbrella.
>Dreaming about taking a nap, that's a new one.
>Luck is on your side, as you manage to reach the snoozing princess without alerting her.
>In fact, she is still asleep.
"Celestia," you quietly call, nudging her gingerly with a hoof to wake her up.
>As she slowly stirs, you take a step back, briefly considering a hasty retreat from her dream.
>Instead, you resolve to see this through, even though this is a stupid idea.
>Celestia's relaxed smile instantly turns to a look of shock as her eyes focus.
>"Nightmare Moon?!" she cries in surprise, quickly rising to her hooves and taking a defensive stance with her head lowered.
"Calm down, I'm not here to fight," you tell her, taking another step back. "I just want to talk, so relax."
>"I am calm. What do you want to talk about?" Celestia barks, tensely focused on you.
"If this is you relaxed, I'd hate to see what you look like when you are stressed out," you quip.
>Celestia remains silent, not budging an inch.
"Look, I'm here to talk about our little changeling issue," you sigh. "More specifically, Chrysalis, considering I just finished talking with her."
>"You did WHAT?" Celestia shouts, snapping upright in disbelief.
"That idiotic cockroach decided it was a good idea to summon me. What I'm trying to get at is that she knows everything about Anon. She knows I'm the reason for his power, she knows how it all happened. More importantly, she knows all of this because the Canterlot Royal Guard is basically composed of changelings."
>Celestia stands silently, her mouth agape as she struggles to grasp the load of information you've dropped on her.
>"Why?" she finally manages to mumble.
"Why? We already know why,she wants my power that is contained within Anonymous. As it turns out, Chrysalis is not exactly in the best of health after whatever magic Anon used on her in their first meeting. She's now all the more determined knowing he shares our immortality."
>Celestia shakes her head, as her expression hardens up.
>"No, I mean why did Chrysalis tell you all of this? There is something you are not telling me."
>You take a deep breath before you unleash the next bombshell on Celestia.
"She wanted me to help her. She promised me what was left of Anonymous - his body - would be mine."
>If possible, Celestia's eyes widen even further, as she grit her teeth in unbridled rage.
>"And you are willing to help her?" Celestia shouts.
"What? No!" you exclaim, thoroughly confused by her response. "Dammit, why do you think I'm telling you this? I'm warning you, you dolt. Like I promised."
>As if you've slapped her straight, Celestia settles down, a wave of calmness washing over you.
>"Really?" she asks softly, her voice betraying her dumbfounded mind.
>Frustrated by the lack of trust, you shake your head and turn away.
"I knew this was a stupid idea, I should have just waited until Anon awoke and told him," you growl, walking away at a rapid pace.
>A flurry of hoofbeats close in on you, as Celestia catches you in stride and stops ahead of you.
>"No, please, I'm sorry," she begs, catching you off-guard.
>As you silently gaze upon Celestia, her ears droop as her lavender eyes silently plead with you to let her speak.
>"You really are serious about this, aren't you? Helping to keep Anon out of trouble, keeping to your word, all of it?"
"I gave my word that I would, and I have. Why does that surprise you?"
>Celestia is silent, though it doesn't take a genius to figure out she's reflecting on the past.
"That's fine that you can't let go of the past, I probably deserve it," you mutter. "But considering I have nothing better to do for all of eternity, yes, I am watching out for Anon."
>Celestia tries to speak, but you cut her off as you release your burden.
"That's great that Luna -the other half of me, whatever - has redeemed herself and made amends with you and the past. she gets to move on and live a life. I don't get that privilege. Instead, I'm stuck being a spectator for eternity, bound to a hell of being an entity without a physical form."
>You feel as if your mind is fracturing, as the contents continue to spill forth unabated.
"Do you know what it is like to be alone? As in, completely isolated from the world and its inhabitants? I have had nopony to talk to for eons, until this mishandled spell by Luna cast me into another's presence. As odd as he is, Anonymous is at least willing to speak with me, and believe it or not, I cherish that company. You portray me as a monster, as does the rest of Equestria. You pushed me away once to fulfill your own hopes and dreams, and fractured me in two. You tell everypony you have learned from the past, and here you are again pushing me away."
>Celestia's proud form is by this point barely sitting upright, as she continues to endure your cutting words.
>Meanwhile, the slight breeze within this dream begins to slowly accelerate, causing the calm, peaceful waves of the sea to build higher and more frequent with each passing minute.
"You can't accept that Luna and I are one being, even as you have seen with your own eyes her transformation weeks ago into the form you see standing here. You are unable to accept it, because you cannot accept *you* created this monster you fear. You cannot accept reality, you do not dare endure the thought that my downward spiral could have been stopped, had you not been blind to my trials and tribulations. Perhaps I am not the monster here. Maybe it is YOU."
>As you lock eyes with her, Celestia slowly slumps to the ground, trembling too violently to stand any longer.
"I'm done, Tia. Fear not, you will see me no longer. If I have any further issues or ideas, I will wait to speak with Anonymous or my other half," you shout, walking past the distraught princess, en route to the portal from which you arrived.
>"Nightmare Moon," Celestia's voice cries out, wavering with a choked sob.
>You push forward without a glance backward, spray from the wild sea stinging your face and eyes.
>"Luna," she calls. "Please."
>Your breath hangs in your throat as Celestia calls you by a name you have not heard in millennia.
>Every muscle in your body freezes, before slowly turning back around.
"You called me Luna," you mumble, dumbfounded.
>"I know you are my sister. I just..... I can't - couldn't face it," she chokes. "It is easier to believe a different, evil entity forced my sister to to attack me, than my own sister alone."
>You just stand there, shocked at Celestia's admittance as she continues to emotionally implode.
>"How can I admit I did this to you? How can I accept it? If I fail at being a sister, to tend to my own kin, how can I be expected to tend to a kingdom?"
>Seeing Celestia relegated to a quivering, sobbing wreck at your mercy had been your dream for centuries since your falling out.
>To hear an apology, an admittance of guilt for her ignorance of your struggles.
>But now, you feel even worse than any other point in your life, even moreso than your exile.
>As you stare, unsure of what to do, Celestia's form begins to shimmer with a faint, white aura.
>Her billowing pastel mane swirls in upon itself, the colors blending together before settling into a pale pink hue, as it now settles down upon her like a normal mane.
>Meanwhile, her whole form contracts in upon itself, gradually shrinking until reaching nearly half her previous size.
>Your surroundings themselves begin to change as well, the violent ocean evaporating in an instant, as the sand underhoof suddenly disappears, hidden by the carpet of grass spontaneously growing.
>The sky itself vanishes, obscured by a dense canopy of trees that take form from thin air, as the sound of the howling wind is replaced with the quiet, peaceful sounds of forest wildwife.
>Celestia looks at you - or more like past you - as her sorrowful face suddenly lights up, the tears streaming from her eyes stopping their cascade.
>"Luna," she exclaims, jumping to her hooves in a flurry of excitement.
>Trying to make sense of the sudden changes, your eyes dart to a blur of pale blue running past you, leaping up to a now much younger Celestia.
>Finally stopping long enough to take in the sight, your jaw drops.
>The little blue thing is you.
>Er, a much younger you, as Luna.
>Like Celestia, her electric blue mane hangs limply, rather than the ethereal mane you gained later in life, while her coat is much paler than it is today.
>As the two of them seem oblivious to your presence, it dawns on you this is a memory you are seeing.
>"Luna, I told you to stay close to me. I thought I had lost you," Celestia scolds, leaning down to give her little sister a reassuring nuzzle.
>The little filly's ears drop, hearing her sister's lecture.
>"I'm sorry," she mumbles.
>"I am not trying to be mean, but it is dangerous out here. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you," Celestia replies, lowering her voice as she in turn sits back down on the patchy forest floor.
>"You don't have to worry about me, Tia. I'll never leave you. I promise," Luna cries. She leaps up upon her stubby legs to give Celestia a jubilant hug, giggling all the while.
>In turns, Celestia wraps her own hooves around the filly, smiling from ear to ear.
>"Nor will I ever leave you," she responds.
>You remember this scene, but just barely.
>It is one of the earliest memories you have, as you had gotten the brilliant idea to go off on your own in the forest as Celestia took a much needed rest.
>Mom had passed away shortly after your sixth birthday, so the only caretaker you ever really  knew was your big sis.
>With as mischievous and naive as you were at that age, Tia had her work cut out for her.
>Especially with as wild and unpredictable as Equestria was at that time.
>It wasn't until the two of you truly united the land that Equestria became the peaceful kingdom it is known as today.
>Before that time, danger could be hidden behind every shadow, be it bandits, feral creatures, anything.
>But through it all, Celestia made sure you were safe and well fed, at a time neither of you knew about your gift of immortality.
>She did all of this for you, and you repaid her with violence.
>Betrayal.
>Hatred.
>She never left you like your mind warped itself to believe.
>Your own displeasure with unfulfilled dreams and Tia's dreams of a land brought to peace harbored jealously, jealousy that created its own fantasies as it consumed you.
>Without warning, the gale force winds return, blowing away the trees and with them, the whole scene.
>A wave crashes against the coastline with a deafening roar, making you recoil in shock.
>Celestia lies before you on the sand as she did only moments ago.
>Her form is being drenched by the vicious sea, as if trying to pull her away to the depths.
>Now, you see not a nemesis before you, but a friend you had forgotten long ago.
>Somepony you cherished, that in turn cherished you.
>Until you pushed her away.
>Something within your being stirs, as you focus your energy upon the sand beneath your hooves.
>With a primal cry, you raise the shoreline up into the air by several feet, out of reach of the ocean's torment.
>Feeling sick to your stomach, you take a few steps towards Celestia, who has snapped out of her anguished sobs.
>Falling to your knees, you lean in towards her, coming horn to horn with her as you look deep into her misty eyes.
"This isn't right. This isn't what I want," you say, choking on your emotions.
>"What?" Celestia manages to stammer out, as the winds and the waves settle down just a bit.
"This whole time I have been angry with you, let hatred brew within me. I felt betrayed, abandoned," you croak, your own vision beginning to blur with tears. "But it is I who abandoned you. I let my own petty jealousy, my own unhappiness drive to break the promise I made to you long ago."
>"Promise?"
"The vision you showed me. Didn't you?" you ask, confused.
>Celestia can only stare back, her lavender eyes puffy and red from the raw emotions.
>"I suppose the cat's out of the bag now," comes a male voice.
>In an instant, the wind stops, while the roar of the waves nearby mutes.
>"I didn't do any of that stuff, just the vision," you hear the voice say as it comes closer, before a pair of legs walks past you head.
>Both you and Celestia look up, finding Anonymous looking down at both of you.
>"Anonymous?" you and Tia shout in unison.
>"Sorry, I wasn't trying to intrude," he says somberly. "I sensed Celestia's pain in the dream realm, and Luna was busy helping some other pony with their dream. So I stopped by to see what was up."
>"I... thank you, Anonymous," Celestia says, managing a small smile as she wipes her face with a foreleg.
>Anonymous then turns to you, your own nerves begiing to twist your stomach as you realize how bad this scene looks in relation to your presence.
"Please, let me explain..." you start, before Anon puts up his had to quiet you.
>"I also sensed your anxiety and anger, even before Celestia's," he says, giving you a smile that soothes your current anxiety. "You're just a lot harder to find because you don't have a particular room you stay."
>Anonymous bends down, taking a seat next to the two of you.
>"Now, you both have a lot of skeletons in the closet between the two of you. I think several hundred years of letting ill will fester is only making it worse, so let's end it," he says, splitting his gaze between the two of you to emphasize his point.
>"Darkie, why are you here? I'm not judging, I just want to know. Obviously your lack of armor tells me you didn't mean this visit to be confrontational."
"Chrysalis talked to me tonight, she summoned me within her own dreams. I came here to tell Celestia about it, since you and Luna can be.... difficult to track down. You two don't stay in your rooms, either," you say, nudging his shoulder with a hoof.
>"Chrysalis? What the hell did she want?" Anon ask.
"To hand you over," you say flatly. Anon seems rather disturbed, but remains calm.
>"Alright then. That's.... not really what I was expecting, but we'll leave that alone for now. How did you go from trying to help to both of you being emotional wrecks?"
>"I jumped to conclusions," Celestia pipes up, still sniffling a bit. "I just assumed Nightmare was here to cause trouble."
>"You can at least admit you didn't give Darkie a fair shake. It's understandable, even if a little disappointing," Anon replies, crossing his arms in front of him as he turns his attention back to you. "I assume you didn't take too well to that and unloaded on her, yes?"
"I lost my temper, yes," you confirm, nodding. "I told her everything I had bottled up all these years, I blamed her for everything."
>"It is my fault, I should have done more to help you," Celestia says, her voice breaking a bit and she averts her gaze.
>Just as Anon is about to speak up, you cut him off, using your magic to raise Celestia's head.
"No, it's not your fault. I did this to myself," you tell her, as she looks you in the eyes. "I couldn't face my own unrealized dreams of competition, I couldn't face that it was not you that forced me from my dream, but my own physical limits."
>"Wait, what do you mean? I thought you gave up racing to help Celestia rebuild society?" Anon interrupts. You shake your head vehemently.
"As far as we know, alicorns grow very slowly, to a point. Obviously there's not a lot of our kind, but from our own experiences, once alicorns reach a certain proficiency in magic, they tend to undergo a rapid growth spurt. Which is what happened to me. You've seen how Luna lacks agility in flight."
>"I don't think she's that bad, Darkie," he replies, trying to soften your criticism.
"Not for her size, no. Have you noticed how pegasi tend to be a bit smaller than the other races of pony? That's a big boon to agility in flight. Yes, we had speed with our larger wings, but all-out speed is not what it takes to win."
>Your mind reflects back upon the tumultuous years before giving up your dream as you continue.
"I couldn't face that my own body was betraying me, while Celestia's growth spurt only seemed to help her vision of a unified land, as you see what kind of an impact our larger stature has. My own misplaced anger and jealousy warped my mind enough to believe it was Tia's fault, and it has taken me all this time to see that."
>Focusing back on Celestia across from you, you squirm towards her, opening up your wings and wrapping them around her.
"I'm sorry for putting you through this for all these years. You never abandoned me, you did nothing wrong. I broke my own promise I made long ago, to always be by your side," you tell her, letting go of your built up frustration and sorrow you've held onto for a millennia, as they slide down your cheeks in streams.
>For the first time, Celestia smiles at you, as her own eyes resume welling up.
>"Let's face it, we're both stubborn. It's how we've survived for so long," she says, using one of her wingtips to dab your face free of moisture.
>As if the weight of the world has been lifted from your back, you rise to your hooves, beaming down at Celestia as the sky above does the same, the sun beginning to shed itself of the oppressive clouds.
"You can stop the melodramatics, Anonymous," you say, referring to the change in the weather. He folds his arms in front of himself, rising to his feet, while Celestia in turn rises up once again.
>"I told you, I'm not doing any of this. You of all ponies should know a dream can change based upon the mood of the pony. Celestia is the one doing this, even if it is involuntary."
>As her name is spoken, Celestia smiles even brighter, the heavenly body above fully breaking away from its prison in the sky as she wraps her hooves around your neck.
>"Thank you Nightmare Mo - Luna," she says, correcting herself.
>You return the embrace, before pulling away as Anonymous looks at his watch.
>"I hate to break it to you two, but you've been at it for about seven hours now. It's already closing in on nine in the morning," he says, displaying his wristband for all to see.
"Thank you, Tia," you say, turning back to her. "Though perhaps it is best to just go by Nightmare Moon, to avoid any confusion."
>"Or Darkie, that's a good one," Anon chips in. Your eyes dart over to him, as he only grins in response to the cold shoulder.
>"You're welcome back any time to my dreams, sister," Celestia says, as her face suddenly becomes much more grim and serious. "We will be discussing what you've shared with me in the morning, thank you."
>With that, Celestia disappears, as does the entire scenery surrounding you and Anonymous, slowly returning to the night sky that composes the dream realm as a whole.
>"I'm proud of you tonight, Darkie. I really mean it," Anonymous says, putting an arm around your neck.
>The reassuring touch feels foreign to you, but calming nonetheless.
"I feel stupid for holding onto that grudge for so long. Even after I unleashed my anger upon her, and heard her apologize, I felt no better."
>"Luckily I have a key to your library upstairs, huh?" he responds, pointing to your head.
"I must ask, how did you find that so quickly? I did not even remember that memory at first, considering how old it was."
>"I've had a lot of free time on my hands while dreaming. You went through my memories, I figured I could do the same."
>You gently pull away from his grasp, turning to face him head-on.
"I can't believe I'm saying this with everything I've done to you, but thank you. For the first time since.... well, probably since I've been a separate being, I feel free. I feel happiness for once."
>Anon shrugs in response, giving you a smile as he pats your head.
>"Hey, you've helped me a lot, too. You saved my ass the first time I encountered changelings by warning me. But yeah, I didn't expect to become a guidance counselor when I arrived in this world. You ponies have a lot of issues. Seriously, psychologists in my world could make a mint off you guys."
>While you know his comment was made in jest, he is right, in a way.
"Celestia is right, we are both hard-headed. Sometimes, it takes an outsider to open the eyes of the ignorant. Maybe I'm not the monster I've been known as all these years. Maybe I can change."
>"Well, I knew you weren't a monster," Anonymous says with a grin. "I just figured you were a bitch."
"You have a wonderful way of ruining the mood."
>"Thanks, I try."