"BUZZY YOU COME BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!!!!!!" Buzzy charged out of Pupa's room, knowing that Pupa knew her biggest secret, a secret she never wanted her cousin to find out about...

She was using her cousins toothbrush.

"How dare you use my toothbrush!!" Pupa shrieked, galloping at her cousin intent on revenge. Her fangs were bared and her horn was pulsing and glowing green. Buzzy screamed even louder, tearing through the palace walls, knocking over drones as she went. The Changeling Castle was carved into a mountain, with light green windows. The layout was the same as the Castle of The Two Sisters, but instead of white and gold it was grey and teal. Through the windows she could see the villages of Changeling Drones, and on acceptably clear days, she could even see the Changeling farmers working in the fields.

However, today she couldn't stop and admire the view. She had a cousin to hunt down and a toothbrush to avenge. Over and under Changelings flying and walking to and from the throne room, Pupa hunted for her cousin Buzzy. She was like a lioness, stalking an antelope in the African heat. She was intent on one target-getting revenge on her cousin. She noticed a small lump hiding behind one of the curtains, and Pupa smirked. How typical. Buzzy might be good at keeping secrets, but she always stunk at hide and seek. Pupa prowled closer to the curtain, horn glowing with a spell.

She was planning to give her a spell that made her breath smell AWFUL, as compensation for taking her stuff, when she heard her name being called by her father. "Pupa! Your mother wants to see you!" Pupa huffed, very annoyed that her hunt had to be interrupted. She let her horn grow dark, and the spell dispersed. Justice would have to wait until later. She looked back remorsefully at the trembling curtain, then turned to follow her father to the throne room.

She approached the black, shiny double doors alongside her dad, her strides matching him a little imperfectly. She was a little bit smaller than her parents, so she had to work to keep his pace. She reached out with her magic, the door frame illuminated with green brilliance. The doors swung open and Pupa was gazing into the Changeling Court. The three black thrones at the center of the back wall was where her mother reclined. Pupa's throne sat on her mother's right, whereas her father's was on her left.

The raised boxes for the important aristocrats and dukes of the court were full, and there was a great deal of talking among them. Pupa strode inside, her gaze not meeting anybody, her head held high. As soon as her foot steps were heard, everybody fell silent. Pupa's blazing green eyes radiated seriousness, and even the bravest Changelings who met her gaze looked away quickly.

Pupa knew she was different, and it was her eyes that said it. Unlike the light green sclera that all changelings had, her sclera was pitch black, and her lime green irises and slitted pupils stood out against them. She made her way up the steps to her throne and seated herself by her mother's side. Morpheus soon took his place and they were ready to discuss today's news.

The minutes from last time were read as usual, then her mother ran the roll call and check-ups on all the regions of the kingdom. When the duke of Shiftria was called, his son looked down at Pupa with a hungry glint in his eye. Pupa shuddered, a chill running up her spine like an electric shock. Shiftria's duke was nice, but his son was really creepy. He always popped up in random spots, scared the Changeling fillies senseless and causing many servants to stumble or trip.

Even his name was chilling-Venom. I mean, venomous insects are only the most creepy things on the planet. It made sense that the weirdest Changeling would have the weirdest name. Pupa had been thinking over him so much, that she barely heard her mother speaking. All she heard was, "...to discuss a future alliance with a certain duke. Duke of Shiftria, will you please stand and suggest some suitors?" Wait, thought Pupa. Suitors?! I'm too young to get married! I'm only 18!! I demand the right to stop this!!

"Well," the old pony shuffled, "I don't know anybody kinder than my little Venom, and I'm sure the other Dukes and Duchesses have many other fine children as well." Pupa stood. "Hold up," she said, "Back up a bit. You said suitors. As in, get married and have kids kind of suitors?!" Morpheus shifted around in his chair, looking very interested in his own feet. Chrysalis, however, met her daughter's hard gaze with a cold stare of her own. "Yes," she replied, not shifting her gaze. "You are at an age where your duty as a royal is very important, and we need to find you a good husband." I stared at her in disbelief. Pupa felt hurt. Sad. Empty. Angry.

Burning, seething anger that wells up inside you like a volcano about to blow and you just want to scream. Hot tears streamed down her face, blurring her vision. She shut her eyes and looked away from her mother. When she opened them again, she was looking at the Changeling court with utter disgust. She walked back to her throne and seated herself again in the chair. She didn't even hear the rest of the meeting. She was too shocked. Her? Marry a boy she didn't love? With her luck she's get married to an old, fat pony who smelled. And having kids?! That was out of the question! When the Changelings started to leave the boxes, Pupa fled the throne room as fast as she could.

* * *

Pupa sat in the garden, gazing at the mountains that acted as a wall around the kingdom. This wall had restricted her from exploring the outside world. Her entire universe was based in this one place. This was the place where she had repeatedly asked her mother why she could never leave her home. "The outside will not welcome us," was her answer every time. She would smile and say, "Besides, we have all we need right here. What else could you want?" Pupa would be satisfied with that answer for about a week, but she always came back.

Now, here she was, gazing off into the distance. She longed to have a friend, besides her cousin. Buzzy was the only person who Pupa could talk to, but she wanted more in her life. She wanted to see sights, to have crazy adventures, to find love. She longed to have an equal, and even though she knew it wasn't very likely, she hoped she could someday find a pony who was kind, and caring and truly loved her as much as she loved them.

She let out a forlorn sigh, knowing her future lay here in the kingdom. She was fated to marry a man she didn't love, and was never allowed to leave her walls. Looking out into the mountains, she could see the green dome that covered the valley, and shielding it from unwanted attention. Anybody who approached it would immediately think it was dangerous and would turn back. Nobody came in, nobody went out. Pupa heard gentle foot steps in the dirt behind her. She grumbled. Ugh. Sometimes she wished she had a protective dome that warded off people.

So far, everybody wanted to talk to her. First her dad, then her mom, now what? Venom? Pupa groaned. "Can you just leave me alone," she snapped, still facing the horizon. "Wow, you must be very angry about that toothbrush," came the melodic noise of her cousin's voice. Pupa whipped her head around to face Buzzy, who was leaning against a dark grey gazebo railing. "O-oh, it's just you," Pupa sighed with relief. If there was one person she could trust, it was Buzzy.

Buzzy flew towards Pupa, then stopped around 5 feet away from her, hovering. The buzzing sound her wings made when she flew was what earned her the name Buzzy. Buzzy looked from side to side, like checking if ponies were eavesdropping. Once satisfied that there was nobody watching her, she lowered herself to the ground, and pawed at the dirt. She opened her mouth to speak, to comfort her cousin, but she closed it after a few minutes. Pupa said, "If you want to say something, please do so."

"Sorry," Buzzy mumbled. "I just didn't know what to say." Pupa turned to her cousin, embracing her in a hug. Buzzy hugged back, squeezing her slightly. Ever since her parents, Queen Chrysalis's little sister Princess Honeycomb, and her husband, General Thorax, died from a freak accident where there were Canterlot Soldiers trying to invade the valley. They had fought bravely, but sadly they were killed. That was when Queen Chrysalis had issued the ban on leaving the valley. She didn't want anything that happened to her dear sister to happen to her family, or any of her subject's families.

"Pupa," asked Buzzy quietly. "Yes? What is it," Pupa answered softly. "What's gonna happen when the suitors arrive?" Pupa sighed, putting a hand on her little cousin's head. Even though they were the same age, Pupa saw herself as her older sister. "I honestly don't know," she whispered, barely audible.