The Path of Honor

Although Alistair is a cocky, brave little party animal on the surface, underneath he's got his fair share of problems. Someday, Twilight and Thorax's son is going to be a king... presumably.

There's a huge, looming cloud of doubt over Ali's future because, obviously, he isn't entirely insect. For several reasons he may not be fit to be a changeling monarch--it's currently unclear if he can asexually reproduce to keep the population going, he can't fully shape shift, the changlings while encouraging of Twilight and Thorax's marriage (it was good for the relationship between them and the ponies) aren't big on the idea of pony blood taking over their people, and Alistair has his own personal problems that make the idea of being king a terrifying one: although he physically looks more changeling than pony, he's still an alicorn. And when it comes to alicorns, there's still a lot that's completely unknown. Are alicorns truly immortal, or only long-lived? Are only born-alicorns, like Celestia and Luna immortal, and not made-alicorns like Cadence or his mother? He's technically a born alicorn, but born from a made-alicorn, so is he immortal? And if he is, would his children be? Would he create a race of immortal half-changelings, if he were to become king, assuming he even can asexually reproduce? And what if he can't? All these questions and more are... quite impossible for him to answer, at least right now.

Twilight diligently researches what little they know about alicorn biology as well as changeling, but her optimism doesn't solve Alistair's lack of answers. Thorax can only offer comfort, which, while appreciated, still makes Alistair think of the day he'll have to step up and face the uncertainty.

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I love this song