Prologue: Changeling plans
The white Unicorn entered the Royal chambers with great haste. Having just traveled a perilous journey across the plains of Equestria to reach the far from welcoming Changeling hive. One of Chrysalis' guards had directed him to the Queen's quarters before returning to his duties.
The Unicorn waited patiently for the Queen to arrive back to her chambers. He had been coming and going to and from the hive for the last Five years now, but still the Changeling architecture amazed him. So creative with the materials used. The door creaked open, signalling the arrival of his lover.
"Good morning, Nova. I assume your arrival means that all preparations have been made." Asked the Changeling Queen seductively.
"Of course. I have visited all the Changeling couples which have infiltrated towns and cities surrounding Canterlot, informing them of the general area in which the pods will fall." Replied Nova, smiling profusely.
"Very good." Chrysalis slowly approached the Unicorn. Circling him now she began once more, "Are they all ready to advance with our plan?"
Nova recovered from the trance, "Yes. I just hope that you have enough younglings for our plans."
"I'm sure that two thousand of my precious babies are enough."
"Let's hope so."
Chrysalis stopped circling the Unicorn. Leaning in close to the Unicorn she began to nuzzle him gently. "Five years ago you came to me with this proposition." Nova began walking towards the Queen as she walked away. "I never thought we would accomplish this plan, let alone find love."
Nova's smile faded as he stopped in his tracks. "You've never said that before."
"What?" Asked the Changeling curiously.
"Find love" continued Nova with an expression of curiosity.
"Well I haven't found love so powerful since four years ago when I infiltrated Canterlot. Allowing you and my Changelings to retrieve the information we desperately needed."
"Thanks... I guess."
"But sadly. You know what I must do."
"But darling..." Nova began stuttering horribly with fear, realising what he had walked into. "We are m-meant to b-be t-together." Tears formed from his eyes as he backed into one of the pillars near the edge of the chamber.
"You have fulfilled my needs. And in this new world of mine there will be no place for ponies. Changelings will rule over the ponies and I can't be seen to have favourites." Chrysalis lunged and Nova, barely missing him as he ducked under her enormous stature. She turned to Nova as he sprinted to the exit, but was stopped in his tracks as three Changeling guards entered.
Nova realised there was no way out. Doorways were blocked. Chrysalis was approaching from behind. Pony magic was useless within the hive. Nova knew he had only seconds left.
I should have seen this coming. Nova thought to himself. Turning towards Chrysalis he accepted his fate. It was needed for his plans to be fulfilled. Only when all the ponies are suppressed will there ever be true equality. It was what Nova strived for through his endeavor.
Chrysalis stood over the Unicorn. Horn lighting up, the love from within erupted from his body in mass. Light emerged from his body, signifying his coming death. Chrysalis wasn't just devouring his love, she was absorbing his emotions and his very soul.
The lifeless corpse collapsed to the floor. Turning from her guards the Queen walked over to her window, giving her a view of the thousand or so pods before her, ready to transport the younglings to their final destinations. "Months of preparations. The younglings are finally ready. Taking on the forms of ponies that passed away generations ago, no one will ever suspect a thing. And once the changelings take in the pure younglings they will finish the teaching process. Nothing can stop us now." The Changeling Queen moved her gaze towards her guard just behind her. "These pure Changelings are faster, stronger and smarter than all of you. We will be successful." A menacing smile grew larger upon her face. "Nothing can stop us now."
Author's Note
Thanks to all my readers. If you have any feedback I would be happy if it's good or bad. I want to be criticized as to help with my story development.
Fluttershy sat at her windowsill, overlooking the Everfree Forest, as she had been doing for the last four hours. Twilight entered the quaint bedroom to sit beside her dear friend as she had been since arriving. "How are you feeling Fluttershy? You know it's not your fault." Twilight had an expression of concern, one she had been using around Fluttershy since her first attempt.
Fluttershy turned towards Twilight, lip quivering and a tear sliding down her cheek. "No," she responded with sadness engulfing her voice, "but what if it is my fault?" Tears once again flooded from her eyes.
Twilight stretched her wing and placed it around her friend, pulling her into a warm embrace. "Why would you say that?"
"I have had so many unsuccessful relationships over the years. Rainbow Dash is now with Soarin. Big Macintosh is now with Cheerilee. You are with Flash Sentry. All my friends are starting happy relationships, but I'm stuck in a rut." Fluttershy pushed Twilight away, placing her wings over her own head for protection from the cruel world around her. "The reason Cloud Break ended our relationship was all on me. He said he couldn't be with someone who was afraid to embrace." She once again broke down into a fit of tears.
Twilight moved closer to Fluttershy but was quickly swatted back by a yellow hoof. "Fluttershy, you must realise that he wasn't for you. If he couldn't accept you for who you are then he isn't worth your ti-" Twilight was abruptly interrupted by Fluttershy.
"Don't talk to me like I'm a foal. It is my fault. Just like how Angel's death was all my fault." Fluttershy's thoughts wandered to that frigid night four months prior. The image of Angel's lifeless body on the sofa sent a chill down Fluttershy's spine, causing more tears to rain from her eyes. She wiped her face of tears and turned to Twilight. "You have no idea what it's like being me." Twilight was in shock, Fluttershy was completely acting out of character. The often shy Pegasus was now assertive and angry. "How many stallions will it take? How long until I find the stallion who completes me?" Fluttershy smacked her head against the windowsill and once again began crying, both from the pain and her tormented soul.
Twilight got up from her seated position and left for the door. Turning back to her distraught friend she said softly, "you shouldn't be looking for the pony that completes you." She walked through the door frame and looked in from outside. "You need to find the pony that loves you completely and remember your friends are always here." With that Twilight shut the door behind her and left the cottage.
Fluttershy rested her chin between her hooves as she continued to stare out of the window. "Perhaps Twilight is right."
Fluttershy stood up and slammed her fore-hoof against the windowsill. "I need to stop looking for the perfect stallion and start looking for the one who thinks I'm the perfect mare." A smile finally erupted onto her face after hours of crying.. "I need to fi-" A large explosion sounded from above, a sound rather similar to that of the sonic rainboom. Fluttershy collapsed to the floor, cowering in fear and shock.
Fluttershy leapt through her window and gazed skyward. Her jaw dropped as a bright light gashed the night sky above her. An object was hurtling towards the earth beneath her feet as she hovered. The spherical object was coming in fast, but Fluttershy could see where it was about to land. "The Everfree Forest," she swallowed hard. It was then that she noticed the object was not alone. Hundreds of these objects could be seen in all directions. Perhaps a meteor shower, Fluttershy thought to herself.
The object soon went behind the tree line of the Everfree Forest. It crashed deep into the forest. Fluttershy braced for the oncoming shock-wave... but it never came. Fluttershy was overcome with confusion and found herself heading towards the crash site of the object. She lost control of her body. She just kept moving forward. Faster and faster.
***
"Did you hear that?" The yellow and lavender mare jumped from her skin as he awoke from her slumber.
"The explosion? Of course, how couldn't I?"The Pegasus stallion turned to his wife. "It means it is time. Chrysalis has sent the foals which we are to collect." He rose from the bed and aided his wife in doing the same.
"Crescent, we must hurry if we are to beat the Timberwolves to our foal." The mare ran to the door, knowng the position of where the pod was expected to land. She turned back to her husband, "What's taking you so long?"
The stallion ran down the stairs with a blanket under his wing. "Sorry Lavender, I had to retrieve the blanket. It's cold tonight after-all." The brown stallion walked past his wife and began heading towards the forest, leaving her to lock up at this late hour as he moved towards the Changeling foal.
***
Fluttershy still hated the Everfree Forest, even after living beside it for more than half of her life. Although she still feared all the creatures which dwelled within, she found herself much more confident than her first venture into the forest. She knew that if any trouble came her way, all she had to do was giggle at the ghosties. Fluttershy hovered upwards, past the canopy to locate the object which had fallen. She allowed her eyes to follow the smoke trail left behind by the object. Locating the object wasn't going to be too hard.
She didn't know why she decided to find the object herself rather that contacting Twilight, but she had a force overcome her will power, compelling her to begin a search. She didn't worry though. A noise that loud was sure to have got Twilight's attention, she was surely on her way to help Fluttershy. Fluttershy began to walk in the direction of the smoke trail.
Fluttershy made her way along the dirt path, trying not to go too far into the forest itself in fear of the creatures which dwell within. Her upper lip was quivering as she continued towards the smoke trail, twigs could be heard snapping in the background, as if the monsters of the forest were approaching, coming ever closer, stalking the helpless Fluttershy as she tip-hoofed past. Fear was now over-coming Fluttershy, but she was too afraid to raise her voice above the wingbeat of a butterfly.
A howl sounded from behind, as if a timberwolf was only a foot away. She bolted. She left the trail, hoping the monster wouldn't be able to follow due to his size. Fluttershy ducked until brambles and thorns, catching her skin and fur on passing trees and other plants. The forest itself was assaulting Fluttershy.
She collapsed to the ground, coated in sweat and tears. Fear had won.
"Why did I come out here?" Fluttershy screamed to herself, "What was I thinking?" She would have continued crying but the reserves had run dry. Her head hung low she felt a shadow spread over her body, accompanied by the faint sound of sniffing. Fluttershy forced her eyes shut, wishing the timberwolf would be quick.
The shy pony waited.
The end never came.
Fluttershy could still feel the shadow and could still hear the sniffing, but it appeared to have retreated slightly. She turned her gaze upwards. Her bright blue eyes met those of her pursuer.
Fluttershy stuttered from confusion, "A Ch-Changeling?"
Author's Note
This was fun to write, although I wasn't sure whether to end it here or not. I decided to leave you on a cliffhanger.
Fluttershy couldn't believe her eyes. Perhaps it had been a timberwolf casting the shadow because there is no way this was real. Before her bright blue eyes was a Changeling foal. The foal was much like his adult counterparts, but there was something different about him.
Fluttershy gazed into the foals eyes, but he found it hard to return the somewhat loving gaze. The foal began to topple over onto his side. Fluttershy dived forward, catching the young Changeling in her hooves. The young one now in her hooves let out a yawn before closing his eyes. Fluttershy pulled the Changeling into an embrace, holding him close to her heart. A smile erupted on his face as he heard the soothing heartbeat of his caretaker
.
"Oh you poor dear, you must be so tired." Fluttershy's heart sunk at the sight of the foal. "What are you doing in the Everfree Forest by yourself?"
The foal yawned in reply.
She couldn't just leave the foal by itself. Not here in the Everfree Forest. Surrounded by creatures that would devour the poor, defenseless Changeling within minutes. Fluttershy's mind wandered to memories of ferocious Manticores, vicious Timberwolves and stories of hording dragons, all of which presided within this forest. All of which could be watching me right now.
Fluttershy's lip began to quiver once again. Fear engulfing her body, bringing a shiver down her spine as a howl erupted from the treeline.
Fluttershy began to speak to the foal, fear still audible in her voice."Ponies are gonna judge both of us, but I can't leave you here alone. I would never forgive myself for allowing you to die." The fear in her voice seemed to calm itself. The foal continued to sleep.
Fluttershy moved the foal onto her back, using her wings to prevent the foal from falling. "I helped Discord, I'm sure I can help you." A small smile broke onto her face. "You're not a monster, you even look different to the others... although I've never actually seen a Changeling foa-" Fluttershy stopped in her tracks after a bright light hit the corner of her eye. Turning on the spot, Fluttershy noticed a metallic object on the forest floor. The object was reflecting the light of Luna's moon, which had emerged from behind the clouds.
Fluttershy walked towards the object, slowly. She picked up the metallic object in her hoof. "A ring?" Fluttershy stared at the ring currently residing in her grasp. Confusion clouding her face. "Let's get home, little one."
Fluttershy turned to the edge of the clearing from which she emerged and began the long journey to her cottage. Fluttershy looked over her shoulder to the Changeling foal which still slept on her back whilst she placed the ring on one of her feathers to allow her to walk comfortably. "You need a name, little one." Fluttershy once again placed her wings so that the foal wouldn't fall. "Everfree." She whispered. "I'm going to call you Everfree."
+++
Lavender and Crescent emerged from the treeline, heading straight towards the location where the foal was expected to be. "We must hurry, Lavender. The howl from that Timberwolf sounded extremely close." Panted Crescent rapidly.
"I'm sure the foal will still be there." The two Pegasi stopped instantly. Looking forward into the green eyes of the Timberwolf which hauntingly brushed past the surrounding trees as it entered the clearing, followed by it's carnivorous brethren.
"We were too late after all." Laughed Crescent as he dropped the blanket from under his wing.
"Well, we can at least destroyed the creatures that hindered our Majesty's plan." Replied Lavender.
Both Pegasi stood their ground as the Timberwolves casually stalked towards them. The stallion and mare became covered in green flames as the outer layers faded away, revealing their true, threatening form.
The Timberwolves stopped dead before turning to run. "Let the games begin." Screamed the Changeling who had taken the form of Lavender as she charged after the monstrosities.
+++
A plethora of painful howls rode the cold winds to Fluttershy's ears. The howls bolted across the tree top, causing her to look back over her shoulder at the foal. "You're lucky I found you, Everfree. That could be you out there right now." Fluttershy let out a sigh as she emerged from the forest, being struck by the quaintness of her welcoming house compared to the horrors of the forest from which she and the foal had just traversed.
Fluttershy slowed her canter to a trot as she approached her cottage, stopping on the bridge and looking over to the stream below. "Thank Celestia we made it back okay." Another sigh escaped Fluttershy's mouth as she took in the sense of safety which accompanied her return.
She once again looked back at Everfree. "Still asleep. Good." The smile on her face shrunk. "How am I going to explain this to my friends, let alone the Princesses if they find out." Fluttershy thought back to her worries years before. Thinking she would be placed in a dungeon for taking Celestia's pet phoenix, Philomena. Surely the Princesses would understand her motives.
"I need to stop worrying about such things. Come on Everfree, let's get home and have some sleep." Fluttershy took in a deep, refreshing breathe. Fluttershy walked up to her door from which she had emerged hours prior. "Welcome home, Everfree." Fluttershy opened the door, smiling due to the heat of her home wrapping her up in a relieving hug.
Fluttershy shut the door behind her before heading to the stairs.
"FLUTTERSHY!" Screamed the Princess as she dived at her friend, wrapping her hooves around her neck. "Where have you been?" panted Twilight. "We have been looking for you for hours. I have been waiting here for you whilst everypony else has been searching for you. Where did you go?" Fluttershy could sense the anger and pain in Twilight's voice.
"I'm sorry, Twilight." Fluttershy hid behind her mane, a reflex she had been using since her childhood. "I had to go to the Everfree fo-" She was quickly interrupted.
"THE EVERFREE FOREST! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" Twilight continued to scream at her friend. "YOU ARE LUCKY YOU WASN'T HURT."
Fluttershy began to whimper behind her mane.
"FURTHERMORE, I CA..." Twilight stopped abruptly. "Why are your wings like that? She slowly raised her hoof to point at Fluttershy's outstretched wings.
"Uhm, nothing." Fluttershy whispered in response.
Twilight's horn exploded with the purple aura which Fluttershy instantly recognized to be her magic. Fluttershy felt her hooves leave the floor. "No, Twilight. Stop. I'll explain." Fluttershy began to silently hyperventilate. Fear once again tried to overcome Fluttershy. She knew Twilight was moments from discovering the foal on her back.
Fluttershy was now facing the door. She saw the aura disperse from around her before her hooves met the safety of the floor. "Twilight?" Fluttershy refused to turn to face her friend. "I couldn't just leave Everfree alone."
Twilight materialized before Fluttershy, thus causing an eep to jump from the shocked Pegasus. "YOU NAMED IT?" Twilight was fueled by anger. "HOW COULD YOU ENDANGER ALL OF US BY BRINGING THAT THING HERE?"
Fluttershy rose on the spot, mentally towering over her friend. "This foal is Everfree. I saved him from the dangers of the Everfree Forest." Fluttershy took a step forward, causing Twilight to retreat. "I helped Discord and I am certain I can help Everfree."
"Fluttershy, I'm sorry." Twilight now saw the passion bursting from her friend. "You'll make a wonderful mother."
"What?" Fluttershy responded in shock.
"I trust you, Fluttershy." Twilight smiled at her friend. She walked over to the sofa and took a seat, gesturing to her friend to come join her. "I can see that you care about the Cha... I mean Everfree." Twilight's aura reignited as she pulled the foal off of Fluttershy's back. "I will always be here to help." Everfree awoke, realising he was no longer beside Fluttershy.
Twilight took the foal into her fore-hooves. "One thing bothers me though. He looks different from other Changelings."
"I thought the same when I first saw him." Fluttershy replied.
"You don't mind if I do some tests on Everfree, I promise it won't hurt him." Twilight asked innocently.
"Of course you can. It's important that we know as much about him as possible. Especially if he is a different type of changeling from the ones we are used to." Twilight got up from the sofa and began to carry Everfree up the stairs. Fluttershy followed closely.
+++
Lavender and Crescent left the forest in their Pegasus forms. "Do we report back to the Queen?" asked Crescent.
"No. We can't risk drawing attention to ourselves or any other Changelings." Lavender turned her head to Crescent as they continues to walk back to their place of residence. "Ponies would begin to suspect something if we just leave for months on end."
"Soooo, we just continue waiting until the time arises that we attack."
"Yes."
Silence engulfed the couple as they continues the long trot home.
+++
Everfree was now laying on a makeshift bed which Twilight had created from blankets and pillows. The Alicorn and Pegasus watched silently as the foal slumbered before them.
Fluttershy turned to her friend, "How old do you reckon Everfree is?"
"Excuse me?" Twilight responded, breaking free from the hypnotizing view of the foal.
"I asked how old do you think Everfree is?"
"I've done research on Changelings during my stops in Canterlot over the last couple of years, and according to some biologists, Changelings age at the same rate as 'normal' ponies up to maturity, but the aging process will slow massively after maturity is reached."
"So, how old does that make him?"
"If he ages at the same rate as a normal foal, I'd expect him to be approximately six months old."
"So his birthday would be around Winter wrap-up?"
"Yes, I guess it is." Twilight chuckled at the metaphor emerging before her eyes. "Fluttershy, now may I ask you a question?"
"Of course."
"Why is there a ring on your wing?"
"Oh, I forgot about that. I found it on the forest floor just after finding Everfree." Fluttershy watched as Twilight used her magic to lift the ring from her feather for a closer inspection.
"I can't believe it." Twilight's jaw dropped. "This ring is engraved with glyphs. Glyphs which appear to be enchanting the ring."
"What? You mean the ring is magic?" Fluttershy answered in confusion, "but why?"
"You said that you found it beside Everfree, yes?"
"On the floor beside him, yes. Does it matter?"
"Let me try something." Fluttershy took a step back as Twilight lifted Everfree's tail and tightened it together. Twilight intricately placed the ring on and run the ring to the base of Everfree's tail. Green flames erupted from the ring, causing it to tighten around the base of his tail. The green flames leapt from the ring and passed over the rest of the foal. The flames increased in brightness and intensity. Fluttershy and Twilight shielded their eyes with their wings from the intense light and heat.
The room returned to the dim light from the candles in the corner. Twilight and Fluttershy slowly lowered their wings, only to be met by a new foal. The Changeling before them had changed. He no longer had both a horn and wings. He no longer had the recognizable holes within his legs. His mane and tail no longer appeared to be scaly in appearance.
"That ring... It allows him to look like us."
Author's Note
Sorry it took so long. I've been doing a lot of training, both for my semi-pro gaming and my parkour. There is also the fact that I am currently dealing with the death of a family member. But I finally got it done. I am writing this at half 2 in the morning. I bucking love being an insomniac.
