A Change in Fate

Morning had come around. At least I thought it was morning. I was on my side on the cold ground as I looked down to see nothing but a cold dirt floor underneath me. Glancing back I saw my bed all the way in the other side of the tree’s interior. If I was asleep, why is the bed over there? Did I sleep walk or something? Little by little, the memories of last night start to drift into my head.

I had stayed on watch at the door ever since the strange sounds from the bushes were heard. Worried about it being a predator of some kind, I ended up staying up rather late. I guess I dozed off and fell asleep right by the entrance.

Glad no pony was around to see that.

I got up onto my hooves as I shook the bits of dirt off of my wings. The coldness of the ground left my shell rather cool to the touch from the uncomfortable night. Either way I shouldn’t leave something as simple as cold to keep me back today. I had promised to myself I would venture off into town and begin my search in order to prove my worth and for the hive itself.

Pumping myself with those thoughts, I raised my hooves and slapped the sides of my face to get myself nice and alert. I couldn’t be dozing off while sneaking into enemy territory after all.

I glanced back inside at my cloak that still hung from the wall, contemplating if I should take it with me or not. It would probably be best not to. The sight of a pony walking into town with a cloak and hood might only add more suspicion than anything else. With that choice made, I began my way out of the Everfree Forest.

With the path I took still fresh in my mind, I easily found my way out of the dark woods as I entered the clear plains that stood between here and the small town of Ponyville. Before going any farther, a disguise would’ve be best to take on.

Using the magic on our own bodies, the changelings obviously were given their name for their ability to well…change. Ponies are the easiest for us to take the form of, but there have been a few changelings that can go beyond simple pony forms. Queens, for example, can take on any form no matter how different it is in their size. It comes natural to them. But for a regular changeling to go farther than a simple pony disguise requires both a lot of magic and plenty of training.

Walking over to a nearby stream, I gazed down at the water to look at my reflection. My eyes still remained the same from when I changed them yesterday, being a regular pair of blue eyes. The rest of me however was just as much of a changeling as ever. Thinking for a bit, I tried to come up with a suitable appearance that wouldn’t get much attention.

Closing my eyes to focus, I channeled the flow of magic through my body as a layer of green flames begin to move across me. I opened my eyes to look at my reflection once more as a grey stallion pegasus now looked back at me. With a rather ruffled black main over my head, I glanced back to see if my tail matched the color. A success as a black tail swayed behind me. Flapping my now feathered wings to make sure they worked right, and I was all set to go. But something seemed a bit off to me.

I looked back down to my reflection, scanning at the new appearance as I wondered what it was. Ah, that’s right! Focusing my magic through my mane, I add some red highlights across it for an added style.

That was more like it. I was all set to begin my recon.

The moment I entered the town I could already sense the overflow of love among the ponies. It was no wonder the land of Equestria was considered to be the perfect place for changelings to feed. If just a simple small town held this much love, I could only imagine the amount a love that bigger settlements would have. The only thing that kept a large force from entering the land was the power and forces of its two sister princesses.

But while in my disguise I could easily keep a steady diet of love to sustain my magic while learning what I could in my search. Maybe this mission was going to be easy after all.

"Hey there!"

I almost jumped off the ground in surprise as I heard a energetic voice nearby. Looking to my side I saw a bright pink mare with a rather puffy pink mane and tail. Was she talking to me? I look the other way to see if there was any other pony in the direction she faced.

"I'm talking to you, silly," she spoke again, clearly directing her words at me. A bright smile across her face as she found my confusion rather amusing.

"Um, can I help you?" I tilt my head as I awkwardly asked her.

"Not really by thanks for the offer." Without a single sign of warning, she suddenly appeared beside me.

How the hay did she do that?! She was clearly an Earth pony, judging by her lack of horn. But magic is the only thing that comes to mind to allow such instant teleportation like that. Plus she was giving off a whole lot of happy emotion. So much it was giving off a sort of sweet scent in the air like sugar.

"You’re new in Ponyville, aren't you?" she continued talking as if nothing had happened while examining my appearance.

Trying my best to play it off, I nod to her question slowly.

"I knew it!” She called out as she- wait she’s hopping around me now? When did she get there?! “You see I know everypony here in Ponyville and if you're new in Ponyville, that means you don't know anyone here and if you don't anyone here that means you weren't given a traditional Welcome to Ponyville party."

“Oh, I’d love to but, um, I really have to get going right now.” This was getting really out of hand, she was just showing up in different places without any magic whatsoever. How is that even possible?! I slowly tried to back away from her until I- wait...How is she behind me now?!

"Silly! The party isn't right now. I still have to set it up. So where did you move in? The house near the plaza? The room for rent in Berry Punch's place? Oh, you're a pegasus right? Are you staying near Rainbow Dash’s home?" Her smile just stayed in place as she gave a playful giggle.

“Um, it’s not...ready yet for guests. It’s...dirty and stuff. Yeah.” I tried to think of an excuse as I backed away from her. A cold sweat dripped on the side of my face as she started to bounce ever so closer to me with every step I took back.

"Well why didn't you say so? I can gather some of my friends and go help you clean up. It'll be all shiny and clean just in time for the party." She replied back, unfazed at all by my excuse.

"Um...well...I just got to go!" Unable to stand the stress anymore, I made a break for it. Running as fast as my feet could take me as I nearly glided over the ground with my wings out for additional speed. I could hear her try and call out to me but I was too focused on getting as far away from her as I could.

After I ran about half way through the town, avoiding other ponies on the street, I made a sharp turn in between two buildings as I came to a screeching halt. Catching my breath as I rested a hoof against the wall.

Just what was that pink mare’s deal? The other ponies in this town were nowhere near as annoying as she was. Wait, could she have been suspicious of me? Playing off as a curious pony in order to get information of me and my location?

Oh Creator, was the scout discovered and she is part of some group on high alert for other possible changeling scouts?! Am I going to be locked away or enslaved?!

"Um, are you alright?"

Manure! She’s found me! I jumped a good foot off the ground in surprised fear before darting down to cover my head with my hooves.

“Please let me live! I have done nothing to your town!”

"Huh?! What are you talking about? Did something happen?" It was then that I noticed that the mare’s voice behind me was different from before. Her emotion she let out was calm and worried, nothing like the pink ball of energy I just ran from.

Slowly I lifted my hooves off my head, peeking at the one that spoke to me. A red mare with a long black mane leaned down with a worried look on her face. Seeing she wasn’t the pink menace I had encountered, I let out deep sigh of relief.

“Oh, thank the Creator. I thought you were a pink mare I ran into just a while ago.

"Pink mare?" She tilted her head as her yellow eyes seemed to give an innocent, yet confused look about her.. "Do you mean, Pinkie Pie?"

"I don't know her name, all I know is that she would NOT leave me alone about throwing some kind of party," I told the red mare as I dusted some dirt off of me.

"Oh, you're new in town?"

Oh no. She knows I’m new as well now. Please Creator, don’t make her barrage me with questions as well!

I gave her a nervous smile as I begged for my life within my thoughts.

"Welcome to Ponyville." That was all she said to me. No question or anything else. Just those words followed by a gentle smile.

"Um, thank you." I was too surprised to give any other reply. It wasn’t just her words that got me but the feeling I got when she said them. It was a gentle emotion that emitted from her, but it felt strangely familiar. I couldn’t put my hoof on it.

"So do you live near here?" She broke my train of thought with that question as I started to walk out of the alley we were in.

"Well...not really." She didn’t seem all that threatening. But the fact remained that I couldn’t let my location or reason for being her to be known. I thought hard of what excuse I could come up with.

"Worried the ‘pink menace’ will find you?" she giggled at me. I guess I was making an interesting face while thinking on an excuse to give her.

"Um..yeah something like that." Unable to think of anything, I just went along with what she stated with a nervous chuckle.

"I see, well I have to get going anyway. A friend of mine is waiting for me." She gave another gentle smile before walking off ahead of me. She suddenly then stopped and looked at me again. "Oh, what's your name?"

Manure! Why am I so unprepared for these questions?! I rushed my mind into overdrive to think up of a name to give her. I couldn’t give her my real name in risk of being discovered.

“Um...it’s Kage. With a “K”.”

"Kage huh? Interesting name." She smiled at me once more. "I'm Scarlet. See you around Kage." Waving at me, she continued on her way.

Kage? KAGE?! Was that seriously the best fake name I could think of?! What kind of poor excuse of a name was that? It was probably so obvious that I gave her a fake name!

It was probably best to just finish my walk around the town and head on back to base. Maybe I could keep searching for any signs of the scout in the Everfree forest. With that plan in mind, I continue to walk, still cursing at myself for the stupid choice of a name I gave the red mare.

As the day came to a close, I was on my way deeper into the dark forest as I contemplated the information I gathered from the town. I had already removed my pony disguise so to save up on my magic as I walked slowly toward my camp.

It wasn’t that big of a town to begin with. The largest part of it was the apple farm just out of its border. With its small size, it would be smart to assume that word would spread rather quickly if any information about who I am was revealed. I hate stressing myself on such things, but I’ll have to be very careful not to reveal any information if I’m to stay undetected.

Then came the ponies that lived there. All in all, they weren’t too risky to talk to since they just give a greeting and let you be if you look busy. Of course that wasn’t counting the pink ball of energy that assaulted him with questions. If she was in fact suspicious of him, he’ll have to stay as far away from her as possible just to be safe.

Then there was that mare named Scarlet. Something about her just wouldn’t leave my mind. True, she was rather kind and sweet to me. But what had me thinking was the sensation she gave. It was warm and relaxing, but also familiar. Maybe I’ll figure it out when I see her once again.

As my thoughts finally settled on the day’s events, I see the hollow tree I now call home come into sights. I gave a smile at the thought of letting myself drop onto my leaf bed and getting a good night’s rest.

I stopped. Something felt wrong as I got closer to the entrance as I detected something in the air. This familiar scent clouded my camp area as I noticed something in the ground.

There were tracks. Two of them.

I knelt down to get a closer look at them, comparing the one that was obviously mine and the other new pair of hoof prints that wandered in and back out.

Were these changeling tracks?