The Strange and Abusive Tale of Defect Reject

Seven years later and Defect Reject still wasn't a normal part of changeling society. Not that this truly surprised him, the queen had made it very clear on his first day that he'd never be accepted. She'd made sure he wouldn't too he thought as he looked back at his flank where he'd been branded by her.

Still... he had gotten used to it. At least, used to the beatings, the pain and fact that he was different from every other changeling there. He was used to the beatings and being different in particular, would be hard to since at least once a day on the sly or after a beating he heard "You're lucky to be alive." It was the Queen's cruel idea of a joke to remind him he was alive only because of her.

While he didn't consider himself "lucky" like he was reminded every day, he did realize he was learning more and more from each day. Not just about changeling society but about himself as well. He'd learned a lot more about his role here, he was the lowest end of the food chain cleaning up after any messes made and beaten, bloodied and bruised by any changeling that felt like it. He'd gotten used to that too oddly enough. With all the beatings he sustained and broken bones it made his will stronger to continue and the pain from such occurrences not nearly so painful anymore. In fact he'd found if he acted it out worse then what they actually did they stopped sooner because it looked like he'd had enough after a few blows. Little did they know that it didn't really hurt anymore, from his skin and bones toughening up from each cut, bruise and broken bone they gave him.

With how much he gotten hurt as well he'd learned how to mend his wounds with first aid, he almost wasn't able to fix the time a rib went through his skin during his first year. After that he started learning how to tend to wounds so they hurt less and healed faster with whatever he had available. Looking for unused paths and areas by the changelings was a high priority too. The less of them there were in an area the less beatings he took, while he may have gotten used to them it didn't mean he wanted experience them every day. That's where he was today actually. A small secluded area that in past two years since he'd found it he hadn't seen another changeling once come here. It was a little tricky to get to with all the rubble here but he'd found a way. He also didn't come here except on days he just wanted to think and be alone. Out of fear that another changeling might see him come in here and ruin how special it was to him. Didn't hurt that he had a view of the sky from here too so he could looks out at the clouds or stars and just think.

He'd found out just how different he truly was from all of the changelings over the years too. The Queen hadn't been lying when she'd told him he was defective from the rest. But he was glad. Even with all the abuse, he didn't have to be linked with the rest of their vile evil thoughts, bent on consuming love and destroying everything until all things were changeling. He was sickened every time he remembered he was one... he took quite a bit of solace every time he found another way he was different though. That did help him remain a little more sane each day, he thought as he took out some moldy bread and stagnant water. It wasn't much for food but considering that every other changeling ran off of power from Queen Chrysalis and he ran off of actual food and drink... he made do with what few scraps he could find in the lands around the castle. He'd found out the hard way too. Just like he did with everything here after having passed out during his third week and feeling a pain in his stomach he didn't recognize he figured he could try and see if eating solved it. Thankfully it did, he was more pony then changeling he thought to himself as he chuckled and kept staring at the sky.

He also let out a long sigh when he though of how else he was similar to the ponies. Even though he tried not to show his emotions around the changelings since all other changelings were part of the hive mind and didn't display their feelings he found it a lot harder. Especially after Fluffy Bottompants. He sniffled back a tear after he remembered Fluffy. Queen Chrysalis came to check in on him at random since he had a designated place he needed to return each night otherwise... he'd get in trouble. A worse beating then he usually happened to get and... the one he got for finding a rabbit and trying to keep him a secret had been the worse one yet. It still remained to this day the worst one thankfully, he never made the same mistake twice. Especially after that day.

He'd found Fluffy Bottompants alone in a field his second year after being born and took him home with him hiding him in a black beaten up cloak he'd found a few months before so no other changelings could notice him. He'd wanted to bring him home as a friend... he'd been lonely here and just wanted someone or something that could understand how he felt or talk to. Just... someone that actually cared and was willing to listen. That is until Queen Chrysalis's first unexpected visit... which was to disclose the usual how he was worthless and how lucky he was alive. Along with to tell him one other piece of news. The only bright side of that day had been that news because afterwards... it went down hill very fast. The only bright side he'd gotten was one more piece of news that he was different from changelings. Unlike other changelings he hadn't been born straight into an adult, for whatever reason he grew as how a pony should. Queen Chrysalis mumbled under her breath that he was the last of a failed experiment and the only one to survive which combined some parts of a pony with a changeling. So he'd been born as a how a pony would've been after 1 years. Just with much more intelligence after having been connected to the hive mind for a time. Which meant he was technically 2 at the time. But now he was 8 in pony years and according to what he'd learned right around the time a pony got their... cutie mark? Whatever that was.

But... back to what he was thinking about... after she'd delivered that piece of news she had unfortunately noticed Fluffy, which wasn't hard sadly now that he thought about it. Seeing as how he'd been trying to shove him away underneath some hay that happened to be close by. Once she saw him however... she'd become furious. Tossing him to the side and causing him to hit the wall head first dazed and seeing stars. Again. Whenever he had a dealing with her it seemed this was when he had the worst time, and this time turned out no different as she dragged him into the dungeons kicking him the entire way breaking bones hearing them crack and creak as he was dragged along and cutting open his skin as they went along. She manacled him once they got their and left him for a week in the dark as she said she'd be back after she'd figured out a punishment that befit what he'd done. After she'd figured out something she came back down... and brought Fluffy Bottompants along with her, and a few guards that as soon as they entered began kicking him. He kept losing his breath and barely able to regain it again with how much they varied where they were punching him after five minutes he was bleeding from mouth one black eye and had cracked his bones again while he oozed from his previous wounds as he panted.

He looked up at Queen Chrysalis through his one eye he could see as she smiled at him petting the rabbit while she looked over him. Even to this day he remembered the words she'd said to him... doubtful that he'd ever forget "You know you're the lowest piece of trash I've ever let live" she said while she continued to pet his rabbit. "You just wanted company? I know you were taught better then that. You're not supposed to have feelings." she said while staring at him coldly "It seems like you'll have to be retaught that" she said as she snapped the rabbits neck and laughed. Defect Reject felt a tear falling down his cheek but made sure it was the only tear. He knew that if he showed anymore emotion it would be much worse for him, and possibly much worse for Fluffy as well. She saw he was staying strong so she smacked his face before having her guards take the manacles off him. "You'd do well to remember this" she said as she left. Defect Reject looked at the now lifeless body of Fluffy Bottompants and waited for her to leave. Once she did he gave him one last hug and buried him, patching his wounds after having buried him and remembering one thing. No one here was his friend as he hobbled to his shack.

But that had been then, he'd learned a lot since then he said while he sighed and kept looking at the sky. He knew he didn't belong here... but he didn't know where he DID belong either. "I just wish their was someplace somebody... anybody would except me for whom I was" he sighed as he rubbed the cuts and bruises from today. Just as he was thinking this he looked up at the sky and saw a bright flash of color coming from a direction. He flew up to where the hole was in the ceiling trying not to get more attention he looked at it and saw it was coming from one specific direction. As... if it was coming from something as it just kept expanding he just kept staring in amazement at it. It was so pretty and calming, and he felt like it was telling him what he should do next. "I... I don't belong here" he said while hypnotized by how awesome the bright shine of light was almost like a rainbow created... "I need to find a way to leave." he mumbled to himself

He flew back down so no other changeling would notice him as he peeked his head out making sure no other changeling be close by. "I need to go and find ponies... I'm more like them anyways, maybe... maybe I can make friends with them. Find someplace I'd be accepted out their." he said quietly as he rejoined with the rest of changelings making his way to his shack, where he'd been forced to return to at nights but he was done with that now. He was breaking out of here tonight. Someway... that rainbow had shown him what he needed to do. He needed to go and find a way to make other peoples lives better, not worse like Queen Chrysalis was so insisting upon doing. "I'll leave tonight" he said to himself as he entered his shack and grabbed his cloak he'd found long ago. He knew it would be hard for ponies to accept him with how changelings had treated ponies.

He waited until night when all the other changelings had lain down for the night, peeking out from his shack making sure no others were awake or coming. Just as he was getting ready to leave Queen Chrysalis came in for the random check. Of course she came in tonight he groaned silently. It had to be the night he was running away, the one where he could possibly get killed. "Going somewhere?" she asked looking at him coldly, he froze up for a second not sure what to say to her before saying "Yes... I'm... I'm leaving." he told her as he tried to walk past her as her neck kind of snapped into position. "Leaving? No one leaves from my empire." she said smacking him against the wall "I should kill you where you lay..." she said as he got back up and shook himself off.

"I'm leaving." was all he said again as he walked past her She thought for a moment before she grinned and knew what to say "Leave then." she said looking at him coolly as he walked out the door. "But... one should never dance with the devil in pale moonlight" she snarled at him as he'd already left his shack "Goodbye Defect Reject. I won't be seeing you again. Nor will anyone else. Guards. Do as you please with him" she said cackling at him with a howling laughter. He took off with blast of speed. He knew if he couldn't get past the gate their would be no chance for him now! He turned his head and saw 10 of her best guards following him maybe more. The cloak was the only thing he had with him and he wasn't turning back now. It was only death back their now, a possible start with ponies that one day may come to understand him out that gate.

He ran as fast as his legs and hooves could carry him into the night, he couldn't outrun them forever he had to find a way to loose them but he was making progress at least he'd made it out of the gate. He heard horns blaring though from behind him as he kept running, as long as one changeling knew he was their he'd never get away! He ran into the forest just running, running anywhere he could he had to get away! He turned his head around to see how close they were, they were gaining on him slowly but surely... they were gaining. He saw to his right a ravine and gulped. He only had one chance at this, he hoped it worked as he jumped off the ravine sliding his way down using his wings to steady himself on the way down. He was hoping they wouldn't follow him as slipped and slid his way down tripping a few times thankfully able to regain his balance. He hit a big rock at the bottom and wasn't able to regain his balance and smashed face first into the ground panting for breath. He looked back and saw them still pursuing going down the ravine like it was a playground to them.

Panting for breath and tired he pulled himself to his feet and kept running, he saw the forest from up top slowly creepy it's way down and merge with the other side of the forest it had originally been a part of up top. He kept running up until he hit the forest and then a hoof smacked him right in the back of the head and he fell over onto his back. All ten of the Queen's guards had caught him. He had nowhere else to go or run to as they started beating him slowly to death, breaking every last bone in his body and opening his old wounds and inflicting new ones, he started gasping for breath as his vision started going hazy as they made blood bleed ooze from everywhere, he knew he didn't have a chance the moment he saw her that night... as he started to black out the changelings stopped beating him. They knew he'd die here, he was beaten, broken, and bruised on his back and couldn't move a single part of his body. They spat on his body as they left "You were lucky to be alive. Now you're just dead" they said as they returned to the changeling kingdom. The last thing he said before he breathed his last with his bones broken bleeding and his body oozing was "At... at least I die a free changeling." he coughed up blood as his vision fades for the last time. "A changeling... with a dream."