Some Romantic Tales of a Love-Struck Changeling and a Nerdy Pegasus

Story 1: The Crippled Duo

“Carbon!”

Carbon’s eyes flickered, but he refused to open them up and grumbled instead.

“Carbooon!” The voice was sweet and dissonant, similar to that of a changeling’s.

Carbon rolled over in bed and snorted, to which his ear flicked when he heard chittering coming from behind him. It didn’t take him long to realize what was coming, but by then he felt the full force of somepony hopping right on top of him on the bed and poking him in the chest with a hoof.

“Carbon Carbon Carbon Carbon!”

His eyes shooting open, Carbon rolled onto his back and looked up into the pink eyes of a changeling. She wore a little pink bow at the top of her head and her pointed ears flicked in every direction excitedly. And that smile she had on her face, beautiful even with the fangs clearly poking over the rest of her teeth, was enough to make Carbon smile as well through a cough.

“Come on, Lilo,” Carbon wheezed, “you nearly landed on my hoof. I should get a few extra hours of sleep for that.”

“But today is when we can both check out of the hospital!” Lilo exclaimed with a pout. “I already filled out all of the forms for both of us, all that the staff need is your signature.”

Carbon groaned and threw his head back against the pillow. “That requires me getting out of this comfortable bed. You know how much effort that will take? All of the food I have been eating has been turning into fat, that’s how much effort it will take.”

Lilo rolled her eyes—as much as it was possible for changelings—and lightly punched his chest with one of her hooves. “Carbon, you lazy bum. If you don’t get up I’m going to leave here without you and have one of those stuck up castle nurses help you out. I’m sure you’ll get an ear full for not using the proper walking technique to avoid hurting your leg anymore that it already hurts.”

Carbon sighed and looked over at his leg that was all wrapped up in a cast. Broken by one of Zumas’ lackies when they came to take Lilo back to the brothel, Carbon walked on it through the streets of Canterlot to Naroke’s shop, to Zumas’ brothel, and carried Lilo on his back when he and Sky Runner attempted to make their daring exit. The nurses told both he and Lilo that because of the amount of stress and exercise he applied to the break during his rescue attempt that Carbon more or less would walk with a limp for the rest of his life. He had seen ponies recover from worse.

Granted, the break did hurt whenever Carbon tried moving that particular leg, but he figured that since he was a pegasus he could more or less use his wings as his primary form of transportation. He looked back up at Lilo once again and smiled at her, taking a deep breath and making a motion as if he was going to lift himself up.

“Alright,” Carbon said as Lilo hopped off of him, “but only because that smile of yours is totally irresistible. Come on, help me out of this bed and we’ll walk over to the reception office.”

Lilo sidled up next to the bed, her wings buzzing ecstatically as Carbon slowly rolled out of bed and leaned up against her. She stumbled for a moment, but quickly they both regained their balance as Carbon gave a flap of his wings and put his good hoof around the back of Lilo’s neck. They steadied themselves in preparation for the walk towards the door, Lilo looking down at Carbon’s leg and watching as he gently put pressure on it.

“How’s it feeling?” she asked quietly.

“Painful, uncomfortable, burning,” Carbon said, wincing. “Nothing too incredibly debilitating that’ll damper our ability to make it home.” They took a step forward and he grit his teeth. “Okay, can I take back what I said and crawl back into bed?”

Lilo shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. Are you really going to wimp out and crawl back into bed after everything you went through to rescue me?”

Carbon nodded his head and gave her a hopeful smile.

“No, definitely not,” Lilo added and pulled Carbon along to the door. “After everything you went through the other day, you’re choosing now to act like a big baby? I know you have a broken leg, but in one of the magazines here I read that stallions who are being bad sleep on the couch. I will use my mare powers and have you sleep on the couch if you keep this up.”

“Who let you see those magazines?” Carbon asked, although he shrunk back a little when he caught testing glare from Lilo. “I mean, uh… You wouldn’t do that to a cripple, would you?”

Lilo looked back at her wings and gives them another buzz. Their buzzing tone sounded off, almost as if a dragon fly had troubles using its wings to lift off the ground. Carbon looked back, too, and he saw the long crease in Lilo’s delicate membrane, stretching from one end of her wing to the other. Given that she landed it after her rather explosive expulsion from Canterlot during the Royal Wedding, she no longer had the capabilities to fly anywhere unless she wanted to spin around in circles for a few hours.

“Right,” Carbon said. “You’re just as crippled as I am. I guess that means that you would. That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think?”

Lilo pursed her lips. “No. No, not at all. In fact, I think it’s pretty fair.”

“Fair? How is it fair?”

“Well, I’m pretty sure that there are ways that you could get back at me for being so mean to you,” Lilo said with a wink.

Together they pushed open the door to the hallway and stepped out, leaving Carbon’s room behind. They turned and made off down the hall towards the direction of the reception desk.

“Oh really?” Carbon said, lifting an eyebrow. “And could you maybe… tell me what kind of ways that those could possibly be?”

“Nope!” Lilo gave her head a shake. “You’re going to have to find out for yourself, but you’re a smart pegasus so I’m sure that’ll you’ll be able to think of something.”

Carbon opened his mouth to protest, but Lilo did a little skip and kissed him on the cheek. She giggled, watching as his words turned into a garbled mess in his mouth, and smiled in victory when she saw him blushing and pointedly looking in some other direction other than her. Chittering quietly to herself, she lay her head against his neck as they continued onward.

In a matter of minutes Carbon and Lilo reached the receptionist’s desk, who procured several pieces of papers, all of which contained scribbles on them aside for the last page. Reading over the pages, Carbon noticed that Lilo really did go ahead and fill everything out for his departure from the hospital today. He set the papers down, then picked up a pen in his mouth and signed the last page, officially checking himself out of the castle hospital.

The receptionist smiled and nodded at the two of them, then returned to a large stack of papers which were neatly piled on top of her desk. Seeing their chance, Lilo turned both she and Carbon around and headed straight for the two massive double doors that lead out into the castle’s courtyard. Lilo’s heart fluttered in her chest as they neared the exit, excited to finally return to the quiet life that she and Carbon led for the first few weeks that they knew each other.

Outside of the doors the sun was shining, ponies were walking to and fro, pegasi were flying about all over the city, and for a moment it seemed as if there was not even a care in the world. Lilo had Carbon, and Carbon had her, and they were still together with a loving bond that was stronger than ever.

Just as Lilo put her hoof on the first pair of doors leading to the outside world, somepony called out their names behind them.

“Carbon, Lilo!”

Lilo groaned inwardly just before both she and Carbon reached the doors. She recognized that voice, and although she always felt warmth secrete into her heart every chance she heard her queen, Carbon’s apartment felt like a much needed and sought after vacation spot. Smiling, both she and Carbon turned around to find Chrysalis standing over by a set of stairs leading up into the castle.

“Are you two planning to leave so quickly?” Chrysalis asked, cocking her head.

Lilo bowed her head before leading Carbon over to the former queen.

“I’m sorry, your majesty,” Lilo said quickly, chittering to herself. “Carbon and I were just hoping to get home so that we-”

Chrysalis held up her hoof and smiled, shaking her head. “There’s no need to call me ‘your majesty,’ Lilo. I’m simply another administrator in Equestria now, not your queen or your princess.”

“Oh, I’m… s-sorry-” Lilo started, but Chrysalis held up her hoof again.

“Just take a deep breath,” she said, her voice tender. “I only wish to say goodbye before you depart and inform you of several changes that are going to be affecting Equestria within the coming months.”

“Several changes?” Carbon asked. “Wait wait, hold on? You mean like new laws or ordinances?”

“Precisely,” Chrysalis answered. “All changelings are being made full citizens of Equestria—if they so wish—and therefore are they not only given the same status as every other Equestrian citizen, but they must also adhere to all Equestrian laws and annual policies.” She noticed Carbon’s slight look of disgust and chuckled.

“All of the laws and annual policies?” Carbon asked.

 “Yes. I know, it’s a pain to get used to judging from my brief readings over your incredibly intricate and rather excessive list of constitutions, bills, and treaties. The amount of detail that you ponies go into over simple laws such as the Food Sanitation Bill is ridiculous.”

Carbon chuckled nervously and glanced at Lilo, who stood staring up at Chrysalis with quivering hooves.

“Well, you see,” Carbon said, shuffling his hooves. “food that we ponies, um… eat can get contaminated if the correct precautions are not taken into consideration. Packaging and distributing foods across the nation must be done carefully so that no diseases spread, and imported food does need to be checked as well.”

Chrysalis blinked.

“Um… if we ate rotten or poisoned food we’d get sick?” Carbon said slowly.

Chrysalis blinked again.

“How about I just say that there is a good reason involving our enzymes and immune system, specifically leukocytes that are meant to go after infectious diseases and outside materials that are harmful to the body. You see, although we have neutrophils and lymphocytes that are supposed to protect us against such things, it’s not like B lymphocytes are all memory B cells so that they can work as APCs and trigger the T cells. In fact-”

Lilo shoved a hoof into Carbon’s mouth and smiled uneasily at Chrysalis, who stared at Carbon with a totally blank and uncomprehending stare.

“Does he do this often?” Chrysalis asked.

Lilo giggled when she caught the unimpressed glare that Carbon gave her.

“He is a scientist, I suppose,” Lilo said. “It’s like they have their own kind of language.”

“Quite,” Chrysalis said with a smile. “In any case, on top of changelings receiving citizenship, a special fund will be put together for all changelings within the nation as a sort of boost so that they may become situated among the rest of Equestria. If you are a changeling and accept the citizenship that Equestria offers you,” she pointedly looked at Lilo, “then you will be given a monthly sum of money for six months that will allow you to support yourself until you find a job. In order to continue to receive the money, though, you must show proof of applying for jobs.”

“ ‘Proof of applying for jobs?’ “ Lilo asked. “Does that mean that if I were to apply for the fund, I would need to submit copies of job applications?”

“Not exactly,” Chrysalis said. “From what I understand, ponies who review job applications will send letters back stating that they have received your application and will begin reviewing it right away. I’m sure the princesses will be sending out more detailed flyers within the next few days.”

Carbon and Lilo looked at each other.

“You know, you don’t need to look for a job,” Carbon said to Lilo. “I can support both of us with my own job. I’m paid enough for us to live comfortably.”

Lilo shook her head. “Oh no, you’re not doing this alone! Carbon, if I’m going to become Equestrian, I want to experience what it is like to have a job. I won’t let you have all of the fun!”

“Yeah, fun,” Carbon huffed.

“Lastly,” Chrysalis said, drawing Carbon and Lilo’s attention back to her, “there’s still the matter of the brothel and Zumas that we need to talk about.”

Carbon and Lilo’s faces both fell, and together they shuffled their hooves uncomfortably.

“What’s there to talk about?” Carbon asked. “Are we being requested to attend a court hearing or to testify against him?”

“Not exactly,” Chrysalis replied. “You aren’t required to attended Zumas’ trial at all. In fact, he’s not even going to be given a trial on direct orders from Princess Celestia herself. She’s requested that he be kept in solitary confinement on the basis that he serves as potential terrorist threat to Equestria.” Chrysalis frowned. “Nopony knows what Celestia means by that other than Luna, and they both refuse to go into specifics.”

“Terrorist threat?” Carbon repeated. “Wouldn’t Zumas only get charges on pony trafficking as a result to the operation he’s set up?”

Chrysalis shook her head. “I wouldn’t know.”

“Well, if Zumas isn’t having a trial,” Lilo said, “then what did you want to talk to us about?”

“The press are looking for recounts of the events from eyewitnesses,” Chrysalis said. “They are specifically looking for the ponies and the changeling involved with the effective removal of one of the most powerful pony trafficking dealers and brothel owners in the city, which would mean that they’re looking for you two and your… rather notorious and wanted red-maned pegasus friend.”

“She… did have that criminal look about her,” Carbon said slowly, “but she helped Lilo and I escape. Doesn’t that count for anything?”

“Yes, but not enough. She’s wanted for several hundred counts of theft, police evasion, destruction of property, and assault. I’m not even going to ask how you ran into a pony like her.”

Carbon sighed. “We’re not going to be charged with consorting with a criminal, are we?”

“No, you won’t.” Chrysalis smiled gently. “In fact, Sky Runner is being pardoned for a while until Zumas and his operation has been sorted out.”

“Then I guess that just leaves the press,” Carbon said. He turned to Lilo and she shook her head. “Is there any way that we can avoid them? We don’t want to be involved with this whole mess anymore.”

Chrysalis smiled and stepped closer to them. “Well, they are looking for a pegasus and a changeling together. If Lilo was to, well, use her changeling powers you two might just be able to slip past all the paparazzi for several weeks.”

Without a moment’s hesitation Lilo’s entire body erupted in green fire, morphing her chitin into a creme color and changing her mane and tail to a twist of light pink and white. Her horn also faded away, and wings appeared at her sides so that she became disguised as an ordinary pegasus.

“The princesses and I will sort out all of the details,” Chrysalis said. “We’ll keep your names anonymous, and we’ll ask for all of your hospital records to be filed under classified, which should keep away prying eyes.”

“You’re really going to go through with all of this?” Carbon asked.

“Of course,” Chrysalis replied. “It’s least I can do.” She glanced around the room, then leaned in closer to Carbon and Lilo. “You two saved my life.”

Carbon nodded. “We can’t thank you enough, Chrysalis. After listening to this sweet lovebird of mine,” he gave Lilo a nuzzle, “I would go ahead and do everything again up on that stage.”

Chrysalis nodded and straightened back out. “Well, if that’s going to be all, then I should let you two be on your way.” She turned and started up the stairs. “And don’t you two dare be strangers, I wish to see you again on… more friendlier terms.”

Lilo and Carbon watched as Chrysalis ascended the stairs and disappeared around a corner.

“Equestrian citizenship?” Carbon said.

“Changeling fund?” Lilo said back.

“Anonymity?”

“Zumas gone?”

Lilo and Carbon turned to each other with great, big smiles on their faces. They wrapped each other up in their hooves and hugged as tight as they could muster. Freedom from Zumas, freedom to live the kinds of lives that they wanted to live. Lilo felt the aura around Carbon brighten up and explode with love, and Carbon felt Lilo’s own pitter patter of her heart.

“Let’s go home,” they said in unison.