Author's Note

I've removed the color coding for the conversations seeing as it's to many caracters coming in to place who speaks and there is a imited amount of colors to use, the inner monolig Icy Song has will still be a lighter color though

Close Call

The next morning I wake up to the sound of wood beeing sawn och nails being hammerd. I get to the window and look out seeing both Applejack and Big Mac working on building new tables aswell as repairing some old tables.

'So the family has grown a lot? Or is it just that more of the family then usual can join this time?' I think to myself as I feel an familiar and horrid sensation, I rush in to the bathroom manageing to close and lock the door before throwing myself to the toilet getting familiar with lastnights dinner, snacks, baking goods and drinks once again.

'Ugh I hate hangovers... Wait how did I even get hungover? There should have been no alcohol lastnight.' I think to myself, as more of my stomachs contents empty in to the toilet. I take deep breaths between the hurles, spitting in an atempt to get the taste out of my mouth.

When I gain control again I flush and move to the sink to wash out my mouth. Just as I look in to the mirror while breathing my eyes glow green for just the fraction of a second, I almost think I was tricked by my mind when I realise my headace and my revolting stomach slowly let go of me.

There is a knock on the door. “ Hey Icy are you alright in there?” I hear Apple Bloom calling thorough the door. I keep my eyes on my reflection in the mirror. “ Yeah I just had to much to drink... Or something lastnight I'll be alright after I get some water.” I call back to her.

“You want me to bring you some?” I hear her voice being lifted. However I can't tell if it's in hope of being to help or to know she don't have to worry about me. “ Yeah that would be great but I will need to drink pretty much” . I call out, the only response I get is the sound of her hooves getting fainter as she moves downstairs.

'Why did my eyes glow like that? Am I losing control over my powers or is my powers evolving somehow? I need to get to Canterlot and find one of the changelings so I can get some answers from the queen. Alot of questions are piling up and I need the answers.' I think to myself as a knock is heard on the door again.

I make my way to the door and open it, unsuprisingly Apple Bloom is standing there with a big grin on her face. The suprising thing is the apple bucket filled with water on her back. “Wow when I said a lot I didn't think you would bring a whole bucket.” I say as I smile at her.

“ Was it to much?” She ask. I shake my head before grabing the bucket's handle in my mouth and lift it of her back to put it down on the floor. “No it's not to much just I didn't think you would bring me a bucket.” I laugh and start to drink. But before my muzzle hit the water I notice my headace is almost gone. As for my uneasy stomach, well I can't belive I had to throw up a min ago with how it is now. But since Apple Bloom went through the trouble of getting me all this water I better drink it all up not to hurt her feelings.

I take my time to drink it all up, all the while I feel her gaze falling on my scars on the left side of my muzzle. She dosn't say anything but even a blind pony would be able to see the clockwork of her thinking slowly turning back and forth as if she wants to say or ask something but she can't really find the right words.

I've managed to drink two thirds of the water before she opens her mouth. “ I know you don't want to talk about it, but dose the scars hurt?”. I look at her abit confused, before I shake my head and lifting my hoof to my face stroking the scars. “ No they don't hurt, well not physicaly anyway, the memories still scare me and when I think back I still feel the burning pain I fellt when I got it.”

Her ears fall back alittle. “ Is there anything I can do to help that? “. She asks sounding as if she already know the answer. I shake my head again. “ No the memorie will always be there, so will the scars. Only time can heal these kinds of wounds.” She smiles weakly as she take a seat falling silent again. I smile back and nod before starting to drink the water again.

Finaly done drinking the water, meaby I drank abit to much but oh well it's just water so it will not hurt. I thank her for the water and go back in to the bathroom closing the door and finnish my buisnies there. Shortly after I come back out.

“So what are we to do now?” I ask her.
“I don't know, I'm bored of waiting but Applejack and Big Mac says they don't need my help right now. So I was walking around trying to find something to do when I heard you in there.” I nod at her throwing the bucket up on my back and the two of us start heading downstairs.

I didn't notice it before but as we decend the stairs I catch the scent of newly baked apple pie I stop just below the stairs to take a deep breath savoring the scent.
“Granny is baking for the reunion, we all ate a pie for breakfast, but we saved you a piece too” Apple Bloom says before she runs in to the kitchen. I hear the loud banging of something metalic smashing in to eatchother and the floor.

I drop the bucket as I rush to the kitchen seeing a lot of cake forms spread out all around the floor, Granny Smith is taking a pie out of the oven and Apple Bloom is hiding underneath the kitchen table. I sigh deeply and make my way to Apple Bloom.
“ Hey there you alright?” I ask as I lay down looking in at her. Noticing the tears in her eyes.

Behind me I hear hovesteps. “What the hay is going on in here ya'll?!” Applejack shouts as she shoots in to the kitchen looking around in a panic. It's first now that Granny Smith seems to notice anything going on in the kitchen. “ Well good morning to you to.” she says looking at Applejack. “ It was nothing, just a little accident but I don't think anyone is hurt” I say looking back to Applejack and Big Mac who now is coming in behind her.

I look back at Apple Bloom. “ you arn't hurt are you?” I ask her and she shake her head in response. Before slowly crawling out from under the table, I stand up and turn around to see that Applejack is already cleaning up the cake forms from the floor, all I see of Big Mac is the edge of his tail as he walks outside again.

“ So what do you need all those tables for?” I ask trying to get rid of the uncomfortable silence in the kitchen. “ Ah ya see most of tha Apples are coming this time and well, we all had some accidents and such since the last time so we all need some new tables to get everypony to have a place at a table. “ Applejack says seemingly stressed out.

“Anyway how are ya'll feeling? Ya didn't seem all to clear last night when ya went to bed.” She says looking me over. I chuckle abit. “Thanks toApple Bloom bringing me a whole bucket of water I should be fine soon, though I don't know how I could have goten drunk, I mean there was no alcohol there last night right?” I ask confused.

Applejack laughs abit at this. “Nah there should not have been any but on tha other hoof Berry Punch where there and well she usually spite the bowls of drink closest to her” Applejack explanes. “ And Berry Punch is?” I ask raising an eyebrow at her.
“Tha Pink mare who where hogging a bowl all to herself” AJ says with a smile as she puts the last cake form back on the bench.

I sigh deeply. “And none of you girls warned me about it?” I say.
“ Well sorry bout that sugarcubes but we all though ya would notice after the first cup but ya just keept on taking form the same bowl.” “Well sorry me for not knowing Pinkie's recepie for punch.” I say sarcasticly and we all share a laugh

“Icy you want your breakfast?” Apple Bloom ask's balancing a plate with a piece of pie on her head. I smile and nod at her and she put the plate down at the table. So I take my seat and starts to eat. “ Oh yeah Apple Bloom, Bab Seed said she'd be coming here eariler with the train to spend some time with ya and the other girls before the reunion starts. Applejack says from the kitchen door. And I almost fall of my seat from Apple Blooms shriek and jump straight up in to the air.

“When is she coming? Hu? Hu?” Apple Bloom starts to ask over and over and I see the smile on Applejacks face. “She'll be here in about an hour.” she says.
“An hour?! I better get running to the station then.” Apple Bloom say and start jumping towards the door, but I stop her by grabing her tail. “Hold on there Apple Bloom where is the fire?” I ask.
“What there is a fire?!” both Apple Bloom and Applejack shouts at the same time looking around them. And I face hoof hard. “No no it's just an exprecion, I mean't what's the hurry?” I explane and they bouth sigh in reliaf. “ Well if her train is here in about an hour I'll have to go right now or I won't be there when the train comes in.” Apple Bloom says. I chukle at this. “ Calm down alittle will you? I'll fly you over there.” I say with a smile.

“What really?” Apple Bloom says jumping up and down in the same spot.
“Yeah I've been earth bound these past day's I really need to streach my wings so why not help you out aswell?.” I smile and let go of her tail so I can finnish my meal.
Applejack rolls her eyes and leaves to help Big Mac.

“I'll be right back.” Apple Bloom says and rush up to her room. Just as I finnish my breakfast she comes running back down with a red cape on her back. I look at her for a bit. “What? This is the Cutie mark crusader cape that Sweetie Belle made us.” she says as if it's the most normal thing in the world. I smirk and roll my eyes and the two of us walk out doors. Once outside I strech my wings and don't feel any resistance at all. 'Good all healed up' I think to myself.

I kneel down making it easier for Apple Bloom to get up on to my back. Once she's on I stand up again. “Hold on tight.” I say feeling how she tightens her grip around me. And as I try to move my wings again I notice that she somehow isn't making it harder to move them. 'Good thing it'll be easier to fly then'. I think to myself and leap up in to the air. ' Ah it feels great being back up in the air '. “Now here we go” I tell her and start to fly towards the train station. The closer we get to the station the easier it is to see the smoke coming from the lokomotive on the train.

“ You think that's her train?” I ask Apple Bloom. “ Yeah no doubt about it,” she says and I decend to the perong where we both take a seat on a bench and wait for the train to come in. A good 15 min later the train pulls in to a stop and I have to cover my ears from the screeching noise of the breaks. Apple Bloom starts jumping up and down on the bench to try and find Bab Seed as soon as she gets of the train.

I chuckle at her. “THERE SHE IS!” Apple Bloom suddenly shout out and bolt towards another filly. This filly has a light tan colored coat and she has a short mane and tail that is dual colored in shifts in color from a light red color to a light pink. She is wearing a red cape with a blue shield and a yellow pony on it. She is having a bag with her aswell. I asume she was having a lunch box or whatever the ponies response to a lunch box is with her on the train.

I let them talk abit and wait for them to come back to me. Instead of moving up to them and telling them that we should. It takes them about five minuits before they realise they are still at the train station. Apple Bloom starts looking around before seeing I'm still sitting on the bench. She bring Bab Seed up to me and smile abit uneasy.

“What's up?” I ask looking at them both.
“Well first of all, Bab Seed this is Icy Song.” Apple Bloom says to her cousin.
“Do you think Applejack would think it's okay if I and Babs go to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo to do some crusading?” She then ask me.
I ponder on this for a moment before I speak. “ I don't see why you could not. Just remember not to go on for to long.” I say and look from Apple Bloom to Babs and back again.

They both nod before running of before anything else is being said. I sigh heavely before flying back to Sweet Apple Acres. The second I tuch down on the ground Applejack comes running out from the barn. I walk up to her and tell her where Apple Bloom and Bab Seed went. Applejack nods and tell me to take it easy for the day and just rest up so I'll be ready to play the ocarina during the evening.

So whitout anything better to do I go in to Ponyville. Thanks to Twilight beeing a princess now there are guards walking about. I havn't walked far in to Ponyville before I sence someone staring at me. When I look around to see who it is I notice a guard standing abit away from everyone else signaling me to come over.
Something feels off about this guard but I can't put my hoof on it.
'Well better not piss him off then'. I think to myself and fly over.

As I land on the ground beside him, he turns around and walk abit further away from everypony else. “ How come you havn't reached Canterlot yet? You left about a week ago.” The guard ask me. I look at him confused. “I don't know what you are talking about.” I say stumbeling over my words.

“Well atleast you are trying to hide what you are.” he says to me before looking in to my eyes. As he do I see him change his eyes from those of a pony to those of a changeling, he only keep the change for a second before going back to the pony eyes.
“So that's what gave me the strange feeling about you.” I say more to myself then him.

“Yes but that dose not answer our question, why haven't you reached Canterlot yet?” He ask again. I shake my head. “ I told the queen that your planes are a secondary objective to me, I have people to find first. And in order to find them I need money and clues. And here I can atleast get some money by working at the apple farm.” I explane only to get a sigh in response.

“ We told you everything you need you can find in Canterlot and you will get us infrotmation just by walking in to the city” The guard says.
“On another note. This morning when I was looking myself in the mirror my eyes glowed green for a split second what dose that mean?” I ask trying to get the conversation off the topic about canterlot.

The guard chuckles. “ So you have goten somepony to care for you?”
“What do you mean?” I ask sincerely confused. “ We changelings don't only live on romantic love, though that is the absolut best. But we also gain strenght based on the love friends share between eatchother.” The guard says calmly.
My eyes widen abit. 'But who would... Apple Bloom was the only one close by is it her?' I think to myself.

The guard smiles. “Seems like you know whos feelings you can feed upon.”
“ Do I chose to feed or is that something we do whatever we want to or not?” I ask
“ You will always feed upon others feelings, but you can chose to what extent you want to feed. If you chose not to feed of your own will you will only gain alittle bit of strenght and the one whos feelings you feed upon will be him or herself. But if you chose to feed more and more on them they will lose themselves to you and you will be able to comand them like puppets.” The guard says as his smile widens.

My eyes widen even more and it feels like they are about to pop out of my head. 'I really should have asked more questions about the powers the changelings have before I accepted the queens deal' I think to myself.
“Is there anything else I should know?” I ask.

“Anything more you should know about what?” A female voice asks from behind me. I see the guard bow down before I turn around to see Twilight Sparkle together with Rainbow and Fluttershy.
“ He was just asking me for ways to spend the time in Ponyville as he has no plans until later this evening. Princess” I hear the guard answer while I'm still trying to figure out just how long they have been listening in on our conversation.

“Oh and what is happening tonight?” Rainbow asks looking straight at me.
I shake my head before I open my mouth to speak. “Well you see Applejack is hosting a family reunion and I'm supose to play some music during it.”
“ You play an instrument? “ Fluttershy asks. I nod to her. “ Yes I play the ocarina. “ I say. ' Should that not be kinda obvious seeing as my cutiemark is an ocarina?' I think to myself.

“ Could you let us hear alittle? “ Twilight ask smiling slitely.
' Well it could not hurt now could it? And it will help me to kill atleast alittle time before I have to play for the apple family' I think to myself and reach back to grab my ocarina from my sadlebag, only to find that my bags are missing.
' Oh right I didn't bring them since I barely got back to the farm after taking Apple Boom to the train station.'
“Sorry but it seems I left my ocarina back at Applejack's place” I say smiling akwardly.

“ Oh that's a shame, well meaby another time then.” Twilight says.
I nod. “Yeah another time I promise, but now I'm gonna have to excuse myself and head on in to town and see if I can find something to spend some time on.” I say and bow before I start walking off.

“Is it just me or is he abit odd?” Rainbow ask the others.
“Odd? No I'd say he's just not as everypony else from Ponyville.” Fluttershy says
and the three of them start to laugh.
Once back in town I casually stroll around no particular location in mind.
' It was a close one that we almost got caught by the princess and her friends, I really hope they didn't hear anything about changelings from us' I think to myself.