Change of Heart

I'm taken out of my thoughts as a orange filly in a red cape comes speeding by on a scoter, efter her comes a small cart bringing three other fillies also in red capes.
I start to laugh as I see it's Apple Bloom and her friends. They manage to wave to me before Scootaloo pulls them away.

'Where are they going?' I think to myself as I start to hear a soft clicking noice. I look around to find the cause of the sound I notice a white coated colt with a brown mane with a lighter stripe going through it half hidden in a bush taking photos of everything he see. 'He better not have been around the conversation I had with the guard, it could cause a lot of problem for me' I think and decide to keep my eyes and ears open for him from now on.

I continue on my way down through Ponyville when I see the colt flying off in the direction the girls went to. ' I wonder why he's taking pictures of everypony, meaby I should follow him and see if I can figure out why' I think to myself before I get tackled by Pinkie Pie. “Pinkie what was that for?” I ask her as I get my balance back.
“Oh I'm sooooooo sorry it's just have have to get Twilight and the others to try my new cupcake recepie oh wait you can come and try it too can't you ? Hu can't you?”

I put my hoof in her mouth to get her to stop talking. “ Pinkie calm down, you are talking way to quick. But sure I'd love to try your new recepie “ I say and smile to her and take my hoof out of her mouth. “ Oh that's so great I'll meet you by Sugarcube corner in 15 minutes then” she say and bolt of.

'So Sugarcube corner then, where was it now again?' I think to myself and sigh. Streaching out my wings I spring up in to the air quickly seeing the pink roof of the building only a few minutes walk away. 'Oh now I can make good on my promise to Twilight and play the ocarina for her and her friends, just need to go back to the farm and get it first.' I turn around and fly towards the Sweet Apple Acres. Once I get there I once again see the white colt taking pictures around the farm. I shoot down and land right next to him.

“ And what are you doing here?” I ask him. He looks up at me seeming surprised that I noticed him there. “ I'm taking pictures for the school paper” He say and smile proudly. “So you are telling me that taking pictures out here has anything to do with your school?” I ask and look at him in dissbelif. “Well no but I think it's better to take photos of as much things as possible incase someone writes about it.” he say his smile fading abit.

“ Do you have premition to take photos of everypony?” I ask keeping my gaze at him. “ Well no I don't, but can it really hurt anypony to be taken a photo of?” He ask seeming really unsure. I sigh heavely. “ Yes it can hurt what if you take a photo of something somepony want to keep secret?” I ask as I take a seat next to him. He thinks for abit before he pull his ears back seemingly to remember something that happened before. “ You are right, it actually did hurt everypony once before, but I think it was more what was writen then my pictures but you do have a point.” He say looking really sad.

I nod at him. “ Then you know it can hurt, so I'm gonna ask you right now to destroy any pictures you've taken of me, I don't want to be in a news paper alright?” I say putting a hoof on his sholder. “ Alright mister I will, and I will also go and talk to everypony I photoed and show them the pictures of them to see if they mind or not.” He says and starts walking towards Applejack and Big Mac. I nod at him as he look back to me before he walks up to them and I see them talking.

I hurry on in to the farm and up to my room and get my ocarina putting it around my neck in it's strap before I head back outside again almost running in to the colt as I hurry out the door. “Woah sorry for that.” I say and help him up as he fell down in suprise from almost beeing ran in to. “It's alright” he says smiling and accepting my help. “Applejack and Big Mac wasn't botherd by having their picture taken but they really aprichiated that I asked this time.”

“Ah good, so who else have you taken pictures of?” I ask him.
“Almost everypony.” He admits. “Well then come with me to Sugarcube corner, I'm meeting with Pinkie Pie and her friends there, so you can cross of a few ponies at once there.” I tell him and spring up in the air waiting for him to fly after me. He jumpes up after me alittle unstable but air born. We fly in a speed he's comfortable in flying to make sure he don't acidently lose controll and crash or something.

We arive alittle late but I hope it dosn't matter, as we step inside Sugarcube corner all the girls with the exception of Applejack who is still at the farm preparing for the family reunion is there talking and eating cupcakes. Pinkie Pie shoots a look the door and see me and Featherweight in the door way.

“Yay you came!” she shout out and in the blink of an eye she has moved from her seat up right infront of me. In reflex I step back a few steps.
“ I told you I would love to try your new recepie, didn't I?” I say and force a smile.
'There is something about this pink pony that is bugging me a lot.' I think to myself.

Pinkie nods and jump back in to her seat amongs her friends. I step in and see that at the table next to Pinkie and the other four the changeling guard and another guard is sitting watching everypony. The changeling guard meets my eyes for just a second and gives me a slow nod. The buzzing of the changeling hivemind press on harder in my head giving me a headace.

I place a hoof to my head and the buzzing softens. ' Was he trying to tell me something? Has anyone found out about me?' I think to myself feeling panic starting to build up in me. I notice the changeling guard softly shake his head.
This suprise me. 'Is he able to read my mind or did he just read me so good he noticed I was starting to panic.' I think to myself.
“Are you alright?” Featherweight ask me. I look down at him and nod. “Yeah I just have a small headace, it'll pass.” I assure him. “You go and talk to the princess and her friends about the pictures you have taken.”

Featherweight nods and slowly walk up to the girls. I take a deep breath and walk up to the counter ordering a soft cider. I wait for Featherweight and the girls to finnish their talk. When Featherwieght leaves their table I nod in aproval to him and I walk up to the girls.

“Darling so nice to see you again.” Rarity say as I come up to the table.
“Thanks it's nice to see you guys aswell.” I reply keeping a small smile on my face.
“Now that everypony is here we can try my new cupcakes.” Pinkie say and get of her seat to run in to what I assume is the kitchen. She is gone only a minute before she comes back to the table crying a plate with cupcakes on it. They look nothing special, normal cupcakes with a aquamarine colored frosting and green sprinkels.

The six of us takes a cupcake eatch. The girls all take a bite at the same time and they all seem to really try to grasp what the new cupcake is made out of. I smile and take a bite aswell. 'The texture of the cupcake is nothing special but the taste is uniqe I can't put my hoof on what the taste really is but it tastes really good' I think to myself.
“Pinkie these are really good, what did you mix in them?” I ask before I shove the rest of my cupcake in to my mouth.

Pinkie absolutely shine up from my prase of her recepie. “Oh it's see weed” she say with the biggest smile I've seen yet on her face. 'See weed who would have thought?' I think to myself and smile. “Not something I've heard of anypony try before.” I say.

The girls all seems to like the new recepie and Pinkie really shine with hapiness. I throw a look out the window and see several carts rolling in through town. The girls also notice the sound of the wagons and turn to take a look.

“Hey isn't that Braeburn?” Rainbow ask when she see a pony who look really simular to AJ, only this one is male and wear a west aswell as the cowboy hat.
“Yes it is.” Rarity says. I look at the girls then back to the stalion. “Oh hay I forgot the time. They are here for the reunion, I have to go.” I say to the girls before I rush out the door. I hear the girls say something but I can't make out what they said, and I don't stop to ask what they said either. The second I'm through the door I jolt up in to the air and fly off towards the farm.

From the air above the farm I can see the first cart coming out of town. I nod to myself and fly down to the ground landing a bit away from AJ and Big Mac. “Hey guys, your family just left ponyville so they are here soon.” I tell them, both AJ and Big Mac look at me and smile. “Thanks for tha update, how was yer day?” AJ ask whit a smile on her face. I nod amd smile back. “It was pretty good, Pinkie made a new recepie for her cupcakes, this time she had see weed in it, tastes really good though.” I say and my smile widens abit more.

“Sounds good.” Big Mac says before he leaves me and AJ. I look confused after him and AJ starts laughing. “He probably went ta greet tha family when they all come to the farm.” She say and gets another nod from me as a response. I look around myself and see that the whole place is cleaned up and a lot of tables has been put up to give everypony somewhere to sit and eat and talk around.

“Any last minute things I can help with?” I ask.
“Nah we're all done here.” She say “Now where is Apple Bloom she should be here when tha family comes, so should Babs.” She say looking around.
“Last I saw them was meaby 20-25 min ago in town, want me to go looking for them?” I ask flaping my wings to show I can do it faster then she can. AJ looks at me and sigh. “Would ya?” she ask seeming unsure. I give her another smile and take flight. I hardly make it of the farm before I see Apple Bloom and Babs walking next to Braeburn on their way to the farm.

I turn back and land next to AJ again. “They are coming here with Braeburn any second now.” I say, AJ nods and give a sigh of releaf “Good then we all can start.”
“Ya're joining in for tha activities right?” she ask looking at me. “ I don't know it that is a good idéa I mean it's a family thing right?” I reply. “Well that's true but won't ya get bored not doing anything?” she ask.

“I can manage.” I say giving her a smile to witch she just roll her eyes. “Alrighty than, just know that ifin ya want to ya can join in.” she say and smile.
'What is she going at here? I'm no apple so I don't have the family ties to join in do I?' I think to myself.

“Oh hay you where already back.” I hear Apple Bloom say. I look over to where her voice was coming from, only to be greeted by the sight of an army of apple family members to come our way. 'Wow I really didn't expect them to be THAT many, I guess this is one hell of a reunion' I think to myself as I give Apple Bloom a nod.

“Yeah I got here just a moment ago” I tell her and smile. “How did crusading go?” I ask her.
Apple Bloom and Babs both seem to shrink alittle. “It didn't go all to good, we didn't get our cutiemarks today either.” Apple Bloom says and I notice Babs covering her flank with her tail.
“I'm sorry girls, meaby you will get them tomorrow then.” I say trying to cheer them up alittle.

They nod but still seem sad.
'Damn it how can I cheer them up? I hope what ever this family reunion is holding will make them feel better' I think to myself.
“Now now girls don't be like that, we are having a family reunion after all”. Braeburn say and hug them.

I turn to AJ. “So what happens now?” I ask her.
“Ah well ah was thinking the seven leged race at first, for the younglings than we have ta see” AJ says.
“Seven leged race? Okay, and just how far are they running?” I ask her.

“Ah not that far, really come on ah'll show ya'll.” AJ say sand starts walking of to the barn.
Apple Bloom and Babs start running after AJ along with some other fillies and colts.
I tror after them, looking over all of them, but for some reason my gaze always return to Apple Bloom and I feel a strange kind of hunger when I look at her.

'Damn it, why do I feel like changing and shove my fangs in to her? Hope fully the feeling goes away soon, I'd rather not lose control and actually do it' I think to myself while I shake my head in an attempt to get the feeling away.
“Ya alright there suggarcube?” AJ ask suddenly snaping me back to the world.

“Yeah just lost in thought.” I say giving an awkward smile to her.
She gives me an odd look, but quickly shrug it of when she turn around and walk in to the barn soon coming back with some ropes in her mouth.
AJ give me and the younglings a nod to follow her out abit further to what looks like a goal line.

Once we reach the goal line I see it doubles as both start and finnish line.
The fillies and colts pair up and wait for Applejack to bind their front hooves together.
“Applejack don't you think we are abit to close to the forest?” I ask her while I look down to the everfree forest just a few hundred feet down to the side.

“Nah it's never been a problem before ah don't see why it would be one now” she say calmly.
I look from the forest to the younglings and back to the forest again. “Alright if you say so.” I say. “So where are they racing to?” I ask looking back to the road ahead of the fillies and colts.

“Ah just down the road abit til a red flag then back here, first one back is tha winner” she say with a grin. I don't see the flag from where I'm standing so I jump up in to the air. I manage to see the flag down the road. ' It has to be a 4 miles race back and forth, I wonder if that is normal for them. Then again they are a hard working family from the looks of it' I think to myself before I come back around to the ground.

“Alright so what are you adults gonna do while they run the seven leged race?” I ask
“ We all are probaby just gonna have a talk with one another, nothing serious just catching up ya know?” she tell me. I roll my eyes abit. “ Alright have fun, I'm gonna take a nap on the roof” I say and jump up in to the air again, landing on their roof where I lay down and close my eyes.

I can hear the adults talking but since they are so many talking all at once I can't make out what they are talking about. Now that I think about it, it feels kind of like the buzzing in my head from the constant chatter of the changeling hivemind.

I yawn and strach out abit before I finaly fall in to a light slumber.
I can't have been sleeping for more then ten minutes before I'm woken up by screaming foals.
I throw my head up and look over to the race track where I see the younglings running back towards the farm followed by wolfs made out of wood.

' Wolfs made out of wood, seriously? What the fuck is wrong with this place?' I think to myself before I notice the stalions running out towards the foals and the wolves. Without a second thought I shoot out from the roof and fly straight for one of the wolves hunting the slower younglings.

I reach them in just a couple of seconds and tackle the wolf away from the foals. Both me and the wolf hit a tree, the wolf breaks in to twigs and sticks and I continue straight in to the tree sholder first.

I shake my head to clear it from the impact. The slowest pair of the fillies has frozen in place and the wolfs are slowly closing in on them. I bolt towards the fillies and manages to grab them before the wolfs pounce them.

Holding the fillies I fly higher to the air looking around and see that both Big mac and Braeburn are bucking wolves that are to close to the first couple of foals. I fly towards the farm and the mares and drop the fillies by them before turning back and bolting back to the wolves.

While the apple family stalions are keeping the wolfs from coming in to the farm I fly to the back of the group to get the slower foals away. I manage to reach the couple furthest to the back, but when I grab them and start flying upwards one of the wolves jumpes me and bites hard in to my left hind leg.

Thanks to the added weight I can't keep myself airborn. I see Big Mac running towards us so I throw him the fillies in my front hoves before I drop out of the air.
When I drop to the ground again I fall on my back, the wolf starts pulling it's head from side to side quickly in an attempt to tear me leg of I guess. I start to punch it in the head but it dosn't help much.

I can see blood pouring from my leg down to the ground and in to the wolfs mouth.
I try to reach around to get to the wolfs throat. But thanks to the way the wolf is holding on to my leg I don't reach properly.
All of a sudden a beam of magic shater the wolf, I take the opportunity and get in to the air imeadetly, but I feel light headed and tired. 'How much blood have I lost already?' I think to myself.

A couple of more magic beams shoot out from the farm hitting two more wolves shatering them. The other wolves run off and when I look to the farm I see the changeling guard along with acouple of other unicorn guards standing there.

As I drop to the ground landing back in the poudle of my own blood the changeling guard runs over to me, covering me from the sight from everypony else.
“You need to feed so you don't black out completely.” he says to me while he look over to the others.
My vision is slowly getting blurry as I try to get up on my hoves again.
The guard push me down again. “You have two options right now, either you feed enough not to black out completely, or you just pass out now and get killed when you change back to a changeling while you are unconsious.” He say through his teeth.

'So it's either take a shoot at feeding and possibly harm Apple Bloom, or die either from blood los or by one of the ponies here when I reveal myself to be a changeling, sorry Apple Bloom but I need to find out if there are other humans here and if there are, how did we end up here?' I think to myself.

“Well?” the guard glare at me.
“How do I feed?” I ask weakly.
The guard roll his eyes. “Focus on the emotions from those who care about you and just absorb the power in those feelings.”

My eyes get a green tint as I do what the guard say. The green tint dissapears as quickly as it appeared but I still feel myself healing from the power I drain from Apple Bloom, and someone else but I can't tell who.
“Good you should be able to keep your pony form even when you faint now.” The guard says before he nod to the other guard on the farm.
I feel my eye lids growing heavier and soon I pass out.