A Gem, Indeed

Reason hurried through the streets, dodging out of the way of several ponies that crossed her path. She was on her way to get what food she could with the few bits she possessed.

She always felt dirty and sick wearing the fur and horn of a normal unicorn pony. To a random passerby, she was a thin gray unicorn, about fifteen, with a dirty black mane and tail. To another child of Chrysalis, however, she was a bug. A monster. A parasite.

Her stomach growled. She tried her best to ignore her hunger. It felt so terrible to treat love, one of the most pure emotions a creature could feel, as nothing more than a food source. A tool. So she tried to avoid eating love whenever she could, and simply eat food like a pony. But no matter how much and how often she ate, she was still hungry for love. And she hated it.

She was so busy staring at the ground and trying to avoid eye contact that she bumped into another mare. They both fell, Reason's pouch falling out of her mouth. She scrabbled at the cement sidewalk trying to get up and collect her money; stealing from changelings was a sport among ponies, and though the young girl she'd bumped into had no reason to think she was one, you could never be too careful.

"I'm sorry, let me help you with that."

Reason looked up to see the girl putting her spilled bits into her pouch and handing it to her. She stared at the girl. This was the first chance she had to really look at her, and she was rather pretty. Yellow coat, pale blue mane and tail. She was a unicorn, though that was to be expected in Canterlot.

"Isn't this yours?" She was smiling. At her. It made Reason guilty to think the girl was only being nice because she thought she was a pony.

Reason took her pouch in her green telekinesis, mumbling a word of thanks. She walked off at a slightly faster pace.

"Hey, wait!"

She turned back to see the mare waving to her. "What's your name?"

Reason stared for a second, slightly dumbfounded. She wasn't used to ponies randomly asking her what her name was.

"Oh, um, Reason. My name's Reason."

"I'm Lemony Gem. Reason's a nice name." Lemony Gem. A beautiful name for such a pure creature. A gem, indeed.

"Guess you really are a gem." Reason smiled weakly. "Get it?"

Lemony burst out laughing. Reason tilted her head to the side. Making jokes like that usually got her in trouble with her siblings.

"Oh...oh, sorry. I have a weakness for bad puns and the like." Lemony wiped her eyes. "Anyway, do you want to come with me if you aren't busy?"

"Come where?" Reason's stomach growled again. She blushed. Now is not the time, hunger.

"To the changeling rights rally near the palace. Me and a few friends are campaigning for basic rights for changelings. It isn't fair that they're treated this way. They're ponies, too!" Reason was taken aback by the passion in her voice and the fire in her eyes.

"Not many ponies feel that way."

"I know! And that's why we plan to change that. It's so cruel the way ponies treat them now!" Lemony Gem tugged at Reason's hoof. "So, are you coming?"

Reason was rooted to the spot. On the one hoof, maybe she would help some. She really did want to help Lemony. She was her first friend. On the other hoof, if she didn't get back soon with the groceries, she would have Tartarus to pay.

Oh, screw it.

"Sure, I'll come."

"Great!" Lemony tugged Reason along through the crowds until they got to the palace. Reason had to stop and stare at the beautiful structure. It was a wonder, all marble and gold and amethyst stones, like the castles in the fairy tale books she got to read on occasion.

"Equestria to Reason." Reason jumped.

"You've never seen the castle before?" Lemony Gem wore a funny look.

Reason began to sweat. "I've seen it before from a distance, just never up close like this. It's beautiful."

Lemony stared at the castle with a savage look. "Yeah, it's pretty on the outside. But on the inside are despicable lawmakers working against creatures that only wanted to survive. Like poison worms in a poison apple."

She continued to tug Reason along until they were right at the gates. A few ponies were shouting and hoisting signs, many of which said Changelings Need Love Too!

A frazzled-looking representative of the government stood on a soap box trying to calm the protesters down, saying that the lawmakers were aware of the protests and were working hard on creating a system where all creatures could live happily.

"Liar!" Lemony shouted. "You're just saying that so we'll back off!"

Shouts of agreement followed her words.

"Enough!"

The crowd silenced as they recognized the pony speaking to be Princess Luna. Her dark blue wings were spread in fury. Her spectral mane looked like the moon and stars. Reason was speechless.

"My sister and the lawmakers - as well as myself - are working on a solution to the problems changelings currently face in society. I assure you we have everypony's best interests at heart. Now leave, all of you, before I send the guards to clear you out."

The protesters left, grumbling, the signs they held falling to the ground to be trampled by the masses. Lemony looked to Reason and shrugged. She didn't seem upset.

"We got definite answers from a Princess. I think we made progress." She nuzzled Reason on the neck, skipping off. "Hope to see you tomorrow!" She called behind her.

Reason stood, dumbstruck. Did she...just nuzzle me?

Luna walked up next to Reason. "You're a changeling, if I'm not mistaken."

Reason was too lost in her heart-racing trance to be surprised or panicked. "W-what was that?"

"I said that I think you're a changeling. Your guises don't hold up under a simple spell."

"N-no, Princess, that wasn't what I meant."

Luna thought for a moment. "Oh, that. I do believe that's called flirting."