The smoke from a cigar wafted towards the night sky. From the lips of a stallion, one could see the tobacco infested stick between his pearly whites. The Stallion had a smooth flow in his mane streaked with a white and blue coloration. A toned white body that glistened with attractiveness. He laid upon a street light and was nonchalantly smoking away his worries. Around him were the apartment buildings sitting side by side and a highway street that stretched on to the darkness of the night.
He looked to his left and saw what else, but a bipedal form walking towards his direction. Each step could be heard as it got closer and closer. It arrived in the ray of light and its features were better shown. It was a hedgehog, purple from head to toe, spikes littered his back. His worn boots red with a white streak on its base and he had a fedora on his head.
"Ace Chesterfield, I presume.", said The Hedgehog. His fedora concealing his eyes from view. He tipped it and smiled. Ace spit the cigar towards the floor where it exploded.
"Well, do you have the goods?", Ace flipped back his mane coldly showcasing the cut scars on his neck. You could tell how emotionally distraught he was when he grimaced from his mane's touch.
"Oh, I have it alright, the question is, do you have the stuff to pay for it?"
Ace smirked, leaving the light to enter the deep dark corridors of the street alley near. He returned with a metallic case in his hooves.
"Your desired payment is in here.", Ace slid the case towards the hedgehog until it got caught on foot. The hedgehog grinned with greed in his eyes. He picked it up and pulled off the lock to see the glorious prize inside. Stacks on stacks of Equestrian bits fitted so well in the case. Held together by paper and heavy to boot. He closed it and carried it on his side until he put it on the ground. The fedora tipped even more so. Inside of the hat was a round green orb. He picked it up and threw it at the pony who was getting comfortable on the street light. Ace caught the ball with a raised hoof.
"May I ask your name stranger? Just for kicks if your wonderin."
"The name's Tonic The Hedgehog, I'm curious to why you need that object. Are you...?"
"Best to keep your thoughts to yourself. Besides, If you know so much already, then you should know what I intend.", Tonic watched the equine curiously before realizing that it wasn't his problem. He turned away to leave with a satisfied look on his face.
"Whats a hedgehog doing in Equestria of all places?" Tonic paused his strut. "Shouldn't you be in Mobius? Many ponies wouldn't recognize what you are in this world."
Tonic smirked, leaving the equine to his orb and escaping from view. With that, Ace peered into the ball and his form began to burn. Green fire lit hastily through his body to show the dormant form. Carapace skin, holed legs, and an insect pair of wings. He licked his lips to watch the swirling green energy turn from within.
With this, everything I ever dreamed of will be mine
Ace looked up into the light-bulb and green magic swirled from his horn. It suddenly broke into little pieces and with that he vanished out of sight.
My name is Ace Chesterfield. I wasn't given this name by somepony, but it holds something dear to me. The only pony who gave it was myself and I was the only one who ever would. No mother to give me an identity and no father to cherish his teachings. I was just like any other colorless, black changeling when I was born from a changeling queen.
My name is Ace Chesterfield and I don't have enough time.
Chirping, all I could hear was bountiful music. Little wing-beats and birds singing to the world that they exist. That they matter harmoniously to the world. I would wake up soon after in this forest and see these same musical creatures that would hit me more like a dream. Now I watch as they breathe life a top their branches. These beings expressing themselves so happily. I could do anything, but cherish such a thing. If only there was enough time to enjoy such frivolity.
Now, I had to go and return to my daily infiltration. The Queen gave me an important mission and I will not fail her. I remember it like it was so long before. Monitor the ponies of this small village. Search out weaknesses and gather Intel so they could be overrun. Not anything new since tasked to do these things on once in a while bases. It seems odd, after a while you feel a odd emotion that is hard to describe. Even weirder that you even have such a thing in the first place given that you feed off of it. I think the correct word for this 'feeling' is... pity.
These ponies live day-to-day lives content even though they have no single purpose. No simple drive to work as one without the need of self. It is clear that the brood is superior without these unnecessary restrictions. I just can't wrap my head around it how one can live happy like that.
Well, finally got out of this forest. The town is in a bustle today. It's market day and everypony is clamoring for different varieties of food. So many hoofsteps, loud talking and festivities litter the streets. Apple bobbing, street performing, confession selling, and more. I could barely care about any of these meaningless things. Now I just need to overlook a while and see...
A sudden tumble to the ground and the fallen changeling saw that he had bumped into somepony. He shook his head and watched the tripped pony scramble for the apples she dropped from her basket. She was mocha colored, her mane swirly and creamy as a pitcher of newly harvested milk. Her eyes cinnamon brown and her cutie mark a duo of birds being jubilant.
Standing upright, he helped pick up the rest of the apples while she smiled in appreciation.
"Whats your name stranger?" she said. He scratched his head nervously without making a peep. "Heh, you're a strange one, I never seen you before around these parts. Are you new here?"
"Um, yea, I'm just here for the festivities. I live in another village far from here."
"Well, alright, thanks for helping me out. The names Clarabelle, whats yours?", she said while inspecting the fallen fruit.
"Ugh.", frantically, he looked around himself to find anything that would satisfy her. He caught a pair of old stallions playing a round of cards. Then, the name came to him.
"I'm Ace Chesterfield, it's nice to meet you.", studying the pony social norms hopefully pay off in this moment. A simple hoof-shake would make everything better. Clarabelle grinned and shook the nervous stallions hoof before pulling him with her.
"Wait! Where are you taking me!?"
"You're a guest in our village aren't ya? Might as well show ya around!", heartfelt giggles from her and quick steps from them both.
They easily pushed through the mass of ponies congregating around some kind of act. Once they breached the epidermis of the crowd, the two saw a glorious display of balance. This clown pony, layered with paint and ridiculous amounts of colored clothing was on top of piles of random stuff. From skateboards and home appliances, no matter how impossible it seemed, he stood completely balanced on the stand without making a sweat. One by one, ponies dropped their bits into the little tin can sitting atop his carriage near that had a huge sign saying, The Great Balanceo! Ace looked at the crowd to notice their eyes glued to the graceful form, awaiting for anything to go wrong.
Even Ace himself couldn't pry his eyes from such a spectacle. The clown would not move one muscle as if he was of stone. Then, a pull from Clarabelle and they were off again. Many hours passed as Ace saw so much. He had undergone apple-bobbing from a barrel, a magic show that showcased unicorn power of levitation. It felt odd to fly into the blue sky without wings. Overtime it got late, Clarabelle and him were walking through the empty streets without a soul to watch them.
"My goodness! I still can't believe you almost vomited back there!" said Clarabelle.
"What did you expect? I never flown like that before."
"Hey Ace, it's late, but I was wondering if we could go to one more place."
"Yea, and what place is that?"
"I'll just lead the way, trust me its worth it."
Ace followed her to wherever she led. The night sky glistened with a welcoming moon. The darkness of the forest they went. He grew suspicious to the mare to what her intent was, but continued on with a watching eye. They finally arrived at a small tree house, it was old, cubed in shape and it's wood crunchy. She climbed up the decaying stairs with a careless step until she reached to the empty entrance. Clarabelle turned to her compatriot and motioned him to come up. He looked around the area for any sign of oddity, yet greeted with the silence of the woods.
Ace went his way and climbed up the wooden stairs. When arriving at the top he poked his head to see the contents of the tree house. It looked cramped, a place difficult to get comfortable in with two full-grown equines. One thing that he did notice was that there was a cut opening in the front base. The moon was in full circle and easy to see from so far. Finally entering the tree-house, he sat near Clarabelle to watch the moon in all its bright light.
"This is a nice view." said Ace. Such a magnificent rock that would probably weigh an incredible amount. It just floats in the sky like a motionless feather. He finally understood what value this little trip had and it truly was worth it.
"Ya, I use to come here a lot back when I was a foal. I haven't returned here in a long time. I have no one to really bring with me until now."
"Well, I'm glad that you have given me this moment. I never thought to enjoy the moon with this type of view."
"Well, there was another reason I wanted to bring you here."
"Yea, and what wa-?"
Clarabelle pursed her lips, closed her eyes and kissed the surprised Ace. The sudden shock of passion caused green fire to cross over his body in a flash and become the regular changeling he really was. Not noticing the shift from pony to changeling, the two wet their lips together before Clarabelle became surprised herself. Letting lose her hold to watch the chitinous skin and the bug wings.
"Hmm? Whats wrong?", Ace looked down at his hoofs and saw the holes of himself. "Uh, heh, I can explain."
"W-what are you!?", Ace scratched his head embarrassed, red blush in his cheeks.
"Well... You ever heard of changelings?"
"A change-what?"
"Ya know, eh... look, let me just tell you the truth."
Clarabelle crossed her hoofs together. She was angered with this information and wasn't showing anymore fatigue from her raging expression.
"Well, my species, well, changelings in general are kinda like insects. We even have a hive mentality and a Queen as well."
"Go on."
"I was sent here to infiltrate your village so we can invade and turn everypony into changelings."
"..."
"Look, I'm sorry, I was just doing what I was supposed to. It was an order from the Queen herself. Yea, this is a lot to take in I know, but I just want to let you know that I really like you though."
"Mm hm, oh really?"
"Uh, I wasn't gonna turn you into a changeling or anything, you are a beautiful mare and"
"Save it Ace, if that's even your real name. If were going to continue at all like this then you're going to have to do something for me."
"Whats that?"
"You will have to forget about all this got it? It's either your hive or me.", Ace stared at Clarabelle, surprise etched into his face.
"Heh, and you're the one who called me strange."
"Well, it's because I like you and you're the first pony, er, bug equine to ever get in this tree-house with me in a long time."
"I guess I made my choice then.", with those words, Ace kissed Clarabelle wholeheartedly. All of her anger melted away with one touch of his lips. The shine of the moonlight watched the two lovers as they bathed in its radiance.
