There's Always Another Option
Chapter One
Changelings were everywhere. Falling from the sky, galloping into buildings, stealing love...it was madness. But then, a concussion blasted them away, as if batted by an invisible hoof; they were just...gone.
Though most of them sailed harmlessly away, one changeling was unfortunate enough to be batted against a wall, cracking the hard chitin exoskeleton in multiple places, and knocking him unconscious.
Voices reached the changeling's ears.
"...do we do with it?" a pony said. The changeling couldn't make out what they were saying, but he knew he had to escape before they could capture him. He tried to stand, but his legs didn't seem to respond.
Paralysing spell...fantastic!
The changeling sighed, resting his head on the pillow behind him.
Why is there a pillow behin- oh no...I-I've been captured!
Panic welled up inside the changeling as he tried to move his limbs, but it was fruitless; the spell wasn't letting up any time soon.
A grey pegasus trotted to the bedside and smiled down at him...and he felt warm...and safe.
No...no that can't be right, can it? I was part of the invasion. I was on a mission to kill one of their rulers! Yet, they love me...
"Hey, look who's finally awake!" She said. The changeling shrank down into the blankets covering him, trying to hide.
"Aww, c'mon now, there's no reason to be afrai-" The pegasus was interrupted by a knock on the door:
"Royal Guard! Open up!" The mare cringed and threw the blankets over the changeling, and trotted over to the door of the small flat.
"Excuse me, ma'am, we need to search your apartment. Princess's orders." The sound of heavy hoofsteps grew louder as the guard entered the changeling's temporary bedroom. The blankets were telekinetically lifted up, and the guard didn't see a changeling, but a young filly, sick with a cold.
"Sorry for the inconvenience, miss." The guard called as he left the apartment, the door puffing shut behind him.
The changeling let out a shaky breath and stared up at the mare with wide, frightened eyes, unsure what to do.
"Silverbolt, he can't stay here, it's too dangerous..." Another pony, a unicorn said.
"I know that, Pell, but I intend to help him every chance I get," Silverbolt said, looking back at the unicorn,"and that means nursing him back to health, well, at least for now." The changeling could feel the sympathy and love coming from the mare, and gladly took it in, relishing the taste, and already feeling much better.
The sun was setting and the two ponies retired to their bedroom, leaving the changeling to his own thoughts.
The shadows chased, the flames licked at his heels, and yet the sunlight seemed no closer than it was ten minutes ago.
"I...have to...keep going..." The changeling panted, tiring of galloping for that long.
Suddenly, a shadow blocked his path, inhibiting him from making any more forward progress. The shadow blinked, and two acid-green eyes peered out at the changeling, striking fear in his heart.
The changeling gasped awake, his eyes wide and his breathing ragged. Two pairs of concerned eyes watched him from the doorway.
"I'm fine." The changeling grumbled.
"If that's the case, come out and have some breakfast! I'm sure you're pretty hungry after invading a city!" Pell called, getting an elbow in the side from Silverbolt.
"Why are you two helping me!" The changeling blurted out.
"We'll answer that after we get your name, I don't want to go around calling you 'changeling' everywhere." Silverbolt said. The changeling rolled over to face the two ponies, their affection seemed genuine.
I-I guess it couldn't hurt... He thought to himself.
"Kaido. My name is Kaido." The changeling said.
"We're helping you...well, because we can. Because we want to show that changelings aren't all that bad!" Silverbolt replied.
Kaido snorted,"You'll have better luck going to the Moon and back. Most changelings want to be hidden away from the troubles of Equestria."
"We've got you..." Pell said, hopefully.
"And what's stopping me from leaving right now?"
"Free food, a soft bed, friends?" Silverbolt listed off.
Kaido sighed, it was too good to turn down.
*** *** ***
"No, stop! I can't go out there!" Kaido exclaimed, his hooves scrabbling for purchase on the worn carpet.
"You can and you will." Silverbolt replied, shoving on his haunches. Pell opened the door to the street, busy with ponies shopping at the market.
Kaido's eyes went wide with fear and with one past push, he was out on a street. In the middle of the city he just helped attack.
All activity stopped at the sudden appearance of the changeling. Kaido shrank back into the shadows as everyponies' eyes shot towards him.
"Guards! There's a changeling!" One pony cried out. A trio of royal guards landed on the pavement in front of Kaido, causing him to flinch.
"Take him to the castle." One of the guards ordered.
"No! Wait!" Silverbolt called, and then clapped her hooves over her muzzle,"I didn't say anything." She squeaked.
"Take her as well, she could be one of them." The same guard ordered. Moments later, they were both tethered to their own personal escort and were flying towards the castle. When they landed, Silverbolt and Kaido were marched to just outside the throne room.
Kaido wasn't afraid anymore, he was terrified. The doors opened.
"Your Majesty! We have two changelings who weren't expelled out of the city."
"Thank you, Captain, I will take care of it from here." The Princess said, with surprising warmth in her voice.
Kaido found a sudden interest in his hooves, and Silverbolt also found a similar interest in the ceiling.
"Do not be afraid, changeling, I have no intention of harming you." Celestia said, reassuring him.
Kaido struggled with the concept of what just happened.
So, I help in attacking their capital city, and their Princess doesn't want to vaporise me on the spot? Ponies are weird.
The changeling blinked a few times, dumbfounded. He wasn't sure what to make of his situation, should he run? Hide?
"What's troubling you?" The princess said. Her concern was genuine, Kaido could feel it.
I just don't know what to do! he thought.
"If you're willing to be cooperative, you can continue to stay with Silverbolt." The Princess said.
Silverbolt answered the confused look on the changeling's face.
"You do that a lot. Think aloud."
The changeling fell backwards onto the floor, his hooves stretched out as he did so.
"Is there anything you ponies don't know about me?!" He cried.
"Why you haven't run off, gone rampant stealing love, and why you are afraid." A new voice said; it came from a pink pony similar to the Princess in front of Kaido, only smaller.
Kaido scuffed his hooves on the carpet,"I have been taking their emotions, but only enough to survive...which is why I still feel terrible, and I haven't run off because I wouldn't survive a day out there." It was sad, but it was the truth, in his current state, Kaido doubted he'd have the strength to defend himself from a pony, much less a manticore or hydra.
All of a sudden, Kaido felt something warm and soft on his shoulder; it was a hoof. A pink one.
"I can help you with your health, even though it makes me uneasy..." The princess said, trailing off. Kaido's ears perked up at that. Mmm free food, and energy! What more could a half-dead changeling want?
The changeling felt the familiar warmth and fuzziness of love, he could already feel the cracks and splits mending themselves, and after a minute or so, he was contently full.
"Thank you." Kaido said. The Princess merely nodded and trotted off to another room in the castle.
"Kaido, do you wish to continue living here in Canterlot? If you do, then we will discuss some restraints– rules, for lack of a better word." Silverbolt was watching him, expectantly.
"I-I would like to live in Canterlot, with Silverbolt." Kaido said.
"Now, my subjects might not be as open-minded about you living among them, and I don't want you to give them a reason not to trust you, which means, do not take their emotions without their consent, lest it be an emergency, and do not assume a disguise unless it is appropriate. Do you understand?" Kaido nodded, he was eager to get out of the castle.
"Farewell and good luck, Kaido." The Princess said. Kaido was practically skipping out the door and Silverbolt was trotting beside him, chuckling at his very in-changeling like behaviour. When the pair started to walk down the street, however, Kaido's happy mood evaporated, leaving him walking on eggshells. Ponies were giving them looks, purposefully bumping into them and a few shouted some obscenities.
"C'mon, we're almost there." Silverbolt told Kaido. A few moments later, they were at Silverbolt's apartment, where spell greeted both of them with a hug.
Kaido flopped onto the floor,"Can we not do that again?" He said.
"Do what, go outside?" Pell asked.
Kaido nodded and shuddered,"There were just so many ponies, all thinking the same thing,'You don't belong here,' partnered with so many negative emotions, hate, anger, revulsion, agh, it was terrible!"
"There's nothing you ca really do about that, except go out and talk to them, to prove that they don't have to be afraid of you." Pell said. Silverbolt nodded in agreement.
"But, before any diplomacy," Silverbolt began,"I need some dinner!" Pell laughed,"It's always about food with you." Kaido smiled, it had been a long time since he'd been in the company of a truly happy couple.
At dinner, Kaido could almost forget he was a changeling, Pell and Silverbolt were both talking and laughing with him, interacting with him just like he was a pony. Too bad others don't think like that, he thought.
After a few minutes, the changeling sensed a change in the atmosphere; it wasn't carefree anymore, it was tense and filled with anger.
"Um, Pell, Silverbolt, could you check to see of there's an angry mob outside?" Kaido asked, with fear in his voice.
