Rainbow Dash's POV
I looked around and studied my work. Clouds cleared over Ponyville? Check. Start an 'accidental' shower over Sweet Apple Acres as a favor to AJ? Check. Get rid of the rogue thunderstorm coming from Everfree Forest? Check. Most of the other pegasi aren't even awake yet and I already finished my job for the day, I thought happily to myself, now for a nap!
On my way to my favorite resting spot, I saw everypony getting ready to start the day. Derpy was out delivering mail, a blue changeling was flying towards Ponyville, Pinkie was hauling a... wait, A BLUE CHANGELING IS FLYING TOWARDS PONYVILLE! As soon as I made this realization, a worst-case scenario flashed through my mind. It must be here to capture Twilight!
Without any hesitation, I shot towards him and tackled him to the ground in a shower of... papers? One of the papers landed on top of the now cowering changeling and I looked at it curiously
____________________________________Flip Switch______________________________________
As most ponies would agree, Queen Chrysalis's attack on Canterlot, being your first contact with our race, has likely left a horrible first impression of changelings as a whole. To rectify this situation, we at the Veliidae Hive have set up a business specializing in altering the form and appearance of ponies to match the way they see themselves. Prices are as follows:
Cosmetic changes (mane, coat, etc.)- 4 bits
Structural changes (physique, height, etc.)-10 bits
Subspecies changes (Earth Pony, Pegasus, Alicorn*, Unicorn)-20 bits
Gender changes** (male, female, herm, etc.)-40 bits
Species changes (griffon, changeling***, dragon****)-80 bits
*A better aproximation is 'winged unicorn' since they aren't as powerful as alicorns
**If you change gender, be prepared for everything that goes with it (notably estrus)
***To avoid abuse of this form, you can only change into forms that you have bought
****More like a draconic pony of approximately alicorn height
Note that you are not permitted to mimic other ponies and that you may switch between bought forms for free.
Below that were directions to the building where the supposed business was located. I should check this place out to make sure they're not planning anything, I thought to myself before a sarcastic little voice at the back of my head added, Yeah, that's the reason. Not at all because that paper says that I could try being a griffon.
Seeing my sudden interest in the flier, the changeling switched from frightened to business-like almost instantly. "Would you like to take a copy to help you get there?" he asked.
"What makes you think I would want to go somewhere like that?" I snarked.
"The fact that curiosity tastes like grapes to us and you've got enough to start a vinyard?" He replied with a smirk.
Damnit. "Fine, give me one. I might check it out after my nap"
Later
____________________________________________________________________________________________
I CAN'T SLEEP! For anypony else, this wouldn't have been a very big deal. For me, however, it was (to quote Rarity) the WORST. POSSIBLE. THING! It wasn't for lack of trying, either. It's just that, whenever I got close to sleep, that damned flyer pops into my head. On the one hoof, I thought after the twentieth time, it could just be some big trap or something. On the other hoof, I've wanted to be a griffon ever since I first became friends with Gilda.
Eventually, I decided that I would go and, if I wasn't ambushed, pay for the transformation. I should also send a letter to Twilight just in case they do catch me. That way, she'll know what happened if I don't come back or if I get replaced. With that decided, I finally managed to get some rest.
Later Still
____________________________________________________________________________________________
This place wasn't what I expected at all. Sure, it looked like a bug's nest from the outside, but it was as fancy and upscale as the Carousel Boutique on the inside.
"Welcome to Flip Switch, miss." called a tall, and admittedly handsome, orange-maned changeling. "My name is Zephyr. What can I do for you today?"
"I want to know why you think you'd want to start something this close to to the home of the Element Bearers."
"The who? Wait, aren't they the ones who uncovered Chryssie's plan and kicked the flanks of half of her army? That would be great! Ponies won't be as nervous about us if they know that somepony's keeping an eye on us!"
Well, that was not the reaction I was expecting, I thought. Then, more begrudgingly, nor is it the reaction of somepony that's guilty of something.
"By the way, is that grapes that I taste?"
Celestia Damnit, stop doing that! "Yeah," I sighed. "I was wondering if I could try being a griffon." I looked away as I hoofed over the 80 bits.
"Excellent choice! Let's get started, shall we?" Without waiting for a response, Zephyr's horn lit up and I was enveloped in orange fire. I didn't hurt, though. In fact, it felt kind of... nice. Almost like the massage I got at the spa with Rarity that one time when Fluttershy was out of town visiting her parents. Even when I felt my bones and muscles shifting, it wasn't painful.
Then, it was over. I walked over to a mirror and I almost passed out in shock. Staring back at me was a cyan griffon with rainbow-colored tail and crest feathers! It was incredible!
"Is everything satisfactory?" Zephyr asked once I had finished gawking at myself.
"YES! I mean *ahem* it seems fine, but I won't know until I fly."
"Of course. By the way, if you are not satisfied, you get one cosmetic change free."
As I left the building, the only thing running through my mind was, let's see what I can do.
Author's Note
FIRST STORY EVER!
I'm sorry it isn't longer, but I am still new to this.
Author's Note
Sorry it took so long but... yeah I have no excuse. Anyways, not much happens but this will lead to some interesting encounters in Canterlot. Also, for those that are not fans of the POV, it will be first-pony for the next couple of chapters. The color coding won't change because it represents the differences of a changeling's voice. Any editing errors are because I tried to edit this myself, so please point them out to me. If you have any ideas, I will definitely need them. Thank you.
PS: I have not really edited this and will do so over the next week. I know it probably sucks right now and I will try to make it better. See you later.
The Elements
Applejack’s POV
BOOM!
The sound of one of Rainbow’s sonic rainbooms did little to draw mah attention. Ah was too busy interrogatin’ a blue changeling that Ah found out by Ponyville.
“Now, Ah’m gonna ask ya one last time before Ah introduce ya to Big Mac, why are y-”
BOOOOOOM!!!
“What in tarnation?” Ah shouted, running out of the barn. Rainbow could only do one rainboom before she got exhausted. As soon as Ah got outside, a rainbow colored-blur flew by an’ snatched mah hat. “Rainbow!”
“‘Sup,” replied a familiar voice, only that voice was now attached to a blue griffin!
“Rainbow?” Ah asked, shocked.
“Yup. cool, huh?”
“What the Hay happened to ya?”
“A changeling turned me into a griffin! Isn’t that awesome?” She said, almost as energetic as Pinkie.
“I TOLD YOU I WAS POSTING BUSINESS FLYERS!” came a loud shout from inside the barn, drawing Rainbow’s attention.
“Blue?”
“Yeah, Ah found him out by Ponyville.”
“Let him go and come see this place. It’s really cool!”
Ah looked at her like she was crazy before askin’, “Did those Blues hypnotize ya or somethin’?”
“He was orange and I probably wouldn’t be able to tell you if he did.”
“Hmph. Fine, but we’re bringin’ the rest of the girls just to be sure.”
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Twilight’s POV
I was startled from my studies by somepony knocking on the door upstairs. How many times do I have to tell them that this is a public library and they can come in without knocking?
“SPIIIIKE! COULD YOU GET THE DOOR, PLEASE?”
“Seriously Twi, do you have to ye...Um, Twilight? You need to get up here now.”
Curious as to what Spike had called me upstairs, I teleported into the library. “Now Spike, what was so important...that…Uh Rainbow Dash? Why are you a Griffin?”
Applejack, who was standing inside with the cyan hybrid, was the first to speak. “Twi, she says that she paid an orange-maned changeling to do that an’ Ah found one of Chryssie’s changelings hangin’ around.”
That last part gave me pause. From my studies of Changelings, I have learned that it is possible for members of one hive to replicate the appearance of another hive. The so-called orange changeling could very well be a blue changeling attempting to influence Rainbow Dash’s thoughts. Making sure to keep the aura of my magic suppressed, I ran a detection spell for any magic that influences thought processes. I found only one such spell, though, and it’s sole purpose was to provide instinctive knowledge of how to use claws as a griffin.
“Applejack, I don’t know about the blue changeling you found, but the one that changed her didn’t do anything that Chrysalis would have.”
“Yeah, he was totally cool about it.”
“Um, yes. That. Anyways, it may be a good idea to bring the rest of the Elements to investigate, just to be safe.”
“Ah’ll go get Flutters, y’all get Pinkie and Rares.”
_________________________________________________________________________________________
The entirety of the building seemed to be formed from some form of hardened resin, though it was artfully shaped to mimic an upscale Manehatten Lobby. Standing behind the main desk was a pony-shaped dragon with red scales and yellow-orange tendrils forming a mane and beard. He was admiring himself in a mirror made from polished resin when we walked in, but when he saw us he was immediately engulfed in flames. The orange maned Changeling that appeared was blushing slightly. “Sorry, just testing out a new sh- oh, hey Rainbow! Are these your friends?”
“Yep! These are the rest of the Elements.”
His eyes widened at that. “Wait, you’re one of the Elements of Harmony? I am so sorry. I had planned on giving you all one free transformation of your choice. Oh well, I could always let your next one be free. By the way, have any of you seen a blue Changeling around? I need him to make some ponyquins for this custom costume side job I have planned.”
Rainbow seemed slightly taken aback by how fast he was talking. “Woah. What happened to you? You’re talking almost as fast as Pinkie!”
“Sorry, but somepony here is excited and excitement tastes and acts like coffee and they’re so excited that it’s bleeding out into the ambient atmosphere and it’s making me really hyper.”
“Oh, that’d be me, I’m so excited that there is a business that would let me be a pegasus so I can throw parties for the ponies in Cloudsdale because then I could make so many more ponies happy because making other ponies happy makes me happy.”
“Nevermind, Pinkie’s still got you beat.” Rainbow sighed.
“Anyways,” I said, “we are here to investigate since we have seen a blue changeling and were worried that Chrysalis had returned. However, you appear to be safe and there is only one discrepancy. I noticed that your business was not licensed by Princess Celestia and all Changeling business are required to be licensed until further notice.”
“Oh,” he sighed. “Well, this is the first I’ve heard of this. I’ll leave tomorrow. Just tell Blue to mind the store while I’m gone.”
“Of course.”
