A Changeling That Changed

Merrick wiped the sweat from his brow as a bundle of apples fell into the bucket he had lined up under a tree. He took a large breath and switched back from the apple loving pony to his classic pegasus disguise. He had quite grown to love it, as in essence it was a ponyfied version of himself, an original creation of sorts that he had grown to love.

He switched back to the look of an average pegasus, and looked over at Applejack, who was just as sweaty and tired as he was. The sun had just begun to set over Ponyville, and he knew he had to leave. Applejack gave him a friendly smile as if to tell him it was okay to simply go.

But he needed to talk one last time before he left.

"I-" He stopped for a moment, unable to find the words. He blushed at his stuttering, and tried to figure out what to say.

"I just wanted to say, thank you for giving me a chance. I- I swear I won't fail you. I promise that nopony will ever be hurt because of me."

Applejack simply nodded at him, grabbed hold of his hoof, shook and began to walk away.

She stopped herself, and looked him directly in the eyes.

"Thanks for the help on the farm." She said sincerely. She realized that maybe she had been a little too harsh on the Changeling. "I had plenty to do, and you really did help me out. Maybe y'all are more useful to me than ya let on!" She said the last part with a smile.

"And don't ya worry sugar cube." She said sincerely. "If y'all truly are as friendly as yah say you won't hurt nopony. But if you do."

She stopped talking and simply glared at him.

"You know what will happen if you do." Her look turned friendly again. "But fer now welcome to Ponyville. After tomorrow you'll be our official resident Changeling! Pretty nice title if ya ask me."

He smile at her and began to walk away, lost in his own thoughts about what it would be like to be able to be himself all around Ponyville.

His heart sunk as he realized he had no place to live. His home in Ponyville was quickly sold after he had left the place trying to run away from Pinkie Pie. After she had caught him he had left a note saying he was leaving and never coming back.

The place was sold within a day.

He was homeless now.

This was Pinkie Pie's fault. He wasn't angry at the earth pony though; he actually figured he would have to thank her. Even if he was homeless the fact that she had found him that day had improved his life. He finally found ponies he could be himself around.

And Pinkie Pie would let him stay in Sugarcube Corner with her. He already thought of the makeshift bed as his own.

So he had no house, this is true, but what he did have was friends. For the first time in his life he had friends, ponies who cared about him, even though he was a Changeling. He had friends, and he had opportunity.

He knew he would have a job eventually. A Changeling can do more than an average pony as a job. They had the magic of unicorns, the flight of a pegasus, and the strength of an earth pony. Add on top of that shape shifting, and you have one amazing being. When they aren't sucking love form you of course, or generally being evil.

And Merrick wasn't evil. He was different, changed from all the others. He was a nice Changeling, practically a pony. And his life was looking up.

He would show all the ponies here that he wasn't bad. He would gain their favor, and get them to love him as one of their own. Make them think of him as a local.

Some of them already did.

He knew that he may not have had a physical house in the small town, a private place to call his own, but he did have one thing.

He had a home in Ponyville. And that was all he needed.

*                                                                            *                                                                                              *

Merrick sat nervously in the large crystal castle that belonged to Twilight. He was anxious of his fate, as the voting was soon going to begin.

He was afraid more than anything that he actually wouldn't be allowed to love in Ponyville, that some of the six members of the group had lied to him, and secretly hated him. He knew these fears were probably false, yet there they were in the forefront of his mind, shadowing over any happy thoughts he had.

Twilight sat in her chair and looked at her friends, asking them to quiet down without even saying a word. Immediately they all listened to what she had to say.

"Well everypony the time has come to vote on whether or not Merrick the Changeling should be allowed to stay in Ponyville. I understand that there are six of us, so in order to keep the vote from being a tie I shall abstain from voting, and simply count."

Everypony nodded.

"Okay everypony Spike will get you all quills and paper to cast your v-"

"Do we have to make this so official Twi?" Rainbow Dash called out cutting off Twilight. "I swear you're doing it like this is some big life changing event. How about we all just raise our hooves and you count?"

Twilight sighed at her.

"Fine." She said with a huff.

"Show of hooves please. Who votes that Merrick stay?" She said happily to all her friends.

The words hadn't even left her mouth when all five hooves shot up. She even saw Spike in the corner of the room raising his claw.

Merrick's face lit up with glee as he saw all of the hooves raise, and slight shock when he saw that even the dragon whom he had barely met wanted him there.

Twilight looked stunned. She knew he was probably going to stay, but to get everypony to like him? In only two days?

How had he managed such a thing?

"Well it's clear we have our answer." She said cheerily, shaking off the confusion. "I'll be honest I expected him to be allowed to stay but..." She trailed off for a moment.

"You got everypony to vote for you? Even Applejack?!?"

Merrick nodded happily.

Pinkie Pie jumped out of her chair and immediately hugged the Changeling, nearly knocking him to the floor.

"We get to continue be best friends forever!" She shouted in his face happily.

He giggled at her and returned the hug, feeling the warmth radiating off her.

As a matter of fact it was radiating off everypony in the room, even Applejack.

"Looks like you get to continue your studies on Changelings Twilight!" He said happily. "It also looks like I need a new house!" He said with a giggle.

"Oh that's okay! For now you can stay with me!" Pinkie Pie said cheerily.

He knew she would say that, but it still made his smile grow even wider.

Everypony else in the room gave him words of encouragement and smiled at him. They all liked him, and where happy for him.

"Well I'll admit I'm quite happy you get to stay." Twilight said. "But now we have a lot of work to do everypony. We have to introduce Merrick to Ponyville, which in itself will be difficult to do without incite mass panicking."

Everypony else nodded in agreement, even Merrick who was still receiving hugs from Pinkie Pie.

"Then I have to right my book on studies of Changlings, how they live, and how they can adapt to pony society." She turned to Merrick. "Ready to help me with my research?"

He nodded at her happily.

"Good. Because those were the easy parts." Her smile faded away as she said the next words. "And then we have the part that I personally am most afraid of: introducing Merrick to the princesses, and asking them if they will let him stay in Ponyville."

"Well obviously they will!" Dash called out excitedly. "Celestia could totally use a Changeling in her army or for super special missions! What if she makes him some super cool soldier?!?!" She flew up into the air as she said the words, her excitement obvious.

Rarity cast a spell pulling the pegasus back to the ground, and then spoke.

"While the super soldier thing is rather... extreme." She said. "I do believe Dash is correct in a way. Celestia tends to trust your judgment on most matters, and as a princess yourself I'm sure she'll trust your judgment and allow him to stay,"

Everypony nodded their heads in agreement, even Dash who was still on the floor.

"I guess you're right," Twilight began. "and maybe I shouldn't worry about that right now. For now... congratulations Merrick." She said.

"You now officially have a home in. Ponyville."

Immediately after saying the words Pinkie Pie jumped up.

"Welcome to Ponyville for realsies this time party!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.

Merrick simply smiled. This time he knew for a fact that everything was going to be okay.