A Changeling That Changed

Merrick's eyes slowly fluttered open, revealing the brilliant purple color beneath. He was laying down in the makeshift bed Pinkie had made for him, and he began to look around. He saw Pinkie Pie sleeping peacefully in her bed, and he looked out the window. It appeared to be noon.

Merrick slowly got out of bed, he had slept well. He had gone with Twilight and Pinkie to dinner, and then came back to Sugar Cube Corner to sleep. Well he would have slept, but he and Pinkie Pie stayed up until one in the morning playing different board games together. He finally felt what it was like to have friends, and playing board games was now one of his favorite things to do with them. He could hardly believe the whole thing was real.

He fluttered as silently as he could above the floor in an attempt to not wake up Pinkie Pie. His attempt was in vain however, as Pinkie Pie quickly woke up when he tried to fly past her.

"Merrick!" She screamed while jumping out of bed. "Where are you going? Gonna go visit with AJ now?"

Merrick dropped to the floor from flying, and stood in front if her. He looked at her and then shifted his gaze away.

"Well Pinkie I was planning on visiting that yellow pony first. I-" he stopped before he could finish the sentence. He didn't want to make Pinkie Pie upset.

"You what?"

"It's just... Applejack doesn't... She... She doesn't seem to like me."

He said the words softly, and then averted his gaze to the floor. He couldn't look her in the eyes after saying that, he was afraid she would be too hurt hearing the words.

"What do you mean she doesn't like you!?!" She screamed.

"It's-" He paused for a moment, searching for the right words. "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about Pinkie.... I'm sure everything will be okay." He smiled at her grabbed his father's tattered helmet and hugged her.

"Goodbye Pinkie. I'll see you later today correct? I need to go to Rarity and ask if she will fix this!"

He let go of the hug, which left him with a warm tingly feeling and he walked out the door. She waved at him as he turned into his pegasus disguise before walking down the stairs. She smiled as he walked away.

*                                                                            *                                                                                              *

Merrick walked into the boutique and saw Rarity packing up the dress she had just finished.

"Misses Rarity!" He called out, causing her to jump in surprise. "I brought that old helmet I was talking about, and it was wondering if you'd fix the leather?"

Rarity walked over to him and pulled it away with her levitation magic. She looked at the leather interior and saw it was slightly ripped and tattered.

"I can fix this in a snap darling. You may as well stay here while I do." She grabbed several things, and started working on sewing it back together.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did it end up in such a torn state?" Rarity said after several moments of silence.

"It was my fathers. He... It was all that I could find of him after the magical blast from Princess Cadence and Ser Shining Armour."

"Oh..." Rarity said shocked. "I'm so sorry darling."

"It's fine." Merrick said, he didn't appear to be sad. "He... he wasn't a very good person."

They sat there uncomfortably for several moments.

"Miss Rarity?" Merrick said. "I- I was wondering if I could tell you something. It's... I really need some help."

"Sure darling, maybe it will make us closer as friends!" She said in response, still focusing on fixing the helmet.

"Well... I've been having this weird... feeling inside of me." Merrick said softly. "I don't know what it is... this emotion I've never felt before. It happens when I'm around you, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash and Princess Twilight. This... warm... tingly feeling."

Rarity stopped her sewing and put down the helmet. She looked at him quizzically. She thought about it, and then her look turned into a smile.

"Why... Merrick!" She said happily. "It sounds to me like you are beginning to feel... love. Maybe not a romantic manner of it, but in a friendly way."

Merrick stood there for a moment, completely baffled. Love? How could he feel love?

"I-is that possible?" He whispered. "C-can a Changeling actually learn... to love?"

"Well I don't know dear. We don't know much about Changelings. But perhaps you will help us learn more!"

Rarity picked the helmet back up and returned to sewing.

"Miss Rarity." Merrick said once again.

"Yes Merrick?" She said, putting the helmet down once more.

"I feel... the feeling around all of you... except... for one of you it feels... different."

Rarity looked at him, the expression on her face telling him to go in.

"You all make me feel... warm inside... but whenever I'm with Pinkie Pie... it feels much... stronger. Like a more burning version of it."

Rarity looked at him shocked. She sat there stunned for several moments before regaining her wits.

"M-Merrick..." She whispered in surprise. "I- I think you may be... in love."

"But I feel it around all of you." He said, rather defensively. "It's just stronger around Pinkie Pie. It doesn't feel like I want to... be with her romantically or anything.... it's just... she feels so.... close to me."

"Well." Rarity said, sounding rather disappointed. "Perhaps you don't love her romantically. Maybe she's just... extremely close to you in a friendly way."

"I guess so." Merrick said. He wasn't an expert on the subject of feeling love, it wasn't really something Changelings knew.

They sat there silently for a few more moments while Rarity worked on the helmet.

"And we're done!" Rarity said with a smile. She handed the helmet to Merrick.

"Thank you Miss Rarity." He said. He inspected the interior. It looked good as new. He put the fixed helmet in his pack. "I guess I'll be leaving now. Sorry for inconveniencing you."

He started to walk towards the door, and Rarity smiled and waved at him.

"Goodbye Merrick!" She called. "It was no problem at all working on it!"

She sat there for a moment as he walked out the door. She was slightly upset at the way the love conversation turned.

"I really wanted to see a Changeling to Earth Pony romance story play out..." She muttered after he shut the door.