Innocence
“We begin to learn wisely when we're willing
to see world from other people's perspective.”
— Toba Beta
{Chapter One: Wonder}
With a muffled bang, two changelings appeared on a side street covered in snow. One was significantly taller than the other. The larger changeling knelt down and whispered a few sentences to the other before looking around and teleporting away, leaving the second changeling alone.
The second changeling was in a turmoil of emotions: fear astonishment, wonder. This was the first time in all twelve years of his life that he had been separated from Chrysalis, and the hive mind.
To him, the silence was deafening. The young nymph was used to the constant, buzzing chatter at the back of his mind, but now that is was gone...he missed it. He wasn't sure what to do, and if he did, he wouldn't know how to. All the changeling knew was that it was nighttime, cold and he was hungry.
Suddenly, there were sounds of cheering and clopping hooves. The changeling could figure out that cheering meant the ponies were happy, which in turn led to his dinner. Further investigation was imperative. Along the way, he wondered what was making them cheer. Maybe someling was telling jokes?
Only one way to find out.
As the changeling neared the source of the happiness, he could feel himself siphon the ambient energy. Now feeling much more confident, the valiant nymph strode into the square where the ponies were gathered. It was a spectacle to behold: hanging braziers lit the snow gold, and countless decorations of scarlet, emerald and gold hung from the roofs and balconies of the houses.
I wish we could have things like this… the nymph thought to himself as he inspected the various tables and trinkets.