The Changeling

Chapter 2

I awoke at first light on my second day of infiltration, Celestia’s sun rising over the castle. I pulled of the dirty, hole covered rag that was around me and shuddered with disgust at the thought that I had to sleep under that nasty cloth and that I was unable to bathe. I looked in the coin purse I had and found only 6 bits.
“Not even enough for a bath. I need to get money so I can stay clean, unlike these dirty ponies I am staying with,” I thought aloud.
“What was that honey? You never complained about dirt before,” the wife said looking confused and tired
“Nothing Whimsy. I just thought a bath would be nice. I need to relax my aching muscles from my work,” I responded thoughtfully
“Ok if you say so. It’s dawn what are you doing up anyway? You don’t usually wake up this early,” Whimsy inquired, her voice already starting to get on my nerves.
“Weird dream, can’t get back to sleep is all. Why do you ask anyway?” I responded.
“Well you were acting a bit different yesterday is all. Did something happen at work or something?” she asked me a tone of remorse badly hidden in her voice.
“Weird? How do you mean?” I asked sounding surprised
“Well you were drinking more than normal and you didn’t have any of your stashed alcohol. You seemed detached somehow. I’m sorry for intruding but I just want to know what’s wrong and help you to overcome it,” Whimsy said the emotion making her already vexing squeak of a voice crack with the held in tears.
“Listen Whimsy, I have had some problems at work. A new less than agreeable situation has come up and I have to work with ponies I don’t get along with. I got a small bonus from the boss and I splurged on some nicer drinks. I am the same as before, just stressed from my work,” I said adding an elegantly placed tone of sadness and remorse to my explanation.
“Well Rasen if it’s that bad talk to the pony you don’t like and voice your issue. If you don’t let them know there is no way for them to change. I have had to deal with less than agreeable ponies before, but I told them my issues and they would be understanding and typically they would change their ways,” said Whimsy sounding supportive and understanding.

Whimsy then burst into tears her sobbing hurting my ears but I felt a good amount of nourishment from it. The love from this pony was delicious as good as the aged wine I had in my last form. The sobbing was so loud it woke the children. I comforted the now sobbing family by telling them I would talk to the pony I wasn’t getting along with and sent the kids back to bed. The mare stopped sobbing but continued to sniffle as she laid back down and fell asleep a big smile on her face.

As the day approached 11:30 I set out to the marketplace in town square. I found near a trash bin a hat it was a black top hat with a pair of goggles with a blue strap and a rim of the same blue around the lenses. I picked up the hat with my magic and cast a spell to decontaminate it of the dirty pony germs and then put it on my head. I decided to wander a road that lead to a town called Ponyville traders travel that road in order to reach Canterlot so it should be easy pickings for some food and bits. As I passed the gates of Canterlot I nodded to the guards and trotted down the road I reached a wooded area by the road I jumped in making sure I was fully concealed I turned into a forest green pegasus mare with a mane and tail of a slightly lighter green color with spots of brown in it. The green flames dissipating and my new form blending in well with the forest cover. As I heard a cart approach I pulled out my blade and readied myself for attack. The cart passed and I flew silently behind it looking inside I saw eight crates of peaches, two crates of ponchos, a rifle and a half empty bottle of cheap whiskey next to a napping guard pony. I landed softly in the cart and used my knife to cut the throat of the guard making as little noise as possible so as to not alert the driver.
“Hey Snap anything going on? I heard that this road is a large target for robbery.” said the driver in a deep voice. I grunted in response. “You still sleeping. Lazy bastard Snapshot you may be a good hunter with great ears but that ain't give you the right to sleep the whole time,” the driver stated annoyed.
“Well this Snapshot’s ears aren't that great if I got on here so easily,” I said to the driver laughing as I shot him with the rifle the bullet going through his skull making half of the back of his skull explode spraying blood and brain all over the dirt road. He fell over and the harness that attached him to the cart snapped as it rolled over him. “Ahahahahah. That was amazing I’ve never seen a head shatter like that, I like this gun! Ohh, the sound his head made as it exploded was a fun one. BKKK POP, hahaha so much fun let’s do it again,” I exclaimed sounding way too happy for even me. I searched the guard and found 30 bits, 22 extra rifle rounds, and a pair of leather gloves to better hold the gun.

As the day progressed I robbed two more carts and have a larger one hidden and loaded with the stolen goods. As another cart approached I heard the sound of the cart of the road was different it sounded more full than the last ones yet it looked smaller.
“Well I’m having too much fun to stop now,” I thought as I started to sneak up on the cart.
“Hi there how are you doing?” I asked as I got on the cart
“Fine ma’am nice night it is, Luna’s moon is beautiful tonight,”the guard responded. “Wait who the hell are you?” he asked as he fired a shot by my ear.
“You bastard!" I yelled my voice cracking with rage. "This was supposed to be a clean double homicide robbery but nooo! You have to shoot me!” I yelled. I calmed down enough to where I wouldn't be yelling and said, mostly to myself “You know what I haven’t had sex yet on this mission so since you shot at me here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to eviscerate you and use your intestines as a condom while I fornicate with your skull. Wait damn, I’m a mare right now. I guess you get to keep your skull unpenetrated,” I said with a sadness. “But don’t worry I still plan to kill you. Isn’t that nice of me?” I finished a playful tone obvious in my voice.
“It’s just what I’ve always wanted. To die by pegasus mare,” the guard said sarcastically.

I was bored of this conversation now and so I grabbed my rifle and pressed the barrel to his forehead in just such a way I could hit both targets with my next shot. I had magically enhanced my bullets to add more power to the shots while I waited for carts to come. I just thought of how close we were getting to Canterlot and knew I need to finish this now.
“Driver, stop now,” I commanded in an aggressive tone. The cart slowed to a stop as soon as I gave the order. “Good. Now if you vermin would like to live you can beg for life whoever is more convincing lives to flee away from the capitol and the other dies,” I told them with a dark smirk on my face. “Who’s first?”

The guard started first he got into a bowing position like I was a princess who was judging his petition. He removed his hat and started “Please I’m beggin’ you, if you have any compassion let ol’ Dusty go he has two kids and a wife in the hospital. I ‘aint got no one so if I live I’ll be as bad as you. I want him to live and see his children grow. Kill me,” by the end he was practically sobbing over the thought of me killing this Dusty fellow. I felt the love of a brother in his tears and decided.
“You have been judged and I choose to kill neither of you. But I'll ask for one favor from each of you. Dusty is it? Take this with you and give it to your wife and you are free,” I tossed a necklace with a red and blue gem attached to it at the driver. He caught it and nodded to me in both thanks and obedience. “And you other one you will help me get all of my goods to Canterlot,” I told the guard.
“Thank you ma’am,” he said in sincerity.
"Don't mention it. No I mean it don't mention it , I'm not afraid to kill you still," I said with a serious glare at my new carriage puller.
"May I inquire about that pendant you gave Dusty? It seemed odd for a homicidal pony like you to let someone go free unharmed because of a sob story and give his wife a gift as well," The dirty whelp inquired
"It doesn't matter to the likes of you pony filth," I retorted with a snarl my hat bobbing on my mane

The pony decided not to pursue the matter further probably writing me off as just a crazy pony who escaped from a mental hospital. The trip through Canterlot on the way to my current residence went well but as the cart drew close to the shack smoke began to become visible from the area near the shack's location.
"No! My food. ~cough~ Family. I need them to be alive, please don't be dead," I exclaimed a small panic at the prospect of starvation set in. "Move you dirty earth pony," I barked at the driver.
"Celestia be damned, I'm moving." he responded "You winged mule of a pony," he muttered under his breath

As the sight of the burning shack came into view I accepted the deaths of those three. The thought of my "gift" to Dusty's wife helped, I used some special jewels I got off a wagon guard it has the magical ability to absorb love energy and send it to my medallion I had attached to the inside of my hat. This meant as long as a creature capable of love had possession of the pendant and I had my hat, I can still feed. I stood there laughing as the smell of burning wood and flesh filled the air.