I Want To Change

It was nearing evening by the time that Fluttershy had made it to her cottage. She hadn't expected Rarity to want her to try on so many new dresses. Usually she would have been more than happy to model for her but she couldn't stop thinking about the changeling she'd left in her home alone. She got to the door and opened it. “I'm here.” She announced herself. She didn't want to startle Shift and make him think somepony else had entered the cottage. Shift surprised her though, he was pacing back and forth in the middle of the room despite his injured hoof. “Shift! What are you doing?”

Shift turned and stared at her, trying to hide his despair. “I um... I am just exercising, trying to put some weight on it is all. I have to talk to you real quick.”

“Are you okay?” Fluttershy shut the door. “Is something wrong?”

“Yes... No... Well... Yeah...” Shift groaned and shied away. “Just... Please sit down.” Shift told her.

“Okay.” Fluttershy answered uneasily, starting for the couch.

“No! Not over there!” Shift blurted, nearly running over to stop her.

It wasn't until then did Fluttershy notice the couch had been turned to face the opposite direction of the door. Fluttershy became even more uneasy with the atmosphere of the room. “Shift?”

“Just please sit. Please.” Shift begged. This was worse than he'd thought and Fluttershy hadn't even reacted yet. Didn't even know. He had to tell her now. What was he going to do? Kill them both? “Please.”

“O-okay.” Fluttershy didn't know whether she sat willingly or out of fear.

“She's okay! I promise.” Shift started.

“Who's okay?” Fluttershy squeaked. She really didn't like where this was going.

“I-I don't know honestly. A pony, a mare came by here today... Earlier. She knew somepony was in here and I let her in disguised as you but she knew I wasn't you and she attacked me and... I knocked her out but she's alright!” Shift knew he was talking way too fast and was running over his own words but he needed her to here all of it at once and not in bits and pieces.

Fluttershy got up and backed a few paces. “W-who are you talking about? W-w-what did you do?” Fluttershy's soft voice was high pitched and trembling.

“She's okay Fluttershy! Please just listen!” Shift took a step back too, uncomfortable with the situation. “She's here, she's fine.” He pointed over to the couch.

Fluttershy was at a loss. She didn't know whether she wanted to run over there and see who and what Shift was talking about, or whether she wanted to run away. However the fact that one of her friends might be hurt over there forced her to check.

She ran up to the couch and around it. She was shocked to see Rainbow tied down and her muzzle tied shut as she struggled in her bonds angrily. Fluttershy quickly undid the rope on her muzzle.

“Fluttershy! Why are you talking to that thing?! Go get a guard! Untie me! I need to get that thing out of here right now!” Rainbow thrashed even harder in her restraints but in vain.

“R-Rainbow. Are you okay?” Fluttershy squeaked. She'd instinctively wanted to untie her then and there but Rainbow would act on impulse and she'd hurt Shift, or Shift would hurt her. She needed to calm everypony down. She looked around the couch and saw that Shift hadn't moved except to face them awkwardly. Fluttershy turned her attention back to Rainbow. “What happened?”

Rainbow growled with frustration. “Why aren't you letting me up? Who is that?”

“Rainbow please just tell me what happened.” Fluttershy squeaked. Her nerves where on end.

“I came by to check on you, that thing let me in and it looked like you, but it didn't copy your cutie mark. I  found him out and he attacked me! Now let me out so I can kill it!” Rainbow struggled some more, and gave up with a frustrated sigh.

Fluttershy sighed and relaxed a moment. “Rainbow, I need you to listen to me... Please.”

“What!? Let me go! Are you a changeling too!” Rainbow blurted.

“No Rainbow I'm not. We went to flight school together.” Fluttershy told her that to assure Rainbow she was who she was.

“How do I know you didn't make the real Fluttershy tell you that!? Where is she? You'd better let me go or I'm going to!'”

“Rainbow there are no other changelings... I promise. Shift ran away.” Fluttershy started.

“Shift! That thing has a name!” Rainbow growled.

“He... He has a name Rainbow. Please listen for just a minute and I'll untie you.” Fluttershy begged.

Rainbow narrowed her eyes. “Fine.” What choice did she have?

Fluttershy sighed and explained everything from the start. From the evening she was having until she'd left this morning to now. The whole while Rainbow didn't move or change her expression at all. When she finished her explanation there was an awkward silence until Rainbow sighed.

“Now will you let me up?” Rainbow asked calmly.

“Y-yes.” Fluttershy replied shakily. “Just please don't do anything until we talk about his. This is really important to me. Please Rainbow.”

“Fine, but if I even think he's going to do anything I'll beat the brakes off of him.” Rainbow growled.

“Deal.” Fluttershy undid her hooves and wings one by one. Rainbow kept to her word and stayed put, moving only to sit up on the couch. However she did eye Fluttershy suspiciously, which made her uncomfortable.

“S-shift... Please come here.” Fluttershy beckoned, waving a hoof and pointing to the chair. She thought she heard Rainbow growling as he passed by, keeping his distance from the couch and jumping up into the chair as best he could with three hooves.

Fluttershy looked over Rainbow with concern. “I'm sorry... I forgot to ask... Are you okay?”

“My head hurts, and my legs.” Rainbow rubbed over here forehooves where the rope had been tied, then the back of her head. She winced and pulled her hoof away when she touched it. “Fuck...” She glared daggers at the changeling. “I have no idea why she's protecting you but if she weren't I'd have-”

“Rainbow please,” Fluttershy interrupted, wincing at the harshness in her tone.

“Fine.” Rainbow flexed her wings and forelegs, stretching before settling back in place.

“Sorry.” Shift finally stated. “I just knew you wouldn't hear me out and you scared me.”

“You couldn't just hold me in place? I scared you?” Rainbow shot back.

“Our magic isn't that strong! Not our telekinetic prowess anyway.” Shift retorted.

“A pot! A metal Pot!”

“It was the first thing I got a hold of!”

“QUIET!” Fluttershy snapped, causing both of them to jump in their seats. “That is enough!” She stood there breathing heavily for a moment, then suddenly realized the caliber of her outburst and shied away. “I only need you two to listen for a minute... please.”

“Okay Fluttershy... I'm listening... This had better be good.” Rainbow crossed her forelegs.

“Thank you... Rainbow... This is Shift. Yes he is a changeling. I know what you're thinking but he is not a bad changeling.”

“Didn't think there was such a thing as not a bad changeling.” Rainbow huffed, but regretted it when he saw Fluttershy's ears droop. “I'm sorry... Keep going.”

“S-Shift... Do you mind telling my friend the same thing you told me?” Fluttershy looked hopefully at the changeling. He didn't look happy about it.

Well... Couldn't get much worse. He decided, then took a deep breath. “Rainbow... Right?”

Rainbow snorted. “Yeah.”

Shift sighed, then started to talk. Explaining everything, except the part where he'd been digging through Fluttershy's trash for food.

Fluttershy watched Rainbow's expression through the explanation and was relieved to see them soften a bit, though she didn't look convinced yet.

“Then tell me why you were outside of Fluttershy's cottage last night,” Rainbow stated accusingly.

“I... Well...” Shift trailed off. He hated to admit it.

“He was looking for food,” Fluttershy cut him off.

Rainbow flinched and looked back at Shift... “In the... trash? Oh.” She shook her head, feeling a bit of uneasy remorse. “How do I know you're not lying. How do I know you're not just a changeling spy?” Remorse or not she wasn't ready to give up, though her tone did soften.

“Rainbow, Shift is not a spy. He needs help, at least until he is healthy enough to continue to the mountains.” Fluttershy trotted over to Rainbow. “All I want you to do is keep this between us. Please.”

“I can't do that Fluttershy, you don't know who he really is. He could be lying. He could be using you.” Rainbow talked softly so that Fluttershy might actually hear her out.

“Rainbow I told you he is not a spy. If he wanted to hurt anypony he would have done it by now.” Fluttershy replied.

“He hurt me!”

“You scared him.”

“Fluttershy this isn't worth it. You know what changelings do. They have attacked us before.” Rainbow started.

“So have other ponies.” Fluttershy challenged. “Just because he is a changeling, doesn't make it any more wrong. Remember Trixie?”

“That's... That's different Fluttershy.”

“How?”

Rainbow struggled for an answer, but couldn't find one and growled to herself. She didn't like this at all, but what could she do? Fluttershy wouldn't forgive her if she just ignored her decision to help this changeling. What if Fluttershy was wrong? What if the changeling hurt her? Then she'd hate herself for not stopping this when she had the chance. However she did trust Fluttershy's judgement, even if she were too nice for her own good. “...Okay fine.” Rainbow snorted.

“S-so you promise not to tell anypony?”

Rainbow snorted to herself quietly and looked away. “No... We tell the girls. See what they say. I trust you Fluttershy, but not him. Not yet. If he turns on us for any reason I am not taking the fall for knowing and not telling anypony. Just the other four,” Rainbow reassured her.

Fluttershy looked back at a very unhappy Shift then to Rainbow. “Okay.”

“And if he does anything... Anything at all to even make me think he is going to hurt anypony he's done. Got it?” Rainbow huffed.

“I understand.” Fluttershy sighed, then looked back to Shift. “What do you think Shift?”

Shift didn't like the sound of that. Four other ponies knowing... What if they were all as aggressive as this one. This was becoming really uncomfortable really quick. What could he say though? Fluttershy was looking to him now for some kind of acceptance. “I don't have much of a choice...”