As Cranky waved goodbye to the changeling, he turned back to the guests that were still at the wedding reception, noticing their rather bemused faces.
Matilda crossed over to the short space between the two newlyweds “Doodle Darling. If you don’t want to tell us we would understand…” she motioned to a few of the ponies present “...but I have to ask. How do you know that changeling?”
Cranky felt nervous as the eyes of all present, including Princess Twilight and her friends. “Well, it’s a long story he sighed.
“Oh stories, I like stories!” Pinkie Pie replied, having materialised some popcorn from somewhere.
“I would like to hear it. He did seem like a rather nice Changeling” Fluttershy added softly “I mean, I didn't actually speak to him, but it didn’t hurt anypony. That was considerate.”
“The only reason I let him go rather than arresting him was because you seemed to know him...and I trust your judgement” Twilight smiled at the Jack. “But would like to know that there's a good reason I did so.”
“Okay, Okay” Cranky calmed the ponies gathered and took a seat, the others doing the same. Rarity levitated over a cup of punch which Cranky took a sip of before beginning “It all started when I was trekking all over Equestria looking for Matilda. I was trudging through the forest on my way to Fillydelphia after being in Baltimare for a year…”
*Many years ago*
Cranky pulled his cart along a trail. It was a little overgrown, as most ponies would have taken the train between the two big cities. But Cranky had no reason to take shortcuts. Afterall, his Matilda may be in one of the small villages that he came across as much as a big city. However, he was in the middle of nowhere right now and hadn’t came across anypony for a couple of days.
In an ironic mirroring of his mood, the weather started to deteriorate during the day as well, black clouds rumbling in. As Crankly was hiking along a mountainside trail, the rain started. Cranky looked around for some sheltered, but with none in sight he decided to trek on.
Also battling through the winds and rain was a lone pegasus mare, or so anypony would think if they saw her. It was however, a changeling in disguise taking flight between cities after being discovered. As the weather came in, the changeling decided to press on lest the Royal guard following some way behind caught up.
Cranky's cart rumbled on the road behind him as the rain poured over the traveller. Cranky should have realised that a narrow path overlooking a large drop is not the best place to be in a storm, but sometimes everypony, or donkey, makes a mistake.
Suddenly, there was a landslip behind Cranky and despite his quick reactions, it hit the side of his cart, pushing it sideways. The cart fell over the edge of the path, dragging Crankly with it. He managed to grab hold of a tree to prevent falling down the side of the mountain, but couldn’t pull himself up. Having to hold on with both hooves, there was no way to unhook the cart now dragging him down. He was trapped, and did all he could do, call out for help.
The changeling flying overhead had to fly lower to avoid the worst of the weather, and then heard a cry for help on the wind. Looking below, he slow the donkey dangling above certain doom. The pegasus flew down to see if it could help. Still disguised as a mare, he grabbed onto the donkeys cart and tried to lift it up.
But, he was not strong enough whilst in disguise, the magic required to keep undercover making him too weak a flier to help. With the donkey telling her to release the cart, he then tried to unhook it. But under tension the latches wouldn’t give.
There was only one thing left to do. The changeling was being pursued, and really shouldn’t risk blowing cover for any reason. But for some reason he simply could not allow this donkey to perish when he had the chance to save him. He undid the cover spell, turning back into his natural form and with his full power lifted the cart and the donkey back onto the path.
The donkey collapsed into a tired heap on the path, and the changeling turned to leave. But as it did he heard thunderstorm overhead. Flying in this was a good way to get injured, something he couldn’t risk.
The changeling turned back and saw that the Donkey was back on his hooves. He could sense the fear dripping off the creature, but also some sort of other emotion...possibly gratitude.
“We have to find shelter” Cranky shouted over the howl of wind. The pair traveled a little way along the path until they discovered a empty cave they both dived into.
As soon as they were inside, Cranky took off his cart and rummaged inside. Pulling out a camping stove, he quickly had it lit to provide both light and warmth for the pair. The changeling eyed him up nervously.
“Hello” Cranky said as neutrally as possible. “Er, thank you for saving my life back there.”
The Changeling didn’t respond, but did edge closer to the heat. Cranky rummaged in his cart again and pulled out a pair of sandwiches.
“My names Cranky.” More silence. “What should I call you?” he asked as he offered one of the sandwiches.
“I don’t have a name. We don’t get names.” the changeling replied a little curtly, but took the offered food.
“No Names? How do you know who's talking to who in that hive mind you have?” Cranky asked.
“Well, I have to listen to orders for Reconnaissance Armoured Youngling 514”
“Reconnaissance Armoured Youngling?” cranky repeated “Well, Ray it is.”
Cranky smiled at the black creature, which he assumed was smiling back. It was hard to tell with a Changeling's face.
“So, Cranky, what are you doing out here?” Ray asked, leading Cranky to tell the tale of his search for Matilda. The changeling listened intently as he ate the food, his first meal for a few days.
“Seems ironic that we are both looking for love doesn’t it?” Ray almost laughed in response at the end of the story.
Cranky let out a deep laugh “I didn’t know that changelings had a sense of humor!”
“There’s lots of things about us ponies...or donkeys don’t know.”
“Well, one thing I do know Ray is that I owe you one. You saved my life, and I am in your debt.”
“Don’t mention it” Ray replied “I couldn’t let you die for no good reason. Besides, I enjoy a good conversation now and again. Being an undercover drone is kinda lonely.
And so the pair spent the rest of the evening chatting away.
The next day the pair left to continue their journey towards Fillydelphia. Both of them found the journey a little more fun with another creature to talk to, especially given the very different lives they led. The pair traveled along alone until the changeling heard the beating of wings.
As the guards got into eyesight, Ray quickly transformed into the pegasus mare he had previously been traveling as. This surprised Cranky, but he kept his cool as the four guards landed around them.
“Halt. We are members of the royal guard looking for a rogue changeling. Have you seen anything weird recently?”
“Hello.” Cranky replied “Well, except for that storm last night, it’s been an okay journey so far, hasn’t it Jade?”
“Yes, that was quite some storm” the newly named Jade responded.
The Captain eyed them up “How do we know you aren’t changelings?”
“Do you have a spell to test for Changelings? Feel free to test as I’m not afraid.” Cranky replied a little gruffly.
“No, we’re all pegasi. We would have to fly you back to Canterlot to be tested.” the leader admitted.
“I don’t have time for that!” Cranky responded. He reached pulled out a small knife from his leg holster, causing the Guards to ready their weapons. Laughing slightly at their trained response, Cranky carefully cut a part of his foreleg and let a few drops of blood hit the ground “Changelings don’t bled red, do they?”
The guard stood a little dumbfounded until one of them stepped forwards to look at the few drops on the ground. “Captain, it’s definitely red, not green”
The Captain looked at Cranky “Sir, that was a little over the top if you don’t mind me saying!”
“It's been a hard few days of trekking” Jade replied as she got a bandage out of Cranky’s supplies and wrapped it around his leg. Ray had picked up that Cranky had deliberately gone over the top to distract away from him, and was very grateful for it.
“Well, thats good enough for me. Sorry to disturb you two” the guard leader spoke as his subordinates got themselves ready to leave “But there is a changeling in the area so keep yourself safe.”
“Will do” both Cranky and Ray replied
Once the Royal Guard had flown off and were out of sight, Ray turned to Cranky “Why would you protect me like that?”
“You saved my life, and now I’m helping return the favour. We can stick together until we hit Fillydelphia, then your on your own...friend.”
“Understood...friend” the female Ray smiled back.
*Back in the present*
As Cranky finished his story, Twilight was the first to speak “So you lied to the Royal Guards to protect an enemy of the state?”
Everypony looked nervously towards the Princess “My little Doodle won’t get in trouble, will he?” Matilda asked with a hint of concern.
Twilight's face soften “No, it’s alright. It seems like it was for a honourable cause and I doubt any harm came from it.”
Matilda learnt up against her new husband and gave him a peck on the cheek. “Well, aren’t you full of all sorts of surprises Doodle?”
“Yes darling. And that wasn’t the only time me and Ray ran into each other. But that's a story for another day.”
