Life as a changeling is not fun. You got nothing for everything. We rarely eat. The love from Chrysalis is not enough to feed us all. We're all hungry, all the time. We are nameless servants of the queen. I am the youngest in my hive.
I know Chrysalis tries to be a good queen, I know she tries to feed us, I know she cares, but I can't spend my life in the kingdom, even if the invasion succeeds.
I was given a room for myself and full access to school, so I often spent my time studying and transforming to pass the time. There is a good pony book called The Adventures of Daring Do that I love. I have the first three of them, and I read them over and over. Ponies must have very interesting lives. Beautiful, too, from the picture on the front.
I looked into the mirror and changed into Daring Do, smiling at myself, then changed back and went to bed.
Two guards came into my home and pulled me off into a training camp. "You have the wrong home!" I screamed, yet the guards still took me.
I had no time to adjust before they made me learn to copy fighting styles and sent me running errands, running water to every guard, while getting none myself. No group got water until after everything is done, from everypony.
"I won't survive here," I said as I sat down.
"It seems that way when you first get here, but I promise you will," said a bigger, older changeling as he sat next to me.
I looked up at him and asked, "So, why do we fight?"
The older pony sighed and said, "Our queen is misguided about how to receive love for us, and pain is all she knows. If you don't want to fight, you can abandon the travel when we go through the Everfree Forest. I assure you, it is close to a happy, loving town."
"Will you help me sneak away?"
"Unfortunately, no. I can't leave. Sorry, kid."
"Okay, thank you," I said as we continued our meals.
Later, I went to my barracks and slept, repeating the tasks every day, and meeting the stallion every afternoon. One day he was being dragged off by guards, and no one said why. I just know that I never saw my friend again.
No day was ever the same, and I just waited until we went to the forest. Once a week they took another troop. I assume for the invasion. Hopefully for the invasion.
With each group they took, we each got more and more to do. Every night, I would fall on my bed, sweating.
I finally learned the fighting style, but I was still too weak to bruise anyone, so they moved me to weights. I couldn't lift much, so they decided I would be used for disguising myself, so I learned to become the enemy. It was a long, rather easy training. I basically got to do what I did every day in my hive.
The next week, on a Tuesday, our troop was brought out to invade from the lower part of Canterlot, meaning our first camp was placed in the Everfree Forest. I had my chance to leave!
We marched off, setting camp fifteen miles from the closest home, assuring we don't get caught. We made a strategy to where we send three at a time, three times, to avoid suspicion.
The captain pointed at me and said, "You're going first with the two biggest, do you understand?" I nodded. He then turned and directed everyone else.
As we went through the next day, looking like ponies, I went and hid in a school yard, as it would be better fitting with my age than anywhere else. The teacher mistook me for a new student and brought me inside and sat me in the back.
"You can't skip school, little pony. Just take notes for now, and I'll give you a lesson," she said. I took notes and then I heard the best news a week after I got there, the changelings failed the invasion and were banished, so I knew they couldn't come and find me.
A few days later, I went and played with a few fillies and colts in a game I never heard of before called tag. Then the worst thing happened, my disguise broke and everyone ran to the door, which was locked so the teacher could finish her planning. I looked around nervously and grinned, trying to seem innocent. Unfortunately, my fangs showed, causing them to scream and the teacher to run out to see what was causing the commotion. She was scared and brought everypony in, screaming, "Come in, children! Hurry!" Luckily, by now, the others passed and I could hide out, so I ran and hid in a box, making it my home and collecting love from passerby's with romantic partners. Not the best way to end a day.
In the morning I changed into a pony and went into the library and searched for the Adventures of Daring Do books and found every book in the series. I started drooling a bit and grabbed them, then read them as fast as I could. By the time I got halfway through the fifth book, the library was closing, so I had to rent the book. "Uhhh... how do I do that?" I asked. She giggled and showed me how.
"You can rent as many as you want, but you have to return them in a week or you have to pay a fine," she said kindly. I nodded and ran off happily with the books.
I just kept reading and reading in my little box. I knew by now the teacher must have reported the changeling sighting to the mayor or even one of the princesses, so it was only a matter of time until they came for me. Maybe I won't get jail time because I'm so young, but Chrysalis always spoke of the ponies with a harsh tone. Hopefully I'll even be allowed to live here. I was told this is a loving town...
I woke up and blinked a few times, seeing a blur of white and gold. I got my vision back and saw legs in gold shoes, so I looked up slowly and saw more gold covering the tall, white... ALICORN?! I jumped up and bowed, hoping she would show me mercy.
"H-hello, P-p-princess..." I stuttered. She smiled down at me.
"Hello, young one. You are new here, and too young to have fought in Canterlot. Why are you here?" the beautiful princess asked.
"I-I ran away... I didn't want to fight..." she put a blanket on me.
"Come with me, I'll see it that you get a name and home. I'll have to make sure ponies accept you, and don't just throw you out. I might be able to place you with a filly to show you what school is like, but it could just be an adult. Either way, you'll get ponies to feed you and show you how to adjust," she said as she took me under her wing. I didn't know why, but I felt oddly nice. As if she loved everything... even me...
We trotted over to the center of the town. I had quite a few questions. "Princess, why do ponies hate changelings?" I asked, almost in a whisper.
She looked down and away, then said in her beautiful, gentle voice, "Unfortunately, a lot of ponies judge entire species based off what they know nothing about, but for good reason most of the time. Changelings invaded and kidnapped a princess, so most see your species as evil. I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault, Princess. I do have more questions, my friend said this is a loving town, so I should run away here. Is it true?" I asked while looking up at her. "You couldn't have picked a better one," she said, smiling.
"Hello, there," the Mayor said. She looked at me as we walked in and I had my entire head exposed, so she jumped in panic, then looked at Celestia and said, "Why is... it here?"
It... I thought... I'm an it...
"He's here because he needs a home in Ponyville, and I refuse to let him sleep in the rain."
"O-of course! I'll get him the best home available!"
"And a family too, okay?"
"I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you, mayor," she said before facing me. "If you run into any troubles, just go to the castle here. Talk to Twilight Sparkle and tell her you need to see me. Be safe and don't let insults hurt you. You'll be excluded at first, but I'm sure you'll get friends, family, and love."
I smiled and hugged her tight. "Thank you, Princess... thank you."
"You're welcome. I have to go now. I wish you a happy time ahead of you," the Princess said before leaving to Canterlot, and in the mayor's care.
I looked at the mayor and smiled. "Hi. So, where will I stay?"
"I'll have to search it up, see who is available, and who is willing. Now, what will your name be, little one?"
I thought about it for a little and smiled bright when it came to me. I said it as happily as possible, "Love Bug!" The mayor giggled and put it in as my official name.
"There you go, Love Bug. I will call everyone and see if they can come get you. I can't put you anywhere like a public store because they need business. No high ranking official because we need our time. No jobless ponies. Plenty of ponies can adopt you, so I'll call them."
"Thank you. Where should I wait?" I asked with a smile.
"You can wait in the game area. We have a lot of toys and books."
I ran into the toy area when she said books, and I took out the Adventures of Daring Do books and read them until they were finished, cover to cover. I then read the books in here to get a better idea about what ponies do. Who knew they had so many monsters? It was a little unnerving.
Others came into the mayor's office, hopefully for me, but no one came into the playroom. The mayor assured everyone that I was safe, but a lot of ponies didn't believe her, so no one stayed too long in the play room.
Eventually some ponies came in and asked about me, so I wrapped myself up in the blanket the Princess gave me and walked out to see who they were.
One was a gray mare with a golden mane. The other, a filly with the same coloring. The mare had something funny about her face, the eyes weren't straight. I walked over and looked up at her. She smiled and asked the mayor, "Is this him?"
The mayor smiled and said, "Yes, and I think he'll be happy with a new family like yours."
I hugged the mare tightly, smiling wide.
The mare hugged back and said, "My name is Derpy and this is my daughter, Dinky." Dinky waved and hugged me too. I felt more full than ever, but I felt bad feeding off them without permission.
I said shyly, "Do you mind if I eat?"
"We don't. I promise," Derpy said.
I ate as much of the love as I could.
"Are we going home or staying?" I asked.
"Leaving after I sign some things, so please play with Dinky for ten minutes," Derpy said before leaving with the mayor to sign some things.
I sat with Dinky and we started talking about school, as I wanted to know if it was similar to the one I went to.
She showed me this fun game to play called Tic-Tac-Toe. I lost every time so far. When Derpy got back, Dinky threw away the piece of paper with her magic. It looked beautiful. I've seen green for the most part. Magic is always beautiful.
Derpy came out and hugged us, then said, "Tomorrow, you start school with Dinky." I nodded and she walked us to her home. I went in after Dinky and walked around, staring at the structure. It was similar to the school building I was in, yet less boring. I walked around for a bit, then tripped and hit my muzzle. Derpy ran up and put a band-aid on it. I smiled and giggled. I loved the ponies here already.
They showed me to my room and where they would put the bed, but until then, I had to sleep in the guest room. They had something called movies. Moving pictures, it seems. I enjoyed one called Shawn of the Dead. It was a comedy, I think. I at least laughed a lot. Whenever it had zombies, I did get a little scared, so I hugged Derpy a lot. We then played Pong, another great pony thing. This is a video game. When I won i threw my arms up and yelled, "YAY!" They giggled and Derpy took me to the guest room, then kissed my forehead goodnight. I smiled and curled under the blanket the princess gave me then thought, I love it here in Ponyville. I hope I can stay forever...
The changeling woke up and looked around, trying to place where he was before he remembered the adoption. He smiled and jumped up, then ran to Derpy's room where she lay sleeping. He walked up to her and shook her foreleg a bit.
"Can I watch some more T.V., mom?" he asked.
"Sure..." said Derpy, not yet awake.
Love Bug ran to the television and started watching while Derpy got up and started making breakfast.
"Do you want some food, Love?" Derpy asked, smiling.
"Yes please! Thank you!" Love Bug exclaimed, watching cartoons obsessively.
Derpy came over and put a plate of pancakes in front of him and smiled. "It's Dinky's favorite, Love. "
Love Bug looked at it and cocked his head. "I've never eaten this... I eat love. Remember?"
"Oh yeah... Don't worry, I'll fix that!"
Derpy ran off to the kitchen and made some more pancakes, then brought them back and gave them to him.
"See, now they're hearts!" Derpy giggled and hugged Love. "Try them. Pleeeaaassse!"
Love went in to take a bite and nibbled on the pancake. His eyes widened before he took a big bite out and bit his tongue through the pancake. "Oww... Eating hurts."
