Author's Note
Female's POV
Female Episode: 1
A Pony had led me into a small room, looking more like a cell. At least she did look like a Pony to me, even if she had a few strange characteristics. Firstly, she is a glistering black. On the other hand, she has wings; while the wing, tail and body all have these strange, curious little holes scattered all over. Then I also noticed a horn in her forehead. Aside from the holes, the strange thing about her wings, they look more like the wings of an insect, like Fly than the once of a Bird, or Bat.
She spoke fairly kindly to me, even if I guess she was a bit on the insistent end of it.
I had noticed that all the others gave her a special place in the dark halls. Why, and who she is, I have no idea as of yet. Considering the fact that she left me in this room, I hope she is something like a Quarter Master, rather than a Jailer. I would hate for this to be some kind of a jail. I have heard of them, and seen images on the movies from time to time. I never liked what I heard, or the movies where the images usually came from. Something about the atmosphere of the entire setting, I guess.
Once she had left me in this barren, Spartan room, I found myself alone in what looks like a cell. If it is a prison, or a monastery, but what’s the difference to me. I still find myself stuck. Although I guess I still do have a bed.
Since I had nothing better to do, I spent the time, moping on the bed. A room cut out of solid rock, with nothing else did not exactly leave me with all that many options, after all. Now did it?
I hear the door open, but doesn’t really dignify the noise with any reaction. Once the door closed, I scramble, getting to my feet and stood before what was entering the room.
What I see is a new Changeling, a Hatchling. Only she is not the black I had seen before. She is clearly different, Pink. Why?
My thoughts stumbled, and with them, so did I. Then I found myself on all fours, just like her, the pink Changeling. She moved up to me, sniffed me, examined me. Once she finished, she placed her muzzle on my neck and bit me. Strangely enough, it did not really hurt and she drew no blood. Why would she? I thought of her as a Pony. A strange Pony, yet a Pony nonetheless.
Now, this is when it did get really strange and funny. Just like the Unicorn of the Myths and Fables, so does the Changelings; this Changeling does wield Magic. Should I have been all that surprised, of Shocked? I guess not. Besides, this was the ideal time to do what she ended up doing.
Looking down I see my hands glow for the briefest of instants. Once the glow passed, my hands are no longer hands. At least; that is what I could see. If I had had a mirror, I would have seen a Pony, not so dissimilar to her. I am still the same light pinkish skin tone as I had been before, but my mane is the same as hers. Just no holes in it.
As much of a shock as it had been; once it had sunk in, I guess I got used to standing on all fours in the style of the Pony I now resemble, for all intents and purposes. It isn’t as if I had had a say, and now I have no way of turning back to what I had been. Yet, unbeknownst to me, this would merely last as long as a Changeling could regularly maintain her form. I am to carry this form for the following three days, unless she had a change of heart and changed her mind; in which case I may become my old Human self.
What I had failed to notice, is the saddle she had placed on my back. I guess it isn’t all that heavy. Maybe it is too much a part of me for me to notice. Unless it is in how it materialised in the change. Or, is it actually a part of who I am, who I will be for now.
What I had not yet realised, is that she had made me into an Equestrian Pony as opposed to the regular Horses from where I came from.
If the difference had any relevance, or if my failure to notice and thus realise it made any difference to me; or at all? who is to say? I guess I do no longer care.
On the other hoof; she knew of it, just as it does a world of difference to her. She as a Changeling is feeding on Ponies, but apparently not on Earthern Horses. Exactly what she was feeding on, I had no idea, she never did tell me. At least, not yet. I did not feel any difference, there is no difference I could notice. If it is in ignorance, or if it could not be recognised by the likes of me. Did the fact that I had never been born as a Pony make any difference?
Maybe there had never been anyone for me, none that is special to me right now. Was this the difference to me? She never told me. As it turned out, I soon did develop an affection for her. If she had pushed me in the direction, or if there was something within me, who is to say? Maybe it is in how I had had none before, thus striving towards finding just that? Although she did look nice and acted warmly towards me, at least in my point of view. Who is to deny me this opinion? There is but her in the room.
Naturally, the other Changelings would do nothing to change this. I just had no idea. On the other hoof, they stood to gain nothing from separating the two of us.
As the Pony she had turned me into, the world had suddenly tilted on the side. Most everything I thought I knew is now in question, or wrong.
As an added surprise and bonus, I had apparently been given my very own bed. There had been a table included in the gift, and a chair. Why? Because they felt it would cost them little, compared with the advantage it gave my new owner, the Pink Hatchling.
As unaccustomed as I may be to my new self as a Pony, it isn’t quite as difficult as I should have expected. I guess it doesn’t serve them to be hampered by the learning curve. As it is now, I am fully adjusted to the situation, aside from not being used to the change, the Changeling way.
Trotting is as easy as walking had ever been to me before, just as I can speak as if nothing had happened. I guess it is kind of as having a vacation from one’s own body.
As our customs have it, I am supposed to give you a name. One we can easily pronounce; that is!” she kindly offered.
“Would Chihiro; Chi-hi-ro sound right to you? I inquired.
“Chihiro? That is a very pretty name, as names goes. I am commonly known as Hitomi!” she responded with a widening grin all over her muzzle.
“Then I will call you Hitomi from now on. I feel more welcome, when I know the name of the individual I am with!” I put forth.
“Yes, it certainly is. That is why we initiated to name Ponies like yourself. Now I can easily call out to you!” she responded happily.
“Funny, I can barely remember my Human name. On the other hoof, I guess it wouldn’t matter, for as long as I am here with you!” I expressed.
“Don’t worry, it will come back to you, any time you are in your original, Human form. I guess this would be your Pony name, for when you are with us in our Hive!” she put forth.
“That Human girl is still a part of me, but right now, I can make it without most of my experience from my past life as that Human girl I was born as!” I pondered.
“Nothing of what was truly you, will ever be lost. As a matter of fact, it will be as if no time past, in terms of memory degradation!” she explained.
“This is the most basic of all Changeling magical spells. Just a slight moderation I can perform, being a Pink Changeling. Since I am a Hatchling, my forms are younglings, what ever form I give, or take. You are a filly, for this very reason. I guess this is convenient!” she pointed out as explanation.
“Basic? Changeling magic?” I responded, in a slight confusion.
“Yes, changing our forms is the most basic of all our spells. If you have heard of Unicorns? They use their horns in order to focus and channel magic too. Of course, they have very different spells; their simplest is levitation.
“Wait, wait. Now I do remember the Unicorns. In my Pony form you just gave me, I have a few vague memories of Unicorns, Pegasi and Earth type Ponies. It is the Unicorns who use their magic openly in the most blatant form!” I pondered.
“Using basic magic, by channeling it through the horn is the easiest to perform. At least on a conscious level!” she explained eagerly.
“Now as you mentioned it, isn’t Pegasi flight an act of performing magic too?!” I responded.
“As a matter of fact; yes, it certainly is, the same goes for Changeling flight. You did see my wings, right; Chihiro?” the continued, still smiling.
“It is kind of strange. I can’t do either, so what can I do?” I inquired.
“Earth type Ponies commonly tend the land on their farms. Unfortunately, I don’t know all that much about these things; with my age in mind and all that. Maybe older Changelings know?” she answered.
“I take it, they need me as an Earth type. It isn’t merely because the others would be harder to control with flight or open magic available to them. Fillies are not going to be reliable in performing magic in any event!” I suggested.
“Your abilities will develop with time, and practice will help you to improve!” she concluded.
“Makes sense!” I merely responded, slipping up on the top of my newly installed bed.
I felt the need for a nap, why stubbornly resist? A moment after I had placed my head on the pillow, I closed my eyes and quietly fell asleep.
I open my eyes. I am still in the bed, where I had fallen asleep earlier. Not exactly surprised to find myself in the same Pony form as I had been, when I climbed into bed and fell asleep. Maybe I had been surprised, had I been changed into something else, something different. That certainly would have been a shock worth writing home about. Wouldn’t it?
“Slept well, I hope!” Hitomi inquired, expecting I confirmation.
“Yeah. I sure did sleep well!” I responded.
“Good, you need your sleep as well as any Pony else. Excuse that pun, as amusing as it may feel, depending on your current position. We all do need our sleep!” she pointed out.
“Well, I did know that Ponies did sleep and that they did need it, even before I came here. I guess I expected it to be something universal. At least among higher forms like mammalians, such as us!” I pondered in a more uncertain tone of voice.
“Guess that Does sound reasonable enough!” she responded.
“Thanks. I like to be reasonable!” I pondered quietly.
“Good thing I wasn’t old enough for them to tell me how you were expected to be like. Now I can make up my very own opinion, based on actual experiences. I love talking with you. I hope you enjoy sharing the room with me too!” she expressed.
“For one thing, I certainly don’t enjoy being alone. This far, you have been a good companion!” I pointed out in response.
“The trap of social beings, or a blessing beyond descriptions!” she suggested.
“I felt the same, before I was turned into a Pony, I know as much. Yet, the feeling has not diminished, in the least since I changed either!” I pointed out.
“That is what I had expected. I was the Changeling, hatched for this purpose. They had apparently chosen you, for me!” she then concluded with utter finality.