Chapters The Everfree forest was one of the most dangerous places in Equestria,
but I didn't have a choice.
My name is Zauron, and I'm a changeling. Now, I know what you're thinking, "a changeling, he's gonna steal love and cause havoc in Equestria". Well I'm gonna have to tell you that you're wrong.
Yes, I am a changeling, but there is so much more about me than that. To explain, let's start from the beginning.
I was hatched in the hive just like every other changeling. No surprise there. I quickly matured and became a normal, every-day changeling drone. Well, minus a few differences. First off, I'm red. Now that may not seem like such a big deal, but let me tell you; in the hive, equality is everything . In order to have a formidable army, Queen Chrysalis spawns her drones the same exact way, so they all look and think alike. It helps keep order, and makes us easier to control, especially when connected to the hive mind. There's another key phrase, the hive mind. I never really fit into the hive mind. Whenever I tried to connect to it, all hell broke loose. Every-pony connected at the time was hit with agonizing migraines, and many drones went insane, some banging their heads on walls, cracking their chitin, in an attempt to rid themselves of the noise. So, I remained independent. It wasn't easy. Trying to think on my own, without the hive mind... changelings aren't built for that. So I slept. I hibernated for Celestia knows how long, before finally being awoken and thrown out. Apparently, the queen deemed me useless, so she kicked me out and left me to die. If ever I were to come near the hive again, I would be killed on sight. So I fled.
And that's where I was, alone in the Everfree forest. Hiding from monsters, avoiding every plant I saw, because you never know what might be sentient and violent. It wasn't long before starvation kicked in. I tried eating like a regular pony, but that only satisfied temporarily. I needed emotion, preferably love, to survive. The thing is, I never really liked the whole "steal love from ponies" idea. I knew that I wouldn't be accepted into Equestrian society because, well, I'm a changeling; and that limited my options dramatically. If I was going to fit into society, I'd have to become a pony. I'd have to adapt to the new environment, and learn the culture.
Of course, there was the simple path; kidnap or kill somepony, take their form, and feed off of the love others had for that pony.
But I wasn't like that.
No, I'd have to find another way. The more difficult path would be to make up my own alias and give him a backstory and, obviously, appearance. It looked like that was my only option.
Unfortunately, things didn't work out as planned. I ended up living a double-life, one alias being Slipstream, a pegasus pony from Manehatten, and the other being Andre, a blank-flank unicorn colt. How I got to this point is a long story; so sit back, relax, and prepare to be bored.
It would probably be best to start where I left off. Okay, *clears throat* I was wondering through the Everfree forest, trying my best to not get killed, when I stumbled upon Ponyville. I know, most fanfics are set in Ponyville, real original Zauron. Anyway, forth wall breaking aside, I was standing at the edge of the forest, looking out upon Ponyville. Can I be the first to say, DAMN! This place was full of emotion! The ponies were, well, alive! I know that sounds dumb, but hear me out. This place was busy. Everypony seemed happy and full of energy, as if they were having the time of their lives. It was absolutely bursting with emotions, most of them positive. It was like an emotional buffet! Just standing there filled me up better than anything ever before! Instinctively I tried to connect to the hive mind, to tell the others about this rich source of nutrients I'd found. When I found nothing, I was confused at first, but then remembered.
"I guess I have to think for myself," I said, then jumped.
I heard that!
This may sound strange, but changeling drones aren't much for talking. Don't get me wrong, the queen is a real blabbermouth, but we've never really needed to talk, since we're always connected to the hive mind. So when words came out of my mouth, it sounded foreign to me. Just one of the things I'd have to get used to, I guess.
Anyway, due to the invasion a while ago, changelings aren't exactly loved. There was one changeling who managed to get "accepted" into society, but even he was feared, and watched very closely. To be honest, ponies are racist bastards. The changeling that does live in Ponyville doesn't get any rights, and is treated like a pest that needs to be stamped out. No, I couldn't live like that. Instead, I had to be a normal pony. So, the first step to becoming a pony was to choose a race. I loved flying, so I considered being a pegasus. But that would mean having to pick stuff up with my hooves and mouth, which just wouldn't quite work. So, after a long while of thought, I decided to be a unicorn. thought of becoming a tall, maroon unicorn with dark-dark-red hair. I was about to step out of the forest when I realized;
"I have no cutiemark!"
Of course, I had no originality or creativity at that time, so I couldn't come up with a cutiemark. So, I shrank down to a colt, to justify my having no cutiemark. After that whole ordeal, I trotted into town.
I walked around Ponyville for a while, trying to figure out what to do next. I passed a few ponies who looked at me, puzzled as to why I wasn't in school. I was about to head to the schoolhouse when a pink face appeared in front of me.
"Hello there!" The mare said excitedly. "I know everypony in Ponyville, but I don't know you! So that must mean you're new!"
She dropped down from Celestia knows where and landed in front of me, grinning.
"I'm Pinkie Pie," the pink mare said. "Welcome to ponyville!" She flipped backwards and started singing:
"Welcome welcome welcome,
A fine welcome to you!
Welcome welcome welcome,
I say how do you do?
Welcome welcome welcome,
I say hip hip hurray!
Welcome welcome welcome,
To Ponyville today!"
She stood there, smiling, as I stared at her in confusion.
Pinkie Pie stepped closer and twisted her head upside down so her mane hung upside down, and put her face in front of mine.
"Sooooooooo, what's your name?" She said, smiling.
"I'm--" I started, then realized; Shit! What's my name? Ummm........
"Andre*," I said. "My name's Andre."
Pinkie smiled and re positioned her head. "Nice ta meet you, Andre! Welcome to Ponyville!"
I just stood there for a moment, calculating. Another thing about changelings; we don't do so well with emotions. In order to keep all drones under control, the queen usually suppresses our emotions. Often times they're dumbed-down so much that we don't register even having them. So when I was confronted with the emotionally-explosive pony in front of me, I just casually felt it at first. I had no idea that an emotional response was expected from me as well. I stood there as Pinkie stared at me, sort of expectantly. I blinked, suddenly realising what was expected of me.
"Uh, thanks," I said somewhat blankly.
Pinkie seemed to understand that I wasn't the talkative type. She smiled again.
"Well, if you want something sweet to eat, Sugarcube Corner is straight down this road on the right, the big building with the big, delicious-looking cupcake sign! See 'ya there!" She bounced off. And I don't just mean she hopped; I mean she literally curled up into a ball and bounced down the street. She was full of energy, probably about 65% of the energy I felt from the edge of the forest. I shook my head and walked on.
I probably spent over an hour walking around town, checking out landmarks and learning as much as I could. After all, this may be my new home from now on. Many of the ponies I met seemed friendly enough, but some of them gave me weird looks. One mare actually walked up to me.
Shit! I thought. She knows what I am!
I tensed, prepared to sprint away as fast as I could. But the mare had other ideas.
"Where do you think you're going?" She asked me.
"uh..." I couldn't speak. I felt some unfamiliar emotion flooding my brain. It was not a good emotion.
"Shouldn't you be at school?" she asked, her voice stern.
I stood there, completely blank. Being separated from the hive mind means very little opportunity to learn about anything outside of the hive. Usually the knowledge is just sort of stamped onto our brains. We had always shared information.
But I had missed those "classes". I knew next to nothing about pony society; and I certainly didn't know what school was.
"I-I don't..." I stuttered.
"I see," the mare said. "Come with me."