Pole on the Line

by Josh Crapo

Rating: teen
Tags: Random, Drama, Changelings, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark
Length: 9751

Air Vent may have a second chance to see her mother if she could get through her present first.

A drawing of a changeling? Queen Shell giving her title to Wrench? Preventing someone from planting a pole of all things?

Perhaps one small step is all it takes to improve the present.

However, that's not what Air Vent experiences.

When Air Vent trades calendars with Queen Shell, she figures out how to change the past for the better. Or so she thinks. All she wanted to do was to see her present mother one last time. But she has to go through her present first.

Published 2016-07-07 03:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2016-07-07 03:00:01 UTC

Pole on the Line

Author's Note

Before the story begins, here’s a relative chart of how long that is estimated that ponies and changelings live in MLP and the maximum amount of years they might live. Also below listed is a list of the birthdays of the main characters of the work.

Changelings:
Average Life Expectancy: 125 years Maximum Age Reached: 194 years

Zebra:
Average Life Expectancy: 100 years Maximum Age Reached: 155 years

Pony (Excluding alicorns):
Average Life Expectancy: 225 years Maximum Age Reached: 350 years

Alicorn:
Average Life Expectancy: 2250 years Maximum Age Reached: 3503 years

Queen Shell: March 21, 2058
Air Wiff: December 17, 2083
Air Vent: October 30, 2144
Aura Draft: December 4, 2083

Pole on the Line

June 1, 2161

It’s been quite a while since I last went into my old home. January was it? Yeah, that visit didn’t go very well. But I know it’ll work well enough this time around. No snow, no problem. Aura Draft was with me in case I needed help. Well, of course, I had a minor asthma attack.

Things will be different this time. I know my asthma’s actually improving now that my lungs are becoming that of a changeling.

And... things are different this time. Instead of going to Queen Shell to get permission to enter my old home, I’ve got to get my sorry changeling flank over to her home and see what her little surprise is.

The surprise was something about Queen Shell just being called Shell. I don’t know why but I get a very huge deja vu from that. Oh yeah. I felt the way I feel about Shell about being called Vent.

Getting to Queen Shell’s home, I see Wrench with a look on her face that’s filled with nervousness.

“Hey Wrench, what’s going- oh wait, does it have something to do with a surprise?”

Wrench nods.

“I’m very shocked by what’s about to happen. I suggest you and Aura Draft come inside right now.”

We follow Wrench into the home. And there it is. The very spot that holds where I had become what I am today. In front of the three of us is Queen Shell. Aura Draft and I bow to her, but Wrench doesn’t. The queen giggles.

“No need to bow to me, Vent, Aura Draft.”

What? Oh, please tell me she isn’t.

“Will you come to the remaining seats in the chapel?”

We obey and follow Wrench to where the two empty seats left are in the chapel.

Queen Shell directs Wrench to the stage as they walk together.

Performing a spell that directs at the larynx, Queen Shell makes a speech.

“Greetings my subjects and soon to be friends. I, Queen Shell have delayed this moment for far too long to the arisen crises that fell upon quite a few of you. I have patiently waited for this moment as the crises have resolved that I do something three years overdue. I must retire my role as queen of Changico and I will give that role to my right hoof mare, Wrench. If given a high significance like a few individuals for the past two decades, you may still refer to Wrench as such. For I present to you, Queen Wrench.”

Most of the changelings clap their hooves all together. Me, I’m just as shocked as Aura Draft. Both of our jaws are hung open. This is the third saddest moment in my life so far, only behind finding out about Mom and finding out about what I did the first ten years before coming back to my old home.

Aura Draft pulls me under her wing as she starts to tear up, as do I.

“I know it may be hard for some changelings, but because of the delay, Wrench will be given an extra three years to make up what she missed. I know she will do well.”

Even Queen Shell is tearing up now. Taking her plaque off the top of chapel wall behind her, she performs a spell that modifies what the plaque says. At first, it said “Meet the ruler of Changico, Queen Shell.” However, after the spell, Shell is changed to Wrench.

“I hope for the best of the future with my faithful Wrench taking my role. I wish you all farewell as a queen.”

I guess it’s time to call her Shell, which doesn’t seem right. Well, I guess I have to go with the flow again. Every couple in the chapel hug each other with a “bittersweet” ending to a chapter I was comfortable in considering what may’ve happened if Queen Shell never took the throne.

Finally, everyone leaves. Aura Draft and I follow suit until Queen Shell stops us.

“Aura Draft, Vent... I may not be a queen anymore, but I will be here to help you two with whatever you need. Aura Draft, farewell, go home. Vent, I would like to speak with you in private.”

Aura Draft and Wrench leave me with Queen Shell.

“What is it Queen Shell?”

Queen Shell ponders a bit, then smiles.

“Do you still miss Air Wiff?”

“Very much. If it was ever possible, I’d like to see her one last time.”

“Actually, there may very well be a way to see your mother once more.”

“Really? What is it?”

“Last May, I put an old calendar I had in a small empty house in Tiholena.”

I gasp, remembering a calendar back when Aura Draft and I explored her old house.

“Did it read 2144?”

“Correct. Back when I placed the calendar there, I intended that that calendar was to be 2143, but I floated the wrong one. If you can return the 2144 calendar, I’ll give you the one for 2143.”

“Will do. I know what house you’re talking about.”

“Good. That should make things that much easier.”

“Should I bring Aura Draft with me?”

“Yes, you most certainly should. No one ever travels from Changico City to Tiholena alone.”

“Okay.”

I rush over to Aura Draft.

“Aura Draft! You won’t believe this!”

“What is it, Venty?”

“Remember that calendar we saw on the ninth of June last year?”

Aura Draft nods.

“We’ve got to get it.”

Aura Draft starts to get a worried look.

“Hey, I only need help to get there and back. I don’t need help actually retrieving it.”

Aura Draft sighs.

“Okay. What are you going to do with it?”

“Apparently, Queen Shell put the wrong calendar year in your old living room likely less than a month before we last visited. It was supposed to be 2143, but it was 2144. So, I’ll trade calendars with her.”

“So after that, what happens?”

“I’m not entirely sure myself, so I can’t say right now.”

Of course, I’m following in Mom’s hoofsteps, but in a way that isn’t as wrong as hers. Of course I know what I might be doing when I trade calendars. I’m going to see Mom again. That much I know, but how am I going to do it? Yeah, looking back at doing a drawing that managed to get on the radio, I don’t think I actually did it. I don’t remember what drawing it was, but I think it’ll come back to me.

Going back to Queen Shell with Aura Draft in tow, I ask for permission to visit my old house, the very thing Aura Draft and I intended to do in the first place.

“I know you are not used to this, but I’m not a queen anymore. Wrench is now. You’ll have to ask her.”

Right, it’s not Queen Shell anymore. But it just doesn’t feel right to leave out the queen part.

Well, I might as well ask Wrench... excuse me... Queen Wrench.

So, coming to Wrench, I ask her if I can visit my old house.

“Why not? It’s your house.”

“Well, I’m asking you because Que- I mean, er, Shell had given you her position. Besides, Changico technically owns the house, not us.”

“Well, it’s completely fine with me if you want to visit your old home.”

Well, we’re going to have an even easier time with going to my old house. I don’t think it could even get any easier than this.

So, visiting my old house, I try something different. I look around the walls filled with chipped paint and graffiti. At first nothing seems to pop out in my mind. It looks pretty much the same, save for a few new drawings and subtle messages.

Then coming to the front, there’s a drawing of an apple and an orange that sandwich a unicorn horn directly. Studying it, I can probably see that there was a spell that could turn an apple into an orange and vice versa.

That’s not how Aura Draft interprets it. In fact, when I first show her the drawing, she heaves into the remaining bush.

“Why would somepony put a drawing like that in your old home? That’s disgusting!”

“What, a spell that changes an apple into an orange? And vice versa?”

“That’s not how i saw it.”

“Are the apple and the orange anywhere else in the drawing? No. I don’t see what’s so disgusting about fruit and unicorn horns. Come on, we’d better move on.”

“Still, changelings being raised to do that kind of stuff makes me sick.”

I actually start to giggle considering that Aura Draft actually heaved in reaction to the drawing.

Well, moving around the house, I come across a particular drawing. One of a changeling. It actually looked quite cool to be honest and it was particularly accurate to what real changelings look like.

Hmm... I do remember dedicating two entire years to drawing changelings. Wait a minute. Didn’t one of my notepads go missing years ago? I hope I can find it.

Looking around, I see nothing but thin twigs and glass shard puddles, the puddles of which are absent behind the back since there are no windows over there. The only window close to the back is the middle of the stairway. And even then, the blows from the window seem to be directed toward the front.

Looking near a corner, I come across something out of color with the twigs and even the glass and glass. There are hints of light tan, yellow, orange, red and purple in there, and all of it is covered in mud.

Floating the foreign object, the shape of it seems to be a tall rectangle. Kind of like all the notepads I’ve had over the years, even right before we moved out of here. I try to think of a way to clean it, but I can’t really come up with anything. So, I give it to Aura Draft.

“I have no idea what it is, but here goes.”

With Aura Draft sweeping the mud off the object, it reveals to be a notepad that says on its cover, “2153 Edition: Art by Pencil.” I still don’t recognize it. But I did recognize the graffiti that shows a changeling. When I receive the notepad, I start to sift through the pages until I find a picture of a changeling in the same position as what I saw in the graffiti.

Going back to the drawing on the house of the changeling. The two are exactly the same. But how could someone duplicate every single little detail in my drawing onto a house using a can of paint as opposed to a pencil?

“Aura Draft! Come here!”

“What is it?”

“Look.”

I show her my drawing and the graffiti I matched with it.

“They’re exactly the same. Color and everything.”

Something tells me that when Mom asked “how should I know”, she was being truthful and that I got on the radio because my drawing was stolen.

It’s not a matter of when now. It’s a matter of who.

But now’s not the time to be doing something as foolish as to see if my work is stolen or not. It’s to retrieve a calendar so that I can see Mom one last time. The sooner I get the calendar, the sooner it happens.

Aura Draft and I set out to Tiholena and enter the town hall. Then after getting permission, we set out to Aura Draft’s old house.

Suddenly, Aura Draft gets the idea to do a quick flight around town while I get the calendar. I just so happen to be on the corner before I arrive at the old house. Now alone, I get to the old house and enter. I doesn’t look as good as it used to with holes in the ceiling that weren’t in there last June. But it still looks alright considering.

Taking the left path, I see the calendar for 2144 in the middle of the empty living room. Floating it, I take it with me outside.

Back at the corner, I wait for Aura Draft to return. After about thirty seconds, she does come back.

“So, I see you found the calendar.”

I nod.

So, going back to Qu- excuse me once more- Shell’s home, I finally get the calendar over to her.

“Very good, Vent. Now, here’s the calendar for 2143. This spell that you shall master will be kept in secret. Only the three of us are the one that should know this.”

We trade calendars. Then, the three of us walk downstairs in order to keep quiet to the public.

Floating the calendar, I don’t know exactly what to do with it.

“So what month was it did Equestria start its downfall?”

“September. How could we forget about it?”

“Okay. I have NO CLUE what will happen. But I do know I’ll see Mom again.”

Great, there’s no rhyme that I know of that will start a spell. Maybe this one doesn’t need one. I simply have to think it. Okay. I need to see exactly what the first of September of 2143 looked like, so I direct my horn towards that panel. Queen Shell and Aura Draft start to get back upstairs, meanwhile.

I light up my horn, causing me to feel a harsh wind in the room as well as an ever increasing ticking sound. Suddenly, the wind becomes so strong, I’m lifted off my hooves. Oh wait, magic. I float corrected.

I start sinking into a teal tunnel and get blinded from breakneck speed flashes all around me, heading in my direction, seeing hour glasses moving in the opposite direction. Even more so, the ticking sounds have become deafening. It’s completely disorienting to the point of almost fainting. But then when I land, I find myself not in Changico City anymore.

The town I’m in instead consists of almost nothing but cottages. There’s a gazebo at the center and a very sugary looking building somewhere else. This must be a town in Equestria. It’s nothing I’ve seen in my life.

So, walking around, I come across a few ponies strolling about the town. When they turn to see me, they lose their minds and run away. Perhaps they still thought the the queen before Shell was in power. Maybe she was. Well, time to ask the mayor of this town. She may be in the gazebo.

Hey wait a minute. Out in the distance. Is that a castle? That thing is huge!

Well, I’ll go there and see who the mayor is.

So, getting to the castle, I see that there’s a tree like base to it. But getting into the castle, now I have no idea what’s going on. Which path do i go? What happens after that?

Well, I go down the left path and see that it ends up meeting up with the right path. Okay. Then I keep following a hall until I hear talking. I get to the door where the talking is coming from and then wait for there to be silence for me to knock.

“Hello?”

That’s my cue to enter.

“Why hello there young changeling. I’m Cloudy Glisten, the current Princess of Friendship. Welcome to Ponyville. What’s your name?”

“Vent. Actually it used to be Air Vent. I think I’m at the right day. I intended to go to the first of September of 2143, and I wanted to make sure.”

“Well, lucky that you just said today’s date. I’ll let Queen Shell know you’re in my castle so that she can take you home.”

Queen Shell is in power in 2143?!? Well I don’t think she’ll recognize me when I’ve gone this far back in the past. But it’s good that I managed to get that spell right.

“Hey wait a minute. You said you intended to go to today. Does that mean you travelled into the past?”

I nod.

“Oh, this is so exciting!!! What’s your future like!!! Equestria could still be here when you’re from!! The possibilities are endless!!!”

“Well, let’s just say that overall, the future is good.”

Then Cloudy Glisten gasps.

“Didn’t you say that your name used to be Air Vent?!? Did you use to be a pony?!? A pegasus?!? Did you use to be a relative of a citizen of Cloudsdale?!?

“Uh, who’s this relative you speak of?”

She’s starting to scare me with this much excitement. But I nod to all the questions except the last one.

“Air Wiff!!”

That’s my Mom!!

“Can you take me to this Cloudsdale?”

“Sure. It doesn’t take long in the slightest this time of the quarter.”

So, this will be quicker than I imagine.

“Alright. Let’s fly.”

When Cloudy Glisten and I get to Cloudsdale, the place is teeming with ponies. I used to wish I was in a world where the kind around me was what I was before I was transformed into a changeling. And for the past two years of my life, I actually got that wish by the transformation.

Suddenly, in the middle of my thoughts, I hear Cloudy Glisten and another pony grunt.

“Excuse me Princess. I didn’t mean to-”

When I see her, she sees me, causing us both to gasp. I don’t know her reason, really, but mine is that I realized it’s my Mom!

“A changeling?!? What’s a changeling doing in Cloudsdale?!? Hey wait a minute. What’s she so shocked about.”

Cloudy Glisten looks up at me and winks, then turns back to Mom. Oh, wait. I shouldn’t have told Cloudy Glisten that I’m from 2161.

“Don’t worry about her. I’m her escort. Besides, she’s from-”

“Changico City. That’s what she was about to say. I’m perfectly fine here. My name is Vent. Nice to meet you.”

Score one. I grin in accomplishment. I get to see Mom once again. I just hope I was on the right day. With the calendar beside me, I suddenly come across something on the third week of September. Wait, what does that say? 7:30 radio transmissions?!?

Okay. I’ve done nothing major to alter the past so far. But here goes nothing.

“7:30 radio transmissions? Oh, yeah. I listen to the radio every Monday night.”

“Well. That’s good for you, Air Wiff.”

“Hey, Cloudy Glisten. I need to get back to your castle so that... I can... read more about this calendar.”

“Well, okay Vent. Ready?”

“When you are.”

I wave goodbye to Mom as Cloudy Glisten takes me into her castle.

“Thanks.”

I run off down the staircase and keep my eye on September 13.

Then outside, I open the same tunnel I was in before I got to... Ponyville was it?

Now, I’m back in the same cellar I was before I travelled into the past. I fire my horn at the 13 and go down the blinding, deafening tunnel yet again. This time, I’m back where I entered.

I walk around Ponyville and look for anything that will happen. Going over to Cloudy Glisten’s castle, I ask her to see if she has a radio.

“Um sure I have one. But what would you need to listen for?”

“Isn’t it Monday the thirteenth?”

“Yeah it- oh I see what you’re saying. Canterlot 91.2. It intercepts transmissions from all over Equestria. Here, I’ll get you the radio.”

Coming in with the radio, Cloudy Glisten tunes in to 91.2 and shows what’s on right now.

“And that was Homely Abode by A Single Demographic, VERY far back if you ask me. Right this minute we’ve gotten many transmissions to hit the station with Ponyville Elementary starting up to a strange occurrence nearly two weeks ago. So, let’s start things off with one particular filly who’s moved from Canterlot to Ponyville in the middle of August to enroll in this school. She took an entry after school into her audio journal.”

“Hey mom! First day at Ponyville Elementary! It was really fun. On the off hoof, I don’t usually get much homework. That’s a plus. I hear that a pony graduates a full school year after they get their cutie mark. Well, I’m off. I better get started on that algebra.”

“Now doesn’t that sound sweet...”

So, we listen to the radio and take a walk around Ponyville. Ponies are everywhere. Yet again, my mom is there. I also see Aura Draft and Dry Stone. One particular pony is putting up some kind of banner or something involving poles. A whole bunch of others walking around doing nothing but talking or shopping.

But then, every pegasus suddenly jumps from the ground out of instinct. The only ones on the ground that are winged are me and Cloudy Glisten. Then, something comes up on the radio.

“Come in, Station Canterlot. Do y’read? Ah repeat. Do y’read? We’re gettin’ rumors that Ponyville is wiped off the map. Is it true?”

Of course not. Every building is still standing, DUH!!! Besides what station is that from? It’s certainly not Changico City.

“Hear ya loud ‘n clear. From the looks of it, Ponyville seems fine-”

Canterlot had to say it. Every single building just up and falls in Ponyville and screaming fills the area.

“Vent, go back to your time. I’m not sure what It’ll be like then, but it’s the only way to come back here to find the cause of these buildings collapsing.”

I salute Cloudy Glisten and obey.

Back in my time, I’m still in the familiar basement. I wonder what major differences I put on the world.

Then I get an idea. I have to find Aura Draft. She lived through what happened to Ponyville. I’ll see if she and Shell are still waiting for me.

Rushing upstairs, I see Aura Draft and Shell still where I knew they were. So, so far, nothing’s changed in the long run because of my presence as I am now in the 2140’s.

“What’s going on, Vent?”

“I wonder what caused all of Ponyville’s buildings to collapse all at once. Surely it had to be more than just tempting fate.”

“Yes, it had more to do with than tempting fate. It was because of an earthshake. One that was so strong, nopony seemed to feel it.”

“Yeah, I see that the keyword is seemed. Just before the buildings collapsed, I saw every pegasus leap into the air by instinct. But you do have the point that it’s possible that nopony can feel it. I didn’t; Cloudy Glisten didn’t.”

“So, what’re you going to do now?”

“I’m going to see if there’s a fault line somewhere in Ponyville. Surely it had to’ve been somewhere in that town. That would explain the buildings collapsing only in Ponyville. And if there was an earthshake that was so strong that the only immediate effect was every building collapsing, there’s got to’ve been a pony-made cause to the fault line slipping. I don’t know when I’ll see the world like this again, but wish me luck on saving Equestria.”

“Whoa. Really? Could someone have CAUSED that earthshake?”

“Yep. Without that earthshake, Equestria might exist up to 2161.”

“Who knows?”

“Well, time to find the fault line.”

Going back to Ponyville on the same day, I see the town once again full of cottages as it was the first time the whole way through. With events such as a deja vu, I go back to Cloudy Glisten’s castle and get her radio. Both of us walk around again, seeing the many colorful ponies. Then, the same transmission I heard just before the buildings flattened comes on, about a minute after all the pegasi flee the ground.

“Come in, Station Canterlot. Do y’read? Ah repeat. Do y’read? We’re gettin’ rumors that Ponyville is wiped off the map. Is it true?”

“Hear ya loud ‘n clear. From the looks of it, Ponyville seems fine-”

Commence the buildings collapsing and the screaming again.

“Vent, go back to your time. I’m not sure what It’ll be like then, but it’s the only way to come back here to find the cause of these buildings collapsing.”

“I will, but first, now that the buildings have collapsed, I have to look for any unusual landscapes that show a fault line.”

“A fault line in Ponyville?!?”

“Yes. That’s what caused the dusty chaos that’s going to unfold. I also need to stop the cause of the shifted fault line. I need the radio as well.”

Cloudy Glisten gives me her radio and leaves to where her castle still might be intact.

I walk around for a fault line as I keep on listening to the radio.

Coming across a fence that was split in half, I see a crack on the ground. I follow that crack until I find a fallen pole. Wait a minute. It was the same pole I saw when I was walking around the town with Cloudy Glisten. Oh, how right my prediction was.

I rush back to Cloudy Glisten and take her to where I found the fault line and what is right next to it.

“Wait, wasn’t that pole exactly the same as the one we saw as part of a banner?”

“I think so. Tell Queen Shell (wow am I glad to say that one last time) that someone put a pole on a fault line to cause an earthshake here. Don’t tell her whether or not it was an accident because I don’t know, myself.”

“Okay.”

“See you, Cloudy Glisten.”

I go back to the present to see that I’m still in the same world.

At least it seems that way. Well, so much for trying to find a way to bring Mom back. In another world, my mom is alive today. I just know it.

So far what I’ve done hasn’t changed the present once. I think round four will do it.

When I come back upstairs, I let Shell know that I found the cause of the earthshake and how I told Cloudy Glisten to let you know.

“What, did you just come from the day it happened? The princesses invited me to a ceremony in honor of a changeling named Vent, Vent.”

Okay. So, things are changing. But not much though. Aside from Shell’s memory being different, and perhaps, Aura Draft, nothing else changed.

I go back downstairs ONE final time. This time, I’m going to stop the pony from posting that pole on the fault line.

Once again, Cloudy Glisten and I walk around Ponyville, with the radio in tow again. I look for the fence and see that the pony I saw the previous two times is there once again, carrying the pole.

“STOP!!! Don’t put that pole where you’re about to put it!!!”

“Who was that?”

“Over here, with Cloudy Glisten.”

The pony screams that there’s a changeling when she looks to me and Cloudy Glisten.

“Calm down. Queen Shell is in power now. She’s the one who’s upped the Changeling’s reputation.”

“See, Cloudy Glisten knows about her.”

“If only I had a whitewatch like her.”

Geez, no need to take me back to when I was at my old house for the first time in ten years. But maybe there is one here in Ponyville.

“I can get you one of those, Princess.”

“Tunnel Table, you don’t have to be formal with me. Just call me what Vent calls me. Okay?”

“Sorry, still am a bit nervous that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are coming to Ponyville on Wednesday. So, how about this? I continue to prepare for their visit on Wednesday and I move the banner elsewhere. Sound like a plan?”

“Okay.”

“Just try to make sure it’s not where I am right now.”

“You got it, Vent.”

“Want me to help with that?”

“That would be nice. It is rather huge to set up.”

“Well, I ought to go then. Good luck.”

I get back to the present and... not even what just happened changed the basement.

However, when I do get upstairs to where Aura Draft and Shell should be, they’re not there.

I’ve got to find them.

Suddenly, someone bursts into the door, grunting in the process.

“What the hell are you doing here?!? Us minors have fled to Yakyakistan!”

“Yakyakistan? Why all the way up there?”

“It’s the only strong country left!”

“The only strong country? Where’s Shell? Where’s Aura Draft? I remember seeing them when I was last up here.”

“Who’s Aura Draft? As for Queen Shell? You DON’T want to know. Now COME!!! No time to chit chat about damn individuals!”

Great, Aura Draft might as well be missing in action. And Shell’s still a queen now. Wait, if Shell’s still a queen in this present, then shouldn’t I be happy?

So, this mysterious changeling leads me to Halma, where Mom was buried in my present. Over there, I see so many fillies that I can’t even count. Looking at myself, I’ve changed too. And so has this changeling I went with. Me, I’m back to my former self. But I don’t know who these other ponies are.

“VENTY!!!”

Aura Draft?!? What is she doing here?!?

I get hugged around the neck with Aura Draft’s hooves.

Then, another pony gasps and rushes over to hug me. It’s Mom.

Wait a minute. Where’s Aura Draft’s wings? Where’s Mom’s horn?!? Uh, oh. Still, oh, how good it feels to be called my real name again.

“Air Vent!! I’m so glad you’re safe!!”

“What’s happening?”

“We’ve fled Equestria and Changico. It’s not safe there. Most of the ponies here are changeling minors. Aura Draft and I could possibly become the only ponies left.”

“What happened to everyone else?!?”

“I’m afraid I must refrain from giving that information, Air Vent. We don’t have time to chat. Prince Rok is still in progress about finding us all places to live.”

“ATTENTION REFUGEES!!!”

Prince Rok I presume.

“Yaks finish stripping Yakyakistan of reservations for urban exploration to give you place to live!!!”

Hey, Shell told me about that when I first greeted her almost two years ago.

“Some buildings still blocked off from damage prior, but are in progress of becoming cleaned.”

So. Does that mean repainting the walls? Replacing the roof, ceiling, doors or windows? Remove remaining items in the houses?

So, the prince gives everyone a card which has an address on it. When he comes to me, I get extremely nervous. Mostly because I shouldn’t really be here.

“Are you with these two?”

I nod.

“I give you three card.”

And then he walks away with one less card in tow.

“So, what does it say?”

“It says 25 Fleece Place.”

I instantly search for the place and succeed within exactly one sixth of a minute. Rushing back to the two, I lead Aura Draft and Mom over to place.

“That was quick. How’d you do that?”

“No time to explain, right? Now let’s get in.”

So, the three of us enter our new house, completely new to its navigation.

“So, care to explain what happened to Equestria and Changico?”

“Trust me, whoever found you presumably told you that you don’t want to know what happened.”

“Mom, this is serious. This is the only time I get to see you. Because I succeeded in seeing you one last time, I normally wouldn’t want to do the opposite of what I did to see you. I literally went to the past to not just to see you but to keep you down here. If what’s going on outweighs seeing you, it wouldn’t be worth coming here to see you.”

“Air Vent, what has gotten into you? You’re not like this to your mother. And you certainly never lie.”

“But I’m not lying, Aura Draft. I have no clue what’s happened here. The only thing I know is that I prevented an earthshake from destroying Equestria’s population. In my present, Aura Draft had wings, you were under soil here in Halma and Shell was a retired queen. If I saw all that, I’m pretty sure I can handle being told whatever you’ll tell me.”

“Okay. Equestria has fallen, and Changico isn’t too far behind.”

“So is that why the prince called all of us refugees?”

Mom nods.

“So, I assume that there’s another one of me somewhere.”

“Unfortunately, she’s where you say I was in your present.”

Mom wipes a tear from her eye. But I take her under my hoof.

“Well, turns out that you have a second chance to keep me safe.”

We smile and hug, only to jump to a knock on the door. When I answer it, it’s the same pony who lead me to where I am now.

“Vent! We have to speak with Wrench! It’s mandatory!”

“Can Mom and Aura Draft come with me?”

“Whatever it takes! I don’t care!”

“I agree with the young filly. Let’s move.”

So, it turns out that we all have to get to bed early tonight. Wrench says that we have to have all the energy we can get tomorrow. It has something to do with feeding the changelings or something like that. I’m sure us changelings can feed ourselves. But we can help each other through hard times.

As it turns out, we’re not actually feeding some changelings. We’re giving food and weaponry to the yaks so that they can give it to the changelings down south.

And south did things go. The food and supplies get shipped over to Changico. I guess I’m going to be a refugee until- wait a minute. If many of the refugees are changeling minors... nah. That can’t be it. Can it?

So, how the food is being shipped is that we seal the food when fresh using aluminum foil inside a Zip-Bra bag, put those in saddlebags and load the saddlebags onto these huge carts. Supplies are a different story. We seal them in a laundry bag, making sure they don’t bust on the way. Then it ends the same way. It isn’t enough to stop the yaks though as they move as fast as any changeling I’ve seen.

For the first half of the day, we help the yaks give food and supplies to the changelings, trip after trip. The second half is us gathering on the third quarter and hiding on the fourth.

It’s said that it happens every single day to help with an international effort but also avoid any danger.

Today, my first day anyway, just so happens that it might be my last.

When we prepare to go inside, a deafening rumbling noise nearly shakes us off our hooves. Changelings closer to the rumbling start screaming in terror. Looking where it’s coming from, I see a plume so huge, it could possibly touch Cloudsdale if it were still here.

“Air Vent we have to get out of here!”

“What’s going on, Mom?”

“The kamika-zebras! It’s no longer safe in Halma!”

So, Mom, Aura Draft and I get out as quickly as we can. Whilst escaping, I see some sort of ball fly across the air that flashes its color. I don’t know what the hell that is, but it ain’t going to stop me. Suddenly, I lose Mom and Aura Draft in my tracks, so I look behind, still running to save my flank.

“AIR VENT!!! GET OUTTA THERE!!!”

But as I look, a zebra starts to chase me, and I continue running. Turning along the way, I focus on getting out of the alley to be able to look behind me. A second explosion occurs, causing me to look behind.

Scanning around for Aura Draft and Mom, another zebra comes from the same direction. This time I decide to fly over it and continue looking. So, I quickly go back to my natural form and beat my wings for mercy.

I succeed in the nick of time and land and change back to my former self as quickly as possible to be as undetected as I can. I back track over to Aura Draft and Mom as they have barely escaped the zebra’s attacks with minimal injuries.

“We have more on the way! Let’s move!”

“Air Wiff, I got this.”

Right. I never looked down on Aura Draft’s hooves yet. And I see a whitewatch on the left one. Suddenly, Aura Draft fires a spell on the whitewatch. After that, a hovercraft begins to form. I look behind the three of us again and see a zebra come into view.

“Hurry up, please.”

“And you say that when I am why, Air Vent?”

“Because there’s a zebra RIGHT BEHIND US!!!”

“Got it!”

We all climb into the hovercraft and immediately lift off, barely escaping the zebra and its weapons.

Travelling at great speeds, in a matter of hours, we end up at the southern end of Celestia Sea and land on a platform. The place around it looks completely deserted.

“Okay, what was that?!? I could’ve been killed there!!”

“Air Vent, calm down.”

Aura Draft, that ain’t working.

“How can I calm down when I just dodged two zebras, or better yet you two evading potentially dozens of them?!?”

“They weren’t just zebras; they were kamika-zebras.”

“And what is a kamika-zebra exactly, Mom?!?”

“They’re travelling zebras that carry weaponry we couldn’t carry. The trademark weapon they wield is a grenade, and they only use it during war.”

War?!? Refugees?!? Wait a minute. THE CHANGELINGS ARE AT WAR WITH THE ZEBRAS!!! But where are we besides the other end of Celestia Sea? Where’s Queen Shell? Is she leading her changelings’ effort?

Suddenly, we see a shop in the deserted place. Then, something pops into my mind, giving me the obligation to run to this shop.

“Air Vent, don’t!”

“What is it Aura Draft?”

“You don’t know what shop you’re entering!”

I look through the window of the shop and see that there is plenty of metal in there with those “grenades” that Mom mentioned and some book bags that are part metal.

“I’m not sure about you, but those could really help the changelings so much. Maybe not the book bags but everything seems very useful to us.”

“HALT!!! Unfold your wings!!!”

Oh no! A zebra’s here too! However, this time, the zebra’s wearing a crown with a golden vest instead of pure black.

“Do you three have any passports to show?!?”

I speak up.

“We may not have any passports, but I helped these two ponies escape! They could’ve been KILLED out in Halma! I’m just glad they made it out alive!”

“Halma?!? What in Zecora’s name were you doing in there?!? I sent those zebras only to attack the changelings, not innocent ponies!”

“It’s kind of hard to dodge us when you’re deploying kamika-zebras into Halma!”

“I did not coin that term, Wiffy! The opponent first used it to describe what turned Tiholena into ruins!”

Time for me to step in once again.

“I may not use the term myself, but I can see why they did that. I don’t get why you and the changelings are against each other though.”

“Changico was seeking expansion to keep their country strong, but it was our territory the changelings were after. To this day, they still make the effort to expand that we can’t afford. The only two resources we have left to use is shadosa and ton gum plant.”

“I’ve heard of shadosa, but what’s a ton gum plant?”

“Ton gum plants are an endangered plant that thrived centuries ago. Small, but heavy and toxic to the common pony.”

“So, if it’s toxic, maybe you can use that in some of the weapons you wield.”

“We already do.”

“Then I guess you’re on your own with this one. But on the off hoof, what’s going to happen to us?”

“Like the help that you three are, I’ll let you stay in southern Zebramala. Permission from me, Princess Ajabu.”

Good thing she’s providing a safe place for us.

“Anything else you need before the next battle I lead?”

“We’re satisfied right now. Carry on.”

I wave to Princess Ajabu.

“Good. I assume you’ll know your way in the area by tomorrow?”

I nod.

So, the zebra princess leaves and we finally enter the vacant store. I get the idea to show my true form as of now.

“Just wondering if I could step outside for a couple of seconds.”

“Go ahead. Aura Draft and I don’t mind.”

So, I go out back to change forms. Coming back, I see Aura Draft and Mom so shocked that their jaws might as well be in the core.

“Who are you?!?”

“Mom, it’s me. Air Vent. Well, I used to be called that. But now, in my present, I go as just Vent.”

“So you’re a changeling?!?”

“Yeah.”

Mom gasps.

“Wait wha...?!? How can my daughter be a changeling?”

“I quote my present’s Queen Shell, ‘NO OTHER CHANGELING will hear about my explanation’. When I thought that you were asleep, I went into Tune Toast with a fifty in tow. In there, Queen Shell took me outside to tell me that she completed a spell. I actually found out what the spell did when my present’s Aura Draft screamed that there was a changeling on my bed when I was already in bed.”

“But that means if any zebra comes nearby, you could, much less have to, change back to your former self to avoid suspicion.”

“I’m fine with that Mom. I might have to get used to that if I want to stay here, but I can probably tell what species a voice may be coming from.”

So, exploring the shop, an idea comes to mind. What if Aura Draft wielded a book bag like those zebras that invaded Halma? Actually, we won’t need any weapons at all.

“Hey Mom, I have an idea.”

“What is it?”

“Maybe I could do the spell since I’m a changeling, myself and I saw the beginning of it.”

“Okay. How is it done?”

So, I begin by starting my horn up, hugging Mom in the process. Then I reach my hoof onto her forehead. When I remove my hoof from Mom and move away, my horn flares as a fire surrounds Mom. Then it floats up into the same marble I was in when I was transformed. I remember all the pain I went through in the transformation. The flowing air through my hooves, the aching teeth and wings, the huge headache I had in the process. I begin to cry reliving what Mom might be going through right now.

When I see a flash coming from the orb I’m holding with my horn alone, I set Mom down ever so slowly to make sure I completed the spell. Then the orb recedes onto the floor, revealing an adult changeling that resembles the parents of my peers back in school.

Out of nowhere, Aura Draft comes and hugs me.

“Well she be alright?”

“I hope she’ll be. I came to after about an hour.”

“But, you’re younger than Air Wiff.”

“Good point. So, until she comes to, should we stay here?”

“Not for unlimited time as the war rages on.”

“How long?”

“Only as short amount of time as we can gather artillery.”

I levitate through the shop and look for something useful. Suddenly, something pops into my head. Now, I look for the biggest grenade there is in the shop. After looking throughout the main room, I look behind the register. What I see is something I could use overhead. Something not even earth ponies could carry.

“Just what are you looking for Air Vent?”

“I found what I’m looking for already.”

“But wait, who’s side are you on?”

“Not sure yet Aura Draft, but I do know that when Equestria was gone in my present, Changico expanded into that territory to share with Yakyakistan and that in this present, Changico is at war with Zebramala.”

“It was the same motive that gave Changico room for growth that we’re at war. I mean, any country needs to expand to keep themselves strong in the world.”

“I can see where you’re coming from. But if Changico wants their expansion to work, the land they choose to take needs to’ve fled or to be weak. Well, I guess the only thing that Changico has bad reputation on in this present is expansion. I mean, Zebramala, judging by this shop, is just as if not stronger than Changico.”

“Wait, are you thinking what I’m thinking, Venty?”

“Yeah. If war is raging with equal countries, not only will I be an endagered species, but zebras too.”

I get a suspicious look from Aura Draft.

“Are you sure that’s this present you’re talking about?”

“Of course I am; I am a changeling after all.”

“So, what are you going to do now?”

“I’ll save it for when we find the battlefield.”

So, I change to my former self; however, this time, I add a horn to the mix just so that I can still carry the large projectile with levitation. Whoever this zebra was never thought about security because all this time, no zebra was here besides the princess. What was here name, Ajabu?

“Save what?”

“Oh, and by the way, do you think this could get through the door?”

I show the projectile I chose as my main source to my plan to Aura Draft.

“Maybe. But I do suppose it was made in this very building.”

“Ah, no matter, I could teleport it out with me.”

I teleport outside with the projectile in tow. Then, it makes a thud so loud, it almost shakes me off my hooves, or at least it would’ve if I didn’t teleport back inside. Suddenly, Mom wakes up as if she’s in an earthshake.

“What is… oh, send me to Celestia. THE MASKS!!! I’LL NEED ONE!!!”

“Relax, it’s just a projectile landing just outside.from a meter.”

“Oh, Air Vent. It’s you. What’s going on? Why is it cold in here? Why do I look burnt? Why do I have holes in my hooves?”

“Don’t worry about yourself. We’re the same species now.”

“You mean, I’m a changeling?!?”

I nod.

Suddenly, a mighty scream causes me to cover my ears. I’m not the only one though. Aura Draft does the same too.

“WHO DID THIS TO ME?!?”

“Well, you asked how it was done and I showed you. Everything I remembered from my transformation was applied to conjuring my interpretation of Queen Shell’s spell. But you can always change back to you former self, like I do.”

“But how do I do that?!? I never performed a single spell before!”

“Well, we have horns. All I do to perform something even as complicated as transforming back to my former self is just to simply think about it.”

When Mom closes her eyes to calm down, she suddenly changes to her former self.

Aura Draft steps in.

“So, could you change unicorns into changelings?”

“The spell I replicated definitely works for pegasi. But I guess there should be some variant of it to turn other races of ponies into changelings. But Queen Shell came up with it herself in my present, so I only know what she came up with. If you wanted to see what it was like to be a changeling, Aura Draft, I understand if you’re upset.”

“Upset? You know about Queen Shell down to what spell she made in your present. Not many changelings actually know as much as you. You were raised in the devotion of a kingdom that can create spells. Queen Shell, in no matter what present, is considered revolutionary for Changico. I’m not that dedicated as to know what spell the queen created. How you got here is satisfaction enough for me.”

“Y- you think so?”

“I know so.”

Aura Draft drags me under her hoof for a hug.

Then, the sun starts to point its light to us. It’s nearing sunset.

“We better hurry. The battle ends after twilight.”

So, the three of us gather for the plan I have to take action in front of the large weapon I need.

And finally, I carry the weapon high in the air with Mom holding my legs. I have no fear of falling right now as I’m too focused on stopping this war. Mom and I fly so high that we don’t need to worry about yelling under normal voices overhead.

Then I remember a spell that occurred before Queen Shell told me about the calendar. I replicate the voice spell, lighting up my horn. I whisper to myself to make sure I did it and I hear so much of an echo that I’m not even sure that I’m not in some tall room. It’s finally time.

Down on the ground is what looks like a full rage war. And then when I speak, it stops.

“CHANGELINGS AND ZEBRAS! I HAVE SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO SAY TO YOU ALL. BACK WHEN QUEEN SHELL FIRST TOOK THE THRONE, IT HAD A LASTING POSITIVE IMPACT BY IMPROVING THE CHANGELINGS’ REPUTATION. I GET IT; CHANGICO NEEDS TO EXPAND TO STAY STABLE. BUT IT ALSO OCCURS TO ME THAT THEY ATTEMPTED TO EXPAND ONTO A NATION AS STRONG IF NOT STRONGER THAN ITSELF.

“ZEBRAMALA AND CHANGICO WERE BOTH STRONG NATIONS WHEN CLOUDY GLISTEN WAS THE PRINCESS OF FRIENDSHIP. WHAT WOULD SHE THINK OF ZEBRAS AND CHANGELINGS IF SHE SAW WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING RIGHT NOW? NOT ONLY DOES WAR TEAR THE IMAGES OF THE FIGHTERS APART, BUT IT ALSO DESTROYS THE LAND THAT WAR IS ON.

“EVEN WHEN WAR HAS RAGED ON, THE LAND HAS LOOKED BEAUTIFUL COMPARED TO HOW IT’LL LOOK IF YOU CONTINUE TO FIGHT. I SAY BEAUTIFUL IN COMPARISON BECAUSE IF YOU KEEP FIGHTING AFTER THIS MESSAGE, I WILL CAUSE YOU BOTH TO LOSE. AND I HAVE THE VERY WEAPON TO PROVE IT.”

As soon as I begin my message, everyone on the battlefield stops. When I’m done however, they continue.

“OKAY. DON’T SAY I DIDN’T WARN YOU.”

I let go of the projectile and immediately teleport over to the shop Aura Draft, Mom and I were in. In addition, I teleport all of us back Halma before the battlefield gets destroyed.

The result of what happened earlier is nothing but devastating. Suddenly a changeling comes out of a part of the rubble.

“Princess! I need help!”

Princess?!? What?!? I was never given such a title before. I decide to levitate the changeling out of the debris.

“Thank you, Air Vent.”

“Wait, how do you know my name?”

“We’ve met before, right?”

“Well, the you from my present, yes. Onett, was it?”

Suddenly, I hear muffled screaming coming from the rest of the rubble.

The weapon! I didn’t know it could shake me off my hooves all the way to the ruins of Halma!

Then, a HUGE wind sweeps over. Well, there goes my mane style for the next few days.

“What happened?”

“I kind of dropped a weapon too large to fit through the door of the shop the weapon was from. I may’ve risked getting stuck in this present, but the war should be over now.”

“The war?!? OVER?!? What the hell were you thinking?!? You DO NOT break into a artillery shop, smuggle a supersized weapon and randomly drop it from the sky!!!”

“It was the only way the zebras and changelings that were fighting would listen. I couldn’t just let them fight. I had to do something. If using an amplification spell to get everyone’s attention wasn’t enough, I’d have to act.”

“It still doesn’t change the fact that you potentially destroyed two entire nations!!! If you wanted to end a war so badly, tough luck!!! Go to another timeline where there isn’t a damn war for all I care!!!”

“Another timeline? Like my own? Yeah, that’s not going to be really possible.”

“Not if you’re a master at time travel.”

“Wait a minute. Maybe. I last left my calendar in the house I-”

“Everything in Halma is gone.”

“Eh. I know enough about what happened that split this present from my own.”

So, I start to think of actually witnessing events before stopping the earthshake.

“I never thought I’d see you leave, but farewell, Air Vent.”

“Don’t worry, Mom. You can go with me to my present. I’ll be going to the morning of September 1, 2143 so that everything changes back to the way it originally was as if no one time traveled.”

So, the tunnel opens and Mom comes along with me.

When we get to the past, we go as quietly as possible. Then when I activate the spell that will return me to the basement, it works like a charm.

“Okay Mom. I can’t let Aura Draft and Shell know that you’re a changeling.”

“Oh. Okay. Hey wait, did you say, ‘Shell’? As in Queen Shell?”

“What, you don’t remember what I said my present was like?”

So, I change back to my natural self as Mom turns into her former self. When we get back up, there’s Aura Draft and Shell.

“Whew. It’s about time. We were worried about you, Vent.”

Aura Draft and I hug.

“I’m not the only one to come.”

“Huh?”

That is it. Mom comes into the room.

“Air Wiff!!! Oh, I’m so glad to see you!!”

“So am I. And I see you’re an alicorn.”

“What’s so amazing about that?”

I nudge Aura Draft.

“It’s a long story.”

Then, Aura Draft gasps, realizing what’s missing.

“What happened to your horn?”

“What horn? Did I have a horn in this present?”

Aura Draft and Shell nod, but I just walk over to her.

“Don’t worry about it. Mom. You are pretty new to this.”

Mom sighs.

“Good. Let’s get home.”

“Wait, before we do, I want to see that drawing again at my old house. I remember two drawings that looked identical, one of them was mine, and I wanted to see if it was stolen.”

“Okay, we’ll do that, Air Vent.”

Shell and Aura Draft snicker in response to Mom calling me Air Vent.

On the way over, I think of the time I first visited my old house. When I first went in there, it was like looking at an area of rubble that a house used to sit on. Now that Mom came here, she can’t go back to her present, much like how I can’t ever live here no matter how well Aura Draft and I fix the old house because it’s reserved for urban exploration. But I realize something else, I’ve been given another chance. Another chance to be a normal minor, just like how I have given Mom another chance to care for me.

When we finally arrive at my old house, Mom is astounded. I imagine that’s how my present’s Mom would’ve reacted if she saw what happened to this place.

The windows are all nothing but piles of shards on the grass. The doors are just pieces fallen into the house. There is more space on top of the house than there is an actual roof. There’s only one bush instead of two. The porch is completely gone. FInally, graffiti is all over the walls no matter what place. This is certainly not a place to live now.

And it will stay that way until the day it collapses.

I lead Mom to the drawing I matched up with one on the notepad I found here.

On the way there, Mom chuckles at the drawing of the unicorn horn between the apple and the orange.

“That is certainly some interesting symbolism.”

“What, comparing my interpretation of that drawing to Aura Draft’s?”

“I wasn’t thinking of that; I was just thinking of our timelines and how they’re like apples and oranges.”

Well, it’s better insight than what Aura Draft, or dare I say, I, had to offer.

When we get to the drawing I matched, I quickly look for the notepad. When I find it, I come back to Mom and Aura Draft. When I give Mom the notepad, she studies every picture.

“Are all these pictures yours?”

I nod.

“You did a good job, I’d say. Wait a minute. One of these looks familiar.”

Mom flips through the pages of the notepad until she reaches the changeling. After that, she looks at the drawing on the wall.

“Yeah. Looks like someone stole the notepad. Probably to do a replication spell.”

Hm. Probably that’s why I was mentioned on the radio. Someone used my notepad to copy the drawing of the changeling onto my old house wall. At the very least, it was my drawing it originally came from.

“You know what Air Vent, the changeling is the perfect drawing to go on your old house.”

“What about everything else on the wall?”

“Everyone goes by and draws at one point in their lives. Whatever anyone does will not affect your drawing directly.”

“I hope so.”

So, the three of us leave the old house and come home.

For the next three days, I think about what Mom told me. She’s right. The drawing of the changeling was originally mine. And it’s that one drawing that defines what my old house once was. Instead of my drawing being stolen, it was used to define who was in that house. It was a good mistake... just like how that earthshake that pony cause led everyone to where they are today, just like how I led Mom to where she stands today, in a better world.