The Long road for love and life book one

after leaving the bout, me and moon light were surrounded by the different ponies from Celestia and Luna's guards, I think they were chosen to show how equality works in Equestria and the daily lives of the ponies who live here regardless to type or gender. as we walked I found myself being asked a question by a male unicorn from Clesteras court "So what's your opinion of Equestria so far?" "I think it's great so far, would of been better if it was not for that hive given all changelings a bad name as a species, but I guess that's one more reason for me coming here, to prove that not all my kind steal emotions of others unless they attack us" and of course I was interrupted with a questioning "Oh?" by the unicorn and a few murmurings from some of his fellows.

"well yes, we generally get attacked from the diamond dog tribes and a few griffons too, once captured they are put into cocoons that give them the nutrients they need to survive along with oxygen, and it gives them pleasant dreams, the process does not harm them in any way and we only use them in life and death situations to heal the wounded, and sometimes their tribes will trade for their peoples return, as you can not control everyone in your tribe, and sometimes you get those who think they can take what they want when they want it, as not all Diamond dogs are evil the same with griffins"

"so what happens if the tribe does not want them back?" he said in an I know the answer and I am superior tone of voices. " well when that happens we generally ask why, let's just say they get it better than they would if they went back, as some would face the death penalty, or worse. we tend to know how....erm shall i say messed up they are by their dreams, some evan give us trade to keep them locked up and that's one reason we get attacked another reason would be because of our main food sources the loc-love crystals (my mind kicked in and I realised I had used half of mine already) which reminds me will we need to set up camp for the night or are we close enough to our destination as I need eight hours to recharge some of my used loc-love crystals" I manage to say in a sorrowful tone.

another unicorn who was female from Lunas court spoke up "is that what your kind ues for food?" she asked in an inquisitive tone of voice, to which I answered with all the honesty that anyone could whither good or bad. " well yes but that mainly supports our life and our magic as ponies and other creatures seem to get it naturedly, so we generally use them to keep us alive, apparently that same hive has none so I am hopeing that I can give them some, so that they can grow them for themselves but I don't think that will be the only solution, as I can not predict the future, but we can sustain our bodies with food but we wont last as long, me personally I am classed as an omnivore as long as it is cooked" I said with emphasis on cooked, "so not all changelings like there meat cooked she asked" oh buck I thought still remembering how some like their meals to move or fresh as they call it, which seems cruel to me, I was going to leave it but I had to answer it despite wanting to ignore it and change the subject.

"well we do get weevils and other creatures that are not sentient, that break into our hives from time to time who would feed upon our unhatched eggs which are alive with unhatched changelings, and some like them to be still moveing or fresh as they call it, me i like mine cooked as that seems less cruel as I am sure they can still feel even they are mindless", my answer seemed to get some approval which I was not expecting, in fact most seemed to be relieved by my honesty.

suddenly Morris who was leading us stopped along with the rest of the guards he turned and faced me and Moonlight. "Right Paul we are about to go throw this village, now most of the ponies here have not seen a changeling before but most likely have heard stories of the attack on Canterlot, so I don't think they will be to welcoming to you, and Miss Moonlight if you need to get anything now would be a good time to go on ahead we'll wait for you outside of town for you but please only take what you can carry as I want to get thru this place as quickly as possible" I could not help but give a chuckle at this statement which did not seem to pleas Morris to much "you do relies that I can change my form don't you?"

"I thought changelings could only take on the forms of ponies they have captured?" I looked at him with your Kidding me look on my face before speaking "I don't think so, besides that sounds like a tactic used to infiltrate as it would be suspicious to have one pony in two places at once don't you think so?" I said in a tone of disbelief "so what you going to do if you look like somepony else hmm,?" "that's easy I would do what you would do" "oh and what would that be?" "blink and look shocked and ask if we are related or something"

Ivory burst out laughing at this exchange which stopped when Paul burst into green flames and in his place stood a blue unicorn with a black and white mane, every pony looked shocked, until he spoke "so what do ya think like" Paul said in a slight accent but was still understandable.

Moonlight had a look of confusion on her face "Erm Paul why do you sound so odd" she said still in shock "oh that's charming like ya kna what I mean like, its still me ya kna and I think its gotta dee with where I come from like, look if ya want me to I will try and lay off of the accent but no promises like," I said with a smile and a wink.

Moonlight blinked blankly she could not understand why he would choose to be like this, but I could see the distress in her face "Moonlight I was just joking with you, and that was a northern accent from my home I did not mean to offend you and I thought this would make going throw your village easier for all concerned, as I don't want to upset any pony or anyone for that matter like as I can prove that its me or rather that I am still me, but if you think I am deliberately going to be lying to the ponies then I am sorry but I don't want to start a riot or scare any pony"

I said with all the compassion that I could but in this form I could not feel her emotions as much and I was getting worried in case I had scared her or offended her I was about to say that to her when I noticed something on ..... well om my flank in fact both sides of it I was not prepared to see what appeared to me as a black smudge as I could not really get a good view "erm Moonlight could you do me a favour please" I asked as nicely and not as worried as I wanted to as I do like to keep clean and this looked like it could be dirt or muck of some kind to my current view.

"what is it Paul?" Moonlight said in a distant not sure tone of voice. I stepped a bit closer and whispered to her "could you tell me what that is on my flank pleas as I don't want to freak out if that's dirt" to which Moonlight just blinked at me then she just burst out laughing "That's not dirt" she manages to say in between fits of lather "that your cutie mark (giggles again and then controls herself after clearing her throat) you mean you did not make it along with your coat and horn?" I was relieved to hear her say it was not dirt but I was confounded by the fact that I did not make such a thing.

"No I just thought I changed into a unicorn I did not choose anything as I thought it would be beast if it was blank that way no pony could mistake me for some other pony" I said with all honesty and truthfulness, I moved my head into a better position to view this thing better it was a hat with a sword "a hat and a sword I wonder what it means?" I said absent mindedly mainly to myself in disbelief that's when Moonlight spoke up "maybe its from when we were attacked and you defended my father's bout?, but i'd better be going (she turned her attention to Morris who did not look amused) there is an old barn outside of town if you want to meet up their " Moonlight said still wondering about the changeling as she left the group of guards.

Morris nodded his head in response and then turned his attention back to Paul,  "Paul I think we all appreciate what you are trying to do, but would you please change back as that form really makes me uncomfortable, as me and Ivory were at the palaces when it was attacked" to which Ivory nodded in response "Morris is right but we will not forces you, but either way it will look weird to the pony's one way or the other" she said in a soft knowing tone of voice.

"so you do realize I am only Pony height because Moonlights bout was small and I was not able to stand fully......" that's when something that had been at the back of my mind came back in strength, how did Moonlight manage to get me onto her father's bout? a sudden feeling of dread began to grip my entire being, what if she...what if she was not who or what I thought, I will have to keep an eye on this as evan I know a few spells that can make me seem to be something else, I felt my heart twinge at this thought, and that's when I decided to keep it to myself unless she turns out to be a risk to the pony's and my mission, I only pray that I am wrong as I don't want to think about it.

"are you ok Paul? it's just you don't look so good" said a concerned Ivory "sorry its been a hectic few days that's all, but I think suspicion from the pony's is better than fear and panic from them" I said pushing my doubts as far away as possible but still keeping them within reach.

Sub chapter 11a loose lips sink ships

Meanwhile moonlight proceeded towards her home going through the winding road towards the town from the docks, she still had feelings for Paul but seeing him change in front of her was strange, one minute she was standing with him the next he was a complete stranger, she had heard the stories from other ponies that had witness changelings change in front of them, but that was not what she was expecting it to be like as it was so alien, she continued to have these thoughts run through her mind not noticing she was now in the bottom half of the market district where she would normally sell her cache when a familiar voice broke her contemplation.

"you who, Moonlight are you ok dearie?" came the familiar voice of her next door neighbor miss Lilly who is a aqua collard earth pony with a cutie mark of a paw wrapped in a bandage, she is the villages local village vet and Moonlights best friend. "Oh hi Lilly sorry I was not paying attention, am just going to be popping in to mine as I will be gone for a bit, which reminds me how are your patients doing?" Moonlight asked with concern and attentiveness in her voice, "well we loss the male cat due to his injuries but the female and her kittens are in a stable condition, I just hope Marigold is alright after the fire" Lily said with a strong sense of remoras in her voice knowing how Marigold loved her cats.

"did anypony find out how it started or are they still searching?" moon light said hopeing that the one responsible will face the punishment of the law or this would turn out to be just an unfortunate accident. "it's hard to say really as nopony saw any thing but the weird thing is they found a symbol that was a red eye apparently burned into the brick, but no pony knows what it is about or what it means, and I don't have any clue as to who would want to hurt her as she has always helped me to find the ingredients that I use in the various potions and creams needed to treat almost any injury" Lilly said with her eyes starting to tear up.

Moonlight upon seeing her friend start to tear up, she instinctively rushed over and hugged her friend, who if truth be told was more like a sister to Moonlight after all being left in the care of the Luna House for lost foils will do that to you, as you hold anything that resembles your family close to your heart, you see dear reader unlike most fillies and colts Moonlight was spared the pain of misplaced hope, as a stallion with a cutie mark of a sun rising over the sea, he was a dark blue earth pony with a white mane he was called Henry and along with his wife who was a white Pegasus mare with a black mane and had a depiction of three fish,

the first fish being caught by a fish hook, the second by a spear or harpoon and finally the third one was covered around the waist by a net, all of them were joined into one at the tail, they both saved her from that torment as they could not have foils of their own, but in their hearts they knew if they had a child, that child would be Moonlight,

but Moonlight had a different view of what their child would look like all except for the cutie mark her new special pony friend Paul in pony form was in fact the spitting double of what moonlight use to think what her brother would look like if they could have children, needless to say that was in fact why she almost freaked out at the sight of Paul's pony form.