Books and Covers
by Jonathan “KnightMysterio” Spires
All characters not original copyrighted to their original owners. If you like my work, please support me on Patreon!
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Everfree...
A lonely hut...
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Two figures stood in the room. One was colorful, a brightly colored pink and red pony with an insectile appearance. Her wings were butterfly-like, her tail oddly looking like an insect wing as well. Her eyes were glittering blue, and there were white crystals in her neck. A nervous smile was on her face.
The other figure in the room was another insectlike pony. His carapace was black and dark green, his eyes dark green as well. His green wings were ragged-looking but functional, and he had rot holes in his legs. He stared at the colorful female with a mix of anger and pity.
“So...” the female said. “Kevin, right? It's nice to see that you picked a name.”
“Hnh,” Kevin said, still staring at her. “My friend Matilda gave it to me. It's a donkey name. And it's better than yours, Ladybug. Rather redundant, wouldn't you say?”
The female giggled. “I suppose... With Chrysalis no longer in the picture, we can actually HAVE names without them being insults.” She smiled. “It feels good, no longer being a number.”
Kevin sighed, managing to smile. “I'm... I'm honestly happy for you, Ladybug. As much as I'm able to be, anyway. But I'm not interested.”
Ladybug frowned. “Kevin, please... The constant starvation is OVER! In these forms, we can actually feel positive emotions, generate love ourselves! We don't have to hunt!”
Kevin shook his head. “No, Ladybug,” he said.
Ladybug frowned. “Why, though? Don't tell me you're still loyal to HER...”
Kevin actually laughed. “Don't be stupid, child. I didn't run away from the Hive because I was loyal to that overblown psychopath,” he said. “No. I am not loyal to Chrysalis. But I will not go along with that young pup Thorax's vision for us.”
“Why?” Ladybug said.
Kevin sighed sadly. “Because while we've changed, the ponies haven't...” he said.
Ladybug frowned. “I don't understand...”
Kevin shook his head. “You wouldn't,” he said. “You're all hopped up on new emotions, new feelings, and the fact that ponies don't think we're all monsters anymore.” He sighed again. “I, on the other hoof, have seen what ponies are really like. Thorax's brave new world... isn't really that new.”
“Kevin...” Ladybug said sadly. “Don't you want to come out of the darkness?”
Kevin shrugged. “I'm fine,” he said. “Cranky, Matilda and I have an arrangement.”
“But they don't live with you,” Ladybug said. “You're alone so much...” She walked over and nuzzled him, giving him some love energy. Kevin felt refreshed by it, but didn't let her do it for long, pushing her away. “Please...” Ladybug said. “Join us. You don't have to be like this anymore.”
Kevin just shook his head. “I'm fine,” he said.
“Don't you want to be unique?” Ladybug asked.
Kevin turned to her, staring at her incredulously. And then he began to laugh. An unsettling, half-mad laugh. “Silly, silly little grub! In case you haven't noticed, I AM UNIQUE! The last of my kind!”
Ladybug's ears folded back, the changeling wincing. “You're half-formed...”
“Says who?” Kevin said, sneering. “I breathe, I eat, I drink, I sleep... I think, therefore I am. Sounds pretty formed to me.”
Ladybug shook her head. “That's not what I meant, I...”
“And on top of that,” Kevin continued, pacing back and forth, “some of the color schemes for us are just SO DAMN UGLY! What the hell is up with those tails? And, I mean, you're fairly symmetrical, but so many of the others look like a crayon box puked! Blah!” He shook his head, smirking. “As for me, well... Rarity could easily tell you that basic black works with everything.” He strutted a little.
Ladybug frowned. “Kevin...”
Kevin glared at her. “You ever hear the pony phrase 'never judge a book by it's cover?'”
Ladybug nodded.
Kevin sneered. “Noble, right? Love and tolerate. Total horseapples,” he said. “Changelings could be EXACTLY the same as you and the others are now. But if everyling all still looked like me, then we'd still be having to hide in the forests, hunting and scrabbling for just the slightest hint of affection!”
“Not all ponies are like that!” Ladybug protested.
Kevin sighed. “No. I'll concede that,” he said. “But most of them are. You haven't lived among them for long. I have. I know how petty, how petulant they are towards anything that doesn't look nice, or looks like it's going to eat them... You? You're pretty. Bright and cheery colors. You're feeling happy and friendly and wanting to share it around. Of course ponies will like you.”
Ladybug frowned. “I... I can't believe that,” she said. “I was one of the ones who replaced the Element bearers! They forgave me!”
Kevin sighed. “They're heroes. Heroes tend to be the best of their kind, and as such are one of the only types of ponies who actually will love and tolerate. And Ponyville's a weirdness magnet, so they're used to the new and bizarre.” He chuckled. “For Faust's sake, they have the Madness Bringer himself, freaking Discord, as a regular visitor.” He shook his head. “Ponyville and its ponies are the exception. Not the rule.”
Ladybug looked uncertain. “Thorax... he befriended the ponies while still looking like you...”
“He befriended a dragon,” Kevin said.
“A dragon with pony values!” Ladybug countered.
“Pony values, but dragon instincts! I've seen Spike, and he's just as treasure hungry as any other dragon! The only difference is that he values friends as his treasures instead of shiny rocks,” Kevin said, shaking his head. “They didn't give Thorax a chance until Spike said they should and an alicorn backed him up. If the Princess of Friendship hadn't backed Spike's play, do you HONESTLY think that Shining Armor, who's mind was violated by Chrysalis, and Princess Cadenza, who had her life stolen by Chrysalis, would have let Thorax go free?!”
Ladybug didn't have an answer.
The elder changeling sighed. “Talk to Zecora,” Kevin said. “Ask her how she was treated before befriending Twilight and the others. Talk to Bulk Biceps. Ask him about how others see him. Talk to that delivery pony that's obsessed with muffins. Ask her how often people mistake her for being mentally retarded.”
Ladybug shivered. “I... I don't know what to think anymore...”
Kevin sighed. He lay down, suddenly looking very, very tired. “I won't begrudge you lot this new beginning. And I honestly hope that this works out, that changelings can truly integrate with pony society. Treasure your friendships. Treasure your new feelings.” He glared at her. “But just don't expect me to join in. I won't change just because others don't trust me because of how I look. I know what I am. I LIKE who I am. And I won't change to conform to what others think is good.”
Ladybug stared at Kevin. Her mind was awash with confusion. Her emotions were whirling, and she didn't know what to say to him. And after a few moments thought... she sighed.
“I can't convince you to join us, can I?” she said softly.
Kevin shook his head. “No. Send my apologies to King Thorax,” he said.
Ladybug went over to Kevin and hugged him. “Goodbye, Kevin,” she said.
“Take care of yourself, Ladybug,” Kevin said, hugging her back. “Be hopeful, but never forget – the ponies didn't start accepting you all until you became pretty.”
Ladybug shivered softly, and left him, flying away.
Kevin sighed wearily, and began to pray. “Please... Please let her never see the world as I see it...”
THE END