The Best Gift One Can Give
Author's Note
Proununciation Guide
Xix: Zix
Xvi: X-V-I (Say each letter)
Xvii: X-vee (Hard X)
The Best Gift One Can Give
Xix looks around, watching all of the changelings fly with purpose. Their intention: find the intruder in the cave. He flutters his wings confusedly, not knowing what to do.
"C'mon Xix." His older brother, Xvii, yells, effectively pulling his attention from the patrol he was watching.
"What?" Xix asks, turning to face his brother.
"The Queen is promoting whomever catches the intruder!" Xvi, his sister, announces. She turns and bolts away, leaving dust floating around where she once was.
"I-I... I can't." Xix admits, looking down. Kicking at the ground.
"What do you mean you cant? Just because you're the youngest doesn't make you the weakest." Xvii scolds, glancing behind him.
"You know I'm not a fighter!" Xix shouts, whipping his head up to look at his brother.
"Fine, alright. But it's your loss." His brother scoffs, turning around and running to where a loud commotion can be heard.
Xix shakes his head and turns back around to the ledge that overlooks the throne room. A purple unicorn is being held by Queen Chrysalis's mucus. A bright flash of green and she's replaced by another changeling. Scanning his eyes through the throne room, he watches the same purple pony climb onto the throne, a rock on her back.
"What is she doing?" He asks himself, running through a list of possibilities.
The unicorn lifts the rock above her head, then with little force, brings it back down.
Though doing nothing to harm the throne, the clink reverberates through the throne room, causing Chrysalis to turn and look.
Xix watched as the unicorn hid and Chrysalis talked a lot. There was some yelling at some point.
WHOOSH!
A bright light floods the cavern. Replacing the previously black changeling that was stuck, into a brilliant green and purple one. A pair of giant horns on his head and a scraggily magic horn.
"See! This is what happens when you share love instead of taking it!" The unicorn yells. Xix's eyes sparkle, looking at the magnificent changeling.
The other changelings speak to each other, then another flash erupts. After that another.
Knowing something bad is going to happen, Xix turns and starts to run for an exit.
BOOM!
The whole top of the hive explodes, the concussion of it knocking Xix out and sending him flying into the wastes.
Xix groans, lifting his head to look up. He landed on his, now very sore, stomach. Lifting himself up to his flank, he looks around him. He's been thrown quite far from the hive, at most a mile. Looking to the top, he sees where the throne room used to be. In it's place, is nothing.
"Well, shoot." He mumbles to himself, standing up and attempts to stretch out his wings. "Damn. My wings are shot." He says, looking to his back, to see nothing there.
"What!?" He spins, trying to get a better look at his bear back. His wings are gone! He feels no pain, and there is no evidence of anything going wrong. They're just gone! A smooth carapace replaces where they should be.
"Sonovabitch!" Shouting angrily, he looks towards the hive. "There's no way I could go back now. I'd be the freak."
Looking east of the hive, he spots a road. If he followed that far enough, maybe he could find ponies. Maybe he could find a sufficient food source.
He nods. That's the plan. Find ponies, change into somepony beloved, and feed off that love. The biggest problem in that plan is just to find ponies. Xix has never been outside the hive before.
"Yes, Xvii. I am the youngest. but I am NOT the weakest." Shouting with confidence, he makes his way to the road.
WELCOME TO DODGE JUNCTION
POPULATION: 137
Xix smiles, happy to of finally reached other life forms. Then a grim realization manifests, nopony trusts changelings. If a ponies saw him they would turn and run. Soon enough he would be locked up.
"But I'm hungry, I need food!" He says to himself.
"No! You know what would happen. They would imprison you. Canterlot dungeon. Does that sound fun?" His brother's voice seems to come from nowhere.
"Get out of my head Xvii!!" Xix shouts, spinning around.
"You know what would happen. You know what would happen." Xvii's voice alternating from one side of Xix's head to the other.
"Get away! Get away!" He shouts louder, hitting his head with his hooves.
Until an earsplitting scream pulls his attention. Xix whips around to look in the direction where it came from.
A purple unicorn mare pulling a cart is staring at him. He does his best to smile, waving innocently at her.
"That's not going to work." His sister whispers singsongingly to him. Xix raises a hoof and bats at nothing, scaring the unicorn even more. So much so that she lowers her head and points her horn at him. Watching confusedly, Xix takes a step closer, thinking it was a weird pony submission thing,
Then a beam of purple magic fires at him, hitting the ground at his feet. Adrenaline pumping through him and his heart working overtime, he turns and bolts towards the city.
Another beam of magic flies through a hole in his right foreleg, causing him to stumble and fall onto his muzzle.
He scrambles to get up and starts running again, green blood oozing from his nose. Another beam flies past him, soon another, then one hits his flank, just above the left joint.
Despite the burning in his flank, he makes it into Dodge Junction and turns down an alleyway. Running straight down the alley way then turning back onto a deserted street.
Dust being blown in the wind and the sound of distant shutters makes Xix shiver. Not even that wastes were this desolate. The only pony in sight is the unicorn who attacked him, far at the end of the road. Still pulling her cart.
Xix looks around the town, hoping to find a place to go now that the bleeding has stopped. The houses are made of imported wood of some kind, no windows, just shutters. And despite the welcome signs count of there being 137 ponies here, the only one in sight is the unicorn from earlier.
Then he sees the train station. Although as deserted as the rest of the town, two posters pull his attention. Xix makes his way to the posters and looks at the first one.
ALL FARES IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER ARE FREE OF CHARGE CURTESY OF PRINCESS CELESTIA
God bless Equestria
Printed behind the words Is the Equestrian flag.
"'God bless Equestria'?" Xix scoffs. "God. Must be some pony superstition." He says to himself, turning his attention to the second poster.
Two ponies, a unicorn stallion on the left and a pegasus mare on the right, are standing upright back to back. They're in front of a giant and old looking building labeled RCIS HEADQUARTERS. Both of them have their forelegs crossed, both are wearing an uplifting smile, and the stallion's forehooves are red. The poster ends just above their flanks. The unicorn stallion has a shiny silver mane and a golden coat, a snout that makes him look more feminine than masculine, and vibrant purple eyes staring right at Xix. The unicorn is pointing a Griffin Arms revolver upward with his magic. The pegasus mare's mane is a blood red and her coat a chestnut brown. Her Emerald green eyes focused at Xix aswell. Using her right wing, she's holding up a leather bi-fold wallet with a shiny silver badge in the shape of the sun. On it says:
RCIS
SSA Andreah Reigns
Lead Canterlot Hippologist
Xix reads what it says out loud.
In the past 4 years, crime has risen 20% in Canterlot alone. 30% everywhere else in Equestria.
JOIN THE RCIS AND HELP PREVENT CRIME IN YOUR HOMETOWN
Xix nods his head, looking at the stallion, liking the possible disguise. Keeping the image in his mind, Xix closes his eyes. Imagines the change. Then willing his body to change, he does.
He then reopens his eyes, the light from the sunset shining halfway onto the brick wall ahead of him.
Xix walks alongside the wall, searching for the restrooms, or a lobby. Someplace with a mirror. Finally finding the doors to the lobby and walking in.
It's a small building, with a small lobby. Blue carpeting with cheesecake yellow wallpaper, three sets of benches lined the middle of the lobby. Across from the front door is a set of double doors leading out to the track. To Xix's left is an unoccupied reception counter, littered with all kinds of different clutter. Bottles, a coffee mug, candy wrappers, pens, loose leaf paper, and a small mirror.
Trotting over, eager to see how well his change worked, he picks up the small mirror with green magic. First examining his face, he notices not an inch different than the stallion on the poster's. The same feminine curve of the muzzle, the same silver mane. The only note able difference being Xix's eyes being orange instead of purple.
Next looking over his body seeing he forgot the red hooves, he shrugs. Then realization strikes. He had no idea for a Cutie Mark. On his flank is only blank golden fur. Looking around franticly for inspiration, he notices the design on the coffee mug. A bass clef interlocked with a treble clef. Deciding good enough, he closes his eyes again and puts the design on his flank.
Reopening his eyes, he looks back at his flank. Finding the symbol to his satisfaction, Xix checks his other flank, finding the same symbol.
Knowing he got the transformation right brings a smile to Xix's face. Everything from the muzzle to the shiny silver tail is perfect.
"Now, what's my name?" He asks himself, his voice coming out smooth silky. Not at all like a Changeling's voice. 'Well, it's gotta be something music related, since my Cutie mark is a music thing.' He says to himself, putting the mirror down and walking over to a bench.
'Microphone? No... Too on the nose. Symphony? No...' Xix contemplates, hearing the train screech to a halt outside the station. Deciding to hitch a ride to wherever it is this train is going, he trots over to the doors and walks through.
The train is an odd pink color and the conductor who stepped off of it was overly happy.
"You coming on?" He yells to Xix, who nods in response. Xix trots over but is stopped by the conductor.
"What is it you need?" Xix asks, heart pumping faster than before.
"Do you have any luggage that needs to be in the cargo train?"
"No sir." Xix responds starting to climb on.
"Have a nice trip, Mr..." The conductor open ends his sentence.
"Micro Song." He responds, making something up.
"Well, have a nice trip, Mr. Song." The conductor says happily, sending some love to Xix. In response, he turns and waves back at the conductor.
Micro rocks back and forth, the train swaying in the wind. Terrifying for somepony who's never ridden any machine ever.
He looks out the window and watches the landscape fly by, trying not to get motion sickness, when he feels his stomach rumble.
"Uh-oh. Somepony is hungraaaaaay!" His sister, Xvi, whispers singsongingly.
"Sooooooo, Micro.... Song.... What's the plan?" Xvii mockingly asks, popping up from the seat in front of him, causing Micro to jump.
"W-where did you come from?" He asks his brother, fear shooting through his body in waves.
"Awwww. Does little Xixy not remember biology class?" Xvi whines evilly at Micro, showing up next to him.
"Of coarse I remember it!" He shouts angrily, causing the smirks on his siblings to grow. "I just don't remember you guys following me, or others getting on the train at all."
"Well..." Xvi says.
"We could be." Xvii.
"Right here!" They both say, hitting Micro on the head at the same time.
...
Then they're both gone. Micro blinked in a rapid succession hoping they would show up again. Annoying company is better than no company at all.
"Mr. Song? Is this your stop? Because this is the train's last stop." The conductor shakes Micro awake.
"Where are we?" He asks, rubbing his eyes.
"In Manehatten sir. Is this your stop." The conductor asks again.
'Manehatten? I've heard of this place. Not very many nice ponies.' Micro thinks, standing up. "Might as well be."
"Alright. have a nice day." He hears the conductor say as he walks off. A few seconds later, a small crowd bustles up and clambers onto the train.
Rolling his eyes, Micro walks off of the platform into a crowded street. Unsure of what to do next, he begins walking, bumping into ponies here and there.
He looks down an ally as he passes it, then somepony behind him pushes him into it, causing him to fumble.
"W-wha-?" Micro sputters out, turning to look at an earth stallion behind him.
"Shut up and give me all you got!" The stallion shouts.
"I don't have anything! See? No saddlebags! N-"
"Don't bullshit me! I know unicorn tricks! You can hide shit!" He shouts angrily, making Micro back up in fear.
'DAMN! I forgot I'm a unicorn. He thinks.
"Now reveal your shit or your gonna get cut!" Just as the stallion says that, another stallion, this time a unicorn, walks out from behind the first, twirling a blade with his magic.
"I don't have anything!" He yells, continuing to back up.
"Alright." The first stallion nods to the one behind him. "Sic'em."
Laughing, the stallion following orders tosses the knife at Micro.
"Wait! WAIT!"
++++
Canary Melody walks down the street, humming her new song to herself. It's been a good year in the music business, but with others popping up, like Songbird Serenade, her traffic is slowly declining.
"Let's get the hell out of here!" Somepony yells, running out of an alley and knocking over a few ponies. Including Canary.
"Hey!" "Watch it!" "Bastards!"
Though others are yelling vulgarities at the two rude stallions, Canary Bites her tongue and rolls onto her knees. Overtaken by curiosity, she rises to her hooves and looks down where the two ran from.
And sees nothing special.
She starts to turn when the setting sun reflects off something, reddish in color.
Fearing the worst, Canary sprints down the ally, following what looked like spots of blood. Turning a corner, she almost slips in a small puddle of blood. And laying in that puddle is a red soaked stallion. Who looks like he should be gold and silver.
"SHIT!" Canary yells, giving up on her vow to not swear. Flipping the dying pony over and searching for the source of the bleeding, she repeats three words.
"Don't be dead! Don't be dead!"
AHH! Hell! Xix attempts to speak, but the only words are those in his head. He squeezes his eyes then opens them, only to see blurry blobs of the room. A few more seconds riddled with blinks and his sight is restored.
He's on a bed, back to the bed and only his forelegs on the blanket. To his left is a window with an extravagant view of the ocean. Below the window is a guest chair. Next to the bed is an EKG and an IV drip stand and bag. To the right of the bed is a nightstand littered with gossip magazines, including 'Stationary Stone'.
Looking forward he notices something he hoped he never would out in the real world. He's gone back to the form of a Changeling. Xix closes his eyes and imagines his disguise, the creamy-gold and silver unicorn stallion.
Once back into a more socially accepted form, he hears a female voice start cackling. Looking toward the guest chair, he sees Xvi.
"Thaaaaaaaat's not going to wooooooork!" She sings, looking evilly at Xix.
"What do y-"
"They've already seen you, dumbass." This time his brother, leaning on the right side of the bed. "This little..." He gestures at Xix, "Costume won't do any good."
"Wrong! They haven't seen me! I'm fine!" Xix Shouts at his siblings. Loud enough that they disappear and the door on the far right opens. Walking in is a unicorn stallion in a white lab coat, he's floating a clipboard.
"What was that sir?" He questions. Caught off-guard, Xix jumps and sputters out an excuse.
"No- Nopony! I-I was talking to myself!"
"Uh-huh..." The doctor nods, walking over to the EKG and writing Xix's vitals down. "You're quite lucky, mister..."
"Song... Micro Song." Xix replies, remembering the façade.
"Alright, Mr. Song. You are quite a lucky one. Ms. Melody found you after you were stabbed and brought you immediately here." He uses his magic to replace the IV. "If you wish, I could send her in, she's been waiting... well... close on four hours now."
"That long?" Xix asks in astonishment. The Doctor nods as he walks to the hoof of Xix's bed.
"I'll send her in." He says, placing the clipboard on a hook at the end of the bed before walking out.
A few minutes pass, then the door creaks open. Slowly.
"Hello?" A voice calls in.
He watches as the door is pushed open and a yellow mare with a black mane walks in. Closer inspection reveals her cutie mark to be a lighter yellow bird with eighth notes originating from it's mouth. Presumably signifying singing.
"Are you Ms. Melody?" Micro asks the earth pony mare, causing her to smile.
"Please, no formalities. Just call me Canary," She tells him, walking over to the guest chair. "What's the name of the handsome stallion I got the privilege to save?" Canary asks flirtatiously, making a slight green blush raise to Micro's cheeks.
"Xi-- uh.. Micro Song." He stumbles to say, making Canary lightly giggle.
"Ok, Micro, what happened that caused to get hurt like that?" She inquires.
"I just got to the city a-"
"OOOOH! Where from?" Canary interjects excitedly.
"From Canterlot." He bluffs, using the only other city he knows from what little teaching he got at the hive.
"Ahh, Canterlot. I used to live there. Loved it." A few seconds pass. "OH! Sorry! I didn't mean to cut you off. Continue." She motions her hoof.
"It's alright." Micro tells her, stifling a laugh. "Just a bit after I exited the train those two bastards pushed me into the alley." He spat. "Threatened to kill me if I didn't hoof over what I had. When I told them I had nothing, a knife went into here then they ran." He points his hoof at the bandages over his chest.
"I see... Well, you're lucky I happened to pass by." She says, smiling wide.
"Yes, I am very glad. Thank you very much." He says. Then Canary starts giggling.
"W-what?" Micro asks, confused. Canary's giggling evolves into laughter. "What?!"
"W-Well..." She struggles to speak in between breaths. "Y-You're so f-formal."
"Well, yeah. I'm speaking to a mare who just saved my life. It's just polite." He explains, still confused. Canary finally managed to calm herself.
"It's overly polite. Just be yourself."
"You would run if I were myself." He mumbles, looking down.
"What'd you say?" Canary asks, leaning closer. Micro looks back up at her.
"Nothing... I-"
"Excuse me?" The doctor says, walking back into the room. "I'm afraid visiting hours are over. You'll have to leave Ms. Melody."
"Alright." She complies, getting out of her chair and walking over to the door. "See ya tomorrow Mr. Song." Canary punctuates her statement with a wink at Micro. The green tint returns to his cheeks.
"AWWWW. Somepony woves you." Xvi mockingly coos at her brother once the door was shut. Xix looks over to the chair.
"Just wait 'till he scares her away with his actual face. She'll BOLT!" Xvii laughs, leaning against the chair his sister is in. "Besides, do you how horrible Changelings are at kissing? I was once busted by that fact alone."
"Nooooo, it's just that you're a horrible kisser. I'm a marvelous kisser." Xvi Boasts, placing a holy hoof to her chest.
"Yea?" Xvii scrunches his snout at his sister. "Prove it."
"Heh... Alright." Xvi scoffs, grabbing her brother and pulling him in.
Xix looks away in disgust.
Canary knocks on the hospital room door. 'Oh, I hope I don't wake him. He need's his r-
"Come on in." The voice of Micro travels through the door.
She has to take a couple of deep breaths to calm her nerves before entering the room. Why am I nervous? She asks herself as she enters, knowing well that she has nothing to worry about.
"How'd ya sleep?" Canary asks, closing the door behind her.
"Well," He lies through his smile. His siblings kept him up all night. Though, in answer to Xix's prayers, it was just talking. "How about you Ca- I mean, Ms. Melody?"
"On with that again? Please. Just Canary." She groans, trotting over to the guest chair. "And I slept surprisingly well after my manager stopped calling me?"
"Your manager?"
"Yes... My manager... I'm a professional singer. He's the one who helps me book concerts and gigs." She informs him, making him feel dumb.
"Oh, right."
Silence hung.
"I assume you sing, having a name like 'Micro Song' and your Cutie Mark being a linked Treble and Bass clef." Canary asks, throwing Micro off guard.
"Y-yea... Well, I used to anyway. When I gained the mark I sung like a bugs gotta fly. But then I got into finance and gave up on it. I sing occasionally but nothing like I used to." Micro tells her, digging himself a deeper into the hole.
"Ah! Well, I think fate brought us together. I have a prrrropostion Mr. Song." Canary tells him, rolling her tongue on the 'R' and hopping off the chair.
"Yes?" He questions, shifting uncomfortably.
"After your time here is served, why don't you and I get together and sing? Even if ya can't, I can always pull some strings and find ya a job. I'm just that good." Wink.
Micro's cheeks glow a faint green.
"Anywhooo, I've gotta go. See ya tomorrow. Mr. Song!" Canary practically shouts as she walks away end exits the room.
"SOOOOOOO.... Ya slept well, didja? Xixy?" Xvi asks, back on her chair.
"Shut up..." Xix tells her, sinking into his blanket.
Xix looked forward to Canary's visits. Like clockwork, she was there everyday from 2pm to 3pm.
"It's not because I like her!" He tells his siblings. "Her visiting is what's keeping me feed. The love I get from her friendship."
"SUUUUURE! And I'm becoming queen." Xvi mocks.
"So, where is Ms. Informal anyway? Isn't she normally here by now?" Xvii questions, sitting on the bedside table reading a porn mag.
"What?" Xix thinks out loud, looking up at the clock adjacent to him. 2:45pm.
"Uh-oh... Did wittle Xixy's heart just bweak?"
"Shut up Xvi! She's a professional singer. She's probably just busy." Xix reasons.
"Or she forgot about ya... OOH! Look at this position!" Xvii says to Xvi, holding up the magazine to her. Xix covers his face with a pillow.
"Hey, I've gotta go." Canary says to Task-Taker, her manager. Glancing at the clock. 3:00pm. The hospital closes at four and it takes a half an hour to get there.
"Why? We've got two more songs to record, get back into that booth." He demands.
"Excuse me? You do not order a mare around like that. Now I've got to go." She scolds her manager, turning around and exiting the recording studio.
"Dammit Canary! We're on a schedule!"
Canary walks into the hospital lobby, bypassing everypony in the waiting chairs.
"Pardon me? I'm here to see Micro Song." She says to the receptionist.
"Well, you'll have to get behind all the news ponies that just arrived."
"News ponies?" She asks worriedly. The receptionist nods.
"Somehow word got out he's the survivor of a stab so he's making head li- HEY! YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" The receptionist yells as Canary runs down the hallway, heading for Micro's room.
She turns right towards her destination in time to see the last of a few ponies entering the hospital room.
She skids to a halt as she reaches the door, calms her breath, opens the door.
"Micro Song, what was it like surviving the stab?" One reporter asks, holding a paper pad and pen with orange magic.
"Who the hell are you?" Is the response. Canary has to do her best to keep a straight face.
"Alrighty, news time is over. EVERY PONY! OUT!" She shouts at the reporters, all their ears go back simultaneously.
"Hey! It's Canary Melody." One of the five reporters announces, making them all turn around to her.
"Why is it that you're here Ms. Melody?"
"To get you all to fuckin' leave." She says angrily, glaring at them.
"Alright. How is your new al-"
"GET OUT OF HERE!" She yells, scaring them all enough to scramble and bolt out of the room. Once they were all gone, Canary walks over to Micro triumphantly.
"Who where they?" He asks as she makes her way over.
"News reporters." her response dripping loathing.
"Why where they here? This city is huge! Don't tell me there is no crime."
"Oh, there is crime. It's that not many ponies survive said crime." She tells him, not four hooves from his face.
"Oh, that make s- OOF!" He's cut off by her spontaneous hug.
"I'm sorry I'm late."
"It's okay... It's not that big of a deal." Reassuring her by returning the hug.
"It is! you counted on me coming at a certain time like I did for the last week, and I broke that cycle. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. I understand ponies get busy. Don't be so frantic about being late."
"Thank you..." She whispers, pulling from the hug then walking to the chair.
"You'll have to make it up some other way." He tells her, winking once.
"Alright." She smiles.
...
"Oh, and before anything else..."
"Yes?".
"Why is there a porn mag on your night stand?"
The day of Micro's discharge was a day they both looked forward to. And now their patience has paid off.
The nurse came in and helped him off the bed after carefully removing the IV needle and EKG patches. Canary got the pleasure of escorting him out of the building.
"So, you want to go out to eat? Now that you don't have to deal with that nasty hospital food?" She asks. Micro shakes his head.
"I'd love to, but I'm afraid I've to not money. Those bastards took what little I had." He bluffs, she nods sympathetically.
"Than lunch on me! And i'm not taking no for an answer. Mr. Song." She says sternly. Micro let's out a chuckle.
"Alright."
"YAY! So, where you wanna eat? There's tons of eateries here, the only problem is knowing the ones that have food you can actually eat." She jokes, drawing another laugh out of Micro.
"Just somewhere that serves edible food, I guess. I've never eaten here," Or any pony food for that matter. He adds silently.
"Equestria Dine it is!" She shouts happily. Leading him to their destination.
"That was really good!" Canary exclaims as she exits the building.
"Yes! It was by far the best food I've ever tasted." Micro agrees, closing the door behind him then catching up to her.
"So you've never had their food before?" Canary asks in disbelief.
"Nope. Never. That was my first time."
"Well, glad I got to accompany you." She says, attempting to bow and walk, tripping in the process but not falling over.
"You ok?" He asks her.
"Yeah, I'm good."
Silence ruled for a few seconds as they walked.
...
"So... Where ya stayin'? I'll walk ya there." Canary inquires, looking at Micro. He gives not response as he looks at the ground.
"I'll take your silence as saying: 'I was being a dumb stallion and didn't think that far'." She giggles. This time he nods, still not looking at her. "Well... Mr. Song. You're quite lucky that I just happen to have a guest room in my house. And a vacant one at that."
"Really?" He asks, lifting his head. His purple eyes lock onto her red eyes.
"Really." She nods, breaking eye contact and looking ahead. "And if you so choose, you may occupy that room."
"Please!" He asks, eagerness edging in his voice.
"Goodness! You really didn't know what to do did you? 'Cause you're jumping onto this with vigor." She giggles. "Alright... Follow me."
"Thank you!!"
Micro and Canary arrive at Canary's house. One smaller than a famous pony would have, Micro thought. It's on the water and somehow has a small yard. It's ranch style, so one floor stretching outward. Not anywhere close to other buildings.
"This is it." She tells him, walking up the black and white checkered stone walk leading to the door. Looking down, Micro walks along the stone, avoiding the white stones, walking on the black.
"What are you doing, silly? Just get over here!" She waves him along, already at the door. Scrunching his muzzle with slight annoyance, he skips along the black and makes it to the door. "What were you doing?" She asks.
"Skipping all the white stones. Black's my favorite color." He says, sticking his snout slightly higher in the air casing Canary to giggle.
After a second of silence. "Alright... Let's get you situated." Canary opens the door and it swings inwards.
Micro takes a step in, the smell of vanilla candles and cookies wafts his way. He flares his nostrils a few times to get his nose used to it.
He's standing in a small hallway, pictures of Canary singing, smiling, and posing lined the walls.
"OH! I'm soooory! Is it too strong? I kinda planned on draggin' ya over anyway so I went ahead and baked ya some cookies!" Canary half-sang, closing the door and walking past him. Slightly swaying her hips.
Noticing this, Micro's face turns a faint green with a blush and he rushes to catch up to her.
"S-So you anticipated my coming over?" He inquires, attempting to make his blush recede.
"Yea!" She exclaims, trotting into the kitchen.
The kitchen was about as small as you'd expect, it being in a small house. It has a small counter island in the center. Another counter running the length of the far wall with a sink in the middle. The right wall has an oven/ stove with a hood. Above the hood is a microwave.
Making her way to the island, Micro behind her, she pulls a hooftowel off of a plate. Revealing two dozen chocolate chip cookies.
"Go ahead." She says, waving her hoof over the plate. Micro grabs one and takes a bite.
"Mmmph!" He exclaims with a mouth full. He then swallows. "That's really good!"
"Go ahead, have another." She tells him, he complies with enthusiasm.
"How is it you knew I'd come over?" He asks after swallowing his cookie.
"Well..." She turns to him, accidently making her yellow muzzle scrunch up against his gold one. "I know what stallions like."
Without warning, Canary puts her lips gently onto Micro's. Sending a warm wave of love through his body emanating from his muzzle, causing him to let out a soft moan.
"AWWWW!!!" Xvi sighs, sitting on the counter. Xvii is hooting next to her.
Until a bright green flash lights up the room.
"OOOOOH! You're in for it now!" Xvii shouts at Xix, disappearing along with his sister.
Not a second later does Micro feel Canary's lips recede. He opens his eyes and they make contact with hers.
Their filled with fear. Staring at him.
A few seconds pass before he looks down at himself, wondering what could upset her. Seeing the holes in his black forelegs causes him to start to panic.
"C-Canary... I-I can e-explain!" He stutters, taking a small step forward.
"NO!"
BAM!
He didn't have time to react before she had already spun around and bucked him squarely in the chest. He flies back a few hooves then hits the floor. She then runs over to him and places her right forehoof onto his neck.
"Where's Micro?" She demands calmly.
"I-I..." Strangled cough. "I am Mic-"
"Don't lie to me!" She says, pushing harder onto his throat. "I know you replaced him! Who are you and where is he!"
"I am..." Struggled breath, "Micro!"
"No you're not!" She mockingly laughs, taking her hoof of him and backing up. "You're a bug!" She spat.
"Wha-?" He stands up but stands with cowardice.
"And a deformed one at that! Aren't bugs supposed to have wings?"
He looks onto his back and sees where they should've been.
"I used to be called Xix." He meekly says, looking over to her then to the ground. "The hive exploded and took my wings. So I left, wandered until I found a town. But it was to deserted to feed me. I then found the train station. There was a poster on the wall with somepony who looked slightly like Micro. So I made the form up." He explains, falling to his flanks.
"And?!" She asks impatiently.
"I found the Cutie Mark on a coffee mug in the station. Then made up the name because it corresponded with the mark. I boarded the train under the new name. A new life!" Tears started to fall. "I made it here, to Manehatten. Wasn't off the train for five minutes before I was attacked and stabbed. Then I assume you found me..." Quieter, "You know the rest."
"How do I know you didn't make that up? Bugs will do anything to save their hide!" She shouts, staring him down.
"This!" He shouts back, slamming his hoof against his chest a few times. Each time causing him to tear up from pain. "The wound!"
She looks and, sure enough, sees green blood leaking out of a diagonal cut four inches long on his chest.
"Now I'm back at square one..." He whispers just barely audible.
Xix looks up at her with glazed eyes, tears long forgotten. Only pain and anger. "I thought I found not only a food source, but a life!" He chuckles and looks down at the green puddle. "Damn, bigotry at it's finest."
"X-Xix... I-"
Disregarding her, he spins around and sprints out the door.
"XIX!!!"
12 Months Later
"Soooooo.... Bug Boy," Xvi snickers. "What's the plan? I assume you have one. I've been asking you every day for the past year."
"And I've told you every day for the past year." Xix responds, turning back to his changeling siblings. "I'm just going to live off scraps of pony food. Though it's disgusting and unfulfilling... it reminds me that I am too..." He tells her, walking the ally he's in and kicking a stray can.
"HEY!" Xvii shouts, flying down to land in front of Xix. "No one talks about my brother like that except me! That includes himself. As far as I'm concerned, you're one hell of a changeling. Far better than Xvi or myself would ever hope for." He says, making Xix turn back around.
"Just leave. Why are you two here anyway? Shouldn't you be off as some floofy new changeling? Sharing love instead of taking it?" He mocks.
"We're not going anywhere until we know that our brother is safe and well." Xvi tells him, landing down alongside Xvii in front of Xix again.
"Well, you're wasting your time," Xix mopes, turning around again, his head hung low. "I'm better off dead."
"Oh thank Chrysalis you're here!" Xvii says, walking into Canary's house. He trots over to Canary, who happens to be laying on the floor in her kitchen. "Are you still beating yourself up about what happened over a year ago?"
She looks up at the intruder and jumps back.
"X-Xix?" She asks, her eyes slightly red from crying.
"No," He shakes his head. "My names Xvii, his brother."
"Why are you here? And aren't all changelings reformed?" She asks, standing up.
"Except a select few. Now c'mon! I'm afraid Xix is going to do something stupid!"
"Where is he?" Canary asks the\Changeling running beside her.
"He's been moping around where you first found him." He informs her. She nods, knowing exactly where she was going.
"Xix! Please! Wake up! Wake up!!" Xvi screams, shaking Xix as he's slumped against the brick ally way. She shakes him again.
"Xvi!" Xvii shouts, rounding the corner with Canary.
"Finally!" She responds, backing out of the way as Canary makes her way to him.
"What's wrong with him?" Canary asks, looking back at the two. Xvii looks to his sister.
"He stopped eating. Didn't turn into others and leech love, didn't even eat pony food. He's out cold. Starved himself. Please do something!" Xvi replies franticly.
' What do I do?' Canary thinks, looking back over Xix. Do I take him to the hospital? Will they be able to help? How can they give him love? I doubt there is love in liquid form... Love...'
Without thinking, Canary lifts his head and places her lips on his.
Xix's wings hurt. A lot. And so did his head. And stomach.
Basically everything.
Groaning and bracing his head, Xix sits up in the soft bed to look around.
He was in a small room barely big enough to hold the full bed he was on. The room's walls were cream with a red, flat carpet. Next to the bed was a nightstand with a glass of water on it. Once Xix saw that he gulped it down greedily.
Knock...
Knock...
Whomever it was at the door seemed unsure of themselves.
Remembering his disguise, the room flashed green as he changed to Micro before he called "Come in."
The door opened slowly, and a yellow and black mare pokes her head in.
"C-Canary?" He asks, choking on the name. The mare nods her head.
"May I come in?" She asks meekly.
"Of coarse." He replies, watching the yellow mare walks slowly in after closing the door behind her.
"I want to start out with sorry." She says, breaking the silence that grew after she entered.
"Why? For you sticking up for somepony you thought was taken? For doing the rational thing? No don't be sorry. I Am sorry. For fooling you. Tricking you. Lying to you." He says, gradually getting quieter and quieter.
"Xix." She startles him, using his real name. "Please turn from this." She requests, gesturing to the golden stallion.
Sighing, he rids of the disguise in a green flash.
"In the last year, I realized something Xix." She starts.
"That you foolishly fell in love with something that you didn't even know for two month." He snorts, cutting her off.
"YES!" She exclaims. "And it wasn't what was out her that I loved. It was what was in here is what I fell in love with. Your silliness, like when you where playing hopscotch on my walkway. Your persistence to be polite regardless of what I had requested. And everything else! YOU! Xix! YOU are what I love!" She tells him, seeing his eyes get glazy from tears. "Not Micro Song."
"I'm sorry!" He starts sobbing, pulling the blanket further onto him and burying his face into it.
"Oh Xix..." She sighs, pulling him into a hug. "Like I said, don't be sorry."
He unburies his face and looks at her.
"W-what now?" He asks.
"Now, you get yourself a marefriend for Hearthswarming. It's the best gift one can give." She informs him.
"Hearths... Warming?" He asks.
"Oh, I'll explain later."
Despite his face being slick with tears, she can't help kissing him. This time to show him how much she meant it.
The kiss causes his wings to spread and buzz franticly. Canary laughs and pulls away from the kiss.
"I love you, Xix."
"I-I love you.... too, Canary." Xix replies with a giant smile.