This is an old Changeling tale. Noling is quite sure how old, but they all agree that it is so.
There was once a changeling. They lived a normal life, as a guard. One day, however, they saw a pony, fearlessly approaching the hive.
"Who are you?" The changeling hissed at them.
"Relax, my friend. All I would like is a lesson." The pony replied.
"A... Lesson?" The changeling hesitantly asked. After all, here was a pony, asking for help from a changeling of all things!
"Yes. I would like to see if I can learn changeling shapeshifting."
At this, the changeling laughed and laughed. A pony, hoping to learn an ability of the changelings? Ridiculous!
Seeing this display, the pony only smiled. "I may have more success than you think." They stated.
Their curiosity peaked now, the changeling agreed. The two sat down, and began the lesson, the changeling using methods taught to them as a nymph.
Amazingly, the pony did it! In a weak burst of blue flames, the pony changed their appearance completely! The changeling was astounded. They had thought it was a joke! They didn't think this pony would even be capable of this!
The pony thanked them, and walked away, being too far before the changeling finally registered this was a possible threat. Since they couldn't go after the pony themselves, they told the whole hive of the pony that learnt their power in a single day. The hive then told their children, who told their children, who told their children, this strange tale. At this point, it had stopped being a warning, and started being folklore.
Exactly fifty years later, a pony walked up to the hive, calling out to the changeling on duty,
"Hello there!"
The changeling shrieked in shock, before picking up their dropped weapon and hissing at them.
"What do you want? Who are you?"
"Oh, hello deja vu. How are you doing?" The pony muttered to themself. "I merely wanted to see how you were doing! My my, it has been a while, hasn't it?"
The changeling hissed in confusion, understandably. Why was this pony talking like they were seeing an old friend?
Said pony suddenly gasped, hitting themself in the face with a hoof. "Of course, I'm an idiot. You have no idea who I am, do you?" The pony called.
The changeling warily shook their head.
"Of course. Well, I merely wanted to see what was going on. I'll leave for now!" And with that, the pony walked away.
From that day onward, every fifty years, the same pony would show up at the west side of the hive, at the exact same place. It is the only part of the hive that has never been renovated, for fear that the pony may not be able to find the location, and may give up and never come back. The pony's method of arrival may change, be it walking, teleporting, or their own changeling fire, but it was always the same pony. Noling knows what they look like, as any guard somehow forgot the pony's appearance once said pony was gone. However, they have never failed to appear, no matter what. Even if the day is a dark one, of storms and hail, the pony would still appear, the only difference being that they would be dressed in a black cloak. Noling is even sure what tribe of pony they are. Most agree they probably have a horn, but horned pegasi, alicorns, and the like do exist.
"Wait, there's some pink text scrawled at the bottom. And that's how Equestria was made? What? That- That doesn't even make sense!" Stammered the older changeling. Mandible was a good guard, and an excellent nymphsitter. Not so old he just sat and slept, but not so young he did reckless things. He shook his head at the book in his cheese-like hooves, titled 'Ancient Changeling Folklore'. He got up, and sighed. "Well, according to this book, 'The One Who Watches' is supposed to show up today. I wonder if we'll see them?" He asked the young changelings, who responded with cheers. Right on cue, the door leading into the room was knocked on, before a guard crashed into the room.
"He's... Here..." Was all he had to say, before collapsing.
"Well. It seems we will see him then. Come now, children." Mandible ushered the nymphs along, towards the west primary exit of the hive. They walked out onto the sand, and immediately one of the nymphs began to run off. Mandible was about to go running after the nymph, before seeing exactly what the nymph was after.
"Hmm. Made some nice changes, haven't you?" Called out the white pony. He had a white and black mane, with a single deep blue stripe in his mane. He had dual colored eyes, with his left sky blue, and his right flame orange. He had an odd cutie mark, of a conical beaker surrounding an infinity symbol. His voice was that of a scientist: calm, collected, and hiding immense knowledge. He was a unicorn, and his magic was the same ice blue of his eye. Mandible was confused by this. Wasn't the Queen's throne supposed to block all but changeling magic?
"Hello, who's the little one?" He asked, looking down at the tiny nymph, who had one thing to say to him: "Wow. You're tall."
At this, the pony laughed. "Yes, I suppose I am rather from your point of view. However," and he broke off with a snicker before continuing, "I'm surprisingly short for my age." And then he broke into howls of laughter. This didn't sound like the scientist he was earlier. This sounded like a lively old pony having a laugh at an inside joke. The nymph looked up at him curiously, and he calmed down enough to reassure them that "I'm not laughing at you, young one. Just something you said." before chuckling again. As Mandible finally made it to the scene, the mysterious pony had calmed down. "I haven't laughed like that in a good long while. It feels nice to be able to do that every now and then." He turned to Mandible as the changeling halted beside him. "Hello. You this one's father?"
"What? Oh no no no. I'm their nymphsitter. Being a bit different with you here though."
"I can imagine. After all, I'm... Wait, what's your name for me?" At Mandible's blank stare, he shrugged. "What? I'm a scientist, I can deduce that with what you see of me, you'll have a name."
Mandible blinked, before relenting. "You're the One Who Watches, due to multiple reports from multiple changeling that they can see you watching over things. They assume. It's always the same pony, and the pony has what few characteristics we can actually remember of you after you leave, so we assumed it was you."
"Well, first off never assume unless it's all you've got. Almost always leads to disaster. And second off, yes that was me. The One Who Watches... Yes, that's a good name. The Watcher. But, you'll want to know my actual name, won't you?" At Mandible's nod, he sighed. "Fine. The name I mostly commonly go by, is G. However, my true name..." He trailed off, shuffling his hooves. "Dammit, never been good at dramatic reveals. My name's Windy Days. And with that, I leave." And he vanished. He didn't teleport, he straight up vanished. One second he was there, the next he wasn't. After recovering from this, Mandible had but one word to say.
"Goodbye..."
Author's Note
Hey, how ironic! The reality chapter's like twice as long as the chapter the book's named after!
