The Fake Changeling

by Listener

Rating: everyone
Tags: Human, Twilight Sparkle, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Original Character, Mystery, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Adventure
Length: 9170

There's a new creature in the forest, one that has been shunted out of his home and body by forces unknown. When the truth comes to light, what will remain of who he had been? Who was he now?

The forest was his new home.

From what he saw, he didn't belong in the town outside of his forest, but he also knew he didn't belong inside of it. His new hole filled legs and black body seemed to make sure he didn't fit in anywhere.

He had planned on trying to figure out what had happened to him without drawing attention, but when he saves three fillies from danger, he knew that his time to think about it was almost up.

The ponies would want answers.

He had none.

---

Cover art done by the incredibly talented Mix-up! His DA is here.

Published 2019-02-20 02:10:01 UTC
Last updated 2020-01-22 01:01:34 UTC

Uncovered and Named

It was those fillies again. He didn’t know why they kept coming into the forest whenever the larger ones would become upset at them every time. It was obvious they were being warned not to come into it as both the larger ones, the foals, and even he knew the dangers of the forest.

He knew better than most. It had been at least a month since he had appeared in the forest, alone and confused. He didn’t know how he had ended up in the forest but he had quickly learned how to survive, how to avoid the dangers of the forest and those that lived in it.

The small, brightly colored fillies stood out in the forest, unlike him and his black exterior. They seemed oblivious to how much attention they attracted. He snorted and shook his head as he watched them enter, before sighing. At least they were taking the path to the one that lived in the safer part of the forest.

He stood and stretched, abandoning his watch of the town in his attempt to learn more about them, knowing that the fillies were likely to get themselves in danger. He didn’t know them, and they didn’t know of him, but at least he could keep the danger at bay. He wasn’t the biggest threat in the forest, but those around the path knew of him, and steered clear.

With another look back at the strangely colorful town filled with ponies, he set off to follow the trio of happily talking ponies, not knowing what they were talking about in the foreign tongue, but knowing that their voices would draw attention.

Apple Bloom looked at her friends with a wide smile. “Alright, Ah know that I told you I would ask Zecora if you could come along as she showed me how to make potions, but I didn’t think she would say ‘yes’!” she said with a happy voice. “But, be careful in there! Ah don’t want Zecora thinking I’m too young for the responsibility.”

Scootaloo smirked as she rolled her eyes. “Relax! Me and Sweetie will be on our best behavior. Besides, it’s just potion making, what can we do to screw it up just watching?” she asked as the white pony nodded in agreement.

Apple Bloom gave her a look. “One word. Cutie-pox.”

Sweetie grimaced at the reminder, looking at her friend. “Oh yeah.”

The orange pegasus just smiled at that. “Well, I won’t be eating any flowers I see, or drinking any potions! We’re here to see if we can get our potion making cutie mark, not potion tester!”

Apple Bloom continued her look with a raised eyebrow before shrugging. “Alright then,” she said, before smiling. The unicorn next to her bumped shoulders with her.

“Thanks for asking Zecora, Apple Bloom,” she said with her own smile.

Any response Apple Bloom was going to give was cut off by a roar in the distance, the girl’s ears flattening down as they looked at each other.

“Ah don’t suppose that there’s any chance that’s not coming towards us?” Apple Bloom asked, looking at her friends.

Another, closer roar rang out from the forest as it was Scootaloo’s turn to give Apple Bloom a look. “With us? No. Run!” she yelled as they all started running for Zecora’s hut.

His head snapped towards the roar, knowing what it meant. Why one of those was so close to this part of the forest he didn’t know, but he knew what it meant. Hearing the fillies start to run only did so much to calm his nerves as he prepared himself for what was to come.

The manticore was hungry.

“It’s getting closer!”

“Ah know Sweetie, just keep running! I can almost see the hut!”

“We’re not going to make it!” Scootaloo shouted out, the ground trembling as the manticore chased them. Looking behind her with wide eyes as it crouched down and leapt at her. She screamed as it flew towards her, only for a black blur to fly out of the forest and slam into the monster’s side and crashing it into a tree. Pushing off from the monster with a kick, it landed between it and the fillies, its insect like wings spread out in a show of aggression as it glared at its new foe.

He glared at the scorpion-lion monster, hoping that it wouldn’t call its bluff and attack. It snorted at him, pacing back and forth as he kept himself between it and its intended meal. He snarled again, stomping the ground as he flared his wings again, trying to be bigger than he was. He gave a growl, the manticore glared back, before grunting and leaving through the forest. He kept the stance up for a moment, before looking behind him at the shivering fillies on the ground. He sighed, looking at them and dropping his stance and walking up to them against his better judgement.

The fillies looked at each other as the black insect like pony looked at them, not sure what he was going do, but knowing that the safety of Zecora’s hut was too far to run to. He stared at them for a good minute before sighing and starting to make noises at them, waving a hoof at them as they huddled together. The three of them watched as it did what they knew well. They were being chewed out by the black creature.

Stunned, they could only watch it do so, frozen from the fear of the manticore, and being wary of the new creature. It looked at them for a moment longer, before sighing again as it looked back towards the forest edge out of view and then back at the path the fillies were traveling.

It gestured towards down the path that the hut was on, starting to walk down it before looking back to see if they were following. Seeing that they weren’t it stared for a moment, unsure how to continue

With a moment’s debate it stepped forward and gently picked up Sweetie, the other two yelling out, Scootaloo going so far as to try and kick him to free her friend.

“You’re not going to eat her!” she shouted as Apple Bloom did the same, trying to pull the squirming unicorn from its grip. It just gave the two an unamused look and pushed her back with a hoof, setting her friend on his back, before grunting and rolling his eyes at Scootaloo’s continued assault. It gave her a look as he raised an eyebrow, before speaking in its weird language. It started walking towards Zecora’s hut, looking back to make sure they were following.

Seeing that they were, it gave a smile and kept walking as he looked around the forest with a watchful eye.

He gave the two fillies following him a look as he walked, his mind whirling as he tried to think of how this would end. He had been here at least a month, watching from the forest. He had no idea how the town would react to him, and he had not seen anyone else that had looked like him. Leave it to the danger prone fillies to make him break from his hidden life.

He sighed again, before waving a hoof at the look the yellow one gave him.

“It’s nothing,” he promised her, hoping his tone would get past the language barrier. He blinked as he shook his head. It had been so long since he had even heard his voice. Thankfully, it was the one thing unchanged in his new body.

She said something back, but as always he couldn’t understand a word of it. Idly, he wondered how long it would be before the purple one was scouring the forest for him. She seemed to like the unexplainable from what he had seen from the forest’s edge.

His secret was out.

Sweetie Belle looked at her friends from her new vantage point, the entire situation being weird even for the three of them. “Girls, what just happened?”

“Ah think that whatever it is just saved us and then yelled at us,” Apple Bloom said as she looked up at her, her confusion apparent as well.

“Well, I don’t think it’s going to eat us,” Scootaloo said after a moment of silence. “After all, why would it be taking us to Zecora’s?”

The other two nodded as they looked at their unexpected savior. “What is he anyway? Ah’ve never seen anything like him before. He’s smart though!” she said with confidence.

Scootaloo snorted at that, drawing a raised eyebrow from the creature before it went back to scanning the forest again. “How smart can it be if it can’t speak Equish and lives in the Everfree?”

“It did sound like Rarity when she’s chewing us out,” Sweetie pointed out, shifting on its back.

“And Applejack too,” Apple Bloom added before thinking. “I wonder if it has a name?”

“It lives in the Everfree, Apple Bloom,” Scootaloo reminded her. “How can it have a name?”

Quickly forgetting about her earlier fear, Apple Bloom sped up to walk beside him. “Hey! What’s your name?”

The yellow one was talking to him. Glancing down, he gave what he hoped would be a placating smile. He couldn’t understand a word they were saying, and they couldn’t understand him. It was a question based on the tilt of her head.

“I don’t understand,” he said with a soft smile.

Her head tilts the other way before she looked deep in thought for a moment, the unicorn from his back offering her own words. Whatever she said makes the yellow one smile before she sits down and points at herself. He was about to nudge her with a hoof to urge her on again, when she spoke.

It was his turn to tilt his head as he looked at her. She pointed at herself again, repeating the same word. His blue eyes lit up as it clicked. That was her name, and the question from before became clear.

They were asking for his name.

The unexpected smile on its face made Apple Bloom smile back as it nodded, thinking for a moment. After a moment, it pointed at her.

“Awpble Blowmm,” it tried, giving a look of concentration.

Her eyes lit up again as she nodded, repeating herself. “App-le-Bl-oom” She said, stressing her name out slowly.

“Awple Blooom?”

“Apple Bloom,” she corrected again with a smile.

It was quiet for a moment. “Apple Bloom?”

Judging from the look on her face, he had gotten it right. It wasn’t much, and it was with what he presumed were children, but it was more progress he had had in the month he had been here. He smiled at her, before she pointed at him with the same question.

His smile faded a bit as he thought about the question. He was no longer who he had been, he was now someone, something new. His old name had no right to this form. He gave her a shrug, before pointing at her.

It was pointing back at her, its eyes furrowed in concentration as it thought.

“Awple Bloom,” it started, flubbing her name again as it tried to speak Equish, repeating her own question back to her with a pointed hoof. “What es youur namee?” it tried as it pointed back to itself, trying to wrap its mouth around the unfamiliar sounds.”

Her confusion showed on her face as Scootaloo sat down beside her, looking up at it. “I think it’s just parroting what you say Apple Bloom. It’s probably just as smart as one too,” she said as she looked at her friend.

Apple Bloom shook her head as she looked at her. “He’s smart, he’s learning Equish,” she said as she pointed at him. “What is your name?” she asked again as he frowned, trying again.

“What es name?” it tried again, pointing to himself.

Sweetie spoke up, her voice unsure. “Is it asking us to give him a name?” she asked, blinking.

Apple Bloom’s eyes lit up as she pointed to him. “Apple Bloom give you a name?” she asks, getting a confused look from the creature as she sighed. “What should we call it then?” she asked, looking at her friends and hoping that’s what it wanted.

“We could always call it Black?” Scootaloo said as she looked at it.

“Too on the nose,” she shot it down.

“Says the pony whose entire family is named after apples and works on an apple farm,” Scootaloo said with a laugh.

Interrupting what was about to become an argument between her two friends, Sweetie spoke up. “We could call it Onyx!” she said happily, only to get two blank looks. “You know, onyx? It’s a black rock? It’s black and hard as a rock!” she said as she looked down.

“It is?” Scootaloo asked as it touched its leg while avoiding one of the holes. It looked down in confusion as she looked up. “She’s right!”

“I should know, it put me on its back.” she said as she nodded.

Apple Bloom nodded. “Alright then! Onyx it is!” She looked back up at it and smiled. She pointed to herself. “Apple Bloom,” she said, before pointing at him. “Onyx.”

He couldn’t believe that he had actually gotten the question across. If he was going to be found soon, he might as well have a name that sounded normal to those who found him. He nodded as he looked down at her.

He tried his best to repeat his new name, doing all he could to form his mouth around it.

“Oinyc?”

No, that wasn’t right. Apple Bloom repeated itself for him.

“Oinyx?”

Still wasn’t right. The orange one, the one who had touched and startled him spoke up, using her front hooves to accentuate the word. It was actually quite cute he had to admit to himself as he smiled at her.

“Onyx?” he asked slowly, sounding it out again. Judging by their looks, he had gotten it right. For some reason, he felt proud of himself as he nodded, trying it out again. Speaking in the more familiar language, he nodded again. “I am Onyx.”

He couldn’t believe that he had gotten his question across to the small fillies. He wasn’t sure he had gotten the question right, in fact he was almost sure he had gotten it wrong. His new name would help separate who he had been from who he was now. He didn’t know who he was now, but now he had a starting point.

Onyx smiled.

It was good to have a name.

Apple Bloom smirked at Scootaloo, “Ah told ya he was smart!”

“He may be smart, but he’s still crazy for living out here,” she said, standing her ground before she let out a surprised noise as she’s nudged with Onyx’s muzzle. He said something in his own language, but the intent was clear as she and Apple Bloom got up.

“He’s right you know, we do need to get moving,” Sweetie said as they all started walking, the zebra’s hut coming into view after a few minutes of walking.

The zebra in question was standing outside her hut, her eyes displaying a mixture of wariness and relief. Before she reached them, Onyx twisted around and gently took Sweetie Belle by the scruff of her neck and set her between her friends, pushing her forward towards the zebra.

It was still strange to Onyx to see the zebra, looking similar to those he had known but different enough to set him on edge. She was a reminder that he was not where he belonged. He shifted as she got close enough to look down at the three fillies and then back up at him.

He gestured to the three of them with a hoof. “They’re your problem now. Escort them back please,” he said, knowing that there was no way she’d understand, but he hoped that his tone would get across.

With a nod to the confused zebra, he turned around to leave before he let out a startled noise, looking down at his front legs to see Apple Bloom and the orange pegasus hugging his legs, their words unintelligible to him but their own tone making it clear to him what they meant. He let out a grunt as he felt the familiar weight of the white unicorn on his back. Onyx smiled soft as he nuzzled the two in front of him, surprised that despite his stress earlier about everything he felt the best he had in the time he had been there, in that moment. It was strange, the nuzzling coming naturally to him like that.

With a few words from the zebra, the fillies let go of him, Apple Bloom waving at him as she walked back to her. His new name caught his attention. He tried to say the same.

“Goyd bie, Apple Bloom,” Onyx said as he smiled, waving before he walked back into the forest, disappearing from their sight.

Zecora waited a moment before clearing her throat, grabbing the attention of her three temporary students. “I am glad to see you Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. When you did not show up on time I felt worried and was coming to look for you,” she rhymed out. “I gave permission for you three to come and watch my potions brew, but I also remember saying to have an adult accompany you,” she said, looking down with a raised eyebrow.

The fillies stayed silent for a moment before Apple Bloom spoke up. “We’re sorry Zecora... We got so excited about coming to see you that we left early, and left a note with Applejack,” she said as she looked down.

Zecora looked surprised for a moment. “You say you left early but that’s no excuse,” she gently reprimanded. “But if you left early, the fact that the path takes longer now is certainly news.”

Scootaloo spoke up at this point, her normally brash voice sounding sheepish. “That might be because we ran into a manticore,” she said slowly.

Zecora looked at her, a bit surprised. “Is that the cries that I heard earlier? I thought that your tardiness had to do with your courier,” she blinked after a moment. “Wait a minute Scootaloo, you say a manticore bothered you on your way through?”

The orange pegasus in question nods as Sweetie spoke up, nodding. “Yeah! I didn’t think they came so close to the edge! It leapt at Scootaloo and then Onyx stopped it and scared it off!” she squeaked happily.

Zecora took a moment to process this. “Onyx was the creature’s name?” she asked, the fillies nodding to her. “And you’re sure he’s not to blame?”

“No!” Apple Bloom said, shaking her head. “He saved us from tha manticore, and then we shared names! Was harder than it looked too!” she said proudly as her friends nod and confirm her story.

She’s silent for a moment. “I must cancel the class and for that I apologize, but I think I know of a Twilight Sparkle that might want to know of this creature I did not recognize.” To her own surprise, the trio look a bit unsure about that, not the expected reaction of disappointment at the canceling of their class.

“I don’t know Zecora. You know how she gets with new things.” Sweetie said. “I think Onyx just wants to be left alone.”

This causes her to pause as she thinks. “I am sorry Sweetie Belle, but to her this I must tell,” she said after a moment. At the filly’s disappointed look. “But in this matter I will take lead, and I will insist on keeping an eye out in her stead.”

That seemed to be the right thing to say as Sweetie nods, the other two following along. With a nod of her own she closed her door and looked down.

“We will reschedule today for a later date, but if I find out you are coming here alone again no more I will create,” she said as a warning, before making sure that the fillies were following. Seeing that they were she set off, her eyes watching the forest along the path for unseen dangers.

Onyx’s eyes locked with the zebra’s and he froze. He was sure he blended in with his surroundings, one of the only perks of his new form.

But in that moment that their eyes locked, an understanding was passed between the two of them. He could no longer hide from her now that she was aware of his presence. He blinked at her after a moment, and nodded. He could no longer hide, to pretend that the forest and all that lived in it would ignore his presence any longer. His future was changing.

As he watched the zebra walk away with the three fillies he set off to follow. He needed to be closer to the edge of the forest, and he wanted to keep an eye on those three. Onyx didn’t know why, but the feeling of needing to safeguard the three while they were in the forest was at the forefront of his mind.

It was strange to him.

He had counted the days he had been in the forest.

But now he was counting the days he had until everything changed.

Onyx smiled.

Author's Note

This chapter was edited by my good friend (though he's loathe to admit it at times) Duelist96!

He took an idea from three in the morning and made it better.

Damaged and Protected

One day. He had only wanted one day with nothing bad happening. He could accept weird things happening, living in a forest with mythological creatures. Even him being here was weird, but it was better than the alternative.

But bad? He had avoided bad for the most part until yesterday.

Even so, he was having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

A bear had wanted his cave, and he had been forced to flee.

He was still hungry, always starving, even after eating.

And now? He ran through the woods, trying to escape the latest creature to want to kill him.

The manticore was back.

He panted hard as he heard a tree fall from the pursuit. He couldn’t intimidate it this time, and he knew that he wouldn’t stand a chance after trying to fight the bear for his home. He hoped to whatever god saw this world that he was running towards the zebra’s hut.

With the ground shaking from the larger predator’s pursuit he risked a glance back to see if it had gained on him, eyes widening as he saw it catching up. Suddenly he was hit on his side, sending him sprawling into the dirt several feet away. Looking up he could feel his adrenaline kick into overdrive as he saw a second manticore.

The manticore had brought a friend.

He didn’t even know manticores had friends.

Wide eyed and letting out a panicked yelp, he scrambled back to his hooves and took off despite his pain, wishing once again he knew how to fly. One manticore was a huge problem; two manticores were certain doom.

He stumbled a bit as the rough ground of the forest smoothed out into the worn down path, the hut in the distance. Recovering, he started to sprint towards it, relief in his eyes as he spotted the bewildered zebra walking towards him.

He could have laughed at it if he wasn’t about to die.

Zecora could only watch as the manticore pounced at the strange creature, using a paw to swipe him off the path with a snarl. He hit a tree with a sickening sound, a crack resounding out as the manticore seemed to smirk. It slowly walked towards the creature as it landed with a thud on the ground.

The manticore stopped in its tracks as a stick came flying at him and slammed into his head. Growling again, it whipped its head around towards the zebra stalking towards it. It recognized the zebra and her stick. It hesitated, knowing full well what she could do with it. The other manticore burst from the forest in a pounce.

Zecora looked up, before she evaded to the side and jumped up, coming back down and slamming her hind hooves into the manticore’s head as it landed. With a graceful jump, she landed a few feet away. Looking at the collapsed manticore for a moment, she turned and smiled at the other one.

“You can go ahead and try it Joe, but I think Fluttershy would like to know,” she called out at it.

With one last glance at its unconscious companion, it slinked away into the forest.

After checking and being satisfied that other manticore was knocked out, she walked up and recovered her staff, before looking to the creature the fillies had called Onyx.

He laid on the ground with a crack on his stomach, breathing now shallow. She bit her lip before slowly and carefully maneuvered him onto her back and started trotting back to her hut.

“Ow...”

Everything hurt. It hurt to breath, his body hurt, and his head hurt. The only time he could compare this to was when he first arrived in this forest.

As he laid on the ground, he focused on keeping still and keeping his breathing normal. If he could just trick the manticores into thinking he was unconscious, he could surprise them and escape.

It was silent though. The heavy breathing of the monsters was gone, and the ground beneath him was too smooth to be the forest. Where was he?

A sudden voice made his eyes snap open as he tried to push himself away from the voice, only for Onyx to cry out in pain as his underbelly shifted and made a distinctive grinding noise. His eyes squeezed shut at the sudden renewal of his pain.

As soon as it was under control, he opened his eyes, his attention darting around the room as he tried to figure out where he was. His breath caught when he saw the Zebra sitting a few feet away, looking at him curiously.

The zebra spoke as he stared at her, the usually meaningless words made even more hazy by his headache. He blinked and fought to stay awake in order to plan his escape.

He shouldn’t be here.

He couldn’t be here.

He shifted, eyeing the door when he felt something against his body. Looking down with another wave of pain in his head he saw bandages covering him, a stain of blue in a line crossing it. He couldn’t understand as he turned his gaze back at the Zebra, mouth open in surprise.

“You-” he started weakly, only to be cut off as he fell back down. Losing the last of his strength, Onyx started to cry.

Whether it was from the pain or from the kindness, he couldn’t tell.

Zecora stared at the strange creature she had bandaged up, worry in her eyes as he started to cry. She was honestly at a loss, a rare occasion for her. With her potions, she knew exactly what plants did what. She knew the edge of the Everfree like it was her backyard. In a sense, it was her backyard. She even knew why the ponies had been afraid of her, so far from her homeland that all that they had were rumors and myths.

But she had chosen the potential solitude.

Had he?

Onyx was an unknown. He must have been alone a long time for the simple act of a voice, a house, something in his surroundings causing him to panic in such a way despite his injuries.

Even how to treat his injuries was a mystery to her. She had healing salve for skin, potions for the inner body, even a little medical knowledge to help treat the mind. But his body was hard and cracked, not tore or split. Would the bandaging even do anything?

With a soft sigh, she walked up to him and gently sat him up, lightly putting a potion against his lips that she had prepared earlier to help him sleep and help with the possible concussion. Nobody got out of hitting a tree that hard without some sort of brain injury.

“I know you are scared but not why you weep, but I promise you’ll feel better if you just get some sleep. This potion will help you dream, and head off any problems too extreme.”

To her relief he drank the potion slowly, no resistance coming from him before she slowly laid him back on the ground. Slowly, his tears stopped and his breathing became more relaxed.

After a few more minutes to make sure that he was asleep, she slowly stood back up and stretched as she grabbed her saddlebags. “I’m sorry to leave you alone, but this is a trip I can no longer postpone,” she said to the slumbering creature, “For you I’ve done what I can to tend, but now I am in need of a pony friend.”

<----->

Zecora walked out of the forest, her eyes glancing at the town in front of her. She knew she would not be able to put off telling Twilight about the new creature in the forest much longer, but also knew the mare well enough she would not wait for him to heal.

Instead, she focused her attention at the small cottage next to the forest, glad to see the mare she needed already outside. As she walked closer to her she noticed another smaller yellow pony, to her surprise it was Apple Bloom.

Fluttershy smiled as she noticed her friend, speaking to Apple Bloom before the two of them walked over to meet her. “Hello Zecora. What brings you here today?” she asks, her expression curious as Apple Bloom’s look was a little worried.

“I have an injured creature in my care, and I’m afraid that on how to treat him I’m left unaware,” she admitted as Apple Bloom’s eyes widened.

“Do ya mean-” she started to ask before Zecora cut her off, not unkindly.

“Yes Apple Bloom, he had another run in with Joe,” she started as Fluttershy’s ears perked at the name, “and ended up hitting a tree harder than the one with the mane of rainbow.”

Fluttershy looked between the two. “Zecora, you know the animals of the forest even better than I do. What can I do to help?” she asked, “Besides, Applejack told me to watch after Apple Bloom today and have her help with my housework as a punishment.”

Zecora nodded. “I figured as much when I saw her helping, and figured it had to do with the forest she found so tempting,” she started. “In any case it is good she is here, he treated me with something similar to fear. Since he trusts her with giving him his name, maybe she could help keep his fears tame. The creature in question is an mystery, I’ve never seen anything like him in my history.”

The filly had already started walking towards the forest halfway through the explanation, before a yellow hoof stopped her.

Fluttershy walked around and kneeled down, looking at the smaller filly. “Apple Bloom, you know that you’re in trouble for going in there in the first place,” she gently admonished. “And no matter how friendly the animals in the forest may seem, they’re still animals. They’re not like Winona. They can hurt you badly,” she explained before looking back at the zebra. “I can come take a look, but I need to drop Apple Bloom back with her sister first.”

Apple Bloom shook her head. “Let me come with! He trusts me! He saved our lives!” she tried as worry for her new friend overrode her manners.

Fluttershy tilted her head as the zebra filled in the gaps. “Yesterday when she and her friends were coming to watch me brew, they ran into a manticore on the way through.”

The mare’s eyes widened as she looked down at the filly, and the zebra continued. “And he came out of his hiding in order to protect, unable to let the animal take the fillies I suspect.”

The yellow filly nodded. “He’s afraid of us, and he still came and risked his life to save us! ” she explained. “He then yelled at us before taking us to Zecora’s. Please Fluttershy, let me help!” she asked, a begging undertone in her voice.

Seeing her friend’s hesitance, Zecora chimed in. “I know he is intelligent, that much is apparent. He is much like a pony, but his reactions are not what the should be. He is afraid, which is what caused him to seek to evade. But he is hurt and confused, partially because I fear his brain may be bruised.”

Fluttershy stared at the zebra in shock.

Apple Bloom tried to get around Fluttershy’s hoof blocking the way before looking at her. “Fluttershy, please let me help him,” she asked, worry clear in her voice.

Biting her lip, Fluttershy thought about it, nodding after a moment. “Okay... but you stay by our side the entire way, and you listen to everything I say, alright?” she told the young filly. “Even if he’s smart, he could still be dangerous.”

Apple Bloom nodded quickly. “Ah promise!”

And with that, the three entered the forest.

Onyx dreamed.

The first dream since he had awoken in the forest.

Onyx hurt.

Even as he floated in nothingness, he hurt.

He had been crying, hadn’t he? He couldn’t remember the last time he cried. He couldn’t cry here; he couldn’t afford to. Crying was weakness, the forest could sense weakness, and the weakness was to be destroyed. The forest must be strong. Even as he thought about the forest, trees came into existence around him.

The forest had taken him in.

No, that was wrong.

The forest had claimed him. It claimed all those who would live here. He lived by its rules. The forest would protect him as long as he stayed strong.

It protected all those that needed it.

The forest around him was bright and warm instead of the dark and dangerous reality. It welcomed him in its own way.

Even as he had struggled to survive, the forest seemed to help him. Guiding him to food when he was about to starve. A protective cave when the weather turned wild. A pond forming outside of it when he needed it.

He slowly got up and looked around at the familiar forest, eyes wide as he saw the wild forest calm and his body healed.

He started to walk.

Why had the forest turned against him? First the bear? Then the manticores? He was still strong. He understood the forest enough to know what he needed to be in some strange way. Was it because he saved those fillies?

He stopped, having come to the edge of the forest. Looking over the town, he sighed and turned around to go back into the forest only to freeze in place.

A wooden wolf stood there looking at him with a tilted head. It was larger than any he had seen before with flowers blooming across its back instead of the usual moss.

He found himself frozen as it walked towards him, showing no signs of hostility. Instead, it reached him and nuzzled his muzzle, almost seeming to smile at him.

After a moment, it gently pushed him towards the town with a chuckling sound deep in its throat as he stumbled forward. Onyx looked back, wide eyed as the wolf stared at him with intelligent eyes.

Onyx understood.

With his own sad smile he walked back up and hugged the wolf, silently thanking it for its protection. He chuckled softly before sitting down next to the wolf, leaning against him. The wooden wolf looked confused before it also sat down and returned his lean.

He had to leave, but he could enjoy his home until the dream ended, right?

“Hello...?”

<----->

With a gasp he sat up, pain erupting out from chest and making him fall back down. He didn’t know the voice, it wasn’t his voice, and he had never heard it before.

That problem was quickly pushed down his priority list as he remembered where he was. The calm from his dream was gone, the fear returning. He needed to get out of the hut. The zebra had probably gone to get the purple one, and he knew that he did not want to meet the purple one. The two were friends, he knew.

Planning on escaping and executing on that plan were two different things he quickly discovered, his attempts at standing up dropping him back on his cracked chest. With a loud pained sound he rolled onto his back, just laying there.

Would it really be a bad thing if the ponies took him in? The thought came unbidden as he laid there, concentrating on ignoring the pain.

He shook his head to clear it and immediately regretted it as his headache threatened to come back. He needed a new plan, one that would hopefully avoid the purple one. She had lifted an entire star bear, what could she do to him?

The sound of voices slowly became apparent as he looked towards the door. The zebra had brought a friend, and Onyx hoped it wasn’t going to be like the manticore’s. He pushed himself back to where he was before, grunting in pain as he felt his chest shifting.

His ears flicked as he heard a familiar voice, his gaze back on door. He stiffened as the voices got louder.

Apple Bloom?

He flinched as the door opened and the zebra walked in, followed closely by the small filly he had saved the day before. One look in her eyes and he knew what she was going to do and it was a very bad idea for him, and he scooted back a bit. Luckily the zebra caught her before she was able to hug him, meaning his chest was safe from any more pain for the moment. He looked gratefully at the zebra before looking back at the smaller pony, relaxing a bit with her around.

He grunted softly as he sat up against the wall, ignoring the pain now, wanting to put on a brave face. He smiled at her before realizing his fangs probably weren’t the best thing to show.

“Hey Apple Blooom,” he tried, hoping he still got her name right. The giggle that came from her told him that he was wrong and with a quick correction he got it right. Thankful he hadn’t butchered it.

She walked over to him before pointing to the bandages with a worried sentence. He tried to wave it off only for a flash of discomfort on his face told her otherwise, a quick amused sounding coming from it. He chuckled, “The manticore got me really good.”

There was another voice in the hut, coming from the door. It sounded nervous. His head snapped to the new pony, eyes wide as he backed away from her against the wall. To be honest, she looked almost as nervous as she did as her eyes looked surprised at his reaction.

There were some words from the zebra as the new pegasus nodded. Apple Bloom walked up and gingerly leaned against him despite the worried words that came from the pegasus. He stiffened for a moment from the contact before looking at her confused.

She smiled at him as he just looked bewildered. Maybe it was just the lack of contact he had felt in a long time but to be honest, he felt better as he leaning against her gently, glad that someone was concerned about him. His head felt more clear, and he didn’t hurt as much. He felt better than he had since he had arrived, despite his injury.

He looked back up at the pegasus that had approached him, eyeing her warily bit not trying to push himself away again. She said something that sounded familiar as his ears tilted towards her before he tried. “Hello Any Help, I am Onyx,” he said, trying to wrap his mouth around strange phonetics.

She looked at him confused before the small one leaning against him chuckled, seeming to explain something to her based on her expression. She then spoke softly and slowly to him, something he was glad for. She said her name again before shaking her head, leaving him confused again. Had he gotten it wrong?

Apple Bloom pointed to the yellow mare, saying something different. He frowned softly. “Fluffershy?” he tried, looking at her.

She nodded with a soft chuckle as Apple Bloom started to say it again, waving her off with a hoof. She had said another word that he hoped meant yes, despite him getting it wrong.

He relaxed completely now, able to tell the concern she had for him as her eyes glanced at the bandages. Maybe the zebra had gone to get her to help? He shifted again, before understanding something.

“Fluffershy any halp Onyx?”

Fluttershy looked surprised despite herself. The emotion, the hope, behind them were too pony to come from any animal. She nodded as she nervously approached him, pointing to his bandages. With a nod from him, she started to remove them before looking confused at his chest. With a glance back at Zecora she asked, “How bad did you say he was hurt?”

“The blood on the bandages should be all that you need, for that how much would a pony have to bleed?” Zecora asked as she walked over and stopped as she stared.

Onyx shifted under their gaze, causing Apple Bloom to smile reassuringly at him. “It’s alright,” she promised with another soft bump into his side, making him close his eyes and smile as he felt warm for a second.

The two watched in amazement as what was left of the crack on his chest glowed slightly and slowly closed up, leaving nothing behind but a barely noticeable scar.

“It would appear that he is healed now, leaving me only asking about the how?” Zecora asked as she looked over his chest.

The mare shook her head as she stared. “I haven’t seen anything like this besides healing spells, but his horn would have glowed if he had used one of those. And with the amount of blood he lost based on the bandages, I don’t think he could have even cast it if he wanted to.”

Onyx shifted again as he looked down to see what they were staring at. With a jerk of surprise he felt his chest and grinned, feeling the newly healed body. A string of his strange language streamed from his mouth, before he nuzzled Apple Bloom with a smile.

She chuckled and pushed his muzzle away. “Do ya think he’ll be fine now?” she asked, looking up at Fluttershy, who shook her head.

“I don’t know,” she admitted, “He looks fine physically, but Zecora said something about a possible concussion?” she asked, looking over at the zebra in question.

All further deliberation was cut off as they heard Onyx sneeze, a green light filling the small hut.

Author's Note

Back again! School is out, so it's time for this author to get his ass into gear and write more. Sorry this took so long to get out, no excuses.

This chapter was edited by the wonderful MissyTheAngle!. It was also looked at by Zyks!

As always, lemme know what you guys think!

Safe and Vulnerable

He blinked away the bright spots in his eyes, a little surprised that a sneeze could cause his vision to turn green. What surprised him even more was the looks he was getting from the three equines in the room. Surprise was written on their faces. He knew he looked weird, but all he had done was sneeze.

Another thought pushed its way to the front. Since when was Apple Bloom the same height as him? And Fluffershy so tall?

He blinked again and raised a hoof to rub his muzzle to avoid another sneeze. As he saw his hoof, he froze.

His hoof.

His black and hole filled hoof.

Was yellow.

Apple Bloom could only stare at her new friend, who now looked like a mirror copy of herself, standing frozen as he looked at his hoof,

She took a step towards him. “Onyx?” She tried, before a scream filled the hut. Without warning, the panicked copy of Apple Bloom scooted backwards and tried to get away from the yellow hoof to no avail. The screaming continued as the confused ponies and zebra watched him slam into the wall of the hut, dislodging a mask on the wall. Silence soon fell as it slammed down onto his head, another flash of green light filling the room.

The ponies stood still, staring at Onyx in surprise, different thoughts running through each of their heads at the strange equine’s new ability.

New to him as well, apparently

Apple Bloom ran over to him, pushing the mask off as Fluttershy looked at Zecora. “So, you said something about a concussion?” she asked again, looking back at the once again unconscious Onyx, bewilderment in her eyes at what she had just seen.

Zecora, for her own part, just sighed and nodded. “Today is a day full of many mysteries, but after seeing that I wonder how he hasn’t met his end among the forest’s many trees.”

“Well, if he can change, maybe he has some form of camouflage?” Fluttershy wondered aloud. “But if he can do that, why did he panic like that?”

Zecora just shook her head, a puzzled expression on her face as she took in the scene before her.

“Hello? Who are you?”

Onyx woke up again with a start, wincing as the pain in his head decided to make itself apparent. His mind searched for the right memory as to why that would be. Images flashed as he rubbed his head, a manticore, a zebra, yellow hoof, mask?

Sitting up suddenly and ignoring the pain, he opened his eyes and looked down at his hoof, relaxing a bit as he saw it back to normal.

Well, his new normal at least.

He froze as he heard something before relaxing, looking up from his hoof to the small yellow pony. “Hello again Apple Bloom,” he said with a soft smile, hiding his headache. He stiffened again as she pulled him into a hug, saying something in the strange melodic language of hers.

Onyx closed the eyes again, simply enjoying the hug as his headache subsided, gingerly wrapping a forearm around the filly. “You know I can’t understand you, little one,” he said, pulling back and giving her snout a soft boop, chuckling. “How do I ask if I just turned into you?” he asked aloud, knowing he wouldn’t get an answer.

He could see his own confusion reflected on her face as she looked at him, then to the yellow pegasus and zebra. She looked back and said something with a tilt of her head. He sighed and tried again after a moment. “Did I... Onyx,” he said as he pointed at himself, “turn into Apple Bloom?” he finished, pointing at her.

She looked at him again, repeating what he said with another small tilt as Fluffershy spoke softly. Hearing his name, he looked at the pegasus, who was nodding at him. He gave a nod back, before seeing the question in her eyes.

Onyx gave a sheepish smile and shrugged at the unasked question.

Fluttershy looked at Zecora. “This is all above my head,” she admitted. “He’s not from the forest, or at least not from the outer reaches of the forest. He’s clearly as smart as a pony, emotionally and in other ways from the way he talks, learns, and interacts with us.”

Zecora nodded, watching the pair in front of them try to talk to each other. “In that we both agree, but we both don’t have enough familiarity. With what little we know,we can’t plan ahead with clarity. I hate to jump to this conclusion so soon, but...” she paused for a moment. “Apple Bloom?” she called out and getting her attention. When she had it, along with a curious Onyx’s, she continued. “I hate to have to break a promise, but having Twilight Sparkle’s penchant for discovery will be a boon if I am being honest.”

Apple Bloom looked at her in shock. “But you said-!”

“I know what I said, but I’m afraid that what I did say I must amend. That was before he had a run in with Joe, and it almost left him dead.” Zecora said, giving an even look to the filly.

The filly looked at her, her emotions warring on her face as Fluttershy spoke up. “Look at it this way, Apple Bloom. Onyx was badly hurt before right?” she asked as she walked up to her. After getting a nod from her and a lost look from him, she went on, “We don’t know how he healed himself, or if he can do it again. With Twilight helping, we’ll be better prepared to help him if he needs it.”

“But she’ll hound at him!” she protested weakly.

“I’ll make sure she doesn’t, and respects his space,” she promised gently. “We need Twilight. Who knows, maybe she’ll even help us talk to him?” she said with hope in her voice..

The filly looked skeptically at her, but slowly nodded. “Ah guess...” she said, looking morose.

Zecora spoke up at that moment. “I will admit my specialty is in potions, but I do dabble. I know not of a spell that can translate what seems like babble,” she took a moment to walk up as well. “But Twilight Sparkle is the smartest pony I have ever met. Helping him to learn Ponish for her will be no sweat.”

Onyx looked between the three of them, a small frown on his face as he sighed and held up a hoof. Getting looks from all three, he frowned again.

“Tweoleght?” he said, shaking his head in frustration.

“Tweilighht?”

Apple Bloom looked at him in confusion.

“Twilight?” she asked.

“Twilight?” his small friend had said.

Onyx frowned at that word. He knew that word. The girls had said it yesterday, but he couldn’t place it. It had just been said several times, along with one of the other few words he knew.

“Twilieght halp?” he asked, sighing internally as he butchered their language.

That got a surprised look from both the pegasus and filly, the bigger one nodding to him.

“Twilight help Onyx.” she said gently. Despite himself, he shivered. Hiding was what he did from the ponies, and now in the course of two days he had been discovered by three children, a zebra, a pegasus, and now considering help from an unknown. He shook his head at the worry filled words Apple Bloom said, giving a shaky smile to her. It was weird to feel safe after months of danger being a constant in his life.

Some more words were spoken, all of them alien to him. He shook his head again, shrugging.

He looked up at the yellow pegasus as something clicked. He knew that the pegasus only had a few visitors at her cottage from his time watching the town. He bit his lip, thinking.

Onyx gave up all hope of maintaining what dignity he had left, and tilted his head to show he had a question.

Fluttershy could only stare at the strange equine as it mangled Twilight’s name, before waving it’s forelegs like wings.

With a glance at Zecora she sent her a questioning look and only got a shrug and her friend mouthing the word concussion at her. With a snort from Onyx, he tried again, shakily standing up and walking towards her, pausing as she shrank back.

He gave a smile, but with his fangs it didn’t really reassure her. He seemed to realize this and shrank back himself before brightening. He said Twilight’s name again, slightly better this time, before buzzing his own wings.

Apple Bloom gave a sound of understanding. “He’s asking who Twilight is!” she said happily, before booping Onyx’s snout and shaking her head. “No, she’s not a pegasus.”

He frowned, biting his lip before pointing at his horn, which got a nod.

With a smile, looking deep in thought for a moment. After a moment, green flashed the room and a copy of Twilight stood where he had been.

He gave the surprised look from the three a look of equal confusion before looking down and yelping. Only a quick action from Zecora kept him from another bruise to the head. They watched as he fell down and began to breathe quickly, curling in on himself.

“He’s panicking!” Fluttershy said softly, but urgently as she did her best to help, pushing down her unease at helping something that look just like one of her best friends.

Onyx could feel his thought process spiraling out of control as he closed his eyes to shut out the purple, all the fear he had been ignoring for so long racing to his mind.

oh fuck, no, can’t handle, just got used to new me, can’t be another, won’t be another, who am I, what am I, no, purple, won’t, where am I, can’t, help me

Onyx barely registered the small hoof on his shoulder, the worried voice in his ears, his mind racing, everything crashing in on him, the first truly safe place allowing all that he had pushed down to rush to the top after the last and final push.

want home, want family, want friends, can’t see, don’t know, help me

Onyx shook, hooves against his head, gasping for breath, tears.

“You need to calm down!”

can’t calm down, need help, help me

From somewhere, a soft melody, humming. In his ear? In his head?

“Lost little child, be not afraid,

For the days of fear soon will fade,”

It went on, the words cutting through the fear muddling his mind.

Onyx stilled.

Author's Note

Here it is after so long! Little shorter than the other two chapters, but the next chapter is already halfway written as well. This was just a good place to cut it.

Sorry for the wait, everyone!