The Lament of the Changelings
Lament of the Changelings
The sun rose beautifully over Ponyville as the populace went about their business for the day. Three little fillies in particular, were up to their standard no-good as they snuck around to the window of Sugarcube Corner. “Ah ain’t sure this is a good idea Scoots. It don’t feel right to be doin something like this.” Applebloom said, barely keeping her balance as the other two Cutiemark Crusaders were stacked on her back. The cream coated filly obviously under the strain from both the weight of her friends and her conscious.
“Oh relax Applebloom, I just want to see if being a private investigator will bring out my cutie mark.” Scootaloo said balanced on the top of the pile and peeking in the window of the bakery, her dark orange wings beating every now and then to keep their balance.
“But why do you have to be on top? I wana see too!” Sweetie Bell of course, made up the middle of the pile, she constantly had to blow the tip of Scootaloo’s tail away from her face. “Scoots your tail tickles.”
“Sorry Sweetie Bell, give me a few more minutes. I’m sure he’s going to show up.”
“Who are we lookin for again?” Asked Applebloom.
“I thought we were looking for Pinkie Pie,” Sweetie Bell blew a bit harder but Scootaloo’s tail began to tickle her nose.
“Ugh. No we were looking for that old story teller that we listened to last week, remember? The one who was acting all creepy and staring off into space?” Sweetie Bell started to feel a sneeze coming on.
“We’re lookin for him? Then what in tarnation are we doing her lookin in Sugarcube Corner?” Applebloom answered a bit annoyed with her friends lack of forethought. Sweetie Bell was trying her hardest to hold back the sneeze.
“It seemed as good place as any to look! Everypony comes to Sugarcube Corner. Besides where would you start to look?”
“Ah would have started at the library where he was stayin.” Applebloom started to wobble a bit. “Um Sweetie Bell? Ya all right?” It was that point when Sweetie Bell let loose a tremendous sneeze, one that echoed of the walls of the alley they were hiding in and blew the ill balanced pile of fillies into a heap on the ground.
“Ow… Sweetie Bell! What the hay? I was sure he was going to be there any second.” Scoots said, not seeing the shadow behind them. “How are we going to find out about the big creepy storyteller if we can’t stay balanced long enough to look for a window? Some private eye’s we are. He’s probably snackin on children or…” Scoots looked at the terrified looks on her friends faces and heard the figure clear his throat behind them. “He’s right behind me isn’t he?” The other two nodded and scoots turned to see the wizened old unicorn look at the trio in their heap. He used his magic to float his glasses off and give the three a stern look, his bushy white beard accenting the frown on his greyed muzzle. The three looked at the old stallion and waited for the inevitable eating of small children, trembling lightly before finally the old stallion cracked up and laughed like there was no tomorrow. His sapphire eyes welled with tears as he banged the ground with hoof laughing as the crusaders looked at the old red unicorn.
It was a few moments for Fizban to regain his composure, using a hoof to wipe the tears from his eyes before placing his glasses back on and looked at the fillies with a smile. “My oh my, I haven’t seen a tumble like that, or heard a sneeze that loud in quite some time. Bless you little one.” He said, causing Sweetie Bell to blush a bit.
“So ya ain’t gonna eat us?” Applebloom asked nervously. This brought a chuckle from the old story teller.
“Eat you? Whatever gave you that idea? Last I heard little fillies taste terrible, especially for old vegetarians like me.”
“Well Scoots said-“ Scootaloo put a hoof over Sweetie Bell’s mouth as she blushed a bit.
“It’s a joke. We know nopony would ever eat another pony. Right?” Scoots said. Fizban stroked his beard a bit and thought.
“Not necessarily true young ones. There are such stories from certain parts of Equestria that would say there are ponies who would not only eat one another, but enjoy it too. I believe they were called hoof hunters… or was it pygmy ponies?” The three looked at the old storyteller dumfounded. And he laughed a bit more. “I definitely know one story of such a pony though, if you three are brave enough to listen. However I do believe it’s time for you all to get up and come out from that alley. The cobblestones probably don’t like fillies crashing on them and not leaving.” The fillies all scrambled to get up and followed Fizban out of the alley and into the bakeries interior. Fizban nodded to a table and the fillies sat down as Fizban spoke softly to the cakes. The two earth ponies looked at Fizban and then the Crusaders before nodding and smiling and handed over a few donuts. Fizban levitated the confections over to the table and offered them to the fillies, which grabbed them eagerly.
“So what were you talking to the Cakes about? I thought you wanted to tell us a story?” Sweetie Bell asked between bites of her doughnut.
“I was asking permission to tell the story here. Its proper manners to ask for hospitality, no matter where you go children. So are you ready for this story? It can be quite terrifying sometimes.” His eyes lit up with the challenge he offered while also looking as menacing as he could. The three gulped but then Scootaloo nodded. Fizban smiled, “Good. This story goes back a long, long time ago. Back when Equestria was just founded…”
***
Twas the days of old, when Equestria had just become the new homeland of the three tribes. All lived in peace and harmony under the rule of our own Princess Luna and Princess Celestia. All the ponies of the land adored their rulers, who did all they could to ensure the security and safety of the ponies. However there was one pony, a Unicorn whose name was simply recorded as “The Moth of the Everfree” who looked upon the sisters with disdain. You see children, The Moth was a mare that lacked even the most basic hint of beauty so nopony would approach her for fear that she was some sort of monster. Now nopony can live without companionship, but the unicorn was forced into a exile that she did nothing to warrant. This made her a sad and lonely pony who sought nothing more than companionship only to find hatred for her. Twas a sad existence indeed, but one day the pony had an idea, not only an idea, but a stroke of complete and utter brilliance.
She had lived in the depths of the Everfree and once saw a odd creature called a Chameleon, a strange lizard that changed its colors to blend in. Taking the idea, she worked hard and tirelessly to create a spell that would allow her to change her appearance to allow other ponies to accept her. For many moonrises and dawns she worked hard to forge the spell that would change her fate forever. Finally upon the night of the full moon, she succeeded. She changed herself into a form that resembled your ordinary unicorn. Overjoyed with this she went to a nearby village and was accepted by the other ponies, finally she felt she belonged.
Time passed and she lived her life amongst the other ponies. She even found a stallion who she cared for very deeply. However one day, the stallion left her for a mare of greater beauty, leaving The Moth a heartbroken mare. She became extremely jealous of the beautiful mare that had stolen her love from her, and once again worked long and hard to change her form again, making herself the most beautiful mare in the village. Soon after this change, many stallions and mares threw themselves at her, hoping to chosen as her companion. The Moth enjoyed this attention, this power she held over these creatures that had once shunned her for her looks.
Her popularity grew in the village, soon she was treated as though she were the lady of the land. However after a time, the moth grew bored of the village and instead moved to the capital of Canterlot, which was little more than a small town at the time. She was followed by a few of her most devoted suitors and when she arrived in the town, she was met with the sight of many mares that were as beautiful as she was. She did not receive the attention she so desired, followed only by small village hicks she once again grew a feeling of jealousy. She would be the most loved pony in Equestria or die trying.
So in the depths of the night, The moth once again cast her spell. Trying to make herself even more beautiful but was interrupted as one of her suitors stumbled upon her ritual. Throwing her concentration, her spell settled upon herself and made her even more beautiful, but with an odd side effect. She looked upon the suitor who looked at her in awe, his raw lust and love being palpable in the air. The Moth felt empowered as the strong feelings of her suitor became a source of deep power for her. Her suitor became enthralled by the beauty of the mare, and pledged himself to her. The Moth told the suitor to bring others to her, to worship her beauty and power. The Stallion did so, and soon the Cult of the Moth was born. The Moth’s beauty was not unnoticed by the ponies of Canterlot. Many ponies fell in love with her at first sight, adding their strong feelings to her growing power.
The Moth finally felt content, feeding off the emotions of her many suitors from the cult. She grew stronger with each passing moon, however there came a day when the sun rose and Princess Celestia herself was seen by the city. The Moth felt her power wane, as the ponies of the city looked upon their princess with awe and love. The Moth was furious, how dare Celestia take away the love of her suitors! She would become the most beautiful and most powerful mare of the land, and become the new princess, one that would be loved by all. So she called together her suitors, and drew forth from their emotions to cast her spell one last time, using their love and lust for her to change her form into that of a Alicorn, a black beauty with beautiful crystal like wings. She went forth at dawn and approached the princess, feeling the power as everypony that laid eyes upon her fell madly in love with her.
Celestia saw this being approach her, a thing of perfection and was humbled for a moment before feeling a sense of wrongness about the black Alicorn. Celestia tried to resist the charms of the creature, but the creature used her magic to ensnare the mind of fair Celestia who bowed down before her. The Moth laughed as her victory was sealed, her power was complete and everypony loved her. All except one pony who watched from the castle. Princess Luna, mistress of the night watched as everypony she loved turned to this new alicorn and was filled with righteous anger as this strange upstart forced her sister to bow. With her magic, Luna flew forth and cast a spell upon the Alicorn, who’s form shimmered and soon fell to reveal the ugly, unicorn that was The Moth.
The Moth was wracked with pain as the love she fed off of turned into fear or hatred. She quickly tried to cast her spell, to make herself beautiful again but with only the love of a the few ponies that had been completely enthralled by her, her spell warped her and her suitors into a ugly twisted forms. Her crystal wings were replaced by that of a insect. Her noble horn became a jagged and twisted thing and her form corrupted even further, revealing a horrid creature of illusion and hunger. Her suitors suffered similar changes, become small fanged ponies that became mindless as they suddenly grew hungry for the emotions of others. Celestia saw these creatures and with her power and the aid of Luna, cast them from their city.
The Moth and her ilk wandered Equestria for a time, being shunned wherever they went, and eventually were forced underground where they now dwell. She taught her corrupted suitors her magic to change their forms, although now it was a spell that would last only for short times after losing its power from years of feeding it with the feelings of love. She soon took on a new name as she led her people forward, always in search of strong emotions to feed from. Queen Chrysalis and her changelings became a thing of a terrible myth, a myth that unfortunately was true. To this day the queen of the changelings plots, ever jealous of the ponies above ground and the love that they share as they shun her. Every now and then she will find a lonely pony who has been shunned by others, and bring them down to her underground kingdom of shadow and illusion sucking their emotions dry and creating a new changeling to add to her army. However legend also has it that if she finds a lone pony, who is lost or separated from those they love, she will eat them, body and soul and leave nothing but bones.
***
Fizban looked at the young fillies who eyed him wonderment and fear at the same time, it was comical. He laughed a bit before sipping at a small mug of cider that the Cakes had brought him during his tale. “So my little ponies, did you learn anything from my story?” He asked. He loved to tell stories but he loved it even more when younglings like these three understood the meaning behind the story.
“Um…” Scoots started out.
“Ah learned that nopony should be shunned. Anypony who’s lonely like that might turn out like The Moth.” Applebloom shifted a bit under Fizbans gaze.
“And that everypony should be happy with what they have, anypony who’s too greedy will end up having it bite them in the rump in the end.” Piped Sweetie Bell, her face practically split in half by a big smile.
“Aww man, you two took the only ones…” Scoots said dejectedly.
Fizban chuckled a bit and looked at the three at the end of the table. “Well sharp little ponies like you three certainly got that in a hurry. Reminds me of Twilight when she had to sit through my lectures; But there is overall one big lesson that should be learnt from this story.” He looked at the three and smiled. “That one should never judge another pony by their looks alone. You see children the Moth was never truly evil to begin with, just a sad lonely pony who was subject to a bad situation. If somepony had offered friendship to her before her change, Queen Chrysalis may never have been created. If you let your appearance be what makes others judge you, you will always be met with disappointment.” The fillies looked at Fizban, their minds processing the lesson he had taught them. “That being said, anything you care to say to me?” The three blushed and looked at the floor before speaking in unison.
“We’re sorry we thought so badly of you Mr. Fizban.” The old story teller chuckled.
“It’s quite alright, at least you three didn’t try to tar and feather me.” They looked at him and were about to ask a flurry of questions. “Oh my, look at the time. You three should get home before it gets dark.” The fillies looked outside to see the sun drifting low before they squeaked and ran out of Sugarcube Corner, with Sweetie Bell pausing a moment to turn and hug the old story teller before running of into the dusk. The old story teller chuckled to himself once again, looking out at the sunset. “If only everypony were so understanding.” He sat there, watching the sun dip below the horizon. His mind lost to memories and thought.
Well here’s another story that I flew by the seat of my pants with. I thought that Fizban at least deserved one more encore since the Tale of Thunderhooves seemed to go over so well. Once again, I might do more depending on what Ideas I can come up with while I work on this other project.
And the legal stuff! I don’t own anything of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, which belongs solely to Hasbro and Lauren Faust. I don’t own any of the characters, settings, or events that has been claimed by their owners. I only am responsible for the order of words and original content.
