Deep Breath

With a meal and a moment's rest, your balance and strength is moderately restored. You follow Discord, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash out the castle and towards the town. Fluttershy had sent Jeffrey back to her cottage to root for a meal of his own. Now at a somewhat leisurely pace, you are able to take in the sight of Ponyville proper.

Ponyville is a town of approximately five hundred ponies. Matching timber frame buildings with jettied second floors and thatched roofs compose most of the town with the exception of some custom shaped buildings, such as one that you can see in the distance that has the shape of an ice cream cone as part of the main structure. You also see a stylized circular building on the other end of a near by square that you would bet a bed and a blanket is the Carousel Boutique. As the group approaches the closest buildings, you try to imagine taking a morning walk, bidding a good morning to earth pony, changeling, unicorn, and pegasi alike.

“So, Anonymous, what are you thinking?” Rainbow Dash asked while flying upside down, you have no idea how other than magic.

“I am looking forward to a near future where changelings can enjoy going about their daily business like this without disguises.” You say as you walk. Your hands are on the back of your head, your arms spreading your chest to take a deep breath of the fresh day air.

“Then what are you so worried about? I’m no Fluttershy, but I can feel it coming from you.”

“Oh, that. There’s a concept that I know called Murphy’s Law: Everything that can go wrong will, or if everything seems to be going right, then you aren’t looking hard enough.”

“Everything does seem to be going well. What do you have in mind?” Fluttershy asks.

“I haven’t met Spike or Shining Armor yet. Where are they?”

“Oh, them.” Discord is doing a lazy backwards butterfly stroke through the air. “Luna sent them to scout the Everfree forest before dawn in anticipation of you coming from that direction. Spike just met with Twilight, and Shining Armor is currently galloping directly at you, Anonymous.”

“Ah. Evasive maneuvers then.” You take a deep breath and drop face first, then roll away from the others, holding firmly to the belief that frightened screaming makes you faster and stronger. You narrowly dodge being trampled. May no one question your methods. “Miss Rainbow Dash, please get the other elements!”

"If you say so." She flies off.

Fluttershy turned to Discord.

You are being very calm in this situation.”

The Draconequus lingered in the air with his arms lazily resting behind his head. He had drifted to where he is looking the other way. “This day has gone from interesting to predictable. As soon as Anon got himself away from us, he just sat there cross legged and let Shining Armor trap him in a shield bubble, forcing the unicorn into a stalemate as he hasn’t actually done anything. Isn’t that right, Prince Armor?” Fluttershy looked back. The scene was as Discord described it, only the bubble is raised. It had taken the ground that Anon had sat on with him, and that dirt and grass was moving for some reason. Could Shining armor be slowly shrinking the shield?

“What is your real plan, monster?”

“I intend to convince the princesses to allow my changelings citizenship and annex the hive into Equestria where ponies need not fear changelings, and changelings need not fear death.”

“Tell me the truth!” The shield bubble shrunk just a bit faster as the angered unicorn shouted. This is going to be a lot of shouting at you, and it won't stop here. You take another breath.

“The only two lies I have said today were under a truth spell to prove that I came alone and that I came in peace.”

“Don't try to speak in riddles. Your time is running out.”

Discord flew backwards to Shining armor’s side so that he could speak without raising his voice.

“Seriously, shining armor, you are going to want to put Anonymous down before your sister sees you attacking a pacifist. He already took two cloud shocks willingly, and He won’t stop you from crushing him either. He is telling the truth, and you’ll martyr him before you intimidate him into telling a lie.”

“Then what’s in it for you? power?”

“Mercy.” You say flatly.

“Chrysalis imprisoned my bride!”

“And they deserve to die for that? This bubble you have me trapped in is a direct metaphor for what state the changelings are in right now. I have no magical abilities, no power at all. I have no way of fighting back even if I tried, and I don’t have any food to my name, let alone a way of procuring it without a community to be a part of. Now you can be wasteful and crush me with your great power, or if you have a knife on you, then simple levitation will make short work of my throat. Alternatively, you can leave me here, do nothing, and I’ll die anyways. Luna and discord have both said that I come from a world with rampant chaos, of which they are correct. Suffering and destruction runs unmitigated, and in that respect, I hope to prove the denizens of the land of harmony my betters, that they are not just rabid animals with different magical forms of fang!”

Growling by the end of your last statement, your voice is raised uncontrollably for the first time today. A tear threatens to let loose as an eye twitches. You can never control it when you fully open up to your own emotions. Shining armor and you stare each other down with a passion for several moments. The first thing you notice is Shining Armor's coat becoming a purer color of white as the glow of magic disappears between you. You place your hands down to brace as the bubble around you dissipates and it’s contents fall back to where they were taken from.

“Anonymous! Are you hurt? What happened here?” Twilight flew in, landing between you and her brother. Her friends not far behind.

“I’m ok. Shining Armor didn’t harm me. I’m just like this when I’m calming down.” You take several shuttering breaths before you return to being able to take calming breaths. “I don’t blame him for being this way after the Canterlot wedding. ‘Hell hath no fury’ and such.” You look around. “Did we cause a public scene?”

“No. Every pony was at city hall and the main square in case of an invasion. Princess Luna had just told them that there is no danger in your visit when Rainbow Dash came and said that you asked for the elements. We are all here. Are you sure you want to do this now?”

“Now is as good a time as ever to demonstrate that I’m sincere. A lot of the ponies here deserve to see it.”

“Well ok. Let’s do this, girls.”

Gathering in a circle around twilight, the bearers of the Elements of Harmony glow and levitate. In a show much more spectacular than you were prepared for, streaks of color spiral upwards around them, joining overhead before slamming down as a brilliant rainbow beam that forces you to close your eyes. As if you stared at the sun from it's surface, white overcomes your vision but eventually fades.

“Wow that was bright! Miss element of magic, a little warning could have saved my vision."

“They’re not usually able to complain about it afterwards!” She replies. A hearty laugh escapes you as your face shows grim realization.

“Fair point and thank you for humoring me, princess. Ah, man I needed that laugh.”

“Just call me Twilight. If this plan of yours works, then I would like to extend a hoof in friendship to you and the changelings. Some things just don’t add up anymore, so given the situation, we are all going to continue the discussion on the train.” This sounds great. Not only are they willing to hear you out, but they have decided on their own to see the changeling hive.

“I’d love that, Twilight. I’m prepared to give a full explanation as well as provide the translated reports from the Changeling library once we return to the hive. Even more if we are able to safely recover the rest of it. Don’t forget that I need you to do the same to Queen Chrysalis and clear their names.”

“Changeling library...” Twilight is staring into space now. Ok, so she’s that type of student. Best to just let her ride that high.

“Princess Cadenza, Prince Armor, have I earned a calm conversation with the two of you?”

“Princess Cadence will suffice. What do you want to talk about?”

“Given previous history, the most that the changelings intend to ask of the Crystal Empire is to acknowledge their Equestrian Citizenship. There will be no offense if you leave immediately after Chrysalis is tried by the elements of harmony.”

“We appreciate the concern, but I intend to see the entire event through alongside the other princesses, Anonymous. Also, The Crystal Empire has no intention of withholding love from any Equestrians should the changelings join. There is still a lot to discuss before then.”

“Much respect to you, Princess cadence. I will continue on the train when all princesses are present.”

With a bow, you walk away. And go towards the element bearers. Getting worked up like that sure makes you thirsty. You take a quick breath and a shiver goes down your spine. You can probably use a lemonade for electrolytes, but water will do. Rarity and Fluttershy get to you before you can do anything.

“Are you sure you are ok?”

“Oh yeah, I’m a bit shaken, but no harm done. I’ll be fine after a drink. Lemonade maybe, but water will do in a pinch. Um, Where’s pinkie?”

“Hiya!” You expected it to happen this way. You expected it to happen much faster than you could react to, with your meager human strength unable to fight back. It happened even faster than that. Pink hooves wrap around your chest. Pinky has mounted you from behind and is grabbing your head. The only thing you can do is scream in terror as she rips your head off.

“Um, Anon, The hat’s on you already.” Hat? You can see Pinky in front of you, yet there is still something grabbing your head. So you aren’t going to die? Turning off terrorized scream. You grab at the thing on your head. It’s big and doesn’t feel like any kind of normal hat. Bringing it into view you realize it has a bendy straw and two cups on it.

“A drink hat.”

“Yup. Now you can’t put yourself in danger again, or you’ll spill it everywhere!”

“Pinky, this is exactly what I needed.” Disarmed, you smile and chuckle.

“Finally you smile! I was getting worried that everything that happened broke yours.”

“Trust me pinky, I’ll be smiling a lot more after all of this serious formal business is over.”

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

“Cross your heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in your eye?”

“Um, cross my heart and hope to…?”

“No pony breaks a Pinky Promise. No pony!”

“Cross my heart and hope to di- fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!”

“Okie dokie lokie! Now let’s go, every pony. My cart is ready!”

Sipping from your new hat, you follow behind, but a serous voice calls out to you.

“Anonymous.”

“Yes discord?”

“What was that?”

“What do you mean?”

“You calmed down, and I’m not talking about Pinky Pie or Twilight. Shining armor was about to kill you. You were no calmer, and now all that emotion is just... gone. I don’t care what world you are from; no one does that. What are you? Where do you get this from?” Me calming down would invite such a piercing glare from the spirit of chaos. He’s talking like this is something unusual to ponies.

“Um… I don’t know what will satisfy you. I don’t consider myself anything special.”

“Don’t give me that, you are actively being different than others. The others won't say anything out of decency, but it’s unnatural, yet you are sincere. Explain now.” Putting a hand to your chin, you consider the question.

“Hmm… Do you prefer Coffee, tea, or alcohol?”

“Tea, why?” The question causes Discord to blink in confusion, but he doesn't stop staring you down.

“I still don’t consider anything I do outside normal ability, but if you want an explanation, it will take a lot of time and drink to explain.”

“Very well. Also, you drink alcohol?”

“I am a helpless lightweight, but I’ll have one with friends.”

“What won’t you do for others?”

“I am not a polyamorist.”

Wordlessly, Discord snapped his lion's paw and walked away. You wait and look around, but ultimately notice nothing. Fluttershy noticed Discord’s snap and came over to you.

“Did something upset him?”

“I apparently calm too easily for him.”

“Well he is the spirit of chaos.”

“I don’t understand it either. Oh well, I have a tea buddy to talk philosophy with.”

You sip your drink hat. Lemonade. Nice and cool and refreshing. You take a bigger and bigger sip, enjoying it. Before you realize, the drink gets colder and more sour. It is too late to react. Ice cold sour extract is being gulped down. Emergency time. Think quick. Don’t spill Pinkie’s awesome hat. The outer wall of a building is close by. Just get to it and assume the position. You slam into the wall with a pained grunt. The elements of harmony all now look at you with concern. You hear them give questioning words of concern, but you can’t process a proper response.

“Sour brain freeze! Pinkie why?” You manage to scream.

“What? I didn’t put any super cold sour powder in your drink hat.”

“Discord why?”

You hear his thundering laughter from ahead of you. Discord is very content with himself.