Deep Breath

Another Friday night sees you meeting with your friends. You’ve already had a can of beer, but the energy drink that you just popped open is the real personal pleasure. Tilting back a gulp, the nearly full moon is noticed in all of it’s serene beauty.

Fridays are never intense workdays, but the soreness of Wednesdays and Thursdays tends to linger, even more so pulling double duty to make up for holiday time off. Thus, it has become a group tradition to meet up every Friday night in someone’s back yard and drink the stress away in the presence of music, fire, and good company.

This week, under a pergola, everyone is gathered in your back yard, sitting around a large table covered in various snacks. Everyone brings something when they can from beer to chips and different meats and cheeses. Setting the can on the table, you return to the grill to check on the brisket that the twins, Joseph and Moses brought. Chris would have cooked them longer at his place, making them overcooked and dry, but that doesn’t stop anyone from bringing good meat when we meet there. Right now, the savory strips are nice and ready, so you take some tongs and place them onto a metal cooking sheet, covering it in foil so everyone can take some at their leisure.

As you take a seat, your girlfriend comes up and sits in your lap, playfully feeding you a brisket before settling in your embrace. Seeing you’ve returned, Chris pulls you into the conversation.

“So [], How goes work in the office? Are the ladies classier than the bitches in the plant?”

“Tsk, they try to look that way. They don’t have the heat of the steam tunnel to complain about, so they have to dig through policy for legitimate sounding reasons to complain. I just work and give them and the managers no reason to complain about me, but enough about that. Does anyone know if there are any good concerts soon?”

“Yeah man, the light festival is this November. You gonna be there?”

“Fuck yeah, man! I always save up some money for new music. You wanna go, babe?”

“What’s this one gonna be like?”

“Light shows, art sales, and music of all kinds; all of it in the dark of night, perfect for a nocturnal kitten like you.”

“Sure, and I’ll see if Hope wants to go.”

“Hey, man, I think we have company.”

The moment’s fun was stopped short as ben piped up in a worried voice. The headlights of a car stopping can be seen near the front of the house. Everyone is here already, and ben has been quiet tonight. The headlights don’t have any police light patterns accompanying them. Has one of his bar fights finally come to consequences? You tap your girlfriend’s lap to make her get up. Having planned for such an occasion, you pull a key ring out of your pocket and unlock the shed at the back of the yard, pulling out a sports bag and placing it on the table with several metallic clangs, then open one side revealing several metal bat handles.

“Ben, who are they?”

“I think they’re the guys I fought at the bar yesterday. They saw me leave in my car.”

“How many were they?”

“Just two.”

You sigh inwardly. It’s not like ben means to cause trouble, but this was bound to happen eventually. Ben can take down these two guys again along with another two guys if he wanted, but this is your house and you’re not going to let a fucking police report be filed here tonight, let alone have harm come to anyone here. You reach to the side. There are three switches. The first is for the lights under the pergola. Those stay on. You flip the second switch, turning off the half of the lights on the side of the pergola that illuminated the rest of the yard. The others take notice of this and their attention is on you. When the assholes are in the yard, the third switch will turn on strobe lights next to the yard lights.

“Guys, if things go south, there are bats on the table.”

There are no lights on in the front, and the music playing will lead anyone over there to the side where the gate is open to the back yard. A single burley man covered in denim comes around, bringing the scent of alcohol, chewing tobacco, and several days’ worth of not bathing with him. Still, you try to be courteous.

“Hello! Welcome to my-“

“Shut up, fucker. I’m here to kick the shit out of that bitch right there.”

Yeah, no. Fuck this. You grab a bat and flip the switch. Strobe lights blind the drunken aggressor, forcing him to cover his face and spit out panicked profanities. You can hit him in the temple easily, bash the fucker with concussive force and end this, but that is not the result you want. Instead, you make quick work by smashing the bat against his unprotected stomach. Letting out a yell, he clenches his stomach. Not stopping, you get behind him and push him over. Once he is on the ground, you smack the back of his head to keep him panicked. He reaches up with his right hand, which is probably his good hand, so you pin him down with a knee on the back of his neck and twist his other arm behind him, holding it as high up as possible. The others have now looked in the sports bag and pulled out the other bats, each wrapped in electric tape.

“Fuck man, you were ready to straight up murder someone with these.” Joseph was the first to say something behind you.

"[] wrapped all of them in tape. He was prepared!"

“[], You’re not really going to kill the guy, are you?” Chris said in disbelief.

With a free hand, you wag a finger and signal for silence. You can’t have them saying the wrong thing. If you threaten him, the idiot will only retaliate by continuing to fight. You can pull your knife on him, but that will leave a mark, and if you threaten him with your gun, he can just bring friends with more guns. This guy won’t just leave so you have to scare him off while breaking any laws if you can manage that. You start by slowly pulling back and up on his arm, maintaining control and feeling in is muscles for the stress. You bring it to the edge of dislocation without pulling it out. This will cause the most discomfort.

The drunk beneath you begins to regain his senses and starts to squirm while spitting curses and threats against the pain. He finds no way to free his left arm or push up with his right, and you shift your weight so that he can’t roll you off of himself without breaking his own neck. This also restricts his breathing. Several people have been accidentally killed this way, and you are banking this gambit on him knowing it. With both hands now pulling on his punished arm, you can feel his pulse increasing and his hand grow cold. You expect he is starting to feel a mixture of numbness, panic, and pain.

“Come on man, I can’t breathe like this.”

You don’t reply, instead you slowly start to press ever so slightly more on his neck. Again, you signal with a hand for your friends to be calm and wait. Interrupting at this critical moment will cause this aggressor to regress into fighting until someone falls.

“Hey, I can’t breathe. Come on, please!”

He squirms as pathetically. This is where you really lay the attack into him. This animal willingly came here and threatened your friend on your property. You release his cold arm, allowing blood to return into the numb appendage and grab his ear. With a simultaneous pull and twist, you stretch the tough cartilage to open his ear canal towards you as you growl your reply through gritted teeth.

“You didn’t listen to me when you first came here, so why should I listen to you? Give me a good reason why I should let you go.”

“Please, I can’t breathe. I’m gonna die like this”

“EHhhhhhhh! Please, I can’t breathe! I’m gonna die like this! Everything you say just pisses me off! You come into my house and try to start a fight. Now give me a fucking reason to let you go! Answer me!”

Your expressed disregard for this creature’s primitive thoughts and the threat of imminent death finally does it. The dam breaks and the animal beneath you breaks out into tears.

“I won’t pick a fight with you or your family ever again. Please, I’m sorry! Just let me go. Please!”

You can still do more. He doesn't need his left leg to drive himself to medical help. You can pick a bat back up and break any number of things, though this will only be gratuitous. Satisfied with the current state of your attacker, you finally get off the man, but still with rushing blood and slightly gritted teeth, you turn to your friends.

“Head above the heart. Help him up, then get him to his car.”

Ben was the first to react and step forward. You get in front of him and whisper calmly into his ear.

“Don’t say anything. Just get him to his car and come back.”

Ben helps the now whimpering and broken drunk of a man to his feet and escorts him to his vehicle. You watch until they disappear around the house.

The next thing you do is turn towards the bats. The tape wrapped around them needs to be disposed of. You also realize the strobe lights are still on. The two of you went through that whole ordeal under the flashing lights. After switching them off, then the regular lights back on, you wipe away a tear as your breath starts to slow and calm down. An arm is wrapped around your neck in a headlock. You are not choked, but shaken playfully as Chris bellows his praise.

“[], you slug! Where the fuck did that come from?!”

“He heh. I don’t like fighting, and this is my house. I had to do something.”

“The bats! The lights! When the fuck did you get this ready?”

“This was a little personal project I thought up a couple months ago.”

“You are an absolute madman, []!” Moses added in while still marveling at the bats and swinging it to test the feel.

Ben returns to the back yard. You go to him and pull him into a one-armed hug.

“Hey man, are you ok?”

“Me? Even with that bat, I thought you were dead the moment you lunged at him. I took him and another guy on yesterday, but I’m used to that. You don’t get into fights, and that guy was twice your size!”

“Nah, he wasn’t that big, was he?”

“[]! I’m telling you, that man was twice your size and I did not expect you of all people to throw the first punch.”

You tighten your one-armed embrace on your muscular friend and give him a brotherly shake.

“Well it's not like a drunken animal like that would ever listen to anything else. Also, Ben, everyone here is family, and plan or no plan, I will fight for each and every one here with that same fury any day, but right now, let’s all have another beer!”

You finish by turning to everyone in a raised voice to which everyone replies in a boisterous cheer. Ben and you pull each other into a full hug and pat the other on the back.

Everyone, including you has a beer, and your girlfriend jumps into your arms and muses over the fact that her man is so strong. In the mood for it, you change the song to Dragula by White Zombie. You don’t forget your plan to hide the bats once more and quickly get back to them once everyone is calmed down.

It was more expensive to wrap the bats in so many narrow rolls of electric tape than duct tape, but electric tape is easier to take off and leaves less residue. You quickly unwrap each one and throw a single mass of rubber tape into the grill, then use a rag and alcohol to rub off any leftover residue and give each one a quick rub with a sweaty work shirt before returning them to the sports bag in the shed. If police ever ask, you have a lot of friends with legal visas or have gained citizenship, and they come from a region where you either join a baseball team, or go to work in a factory, so everyone plays a little. There are even baseballs in various states of use in the bag.

Next to the sports bag’s place is an intentionally placed oxygen tank. You originally bought it to recreate some cool science experiments you saw online by using a fish tank to create a highly oxygenated environment to make things burn better. You hook a gas hose to the tank and release a stream of oxygen into the grill to quickly and completely burn away the tape that is still in the grill. If police ever ask about the oxygen tank, you can enthusiastically describe the science experiment and give resources to any officer that may have children interested in safely delving into science. The smell of burnt plastic lingers in the air, so you pull out a rack of ribs that you had marinating in the fridge and throw it on the grill to mask the smell. The police never came. You and Ben would never see that man again.

This memory is a reminder of yourself at your best and worst. You never denied that being such an ugly aggressor is just as natural a state of mind to you as it is any other human, but you have always chosen to practice restraint. There are good people in the world, and beauty and comradery to beheld within it, so if you are ever going to use your most primal of survival impulses and fight, you will only ever use it to protect the ones that you love.

Such is your determination, but recently, you have been sloppy. Taking a vow of pacifism as this world and the present situation you find yourself in seemed to allow for more peaceful options, you have hastily gathered information and run yourself through a physical gauntlet that made you act in poor posture. You can think more effectively, and this isn't for your own sake. The door has begun to open for your changelings, and you need to see this through to their health and prosperity. Working at their side, you can help them make lives for themselves, but you need to be there in top form and expand your knowledge to be more effective in this world.

Determined, you take a deep breath and open your eyes. The train is slowing and turning slightly to the right as you sit, then stand. The train is either making it's way around Appleoosa or stopping at Ponyville. Chrysalis enters.

"We’ve arrived in Ponyville. Has rest done you any good, Anon?"

“It certainly has, Chrysalis. I’ve been worn out lately, but I have my focus back, and I can’t wait to rejoin our changelings.” You say with a confident smile.

“Such determination. You really did need that rest, and here I thought the lavender in this room was set up to coerce you to make dreams for Princess Luna to probe.

“I didn’t see her, but I have nothing to hide. Anyways, I’m sure the others are waiting for us or on their way. What did I miss?”

With your chin up, and back straight, the two of you exit the train and make your way north. The rest of your changelings are exiting, and some have started the same way towards Twilight’s castle, spearheaded by light and Gentle. Mindful of leading the group, you briskly walk to catch up to them.

“Rainbow Dash was already back in Ponyville. The medical team Celestia sent her for will arrive soon. Physicals and immigration for the hive will be processed in the friendship castle, as well as housing until we can relocate the hive.”

“Great news. And what of socializing with the other leaders?”

“Everyone seems to be giving us a tentative chance, though one was respectfully quiet throughout. They all reported mixed first impressions of a certain consort of mine.”

“I do admit that my taking on the task alone in such a fashion has resulted in a less than perfect performance. I will be more mindful to act better from now on, now that the initial uncertainty of danger is past.” You are also glad that It was you rather than any pony else that was grabbed up by discord, but keeping things positive in public is best for now. Caught up to Light and Gentle, you turn to them both with friendly greetings.

“And what of our changelings? How are they fairing so far? I look forward to finally learning more about their wants and aspirations as individuals.”

They both gave a confused look.

“You’re not going to be near the others just yet, sir.”

“Why not?” You say with a raised eyebrow.

“For now, you are to stay with our queen. Sharing your love with her alone will encourage the rest of our changelings to not need to share most of what they have.”

“Sensible. I shall carry out my duties as such, then. I trust that you know more of what I would like to already. Could the two of you wright a report and encourage any silent or undecisive others to think about it in my stead?”

“We will do as you ask, sir.”

"Perfect. Thank you both."

Continuing with the Castle of Friendship in sight, Royal guards and the elements of harmony escorted all of your changelings down the road, passing a crowd of inquisitive ponies sporting cameras and notepads. You wave to the news ponies as you pass, hearing a part of Twilight's address to them.

"I am happy to say that we are welcoming our new changeling friends as Equestrians. We will be speaking to the press later this evening, so please save any questions for later on in front of the castle."

Smiling, you give a friendly wave as you pass by. You have not yet considered the press as a factor. Another part of the wide world to be mindful of for public presentation. Chrysalis may be expected to be the spokes pony given your current track record which isn't a bad thing. The changelings need to start out somewhere in a public manner. In the forefront of your mind is leading by example in the workforce. Not fully sure of what other knowledge of task aptitude survived within the hive, your experience in good manners and work ethic should shore up any shortcomings for your changelings.

The walk to the castle proved slow for the changelings as a whole. Guards stayed near in large numbers, and the medical team and Rainbow Dash were quick to catch up. Her continued help after that shouldn't have ben a surprise. Her and other athletic ponies volunteered to help take measurements and wright things down while the medical team had more hooves to apply inoculations and do primary medical examinations. The head doctor and lead of the medical team put up some curtain stands to give you and Chrysalis privacy as he gave the queen of the changelings and her alien consort physicals. Besides the below average body mass, your changelings turned out to be relatively healthy. A week of socializing will help them regain their strength, but it will be a slow process to return to a healthy body mass.

Your physical took some time as you had to give them all of the figures for average human vitals: heart rate: 60 bpm, blood pressure 120/80, etc. You also demonstrated the ability to touch both hands behind your back, and to touch your toes just to have it on record for later reference. Like you guessed, you lost half a kilogram from eating sparsely, but you are still within healthy limit. The only complication that came up is with Chrysalis's physical.

It turned out that there was a partial fracture on her right forehoof that hasn't fully healed yet. A few days in a sling cast will remedy it with little problem, but the question of how the injury came to be is on the forefront of inquiry. Before that, though, the presence of a pink pony steals everyone's attention.

"Excuse me, Doctor Sterile? May I come in? I have something to report."

"Yes, come in, Pinky. The physical is complete."

"Okay, I came here from the changeling hive site to make sure you have a look at- oh, you found it already."

Pinky stops short as she enters and sees Chrysalis. Something happened in the hive that brought her back.

"Hi, pinky. I was just about to ask what happened. How did being at the hive tell you?"

"Oh, Hi, Anon. Maud is actually the one who found out. Rocks can't hide any secrets from her, and trust me, they've tried."

"Huh, Interesting, and what did the rocks tell Maud?"

"Somepony tried to bash their way through the basalt with a heavy rock until it hurt... Maud made me Pinky promise to not tell anyone but the doctor or Chrysalis until it could be properly treated."

What desperation may have been felt to fight a solid wall like that, to push until injury incurs in that fashion. Though, it's only a partial fracture. If it has pained her too much, the other changelings would have noticed. Chrysalis made a three legged walk over to the two of you, smiling.

"Thank you, Pinky. I appreciate your effort, but how did you get here so fast?"

"That part's easy, I ran here. I'm really fast on my hooves."

"That is... impressive... Anon, how far did you say the hive is from here?"

"About forty kilometers. I barely did half of that on my own. That's scary impressive." Pinky beamed at the praise.

"Scare-pressive! Later idea for nightmare night. Anyways, Mayor mare is here with some volunteers to file your official citizenship, then Twilight wants to hold a meeting right after."

"Sure thing. Thanks for the heads up. We'll see you after we meet with Mayor Mare."

"Okie dokie lokie! see you then!"

The two of you made your way away from the private area that is now being taken down. The sight of their queen in a sling created the expected surprise, but her calm composure and reassuring words quickly soothed them. Mayor mare and a small group of earth ponies then quickly stole everyone's attention.

Volunteers can't help fill out the official papers, but the ponies do stay and socialize with the changelings. By now, interests are peaked, and the ice is broken between them. You would go join them to get to know everypony better, and see how many of their names have stayed with you, but you have a current duty of staying with your queen. There will be time for that later. For now, it seems that the leader of this team, too, sought to tend to your queen and her unusual consort first. Chrysalis's papers were filled out and signed appropriately, establishing an identity for her as an equestrian citizen. Eye color, hair color, horn length, and hoof print were taken accordingly, as was ongoing for your changelings at the moment.

Your turn became somewhat of an interview as you gave an unknown name for your country of origin.

"So these United States; Are they on the other continent?"

"No mam. It's on another world."

"How did you get here?"

"I appeared here in the blink of an eye against my will."

"Do you know how or why?"

"No mam. I have asked Discord, and he told me that such a feat is beyond even his power."

"Wait, then do we know if more humans will arrive? How many humans are on the world you come from?"

"Well, I am the only one we know of in the thousands of years both worlds have been around, so it is either a freak event, or there is an all powerful something that actively will or won't. As for population...."

The mayor sees your shy expression and takes a long sigh.

"How stressed will this make me?"

"Like I said. There is no sign that this will happen again, so you should not stress about the ..."

Your lips catch momentarily on the bi syllable, preemptively regretting the stress you are bout to see come over this poor mare.

"... the billions of humans on earth."

"Okay! let's focus on the rest of your papers! where were we!?"

The rest of the interaction consisted of Mayor Mare prompting you at the pace of what you imagine a caffeinated Pinky would sound like, and you barking out responses, keeping in mind to try to sound calm in front of the others.