Author's Note

This is a reworking of the second flashback in the original story. It had a lot less detail and was much more of a mess. Taking it out and working on it separately helped me a lot.

[T] First Impressions

“How did this even…. Mmn… how’d you find out about me wanting this?”

Cicada glanced back, another few steps of the way up the main floor. They slowed down just to tease Junebug. “Weellll….”

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Cicada was not having a good start to their day. The bright orange changeling’s frantic running slowed to a manic cantor, and eventually to a desperate dragging walk of exhaustion. How are those crazy ponies everywhere,” they complained to themself. After running all across Ponyville, they had almost no energy left, and their carapace sheened with - wait, can changelings sweat?

Using the last bit of their remaining stamina, Cicada flopped down at the door to a nondescript Ponyville house. “Please be the right one,” they mumbled. “This seems to be… the address but… they all look the same!” They reached up to the door with a hoof, and weakly knocked. “Please be - Junebug?”

The door swung open to reveal a yellowish earth pony staring down at Cicada. Her two-shaded orange mane and tail were well-groomed and held a healthy shine, and she wore a long pink skirt which hid her cutie mark but flattered her appearance. She was clearly trying to make a good first impression.

“Cicada? Is that you? I’ve been so looking forw-” At first, her voice was chipper, but she quickly turned her smile upside down. “Oh no, are you okay?” She picked them up and hugged tight. “You look so tired, and your horn is chipped - “

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” the changeling responded, looking away to hide a blush. “And my horn is supposed to look like that! And… um… yes, I’m Cicada. Could you please put me down?”

“O-oh, sorry. First I was excited to meet you, then I saw you just lying there exhausted, and… what happened?”

Cicada sighed. “I was disguised as a pegasus, and these three-”

“Why were you disguised,” Junebug interrupted, eyeing Cicada with slight suspicion. “You aren’t infiltrating us...right? And Ponyville is very welcoming, we’re not afraid of changelings, especially ones that have shared love!”

Cicada grunted and closed their eyes. “Really.” They took a deep breath and continued. “I’m not sure that is the case. I thought I was alone and at your house, but I was wrong on both accounts.” They smiled at Junebug and gave them a much softer hug than the one she gave them. “Thank you by the way for letting me stay with you.”

“No problem! What are pen-friends for, right?”

“Isn’t it pen pals?”

“Well…” Junebug gave Cicada a goofy, lopsided smile. “...pen friends sounds better. Almost rhymes. Anyways, you were saying?”

It took a moment for Cicada to recall what they were, in fact, saying before they thanked her. “Oh, right! I was at the wrong house, transformed back to normal… and these three mares with flowers on their butts saw me and freaked out. So much for Ponyville hospitality.”

“Oh… that’s just the Flower Trio,” Junebug calmly explained. “Still not sure if they are sisters, cousins, or lovers, to be honest, but they aren’t the bravest or...um… most ‘thoughtful’ ponies. They even freak out about bunny stampedes! They didn’t say anything too hateful, did they?”

Bunny stampedes? Cicada would have to file that odd tidbit in the ‘Ponyville is weird’ file. “Nothing I can’t handle. Just that I was going to wrap them in tight cocoons…”

Was it just Cicada, or did Junebug seem to be getting a bit… red in the face?

“Use my ‘changeling mind control’ on them to make them my slaves…”

Cicada could now feel the emotions of Junebug radiating hotly. Interesting…

“And then I would bite them and feed on their love like a vampire.”

Yes… Junebug was definitely interested. There were hints of shame, accents of confusion, but the lust and excitement shone through.

“A-and?” Junebug beckoned Cicada to continue.

“And then they ran away. That was ridiculous. I mean… I could easily have cocooned them up nice and snug, but I don’t have ‘changeling mind control’ or whatever. I studied hypnosis a little bit but that’s hardly even close. And biting to suck emotions out? That’s not how… that… works…”

“Oh, you have had a long day let me show you to my - your room and I’ll go to bed in my room and we can call it a night!” Junebug rushed inside, leaving Cicada alone to ponder.

“That’s… something to keep in mind,” they mumbled. “Maybe I can do something with - no, bad Cicada. I haven’t even asked her on a date! I don’t even know if she’d be interested in it with me, or if it’s just a fantasy…”

They sighed, placing a front hoof on their face. “Need to stop with the impulsive thoughts. And… the ‘talking to myself’ thing.”

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“And that’s how I first thought about dating y- are you listening?”