Bug on the Breeze

Fluttershy hummed as she skillfully stepped over the critters scurrying across her floor, careful not to spill any of the hot water in the kettle she carried. It was a relatively peaceful afternoon in her cottage, her animals behaving well in the presence of her guest.

“Here we are Ocellus, sorry for the wait.”

“Oh no worries, Professor Fluttershy, it wasn’t long at all.”

Fluttershy blushed slightly as she set down the kettle. “Just Fluttershy is fine, we aren’t at school right now.”

Ocellus blushed as well, awkwardly rubbing her front legs together as her wings buzzed under her shell. “Of course, sorry Pro- Fluttershy, heh. Um, thank you for letting me come by.”

“You are always welcome here. I know the school can get pretty overwhelming, I still have trouble sometimes being around to talk to students after class.”

“Yeah. I really like the school and all my friends there, but it is nice to be in a quieter environment.”

Fluttershy nodded as she prepared two cups of tea, a calming mix of chamomile and mint wafting from the ceramic. “So, is there anything in particular you wanted to talk about? Oh, how are things with Smolder? I remember you had an argument the other week.”

“Much better now! I took your suggestion to write a letter and it really helped me to figure out what I wanted to tell her and make her understand how I felt. She even wrote me a letter back with her feelings, with help from Sandbar and Silverstream apparently.”

Fluttershy clapped her hooves together. “That’s wonderful! I’m so glad you were able to work it out. It can be hard to talk face to face about your feelings, but it’s important to be able to communicate with your friends, especially after an argument.”

Ocellus nodded and reached down for her tea. “It’s much easier with other changelings because we can sense each other’s feelings, but-”

Ocellus was interrupted by the front door slamming open, sending all of the animals inside scurrying away in fear and making the changeling and pegasus hold onto their cups for dear life. “Oh big siiiiis~! Your darling baby brother is in dire need of some loving guidance- oh! Sis, have you started a professional counseling business or something? I’m sorry little bug but blood comes first, I’m sure you won’t mind waiting, right?”

Fluttershy’s ear twitched and Ocellus flinched into the couch, wings buzzing anxiously from the influx of emotion from her teacher. There was love, of course, but also hints of annoyance and exasperation. It was quite possibly the closest she had ever seen her teacher get to being mad.

Fluttershy huffed softly as she stood and started to try corralling and comforting the animals that hadn’t escaped the cottage. “Zephyr Breeze, how many times have I told you that you can’t just barge in like that? You know I don’t mind you visiting, but you have to be more careful with your entrance.”

“Oh, right, heh, sorry little critters. I forget that my breeze can be pretty strong for smaller beings.”

Zephyr walked in and took a seat next to Ocellus, watching Fluttershy for a moment before turning towards the changeling. “So what’s your deal?”

“U-um, well I-”

“You seem pretty quiet, is that what Fluttershy is helping you with? I mean, if anypony knows what it means to be quiet it’s her. I’m glad she’s trying to help you, I truly am. She’s one of the best and most helpful ponies I know, which is why I’m here. You see, a couple years ago, I was pretty lost.”

He leaned back into the couch, dramatically covering his face with a hoof as the other flailed about. “I didn’t know who I was or what I wanted to do, I was a breeze without a destination, a purpose! But Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, hopeless romantic as she is, believed in me and helped me finish my mane therapy training. I finally had something going for me.”

Zephyr sat back up, scoffing. “I was so sure that was my calling but now I don’t know. I enjoy helping ponies, don't get me wrong, but it’s just not fulfilling. I mean, my big sis is all about helping ponies, I can’t just be following in her hoofsteps, forever shadowed by her accomplishments of saving Equestria a billion times. I need something…more, something that’s just mine.”

He sighed heavily then suddenly perked back up, staring intensely at the changeling. “Say, how did you do it? I mean, all you changelings were just mindless drones for the longest time right? Everything was decided for you, what you did, where you went, what you were fighting for. Your purpose was to serve your Queen. Now that you don’t go sucking love or friendship or whatever it was out of us ponies, what do you do?”

“Zephyr! Don’t be so rude. Ocellus, you don’t have to answer any of that, I know it’s hard to think about what you had to do back then.”

“I-it’s okay, really. If talking about that stuff can help somepony find their way, then I don’t mind.”

Zephyr gasped, “Really? Oh thank you, thank you! Fluttershy, you can really learn something from this…uh, what are you exactly? Like, do I call you a colt, or a filly or…something else?”

“Zephyr!”

“Whaaat? I’m trying to be sensitive here, it’s hard to tell.”

Ocellus’s giggles stifled the stern lecture Fluttershy was about to unleash on her brother. “Changelings don’t really have the same gender binary ponies do, but you can call me a filly if that makes it easier.”

Zephyr nodded. “Sweet, okay little filly, tell me how the changelings have found purpose and meaning in their lives.”

Ocellus took a sip of her tea as she thought, trying to find the right words. “After Chrysalis was defeated, there was a lot of celebration and joy and everyling was so excited for the future. It lasted a couple weeks, but then we slowly became confused. We had friendship, but what else did we want? All we had done before was hunt or fight or infiltrate and steal love.”

“That’s when Thorax had the great idea to start decorating the hive and invest in arts and crafts. He had seen a lot of art when he was in the Crystal Empire and saw how happy it made the ponies creating it, as well as the ponies who saw it. He also started the ‘feelings forum’, where changelings could go and talk in a safe space and have their feelings heard.”

Her wings buzzed cheerfully. “Then we heard about the School of Friendship and thought it would be good for changelings to attend too. I was the only one who actually wanted to though, at least for now. Everyling else just wanted a bit more time to discover who they were and what they liked. I’m still not sure about all that myself, but I’m having a lot of fun learning new things.”

Zephyr pressed his hoof against his chin. “So you all went from a fierce warrior race to a bunch of artists?”

“Er, that’s not exactly-”

Ocellus was, once again, interrupted as Zephyr swept her into a tight hug. “I just knew I felt a special connection with you. This changeling hive is exactly what I need to refresh myself and find my purpose! A whole place filled with creative souls just like moi is sure to break this little block I’m going through. Who knows, maybe my purpose is sculpting! Or painting! Or…whatever else other artist things you bugs have been up to!”

He suddenly stood, wings flared confidently behind him as Ocellus dropped back onto the couch. “Whatever my destiny is, I know I’ll find it there. There’s something poetic about soul searching in a distant land among other lost creatures.”

He chuckled and reached over to ruffle Fluttershy’s hair. “Who knows, maybe I’ll even be able to pick up a counseling gig of my own and help other changelings find their meaning. Whatever happens, I’m sure it’s going to be just as awesome as me. I gotta go pack, love you sis, and I know we just met little bug but I appreciate you. You have a good day now, ta~!”

And then he was gone, closing the door behind him much more softly than his entrance.

Fluttershy stared at the door for a minute before sighing and deflating in her chair. “I’m sorry about him Ocellus, he’s…well, you can see that he’s…”

“...Passionate?”

“Yes, that. I’m sorry to cut this visit short, but I really should go warn, er, tell Twilight and ask Starlight to send a letter to Thorax too.”

Ocellus giggled. “Of course, I really should be heading back too, I promised Smolder we would have a study session. I hope your brother finds everything he’s looking for.”

Fluttershy sighed again before looking at the door with a small smile. “So do I.”