And I thought we were normal. How wrong I was.

   After checking behind my back at least fifteen times to ensure that none of those guards and decided to follow me I finally made it to the outskirts of town, not to far from where the guards were patrolling. Thankfully none of the guards have seen me most likely due to the low light level where I am.

   From what I can make out there are four or five unicorns patrolling and another 3 or so pegasi keeping watch from above. I can't afford to just stroll up like I did before. Those three were a fluke and there is no way I would be able to move around as freely as I'd like to if they were to know I'm there. I need a more permanent solution to the problem with my hand that won't seem suspicious.

   While getting past the unicorns alone may not be too difficult, the pegasi above have a wider view and could see me slipping through the holes in their guard. I guess this wouldn't be a huge problem if I didn't have to worry about getting to certain places in town, but I have to get to the library and I need to 'acquire' some gloves from the boutique.

   Thinking about it now I could just go along the road for awhile until I find another town and get what I need there, but I ave my own suspicions that Luna would've informed other towns of my existence and features. If I remember correctly this portion of town was a bit more like a recreational district rather than a residential area; so I may be able to go through the buildings without being found. The problem with that is that the windows of these buildings will most likely be locked and I can't afford for them to hear a window being broken or for somepony to inform them if the shattered windows in the area.

   The constant sound of water flowing nearby begins to annoy me as I try to think of a way to get past these guards. Wait; there aren't any steams here and it isn't raining. Why is water flowing? I move towards the sound slowly as to not arouse suspicion and I come to find a drain pipe with a small stream of water flowing out of it and stopping a few moments later. A sewage pipe; no the smell isn't very rancid. I guess that it's some form of drain pipe. If a drain pipe is ending here then there is a chance it might end in the town.

   The hole isn't very large but I guess that I could crawl through it. With the way it seems testing this may not be the worst option. I guess this is the best thing I can try for now. At least it's not a sewage pipe.

***********************************************************************************************

     I sit down against one of the cold stone walls of the alleyway I found myself within after getting out of that damnable drain. I crawled through that drain for about 50 minutes before it ended on the side of a alley where I had to fit through a grate that isn't very much wider than the pipe itself. Needless to say I may have the makings of a contortionist.

   From what I can see I'm only just inside the town, but I think I'll be fine as far being spotted goes. However this doesn't extinguish the flames of my newest problem, a web. A purple web-like structure is forming a dome over the town. I can only guess that this is a spell put up by the guards to keep the citizens from leaving or rather to keep somepony like myself inside. I take a few deep breathes to calm my somewhat frantic mind. Just put it aside for now. I can scream about this later; for now I have things to do.

   I stand up and dust myself off before walking towards the center of town where I know the boutique is. I check both directions of the street before crossing it to ensure that I don't encounter any guards or townsponies. I take up a small jog as I move through the small alleyways in between the various businesses. As I come to the next street I stop to look for by guards and to my displeasure a group of two guards happen to be coming towards me. I take a low position and move back a little ways from the edge of the street before stopping to wait for them to pass by.

"I still don't completely understand this alert level. It makes since to put up a guard here after a prisoner like that escaping, but for the captain to have to put up this interdiction shield; it seems like things are going to far." I hear one of them say before they come into view,

"Yeah, it does seem like a good bit of overkill, but we'll only be here a few days. Besides we need to tell everypony to meet up in the center of town before the spell falls." The second one says before they leave my line of sight.

"True: it'd be bad if we let the spell drop for too long." I barely hear the other one say.

This might be my way out of here. If the spell drops while all of the guards are in the center if town I might have a chance to slip out, but first I need to finish what I have to do. I stand up and take it my watch to check the time, 23:56; I can only guess I have an hour at the most to finish and make my way to the border of the ***************************************************************************************

   I slowly open the door to the boutique and peek my head inside to make sure that nopony is inside. After confirming that nopony is in the main room I slowly crawl through the doorway and close it behind me. I activate a very dim light spell so that I can be see what is in front of my while hopefully keeping the light from leaking out the window and causing suspicion.

I won't be able to find anything in time like this. I'll have to move upstairs so I can broaden my light field. Hopefully they will have some kind of storage up there.

   I head towards where I had seen a staircase during my first visit and I begin going up the lumping spiral cautiously. Upon my arrival to the upper floor I slightly raise the brightness of my spell and move down the hallway. I see a total of three doors ahead of me. I figure the best option would be to to check them all one at a time.

   I creep up to the first door as silently as I can and I move my left hand subconsciously behind my back. I open the door slowly and crouch-walk my way into the room; that was when it hit me.

"What the hell?" I quietly groan while bringing my left hand over my head in both pain and to hopefully block the direct force of a potential second impact.

   I look up over my arm to see a panting white unicorn mare. Damnit Rarity; why'd you have to be here at a time such as this? She stops panting for a moment and looks me over for a moment before gaining a light smile and exhaling as if relieved.

"Oh thank Celestia it's you. I was thinking you were some kind of---" She says before her eyes wander down to my left hand again. Well.....Shit.

   I lung upwards and plant the palm of my left hand onto her mouth before she can elicit a scream directly into the open air. A stream of muffled grunts come through my hand while I place my right hand behind her back to keep her from falling over; consequently my entire body broke the rule of personal space as a result. Nice job; now you look like a creep.

"Rarity; it's me, StillSonata, I know my hand looks... off, but I have an explanation for that. Now if I remove my hand will you scream?" I say while preparing myself for what I'm about to do.

"Grff." She shakes her head no.

"Ok, but don't make a fool of me." I say before I begin to lift my hand.

"WHY IS YO---" I then block off her mouth with one of my only unused instruments that I feel has a good chance of at least dumbfounding her.

   Needless to say I never had any major intention to kiss a pony and those intentions were ever lower given my current circumstances, but I cannot truly say I hated the experience as a whole nor can I truly say that this tactic had a good likelihood of working or that I've done anything like this before.

"Are you better now?" I say after removing my lips from hers and running a hand through my hair mane.

"Wait; did you just..." She says while her face seems to say that her mind is having quite a time processing this. Really? I expected more from you Rarity. My goal wasn't to dumbfound you; it was to get you yelling about me kissing you so if anypony did hear is they would hopefully think it was a lovers quarrel. Maybe I should've taken what Dash wrote more seriously...

"Yes I did, but please stop yelling. I have a mediocre explanation for my hand and why I snuck in." I say in a hushed to tone while stepping back looking her over to be sure I didn't hurt her at all.

"What are you doing here anyway?" She says after a few minutes of blank staring.

"Well as you saw my left hand has fallen into a... disarray of sorts. I needed a pair of gloves to cover it up so I'm not scaring ponies. You get that right?" I say while looking around the room.

   I guess that I've gone into Rarity's inspiration room. Various fabrics lay around the room in a disarray while four sewing machines each one with it's own article of clothing, a small single pers pony bed sits in the back left corner with a dresser next to it.. I expected something more orderly, but I guess everypony has a guilty pleasure or two.

"Yes, but that gives you no right to kiss me like that!" She says as an expression of rage comes over her face.

"First of all; I said not to scream. Second; was I really that bad at it? It was my first time, but to think it was that unenjoyable makes me a little sad." I say while mostly trying to calm the somewhat tense atmosphere.

"Well either way how am I supposed to react to somepony sneaking into my room at midnight and what about that... Stuff on your hand. You look like you're part changeling." So I was right about this being a changeling thing?

"Yeah... Turns out you might be right about that. Also, why'd you avoid my second question?" I say and she gains a bashful expression and I imagine a blush has formed somewhere on her cheeks. This is much easier than I anticipated. "So about those gloves?"

"Don't try to change the subject! You can't just sneak into the store at night find me up here and say you're part changeling and expect me to just treat this normally." She says a little bit too loud for my taste. Ouch...

"Fair enough; but why didn't you run away or try screaming for help again? From what I can guess being a changeling or even part changeling isn't something natural or highly acceptable and you also know what my special talents are. Shouldn't that be ample reason for you to run?" I say and I meet her gaze solemnly.

"Oh come on; I'm not a mare who doesn't think before she acts. This obviously came as a shock to both of us and since you seem to know the potential repercussions  I guess it's understandable that you would do this." She says before taking a small breathe. "However, that still doesn't completely justify everything you've done."

"So what are you saying exactly? You want another kiss or something?" I say jokingly in an attempt to keep her from knowing how on edge I really am.

"W-what? No! I just want an apology." She says while assuming a more pouting attitude.

"Ok; I'm sorry for sneaking into your room unannounced and violating your personal space." I say while kneeling down and hanging my head. A little much? Probably; but for somepony like her I might've hit it dead on.

"Well I guess I can let it go for now, but don't expect me to not hold this over your head for awhile." She says and then she gives a undignified huff. "What a troublesome pony you are."

"I would expect nothing less from a lady," I say while standing up. "Now about those gloves..."

"Fine I'll go get you a pair, but first I want an explanation for your hand." Se says while pointing at the aforementioned appendage.

"Your guess is probably better than mine, I just woke up from a... nap earlier and I had this on the back of my hand." I say while tapping the dark surface.

"You really are helpless, aren't you?"

"I live my life day by day. I never expected to wake up from a nap to find my hand part changeling." I say trying to defend what small amount of pride I would like to maintain.

"Fine; I guess none of is expect to wake up and find something like this to of happened. Where did you go anyway?"

"I just went on a little trip is all." I say while giving a small smile.

"You're not very convincing, but I guess it's just one of those things you can tell me yet." She says while giving me a indignant look.

"Not right now; I'll tell you some other time."

"Ok p; I'm going to go get some gloves, but you have to leave this room first." She says and she then points to the door.

"Why?" I say before looking around the room again. I don't see a problem with me staying in here for a few minutes.

"This room is basically a second bedroom for me. I can't leave some colt who has obviously been infatuated with me because of my beauty stay in here without supervision. Ugg... Kiss a mare one time to calm here down and now I'm a pervert. Wait; I might've already been one, but that is besides the point. I can control my urges.

"Fair enough, Ms.Rarity" I say before exiting the room with her. She locks the door after exiting.

"I'll be right back with a pair of gloves. You stay here." She says before walking off in the direction of the staircase. I expected things to go much worse than they did. I'm not going to complain about something good happening to me though. I wish it would happen more often.

   After about three minutes of twiddling my thumbs in the darkness a light blue glow emerges from the stairwell. Rarity follows soon after with a pair of white gloves in her hands.

"Thank you." I say before extending a hand towards the gloves, but she then holds them closer to her.

"Not yet; I've been doing some sides work for you and it's time I put it to use." She says before taking out a key and unlocking the door to the room.

"Thanks for the gesture Rarity, but I really can't afford to wait any longer." I say while following her into the room.

"Sorry, but refusal isn't an option right now. I try to make it customary for me to give a gift of sorts whenever I have a good opportunity. Now please get out; a lady deserves some privacy, especially after you pulling the stunt you did." She says before pushing me back through the doorway and closing the door. I soon after hear her lock the door for an extra measure. i should've just taken my chances in the darkness.

***************************************************************************************

   I wait for about 20 minutes while enduring the boredom and the sounds of various illegible words from the other side of the door before the white unicorn unlocks and opens the door to 'her' room and gestures for me to enter.

   I walk into the room and see than she has somewhat organized the room. Organized is probably to loose of a term. It's more like she color coded the fabrics and pushed them against a wall.

   Rarity is standing over by her bed facing towards the wall with her arms moving somewhat erratically over something that seems small based on how little her arms are moving outward.

"Really Rarity, this is too much. I really only need the gloves and then I can be off to the library." I say without thinking. Damnit; why'd I say that.

"Oh, you're going to the library then?" She says without looking up. Too late now.

"Yeah; I need to go there and see if there are any books on changelings." I tell her knowing that this could cause many repercussions.

"Oh; well you really shouldn't go there until tomorrow. I know how must feel about this situation, but not following legal guidelines can only make it worse." She informs me in a matter of fact tone. Only if I'm caught. Oh wait; that already happened, fuck.

"Oh come on. I was going to leave you some bits on the counter and I planned to pt some at the library too. Does that count for anything?" I say in an irritated tone.

"Not if you get caught doing it. Just trust me and go there tomorrow whenever it's daylight and you can take care of this more sensibly. Nopony, except for me, will have to know that happened to your hand now that you have something to hide it with." She replies in a matter-of-fact tone. Why is it that she has to be persistent.

"You're not going to give up; are you?"

"Not until you listen or until you let me call Twilight to have her meet us there and she can make you go through the regular procedure." She says before gaining a confident smirk. So I'm trapped and by a mare such as this none the less. Am I really this pitiful?

"You're also not going to let me leave here without an escort; are you?" I say without thinking that that may have been something she hadn't considered.

"Not originally, but not hat you have mentioned it I will be escorting you back to your home." She says with a taunting tone which only drives my current hatred of myself further. Why am I working slower than I should be?

"I'm really just digging my own grave arguing with you; aren't I?" I say while running a hand through my black mane.

"In an argument between you and I there is no other way for it to end." She says in a pompous fashion. really do need to get advice before I try outsmarting the opposite gender of a species different than my prior one.

"A little pompous; don't you think?" I say knowing full well the potential dangers.

"Only if I happen to be wrong."

"Alright; I guess I can respect that. Now about my gloves..."I say; giving a slight gesture to the bed behind her.

"Oh yes, here." Se says before turning around and back again with the gloves in her hands.

   Nothing significant has changed to the basic basic structure or colouring, but on the back of the hand a familiar black design looks as though it's been there since the gloves were made. The design is a seemingly exact mirror of my cutie mark. I like it, but how did she do this?

"Thank you Rarity." I say as I take the gloves form her. "How did you get the design to be this good though?" I say before putting them on. Needless to say they fit well.

"After working here for awhile Pattern taught me a few spells to assist in making high quantities of basic clothing. One of these was a spell to inlay designs directly onto a peace of fabric. The spell doesn't work well for mass production of finer clothing though because the designs have to be very simplistic for them to not be distorted. However, if you focus a little longer and take more time manipulating the manipulative field of the magic it is possible to get more complex designs to be imbedded into the fabric; with a good possibility if failure to boot." She says leaving me somewhat dumbfounded.

"Manipulative field of magic?" I say without a care as to how stupid I may sound.

"Oh sorry. I've been asking Twilight for some tutoring and she ends up rambling on about some of the things from her advanced classes. It gets confusing, but I understand a thing or two from it." She says in a seemingly uncharacteristic meek tone.

"So I guess Twilight is a little more adept at spells than a average unicorn?" I say while trying to win my own mental game of connect the dots. I guess since I can't go to the library I can calm down a bit. I still have to get out of here while the shield is down.

"Well she is a four ring unicorn." She says regularly. What? Four ringed unicorn; I don't follow."

"What do you mean a four ring unicorn?" I say for the sake of gaining some additional knowledge.

"Wait; you don't know about the classification system?" She says in a somewhat surprised tone.

"No." I sigh flatly.

"You really must've not had parents that taught basic knowledge or you just came from a town where it didn't matter enough to be taught." She says with a sigh. "It's easy; there are seven unicorn classifications, alicorn horn, sharp and dull adept, sharp and dull medium and sharp and dull low. Your put into these categories based on when or if your horn achieves a certain number of spirals and the aspect of your horns point. For the average unicorn you will see a 3 spiral horn until about the nineteenth year of age where the horn will grow to be a four spiral to compensate of the growth of your magical reserve. A lower unicorn will have the spirals and then it will grow to three at the nineteenth year. For an adept unicorn though they will achieve a fourth spiral in the early to mid teen years and potentially a fifth ring at the nineteenth year, but in some cases the fifth ring won't be achieved and they simply drop back down into a average ranking." She lectures and then takes a breathe.

"What about the sharp and dull distinction?" I ask since she didn't previously mention it.

"All of what I mentioned before applies to dull horned unicorns. Sharp horned unicorns a bit different. While dull horned unicorns achieve these attributes based on genetic make-up ,according to what Twilight told me; sharp horned unicorns have to increase their magical reserves by conditioning themselves. Though while their reserves may come from conditioning themselves there are certain restrictions such as how before the nineteenth year of age the highest rank achieve able is 4 rings and after that the highest achieve able to five rings. In the the long run though there isn't a real difference between the two besides that a sharp horned pony could rise up into a higher ranking or be lowered into a lower ranking. Alicorns have seven rings actually, but the lines move very close to each other with time so that it looks as though they only have 3 rings." She says before giving another few deep breathes. So I can rise up in levels? Sweet.

"Huh, interesting. Can we leave then?"I say before reaching a hand up to my horn to feel the number of rings on it, 3. At least I'm average. I'll have to try and get it up to four rings though before I'm nineteen to make sure I don't fall behind.

"Oh yes. Let's leave; I'd like to get some sleep tonight and the faster I get you home the faster I can sleep." She says before turning and leaving the room while I follow behind her. At least she's happy.

***************************************************************************************

"It's a beautiful night; isn't it." Rarity says while looking upwards to the sky.

"Ah yes; quite... nice." I say while looking up. What!

   I look up and there is no purple webbing or anything that looks like a shield. There is only the clear night sky with the moon looming overhead. Where did the shield go? Furthermore, when I look around the plaza I see that none of the guards are here either. There were ten or so here whenever to entered the boutique, but now none of them inhabit the area. Were did they all go?