Chapters When the changeling woke up, all he could see was dark blue sky and the moon high in the sky, as white as snow, he hated the moon and the night as it was caused by princess Luna. One of the princesses who ruled Canterlot. Though she wasn't seen much in the battle for the city. He did run into her where she gave him a mighty whack with he back hooves. He went to feel his chest where Luna had kicked him. Instead all he could feel was searing pain in his right arm.
He raised his head to look at his arm. It was a wreck, he was a wreck! his right arm was twisted into a position that looked wrong however you saw it. His left leg had scratches all over and looked like it was dislocated. His chest had a giant imprint of two hooves and his wings were crumpled under his weight.
"well isn't this just perfect! Its dark, i'm wounded all over and starving!" Again he was confused why he was talking to himself but it felt good to let some of his anger out. It didn't matter it was dark for a changeling as all of his race could see in the dark but it wasn't the dark he was afraid of... It was what came out in the dark.
He wasn't going to try standing up as right now he needed all his energy he could muster. He decided it would be easier if he thought about something else than dying out here from his wounds or some beast looking for a midnight snack. How long had he been out for? It was day when he crashed but he wasn't sure what time it was. Did anyone else survive the blast? If he did and he was just a regular changeling then surely his brothers and sisters. Even the queen must have survived! He then decided to go deeper on that thought. He was a normal changeling. He hated using that word "normal." He despised the thought of being nothing original. A exact copy of 1000 other changelings all his brothers and sisters. There was only two things he thought that made him different to his siblings. One he was slightly taller and two, he had 3 rows of blue spikes that grew from his head all the way down to his back. They weren't huge and he saw them more like hair. He liked that idea of having hair.
He then continued to ponder his thoughts for what seemed to be hours. He didn't know why but all his thoughts always lead back to him thinking of the hive. He wasn't sure what he was feeling and on that changelings weren't meant to feel. That was the point they fed of ponies feelings as they couldn't feel anything themselves. So what was this feeling? He had lived his entire life in the hive maintaining it. Guarding the hatch-lings with his favourite sister. None of the changelings had names apart from the queen so they told each other apart by a certain aroma for each part of the hive.
He also kept watch on the cocoons containing their food supply. Ponies feeding love, him and his sister used to refer to the cocoons as farms as they fed of those ponies who couldn't resist. He would watch them sometimes. Trying to wonder who they were before they ran into this terrible fate. They also used the ponies to practice their transformation magic, he and her sister soon became skilled in transformations but as they were designated in the lower parts of the hive they were never used for outside missions. So they spent their lives in the hive unsure what the outside world was like.
When the queen ordered all the levels of the hive out for the siege of Canterlot. He and her sister couldn't resist! Their first step out in the world felt great! it was rushed as all the hive began to fly towards Canterlot. They followed near the back. Their mission was to assault the urban part of the city and capture as many ponies as they could. Thats where they ran into princess Luna who knocked the changeling out of the fight and his sister. When he woke up he was in a makeshift hive camp laying next to his sister. she was fine and so was he, apart from a lump on his chest and a few scratches, he wasn't in bad shape. The changeling commander told him and his sister they were needed near the palace to squash a small resistance.
They flew up into the sky to make the trip to the palace shorter. It was a fatal mistake.... A huge orb of pink light blasted them away and now here he was. Broken, starving, on deaths door and all alone. That was what he was feeling. Loneliness.... He missed his his hive and his sister.
He could feel himself blacking out again.... Maybe this was his end now. Atleast he could stop the pain. Suddenly he could hear the sounds of hooves coming towards him. the scent was a pony. Quick! He needed a disguise! He brainstormed his mind for any disguise, the only one he could think of was a stallion back in the hive. It was worth a try! The changeling used all his energy remaining to transform into the stallion. a green glow appeared around his horn and slowly his body changed. His body started growing a tiny bit then the transformation began. his dark bug like skin changed to a dark blueish fur. his spikes grew into spiky hair emerald color. His holes in his legs shrank and turned dark blue like his body. His bug like wings transformed into feathers which went spiky at the ends. His hooves transformed into complete black which shined a tiny bit grey in the moonlight. His once sharp and jagged horn shrank and twisted into the horn of a unicorns. The final part was his eyes. Instead of the full icy blue eyes with no pupils. they shrank and changed to a light brown.
Atleast his secret was safe.....
Welcome to ponyville!
When the changeling woke up. He found that he had been moved from where he had crashed into some ponies living room. He was laying on a couch with all of his wounds bandaged and his broken arm in a cast. The room was considerably clean apart from some blood on the floor. He guessed it was his. Laying at the bottom of the couch was a tray with a bowl of soup and a muffin.
The changeling slowly and carefully lifted the the tray with his good hand onto his lap. Changelings couldn't use food as a energy but he needed something to make him feel better. He slurped a taste of the soup slowly. Just in case his savior had some kind of evil plan. The soup was delicious! He had never eaten anything before as good! Wait.... This was his first ever meal. Oh well never mind he decided. He ate all the soup and then moved onto the muffin. He guessed if the soup was fine the muffin must be too. His hunch was right, the muffin was just as good as the soup, even better! he could taste some type of berry inside the muffin but wasn't sure what berry it was. Near the hive entrance was a few berry bushes hiding their hive. They're were all sorts of berries, from plain to colorful. He was warned though not to eat any as some were poisonous. The changeling left the bottom bit of the muffin for later as he wanted to save the taste.
The door suddenly opened and a mare walked in. She had long blonde hair and a light grey coat. her eyes were amber and she seemed to have Three white bubbles on her flank. She was the pony race known as a Pegasus. But there was also something about her eyes... They seemed to be weird. One was looking up and the other down. Then again he had barely seen any pony before so what did he know about weird.
"Glad to see your awake sleepy" The mare said "so whats your name?"
The changeling was about to speak but he realized he didn't have a voice or a name! It never occurred to him he would need to speak or have a name. He had to act fast or the pony might get suspicious, he quickly choose to use a voice he heard from one of the ponies he heard screaming in Canterlot. All he needed now was a name... Bingo!
"You nervous our something?" The mare was getting impatient.
" The names Strider and yours?" His voice came out abit raspy and dark. Hopefully he could make it look like he was tired. After all, he did just fall out of the sky and almost die.
"the names Derpy Hooves. Nice to meet you! So what happened to you?" Great, now he needed a story.... No matter he would tell the truth, just not all of it.
"I kinda... crashed" He lowered his head in the act of embarresment.
"Its good to meet someone else who crashes! I crash a lot aswell" Derpy replied. Atleast she was beginning to taking a liking to him.
Derpy inspected Striders body for any missed injuries, absolutely none. "So your a alicorn Strider? Thats amazing! I have never ever ever seen a alicorn before! Apart from princess Celestia and Luna! But your a real live alicorn!" Derpy was now standing right infront of Strider, he could feel her breathing.
"sorry about that.... I get over excited sometimes." Derpy said apologetically. Strider could see that easily.
"Thanks for the soup and the muffin Derpy. They were great!"
"thanks! I made them myself. Especially the muffins!"
Strider then thought how long had he been out for on this couch.
"So how long was I out for?" Strider asked.
"around two days. You really were in terrible shape when I found you. How did you crash?"
He wasn't really sure how he was going to explain this one and still make it look believable.
"well I was flying as high as I could. Then a huge storm hit me hard and I started falling, I couldn't get my wings out straight to catch the wind and that's the story basically."
"so..." Strider was running out of questions and he was beginning to feel his stomach growing again....
"Is their anyone else in the house?" Strider asked
"Yea! There's my daughter dinky and her father the doctor. But he isn't here right now."
"doctor who?" Strider questioned. He was interested to know as there might be a love source to feed on.
"just the Doctor" Derpy replied. Strider was confused by what pony would call himself the Doctor but Strider decided it didn't matter.
"well its good to see your awake and fine, it might be some time before you can walk again. Or fly..."
Strider tilted his head to look at his wings. He gasped at the sight of them. His right wings was broken and looked crooked. His left had a giant cut leading from the top nearly all the way down. He was surprised that the bandages on his left wing actually were able to keep it up. He then realized he hadn't thanked Derpy for saving him.
"Thanks for helping me"
"Sure! No problem." Derpy replied with a huge smile on her face. Strider didn't know why but he kind of liked her smile. Mainly because he had never ever saw some pony smile before. His thought was cut short when his stomach started growling. He would have to feed soon or it would be over for him.
Derpy then turned away from Strider and started to walk out the room. Now was his chance! He would feed of her love for her daughter and this stallion called "the doctor." Not much though as he didn't want to get caught, neither did he want to hurt his savior.
He concentrated on her love source and began to drain. A green glow illuminated around his horn and quickly absorbed the love energy from derpy. It may have been a small amount but it tasted so good! Not ever had he seen anypony who could love so much. He had to have just a little more.......
Derpy could feel something leaving her. She couldn't put her finger on what it was but it was something important. She turned to look at Strider to see if what was happening to her was happening to him or if he was the cause of this problem. Nothing he just laid there smiling at derpy. At least he seemed nice, for a pony who did crash and just woke up.
"oh yea, one more thing Strider."
"Hmmm?" strider raised his eyebrows in interest.
"Welcome to Ponyville Strider!" And with that Derpy left the room and left Strider on his own.
"Looks like this is my home for a while..." Strider said to himself.
He was right on that one.
A few days passed and Strider slowly fed a tiny bit more of Derpy Hooves. He only fed on enough to keep him alive and help him recover. She didn't weaken one bit each time. Strider guessed she had so much inside her, even if he did a full feed, it wouldn't affect her much.
Derpy decided that Strider was trust worthy and let Dinky into the room he was staying in. Dinky seemed exactly like her mother except she had a pale purple colored fur and she was a unicorn. The only other difference was her eyes were normal instead of what Derpy called "derp eyes." In the few days, he had also managed to gain enough strength to stand and walk.Only around the house though. Today derpy said she was going to cook a batch of muffins and asked if Strider wanted to help. The changeling didn't really have much to do anyway and something to take his mind off the fate of his siblings and the hive.
"Now you pour the flour into the mixing bowl and stir for a tiny bit" Derpy instructed Strider.
Strider was beginning to get the hand of cooking. Even if it was just muffins he enjoyed cooking them.
"So Strider, do you have any brothers or sisters?" Derpy asked
"I do. A lot actually, there was so many of us that sometimes our mother wouldn't notice us."
"Thats a real shame." Derpy replied
"Don't worry about it. I spent most of my time with my sister and raising my younger family." Derpy turned to him when he said sister.
"cool. I always wanted a sister. But I was a only child." Strider felt a tiny bit sorry for Derpy growing up with no brothers or sisters. Then again his siblings could be a real pain sometimes.
"so where do you live Strider?"
Strider nearly got caught out on that Question. There was only three places he knew of in his life and one wasn't exactly a pony friendly place....
" I grew up in Canterlot" Strider finally replied after a long time.
"your from Canterlot!?" Strider wasn't so sure why she seemed so surprised. Then it hit him. The changeling attack on the city.
"yes, is there something wrong?" Hopefully he could act like he didn't know of the events in Canterlot.
"don't you know? There was a attack on Canterlot!" Derpy shouted to Strider. It deafened his ears abit but he could ignore it.
"A attack? When?" She seemed to believe he actually had no idea what she was going on about, luckily.
" A few days ago. A race called the changelings attacked. They're horrible monsters who feed of other ponies love. They look like ponies in their normal form but with bug like features. I think they're horrible" Strider felt a heavy blow when Derpy said this as he himself was a changeling.
"They cant be that bad?" Strider replied in the hopes of making Derpy see his kind as something better.
"They are! They even transform into other ponies just to steal the love! They cant feel anything and don't care whos lives they ruin! They are the worst thing imaginable!"
She was wrong. Changelings could feel. And right now Strider felt guilt and sadness.
"your done mixing now." Derpy then took the bowl off Strider and starting pouring its content into a muffin tray.
"Oh you got abit on your nose."
"Wait no I haven't!" Just as he said this, Derpy put her hoof into the mixing bowl and threw some at Strider. Nailing him right on the nose.
"Oh you have made a big mistake" Strider was standing next to the sink and inside the sink was a sponge filled up with water. He launched it straight at Derpy landing on her left shoulder and sliding onto her back then falling down to the ground but leaving a trail of water across Derpy.
"bring it on!" Derpy took some more mixing and threw it at Strider making a large splodge on his left cheek.
The two ponies continued their fight until Derpy slipped in a puddle of water and landed on top of Strider. The two ponies were laughing and shouting they nearly forgot to put the muffins into the oven.
"That was fun! You like your new hairstyle?" Derpy Said with a huge grin on her face.
Strider picked up a handheld mirror and looked into hit. His hair was sticking out all ways and had mixing all over.
"Oh yea! I nearly forgot!" Derpy stepped next to Strider and punched his right arm. " Thats for making me slip!"
"Ow!" Strider cried. "Easy on the broken arm. Im not all iron pony!"
Derpy giggled at the last remark. "Sorry about that. Maybe you should take a shower, you got it all in your hair!"
Maybe a shower would do good for him. "Sure I guess"
"its upstairs, 2nd door on the left. Don't worry about your cast. Its waterproof."
"Okay thanks Derpy!"
Strider left the room and headed to the stairs. Suddenly, his horn glowed green for a flash of a second and he felt his strength return.
"Thats weird." Strider said to himself, "I didn't even mean to absorb any energy."
He would think about it later as right now, he really wanted to get clean.
When he reached the top of the stairs Dinky stood near the banister watching him. Crap! Did she see him performing magic? It seemed his cover was blown...
" My mother really likes you Strider."
"Really? I wasn't sure if she did." Strider replied. It seems she never saw the magic.
"She does. I've only seen her act like herself with one other person. And that's my dad!"
"Thanks Dinky. I think I'll go have a shower now."
"Ok!" Dinky then walked off back to her bedroom.
Looks like he managed to make the Hooves family like him. He wanted them to like him.
A week had passed and Strider was able to walk on all four instead of hopping around on three. He still couldn't walk very far without a tiny bit of a break and he had to have a bandage on his left leg and some medicine in case of infection.. Derpy had to go back to her job as Ponyville's mailman so she asked Strider to look after Dinky when she was out. Strider didn't mind taking care of Dinky, he actually enjoyed her company as it turns out. Dinky was very smart and knew quite abit of magic. She taught a few tricks to Strider when he told her that he was more of a flyer then a magician.
"so just concentrate all your thoughts onto lifting that cushion." Dinky told Strider. They were practicing levitation magic as that was one of easiest spells to cast.
Strider concentrated on lifting the cushion. His horn began to glow a light green which flickered at the tip of his horn. He soon learnt that whenever he casted magic, it would always be green so he didn't have to worry about getting caught while feeding.
Slowly the green light illuminating from Strider's horn appeared around the cushion encasing it in a wave of green. He closed his eyes shut and imagined the cushion rising into the air as hard as he could. His concentration paid off and when he opened his eyes, the cushion was levitating in the air still encased in a green glow.
"Amazing!" Dinky praised Strider for his quick learning skills and his ability to do this spell so well. "Now try lifting up the couch!"
Strider then concentrated on the couch which had been his bed for the past few days. He closed his eyes again and imagined it in the air. Slowly the flickering green light emitting around his horn appeared around the couch just like it did for the cushion. This one was harder to lift but Strider could manage.
"Well done! You pick up magic really fast!" Strider smiled at Dinky. He had a thought going through his head that he could try lifting everything in the room to show off.
He put all his thoughts onto one thing, lifting everything in the room. If he was at his normal state and not injured by falling out of the sky. He could probably do this easy.
Some time passed before Strider made a move. With all his energy and thoughts focused in one place. He could start the magic.
From Striders horn, appeared a small transparent ball colored exactly like his hair. At first all the ball did was float a few centimeters from his horn. In a blink of a eye, the ball began to envelope the room. Then everything inside the ball began to rise. From boxes of muffins to the mantle clock. Even the wood in the fireplace rose. The only thing that remained where it was before the orb appeared, was Dinky.
Dinky stood mouth open stunned by Striders magic power, Its just because he's a adult thought Dinky. But that couldn't just be it. He was still injured and had little range of magic skills. But yet he was easily casting a spell at its best. Dinky wasn't sure, but she thought that Striders eyes were going green...
Strider felt great! He could feel his energy returning to him but as it entered, he immediately used it to power the orb. Strider was thinking that his final stunner could be using transformation magic. Not only could changelings transform themselves. They could also change objects into whatever they wanted. They mainly used this technique on materials outside the hive to then use for construction purposes.
A flash of green from Striders horn and all the objects in the air transformed into a number of things. The most peculiar transformation though, was the couch turning into a giant snake with wings.
"How did you?!" Dinky asked in shock. She had never seen this magic before and how powerful it was. But her attention was diverted from the wonders in the room to Strider
His eyes had gone a full green and pupil-less. Around the edges of his horn flames of emerald were flickering. Everything levitating in the room began to move around the orb starting at a slow pace but soon picking up speed. Everything was flying around so fast, Dinky nearly forgot the situation happening.
"Strider!" Dinky shouted as loud as she could, Strider didn't even turn to look at her. He just stood there in the middle of the room casting the spell. "You need to stop! Your going to hurt somepony!" Strider still didn't move. Dinky then realized he couldn't control the orb anymore and it was taking over him.
Dinky ran right up to Strider dodging the flying objects zooming around the room."Strider! You have to listen to me! Its me Dinky!" She was so busy trying to get Strider to stop. She never saw it coming....
Strider was lost in this new power he had found. He had no idea where this power had come from or why he could only use it now. But it felt brilliant! He could hear somepony talking to him in the distance but couldn't make out who it was. That was until he heard the scream.
A chair had hit Dinky square on and sent her flying towards the window. Strider suddenly snapped out of his trance and turned to Dinky.
"HELP!" Dinky cried! Strider looked around the room for anything he could use to save Dinky. Then he remembered the cushion he first practiced his magic on.
He used the remainder of his new power to lift the cushion and flung it in the way of Dinky.
Dinky landed onto the cushion and was slowly brought back down to the floor.
"im so sorry Dinky! Please don't tell your mother!" Begged Strider.
Dinky just winked at Strider and replied "Don't worry. Lets just keep this our little secret."
Strider grinned at Dinky and winked back.
"But if we wan't to keep this a secret, we may need to clean up abit...."
They then set to work on cleaning the living room.
A trip to the Everfree forest.
After they cleaned the living room up, Dinky asked Strider if he could take her to the Everfree forest outside of Ponyville. Strider wanted to make up for nearly injuring Dinky and agreed. It would soon be a big mistake...
"Its just up the road now." Dinky told Strider.
"So what's in this forest that you want?" Asked Strider.
"well its kind of hard to explain but, there's these types of flowers that are extremely rare and can grant powerful magic boosts to somepony who knows how to use them. But for that to happen they also need magic water which can only be found in this forest."
"Ok. I get it now but, what happens if your mother gets back and finds us not there?"
"Oh don't worry about that. My mother takes ages to deliver the mail now as she's no longer allowed to fly."
"Why's that?" Questioned Strider. It did seem odd not to let their employee use wings to speed the up the job.
"Well to put it simply, they said they couldn't afford another crashing accident."
Strider chuckled to himself now understanding what Derpy men't when she said its good to see someone else who crashed.
There was one other thing Strider wanted to ask, but it was a tiny bit personal.
"So where's your father? I haven't seen him once since my stay."
"Oh. My father travels a lot so I don't really see him much. But my mother says he's the greatest thing that happened to her. She used to travel with him too but when I was born Derpy wanted to settle down and well... Thats around it."
"Oh..." Strider felt a tiny bit sorry for the filly not really knowing her father.
"I didn't know my Dad either." Replied Strider in the hopes of cheering her up.
"you didn't?" asked Dinky surprised.
"No. Infact I never actually met him. It was only me and my siblings, we did have our mother but. She was normally busy or paid more attention to her favorite children."
"Thats a shame really. Atleast we both have something in common." Dinky smiled to Strider who smiled back.
"Were here now anyway." Said Dinky
Strider looked up from Dinky to see the forest. there were hundreds of trees, row after row all connected by vines and bushes grappling onto the trees. There was also a slight mist inside the forest making it impossible to see what was inside.
"Im not so sure about this now Dinky...." stuttered Strider. He just managed to survive one death experience by luck and didn't want to get himself in another.
"Oh come on scaredy! Do I have to hold your hoof?" mocked Dinky.
"Fine, we'll go in but you have to keep close to me. Promise?" Strider held out his hoof towards Dinky.
"Promise!" Dinky shook Striders hoof. "Now come on! Before we die of old age!" If there was one thing Strider disliked about youth. It was their determination and no fear.
15 minutes passed and Dinky had found the flowers she was looking for. "All we need now is the water."
"So where would the water be?" Asked Strider. He was getting nervous as he could smell something close to them. And it was on the move....
"Well the water we need is in a spring. Which is around the highest point of the forest. All we need to do is find a stream and follow it."
"I think i can fly up to the top of the forest and look for one."
"Are you sure? I mean you still not at your best yet and its quite high up there."
"Its ok. If I just fly up to the top for a few seconds and don't do anything too stressful, I can manage it."
"Ok then but, I don't wanna be dragging your sorry flank all the way back to Ponyville if you fall."
Strider laughed at that. He wasn't sure why but he was beginning to like Dinky a lot.
"Ill be back in a jiffy!" And with that Strider leapt into the air and took to the skies.
It felt amazing to finally fly again! The wind in his face and the coolness of it. It felt even better with Pony wings as they gave more of a thrust and didn't need him to flap his wings as much. He stopped right at the tip of the trees, from here he could see the entire forest and where the spring was. He jotted down in his mind that they would need to head north abit and look for the willow tree. After that it was just follow the water.
He began his descent back to the forest floor savoring his one chance to fly.
"Good news Dinky! Its just a tiny bit north!" Strider couldn't see Dinky anywhere and the scent he picked up was stronger then before....
"DINKY! WHERE ARE YOU?!" Strider Shouted. He turned to see if she had ran back to the entrance of the forest. Instead he was met by two giant hungry red eyes.
Changeling vs Manticore
The beast backhanded Strider into a nearby rock. Dazed and confused, Strider could only watch as the beast approached him. From what he could tell, was the beast had the head and body of a lion with a long messy mane. A blood red tail of a scorpion and wings of a bat but colored like his body. At first Strider mistook it for a overgrown changeling because of the two huge fangs coming from its mouth.
When the beast was 5 feet from Strider it pounced onto his arms to stop him from running. The beast licked it lips savoring the meal to come. As the beast was about to stick its teeth into Striders stomach, a pebble hit the beast straight in the eye lodging itself in the beasts socket. The monster roared in agony losing its grasp on Strider.
Strider took the opportunity and kicked the Beast of him with his legs. Sending him flying into a tree and nearly collapsing the tree. With the beast stunned Strider lifted himself up and looked to where the pebble came from. There was Dinky hiding under the roots of a tree. She looked petrified but was able to stay strong on the situation and save Strider from a terrible fate.
"Strider! Its a manticore!" Dinky shouted to Strider
"So?"
"So it means he gets stronger when he gets aggravated"
Perfect. If a stone in your eye didn't make you lose it. Then being kicked into a tree would.
"Does it have any weaknesses!?"
"Well your going to have to find that one out yourself"
"Brilliant. Now Dinky Just run!" Ordered Strider.
"But I want to help you fight him!" Argued Dinky.
"JUST RUN!" Strider looked at Dinky to show he was serious.
"but what about you?!"
"Don't worry. Im the pony who survived a fall from the sky! This is just a warm up!" Oh how he wished it was just that.
Dinky ran of deeper into the forest soon fading from Strider sight.
He hoped it was safe where she ran of to.
"Its just me and you ugly." Taunted Strider.
The manticore growled at Strider and began to circle around him looking for a moment when he would drop his guard.
But strider wasn't going to wait for the manticore to do the first move and lunged himself at the manticore.
He Impaled his shoulder into the manticore's stomach pushing the manticore back onto its two legs which Strider turned and whacked him in the chest with his back legs. Sending the manticore back into the tree it just got out of. Enraged by the assault on him. The manticore roared in rage and charged towards Strider.
"Thats right! Come to papa!" Strider forced his hooves into the ground preparing for the strike from the beast. He had no idea if this would work or make him a very hungry manticore's lunch....
As the manticore neared, Strider charged head on at the manticore and jumped up as high as he could. Strider landed onto his back and grabbed the manticore's head.
"Got you know!" Strider shouted into the beasts ear. The manticore started trying to fling Strider of his back but just made it worse as Strider managed to put him in a head-lock.
Dinky was watching from her hiding place under the roots of a old oak tree shocked to see a pony stand up to a manticore but actually be beating it! She wished there was something she could do to help Strider but he seemed to have the situation under control.
The manticore was close to blacking out from the head-lock but as he slowly began to faint, his rage disappeared and figured out what to do.
The manticore flipped onto his back crushing Strider under his weight. "OW!" Strider cried in agony. The manticore rolled back onto his front and stood up, grinning at Strider paralyzed. He licked his lips and opened his mouth as wide as he could around Striders body. But before he could take the bite another pebble hit him in the face. This time though it just scraped his forehead. He turned to where the pebble came from and saw the same stupid little pony that blinded him the first time. This time she wasn't going to get away with it.
Before he would go teach the stupid pony a lesson, he raised his paw and sliced into the other ponies stomach to make sure he wouldn't get up and stop him. He would feast soon....
Strider gasped as he felt the cold sharp claws rip into his stomach. Slowly blood trickled out of the rips in his body and oozed onto the floor. Was this it for him? Dying, fighting a manticore for the ponies he cared about? Wait...Strider realized why the manticore had left him.. DINKY!!
He lifted his head to look where the manticore had gone to. He could see the beast frantically trying to claw away the roots blocking him from Dinky.
When Dinky saw Strider crushed by the manticore, she rushed out of her hiding place and started throwing stones again. She didn't want to get close as the beast looked extremely mad and would rip her to shreds. So instead she held back and aimed at his head. She hoped she could get him in the eye like last time but missed and now the beast was coming for her. She jumped back into her hiding hole and hoped he would go away. He didn't and now she was trapped while the manticore growled and snarled trying break its way in.
Terror was slowly gripping onto Dinky freezing her into place, watching the terrifying beast claw its way to her with his blood red eyes and blade like fangs. She hoped Strider would come and save her as she didn't know what to do anymore. Strider seemed to be so strong and brave. Even willing to give his life for a strangers. Even if he was slightly weird. Oh how she hoped he was fine.
The beast had finally ripped out the last roots blocking him from his prey. He grinned at the terrified foal and slowly moved his paw inside and swiped the air infront of Dinky. The manticore could have easily just stabbed her and pulled her dying carcass out of the tree but, he wanted to toy with this one after all she had done to him.
Dinky knew this was the end as no one was coming to save her. Strider must be dead and her mother no idea where she was. She didn't want it to end like this but the truth was staring her right in the face...
The manticore was tired of toying with the filly and decided to end it now. He stabbed his claws into Dinky's side and pulled her straight out. Hanging on by the claws in her stomach, Dinky laid motionless in the air staring at the ground. She could feel her life slowly seeping away out of the holes in her stomach.
"You let her go! You filth!" Strider was standing up staring at Dinky. The minute he saw her limp body he felt everything coming back to him. His wounds fading and his strength coming back. He would make that filth pay for touching her.
The beast smirked and dropped Dinky to the ground. He then slowly prowled towards Strider surprised to see him standing. Before the beast could reach Strider, Strider dashed forward and slammed his hooves down onto the manticore head. The beast quickly recovered and rolled out of the way before Strider could strike another blow. But Strider was still on top and launched his elbow into the manticore's back. The manticore yelped in pain and rolled away again. The manticore stood back up and charged straight at Strider. Strider rolled out of the way before the manticore hit him and kicked him in the back leg. The manticore stumbled into the dirt face first.
"Had enough yet?" Strider taunted the fallen manticore. The manticore swung his tail at Strider hoping to poison him. Strider ducked and rolled towards the manticore.
The manticore was prepared though, and smashed the rolling pony into a rock.
Strider gasped and slowly limped into a less open area of the forest hoping the manticore would follow. The manticore did just that and sprinted after Strider deeper into the forest.
Strider flew up into a branch coming out of one of the trees. He was waiting for the the manticore to walk right past him and strike. But he never appeared. Had the manticore ran off not noticing where Strider had went? That couldn't be it though, he could still smell the the beast close. Very close... Strider felt something breath down his neck and turned to see what it was. The manticore was hovering in the air behind Strider flapping his bat like wings.
"So you can fly!?" Strider questioned the manticore
The manticore just roared back at Strider and slashed his paw at Striders head. Strider ducked and took of to the sky. The only one real place he had a advantage.
Strider led the manticore high into the clouds where a storm was brewing. Hopefully the clouds would hide him and give him the element of surprise. The beast sniffed out for the scent of the pony but nothing came to him apart from fresh air,
WHAM!
Strider hit the manticore in his left shoulder like a bullet.
SMACK!
Strider continued a flurry of hits to the beast in all directions. The beast just hovered in the sky stunned by the speed of his attacker and the pain he felt.
Strider flew right under the manticore and launched himself up into the sky upper-cutting the beast's head. The manticore somersaulted back and searched for any trace of where this pony was hiding. A flash of lightning split the sky open and the loud roar of thunder followed. In the flash the beast could make out the silhouette of the pony who attacked him. The manticore growled and sped up towards Strider.
"uh oh...." Strider gulped witnessing the Manticore coming right at him. The manticore smashed straight into him causing both Strider and the manticore falling. Strider tried to spread his wings out and catch the wind, but the manticore landed on him pushing him down so they both fell faster.
"get your stinking paws of me!" Strider shouted at the manticore. The manticore grunted and lifted his tail towards Striders face.
Strider tried to lift his arm up to push the stinger out of the way but the manticore dug his claws into Striders arms drawing blood.
The manticore stabbed his stinger down but luckily, strider turned his head to the left, dodging the manticore's tail. This came with a price as he saw what was waiting for them on the ground. A huge bush with thorns as long as the manticore's claws. Strider had a flashback from when he was falling to what he thought was his death two weeks ago. He was sure he wouldn't be as lucky to survive this time...
He snapped out of his flashback just in time to dodge another one of the manticore's attacks.
"Not this time!" Strider lifted his leg onto the Manticore's body and push as hard as he could.
The two flipped over so Strider was now standing on top of the manticore pushing him down instead.
Strider began to pound his hooves into the manticore's face causing the manticore's eyes to swell up and go black.
"THIS IS FOR DINKY!" Strider put his arm together and smashed down straight onto the manticore send him to the ground in a few seconds.
Strider pulled his wings out and stopped falling. He slowly lowered himself to the ground where the manticore fell. Rain began to come down from the sky.
The manticore had fallen into the bush and was now encased in vines with thorns sticking out. It laid there growling at Strider but couldn't do anything.
"I should kill you now." Strider said to the beast
"Stop you from harming any other pony. Praying on those weaker than you."
"But we're the same, me and you. We use them as a food source. But you went a step too far and attacked me and killed a helpless pony named Dinky."
The manticore tilted his head in confusion. He didn't understand what this pony was saying but it made him feel a slight guilt.
"Im going to let you live. Not because we're the same or because Dinky wouldn't want me to kill, but because Im better than that now."
"So I would advise you run, hide. Because If I see you again, I will kill you."
Strider turned and walked away from the manticore. The manticore roared out in rage by this pony's actions. Strider turned once to look at his opponent one more time. He then walked away.
He headed to where Dinky was. She was still there lying on the ground in a pool of her own blood. Still breathing though, Strider couldn't bare to watch but was forced to as the filly would need comfort before her time passes.
"Strider....." Dinky stuttered
"Its me Dinky. Don't worry about that manticore, I took care of him."
"Magic....."
"I'm so sorry this happened Dinky. It's all my fault." Strider felt tears beginning to swell.
"Water...."
WAIT!!! The magic water! Strider remembered now. If he could get some in time. He could save her! Strider picked up one of the fallen vials and dashed towards the stream he saw earlier. He reached the stream and scooped up a bottle full of the magic water and headed straight back. He was going to have be faster and so took to the skies. It was now pouring it down that Strider could barely see 5 feet infront of him. He landed right next to Dinky and lifted her head up. He poured some of the water into her mouth and a tiny bit into his. He could feel his pain going away and looked at the scratches on his arms. Slowly fading.
He hoped the water would work and save Dinky. Nothing happened though.
"Dinky.... No....Wake up please Dinky! PLEASE!" Strider sobbed. But still Dinky did not move. Strider began to cry over the body of his fallen friend.
"WHY!"
"Stop crying... you big wuss" Dinky mumbled at Strider
"DINKY!!!" Strider lifted Dinky up and into his arms, hugging her.
He look at where the manticore had clawed Dinky and saw the cuts fading away.
"Thank you for saving me Strider." Dinky still mumbled. Strider took the guess she was still extremely week from the wounds.
"Hey, don't worry about it at all. You did save me too though." Dinky started to fold her arms around Strider hugging him back. Strider saw his horn all of a sudden light up green. He began to feed on love energy coming from Dinky. He wasn't even able to control just like last time and Dinky didn't grow weaker one bit. He began to understand where this love energy was coming from. He was feeding of the love Dinky and Derpy had for him.
"Strider..."
"Yea Dinky?"
"Please don't tell my mother."
Strider grinned and replied "Lets just keep this our little secret."
The events in the Everfree forest between Strider and Dinky wasn't kept a secret as a pegasus who happened to be flying be witnessed the whole fight. The news was soon spread all around Ponyville about a alicorn who fought a manticore and saved Derpy hooves's daughter. the news reached Derpy Hooves who was still delivering the latest news edition around Ponyville. She dumped the bag back at the mail office and dashed for home. She burst through the front door to find Strider and Dinky playing catch.
"Dinky!" Derpy shouted at the now petrified filly
"Please mother, I can explain!" Dinky tried to reason with her mother but she wouldn't listen
"I thought you were dead! Your lucky Strider was there to save your sorry flank! If your father was here right now, you would be in so much trouble. Looks like its your lucky day after all as he's still traveling."
"im sorry mum!" Dinky held her head in shame.
" Just go to your room now! Your grounded for the rest of the week!" Dinky walked up the stairs and headed to her bedroom sulking.
Derpy then turned to Strider who gulped fearing the worse.
Derpy opened her mouth
"Thank you for saving her Strider. I don't know how to repay you!" Derpy hugged Strider for a few seconds and let go.
"Well I need to get back to work so can you take care of her for a little longer?"
"Sure" Strider replied.
Derpy then headed back out of the house and down the road.
Strider sighed a breath of relief and headed up to Dinky's room.
"Knock knock"
"Come in" Dinky answered.
Strider entered Dinky's room where she was laying on her bed sulking. Her room was stacked with books on a desk and drawings of what seemed like unicorns performing different magic tricks.
"Sorry about getting you grounded." Strider said apologetically
"Don't worry about it" Dinky replied
"I thought she was going to rip my head of."
"I did to. If I had to be honest, I would rather take the manticore any day instead of my mother."
Strider chuckled to himself at that remark.
"Well I guess im going to be here for abit longer then."
"The whole town knows you now so yea. I would take the moment of fame."
Strider hadn't thought about that one, if Derpy knew then all of Ponyville must know him now. He would have to go out and meet them eventually.
Two days later.
Strider was waiting outside Ponyville's school for foals and filly's looking for Dinky. Derpy was busy delivering mail so she asked Strider to pick Dinky up from school. He happily agreed to and during that wait he had talked to some of the town residents about his fight with a manticore.
He saw Dinky walking down the patio path talking to two other ponies one a foal and the other a filly.
"He then jumped onto the manticore and rode him like a rodeo bull!" Dinky said to her friends.
"COOL!" the foal replied.
"I wish I could fight a manticore! I would be like a ninja on that guy!" The other filly exclaimed
"Oh please, you cry like a baby when somepony turns of the lights!" the foal exclaimed.
"Well you two can continue your argument, im going home now." Dinky told the two ponies.
"See ya Dinky-Doo!" the other two giggled.
"Stop calling me that!" Dinky snarled.
"Whatever." The other two then walked off into the main part of Ponyville.
Dinky waved hello to Strider and walked up to him.
"Hey Dinky. How was your day?"
"Oh it was fine. In Equestrian, we were told to write a creative story and I decided to write about changelings."
"Really? What happened in your story?" Strider bit his lip hoping it was something good about them for once.
"Well A changeling sneaks into Ponyville and slowly gets attached to one of the ponies in the town."
"So you don't see changelings as monsters?" Strider asked interested now to hear her opinion on his kind.
"Our teacher says always be kind and thoughtful of every-pony, so I see them just like us. Just living how they wish but with a evil personality."
"Not all of them are evil surely?"
"Im note sure. The only ones I have ever seen were the ones reported in Canterlot and they planned to destroy us."
"I see your point. But I believe in this saying."
"What saying?"
"Never judge a book by its cover."
The conversation broke off when Dinky saw her mother walking towards them.
"Hey Dinky, hey Strider!" Derpy said to the two of them with a beaming smile.
"Oh hi mum! What are you doing here anyway?"
"Well I finished my rounds early today and so I decided to come walk with you two."
"Cool, do you have enough yet to buy that shop on the corner you wanted?"
"No, not yet but im close. Soon I'll have the money and I can go into business!"
Strider was slightly confused on what this conversation was about.
"Shop?" Asked Strider.
"Oh yea! I forgot to tell you im planning on opening up a muffin shop soon." Derpy explained
"sounds great. I guess that explains all those boxes in the living room."
"So. Has any pony asked you about your act of heroism?" Derpy asked.
"Yea. I was talking to some of the town's residents about it while I was waiting for Dinky."
"Good to know, your the only thing the towns been talking about and most really want to meet you except Fluttershy..."
"Fluttershy? Who's that?"
"Oh, she takes care of forest animals and was kind of upset when she heard how you left that manticore. She does understand it was necessary but she still cares for all living things."
"Well you cant win them all..." Strider joked.
Just as he said this he bumped straight into a pink pony with balloons on her flank.
"Whoa there silly!" The pink pony said. She lent out her hoof and pulled Strider up.
"Wait, your that pony who defeated a manticore aren't you!?"
"urr yea?" Strider said back a little bit puzzled by this pony's attitude to people who bump into her by accident.
"WOW!" The pink pony cried in enthusiasm. "My names Pinkie Pie! But everyone calls me Pinkie. Whats your name?"
"its Strider. Nice to meet you?"
"Wait your also new to Ponyville aren't you? "
She seemed to have forgotten he asked her a question.
"I am actually."
"Awesome! I love meeting new ponies! Hey, have you had a tour around town yet?" Pinkie asked. Obviously this pony was abit too social... Especially with ponies she had only just met.
"actually, I haven't." Strider was interested in the idea of a tour around the town if it passed the time.
"I could give you one if you want." Pinkie offered.
But Derpy stood in deciding now was the time for her to join this conversation.
"Don't worry Pinkie, I was going to give him one just now infact."
"You were? Oh never mind then. See you around newbie!" Pinkie hopped off down the street and around the corner.
"Guess I should give you that tour now then." Derpy said to Strider.
"But mum! I don't wanna go on a walk." Dinky complained.
"Hush now missy. Your still grounded for leading Strider into a death trap and nearly getting yourself killed!" Derpy scowled at Dinky.
"I could carry you if you wanted Dinky" Strider offered.
"Really?! Thanks Strider."
"Sure just hop on my back" Dinky jumped up onto Strider and the three started trotting down the road again.
Around a hour later Derpy was nearly finished giving Strider a tour of Ponyville with nothing missed out. Derpy really did know her way around Ponyville.
"And this building here is where I plan to open my shop."
The building was a cyan blue with two windows at the top and I giant observation glass pane at the bottom. Inside the building it was dark and dusty. It would probably take a while before this place was up to good condition.
"so have you got enough money now mum?" Dinky asked.
"Yea, I finally got enough after today's rounds."
"Brilliant! So when do you plan to start setting up shop?" Strider said.
"Well for the rest of the week Im going to talk to the owners about buying it and then on the weekend Ill start moving boxes in."
"Anyway. I guess that's the tour, lets just go back to Sugar cube corner and get a cupcake for Dinky."
"YES! I love Pinkies cupcakes!" Dinky cheered
They headed down towards Sugar cube corner and stopped right outside Pinkies store.
"Ill be right back with a cupcake. Just give me a minute." told the two.
"Ok" Strider and Dinky replied.
Derpy headed into the shop where she greeted Pinkie who was behind the counter.
"Oh, hi again Derpy. I guess you want the usual?" Pinkie asked.
"Yes please. Also can you make it two?" Derpy requested.
"Sure. The extra one is for you friend Strider?"
"Yea. I'm not sure if he will like it or not though. The only thing he seems to like is soup or muffins."
"So he's not like the doctor and his butter?"
Derpy giggled for a tiny bit and the two continued their chat.
"Anyway. As Strider is new to Ponyville, i'm planning on throwing a surprise welcome party for him."
"Ok. When is it?"
"Tonight."
"TONIGHT?!" Derpy shocked at Pinkie's plans.
"Yea! Is something wrong?"
"Abit short notice perhaps?"
"Well can you come anyway?"
"Yea... But how do I get Strider to go without knowing?"
"You might have to think about that one.... How about you ask him to come help you explore the new shop?"
"He already did that earlier today."
"The inside?"
"No actually. It might work, I'll see what I can do then."
"Ok bye Derpy!"
Pinkie handed over two cupcakes in a bag to Derpy.
"Careful with the one for Strider. Its my special made cupcake!"
Derpy gulped knowing full well what Pinkie does to her "special" cupcakes...
"Bye Pinkie!" Derpy shouted to Pinkie.
"See ya Derpy!" Pinkie shouted back.
Derpy walked up to the two ponies waiting by the corner.
"Here's your muffin Dinky!" Derpy handed over a pink iced muffin with sprinkles on the top.
"Also I got a extra one for you Strider."
Strider surprised by this offer but still took the cupcake of Derpy.
The cupcake was iced red and with orange at the tip. Almost resembled a flame if the top wasn't lumped on one side.
"Careful Strider. It's one of Pinkie's specials..."
Strider wasn't sure by what that men't but he could guess the minute he would take a bite, something very bad was going to happen.
Strider slowly bit into the cupcake waiting for the surprise to kick in but nothing happened.
"hmmm. I don't feel anything.... Are you sure these are special cupcakes?" Asked Strider.
"Don't worry Strider. You will find out soon enough.!" Dinky giggled and winked at her mother.
Strider gulped regretting taking a bite from what seemed to be a perfectly normal cupcake.
The three ponies walked back to Derpy's house talking and laughing, enjoying each other's company. Derpy walked up to the door and pushed a key inside the lock hole and turned. Opening the door.
"Alright Dinky. I'll go easy on you today and you can have two hours before going to bed."
Dinky smiled finally after her mother started to go easy on her after the ever free forest incident.
"But you have to do your homework first!" Derpy added.
"I didn't get any today though."
"Is that right?"
"Yea! You think I'm a liar?"
"Well lets just see what your Homework diary says."
Derpy walked over to where Dinky had dumped her bag and lifted out a small blue journal with her teeth.
She placed it infront of Dinky and opened it to today's date.
"Ooh! Whats this?! Draw your favorite place in all of Equestria. In for next week." Derpy smiled at Dinky and gave her a look that said go get on with it.
Dinky scowled but did as she was told and went upstairs with her school bag.
"Oh yea Strider."
Strider turned his head towards Derpy and away from the bookshelf where he was browsing all the books.
"Tonight Im going to go inside the store to check it out. Can you come to?"
Strider didn't have anything else to do apart from talk to Dinky or think about the hive, that reminded him. He was planning on staying in ponyville for a tiny bit longer and then head out in search for his hive but one thing changelings didn't want and that was to be noticed. So his hopes of staying might be cut short and he would have to leave soon if anypony actually got suspicious of him. He hated the idea of leaving just after all that happened and he really did like Derpy and Dinky. Oh well, his hive was more needy of him and he had to know what happened to his brothers and sisters.
"Sure I will. Will Dinky come to?" Strider asked
"No. It's going to be quite late and she is grounded after all."
"alright I guess. Just tell me when." Strider started heading for the bookshelf in the corner of the room. He had his eye on a particular book called the history of changelings. By the alicorn world of magic and knowledge studies. He lifted out the book and walked over to his bed which was the couch. He opened the book to the first page which was written in actual ink instead of printed out using duplication magic.
This book is about the pony like creature called changelings. Little is known about their lifestyle except they live in hives and are quite like insects. They have a queen who controls the entire hive and is a lot stronger then the average breed of changeling. To survive they feed of other living organisms love for each other that they obtain in all sorts of different ways. Their main approach to feeding is disguising themselves as another pony and feeding of love for that pony. Sometimes if a changeling is desperate for food, they will force the love out of the pony using magic. This method is dangerous to all ponies as it drains not just their love but their life force and if a full feed out of the changelings greed, then it will leave the pony in a mindless state known as a husk. Normally husk's are then taken into the changelings hive to do manual labor but sometimes they are left to die if too far from the hive.
Strider quickly read over the first chapter nodding if parts were true or grunting if they were false. After a hour of reading Strider threw the book onto the couch fed up with the false beliefs about his race. Yes they fed on love from others but only because they were forced to. Not like the book said they enjoyed every bit about harming a pony. Some changeling did but that was because they were raised to believe a pony was one thing. A food source and that was it...
Strider wasn't interested in reading anymore after that book and was thinking what he could do next until Derpy was ready. The only few things he could think of was rest, talk to Dinky or go outside into the back garden and look for something to do. Strider didn't feel really tired and he had doubts that outside would bring any entertainment. So he decided talking with Dinky might be some fun.
He climbed up the stairs to Dinky's room wondering if she had done her homework. If she hadn't then it was going to be little use talking to her as he had no clue how to help but if she had, then maybe he could do something with her.
He knocked on Dinky's door and was met with the reply from Dinky "Im busy still!"
"Brilliant" Strider muttered, now what was he going to do? Strider headed downstairs for his bed where he would try and think of something to do. After what seemed like hours, the only thing that Strider had thought of was to plan out how he would leave Ponyville and find his hive. Planning does take time after all.
It took him a while to get his story straight and cover up any holes in case somepony wondered why he had left all of a sudden. He would tell Derpy he was going back to Canterlot to see if his family was alright then continue on his journeys. To make sure she believed it, he would head to Canterlot in search of information on his hive. He would also slowly hint about his departure so it wouldn't come a surprise to Derpy or Dinky. The only problem would be if he brought even more attention to himself then he would have to lie to even more ponies making the entire plan one big pain the in the flank....
He was interrupted by Dinky trying to get his attention by nudging him on the arm.
"Strider, hello? Is anyone in there?" Dinky continued to tease Strider until he started paying attention.
"What is it Dinky?"
"Well you did knock before, so what was it?"
Strider had forgotten about earlier...
"It was about...." Strider paused for a while thinking what he was going to ask Dinky to do. "Ah! You want to play catch or something?"
"Sure! But can we play hide and seek?"
Strider had no clue what that game was and only figured it out thanks to its name.
"Ok! Count to one hundred and I'll go hide!"
One hundred! How does it take someone so long to hide?
Strider got bored around fifty five and skipped to one hundred so he could finally start playing this weird game.
"Here I come Dinky!" Strider headed for the kitchen thinking she might have slipped into one of the cupboards.
"Come out where ever you are..." Strider pulled open each cupboard slightly so Dinky wouldn't be able to jump him if he opened it wide. She wasn't in any of the cupboard or in the kitchen.
If I was a filly and I wanted the best hiding spot... Where would I go? Strider thought to himself, Strider then used some magic Dinky had taught him to make a light bulb appear infront of his head and brighten up.
"The bedroom!"
Strider crept up the stairs slowly trying not to alert Dinky that he was coming. All together there was three bedrooms, Dinky's Derpy's and a spare one for guests which at the moment, was filled with boxes of muffins.
Strider searched the guest bedroom and Dinky's but to find nothing there apart from a note written saying:
Its impolite to barge into peoples rooms Strider, love Dinky.
So that's why she made me count to a hundred! So she could spend some of it toying with me.
Strider headed towards Derpy's room and grabbed hold of the handle. Wait, she said knock first so that might get her to jump...
Strider banged his hoof on the door twice and waited to hear somepony make a move. Nothing....
"Your good at this game Dinky, but not good enough!" Strider pushed the door open. He hadn't been in this room before but it seemed similar to all the house. Boxes stacked everywhere apart from a line heading from the door to the bed. The bed was a double sized one with metal casing at the ends that matched the color of the room, dark red. There was a huge wardrobe looming over the bed on the left wall that covered up most of the room apart from the bed. and a window looking onto the front garden aswell.
Strider's main guess was the wardrobe but that seemed too obvious. There wasn't any room under the bed to hide and the curtains were wide open. So where had she gone to? His search was interrupted when he heard giggles coming from the top of the wardrobe.
"hmmm? What do we have here?" Strider humored the hiding filly.
He stood up on his two back hooves and grabbed onto the top of the wardrobe. After lifting himself up so he could see the top of the wardrobe. All there was on top of the wardrobe was a suitcase and a cardboard box full of scrap and junk.
"Where are you Dinky?" Strider stunned at this ponies ability of stealth. He should know he was a changeling.
"Right behind you Strider!" Dinky was laughing so hard at tricking Strider she fell backwards onto the bed.
Strider jumped of the wardrobe and landed infront of the metal casing on the bed.
"How did you?" Striders question was interrupted when a big heavy suitcase fell on his head causing him to smack face first into the metal bars.
When Strider opened his eyes, all he could see was a grey mist enshrouding a rocky ground. The sky was pitch black and there was no moon or sun. Strider slowly lifted himself up off the ground feeling strange as he stood up. The last thing he could remember was something hitting him over the head and him falling. Was he dead? Strider had no idea on how to tell if he was. In the hive, death wasn't unusual but all changelings were so busy working in their lives, they never had time to think about anything else.Maybe that was the point, if the hive never thought about anything, then they were just tools to be used. Never a problem and never questioning their orders. Still this was his life and he had his brothers and sisters. This thought of his life meaningless and himself just one tiny piece that keeps the hive working boiled Striders blood right to the core.
"Best to stop thinking about things. Just find out where I am." Strider said to himself. He had no idea why he was talking to himself but it did reassure him a tiny bit as there was no one else.
Strider continued to walk hoping he could find answers in this place. But he continued through the mist with no success. Something didn't feel right at all. He looked down at the ground and noticed tracks on the ground. Not only that but his legs were dark black and bug like. he was in his true form which mean't two things. One he was dead, two he had been caught and was sentenced into this realm as his prison. He studied the tracks carefully to see what else was here with him. Turns out the tracks were his and he had been walking in circles. That wasn't what made him feel weird though. It almost felt like someone was watching him.
Strider thought that maybe flying up into the sky might give him a good view of what this place was. He flapped his wings like he normally did in his disguise but it didn't work. He remembered that he was in his changeling form and not pony so he had to work harder to lift himself off the ground. He tried again and this time shot up into the air. The sky was exactly the same as it was on the ground. It was dark and mist everywhere.
"This is hopeless!" Strider growled frustrated. He headed back to the ground but to his shock.The ground had risen to where he was in the sky. Whatever this place was, he was always in the same spot.
"Where am I?" Strider questioned himself. He had doubts he was dead as he had no killing wound anywhere on his body and he could still feel. One thing he was feeling was scared as what previously he thought was stalking him in this mist was now whispering into the wind.
"Come to me, come to me." The voice whispered. It was cold and raspy. Almost as if the thing calling out was dying.
The voice continued to chant those words indicating something had changed in Striders environment. The mist was giving way and in the distance, Strider could make out a silhouette of something. It was still to misty to make out what it exactly was but he could still see it.
The figure turned and started to walk further into the mist. Disappearing from Strider's view.
"Wait! Come back!" Strider chased after the mysterious figure in the mist, this time not running back to where he started.
"Who are you!?" Strider continued to shout to the mysterious figure in the mist. The only thing it replied was "Come to me, come to me."
For what felt like hours, Strider chased after the figure in the mist until something Strider wasn't prepared for happened.
Cracks appeared beneath him in the ground. Small at first but slowly they began to rip open, increasing in length and width, until the entire ground beneath Strider had fallen apart. It seemed like a earth quake but when the earth fell it disappeared into a dark empty abyss. Strider dashed to try and get out of the area where the ground was disappearing but wherever Strider set his hoof on, the ground would begin to crack. Everything Strider tried failed and the rate of which the ground was falling was accelerating.
"Uh oh!" Strider gulped feeling the world slip before him.
"What is happening to me!?" Strider continued to shout to himself until all around him disappeared into darkness. Even the mist faded away and Strider was left in a world of emptiness and silence. The only thing that was still with Strider was the mysterious person in the mist....
Strider could see clearly now who this pony was... It was his leader, his queen. His mother... With her dark colored skin and bug like body, it was easy to tell it was a changeling but her dark blue hair hanging down to her neck like vines along with her tall size for a changeling.
"My queen?" Strider trying to bow but failing as the void he was floating in made it hard for Strider to lower and part of his body without floating down or up.
"My children, now your queen needs you!" Queen Chrysalis roared into the darkness and towards Strider.
"Our enemy has found our hive and destroyed us. Many, my children, many of us have been either murdered or captured by these vermin!" Queen Chrysalis's voice was fading and falling back into the voice Strider first heard, the cold and raspy voice almost like someone dying....
"I order you my loyal subjects, who have been through all hardships and now scattered across this filth called Equestria, come to your brothers and sisters aid! Help your queen in her hour of need! Destroy those who wish to squash us like bugs!" Strider could hear voices in the dark all chanting rising into a uproar. Strider figured out that he wasn't dead but he was inside the hive mind and the voices must be his comrades. He guessed if a changeling was asleep they would vision this instead of hear it when they're awake but as changelings never sleep due to their constant feeding on love, no one ever knew this could happen.
"But where my queen? Where do we go?" Strider asking to his mother.
"You must go..." Queen Chrysalis stuttering, not finishing her sentence. It seemed almost as if she feared where she was asking the hive to go. "You must go to Canterlot!"
Strider just floated in the void stunned at what she had said. They had his queen, his mother captured in the strongest place in all of the lands. Canterlot was also now prepared for anything because of the failed invasion from the changelings. Looks like Strider now knew where to go when he was prepares to leave Ponyville. Suddenly, the world around him started to fade into white and a voice in the distance was calling out to him.
"Strider wake up!" The voice said.
Now the planning begins.... Thought Strider
Late for the party (part 2)
Strider began to open his eyes surveying his surroundings. He was back in the living room on his couch with a worried Derpy and Dinky beside him.
"Strider! Your awake after the accident!" Dinky smiled at Strider feeling happy that Strider wasn't hurt.
"Yea... I'm having Deja vu of waking up on this couch after falling unconscious.So what happened this time?" Strider asked.
"During your game of hide and go get a concussion, one of the boxes on top of my shelf hit you on back of your head and you landed straight onto the metal railing at the edge of my bed." Derpy explained. One of her eyes began to tilt up to the top left corner of her eye socket but Strider was fine with it as he had got used to the sight.
"Luckily, your not hurt and there's no bruise on your head." Dinky chimed in straight after Derpy finished.
"At least something goes right for me. So are we gonna go out now or?" Strider slowly lifting himself of the couch and stretching out his stiff neck.
"Yea, oh by the way, I got a special surprise for you on the way." Derpy started to smirk trying to hide her excitement.
"It isn't another cupcake is it? Because I'm still waiting for the surprise from the first one..."
Derpy and Dinky looked to each other and giggled sharing their own private joke that Strider had no clue about.
"Oh no. It's a good surprise that I think you will enjoy"
"We'll see about that...." Strider muttered under his breath.
(15 minutes later.....)
"So, what is this surprise?" Strider questioned Derpy in hope for any answers to this "surprise."
Derpy just winked at Strider and told him "It's a secret. You'll have to wait until we get there."
Strider could have easily just looked into Derpy's eyes and probe her mind for what the secret was. Changelings did this so when they took on the disguise of someone, they would know who that pony was and other things. Strider decided not to as he wanted to be surprised about the secret but his curiosity was getting the better of him. Not only that but his stomach was beginning to churn and rumble, not out of hunger but something he had eaten...
"Oh yea Strider, I need to drop in on that house there to get something from a friend."
"Alright. What is it?"
"Oh just a package..." Derpy lied. Strider picked up on this lie easily as one, Derpy's job was to deliver mail even if it men't her own and two. Derpy couldn't keep a straight force even if her life depended on it.
Strider and Derpy walked up to the house which was built into a tree lush and green. There was a balcony near the branches and a number of windows sticking out of the tree. Inside the lights were off but Strider could make out a table with some plates on and a number of shelves circling the room. There was a second floor dug into the back of the tree with another window and a bed beside a small bed designed for a cat. Why the lights were off Strider had no idea but he could hear voices inside whispering. Strider felt a chill down his spine believing this was a trap and that they knew he was a changeling. Would Derpy deceive him like this? It didn't seem right but when your known as the biggest threat to all of Equestria, you never drop your guard down.
"just go in. She's expecting us anyway." Derpy told Strider. Strider took note on when she said us as it meant Derpy had told her he was coming with her or it was planned he came. Either way, it didn't help Striders doubts.
Strider grabbed onto the wooden door handle and savored his last moments before this Surprise would greet him straight on.
The door slowly lurched forward creaking at every second, all it did was add more tension to the already nervous Strider.
"SURPRISE!" A massive uproar came from the house ringing into Striders ears causing him to jump and freeze for what seemed like forever and a giggling Derpy behind him. His heart dropped from relief removing all his fears that they knew his secret.
The lights switched on and Strider could see clearly everything in the room. The shelves were lined with book after book all variety of colors. There was a white banner hanging down from the ceiling by two tiny strands of black string saying the words Welcome To Ponyville!
"So its a welcome party" Strider sighing a breath of relief.
"Yup. We hope you like Ponyville and decide to stay!" A pony shouted near the corner of the room. It was Pinkie who was now trying to hop her way infront of the crowd and to Strider.
"Oh, its you again Pinkie." Strider now calming down from the surprise but still worried. A changelings objective is to be stealthy and keep a low profile, instead Strider was now at the center of attention of the whole town. He would have to leave sooner than he thought so he wouldn't blow his cover...
"As one of the first Ponies to say this." Pinkie began to grin from one corner of her cheek to the other. "Welcome to Ponyville!"
"Thanks Pinkie, but you didn't have to do all this for me." Strider hiding his sadness and anger towards Pinkie for destroying his chance to stay in Ponyville for just a tiny bit longer.
"No problem! Besides I love parties and cupcakes. But do you know what I love the most?" Pinkie asked Strider making her voice louder to beat the music from the party that had just started.
"No what?" Strider inquired, willing to go along with Pinkie's question.
"Parties with cupcakes!" Pinkie screamed almost deafening Strider. Derpy just chuckled and started to push herself between Strider and Pinkie.
"Strider. I think you might want to meet some of my friends who are also Pinkies."
"Urr sure?" Strider cautious as a friend of Pinkies could only mean more trouble for Strider.
Derpy and Pinkie lead Strider to a group of five ponies all laughing and giggling.
The first one to notice Strider was a lavender colored horse and had a big star with a few little ones on her flank along with a purple stripe in her hair and tail. the rest of her hair was dark purple and reached down to the bottom of her neck. Her eyes matched the same color of her body. She was a unicorn just like one other in their group. The other unicorn had white fur and a violet colored tail and hair which was styled in some sort weird fashion. The mark on her flank was some gems with a light blue color.
"Oh hi there Derpy and Pinkie. Who's your friend?" The purple mare asked.
"Twilight this is Strider." Derpy turned her head from the mare and to Strider. "Strider, this is Twilight Sparkle. She is a student of princess Celestia and has helped the town out a lot!" Derpy stepped back and waited for the two to greet each other.
Perfect. A student of the royal family living in this town and most likely ordered to keep a eye out for any changeling sightings or activity. The way things were going, it was almost as if he was men't to leave town.
"Nice to meet you Twilight." Strider smiled hoping not to start a long conversation which would just add more attention to him.
"Hello Strider! It's nice to meet you now, after everything Pinkie said about you." Twilight then did a quick observation of Strider noticing he was a alicorn.
"Wait. You're a alicorn?!" Twilight gasped excited to see someone like her mentor.
"Yea. I'm not royalty or anything, I guess its just something in my genes...." Strider replied making sure Twilight didn't think he had any big connections. When in disguise, you want to make sure your not connected to anyone so if people start digging into your story. They have little to dig up.
"Oh. I've never seen a normal alicorn before but anything can happen." Twilight dropping her smile a tiny bit upset that Strider wasn't connected to Celestia in anyway.
"I learnt that when I met them." Twilight pointed around the circle that was their group.
"This is Rarity" Twilight introduced Strider to the other unicorn with white fur
"It is such a pleasure to meet you darling." Rarity had a posh accent and seemed to be one of those ponies you would find in Canterlot rather then here. It did explain her fashion style of her hair though.
"Nice to meet you Rarity" Strider smiled at Rarity but was met back with a wink.Strider thought it would be best just to ignore Rarity as much as he could. He did hate Canterlot type from what they did to his people along with everything his queen had told them about the ponies from Canterlot.
Twilight then showed Strider another one her friends in the circle.
This pony wasn't a unicorn but a pegasus and had a yellow fur and long pink hair reaching down to her knees almost. she had three butterflies on her flank and seemed to be trying to push herself out of the group as soon as Strider got to her.
"Hello there. I'm Strider as you already know, so you are?" Strider asked hoping she might be almost normal or have nothing Strider had issues against or could be a threat.
The mare opened her mouth but now words came out. Strider repeated his question and this time, the mare was a tiny bit louder. It was still only a whisper though.
"Could you speak a bit louder please? I'm sorry but I can't hear you." Strider was growing impatient now understanding what her trademark in his list of problems was. She was shy around strangers and very, very timid. At least she wouldn't try and talk to Strider as much as the others would.
"I'm sorry. My names Fluttershy. It... It's nice to meet you Strider." Fluttershy slowly began to smile but was still obviously nervous.
"Well its nice to meet you Fluttershy." Strider could only imagine how much better the other two could get if the first 3 were already perfect...
Strider then turned to the fourth pony in the group skipping Twilight's introduction and hoping this one might be less of a problem for Strider. The fourth pony was also a pegasus and had a light blue fur and her hair was colored like a rainbow. Strider already guessed this was going to be as good as the last one if someone was this "Creative." her mark on her flank was a white cloud with a lightning bolt coming out of it but it was the color of her hair. Her eyes were dark pink and almost red which did seem odd, almost as if they were bloodshot.
Before Strider could open his mouth asking for her name. The mare interrupted and began to speak.
"The names Rainbow Dash and I already know who you are. Now listen, i'm the best flyer around her and no new guy is gonna take that from me!" Strider confused by what she meant but the final pony shoved Rainbow Dash out the way before Rainbow Dash could explain herself.
"Sorry about her. She's just mad and all that you took down that manticore in Everfree forest and showed off ya fancy flying skills." This pony had a western accent and seemed to be much more calmer then Rainbow Dash. She was a earth pony like Pinkie Pie but wore a dark brown cowboy hat over her head which covered most of her blonde hair. She had a orange fur and the weird mark on her flank was three red apples. Strider guessed she must be the owner of the farm on Ponyville known for their apples. Sweet apple acres Strider remembered what Derpy had called it from his tour of the town.
"The names Apple Jack and pleasure to meet ya!" Apple Jack held out her hand to shake. Strider reached out and took hold of Apple Jacks hand. He was surprised by how well Apple Jacks firm grip was and even more surprised when she started shacking his arm like a rag doll.
"If ya need apples, apple cider, apple crumble, apple pie, apple juice or anything apple related. Just come down to my farm and I'll hook ya right up." Apple Jack let go of Striders hand and it fell limp to the floor.
"Why thanks but, your a bit to kind to a stranger like me." Strider said recovering from his dead hand.
"Stranger? You saved Dinky from that evil monster!" Rarity blurted out.
"Yea but, still. He was only looking for food to eat and we were just unlucky to be there." Strider defending the manticore because it wasn't exactly the beasts fault.
"I sure hope he's ok out there injured." Fluttershy replied.
"He got what he deserved! Besides if I was there, I would have made him wish he never ever crossed with Rainbow Dash!"
"Yea we know Rainbow, we know." Apple Jack muttered under her breath.
"Anyway, the whole reason of this party is so your not a stranger!" Twilight dropping the conversation of the manticore.
"I guess so." Striders stomach began to rumble, not out of hunger but it felt like something was trying to burst out of his chest. He began to feel hot and sweaty almost panting. His face turned bright red and you could almost see steam coming from his ears.
"Strider are you ok?" Rarity looked at Strider confused about what was happening to him. Pinkie and Derpy just stood back and looked at each other giggling knowing exactly what was happening.
"hot, hot, hot,hot!" Strider screamed, he was scared because he didn't know what was happening to him and had no idea what going on.
He turned and galloped to the closest table with a punch bowl on it and slurped the whole bowl down while the ponies around him watched him with a look of confusion.
"And that would be the special part in the cupcake!" Derpy told the group. They all burst out laughing while Strider mumbled and muttered under his breath almost every curse word known to man about Pinkie.
Derpy walked up to Strider and patted him on the back while Strider panted and shoved some Ice cubes in his mouth.
"Its ok Strider. It's just the special part in Pinkie Pie's cupcake.
"Remind me, never to have a cupcake again. From now on its muffins and nothing else!" Strider trying to calm himself from his anger towards Pinkie.
"Don't worry. Your not the first to end up like this, when Twilight first came here, she took a bite out of one and in the first minute of eating it. She light up like a match!" Derpy explained to Strider hoping to calm him down because it was obvious from the look on his face he was mad at Pinkie.
"Oh well then. I guess its just water under the bridge now." Strider sighed tired of surprises. He was also trying to think how he would explain to Derpy that he had to leave. He would never tell Derpy the truth as he wanted Derpy to remember him for good and not for what he had done in the past. It was a upsetting thought leaving behind his new friends but the hive was his family. He had to go to them soon. He hoped his sister had made it and was somewhere outside the Canterlot walls preparing for a raid on the castle to rescue the queen. She was the only one Strider really liked. His whole life, his sister was the only one he bonded with.
"Lets get back to the group and just enjoy the rest of tonight. Ok?" Derpy asked Strider noticing his face had turned from anger to concerned.
"Sure. Might as well. After all, it is a party for me."
And with that, Strider and Derpy turned from the table and headed back to the group.
(After the party)
Strider and Derpy were walking out of the tree house which Strider had learnt was Twilights house from a interesting conversation about Ponyville and it's history.
"So. What do we do now?" Asked Strider.
"Well I did mean it when I said we would go check the store out. But, I need the key first."
"Aren't they asleep?"
"Na, they were at the party so I doubt they will be asleep." Derpy explained. "We'll meet up again outside the store. So see you in a bit!" Derpy then turned and headed down the street.
Strider had forgotten most of the way to the store and had to rely on remembering the streets name which the store was on.
After a few wrong turns and asking for directions from the occasional wandering pony, Strider had finally found the shop.
"Great... Now where's Derpy?" Strider was surprised that Derpy hadn't made it here first as he got lost twice.
Suddenly, in one of the alleyways on the street, Strider could see a figure leaning out watching him closely but quickly ducked behind the wall when he noticed the figure.
"Hello?" Strider shouted towards the alleyway. "Is there anything I can help you with?" Strider didn't feel right about this, not just the fact that there was a creepy figure staring at him in a alleyway at the middle of the night. But why the mysterious figure would be watching him. Strider carefully approached the alleyway jumping back whenever he heard the slightest noise.
A number of thoughts went through Striders head. It could be another changeling mistaking him for a wandering pony that could be used for a disguise. Somewhere in Striders head, the thought hit him it might be the manticore that he fought in Everfree forest. Tracked him all the way down to Ponyville desperate for the taste of revenge. Strider had had nightmares of that beast when they were in the air and fighting.
"Come out now!" Strider said into the empty alleyway except for two bins at the side of the wall and a balcony coming out of the building on the right.
Nothing replied nor came out of the shadows just increasing Striders fear that it was something dangerous. Strider took a few steps into the alley until he heard the sounds of something landing behind him with a thud. Strider quickly turned to see what was now behind him. All that was there was a blue box wrapped up with a yellow bow.
"What the...?" Strider said. Suddenly Strider could hear footsteps above him from the balcony. He turned to look up and saw the dark shaped figure once again but now clear under the pale moonlight.
"Its you!?" Strider gasped. The dark figure jumped off the balcony and down at Strider.......
Downfall
Flying through the air and about to fall to your death really gives a pony time to think, not really. It just makes your impending doom more and more clear. "Why me!" the changeling shouted in anger.
He had done nothing wrong in his life. Sure their kind did steal love from ponies all over Equestria. But it wasn't their fault, they had to otherwise they would die! Sometimes changelings would take more than needed in greed but he was different. Infact he hated stealing love and would only take enough to survive. But obviously, fate had little care for that.
He desperately tried to flap his wings to stop falling but the wind kept pushing them back. Soon it would be over for him, possibly his entire hive as they were also caught in the blast. He thought back to his actions earlier in the day.
Attacking a city full of ponies known as Canterlot. Chasing mares and stallions through the street. Stealing their love to grow more powerful. And what for? To be blasted out of the city and flung all across Equestria to die. Atleast it would be over quickly when he reached the ground....
The changeling turned onto his front to see where he was. The entire area was a giant grassland with a forest lurking at the far end. He could just see a small town peeking out on the edge of the forest. If he did survive the fall maybe he could try and make his way to there for sanctuary. Suddenly, luck came through and he spread his wings out and flapped as hard as he could. It wouldn't stop him from crashing but atleast it would make the impact less painful.
"here it comes!" the changeling shouted to himself. He had no idea why, he was all on his own but talking seemed to give him some courage.
CRASH!!!!
He hit the ground hard with a mighty thud.
"FOR THE LOVE OF CHRYSALIS!" He knew it was going to be painful but he didn't expect it to be that bad! He felt the pain rising through all of his body. It was all too much for the changeling. he blacked out and with his last essence of strength he rolled over onto his back.
Atleast he was alive. For now.....
