The Erotic Life of the Smallest Changeling

Contains: micro, serious talk

Alex sat on the table's surface with Apple close by. Oleander was standing tall by the door in perfect salute form as Chrysalis bid him a personal farewell. She wasn't wearing any armor, but rather an air of authority. Meanwhile, Apple held a neutral expression and Alex could only guess as to what she was thinking.

"Good luck my queen," Oleander stated deeply. "My only wish is that you had begun this campaign when I was in my youth so that I might take part."

Chrysalis nodded sympathetically. "I too wish you were still fit to take part in this war." Her gaze flicked to where his wings should have been for a moment and she sighed. "It is unfortunate that previous conflicts have left you handicap."

Oleander lowered his saluting hoof to the floor. "I understand. My presence would only be a liability."

"I do expect you to keep watch over my home while I am away, however. Although I don't expect to be living here after our victory, I may wish to make this place into a museum or a vacation home," she said with a sinister grin.

"Of course, my queen. Your will shall be done," Oleander stated while bowing low to the floor.

As Chrysalis turned to leave, she was stopped by Apple's query. "My queen?"

Chrysalis narrowed her eyes dangerously. "I trust Oleander to keep an eye on you as well. He shall decide if you deserve to participate in the invasion, and should you leave despite his objection, I WILL hear about it and you WILL be punished. Good day to you, Apple."

Apple inhaled deeply, but wisely kept her mouth shut.

"And Alex?" His ears perked at the sound of his name. "We shall discuss certain things upon my return." And with that, Chrysalis marched out of the room and closed the cast iron door behind her.

Apple turned her eyes to the floor, her thoughts running a mile a minute. Oleander, on the other hoof, began to chuckle while a smile spread across his face. Apple tilted her head at him and scowled.

"What are you laughing at?" she demanded.

"My word is law," he said simply, making his way to the fridge.

Apple raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?" Alex was equally confused.

"My word is law. You do anything that I don't like and you don't take part in the invasion." Oleander pulled an apple from the fridge and showed it to the other occupants in the room. Then he viciously bit into it, juice splattering his maw.

"I understand. Perfectly," Apple growled, her glare hardening.

"Good. You can finish this for me then," he said before suddenly throwing the apple to her. "Alex and I will be off then, should be back before nightfall. See ya later!" he cheered as he moved towards the door, Alex levitating onto his head.

"Where are we going?" Alex asked.

"Where are you going?!" Apple barked as she tossed the fruit to the floor.

Oleander stopped and spoke without looking back. "Me and Alex are going to visit an old friend of mine." There was a short pause before he spoke again. "And you better clean that up, it will rot and make the place smell if you don't. The queen won't like that."

Apple was going to protest more, but wisely bit her tongue instead. Oleander proceed out the door, a smug grin dominating his face.

"What was that all about?" Alex asked as soon as they were clear.

Oleander began walking down the curved path into the Hive as he explained. "Sorry, I guess I got a little mad with power is all. But think about it, I tell her to do anything I want and she has to do it!" he laughed. "Revenge, my name is Oleander!"

Alex rolled his eyes and collapsed on the larger changeling's head. "So who is this old friend of yours?"

"His name is Bell. You met him a few days ago during the fight."

Alex blinked at that. "You mean that tall changeling who didn't want to get involved?"

"That's him!"

"Why are we going to see him?"

"I have a theory and only he can help me with it. You see, he makes amulets and magic boosting potions for the Hive. He's also been studying ways to make love storage more efficient."

"Efficient?"

"Yes," Oleander nodded slightly, jostling Alex a bit. "Try to understand something Alex, love leaks no matter its container. Whether it be in a changeling, food, or a shiny stone. Magic just kind of... evaporates. It's been a problem since the dawn of time and changelings like Bell have been trying to solve it for just as long."

"So what's this theory you think he can help you with?"

"It's probably best if you wait until we get there," was Oleander's cryptic reply.

Bell was sitting at a spinning stone wheel normally used to sharpen blades, only he was currently using it to shape a small blue gem. Unfortunately, his concentration was abruptly broken when a series of knocks came from his door. Blowing on the rare stone to clear off the shavings, he gave it a once over before setting it down on a decrepit nearby table and standing with a quiet grumble. Lazily, he made his way to the door, not intent on giving his uninvited guest a happy welcome.

Bell was lanky, that was the best way to describe him. Long slim legs supported a trim figure where wings too big for his own body hung over his sides awkwardly. Bell's neck was slick and his mane cut short, almost to the point of being non-existent. He was also wearing a thick brown leather vest plastered with various colors of shiny dust. Right now he resembled a disco ball more than he did a changeling. Bell had a generous build-up of sweat on his forehead and an ugly pair of goggles stretched over his solid blue eyes to finish his strange appearance.

Repositioning the goggles so they hung from his slender neck, he threw the shabby wooden door of his meager home aside. Bell was greeted with the visage of a changeling who had a single orange eye, a fake leg, and a horn half made of metal. He snorted at the sight.

"What can I do for you?" he asked, monotone.

"Don't be like that Bell," Oleander chided playfully.

"I'm actually surprised you're still alive."

"What, after the fight? Of course I'm still alive!" he grinned.

Bell's face remained unimpressed. "If you came to say hi, you've succeeded. Congratulations. Now bye." With that, Bell attempted to close the door. Oleander was quick though, and jammed a hoof into the frame before it shut.

Pushing the door back open and, now with a scowl on his face, Oleander stared daggers at Bell. "What in Tartarus is wrong with you? I come to say hi and you slam the door in my face!"

"There's a big battle coming up, maybe you've heard about it," he deadpanned. Well, Alex thought he was deadpanning. His face hadn't really changed since they started talking.

Oleander took a moment before his expression lit up with understanding. Then he smiled sheepishly. "Oh I'm sorry, I guess that means you're pretty busy?"

Bell stood there for a moment, unmoving. "Three days from now every changeling and his mother is going to be swarming out of this Hive to go fight. Who do you think is going to arm them, hm?"

"Arm them?" Alex cut in unintentionally.

Noticing Alex's presence for the first time, Bell took a step back as his eyes widened. "And what is he doing here?" Alex found it strange how Bell looked surprised, yet his voice remained dull.

"We're guests, could you at least invite us in?" Oleander pleaded.

Bell eyed Alex for another second before sighing. "Fine. Come in, sit down, and start explaining." Bell turned away from the door and waddled into his home. Oleander, feeling quite proud of his negotiating skills, pranced into the living room and kicked the door shut behind him.

The furniture was humble ratty looking junk. Bell's couch literally looked like it had been pulled from the bottom of a dump. Half of the material was stained an ugly brown mess and the rest was rotted away and stuffing spilled out onto the floor. The coffee table was covered in ancient rot and the legs were uneven. The floor was bare stone, traces of gem dust piled into cracks along the edges where a broom couldn't easily reach.

Oleander plopped down on the couch as Alex used his wings to glide onto the table. Bell sat on the floor off to the side, between his visitors and the back room.

"So what do you want?" Bell went right to the point.

Oleander shook his head sadly at Bell's attitude, but gave him an answer anyway. "Alex here has very little magic and I think he'd benefit from some enhancement."

"Enhancement?" Alex repeated, but the two ignored him.

Bell rubbed his forehead and spoke in an annoyed tone. "Really? I'm swamped with orders coming in at the last second and you come to me with this?"

"Please Bell, just a weak one? He doesn't need a refined amulet, just some rock on a string."

"Hold up," Alex interjected with a raised hoof. "What are you guys talking about?"

Bell saw fit to spill the details. "I make amulets. Changelings can store love energy or magic in amulets for later use. Oleander thinks you need one. I disagree." His short sentences were loaded with mockery.

"So if I have an amulet, I'll have more magic?" Alex ventured.

"I can't see why you'd need any to begin with," Bell threw in. "You're just the queen's pet."

"Hey!" Oleander barked. "Watch your mouth."

Bell seemed to size Oleander up for a moment, eventually deciding to back down. "Fine. But you better pay the usual fee."

Oleander bit his lip. He hadn't brought his bits.

Bell took notice of his friend's reaction and snorted once. "No money, no service. Thanks for wasting my time. Now get out of my house." He then stood up and moved towards the door.

"I'll bring DOUBLE the bits tomorrow if you give Alex a stone today!" Oleander blurted suddenly.

Bell froze, hoof hovering over the door handle. "Double?"

"Sure. Alex's studies are being slowed down by his limited magic supply. He could really benefit from some extra power. Even if just a little."

The idea finally made sense to Alex now. Oleander had noticed how quickly he became exhausted during his magic lessons. So naturally, the best solution was to give him more magic so his lessons could go on longer.

Bell took only a second to think about it before nodding. "I'll get to work on your jewelry then." The skinny changeling then walked back across the small living space and into his work room. Before they knew it, the sound of grinding stone filled the house.

Oleander sighed tiredly and fell over on the couch. "That went about as well as I expected."

"Oleander, you do realize that I'm not going to be in this world for much longer, right?" Oleander didn't say anything. "As soon as Chry--Queen Chrysalis gets back, she's sending me home. So... I appreciate you trying to help me learn magic and all, but it's really not necessary anymore."

Oleander chuckled once. "Really kid, you think you're going home?"

Alex felt his heart drop. "What do you mean?"

Oleander sat up once more and stretched. "You think you can go back to your old life and forget about all this? Do you really think that anything can go back to the way it was?" Oleander's words were spoken in honesty, not as an insult. Even so, Alex didn't like them.

"Chrysalis will send me home, we made a deal!"

Ignoring his lack of respect, Oleander rephrased himself. "I have no doubt our queen will honor the agreement, changelings take deals very seriously, but do you really want her to?"

"Huh?" Alex tilted his head.

"I'm not entirely sure you'll be able to forget all that's happened, Alex. Take it from one who's been through some disturbing times," Oleander said while gesturing to his eye. "I've had to deal with some real horrors in my life, and let me tell you, you can't just move on. They stay with you like a disease that can't be cured. You're stuck reliving a memory over and over again for the rest of your life. If you try and just forget this world you'll go mad."

Alex didn't want to admit it, but Oleander had a point. When, or even if, he got home what would he tell everyone? When they asked him where he'd been, would he even have a story to tell? He'd be called crazy and locked-up! Then again, Oleander was talking about horror stories and this world wasn't exactly horror to Alex, but it wasn't always pleasant. Did the same logic still apply?

Shaking his head, Alex tried again. "This place isn't my home."

Oleander hummed as he analyzed Alex's stance. "It could become your home."

Alex's form wilted at that. "I don't want to spend the rest of my life as Chrysalis's toy," he whined.

"You won't have to. You were just a pre-war reward. The queen was using you to prepare herself, to relieve stress."

"So what, if I stay I'll be welcomed as one of her normal subjects?" Alex asked rhetorically.

"Most likely," Oleander countered seriously. "And you should be preparing yourself for at least the possibility that you might choose to stay. You still have a few days to decide. So do you want to learn as much magic as possible between now and then or not?"

Prepare for the possibility that he might choose to stay? Alex was sure Oleander had lost it. Yes, magic was cool and he did want to learn more, but he wouldn't be able to use it once he got home and he didn't want to waste Oleander's money.

Sighing, Alex relented. "I do want to learn more magic, but I also want to go home."

"Why though? What's so important about home that you need to get back to it?" Oleander challenged.

Alex thought for a moment and was surprised that he couldn't actually think of any positive things to look forward to. "I just... I don't know Oleander. Being here, being this small, I... don't like it. In my world, at least I wasn't the smallest living thing."

Oleander nodded. "I understand. It's not easy being helpless." Oleander unconsciously glanced back at his wings. "But maybe you can have Queen Chrysalis grow you to a normal size rather than send you home."

Alex sighed. "I'm not sure that'd be enough to make me want to stay."

"Then what are you looking for? What do you want in a home?"

Alex shook his head hopelessly. He didn't know where these questions were coming from all of the sudden, but they sure weren't putting his mind at ease.

Oleander was about to say something more, but he was interrupted.

"Your magic rock is done. You want it gift wrapped?" Bell asked with the smallest hint of a snicker on his muzzle.

"That was fast," Oleander blinked.

"It's just a marble on a piece of string. How slow do you think I am?"

"And you're going to charge me double the normal price for it?" Oleander glanced at the unimpressive piece.

Bell gave a full fanged smiled, a huge change of expression for the normally emotionless changeling. "You agreed."

Oleander rolled his eyes and grunted, "right." He then turned back to Alex. "We can pick this conversation up again later if you want, but you should be thinking about your future. Always remember that there is more than one possible outcome."

"Yeah," Alex mumbled.

Oleander chuckled. Sometimes being a teacher meant letting the students find the answers for themselves.

"Are you going to leave now or do you intend to turn my home into a mental hospital?" Bell cut in.