//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Discovery // by Josh Crapo //------------------------------// It’s a Sunday today as Aita will be visiting me for the morning before Sophie picks him back up at lunch. It’s a blast having Aita over. He doesn’t really need much other than love of course, so it’s very easy watching over him. And of course, with him over here is also Carina. While Aita is sleeping, after I check the mail to find nothing, I get on my computer and go onto a thread site. One titled “I watched something new yesterday” is kind of confusing, so I guess I’ll pass that one up. “Jon, wait.” “What?” “Was this today?” “What was?” “The ‘I watched something new yesterday’ thing.” “Hm? Oh. Yeah.” “That’s a lot of responses in such a short time.” “Hm. Let’s see it then. 521 comments on it? Wow!” I watched the new episode today. A new episode? Of what? FIM Oh, okay. What’s the new episode of FIM? A Canterlot Wedding. I loved it! Holy crap! I love that episode! Remember that revelation?!? It reminded me a bit of I am a Teenage Robot! You too? The next comment shows a video, its thumbnail as flaming green column in front of some ponies (I think). “Hm. That color looks familiar to me.” When I click on the video, it plays as it depicts some sort of alicorn letting the green flaming column engulf her. After that, the other ponies gasp at what’s going on. Before the video is over, what the alicorn actually is is none other than Queen Chrysalis. “I have a question, Carina. Can you actually transform into another species?” “Only if they’re the same size. That is without the body aching. I tried it myself before, and learned the hard way.” Carina changes into a large german shepherd... “Oh. I see.” and changes back. “You’re going to have to be careful with that, Carina. Some places don’t allow animals inside.” “I will be.” I look up “Chrysalis transformation” on Google and find a video that wasn’t even uploaded an hour ago. The thumbnail is of Queen Chrysalis from the previous video. When I click on the video, it reveals more of the clip from the previous one. ”She’s a changeling! She takes the form of somepony you love and gains power by feeding off your love for them!” “Hmhmhmhahahahaha! Right you are, princess!” Oh no. This can’t be. Queen Chrysalis wasn’t lying about Carina being a changeling. I look at Carina, who is wearing an expression of so much shock, she’s speechless. After watching that clip, I am taken aback. That purple pony was the one I saw before hearing that song when I was over with Sophie. I saw Queen Chrysalis back years ago. How could she be in this “My Little Pony” show? I recognized the name Equestria, but I never thought Queen Chrysalis would be there. “Howwww!” “Are you okay there, Carina?” “Howwww! How could this happen?!? What’ll happen to Aita and I?!?” “I... I don’t know.” I run into the kitchen and start crying. As I continue, Jon comes into the room. “Carina. I know this is hard for you. It’s just as hard for me to take in.” “But aren’t changelings earthbound?” “The ones you’re thinking of, yes. But it seems your kind, if that one pony was right, acts more like a succubus. Not exactly, but close enough. But what confused me was that if you were able to transform all this time, how didn’t I know about this until now?” “Other than quoting Thorax, I never saw a need to change into anyone. It really didn’t feel like a good idea to be honest. But that pony calling my kind what Queen Chrysalis calls it, that confirms that I’m a changeling!” “No matter the name of your kind, we’re all here for you and Aita. This fact was staring us in the face when Queen Chrysalis first came here. Here. I’ll get you a kleenex.” Jon goes into the living room and comes back with tissue for me to dry my tears with. I float the tissue and clean my cheeks and eyes. “Thanks, Jon.” “You’re welcome. I may want to let Aita know about this. Obviously that myth about changelings was completely outdated.” “I don’t know how Aita will react, Jon. He’s never heard of a changeling before.” “I’ll make note of that.” Jon heads upstairs while I wait at the table in the kitchen. Just ten minutes later, Aita starts crying loud enough that I can hear him. Suddenly, Aita somehow gets out of the house on his own and his crying leaves my hearing range. I zip to the front door and open it. “Aita! No.” When Jon comes downstairs, I look back with sadness. “I need some time alone.” “Carina, I’m so sorry about Aita.” “What did you think Aita would do?!? I wouldn’t know!” “I didn’t either. I can make it up to you though.” “You can’t! You considered me more important than a camera! How did you feel when I had Aita instead of our weekend? That weekend’s gone now! You and Aita were the only things I needed, and now, I lost both. Goodbye, Jon.” “Caina...” I walk off the front steps to the house and head for Headrest Centre.