//------------------------------//
// Chapter 4: Warm Sunshine and Literacy Issues 
// Story: Legend Brought To Life 
// by WorldWalker128 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 4: Warm Sunshine and Literary Issues


“And this is our house! Feel free to make yourself comfortable!” Lyra offered cheerfully, pushing her door open and trotting inside before her and Echo's guest. His eyes swept across the room, noting the familiar setting from when he and several others had watched through her eyes when waiting (impatiently) for her to restart the reading of the the previous day during the time in which Lyra was showering.
“Cozy.” he said, entering as well, followed shortly after by Echo, who was breathing a little heavier from her faster pace.
“Over here's the couch!” She trotted next to a two-seat green couch beneath a window with cotton-stuffed back-cushions. The wood itself was made of common pine. “And over here-” She trotted  to a set of steps. “are the steps that lead up to our half-bathroom and Bonbon's bedroom, as well as a closet for the rare occasion that we wear anything!” It was with those words that something that otherwise would have been very obvious occurred to her. “Hey...you're naked! I thought that humans were supposed to wear clothes most of the time?”
Seeing potential for a problem Echo pointed out that her information on humans as she knew them had come from a fictional book.
“Humans turning out to be a real creature does not mean that everything you read in that book is also true. A lot of the stories told about Nightmare Moon weren't true.” Echo looked him over. “Though to be honest, I can see why they would wear clothes. He'd probably get cold very easily, and his hoofs-”
“Feet.” Lyra interrupted and corrected.
“-feet do not look like they're good for walking over rocks or much of anything other than dirt or grass. At the very least he should get some kind of footwear.”
“I'll be fine.” the youngling said, shrugging. “I made it this far without them.” He yawned suddenly.
“We'll talk about this later.” Echo said, turning to Lyra. “In the meantime, where did you intend for him to sleep?”
“I can use the floor,” the youngling volunteered. “I don't mind.” Lyra shook her head.
“You're our guest! It'd be rude if we made you do that! You can use my room, if you like.”
Nah uh. Echo thought. Him being as young and inexperienced as he is he might revert while he's asleep. Can't risk it.
“If he uses your room he'll never get any sleep from your constant questions, Lyra. He can use my room, and I'll use the couch.”
“Please, Bonbon. He may not be a Pony, but he's still a guy and a stranger. It would be indecent for me to share the same room with him.” Lyra said, rolling her eyes. “I was going to use the couch.”
“Oh. Alright then. Shall we go back to the theater to catch the rest of the play while he takes a nap? I doubt we've missed very much of it.”
“Sure, why not.” She looked back at the youngling and asked him if he'd be alright. He nodded and Lyra pointed to a short hallway next to the steps. “My room is down that hall. Make yourself comfortable, and we'll be back in an hour or so.” He nodded and made his way to her room, and the girls left.


@  @  @  @  @


The queen sighed, relieved that her distraction plan had worked, and already was planning out what to do next, which was not as clear as Echo made it out to be. With the citizens of Ponyville thinking that a figure from myth had just stepped out of the fog of mystery and into the real world, this presented an opportunity like no other so long as certain events were set up to occur in the correct order. 
Of course they'd have to conjure up a story as to where he'd come from and tell him what to say in answer to several expected questions. Perhaps she'd even replace him with another Changeling that was more experienced with acting so as to make it more believable. Certainly it would have to be one that could at the least stay changed during its sleep, but until he changed back to his true form she'd be unable to give him orders and information, which meant she would have to send another Changeling to tell him in person in case the opportunity to safely change back never came. And, of course, we'll have to make up a name for his form. One of those Icarna books should be able to help with that. I'll send someone to retrieve a few copies from the local library.
Returning her vision from seeing through Echo's vision as Echo left the house once more to that of her own, queen Nymph looked at the three Changelings that she normally kept nearby in case she required something. Selecting the youngest of the three (the other two being old in terms of the lifespan of a non-queen Changeling), she sent him to Ponyville in the guise of a mail-Pegasus that normally did not come to Ponyville except during holidays to relay her commands to the youngling should he not revert. He was recalled shortly after when the mind link reestablished, but when queen Nymph tried to contact him she discovered he was asleep, and as with before his memories that were formed whilst in human guise were shielded from her probing. It was irritating, but, she supposed, unavoidable...or was it? What if I turned into one of them as well? Would I be able to read his memories and communicate mind-to-mind then? She considered, this for a bit, and then decided against it. 
Normally the premature death of a queen drove the rest of the surviving hive insane. Given that his transformations felt to her on their mental network like he was dying, her changing into one of them just might have the same effect on her entire hive, which would be a disaster. Perhaps she might try it after much preparation and after making her hive aware of her intentions, but not right now.
Instead she began crafting the youngling's story.


*  *  *  *  *


The next morning the youngling awoke to being nudged by another changeling. Believing himself at first to be back at the hive, he greeted her by asking for five more minutes of sleep and then pulled the pillow over his head.
Wait...a pillow?
Yes, a pillow. Echo confirmed. “You're not at the hive. Now quick, change back into the human before Lyra comes knocking! As if on cue, the shut and locked door was met with several taps and both of their heads turned to look at it.
“Wakey-wakey! Time for breakfast, Mr Human!” she rattled the handle. “Hey! Locking me out of my own room isn't nice!”
“Lyra will open it with her magic in just a few seconds.” Purple flame washed over her body and once more she took the form of Bonbon. “Now hurry, change back!”
The youngling nodded and transformed two seconds before Lyra opened it and trotted in. She stopped when she saw 'Bonbon' standing next to the bed and then gave her a critical look.
“You know, if I was a dirty-minded Pony, I'd have to wonder what you two were doing together in my room with my door locked. But given that you don't trust him and that my sheets are perfectly dry I don't think I have anything to wonder about.”
The youngling cocked his head to one side, not having a clue what Lyra was talking about. Echo knew though, and she frowned and looked disgusted. “Anyway, like I said, breakfast is ready. You two should come eat it before it gets cold.”

Breakfast was a treat for the youngling, who had not as of yet tasted much of anything and had up until now lived off of the energy that the queen gave them. He tried each new thing slowly, savoring the sensations that seemed to explode into existence in his mouth, and ate his meal in smaller bites than that of his hosts so as to preserve the flavor-fest a little longer.
When he finally finished he looked up from his plate to discover that both Lyra and Echo were watching him with expressions of amusement.
“You'd think he'd never eaten anything before, Bonbon!” She chuckled.
“It could just be that the food he's used to is different, you know.” The youngling/human nodded.
“Really?” Lyra asked. “What do your people usually eat?”
A knock at the door interrupted the newly-born conversation and saved the youngling from having to make something up. At first no one moved, and they traded glances. Finally, Echo volunteered and stood.
“I'll get it.”
When the door was unlocked and opened the sleepy yet smiling face of Mayor Mare greeted Echo.
“Good morning, miss Bonbon,” she leaned her head to one side to see around Echo's head. “miss Heartstrings, and of course, Human.”
“Hello Mayor Mare! What brings you here?” Echo asked.
“Oh, just doing my duties as mayor and trying to look out for my citizens. Would you mind if I asked your guest a few questions?”
“Not at all.” Echo replied, though that was a lie. Their queen was still working on the back-story behind the youngling's new form, and other than telling her to tell him to make up a name for himself she had given no instruction should he be questioned. But unfortunately she had not had the time to even tell him that before Lyra had woken up, and now it was too late. He would be on his own.
Echo stepped to one side and allowed the mayor inside. Mayor Mare thanked her and walked into the room, stopping on the youngling's right side and looking him up and down.
“Greetings to you, stranger.” Mayor Mare began. “What brings you to our fair town, and from where do you come from?” The youngling drank the last of his juice first to buy himself a little time to think, then replied while still trying to think of other things to add. It was not easy, as he was too used to having his hive mates offer him information or suggestions when he needed it.
“Curiosity brought me here, ma'am, and I-” He thought back to what the book had said. “-come from the west across the ocean. I cannot tell you from where exactly, though.” The mayor looked him over as well, meanwhile Lyra's eyes sparkled.
“Why not?” The youngling-turned-human shrugged.
“Because I don't know. Our maps are probably different from yours, and we had got lost in a storm that lasted for what felt like days. During the storm a huge wave washed over us and I was washed overboard. When I woke up I was on the seashore by myself. From there I walked inland looking for food.”
Excellent! Echo thought while keeping her face blank. Now we can have others get him out of here by coming in disguise as humans, too!
“How many others were you with?” His eyes rolled up a little as he thought a bit as if searching his memories.
“Six others, not including our captain. Our ship was built for speed, not for carrying stuff.”
“So seven, then.” He nodded. “Where were you headed?”
“If there was an actual place the captain had in mind for us to go she did not tell us. As far as I knew, we were just trying to fill in another blank patch of map.”
“I see.” she looked him over again. “From what I've been told Humans normally wear clothes. Why aren't you?”
“Who told you we wear clothes?” He responded, trying to buy time while he made up a reason.
“A handful of Ponies from a book club who are rather fond of a book series that has your race for many of the main characters.”
“I'm a member of that club!” Lyra added, still excited. “Book six comes out next week!”
“Yes, I am aware.” Mayor Mare said, looking at Lyra and rolling her eyes. “Your fellow club members asked me if I could perhaps force you to give custody of him to one of them instead, miss Heartstrings. I told them that your guest was a being, not a toy or a pet. They were rather disappointed, but asked- all of them, mind you- that I tell you they said for you bring him to your next meeting in two days.”
“I can keep him for two more days?!”
“No Lyra, that's not what she said!” Echo corrected, frowning. “Besides, what if his crew come looking for him to take him back home with them?” Lyra gasped, her eyes twinkling again. She pressed hoofs together and stared off into space.
“Then there'll be more of them! Maybe they'd be willing to take me back with them!” Echo face-hoofed and several of their hive laughed.
“Well if other Humans do come here looking for him we can't be putting this one on display like something out of a Freak Show. That would almost certainly send the wrong sort of message.”
“Oh of course we'd not do that Mayor Mare!” Lyra scoffed. “That'd just be rude! No, no obnoxious staring, only requests for a signed book, or maybe to be in a picture with him, or-”
The Mayor listened for another five seconds as Lyra talked a mile-a-minute as Pinkie Pie often did, then turned to Bonbon/Echo as she refilled her own glass with some pulpy orange juice.
“Well, regardless of whether or not they actually wear clothing I don't really have the time to make sure he's not mobbed by overzealous fans of that book series who think he's a wish come true. If his people do come looking for him and see him surrounded by shouting Ponies, however, they may react badly.” She leaned in a bit closer. “While this could indeed be the discovery of the century I'd rather not also have it become an international incident. Can I count on you to keep miss Heartstrings in line and make sure he's looked after?”
Echo nodded and looked at Lyra, who had retrieved her copy of the book and had begun giving him a summarized version of what she'd read so far. Him having been one of those that had listened in while Echo had read it earlier, was paying rapt attention. Echo looked back at the mayor and nodded.
“I'll try.”


@  @  @  @  @


Queen Nymph buzzed down from the ceiling of her hatchery after finishing inspecting the last cluster of eggs she'd laid and suspended two to a cocoon, content that they were developing as they should be. The eventually-to-be young within them had not as of done more than develop a basic body outline, and would not actually hatch for several more months. When they did they would not yet have been connected to the mental network that all hives shared with their members. She would have to go to them herself and establish it. If she did not, then should another queen somehow make her way into the hatchery she would be able to link with them instead, and steal queen Nymph's offspring for her own use. If she were allowed to hatch, a hive-princess could also do this gain enough drones to challenge her mother in a shorter time than if she laid the eggs herself.
Queen Nymph also checked the earliest non-hatched egg cocoons, commonly know to what races knew of them as egg sacks, though the term was inaccurate on several points, and smiled warmly when two pairs of faintly-glowing green eyes turned her way and her children inside squeaked and pressed their still-developing chitinous hoofs against the side. Nymph placed her on fore hoofs against her offspring's own and received several more excited squeaks.
Although Changelings laid eggs as spiders did and housed them in a materiel that was also similar to what some spiders and insects used, their young did not actually leave the cocoon after first hatching from their eggs, and instead remained within them until their exoskeleton and wings had finished developing, upon which time they would try to chew their way out. With spiders the exoskeleton was already finished when they hatched, even if it was not fully hardened yet.
After a minute's time queen Nymph removed her hoofs from the hanging cocoon and observed the others. To her disappointment and mild sorrow one of the cocoon's young were dead, and she set to the task of cutting it down to be removed from the hive and buried elsewhere. It was sad that some of her young had died, but she still had others to care for both inside and outside of the cocoons. Her sorrow might have been more severe, had she not already gone through this more than a dozen times before. Though she was not yet considered old amongst her kind she was no longer a queen in her youth, and had seen her fair share of death of both her brood, and that of other races and animal species. This was not to say that she did not mourn when her kind died, but it was not nearly as hard on her as it had been in her younger years.
Nymph notified a hatchery worker of the dead offspring and delivered them to it before taking one last look at the rounded stone chamber and wishing those that remained a pleasant rest.
Now what to do about the 'Human'? she wondered as her hoofs clacked on the stone flooring of one of the few natural underground cave tunnel formations in this region and echoed both ahead and behind her as she walked. Given that, from the observations she'd made through Echo's eyes, Lyra seemed unable to let him out of her sight for more than a few seconds, which meant that Echo might never get around to telling him what his back-story was to be. The easiest and probably safest thing to do would be to have several more of ours become additional Humans and have them retrieve him and bring him back. She reviewed the reaction of the mint-green Unicorn as well as the statement from the mayor of the book club's enthusiasm concerning their resident Human. They were rather excited. Fanatically so, almost. I have to wonder how they would react to more arriving in the company of a few Changelings and claimed them to be pets. Oh wait, no I don't. She rolled her eyes.
Most likely the locals would freak out and those that had magic would start slinging objects from all directions at them to get rid of them. Still, there was nothing to prevent others from coming in along with them disguised as Ponies who were ever-so-generously leading them from some outer-edge settlements near the sea to the nearest Pony-town. That would be sure to cause a greater stir than just the youngling's arrival, and possibly the amount of positive emotion energy collection would be quite high as well. Still, a little back-story ahead of time for them as well will be in order, otherwise they'll be no better off than the youngling is, though at least that might change for him in the near future if Echo ever has a chance to talk to him alone for more than a few seconds.
Nymph passed by a single shaft of sunlight four inches in circumference that illuminated the immediate area where it shone. She paused and looked up to see a small patch of blue sky through it. What she assumed to be a bird flew by, temporarily blocking the light for half a second, but the light returned afterward. I'll have to get that plugged up. On lands as flat as those above a really bad rain storm might cause a bit of flooding down here. She sent the message to a burrower, who acknowledged her command, and then returned to his previous task. 
She nodded, though it was not necessary as there was no one to see it, and continued along the tunnel until she reached the next fork, at which time she took the route that led up to the surface and pushed up one of the hidden doors and looked around. Flowers bobbed in the breeze, and the grass wavered, looking like green waves of the land. A lovely day, by most species' reckoning. She sniffed the air, taking in the scents of the field that surrounded their home. Pleasant.
Queen Nymph rose out of the shaft that led into the hive and landed on the ground in front of it, shutting the door behind her with her magic and stepped forward on the soft ground, which sank a bit under her weight, for the first time in over ten months. After all this time it feels strange, but not in a bad way. Nymph thought as she glanced down at the green blades of grass and occasional flower directly in front of her. Satisfied, she laid down on it and smiled a little.
Now that I'm comfortable, I can better better think!
She performed very little thinking, however, and instead fell asleep with a smile of her face shortly after in the warm sunlight, several of her hive coming out of the hive and taking up positions of protection around her while she began to lightly snore.


__ __ __ __ __


“So what do you think?” Lyra asked her new favorite sapient being, wearing an eager grin and looking up as their trio strolled out of a local clothing shop.
“I think we've spent entirely too much money for what we bought!” Echo grumbled as the door swung shut behind her. They had, really. All the tailor essentially did was take two long pieces of cloth twice the Changeling-Human's height, sew their edges together to make it wider, then folded it over, cut a hole in the top for his head. He then had the Human hold his arm up and out to both sides and sewed up until there were six inches of open-spot below his armpits. In other words, he'd made something close to a toga. “Twelve bits for something we probably could have bought from Rarity for less than half of that, or even made ourselves!” she huffed.
“If my clothing is really as expensive as it sounds you could just take it back. I don't really need-” Lyra interrupted the youngling before he could go any farther with his objections.
“You're our guest, and even if you don't need clothing, a certain part of your anatomy has been drawing stares from the Ponies we've passed in town.”
“Really?” He asked. “Which part?” Lyra coughed and looked at Echo, who sighed and answered for her friend.
“The part of you that makes it obvious you're male.”
“Oh.” He said simply, realization dawning, but not dawning enough for the metaphorical sun to rise. “Why are they staring at it? Haven't they seen them before? I mean, it's not like you all wear clothes that I've seen.”
“We have, but it's not so...obvious on them. You see, your...equipment is located in the same place, but since you walk upright it's always in plain sight. With our males, it's not.” As an example she pointed at a fat brown earth Pony that was setting up a fruit stand. Nothing that resembled the Human's 'equipment' was visible.
“Huh. I see.” Really, he didn't, but got the feeling that this was an awkward subject for Lyra (and probably would have been for the original Bonbon) and decided to let it end at that. At least for now. Certainly an earth Pony or a Unicorn's 'equipment' would be less noticeable, but what about the occasional Pegasus flying overhead? From what of the Pegasi in general he'd seen, very few, if any of them wore anything resembling clothing except one flying gray mail mare carrying a bag full of what he assumed to be letters and perhaps small packages. And that hid nothing! He thought with a roll of his eyes. Maybe they're not as bothered by it in her case because there's so many females here anyway.
Briefly their trio stopped outside of a large tree with several windows and a red door in the front of it.
“I'll be right back!” Lyra declared, and then entered the tree without knocking.
“Library?” The youngling asked, making sure his memory were correct. Echo nodded.
“Knowing Lyra she's going in there to see if the release date for her favorite book series has been changed.” She sighed. “Really, I don't understand why she tortures herself like that.”
“Maybe she's hoping that I'm a sign or something.” Echo laughed a little.
“Colt, would she be wrong! Oh, that reminds me,” Echo lowered her voice a little. “queen Nymph has made a back-story for you, as well as a name pulled from one of the earlier books.” She threw a quick look at the as-of-this-moment-shut library door. “I doubt I've got the time to tell the whole thing to you, so for now I'll just tell you your first name; it's Thomas. She also said that the last name doesn't matter and you could pick it yourself.”
While 'Thomas' only nodded in response, he was unable to stop a smile from breaking out on his face shortly after. A name! I've got a name! True, it was only for his Human form, and it was one of the strangest names he'd heard, but still!
Echo raised an eyebrow at his reaction, then realization dawned.
“Ah, you didn't have a name at all before now, did you?” He shook his head. “Well, congratulations then! Once we get you out of here we'll see you get a proper name and-”
The door swung open again and Lyra came back out levitating a thick paper bag with several long rolled up papers and books stuffed in it.
“Umm...Lyra?” Echo started and stalled out, staring at the bag.
“Hmm?” Lyra looked at Echo, and then where Echo was looking. “Oh, my bag?” Echo nodded. She levitated a book out of the bag and showed it to her, at which point Echo frowned and reminded Lyra that the mayor had asked them (though not directly) to not extort their charge. “But there's only like, five books, and the rest are all maps of the world as we know it. Besides, I'm not intending to sell them.”
“Okay, but why the maps? Oh. Never mind.” She intended to see if anyplace looked familiar to their guest. “So what, then? You're going to have him sign your new collection and put them in a glass case to pass down to your children?”
“No, silly! I'm going to have him sign them, and then I'll donate them to the book club!”
“And then,” Echo added. “if what the mayor told us earlier is any sort of warning against such an action, they'll declare war on one another for ownership of just one of them! Do you think before you plan anything, Lyra?” Echo asked, face-hoofing. Lyra frowned.
“Of course I think things through! I'm not just going to hand them over! I'm going to tell them I've got them, then I'll set up a raffle, and those whose tickets I draw will get a book!”
"Well...I guess that isn't so bad." Echo slowly nodded.
“Um, girls?” Thomas asked. “There might be one little problem with that.” Lyra and Echo looked up at the conversational newcomer. “I can't read, and I don't know how to write.” 
Lyra's left eye twitched.