Grace ran back and oddly enough found her friend looking deeply at a mirror, she felt that it was best not to disturb him. He kept changing disguises from famous ponies they had seen to her and even a unicorn that she had never met before. But every time he would sigh, and make a face but not a funny one. It was that of longing, it made him look conflicted beyond belief.
"Are you okay Night Shade?" The colt did not even flinch, he just kept staring at the mirror.
"How come my eyes change color to green when I change? And when I'm back to me one of them is red?" Grace gave a sympathetic smile.
"Shade...Are you upset that you don't look like other ponies?" The changeling scoffed.
"Changeling's don't get upset! I'm fine!"
"Well Mr. Fine, I have some good news!" She beamed but he just kept staring at his appearance. "Maybe I would tell you it if you STOPPED STARING AT YOURSELF!" He turned around and groaned.
"What?!"
"Fluttershy has agreed to meet you! She knows you’re a changeling and she doesn't care!"
"So, she won't tell on us?" He asked in disbelief. He had known Grace to play pranks once in a while and sometimes he could go too far in retaliation. But she would never joke about something like this.
"Nope! But she made me promise to tell her why we're on our own..." Even the young changeling could tell her distress.
"It won't be so bad, you always told me that you were better off this way. Right?"
"I know I am! Just sometimes it's hard to think about it, I don't really like to, you know?" He nodded.
"Yeah me neither, but I finally get to make another friend! When are we going?!" He bounced up and down and fluttered his wings a few times.
"Right when the sun sets, her cottage is only ten minutes away...Oh I guess we're leaving now!" He looked up in confusion and noticed that Celestia's sun was indeed lowering, it was the start of a new night. A night for friends. They walked in silence and made sure that no one had seen the dark colored changeling that seemed to blend into the night.
"Um, Grace?"
"Yeah?"
"Other than talking about how we met each other. What else are we supposed to talk about exactly?"
"That's right, I forgot this would be your first time over at someponies house huh?"
"Uh, duh?" She groaned. One day she had taught him to speak like the other ponies and she had always loathed teaching him that word, duh. He used it only to annoy her.
"It's really easy, you just talk about the things you know. Ask her questions if you like and she will probably offer us some tea or food or something. Just act nice and she will act nice in return!"
"I'm always nice!" He snapped, causing her to giggle.
"And here we are, now we just knock." She motioned for him to knock. He rolled his eyes and obliged while they both waited in silence. The door eventually opened only as gently as possible, there standing was Fluttershy with an almost stoic expression. Not one of kindness, but there was no anger either.
"Grace, and you must be Night Shade?" The colt did not nod and for several seconds he could do nothing but stammer. It had been a long while after all since an adult addressed him at all.
"Uh, yeah. It's nice to meet you?" He turned to Grace to see if that was the right thing to say, but instead of finding a sincere smile he only found a giggle from his best friend and a blush from the mare.
"It's nice to meet you too. Why don't you both come in and take a seat, do either of you want some tea?" Grace nodded for both of them, and they sat down. One feeling happier than ever and the other couldn't have felt more out of place in his young life. The young mare returned with three cups of tea and set them down, Grace and Fluttershy immediately started drinking but Night Shade felt too shocked to do much of anything.
"So, Night Shade has wanted to do this for a long time Fluttershy." The mare was in the middle of sipping her tea and did not bat an eye, she did not feel like being rude but in her mind she was hoping to make the changeling's experience as normal as possible.
"I understand, are you feeling nervous Night Shade?" He blinked, did adult ponies contain the ability to sense emotions like him? But like with Grace he felt denying it was his best option.
"O-Of course not, changelings don't get scared!" Fluttershy giggled softly.
"I never asked if you were scared, I said nervous sweetie." His mouth shaped its self into an 'oh' shape and with a loss for words he turned to Grace who simply smiled.
"Just relax Shade, she's not going to hurt you and she is one of the nicest ponies around!"
"Uh, okay. So what do you like to do Fluttershy?"
"Well as you can see, I tend to plenty of animals that need my help. Just look around!" Night Shade did just that and sure enough there were several details that he had overlooked completely. How do you miss a dozen bird houses inside a cottage? Or bunnies running around? He then relaxed and began to lick his lips several times and then sighed. "Is he alright?" The mare noticed his alluring smile and Grace blushed.
"Um, yes I think he is tasting some of your emotions...Sorry!" The mare dropped her tea cup.
"Is it dangerous?!"
"No! He does it to me all the time and I've lived with him for a couple of years and I'm fine..." She tried to reassure her, the mare relaxed while the changeling blushed and gave a sheepish smile. Unfortunately ponies were not used to a changeling's grin which succeeded in only making her more nervous.
"Fair enough, oh and that reminds me. I'm sorry to ask but you promised me to explain all of this..." Grace and Shade looked at each other and groaned.
"Yes...I did. Where should we start?"
"The beginning please, I really hate to force you two but it's my responsibility, like it or not."
"Okay, but just know when I said that him and I are happy. I meant it!"
"Good, and I believe you for what it's worth."
"Right, it all started when I was really young. I used to live in Canterlot with my parents, they were both unicorns and they were pretty disappointed when they had an earth pony..."
"That's horrible! What kind of monsters would ever-"
"Please, I'm not mad at them in the slightest."
"You're not? I probably would be..." Grace blinked several times in astonishment.
"Really? But you're so kind Fluttershy-"
"I am but being disappointed in a child for something they can't help, and not wanting them because you're not a unicorn. Grace that is- Well it's disgusting!" Night Shade wanted to taste her anger but kept his mouth and tongue shut, he knew that both were feeling some strong emotions and it was best to wait until it was his turn to share.
"...Never quite heard it put that way before, has something like this happened to you?" Fluttershy to her credit remained neutral while she nodded her head.
"It's a long story Grace and it's only fair that I tell it but only after you both tell me of yours, deal?"
"Deal, anyway over time they just started to not like me so much. They were never mean or abusive or anything but I could tell they wanted a unicorn as a daughter. At first I thought it was best to try and please than in any way I could but it didn’t take me long to realize that what I was doing was wrong. I shouldn't have to do any of that, they were my parents after all. So one day I just up and left, no one came after me so I assumed it was for the best."
"Th-They abandoned you?!"
Grace shook her head and smiled, it was not a fake smile but one of pride. "No Fluttershy. I abandoned them, you have to understand the difference. I did it without stopping or turning around to run back, I left and the day I did it I was never happier. I never liked Canterlot anyway."
"Is that it?"
"Mostly, for the first few days I wasn't sure what to do with myself or where to go, but I had enough bits saved up to make it to most towns and for food. Still, something inside me told me to walk to the nearest town. It just seemed more adventurous and really fun. But on my way to Ponyville I bumped into you know who..." She gestured to Night Shade who only seemed to get the message after a single minute of silence.
"Oh, uh yeah she found me trying to, well..."
"Do what he thought he was supposed to be doing, taking emotions. But I taught him that he didn’t need to-"
"I never wanted to! Why do you think I left the stupid hive in the first place?!"
"I know, I know! Calm down Shade, I didn't mean it like that. But this is your part of the story and Fluttershy needs to know all the facts, so continue please."
"...Right, sorry. Anyway I left my family in the hive, but they never liked me anyway. They always told me that ponies were the enemy and you need to steal your emotions so one day I asked why and they got really mad, so I ran before they could take me before the queen or uh, worse..." He trailed off, both ponies noticing his distress. Grace spoke up.
"Anyway he told me what he was supposed to do and he was trying to take love by himself. So I said he could come with me and I can give him the emotions he needs."
"But weren't you scared Grace? I mean no offense Night Shade, but he did not look like a pony right?"
"Well, funny thing..." She trailed off and blushed, not wanting to admit her ignorance. "I had no clue what a changeling was and he seemed so nice. Of course it was only after we built our campsite that I found out just how much ponies trust changelings...not a lot as it turns out. So ever since, which was at least two years ago, we have been trying to understand how to get Night Shade here his own pony form, one he makes up. But it just won't work, and I promised him I would find him another friend so here we are!" Fluttershy shook her head.
"How can you be happy Grace? Just leaving your family like that..." The mare trailed off and looked down at her hoofs, she looked ashamed. Grace caught on immediately, she stood up and leaped into the mare for a hug.
"Fluttershy, I don't know what happened with you and your family but, if they don't want you then the answer is easy!" Fluttershy tilted her head to the side and stared in bewilderment.
"It- It is?" Her tone suddenly changed from someone in control to a meek one. The filly loved these moments, it was the kind when she knew that not only was she in control but she was the one to give a life lesson.
"Sure it is! You make a new family! I'm sure your friends like Twilight would understand, hay Night Shade is my family!" She brought in Night Shade in a shared hug, the changeling just groaned.
"You and your hugs..." A roar of laughter erupted from Fluttershy catching them both off guard.
"Grace, you are absolutely right! No more hiding, first thing in the morning I'm going to talk to my friends and tell them the truth!" The filly and colt looked on in confusion, Night Shade responded.
"You mean you haven't told your friends about, well whatever happened to you?"
"...Well, Rainbow Dash knows but she never quite put it like Grace. A family is a family, blood or not. And my friends, no my family deserves the right to know and that's final!"
"But, what happened with you?" Night Shade questioned.
"Oh, it's not a long story but it is getting late. I promise to tell you both in the morning but we should get to bed." The two stood up and were about to turn around from the door to say good night when the mare stopped them.
"It's too late for you two to be galloping out at night, you can sleep here. Either of you are welcome in my cottage any day or night. Understand?" They both nodded, Grace smiled but Night Shade looked on in confusion.
"So are we friends now?" Fluttershy giggled.
"No," she replied firmly causing him to groan. But Fluttershy flew over and brought the colt in for a hug.
"Again with the hugs!"
"It means we're family silly."