I stood atop my hive’s mesa. It’s steep orange side fell off below me into a long vertical drop, bottoming out into a vast sea of red cracked earth. The Badlands, as the ponies called them, were my home. A vast wondrous world full of challenges and dangers stretching to the horizon in every direction. The sun was at it’s peak in the dusky grey sky. My wings buzzed, instinctively cooling off my natural armor.
Constant wind whipped the red sand across my carapace whistling naturally through my snugs, the holes in my legs, warning off predators. It was a comforting feeling, the vibrations familiarity echoing through my body reminded me I was still alive despite the crack in my carapace just below my wing. I took a deep breath, savoring the heady scent of my beloved homeland. However, I gagged on the sudden stench of death as it wafted past me.
I didn’t want to turn around. I had seen plenty this day, though I have no recollection of how long I was unconscious. The ponies were long gone, having taken their dead and wounded with them. The bodies of my kin, however, still lay broken and strewn across the mesa top behind me. The thought that the barbaric ponies would take their dead with them was confusing, but rescuing their living and injured felt logical, and even admirable. However, I shuddered at the remembrance of the slaughter when they had descended upon my home.
I looked south knowing that Queen Chrysalis, on her way back from a failed invasion on Canterlot castle, and the master brood had made it home safely because of my hive’s sacrifice. Nevertheless, the victory churned sour in my stomach, knowing full well that no help would be coming to check for survivors. I knew we were expendable.
“Doesn’t mean I have to like it…”
“What are you mumblin’ about, grub?” A familiar voice chuckled from behind me. “Throw up your ears, and stop makin’ an old bug buzz out.”
My blood chilled as I gasped. “Core! You ancient dung beetle! Where are you?” I threw up my ears, and swiftly connected into the channels. It was unsettlingly quiet. I looked around for my squad captain, blurring my eyes slightly to block out as much of the gore as I could. Try as I may though, I still couldn’t keep from stepping on the occasional shell of a fallen family member, my stomach twisting with each sickening crunch. I wished desperately that I could still fly.
“Over here…” Core’s mental voice reached out over the air waves weakly as it guided me to him.
I located the source of Core’s voice. The closer I drew, the more I wish I hadn’t. “Core… Oh Chrysalis, no.”
“Come off it, and act like a guard Shatter!” Core glared up at me from the broken remains of his crushed body.
“Core, I can’t fix you…”
“I know, grub. I’m broken, not stupid.” Core paused, taking an unsteady breath. I could hear his thoughts as he mentally prepared the question.
“Yes, Core. Of course I can. You don’t have to ask.” I looked at him sadly.
“Haha!” He barked out loud. “The one time you show me respect, and it’s in my last moments as you get ready to off me.”
I hesitated, gritting my teeth as I stared at him, dreading my next movements.
“Relax, Shatter. I’ve lived long enough. There’s no fixing this old rock any longer. Just get it over with.” He grinned feebly. “At least I get to watch you squirm one last time, maggot.”
I shook my head. “Just give me a moment…”
“Sure, take your time…the suspense is killing me,” he teased.
I rolled my eyes, somehow finding the will to grin at these last grim moments, our conversation hitting me as ironically normal. My hoof flared to life with green fire, and elongated into a sharp spike. I positioned over him, putting the tip to the base of his head.
“You aren’t going back, are you?” he asked somberly.
I shook my head. “No…”
“Going lone fang then, huh? I don’t blame you, Shatter. Not after Feelia.” He looked at me curiously. “Will you shed tears over me?”
I grinned with a chuckle as I said out loud, “not a chance…” His mirthful snort was cut off as I plunged the spike deep into his brain.
His last thoughts breezed across the channels, barely perceivable to my receptors. “See you in a week...”
The ensuing silence ate at me as the sand blasted winds whistled hauntingly through my snugs. My thoughts were blank save for the feeling of finality that coursed through my chest in cold hollow waves. I was now dead; completely severed from the swarm, the hive, and my family. A lone fang. I would be killed if caught by ponies because of what I was, or by my own kin to keep the secrets I knew safe.
It was a long time before I realized the shadows had elongated, crawling their way across the remains of silent witnesses to my betrayal. My resolve played over the situation countless times in my mind, fighting against instinct to return to the hive. I sat there frozen in time as the sun sank towards the horizon, Core’s head still in my hoof, his eyes full of lifeless mirth staring up at me. There were no tears in my eyes.
“Changelings can’t cry…”
|| Pause ||
“I-I-I c-c-can’t watch this…” Fluttershy squeaked, her voice sobbing uncontrollably in my mind.
“You don’t have to Fluttershy,” Twilight intoned sadly. “I will release you from the spell.”
Pinkie gasped. “No! Wait, please Fluttershy. I know it’s hard, but I just want all of you to know him like I know him.”
“Pinkie… We just saw him kill one of his own family!” Applejack’s mental voice heaved, her words having a queasy sick tone.
I sighed. “It was necessary. He was too broken.”
Applejack’s words blasted at me, throbbing through my receptors. “Horse apples! A pony never gives up on their kin! Ever!” She shouted in rage. “But you ain’t no pony are ya? You’re just a sick twisted…” Her words trailed off in strangled huff, unable to speak past her disgust.
Before I could reply, Rainbow Dash spat in her own two bits. “You were too afraid to go back to your hive, so instead of saving your captain, and taking him to a hospital, you killed him! You’re a coward!”
“Now girls, don’t forget, his captain did ask for death.” Twilight’s voice was forced, disgusted, but still analytical. “This may be part of their custom.”
“Yes he did, Twilight, which begs more questions to be answered.” Rarity, waves of her revulsion passed through the connection, speaking nearly twice as loud as the others emotions.
Briefly, I admired her resolve at keeping steady analytical thoughts, which she picked up on.
“Do not patronize me, fiend! I am only connecting to your disgusting mind as a favor to my dear friend Pinkie Pie! However, I have no tolerance for a murderer! I hope only to help cure my friend of her delusions from your insidious lies!”
The words stung through me. Only a day ago I had considered these ponies friends, had foolishly grown attached to them… but that was over now.
“Shhh… It’s going to be ok, Dreamy,” Pinkie called to me using her favorite pet name as she cooed in my mind. “But… I also wanna know… Why would you do such a horrible thing?” The mildest hint of distrust in her voice hit me harder than all the other five’s open revulsion to my existence combined.
I blurted out the answer, eager to please her, and to validate my actions. “I had to! He was broken. He would have died slowly there in the wastes, picked apart by buzzards. We are not like ponies. A broken changeling is a dead changeling, and we do not have hospitals. A changelings armor does not heal or grow back…”
The six gasped all at once. I was slightly confused at the shock. “Oh, dear, I may have just betrayed valuable information I shouldn’t have. Please, do not use this against my hive!”
Pinkie cut through the chatter of questions that came at me. “Dreamy! Your shell under your wing! It’s been cracked!” Her voice was frantic, which made me sad for worrying her. “That won’t heal?”
“I’m sorry Pinkie. Forgive me for being broken. If you deem me useless, I will bow out of my run for your hoof, and refrain from dishonoring you further. I will die with what dignity I have left.”
Pinkie gasped. “No! Dreamy! Stop it!”
“What kind of logic…” Twilight began, stumbling over her words. “Your entire thought process is alien to us…”
“Of all the manipulative, disgusting…” Rarity growled over the channel. “Pinkie! Can’t you see he is playing upon your feelings to manipulate you?”
“Ahm sick of this. You cain’t fool me bug! Stop making Pinkie cry with your twisted lies!” Applejack joined Rarity and Dash in a chorus of angry hateful words while Twilight struggled to calm them down.
I bore it all stoically, answering questions only when asked, and ignoring the hate while offering desperate apologies to stop Pinkie’s tears.
Suddenly, Fluttershy’s gentle thoughts caressed the chaos, bringing it down to a stunned silence. “I want to stay…i-if you all don’t mind.” She mentally gulped.
Admittedly, even I was thrown into riveted anticipation.
“Uhm… I-I may just be imagining it, but the feeling in his words… uhh… feel real? To me at least.” The silence continued, prompting her to whisper even quieter. “I… I really want to…” She stuttered over her words, trying to squeak them out. Her anxiety was nearly overwhelming as it flooded through the channel. Finally, after building up her courage she blurted it all out. “I-I really want to know if he loves Pinkie Pie…”
I was touched by the sentiment that she truly cared. It made me happy in the face of the ensuing annoyed, though subdued, thoughts of some of the others as to whether or not it actually ‘mattered’.
“Wow, thanks Fluttershy! It really means a lot that you care so much.” Pinkie jumped back into the conversation excitedly. “I mean to go through all that horribly gorey stuff and stay for more…”
Fluttershy meeped, her presence on the channel shrinking back.
“You are really a wonderful friend. I’m sure there’s all kinds of horrors ahead in this story that will give us all kinds of terrible night...” She continued on as I mentally nodded in agreement.
I could sense Fluttershy shaking. “Uhm, maybe I changed…”
“Wait a minute!” Pinkie switched gears mid-sentence. “Dreamy, ponies aren’t violent! There’s no way ponies would have slaughtered your hive like that!”
“Aha! I knew it! The vermits lyin’. Ship him off to the castle for interrogation!” Applejack grunted in satisfaction. “Who’s up fer dinner? My treat!”
Dash snickered. “What? Seriously? Why wouldn’t we stomp the hive into the ground? They attacked us first, Applejack. Besides, what’s the point of having armed guards with sharp pointy objects if they don’t kick the ever lovin’ plot out the enemy now and then?”
A heated argument quickly ensued with questions ranging from pony history and possible necessity of such drastic action to flat out denial that pony culture could ever be capable of something so horrendous. Either way the argument swung, it wasn’t in my favor.
“Hold on! Please, nopony should jump to conclusions. I can easily double check with the castle on troop movements, and I’m sure that princess Celestia will be open with any military decisions to invade changeling territories. There has to be a perfectly good explanation for all of this!”
Everypony grunted their consent. I breathed a sigh of relief. I was safe… for now.
“Shatter, please continue.” Twilight’s anxious voice tinged with excitement scared me more than the hate from the others. It made me nervous, while hate would persecute me, that curiosity would be picking apart every insignificant thought that I betrayed my old hive with.
However, I foolishly continued on. Driven by my love...
< Play >
A deceptively meek looking yellow mare with a pink mane coiled before me in what I could only guess was either an odd greetings ritual, or my first encounter had seen straight through my disguise. I hid behind my good wing, protecting my injured one while taking into account my guise, checking it over for the hundredth time that morning. My coat and wings were light blue, a color reminiscent of my dear princesses hair. My mane was a long turquoise to light green spectrum which I had been so proud of pulling off. The colors were calmingly familiar ones from the glowing pools of royal jelly that oozed down the walls back at my old hive. Certainly it would lull my food into unsuspecting comfort zones.
|| Pause ||
“That, simply, would not have been my first choice in color combinations!” Rarity humphed.
“Shhh…” twilight Scolded.
“He calls us food, and that’s the first thing ya pickup on?” Applejack interjected.
“Ssshhh!”
< Play >
No, it’s not me. Obviously something else is wrong! Waves of apprehension flooded through my gut. Suddenly, I felt very queezy, wondering if I was doomed before I had ever stepped hoof within my first pony town. I reminded myself that these creatures were dangerous and blood thirsty, and that I was at a disadvantage already against their numbers even before taking into account my injured wing. I would be killed on sight the moment they discovered my true identity.
Suddenly, the horror of my situation redoubled upon me. I looked back at this creature with renewed respect, fear chilling up the unfamiliar bony ridge along my back. I had been a fool to rush in, being too distracted by the gnawing hunger in my new gutt to notice her until we were nearly on top of each other. Though, to her credit, she had been skillful in her stealth, and silent hoof falls. This one is obviously a skilled forward scout or guard...
|| Pause ||
“Fluttershy a guard? Bwahahaha!! Who knew changelings were so dumb!” Dash guffawed through the channel.
“Well, I uhm, really appreciate the thought anyway Shatter…” Fluttershy giggled, a tinge of irritation in her words at Dash’s comment.
< Play >
I peeked between a couple feathers at her as she peeked back from behind her mane, determined to continue this sick twisted game of silent glances while these uncontrollable pony emotions and hungers devoured me from within. The silence swept on for an agonizing eternity, my resolve slowly breaking down with each passing minute. Sweat built up uncomfortably under my fur, the new sensation adding a tinge of revulsion to my already overwhelming discomfort.
Changelings don’t leak from their carapace! I thought irritably.
I could feel myself involuntarily shrinking with every glance from my first contact. Get ahold of yourself Shatter!! I screamed in my own mind, but I couldn’t stop the shaking that was rattling my feathers. I glared at the ground to reset my brain, trying to find some shred of my old resolve, but images of my hives massacre were too fresh as they haunted the back of my mind.
I looked up and froze. She had inched closer, an unreadable look on her face. Her features had definitely changed, and now she was eyeing me up and down. I gasped, the air catching in my lungs as I tried to force myself back. She inched a little closer, my hooves froze to the ground. Her lips moved, she whispered something, but I couldn’t hear her over the pounding of my own heart. A dangerous dizziness washed over me, threatening to incapacitate me altogether. The mares features changed again, her face wrinkling in a different direction as she began slowly moving towards me. Buzz me! I must have made her angry!
|| Pause ||
“Oh...oh my...I was soo assertive.” Fluttershy’s giggles flitted through the channel.
I sighed in relief when Pinkie’s sniffles gave way as she joined Fluttershy’s little giggles. “Dreamy, you’re so cute! She was concerned, not angry, silly.”
“I have since learned to read pony facial expressions far better,” I stated proudly.
“Uhg...can we not have so many in-ter-rupt-tions, please?” Twilight growled irritably, though her words were still marinated in that overwhelming curiosity which unsettled me so.
“Sorry!” we all chorused, chagrin in our voices.
< Play >
I dropped to the ground, arching my back defensively, an action that sent her fluttering backwards with a sound of something like ‘eep’ that stabbed at my sensitive hearing. I wasn’t familiar with that word, nor had I seen that defensive posture before, but I was certain they were deadly ones. I watched her wings, hooves, and the way her eyes peeked over them.
She must be aiming for an attack! I knew it, Core was right! I wasn’t even going to survive a week in this town. I can’t fight here, the town will swarm me the second she calls for help! I began inching back towards the forest behind me.
Her hooves slowly fell to the ground. She’s going to chase! My heart sank at the realization, and again I found my hooves frozen in place. This body is horrible! It doesn’t process emotions right at all! I shivered uncontrollably, an action I akined to the fear I was feeling.
Changelings don’t shiver! I thought bitterly as she inched closer, reaching into her saddle bag for what I could only imagine to be an insidious weapon. I prepared to shape shift, knowing full well this body was useless for combat. How these weak pathetic creatures ever managed to overtake my hive I will never understand... I hesitated, waiting to see what preference she held in tools of destruction.
The mare produced a small orange spike. How fitting... I snickered inwardly at the irony that she would pull out my own favored weapon of choice. I readied the useless wet hide to change back into my comfortable natural armor, and to shift both hooves into spikes. The spells formed swiftly in my mind as I prepared to attack.
|| Pause ||
“See! See! Bloodthirsty as a mosquito in heat! He’d kill ya as soon as look at ya!” Applejack’s voice raged through the channel. Mentally, I recoiled, ashamed of my actions.
“No!” Fluttershy’s voice snapped assertively through the channel, cutting off all replies. “It is perfectly normal for an animal to defend itself! He thought I pulled out a weapon. He was scared, and felt trapped. Defending himself was a perfectly natural reaction…”
Stunned silence.
“Uhh...sugarcube? Are you actually defending this monster?” Applejack questioned in shock.
“W-w-well...I uh…” Fluttershy’s confidence melted into nervous twitters.
“Just continue! Please!” Twilight’s eye twitching somehow communicated over the channel.
“Dreamy?” Pinkie cooed curiously when I didn’t answer.
“Oh, right, sorry.” I stammered quickly. “I, uhm...just went silent. I didn’t want to insult anypony with my thoughts.”
“Explain, please.” Twilight’s voice perked up, curiosity smothering her irritability.
Applejacks words burst in. “Yes, explain! Holding back thoughts here is as bad as lyin’!”
I stuttered, afraid to anger them any further. “S-Sorry! I’m sorry, it just hurt a little when Fluttershy called me an animal. Please forgive me.”
“Oh, I am soo sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, Shatter.” Fluttershy’s buttery voice soothed.
“I just called ya a monster! Got nothin’ for it, and she calls you an animal and you go all to pieces? Ahm not buyin it!”
“Oh, nonono, Applejack. You called me a monster out of misguided anger. I can forgive that. Fluttershy honestly akins me to an animal rather than an intelligent being.”
Fluttershy’s voice fluttered over the channel. “No, oh my, how rude of me. I’m soo sorry I hurt your feelings. That was very insensitive.”
“Oh puh-lease. Fluttershy, he’s manipulating you the same way he did Pinkie Pie. He’s playing the drama queen to get your sympathy.” I could sense Rarity rolling her eyes.
“Well, it is all fascinating whether or not he is being manipulative.” Twilight’s curiosity gripped at my chest.
“You are very focused in your examinations, Twilight.” I complimented, a nervous reaction.
“Oh, thank you, and I will continue to be so. However, when addressing me directly, refer to me as Princess, changeling. I do not consider you a friend any longer.” Twilight’s words hit home.
It was becoming harder to keep calm. I would have already lost it by now, had it not been for Pinkie’s continuous soothing coos in the back of my mind.
Twilight continued, either ignoring or oblivious to my discomfort. “Rainbow Dash, you have been oddly quiet. Did you have anything to add before we continue?”
“Pffttt…” Dash snickered. “A guard? Really S.D.?” She called me by my nickname, which was oddly comforting.
“Have you even been listening?” Twilight barked at her.
Pinkie cut them both off. “Please, Dashie, take this a little more seriously...for me?”
After many long moments of awkward silence, I continued my story...
< Play >
I was ready to attack! Yet, I hesitated as something ‘creamy’ caught my senses. Instantly, my casting fizzled as a new sensation washed over me, and it was delicious. I stared at her in wonder. This pony, my enemy, was freely feeding me. She offered up a feast of tender caring love, and I caught myself drooling as my stomach grumbled.
“Oooh, poor thing. You must be scared, lonely, and hungry after traveling through the Everfree forest.” The mare clicked her tongue at me, an action I found confusingly alluring as if it somehow added credibility to her words, and all of it was marinated in that sweet creamy love.
The scent of the weapon she held also caught my attention. My stomach growled louder. “It’s ok, I won’t hurt you, I prom-mise. Go ahead...take a bite, it’s all for you.” Her voice was nervous, but soothing, carrying those delicious waves of smooth love that fed the changeling in me.
However, there was another ravenous hunger that had taken root. One that demanded I devour that weapon! She gingerly set it on the ground in front of me and backed off. After gauging the distance, and how far she would have to jump for any sudden pounces, I fell into her obvious trap. I descended upon the defenseless morsel. My traitorous pony stomach driving me into a feeding frenzy as I chomped down upon it.
Oh, it was soo good! The sweet crunchy little delicacy was beyond description as it slid across my tongue. I kept a watchful eye on the mare the entire time, but instead of the suspected attack, she only sat there giggling behind a hoof. Emboldened by her passiveness I prepared to thank her for the meal, determined to show some civility. However, the scent of more orange spikes caught my nose, and scrambled my brain.
I bolted towards her, she fluttered and ‘meeped’ in surprise, but I barely took notice as my delicate nose located more of the tiny morsels in her saddle bags. I snuffled and snorted frantically at the bag, trying to figure out how it opened to get at the little treasures within. A tingle at the back of my mind reminded me of what I was doing. I froze in place, trying to take in the position I had just blindly thrust myself into.
Slowly, I looked over to meet the gaze of the yellow mare, who was staring at me. Her eyes were wide, her teeth bared in a frown, and one wing extended above me as she stood statuesque on her two far hooves. The closer two legs were bent and raised defensively. It’s a trap!
Terror flooded through me as I involuntarily let out a loud high pitched wail. Her jaw dropped as she assaulted me with an ear splitting attack. The two of us danced frantically, twitching from side to side, trying in vain to move in any direction as we screamed in each others faces. She closed her eyes, her hooves picking up speed as she tippy hoofed in place. I found myself copying her, my own body reacting of its own accord as sheer panic set in.
Her pitch ascended higher and higher until it’s frequency slammed in through my receptors, and scrambled my brain. The resulting searing headache dropped me to the ground, yet she relentlessly continued to bore into my skull with that shrill screech.
The last little bits I caught were of the yellow mare running off to get reinforcements as my vision greyed inwards from the edges. Well played, yellow pony… Well played...
|| Pause ||
I deflated as riotous laughter bit into me through the channel. Everypony was laughing at me. Even Pinkie. Well, Fluttershy wasn’t laughing loudly, though she did giggle a little. I guess there was that…
“I’m sorry…” Fluttershy’s voice softly flitted over. “I didn’t mean to laugh at you. In fact I was really scared. You jumped at me so suddenly I just didn’t know what to do.”
“Fluttershy, dear, would you please stop apologizing to him. Though his actions carry some comedic value, he will only feed off of your sentiments, and use them against us.” Rarity chided, having swiftly regained her composure.
I could sense Pinkie’s anger rising, and I sent a reassuring hum through the line to her.
“Ahh! What do you think you’re doin’?” Applejack screamed at me. “Ya’ain’t brainwashing me or anypony!”
“Applejack!” Pinkie snapped at her. “that’s just how he shows affection! Thanks Dreamy, I love you too.”
“Oh, gag me with a spoon,” Dash teased dramatically. “Come on! Get on with the comedy already. I’m getting bored over here.”
“Yes, perhaps we should continue,” Twilight interjected into the line. “However, as a side note, I would like to know why you skipped the journey from your hive to Ponyville?”
“Oh, simple. My travels across the Wastelands, and through the Everfree were quite harrowing. I didn’t want to upset Fluttershy any further,” I kindly replied.
“Oh thank you, I really appreciate your concern in skipping over the scary parts.” Fluttershy’s words carried a twinge of her usual creamy love. A nice snack.
“Well, that was kind of you, and I will commend your thoughtfulness. However, going forward, please refrain from leaving any gaps in your memory.”
The others agreed emphatically with Twilight. I decided it best to continue my tale...
< Play >
The world slowly filtered back in, it’s burning light searing through my skull. I twitched to the side, throwing up a hoof to block it out. I could hear voices around me. Pony voices.
“Aah!” Would this confounded body never cease making a fool out of me? I have no recollection of telling it to scream.
“Aah!” Came a chorus of answers.
“Hay! That ain’t no way for a pony to say hi!” Came a rather confusing, and hard to understand voice.
I shook my head, my eyes starting to adjust to the blinding light of this land, and glanced around frantically. There were six ponies of various colors standing around me. The yellow one was in the background, still playing her peeking games. However, it was the purple one with the horn and wings which had my full attention.
A princess! Oh, buzz me! I’m doomed! My jaw dropped, the extent of my failure to stay inconspicuous, and blend in, hit me. Horrified, I glanced over her entourage, my skilled and trained senses identifying each pony’s specialties. I hadn’t a chance. She had a full and diverse squad.
A powerful, immaculate, and confident looking white unicorn mage.
|| Pause ||
Rarity giggled. “Oh my. Ehem… Apparently, perfection is universal. Even across species.”
< Play >
An athletic blue pegasus scout. Lithe and built for speed.
|| Pause ||
“Yeah pony! Nailed that first impression!” Dash snickered through the line.
< Play >
An orange earth pony with toned lithe muscles which rippled beneath her coat as she walked. A seasoned veteran warrior.
|| Pause ||
Applejack gasped. “Well, ah shucks now… If’n the enemy sees me like that, ahm doin’ somethin’ right!”
< Play >
A jittery energetic pink pony that hopped back and forth behind the group constantly. Hmm… That one must be the...
|| Pause ||
“Jester?” Pinkie blurted out. I held my breath. “Funnest first impression...ever!”
< Play >
And of course the yellow one, master of stealth and deception, who I could only guess was an assassin.
|| Pause ||
I mentally cringed as laughter filled the line again.
“Maybe... from now on…” Fluttershy giggled at the silliness. “Maybe… I will be known as Twilight’s assertive assassin assistant?”
The channels burst out into more laughter. Twilight spoke through the giggles. “I love alliteration!”
While the others laughed at Fluttershy’s joke, I took note of how swiftly she had relaxed around me. Of course I didn’t hide these thoughts from the connection as I had promised.
“Yes Shatter. I do like you. I love all animals…” She gasped. “Oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to say that...” She meeped. “Please, don’t hate me…”
“It’s ok Fluttershy. I came to terms of your view of me earlier, and I will work on changing that impression later. I cannot alter your perception of what I am in a few minutes.”
“No, but I really didn’t mean to call you an animal just now.”
“You cannot lie over the channels, and it would take a fair amount of practice to guard your thoughts enough to prevent things like that from slipping.” I chuckled. “Believe me, no offense was taken.”
I reveled in the love that poured from Fluttershy, and Pinkie at that moment. I made mental note that gentle understanding elicited such emotions. I became aware that I had naturally guarded such thoughts from the channel. While I felt bad for doing so, I thought it better to keep them to myself than share. I really didn’t want any more trouble than I already had.
< Play >
Next, putting all of the ponies together, I could only come to one conclusion. The Princess...is a powerful warrior mage! I felt a sense of awe and respect even through the terror that gripped me.
|| Pause ||
“W-w-what?” Twilight’s response was drowned out as the laughter redoubled.
I could feel my face burning from embarrassment. I needed to move on before I cooked alive in my own carapace.
< Play >
“Hello, I am Twilight Sparkle. You’ve met Flutt…” She was cut off as the orange pony bumped her to the side.
Well the orange ones dead! I gasped in disbelief.
“Aww, Twilight cut the formalities.” The orange pony pointed a hoof at my chest. “Mah names Applejack! Good ta meet’cha!”
I stared at the hoof pointed at me. My heart was near exploding as it pounded in my chest, my breath coming in shorter and faster bursts. Her words didn’t ‘feel’ threatening, but why was she threatening to touch me like this? My eyes darted from her hoof to her face and back, still wondering why Twilight hadn’t decapitated her yet. I decided it better not to associate with her just in case.
Applejack’s brow wrinkled, a confusing unreadable expression hung on her features. The others stared at me. I think they are expecting something from me… If Applejack would stop distracting me with that confounding hoof, maybe I could figure it out!
I reached out a foreleg slowly, mustering all of my courage, and fought back the panic quaking through my wings. Applejack smiled broadly as she moved her hoof forward. I batted at it, hesitantly.
“Huh?” Applejacks face scrunched up.
|| Pause ||
“I remember that!” Applejack guffawed. “Didn’t know what’ta think!”
< Play >
I batted at it again, hoping to get my point across because my vocals, strained from terror, refused to do it for me. Applejack laughed, and moved the hoof closer. I slunk back, a spike of jittering fear wracking through my body. My hoof moved of its own accord, batting frantically at this pony who disrespectfully defies princesses.
My other hoof reached up, and took hold of the hard wooden bed I was laying on, and hoisted me over the top. I rolled over the edge, falling to the ground, landing on my hooves with my back arched and my wings out. I growled in warning.
|| Pause ||
“Ehem...for clarification. The wooden bed is also known as a bench…”
“Really Twi? Cause we couldn’t all figure that out?” Applejack teased, but Twilight ignored her.
< Play >
“That’s some disturbing pony right thar…” Applejack stared at me.
They all whispered and chattered amongst themselves until the white one with a purple mane spoke above the rest. “Well really, that is no way for a pony to act. However, being that his actions are oddly catlike, do you suppose something could be wrong with him?”
They all stood with their forehooves on the ‘bench,’ peering over it’s back at me. My growls were useless, I knew. I was outnumbered six to one in their territory. I was doomed for certain, but it didn’t stop me from throwing a few defiant hisses in for good measure.
“Whoa…” The blue one, a pegasus, flapped over the wooden bench at me. I stumbled backwards frantically, tripped, and rolled onto my back. She was over me before I could recover, standing in a dominant pose. “He’s a wild pony! I read about these in one of the Daring Doo novels! Watch!”
“No, wait! Dash those are only fict…” Twilight began to protest, but apparently thought better of it with an exasperated sigh.
Dash’s hoof shot out, I froze in panic, my eyes squinted shut, it was far too late to shapeshift in time! The killing blow landed into my stomach…and began rubbing back and forth. I was in too much shock to do anything other than lay there, and stare at her, waiting for my horrible demise.
“Rainbow Dash! How terribly rude and...” The white one’s voice sounded almost as shocked as I was.
“Awkward?” Twilight Sparkle’s words registered in my brain, and suddenly I wasn’t afraid anymore.
My cheeks flushed crimson, and my wings burned mercilessly. Overall I was hit by a wave of nausea from the combination of embarrassment, and having my empty stomach jiggled.
“Wait! Wait for it! Watch the leg!” Rainbow Dash shouted.
My lips moved to protest, but I was abruptly cut off by a sudden sensation that warmed its way through my belly and out one of my legs. I watched in rapt fascination as the leg began swiftly kicking.
“See! See!” Dash rubbed faster, subsequently my leg twitched into a kicking blurr. “This is so awesome! Can I keep him?”
“Darling, I hate to break this to you, but any stallion will react in such a way if his belly is rubbed…” The white one rolled her eyes.
“Eeyup!” Applejack shouted out, and the rest of them joined her in laughter at some kind of inside pony joke.
|| Pause ||
Applejack’s laughter busted through the channel. “Hahaha!! It’s still funny when I do it to him!”
< Play >
I stared at the mares nervously as they analysed me. They are happy? They must not have discovered me yet... The fear ebbed out of my body. Despite being far from relaxed, I was starting to enjoy this odd custom of belly rubbing, no matter how demeaning it may be.
“Then how do you explain why he can’t talk? Wild ponies can’t speak…” Dash glared back indignantly.
Nows my chance! “I-I-I-I ca-a-a-an t-t-t-talk,” I stuttered through the jiggling goodness of the belly rubs.
“Hay!” Dash gasped. “You’re a fake!”
My body turned to stone. My mind raced through the whole scenario picking over the only three words I had spoken since I arrived in this town. Three words! An odd custom of belly rubbing and three innocent words, and this blue one called Dash has already figured me out! This Rainbow Dash is a genius! I stared at her, my jaw dropped in awe of her unbelievable mental prowess. She was obviously fit to be included in a princesses entourage. Despite my sudden peril, curiosity about the other ponies amazing abilities gnawed at me.
|| Pause ||
“Wait? Dash? Genius?” Twilight gasped in a rare interruption.
“Hay! You callin’ me stupid?” Dash growled indignantly.
“For the record, I wasn’t gonna say nothin!” Applejack stifled a giggle.
“No! Of course not Rainbow Dash… It’s just…” Twilight stumbled over her words. “You did kinda mistake him for a wild pony based off of a fiction book. Then, you tried to subdue him using bellyrubs.”
“Hello! Those bellyrubs worked, didn’t they?” Dash shot back. “Pony ‘subdued!’”
Rarity interjected into the conversation in an attempt to prevent any further argument. “Darling, I believe what Twilight ‘meant’ to say is that your faux pas’ in this matter hardly warrant the title of genius, and she was confused as to how he came to that conclusion.”
“Oh, well. It’s fine then… We’re cool...as long as noponies calling me stupid!” Dash’s confusion at Rarity’s wording clear in the tone of her response.
I jumped in on impulse, wanting to smooth things over to keep the peace. “The mistake was on my part. If anypony’s intelligence is lacking it would be my own.”
Applejack sneered, “anypony’s? That’s a laugh! You aren’t a pony, or were you so good at fibbin you fooled yourself?”
“Applejack!” Pinkie snapped, pain wrapped around her words seared through the channels. “Please, stop being such a meanie…” I could tell she was crying again, the tears soaking through her words.
“Technically he isn’t a pony,” Twilight noted. “However, please try to refrain from saying anything to unnecessary. We need to remember that Shatter’s view is skewed by his lack of knowledge of our culture, and the inability to understand our social interactions at this point.”
“Twilight? Do you honestly believe all of this?” Rarity gasped. “For all we know he could have planned this whole story to save himself. There is no telling how much of what we are seeing is true or complete fabrication.”
“It’s all true. One cannot directly lie over the channels. If one tries, then the truth will always undertone the lie, making it easy to pick out.” I pointed out matter of factly.
“Fascinating!” Twilight gasped excitedly. “Can you demonstrate for us?”
“Uhm… Yes, I’d be glad too. I will attempt to lie, though the concept is foreign to me.”
“Well that there’s a flat out lie! You’ve been lying to us for days!” Applejack growled. “An I didn’t hear no underlies of truth or nothin’!”
“I see…” I thought for a moment. “It doesn’t matter what I say lately, you won’t believe it. So, Rarity, would you please try to prove me wrong?”
“Gladly! What did you have in mind?”
“Earlier you expressed some distaste over my coat and mane, correct?”
“Yes, they aren’t the best of colors, Shatter. You could have done far better with the tones in my opinion.”
“Excellent, would you attempt to compliment them then? Try to make it obvious, and sound excited over my color choices.”
Rarity thought in silence for a moment. “Oh! Darling/’vile fiend’, your mane is absolutely fabulous/disastrous! I have always admired/’wanted to shave’ that messy bedmane style of yours.” Her words, while normally convincing, were covered over by her true thoughts, the whole sentence coming through the channels as garbled.
The ensuing silence spoke wonders in my favor, so I continued...
< Play >
“Pfftt… You’re no wild pony…” Dash rolled her eyes at me, and turned to walk away.
Then the pink one stepped forward with flare. “Well if he isn’t wild wild, then maybe he’s party wild! Oh! Right, I’m Pinkie Pie! And welcome to Ponyville!”
I sat up in panicked shock as she pulled out a cannon…
A CANNON!! I was to be executed by cannon? My mind realed, these ponies are psychotic! I jumped up, terror flooding my limbs with adrenaline, only to be struck by a vicious pain stabbing into my back as the wound from the battle reminded me my days were limited. I reflexively threw my forelegs wide as my muscles cramped mercilessly in response to the deep crippling agony that flooded through my wings.
“Hugs? Friendship ‘accepted!’” Pinkie launched at me, missiling through the air in a burst of insidious colorful strings and bits of paper. A celebration of my death to be sure.
I closed my eyes, resigning myself to a fools fate. I know nothing about these creatures, their ways, or their amazing abilities. I had been here for less than a day, and I had met a master of stealth and deception, a genius, a warrior princess, and a pink blood thirsty psychopathic jester.
|| Pause ||
“Hay...” Pinkie yipped sadly.
“Sorry Pinkie... I was scared, and didn’t know…”
< Play >
I had experienced more in this one day than my whole life at the hive. I regretted nothing.
Pinkie slammed into me, wrapping her forelegs around my neck, ready to snap my neck. How merciful, I mused sarcastically. I could feel her squeezing the life slowly out of me, her hooves tightening inch by agonizing inch.
Then it hit me. My head reeled as a wall of emotions blasted through my body, radiating in from every limb to ball up in my chest. I wasn’t sure if it was the mare or her overwhelming love that lifted my hooves off the ground. I had no recollection of how long we hung in the air. In whatever moments, hours, or days we flew, the flavor of that hug changed my life forever...