Chapter 7: Intruder
The next morning as the sun peeks into the master bedroom on it's daily journey, a rather odd sight would had befallen its eyes, if it had any. Instead of it's usual two occupants, only the blue nymph is in the bed today. Her unicorn companion can actually be found downstairs in the living room with their daughter. The little pink hybrid is sleeping peacefully between her father's front hooves as he lies prone on the couch. His eyes show small dark circles under them as they slowly skim the book in front of him. His horn lights up as his aura envelops the glass on the table next to him, bringing it closer as he takes a sip of the cold milk inside before setting it back down.
His wife slowly wakes up, a hoof patting around the mattress for a moment. When she doesn't find the fluffy form she's looking for, she cracks open an eye and props herself up with a foreleg. She glances around the room in a half-awake state, trying to register what she's seeing. ...Rhino? Where are you?
In the living room, the stallion's ear twitches as her voice echoes in his head through their mental link. Downstairs, love. He lets out a tired yawn, covering his mouth with a hoof so as not to wake Ruby.
As she slowly, carefully makes her way down the stairs, she can't help wonder about earlier this morning. You left our dream last night and didn't return. Was something wrong? She reaches the bottom and heads towards the door of the living room, pushing it open quietly.
No... no, nothing wrong. He nuzzles the small filly in front of him gently, causing her to make content noises as she sleeps. She just got hungry in the middle of the night and I couldn't get back to sleep.
She walks over to him, the carpeting muffling her steps. She observes him for a moment, having become fully awake herself, before shaking her head. You need to rest, love. Badly. She holds up a hoof, quirking an eyebrow at him. How do you Res?
His face scrunches up as he tries to recall the words to explain his exact method, but after a minute, he sighs tiredly and gives a... simpler answer. ...magic?
She sighs, rubbing the bridge of her nose with a fetlock. I knew it. Your brain's starting to shut down. She walks over to him and gently puts a hoof on his shoulder. I have to go to the post office, today, but I'll be back soon. You try to get some rest while I'm gone, alright?
He starts rising from the couch. No, I'll be fine... let me just get her sling and we can all go...
She pushes more firmly on his side, frowning deeply. That wasn't a request, love. You know how I feel about you refusing to sleep. She runs a hoof through her mane, averting her gaze. I'll only be gone a couple of hours, three at the most.
He raises an eyebrow at her. Why would it take you hours to go to a post office?
Because I have to prove myself as the recipient. She sits down in front of him. You see, every half-year I receive a payment for a patent. This was done under the name 'Angelic Grace', however, so I'll need to fill out paperwork in order to receive it. She rolls a hoof nonchalantly. I figured that out the hard way when I went to get it last time. Thankfully, Angel is registered as one of my aliases, so the process is streamlined a bit. She blinks, frowning slightly as she remembers his current state of mind. I don't know if you'll remember this later, though, so I'll just leave it at that.
He nods slowly as this filters into his tired mind. Ok... He lets out another yawn. Remind me to ask you what you patented later... He motions her towards him with a hoof.
She leans forward and gently nuzzles him, giggling happily. You have my word. She gets up and heads out the door. She pauses to put on a pair of saddlebags they have in the foyer and leaves, closing the door behind her. She hums a quiet tune to herself as she trots down the road, wondering just how much she'll be getting this time.
As Rhino settles back down to see if he can catch a few winks, he can feel the room slowly warming up as the sun hits the house. An idea occurs to him that the cooler a room is, the more likely it is to help him get to sleep easier. He reluctantly get up and levitates Ruby onto his back before heading to the basement, which will cool off the slowest. He arrives in the makeshift runic lab and sets Ruby down on a couch cushion, tucking a soft blanket over her. However, as he turns to get on himself, he spots the disarray he had left his desk in the last time he was down here. Sighing, he walks over and starts to straighten it up so he can sleep without distraction.
***
Outside, a particular silver form watches the navy nymph until she disappears into the treeline. She huffs quietly and emerges from the thick undergrowth, shaking herself off. "It's about time." She quietly moves toward the front door, quietly pushing it open and shutting it just as carefully behind her.
She glances around, thinking out loud. "With the weather this warm, he'd likely be somewhere cool..." She heads upstairs, nodding to herself. "He might be in their bedroom. That seems like a good place to start." She opens the doors one by one, frowning more with each empty room. "This shouldn't be this hard. He's a freaking mountain of a pony!" She closes her eyes in an attempt to calm down. "...okay, so he's not upstairs. Maybe he's downstairs?" She quickly descends the staircase, glancing around cautiously. "Where would the entrance for that even be?"
Her hooves click along the wood flooring as she makes her way around the staircase, noticing the door there is slightly ajar. She smirks wickedly, pulling the door open and whispering softly to herself. "Perf-" She freezes as the hinges squeak, mentally cursing them for not oiling them.
Her ears perk to see if there's any sign he heard her, but the only thing she hears is the rustling of papers punctuated by the occasional yawn.
She sighs in relief, slowly walking down the stairs and glancing around, making sure to get a sense of the room before stepping out from her cover.
The room is fairly spacious, with cobblestones lining the walls. Furniture such as bookshelves and a few chests are scattered about. To one side there is a couch, and at the center of it all is her goal, standing over a desk as he messes with what lies upon it. His back is to her and his movements seem sluggish.
She grins, stepping forward and pulling a sharp knife out of her bag. She raises the dagger high above her head in her magic, eyes twinkling with anger. So sure is she that she'll be able to accomplish her mission, she shouts out as she lunges at him. "Die!"
***
A shout rings out from behind the stallion. "Huh?" Rhino moves to the side and turns around as he tries to determine the source of the shout. What he sees, however, he never could have expected. A knife encased in silver magic thuds into the desk right where he just was. He looks to the owner and is surprised again.
In front of him is what he can only describe as a silver-tinted changeling filly. Her mane falls slightly in front of eyes that emit an emotion he is unaccustomed to seeing from being this young.
Pure hate.
She huffs, glaring at him fiercely. "You're fast, even when you're tired." She yanks the blade out of the desk and holds it up to his neck, bearing her teeth at him. "I won't make that mistake twice."
He looks at the small changeling incredulously, unable to process a threat from a child in his current state. "Why are you doing this? I don't even know you!"
She falters, visibly taken aback by this statement. "What?" She pauses a moment before shaking her head, growling at him. "Don't play coy with me!" She stomps forward, so much so that she has to turn her head straight up to scowl at him. "I don't know what you did, but she's better than you deserve, asshole. Release whatever incantation you placed on her and I'll let you live." She sneers at him, pulling the knife away and waving it at him. "Don't, and you'll soon be begging me to let you."
His eyes lock onto the knife while his horn lights up. Suddenly her magic is not the only one grasping the knife as Rhino holds it in place. He switches his gaze to her as his eyes narrow. "You... do not talk like a normal filly... Why are you concerned about my wife?"
"You know very well why!" Abandoning her grip on the knife, she leaps forward and punches him in the jaw. "Let her go!"
Rhino stumbles and barely manages to catch himself before his face impacts the floor, the pure force behind the blow surprised him. Everything about this encounter is surprising him. He rises and shifts into a combat stance. "There's nothing to let her go from, but if you are suggesting what I think you are..." his horn glows brighter, "I won't let her be alone again."
She blinks, not expecting that reaction. "What are you talking about? Since when did you care about anyone else other than yourself?!" She growls, eyes narrowing at him. "You're not going to trick me again, so just give up the act!"
He hisses back. "What do you even mean, 'again'? We've never met!"
"Liar!" She roars in anger, leaping forward and throwing a punch straight at his chest.
He blocks her blow, but still gets pushed back a small bit. Over at the couch, unknown to either combatant, a tiny pink filly frowns and wiggles in her sleep, the emotions in the room, as well as the sounds muffled by the blanket over her are starting to disturb her slumber.
She scowls at him, her wings flared in indignation. "I hate liars!" She punches him again, and again, pushing him back with each strike. "Stop with the deception and let Gel be free!"
He continues blocking her blows with both magic and forelegs, doubting that he has the reflexes in his current state to strike back before she hits him. He continues trying to reason with the mysterious changeling. "She is free! I worked hard to make sure that she was free, free to be with me!"
She stops and falls back onto her hooves, panting softly. She doesn't let her guard down, however, backing away to keep him at a distance. "She would never be with a megalomaniac like you. She was raised better than that!"
The squirming under the blanket on the couch intensifies as Ruby starts whining softly.
Rhino groans as he plants his forelegs back on the ground. "What are you even talking about? How do you know how she was raised? Why are you attacking me?"
She begins to respond when the sound behind her reaches her ears. She looks to the sofa, confused by the noises coming from it. "...what is that?"
His eyes widen as he teleports between the intruder and his covered daughter. "Nothing that concerns you. This is between you and me."
She blinks, glancing from where he was to where he went, surprised. "So you gained a new power. Impressive." She shakes her head, stepping forward. "Even so, I'm not going to let you hide something from me." She pushes him aside, walking over to the wriggling mass beneath the blanket.
His horn lights up as he grabs the small nymph in his magic before tossing her to the other side of the room. He once again plants himself between her and Ruby, thinking that if she attacked him, then she might not hesitate to attack his child.
She quirks an eyebrow at him, bemused. "Seriously?" She gets up and brushes herself off as if she'd only stumbled. "I'm not leaving until I know just what is underneath that." Her magic grabs the edge of the blanket. "With or without your approval." She yanks it aside, focusing on the cushions beneath.
Having her blanket taken away proves to be the last straw for the little pink foal on her back underneath it. She trembles for a moment before squeezing her eyes closed, opening her mouth, and letting a piercing cry to show her displeasure. Her hooves thrash around as she continues, her tiny lungs giving all their worth.
Rhino immediately walks over and picks up the upset filly in his forelegs before sitting down. He's tries to calm her down, but at the moment she is proving to be inconsolable.
The nymph, meanwhile, simply drops the cover, jaw agape in shock. "...no. You did it. You really did it." She bites her lip and backs away, trembling slightly. "I can't believe this. I can't." She turns and flees up the staircase, the hoof falls heavy for such a small changeling. She pauses at the top, yelling down at him. "This isn't over!"
Rhino looks up the stairs and debates whether to go after the confused and maybe insane young changeling, but the cries of his daughter drown out those thoughts soon enough. He makes shushing noises as he sits there with her, trying to get her to calm down by holding her and projecting his love to her. He's not sure if she absorbs emotions yet, but they seem to have some effect on her mood, so he tends to use them anyway.
She continues crying, struggling in his embrace. However, the longer they sit there, the calmer she becomes. Soon enough, she's simply whining, looking up at him with tear-filled eyes.
He nuzzles her gently as he whispers to her. "I'm sorry you had to be here for all that... but I've got you now. It's all okay... it's all okay..."
She sniffles, hugging his snout tightly. Her whines slowly come to an end as well, and she holds him as much as her little form will allow.
***
She ran. Confused and angry with both herself and him, she ran. Into the treeline, down hidden paths, her small form allowing her in places others could not or would dare not to go. Finally, she comes upon a flat stone wall. Her horn lights up as her silver magic moves the rock in just the right way to open the passage for her to squeeze through to the cave beyond.
Eerie, green-tinted light filters in through the ivy-covered holes above. The cavern is obviously well used, a pile of ashes sits in the center of the floor while a pile of soft grasses lies against the wall. Every stone is in a place it can be used, such is the home of this changeling.
She stands at the entrance to her home, breathing heavily from her mad dash back. She grits her teeth and slams her hoof into the wall, eyes burning with fury. "Damn it!" She approaches the side of the room, sitting on a flat rock there. "This can't be true. Gel is with that...monster? Had a foal, conceived from him?!" She punches the floor, panting slightly. "This body is getting weaker. I can't let him get the best of me. Never again!"
Her rant is cut short by a rumble in her stomach. She picks up a charcoal-black container on a shelf next to her and takes a small amount of it into her body, looking at it afterwards and frowning slightly. The white glow emanating from it can barely be seen through the clear window. "My supply of love is running low. I'll have to act soon, before I starve to death."
She looks up at the skylights, her expression slowly shifting from anger to sadness. "Don't worry, Gel. I'll protect you, just like I promised."
She looks down to the stone floor. "It's taken me too long already..." She slumps down as she makes scratches in the floor with a hoof. "An entire year... has it really been that long? I finally found you after you had been cut off from the hive... We all heard talk of them going to get you back before, then all but one disappeared... including him. It couldn't be a coincidence. He was always determined. I listened... for months I listened, waiting to hear one single word of him, but no. He apparently cut himself off from them too. I tracked you down... only to see him."
She shudders. "I tried other ways... searching for I don't know how long to find some flaw, some missing information, something I could use against him for you... but there was nothing... I tried to watch, see if there was any point you were yourself instead of what he forced you to be. Again... there was nothing..."
She stomps a hoof. "I got impatient, thought maybe I could shock him enough to either reveal who he was to you, or at least interrupt his control, but I failed. My warning and the rock did nothing that I wanted... Then I find out you're pregnant... I couldn't do anything then..."
Her eyes close. "I waited until you delivered, I was patient until I could get him alone, out of town..." She looks at her hooves. "I had him... he was weak... he was mine... and then I choke at the sight of your combined blood..."
The nymph goes quiet for a moment before slowly standing up. "...what am I to do?" She walks over to the grass-bed, curling up on it. "I can't just attack him with you there. You're so lost in his control you'd probably hate me for it. I can't stand the thought of that..." She groans, covering her face with her hooves. "...but what choice do I have?"
She clenches her cloth pillow, anger welling deep inside of her. "I will not let him take you from me."
***
A few hours later, Rhino and Pinchy are back up in the living room. The stallion has been quiet, and the filly has been making all efforts to stay as close to him as possible since the small changeling invaded their home. Currently, the two are playing together with the pets and a ball. Arranged in a rough square, each pet has a corner while Rhino makes up the last one with Ruby against his chest as he lies prone. It's simply a game of rolling the ball back and forth, most of the time it goes to Ruby just to see the small smile on her face as she pounces on it before rolling it back to her father.
The front door opens, and a quiet clink sounds out. "I'm home!" She walks into the living room and pauses, blinking at the sight before her.
Rhino looks up from the spot he chose so he could always see the door. He smiles softly at her. "Welcome home."
She simply stares for a moment longer before turning to him, setting her bags on the floor. "Thank you. You got some sleep like I asked, correct?"
He winces, knowing full well that what happened earlier had robbed him of any notion of sleeping. "Umm, well... not exactly..."
She frowns and sighs, heading over to him and gently nuzzling his head. "Please, tell me what your excuse for not resting is, this time."
He looks down at their filly, who looks back up at him before nuzzling against his chest. "There was... a small incident..."
Gel blinks, turning to him, concern clear on her face. "What's wrong? Did you injure yourself? Did Ruby need to be fed again?"
"Umm... well..." he unfolds his legs so that she small bruises on them can be seen, "a changeling filly... may have broke into our house... she also may have been aggressive and attacked me. I think she thought I was someone else..."
She stares at his forelegs in horror, reaching out a shaky hoof but stopping herself, berating her thoughtlessness. She bites her lip and looks up at him, concerned. "...this...this isn't the first time a changeling attacked us in our home...but I'm glad all you gained are bruises..." She gently tilts his head with a hoof, frowning at the darker spot on his jawline. "...I'll get you some of that medicine. I'm sure we still have some left over." She stands up and heads to the connected bathroom, searching through the cabinet carefully. "I guess we'll have to be more careful in the future, won't we?"
"I guess... though I can't imagine unattended changeling young ones to be a common thing..." He smiles as he sees Ruby bring back the ball to him. He nuzzles her, then the ball before rolling it over to Selena so the pets could continue the game.
She walks back in, vial of salve in her magical aura. "It depends on how young she was. Like I said, we attend school for a few years and then go to a branch befitting our intelligence. At that point, we're considered adults." She gives him the container. "So it's quite a bit more common than you think."
"If we're going purely on looks, I'd say she was about the Crusader's age." He tickles Ruby with a breath of air before kissing her belly. "You are getting a full pony education and are stuck with me for a good portion of your early life. I'm not giving up my little girl early..."
She can only smirk at her husband's words, shaking her head. "You're already falling into the role of a protective father, aren't you?" The nymph giggles, sticking her tongue out at him. "Luna have mercy on any boy who takes a liking to her."
He chuckles. "Oh, I've been working on my speech for the first colt who dated any potential daughter of mine since I was in college. Gives me shivers sometimes when I play it in my head."
She tilts her head as she sits next to him, unable to help her curiosity. "Is it alright if I hear it, sometime? It sounds like a good speech, from what you say."
He looks away. "I don't know... it can get kind of dark at points... plus I'm redoing parts of it to accurately describe how we feel about our little princess here." He looks down to Ruby who is laying on her side, curled around the ball and gumming it with her tail swishing.
She looks at their daughter a moment, smiling warmly at her antics. "Those feelings really are hard to put into words, aren't they?"
"They are indeed..." He eyes the vial as Gel uncorks it. "I'm just glad I can get her to stop crying..."
She snaps her gaze to him, eyes wide in shock. "S-she was crying? Why?"
He sighs as he sets his head on the floor next to Ruby, who gets off the ball and hugs his muzzle. "The scuffle woke her up, and the emotions in the room may have made it worse, though until she can speak I don't really have proof that emotions affect her like that."
"That's troublesome." She frowns, tapping her chin in thought. "Maybe we can have Twilight's opinion on it? She might have a few ideas for us, right?"
"I was thinking about maybe suggesting we go see her after work or something this week. She'll be excited to finally meet Ruby, probably add her to the book right away." He lets out a yawn as he rolls his eyes toward Gel. "Can I get some of that stuff now? My legs are a bit achey."
"Oh, right!" She sheepishly smiles and starts to rub the medicine into his forelegs, making sure not to push too roughly on the sore spots. "You're right, though. She'd love to meet her."
He lets out a slow breath as she rubs the cool medicine onto his bruises. "Yeah... maybe she can help us figure a few things out about her too...' He lets out another yawn.
Gel glances at him, noticing the yawn. "Agreed. I would tell you about what my patent is, now, but you seem to be rather tired." She gestures to the couch, giggling softly. "Go get some sleep, love."
He curls a foreleg around her and pulls her close while looking at the pink filly hugging his muzzle. "I sleep better when I have both my girls..."
She smiles softly, gently nuzzling his cheek. "...that's fine with me...I could use a little rest, myself..."
He looks back to Ruby. "You're always up for a nap, right?" She lets out a tiny yawn in response. "Well, that settles that then." The three make their way over to the couch and curl up, Rhino in the back, Gel against him, and Ruby against her. The pets soon join them as the family settles down for a household nap much like the first night their foal came into their lives.
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Huh?
Who the buck is that filly?
(In case someone tells me to read the prequel to this if I want answers, don't. I like mysterious figures
Though I'm not sure about this one - she seemed like she would kill Ruby
)
MYSTERY VILLAIN!! EVERYONE PANIC!!!
Strange, I was sure that the knife-hole in the desk would've been an important note to make to Gel. Or maybe the fact that Rhino almost got assassinated?
I guess the only thing left to say would be, hidden blade
3382610
Don't worry. I think this filly was only hinted at in An Alternate Path.
And you'd think Gel would be more concerned over the fact that her daughter was in danger. The family could use a stronger security system for instances like these.
Well........ That escalated quickly.
Also. Love this story and its prequel. Both are amazing. Can't wait for more!
Fear the changeling filly. She shall return...with a bigger knife!
Rhino needs sleep. Let the poor sod sleep!
3382666[youtube=http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=o7dp9OSqpdU&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Do7dp9OSqpdU]
Damn, I know who the filly is, the filly is only a connection, that's all i'm gonna say
Is this the sequel to another story?
3383567
Yes, check the description to find the story this is is the sequel to.
Let me guess. Our new antagonist doesn't know the changelings' new political situation and is either still operating under the old idea that Rhino is brainwashing Gel or thinks that Rhino is Mimic in disguise.
3383866 I bet there are something deeper than that. Note the dialogue between Rhino and her.
3385620
The "free to be with me"? I never ruled that out in my summary. I just focused on the more general details.
In fact, let me narrow down my earlier comment to just "she thinks he's Mimic in disguise" based on lines like "Since when did you care about anyone else other than yourself?!" and "She would never be with a megalomaniac like you." which would be very hard to believably explain as delusion no matter how obssessed a stalker you write.
3385718
but really who else knew about that. Could be wrong but its the best theory I've heard so far. Good work.
I'm inclined to agree with your Mimic theory, especially with the comment about the changelings disappearing 'including him.' Granted, Mimic got himself disappeared
THERES A SECOND?!
OHMYGOSHOHMYGOSHOHMYGOSH!
Wait... Didn't they talk about a changeling before that got in with a pony and delivered?
I've got 50 bits on miss silver here being the result. Any takers?
3395327
Ditzy is pregnant with first child.
3382610 nope, the nymph is unknown in the previous book as well.
Seems though that she's the overlying anti changeling (changeling).
What is a little odd as she seems to believe he's Mimic with no solid evidence to support it. Either that or the mistaken identity is one we haven't met yet. Gel hasn't seen her though, so it's difficult to judge her perception of their relation. I hope that she'll take a more diplomatic approach, but that will probably only happen after an upsetting battle...
Keep going! ;)
Rhino i got a question when will the next chapter come out
3391816
Agreed.
Snrk, I can't help but imagine a tiny changeling filly with a knife, saying "Imma cut ya!"
reading that made me go cold with nervousness. and who the hell fucked up?
She thinks hes Mimic does'it she
derpicdn.net/img/2014/4/29/612973/thumb.png
Changeling Filly is Gel's mom
So... What was that patent?