A Changeling to Remember

by Blueheartpegasus

Chapter 4

Ditto was getting stronger. It was only the next day, and she already felt stronger. Twilight had found an old bed for her and set it beside a bookcase. It was better that way, Ditto could easily get to it and she could grab the books off the shelves to read them without moving from her comfortable spot.

Fluttershy also came in every once in awhile to check up on how she was doing. Ditto was amazed by this pony- she never flinched when she healed her and always spoke kindly. Maybe, she thought, she's the only pony who realizes that I'm not going to eat them!

There did seem to be something about her that made everypony afraid of her. Twilight would work in the same room, but wouldn't ever talk to Ditto and kept tossing her suspicious glares. Other than Twilight and Fluttershy, she hadn't seen anypony since yesterday. But, really, after the terror the changelings had unleashed on the ponies of Canterlot, Ditto understood why they would be afraid of her.

Since the only living beings she saw were Twilight, Spike, Fluttershy, and occasionally some of Fluttershy's animal friends, it left her a lot of time to herself. While Spike was always ordered to be watching Ditto when Twilight was out, he never said much, so Ditto had silence to read.

Oh, and how she loved reading! It was so interesting, and there was so much to learn! But aside from learning, she especially enjoyed fiction. Her favorite was a series called "Goldhoof the Magical". It was placed in history, back before Equestria, when the three tribes of ponies fought and feuded. Then an alicorn was born, and, fitting into all yet no groups, was disliked by everypony. Then the rulers of all animals- rulers of ponies, buffalo and zebras alike- hired Goldhoof to spy on outlaws in each pony tribe. Goldhoof then takes the job and investigates crimes, while hiding her appearance by making either her horn, her wings, or both invisible.

Ditto was reading the second book of the series, "Goldhoof the Magical and the Pegasus Race", when there was a knock on the door. She heard Twilight on the floor below go get it, so she continued reading. She was so engrossed in her reading that she didn't notice somepony below talking excitedly to her Unicorn friend.

Goldhoof longed to use her magic to fix the problem, but she had to remember that her horn was invisible. Using magic now would blow her cover! She tried to find another way to fix this by scanning the area, but the Pegasi all sat around in shock, watching the water pour below.

Goldhoof swooped over to the water tower and examined it. She saw where the water was pouring out- a huge hole had been ripped in the side. It was definitely too big to plug with a hoof. She had to find some way to stop the surge of water!

"HEY, BUG-PONY!" Ditto jumped with surprise as a pink head came in between her and the book. She looked up to see the pink Earth Pony, Pinkie Pie, standing in front of her. She had balloons tied around her waist and was floating a few inches above the floor. She also had a cake that she was balancing on top of the highest balloon, which Ditto's confusion got the best of her.

"Happy First-aversary, Ditty!" Pinkie twisted her head around and bit the balloons loose, letting herself fall to the ground. "Since your 'Welcome to Ponyille' party was so small, I decided to give you ANOTHER party! So it's your FIRST-AVERSARY, 'cause you've been in Ponyville for one full day!"

"That cake's gonna-" Ditto tried to say, but was interrupted as the cake slipped off the balloon and plummeted for the floor. Pinkie noticed this, and dived for the cake, catching it on her tongue and eating it whole. She licked her lips.

"Mmmm, yummy!"

"So, what are you doing here, Pinkie Pie?"

"I said!" Pinkie rummaged around in her mane and pulled out a tiny confetti cannon. She pulled a string in the bottom and there was a huge 'BOOM!' as the whole room was coated in confetti. "It's your FIRST-AVERSARY! And I had an extra cake!"

Suddenly, there was a plate of cupcakes under Ditto's nose. She grabbed one with a hoof and munched on it, although she knew that it wouldn't fill her belly. "I thought everypony hated me." she mumbled through a mouthful of cupcake. "I mean, some love from Fluttershy's kept me strong, but nopony else will even look at me."

Pinkie lifted Ditto's face up in her hooves. "Silly! I couldn't hate ANYPONY! And if I hated you, then wouldn't I have to hate her, too?"

"Who's her?" Ditto asked.

Pinkie's eyes shifted back and forth and she changed the subject. "Hey, Twilight, where's Dashie?"

"Oh, Rainbow's out." Twilight said, looking up from her book.

"Who's Rainbow?" Ditto asked.

"She's one of my friends," Twilight explained. "I came up with the idea for a buddy-system, and paired the six of us- my friends and I- up in groups of two. Rainbow and I were paired up, but she took off just before we got home."

"She's been gone all night?" Pinkie asked.

"No, she came back later and I made her stay downstairs so she wouldn't notice Ditto, but then she flew off this morning again." Twilight sighed, "I hope she'll be back later, there could be changelings all over Ponyville."

----

Ditto's reading was interrupted by a knocking below. She jumped slightly in surprise, the knocking was loud and excited. She assumed it was Pinkie, and when she heard Twilight call, "Spike, can you go get that for me?", she went back to her book.

Pinkie had left only an hour ago, saying that she had to go get something. Ditto hoped it wasn't more guests to the party, she didn't feel up to creating a disguise. She didn't think she had enough power to change, anyway.

For awhile, all she could hear below was Spike talking, and the voice of Pinkie Pie. Suddenly, a piece of their conversation caught Ditto's ears.

“Hey, who’re you?” Spike asked.

“I-I’m Mirror Match.” a stranger replied.

Ditto suddenly felt something. She had no idea what it was, but it was familiar. It was like a green glow, coming from downstairs. It reminded her of how the changelings communicated- through the magic in their horns. Since she had less power than other changelings, it was hard to reach her, so the generals were usually the only ones to speak with her.

Remembering this bit of information, Ditto gathered all her power, laid on the floor, and tried to reach the little magic she had through the wooden floor to the creature below.

There was no answer.

But one thing was proven by her magic- the pony below was a changeling. But why couldn't it communicate with her?

Shaking off the thought, Ditto realized that she had almost no magic. She might be recovering, but there was barely any magic left in her system. Without her power, she could be standing right in front of a changeling and not realize it.

She went back to her book, and after a long time, Twilight opened the door as she entered the room. "Ditto, I want you to stay up here." Twilight said, drawing the changeling's attention away from the book. "Rainbow's downstairs."

"Okay," Ditto said, but before Twilight could go back downstairs, she shouted, "Wait!"

"What?"

"There was a changeling."

"What?!" Twilight gasped, "Who?"

"I don't know, but I sensed a changeling downstairs." Ditto said.

Twilight thought for a moment. "Why would Fluttershy and Pinkie be with a changeling? Unless they were harboring-" Then she growled with anger, "Why would they be harboring a changeling without telling me?"

"They're probably just helping somepony in need." Ditto said, hoping Twilight wouldn't expose whoever the changeling was. She didn't want any of the swarm getting captured. "Besides, you're doing the same thing."

Twilight sighed. "I suppose you're right."

----

"I think she's strong enough to at least walk around the library, Twilight." Ditto stopped reading her book when she heard those words in the soft tone of Fluttershy's voice. This was surprising- she had barely left her bed since she had crashed through the ceiling!

"As long as she doesn't leave the library, it's fine." the purple unicorn told her friend, not lifting her nose out of the book she was reading on Astronomy.

So the yellow mare trotted over to her Changeling friend and said gently, "Come on, Ditto. I want you stretching that leg out, so we're taking a walk around the library." She poked Ditto's side with her nose, and the Changeling rose shakily. She walked carefully out into the middle of the room, balancing on three legs. Her twisted hind leg had been healed, but the broken one was taking much longer to heal properly.

As she walked in circles with only a few stabs of pain coming from her twisted leg when she put too much weight on it, she realized how wonderful it felt to move again. Slowly and carefully, she put weight on her broken leg. It stabbed pain into her whole body, and she instantly tensed, falling on her side.

"Oh, no." Fluttershy murmured, flapping her wings to bring her to Ditto's side. "I'm not sure If I can heal this leg. I've tried the best I can, but It just won't work. I mean, it's not like healing a mouse or a rabbit, is it?" After that, Ditto thought she heard Fluttershy continue quietly, "I healed her's just fine, maybe Dittos' is broken worse." Ditto decided not to ask what she was talking about.

Fluttershy helped Ditto back on her hooves, then the Changeling limped over to the door. "I-I want to look at the books in the other rooms."

"Knock yourself out." Twilight said, waving a hoof in Ditto's direction.

"Oh, I'll come with you in case you fall again." the yellow Pegasus trotted over and opened the door, before adding, "I mean, if you don't mind."

"Actually, it doesn't matter if she minds." Twilight looked from her book and looked to her animal-loving friend. "Keep an eye on her."

"Oh... okay Twilight." Fluttershy and Ditto left the room. As they walked along down the stairs to the first floor, the Changeling was lost in thought. She remembered what Pinkie had said.

"Silly! I couldn't hate ANYPONY!"

"Fluttershy?" Ditto looked up at Fluttershy, walking by her side.

"Yes, Ditto?"

"Do you really think that the other ponies hate me?"

Fluttershy stopped in her tracks and blushed. "I...I don't know. I mean, I don't hate you, but I could never hate anypony. Unless of course, they hurt my friends. I don't think any of my friends would either, they...they're much too nice for that."

Ditto just limped forward. "I should have known better than to ask her," she muttered to herself. I don't belong here, everypony hates me. But... I don't belong back at the swarm either. Where do I belong?

---

Spellchecker and Prof-reader: Glitchhunter5000

Comments

[Spirit Wind]

wow, looking forward to the next chapter, definitely tracking!

Please don't die Ditto!

[Liqwidice]

You've still got me hooked... Good work,

[Bachelor 2]

I see you are still doing things right. Keep up th good work my good fello

[jar'o'mayo]

Ditto later became famous as the world's greatest illusionist. whereby she was challenged by, and promtly defeated, the great and powerful Trixie.

Just throwin' me speculatin's about.

[Changeling]

this story is getting better each chapter looking forward to the rest.

[dzamie]

Predicting right now: final boss Other Changelings.

Also, yay, Ditto can walk again!

[Blueheartpegasus]

529496

I really couldn't decide what category it belonged in :|

[vren55]

529852 Slice of life would be more appropriate than Random I think.

[ultra8]

A good read so far, keep up the good work.

[iloveportalz0r]

dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_unsuresweetie_flip.png

[Midnight Sky2]

I am officially hooked

[Blueheartpegasus]

REVISION UPDATE: I revised this chapter a lot, I added a scene with Mirror, though Ditto didn't know it was her. This, you might want to re-read.

[EbonQuillTheScribe]

finally something that makes sense... i was alittle iffy from the last chapter because i thought u based it as a side story from tea party cannon and i am liking the mirror addition

[LordHammersmash]

Wait, mirror match? Thats a changling from another story i read! Same with ditto.

[Magical Trevor]

~I have often dreamed... of a far-off place... Where a great warm welcome would be waiting for me...~

~There's a place I belong, where I'm never wrong... But I think that it's a long way from here... In my heart, I know I'll find a way to leave my troubles behind. I'll be special someday...~

[DerpedRainbow]

Damnit, you are bringing up a lesdon from my ELA class. We use literature as a reflection of ourself.

[DaemoN67]

"So it's your FIRST-AVERSARY, 'cause you've been in Ponyville for one full day!"
Aversary?
Did you mean anniversary? You used that word (aversary) multiple times, and I'm assuming you mean anniversary :P
The closest word to aversary is adversary, which in that context would make no sense

Great story by the way.

[Chaos Knux]

1497184
Refer to Pinkie's song to the Cake Twins after the opening.
"Happy Month-aversary..." It's Pinkie portmanteau-ing the words anniversary and Month / First / whatever.

[Shanenator]

Where indeed...

[erictheblue]

970908 oh, yes, Mirror Match has her own story, "smoke and mirrors". it's very good!

[tsaukpaetra]

everypony has their own changeling, huh?