Proud
Stardancer watched the ant crawl over the blade of grass with utter fascination. The ant did not know it. Nopony knew it. Nopony but her knew it. But the ant had a destiny. Stardancer could see it clearly; the guard who would get stung by the ant. He would pause in his walk, and that single, infinitesimal action would cascade into a long chain of events that culminated in lives being changed.
She could see the turning points. Sometimes, a turning point was so solid, so anchored within the timeline that it was almost impossible to change. Nightmare Moon coming back and trying to cast eternal night? There was no single action that could stop that. Not a single one. But there were actions that could have changed the eventual outcome, of that she was sure. But most turning points, like this one, were fluid. They were easy to manipulate.
The guard would be stung by the ant, and he would pause to brush it off. He would be delayed from arriving at his post for a crucial few moments, and his wife, whom was waiting for him, would become more annoyed than if he had arrived those meagre few seconds earlier. Her mood would be changed enough that the guard would not get laid that night. Frustration at being denied would keep him awake, changing his mood the following day. He would delay a pony from seeing Celestia for a few minutes, just to take his aggression out on something. That interruption would cause that pony to be late for a conversation with a passerby that evening, and he would never hear the words that he would tell his future wife.
Possibilities cascaded past Stardancer’s inner eye like a movie played at a thousand times normal speed. Images and possibilities assaulted the unicorn’s mind. She winced at the sharp, blinding pain building in her temple, swaying slightly. A trickle of blood dribbled from her nose, and she collapsed.
Remedy took a step backwards as Firebrand intruded, the nurse’s expression guarded. “Disagree with what?” she asked carefully.
“That I would not take it calmly that you are a changeling,” Firebrand stated simply, shrugging.
Remedy’s expression become alarmed, and she stared at Raindrop for a moment, as though seeking help.
Raindrop shrugged her shoulders helplessly in response, just as alarmed as the nurse was.
“But... I’m a changeling,” Remedy said, staring at the wonderbolt.
“...And?” Firebrand asked, arching a brow calmly. “So?”
Remedy stared at the pegasus, her mouth parted slightly, completely off balance at the mare’s reaction to her secret. “But... I steal love...”
“Not my love, certainly,” Firebrand pointed out with a derisive snort. “I care not if you are a changeling. If your kind were dangerous, then I would certainly be more apprehensive.”
Remedy stared at Firebrand for a long moment, head tilting to the side slowly. “You don’t think I’m dangerous?”
Firebrand shook her head slowly. “Perhaps you may be dangerous as a single entity, but on the whole, changelings are not so dangerous.”
The nurse scowled at that, shaking her head. “Element of truth my ass.”
“It is the truth,” Remedy stated with a shrug.
“They really are dangerous,” Raindrop said, her tone worried. “You’re deluded.”
“And yet, we have heard nothing of the changelings for a generation, yes?”Firebrand queried.
“That’s correct,” Raindrop admitted, an ear perking. “But what does that have to do with-”
“-ergo, they’re not dangerous. If they were dangerous, then there would be a slew of unexplained murders in the major settlements or even in the isolated ones,” Firebrand pointed out, raising a brow.
Raindrop shook her head. “Still don’t see where you’re coming from.”
Firebrand rolled her eyes, sighing once. “If changelings intended on harming ponies, then they would expose themselves,” she tried to explain, waving a hoof as she hummed thoughtfully. “Think of it like this. You only know a dragon is sleeping in the cave if you see the smoke. But if he burns down a town, everypony knows about it.”
“So you’re saying they’re not dangerous because they haven’t been murdering ponies?” Raindrop asked flatly, her eyes narrowing slowly. “What planet have you been living on?”
“The changelings are all locked up now, correct?” Firebrand asked. “Present company excluded, of course,” she added, before Remedy could say anything.
“I should hope so. But without access to the hive mind, I can’t say for sure,” Remedy said with a shrug.
“And you, as a rogue changeling, really can’t draw attention to yourself, right?” Firebrand pressed, turning to Remedy.
Remedy scowled. “That would be correct. I’ve only told one pony, and one filthy little eavesdr-”
“-then I do not fear changelings. At least, not you, specifically.” Firebrand said with a smug smile.
The nurse took a deep, steadying breath, and then turned to Raindrop. “Can I hit her, please?”
Raindrop shook her head sadly. “I’m afraid not.”
“Not even once? I’ll bandage her up good as new afterwards, promise!” Remedy pleaded, her tone hopeful.
Raindrop shook her head again resolutely. “Sorry, remedy. No can do.”
Remedy sighed and then pursed her lips wryly, before turning to Firebrand. The nurse stalked up to the wonderbolt, and poked her in the chest with a hoof, her eyes flaring green. “I swear, if you tell anypony about what I really am, then I will-”
The nurse paused then, staring at the pegasus for a long moment, frowning deeply. She drew back, looking away, and then back to the pegasus, shaking her head slowly. The nurse then turned to Raindrop, and said quietly, “Can I speak to Firebrand alone, please?”
Raindrop looked Remedy up and down for a moment, frowning. “No murdering, right?”
“No murdering, I promise,” Remedy said, making a shooing motion with a hoof.
Raindrop sighed, and turned away, flicking her wings once, irritably. “If I hear even a single scream, I’m gonna come running,” she stated, before stalking off.
Remedy waited until Raindrop was out of earshot, and then turned to Firebrand. The pegasus perked an ear at her, brow raising. “Well?”
The changeling nurse stared at the pegasus, walking around her in a circle and then leaning in close to hiss accusingly, “You like me!”
Firebrand paused at that, looking up and to the left thoughtfully, chewing her bottom lip, before nodding once. “I guess I do.”
“What the hell are you doing that for?” Remedy hissing, poking the pegasus in the chest.
Firebrand shrugged helplessly. “It’s complicated.”
“You’re crazy!” Remedy whined, rubbing a hoof against her temple, scowling.
Firebrand shook her head slowly. “No, not crazy.”
“Then explain yourself!” Remedy demanded, waving a hoof angrily for punctuation.
Firebrand took a deep breath, giving a soft sigh. “You really want an explanation?”
Remedy scowled deeply. “I wouldn’t have asked if I did-”
The pegasus lifted a hoof to stop the nurse from speaking. Remedy glowered angrily.
“In truth... it’s a very recent development,” Remedy said with a soft nod, her tone thoughtful. “Actually, since I just heard you’re a changeling.”
“You like me because I’m a changeling?!” Remedy asked, staring at the pegasus incredulously.
“That... is a very vague way of explaining the convoluted process,” Firebrand admitted.
Remedy opened her mouth to speak, but Firebrand shushed her again. “I hear a lot, you know. I don’t think people really realise when I’m listening, because I don’t take the time to let them know I am. But... either way, I heard what you said to Raindrop. Back at the cottage. You convinced her, with some very short words, to reconcile with her grandmother, whom she hated, as far as I could tell. Sure, you tried to cover up your soft side by demanding payment... But you really just want to see ponies happy, don’t you?”
Remedy shirked backwards at that, her ears splaying. She paused, and then gave a slow, gentle nod. “I guess so...”
“Now, that’s an admirable trait. Not enough to make me like you, because your attitude is detestable-”
“-And right back to wanting to murder you-”
“-But then... I hear that you’re a changeling. A rogue changeling. You have no family, no friends. You can’t take a lover because you’d end up killing them eventually. And you’re a nurse, of all things. Your current life is dedicated to helping ponies... ponies who aren’t even your own species. You’re the Element of Kindness. And even though you do hide it rather well, you care. You’re empathic to a species that you should see as nothing more than food. We’re basically your prey. You are the lion that protects a gazelle from a coyote. And that is very admirable to me. Sort of even tips the scale of whether I like you or not over to the ‘like’ side.”
“Lies and slander,” Remedy stated, sniffing once.
Firebrand gave a wry smile, and then shook her head. “I’m afraid not. Element of Honesty here, remember?”
“You might just be deluded, I’m a bitch, ask anypony,” Remedy said with a slight shrug.
The pegasus gave a smile at that, and then lifted the nurse’s chin with a hoof, staring into her eyes. “Be proud of what you are, Remedy.”
Remedy snorted at that, rolling her eyes. “Proud to be a bitch? Sure am!”
Firebrand sighed, shushing the nurse with a press of a hoof against her lips. “No. You’re not a bitch-”
“-Boy is this logic going in circles-” Remedy said with a slow shake of her head.
“-You’re a pony that cares about others. And that’s becoming far too rare.”
“I’m not even a pony,” Remedy said with a defeated sigh, hanging her head.
Firebrand shook her head. “No, you are not. And that’s what makes you special. I am disappointed in my own species that there are not more ponies like you kicking about.”
“I feel like I should say something profound about how you’re giving me advice when that’s my job,” Remedy said with a weak chuckle.
“I’m not giving you advice. You wanted to know why I like you, and I told you,” Firebrand said simply.
Remedy scoffed at that. “Oh don’t even try that bullshit line on me, lady.”
“Element of Truth, remember?” Firebrand said with a sly grin.
Remedy rolled her eyes, pushing at the pegasus’ shoulder with a hoof. “And I’m the Element of Kindness. Doesn’t mean I won’t beat the crap out of you.”
“I would prevail over you,” Firebrand stated simply. “But you asked, and I told.”
“So you think I should feel all special because I’m like, the only changeling ever to grow a conscience?” Remedy asked, raising a brow skeptically.
Firebrand gave a sad smile at that, shaking her head once. “I can’t answer that question for you, Remedy. That’s up to your mind to decide. I admire you for it, but my opinion means little.”
With that, Firebrand rose to her hooves, and left, leaving Remedy to stare at her hooves quietly.
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And then they... bucked?
Seems like there's an abundance of free love, just waiting to be given to changelings... dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/shrug_Queen_Chrysalis.png
*gropes the air* feel that? That's the tension and passion building up.
the next clop chapter should be those two.
just saying
And the history reapeted itself again. Well, nice small talk.
Getting a bit confused here...
1354258
*Pulls out butter knife, cuts off a piece and spreads it on a slice of toast* Little thick but tasty.
1354662
its not firebrand and remedy talking its just remedy doing a monologue when raindrop leaves the room.
1354781
1354662
Sounds more like Firebrand talking on the first line, and Remedy on the second. Typo of sorts, I believe.
Congratulations on 50 chapters!
Sorry but I've just noticed this fan fic. Isnt' there already a pegasus named Raindrops?
More shipping? More shipping.
1354862
no this chapter was just a massive monologue. Obviously.
MOAR SHIPPING TIME!
Well this is yet another complex unexpected twist.
Not necessarily a bad one, just another one
1355089
Of course
I predicted this.
Think back, Firebrand and Remedy despised each other, one because Remdey isn't a pegasus (SHE WILL ONLY SLOW US DOWN), and the other because she's a bitch who likes to answer hate with hate.
Now think farther back. Raindrop and Sentinel truly hated one another way back in the smaller chapter numbers. Sentinel hated her because of what she is, she hated him just because she's a bitch and she's going to answer hate with hate.
IT'S A RECCURING THEME.
Also a reccuring theme is Celestia being a high-and-mighty, holier-than-thou bitch who hates changelings with a fiery passion. I guess all those ponies saying her name in vain made her think she had the right to order an entire civilized species erradicated...
1356347
She put them in the dungeon, they're still around and nothing is decided yet. I don't know what story you're reading, but Celestia hasn't done anything wrong, or acted inappropriately so far. She's been calm and collected about everything, and I've yet to see her be a bitch or express hate towards changelings in any way(mistrust and hate are two different things). Though, you're right about the reoccurring theme involving hate and love. I saw this particular development coming a mile away. .-.
1357459
"Chitin frowned deeply, her ears pinning back. “Celestia, please...”
Celestia turned away, electing not to respond as Chitin was dragged away towards the dungeon."
This is after Chitin has surrendered, agreed to comply with Celestia's requests, shown remorse for her actions and genuinely admits what she did was wrong. Celestia further acts towards Chitin in this manner in the following chapter:
"We have two hundred and thirty seven problems, in fact,” Celestia corrected tartly."
Lack of respect towards Chitin, probably due to anger over the invasion, but lack of respect nonetheless, not quite "calm and collected"
Her lingering distress over Twilight's passing,as mentioned in previous chapters, may also be impacting on this.
1368983 The changelings had invaded the castle. She then has them locked up in the dungeon, and they're all a problem. Every single one. Why? They're changelings. They feed on love. Celestia doesn't have bottles of love lying around to feed them with.
1369125
I didn't think about that.
Still, I'm sure Celestia has some dark secret or sudden revelation held somewhere to be revealed in some sudden plot twist later on.
That's the way things go around here...