Reset Password
Resend Verification Email
5
55
34
Joined April 2012
Groups
-
45w, 1dThe Fillyfoolers.
-
4d, 18hWriting Gold
-
4d, 18hThe Writer's Group
-
4d, 18hSensual Fiction (SFG)
- Show All Groups
-
33w, 3dOctaScratch
-
30w, 2dOctaviaxVinyl
-
50w, 3dTwilight's Library
-
47w, 4dVinyl Scratch/Octavia
-
42w, 1dMUST KEEP FOLLOWING!!!!1
-
2d, 9hchangelings need love to
-
27w, 4dThe Changeling Federation
-
4d, 3hRory’s Semi-Favorites
-
22w, 2dFimFiction Gold Archives
-
25w, 2dVinyl and Octavia
-
17w, 6dVillains of Equestria
-
17w, 2dThe Herd
-
23w, 1dWorld-Building Alliance
-
22w, 4dThe Changeling Empire
-
20w, 1dy8happy`s read later pile
-
17w, 2dMIDNIGHT
-
2d, 9hchangelings are awesome
1,936
20,915
Life continued on in Ponyville. The Royal Wedding went off without further event, and Vinyl’s performance at the reception received rave reviews. For the most part, life quickly returned to normal after the changeling attack. The week following the wedding was peaceful and quiet.
“Vinyl!”
For the most part, that is. In the home of Vinyl and Octavia, trouble stirred as it always did when the DJ got into one of her more mischievous moods. Currently, the white unicorn was being pursued around the apartment by a formerly gray earth pony, who was now a dusty shade of green.
“Vinyl! You get back here and own up for putting that dye in my shampoo!” the green cellist shouted.
“Ha! Not a chance! I think it looks good on you, Tavi!”
Wubsy sat and watched the event from the middle of the room, smiling at the sight of her two friends busily racing around the apartment.
“Just relax would ya, Tavi? I have a solvent, it’ll come right out!” Vinyl called over her shoulder as she emerged from their shared bedroom. This was met with a barrage of pillows flying at her with deadly intent. Vinyl easily caught the fluffy projectiles in her magic field and sent them rocketing back from whence they came. She then let out a yelp and dashed off, pursued by a green Octavia now covered in feathers.
A knock on the door brought them both to a screeching halt. Somehow, the knock seemed ominously officious. Though neither mare could pinpoint what about it set them on edge, Vinyl still urged Wubsy to head into the bedroom and hide.
With Wubsy safely out of sight, the mares answered the door, opening it cautiously. There they found Twilight on their doorstep, looking solemn and flanked by two royal guards. All three of them looked at Octavia with interest—Twilight in confusion and the guards with suspicion. Twilight asked the question that had to be asked. “Octavia? Why are you green?”
Octavia glared at her companion. “Vinyl decided it would be a big laugh to mix green dye into my shampoo.”
This explanation seemed to satisfy the librarian, but her escorts seemed more reluctant to accept the story.
“Octavia. Vinyl. I hate to intrude,” Twilight went on with a quiet apologetic voice. “I’m here on official business by direct order of Princess Celestia. As you know there was an attack on Canterlot not too long ago.”
The apartment’s tenants nodded, lumps forming in their throats as their guest continued.
“The Princess has decreed that all towns within the immediate radius of the changeling’s home jungle institute anti-changeling countermeasures. She has appointed me to lead the program for Ponyville. I’m afraid I must insist that I be allowed inside to search for changelings, as it is mandatory.”
Octavia and Vinyl stood with their mouths agape. Luckily, the guards misinterpreted their expressions of shocked disbelief as mere surprise at the intrusive and strenuous measures the Princess had put in place.
Twilight walked forward, followed closely by the two guards, and the residents parted to allow them entry. “This won’t take long, girls,” Twilight assured them as she took a place in the middle of the living room. “Just a quick detection spell to pinpoint any changelings that may be hiding here.” She raised her head and her horn glowed, casting an unnatural light into all corners of the home as the spell spread to explore every hidden corner.
She found what she expected, her spell returned the response that there was a changeling hiding in the bedroom. She could feel Wubsy’s panicked heartbeat; hear her rapid breathing. ‘I’m sorry, Wubsy,’ the purple mare thought. ‘I never meant to scare you.’ She concluded the spell and the guards watched her attentively, waiting for the verdict as only Twilight had felt the magic’s results. “All clear,” announced the librarian, and she felt a collective sigh as all present released the tension they had unconsciously been holding. Twilight’s horn let off another little spark, unnoticed by the two guards who had relaxed visibly. She apologized again for the intrusion and left the apartment to continue her rounds, the guards following her closely.
The two mares shakily made their way to the bedroom to check on Wubsy and as they entered, their eyes fell on a scroll that was lying on the bed. A large tag announced “To Octavia and Vinyl. Urgent.” Vinyl levitated the scroll up as Wubsy walked over to join them, looking concerned. Octavia read the hastily scrawled note out loud.
“Dear Octavia and Vinyl,
I must be brief as I only have a few minutes. If you are reading this letter, it is because I have just visited you under the orders of Princess Celestia in search of changelings and pronounced it all clear. I have teleported this note into your home to shed some light on recent events.
First of all, I would like to apologize for any distress my visit has caused. It is most likely that I was accompanied by the royal guard and therefore could not speak freely, hence this note. I must convey to you the importance that Wubsy’s existence in Ponyville be concealed. This in mind, I made sure I would be the one to cast the detection spell in your home to prevent Wubsy from being discovered. My team is one of five currently sweeping the town for changelings.
I need the opportunity to explain the full extent of what is happening, and there is not enough time to put it all in this letter. Also, I would prefer to tell you all this in person. To that end, I would like it if you would visit the library this evening so that I may explain. I’ve ensured that I will be alone for the night and the royal guard will not be watching the library. Please leave Wubsy at home, as the entire town is on high alert for any changeling behavior and any suspicious activity may end disastrously.
Your faithful friend,
Twilight Sparkle”
Vinyl lowered the note onto the bed, looking like she expected it to explode. She turned to Octavia. “Well, that doesn’t sound good. What do you think?”
“If she wanted to turn Wubsy in, she could have done it while the guard was here. I think we’d better trust her for now and see what she has to say.”
---
The hours ticked by as though the day never wanted to end. Not being able to leave the house for fear of leaving Wubsy alone, they filled their time alternately fretting, trying not to fret, and fretting about not fretting. Eventually, however, the time came and Vinyl and Octavia (returned to her traditional hue) left their home and Wubsy, making sure to lock the door securely.
They approached the library trying to look nonchalant, and knocked on Twilight’s door once more. Twilight opened the door almost immediately and surreptitiously peeked around before ushering the girls inside.
As soon as the door closed, the room was plunged into almost total darkness. They heard the ‘Vweee’ of unicorn magic and spun to face Twilight, on edge and ready to fight their way out if needed.
But no attack came. “I’m sorry, girls,” Twilight said. “I didn’t mean to startle you—I was just casting the soundproof spell again. I should have warned you first.”
Both mares relaxed immensely as Twilight drew the curtains and trotted about the library, magically lighting candles until the library was once more illuminated.
Twilight headed up the stairs and then turned to face the nervous ponies below her. “Come on, girls, I have to show you this. It’s up here in my bedroom.”
The musicians followed Twilight up to her room, and both of their jaws dropped when she opened the door. The entire room was covered with maps and scrolls and various other papers. Twilight deftly navigated the mess, leaping and dancing from one patch of clear floor to the next and leaving her guests to navigate the minefield on their own. Had their current crisis not been so serious, the sight of the organized pony’s bedchambers in disarray may have been amusing. As it was, they crossed the room in silence, making for the oasis of clean floor around Twilight’s work desk. On the desk was a scattering of scrolls and papers, all of which outlined some kind of intricate plan.
The title of the largest scroll was laid out in Twilight’s careful calligraphy. It read, “Operation CLEaR; Changeling Location, Evaluation and Removal initiative.” The scroll itself was full of writing and precise hoof-drawn diagrams.
Vinyl stared at the scroll, attempting to decipher its contents. In the end she was forced to admit defeat. “What are we looking at here, Twilight?”
Twilight looked at the ground, clearly ashamed of whatever it was she was showing them. “Ever since the attack on Canterlot, there has been a huge outcry for Princess Celestia to take some type of action to protect the nearby towns from infiltration. She appointed me to plan and execute the initiative for Ponyville. I was going to warn you before they put the plan into action, but it happened a lot faster than I anticipated. The town council started enacting the first draft as soon as I finished it, despite my objections that it wasn’t ready. Everypony is so paranoid about changelings they want something in place now. I’m so sorry, girls. Because of me, Wubsy is in trouble.”
Octavia and Vinyl looked aghast. “You mean... you caused this?” Octavia stammered, unable to think clearly. “You’re the reason the entire town has a target on our backs, whether they know it or not?”
If it was possible, Twilight’s mood dipped even further. “I’m so sorry. I swear I never meant this to happen. You have to understand, I’ve been ordered by Celestia to put measures in place. I thought I’d have more time to get Wubsy safe before the town started going through with this.”
Octavia was about to lay into her again when Vinyl stepped up to defend the beleaguered librarian. “That’s enough, Octavia. She didn’t mean to hurt anypony and she didn’t have a choice in the matter. It’s clear enough to me she’s a victim of this too. You’re just looking for a place to vent your frustrations at and Twilight is not the right target for that. It’s the town’s knee-jerk paranoia we need to concern ourselves with.”
The cellist nodded. “Yes. You’re right, of course. We need to be concerned about what we’re going to do now. Can we get Wubsy out of town?”
“No,” Twilight said immediately. “One of the first precautions we took was having me erect a duplicate of my brother’s defensive spell around the town. No changeling will be able to pass through it, in or out.”
Vinyl nodded. “And even if we could, she’d starve out there on her own. Our only hope would be to keep her hidden.”
“Do you think you’re up to the task?” Twilight inquired. “I’ll do everything I can to keep your house out of the changeling detection team’s sights, but ponies will start to get suspicious if I do too much.”
Octavia thought it out. “You’ve already pronounced our house all clear. What are the odds that somepony else’s team will be visiting to check again?”
“None. Now that the barrier is up and your house has been marked clear, they won’t check it again without a reason to. I was sure to add that loophole under the excuse of a pony’s right to privacy. Assuming they stick to the first draft I wrote, you should be alright. Just don’t call attention to yourselves.”
“Good thinking,” Octavia admitted. “And I suppose I should apologize for blaming you earlier. You really are doing all you can to help us. Thank you.”
Twilight waved her off. “It’s nothing. You two are my friends, and now, so is Wubsy. I couldn’t just sit back and let her come to harm.”
Vinyl couldn’t resist hugging Twilight. “Thank you so much, Twilight. We’ve put you in a really awkward position and you’re handled it so well. I can’t tell you how much this means to us.”
“You’re welcome, Vinyl. I’m just so sorry that this turned into such a big mess. Now let’s go over the plans so you know what to expect in the coming months.”
The musicians agreed and set to work. Twilight carefully went over the details of the plan the town had put into motion - no easy feat, given that the residents of Ponyville had done so in spite of her objections that it was unfinished. It was only a matter of hours before the trio had fully reviewed the obstacles to come. They looked at it from every angle, hunting down any loopholes or blind spots that seemed even remotely feasible. Luckily, there were several that could be exploited due to a combination of hasty execution on part of the town and Twilight’s own reluctance to see Wubsy accidently ensnared in the net she had woven.
“Alright,” Twilight said finally. “I think we’ve done about as much as we can tonight. Any more time we put into this would just be over-preparing.”
Vinyl seconded the sentiment with a large yawn. “I think it’s about time we went to bed anyway. I don’t think I’ll be thinking clearly for much longer.”
Octavia and Vinyl rose and made for the door, thanking Twilight again and wishing her a good night. Twilight stopped them. “Just one last thing, girls. We haven’t gone over what we would do if she was discovered after all. There’s a reason for that. It’s because I never planned out any processes for that. The town is scared and reactional at this point. I don’t know what they would do if they actually found a changeling at this point, but with the state they’re in... I don’t think they would be merciful. I wouldn’t put it past them to conclude that she has to be destroyed.”
It was the subject they had been skirting around all night and now that it had been stated out loud, it hit them all like a bomb. Everypony stood silently, an awkward silence creeping across the room as nopony could think of a follow-up to such a grim idea.
After a few seconds that seemed to stretch on forever, Vinyl smiled widely. “Hey, no problem. All we gotta do is make sure she doesn’t get caught. Easy, right?”
This broke the tension sufficiently that the other two smiled at her. “You’re absolutely right, Vinyl,” Octavia said. She hugged her marefriend reassuringly. “No problem. We’ll keep her safe.”
With that, the two exited the library and started back towards their apartment. The silence had returned and set up camp, stretching out as they walked. It wasn’t until they were outside the door that Octavia broke it, turning to Vinyl. “Vinyl. I need to ask you something. This is important.”
“What is it, Tavi?”
“I know you, Vinyl. I know what kind of pony you are. And I know that if they do try to... execute Wubsy, you’re exactly the type of pony who would try to throw yourself in front of the bullet. I need you to realize that if you do, they’ll just shoot again. You’re not going to protect her by sacrificing yourself and I need to make sure you know that. You would just be forcing me to dig another grave.”
Vinyl looked resolutely at the ground. For the longest time she didn’t speak.
“Vinyl?” Octavia started to say. But she stopped short when she saw the telltale shimmer of tears falling in the moonlight. She rushed to comfort the DJ. “Vinyl, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
Vinyl began to cry in earnest, attempting to speak between her sobbing. “No, you’re right, Tavi. If she’s in that much trouble I have to be ready to just let her go. It’s just so hard to tell myself I’ll be ready to just sit back and let them do what they would do. I’m scared, Tavi. I’ve never seen everypony like this. I never thought they would be capable of it.”
Octavia hugged Vinyl tight, her own tears beginning to stream down her muzzle and moisten the white fur she pressed her face into. “I know, Vinyl. I’m scared too. I’m afraid for Wubsy’s life and terrified of what it would do to you. But losing Wubsy would be horrific enough. Don’t make me go through it without you too.”
They released their embrace as Vinyl’s sobbing faded. She looked into Octavia’s eyes with the most weary and depressed expression Octavia had ever seen her wear. “Alright, Octavia. I’m not going to put myself in danger. I promise.”
The cellist smiled sadly and licked a tear off her companion’s cheek. “Thank you, Vinyl. It’s going to be alright, baby. You’ll see. All we have to do is keep Wubsy under wraps until this all blows over. It’ll be fine.” The reassurance was more for her own sake than for Vinyl’s, but the DJ perked up slightly despite that.
The unicorn lifted a hoof and brushed a strand of mane away from Octavia’s face. “Thank you, Octavia,” she whispered. “Thank you for being here for us. For me.” She leaned closer, closing her eyes as they shared a loving kiss.
“We had better go inside,” Octavia said after they had concluded their intimacy. “Wubsy will be expecting us.”
Indeed, as they opened the door, Twilight was sitting on their couch with a fretful expression painting her features. “How did it go?” Wubsy asked in the purple mare’s voice.
Vinyl broke down again. She rushed over to the changeling and hugged her tight, crying loudly. Octavia walked over and embraced them both. “It went well, Wubsy. We’ve come up with a good plan that should work. Vinyl’s just upset because the shock of the whole thing is finally setting in. We’re going to be alright. We’re going to keep you safe.”
The cellist looked out of the circular living room window and at the stars sparkling in the inky black sky. Unseen by the other two, her eyes welled up with tears as well as she whispered to herself, “With everything we have to give, we will keep you safe.” And she too began to weep.
Comments ( 111 )
Post Comment
Refresh
Kill? That's kind of drastic. I mean they could just transport her back to Changeling Lands if Wubsy is caught. (After an interrogation, of course.) Although, I would imagine Vinyl has grown too close to Wubsy to simply let her go home.
"Kill her? We're not murders, Ms. Scratch. We're just going to interrogate her to see if she's doing anything hostile."
"Oh phew..."
"And then we're sending her home."
"What!?"
“I know you, Vinyl. I know what kind of pony you are. And I know that if they do try to... execute Wubsy, you’re exactly the type of pony who would try to throw yourself in front of the bullet. I need you to realize that if you do, they’ll just shoot again. You’re not going to protect her by sacrificing yourself and I need to make sure you know that. You would just be forcing me to dig another grave.”
Wait what?
you’re exactly the type of pony who would try to throw yourself in front of the bullet. I need you to realize that if you do, they’ll just shoot again
in front of the bullet
Bullet...
THEY HAVE GUNS IN EQUESTRIA?!
well done sir/maam well done 
this chapter..... just omg....well now....*sigh* i'm rarly speechless but.. wow 
....this story i quite possibly the best fanfic....
on a sillyer note "I’ve never seen everypony like this. I never thought they would be capable of it" ...that line... anyway good thing there not in the same world as stormclouds cause the influence of chimera curse was strong enough to turn the town one someone once and would do it again.
i just realized how dumb and annoying i sounded... please excuse it
Never underestimate a city in the throes of panic... or the ability of a person or pony to manipulate that panic into not only taking the intended's life, but also the lives of those who hosted them without mercy. It's happened far too often in our history that I consider this a very real response.
ITS..............SO...........SAD!!!
Image: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Redheart_gasp.pngI trust those two, they are the two characters tied for second on my faves list of characters.
Image: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Vinyl_Scratch.png
Image: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Octavia.png
*sigh* And because Twilight promised to keep Wubsy's existence secret, she couldn't even hint to Princess Celestia that there's an atypical Changeling already in Ponyville that has been living there without incident. Once they get over the initial panic and need to keep Wubsy safe, someone ought to revisit that whole secrecy thing and suggest they start looking into a way to quietly clue the Royal family in on the situation. With her reputation, I would hope that Twilight's got the credit to gain a neutral hearing at some point, though I would imagine that everyone involved is going to be checked and double checked for any compulsion or mental alteration spells even before any hearing. Probably it's a good thing that Vinyl and Octavia didn't ask for that Pinkie Pie Promise, after all. 
Of course, right now they've got to play a waiting game and keep Wubsy safe. I guess that it's a good thing Wubsy's mostly content just as long as she's got her Vinyl and Octavia close by, though I imagine that they have to scuttle any outdoor activities they might have had on their schedule. And it's a good thing that she doesn't actually need much regular food, or I would imagine that Octavia'd be getting questions about why she and Vinyl were buying more groceries lately.
On a different slant, I wonder just how much of Ponyville Twilight's version of the shield spell covers? I'm sure that she wouldn't have a problem with the core town, but what about the outlying buildings, like Fluttershy's cottage by the Everfree, or Sweet Apple Acres? Or for that matter, what is the town plan for pegasus cloud residences, like Rainbow Dash's home? I doubt those can be covered by the shield, and while any changeling infiltrator would still be blocked from entering the town proper, I can't believe that Twilight would omit some sort of defense plan for those of her friends who live in the more outlying areas. I would imagine that is going to be covered in greater detail in the next chapter, since I'm pretty sure that next time we're going to be getting a look at how everyone is settling in under the new defense measures.
Looking forward to the next installment. 
Rainbow Dash said "bullet" in her pet song. They have bullets. This I know.
Wubsy is female. Like most hive insects such as bees or ants, the majority of the population is female and only the drones are male for mating purposes.
In the episode "Friend in Deed" Roseluck gives Pinkie a delicious calla lily as a snack.
Guards: "Attention ponies, we regret to inform that we must search your house for changelings, Twilight do the honors if you please."
Twilight: (Casts a mind control spell) "You don't need to search the house." 
Guards: "We don't need to search the house."
Twilight: "These aren't the flanks you're looking for." 
Guards: "These aren't the flanks we're looking for."
This is the biggest problem with Lawful Good characters (Twilight and apparently Octavia and Vinyl as well...) is that they just have to abide by the law.
Twilight & Co. sound so somber at the pronouncement: "I wouldn’t put it past them to conclude that she has to be destroyed."
Ummm... then you stop them in progressively more drastic actions:
1. Logic/appeal to compassion
2. Invocation of Powers, Rights and Privileges (as Head of Operation CLEaR or as Celestia's student)
3. Bravado/Threat of Power
4. Actual Display of Power - cuz we all know mere ponies are no match for the banisher or Ursa Minor.
Okay. Let's analyze your question logically. We will draw our conclusion on a series of assumptions that build on one another.
1. Writers write to invoke an emotion in their readers.
2. When a writer writes a sad scene, it is to invoke the feeling of sadness.
3. You are reading my story, therefore you are one of my readers.
4. I wrote a sad scene in the story you are reading.
So logically, if writers write sad scenes to invoke a feeling of sadness in their readership, and if you are a member of said readership, I was attempting to invoke sadness in you. Let's take it to the conclusion.
5. When people feel sad, they sometimes cry.
So if I am attempting to invoke sadness in you, and people who are sad sometimes cry, I am to some degree trying to make you, as a member of my readership, cry.
TL;DR: Yes.
>>842115 tl;dr? Really? You should check my word count on whr ive read, and know that I've reread Past Sins at least twice, and all of the original FO: E at least twice. 'too long; didn't read' has no place in my vocabulary. I agree with your dumbing down of my question, but you don't answer it truthfully. You answered analytically. So, please, astound me with the true newer that comes not from your mind. But from your heart.
These aren't the changlings you're looking for.
Image: http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/50276_184584719532_440602_n.jpg
I must say, you've done a great job developing Wubsy's character and incorporating him into the Vinyl/Octavia dynamic. Its no surprise that several people have already mentioned that Wubsy feels like a main character; and I must concur. S/he (can't recall if the gender question was answered ... though I think of it as a he) is so adorable, innocent, and vulnerable that I can't help worrying about what's going to happen to him. At the moment, I taking solice from the fact that this story's tags are: Romance/Comedy/Adventure/Slice of Life. With no dark/sad tags listed, I'm hoping I'm not going to have to mourn his death with Octavia and Vinyl.
I must say, I was a bit surprised that Vinyl was the composed/rational one in Twilight's room and Octavia was the emotional/irrational one. I always thought of Octavia as being the one who could keep her cool in such situations; I guess it just shows how attached she has become to Wubsy. Though Vinyl still comes out a bit too composed for me. I guess that's just my take on Vinyl's character.
I keep wanting to give you a thumbs up after reading each chapter, only to realize I already gave it after the first. Its no surprise there are already 1599 thumbs up. Well written story! I'm looking forward to seeing where you take it next.
That's never established. My view of changelings is that they suck the love out of their prey until they have no energy to survive. Thus they are life-threatening.
That role-reversal was intentional to show that Vinyl does have a serious side and how she is the one who anchors Tavi when she gets a little too caught up in her own views. Vinyl is the voice of tolerance throughout the story.
Unlike others I havn't found it sad (yet) but I did enjoy the chapter alot.
The only thing I'm wondering is; did you change alot for chapter 4 or is it just some small nitpick things? Asking becuse I got tons of fics on the "Read Later" list and if its just nitpick things then I can skip it 
As always, looking forward to the next chapter.
You could safely skip it. All it was was mostly expanding on ideas already set forth. Switching around words and describing things better. We did re-write the article in CH 2 but it practically says the same thing. And there's a bit in CH 1 that's pretty good but it was in the last revision already. No super-important need to re-read.
Oh man, you know how to hit the reader right in the bucking heart without it being overly sickly sweet or cheesy and damn it you made me nervous for them! Especially when Octavia was like 'I don't want to dig two graves' speech and Vinyl's response. 
Also thank you for explaining the background to the new rules because I hate the whole 'Tyrant Celestia' fanon but this makes perfect sense in context.
NOW WRITE THE NEXT CHAPTER 
There's a reason such things are so popular. It's because they're entertaining. We look for archetypes in any relationship. We fill roles. And as such we expect them in our fiction. So when we see a familiar pattern in a character's or set of characters' behavior it becomes relatable very quickly. It may be a bit of a shortcut to character development but since I'm writing a fanfic and not a full book with time to flesh out characters without shortcuts, I think the use of the device could be excused.
It's part of the Greasemonkey enhancement script for FiMFiction.net. You need to be running a browser that can work with that style of script. Here's the link: FiMFanfiction Enhancements
>>852711 As I recall, Love gives changlings food & power. Since Wubsy is receiving limitless amounts of love from 2 ponies then he should have alot more power then most other changlings right. He could probably mind control A group of guards & shapeshift into A human with Maracas & A mask. THEY CALL ME CUBAN PETE 
Cancel
Send