The Changeling Exodus

by articunos bitch

Division in the Camp

The last of the Changeling Scouts had been arrested and thrown into the dungeons of Canterlot Castle and sealed with the strongest magic the Princesses could perform. Inside Out’s task for his new home was complete, and seeing as Ni Amora Candenza and Shining Armor were the only ones he told his secret to his betrayal of his Queens army would go unnoticed. He was now free to leave Canterlot, and the first place he went was the Staging Camp: a collection of wagons that had been sitting 40 kilometers outside the city for some time.

The Camp was relatively large but the atmosphere hung heavy with the bitterness of defeat and humiliation. The very old, very young and crippled were all that remained in this camp like all the other scattered around Equestria. They too would have their chance to Feed on the love of the populace, but not until they were forced to see Changelings would have their way. Queen Chrysalis governed her people the way all others had lead the Changelings in recorded history, for better or for worse. And mere hours after her defeat, Inside Out had arrived to preach a different way.

One collection of wagons set in a circle had a bonfire burning in the center. It normally served as a dining area and on rare occasion notices would be given. Tipping over a barrel used to hold animal fat; he stood up and began spreading the news. “People of the Changelings, we have been humiliated and otherwise disgraced by our loss at Canterlot. We Feed on love but that same love powered a magical blast that conquered us in seconds. It is doubtful we will Feed as the Queen promised us anywhere else, and we will not be able to return to this land for a very long time should we leave now. But there IS a way for us to Feed without leaving. We can disband and integrate ourselves into the society and culture of Equestria and love these ponies on personal levels.”

He was not speaking to any-one in particular, but really any-one who would listen. And he was pleased several elders sat on their haunches to listen to him, and in the back was one not too much older than him. He could have been a scout from another area the Queen had sent out, or he was a member of the camp who had attempted to raid Canterlot and made it back already. He had an unreadable expression on his face, so he might have a mind open to ideas such as Inside Out’s.

“I was a scout in Canterlot, and to build my cover I obtained a friend. It wasn’t hard, Equestria is built on friendship and she loved me. I felt myself gaining strength simply by her knowing me. I did not lie to her anymore than I needed, and her love Feed me. I am as strong as the Queen promised but I went about it differently and we can all do the same! Let us go out and settle in Equestria and form friendships and form new lives! A new culture, where we look for more than survival!”

The small crowd had started turning to each other and muttering amongst themselves. One of the elders spoke up, “You are suggesting we leave our way of life behind and become like this soft ponies?”

“Yes. We can feed just being around them. Friendship isn’t a part time activity. It is a way of life.”

“Hersey!” A young squeaky voice called out. A foal, little maybe not even in puberty called Inside Out one of the most horrendous and serious words in their Tongue, and he was right.

“It’s way past your bed time squirt. Go home and tell your mother to change your diaper.” The young male watching from the back stepped up and stood next to Inside Out. “I was scouting out Bespin in the south. It is a growing vibrant town build on mutual dreams, and it flourishes because of the friendship its citizens have for one another. He speaks the truth. We have been mistrusted and feared for centuries, we will be punished for our failure this week, and can avoid making the same mistake again.”

Another voice cried from the sky, “Then we will try again on a smaller scale. We should have invaded Canterlot by force from the beginning. This is the time for change, but not who we are. We are-“

“You are a fool to think Princess Celestia would let us fly into the city like that. We did what we had to, but our Queen was inadequately prepared. She will lead us out of Equstria and we will not return to this land for many, many years.”

A crowd had gathered and it seemed to be splitting among these lines, but Inside Out and his ally would not be dissuaded.

“Every-one, violence is not the way! It has lead us to where we are-“

“We are the most powerful magical species on our world,” reasoned another newcomer.

“And we use most of our magic to deceive others into giving us love. What if they loved us for who we are? We could be ourselves in body-

“They will never be like us. We are the stronger!” The burly earth pony dropped his disguise and screeched at them.

A female voice sounded from behind the two preachers. “And yet we live like parasites. We Feed off their ways of life and have nothing to show for it. We used to be a proud people, now every race sees us as scum and parasites. And we are.”

“I have never called my people scum. You are the reason we did not succeed in Canterlot. Doubt and fear and-”

“I never doubted us before, but he’s right. We can’t keep doing this. We hurt every nation we let host us. They are our HOST. We ARE parasites.” This new friend of Inside Out’s was burning with passion, she might make a good speaker.

“The Queen should be charged with Treason for our defeat. Punish her!”

“We should simply murder Shining Armor and those Celestia cares for. We know who they are and where they live.”

“Flight is the only way to protect our Queen. They are sure to seek revenge.”

“No! Violence will change nothing-“

It was no use. The camp had already descended into a tizzy of heated argument, most of which ignored Inside Out. Bowing his head he stepped of his soap box and sadly trotted away, closely followed by the only two who stood by him. Finding an extinguished campfire from last night he lit it up again and looked around at three others kneeling down and plopping to their haunches.

“I don’t think I saw you at earlier,” he mentioned to the new arrival.

“I was there, just knew it was pointless to argue with them. You are right, we have to change who we are, but it must be for the right reasons. We hurt the trust of those we Feed on, and it’s much more difficult to Feed on them later. Let alone what they go through. I am interested in what you plan on doing about it. My name is Myrrah by the way.”

“I’m Raven,” said the other female.

“Call me Aaaron.”

“My name is Inside Out. It’s good to see you listen to me. Maybe we should exchange what we know and work together.”

Myrarah was not interested in sharing what they knew. “We should just leave this damn Caravan and never look back.”

Aaaron spoke, “It’s our home.”

“My home is where I make it. I have jumped between wagon parties all my life and I don’t fit in. I am a rebel, but I believe what you say too. Let’s just leave and forget all these idiots,” Raven retorted.

Aaaron spoke up again, “This is one camp, in one Caravan. There are so many others we should speak with and convince them to change.”

Raven put her two bits in. “We see where the wind’s blowing. They don’t, not yet.”

“Can we really expect to change our whole people alone? We should change ourselves first.”

“Wait every-one, you all have a valid point. And I tried to tell Intelligence this. We can make friends with other species on a personal level and they will freely give us Love. And it does not hurt us to give them love either. I a pony out in Canterlot has fallen in love with me.”

“They won’t trust us if we stay in our Caravans, or any kind of town made exclusively of Changelings. They will remember what we tried to do here.”

“No, I see where he’s going with this. That’s why we leave and join towns filled with ponies?” Aaaron was sharp.

“Exactly what I mean. We should not bottle ourselves up, but spread all around. Split off into families, so every-one knows we’re here and pose no threat what so ever.”

Myrrah nodded. “So we don’t ghettoize ourselves again and we can become more trusted?”

“Exactly.”

“And what happens if the ponies don’t trust us? What then?” A voice called out from above as a fifth member landed around their campfire.

“I return and see a fight over how the Queen should be punished, and you folks are talking about rebelling against everything we have done since we abandoned our homeland. That’s heresy according to the Queen.”

“According to a book of fairy tales teaching morals to foals. She takes that damn book far too seriously.” Raven corrected him.

“Name’s Boaz. So tell me; what does happen if our new homelands don’t accept us? Where will we go then? What will we do then?”

“It’s a big world. Some-one is sure to give us a chance. And this is Equestria, friendship is written into their laws. And most of all, we won’t give them reason to distrust us.”

“Well that sounds vague. Good luck with that. I can’t argue with you, but that’s throwing stuff against the wall and seeing what sticks.”

“The town you mentioned Aaaron, Bespin? You said it was friendly?” Raven inquired.

“Sure as sugar is. Ha, picked that from some ponies I meet there. First family in the area, Apples I think, they would give you the shoes off their feet. They have these tracks of land that flood every year, grow Swamp Apples on them. And the town was built by refugees fleeing war over the border in their homelands. They escaped certain problems and refused to bring them there.”

“That’s where I’m headed then. Tell me how to get there, and first light I’m packing things up and moving to Bespin. Forever,” said Myrrah proudly.

“Let me come with you. I was there, I know things-“

“After Canterlot they won’t trust you returning. I’m going to Bespin alone.”

“I heard some of the other talking about assassinating certain ponies Celestia cares for. I know who they are talking about, I worked in Intelligence,” Myrrah explained. “Maybe I should go to Ponyville and warn them, or even live there. I have heard it’s very friendly.”
Inside Out was feeling optimistic for the first time since strolling into camp. “Sounds like what I would do if no-one listened to me.”

“Agh, they listen, they just don’t care. You three go off and do what you want. But if it works write to us and tell us how it’s going. We could use you as examples and words of encouragement.” Every-one looked at Boaz.

“We?” questioned Inside Out.

“Yep. You gonna let just three go out into the world alone? Nah, nah. You need to spread the word. We need to keep going around to every campfire calling for this change. This way, our little invasions. they ain’t gonna work. Not no more. We gotta let every-one know about this. We ain’t just leaving, we’re Rebelling and starving the Queen of her ‘subjects’. She will have to listen to us before long.”

“Is this some type of revenge you got against the Queen?” Myrrah would not let him get away with this. “We’re doing this for the right reasons, not petty revenge.”

“No. I was at the Battle of Canterlot and saw the futility of what we’s tried to do. So many ways to feed off love and we pick the most dramatic, open and least effective one. She’s leading us down the wrong path, the same one we’ve gone down far too long. But she could get the more stubborn and less thinking ones to follow us too. She listens to us and she will see what we mean and our way will Feed us. Which is ultimately what this is ‘bout right?”

“Yeah, it is. I heard of this growing industrial town, Stalliongrad. They have a glass factory there, and I’m the best glass blower in camp. Find work and make friends there. Inside Out, what will happen to our families?”

“I’m going to their Caravan once every-one here has heard what I have to say, and then convince them to leave without me. I’ll catch up with them later. Maybe one of the towns you go to will accept them.”

“What if yer family doesn’t want to leave?” Boaz asked. No-one said much in response. It was hard to think about your loved ones not joining you when you were doing the right thing. Raven, despite her attitude to just get out looked uncomfortable going out alone.

“I don’t think it will be too big of a problem.” Everyone else looked at Myrrah. “Well, it’s not a once in a lifetime decision is it? I mean they might say No at first, but every day afterwards they could change their minds and join us. Their first choice does not have to be their only one. I can live without my family for a year or so hoping they will join me later. Right?”

Boaz sighed, stood up and stretched. “Look like we have our plans fer tomorrow. I’m gonna get some shut eye, then Inside Out, you and I are heading to the other camps and spreadin’ the word. You three, write to us every week like clockwork. We and our audience needs to know how you’re coping. Got it?”

Everyone went to their own wagons for night with their own thoughts. Tomorrow the Changeling race would change forever.

Author's Note:

Constructive Criticism are welcome as always.