> A Changeling's New Home > by Ugly-Duckling123 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It had been a few days since Fluttershy, with the help of Big Daddy Mccolt, had achieved her dream of building a real life Animal Sanctuary for all the hurt/sick/healing animals of Ponyville and possibly Equestria. "La la la la la la la," she sang gently to herself as they shy Pegasus made her way there to see how everyone was doing today. When she got there her little white rabbit Angel came running over and hopping, and jumping trying to tell her something. "Now Angel I know you know better than to come running over to me when there are others that need to be seen first," Fluttershy said as kindly as she could. But before she could head out to do her job, almost all the animals, including Gwen the giraffe and Ozzy the otter, came over too. "Oh gosh, what's got you all so worked up like this?" she asked looking around and following the animals into the shadier parts of the sanctuary. Morph was a young Changeling solider from the colony in Eastern Equestria ruled by Queen Insectiva. He was a Scouting Changeling, one of those who head out first exploring then coming back to the Hive to present what they found. So far, Morph hadn't really seen anything worthy of relaying back to the Hive, so he kept on looking, and looking, and looking. Feeling tired he chose to stop for the night and spend it here, feeling that it was safe and secure, since there were only animals and no ponies around. As the sun was rising on this fine morning, he could feel, fear and panic, around him. "Oh my..." he heard a mare say making him look up at her, a yellow one with the pink mane. Fluttershy had followed her animal friends to where they were leading her and saw a Changeling sleeping there. Except this wasn't one of Thorax's Changelings it looked like the what they used to look like when Chrysalis was in charge, black and buggy, but the mid section, instead of green was red. "Oh my..." she said seeing it wondering where the young thing could have come from. Slowly Fluttershy moved closer to him, but the young Changeling just backed up against the tree and hissed at her. "It's ok, I'm not going to hurt you," she said gently pausing where she was telling her animal friends to back away a little. "I'm Fluttershy, what's your name?" Morph was confused, why was this pony asking him what his name was? Unless is was an interrogation which meant that she was going to turn him in to the Princesses of Equestria and he'll never see his Hive or family again. Afraid that this was what was going on, Morph stayed quiet. "Don't you have a name?" Fluttershy asked a confused look on her face. "Maybe you can't speak," she said to herself weighing out possible options. "I can speak..." Morph said strongly "I'm not a larvae..." "Oh, ok, then what's your name?" Fluttershy asked again inching towards him a bit. Once again Morph stayed quiet, avoiding her eyes. "Please... I only want to know your name so I don't keep offending you by calling you 'It' or 'Changeling' or..." "Morph." Morph said cutting her off. "Sorry?" Fluttershy asked. "My name. It's Morph." 'Morph...' Fluttershy said in her head blinking a little 'Strange name, then again there are ponies with stranger names.' "Well then where are you from, Morph?" Fluttershy asked crouching down so she didn't seem as tall as she was. Once again Morph was silent. "Would you like some breakfast?" Fluttershy asked smiling gently. "A Changeling doesn't get to eat until his job is done," Morph recited, hugging his tummy to silence it as it rumbled loudly. "Who taught you that?" Fluttershy asked inching closer again. "My Queen, Insectiva," he said quietly his mouth drooling slightly by the amount of love Fluttershy was giving off for her animals and... For him? "So, you're jobs not finished yet?" Fluttershy asked only getting a shake of the head from Morph. "But surely you must be hungry," Fluttershy said getting up "Come follow me, and I'll get you something to eat." But Morph didn't move. Rule one of being a Changeling - Don't get caught. Rule one and a half - If you are caught, don't go anywhere with the pony who found you, for they may be taking you to a prison of some kind. Morph was thinking these over in his head and stayed put, not trusting Fluttershy. "That's ok," she said "My house isn't too far from here. You wait here and I'll be back as soon as I can." With that Fluttershy set off for her cottage to get some food and a first aid kit, just in case the reason why Morph isn't moving is that he was hurt. Watching her go, Morph layed back down and waited. As he waited, he looked around at all the animals, who were all still watching everything that he did. Soon a little white rabbit came out and over to him a fierce look on his face as he did charades that Morph got to mean as 'If you hurt Fluttershy in any way, you will have to deal with my and all the animals in Ponyville's wrath...' "Just leave me alone rabbit," Morph said curling up again yawning. Morph had just closed his eyes and had got to sleep, when he was woken back up. Looking around he saw Fluttershy setting up a picnic like setting and pulled out of the basket a plate of cookies, some cucumber sandwiches, some orange juice and a couple of apples. 'Oh I hope he likes all of this...' Fluttershy thought to herself 'It's not love but it was made with love. That has to count for something.' After checking that everything was alright, she turned to face Morph, smiling kindly. "Oh I'm sorry, did I wake you up?" she asked seeing Morph was awake. "You did, but it doesn't matter, I only just got to sleep anyway." said Morph as he got up and came over to examine what pony food she had bought. "You know Changelings don't eat the same things as Ponies right?" he asked "And why are you being so nice to me?" "I do know, but this is the best I could come up with," Fluttersy said petting Angel gently "And you looked like you needed it. It never hurts to help, or do something nice for others." Morph was not sure how to feel about this pony, but he supposed she did have a point. "Well I have to get to checking up on the animals," Fluttershy said getting up "I'll be back in a little while." Watching to make she she was gone, Morph took some of the cookies and sat down thinking to himself that he might just like it here after all.