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// Newspaper 
// Story: Society as We Know It 
// by Comma Typer 
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Just outside the kingdom, the path was filled with changelings passing by. The common noise commanded the area, some looking here and there to see what they wanted to see.
A changeling with a brown hat stood beside a short newspaper stand. It was stacked and stocked with newspapers sporting and displaying and boasting of different names and titles. Vivid, colorful pictures of various ponies, various other creatures, various events, and various landscapes were all stored in that neat little newspaper stand.
"Get your newspaper! One bit per copy for any newspaper!"
The shout echoed as a few changelings raised their hooves and gave their bits to the news changeling with the hat.
Newspapers were taken.
Beside the newspapers, there were magazines and comic books. A Daring Do comic book stood out in the open. Alongside it, there was a newspaper touting the name "Foal Free Press." The Ponyville Express was there, beside a copy of a comic entitled "MIGHT."
Some changelings stood and walked with their big newspapers open. Talks began and went on.
A changeling opened up his newspaper as he walked into the kingdom proper.
"'Changelings and Dragons now in Beneficial Alliance.' Hmm."
The yellow changeling walked on, newspaper covering his face.
"'King Thorax of the Changeling Kingdom and Dragon Lord Princess Ember of the Dragon Lands have arrived to an alliance agreement that will allow hassle-free movement of their citizens within each other's territories, increased mutual trade and investment of resources and goods, and stronger levels of detterence against those who wish to attack either or both kingdoms.'"
The noise changed, yet still remained the same type—talking, laughing, conversing, discussing.
The sun shone softly on his carapace. The buildings now revealed changelings who sometimes read newspapers. There was more moving, more words spoken, more emotions or, rather, more variety of emotions to be seen through the windows and out on the backyards and on the sidewalks.
He bumped another changeling.
"Hey! Keep watch of your walk!"
"Sorry!"
He walked on, still reading the newspaper.
The changeling looked back at the large picture under the headline. Clear and crisp images of Thorax and Ember together were placed there. Other images were there, depicting forestry, ponies, and celebrations and other events.
"'By both the leaders' requests, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have arranged certain days within the next few months to guide them in the political world.'"
"Seems too nice," the changeling commented as he read on while walking.
"Long Winded!"
The changeling turned his back.
Another changeling was approaching, also wearing a hat that was similar to his.
"Nastic?"
"Old buddy!"
They bumped their hooves, still holding their individual newspapers with the other hoof.
"Uh, we just met each other last night."
Nastic laughed to the sky.
The other changelings that were passing by took a glance at the weird changeling.
"You can stop now, you know, Nastic."
His laugh trailed off.
"Anything new, other than what we have here in the headlines?"
They began walking on the rocky sidewalk again.
"You're late for the news today, by the way. What gives?"
The two changelings then held up their newspapers, covering both of their faces from the rest of the populace.
They passed by the green, open field of grass. On them, there were changelings fumbling and tumbling with the hoofball, baskets or buckets being thrown around lazily and clumsily.
Nastic loudly inhaled the fresh, air. "Smells like trimmed grass scented with...something nice!"
"Ran out of words to say?" Long Winded smirked at his friend.
"Hah! Not really!" He tipped his hat at Long Winded. "Let's get back on the topic, shall we?"
"You mean about the newspaper?"
"Yes, Long Winded. About the newspaper." He tapped his copy with a hoof. "Do you think that Thorax taking lessons about being a leader from Princesses Celestia and Luna is a good idea?"
"Where else to learn than from the Princesses who lived a thousand years?"
"You mean Princess Celestia, since she ruled for a thousand years while Princess Luna was banished for a thousand years."
"You know what I mean, right?"
Nastic stretched a hoof right in front of Long Winded.
The intersection ahead was empty.
"What's this all about?"
"Just checking, in case we might have an accident with any of the carriers."
"Oh, right."
They crossed the road.
"Well, either way, it's still a good idea, Nastic."
A glass of water was spilled onto Long Winded's newspaper.
He grumbled and looked up.
"Sorry about that, sir!" the changeling yelled from his window. He quickly hid from sight.
"Anything else other than the headlines? I've already the headline news a few times!"
Long Winded had an angry face, looking silently at his drenched news. "Let's get moving, Nastic."



"At the convenience store again, Long Winded?" Nastic sniffed the air. "It smells of artifical chemicals!"
"It's what Thorax can afford, OK?" Long Winded replied. "Just because we get subsidies from Equestria doesn't mean we're instantly rich."
"The Princesses have a surplus of money; it's not like they have a reason to spend a meager amount on us changelings." Nastic took a sip from his glass of water. "Water's OK, at least. We couldn't complain about that. That just means we can complain about other things."
"Look, why don't you—"
"Wouldn't it be unwise, Long Winded, if—"
Long Winded held up his newspaper and covered his face with it.
The front wall was made up of clean, simple windows, giving a nice and graceful view of the outside as many changelings flew about and played or talked with each other. A few changelings carrying sacks of items, things, and materials buzzed by over the street.
"Are you alright, Nastic?" one of the cashiers asked, flying slowlyl towards him and his table.
"I'm quite alright, miss."
"OK, I see." She flew back to the counter.
Nastic looked at his own copy of the newspaper. Something was sticking out from it.
He pulled it out.
He read the action comic. The word "POWER" was written in bold, big letters on the front cover.
Long Winded peeked. "You...read...action comics?"
"The Power Ponies are quite entertaining to read, if you ask me." A smile crept up Nastic's face. "Sooner or later, the news will get into your head. You cannot stop thinking about them, the implications, the ramifications that it will have on us. The news are sold because they're negative, and I wasn't born yesterday, Long Winded." He motioned the comic towards Long Winded. "This is what keeps me stress-free: a fantastical story about ponies with super powers that always save the day."
Long Winded took a bite from his peanut butter sandwich. Beside it was a little sign that had an image of Thorax's face on it. Long Winded looked at Nastic. "You do know that Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends always save the day, too."
Nastic laughed again. "Not always. Just look at us."