//------------------------------//
// A Changeling in Ponyville 
// Story: Society as We Know It 
// by Comma Typer 
//------------------------------//

"More changelings?" Soarin asked as he sat on the wooden chair, Spitfire at the other side of the table inside the Sugarcube Corner. "Also, more griffons and more yaks and more dragons attending." He took a bite out of the apple pie, munching on it quite loudly, disturbing the nearby customers as they glanced at him and had disgusted looks on their faces as they tried to get back to their own food and their own talks.
"We've been attracting more and more attendees ever since, well, what happened," Spitfire said. "But, why complain? More creatures watching us is what you wanted, right? Making the Wonderbolts better, more popular and famous." She laughed a little, holding a piece of apple pie, looking at Soarin as he went on in his loud, noisy eating. She placed the piece down. "It's a busy week for all of us—after this, everypony is going to Appleloosa for another show. Apparently, the ponies there really loved our last performance."
Soarin nodded in approval.
"And, what's stopping them? Schedule might have to be adjusted a little, but, otherwise, everything is going to be fine."
The door swung open.
The ponies inside looked.
A brown stallion with yellow mane and tail trotted inside. His cutie mark was an island with a palm tree. "Uh, I've been looking for my book. I've left it here, I think." His voice trembled a little as his eyes went here and there.
Pinkie Pie ran from the counter and rushed to him, holding a book with a hoof. He placed it on his head. "Is this the book you desire, Crusoe?"
Crusoe looked at the book on his head.
He grabbed it and looked at it.
"Thanks, Pinkie!" Crusoe said as he walked out of Sugarcube Corner, smiling at the happy pony.
Pinkie waved a hoof. "You're welcome and have a good day!"



Crusoe sat under a tree.
Beside him were two houses, looking similar to each other in style as they were both white and had hay roofs.
Crusoe held the book with his hoof and looked around. Ponies were passing by him on the street.
"If there was only somewhere, some place," Crusoe said. "I could be here in Ponyville, trying to rest and relax with a book in hoof. Or, I could go in some awesome adventure with some other ponies, maybe finding a treasure. Although, I need to know where I could adventure to." He placed a hoof on his chin. "Well, it's dangerous to just go adventuring—what if I get hurt? What if I have to go to the hospital but the hospital is so far away?"
He looked again at the ponies passing by.
Among the ponies, there was a changeling walking with them.
Crusoe eyed the changeling.
He was a green changeling, eyeing the place—looking here and there, looking at the ponies here and there. While the ponies around him were smiling, the changeling wasn't. He wasn't frowning or showing an angry face. He showed little emotion.
Crusoe narrowed his eyes. "That seems a little suspicious. No, that's very suspicious!"
Crusoe stood up and walked towards the changeling.



Starlight walked on the hallway floor, levitating a scroll as it glowed with her blue magic. "More history scrolls, more things to send to the writing team, and I could be credited in the next edition of the book!" Her smile grew wider, her face beaming with enthusiasm and excitement and joy. "I wonder what would Twilight think! If she gets the next edition of the book and reads it and finds out that I was able to contribute to the updating of that book, she's going to go crazy! She's going to be so proud of me, and she will be amazed at my ability to help the changelings with initiative!"
The front doors opened.
Starlight's smile faded. She looked at the pony who was there. "Uh, do I know you? Do you live here?"
"Uh, I live here, Starlight," Crusoe said. "In Ponyville, not in this castle."
"Yeah, that's what I meant," Starlight said, looking awkwardly at him. "Uh, what's your name?"
"You can just call me Crusoe," he replied. Then, he narrowed his eyes at her, making a serious expression on his face. "Tell me, Starlight. Have you seen a changeling around here? A suspicious-looking one?"
"We don't have suspicious-looking changelings here," Starlight answered, still levitating the scroll. "We have changelings who don't look suspicious at all!"
"But, he went this way," Crusoe said. He closed the front doors.
"The changelings we have here are fun and honest! If you were talking about the new changelings that just arrived here, then he's over at the library—"
Crusoe galloped his way past Starlight.
"Crusoe!" Starlight yelled. "What are you doing?!"
Then, she gasped.
"Oh, no."
She galloped.
Crusoe rushed past the windows of the hallway with Starlight chasing him.
Then, she closed the library doors with her magic, making the doors glow.
Crusoe stopped then turned around, now breathing heavily as he faced Starlight. "Starlight! I don't know what the changeling is doing there, but he looked suspicious, Starlight!"
"He looked suspicious! It doesn't mean he is suspicious!"
The doors opened.
The green changeling waved a hoof. "Hi!"
Crusoe's eyes were wide open, eyeing the changeling with a crazy, tired look. "Alright! Changeling! What are you trying to do?!"
"I was just helping Starlight!" He stepped to the side and showed a table filled with books and scrolls. "We're gathering notes for the next edition of the changeling history book! I'm sure the ponies who are writing the book are going to appreciate the help!"
Crusoe's mouth was wide open, pointing a hoof at the table and looking quickly at the table and then at Starlight and then at the changeling and then at Starlight again. He tried to make words, but they only came out as faint noises.
"I don't know what you are trying to do," Starlight said, "but this doesn't look right at all, Crusoe."
"But, the changeling—" He pointed at the changeling who was smiling at him "—he was the same changeling—looking suspicious—not smiling at all!"
"And, you're probably just worrying too much, Crusoe," Starlight said. "Haven't you heard? Haven't you seen what the changelings have done here? I was there when the changelings became good! Haven't you seen or heard Twilight and her many speeches about friendship for the changelings? Or, what about Princess Celestia and Princess Luna and Princess Cadance?"
"Alright," Crusoe said, slowly walking away from Starlight. He trembled. "Maybe it's just me worrying too much, like you said!" He laughed nervously, looking at the changeling.
"Do you want to help?" the changeling asked, smiling. He pointed at the table. "We have history books, pictures and images of us smiling and enjoying our lives—you can help in your own special way, Crusoe!"
Starlight laughed a little. "And, they're still learning."
Crusoe looked at the changeling. "Well, I think I'm going to be OK."
Starlight looked at him suspiciously. "Wait, weren't you at the party where I and my friends got our Pink Hearts?"
"Yes," Crusoe said. "Why?"
"You were OK with the changelings then, but why not now?"
The changeling flew towards the table.
"Uh, I was making a facade! Yeah, it was a facade!"
"Why would you make a facade when you could've just enjoyed the party?"
"Uh, I don't know?"
Starlight groaned. "Do I have to explain this to Twilight?"