//------------------------------//
// A Changeling's Efforts 
// Story: Society as We Know It 
// by Comma Typer 
//------------------------------//

The busy streets were filled with ponies walking, murmuring and talking whatever topic there was to talk about, from the simple and casual ones like what they were planning for the day to the more complex ones like what was the pony's plan for next year. All of these murmurings and talkings combined to form the sound of the sidewalks, and Hexapod stood patiently behind some baskets of apples and a sign that had the words "Apples Here! One bit for one apple!" written in large, bold letters.
A couple of carriages passed by the changeling, not paying him any attention as they went by.
Hexapod gulped and glanced somewhere.
Eucalypti and Apple Cinnamon were grinning at him as they ate on some hay burgers. "You can do this!" Eucalypti shouted.
And several of the ponies passing by looked at him with strange looks.
Hexapod looked back at the ponies on the sidewalk.
The sky was blue, a bright blue. The sun shone its light down on to the town.
Hexapod kept looking at the ponies passing by him.
Then, a stallion walked towards him.
"A changeling in the business of Apples?" the stallion exclaimed. "That's unexpected!" He took out a few bits from his bag. "Here, give me three of your high-quality apples, please!"
Hexapod smiled. He took three apples and hoofed them to the stallion.
The stallion grinned. "Thank you! I wish I could stay to chat because I want to know how you were able to land a job here, but I have some business to attend!" He placed the apples inside his bag.
Hexapod waved as the stallion rushed away.
The changeling looked at his friend and at the pony beside his friend.
They were smiling at him. Eucalypti was more expressive; he was moving his front hooves around in excitement and celebration. He flew into the sky and did a few tricks, all without saying a word. He even got the attention of more than several ponies who looked at him with awe and amazement, with several ponies pointing at him.
Eucalypti's wings glittered under the sunlight.
Then, he flew back down towards Apple Cinnamon.
Hexapod placed a hoof on his chin, pondering and thinking as more ponies passed him.



"Get your apples here!" Hexapod shouted as he flew about near the baskets of apples and the sign that was there. "These are Apple family apples, so you know that these apples are guaranteed to fill your hunger! Everypony, why not at least try some of the apples here?"
A crowd gathered in front of the performing changeling.
"You, yes, you, pony!" the changeling quickly said as he pointed at a stallion. "Let's see what you want!" He stepped aside, making the baskets of apples more prominent. "This is what you have been waiting for, is it not, pony?"
"I have a name, you know," the stallion gruffly responded. "Now, ask me what my name is."
"Oh, uh, yes!" The changeling gulped. "Well, uh, what's your name?"
"I'm Firm Schedule," the stallion said. "And, can you just please hurry up? Stop all this advertising and flying and talking to me like I don't know what an apple is or the importance of the Apple family—I just want some apples and then I want you to leave me be."
"Uh, alright, then, Schedule!" the changeling said a little nervously. "Here are the apples that you will surely and certainly enjoy!"
"Didn't I tell you to stop?"
"At least let him speak and do whatever he's doing!" a mare called out from the audience. "I don't wanna buy any apples right now, but at least what the changeling is doing is interesting!"
"OK, changeling!" the stallion said, approaching Hexapod. "I need to be at my office in five minutes, so you better give me those apples or else!"
"Or else what?" Hexapod asked with that advertising voice.
"Are you trying to insult me?!"
Hexapod threw some apples at him.
Firm Schedule caught the apples with his hooves.
"Next time," the stallion said, "don't try to distract anypony, alright?!" Then, he ran off.
The noise of the crowd only grew as the changeling flew around again. "So, that's one pony who will have a better day because of these apples from the Apple family! Now, who else wants some apples?"



The sun was setting. The sky was orange. Several pegasi flew in the sky, some of them looking down on the fields of apple trees that adorned the rural lands just outside the city of Trottingham. Far away from the carriages and the hurry of the urban ponies, Apple Cinnamon and the two changelings sat on the grass near an apple tree. Apple Cinnamon collected the bits and placed them inside a bag.
"That would be more than enough to get you something very nice," the pony said. He hoofed the bag of bits to Eucalpyti.
Eucalypti passed the bag to Hexapod.
"And, you earned it," Apple Cinnamon added, smiling at the changelings with a subtle yet warm smile.
Eucalpyti hugged Hexapod. "We're moving in Equestria, Hexapod! Aren't you proud?! Maybe we can get to work in Canterlot! Maybe work for the Princesses as guards!"
"I don't think I want to be standing at one place for hours on end everyday," Hexapod said as he let go of his friend.
"Of course, you won't! You get to move around in the room!"
Apple Cinnamon sighed a happy sigh as he watched the two changelings exchange their dreams and their thoughts about their dreams. He looked at the baskets beside him. There were only a few apples left.
"Or, what about we try and work at the farm in Ponyville?" Eucalypti suggested in excitement. "We can work directly for Applejack! Who hasn't heard of Applejack, the Element of Honesty, one of the heroines of Equestria? It would be awesome if we worked for her and she would reward us with our bits and we can talk to her about anything and we could—"
"Let's not get too quick about things," Hexapod said. He looked at Apple Cinnamon. "So, do you have anything else for us to do?"
"Well, not really," the pony replied. "I'm just here to visit the apple farm here. Tomorrow, I'll be travelling to Starlight's old village and see if there are any of my family. I once heard from Applejack that there was no Apple family member in that village, so they must be visiting, too, if they're there."
"So, what can we do here?" Eucalypti asked.
"You can always try your hoof at a job somewhere else," Apple Cinnamon answered. "Ponyville is an obvious first answer, but Ponyville is not the only place in Equestria to dream about. I am sure that you know the various jobs you can have here in Equestria. Just ask anypony on the street tomorrow, if you're staying here."
"Well, we have to go back before night," Eucalypti said. He hovered over the grass.
Hexapod also hovered over the grass.
"Where are you going?" Apple Cinnamon asked.
"I don't know," Eucalypti said. "Anywhere where we can get a stable job. Get some bits. Then, we bring those bits to the Changeling Kingdom."
"We're just trying to help our fellow changelings in our ways. It's the best that we can do."
"Why not work in the Changeling Kingdom?" Apple Cinnamon asked, tilting his head and frowning a little. "What's wrong with working there?"
"There's nothing wrong with working there," Hexapod replied. "It was our decision to work out here in Equestria. We get to meet lots of nice and friendly ponies. And, I want to be honest with you, Apple Cinnamon."
Apple Cinnamon did not say anything as he looked at the changeling.
"Thank you for letting me see more of the good things that you ponies have."
The pony stayed quiet for a while. "Actually, I want to thank you for letting me see more of the good things you changelings have."
Then, the sun went down. The sky darkened. The stars appeared and the moon went up, shining its moonlight on to the fields of apple trees.
Apple Cinnamon giggled. "Looks like you're late."
"Alright, Apple Cinnamon is right!" Eucalypti said as he flew out of the field. "Come on, Hexapod! Let's go!"
Hexapod glanced at the pony. "Thanks, Apple Cinnamon!"
Then, Hexapod flew away, following Eucalypti.
Apple Cinnamon looked at the changelings as they flew.