Every leader throughout history has their own way of relaxing and having fun in between one civil duty from another. From my point of view, I get it, despite what most ponies romantic versions of what governing a country is like, in reality, it’s much more stressful than everyone thinks it is. You’re asked to judge problems and juggle many conflicts at once that sometimes not everyone would agree with your judgment. It would make anyone stressed out over the worries of what affects your decisions would have on the rest of your citizens. So I sympathized with them in taking a break by doing an activity that they enjoy.
So after Thorax had taken care of the petitions and heard his citizen’s concerns, I was able to go up to him to ask, “Hey buddy, what do you wanna do?”
“Since it’s been a rather long day,” he said stretching from his throne. “How about we do something fun?” He hopped out of his seat in which he started to walk out of the open-air throne room, to which I began to follow. “You wanna play a game with me?”
I tilted my head, “What kind of game?”
“A new sport that my Changelings are trying out and I want in. Come on, it’ll be easier for me to show you once we get there.”
So I followed him through the hive until we came across a circular hall wherein the center, a ring of Changelings were gathered as one of them had set a rubber ball in the very middle. As soon as it touched the ground, all of them rushed to the outer walls of the place where I noticed that it was divided up with lines of white paint. Each section had a number which corresponded with the ones that were taped on their backs. The Changeling who set the ball in the center flew straight up, who had a whistle around her neck.
“Okay guys!” she called out like a PE teacher. “Just remember the basic rules: No kicking or punching is allowed; use only shapeshifting magic; do not change into anything that is bigger or longer than a gryphon or smaller than a hamster; don’t blind anyone, and try to bring the ball back to your section in the shortest amount of time possible. Understood?”
While they told her that they did, I turned to Thorax, “What are they doing?”
“Just watch.”
“Okay ready!” she called out as she scanned the room one last time before blowing her whistle. And just like that, the Changelings burst into green flames before turning into random objects and creatures as they all lunged for the ball in the center. I saw them change from roadrunners to paper airplanes as they all rushed to grab it. The first one to touch it had turned into an eagle but had lost the ball almost immediately to someone who was a rabbit. From there in a series of confusing transformations, I watched how the ball was being taken, dropped, rolled over to the other side, kicked, caught and stolen once more. All the while, Changelings quickly morphed from cats and dogs to fishing line and bouncy balls.
At this spectacle, I turned to Thorax, “What the hay is this?”
“It’s a game that my brother had invented,” he said. “He calls it Changeling Ball. It’s like capture the flag but way more exciting. Do you see how those Changelings have a number on their backs? Each one is trying to bring the ball to the section in which they’re assigned to. Of course, it won’t be easy as everyone else is trying to do the same thing and they’re allowed to shapeshift as long as they don’t harm the other players. Look! That one is gonna make it!”
I turned in time to see that there was a changeling that was making a run for it along the walls, trying to reach number twelve in which a wave of objects and creatures were after his tail. And as soon as he was close, he leaped into that space where, as soon as he touched his spot, the referee blew her whistle.
“One-minute fifty-eight!” she cried out. The changeling that made it let out a celebratory shout slamming the rubber ball in which it bounced away.
“So you wanna play?” Thorax asked with a welcoming smile.
“I don’t know…” I told him. “You do know that I can’t really shapeshift.”
He chuckled, “You don’t need magic to play silly. Don’t worry, if you want I can have them go easy on you. Trust me, this is way more fun than it looks.”
“Well, I don’t know…”
“I promise that you’ll have fun.”
Humming, I watched them as they reassemble the game. “One game,” I told him. To this, he happily grabbed my claw and dragged me out to the hall.
“Hey guys!” he called out, “Any room for us?”
They, in turn, bowed to us before looking around the room. “Spot twenty-four is open,” the referee pointed out. “But I think that might be all the players we can take at this point.”
“Yeah,” one of the Changelings said, “Besides, ain’t it a little unfair to have Spike play? He can’t shapeshift like us.”
In my head, however, the gears were turning as I examined the room and remembered how the game was played. Then just like that, an idea hit me. “What if I don’t have to?” I suggested. “Hey, would of you guys mind if I was the one that it’s me you’ll have to take the ball away from?” From there I picked up the rubber ball. “You guys can do whatever you can to try to take it away from me, but I must do what I can to take it back without using any magic, or firepower. Just keep the rules in place, but this time it’s not just everyone you have to fight off – but me.”
Every Changeling looked at one another before they turned to the referee who shrugged. “I guess that can work. But remember, the same rules still apply. Everyone get in your spots so we can start.”
So standing in the middle with the rubber ball in my claws, I perked up my ears and sharpen my eyes on all of them. When my eyes fell on Thorax, I realized that this was the first time that I’ve seen him so focused. He looked, much like the other changelings, as if they were ready to pounce like a lion ready to strike its prey. But I wasn’t scared. This was a game after all, and I was playing ultimate keep away with twenty-four other changelings… And just like that I suddenly realized how stupid this was.
Suddenly, the referee above blew her whistle and I was hanging on to that ball for dear life. From every direction, I was slammed by them as if they tossed themselves at me. For a second, I was confused as to why many of them changed into birds and little furry animals until I suddenly busted out laughing as they were trying to tickle me into releasing the ball.
Now I know that doesn’t sound all that bad when you’re covered in furry, feathery creatures that try to tickle you in every direction – but it was torture. Yes, I admit that I was screaming my head off while laughing uncontrollably as they were trying to get at me from every pressure point. If anything, I was on the floor rolled up while I was desperately trying to hold onto the ball as long as possible. I probably was kicking, wagging my tail just to get them off of me, but it was in vain.
Needless to say that I lost my grip when the rubber ball rolled off and I was mercifully given time to breathe. The ball was instantly captured by two changelings that one turned into a dog size crab while the other a hawk. “H-Hey!” I cried out as I got back up and charged after it with several others following me. The game itself was a blur of green fire, of animals that used cunning to take hold of that rubber orb, of feathers that flew around the hall with it, and even of objects like toy train cars to lose my footing. If anything, I was surprised in how creatively ruthless they were at this game.
Not to say that I wasn’t able to get the ball back, several times I leaped and ducked, rolled over and sprint about like I was on a battlefield. It was an extreme sport to capture and recapture the thing that would bring the end of this game. Then I tripped over something in which before I could hit the ground, Thorax suddenly appeared right underneath to catch me. Of course, I did lose the ball and once one of the changelings captured it and ran to his spot, it was over.
At that moment, I was face to face with Thorax, our muzzles were mere inches and panting out breath after tiring breath. Truth be told, in a situation like this, I instantly knew what he was thinking as I saw that blush. “Sorry,” I immediately rolled over so that I could assist him back up. “I’ve got to admit it that was intense.”
“But it was fun wasn’t it?” he asked.
“Yeah! It was like every foalhood game rolled into one and somehow made it better. But can we have a breather?” He agreed with me so we stepped out of the hall and towards a hole in the wall that looked out to the oncoming winter landscape. We sat by this enormous window, breathing in the chilly, welcoming air. “So, your brother invented that game?”
He nodded, “Partly to get the hive to exercise and to get creative with their use of disguises while having fun doing it. Although, I have to say that you were great out there.”
“You guys were brutal in there,” I pointed over with a thumb. “I don’t think that hoofball has anything that would make it as extreme as that. Still, I’m amazed that you call that recreation.”
The king laughed, “What can I say; fun is what fun is for me. Besides, you were a good sport. If anything, I’m rather pleased that you managed to keep the ball away for so long.”
“Maybe I need to play it more often and really learn how to move.” While I took a moment to get my breath back, a wicked thought entered into my head as it was reflected by that smile. “You were about to kiss me back there, were you?”
His head turned bright red at this, “W-What? Come on Spike, I didn’t think that I would do that on our first da- u-uh… well not to say that I haven’t- I mean that…” he groaned as he stopped tripping over his own words.
I chuckled, “Dude, it’s okay. I mean back there we’d landed in the most cliché of romantic positions. Heck, it’s called a cliché for a reason, ya know. Plus, given what I know how you feel about me, I would be surprised if you thought otherwise.”
“Doesn’t make it any less awkward…” he muttered, his face still scarlet with embarrassment.
Now I admit, as much as I had empathy for him, the way he had his eyes cast aside, his head blushing, it was… adorable. “Here,” I said, “give me your hoof, Your Majesty.”
He raised an eyebrow, “Why?”
“You’ll see,” I offered up my claw over to him and he extended his foreleg. There, beside that chilly window, I knelt down to him. “Do remember that while I’m not exactly active, I am a knight. For in our code of chivalry, we do have a custom in which we express gratitude and… affection to whom we serve. To someone whom I can see great promise in for being their love, loyalty, and devotion to. A simple act that has a great significance for both of us.” From there I kissed his hoof, looking up with an eye of how flustered he looked.
“Awe… dammit, Spike, you’re so charming. Almost makes me wish you kissed me on the lips and carry me off to a castle.”
“I believe that was Cadance and Shining’s fantasy,” I chuckled. “But hey, when I’m the official consort of a King, I might as well have fun with it.”
He laughed, “Can’t argue with that. Perhaps I should make you an honorary knight of the Order of Amore.”
“Perhaps, but I still have to earn it first,” I cheekily smiled.
“Fair enough,” he got back up. “So do you want to continue on with the game or do something else?”
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to relax my way.”
“Oh? And how do you do that?”
I went over to his side, “Wanna go out for a walk with me?”
He smiled, “I love to.”