Numb
A bit of pain
was it there this entire time, the pain?
hmm, the numbness is going away, its so peaceful right now I don't want it to end...
wait, the pain is getting closer
wait
wait!
Stan opened his eyes as the pain seared back into his jaw, the pain was numb enough to be a few days old but it was still very much there.
The changeling looked around, he was in some sort of hospital so that was good news.
Stanley tried to formulate a word to call out to a nurse but all that came out was a syllable followed by a yelp as Stan felt a crunch and soon after what felt like a jackhammer to his face.
Stan groaned in pain, his jaw was going to be out of commission for a while.
The changeling moved the rest of his body, it felt like a worn out battery, rather weak but nothing else hurt enough to stop him from getting up which was exactly what he did.
it was of utmost importance to find where Cynthia is, as for Banka... well he should at least get some answers from him.
As Stanley hopped off the bed and stood on all fours, he realized that the wounds he had between his ribs were barely noticeable, thankfully they had ample time and treatment to heal but now he was branded with scars on each side marking his past encounter with Cerberi.
The new scars also meant that he must have been out for a while... either that or this place had some impressive medical treatment methods.
Despite the jaw being in an appalling state, his predicament could have been worse, Stanley thought as he began to cautiously trot towards the hallway outside only to be stopped by a white mare with a pink mane and a nurse's cap with a red cross
"What are you doing up like this, you should be lying in bed"
"..."
"Get back to bed, you still need to rest"
Stan shook his head in disagreement and pain
"Sir, if you don't take the time to rest your jaw might never heal"
But Stan just shrugged, he had far more important things to do than rest and heal his jaw.
The changeling rudely pushed the mare aside as he entered the hallway, on the right, the exit to sweet, sweet freedom.
"Where are you going sir? please get back to your bed" began the mare as she hovered around him, clearly concerned but unwilling to be forceful, he was a changeling after all and the hospital didn't need a lawsuit on their hooves, they already had taken a risk bringing in a passed out unknown changeling into their care without anypony's consent.
Stan unfortunately didn't listen to the nurse, instead, with a newfound determination he swished open the hospital doors as if they were made of paper and took a step outside.
The clean Ponyville air tickled his nostrills as the changeling scanned the surrounding area, he didn't know where he was, or how long he was out, he needs to get answers and those answers were hopefully provided in the scenery.
Stanley scanned the area like a newborn who is seeing the world for the first time in their life
it seemed to be home... his home, Cynthia's home, they were back! the familiar trees, ponies trotting about in the town below, sounds of familiar life...
As much as Stanley expected the ease of relief to set in, that isn't what happened, far from it... instead of relief coming to the rescue, the vines of unease and fear began to creep up unknowingly for the changeling, he was looking at home, by all accounts he should feel at ease but... but why, why is this terrifying him? its as if he were thrust into a world of the uncanny valley his mind not being able to figure out whether it should be at ease or alert of danger...
Stan had to get to the bottom of this, as much as it terrified him there must be a reason for it, there has to be something.
...Unfortunately for him, Stanley was right.
As Stanley peered at the town down the road, he began to notice that some things weren't like home, in fact everything was not quite like home.
First of all, the houses... they seemed old-fashioned, and by old fashioned he meant the sort of old fashioned you see in history textbooks, pre-unification era so that would be a solid few hundred years, the stands looked outdated, in fact the stands themselves were outdated, nobody used them anymore and of course, small colorful specks that were ponies could be seen everywhere, reallocating themselves across the town with a sense of purpose.
The town was as if it were infested with a rainbow of tic-tacs and yet no gryphons, dragons and barely any changelings could be seen which was simply out of place, as if the entire town had segregated all racial diversity and had thrust it aside to make way for ponies with an occasional changeling here and there.
"What the-" thought Stanley but didn't manage to finish that thought as it were knocked out of his head by a couple of burly stallions who tackled him.
Before his confusion settled to make out what had happened he was already dragged back into the hospital.
The stale air over Ponyville awaited after a long and tiresome night for its morning sunshine to sweep it away under the rug and replace it with the fresh morning batch of morning zephyrs and breezes waking up the residents of the small town... but the sun hadn't come just yet, the night hadn't given up and it wasn't over, it had still an hour or two to go and it was at work making sure that hour was going to count before dreams fade away.
A changeling mare living on the outskirts of the town, bordering the everfree forest was rebelling and had gotten up before the time of rise for most.
The wake-me-upper clock ticked away until the time of strike...
Tick, tick... zap
A small harmless but obnoxious stream of magic found its way onto the mare's horn zapping it
Nothing
Zap
The changeling mare Began to rustle in her bed
Zap
A minorly unpleasant stinging sensation had woken the mare up
As the mare's mind receded from the dream realm and onto reality as if a computer booting up each and individual process, she began to realize what was happening
Bed
Zap
Husband by her side
Zap
Wake-me-upper
Za-
As much as the wake-me-upper wanted to continue, the mare parried the next zap with one of her own, rebounding the stream of magic back at the clock, turning the alarm off.
The mare groaned, she would much rather have a standard alarm clock but her soundly sleeping husband doesn't take well to sounds, he is a light sleeper after all so they had to buy this Horsepoop alternative that wakes up the user with a silent burst of magic tot heir horn, that way only the ones who want to wake up wake up.
Pacifica looked at Monty
He never quite grew up but that's what she loved about him, she was the mature one and he was the crazy spontaneous one that kept spicing up the relationship.
The only thing that grew up in Monty was his looks.
A stallion in his early thirties, much like herself, a strong jaw, strong powerful legs... who could have ever figured that he would end up looking like this, he was just a fragile colt when she had first met him but all the action over the years had forced his body to muscle-up and adapt to their lifestyle.
Pacifica sighed, she could stall all she'd like but work was work and she had to go.
Why can't the sun rise earlier? commuting in the dead dark of the morning is such a pain and Pacifica really needed the sunlight to kick-start her day, though what kind of changeling gets up at 4 to go to work on a daily basis, Pacifica highly doubted that Celestia was going to raise the sun for those two or three ponies or changelings who get up extra early to get the worm.
Pacifica got up from her bed at a glacial pace knowing that she would have to deal with... "him" when she gets to work and she really doesn't want to today.
Pacifica however got up anyway because beggars can't be choosers, besides Pacifica had a pretty good job all things considered, respect, money, even power and she wasn't going to risk it all just for a sleep-in day.
She looked back at the bed one last time, Monty sleeping nice and sound, at least he gets to sleep properly these days, given his hobby and all...
Pacifica made her way into the bathroom and looked at herself... she aged pretty well too, she was no longer a young teen filly, she was a full-blown mare in her early thirties, her flank filled in nicely when she hit puberty but she had to change her style somewhat to a more formal one if she wanted to get into the political business, she pinned her hair in a bun, put on her formal dark blue suit with pants (A skirt was a pain in the flank)
The one downside of wearing said pants is that the pervs would often catcall at her but something told her that it didn't matter whether she wore pants or a skirt, pervs are pervs.
It was getting late, the Train to canterlot was going to leave in just 10 minutes so she hastily decided not to eat breakfast, grabbed her pendant from the bedside shelf and off she went to the station.
It was a cold night, the low mist nibbled at the mare's ankles, a chilly 8 minutes later, Pacifica had finally reached the station, and just on time too as the train was already waiting.
The changeling sluggishly trotted into the train heading to Canterlot... if she hadn't formed such a bond with Ponyville throughout her teen years then they would have moved to Canterlot long ago instead of having to commute there every damn day.
Speaking of them, as Pacifica entered the train and sat down on the nearest seat, she began to wonder what she and Monty are going to do next month for their anniversary, its been over 5 years of marriage and she really wanted to come up with something special for Monty given how stressed he has been lately about that new hobby of his.
Pacifica giggled, she would have startled the passenger next to her if it weren't for the fact that at this time of night, nopony travelled and so she had the whole cart to herself
Monty could be so childish sometimes and it was so cute, she loved how his face would light up whenever he would talk about the Trisport tournament and what he had planned for it... nonetheless she had concerns about this new hobby, it had been taking up more of his time than it should and he had responsibilities, big responsibilities.
It was time to have a certain talk with her husband about the irresponsible way in which he's been acting and what that is doing to his career.
Pacifica sighed, she knew this wasn't going to be something easy to talk about but it had to be done, perhaps if they had been normal changelings, she would let things slide but the two of them are far too important to the changeling-pony relations to be allowed such an extravagance.
Before Pacifica even realized, the train had already hissed its way into the Canterlot train station, it was time to start work.
As usual, the Mare took her time arriving to the Castle for her daily meeting with other representatives and ponyticians and discuss any other changes or updates that need to be done that day.
Truth be told, this whole representative thing was new to Equestria compared to its previous history.
Equestria has always been a monrachy and the system worked, but now, things are somewhat different, now the land needs to be shared among two kingdoms and two monarchies, both of which have been already challenged by its foalk.
As a result, it has been decreed that a number of representative individuals elected by the foalk of each kind be put in a position where they help the monarch establish more appropriate laws for them.
Not an ideal system, but things had to change, and they had to change fast... and this seemed to put the power of the commonfoalk on the table of monarchy as the last thing anypony wanted was another revolution.
It was up to her, this committee could go both ways, it could either become a puppet for the monarchs or it can thrive and be a source of invaluable input of the common pony and changeling to make a change, and she was the one in the middle of it all, the poster child of this entire committee and Pacifica knew it, she had to be strong, she had to be unwavering but most of all, she had to be kind.
The castle as golriously majestic as usual, now with an added west wing extension exclusively dedicated to the new system which was where Pacifica was heading to.
The 15 year old wing glistened in its white and gold glory, still had that chalky fresh drywall-esque look to it in some areas.
Pacifica dove into her saddlebag for her I.D on a leash (not that she needed it given how popular she was) and whipped it onto her neck.
The doors opened as if by an invisible hand to let her into the wing.
The inside of the wing was a completely different world.
The castle's interior matched its outer shell however this wing was something different entirely, the only time Pacifica had ever seen such a disparity between an outer and inner building was when she had first entered into the TARDIS.
The inner reception hall, unlike with the rest of the castle wasn't grand and echous, instead it was quiet and professional.
Almost every sound was quickly absorbed into the dark chesnut wooden themes and accents making the reception seem more like an uneventful library.
The floor of course carpeted as there is nothing more annoying than the sound of hooves constantly clooping, the carpet a homely red, not a royal one.
On each side of the reception hall, double doors, of course born of chesnut, an engraving of a changeling on one door and an engraving of a pony on the other, shaking hands, holding the doors closed in their friendship.
At the end of the reception hall opposite to the entrance, a set of stairs splitting into a t-junction of even more stairs that cut off from the entree's vision by the only stone thing in the entire building, the wall.
The first thing that Pacifica was met with was a pair of security doors that were magically charged with a spell that is used to detect all forms of malicious devices or cursed objects.
The device, as usual, set off beeping like a maniac announcing everypony in the wing that she had arrived.
Pacifica sighed
"Everyday, I swear to god..."
A buff smartly dressed earth pony stallion approached her from the small desk to Pacifica's left.
The stallion presented a small plastic tray
"If you could just place any magical objects or items into this tray please?"
Pacifica looked at the pain in the ass.
"Really?"
The stallion unphased, just pointed at the tray silently.
Pacifica rolled her eyes, she's been working here for years now, the old guard was much more lax on this, he knew her, she knew him and they had an arrangement, the only magical item she ever had with her was the pendant and she even had an official permission from Celestia herself to allow her to bring that item with her without the need of inspecting it everytime she entered the wing... Everything changed however once the old guard retired, Once mr. coolio wasn't around anymore, pricksworth mcgee came trotting in as if he owned the place and she had a feeling that he was trying to assert his dominance over her... maybe he had a power complex or maybe he was just sexist... she didn't know and frankly she didn't care, the fact that he managed to get this job in the first place and seep through the cracks of quality control was a joke.
Pacifica took off her magical item that was in the form of a pendant and placed it on the tray, she didn't like parting with it even if it were for just a moment, it was a very powerful item that could spell a lot of trouble if one were to get their hooves on it and figure out how to use it.
"Anything else to declare ma'am?"
Pacifica looked at him
Then at the tray with the pendant
Then at him
"Anything else t-"
"No"
The stallion put the tray onto the nearby table for later inspection and returned with a dung-eating grin and a piece of paper that Pacifica knew all too well.
"Oooook then I will need to you to fill in this form here"
Pacifica wasn't stupid, everyday she came, she had to fill in this goddamn form ever since this d-bag had been around and it shaved off a clear 15-20 minutes of her time, he was the reason why she had to take the early train and not the later one, he was the reason she got up those 15-20 minutes earlier... she is a patient changeling but you mess with her sleep then you are going to regret it.
Pacifica dug into her saddlebag and retreated an already filled out form, she knew he would do this so she got an empty form to take home from the receptionist, filled it out during her spare time and then just used magic to make spare copies whenever she needed it.
Clearly her plan worked as his smile faded.
"What's this?" he asked
Pacifica did her best to recreate his famous dung eating grin.
"Since you keep losing important documents to the point where I need to refill this form on a daily basis, I decided to make your work easier and pre-filled this form before I arrived to work"
The stallion gave his usual stunned carp look as he inspected the perfectly filled out form.
Just as Pacifica was about to shout her victory call in her mind his dung eating grin disgracefully came back.
"I can't accept this form because I don't know where you got it from"
Pacifica had enough of his games.
"Hold this" she began as she threw her saddlebag onto his hooves, the confused guard had no time to think so the only thing he could do was comply to her order and hold her saddlebag with both hooves including the one he was holding the filled out form with, trying not to drop either one of them.
As the stallion was busy trying to figure out a way to hold both things, the mare just clopped around him, grabbed the pendant, put it back around her neck just in time for the stallion to turn around.
"What the-"
But the stallion didn't get to finish that sentence as Pacifica's back was already facing him and as soon as the saddlebag appeared in his hands, it had disappeared and was now on her
"Thanks" Replied Pacifica as she calmly trotted away
"Wait! I need you to fill in the form!"
"You have the form" replied Pacifica already on her way to work
"I can't-"
"Take it or leave it!" Pacifica's voice echoed as she had already disappeared up the staired t-junction and around a corner
This whole form thing was horse-melarchy, never in her entire career did she have to fill in that form more than once, she knew the system well enough to know that after the form is filled out there are no requirements stating that it needs to be filled again, instead, they are archived and referred to later on when the same pony or changeling arrives through that gate with the same item.
The guard had nothing on her and he knew it, they both knew it.
Perhaps it was time this guard retired early (with some generous help from Pacifica of course) but right now there were more pressing matters to focus on.
One thing always shocked Pacifica and that was just how fast a day can go by when doing something one is passionate about... most would stay that a day spent on discussing the intricacies of laws and making minor seemingly insignificant changes and updates to laws would seem boring however Pacifica didn't see it that way... to her, it was building a new system for this current world to thrive in and frankly its new and uncharted waters, what they are doing now will influence the next 500 years, she knows it, she remembers it from her time of childhood, how things were, perhaps that was why she felt as the right one to apply for this position and it was great that the commonfoalk liked her enough to elect her.
Despite the bright future, to Pacifica, this place was still the past and here, things were a bit more... old-fashioned, what was obvious to Pacifica was often an absolutely new and nearly incomprehensible idea that would be met with controversy by her peers but be often backed up by the populace.
There was a lot of work to be done to get things to the way they are going to be in the distant future, some ideas, the populace isn't ready for, for example changelings in the police force or special ops given their notorious reputation for undercover work, ponies weren't yet ready to trust changelings enough to allow such a thing to happen... for now.
Pacifica could have spent the rest of the evening thinking about this as long as it wasn't going to be at work.
it was time to go home.
The carbon-fibered darkness overwhelmed Ponyville and a bathbomb of stars exploded into the night sky which happily glistened and winked with its thousands of eyes, one of them winking directly at a small and peculiar house-shaped tree located just next to the outskirts of the everfree forests not too far away from Fluttershy's sanctuary for wounded animals.
Within the novelty house, Monty was cleaning, it was a hectic day and he needed to get his mind off of things.
The changeling couldn't wait for the return of his wife, he had to tell her everything about what had happened earlier today, he really needed her opinion and advice on what to do, a solid third of the stadium is gone as if it had never existed further delaying finishing it and increasing the amount of bits they are going to need to invest into it.
it seemed like it was going to take forever but eventually, the doors opened and an exhausted Pacifica burst in.
Monty jumped, after all these years he still couldn't get used to his wife's entrance
"Hi there dewdrop"
"Hey" Pacifica exhaled
They were finally together at last, it was a friday night so they can relax and let everything go until monday.
"You wouldn't believe what happened today"
"?"
"Hard day?"
"..."
Monty knew her like the back of his hoof, she changed a lot in these last 20 years, she had become much more open, talkative to others... a part of Monty missed the days when she was the quiet type and only talked to him, made him feel like they have a really special connection but this was good too, he was happy to see her blossom with others and that's what meant most to him.
Still, there were times when Pacifica would revert to her old quiet self, most often if she were mad or tired, in this case he could tell she went on silent mode because she was too tired to be her open self.
The best thing to do during her quiet modes was to just continue, a problem for most since she wouldn't reply but he knew her well enough that he might as well be reading her mind, each little reaction each tiniest twitch on her expression, it all meant something and he knew it all.
"There was an accident at work today"
"!!!"
"Oh, don't worry dewdrop, I'm fine"
Pacifica ran up to him and hug him only to gave him an angry look a moment later
"Ah sorry, shouldn't have scared you like that"
"..."
Pacifica went to their bedroom to undress
"You know..."
"?"
"I'm a bit worried about the accident"
"?"
"I went there for the usual inspection and update and guess what, just like that, out of the blue, an entire third of the stadium just disappeared! like it was just erased from existence, like there were plants and actual adult full-grown trees where the stadium was, it was weird"
"?"
"I don't know, I didn't actually see it happen, I just turned away for one second and next thing I know its gone, in fact a builder that was on the scaffolding fell and died"
"!"
"Yeah, I was shocked too"
"..."
"Yeah, it does worry me, like a lot... for starters this is a huge setback for our project, not only is the completion of the stadium delayed but we are also going to have to invest-"
"Wait, you want to invest more of our money?" Pacifica wasn't sure whether she heard that right, she had taken weeks to muster the courage to talk to him about selling the stadium and focusing his career on something more meaningful and now she hears that he wants to invest even MORE into all this? surely that was a joke, she must have misheard it.
Monty jumped in response to her reply, his wife rarely ever broke her silent mode when she was in it and it was almost always a bad thing.
"Well... yeah, we can't just leave the stadium like that, its needs to be finished"
Pacifica Gave Monty that "yeah, about that..." expression
Pacifica inhaled, this is going to be hard on Monty but she needs to say it, she has been putting it away for too long.
"I've been wanting to talk to you about this for a while but... I want us to sell the stadium"
Monty didn't register what that meant, not yet at least.
"Sell, you mean like, in the form of shares once its finished?"
Pacifica sighed, this wasn't going to be an easy talk.
"I think we should sell it now"
Monty was finally beginning to figure out what Pacifica was trying to convey
"What? but why, now is the time when we need to invest more into it not sell it"
"I know, but... don't you think its time to move onto more important things?"
"But... I am... this is me moving onto important things, the stadium must be finished as soon as possible"
"I mean things that really matter"
"This does really matter"
It was going to be about his book, wasn't it
"But what about your book?"
Yep, it was about the book
Monty had heard that argument once too many times, how many times does he need to explain it to her
"Not this again, I told you, that's already done, ended, finito, I wrote the book, published it, heck it is even used in schools!"
Pacifica needed to make him understand, the book wasn't just a book
"What you wrote was more than a book, its a crutch for our new society to thrive, you are now an important part of that society, it needs you, just getting the book published isn't good enough for this to work, its just a thing, a lifeless piece of paper, it won't fix things, ponies do, changelings do... we do..."
Monty gave Pacifica a gentle hut, her favourite.
"I know how much that book means to you, it also means a lot for me too, heck I wrote it! but... there is more than one way to keep this new world together and trisport... is another way... the book is already there, don't you think we might need something else to keep this world together too?"
Pacifica knew he won't like her answer
"I do but... you can't neglect this... not this"
Stan unexpectedly let go of Pacifica ans scoffed, she just didn't understand, he might as well be talking to a brick wall... he hated when she was like this
"I thought you would be more supportive of this"
"I am but-"
"But you don't want to support me in this exact thing"
The two looked at eachother in silent bewilderment, neither was willing to let go or budge and both knew that this time, this might end up as more than just the usual bicker... and it was scary.
Seconds dragged out into minutes which in their mind's eye might as well have been a lifetime, either one of them was too afraid to do or say anything.
Their love was strong
their relationship stable
it could survive almost anything
but this?
the suspension bridge of their relationship came to a rocking swing.
Somepony had to take a first step.
Pacifica decided to be the first one, as much as she loved her husband, he did have a way of messing up with words and this was one screwup she wasn't willing to risk.
"I love you..."
"I... I love you too"
"...And you mean the world to me but you have a really important role in this world, please, don't neglect it, we worked so hard for all of this"
"You're talking as if the fate of the world depends on this book"
"It might... this is a new world, your book is a tool we can use to make sure it grows in the right direction, do you really want to leave this tool in the hooves of someone who would misuse it? what we do now is going to define this world for the next 500 years"
There it was again, every once in a while she would say something about the future as if she were completely certain of it, it was an irritating feature of hers to say the least
"Nobody knows the future"
"I do"
"How?"
"..."
Some secrets should be kept from everyone, even her husband.
Monty silently nodded in disapproval.
There was no winning this argument without telling Monty the "big" secret
Monty gave a soft stomp with his right hoof.
"I will use my funds from the book to finish this stadium"
Pacifica's eyes began to glisten with a sad reflection of Monty as tears were preparing to trickle down her face.
"...Our funds" replied Pacifica in a heartbroken tone
Monty had said something he shouldn't have and he had just realized it
"...I-I meant our fun- I mean-"
But there was no getting out of this one
Pacifica needed some time for herself, time to deal with the pain... how could her own husband say something so selfish, they shared everything a life, their house, the money and it wasn't even about the money to begin with, it was about him willing to disregard everything they had built together and risk it on what, a fantasy?
if only he hadn't been a fan of this stupid sport.
Pacifica couldn't take it, she had to get out of here, she needed a pause button on this
"Dewdrop, wait!"
Monty reached out to his wife but it was too late, her back already turned to him ready to leave this home, her eyes in tears barely able to make out what is laid out in her way out.
"Please!" Monty shouted but that only sparked Pacifica's will to escape even more as she galloped to the door leading to the fresh and new outside.
A green flash of magic opened the door and Pacifica made her way to freedom.
Unfortunately for Pacifica, fate had a very different plans for her as she smacked her face against a brick wall and fell to the floor
A hot trickle tickled The mare's nostrils in the form of a nosebleed.
Monty rushed to the rescue but as he tried to help Pacifica lift herself she slapped his hoof away, she didn't want him to touch her, not yet at least.
The two looked at the open door and the wall on what was supposed to be the outside as if somepony had walled them in.
Pacifica looked back at Monty, a question in her expression or at least from the part of the face that wasn't obscured by her hoof trying to hold back her nosebleed.
Monty simply replied with a silent shrug, his guess was as good as hers.
Monty slowly approached the wall and caressed it with his hoof, yep it was real
the two shared a glance yet again, just a moment ago this thing wasn't there
"Windows" suggested Monty
"!"
The couple set their squabble aside to begin scavenger hunt to inspect each and every window.
Not two minutes later the two reunited to update eachother on the state of the house
"It seems like only the windows facing east are walled up but... why?"
"Outside"
"Indeed, we need to see this from the outside"
The changelings entered the kitchen, opened up its window facing west and the duo hopped out to dash around to the other side where the wall should be.
Sometimes weird things happen that seem to defy all reason and logic and quite often they have some explanation that simply eludes the bystanders, this however, was not one of them.
Pacifica and Monty's house was no longer alone, its as if it had found its beloved partner in a random cottage and the two were now closely kissing wall-to-wall.
"What the buck?" exclaimed Monty, he had never seen such a thing before and he has seen many things in his lifetime.
"..."
"Yeah, I'm speechless too, dewdrop"
Pacifica pointed to the mysterious cottage's lively chimney
"Smoke"
"hmmm... I suppose someone is inside then"
"Knock"
"You think?"
Pacifica rolled her eyes and flicked her head in the direction of the door signifying Monty to just do it.
Monty gave in, it was clear which one of them wore the pants in this relationship
"Ok, ok, I'll knock"
Monty approached the door with caution.
"As if this day can get any weirder..."
As Monty was about to find out, he was not good at premonitions.