I have made an amazing discovery! I had thought that changelings were either born individual or subservient, but that isn’t the case! Any changeling can learn to think for themselves, but this information is withheld in order to maintain the hierarchy of the hive. I must go discuss this with the Queen at once! This could be the beginning of a new era of changeling advancement.
Excerpt from Among The Shapeless by Wanderlust.
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I looked out my upstairs window at the bizarre thing happening outside. Water... was falling from the sky, and the sky was rumbling and flashing. I didn’t know that the sky did that. The only thing about sky water I knew was that it was wet and that it was gathered at the hive. I wanted to go to work, but I didn’t know what effect the falling water would have on me or my job.
“Well... it’s just water, what could it possibly do to me?”
I stepped outside and shivered as the cold liquid immediately soaked my disguise and chilled me to the core. I shrugged it off and proceeded on my way. It was only a few minutes of walking before I was passing Redheart’s house and she opened the door.
“Mirror! What are you doing?!”
I waved at her and said,
“I’m going to work.”
“But there’s the storm scheduled for today going on right now... and it’s a Saturday!”
I paused.
“What’s a Saturday?”
I saw her place her hoof over her face before she waved me over.
“Just come here!”
“But I—“
“Now! Before you get struck by lightning!”
Now was my turn to... well... be more confused.
“Lightning? What’s—“
*BANG*
*rrrrrrruuumble*
I was soon standing beside Redheart. She smiled and said,
“Well that was quick.”
“WHAT WAS THAT!”
She flinched and groaned,
“Sheesh, Mirror. Er... or was it... uh.... Do you have, like, a changeling name?”
I nodded and tried to dry myself off, but this stupid pony fur made it really hard.
“By the Queen, this fur is impossible to dry!”
Redheart shrugged as she closed the door.
“Drop the disguise if you need to. It’s not like there’s anypony here who will notice and care.”
I could see no flaw with her idea so I complied. With my disguise gone the water flowed right off my body. I shuddered and sighed,
“Much better.”
I sneezed and rubbed my snout. Redheart poked her head back in and asked,
“You okay?”
I sniffed and nodded.
“Yeah, just a bit cold from the water.”
I sneezed again and shivered.
“Well then you should come warm up by the fire. I’m making cocoa if you want some.”
I nodded. I have no idea what cocoa is. As she walked off I sat by the fire and tried to warm up, but it was no use. I sneezed again and my nose started to run. I barely even noticed when Redheart sat down beside me and put a tray on the table in front of the coach.
“Hey, you feeling okay?”
I sneezed and shivered again as a response.
“That’s no good. But how did you get sick so fast? I mean, walking around in the pouring rain will chill you enough that it’ll depress your immunes system and make you more susceptible to illness, but it shouldn’t happen this fast. Here, let me check for a fever.”
She placed her foreleg against my forehead and screwed her face up in concentration. She sighed as she moved it off and said,
“To be honest, I can’t tell. Who knows if changelings have the same body temperature as ponies do?”
“Sorry.”
I sniffled and bunched up a bit in an effort to ward off the cold. She sighed and pulled a blanket out from below her table and spread it over me.
“That should help.... To be honest, the whole... changeling body thing still creeps me out.”
I flattened my ears and mumbled,
“I’m sorry.”
“Oh no-no-no! I don’t mean it like that. I’m still, well, pretty much sure you’re still my friend. It’s just... you do look kinda... menacing.”
I looked up at her as I pulled the blanket closer around me.
“Well... actually no. Menacing isn’t the right word. Especially given how... vertically challenged you are. Are all changelings as... small as you are?”
I sniffed.
“I... I think so-oh-ooooACHO!”
I shivered again and whimpered.
“I... I’m not sick, am I? Please tell me I’m not sick!”
Redheart gave me a weird look and said,
“Uh... I’m pretty sure you have a cold. Though how you caught one so fast is beyond me.”
“NOOOOO!”
I burried my face in the blanket and whimpered. I felt Redheart touch my back as she said,
“What’s the matter? Are you okay?”
I sniffled and responded,
“I... I don’t wanna get sick! Sick changelings never get better! They go away and are never seen again!”
Redheart whistled.
“Wow... talk about overreacting.... Wait, are you being serious right now? That... that’s awful!”
I nodded and shivered again. I could feel water around my eyes. No, changelings don’t cry! Changelings don’t cry! C-changelings don’t.... Changelings....
There was a disturbance in the blanket as Redheart slipped her forelegs in and wrapped them around me.
“Hey, it’ll be okay. I’ll help you get better.”
I sniffed and looked at her face.
“R-really?”
“Yeah! I mean, it is my job after all.”
I felt the water around my eyes grow again and I pressed my face against her soft, fluffy chest.
“Th-th-thank you! Y-you’re so nice!”
She awkwardly patted my back and muttered,
“Menacing my flank. Sheesh you’re falling apart. I’ll have to write you a doctors note so you won’t have to go to work. I don’t usually for colds, but....”
I squeezed tighter and pressed my cheek against her as I continued to fall to pieces.
“You’re kinda scaring me with all this whole freaking out thing. *Sigh* what have I gotten myself into.”