//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3: Chitin 
// Story: Golden Ink 
// by Detsella Morningdew 
//------------------------------//

Dinky studied herself in the mirror. She had never taken much stock in her own appearance. What she saw in the mirror was... something.

She would have expected that she would look nicer than her strange, half-transformed self she saw that morning. And she did. If she was honest with herself, she looked good as a changeling. But still, it had never really occurred to her how much would actually change.

Seems pretty ironic, considering the name.

The only thing that seemed remotely similar were her eyes. But even those had those weird eyelids she could see through.

Her mane and tail were still a golden color, but they were thin and wispy. But gold seemed to be a theme. Her eyes, her mane, tail, that weird saddle-shaped part of her back, whatever stuff was between the chitin plates, and even-

Wait, I have wings?

Of course, it made sense. She saw the other changelings. But it had never really occurred to her what that would mean.

She stared at her reflection blankly. I have wings...

They weren't like her mother's of course. They were changeling wings. Like bees, not birds.

Dinky shivered, and they buzzed briefly. She sat down on the cold tile floor, pressing both of her hooves at her temples in an attempt to relieve her growing headache.

Even that felt alien, reminding her that her skin was basically shaped pieces of armor. Like a beetle. Or one of those really big dragons she often saw in history books.

She slumped the rest of the way to the floor and sighed. I knew this would happen. I knew what changelings looked like. Why is it so weird, then?

Cheerilee had hammered the concept of equality into all her classmates' heads from the time they entered school. Earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns were all just as valued, and the stereotypes of any of them were not as true as ponies often said. Even just the Hearth's Warming story was all about acceptance and all that. Even if she personally doubted its authenticity.

That, of course, sparked a lot of questions about alicorns, especially when Princess Luna came back. People were just so used to Princess Celestia being "The Princess," that they kind of forgot she was her own kind of pony. They were just... the best of everypony, right? How would that be equal? Then Cheerilee introduced the aspect of responsibility. The Princesses got no time off, no "recess." And before Luna came back, Princess Celestia didn't even have the luxury of sleep.

Then Zecora came into town, and Dinky realized just how bad it could get, even among those ponies she looked up to. Ponies she thought were role models. The whole thing was a misunderstanding that could have been avoided with a more open mind. Apple Bloom was the real hero then. Not any of the big ponies.

That situation really prepared her for the changelings. Not that she was exactly rushing to talk to them. They were attacking, after all. But she stopped when it mattered, and listened.

Yet at the same time... a pegasus may appreciate what an earth pony does, and even that they are just as great as their own species. But what pony would want to switch?

I know I'm still myself. I know changelings are the same as other ponies, just different. She sighed. I don't even regret what I did. But at the same time... even being a pegasus, with their complex wings, and preening, and all that... it would be easier than this.

For how uncannily similar changelings were to ponies, it was no longer as easy to think of them as just another race of ponies that somehow didn't make it to that frozen cave in ancient Equestria.

No... the general unsettling feeling she was getting, the sense of wrongness that she had felt before she had even made it home was growing, becoming an almost overwhelming panic as she realized what was missing.

She wasn't breathing.

There wasn't even the instinct for it. Dinky forgot about it, and it didn't happen.

But now she knew, and she couldn't even do it.

It was like suffocating, while feeling just fine, like everything was normal.

The fact that she did, in fact, have plenty of clean air did nothing to calm her panic, however.

I don't have lungs! I don't have freaking lungs! The spell messed up! Nononono... I need my body back, now!

Dinky took a sudden gasping breath of air, and as her mind cleared from the panic, she noticed the slight hints of fire fading away from around her.

I... I transformed?

Fire flowed down from her horn, covering her once again.

No no wait-

She was a changeling again. Still unable to breathe properly. But a lot more lucid.

Huh. Extreme panic works for changeling magic. And I don't have lungs, apparently. But I feel constantly... oxygenized.

"But if that is true, why can I speak just fine?"

The statement sounded normal, except now that she was paying attention, there seemed to be a very faint distortion, almost as if...

I'm literally talking with magic.

Dinky shivered, turning away from the mirror and running back out of the bathroom.

"Dinky, are you all right?"

She leaped for her mother, hugging her as tightly as possible and pressing into her fur. This, out of everything, she knew would never change.

"Mom? Can I sleep with you tonight?"

Ditzy nuzzled her daughter. "Of course, Muffin. Of course you can."





Dinky woke up in her own bed. She smiled at the thought of Mom tucking her back in once she woke up for work. She tried to remember her dreams, as usual, but as usual, she didn't remember much.

There was this odd knocking sound that seemed consistent through all the confusing stuff, though.

She jumped out of bed, then rolled awkwardly as she put too much force into the action.

Oh... right. That's going to take a while to get used to. Dinky rolled back onto her hooves, standing up again before trotting into the kitchen.

There was still a bit too much spring in her step, and it almost felt like she was walking on eggshells when she finally managed to walk properly.

Eggs and toast were already laid out for her, as usual on a school day where Mom had to work. And despite what she knew about changelings eating love, or something, it seemed that she was hungry for breakfast anyway. Especially the eggs for some reason.

Though her new fangs were a bit annoying to get used to. She ended up tearing off pieces of toast to eat them instead of just chewing like normal. Any sideways motion of her teeth felt wrong and didn't work right. Still, enough vertical motions seemed to chew things well enough.

The eggs were really good, though. She almost understood her mother's near-obsession for them. So after a moment's indecision, she added a couple hard-boiled eggs to the lunch Mom had already packed for her.

And with one last look at the clock, she decided it was about time to walk to school. Still a bit early, even for her normal standards, but... after yesterday, she felt it was still a good idea. Cheerilee would probably want to talk with her again, especially now that she was a full changeling. At least she could be sure Cheerilee was on her side.

Almost as soon as she left the house, she noticed the stares. Unlike last time, where she was an anomaly, ponies knew exactly what she was. And who attacked at the wedding. None of them were particularly hostile, and as usual, there weren't that many. The only ponies up were just going to work. But Dinky still cringed at the almost physical presence.

There was a flash of green, and she suddenly felt heavier. A few of the stares turned into glares, which shocked her until she noticed that she had somehow turned back into her unicorn self.

Oh, wait, they think I'm impersonating... myself. She looked at them uncertainly, but surprisingly, they seemed to leave her alone.

That's the usual reaction for Ponyville, I guess. Just ignore it, and it might go away. She took a deep breath with her newly-acquired lungs. At leat nopony new gives me a second glance. Now if only I can keep this "disguise" all day.

Despite how easy it was to don the disguise in the first place, it was oddly difficult to maintain it, due to the constant concentration it required. It wasn't much of a problem, since she knew her own body remarkably well. Still it lasted only until she got to the schoolhouse.

"Dinky!"

Her disguise fell away in a flash of yellow fire.

Cheerilee had the decency to look embarrassed. "Sorry about that. Could we talk for a bit before class?"

"Oh, um... yeah. I thought you might." They both started to move inside.

She managed to look even more uncomfortable. "I admit I am curious what it is like. But it's for something else. Have you read the newspaper this morning?"

Dinky groaned, remembering the stares that morning. "What is it this time?"

Cheerilee waved a hoof frantically. "Nothing bad! Actually, it helped quite a lot with the misinformation. Princess Celestia gave a public statement." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Now based on what you told me, not everything in it was true, but... you should see this part."

She fished a newspaper out from behind her desk, and tossed it to her. Without thinking, Dinky caught it in her magic.

"Look at the fifth paragraph."

"Though this Queen Chrysalis was responsible for this large-scale invasion, my dealings with her successor, Princess Golden Ink-"

Her magic flickered and died, dropping the newspaper on her desk.

"-has shown that she is interested only in the future cooperation between changelings and ponies. As such, while changelings may be monitored in the days following this incident, they should be treated as possessing the rights of any Equestrian citizen."

Dinky groaned. "Just how many ponies know my full name?"

Cheerilee chuckled. "I only know it well, since I have to deal with a lot of paperwork with your legal name on it. I'm sure only your friends might know. And the mayor, perhaps."

Dinky groaned. "And the ponies that work with records in Town Hall. You know how fast news travels, right? If everypony knows like this, I can't even to pretend to be my old self anymore."

"It's not so bad. At least the Princess corrected a lot of the misinformation. And the ponies working at Town Hall don't just give away information like that." She glanced sideways at her student. "Though speaking of princesses..."

Dinky slumped over her desk, head resting on the accursed newspaper. "I mean, technically, it's true. But it feels wrong. Like saying that suddenly, you were the Princess just because there weren't any other ponies anymore."

Cheerilee flinched. "I see your point. But I don't think Princess Celestia gave you that title for no reason, either. Otherwise she would have just said you were a citizen of Equestria. Like you were already."

Dinky rolled her eyes in irritation. "Yes. The Princess of who, exactly? Of what? Princess of changelings? Yay me, I can rule myself."

Her teacher gave her a warning look.

"Sorry, that was rude. But still. If she was trying to make me an Equestrian Princess... it just makes no sense. What have I done? I mean, you could argue what I did was kinda 'hero-like,' but it didn't even help Equestria any."

"That's debatable. But that wasn't what I was trying to say. Based on what you told me, Chrysalis didn't just want another changeling. She wanted somepony to save them. As a species."

Dinky scrunched up her nose. "You're talking about marrying a changeling, aren't you? But there aren't any."

Cheerilee hesitated for a moment. "I'm just making a guess here, and I'm almost afraid to ask in case I'm just being really speciesist, but... what relation did Queen Chrysalis have with the rest of the changelings?"

"I don't think she..." Dinky paused, another, foreign memory answering her brain's request. "Mother." She paled.

Cheerilee winced. "Sorry, I got caught up in my theory. You shouldn't have to worry about that until you're much older."

Dinky's eyes widened. "I'm a Princess... because I'm not Queen yet."

"Well... this is based on a lot of assumptions. I could be wrong. Princess Celestia could just be protecting you with a title."

"No... it just makes too much sense. I don't know whether to be incredibly relieved, or scared out of my wits."

Cheerilee smiled kindly. "Don't worry about it. For now, just focus on the here and now. If I've learned anything from Twilight, it's that you can count on your friends for support. No matter how strange the situation is."

Dinky looked towards the open door of the schoolhouse, the morning sun streaming through the opening.

"Anyway, I have to get ready for the lesson today. If you need me, I'll be in my office."

Cheerilee stepped out of the room, leaving Dinky alone to think. There was no getting around it - everypony in class saw her as a half-changeling. They knew who she was. But the ponies on the street, the ones that gave her those looks when she changed back into her old self - those ponies couldn't know. They just saw her as the newspaper portrayed her. A non-hostile changeling.

But why, though? Why wouldn't news like this have already spread like wildfire?

The sunbeams streaming through the open door of the schoolhouse were interrupted for a moment, causing Dinky to look up. The pony standing there made her do a double-take.

"Twilight? What are you doing here?" Separated so much from the events of the wedding, Dinky wasn't exactly angry with Twilight anymore, but she was still confused to see her here, right before a school day. "Miss Cheerilee didn't say there was going to be a guest teacher today."

Twilight looked down, avoiding her gaze. "Dinky... I've been thinking a lot in the past two days." She sighed. "No, I should have come to you yesterday, but I was still kinda afraid you'd be mad at me anyway."

Dinky blinked in surprise. "Um... Miss Twilight?"

"I'm sorry. For what I said at the wedding."

She looked up, facing the lavender mare. Twilight had trouble meeting her eyes, but there was something... more behind her expression than Dinky expected. "No, it's fine. You didn't have all the information."

Twilight shook her head vigorously. "I shouldn't have had to have the information. Jumping to conclusions like that, especially over an entire race-"

"Made you able to tell the fake Cadence apart and get to the bottom of things. Before it was too late. It makes you decisive when there isn't time to check every detail."

"But-"

"Twilight... Miss Cheerilee teaches history a lot different than most of the books do."

The unicorn was just confused enough not to try speaking again.

"There's always two sides to everything. Do you remember learning about the Griffon-Equestrian War?"

"Of course. But what does that have to do anything with this?"

"Everything. Do you remember why they attacked in the first place?"

"Umm.... Dinky?"

Dinky grinned sheepishly. "Sorry. I kinda went into Cheerilee mode there. But I'm using it as an analogy for something."

"We don't really know that much about the griffons' internal affairs. But if I remember correctly, the war was stopped with a trade agreement."

"Cheerilee says there are always two sides to any conflict. Miss Twilight, the changelings attacked for the same reason the griffons did."

Twilight gasped in recognition. "I see what you're saying. But isn't that the same thing as you were talking about at the wedding?"

Dinky blinked. "Wait, you were listening?" As soon as she realized what she said, she quickly covered her mouth with her forehooves. It was a bit less effective with the holes.

Twilight blushed red with embarrassment.

"Sorry!" Dinky said between her hooves.

She walked closer to Dinky with only slight hesitation, sitting on the floor next to her desk. "It's okay. With how I was acting then..."

"Ponies are still afraid of griffons."

Twilight looked up. "What?"

"I mean, a lot of ponies find them kinda cool. Myself included." Dinky paused. "Well, technically-"

"No, I get what you meant."

Dinky shook her head. "Right." She looked back at the adult pony sitting next to her. "Twilight, I can tell you are still afraid of changelings."

For a moment, the fear was almost pushed out of her eyes as she beamed. "I knew it! Changelings can feel emotions!"

Dinky frowned. "Wait, what? What are you talking about?"

Twilight froze. "Wait... it isn't a new sense?"

"Umm... no? I just knew it like I knew anypony was feeling things. I mean, before."

True to form, Twilight brought out a quill and parchment. "And think about it - is telling what somepony is feeling easier than usual? I mean, I was trying to show you I wasn't scared."

Dinky looked down, analyzing her own hooves. "I mean, maybe? Isn't it body language or something?"

Twilight started to scribble something down on the paper. "I think it's something a bit more than that. Where did you look to tell what I was feeling? Do you remember?"

She started to think, and analyzed Twilight's face as it was now. "Eyes. It was your eyes, I think. I'm not even sure about that, though. It just feels that way. Which kinda sounds like a changeling sense when I say that out loud, but everything seems so normal about it. Nothing about my new changeling stuff has ever felt normal."

Twilight's quill was now flying across the page, and her face was showing an odd sort of concentrated glee. After about ten seconds, the quill stopped, and the parchment was quickly rolled up and stored in her saddlebags.

"So... what was that about?"

Dinky flinched backwards as Twilight grabbed her in a sudden hug. "Oh, just confirming a theory of mine! You know how everypony can see, but pegasi have particularly good eyesight? How earth ponies have particularly good smell and hearing?"

"Yeah, and unicorns can usually sense magic better."

"Formed magic, yes. Well, everypony can sense emotions. They make an imprint on your wellspring. And no matter what kind of pony you are, that wellspring makes a field around you. A field that can affect other ponies around you."

"Umm... how did you discover this?"

"Well, it's still technically a theory, but..." Twilight blushed. "I was just trying to figure out why nopony could ever sneak up on Pinkie Pie."

Dinky sighed. Everypony knew about her efforts to undertand the happy chaos that was Pinkie Pie. "You're using Pinkie research?"

Twilight traced the wooden grain of the schoolhouse floor with the tip of her hoof. "Well, to be fair, I didn't treat it as reliable until you confirmed it."

"But... if that's true, how can changelings feed on love?"

She gave a knowing smile. "How does friendship fuel the most powerful magical artifacts on Eqqus? Nopony knows. Even if my theory is right in every detail, the pattern ponies can sense is the effect of that emotion, not the emotion itself. In the grand scheme of everything, we know nothing about the wellspring that makes us who we are."

Dinky looked at the clock on the wall above Cheerilee's desk. "Twilight, school is going to start soon. Did you have anything else you needed to do?"

Twilight shook her head, clearing the stray thoughts floating around in her mind. She rose to her hooves. "Actually, yes. Kinda. Only if you  want."

"What?"

She hesitated slightly before responding. "I want to get used to changelings. Get used to you. I also, really, really want to learn about your species. And I'm sure you want to know some things, too. Princess Celestia sent me a letter. She found Chrysalis' hive. Now yours, technically."

Dinky blinked. "Oh. Wow, I did not think of that."

Twilight looked at her nervously. "Princess Celestia kind of meant it for you, but... could I come with you? I mean, when you go, that is. If you want to go. I'm sure I can arrange it with Cheerilee if you want to go soon! Tomorrow?"

"Let me... let me just talk to my friends first." Dinky sighed, looking at her overly-eager face. Do I really want Twilight with me?

She remembered the library. Twilight's library, really. She had always been so excited when Dinky came in there for a book. And despite the stories spread around town, there was always... something underneath. Something special. And despite what she did at the wedding, Twilight was trying to fix it on her own.

Dinky sighed. Do I really not want her with me? She looked up at Twilight, who was almost out the door. "All right, Miss Twilight. I... I'd like it if you came with me."

Twilight looked over her back at the filly, Dinky. The changeling, Golden Ink. They weren't as different as she was expecting. She smiled gratefully, closing the door.