//------------------------------// // A Clever Disguise // Story: The Ties that Bind // by the7Saviors //------------------------------// The trip out of town was made in the Vardo -- much to the fillies delight. Sunset had found out that Ancient Scroll had indeed modified the Come-to-Life spell to both last longer and take more specific instructions. They were now on their way back home to pack the last of what they wanted to bring on the trip. After the ponies, diamond dog, and Abyssinian had gotten comfortable in the caravan, Ancient Scroll had called the fillies into the sitting room for something important. He sat on the built-in armchair while the three fillies sat together on the couch opposite Ancient Scroll. "Now then," Ancient Scroll turned to Twilight, remember when I told you I had a spell to take care of your little notoriety problem?" Um..." Twilight tilted her head in confusion for a second before realization hit her, "oh right! You mentioned you had something that would disguise me?" "Aye," Ancient Scroll answered with a nod, "in fact, I think it'd be best if we made sure all of you were incognito for the duration of this trip." Twilight, Sunset, and Trixie glanced at each other with varying degrees of worry and excitement. On one hoof, that fact that they even had to disguise themselves made them uncomfortable, but on the other hoof they couldn't help but be intrigued by the idea of hiding their identities like some sort of spies right out of a fictional novel. Sunset Shimmer in particular seemed to be rather enamored by the idea. "How are you gonna do it?" Sunset asked. "Will we get to choose our disguise?" Trixie asked. "Is it really gonna hold up for the entire trip?" Twilight asked. "Girls, just give me a minute and I'll explain," Ancient Scroll replied with a placating wave of his hoof, "all your questions will be answered, don't worry," he lowered his hoof and nodded, "now then..." He furrowed his brow in concentration and lit up his horn. Each of the girls cried out in surprise as the old stallion was suddenly engulfed in a bright green flame. It only last a second, and when it was gone, there was a completely different stallion in front of the fillies. Ancient Scroll had gone from his old beige coated, green eyed. grey maned self to a younger looking navy blue, amber eyed, blonde maned unicorn stallion. "What--" "Uncle Scroll, what did you just--" "Trixie demands to know what--" The fillies outbursts were cut off by the stallion's amused laughter. "Relax, girls," the stallion said in a lighter, much less raspy voice, "I'm still Ancient Scroll, this is just a spell I picked up awhile back," he frowned and put a hoof to his chin, "well, it was actually more of a biological function, but I managed to break down how it worked and turned it into a spell." Twilight, Sunset, and Trixie sat there staring at the changed stallion in shocked silence. "...I have questions, Uncle Scroll," Twilight finally replied. "I'm sure you do, little filly," Ancient Scroll responded with a knowing smirk, "we've got a bit more time before we make it back to the cottage, so how about I tell you a bit about the race I based this spell off of?" The filly gave each other another glance and got comfortable as they listened to Ancient Scroll. "Now, as I said before, this spell isn't like any other disguise spells you may have seen or heard about," Ancient Scroll explained. His horn flashed a bright green and he returned to his old self once again, "as I said, this was originally a biological function -- specifically that of a changeling." "You mentioned changelings before," Twilight commented curiously, "what are they?" "Changelings are a curious race," Ancient Scroll replied, "if you were to ever see one, I'm sure the term 'bug pony' would come to mind, but they're far more 'bug' than they are 'pony' I can assure you. They have a solid black chitin shell instead of fur, sharp fangs and horns, bug-like wings and filmy blue eyes." Ancient Scroll took note of the eager look in Twilight's eyes with an amuse smile, but frowned slightly in confusion when he noticed Trixie sharing the same look. The changelings were interesting creatures to be sure, but he hadn't expected Trixie to take such an interest. Nevetheless he continued. "Changelings are shapeshifting emotivores that use a combination of their natural and magical abilities to feed off of different emotions -- love being their preferred source of sustenance." "Love?" Sunset commented, raising a skeptical eyebrow, "really?" "Really," the old stallion replied simply, "it's one of the healthiest and tastiest things they can eat. They can get these emotions any number of ways, but due to the nature of what they are and what they eat, many of these ways involve lies and deceit -- hence the shapeshifting ability." "So how were you able to learn enough about these changelings to be able to create a spell based on their biological functions?" Sunset asked with a bemused frown, "I don't see how that could be possible unless you either studied them extensively or you knew one personally." "As a matter of fact, I did know one personally," Ancient Scroll confirmed, "one of them had gotten separated from their hive and cut off from the hivemind. I helped him return. He and I became good friends along the way and he taught me a few things." "Did you say hivemind?" Twilight asked somewhat nervously, "changelings have a hivemind?" "Indeed they do, little filly," the old stallion replied, "they have hives run by a single Queen. That Queen both directs the hivemind and lays the eggs. As far as I know, the majority of the hives are located deep in the Badlands, though I've also heard there are some smaller hives elsewhere." "And just how did you manage to convert biology to magic?" Sunset pushed, "that seems... well... kind of unbelievable," she narrowed her eyes at the old stallion, "you're not a changeling... are you?" "Me?" Ancient Scroll asked taken aback by the question, "nah, I'm no changeling, little filly. How I created this spell is between me and my changeling traveling companion, but I assure you, I'm one hundred percent pony." "Prove it." "Wha -- Sunset!" Twilight cried indignantly, "learning a spell based off of changeling biology doesn't automatically make him a--" "I can't prove it -- at least not right now." Twilight whipped around to face the stallion with wide eyes, but before she could say anything, Ancient Scroll continued. "I could tell you all kinds of things about changelings, but without an actual changeling to compare me to, everything I say could be a complete lie -- it's not, but you have no way of knowing that," he shook his head and gave Sunset an apologetic smile, "you'll just have to take my word for it, little filly." Sunset bit her lip and stared at her hooves. She was conflicted. She really didn't like the fact that Ancient Scroll might've been lying to her -- to all of them all this time. Yet at the same time, what if he was telling the truth and he had somehow managed to actually do what he said he had done? It seemed impossible... ...but maybe it wasn't? "Trixie doesn't see what the big deal is." Sunset snapped her gaze to the shrugging azure filly. "So what if Uncle Scroll was a changeling?" she continued, "even if he was, he still cares about us, and that's all Trixie really cares about. Besides," she grinned excitedly, "that just means we can learn more about changelings than any other pony." "While I don't believe for a second that Uncle Scroll is a changeling," Twilight added tentatively, "I... won't rule out the possibility that he could've been replaced by one." As Trixie and Twilight discussed the issue, Sunset looked back over to the old stallion with a contemplative frown. "Hey, Uncle Scroll?" Sunset asked after a moment. "What is it, little filly?" Ancient Scroll replied with a patient smile. "...Can you cast that Shapeshifting spell on me?" Twilight and Trixie stopped their conversation and turned to Sunset with matching looks of surprise. Ancient Scroll furrowed his brow and nodded. "If that's what you want, I can do that," he said as he lit his horn once more, "just know that since I haven't cast this spell on any of you yet, I won't know what you'll end up looking like -- though once it's been cast the first time, I can give you all the same form again." "That's fine," Sunset replied with a determined scowl, "Trixie's right. Even if you are a changeling, you haven't done anything to hurt us," she gave the old stallion a small smile, "I don't want to think of you as anypony but Uncle Scroll, so just... go for it." "I... thanks, little filly. It means a lot to hear you say that," Ancient Scroll said, giving the orange filly a grateful smile of his own, "this'll just take a moment. The spell is static and will last for the duration of a week before it wears off and I have to cast it again." He nodded and his horn flashed green. One burst of green flame later, and in Sunset's place was a unicorn filly with a maroon coat, fuschia eyes, and a violet mane and tail with a single fuschia colored streak. Her cutie mark had even changed from a stylized red and yellow sun to a thick yellow four pointed star surrounded by a yellow halo. The other two fillies gaped at their changed friend. Ancient Scroll gave a nod of satisfaction and turned to the others with a smirk. "Well what do you think, girls?" he asked playfully, "quite a change, isn't it?" They both continued to stare at Sunset in disbelief for another moment before Twilight finally spoke up. "So... um..." she looked back to Trixie for a second before turning back to Sunset with an uncertain smile, "how do you feel, Sunset?" "I feel... fine?" Sunset blinked and furrowed her brow in bemusement at the slightly higher pitch and tone of her voice, "oh wow, that's gonna take some getting used to." Sunset had always had a slightly deeper tone of voice for a filly and she had been made fun of for it in the past, but overtime she had grown used to it, and had even come to like it. This, she decided, would be an interesting change of pace. "That's all Trixie needed to know," the azure filly rounded on Ancient Scroll, "it's Trixie's turn." "Trixie wait," Twilight interjected, "maybe we should--" "It'll be fine, Twilight Sparkle," Trixie replied, turning an accusing eye towards the lavender filly, "I trust Uncle Scroll, don't you?" Twilight opened her mouth, closed it, and sighed before giving Ancient Scroll a long look. She eventually frowned and turned back to Trixie with a single nod. "Of course I do." "Alright then!" Trixie cried happily, "it's time for Trixie's brand new debut!" Ancient Scroll chuckled as his horn flared to life again. The transformation took only a second to finish and a completely new filly rose and struck a pose before the others. "Well? How does Trixie look?" Trixie asked with a slight Trottingham accent in her voice, "fabulous? Amazing? Great? Powerful?" "...Huh," Twilight commented. "'Huh'?" Trixie repeated with an unamused scowl, "that's all you have to say, Twilight Sparkle?" "Well, I mean," Twilight rubbed her chin and narrowed her eyes slightly, "it's definitely... interesting, seeing your colors reversed and all, but that combined with the voice is just so... weird." Indeed, Trixie's coat had become a shade of bluish-grey that was just shy of being completely white, and her mane and tail were now a deep azure color. Her eyes had changed from their violet color to a brilliant gold. "Well Trixie thinks she looks positively amazing," Trixie replied as she admired her new look, "and she rather likes the voice too." "If you say so," Twilight replied with a roll of her eyes. She turned to Ancient Scroll with a nervous smile, "alright I guess it's my turn." "Ancient Scroll frowned slightly. "Are you sure you're okay with this, little filly?" he asked in concern, "you don't look too comfortable with the idea." "No, it's fine, Uncle Scroll," Twilight replied with a shake of her head, "I know this needs to be done, it's just..." she sighed and turned her gaze downward, "I really wish it didn't have to be, y'know?" "I understand," the old stallion replied, "but believe me when I say it's for the best -- at least for now." Twilight gave a silent nod and clenched her eyes shut as Ancient Scroll cast his spell. After a few seconds, she tentatively opened one eye, then the other and turned to face the other two fillies. "Well?" she asked nervously, "how do I look?" The other two fillies looked at each other with raised eyebrows before turning back to Twilight. "I don't know, Twi," Sunset replied carefully, "it doesn't really seem like... you." "Trixie agrees," the light blue filly added, "the new coat doesn't fit you at all." "W-What do you mean?" Twilight asked before raising her brows in surprise, "wait... is... is that my voice?" The sound of her voice was much like Sunset's was before, only with a slight accent she couldn't readily identify. Ancient Scroll chuckled as Twilight looked herself over. Her coat had become a stark black color while her mane and tail were a bright silver with a yellow and orange streak. Her wide and dismayed eyes shone a deep orange color. "I... I... don't," she looked back to Ancient Scroll, "ponies don't normally have black coats!" she cried, "this'll make me stand out even more!" "I have to admit, black coats are a rarity," Ancient Scroll replied, "at least, here in Equestria they are. Thankfully you have the perfect coat color and accent to pass for a pony from Trotland." Twilight blinked. "Trotland?" "Oh yeah," Ancient Scroll answered with a knowing smile, "many of the ponies in Trotland have dark or muted coat colors, and that slight Trottish accent will make the disguise all the more believable." Twilight lowered her head and slowly nodded once. "I... guess that makes sense," she conceded. Her frowned turned to a small smile and she looked back to Ancient Scroll, "and I did buy that book on pony nations outside of Equestria," she clopped her hooves together as her excitement grew, "this might be fun after all!" "That's the spirit, little filly," the old stallion replied, "just have fun with it." It was at that moment that they all heard a knock on the door, before it opened to reveal Rouge. "We've arrived at the..." She stared at the three changed fillies with an unreadable expression before turning a questioning eyebrow to Ancient Scroll. "Disguises for the trip," the stallion replied with a simple shrug. Rouge nodded in understanding and said no more on the matter. "We've arrived at the cottage," she finished, "it's getting late so I'd advise taking as little time as possible to get your affairs in order." "Thanks, Rouge," Ancient Scroll replied with a grateful nod, "we'll be out in a moment." Rouge gave them all one last smile before heading out and closing the door. "Well you heard her, fillies," Ancient Scroll announced before rising out the armchair and turning to each of them, "let's get our stuff and get out of here." The three fillies all hopped off the couch and followed Ancient Scroll out the door as they chatted excitedly about their new looks. "Ah, before I forget..." The fillies turned to Ancient Scroll curiously and the stallion turned back around to face the three with a smirk. "No good disguise is complete without an alias."