//------------------------------// // Taking him in. For science! // Story: Changing Opinions // by keenan //------------------------------// “Hiya twilight” Pinkie Pie pops out of a pile of books next to a contently reading Twilight Sparkle. Causing her to jump back screaming. “PPPINNKIEEEEEE!”. “Tttwwiilight!” Pinkie muses back. “You shouldn’t sneak up on ponies.” the purple mare scolds. “Okay doki Loki.” pinkie smiles. Twilight face hoofs “Why are you here?”. “I need a book on cupcakes.” the pink mare says. “figures.” Twenty minutes….twenty minutes searching for a book on cupcakes, with Pinkie Pie. Sanity level -0. “Here you go pinkie. A book on the history of cupcakes. Hope its what you wanted. Now if you’ll excuse me I need a walk.” Twilight gasps. “See you later alligator” Pinkie takes her book in her mouth and walks out the door. Twilight puts on her boots then begins her walk to clear her head of that pink menace. Taking a path close too the edge of the ever free forest and quite far from Ponyville. Half way down the path her head turns on its own towards a near by bush with the force of a minotaur punch. “Odd.” she backs up and walks closer to the bush on the side of the road. This time as she walks by her head jerks toward it with even greater force. A slight green glow emits from behind a few leaves. “That’s the color of a-a-a changeling's magic.” she mutters before jumping trough the bush and landing onto a mixture of beetle of pony. Pinning its shoulders down with her front hoofs she aims her horn down at the changeling. “You where feeding off me!” she yells. The changeling covers its face with its hoofs whimpering. The magic around twilights horn fades. She looks down at the changeling, it’s nothing like the ones she fought in Cantelot, it’s a duller black, its wings are cracked, and its exoskeleton is collapsing. “I’m sorry.” it says stopping its sniffling. it’s sorry, and obviously mal nourished, no Twilight, it’s just trying to trick you. “Why where you feeding off me?” twilight asks. “I’m a changeling its how we eat.” it says in a voice in between insect and pony. Twilight stands over the changeling pondering her next question. So many come to mind, but there’s so many things unknown about changelings that asking would just make her sound silly. “You’re coming with me.” says Twilight. “What?!” the changeling asks. It hadn’t expected to be taken captive, just killed on spot. “So I can study you, for science!” she says picking the half bug half pony monstrosity in a magical field and hoisting it above her head. She begins trotting back to Ponyville. “You know walking into town with a changeling probably will get you a lot of looks.” the changeling says. “Right, can you change into a pony?” Twilight asks . “Not exactly, too weak haven’t been eating enough.” it explains. “Well I’m not giving you any so I guess I’m have to just teleport us.” she drops the changeling then lays a hoof on its back before using her magic to teleport them both the library. The changeling stumbles a bit dazed from the sudden shift. Twilight picks him up with her magic again and carries her to the basement. “Here’s where I’ll be studying you.” she drops the changeling on the floor back first. “You wont be studying for long.” the changeling remarks staring into a corner of the room. “What’s that supposed to mean?” the mare asks. “You’ll find out soon enough.” the changeling scuffs. “Tell me” twilight says. The changeling shakes its head. “Tell me! or else” Twilight interrogates. “Or else what?” “Or else? Well you’re my prisoner and a changeling I can do anything and it’ll be lawful.” she intimidates. “Do what you want I die today either way.” it says laying down on the basement floor. huh? “huh?” the mare gaps. “I haven’t eaten in six days after the giant expulsion from Canterlot the hive was spread across Eqeustria. I was unfortunate enough to be sent way off coarse away from the others. I wondered through the Everfree forest. On the fifth day I made it out of the ever free forest. Been trying to get a meal since. Changelings who don’t eat in seven days die, its nothing new.” the changeling says letting out a sigh. Okay, options let him die, or let him feed off you. Twilight just relax you can figure out the best option. I know I'll write a letter. She trots up the stairs “The door locks from the outside so you’ll be trapped down here while I’m gone.” she says then shuts the door. She grabs a piece of paper and jots down a quick letter Dear Princess Celestia. I have come into possession of a changeling I am holding it in captivity in my basement so I can study it. The dilemma I face is that it’s dying, it hasn’t fed off love in awhile and it will die tomorrow. I was thinking about letting it feed off me, but that has unforeseen consequences. Your thoughts on what I should do? Sincerely, your faithful student Twilight sparkle. “Spike!” she calls he peeks around the corner. “Send this letter to The Princess, I’ll be in the basement knock when I get a letter back.” She says tossing him the letter and walking down the stairs. Into the basement. That changeling sits balled up fiddling its hoofs. Twilight clears her throat “How do changelings feed?” Twilight asks. The changeling sits up onto its back lags. Turning to face Twilight. “Well we use our horns to drain a part of the ponies love.” It says . “Do you take love for everything, or love for a certain thing?” the mare questions. “Both. That being said I can’t believe you’re actually thinking of saving me, I‘d probably be better off dead.”. The changeling gives a small chuckle before bowing its head. “Why’s that?” twilight moves closer to the changeling, Sitting down next to it. It shudders. “Even in changeling culture I was an outcast, sure I thought for the betterment of the hive like all changelings do, just in more extreme ways. I was even in line to get banished after the war. And when a pony found me with all their prejudice and hate for changeling, I thought the second I’d see one they’d kill me, but you didn’t and now you’re here debating about feeding me.” it says sighing at he end of its soliloquy. “Well, umm….” huh, this changeling has a heart. “I don’t know what to say.” knock knock knock! A sudden banging on the doors causes both of them to jump. “Oh, my letters back. I’ll be back in a second.” Twilight says walking up the stairs and opening a small slot in the door to grab the letter from spike. She closes the door and sits down on the first stair to read the letter.