//------------------------------// // The diamond and the rough // Story: Unexpected changeling // by The ancient one //------------------------------// I awaken with a yawn and stretch of my arms, slowly opening my eyes. I look around me to see if Rainbow Dash had woken up herself, to my surprise she was not around me. Nor was I in the same place, rather I was in a bedroom. The place smelled of perfume. Mannequins designed like ponies around the room, with a mirror on the far right of the room. A window on the left with frilly curtains. If I didn't know any better I'd say this room belonged to, Rarity. I had to leave as soon as I could. I jumped off the bed, began batting my wings and made my way to the window. I looked around to make sure there wasn't a pony within sight. I opened the window as quietly as I could and flew out. “Huh, that was actually easy. Maybe things are finally turning my way.” I said with a light hearted grin. Before I was jumped by a blur of white. Rarity? No, too small. Sweetie belle? No, too soft. I landed onto the floor, rolling backwards with this thing ontop of me. “Not on the first date!” I screamed as I kicked that fluffy mound away from me. I stood and faced it to see, Opalescence. The famed cat of terror and destruction. “Oh great, cats. I HATE cats” I deadpanned, as Opal hissed at me bringing out her claws. “And you're obviously none too fond of me either, so do us both a favor, ya fuzzball. Let me go, and we can both be happy” I began pushing my hoof into the floor, prepared to fight. I had the upper-hand with my superior human intellect. I leaned my head down, preparing my horn for action. Opel stretched her arms and legs out, raising her tail and hissing even louder. “So, you gonna let me go, or are we gonna do this the hard way?” We stood there, sizing each-other up. Opal made the first move, dashing for me. I quickly ran the other away. “HELP! HELP! SOMEONE GET THIS THING AWAY FROM ME!” I whined and shrieked in terror. You see I didn't hate cats because they weren't my kind of animal, rather, I was terrified by them. I jumped on one of the Ponnequin to avoid the clawed beast, however she simply began clawing her way up to me. I jumped down and kicked it over causing a rather nice crash into a dresser. Served it right. I lifted my nose at it. Opal still wasn't done though, she ran at me again and I, once more, ran the other direction. “Wait a second, I'm a changeling. Why the hell am I so scared of a cat?” I pondered. I turned around once more to challenge the clawed terror and looked it in the eyes as it made it's way at me. Those eyes. “Oh yeah, now I know why i'm scared. DEM EEEEYYYEEESSS!” I screamed running up the bed frame of Rarity's bed. Opal clawed her way up the wood and cloth. I looked around and had nowhere to go. Wait! The window! “If I fly fast enough I can leave without any additional issues!” I grinned happily at the thought of freedom. “Well would y'all look at this? Leavin' yer winda open with a baby in the house. Some ponies I tell ya” I heard a heavy southern accent say in disappointment. “Well it's not my fault, I made sure it was closed before we left. It must have been Sweetie Belle.” A voice posh voice. “Rarity and Applejack? They're BOTH watching me? I have to get out of here, now!” I said making a dash for the window. “Oh well, no harm done I suppose” I heard the marshmallow mare say, before she magically closed the window, with me still careening towards it. I splat on the window, my face crunched and my body aching. “I...Hate you all...” I said as I began sliding down with a ear piercing squeak. I fell to the floor, Opal staring down at me with a smile on her face, claws out. “EEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYSSSSSSSSSSS” I internally squealed. Opal wasted no time, she slashed her claw at me. “Hold on there partnar!” The southern voice shouted out before tying the white cat down with rope. “See? I told ya it was a good idea to bring mah rope” “Applejack, really! Is there any need to be so rough with my poor little Opal Woppal?” She said levitating the cat and undoing the rope with her magic. “Yer Opal Whoapal was just about to give the Princess' new baby boi a bad haircut.” Applejack stomped a hoof. “Puh-Leez, Opalescence wouldn't hurt a fly!” She said defensively for the demon. “Besides, I can't have his hair tied up all day. Maybe Opal was just trying to help mommy by, shaving a bit off the top” You could easily tell she was making it up. I just shook my head, trying to take it all in. Then something hit me in the face, stringy, silky, annoying, and, blue? I grabbed it to try and find where it was coming from and I ended up pulling my own head forward. It was hair, my hair. “I have hair!? Since when!?” I said, unsure whether to be happy or not. “Rariteh, just make sure that thing don't skin the princess' boy none, ok?” Applejack said giving up all hope for Rarity. “Fine.” Rarity raised her head away from Applejack. “Now if you'll excuse me” she used her horn to push Applejack out the room and close the door. I guess I was only being sat by Rarity after all. She looked at me, circling around me, the same way Celestia had on the night of my arrival. “What are you-” I cut myself off as am orange ribbon popped out of thin air and onto my head. My jaw dropped, soon a green bow tie had appeared on my neck, then a frilled grey sweater appeared on me. “Nothing! Nothing works, no matter what color I put on you, I can't take the attention away from those darned holes! Unless...IDEEAAAA! Opal, stay here and watch over Shifting Sands while i'm gone.” She said trotting off with a smile. I turned my attention to Opal, who had cracked that LOVELY grin on her face. “Son of a Filly did not just leave me here with Psycho Kitty.” I deadpanned and hoofed my face. Opal began closing in, slowly, as if enjoying it. I tried to fly away but the sweater held my wings down. “I don't suppose we could, put the recent past behind us and become good friends, right?” I whimpered. She took out her claws, still closing in. “Think Ian, what are you gonna do!? You just lost one your entire arsenal, and your opponent is coming in for a quick kill WHAT DO YOU DO!?” I thought to myself in a panic. “Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right B, A, Start?” The cat stopped. “It worked?” She began closing in again. Apparently she just was confused by my words. I wonder how they must have sounded to her. “I don't want to die, I was just getting used to being here. And then miss pish and posh comes along and is all 'Oh no! He doesn't match the color of the drapes! Let's find something to change-” Green flames had erupted from the ground and I had been engulfed in them. My skin boiling and my bones breaking. I could feel every molecule in my body exploding and reforming and changing into something else. The flames became hotter, and tightened on me, burning my skin even more than it already was. Lucky for me though, the clothing was burned off too. Most of it, the bow had just been singed. My throat was being blown up like a balloon, my spin being stretched and ripped from the seems. My mind told me to fear it, but my body told me to enjoy it. And I did. The flames spiraled around me before jotting off in a shock-wave of power, breaking the window, scorching the room, and blasting back the deranged cat. I stopped and looked around for a moment, things were lower than they were before, or rather, I was higher. I looked to the ground to see my black, holed hooves had turned white and marshmallow like...and not holed.. I burst with joy “I transformed? I TRANSFORMED! HA-HA! THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT! TRANSFORMERS ROLL OUT!!” I stood up shouting to the roof. I closed my eyes, my grin getting bigger each second and began shuffling and moon walking. I spun around, 'grabbed' my nether regions and screamed “HOO! C'MON NAO” I opened my eyes to see Rarity, her mouth agap. “Uh, I can explain?” I retracted back down to my front hooves. She looked at my horn to see the bow. “Shifting Sands. May I kindly ask WHAT THE HAY YOU'RE DOING IN MY BODY!?” She screamed, piercing my ears worse than the Royal CanterLock ever had. “Hmm, I guess that explains the weight.” I muttered. “WHAT?!” A wall of flame burst forth from behind her. “DID YOU JUST CALL ME FAT!?” How was she doing that without setting fire to the place? Where did it even come from? “Wait! You can understand me?” I was baffled. I was no longer stuck with baby gibberish! I could speak! And the first pony to hear me, was Rarity, whose weight I... just... oh hell.... “I'LL TARE YOU APART!!” She screamed blasting me out through the wall, into a the street with nothing but her voice. “Dur-hur-hur, did anyone see that bus?” I said dizilly. “A BUS!? DID YOU JUST SAY I'M AS BIG AS A BUS!?” I shook my head to regain my senses. “Rarity! Listen, about the weight thing!-” She ran and bucked me in the face. Next thing I knew, I was looking at myself sit on Celestia's back, in an Oprah house. The other me looked back and saw me “Oh, that time already?” he stated as if it didn't bother him in the least. “Where am I!?” I Panicked. “You're a week in the future. Don't ask, I don't know how either.” Again with that nonchalant tone. "But don't worry, I know how to send you back. Tomorrow is a very special day.” He said jumping of Celestia's back, smiling at me with his fangs bared. She didn't seem to notice as she was crying. Apparently this was the part of the play where the hero dies. He walked up to me and said “Close your eyes and brace yourself” “Brace myself? For wha-” I, er, He bucked me in the face, and I found myself laying on the ground again. I sat up to see rarity running at me, as she did right before she bucked me the last time. She literally bucked me into next week, where I literally bucked myself into last week. A word reverberated in my soul. “WHAT!?” Gonna pretend that never happened. Until next week when it does happen. She tried to buck me again, but i managed to avoid because, you know. Future knowledge and all. I got up and ran as fast as I could, leaving a blazed trail behind me. I don't even wanna think about what would happen if she unleashed full fury. She kept up with me, her bloodshot eyes locked onto me like prey. I tried to explain, but she only got angrier each time I tried. We ran through a park track, one with a bunch of trees. It was familiar. “This is the where the running of the leaves takes place! Awesome! Maybe I can figure a way out of this” I thought to myself. “If I succeed, I will have some time to figure things out. If not, well I don't wanna think about that” I ran to the edge of the track and stopped, and turned to her. She stopped aswell ready to pummel me into mud. Her hooves lifting to smash me again. “RARITY WAIT! There's something I need to tell you!” I said ready for total destruction. She stopped to hear what I had to say. “Better make it quick, your next words will be your last!” She threatened. I could tell she wasn't kidding. I bucked a tree behind me and caused the leafs to fall on her. “SUCCESS!” The leafs burned into nothingness. “Oh, you look angry. Did anyone ever tell you red isn't a good color on you?” She began to produce steam, snarling like a lion. “Ok, plan B.” I kicked copious amounts of dirt into her mane, coat and mouth. I then ran to the center of the park through the trees. “Ok! I have eleven, maybe ten, seconds to figure out how I transformed.” I heard a voice crack like thunder and and strike like lightning. “Think! I was just mimicking Rarity and poof! Let's try that!” I rushed myself. I saw a newspaper on the ground, I picked it up and sat down on a park bench. I raised the paper in-front of my face and shut my eyes, praying for the best. “Excuse me, have you seen, well, me, running around?” Rarity asked. I hesitantly lowered the paper, nodded my head and pointed in a random direction. “Oh thank you, Lyra” She said galloping away. “No problem, Rarity.” I continued my charade. Something was wrong, she stopped and turned around. I could hear faint whispers. “Wait a second...Lyra doesn't have a mustache!” She looked and ran full speed at me “SHIFTING SAAAAANDS!” “Oh crap!” I said running away mach eighty-three through the track. I began weaving and bobbing through the trees and bushes and suddenly found myself outside a bridge leading to the center of Ponyville. I ran through it and stopped, looking around to see what I could do. “Gotta run, gotta hide, gotta go right now, gotta go, gotta go, gotta go!” I said galloping in place. A roar erupted behind me, it caused some ponies to faint in terror. I slowly turned to see Rarity, her eyes bright crimson. “BAD DAY!” I said running away again. “What would twilight do in this situation!? Think!” I began transforming again, my body became purple, my mane reached down a bit into my face. I turned a corner and passed by the REAL twilight. “What the!?” She gasped. “I saw you punk!” Rarity shouted leaping onto her. I heard screaming in the distance behind me. “Thank you Twilight for being so convenient.” I bowed my head in respect for what may have been the last time I would see the lavender horse. After a brief second or two I continued straight ahead and ended up at Sugar cube corner. “Time to ditch this form. I gotta become someone rarity would never expect.” I heard a pompous voice on the side of the store. I walked forward and saw somepony being rude to Fluttershy. A pegasus male, white maned and tailed, with light green eyes and dark grey coat. His cutie mark was a dollar-sign clock. “I don't care WHERE you were going, you tripped ME and I demand you pay me what I am owed!” The rude stallion stated. “But sir, it wouldn't have happened if you, um, weren't running so fast...” The weak Pagasus, Fluttershy whimpered, leaning back. “ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY IT WAS MY FAULT?! LOOK, YOU!” He put his hoof on her muzzle “Either you pay me what I am owed or I will bring legal action!” “B-But I don't know what you want.” She said now a small whisper. “Isn't it obvious? Your actions have delayed me far too long, so you will pay me all the money I have lost in the time I wasted on you!” He roared. Fluttershy began to cry. I didn't like this sight at all. “Nobody messes with MAI WAIFU!” I screamed internally. “I think I know just who to become,” I cleared my throat. “Treat me like a pushover, and you'll get the once over!” A green flame engulfed me. I had become iron will, except my fur was green instead of blue, but close enough. I walked over to the situation. He began to roar again. “Now do as I-” “EXCUSE ME!” I interrupted “May a I ask what is going on here?” “Iron Will? Where did you come from? And what happened to your fur?” She questioned. “Not important, tell me what's happening here and now.” I said trying to play off the question. “Well, you see I was going to get some food for my pet, Angel, he's a bunny. And as I was walking I accidentally tripped him. I said I was sorry and I really am!” She whimpered again. I looked to the stallion “She said she was sorry, move on.” I demanded. “SORRY DOESN'T CUT IT YOU BIG LUMMEX! I own a business running the pegasus races! Every second I am not at work I lose money for potential races, racers and sponsors!” He said provokingly. I leaned in close to him. “Last time I checked, you had wings. You could have used those to get where you needed to go. Not even that, if such a big shot, like yourself, is here. Why walk? Why not have someone take you? Unless of course, that was a bold face lie you just told me. If that was a lie I would have to assume this is a scam.” I stated matter-of-factly His eyes grew, I knew I hit the nail on the head. Time to press further and seal this conversation. “If this were a scam, i'm afraid I would have to involve the police. But that is, of course, after you deal” I cracked my knuckles, “With me.” I deepened my voice on that last part, It just really felt right. “N-N-No need to go so far old chap! Accidents happen every day! Uhm, I'll be on my way.” He said flapping his wings, flying away at speeds that would challenge Rainbow Dash. After he left my sights, I left the area. Iron will is too big a target and too much of a blow heart to arrive without a big event. I wouldn't get far with this form, not to mention I was green. “Hmm, one of the Cutie mark crusaders would work. But which one?” I said as I had once again been covered in flame. “What? I transformed, again? I didn't even do anything this time, who am I now?” I looked at my hooves to see they were yellow. I was low to the ground so that could only mean- “APPLEBLOOM!” I heard a country voice shout behind me. I looked and to my surprise, it was Applejack. “Applebloom, Rariteh lost the baby and now me and the girls gotta look for him. You go back to Sweet Apple Acres and take care of the farm while we're lookin'” She said with that dominating southern voice. “And if I refuse?” I back sassed. She squinted her eyes before stomping a hoof on the ground, causing some cracks. “And it's a good thing I NEVER even thought of such a thing!” I said sheepishly trotting past her in the direction to Sweet Apple Acres. After a few hours of being lost I found it, and the red stallion Big Mac made me work the rest of the day. Plowing the fields, Bucking Trees, Planting seeds, Moving barrels. Yeah it all sucked. And I didn't want the real Applebloom to get in trouble for me. “Uhhhhhhh” I heard a country voice say, but not Applejacks this time. I looked at the corner of my eye and it was Applebloom. Apparently she had never seen another, herself, before. But I took that as my cue to leave and ran out the gate as fast as I could. Trotting down the streets at night was good, the nice breeze, good lighting. A very serene setting. Suddenly, I heard a rumble. It was my stomach. “I'm hungry? But how? Changelings feed on love. Why am I hungry?” My stomach began hurting, as if I was being kicked. I winced in agony. “ARGH! Ok, this is not fun.” The pain got worse. My hooves began turning to normal. “I was using up my power? I must have been dishing out more than I was taking in. CRAP!” The pain began reaching onto my back and hind legs. Every attempt I made to move hurt me, deeply, as if knives were being stabbed into every inch of my body. “Look at you, all tuckered out and nowhere to run” I heard a Posh echo. My eyes had blurred, I couldn't see straight. “R-Rarity...?” I barely managed to get out. “Sorry, not quite.” The voice replied with a small hiss. “Who are you?” I questioned. “Who am I? I'm hurt. Shifting Sands, was it? You don't remember my voice? Such a thing could break your mothers heart! Or spine, depending on the circumstances. ” It was trying to provoke me, and it was working. “I said, 'WHO ARE YOU'?!” I weakly challenged it, barely audible. I heard a sound, cracking, clicking, buzzing. “Who am I?” The voice had changed. It was menacing and calm, filled with a heavy darkness. “Before I answer that question, answer one of mine. Who are YOU?” It asked in a relaxed demur I don't know why, but this question caused strife in me. I knew who I was afterall. Right? Ian, the bullied teen who became a baby that is who I am, right? I stammered trying to get out an answer, but trying to reply seemed to be out of my reach for that one though. “So, you don't know, do you? Don't worry, all will be revealed soon.” It chuckled. “What do you want from me?” I groaned. “Oh so many ways to answer that.” It hissed again. “Your transformations have weakened you. It will ruin a great many things for me if you die, so you may no longer transform.” “You don't control me.” I laughed at it, falling asleep. “I control many things, as you will learn in time. I also always know what's for the best.” The voice said vanishing into the night. I couldn't stay awake much longer, the pain was too much. I felt myself being lifted, the pain just stopped. I could see and move again. It was Rarity, I thought for sure she was going to thrash me, but she didn't. She just took me back to the boutique and laid me down in the bed. “Shifting Sands, I want you to know I heard about what you did for Fluttershy. And about the weight thing, we're going to pretend it never happened. You are a child and you do make mistakes.” She said with a soothing voice. She looked at me and smiled. She had a black eye. "I guess I know who the screaming came from now." I laid my head to rest and drifted into a lovely dream. -------------- The next day I felt better than ever, time to make my grand escape. “When somebody tries to block, show them that you rock!” I screamed to myself. Nothing happened. “I want it NAAAAO!” I screamed again. No result “I can't transform..” I sighed, “That sucks a major ton of butt...Ah well, it's a new day and I-” Opal jumped on the bed and brought out her claws. “Am so screwed it's not even funny.” Opal however didn't attack me, she clawed into the bed a message. “I'll be watching” “Yay! I have a stalker now, my life is complete!” I sarcastically screamed. I hopped out of the bed to search for Rarity, finding her sleeping outside the door. What on earth could she have been thinking? I began shaking her head violently. She yawned and woke up slowly. "Oh, good morning Shifting Sands." She stretched, her body began cracking and popping. I'm gonna guess the floor isn't a comfortable place to sleep. "Hey, Rarity, can you teach me that bucking thing you did before?" I asked. "I wonder what adorable little things you must be saying." She replied. I lowered my head. A thought then came to my mind and I started gesturing the kicking motion I saw her preform on me. "What?" She was confused. I pointed to myself and began motioning again. "You want me to buck you?" She bemused. I shook my head furiously and pointed at myself again and gestured the kick. "You want to learn the buck?" She cautiously said. I nodded. "It's a move Applejack taught me, i'm sure she could teach you better than I could, but i'll do my best!" She shouted in victory, the wind running through her mane. At this point i've learned to stop asking questions.