Edited by Slayerseba, Halusm, and Clawder.
Understanding
<<>><<>><<>>
Apple Pie walked with an energetic pace through the tall grass, following the stream from her village towards the still distant forest while the various knick-knacks she carried in her saddlebags shifted and clinked together every now and then.
It had only been a few weeks since Swift Axe, Guiding Light and her, were led by the other pony to their home. Or, Swift Axe and Guiding light were, while she snuck after them. She as well as every other foal were told to stay in the village while the adults would find out where the other ponies came from.
But she couldn't stay behind.
She had heard from Iron Nail about how he ran into the storage room and found the other pony, what it did and what it looked like. Unfortunately, she never was able to see for herself as the other pony had left before she had even woken up.
She had been very upset with herself because of that.
But then, at the start of Spring, the other pony returned, still wearing the clothes given to her… she was fairly certain the other pony was a she. But yes, the other pony still wore the clothes given, and it showed from the state they were in.
Of course, such things hardly mattered to her or the other foals as they rushed in to meet the other pony, and all the other other ponies who had followed. And what she found was truly most absolutely, positively, certainly the single most exciting thing, she had ever seen.
They were ponies… but they were not ponies.
Of course, she knew all about the three tribes: Earth pony, pegasi and, herself, unicorns. And then there were also the princesses, Celestia and Luna, who she'd only heard from the village elders.
She and the other foals did ask about them every now and then, but all they were told is that their village could and would prosper without their help.
She did not really understand, but that was okay as there are many other things she didn't understand, like how her mommy and daddy reacted when she found them wrestling on their bed and she asked if she could play too. But what she did understand was that when she first met the other pony she and they looked hopeful, reaching out, looking for friendship. And she knew all about friendship!
So, when Swift Axe and Guiding Light left, she followed; relying on her perfectly honed stealth skill amassed during many midnight raids on the honey jar to stay undetected.
It was to her great shock and disbelief when no less than three of the other ponies not only found her, but managed to sneak up on her while doing so while she was hiding in a tree, perched upon a branch while imitating an owl.
It was only after the fact she realized owls sleep during the day, which must have blown her cover.
But now exposed, and Swift Axe and Guiding Light aware of her she could hide no longer. It was only because of luck she was discovered when they were already too far away from their village for her to return on her own, so she was allowed to join them as long as she stayed close to them.
In the end this proved to be a true stroke of luck as, when they found the other ponies their home and all the other other ponies living there, it was her who was able to find her newest bestest friend and teach him to say pony.
There was a strange buzz to his voice, though. So she decided to call him Buzz until he could tell her his real name.
And now, several weeks later and saddlebags full of neat things, she moved as fast as she could while still technically walking while Guiding Light, Swift Axe and Morning Dew, the mare who gave the other pony the clothes back during winter walked with a more subdued pace behind her.
"Come on!" Apple Pie cried out, her voice rising in pitch from excitement. "We're almost there!" she pointed urgently with a hoof while never breaking her stride. "It's just behind those trees hiding behind that forest!"
The three adults rolled their eyes, by now more than used to Apple Pie's over-enthusiasm.
"Calm down, Apple," Morning Dew called after her, knowing full well it would fall on deaf ears. "We'll get there, don't you worry."
"But I've got Buzz and his friends so many neat things to show!" Apple Pie shouted back, shaking her saddlebags and rattling the items inside for emphasis.
"Which I'm sure they will like," Morning Dew replied readily, "but that doesn't mean you can run off like that. There are too many dangerous creatures out there, so we stick together."
Apple Pie blew a raspberry, but relented as she waited for the others to catch up, then continued moving at a forced calm pace.
She didn't allow this to hold her down for too long though, and only a minute later she was already rambling off the many amazing things she wanted to show Buzz and all the other friends she hadn't yet made.
Of course, such ramblings were all too familiar to Guiding Light, Swift Axe and Morning Dew by now, and they easily blocked out most of what she said, only warning her not to do certain activities when the more… eccentric plans a filly of her age should not even be able to think of cut through their selective deafness.
It was another hour of this before they navigated past the densest part of the forest, and they approached the river between the forest and the other ponies' home.
Several of the other ponies could already been seen moving through the tall grass around the cluster of rocks and boulders of various sizes; all of them stopping and heads held high as they saw them approach.
It was at this point Apple Pie could not contain herself any longer and she ran through the river while using her magic to wobbly, keep her saddlebags above her head as she sunk to her haunches into the water.
This did little to slow her down, of course, and before any of the adults could even begin to protest against her actions, she was already on the other side; shaking herself dry like a dog, then clumsily used her magic to apply her saddlebags. Then, she was off again; leaving a faint cloud of dust in her wake as she closed the distance while Guiding Light, Swift Axe and Morning Dew all gave a collective sigh before following, the two earthbound ponies grumbling ever so slightly as Morning Dew easily flew over the river.
"COME ON!" Apple Pie cried out, already on top the small hill covered with the boulders hiding the entrance, standing on her hind legs while waving her front legs in the air. "HURRY UP!"
And just as quickly, she dropped down to all fours and rushed towards the concealed entrance; coming to a grinding halt as she saw Buzz sitting there, waiting.
"Phuunee."
A massive smile grew on her face upon seeing her newest friend.
<<>><<>><<>>
Once again Apple Pie found herself underground as she followed Buzz down underneath the rock where they had made their home. And, as per usual by now, she lit up her horn to create a light to see with. And even though the other ponies had seen this happen several times now, they all stopped to stare at the glowing orb of light she had created.
She couldn't stop herself from giggling upon seeing their awestruck faces as the slope down leveled out and she came to a gradual stop, waving happily to several of the now familiar other ponies who, in turn, waved back; having picked up and subsequently practiced the ritual just like the shaking of hooves.
"Hey you all, I've got all these neat things to show you!"
"Phuunee," Buzz said as he joined her, his head tilted to the side as he watched Apple Pie remove her saddlebags.
Apple Pie gave him a big smile, then dropped her bags on the ground before her with a surprisingly heavy thud and opened one of them. Rummaging inside with a hoof, tongue poking slightly out of the corner of her mouth, she searched for the first of the many amazing things she wanted to show; her actions slowly drawing more and more eyes as the other ponies moved out of the darkness of the many tunnels and into the light she created.
"There you are!" she cried out triumphantly and, pulled out a wicker ball. "Look," she held up the item for all to see.
All the other ponies looked at the strange item with noticeable confusion.
Apple Pie had expected as much, though, and she swiftly dropped the ball to the ground. Its woven architecture giving it a surprising flexibility while remaining rigid all the same and, the other ponies watched, flummoxed, as Apple Pie gave the ball a soft kick, enough for the sphere to roll to one of them, bounced off her hooves, then came to a wobbly stop.
As one, they looked at the item, then slowly back at her.
"Come on," she said with exaggerated moves to mimic the motions she'd just done. "Kick it."
The other pony the ball had rolled to blinked, looked down at the ball, then did as she saw Apple Pie do, lightly kicking the ball.
Apple Pie squeed as the ball rolled back to her and, she swiftly kicked it to another of the other ponies.
The ball once again bounced off an unmoving hoof as the clearly older other pony watched the object with a strange interest, lowering himself to sniff at it while Apple Pie once again showed the motions to mimic.
He looked up, his gaze moving from Apple Pie, the other pony she had first kicked the ball to, then back at her, before his gaze dropped down to the ball again; an eyebrow raised and obviously deeply in thought.
Then, to the great enthusiasm of Apple Pie, he kicked the ball to one of the other other ponies who reacted much faster and kicked the ball to another after only a second.
Before long, the ball was kicked between the other ponies without pause while Apple Pie bounced on the spot with the largest smile she had ever had… this week.
Of course, she still had so much more to show and dove back into her saddlebags while the ball was kicked around.
"Aha!" she called out as she pulled out an empty bottle, the uneven glass reflecting the light of her magic in odd shimmers on the walls and ceiling, quickly enrapturing the other ponies as they took notice.
Apple Pie, however, failed to realize where their attention was drawn to as she placed the bottle's opening to her lips and blew into the empty glass, producing a low pitched sound that pulled the other ponies' attention back to her.
Giggling, she looked at the bottle then blew on it again, this time aware of the attention she was receiving.
Looking to her side, seeing Buzz sitting there with large eyes filled with wonder and confusion, she held the bottle out to him.
"Go on, try it!" she told him.
Curiously, Buzz reached out and carefully took the bottle, slowly tilting it around as he looked at the mysterious object. Pulling it closer, he smelled a strange aroma coming from within the bottle, and he sniffed at the opening, then sneezed.
Apple Pie giggled, shaking her head, then mimicked the motions she'd just done for him to copy.
Looking at her, then at the bottle, flittering his wings as he realigned them. Putting the strange item to his lips, one of his small fangs protruding past his upper lip clinking on the glass, he blew into the opening.
A curious whistle resonated from the glass, and he dropped the bottle with a frightened chirp; the bottle falling on the ground with a thud before rolling against his hoof.
Crouching low, he pawed at the bottle, ears twitching.
Apple Pie couldn't help herself as she laughed but, picking up the bottle she once again showed how it was done before giving the bottle to Buzz a second time.
This time, as Buzz blew into the bottle and the same whistle greeted him he didn't drop the item. He did, however, look at the cylindrical glass in his hooves with large eyes, awed by the strange thing he didn't even notice his life-giver standing behind him until she lowered herself to get a better look at the thing he was holding.
A startled jitter escaped him as he dropped the bottle again.
Apple Pie watched as the much taller other pony looked down at the bottle, then at the wicker ball which by now lay still in between two of the other ponies, then towards her; an eyebrow raised as she looked inquisitively at the saddlebags besides Apple Pie.
"Just you wait," the excited filly spoke up, "I've got much more to… Huh?"
Apple Pie fell silent as she saw her saddlebags move, several muffled chirps escaping from underneath the still closed side.
Puzzled, she opened the other bag and looked inside.
Staring back at her from in between a book and half a loaf of honey bread, was a pair of wide, light purple eyes.
Both stared at one another in silence, unblinkingly.
"Chirp."
"Oh my gosh, you're so cute!" Apple Pie gushed as she lifted the small other pony from her bags. "And so small. And... wait," she paused as she pulled the other pony completely from her bag, revealing the slightly quivering larval body.
"Chirp."
Apple Pie blinked several times, confused while the small foal but, not a foal but, still a foal she thinks waggled its small front legs at her.
"Where are your other legs?"
"Apple Pie?" Guiding Light called out as he slid down the slope, joined by Swift Axe and Morning Dew. "What are you doing?"
Apple Pie merely blinked, turned to look at the three ponies as they slowly approached, and showed the small, wriggling foal but, not a foal, but still a foal she held in her hooves.
"Ehhh… Look what I found."
All three ponies looked in stunned silence at the small creature in her hooves, none of them knowing what to say.
<<>><<>><<>>
Things had certainly taken a strange turn, even for Apple Pie's standards.
After the discovery of the other ponies' 'foal' a noticeable shift moved through the group of other ponies as their life-giver moved quickly to Apple Pie who was still holding the small, wriggling, other pony foal, bug larva thing; looking at the small creature with large, puzzled eyes, not noticing the worry clearly visible coming from the mother as she watched the two with a predatory gaze, ready to strike when needed.
Apple Pie, however, only tilted her head as she carefully looked over the strange 'foal.'
It kinda looked like one of the other ponies as far as its head went. Black, hard shell for a hide. Small fangs poking out from underneath the upper lip. A tiny, tiny horn poking up from its forehead. And there were two small forelegs and wanting hooves eagerly grasping at her braid hanging just out of reach.
But then there was everything else.
Apple Pie was no stranger to insects, having seen numerous creepy crawlers and their babies every time she played in the nearby forest and, this little guy… girl… something... looked a lot like those larva she'd seen; all white and squishy.
It was strange. Really strange.
Fortunately for them both, she liked strange.
With a giggle, Apple Pie closed the distance and nuzzled the small larva foal above its horn. And, with a chirp of elation, the small other pony finally managed to grab her braid and promptly stuck it in its mouth to chew on.
The tense stance of the life-giver also relaxed immediately, yet she still watched the two with wary eyes while Apple Pie giggled at the young larva's antics.
Surprising everyone again, the same, strange energy began to flow from Apple Pie, moving through her braid and into the mouth of the happily wriggling baby who froze for only a second before sucking with gusto on the braid.
"But what exactly is that thing?" Apple Pie heard Swift Axe ask, having missed most of what they were saying but understanding the context all the same. "A foal?"
"Looks more like a larva if you ask me," Guiding Light remarked as he scratched his neck.
"So a foalarva?" Morning Dew tried. The awkward silence that followed firmly putting her on the spot. The stares weren't helping either.
"Pffhh, that's silly," Apple Pie snorted. "It's a nymph," she stated, punctuated by the tiny, though still impressive belch escaping the happy nymph.
<<>><<>><<>>
Apple Pie wasn't entirely sure what was happening now, following after Buzz and the much taller other pony she thought was his mother through one of the many tunnels. But only her, leaving Swift Axe, Guiding Light and Morning Dew behind.
After discovering the nymph in her bag and, somehow feeding him this weird energy that they seem to pull from them, more of these nymphs pulled themselves from the darkness and, within mere moments, had all but swarmed her; chirping and clearly begging for attention.
Their large eyes and squishy but, strangely adorable forms drawing an affectionate coo from Apple Pie as she lowered the one nymph to the ground, then lay down herself so she was at eye height to the curious nymphs.
This time she was completely swarmed as they dragged and climbed all over her, much to her delight and ticklish sides.
After managing to extract herself from the wriggling mass of chirping delight, only somewhat surprised to see a multitude of strings of energy flowing from her to all the nymphs, the tallest other pony gave her a quizzical look, then slowly moved for one of the tunnels while the other other ponies took care of the many nymphs.
Buzz then drew her attention with the only word he had learned so far, then, after some charades and false starts, motioned for her to follow.
Swift Axe, Guiding Light and Morning Dew did try to follow but were quickly blocked by several of the other ponies in their path.
Apple Pie stopped and watched, unsure what to do when Buzz called out to her again.
Knowing that if they wanted to hurt her they could have done so many times already, she told them it was alright… probably… maybe.
She looked back to Buzz, seeing him look back at her with confusion.
No, Buzz was her friend. They all were, even if some of them didn't know it yet.
"Don't worry," she called at the others, giving a reassuring smile. "They just want to show me something… I think… I'll be back soon," and before the others could even raise a protest she hurried after Buzz and his mother down the tunnel.
They walked this path for several minutes in silence, which meant a lot as Apple Pie usually had much to say. But she could tell she was led to something big, something important. Even then she was surprised when she began to see a light coming from further ahead which wasn't her magic, growing stronger and stronger the closer they got until, stepping into a large chamber, she discovered the source.
A large plant. A massive plant, growing all over the walls and ceiling. Several hoof sized flowers grew at random places, all glowing with their own color and intensity.
"Woah," she gasped as she slowly moved to the room's center, realizing the plant's leaves were angling towards her, creating a noticeable wave.
"What is this place?" she asked, receiving no answer, as she expected.
"Phuunee," Buzz called her, and she slowly turned to him, needing a moment longer to force her gaze away from the glowing spectacle. When she did, though, she was greeted by another unusual sight: One of the plant's many vines began to move, then slither down from the ceiling towards Buzz until it hung still before his face, and poked his muzzle.
A sound of amusement escaped him, before he stepped away from the vine, looking expectantly at Apple Pie while his mother watched them two from the entrance.
Surprised, amazed, Apple Pie moved to the vine with small steps while it slowly moved towards her.
It was with only a leg's length in between them when she stopped, looking at the glowing vine with large eyes as it began to move around erratically; reaching out at her with short prods, but pulling back just as quickly before it ever made contact.
This went on for some time, and Apple Pie watched the somewhat twitchy vine while, unbeknownst to those present, the vine was trying to ascertain how to connect to a mind so alien yet, similar all the same.
Eventually, a balance was found, and with a quick, fluid motion the cine pressed against Apple Pie's forehead just under her horn.
<<>><<>><<>>
Images.
Thoughts.
Ideas.
Knowledge.
All of this filled Danny's mind as he snapped back to his own awareness, and he immediately understood what had happened when the vine had touched Apple Pie's mind.
She shared all she knew with the changelings.
Mere sounds had become words. Words strung together became sentences, becoming language.
From that one moment, that one interaction, she gave them the greatest gift she could have given them: Understanding.
From that moment forward, each time a changeling joined with the memories they would experience all Apple Pie had given to them, and the implications were tremendous. The very nature of changeling culture, developing as it still was, would be forever changed by this. Shaped by the knowledge and understanding of how the world worked from her perspective, by a young filly.
While putting everything he'd seen in a proper place, Danny took a moment to truly admire the node of energy he was in.
No longer was it just a conglomeration of tangled strands of energy, but a detailed framework where all minds of all changelings at the time joined together, changed, grew and developed; linked together by the string of light blue energy which held the memories of Apple Pie.
It was with this change a foundation was built. A foundation on which the changelings would continue to build with everything new they learned, and around which they would shape their culture and, from there, their society.
But if they were this close to the ponies, if everything they would become was influenced in such a manner, then how did they become as feared by the ponies as they are now?
This time Danny did see the strand of energy come, and this time he was ready; reaching out with a hand, and firmly grabbing hold of whatever life he was about to live for himself.
He didn't know how long this would take, nor did it matter. The answers he sought were hidden in here, and he would live as many lives as he had to to learn the truth.