//------------------------------// // The Changeling and The Toilet (Ocellus) // Story: Potty Training Tales // by SuperPinkBrony12 //------------------------------// Ocellus had been expecting for some things about the world of ponies to be complicated and confusing when she was picked to be the changelings’ representative at the School of Friendship. Oh, she tried her best to read up on everything there was to know about ponies. And if she didn’t know something she would ask Thorax, he could usually be trusted to tell her what she needed to know. But even Thorax didn’t have all the answers. There were some things about ponies that changelings didn’t know and that Ocellus had to find out about for herself. One of the first and most obvious was that ponies didn’t like it when you changed shape all the time, especially if you were impersonating them for any reason. Chrysalis’ invasions of Equestria for her own selfish goals still left a bad taste in most ponies mouths. A much greater problem soon presented itself to Ocellus, however, the idea of bathroom breaks. More specifically what students were supposed to do during these breaks. The break part didn’t leave any doubts, breaks were for students to relax or get from one class to another. But the “bathroom” part was confusing, because Ocellus didn’t see anything that resembled baths at the school. Supposedly these “bathrooms” had other purposes, otherwise why would there be a designated break named after them? Whatever it was though, the changeling didn’t really think she needed them. She could find all of her classes easily and with plenty of time to prepare for them. And she didn’t need to rest either, there was plenty of time for that when school was done for the day. However, Ocellus started to discover that she had a different problem as a result. A rather embarrassing one. She started to leave puddles on the floor, much to her embarrassment. It didn’t feel any better knowing that her professors had to clean up after her “accidents” or that her classmates were judging her for them (silently or not). At first the solution to the problem seemed easy enough, just go outside whenever the need to go presented itself to the young changeling. Lots of animals did it and that’s what she was used to doing back at the hive (though they usually had designated pits, which were little more than holes in the ground that were dark and sometimes smelled). But time couldn’t always be made to go outside even during the breaks, not if Ocellus still wanted to get to her classes on time and get set up. And it seemed to her that none of her fellow students were doing what she did. She soon found out why. Ponies didn’t use nature to do their business, at least not anymore. Their exact methods had changed over the years, evolving from simple pits and trenches, to chamber pots, to what they now used: Toilets. The changeling started reading up on these “toilets” and soon learned that they technically came in two varieties: The compact box or squat models that were like trenches but had water and a flush cycle (whatever that was), and throne models that were named after their “throne” like appearance (moreso because of the seat and elevated position than the bowl or the handle). Reading about them was one thing, though. Using them for their intended purpose was quite another. But Ocellus knew that it was something she had to do if she wanted to keep attending the school. Everyone else was expected to master these unusual contraptions, and after all the praise Thorax had showered on her Ocellus didn’t want to let him down. If it meant mastering toilet usage then that’s what she would do. So when the next bathroom break rolled around and Ocellus knew that she had to go, the changeling didn’t do what she had been doing before. It was time to start doing what was expected of her. She strolled into the first bathroom she could find without concern and soon discovered her destination, the toilet. It was one of the throne models which did unnerve the changeling a little. She’d hoped to get one of the box ones because those had sounded easier to use, just stand in one place until you were done and then clean up. But it wasn’t her place to choose, she only had so much time afforded to her during this bathroom break and she didn’t really know where she could go to find a box toilet. So for better or for worse she was going to use the throne one before her. Getting up on the seat was no challenge for Ocellus, her wings gave her sufficient lift to fly up. When she sat down on the seat she was surprised at how cold it felt, but she couldn’t really complain about it. It took a bit of clumsy repositioning to get lined up the way the book had said, but somehow she managed. Once Ocellus was sure she had everything just right, she relaxed and let her floodgates open. A steady tinkling sound echoed into the bowl. The changeling sighed in relief. “That was easier than I thought it would be,” She said to herself. “So now I just use some toilet paper, and then flush.” Then she transformed herself into an octopus in order to have enough reach to grab the toilet paper. She changed back to wipe herself, dumping the used rolls into the bowl. Now for the flush. Ocellus, without hesitation and without knowing what to expect, reached over to the silver handle on the toilet tank and pressed it down. “Fwoosh!” The toilet suddenly roared as the flush cycle began, the waters below transforming into a raging, surging whirlpool! The unexpected loud noise frightened Ocellus so much that she momentarily lost control of her transformative abilities! Her natural changeling instincts took over, turning her into something small to escape what it believed to be a predator! Unfortunately that something small was a fish because of the water below, and without any appendages there was nothing for Ocellus to grab onto as she splashed down into the bowl! Immediately, she was swept up in the spinning, surging, draining waters of the toilet bowl! And before she could overcome the disoriented feeling, the water retreated down the drain and sucked her down with it! Ocellus didn’t even have time to cry out for help and was too frightened to think of changing into something that might be able to escape! Poor Ocellus ended up on a one way trip that she wished more than anything she could forget. She tumbled and tossed from pipe to pipe, until suddenly there came a bright light and she tumbled out into a dark, foul smelling place. Only then could she turn herself back to normal and begin the task of finding a way out. Fortunately, every time after that Ocellus learned to be extra careful around toilets and suppress the feeling that made her think they were monsters. But she still had to remember to watch what she transformed into, least she repeat her unpleasant trip down the drain.