//------------------------------// // 589 - Making a Change // Story: Lateral Movement // by Alzrius //------------------------------// “WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!” Don’t worry, sweetheart. Everything’s going to be- “WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!” Try and relax, Drafty. There’s nothing to- “WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!” I said CALM DOWN! Thermal Draft quieted immediately. Up until that point, Kara had never been anything but pleasant to her. The goddess had often been soothing and warm, sometimes playful and a bit naughty, and even at times consoling her when she’d felt down. Not once had she ever heard Kara sound upset the way she did then, and Drafty couldn’t help but react like a child who had just been scolded by an angry parent. But while that was enough to cut through her hysteria, it did nothing for the horror she felt as she stared at the black bug in the bathroom mirror. “You made me into a changeling,” she moaned, recalling the photos from the newspaper about the monsters that had attacked Princess Cadance’s wedding. Those love-eating parasites you told me about before? Hardly, snorted the goddess. I’ve made you into a doppelganger, one of my spiritual children. There are many of them on Everglow, and now you’re the first one in Equestria! The triumphant tone in Kara’s voice made Drafty wince. “But I don’t want to be a doppel…whatever they’re called. I want to be me!” Unable to bear the sight of her reflection anymore, she squeezed her eyes shut. “Change me back!” It’s not that simple, sweetheart. “No!” Shaking her head, Drafty couldn’t accept that answer. “Change me back!” In her head, the goddess sighed. I can’t change you back to how you were, but you can have the next-best thing. Concentrate on how you looked before. Recall the color of your eyes. The feel of your coat. The scent of your mane. Think of them all, and about how much you want them to be a part of you again. That much Drafty had no problem doing, still hoping to wake up from the horrible nightmare her life had become. Biting her lip, she wished with all of her heart that when she opened her eyes, she’d be back to her normal self, that this would all turn out to be some sort of bad dream brought on by too much partying. That she’d be back plain old Thermal Draft again, not some- A sudden sensation washed over her then, causing her to gasp. It was like popping a joint, except it was in her muscles instead of between her bones, spreading across her entire body in an instant from her muzzle to her tail. The feeling was so unexpected, and so alien, that her eyes popped open instantly, terrified that something even worse had just happened to her. “What-” She couldn’t finish, her breath catching in her throat as she caught sight of her reflection again, seeing herself. Her old self. “I’m…I’m back to normal,” she croaked, scarcely able to believe it. Oh sweetheart, “normal” is such an ugly word, murmured Kara disapprovingly. You really shouldn’t use it to describe yourself. Feeling her heart starting to slow and her breathing returning to normal, Drafty seriously considered pushing everything that had just happened out of her mind completely, overcome by a desperate sense that if she just acted like the last sixty seconds had never happened, then they wouldn’t have. But she couldn’t do that. It had been exactly that sort of behavior – sticking her head in the sand and hoping for the best to the point of denying what was going on around her – that had gotten her stranded in Vanhoover when the city had flooded. Living through that had crippled her ability to willfully blind herself to unpleasant truths. That was why, after taking several deep breaths, Drafty forced herself to speak up again. “Kara…what happened?” I told you, explained the goddess, her voice once again soothing and gentle. You’re a doppelganger now. Hearing the goddess’s use of the present tense, despite her apparently having turned back to normal, made Drafty swallow nervously. There were a hundred questions going through her head at that moment as she continued staring at herself in the mirror, scared that at any moment she’d change back into the insectoid creature she’d been only a few seconds prior. But the one that came out of her mouth was, “Why?” You remember what I told you before, about how I can’t manifest in your world unless I’m worshiped there? asked the goddess rhetorically. Well, last night you carried out a rite that was sacred to me, and in doing so allowed me to extend a tiny bit of my power into Equestria. It wasn’t much, but it was just enough to give you my kiss, granting your body the mutability it now possesses. Drafty couldn’t help but fold her ears back at that. “No, I mean…why did you do this to me?” Oh sweetheart, I did it for you, replied Kara in a sad tone. Now you can finally have what you always wanted: Lex’s love. “Are you kidding?” Drafty couldn’t help the half-hysterical laugh that escaped her lips then. “Love me? He wouldn’t even recognize me if he saw me when I was that…that…” She couldn’t even come up with the words to describe the chitinous form she’d so recently taken. But she didn’t have to. Even as the image of how she’d looked popped into her brain, she felt the same peculiar sensation wash over her, her eyes widening as she belatedly realized what was happening. In the mirror, her entire form suddenly turned blurry, as though she were looking at an oil painting that had been splashed with water. But it only lasted a fraction of a second before her features came back into focus. Except they weren’t her features anymore, but those of a changeling, or doppelganger, or whatever the proper name was for what she’d become. “He won’t love me like this!” Drafty’s voice came out as a choked sob. “No one could!” Sweetheart, don’t you remember what we talked about before? When I helped you impersonate that Pixie pony? “What?” Still trying to process the enormity of what had happened to her, Drafty couldn’t understand why Kara was bringing up something that was almost two weeks old. “What does that have to do with anything?” Kara sighed. I want you to try something for me. Think about Sonata. “Sonata? Why?” asked Drafty, completely lost now. Trust me. Just picture her in your mind’s eye. Not knowing what else to do, Drafty did as she was told, making herself visualize the supernaturally beautiful mare who was always at Lex’s side. Even in her agitated state, it wasn’t that hard to do; as much as she loved Cloudbank, Drafty had to admit that Sonata was the sort of girl you couldn’t help but fantasize about. It didn’t hurt that her voice was almost hypnotic, perfectly matching her incredible body- “Huh?!” The sudden exclamation flew from Drafty’s lips as her hideousness was suddenly blurred, her muscles popping… And then Sonata was staring at her from inside the mirror, a dumbstruck expression on her face. There, you see? purred Kara smugly. You might not have her magic, but imagine if Lex saw you now. He’d nuzzle you, kiss you, and softly tell you all the secrets he reserves only for his most cherished lover. That’s you now. Drafty couldn’t respond, still awestruck by how she’d become a perfect copy of the most beautiful girl she’d ever seen. Gulping, she turned, examining herself in profile. Sure enough, Sonata’s cutie mark – a bright red heart with a jagged musical note in front of it – was on her flank. “This is…” She couldn’t finish, her eyes widening as she heard Sonata’s voice coming out of her mouth. Normally, it takes quite a bit of training for a doppelganger to learn to take on other forms, explained Kara, her voice filled with pride. And impersonating specific individuals is an even more advanced lesson. But you’re special, the first one of my children born in Equestria, so I’ve advanced you beyond what most newborn doppelgangers can do. This isn’t even all, either. Have you ever wondered if Sonata would look better as a blonde? “A…blonde?” echoed Drafty, still not used to hearing herself speak in someone else’s voice. Go ahead, urged the goddess. See how it looks on her. For a moment Drafty hesitated, feeling oddly nonplussed at what Kara was suggesting, but after a second she managed a nod, looking at her – Sonata’s – mane and imagining how it would look if it was colored golden instead of alternating shades of blue. In the mirror her mane suddenly blurred, and then her imagination became reality, as a blonde Sonata was staring back at her. See? Kara asked happily. Since she acts like such a blonde anyway, this is perfect for her. The idle snarking brought a giggle to Drafty’s lips, not so much because it was funny but because of how utterly incongruous it was for what was happening. She’d had an orgy last night, woken up as a hideous monster, and now she’d turned into Lex’s girlfriend, and yet here she was listening to jabs about how dumb Sonata was from the alien goddess in her head. It was completely insane. A second later she caught sight of her tail – or rather, Sonata’s tail – and realized that it was still in Sonata’s original colors. Fighting down the urge to laugh harder, she concentrated, and sure enough it changed to match her mane a second later. Seized by a sudden urge, she made a quick decision, and a second later Sonata’s coat was no longer bluish white, instead decorated with the exotic black and white stripes of a zebra exactly like the one she’d once seen on the cover of a trashy bridle-ripper novel. “Oh wow!” There you go, purred Kara. Have fun with it. You can be anyone you want, though there are limits to how far you can transform. But Drafty was barely listening, a sudden sense of excitement sweeping away all of the despair she’d felt only minutes earlier. Now she remembered what Kara had talked about, back when she’d pretended to be Pixie; she’d mentioned giving her the power to change form, to look like whomever she wanted. She hadn’t realized it would mean changing her natural appearance into something that looked almost exactly like a changeling – though thankfully retaining her cutie mark – but now that she could look like anypony she wanted, that suddenly didn’t seem like such a big deal. In fact, the range of possibilities was suddenly tantalizing… With just a moment’s concentration, she was suddenly C. Shells, the nautical captain who’d been part of their group when they’d broken into that bank vault. Then she was Garden Gate, tall and svelte. Then she was River Bank, scowling at herself in the mirror before bursting into giggles again. Her imagination ran wild with each new transformation. With a thought she was Sapphire Shores, pop star sensation. Then she Princess Cadance, so recently the subject of every newspaper in the country leading up to her marriage, gaping at herself and adjusting her stance as she was suddenly several inches taller than she was used to. Then she was Shining Armor, the handsome captain whom Cadance had picked to be her husband…and her brain froze as she realized the full implications of what she’d just done. This is the part that everyone has fun with, chuckled Kara as Drafty sat back and glanced between her hind legs, her brain fusing out at how…complete, the change was. Shining Armor was a heartthrob by any measure, and now his likeness was completely at her disposal. Her mouth suddenly running dry, she turned and examined herself from every angle in the mirror, jaw hanging open as she examined the prince – whose picture she’d seen in the newspaper alongside his bride-to-be in the days before his wedding – in an up close and very personal manner. Just so you know, you can’t copy the specific aspects of an individual that you haven’t personally witnessed, warned Kara suddenly. Right now your brain is simply filling in the details of what you think that stallion’s equipment is like. It’s not guaranteed to match the reality. The same is true for birthmarks, scars, or any other distinctive markings that you haven’t seen. That’s something you’ll need to be aware of when impersonating someone. “R-right,” Drafty muttered, bringing a hoof up to her muzzle in surprise a second later at how deep her voice was now. Taking a slow breath, she changed back into a she. But even as she returned to normal – a pegasus mare whose coat, mane, and tail were all shades of brown – another idea occurred to her. Looking back down at her lap, she focused, and almost fainted as she changed one particular part of herself to be male. You’ve got plenty of time, noted Kara, her mental voice thick with amusement. Go ahead and play with it if you want. For a moment Drafty was inclined to do exactly that, reaching down to touch what was there…only to suddenly recall that she’d done much the same last night, when she’d handled the goods of more than a few stallions. The thought was enough to kill her sudden ardor. She’d alternated between boyfriends and girlfriends growing up, and almost all of her relationships had been physical, but she’d never let herself be so blatantly used like that, practically begging those stallions to treat her like a cheap thrill. While it might have been physically satisfying, the memory of how she’d been nothing to them but a collection of parts to be played with was enough to smother her desire to do anything similar now. “Maybe later,” she muttered, changing her loins back to normal as she stood up. As you like, replied Kara easily. But there’s one more thing you should be aware of. Try changing into that reporter who broke Lex’s heart, Nosey. The name brought a frown to Drafty’s face, and not just because of how badly that awful nag had hurt the stallion she loved. Although Lex had told her how the unicorn mare hadn’t been in control of herself at the time, Drafty still couldn’t forget how Nosey had been the one who’d killed her. “I don’t want to change into her.” Have a little faith in me, insisted the goddess. Just turn into her. I promise you’ll be surprised. Huffing, Drafty didn’t argue, instead staring at herself as she imagined the pony in question. Blonde hair. A coal-colored coat. A horn. A newspaper-and-magnifying-glass cutie mark. One moment of blurriness later, she was looking at Nosey’s reflection, reaching up to adjust her glasses… “Wait, glasses?” Blinking, she pulled the spectacles off of her muzzle with her hoof, distantly noting that her eyesight was the same with or without them on, as though the lenses were lacking any refractive properties. Just one of many different types of accoutrements you can create on your person when you transform, clarified Kara. Bodywear, hoofwear, accessories, all of it will appear on you as you imagine it. They’ll all vanish if they’re no longer in contact with you, of course, and you can’t create anything of intricate construction or much mass, but whenever you alter what you’re wearing any real items on yourself will be changed to match your new appearance. Drafty’s eyebrows had been progressively rising during the goddess’s summary of this latest aspect of her power. Slowly, she put the glasses down, watching as they evaporated like a leftover bit of a busted cloud the second her hoof ceased touching them. And the limits Kara was describing weren’t really that strict, which meant… “Oh, I’m gonna have so much fun with this.” It was the knocking on the bathroom door that finally brought Drafty back to herself. “Miss Draft?” came the voice of Throw Rug, the old lady who was caretaker of this place. “Are you in there?” Giving one last glance at herself in the mirror – taking in the sight of her wild mass of bright red hair against the form-fitting green gown and golden earrings for a long moment – she sighed and changed back to normal. Knowing that the near-totally deaf mare wouldn’t hear her if she yelled through the door, she gave herself a once-over, making sure she looked like she should, before she trotted over to the door and opened it. “Yes?” A relieved look crossed Throw Rug’s face. “Miss Draft, you missed breakfast this morning. Are you quite alright?” Fighting down the urge to flinch, Thermal Draft nodded. “I’m fine, thank you for asking,” she answered loudly, knowing that anything less than a near-shout would go unheard by the old mare. “I was out late last night, so I overslept.” Throw Rug tilted her head. “In the master bathroom?” “Er, yes.” One of the elderly maid’s eyebrows rose, her features hardening into a look of matronly disapproval. “Would this have anything to do with that awful mess that was in the front foyer this morning?” “…no. No, it wouldn’t,” answered Drafty flatly. “Miss Draft-” “I’ll be down for breakfast after I freshen up,” finished Drafty, already retreating back into the bathroom. “Thank you!” Waiting until she heard the old maid’s hoofsteps slowly retreat into the distance – accompanied by muttering that was probably intended to be under her breath, but was instead spoken at a normal volume – Drafty sighed. She’d never been much of a clothes horse, but the prospect of being able to create any outfit she wanted, in any style, pattern, or design, had simply been too much to ignore. Even if she couldn’t create any precious jewelry to go with it, instead having to settle for cheap knockoffs, the possibilities had been endless, and with how she could alter her appearance as well, all with a thought, she wasn’t sure how long she’d spent just trying out look after look after look. “And I haven’t even tried turning into a non-pony yet,” she murmured, remembering the idea that had occurred to her halfway through her one-mare fashion show. Which is just as well, answered Kara. I gave you a leg up over the training most doppelgangers need to go through, but only a modest one. Right now you can make use of minor physical changes, and a wide range of cosmetic ones, but your range beyond that is extremely limited. Creatures of similar size and shape to a pony are possible, but nothing further. And never forget that you won’t have the magic of any creature whose appearance you take, including unicorns. Drafty nodded. “I know. That’s how Lex figured out that Nosey was possessed.” The mention of her crush – and the mare who’d earned his love only to throw it away – caused her recent excitement over her new powers to ebb, the misgivings she’d had before coming back. Sighing, she turned into Sonata again, staring at herself. “I know it might sound hypocritical, after how much I was playing around, but…this isn’t what I wanted.” You wanted to be in a relationship with him and Cloudbank both. For Lex to love you with the same passion and intensity that he has for Sonata and Aria, without it ruining your relationship with your girlfriend. Now that’s possible. “I wanted him to love me,” protested Drafty, a sorrowful look on Sonata’s face. “Me! Thermal Draft! Pretending to be someone else that he loves isn’t real!” In her head, Kara laughed softly. I’ve been a goddess for a very long time, sweetheart, and I’ve heard all sorts of platitudes about “true love” and “higher love” and “love that’s real” and many other poetic yearnings for some sort of romance that’s greater or deeper or stronger than your typical love. And you know what I’ve discovered? That there’s no such thing as a typical love. Each and every one is unique, and none of them deserve to be called false or lesser, which is what the adherents of “true love” – or whatever term they use – are all implying. Drafty gestured at Sonata’s reflection. “But if I were to go to Lex looking like this, and he said he loved me-” Then he’d be baring part of his soul to you, sweetheart, murmured Kara. Regardless of what name he puts to your face, or what history he thinks you share, he’ll still be giving you something profound and intimate. Don’t diminish that by saying that it’s not real. “But it’s meant for Sonata,” Drafty protested softly. “Not me.” When you look the way you do now, you are Sonata, countered the goddess. You’re a shapechanger now, sweetheart. You can’t think of identity in concrete terms anymore. “That’s not-” Go to him. “What?” Go to Lex, repeated Kara. You’ve done everything you came to this city to do. Now go find him in Las Pegasus. You did all of this so you could feel what it’s like to be someone he loves. Don’t you think you should at least experience that just once, so you can decide for yourself if it’s real or not? Drafty hesitated. She’d already done as much research as she could about Long Road, so there wasn’t any reason to stick around here. And she’d already become a doppel-whatever, so it wasn’t like she hadn’t already gone past the point of no return. Maybe…maybe just once…one time with the stallion she wanted so badly… For almost a minute, Drafty stood there, debating with herself. Then she strode out of the bathroom, raising her voice. “Missus Rug! I need to pack!”