//------------------------------// // The Runt // Story: Trials of Ivy // by AfroBladeMaster //------------------------------// Seven years ago, in a large Changeling Hive north of Canterlot, it's the time of year where the young-lings are to be hatched form there cocoons. The females of the Hive make there cocoons all at the same time, so it's harder to from parental bonds with the newborns. Changeling workers go and put small cuts in each cocoon to make it easier for the young-lings to come out. One by one the infants emerge form there shells, and an Elder looked each one over, looking for defects. A few were small or deformed, so the elder marked them to be disposed of. When the Elder reached the last hatching, he noticed something odd about it. It was born with a mane. Normally Changelings born with manes are much more intelligent than the others, most grow up to be stronger as well. However, this one is a runt, so he didn't know how to proceed. He brought it to the leader of the Hive, Lady Cactus. "My Lady," said the Elder after knocking at the door to her office. "I have something I wish to show you." "Enter." said a powerful voice from behind the door. The Elder opened the door, behind a desk sat a large Changeling with a long pail green mane and yellow eyes. "What is it you wish to show me?" "During the hatching, I found this one, I'm not sure what to do with it." He presented the runt with a short silver mane and pail blue eyes, when it looked up at Lady Cactus she smiled. "Hmm," Cactus started to look over the hatching. "It appears to have been born with a gender, as well as a short mane. That's unusual." She picked it up. "It's horn is very small too. It might not be able to focus magic enough to transform." Cactus looked at the small hatching closely, thinking of what to do with it. "Take it to Rose Thorn, and have her teach it, if it can't transform fully in five years we shall exile it." "As you wish." Said the Elder, taking the runt and leaving. He approached a large chuck of the Hive, dedicated to teaching and training young changelings. It was filled with young Changelings who's ages ranged from infant to teenage. The only adult was another large Changeling with yellow eyes and a shoulder length silver mane. She is shouting orders to the young Changelings, telling them what to do and how they can improve what they were doing. "Miss Thorn." Said the Elder walking up to her. "Lady Cactus told me to give you this runt to teach." "Oh?" said Rose as she turned around. "Let me see it." Rose used her magic to pick up the runt. "It's pretty small, even for a runt, but it has a mane." She looks it over closer. "And its female." Rose smiles and looks into the runts eyes. "So I get to teach one of the future leaders." She giggles slightly. "This one's going to be a challenge." "Indeed, Lady Cactus said you have five years to teach it to transform fully. Good luck Miss Thorn." The Elder left. "Mi Tern!" shouted the new born Changeling, reaching her arms towards Rose. "Hatched for less than an hour and talking already?" Rose smiled. "You are a smart one aren't you?" A few years have passed. The Runt, as she's now called, is three years old and can now read the Changeling language and speak both Changeling and Equestrian. She is learning much faster than any of the other Changelings could have ever guessed possible. However, she can only change her color and her eyes when transforming. The Runt is way behind the other Changelings her age, who can almost fully transform. Rose has The Runt living with her, so she can teach her whenever necessary. One day The Runt came home, a little ruffed up. "What happened Runt? Did the others push you down again?" "Y-Yes, they keep getting m-meaner." Replied the Runt. She used to speak normally, however, when the other children started to pick on her and attack her for being so small and week she started to shudder. "I see, well they are trying to prove how strong they are." Rose walked to the Runt and knelled down beside her. "Don't worry though, they wont do anything to really hurt you. Remember what I teach them, to bring serious harm to other Changeling is punishable by death." She hugs the Runt, giving her the Love Energy she needs. "Now, let's try and transform all the way. We need to make more than just the color and eyes this time, try to change your mane." "O-Okay." The Runt tried changing, over and over. Eventually she was able to change her mane stile slightly, but she ran out of energy before she could make any real progress. The Runt fell asleep when she ran out of power, she only slept for a little while. When she woke up she apologized for being so weak. Rose told her it was okay, everyone starts out weak, and she will get stronger. This cycle repeated for the next two years. The Runt got good enough to where she could change her mane, tail, and coat to any color and style, however she can't hide the holes in her legs and mane, and her fangs still show. "So you can not fully transform Runt?" Said Lady Cactus with an angry expression. "Than you are just a waste of resources." Cactus scoffed and started to walk away. She stopped and looked at the Runt over her shoulder. "You are here by exiled from the Changeling Collective. Get out of my Hive." Cactus returned to her office. "I'll escort you out of here." Rose said, with a sad look. They made it to a field, a little ways from the hive. "There is a cave near here. You can stay there for now." Rose got a worried look on her face. "I still have things to teach you. You need to learn how to survive." Once in the cave Rose sat down next to the Runt. "But before I teach you, you need a name. What do you think about Ivy?" "I-Ivy? I l-like it." The Runt was known as Ivy from that day forward.