//------------------------------// // Chapter 65 // Story: To Be a Changeling // by PlagueRat //------------------------------// Celestia’s sun was just beginning its decent over the city’s western skyline by the time Odonate believed himself to have sufficiently eluded his pursuers and was now safe enough to freely follow the queen’s pheromone trail. Traveling nearly the same path Chrysalis, Pupa and Bristletail took earlier that day, the veteran guard, disguised as a pewter blue unicorn, trotted casually down the city’s streets until reaching a nearly vacant outdoor market. Judging by the large amount of empty stalls and the few remaining shoppers, Odonate reasoned most of the vendors packed up for the day; and, whenever one of the few merchants that remained attempted to lure him over to their stalls with promises of incredible end of the day discounts, he politely declined and informed them he was only out for an evening stroll. Eventually, he spotted an old shed that seemed to be the source of the pheromone trail, but decided to continue meandering along to avoid drawing attention to the refuge. After passing a few more of the little storage buildings and exiting the general area of the market, Odonate changed his direction and doubled back around to approach the previously specified shed from the opposite side. “It’s Odonate,” he whispered to the door after tapping on it three times with the back of his hoof. A few seconds passed in silence before there was the distinctive click of a lock being undone and the door creaked open a crack. When a single eye peeked out at him from the darkness, he blinked, revealing his native solid blue eyes to the observer as further proof of his identity. “Are you okay?” Bristletail asked in her natural voice as she shuffled aside to allow him entry. “I’m fine,” he replied while stepping over the threshold and locking the door behind him. “I just wanted to lure them as far away as I could before returning. Where is the queen?” “Her highness is with the princess, on the other side of those crates,” the infiltrator said, motioning toward a stack of wooden boxes. Nodding, the veteran guard dispelled his disguise and trotted over to the indicated area. After rounding the containers he spotted both royals already gazing in his direction with their ears perked up. Chrysalis, was settled across the cushions of an old couch with her daughter laying between her forelegs; while Pupa, looking out of sorts, immediately rested her head on her mother’s leg and stared down at the floor shortly after seeing him. “Your highness,” Odonate said with a respectable bow. “How did you fair?” Chrysalis asked, placing her free front hoof on her daughters back. “I dispersed the observers and led several of the authorities away to the north-west,” recounted the guard. “On my way back I noticed a distinctive reduction of sentries the farther south I traveled. I’m confident the ponies have been fully eluded.” “Your resourcefulness is greatly appreciated,” said Chrysalis. “Is the princess okay?” Odonate queried, though he paused before doing so, showing a slight uncertainty in asking the question. “I’ll explain everything,” said Chrysalis, moving a strand of stray mane from the melancholy nymph’s face, “but for now I do not want this information to leave this room.” “Your friend is doing just fine,” reported a mint green earth pony with a nurse’s cap clipped atop her light navy blue mane. “In fact, she’s filling out the release forms now and should only be a little while longer.” “Oh, you have no idea how relieved I am,” Rarity breathed, a hoof pressed against her chest. “Was she attacked?” “I’m sorry dearie, but I can’t say anything in regards to her injuries,” said the nurse. “We have a policy about sharing patient information outside of immediate family members.” “Ah, I see,” Rarity exhaled, “well, thank you for updating me.” “It’s no problem,” the nurse smiled, “in the meantime, have a seat. I know the magazines are a little outdated but you’ll wear a hole in the carpet if you keep pacing.” “I will, er have a seat that is, not wear a hole in your carpet” promised Rarity, returning her own good-humored smile. “Thank you again.” After the nurse exited through the doors leading back to the emergency room, the fashionista let out a small sigh and sat down in one of the uncomfortable waiting room chairs. A soft blue glow surrounded her horn and a random magazine from the stack on the table in front of her levitated before her muzzle. When she noted the issue was from last hearths warming, she clicked her tongue in disappointment but opened the publication anyway. The nurse said Sassy wouldn’t be long. Pupa was barely listening as her mother recounted the admission of her visions and the content of said visions to Odonate. Instead she opted to watch the progress of a tiny reddish brown centipede, as it repeatedly emerged and disappeared between the cracks of the floor boards, likely in search of its next meal. While she really wanted nothing more than to focus her thoughts on something mundane, like how hard it must be to control so many little legs at the same time, or why the arthropod’s legs were yellow when the rest of its body wasn’t; in the end her mind would inevitably return to dwell the ‘incident’ she had earlier. Despite feeling exhausted, taking a nap was out of the question. Every time she closed her eyes the horrific images would taunt her and she didn’t even want to imagine the nightmares she would possibly be subjecting herself too. Out of the corner of her vision the nymph spotted a bundle of twitching whiskers as they poked out from under one of the pallets. A little pink nose emerged next and when the grey fur, naked pink ears and two jet black eyes followed, Pupa knew it was a rat. The rodent sat up onto his haunches and sniffed at the air for a few moments before returning to all fours. It took its time to scratch the back of its ear with a rear paw and groom the fur on its belly. Then it snatched up the centipede in its mouth and ran off. Pupa frowned deeply. Now with her distractions gone she had nothing else to force her attention on; so after releasing a tired exhale through her nostrils, she listened in on the discussion of the older changeling’s. “I think taking the train out of the city might be a little too risky,” Odonate grumbled, rubbing his chin with the back of a hoof. “It wouldn’t be a very good situation if the princess were to accidentally lose her disguise in such a confined place.” “I need to visit Canterlot,” Chrysalis said. “They have the largest library around and I can help keep her in disguise,” “We could send infiltrators to do the research,” countered Odonate. “This isn’t something I can trust to just anyling,” the queen frowned. “What about returning to the hive first? Then I can assign a few guards to accompany you,” the guard proposed. “I’d rather tackle this immediately,” responded the queen. Odonate’s single ear twitched. “Very well my queen,” he capitulated with a slight nod. “It would be best to head out now and get tickets before the trains stopped running for the night.”