The pony beneath him was rigid from shock, the smell of her fear almost overwhelming his senses. He took in her scent, searching for the other smell. She reeked of it, but she wasn't the source. His eyes shot up and he spotted another pony standing in the hallway, he saw it. The way she moved, the way she held herself and her smell. He went wild.
With a snarl he pounced on her, pinning her to the wall as his paw curled around her neck. "STOP! WHAT ARE YOU DOING! STOP IT!" Purple Haze was shouting at him, trying to pull him off the pony.
"NO! IS FAKE! IS FAKE! IS BUG!" he shouted still facing the pony as his paw squeezed down. The pony was gasping for air. She started to change. The gnoll snarled and pressed harder.
"She's a changeling..." Purple Haze whispered in shock.
"Please don't hurt her! Please! She's my friend!" the other pony had somehow crawled up to them and was holding onto one of his legs.
Purple Haze redoubled her efforts, "SCAR! STOP! SHE IS NO THREAT! STOP! PLEASE SCAR STOP! PLEASE!" there were tears in her eyes. The pony at his feet was also begging him to stop.
Through the cloud of rage that filled his mind he could her them wail, he looked into the bugs eyes, fear. She was dying. With a final snarl he ripped his claws away and let the changeling drop to the floor. She lay there coughing for air as the other one held her close. He stood over them, he wanted to rip the bug apart. He didn't even notice he was still growling at them.
"Scar. Please. Calm down." Purple Haze tried her best to calm him, he didn't even look at her. "SCAR, LOOK AT ME!" she shouted. His head whirled around. His eyes were different, never before had she seen rage in them. "Please, calm down. She is no threat."
"Purple Haze is wrong. Scar knows BUGS! Evil! Bugs suck away happy thoughts and empty ponies remain!"
"She's not our enemy. She left the hive. It's okay. She is no threat." Slowly, slowly he seemed to calm down. He turned to the other two.
"Please don't hurt her! She's my friend!" the pony was protecting the bug. Had the whole world gone insane?
"Explain." the gnoll snarled at them, "Then Scar will decide if bug is threat or not."
Purple Haze tried to lead his attention away from the changeling at his feet the best she could, "When queen Chrysalis was defeated many of her drones left the hive. Princess Celestia allows them to live among us. They are no threat. The emotions they take are given to them by free will."
"How do ponies know bugs won't betray them?" the gnoll asked furiously.
"We trust them, they are our friends." the other pony had spoken up. She had regained her composure surprisingly quick for a pony that just got jumped by a gnoll. "We care for them and they care for us. We are friends."
"It's true,..." the changeling carefully spoke up, causing the gnoll's hairs to stand on end again. "We fled from the hive mind when Chrysalis was defeated. That day she lost her control over us. Princess Celestia granted us safety and survival. We would never hurt the ponies."
He looked at her, she was standing and even though she was clearly shaking with fear her voice was sure and steady. "And what if bug queen returns?"
He saw the bug break on the inside.
"She won't return. She's gone!" Purple Haze once again tried to get his attention.
He shook his head, "Scar reads, Scar knows. Bug queen only run away. Still alive."
"I know..." the changeling quietly commented, "She's still out there somewhere, and when she returns the hive will swallow our minds again." she hung her head. For the first time he saw something different in the bug.
He stared at her for a long moment, collecting his thoughts. None of the ponies knew what to say.
"Scar will help." the ponies and the changeling looked up in surprise, "If bug is truly friend of ponies then Scar will help. Will fight for bug and friends. Protect them from evil bug queen." he started to head outside.
"Thank you... for trusting us."
He didn't turn around, "BUT...IF BUG HURTS PONIES..." the changeling shuddered, "Gnoll will find it, no matter where bug runs, Scar, will, find it. And then, gnoll will break it"
He stopped for a second and shifted his shoulders, "Scar promises." he said as the door shut behind him.
Purple Haze collapsed against one of the walls, "Disaster avoided. Although I'm not sure how."
"It's not his fault." the changeling said.
"What do you mean?" Cheerilee spoke up, "He almost killed you!"
"He could have, but he didn't. We changelings can feel what others feel, he only wants to protect the ponies. I don't know his experiences with our kind, but he'll fight to keep you and even the deserted changelings safe. He was serious when he promised to, and I'm thankful for that." she turned to Purple Haze, "Why did you come here anyway?"
Purple Haze gave a tired sigh, "Show and tell, show and tell."
---
Outside the gnoll was pacing around wildly, the ponies were insane! He was insane! Promising to protect bugs when he should be breaking them? Had he lost his mind? He started to mumble curse words as he walked up and down in front of the pony house. How many bugs were in the pony city? Did the big white one really approve of this madness? Maybe he should break them just in case. No no, he had already promised. Maybe if he'd drop something on them by accident? No, that would be even worse!
He didn't even notice Purple Haze when she exited the house a few minutes later until she spoke up, "Scar? Are you okay? How are you feeling?"
He stopped in front of her, she looked tired. "Scar calm. Ponies mad at Scar?"
He didn't look calm at all. She shook her head, "Shocked, but not mad. The changeling was very understanding." she gave a sigh, "She even convinced Cheerilee to allow you to come to show and tell tomorrow. Plus, she wants to take you around town to meet the other changelings, so things like this can be avoided in the future. Her name is Happy Frap by the way."
"Scar takes no joy in that." he commented sourly.
"I know, see it as punishment for nearly killing a resident of Ponyville."
He shook his head, "Scar is still wary of bugs, but Scar will keep promise and help bugs if they are friends of ponies."
"How do you know about the changelings anyway? Did you meet them before?" she asked as they headed back.
"Scar will not talk about that. Not now." the rest of the walk was spent in silence.