Main Characters: TWP, Del
Cameos: The Lonely Changeling, The Beautiful Unicorn, The Handsome Unicorn
Original Start Date: December 14, 2012
James yawns as he trots back to his room after a middle-of-the-night washroom break. The sleepy stallion notices a movement across the living room ceiling. He turns on a light to find Del cowering above him.
‘Oh, uh, hi,’ the changeling greets, glancing around and shaking.
‘Are you okay, Del?’
Del looks around. ‘I cannot sleep.’
‘Bad dreams or..?’
The changeling whimpers and looks around nervously.
‘Would you like to stay with me tonight, Del?’
Del nods hurriedly.
‘Come on. Let’s go to bed.’
James steps under the nervous changeling, allowing her to drop to his back. He carries her to his bed. Del hops down and curls up. She still shakes nervously as she hides under the covers. James climbs in and holds the upset changeling.
‘Do you want to talk about what is bothering you?’ James asks.
Del whines and cuddles in. ‘I am just feeling...’ She whines again.
‘It’s okay. I understand. Would you like a bedtime story to help you sleep?’
Del nods. ‘Yes, please.’
‘Okay. Let’s see if I can think of a good one...’
Once upon a time, there was a very pretty little princess...
Del groans. ‘I know where that is going. I know that is supposed to be about me.’
James laughs and hugs Del. ‘You are a sharp one. Well... How about this?’
There was once a lonely changeling living with ponies. She traveled around the pony land looking for a place to belong. Unlike other changelings, she did not feed on love. Sometimes she would hide as a pony, but she did not like hiding and tried to get the ponies to accept who she really was. This made everypony scared, and they were mean to The Lonely Changeling. They would not let her live with them or eat with them. The Lonely Changeling was forced to live on the street and eat her meager meals alone. This made her very sad.
One rainy day, The Lonely Changeling was living on scraps in a small cardboard home, too small for a full-grown changeling, at the end of an alley. She heard the clopping of hooves on the street. A beautiful unicorn covering herself with an umbrella stepped to the end of the alley.
‘Is somepony there?’ The Beautiful Unicorn asked the darkness.
The Lonely Changeling whimpered and tried to hide in her box. The Beautiful Unicorn lit up her horn, lighting the alley and exposing the changeling. The unicorn gasped. The changeling backed away. The Beautiful Unicorn knelt down.
‘Come on out. It is okay,’ the unicorn beckoned. ‘I won’t hurt you.’
The Lonely Changeling creeped out of her hiding spot. The Beautiful Unicorn smiled kindly and stood.
‘Oh, look at you,’ The Beautiful Unicorn cooed. ‘You are so pretty.’
The Lonely Changeling sighed and shook her head. ‘I am not. You are beautiful. I am a monster.’
‘You are gorgeous.’
The changeling blushed and looked away. Another unicorn trotted up. He was a very handsome unicorn. The Lonely Changeling instantly backed away from the stallion.
‘My word,’ the unicorn stallion gasped. ‘Who have you found here?’
‘This is my new friend,’ The Beautiful Unicorn replied. ‘She was hiding in the alley.’
‘We cannot have that.’ The Handsome Unicorn offered a friendly hoof. ‘Come now. Let’s get you a good meal and take you somewhere warm.’
The Lonely Changeling stared at the hoof. She nervously extended one of her own and was helped to her hooves. The Handsome Unicorn covered the changeling with his umbrella, allowing himself to get rained upon. The Beautiful Unicorn motioned forward. The Lonely Changeling followed the unicorns away.
‘Isn’t she just the loveliest you have ever seen?’ The Beautiful Unicorn commented.
‘She is quite stunning,’ The Handsome Unicorn agreed.
‘Just think how lovely she will be once we get her cleaned up.’
The Lonely Changeling blushed and silently followed the unicorns. The few ponies on the street backed away in surprise at seeing the changeling. The Handsome and Beautiful Unicorns ignored the impolite reactions of the rude ponies that were hurting The Lonely Changeling’s feelings.
The Beautiful Unicorn stopped at a fancy restaurant. It was the fanciest restaurant The Lonely Changeling had ever seen. She felt very out of place as the unicorns ushered her inside. The maitre d’ did not look too pleased to see a changeling in his restaurant.
‘A table for three, please,’ The Handsome Unicorn requested.
The maitre d’ scowled at The Lonely Changeling. ‘Surely, you are joking. We do not serve their kind here.’
The Lonely Changeling whined and turned to leave, but The Beautiful Unicorn stopped her. The changeling tried leaving again, but the unicorn kept blocking her. She turned the changeling around to show The Handsome Unicorn confronting the rude maitre d’.
‘Sir, do you know who I am?’ The Handsome Unicorn asked. ‘I happen to be a very powerful and influential pony. With but an utterance, I can destroy your establishment’s reputation in an instant. If you will not welcome all visitors to your establishment, then you might as well not welcome us as well. We will just have to find another place to dine. One more welcoming than here.’
The Handsome Unicorn turned to leave. Other patrons who had noticed the group and recognized The Handsome Unicorn started murmuring and considered leaving too. This made the maitre d’ very nervous. That is when he finally noticed the pitiable expression on The Lonely Changeling’s face as she joined her new friends in leaving.
‘Wait!’ The maitre d’ called. ‘We, uh, might have room for you after all...’
The Handsome Unicorn laughed and smirked. The Beautiful Unicorn giggled, knowing her companion’s actions once again helped somepony in need. The other patrons returned to their meals and gave supportive looks as the group passed.
After the biggest meal she had had in ages, The Lonely Changeling followed her new friends back to their home. The Beautiful Unicorn helped The Lonely Changeling bathe and groom herself.
‘You are quite lovely,’ The Beautiful Unicorn constantly complimented while grooming the changeling.
Once his companion was through, The Handsome Unicorn showed The Lonely Changeling to a room of her own. She was invited to stay as long as she needed. For the first time in a long time, the changeling felt loved and welcomed. She thanked her new friends for their kindness and vowed to repay them one day. She was no longer The Lonely Changeling but The Pretty Changeling, and she was able to have many more happy and exciting adventures with her friends.
After finishing the story, James looks down at Del curled up in his forelegs. The small changeling has a large smile on her face as she falls asleep. James sighs and gives Del a gentle nuzzle.
‘Mr Wanderer...’ Del asks in her daze.
‘Yes, Del?’
‘Can you do that thing you did with Rei for me too?’
‘Are you asking me to adopt you?’
Del nods. ‘Yes, please. If you want me.’
James laughs. ‘Of course I would want you. I’ll talk it over with your sister and see what I can do.’
‘Thank you. You’re the greatest.’
‘So are you. Now, get some sleep, pretty changeling.’ James nuzzles Del again. ‘Love ya, Del.’
‘Love you too, dad.’
James laughs and settles in. Del sighs contently and falls asleep.