Darkness... darkness everywhere... when suddenly, a speck of gold is born within a dewdrop sitting on a lonely blade of grass as if it were an uninvited guest, the gold speck grew and grew until it spontaneously sprung its runners across the valley in every possible direction that one could imagine.
The gold, as if a thick honey syrup, began to engulf all that exists, even the tiniest atoms were invaded by the amber blanket of the morning sunlight.
A zephyrous voice sang to the leaves, changing them into a waving sea of fans, as if they were attending a concert, the water in the soil started to gently breathe as the plants began to drink from mother nature.
Roads became dirt roads, trees became the Everfree forest, and the cluster of anonymous huts became Ponyville.
Equestria regained its daily pulse that made everything so real, so tangible and yet...
She opened her eyes.
She read her list of things to do for today
She got up from the bed.
Whilst Twilight was brushing her teeth (don't ask me how ponies can do that) she was jumped by the sound of a third party hoof being repeatedly hit against her door in a gentle manner... what could possibly be so important as to interrupt her fourth most important task of the day? (first organising, second, writing letters to her teacher, third reading) she spat the frothy mix into the sink, washed it down and went to open the door.
It was Fluttershy
"What is it, Fluttershy?" mumbled out Twilight with half her brain still sleeping soundly.
"Oh, well... I hope I didn't interrupt anything did I?"
"Not anymore..." replied the purple unicorn now that the irritation fully awoke any part of her that might still have been in Luna's realm.
"Ah, I see... well... you see... I think we might have a small problem, today when I woke up and came to see how Mark was doing-"
"Mark... Mark, Mark, Mark..." Twilight was sure she heard that name somewhere recently
"yes, the changeling, he is gone, I can't find him... but I'm sure he's fine, he's probabbly gone shopping for food"
"But Fluttershy... Changelings feed on emotions, they don't eat normal food"
"I'm sure he was thinking of buying me and Rarity some food, but I'm worried that he might be lost"
Twilight already was way ahead of Fluttershy thinking of all the places the changeling could go to, the ponies he could transform into, and any spells against changelings that she might have remembered since the wedding incident.
This was a chess match between the two of them, thought Twilight, just like Merlock Holmes and Ponyarty.
Twilight violently grabbed poor Fluttershy, concentrated on her magic, forming complicated enchantements in her head and teleported in front of the yellow pegasi's cottage.
Twilight bucked open the cottage door ready for anything that might come at her
She was not ready for what came next.
The duo was greeted by the enticing and welcoming smell of roasted apple fritters followed by the sight of a happy rarity in her morning pinkie coloured gown and fluffy slippers sitting on the dinner table (except that right now it was a breakfast table) and gluttonously chomping down the food on the plate thinking that noone was observing her right now.
Mark was in the kitchen cooking.
Rarity looked up from the plate and noticed the two ponies who barged into the cottage like charlie's angels (minus one) and jumped... she was acting unsightly (she just couldn't help herself, Apple acre's apples were especially sweet today) and se was caught.
"OH-, WHY-, SHOU-" stuttered Rarity trying to find a way out of this ominous predicament, after all, one should do their best to keep up appearances.
Having figured out how to save face, the bourgois mare reverted to her usual self, reached for a silky hankerchief and gracefully wiped her mouth.
Twilight, puzzled, froze for a moment and then tried to make sense of the bizarre situation.
Her puzzlement changed into anger, Mark came to greet the girls with a pan in one hoof and a spatula in the other, however he was suddenly invaded by the angry Twilight, who came up way too close to him having completely obliterated his personal bubble.
"What were you thinking mark? you shouldn't just go out whenever you feel like it, we may be taking care of you but you're still our enemy, do you have any idea how the ponies in the town would react if they'd find out that we're helping a changeling?, or better yet, let a changeling go rogue on the streets?"
"I'm sorry, I just went to buy some apples, Fluttershy recently ran out so I figured I'd buy some... and besides, I changed into a regular pony so noone noticed that I was a changeling in the first place"
"Is that so?"
"Yes, that is so."
"well" began Twilight not knowing how to respond to that "well, next time let somepony know, we were worried you might have done something to somepony out there"
"It's nice to know you think of me as a rabid dog"
"I'm only vigilant, that's all, you are still our enemy, I can't let my guard down"
Rarity noticed that the atmosphere began to reach critical mass, she had to do something
"Let's all calm down and eat, shall we? breakfast is hardly the time for us to remind who is who's enemy right now..."
Fluttershy noticed what Rarity is attempting to do, so she nodded accordingly, gently shoved her bookworm friend to the nearest seat at the table and assured Twilight:
"I think Rarity is right, let's all enjoy this short time we still have together, who knows when we might meet Mark a second time"
"for the good for all of us let's hope that the answer is never because the next time we meet is going to be as enemies"
That hurt Mark more than he thought it would.
"Perhaps, you'd like an apple fritter, Twilight?"
"You don't have to pretend to be nice to me, Mark"
"Treat one as you would treat yourself, I like to say... so about the fritters, would you like some? I made them myself"
"I thought you changelings don't eat normal food"
"sure we don't but that doesn't mean we don't know how to cook" said mark as he flopped a fritter on her plate
Twilight looked at the fritter... she looked at it as one does at a piece of cheese or fish they just took out of the fridge when they are unsure whether it is still edible or not.
She glanced at Fluttershy who made a little nudge in the air with her head from her side of the table and gave a silent "go on, try it" look
"well, we all have to take risks now and then and now is as good as any other time" thought Twilight, "Here goes!"
CHOMP
CHEW
GULP
"Wow! this is really good! Mark, I had no idea changelings could cook so well!"
"Ah, it's not a big deal, I actually worked for some time as a chef in a restaurant in Fillydelphia... you know, we all have to pay the rent some way or other, right?"
The ponies spent the rest of the meal on pointless chitter chatter and organising their day (well, that was mostly Twilight's doing as she insisted to do so) after which they went their own ways, Twilight came back to her library for her monthly reorganization routine and Rarity Packed up the newly made outfits and went to the train station to deliver them personally.
Mark suggested to fluttershy that perhaps it is time for him to begin his physical rehabilitation as he felt strong enough to begin.
The shy pony agreed and suggested that it would be a good idea to go over to Applejack's farm because there is always some work to do there, also it would be a great idea to get to know AJ better as it was going to be her turn to guard him starting from today.
As Mark was on his way with Fluttershy to the farm, he couldn't help but to think about what Twilight said... sure it was harsh but nonetheless it was the truth, once he leaves Ponyville it would be a bad idea to ever come back, the ponies may be nice to him right now but in all honesty it was against their moral principles to help a changeling in the first place and he doubted that they would let this whole thing slide a second time.
Mark thought some more.
"I seriously need to think of a plan... just going out there trying to find survivors from my kind would be pointless... if I would do that, they'd just regroup and try to go to war again with the ponies and we all know how the last try ended... no, the problem is bigger here, I need to think of a way to discourage both sides from going to war... GOD DAMN IT! why can't they all just like each other, that would be so easy, there's always a solution.
My dad was right, there's no such thing as "impossible" you can do anything if you know how to! I mean look at me right now, sure, I've changed into a regular earth pony to hide myself from the townfolk but when I'm at Fluttershy's place I can be myself and everypony (or at least most ponies) seem to be fine with that."
Mark glanced at the pagasus by his side
"There is nothing more powerful than an example... maybe if I manage to set an example that would prove all ponies and changelings wrong, they would have no reason not to cease this nonsensical pantomime. I just need to make some more friends here, try to convince the ponies that I'm not their enemy and then I'd have to find a way to live here... but one thing at a time"
They reached the farm.
the dry mud silenced the clopping of their hooves, an occasional distant sound of bucking broke the sounds of work at the cherry-coloured barn and a blood-red stallion could be seen throwing bails of hay on a cart.
"Good morning Big Mackintosh" Fluttershy greeted the young stallion
"I was just wandering, My friend here Mark needs to get back in shape so I thought he might help you out in the farm, if that isn't a problem that is"
"Nnnope"
"Oh, that's great, also if I could just ask, is Applejack around?"
"Eyyyup" replied Bigmac as he pointed with his hoof in the general direction towards the orchard.
"Thank you very much"
Fluttershy and Mark began to approach the orchard
"you know, that red horse doesn't talk much, does he?" asked Mark
"Oh, that's Applejack's older brother, Big Mackintosh he doesn't really like to talk much"
"I wonder why..."
Only now Mark realised the sheer massiveness of the collosal apple orchard, there seemed to be no end to the green wooden hills, the entire realm of Equestria could not even begin to compare to this.
after about 10 minutes of going in one direction and after another few minutes of getting lost, they finally found the hardworking bucker surrounded by baskets filled with apples
"Hay there Fluttershy, who's your friend?"
Mark changed back to his original form
"It's me, Mark"
"Hay, weren't you that pony that came earlier today to buy some of our apples? I thought that changelings don't eat normal food"
"Again with the food, what is with you ponies and the food? I just got some apples for Fluttershy and Rarity"
"Ah see somepony's got up on the wrong hoof today"
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to lash out like that, I'm kinda going through a tough period right now..."
"Y'know, if you're having a bad time it's always a good idea to work, it keeps your mind off things"
"Actually, that's why we came here, I was wondering if perhaps you could give Mark some work to do... you know so that he can get back in shape"
"Sure thang, an extra pair o' hooves are welcome here in the farm, you can start by helpin' me take them baskets back to the barn"
"Thank you very, very much Applejack if there's anything I can ever do to repay you please let me know" replied Fluttershy as she took off.
Mark made a clumsy attempt to pick up the basket and put it on his back, he wobbled for a short while but soon tripped, smacked the grass, dropping the basket and the apples escaped onto the ground
"ok maybe this wasn't such a good idea..."
If this didn't work, then it's time for another strategy
Mark concentrated, his horn started glowing, the apples on the ground soon regrouped back into the basket, which began to float above the soil.
"Ok, I'll be back in a moment, it's time to try out my wings and see whether they're all right"
Mark unwrapped the bandages around his wings and looked at them... they seemed to have the same luscious shine like they always had, they seemed fine.
"All right, up up and away!"
Mark carefully began to flap his wings faster and faster until he ascended into the azure sky like a large black hummingbird with the basket follwing him.
Before the apple cowpony could say "what in tarnation'?" Mark was already back with an empty basket
"You're a fast little critter aren't ya?"
"Please don't call me a critter... but yes, I guess I am, us changelings are known for our speed, we're way faster than pegasi, and all thanks to those holes in our hooves... aerodynamics for the win!"
"For the win? what in the hay are you on about?"
"Nothing, just something I tend to say once in a while. Hey, can I ask a question? it's about your brother, is he always like that?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, he's awful quiet all of the time, I'm sorry if I seem nosey but he's the first stallion I've met so far in this town and you know, I thought I could make some bro ponys... you know, bronies for short"
Bigmack used to be pretty chattery back in the days but..." Applejack took her hat off and looked at it with a distant gaze
"well let's just say he changed some time ago"
Mark tasted sadness from her, he probabbly stumbled upon a taboo subject
"Right thanks, doesn't talk much, got it, you know some ponies just change like that when they grow up, I guess your brother is one of those, in any case back to work!"
The taste of sadness slowly dissolved in the atmosphere.
"That was a close shave, probabbly some family related business, I've got to remember not to ask about it" thought Mark.
He took the next basket full of apples and zipped to the barn where out of nowhere he got smacked on the face out of nowhere.
Mark was thrown halfway across the farmyard onto the pig's playground.
"WHAT JUST HAPPENED?" thought the changeling whilst he looked up and saw Applejacks big brother, an elderly green mare and a young lemon-coated filly with a large bow on her head, all of which were running towards him.
The taste of anger that follwed them made Mark think that this isn't going to be a good first impression... but why? it's not like they've seen him for the first time... and then it hit him
"Of course, they saw me when I was in earth pony form so they didn't know that I'm a changeling... I'm such an idiot"
Just when Mark thought it couldn't get any worse, it got better as an alert Applejack rushed in between the mob and Mark.
"Y'all crazy? what are you doin'?"
The old wrinkly mare was the first to talk
"Get out of the way Applejack, we just found a changeling and we need to throw him out before he does anything!"
"Eyyyyup"
"She's right behind you big sister!-"
"Great, not again- thought Mark, -is it really that hard to tell our sexes apart?"
"It's ok everypony, he's not like the others, ah found him some time ago lyin' on the road, he was nearly done for, but me and the girls saved him at the last moment, he's all right, he won't hurt us, he couldn't even if he tried, he's still weak"
"Applejack" began the green one "you can't be nice to those thangs, they're nasty things that take advantage of your feelings and they suck your life out"
The little one butted in
"Yeah! and I heard that they even suck your blood with their fangs!"
"Hey, we don't suck ponie's lives out! that's a common misconception, it just goes to show how little you ponies actually know about us... as far as sucking blood is concerned it's vampires, not changelings"
"Silence, you hooldum! get out of mah farm, we don't want the likes of you here"
"Eyyyeup!"
AJ couldn't take the pressure, she couldn't believe her ears, how could her family be so insensitive?
"QUIIIIEEEEEEEEET!!!!" Applejack's shout silenced even the pigs at the farm.
"Everypony calm down, ah already told you that everything's gonna be fine, he' too weak to do anything and he wants to help us out at the farm for free, ah see no problem here, do you?"
"He's controlling Applejack!" gasped the old one
"Oh, no! not mah big sister!"
"Oh, for god's sake, seriously? I can barely fly and you're accusing me of controlling her? you've got to be kidding me... this is exactly why I was going around the town in earth pony form, you see, Applejack? this is the problem here, no matter what I say it's not going to change a thing, this is why I have to be here in the first place... this isn't fair, you ponies have no concern towards others... your sister is one of the very few that ever showed compassion towards me, you should all be ashamed of yourselves, there are hundreds of you in this town and there's just one of me, what could I possibly do?"
Applejack agreed
"Mark here has a point, we can't judge somepony based on their kind, every orchard has it's share of bad apples"
"Maybe Applejack's right" replied Bigmack to everypony's surprise
Granny interrputed
"I've lived for a long time, I've seen many things and ah can tell you that i've never came across a good changelin' they're all evil, now get out before my grandson goes all rodeo on you!"
"Ah think it's best that you go Mark, I'm sorry for all of this"
"I think you're right, are you going to be all right?"
"Oh, don't worry bout me, I'll be just fine"
"if you say so"
Mark gradually got up, some of his minor wounds reopened from bigmack's punch and they now stung as if you'd wash the wound with warm water, scrub it with a rough sponge and then sprinkle a generous pinch of salt on them.
Mark changed back into earth pony form and ran away as quickly as his slight limp let him.
He looked back and saw AJ's family surround her asking her if she was fine... she was not going to be fine, this isn't good, if her family reacted that way, he wouldn't want to know how the the rest of the town would react if they were to find out that the girls are still keeping him and nursing him back to health, it was all up to AJ right now not to neigh a word to anypony about this.
Fluttershy was so proud of herself that she could barely concentrate on her daily routine of feeding her animals, she not only managed to persevere in nursing Mark back to health but she also managed to convince her friends to give him a second chance... things were picture perfect right now, nothing could ruin this day... or at least that's what she thought until Mark showed up limping and clearly hurt.
Fluttershy's motherly instincts kicked in
"Oh goodness! what happened? was there some sort of accident?"
"An accident would suggest that this didn't happen on purpose"
"I'm sorry, I don't quite understand what you mean, did you hurt yourself?"
"No... let's just say that AJ's family wasn't too glad to see a changeling at their farm... I got hit by her big brother, Applejack came just in time to help me out, she told me that I should go while she tries to resolve this whole misunderstanding"
"I am so sorry Mark"
"You have nothing to be sorry about"
"Oh, but I do, I can't help but to feel responsible for this, I'm the one that let you go there, maybe it's still too soon"
"Actually I'm kind of glad this happened, maybe that's what I needed, a little push, I've been having a hard time... I didn't say this to anyone yet but I did a lot of thinking lately you know? and I was thinking about this whole changeling-pony thing that has been going on for thousands of years and you know what? I'm sick of it, this hatred never did anyone of us any good, did ponies gain something from this? no, did we gain anything from this? no, so why keep it up? you know I want to change this, and you know what? I want to live here, there I said it, you're all so nice to me, nicer than anypony has ever been before, you could even say we live in harmony right now, so why change it? I know I'm being selfish right now saying that but to hell with it, I'm going to change it whether you all like it or not"
Mark's reply surprised Fluttershy
"Well, that's great that you want to stay here but are you going to be fine with changing into an earth pony all of the time for the rest of your life?"
"You don't understand what I meant, I want to live here as myself, not hide, I want this town to accept me for who I am, and I'm going to make it happen, dont you see? if I manage to live in harmony with the ponies here, I would be an example for everypony all over in Equestria, you know at some point I thought of going out there into the world and look for any survivors among my kind but that wouldn't change a thing, we would all still hate each other and go to war again and again... and I don't want any more wars, we've already had one and that's one too many"
Fluttershy felt compassion for Mark right now, it never occured to her how he could have felt, all she saw before, was a hurt being in need of help... and now she noticed that not only his body was scarred but so was his soul, and those are the worst kind of scars, that can only be mended by love or friendship.
Fluttershy made a decision, she is going to remain his friend for better or for worse, he was right, and if Luna or even Discord can get along with everypony in the end, then so should the changelings and the ponies... friendship has that miraculous ability to make the impossible happen, it can even do what magic cannot, that is why friendship is magic... the most powerful magic of all.
"You are right Mark, that is why I will do all I can to help you live in this village and i don't care what anypony has to say about this, we WILL make this happen"
Mark was speechless this was the first time he ever saw her so determined with something, normally she would retreat back into her shell of humbleness and low self-esteem, Mark liked this new Fluttershy, he was like water, gentle yet persevering, calm, yet forceful when the time called for it and whatever the case may be, she didn't lose her composure...
The legend has begun