Getting Involved
“Are you the changeling from the other time?” Fluttershy asked in a sweet but worried voice.
How could she have seen through me like this? My disguise is perfect. Doppel looked at himself to see if he had transformed at all. Now I need to decide. Either I flee again, or I kill her. I don't like this, but I don't want to hide during the day to protect myself again.
“Are you okay?”
The changeling started and noticed that he hadn’t answered the pegasus’s question. Careful. Maybe if I trick her into thinking of something else, I won’t have to flee or kill. A big drop of sweat ran down his cheek.
“What do you mean?” he overacted. “Do you mean that there is a changeling near this house? Luckily, I'm here! With these products, you'll be safe for a long time and...”
“No. I think you're the changeling... Oh sorry, I cut you short!”
A sneeze ended the remaining doubt about Doppel's identity. With this sneeze, he took back his native form. He stood there without moving, completely stunned. Okay. Now I don't care what will happen after that. I need to know!
“How do you see through my disguise so quickly?” he asked, with a little anger in his voice.
“You're the only one who’s talked about changelings for months now,” she answered, hidden behind her mane and afraid.
“The only one?”
How can this be possible? I showed my true form in front of her and nopony talks about that? Is the entire population of Ponyville insane?
“And what about the fact that I appeared before you? Why has nopony tried to lock me up or kill me? Why would everypony act as if nothing had happened?” he snapped.
“I didn't dare tell somepony,” she whimpered, moving backward.
Typical Fluttershy. I think that even if she wanted to tell somepony, nopony would be listen to her with her weak voice. Doppel looked now at the pegasus at the front of him. She lay on the ground, shaking slightly. Great. Now I'm scaring her. Maybe it's better like this. She won't want to report it now. Or maybe now she'll want to? The changeling looked again at the shaking pony. He sighed.
“Okay fine. I'm leaving now. I’ll leave you alone,” he said out of spite.
He turned around towards the direction of the Everfree Forest. If I had known, I wouldn't have stayed hidden in the woods for several days. I'm sure that Mimic and Camouflage will be happy to know that we can stay in Ponyville. Unless Fluttershy reports us, but...
“Wait!” Doppel heard from the cottage.
Fluttershy had completely opened her door and now stared at Doppel with interest. The changeling stopped on the little bridge leading away from the cottage.
“Can I at least know your name?” she asked.
Doppel hesitated for some seconds.
“How can this be interesting for you?” he asked back. “Won’t you try to report me if you knew my name?”
He got closer to the cottage. She was standing up now, but she still couldn't look him in the eyes, but it was already a feat for her to talk to stranger that seemed pretty scary to her.
“Oh no. I wouldn't dare,” she finally succeeded to say. “It's just that I'd like to know your name... If that's okay with you”
“Doppel Ganger,” he answered concisely.
At the hearing of his name, Fluttershy began to relax more. Like if the fact that the changeling said his name made him less of a threat. Doppel was still unable to understand the behavior of the pegasus. She reacted as if she were talking to a normal stranger. She was scared, but it was the normal kind of scared for her.
“You may find this a little weird, but I find it odd that you aren't very scared or worried that there is a changeling in front of you,” he argued. “I know that a lot of ponies would run at the sight of me. I could be part of an invasion. And as seeing as you didn't report me, I'm free to continue it! Maybe I just act nice so I can kill you because you're a threat to the Hive.”
He grinned. Now I'll know why she isn't scared of like any normal pony is.
“You don't seem nasty,” she admitted.
“Maybe it's also just an act!”
“You fled the first time we met,” she pointed out.
“It was also an act...” he argued back. He looked at the pegasus for a few moments and then continued, “Okay, you win. I'm not here for an invasion and I don't want to hurt you. Really.”
Doppel was sure now. Fluttershy wasn't going to tell to anypony that she had found a changeling. Strangely, she trusted him now. I'm sure that if she were a changeling, she'd be a very good one. She read me like an open book.
He prepared to leave when his stomach made another rumbling. His face turned a shade made of red. Great. Try to look serious with this kind of sound coming from you.
“Oh! By the way, you must be hungry. Wait here. I'm going to pick up something for you,” the pegasus exclaimed.
“Changelings don't exactly...” Doppel began, but it was too late. Fluttershy was already inside her house.
Doppel tried to decide what to do. Should he follow her, or just wait outside? The only thing the changeling did was sneeze. His new form was a purple earth stallion with a blue mane. A musician this time...
“You can come in Mr. Ganger,” Fluttershy said from inside her cottage.
“There's no Mr. with me,” he stressed. “Just call me Doppel.”
He entered the house. He had never visited Fluttershy's home. He guessed that he was standing in the living room. It had several bird nests, mouse holes, and pet baskets. It had to be a menagerie also inside. Doppel expected the bedroom was in the second floor. Ponies like their comfort. Totally useless for a changeling.
The changeling took a few steps before being stopped by a white bunny who was frowning. What do you want with me? The rodent didn't move a bit. He was staring at Doppel like he was the worst thing ever. Relax, I'm not going to steal your Fluttershy! The bunny shrugged and left as if nothing had happened.
“Oh, there you are Angel,” Fluttershy exclaimed as she entered the room. “How do you want your...”
She didn't end her sentence as she began watching the changeling. She couldn't help but giggle at him.
“I didn't know that you liked music,” she laughed, “or ponies who play music.”
Doppel looked at himself. He completely forgot to take his natural form again.
“I know that you're a changeling. No need to hide it now,” she continued.
The changeling blushed before shape shifting back to his normal self.
--|-|--
In the Everfree Forest, Camouflage and Mimic was still awaiting news from their friend. His departure was so quick. They were expecting to see guards arriving at any, ready to treat them like they treated the changelings. They didn't even dare to imagine the scene.
“He's nuts!” Mimic complained. “His hunger got the best of him!”
“All we can hope is that he is still alive and is able to find a hiding place,” Camouflage said.
They sighed. Again, their stomach rumbled .
“I'd like if this could stop. I'm tired of being hungry,” she admitted.
Suddenly, a black shape landed before them. The two friends shouted at the surprise to see this. It was another changeling, Illusion.
“Illusion! Don't scare us like this ever again!” cried Mimic.
“And you Mimic, stop calling me that! Changelings don't have names!” she argued back.
The outlaws were an exception to this rule. Changelings under the queen's domination had the least individualism possible. They bore no name, no personalities. They lived only to follow Chrysalis' orders. The outlaws had the privilege to be different. They could have a name, a real personality. They named the spy, even if she still was loyal to the queen, only to make things simpler.
“We're happy to see you!” Camouflage stated.
“Why so happy? Usually, I bring bad news,” she said. “Where's Doppel?”
“That's the problem!” Camouflage continued. “He was discovered in Ponyville. We hid here for days waiting for you so we could move somewhere else. We can't stay here anymore.”
“But... Ponyville is completely quiet,” Illusion explained. “Everypony’s living their lives as usual.”
“Then why hasn’t Doppel come back yet?” asked Mimic. “He left because he couldn't stand being hungry.”
“I don't know. He isn't in danger, I'm sure. You can go to Ponyville if you want.”
“Phew, I'm relieved!” Camouflage sighed.
“Otherwise, I bring some news from the Hive, as agreed,” the spy began. “The Queen is beginning to form an army again. I don't know when or how, but in two weeks, a new invasion will take place. She wants to take revenge on the ponies who humiliated her. A word of advice, don't go to Canterlot anytime soon. I thereupon leave you here. Or else, the Queen is going to wonder why I'm not there anymore.”
She flew away, leaving her friends alone in their cave.
“I suppose that we can go to Ponyville to eat now?” Mimic suggested.
“I think we're going to go together. I cannot wait any longer!” answered her friend with a hungry tone.
--|-|--
Fluttershy had served a daisy sandwich to Doppel. Eating pony food was entirely optional for a changeling. At best, it slightly extended the time that they could go without feeding upon love, but that couldn't save them. Though the sick changeling agreed to eat what she had served.
“You aren't a normal changeling,” the timid pegasus said, before hiding again in her mane. “Well, I don't mean that you're weirder or uglier than any other changeling.”
“I know. In fact I’m an outlaw,” Doppel answered.
He noticed that Fluttershy took the sentence in a meaning he didn't intend. She stepped back and lowered her head.
“No! Not an outlaw like if I murdered or stole somepony,” he corrected himself, “I just never wanted to swear loyalty to queen Chrysalis. Each outlaw changeling has a different reason to do so. Mine was that I hated the method that the queen used to feed on love. One day, she called me in and I said some words she didn't like. And when I said that I'd never be loyal to a queen like that, I was banned by her. It's the only thing that happens to the changelings like me, exile from the Hive.”
“Oh my... You must really feel lonely all by yourself,” the pegasus exclaimed.
“No, it's okay,” he reassured her. “A changeling isn't really alone. We mingle with the ponies in a town. It’s not the best, but you don't know how much I’ve learned about Lyra and Bon-Bon now. After a year, it would be a shame.”
Fluttershy seemed surprised by his reply. Was this because he was alone during one year, or because he was there for a year and nopony had seen him until then? Finally, the answer became unimportant.
“I talk a lot about myself, but I still don't have the answer to the question I asked the last time,” the changeling mentioned.
His species has a good memory indeed. Like the curiosity, this was something essential to survive as a continuous impersonator.
“Which question?” the timid pony asked.
“You had been wondering something about your special somepony?” he said, in a very eloquent way. “Forgive my curiosity, but I'm wondering who he or she might be?”
Doppel never had seen so much red on a pony's face, well, maybe on Big Mac's, but that wasn't the same. He had the feeling that if Fluttershy could dig a hole and bury herself, she'd do it.
“Come on, this can't be so terrible,” he reassured her. “Anyway, I can't reveal this to anyone since I can't show myself too much.”
The pegasus whispered something inaudible for anypony to hear. Seeing that the changeling didn't understand what she said, she breathed for a long time and repeated louder this time, “Rainbow Dash.”
“The weather mare?” Doppel exclaimed. “And it's mutual?”
“I... don't know...” she whimpered, with all the courage she could muster. “I wouldn't dare to tell her... I'm not even sure that...”
“You want to know if it's mutual?” the changeling offered, interrupting the pegasus. “I can help you!”
Aaah these ponies and their questions about if the other likes them or not. For the changelings, love stories were simpler. Every changeling could feel what the other thought of them. If a changeling was in love with another one, the other knew almost instantly their feelings. They didn't hide it and wonder for months about what the other could feel about them. But it wasn't the case with Fluttershy who wasn’t a changeling and who kept a shade of red while he talked about her.
“Come on! You don't want to know?” he insisted. “Maybe it's because I'm a changeling, but I'd be very frustrated to not know about it.”
“And how will you manage to do that?” she say.
“I'm a changeling,” he boasted, “I know what ponies feel. I owe you for not reporting me, and for giving me food.”
On that, he went out of the house and headed for the center of Ponyville. Fluttershy stayed there trying to understanding what had just happened.
On his way, Doppel sneezed, taking the shape of the green mint unicorn he usually used. I may have bit off more than I can chew. I still have a cold and I could transform at any time when I sneeze. His stomach rumbled despite the food he ate. Well, as long as I'm in this disguise, I might as well go at Bon-Bon's house.
He suddenly changed direction to arrive in front of Bon-Bon's home. At the moment when he was going to open the door, he heard that somepony approaching. He hid in the small alley near the house. He saw Lyra coming out with her saddlebags hastily, bidding goodbye to the cream pony that Doppel wanted at this moment. After the unicorn disappeared from his sight, he entered the house.
“Lyra? Aren’t you supposed to be gone?” Bon-Bon asked when noticed that she wasn't alone anymore.
“Yes, but I forgot something!” the changeling lied.
He pretended to take something from a drawer and fed upon the love that the pony felt for the unicorn he embodied.
He tried to keep his face as straight as possible, but his nose was beginning to tickle. I can't sneeze now! It must not happen. He was making faces to avoid to sneeze.
“Why are you making faces?” Lyra's lover wondered.
“I’m thinking of taking drama classes, and I was trying to see if I can make good faces for the public,” Doppel made up.
I have to leave now. I can't hold it anymore.
“Drama class?” Bon-Bon repeated, with a tone of doubt.
“Yeah, maybe a bad idea. Gotta go!” the changeling said quickly.
Without further ado, he stepped outside as fast as possible. As soon as he closed the door, he sneezed loudly, causing him to transform. Doppel didn't dare open his eyes. He just sneezed in the middle of a street.
Finally, he decided to open his eyes. Lucky for him, there was nobody outside. He looked at himself. Safe, I look like Fluttershy who’s waiting for me in her home. And since I already have the right disguise, I may as well start looking for Rainbow.
Doppel began to scan every cloud that he passed. He obviously knew the reputation of the prismatic pegasus. He had to find a cloud where she was sleeping. He didn't need ten minutes to find her taking a nap above Sweet Apple Acres.
But how to wake her? That was the question. Doppel had to play the role of Fluttershy, staying in the character. How would Fluttershy wake Rainbow Dash up? He thought about it for a few seconds before realizing. She wouldn't wake her up, she'd let her sleep! I begin to understand why she has such a hard time telling her. He moaned, trying not to be out of character too much, but still to attract the pegasus' attention. He finally decided to poke Rainbow with one of his hooves as gently as he could.
“Er... Rainbow? I'd like to... say something... to you,” he said with the most hesitant tone he could find.
The weather pony only gave a moan and snored immediately after it. She can’t listen her friend when she's talking to her? He poked her on the head.
“Fluttershy, I want to sleep!” Rainbow muttered. “Applejack stopped me from sleeping the entire morning already”
But Doppel needed that the pegasus was awake to know what was her feelings were for the timid pony. Suddenly, his nose itched again. Fortunately, she's sleeping. I can hide for a few seconds, sneeze, and then come back like nothing happened. As he was starting to leave, Rainbow rose her head from her cloud swiftly.
“Okay! What do you want?” she asked on a frustrated tone.
The changeling froze, being observed by the pegasus. His brain was put on automatic mode, and the only thing he did was sneezing. His appearance changed and he took the form of a mustard colored pegasus with a grayscale rainbow mane. Rainbow gasped at that scene and ran towards the biggest tree in town. Doppel stayed frozen, trying to understand what just happened. When he realized what he’d done, he also fled. This time, he was sure that Rainbow Dash wouldn’t spare him.