Shiftlight opened his mouth hesitantly, then closed it, then opened it again, trying to interrupt the onslaught of words coming from Pinkie Pie. After the changeling noticed that the mare seemed to talk without taking a breath, he simply used another method to silence the pony.
A sudden hoof in her mouth muffled the party maniac’s voice.
“Thank you for offering to guide us through Ponyville, but I think we can manage,” he said. Pinkie Pie frowned and went silent, as Shiftlight turned to walk away.
“Don’t worry Miss,” Buzzer interrupted in his most silky manner, “my brother is just a bit frustrated from the long travel. We all had a hard day, and he’s just a bit more antisocial than usually. I think it would be a lot of help for us if we would have a first sight from somepony who lives here.”
A loud and happy squeak and another stream of words let the trio know that the short changeling managed to please the pink pony.
“You’ve doomed us all,” Shiftlight remarked. “What were you thinking?”
“She knows the village,” Buzzer replied. “She might know the ponies.”
The tall changeling snorted, but turned to follow their hyperactive volunteer guide. That was before a group of mares stopped all four of them in their tracks.
“Pinkie, what are you doing?” a purple unicorn mare asked. “You don’t even know these colts!”
“Oh, come now dear,” the other unicorn replied, a white female with swirls in her mane and tail, “she’s just being Pinkie, that’s all. She is the last one of us who would need supervision.”
“I don’t know Rarity,” a blue pegasus said, “I’m on the same page as Twilight this time. Pinkie usually finds and remembers everypony on every train. It would be strange for her to see someone for the first time after she gets off.”
“Well, that is hardly proof for anything now, is it?” Rarity asked back.
“Allright everypony,” an orange mare with a cowboy hat stepped between the two. “Gossips later, introductions now. I trust that if Pinkie would find them suspicious, the last thing she would do is offer them a free tour. Gentlecolts, Ah’m Applejack.”
The earth pony extended a hoof towards the disguised changelings. Thorax stepped forward, and did the same, shaking the limb as pony custom required it.
“I’m Zaffre, these are my brothers, Silver Lancet and Lime Biscuit.” he replied, gesturing towards his siblings. Buzzer waved a hoof, while Shiftlight merely nodded. “Pleased to meet your acquaintances.”
“I’m Twilight Sparkle,” the purple unicorn introduced. “These are my friends; Rarity, Rainbow Dash and… Where is Fluttershy?”
Applejack stepped to the left and a vanilla colored pegasus appeared from behind her. With a squeak she quickly retreated back behind the earth pony.
“Nevermind, she’ll get used to you,” Twilight turned back to the trio. “Well that is if you plan on staying long enough.
“As a matter of fact we do,” Lime Biscuit stated. “The careers we started were unluckily crashed by the fiasco a few days back, and after a long argument we decided to start over in a quieter place.”
“That sounds horrid!” Rarity placed a hoof on her chest. “What were your professions?”
“Zaffre worked with small foals, and my smallest brother learned the art of creating desserts,” Silver Lancet answered. “I myself learned basic pony anatomy, figured I might find a chance to gather some practical experience while the Canterlot universities are up and running again.”
“Well, if there is anypony who could help you it’s Pinkie,” Twilight replied. “She knows everypony, and everypony knows her. I bet my bits if it’s up to her, you’ll have a job by the end of the week.”
“And a welcoming party!” Pinkie added, popping up behind the surprised changelings, hugging a bunch of balloons. “Don’t forget the surprise welcoming party!”
The six ponies and their changeling companions were walking the streets of Ponyville, with Pinkie Pie hopping in front of the group, loudly announcing every small building’s owner or function or everypony’s name. Buzzer tried to keep up with the hyperactive pony, while Shiftlight was engaged in a conversation with Twilight and Rarity, and Thorax was simply walking next to Rainbow Dash, listening to her stories.
“And this is Sugarcube Corner!” Pinkie announced. “This is where you can get the most delicious baked goodies in the entire village! Also, I live and work here!”
“Wow, you live in a real gingerbread house?” Buzzer asked, faking amusement. “How come it still stands, despite any bad weather?”
“Well, it’s magical gingerbread of course, silly!” Pinkie giggled. “It still looks like the stuff, smell like real, but never rots, soaks, or anything. Of course, they say it’s unwise to eat it.”
“Well, judging from the first impression, I’d say you’re talking from experience,” Buzzer remarked with a grin.
“You bet!” she puffed her chest. “Oh, I just remembered that we’re here: your brother said you excel at making desserts!”
“Well, in reality I’m merely a beginner, but I’d be happy to learn from an expert!” Buzzer said in a somewhat cunning way.
“That’s great! You know, Mr. and Ms. Cake had twins not so long ago, and recently they are having a hard time with the foals, so they can’t fulfill their work completely. Would you like to help out?”
“Would I? It would be my utmost pleasure!” the changeling replied, licking the sides of his mouth in his imagination. “I only wish for a few bits, and a ceiling above my head as a small repayment.”
“All right then. You can start here tomorrow!” Pinkie yelled, embracing her new colleague in a warm hug.
The small changeling blushed, and became highly confused. Things went too smooth. Become friends with somepony on their first day, and even get a job? He felt in his thorax that sometime he and his brothers would pay a high toll for this.
“That settled, next stop: Ponyville Hospital!” Pinkie dropped Buzzer and hopped happily towards the health institution.
“No.” The white earth mare stated. “There is no way, I’m letting an inexperienced foal work in my hospital.”
“But, Nurse Redheart!” Pinkie pouted.
“Miss Pinkie, if you would excuse me,” – Shiftlight interrupted, – “Miss Redheart, may I speak with you in private for a moment?”
The nurse looked at the two standing in front of her, than waved at her office. The shifter in disguise stepped inside, and the mare closed the door, walked behind her desk, and sat down, with a questioning experience on her face.
“Sit down,” she ordered, and the changeling obeyed without resistance. “You have two minutes.”
“I think it would be best to say, that I am to blame here,” Shiftlight started, “my enthusiastic pink friend got a little carried away, and must have misunderstood something. I am not here to apply for a job.”
“Really?” Redheart wasn’t convinced. “But she clearly stated that you and your brothers…”
“My brothers are here to work, yes.” He replied. “But with my habit of remaining silent, I never got to tell Miss Pinkie that I am here to learn. I know my knowledge only comes from books, so I intend to learn from being close to someone, who actually practices the art of healing others.”
“That sounds fascinating. Why here?”
“Mostly because of my brothers.” The changeling, now also known as Silver Lancet answered. “Our parents in Canterlot could fund the fee of a small flat for the three of us, but after the fiasco they had to make repairs for their own selves. The dreamjobs of my brothers were crushed in the attack too, and so they decided to try their fortune elsewhere. We spent a whole day, arguing whether or not to move, but I was the only one on the side of staying. So we moved, and now I’m here.”
“Your story is breaking my heart.” Redheart remarked unamused. “Unfortunately I already know how to cure myself from such illnesses, so it was rather…ineffective. Inside the body where is the radial carpal flexor muscle?”
“Next to the deep digital flexor muscle, in the forelegs,” the changeling replied, showing the spots on himself. He came here expecting to be tested, knowing he had one shot at this.
“What should be done if the patient is experiencing pain in his or her eye, or if there is a small injury in one of the eyes?”
“Warm saline solution should be applied to the eye of the patient. It should taste like tears.”
“So what, you know the basics?” Redheart scoffed. “Wow, real impressive. What causes horse colic?”
“Multiple causes are possible,” Shiftlight said, tapping a hoof to his chin, “since it is in fact a symptom for abdominal pain. The frequent causes are: spasms of muscles, blockade in the intestine, gaseous distention or intestinal catastrophe.”
“What can you tell me about strangles?”
“Scientific name is Streptococcus Equi, a common respiration illness,” Lancet replied self-confident. “Treatment involves penicillin, if the problem is discovered early, but usually antibiotics are required, and hygiene conditions should be scrupulous. And that’s as far as I have gotten in the books.”
“So you like to read huh?” she disappeared behind her desk. “That’s good. I have a lot for you to read.”
The nurse pulled out a huge stack of books from beneath the table, and put it in front of the surprised changeling. Shiftlight looked quizzically at the pile of parchments.
“You’ll read this.” Redheart explained. “Or you won’t, I don’t care. You write a test tomorrow morning. If you pass, you’re worthy of my time. Otherwise don’t ever bother coming in, unless you are dying.”
“Now I know why you’re called Redheart, and your colleague has the name Tender Heart,” the shifter remarked with a sarcastic grin. “No offense.”
“None taken,” she replied surprisingly soft. “You can have one of the empty patient rooms, and study there.”
The changeling stood up, and packed as much of the books in a saddlebag as he could, then turned around to leave the room.
“Nurse Redheart,” he turned back from the doorway. She looked at him. “Thank you very much.”
“Just don’t go around telling ponies that I went easy on you.” She replied with a vicious smile.
“So where do you want to work?” Pinkie interrogated the last of the changelings. Silver Lancet stayed at the hospital, with the excuse that he had a lot to read. “I know where the school is, or I know some foals you could babysit or…”
“I think I’ll try to find my own way around thanks,” Thorax replied. “We were already led around for quite a bit, and I’d like to have some space to think and figure things out.”
“But… but,” the pink mare frowned.
“Come on Pinkie, you can still show me the inside of Sugarcube corner,” Buzzer tried to cheer the pony up. “I would be glad to have some practice before we get started tomorrow.”
“Okie-dokie-lokie!” she cheered.
“I guess it is time for us to leave as well,” Twilight said, holding out a hoof for Zaffre. “It was nice meeting you all.”
“Thank you for the tour, and the warm welcome,” the shifter replied, shaking the unicorn’s hoof. “We really appreciated it. Have a nice day!”
“And please tell your tall brother if he ever needs a medical coat, come see me!” Rarity said with a wink, before trotting after the others.
“Yeah, will do,” Thorax murmured under his nose. “Last thing he needs is some piece of cloth he could morph anytime for himself.”
He started walking in the orphanage’s direction. He almost lost track of where he was, given the route of the pink mare, but after drawing a small map on the ground for himself, he quickly figured out the way towards the institution. Satisfied with the peace and quiet around him, the changeling started humming a simple tune.
The orphanage was a large old building, looking like a farmhouse. It was painted dark-green, and had a huge garden surrounding it. Most of the garden was filled with nasty vegetation, showing that it hasn’t been cared for in a long time.
When he got close to the orphanage, the shifter noticed a pale magenta colored earth pony trotting towards the same building, holding a bag in her mouth. She had three smiling flowers on her flank, and hummed a happy song, galloping to the door of the orphanage. Thorax quickened his pace, and caught up with the mare, before she reached the door.
“Excuse me miss,” he said, trying his best not to startle the pony, “are you headed to the orphanage too?”
“Oh, hi!” she stopped, and put her bag down. “Yes, I am. Are you here too? Here to adopt a foal?”
“Me? Oh, sadly not,” he replied, trying to appear shy. “I barely have the funds to manage on my own. I would not risk caring for a foal. What about you?”
“Oh, I’m caring for way too many foals!” she answered cheerfully. “I’m the teacher in the Ponyville school. My name is Cheerilee.”
“Zaffree,” Thorax introduced himself, shaking hooves with the mare. “So why are you here then?”
“Oh, just brought some old books for the foals, who try to learn,” – she waved towards her bag, – “and some stories for them to read.”
“That’s very generous,” Thorax said. “Let me carry that for you.”
The two continued their short route to the orphanage. When they got close the changeling heard noises from inside the building. He recognized the noise of playing foals, and thought he would face a disaster as soon as they would knock on the door. The shifter had second thoughts about the whole orphanage thing, but the thoughts disappeared as soon as Cheerilee knocked on the huge oak door. Because after the knock, there was silence.
“Yes?” a small white filly with blonde mane plucked her head out. “Hi Miss Cheerilee!”
“Hello little Stork!” Cheerilee greeted. “May I come in?”
“Of course!” the filly replied, and opened the door, yelling inside. “Miss Cheerilee, is here! She brought her coltfriend!”
“Children.” Cheerilee remarked with an unpleasant smile. “He’s not my coltfriend!”
Thorax followed the mare inside, and almost drooled as soon as he felt the surge of love directed towards her. He could almost reach out and taste it. Instead he stood still, concentrating on not acting suspiciously, as the foals bombarded him with their curious questions.
“Are you here to adopt?” they asked continuously, and he shook his head vigorously.
“Really, you never told me what brought you here,” Cheerilee stepped closer, shooing the small ponies away.
“Well, I’m looking for work,” Thorax replied smiling meekly. “In an orphanage.”
“Oh, how generous of you!” the teacher smiled. “Well, who is going to lead him to Madame Tender?”
A dozen of hooves raised into the air, and the mare pointed at one of the ponies. The vanilla colored unicorn filly with a light green mane trotted towards the inside of the building, followed by the disguised shifter. The duo silently walked into the back of the building, to a comfy living room. In a rocking chair, in front of the window sat an old brown mare, wearing a red skirt and a pink vest. Zaffree stopped in the doorway, while the filly walked to the old mare, and introduced her visitor silently.
“Thank you Sweet Flower,” Madame Tender whispered. “Please leave us alone for a while.”
“All right nanny,” Flower replied, and left them, closing the door. Thorax stood there silently.
“Come closer, I won’t bite,” the old mare broke the ice after a long pause. He obeyed, setting down next to the pony. Thorax only noticed then the strange way the mare’s eyes looked.
“Are you… Blind?” He asked, and the compassion in his voice surprised even him.
“In one way we all are,” Tender replied with a faint smile. “But indeed my eyes grew old faster than I did.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Thorax said, staring at the ground.
“So, you said you want to work in an orphanage,” she changed the topic. “It is a hard choice. Have you thought about it thoroughly?”
The changeling bit his lips. He could lie, say he was devoted, but after sensing compassion in his own voice, he feared he might screw up, and bust his only chance. On the other hand, the truth, that it was indeed his only chance of survival was a bit harsh to be spilled out.
“I did,” he replied finally, mentally slapping himself for being so undetermined for this long.
“Hm,” Madame Tender replied, rocking in her chair. “I grew old and blind, but the foals managed to take care of themselves for a while. With the occasional aid of Miss Cheerilee of course.”
The changeling felt his heart beat loudly in his ears, as fear grasped him in its cold hard hand. It was over. He probably has another day, maybe less, then his disguise will fade away. He must hide to keep his brothers safe, and in the end, he would grow too weak to sustain himself. Thorax felt his worst nightmares come true, as in his imagination, he became abundance for his brothers.
“On the other hand,” Madame Tender resumed, snapping Zaffree out of his dark visions, “they are still just small foals. They deserve a foalhood, and I intend to help them get it some way.”
“So?” Thorax asked, his voice filled with hope.
“Tell me what you need, and we may work out an agreement.”