//------------------------------// // Chapter 8: Other thoughts for a changeling // Story: Caring for a Changeling // by alexanderhunt88 //------------------------------// I trust her? I trust her? The changeling continued to repeat in his mind. What trickery doth she hath on me? The changeling scratched his head in confusion. Is she a supposed to be a benefactor of some sort? Can she lace words with love? Why would she lace her words with love? After a few more minutes of self thoughts about what tricks and possible actions the mare may or may not have done to the changeling the creature decided to stand up and walk out the door of the bedroom. "Mare?" He called out. "Mare? Where art thou? I have an inquiry I need thou to answer." After a few moments of silence, he called out again. "Pony mare?!" No answer. Where doth that pony be? He muttered under his breath as he walked down the stairs and trotted into the kitchen. Why is there no trace of her? He thought deeply as he scanned around the room. "Hey!" He called out as he walked into the living room part of accommodating house. "Art thou under there?" He said as he looked under the couch for the unlikely chance that the mare would be hiding under the sofa. She wasn't, because that's just stupid. "Where did she go..." he trailed off as he again looked around the house, until he spotted a piece of paper taped on the back of the front door. "What be this?" The changeling said as he took the note off and read it. Dear um...changeling Sorry to leave you like this, but I had to go out and collect some groceries. Don't worry, I'll be back in half an hour or so. Please don't burn the house down while I'm away. Love from yours sincerely. Fruit Heart. "...Harlot." Meanwhile, somewhere in the streets of Canterlot the named Fruit Heart was idly walking down a un-particularly normal market street; with filled saddlebags on her back and a list in her grasp, which she was checking. "Let's see," she said aloud, "I've got carrots, lettuce, cucumber and butter. All I've got left to collect is bread and grapes and them I'm all set to go back home." She smiled cheerfully. To go back home the thought resonated in her mind. Home... home... pony at home... And then the thought struck her. Oh, I hope he's all right back there on his own. Maybe...maybe I should have told him in person that I'm going out instead of using a note. But what if he doesn't see the note? Oh no, what if he does something rash and goes to look for me? He can't do that, Canterlot's too big a place to go wandering around. He could get lost. Or worse! What if he's discovered by the royal guards and- "-Oof!" Fruit Heart suddenly exclaimed, her mind being taken out of her thoughts as she found herself hitting something, or to be more precise somepony. Still dazed from the shock, she looked up to be faced with a well dressed, and rather dapper, noble unicorn stallion. Fruit Heart couldn't help but smile sheepishly towards the unicorn due to her own clumsiness. "I say, watch were you're going." The stallion said in a cliche stuck-up Canterlot tone. "I'm sorry I'm sorry." Fruit Heart apologized to the stallion quickly with a sheepish smile. "I should say so, madam." He replied with a cold shoulder, and walked off back down the streets. Luckily for our female protagonist she has gotten used to the rude and high-nosed ways of the Canterlot 'snobs'. To her, this was an ordinary day for her. Which is kinda sad really. Anyway. As Fruit Heart watched the unicorn walk away she looked away, she immediately went back to her thoughts. But still...I can't help but feel bad for him...oh, why do I feel so weird. I can't even imagine what he's doing all alone by himself. He must be so bored. And back at home at that exact moment. *clash* *bang* *smack* These were the sounds of pots and pans hitting each other as the changeling was searching through a small cupboard in the kitchen. Frying pans were scattered everywhere as he was pushing and pulling back other kitchen appliances out of the way, as of searching for something. "Where?" The changeling muttered to himself as was hunkered down, halfway through the small kitchen cupboard, pushing more objects out of the way. "Where does that pony keep her love storage? She must have excess of it somewhere in this housing." "Is it in here?" He said out loud into a small wok. Back to Fruit Heart. "The poor, poor changeling..." she muttered under her breath. "Come on now, Fruit Heart." She said as she shook her head vigorously. "Don't think like that. He is fine on his own. After all, he can't do anything stupid at home. It's only my house, not a royal guard barracks." "Bread! Get you fresh bread here! All freshly baked loafs, cooked and baked today!" Exclaimed a loud voice, grabbing the attention of Fruit Heart, and a good deal of other passer-bys going along the market street. "Bread..." Fruit Heart said softly. "Oh yes, bread! I need that." She said quickly. And at least that will take my mind off these stupid thoughts She thought quietly. As the mare made her way to the stall, her nose caught a most beautiful and pleasant aroma; fresh bread, the envy of all essences. (Or at least that's what Fruit Heart always thought.) She looked upon the stall and stared wide-eyed at the goods staring back at her, unconsciously letting her tongue droop out and drool like a fool! Behind the counter was a couple of ponies: one was a rather large earth pony stallion with a white coat and off-yellow mane. The other was a pegasus mare with a thick yellow coat and bright pink mane. "And what can I do for you, lovely young lady." The stallion said in a slight, almost welcoming accent as Fruit Heart, acting oblivious to the image of a drooling mare standing before him. "Urrrr..." was all Fruit Heart said as she continued to stare ridiculously at the nourishing, flour-and-water mix of delectable and scrumptious- "Missus?" "Hmm?" She replied, her mind shortly lost for a moment. "What? Oh yes, urr, a loaf of bread please." She answered quickly, wiping off a bead of spittle off her mouth in a sheepish demeanor. "Of course." And at that the stallion grabbed a loaf of bread and placed in a plastic bag, which was being opened by thr mare next to him. "Here you go miss." He said as he handed the bag of bread to Fruit Heart. "That'll be 4 bits." Fruit Heart complied with this as she handed the money to the stallion, placed the bag inside her saddlebags and left. Oh, I need to stop doing that whenever I smell fresh loaves Fruit Heart mentally chastised herself as she walked down the street, now completely forgetting about her worries with the changeling stuck at her home. Speaking of the devil The changeling in question was holding a tin of food held in his mouth. The black creature was trying to pry the tin open with his fangs. If one were to look upon his face, one would see it held one of anger and frustration. As the changeling was uselessly trying to open the tin can, he spoke something (Translated, due to having a tin lodged in his mouth) "Damn you pony, how doth thou open this hardened container of foodstuffs!" (As this was what the changeling brilliantly thought as to were the mare had kept her love supplies!) As he continued to try to pry open the 'container of love' he made a rather huge miscalculation; at this moment in time, this changeling had forgotten one rather obvious thing all changeling's seem to posses: fangs. And as at that moment that he forgot about his extra pair of teeth, he reeled his mouth back as far as he could and lunged them into the tin can. Bad mistake. As he did so, his fangs also lunged into the can, and when they did so they do so with such force the contents of the can (which it being a tin of cream of tomato soup) where sprayed out. Unluckily for him, they where ejected out and aimed to his eyes! And as the contents of the can of soup where squirted and hit his eyes (one eye, actually still) he yelled out as the liquid hit his eye. As if on instinct, the changeling recoiled from the soup and stumbled backwards, hitting the counter of the kitchen's, which, in consequence, caused a random pot on the counter to drop on on land on the changeling's head. And then the room fell deathly ill of silence, with the exception of the a low grumbling sound coming out of the changeling's closed mouth. (Which still had the tin stuck in his mouth) And then he spoke: "Harlots! Harlots everywhere!" Aaaand back to the mare Right now, the mare in question was walking down a different street. On, as one would expect, her way home. In fact, she was walking home with a small smile appearing on her lips. She was what one would call 'contempt'. And insert plot point here. As she walked down the street, she walked by a small open cafe, where it was being occupied by two certain old mares. "I say, Fair Wright, this tea is simply divine." One of the mare's said to the other. "I know, High Life, and I'm glad this is so much better without any of those pesky changeling interrupting us." The second mare replied. Fruit Heart stopped in her tracks when she immediately heard this. "And I say true to that. Ugh, those creature are terrible by all means of the word." The first mare said. "I mean, there was an important wedding going on, and they decided to, as the young ponies of today would say 'crash it'." The pony called Fair Wright said back. Fruit Heart's smile faded. "And let's not forget what the whole fiasco did to the noblepony's of this city." The mare named High Life said. "Indeed. I mean, how could those uncouth creatures even dare to think about invading our city?" Fruit Heart frowned. "I wouldn't even give those things the time of day if I ever met them in public." Fruit Heart scowled, her hooves starting to tremble. "Gads, what repulsive monsters." And that was the nail in the coffin for our female protagonist. "ENOUGH!" Fruit Heart unexpectedly shouted, an act which caused both mare's to yelp in surprise and shock. "Don't go around insulting others just because you bucking can! How would you like it if other pony's went around and insulted you behind your back!? I don't think you'd like it very much, would upi!?" "I don't want to hear you guys insult him ever again! You hear me!?" She finished yelled, huffing loudly as she stared daggers at the duo. An air of tight tension fell over the scene that just befell the outburst that happened a moment ago. And it took another moment for her to realized that everypony in the vicinity had stopped doing whatever they were doing and looked towards the mare who shouted. Fruit Heart gulped. That was all she thought she could do to respond. Then she apologized to the two mares. And then she ran back home like the cows would have done. And as she ran all she could think Oh buck oh buck oh buck! And back at home (which was only 30 seconds later). Fruit Heart practically slammed the door open as she entered her home. Slamming the door shut as she walked in, she called out "Changeling!? Changeling!?" Through panted breaths. Ne response. "Changeling!?" She yelled again. A response this time, coming from the kitchen. "Changeling." She exclaimed as she rushed to the kitchen. When she looked in, she, truthfully wasn't even shocked to see what mess the said changeling had created, all her mind was set on was him. "Mare? Doth that be you?" He questioned, unable to see her because he still had a kitchen appliance on his head. (Though the can of soup had dropped out of mouth sometime prior.) As he took the pan off his head, he asked "Mare? Where the doth have thou bee-" but he was cut short of his sentence be the mare hugging him! And then, the changeling felt something weird. He could smell the love coming not from the kitchen, but from the mare herself. Then he hugged her back! And he thought: Love. She is dripping from this stuff. I must continue to grasp her to have more. Fruit Heart was unconsciously blushing at this point. She didn't even care. Where does she get this stuff? Did she go out to buy more? It was then he noticed her saddlebags. So that's why she had left me alone. Her love reserves had gone dry, and she went out to purchase more. I was right to trust after all. He admitted to herself. In Fruit Heart's mind, a weird thought escaped it. Oh no I forgot the grapes again.