After a few hours pass, Nocturnal leads me to the home of the gate guard of earlier...
"That was exhausting!" she says, opening the door.
"Says you," I say, "...Shouldn't we have knocked?"
"Nah, the guy is almost never home anyways. He gets nightshift and dayshift at the gate."
"Must be harsh."
"Yeah." She yawns.
I rub my right eye, "I guess we should get some sleep."
"... Before that, I have to tell you something."
"What?"
She calmly breathes out, and looks to the side, "I have to leave in the morning to my own influence grab, so you'll be by yourself for awhile."
"... Judging by your movements, how long will be this 'While'?"
"As long as you are not in the most influential spot plausible—being a council member."
"Council?"
"Well, you see, every mayor of a city has a chance of getting elected to the council by fellow mayors, so..."
"I will have to win their trust as well? You gotta be pulling my leg."
"It is orders, and you have to follow."
"Orders from who?"
"Our Queen, of course."
"I—er, um alright then."
She sticks out her hoof, "Don't worry, we'll be in touch."
"It will be hard without your help in this new body, " I shake her hoof, "but thanks."
"Good night, Allen."
"Goodnight, Nocturnal."
She looks at me for a moment, then turns to the door and leaves without closing the door.
And I watched her go...
In the new house, i lay on a bed with the morning's sun shining through a crack in the cloud.
"Good morning!" said a voice behind the crack.
"Wha-?"
A blue pegasus stallion with deep red dreadlocks comes through, "I am your guide, for McStuckup is all tuckered out from gatework."
"Who are you?"
"I am his coworker and roomate, Johnathan Keys, nice ta' met you."
"Nice to meet you,too, Keys." I stick out my han- hoof.
He shakes it, his hands surprisingly stable.
"So, Johnathan, where are we going today?"
"Well, we should go to the town center, for aren't you that guy who came to become mayor?"
"Yeah, is voting done yet," I smirk, "I do not want any more weird conferences."
He rubs his chin.
"Voting should be done next week, at most, for there has been quite a bit of an illness going around."
"Illness?"
"Yeah, it isn't serious, but is very infectious." he frowns.
"How many ponies are afflicted?"
"About a third of the city at most."
A city-wide pandemic? This could actually be useful...
"Keys."
"Yeah?"
"Let's go."
He grins again, "Fine, but put something good on, you are running for mayor."
"*Grumble* not like I'm running for president."
"Of course not, democracy is a pitiful thing."
"er, how so?"
"Well, you see, the only great nation on this planet is Equestria, which is a grand hierarchy where the Princesses and the true princes protect us."
"I am sorry, but I have never heard of 'true princes'."
"Oh, yeah, they don't really teach you about it in school, and is really complicated..." he checks his watch, "Dude, we should go now."
"Er, fine."
I put on a suit with a pure purple tie on it. I slick back my unkempt mane, wash my face, and brush my teeth in the bathroom connected to the room.
"Are you ready?"
*Spit* "Yeah, lets do this."
"Do what exactly?"
He pulls up a small, self flying carridge into the house.
"What I will do everynight, my friend..."
I cough as we get in the vehicle.
"I am going to help this city 'prosper'."
"That's nice."
"Thanks."
...
We sat in silence for awhile, and he let me off to the main center of the town. I smiled at the people, lied through my teeth, made promises empty and not, and tried to gather as much support as possible... Keys came back, like a pet, and returned me home to sleep my night away.
I heard voices in my head, and concentrated on them as I slept. They were the voices of several different changelings around the world , but I tried to find her. I searched frantically, for the entire dream, but did not hear from her...
Then I woke up.
I have been sitting here for an hour or two now, waiting to sleep, but the blasted sun prevented that.
"Good morning!" said Keys through a crack in the wall, somewhat startling me.
"Welcome back Keys." I say, a hint of surprise.
I get up off the chair, "Come in."
He opens the crack, seeing me fully dressed.
"Wow, your already ready to go out to town?"
"What?"
"Well, today, because Mcstuckup told me. I have to help you memorize the town."
"I guess... I should learn the town I will be governing."
"You should, friend. Lets go."
"yeah, 'Friend'."
He pulled the carriage back and we entered...
And we went around the entire city, where he showed me the old rainbow factory, which is now a school for the NEWER one, where he says that its all automated, but maintenance is required around the clock.
He showed me the large cloud tower, made for a royal guest. He showed me the fly-school, which is somewhat abandoned ever since wing-training technology has made it so anyone can fly steadily. He showed me the large cloud streets, which now blanketed the skies, but because of the new magical technology, they have made the clouds invisible to those below; allowing sunlight to touch the floor of the Earth, er , Eque.
There were many other places, but I had grown bored. This city is under-developed compared to the metropolises of my world...
How do I know that? I thought, in the middle of the ride, and continued to think for the rest of the day...