//------------------------------//
// Schema Therapy 
// Story: Body And Mind 
// by Starman Ghost 
//------------------------------//

Twilight was true to her word. Every two or three days, Pincer would find her back at his cell, ready to take him to walk through one of the city's opulent parks, eat lunch, shop around at the market, or see a play. When he wasn't with her, or in the courtyard getting his daily exercise, he was reading. The mystery novel proved compelling enough to get him to experiment with other genres; as soon as he finished a book in one, he requested one from another, often one recommended by Twilight.

In spite of his expectations, Pincer found himself slowly but surely easing into his new situation as days, then weeks, passed by. He started noticing that he no longer tensed up whenever he heard hoofsteps coming toward his cell. He was the target of fewer aggressive looks and nervous retreats, and the ones he still did get, he wasn't noticing as much. Even the idea of speaking with Celestia again no longer felt quite as dreadful as it used to.

In many ways the situation was downright pleasant, Pincer thought to himself one morning as he broke open a history book of the Post-Banishment period. As his comfort with the ponies and their intentions grew, though, so did the nagging sense that he was becoming complacent. He was being given more freedom than he'd ever had since his capture and more opportunities to do something for The Hive, but he kept making excuses not to. He needed more time to prepare. He needed to dig further and figure out their full intentions. He needed to see if he could find some way to remove the ring suppressing his transformation ability, or to contact another changeling.

He slowly realized that he was procrastinating because, for the first time in his life, he wasn't sure what he should do. It seemed obvious now that Celestia bore him no ill will, and she was making that pointedly clear to all of her ponies. She had him at her mercy, yet she had done nothing but try to help him.

Twilight, too, had done her part by voluntarily feeding him. Food, love, the thing he'd always endlessly struggled for, was being given to him freely and willingly by one who was supposed to be the enemy of all changelings. If all changelings could have gotten the same treatment he was being given, he thought, would there even be any reason to keep fighting? To keep spying, to keep deceiving, to keep kidnapping? He couldn't think of any.

The others at The Hive would never agree with him, though. They hadn't seen what he'd seen and didn't know what he knew. What would they do if he came back to them and tried to tell them about his experience? He already knew the answer. He would be branded a traitor, accused of helping to spread enemy propaganda and cast Chrysalis' leadership in doubt. She'd probably personally execute him for it.

Really, not more than a few months ago, he would've executed him for it. He would've had a hard time figuring out how any drone could think the way he now was or want the things he now did. Could they — could he — have been so badly wrong all this time? Could he have been spending his entire life helping commit acts that were not only cruel, but unnecessary too? Even now, some part of him desperately wanted everything he'd always thought about ponies to end up being right, just so that the answer to that question would be "no." If he'd been wrong, then somehow, some way, he'd have to answer for it. It was only proper.

Pincer saw the words on the page, but his mind didn't register them. He thought about Mrs. Bookend. She'd been a friend, someone he'd genuinely connected with, and who he could count on to vouch for him. She was a pleasant, friendly pony, with a contented life and a job she took pride in, but to The Hive she would be a food item like any other. Cocooned. Immobile. Kept alive just to be drained every day. Never to talk to Twilight or to walk about Canterlot on a sunny morning or to sell her books again. Mrs. Bookend didn't deserve that after how kind she'd been to him. How many other ponies like her were left to fates they didn't deserve?

Suddenly he was reminded of the fear he felt when he'd thought he would never leave the dungeon of Canterlot.

He pushed the book aside. He hadn't even considered what the ponies would think about the fact that some of their own were being kidnapped, imprisoned, and essentially enslaved. They deserved to know, didn't they? Would they be so forgiving when they found out? Should The Hive be forgiven for what it had done? Would they seek some sort of retribution? To kill him, or even to finish off the changelings once and for all as he'd feared? Perhaps they would be willing to spare at least some. Maybe they would only punish the leadership, and show mercy to the common drones.

Doubt gnawed at his mind, though. Ponies were not nearly as bad as he'd feared, but he knew they were capable of anger, and what was happening at The Hive could very well make them angry enough to retaliate. It seemed as though he would be forced to decide whether ponies or changelings would suffer. He'd done it quite often as a spy and kidnapper for The Hive, of course, and the choice had always seemed obvious. This time, however, the only option he really wanted — "nobody" — might not be possible.

His gaze drifted towards the cell door, and he looked listlessly through the bars. Twilight would be coming by soon to take him out to lunch. He could ask her. Her answers wouldn't be as authoritative as Celestia's, he knew, but he trusted her more. Satisfied to at least have a next step in mind, he turned his attention back to his book.





Hearing hooves approaching his cell, he looked through the bars. As expected, a few seconds later, Twilight stepped into view. Rather unusually, though, there was a second unicorn guard with her.

"Pincer? Someone wanted to come with us. I hope you don't mind," she said. The first unicorn guard wordlessly charged his horn and touched it to the cell door to unlock it, and the second stopped in front of the cell and peered in.

"It's good to see you again, Pincer," said the second unicorn.

"Savior," Pincer said in recognition, nodding. "It's... it's good to see you again, too." There was a clink, and the cell door opened. As he walked out, he cleared his throat and looked at Twilight.

"It's fine if he comes," he said quietly. Twilight smiled, then gestured for the two to follow her. Pincer felt as though he should say something to Savior, since he had been the first pony ever to show him compassion, but he wasn't sure what to tell him. Silence enveloped them as they began heading out of the dungeon. Thinking it over, he decided to simply let his appreciation be known.

"Savior, I wanted to say..." Pincer let his words trail off until the pony glanced over at him.

"I wanted to say... well... thanks. I know you had plenty of reason to hate me when you first found me, but you showed me compassion and made me comfortable until my legs could get treated. You did more for me than Chrysalis' doctors ever would. I just wish I'd recognized it for what it was at the time."

Savior shook his head. "You mustn't thank me. What I did was nothing less than what Her Majesty would expect of any of her healers."

At once, Pincer was reminded of the cold, quiet sadism of Nurse Clean Bill. While it was happening, he'd been so sure that saying something to the other staff would've led to reprisal against him for daring to complain. Now that he knew Celestia better, though, he regretted the missed opportunity to get decent treatment and possibly save future patients from cruelty at her hooves.

Before Pincer could come to a decision on it, Savior smiled. "It's good to see that you're looking much healthier now, though. We were getting pretty worried until Miss Sparkle was able to feed you."

Pincer nodded. "She's been... good to me. It's strange. After the first time, I've never had to try to take emotions to feed on by force. I only have to ask her, and she says yes. She has kept me alive and well."

Twilight's head turned away, but Pincer still caught the blush in her cheeks. "Well, friends are supposed to help each other," she said, ears bending back. "How I help you is just a bit... unusual, that's all."

Savior chuckled, and Pincer couldn't help cracking a smile himself.

When they arrived at Molto Delizioso's, they found it lightly occupied. The waiter greeted Twilight and Pincer by name, then asked Savior for his. He quickly guided to an out-of-the-way booth almost as soon as they walked in.

"You picked another good book, Twilight," Pincer said after the waiter had taken their orders. "I'd read a story before about Nightmare Moon, but I'd never really thought about how badly it'd spread fear in your whole country even after Celestia got her out of the way."

"It wasn't something ponies ever expected to happen," Twilight said, shifting in her seat. "The Princesses had looked out for us for as long as we'd been recording history, and then suddenly one of them fell victim to an evil spirit and had to be banished by her own sister."

"I remember the book describing just how bad it got. There were rumors spreading that Celestia was being controlled by a spirit too, ponies running or hiding from or even attacking her Royal Guards..." Pincer said. Savior, who had been surveying the restaurant, turned to look at the two.

"There's something I don't understand, though," Pincer continued. "She'd still get ponies paying — trying to pay — tribute. Gold, gems, land, good food, art dedicated to her, all years after it happened. Why'd she never take any of it? She wasn't forcing them to give it all to her. She was getting love and recognition and wealth without doing a thing, but she didn't even seem like she wanted it. The book didn't say why."

"You honestly don't see?" asked Savior, "I'm afraid I must admit that my grasp of the history of the time is poorer than I'd like. I never took a liking to history books. Even so, knowing Celestia, it's obvious to me."

"I thought ponies from noble families were supposed to be well-read," Twilight said, hovering a fork off of the table and making it waggle at him as though to scold him. "Maybe I should give the book to you after Pincer's done with it."

Savior smiled good-naturedly. "I read plenty of medical texts to claim the title of a field doctor of Her Royal Guard. I appreciate the offer, though."

He turned to Pincer, smile fading. "Anyway, it sounds like they left those tributes for Her Majesty because they were afraid she would become envious like her sister had if they didn't show enough appreciation for her, and would punish them for it. It's quite possible that some of what they were offering was very precious to them, but they felt they had no choice except to give it to her. She wouldn't want to take things that they'd only given her because they felt they had to. I'm sure that alone would be enough for her, but she would also want to avoid making them think their fears were justified. If she had accepted the gifts, they could very well have taken it as proof that she was expecting and demanding them."

The waiter returned, sliding their plates and bowls onto the table. Twilight and Pincer exchanged looks, she staying focused on him.

"You mean she really cared that much?" Pincer asked after the waiter left, eyes flickering to his bowl of vegetable soup. "She turned down tribute because they were only giving it out of fear? And she didn't want them to be afraid?"

"That's exactly right," Twilight said, smiling approvingly. "She wants Equestria to be a place where we can live our lives in peace, with the knowledge that she will protect us. She wants to help us..." Twilight leaned forward and lowered her voice, letting a hoof rest on the table in front of Pincer. "And she wants to help you, too."

Pincer was struck by the look in Twilight's eyes; they seemed almost pleading. He looked at Savior, who nodded in turn. For a moment he simply stared down at his bowl as comfort, suspicion, and guilt wrestled in his mind. Not knowing what else to do, he picked up his spoon to begin eating. Twilight retracted her hoof, looking disappointed, and she and Savior brought their attention to their own meals.

He turned the events that they'd described over in his mind. He had never met Queen Chrysalis personally, but if life in The Hive was any indication, fear certainly proved useful for her. Celestia had actively worked to make ponies less afraid of her, though. What kept them in line, then?

His spoon dropped. "But fear is useful for a ruler. She wants loyalty from her ponies, right? Frightened ponies would be less willing to disobey her."

"I think Princess Celestia's done a pretty good job without ruling through fear, don't you?" asked Twilight.

Pincer took another bite of his soup. "I have to admit that I'm seeing a certain appeal to Equestria. But how does she keep you loyal without keeping you afraid?"

Twilight levitated her glass of carrot juice to her mouth and took a sip from it, then smiled. "Well, I'd like to ask you something in return.

"Do you remember what it was like when you first came here? How you didn't want to talk to any of us, and how you kept trying to attack us, and how you hated us? You've really gotten a lot more approachable since then, and I think you can agree that we're all happier for it. You're certainly better off than the first time I saw you. Can you tell me what made you change your attitude?"

Pincer took a breath and his head slowly drifted to the window. It was true, he realized, seeing ponies cross in front of the window. He didn't have to try to figure out why. It was obvious. It was strange to think of, though; if anyone had told him when he'd arrived that someday he'd be having a friendly lunch with Twilight and one of his guards, he would have thought it was a weak attempt at a joke.

"You were my enemies. It seemed like you were, anyway. You stood for everything I was supposed to hate. Being honest, I would've gladly... torn you apart. As time went on, though, it started seeming wrong to think that way. No beatings, no torture, no mind-breaking magic, just treating my legs and giving me ways to keep busy and talking to me like I was, well, one of you."

He took a breath. "I started going along with it because I didn't see the point in fighting someone who was trying to help me."

Twilight smiled approvingly. "And that's why we follow Celestia." Savior nodded firmly beside her.

"She doesn't need to rule through fear," Twilight continued. "We follow her because we trust her, and we know that with her guidance, we can have good lives and accomplish great things." Her smile had a look of invitation, as though she were extending an offer for help.

Pincer bent down and took a bite of his soup. The questions that had bothered him earlier had returned, and sitting directly across from him was the only pony he trusted enough to ask them to. He needed to find out if peaceful coexistence were possible, if his fellow changelings could be granted mercy, and if (Chrysalis flay him) it might be best to replace their queen. It wasn't something he could ask while Savior was in earshot, though.

The rest of the meal went by slowly; Twilight tried striking up a conversation with Pincer, but he found himself too distracted and nervous at the prospect of what he planned to ask her later to get seriously invested in what she was saying. He gave only nods or grunts in reply, and after a while, Twilight gave up and turned to Savior. He was happy to talk with her about combat spells.

He was enormously relieved when the bill finally came, but they still had to walk him all the way out of the city, to the castle, down into the dungeon, and into his cell. None of this passed any more quickly than their lunch had. The path through that led through the streets and markets of Canterlot and to the castle seemed to curve and stretch endlessly in front of them, and several times Pincer had to measure his pace so that he wouldn't pull ahead of Twilight or Savior.

Finally, after moving through the seemingly endless tunnels and corners of the dungeon, Pincer's cell came into view, and for the first time he was glad to see it. Despite what he had hoped, though, Savior and Twilight were still talking with each other even after another guard had arrived and locked him back in his cell. He sat as patiently as he could, waiting for their conversation to run its course, staring at nothing in particular and mentally preparing as well as he could for the question he was about to ask. Finally, several minutes after they arrived, he heard Savior trot away. As soon as Savior was out of sight, Pincer trotted up to the bars of his cell.

"Pincer, is there something you want to talk to me about?" she asked, looking concerned. "You've been kind of jumpy ever since lunch."

"Yes," he said quietly. "And I wanted to wait until we were alone. You're the only one I can talk to about this. Can you keep it between us?"

Twilight glanced away, eyebrows lowering. "Well, that'd depend on what it was. If you want me to cover for a changeling spy or stay quiet about a planned attack or something else that would probably end up hurting ponies, I couldn't do it. I won't tell anyone if you've just been feeling bad and want to talk about it, though."

"Actually, it's neither. I'm starting to feel differently towards Celestia. And ponies. It's something I wasn't really prepared for."

His mind raced. So much had changed, so many of his old ways of thinking had fallen into doubt. He struggled to put his conflicts and new ideas into words. Finally, he swallowed the lump in his throat. "I wanted to ask you if you think changelings and ponies could live together."

He sounded as if he were confessing some sort of heresy. In a way, he supposed, he was. If he'd sincerely asked the same question to Commander Formic, or even Scarab or Antenna, he would likely have gotten a lengthy "reeducation" in a prison cell for his trouble.

At first Twilight just blinked a few times, leaving the question hanging in the air. Then she frowned, head tilted toward the ceiling, drumming a hoof against her chin. Pincer's nerves had worn thin by the time she looked at him again.

"That would depend on a lot of things, I think, but can you tell me why you wanted to ask that?"

Pincer let out a brief hiss and looked down. Why did she have to press him? "It just occurred to me. Even though I was an enemy, even though I was one of the ones attacking Canterlot, you still helped me. And now, you're freely giving me love and I'm staying alive without hurting any of you. Could this happen with more changelings? We could find ponies who would feed us willingly and we wouldn't have to lie or steal or fight for it? Could we... have... peace?"

Twilight's eyes were wide. She raised a hoof, as if to touch him. "Pincer, is that something you truly want?" she asked softly.

After a short pause, he nodded slowly and lightly.

At first, Twilight just sat back and looked away, seeming to stare very hard at nothing in particular. When she looked at Pincer again, she was smiling.

"I've got to say, that's something I never thought I'd hear from a changeling. I don't want you to be our enemies, and I'd love to actually work on changing that. I think we could learn a lot from each other."

Twilight then frowned. "But how can we get Chrysalis and the others to feel the same way?" She asked in a lowered voice. "From what you've told me, they still hate us. I don't think they'd feel the same way you do about trying to get along with us. I'm sure Princess Celestia will be glad to make peace with you, but if changelings don't want—"

"Celestia? You're telling her about this?" Pincer said.

"Pincer," Twilight said, sighing a bit. "Look, I know you're still nervous about her, but if things are going to get any better between us, her support will probably make all the difference. How's she supposed to offer friendship to people who don't give any sign they want it?"

She was right, Pincer had to admit. Celestia's ponies had very recently been attacked by changelings, and she surely knew that they still had spies in their ranks, planning to use them as food. She couldn't be friends with someone like that unless they wanted and planned to stop. But sooner or later, it would mean confronting the reality of what changelings had been doing to her ponies, and she might not be in such a forgiving mood after learning it.

"I know, I know," he said. "But to be honest, I don't think most of the other changelings will agree. Not a chance Queen Chrysalis would. I'd have to give away some Hive secrets before Celestia could even contact them, so there's risks involved. I mean, imagine if she decided there was no chance of peace. She'd still want to keep her ponies safe, and she'd have better chances attacking The Hive, so she still might do that. Now, I admit I was wrong about you. You specifically, and ponies in general. At the end, though, our people are still enemies and it could very likely stay that way, and I don't want you or us getting hurt."

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Look, you don't have to be afraid of her. I'd hoped you'd realized that by now. She's Princess Celestia. Equestria's been in conflicts with gryphons, diamond dogs, buffalo, and even Discord without going crazy and destroying all of them. It takes time to build trust and convince someone that they don't have to fight, but she's been doing that sort of thing for thousands of years. You've attacked us, and you've spied on us, and those things made her angry, but I can't really think of anything that would make her mad enough to... to drop solar flares on you or something!"

It was time. He'd already committed to trying for peace, and for that to happen the secret would have to be known one way or another. There was no reason to hold back anymore; either the ponies would forgive changelings for what he was about to tell Twilight or they wouldn't. If they did, then changelings could finally take the first steps toward being free of Chrysalis' cruelty, free from a life of stealing and kidnapping, of hatred and pain. If they did not, then what point was there in putting faith in anything, or trying to change anything for the better? If changelings' crimes were so terrible that the pony in the best position to make things better for them wanted to kill them for what they were, then what hope was there? He would be saving them from death only to condemn them to their current life as givers and receivers of misery indefinitely.

"I can," he finally said, quietly, looking at his hooves.

Twilight rolled her eyes, but it only lasted a moment before worry colored her face. Her eyes began to widen and her mouth drew into a frown. "What do you mean? Why—" Her voice cracked. "Has something been going on at The Hive? Something you were afraid we'd find out about? Something... something terrible?"

Pincer looked Twilight directly in the eye. "Yes. It's time I told you how we've been gathering love."