//------------------------------//
// First Steps 
// Story: Changeling Love 
// by MissPegasis 
//------------------------------//

Knock, Knock

“Cadence?” Twilight asked. Her friends were behind her. After a guard kindly gave them directions, the six ponies weaved between changelings sitting on the floor. Rainbow poked one and it made no indication it could even feel it.

“Twilight? Is that you?” Cadence sounded distressed.

“Yeah!” Like an instinct, both ducked their heads and looked at the door where the other’s eyes would be.

“Sunshine, Sunshine lady bugs awake. Clap your hooves and do a little shake!” They sang. Twilight’s friends had to do a double take. One second Twilight was performing a nursery rhyme and next the door slammed shut and they were out in the changeling hallway minus one unicorn.

“Oh Twilight! I’m so happy you’re here!” Cadence cried while hugging the unicorn with tremendous force.

“Nice…to see…you…too, Cadence!” Twilight stammered. She gasped for air the moment Cadence let go.
“Sorry, I was just scared. Those changelings won’t leave me alone!” Her voice was tense and her appearance a bit disheveled. She looked like she hadn’t slept in days.

“Well, my friends and I have come to help you with your changeling problem by order of Princess Luna.” Twilight pulled the letter from her satchel. “She instructed us only to open it in your presence then help you carry out the instructions inside.” Twilight looked around.

“Where’s my brother?” A flush was heard and a door immediately opened.

“Hey Twiley! When did you get here?” He asked nonchalantly. Twilight jumped on her brother.

“BBBFF! I missed you so much since we defeated Sombra! How have you been?” She asked.

“Everything’s been going pretty good so far.”

“Pretty good?!” The two unicorns looked at Cadence. Her face was twisted in anger as locks of her mane curled out of place on their own. “Shining, we’ve been trapped in my office for ten hours with a swarm of those abominations of equine kind and things are pretty good!?” She snorted at her husband. He moved beside her and put a hoof over her shoulders.

“Cady, please calm down-”

“I am calm!” She shouted. “I am the epitome of tranquilty and happiness!” Both ponies outside the door and behind it froze. One could hear changeling nose twitch throughout the whole castle.

“I know!” Shining said as quick as possible. “Just…breathe with me?” He grabbed her hoof and bent it to her chest. “In” They breathed in deeply. He moved her hoof again. “And out” Seeing the coast clear and the alicorn calm, Twilight took Luna’s letter from her saddle bag again. Cadence kissed Shining.

“I’m sorry Shiny, I’m just so stressed! First the wedding was ruined by changelings, then Celestia decides to spring on me the fact I own my own kingdom right as a tyrannical, thousand year old unicorn of hatred has re-emerged, then I have to slowly modernize the crystal ponies and explain to them the new ways of government, and-”

“Cadence?” Twilight poked her with the levitating letter. “Maybe we can help you after we handle the issue at hoof.” She blushed and took the letter.

“Let’s see,” Cadence cleared her throat.
“Dear Princess Cadence, if what you say is true, simply relieve yourself as the changeling queen. If, for whatever reason, that does not bring the results you hoped for, put them to work for the Crystal Empire. You say they are loyal so what is the issue? Give them jobs outside the castle. Also, if their faces make you nervous, ask them to change. I’ve asked the Elements of Harmony to help you in case they are not as loyal as they say they are. Keep in mind if they wanted to eat you, they would have already. Love Aunt Luna. PS Stop being such a foal.” Cadence dropped the letter. “Could it really be this easy?”



The three ponies opened the doors. Pinkie Pie was opening and closing a changeling’s mouth and speaking like the changeling was speaking.
“I’m a changeling! I like eating love and drinking friendship!” The puppet changeling said. The other ponies laughed. “Look at my leg holes! They do nothing!” She waved his limp hoof around. The changeling shook off Pinkie, hissed, and then went to lay with its brethren. “Oops,” The other ponies laughed at this; all except Cadence. She cleared her voice. Every changling stood up and looked at their leader. The princess immediately started shaking. She held the letter over her face. She gulped.
“Could every…changeling,” the word stung her tongue like poison. “Please transform.” A holed hoof raised. Cadence sighed and nodded.
“Your greatness, what should we transform into?” A bead of sweat dropped on the royalty’s head.
“A pony…please.”
Another hoof.
“Your most beautiful, what color should this pony’s coat be?”
“What about the eyes?”
“Eye shape?”
“Natural eyes, slit eyes or something else entirely?”
“Head shape?”
“Muzzle size?”
“Male or Female?”
The onslaught of questions did not cease for a second. Their chatter didn’t seem to end. They continued to question and talk and suggest and-

“SHUT UP!!!”
……
Rainbow’s voice echoed off the walls. Cadence nearly fainted at the sudden outburst. Twilight smiled with an idea alight in her mind.
“Transform into Rainbow Dash!” Their heads audibly swiveled to their leader. Sweat matted Cadence’s pink fur. “Cadence, they only listen to you. You have to give the word.” Twilight said. The princess swallowed once more and nodded with a brave face.

“Changelings!” The hall was silent. “Transform into Rainbow Dash!” Green fire swallowed every changeling. In their places stood a crowd of Rainbow Dashes.

“This is AWESOME!!!” Rainbow yelled. She hit the ground and examined the closest one. “They got my…my everything just right!”

“I have to admit they got Rainbow’s appearance down to the smallest detail!” Rarity inspected the copy with her discerning, designer eye. Cadence sighed in relief. An army of Rainbow Dash would cause less initial anxiety than changelings. It was a first, shaky step, but she was proud of it.