Chapter 16
“An entire hour,” Noah grumbled to himself, wheezing as he trudged through the front door of the farm house.
“How’d he do Mac?” Granny Smith cackled, the wrinkled green mare rocking back and forth in her chair, “Worth hirin’?”
“Eeyup,” Big Mac answered, his indifferent expression giving nothing away.
“How was it No One?” Ditzy asked from her spot on the couch.
Noah pitched forward, landing with a thump on his stomach, “That was some of the hardest work I have ever done, you wouldn’t believe it.”
“I carry saddlebags weighing around sixty kilos all day,” Ditzy deadpanned, “I think I know how you feel.”
Noah raised his hoof and opened his mouth to retort but thought it better to let the issue slide. After all, the mare had hoofed his arse to him on a silver platter at nothing more than the drop of a hat.
“Looks like he’s got some smart in im too,” Granny Smith chuckled with a smile, “Just one last thing for ya to do.”
“And what might that be?” Noah enquired with sarcasm leaking into his tone.
“Contract,” Big Mac levelled at him. In his hoof he held a tightly bound document with small arrow stickers pointing to where signatures needed to be signed.
“Hmm hmm hmm. This here in, hmm hmm, upon termination of,” Noah mumbled to himself whilst reading the document. He scanned over the last few pages a few times before looking back at Big Mac. “I’ve only skimmed over this and this can’t be right,” Noah said with a disbelieving look upon his face, “This contract locks me into your employment for a minimum period of two months with absolutely no way out. How is that anything but indentured servitude?”
“Oh pish posh, it’s nothing like slavery,” Granny Smith said cheerfully, “All tha contract does is ensure that ya our employee for two months. Tha jobs we assign ya have ta be farm related, we’re allowed ta work ya ta tha bone but not an iota beyond.”
“Those two months are what we need of ya, we pay ya a decent wage, allow ya time off, and ya have all the securities of a regular job,” Big Mac continued, “Do a satisfactory job and we may even keep ya. Ma sis don’t want ta admit it but with increased sales we are needing an extra hoof around here.”
“Take the job No One,” Ditzy encouraged with a smile, “It’ll take up some spare time, keep you fit, earn yourself some bits. I don’t mind you living with us, but this’ll get you out of the house.”
“Alright, get me a pen and I’ll sign this thing.”
Four heads tilted in confusion at his words, “A pen?” Ditzy asked, confused at the term.
“Um, pencil maybe,” Noah replied, “Quill?” he asked lastly.
“Ohhh. No no no,” Granny Smith responded knowingly, “Ya sign with ya hoof.”
Noah nodded and Big Mac retreated from the room, returning quickly with an ink pad for Noah to sign with. He raised his right fore hoof pressing it against the spongy surface of the inkpad before pressing down on the contract.
“Welcome ta tha family,” Granny Smith exclaimed with vigor not usually matching an elderly mare.
“Ya start work tomorrow,” Big Mac interjected, “Ya pay is ten bits a day, paid at tha end of each day, and we all get Sunday’s off hard labour.”
“I’m employed,” Noah beamed, mostly to himself. He looked up shareing a smile with Ditzy and Dinky.
“Eeyup,” Big Mac commented, “Seeya tomorrow No One.”
“A whole hour,” Rainbow Dash complained as she glided alongside Soarin, “An entire hour, three leads and no pony knows anything about the mystery stallion.”
“Like I said, we should have just left it to the guards to chase up,” Soarin chided, “On top of that we’ve spent way too long racing around playing detective when we should be resting up for the trip back.”
“We still got plenty of time,” Dash said confidently, “At least two hours by my count.”
“Maybe by yours, but not by Spitfire’s,” Soarin retorted, “You ever wonder why all the higher ups like her. She gives them a reasonable timeframe for her to complete something and then smashes that because she can. She is always overestimating how long something will take her so she looks good when she comes in under time.”
“Sounds like a bit of harmless self-promotion to me, but if you’re right, how long do you think she’ll be?”
“Probably an hour, hour and a half tops. Whatever your friends wanted you to do needs to be done quickly.”
Rainbow pondered for a moment weighing options in her mind, “Alright here’s what we do. I’ll head off to Fluttershy’s cottage and check up on the animals, she had somepony covering but she just wanted to make sure. After that I’ll head to Sweet Apple Acres and check up on Big Mac and Granny Smith. You’ve already been to Sugar Cube Corner so check up on Cheerilee at the library and then swing by Carousel Boutique to make sure it’s all intact. Once you’re done head to my place, we’ll compare notes and catch some zee’s.”
“Um-.”
“Good I’ll catcha later, half an hour tops,” Rainbow yelled as she banked left and jetted towards the edge of the Everfree Forest.
Soarin smiled once more as he watched the mare depart, he honestly would watch her all day if he could. He shook his head clearing his thoughts, “Alright, where is the library?” he asked to himself. He groaned, “Bloody mare didn’t give me directions again.”
Soarin descended towards the ground, alighting next the unicorn mare who pointed him towards Sugar Cube Corner before. “Excuse me Miss,” he enquired, “You wouldn’t happen to know where the library is would you.”
“Of course,” Secret replied. She pointed the Wonderbolt towards the centre of town before heading on her way, ever vigilant for the dangers that may lurk.
“So where to now?” Ditzy asked as they trudged along the road back into town.
“Well I was thinking that some research at the library would be nice,” Noah said as he ambled along behind the mare. “I might be able to find out what I am, what I’m able to do, and maybe find some clue as to how I got here.”
“Yeah, ‘arrived by lightning’ is a fairly confusing way to say how you got here,” Ditzy agreed.
“Don’t suppose you would like to help me?” Noah enquired.
“Ahh, no, sorry, I still have a bit of shopping to do in the markets, it’s usually better to get that done sooner.”
“Fair enough, just point me towards the library. I don’t want to keep you from your day any longer.”
Ditzy directed Noah towards the library parting ways as they re-entered the town. “I’ll swing by the library later with some lunch,” she promised as they departed.
Noah smiled as he watched the mother and daughter pair wander off. He was amazed at how kind hearted the family was and hoped that his efforts to help Ditzy’s condition would be enough to repay them. A short walk later and he found himself at the front door of the library, a huge oak with windows and even a balcony. Noah stood in awe at the feat that stood before him, here a living tree had apparently been turned into a building.
His stupor was disrupted when a pale blue Pegasus exited the library giving salutations to a pony inside. “Hold the door please,” Noah buzzed as he walked up to the library. He thanked the stallion as he brushed past and entered the tree.
Soarin’s mind stopped, he had finished off a pleasant conversation with Miss Cheerilee, and just said his quick goodbye when a distinct voice filtered through to him. The peculiar buzz of the stallion’s voice may have been off putting but the sheer size of the pony was simply scary. Soarin glanced down as the behemoth slipped past and noticed the cloak he wore stopped short from covering his hooves. Pitch black and shined to a polish, a changeling? Soarin thought to himself. He slipped back inside, closed the door quietly, and watched intently at the strangers actions.
“Excuse me Miss,” Noah said as he tried to get the librarian’s attention, “Miss Cheerilee?”
“Yes,” the fuchsia mare replied as she turned around. She gave out a small ‘eep’ and shrank visibly as her gaze fell upon Noah.
For his part Noah just sighed, “You’re scared of me aren’t you?”
Cheerilee simply nodded and tried to curl herself into a tight ball.
Noah lay down on his stomach, he folded his hooves in front of his chest, and rested his hooded head upon them. “My assurance that I won’t hurt you isn’t going to change that opinion is it?”
Another small nod was given by the teacher.
“Well how about this. What if I promise to not move from this spot while I’m researching?”
Cheerilee perked her head up a little, “Do you Pinkie Promise?” she asked with hope.
“Sure, I pinky promise.”
“No if you’re going to Pinkie Promise you need to do the actions and say the words,” Cheerilee chided, uncurling from her ball slightly, “Like this, ‘cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye’”
“I cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my ARGH!” Noah repeated as he accidentally poked his eye.
Soarin watched the antics from afar, barely supressing the laughter building at the stranger’s misfortune.
Cheerilee giggled, she relaxed and trotted in front of Noah. “First Pinkie Promise huh.” Noah nodded a yes. “Well you did promise, so what can I help you with?”
“I’m looking for a book on different species,” Noah replied, he remembered what Chrissy had said about looking at mythological creatures, “And a book on mythological creatures too please.”
Cheerilee nodded, “Biology and mythology, I happen to know of a couple of books you might like,” she said before trotting off to the other side of the library
Why would he want with those books? Soarin thought to himself, Definitely not acting like any changeling from the wedding, maybe I was wrong.
“So what do you want these books for?” Cheerilee asked casually.
“Well, I’m not sure what species I am,” Noah stated, “A bit of research might help me remember what I am.”
“How can you not remember? Amnesia?”
“Not amnesia, it’s as if I don’t even know what I am, instead of the memory just being fuzzy or blocked, it just doesn’t exist.”
“Well I might be able to tell you, I am a teacher after all,” Cheerilee offered.
“Promise you won’t scream?”
“I promise.”
“Pinkie Promise?”
“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” Cheerilee responded, “Now take off the hood?”
Those Pinkie Promises must carry real weight around here, Soarin thought.
Noah slowly removed his hood, with one hoof he drew back the fabric over the top of his head, and let it drop onto his shoulders. Soarin shot upright, his fight or flight instincts on the edge of activation, Definitely a changeling, he thought. Miss Cheerilee gasped, a hoof shot to her mouth to stifle the scream building in her throat.
Noah’s head drooped in response, “I seem to have that effect on ponies,” he said dejectedly.
Cheerilee’s features softened at Noah’s admission, “I’m sorry, it’s just… a lot to take in that’s all,” she comforted putting a hoof around his shoulder. “Still I can’t say I’ve ever seen a species quite like yours, I don’t know what you are.”
“Changeling,” Soarin croaked from behind them. His voice caught in his throat.
Noah turned his head and Cheerilee looked up at the Pegasus she had failed to notice, “Ah Mr Soarin, I thought you had left.”
“Cheerilee, run, that’s a changeling, JUST RUN!” Soarin shouted. He jumped up and gave a flap of his wings, putting himself between Noah and Cheerilee.
“Oh you know what he is?” Cheerilee asked, confused at the stallion’s actions.
“I know he’s a monster,” Soarin stated definitively, “I know he’s evil, and I know you need to run now!”
“Hey now wait a minute,” Noah interjected angrily, “I’m not evil and although I may look different I’m not a monster. What proof do you have that I am any of these things?”
Soarin flinched at Noah’s words, he cowered slightly, but still held himself tall between the bug and Cheerilee. This awkward standoff continued for several tense minutes before Noah broke the silence. “What are you doing?”
“I’m protecting Miss Cheerilee from your inevitable attack,” Soarin shot back defiantly.
Noah laughed, his buzzing chuckle causing Soarin to flinch further but raise an eyebrow. “Oh that really is funny. But I couldn’t hurt anyone.”
“Anyone?” Cheerilee asked.
“Anypony, sorry, it’s seems as though I’m using an old syntax when talking. Needless to say I couldn’t hurt anypony.”
“Prove it,” Soarin demanded.
“Well just yesterday I had my arse handed to me by Ditzy when she thought I had kidnapped her daughter.”
“You tried to kidnap Dinky?” Cheerilee gasped.
“No, no, no, no,” Noah backpedalled, “The adorable filly was simply showing me around town. Apparently some other mare got spooked from my appearance, told Ditzy I had kidnapped her daughter, and she handed me my flank on a silver platter the moment I walked up to town hall.”
Silence fell in the library. Soarin’s mouth was agape at this retelling of a story, his mind fought a desperate battle to convince himself that the story was a lie, but the facts lined up with what Ditzy herself had discussed at Sugar Cube Corner earlier. Cheerilee just sat there chuckling behind her hoof at the absurd story.
“You’re No One, the No One that Ditzy chatted to me about earlier this morning?” Soarin asked cautiously.
“Mmm Hmm,” Noah nodded in acknowledgement, “The one and only.”
“No, no, no,” Soarin mumbled to himself. He got up from his guarding position and began to pace back and forth. “You can’t be, the No One Ditzy talked about is supposed to be kind hearted, gentle and caring. But you,” he raised an accusatory hoof towards Noah, “You are a changeling, a vile creature of malice and pain and suffering. You are not No One.”
Cheerilee and Noah shared a confused look. Unsure of what to make of the Wonderbolt’s ramblings, Noah posed a question. “Is your accusation who I am supposed to be or what I am supposed to be?”
“Is there a difference?” Soarin snapped back angrily.
“There is,” Cheerilee interjected flashing a knowing glance towards Noah, “What he is, is a preconception, a mould determined before he was born. Who he is, well that’s the pony he is right now, and the pony he will become, not necessarily the pony whose picture has already been painted.”
Noah nodded in agreement with the teacher’s wise words before speaking in a soft tone. “You may have me painted as a monster, but I will assure you with all my heart that is not who I am.”
Soarin stopped pacing, he blinked, and turned his head towards Noah. “Not who you are?” he repeated while backing down slightly, “I… I’ll think on what you’ve said… I’ve not come to any conclusion on what I should do with you. The guards will probably come looking for you tomorrow anyway. If you are innocent… Don’t run… The innocent don’t run.”
With that Soarin departed quickly, blasting out the door and into the crisp air of Ponyville. “Certainly an odd one,” Cheerilee commented as the door to the library swung shut.
“I’d drink to that,” Noah replied with confusion still etched upon his face.
“Would you like some help with your research?” Cheerilee offered kindly.
“Only if you want to help, I am fine just on my own.”
“I want to help,” Cheerilee decided, “Soarin’s outburst has me wondering about you just as much. Come over to the couches where it’s more comfortable and we can research together.”
“No I’m fine, I did promise to stay here while I researched.”
Cheerilee giggled, “Your calm demeanour through all that tells me you won’t bite, I think I trust you enough for you to move. Plus if Ditzy can handle you, I think I could do some damage.”
“Thank you. I’m No One by the way,” Noah said raising a hoof to shake.
Cheerilee took Noah’s hoof in her own, giving a soft shake before speaking, “It’s a pleasure, No One, my name is Cheerilee.”
A soft clip clop echoed down the marble hallway. Although her mane ruffled as though a breeze were present, the pennants that hung along the hall made no movement. Celestia stopped for a moment and she gazed up at the sun hanging at the zenith of the sky. She gave a contented sigh before continuing onwards.
The enormous mahogany doors made no sound as the slid open, the regal white alicorn trotted through calmly, the soft tapping of her royal hoofshoes on the marble the only thing to give away her presence.
“How goes the research my faithful student?” Celestia asked in a motherly manner.
“Oh Princess Celestia, well I’ve got good news and bad news,” Twilight looked up from a mound of tomes as she responded in an agitated tone. She scuffed her fore hoof against the ground in worry.
Celestia looked down on her student with minute worry flashing across her muzzle. Twilight’s eyes were darting around wildly, a small twitch had formed in her left cheek and her normally straight mane had taken on a maniacal frizz. “Please Twilight, no need for formalities. Calm yourself and tell me what you have learnt.”
Twilight stood still for a moment, she closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath whilst raising her hoof to her chest. On her slow out breath she swung her hoof wide, and opened her eyes with the same rate. “The truth is… Not much Celestia.”
The Princess raised a quizzical eyebrow as if to spur the purple unicorn on.
“The magic used was similar to unicorn magic, but different enough that it needs further study. It’s almost like a whole new branch of magic and I don’t want to jump to any conclusions. That said with Shining’s help I have been able to narrow down the spell used to eject the changelings from Canterlot.”
“Do you need more time, Twilight?” Celestia asked calmly.
“Yes, yes, more time would be exactly what I need. I think another day to nail down the ejection spell. Another two days afterwards to complete my report on the changelings and their magic,” Twilight replied quickly, the twitch in her cheek stopping at the prospect.
“Twilight,” Celestia started in a motherly tone. She nuzzled Twilight gently as she continued, “Calm yourself. This needs to be done right, not fast, take the time and make sure you are certain with your findings.”
Twilight took a few deep breaths to calm herself further, “I will Princess, you can count on me.”
The Princess nodded before turning to the second occupant of the room. “Prince Shining Armour,” she began, “Do you have news of the search of Canterlot.”
“Yes your Highness,” Shining said with a quick salute, “The original search time was grossly underestimated. I have however assigned the situation to the Day and Night Guard Captains. The thorough search will be finished by tomorrow and I am told the preliminary search did not find anything extra.”
“And the status of my citizens found in the crystal caverns?”
“All unharmed, incapacitated but healthy. They have all been transferred to the guard hospital to undergo recovery and analysis as determined by Twilight and Canterlot’s top doctors,” Shining replied, he cast a proud smile at his little sister.
Twilight blushed at the praise, her hoof once more scuffing at the marble. A small smile formed upon Celestia’s muzzle at the sibling’s antics. She turned to leave but was stopped by one final question.
“Princess, what are you going to do?” Twilight asked, worry evident in her tone.
The Princess sighed, thinking of an answer that would suit, “For now, nothing. I need as much information before I can make an informed decision. As such I wait for your report before I make any final judgement. However I shall send out the Wonderbolts tomorrow to deliver an apology for this delay and a timeframe for a response.”
Twilight and Shining Armour nodded in agreement. Each had a smile upon their face in support. It is going to be a long time before I can relax again, Celestia thought to herself as she slowly withdrew from the room, the doors gliding silently shut.
“What took you so long,” Rainbow shouted as Soarin finally alighted on her cloud home, “I finished my checks in like ten second flat, it’s been almost twenty minutes.”
Soarin shot the chromatic maned mare a fearsome glare. He was clearly angered about something in particular, “You could’ve told me that Carousel Boutique had a shield spell erected around it.”
“Didn’t I?” Dash asked innocently.
“No, just like you didn’t tell me where it was, or the library, or Sugar Cube Corner.”
“Oh sorry, just a little excited I guess,” Rainbow offered as an excuse.
Soarin sighed and rubbed his nose with his hoof, “That doesn’t excuse the fact that you left me hanging. If you want to be a Wonderbolt then you need be able to work as a team and tell us everything we need to know. Not just ‘wing it’ because you’re in a hurry.”
“But I ju-.”
“I know,” Soarin interjected, his tone of voice becoming softer as he spoke, “You wanted to prove yourself as able. You’re also the Element of Loyalty and you don’t want to leave your friends hanging, but you left me hanging. I may not be your friend but you still left me hanging.”
Rainbow shrunk down onto her haunches at the realisation, she had indeed screwed up, and in the eyes of a Wonderbolt, royally. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, tears welling in her eyes, “I just wanted to prove myself as capable.”
“But you have,” Soarin said reassuringly, “You kept up pace with us at near Rainboom speed for the entire flight, that in itself is impressive enough. You don’t always need to prove yourself at everything you do, but you do need to work with anypony you can to help.”
Rainbow simply nodded in acknowledgement, the dejected mare not moving a muscle.
“Anything to report at Fluttershy’s cottage or Sweet Apple Acres?” Soarin asked softly in an attempt to change the subject.
“The cottage is fine,” Rainbow sniffled, her voice cracking only slightly. As she spoke further her voice grew stronger and filled with the confidence that the mare was commonly known for. “Although at the farm apparently Big Mac hired somepony as a farmhand for a couple of months but wouldn’t tell me the pony’s name.”
Soarin opened his mouth a couple of times almost bewildered that the mare had not realised the strange pony’s name.
“But how about you?” Rainbow asked before Soarin could speak, “How is the library?”
“Miss Cheerilee is good, the library is all good,” Soarin commented. He bit his tongue when he thought about his encounter with the changeling. He decided against telling the mare, out of fear that she would react in the wrong way and the crisis of opinion he was having himself.
The two continued chatting as they ambled on inside the cloud home flopping down of the couch shaped clouds to rest. “Don’t suppose you have any Daring Do books to read while we wait?” Soarin asked.
Rainbow’s eyes went wide at his question, in an instant she had jetted off into the next room and returned with stack of books upon her back. Soarin marvelled at the collection the mare possessed, he flashed Rainbow a quick smile before their conversation turned to the subject of Daring Do.