"Which way did Sam go?" I asked, running down the hall with Mirror
"I don't know, he told me to find you and stay put"
"Well we can't just let him face those bad guys alone, now can we?"
"But-"
"No buts, let's just try to find him"
Both of us continued down the hall, searching each and every room, which took longer than I'd have liked
A loud explosion interuppted our search, we ran to the source, and found a gold force-field
"Sam must be doing this" I said
"But where is he?"
"I don't know, we'll have to go around and get a better look"
We scrambled to the other hole in the wall, also closed off by the aura
I peeked into the room, a group of terrified scientists were cowering in front of-
"Is- Is that daddy?"
"I- don't know"
The creature holding the scientist was almost nine feet tall, its head scraping against the ceiling, and its horn actually piercing through the tile
The shield faltered, I took my chance and grabbed Mirror as I jumped through
X X X X X X X
"I'll ask again, what's keeping me from putting you in a coccoon right now?" I asked
He only stammered as I held him at arms length
"You st-still need to f-find your fr-friends"
"I don't need you for that, I'll just tear this place apart to look for them"
"You'll never find them on your own"
My magic faltered, and I saw the sheild flicker before stabilizing again
"Daddy?"
"Mirror? Elaine?"
I turned from James, and saw both of them standing just inside my shield
"Sam? What happened to you?" Elaine asked
I looked away from her, and focused on James
"You wouldn't do anything to me while your daughter was watching, would you?"
I glared at him, and felt him shiver in my grip
I leaned in close to his ear, so only he'd hear me
"You listen, and listen well" I hissed "You are very lucky, if you even so much as think of hurting her again, I'm going to come after you- and I can guarantee they won't be watching"
I dropped him, and he scrambled to a corner of the room.
Without a word, I teleported Elaine, Mirror, and myself to our house
"Is everyone ok- ouch!" I said, banging my head on the ceiling
"Sam? Are you alright? What happened?"
"I- I- don't know..." I said, looking down at my new form
I was still human/changeling, but at least four feet taller than I originally was; my new wings were longer and sleeker than a normal changeling's should be.
'What happened to me?'
"Who's there?" Mom asked, walking in "S-sam?"
"Mom?"
"What did they do to you?"
"I think- I think this happened by itself..."
"How?" Elaine asked
"I don't know-"
I sat on my knees, so I was almost able to look mom in the eyes
"Oh, honey..."
She wept as she pulled me into a hug
"It's alright mom..." I said, more for myself than her
Wiping a few tears out of her eyes, she walked over to Mirror and hugged her, too
"Grandma? Are you okay?"
"I'm just fine, sweetheart"
She set her down and walked back over to me
"...can you at least stay for dinner before you have to leave?"
"I wouldn't miss it for the world"
"Well, why don't I go and get your father and your sister?"
She left the room, and Elaine, Mirror and I sat in silence
"Daddy? Is that you?"
"Yes...it's me"
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine- just a little different"
Her little hooves wrapped around my knees, then looked up to me
It was nothing less than adorable
X X X X X X X
The six of us sat around the dinner table, I was disguised in my human form to save space
We talked about what my plans were concerning staying on Earth or not, among other things
"So there's an entire hive of changelings?" Sandy asked
"There isn't just one hive, but yes" Mirror responded
"Oh..."
"You know, I still can't believe any of this" Mom commented
"Tell me about it"
We finished the meal and soon, we were saying our goodbyes
"Promise me you'll be safe" Mom said, hugging me
"We will, please try not to worry"
"Oh, I know you can take care of yourselves, I just can't help it" she smiled
I turned to Elaine
"It was great seeing you again, Lainey"
"You too, be sure to come and visit sometime, okay?"
"I'll be sure to"
"Sam-"
"Lainey-"
"You first"
"Er, okay, uh, now that you know what I am...we don't have to see each other again...if you want to..."
"Are you kidding? After all you've been through?"
"...you saw how I changed, who'd want to date me? I'm a monster"
"Maybe, but you're my monster"
I bent over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, then opened the portal
"I'll try to visit when I can, and-"
"You'd better go, you'll miss your ride" she smiled
I smiled back, and headed through the portal with Mirror
X X X X X X X
We came out the other end of the portal, on the path to Zecora's hut
I prepared to change into 'Silent Night', when I heard a voice that made me stop cold
"Creature than tallest pyre, from where have you come, emerging from your portal of fire?"
I ever so slowly turned around, Zecora was standing just beyond the doorway of her hut
'Oh no...'
"Zecora, this isn't what it looks like"
"How did you know my name? You still must explain the flame"
"You knew me when I looked like this" I said, turning into my alternate-self
"Goodness! You and Silent are one in the same! Can I assume your companion also has a different name?"
"Yes...this is Mirror, my name is Sam"
"A pleasure to meet the real you, now if you come inside, you may help yourselves to some of my stew"
"What? But- but- but- I don't get it, you're not afraid?"
"Your true form is quite the sight, but it does not give me fright"
"Oh..."
Zecora, Mirror, and I sat and ate the rest of the meal in silence, I had felt considerably better since Zecora had discovered our secret. After we had finished, I told Zecora about what changelings were, how we fed, etc. etc. etc.
"...so she told me that nymphs at her age feed on Royal Jelly and Nectar" I finished
"This may seem like a blow, but it seems your supplies are running low" Zecora said, eyeing the few empty bottles in my back-pack
"I didn't realize I was that low..." I muttered "...would you mind if I go and get some more?"
"I wouldn't mind a bit, so long as I may foal-sit"
"I was planning on taking her with me, but if you really want to watch her..."
"'Twill be no trouble on my part, now your journey you must start"
"Mirror, I'll be back soon, you behave for Zecora- okay?" I said, hugging her
"Yes, daddy" she said, returning the hug
"Alright, I'll be on my way then"
I stepped out of the hut and dropped my disguise
Fanning my new, elongated wings, I hovered above the ground and took off, the little GPS in my head directing my flight
X X X X X X X
"Your- Your highness, you h-h-have a visitor" a drone said, bowing before Chrysalis' throne
"I do, do I?" she said, genuinely suprised "Very well, send them in"
The drone stood up and left the cavern
"So wonderful to see you again, your majesty" I said, giving a short bow
"Ah, Sam, I was wonder when I would see you again" Chrysalis said "What brings you here?"
"I'm, uh, came to get more food for Mirror..."
"How is she? I assume she is feeding well"
"Yes, she is"
"Something is on your mind" she said sternly
"Yes...might I tell you in private? It's...complicated..."
"I have some time to spare, let us retire"
She led me to her chambers, and turned to me
"May I inquire what this is about?"
I took a breath and dropped my disguise, a hoof shot to her mouth in suprise
"Goodness..."
"Do you know what happened to me?" I asked
"It- It- appears you ascended-"
"I what?"
"Ascension"
I gave her a confused look
"You apparently did something to be this way, your form has transfigured into that of a Queen...or 'King' in this case"
"Wait, wait, wait, wait, WAIT- are you saying I'm...I'm royalty?"
"In changeling terms, yes...though how this came to be, I have no clue"
"Mirror had mentioned how there are other changeling hives, if they can sense me-"
As soon as the words left my mouth, several flashes of light filled the chamber
'Welp, I'm screwed...'
"Sam, might I present my sisters" Chrysalis said, motioning to the other changelings
There were two Queens, like Chrysalis
"Chrysalis, what is the meaning of this?"
"I shall call my drones to prepare the meeting hall" Chrysalis said, seeming to ignore the question "We may talk better there"
"Very well" the other Queen relented
"Might I ask what manner of creature you are?" One of the two asked "You are neither changeling nor pony"
"I'm am/was human" I said "recent events turned me into what I am now"
"What is a 'hue-men'?" the other asked
"A bipedal creature, sort of an advanced version of monkeys"
"See sister? His skeletal structure is that of a Diamond Dog's" the other queen pointed
"Not quite" I replied "but that's about as close as you could get"
"The meeting hall is ready, let us depart" Chrysalis said, two of her guards leading us out of the throne room
We made the trip to a smaller cave, and began our discussion, Chrysalis' sisters asked most of the questions, and I answered to the best of my ability
Some of them were a little personal, such as those concerning my...biology
I redirected the conversation as best I could
"...and of course, there is the matter of your own hive" Queen Metasis finished
"My- hive?"
"Yes, by all means you are the first changeling King in recorded history"
"I, er, don't have a hive..."
Chrysalis' sisters went bug-eyed (pardon the pun)
"He has only just ascended, he has yet to begin his hive, Cranius"
"Oh, would you look at the time" I said, spying my non-existent watch "I'd better be getting home soon"
"I suppose we had better return as well" Queen Metasis said, standing up with her sister
"Yes, we should get together more often Chrysalis" Queen Cranius added
The three sisters shared a short embrace before departing
"So, what shall I call you now, 'your highness'?"
"Either Sam or...hmmm, uh, Morphasi?"
"It does have a pleasant ring to it"
"Oh please, like I'm king of anything"
"That will be for you to decide"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Occasionally, stray changelings will join a hive of their choosing, they may come to you, now that you have ascended"
"Just what I need right now..." I face-palmed
"You will learn, just as my sisters and I had"
I smiled and bowed, then left the outer walls of the hive, on my way to Ponyville
X X X X X X X
I trotted through town, on my way to Zecora's (disguised, of course)
"Um, excuse me, sir?"
"Hmm?"
I turned around, and saw a grey pegasus with a blonde mane, a flyer in her mouth
"Are you Silent Night?" she asked
"Yes, I am- why?"
She said nothing, and passed me the parchment
Maybe I should explain, I thought I'd try to post an ad for babysitting to help out Zecora, for all she's done for us, (or is it foalsitting? Remind me to figure that out later) anyway,
"Would you be free tommorow night? I'm terribly busy"
"I'd be more than happy to, Miss..."
"Ditzy, Ditzy Doo"
"Miss Ditzy, I'll be sure to be there early"
"Thank you! My house is just down the street from the schoolhouse, and please, just 'Ditzy' is fine"
The blonde pegasus flew down the road, just barely missing Big Mac and the applecart he was pulling
I walked back to the announcement board and tacked the paper to it, in case I got offered to foalsit anyone(pony?) else
In the forest, on the path to Zecora's, the forest was unusually quiet
'That's odd...'
I shook it off and trotted the rest of the way to the hut.
"From your trip you have returned, I expect the nectar was well earned?"
"Yes, it was- these should last awhile-"
Mirror ran into the hut and jumped me
"Missed you, daddy!"
"I missed you too, squirt"
"Didja find what you were looking for?"
"Yes, I did"
'-alot more than that'
"Hey Mirror?"
"Yes?"
"I'm going to be foalsitting tomorrow, would you like to come with me?"
"Would I! Who are we going to see?"
"A mare named Ditzy's foal"
"She sounds nice"
"She was, the short time I met her"
I let out a yawn, and laid on the floor
"Well, I'm going to sleep, goodnight"
"'Night daddy"
"Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite"
X X X X X X X
"Are we there yet?"
"No"
"Oh...are we there yet?"
"No"
"...are we there yet?"
"Mirror, we've only been walking for a few minutes, and we're almost there"
I approached the front door of the house and knocked, Ditzy and a small grey unicorn answered
"Oh, hello Silent, I was just about to come looking for you" Ditzy said
"Yep, thought I'd get here a little early"
She nodded, and turned to the smaller unicorn
"Muffin, this is Silent and..."
"My daughter Mira"
"That's a wonderful name...they'll be watching you while Sparkler and I are out"
"Who's Sparkler?" I asked
"She's my other daughter, she's up in Canterlot visiting family"
'Wait, why didn't they go with her?'
"Oh"
"Well, I'd better get to work" Ditzy said "Muffin, you behave for Silent and Mira, okay?"
"Yes, momma" the filly responded, nuzzling Ditzy
Ditzy did the same, and left the house
I walked into the house and closed the door
"So, what should we do first?" I asked
Dinky and Mirror stared up at me, but I think Mirror was doing it just to copy Dinky
"Your home is very nice"
"Thank you" she finally said
"Are you very close to your mother and sister?"
She nodded and excitedly rambled on about Ditzy and Sparkler, all the things they'd done together
I should say right now that I almost choked on the amount of love coursing through the air (No, I didn't feed on her- I'm not heartless, or a Nobody, maybe somewhere in between? ANYWAY-)
I played with Mirror and Dinky for the next few hours, soon it was dusk, however, and it was time to put Dinky to bed, as per her mother's instructions
She trotted out of the living room and into her own
"Mr. Silent? Could you please tuck me in?"
"Well how could I say 'no' to those adorable little eyes?"
She giggled as I took the blankets in my mouth and pulled them over her
"Goodnight Dinky" I said, trotting out of the room
I stretched as I laid on the couch with Mirror
"Goodnight sweetie"
"'Night daddy" she yawned