//------------------------------// // Episode 16 [Changeling]: Your moment of zen: Part 1 // Story: The Daily Show presents: Equestrian Interviews // by Daily Show Ponies //------------------------------// “That. Was. Amazing!” Ryne roared as both he and Jon made their way backstage. The taping had officially ended and the two of them were heading towards the section of the building that had the waiting rooms just across the hall from the main section where the writers worked. “Glad you liked it.” Jon commented as he watched his Changeling friend fly back and forth above him in a zig-zag pattern, like he was dodging flying debris. “You seem excited.” “Oh man, I feel great!” Ryne yelled as the two entered the room where most interviewees waited till they are called. “Do all your guests feel this way after an interview!?” “Yeah, some more than others.” Jon answered as he stuck his finger in his ear. “Would you mind lowering your voice? I’m already going blind, I don’t need to go deaf too.” “Oh, sorry!” Ryne blurted as he grounded himself, only to quickly fly back in the air to do a quick lap around the room. “That was just so... fucking... awesome! I’ve DJ’d some events before, but none of them even compares the rush of being on your show! It’s like this tingling feeling all over and and... and... WOW! It’s everything Octavia and Vinyl said it would be!” “Oh really?” Jon chuckled. “What did they say exactly.” “Well... Octy said it’s the feeling you get when you hit that perfect note during a symphony.” Ryne paraphrased. “Or when you get knighted in the rotunda of the most majestic castle, while a full moon acts as your spotlight... both exhilarating and humbling.” “And Vinyl?” Jon wondered. “She said it was like chugging ten energy drinks at once while getting pounded from behind.” Ryne said, before pausing to think. “... Or maybe it was the other way around.” On cue, both parties began to laugh the sight of each other trying to hold back their stifled giggles. What followed soon was an awkward silence, brought on by the realization by the two entertainers in the room of what was to come next. Jon sat down on a nearby sofa while Ryne took so sitting on the ground in the center of the room. “So... this is the part where I go home now, huh?” Ryne said with a deep sigh. “Yeah.” Jon answered with a light shrug. “Any second now, Celestia is going to use her hocus pocus to zap ya back to Equestria... from there, she won’t do anything else.” “... But what if she--” Ryne started before getting cut off. “She won’t.” Jon assured him. “We talked it over... when you get back, she wont lock you up or banish you from the kingdom or anything like that... I even managed to convince her to pardon you for sneaking your way into my world.” Ryne was dubious about all this since it seemed too good to be true. But the way Jon said it made him believe that he was safe. “Thank you, Jon.” Ryne sighed. “That really means a lot... you didn’t have to.” “Oh, but I do.” Jon corrected. “Anyone one who comes on my show is getting the special treatment... besides that’s what friends do for each other.” The word ‘friend’ was one that Ryne heard every now and again in his life, but this was the first time he heard it while in his Changeling form. It felt nice. It was at that moment that he was reminded of something, something which was the entire point of his coming over to the human world. “That reminds me... about our interview.” Ryne said, as Jon took of his sports jacket and loosened his tie. “I know the point of a backup interview is that you’ll never know when you’ll need it... but do you have any idea of when you’ll play it?” As grateful as he was, Ryne still wanted nothing more than to have his message be spread to those around Equestria, especially now more than ever. “Hmmmmm.” Jon murmured as he closed his eyes to think. “I would guess... probably a few weeks from now when I’m on a two-week break.” “R-really!?” Ryne blurted out as he flew in the air with excitement. “Sure, why not?” Jon responded. “We here at Daily Show Headquarters love playing reruns.” At first, Ryne felt like bursting through the ceiling with joy, but before he could even process how he felt about this, something Jon had said caught his attention. “W-wait a minute... ‘reruns?’” Ryne asked. “I-I don’t understand.” “Oh, you haven’t figured it out yet?” Jon answered as he rolled up his sleeves and began to stretch his tired arms. “Our little interview we just had... it wasn’t just taped.” “W... wait.” Ryne said. “A-are... are you saying what I think you’re saying.” “That’s right.” Jon confirmed. “That was live.” This sudden news caused Ryne to drop from the sky whereupon he landed with a thud against the ground. From the very moment Jon agreed to interview him he was under the impression that it would be taped and then processed for screening at a later date. The option of having it done in that matter was solely done by Ryne to convince Jon that he was on the level... never did he think his bargaining chip would’ve been unnecessary. “So... if... if that was live.” Ryne surmised out loud. “Then that... means--” “That means that, what you’re feeling right now isn’t just the high one gets after being on stage.” Jon commented as he got up to try and touch his toes. “I’m... no expert on Changing anatomy, but I’m assuming what you’re feeling right now is the love of countless ponies and humans now being funneled. So that tingling feeling you're getting is probably pure raw power... or maybe you just really have to go to the bathroom, I don’t know.” The more he thought about it, the more Ryne started to realize that what he felt inside of him wasn’t that much different than the feeling he got whenever he absorbed someone’s love. Only in this case, the feeling was extremely numerous and much more intense. In disbelief, he placed his hooves over his face only to realize that the bruises and cuts that he had once suffered at the hands of Jon were now a thing of the past. Jon was telling the truth; Ryne was now holding the love of billions of different entities. “I-I-I don’t understand.” Ryne finally said. “W-why did... I mean why did you... ” “Why did I change my mind? It’s simple really.” Jon responded. “I like to think of my show... as a device to promote change in between all the fart jokes... you had a message... worthy enough for all the world to see ... so I just figured it was time people hear it. And sooner rather than later.” A simple ‘thank you’ didn’t seem enough anymore. Ryne didn’t know how to adequately express himself at that moment (A trait which got him interested in music in the first place) so instead, he just sat in the middle of the room, unable to say anything. “Oh, don’t go all quiet on me now.” Jon teased; but Ryne still remained silent. When he first concocted his plan of sneaking into the Daily Show to try and speak about his experiences, he never thought he’d get this far. He thought for sure Jon would say no and send him back. So for him to not only get his chance to go on TV, but to have it aired live the very same day was beyond surreal. “Jon... can I ask you something?” Ryne mumbled. “Shoot.” Jon said. “Why... why would you risk everything like that?” Ryne asked. “For... for all you know I could just have been another Changeling trying to hijack your show and steal some love for power... I mean, even now... if what you’re saying is true, you have no idea how... how... how much power I have... I mean there’s trust, and then there’s... this.” “Well, I like think we’ve built enough of a rapport that you won’t go around and stab me in the back.” Jon joked, which earned him not a giggle, but a look from Ryne that said he was all too serious. “Okay, okay. You want to know why I put you on my show... you want to know why I did all of this just for you?” “Yes.” Ryne said. “Please tell me.” Before answering, Jon got up and walked all the way across the room to a window just to the left of Ryne. There he leaned up against the wall and stared out the window at the New York sky. “Ryne, how much of U.S. history do you know?” Jon began. “I ask because, did you know Queen Chrysalis coming to my world wasn’t the first time something like that had happened?” “You... you’ve been attacked before?” Ryne asked his attention instantly seized in the moment. “Well, not me per say... but yes, New York has been the victim of an invading force once before.” Jon continued with a sigh. “Back in 2001... a group of evil men... attacked New York... destroying one of our most precious landmarks.” There was no way for Ryne to know any of this, but as someone who lived in Ponyville, he certainly knew the feeling of being attacked by evil forces. It happened almost on a weekly basis. “I... had no idea.” Ryne said. “Did... did anypony get hurt”” “Oh yes.” Jon said, his answer heavy in tone. “A lot of people got hurt... even now, some of us are still feeling the affects of what happened.” Instead of continuing with his explanation, Jon just stared out the same window until his attention was pulled away. “Why are you telling me this?” Ryne asked. In response to this, Jon walked up to him, knelt down on one knee, and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Ryne, do you remember the last thing you told me before the interview started. You said that it wasn’t right to blame an entire group of people... based solely on the actions of one group... you have no idea how right you are.” Jon said. Ryne stayed silent, unable to look away. “This attack... on New york, well, let’s just say that it was performed by a certain group of people... a group of people who were of the same race as some of our citizens. After this attack happened, people started to... well, let’s just say they were so paranoid about what happened that hurtful prejudice surfaced and innocent men and women now found themselves at the center of unwarranted hate and bigotry as a result.” Yet another thing that Ryne could relate to. “Back when this happened... I was one of the first people to come out in defense of these people. I talked about how we can’t go around judging others just because of what a couple of idiots did.” Jon continued. “Back then, I said it wasn’t right and by doing it we were devaluing ourselves as a society... but... it seems I’ve forgotten that which I once believed... Ryne... before you go, I just want to say... I’m sorry. I’m sorry for the way I treated you... I’m sorry for hurting you, and most of all, I’m sorry for going on TV and saying that all Changelings are evil... it was wrong of me and I had no right... I now know that there are a some that are pretty alright... like you.” There was so much that Ryne wanted to say, but all his comments and questions took a back seat as his mind was still processing that, right there and then, someone had actually apologized for what they said about his own people. Something he thought he’d never hear in his entire immortal existence. And he was still dumbfounded, even as Jon got up and walked backwards to bridge the gap between them. “So, to answer your question, the reason I did all this is because, the way I see it... if one Changeling can come on my show and ruin it for everyone else... I figure it’ll take another Changeling to make it right again.” Jon proclaimed The silence in the room was like nothing Ryne had ever experienced. There was so much to take in, he barely knew where to start. Finally, after while of staring at the ground, he opened his mouth express himself, but again he didn’t know what to say. “It’s like I said when we first met... ” Jon continued. Before he could finish his thought, an unseen force swept Ryne so quickly that, had Jon blinked, he probably would have missed seeing his body vanish. Instead of being concerned, Jon knew all too well what this was. No doubt as sure as he was breathing was Ryne now in the presence of Celestia herself, just like they had planned. “... just be yourself.” He added with a sigh as he made his way to the door to exit the room.