//------------------------------// // Chapter 11 // Story: Oddball // by The Infinity Doctor //------------------------------// "I wish this could last forever" Elaine sighed, laying next to me The both of us were staring up at the sky, watching the clouds roll by "Me too, especially when I'm sitting here with you" "Well who else would you be with?" she smirked "Good point" I conceeded "So, how are things with your...hive? I think- is that the right term?" "Yeah, things are going good, anyway, a few other changelings have already joined..." "That's good..." "Yeah..." "...hey Sam?" "Yeah?" "Is there something bothering you?" "No, it's nothing..." "Sam- you've got that look in your eyes, what's wrong?" "Elaine...do you think...our love is real? Like, really real?" "What do you mean?" "Like- what if I don't really like you? What if it's just a changeling thing? That I'm doing all of this to get love from you?" "Aw, is my big, strong, changeling king doubting himself?" "I'm serious, Elaine" "Sam...you agreed to become this to save my life, and I mean that in the nicest way possible; you saved Mirror and I from that facility- you could have just left us there" "I could have just done that to keep getting love" "But did you?" "No..." "Then you've got nothing to worry about" She rolled over, half laying on my chest "Besides, you're what every girl wants" "What? Chitin and fangs?" "Nope, you're tall, dark, and handsome" she said, pecking me on the lips I blushed as we continued to lay on the grass "You're cute when you blush, you know that?" she asked "You know I'm going to get you back for that, right?" "Yeah, I just wanted to see if I could make you blush" she smiled "I love it when you smile" I said, wrapping my arms around her "Do you love me, or do you love the love I give you?" "Hmm...tough call..." A pout crossed her features "Kidding! Kidding!" "You better be" she said in a mock-serious tone "All the other girls can go get their own changeling kings- you're mine" "Am I now?" "Oh yes, I'll have a lot of trouble keeping the girls away from you" I laughed and hugged her "My human" "My changeling" she giggled X X X X X X X "I've made my decision" Jane mumbled, walking into the kitchen "Have you? Alright then, let's hear it" I said, sipping from my coffee "If we're going to stay here, I want you to make us changelings" I did a spit-take, spraying coffee all over the floor "WHAT?!" "You heard me...we can't leave the house...that's not a life" "Jane- if I do that- I'd never forgive myself-" "Why? You seem to be just fine the way you are-" I shot her a glare "Sorry...but what other choice is there? I want to actually meet these...ponies" "I have my reasons- I won't turn you into changelings, but if you really have your heart set on doing this, at least think about it for a little longer" "I said I've already made the decision, why can't you do it?" "I can...but think about your children- I couldn't live with myself if I transformed them" She bit her lip, and looked to the ground "You're right..." she sighed, shaking her head "I'll think on it a little longer..." 'Whew, dodged a bullet...' Then the question of where she got the idea in the first place surfaced in my mind X X X X X X X "Why isn't mommy tucking us in?" I asked, watching the tall thing pull the covers over Jackson and I. "She's just had a lot on her mind" he replied. "What did you do to her?" Jackson asked skeptically "Nothing" he replied "she's just thinking about a few things, she'll be here in a few minutes" "What's she thinking about?" "...it's nothing you need to worry about...at least not yet" He muttered that last part under his breath. He turned and knelt to exit the room, turning the light off as he went. X X X X X X X "Now, you're sure you'll take care of everything?" Twilight asked, she and Spike stepping into a pegasus-drawn chariot with her five other friends. "I've got it, Twilight" I said, rolling my eyes "I'll keep the library open until ten, anypony that wants to check out a book signs their name into the log- and I'm not authorized to give library cards, now go on- you'll be late" Twilight gave me a worried look as the chariots lifted off the ground, heading towards Canterlot Castle. I trotted back to the library and found Mirror inside, sitting at the table with a book set out in front of her- she looked up just as I entered. "And how are you doing?" I asked "Fine, daddy" she replied, looking back to her book. "Whatcha got there?" "Daring Do and the Curse of Zebrica" "Oh, that's a good one, I think Rainbow Dash would like that" "Not really, Miss Dash says reading is for eggheads" "Well, don't listen to her, reading is good for the mind" She shrugged and continued to read. ~ "I don't know how Twilight does it!" I thought out-loud "Hardly anyone's come in, most of it's just sitting here" Mirror didn't seem to hear me as she continued to read. 'No wonder Twilight has so much time on her hands- hooves...' As if to appease my boredom, the front door creaked open, a teal unicorn mare with a lyre cutie mark on her flank trotted into the library. "Oh, hello, I'm looking for Twilight" she said. "She's up in Canterlot at the moment" I replied "Anything I can help you with?" "Oh...well...do you have any books on mythical creatures?" "Uh, sure" I said, getting up and trotting to the bookshelves "Are you looking for anything specific?" "Yes, the creatures are tall" "Okay" "And almost completely hairless" "...Mmmhmm" "And they have these claws, well, not claws, the have hands- like a minotaur, but not as gruff, see?" "These creatures wouldn't happen to be humans, would they?" "Yes! That's it!" "*Ahem* Where did you happen to hear about them?" I asked, She somehow managed to miss the shakiness in my voice. "I heard about them from a traveller, they were in town just a few days ago" "Ah, where did they say they were from?" "I don't think I remember, all the way from Las Pegasus I think..." 'Uh-huh, looks like a changeling has some explaining to do' I thought "Well, I don't see any here, I could send a request to the Canterlot Archives if you want" "Oh would you?" she beamed "I'd really appreciate it" "Alright, let me just grab some paper and I'll send it right away- Mirror? Would you mind keeping miss-" "Lyra" "Miss Lyra company while I write the letter?" Mirror nodded and closed the book, pushing it away from her. "Well aren't you just the cutest little thing" Lyra gushed, pinching Mirror's disguised face with a hoof. 'How does she do that?' I quickly scribbled out a request for a book on humans and rolled it up in my magic "Here, if you just take this down to the Post Office, Ditzy can get it to Canterlot" I said, handing her the scroll with my wing. "Thanks alot" she smiled, taking the scroll with her magic. "Hey, humans sound pretty interesting, let me know if you find anything" I said The unicorn nodded, and trotted out of the library. X X X X X X X The door to the library flung open, smashing into the wall next to it- the culprit was none other than a fuschia earth pony, giggling and hiccuping. She wobbled as she walked into the library, before falling face-first onto the floor, her cutie mark was a picture of a grape vine and a strawberry. "What the *hic*, this ain't the Lazy Wing!" she said into the floor. "Ma'am, are you alright?" I asked, trying to hide a smirk. "I'm fine *hic* wait- where'd my pants go?" "Ma'am, do you help getting home?" "Me? Naaaaaaa, I know exactly where it ish" The mare fell forward again, I quickly caught her in my magic before she managed to hit the floor again. "Hey, how'd you- *hic* how'd you do that? You don't havve hornsh" 'Oh buck...' "Well, you're um, drunk...very very drunk" "That makesh senshe" she relented 'Thank god she's drunk' (*Mwah!* Goodnight Everybody!) I looked to Mirror, who was watching with concern as I helped the mare to the door. "Is she alright, daddy?" she asked, eyeing the inebreiated mare. "She's fine sweetie, she's just a little...tipsy" The mare let out a belch. "I'm going to take her home, can you watch the library for a few minutes?" "Yes, daddy" she said, transforming into an exact copy of my pegasus form. "Good, I'll be right back" I left the library with the mare practically dragging the ground as we headed towards the town square. "Ma'am, where do you live?" "Ponyville" she slurred, threatening to pass out. I rolled my eyes as a blue and white unicorn standing in the doorway of one of the houses came into view. The unicorn face-hooved, and motioned for me to follow her into the house. Inside, I laid the fuschia mare on the couch, and turned to the unicorn. "So, how bad was it?" she asked. "Oh, she was smashed" I replied. She sighed and rubbed her head with a hoof. "I'm sorry, about her, I mean- one of her friends should have been with her" "Eh, it's alright" I said dismissively "Twilight would've killed me if I got puke all over the library floor" "So, I don't think I've seen you anywhere around town before, you new here?" "Sort of" I said "My daughter and I moved here a few weeks ago" "Oh yeah, I think I remember Thunderlane telling me about you, you watched Rumble for him, didn't you- Silent, was it?" "Yeah, he was a...hoof-full; so what's her name?" I asked, nodding to the mare sleeping on the couch. "Her name's Berry Punch" the unicorn replied "she gets like this every once in a while" "Ah, and who are you?" "I'm Minuette, nice to meet you" she said, holding out a hoof. "I'm Silent Night" I said, shaking her hoof "So, are you two like...a couple?" She burst into laughter "No, we're not like that" she said, wiping a tear from her eye "she asks me to watch Berry Pinch sometimes" "Who?" As if on cue, a small pony about Dinky's size yawned cutely as she sleepily came down the stairs. "Is mommy home yet?" she asked "Yes she is, dear- but she needs to get to sleep, and so do you, Pinchy" The pony yawned again as Minuette shooed her back upstairs. "Who's he?" I heard her ask "Just a nice stallion that brought your mother home" "Oh" My eyes drifted to the sleeping mare. 'Sounds like she's an alcoholic...maybe I could fix that?' I quickly dismissed that idea as soon as I thought of it 'No, that's screwing with someone's mind, I can't just...could I? No- even if would be beneficial' Minuette trotted down the stairs a few minutes later, carrying a blanket in her magic. "You need any more help?" "No, I know how to treat a hangover, and thanks for bringing her home" "No problem, see you later" I said, walking out of the house. I walked back to the library, finding Mirror in my form sitting at the table. "Hey sweetie, anything happen while I was gone?" "No, daddy" she replied "That's good, I suppose, it's getting late, anyway- time for bed" "Awww, can't I stay up a little longer? I'm right up to the good part" she said, holding up her book. "Hmmm, how about I take you home, and if you ask nicely, I'm sure Jane would read you a little more" One of her ears flicked and she looked up in thought. "Okay..." "Great, let's get you home" I said, picking her up.