This was all a big shock to me. I was a halfling? I never even heard that word before. And this changeling claimed that I could change into other ponies if I trained under him? I really needed time to think things through. I had a job to think about. My destiny is supposed to be that I become a powerful corporate hot-shot, not some halfling pretending to be other ponies all throughout Equestria.
Clean's message did have a sense of urgency. It seemed like he needed me to help him. Still, I had to think of myself first.
I looked into Clean's eyes. He did seem gentle and good. It was painful to think that his kind was being treated unfairly for being different, especially since now I know that my father was also a changeling.
"I know this is a lot to take in", said Clean softly, "I guess I owe you an apology if you feel pressured."
"I don't feel pressured", I responded, "it admittedly makes sense."
"How so?"
"At the wedding of Shining Armor and Cadence. The changelings were hostile towards most of the ponies but they were not that way towards me. One of them even motioned me to join their army."
"You have the changeling eyes. It is something that conveniently cannot be noticed by ponies. However, changelings know right away. A changeling would be lying if he told you that he didn't know you have the changeling blood."
"Quite convenient", I said with a smile, "what exactly are the changeling eyes?"
"I like you. You ask smart questions. Changeling eyes have light green speckles on the iris, except if a changeling has green eyes, then those speckles are blue. That is a changeling trait. No pure pony has it. We see it in all changelings, all halflings, and half of quarterlings."
"Quarterlings? I guess those are the offspring of halflings and non-changelings."
"Exactly. From the eyes alone, we cannot always determine who is a quarterling. Those with the eyes are functioning quarterlings. Those without them are nonfunctioning quarterlings. We have determined that the split is approximately 50:50. There are probably quite a few quarterlings in Ponyville.
A quarterling. If Lyra and I could have children of our own, they would be quarterlings.
"Clean, can you tell who are changelings and who are halflings and etc in Ponyville?"
"There are no pure changelings in Ponyville. I know that much. Celestia's threats of imprisonment had scared away most of the changelings back to the hive.. including your father. As for the halflings, I know of one other halfling in Ponyville. I won't tell you who that pony is. If you pay attention, you will know. This halfling also already knows you are a halfling."
Seems like a challenge. Too bad I doubted that halfling was Lyra.
"Why do you still hang around pony territory?"
"It is my job, Bon-Bon. I am a protector. I protect those who need it. You are fortunate to live in Ponyville by the way."
"I love Ponyville more than I did Belmont Stakes."
"Ponyville is perhaps the town which has the highest tolerance for changelings in all of Equestria. Not much tolerance, but enough that there is hope."
"Hope for what?"
"Hope that our kind will someday be accepted by the ponies. So, can you help us?"
"I understand but, yet again, I really need time to think things through."
"It's okay, Bon-Bon. Take your time. I only want you to do this if you feel it is right."
I was amazed by how calmly I was taking all of this in. This couldn't be right. I am Bon-Bon. I am part of the status quo. I am supposed to live a status quo lifestyle. It was my marefriend, Lyra, who lived the crazy life. I was normal, but to think about it, was I ever really normal?
This moment with Clean takes me back to a simpler time.
I was a five-year old filly living in my hometown, Belmont Stakes, a suburb of Manehattan.
My parents' house was tiny but charming with a big yard.
My mommy is Candy Crush and my daddy is Lemon Drops. Both of them are earth ponies.
I remember being in kindergarten filled with boredom.
I was the only foal in my class who could read well.
Class was slow and uninteresting. School was often terrifying too.
This was the same year that the changelings declared war on the ponies.
There were rumors about hidden changelings across Equestria.
Princess Celestia had announced that all changelings would be sent to camps.
I barely knew what these camps entailed at that time but I knew it wasn't the same as the summer camp where we played hoofball and did arts and crafts; these were the bad camps no pony wanted to attend.
There was this unicorn filly who would throw spitballs at me and called my father "the enemy". She would do this to me far too often.
I would try to ignore her and never acknowledge her presence.
One day though, she said that my father deserved to die. That pissed me off. I remember jumping onto the little bully and telling her that if she ever said anything like that again, I would ensure that she wished she was dead. After this, I did notice a very light green glow emitting from my body. I fainted and got to go home early that day. I didn't get in trouble because the teacher overheard the bully say those horrible things about my father.
She would still bully me, but I decided it was best to give even less of a shit than I already did.
During kindergarten, I spent most of my time by myself. I was perfectly content with that arrangement. I was brighter than the other students and didn't really like most of my fellow classmates anyway. My father was a brilliant inventor. He was devoted to his work and to his family. He would tinker with his tools in the basement.
I remember one day I had a conversation with my father which would change my life.
In particular, because this was one of the last conversations I ever had with him.
"Daddy!"
"Bonnie, my special little filly!" My father kissed me on the forehead. "How was school today?"
"Boring and mean. Why do I have to go to school with such idiots?"
"Don't worry too much about it. Your grades are good, right?"
"Daddy, it's kindergarten. I don't get grades yet."
"Oh, of course. You speak so maturely that I forget you're only five years old."
"I think you're simply a silly daddy."
"Silly daddy or... tickle monster!"
He tickled me all over. I giggled myself silly.
"I love you, Daddy."
"I love you too, Bonnie. A strong and beautiful young mare."
"Daddy, what are you working on down here?"
"It is something I like to keep top secret. Can you keep a secret?"
I nodded with excitement.
"I am trying to conjure a potion which will transform any pony into an alicorn."
"Like Princess Celestia?"
"Yes. Exactly like her. Equestria will be a fantastic place if every pony could fly, do magic, and those special things we earth ponies can do", said my daddy poking me in the belly.
"That would be so cool. I always wanted to fly like one of the Wonderbolts. I would be a superhero and save everypony everywhere. Oh my gosh. I would be SuperBonBon!!"
My father laughed but then said quite seriously, "I am afraid that troubling times are ahead in Equestria. I don't want to scare you but, as your father, I feel obligated to prepare you for the worst. I know how you like to plan ahead."
"I do, daddy. Someday, I am going to marry a prince and live in a big castle at Canterlot."
"Oh, Bonnie. My little Bonnie. You are much too bright for that to be your only ambition in life. That is for a silly filly. Promise me that you will be careful. You have some incredibly special talents. Talents which could make you more powerful than Celestia herself, even without the potion I am making for the rest of us. However, you must be careful. You will become aware of these talents soon enough and very important ponies will be afraid."
"I promise Daddy." I didn't really understand everything my father was telling me at the time, but he sounded serious. I knew that he believed I possessed some things which would make me appear to be as powerful as royalty, if not better.
It was only a week later.
I remember my mother pacing around the kitchen while my baby brother, Brainy Brawn, was playing in his crib.
"I told your father he needed to keep quiet", she said to me.
"Why would he need to keep quiet", I asked my mother innocently.
"He is a courageous pony. Too courageous. I wish the changeling war had never begun."
"I know about the alicorn potion he was working on, he told me."
"I hope he didn't go on blabbing about that in public too... he spoke out against the war and Celestia's decree."
We both knew what that decree was. Changelings impersonating as ponies were being rounded up all over Equestria and sent to the "camps".
"It's an awful decree", I said angrily.
"I know, sweetheart", my mother said to me softly, "but the changelings waged war against Princess Celestia. She is very powerful."
I thought about what my father told me. Talents more powerful than what Celestia possessed herself.
I cried and cried. Did the government really take away my dad because he spoke out against what was being done to the changelings? This was how the government treated those who disagreed with it? I hated Celestia. I hated Canterlot and its royalty. I didn't care what Queen Chrysalis did to those ponies. I could care less. I wanted my daddy back. I wanted him back.
I never saw my father again.
For nineteen years, I had promised myself to be careful and keep quiet. I had all but forgotten about my green glows and they went away. I knew that my daddy wanted me to live life as a normal pony. I did it for so long that I believed I was a normal pony. I focused on my studies instead which proved to be an effective distraction. I was valedictorian of Belmont Stakes High and did very well at Canterlot University - academically and personally. Canterlot University was where I met Lyra. Things were so good for me but...
My dad was the reason why I believed so deeply in helping Clean. This would disrupt and possibly destroy my corporate ambitions.
I wondered if Brainy Brawn was a halfling too. If not, that meant we didn't share the same father. That meant my mother cheated on my father. That would have been so many years ago. My dad spent so much time tinkering in the basement with his inventions that he probably never noticed Jockey, the stallion who would visit quite often and was good friends with my mother. Yes, the thought of Jockey being Brainy Brawn's father was not a stretch.
"I notice you were in deep reflection, Bon-Bon", said Clean, "what were you thinking about?"
"My childhood. One of my last conversations with my father. I haven't seen him in almost twenty years.. you said he's still alive.. oh, I would do anything to see him again. He was crazy smart. He was working on a potion which would transform any pony into an alicorn. I always believed that was a reason why he had to go away. That couldn't have made Celestia happy."
"Someday, not now, you can talk to your father about that potion."
"I am so happy that he is okay."
"He certainly is, but admittedly he has entered into a subtle state of depression. He misses his family."
"If I help you, can you promise me that I will get to see my father again?"
"Of course. You will need to go to the changeling hive at some point."
"And you said that they tolerate halflings."
"More than your kind", said Clean with a smile.
I gulped. Was Equestria truly going to become a hostile place for me? It seemed like a happy and peaceful place. The books I have read on changelings suggested that they were more violent, aggressive, yet strangely more technologically advanced than the ponies. Lyra dreamed of those war-hungry humans who had supposedly destroyed themselves through war. I always suspected that the human was invented by a pro-Equestrian propagandist warning ponies of the dangers of not being under Celestia's rule.
I felt tears form in my eyes. Lyra was a lot like my father. They both believed in the impossible.
"Does this mean Equestria is not safe for me?"
"I wouldn't go that far", responded Clean, "it is just that if your true identity comes to light, you will be making a lot of enemies. Thankfully, from my travels, I can say that Ponyville is perhaps the safest place for you."
"We need to keep this quiet", I said, "I have a bright future with Barnyard Bargains."
"Barnyard Bargains", spat Clean, "is that really what is most important to you, Bon-Bon?"
"I didn't say that."
"Bon-Bon, you will need to make some important choices. Do what you feel is right."
"I'm a businesspony", I said quietly, "I am supposed to make big money."
"As all the changelings, including your father, are wiped out of existence."
"I thought you said you weren't pressuring me."
"I am simply speaking the truth. Besides, for the first stage of our plan, we will need you to act like everything is normal. You can go on moving up that corporate ladder at Barnyard Bargains, but once the second stage begins, you will have to abandon that."
"Why?"
"Let's say that the second stage is like a full time job."
"I understand, but you need to understand that I need to think things through before I can make such a commitment."
"I do understand. I know you will do what you think is right."
"Thank you Clean. I think I know exactly what I need to do to make a well-informed decision."
"What is that?"
"I will visit my mother this weekend. She still lives out east in Belmont Stakes. I know she knows more than she ever let on. I need to hear her side of the story."
"You are taking a wise approach, Bon-Bon", said Clean with a disarming smile, "we should meet again shortly after."
"I should be back to Ponyville by Sunday night."
"Perfect. Let's meet at the Ponyville Park. I shall be a handsome and fit stallion with an orange for a cutie mark."
"I see why changelings do what they do."
"Huh?"
"You can just become fit like that, easier than having to work hard."
"Hey, I am skinnier than you", said Clean playfully poking my belly.
"I said fit, not looking like a veal."
Clean chuckled, "I am considered incredibly attractive by changeling standards."
"I didn't think such standards were so low."
I smiled at Clean. He actually wasn't bad-looking at all.
"What about you by pony standards, Bon-Bon?"
"A sex goddess."
"Hmmm... I could see it, but I think it is the changeling side of you which makes you so attractive."
"You will make a good halfling. I can promise that."
"Long day. I should get home."
"Agreed, have a good night. Choose wisely."
"I can promise you that much."
In order for things to work out regarding work obligations and the trip to Belmont Stakes, I could only sacrifice one thing. Attending Lyra's concert. I loved Lyra of course but there were many concerts I could attend.
I was still nervous to tell Lyra.
I arrived home. Lyra was still playing on her lyre. I looked at my watch. I didn't get home as late as yesterday. It was only 8:45 PM.
"Bonbonbonbonbonbonbon", said Lyra with excitement, "how are you?"
"Okay, work. How are you?"
"Excellent. I made a hundred bits today on a performance. Can't you believe it? It was some old pony with a mop cutie mark. He told me I sounded like the heavens."
Old pony with a mop cutie mark, eh?
"I am so glad to hear that. Unfortunately, I have some bad news."
"What's that?"
"I am so sorry.. I can't make it to the concert this Friday night."
"Why not", asked Lyra with an annoyed tone, "work taking over your life more than usual?"
"No, I need to go to Belmont Stakes. It's an emergency visit with my mother."
"Is she okay?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"I'm not angry at you, Bon-Bon", said Lyra, "I can tell that it is something dire."
"My mother is in good health, but... there are some things we need to discuss."
"Good luck", whispered Lyra, "I love you."
"I love you too, Lyra." We engaged in a long, soft, and passionate kiss.
"I just hope you tell me sooner rather than later what is going on."
"I will. I promise. I need to make this trip first."
"I trust you."
"I trust you too."
I honestly believed that I could trust Lyra about being a halfling. Lyra is perhaps the kindest and most tolerant pony I have ever met. She is certainly kinder than me.
I got on the train to my hometown. It would be a six hour ride. Belmont Stakes was east of Manehattan. I shuddered at the thought of running into ponies of my past back home. My friends were at Ponyville and Canterlot University, not Belmont Stakes. I was far too anti-social and awkward to make close friends. I got out of my shell during college.
I was going back home because I needed help. If anypony could help me figure out what I should do, it was my mother, Candy Crush.