//------------------------------// // Begining To End... And the begin again // Story: To Live in Happiness // by The Dusk Zone //------------------------------// The sun beat down like scorching rays of fire. Summer had arrived, and many could say it just made the ponies of Ponyville more eager to stay indoors, with their magic-powered air-conditioners and all. One being was on his way down the road of Ponyville, coming straight from Manehatten. He had been there for one of the "GaP Trixie and The Scoundrel" showing. Though it caused quite a stir. While many saw it as an act, the pony himself noticed the actual desperation in what The Scoundrel had been doing. Trying to save Trixie. Well, that aside, everything else had been uneventful. He looked to the sky, with a sigh. There was no reason to go anywhere, well... Anywhere else. He spent the past week enjoying himself, and such. But he came back to Ponyville again, with Two Days left to live. Yes, two days. Why? He was a changeling, that was half-pony. Aside from the occasional comment, he could be accepted in society. But, he had not had a love feed for a week. He was close to his end... ... And then he passed out, right as he entered the town. The heat finally got 'em. ------- Twilight was on her way from the Carousel Boutique, trying to use a wing to cover her face from the sun. Today was one of the hottest summer days she knew of, and even with her magic, she couldnt do much except if in her home. Now, she would have gone right home, if not seeing something on the edge of her vision. What in the worl-- Oh My Celestia, somepony collapsed! She rushed over to see who it was, and nearly shot a high-charged magic bolt at him, out of fear. This... Was no pony, it looked like a changeling stuck in Mid-Disguise as a pony! What a disgrace. Even two years after the Canterlot attack, this changeling had the audacity to look like this. You think they would've learn. Ready to execute him on the spot, she nearly smacked herself for trying. She couldn't do it, and there was no reason to try and kill it. It looked weakened, she thought to herself. With a careful magic, she picked up him, and felt something rippling along her magic. She couldn't exactly place it. Desperation? Like he was mentally reaching for help? She needed to learn more. This changeling certainly wasnt awake, so, she might as well make use of learning what she can. ----- The stallion changeling awoke slowly, with a groan. He felt cooler... And felt a rush of air, like a conditioner was on. As soon as his eyes obeyed him, he looked around where he was. In a basement, maybe? Old dusty books lined shelves left untouched for years. Wait, he could read some titles! Why was changeling literature stored here? He tried to move forward, but grunted, finding himself bounded. Looking to what held him, they were magically created bracers, not allowing movement in more than a few feed from where the chain originated. Oh, so he was captured. Perfect. No doubt another hybrid hater. Or changeling hater. He's had the strength to deal with most of them, but this close to his Husk-Date, he could not bring his magical strength to par. He then looked to the staircase at the far side of the room, and saw... Well, an alicorn. She was a beauty, wow. A sheen, well cared for lavender coat, with bright violet eyes. And that mane, which seemed brushed carefully to be able to hang off one shoulder, and a long tail, which looked made to keep onlookers from getting a good look at her flanks. He watched as she walked straight to him, with a look that was... A very cute attempt at looking threatening. ...Then she started to speak. "Who do think you are? Some sort of mockery? You're a disgrace, half disguising as a stallion." What came next, made Twilight... Think. He looked at her with a pained look, and spoke with a two toned voice. "You and who else keeps thinking that, eh? All I hear... Is empty insults. I was BORN this way. And im dying. Simple enough." He sighed and let himself lay on the floor, legs against his belly, and head on his forehooves. "I have no strength. I planned for the next to days to be peaceful. I could enjoy some quiet time in a small town. Why am i to die? No one would love a hybrid. So, if you're going to, kill me. Just make it fast." Silence. Two minutes later, more silence. After five minutes passed, the sound of chains breaking ( metaphorically, as it was magic) could be heard. And the alicorn with a voice of mixed emotion. Hard to tell what she was thinking at the time. "N-no, Im not a killer. Im sorry. I thought... You'd be a threat. I've fought Queen Chrysalis and her drones. I was scared that another incident might occur" She sounded... Well, regretful and remorseful of her actions to him. Which, was a very first. Slowly he brought himself to a sitting position, looking to her. Now with a proper look, this was Twilight's first thought. He... Was... Tall. And big. But it was mostly muscle on his body, and not changeling armor. What he said next surprised her. "I can see you're trying to look me over. If you want to study me, i won't object" It was funny, as he seemed to have found her soft spot. She squeed a bit, with an incredibly cute face. "You mean it, do you mean it?!" She was practically ready to burst. The chance at studying a changeling? "I do mean it, yes. I don't have anything better to do." --- Just five minutes later, he found himself standing up, and standing still, not moving an inch. He was poked and prodded by soft lavender hooves on occasion, the young alicorn mumbling things under her breath as she observed and took note on various things about his body. What he was clueless to, was how close she tried to be. This changeling pony hybrid was something of... Wonder. He was well behaved, a gentlecolt to her, and obviously was independabt from a Hive-Mind. As for his body, it was... Strange. His legs weren't as blocky as a normal stallion's, and could be described as a soft mix of a mare's and stallion's legs, built with a changeling exo-skeleton armor around it. The armor was thin, but there. No wonder his body looked gray. His wings, they were scary, almost. They were jet black, but semi-transparent. Fully capable of flight, if at full strength. Well, maybe. They had the perfect pegasus wing shape, but the changeling in him kept it from being like an alicorn's. Why was it Twilight started to feel bothered? This wasn't at a what should be happening! She was doing this for science! She wanted to learn about changeling anatomy! She... She was taking pity on him. Look at him. He may try to be strong but was weak and "scrawny". This wasn't his full form. Twilight gave a quiet sigh. Who, of all ponies could help him...? Thats when she heard the cannon firing in the Library's Main Foyer. Of COURSE! The one pony who cant find faults in anypony.