//------------------------------// // One fine day in Ponyville // Story: Deep Cover Confusion // by Zerodius //------------------------------// Another morning, another opportunity for fun and adventures. Of course, that means potential parties, of many different types. Humming to herself, Pinkie Pie adjust her appearance. Deep cover has taken its toll upon the bloodlines of the changelings. Or well, that was how some of her ancestors had chosen to word it. Generations of pony interbreeding had made it easier to blend in and even created some rather cool effects. For example, that cutie mark on her flank wasn't faked and was a natural part of her. Something about immersing oneself into pony love and magic long enough to eventually become a natural part of it. Whatever it meant, it wasn't that important. She looked at the stubby, jagged, very short horn on her forehead and to the likewise very small wings on her back. Also a product of centuries of bloodline choices. Of course, she was aware of a few points... but nah, right now, it's time to put on her pony appearance and get ready to party! Parties are good. They make people happy. And the love from that is delicious! And cupcakes made of love are even more delicious! And make ponies smile! Which makes it even better! What's not to love with parties? She casted the spells, one by one. True to herself, not necessarely in the right order. For example, the holes in her legs, above the hooves, disappeared alongside with her horn and wings but without actually turning her pink chitin to a likewise colored coat. There were also a few points she kept to herself, points she had never truly disguised, such as her mane. Oh sure, she was in theory supposed to hide her real mane and make it like that of a normal earth pony... but you know what? Bo-ring. Besides, she had found an extremely nice way to disguise her quirks, one more effective than any spell or appearance swap. As she emerged from her room and headed outside, she saw one of her friends already there. It was quite early and well, she knew it wasn't exactly her best friends but she was friends with everypony in town so, well, who cares? "Hiii there miss Daily Clock!" "Oh. Hi there Pinkie." said the pony, obviously staring at the changeling's mane poofing up. She was a newcomer to Ponyville and apparently not yet used to her style. That would change in the following weeks, of course! But for now, it was time to get her routine set. "You know... I still can't get used to how your mane does that. How does it do that?" "I'm a changeling!" "Yeah yeah, sure. Sure you are, Pinkie. I'll... be on my way." And with that said, she walked away, mumbling under her breath about 'crazy earth ponies'. Worked everytime. It would have probably saved her folks at the rock farm a lot of blood pressure-related problems if they had believed her that 'refuge in audacy' was a perfectly valid way of infiltrating pony society. Now, it's still a bit early so she have a bit of time before she have to go to Sugarcube Corner and work on- Instinct buzzed in her mind. She felt a disturbance in the magic of friendship, the minds of unseen changelings and the ponies they were connected to brushing against her consciousness thanks to her special talent mixed with the mind link born from her nature. Her tail twitched, her right eye blinking as the overwhelming feeling of the combined feelings and perceptions of other changelings and everypony nearby touched her. Which meant... "Eep!" Clang! She sidestepped just in time as a bucket of paint fell off of a nearby roof and hit the spot where she had stood a second before. The pink changeling looked up to see a brown pegasus stallion blinking. "Oops!" he said. "Oh! Oh! Pinkie Pie! I hope you didn't get hit with that!" "Nope! Just don't put that on the edge next time. Splashes of color are fun! But it tend to upset ponies who are hit by them, you know. See ya!" "Wait! Could you return my bu-" She was already bouncing away. Oh well. Clumsy Hooves stepped off the roof and hovered down to the ground to recover his paint bucket and what was left of its content. Even after all those years in Ponyville, he still didn't get Pinkie Pie. He had heard that famous student of the princess had almost driven herself crazy trying to understand where the weird powers and mannerisms of the weird earth pony came from. Bah, Pinkie Pie is Pinky Pie. Besides, that must be mysterious earth pony voodoo thing. What do he know? He's just some changeling in deep cover minding his own business and painting houses. Ponies are weird. "Another fine day, Liarjack..." Applejack sighed as she stared sadly at her own reflection. "Some Element of Honesty ya are..." Rationally, she understood why she had been chosen. As one who had been raised to live a lie, truth was, alongside her family, the most precious of her possessions. Despite what the mirror told her, Applejack knew that the ponies around here were her family, her real family and that this farm was where she truly belonged. Likewise, she knew that her bloodline had been infiltrating the Apples Acres the moment it had been founded. She was born, raised on this farm. Maybe was it hatched? No, that didn't sound right. But though she rationalized it all, it didn't keep her from feeling guilty. She wished she could reveal to her grand-mother who and what she really was, come clean with her brother. They deserved to know the truth. Her friends deserved the truth, too. She had considered it seriously many times too. Wasn't she the Element of Honesty, the wielder of some hocus pocus ancient pony artifact that the princess had used long ago against Nightmare Moon? Surely the ponies would accept her as she truly is... No. No. Her parents are gone. Granny Smith did not say how they died but she guessed, no, she knew that they were discovered. Or at least, her mom was. No, regardless of if her father had been a pony or a changeling, the fact is that they're gone now and they probably are because they were discovered. If everypony was to know what she truly look like... no. Her heart would break if she saw that kind of disappointment, of anger, of pain on their faces. She could not do this to her family. She would not burden them with the knowledge that she is a fake. Her family is more important than the discomfort of renewing her appearance every few weeks. Ironic. That one who care about honesty so much, who make it her mission to be as honest as honest can be against all the odds, the naysayers, and even what the world has to say against it... is lying to absolutely everypony about her own nature. Oh well. Pinkie Pie is preparing some kind of new party, Twilight will probably also try some kind of crazy experiment, and of course Rainbow Dash will be unable to stay put. The changeling had frankly wanted to just stay on the farm today and help out. Helping out made her feel good. To be part of the family, to do good honest work all together. She didn't really care about that whole infiltration thing and considering all the time that passed, she bet the queen who gave her ancestor that dumb mission must be long dead anyway. This farm is her home, always has been, always will be. Of course she was also aware that as she put on the sequence of spells, green fire replacing her chitin with coat and removing her horn so she could put on her hat, the day would probably not go quietly. This is Ponyville. Things never go quietly. Well, okay, most of her days are indeed pleasant routine but compared to how it went on farms all over Equestria? Changelings in it is far from the strangest thing to happen here. Not feeling particularly tired, she decided, once her body was in the characteristic shape everyone knew, to sneak out. Just to check outside. Rainbow Dash had promised that she'd get the weather sorted out for today. Applejack was not worried about that, her friend was nothing if true to her word regarding her job. The problem was that her pegasus friend tended to procrastinate until she had to go at sonic rainboom speeds to finish her job in time. That, however, was a problem ; everytime Rainbow Dash did that, it shattered every window of every nearby building. Big Mac was growing mighty tired of replacing the farm's windows and he'd probably be upset if Rainbow Dash shattered them again today. So needless to say, she frowned as she saw the cloudy cover in the skies. "Eee-yep. There won't be much love in mah breakfast today..." As if on cue, a rainbow colored trail removed the cloud cover, blowing her hat off her head and shattering every window on Apple Acres farm.