//------------------------------//
// A Blessing To the Boreals 
// Story: Urohringr 
// by Imploding Colon 
//------------------------------//

	"We found your family," Rainbow Dash said, almost immediately wincing.  Her eyes traced the walls of the navigation room.  "Elma's family."  She took a deep breath.  "The 'Boreals of the Eastern Heights,' or at least that's what the village elder Boxer refers to them as."

Elma's green eyes lit up.  "You've talked with Boxer?"

"Yup.  Totally did."

Bellesmith glanced over Rainbow's shoulder.  "You know him?"

"Why... of c-course!"  Elma nodded vehemently.  "Every turtle looks up to him!  We all depend on his blessings.  I met him several times in my hatchling years..."  She winced.  "I... I-I mean... I have memories of meeting him."  She gulped.  "Elma's memories..."

Rainbow Dash and Belle exchanged glances.

"Elma..."  Eagle Eye walked past Props and Roarke, smiling gently.  "They would very much like to meet you."

"They..."  Elma glanced up, shivering slightly.  "They would?"  Her fanged muzzle hung agape as she glanced incredulously at the group.  "But... how?  Why?!  I'm nothing but an imposter!"

"From the looks of things, what Rainbow and Pilate did in Stratopolis affected the whole world," Roarke suddenly said.  Her copper lenses reflected the green illuminescence from Elma's eyes across the room.  "Even here in Alafreo, the population has witnessed several of their numbers turn into changelings.  You... won't exactly be a surprise."

"What..."  Elma curled her forelimbs pensively.  "...wh-what have you told them about Chrysalis and the hive?"

"Nothing," Roarke said, shaking her head.  "All they know is that it was never your will nor your intent to ever impersonate one of the Boreals."

"Turns out they all collectively figured that something was up," Rainbow Dash said, looking squarely at the changeling.  "The real Elma Boreal should have returned over a year ago.  Seeing as she's not one to ditch her family—"

"No."  Elma shook her head.  "She's not."

Rainbow cleared her throat and went on, "They kinda sorta expected to hear the worst."

"You mean..."  Elma fidgeted.  "That the real Elma is dead?"

"As horrible as it sounds..."  Pilate slowly nodded.  "It stands to reason."

"But... b-but perhaps she is still alive somewhere!" Elma exclaimed, glancing at everypony.  "Princess Celestia said that several of the replaced ponies back home have been found in the abandoned hives!  Maybe the same is... t-true for Elma..."  Then changeling's gaze fell on Roarke's cold expression.

"You know this landscape far more than anyone," Roarke droned.  "What is the likelihood that a hidden hive would have been found in Alafreo in time for its victims to have survived?"

Elma bit her lip.  Her gaze tilted down to the floor of the navigation room.  "Not very good.  Everything is so vast... so remote."

Silence.

"Elma," Belle spoke.  "None of us can bring the real Elma back to these Alafreons.  But you have in yourself the next best thing to bless them with."

Elma looked up.

Belle smiled.  "You have Elma's memories.  And they carry with them the love and admiration she has for her family and hatchlings."

"As horrible as things have been, this may be your opportunity to bring the Boreal family closure," Eagle Eye said.  "And for you as well."

"Me?" Elma remarked, blinking.

"Do you wish to be Elma all your life?" he asked.

"I... I don't know..."  Elma shuddered, then ran a hoof over her forehead.  "All I do know is... is..."  She hesitated slightly, her green eyes turning moist.  "I want to see them."  She looked up with an earnest gaze.  "I really... truly do..."

Belle and Props looked at Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow flapped her wings and hovered.  "Then there's one turtle whom you should see first."





The large doors to the domed structure opened wide.  Accompanied by drifting flakes of snow, Elma pensively trotted through the entrance to Boxer's domain.  Her eyes darted nervously between several torches.

"Good heavens," she murmured.  "It's like I was just here yesterday."  She gulped.  "And yet... I-I was never here, was I?"  A chill ran through her body, and her carapace shook.  "I... I-I don't know if I can d-do this."

Eagle Eye stepped up, resting a hoof on the shape-shifter's shoulder.  "It's okay.  You're not gonna be alone."  He smiled.  "Alright?"

Elma took a shuddering breath, nodded, and trotted forward.  Eagle Eye accompanied her.  Not far behind, Bellesmith and Pilate shuffled along.

Rainbow Dash hovered forward.  She paused halfway towards the center of the chamber, turning around to glance over her shoulder.

Roarke stood emotionlessly in the wings.  She stayed within the penumbra of the torchlight but didn't move any further.

Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes.  Upon hearing Boxer's voice, she turned and looked towards the massive shape in the center of the dimly-lit room.

"Ahhh... do come here, child," the elder said.  He stretched his wrinkly neck out from the inside of his shell.  His forelegs gripped the floor as he leaned his weight forward slightly.  "Do not be afraid.  I only summon those to whom I extend full welcome."

"Oh great and wise elder..."  Elma surprised everypony by charging forward and then lying—face down—to the metal floor before the large creature.  "I am blessed by your presence."

"Hmmm..."  His old lips curved.  "Spoken like a true Alafreon."  He narrowed his gray eyes.  "Keep still, child.  This will only take a second."

"What does he mean by that?" Pilate asked.

"Shhhhh..."  Belle squeezed the crook of her hoof around the zebra's forelimb.  "Not all the blind use O.A.S.I.S., beloved," she whispered in his ear.

Boxer held his head above Elma's skull.  His nostrils flared several times.  For a few seconds, he lingered, then spoke, "That scent... hmmm... yes.  Yes indeed."  His leaned his head back.  "I know you are desperate to hold back."

"Elder...?" Elma glanced up.

"Relax, child," Boxer said.  "Be that which you feel.  There is no fear of deceiving me."

Elma's face was locked in a puzzled expression.  At last, Eagle Eye leaned in and whispered, "It's okay, Elma."

The changeling gulped.  She closed her eyes... then exhaled.  Her muscles relaxed, and then a swath of green flame poured over her body.  Within seconds, she morphed into a large snapping turtle with a scar across her shell.  A few of the reptilian guards along the fringes of the room murmured in surprise.

Boxer, however, merely nodded.  "Ahhhh... it masks the scent well.  But not well enough."  He smiled.  "Over the past three decades, I have encountered no less than fifteen Alafreons with that same scent.  A very pungent smell, I must say—some acquired halfway through adulthood, which I used to find quite puzzling.  It isn't until now that I know the reason behind it."

"F-forgive me, Elder," Elma stammered, once more bowing her scaled head to the floor.  "It was never my intent to deceive you—"

"Your breath carries truth," Boxer said.  "But it also carries many other things."  He took a deep breath.  "Strange, sad, painful things."  He lifted his massive foot and used the very tip of it to tilt Elma's weak chin so that she faced him.  "Whether we are hatched from eggs, foaled from our mothers, or spawned in riverbeds, we all carry a heartbeat that makes us all the same.  And your heartbeat is the most passionate and fervent I've encountered in years."

"I... I-I've been told that it's the way of changelings... the way of my kind to feed off of emotions," Elma said.  With a nervous breath, she reverted back to her dark naked form.  "We are empaths.  And yet... we are thieves, Elder Boxer.  We are robbers and plunderers of the absolute worst kind."

Rainbow Dash and Eagle Eye exchanged glances upon that.

Boxer didn't waste any time.  "Robbers and plunderers, you say?"  He leaned his head down towards her yet again.  "Tell me, these friends of yours, have you gone out of your way to wrong them?"

Elma blinked.  "Uhm... no.  No, Elder, I have not."

"And do they hold any malice to you for your supposed misdeeds?"

Elma glanced over her shoulder.

Eagle Eye, Rainbow Dash, Pilate, Bellesmith, and even Roarke stared back.  Patiently.

Elma exhaled, and she smiled.  "No.  No, Elder."

"Even at my age, I suspect I have much to learn of the nature of shapeshifters," Boxer said.  "But so long as they have a beating heart, then I extend to them the same grace as I would to any other creature who wanders into Abinadi, seeking fellowship and encouragement.  You are welcome here, child, as welcome as the Elma Boreal whom I was pleased to bless right after her hatching."

Elma turned towards him.  Her lips quivered.

"Is there something you wish to say, child?"

A spasm ran through Elma's body.  She broke down crying.  The changeling hid her face in the crooks of her hooves.

Bellesmith bit her lip as she watched.  Pilate leaned in and nuzzled her.

Eagle Eye sniffled, then trotted forward to squat down by Elma's side, patting the changeling's shoulder.

Meanwhile, Boxer spoke, "That's it, child.  There is nothing to be ashamed of.  Whatever you may have been bred for, know this:  your emotions are your own.  You may speak honestly and earnestly in this town."

"This t-town..."  Elma whimpered and raised her chin.  She leaned against Eagle Eye for support as she stammered to say:  "I w-want this to be my town.  With every fiber of my being, I want to believe that I have a home here."  She shook her head.  "But it's not!  They belong to Elma Boreal!  They belong to a turtle that I never was!  And yet I still have her memories!  I still have her love!"

"If you so desire, you can dwell here," Boxer said.  "Until the memories of Abinadi become your memories.  And as for the love... there are many on board your vessel that would love to share it with you in genuine comraderie."

"I know..."  Elma hiccuped and smiled before nuzzling Eagle Eye.  "And I-I'm so grateful..."

"And yet..."  Boxer spoke.  "There are those here who would wish to share your love as well, if even for a day."  He cocked his head to the side.  "Would you do me a favor, young one?"

Elma sniffled and nodded.  "Anything, Elder.  Anything..."

"Would you go to them?" he asked.  "Would you see the hatchlings of Boreal at least once?"  His aged lips curved.  "I have full faith in your tranquil future.  A lot of turtles here would be in your debt if you gave them the gift of a tranquil past."