//------------------------------// // Daisy Discry // Story: Acceptance // by Riddle-Me-Think //------------------------------// I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Eyes stared blankly up at the ceiling as thoughts ran wild with unorganized frenzy after the days events. The sun was reaching its spot on the horizon and the room was losing light ever so steadily as the suns rays began their retreat for the day. The moon would soon rise and leave little light for anypony to use fully. A deep breath was taken in before let out as those same eyes seemed to narrow at the ceiling as if to look at something that was in her sight. A couple of knocks on a wooden table brought the mare out of her inner thoughts as to her friends stood next to the other with worry written all over their faces. “Daisy, are you sure you‘re alright?” Lily gently asked, “You‘ve been out of it all day since…you know.” Did she know indeed. Daisy almost felt cheated and nearly disgraced today for being fooled so easily by that other changeling. With a grunt, she got off the couch that once held a sleeping Cloud Kicker and moved over to the window. Both Rose and Lily watch their long time friend close the blinds and drop her pony form in a burst of emerald fire. She turned back around and walked to them while tears seemed to threaten to spill from her glowing blue compound eyes. Her once lime mane that was kept in such nice condition, quickly turned into a ragged and hole filled one that looked like somepony added blue dye to it. With eyes filled with regret she seemed to croak out, “I‘m sorry.” Rubbing her face free of the tears that tried to work their way out with a hole filled hoof. “There is nothing to be sorry about.” Rose told the changeling mare, going to her side and rubbing a hoof over the smooth shell and gossamer wings, “You did what you could.” “But what if it wasn’t enough, what if he was one of those changelings!” Daisy’s buzzing voice rose and resisted the want to bit her lip with her bared fangs, “What if I couldn’t protect you like I promised?” The now only pink mare in the room strode up to the changeling with some grace saying, “He was obviously better than either of us thought.” And use her hoof to brush at Daisy’s silk like mane, “But even though he seemed better, you seemed to have scared him off.” The distraught mare wanted to turn away, but could only make her eyes move to the floor, “I didn’t scare him away, he left because things didn’t go the way he wanted.” Rose looked to Lily, as if to convey her thoughts on what should be said. Thinking for a moment, the mare scratched her blond mane for a moment before asking, “What‘s really bothering you Daisy, we can't help if you don’t tell us.” Rose gave a comforting squeeze in the form of a half hug saying, “We‘ve been though a lot together Daisy. We were there for you when you first came to Ponyville.” Coming to sit at her side, Lily went on with, “We were there when you needed a home and to get off the streets.” “We were there when you were confused as to handle a few gaga stallions.” Rose chuckled, nuzzling at Daisy’s neck some and letting her love of her friend pass on to the changeling. Copying the cream colored mare, Lily leaned on the changeling too, saying, “We were also there when you decided to tell us what you were when we found you without your disguise.” Daisy shook in her place as her tears ran down her muzzle and trailed along both fangs before dropping to the wooden floor. There was nothing more she could ask for when it came to comfort, than these two ponies that had helped her so much. With a shaky sigh she told, “I promised to protect you two from other changelings.” Feeling a hoof run gently over the veins of her wings she said, “And today was the first time I had to face one alone.” By now her body shook and she fought the urge to shake her head, “I was so scared at the idea of being discovered, but when he mentioned you by name Rose.” She let out a small sob as she remembered all the obvious looks Masquerade held to a changeling, “He played me for a fool, and toyed with me because he could.” Looking to Rose she said, “He acted like a fool, so that I would let my guard down and think I was the one in charge, when he was the one actually pulling all the strings!” She quickly slid to the floor and cried, “When he dropped his act like he did and grabbed you before you could reach the door.” Gasping for some air she felt Rose hug her closer along with Lily saying, “I was really scared that he would hurt you…both of you.” “Shh, we‘re all right Daisy.” Lilly soothed while running her hoof through her friends mane, “You did alright.” With her own smile of confidence, Rose stated, “The guy was sneaky, I‘ll give ‘em that. But I‘m sure in a straight up fight you‘ll win hooves down!” A few sniffles were made by her, but Daisy lifted her head with a grateful smile, “Thanks girls…I needed that.” “Any time little sis.” Rose affectingly ruffled her friends mane, “Besides, he can't be all bad if Rainbow Dash is fine with him, right?” Daisy’s smile faded some at that, not really sure what to think of it, “I don’t know if fine is the term. She seemed angry with him, and I can't blame her.” After having her feelings played around with, she could almost see where Dash was going with shouting at him about how he did the same to Twilight Sparkle. She let out a shuddering breath at that, Why did it have to be Celestia’s student, what could that jerk be thinking! Though no information was made on changelings for any race, all changelings knew that only a few select being would know of them. Celestia was one of them, along with her sister Luna who at one point disappeared but was still known to changeling kind. But in either case, they knew of changelings, and said race was fearful of their wrath after what their ancestors had done in the past. The idea of one of the two knowing they were still alive made Daisy shudder in fear. “So, what are you and him going to talk about?” Lily asked curiously, “I mean, your both changelings and he was following you today because…” “We changelings are territorial, remember?” Daisy cut her friend off, “From what I can tell, he‘s the new foal on the block and is scoping out the place.” With some calming breaths and feeling less stressed then before, she got up and jumped to the couch. With a raised brow Rose asked, “So he was trying to muscle his way in and show he was the new top dog or something?” Trying to understand what her changeling friend was implying. “Nothing like that.” Daisy shook her head while thinking, “If I had to guess, he either has a few ponies to feed on, or likes, and was making sure I wouldn’t be a threat.” The ponies exchanged looks with Lily asking, “Why‘s that, Ponyville’s a nice place, and has plenty of room for ponies.” Shaking her head again she explained, “Its not that simple.” And sat more higher in the couch, “I‘m not from his clan, if he even has one, which means I cant be trusted.” for a moment she stopped to consider how to explain better. Putting both hooves up she said, “Imagine two tigers, both cats are good hunters, but they like to have their space.” Seeing both ponies nod she continued, “Now, for changelings, it's something similar. If anything is in their hunting space, they will see it as a threat until shown otherwise or…” With a slight gulp she said, “Or eliminate it.” Two more weights pressed down on the cushions on the couch that Daisy was on, shifting her left to right. She was once again put into a hug between the two mares with Lily saying cheerfully, “Then well just have to protect you, don’t we?” Giving the lily loving mare a deadpan look, Daisy said, “Weren’t you the same pony that fainted at the sight of a stamped of rabbits?” “That’s not fair.” Lily pouted while Rose went into a fit of laughter, “You know I have a phobia of those fifthly little demons.” Moving her hooves away to hold herself she whispered, “bouncing around and destroying flower after flower!” While Daisy rolled her eyes, Rose continued roar in laughter. Mornings light touched on the horizon and making the morning dew sparkle in the ever brightening light. The suns rays made its way along the ground, illuminating everything it came a crossed and waking the inhabitants. Crawling up the wall, it found a place to filter through and began it’s invasion in. on the other side of this was a dark room with three sleeping inhabitants, each on their own bed that seemed to be stacked in a triangle pattern. The first two were next to the other, leaving an empty space between them and cut off with a curtain. Just above the two beds was the third, being held by supports made from the other two beds below. When the light found its way in, it touched a cream colored mare who scrunched her eyes and turned away. Not bothered by this, the light crawled along the bed and to the pony’s face once more, irritating the mare. With a groan, the mare grabbed her pillow and tossed herself around, holding it over her head and denying the lights prodding. This didn’t seem to stop it, as it continued to trail up the side of the curtain that gave some form of privacy from the other mare, and to the top bunk. When it reached the top bunk, the changeling mare grumbled to herself as the light assaulted her face and did what it could to wake her. Twisting away for a moment to escape, she once again scrunched her face up as it warmed her chitin and wings. She buzzed her wings at the pleasant feeling, but also at the sudden energy that seemed to build up with warmed up muscles. Seeing as she would be waking up soon, the changeling opted to open her blue compound eyes and grumble, “Stupid Celestia controlled sun…” Sitting up and stretching out, she looked over the side where Lily was, smiling some at how silly her friend looked with the spirally eye sleeping mask she had on. Looking on the other side, she could see Rose trying to keep the suns light from waking her up with her pillow. Seeing that she was the fist one awake, she gave a quick buzz of her wings and flew off the top bunk and landed on the floor. A quick wall of green fire later, and pony Daisy was once more presented to the world. “Ovens not mapheme…” Rose grumbled in her sleep after hearing the fires whooshing sound that took place. Daisy smiled at the raspberry mane pony and walked out the room, clicking a few beads that hung at the entrance. Walking passed the living room and into the kitchen, she gave a quick look around and started searching the cabinets. She gave another smile at what was around and started to get to work for that mornings breakfast. She got a few bowls out, eggs, milk, batter and some blueberries that would go bad in the next few days. She quickly set to work mixing each ingredient, cheerfully humming a song that popped into her head. The clicking of beads at the ketches doorway made her ear twitch, and with a quick taste of the air she greeted, “Morning Rose!” “An’ morhpen to youz…” The zombpony muffled out of her barely functioning mouth, bumping into the chair she meant to go around. Giving the wooden seat a unfocused glare she went to push it, only to miss it some and fall to the floor. The happily humming pony didn’t turn around to see what all the racket was, knowing full well it had something to do with her friends ill-tempered tendency’s after waking up. Moving in front of the sink and looking out the window, she could see the nicely made garden of flowers that she and her roommates had worked on. Leaning down to get a frying pan, any pony that would be looking through that same window would see Rose trying to pry her leg out form the chairs back rest. This was blocked when Daisy came backup with the needed cooking utensil with a smile and trotted to the oven. This once more gave sight of Rose strangling the chair with her fore hooves as if wrestling with it. Lily was the last to come in, fixing the lily in her mane and walking in with a jump in her step. She gave a short glace to Rose, who was weakly pulling herself into the chair that looked no worse for ware, and made her way to her own seat. Sitting down and looking to the ruffled up earth pony in the other chair she said, “Did we lose to the chair again?” With her head face down on the table and hooves over said head, Rose muffled out, “Shud up Lily.” And not seeing the big smile and slightly shaking pink mare that wanted to laugh out loud. Getting an amused smile of her own, the mare on cooking duty called back, “Alright you two, breakfasts almost done. Lily, can you please set the table?” Craning her neck back to see a confirming nod from the mare, she then addressed the other one, “And could you please get some water for us Rose, I didn’t get any juice yesterday.” Daisy only got a gruff sound from the mare, but saw that Rose was getting out of her chair to comply with the request. Seeing that order was reestablished, she turned back to her own task of cooking the now forming blueberry pancakes. Somewhat similar events were going on in the Golden Oaks Library as its own inhabitants got up and ready for the day. “Can you please repeat that?” Masquerade asked, holding a pear in his magic and was about to eat a slice he cut out. The question itself seemed to come out of no where, so he thought to make sure. “I said, maybe I can help with gathering the ponies you know are changelings and meet them too.” Twilight repeated, taking a moment to take a bite out of a small bowl of assorted fruit. “After what Rainbow Dash told me, I thought it might be a good idea.” With a blank face he told, “That happens to be the same pegasus that messed up the whole plan in the first place.” Popping the fruit into his mouth, shortly adding, “But we made peace after words.” “Anyways.” She cut him off to stop him form trying to change subjects, “I would like to come along for the next contact situation.” Tapping a spoon on the bowl before him, Spike said, “Maybe after you help clean up the library.” Putting his arms wide to show the book piles. Looking around with his own eyes, the unicorn stallion admitted, “It does need some cleaning, doesn’t it?” “Why, Masquerade, are you offering your help?” Twilight asked grinning at the now full alert stallion who turned and shook his head some. “Nope, just an open observation.” He said, looking to the door, windows and any other place he could see as an escape route. With a sudden idea he told, “Besides, if I want to make contact with those other changelings, I need to implement a new way of going about it.” Standing up and moving to the door to freedom, he rattled on, “Like getting my cousins help, they could help with the situation and…” It was by now he could notice the lack of ground contact and a larger quantity of emotions around him. Looking over himself and confirming he was in Twilights magic, he slumped there, not fighting back. Turning him around to face her, the librarian of the Golden Oaks demanded, “No, you are going to stay here and help for once. Then, we can both go and visit Daisy, as you need to talk to her anyways.” With one last look she said, “Got it?” With a jet of air out of his nostrils and rolling his eyes he confirmed, “Yes ma‘am.” And felt himself suddenly drop to the ground as Twilight walked away with a satisfied smile. Looking back and forth between the two unicorns, Spike asked, “Why don’t you ever try getting away when she does that?” Generally confused why a supposedly best infiltration changeling wouldn’t try and make a break for it. Because I love her to much? He thought to himself while he outwardly told, “Do you have any idea what sort of power I would be fighting?” Giving a perturbed look, “Twinkles is like, three times stronger than me, magically speaking.” The dragon scratched his scaly head at the reason and nodded, “Yea, your right. No way out of that.” And going back to his bowl of cereal. Looking to where the lavender mare was already starting on her work, the black stallion gave a sigh of resignation and made his way to his fate. Which, in all reality, wasn’t that bad. While they re-shelved the books that were left out during the unicorn mares research the day prior, she asked, “So what was your plan for making contact with Daisy?” Wanting to hear what actually happened. Thinking on it for a moment and seeing no harm for Twilight to learn a little on changeling infiltration tactics, he said, “Well, it went well at first, I‘ll say that much.” Going a bit into his mind to look at how he did his act to tell it better, “I followed her into the market district and planed out the best coarse to make contact. Seeing as she was a common, and could not tell I was a changeling, I had to drop clues that I was.” Taking some attention away from her work, she listened in more intently as he continued, “The idea was to act as a newly minted amateur that was just starting on his first infiltration job.” He paused for a moment before asking, “Where does this book go?” Turning her attention from her stack of books, she gave the one in his magical grasp a look over and pointed to one of the top shelves. With a nod, he went on with his story, “Well, besides having all the normal color scheme of a changeling, I added in some hits of nervousness and uncertainty.” Already, the scholarly mare was putting together all information into her head and getting a clear image of how this would turn out, “So she knew you were a changeling, but wouldn’t that mean she would go try to figure out your motives if you were acting the part of a new infiltrator?” A grin spread on the infiltrators face at that, “Very good Twinkles, you learn quick!” And feeling a hint of pride in her bashful emotions, “But yes, I knew she would want to observe me before making any action, that’s why I had planed to put her of the defensive.” “How so?” She asked, trying to think of a way to push another changeling to make a hasty dissension. “Well, she had two friends, Rose and Lily, who were either really her friends, or just free food. In both cases, she would want to protect them, so I told her I was meeting one of them. Rose to be precise.” He could feel Twilights slight uneasiness at how he said this so casually. The idea of manipulating others like this must have been slightly uncomfortable for her. Never-the-less, he carried on, “With this in place, it would threaten her directly, forcing her to investigate me further to see if I was a threat to those she kept close.” He didn’t make any move to call the unicorn out on her feelings, letting her decide to confront him on it or not. “After a while, I had noticed she was more scared then confident. Originally, my ‘I’m new at this’ act wasn’t enough to let her feel she was in charge.” That bit still confused him some. He knew by experience that changelings were more confident when they have the upper hoof that gave a chance for a back stab. This told him she was afraid of not him, but something else. But what? “So, when we reached her home, I acted more smug as if I had done something great to enter her home with my back turned to her.” Looking over his shoulder, he told, “As you know, turning your back on another is not a good idea, even less so when you think your all high and mighty.” Twilight gave a slight smile reciting, “Pride before the fall. A dragon’s saying, isn’t it?” Looking over her own shoulder to see his nod before he turned back to shelving. “It is, one that all races have learned from, not just their jerk like teenagers who usually ignore it for the first twenty or so years.” Masquerade grumbled some, unable to understand how such a race could be wise, but also fools. Then again, age comes wisdom, and you don’t get much wiser then a dragon. He reminded himself some. “But that’s besides the point.” He dismissed to get back to his story once more, “When I got in, I added some ego to my walk and help boost her confidence some. She offered me a drink, that I accepted, and went to get it. I sat down in the living space to wait.” He liked how Daisy had made the living space, and didn’t hold back any of his praise, “I admit, not many changelings make as many well laid traps as she did with that room. If I wasn’t the Infiltrator I was, I more then likely would have been trapped.” Putting a book on one of the lower shelves, Twilight inquired, “Was it really that protected?” Not sure if she should be impressed herself, or worried. “Thin and few windows to make no escape routs outside available. bead veils hanging a crossed each doorway to make sneaking through difficult or impossible. A sword over a couch, acting as decoration, but more than likely was the real deal. A chandler that was possibly rigged to slowly take away my strength as long as I was under it.” With a smirk he told with overshadowed eyes, “Yes, I think it was a nicely made trap.” Though she couldn’t see his face, the mare could hear the smirk in his voice and the admiration he held for the trap. Not many, if any, ponies would praise another for leading them into a well made trap. It only went to show he held a place of respect for those with a certain cunning. “What happened after that?” Twilight had to admit she was enjoying this story some. It was like one of her books where the character was the detective trying to apprehend a criminal that was trying to hide. Or a spy vs. spy story idea. “Well…” Masquerade wasn’t sure how to word the next part, but tried anyways, “One of her friends came in at that moment, Lily, and was dancing with her hind legs while balancing a box.” Twilight halted in her movements and gave a look to Masquerade who only looked back saying, “Yea, I don’t get it ether.” Both turning back to their work he went on, “Daisy heard her come in and called her to the kitchen. Not even a minute later they both come out with tea, Daisy giving a convincing enough smile and Lily giving a nervous one.” He could not help but chuckle, “The tea was laced with a drug I knew, and only was confirmed when they gave me my cup and waited for me to take a drink.” He didn’t see her look to him, but he told, “I made a show of drinking it and then made some idle chat. After which, I asked if they were going to have any of their tea, they both looked at one another as if they should drink or not.” “Let me guess, all the tea was drugged” The second heir shrugged himself, “If I had to hazarded a guess, I think Daisy accidentally laced all the tea in her haste to get the information she wanted, or eliminate the chances I might do something.” “In any case, Lily took up her tea with unsteady hooves and was going to drink hers before the door was slammed open by Rose, and made Lily drop her tea.” “That was when Rainbow Dash and another pegasus named Cloud Kicker came in and made things so complicated, I had no proper backup plans for such a scenario.” That tidbit irked him to no end, but he had to remind himself every time that no plan can be foolproof. Some things are just out of his hooves. With a carouse look she asked, “What happened?” With a deadpan look, he turned around to Twilights expectant look and told, “What would normally happen when manure hit’s the fan, a complete and utter mess.” She flinched at his langue, but let him continue, “Kicker seemed to try and seduce me, only to drink my tea and knock herself out because of the drug in it. Rose quickly figured out I was a changeling and tried to bolt for the door before I closed it and suspended her in the air with my magic. Lily was having a mental breakdown of sorts as I held her friend up in the air. And Daisy got aggressive when I stopped the mare from going out and blowing our cover and was rearing for war…” Nodding to herself, the Twilight concluded, “And it went to tuataras from there.” And watched the black unicorn nod in confirmation. With an irritated face Mask said “After a heated exchange, I showed myself the door and left them all there and to contemplate how to either fix or get around the mess that had been made.” He then smiled softly and turned back to his work saying, “Then your hotheaded friend that had ruined my plans came along to say her sorry and was able to patch things up some with Daisy. We talked some and came to a new understanding.” Looking to a now finished Twilight he ended with a cheerful note, “And that is how my whole plan went from good, to completely destroyed, the end!” He was please to feel and see the mares joy and laughter at how he ended his retelling of the days events, happy to know he was able to make her smile some. It was not only a nice snack, but a nice feeling that made him all warm and fuzzy in a way. Strange feelings for a changeling like himself, that likes sharp pointy and cold as steel stuff. “Have I ever told you that you have an interesting way of telling stories at times?” Twilight said amused while the stallion finished putting up the last final books. Sliding the last one into place, he turned to her and told, “Twinkles, I spent around six years to perfect my acting skills, who says I didn’t have time to make a nice story teller also?” Puffing his chest out and placing a hoof on it to make a somewhat dramatic pose. With a playful roll of her own eye, she said, “I think we both know you’re a good actor and story teller.” Then looked at him saying, “Tell me something I don’t already know.” Sitting down and going into a thoughtful look he asked, “Have I ever told you I know how to use a sword?” Seeing the negative shake of her head he nodded, “Yep, know about six styles of sword play in some sense.” Getting up and heading for the door. Seeing that she had to follow to find out more, she looked about the cleaned up room and called, “Books are cleaned up Spike, consider it done!” And followed after the stallion asking, “What sort of sword play do you know?” A black hoof knocked on the wooden door a few times before being lowered to the welcome mat right in front of it. Masquerade waited with his more passive face, while next to him, Twilight look decidedly a bit anxious about meeting the three flower ponies in such…interesting circumstances. The lavender mare knew about them and Daisy’s secret love for those detective novels with plenty of mystery and crime. She herself read some of those and found them rather nicely made like the Daring Doo series. The clicking of the door made both unicorns ears twitch as the they were given sight to a cautious Lily who glanced between the two with some nervousness. Seeing this, Twilight gave a friendly smile and greeted, “Hello Lily, how are you this evening?” Eyes darting to Twilight and body relaxing some at her friendly appearance and tone of voice, the pink mare smiled back, “Fine, though this morning was a little crazy as always.” It was mostly because Rose would attack the same chair every morning, but it was funny to watch so neither her or Daisy ever stopped her. “Can't say the same, my morning are usually slow, right Masquerade?” And nudged the stallion next to her to say something. Lily’s demeanor seemed to shift back to something more tense when she was reminded of his presents, but seemed to relax as he showed an easy grin saying, “I guess, but I still would think it would have sped up if I gave you some incisive.” Giving him a look that seemed to ask the question in mind he told, “A bucket of cold water can wake more ponies up in a snap… maybe I should try that?” And got a glare form the mare. “Don’t you even dare think of doing it.” She growled as his grin grew in size but dropped the subject all the same. Turning his attention back to Lily he asked, “Could we have passage into your home ma‘am?” With a mute nod, Lily opened the door more and lead them into the living area and motioned them to take a seat, “I‘ll go get Rose and Daisy.” Before she left the room she asked, “Would the two of you like something to drink?” As she got a polite nod from Twilight, the changeling in unicorn form said, “As long as it‘s not drugged like before, sure.” And got a light swat on the head from the mare next to him. With the best smile she could give, Lily exited the room and left the two alone, missing the look Twilight shot Masquerade saying, “We need to work on your manners.” “It was a joke based on fact.” He stated, “Besides, I thought it was worth mentioning.” With a big sigh she exasperated, “Your impossible!” Giving her a look he replied, “And your to stiff at times.” “I am not stiff!” She rose her voice at the stallion next to her. With a mocking thinking pose he named off, “Well, you stay in your library for only research. Do bucket loads of work. Like to turn everything into some sort of lab experiment. Like to stay with practicalities…” “Alright, alright, I get it, I‘m a workaholic!” She finally gave to the smug looking male, “But don’t forget that you can be lazy, manipulative, occasionally rude…” “Don’t forget wittily handsome.” He joked to her as she snorted. “I don’t think there is a such thing as, wittily handsome.” She told him. With a shrug he said, “If there wasn’t, there is now.” Hanging her head at him and his confusing nature she asked aloud, “How did I become friends with somepony like you?” Not sure if she should laugh or cry at the situation. With a brief moment to think he said, “Well, I think it all started way back when--” “It was a rhetorical question.” She cut off with a deadpan stare. Looking to her he asked, “Then why say it out loud for others to hear, when you could have asked it in your head were no one would hear and replay?” Twilight stared down the stallion for a good long minute before saying with a half hearted glare, “I hate you.” To which he grinned back, “I love you too Twinkles.” Knowing she was equally amused as he was at the whole thing. Alright, if he was truthful, she was still irked at him, but it was in all good fun. Hoof steps could be heard along with beads being moved around as they clicked with one another. Turning there attentions to the closes doorframe they both saw Rose come out, followed by Diasy and finally Lily with a tray on her back. They made there way to the coffee table just like the day before, setting the tray down and pouring each pony their own tea once more and hoofing them out. Twilight nodded her thanks to Rose who passed hers over, and Masquerade did the same, only sparing the quickest glance at the cups rim to be sure it wasn’t laced with something. Taking her own tea and taking a sip to calm her nerves some, Daisy looked a crossed the table at both Masquerade and Twilight with some mistrust, mostly directed to the stallion. With a neutral tone she asked, “What bring you both here this fine evening?” Losing his amused grin and trading it in for his own form of a neutral gaze he told, “I mostly came to speak with you on more equal footing than before.” Taking a sip of his tea and trying to taste for anything off, he gulped some down adding, “I also wish to apologize for my underhoofed actions.” However, he made slight eye contact with her own saying, “But as you know, such techniques are needed to be sure who is to be trusted, and who not to.” Giving a stiff nod she said, “I understand and accept your apology. Though, I can't say I can fully forgive you for playing with me as you did.” With a new grin he told, “That’s all I ask for that.” But quickly replaced it with his more down to business demeanor, “But I digress, I feel I should really ask why your here in Ponyville.” And waited for her replay. Giving the mares beside her a glance, they both nodded and nudge her to keep talking, getting her to relent and say, “I came here because my Clans gone and I had no place left to go.” Masquerades breath almost caught in his throat, only to steady his breathing, and gave a regretful look, “I‘m sorry even more then, if that’s so…” Fully understanding her fear from yesterday, “That was why you were nervous around me, thought I might have been one of the changelings trying to eliminate you.” Tapping her hoof on the table, Twilight asked, “Excuse me for interrupting, but why would changelings actively seek out others if there clan is gone?” Not really understanding of the situation. It was Rose who chose to explain saying, “For a changeling, if you don’t get all the commons, there is a chance they can rally any surviving clan members and retaliate.” The disguised heir nodded agreeing, “Rose is correct. Because we can take on the form of others, all it takes is a handful of commons to cause all sorts of damage inside a changeling clan.” “What about drones, or the heirs that you said are more stronger than both?” Twilight continued to inquire. “Drones aren’t much of a problem, seeing as they need leadership in order to effectively fight back.” Daisy told the curious Unicorn, “And there usually are not that many heirs to help defend the whole clan, so once their gone, the clans lost.” The changeling in pony form ran her hoof around the rim of her cup in thought absently saying, “That’s how I lost my clan. The next heir that took control was taken in the night, leaving her two younger siblings to fight over the position. From there, things went down hill.” When she looked up she saw two green sympathetic eyes looking at her as their owner softly said, “I‘m sorry for your loss. No changeling should lose their clan to infighting.” “It‘s alright…I‘ve come to accept it the way it is.” She told taking another sip to calm herself, “It‘s not like I‘m the first.” Almost like a switch was flipped, both of Masquerades eyes turned back into their more calculating focus and narrowed them, “You are aware of others, specifically in Ponyville?” This seemed to shock all in the room but the changeling herself, “Yea, I met a few by chance trying to take some excess love from Rose and Lily. The two really help me in making contact with other changelings and not make much fuss.” They stared each other down for a moment while he stated, “Still don’t trust me, right?” “How can I, you’re the first changeling to corner me alone and also fool me.” She told him with a glare, “I still get this bad vibe off you that seems to separate you from the others, but I can't place where.” And squinted at him like she was trying to remember something. He seemed to grown an amused smile at her words saying, “Then I would say you have good instincts.” Thinking for a moment, Twilight asked, “Would you trust him faster if you knew what clan he came from?” Hoping that could help ease the situation smoothen out. “Depends if I know his clan, there‘s a chance I don’t know them.” Daisy told, giving the black unicorn a look she asked, “What clan do you represent?” Both eyes looking up and letting his head go side to side as if playing with the idea to tell or not, he looked to an expectant Twilight and said, “If I‘m going to revile myself, why not we do so formally?” Raising a brow but not questioning it, Daisy said, “It is nice to meet you, I am sensor to the former Descry Clan, Daisy.” Doing a short bow he greeted, “It is nice to meet you, I am second heir to the Malek Clan, Masquerade.” When he came up from his bow, he could see all the eyes of each mare before him wide with shock. “Y-you’re a-a.” Lily stuttered some before gulping and saying in a tiny voice, “Heir?” With a suddenly feeling dry mouth, Daisy added, “And of the Malek Clan to boot…I should be the one asking what your doing out here!” And jabbing in his direction with a hoof. Seeing the sudden change happen herself, the lavender mare asked, “This isn’t a problem, is it?” Seeing all the flower ponies look to her, she shifted a bit at their staring. “How do you know this guy Twilight?” Rose asked, “According to Daisy, the five prestige clans don’t send heirs out all willy-nilly.” And looking back to Masquerade with uncertainty. Looking to the stallion who went back to drinking his tea calmly, she said, “We met each other when he was just a colt in Celestia’s Gifted School for Unicorns.” With a small smile of his own he responded, “And she was just an adorable little filly back then, all bubbly and giggly like fillies are.” And taking another sip while twilight gave him a hard nudge to make him behave. Watching the two and letting the gears turn in her head for a while, Daisy concluded, “You’re an infiltrator, only reason you would be left to interact with other foals at such a young age, to learn how to socialize.” Gulping down what he had, Masquerade said, “That what Mother planed for by tradition.” But with an amused laugh he told, “Unfortunately, I was a tad too shy to socialize.” Each mare giving a confused look at the black stallion, Twilight explained, “When I met him, he was nearly terrified of getting close to any of the other foals, and was eventually paired up with me one day for an assignment.” Looking to Masquerade she said, “I don’t think I would have ever met him if it wasn’t for that assignment on Equestrian history.” The stallion gave a shiver saying, “Don’t remind me, history‘s nice and all, even more so when in a story, but what do you ponies do?” Then waved his hooves around saying, “Make it all boring with long rehearsed speeches that can put even a royal guard to sleep!” “You‘re exaggerating.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “But you fell asleep during one of them!” He accused. Giving a pointed look she said, “Only because I had to put the report together because you disappeared for snacks!” “Oi, you agreed to me getting us cake, so I went to get some!” He shot back. With a glare she said, “Well I didn’t mean for you to get it form Celestia‘s private stash!” All three flower ponies turned their head left to right as if to watch a verbal tennis match between the two unicorns, wondering what had just happened. “Well it‘s no fun getting it from the kitchen, besides we both agreed that hers taste better.” He told her with a nod. “That’s because it‘s Celestia‘s personal cake, and it‘s locked in a vault to keep others from messing with it!” Twilight almost shouted back. Giving a pointed look he said, “I got it in the end, didn’t I?” With her own pointed look she said, “After running and hiding from half the guard in the castle!” Giving each other a look, the three mares could only wonder who they just let into their house.