//------------------------------// // Ponyville // Story: Changed // by Dream Seeker //------------------------------// Ponyville: a town close enough to Canterlot and the Hive that if any trouble arose, escaping would be easy. A town large enough that a newcomer or two probably wouldn't be noticed, yet small enough that a new pony could meet and befriend every pony in town, with no unfriendly faces. An ideal town for a budding Changeling, such as Star Watcher. This is what Silent Whisper and Queen Phantasm thought, not knowing the truth about the town: It was probably the single most dangerous town for a Changeling to be in. It had Pinkie Pie and her uncanny senses, and a new pony acting strange would be noticed quickly by the Princess's student, who was overly paranoid due to her very own brother being subjected to a Queen's mind-altering magic and her sister-in-law being replaced by the Queen herself... Star Watcher nervously walked along the path, toward Ponyville. Silent Whisper stood by his side, standing tall. Silent Whisper was impersonating a middle-aged Unicorn mare named Petal Blossom, moving to Ponyville with her Unicorn daughter who was just out of school, Rose Bloom. Star Watcher Rose Bloom was nervous. Not only was this his her first assignment as a Changeling, but her current pony form was a female. She was not used to being female, and was just worried in general that she would be caught in general... It was a good this that Silent Whisper Petal Blossom was so confident, and had even accounted for Rose Bloom's nervousness beforehoof and given her a backstory of being shy and nervous. They passed by a few carefully grown apple trees, and soon reached a barn. They were walking past, watching the owners of the farm work the fields, when one of them came close. "Hey there!" said the pony with a smile. "How's it goin'?" "Great! We're planning to move to Ponyville, actually." Petal Blossom smiled. "A nice change of pace from Canterlot, where we used to live." "Ah. What made yew wanna move? The invasion?" asked the mare. "Oh, where are mah manners? Ah'm Applejack." "Hello, Applejack. I'm Petal Blossom and this is my daughter, Rose Bloom." Petal Blossom pointed a hoof at Rose Bloom. "We did move because of the Invasion. It no longer feels safe in the city." "Ah, I'm sure it's not that bad." said Applejack. "Ya shouldn't give up on yer hometown that quickly." "Oh, but it's a nice to see new scenery as well. Also, I heard that it's good for a pony's mind, changing location. Helps with work." Applejack chuckled. "Ah'm sure many will agree wi'you, but ah'm content ta stay at mah farm. Ah tried livin in Manehatten a spell, didn't go over too well. Anyway, if ya plan on movin' in, ya should try some of mah apples. On the house." Applejack hoofed each of them an apple, before continuing. "Anyways, ah better git back to applebucken. These trees don' buck themselves, ya know!" she smiled before going back to her job. Petal Blossom and Rose Bloom tried their apples, to find them delicious! "I thought that Changelings couldn't eat." whispered Rose Bloom to Petal Blossom. "We can't get nutrition from it, but we can still taste it. Imagine, if a Changeling tried to fit in, yet was never seen eating anything, how would ponies react? They would clearly see the difference. As for why we have taste buds, well... If a pony eats fine delicacies, versus horrible food, they could clearly taste the difference. If a Changeling couldn't, they would have no chance understanding what wine was fine, or what wine was disgusting. They're necessary." Petal Blossom whispered back. "Now, no more talk about Changelings. All it takes is one word for us to be discovered. Only talk about it when necessary, and even then at home." "One last question: I noticed that all the answers you gave were some form of the truth. Why is that?" "The truth is easier to remember than excuses. If you come up with a mound of excuses, forgetting even one can cause major suspicions. If a pony suddenly forgot where they were supposed to have come from, wouldn't that be strange? Also, that there is the most major threat to Changelings: Applejack, Element of Honesty. She knows when you lie. Because every answer I gave was true, she didn't notice a thing. All we have to do is keep her from mentioning Changelings directly, and we'll be safe. Now, enough. Let's go to the Mayor, she must know where to rent a house." ---------------------------- "I'm very sorry, but there are no available houses for rent. I'm afraid I can't help y-" Mayor Mare was cut off. "Oh, I have room!" a cheerful purple pony with stars for her Cutie Mark. She turned to Petal Blossom and Rose Bloom. "There's plenty of room with me. I live in the public library, so there might be some traffic in the bottom floor during daytime, but if you need a place to stay..." "Oh, but how many bits would it cost?" asked Petal Blossom. "Excuse my manners. I am Petal Blossom, and this is my daughter Rose Bloom." "I'm Twilight Sparkle. It would be free! I'd never leave a pony without a place to stay if I could help it." Twilight smiled. "Really? Thank you!" Petal Blossom smiled. "I was getting worried that me and my daughter would have no place to stay!" "No problem! Come to the library tonight, I'll have the guest room cleared out for you by then." A Few Hours Later Petal Blossom and Rose Bloom slowly opened the creaky wooden door to the Library. It was dark, and the lights seemed to be off. "Hello?" asked Petal Blossom softly. "Is anypony there?" Rose Bloom shuffled nervously. "I don't think anypony is ho-" she was cut off by a loud cry as the lights turned on. "SURPRISE!" what looked like all of Ponyville shouted, at the top of their lungs. Petal Blossom and Rose Bloom just stood there, mouths hanging open, in complete and utter shock, frozen in place, before a pink blur appeared in front of them.