//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: The 16th Birthday // Story: Father Of A Changeling // by vinyl_dashy2 //------------------------------// "Blow out your candles, Dinky!" ThunderSoar shouted with joy. It was her 16th birthday and although Dinky felt her mom's "cake decorations" and presents were getting to "young" for her, she still could not help feeling overjoyed to have all her friends there. ThunderSoar and LightningDash, Rainbow Dash and Soarin's kids; ElegentGem, Spike and Rarity's 7 year old "baby" dragon; Screwball, Discord and Fluttershy's mare who just recently turned 15; and finally BubbleBash and Pumpkin Pie, Pinkie Pie and a clown she met at the circus named RedSuit's children. And to top it off, all of Dinky's "Aunts and Uncles" were there. Dinky took a big huff in and with one blow, she blew out all her sixteen candles. Every pony cheered and began handing her their presents of all color wrapping. Rainbow wrapping from the Soarin family, pink and red from the Pie family, Orange wrapping with red apples on it from the Apple family, white bedazzled wrapping paper from Spike's family, and mix matched color packaging from the draconequus family. Dinky looked around and noticed there was one pony that was always missing from her life. "Where's Aunt Twilight?" "Uh... it don't matter Sugar Cube... she don't come 'round these parts much anymore..." Apple Jack stated. "I miss Twilight..." Pinkie Pie added. Silence filled the room for countless seconds. Rainbow Dash finally tried to get off the subject and asked, "Say AJ, why don't you have a stallion, huh?" "Rainbow, I told y'all I ain't looking for no 'special some pony'" "Come on, it really is nice to have the company." "I got plenty of company with mah family." Dinky opened her presents getting makeup, collectables, and... "Sweatbands?" LightningDash smirked and moved his hoof to his chest as he replied, "Only from your best athletic friend." ThunderSoar rolled his eyes and corrected, "from your best athletic friends." Dinky giggled and sighed in happiness. "Thank you all so much for coming, and as for all the girls, time for our sleepover!" "Aw, can I at least stay!?" ThunderSoar begged with a puppy dog face, "I'll be good!" Dinky giggled but responded, "sorry, girls only." That night was quiet. Everypony had fallen asleep around 2:00am due to Lightning Dash's kicking. Dinky was the only one left awake. She cautiously and quietly got up, creeping to the kitchen. She grabbed one of the leftover muffins her mom had made earlier and took a piece of paper and a pen. In all the years since she was six, she had dearly missed her changeling friend. On the paper note she had grabbed she wrote a letter: "Dear Zany, Today was my sixteenth birthday, but... it wasn't all I thought it would be. My mom still thinks I'm into 'my little humans', so she got me the collectors doll of Bonnie. But, she did cook more muffins today, so your in luck in that way. It kinda hard, it's really sad not seeing you, but I can't image how hard it feels not seeing your only friend for ten years... but by now who knows, maybe there is someone else you've made friends with. I hope you have a good rest of the night. Your best friend, Dinky" This was how they communicated for 10 years. They got to know each other extremely well through these notes, and Dinky would always leave a little surprise with the note---a muffin. *** Tonight was the night. Zany was going to tell Dinky how he felt, face to face. How he longed to see those sparkling, mix matched eyes. But tonight he would finally see them again. Zany rushed out of the castle as his mother and father slept. Now since the last time they had met, Zany had learned much more about the world they lived in. As he went out, he noticed he was a bit hungry, and decided to stop for a midnight snack. He spotted a grey mare wondering the streets, looking exhausted and worn down. Zany read the mind of the older mare and found a brown stallion named the Doctor. He disguised and went down for his quick meal. He read the mare's mind once more to out her name was Derpy Hooves. He didn't know what it was about her, but something seemed familiar. "Mrs. Hooves?" The grey mare darted around and ran up, hugging him tightly as if she hadn't seen him in ages. He could feel his stomach filling up quickly, realizing the love between the couple had been very strong. "Thank goodness you're okay... I was worried sick as to what had become of you... it's been 17 years!" Zany had become much more skilled in his hunting, knowing every move to get out the situation, or how to caress a pony. But he was silent. He remembered it was Dinky's birthday and had a sudden flash back of his first day with Dinky. He realized he was taking love from her mother. In panic, he quickly responded as he lifted the mare's head with his hoof, "I know, my darling. But I cannot stay long. For there are more universes that need my help. I love you, but I will indeed see you soon." He said his farewell to the mare and quickly ran off. It was too late to take back what he had did now. His stomach was full and he could only hope Dinky would not be angry if she found out. It had been so long he had nearly forgotten the looks of Dinky's mother. He sighed and changed back to his changeling self, when something caught his eye. He noticed a flower shop across the street and saw elegant looking red roses in the window. He felt a beating in his chest and quickly moved his hoof to his chest. "What is that?" He shook his head. "I must be getting sick or something." He walked to the flower shop and stared at the closed sign on the window. "I'm sure they wouldn't notice if one rose was gone..." He picked the lock with his magic and slowly but cautiously walked in. The scent of perfume and flowers lined the air thickly, nearly gagging him, but he grabbed one rose and walked out, closing the door softly behind him. He flew to Dinky's house with the rose and found the muffin and note on her window sill. He took the note and read it, giggling at the thought of the old show he watched when he was a colt called "My Little Human." He never really understood it, but it was funny to watch the "humans" mess up at points. He could not wait to see the purple mare once more. He peeked in the window and saw all the mares filling the room, with Dinky sound asleep on her bed. He sighed, knowing it was a "sleepover." He gazed at Dinky and sighed. How he longed to see her golden mix matched eyes. She hadn't changed the slightest bit. Her smooth, purple coat, her straw colored short hair, it was almost as if she was glowing, even though she was asleep. He couldn't wake her, especially at a sleepover. He decided instead to leave a note that read: "Happy Birthday, Dinky... Your best friend, Zany" He left the note and rose at her window sill, and left back to the castle.