//------------------------------//
// Changeling 
// Story: Bedtime Stories 
// by Incredible Blunderbolt 
//------------------------------//

"What kind of question is that?"

Rainbow's cheeks gained a rosy sheen that was almost invisible in the moonlight. She looked down at the covers and watched her hooves play with a corner of her pillow. "N-nothing. Never mind. I-it was dumb."

"I don't think it was, Rainbow," I said, sitting up. I reached out with my magic and lighting the wick of my bedside candle. "'What if I was a changeling?' That's a pretty serious question. Why would you ask it?"

"I-I don't know!" she said, groaning and covering her eyes with her hooves. "You ask those kinda questions sometimes. 'What if I wasn't a Princess?' 'What if you never met me?' 'What if I'd said no when you'd asked me out?' I just thought..." Rainbow's voice trailed off as she rolled over. Her orange bangs covered her eyes when she plopped her chin back down on her pillow and let out a sigh. "I dunno, okay?" She spoke softly--almost like she'd regretted asking the question in the first place. 

I breathed out and leaned back against the headboard. "No, it's fine. I was just wondering why you'd ask something like--"

"Just forget it, okay?" she snapped. My ears flicked back at the harshness of her tone. "It's nothing."

I bit my lip and stayed quiet. Rainbow could get rather defensive when she opened up unless she was approached a certain way. I'd clearly already messed up, so I decided to give her some time to cool off. If that extra time gave me a few moments to think, then all the better.

"Changelings change their forms to match those of somepony's lover so that they can feed on that pony's affection," I said, softly. "They honestly lead a rather sad existence. They are individuals who are unable to be unique in their own right. Their original forms are almost identical, yet they're only other option is to steal the visage of somepony else."

I watched Rainbow carefully as I spoke. She didn't move much, but the occasional flick of her tail betrayed her feigned disinterest in what I was saying. "So," I concluded, rubbing my hoof on her shoulder, "what you're really asking is whether or not I'd still love you for who you are, right?"

When she didn't answer me, I knew I'd struck home. There's no way my little toughie would ever admit a worry that "pathetic," as she'd no-doubt describe it. Still, I couldn't help but smile when her ears turned to face me.

I slid down beside her and wrapped my foreleg around her before draping my wing over her back. It wasn't something I was used to--usually, Rainbow demanded to be the big spoon--but the change wasn't unwelcome. I'd gladly be there to comfort her as the world fell apart if she let me. "And, if that's the case," I whispered, "I want you to know that if you were a changeling, I'd shower you in love every day until you grew fat and lazy." I nuzzled her neck and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. "And if you were a griffon, I'd go hunting with you every day until your talons fell off." I brushed her bangs to the side and smiled into her glistening eyes. "And if you were a dragon or a diamond dog, I'd find you a gemstone so large, you wouldn't know what to do with it.

"But you're a pegasus, Rainbow," I whispered. "And I'll fly next to you until the day we both fall out of the sky."

A smile broke out on Rainbow's face as I finished. She sniffled and buried her muzzle into my neck. The cold wetness of tears stained my coat and made me shiver a little, but I pulled her in closer with my hoof and held her tight--but not nearly as tightly as she was gripping me.

"Thank you, Twi."