//------------------------------// // Chapter 13: Chains for a changeling // Story: Caring for a Changeling // by alexanderhunt88 //------------------------------// Fruit Heart opened her eyes slowly as sunlight hit her eyes for the first time that day as the sun rays shined through the curtains of her window hit at the right aim to wake her up from her peaceful and relaxing slumber. But her body immediately jumped up from her bed as the sound of crashing and yelling, and smashing from the not-too-far-off as her mouth gasped in surprise, from the noise that would have woken her up if she wasn't awake a literal few seconds earlier. Trying to get a hold of herself quickly, she turned her body to her left to see if the changeling , now appropriately named Scarface as, even though he wouldn't understand general knowledge references, was not sleeping by her side and instead not even awake in her room. Oh wait, you're wondering why the changeling is sleeping in her bed. Or even better, what happened previously. In truth: nothing really too special. Yeah. Too summarize; after the kiss they both shared, and separated while gazing into each others eyes, and after a few moments of that, the mare soon realized the sun was being pulled down and the princess of the night was getting ready for her shift, she decided it was time to go to bed, as she already felt sleepy, or better exhausted from the day. Separating herself from the male, she walked off to her bedroom, the changeling following shortly behind until she realized he stopped to go to his own bed: the one on the couch. But the mare stopped him. Instead, she asked, with a prominent blush, to share her own bed with him, as it would be comfier. He agreed. And they slept along side each other. No, nothing sexual happened they just...slept. They must have been really exhausting. And after that, we cut back to our mare trying to wipe that horrid dust from her eyes, as she looked around her room for any indication that where he is. Nothing. Another crash can be heard outside, the yelling louder this time. "Chang- I mean, Scarface!" She called out to him as lifted herself off the bed and onto the ground. But again nothing. She made her way to the door until she stopped when the noise outside became more audible. She could hear, yells, screams, shouts, grunts and what sounded like metal chains being thrown around everywhere, but what really caught her attention was a loud, in-pony like snarl: a snarl she quickly recognized. Gasping in disbelief at what could be, she quickly sprang out the door of her room, and down to the front door of her home, as her mind could only focus on one thing. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw her front door open, not lightly opened though, as if some pony walked in, more like almost thrown off it's hinges, as if a Minotaur smashed in. The outside sounds were getting louder. Focusing on hoof, she quickly dashed through her broken door, in (oddly somewhat) hopes too find both what the Faust this noise is and where is her changeling. Her eyes only focusing on the outside, seemingly obscured by a convenient light, and after running through the open door her body slammed down onto the hard floor of the street, her legs going stiff and scraping on the ground, pain, though slight, not registered in her brain as she gazed upon a scene she wished she never saw. The changeling, HER changeling, was grunted and yelling in pain, as four metal restraints with chains attached were wrapped around, trying to pin him to the ground, or at least keep him one place, each one tethered by a unicorn Canterlot guard securing him in place, their magic grasping at the end of their chains as each stood a few meters away. All their eyes fixated on the mad changeling in between them all snarling furiously at them to be free. All around civilians of the city gathered to watch the forces try to take prisoner the changeling; some gasped in surprise, some roared out in hate, a few even fainted from what they saw, but the pony that stood out among them all was none other than the white-shaded, blue-maned unicorn captain now known all the citizens of Canterlot as Shining Armor, staring down the black creature with fierce hatred. The changeling's screams of anger and pain echoed through the street as it relentlessly tried to force himself out of the chains the bind him, but his efforts are futile as the soldiers finally managed to pin him to ground, the resounding 'thump' garnered a small cheer from the citizens as the pitiful creature did nothing but cry out in agony as it finally lost this one-sided fight. Fruit Heart could not take any more as she felt her eyes stung with tears and her body quivered at seeing such a...a...a disgusting site, the cheers at the guards and the hate yelled at him made it evermore worse, she did the first thing that popped into her head "STTTTTTOOOPPP!" She screamed at the top of her lungs at the soldiers, the captain, even the other ponies themselves as every living creature in the vicinity stopped moving, stopped talking, even stopped breathing, if just for a second, as all eyes aimed directly at the screaming mare, the changeling especially as it opened it's one good eye slowly to peek at her, his body not moving one bit. "I said stop this now!" She screamed again, this time knocking the Captain out of his trance and his mind going back to where it should be; his protective nature kicking in. "Oh Ms." Shining Armor said gently as he slowly made his way towards her. "Are you alright? This creature didn't hurt you in any way, did it?" Some malice obvious in his tone. "Don't you worry, we will make sure this thing won't touch you again." These words were enough for her to drive her over the edge from sadness to flat out anger! "It! THING!?" She bellowed straight to his face, the action causing him to step back and yelp in shock. "Ma-madam I-" He tried to ask but got cut off before he could continue. "IT has a name. IT is a he, and HE is in PAIN!" She screamed at him, not a noise being made by anyone else, the ponies all too engrossed in in what was going on right in front of them to even dare make a sound as all eyes where on the single mare, the changeling especially. Fruit Heart... "Release him." She said as simply and calmly as she could. "Ex...cuse me?" "I said release him." She repeated. "Now." Shining Armor finally found the soldier side come back to him right then and there. "Did you just ask me to release this creature." His face frowning in disbelief, his eyebrows furrowed and his speech becoming dead serious. "I did not ask you, I am telling you, RELEASE HIM NOW!" Almost immediately after saying that did Shining Armor release a small beam of magic to onto the earth pony, as a spell of restraints formed around her chest and pinned her to the ground in a rather similarly shown manner earlier. "Ms, I ask you not to speak such idiotic things towards us." His voice stern. "Do you have any idea what these things are! They're soul-sucking, rampart monsters of malice who's only existence is to cause a hindrance and dismay towards the honest ponies you see before you." But Fruit Heart was having none of that. "Do you believe that, or do you just hate the fact they ruined your precious wedding." She spoke softly yet harshly, not even bothering to look him in the eyes. A few ponies in the crowd gasped at her remark. Almost instantly did the captain use his magic to lift her off the ground and pull her to his height, his face mere centimeters from her own. "I speak of you to NEVER say ill of my marriage." Fruit Heart just spat at the ground before him."I shall repeat myself, and this time with some kindness; please, release the changeling now." Without saying a word, Shining Armor dropped the pony on the ground and turned away; speaking out loud: "People of Canterlot, do you believe what this pony is asking me should come true." Immediately many, if not all, of the citizens called out 'no'. "My point exactly." He said without a smirk, turning away and walking towards the changeling. "Throw him in the dungeon!" An unknown voice rang out from the crowd, followed by a shoe being throwing and hitting the lying changeling dead center, small huff of pain from his mouth. "Yeah, lock him up and throw away the key!" Another voice yelled as another object found itself being flung at him. More and more yells and shouts began being thrown up by the crowd as more and more miscellaneous stuff began being launched towards the pitiful creature, it just lying down and taking it's punishment, no noise, no rebuffs coming out from him. Just his body showing his single existence. The voices got louder and louder as the guards themselves started to worry that the crowd was becoming a little too violent to properly handle. "Ponies ponies. I ask of you to calm yourselves down." The captain called out but to no avail, the civilians becoming an almost a full on riot. "Calm down!" He said louder, the bellows of the crowd drowning out his voice. "I'M TELLING YOU ALL TO CEASE THIS RIOT RIGHT NO-" But before he could finish he felt himself being pushed to the ground and away, as, momentarily forgetting the mare from a few seconds ago, Fruit Heart sprang up from where she was and sprinted straight towards the changeling, ignoring the flying objects, the calls, the shouts from the crowd before literally throwing herself at him, covering the top of his body her own, which managed to get the changeling to look up at her, his face one of surprise, all gashes on his own head, or the rest of the body, being ignored , as his single eye met her two own. "Sorry for making you go through all this." She whispered to him as she does her best to protect the male with her own body, the yells of the crowds becoming nothing but murmurs as the words stung to him. All that she has done to him, and the little he honestly gave back. You shouldn't have to go through this. Those words hurt. They hurt more than any blade or blunt weapon could. He couldn't take any more. And in one fell sweep, he didn't something that caught off guard everypony. In one quick motion, one that could only have happened with the guards grip now loose, he pulled himself up and used his hoof to move the mare on top of him to underneath him, pushing his own body over her to surround her with himself, tensed his own muscles all around his body and then, will a large mighty roar, he yelled out with all of his breath: QUUUUUUUUEEEEEEEIIIIIIITTTTTTT TTTHHHOOOOUUU SSSSCCCCUUUUMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not a single soul made a noise, nor a whisper, nor a movement, as all eyes, Fruit Heart included, look up at at the screaming changeling, his breathing long and ragged. His single eye filled with hatred and confidence. And before any others could speak again he let out. "Thou shalt hate thy, condemn thy, kill thy, but don't thou EVER hurt the mare that lies beneath, or thou shalt suffer a wrath greater than anything Tarturas has between it's gates! I swear it!" No one, not even the captain of guard, dared to speak. It's possible to hear a bit drop. "Art thou alright?" He asked Fruit Heart, in a calm, almost monotone voice, his stance and bearing not moving even slightly. "Ye...yes I'm alright thanks. It's you I'm worried about. Aren't you hurt?" She replied back. "Fine." He said simply "Just fine." "You sure?" "Of course." As they mare and the changeling were exchanging words, the captain had found the strength he needed to command his soldiers. "Guards!" And in a flash the 4 Canterlot soldiers immediately brought back their grip on the changeling, the chains tenses around him but he didn't move a muscle. "I will see to your imprisonment personally for this." Shining Armor said under his breath as he aimed his horn at him, ready to shoot when necessary. "Said one who needs four lackeys to hold one single changeling down." He spat back with a smug face. "Couldn't handle thy myself, it seems. Thy thought thou were a captain, not a squire." An air of hostility ran between the two. But before they could exchange any more blows of the spoken variety, a new voice rang out of the crowd. One that commanded peace, loyalty, respect and complete servitude, but one with no venom, malice or even hate filled her tongue. One that all the ponies recognized, Shining Armor more so than any others. "I ask all of you, my ponies, to stand down and back away, I shall deal with this myself." In a flash, all the ponies, all of them, gasped in disbelief as they saw the one and only riser of the sun walk through the crowd, her benevolence shining down as she calmly made her way through the crowd, her face unreadable as the civilians all backed away and made room for the Princess of the sun to walk to the front of the crowd and by the side of the scene. "Princess!" Shining Armor called as he saluted Celestia. The other four guards doing the same, but the magic the held did not waver. Without speaking another word, the Princess swayed her eyes from the captain, though not before acknowledging his salute, and onto the the changeling, whose single eye did not dare to show hate towards, but he still kept on the defensive and his stature of defending the mare did not deteriorate, not sure what the alicorn was going to do now that she is mere meters (or feet, or...hooves) away from Fruit Heart. "Shining Armor." She said as her eyes returned to the stallion, the captain tenses as she spoke. "We shall leave and meet in my throne room." And with that, before he could reply, before anypony could breathe out, the Princess horn glowed and she, the captain, the changeling, and the mare underneath the changeling disappeared in a flash of light and teleported away, leaving the crowd and guards stunned in confusion, as if there existence was never even there to begin with, the only exception being the chains and the restraints clattered to the ground as soon as the changeling vanished. A few tense seconds passed as all the ponies tried to gather the information what just transpired, and a sole single unknown pony from the crowd said out loud. "Well that just happened." In the setting known to as selected few, or by any, and probably every, soldier of Canterlot, as the throne room of the Princesses, two guards sat diligently by the throne itself, faces stoic and solid as they awaited the presence of the bearer of sun. Well armed, well trained, and well prepared for any adversary that dares to cross their path. A second later, a bright flash of teleportation magic appeared in the middle of the room, causing one of the guards to let out the highest, most girliest shriek!!!!! to ever come out of any stallions mouth. Said stallion then covered it own muzzle in embarrassment, as the other soldier gave him a look that could only be described as 'what-the-buck-dude'. The Princess, the Captain, the Changeling, and the mare, still underneath the changeling. appeared in the throne room of Canterlot Castle. Princess Celestia expression did not change as she stood tall and proud among the other ponies. The captain had a look of confusion. The mare just laid where she was, unsure of how to react, and the changeling... he just started frantically moving his head at every possible angle he eye bulging as he just got hit with a metaphorical disorientation ray. He had never thought he would ever be teleported ever in his life, largely because he'd never even heard of it. "Don't worry, small changeling, most ponies themselves tend to react the same way when they've been teleported for the same time, especially when they didn't expect it to happen as well." The soothing tone of the smiling Celestia rang out directed to the changeling, which oddly enough seemed to actually calm him down, even if just a little. Turning her head round to the two other guards guarding the throne she said to them "I wish to be alone with these three. Would you mind leaving for a while until we get this mess sorted out?" The two guards immediately sprang through door, knowing it was not best to question the princess with a tone the same as she bears now. "I can't believe the squealed like that." On of the soldiers said to the other as they headed to the door. "Gimme a break it's my first day guarding the throne. How was I to know this a was a common thing that happened." The other replied as they shut the door behind them, leaving the room silent with the set of four mismatched beings in the room as neither the changeling, mare or captain decided to speak. The princess then turned around, heading to her throne seat. "Do not think," the words made the changeling turn his head to the speaker; Shining Armor's eyes met his though neither his body or his gaze seemed to face him, "this is our Princess is going to let you go free. She is here to deal with you personally, and I shall see to your exile first and fur most." But before the changeling could answer back with a look of fear in his face, he, and the other two ponies, faced back into the direction of the throne, as the noise of her sitting on her throne vibrated throughout the room. "Now to start off: Fruit Heart?" The mare immediately got up form underneath the changeling, and in a flash stood straight up and tensed at having the ruler of the land judge her for any misdeeds. Her mind unready, and her body like it was going to break at any moment as the Princesses eyes seemed to burrow deep into the soul. "You can relax, you are not in any trouble." ...And only one word uttered out of her reply. "I'm sorry what." "I said you need to relax, you are not in a trouble. Please, my subject, you have no need to be tense around me." Celestia seemed to smile a bit Fruit Heart looked backwards to her changeling with a confused glance, who only returned it with a equal look. Celestia's own look was one of understanding. "Now, Shining Armor, captain of my own guard." She turned to the stallion in question, but her smiled vanished, and turned to own of a stern visage. "Ma'am!" The stallion saluted her. "I am disappointed in your actions." Shining Armor's jaw almost hit the floor. Almost. "Ma...am" "Really now. I can see why you would want him removed from this city, even this country, But did you really have to act this way on a pony you are supposed to protect, simply for helping out a hurt creature?!" "But, your Princess-" "DON'T INTERRUPT ME!" Her voice bellowed, the words stung to him. Fruit Heart and the changeling felt scared, even with her voice not directed at them. "I am upset at how badly you handled the situation, yes, I know you start didn't the riot, and neither did you encourage it, but that's not what I am focused on. Do you really think you can treat a citizen as lowly as what you've done just because she hated to see a creature get hurt. A changeling it may be, and it's might seem as savage as you may think it to be, but a creature under my sun it still is, and I will not allow one to be treated as scum under my reign." All Shining did was gulp. "Only I shall decide the real treatment for it. Not you." If looks could kill Shining would already be six feet under. "It is your job to bring it to me, and to make sure my citizens don't get involved with this problem when possible. You have failed both of these." The captain looked down at hooves with disgust with himself. "Now I want you to leave us, AND you must write a 50 page review on what you did wrong, what you should have done and what you will do in the future. No off with you." She finished as she waved to the door. "Ye-yes your highness." He said as he practically ran out of the door, his figure low and barely seems if he is looking forward. The door closed and left the room silent. "I apologize for what my captain had done to both of you." Celestia said as she turned to the two others. "I had hopped that Shining Armor would try and control himself if he ever saw another changeling again, it would seem I was wrong." Sadness dripped in her voice. "However, like I said only I will decide what will happen to both of you, one for being a being that was part of an invasion of my city, the other for harboring such being." These word made both of the other two fell fearful of what would happen to them both. And a certain mare decided to speak up "Does...does this mean-" but she stopped when Celestia held up her hoof. "No. And before I make my decision, I would need you to do one thing for me." They both listened in, the silent changeling and the market-seller mare perked their ears up and what she was going to say. "I need you to tell me your story." And if you can guess, yes, you are just as confused as the changeling and the earth pony are. "Please, I want you to tell me how your relationship came to be. For me to make a fair judgement of you two, I would need to know what it is you two have been doing" And you wanna know something, that's what they did. Both the mare, and changeling in certain parts himself, explained the events of them both. They explained to her from the beginning of how the two met and, unintentionally, how there relationship developed, from finding the changeling, to healing him, to cleaning, to (sort of) have him befriend another pony. The relaid their circumstances to each other, some parts said by the mare, others by the changeling, of which only he could know about. To the changeling, it was strange, here he was, talking about his recent past to the single most powerful pony that possibly lives and yet, the more he talked, the less scared he become. Course they both left out the part when they kissed. Neither felt brave enough to say that to the Princess, one because its too embarrassing, the other for...probably the same reason. When the two finally finished there talk, he felt relieved of all things to let out his emotions, and even a little bit of his pain, to both the mare who helped him through his short journey and the alicorn who will decide his fate. And he finished with one sentence: "Princess, thy ask of thee, take thy life all thou want, but please, spare the pony. She hath done nothing wrong." "Scarface..." Fruit Heart said under breath. And then the Princess let out a small giggle, ruining the heartwarming scene somewhat. "You have no reason to worry" Princess Celestia began as started to walk towards the two beings "I am not going to send you to jail. I won't even exile you, In fact-" In an instant she grabbed the changeling round with her hoof and pulled him into a hug as she rested her rump on the floor. His cheek rested against her chest as her wings enveloped his presence. The mare stood wide-eyed at what the alicorn just did, the changeling even more so as he felt all suffering and pain from himself just disappear. Then he did something he hadn't done in such a long time. He cried. "-I am going to set you free." She said gently as she softly rubbed his back as he quietly balled his eye out. "Prin...cess." Fruit Heart said as she watched the scene before her. "What...might you mean?" "It means, if both you and he so wishes, I will allow him to stay here in Canterlot, if alongside with you." Fruit Heart could believe the happiness she felt right at this moment, as if a great weight was lifted from her back. "I see now he is no real danger to any pony really. Despite what he may seem, he is no threat to anypony, and wouldn't dare actively attack anypony else without a good reason." Fruit Heart cracked a smile. "Of course, I would have allowed him to be sent back to his own hive if he wanted to but, there are many factors in that plan that I cannot allow to happen, the biggest of them all being that he cares a lot about you then he seems. I know he does not ever want to leave, right?" She said as she looked down at the changeling. "Thy," he sniffled as he back away from the alicorn and looked her in the eyes, "thy hath no idea where thy own hive is now." "Long gone, I'm afraid." She said solemnly. "The spell that was used to be rid of the invasion was powerful enough to send them all far away from any civilization under my and my sisters reign. I doubt they are ever returning any time soon. So, unfortunately I cannot get you back to them even if I wanted to." The changeling wiped away a tear, before turning to look at Fruit Heart then looked back. "Thy'd much rather stay here to protect thou mare then try to find thy hive. I hath no idea if they art still alive or not. I hath feared the worst not too long after the separation. If thou would allow, thy would like to stay alongside the mare for the rest of thy days." He said openly. Almost immediately the changeling felt Fruit Heart wrap her hooves around him in a hug and she smiled with closed eyes. I don't have to be Cadence to see the love both of these two have for each other. "Of course. Though I am afraid of how my ponies would react to seeing a changeling in the city." As she said the changeling transformed into his stallion form. "I doth not mind spending the rest of thy life in this form, so long as the mare-Fruit Heart is next to me." He smiled at the pony hugging, who smiled back even more. He then changed back into his regular form. "If that is what both of you wish, then changeling." The last word she said with authority in her tone. "By the powers that I grant, from now on you are a citizen of this land and a pony under my eternal watch. I will see to it that you are from now on one of my children. Just a small amount of paperwork to do and it shall be done." They both smiled widely at her as they rushed forward to embrace her in a hug."Now first order of decree, you would need a befitting name. 'Scarface' doesn't exactly roll of the tongue does it?" The couple looked confused at each other. Then the mare smiled. "How about...Kindred Spirit then." She thought to him. "Thy art fine with name." He replied back then. Princess Celestia rose up."Very well then, 'Kindred Spirit', as of now, you are now a pony of Canterlot. May you both have luck in your life's journey together. You may now go back home, if you shall see fit. I will have one of my guards send you both off home if you do." They both nodded, as Kindred Spirit transformed into his stallion form, "Thank you/thou so much Princess." They both said in union as they made there way to the door. "Oh and one more thing." Celestia called out as they both reached the door. "Changeling, the old dialect of thy actually means your, not I. It appears you have been pronouncing it wrong all this time." She said with a smirk. Kindred Spirit only gawked at the Princess. "I doth feel lied to."