Ledger woke up in his own bed and sighed. It had been a thankfully dreamless night. Either Luna had made good on her promise to help him keep the nightmares away, or he’d been doing better than he thought in mentally healing...though he doubted the second one. He’d been mostly sad that Midnight hadn’t come to bed with him...but it was her choice to stay or go as she saw fit.
It was about then he felt a hoof prod him.
“Level? It’s time t’get up sugarcube~”
Ledger turned to look in the direction of the hoof and saw a familiar blue mare standing next to his bed. “...Cider?” he managed to ask. “What’re you doin’ here?...”
“Giving mah marefriend a helpin’ hoof,” she smiled. “Yer roomie really did a number on the place.” She helped sit the stallion up and kissed his nose. “Now iffn’ y’all can come out to the living room, ah made breakfast.”
“...That sounds good,” he eventually said. “Though I could get some right here.” With that, he draped his forehooves over the mare and returned the kiss.
Cider hummed as she kissed him, and once she pulled away, she smirked. “So, are ya sayin’ that you don’t want the pancakes ah made? The ones dripping with syrup and icing sugar? Topped with fruit and whipped cream?”
“Oooh, that’s an idea for later,” Ledger said, snickering as he hugged the mare. “You covered in syrup, sugar, fruit, and whipped cream. I might just die of sugar and love overload. You’re plenty sweet as-is.”
“It’d also be uncomfortably sticky,” she said, poking his nose. “But we’ll see. Now c’mon, or mah Little Bat will eat everything.”
“She knows better, and hey, you come with syrup,” Ledger said, snickering as he got to his hooves. “It’s just a matter of coaxing it out.”
“...Ah have no words fer that,” Cider deadpanned. She led him out into the dining room, where the veritable spread of sugary goodness lay.
Midnight had already started on her food and looked up when they entered. “Oh, hey Levvy!” she greeted chipperly, cream dotting her muzzle.
“Hey Midnight,” Ledger greeted back, taking his own seat and barely reigning in his own desire to consume all the sugar in front of him. “Seen Scope? Or is she still crashed?”
Midnight just shrugged, as Cider moved next to her and licked the cream off of her face. Though, to Ledger’s morning brain, it may have looked like something else~
Ledger shuddered a bit and decided to focus on the food. The nice, wholesome food. He was about to dig in when he noticed a lack of something. Something vital. Something modern society was built around.
“...Where’s the coffee?”
Midnight chuckled as she headed into the kitchen, returning with a ‘Levvy Special’. While it had less sugar than usual, the breakfast alone would ruin his diet. Midnight was sure to fill his mug with love, now with added Cider~
“Here ya go,” she said, placing the brew in front of him and kissing his cheek. Ledger quickly returned the kiss, then sipped at his coffee and sighed at the feeling.
“Oooh, that’s the stuff,” he said before starting in on his dish of pancakes. Once the first bite was down (and a moan that would have made Midnight blush suppressed), he decided to open the morning with a few questions. “So. Plans for today, mares?”
“Well ah gotta head home soon,” Cider said. “Can’t leave mah kin to do all the work after all.”
“I have patrol, but I’ll be done a little after noon,” Midnight said. The life of a working mare was a tough one. “And do you plan on another personal day?”
“Nah, I’ll put in a showing, do the paperwork that had to have piled up in my absence, and keep looking for ways to get a cheap ticket up north that don’t involve being smuggled there.” Ledger speared another forkful of pancake as he considered something aloud. “We should have a lunch date, though. Either at one of our places, or a place we can all get something at. Opinions?”
“Well, ah can’t afford to dally around the city,” Cider said. “If it t’aint too much trouble, would the two of you like to come out to mah farm?”
“I can come out easy,” Ledger said, quickly moving to add to his statement before either of the mares could. “My office isn’t too far from your farm. It’s why I kept bringing things over personally.”
“Oh, okay then,” Cider nodded. “And you, little bat?”
“I can come over easily, just might be a little late is all.” Las Pegasus was a large city, patrolling it took time.
“Great!” Cider clapped her hooves, as a certain, undisguised nymph emerged.
“Urgh! I feel like I got bucked by a Hydra,” she groaned. “I will never eat sugar again...”
“Cider,” Ledger said calmly and evenly. “Whatever you do. Do. Not. Panic.” The Apple mare blinked as she looked at Midnight.
“Is this the little ling you told me about?”
“Yup, that’s Scope Lens.”
Scope shrieked as the mare pounced, hugging the nymph tightly. “Oh mah gosh!” Cider cried as she squeezed the life from her. “She’s so adorable~”
“Ah! Help!” Scope cried. “I have pony on me!!”
“Any other ‘ling would be drinking in the affection right about now,” Ledger observed as he sipped his coffee. “And any other pony would probably be at least slightly worried.”
“We have a super-weird family,” Midnight nodded, sipping her own coffee. “I just accept that as fact now and move on.”
“D’you think she’ll stop hugging Scope at some point in the near future?” Ledger asked as he resumed eating his pancakes. Midnight shrugged, stealing a strawberry from his pancake pile with a flick of her tongue.
“Can I keep her?” Cider asked, still squeezing a now-purple Scope.
“You don’t let her go, you can bury her,” Ledger pointed out. Cider squeaked and dropped the ‘ling, who may have sounded like a squeaky-toy when she hit the ground.
“I thought... I was... gonna die...” she rasped. “And Level saved me...”
“I told you I wasn’t going to kill you a while back,” Ledger said as he stole one of Midnight’s strawberries in revenge...the last one on her plate, as a matter of fact. “I think indirectly letting you die counts as well, so I had to stop that.”
“You know,” Midnight mused. “My tongue is long enough to get that back.” With a smirk, Ledger popped the whole thing into his mouth, chewed briefly, swallowed, and stuck his tongue out at Midnight. She smiled back and poked out her own tongue.
“My point still stands.”
“Midnight, that’s just gross,” Cider shuddered. “And probably some kind of illegal.”
“I have no idea,” Midnight shrugged, demolishing the rest of her food. Cider gave Scope one last hug before she could flee, and moved to show some affection to Ledger and Midnight. Ledger had just managed to polish off his own pancakes and was sipping at his coffee before the mare got to him.
After some post-breakfast nuzzles, Cider left for her own home, as Midnight donned her armour. “I should get going too,” she said. She looked at her lover and decided to ask.
“Level? You know all the kinds of Changelings in this city right?”
“We have an even mix of all of them, except for the pink and silver,” Ledger said with a nod. “We’re under-staffed for a city this size. There’s only one other silver besides me here, and we’ve only got the one pink.”
Midnight nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat. “...even black?”
“...Black is the one color we don’t have, and for a good reason that I hope never comes up,” Ledger said with a shudder. “If you ever see a totally black changeling, either kill it or run.”
There was that flare again as Midnight turned away. “G-good to know.” When she looked back, she looked perfectly normal, but her emotions were all over the place, at least until she fought them down. “Well I have work to do. You should take Scopey with you today. Bond a little.” Before either could respond, she flew from the room.
“Okay,” Scope said with a raised eyebrow, now that she’d transformed. “What the buck was that about?”
“...Black is the color of the Broodmothers,” Ledger said to the nymph. “The questions now are, why did Midnight know about Blacks, and why does she know what it feels like to have love ripped from…” his mouth hung open as he put pieces together. “Oh...hives.”
“There’s no way,” Scope said. “How is she still alive? If she met a Broodmother, and it drained her, how...”
“Because it was at Canterlot, right before the shield happened,” Ledger said. “Oh Kings and Queens...She...is incredibly lucky to be alive. Okay, Scope, I need you to do something for me today.”
Scope nodded, “It... could just be speculation you know. Maybe, she saw somepony else get attacked?”
“Those emotions felt way too real when she mentioned those things,” Ledger pointed out. “Those are the feelings of somepony that felt it, not just saw it. Though that’s not to say she didn’t see it happen to somepony else as well.” The drone shook his head as he donned his own disguise. “I need you to get in contact with the local ‘lings, especially the silver and eldest violet. Figure out if there’s anything we can do for her beyond being there for her.”
“You...seriously aren’t going to confront her are you?” Scope buzzed. “There’s a reason she reacted like that. I know what it’s like to be on the receiving end of her anger. Trust me, it bucking hurts!”
“Give me some credit,” Ledger said with a roll of his eyes. “I’m not going to confront her about it until she says she wants to talk about it. But if there’s something...anything we can do to help her heal from what they did. Be it being there for her, or a potion, or regular infusions of love, we need to know.”
“Alright, I’ll ask,” Scope said softly. “You could... you know, wipe her memory. Make her forget it ever happened.”
“...Would you want to forget meeting her?” Ledger asked bluntly. “Or perhaps you’d like to forget me threatening you. Oooh, or here’s an idea. Maybe I can make you forget your life in the Homelands.” The unicorn shook his head before snorting. “I don’t cast memory spells for no reason...and something like this is such an integral part of the pony we know, doing that to her...would do far more harm than good.”
“It was just a suggestion,” Scope replied. “Look, she’s...” Scope paused as she mulled the word around in her head. “She’s my... friend. I’ll do whatever I can to help.”
“She’s mine too,” Ledger said softly. “But I took a vow when they taught me the memory-spell. They said I didn’t have to, but I did anyways. I will not use this on any being that has not discovered my secret. Once I saw what it...did to ponies. I couldn’t use it without good cause.”
“Fair enough,” Scope nodded. He really was different from other changelings. Too bad he was already taken. “But doing so means I have to go back to ‘that’ place. You owe me for this Secret.”
“As long as you don’t lose track of time and keep a strictly business attitude up, the elder should reciprocate in kind,” Ledger said with a smirk. “Otherwise I might just have to tell Midnight you took a visit...and let her deal with you.”
Scope’s eyes widened as she looked at the now evil drone. “You... you really don’t want to be on the receiving end of an angry Mistress... she broke them. All the Violets... they never stood a chance...” She shuddered and got up. “I’ll do what I can. Try and keep the peace hmm?” She gave a flap of her wings and exited out of the same window Midnight had.
“Wonder if she knows that the other silver in town doesn’t work at the library, but the records office,” Ledger mused as he finally killed the last sip of his coffee and walked out the door.
Scope buzzed towards the record office, annoyed that the drone hadn’t told her where the silver was, and annoyed that she forgot to ask. The Violets had been more than happy to tell her. For a price.
“This had better be worth it,” she groaned as she walked into the office. She walked up to the front desk and presented the badge that Midnight had given her.
“Probationary Officer, Scope Lens!” she announced herself. “I’m here to see Recorder Lengthy Scroll!”
The mare behind the counter gave a good, long look at the badge, before pointing her pencil down one particular hall. “All the way down, take a left, third office on your right.”
Scope gave a curt nod and followed her directions. Once she reached the door, she could already sense the tell-tale signs of a Changeling presence. She raised a hoof and knocked. “Come in!” a male voice sounded. “Don’t mind the scrolls, they don’t mean any harm!”
Okay, what was that supposed to mean? She walked in and shrieked as several dozen scrolls floated around the room, each one being written on at the same time. She glanced at the center of the papery maelstorm, to see a Unicorn sipping his tea.
“Lengthy Scroll?”
“That’s me, dear...oh, and you’re new here, aren’t you?” the disguised changeling said as he looked at the floating storm of parchment. “No no no, 3B correlates to 5C if and only if field 6 on form A3 is less than fifty! Try again!” With a shuffling of quills and parchment, the storm took on a new, simpler form.
“Apologies, I’m trying to make it a self-correcting, self-referencing spell, but while it does have a mind of its own...the mind is often wrong.” The stallion gestured to the empty seat on the other side of his desk. “Tea?”
“Um, thank you?” she said, taking a seat. “My name is Scope Lens, and yes, I’m new to the city. I’m here for a reason though.”
A massive folder came out of one desk as the grey-coated unicorn looked at it with one eye, each tab and minor folder within flicking past at breakneck speeds before the folder was returned. “Quite new indeed, otherwise I’d have some information on you.” The unicorn softly swirled his tea with one hoof as he considered the nymph’s words. “So, out with it. What’s on your mind that you decided to visit this old drone?”
“Uh, right,” Scope sipped at her tea. “I’ve come on behalf of... Secret-Hoarder. He wants certain information on Broodmothers.”
“Ah,” the drone said, putting his cup down and sighing. “I have quite a bit of information on them, actually. What...specifically are you interested in?”
“Well,” Scope replied. This was really good tea. “We have reason to believe that we know of a pony, one that survived a drain. Is there.. anything we can do to assist her mentally?”
“Mm,” the drone said as he opened a different drawer, pulling out a sm- large, tome, one that had the word ‘Broodmothers’ written on both the front and side in Changeish, and thudding it onto the desk. “Let’s see...changing, curses, death...ah, draining.” He read the passage for a minute longer, humming to himself as he did. “They attacked her for her love?” he questioned suddenly.
“I imagine so,” Scope replied. “She certainly has enough to spare. This was during the Canterlot invasion.”
“That fits, then,” the drone said, looking back at the book for a moment longer, before sighing and shutting it, sitting back in his chair and rubbing his temples with one hoof. “Well...it’s not an easy path you have before you,” he eventually said.
“I didn’t imagine it would be,” Scope said, sad her teacup was now empty. “So what must we do?”
“The key ingredient is finding a changeling who can not only feed on, but freely give back emotions,” the blue-eyed stallion said. “Your best bet is a noble, but good luck. Just like not every ‘ling can teleport, not every noble can give back what they’ve taken from another. Once you find one, you have to give the mare love...but it can’t be love she herself generated.”
Scope paused, she slowly placed down her teacup and then after a second, gave a hearty laugh. This laughter lasted for several minutes before she stopped. “Haaa, s-sorry, I thought you said it would be hard, not just to keep doing what she’s doing.”
“Ah, so you found a noble already?” the drone asked. “Very good then. It’s...not going to be a quick fix, but if she spends time around a Pink or two, it might help the process along. But if you want to heal her mentally...try showing her that changelings aren’t horrible monsters. Do all that, and she should recover...eventually. But whatever you do, do not have her encounter another Broodmother, even a freshly-turned one!”
“W-What would happen?” Scope said, not liking that last part. Changelings were everywhere in this city.
“If a Broodmother encountered her and decided to feed from her...they could finish what they started,” the drone said ominously. “Ever wonder why they tell you not to drain a pony too much back in the lands? You don’t want to find out.”
“Maybe it’s best if you tell me,” Scope said. “Trust me, can’t be any worse than what I’ve seen already.”
“If a pony is drained too much, too deeply, they lose the ability to feel or care at all about anything,” the drone said. “From the simple things to things like ‘oh that’s a cliff, best not walk off it.’ And it’s irreversible.”
“Yeah, that might be bad,” Scope agreed. She couldn’t imagine Midnight song like that, a pony so full of life, reduced to an emotionless husk. “Thank you for the information. I hope we can at least help Midnight out then.”
“...Midnight Song? Ledger’s thestral marefriend?” the drone asked with a raised eyebrow. “Huh...didn’t take her for a victim. If anything, the way they acted around one another made me think they were in a healthy relationship...then again, I did only see her for a few minutes before the Violets ushered her out.”
“That’s the one,” Scope cursed her loose tongue. “Just, keep this between us yes? The last thing we need is this talk getting back to her.”
“My lips are sealed,” the drone mimed as such before speaking again. “So...how did she meet one and live to tell the tale?” The drone raised an eyebrow before prodding his book. “All signs point to a pony meeting one as being the last thing they tend to do before they’re drained.”
“We’re running on pure speculation here, but it appears that the shield that pushed the invasion back was the thing that saved her. We’re not entirely sure. She could have driven the attack back herself, she has... a unique fighting style.” Scope idly rubbed one of her legs.
“Ah, so at least some of the rumors regarding them have a kernel of truth,” the unicorn said as the paper started to descend around them again. “Whups, looks like this time they’ve got it right. Ah well, treat Miss Song well and keep dosing her with the love of another, and she should recover. Regular trips to the Pink should also help. And tell young Ledger to come by some time, we need to collaborate on this spell some more.”
“I’ll let him know,” Scope said. “And... thank you for the tea. It was delicious.” It still felt a bit strange to actually thank a drone. But, she was getting used to it. She gave the stallion one last nod and left him alone with his scrolls.
“I never get tired of hearing nymphs say that,” the disguised drone said with a laugh once the door clicked shut. With a soft sigh, he picked the tome up and put it away in one of his desk’s drawers.
“At least now I can put the knowledge I stole from mother and sister to use…”
Midnight Song hummed as she flew around the city. Three muggings, a bank robbery and a lost cat.
It was a slow day.
“Hmm, it’s getting close to lunch, maybe I should start heading for the farm?” she wondered aloud, unaware of the eyes watching her from a little puff of cloud. Or the fact that the cloud moved closer, as there was barely any wind today.
It was probably only the shadow that tipped her off.
Midnight glanced down, noticing the shadow dogging her every move. She frowned as she paused and turned her head to see a little cloud floating there.
“The buck...?” She drew closer, one hoof raised to unveil who was hiding inside the poor disguise…
Once the fluffy vapor was swept aside, it revealed an unfamiliar pony. A red pegasus with a blue mane...and bright pink eyes and a wide smile. “Heya Midnight!” the stallion said, in a tone that was...somewhat familiar.
“Do... I know you?” she asked, taking a defensive position. She wasn’t about to be mugged herself, and this guy would pay dearly if he tried.
“...Oh duh, you saw me in my other form,” the stallion said with a roll of his eyes. With a pink flash, the stallion was replaced with a pink pegasus mare. “Recognize me now, Middy?”
Midnight frowned, as a certain song came to mind, along with a Pegasus with the most sugary singing voice she had ever heard. “Oh! Now I remember!” Midnight exclaimed, seeming much more relieved. “Amy!”
“Yup!” The mare said, beeping the Thestral’s muzzle. “I probably shoulda showed off my other side to you before, but how many ponies do you know with pink eyes?”
“Another one of my friends actually,” Midnight remembered the albino unicorn from Canterlot. She was so sweet, but really timid. “I thought you forgot honestly, and I guess I’ve been busy myself. Managing a herd is hard...”
“...Say what?” the pink pony said, putting one hoof in one ear and cleaning it out...of empty ice-cream cones. “Say that again, because I thought I misheard you. Something about a herd.”
“I...” Midnight shook her head. She didn’t see that. Nope, not at all. “Uh, y-yeah. I took Princess Luna’s advice, and now Ledger, myself and a mare named Apple Cider are together.”
There was a moment, a small moment. A moment where Amy just sat there and smiled and vibrated. That was Midnight’s only warning.
“What are you doing?” Midnight asked, flying backwards slowly. Then Midnight found herself in a powerful wing-hug as Amy embraced her with every fiber of her being.
“I’M SO HAPPY FOR YOU!” the disguised nymph said at a volume that meant those directly under them could hear them with a little effort. So, most of Las Pegasus.
“Ow,” Midnight winced, rubbing her ringing ears. Still, she couldn’t help but smile. “Heh, you seem happier than me about it.”
“Duh!” Amy said, pulling an abacus out of the cloud. “Levvy seeing two mares means twice the foals, silly! Plus, if you manage to do this, other ponies might start doing it as well!” Beads clacked across as the mare started doing...some sort of math. “Which means more foals everywhere, which means more little mouths wanting ice cream, which means more happy, smiling faces...and more food for me!”
“Sooo, it all boils down to me having foals huh?” She chuckle as she ruffled the mare’s mane. “Sorry to say, but I don’t plan on them anytime soon. You’ll have to hit up Cider for that.”
“S’all good,” Amy said as she stuck her abacus back in the cloud. “You three starting this up is all we really need to spark a wave of relationship revolution, which is what I’m really after in this instance.” The mare hugged herself, looking at nothing in particular. “It’ll be beautiful…” she said quietly. “So many happy little faces…”
“You really love foals huh?” Midnight goggled at the adorable display. “Tell you what, if Levvy ever has kids, then you’ll be our go-to babysitter.”
“Really?” Amy asked with wide, sparkling eyes that were probably a changeling trick.
“Well, I may have only known you for a total of like, ten minutes. But you seem pretty cool.” Midnight nodded to herself and folded her front hooves. “So what can I do for you Amy? Any particular reason you were stalking me inside a cloud?”
“Well, I got done checking on all the new drones - No other pinks, by the way, - And then I remembered that you wanted to hang out! Well, today is Cherry Scoop’s day off, along with my own, so I figured I’d come see you! It’s real easy to find a batpony in the daytime, did you know?”
“I imagine, and being the only Thestral in Las Pegasus probably helps as well,” Midnight added. “Well, I have lunch with Levvy and Apples soon. We can either hang out after, or you can come as well. I’m sure Cider won’t mind. Plus you’d actually get to meet her.”
Amy hummed for a moment, thinking about something. “Hmm...Does Cider know about other ‘lings?”
“Well, she’s seen Levvy in his true form, and she knows about Scopey, though she nearly hugged the life out of the poor girl,” Midnight chuckled, but remembering this morning also brought up the stupid question she’d asked Ledger. She’d dropped enough hints that he’d have put it together by now. But Midnight wasn’t sure if she could face that particular topic just yet…
“Hmmm...Maybe. Buuut, you gotta do something for me if I’m gonna come with, Miss Song,” Amy said, poking the mare with a hoof.
“Uh, like what?” Midnight pondered. This wasn’t some weird Changeling thing was it. “I’m not sleeping with you, if that's what you’re implying.”
“Nope, I just want a smile from you,” Amy chirped happily.
“That’s it?” Midnight blinked. A small smile appeared on her muzzle, forced as it was. “See, easy.”
“A nice, honest smile,” Amy pouted. “C’mon, something must make you happy.”
Midnight’s features softened as she thought. There was a lot that made her happy, Level, Cider, mangoes, her family... “Sorry Amy, guess I’m just not feeling it right now...”
“It’s all right, at least you tried,” Amy said, patting Midnight’s hoof with one of her own. “That’s what I want for all my friends, no matter how old they are. For them to be happy. Get back to me when you can smile honestly.”
With that, the pink changeling in disguise started to fly off. “Have fun with Ledger and Cider at lunch!” she called back. Midnight raised a hoof, not really wanting her to go, but her voice died in her throat.
“Yeah...” she said quietly, before sighing and turning towards the farm.
“So basically, keep doing what we’ve been doing, only fostering and slowly siphoning from Cider and giving to Midnight?” Ledger questioned Scope as the pair of them walked down the road to Apple Cider’s home.
“That’s pretty much the gist of it,” Scope nodded. “And keep her away from any and all Blacks. They could finish the job and leave her... well, you remember what she can do right? Imagine that. Permanently.”
“Yeesh,” Ledger said with a shiver as the thought struck him. “Yeah, we’re gonna have to be very careful around draining her...actually, now that I think about it, it might explain a few things about her,” the unicorn mused. “Like why she’s got so much lust to spare. Might be her body’s way of compensating for a lack of love.”
“Maybe,” Scope said. “There’s still a lot we don’t know, and won’t without asking her directly. Calling dibs on not doing that now by the way.”
“Pushing her to do it will only end in her brushing it off and all our efforts failing,” Ledger pointed out. “Unless she brings it up, then all I’m going to do is treat her as best as I can. You catch more ‘lings with sugar than with vinegar.”
“And you catch more thestrals with mangoes, than sugar,” Scope chuckled. “I’m surprised you haven’t bathed in mango juice to see what’d happen yet.”
“I...might have a plan regarding that sort of thing,” Ledger said cryptically. “It involves me going back to the library and learning a new spell from the adult section.”
“Part of me is curious, part of me doesn’t want to know,” Scope chuckled. “Oh? And that silver wants to see you at some point. Wants to discuss that script spell with you. His can think for itself.”
“Oooh, he’s getting closer!” Ledger all but squeed. “Soon, I might be able to make a golem that acts and thinks on its own, learning as it goes! It’d be a marvel of magic!”
“That’s...actually pretty impressive sounding,” Scope admitted as they reached the farm and saw a lot of ponies. Dozens upon dozens of them.
“That... is a lot of Apple ponies,” Scope said quietly.
“Well, let’s go meet the in-laws,” Ledger joked, before clearing his throat and shouting. “APPLE CIDER, GET YER SWEET FLANK OVER HERE! YOU GOT A COLTFRIEND TO HUG!”
Every Apple stopped whatever it was they were doing as the farm delved into complete silence. Scope Lens looked at Ledger like he was utterly insane... which he probably was.
Soon, a familiar mare stepped through the crowd, a fierce blush covering her face as she glared at Ledger.
“That.” she said. “Is the worst first impression ever! Yer lucky yer so damned cute, or ah’d have tanned yer hide and used it fer a throw rug!”
“I’d pay good bits to see that!” Scope perked up.
“Is that a promise, Miss Cider?” Ledger asked with a wiggle of his eyebrows. “Or a fantasy you’d like done to you?”
“Not. Helping!” she stated through gritted teeth as an older mare stepped forward. She had a deep orange coat, along with a two-tone mane and tail. Alternating between snow-white and deep forest green. She was quite beautiful as her green eyes twinkled.
“So, this is the famous Level Ledger,” she said. “And you must be Midnight Song, though Cidey’s description of you is quite different.”
“No, I-”
“My name is Apple Leaves, and I happen to be her mother. It’s nice to meet the both of you.”
“You’ve actually only met one of us,” Ledger said, stepping away and pointing at Scope. “She’s not Midnight. She’s just a friend.”
Cider and Scope blinked. Did Level Ledger... just call a nymph.. a friend?
Apple Leaves tilted her head, but smiled none-the-less. “Well it’s a pleasure regardless. I do wish her Papa could have made the trip, but he’s busy caring for the old homestead.”
Another pony had approached Ledger, an absolute beast of a stallion. He looked down at the Changeling and after a few moments, nodded once.
“He’ll do,” he said in a deep voice.
“Glad I have his approval,” Ledger said as a bead of sweat dripped down his face. “Looks like he could break me like a twig.” The unicorn shook his head to clear it and looked back at Apple Leaves with a smile. “And I am glad so many of her family showed up to help put together this little venture of ours. I wish mine was as tightly knit as yours.”
“Well, the way I hear it is that you’re family now as well,” the mare smiled, hugging Ledger. “So think of us as your family too, okay?” Her feelings and emotions were quite genuine.
“Well, thanks miss,” Ledger said, a little humbled by the sheer care she was emitting. After a moment, but before the hug got too awkward, the stallion coughed to get her attention again. “So, since I would be useless at heavy lifting without magic, I figured instead I’d contribute by adding all sorts of security spells to the glass itself...once you all got it all installed, anyways.”
“Oh that?” Cider shrugged. “It’s done.”
“What?” Scope blinked.
“It’s done, the greenhouse. We put it all up this morning and now we’re having a big old family shindig!” she grinned. If there was one thing she loved more than anything, it was an Apple Family party.
“...Well don’t I feel useless,” Ledger said with no small amount of sarcasm. “Still, I can do the spells throughout the night, or as I think of them as time passes. But if I heard you right, we have a party to enjoy...and I feel like playing hooky to enjoy it. What about you, Scope?”
The Pegasus shrugged and looked at him. “Hard to play hooky on a job I’m not doing,” she said. “But, I suppose I can keep you out of trouble until the Mistress gets here.”
“...Wouldn’t her arriving only add to the trouble?” Ledger asked out loud. “Why would you bother trying to keep me out of trouble if she’s arriving anyways?”
“Why escalate the inevitable?” Scope deadpanned. “Well, good thing I’m hungry. There’s enough food... and food here to feed an army.”
“We tend to go all out fer our little get-togethers,” Cider explained as Apple Leaves disappeared to mingle. Ledger coughed a little and nudged Scope with one hoof before asking a very simple question of Apple Cider.
“They don’t know, right?” The pointed tone had been directed more to Scope Lens than his marefriend, to drive home the whole ‘secrecy’ bit.
“Eenope, and best keep it that way,” Cider said. “Apple Fritter was in Canterlot during the invasion, and Big Mac there is Applejack’s brother. So unless you wanna resemble a bug on an airship window...”
“...Cider, I’m going to be nice here,” Ledger said with a smile. “And say that since they’re your family, even if they somehow found out and decided to attack me before I could explain...I won’t hurt them in self-defense.” With that, the drone hummed to himself as he walked deeper into the party in search of food.
“Do ah sense passive-aggressiveness in his voice?” Cider asked Scope as Ledger wandered off, politely declining hoofshakes.
“Honestly, he’s a mystery,” Scope said. “I would simply run away in the event that that would happen. Still, I wonder if they’ll take to Midnight.”
It was about an hour later when said batpony arrived. Her expression was fairly neutral, the meeting with Amethyst Cream had left her... vexed. As she made her descent towards the farm, one Apple farmer noticed her coming, and his reaction was one that... well Midnight had to admit that she’d never seen before.
“AAHHHH! Giant Vampire fruit bat!!!”
Several Apples screamed and started to run, as Midnight just hovered there and frowned.
“Well that’s just plain rude. Perhaps somewhat correct, but still rude.”
Cider facehooved at their reaction and sighed. “Ah am so, so sorry...”
“Hey Cider, outta curiosity...you don’t grow mangoes here, do you?” Ledger asked with a smirk. “Cause otherwise, they might be vindicated.”
“One, buck you Ledger!” Midnight snapped as she landed. She really could go for a juicy mango right about now though.
“Nope, wrong climate,” Cider nodded as she tried to get her idiot family to stop running around like headless chickens.
“Want me to shout again?” Ledger asked with a quirked eyebrow. “I might be able to get them to stop...oh, or better idea, we could get them to stop without noise.”
“SIT DOWN!” a giant voice bellowed as the three lovers turned to see Big Mac take a breath after that huge shout. One could almost hear a pin drop as every Apple stopped and promptly sat on their rears. Mac snorted and nodded once, before resuming his munching on a pie.
“My thanks again,” Ledger said, tipping an imaginary hat with one hoof towards the stallion. “Louder than my plan, but it worked, so I can’t complain.”
“Oohhh~” Midnight oggled Big Mac. Cider just sighed and whapped her upside the head.
“Stop staring, he’s not yers to play with.”
“And we’re not going to let you near any more of Cider’s family, no matter how distant that relation is,” Ledger said, putting his hoof down literally and metaphorically.
“Spoilsports,” Midnight huffed. It was then that Ledger had noticed that Scope had slipped away, the petite pegasus was now chatting with the stoic stallion, laughing at a joke of his and batting her eyelashes at him.
“Aaaand on that note, not-it on Scope-watching-duty,” Ledger said as he gave both mares a quick kiss and resumed his search for new food to try. There had been something over near the fritters he’d never seen before...
“Dang it,” Midnight muttered, grabbing the flirty nymph and dragging her away from Big Macintosh.
“Oh come on! How many mares have probably tapped that flank?” she whined.
“He’d split you in half!” Midnight replied. “Sorry girl, even I would probably avoid that one.” It was about then that she was accosted by Apple Leaves and introduced herself to Midnight Song.
“Sorry about that dear, I don’t think too many of my family members have seen somepony of your kind before.”
Midnight shrugged, keeping Scope under one of her wings. “It’s fine, I thought it was a little funny actually. Never been called a Vampire Fruit Bat before.”
“Again, I do apologise,” Leaves sighed, that first pony that shouted it was going to get an earful. “So since my daughter and your stallion are proving to be elusive. Perhaps you could entertain an old mare for a while? I’d like to know how you all met.”
“Sure,” Midnight nodded, heading off into the house for tea and a chat.
Meanwhile Ledger had finally gorged himself on physical and emotional food enough and just sat to one side of the proceedings. He observed the flow of emotion as only a changeling could, and it brought a smile to his face to see such a large, happy, caring family. Scope also watched, both the family and Ledger.
‘So I wonder what you’ll do next?’ she thought to herself. Her head tilted as her brain buzzed slightly. “Yes, I know,” she muttered. “Just... let me know if one does. I hate not knowing the full story...yeah, fine. Keep me informed.”
Ledger kept watching the family a moment longer before he felt someone staring at him. With a glance that he felt he had successfully disguised, he saw Scope watching him for some reason. Ledger smirked internally as he closed his eyes, letting the others think he had drifted off for a moment.
He heard giggling, and opened one eye to see Midnight’s face about an inch from his own, her golden eyes staring into his.
“Watcha doing?” she giggled.
“Enjoying...this,” Ledger said as he used a hoof to indicate the gathering. “It’s...still a novel thing to me. I find it so wonderful that things like this exist here.”
“Really? Seems pretty normal to me,” Midnight replied, watching two foals chasing one another. One bumped into Scope and she growled before chasing them, the two kids squealing and laughing. “I got the whole ‘you’re family now’ talk from Apple Leaves. Still processing it though.”
“We don’t have things as nice as this,” Ledger said, leaving as few clues behind in case anypony were listening. “To see such a large family, coming together and being happy because they’re together...she was a thrice-damned fool, thinking invading could bring her a fraction of the power this moment holds.”
“Heh! All the love you get, I’m surprised you’re not moving the sun and moon by now,” Midnight chuckled. “Imagine that? All hail Prince Ledger. He’ll do your taxes and buck your mares.”
Ledger sputtered a bit before glaring at Midnight. “...Just to be clear, you start looking for other mares for me to buck without both me and Cider being read in on what you’re doing, and we’re going to be having a serious talk.”
“It’s called a joke Ledger,” Midnight replied dryly. “And I believe you started it with Cider. So my statement still stands.”
“Fair enough, but at least now you know why I did it,” Ledger shrugged. “So. You want to talk to me about anything in particular, or are you just bored?”
“Are you kidding, who has time to be bored here?” she said, looking around at the party. “I just need a small breather. Plus, you looked like you were dozing off there. Everything alright?”
“Oh yeah, just a little stuffed,” Ledger said before dropping his volume. “I don’t know why, but Scope’s been watching me for five minutes now. It’s a little creepy. Might be nothing. Act normal.”
Midnight turned her head and scanned the place until she located the snarky Pegasus. She was currently wrestling with about five foals... and losing.
“Yeah, I think you’re good,” Midnight chuckled. “Oh, I met the pink one again today.”
“Yeah, every drone has to meet Amy,” Ledger said with a small laugh of his own. “It’s the final exam the Violets give us. First they help us recover from our trauma, then they try to make us see that Equestria does things differently...and until Amy is satisfied that we can give her an honest smile, our ‘rehab’ isn’t complete.”
Midnight paused. “What?...” she shook her head and glared at him. “Say... say that last part again.”
“Until we can give Amy an honest smile as proof that we’ve learned how to be happy, our rehab never ends,” Ledger said with a sigh. “I...was having problems with that step for a while, but I think I can pass it now.”
“Yeah... guess you can,” she said, her tone felt a little, absent, like she was only half-listening. Was that all that was about? Did Amy think Midnight was just another rehab patient? She was perfectly fine!
“Amy likes for all her friends to be happy,” Ledger said as he felt the turmoil of emotions bubbling away inside the thestral mare. “She sees smiles as the best proof of that. So, if she asks you to smile...it’s because she cares.” With that, Ledger did something any other ‘ling might call foolish. Or stupid. Or insane.
He gave Midnight a kiss on her cheek as he began giving over the familial love he’d been slowly absorbing out of the gathered ponies. It wasn’t quite what she needed, but it was still love all the same. He only hoped it helped her calm down.
Midnight sighed and shook her head. “Yeah.. just, overthinking things I guess. Been a little stressed today.” She sighed as she felt the sunlight warm her coat, and her spirits lifted a little. Ledger’s kiss felt warm as well, and a small smile crept onto her muzzle.
“I feel a little better,” she said. “Now, what say we introduce these Apples to Midnight Song~”
“You introduce yourself,” Ledger said with a smirk. “But send over Scope if you get a chance. We should have a talk, the two of us.”
“Alright, just don’t pick on her,” Midnight replied, before she took to the air and flew a ways, before pouncing on Cider and Fritter.The surprised shrieks were music to her ears.
After a few minutes, Scope trotted over. Her mane was a mess and straw was sticking from it. Her coat could use a good brushing and she sighed from tiredness and a full belly.
“You wanted to see me?”
Ledger nodded, not looking at the nymph in question for a moment, letting the silence build. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he said after about twenty seconds. “The way they all love each other and get along. You can almost say that they could feel it the way we do.”
“Oookayy?” Scope said, looking around. “Typical pony family I suppose. What’s up with you? You on a love high or something?”
“Something like that,” Ledger admitted with a snicker. “Just...think. What was your family like? Nothing like this one, I imagine...and the things they teach back home are...the antithesis of this. And now that you’re here...you’re free to do things like this. Find a loving family or community. Settle in. And enjoy a life of love.”
The drone sighed before looking at the nymph. “I...never thought about building a family before. Never thought about staying before. I always wanted to go to the next town and learn things. Take note, wayward sister: Life rarely turns out the way you expect. It’s up to you to make it a good one.”
“So, in short.” Scope said. “You want to stay here and have little batbugs with Midnight? Well, your life I suppose.” She looked around and what Ledger said was true, she hadn’t seen anything quite like this before. “In case you hadn’t noticed, but I’m kinda small for a changeling. Was dumped by my biological parents not long after I was born. Luckily, or not so depending on your viewpoint, I was found and raised by a group of Blue ‘ling’s. So yeah, my whole life, I really wasn’t seen as ‘useful’ or ‘loved’” She gave a small laugh, one that hinted at a long-learned pain. “It’s ironic isn’t it? That we don’t even understand the food that keeps us alive?”
“I think Amy said it best,” Ledger said with a smile. “‘The day any of my friends really understand what it means to be happy and loved, is the day they’re no longer from the Homelands, but Equestrians.’”
‘Typical Pink nonsense,” Scope said. She’d never really seen eye to eye with them, and was glad she had evaded the one here so far. Music had started up and most ponies had shuffled off to start dancing. Midnight and Cider looked like they were having fun, especially when Cider squeaked when Midnight copped a feel~
Scope snorted again and looked at Ledger. “So... you feel like dancing?”
“Not with you, though I may cut into their dance in a moment. Oh, and one more thing, Scope?” Ledger said as he got to his hooves.
“I don’t know what that spell is, but it’s not as discreet as you think it is, nor do I know why you were watching me earlier. I’m giving you a chance. Singular. But if you betray any of us, you’ll wish you’d told me now.” With the threat delivered, the drone walked over to his mares with a smile on his face.
“So he noticed me using ‘Hivemind’ huh?’ Scope chuckled. “He’s astute. But he really shouldn’t worry so much. While I think Midnight can handle herself... it doesn’t hurt to have other options open.” She gave the party one last look and took to the skies. She’d lost her mood to dance anyway.
“Mares,” Ledger said with a smile as he stood off to one side as he watched the pair of them dance. “Might I say, you are doing very well at this. Any chance either of you will take pity on your stallion?”
They looked at one another, then back to Ledger with a sly grin.
“Nah!” they giggled and waltzed off, but not before Ledger was scooped up by Apple Leaves into a similar dance.
“Sorry, guess you’ll have to make do with me,” she giggled.
“So long as you have mercy on me,” Ledger said with a smile. “It’s been…a long time since I was taught any formal dance moves, and I rarely had to use them.”
“I’ll do my best,” Leaves nodded, slowly leading Ledger and teaching him a few moves. The dance had formed two huge circles, the inner moving so partners would be swapped every so often. After Leaves had moved away, Ledger found himself in Cider’s hooves.
“Well now, fancy meeting y’all here,” she giggled.
“Well hello again,” Ledger teased, giving his partner a kiss. “Is this anything like what you imagined?”
“The family meet, or our relationship? Cause I can answer no to both,” she replied as Ledger twirled her.
“Maybe you pictured a bit more panicking? Cause that can always be arranged,” Ledger chuckled as he gave her another kiss. Mmm, she always had that faint hint of her namesake around her...
“Perhaps,” Cider chuckled. She squeaked as somepony bumped her aside as the tempo changed again. This time, Apple Fritter took the stage as Cider glared at her.
“Well now, lookie who ah found,” Fritter grinned. “Which is good, cause ah got a few words fer y’all!”
“If it’s ‘treat my sister right,’ believe me, you’re not the only one to be thinking that. I swear, half your kin seem to be thinking the same thing, the way they look at me,” Ledger said as he let Apple Fritter lead.
“Ah, well that saves a little time,” Fritter giggled. “But ah got something else as well.” She spun him, stopping just short of giving him motion-sickness. “Ah haven’t seen Cidey smile like that in a while. You and Moonbutt? Yer good fer her. So jus' keep doin’ what yer doin’ and we’ll be fine.”
“She’s good for us as well,” Ledger pointed out as his head stopped spinning. “We may not look it, but the pair of us are damaged ponies. She’ll be very helpful in getting us back to...being somewhat saner. The rock for our relationship.”
“Well, a rock jus’ about sums up Cidey,” Fritter giggled, “She about as stubborn as one. And-” The dance switched up again as Fritter was ushered away. “Ah better be an aunt soon!” she yelled.
“Seconded!” Leaves called out from somewhere.
“Ah, and here I thought we’d gotten past ‘make fun of Ledger day,’” the stallion observed as he took up his next partner in the dance.
Big Macintosh.
Ledger quirked an eyebrow at the much larger stallion in front of him. “Well this is going to be awkward, isn’t it?”
“...Eeyup,” Mac agreed. The two just stared at one another until it was time to change...much to the chagrin of the mares that had wanted to see just how this would play out once they realized it was coming.
“OH COME ON!” Midnight shouted from somewhere...
The party had long since ended and most of the Apple kin had already headed for home. Fritter, Apple Leaves and a few others stayed, leaving Cider with her two herdmates alone for a while.
“Whew! Today was fun,” Midnight giggled. Her previous stress long forgotten. Ledger just hugged both mares close to him and basked in the warmth they provided, occasionally giving kisses to Cider or Midnight. Though when he did kiss Midnight, it was always with what little love he could give her before she might suspect something.
“You’re very affectionate today,” Midnight giggled, rubbing her nose. “Did somebuggy eat all the sugar again?”
“Naw, it’s liquor that makes him all friendly like,” Cider nodded. “Speaking of, maybe ah should break out th’ good stuff tonight?”
“If you want,” Ledger said before kissing Cider. “Once your family’s left, of course. Don’t need them seeing drunken me or Midnight.” He then turned and planted yet another kiss on Midnight’s muzzle before explaining himself.
“It’s just...finally had a chance to sink in, I think. This is my life now. A much better, happier one than it used to be. I’m surrounded by ponies that love me and care about me.” He gave Cider a kiss on the cheek before continuing. “I would be remiss to not give that love and care back to those I hold most dear in whatever ways possible.”
“Yeah, well I’m pretty awesome like that,” Midnight Song said. “Be it love, fighting, or anything else really. I’m really good at what I do~”
“Boasting as well,” Cider rolled her eyes, but smiled all the same. “Do y’all wanna stay the night?”
“Only if you want us to,” Ledger said, leaving the choice to the farm-mare. He’d not impose if she didn’t want him to stay.
“Well ah wouldn’t have asked if ah didn’t,” Cider giggled. She led them inside as Apple Leaves and Fritter whistled at them.
“Gonna make mah granfoals now?” Leaves giggled, her face blushing lightly as her Apple accent kicked in.
“Fer pete’s sake Ma,” Cider groaned. “Sorry, she gets like this when the cider comes out...”
“Since Middy’s here, ah guess Cider really did come out!” Fritter laughed, earning another groan.
“...Hey Midnight, you shared some of your protection potions, right?” Ledger asked, a mask of innocence on his face.
“Not yet,” Midnight shrugged. “Why?” She should have seen it coming... she really should.
“Ah well, then I guess you get me all to yourself tonight,” Ledger said with a smirk. “Can’t risk it with Cider until she’s got some, after all. She’s got a lot of things going on, a foal might slow her down.”
Apple Leaves dropped her mug as Cider looked at him as well. Fritter just laughed harder, almost falling out of her chair.
“But, mah grandfoals?” Leaves pouted. It wasn’t fair for a mare of her age to appear so cute. Ledger took in the sight for a moment longer before turning to Cider with that same mask of innocence again, letting her know it was her turn to speak up if she wanted to torment her mother.
“Sorry ma, guess you’ll just hafta wait fer ‘em.” Cider snorted as her mother pouted harder.
“But, mah other daughter’s a fillyfooler, ah can’t rely on her fer foals.”
“HEY!”
“Ah had such hope fer you...”
Ledger looked a moment longer at the pout before sighing. “It’s really up to Cider, but since she hasn’t let me even really try in all the attempts so far, I’m gonna say...she doesn’t want one.”
“You’re a stallion, assert yourself an’ insert yerself!” Apple Leaves nodded as Cider and Fritter blushed with embarrassment.
“Oh my Celestia! MOM!” they both shouted as the mare chuckled and winked at Ledger. Yeah, she totally knew what she was saying.
“I. Am not. Giving Cider. A foal. If. She doesn’t. Want. One.” Ledger slowly said for the elderly mare. “As Fredrick would say, ‘I have honor, ma’am!’”
“Darn tootin’,” Leaves replied, giving him a thump on the back. Luckily, it was not their mother that their strength was inherited from. “An ah’m glad to hear it!”
“This was another one of those ‘Mom’ things wasn't it?” Cider sighed.
“Ah invoke mah right to remain silent,” Leaves giggled again. “Now y’all go on and git. The night won’t last ferever!”
“...Cider, your family, while wonderful...confuses the hay outta me,” Ledger said, before turning to the stairs and sighing as he began making his way up them.
“You an’ me both,” Cider groaned, following her stallion. Midnight opted to remain downstairs for a moment, idly chatting with Apple Fritter.
“So...how’s Canterlot?” she asked, the Apple mare occupying herself by braiding the Thestral’s tail.
“A lot quieter without you,” she giggled. “Moondancer drops by every so often, ah think she misses you.”
“Yeah,” Midnight sighed. She hadn’t seen her old fillyfriend in a long time. “I miss Canterlot sometimes, but at least I’m free to do what I want here.”
“You should come visit sometime,” Fritter nodded. “Ah’m sure your folks miss you as well.”
Midnight had thought about that, taking Cider and Ledger up to Canterlot for a visit. She could show them around, take them to the Academy where she trained, even the Palace. But still...
“He’s there also,” Midnight sighed and Fritter frowned.
“Well, y’all can’t avoid him forever...”
“Well, I’m doing a pretty good job so far,” Midnight said as she got up. “But your idea is a good one. I’ll come up for a visit soon, even if I have to come by myself.”
Fritter nodded as Midnight headed upstairs. A small sigh escaping her lips.