//------------------------------// // Nap...Time // Story: Do...You? // by Dr Atlas //------------------------------// “So...I...uh...guess this is goodbye?” “For now, but maybe down the road, we’ll meet each other again.” “You sure? Because I can still stay around for a while.” “Did you not see the panic you caused at the party!? I’m surprised they left you alone after all the damage you caused, I’m even more surprised that we left you off with a warning and I’ll be even more surprised if the whole population of Canterlot keeps you in one piece once they see you again! So no; you’re not staying here with me.” Doomie stepped back. “Okay...alright, I understand, you don’t want me here anymore, but...you don't hate me, r-right?” The guard turned away, not wanting to look at him in the eyes. “I dunno, all I know is that that mare right there doesn’t hate you.” He pointed at Pinkie, who was with her friends a few feet away from them, waiting for the night train to come. “I still don’t know what she sees in you.” Doomie shrugged and continued gazing at his marefriend, completely amazed by how she was able to get him out of that mess at the party, at least now he could finally leave Canterlot and go to her home. “I think it’s more than looks, mr. guard.” “It’s Lock,” The armor plated pony said. “Lock Stock.” Doomie chuckled. “So where’s Barrel?” He asked jokingly. Lock craned his head to the tower. “He’s up guarding the library doors in the castle with Private...wait, how’d you know that was my partner’s name?” Doomie held in his laughs. “Um...lucky guess?” Lock Stock rolled his eyes and poked Doomie in the chest. “I suggest you change into a pony before the train comes, I’d rather not have mass panic when I hear a changeling has been smuggled out of here.” Doomie wasn’t surprised to hear that, technically, he was on the run from the law by doing this...in a way. “So, you’re not gonna tell the princess about all this...right?” Lock smirked. “Don’t worry, we made sure the ponies and guards will keep quiet, but she’ll find out sooner or later, not by me or them, mind you.” Doomie started to panic. “W-What do you mean?” “Changeling, listen. secrets are like closet cases, sooner or later, they’re gonna come out, and everyone will either take it lightly, or take it badly, understand?” Doomie cocked his head. “Closet cases?” Lock nodded. “You know, when ponies usually come out of the clo-” “HEY, BUG BRAIN!” Doomie and Lock turned right to see a blue mare stumbling toward them. “Speak of the devil…” Doomie said. Dash finally fell in front of them and craned her head up. “You guyz done talkin’, pink blob over there’s waitin’ to talk to ya.” Doomie looked up to see Pinkie waving at them, he waved back and turned to Lock Stock. “Guess that’s my cue. It was nice meeting you, Lock.” Doomie extended his arm, hoping for a hoof shake. Lock paused at first, but ended up shaking. “Nice seeing you too.” He looked back and forth before whispering into Doomie’s ear. “And, just a heads up, I suggest getting some ID. I heard that they’re gonna be enforcing some law about inspection transportation, you know, to make sure passengers aren’t-” “Changelings…” Doomie finished. “I wouldn’t be surprised.” He looked at Rainbow Dash, seeing that she was now sleeping on the floor. “The things this mare’s been through tonight.” Lock smiled. “You know, in all my years of service, they always told me to expect only...the expected.” He laughed and started walking away. “But this...this is just ridiculous.” “Hey, L-Lock?” Doomie said, making Lock stop and turn around. “Um...T-thanks…” “Thanks? For what?” Lock asked, not knowing how a thank you was needed. Doomie hoisted the drunk mare on his back. “Ya know, for not taking me in, for not stabbing me with a spear, taking me secretly to the train station without anypony following us…” “Oh...well, uh, yeah. No problem.” Lock was surprised to hear that, it wasn’t everyday someone thanked him for not ending their lives. He ended up walking away from him and getting back to his post, leaving Doomie with Dash and her friends. Doomie only waited until he left before walking over to Pinkie and her friends, Pinkie bounced up and down while her friends looked back and forth, trying to see where the train was. Rarity groaned. “How much longer must we wait? The train should’ve been here by now.” Twilight yawned and cracked her neck. “Trains take a while, Rare...ugh, my head…” Twilight sat down and rubbed her forehead. “I don’t think that spell worked…” Applejack laughed. “Well, maybe ya shoulda thought twice before drinkin’ that punch, at least you didn’t drink more than Dash over here, mare didn’t know her limit before it was too late.” She turned to Spike, who was sleeping on Twilight. “‘Bout as sleepy as this little feller is.” Doomie rubbed his chin. “Why exactly do you have a dragon with you? They’re not the most friendly of creatures out there.” “Don’t worry.” Twilight said. “He’s nice, he’s just a baby anyway. It's not like he's some ten story monster rampaging through a town...oh wait...Didn't he do that?" She rubbed her head again. "Uhhhgug...this headache is not helping me think!" Doomie let that statement sink in while Fluttershy tapped Twilight. “Um...so, that spell, did it...tell you what happened while you were...well, under the influence?” Twilight continued rubbing her head. “Fluttershy, all I did was remove the intoxication levels in my brain...ouuuwwwugh...Unfortunately, that didn’t remove the headache…” Doomie rolled Dash to the ground. “Did you, like, speed up your drunkenness or something?” “You could say that, I’m just glad I was smart enough to do that before I took another sip. Who knows what I would’ve done.” She smacked her lips. “I find it strange how I taste grape and candy right now…” Pinkie continued bouncing. “Maybe that punch had more flavors than grape! It probably had a rainbow of flavors!” She turned to Doomie. “Did you ever drink any, Doomie?” “I would’ve puked it up by now.” Doomie answered, receiving sounds of disgust from Rarity. “What?” “I still don’t see how you can’t eat our food.” Rarity said. “It’s food for Celestia’s sake!” Doomie rolled his eyes. “We just eat love, marshmallow mare.” Rarity narrowed her eyes. “Don’t you dare call me that!” Doomie snickered. “Look, I understand pony food is tasty and all, but we just can’t eat it; we eat, and only eat, love. Why do you think we invaded during a wedding anyway?” Twilight started to get intrigued with this. “I’m curious, how did you guys even know there was a wedding going on in the first place?” Doomie smiled. “We changelings can feel love from a distance, and weddings are probably the one thing that attracts us the most.” Doomie chuckled. “To tell you the truth, I wouldn’t mind being at another wedding...I just hope the chairs aren’t that big.” “You guys can sense love from far away?” Doomie rubbed his hoof against his chest. “Well, I don’t mean to brag, but certain changelings can sense love from very long distances. I was one of the few who could feel the strong sense of love coming from here, even some of our little brothers could do it. Clarsen, Matt, even our littlest guy, Peter, helped with...wait, was it Peter? Or was it Paul? Patrick?...Pat?...I dunno, it was a P name…or a D...” Twilight rubbed her chin. “So, was it just pony love, or…” Doomie chuckled. “We can feel all types of love, Twilittle, some were even kind enough to give us some.” “It’s Twilight, and how did creatures just hand you over love? I thought they hate-” “Ponies hate us.” Doomie stated. “Other creatures are more friendly.” “Really?” Twilight found it hard to believe creatures, besides them, could cooperate with each other. Doomie shrugged. “We’re friends with lots of other creatures. Diamond dogs, breezies, hydras, timber wolves, Donkeys, fireflies...we even met this one mule who was on the road, looking for a long lost friend...Matilda?...y-yeah, I think that’s her name…She was really nice.” Twilight was astounded. “Y-You guys are friends with...hydras...a-and timber wolves?” Doomie nodded. “We call em’ woodwolves for short.” Applejack stepped in. “Waywaywait, how in the hay are ya friends with monsters like them?” Doomie crossed his hooves. “Takes one to know one, seeing as how you guys see us as monsters too, it was a nice conversation starter when we met them.” Doomie sighed. “If only the dragons weren’t more violent than us, then maybe we could be friends with them too.” Twilight was about to ask another question, but a loud train whistle was heard, making her and the others looked over to the tracks to see a train heading their way. Doomie instinctively changed into a disguise and looked at Twilight. “Guess the trains here.” Twilight sighed. “Guess so, we’ll talk about this later.” She was still curious as to how changelings were friends with all these creatures, she couldn’t wait to ask if they were in alliance with ursa minor’s. As the train finally came to a halt, the group of ponies and disguised changeling started making their way inside. Doomie and Pinkie were just about to get on, but something caught Doomie’s eye. “Wait, did I just, no...that’s not even possible.” “What?” Pinkie asked. Doomie turned to his left to see a familiar looking, monobrowed, green pony coming toward the train, carrying a large sack on his back. “Twig?” The pony noticed them and dropped his bag on the ground. “Hey there, brother! You going on the train too?” Doomie placed his hooves on his hips. “Twig, why do you keep following us?” Twig shrugged and hoisted the bag back on his back. “I dunno, I just thought taking the train would be better than walking there, and my wings haven’t worked for me ever since I was born.” Pinkie cocked her head. “What’s with the bag?” Twig walked up to them and took his first step on the train. “Shhh, it’s all part of the big plan.” He tapped his forehead and stuck his tongue out on the side. Doomie facehoofed. “Twig, what are you talking about?” Twig booped his brother on the nose. “You’ll find out, it’s only a matter of time. Now, if you’ll excuse me,” Twig adjusted the bag and walked into the train. “I’m off to another story!” As the big bug finally made his way in, Doomie and Pinkie just shrugged and soon followed. Pinkie nudged him. “What do you think was in the bag?” Doomie shook his head. “I have no idea, probably something that has no point here.” He looked back and forth. “Which way did your friends go?” Pinkie held one of his hooves and yanked him. “Why don’t we just be by ourselves? You know.” Pinkie pressed her chest against his. “As couples.” Doomie blushed. “Uh...y-yeah, sure.” He looked ahead. “Where do you wanna sit?” Pinkie smiled and tugged his arms. “Come on, this way.” Doomie and Pinkie made their way to another train cart, passing by beds that were occupied by others, most of them asleep, except for one who was currently on the other side of the cart, checking on each bed, it wasn’t long before both of them found a place to sleep. “This good?” Doomie asked. Pinkie wagged her tail. “Perfect,” She hopped on the top bunk and held her hoof out to Doomie. “Come on up.” Doomie stepped back. “Uh...why are we sharing a bed?” Doomie looked at the other places to sleep. “There’s tons of other beds.” “You don’t wanna sleep with me?” Pinkie frowned. “But, that’s like, the one thing couples do.” “They sleep together?” Pinkie nodded. “What’s better than sleeping together?” “Sleeping by yourself?” Doomie didn’t seem to understand what Pinkie was explaining to him. The only time he slept with others was when he was a hatchling. “I don’t get why we need to sleep in the same bed, Why can't we just-" “Excuse me, sir?” Doomie turned to his right to see a pony wearing a conductors hat. “Uh...Yes? Can I help you?” The pony crossed her arms. “I’m afraid there’s only one bed per pony, no sharing is allowed on this train.” “Awww. come on.” Pinkie wined. “Can’t you make this an exception?” The pony closed his eyes and shook his head. “I don’t make the pony’s rules, I just follow them,” He opened his eyes, making Doomie quietly gasp. “that’s what a junior train operator is all about.” “Pretty please?” Pinkie begged. “We just met, and-” “That just makes me wanna-” “H-Hold on a sec…” Doomie went nose to nose with the pony. The stare lasting for what felt like minutes. “Um...can I help you?” Doomie narrowed his eyes. “Carl?” The pony immediately gasped and fell to the floor. “H-how did you know...w-who told you, I-I swear! I-It’s wasn’t me, I-I wasn't apart of whatever they did, I just got here, I-It wasn’t-” “Calm down,” Doomie said, looking around to see if anyone was looking. “I just wanna know how you got here; were you inside a building too?” Carl continued breathing in and out as fast as his lungs could. “I-Inside a building? W-Wha...what does that have to do with anything?” Doomie started getting annoyed. “Carl, what I mean is how you’re here and not a hundred miles that way?” Doomie pointed in the sky. Pinkie looked at Doomie. “Why do you keep calling him Carl?” “Because that’s his name.” Doomie answered. “Carl. The name the queen gave him when he was born." Carl regained his composure and stood back up. “L-Listen, pony, I have no idea how you know who I am, but I-” “They hatch from a cave.” Doomie said blankly. Carl went wide eyed. “Only on the walls…” He whispered. “There,” Doomie said. “You happy now?” Carl breathed a sigh of relief. “Yes! Thank queen...I-I thought for sure somepony found out about me...M-My cover could’ve been blown right there.” Carl turned to Pinkie Pie. “I’m guessing she’s one of us, right?” Pinkie continued looking confused. “Hatch from a cave? Doomie, what’s he talking about? Is he a changeling or something?” “It’s a counter statement.” Doomie explained while Carl’s heart pumped even more than before. “Counter statement?” Pinkie said. “Is that like a...thing you say, making him say something else...or something?” Doomie nodded, not noticing Carl slowly stepping away. “Yup, helps make sure we can know who’s a disguised pony and who’s not.” Doomie looked at Carl, making him freeze in his tracks. “Ain’t that right Carl?” Carl started to shake. “S-S-She knows?...H-how did...why does...w-when…” “Why is he shaking like that?” Pinkie asked. Doomie was about to ask the same question. “I dunno, why are you so nervous, Carl?” “Why am I nervous?” Carl stomped his hoof. “I’ll tell you why!” Carl realized how loud he was talking and whispered. “You have a pony who knows who we really are, do you know how bad that is!?” “It’s fine, Carl, she’s not gonna go telling on everyone that a changeling's around, so just calm down and let us be by ourselves, okay?” “By yourselves, why? Is she, like, some diplomat you’re taking to the hive or something?” Doomie shook his head. “Nope. She’s my marefriend.” “WHAT!?” Carl yelled, pulling Doomie away from her. “Doomie, that’s one of the top five things a changeling shouldn’t do!” Pinkie sat up. “What do you mean?” Carl looked at her. “What I mean is that changelings shouldn’t fall in love with their food.” “FOOD!?” Doomie shoved him on the ground. “Alright, listen here, you overgrown cockroach, I'm tired of others thinking we're not in love, so listen! She isn’t food!” Carl got up. “Didn’t you learn anything in love eating one- Oh right, you failed in all your classes, didn’t you?” “Carl...she’s more than food, WAY more, she’s the first mare I’ve ever met who said she loves me, and means. it” Carl stepped back, never thinking such words could be used in a sentence together. “S-she...you...really?” Doomie nodded while Pinkie watched the scene unfolded overhead. “That’s right.” Doomie continued. “She doesn’t look at us like monsters like the other ponies do, Carl. She doesn’t care how nasty we look or how dangerous we may be, and most of all, she loves me…” He looked at her. “For being me.” Pinkie leaned back and blushed, never thinking he would say something like this in front of a pony...or, changeling, in this case. Carl found that whole thing hard to understand. “So...she loves you without that stupid disguise you have on?” Doomie glared at him. “Hey! Yellow and orange mix just fine, Carl, and yes, she does. She loves me for who I am.” He slowly turned back to her. “Right?” He asked softly. Pinkie kept a straight face for a bit before changing back into a smile. “You bet I do, I don’t care what you look like, you are the sweetest thing I have ever met, no one has ever said something like that to me, and I don’t think anyone else ever will.” Both of them nodded and turned to Carl, making him raised his hoof to his chest. “So…” He said, “I guess you guys...really love each other?” They nodded. “Well, alright then, I see, I guess we can have real romance...for once…” “Aw…” Pinkie said. “It’s okay, I’m sure I’m not the only pony who feels this way to you guys, there’s probably tons of other ponies out there who love you for who you are.” “R-Really?” Carl dropped his jaw, never thinking he would hear that. “Y-You really think so?” Pinkie sat up as tall as she could. “I know so.” Carl sat down. “Well, alright then...I-It seems she really does love you, Doomie.” Doomie grinned. “No tricks, no spells, no lies, and no defects, I love her, and I always-” Carl coughed. “Alight, I get it, can we please stop with the romance, can we get to the comed-” “So!" Pinkie yelled. "Can you please let us sleep together...pretty please?” Pinkie put her hooves together and looked at Carl. Carl couldn’t look back, knowing he was a sucker for this type of act. “UGH! Alright, fine.” He said. “I’ll make an exception, but make sure no one sees you in the same bed; might get me in trouble.” Pinkie nodded. “We’ll be good, don’t worry.” Carl nodded. “Okay, and I swear, if I hear rocking in the next room…” “CARL!” Doomie yelled, his face hot red. Carl just laughed. “I’m kidding, brother, now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a job to keep and a bathroom to cry in.” With that, the disguised changeling turned around and made his way to the other carts. “Night’ brother.” “Um...Night?” Doomie waved goodbye and turned to Pinkie. “So, uh, how do I do this?” Pinkie patted the bed. “Just come on up, love bug~” Doomie put his hooves on the bed and hoisted himself on top, he nearly hit his head on the roof in the process. “Maybe we should’ve been on bottom.” “Only one of us can do that, Doomie.” Pinkie said with a smirk. Doomie just chuckled. “We really got our minds in the gutter, don’t we?” “I learned from the best.” “It was just a misconception, nothing too bad...but, I guess without it, we probably wouldn't have been this close.” Pinkie pushed herself closer to him. “Guess not.” “Yeah…” “Yeah…” A long silence came from both of them. Doomie started sliding his hoof across the bed sheet. “What is this thing, a cover or something?” “It’s a blanket, silly.” Pinkie giggled. “Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of a blanket before.” Doomie shook his head. “Never, only things I’ve ever slept in are cocoons, and they hang from walls, not just lay on the floor.” “But isn’t this a bit more comfortable?” Doomie sunk his hoof into the fabric, feeling something he never had before. “Why isn’t it hard or anything, the cocoons were pretty secure when it came to keeping you inside them, this feels like you can tumble right out of it.” “That’s what the blankets for.” Pinkie grabbed the blanket. “Here, put it on.” “Why? It not like it can provide any-” Doomie stopped talking once Pinkie wrapped the blanket over his shoulders. “-any...an...what in the…” Doomie took hold of the sides of the blanket and wrapped them around his entire body. “What is this thing made out of? It’s so...so-” “Soft?” Pinkie smiled. “That’s what blankets are like, Doomie, now come on.” Pinkie laid back on the bed and motioned her hoof to tell Doomie to do the same. Doomie was reluctant at first, but laying down next to her, making the blanket cover both of them. “So..uh...what now?” “Now…” Pinkie slowly moved her arms under the blanket until they wrapped around Doomie. He yelped as Pinkie pulled him in. Doomie could feel the racing heartbeat coming from both him and Pinkie. Doomie was about to ask what this was all about, but Pinkie stopped him with a gentle kiss. Doomie was startled at first, but quickly closed his eyes and returned the favor, his disguise slowly dropping while doing so. The warmth she brought to him was better than any cocoon he had ever took a nap in. He moved his own arms up to her shoulders and pulled her even closer, Pinkie didn’t seem to mind; it only made her giggle through the kiss. After some time, Pinkie pulled her lips away from his, opening her eyes and looking right into his. “Now…” Pinkie continued. “We sleep.” Pinkie slowly rested her head right under his, nuzzling right against his chest, hearing his heartbeat against her ears, making her eyes slowly close to the soft sound. Doomie decided to go with it, no longer wondering why this bed was made for sleeping, since he already knew the answer. He sighed and closed his eyes, his chin resting softly on her hair, and Doomie could swear he smelt a scent of sweetness in it, but he didn’t care, all he cared about right now was her. “Goodnight, Pinkie.” He whispered as he slowly drifted into slumber. Knowing this was a relationship that would last a lifetime. “Goodnight, Doomie.” Pinkie said in return, holding him even closer and matching her own breathing with his, knowing that this was a start of a relationship that would last for as long as they wanted.