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// 9 - Learning Lessons 
// Story: A Changing Perspective: or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Shell 
// by David Silver 
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I settled beside Silver and looked around. The CMC gave a collective raising of the hooves to let me know they were still on the case, whatever that was good for in the end. I returned to looking at our teacher as she began giving a lesson on weather management.

Yawn. Only a pegasus would get anything out of this, and I wasn't one of those. Though I guessed I could become one if I wanted, but not here, not now. As if I'd blow my secret in front of the entire class like that. I tried to pay attention to the lesson, but I was a little distracted with far more immediate issues. I found myself wondering if she had covered anything useful about changelings the day before.

I could ask the girls, and I decided I should, just in case it was more than just 'you should be alright with them.'

I think my time as an alicorn caught up with me as I felt dizzy and tired, but I was at least already in Silver's warm aura. I just had to... relax. I smiled a little at the memory. Still worth it. A shame I didn't get to try magic! Maybe later.

What was I saying? This wasn't the time to explore being a bug, even if it had a few perks. I did wonder a little, if they had the power to fly and do magic, why even hide? Was it something they learned, or was there some kind of practical reason for it? Then again, I heard when they attacked Canterlot, they mostly did it without disguises, and were a force to be reckoned with.

Imagine that, taking over Canterlot, and now the Princess has pardoned them all. Things change so quickly. Hay, they took over Ponyville once before and threatened the CMC and Princess Twilight and her friends, and that's all water under the bridge. Why would they just forgive them after causing so much trouble for everypony?

A piece of paper bounced off my head and I snorted before unfolding it to find a note.



Hello,

I'm still on your side, even if you were mean to me before.

We're Not All Bad,
Blunt Hooves



Short and to the point. I crumpled the paper back up and glanced over at him, but he was looking ahead at the board. It suddenly struck me, did changelings have real mares and stallions when they could, in theory, be either if they wanted to be? How did that work? I guessed they gravitated towards whatever one they were born as. Blunt Hooves was a colt, and acted like one, and even seemed to fall for mares like one too.

We're not all bad. He was still a bug... But he hasn't been a bad pony so far, just kinda... gross. Just like me. I wondered how he managed to stay in disguise all day long without a love source.

"Diamond Tiara." I snapped my head up towards Cheerilee, who was smiling that 'I caught you' smile. "What would your answer be?"

I hadn't been listening at all!

Silver raised a hoof. "Miss, Diamond isn't feeling very well."

Cheerilee looked surprised at that. "Is that why you've been looking so out of it? Why didn't you tell me?" She trotted over and reached a hoof towards me. Thinking fast, I thought of my alicorn self and let the heat build without letting it flare. She felt my warm forehead and frowned. "You should rest when you're sick. I appreciate trying to soldier through, but you're not going to learn much in this state."

I smiled at her. "I don't want to miss anymore lessons. I'll try harder."

Her surprise deepened to shock. "You must not be feeling well..." Was it that hard to believe I'd try to do good in school? "If you're sure you can handle it, but if you feel dizzy or tired, go home. You won't be punished for that." She smiled gently and I felt a little blip of true caring from her. "Now as I was saying..."

She was still talking about weather patterns and how pegasi reacted to and controlled them as needed. A glance around showed that the pegasi in the room were interested. Scootaloo was practically staring. Poor thing, maybe someday she'd get off the ground besides jumps with her scooter. I wonder how she felt when I just sprouted wings and flew on the spot when she'd been trying for so long?

Why did she look so happy about it then, instead of angry, or jealous, or even sad? Was she really just so happy for me, and she didn't even think about what it meant for herself? Was she just in love with the idea of flying that seeing one of her friends take flight was just that much fun, even if it wasn't her?

I kinda wanted to ask her, but how would I phrase that? I didn't want to hurt her, and 'hey, flightless wonder, check out these huge wings!' was not likely to fly over well, pun intended. A new idea came up and I smiled. I've seen her being carried around by Rainbow Dash, and she always had a great time, maybe... Maybe I could give her a ride, and ask her subtly while we're up there.

It was then that I realized I was thinking about learning about Scootaloo more than how to not be a bug! What was wrong with me?

... But I did want to know, and feel what it was like to fly, for real. Maybe... Maybe I was still an icky bug, but I could at least enjoy some of it, right? 

Mercifully, class drew to a close. I let the other foals rush out before I hopped down. Silver Spoon walked alongside me and I found my thoughts turning to her. She was a true friend. Except that one time, she'd never turned against me... and maybe I deserved that time. Even when she was super angry with me, she wanted to be my friend. I wanted to be friends with her. We fit together, and we understood each other.

I moved in closer and bumped our flanks together and she smiled. BFF. Not everypony had one of those, but I did... "Silver, I want to try something with Scootaloo and flying."

Silver tilted her head curiously. "Oh? Remember not to do the alicorn thing again. You looked really sick for a while there."

I shook my head quickly. "Promise, no Princess Tiara, no matter how nice that sounds."

She looked relieved. "Want me to come with you?"

I considered that. "Assuming everything works, I'll be flying around." I couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement at the idea. I never thought I'd get a chance to soar like a pegasus. "I don't want you to be stuck waiting for me."

She lifted her shoulders. "No big deal. I can work on some, like, reading while you're busy. Just come back down when you get tired, then we'll head home. You still look a little down."

That was all the permission I needed! I hopped into some bushes nearby and focused on the form of myself with wings, but more changed than that. I became a pegasus. I was leaner and lighter, built for flying. I wasn't an earth pony, and that felt odd. I gave my new wings a few experimental flaps. I felt ready!

I emerged from the bushes  and Silver squeaked. "Diamond! You look... different. I thought you'd just sprout wings."

I looked back at myself before nodding at her. "Me too. I went all pegasus. I guess that makes sense, to make flying easier." I spread my new wings wide as I turned for Silver Spoon. "How do I look?"

She giggled a little. "Like you were always a pegasus. Oh, here they come."

The Crusaders rushed over, though they looked curious. Sweetie spoke first, pointing at my new wings. "What happened?"

I grinned at her, then pointed at Scootaloo. "I wanted to go flying with my friend."

Scootaloo looked shocked, then turned a little red. "Y-you don't have to!"

I moved over to her and gently bumped side-by-side. "You know you want to go flying. Let's do it!"

She nodded timidly before she regained her bravery and flashed a smile. "You're not as big as Rainbow Dash. How are you going to hold me?"

I flapped my wings and gained about a foot, enough to throw all my legs over Scootaloo and pull her up tight. I was hugging her from above and she was secure. "Like this!"

Scootaloo giggled with growing excitement. "How do you even know how to fly?!" I could feel her happiness, and love? Whatever it was, she was gushing all over. "This is so cool! Let's go!"

Apple Bloom tilted her head. "Oh, uh, have fun! We'll wait here, I guess."

Silver Spoon smiled. "Let's go over our homework." They settled down and pulled out their books, but I wasn't paying much attention to them as I slowly gained altitude with my passenger and started making slow circles and banks. I didn't know how I knew how to fly either, but it just... came naturally. Changelings had wings normally, maybe that was it?

Scootaloo pointed to the top of the school house. "Let's tag the bell!"

I veered towards it and flew past it as Scoots reached out and slapped the bell, making it ring softly as she cheered in delight.

Scootaloo looked over her shoulder at me. "Maybe changelings aren't so bad."

I felt a sudden conflict of emotions. She was calling me not so bad, but I wasn't a changeling! I... I squeezed her close. "I know you like flying. How's it feel?"

Scootaloo sighed gently. "I wish I could do it on my own... But this is good too! Thanks." She pointed up at the clouds. "See if you can sit on one!"

We raised high into the sky to reach the cloud. I set Scootaloo down. Her pegasus magic worked well enough to hold her on the cloud as I landed beside her, but felt something weird. It was like I was doing something fancy. It took effort. I... Ah ha! Changelings don't normally rest on clouds. It took extra effort to do it.

It was soft... Like an extra luxury pillow under me. Scootaloo sprawled out on it, giggling. "I don't get to sit on these too often. Look how small everything looks!"

I put a leg around Scootaloo, pulling her close as I peeked over the side. Oh wow! We were up high. I felt dizzy looking at it, and suddenly the cloud gave way under me. I was hanging on by Scootaloo as my disguise faded away, leaving me as a bug, dangling.

Scootaloo struggled to hold me up. "Diamond... use your wings!"

Wings? I... oh yeah... I spread out my insect wings and they began to buzz softly. I lifted up beside Scootaloo safely and let out a loud breath of relief. "Thanks, forgot all about that for a moment."

Scootaloo smiled. "Changelings fly funny, but it's kind of cool too. Like a bumble bee. Want to go back down?"

Going back down sounded like a good idea. I grabbed her up and took off for the safety of the ground far below us. I kept my eyes on her, or the sky. I didn't want to get dizzy again. Flying was fun, but kind of scary.