As I came down towards the other Crusaders and Silver Spoon, Silver hopped to her hooves and gasped with alarm.
What she was gasping about became clear shortly. I set Scootaloo down and a bunch of foals rushed up around us, staring at me with wide eyes. Oh... I began going mentally through the few curses I knew, but none seemed quite harsh enough for the situation.
Snips pointed at me. "Are you here to suck out our brains?"
Silver snickered softly. "She'd starve if she tried that on you."
Snips looked a little lost as the other Crusaders formed a loose barrier around me. "Nothing ta see here!" proclaimed Apple Bloom.
Featherweight tilted his head. "When did you get a changeling friend?"
Pipsqueak spoke in his thick accent, "That changeling has the same sparkly hair that Diamond Tiara had. I didn't even know changelings had manes!"
Twist tapped at her chin thoughtfully, a gesture many of the other foals were emulating as the crowd tried to figure me out.
I flicked out my wings and the crowd jumped back, surprised and a little alarmed. "What?"
Snails pointed at me. "She sounds like Diamond Tiara too!"
Scootaloo gave a nervous little laugh. "Well, that's silly. You're silly. Diamond Tiara's a lot of things, but a changeling?"
Archer leaned forward. "But it looks kinda like her, and sounds like her..."
I put a hoof to my chest. "I'm practicing my disguises. Behold!" I changed shapes, becoming a copy of Twist. It was a perfect emulation, except...
"Your Mane and tail's still all sparkly." Featherweight tilted his head the other way. "Can't you change that?"
Berry Pinch shook her head. "Nuh uh. This is a test, from Miss Cheerilee." She pointed at me. "She told us it's bad for changelings to imitate real ponies, and they should be punished!"
Snips straightened up. "Hey, that's right! You broke the rules!"
Twist poked at me. "Thop looking like me, thath weird!"
This was going downhill, fast. "Oh, um, I didn't know that. Thorry." Ugh, I'd gained Twist's speech impediment.
Apple Bloom turned towards me. "You can look like me, if you want."
With a rush of flames, there were two Apple Blooms, though one had a sparkly mane and tail. I was losing the appreciation I had for the diamond look I had before. "Thanks."
Featherweight shook his head. "If you're not her, where is Diamond Tiara?"
Snail bobbed his head quickly. "That was definitely you in class. If you were there, Diamond Tiara wasn't."
Blunt Hooves suddenly charged into the crowd, becoming a changeling as he went. "Wait!" Everypony turned to look at him. "She's part of the exchange program. She's at the hive."
They looked equally satisfied and amazed. Berry Pinch pointed at herself. "How did she get picked for that? What if I want to visit?"
Pipsqueak made a face. "Yuck! Why would you want to do that?"
A loud argument began to brew about the idea if visiting a changeling hive was the grossest idea ever, or kind of cool.
Sweetie Belle cleared her throat. "We shouldn't be talking about their home while they're right here. That isn't polite."
That made several of the foals look embarrassed. Snips ambled up to me. "So how are you liking pretending to be a pony?"
I waved a hoof, noticing how different it looked when I had Apple Bloom's body. "Oh, tain't hardly nothin'. I'm gettin' mighty used ta things." Oh wow, was I talking that way? It just felt like the way I should. I wasn't sure if I was amazed or horrified.
Other foals pressed in close to Blunt Hooves, asking him awkward questions about being an insect, and nervously inquiring of us if they were going to be nibbled on.
Blunt Hooves shook his head. "I would... have rather just been your pony friend. I want to be a foal, just like all of you. Does it really matter if I'm a changeling or not?"
Archer nodded. "How can it not? I mean, you're a changeling... No offense, but that's kind of a big deal."
Blunt's ears sagged. "Does it have to be?"
I put myself in front of him. "No!" Everypony turned to look at me. "Ah mean, it doesn't have to be any kinda big deal. Blunt's a good pony."
The other Apple Bloom smiled a little. "You're right, he is." She trotted up to Blunt Hooves and gave him a little hug. "Welcome to Ponyville."
Twist slipped in and gave her own hug. "Welcome to Ponyville."
Soon all the foals came up and exchanged hoofbumps, hugs, or even a nuzzle in welcome, and Blunt Hooves was looking very overwhelmed and flushed. "Thank you... I look forward to being your schoolmate."
Suddenly, I saw nothing, then I was floating.
I opened my eyes and saw I was inside the pod that had held me captive once before. How did I get back there?! I thumped on the side of the pod and Chrysalis' face came into view.
"Good morning. So, tell me, what do you think of changelings?"
I frowned at her. "I still think you're a big mean bug, but Blunt Hooves is alright... He's a good pony."
She rolled a hoof, looking bored. "And other changelings?"
I gave the window a thump. I wanted out of there. "I'll give them a chance before I decide. I haven't met many others."
She flashed her fangs. "And that's all I wanted."
I snorted, blowing bubbles in the green goo. "Was that all a dream?"
Chrysalis raised a brow. "Of course not. Blunt was quite accurate and truthful when he said what was going on. You were an exchange student, learning our ways. How does it feel? Was it not a wonderful thing, to have our power?"
What happened? "I was..." I was kinda gross, but did I enjoy having wings when I wanted, being whatever I wanted? Did I enjoy having to feed on love? "It was a learning experience." I decided on tactful. "I understand changelings better. Does this mean I'm back to normal?"
She smiled. "You never stopped. You were in control of a drone. Ah, here she is now." Chrysalis moved out of the way to let the diamond-maned changeling poke in and gaze at me blankly. "A true drone, very little self-will, also not very useful for most things. They happen to be perfect for these little things." She ran a hoof slowly through the drone's mane. "What have you been up to? Getting my poor drone cursed."
Cursed? "I didn't do anything!"
She waved a hoof. "No matter. We'll get it cleaned up." She tapped the pod, and suddenly I fell free in a wet splat. "I trust you won't be picking on any changelings anymore?"
I shook myself free of the green gunk. "So I wasn't ever a changeling?"
"Felt like it, didn't it?" She leaned in with her burning eyes and her long fangs. "Do you want that back?"
"No! I mean, no, thank you." I sat on my haunches, mostly dried. "I'm happy with what I have." I noticed the drone still had the amulet and reached for it. "I should return this."
Chrysalis made a dismissive motion. "Go. You're not a prisoner. However... if you decide you wish to divest yourself of your weakness, you know who to call on." She flashed those fangs. "I can be a very protective mother."
I wasn't sure which mother I wanted to avoid more, the one I already had, or the one offering to adopt me. "I'm just fine being an earth pony, thank you." I rose to my hooves and moved to walk out of the cave. "If you see Blunt Hooves before me, tell him I'm going to slug him for knowing what was going on without telling me."
She raised a brow. "Are you now?"
I nodded. "We can be friends after that, but I owe him one good punch."
She laughed, a terrible sound as she suddenly grabbed me and held me close. "Are you sure you don't want to? You'd make a darling daughter."
I wriggled and batted her away. "If I change my mind, you'll be the second to know." I flashed a bright smile, then trotted out with all the dignity I could muster. Had she been spying on me while I floated in that goop? It was the only way I could figure she'd know when to wake me up. All to teach a stupid lesson!
A changeling landed in front of me. It was... me, the drone me at least.
She dipped her head. "Thank you."
I didn't know what she meant. "For what?"
She gave a little smile. "You let me see so many new things... I fought a timberwolf... I made friends. I soared through the sky. Thank you. Thank you for letting me experience so much."
I gave a slow nod. "Do you have a name?"
She smiled. "May I keep yours? I like it a lot."
I reached for her mane. "If you keep the mane and tail, yes. You can be Diamond Tiara, the changeling."
The drone took a slow breath, then nodded and settled on her haunches. "I feel... complete. I want to experience so much more. I will make you proud, Diamond Tiara."
Chrysalis came upon them with a raised brow. "You've broken her."
I turned sharply at her. "Broken her?"
Chrysalis gestured at Diamond, the changeling. "She's shaken her conditioning. She's not a drone anymore. Trying to force her back into it would be more trouble than it's worth."
Diamond Changeling tilted her head at Chrysalis. "I'm free?"
Chrysalis smiled and pointed at the true Diamond Tiara. "You can blame her."
"I blame you." She moved in on Diamond Tiara and hugged her tightly. "Thank you... Thank you so much."
I... She really was thankful. I gently offered my own forehooves and hugged her back.
Chrysalis snorted softly. "Now, I do hope you're taking responsibility for your actions?"
"Come again?" I raised a brow at the Bug Queen.
She gestured at Diamond Changeling. "She is like a foal. She will need to be trained, taught things, how to be a full and proper pony."
I shrugged. "She can go to school with the rest of us. How does that sound, Diamond Changeling Tiara?"
Diamond Changeling smiled broadly, exposing her fangs. "I hope we can be good friends. I... I heard your thoughts, even the unkind ones... You care about your friends. You are a good pony."
She heard everything!? "Hey! Those are my thoughts!"
Chrysalis shrugged. "Blame me, if you prefer. There was no avoiding that, if she was to act as your body."
Diamond Changeling nodded a little. "I was you... It was amazing. I hope the 'me' that I become is half as wonderful as you."
She had the right attitude at least. "We'll work on that. Come on, let's get out of here."
I led her from the cave. I'd gained a new perspective, and a new set of friends.
Maybe not all changelings were hideous vampire creatures.
Chrysalis is still a jerk!