//------------------------------//
// Supporting You 
// Story: If Fear Divides, Courage Unites 
// by SoloBrony 
//------------------------------//

I kept up my prancing and whistling routine all through the town. I got a few odd looks, but hey, if they're going to hate me, they're going to hate me, right? Not much I could do about that. I only stopped when I rounded the last corner to the house and saw an older, salt-and-pepper grey pony standing there, staring at it.

Uh oh. Why are they just... standing there?

The way the pony was staring at the house was almost uncanny. It was like he was transfixed.

Wait, maybe he's here to destroy it?! Maybe he's one of those anti-exchange ponies who's here to make sure changelings don't have a place to stay in Equestria! OR MAYBE HE'S A CHANGELING INFILTRATOR AND HE REJECTS THE EXCHANGE TREATY AND CAME ALL OF THIS WAY TO—

I took a step back, and then it occurred to me that I really had no idea what was going on, causing me to stop.

Okay. Okay. What would I do if I were a suave changeling infiltrator?

I ran over the scenario in my mind. First, I'd take some unassuming pony disguise, and I'd calmly walk up beside him, surveying the house as though it interested me, too. Then I'd have to say something witty, like out of a book or something, like 'you know it isn't for sale, right?'

Then, I'd figure out his intentions from there. Heck, I could pretend to be anti-changeling too, in case he leans that way. 

Yeah, that's totally how an infiltrator would handle this! Okay, I'll do that!

I did my best to calmly – suavely – strut up beside the pony and look at the structure. He looked over at me in confusion, and I just gave him my best cocky grin.

"You know it's for sale, right?"

He frowned, looking at the house.

"Oh... is it?"

"Huh? Oh, wait, no! I mean it isn't for sale!"

I suddenly realized that I wasn't even in disguise.

And that, dear nymphs, is why uncle Terrent will never, ever make it as an infiltrator.

The pony glanced back to me, their frown disappearing.

"Oh, that's good to hear. It's supposed to be a... halfway house, right? For changelings?"

My brain went into overdrive trying to come up with the best-possible, most-suave-possible response that could tell me his intentions without revealing the critical data he was requesting.

"Uhh... yes?"

Damnit!

"Oh, good. So this is the right place. I'm Cooke, by the way. I, uh, take it that you're Terrent?"

The pony proffered his hoof to me. I stared at it, remembering all of the things Krittith had told me about this pony; he would often go on about what a brilliant historian Cooke was, and how great their talks were. He would talk about the years undercover at Canterlot University, when their friendship was the only thing keeping him sane. All of those talks were tinged with just a bit of sadness at how it all turned out.

Because Cooke was the reason Krittith had to leave Canterlot. It was Cooke's group of faculty that tried to block the Cultural Exchange Treaty. It was Cooke that Krittith had been hoping to reveal his secret to – and it was Cooke that had precluded that by spearheading a group stating that changelings shouldn't be welcome in Equestria.

Well. What do you know. He actually is one of those anti-exchange ponies, after all.

He slowly lowered his hoof, and glanced away from me. He spoke again, his tone sombre.

"I'm sorry. Look, if you'd rather that I—"

"Why are you here?"

"... To help finish this place. It's what Krittith wanted it used for, right?"

I studied the ground for a few moments, contemplating. As angry as I wanted to be, I couldn't justify it.

I knew Krittith for a few weeks. This pony... he knew him for years. Besides, it's not like I don't understand what it's like to be afraid of someone just because they're different.

When I looked up, he was looking me in the eyes again.

"I'd like to help you finish this place... and maybe talk about him, if you'd like that."

I hadn't been able to finish the house. Part of it was that Krittith and I had always worked together on it; his voice made the work go by so much easier. I hated working alone.

"Yeah. Yeah, that'd be nice."

And so we got to work, building something to honor Krittith's dream of ponies and changelings being friends – and also the house.

~FIN




Bonus:

"Ah, man! I didn't realize it was that late. I'll have to stop for now, Cheerilee was expecting me for dinner."

Cooke quirked an eyebrow at me.

"Oh? You've got a date?"

"Don't be silly. She just asked me to din—"

Wait. Wait... Oooooh.

Oooooh.

"... Oh."

WAIT WHAT HOW DID THIS HAPPEN WHAT

Cooke facehoofed. Now I knew what it was like to be on the outside looking in.

"Terrent... I'll help you find something to wear."