Diane watched her friends with growing concern as they proceeded down the midway. Zap was looking somewhat uncomfortable as Glenda proceeded to publicly preen him. The Griffon for her part seemed oblivious to her own behavior, happily knitting her friends fur with her beak. Diane looked around and began noticing a large number of public displays of affection. In and of itself she supposed there was nothing wrong with happy couples enjoying each other’s company but… she took a calculated risk and reached out with her psychic fangs. Sure enough, the air was saturated with love. Thick enough to be abnormal.
“You know, Princess Fast is gonna notice the holes,” Diane jumped and spun around to face a stern faced changeling she recognized as Quick Phase, standing with her mare-friend Blue Sky, “Sneaking a snack from random ponies is bad enough, but Blue Sky is MY snack.”
“It’s not like that,” Diane stammered quickly.
“It’s alright Phase,” Blue quickly smiled at her mate, popping a bite sized candy in her mouth, “It’s just foalish mischief, no harm done.”
The couple went on about their business, but not before Phase cast back a look that let Diane know she WOULD be hearing about this when she got home. Probably from the Princess, but definitely from her mom. Still she had confirmed her suspicions, it wasn’t just her friend Glenda. Something was off with these ponies. She just couldn’t place what it was.
“Pardon me miss,” her thoughts were interrupted when she ran snout first into a gigantic stallion, who gave her a broad smile, then noticed the antics of her companions and frowned, “You and your friends haven’t gotten into the schnapps from the candy shop, have ya?”
“No sir,” Diane backed up, a bit intimidated by the large pony, but he seemed more concerned than angry, “My friend Zap just got some candies for his… our friend Glenda. I guess she appreciated it more than expected?”
“Well, okay,” the stallion smiled, “You seem like good kids. Enjoy the circus, and be sure to come see my show, Dead Lift the Strongest Pony In Equestria!”
“Are you a former human?” Diane asked suddenly, “I only ask because my Uncle Train Wreck was a human before Discord transformed him, and sometimes he’d say ’kid’ instead of ‘foal’.”
“Your uncle?” the massive stallion looked troubled for a moment.
“He adopted me,” Diane explained, “I know changelings normally don’t have uncles. His human name was Ki, but me and mom called him Charlie.”
“D- did he have a mohawk,” Dead Lift’s face became more troubled with each word, “When he was still human, I mean?”
“How did you know?” Diane asked incredulously, eager to meet anypony who might have known her uncle in the human world, “Were you friends?”
“Yeah,” Dead Lift said sadly, “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for your uncle. I’m sorry for your loss miss. I’m really sorry but… I have to go talk to my boss about something…”
Diane spun around in a puzzled circle, trying to remember if she had told Mr. Dead Lift that Uncle train Wreck was dead. He probably could just tell by how sad she still got when she talked about him. She turned to ask her friends, only to find them both making out behind a cotton candy booth.
“Really?” Diane said accusingly, causing Zap to struggle free and blush fiercely, leaving Glenda with a look of disappointment, “Maybe you two should take a trip through the dark ride while I check out the Odditorium. We’ll meet back at the candy shop in thirty.”
-=-=-=-=-
“I don’t care if he’s the son of Charlie Manson!” Madame Alias fumed at the agitated Zebra, “What I care about, is I have a fortune telling booth with no fortune teller! What I care about, is that one of my trusted lieutenants just dropped his load when a goddam changeling foal dropped the name of a GOAT!”
“You do not understand, your majesty!” the Zebra stammered, “If he is here than the fates are in flux! Life and death itself are irrelevant!”
“Oh really?” Madame Alias dropped a magical hood across the zebra’s head and giggled while he struggled to breathe, “Does your life seem so irrelevant now? Listen very carefully, that little slut is the last living pony who might… MIGHT recognize me for who I am, and you just made her suspicious! You might make a mistake like that twice, but there won’t be a third, do we understand each other?”
She released her hold and the zebra who sucked oxygen like I fish thrown back into water, “Yes your majesty, please your majesty! Understand, I can no longer promise that he is dead.”
“What do you mean by that exactly,” The changeling queen whispered, to be answered by a bellowing call.
“Iam! Goddam! Noone! I don’t care what I owe you! We got shit to discuss mother fucker!” A deep, melodic, stallions voice echoed through the tent.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me I have two very thorny issues to go over with Mr. Jimmy Jack.” the queen replied as she carefully pulled a razor, by hoof across a vanity mirror, then spoke in her stage voice, “Come in dear…”