//------------------------------//
// 05 
// Story: Pearl's Travels 1: Hollow Shades 
// by Makitk 
//------------------------------//

It took me a while to get Oval's initial look down to the point where none of my Changeling body was shining through anymore, and she then only increased the difficulty by switching to a different look.

We went through a few Earthpony looks in this fashion, of either gender, and then she brought some Unicorn forms in as well.

The fact I had a horn myself had still not fully sank in, and I struggled to cover it properly where I had simply hidden it for the Earthpony looks. Oval gave some great pointers, though. I really warmed up to her. Looking around the room it was clear that the other teachers were doing their best as well, each with their own methods.

The Alicorn mare was just slowly walking around the room, prancing from one set of hatchlings and adult Changelings to the next, taking note of everything like she was the head mistress of a boarding school. It was creepy to hear those dainty hooves of hers pass by and watching that sickly form of hers in the mirror when she did.

After getting the Earthpony and Unicorn looks down, with Oval seemingly randomly switching between them, she moved to a few Pegasus looks. I stared at her and reverted to my Changeling base self while she unfolded her feathered wings.

"But how... does that work? I mean, our changes are purely cosmetic, right?" I asked, looking behind myself at the chitin plating on my back and realizing for about the first time since I woke up that I had wings sticking out from my withers. A pair of transparent insect-like wings, but still wings.

"Not entirely, no," I heard Oval suggest, while I carefully tested my wings and fluttered them a bit. They made a buzzing sound as I did.

"So, I can fly with these, and use magic with my horn, while I'm not mimicking anypony?" I asked, returning my attention to Oval while buzzing my wings enough that I felt I had some lift but not enough to lift me up from the floor.

"Yes, but that's beside the point. When you mimic somepony, you take their physical attributes as much as their appearance," Oval explained. "In the case of winged Pegasi like this form, that means the feathered wings are as much a part of you as the rest of the form you mimic."

I stared her down. "Okay, so a Pegasi is practically just an Earthpony with wings; so ditch the horn and then learn how to do the wings?"

"You're overthinking it a bit much;" Oval returned with a chuckle, "just focus on the picture in your head. Our species' magic does the actual work after that."

I focused as instructed, taking Oval's new look in just like I had with her previous ones, including the wings this time. I pushed the picture to overlay my own internal depiction of self, feeling my Changeling magic wash over me as my body took on the new guise.

It was not too bad a feeling, now I'd gotten used to it a bit. It felt a little like a shiver going down your spine, but more electric. I opened my eyes again as the feeling subsided to see Oval grinning back at me.

"Okay, good try; but you put your wings backwards," she offered, turning her side to me and wriggling her wing closest to me a little.

I looked back, realized she was right, and focused to fix that issue. A flash of green passed over them and the limbs corrected themselves.

"I wonder how I did that?"

"You most likely focused on me as a mirror image rather than correcting that?" Oval offered up. "Our magic can do a lot, but if you give it the wrong input it will just roll with it if it's not going to directly harm us."

"Hmm," I heard a high-pitched agreeing hum from behind me, and turned to face the tall Alicorn mare. "Zpread your wingz, hatchling."

I turned my head to look at my wings, but a sickly thin hoof moved to my cheek to prevent me from turning my head fully. "Without looking at them."

I swallowed lightly; I had no idea yet how it would feel if I spread my wings, or what muscles to use, so I just winged it, so to speak. I just focused mentally on spreading my wings out, hoping for the best.

"You zhould focuz on getting the featherz right. They are more like our finz now," the taller one suggested.

"She's only just learned how to mimic these types of wings, sister," Oval suggested. "She is going at a good pace, though."

"Make zure zhe getz it right zoon," the taller one remarked to Oval, then smiled weakly. "We already have a new batch waiting to be taught."

As she stepped away, Oval tapped me on the shoulder. "Okay, as sister said; focus on the looks of the feathers."

I turned to face her, my wings still extended awkwardly. "It's all work with her, isn't it?"

"We get groups of hatchlings in almost constantly. I did tell you we need to teach you fast," Oval shrugged. "She's just thinking of the greater good here."

I stared at Oval. "But we're effectively parasites, aren't we? We need to leech on others' love to survive?"

Oval smirked at that. "We can't change what cards we were dealt. Its our fate to have to feed in this manner. All we can do is minimize the impact we have on others while we do it."

I gave her a thoughtful nod in return, my eyes scanning over her feathered wings. I pushed the image of them onto the pegasus look in my mind and felt the magic flow over my wings again.

"Not everyone thinks that way; Even in human society there are those who would rather cause as much damage as they can," I remarked, turning my side to Oval for a wing-inspection.

"This world is no different, trust me on that," sister Oval suggested. "Okay, you're doing a good job at the overal look of the feathers. Let's run through a few more looks so you get the feel of the three main pony races and you should be ready to train yourself in the use of these wings on your own."

"I've seen Pegasi fly before. I can imagine how it's different from our Changeling wings; ours barely give any lift, do they?" I wondered, watching Oval switch to a Unicorn look and moving to mimic her.

"Pegasi wings allow you to glide more, yes," Oval agreed, watching me change and then changing herself again to an Earthpony look. "Our wings give enough lift once you learn to use them properly, but you'll expend less energy with Pegasi wings. The trade-off with having to mimic them is hardly worth it, though. Just keeping the guise intact while flying is a chore in itself."

I followed her lead as she switched between guises, trying to take in all the information she gave me. "So how does it work with size differences, then? Brother? in the previous room changed into a little filly as an example earlier and I had to wonder where all the extra mass went to."

Oval motioned a forehoof over to a different Changeling. "Ask sister Breeze over there once we're done. She's better at child forms. I can't figure foals out."

I looked where she was pointing, noticing the hatchling and changeling pair currently looked like a set of foals already.

"If I can ask," I started, returning my attention to Oval and realizing she switched forms again. I quickly changed as well before continuing; "what are you best at?"

Oval changed into a Pegasus stallion, shrugging idly at me. "Stallions," she spoke in a decidedly more masculine voice. "Doesn't matter what species either; I just got them right on the first try. I can't figure out mare hairstyles. Stallions are far easier."

I smiled at Oval, almost automatically taking her form in and applying it to myself again. "I can see that," I spoke in the squeaky voice of a boy going through puberty, causing Oval to grin. "Over in the human world the girls have the most ridiculous hairstyles as well."

"You're going to need to work on that voice of yours;" Oval chuckled. "Other than that, you're doing a great job adapting your guise to mine," she stated, changing to a Unicorn mare and looking at me expectantly.

I changed my form again to match Oval's. "It gets easier the more I do it, but I am starting to feel a bit tired," I admitted in a far more feminine tone.

Oval gave a slow nod and reverted to her Changeling self. "Trust me, I know the feeling."

I reverted to my new base form as well. "The life of a teacher, right?"

"Yes, although the next batch of hatchlings is my last one before I can go back to the city," Oval agreed. "I've expended a lot of my reserves already."

"Can I ask what city?" I wondered.

"Oh, sure; I'm usually somewhere around Hoofton. I moved there from Fillydelphia a while ago and haven't looked back," Oval suggested. "I don't know, it's something about the climate or the ponies themselves. I feel more at home there."

"Maybe I'll come visit some time?" I suggested.

"Remember we need to stay covert while among them. Don't just come prancing up and calling me sister now," Oval joked. "If you can find me, we'll head over to somewhere quiet to talk. I'll probably recognize you before you'll even see me."

"Experience, right?" I offered, shaking my head a little.

"Something like that, yeah," Oval agreed, then motioned over in Breeze's direction. "Go join sister Breeze and get her to teach you a few foal looks as well. I'm going to get a drink."

I reached over to pull Oval into a hug. "Thanks for the training, sister Oval."

"Heh... you're going to be allright out there, if you keep this up," Oval returned, but returned the hug eagerly. "Remember to stay low-key. Don't jump headfirst into situations if you can avoid it."

I agreed and we broke our hug, with Oval pushing me toward Breeze again. As I started off in the direction of the supposed foal-expert, Oval moved off to a dark corner of the room. When I looked back, I couldn't spot her anymore.