6: It's Complicated
It was a pleasant, if windy, evening on the northern edge of the jungle. The trade convoy from Stripped Gear took six days to reach the farthest outpost under Cadista’s domain, just south of the Macintosh Mountain range. It was a walled train yard and supply depot resting on the edge of a cliff, where a lone bridge spanned the five hundred meter chasm separating Equestria and the changelings' domain.
The rail yard was manned almost entirely by soldiers, as they had to watch out for both opportunistic attacks by other changelings, and various extremely deadly denizens of the jungle.
While the convoy’s goods were being loaded on the train, Twilight was elbow deep in the engine of one of the steam walkers that had broken down. The machinery glowed in an orange light emanating from Twilight’s horn.
Ratchet Altair’s snout was buried in the other end of the engine. “I’m telling you, it’s a faulty piston that let too much steam build up and ruptured the whole assembly.”
“No, no, the piston is only a symptom of the real issue. The pressure build up was caused by too much steam getting through in the first place. The seals can’t handle anything over three hundred PSI. The new boilers were installed without double checking the older construction first.”
Ratchet pulled his head out of the engine to get a look at the broken seals Twilight was inspecting. She pointed them out with a hoof. “See? The metal surrounding the seals flex too much, and I bet under working conditions they’re bulging out, letting too much steam through.”
Ratchet ran the numbers in his head and came to the same conclusion. “Well, I’ll be, good catch, Twilight. A few more days and I bet you’ll know these engines inside and out.”
Twilight blushed, but said nothing. Ratchet marked the faulty seals with bright red tape, while Twilight wrote the problem down on a scroll for the maintenance team to repair later. He sat back, idly pulling off his grease-stained work gloves. “You’ve really got a knack for this stuff, Twi— I mean, Twilight.”
“You can call me Twi’, if you want, it’s what my friends call me.” Twilight hesitated. “… What they used to call me, anyway.” She pulled her work gloves off, then flew over to the steam walker’s cockpit. “Now I’m wondering if I’ll be as close to them as I was before. The hive is like a second family to me… Will I have to choose between two worlds?”
Ratchet frowned while putting his tools away. “I don’t see why you would. What’s wrong with having two families?”
Twilight caught a glimpse of her reflection. To avoid risking a second attack, she was disguised as a normal drone, indistinguishable from her four-thousand siblings. “It’s just, things are so different now. Even with my memories coming back, I feel closer to you than my old friends. What if they don’t like me? What if I ruin everything?”
Ratchet flittered over to Twilight and put a hoof around her. “Don’t worry about it. If Celestia welcomed you back so easily, I’m sure your friends will too.”
“You’re probably right, I shouldn’t fret about this so much.” Twilight sighed, and nuzzled Ratchet. “Thanks for being here, Ratchet.”
For several minutes, the two changelings said nothing, content with each other’s company. Eventually, Twilight’s eyes drifted to two trailers from the caravan being refitted with train wheels. “Hey, Ratchet?”
“Yeah?”
“I thought the caravans only brought one supply car for the love crystals and other provisions. What’s the second car for?” She pointed a hoof towards the car in question.
“Oh, that’s the mobile incubator. Cadista always keeps one on hoof in case she ever needs to make a prolonged absence from the hive.”
Twilight scrunched up her snout. “Mobile incubator? But I don’t lay eggs yet.”
He shrugged. “That’s what was on the manifest. I thought you would have asked earlier if you had any questions.”
Twilight scratched her head, and sent a low priority query to her queen.
Cadista, however, placed high priority on any query from Twilight. <Yes, Twilight?>
<I was wondering why you sent a mobile incubator with me. You know I don’t lay eggs yet.>
<Yet, is the operative word. I’ll be honest with you, Twilight. Your development is happening faster than I expected. By my original estimations, your integration into the hive mind should have taken significantly longer, so other aspects of your development might have sped up as well. In addition, you were already a full adult before being placed inside the chrysalis. I just wanted to make sure you wouldn’t have to cut your visit short should you start laying.>
Twilight pressed her hind legs together. <You don’t really think I’d start laying that soon, do you?>
<It’s unlikely, but let this be a lesson to you. A queen must leave as little to chance as possible. But, like I said, don’t worry about it. Enjoy your time in Equestria!>
Twilight relaxed. <Alright, I’ll remember that. Thank you for looking out for me.>
Cadista’s tone warmed. <You are more than just my heir, Twilight. I want you to be happy with who you are. Now, go reconnect with your friends and family. The hive will be still be here when you get back.>
Twilight smiled. <I will, but still, thank you.>
Cadista send wordless acknowledgement, prompting Twilight to end the conversation. She did not have long to ponder about the incubation car when a call over the Link echoed in her mind. <The train will be departing shortly. All personnel going to Equestria should board within the next ten minutes.>
Yikes, I’d better go. Twilight raced through the air to find the forward passenger cabins. The hive mind directed her to the third car where her cot was located. She landed on the roof of the car and jumped inside the trapdoor, into a cramped hallway. After finding her room in the center, she jumped inside and flopped on the bed, dropping her disguise. The windows are shuttered, so it should be fine as long as I stay here until we’re in the tunnel.
The train arrived in Ponyville three days later in the wee hours of the morning. It was right before sunrise, but Twilight was wide awake, her face plastered against the glass as the town came into view.
There it is, my old home. Familiar thatched houses and stores appeared before her in the distance while the train diverted towards the trade depot. Most of the town was still asleep, but a few lights peppered the townscape. I have so many friends to visit - who should I see first?
She anxiously wrung her hooves. Should I visit them in alphabetical order? That would mean skipping everypony to get to Applejack on the far end of town. What about the order I first met them when I came to Ponyville? Argh, I don’t remember the order. Maybe whoever’s the closest to the cargo train station? That would be Rarity, then Pinkie Pie, or would that be Rarity, then Rainbow Dash? Gah! I don’t even know where Dash’s house is!
Some of her mane started to jump out of place before an idea came to her. Rarity’s boutique should be the closest, so I’ll ask her where Rainbow Dash’s house is and then I can visit them all in order. She clapped her hooves in delight. “Excellent!”
Twilight heard Ratchet’s voice in the hive mind grow a little louder as he stirred from his sleep. He was having difficulty rousing from a drinking game he played with the other engineers last night. Twilight poured him a cup of water from a pitcher of water she’d laid out last night. “Here, this should help your hangover.”
He blearily took the glass in his hooves and downed all of it before gasping for air. “Thanks for that.”
Remembering all the times Cadista performed it, Twilight tried to spread some of Ratchet’s hangover through the Link, but could only push a little through the changelings nearby. “Happy to help! You may want to, ahh… get cleaned up before we go into town.”
He groaned painfully while trying to sit up. “This is what I get for betting against a sister who makes regular trips outside the hive. She had some seriously hard cider in storage, and a liver to match.”
Twilight refilled his glass and gave it back to him as he managed to sit on the side of the bed. “Ponies get into a lot of drinking games too. I remember Rainbow Dash and Applejack would drink themselves under the table at least once or twice a month.”
He downed half the glass before his bladder demanded attention. “I’ll be back,” he yelped while racing towards the lavatory.
Twilight snickered as she trotted towards the washroom. I should be presentable for my return.
The showers were busy, but Twilight was able to find an empty stall. As she used her telekinesis to scrub away at her back, a troubled thought struck her and she sent off a query to Cadista.
This time, it took a bit for the queen to reply. <Yes, Twilight?>
<I forgot to ask, what sort of reception should I be expecting from the ponies? Can I go without a disguise?>
Cadista considered the question for a moment. <I actually received a letter yesterday from Celestia, regarding the results of the Summit. She decreed that changelings fitting the description of our hive are to be considered open allies with Equestria, so you should be able to walk about in your true from, but it is my experience that some ponies are slow to accept change. To that end, I would prefer you to go without a disguise, unless there is a serious threat. I’m hoping your friends will be able to make sure any sort of mistrust is short lived.>
<I hope you’re right. Oh, and, do you mind if I take Ratchet with me? I’m sure he’d love to see the place.>
Cadista hummed. <Well, normally such interaction is reserved for our love collectors, as they’ve had special training in interacting with outside cultures. Then again, we are trying to form closer ties with Equestria. I think it would be a good experience for him to get acquainted with Ponyville.>
<Great! I know we’ll have fun together.> Twilight quickly finished showering and the rest of her morning hygienics.
A few minutes after making sure her mane was perfect, Twilight went to grab her saddlebags and found a scroll bearing Celestia’s seal lying on top. I’m glad I packed the candle near the top, or it might have appeared inside the bag.
Dear Twilight Sparkle,
I apologize for the hasty penmanship of this letter, but I have been debating with my sister about your visit. While I informed your friends and family about what has happened to you, I unfortunately found it best to keep your fate hidden from the populace. They only know that you were attacked on your way to Cadista’s hive and that you are recovering your health there.
They do not know you are a changeling yet, so I beg of you to not reveal yourself to the public. This situation is not only untenable, but also grievously unfair to you. It is with a heavy heart that I ask you to only reveal yourself to your friends, for now. My sister will arrive tomorrow. At that time, she will make a public statement in Ponyville, along with you and the rest of the Elements to illuminate the current situation to the citizenry.
With the backing of your friends and my sister, I fully believe that the public will accept you and your kin. It is my dearest wish to smoothen public relations between our peoples.
I hope that you will have time after the declaration to repeat it in Canterlot to clear the air, so to speak, and also so you can visit with your family. Shining Armor and Cadance will be arriving there in three days.
Sincerely,
Princess Celestia
P.S. If the guards try to remove your disguise, show them the royal seal enclosed with this letter. My magical signature will dissuade any guardponies from unmasking you.
Twilight levitated the signet emblem of Celestia’s cutie mark away from the paper. Her old mentor’s magic clung to it and felt like a hot summer’s sun to her magical senses. It was a warm, familiar feeling that eased much of her troubled thoughts about Equestria’s political climate. Looks like I’ll have to wear a disguise after all. She sighed. “I’ve trusted you with my life before, Celestia, I see no reason to stop now.”
She pocketed the seal, and assumed her drone disguise. I’d better cloak the cutie mark on my bags too.
With her appearance taken care of, she departed the train car to find Ratchet waiting for her outside of the train car. “Mother says I’m off duty for the next few days.” He gave her a curious look. “You wouldn’t happen to be responsible for that, would you?
She nervously scuffed the ground. “I wanted someone who could lend support in case things didn’t go well.”
Ratchet’s gaze softened. “I doubt it’ll come to that, but I’ll always be here for you.”
“Thanks, Ratchet.” Before she could take off, a squad of royal guards entered the train yard. Twilight felt a brief warning broadcast spread throughout the local changelings. So, having the guard show up like this is unusual. She opened herself to her gathered kin. <Let me handle this.>
Several changelings watched Twilight and Ratchet march up to the Guard, while most of them went back to work with the local pony yard workers. Twilight wasn’t sure if a smile with fangs would look friendly or not so she opted for a neutral expression and a warm tone. “Good morning, officers, can I help you?”
“We were not expecting a shipment until this afternoon. We need to verify that none of you are from Chrysalis’ swarm.”
Twilight remained cordial. “How do you plan on doing that?”
More guardponies arrived as the sergeant answered. “Standard procedure. All of you line up and submit to an illusion disruptor. If you stay grey, then you are free to enter town, as per the most recent decree by both Princesses.”
Twilight fished out Celestia’s seal. “My kin have no objections to that, but I’m afraid I am on business for the crown. I need to be going.” She levitated Celestia’s seal, and the sergeant’s brow arched. Evidently, it was not common for a changeling to possess one.
The unicorn scrutinized the seal with every method he knew of, and each one came back clean. He didn’t like it, but returned it without question. “Very well. I’ll still expect full cooperation from the rest of you.”
Twilight inclined her head. “Of course, good sir.” <Alright guys, line up for presentation. Let’s not give them a reason to do more than a simple sweep.>
The forty odd changelings responded instantly, and lined up on the west side of the train. By the time the Guards had started their sweep, Twilight was already in the air and headed towards Carousel Boutique.
Ponyville looks so different from the air. Fortunately, Rarity’s business stood out almost as much as Sugar Cube Corner, and Twilight found it easily. Ratchet landed next to her, near the front door. Here goes nothing.
The door chime rang upon Twilight’s entry, prompting a coy accented voice to call out from the back room. “Just a minute.”
Ratchet stayed by Twilight’s side while gazing at the multitude of dresses with an appraising eye. Such fascinating designs. The proprietor must have discovered a good aesthetics formula. He saw a rich blue dress with silky lace on the far end. I wonder how Twilight would look in that.
Twilight checked to see there were no other customers and dropped her disguise to wait out Rarity’s arrival. What do I say to her? Sorry I worried you? No, that’s too—
Her musings were interrupted by Rarity leaving the back room. “So sorry about that, dear, I was—”
Twilight grinned sheepishly while waving at her friend. “Um, hey Rarity… I’m back!”
“Twilight? Is that really you?” Rarity whispered while racing over to see her friend up close. She ignored Ratchet and tried not to flinch at the purple mare’s fangs, slitted eyes, and prominent butterfly-esque blood red wings. “Even with the Princess’s letters, I was beginning to think I’d never see you again.” She used her magic to quickly lock the door and flip the closed sign.
“Yes, Rarity, it’s really me.”
Rarity threw her hooves around Twilight and tried to squeeze the life out of her in a silent hug, as it was the only way for her to maintain her composure. Twilight didn’t need to hear any words, as the love she received from her friend was all that needed to be said. Twilight hugged her back, and both mares stayed that way for an entire minute.
Ratchet was rather interested in the exchange. Strange. Rarity’s mind is completely mute to me, and yet her care for her friend is obvious. No wonder Twilight uses physical displays of affection so much.
Rarity eventually pulled away, much to the love hungry Twilight’s disappointment, to carefully wipe away a few tears. “I’m so happy to see you’re alive and well Twilight, even if it cost you…” She trailed off before her mouth could get her in trouble.
“I’m happy to see you too. How have things been since I left?”
Rarity averted her eyes from Twilight. “Well, the town’s been relatively quiet. Spike took over as town librarian. Applejack has been rather distant lately, throwing herself into her work again.” She perked up and faced her friend. “But Rainbow Dash took it the hardest. Why don’t you visit her while I round up the girls in the library?”
I really wanted to spend some time one on one, but I guess grouping up would be faster. “Okay, Rarity. But you can’t tell anypony else I’m here yet. Luna’s coming over tomorrow to make a public declaration.”
Rarity scoffed and waved her hoof. “Oh, don’t worry darling, my lips are sealed.” She started pushing Twilight out of the door who barely had enough time to don her disguise before being tossed out. “Now, hurry up! You know how Pinkie can be if she’s stuck in one place for too long.”
Ratchet left the building after Rarity followed Twilight outside. “See you soon, dear.”
Ratchet saw Twilight was currently unable to speak and raised a hoof towards Rarity. “Could you point out Rainbow Dash’s home? Just so we know where to look.”
Rarity gave him a slightly chilly look. “It’s the cloud home just south of the park. You can’t miss it.”
His first reaction was to give thanks over the Link, but he quickly remembered she wasn’t part of it. “Thank you, Miss Rarity.”
“Of course,” she replied flatly before cantering off.
Ratchet stepped towards a perplexed Twilight. “I was under the impression she would have wanted to talk more.”
Twilight blinked as she regained her wits. “Y-yeah, I thought so too. Maybe she just doesn’t want to lose her composure.”
“In that case, should I stay outside while you speak with Rainbow Dash?”
One thing stood out about Rainbow Dash in Twilight’s memories, and that was the pegasus’ old friendship with Gilda. “No. I don’t think it’ll come to that.”
He glanced around at the morning crowd of ponies making their way through the streets. Some of them had semi regular contact with Cadista’s hive by virtue of the regular shipments in and out of Ponyville, and were largely unfazed by the two changelings in front of Rarity’s store. Others however, gave the pair a wide berth, but otherwise tried to ignore them. To have so many minds closed to you. It’s a wonder how they get along so well.
Twilight took to the air with Ratchet close behind. <If I remember correctly, Rainbow Dash is a really late riser, so she might still be asleep.>
<Should we visit one of your other friends then?>
Twilight spotted the cloud home quickly enough. <Maybe—oh, there’s a light on, nevermind.>
The pair alighted to the front steps. Never thought I’d be able to walk on clouds without a spell, Twilight mused as she knocked on the door. Several seconds passed with no response before she knocked a second, and then third time.
Twilight scrunched her face. <Why won’t she answer?>
<Perhaps she fell asleep with the light on.>
<Argh, she would do something like that.> Twilight grumbled as she took flight and flew around the house until she found Rainbow’s bedroom window. Sure enough, the lamp was on with the cyan pegasus sprawled out on her bed with a book covering her face. <I knew it! She’s wasting lamp oil leaving it on all night like this.>
The disguised changeling poked her head through the open window. “Rainbow Dash.” No answer. “Rainbow Dash!” The only response was a loud snore, prompting Twilight to shout even louder. “Rainbow!”
Rainbow Dash jolted up at the noise, and blearily looked up at the changeling hanging in her window. “Uh, hi Rainbow.”
The cyan pony’s brain finally registered that there was a changeling trying to enter her house, and the sleepy fog over her mind was burned away by an adrenaline rush. She leapt up on all fours, flaring her wings menacingly. “Are you a thief, or one of Chrysalis’ assassins!?”
“Actually,” Twilight wiggled inside before dropping her disguise, “I’m here to turn your lamp off, and say hi.”
Rainbow remembered Celestia’s letter informing her of Twilight’s new appearance, and her arrival today. The pegasus’ snarl was replaced by a joyful smile. “Twilight!”
She raced forward and grabbed the changeling into the air and squeezed her even harder than Rarity, and the flowing love felt less forced. Twilight warred with her desire to breath and her hunger for more love. Eventually, Rainbow decided for her and let Twilight catch her breath, but the love kept flowing, although Rainbow’s expression and tone was that of anger. “Why didn’t you let me come with you! I could have protected you from those jerks and this whole thing wouldn’t have happened!”
Twilight didn’t remember the original reason, but she could guess. “Sorry, Rainbow, it was dangerous, as I found out all too well.”
“I know that! But I—” I should have tried harder to convince you to let me go. She couldn’t bring herself to say it. She wrapped Twilight in a softer hug. “I’m glad you’re okay, Twilight.” Before Twilight could reciprocate, Rainbow pulled away. “You’re still you, right?”
Twilight averted her gaze while rubbing her foreleg. “Well… I still haven’t recovered most of my memories and… I am a changeling now.”
Rainbow moved her head to look Twilight in the eyes. “I don’t care about the changeling bit, all I care about is it is still you on the inside.” She poked Twilight’s nose for emphasis.
Twilight saw the lamp in the corner of her eye and idly used her magic to shut it off. “I think so.”
Rainbow heard her discarded book being closed, and laid neatly on the nightstand. She grinned and crushed her friend again. “That’s the egghead I know!”
How does my need to clean up have to—oh forget it. I’m just glad she accepts me. Rainbow let go and pulled Twilight to her hooves.
“I have to get a good look at your new duds.”
Twilight watched as the pegasus poked and prodded the changeling’s dark crimson wings, curved horn, fangs, and holes. “You really don’t care that I’m a changeling?”
“I don’t know, “ she said mockingly. “Depends on how well you can fly.”
Twilight giggled. “Well, I’ve barely had my wings for two weeks, so I don’t think I’m ‘on your level’, so to speak.”
Rainbow hovered in the air with a smug grin. “Maybe in a decade or three, but seeing as you're still the same purple egghead I know, I wouldn’t care if you were a hydra. ‘Course, that’d be kind of awesome, too. So, yeah, have you told the rest of the girls?”
“Rarity was the closest to the train yard. She’s rounding up everyone else, and we’re all meeting at the library soon.”
“Cool. Spike’s been running the place since you left. He isn’t half-bad, but he can’t get early copies of Daring Do books like you can, so I had to settle for something else.”
“Really?” Twilight arched an eyebrow and levitated a book lying on Rainbow Dash’s nightstand over to her.
“Hey! That’s private!” Rainbow tried to grab the book as it flew over her head, but it nimbly dodged the pegasus’ flailing hooves.
“Slammed?” Twilight was so confused by the title that Rainbow managed to snatch the book away and hide it under the bed. A brief moment later, Twilight’s eyes lit up. “Waaait a second, that’s a romance novel.” She gave Rainbow Dash a coy grin. “Somepony’s been branching out, I see.”
Rainbow’s cheeks burned bright crimson. “It’s just to tide me over, that’s all. Really!”
<What is a romance novel?> asked Ratchet, still hovering by the window.
Twilight balked. “You don’t know what romance is?” She started sending him the basic concepts behind romance via the Link.
Rainbow looked between both changelings. “Wait, where did he come from?”
Twilight waved Ratchet inside. “This is Ratchet. He’s my engineering guru.”
“Egghead. Got it.” Rainbow shook his hoof after he landed in front of her. “Wait, why are you shorter than she is? Actually, why are you taller than me?”
Twilight took stock of her height for the first time, now that Ratchet and Rainbow Dash were standing right next to each other. “I thought that drones were shorter than ponies.”
Rainbow looked at Ratchet who was roughly the same height she was. “No, you’re the tall one here. Almost as tall as Princess Luna.”
Twilight stumbled backwards at the revelation. “I…I never noticed. How did I not notice?”
“Perhaps you’ve been too stressed out about how your friends would react?” Ratchet offered.
“Yeah, that sounds like you, all right. Remember the ‘Want it Need it’ incident?” Rainbow teased.
Twilight groaned. “That’s one memory I could have done without.”
Rainbow Dash snickered. “I hear Big Mac kept Smarty Pants.”
“Oh, was that the name of my old doll?”
The cyan mare tilted her head. “You forget some random stuff, but yeah. Anyway, why don’t we head down to the library, Spike’s been dying to see you ever since we got word of your visit.”
Of them all, Twilight remembered Spike the least. “I’m sure he does,” she replied flatly. “Let’s get going.”
After replacing her disguise, Twilight and Ratchet followed Rainbow Dash to the Golden Oaks Library. As Rainbow lead the way, Twilight glanced around at the various hauntingly familiar sights and sounds of Ponyville.
Twilight hesitated in front of the large tree home. A powerful wave of nostalgia heralded a migraine and she fell back on her haunches. Rainbow and Ratchet quickly came to her side.
Years of memories surrounding this tree were finally recovered. “What’s wrong—” Rainbow remembered just in time not to say her name in public, yet.
“I-I’m fine.” Twilight got back on all fours and shook her head to clear her thoughts. “I always get headaches when memories come back.”
Rainbow’s eyes glinted with predatory delight. “Oh? So did you remember that one night stand with Lucky?”
Twilight wracked her recovered memories. “I-I didn’t do anything like that, did I?!”
She looked to Ratchet, who shrugged, then to Rainbow, who abruptly burst into uproarious laughter and fell on her back. “You should see the look on your face. Priceless!”
“So... I never did any of that?” Twilight asked cautiously.
Rainbow’s laughter died. “Ah, no you didn’t. I was just kidding.”
“So I don’t have to worry about anypony claiming to be my coltfriend?”
“Are you kidding? You were too busy sticking your snout in books to get a coltfriend.”
Rather than feel indignant, Twilight mulled sullenly over her friend’s words. I almost died not knowing what it’s like to fall in love. “I’d rather... avoid doing that again.”
Rainbow Dash watched her friend walk into the library. What does she mean by that?
Twilight entered the library only to be grabbed inside by a pair of pink hooves. “Twilight! You’re here, you’re actually here!” The purple changeling was being shaken so bad she could barely make out the pink blur in front of her. “You’re alive again, so that means you need a party for that, but you’re also a changeling, so I need a party for that too, oh, and you’re tall too!”
Applejack dragged Pinkie away from Twilight. “Simmer down Pinkie. Last I checked, changelings still need air.”
While Ratchet sensed no serious distress from Twilight as she flopped on the floor without a disguise, he felt compelled to at least ask. <Is… Is this normal for ponies?>
<Well, maybe for my friends.>
Applejack studied Twilight’s appearance while Fluttershy and Pinkie did the same with more enthusiasm. The shy pegasus meekly pulled Twilight to her hooves. “It’s so nice to see you’re okay.”
Applejack frowned at Twilight’s fangs and slightly intimidating crimson gossamer wings, but it was Twilight’s altered cutie mark that turned it into a scowl. “So, Twi, how much of us do you remember?”
The purple changeling was a little put off by Applejack’s curt demeanor. “Well, I don’t know if I remember most or just a little bit of it all but—”
Scampering feet ran in from the basement and Spike plowed his way through the crowding mares to jump at the purple changeling. “Twilight!” He latched onto her and held on for dear life. “I thought I’d never see you again!”
I think I’m going to have some cracked ribs after this. Twilight cringed painfully while hugging him back. “I missed you too Spike.” She knew what to say, but couldn’t attach any real feelings behind it.
Spike looked pleadingly into her eyes. The fangs and reptilian slits meant nothing to a dragon. Hearing his voice and seeing his face almost made her drop Spike as a storm of memories nearly overwhelmed her. Twilight grimaced as she started hissing in pain.
The other mares forgot their misgivings immediately, and Fluttershy voiced a shared question. “What’s wrong? Did we hurt something?”
Ratchet moved in to try and comfort her, but Applejack intercepted him. “Who are you supposed to be? Did you do this to her?”
He tried to keep from matching her hostility. “Twilight has pain whenever she recovers more of her memories; it will fade shortly.”
“That still doesn’t explain who you are. You here to keep her on a leash?”
Rainbow forcibly separated Applejack from Ratchet. “Take it easy, AJ. Ratchet is like, Twi’s bodyguard, or something. He’s cool.”
When Twilight blinked away the spots in her eyes, she saw a fretful baby dragon waiting for her. This time, however, he was met with a sisterly smile. “Spike!” She squashed him in a hug and nuzzled him. “I can’t believe how much I’d forgotten about you.”
Pinkie Pie saw this as a great opportunity and pulled all of the mares into a big group hug. “We are so totally having a ‘Twilight’s back’ party!”
Applejack’s expression softened, and she slowly let herself get pulled into the hug.
Twilight was content to soak up every last drop of freely given love. She felt a few faint cramps in her gut, but ignored them. Pinkie Pie raced to the kitchen and pulled out all kinds of party streamers, a filled punch bowl, and several party games.
“Come on, everypony, we’ve got a reunion to celebrate!”
The hug broke up with everyone except Rarity and Fluttershy trying to pull Twilight towards a game. With Twilight being forcibly preoccupied by everyone, Ratchet stayed out of the way, and gave the six mares (and one dragon) a chance to catch up on lost time. The next two hours gave him a fascinating looking into Equestrians. Now I know where Twi gets that penchant for physical affection. It’s good to see her fears of rejection were unfounded.
However, he noticed that Rarity always kept her distance. Not too surprising, I guess. Mother’s report on Equestrians said they can be slow to adapt to new species.
One thing that took him by surprise was the sheer amount of love being directed at Twilight. There was so much, it was spilling over the Link. Astounding, they are clearly not romantically inclined, and yet their love seems just as potent.
He sent a query to the local love collectors. So, the collectors focus almost exclusively on romantic love. Perhaps we’ve been neglecting an entirely different flavor of love this whole time. I must tell the queen immediately.
While Ratchet shared his findings with Cadista, Twilight was in the middle of a game of truth or dare, and the bottle pointed at her. Applejack grinned. “Okay Twi, truth or dare?”
Twilight was scared by the farmer’s sinister grin, and the bloated feeling she was getting in her abdomen was only making it worse. “Truth.”
“What’s the deal with grey and silent over there?”
Ratchet suddenly found himself at the center of attention. Twilight sent him a good humored laugh over the Link. “He’s Ratchet, didn’t somepony tell you?”
“That’s not what I meant. Is he your bodyguard or just somepony who just likes to study us all night?”
<Ratchet, come over here. You don’t need to stay away for my benefit.> “He’s my engineering instructor, and companion.”
<I don’t know how to play pony games.> “You do me too much honor, Twilight. I’m just a simple engineer.”
Twilight smirked and sent him all of the rules to the various games Pinkie had planned. <You do now.> “Nonsense, you’re a great instructor.”
Rarity raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Pinkie Pie was up in a flash and dragged him into the circle of friends. “If you’re Twilight’s friend, you’re my friend too!”
Rainbow Dash placed the bottle in front of him. “Do changelings know how to play truth or dare?”
He glanced at a grinning Twilight. “I do, actually.”
He spun the bottle with his hoof and it landed on Rarity. “Truth or dare?”
She suppressed a shudder. “Truth, darling.”
“Why do you keep giving Twilight and I strange looks?” he asked evenly.
“I-I beg your pardon? I most certainly do not,” she hastily replied.
Twilight was about to give him a dirty look when Applejack spoke. “That’s the biggest lie I’ve heard all week. Spill it.”
Rarity was doing an admirable job keeping an insulted mask on her face while her friends bore down on her. Suddenly, Twilight felt something large shift in her gut and an urgent need for privacy. “Um, guys, I need to go to the little fillies’ room. I’ll be back in a bit.”
Twilight’s excursion gave Rarity only a brief moment of respite from the intense scrutiny of her friends. “W-well, you see…”
Twilight found the bathroom and locked herself inside. She felt cramps between her legs and started to panic. W-what’s happening to me?!
Something shifted inside a part of her anatomy she didn’t know existed, and she was overcome with the urge to push whatever had lodged itself in her abdomen out. <Oh Celestia, this doesn’t feel right, what’s going on? Why does it feel like something’s about to—>
At that moment, after a short period of undignified grunting and whimpering, the object of her discomfort was expelled onto the washroom throw rug. <Oh Celestia it came out of my vagina WHAT IS GOING ON?!> Twilight’s distress was so extreme, every changeling in town could hear her frantic thoughts. Unfortunately, before she could see precisely what she had ejected from her nether regions, a second object started pushing against her abdomen, and then a third, and a fourth.
“… you have to let me explain. I was simply trying to see what kind of alterations I would need to make to Twilight’s wardrobe, that’s all.”
Rainbow Dash saw disbelief in Applejack’s eyes, and turned back to the fashionista. “It’s called Truth or Dare, Rarity, fess up!”
Ratchet’s concentration was broken as he sensed a sharp spike of distress emanating from Twilight. Trying to stay calm, he excused himself from the group and flew towards the bathroom.
Naturally, the moment Ratchet left the room, all it took was a silent nod from Rainbow Dash for the rest of her friends to follow suit.
Ratchet followed Twilight’s presence in the Link, and was about to knock and ask if she was all right, when he heard her screaming over the Link: <... it came out of my vagina WHAT IS GOING ON?!>
The implications of that phrase hit Ratchet like a lightning bolt. Twilight’s going through her first laying! Not knowing what to do, he decided it would best for everyone to leave her alone until she finished. Bolting back to the stairs, he nearly collided with Rainbow Dash. “Where are you going in such a hurry, huh?”
He was a second too slow in responding. “I-I just thought that Twilight was distressed about something, but she assured me it was nothing serious.”
“Is that right? Then why don’t we go check on her, huh?”
Applejack pulled Rainbow Dash back to the ground. “Dash, do you really want to walk in on her while she’s taking care of business?”
Rarity stepped up before the pegasus could respond. “Honestly darling, let the poor girl have some privacy.”
“Okay, okay, gosh! I just wanted to make sure she was all right.”
Fluttershy came forward and started leading Rainbow Dash back down stairs. “Don’t be upset, Rainbow, we’re all still getting used to Twilight being back.”
Twilight bent forward to catch her breath, having finally rid herself of the four objects that had caused her so much distress. Please no, please please please don’t be what I think this is. She slowly turned around to find four grapefruit-sized semi-transparent purple eggs resting on the formally off-white rug. A primal fear coursed through her veins as she finally realized what she was looking at. <RATCHET!>
The drone fell over, the intensity of the summons catching him off guard. The group had trotted back into the living room, and had nearly sat down when Ratchet abruptly reversed course. He sped back towards the bathroom and collided with Pinkie Pie at the foot of the stairs. Scrambling to his hooves, he raced back upstairs.
Pinkie rubbed her sore flank while yelling at him. “Hey! What was that for?”
Applejack scowled. “Okay, something weird’s going on. Come on y'all, we’re gettin’ some answers.”
He burst into the bathroom to find Twilight frozen, staring at four purple eggs resting next to her hooves. Her mouth hung slightly agape, as though she was having trouble processing what had just happened.
Bloody Tartarus, how do I speak to her after she just transitioned into a proto-queen? “Twilight? Are you okay?”
She slowly looked up at him with bewildered eyes. “I… I laid eggs, Ratchet. Wh—what do I do?”
Before he could reply, a chorus of voices called out behind him. “She did what?!”
Pinkie arrived last, but couldn’t see anything from behind the wall of bodies. "Why do I get the feeling Twilight needs a second party?"
"50 shades of hay'. GOODNIGHT EVERYONE!"
-Cloud Hop
-Final version from Tulip It should be noted that the artwork should be taken with symbolism in mind, rather than a literal interpretation.
Stats
Page generated in 0.021 seconds
Total duration
608 users online
1,336,997 hits today, 2,139,894 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Baby shower!
Pinkie's gonna love the new Twilight, because she's going to be able to through about a zillion birthday parties every day!
This is what's known as an awkward moment kids.
static.tumblr.com/ogqcx8w/Y7Am507o6/awkward.gif
That awkward moment when her changeling physiology demands notice at the most inopportune time.
lost it there
If that author's note was the original title of the romance novel I'm out...
3329493
Cloud Hop wanted it to be Shades, I knew that was an old pun that should be forgotten.
But putting that there was better than the alternative.
Congratulations Twilight
you’re a mother
This....could be rather awkward.
heheheh
Trouble on the horizon. Beware.
Uugh. I loathe the egg-laying viewpoint of changelings. Disgusting.
Yeah. Fuck that. Didn't need to read that, and I'm out.
EDIT - Fucking seriously, why? WHY THE FUCK? You would've been just fine without that detail. No. Get the fuck out. Go die. Where's that fucking mind bleach.
As soon as I saw that, I knew that the chapter was about to get interesting.
also that mobile incubtor...
Well. Shining Armor's going to be an uncle. At least they won't visit every week and pester him for everything. My feels out to that guy.
3329503 THIS WAS A GOOD DECISION.
3329626
I'll at least commend you on voicing your reasoning for down-thumbing, but is that kind of language or attitude really necessary?
You bring shame upon Spike and that great anime by acting this way.
3329746
Uugh, after working a twelve hour shift and reading the only changeling story with potential since Parasprite's Solitary Locust... It seemed more than appropriate. The egg-laying view of changelings, for starters, is a rather disgusting one. I kept reading cause the writing was solid, and hoped that the author would be intelligent enough to keep that nonsense off screen. Then, I read that while eating dinner, and I gagged. Disgusting. While the language was crude, the point still stands. Bleh.
Very rarely is my appetite after not eating for twelve hours destroyed quite so thoroughly as it was here.
Writer... You didn't need to go into detail to that degree or put it on screen. Downright poor taste, bleh.
my sides.... they hurt so bad... besides that nice chapter
3329759
I think you're missing something here. As far as I (and i'm assuming the author as well) knows, Lings are canonically insects, not mammals. As such, they are GOING to lay eggs.
Now does the act of laying need to be portrayed this way? Normally no, BUT! This is the only time i think LAP can get away with this kind of detail.
Not only has this been foreshadowed to freaking death, but this is Twi's first laying, and she used to be a mammal to boot.
I think it would have been in poor taste, and even do the event an injustice to NOT give as much detail as it did. THIS TIME ONLY!
If LAP has glossed over it and said "Twi laid eggs, oh no! then that would have been horrible. We NEEDED to see what Twi was thinking while it happened, not just after the fact.
This scene needed to happen in the manner it did. Maybe not the best execution, BUT if Twi was going to end up laying eggs, it needed to be done like this. again, the first time only.
WIN.
3329836
Point or not, I still heavily disagree with you, as I see it as distasteful as can be. Ruining yet another Changeling story. It's something that could have easily been handled between scenes or chapters. It's disgusting, it's ugly, and no, no matter how it's written, it would be jarring and ugly to me.
Sorry, but that's one detail I can do without explicit detail. Inferring is a strong tool when writing, and this was a perfect example of when it should've been used. Now, I'm going to stop replying, thinking, anything related to this so that maybe I can finish my food sometime today before my stomach turns on itself.
F*ck... Up until the very end I was like "YES!" cause of the addressing of the very things I feared, the returning of more memories and the general acceptance of Twilight's friends. But now...just f*ck...
I don't know what spacecowboy's problem is, but pleases don't change what you've written. It's an important part of being a changling queen, of Twilights new life, and an interesting plot point. I'm looking forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
I was laughing throughout the whole egg part. Awesome.
I have to say, I do like the fact that this story is lacking a Dark tag. A lot of stories that are similar to this have that Dark tag for heavy Twilight abuse. I love Twilight abuse but it is nice to find that this is a more lightened version of those stories. I am 100% okay with this type of mood.
3329759 What are you talking about? That egg laying scene was very censored. You would hate the versions of changelings someone made that shoves her prehensile vagina into someone's head and orgasms the eggs out.
Whatever anyone else says the egg laying scene was just enough detail without going overboard. I laughed so hard as it was happening, akward.
3329911
I agree. spacecowboy is a sissy.
3329887 I, for one, think you may have a point. I personally don't have a problem with the scene, but some people, like you, are much more queasy than I am. Although it is well-written, that level of detail does indeed seem inappropriate for a story of this rating level.
A good idea would be to skip the egg-laying scene altogether and just show everyone outside until it's time to enter the bathroom, after which the fact that she laid them is revealed.
3329836>>3329887
Viewing a natural bodily function as "distasteful" or "repugnant" is the sign of a closed and stagnant mind.
This part of the story has been foreshadowed throughout most of the previous chapters. I can't wait till we get to see the hatching and all the cute little twilings that will be scurrying about.
That awkward moment where even saying "aw fuck..." is a major understatement.
When I realized that she was laying eggs, my first thought was, "Well. This is gonna be interesting." The next chapter is going to be interesting indeed. I think Pinkie is gonna be the happiest out of the group.
3329626 I'd give ya some, but I'm currently using it to clear the spiders and cobwebs out of my own.
Sorry you can't stand Oviposition, and such.
Oha and good chapter, I can't wait to see what happens next.
That was kind of unnecessary. If you'd done the exact same thing but entirely from Ratchet, Spike and the Mane 6 - 1's perspective, I doubt it would have detracted at all. That said, I don't personally mind either way: that scene didn't really bother me.
Wait. Where she took other pair of chromosomes for a laying? Or its not oosperms? Time for fried eggs.!
But yeah, egg laying in the bathroom? AWWWWWKWAAARRDDDDD
3329887 it's gross, it's disgusting, it's nature. deal with it dude. nature is not all sugar coated and happy.
it can be gross, disturbing, and emotionally scarring, but it's nature
Anyone else feel the cold chill of deadly foreboding?
3330298
Yes.... I read that and all I could think of was Twilight returning to the burnt out husk of Stripped Gear.
Where the next xhapter Goddamn it. I need MOAR DAMN IT
I am reminded of Shugo Chara. I hereby dub Twilight Sparkle's young Ran, Miki, Sue, and Dia.
Wait, it all makes sense now! "Kara Chanji!" Character Change! The Guardians were changelings all along!
(Skip to 7:25 for relevant part.)
1)
Would it not make more sense for there to have been an* identity check at the border?
2)
Why is Twilight thinking "Oh Celestia" while laying eggs if she is still somewhat distanced from her pony self?
* Possibly as an addition to the one already in the chapter.
<Can a drone come over here and bring these eggs to the incubator cart? Thank you.>
3330360>>3330298
If that is a bit of extreme foreshadowing, I will be super depressed, not to mention the fact that the only hives that would attack them.......they would be playing a very dangerous gambit doing so. Cadista's alliance with Equestria not withstanding, it seems incredibly risky going for an attack like that while Twilight isn't there. She'll know about the attack as soon as it begins due to the Link, and if Chrysalis were going to make a move like that it would be massively foolish to do it while Cadista's heir is so far out of reach. I mean.....I suppose she's impulsive and vicious enough to do it anyway, relying on some overly complex, far-reaching plot to take care of the aftermath.....she did it at the wedding, after all....... And since she's already been almost completely declared rogue with at least half the hives opposing her, including the most powerful hive currently in existence, destroying Cadista's hive, the hive that's keeping their nation as a whole off the radar from every other nation in the world, would almost guarantee a huge war, one that she would probably lose.
I'm more worried about Sprocket. He might be tempted to willfully betray them after what happened with his position in the academy. He could give up the information a small strike force would need to get in and attempt to assassinate Cadista, leaving the throne in the hands of an untrained, under evolved queen. Though even that might work against her, given Celestia's closer ties to Twilight than she has to Cadista. But who knows, our illustrious author might have a trick or three up his sleeves for us.....
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As for the egg laying scene, don't you dare change it. It wasn't nearly as graphic as it could have been, and seeing it from Twilight's perspective was important for the plot. I highly approve. But I do have one question about it: do changelings in your world reproduce asexually? I mean, given that the queens have more or less full control over the genetic make up of their offspring, it wouldn't be a stretch if they were, but it's stuck in my head now.
3330623
I'll take a stab at the first question:
Equestria probably knows by now that only Cadista's hive builds and works with such machines and they guard their secrets well from being stolen, so it is a given that it was Cadista's Changelings that arrived at the border; however, once they boarded the train, which is operated and ridden by ponies that could have been Changelings of other hives,they could have then been replaced by other Changelings. Therefore, only identity checks while traveling within Equestria would be needed (at least for Cadista's hive because of their unique technology).
3330623
If you had amnesia, would you abruptly stop saying "OH GOD" if something surprised you? Twilight hasn't heard another changeling swear this entire time. She's saying "OH CELESTIA" as a gut reaction.
3330651
Yeah, but Chrysalis seemed extra cocky at the summit for someone who's basically been put on her peers' sh*t list.
Me? I say Twilight needs to discover atomic theory, and then Relativity. Then she can fashion a good ol' Pu-239 core and teleport it into Chrysalis' hive, and then squeeze.
I agree 'bout the egglaying scene.