Imbalanced

by Nameless Narrator

Letters From The Travelling Nightmare Changelings

[Letter from the Crystal Empire]

Hello, your Highness. The pink princess says I have to use an official title to write to you. I like "king" more, could you tell her that? Oh right, I am supposed to write what is new around here.

When we arrived here the princess introduced me to a unicorn whom she calls Shiny. It does not make sense. All the ponies here are sparkling aside from him, perhaps it is what ponies call irony? He is funny though and keeps hiding in random rooms when I walk around. I think he just likes to play hide and seek, a revolutionary military training game of camouflage and survival.

He also calls me a suck-cue-bus. Is it some kind of transport? I do not think I could carry him around for too long when he keeps summoning a big bubble around him whenever he sees me. One time he slipped when running away from me and three shiny ponies kept chasing him rolling through the castle.

I like it here.

[End of Letter]

---

[Letter from the Crystal Empire]

The princess had some doubts about postal service in the area of Canterlot but she said that since changelings could live for so long there was a good chance of you reading these letters eventually.

The pink princess asked me to change into her to avoid some ponies who called themselves Sombra's witnesses but I refused because we cannot change more than once in our life. She was surprised and told me that the changelings in this world can change whenever they want to. Can you do that? I know we cannot. We can change only into one form we chose when we reach maturity. I mean we are old enough but none of us have chosen their disguised form yet, not even the queen.

Oh and the princess said that as a part of her job she has to run some estabilishments called "Dress-up clubs" where some ponies , mostly female but not always, dance and others just sit there and drool a lot. There was this mare that made me want to start my own swarm, too bad I am not a queen. The catch of those places is that the dress-up dancers keep putting on clothes while dancing until their fans are satisfied. Some dancers looked really hot in those coats, mittens and furry hats.

Right, I now have a job - something called a bouncer. I agreed when the princess of food asked me because it sounded funny but I am not doing anything with balloons, the ponies who make trouble and who are not on the list I get every evening are the ones bouncing off walls.

Say hello to the queen and your broodmate bat from me.

[End of Letter]

[Answer]

Glad you're having fun. Yeah, that transformation thing is probably thanks to me, I can't change at all. Don't mind Shining Armor and try to get on well with him, he's just a bit jumpy around changelings. Maybe if you become friends he'll tell you why.

Chokey said that if you call her a broodmate again she'll find you and beat you up. Then she said she's happy you're finding your place around.

Don't worry, I'll make a broodmare out of her one da-

-well, if she stops hitting me!

[End]

---

[Letter from Ponyville]

I do not think the purple and smart winged unicorn likes me. When I told her I couldn't read or write she had to lock herself away in her room and she sulked for an entire day. I was really hungry when I got here but there's a small dragon living here who is terrified of me. Twilight tells me I'm not supposed to keep jumping at him from behind things but he tastes delicious.

We live in a house made out of a tree. Twilicorn calls the place a library where ponies can borrow books but when I asked her what the cellar under the tree full of tubes and machines was for she yelled something about bad security and locked herself in her room again.

Ponies around here are weird but at least they don't throw rocks at me anymore.

One more thing. Yesterday all buildings turned to jelly. It tasted good but I was still hungry so I kept eating and found a yellow pegasus yelling at a weird creature that looked as if it was made from some other creatures, then it snapped its claws and all buildings turned back. The locals seemed unphased by all that and the yellow pegasus gave me a biscuit and told me that Discord was just having fun and didn't hurt anypony.

In short, I'm still hungry but there's enough fear around whenever I walk through the streets that I'll be fine for now.

I almost forgot, there's this family that hates apple trees, probably because they want to have the apple name for themselves. Two of them keep kicking the trees in a huge orchard all day and then devour the offspring that fall from the branches.

I'm helping! Soon, the conquest of the orchard will be complete and then the Apple family will reclaim their land from the evil trees.

Should I share my experience in devouring an entire species and then dying out?

[End of Letter]

---

[Letter from Ponyville]

The apple orchard is more resilient that all of us thought. We keep going day after day and the number of falling apples doesn't seem to be decreasing. When I asked the purplecorn to help by developing some kind of advanced war machine she just laughed and told me to trust Applejack. I think she's in league with the trees, I mean she lives in one so it would make sense. Wait! I also live in the same tree, does it mean they got to me as well?

Nevermind, I will prevail! For the Apple family! For the Queen!

[End of Letter]

---

[Letter from Ponyville]

Booklight Smartle told me to write one more letter to explain things. The Apple family were saving the tree younglings from freezing during the upcoming winter. I thought it was a lesson in interspecies help and diplomacy but then I found out the truth.

Ponies are still eating apples, they just do it away from the trees so they wouldn't see. Now that's what I call outsmarting the enemy. Thanks for letting me stay here, king. I have much to learn, especially from Applejack, the devourer of many.

Spike (the little dragon) no longer begins shivering uncontrollably whenever I'm around and told me that the apples will return in few months. I will be ready for their trespass, I will make you and the Queen proud!

I'm thinking that Applejack, the treecrusher, is starting to like me since I can taste something from her. I tried eating it and it felt weird but still better than fear. I think I'll help around a bit more so the ponies like me.

[End of Letter]

[Answer]

The war between Apples and trees has been going on for ages. Historians still speak of general Bloomberg's apple maneuver where he appled the Apples.

Apples, apples apples apples.

AARGH! I think they're getting to me too!

You are our only hope, don't fail your Queen and me.

Or better yet, ask Twilight to explain farming and foraging to you.

[End]

---

[Letter from the Royal Guard]

Greetings, my king.

I've been assigned to keep close to one of the royal guards which means I get to keep an eye on the Queen and the rest of our group. I don't know if you are informed about them but they are fine, a bit hungry but fine.

My partner is a pegasus stallion named Shieldbreaker who has been in the Guard for years and he's really good with a blackjack. Yesterday we were sent to some club where ponies were supposed to be drunk and disorderly. There were six of them armed with bottles so I sent some of them to sleep and, well, ate them a bit. Turned out that Shieldbreaker didn't need a sleep spell and just used his trusty weapon.

I'm not allowed to sleep in the guard barracks but I have my own room here in the castle.

I hope you're doing well.

-Number 4-

PS: Yes, we have yet to decide on our names.

[End of Letter]

---

[Letter from the Royal Guard]

Hello again!

I feel silly for writing a letter when I can just visit you and fake mom but we're supposed to do it like this to practice. I was watching you train newbies yesterday and it was so fun. Well, until sargeant Heavy got annoyed and beat me up in a practice. Is it true that you taught him when he was a recruit? I'm sorry but I couldn't join your group because I was supposed to get out of my comfort zone, whatever it means. Sargeant Heavy was the only one who didn't have a problem with letting me join.

I think I like reading. My first night patrol around the library with Breaky was a lot of fun and I've borrowed some books.

I have a question. Breaky's a nice guy who didn't have a problem with me but he feels empty and sad whenever I'm not around. I asked him about it and he just sighed and told me his marefriend died in the Crystal Empire.

So here's the question. Would you mind if I chose my transformation and stayed with him for a while? I think being a mare would suit me. I mean I would still be a part of our swarm but I'd have something more.

May Celestia's light shine on your steps. (That's the official sign-off of the Royal Guard.)

-Number 4-

[End of Letter]

[Answer]

I did teach Heavy during his basic combat training. If you want to make him blush really hard just ask him about his rainbow socks. I don't have a problem with you choosing your non-changeling form and neither I have anything against you staying around a guy you like enough to consider doing this for him. I would, however, advise you to get to know him better and if you still want to do it then go for it.

It is your life and your choice. Don't let anypony tell you otherwise.

[End]

---

[Letter from the Castle]

Hey, dad!

This world is really nice. I was expecting pitchforks and torches but princess Celestia even looked for some of the local ponies and asked them about employing a changeling. I think not even she would even dream about the fact that one unicorn named Fancy Pants offered to let three of us join his business so now there's just three of us left in the castle learning about governing and diplomacy. At first it was just supposed to be me but they were bored and join me and the princess from time to time. They also have freedom of movement around the castle and I've heard they are playing something called poker with the guards. I tried poking various things but I guess the game wouldn't be for me.

Some of the guys wanted to choose their disguised forms already but we aren't allowed to do that right now. I mean they should think it through a bit more, it's a big step. I've also heard from the princess that local changelings can change into whatever form they want whenever they want, how weird is that?

We're a bit hungry but nothing major. Some of us are able to feed on positive feelings already, just as the candy princess planned, and the rest is fine with how things are. I guess a change of that scale takes time.

Guiding Light.

[End of Letter]

---

[Letter from the Castle]

It's me again.

I don't know how to begin...

Why is Nightmare Moon allowed to exist here?

I know she's princess Celestia's sister but I can feel darkness surrounding her, she must have an ulterior motive for her behaviour. I know I'm supposed to get along with her but after what she did to you and to us I just don't feel good around her.

Yes, I know that she's been sending us ponies to feed on during our first few days here but still.

I just don't know. I'm going to rely on your judgement in this, dad.

Still, I like this place.

Hope you're having as much fun as we are.

Guiding Light.

[End of Letter]

[Answer]

It takes time and a lot of hope to forgive something serious. Princess Celestia took the chance and I think that despite princess Luna's flaws and past she deserved it. Don't forget that she's taking the same chance with you.

Oh yeah, local changelings can change whenever they have enough energy, you little flaw is my fault. They are ruled by a queen as well. I hope you get to meet her someday, perhaps when princess Cadence's peace offer is accepted.

Yes, I'm having a lot of fun. "Fake mom" is making sure of it.

[End]

Comments

[Anonymous Critic]

Nevermind, I will prevail! For the Apple family! For the Queen!

Bwahahahahahahahahaha!

[WARGAMES]

I though4 was gem

[Nameless Narrator]

9288497
Dreamlings aren't Chrysalis'/Boss' changelings. Completely different factions.

[Two_Madmans]

Now I surely know why I'm love "little" changelings in your fanfics

[Teraunce]

Dawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww...