"So, how sure are we that this 'Cricket' character is a changeling?"
As Princess Cadance and her husband, Prince Regent Shining Armor, enjoyed the carriage ride to the hospital (the carriage wasn't really necessary, but since it was only a day after Sombra's defeat, the Crystal Ponies were desperate to give their new ruler the 'royal' treatment as gratitude. Hopefully, the new would wear off soon, and they'd start treating her a little more like a normal pony...), Cadance smiled, then said, "Well, we'll have to actually meet him before we can make a decision, one way or the other. However, there's a great deal of evidence in favor of that conclusion."
Shiny nodded, then said, "Right. Let's go over all of that one more time. I want to make sure I have it all straight."
Cadance chuckled, then said, "Much of it is circumstantial: he arrived in the Crystal Empire at the same time it returned, which was the same day of the failed invasion. His injuries are consistent with having collided with a building at incredibly high speeds. Moreover, what information he'd given regarding his past is spotty, and some of it is inconsistent. Not surprising, given the amount of medication he's currently on: even an expert dissembler would have trouble keeping their facts straight in those conditions. In addition, there's a sizable lump of information from Ling. Remember her?"
The knight chuckled, and nodded. Ling was hard to forget: Up until he had met that dear little lady, he'd been prepared to write off the entire changeling race as irredeemable. There were still elements that were, in fact, rotten to the core, but that little changeling, with a hug, a stick of chalk, and a blackboard, had helped change his mind.
The little lost changeling had no useful knowledge regarding anything that might be considered of a military advantage, but she had obtained a complex understanding of the social structure of the entire hive. Inside of that adorable little package was a mind as sharp as a razor, and since she couldn't speak, she watched, and she listened, to everything going on around her. And she was, in spite of her disabilities, more than willing to gossip.
"Well," Cadance continued, smiling at the memory, "In addition to having given us a veritable who's who in the aristocracy of the changeling swarm, she was able to give us a list of notable's within the commoner caste as well. And do you know what the name came at the very top of the list?"
Shiny grinned, and asked, "Cricket?"
Nodding a little more seriously, Cadance said, "Commander Mole "Seven Tricks" Cricket. Seven Tricks, I understand, is due to his exceptional physical prowess in seven different areas. Now, this is from a little lady who may have a serious crush on him, so I can't guarantee just how much of what she relayed is accurate, but if even half of it is true, then before he was promoted to commander, he had a service record that would be impressive on a twenty year veteran."
Shining Armor raised an eyebrow at that: one of the things that had shocked Shiny was how early changelings started inducting their young into the military. That meant that Cricket had an earlier start, of course, but the idea of a fifteen-year old being THAT good was worrying. Imagine what he might do when he reaches adulthood...
Cadance continued, her expression a little sad, "However, that stopped three years ago, when he became commander. It had been a lifelong dream of his to reach that rank, but when he got there, he was in for a terrible disappointment. Before the current queen, that rank was one to be proud of: it meant that you were a personal adviser to the queen herself, and had a direct hoof in running the hive, regardless of your birth. However, the current queen uses the role of commander as a scapegoat to cover up her own failures. The commander has no actual power over the running of the swarm, but when the queen fails, it's his fault."
"Ouch," the knight said, wincing in sympathy. That couldn't have been fun to learn. "And given that the recent invasion was a complete and utter failure..."
"If he returns to the swarm," Cadance said, nodding sadly, "He'll be given a severe punishment that he did nothing to deserve."
That was a large part of why Shiny felt nothing but sympathy for the common changeling: lead by an incompetent monarch and a group of greedy aristocrats far more interested in maintaining the status quo than in improving the lot of the average changeling, the only reason why the commoners had not yet revolted was simply due to the fact that they didn't actually realize just how bad things were for them, compared to the rest of the world...
"Which is why the plan, right now," Shiny asked, a wry grin on his face, "Is to offer him political asylum?"
"Exactly."
---------------------
Once the carriage let them off at the hospital, Cadance and Shining Armor entered and approached the front desk. The building was... rustic. It had apparently been top of the line a thousand years ago, but... well, that was a thousand years ago. Enough said. One of the first orders of business in the days to come was to get the Crystal Empire caught up with the rest of Equestria...
After the initial bowing, cheering, pledges of eternal loyalty and gratitude, Cadance asked the nurse at the front desk where 'Cricket' might be located. The nurse, an admittedly attractive brunette with a tan coat, answered, "Room 27, it's up three flights of stairs, at the end of the hall on your right, your highness."
"Thank you," the princess said, then asked, almost as an afterthought, "Ah, and I understand that there's a number of youngsters staying here. I'll need to have a word with them as well. Where might they be?"
The nurse giggled, and said, "Room 27, your highness. The children have grown rather attached to Mister Cricket. They won't hear a word about being put anyplace else, even if it means they have to camp out on the floor."
Well, that was surprising...
Shining Armor asked, "And, ah, how is Cricket doing?"
"Well," the nurse admitted, "He could be better. He was mending quite nicely, up until yesterday."
Cadance, an eyebrow raised, asked, "What happened yesterday?"
The nurse chuckled, then, looking a little ashamed, said, "I really shouldn't laugh, but it is kind of funny. You see, he saw the king outside the window yesterday, just before his defeat, and after hearing all about what those kids had gone through, Mister Cricket got so angry that he forced himself out of bed, in spite of all of his injuries. He started making his way for the window, yelling something about pounding the fiend into the ground, head first. The children had to restrain him, as he was prepared to launch himself right out the window, in spite of the fact that he's in no shape to fly. Of course, the whole thing made his injuries worse, and pushed his recovery back at least another three weeks."
No, THAT was surprising. But in his place, Shining Armor might well have done something similar...
The nurse finished, saying, "He's resting comfortably now, and about this time, he should probably be reading to the children."
The two nodded, then went upstairs...
------------------
Once up the on the third floor, the princess and her husband could clearly hear someone enthusiastically telling a story...
"...And so, after a long and perilous journey, brave Sir Sterling Silver confronted the villainous salamander, Piras, in it's lair. The dreaded beastlord bared its fangs, and roared it's fiery fury..."
What followed next was a roar of such terrible fury that Shining Armor had to check himself before he dove for cover. In spite of knowing that it was just an imitation, it was a perfect match to the real thing. It was not a sound you forgot, and during his service in the guard, he'd heard that kind of roar more times than he'd like to remember.
Cadance, on the other hoof, seemed unaffected, and in fact giggled. "No wonder he's so popular," she said, smiling wide. "It's hard to find a foalsitter who's willing to do the voices when they're reading a bedtime story."
Shining Armor saw a young minotaur poke it's head out the doorway, then pop back into the room. He was certain that he heard a child's voice say, "Incoming..."
"But the gallant knight was not deterred. The knight called out a challenge," the storyteller continued, then briefly slipped into a voice that sounded suspiciously like Shining Armor's, saying, "Have at thee, foul beast!" Returning to his normal tone, he said, "He drew forth his mighty weapon, and with a courageous charge, he struck down the villainous viper with a brutal blow from his legendary lance." There was an assortment of yays from inside the room.
As Shining Armor and Princess Cadance entered the room, they saw a group of over twenty children, of various ages and species, gathered around a pegasus with a brown coat, and a black mane and tail, reclining in a hospital bed, both back legs, and one foreleg, in casts, and his body covered in bandages. The pegasus turned his head to see the visitors. Shining Armor was shocked by his youth. Being told that the changeling was ten years his junior was one thing: seeing it for himself was quite another. If his appearance now in anyway mirrored his actual appearance, he was still years away from his full growth. He'd have an impressive build in a few years...
A cute little griffin with snow white fur and feathers, and startling blue eyes, nudged the pegasus gently, and said, "Finish the story, Cricket!" The cry was echoed by the other children.
Cricket blushed, then turned back to the book, saying, "And so, our hero, after having rescued his fair bride, Princess Radiant Prism, the two returned home to their kingdom. Secure in the knowledge that he had, once and for all, saved his peaceful homeland from the depredations of the terrible fiend, and those that served the dread beast, the knight hung up his helm and armor, and retired. And they all lived happily ever after. The end."
There was a thunderous applause, as the children expressed their delight at a story well told. Cricket blushed slightly, smiled at the assembled youngsters, then closed the book. He turned towards the two visitors and said, "Sorry. They get a little upset if I don't finish the story."
"That's quite alright," Cadance said, a smile on her face. "I understand completely. And as one foalsitter to another, I have to say, you're an excellent storyteller." Cadance giggled as the compliment caused the changeling to blush. Her expression still quite pleasant, the princess said, "Mister Cricket, it is a pleasure to meet you: I've heard a great deal about you, and I find that you more than live up to the descriptions I've been given of you. I am princess Cadance, and this is my husband, Shining Armor. I need to have a talk with your young wards. My husband, on the other hoof, needs to have a word with you in private. Do you mind if I take them off your hooves while the two of you chat?"
Cricket smiled, possibly in spite of himself, then shook his head, saying, "I don't mind, your highness. Just keep a close eye on them: if you don't, they'll get into all kinds of mischief."
The princess giggled, as did the assembled youngsters, and after a minute or two, it was just the changeling and the knight...
------------------------
Mole Cricket looked up at the knight, and knew that he could very well be facing his own destruction. He sighed, then decided to just dispense with subterfuge. If he was serious about becoming a knight, then he'd have to start acting like one.
Steeling himself, the changeling asked, "How much do you know?"
The knight seemed stunned by the directness of the question, then nodded, and answered, "Enough to suspect you're a changeling. Given the circumstances, you did a pretty good job of keeping it under wraps, but nopony's perfect. Or is it 'nobuggy'?"
With a wry chuckle, Cricket said, "It's nobuggy." He dropped the disguise, and asked, "So, how is this going down?"
The knight's eyes widened, then, after a moment, said, "Well, right now, I thought we'd just talk. According to the doctors, you're not going to be getting out of that bed for a few weeks, and after that, there will be a lot of physical therapy before you'll be back on your own four hooves again. That means you've got plenty of time to decide what you want to do with yourself after."
Laying back, the changeling asked, "After. Right. Well, regarding that, I have an idea, but before I start making any plans, I need to ask you a very serious question."
Shining Armor raised an eyebrow, then said, "Oh? Well, fire away."
Staring up at the ceiling, Cricket asked, "What, asides from a miracle, would need to happen if I wanted to become a knight?"
-------------------------
This changeling was full of surprises. Shining Armor had expected a game of subterfuge and veiled questions with double meanings: a verbal game of cat and mouse, more or less, before reaching this point. Instead... Cricket was being almost brually direct. And that last question had nearly floored the knight...
...Yet at the same time, it was a perfect opportunity. Celestia had disclosed plans she'd formed, after meeting Ling and getting a lowdown on the inner workings of the swarm, about how it might be possible to 'steal' the commoner caste away from the queen and the aristocrats. A major portion of that plan required a sort of 'role model', an example that could be used to prove that in Equestria, a changeling would have the opportunity to become a productive citizen, and a valued member of society. Ling, as adorable as she was, would be a long-term project as this 'role-model'. Cricket, on the other hoof, was already well-respected among the commoner caste. If he became the 'role-model', it might be possible to execute those plans within a couple of years. It was still a long-term goal, but it cut the time it would take for things to come to fruition down by at least a decade...
Raising an eyebrow, Shining Armor asked, "A knight, huh? Well, I won't say it's impossible. There are a few requirements to becoming a full-fledged knight. Ah, mind if I sit?"
The changeling gestured with his free hoof to a nearby chair, and said, "Feel free."
Shining Armor pulled the chair over, and sat. "Well," he continued, "Knighthood like you'll find in those storybooks has changed a bit since those stories were written. In those days, a knight was typically just a noblecolt who rode out on the orders of their ruler to go and solve problems, or lead armies in battle. Now, while these days, a pony might get knighted just for having performed a great service to the throne, that's an honorary title: it usually doesn't grant any sort of rank, or any of the responsibilities, that you're probably thinking of." Clearing his throat, the knight made a dismissive gesture, and said, "Those aren't what you're looking for, I think." The changeling nodded.
"Right. Now, there are multiple orders of knighthood throughout Equestria, and the rest of the world, but most of the modern orders have the same basic requirements. First, they require endorsement: somepony who is already a knight, or is well respected by one of those orders, has to recommend you. Once that happens, you're considered a 'squire', essentially a knight in training. Depending upon which order you are in, you might end up being a squire for several years before you move to the next step, but a lot of that will depend upon what kind of test they have for moving up to the next rank, and how many candidates they allow to move up each year. Do you follow me so far?"
Cricket nodded, and said, "I think so. The next step?"
Shining Armor nodded, then said, "The next step up comes after you've completed the training portion, and it's decided that you might be up to the task of becoming a full-fledged knight. At that point, you are appointed a knight-probationary. That means that you're given all the authority, and responsibility, of a knight, but it can be taken away if you mess things up, and you can be overridden by a full-fledged knight, if one is on-hoof. Essentially, it's a test to prove that you're worthy of becoming a knight, not just in terms of physical prowess, but in character as well. I won't lie to you, this means that you'll be expected to do a lot of dirty work: tracking down wanted criminals, the kind that normal law enforcement is ill-equipped to deal with; capturing dangerous monsters that are terrorizing the countryside; even performing dangerous missions in time of war. If you prove you can not only meet, but exceed, the expectations of your rank, all that remains will be another endorsement by one or more individuals of note, and you'll be granted full knighthood."
Cricket cocked his head to one side, then asked, "It's that simple?"
"Well," Shining Armor coughed uncomfortably, then said, "It sounds simple, but it can take years to accomplish. Like a said, a lot of it depends on you. But just because you've gained full knighthood doesn't mean the road stops there: there are multiple ranks within any order of knighthood. Even the most basic orders will often have at least three, and some have five or more. For many, attaining knighthood isn't a goal, but the first step towards higher aspirations. And it's possible to be a member in good standing within multiple orders of knighthood. There are veterans out there who are members of five orders of knighthood, or more."
"In all honesty," the changeling said, smiling, "Just getting my hoof in the door of one of those orders could be a lifetime's worth of work."
Smiling in response, Shining Armor said, "Well, don't sell yourself short. While there are a few orders of knighthood that are a bit old-fashioned regarding who gets to join, there are more than a few out there that would see a changeling aspiring to their ranks as a chance to help make history. I mean, they won't just grant you knighthood if you ask for it, but they'll give you a fair shot."
The knight's ear twitched as he heard a noise outside. "We'll have to cut this short: your fanclub is on it's way up. My main reason for speaking to you today was to ask if you'd be interested in asylum here in Equestria, and from the sound of it, you're more than willing, I take it?"
His expression grim, Cricket nodded, and said, "Definitely. There's nothing left for me back with the swarm."
"I'd heard something similar myself," Shining Armor said. "So, we'll continue this conversation another day. For now, focus on recovering. You've got a long road ahead of you, and you'll need all your strength to walk it."
New chapter up!
Whoa. Time to download this exposition into my brain for future reference!
Also, how close is this knight system to the one in our days of yore? At first glance it seems like a dead ringer, but I'm pretty uneducated in that stuff; haven't had much reason to research it, myself!
Great addition to the original story! Keep up the great work!
3942886
I tried to blend several of the traditions. The truth is, the knighthood of yore isn't what you might think: as Shining Armor says, a knight used to be a nobleman who rode around busting heads in the name of the king. A knight had to be wealthy to afford the armor and weaponry he needed, not to mention a horse. Most orders of knighthood in the oldest days were just the knights who directly served the king or queen, and you could be added in if the king or the members of the order said it was cool. In more recent times, a knighthood became a military honor bestowed upon great generals and admirals (Horatio Nelson was such an astounding military commander that he attained three separate knighthoods). Nowadays, if you're a celebrity in England, odds are you'll get knighted if you're a pretty awesome guy and do a lot of good things for the people. I didn't want to make something too complex or contrived, but at the same time, I tried to make it something that would require genuine effort to achieve. Therefore, the blend.
Please tell me he at least gets to adopt the little griffon?
Good stuff as always.
3943263
Go read "The Royal Audience: A Mole Cricket Story" real quick. In particular, chapter two.
Why do I see Fluttershy as a knight in some order (and at the highest level), and Cricket making absolutely no headway in said order because he is so inept at what they do?
3943325
Because Fluttershy is one of the most powerful beings in Equestria?
Squire, eh? I can think of several ponies that could be his patron. Shining himself is probably the prime candidate. If he was the captain of the Royal Guard, then he's probably a knight. Fancy Pants is a definite possibility, if he's a knight. The last one would require a large amount alternative character interpretation, but Prince Blueblood might work. Besides, it's always interesting to read stories that portray Blueblood as something other then an annoying/evil fop.
Or you can make the knight character an OC.
3943278 I only read chapter two and am somehow a bit disappointed, I was heartbroken that she didn't get to stay with him and slowly develop a crush on him that would rise into something sexual over the many years. But I am also happy that she made him a thane and her little nickname, Thor.
3943341 I wasn't thinking about the Elements of Harmony. I was thinking something more on the lines of animal care or surviving Angel. Something Fluttershy would be good at, but Cricket might not of heard of before (recklessly) joining.
3943278 I really enjoyed that story... It was quite amusing!
Equestrian knightly orders? Shining as a knight, with Cricket aiming to become one? All of my yes.
Okay, my complaint is that this all seems a bit TOO easy. I was expecting Cricket's first question to be if they were going to kill him. And both Shining and Cadence are the fact that he was a commander of the Changeling army a bit too well. Even if the position is just for a scapegoat, they have no idea what he had to do to get into a powerful enough position to volunteer for commander. Ling might have been enough for Shining to believe Changelings to be redeemable, but I don't think even she would be enough for him to cast suspicion to the wind like he did here. Shining is unusually willing to give off information about their military to somebody they just meet.
If this was WW2, and Cricket was a former Nazi, I would give him some leeway given how protective he is with the children. But I still wouldn't give him any information about how our military works.
3944211
Okay, firstly, let's avoid comparing changelings to Nazi's, okay? They're not really anything alike. Let's instead say that Cricket could be considered something akin to a kid from a third world country: the kind that has a single dictator in charge and only a small number of wealthy and powerful elite, while everyone else lives in abject squalor. The kind of country whose leadership has no problem with sticking an assault rifle in a child's hands and throwing them out on a battlefield ... sorry. I've always found that kind of thing to be incredibly sad...
Second, Cricket's first real question, after asking how much Shiny knew, was how was this going down. Now, since I try to stay true to the show, I try to avoid certain words, like "killing", "execution", "murder", and the like. Such things exist, I'm sure, but I try not to say the words. But you can take Cricket's question as him wanting to know if he was going to be executed, tortured, interrogated, or what.
Third, regarding Shiny being so forgiving, let's consider this: Shiny is, in fact, considered to be one of the nicest guys in the setting. Nice enough that he'd forgive a kid from a foreign country for his part in an invasion? I would like to think so. Of course, this is all just preliminary: a good first impression made when two individuals meet for the first time. Cricket isn't going anywhere, and before Shiny would be willing to give an endorsement, he'd want to get a better understanding of Cricket's character.
Ah, and the info that Shiny gave? It's not exactly classified: you can find all sorts of info about orders of knighthood on wikipedia, and as Shiny said, the same qualifications are held in many places; not just in Equestrian orders of knighthood, but worldwide. So, the info given was very broadly general: you could find the same kind of info by cracking open a book at the public library.
Fair enough?
I wasn't thinking of the elements either, but instead the fact that Fluttershy stares down dragons, a feat normally attributed to the most fearsome of warriors . But as strange as it sounds, I could see Flutterknight happening: I mean, if she asked you if she could join your club, whatever it was, would you tell her no?
3943387
I don't want to spoil anything, of course. My assumption has always been that Shiny was a knight of some sort: Becoming captain of the royal guard would require a great deal of hard work and effort for someone so young (which may be part of why he feels sympathy for Cricket), and in many settings with at least some level of medieval elements would have a knighthood placed upon someone that young who accomplished that much.
Besides, with a name like Shining Armor, my headcanon has always been that he's a knight of some sort .
3944360 Okay, first, sorry about the comparison. It was the only thing I could think of at the time. Your comparison would be much better.
Second, death is shown in the show. In Hearts and Hooves Day, when the CMC are singing, one scene shows a funeral. It's just that death isn't really a normal topic.
Third, yes Shining is forgiving, but he does have flaws. He probably would forgive a kid for taking part in an invasion, but if said kid was the one practically leading the invasion, I think tha would raise some questions.
And yes, they aren't exactly classified, but he seems to be going onto a bit more detail than one would think. It's on the level of somebody explaining something to their friend.
And even if Shining is trusting, these changelings have to eventually meet somebody who is not so willing to let them live in Equestria. Not everybody could have meet Ling.
"I don't mind, your highness. Just keep a close eye on them: if don't, they'll get into all kinds of mischief."
Missing "you", I think.
This is good. This is really good. *Chews bubblegum thoughtfully*
If you don't.
Great chapter! I have not yet been disappointed by your stories. Can't wait for the next one.
So Celly has a long-term plan (as always) to integrate/reform the Changelings? No surprise there. :)
Loved the little meet up between Shiny and Cricket...adventures aplenty await our insectoid hero, I assume? ;)
i know you may have heard this question but why did you desided to reset the story so far i m prefering the first version but lets se how it goes
3944408
Indeed. And they will meet those who are nowhere near as accepting, or those who don't care one way or the other, but will try to use them to suit their own ends.
3944562
3944998
Correct. Thanks muchly.
3945441
Indeed. Can't have a knight without adventures .
3945998
The main reason is because I was literally playing the original stories by ear. I had no long-term plans: the first story, Your Fangs Are Showing, was originally planned to be a one shot, with only one chapter. But it exploded, and I rode the waves of popularity for two weeks straight, posting a chapter (sometimes two ) a day. But I couldn't keep it up without it becoming a Kudzu Plot: a thousand loose ends that I could never fully resolve. Hence, the reboot. This time, I have a plan, and it will be awesome. Oh yes, awesome it shall be ...
3947142 That's good to hear. I always like it when the main characters of a story are faced with prejudice and narrow minded ideas. It's something I always thought was gravely missing from most Changeling fics.
When I saw this, I thought of this fic...
3947152
No problem. Thanks for fixing it!
3947223
MY SIDES! You have broken them!
3947223 where did you find that?
3981757
Same site I linked to, it was in the "most viral" list a few days ago.
I have only one word for this story: Sugoi!