Mercifully, the next couple of days were quiet and without incident. Frothy enjoyed them while the peace lasted, but he knew that it could not last. When Efficacious Remedies, the local pharmacist, entered the café that afternoon, he had a feeling that something was up.
“Hi Effy,” Frothy greeted the unicorn mare. “Have you finally decided to try one of my brews?” He gave her one of his best friendly and hopeful looks.
Efficacious Remedies merely wrinkled up her nose. “You know I can’t stand the smell of coffee, Frothy, and I only come in here for your dear wife’s marvelous pastries.”
Frothy sighed. “And you don’t usually shop for those in the middle of your work day either, so why are you here now?”
“I’m here to represent the local traders’ group, and we would like to hold a meeting here tonight to discuss strategies for revitalizing trade in the area.”
“Why haven’t I heard about this group, and why do you want to use my café?” Frothy asked bluntly.
“It’s quite obvious that your business is hardly suffering, but your business practices may be affecting ours. Nevertheless there are many in the group that feel that you should be included in our first formal full meeting. For that, we need a venue, and as it seems that you’re willing to host one for changelings, you might see fit to balance out your favors by helping us out a bit also. It would certainly save us the cost of hiring a hall.”
Frothy gave her his trademark smirk. “Remind me to thank everyone for their consideration,” he said with a heavy sarcastic tone.
Efficacious Remedies frowned. “You won’t make many allies with that kind of an attitude, Frothy. There are plenty of ponies who are happy to lay the blame on you for their current downturn in business.”
“Seems to me that they haven’t adjusted their businesses to suit the changing needs of the customers,” Frothy replied.
The mare started to retort, but stopped and shook her head. “We’re not debating this now. All I want to know is whether you will host the meeting?”
Frothy paused to consider the question for a moment before nodding. “Sure! Believe it or not, I do care about how my neighbors’ businesses are doing. Some of them are my friends too, y’know? Besides, none of our businesses stand alone. You don’t think the café would do half as well if there weren’t any other stores around to attract customers to the area?”
The mare’s expression softened. “No, of course not. So, when are you available?”
“Any night this week. We have no plans until Saturday.”
“Tomorrow night, then? That will give me enough time to notify everyone, and for them to make any arrangements to be here.”
“That’ll be fine. Tell them that they’re welcome to come before closing time if they’d like to enjoy refreshments, but otherwise we’ll be able to start the meeting soon after we close our doors to the public.”
“Thank you, Frothy.” Efficacious Remedies turned to leave, hesitated, and then turned back to Frothy and said, “Might as well sell me a couple of cakes while I’m here. You know that only the smell of coffee normally keeps me from totally ruining my diet.”
Frothy eyed the fairly rotund mare and decided that it was a good time to keep his mouth shut.
* * *
Frothy seldom needed to leave the premises during weekdays, so he usually did not pay much attention to the weather. Therefore it came as a surprise to him that rain had been scheduled for that evening. A few ponies who had also neglected to check the forecast and had been unprepared, elected to shelter at the café and fortify themselves with a hot brew before braving the cool showers. It took longer than normal to clear the shop of customers, so he, Peach, and Mixitkl had to rush to clean up before the meeting.
Because of the weather, only a couple of the shopkeepers had taken advantage of coming in for coffee and cake before closing time, but they were regulars anyway who normally closed a little earlier than the other shops did. Ocean Breeze was a pegasus fishmonger, supplying seafood to the resident griffin population, and not a few pegasi also. Although other ponies would try fish occasionally, their winged brethren were well known for their peculiar taste for such. The other was a unicorn named Stylish Stitches, tailor to the nobility… or anypony else who could afford his ultra-expensive formal wear. Despite his clientele though, Frothy knew the stallion to be a very down-to-earth pony who had made good through his skills rather than his status or connections. He and Frothy had spent many pleasant late afternoons chatting before they both called it a day.
As the various shopkeepers finished closing their businesses, they made their way to the café, most carrying umbrellas, and a small puddle was forming near the door where they were left to drip dry. One particularly skillful unicorn though used her magic to deflect the raindrops with an invisible shield instead. A body-pattern artist like Elegant Designs needed to be clever with her horn magic though.
Although it soon became obvious that not all of the local traders had elected to attend the meeting, Frothy realized that they had a fair representation of those nearest to his establishment, and thus were probably the most affected by the increase in changeling presence. He was curious to find out how many of them had seen a downturn in trade, or whether any in fact had gained more custom. Also attending were a newspaper and magazine vendor, a greengrocer, a milliner, an accountant, a manchester seller, a music store owner, a dressmaker, a bookstore owner, a mane stylist, a representative from the local branch of Quills & Sofas, and a few other ponies that he did not recognize.
As he had done at the recent changeling meeting, Frothy served up refreshments before they got down to business. Because Cherry expressed interest in attending the meeting also, she helped him by serving up some of the pastries that had been unsold that day, earning her the gratitude and pleasure of several ponies who obviously normally headed off to dinner at that time.
Unlike the previous gathering, there were no obvious surprise inclusions. Efficacious Remedies seemed to be one in charge, although Frothy wondered if she was self-appointed or elected to that role. She called the group to order and began the meeting.
“As you all know, the past few weeks have seen a dramatic change in the number and type of customers frequenting this district. Already, one store owner, Small Treasures, has had to sell up due to the fall in sales, and we all know why.”
Frothy frowned and said, “Is this meeting going to be about doing something about attracting more customers to our businesses, Effy, or bitching about changelings?”
Efficacious Remedies gave him a stern look and replied, “Just because your café is doing so well with all your changeling customers, Frothy, doesn’t mean that they are not a major cause of our problems, and must be seriously discussed. Despite the decree of the Princesses, they are not a welcome sight to many ponies, and if that means going a little further out of their way to shop elsewhere just to avoid them, then that’s a problem for us.”
“Of course it’s a problem. I just don’t want to listen to ponies whining about what they can’t change,” Frothy retorted, uncomfortably aware that he may have jumped the gun a little.
“Let them air their grievances, Love,” Cherry said to Frothy, patting him reassuringly on the back. “It’s best we hear all sides of the problem first.”
“Thank you, Cherry,” Efficacious Remedies said, and then turned her attention back to the others. “Can I hear how your businesses have been doing, and what factors you believe may be affecting them. Dusty Tome, would you like to begin?”
The old stallion nodded, cleared his throat, and said, “Book sales have been very slow of late. Customers simply aren’t stopping by and browsing as much as they used to before the changelings started getting common around here.”
“You sure it ain’t because you haven’t stocked anything new in that gloomy store of yours since before the return of Princess Luna, Dusty?” asked the magazine vendor with a sneer in her voice.
Dusty Tome’s face hardened as he turned towards his detractor. “At least I stock books of value, Newsworthy, not trashy magazines or tabloid rags like you!”
The mare just grinned infuriatingly back at him. “My sales are fine though. Maybe you should get with the times and sell something ponies actually want to read?”
Dusty Tome looked as if he was about to blow his stack, but Efficacious Remedies interrupted the incipient argument. “Gentleponies! Please keep to the subject and just report, please. Newsworthy, I gather that you haven’t been affected by the recent general downturn?”
“Well, I didn’t say that. I’ve lost a few customers, but I’m still doing well enough. If things pick up again for you others, I’m sure that I’ll pick up more of the passing trade, just like I always have.”
“I see. But if things get worse for us, you could conceivably be hit harder?”
Newsworthy nodded slowly. “I suppose so. I don’t worry too much about what might be though. Give customers what they want now – that’s my motto.”
“Right. Let’s go on to the next then. Tender Greens, would you give us your view, please?”
The greengrocer cleared her throat and said, “Actually, while I had a dip in sales for a while, that seems to have bounced back up recently. I reckon I’ve been getting more changeling customers lately, and they’ve been making up the difference.”
“I thought changelings were meat eaters?” Red Ink, the accountant queried.
Mixitkl spoke up. “While we need to have animal protein in our diet, we can and do eat vegetables and fruit almost as much as ponies do.”
Efficacious Remedies scowled and said, “What do you think you’re doing at this meeting, changeling?”
The Violet Changeling glared back at her. “First, my name is Mixitkl, and I would appreciate that you use it. Second, I work here, and have every right to be here, especially as I will probably have to clean up after you lot leave. Thirdly, if you’re serious about dealing with your business problems and you feel that my kind have something to do with it, you could use some of my input.”
Efficacious Remedies’ face darkened, but she held her anger in check. “Nevertheless, this is a meeting of the local businessponies only, not interested parties.”
“I suppose that means I should leave then?” said a pink pegasus with purple mane. She was one of the ponies that Frothy did not recognize.
Efficacious Remedies was caught by surprise, evidently not knowing who the mare was either. “Umm… and you are…?”
“The name’s Airbrush, and I’m a cloud sculptor from Trottingham.”
“Then what are you doing here, may I ask?”
Airbrush pointed to the brown-furred earth pony with a gold mane seated to her left. “Low Note here invited me. I was visiting his music shop and we were commiserating about how things had been changing for the worse around here lately. He thought I might have something to contribute, and I was curious enough to tag along with my friend.”
Frothy’s curiosity was aroused. “How do changelings affect a cloud sculptor?” he asked.
Airbrush snorted and replied, “More than you’d think. I was scheduled to be part of the celebrations for the wedding of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Shining Armor. I was finalizing my preparations, moving clouds into place when the changelings attacked. I was captured and herded together with other ponies to be feasted upon later. I escaped that fate, but I haven’t been able to bring myself to talk with any changelings since they started appearing undisguised.” She paused to look at Mixitkl. “Doesn’t mean that I don’t understand that only one hive was responsible, but I also know why customers are avoiding them.”
Efficacious Remedies nodded. “As you were invited by Low Note and have something to contribute, then you are welcome here.”
“Then the same can be said of Mixitkl,” Frothy added with his usual smirk.
Efficacious Remedies glared at Frothy, which did nothing to dim his expression. There were a few chuckles from some of the other ponies too. The mare conceded defeat and looked away. “Alright then, let’s move onto the next. Elegant Designs – you told me that business was slow lately?”
The mare nodded. “Only my steady customers have been coming lately. Some have moved to other body artists, new customers have been rare, and shape-changers sure don’t need my services.”
“Are you sure of that?” Mixitkl asked. “What exactly do you have to offer?”
“Huh? I paint body art – permanent and semi-permanent designs painted onto ponies who like to stand out in the crowd. Art that you changelings can imitate with no effort at all,” she added a touch bitterly.
Mixitkl replied, “Yeah, we can imitate, but innovate – that’s an entirely different thing. Not all of us are artistically inclined, but we do love the creativity of you ponies. While it’s not my thing, I know a couple of ‘lings who might be interested, if they knew about you. I think that what you need is not less changelings but more promotion.”
The mare looked surprised. “Advertise? But I’ve always relied on word-of-mouth, and done well enough until now.”
“That’s ponies talking to other ponies though, isn’t it? How many of them talk to changelings? How many potential customers never know about you and your talent? Try it – what have you got to lose?”
Elegant Designs looked uncertain. “Are you really sure that there’s a market there?”
Mixitkl shrugged. “It’s a changing world. Once upon a time, we would never have shown our true forms. Now we’re trying to fit in with pony society, and trying new things too. We tend to look alike to you ponies, so you might even set a trend selling designs to ‘lings who want to stand out among all the others.”
The body artist’s gaze was lost in the distance as the mare considered the possibilities. Efficacious Remedies took this as a cue to move onto another businesspony.
“Fascinating Flair, how’s the hat business?”
The pegasus mare scowled and snorted contemptuously. “What business? I’m dying, Effy! I’ve scarcely sold a hat or a fascinator all week. Last week wasn’t much better.” She glared in the direction of Mixitkl. “Where’s your changeling business there, hmm?”
Mixitkl looked apologetic. “I’m sorry, but I admit that my kind aren’t really all that interested in hats. Or at least, us Violet Changelings aren’t. I’m not one hundred percent sure about the other hives.”
“So, no words of wisdom for me?” Fascinating Flair asked sarcastically.
“How about shut up shop and move elsewhere?” interjected Ocean Breeze. “You’ve been moaning about poor sales for years. Every time you come by my shop, I get an earful. Seems to me that you’re just using the changelings as an excuse.”
Fascinating Flair looked outraged. “What would a smelly fish seller know about the hat market? The design and selling of hats and fascinators has been my lifelong career. If I say that those bugs are hurting my business, then they are!”
“And I say again – move! Maybe you’ll do better elsewhere, and I won’t have to listen to you whine about it anymore,” the fishmonger told her bluntly.
“Well I never! You’ve lost a customer, Breeze! I never liked going to your shop anyway.”
Ocean Breeze snorted in amusement. “Small loss. All those new changelings visiting the area have increased my sales a lot lately. Yours won’t be missed.”
“Gentleponies!” Efficacious Remedies glared at the two arguers. “We are trying to have a civil discourse here. Please restrain yourselves.”
Ocean Breeze and Fascinating Flair backed down reluctantly, and the pharmacist continued.
“No need to ask how your business is doing, Breeze, so we’ll move onto the next. Silky Sheets – how is your manchester shop doing?”
The orange earth pony looked glum. “Sales are way down, Effy. Ever since the changelings started coming around here, ponies have been shopping elsewhere. I’ve tried running sales and promotions, but nothing works lately.”
Efficacious Remedies looked at Mixitkl and said, “What have you to say about that? That’s about as clear an indication of how your kind has affected business as you can get.”
Mixitkl looked puzzled. “Frankly I don’t understand. We need sheets, towels and such just as much as any pony does. How come you haven’t gotten more business from us?”
Silky Sheets looked at her distastefully. “Oh, I don’t let your kind into my store. I refuse to deal with you bugs, no matter what the Princesses say.”
There was a moment of stunned silence about the table before Red Ink spoke up. “You do know that it’s illegal to refuse service on the basis of race?”
The mare looked a little uncertain but defiant. “I reserve the right to not serve anypony, and besides, bugs aren’t ponies anyway.”
“Silky, race covers griffins, minotaurs, and changelings, not just types of ponies. You can’t just refuse to serve any of them for no reason other than you don’t like them.”
Silky Sheets just crossed her forelegs and looked away defiantly. Red Ink sighed and gave up trying to talk sense to her.
Efficacious Remedies looked as she wanted to agree with Silky, but instead said, “I suppose we must ignore that statistic. Anypony else refusing service to changelings?”
There were no replies, so she addressed another pony. “Pen Point – you represent a company rather than a private business. What has it been like for you?”
“Firstly,” the unicorn stallion began officiously, “it is the policy of Quills & Sofas, Incorporated, that all customers be treated with the same courtesy and consideration irrespective of species.” He glanced meaningfully at Silky who studiously ignored him. Pen Point continued, “Sales and promotions are adjusted to suit the locale of each store, and despite the changing demographic here, our business has remained comfortably consistent.”
“In other words, changelings buy quills and sofas too,” Frothy added dryly.
“I believe that’s what I just said,” Pen Point reproved him.
“I have a question, if I may?” Cherry spoke up.
“Certainly, Cherry,” Efficacious Remedies replied with a nod.
“Thank you, Effy. Pen Point – you say that sales have been fairly consistent despite the general downturn of business due to fewer ponies visiting the market. However, if the quantity of ponies were to return something like their previous number, wouldn’t you actually expect an increase over your previous average business?”
Pen Point considered that for a moment before replying, “I would say that would be a reasonable assumption.”
“Then the general problem is not a lack of custom from changelings, but the attitudes of ponies towards mingling with changelings.”
“Your point, Cherry?” Efficacious Remedies asked.
“So far, I’ve heard little that can’t be put down to ponies’ attitudes, and that goes for both customers and sellers. It’s not a problem that is going to go away anytime soon because we have long memories of the events of the invasion. It took a major change of perception on behalf of my husband to accept them, but that has been of great benefit to us in terms of both business and family. Eventually all ponies must learn to accept also, or else we may be harming ourselves, our families, and our businesses.”
“You make it sound so simple, but some of us need answers now, not some vague hypothetical time in the future when changelings and ponies live together in harmony.” Efficacious Remedies looked at one of the other ponies who had yet to make a comment. “Perfect Pleats – you’ve told me how your dressmaking business has been doing badly lately. Tell us about it.”
The unicorn mare looked a little flustered. “Well, it’s true that my sales have dropped a lot lately, but listening to Elegant Designs and the others, I’m wondering if I’m not doing enough to attract changeling custom also.” She turned to look at Mixitkl. “Do you even like to wear dresses? I don’t recall seeing you in anything but your apron, and other changelings in various work clothing.”
Mixitkl grinned. “Hon, you haven’t been looking. Those of us who have a feminine personality often love to dress up for occasions. First we need to be invited to those functions though before we go shopping for dresses, or for the more masculine types, for other formal wear such as Stylish Stitches makes.” She smiled at the stallion who acknowledged her with an inclination of his head. She continued, “Anyway, just like many ponies, we don’t wear much or any clothing under normal circumstances, but we harvesters are not much different from the average pony with our likes and dislikes. I think though that dresses that suit us might be a bit different from those that suit unicorns or pegasi. Do you think you would be up to the challenge of designing such if more changelings came your way?”
Perfect Pleats straightened up and her face took on a far more confident look. “My work is second to none! Come to my shop, and send me your friends; I will astound you all!”
“I second that,” Stylish Stitches added. “Although I’ve never turned away a potential customer, I could do with a few more, and I like the idea of designing something to suit changelings. We could start a new trend.”
Efficacious Remedies looked a little sourly at the enthusiastic pair. “That’s all very well for you, but there are others who don’t have such simple solutions. I don’t see changelings coming into my pharmacy. Do you even get sick?” she demanded of Mixitkl.
“Of course we do, but our ailments tend to differ from yours, so aside from things to treat injuries that are common to both of our kinds, we don’t need much of what you’re selling. We have our own healers and they have their own remedies for what ails us.”
“And where do they get those?”
Mixitkl shrugged. “Sorry, not my line of work. Maybe I can mention something to them though.”
“And what can they do about all the pony customers that I have lost?”
“I’m afraid that comes back to changing pony attitudes towards us,” Mixitkl admitted.
“Exactly! That’s what we’re trying to deal with. Ponies don’t want to mingle with your kind, so they go elsewhere. How do you propose to deal with that?”
Mixitkl gave her an annoyed look. “Why is it up to us to do everything? It’s always us who have to go the extra mile to make you ponies happy. Aside from the Blue Changelings who aren’t among the Canterlot population, we have never done you any harm, but we’re always treated as the ones in the wrong.”
Airbrush spoke up. “Like I said earlier, knowing that you’re not the bad guys doesn’t change our impressions of changelings. Attendances at my shows in Canterlot have dropped considerably since your kind started coming openly to them. For every one of you though, two or three ponies refuse to be seated anywhere near you, and often demand their money back. Even opening up a section of the arena just for changelings hasn’t done much to change that.”
Mixitkl genuinely looked angry now. “About that – do you really think segregating us from ponies is a solution? Has it come down to us versus them? We’re trying to integrate ourselves into your society, but you’re trying to push us out at every opportunity!”
“Who in Tartarus asked you to join our society?” Efficacious Remedies shouted back. “We were better off without your kind strolling through the streets as if you belonged.”
“You idiot! We’ve always been a part of Canterlot’s society, and the rest of Equestria too! You just didn’t know it until that mad queen ruined centuries of quiet coexistence. Better off? You have no idea of what you’re talking about! Changelings have…”
“Mixy – enough!” Frothy commanded loudly over the voices of the bickering pair.
Mixitkl stopped, and if her carapace could show it, she surely would have been blushing. “Sorry, I lost my temper there.”
Cherry said, “Arguing is the exact opposite of what we’re trying to achieve here today, and attitudes are undeniably the major problem. However, I don’t think it’s just us ponies who have to rethink our attitudes. Changelings have been doing things the same way for centuries, but times have changed. Maybe there’s something that both sides can do meet in the middle. There must be, because otherwise this society is going to tear itself apart, and we might even see race wars that haven’t existed in Equestria since before the unification of the three pony tribes.”
There was a long moment of silence as those gathered there contemplated Cherry’s words. Eventually Efficacious Remedies said stiffly, “I think that we’ve achieved all we can for tonight. I propose that we reconvene in a couple of weeks to discuss any changes we have put into effect. Mixitkl, I would appreciate it if you talk to your healers about my business.” The last sentence seemed to be almost choked out against her will.
Mixitkl nodded. “I will.”
“Thank you. I declare this meeting closed. Thank you Peach and Frothy for hosting it.”
There was a quiet murmur of agreement as the ponies got up from the table and started heading for the door.
Frothy said to Cherry, “Mixy and I will clean up and I’ll join you soon, Love.”
“I’ll have hot chocolate and cake waiting for you. And maybe something hotter also,” she added with a wink.
Frothy gave her a grin, and despite the fact that that his wife couldn’t see it, he knew she could sense it quite well indeed.
When the last pony had been ushered out, Frothy locked the café’s door and started helping Mixitkl cleaning up.
“You didn’t really have to stay after hours to clean up after the meeting, so why did you stay?” he asked quietly.
The changeling paused what she was doing before snorting and replying, “I couldn’t let those ponies sit around reinforcing their gripes and misconceptions with each other, so I had to be able to head them off. So I invited myself. Thankfully I didn’t get kicked out.”
“You can thank Airbrush for that. She’s obviously not your biggest fan, but they couldn’t kick you out without doing the same for her too.”
“You wouldn’t have stuck up for me?”
“Maybe. Mixy, you changelings may have a stake in all of this, but you don’t automatically have the right to stick your nose into everything we do. I’ve learned a lot about changelings lately, and you know that I am sympathetic to your cause, but there’s a limit to everything. As Cherry said, both sides need to compromise. Yes, you’re getting the short end of stick at the moment, but you can’t have the entire stick, no matter how much you might think so. Ponies might be better off with your kind, but we don’t necessarily need you.”
“But we do need ponies,” Mixitkl concluded. “You’re right, Frothy. We harvesters may have to adapt to changes we’ve never considered before. That going to be a lot harder than you realize, but in the end it’s for the greater good of our hives, and for Equestria overall.”
“At least you have some sympathetic ponies on your side. You might even start a changeling-led revival of sorts.”
Mixitkl grinned. “Wouldn’t that be something? By the way, I’ll let you into a little secret. One of those ponies was actually a changeling also.”
“Oh? Which one?”
“That’s up to them to tell if they wish. You can have fun speculating though.”
“I’m guessing it isn’t Effy or Silky,” Frothy said drolly.
Mixitkl laughed. “No, it isn’t; I’ll pay you that one.”
They finished cleaning up and left everything ready for the start of business the next morning. Mixitkl took off her apron and hung it up before replacing it with a pouch of personal possessions that she hung around her neck.
“Well, goodnight, Frothy. I’ll see you at the beginning of my usual shift tomorrow.”
They went to the door so that he could let her out and lock up again. As she went, she stopped and said, “I probably don’t say this enough, but on behalf of the Violet Changelings, and in fact all changelings, I thank you for helping us so much.”
“You’re welcome, Mixy. Um, speaking of Violet Changelings, there’s one thing that I’ve been meaning to ask for a long time, but keep forgetting…”
“Yes…?”
“Why do you call yourselves such unimaginative hive names? Violet, Red, Green, and so on. Surely you could have come up with something more interesting than that?”
Mixitkl giggled. “Those are actually just common names, or nicknames if you prefer. My kind’s true name is–” She chittered something unpronounceable by pony throats.
Frothy looked blank for a moment before his trademark smirk returned. “Right. Violet Changelings it is.”
Mixitkl laughed. “Goodnight Frothy.”
Mixitkl stepped out into the rain and trotted off smartly. Frothy watched her for a while as the lamplight glistened off her wet carapace. “Goodnight, my changeling friend,” he murmured before closing the door and turning off the shop’s light.
I'm not American, and I haven't got the slightest clue to what a Manchester store is.
Hmm. Going to be interesting to see who's the Changeling in business . my guess: P.P.
5099877 second that
btw, I say Pen Point is the changeling. everyone else is kinda saying "I don't know how to deal with this properly", plus, he seems suspiciously nonchalant towards 'lings
I think shoving idea to someone's throat is not okay, even if it is for good....(like vegans) Hating chagelings could be reasonable action, especially if your city was invaded by them. But openly hating them is not right. So, Changelings have to just carry on, knowing that there are ponies who can't, and wouldn't gonna change their minds.
But that's just my opinion :P
Yay, finally an update!
Social changes are a tough subject indeed. I can't see the situation getting any better without a year or two leap in time. Because that is what ponies really need. A generation or two to accept the changelings as something as normal as gryphons and minotaurs.
It's quite nice to see this very enjoyable story update once more.
I'm from Scotland and have no idea what a Manchester store is either
5100019 Same here
I think I can pretty much guarantee you that not one person in a hundred is going to know what a "manchester store" is here in the States. (Although Mixxy's comment about changelings needing sheets and towels as well makes it reasonably obvious in context what it is.) That term, as near as I can tell, is exclusively an Australian-ism. I don't think we really have a specific term for shops like that here, aside from "bed and bath store"...
I expect more than a few readers might have to look up "fascinator", as well. It's not an unknown term here, it's just one that isn't often encountered outside of the fashion industry, and/or the social circles where women commonly wear such things.
(So... it's just a fancy name for a fancy hat?)
(Of course not, darling, don't be silly. A 'fascinator' is an entirely different sort of thing than a simple 'hat.')
(It's a piece of clothin' that sits on top of your head, ain't it?)
(Well, yes, but–)
(So, it's a hat.)
Anyway. Spotted a couple of typos:
The magazine vendor switches genders partway through the conversation.
Extra quote mark here.
5099877
I think a Manchester store sells fabrics and other dressmaking material but I could be wrong.
My mind keeps associating Manchester with bedsheets and other household type linen, sheets, towels, etc... but I'm sure that sheets and linen was already mentioned as a store.... the store belonging to the nasty pony who refused to serve 'lings.
Haha... " 'lings "
Nice friendly nickname you came up with Author!
This story is always a good read!
One of those top of the fav list stories.
5099919 exactly. Heck the Bed sheet guy is losing customers because he refuses to sell to Changlings. I think Goldie hit the nail on the head on this one. I also think it's the fisherman who's a changling.
5100267 Correct! The exact definition is: household linen or cotton goods, such as sheets and towels. I only discovered that it is a term unique to Australia and New Zealand when I investigated why Word kept marking it as misspelled. I'll probably change it soon, but I was curious to see how many people would recognize it.
5100241 As I replied to someone else, I'll probably change that later, but I was curious to find out how many others might know what manchester is. As for fascinator, that's going to stay. After all, someone in the business is certainly going to use the term, even if many others don't know what it is.
Thanks for pointing out the errors. Fixed now.
5100412 Me too. I have my suspicions that one of them (particularly one of those whose business is suffering) threw the rock in the previous chapter, or hired someone to do so.
5100615 would not be surprised
5100562 Huh, I'm from the U.S. and if I had guessed I would have guessed that a "Manchester Store" would have something to do with a good produced originally in a town called Manchester in England or the U.S. (like how the state of Wisconsin is known as "the Dairy State" because of it's cheese production.)
5101036 Good guess! That's exactly the derivation of the name.
This is how I feel when a Goldie story updates:
toplessrobot.com/fff%20joy%20picard%201.jpg
Excellent writing as usual.
I am from America and had no idea what a manchester store was. I even tried to look it up on google and the city of manchester drowned out the answer I was looking for. In America, the term you are looking for is a linen store or sundries. Sundries is used for general items used around the house so it might be more than you were looking for. It is also a term that is not well used nowadays but Equestria has the late 1800s, early 1900s flair that a sundries shop would fit right in.
Looks like we have 2 big suspects for the rock thrower. Efficacious Remedies and the store owner that acted surprised / guilty that the princess was hurt but I forget the name or that mare.
Someone is bucking to have a visit from the guards, or maybe a lawsuit.
No prior clue what the manchester store was, but it was pretty clear from context.
You can’t just refuse to serve any of them for no reason other than you don’t like them.
Devil's advocate: why not? It's a human right that has fallen way out of fashion over the past few years called freedom of association: the right to associate with-- or NOT associate with-- those whom you choose, for whatever reasons you choose, regardless of whether other people think your reasons are valid or not. That includes buying, selling, and trading. Using government thuggery to MAKE her serve someone in her place of business is just as wrong as using government to DENY them access to her business. It is forcing someone else to serve you against their will. Perhaps it escapes some but that is the definition of slavery. And that's what it is-- slavery by the teaspoonful.
This is a perfect demonstration of why such legislation is unnecessary. She wants to be a bigot, she loses business and eventually, goes out of business, and others take up the lost trade and prosper. She pays a price exactly commensurate with her own choices, WITHOUT anyone gaining the power to force her or anyone else to act against her will.
What has been forgotten in our society is that human rights aren't there just to protect the people you like and agree with. Even people you despise have rights. If you do not respect them-- or decide to use government thuggery to FORCE them to toe the line-- you lose their protections too. But this common sense was lost in the euphoric rush of the Civil Rights era. Desegregation of schools, government services, enforcement of law, protection of voting rights-- these were all legitimate, and desperately needed. Where we overreached was when we insisted our moral superiority gave us the right to force private businesses and individuals to serve whatever politically protected group of the moment we were advocating, in violation of those private businesses and individual's own human rights.
5102618 This is not being a devil's advocate; this is preaching your viewpoint, and a particularly USA-centric one at that. Please don't fill up the comments with walls of text when a couple of sentences can make your point (which is debatable).
A Manchester store doesn't sell clothing and gear for the city's two football clubs?
5101904 You're thinking of Fancy Cuts, the mane stylist. She was at the meeting but not mentioned. She was keeping a low profile.
I live in the UK, near Liverpool in fact which isn't all that far from Manchester itself... and I have no clue what that store sells, beyond the context provided. Hm.... you learn something new everyday!
5104915 I admit to being surprised at that. So here's an excerpt from Wikipedia for the benefit of you and others:
Manchester's history is concerned with textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution. The great majority of cotton spinning took place in the towns of south Lancashire and north Cheshire, and Manchester was for a time the most productive centre of cotton processing, and later the world's largest marketplace for cotton goods. Manchester was dubbed "Cottonopolis" and "Warehouse City" during the Victorian era. In Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, the term "manchester" is still used for household linen: sheets, pillow cases, towels, etc. The industrial revolution brought about huge change in Manchester and was key to the increase in Manchester's population.
5100562
Nah! Leave it as it is I reckon!
Life would be boring if it weren't for regional tidbits like this.
Manchester store it is!
5105047
Aah, that makes sense! I knew Manchester had a history with textile production, most of the North has some kind of background in industry or trade (whether moral or not, as Liverpool's own history shows) but I wasn't aware that Manchester had spawned the name of a type of shop over there.
kind of obvious in hindsight actually.
5099916
5100412
On the other hand, it's entirely possible that the changeling is actually one of the shopkeepers who's complaining about the situation.
Why? Simple. There have been many examples, throughout history, of people from one racial or ethnic group "passing" as another, in order to avoid discrimination. Blacks whose skin was light enough to let them "pass" as southern European, arabic, or South American during times of racial segregation in the USA or South Africa; jews with sufficiently "Aryan-looking" features to let them pass themselves off as such in Nazi Germany, and so on. As part of their cover, some will even go so far as to make racial slurs or jokes, avoid socializing with others from their "true" ethnic group... there's even at least one known case of a Jewish woman, who was able to pass for Aryan, marrying a Nazi officer in order to deflect suspicion.
Now, the changelings have been "passing" as ponies for a long time, and we've already had hints, from prior chapters, that not all of the changelings are on board with the idea of assimilating openly into pony society. So, it could be the case that one of the complainers is actually a changeling who just wants the "assimilationist" changelings to go away, and for everything to go back to the way it was before all this "open assimilation" nonsense started drawing everypony's unwanted attention and making it more difficult to continue to pass as a pony without suspicion.
5105756 I think the bulk of those would have been in the blue hive and all the queens have gone along with the open Changelings and as we saw from Cogs. going against a queen's will is very hard. so while your ideal is possible it is in the very unlikely area.
5105955
Maybe, but I think you over-estimate the level of controlling influence a queen has on the changelings in her hive on a moment-to-moment basis. Note that in Prelude To Change, Cogs still retained sufficient awareness of self and individual personality to dislike what he was doing, and enough personal initiative to stop one of his fellow blue-hive changelings from forcibly draining a mare by throwing a flowerpot at the harvester's head to knock him out.
It may be difficult for a changeling to defy a queen when specifically ordered to do something, but there's clearly still room for personal feelings, initiative, and interpretation of how to carry out their desires... which in turn leaves room for a changeling to not agree with the open-assimilation initiative unless their hive's queen directly orders them to do so.
5106098 I'm not saying that they like it. In prelude i go to Cogs early on. he completely disagree with his queen and tried to convince her to stop. Besides Chrysilis he know of none of the Queens that are against the open policy thus unlikely for a drone to take an active part to oppose it. They may hate the idea but to go far as you suggest would be VERY difficult. thus unlikely one of the opposing owners. The fisher is the most likely since they would have a ready source of protein for themselves but it could be one of the others.
5100562
I say leave it as it is. The context makes it fairly clear what it's selling and it gives the story a nice flavor that's a bit different from the norm. I think it helps it stand out.
For all us Non-Aussies:
You can find a translation for "Manchester" here (and also any other Aussie slang, if you run across them)
http://www.koalanet.com.au/australian-slang.html
Take the time to read them all. I did, and I simply LOVE some of those expressions
5110267
If that things holds true, swag just got a whole new dimension to me
5115130
...not to mention the song "Waltzing Matilda", where the main character is a "swagman" (homeless person)
Alondro is still on the hunt for the 3-legged changeling that murdered his wife and framed him...
"Cherngelerngs... Why can't it just shapeshift a new leg?."
And then, an epiphany, "IT COULD SHIFT A NEW LEG!! Having 3 legs was just a red herring!"
5102618
And the actual history of such discrimination in the US is a perfect demonstration of why it is necessary. The idea that "the stores that don't discriminate will do better" fails the instant the population of racist customers outnumbers those being discriminated against.
I feel like the exchange between Mixy and ER comes closest to discussing what's always sort of made me uncomfortable about this story, although it doesn't quite go all the way.
Many of the changelings talk about how they've lived within Equestria Society and have been 'a part of it' for centuries, yet the truth of things is that they really weren't; it's true they lived in Equestria, had lives alongside Ponies, etc, but they've also had these shadow, second culture and society, one that's built upon deceiving and lying to those around them to gather emotional substance from them. If we accept the premise that honesty is a necessary component of friendship, which certainly seems like an acceptable one (inside and outside of the show's context) it seems that any sort of 'friendship' that might have developed between ponies and Changelings is a lie, a falsehood.
The truth of things is, had Chrysalis not attacked, not forced changelings into the open and blown their cover, none of these changelings would have any problem continuing to live their false lives and lie to the ponies around them, including the ones they call their friends. As many of them still do, such as the changeling in this chapter, and the changelings in other, prior chapters.
And this bothers me, because it seems like it's the central problem in this story that none of the characters seem to wish to address. It doesn't help that within the first few chapters Frothy is turned into a "project" for the changeling community in order to further their own interests and purposes, which makes the whole thing feel like more of the same lies and manipulation on the part of the changelings.
Is it....a store that belongs to a man or woman named 'Chester'?
Awesome work! Now I feel like I'm certain of the Changeling-Element idea.
Blue changelings are like the element of honesty since they (used to) dedicate themselves to finding truth like researching and science stuff.
Green changelings are like the element of generosity since they give others things to earn their respect and strengthen enthusiasm like how librarians give knowledge.
Yellow changelings are like kindness since they enjoy counseling and caring for others.
Orange changelings are like laughter since they enjoy entertaining other ponies like in comedy or art.
Red changelings are like loyalty since they enjoy protecting things they feel an attachment to and receive appreciation for it
Violet changelings like magic/friendship since they like helping other ponies. I believe this differs from Yellow because of Mixxy and Zeena's actions. Zeena tried to show Frothy more changelings so maybe he would open his heart to them. Mixxy wants ponies to understand other changelings and develop better relations with them. A kind person may have simply backed off as a way to help the business owners business or offered to recommend others to their stores while Mixxy believes acceptance/friendship will solve this permanently
Personally I think its Airbrush, my theory is in the confusion of the Canterlot attack she got rounded up with other ponies. With so many changelings concentrated in one area the changlings may not have noticed at the time that they had rounded up one of their own (especially if she is from another hive). I haven't read the story about Cogs, but if he can pull away from a queen then perhaps another changling realised what she was and allowed her to escape because they can't feed off of them. It would explain why she was willing to stand up for Mixy.
Of course it probably won't be :p I'm just trying to make a logical guess that no one else has made.
5135844 Nice guess, but I have just added a little datum to the author's note that Airbrush is the OC of the illustrator, Foxenawolf, and not subject to my whims despite the cameo appearance.
Well darn if I didn't have chemistry I'd re read and try another guess then.
I wonder if half those shop owners that say they care about the changelings actually do care. It seems like a trend when something new comes along people will just jump on a bandwagon to be part of the group. However, their intentions are different from their actions, they just want to exploit the situation for easy cash. Sure, they say they'll sell to the changelings but if things turn sour, they'll just as easily turn on one another.
I sure as hell didn't know what a manchester store was. We mostly just all shop at Wal-Mart. Learn something new every day!
Lol. Apparently I'm in this story.
Wow. He's not pulling his punches
One could argue it's to the changing nature of the customer base, though. In more ways that one
Tsk. Bookstore owners should keep with the times! When are we gonna get the latest of Golden Words's novels? We've been waiting for months!
Looks like you just need counseling, lady
Frothy can refer you to one of the best in the business
Right. Business is hurting because she's turning away the more available clientele. What a shock
Hee. We got outselves a Rarity type here
Indeed
Not American, but I did learn a few new words from that professions / shops list
I have deduced two options, the former of which is the most likely.
Red Ink, who has his name mentioned the most, and also speak the most, having something of a role that supports the Changeling stance on the matters discussed. He isn't, however, asked how is business is fairing.
Ocean Breeze has seen little loss in sales, and also speaks a lot in the chapter, however, he argues, whereas Red Ink does not.
Conclusion: There is a high probability that the Changeling is Red Ink.
Cherry's conclusion is what ponies AND changelings needed to focus on is spot on!
The US currently is suffering from very real situation that could be partially illustrated by some of these chapters.
The 1960s and early '70s saw the nation undergoing massive protests by numerous minorities and unrepresented peoples: blacks, Jews, women, Asians, people of Amerind, Polish, Italian, Irish ancestories and others. Equal rights became the law of the land, and for much of the population, everyone did integrate into relative harmony by the 1980s.
However, there were a large number of blacks that bought into a bit of a trap set by segregationists who chose to switch from the stick to carrot approach: cradle-to-grave welfare entitlements. It resulted in their political party's base voting demographic shifting from blatant Klansmen to "the poor". So long as the party continued to promise them free money, the poor didn't care who they were voting for, while most of the other minorities who also fought for their rights managed to avoid this trap.
The problem, however, resulted in the poor getting poorer, while anyone who worked their way out of poverty managed to make somewhat decent wages for themselves--assuming they could keep enough of their earnings after taxes.
So, to discourage anyone from taking that route, the powers behind the party made sure to make it extremely hard for anyone to get out of the welfare system. First by making full welfare payments more lucrative than having even a minimum wage job. Then they severely punished anyone earning money by slashing their take-home entitlements by $2 for every $1 (before taxes) earned. They also encouraged criminal gangs to go about killing any kids who tried to getting an education as an effort to escape that environment. And they salted the schools with the worst teachers that helped spread the lie about how so-called "rich white society" keeps them oppressed, when the reality is the oppressors are their chosen party leaders and their own neighbors.
This has resulted in a long-term growing resentment in the black communities that's finally come to a boil.
Right now, the States are undergoing renewed race riots due to these divisive party leaders fomenting rebellion in our inner cities. Unfortunately, it's going to get a lot worse before it ever gets better.
5116838
Marshal Gerard: "I don't care, Richard!"