"Excuse me, good sir, might I bend your ear for a moment?"
Ring Master looked up from the magazine he was reading to take a look at the speaker. The individual in question was a colt, a crystal pony by the look of him. Youngish, not quite old enough to be considered a teenager. Behind him stood a taller, much older pony, dressed in a uniform identifiable anywhere: A butler's formal attire. It seemed that this young fellow had a great deal of wealth to have a butler as a minder...
Putting away his magazine, Ring Master said, "Fine, what do you want?"
If he seemed offended by Ring's curt behavior, he didn't show it. The colt asked, "I was wondering how much you might want for that exhibit over there?"
Ring looked over at the exhibit in question: The caged changeling. Scowling, Ring Master said, "Not for sale, colt. Buzz off."
Ring Master had been running this traveling circus for the better part of ten years, and he'd never in his life had such a massive draw as that changeling. He'd found it, injured, about a week after the Canterlot invasion. In the state it was in, it had been pretty simple to put a collar on it and put it in a cage. Since then, he'd practically been minting bits, the way it drew crowds, even if all it did was sit there and look sad all the time...
The butler abruptly shook a large bag of bits, as the colt said, "Good sir, it is in my experience that everything is for sale, provided that the price is right. I'm willing to pay you a very tidy sum for yonder changeling."
Ring narrowed his eyes, estimating the number of bits in that bag. Given the size, and the clink it was making, there had to be at least ten thousand bits inside, maybe more. That was double what the changeling had brought in for the last year. A smile began to form on Ring's face as he said, "Alright, colt, I'm listening..."
------------------------------
Aphid was miserable, but that wasn't anything new: She'd been miserable every day for the last year, she'd been miserable all day, and odds were, she'd be miserable every day for the rest of her life, the way things were going...
Looking out the bars of her cage, at the ponies who had apparently paid good bits just to see her, she gave a long, weary sigh. She'd long ago quit wondering if she should ask for someone, anyone, to let her out. She was a changeling, after all: The average pet dog had more civil rights than she did...
Ring Master, the dark brown, morbidly obese earth pony who ran the circus, and the jerk who had slapped the iron collar around Aphid's neck in the first place, was approaching, a colt and an older pony in tow. The colt was... shiny was the only word that could be used to describe it. He was bright blue, and sparkled like a sapphire. The older pony, a fairly handsome earth pony, looked to be a butler, given the suit he wore, and his overall bearing...
"Alright colt, she's all yours. Just let me get you some chains you can put on her, so she won't try to run," Ring said, his tone almost painfully obsequious to the colt in question. The colt moved like he had some serious money backing him, and over the last year, Aphid had learned that Ring would do anything for bits...
The colt, smiling as bright as sunny day, said, "Jolly good. Ah, before I forget, I need just one other thing."
Ring, turning away from the cage, asked, "What?"
"A receipt," the colt said with a perfectly straight face.
----------------------------------
A few minutes later, after a sheet of paper, a quill, and a bottle of ink had been retrieved, Ring Master filled out an official bill of sale for Aphid. Seeing the amount that the bill was for, Aphid had to resist the urge to whistle. She didn't know much about money, but that was a whole lot of zeros that were behind that five. Aphid hadn't realized that there were that many bits in the world...
The transaction apparently complete, bits and bill exchanged hooves, and the cage was unlocked. Chains were clapped on her legs, and the collar, linked to a chain riveted to the ceiling, was released. Sighing, Aphid stretched her neck. While the chains around her legs would be a pain, it was nice to finally be able to move her head without almost strangling herself...
The butler moved alongside her, and whispered, very quietly, "Please don't try anything. There's a lot more going on here than you think..."
Puzzled, but more than willing to go with the flow if it got her out of that thrice-cursed cage, Aphid played the part of the submissive little drone. She was pretty good at that role, given that she'd been playing it non-stop for the last year...
As they walked away from the circus, she couldn't help but mention, "If you really paid five hundred thousand bits for me, colt, you were overcharged."
Snickering, the colt said, "My name's Azure Blue, and don't worry, I'll have my money back in fifteen minutes..."
----------------------------------
"Excuse me, good sir, might I bend your ear for a moment?"
Ring Master snorted, scowled, and put down his magazine angrily. He looked up, expecting to see that colt again. He saw exactly what he expected... and a half dozen guards, all of whom looked rather angry. One held up the bill of sale that the earth pony had just signed a few moments ago and asked, "Is this your signature?"
Not really getting what this was all about, Ring said, "Yeah, yeah it is. What business is it of yours?"
The guard, a sergeant by the look of him, scowled, then placed a hoof upon Ring's shoulder and said, "Then I am placing you under arrest for the crime of trafficking in sapient creatures."
His eyes widening, Ring Master asked, "What sapient creatures? I haven't..."
Two guards approached, holding manacles and chains, and began putting them around Ring's legs. The sergeant stated, "Regardless of your personal opinion, changelings are considered sapient creatures, and it is considered a crime to kidnap, imprison, or to enslave one..." With a snort, the sergeant said, "Take him away."
As Ring was led away, he saw that colt, along with his butler, standing with the changeling, chatting as if they were friends. The changeling, a million bit smile on her face, waved, then said, "I hope you enjoy being in a cage EXACTLY as much as I did. Toodles!"
-----------------------------------
"Not for nothing," Aphid said, as she and Azure watched the guards began shutting the circus down (There had been more illegal activities going on here than just treating a changeling like property, and Aphid had already given a statement about some of the things she'd seen), "but why did you set all this up, Azure?"
The butler chuckled, as Azure cheerfully munched on a bowl of nachos. Wiping at his lips, the colt said, "How much do you know about the Crystal Empire, miss Aphid?"
Rubbing her chin, Aphid said, "Ummm, disappeared a thousand years ago. Before that, it was taken over by a jerk named King Sombra, who put... the entire city... in chains..." While Aphid might not have been a genius, she could see where this was going...
With a little snort, Azure said, "Exactly. While SOME ponies," he paused, giving a scowl at a couple of passing ponies who had, just moments ago, been gawking at Aphid through the bars of her cage, "may have forgotten it, there are laws against the kind of treatment you were receiving back there. Me, I'll never forget." Smiling, he changed the subject, stating, "Well, now that you're free, I was wondering if you might be interested in working for me: My parents have a mansion back in the Crystal Empire, and we're in desperate need of a maid."
With a sad chuckle, Aphid said, "I don't think your parents would approve."
The butler was suddenly wreathed in green fire, and changed from a handsome pony in a dapper suit to... a handsome changeling in a dapper suit. Smiling, the butler said, "They didn't object when he brought me in, so I sincerely doubt that they'll have a problem with you."
Say whaaaaaaaaaaa
> Marked as incomplete
Is there more...?
Now for the actual comment: I'll stick around and see where this goes. It seems kinda bland right now so I want to see how you'll spice it up.
Interesting premise.
OOOOOOOOOWNED
I sense a shipping!
Glad that creep got busted ... and that Aphid is free now. I do sense some shipping in the future as well. Really want to see where this goes.
You sir, deserve all of my favorites and up votes!
You're just full of these aren't you?
...I love it.
I'm willing to see this continued. It's an interesting premise.
Like the premise. Would enjoy reading more of this.
Haven't read it yet, but I'm wondering if the remark of 'depending on reader response' is you wondering if we'll like it or not, or us wanting to see the others update more. Because seriously, you're one of my favorite writers from all the way back to 'Your Fangs Are Showing." (which I'm hoping is going to be recreated in some form in the remake, though the fact that they've already met lowers the possibility a little, but I'm still hopeful! )
I shall wait for more.
ok, now that I've finished
Continue please!
also:
might want to remove that 'e'
I could see a bigger story out of this. Good show!
Like it. More please!
Alright. You now have my complete attention.
I just saw the summary at the top of the new stories list and that alone told me I must read this.
Stupid doesn´t even begin to describe this guy
I like
I am ok with his being continued
Hmn, sure.
I like it. There is so much that could happen in this fic. Just hope she doesn't have stock-hold syndrome
I would be intrigued to see where his goes. Like and Fav Get!
Murphy strikes again! “estimating the number of bits in that (bad). “ [bag].
Could not let this slip by in one of your stories. please continue.
Interesting. Feels a bit rushed, and jumpy.
That said, I like it. Good short story. As a for making more of it... I'd keep it episodic, and make a Mod Squad series.
4869474
4868694
Corrected, thank you much
Interesting story and concept.
Interesting indeed. I could see this going somewhere, either as a sizeable story about freeing enslaved changelings or as as simple story of day to day life. Given the inspiration for this I would think it'd be the former. Faved and liked up.
I am torn. It's good as usual but I kinda want you to go back to the story with the single father in Manehatten and the changeling who sleeps under his daughter's bed.
There really is nothing that we will not find a way to ponify, is there?
Very nice.
4869795
Ponify ALL the things!
Good start! Need more!
yay!
Go on...
Seriously, go on. Like, right now.
I like it..... Another!
>Ecocat<
"As Ring was lead away..."
You realize that "lead" rhymes with "reed," yes? Only the mineral "lead" sounds like "dead."
What you want is "led."
stop sleepin,start typing
just kiddin you need your sleep but this needs a sequel
Well...I for one would not object to more of this. That said...you may want to wrap up a few of your other projects first. I know firsthand how much of a trial writing can be if you spread yourself too thin.
4868945 Agreed, that part right there was check and the moment he admitted that was his signature, you knew it was checkmate. Just like chess.
4871459
Corrected, thank you much.
I for one want to read more of this story. Who knows Azure, the Butler and Aphid could form a team to free other enslaved Changelings. If slave drivers are as stupid as circuscolt there, then it'll be a cinch to corner them and put them in checkmate.
One hundred and eight upvotes in less than 24 hours. I'd say that's an academy record, but that meme has been done to death .
4869541
Well, I admit, after a week of not writing, I was kind of using this as a test to get back in the swing of things. I wanted to know if I was well enough to write. Turns out I was, mostly .
Hmmm Intresting concept, I like it +Like +Follow!
One thing I did happen to catch though was this part here:
In this case sapient would work (meaning wise), it would be better served being sentient (able to perceive/feel feelings) as sapient is usually used to refer to Homo sapiens (modern humans)
This entertains me. I'd love to see more.
Sapient is correct. As is Sophont. Sapient is only applied to humans in real life because humans are the only sapient we know of.
Sure, there's been various scientific investigations into monkeys, apes, and various whales, but none of them, to the best of my knowledge, have revealed sapience, only a degree of thought. For example, a monkey female can be taught sign language, and will generally teach her young sign language, but has no greater awareness than that. And should you attempt to teach said monkey another sign language, they would have to learn over again from the beginning, whereas a human, or any other sapient (provided they were not brain-damaged), would be able to make connections between the two languages, and learn one as an adaption of the other, and even invent entirely new languages on purpose, and invent new uses for those languages.
tl;dr; humans are sapient; so is any being with human-level reasoning. Humans are just the only ones we know of.
>demand romance tag for... things...
>demand kissy-kiss pone scene where a kiss happens and...
>if demands are not met within 2 chapters, the dark lord Cthulhu will be summoned to devour the author and any editors/proofreaders/prereaders/etc.
i.imgflip.com/badcs.jpg
An excellent tale!
...And I applaud your use of "sapient" rather than the nearly-meaningless term "sentient."