Desolate wasteland for miles. This is what the changelings called home. Every day was the same routine: go out, feed on some love, and bring it back for the queen. After the failed attempt at taking over Canterlot, the changelings had a harder time entering any city in Equestria. Everypony was always looking out for changelings. They expected the queen to come back with a new plan, and were on high alert for any changelings that might enter the cities. In the hive, far away from Equestria, the thousands of changelings buzzed around the area, bringing food to the queen or resting. Life under the queen was mundane, and repetitive.
It was a normal day, the sun was beating down on the wasteland. All the changelings were accustomed to the harsh conditions of their home. There was almost never any rain, and no plants grew. Should the changelings had needed anything besides love to feed on, they would've had to find a new home. The changelings had claimed the land for themselves, and faced no opposition. Without any need for water or plants, the changelings saw no other forms of life within miles of their home.
Every changeling minion was loyal to the queen, all except for one. Whether he had been immune to the mind-control spells the queen was capable of, or was just born differently, he felt the oppression of the queen. Whenever he tried to talk to his fellow changelings about the queen's oppressive nature, they pushed the thoughts away and called him a traitor. Although he knew that Queen Chrysalis was evil, none of the other changelings seemed to mind.
Every day, this changeling would dream of leaving the colony, finding a new life beyond the hive. His ability to change into other ponies would cloak him in the cities, and protect him from being recaptured by the Queen Chrysalis. But escaping the colony was a difficult task. He wasn't a collector, so he didn't fly out into Equestria to harvest love and bring it back to the nest. Instead, he stood guard around the nest, tending to the queen's needs when she called upon her minions.
Most of the time the changelings spent the day fighting each other for practice, or sleeping on the dusty ground. While the queen plotted, the changelings worked to become stronger and faster. None of the changelings had names, and their similarity in physical appearance made them discerning between them nearly impossible. Leaving the nest would be no problem at all, and nobody would be able to tell if he had left. The changeling knew that escaping the nest would be easy, but he was scared. Scared to leave the life he knew so well and try to fit in somewhere he was hated. Although he hated his current life, the life he would be moving into would be dangerous.
This day, with the sun shining brightly and not a gust of wind in the sky, was the perfect opportunity to escape. The changeling found his way through the nest, his blue eyes showing no emotion. Like every other day, the other changelings buzzed through the air, finding different things to do. He flew unnoticed, looking the same as every other changeling in the area. With ease, he slipped out of the nest. He would not be missed.
The nest was an unpleasant place, but flying away from it scared the changeling. He had rarely left it, and when he did he hadn't gone farther than a few miles. He wasn't sure where he was going, but as long as it was away from the long, boring days of life in the nest, he was fine with it. Flying through the air was no problem with his trained wings.
Hours passed, and the land rolled along underneath the changeling. He could see buildings, which meant that pony civilization was near. Knowing that his true form would not be accepted among the residents, he had to find a pony to take the form of. He landed a good distance away from the town. There was a windmill, a large tree, and plenty of buildings. It was the perfect place to try and start a new life, but he'd need a new identity. A pony that he could take the form of whom the other wouldn't know. That way he wouldn't have to know anything about whoever he took the form of.
This wasn't an easy task, as changelings could only morph into what they saw, but that didn't mean that imagination couldn't play a part. All the changeling needed was a template. He was different from the rest, smarter. He needed a form that he could call his own so that there wouldn't be two identical ponies in the same area.
He trotted toward the town, looking for any stray pony that may be taking a walk around it. There was no sign of life around him. As he trotted forward, the grass became greener and there were more flowers. He was approaching the town. Still in his menacing form, he needed to find a pony to copy.
As he approached the outskirts of the town, he saw ponies trotting around the streets. He hid behind a bush, observing the different forms he could take. There were five ponies trotting through the area together. One of them particularly intrigued him. With a flash of light he took the form of the pony and waited for them to leave the area. All he had to do was not be caught in the same place as the pony he looked like, and he would be able have enough time to combine the different elements of multiple ponies to create his own look. Then his new life would truly begin.
He trotted into the town with his new form. All he had to do was ask around and he'd know exactly where he lived, what he was like, and how to act.
A sign outside the town made it clear that this was "Ponyville".
With his new form, he could live among the townsfolk without ever being discovered.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There was a knock at the door.
"It's open!" yelled Twilight. In walked Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie.
"Where have you all been?" asked Twilight.
They all responded together.
"The outskirts of town."
The concept of changelings intrigues me. This is a very, very short prologue to an idea that I had. If there's any interest in it, I'll continue it, but otherwise I won't be worrying about it too much. It seemed like an interesting idea to me.
Of course, if I do continue it it's going to become quite the mystery story.
ANOTHER ONE?
I KNEW IT! OMG I CALLED IT! A 'good' Changeling who tries to live a normal life.
YES! HIGH FIVE ME!
Heh. A whole lot of changeling and Queen Chrysalis stories have popped up since the finale. I don't mind it.
This one seems a bit different from the others I've read. Might be interesting, but I can't really tell with just the prologue. Tracking just in case you continue it.
Interesting... tracking...
this was going to happen eventually, and I know this might have potential. Keep it up, sir
491257 then you know hasbro has done a good job on Chrysalis and the Changelings if people started making stories about them right away. also, it was so an awesome finale.
491254
HIVE FIVE MY SAME MINDED FRIEND!
Changelings have the ability to copy memories and abilities of the pony they take the form of.
This one will have the 4th wall breaking powers of Pinkie
The Speed of Rainbow Dash
The strength of Applejack
The stare and animal abilities of Fluttershy
and the keen eyes of Rarity
There is no hope if this one goes rouge.
Starting with a good changeling that has no loyalty to the Queen kinda kills the protagonists character arc.
This is definitely a story I want to see!
Tracked!
this is pretty good :D
I request you continue good sir!
ONE of them? And it doesn't seem like he noticed she's, well, female? ... Let's see where this goes.
It feels a tad rushed, but other than that I love it.
Intrigued, please do go on
I like this idea
Interesting premise.
I'll keep a look on this.
Fascinating story. I look forward to how this plays out. I like the Changeling. And I'm curious to see how he tries to live a 'normal' life.
is this a positive enough response for moar yet? xD
I. Love. This. Story. Period.
Also, you better make the fact that the Changeling is caught, but he is seen as good, and accepted into Ponyville.
Ooh I think I'm gonna like this one, I wonder which of them he copied. hmm? Oh well just gonna have to wait huh?
Interesting, certainly. Would definitely need a full chapter or two - maybe three - before I could say whether or not I truly liked it. The concept, however, is cool; and your writing's fine. I guess that just leaves the decision up to you then.
This certainly has potential, can't wait to see who he picked to copy. Does he even grasp the concept of genders I wonder?
<We are intrigued by this. We will follow.>
Ooh, I like this one. Keep on going!
cdnimg.visualizeus.com/thumbs/bf/ea/bfea822321eb7828073210f7b3279347_h.jpg
Hmm, interesting. I think someone else said this felt a bit rushed, and I tend to agree. It wasn't too bad, but you definitely relied a bit too much on telling, rather than showing. On the other hand, Changelings are the most alien thing we've seen in Equestria so far (yes, more alien than magic ponies, rock-nesting land eels, or mythical beasts), so I could understand that viewing its thought processes would not be so clearcut.
One thing, though: if the changeling protagonist really hadn't been beyond the nest before, then it wouldn't really regard the queen as evil. Mind you, it could still recognize that she was too controlling and desire for itself a life free from her control, but I don't think it would consider her evil. Not that she isn't evil, but since that's all it has known it wouldn't have anything to judge her by. That would also give an opportunity for later problems as it tries to fit in, by doing things that other ponies would regard as "wrong" without realizing it.
Anyway, just my two cents. This story seems to have promise, and I just wanted to help.
If it copied Pinkie nopony would mind if there were two of them walking around because that would just be pinkie being pinkie
[WARNING: High potential story detected!]
Well, this is certainly intersting, and similar to an idea I've been toying with myself. Should be intersting to see where this one leads, and I hope you add to it soon! Hope to hear more of this in the near future!
High anticipation levels!
This has potential, though I have some questions.
Why is this changling smarter? Why is he the only rebellious changling? Can we get more information on his character in the immediate chapters?
The premise is interesting, but you've gotta give us more on the OC character you create.
494341 key word: prologue
Tracking.
Ready and waiting for story to continue my good sir.
And changelings are interesting, I'm thinking that with the Changelings, entire fanfics will be changed as well as new fanfics will be much more different for quite some time if they have Changelings and stuff.
This was an excellent start to a story about the Changelings I can't wait to see where this story goes
So I got around to reading this, and I want MOAR!
>never left it
>when he did
I think this would work better as "He rarely left it" dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/Derpy_Hooves_lolface.png
492376 What if someone asks him/her out on a date? dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/discord.png
494902 that next chapter is under way
494911 a.deviantart.net/avatars/a/w/awwyeahplz.png
This is an awesome concept. Out of all the rushed changling fics popping up, this is definatly the most intriging.
490278
Yes, we are interesting.
491239 static.fimfiction.net/images/icons/color.png
1098534 dl.dropbox.com/u/93510029/spike.png