The Changeling Trials

by PastCat

Chapter IV: Luna's First Changeling

An awkward silence descended upon the room as the stallion finished speaking. He looked older, and, if that was even possible, grayer. The mare beside him broke the silence. “You're right, Father. You never told me this much about Rough Diamond and Mother. I had no idea she was how you two got together.”

The defiance of the posturing teenage pony was gone. With the facade melted away, Luna could see the resemblance between Sandstone and Gray Wings and the closeness the father and daughter shared. It reminded her of herself and Celestia in their weaker moments. The princess shook herself out of her reverie.

“Well, Sergeant, would you and your daughter be willing to enter the dungeons with me to find your diamond in the rough?”

The stallion looked up at the alicorn and nodded silently. The three equines headed for a set of stairs that led downward to the holding area near the guards’ barracks.

A few dozen changelings were being held in an unused barracks near the guards. Luna nodded to the pony in armor who stood watch over the entrance to the building. He unlocked the door for the princess and her guests. In the large building, numerous insect-like eyes turned towards the newcomers. Luna stood aside and watched the retired guard for his reaction. Gray Wings stood still, then closed his remaining eye and set his jaw. He let out an almost inaudible sound, one so high-pitched that only those with bat enhanced ears could hear. The changelings looked startled; evidently it was not too high for their ears. Gray Wings made the sound again, walking through the building, listening for a reply and navigating by the sound of the area around him. Luna and Sandstone followed, neither saying a word. Eventually the stallion stopped at one of the cots. A rather small changeling with light-colored markings looked back at him and buzzed. He let out a noise of the same pitch in reply, then re-adjusted himself to be understood by normal ponies. He opened his eye and turned to Luna.

“Princess, meet Rough Diamond, the luck of the Frontier Night Guard.”

Luna and the changeling stared at each other for a moment. Then the changeling made a buzzing noise. Luna shook her head. She could not understand the little bug pony’s speech. Gray Wing saw the problem. He shifted his ears forward again and buzzed at the changeling, then nodded.

“She greets you, your majesty, and asks if you would remove the magic inhibitor on her horn so she can speak for herself in a form that is more easily understood."

Luna blinked, then used her magic to unclip the device from the changeling’s horn. Immediately, the bug-pony lit herself with sickly green fire and the ponies found themselves facing a young bat pony mare with a large diamond-tipped spear cutie mark.

“Thanks, Sarge. This is much more comfortable.” The now-pony murmured in a voice that had the smoothness and sweetness of molasses. She then turned to the princess and bowed gracefully.

Luna gestured for her to rise. “It seems we have much to discuss. Let us adjourn to my study.”

The four of them left by the door that they had entered by, with Luna informing the guard that the changeling was under her care until further notice. When the princess turned back to her guests, she was surprised to see that the changeling was animatedly talking with Sandstone, who was looking more lively than Luna had seen her all evening. Gray Wing looked smug, as if he had planned this all along. Luna suspected he had brought his daughter along for just that purpose. The walk to the Night Princess’s study was full of amiable chatter between the two young mares as their elders were content to listen.

Upon arrival in the room, Luna gestured her guests onto cushions around her desk.

“So it appears that this is indeed the changeling you have been telling me about, Sargent.” The princess began.

The former guard nodded and the princess continued.

“Before we do anything, would you be willing to answer any of my questions, Miss Diamond?”

The changeling nodded.

“Very well. Can you tell me anything about how changelings feed?”

Rough Diamond thought for a moment “Well your highness, you have to understand that I am not an ordinary changeling, seeing as I was raised by ponies and all.”

Luna waved a hoof to say that was of no consequence.

The changeling continued with a nod. “Ponies give off a lot of love among themselves. It is kind of just there, hovering like dust motes in the sunlight. At the base camp, it was so thick that I could just breathe it in. Between that and what my comrades freely gave me as one of their own, I was never hungry until I left. I don't know how to feed off ponies directly, you see. I never had to.”

Luna nodded in understanding. She asked another question. “Can you tell me why you asked me to remove your magic inhibitor to be understood?”

“In my natural form,” the changeling replied, “my vocal cords are attuned to a higher pitch than most ponies can hear. In addition, Changeish is spoken much more rapidly than Equestrian and thus sounds like a high-pitched buzz. In a way, I was very fortunate to be found by bat ponies. They have the right hearing ability to be able to understand me in changeling form.”

Gray Wing broke in at seeing the princess’s puzzled look. “I think I can describe it for you, your majesty. Think about that pink Element Bearer, the one with Laughter. Now imagine that you have fed her coffee beans that have been dipped in chocolate and cinnamon sugar. Then she took a dozen floating balloons full of helium gas and inhaled it all to make her voice sound funny.”

Luna cringed. Pinkie was hyper and squeaky enough on a normal basis. Add caffeine, sugar, and helium to the mix and there would be no chance of keeping up with that mare.

Gray Wings saw the expression on the princess’s face and grinned. “Now double the effect. That is what a natural changeling speaking Equestrian or Changeish sounds like.”

Luna had a difficult time imagining what that would sound like. All she could see in her mind’s eye was an explosion of some kind, complete with mushroom cloud with a blinding flash of light and a sound that would echo across Equestria.

“And… you are able to understand that?” She asked hesitantly.

The stallion and changeling both nodded. “As long as I speak slowly and speak Equestrian, he does.” Rough Diamond replied. “Some of the changelings back at the barracks, though, I am not certain they know how to speak Equestrian in natural form. It takes a while to get right.”

Luna sighed inwardly. “I have one more inquiry to make of you. It may take a little while before we would be able to arrange transport back to your regiment. Where would you stay in the mean time?”

“With us and our family.” Sandstone broke in. “That way, you would get another pony to verify Di for you when Mother gets home from work and she will be well-cared for in the interim.”

Luna nodded, pleased with the Pegasus pony’s answer. “Very well.” The princess reached for an inkwell, quill, and scroll and wrote out a pass of amnesty for Rough Diamond to carry with her back to the regiment with her. She passed the note over to the ponies and changeling to sign. Three sets of eyes read the document. Diamond was the first to react. She jumped up, her wings fluttering, and dove toward the princess, wrapping her in a hug.

“Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!” She squealed. Sandstone chuckled and Gray Wings raised an eyebrow.

“Your freedom and an official commission with your regiment of the Frontier Guard.” Luna managed to murmur when the babbling mare had to stop for breath. “Now you are an official member. Perform your duties with honor,” she winked, “and by all means, enjoy yourself.”

The two ponies and one overjoyed changeling left the room together; Rough Diamond was chattering up a storm with Sandstone attempting to get a word in edgewise. Before he departed the room behind them, Gray Wings turned back to the Princess of the Night. “I thank you, your majesty, from the bottom of my heart. Would it be all right if I – we – wrote to you? I am certain Di will have loads of stories to tell you.”

Luna smiled at the retired guard. “You are very welcome Sergeant. It would make me very happy to correspond with you and yours.”

The stallion returned her grin, sketched a quick bow, then followed his daughter and her friend toward the exit. As the door swung shut behind them, Luna let out a satisfied sigh. This mercy thing felt good. And it gave her a good story to tell Tia tomorrow. The princess of the night turned to the stack of petitions. Perhaps there would be another in here that would prove equally fruitful…

Comments

[Tinted Dawn]

ThisissoAWESOME!

[tailsopony]

This seems fun. I noted you said that this was your "NaNoWriMo novel". Dare I believe that there is 50k (or more) words coming? If so, why does it stay marked "Complete"? If not, carry on!

I do like the story. I normally don't comment unless I have something constructive to add, but seeing as you claim this as your first fan-fiction on this site, and there are a measly two comments, I just thought I should jump in and give you a verbal thumbs up. There are a ton of us quiet lurkers who don't say much but enjoy the effort you (or anybody) put into things. Good show. If there's more, I'll probably read it. I like changelings!

[Wacuire]

This story is truly a diamond, it has a high value for its small quantity.

[Cavenerd20]

Other than a few editing errors that half the authors on this site seem to make at least once, you did a great job. The only real problem with this story is that it's not entirely resolved. I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to see more done with this story.

And by the way...

I had no idea she was how you two got together.

Everyone and their grandmother does that, probably because at least some of them learned English as a second language. And there's nothing wrong with that. They just need to check their work, which not everyone has the time and/or patience to do.

[PastCat]

somebrony_else and tailsopony: don't worry. This isn't all of it. There's a total of around 23 chapters, or a little over 50k words. I will post the rest over the next couple of days.

Thanks for the comments, dear readers!

[OdicHastings]

5366319

Oh sweet. So you managed to finish your NaNoWriMo successfully? Nicely done. I almost didn't make it myself.

I'm looking forward to reading the future chapters.

[theRedBrony]

5366319 You know there's a reply button. Right? The little >> over there on the upper right of this box? ^

four of them left by the door that they

[TheGreatEater]

four of them left by the door that they had entered by, with Luna informing the guard that the changeling was under her care until further notice.

The four
______________

This was a cute chapter. Interesting that Chageling speach is not only high pitched and high speed.

[Razzy]

Interesting head canon with the speech. And I'm so very glad that you're not one of those authors that make it so that changelings can't eat love without harming the giver.

And the feels are strong in this one.

Cya
Raziel-chan

[Miro]

I like the story, but I am at odds with Luna issuing a pass of AMNESTY. This implies that there is a crime to begin with.
Of course Diamond's crime might be the lack of a visa if Equestrians have something akin to that.
Otherwise it would imply that either being a changelling or having your own unique identity are punishable crimes.