The Elements of Surprise (Morpheus) Part 1
Changing Time’s Notes: When the attack on Canterlot exposed changelings as more than just a myth, there was nary a pony in Equestria who didn’t fear being replaced in the night. The idea that there was a creature that could take the form of whatever pony they desired was terrifying, and we were so wrapped up over the identities they could steal and portray that we never questioned the identities of the changelings themselves. We never asked what individual differences there might be between changelings—simply labeling them all as enemies.
It’s ironic that we never really questioned if they might simply invent an identity of their own. There was always a pony that was replaced. There was always a victim. Even when we couldn’t find any victim, we simply assumed the changelings had done away with them.
It was remarkably short-sighted of us, in hindsight.
The Elements of Surprise: A Report by Prince Morpheus of House Sycadia
The day I met the other Elements started out well enough. I only had three chores to do while Twilight was in Canterlot dropping off Spike.
First, briefly look around town for any good pools of ambient emotion to eat.
Second, pick up some groceries.
Third, lock myself in Castle until Twilight returned later that evening to introduce me to her friends.
Of course, I couldn’t gallivant around Ponyville as a changeling yet. Twilight didn’t want that to happen until she was absolutely sure the town could handle it.
And so I made a disguise.
“Wait a minute.” Twilight’s emotions were flashing through ten or twenty conflicting tastes at the end of my proposal. She had fallen on her haunches, and was shuffling through her notes.
Looking back at her from the sketch I had made detailing our potential disguise, I nodded for her to continue, but she promptly closed her mouth after opening it for a few seconds. She started to chew her lip with a furrowed brow, and cast her gaze down. After looking at her notes again, she glanced back up and tried again only to repeat the process.
When she failed for the third time, she put her head in her hooves and groaned. Ripping a blank piece of paper from one of her notebooks, she wrote her question down and handed it to me.
“Why are you going as a pegasus mare?”
I bit my chops. “Is there something wrong with that choice? I figured you’d want that body type more than a pegasus stallion.”
The princess’ flush at our response did not escape my notice. The rubbery texture to her emotions suggested… embarrassment? I hadn’t done anything to merit that, had I?
“You wanted us to be able to run as fast as possible, right?” I flicked my wings a few times. “I can’t use unicorn teleportation without permission, and I’m not strong enough as an earth pony to bust through crowds. Pegasus females are more aerodynamic than their male counterparts, so a mare is the way to go.”
Twilight chewed her lip some more. “Isn’t that awkward for you? You are kind of…” She trailed off.
“I am kind of…” I prompted her.
“You’re kind of a boy….” She was looking everywhere but towards me as she said that.
“Oh.” Hoof met face. “Of course that would be weird for other species. I feel like such an idiot. Please tell me I didn’t stomp over every touchy subject known to pony kind.”
“Well… there was the line about me wanting you as a pegasus mare…. Not that you meant anything by it, but a lot of ponies might misinterpret that….” Twilight’s voice was tiny.
I felt a headache coming on as ve connected the dots.
“Great. Just great,” ve grumbled. “Let’s just add mentally filtering every single hive forsaken sentence I want to say to the list of things I need to do here. To be clear, you know that wasn’t a come on, right? Ve don’t even know if you’re into mares.”
“And let’s keep it that way.” Twilight frowned. “I’d rather not talk about my love life.”
“Fair enough.” Massaging my temples, ve carefully formulated how ve wanted to deal with this. “To be clear though, Twilight, ve can understand why you might think my disguising myself as a mare would be awkward, but it really isn’t an issue for changelings.”
I felt myself flush green. “There are a couple of reasons for that. The first is biological. Changelings aren’t— We don’t— That is to say—” I bit my chops, hard. “Changelings are born sexless! There! I said it!”
I gasped for breath for a few moments and prayed Twilight wouldn’t pry further into that. Peeking up, I found her looking at me with a worried frown that tasted like sweet lemonade.
“Are you al—”
“I’m fine!” I forced a manic grin. “I’m fine, really. I just… thought you were going to ask a question I’d be really uncomfortable asking.”
“Oh….” Several lines were crossed in one of the notebooks.
“The second reason—” I took one last deep breath. “—is how easy it is for us to shapeshift. You need to realize that changelings use shapeshifting for essentially everything. Sometimes it’s even an automatic response. The number of ways we have to change our body in miniature ways means we really don’t feel that attached to the original. Honestly, ve’d be surprised if you found a changeling that did. We toss on small changes like makeup. Sometimes we don’t change them back.”
As Twilight began taking notes again, I chuckled. “Sometimes they’re not-so-small changes either. One of Mother’s generals was so enamored with swordplay that he figured out how to morph his leg into a permanent blade. Think of it like a peg leg that periodically had its mass shifted around to keep it sharp.”
“You’re joking,” Twilight said.
“Nope.” I grinned. “He actually had an eye-patch, too. For some reason he seemed to think the pirate jokes would get old. That doesn’t really happen when ve have as much material as ve do.”
The taste of cotton candy wafting through the air was an improvement. There was still the conflicting mass of tastes that was confusion, but it had faded enough to let me pick up more mild emotions.
Unfortunately, rubbery cotton candy tasted awful, and Twilight was still slightly embarrassed. At least she was managing to look me in the eye again.
I trotted to the desk, and picked up my coffee to take a sip. “Now that that’s settled, do you have any other questions?”
She smiled sheepishly. “Umm… yeah… could you give me the whole spiel again? You started off with the pegasus mare thing, and I couldn’t even begin to focus on the rest of the speech while trying to wrap my head around it.”
Glancing at her notes confirmed this. They appeared to consist of a collection of ahhs, umms, and other unintelligible phrases.
Hoof met face. Again. “The train leaves in an hour and you want me to repeat the entire thing? There was at least ten minutes in there on research into coat colors.” I couldn’t help but whimper. “I don’t want to give the whole thing again.”
Twilight looked at the clock and sighed. “Did your first speech really take that long?” She shook her head. “Alright, there’s not enough time now. I need to go make sure Spike and I packed everything. I’m going to give you permission and hope I don’t regret it, but I want the full explanation later. Got it?”
I nodded, and she smiled.
“Good. Now I’m going to go pack and look up the proper permission phrase. Are you coming?”
“I suppose….” I hesitated as she started moving towards the door. “Why not just ask us about how to phrase the passphrase? Ve know all the contract’s syntax by heart.”
Twilight paused and a slightly bitter taste filled the air—an answer to the real question I wanted to ask. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m already putting a lot of trust in you by giving you permission to leave Castle while I’m in Canterlot.”
I snorted, but didn’t comment. She was absolutely right, after all.
I had stayed with Twilight just long enough to get permission granted for my disguise before running off to the entrance to the library. Once there, I donned my new form and leapt skyward to perch on the enormous windows flanking the massive double doors to Castle.
It was time for some recon now that I could look out the windows without causing a panic.
Twilight’s new home seemed to be on the outskirts of town. The landmarks ve had a visual on told us the palace had claimed what used to be a field on the northwest side of town, and it had used that space to full effect.
Flowerbeds were organized in patterns of colors to draw the eye, while trees lined the paths to provide shade. There were at least two fountains and a collection of statues scattered about, all made from gleaming crystal and friendship.
I leaned closer to get a better look at the town proper off in the distance.
“Sweet Celestia, that’s what you’re going as?!”
I accidentally tripped off my perch, and the stabilization plates in my legs snapped into position automatically as several instinctual calculations told us a fall from this height could actually break my legs. Thankfully, I managed to get some air under my wings before hitting the ground. Instead of crashing, I merely skid twenty trots or so as I shifted most—but not all—of my downward momentum in a horizontal direction.
“Is there a problem with my disguise?” My voice was muffled by the floor—the crystal cool and surprisingly soothing to my aching pride.
“You might want a different color.” Twilight’s chuckles encouraged a few snickers from the sour tasting drake on her back. “You apparently can’t pull pink off. Even Celestia didn’t look that silly when she decided to give pink a try.”
I sighed as I picked myself up. My stabilization plates unlocked themselves, and I stretched my legs to make sure all the cavities were fully open again.
“Nice to know that research on coat color was actually bogus,” ve grumbled. “More obscure colors were supposed to be more welcoming. Razzmatazz was by far the most qualified color with its obscure name and bright candy-like coloration.”
Twilight tilted her head. “Wait…. Did you seriously read Dr. Xanadu’s thesis on pony perception of peculiar pigments? That was debunked like two hundred years ago.”
My cheeks flushed green, and I realized I had forgotten to change my blood color. A small shift corrected this even as I continued grumbling. “Ve found hundreds of papers supporting that blasted theory.”
Twilight chuckled. “Xanadu was famous for quantity over quality. How did you not find all the work that went into debunking him?”
Ve shook our head. “Depends on whether or not any changelings actually found out before me. Ve’re willing to bet the infiltrator who found his work was a novice. They probably collected the info and never bothered to double check its validity.”
Looking over my disguise, I didn’t really see anything wrong with the color. “I may as well stick with it to save time. Anything else before we go?”
“Yeah. If you do anything to—”
“Spike!” Twilight cut the dragon off with a look. “We talked about this, and you agreed to try it my way. We need to give him a chance to prove himself, and you need a vacation from the general insanity that is daily life in Ponyville. You’re heading to Canterlot so both of those things can happen.”
Spike grumbled something I couldn’t hear.
“I know, Spike, and I love you too, little guy.” Twilight nuzzled him, and I tasted something other than fear and suspicion coming from the dragon for once.
Careful not to take any bites, I savored the flavor of fresh baked honey buns and homemade cookies.
Twilight pulled back from the placated dragon. “And I promise if Morpheus leads an army of changelings on Ponyville you can swoop in and save the day. I’m sure Celestia would be livid enough to oblige. Hay, she might even let you ride her into battle.”
I sputtered—caught off guard by that—and an aching pain suddenly sprang up in my chest shooting down my foreleg. I had been enjoying the love in the air a little too much, and now I was choking on it. The simple solution was to just bite off the love, but I really didn’t want to ruin the moment.
Several moments passed as I stuttered incoherently. Pounding my chitin covered chest was pointless, but it helped me stubborn through the discomfort. Bit by bit I regurgitated the love back into the air.
And my heart slowly began to beat again.
“S-should ve actually be worried about that?” Heat crept up my neck as Twilight and Spike snickered at me, and I shifted my blood color to the same pink as my coat.
“Yes.” Spike grinned wickedly.
“No.” Twilight bit her lip. “I mean, maybe.”
“Wonderful….” I massaged my forehead as Castle’s door rumbled open with a sound that sounded like a deep gravelly chuckle.
“At least I’ll be going out in style, then.”
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great chapter as always
..what? no simple "Changelings as a species are mostly Genderfluid/genderqueer"? surely that could of saved some time....
6188824
Thanks.
It might have, but that wouldn't explain why they're like that.
Also genderfluid is somewhat incorrect in this case. It is more like they are sexfluid? I'm not sure there's an official term for it and it's been awhile since that particular psychology class. Looking back at this part of the chapter it seems I never really had Morpheus clarify the second part of the second reason... Although that might be a good thing... It would have made things even more lecture-y whereas I can now bring this up later.
As I see it shapeshifting makes them care less about the technicalities of the physical body, but not necessarily the mental ones. The sex of a body is the physical aspect, but the gender is a mental one. Changelings wouldn't care about sex because they can change it at will, but gender isn't necessarily determined by sex. Morpheus views himself as more masculine than feminine, so his gender is male. He's perfectly comfortable having his sex be female, however, since he sees the various parts involved as having nothing to do with how he actually thinks and acts. Even when forced to act in a feminine way in a disguise he readily accepts that it's part of a facade and has no bearing on his actual gender.
Come to think of it... I believe there might be seperate terms for gender classifications and sex classifications... I should probably look those up and make sure the phrasing for this chapter is right, although I'm not sure how many people would notice the difference.
What?!
I think that is sad. If anything because you're able to change so much you should treasure your first form.
Wouldn't that make it rust eventually and infect flesh? In face I'd like to know how the body handles the excess minerals. I suppose you would have to explain if the morphed balde is metal or not.
Question... random one at that. Changelings having created living metal or living statues that change form would that be possible? I was considering living armor supposedly created in limited amounts by the ancient changelings.
I am sorry I don't understand that. At all.
6188824 *slaps you* TUMBLR GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY FACE!
No seriously bro. No.
In any case that's terms used by us... doesn't mean it is used by them. It also doesn't help that nobody actually TRULY knows what genderfluid or genderqueer means. It's better to describe than actually use fad terms that have no extensive scientific usage. Not to mention this simply isn't the case since they are shapeshifters. The term was used for humans... changeling society as I understand it here is too alien to simply abide by such terms. That is mostly because those terms suggest that the gender is stable, or were originally created for species whos gender is mostly stable. Genderfluid and genderqueer suggest conflict with the actual gender of the person, but when that is interchangeable then those terms are invalid.
I realize I might have repeated myself at some points but the point is still there. It also a big tick of mine that gender terms are abused and overused. Forums have multiple gender selections when only two actually matter. If I care what you feel like as gender is concerned I will ask or you will tell me... Official information like that has a function. I want to know what to call you... a "he" or a "she". That is all.
Sorry for derailing.
6189791
Again at the same time wouldn't that make it even more important to remember their original form?
In my headcanon phrases like "Fake it till you make it" and "Those who wear masks become their masks eventually" ((or something like that)) are too true. Not I wouldn't like to lecture you about my headcanon but it is necessary to make a small point. So... there is a real life experience/phenomenon called "Immersion". The effect is that if someone is absorbed for too long in an experience they forget about their grasp on reality. That concept also existed in the Mass Effect universe with how the Drell had perfect memory. In regards to the changelings transforming for too long in one form could cause one to be absorbed in it especially if they are attached to the form. So wouldn't they value their original form if it could cause such mental instability? It is not imporbable either that they might simply transform to keep their bodies from getting "rusty" per say so they can transform easily.
I think you are well aware as I am that having a different gender changes perspective and thinking on things. Or perhaps it grants perspective as well?
Doesn't that just have more to do with confidence on his real gender though? Or maybe asexuality or whatever?
Well yea... genderqueer, asexual e.t.c. there are also romantic terms. One might be conflicted in gender, or have no actual sexuality but still be romantic. Well not all three at once I suppose but I have read a fic where an asexual Rainbow Dash has still romantic feelings about Soarin.
https://youtu.be/MUTcwqR4Q4Y
I'd encourage EVERYONE to watch this. The whole "gender is a social construct" idea or "gender fluid" or other such things are bullshit, as it was created by a child abuser and pedophile who did such awful things to a boy that it destroyed his life before he was a teenager in order to advance his own ideas and career. The truth is that humans are a sexually dimorphic species. That means both men and women have unique traits, both physically and mentally, that are generally hardwired into us to ensure the survival of the species. The only reason the "social construct" bullshit gets pushed is because of transgender people and far Left-wing LGBT Neo-Progressive activists who are trying to make society conform to the illusions of transsexuals. Don't be fooled.
For the sake of the story, suspension of disbelief is a good thing since we're talking about shape-shifting bug horses.
Wtf is a stabilization plate? How does a changeling choke on an emotion he's not absorbing anyway? Why do you keep calling him a shapeshifter if he somehow has chitin even when he's disguised?
I feel like this chapter is not as strong as the chapters that preceded it. You have things that you want to have happen, and you're forcing them them happen rather than allowing them to happen or setting them up to happen. For example:
But that's not what he said. What he said was:
How could anyone misinterpret that? He did not say what Twilight is quoting him as having said. "You wanted me to be able to run fast, and pegasus mare is the way to accomplish that" is very obviously not "you want me to be a pegasus, babe!"
So ponies don't care about color, yet Twilight is shocked and apalled at how silly his color is? Not sure how to reconcile that unless the point here is to portray Twilight as an unreliable observer when it comes to her own species.
I'm far more surprised that Twilight would be surprised or awkward about this. Why would she expect any different? The whole setup seems implausible.
...so, a changeling price, the leader of his hive...the guy who brazenly ordered his entire hive down to the last hatchling to sign a magical scroll that would genocide their race if things didn't work out...and who incidentally apparently has access to the combined history of memory of the entire hive...is embarrassed about sex?
How do you justify that?
It makes more sense for virgin to be shy about sex than somebody who's actually had sex, right? Ok, so...this guy potentially has access to the combined memories of sex of his entire species going back since long before he was born.
What possible reason could he have to be embarrassed by it?
There are bunch of weird little things like this, that again, it seems like you really wanted to have a specific exchange, but didn't justify it happening.
And as a visual aid here, Morpheus's choice in color is a real-life one. What's it look like, you ask?
colorcombos.com/images/colors/EC1559.png
Just like that.
6771546
Due to the large number of dislikes your comment got I felt I should say this here as well as your user page:
I am following you because I support the bravery and the general conclusions in this comment. Not sure about the details, and I don't have the time now and, due to some psychological challenges may never have the emotional energy to watch the video.
P.S. I have to run, so the phrasing is possibly not as polished as it would otherwise be.
6771546
Two things:
First: Your comment is all kinds of wrong. More on that in the version of this comment on your userpage, since it's already a tangent here.
Second: Even if you had been correct about human sex and gender, the entire subject is wildly irrelevant to the chapter, and saying that it takes "suspension of disbelief" to accept that a race of sexless shapeshifters might have different ideas about gender than 1950s WASPs is just idiotic and hubristic. It would actually take more suspension of disbelief to assume that changelings think about gender in exactly the same way as not just humans but one specific human society.
Imagine if you were watching a nature documentary about lions, and when the lionesses successfully hunted a wildebeest someone burst into the room and shouted "This is so unrealistic! Everyone knows women don't hunt! They stay at home and care for children!". Would you consider that an appropriate criticism of the documentary?
11511829
The comment you are praising is not "bravery". It is an idiotic drive-by attempt to demonise transgender people and LGBT people by weaponising the proclivities of a pioneer of the medical mutilation of intersex people (whose experiment's actual results demonstrate the validity of transgender experience), stapled to the thinnest pretence of relevance.