I Prefer the Term Freelancer

by One of the Crowd

A Changeling Named Luca

Chapter 3: A Changeling Named Luca

*** Ponyville 1 and a half years ago***

In the sleepy town of Ponyville the local residents were all sleeping comfortably in their beds after the long day had passed. It was deathly silent through out the town where if you listened closely you could faintly hear the lake a mile out of town swaying gently across the shore. However not all the residents were sleeping soundly as the local libraries door slowly creaked open revealing a human carrying a bag with all of his belongings trying to sneak away. Isaac slowly closed the door so he would not disturb any of the local residents in town because the last thing he needed was for them to riot against him again. He shivered at the thought and proceeded to make his way out of town while crouching, because in every video game he played sneaking was simply crouching and walking.

"Hopefully spike sent that letter like I asked, as much as I hate the majority of ponies in this town I don't hate the princess." Isaac said to himself as he inched ever closer to the edge of town. Isaac looked up into the sky and grinned when he saw the moon and stars shinning back at him. After talking to Luna about constellations she began to make them appear in the sky every night, as well as making some of her own. Isaac just had a few more feet to go when he heard yelling coming from the house to this right. A creature burst out of the door and ran into Isaac. The creature looked back up at Isaac with Fearful Blue eyes before turning her head around to see an earth pony stallion walk back out with a knife. The creature then hid behind Isaac in an attempt to hide from its attacker.

"Please help me" It said in a whisper.

"Get out of the way monster or i'll go through you to get her" The stallion said inching closer to them his knife at the ready.

"First off you even try stabbing me i'll take that knife and make you beg like a dog for me not to hurt you, Secondly why are you attempting to hurt this thing" Isaac said taking a step toward the pony who backed away when the human was a foot away from him.

"She pretended to be my marefriend Blazing, and she keeps trying to tell me that it was her all along" the stallion said trying to get Isaac to understand that his actions are justified.

"Wait, Blazing, as in Blazing Fast? The Pegasus." Isaac questioned before turning toward the creature that had been standing a few feet behind him. The stallion nodded his head at a pace that would break most men's necks but he was a pony.

"I really am Blazing though please believe me" the creature said tears in it's eyes. Isaac knew Blazing since he first came to Ponyville she was one of the one's that tried to stop them from-.

"If you are Blazing then only you'd know this so I'm going to ask you a question. Get it wrong and I move out of the way, get it right and I'll get rid of this guy" Isaac said. The earth pony tried to protest and move on to hurt the supposed Blazing, but was stopped when Isaac punched his side and took the knife before returning to the creature . "When I first came to ponyville and met Blazing I said something that was a reference to my old world, what was it?" The creature thought for a moment before finally saying:

"You said that you at least didn't end up getting teleported to xen or black mesa, I still don't understand what you meant by that." Isaac stared at her with a vary serious expression before smiling and giving her a hug.

"It really is you!" The stallion was stupefied by the fact that the man was hugging this pretender and decided to voice his opinion vary openly.

"She is using a spell on you to get you to trust her don't you see it's not Blazing"

"I'm not using a spell though, I really am Blazing" The stallion moved closer to the creature and raised a hoof to strike her when Isaac grabbed onto it.

"You start this and I'll end it understand" The stallion looked back at him with a glare that would melt steel beams. Deciding that it was worth the risk he kicked Isaac where the sun don't shine. Isaac slumped over trying to catch his breath after the cheapest of shots when the stallion went flying over his head into a cart filled with manure. Looking up Isaac saw the creatures horn had a light that was fading around it when it proceeded to walk over to Isaac.

" Isaac, I'm sorry he got you like that. You shouldn't of tried protecting me" The pain Isaac was feeling had died down a little but he was able to speak all though his voice was a little higher than it had been earlier.

"Don't worry Blazing, you were in danger. Um can you please tell me what you are though I recall you being a Pegasus" Blazing rubbed the back of her head and decided that Isaac deserved honesty out of her so she began to explain everything to him about how she was a changeling and why that stallion was so against her.

"...And that's what led us here" Isaac just blinked at all this new information. One of his first friends here was actually a changeling a creature that feeds on positive emotions.

"Alright Blazing, I have two more questions the first being what he meant by you were using a spell to get me to trust you"

"He meant that changeling use mind manipulation magic on their targets, I however can no longer do that since I've been cut from the hive mind" Blazing said rubbing the back of her head and looking over at Isaac to see his reaction which remained neutral.

"Ok new second question why do you have to be part of a hive mind and why are you no longer connected to it" Isaac raised one of his eyebrows as he asked the question trying his best to impersonate those people who did it one television. Blazing looked at him in confusion for a minute due to how his face contorted before she answered:

"Changelings like unicorns can use magic that's obvious, however without the hive mind we are severely weakened in what our abilities will allow us to do, I however was always good with disguises so i retained the ability to use them and other simple forms of magic. Why I can't use the hive mind however is because...because..." Blazing started to tear up as she was about to finish her sentence "I'm an exile"

"Oh i'm sorry about that" Isaac actually had no idea what was so bad about being an exile which Blazing could see by how he was thinking a simple apology would be enough to get her to stop crying.

"You don't understand an exile changeling can't communicate with others, you hear all these voices constantly chatting and when you're severed from the hive mind it's quiet and you are alone. I am alone." Isaac reached over to the changeling and pulled her into a hug and whispered to her.

"You don't have to be alone Blazing, I can't go home and I know how much it hurts but we can help each other come to terms with it" Blazing looked up at the human tears still in her eyes.

"My name is Luca"

"Well Luca, care to come with me because I think that guy woke up and is getting the guards as we speak." The changeling nodded before changing into a Pegasus with a red coat and unkempt purple mane. The two then walked out of ponyville together never expecting the journey they were going to face after that day.

***Back to Now***

"Who would of guessed that our lives would of turned out like they did after that day, eh" Luca said as she snuggled closer to Isaac by the fire pit. The six ponies just looked at Isaac and wondered how he could possibly trust such a creature, but after his outburst earlier they were in no way going to question him about it. When Silver sat down across from Isaac everyone in the camp had finally gathered so he could get everyone's answer to the contract he was proposed.

"Alright everyone time to tell you all about why we have these guests of our, We have a contract." All the ponies in the camp turned to him the mane six's heads all snapped toward him though because they had no idea that this was his job. "Now you all know me when it comes to these things so i'll just cut to the chase. We protect those six or eight in this case and we get five million bits all in favor."

"Wait you're being hired to protect us? No offence Isaac but when you left you weren't exactly a good fighter" Rainbow said flying over toward him.

"Dash, I haven't seen you in over a year a lot has happened" Isaac said flatly when he looked over toward Sombra.

"Besides, you have no idea what we're protecting you from and only Sombra and I have gone toe to toe with it" Sombras head jerked up at the mention of their experience. Isaac looked around the fire before stating "Well, votes anyone" Everone in the camp looked at eachother before nodding in agreement and all saying:

"We'll do it"

"Alright then you all know our rules so please fill in our guests about them and Luca show them where they'll be staying" Luca grunted at having to get up from her comfortable spot next to the human and moved over to the ponies motioning them to follow.

"Alright first rule is do not go into our armory unless specifically given permission by either me or Isaac. Second everyone will treat you right if you treat them right this rule is more of a statement though" Luca glared at Twilight, "Third do not start a fight with any of us as we will not hesitate to drop the contract and leave your asses in the dust, understand." The ponies were paying as close attention as possible to the rules and still wondering why the changeling was one of the leaders here when twilight decided to voice her concerns.

"Why exactly are you all being paid to protect us, why doesn't the princess get the royal guards to" Luca face hoofed so hard the thud was heard across the camp.

"Because if I read Isaac right then the Guard can't help you, I'm not even sure we can the only reason Isaac survived it was because he wasn't actually there he was in a dream"

"So he was asleep then he didn't actually fight it in the first place" twilight decided to poke holes in the logic being used when Luca said:

"I didn't say it was his dream did I" The other ponies froze as that power was very rare in unicorns let alone in any other creature that has existed. "Anyway this will be where you all will stay while you are with us and remember to let one of us know if you need anything."

"How did he get into someone else's dream" Twilight asked genuinely confused at how he was able to complete such a feat.

"Either ask him or Luna how because i don't feel like explaining it, now if you don't mind i'm going to go snuggle with my boyfriend. Oh and twilight, you are lucky I wasn't around when you poisoned Isaac because if I was you'd be dead." Luca then walked out of the room as happy as she was earlier that day. Trotting back up to Isaac Luca had laid her head down on his lap and made a little chirping noise to get his attention."You alright their Isaac"

"Could be better but you're here so I guess good" He replied Tiredly

"Why are you up anyway wasn't Sombra on watch tonight?" Luca questioned. Isaac rubbed his neck trying to come up with an answer that wouldn't get her to argue with him. Finding that being honest was the only way to really tell her he told her about how he took Sombras shift to apologize for the fight he was part of. "Isaac I want you to go to bed I'll take watch tonight". Isaac tried to argue but knowing Luca anything he said would be completely ignored. He then proceeded into his tent and laid down on his bed holding onto his necklace as he drifted to sleep.

"Hopefully I wont have to fight any nightmares tonight"

Author's Note:

So I wrote more of this thing for you all. Anyway I'd like thank you all who have been reading this. I was honestly expecting it to fall flat on its face when I started but it seems that you guys actually like it so I am glad to have written it for you all. Anyway as always thank you for your time and please let me know if there is anything you think I should fix.

Comments

[JazzTheFox53rd]

Lovin the story so far. Interesting group of companies you put together.