The changed 'ling

by LibraryoftheHive

Chapter 1

"Rumble, get up. You're going to be late for school!"

Rumble groaned and slowly opened his eyes. All he could see was just a whole lot of black. Suddenly, the black turned into white and back into black but lighter, as somepony lifted up his covers and let the newly risen sun's light enter his eyes, making him have to squint. Thankfully, a figure stepped between him and the window, shading his fragile eyes from the usually harmless sun. Opening his eyes again, Rumble looked up to see a familiar face frown at the sight of him still in bed.

"I thought I told you to get up! You're going to be late...again!"

"I...I..." Rumble started to say, putting up his hoof in order to protect his still fragile eyes from the rays of Celestia's sun, who was illuminating the figure now in front of him. "I...What time is it?"

"Way past the time you're supposed to get up. Now, get your flank in gear and come downstairs, I've made you breakfast."

Rumble groaned, but still slowly got out of bed, knowing that he would be forcefully lifted out if he stayed a few more minutes that required. He started flapping his tiny little wings and flew down the stairs, where the smell of Toast and Pancakes filled the air. He entered the kitchen, where he saw the pony who had awaken him from his sacred slumber. His brother, Thunderlane, was at the stove, busy making his smaller sibling's breakfast.

He turned to face Rumble and said, "Well, look whose risen from the dead! Come on, you have a half an hour before you need to go."

With that, he masterfully flipped a pancake onto a plate on the table, all ready for Rumble to buzz over, sit down and start digging in, almost forgetting the Maple syrup next to him.

After a *Ding* coming from the toaster, Thunderlane carried his plate to the small table in the middle of the kitchen and sat down, across from his brother. They both ate in silence for a while, before the larger pegasus decided to break the ice.

"So...", he started, "...what are you doing in school nowadays?"

Rumble looked up from his almost gone pancake and replied, "Oh...we're getting ready for a test on changelings." Ignoring his older sibling's shiver at that last word, he went back to his breakfast. "I've heard that there was a changeling living right here in Ponyville, maybe I could ask him a few questions in preparation for the test..."

Thuderlane stopped chewing at looked up at his brother, suddenly looking very serious.

"Listen, Rumble..." He said, putting his toast back on his plate. "I don't think you should...talk...to Pon-...creatures like him. It would be best if you just got a book from the library."

Rumble, who had finished with his pancake, sighed and replied,"Look, big brother... I can do things by myself! I don't need you telling me what I can or cannot do anymore, OK. First off, the library got blown up a few months ago. Secondly, I doubt that we would have a detailed book about changelings this close to their discovery. I can do this, even if you don't think I can."

With nothing else to eat and say, he got off his chair and went to the closet for his schoolbag.

"You know..." Thunderlane muttered, looking at Rumble exiting the room."I'm just trying to protect you..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Just calm down, Rose! You'll get there in time."

The frantic flower vendor was racing around the kitchen so fast that Cracktooth's pupiless eyes could hardly keep up. Roseluck kept opening and shutting drawers, cupboards and even rooted around in the trash looking for her keys. Cracktooth sat on his haunches in the in the doorway to the hall, debating what to do with his hysterical roommate.

"That's it!" Rose exclaimed, stopping in her tracks to flop down onto the cold kitchen floor. "I can't find the keys! I can't lock the house for when we're both away! I can't UNLOCK my employee locker at the flower shop. I can't WORK without my equipment! OH THE HORROR! THE HORROR!"

"Wait..." Cracktooth cautiously said, staring at the broken down mare on the floor, who was now starting to bang her head lightly on the ceramic tiles underneath her. "You're looking for the keys? They're on the living room table. That's where you left them yesterday, anyway..."

At the changeling's words, Roseluck sprang her hear up from the floor. Her ear twitched twice, probably to make sure she heard right, before she turned her head towards her roommate, pupils as small as pinheads. A tense three seconds passed before the mare's face got swallowed up by a gigantic grin covering almost her entire face. She practically flew up from the floor and wrapped her hooves around the startled bug-pony in front of her, squealing of delight the entire trip.

"OHHTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU SOOO MUCH!"

All Cracktooth could do was grin as well and even chuckle a bit, knowing he made her happy. And there, right there, is where he felt it. A little tugging sensation in his chest, barely noticeably underneath his chitin, but still present.

But, before he could wonder what it meant, the Mare hanging around his neck galloped into the living room, leaving the Changeling with a little smile on his lips and a light feeling in his body.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rumble made his way down the streets of Ponyville, wings buzzing crazily. If he was going to be late, he'd might as well look tired.

I hope I'll at least be ready for next week's test., he thought,I wonder what Thunderlane's problem with Changelings are. I mean, I heard they invaded during the wedding a year back, but that doesn't explain why he seems REALLY afraid of it. Maybe he saw something bad wh- OOF!

The tiny pegasus picked himself off the ground and tried to focus on what he just flew into. He saw a pale yellow coated earth pony with a reddish mane pick herself of the ground, groaning. When she saw Rumble, the mare gasped and quickly apologized:

"Oh, Rumble, I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there and I'm late for work and I-"

"It's OK, Miss Roseluck." Rumble assured her, rubbing a new bump on his leg. "You didn't hurt me. Besides, I wasn't really looking where I was going..."

He trailed off, looking at the cottage behind the mare, who was dusting off the dirt in her coat. He looked through the open door of the house and swore he could see a dark silhouette with two giant blue orbs staring at him. Before he could make out what it was, the door got engulfed by a green aura and slammed shut. Confused, the colt turned to where Roseluck was dusting herself off a second ago, just to see that she was gone. Probably off to work., he thought.

Then, with just a second glance towards the cottage, Rumble started flapping his wings and flew off towards the schoolhouse in the distance.