A Penny for your thought

by Damaged

65 - Wrapping up and starting over

Life settled down for Stick and Penny. Classes for the pair were both interesting and stimulating. Penny finding anew her love for learning and everypony finding out just how quick Stick could devour knowledge. Toward the end of their first full week in school they were relaxing in their room, each with a book in front of them, when there was a knock on their door.

Stick was first to react, lifting her head from the treatise on pony-griffon relations. "Come in?" She set her bookmark in the tome and closed it gently and quite lovingly.

The rush of white fur and blond mane and tail that was Hay Cart came dashing in. "It's not fair!"

Penny had likewise closed her book with a marker to her page. "What isn't fair, apart from how hard the vice principal is on you?"

"My parents found out about Stick being here, they demanded Stick be removed from the school since she isn't a unicorn. It is stupid! They told me they don't want me in the same school as a 'vampire' and that they are pulling me out!"

Stick moved to put a leg over the mare's withers. "Your parents…"

Hay looked up and sighed. "They are being poopy."

The changeling nodded. "So lets ask them why." Her statement shocked the mare at her side, Hay looking a mix between scandalized and gleeful. "What? You don't think I could get them to say why?"

"They wouldn't talk to you." Hay slumped, her rump hitting the floor. "Even when all the other ponies went to the hive, in the first few weeks, they wouldn't. Claimed it was unsanitary and poisoned the mind. I doubt they would even want to be in the same room as you."

"If I could get them to talk to me, would you be strong and stand up to them too?" Stick gave the distraught mare a little hug.

"What do you mean I… how could you… I… if you were there?" Hay's emotions played out over her features. Penny climbed off her bed and joined the two, securing Hay's other side and looping her leg over with Stick's.

"There is one thing I have learned about my special somepony, and that is that she gets her way." Penny gestured to the dress stand to one side. "Next week is the week I promised I would wear dresses every day for her."

"Pfft, you love them." Stick ran with the conversation derailment, getting a giggle from Hay. "Oh drat it all, lets get you into one today, start the week early."

Penny sensed the exact moment when the conversation went against her, she pulled her leg back from Hay Cart and Stick, both the other two mares looking at her with wild grins. "Oh no, not…" She was dog-piled by two giggling mares, Stick keeping her held down, despite weak struggles, while Hay fetched a dress. "You don't need to tackle me. Stick, this isn't fair! Two against one!"

There was no way to avoid her fate, Penny didn't really fight too much beyond a token squirm every now and again. The dress chosen was one Rarity had put a lot of work into. Penny eeped when it squeezed at her shoulders but, around her midsection it was soft and much looser. The flowing outfit was a deep red that complimented her blue highlights well.

"Well?" Penny turned, feeling heavier and with so much fabric. But she couldn't deny, it felt nice to have something special like this.

Stick was silent, but her expression was enough for Penny. Stepping carefully over to the changeling she kissed her on the nose.

"You look great!" Hay was more open with her praise. "That color really suits you, who was the dressmaker?"

Penny turned back from her mate and grinned over her shoulder. "Well, you know Canterlot Carousel?" Hay's eyes widened at the mention of the up-market fashion shop. "Well, the mare who owns it is a good friend, she did a rush order on them."

"You know… oh my goodness! You know Rarity? The Element Rarity? As in the best up and coming fashion designer in all Equestria?" Hay had pounced at Penny, hooves raised, demanding answers.

"Yeah…" The lunar unicorn's answer, oddly, seemed enough and Hay flopped onto the bed.

"She makes the most amazing things!" Hay squirmed a bit then her head shot up. "Do you think you could get her to make something for me?"

Stick poked her head just before the over-excited unicorn's nose, smiling. "If I get you a dress, will you stand up to your parents with me?"

Shock and surprise warred on Hay's face, the mare really wanted a dress, it was a tasty 'carrot'. "But they will pull me out of school…"

The clop of the changeling's holed hoof on the floor made Hay Cart jump a little. "You are a mare, grown, you are not a filly. They cannot pull you out of school!"

"They can stop paying for me to be here…" Hay slumped, one hoof reaching out to Penny's dress and gently, reverently, rubbing the soft fabric.

"I'll pay." Penny's voice was lost when Stick started an indignant speech, however.

"This is utter hooey, they can't force you not to go to the school you love… you love being here right?" Stick hadn't noticed Penny's offer.

Hay began to react to the changeling's speech, her ears perking up. She gave a nod. "I do."

"I'll pay…" Penny sighed as soon as she said it, Stick was on her high-hor… Penny let out a giggle at the saying.

"We'll go to Princess Celestia! She is a good princess and this is her school, I bet she wouldn't want anypony who likes it here to be kicked out!" Stick continued her tirade.

"Stick!" Penny cut in, both Hay and Stick turning to look at her. "I'll pay, if it comes to that. We have those bits. I will have to pay them back but I am sure Perfect wouldn't be too upset. Oh!" Penny grinned as an idea caught her. "Hay, you study physical manipulation via magic, right?" There was a nod from the suddenly mute unicorn. "Well, I am sure I know where you could be employed, if you agreed to work after graduation, you could pay back the loan yourself."

Penny realized she had just explained what could be a very bad thing. and blushed, remembering where that little idea carried humans. "Wait, no, darn it, that is not what I meant, I will pay for it myself and work it off myself." Penny sounded determined and soon had two mares giving her a hug.

Stick leaned into one ear. "You will have to explain this later."

The words in the other ear had much more emotion than the simple curiosity of the changeling. "Thank you." Hay whispered, tears dripping onto all three cheeks from the crying unicorn.

---

Twilight was about as happy as a bibliomaniac could be. Not only did she have a new book for her library, but she had written it! "This is the finished copy?" Celestia lifted up one of the five copies Twilight had brought with her. The information the white alicorn found on her quick inspection made her smile. Her former student was nothing if not attentive to detail. "This is marvelous. You have more copies?" Twilight nodded. "Excellent, they will, first and foremost, be going to the hospitals around the city."

"I hope they help, I am so excited!" Twilight was all-but bouncing in place.

Fast Change lifted up her own copy and offered it to Twilight, with a quill. "If you will, mighty scientist and author."

The excitement in the purple alicorn nearly imploded. Her magic carefully lifted the book and took hold of the quill.

To my friend, Princess Fast Change.

Twilight looked about to write more but blushed.

"And here we… are?" Princess Cadance was walking into the room but stopped in shock when she spotted a changeling queen among them. It took a moment and three deep breaths. She chanted in her mind, 'this is not Chrysalis' over and over again. Then, without thinking, her vision shifted to her own special talent. Her gasp drew the attention of the other princesses more surely than that her initial entrance.

"Ah, Cadance." Celestia's wings ruffled, she sounded more than happy to see her 'niece'. "You noticed too?"

Cadance nodded, unable to take her eyes off Twilight and Fast. The two mares, the focus of her attention, both slumped.

"I didn't do anything, I just… I really like Twilight…" Fast was the first of the pair to confess. A touch to her nose had her looking back up.

Twilight had booped her. "I can't deny I have feelings for you, Fast Change, but I don't think I am ready for where they would lead… not yet." Twilight felt oddly… well, mature. Was it mature to admit you weren't mature? The idea reminded her of a saying but she couldn't bring it up.

Fast didn't deflate, in fact the changeling puffed herself up a little. "I thought you were trying to play a game with me, I thought… oh drat, I really like you, you are a fine mare, Twilight Sparkle, and an amazing princess." She kissed the surprised alicorn, a brief kiss. "But if you want some space I must give it. I am not a monster."

Cadance's worry that she couldn't see past the terror within, at the sight of a changeling queen in their midst was suddenly dashed. The pair were close, they loved each other, but they were both mares enough to understand what the other needed and wanted. She fell back from that sight and saw Princess Fast Change for what she was. A good pony.

Twilight looked down at the still-open book. She blushed hotly and, with a daring motion, leaned down and pressed her lips just under the phrase she had written. "For you."

Fast almost giggled with glee, realizing how very fun it had been to 'chase' Princess Twilight Sparkle. Twilight knew full well the extent of Fast's life, now. She knew how the queen needed to feed, but she still accepted Fast as just another pony. No, not just another pony, Fast had never seen Twilight be quite so… playful, before. "I will cherish it. Don't be a stranger to my hive, Princess Twilight, I promise you my door is ever open."

Cadance, fighting to keep her emotions from running away and pouncing on the couple to hug them, lifted up one of the books in question. The Habits and Powers of Changelings, by Princess Twilight Sparkle She flicked through, noting the earlier pictures and the art style that looked so very stylized. The sections were clearly ordered, there was a helpful glossary and table of contents. "This is very good." Cadance stepped over and, without any planning, she and Twilight did their little dance.

The changeling's reaction was to giggle adorably at the pair.

Together, the four princesses settled down, discussing the book and their realms. Cadance was surprised at herself, she really needed to thank Stick, that drone had born the brunt of her wrath, and had even offered her service despite the treatment.

"And I hear, niece, that you are going to be officiating at a wedding in the not too distant future?" Celestia's baited question almost caught the Princess of Love daydreaming.

"Oh aunt, you know how much I adore cementing the love of two ponies into a family." Cadance's smile gave away nothing to Celestia but, at the same time, both broke into gales of laughter. "You offered, didn't you?" Cadance managed to get her voice under control enough to accuse Celestia.

Celestia made a plate of cake appear and hover before her. "Of course I did, anypony can see how much those two love each other. We were almost both beaten, Discord appeared and was a word or two from declaring them married."

No sooner was his name mentioned but the spirit of chaos himself appeared, with a dress, fake wings and a comically long horn adorning his head. "A princess party! I dressed accordingly!"

"Discord…" Four voices chorused at once, getting a delighted laugh from the being in question.

Author's Note:

I almost feel bad for wrapping up that side-arc, but it needed to be done, Twilight has a very important season ahead of her and doesn't need a changeling queen at her side for it.

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Comments

[No one is home]

All princess shipping must be over by the end of the hiatus or else the world explodes and we all get reset back to magic kindergarten.

[tsaukpaetra]

And, roll credits!
Keep going! ;)

[Gargon94]

I wonder what will happen if we shipped all the princess together?

[Damaged]

6993124 All of them? Now that is an idea for the worst, most cloppy fic I have ever pondered... I might just have to write it.

[Gargon94]

6993131 Yes, all of them.

[Damaged]

6993154 Heh, either ship them together or, worse, make them just live in one small castle together as a campy sitcom.

[Gargon94]

6993173 That last one would be funny. I wonder what crazy things they would get into if the five princess are alone together in a castle.

[harts fire]

I must say I am sitting here smiling like a foal looking at all the Easter candy .
a super good story.

[Infernal_Flame]

6992939 oh god why... I feel aroused and want to kill myself but i must perceiver and finish this book

[Daremo]

for Penny, stepping carefully - for Penny. Stepping carefully
*****
What a sweet conclusion to the Twilight and Fast Change splinter plot.

[Damaged]

6994358 Seemed like the day for endings. I wanted to wrap them up when things seemed to get "plotty" again, and with David starting to sneak S5 stuff into his story, it felt like the right time.

[Boulder]

Stick was first to react, lifting her head from the treatise on pony-griffon relations. "Come in?" She set her bookmark in the tomb and closed it gently and quite lovingly.

tome

[Damaged]

6994755 Thanks! This is what I get for playing pathfinder too close to writing :3

[Daremo]

6993173

Four Princesses, one castle, cameras in every room.

The Hub is brings you:
Big Brother Sister - Canterlot

Coming soon!*

*not actually coming anywhere, anywhen.

[Vutava]

"I'll pay." Penny's voice was lost when stick started an indignant speech, however.

Stick

The habits and powers of changelings, by Princess Twilight Sparkle

The Habits and Powers of Changelings, by Princess Twilight Sparkle.

Cadance was surprised at herself, she really needed to thank Stick, that drone had born the brunt of her wrath, had even offered her service despite the treatment.

wrath, and had

Celestia's baited question almost caught the princess of love daydreaming.

Princess of Love

[Cursed Quill]

Classes for the pair were both interesting and stimulating.

and glossed over.

Twilight has a very important season ahead of her and doesn't need a changeling queen at her side for it.

:twilightflame:

[Damaged]

7248316 Yeah, I resolved (a little after this chapter, actually) that every time I did this kind of thing I would stop and write out what actually happened. It made my story stretch about 15 chapters beyond what I had really intended.

I shudder to think how long it would still be going if I had done that from the start.