Equestria; UNDEAD

by runningtoastgirl77

Chapter Nineteen: Reality

"What happened?" Zian ran into the entrance, hearing the commotion.

I glanced down. "I..."

"I might have over reacted... but I have a good reason!" Strife spoke up.

"Where's Grella?" Cherry said, trotting in.

Strife ignored her. "I... I can't help it! She was a changeling, what did you expect?"

"What's a... changeling?" Cherry said softly. "And... where did Grella and Glory go? It's almost my bedtime."

"Changelings are... ugh, how do I say this without sounding like a bigot?"

"I get it." Whirlwind said. "Your a bat pony, it's only natural that you'd hate the changelings, right?"

"But... what I did was wrong... I was just mad..."

"What happened?," the little unicorn glared, getting impatient.

"Autumn, can you take Cherry upstairs? It's almost time for bed, isn't it?" Whirlwind insisted. "We can sort things out. You can... explain what happened. Right?"

"Why me?"

Zian looked at me. "Autumn... please."

Of course I couldn't refuse Zian. "Come on, Cherry. I'll explain everything."

Cherry pouted. "You BETTER."

I walked Cherry to the room her and Grella were staying in. I was still trying to comprehend what was happening, all along the way Cherry asking me about what was happening. I closed the door. "Well, what is it? Where are they?" she said.

"They... left."

"What? ... they left... well where did they go?"

"... I don't know. Morning Glory got... upset and flew away, then Grella left after her."

She glared. "Well ,why did she leave? what made her upset? It was that bat pony, wasn't it?!"

"Cherry! No, no... it was just a big mess." I smiled. "Someday they'll be back. Morning Glory is just really upset, okay honey?"

She put her hoof down. "Someday? No! I want them to come back now!"

I frowned. "That's up to her, honey. Now, you getting tired?"

"No..." her body disagreed, enabling a large yawn.

"Ok, that's settled. Let's get you ready for bed."

"N-no! I want to wait for Grella to come back."

"And would Grella let you stay up all night worrying?"

"... no..." She grumbled, accepting the fact she needed her rest.

After helping Cherry get to sleep, I went downstairs and stopped in the doorway near the living room.

"So what is it she did?" I heard Zian say.

"Well, she's a high class changeling, so she was able to basically feed off of affection for others, even if it's not direct, or at least her species of changeling." Strife sighed.

"There are different species?"

"Yeah, but that's a huge spectrum of changelings I'd rather not go over right now." I could hear them lean back on the squeaky couch. "Moving back on topic now, so it's agreed that you two are going with me to Canterlot, correct?"

"What about Autumn?" Whirlwind said.

"Well... she might not be up to traveling in her current state, she's been having her energy drained out of her by a ... possibly misunderstood changeling. And we don't even know how long she's been having her energy drained," Strife sighed. "She'd probably want to go anyway, but no offense what exactly would she do in Canterlot? She doesn't seem like she's studied magic, or even combat. It might be beneficial for everypony if she stays here and gets her energy back."

"But... she could still go! She could..." Zian trailed off.

"No offense, Zian, but sure Autumn would probably be excited to go with you, but once she would get there, what would she do? Just sit around, watching you work on saving the world? She would feel horrible. Like just an accessory. If she stayed here, she could have things to do, help around the farm. She could feel useful." I could hear the sincere reality in Strife's voice.

I went back upstairs.