Chapter 4
Chapter 4
___________________________________________________________
“That does feel nice, doesn’t it?” I smile at two foals on my back, whom, like myself, now have a crystalline look to them thanks to the Crystal Heart’s recent activation.
Sombra has just been defeated and the Empire is now free of him for good… at least I hope.
Fans have theorized that he survived because his horn was still intact when he was being literally blown up, but since I know we get at least six seasons worth without him showing up again, I think we’re in the clear.
I sigh, feeling the love all around me pulsing from the Crystal Heart… but find myself frowning.
I can sense the love, it’s more than even what had been surging through my body after Cadance and Shining Armour blasted it with their Love Shield… but I feel no impulse to consume any of it. Glancing over my shoulder at the nymph and looking through the Hive Mind, she’s not the least bit interested in all that love either.
What the heck is wrong with us? We’re both Changelings and I get the nagging feeling our bodies should not be okay with not eating love right now, but neither of us feels the least bit interested.
Did something happen when I ended up in this body? Did my human mind interacting with a Changeling’s brain’s neural network screw something up and I inadvertently did the same to the nymph?
I sigh, shaking my head. I need time to just sit and think about this. Try to properly figure out how to handle the situation I’m in.
“Oh. They’re simply adorable!”
I’m yanked from my train of thought and turn to see a mare standing next to me.
She’s a Crystal Earth mare whose colour palette makes me think I’m looking at a pony version of Gloriosa Daisy, she’s even wearing a green hairband similar to her, before quickly realizing that’s not possible.
I mean, yes, it’s possible Gloriosa has a pony counterpart, but I don’t think she’d be in the Crystal Empire, especially not as one of the many Crystal Ponies who were lost in time for a thousand years.
Glancing at her Cutie Mark, my hunch is confirmed as I see a golden horse shoe encrusted with diamonds. That is definitely not Gloriosa’s Cutie Mark… um, I think. I don’t think we ever actually saw anything that would hint to her Cutie Mark in the movie, but, since she loved working at Camp Everfree, it would most likely have something to do with the forest and her own name specifically, right?
“Um… hi?”
I blink, before realizing I hadn’t actually said anything and shake my head, before extending a hoof. “Oh. Sorry. My mind’s been a bit scattered recently. I’m Prism.”
She nodding, returning the hoofshake. “Verity Lucky.” She then smirks. “Don’t worry. We’ve all had a bit of a scattered mind today, haven’t we?”
I blink. OH, right. The memory problems Sombra caused. Yeesh. That’s not a comfortable thing to think about. People joked about mind magic in the fandom, but Sombra literally did that.
I’m suddenly very thankful I had the mind to not try challenging him like characters in those MLP self-insert fanfics would do.
“As I was saying, they are both quite adorable,” Verity pulls me from my train of thought and I glance to my back as she boops the little ones on the nose each.
They both cheer, laughing and burbling at her happily.
I sense the kindness coming from her and can’t help but smile, before it becomes sad.
Verity catches my sudden change in mood, mainly because the nymph senses my sadness and turns to me with a look of concern.
“What’s wrong Prism?” she asks, moving so she’s next to me.
I sigh, before looking back at the little ones, both of whom are now looking at me. I lean back, nuzzling the two, which they return furiously in kind, trying to make me happy.
“It’s my little ones here. They’re…” I sigh, looking down at the ground. “They’re not technically mine. They’re both orphans I found and… well… I’m worried somepony won’t let me keep them, ya know?”
At once, I feel the nymph surge with fear, seeming to understand what I said and holds tighter onto me.
I can’t help giving a small smile and nuzzle her again.
Verity frowns, before looking to me. “Where did you find them?”
I look to her. “They’ve been with me since before the Empire returned.”
Verity looks confused for a moment, before her eyes widen in horror, before her expression morphs into sadness as she looks to the little ones.
“And it’s been a thousand years since the Empire was in Equestria… their parents must surely be… oh, my Celestia, that’s so heartbreaking.” She looks firmly to me. “Don’t worry, Prism. I’ll make sure you’re able to keep them.” She looks to the little ones, then back to me. “What’re their names?”
I look down. “Medley’s the Pegasus, but… the other doesn’t have a name. Or, at least, I don’t know what her mother called her.”
Which isn’t a lie. I don’t think Chrysalis ever told the Changeling whose body is now mine what the little royal’s name would be.
Verity looks the little one over, rubbing her chin, her tongue sticking out in thought. “Hmm. Well, her colour palette being what it is, maybe… Rose Diamond?”
I feel the nymph’s happiness through the Hive Mind as she babbles, clapping her hooves.
I can’t help but let a warm smile come to my face. “Very well. Rose Diamond it is.”
It feels fitting, anyway. Changelings are kind of bugs, so there’s a connection to flowers and the Diamond connects to the Empire. As for Medley, since a pony living in the Empire with that name isn’t too odd, I feel no reason to change or add anything to her name. Plus, it allows me to honour the memory of her original mother and preserve her legacy.
“Let’s go then,” Verity indicates for me to follow. “I know where the adoption agency is, so let’s go and you can officially adopt your two daughters.”
I nod, giving my thanks as she leads me into the Empire towards the agency.
Well, I at least made one friend already. I hope I can make more, so we can have a good life here.
___________________________________________________________
“Thank you! We’ve been trying since yesterday, but everypony’s been struggling to return to their normal lives,” the white Crystal Pony mare says as we finish signing several papers. “We were worried nopony would be able to take the job for at least several more weeks.”
I smile. “Well, I’ve been through a lot in my life, long before Sombra was factored into it. I’m a tough cookie.”
“With a Pegasus and unicorn foal, I’d guess you would have to be pretty tough,” the mare chuckled, indicating down.
Turning, we both watch as Medley and Rose are chasing each other, even if that just means crawling around, both laughing.
After all the celebrations of the Empire’s freedom had concluded and Verity had helped me officially adopt my two charges, I’d began to make my way to our new home near the Crystal Heart so the three of us could rest, but when she’d seen how empty our home was and I explained I’d lost my home before the Empire’s return (technically, it wasn’t a lie), she’d offered to let us stay at her house for the night and, when she learned I needed to find a new job, myself making the excuse that Sombra’s rule made my last job unviable for me anymore, she’d offered to recommend me to her own employer at a day-care if I wanted to work there.
Thinking it over, it was a good idea. It was a simple but reasonable paying job, plus it allows me to keep near my little ones all the time, so I don’t have worry about anything going wrong.
“These two have been a hooful, I can’t lie,” I say, smirking down at them as Medley tackles Rose and the two tumble in a tangled mess, laughing the whole time.
“Well, I wish you the best of luck, Miss Prism,” the mare smiles at me, handing me a folder, which I take in my magic. “A caretaker’s job isn’t always easy, but, since you have practice with your own little ones, I’m sure you’ll do fine. You start tomorrow. I wish you the best of luck.”
I nod, before taking my little ones in my magic and levitating them onto my back. I bid the mare good day, the little ones waving and babbling to her and I head out.
I look around at the Empire as we walk. Everypony is so much happier and their joy is too infectious for a Changeling to not be happy too.
Moving through a nearby park, I see several foals playing on a jungle gym, their parents chatting nearby, while also keeping one eye on their children.
They notice me and smile and wave, which I return in kind.
I feel contentment from my back and glance over to see my girls have snuggled into my back and fallen asleep.
I give a light giggle, before continuing on my way, only a little slower so as not to disturb them.
As I walk through the market place, I sense something familiar. Blinking, I look around, before frowning.
“Oh, they’re just so cute.”
The voice causes me to halt in my tracks and my neck snaps around to see a certain pink Alicorn smiling at the sleeping little ones on my back.
“Oh. Princess Cadance,” I say, my body suddenly being racked with nerves, trying to make my smile as convincing as possible. “What a pleasant surprise. What’re you doing, walking around the Empire?”
Shit! Shit! Shit!
Of all the ponies I could’ve run into, it had to be the one pony who has the worst experience with my kind and now she’s right in front of me.
Fuck! Fuckidy, fuck, fuck, FUCK!
Thankfully, Cadance is looking at the little ones, Rose having stirred from my sudden change in emotions being pretty much the equivalent to a bullhorn of fear.
Cadance gives a light chuckle. “I may be the ruler of the Empire, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to interact with my subjects, Miss…?”
“P-Prism, Your Highness,” I stutter, before gulping. “Sorry. I would bow, but with my daughters on my back…”
She smiles warmly. “Quite alright, Miss Prism. I may be your princess, but I don’t expect ponies to bow every time I walk by.”
She nuzzles Rose, who cheers, grabbing onto the Alicorn’s muzzle and giving a wide smile to the princess.
Cadance returns the smile. “What’re their names?”
I gulp, trying my best to stay calm. “The Pegasus is Medley and the one holding your nose is Rose Diamond.”
“What lovely names,” she replies, blowing a quick raspberry on Rose’s stomach, causing the little faux-unicorn to fall back, laughing, causing her sister to wake as well.
“So, Your Highness,” I ask, trying desperately to think of something, “ever considered foals of your own?”
My face goes blank and I inwardly start smacking myself in the face.
You’ve seen the beginning of season six, you dumbass. You know Flurry Heart is going to be a thing. Good grief, whatever happened to that ability to think quickly? Did I use it all up back in Ponyville?
The princess pauses, looking up thoughtfully, before giving a small chuckle. “I can’t say the thought hasn’t occurred to me. Though, I think Shining and I will wait a while before we try.”
Only a year or two, if I remember correctly, since the beginning of season four was the first new year in Euqestria since the start of the show. Not exactly long, if you ask me.
“So, what do you do, Miss Prism?” she asks and I suddenly realize we’re walking side by side through the street. When did that start?
I blink, before her question finally processes through my fear addled brain and I shake my head, before coughing. “Well, my last job isn’t exactly a viable idea for me anymore after Sombra’s rule and, with my little ones still so young, I just finished signing up as a caretaker at a day-care.”
Cadance gets a wistful look in her eyes and turns to stare up at the sky.
I find myself relaxing as I feel her nostalgia. Didn’t even know that was a feeling with an actually, well, feeling, but there you are.
“Would you… like to play with my foals sometime, princess?” I ask, wondering a second later why I’d suggest something so bloody dangerous.
Rose hasn’t dropped her disguise once or tried to turn into anything else, but that doesn’t mean she won’t slip up. Her little underdeveloped mind isn’t exactly as sharp as an adult’s. In a moment of joy, she might drop her disguise and then we’ll be busted.
Cadance looks longingly at Rose and Medley for a moment, before giving a small sigh. “My duties as princess should come first. But… maybe I can stop by the day care sometimes?”
I give a light laugh. “You’re asking me? You’re the princess. You could literally just order us to let you visit. We can’t exactly deny you, can we?”
She blinks, before laughing.
With that, we both part ways, myself feeling far less worried than I was minutes ago. I’m going to chalk it up to paranoia. With Cadance having been held captive by the being that is now biologically my mother and the fact I’ve now two daughters to protect, I guess my protective instincts were just causing my mind to blow my fears way out of proportion.
After all, up to season six, there’s literally been no indication the Changelings are coming back aside from that one appearing at Cranky and Matilda’s wedding and it didn’t seem hostile, despite the fear the foals near it had clearly displayed.
I frown. I do wonder how that Changeling never got caught, or, won’t get caught, I guess, since I’m still in early season three timeline. Especially with Cadance, Shining and the Royal Sisters there too.
I wonder who that Changeling even was. Definitely wasn’t the one we encountered in the Everfree.
I shake my head. What am I so worried about? Til Flurry is born and destroys the Crystal Heart, I don’t think the Empire has anything to worry about, especially not the Changelings.
Sure, there was that black dot that flew through the sky towards the Empire at the end of that episode, but if it is a Changeling, Rose will sense it due to it not being connected to our two-way Hive Mind and it will likely try to get into it, just like the one we encountered in the Forest had.
Once it does, Rose will alert me and I can alert Shining Armour and Cadance and, thanks to it trying to get into the Hive Mind, we’ll be able to track it and stop it, even if it’s already taken on a disguise by then.
I won’t really have to explain how I know where it is, either. I can just lie about seeing it before or something and that I hurried to inform them before it noticed me.
They don’t actually have to know I’m a Changeling for me to stop a Changeling.
I give a light laugh and we head off towards our house. Verity had some extra furniture she didn’t need, so had offered it to me. While I was finalizing my employment, she’d been off getting some moving ponies to help transport it to my house.
I’m going to stop by the Foal Services Store and see if there’s a crib I can buy with my current funds, so my little ones will actually have a bed to sleep in.
There is still quite a bit left from what Rarity gave me, but it certainly won’t last very long. Maybe a few weeks, at best, after purchasing my own furniture and supplies. After all, foal supplies cost a lot.
Why only get one crib instead of two, though, you may ask? Well, I would be lying if I said it doesn’t hurt that it’ll cost me less, but that’s the financial and least important reason.
The main reason is they’re too close. Medley and Rose have become as close as sisters, regardless of my adopting them both as my daughters and thus making them sisters by default. I couldn’t bring myself to separate them when putting them to bed.
Later on, when they’re older? Sure. For now, though, let them sleep in the same crib and keep each other company. Who am I to separate them?
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9576529
I think this answers your questions, does it not?
I'm honestly curious if your going to add in thorax at all since he is not one of the tags. (At least to my knowledge) I think he would add an interesting dynamic to the story, even a possible romantic interest! But that's just me and my shipping talking
9601442
would've if I could, but you can only add so many character tags, so i just went with the general Changelings tag for all bugponies. plus i didn't even know he had his own tag til just now
What a plesant surprise -- pleasant
Well, her colour pallet being what it is -- palette
causing the little fo-unicorn to fall back -- faux
I'd be more worried about Shiny finding out if I were you
...how much did she give you
9601500
That's my question
Maybe do a bit of fluff of the babies being adorable and a handful, and then time skip to some character conflict?
maybe the changeling at the wedding was thorax?
palette
Well, for that matter...
their
dropped
crib that I can/crib I can
Rapid updates! Yus!!! Please keep it up.
I refuse to abort my shipping of Prism and Thorax. You cant stop me!
Random theory - Prism is Thorax!
Probably not, and I hope not, but it's an interesting idea. The human ended up in Thorax's body somehow. I know they're different genders, but still.
I'm an inspiration!
... that's a first.
This story is still evolving at breakneck speed, not that it will ever bother me mind you, already had a handful of those where we have several chapters of monologue about the character's feelings.
For now it's not even an alternative universe subject, I'm very curious to see if/where it will change later on.
Can't wait.
Oof.
9601530
No. Thorax has different coloration to all other changelings. Something I noticed on first watch and literally nobody else seems to have noticed.
9603394
Yes it is
I actually have a quick question that is always a little curiosity to me. In ever fictional that features changelings there is usually 1 of 2 ways that they "reproduce" (I'm not trying to get into clop territory please bear with me) the 2 most common I see is either A: similar to that of the ponies, a male and female changeling parenting either 1 or 2 nymphs or a "nest" of eggs. The other I see a lot is the more insect approach where the queen (Chrysalis in this case) is responsible for all of the eggs in a changeling hive. If its not a key point in the story you plan on revealing later would you mind explaining which 1 of these 2, or even a different thing your going with has been implemented into the story?
9603837
Ok so reading this comment it doesn't make sense seeing how I left out why I wanted to know in the first place. I posted not long after waking so I apologize. I asked this because I wanted to try and better understand the significance of Rose Diamond being a Queen. If the changelings where more like ants or bees then she could completely start her own hive very easily. It was this that was kinda making my brain spin in circles trying to analyze things in your story since to my knowledge you have been stricken pretty close to the cannon story, and assuming Queen Chrysalis is still alive she I'm sure she is very keen on getting her daughter back. But depending on if it's a loving mother wanting her kid back or an angry queen wanting to take out a now rival queen is what spawned my question. Sorry if my first post made little sense and or ever seemed... inappropriate
Oh, so our guy doesn't know... Heh.
Well you remember wrong, all of season 1 to 6 are one year.
Great progress, how long until there secret is revealed I wonder...
Very interested what will happens once the secret is out?
Flurryheart will have nice play dates for sure.
It may not be... But that name sounds quite like the combination of the two names of Steven’s mother, Rose Quartz and Pink Diamond