Story of a Stick

by Xinrick

Interlude V

“Well well well…what do we have here? A few poor unfortunate souls who bit off more than they could chew.” Discord rubbed his talons against his chest while the three changelings whimpered in front of him.

“Please...we didn’t do anything wrong we swear!” John says quickly.

“We were trying to help Simon…” Anna says, shaking her head as the last thing she remembered was getting hit by their former queen.

“My head still hurts…” George mutters, having a neurotoxin rush to his brain in almost an instant leaving one massively bad migraine still.

“Oh yes. Draining neurotoxin was a tricky problem. Took me two snaps of my talons to do that. Dreadful work I’m sure. I’m wasting away from that extensive use of my magic. Now…let’s talk business.” Discord sneered as he held his head down to their level.

“Can I ask if you know who managed to turn the entirety of the Badlands into how it is? Chrysalis said it was a Stick Figure...how are they so strong?” John asks, not believing that one being could turn a country into a barren wasteland.

“Ah…look at you the smart one, asking a smart question. Oh yes that stick figure was very dangerous and managed to nearly wipe out the entirety of the changeling race. I remember it as if it was yesterday...but then again I suppose that’s easier for some rather than others. All you need to know is that they are at my level of power with much worse control of their basic emotions. They know that dealing with others permanently is much more savory than what I do. Remember one thing dear little changeling. If you have to deal with either me or a stick figure choose to deal with me. At least you won’t be killed for the slightest offense.” Discord wistfully stroked his goatee as if recalling some of his more dangerous adventures.

“That’s….horrifying…” George mutters.

“But what about Simon? He was nothing like the monster you make them out to be.” John asks, finding that weird.

“And now we reach the crux of the matter. While he is not as bad the world at large for the immortal and long lived have only dealt with the worst of the worst. The bad always outweigh the good. My reign should be the biggest clue of how only the bad persists throughout history. Besides while he means well, he still causes collateral damage.” Discord peeled off a film from his eye of the destruction of the Whitetail Woods and the destruction of Sweet Apple Acres before he fixed them back to their original form.

“How in the world is he that strong!?” Anna asks, completely flabbergasted at how Simon and whoever else he fought in those cases caused so much destruction.
“Not important. Now somepony very important wants to meet with you. Be on your best behavior kiddies or uncle Discord will turn this cart around faster than you can say emotions.” Discord snickered as he ripped another spatial rift and dumped the changelings in front of Celestia and several dozen guards. The three changelings shook their heads at being so unceremoniously dumped somewhere...only to see the Princess and all the guards and shriek in horror as they all huddled close together in fear.

“W-we didn’t do anything we swear!” John repeats what he said to Discord in a very fearful manner.

“Please don’t kill us!” Anna pleads, knowing full well that anyone who would see them like this would just laugh and murder them without a thought and call it a ‘good day's work for helping the people’.

“Please, calm down you three.” Celestia says gently. “None of you are going to die.”

“How should we believe that? We’ve heard you putting out a warrent for all changelings to be killed on sight!” George shouts.

“What the…” Celestia mutters, finding the mere thought of murdering another being just horrifying. “I never put out that order. The changeling’s have suffered enough death for generations.” She says, shaking her head and already trying to figure out who would do such a thing.

“Wh-what do you mean?” Anna asks tentatively.

“You...know?” John adds questioningly.

“Yes, Discord must have informed you already...I still regret not being fast enough.” She shakes her head bitterly, ever thankful for Yoyo for stopping that monster Marco.

“You...fought them?”

“Yes, as well as my sister and Discord. We were the strongest people in Equestria who fought them, all other regions had their champions who were able to either match or deceive the worst of them.” Celestia explains.

“But...how did you all survive such strength?” John asks.

“We were much stronger in our younger years, but we had many friends and allies to help us fight against such beings.” Celestia explains. “I’m sure Chrysalis wasn’t there when Yoyo stopped Marco.”

“Who’s Yoyo?” George asks. “Isn’t that some foals toy?”

“Actually…” The solar princess trails off before magicking up a picture of the stick figure in question and showed it to the Changelings, showing a happy dark blue stick figure, mid action with his Yoyo as it glowed with blue energy. “Yoyo is a Stick Figure, and he was one of our many allies who made sure the more...dangerous beings were kept in check...but he was too slow to stop him…”

“Okay…” John nodded.

“Why did you want us?” Anna asks curiously.

“I understand that after the wedding things for your species went to hell and there was nothing you could do about it.” Celestia states, the changelings cringing at that horrid memory. “But right now you three are going to be the first changelings to learn the magic of friendship.” She says.

“...” The three changelings stare at the smiling diarch, feeling and tasting the obvious care she felt for them but only making them more confused. “Huh!?!” They all shout at the same time.

“I know it’s strange, but since you are all branded traitors by Chrysalis herself, I thought I would be the first one to lend a helping hoof to those in need.” Celestia states.

“But...why!?” John asks in shock.

“Take the deal...Psst...take the deal or I get to decide what to do with you.” Discord smirked as he looked John in the eye before disappearing once again.

“Deal!” The three all say quickly at the same time.

“See Celestia. I’m a wonderful negotiator. I am quite delightful.” Discord drank his glass of chocolate milk before tossing it out into the courtyard…to an unsuspecting Blueblood who was unconscious after the blast.

“Oh my god… Blueblood is down!” A random guard said.

“Form the parties men!” Another guard said.

“That Blueblood…” John mutters.

“He sounds like a dick.” Anna states bluntly, not sure why she had this unbelievable hatred towards someone she just heard the name of.

“He...sadly is.” Celestia sighs out, rubbing her temple.

“HEY LUNA! PARTY TIME OVER BLUEBLOOD’S MISERY!” Discord yelled out.

“HUZZAH!” Luna cheers happily.

“Here is your complementary lamp shade to wear on your head for this.” Discord handed her the lamp shade and poofed in one for himself which was red and very ornate.

“Uh…” The three changelings were very confused as Luna took her lamp shade happily.

“You see, given that literally no one likes Blueblood around here every time he is either knocked out or in pain, while I do find this a little sad, we party over his misery.”

“If you say no one likes him that’s fine with us.” John nods, himself and his friends already tasting the delicious emotions from everyone being happy.

“Oh that reminds me Celestia. That rift in Appleloosa opened up, new one popped up as well. Now if you excuse me a party is going on and it’s time to cut a rug.” Discord said as he snapped his talons taking almost everyone off for a party in the ballroom with strangely a pink pony hopping out of nowhere and into Discord’s arms.

“PARTY TIME!!” Pinkie screamed. The only ones left in the room were the Changelings, Celestia, and three of the more veteran guards.

“Uh…”

“Don’t…” Celestia sighs out. “I’ve tried figuring it out, came close, then just said ‘screw it’ and had to help a town from a Hydra.”

“Right then.” John nods. “So, are we going under assumed names?”

“Well all three of you already have names, but we need to go with forms.” Celestia says.

“I’ll take unicorn, I’m better with magic.” Anna says.

“I’ll be a pegasus, I’m the faster one here and my wings always cramp up if I don’t use them too often.” John says honestly.

“And because I’m physically the strongest I’ll be an earth pony.” George nods, even though Celestia couldn’t tell the fucking difference between the three besides Anna’s horn which seemed to be a tad more straight and less jagged, John’s wings which looked a little more ‘solid’ considering his insect like wings, and George has a slight reddish spots on his carapace.

“Alright.” Celestia nods. “Now, do you think you can make up new forms?” Celestia asks.

“Alright.” John nods before the three shifted into their pony forms. Anna had a magenta coat with dark pink mane and a cutie mark of dance shoes. John had a dark green coat with gray mane and a cutie mark of a bolt of lightning carved through a cloud. George had a deep orange coat with charcoal gray hair and the cutie mark of a mountain. “How do we look?”

“Hmm…” Celestia says, walking over to the three and checking the three carefully. “Marvelous Dancer,” She says to Anna. “Cloud Carver,” She nods to John. “And Steady Mountain. These are your new pony names from now. You can still have your names that Simon gave you, but when you're in public you will go by these names alright?”

“Yes ma’am.” The three say at the same time like they were addressing their queen.

Celestia giggled at that. “No need to call me ‘ma’am’ in such a way. Now, I’ll show you to your new rooms.”

“Wait, new rooms?” Anna the changeling asks curiously.

“Yes, you’ll be living here for the next four months while I teach you four the meaning of friendship.” The alicorn of the sun tells the changelings before leading them off, John and George turning around and seeing the most holiest of butts they will ever see.

“Wow…” John mutters.

“Woof…” George mutters.

“No! Bad ponies!” Anna shouts, smacking the back of her friends heads with a resounding smack.

“Ow! What was that for?” The two male changelings ask at the same time.

“Men.” Anna rolls her eyes, getting up and trotting after Celestia.

“Sheesh, what’s gotten her all mad?” John asks George.

“I have no idea.” George shakes his head as they both follow along with their fellow changeling and the solar princess.

”I can’t believe I’m thinking this...but please help those citizens Simon...I don’t know if that person is evil but please, don’t destroy the entire town…” She thinks to herself worriedly, knowing about the destruction he did but knowing the difference between unintentional collateral damage and actual honest destruction while she helped show the disguised changelings around the castle.

To be continued...