Silver Shield

by David Silver

11 - Decisions

A creature that was not a changeling stood before Fast. She blinked softly. "Are you...?"

"I'm still me," reported the changed one. He patted himself down. "I feel... strange. I... I'm not hungry, not the same way anymore." He tilted his head at Fast. "I feel like I just want to... I don't know."

Fast rose to her hooves fully. "Can you change?"

"Oh! Let me!" He frowned subtly. "I don't know how. Everything feels just a bit off. Please forgive me, my queen."

Fast held up a hoof. "Fast Change. Princess Fast if you must. Look, you're still one of us."

"Of course I am," he said as if it were obvious. "Just because I changed how I look doesn't make me less of a changeling." He rolled his eyes dramatically. "Changing how we look is part of who we are."

Fast sank to her haunches. "That is... remarkably true. You're very astute. What is your name and rank?"

The reformed changeling glanced away a moment.

"Why won't you tell me?" Fast circled around the changed one. "You have nothing to fear from me. You're a hero, not a villain."

"Stand In," he muttered.

Fast blinked. "Did... wait. She's..."

Stand shrugged softly. "I was playing a he, and I don't know how to change right now."

Fast sank back to her haunches. "You were being clever again, and it worked..."

Stand got a smile. It wasn't nearly as intimidating as the usual changeling smile. "Just keeping you on your toes, princess." He/she glanced back at his changed body. "So, this is what Celestia has in mind? I don't like it..." He spread his new wings. "Bugger it all if I'm going to let change scare me, in the end."

Fast nodded at her loyal second in command. "Stand... I've always trusted you."

Stand gave a soft snort. "You're too trusting... and I love you for it. I suppose pretending I don't would be a big fat obvious lie. You know a lot of us are not going to take this option. We're fine the way we are." She pointed at Fast. "It's your turn, isn't it?"

Fast's ears flipped back. "But, I..."

"--am a changeling." Stand In nodded. "Or did you forget your hole? You aren't going back to being a unicorn."

Fast felt hot moisture around her eyes. It wasn't fair. She wanted her rainbow. "I don't have to accept this."

"You don't," admitted Stand. "You don't... But if you don't change, that will keep most of the others back."

Fast took a step back. "Then... I quit. I quit! I'm leaving! You can take this from here. You know how. Celestia knows and likes you."

Stand In stared at Fast for a pregnant moment before she sighed. "You're going to run to that stallion, aren't you?" Fast said nothing. "The hive will be torn apart if you leave." Fast's lips trembled, but she said nothing. "I can't force you..." Stand In dipped his head slowly. "Thank you, for what you've done..."

Fast returned the gesture, trembling. "T-tell the grubs... I love them. Tell them you're the new princess, and you'll take care of them." She quirked a little smile. "I'll visit."

Stand In heaved a sigh as he trotted towards the couch that had served as their throne. "I had planned for years to eventually control a hive of my own. It was my dream, my aspiration..." He settled on it. "Here I am. It's not the joyous ascension I had hoped it would be. Go on, Fast Change. Go and find your happiness."

Fast hesitated a moment longer before she did just that. With a rush of flames, she became a princess. Her wings unfurled and she flew away, right through the hallways, past startled changelings. She pushed past the shocked guards at the front, and simply flew away, leaving all she had built behind.

Stand In shook his head slowly, frowning at where Fast once stood. "I was ready to call you one of us..." He spat on the ground, then rose to march to a mirror. "I will not be stuck in one form. That is not the changeling way." He flexed and heaved and grunted. He would not give up until he figured out how his new body worked.

A surprised squeak came from the door and he jerked in place. The surprise made something move just right inside of him, and he changed. It wasn't the old way of changing. It was something new, and Stand In was a mare again. She focused on the guard that stood there. "Yes?" She had her voice back.

"Oh! Hello ma'am. Princess Fa--"

"She is not our princess anymore," spoke Stand In with a frown. "She has abdicated to me. Assemble all the drones in the second audience chamber. Just the drones." She marched towards the door. "I have announcements to make. Things are changing around here and there's no time like the present."

---

Silver was rubbing noses with Night Watch gently. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. That sounds awful."

"It was," agreed Night as she sat back. "That spirit, Nefertari's awful personal spirit, she was ready to make me be a murderer... I couldn't stop thinking about you, and how you'd feel. I didn't let her win! I..." She reached with her hooves and hugged Silver closer. "Tell me you're proud of me."

"I am," Silver rushed to say. "I am... You did a lot, and saved Luna." He kissed Night on the cheek, then lower on her neck, nibbling her gently just the way she liked it. "You were a brave warrior wife, my brave warrior wife, and I couldn't be much prouder than I am thinking about you. I am so very lucky to have you in my life, and beyond blessed to have you as my wife."

Night suddenly struck, nipping his throat and licking the flesh. "Once First Wife, I'll remind." She rose to her hooves, tail twitching. "I feel terrible. I just want to snuggle forever. Are the others available? A nice big pile might just do the trick right now."

Silver smiled at that. Seeing his wife growing comfortable with the herd was quite a relief. "Come on. We've all earned some time just being with each other. This has been a rough week, to say the least."

Side by side, they made their way towards their room, their sides rubbing softly against one another with relief and simmering joy in the company of the other.

That came to a sudden halt when Silver willed the door open and sobbing came from within the room.

Night's eyes came into focus instantly as she stepped forward. "Who's there? What's wrong?"

"N-Night? Is that you?" came the timid voice of Fast Change. "Come in, please."

Night and Silver both strode in to see Fast Change in her full changeling self, sprawled over the massive bed that had become their standard. "O-oh, both of you?" She sat up and rubbed at her tear-streaked eyes. "I'm messing this up, again... Silver, I've waited long enough. I demand your fucking rainbows. I demand your rainbows and your fucking. Both, kindly. Now before you say anything else, you come here and kiss me, then I want Night to kiss me and I'm going to kiss both of you and we're going to forget this entire month ever happened."

Silver flushed a little. He usually avoided such language, and was not surrounded by many that would use it. "H-hello Fast." He did stride up to her. She pursed her lips and he glanced away before he leaned in. Their lips met, and a kiss happened. Once it started, he fell into it. Some part of him remembered that kiss, and he wanted it. She wanted it. They were silent while they both were getting it, at least until Night put a hoof on either's chest and pushed them back from one another.

"There's a good fifty percent chance something just happened. Tell us what it is, Fast Change."

Fast stuck out her tongue a little. "You couldn't wait until we were done? Spoilsport." She reached for Night and her horn glowed, pulling Night closer. "At least hug me while I talk." Night allowed that, and while Fast rocked with her lunar captive slowly, she looked to Silver. "I did it. I quit... I ran away. I kept running. I didn't know anything but I couldn't be there."

Silver sank to his haunches. "I've felt that before... I just... have to go... You're afraid to look back, you don't know what's ahead, but it can't be worse than what's behind."

"That!" Fast pointed at Silver. "That... Silver... I want us back." She waved a hoof between Silver, Night, and herself. "Can I join your royal herd? I'll be the omega if I have to, I don't care."

Night gently nipped at Fast's shoulder. "You know I won't keep you away. You know he sucks at saying no, especially to you, but what happened? Was it the hive? I predict it's the hive."

"Yes it's the blasted hive," sighed out Fast. She leaned in and kissed the tip of Silver's nose. "Celestia found a way to make changelings into these... other bugs, that don't eat love. She's ecstatic, and I'm terrified. I want to be a unicorn again! I want to be normal, and fuzzy and have legs that don't work. I'd rather be a cripple forever than be a changeling anymore, and being a new kind of changeling just means it's even less likely I'll ever get to be normal!"

Silver reached out a hoof and set it on Fast's leg, the one that had the hole in it. He rubbed slowly over that hole. "I hear you got that saving the city."

"Yes! Yes... This is my big reward, being... not a unicorn anymore." Her eyes began to well with tears. "Please, help me. Conjure your rainbows, or just shove me down and make me forget about it with your studliness, either way, don't care. I just... I'm not their princess anymore."

Night wriggled free of Fast's grip. "This is quite a mess. Who is leading the changelings now then?"

"Stand In." Fast suddenly snorted. "Wow, her name never made so much sense before... She's already become the new kind of changeling. She knows what she's doing and I trust her, so let her at it. That isn't my problem anymore. If the changelings don't eat love, they don't need me there anymore."

Author's Note:

Fast! We missed you so much. You're back with your potty mouth and dirty mind. How will this work out?

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Comments

[Daremo]

No typos, not even a misplaced comma.

---

Quite the interesting chapter and there was no way I could sleep with this waiting to be read.

Poor Fast, I hope this doesn't come around to bite her.

Stand In certainly does change her loyalties quickly, there doesn't seem to be an ounce of compassion in her, just cold pragmatism.

And I can't forget that this chain of events was kicked off by Princess Celestia's visit. She has to know what she's doing, right?

[Midknight Defender]

Just as I catch up, a new chapter. Wondrous day! Fate bends, and destiny kneels before me!!!

7965294 Something is not right here. The typos are plotting something. Something big.

Like Tia's plot big.

Hey!!

Fleeing!

[tsaukpaetra]

Oh... Dear... Well that was unexpected. Was she really so desperate to leave? Fast just complicated things a whole lot, that extremely rash decision reflects very poorly on her maturity.
Chaos ahead!
Keep going! ;)

[harts fire]

Fast Change
hum she is hearting so much right now she want to be back to her old self.
can she?
will she find a place in the royal heard?
will she find her true calling in life?
only the pen knows and we will all have to weight to find out.

[Boulder]

"There's a good fifty percent change something just happened.

chance?

You're back with your potty moth and dirty mind.

Hope I don't have moths in my potty, specially those 3 inch wide ones with the pseudo eyes on the wings, given me the heebies since I was 4.
4.bp.blogspot.com/_v-DlPomQndg/TKfynaLPbpI/AAAAAAAAF80/3VAgwy8v4P8/s1600/Southern_Old_Lady+Moth_EH2.JPG
AHH get it away!

[Booster Spice]

Fast might have run, but will Stand in do anything stupid, given the new form doesnt depends on Ponies for emotional food, so dont need to be around ponies. Instead they can find out they requirements, then demand a land of their own, pull in the border, and just forget everything else?

[Mortefleur]

Bad Fast, go do your job

[Not so New Brony]

Yeah...running off like that, not the greatest move but it's understandable given all those insecurities. Of course, it still doesn't make it right.

[NightmintHLW]

"Am a changeling." Stand In nodded. "Or did you forget your hole? You aren't going back to being a unicorn."

'am a changeling' this dont make sence

[David Silver]

8358141
Rephrased slightly.

[Royal Brisk]

I thought Night Wing was the Warlock that was kinda obsessed with Luna and Night Watch was Silver's First Wife.

[David Silver]

9385672
A wild typo! Quick, catch it!

[Alvsecret]

"I'm still me," reported the changed one. He patted himself down. I feel... strange. I... I'm not hungry, not the same way anymore." He tilted his head at Fast. "I feel like I just want to... I don't know."

Missing quotation mark