11. A Change in Plans
Dear Small Pony Book,
I am pleased to inform you that our visit to Canterlot has gone quite well, though saddened to state that today was our final day in the great city. However, I am even more pleased at something else that happened. So much so that I must apologize for my inability to stop chittering and buzzing my wings as I write this entry.
What happened, you ask?
I shall be delighted to tell you. But bear with me, this is going to take a little bit to get to.
When it came time for us to leave the Sisters’ company, we found ourselves once again faced with the daunting task of packing. Lots and lots of packing. At very least, I knew how to organize all of Flurry Heart’s belongings by bag and fit them inside so we did not waste space, a trick Shining Armor went to great lengths to show me the first time around.
“One of the first things you learn in the Royal Guard,” he said with a wink as he carefully fit a bottle of baby powder into the corner of a bag, “is how to fit everything you own into one bag. That way, when you get reassigned or shipped off to a forward position, it’s easy to grab it all and go.”
An admirable method, if I do say. We changelings aren’t exactly known for having much in the way of belongings—I do not think charmed ponies count, since they technically belong to the hive as a whole—but the ability to move as the Queen commands is paramount to unity and the survival of the hive.
Therefore, it must stand to reason that the fine ponies who serve the princesses and the herd of Equestria as a whole should be able to do the same.
It would seem that, in some areas, changelings and ponies are quite similar, Small Pony Book. Namely, when it came to serving our rulers.
Once packing had been concluded, I decided to occupy my remaining time with entertaining my overlady. Tickles, cuddles, and raspberries blown on her belly coaxed squeals of delight from her lips and made her waggle her hooves gaily. Her feathers fluffed and wings beat in vain as she tried to escape my grasp, whether to flee or attempt to retaliate, I do not know. However, I was well-versed in the art of keeping her captive and occupied when her parents were busy. A well-timed draw back and waggle of my tongue whilst shaking my head from side to side like a playful dog made her clap her hooves together and cry out.
She knew what time it was.
“Faces! Tora, faces!”
Faces, indeed! Just what my overlady deserved after behaving so well on our trip.
In a flash of green fire, I changed my face. Gone was my smooth carapace, angular snout, fangs, and blue and white eyes. In their place, a warm orange coat with a white streak down my nose, a wild auburn mane and matching beard, and the biggest, goggliest blue eyes I could muster behind square rimmed glasses with extra thick lenses.
I stuck out my flat, pony tongue and crossed my eyes at her, then spoke in our resident Crystaller’s nasally voice, “Flurry, no! Don’t levitate that jar! Mommy said no cookies before dinner!”
Flurry wriggled in my grasp. “Yes, cookie, Sun!” she squeaked in reply, playing along like the brilliant overlady she was. Then she reached out to press her tiny hoof against my nose. Her little way of “making” me change. Laugh if you will, but I shall sorely miss it should she ever grow out of the habit.
I changed again. This time, I assumed the guise of her father—a pristine white coat with two-toned blue mane, and wide blue eyes that flitted this way and that, searching for the little filly in my hooves as if she weren’t right in front of me.
Because, really, Prince-Captain, how do you miss this lovely little ball of energy, love, and boundless joy? How? Perhaps Sunburst could recommend an eye doctor, for I cannot imagine poor sight being good in your line of work.
“Where’s Flurry?” I called in his voice, waggling my ears for effect. “Wheeeeeeeere’s my little filly?”
Flurry snorted and covered her mouth, trying desperately to hold back any noise that might “reveal” her presence.
Naturally, she couldn’t. Nor could she stop herself from squirming in my hooves like a little grub looking for attention. She did, however, manage to poke my nose again, just as I leaned in and made to blow another raspberry on her belly.
Well played, Flurry Heart. You have learned well.
As a reward, I changed again. This time, however, I decided to take on a new face. One I knew she would adore. A quick shift later, and I shrunk to about two-thirds my size, holding Flurry carefully in my shorter, stubbed arms as I used a muscular tail to help me balance on two short, stubby legs with clawed toes.
“Unca Spi!” she cheered, rubbing her cheek against smooth purple scales while her tiny hooves reached out to poke and prod the tiny green fins on either side of my face.
I did my best to imitate that delightful nervous chuckle my first friend loved to give. “Hey there, Flurry,” I said. “Have you been a good filly?”
Any effort to decipher her foalish babble would have been in vain for most, but for those who knew her well enough, it was a simple matter of educated guesswork. Or, in my case, I preferred to assume that her answer was something which allowed me to tease her further when we were playing our games.
“Oh, really?” I asked, grinning as I began a tickly assault on her unguarded sides with my new claws. My overlady shrieked, helpless to fight against such nimble digits no matter how valiant her efforts. “I hear that you like to cause lots of trouble, little filly!”
“Noooooooooo! Spi, nooooooooooo!” she cried through her laughter.
“Uh huh! Thorax told me all about how you run from everypony when it’s time for baths, or how you throw oatmeal at him when he and Sunburst try to feed you!”
“He says,” Shining drawled from somewhere behind us, “despite his knack for leaping out of the way and letting poor Sunburst take the brunt of her little breakfast volleys.”
Whatever my hosts tell you, I most certainly did not jump in fright, Small Pony Book. Nor did I let out a strangled, gasping chitter as I whirled about, dropped my disguise, and fell hard upon my backside, mercifully still able to keep a good hold on my giggling overlady.
They stood over me, Princess Cadence and Shining Armor, with amused smirks playing upon their lips, their ears wagging, and tails swishing gaily. Worse, the Sisters were right behind them, watching the proceedings with poorly hidden grins of their own.
“H-Hello, everypony,” I greeted.
“Good morning, changeling ours,” Princess Luna replied. “T’would seem that our niece was correct. Your silly faces are quite adorable indeed.”
Much to my consternation, Princess Celestia nodded, her feathers fluffing. “Quite so. And just look at his cheeks, Lulu. How adorably they flush such a deep black, no? It looks like we know that changelings can in fact blush.”
True enough, I would wager A la Carte could have cooked salmon on my face it felt so hot. I held Flurry Heart close to my chest, like my own little security cocoon, then bowed my head out of respect. Not at all an attempt to hide myself in the curls of her mane. “Princesses,” I said in a more level tone. “Is there something you needed my assistance with?”
“In a manner of speaking,” Princess Cadence replied. “We’re about ready to head out, but we have a couple little changes to the itinerary.”
My earfins twitched. “What sort of changes?”
“You’ll see.” She smiled and motioned for me to rise, a command I obeyed without hesitation. “Come along, Thorax. We’re going to take a little trip into town.”
I confess, my throat did tighten. Go into town? Into Canterlot proper like this? Traveling by carriage with the Sisters was one thing, this was an entirely different matter. “Would it be all right if I went as Crystal Hoof?” As I finished, I assumed my favored guise, perfectly imitating sleek crystalline coat and decidedly unthreatening coltish build.
All four Royals frowned, but did not voice any complaint. Something told me that I was missing some rather important details.
Shining forced a smile. “Sure, buddy. You can go out as Crystal Hoof.” He tossed his head toward the door. “Now, come on, we need to get a move on so we can make good time on the train south.”
South? What in the First Mother’s name was south? I tilted my head, but opted to accept it. Who was I to question their itinerary? Wherever my hosts deigned that I go, I would be there.
My hosts and I were joined by Sunburst in the foyer, where we exchanged our goodbyes with the Sisters. Everyone received tight, affectionate hugs, myself included! Princess Celestia even allowed me to take a generous sip of love. “For the road,” she said with a playful wink.
I cannot describe her taste in words. All I know is that I … I had never tasted anything so wonderful. If sunshine, rainbows, the laughter of families at play, and springtime could be called a flavor, it would all still pale in comparison to that of her love.
I don’t think I realized that we’d walked deep into the city until Shining bumped shoulders with me, though it did nothing to diminish the goofy grin upon my glimmering, crystalline face.
“Huh-wha?” I asked dumbly.
He shot me a smirk. “I said wake up, Thorax. Take a look around.”
Confused, I did as asked, letting my eyes widen just beyond normal pony proportions so I could take in as much detail in an instant as possible.
My hosts had led me to a rather curious store. It was a smaller place, based on what I’d seen while walking around the Empire in my Crystal Hoof form with either they or Sunburst. The walls were lined with dark wooden shelves that must have been over a decade or so old. The ceiling hung low enough that I daresay Princess Celestia would nearly scrape her horn against it as she entered, to say nothing about the light fixtures. A quick glance down at the tile floor showed that the owner had opted to go with a polished, black tile. Though everything was old, even I could see that it had been cleaned and maintained with utmost devotion rivaling that with which my old hive mates approached their duties.
As said, there are some ways in which our races are quite alike, Small Pony Book. I find myself quite encouraged by this whenever I should find it so.
But my focus was drawn to the books lining the shelves. They stood nearly as tall as the thick texts I’d seen in the Crystal Palace’s great library however they were, for the most part, quite thin. Oh, there were some that were about the size of one of the smaller books from the library, but each had a cover and backing made of an oddly glossy-looking material. There was one such book open on the counter, being read by a rather bored young mare—perhaps a year or two my senior, since age apparently matters—who had yet to notice our presence.
Something told me this mare, with her mane colored electric blue and bright pink, several silver earrings lining the outside of her alabaster ears, and a matching pendant hanging from a chain, did not have the excuse of a sip of love from Princess Celestia as I had.
My hosts, however, paid her no attention save for the briefest of glances. Instead, they motioned for me to follow while Flurry bounced in the foal pouch hanging around her mother’s shoulders.
“Twily and I used to bring Spike here all the time when he was little,” Shining said, answering several of my questions before I could decide which to voice first. “Mostly me, since comics were more my bag, but this was his reward for behaving well or doing well in his lessons.”
Princess Cadence hip bumped him. “Excuse me, I do recall that I came along a few times as well,” she teased. “And brought him in while the two of you were busy with guard duties or studying. And just who do you think helped me pick out those mint condition comics you had been specifically looking for to complete your collection? I had a little informant.”
“Right, right. How could I forget?” He cast a wink in my direction, then nodded toward one of the shelves. “Why don’t you take a look, Thorax? You can pick something up for Spike, that late Hearth’s Warming present we mentioned we’d help you find.”
My ears waggled. That was right! We hadn’t yet gone on that shopping expedition—no, wait, trip. Shopping trip—to acquire a present to make up for my lack of one sent to Spike for Hearth’s Warming. Things had been so busy with the visit to Canterlot, I hadn’t even thought to ask.
Coming to his favorite comic book store was a perfect idea.
Or, at least, it was until I started actually looking over the selection. My eyes wandered aimlessly over titles. Batstallion, Supermare, Spider-Mare, The Night Watch, and an odd one called Tartarus Blazer. It was only then that I realized a key flaw in my hosts’ carefully crafted plan they likely hadn’t counted on:
I, Small Pony Book, have never read one of these strange books, nor do I have any inkling as to what Spike might enjoy.
A nervous chitter nearly began in the back of my throat, but I managed to feign a groan instead. That would have been a bit awkward.
“What’s the matter, buddy?” Shining asked. “Not seeing anything you think he’d like?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know what sort of books he would like to begin with.”
He tilted his head back. “Ah, my mistake. Well, he does love superhero stories, so you’re in the right section for that. The question, though …” he trailed off as he let his eyes sweep over the selection.
“Is finding one he doesn’t have,” Princess Cadence finished in his stead. She approached, her soft feathers tickling my side as she drew nearer. Her brows furrowed in concentration. “If I recall, he’s read most of these,” she noted, gesturing through the selection I’d been looking over. Then her hoof stopped on the first issue of The Night Watch. “This one he liked because it had a sort of oddball cast of characters.”
“An oddball cast?” I found myself asking.
“Ponies teaming up with a couple diamond dogs, a griffon, and … I think a giraffe, at one point. Sort of a group who don’t get a lot of play in most stories, so to speak, and it made the story fun.”
Fun. Unique. I could surely figure something like that out. After all, we were a changeling and a dragon and we were friends. There isn’t anything much more unique than that, in my humble opinion.
I decided to start by pulling these strange books off the shelf and reading over the title, paying special attention to the characters on the cover. They were all colorful, as ponies so often are, but nothing really jumped out at me. Nothing by the companies Wonder and District of Canter, at least. “The big two” as Shining called them.
He then steered me toward another section. A section full of comics produced by a group called Trotter’s Tales. Curious, I selected a title I found quite intriguing: Out of the Mist.
I won’t go into detail as to how coming out of the mist seemed perfect for a natural hunter such as myself, Small Pony Book, but know that it spurred a flutter in my heart and heat in my blood only when I was able to enjoy some quality time skulking around the Crystal Palace, or when Flurry and I went on our secret missions.
As I have said before, I am a changeling, Small Pony Book, and I do not pretend to be anything but that. Er, disguise aside.
Hush.
I sat down on the floor and opened the book to the first page, then began to read. To my surprise, these comic books were not in the typical format of a book—that is to say, there were more pictures than actual text. The scenes where of a city called Frontier, a large city near the edge of Equestria’s border with the Griffon Territories. A young dragon named Flametooth living as a bit of an outsider among ponies—not quite scorned, but looked at with no shortage of suspicion by those in his neighborhood—began the tale with a brief summation of the state of things in his city.
Crime was rampant. Gangs of diamond dogs, rogue griffons, young drakes, and even the odd changeling caused no shortage of trouble on a nightly basis. Angry at it all, Flametooth donned a black cloak and hood, casting a special rune he’d learned from his late parents to hide his face, save for his eyes. The young dragon, dubbed Nightfury by the local newspapers, then began a personal war against the criminals who plagued his city.
Somewhere along the way, much to my surprise, he met a changeling named Chaete, the youngest member of a street gang with a penchant for using her talents to lure ponies into beatings in alleys or gain access to banks. I felt my heart leap into my throat as they battled. Page after page, I read through until he managed to defeat her, leaving her exhausted and defenseless and he barely able to stand. Defiant, Chaete vowed that her fellows would break her out of any prison he sent her, for their bond was greater even than her hive, but Nightfury simply scoffed and asked but one question:
“If they really cared, do you really think they’d have run and left you to fight me alone?”
It was a valid point, never once had I seen them make any move to assist her in the battles against Nightfury. In fact …
They only helped when she had a pony all alone, ready for the taking.
I continued reading, transfixed by the actions of the lone hero. All up to the point where he did get cornered by that very gang, all armed with weapons supplied by a mysterious figure they referred to as “Father.” Shortly thereafter, Chaete appeared on the rooftops above the group, her eyes glowing green and fangs bared in a snarl that spoke of pure fury.
All hope seemed lost …
Then Chaete descended upon her former gang with an angry hiss, sinking them into the supposed leader and dosing him full of our race’s paralytic venom. I could not help but grin as she joined forces with Nightfury to chase the rest away, nor could I stop myself from bouncing in place when she accepted his offer to join together and change the path her life had been on, naming him the leader of her new “hive” of two as she chose her namesake. A simple one.
Our race. What other name did she need to strike fear into wrongdoers than Changeling? I could only imagine what foals’ tales would be like if she were real—don’t steal from others, or the Changeling will come hunting for you.
A dragon and a changeling.
It was too perfect. I grabbed the first several issues from the shelf and presented them to my hosts, giving them a quick rundown of the first tale.
They beamed and led me over to the sales counter to finalize my purchase.
I couldn’t wait to read Spike’s response when he received my gift in the mail.
Once bits were exchanged and my gift wrapped in brown packaging, we set off for the train station and quickly boarded. All the while, I had to wonder just where we were headed. Since we were traveling Royal, there was no convenient sign telling us that we were “now boarding” for our destination. The train was simply there, waiting our arrival and my hosts’ command.
But when I asked, I received only knowing smirks and waggling ears in reply.
“You’ll see, Thorax,” Princess Cadence said as she drew me into a hug with her wing, while Flurry reached out to press a hoof into her chin. Amused, she batted her daughter’s hoof away and pulled a silly face that made the little filly giggle, then added, “Just relax. You’re going to need your rest once we arrive.”
Need my rest?
Clearly, there was something important I would be needed for. I tried to sit up straight, but my blanket of pink and purple tinged feathers held me fast. The most I could do was tilt my head against her shoulder and ask, “What will you need me to do once you’re there?”
She merely smiled. “The most important job I could ever ask of you.” My heart raced as she leaned in, nuzzled my cheek, then whispered in my ear, “You’ll just have to wait and see what it is.”
I will not deny that I pouted and turned to try my luck with Shining Armor next, but he was of no help.
He was too busy snickering as he nuzzled into the crook of her neck and shot me a knowing wink. These ponies find the strangest things amusing.
But I do love them dearly.
With little to do but follow orders, I closed my eyes and decided to try something I’d witnessed young foals do with their mothers when tired: I laid my head against Princess Cadence’s shoulder to rest. Oddly enough, I found the rickety-rackety sound fading away, blocked out by her natural warmth, the love washing over my form, and the soft caress of her coat against my cheek. As I began to drift off, I entertained an odd notion … I am not certain I should say it, for I know not how my hosts will take it.
However …
I had seen young foals lay against their mother’s shoulder, or ride and sleep upon her back when they were tired.
Changelings, though, did not ever get this chance among our own kind. Our mothers do not afford such an opportunity. Before I was lost to sleep’s embrace, I found myself wishing the opposite were true. I never realized that I had never felt so warm. I had never felt so peaceful.
I had never felt so loved.
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Umm...think you may have a typo there.
Something important... hmm, a trip to Ponyville perhaps? To visit Spike and show the ponies there that not all changelings are the same?
Or perhaps the reverse, a party for Thorax.
Aww, Thorax is the older brother Flurry Heart never had.
Uhhh, id do quite a lot. Doom (2016) being the recent standout.
*adorableness overload*
8399564
Keep it, its funny.
The DC and Marvel expies are obvious, but does Trotter's Tales or Out of the Mist have a real world analog?
This chapter was absolutely adorable.
Well! I daresay that comic is a little ahead of its time, relatively speaking...all the more reason to favor it, I think.
As for where they're heading next, I'd say that Ponyville is a safe bet...yet at the same time I can't help but think that's too obvious...well, we'll see.
8399914
Well, Trotter's Tales makes me think of Traveler's Tales, but they're obviously a video game producer, so that's probably not it...
Awwwwe cute chapter
Gah this is too cute. And then you throw this suspense in too? You are devious. Evil. Fluff with a cliffhanger.
I'll be awaiting the next entree quite eagerly.
Well done, well for indeed.
Man, I have to wonder if Throax wants to call Cadence & Shinning Mom and Dad... it's so sweet
The
Absolutely adorable.
Curious about something, though. I'm not a huge comic book person, so I may be off track, but...
Is this a Kids Next Door reference?
Also, I think that 'the' should be cut, or there's a 'way' missing after it.
I was gonna ask if you were gonna put Thorax in the slice of life ep, but that happened before Times...
Did anyone else get the nightfury refrence?
Boop the changeling for the next face.
That comic seems surprisingly well-researched. I wonder if a changeling helped write it.
In all, a most adorable chapter. Definitely looking forward to whatever surprise they have in store for Thorax.
Huh... where are they going?
I'd guess to a friendly hive or maybe a surprise party for Thorax, but I really can't predict it.
At any rate, this remains a good read. Quite adorable.
may I take a moment to wax poetic my good sir or madam?
Nice. Can't wait for more 😁
I want to read that comic so badly now.
Going to tracking this story.
Wait, what? I get "Wonder", because it can be a synonym for "marvel", but "District of Canter"?
That's so far off it's insane - our DC means "Detective Comics" (which means that the company enters into the Department of Redundancy Department whenever it uses "DC Comics"). So "District of Canter" makes no sense as a lawsuit-avoiding renaming, aside from using the letters 'D' and 'C'.
I would've gone with "Investigative Comics", and foregone the acronym, because that's more in line with the joke.
8760674
And when you write your story, you can do that. Criticizing a fictional comic company name is a bit silly.
That ending was so heartwarming it was slightly painful. Good chapter.
You should do a one shot of that. Thorax interacting with an older Flurry, some of their old habits sticking around. I would love to see Flurry booping Thorax on the nose when he is being a goof. That would be even more adorable than this.
“'Twould
D'awww!
Dawwww indeed
Awwww uncle Spike that's so cute 🥰🥰
You said it Princess Luna very adorable
I feel like that's kind of foreshadowing appearances of other creatures such as the young six which I've always have interested to those kids ever since the first appearances in season 8
Awww thorax is so adorable when he is so excited or so curious about the culture of ponies or other creatures and he got so excited to see a comic where other creatures actually joined together to faced off an evildoer and I wonder what Princess Cadence and shining armor up to and what kind of surprise it is so adorable that thorax is like laying on Cadence like a kid does 😊
Ooh! How To Train Your Dragon reference!
Is this an actual story, cause I would love to read it.