Society as We Know It

by Comma Typer

Food, Materials, and Something Else

Changelings and ponies moved along the path, many of them carrying bags and pulling wagons filled with various things such as food, drinks, materials, and more. A wagon broke down and the changelings nearby helped the pony pull the wagon. The pony smiled, saying "Thanks!" to the changelings and the changelings said "You're welcome!" as they went on helping him.

As they approached the Changeling Kingdom, now looking more natural with less pony-like buildings, some ponies gasped in awe of the place.

"Do you like the redesign?" one changeling asked one of the ponies who gasped as they walked. "King Thorax would like it if the ponies liked it."

The pony did not reply. All he did was just look at the kingdom with an amazed face.

"That means that you really like it? I think that means you really like it." Then, the changeling rushed off towards the kingdom, carrying a bag on his back.

The pony looked at the pony walking beside him. He was pulling a wagon. "When I decided to help," the first pony said, "I didn't expect to see the Changeling Kingdom look so different."

"I didn't expect to see you here, Trick Track," the other pony said back. "It's not everyday that I see you pulling wagons and doing this kind of work."

"A break from Manehattan is nice now and then," Trick Track said. "My wife is helping at another department. I'm not sure where, though."

"Is it managing?" the other pony asked.

"Probably," Trick Track replied. "She is able to manage her side of the shop well, so I won't be surprised if she's managing some of the ponies and some of the changelings here."

Above them, several changelings flew.

The two ponies looked up.

"I've met many changelings," Trick Track said. "Ever since the changelings became good, I've seen lots of changelings in Manehattan. They're astounded by Manehattan. The looks on their faces, the big smiles that I see are proof that they really like Manehattan and maybe much of Equestria, too."

"Any stories to tell?" the other pony asked.

"About changelings in our shop?" Trick Track said. "Several. We've had two arguing changelings when Rarity and the Princess herself, Twilight Sparkle, was there. They managed to fix their friendship problem in our shop. That's something I don't want to forget—that some of the most friendly ponies of all of Equestria visited our shop and solved a friendship problem in our shop."

"Anything else?" the other pony asked.

"Do you mean more normal stories about changelings just looking around to buy some of our fountains and board games?"

"Maybe."

"There's lots."

"Then, let's talk about something else, another thing."

Trick Track raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

"We're close to the Changeling Kingdom," the other pony said. "What do you have to say about it?"

Trick Track looked at the kingdom. "Well, it's nice. I would prefer another style, but I'm not the one who's in control of the kingdom. I'm not even a part of it!"

The other pony laughed a little as he went on pulling his wagon. "I'll go on."

Then, the other pony galloped forward, pulling his wagon with him.

As the pony went past the walls, a few changelings greeted him but he went on, galloping past them. He kept on, galloping forward and forward past more ponies with their bags and their wagons, past more changelings who were also carrying bags and pulling wagons.

Then, he screeched to a halt at the front of the line.

"Alright!" a changeling yelled. "Let's bring the goods out!"

Then, several changelings flew in to carry the bags that were in the wagon. They carried the bags towards the tower at the middle of the kingdom. Those changelings went past more changelings who were going away from the tower and towards the line of ponies with their bags and their wagons.

The changelings carrying the bags finally entered the tower, passing by more changelings who were also carrying bags and other materials. Then, they arrived at a room where there were changelings wearing hats and looking at lists and checking those lists while more changelings arrived.

"Do we have enough?" one of the changelings with a hat asked, his voice echoing through the room. "I mean, is there enough food? Enough apples?"

"We have more than enough!" one of the changelings who just arrived yelled back. He threw a bag towards a pile of bags. "We have more than enough apples to keep us through the year!"

"And that's just the apples?"

"Just the apples! The ponies have lots of other foods as well—there's oranges, there's pineapples—"

"OK, that's nice to hear, but get out and bring in more!"

"Affirmed, sir!"

Then the changeling left.

The changeling placed his hat down on the table and sighed. He took a good long look at the lists in front of him, detailing what was going in and what was expected to be going in later in the day. "King Thorax will be pleased when he hears that we're going right ahead of schedule," the changeling said. "We've been receiving an influx of food from the ponies." He sighed again. "There's also the other things that they're sending us: the writing materials for our literature, some books for more knowledge about how Equestria works and the stories to base our stories on, and more. They're generous." Then, he sighed again, looking again at the lists on the table. "These ponies are generous." He smiled.

"Do you need anything?" another changeling asked as he approached him.

"Not really," the first changeling said. "I was just...admiring how these ponies are quick to help us."

"They've been helping us for months," the other changeling said.

"I know, but, they're still helping us. Isn't it great? Equestria is still giving us what we need and even what we want. The ponies are more than happy and eager to help by giving us things. They even visit the Changeling Kingdom!"

"And, Thorax would be proud."

The two changelings were silent for a while as they looked at the lists. "So, do we have anything else to expect?"

"Any additional materials and other things?" the other changeling said. "Not that I know of. We probably need more paper, though. There are some who really want to write now."

"Any other things? LIke, are we receiving something like a box or something?"

"A box of other things like apples?"

"We already have lots of apples!"

"Then, what are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about, well, just more things," the first changeling said as changelings kept arriving with more and more bags and placing those bags into their respective piles and groups. Several changelings told the changelings arriving about what next to get, then those changelings flew off. There were changelings with lists as they looked at the bags, calculating how much is in that pile or in that group. "These ponies are very creative. They can create lots of things. I used to be on infiltration back when, well, we used to be evil, and I've seen the ponies with all their things and their items that have so many different uses. I wanted to get some of them, but I remembered I was there to infiltrate and to steal love, not to get things."

"I was on infiltration, too," the other changeling said. "I think I felt the same way you did when I first went to one of the towns in Equestria."

"What was it like?"

"Well, I was still trying to remember the mission, but I was distracted—I looked at all these nice buildings, these nice houses that the ponies lived in and the roads that they've built and the other things that they've invented. I heard it all before when I overheard others talking about it from their missions and their adventures, but to actually see it myself, with my own eyes—I was amazed, I was impressed by all the ponies have done for themselves. I wanted one, but I thought that Chrysalis would think that it was just silly if I tried to steal more than just love."

The first changeling laughed a little, glancing at more changelings arriving with more bags of things and items. "I had a similar feeling."

"Did you go to the same town?!"

"I don't know." The changeling shrugged, giving him a casual look. "Maybe we did, maybe we didn't. Even the places at the frontiers have more advanced things than we did."

"Like Appleloosa and Dodge Junction?"

"Yeah."

The two changelings looked at the stream of changelings carrying more things and items into the tower, bringing them to the piles as more changelings took note of what went in with their lists on hoof. The buzzes of the changelings' wings filled the room.

"Anything?" the second changeling asked. "Like, is there anything else to talk about before we go on with the job?"

"Not really. There's a lot to talk about—I still want to know what the news would be tonight. Then, there's going to be the talk and the discussions about changeling literature—Twilight Sparkle will surely try to attend one of those discussions about it. I've heard much from Spike—she's extremely interested in books and in learning in general. Then, what about the rest of the arts? Changeling art? To the gallery!"

"In Manehattan?" the second changeling asked. "It would be very great if I was a painter whose art managed to be shown in one of the galleries there! And imagine all the ponies vying for my attention and for my paintings! With all their bits!"

"If you were a painter, that is," the first changeling said. He took a list. "Now, let's get on to more recording and more noticing, got it?"

"But, they seem to be handling the work pretty well," the second changeling complained as he gestured towards the several changelings with lists and with hats, taking note of all that was coming inside.

"We don't want to be slack about the work!" He took a few steps towards the bags. "Now, let's go or else we're going to get late!"

"But, what about the talking that we're having right now?" the second changeling protested. "We're having lots of fun!"

"Well, I want to have my fun and have a job!"

Then, the first changeling rushed off towards the bags and took notes with his list.

The second changeling sighed. He flew off towards the bags.

---

"That's the end of the tour!" Thorax announced, taking a bow as he stood in front of the towering tower of the Changeling Kingdom. "I hope that you liked it." He made an awkward smile.

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were silent, looking at the tower and then at Thorax. "That was a wonderful tour," Celestia said in her smooth and calming voice. "I am sure that your fellow changelings will be more than pleased to live and to thrive here once everything is truly ready."

"Your reasons for redesigning the Changeling Kingdom are quite sound," Luna went on. "It is understandable that you would want to have a place where the changelings really feel at home. Your concerns about pony culture being invasive are grounded and understandable, too. We will not try to interfere too much, Thorax."

"Oh, thank you, Princesses!" Thorax said, excited and eager. "I cannot believe that I actually gave you a full tour of the entire Changeling Kingdom!"

Celestia giggled. "Your enthusiasm is quite obvious, Thorax."

Then, Thorax stopped.

Several changelings and a few ponies were looking at Thorax.

Thorax smiled and took on a regal position of standing. "Alright, it was a pleasure having you here, Princesses. Do you want anything else?"

"No more, Thorax," Celestia said. "Your tour alone was enough to show us the wonders of your kingdom. And, thank you, Thorax, for leading your changelings with a kind heart."

Thorax looked on as the two Princesses then flew off to the sky.

Thorax flew towards the top of the tower, racing past the many changelings that were carrying bags. There were several changelings who shouted, "Hail, King Thorax!" but Thorax didn't stop nor did he even glance at the changelings. The wind rushed by him as his wings glittered under the bright sunlight.

Then, he stopped, hovering beside the top of the tower. He looked down at the ground and at the many changelings working.

"It's beautiful," Thorax said. "The Princesses were right. We're going to have a good future ahead." His eyes became watery. He took a hoof to his eyes, trying to stop a flow of tears. "I...didn't think that I would be here, to see the day when we would no longer be evil. And, that I would be the one to lead the effort."

Then, he slowly flew down, towards the changelings carrying the bags.

He wiped away the tears.

As he approached the changelings, there were more shouts and yells of "Hail, King Thorax!" directed at him. He entered the tower, surrounded by happy changelings carrying bags who took the time to tell Thorax, "Hail, King Thorax!" Thorax smiled at them. He entered the room and he was greeted with more shouts and yells of "Hail, King Thorax!" He landed on the floor and took a look at all that was being done inside.

"Thorax," a changeling with a hat and a list said as he approached him, "we have more than enough food for the year, we have lots of materials ready for changeling use to establish our arts."

"Good," Thorax said. "I like that you summarized it. Do you have anything else to tell me?"

"Oh, we were just telling stories while we did our work," the changeling said. "It was fun to socialize while working! It doesn't even feel like work at all!"

Thorax nodded. "Just what Twilight and her friends would have taught us if they were here."

"Did they really teach that?" the changeling asked. "I don't remember hearing that from all the friendship talks that I've attended."

"Maybe they haven't taught it," Thorax said. "There's so many things to learn about friendship that they wouldn't be able to cover everything they learned in that many weeks."

"I understand, Thorax," the changeling said. "So, are you ready for the meeting with Princess Twilight Sparkle tomorrow?"

"Yes," he said, smiling. "I'm confident that our discussions will be, well, beneficial."

"I'm so excited for it!" the changeling shouted.

"You're not going to be there," Thorax said. "Unless, you want to. It would be fine."

"It's because I know what you're going to talk about with Twilight Sparkle!"

"The arts?"

"Yes, Thorax, that's the topic!" the changeling yelled, pointing at Thorax with a hoof that only affirmed the changeling's over-enthusiasm and excitement. "I am ready for making art of any kind, and I am more than willing to enrich our culture, Thorax!"

"Uh, that's...nice?"

The other changelings there were looking at the over-excited changeling.

"It's going to be about a nice changeling king—"

"Basically, me."

"Yeah!"

Thorax sighed. "I remembered the play." He placed a hoof on his head. "I hope that you make something better."

"Don't worry, Thoax! What I will produce will definitely be better!"

Thorax sighed again. "Let's see." He looked at the piles and the groups of bags. "Do we have anything else other than food and materials ready? What about clothes? There are some that would really like clothes, especially from Rarity's boutique."

"We have some designer clothes from Rarity," the changeling said. "She said that the clothes were made from some ponies who won a contest or a competition or something like it for clothes design."

"Ah, I remember!" Thorax said as his face lightened up.

"You were there?" the changeling asked, a little confused.

"Not really. Rarity told me about it one day. I was wondering why Applejack was chosen as a judge, but, it turns out that it wasn't that bad of an idea at all! Well, maybe if she wasn't so bad at first, but there were other, more professional and more clothes-oriented ponies there judging, too."

The changeling in front of him lightened up as well, smiling. "Do you mean we have state-of-the-art clothes at our hooves?!"

"Uh, yeah. What's wrong with that?"

"As long as it isn't too expensive," another changeling shouted from where he was, "we're going to get some of those clothes!"

And a small rally of cries and shouts rose up from the small crowd of changelings inside.

"Uh, I didn't know you were all that interested in clothes," Thorax said, a little nervous as his voice trembled. He laughed nervously. "What makes you so, uh, interested in them, anyway?"

"Well, it's the latest!" another changeling answered. "And, it's from Rarity! Or, at least it's approved by Rarity! These clothes must be good!"

Thorax sighed. "OK, anything else other than food and materials and fancy clothes?"

"Apples!" a changeling shouted as he entered the room carrying a bag of apples. An apple fell to the floor. A changeling picked it up.

"I thought we had enough apples!" Thorax said.

"Actually, this is from Applejack and Big McIntosh," the changeling that just entered said. A few more changelings carrying more bags of apples entered, with more changelings catching the apples that fell to the floor.

Thorax smiled. "That means the ponies don't want us to get hungry!" He turned towards the many changelings in the room. "We'll be having lots of fun activities tonight, so get excited! The day's almost over!"

And the changelings cheered, some of them flying to the air to show their excitement and their joy.

Thorax took off to the air and flew out of the tower.

Outside, the sun was there in the sky, shining. The sky was yellow and orange. A sunset feel was there as the sunlight shone. Thorax's wings glittered again under the sunlight.

"This is indeed a good day," Thorax said as he flew in the sky, looking at the Changeling Kingdom below. "And, I hope it will also be a good evening." He smiled. "I think it will be a good evening. The ponies are helping us, we're helping them, and we changelings are getting together, sharing love with each other and with the ponies, too." He sighed a sigh of joy as he looked upon the many changelings that were smiling and having fun at their work, helping the ponies carrying their bags and pulling their wagons. "And, tomorrow, I'm going to talk with Twilight Sparkle about what to do with changeling culture—we're not just going to be here, we're going to amaze and astound the ponies with what we can do!" He was silent for a while as he went on hovering above the kingdom. "The changelings are going to be friendly, and the ponies will see how good we can be!"

Then, Thorax went down to the ground, smiling. He looked at all the changelings carrying bags and pulling wagons full of food and materials.

Thorax walked and took a bag from a pony.

The pony smiled. Then, he gasped. "Oh, King Thorax!"

"You don't have to call me that," Thorax said as he carried the bag. "You can just call me Thorax!"

Thorax smiled.

"Thanks, Thorax!" the pony said.

---

At the room with the Cutie Map, Twilight Sparkle, Starlight Glimmer, and Spike sat on the crystal chairs. On the table, there were some books varying in size.

"I cannot believe that I'm going to talk with Thorax about changeling culture!" Twilight shouted.

"You've already said that three times this afternoon!" Spike complained from his chair. He groaned, looking away from her and towards Starlight. "When is she going to stop?"

"I was thinking about asking you that," Starlight said. "You're the one who has been with her for a long time. Me? I was just here for, well, not as long as you have been with Twilight."

Twilight levitated a book, a magical glow surrounding it. "We can talk about literature, we can talk about literary devices, we can talk about the great authors of pony history, we can talk about what makes a great book, and we can talk more and more about books!"

"Uh, Twilight?" Starlight spoke. "Wasn't this supposed to be about changeling culture? Not just about books?"

Twilight looked surprised at Starlight. Then, she laughed nervously, looking at her and then at Spike awkwardly while she laughed.

Spike looked at her with an irritated look.

"Well, of course, we're going to talk about other things as well!" Twilight said, still acting nervously. She wiped the sweat off of her forehead. "Nopony wants to forget about the other forms of art as well! Art, music, plays! Heh-heh-heh-heh!" She levitated the book back on to the table. "And, books!"

"But, I want to spend some time with Thorax, too!" Spike whined. "He's always so busy with his royal duties and when he does get here to Ponyville, sometimes it's just for royal duties, too!"

"There will be time for you and Thorax to go to places with each other," Twilight said. "But, that time will have to be later." She eyed the books on the table. Then, she looked at Starlight. "Starlight? You wouldn't mind joining the talks, would you?"

Starlight gasped. "But, I thought it was just between you and Thorax!"

"Actually," Twilight said, "it would be helpful if the discussion was between me and Thorax. However, it would be even more helpful if we brought in some more ponies and some more changelings! Not too many—we're here to discuss important things, not to have a party and have balloons here and there."

Spike frowned.

Twilight noticed. "Spike, what's wrong?" she asked, concerned, leaning towards him.

"I...I just wanna have more time with Thorax, that's all. Not much to tell."

Twilight placed a hoof on his chin. "Don't worry about it, Spike. I promise you, when the talks and the discussions are over, you can spend as much time with Thorax as you want!"

Spike's face brightened up. He smiled.

"I'll even let you go to a few places in Equestria! You'll be the one to decide where to go! I'll even give you some bits in case you're going to a place like Manehattan!"

"Really?!"

"Really, Spike." Twilight smiled.

Starlight placed a hoof on the table, happy. "At least that problem is now solved. So, what about preparing for that talk with Thorax?"

Twilight quickly levitated a book. "Well, we can begin with talking about what kind of culture that Thorax wants to create, and then we can talk about the specific parts of that culture, what direction he wants for it. Of course, Thorax must understand that creating a culture isn't going to be easy—it's going to take lots of work."

Starlight nodded.

Spike jumped out of the chair and ran out of the room.

"There goes Spike," Twilight commented, smiling.