The Lost Changeling

by AizakkuHorooee

Epilogue - The Reflection

I would’ve thought that Las Pegasus was as bustling as Pane and Rusty had told me once I freed them from their healing cocoons. But it turns out that there is a lot of residential blocks in the outskirts. And their homes are to the southeast. Apparently, Pane Fall was Rusty Flashlight’s “classmate” within the last year.

As of right now, it’s been about a week since Rusty and Pane were in their cocoons. Since I met Rusty first, I’ve been staying at his house. It’s actually quite cozy. It’s a two bedroom house, so it not only works that I am usually comfortable in a makeshift nest, but Rusty only has to pay for one bed for himself while he can use his winter bedding to build a nest for me. In the past week, the only day that I didn’t sleep in my usual spot was just three days ago, when Rusty was gone for a trip to Manehattan to look for a place to explore. In the meantime, Pane had let me stay at her place.

Last night, I didn’t get any sleep, so I can’t really concentrate so much. Rusty had noticed my tire and gave me some love to give me energy for at least the following couple of hours, which was really sweet of him.

Later, Rusty started to talk with me about why I couldn’t get to sleep. I guess something was keeping me stirring and had to get it out of the way before it affected me irreparably. In the seven days that I’ve stayed with Rusty, I visited the hive twice. And the second time around, while Rusty was in Manehattan, reminded me a bit of the Court of Twelve Trees. So, it was no surprise that when I brung it up with Rusty, he suggested going back to Rolling Acres to recollect.

At about noon, I begin a flight in the direction of Ponyville. And with the flash a few minutes after passing by Ponyville, I end up in a high elevation above the somewhat familiar Akron.

I briefly land onto the roof of Rolling Acres, next to the skylight I fell through when this all started. Looking through the broken skylight, I can see the hybridized staircase that I first woke up on. I hover into the building, stopping just short of landing onto the staircase. It looks like nothing really changed in terms of how Rolling Acres looks. But just to be sure, I look at all of the halls I explored when I was first here...

My first stop is where I fell unconscious before anyone ever put any bandages on me. There isn’t much to reminisce about, and all that I see that is new is the remains of my nest from that point. My second stop is the theater. I would’ve lost my mind if it weren’t for meeting Rusty. I’m glad I went to the theater. I’m just thankful that I got the care I needed. The third stop is the room that reminds me of the past invasions I was involved with as an eroder and a reporter. But I do think I would’ve still found the name of this place if I saw the entrance to the management office had I not found it here.

But when I go to The Court of Twelve Trees, instead of thinking of whether or not the hive is abandoned, I think of times that I have visited and that I will visit the hive. Chrysalis has successfully gathered her hive and has struck me an offer that I took with a price I saw fit. I pace around the dried up moat.

“Chrysalis, thank you for letting me stay with Rusty Flashlight and Pane Fall in Las Pegasus. That alone had told me that you knew I was growing up in a unique way, a way that I have paved, myself, to help ponies come well on their way to good terms with the changelings. I realize that while a couple other subjects of yours have left over the years, they also mean well and have built good terms with their surroundings, or at least will build those good terms.”

After a few minutes of pacing, I decide to head out where I came in.

Returning to Las Pegasus, I come back to Rusty’s house to see no one there. I wonder if Rusty went to get some food... there’s a note on Rusty’s door, I float down to read.

Carve,

If you read this, then I’m currently at Vanhoover checking out whatever I can find to explore. Pane Fall is currently with me, so you can spend the night where you usually do. I’ll be back shortly.

Rusty Flashlight

As I finish reading the note, the front door opens.

“Hello?!?”

It’s Rusty, so I run to him. And it turns out, Pane is with him.

“Ah. Hey, Carve. Back from Rolling Acres already?”

I nod at Pane.

“Yeah, there wasn’t much to do there. But you know what? Sometime, I might join you on your adventures. That is if you two don’t mind. So, where’d you go?”

“Oh, Pane and I didn’t find anything in Vanhoover. All there was was some warehouse, but it was kind of tall. You can come with us if we go back to that.”

“Thanks, Rusty. That really means a lot.”

“Anytime, Carve. Now who’s ready for some supper?!?”

“How about some hot sauce?” I ask.

“Hot sauce? You drink that?”

I nod at Rusty.

“Pinkie got me into it. I don’t mind it, really. All it does is just make me sweat.”

“Oh. Well, how about something I can buy without needing an ID? I know you only need emotion to survive, but I figured that you’d like something to fill your gut after that trip to Rolling Acres and back. How about some homemade fries and ketchup?”

“Okay. I could have that.”

After supper, I feel tired enough to rest before sunset, satisfied from the fries dunked in ketchup. I have to say, I didn’t expect those fries to have love in them, but they did. At first I didn’t notice, what with all the love inside Rusty’s house, but I do now after getting my fill, just as satisfying as staying at Rusty’s. I can’t wait to tell Chrysalis.

Comments

[Bluecatcinema]

This was a very compelling story. I'm sorry to see it end, though.

[AizakkuHorooee]

8125408 Two goals were met with this story.
1. To break my record for longest story
2. Twenty chapters (envisioned all the way back when I first developed the story)

Overall, I adore how well this turned out.
What do you think of this story?

[Bluecatcinema]

8126183 I think the characters were very well written, especially Carve.

[AizakkuHorooee]

8126469 My favorite character to write in this fic was definitely Pinkie Pie. Been a while since I did that

[AizakkuHorooee]

8126469 That Chapter 19 though.

[Bluecatcinema]

8126992 Yes, that was quite an epic.

[Starlight Nova]

Is this a crossover?

[AizakkuHorooee]

8230687
No, it's not a crossover.

This story has concept I came up with that no one had done on FIMFiction, which is:
What if a changeling was knocked into the Rolling Acres Mall following the Canterlot invasion?

[Pseudonymous]

It's ok, but hard to follow at times. You use words incorrectly, your syntax is sometimes off, and you use what appear to be literal translations of idioms.
It seems like English is not your primary language. Do you have a native English speaker who can be your editor?
I think with a little help you could really improve.

[AizakkuHorooee]

8233393
English actually is my native language.
Also, with most of the perspective being that of a changeling, there's a bit of a limit on how things can be worded. Example: "carriage-drone hybrids" in Carve's eyes actually being vehicles in our eyes, "staircase conveyer belt hybrids" being escalators, etc.

And, if you want to see how bad things could get with my stories, I bet you'll have a field day trying to follow You've Got to Be Foaly Kitty Me trilogy.
https://www.fimfiction.net/story/278298/youve-got-to-be-foaly-kitty-me
https://www.fimfiction.net/story/287256/youve-got-to-be-foaly-kitty-me-from-home-to-equestria
https://www.fimfiction.net/story/294311/youve-got-to-be-foaly-kitty-me-should-equestria-be-home

[AizakkuHorooee]

8282246
Her.

[Razzy]

8283103 Ahh, I see.

[Razzy]

8284452 Yeah, I've read that, but later there was a mention that it was six years ago, so I was a bit confused.

[AizakkuHorooee]

8284847
That was the first invasion that Carve was involved with. Including that and the Canterlot invasion, there were twenty invasions from Chrysalis' recovery to the Catnerlot Invasion.

[Starlight Nova]

How do I contact Klovik?

[AizakkuHorooee]

8309456
Tartarus if I know who that is.