4 - Magicka
Sherbert - 12th of Solar Dusk, 25 AE
Kōmoriakademī, Neighdo - Neighpone
Of all the errors I had made in the last three months before I’d come to Neighpone, of all the stupid, painful, rash decisions I’d made since getting off the airship, failing to look into the school uniform was the worst.
I hadn’t gotten to see my school uniform before now because one had to be custom made. They absolutely had to be a perfect fit via school policy, and Neighponese ponies didn’t exactly come in Equestrian sizes. I knew I’d have one since I signed up for the exchange program. I NEVER thought to look up what they were like and find a school with something I could wear comfortably.
Something I could wear without losing everything before I could even gain anything.
I stared in horror at the uniform I’d just unpackaged, frantically searching through the big manila envelope for any sign of tights, or leggings, or any slip of paper which gave me a pants option.
There weren't any, and there was none.
Uniforms were MANDATORY and super important to the schools here. I’d had a few days to get used to seeing some of the Flying Horse thugs forcing random ponies to pay protection money. I’d even seen some of the fourth year students kick other thugs plots. I’d thought that was as serious as rivalries got.
What a naive little filly I’d been.
Failure to show up to school in uniform? Expulsion. Performing any activity on page one of the pre-attendance orientation packet while going to or from school (simple things like eating unhealthy foods, getting into fights, sitting on public transport instead of standing so others could use the seats, failing to have acceptable manners)? Expulsion.
No warning. Get caught, better find another school. There will be absolutely no tarnishing of the school’s reputation and public image! Glory to <insert school name here>!
All of them. Literally all of them were like that. Everywhere.
Meh, no big. Master Rojā had similar expectations of me for here. I could deal with absolutely everything on that list except…
“I can’t wear a skirt!” I squeaked, doing my best not to panic and failing horribly.
Dark blue Blazer? Sure. Medium gray blouse? Looked horrible on me but sure. Skirt? NO!
If I wore a skirt, and nothing under it, then everypony could see my flanks if they stood behind me. Everypony could see that I still didn’t have a cutiemark.
Adults tend to forget what being a filly in school is really like. Everypony has nostalgia, they forget the bad stuff over time. Ponies naturally think about the good times most of all. They can’t help not remembering just how crucially important it is to be as normal as possible if you want to have ANY social life!
“I can’t wear this!” I repeated, louder, heart starting to race.
We’d finished training an hour ago. I had an hour before school started, not counting the travel time to get to school. Master Rojā had gone with Cho to pick up Nahrina from the Clinic. So we could walk to school together. She was fine now.
That meant he wasn’t here to help! I needed to make sure I wouldn’t be bullied again! There had to be something that could be done but an adult would have to do it, nopony listens to you until you’re thirty five!
“Why not?” A female voice asked through the vent above my bed.
Oh… Right… Master Tamiko could hear EVERYTHING that happened in my room. Kinda weird she was still in her room at six in the morning. I don’t think she ever actually slept. She seemed to be doing something for the dojo, all the time. No matter what.
“I um, I… I can’t wear anything that’s got an open plot-flank area…” I admitted as I tried to choke back fear sobs.
“Why not? Are you some kind of prude or something?” Tamiko asked, the grate on her side creaking for some reason.
“... You know I’m not,” I mumbled, my cheeks flushing bright red for a second.
She’d taken to writing down what I said in my sleep, making it into a short story, and pushing it through the vent in the morning. Most of those dreams involved hiring someone to kidnap my mates so I could rescue them because it was a mutual turn on for all involved… I didn’t need to know that about myself, thank you very much!
“I know you have sexy dreams,” Tamiko said as she pushed the air conditioning gate open and slid through it into my room, plopping down atop my bed as if she were some kind of snake. “You could easily be repressing your sexuality and having it leak out in your sleep.”
“DOORS! THEY EXIST!” I shouted in a mixture of frustration at the previous problem and the irritation at how Tamiko seemingly was afraid of entering a room by normal means!
She completely ignored my outburst...
“Look, just show off your plot. It’s normal! Everypony you grew up around does it and frankly, I’m one of the rare mares who covers up as part of her normal dress in this country. Besides, if you’re not a prude, you’ll want a special somepony. Give them something to want to try out!” Tamiko said using what I now recognised was that brain-hacking persuasion tone of voice psychology trick Rojā had used to get me to open up before.
HA! I could recognise that now. No dice this time, ninja master!
“That’s not the problem! I don’t care if ponies peak under my tail,” I snapped, ears laying back as I gave her a defensive glare.
She frowned for a moment, squinting at the lines of my face. “Are you not a biological mare?” She asked with a worried frown. “If so you tape better than-”
“I’m not transgender,” I groaned, slapping a hoof to my face.
Admittedly, I did have the occasional fantasy about being a stallion. Just to try out the parts. But as far as I could tell that’s normal. Everypony’s curious about the other half’s plumbing.
Tamiko raised one eyebrow, giving me a genuinely confused stare. “Okay so, you’re a bit ditzy because you just haven’t sharpened your wits. A thing I’m very glad Rojā is helping you with. But there’s no way you’re so dumb you don’t know how to attach a cloth cylinder to your waist.”
I groaned. “I know how to put it on… I… I can’t wear a skirt because then ponies would see my flanks,” I mumbled, pressing my muzzle into my frog. “I’m still a blankflank…”
Master Tamiko’s ears stood upright in genuine alarm.
“That’s a problem!” She said with a surprisingly appropriate amount of understanding and urgency. “I’ll get Rojā to work on a long term solution for you. Maybe we can convince the school to let you wear our dojo’s gi under your uniform. But that will take time, and you don’t get your own gi till your first month is over.
“Ummmm…. Ah! Yes, only way. Quick! What’s something you’re good at that you love?”
That was an easy answer, even though I was confused.
“Free running,” I answered. In Equish. Like a derp…
Tamiko snickered. “Good thing I know Equish. So, let’s see… You like acrobatic running,” she mused tapping a hoof to her chin for a moment. “Yeah, that will do. Hold still. I’m going to use some sorcery, I’m not a unicorn, I don't have much experience casting illusions on others. Don’t make this harder than it is.”
The batpony mare closed her eyes tightly, concentrating extremely hard for several seconds, eventually getting her left hoof to glow with a very faint pale blue aura.
I did usually just goof off in school, but I’d payed attention when we’d learned about sorcery. The primitive version of unicorn wizardry that almost any species could do if they trained for years and years. It wasn’t taught in Equestria anymore because it is a crude, clunky, primitive art.
AND IT WAS BEING USED ON ME!
Tamiko’s hoof vanished. My right flank stung. A flash of pale blue light shone through my pink and sexy-pink striped pajama bottoms.
“Okay, slip those pants off and let’s check your flanks,” Tamiko ordered.
As scared as I was that hedge magic just messed me up, I couldn’t help but snicker at the double entendre.
Tamiko rolled her eyes. “You may be of legal age here, but I’m not into you. This is important. We need to see if the illusion is working.”
I nodded and slowly pulled the waistband down with my magic to expose my right flank. I bit my lip, dreading the presence of some massive blister, or a big black splotch like somepony had tossed ink onto my flanks.
Instead a simple mark seemed to rest on my flanks. I said seemed because the mark glistened in the light slightly. Especially on the white blowing wind swirl, though the oak leaf which the wind was blowing looked much better.
“Oh wow!” I said with a shocked smile. “That’s almost real looking!”
“They’ll not be able to tell from a distance,” Tamiko said with a dismissive hoofwave. “This bit of Genjutsu is used for disguise purposes. Covering up your own mark and what not. I’ve used it hundreds of times. Just don't let them get a good look at it.
“The shade your skirt will provide will do just fine for helping hide the shimmer. If you’re willing to let the other masters know, Cho is far better at this because she’s a unicorn, and could teach you the spell.”
I frowned for a moment then nodded. “Yeah… I really need to start thinking and planning ahead… I’ll tell her,” I decided. “I’m crap at learning spells though.”
“More like you’re just crap at learning non-physical skills,” Tamiko corrected with a smirk.
I flinched slightly. “Um… That was a little mean,” I mumbled, looking down at the floor.
“Yes, it was. But I’ve got you figured out now. You’re the kind of pony who need the occasional dose of harsh reality to steer you to a better future. Put in the hard work and you can learn how to learn. The brain is a muscle just like any other,” she answered with a kind smile. “Show me the other side, please.”
I nodded, and slipped my pajama pants off entirely, turning my head to look at my other flank. A matching mark decorated it as well, but I was pretty sure that it’s angle didn’t quite match the other mark’s angle. Still, it looked real enough.
Tamiko quickly trotted around to my other side and nodded in satisfaction.
“Good! Problem solved,” Tamiko said with a relieved smile. “Just remember to not let them get close enough to see the shimmer. I’ll renew that for you every day if you decide to not tell anypony else.
“Side note; nice progress on building those muscles, Sherbert. Those tensors are rock solid, seem about done. You put on muscle freakishly quickly. In a good way.”
I cringed as her words forced me to remember the last week. Yeah, I’d made progress. I could rotate my rear leg upwards like Rojā could. But I’d still spent the entire week in pain, on not quite enough painkillers to not feel it, and that potion Kazumi gave me did loosen things up enough for me to stand and walk but it also gave me migraines and the runs… Side effects which were NOT listed on the bottle.
I should have gone with the longer training sessions...
“Yeah,” I agreed with a nod. “I’m moving on to the femoris tomorrow. I was able to stand on just my left hooves today so Master Rojā says I’m done with this exercise.”
“Really? Were you able to lift yourself up so your right hooves pointed up, as if laying spread-hawk on a wall?” Tamiko asked with a skeptical eyebrow raise.
I nodded slowly. ‘Yeah… But that REALLY hurt. My knees didn’t like carrying that much weight while extended like that.”
She nodded again, seemingly satisfied. “That should go away after you finish the next two sets of exercises,” she explained turning back to the vent and wiggling through it back into her room as as if she’d used a door.
“Um… There’s a perfectly good door over there,” I pointed out due to sheer bafflement.
“I didn’t spend fifteen years training as a ninja to not use those skills when I feel like it,” Tamiko called through the vent. “I’ve got a thing to pack for. Enjoy your first day of school, and don’t worry, I’ll be back by three tomorrow morning. I’ll still be able to help your with your mark.”
“Thanks,” I called through the vent before turning back to my uniform.
I still REALLY didn’t want to wear it but… Well, I had ‘cutiemarks’ now. So, everything should look fine.
Just think of the illusions like pants and it will be fine.
Wait a minute…
She was a ninja. And had a thing to pack for. But wouldn’t even be gone a full day.
Uh… Things to think about later! I know I just decided to start thinking about things more but that seems like it might be unhealthy to look into.
On second thought, didn’t she compete in kendo? Yeah, she did. She was likely going to a match across the city. This is a museum after all, not a mercenary outpost.
I quickly slipped into my school uniform, using my magic to float a mirror over to me and check to make sure everything was put on properly. If schools here were super anal about everyone being in uniform at all times, they would totaly be pissy if I didn’t tuck the blouse into the sirt, had my belt not on correctly, and so on.
I gave myself a full fifteen minutes to get ready. Uniform on. Everything done properly. Making the outit super uncomfortable physically as well as emotionally. Then mane. I had my uncle’s epic ‘always styled’ mane. It just stayed nice and neat. Tail, that’s a whole other story.
After all, my tail’s hair is all synthetic hair extensions. Which means it needs to be checked to make sure all of the microbeads are in place, and then brushed, maybe cleaned, and often restyled. Fortunately it wasn't too much of a mess today and a good combing had everything nice and neat in maybe five minutes.
Just as I set my comb down, and began to double check that I had everything in my uniform issued saddlebags (which were terribad in terms of not digging into my back due to the style of straps having been designed by a total assclown), someone knocked on the doorframe.
“Hey, are you ready to go?” A younger stallion’s voice asked curiously.
The stallion was somewhat tall, and built like a cat. A wild one, not the housepet kind. Sleek, graceful looking, but with obvious toned muscles that rippled under his fur. That sort of body is almost impossible for a unicorn to achieve. We don’t put on muscle in ways which look too obvious without steroids or a lifetime of hard work.
He had gray-white fur simmilar to Rarity’s but without the metallic shine of three hundred bit shampoo and daily spa visits. An improvement if you asked me. His eyes were a dull blue, like older glass bottles, and his mane...
He didn’t look familiar at all. I would have remembered that mane. And the tail too. Same style.
He had slightly curly hair which was left loose and grown out really long. A bit past his shoulders long. It was voluminous too, moving up a few centimeters before slowly arching back down. He looked like he’d stepped off the cover of one of those eighty year old metal band’s album covers.
His clothing did NOT fit him at all. He had on an identical uniform to mine, except with pants, making me regret not enrolling as a stallion and then just showing a picture of my dad when anypony asked why I looked like a mare. That meant he went to my school too.
He shouldn’t be wearing that. He should be in like, a leather vest made into a t-shirt by attaching short chainmail sleeves, with some leather leg bands, and some tight leather pants. Again, like those old metal bands.
I frowned as I tried to see if I remembered who the heck this was. One hundred and ten percent sure I had not seen him before.
“Um, sorry. I didn’t know a third pony went to school. We can go as soon as Nahrina’s ready,” I said as I stood up and set the stupidly uncomfortable bags onto my back.
He rolled his eyes while giving me a playful smile. “I’m a changeling,” he said.
It took me two seconds to put things together…
“Well… I’m pretty stupid,” I mumbled into my hoof. “And embarrassed. I uh, I thought you were a girl.”
“I was!” Rina answered with another grin. “Again, I’m a changeling. I like being a guy when I’m a pony, so when I go pony, I go guy. Unless it’s a special occasion.”
I reached back to scratch my head with a hooftip. “Huh, well… Okay. Most bugs I know just sort of stick to one sex.”
He nodded. “Yep. Most do. Not me though, I’ve got my preferences. Diamond dog, female. Dragon, none. Zebra, male. Griffon, female. I’d make my changeling form male if I could, but I never learned how to shapechange into changeling forms.”
I nodded slowly. Okay, so Rina liked to shapechange more than most changelings I’d met. Fair enough. I’d have fun with that power too.
“So um, will you be in a different form every day?” I asked curiously.
“Nah, I spend most of my time like this. I kinda feel like this is me, you know?” He said with an uncertain frown. “Um… You probably don’t… It’s a shapeshifter thing. Sometimes you just feel more like you as something you made up than how you hatched.
“Uh… I used to have this body as an earth pony though. But recent events have made me realize that I should keep a horn ready to go till I’ve finished more training.”
I nodded twice, doing my best to take things in, understand, and well, adapt. Rina was my first friend after all. I didn’t want to mess things up.
“Okay! Soooo do you consider yourself to be a stallion? I don’t want to call you the wrong thing, but I remember Master Rojā called you a girl so, you know,” I asked, blushing slightly.
He snickered. “They tease me with that whole thing. Because you know, changelings are a monosex species. We’re all biologically mares, at least without shapeshifting. Most of us alter our ‘natural forms’ to fit with however we feel we are over time. I just never learned how to do that, so they jokingly call me a girl.
“It’s harmless fun. But yeah, I’m a guy. Only mom gets to seriously call me a mare, and that’s because Amarezons don’t have stallions in their tribes, so she’s easily confused by the whole ‘multiple sexes and different pronouns’ thing.”
“Huh… Neat,” I said with one final nod. “Okay, I’m up to speed! Never thought my first friend would be a colt from the end of the Solar Era. Why did you choose that mane? Also why do you go by a feminine name?”
Rina raised an eyebrow at me. “My name is Changelish. It means ‘House of the Rivers’ in the Bloodstone dialect. I’m named after a volcano twice the size of the mountain were on right now, because the rivers in question are lava rivers. If that’s a feminine name in Equestria, I should move there. Your mares must be total badflanks!”
“Oh wait,” he said with a playful wink. “The most famous Equestrians beat the crap out of a demonic centaur who went kaiju singled hoofed and the other plays yo-yo with the sun. I guess you all are total badflanks after all.”
“Cool!” I said with a genuine smile. “And seriously, the mane? I mean, the look works for you but it’s just really out there, you don't see that anymore. And I know you had to pick it because you’re a changeling.”
“I like it,” he answered with a shy blush.
“That’s it?” I asked with a head tilt.
“Yep! Not everything about me can be as awesome as ‘named after the constantly lava spewing volcano he was hatched in’,” he said with a wink. “And before you ask, my birth mom thought my egg looked wimpy and could stand to be more metal so she incubated me using a volcano. That may seem cruel, but our hive is stupid overpopulated so if I cooked instead of incubated, no one would have cared. Also it worked, kinda. Metal is my favorite genre.
“Is it my turn to ask you things yet? Let’s see… What’s your butt stamp mean? Are you some kind of Equestrian Wind Mage?”
I shook my head slowly. “N-no. I’m just really good at freerunning,” I said slowly as I realized I shouldn’t lie to a friend. “A-also… Promise you won't tell anypony?”
Rina nodded. “Sure, and I already know it’s an illusion spell. Mom uses them all the time, her’s are better though. I just figured you picked something you liked. You know, like I did.”
I cringed. “Oh sisters! Is it very visible?” I asked turning my head to look again.
Rina shook his head. “No, Sherbert, I can tell because I see that illusion used all the time. It’s got more sharp detail than a real mark, it shimmers slightly in the light, and they aren't aligned correctly. Nopony else will notice. I swear. I just helped my mom practice putting fake marks on for years.”
“Ohhhh, that makes sense!” I said with a relieved yet nervous laugh. “So um… What’s your fake mark? You know what mine is. Only fair.”
“Heh, too bad I’m not a Scout. Then I could make a real one,” Rina said with just a hint of jealousy. “It’s a silver chalice with a series of three ancient runes written on it. They’re sort of a signature of my hive’s culture. We’re religious. I’m not, but most of us are. I just like the traditions.”
I nodded and then frowned. “Wait, runes? As in writing? That sort of breaks the rules for a cutie mark. They are all pictographs and symbols.”
“I know. I’m a changeling. I intentionally have a clearly not a pony mark so ponies know I’m not a pony. I do that for all my forms. It’s rude. Besides, the runes’ meaning is related to music as well as valor and awesomeness, and since we’re a warrior-poet culture, I learned music from an early age,” Rina explained as his horn burned the signature changeling green.
I expected him to slide his pants down to show me his mark. Instead he conjured a pale green energy field just behind himself, which grew to fill the doorway entirely. Then as if emerging from a shadow, a fully three dimensional image of a simple silver chalice slid into view. Completely bare save for three elaborate runes etched into the side and painted the bright red of hot iron.
The runes looked… Odd. Halfway between Equish’s rolling curves, and the letters used to write in the Emerald Hive’s Dialect. I felt like I should be able to read them, but I couldn’t. Especially because-
“That is the coolest illusion spell ever!” I shouted, grinning ear to ear as the almost perfectly real projection loomed over us.
Rina smiled back. “Thanks! It’s a bit theatric, but hey, I trained as a bard before I drew the short straw and had to live here,” he explained sounding oddly unhurt buy that fact.
I tilted my head, he didn’t give me a chance to ask the obvious question.
“I mentioned earlier that my hive’s overpopulated,” he explained with a ‘whatcha gonna do shrug’. “We don’t have a queen. We have four. Identical quadruplets. All soldiers, all wanting a very big army in case of attack. One wanting to be the biggest mom in the universe. Oh! And there’s no predators on the island, and plenty of ponies to farm for love.”
I flinched. “Oh, soooo since insects reproduce in the hundreds at a time, and all changelings can reproduce, not just queens…”
He nodded. “Yep. Counting drones, there’s two billion of us on that island, and only food for one point nine six. That includes food we can get from trading with Neighpone. There’s also just not enough space, even though we’ve dug megacities below the surface, it’s a volcanic island. There isn’t an unlimited amount of down to dig.
“So every so often, there’s a lottery. Losers have to leave. Everyone’s entered automatically. I lost, along with a few thousand from my hometown. So I moved here.”
“Where Master Cho took you in?” I asked just to be sure.
Rina nodded. “Yep!”
“Did they ever think to um, stop laying eggs?” I asked curiously.
“Pff, sure. But you tell an entire nation to stop having kids. See how that works for you,” he snickered. “Spoiler, it won’t. We’ve expanded till we hit the limits of the food supply, and things are stabilizing. Upside, back when Queen Chrysalis was mind slaving changelings to serve as her army, she left us the hell alone. Cuz you don’t piss off a universal warrior culture with massive numbers and an ethics complex preventing us from attacking anything that doesn't attack us first, leading to major battle blue balls.”
I hummed and thought about asking my next question for a moment, wondering if it would be rude. But, well, I had to get to know him, right?
“Shouldn’t you be upset about getting kicked out of your home?” I asked, wincing slightly. “Uh, sorry if that’s offensive.”
“Um, no. it’s not,” he said with a confused frown. “Why would it be? Besides, this is my home now. Has been for years. I’m fully invested in this life I’ve made here. I’m even honoring my new mother by learning her people’s legends, songs, and way of fighting.”
After saying that, Rina’s ears drooped and his eyes looked down as he sighed. “Though… I do wish she’d learn my people’s lore and arts. I may not know them as well as I could have if I’d gotten to stay but… You know.”
“Wait, so you already know how to fight?” I asked, lips pursing and tail swishing. “But… Then why learn ninjutsu if you already know something else?”
“I told you. I’m honoring my new mother by learning her people’s ways. I don’t plan to give up what I already know. I just want to show her I care. She’s an Amarezon, passing on your personal techniques is an important parent-child ritual. I need to learn so she can teach me her moves one day.
“What about you? Why are you learning this? As an Equestrian unicorn with a pretty big reserve you'd think you’d be waiting school out to go into Battlemage Training.”
I blushed and sighed. “Actually, I suck at spellcasting,” I muttered. “Everypony says I have a lot of magic, but when I try to use it I just can’t do anything that’s not simple. So I’m here learning how to fight with my hooves and weapons because being a hero is sort of the family business, and I’m a bit of a loser right now.
“I need to learn to fight, sneak, spy, counter traps, track things down, and also fix a few personal issues… I figured martial arts would work for that. And that Ninjitsu would be best for doing hero-stuff.”
Rina paused, face scrunching in thought for a moment. “You’re orange and yellow… OH! Oh holy crap are you one of the Element’s kids!?” He asked all super excitedly. “What’s her face, um, Applesnack?”
I bit my lip to keep from laughing. “It’s Applejack, and no I’m not her daughter.”
“Awww…” He said, kicking the floor with one hoof dejectedly. “Sadness! I wanted Rainbow Dash’s autograph.”
I felt my brow furrow in annoyance. Why didn’t anypony want AJ’s autograph? She was a hero too!
“I’m her granddaughter. Also Dash’s. And the rest of them see me as their niece,” I began deciding to just list off my family to help make my point. “My mom’s Scootaloo, and my dad’s Azur Lily, yes that one. Which makes my uncle Sky Trigger, yes, that one. And if you know who his sister is, then I’ve got The Great and Powerful Trixie as an aunt by marriage.
“Which because she’s the template for a clone army, makes me related to the entirety of Princess Twilight’s personal guard. Oh, and my godmother is Discord’s great great great granddaughter who was until recently Death herself. All in all, my family’s one huge ball of world shakers and legends.
“And here I am. A dorky post-teen mare whose only real skill is in running… So yeah. I need to fix that.”
Rina nodded once. “Yeah, that would make anyone have something to prove,” he said sympathetically. “Let me guess, you were born and raised in Ponyville, right?”
I nodded. “Good guess. It’s because I’m related to three of the Elements you worked that out, right?”
He shook his head. “Nope! It’s because a pony couldn’t possibly have a family that absurd if they weren't from that weirdness magnet of a town,” he answered with a laugh.
I wanted to be mad at him for using that logic, but I just couldn’t. After all, we were the town which didn’t even blink when living gingerbread ponies invaded the mall’s Hearth's Warming Decorations. Heck, Mayor Mare just drew up tiny housing permits for them under Twilight’s orders and begun to pass them out. Nopony even bothered attacking or dispelling them until they attacked Miss Mare over part of the municipal building code forbidding the use of frosting as cement.
A thing that’s illegal because of something called Pinkie’s Law.
“You know what? Fair enough,” I said with a half smile. “Though I’m kinda surprised you didn’t call ponyfeathers on me telling you about my family.”
Rina sighed. “Look, Sherbert, my mom’s a ninja. And her best friend is a shinobi. Who you’re training under. You don't think they talked about you while visiting me in the clinic? They did. They mentioned who you were, or well Rojā did when he filled mom in. You wouldn’t be able to fool them. So you’re who you claim to be.”
“Then… You were just playing along to be polite?” I asked, ears falling as I felt a little hurt.
Rina recoiled in disgust. “What? NO! I didn’t know where you grew up! I just knew you were related to a lot of important Equestrians and Phoenixians. And not before you saved my life, Rojā filled mom in on you days later.”
“Oh,” I said with an apologetic frown. “Sorry for the accusation I just-”
“You felt like I was being friendly just because of your status. Please don’t do that again, that tasted super gross!” Rina begged, giving me puppydog eyes which managed to out-sad Sweetie Belle’s own puppydog eyes.
That mare never lost that filly-like sadness projection face...
I blinked in shock as I realized that I was friends with an empath. “Wow… Um, I’m going to be the sole source of misunderstandings, aren't I?” I asked with an embarrassed blush and grin.
“Heh, probably,” he laughed. “Anyways… We should start walking to school now. Also, you’ve been asking all them questions! It’s my turn already. I want to get to know you too. Come on, let’s go! And to start us off… Assuming you’re bi like most mares, what kind of girls are you into?”
My blush deepened. What kind of a question is THAT of all things you could possibly ask somepony to get to-
OH! Changeling. Derp! He was asking because to them that was like asking about a favorite food.
“Um, well… Bit of an awkward topic. But sure, why not?” I said pausing for a moment to put my thoughts into words.
“Come on, we’ll talk as we walk,” Rina said as he began to walk down the hall.
I nodded and quickly caught up with him, following along since he had to know the way better than me.
“So, I’m not bi,” I started.
“Really? Neat! Strait or all in on mares?” He asked pleasantly, in the same tone you’d use for ‘Hay burger Fries or Oat Barn fries?’
“I think the right word for me is pansexual. Bisexual implies you like males and females. But my dad makes a lot of fantasy sexes real, like that’s one of his most popular body mods. And I have yet to see a combination I didn’t find sexy. I like everything, not just males or females. So you know, calling myself bi feels inaccurate,” I summarized.
I hope that made sense to him…
He nodded. “So you do like mares then. And Bi covers non-binaries, just FYI… Cuz everything you can make is a combination of male and female traits, all of which you like. But yeah. Cool! Me too. We should help each other get lunch. Uh, I mean dates. That’s the pony word for it, right?”
I nodded understandingly, and then sighed apprehensively. “Yep. Let me guess, you’re a virgin too?”
He nodded. “Yeah… Thank goodness I prefer non-sexual love flavors. Still, it’s instinct. I want to find a mate to love and nibble on. Never could. Dating is… Difficult in Neighponese schools. There’s lots of restrictions, you wind up with a very small social circle. Which sucks for me, as I’m into short mares. They’re just extra adorable.”
I smiled and nodded. “Yeah, they are! I’ve been thinking about asking dad to add a half decimeter to my height once it’s safe to use biomancy on me. That way everypony’s just a bit shorter compared to me.”
That wasn’t a lie either. I didn’t want to be a giant or anything, but I couldn’t make everypony shorter, so well, to achieve the same result, get taller.
“Heh, yeah that’s one way to solve it,” Rina agreed as we stepped outside into the oddly chilly morning. “Thanks for putting up with a slightly uncomfortable topic. I just learn what people are like best based off what they love, and anyling can tell you’re into physical love a lot.”
I tilted my head curiously. “Really? How?”
He paused and tapped a hoof to his chin thoughtfully or a moment. “Well, it’s like smell and taste… It’s hard to describe a sense to someone who doesn’t have it. Um, we just kind of know what things people we can feed from enjoy.
“Not specifically, just in general. I know you like physical activity best, and you’re into athletics, but there’s a few layers of the usual ‘I wanna bone someone and cuddle’ you get from everypony. I wanted to find out more so I can help my new best friend find someone she likes.”
I nodded again. “Right, cuz that’s also a changebug thing,” I said as we resumed walking.
“Yep! Gotta make you guys happy!” He said simply.
I hummed thoughtfully. “What else can you tell I like?” I asked.
“You’re a fan of storytelling, but that’s all I can get from you. You’re on the harder side to read,” he said nodding towards the street. “We have enough time to walk the whole way if you want. Or we could bus.”
Oh god, walking all the way to school… Yeah, no!
“Let’s take the bus. I want to let my legs rest as much as possible,” I admitted with an embarrassed blush.
“Oh yeah, you started on flexibility training last Moonsday,” Rina said before biting his lip to hold in a laugh. “And you took the faster way. Heh… Regretting that now, huh?”
I nodded and gave him a dirty look. “You could have warned me not to… Your mom lives here, which means you live here, which means you knew and could have said something when I met you in the hospital.”
“Pfff! Like heck I could! Do you have any idea how much morphine I was on?” Rina laughed. “I really couldn’t think about anything beyond, you know, the moment. And everything I could think was background tracked with the same Rock Opera because a shard of exo was pinching one of my memory nerve clusters making me hear the sounds again and again and again…”
I winced. “That sounds horrible!”
“It’s cool, I don’t memorize songs I hate. Also after hearing it enough, I’ve realized it’s incomplete as a story and I totally could write- Eh, never mind. Getting into the technical details of writing an opera would bore you. How about we keep getting to know each other? Do you have a favorite food? And I mean pony food, not just a thing you like that I could nibble the attached metaphysics,” he asked as we reached the bus stop.
Actually, that sounded pretty fascinating. But I could tell the reason he said it would bore me was he didn’t want to talk about that right now. I’d have to ask later.
“Of course I do,” I giggled. “Everyone does. Mine’s Shawarma. My cousin Chip makes the best Shawarma wraps ever.”
“You… Like a meat dish best? Odd choice for a pony,” Rina noted with a nod.
Before I could explain I personally prefered a more omnivorous diet, the bus pulled up to the stop and we climbed aboard. I’d ridden the bus to and from the clinic for the last week, and had expected the usual electrical steel cigar tube of a vehicle, but this bus was an arcanely powered one, with a neat theme that made it look like a mobile house.
I sort of forgot what I was going to say as we found a place to stand, so I just started talking about freerunning back home. I figured that Narina would get bored of me talking about runs and routes and my personal records, but he didn’t. While he didn’t run personally, he definitely appreciated physical skills and used to do cross country running before getting permission to train at Bat’s.
I’d gotten to the point in the story of my running career where I’d just learned cloud walking to try and do some vertical running in the Pegasi neighborhoods above Ponyville when the bus pulled into the first stop after Bat’s Acadamy.
Kazumi’s Clinic on Orchard Lane.
It was nice how that was the first stop on this bus route. What sucked was it took forty minutes for the bus to loop back around to the Academy on the return trip. But from my experience, the Bus only stopped at a stop if someone pulled the cord to signal the driver, or if someone had been waiting at the stop. So who-
The bus’s wooden doors creaked open. A tiny pony in a school uniform fluttered inside, long purple mane flowing behind- Oh holy cow, that was Kazumi! She looked completely different in clothing. Probably because it made her two color fur pattern harder to see.
Probably? I mean obviously… She’s right. I am an idiot. I should fix that.
“Oh yeah that’s right she said she was going back to Highschool,” Narina said observationally. “Hey! Zumi! Over here.”
The little batpony’s ears perked, swiveling in our direction before she turned to look at us, a brief moment of confusion flashing over her face before she nodded slightly.
As she flew towards us, I realized that her uniform matched ours. She was attending our school.
“Nice pony form, Narina. Didn’t expect to see you in a stallion’s shape. Hey, Blondie,” she greeted looking oddly worried. “I see we’re attending the same school… That’s a poetic little coincidence there.”
I nodded in agreement. “Yeah, kinda funny how both the friends I made so far are going to the same school as me,” I giggled.
Kazumi looked up at me with a frown. “Since when are we friends?”
I raised an eyebrow. “Um, since you gave me a potion to help with pain and muscle lock?”
Narina smiled and gave Kazumi a wink. “Told you they take unfriendly ponies as a challenge!”
Huh… Well, I guess I was in a way. Though I wouldn’t call her unfriendly, she helped me out after all. Kazumi was just a little gruff.
Hehe! Little gruff.
Kazumi nodded. “Yeah I guess… Well, I’ll see you at school. I have paperwork to do on the way or my boss will get mad at me. Enjoy your conversation,” she said as she flew towards the back of the bus.
“You know,” Nahrina mused. “She was pretty polite there. Maybe she’s a lot nicer outside of work?”
“Looks like it,” I agreed. “We should hang out with her during lunch or something.”
“Sure, if she’s in our homeroom we should totally do that,” he agreed.
Oh! Right. Neighponese schools didn’t have cafeterias, you ate lunch in your homeroom.
Meh.
I was training to be a ninja, and that cutie seemed nice outside of work. Her work as a doctor. Which is stressful as all heck. Yeah that totally just had to be her ‘work sucks!’ attitude. Maybe she could be more than my friend!
I would totally sneak over to talk with her at lunch if I had to. After all, infiltration practice is infiltration practice.
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Soooo, a daughter of a godess and a failed, nation wide genetics experiment is already showing abnormal physical growth, i wonder what other perks will come out inthe training.
Sherbert came out very likable and Narina and kazumi are well on their way.
I guess i'm a sucker for tiny tsunderes.
8294846 I'm glad you like our little trio of protagonists here :)
"My cousin is freaking dino with a cybernetic tail, why would you think that's odd ? Also, dinos are awesome."
"Oh yeah, Ponyville. Forget i said anything. Wait, your cousin is a DINO ? As in, Dinosaur ?"
"Yeah, long story."
"We have all year for that."
Sorry, had to do this omake. XD
Hmm.
I just can't decide if I want Zumi to be in another homeroom or not. Both could promise a lot of fun.
I'd also like to find out what Lily was supposed to tell Sherbert about herself.
Hmm.
Anyway, love this story. Keep it up!
8294954 Bouth of these will be in the next chapter, which will end the establishing ark, and let us get into the fun...
And so our trio sets off for their first adventure, high school. If you all haven't figured it out this is a Pony anime, and it going to be AWESOME!
Sherbet, she's a bonus teacher in a ninja academy. She's contractually obliged to be weird. Try not no moan too loudly though.
So, the changeguy, Glam metal, power metal, epic metal or what? Does the FA-BU-LOUS hair stay no matter the form (except changebug one, that is)? Is Sherbet going to woof when he rocks the leather pants and flex those well oiled muscles? Is the midget tsundere going to like it too?
Sherbet should just go with her natural tail. She already exotic enough by being a gaijin (and having curves), she should go full "obviously the main character" already. She has the 'Do, the attitude and the sidekicks for it!
Pinkie Law. That's something I can perfectly understand. It's like a Lyra Law, but with an explanation you need to sign a waiver to listen to. One not to hold the teller responsible for instating insanity in the third degree.
Ah, the stallion knows about ponyville. Good. He won't be as surprised then when the shenanigans stay to take a weird(er) direction. As surprised because nothing can prepare you for the unexpected like growing up in that quaint little disaster area.
Abnormal development, can only channel simple magic and self boost, big pool. So, any bets on how long until she can run with her grandma and wrestle with the other?
Edit: you can clearly see she grew without friends when she didn't answer the food question with "Well,I am quite flexible, you know?"
8294846
You read Shifting Melodies as well, I see.
Anyways, Rina, Zumi, and Sherb are all going to get the same home room. Calling it now, I would put $10 on it if I was a betting pony.
8295482
Just plain old heavy metal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkysjcs5vFU
Don't worry, there's a phone call coming...
Well, she was made from Scoot's DNA post Scoot's being fixed up. So she has some of Dash's DNA, and the speed force is heritable, so in theroy...
8296372
So she's potentially a nacient eldrich being from outside time and space. Got it.
Found the triad
Steelhooves nooooooooo!
*wonders how many others will get the reference *
Great story so far Meep! I am on my kindle so can't leave a long comment but will be. hopeful l hopefully be able to do so next chapter now that I've caught up. Love the characters and getting to know a changeling from a new hive. You have such interesting lore for your changelings and I can't wait to read more!
Very helpful.
That is a very large hive.
That would have been a fun fight. Though probably not for Chrysalis.
Another classical unicorn thing I vaguely recall.
Neat, that should make her a more regular part of the story.
GENJUTSU!
8551809 Heh, now you're starting to see some of the anime influences :3
I enjoy wriggling through tight squeezes in caves. I can understand where she's coming from.
PFFFT!
Don't let Kazuimi catch you saying that.
8300097
*doesn't get the reference but has a couple of vorish guesses*
8970538 Oh man! I love exploring caves too :3 I got to do this realy cool cave in West Virginia which was home to albino carnivorous crickets as well as some really neat scorpions with HUGE eyes.
Biomancy huh... Her fathers a madman! He knows not what terror he'll unleash!
"Doors are for cowards too weak to challenge walls!" -Scorpior, Nefarious
I know I used that quote already. But I love that line!
I see what you're doing there, lovebug. Don't think I don't!
9806950 *hides her FedEx hat* "what? I'm not shipping! That's my least faveroit thing to do."