Fortunate Misfortune

by OutOfTheBlue

Getting Into the Swing of Things

Changelings are masters of deception. They can fill any role almost flawlessly, and act just like any other pony. This means that you never know who might be a changeling, given they never act out of the ordinary.

--excerpt from Among the Shapeless by Wanderlust.

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Dawn rose over Ponyville in a splendid display of birdsong and gleaming dew. All the residents of said town arouse happy, eager to greet their friends, and ready to start the day. The resident changeling, however, was a different story.

"Uuuuugh. Spaghetti, help me. I need to get up, but I don't have the willpower to make myself get up."

Unfortunately Spaghetti did not come to my aid. I feebly stretched my legs before collapsing back into the warm bed. No, my warm bed. I yawned widely and murmured,

"I'll just rest my eyes for a bit."

*KNOCKKNOCKKNOCKKNOCK*

I jolted and fell out of bed, landing with a thump on the floor. I blearily looked around as I tried to get my bearings.

"Wha... what just--"

*KNOCKKNOCKKNOCKKNOCK*

"BROKEN MIRROR, GET YOUR FLANK OUT HERE!!!!"

I yelped before applying my disguise and running towards the door. I peeked out the window to see a very angry Carrot Top impatiently standing outside my front door. I gulped and cracked open the door just enough to peek out.

"H-hello?"

She somehow managed to grab my ear and pull me out the door. She gave me an absolutely scathing look.

"Why aren't you at work!? It really doesn't look good that the pony I recommended to my friends decided to play hookey today."

I blinked as I tried to discern what she had meant.

"...You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you."

I slowly shook my head before replying,

"Uh... when was I supposed to go to work? I thought I was still on time?"

"You were supposed to be there by nine at the latest! It's ten twenty!"

I shrank back, my ears folding against my head.

"Oh no. I-I'm so sorry! I-I-I--"

She held up a hoof and sighed.

"It's fine. Just be glad that you aren't going to be fired."

I don't know what being "fired" is but I don't want it. So I must get to work as soon as possible. I slammed my door and ran for the flower stand as fast as possible. Carrot Top yelled after me,

"Mirror! What are you doing!?"

"TRYING TO STOP BEING THE WORST!"

I ran pell-mell through the streets, ponies shouting and leaping out of the way as I yelled warnings ahead of me.

"WATCH OUT! I'M LATE FOR WORK!!"

I rounded the corner and saw the flower shop. I put on a burst of speed as I entered the final stretch. Only to trip over my own hooves. I rolled head over hooves, over several rocks, before landing in the well beside the store. I landed with a splash in the dark confines of my new stone prison absolutely clueless as to how I was supposed to get out.

Suddenly, a silhouette appeared over the opening of my watery prison and Roseluck called down.

"Uh... Broken Mirror?"

"Yeah?"

"You... you okay down there? That looked pretty painful."

I shrugged and wiped the well water out of my eyes.

"Yeah, I'm used to it."

"Sheesh, you really live up to your name."

"I guess. Sorry I'm late. I'm just really bad... at everything."

"Oh, it's fine. Um... I'll go get, like, Twilight or somepony that can help get you out. You going to be okay down there?"

I adjusted my position so I was more comfortable before replying,

"Yeah, I'll be fine. It's actually kinda nice down here."

She paused before saying,

"Ooookay. I'll be going now."

I sighed before leaning back against the wall. Technically it could have been worse, but still, not fun.

I don't remember how long it was before Roseluck came back, but it felt like forever.

"Uh... bad news. Twilight just left town a bit ago, something about her brother's wedding. Anyway, I'm going to go see if Big Mac can pull you out with a rope or something. Just... hang in there."

"Okay. I can do that."

She trotted off and I resumed my wait. Honestly this was new to me. Just waiting in a well. Usually I was waiting in a corner holding a wooden spoon trying not to mess everything up. Huh... no wonder the Queen left me behind. I must have been horribly difficult to work with. Maybe if I try hard enough and--

*Thunk*

"Ooooow."

I shifted the bucket that had landed on my head and looked up at the face of Lily, who was staring at me in shock.

"Hello, Lily."

Her eyes rolled back and she fell over... right on top of me. I grunted as I attempted to move her so she wasn't crushing my disguised wings.

"By the Queen, she's heavier than I thought!"

I strained to shift her from my back to sitting beside me. With a splash she was leaning against the wall squished up in front of me. It was not nearly as almost nice as before.

I heard a groan and saw her head lift slightly. She immediately tried to stand up only to accidentally kick me in the face.

"Ooow!"

She tried to spin around but instead just hit my face with her flank, sending my head against the wall.

"OW! Please stop doing that!"

She finally calmed down and gulped.

"W-what happened?"

I rubbed my sore face and mumbled,

"You fell down a well, directly on top of me."

Her ears flattened and she gave me a sad look.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I also didn't mean to drop a bucket on you."

"It's fine, I guess. Roseluck's going to get help."

Lily gulped.

"B-but what if she forgets about us and we're stuck here for weeks and weeks but nopony noticed AND WE STARVE AND--"

She started hyperventilating before fainting... again.

"Uh... hello? Lily?"

She simply twitched.

"Does... does this happen often?"

No response. Well this is even better. I spent a few minutes keeping her upright before she finally came to.

"Ugh... how long was I out?"

"A few minutes. Do you faint often?"

She chuckled nervously before glancing to the side.

"Hehehe... kinda."

"Oh... well this stuff happens to me a whole lot too."

She looked at me before skeptically asking,

"Getting trapped in wells?"

"Er, no. Bad stuff."

"Like?"

I bit my lip as I tried to think of a moment that wouldn't reveal that I wasn't a pony.

"Well... one time... my... friend... dared me to climb up a... tree. I fell and broke some...pony's leg and my own leg."

"Really!? That... that's awful. Did it hurt?"

I nodded.

"Yeah, it did."

"Does your leg still hurt?"

"No. It's fine."

"Hey! Lily! Why are you down there!"

We both looked up and saw Roseluck peeking down the well. Lily sheepishly smiled.

"Well, you see...."

"She fainted."

Roseluck nodded.

"Saw Mirror down there and it startled you?"

Lily nodded.

"Yeah, I saw him fall down there and almost fainted myself. Anyway, I got Big Mac to come help out. Hold on for a second and I'll drop down the rope."

True to her word, a rope dropped down and a large, red stallion pulled Lily out. Next, the rope dropped down for me. I grabbed it and "Big Mac" began to pull me out. My head had just barely reached the top and I was about to reach up to pull myself out, when there was a snap and I was suddenly falling again. Except this time my butt rubbed against the wall the whole trip down. It hurt very much.

"Ooooww."

I heard a growl of frustration from above and Roseluck yelled,

"For Celestia's sake! How does this stuff happen to you!"

Lily looked down at me and asked,

"Are you hurt?"

"Just my butt."

"Oh... that's too bad."

Roseluck sighed.

"Big Mac, we're gonna need another rope."

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I sat down on the couch after a long day at work. After getting free from the well, I had delivered more flowers and learned how to work an alarm clock. I felt something poke me and looked down to see Spaghetti slithering over the couch.

"Hi, Spaghetti. I fell down a well and hurt my butt. What did you do?"

He flicked his tongue at me before crawling into the hole in my hoof.

"Spaghetti! That tickles! GAH! MY BUTT!"

Author's Note:

I'm not dead yet! Guess who's back! Hope you liked it!

Comments

[Matthewl419]

This story is truly enjoyable, I can't wait to see what happens!

[OutOfTheBlue]

8492729
Thank you!