End - An exile no more.
My walk back was more of a trot than an actual walk.
Life was slowly returning to normal as many ponies finally began to feel confident the worst was over. Many still sought the safety of their homes once their business for the day had concluded, but a few undeterred by the experience took advantage of the lack of bodies.
I was thankful for this because it not only meant fewer ponies to avoid as I raced home, but it meant less would be concerned by my disrespect for the proper speed of the street.
This pace served a purpose besides the quickness home it offered, but the opportunity to focus on a single task as I let my emotions simmer from my ‘talk’ with Viridian. The constant intake, and expenditure of air forced my lungs to inflate and deflate at a rate I wasn’t used to, but relished the feeling as my body expelled the negativity.
The sudden exercise felt great as a therapeutic, so much that I altered the course to run through another section of the city just to prolong this gallop. Nothing that would consume most of the day, but long enough to completely clear my mind before discussing the events with Topaz.
This vigorous workout was overdue, and the strain reminded me of the first two weeks of basic training about a decade ago, a time I missed for its simplicity when it came to my role in the world. Now, I cherish these life experiences far more than anything I could ever own.
The Princesses of Equestria were who allowed a lost changeling to traverse this path in the first place, and nothing short of mind alterations would make me forget that chance. Topaz was another important pony who even made this possible, and nothing I could ever do would be enough to fully express my gratitude.
It was why I went above and beyond for her than any other, because like the princess I wanted to be there for the pegasus.
It was this need that propelled me to seek Viridian in the hope of repairing their relationship when I could have let mother and daughter settle their own disagreement. I believed my years of drill and conditioning made me the perfect candidate to survive such an emotional encounter relatively intact, sparing my landmare and greatest friend of experiencing it herself.
I greatly believe I made things worse.
I began slowing down as I neared my street, exhaustion finally became too much. My strength left me so suddenly that I almost tripped, but my faster reflexes prevield and I managed to catch myself and remain upright.
I had trouble breathing for a moment as I tried to reclaim the lost air, before rolling my tongue out like a dog panting in the summer. I mimicked the action thinking if it worked for them, then it should work for me, but it became apparent that would be the case. The desperate need to replace what was lost only made the problem worse; the quicker I inhaled and exhaled only further deprived me as it cut off the oxygen flow, leaving me scraps when I needed a full course meal.
This understanding came forward, and the techniques passed on by former instructors took over to correct this shameful display: take one big gulp of air, hold two seconds, release, and repeat.
I kept this up until the strain of my run became tolerable before resuming my walk, still out of breath but not gasping. I politely greeted a couple of his neighbors who were outside and waved to me before carrying on with their day. Nothing else imparied the trek home, and the familiar mail box I had repainted several months earlier appeared with its little flag raised.
I quickly checked for any new mail, and after deeming it a mistake on my part and not the postal service made my way toward the door.
I knocked twice, paused, and then knocked once more as agreed upon by Topaz and myself to inform the other who was at the door. Only when this message went unanswered did I unlock the door and entered.
“Topaz. Nymph.” I called out as I closed the door behind me, trying to listen for their hoofsteps or chatter.
The house didn’t seem ransacked, nor did any items appear to be missing.
Ever since my talk with her highness, Princess Luna, I had been feeling an increasing sense of paranoia that my fellow guards would forcibly remove the door and whisk the three of us away. The assurance of her highness, and my own understanding of Guard protocol dispelled most of this fear, but not enough to keep my heart from beating a little faster.
Looking around the hous revealed a note on the fridge left to inform that Topaz had taken Nymph to her office at the university meaning I would be alone for the foreseeable day.
With my plans changed, I had nothing to do, but wait for their return later this evening.
With their departure, I found myself relishing the silence as I entered our home swaying my head left to right trying to shake loose the conversation from my mind. My hooves moved on their own, and I followed not sure where they were taking me as I began combing through the confrontation.
I couldn’t deny it was anything but.
Only when I bumped into the wood paneling of one of the walls did I set aside the analytical work for later, and to discover I had ended up in front of a closed door. Several feelings not my own were seeping through the other side, faint lligerings of aged love, and bits of every other emotion one could experience in their field of a professional friend.
‘Nymph.’
I took a slight step back to fully consume the door before me, my eyes leisurely moving from the large wonderbolt poster plastered like wallpaper to several engravings done by the foal herself.
We rarely entered her room without her knowledge, as a form of establishing clear boundaries for the growing nymph; a sign of trust passed onto her, and to give the high-maintenance foal a place to call her own. It was the thought of entering without her knowing that drove me to backtrack, and further doubt myself for ever considering breaching that trust.
Turning around I made my way down the hall, past Topaz’s room and into the living area once more where I stood about a pony length back to keep the green flame washing over from catching the couch on fire before taking a seat.
During my years of service to the princesses, I had become very accustomed to remaining in my pony form for most of the day, and even at home.
It became more than a cover to blend in better, and over the years had grown enough to become something more permanent, that I often find myself interchanging changeling and pony habits together. The more years that passed, the harder I found keeping the two from becoming a single identity.
This made the deliberate transformation from pony to changeling the more concerning.
I leaned into the couch so it could support my back and neck as I looked up at the ceiling. It was the only surface to be spared of any graffiti associated with Topaz’s long running project on the supposed connectivity of all species by an unseen force, but it wasn’t from a lack of trying.
She would forget to look up if she drew anything on the ceiling.
It was this reason I often stared at the unmarked ceiling when the need to ‘escape’ followed me home, and this past month made up the majority of these moments. Its plain, and unassuming dull white made it easy for me to stare up for long periods of time without the need to blink: perfect for quiet contemplation.
Here my thoughts could wander unrestricted in the hopes they might find something else of interest, but that eventually yielded nothing as each topic eventually led me back to today.
No matter how I looked at it, I couldn't figure out a better way to alter the conversation that would have produced a positive outcome for everypony.
“What would somepony do in my situation?” Excluding the other exiles, I was alone in this matter of self-discovery.
I set up as a stray thought hit me, giving me a new sense of direction the more I pondered it. While no pony would understand what I was going through, there was one pony that did attract unusual experiences on a regular basis.
“Twilight Sparkle.”
That young mare had a habit of getting into all sorts of unsual situations, but would compile these experiences into a letter so Princess Celestia could catalog for later use. Perhaps I could do the same, or something similar?
Leaving the comfort of the couch, I made for the drawer that stored our writing material; a quick search provided me with the parchment, ink, and quilI I will need for this experiment. Taking a seat at the table I began to assemble a draft of what I wanted to say, but after one too many mistakes gave up and started over. I did this about thrice, but each attempt only increased the flood of words spilling onto the pages until my fourth attempt provided a semi-coherent letter.
By no measure of academic standards was the letter a work of pony achievement, but hopefully it would be to enact a response I desperately sought. I sat it aside and took another blank sheet, making note I will have to purchase more to replace the sheets I carelessly wasted, before copying the fourth sheet while making necessary edits as needed.
Once finished, I sat the quill down to give the letter my full attention as I proofread it two more times before taking one final sheet of parchment, and wrote the final edition of my letter. Sadly, in my haste and eagerness to spend the letter off, I had overlooked a crucial detail when applying my endorsement of the letter’s contents.
I felt the need to apply hoof to my head in frustration over the simple mistake, but I had already wasted too much parchment in drafting this single letter, and lazily crossed it out. The letter will have to do for now, but by the princess’ honor I will make it up to her highness at a later date.
Dear Princess Luna, Sovereign of the Sky, and Dreams,
I, Idol Hooves, your loyal subordinate in the all but the most questionable actions one could ask another to perform, pen this letter in the efforts to seek your patronage.
With your blessing, I spent the next three days adjusting to the sudden spike in ‘free time’ by becoming more involved with the affairs of my roommates. What I learned occupied my time as I sought to help my roommate and first friend, Topaz Showers, in a matter involving her mother. The conversation could have gone better.
The details will be kept private for the sake of privacy, but will divulge I left conflicted in my understanding of where I fit in society. In the decade since joining The Guard, I struggled in adapting to the world around me, but with the help of my first friends, Topaz and Captain Shining Armor, I stumbled my way through with little injury.
With the sudden invasion and repulsion of my former family, I’ve come to notice certain restrictions placed on me have begun to diminish with each passing day.
I am fearful. These rules, just like The Guard, gave me comfort in knowing there were predetermined boundaries I may/may not cross while in a foreign kingdom. With certain confidence, I claim to have finally become accustomed to this way of life, and no sooner do I find myself stumbling once more.
My very identity is questionable while the only defined rules I had followed faithfully are null, and I broke one this very day. Yet, I feel no remorse for this desecration of law, but instead find its discardition morally acceptable when the choice between upholding it or my daughter is justified.
I will elaborate further on this revelation during our next meeting.
The only █████████ in the Guard,
Idol Hooves
Dearest Idol Hooves, Corporal of the Sun Guard, 2nd Royal Detachment,
We have received your letter and respond with a mixture of emotions I feel would only be lost in words. A DAUGHTER!
None of our sharded time has the mention of a foal been brought forth, by you or the many ponies of Canterlot that know of you. While surprised, and curious by this revelation, I find the evidence of her existence too sudden and convenient given the nature of our recent experience. Will I be so forward in suggesting she may be related to thee by other means?
Do not answer by letter.
In regards to your predicament, you have our sincerest apologies. Please seek what comfort my word has, in that, I will offer words of solace for thy...roommates. Your constant infringement of another's welfare is well known to the ponies of Canterlot, and continues to weigh upon me. A fool I am for not realizing sooner.
In regard to your question dear Idol, we hold the right to say you worry too much.
The act of feeling concern for others is a natural part of a pony’s character, but even more so when they’re closest to you. Have faith in this ‘magic of friendship’ my sister proudly promotes, and the matter will sort itself in time. No understanding of magic is needed to know time will cure any wound if given a chance to heal.
Yet, if the conflict still persists by your next visit than we shall take a bigger interest in the matter.
Unfortunately, we have nothing more to offer than an ear to lend and a few words to give when needed, but don’t fret Idol. What afflicts you will come and go as certain Celestia and myself raise and lower the moon. If you still feel lost or unsure, don’t be afraid to seek those close to you, for they will be the solution to a quicken recovery.
Till our next letter or meeting my little pony,
Luna Astra
Dear Princess Luna Astra, Sovereign of the Sky, and Dreams,
Your offered support and words do bring me some comfort, and I want to offer my appreciation.
To address the alicorn in the room, I do have a daughter now, but it wasn’t until this very day that I officially made the declaration . I, with Topaz, have raised her for nearly a year in secret because of her natural gift of blending in with ponies. Perhaps once this matter is laid to rest, and with their permission you could meet her; behind her admiration for the Wonderbolts, and Daring Do in the sixth spot, is the desire to meet an actual princess.
She’s truly fascinating on many levels above my own understanding.
Topaz attributes her inherent skills to the environment around her, but I counter with their development to a more biological foundation regarding our people. I am under the growing suspicion there may be a more primal motive for her increasingly advanced displays we’ve been seeing since her arrival, a higher calling she is destined for.
The city has your highness and Celestia to guide the citizens, but there could always be more.
Worried about the approaching young adult years,
Idol Hooves
Luna set the newest letter down after reading it multiple times over the course of one full day trying to digest and process the information he had willingly provided.The details were not only shocking, but mildly disturbing if his assumption proved to be accurate, and she wouldn’t know until actually meaning said daughter of his.
The cold iron of her shoes soothed the sides of her face as she rubbed them in an attempt to mellow out the forming migraine. So many questions and concerns assaulted her head with the ferocity of Ursa Major, and her lazy face massage did nothing to ease the pain nor the questions.
“Idol Hooves…” She whispered while waiting for the migraine to subside. “...how could you unintentionally cause all of this stress.”
The migraine finally gave up, but her face massage continued as the revelation of his letter became clearer.
“Only you could so casually raise a queen.”
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Very nice. Seems like you rushed through the editing, but the plot was on point.
prevailed
impaired
lingerings
shared
Love the story. Glad it got a solid ending.
"I will offer words of solace for thee...roommates" Is "thee" correct here, or should it be "thy"? "Thee" indicates that Luna is offering solace to Idol himself by telling him to spend time with his roommates, whereas "thy" indicates she's offering it to the roommates according to the following sentence. It might be correct as written, but I feel perhaps the other meaning was intended.
>Queen
pffffft oh man that got me to snort, hard.
A bit more thoughtful. Idol does innocently bring such aches in the head and sometimes in other places...
huh, a sequel?
10264676
Maybe, but don't hold your breath. I briefly considered a one-shot that would be about Idol and Luna's therapy sessions, but nothing concrete.
10263314
I honestly don't know, but you might be right. I always get them confused, but will fix it if the usage is wrong.
I don’t get it. So Nymph is a Queen? How did Luna know that through just the letters and his memory?
10340229
Oh snap, a question that potentially exposes a plot hole? Lets see if I can answer this in away without sounding like I made it up on the spot.
What I imagine is that Luna doesn't truly know if Nymph will become a queen, but is simply assuming based off her interrogation of Idol. Giving the information learned from it and the mind reading, she has an idea how Changelings are structured in a 'normal' environment with a queen leading them. Since Nymph didn't have the laws forced upon her before leaving the hive, and how she's been acting in Canterlot is leading Luna to this conclusion.
Without the laws to impede her growth, or a 'queen' to govern them, she is concerned Nymph might grow to fill this void.