Changeling Trust

by Nightmare Rift

Day 5: Ponyville Outing

Styx's POV:
I have been hiding in my house for the last five days ever since we came from Canterlot after my battle. I have had zero interest in going out until I knew Applejack could come with me. Today is that day, so I crawl out of bed and saunter downstairs to meet Applejack outside. I grab my saddlebags and some bits, and Applejack and I go to the market to get some of the main ingredients for food. As for me, I need food, and some party supplies, both from Pinkie and some not from Pinkie. All of Ponyville knows who I am, as Royal Pin and Lyra combined magic to broadcast to Ponyville. I guess you could say that Filthy Rich was right after all; there was a Changeling in the tree. Either way, he still ain’t getting into my house. I take a deep breath and step outside my house. I see Applejack standing there smiling as if nothing has changed. Yet, everything has.

“Ready to go sugarcube?”

“Not really, but what choice do I have? I can’t stay inside my house forever if I want to start getting everypony to trust me again.”

“You’re correct about that, I just hope they can forgive ya. Ya never did anypony harm. You're still the same pony they knew, just… just…”

“Uglier?”

“Well that wasn’t the way I was gonna put it, but yeah, close enough.”

“You really are the most truthful pony Applejack, but sometimes I want to hear the lies. I guess I have no pony to blame but myself, still doesn’t mean that I couldn’t hope. I…”

“You what sugarcube?”

“I guess I always hoped that I could one day live peacefully among other ponies, in this form, without being judged and blamed. I guess even if you try to break something in slowly it doesn’t help. Cause you know, we’re here, and I am still shunned and hated, even though no one is alive to remember the war. I am blamed and hated for another reason, for my lie, and what I look like. What do you think of me Applejack? I want the truth.”

“To be honest, I don’t know. You are still the same pony I knew, personality wise; but you don’t look like you. So I guess what I am trying to say is that, I like you for who you are, and not so much what you look like.”

Applejack starts to rise and glow as she finishes that statement, indicating her honesty. I will never know that feeling, as I never will have everypony trust me fully again. If Sombra was here, I would just move the house and go hide in the mountains with him. Unfortunately, I can’t do that yet. I have other mountains to climb first, starting with going into town to be stared at and having everypony run away from me. As Applejack grounds herself, I see her cutie mark start to glow, indicating that the map is calling her. Great, she has to leave, therefore leaving me to make my town excursion on my own. Applejack runs off towards Twilight’s castle, leaving dust in her wake. I continue to walk into town and as I do, the shops all close and the vendors all leave. All but one, the Apple Family cart. I guess Applejack told them to be nice to me. I look at the cart, expecting to see Big Mac, Applebloom, and Granny Smith. Instead, all I see is Big Mac. I cautiously approach him, and as he turns around, his expression is one of complete calm, like always. I hear a psst come from a shop nearby and see a yellow hoof sticking out of a door, Applebloom, waving for Big Mac to come inside.

“Eenope,” he says, stamping his hoof down.

“Good morning, Big Mac. How are you doing today?”

“Good. How are you Styx?”

“Well I could be better if you couldn’t tell from the lack of shops and vendors open. Did Applejack tell you to be nice to me?”

“Eeyup. But I ain’t one of them superstitious ponies. Ya still act the same as always, so I don’t see any reason to treat ya differently. You're still a pony just like me. Just cause ya look different doesn’t bother me any.”

“Thank you Big Mac. It is nice to have somepony who doesn’t mind. Can I get two dozen apples?”

“Here’s a sack, take your pick. 15 bits is your total.”

“Big Mac, wouldn’t my price be 20 bits?”

“Eeyup, but not today. I wanna be nice to you because nopony else seems to want to give you a chance. It’s like Zecora when we first met her, just we already know you.”

“Thanks Big Mac.” I walk towards Sugarcube Corner and see that surprisingly, it’s open. I step through the doorway expecting to see Pinkie Pie up front. Instead, I am greeted by a pie in the face. I clean my face off with my magic to see baby Pumpkin Cake giggling. I pick up a cupcake and toss it in her face. She licks off the icing and giggles again. I suddenly have another pie on my back. I look up to see Pound Cake giggling hysterically, apparently hard enough so that he has to land down on the floor by his sister. I bop him on the nose with a cupcake, causing the giggles to continue. Suddenly the giggles stop. I look up towards the kitchen entrance to see Mrs. Cake and Mr. Cake staring at me in shock. I grin sheepishly and clean up the small mess the twins and I made. “I’m sorry for coming in unannounced, but-”

“I don’t care that you came in unannounced, I want to know how you got the twins to giggle,” Mrs. Cake interrupts, looking at me in shock.

“Both Pumpkin and Pound threw a cake at me and then I bopped each of them on the nose with a cupcake. I’m sorry if this wasn’t a good idea. I can leave if you don’t want me and my hideous self in your store,” I say as I turn to leave.

“No, wait! I didn’t mean to sound like that. I just haven’t heard the twins giggle in a while. I was kind of shocked, but I would love it if you stayed. No, I’m not saying that just because Pinkie told us to try to be nice to you, but because you just showed us that you are still the same pony you were before. Pumpkin and Pound don’t seem to care that you look different, they both somehow knew it was you. So I don’t care either. Would you like to stay for some Strawberry Shortcake and tea?”

“If you don’t mind. I haven’t eaten since last night, so I am hungry. Thank you so much Mrs. Cake.”

I spend about 2 hours with them chatting and help put the twins to bed. I thank them before heading off to see if I could get any more stores to let me in. Alas, no other vendors open their doors, so I guess I will just have to live off of apples and some varied pastries for a little while. I canter home, put the food away, and head to bed, hoping tomorrow is a better day.

Comments

[Damaged]

Coverart sauce: https://derpibooru.org/918149 (SFW)

[Desperate Dawn]

Huh... tracking this for now. But until then, I'm going to read the previous story.

-Desperate Dawn