This strange world

by SwarmLordAbdonis

My choice to make. Not yours.

To Mike this new creature, despite its colourful appearance looked more than capable of doing some serious damage with those horns of his, and after Craig whispering into his ear that said being also happened to be the king of the hive he felt that possibility to be even more likely. His 'court jester' comment hadn't exactly been soft spoken. He wasn't any less annoyed about the whole ordeal he had been forced to deal with since this morning but for a moment the unreformed changeling became slightly unnerved and was certain that he was about to be thrown in the dungeon, assuming they had one for his sharp tongue. He was convinced, given what he knew about royalty back on Earth that this guy was most likely tough, serious, and most certainly did not tolerate being referred to as a fool.

Every single one of these thoughts dissipated the moment the king gave an enormous smile and spoke.

"Ah, you must be the changeling I've heard so much about!" He spoke with a voice that didn't exactly scream king. It came off as nasally and goofy. The silly smile did not help either. "I'm so glad that Firefly managed to get you here! Is there anything I can get you?"

Mike blinked and allowed the gears in his head to turn for a moment. Out of all the responses and personalities he had expected, an enormous giddy prat had certainly not been one of them. "Uh... no. I'm- I'm good." He replied slowly before Thorax turned to the griffon next to him.

"How about you, umm..."

"Craig, my king." Firefly quickly filled in for her leader, still beaming away, though not with as large a grin as the taller changeling.

"Craig. I'm not all that certain what griffins really eat since... since we've never really had one here before, but I'm sure we can scrounge something up!" He replied quickly, his smile turning sheepish on his last sentence.

Craig shook his talon. "That's alright king Thorax." He addressed politely.

"Please, just Thorax."

"As you wish… Thorax." Craig tried his hardest not to break out in an even bigger grin. Talking to one of his favourite characters on a t.v. show tended to have that effect on most people. Unfortunately his changeling friend did not share his enthusiasm.

"Oh for gods sake..." Mike muttered before clearing his throat. "When you two ladies are done braiding each others hair, can we get to the reason we've been dragged here?"

Thorax blinked for a moment before his brain caught up to speed. "Oh, right! Of course. Sorry. I'm sure you'll want to undergo change right away!"

"There it is." The answer came without delay. "And no, not really."

"Splendid! In that case if you would like... to …" The large multicoloured moose slowed down. His friendly look turning to one of confusion as he realised that the answer he had just received was the exact opposite of what he had expected. To say he was shocked was a bit of an understatement. An audible gasp even managed to escape Firefly's mouth which earned her a sideways glance from the black changeling, but otherwise said nothing. How she had not picked up on his reluctance was odd. You'd have thought the sour mood and attitude he had carried since meeting her would have been a dead giveaway. Craig merely just observed and was ready to watch the scene unfold. He doubted his voice had much power in this conversation.

Thorax quickly found his voice. "Sorry but... did you say no?"

Mike nodded calmly. "Sure did. I like how I look."

"But- but I don't understand! don't you want to end your hunger? You don't have to continue to consume love forcefully anymore!"

"Well considering that I've never EVER had to take love forcefully, I think I'm doing alright for myself." Mike gestured to his griffon buddy, thankful that Craig had gone over the whole hunger issue earlier so at least he had some clue of what Thorax was bleating about. " Don't believe me, ask Craig here! He can vouch for me."

"That's true. He hasn't." Craig back Mike up with a careful nod.

"There you go." Mike smiled, happy to resolve this pain in the ass issue, at least in his own short and simple way. "Now since that's all we came here for, we'll be heading back to the school of friendship."

Believing he had now dealt with this minor hiccup, the still unreformed changeling, with a smirk turned round a full 180 degrees and headed back confidently the way he came. Or at least he would have had the all too familiar yellow chitin covered brat hadn't blocked his path with her own body.

"Can't you at least hear him out? We only want to help. Is that really so bad?"

She looked upset. More so than Mike had seen her, though that might not have been saying much. Almost as though she was upset for him rather than at him. The black changeling rubbed his temple with his hoof. This mare was not easy for him to like, even a little bit.

"Look, Firefly." He started calmly, trying a more diplomatic approach. "I don't know why you're so caught up on this, seriously I don't. But whatever that reason is, you need to understand that at the end of the day, whether or not I want to change or reform... or whatever the hell it's meant to be... but bottom line, it's my choice and no-one can change that." He looked the still upset bug horse in the eye seriously. "You understand that, don't you? My choice to make. Not yours and especially not your kings. You wouldn't want me to make you change into me would you?"

Craig quickly realised that Thorax had been unusually quiet about this ordeal. Hadn't Ember told him to be more assertive about this kind of thing? Maybe it had something to do with Mike actually giving a decent reason instead of flat out being aggressive and rude (too much) about it like those renegade changelings he mentioned in that one episode where he visited Spike. Whatever the reason, the griffon said nothing.

The question Mike had asked was rhetorical but Firefly found herself slowly shaking her head. Thinking he had managed to get through to her, Mike let a ghost of a smile slip and parted with a few kinder words.

"You're a nice mare Firefly. A bit stalker-y for my taste but I guess you mean well."

Craig also couldn't help but smile. That was without a doubt the nicest thing he had said thus far to her. Not that there was any competition but anything without venom in his voice or the sound of sarcasm was a major improvement. And what more it seemed to work as Firefly, slowly but surely stepped aside. Mike couldn't help but toss a small thanks her way before turning to Craig.

"Come on Craig. We're done here." His voice left no room for argument and Craig decided to oblige. Once he was right next to him, Mike whispered in his ear. "I don't suppose you know if changelings can teleport like unicorns, can they?"

"I don't think so."

"Figured as much. Guess we got a long walk ahead of us then." Mike twisted his neck and shoulders in a stretching manner.

"If I may?" Thorax suddenly called out gaining their attention. "You could take a chariot back if you'd like. It would be much faster than walking I can assure you."

The two friends looked at each other and shrugged in mutual agreement.

"That's very generous of you. Thank you ki- uh, Thorax." Craig offered a smile.

"Though... it will take until tomorrow for it to be ready. It's kind of new." The king chuckled nervously. "Especially since we don't have the same quality materials as most other lands... But we'll have it ready by tomorrow afternoon! Promise!"

Craig didn't need to look but he could imagine the smile vanishing off of the changelings face. Unfortunately it wasn't the only bad news either.

"And since you'll be needing to spend the night here, cause goodness knows you don't want to go out there with a maulwurf about..."

Mike looked to Craig for answers.

"Think of a really really big mole."

"Ah."

"... perhaps you would like for myself and the hive to show you the benefits of sharing love?"

"What?" Mike hissed out angrily. "Sorry, did you not hear the whole my choice speech I explained not two minutes ago? Did I express my thoughts just for them to be outright ignored?"

"We did! We did!" Thorax assured him. "But what kind of king would I be if I willingly allowed one of my subjects to take a path when a better one may await him? All I ask is that we show you the other side of the fence. See if the grass is greener if you know what I mean."

Mike glared at the king, almost wanting to tell him that he was not actually one of his subjects if it didn't cause more problems down the road.

"If you still prefer to remain as you are afterwards, I promise I won't bring it up again, nor will the rest of my subjects." He looked to Firefly for a second, making sure she had heard him. If she did she didn't acknowledge it.

Mikes facial features scrunched up as he thought about it. He even looked to Craig for support and, to no surprise found him nodding. The changeling sighed.

"Fine. But I'll do it for you, not them. And don't expect my answer to change either cause it won't."

Craig threw a claw around his friends back. "That's all I ask." He winked before turning back to Thorax. "We accept."

The king moose was thrilled, to say the least. "That's wonderful news! I best make sure that everything's set up! I'll be back in an hour!" He immediately flew off, leaving the two, and Firefly on their own. Mike looked to Craig.

"Make sure everything's set up?" He parroted in confusion.

"Guess he's going to give you one heck of a tour." Craig guessed.

"Terrific..."

For a moment they said nothing, unsure what to chat about that wouldn't result in venting frustration. However Mike managed to surprise Craig as the changeling muttered 'fuck it' under his breath before turning and trotting over to Firefly. The yellow changeling had parked her keister on the floor, sitting down. Ever since Mike had chatted to her she had remained silent and almost like a statue. It was only when he was right in front of her did she move, looking up at him with his gruff expression. The male changeling then rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"So listen, that thing you said earlier about giving you and some other pointers on friendship? Well... I may have been a bit too quick to shoot that idea down. So, after giving it some proper thought... I decided, since I'll be here until tomorrow I could give you a few tips. You know, if you're still up for it."

Mike had barely enough time to blink before he found himself caught in a warm tight embrace. A few stunned seconds passed before the black changeling carefully pried her off and discovering the happy smile she was more accustomed to wearing on her face.

"Yeah, okay. You're welcome." Mike grumbled. "But friendship lesson number one, don't hug someone unless they're your friend."

Firefly blinked in confusion as her face saddened a little. "You wouldn't consider us friends?"

Mike tried and failed to not huff in amusement. "Firefly, I only met you this morning, which on top of that you broke into my room and scared the shit of me. Forgive me if I'm not performing cartwheels."

Firefly nodded in understanding. Mike wasn't finished yet.

"However, come tomorrow who knows? Maybe you will be."

The changeling looked hopeful "Really?"

"Really really."

Fireflys smile returned once more before she too left, promising that she would be telling her fellow changelings about this and that she'd return in time for the tour. Mike merely nodded lazily, already heading back to Craig and noticing the big shit eating grin on his face.

"Well well well." He chuckled. "Care to explain what that was about?"

"Hey man, we're gonna be here to tomorrow so I might as well pass the time somehow."

"Well either way, that was very nice of you. Even from over here I could tell that Firefly appreciated it."

"What can I say, I'm nice once you get to know me." He grinned twistedly.

"More like tolerable." Craig joked making the pair laugh.

"Besides, I think a few of my lessons might be... life changing, if you get my drift."

Craigs smile faltered. "What do you mean?"

Mike said nothing. The only reaction to the birds words was his growing grin.

"Mike..." Craig asked dangerously. "What do you plan on teaching them?"

"Don't worry about it."

"Mike!"

"You know, this place is quite big. Think I'm gonna take a short walk. See you in oh... about an hour?" Mike chuckled before walking away despite Craigs protests.

Comments

[MosAnted]

Yey update!

[Mitril]

First, I hope he won't change into these "reformed" changelings
Changing their appearance in the show was a stupid move that defeated the purpose of a lesson "they aren't colorful but are good" when they were painted as if someone vomited rainbow on them and made look more like ponies

If he will change appearance it should be without changing colors and even maybe into a royal changeling, something like Thorax and Chrysalis

Second, the first actually gave me an idea
What if everyone from the group will transform into an alicorn version of their species?
Then they will be rulers and nations will have better relations than before because of their immortal friendship

[Mix-up]

Nice chapter update, now I wonder what he will think of the Changeling hive by his human standards probably very primitive. I take it that he has no clue how bad it was for the changeling when they had to feed off love and how they were always in the brink of starvation all the time, which is why he seems not to empathize with them. I wonder how he will take it if he actually starts to starve for love for a prolonged period of time and the horrifying experience of feeding off a pony? I feel chapter might need some switching between different party members just to change things up a little