Classroom Changeling

by Someguy458

Chapter 25: Chicken Soup For The Changeling Soul

Soon, things went back to a relative normal. Mr. Adler came by and, now that the situation was resolved, took Harold to detention. Os and I decided to thank Lily for her help by inviting her over for dinner at my house. Mazarine was a little mad that I hadn't told her ahead of time, but she quickly readjusted her meal plans while we dressed both of our wounds.

As we ate a delicious dinner of BLT's and cottage cheese, an announcement came over the radio, detailing the events in D.C. Apparently, the Princesses were able to get into the meeting and talk with everyone there, which included the President and several top scientists from across the country. The specific details were kept under lock-and-key, but long story short, the truth about the pony world existing was now out there.

Bea was on her phone when she discovered something. "Hey, it's Chicken Soup For The Soul Day."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Okay, and...?"

I clarified, "She likes to celebrate obscure holidays whenever she can."

Bea nodded in confirmation. "And I've really been slacking this week, so I'm gonna get back on the ball as soon as possible."

I chuckled. "Alright, I'll bite. What does Chicken Soup For The Soul Day entail?"

She read from the site: "Apparently, it's 'a celebration of who you are, where you've been, where you're going, and who you will be thankful to when you get there'!"

I pondered that over. A day for self reflection, eh? How fitting, given all the growth we'd gone through in the past several days. We all took a moment of silence to do so.

First, I looked to my Mom, Mazarine. Just a week ago, she'd been her normal self, working night shifts at the French restaurant downtown. Now, she was a kick-ass bug Queen who could use magic and fly, and that was certainly helping with her career. She could certainly multitask like no other, that's for sure.

I then looked to Bea. She'd probably changed the least out of us, still being the same energetic little kid she'd been before her transformation. Although now, it'd certainly be harder to keep her down, given the fact that she was becoming more adept at flying than any of us. I also think I saw her looking through some books on insect anatomy at some point over the past week, so that's a thing.

Third, Lily. She'd seemingly gone through a lot of growth on her own, and I was proud of her for that. While she certainly wasn't done, and was going to need some help, she was clearly gaining enough confidence to overcome her personal demons. I vowed, then and there, that I'd make an effort to be better friends with her.

Then there was Os. In the span of a week, she'd transitioned to a woman, opened up about her dad, and we'd started dating. Even if I didn't have my emotion-sensing capabilities, I would've been able to tell how draining that all must've been for her. She'd inarguably gone through the most out of all of us, and I was incredibly proud of her for toughing it out.

And finally, there was me. While I hadn't gone through as much as Os, I still had quite an emotional journey of my own. I'd become the Element of Magic, the de-facto leader of a group of magical misfits, and we were likely going to be called for more adventures in the future.

But I was still shaken up at the memory of what happened on that football field. Why did I lose control like that? And it wasn't the first time, either; I'd nearly gotten absorbed into lifting that pencil when I first gained control of my magic, and I nearly walked straight into the magical rift when we first found it because I was mesmerized by its power. Was it my new biology reacting to powerful magic? Was something like that going to happen again?

Then I looked back at Os. If she was able to go back to her life after everything she'd been through, then I could do the same. I just needed to have faith that, whatever came our way, we'd face it together.

---

Two and a Half Years Later...

---

*Beep! Beep! Beep!*

I stirred from under the covers. It was once again 7 AM on a Monday morning.

Although this time, things were different. First off, I was now 18. Second, it was also the week after our graduation.

And third, I actually had something new planned for today.

I took a quick shower, brushed my teeth, and headed out to the kitchen. My dad Halley, who finally came back from Afghanistan last month, greeted me first. "Heya, Rove. You excited for today?"

I replied with a fanged grin on my face, "Of course! You know we've been preparing for weeks now!"

Bea looked up from her new phone and frowned. "I'm gonna miss you when you're gone, dude."

"And I'm gonna miss you too, Bea," I replied, a bit somber but still enthusiastic.

Mazarine then turned away from the stove, where she was using her magic to prepare a small breakfast of bacon. "Well, I think this trip will be enlightening for the three of you."

"Exactly! Three months of helping Princess Twilight in Equestria will not only look good on our resumes, but it'll also be good for us to experience their culture first-hoof. Plus, Lily will get to start on the Equestrian section of her book."

Bea pouted. "I know, I know!" She then added in a mutter, "I'm starting to regret volunteering to help at that summer school."

Mazarine levitated the plates of bacon onto the table, and we dug in, turning on the radio while we ate.

"...Ambassador Sentry is returning from the conference in Singapore, and will give a statement later today. In other news, Princess Skystar has made waves with her surprise appearance at the Hippogriff Pride Protests in Russia..."

---

As I flew towards Os's house (leaving my family to meet me at the portal), I looked down at my surroundings and reflected on how much things had changed. The sidewalks were dotted with people and equinoids of all kinds, the skies were peppered with flying creatures headed who-knows-where, and a lot of the infrastructure had been modified to accommodate ponies (for example, many elevators had their buttons lowered so that quadrupeds could press them more easily). It wasn't at all perfect - there was still a number of people who didn't think that all this change was necessary or even a good thing - but it was progress.

There were also a few remnants from our miscellaneous adventures over the years. Over on Neptune Avenue, the road was repaved where a magical argument broke out between two neighbors, and we'd had to help subdue it. The Italian restaurant on Main still had Bea and Harold's names on their ban list from when they got into a fight over Harold's treatment of me (he was actually more so on the defensive side that time, while Bea was just angry that he'd hurt me). And above my right eye, the scar Harold gave me during our fight still lingered on.

I landed in front of Os's house, set down my bags, and knocked on the door. I heard a faint shuffling from inside, before the door opened to reveal Os's Mom, Carola Majken Bellamy. She stood at roughly 6' 5" and had piercing amber eyes, curly platinum blonde hair, a somewhat thicker body, and a partial sunburn from sitting outside during our Graduation. She worked as a fast food cashier, with a freelance photography job on the side.

Her aura was a bittersweet kind of proudness when the door first opened, but once she saw me, she lit up with joy (while still retaining some of that sadness). "Oh, Rove! You're here already?" She leaned down and hugged me.

"Sad that Os is going?" I guessed, just a bit coyly.

Carola flinched. "I keep forgetting you can do that. But yeah," she then sighed, "I'm just not ready to be alone in the house yet."

From inside, I heard a meow as their pet cat, Foo (named as such so that Os could call her mom a 'Foo Fighter' whenever she had to get the cat under control), came out from behind the couch and looked at Carola in an almost indignant way.

"Well, other than you, Foo," she amended. The cat seemed to acknowledge her by blinking, before it padded away.

"I'll only be gone three months," Os's voice piped in as she approached the door, bags expertly clutched in her wings' grips. She was quite a bit taller now, and she'd let her hair grow out, but other than that, she still looked the same - blank flank and all. "And we'll be in touch; Twilight gave us all those books that can communicate with each other, remember?"

Carola glanced at her copy, which was on a nearby counter. "I know..." She was still a little sad and anxious, but she was trying to push past it. "I suspect you want to fly over there, while I drive?"

Os and I looked at each other and nodded, knowing what the other was thinking. "Actually," I said, "We were thinking we should ride with you. Give you a few minutes longer together, that sound good?"

She smiled, relief and joy bleeding into her aura. "I would love to."

---

So we loaded our bags into her convertible, buckled in, and began the drive. Traffic was almost stationary due to an accident down the road, but that just gave us all the more time to talk. Os complained about a bad book she'd read recently, Carola talked about how her photography career was doing really well (several newspapers had hired her to take pictures of the portal), and I talked about an old show I'd recently discovered.

"...and it turned out it was the comic's creator, who was angry with the film adaptation, that had kidnapped everyone! So Shawn exposed him, the creator was arrested, and, for the first time, nobody had to die!"

Os looked over, bemused. "You sure like that detective show, huh?"

"I like how you made sure you mentioned where the pineapple showed up," Carola giggled.

"Of course I—" I glanced towards her, and froze in my seat.

Also stuck in traffic, two cars ahead and to the left of us, I could see Harold Johannes sitting in the back of his family's minivan. He was facing away from us, but I knew it was him because I'd met his parents when they made him apologize for attacking us, and his dad was driving the van.

"What is it?" Os asked, picking up on my distress. She followed my gaze, and sighed. "Ugh, Harold?"

Carola tried to see who we were seeing, but she wasn't able to spot him immediately. "Where? I don't see him."

"Two rows ahead, to the left."

She squinted, then nodded. "I see him. Did he do something to you?"

"Actually, quite the opposite," Os corrected. "Ever since the news came out about how the 'Incident' happened, he's been nothing but apologetic."

"So then what's the big deal? It's been two years, and he said he was sorry."

I groaned. "It's not as simple as that. You weren't there; you didn't see how angry I got when he hurt Os. How I—I lost control, blasting him with spell after spell until Lily had to physically get in the way to stop me.

"It was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life, losing control of myself like that. He nearly... I nearly...."

Both Os and Carola were silent for a long moment, absorbing the angst-bomb I'd just dropped on them.

Then Os leaned over, and pulled me into a loving hug. "Rove, you're right; we have no idea what you went through, or what you're currently going through. But believe me when I say that I'll be here for you, no matter what."

Carola turned to look back at us. "If you want, I can recommend a good therapist. Dr. Shane's a good friend of ours; he helped us through my divorce."

Os smiled at the thought of her favorite therapist. "Thanks, Mom, but unless he's willing to commute to Equestria...."

Carola's face dropped, and that melancholy sunk its hooks back into her. "Oh, right..."

The cars in front of us then started to move again, so Carola refocused on the road, and we rode the rest of the way in a silence only broken by the radio.

---

With the traffic clearing up, we were able to make it to the Portal Complex in no time. It was amazing how quickly they'd been able to acquire the neighborhood, relocate everyone, and build the Complex where Lily's house used to be. Sure, she had to move across town with everyone else, but the longer commute was worth it if it meant that Equestria could get a foothold on Earth.

As we exited the car, I noticed a familiar Zebra standing near the entrance. "Hey, Mr. Adler!" I waved to him.

"Please, call me Tom, dear friend," he shook his head. "My time as your teacher already came to an end."

"Come to see us off?" Os asked, receiving a simple nod in response. "Well, thanks!"

"Hello, Tom!" Carola smiled towards him. "How's that study on Equestrian Zebras coming along?"

"Very well, if I may crow. It's reassuring, knowing what I now know. But Carola, if I may confide, I'd appreciate if images you could provide?"

Her smile rose to a grin. "Oh, I'd love to!"

I looked on as they continued to talk, taking notice of the spark slowly forming between them.

---

We found my family inside, looking at some photographs on the walls that depicted various Equestrian leaders meeting with various Earth leaders. We spent a few minutes chatting before Lily arrived, wearing a green jacket and purse, and wheeling her matching suitcase behind her with her tail. "I'm here, I'm here!" she called, out of breath, as she reached us. "Sorry I'm late; it was hard weaving across traffic with my luggage."

"Actually, you're a bit early," I pointed out, causing her to sigh in relief. "Hey, where are your parents?"

"They both have to work today. Don't worry, though; we already said goodbye." She reassured.

"Alright, if you say so..."

So, the only thing left was for us to say goodbye to our families. As Os hugged her Mom, I approached my parents and Bea. We looked each other in the eyes for a moment, our stares having the conversation our lips couldn't convey, before we all grabbed each other in one big family hug. Then Os, Carola, Lily, and even Mr. Adler joined in.

Finally, we all parted from the hug. "We'll see you in 3 months."

"Write to us once you're settled!" Mazarine called out.

"Have a safe trip!" Halley cheered.

"Don't do anything dumb!" Bea advised.

"Listen to the Princess," Carola warned.

"And most importantly of all," Mr. Adler finished, "have fun, you screwballs!"

We all waved goodbye, then turned and proceeded through customs. Once we were through, all that was left was for us to step through the portal.

"You two ready?" Os asked.

Lily replied, "Ready as I'll ever be."

For a moment, I didn't respond; I simply stared at the portal, feeling the power radiating off of it.

Then I smirked. "Let's do this."

With that, we all stepped through the portal, and into the next chapter of our lives.

---

THE END

...for now.

Author's Note:

Yup, I'm planning a sequel! I don't have a timeframe for when I'll start releasing it, but just know that I'll most likely have multiple chapters stockpiled by the time I do, so updates should be consistent (I'm putting the italics in so that you know it's not a guarantee).

But in the meantime, what a wild ride this story has been! I thank you for being so patient with me, and I hope you enjoyed reading.

I'll see you guys next time!

Comments

[Dravkwn]

...for now.

[Mix-up]

Well this had been a fun story, keep your writing.

[tsaukpaetra]

Hehe, it's been fun!

[Mr_Perlimpinpin]

11279992
Thanks! I'm not saying you're story is bad! It's just not what I wanted.
To me, the best "global ponification of Mankind" is still The Chaotic Touch of Harmony. Because it had a larger plot.
The "Pandemic" is nice too but I dropped it after one character basically became one with some cosmic force (Wut?) and there was ridiculous political conspiracy everywhere.

[MayhemsLement]

It always nice when a story I was reading has a end

[Maulet Paya]

A funny and simple fic, knows what it wants and it delivers

[Aremna]

Another fic comes to a close. Lot of mixed feelings on this one. Happy to see their little happy relationship, but it ended on a bit of an odd note just after a time skip which feels a bit weird. But Congratz on a finished fic!

[Stargate command]

Love the story cool art too

[RTC]

Of everything that could happen if Equestria made contact with Earth, the most embarrassing thing that comes to mind is for them to meet our "leaders".

[Rikad]

I really quite enjoyed this, it was a lot of fun to read.