BuggyCYOA

by Equidaeon

These Old Boots | Parts 25B - 31A

As you walk down the familiar dirt road, your mind begins to wander as you think about Notaulix.
You wish that he wasn't so ashamed about you asking him if he wanted something for himself. It really isn't an imposition, you're just trying to be kind.
Though, you can empathize with how he must feel. When you meditate on the matter, you can't help but imagine you would feel the same way if you were suddenly dependent on someone for everything.

Those feelings aside, your mind drifts back to the subject of just what exactly you're going to do about your new changeling friend.
With how well everything seems to be going, you feel reluctant to confide in a pony about his existence... Yet, what if hiding things results in a worse situation?
You continue to mull over such thoughts in your mind until you find yourself approaching Ponyville.

As you enter the outskirts of Ponyville, you look around at the scene of the town today.
You see several ponies moving about the streets, entering and leaving their homes, stores, and other buildings.
You also find that several ponies are already set up and selling goods in the marketplace. In addition, it appears that a train is currently at the train station.

You decide to make your way over to the train station first out of curiosity, as the train always seems to bring a rush of activity to the otherwise quiet town.
Meandering your way through the streets, you find yourself near the train station as you stop to examine what is going on.
You see several ponies inspecting various parts of the train, while a few unicorns and earth ponies work on loading some crates and other goods into a couple of box cars.

It would appear that the train has been here for awhile and has had its shipments to Ponyville unloaded first, judging by the neatly stacked pile of crates by the train platform.
A number of Ponyville residents are gathered around that pile, no doubt picking up whatever it is they may have ordered.
Among those ponies, you spot Mr. Cake, who appears to be loading up his saddle bags with several small cloth bags.

Most likely baking ingredients, you think to yourself.

Your thoughts turn to that of Sugarcube Corner and their delicious, sugary delicacies...
You try to avoid going there very often for the sake of your health, but you can't help but think it would be fun to pick something up for Notaulix there.
He seemed to enjoy sweets, if how much he enjoyed that blueberry jam is any indicator.
Though as you think back to the conversation you had before you left home, you begin to feel uncertain about doing so.
Letting out a sigh, you put those thoughts to the side for now as you look around at the town, wondering what you should do next.

You turn your attention back down to your feet as you study the creases in the leather of your well-worn boots.
They have served you well both back home on Earth and here in Equestria, but you know they only have so many miles left in them.
Normally it wouldn't be a big deal to ask around about having a new pair made for you, however... You have hesitated to do so for nearly a full year now.
That hesitation stems from the fact that you've never actually seen any material yet in Equestria that you could identify as leather at a glance.

As you've quickly learned from your time spent in this world, it seems like nearly every creature appears to be sentient to one degree or another, including the cows.
Because of that, you have had a lingering fear in the back of your mind that a material like leather may be considered a big taboo to the ponies.

You've seen how the ponies can feel strongly about certain things, getting a bit carried away in the process.
Word inevitably spreads quickly in this small town... You don't want anyone to think poorly of you, let alone the ponies you are close to who you consider to be good friends.
Yet... This can't wait any longer.
Winter is coming, and you know that you're going to be in big trouble if your boots finally decide to fall apart on you when ice and snow is on the ground.

But who do you talk to? You think to yourself as you furrow your brow.

Out of all the ponies you know, only two come to mind that both make sense and who you have a good measure of trust in.
You could speak with Rarity... She has already helped you with clothing and your backpack, and her knowledge in textiles and materials may be useful.
Though, you can't imagine her wanting to work with leather, let alone create a rugged pair of boots built for trudging through mud and filth.

You could also speak with Twilight Sparkle... That bookworm is a walking encyclopedia of knowledge. If she didn't already have the solution, she would know where to find it for you.
Additionally, you feel like you can trust her the most, though she can be somewhat irrational at times, which worries you... She has the ear of Princess Celestia, after all.
You begin to slowly work your way back towards the center of town as you mull over what your decision is going to be.

In the end, you decide that you're the most comfortable with approaching Twilight Sparkle about the subject.
Within a few minutes of walking the streets, you find yourself in front of the familiar sight of the Golden Oak Library.
Feeling slightly nervous, you reach out and open the door to the library, where you immediately see Twilight looking up from a book to see who her guest is as you enter inside.

"Oh, hello Anon! It's nice to see you!" Twilight says in a cheerful tone.

"Hey there Twilight. Nice to see you too." You respond as you close the door behind you.

As you walk into the library, you take a brief moment to look around to see if anyone else is here. Thankfully, it appears to be just you and Twilight at the moment.

"Are you looking for something?" Twilight asks.

"No... I was actually hoping to speak with you for a little bit." You respond as you turn your attention to the purple unicorn.

"Oh! Of course! Did you come to continue our conversation from yesterday?" Twilight asks with a hint of excitement in her voice.

"No, actually... Is Spike around here?" You say.

"Spike's out helping Rarity with something at the moment, actually. Why do you ask? Is this about him?" Twilight asks you as she begins to look slightly worried.

"Oh no, not at all!" You reassure her. "I was just hoping to have a brief private conversation is all." You continue.

"I see... Well, I'm all ears Anon!" Twilight says as she places a bookmark in her book before setting it down, giving you her full attention.

You let out a sigh as you mentally prepare yourself to get this over with.
"Well, you see, it's about my boots..." You begin.

"Your boots?" Twilight says in a confused tone as she brings a forehoof up to her chin before gazing down at your boots, studying them carefully.
"What about your boots, Anon? I don't notice anything particularly different or unusual about them." She says as she looks back up at you.

"I fear that these boots don't have much life left in them, Twilight. I'm going to need a new pair made for me, except that there's two problems." You begin.
"The first problem is finding someone with the proper skills to make something like these, and the second problem being the material they're made from." You continue.

"I'm sure I can help you find somepony fit for the job, but why would the material it's made from be a problem?" Twilight asks.

"Because... My boots are mostly made from something called leather, Twilight. Does that exist in this world?" You answer.

You feel your heart sink as you watch Twilight visibly stiffen up at the mention of leather, followed by scrunching her nose and pinning her ears back slightly as she looks away from you.

"O-Oh... I... I see. Yes, I know what leather is, but it's certainly not something you're going to find here in Equestria. I've only heard of the Griffons producing small amounts in their homelands." She says.

Time feels like it slows to a crawl as an awkward silence fills the air between the two of you.

"I... I was hoping you might know of a different material that could be used instead of leather. Something similarly tough, durable and flexible." You say, breaking the silence.

"Something similar? Hmmmm..." Twilight muses as her features begin to soften.
"Maybe... Oh! I think know just the thing!" Twilight suddenly exclaims as she looks at you with a big smile.

"Really? What is it?" You ask.

"I can't remember the name of it off the top of my head, but I know that the Royal Guard makes extensive use of it in their armor and other gear. It should be similar enough to leather." Twilight answers.

"That's great! Do you have any ideas about who I should talk to about making me a pair of boots out of that stuff?" You say.

"I'll write a letter to my brother about it. He'll definitely know the right pony that can help you." Twilight says with pride.

"Ah, your brother... I remember you mentioning him before. He's in the Royal Guard, right?" You ask.

"Mhm! His name is Shining Armor." Twilight happily responds.

"Shining Armor..." You repeat to yourself. "Are you really okay doing all of that for me, Twilight? I don't want to be a big imposition to you and your brother." You add.

"Not at all! I understand that your feet need protecting. This is something that's important to you Anon, I'm more than happy to help with that." Twilight says reassuringly
"Besides, isn't that what friends are for?" She adds with a big smile.

"Yes, I suppose so." You say as you return the smile.
You take a calming deep breath as you feel your anxiety over the situation leaving.

"Now that we have that settled, did you want to talk about anything else, Anon? Or do you have things to do?" Twilight asks.

Pausing for a moment to think, you decide that it would be best to return home as quickly as possible in case Notaulix is having trouble.
"I would like to, but there's a few stops I need to make today. I also have a little visit to Sugarcube Corner planned." You respond.

"Okay then! I'll tell you more as soon as I hear back from Shining." Twilight says.

"Sounds good, and... Thank you for helping me, Twilight. I've been really worried about how you or any other pony would react over the subject of leather. I've been putting this off for a long time." You admit.

"Aww, it's no problem, Anon." Twilight begins as she walks up to you. "I admit that I was a bit shocked, but that doesn't affect how I view you." She gently says as she looks up at you.
"It would be really mean for anypony to think differently of you over something like that. Besides, Anon... You're my friend." She adds as she rears up onto her hind legs to give you a hug.

You can't help but smile at Twilight's gesture of kindness as the purple bookworm gently nuzzles against your belly, being careful not to poke you with her horn.
"Thanks, Twilight. I really appreciate it." You say as you gently scratch the mare behind her ears with your fingers, causing her to giggle softly.

"Hehehe! That feels nice..." Twilight says as she enjoys the scratches for several more seconds before lowering herself back onto all fours.
"I'll let you be on your way now. I hope the rest of your day goes well for you." She says.

"You too. I look forward to hearing what your brother has to say." You say as you make your way back over to the entrance, followed by opening the door.

"Bye Anon! Say hi to Pinkie for me!" You hear Twilight call out from behind you.

"Will do!" You call back as you turn to wave at the purple unicorn mare before stepping outside and closing the door behind you.

You feel like a weight has been lifted off of your shoulders now that you've finally spoken out about your boots. Especially since it sounds like an alternative to leather exists here.
As you take a moment to look around, you begin to ponder what to do next. Regardless of anything else, you need to stop at the marketplace before heading home.
Besides that, you also want to stop at Sugarcube Corner and pick up a treat for you and your changeling guest.
You begin to casually walk down the streets towards your next destination...

You soon find yourself among the many ponies buying and selling their goods at the marketplace.
After briefly checking what sort of produce is available today, you decide on making a vegetable scramble of sorts for dinner.
With a dinner plan in mind, you visit the various vendors and acquire what you think will be good for the scramble.

Being at the tail end of autumn, the variety of produce is dwindling, but thankfully there are still several late harvest choices available.
You pick out some peppers, tomatoes, carrots, a bundle of spinach, and a small eggplant.
You make some small talk along the way, and hear a little town gossip, though none of it is particularly interesting.
Having figured out dinner, you continue on and pick up more oats and other dry goods, a bit more than you would normally get considering you have an extra mouth to feed.

Eventually you finish your shopping and begin to move on for Sugarcube Corner. However, you pause when a particular vendor catches your attention.
Your gaze falls upon a mare selling a variety of saddlebags. Normally such a thing would have no interest to you, but a particular thought has crossed your mind...
You may have no use for a saddlebag, but Notaulix certainly would once he is healthy enough to venture out into the Everfree with you.
It would certainly simplify working together, as he would be able to carry whatever he finds himself without the need to stop and place it in your own pack.

As you stare at the saddlebags from a distance, you feel the desire to go and take a closer look at the selection, though a nagging thought in the back of your mind tells you that doing so may seem a bit strange.
It's obvious that you have little to no use for a saddlebag yourself. So why would you be buying one?
You can't help but imagine that you may very well be asked who you're buying one for, or perhaps if you've made a new friend. You wonder how you would answer that.

In the end, you decide to leave the saddlebags alone for now and instead continue on your way to Sugarcube Corner.
The wonderful aroma of freshly baked goods fills the air as you draw closer to your destination, making you hungry.
Soon enough, you find yourself at the origin of the delicious smells as you step up to the door and make your way inside. A ringing of a small bell announces your presence.

You are immediately greeted with the sound of several ponies speaking. Looking around, you see that it's fairly busy in here at the moment.
A number of ponies are gathered around little tables, enjoying some sweets and each others company. Several briefly pause to look at you before returning their attention back to their friends.

"Well, look who's here!" You hear the familiar voice of Mr. Cake say.

You look forward to see the friendly stallion smiling back at you from behind the main counter.
"Hey there Mr. Cake. It's looking pretty busy here today, huh?" You say to him as you walk up to the counter.

"Sure is! It's nice to have you drop by, Anon. What can I g-" Mr. Cake begins to say before being interrupted by the approaching noise of an excited Pinkie Pie.

"...do I hear Anon out there?" You hear Pinkie Pie's voice draw closer before seeing her head poke out from the kitchen, followed by an excited gasp when she notices you.

"Yay! Hiya Nonny!" Pinkie excitedly says as she comes bouncing out of the kitchen to see you.

You can't help but grin whenever Pinkie comes along. The amount of energy and enthusiasm the pink mare has never ceases to amaze you.
"Hi Pinkie! How are you doing today?" You ask her as she continues to happily bounce around you.

"Hehe, I'm doing great! I can't stay and chat though, I need to get back to helping Mrs. Cake! I just wanted to say hi while you're here... Even YOU have a sweet tooth sometimes, don'tcha?" She beams up at you.

"Yes. Yes I do... What do you recommend today? By the way, Twilight says hi." You say to her.

"Oh! Oh! Did you visit Twilight today? Hi Twilight!" Pinkie says before breaking into a momentary giggle fit.
"Hehehe... You should get some cookies Anon, we made all kinds of flavors today!" She continues.

"Some cookies, huh? That does sound good... Anyway, if you need to get back to helping, I won't keep you any longer than necessary. It was nice to see you, Pinkie." You say to her.

"Okie dokie! Enjoy those cookies, Nonny!" Pinkie says before bouncing back off into the kitchen.

After recovering from Pinkie's burst of energy, you turn your attention back to Mr. Cake who gives you a knowing smile.

"As I was saying... What can I get you today, Anon?" Mr. Cake says.

"Oh, uh... I'll definitely be getting some of those cookies, but could you give me a moment to look over what else is available today?" You ask him.

"Sure thing. Let me know when you're ready." Mr. Cake responds.

You take some time and look over the various goodies for sale today. Sure enough, there is a big plate stacked with mixed cookies of many different flavors.
You also see several cakes, pies, muffins, and pastries of assorted types, in addition to the many candies and chocolates that are available. You wonder what sort of things Notaulix might like.
Satisfied with a decision in mind, you get Mr. Cakes attention again, who eagerly awaits your order.

"Alright then, I'll have two chocolate chip cookies for starters, and two more of the ones with peanut butter. I'll also have an apple pie, please." You say to him.

"Gotcha, I'll have them ready in a moment." Mr. Cake says as he gets to work putting the cookies into a small paper bag and the pie into a box.

As he does so, you take the moment to reach into the bit bag on your belt and place the appropriate amount of bits onto the counter.

"Here you go Anon. Enjoy." Mr. Cake says as he places your goodies onto the counter before picking up the bits you placed.

"Will do." You answer, quickly putting the bag of cookies into your backpack and picking up the pie with both hands, as there is a mare waiting in line behind you.

With your pie in a box held firmly in both hands, you make your way back out of Sugarcube Corner and into the crisp autumn air outside in Ponyville.
Having accomplished everything you set out to do in town today, you begin the walk back to your home with a small sense of pride.

Comments

[Hazard Trishula]

I have this question in my head,
If male changeling transform into a mare, Have their genitals changed too to a female one?
I mean,
Are their transform more like only illusion or shape shifting one?

[TearingNose24]

As you've quickly learned from your time spent in this world, it seems like nearly every creature appears to be sentient to one degree or another, including the cows. Because of that, you have had a lingering fear in the back of your mind that a material like leather may be considered a big taboo to the ponies.

The word sentient in this context should be sapient instead.

[Morphy]

10917090

Pretty sure the common lore is changelings are genderfluid in that if they shapeshift to a mare, you can't tell the difference without an internal search-- the caveat being a very good infiltrator would also remember the internals as well making it even more difficult without something like xrays or bloodwork/dna sampling.

The TL;DR, they can shapeshift so well you couldn't tell the difference unless you were a doctor.