Veil of the City

by BlueyWaifu

Chapter 1

To any outsider of a city, or first time visitor to one, the most common initial impression is the striking visual of the skyline. The silhouette of dozens of structures that compete with one another to pierce the atmosphere is unlike any sight to behold in a typical rural area. To every city in Equestria, each reflected in its own geography and culture. Canterlot, with its foundation extending off the side of the Foal Mountains, spiraling towers, and common houses that permeate in the shadows of the more vertical spires. On the opposing end of Equestria, Las Pegasus sat atop the clouds. Each building didn't rival one another for dominance in height, rather, standing out with an appeal unique to it. Buildings there gave one another respectable breathing room, and didn't push into each other, rather vying for the attention of ponies on the clouds below.

Manehattan, however, was grounded. It appeared as if it were constructed with a foal's building blocks. Each building crowded together and attacked the heavens like a pack of sky-hungry timberwolves. The rest of the city sprawled out, covering the land with its smaller houses and complexes.

Though, Manehattan held what every other major Equestrian city didn't: familiarity.

That is, at least, how Faltic thought of it. After a night of getting away with his other two changeling scouts in the campgrounds established in the city's adjacent forest, he'd decided to trot back to the city rather than fly. The walk back wouldn't be long at all, but this time he'd be going back empty hooved. No more love subject to feed on, since his last one was leaving to Canterlot for royal guard training.

It wasn't until Faltic reached the halfway point in his trip back that he noticed the blocky silhouette of Manehattan's buildings looking black as the sun rose from behind them. It also wasn't until just then that he realized he was still his changeling self, and the closer he got to the city, the more he risked being seen.

After a brief stretch of his back and legs, a swirl of green fire enveloped Faltic for a split second. Once the fire dissipated, there stood a light blue earth pony stallion with a blond mane and tail. Cutie marks seemed so arbitrary to Faltic, so he went with a black question mark. With the dense population Manehattan holds, nopony would notice a new member joining in, as opposed to a smaller place like Ponyville.

Faltic started to enter the cityscape as he began passing two story cookie-cutter homes. It wasn't the most pleasant side of Manehattan. Chipped and cracked sidewalks, uneven and pothole ridden streets supplemented the rough nature of the pony folk who lived in the east side.

That's not to say they were all bad, but Faltic preferred not to get involved. Thankfully, it was early morning, so there was no chance of any inclusion.

What else wasn't all bad was the cold wind whipping the early morning air. Manehattan had never been known for being a warm place. The only other changeling Faltic knew of that would bring up the temperature was Klaven. Faltic always believed that he would grow up past his naïve state, and he still does, but it doesn't seem to be happening any time soon. Nonetheless, it was entertaining, and reminded him of when he first started scouting, so there was no reason to be a prune about it.

Restel was a different story. He was closer to Klaven for scouting, looking over him in ways. Faltic had known Restel just about his whole life, and found much comfort in having him around on scouting duty. As sentimental as it sounded, Restel would undoubtedly make fun of him for it.

The slow transition from cookie-cutter buildings and silence began, as Faltic saw his first signs of life. A carriage sped past on the road, and ponies started to appear frequently on the sidewalks in every direction. Those going to work, or wherever their business is. A densely populated city was perfect to blend in with. Everypony attended to themselves and their business, and other ponies that weren't involved passed through their vision like any piece of scenery. Up in the distant sky, the small colored dots of pegasi drifted in seemingly random directions.

Ah, but what was bad was that Faltic didn't have a love subject, and being up all night didn't quite help his hunger. It's no case of life or death of starvation, but it would be much preferred. Not really bad... more of an inconvenience.

The walk back to his hotel wouldn't be too much longer, and going back empty-hooved would just be a waste of time, so Faltic thought. Picking and acquiring a new love subject took about all the thought and effort equivalent of getting a fast food hayburger.

Amidst all the hustle and bustle of the morning Manehattan crowd, there was actually a pony just ahead of Faltic that was still, almost looking confused as her head swiveled from one direction to the next. Faltic approached her as he noted her visible appearance. She had a cream colored coat, and wore a black jacket with a matching black toboggan, which caused her light green mane to curtain down her forehead and neck, and a cutie mark that looked like a jigsaw piece. Faltic didn't approach her head on. Rather, standing facing toward the road and offering a half tilt of his head.

"You need some help finding somewhere?" Faltic offered. It wasn't a proper greeting, but...

"Ugh, yes. Nopony else is stopping to help. Could you point me in the direction of Eldergrove Street?"

...It ensured that she'd be spending at least a little time with him. A brief recollection of where Eldergrove was flashed in Faltic's mind. It was beyond his hotel, nearing downtown Manehattan. It wouldn't hurt to walk there and solidify getting a new love subject before going back.

Faltic finally turned his head to meet her own. "I'll do you one better, I'll walk you there." Faltic motioned with a sway of his body in the rough direction where they'd be going.

She initially jumped on the offer, but was rightfully hesitant. "I would really appreciate that, but are you sure? I wouldn't want to cut into your day so much."

The charity of one's time goes a long way for ponyfolk, Faltic had learned. "Not at all. I know the way, if you'd like to follow." He poised himself in the correct direction, which the cream colored mare trotted up next to him. "Absolutely!"

Faltic nodded, and led the way across the street's crosswalk. Downtown Manehattan stood tall in the near distance, and would only grow as they approached it. It wasn't but a moment of silence before a cold wind whipped through the air, and the warm clothed mare's face scrunched as she shivered. She looked over at Faltic wearing the same face. "C'mon, are you not cold?"

Faltic shook his head and puffed his chest. "Nope! I've adapted to it."

She blew a raspberry at him. "Pft, adapted. It's like, forty degrees and windy."

"Well the wind doesn't affect me. I'm far too aerodynamic for that." His ear twitched as it earned him a sarcastically scoffed laugh from the mare he was escorting. What also helped him not be cold was the now thin stream of friendly affection emanating from her. Nothing extremely filling yet, but enough to keep any changeling warm and stave off hunger. She decided to take the conversation in a new direction after that.

"Hey, you haven't told me your name yet."

Right, the non-changeling name. "Enthrall. You?"

"Well, really, thank you Enthrall. I'm Whimsy."

If Restel were here, he wouldn't hear the end of how cheesy small talk can become, and how much of it he was doing right now.

"No thanks needed, it's no hassle, really. We're actually getting pretty close. It's just a few more blocks up."

Ponies of all colors littered the sidewalks on either side of the street. Most of which passed in a haze as Faltic paid them no mind, and undoubtedly vice versa. Towering buildings lined up along the end of the sidewalk, and took the brunt of Faltic's attention for orienting himself. Which, one in particular, seemed to strike a chord for Faltic.

"Hey, you got time for a quick stop? At this corner there's a spot that has the best slushies and pretzels you'll find in Manehattan."

Whimsy looked as if she was considering it for just a moment, before agreeing happily to the offer. Faltic, having no need for bits, thankfully didn't leave the hotel empty hooved. Since Klaven is the only one of the three with a job, Faltic took it upon himself to reap a small reward from Klaven's last pay. In the same regard as using one's time to earn one's trust, bits can be used to the same effect.

********

Both Faltic and Whimsy sat outside the corner store on one of the few seats it had outside of it. Other ponies bustled past in ways that looked faster than when they were both moving with them.

It might've taken whatever few bits Faltic had on him to buy two slushies and two soft pretzels, but in securing an indefinite source of food, it was worth it. Plus, Restel does it all the time, and Faltic liked the blueberry flavor from this place. The soft pretzel however, remained untouched.

Faltic looked over at Whimsy, who, to Faltic's surprise, had already downed her strawberry one. Faltic looked at his own cup, not even halfway down, before looking back at her, where he met her looking at him sheepishly.

"Don't look at me like that, it was good!"

Faltic raised a hoof up in defense. "I didn't say anything yet! You really did inhale that thing though." Faltic put on a smug grin for her, which she huffed back and scrunched her nose.

"It smelled as good as it tasted, I had to."

That got Faltic to genuinely laugh briefly. Now was about as good a time as any to keep her a regular for his love bound hunger. After a moment of silence, Faltic dug in.

"So what're you up to at Eldergrove?" Eldergrove, from Faltic's memory, held some pretty fancy looking buildings. Most notably the first floors of such. Valet's stood at attendance outside some of them, so it was only correct to assume it wasn't the cheapest of places for a pony to have business in.

Whimsy idly looked around, shifting her head a little. "Oh it's nothing for me, I'm just meeting somepony there is all."

That answer was enough to make Faltic stop digging. Nonetheless, the conversation continued. "Right. Eldergrove just seems like a very fancy street. At least, a lot nicer than most of the areas around here."

She turned her attention back to Faltic. "Hah, that's the truth."

There was another moment of silence before she continued. "So, how close are we from here?"

Faltic tilted his head and pointed a hoof down the road. "You see that particularly brown looking building?" She followed his hoof point and nodded. "It's quite literally around that corner, we're practically at it."

She nodded again, and shifted in her seat to stand up. "Right. Not to cut this short or anything, but I should get going there."

Faltic could take the hint that her stating she had to get going, she'd be going by herself.

"Well it was my pleasure assisting you Whimsy."

Before she could respond with her farewell, Faltic spoke up again. "Hey, would you like to come back here sometime? Maybe we could start here and go somewhere else?"

Whimsy smiled brightly. "Oh absolutely! I bet you have more spots like this I wouldn't know about. Does tomorrow morning work?"

Faltic nodded, offering her a smile back. "Sure does, I'll be free."

"Good, I'll see you then, and thank you again!" With that, she turned and rejoined the sea of ponies flowing up and down the sidewalk in the direction he had pointed.

Eating right out of my hoof. Or... is it like taking candy from a foal? Or both? Faltic pondered for only a moment before he realized that she'd left her empty slushy cup on the table. No manners.

That, and he still hadn't finished his. On top of that, there was a whole soft pretzel still in its paper bag.

Restel or Klaven might want it. Faltic thought as he finished his own slushy. The sun looked to be around the crest of its path in the sky, signaling it was about noon. From where he was, the walk back to his hotel wouldn't take but about the same amount of time he'd spent escorting, and having a slushy with his newest love subject.

It was feeling like the right time to get back anyway. A small sense of fatigue suffused over him as he thought about the walk back. It was most likely since he had stayed up all of the night prior listening to his friends' stories and telling his own. That, or feeding on love can really hit like a carriage.

Faltic stood up, briefly stretching his legs. He orientated himself opposite of where he'd pointed out Whimsy, and became another pony in the herd of the sidewalk, leaving his empty cup behind as well.

Good. I've no manners either.

*****

The Pegasus Cloud Hotel wasn't unlike any of the other hotels that Manehattan had to offer. At least, the others in the area. The only notable thing that stood out were the exterior colors. The upper half of the establishment was red, while the lower half was purple. Odd, if you asked Faltic, but he didn't much care for that. Klaven had snagged a job working at the front counter here, and that managed to get them a room at the middle floor. Nothing bad, per se, but nothing luxurious.

As Faltic passed through the lobby, he didn't spot Klaven anywhere, so he was probably back in the room. A few flights of stairs later, and he was on the correct floor. Paisley's marked the carpeted floors that led him to his room, and...

Instead of bringing the card to get back inside, he brought a whole soft pretzel instead, so knocking would have to suffice.

The door opened less than a moment later. It only swung open enough for Faltic to be let in and shut the door behind him. Just in case somepony were to be walking by and look in, because if they did, they'd see what Faltic was greeted to: his two changeling friends strewn about the room. Klaven was sitting nicely on the chair next to the window that overlooked the street, reading a book, and Restel, laying with half of his body hanging off the bed with his head dangling near the floor. The gradient colors of his eyes flitted to Faltic as soon as he walked through the door. Restel was also the first to greet Faltic by turning to look at Klaven.

"Who's this guy?"

Klaven just looked up and shrugged. "Our cover's blown."

Faltic's face went flat before a quick wisp of a green blaze overtook him, and he reverted back to his natural changeling form. "Oh get over yourselves."

Faltic stretched before going over to the bed. He jumped up, and put a little extra power onto it, causing Restel to slip off from his suspended perch on the side of the bed, hitting the ground with an "Umf."

Restel quickly peeked over the edge of the bed. "You get over yourself."

Faltic was grinning at him. "Not my fault you fell off the bed. One less changeling jumping on the bed."

Restel spat a raspberry at Faltic as he stood back up, and noticed the whole soft pretzel Faltic had on him.

"I guess by the entire pretzel you're carrying, you didn't come back empty hooved?"

Faltic raised the pretzel in the air a little. "No. I brought a pretzel back.-" That got Klaven's attention. He'd set his book down and became attentive. Restel, however, sarcastically rolled his blue gradient eyes. "You know what I mean."

"I know I know-" Faltic turned and extended his hoof that held the pretzel for Klaven, which he gratefully took. "-I picked up this lost chick on the way back here. I walked her to where she needed to go and got that on the way."

"Where'd she need to go?" Klaven spoke, his mouth half full of soft pretzel.

"Get this: Eldergrove street," Faltic stated.

Both of Faltic's listeners recognized the street name, and perked up just a little.

"Really? That's interesting. That's a pretty pricey looking part of Manehattan," Restel chimed up.

Klaven jumped in on that comment as well. "Yeah, I've walked through it a couple times. Most ponies that have any business there don't even look at you."

Faltic was in just as much intrigue as the rest of them. "Right? But well, she said she had no business there, she was just 'meeting somepony.'"

"Ah-" Restel started. "-Guess we couldn't be so lucky. You should've gone with a less ugly disguise."

Faltic quickly bit at that in a knowing tone. "If I was going for somepony prettier or more handsome, I would've had no disguise at all."

"Inner beauty, that's deep," Klaven spoke from his chair.

There was a pause for silence, but not for long in any capacity as Restel cracked first and started to laugh. "Both of you shut up. That's stupid."

Klaven still wasn't done. "What's stupid was you mixing yellow and green on your last disguise. You've no eye for colors that go well together." Faltic nodded in agreement.

Restel dramatically lifted his head and heaved a sigh. "I hate it when you two book saps team up on me." Restel turned face and went for the door. "I'm going to the vending machine."

Both Faltic and Klaven piped up just after Restel flamed a disguise on his body, and before he could touch the door.

"Veggie straws."

"Salted hay fries."

Restel snapped his head back and glared. "Technically, both of you already ate. I don't want to hear it." With that, he disappeared behind the door as it clicked shut.

Klaven looked over to Faltic, with slight suspicion to his face. "If we can't feed on physical food, why does he buy it more than us?"

"He really likes those oat bars. Plus, Klaven, really?" Faltic motioned his hoof to point out the half eaten soft pretzel in Klaven's hoof. Klaven, raising it in defense, spoke sheepishly. "I see your point."

Faltic laid back on the bed, and it wasn't long until Restel came back in the room. After losing his disguise, he wordlessly tossed both Klaven and Faltic's snack requests to them.

Tomorrow would just be another scouting day for the trio. It'd been several months since they'd become stationed in Manehattan, and luckily, all together. The draft shows no mercy in those who it picks, and the luck of the draw was the only saving grace. But, nonetheless, it was a bit later in the day now, and Faltic just felt like sleeping. In the morning would be his next meeting with Whimsy.

The scouting job, like clockwork.

Comments

[Randompersononline134]

Just want to say I absolutely love this story, as well as you last one. Both really well written. Can’t wait to see the next chapter (side note out of curiosity do you take story requests?)

[Diamond Sparkle]

A good start. I look forward to more updates.

[Isuvyw]

Lovely opening. The chemistry between these three seems pretty chill and relaxed for pre-Thorax changelings -- and I definitely have a soft spot for that. I'd say that this story should be getting more attention!