Plans
Kuno stared glumly into the mirror, batting at her bell, watching the way it rocked back and forth, its negligible weight barely permeable. Still, she couldn’t hear it.
A collection of books lay scattered about her, left where she had thrown them when she was done reading them. Some of them she had even read twice. But already, she was bored with that. She had always been a fast reader, and the collection of short stories had barely given her a few hours amusement. It was amazing how slowly time could pass when one had nothing to do.
Kuno had already tried to change her form once, and it had failed. The pain in her injured ears told her that they were nowhere near being fully healed yet, and that was a good sign, she felt. If her ears were still healing, then her hearing may yet return. The world was oddly bleak without noise. It was strange, she could still feel her heartbeat, and her breathing, but they made no sound.
The touch of a hoof at her shoulder made her jump, and she grit her teeth in surprise and dismay. She really needed to stop being snuck up on like that.
Turning, she found Warden standing behind her. For the first time since she had arrived, he wasn’t wearing his guard armor. Underneath the armor, he was actually rather handsome, in a very unkempt way. His mane and tail were messy, and he had a rough look that was appealing without being too intimidating. He was an all-over white, and his blue mane was just the right hue to really make him look stunning.
Kuno also noticed very quickly that his cutie mark was a trestle with vines growing up over it. Not the cutie mark one would expect from a Royal Guard. The changeling’s mind began to work, pondering on this new piece of information.
Why would a Royal Guard have a cutie mark that pertained to gardening of all things?
Slowly, the pieces clicked together in Kuno’s mind.
Warden’s unwillingness to harm her, or see her harmed through his own actions; not a trait that the Royal Guard was exactly famous for. His garden: neat, tended, perfect. His stew, apparently home-cooked. That fact that he lived at the base of the mountain and not in the barracks.
And then all the pieces neatly fit together in Kuno’s mind.
Warden was part of the reserve guard.
The Reserve Guard was a contingent of the Royal Guard Militia: normal ponies trained in the arts of war to be called to service in times of emergency and martial law. Having changelings running free in the populace definitely counted as an emergency. So, Warden, as part of the reserve guard, had been called to duty. But the pegasus lacked the conviction to follow through with his orders, resulting in Kuno’s current predicament. He couldn’t let her roam free, but if he gave her up to the royal guard, she would be executed.
Kuno was barely aware of Warden saying something to her, and she snapped back to reality with a blink. A piece of paper was thrust in front of her nose.
Dinner time
Making sure that Warden could see, she nodded, and then offered him her throat.
Without a pause, the pegasus clipped the tether onto her collar and then locked it in place. A tug at the collar urged her to follow him, and she fell in behind the pegasus, ears splayed back and a frown on her muzzle. She didn’t much like being led around like a mule or some kind of pack animal. It was demeaning.
In the back of her mind, Kuno was pondering her next move. Warden wasn’t a true Royal Guard. He was a weekend warrior. A part-time badass. Therefore, he would be more prone to mistakes, even though he hadn’t made any glaring mistakes in her captivity so far.
Once more, Kuno’s tether was clipped to the iron ring, and then locked into place by a second padlock. Examining the tether itself, she found that it was tightly wound nylon. It would take hours of work to fray a rope like that, not to mention a sharp surface.
The smell of food broke her out of her train of thought, and the changeling turned towards the table, her stomach rumbling. A half a loaf of bread and a bowl of stew was placed in front of her, and she fell to it with a ravenous hunger.
Hot mouthfuls of bread and stew filled Kuno’s mouth and belly, but didn’t even sate her appetite. It was like drinking a cup of water while hunger gnawed at your stomach. It was something, but it made the hunger hurt.
Are you okay?
Kuno barely registered the words on the notepad in front of her face, and she groggily shook her head to try and clear it of a sudden grey fog. She didn’t even recall falling to the floor, or passing out, or any of that. Warden was staring down at her, biting his bottom lip.
The changeling blinked heavily, and then tried to push herself to her hooves, wincing. Her body was refusing to listen to her, and she had barely the strength to rise.
A powerful hoof under her form helped her up, and she staggered in place as her balance failed her.
“I’m fine,” Kuno muttered, trying to push him away with a hoof, her aim misjudged, sending her crashing to the floor again. This time, she felt it. One of her already-injured wings folded under her and she gave a weak cry of pain, trying to squirm it free and straight again.
Powerful hooves wrapped around her midsection, and she squirmed against them futilely, before just allowing them to do what they would to her. Her head was swimming with hunger pangs that no normal food could sate, and each stab of need was like a knife in her side, being twisted and jerked side-to-side. Even breathing was beginning to hurt.
Kuno couldn’t help but wonder if this was what it felt like to die?
The changeling barely registered the fact that she was being carried somewhere. The tether at her neck was unclipped, though her collar remained with the heavy weight of the padlock swinging from it. She was carried through into a room she didn’t recognize, and set down gently on a soft, warm bed with felt covers.
Shifting feebly, Kuno tried to lift her head, only to have a hoof press her firmly back down. The hoof touched at her neck and her own hooves, as though searching for a pulse.
“B-base of the ears,” Kuno said thickly, automatically. Already, a hazy greyness was seeping into her vision.
The hoof moved to the base of her ears, where the chitin was soft and flexible, allowing her heartbeat to be permeable.
“I‘m fine...” Kuno murmured, trying to push herself to her hooves weakly. She would not allow this pony to see her weak. She was strong. If she was going to die of hunger, she was going to do it in a dignified fashion.
But somewhere in the back of her mind, Kuno knew that this was only the start. The hunger would get worse from here on out. She had at least a week of agony left to live.
“You are not fine!” a gruff voice said as though from a great distance, as the hoof held her down all the more firmly, placed over her shoulder so she couldn’t move.
The jingle of a bell, the muffled sounds of chitin and fur against the felt bedspread. Sounds flooded the changeling’s mind. She could hear again! Everything was muted, as though there were a pane of thick glass between her and the noises. But she could hear!
Kuno relaxed then, going limp and just laying there, splayed out on her side, wings in disarray, as the pegasus checked her over.
“Goddess! Why’d you have to show up in that bloody field?!” the pegasus growled, pulling back to stare at her, lips pursed and eyes narrowed.
Kuno didn’t look at Warden: didn’t give him any indication that she had heard his words. Instead, she focused on the rest of the room, peering at her surroundings without appearing to do so. It was a clean room, neat and tidy, with a few furnishings here and there. There was a bookcase on one wall, a cupboard with an old spring-wound alarm clock, a potted flower of the yellow variety, and a single photograph framed in silver. It showed a younger Warden and a yellow earth pony female, the two of them were smiling, and looked happy.
Warden caught her looking, and snapped the photo face-down with a scowl, growling in the back of his throat. “Just... stay here,” the pony said, waving a hoof in front of her nose to get her attention.
When Kuno looked up at him, he mouthed the words ‘stay here’ and pantomimed her remaining in place.
Despite the gnawing pain in her stomach, Kuno had to resist the urge to giggle.
The pegasus moved back to the kitchen, leaving her alone. The muffled sounds of him moving were barely audible to her healing ears, but she knew she didn’t have long.
Casting her gaze about and wracking her mind for what to do, Kuno used her dwindling strength to push herself to her hooves.
A quick step and a short hop allowed her to grip the dresser and pull it down with her weight.
The cupboard landed across her back as she fell under it, and she cried out in pain, whimpering and trying to crawl free. The alarm clock hit the floor and shattered loudly, sending cogs and springs scattering all over the place. The pot-plant likewise shattered, showering the floor with clods of dirt and bits of broken pottery. One of the drawers half-opened and an assortment of seed packets spilled out, adding to the mess.
Several long, long moments later, the cupboard was hefted off her, and powerful hooves once more lifted her from the floor.
“I’m fine... ‘m fine...” Kuno protested weakly, struggling and pushing at the pegasus’ chest feebly as best she could.
Once again, the changeling was deposited on the ground, and Warden scowled at her.
Warden left again, and Kuno didn’t move this time. By the time he came back from the kitchen with a fresh bowl of stew, trying his best to spoon-feed her, Kuno had already hidden the spring she had purloined. She held it tightly at the base of her wing, where the weight of her wing itself would keep it lodged in place, safe and sound until she needed it.
Stats
Page generated in 0.028 seconds
Total duration
1,068 users online
1,899,473 hits today, 2,004,447 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
My ass pulsated when I laid eyes on this story. Maybe that was just it being sore from the massive crap I took earlier, or it is a sign that this is going to be a good story.
I'm loving this story! Please continue
(Also, it was in the feature box)
The plot thickens
(not pun intended)
... ~yay~ Cunning prisoner is cunning! :3
"Permeable" means "able to be penetrated."
1609289 My entire life is a lie
I was sure it meant 'able to be felt'. Blech. Now what word have I had it mixed up with since FOREVER?
Ahhh, there it is. Palpable. Blech more!
Well, another good chapter, definitely explains little more about why Warden's keeping Kuno in his house, being a member of the Reserve Guard (something else possibly in your own headcanon?). Glad to see she's getting her hearing back, even if I'm a little confused as to why that is, all of a sudden. I mean, if she's getting weaker and not stronger and healing some of her more severe injuries by his love, as I had thought and said in my last review. Was confused to why she did the tumbling of the dresser if was just going to get trapped under it, but I see now...
Anyway, shall see where things unfold from this point on!
PS: Didn't fix the word you supposedly messed up in both cases, according to response above.
Edit: Nice to see Warden DID have a past love, though know it hasn't been confirmed yet if was a Changeling, assuming it even was.
For your second usage (taking her pulse), I'd go with "perceptible," rather than palpable.
ooooooohhhhhhhhhhhh my goooooooooooosssssssssshhhhhhhhhhh
I like this story
I've read better-but it aint bad. It's a cheap pretence, but I still want to read it. Keep it up.
Hmm... we demand to hear more.
Wow, she's dumb. I know changelings "don't have feelings", but you'd think she'd be happy not be dead. I guess a swift death might be preferable to agonizing pain, but still. This doesn't exactly make any sense, why wouldn't he just have taken her in, clearly something isn't clicking up top.
Now I have the urge to write a Changling story... already have too many story ideas floating around in my head. Your EVIL I say lol
Liking this story so far! Keep the chapters rolling.
Nice story! I like. I can tell this is going to be good.
1609491 Canonically whether or otherwise independent Changelings have a personality or not is never established so authors can have a lot of creative liberties with Changelings. Also, you try getting captured in enemy territory only to find yourself being lead around on leach by someone you don’t know anything about. Even if you would be killed otherwise it’s not exactly a situation you would want to stay in if you could avoid it. Add to the fact he’s obviously a physically capable male (he’s in the royal guard after all) and she’s a female who could take the form of anypony he desires and you have the set up for something rather dark, not that I think this story is going to do that of course. There’s also the slowly starving thing she could quickly fix with another trip to the hospital.
Hmmm... well I have to say I'm very intrigued and looking forward to your next updates!
1609808 Gimme two minutes!
1609701
It's not like she knows nothing about him at this point and he followed her suggestion on the collar, which ought to tell her something. It's clear that he did it because she suggested it. It seems decidedly not cunning not to be trying to get out. If she's hoping to convince him that she's harmless, then I'd say she's dumb. It's clear that he's not expecting violence or anything from her, but then maybe that thought only just occurred.
I wonder why this Changeling do not get better from at last little good emotions, like pity and kindness, I mean love is the most powerful sorce of power for changeling, but should not kindness be in a small portion food for tham as well ?
images5.fanpop.com/image/polls/988000/988707_1333219829104_full.png
Cranky is shocked and appalled dear sir!
great story!!!!
onto the next chapter! HUZZAH!
I might know why now he wanTed a changling
Liking the story a lot as the plot gets better and better.
Keep up the good work
1609190
That comment is among the top 10 funniest comments that I have read on this site
1609190 May I use this for some of the stories I really liked one day? This comment is funny enough for me to ask for permission to use instead of just copy and paste.
This is going to be really good.
Lost it here
Warden was part of the reserve guard.
The Reserve Guard was a contingent of the Royal Guard Militia: normal ponies trained in the arts of war to be called to service in times of emergency and martial law.
How does Kuno know all this?
1609190
denver.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw8461-Wtf.png
1610513
HUZZAH!!!
1633546
She is from a changling colony where they do the same things.
1609190
That's when you know it's gonna be a good one.
1656785 I think that the Changelings have to know a lot about ponies and stuff in order to be able to do there job of taking a ponies place.
't she just use her sharp curved Changeling horn to cut the rope with?
I like this story it is nice, i will continue reading
and then i shall the most important question ever
This is a great story! I know I'm kind of late in discovering it but its great all the same. Can't wait to read the rest.
Great worldbuilding here. I absolutely love the "reserve guard" idea, I'm probably going to headcanon that. And possibly use it. It's great!
You also have an interesting take on changelings. In my experience, the consensus is that changelings can eat pony food but that it doesn't do anything for them. Yet your metaphor to drinking water on an empty stomach is both relatable and a fascinating take on changeling biology. I like it! A good, creative story this one.
Obligatory "dun dun duuun" is obligatory.
oh, the rstriction of love...you named it perfectly! after all, Ebony is a changeling.
11,000th viewer exactly! Woo! I don't know why that's awesome but still - wooo!
1609190 my pinkie sense is tingling
3261652 nice trips.
1609815 lol for a second I thought Kuno was trying to commit suicide rather then to allow herself to waste away to death... but then I remembered that the whole reason I found this one was because I found the third instalment of the story of the series.
I'm back! Reading this for the 7th time while I wait for the next chapter of volume four!
You wouldn't believe the spoilers I have
I'm not mean though!
And here I hoped she would be a mute, that makes for very interesting scenarios.
4791930 ya but then it would be much harder to work out character development.
My Pinkie Sense is tingling, and there is gonna be a big boozy! It's this story!
Yay warden is showing love and he doesn't know it. Go kuno!! I've been reading these stories over and over and over, and I'm loving it more and more and more each time!
5841357 THEN DON'T SPOIL THE STORY FOR EVERYBODY (Even though I already read the series, but still)
That segment sounds like it be used in a more errrrr... mature story.