Kuno peered into Warden’s eyes, waving a hoof in front of his face. His pupils didn’t even shrink as the shadow of her hoof passed over them. He was completely under her control.
“Now, Warden. Tell me: why did you lock me up in the cell?” Kuno leaned forwards with a grin, batting at the bell on the collar around his neck.
“I needed to keep you contained. Keep you from hurting anypony,” Warden replied automatically, emotionlessly.
“And why didn’t you just kill me?” Kuno queried, raising a brow.
The pegasus paused then, as though thinking. “I... tried. When you were unconscious the first time. I just couldn’t. I’m not strong enough.”
“Physically or mentally?” Kuno asked, rather urgently checking herself over for any stab wounds she might have missed.
“Mentally,” Warden responded quietly. “I couldn’t do it.”
“And you couldn’t give me over to the guard because I would be executed, yes?”
“Correct.”
Kuno hummed thoughtfully, rubbing a hoof against her chin. Ambling off for a few moments, she returned with the framed photo from Warden’s room, holding it in front of the pegasus. “And who is this?”
“That was Swarm,” Warden said unhelpfully.
“And who was she?” Kuno reiterated.
“She was Swarm. Swarm was a pony.” Warden stared straight ahead, his eyes vacant.
Kuno growled softly in the back of her throat. Warden was fighting her magic, and she didn’t have the strength to redo a spell of that magnitude.
“Stop. Resisting.” The changeling pushed a hoof against the guard, annoyed. “Who was Swarm? What did she do, why was she important to you?”
“Swarm was a beekeeper... she made special honey sculptures. She was my wife.” Warden shook his head, struggling slightly against his bonds.
“Relax, Warden. You’re safe. You’re among friends,” Kuno soothed, gently touching her horn to his forehead again, allowing another trickle of her magic to muddle his mind.
The pegasus ceased his struggles, staring blankly ahead again.
Kuno shook her head, blinking several times to get rid of the fog greying her mind.
“You keep referring to her in the past tense... did she leave you?” Kuno queried, staring into his eyes.
Warden shook his head slowly. “She died.”
“Why did she die?”
“Because I’m weak. Because I failed her.” Warden spoke matter-of-factly, blunt.
“Explain it to me.” Kuno trailed a hoof soothingly through the pegasus’ mane again, humming reassuringly to keep him in a cooperative frame of mind.
“She was sick. Cancer. She needed me to get her medicine. I failed her. She died.”
Kuno gave a low growl, pushing at the pegasus. “Elaborate, or I’m going to zap you again.”
Warden shook his head blinking once and struggling faintly.
“Swarm was always there for me... Since we were foals. My parents raised me in Canterlot, and she was one of the cool foals. She was their cliques. I was ostracized because I was a pegasus and I wasn’t good at anything.
“She was always nice to me. Treated me like any other pony. The others treated me a lot worse. Picked on me. I was the only pegasus in the class. Even after we grew up, and went our separate ways, she was the only one from school who stayed in contact with me. I joined the guard, she perfected her honey sculptures. But she knew I wasn’t meant for the guard. She introduced me to growing plants. Helped me get my cutie mark.
“She made all the moves. Asked me on a date. Told me what to do to make her happy. And she was the one who proposed. We were married for barely a year when she got sick. We lived so far out of town that she refused to see the doctor. Wasn’t comfortable with them. I eventually forced her to see the doctor, and she was diagnosed with lung cancer. There was medicine that could be made, that could help her... but the grove where it was kept had been taken over by a pair of nesting manticore. They were violently territorial and protective of their young. And the herbs weren’t needed often enough for a detachment of royal guards to kill the manticores.
“Swarm was getting sicker... and sicker. I went after the herbs. But I was weak. It took me two days to muster up the courage to enter the grove, and even then, I narrowly escaped with my life. I guess I was lucky, because by the time I got back to the hospital, Swarm was already dead. I failed her, and she died.”
Kuno splayed her ears back as she listened to the pegasus’ story, frowning deeply.
“Elaborated enough for you?” the pegasus spat, glowering up at her.
Kuno blinked once, realising that her spell had failed.
“Just like I failed to keep you contained. Should have just turned you over to the guard and let you be executed. You’re just lucky you met with the weakest royal guard ever,” Warden growled, turning away from her, and then shook his head to try and clear it of the residual magic.
The changeling frowned at that, shaking her head, and then pulling the pegasus around to face her again, a hoof resting on his cheek, stopping him from turning away. “Empathy and sympathy are not traits to be ashamed of...”
“And yet you, who have neither, trumped me with ease,” Warden spat, gritting his teeth and pushing her hoof forcefully away so he could turn his head away from her. “Just... get it over with.”
“There is a lot about changelings that you do not know,” Kuno murmured, ears splaying back.
“I know enough,” the pegasus stated, “You steal love. You harm ponies. You didn’t deserve my sympathy. And you’re going to prove it when you kill me.”
“You are surprisingly uncaring of your own demise,” Kuno pointed out, to change the subject.
“What do I have to live for?” Warden growled, turning back to face her again, his eyes narrowing. “Everything in my life was given to me by Swarm. Ever since I was in school. She’s gone now, because I failed. I just grow my garden and do drills with the Reserve Guard to pay my bills. I have no life. And the one thing I tried to do, the one stupid fantasy I had of fixing you or making you civilized or whatever the hell I was thinking, failed utterly too! So if you’re not going to kill me, just leave!”
Kuno’s ears pinned back at the pegasus’ tirade, and she shrunk slightly, frowning. “You... wanted to civilize me?”
“I wanted to prove that just because you were born as a monster doesn’t mean you have to stay one. That, and I’m too weak to let you die at my hooves, even indirectly.” Warden snorted once, turning his head away from her again, his expression contemptuous.
“But... I’m not a monster,” Kuno protested quietly. “I’m just... a changeling.”
“A monster,” Warden spat in response, growling and gritting his teeth. “You steal love. Couldn’t you just earn it?”
“Earn it?” Kuno asked with an incredulous laugh. “Even the Royal Guard’s weakest member thinks we’re a race of monsters who are born evil.”
Warden growled at that, refusing to respond.
“And even when you couldn’t bring yourself to kill me, you still imprisoned me and sentenced me to a slow death,” Kuno stated with a contemptuous snort. “You are the monster.”
“What even happened to that, huh?” Warden asked, turning back to face her, struggling against his bonds. “What happened to you dying?”
“I guess you like me more than you’re letting on,” Kuno responded challengingly.
“I’ve always been bloody terrible at character judgements,” Warden accused with a snarl.
“So this is what we’ve degenerated to, huh?” Kuno asked, snorting once. “Exchanging barbed retorts?”
“I thought you were going to kill me!” Warden snarled, wiggling and squirming furiously to try and break free.
“I... I never intended to kill you. Well, maybe I entertained the idea of it while I was strangling you. An intrusive thought,” the changeling said dismissively.
Warden snorted once, braying in his anger. “Then leave!”
“No,” Kuno stated, shaking her head slowly. “I... I’ve already decided what I’m going to do.”
The pegasus stared up at her contemptuously, his eyes narrowing.
Kuno reached down, hoof moving towards his throat.
Warden turned his head, gritting his teeth and tensing his form.
The collar jingled as Kuno removed it: unlocking the padlock at the front and then undoing the collar itself, tugging it free and dropping it to the side. The ropes then basically fell free from the pegasus’ form.
Warden rose to his hooves, towering over the smaller changeling, and for a brief moment, Kuno was sure she’d made a mistake. But she was brave, and rose to her full height regardless, staring up at the pegasus. “I will prove to you that we are not monsters.”
“What does it even matter? Who even cares? What’s to even stop me from just killing you?” Warden growled.
Kuno gave a wry smile at that, eyes narrowing at the pegasus. “It matters to me. You don’t have to understand it. You just have to accept it. And as for what’s stopping you from killing me...” Kuno trailed off at that, before grinning and turning away, scooping up the collar and unlooping the padlock from it, tossing it to him.
Warden caught the padlock automatically, blinking down at it.
Kuno smiled smugly, “You’ve already proven to me that you lack the balls to go through with it.”
I'll admit... When I saw the changeling with a collar on in the picture I immediately thought 'CLOPFIC!'
1614719 I could make a 'lost chapter' sometime. For changeling-wearing-a-collar clop.
I get home and a new chapter avaits, almost in the time I go online. Awesome!
Keep up with the good work, I know many could've said this, but this story, the stlye of it, the different views, the roll of happenings, basically everything is perfect. The only thing I would ask to change is the length of a chapter - it's just not long enough!
1614741 But short chapters lets me post one a day
I guess I could try to increase the length... but I've noticed the time between chapters then increases massively.
1614727
I approve the idea!
>: )
1614727 yay!
1614745
Quality over quantity, but let's just say that you can make smaller chapters if you can keep up the one chapter daily.
1614719
Give it time.
Yah new chapter
Wooow, did not saw that comming, or meaby I did not expected it will turn out like that, but I like the idea where it is heading too.
Twilight would probably call it an intensive STUDING.
But yea, ponies in this story treat changelings terribly because they do not understand tham, and so they become monsters by treating changelings like monsters, so I quess it will be a good start to fix it.
Keep up with the good story.
1614746
I Second this motion.
Such an abrasive and self destructive mindset our guard friend has.
It ended better than I thought it would.
Very nicely written chapter, I eagerly await more in the future.
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New chapter? But there was a new chapter yesterday? And both of them were good....oh my godencrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRRgG6917pnE6p_q4xxrwBRce0ZtgVte-5tmtnVAkBxcNCKKNsT
1614331 Hmm Anonymous i have a question for you that's sort of spur of the moment (Aka i had a few and it jumped to mind), but here it goes what do you think would happen to a changeling if it consumed alcohol?
This is pretty good.
As a doctor and yes a degree from Tijuana still counts, I gotta go all Freudian on you based on your fics and say you have a fixation on aggressive powerful women. I could go further with this analysis (I won't), but suffice to say, I think you'd be into Margret Thatcher or Hilary Clinton.
>> I don't have a fixation with it... I just find them much more interesting than those quiet, salad-eating bitches.
Not to say that Fluttershy isn't goddamn adorable, or that she wouldn't be absolutely awesome to be in a romance with. But that's not exactly a turbulent relationship, isn't it? Drama with fluttershy is trying to get to first base. Drama with Kuno is that she'll eat your goddamn family.
Nice to see that cliffhanger from the last chapter didn't last long.
There's one thing I don't get though. Why did she need so much information about the Warden's wife? Why was she so determined to get this information? What would it do for her?
1614727 I too enjoy that idea.
1615048 Why not? She is a changeling, after all. Their modus operandi is to use the partner of the pony as a tool for getting love. If she knows who the pony is, and they're still alive, she could muddle his mind, pretend like she's Swarm, and 'return' for a visit, and leech love from him.
Plus it's convenient to the plot
1614972 'Ohhh, what's that? *hic* You really like Spitfire...? Yanno... I can change into any pony I want...'
1615140 Haha You know you would find it crazy funny. xD
Just read through this whole story and I really enjoyed it. It was fantastically put together and your style of writing, along with syntax and paragraph structure. The story is just really wonderful and I really look forward to seeing more!
Swarm... A perfect name for a wife! Feels like Kerrigan, lol :D
1614741 Ahem... That's what she said
1614719
you disgust me pervy pony!
1615277 I blame the internet! It corrupts people!
1615300
.......stay away from the clop fics group please......you should be fine within a week
1615356 But there are a couple of good fics that include clop
Goood :D Not so simple as you think reading first chapters, and without forced drama like "I am MONSTER I love PONY WHY OH CELESTIA LET ME CRY BIG DRAMATIC TEARS". She is changeling, he is pony, both have different morals and slightly prejusticed toward each other. Life goes on, and so their relationship, weird as it is. Good story.
1615202
1615403 I'm still 14 at heart, what can I say? Besides, I bet you laughed
1615371
this conversation, good sir, is over!
1615419
I did smirk, but then I thought about it and actually facepalmed.
Wait, how old are you?
nnnnnnnnnnnniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiicccccccccccceeeeeeeeeeeeeee
1615482 he is right you know. To love the moon is probably the best example, and you can even skip the chapters that contain the clop.
1615371 If you haven't read that I suggest you do.
1615499 I'm 26
1615510
didn't say he wasn't.....just warning him to stay away from the clop fics for a while........politicks sounds a lot like poly-ticks dont'cha think? poly as in many. Ticks as in blood sucking parasites!
1614727 No.
1609944 I agree. Maybe the changelings are biased on the other species: something they were taught as they grew up. Or maybe it's just a figure of speech that slipped in. I love it when changelings have personalities. And donkeys.
I love the one chapter a day deal!
It keeps the story fresh in my mind
Love this story
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1615140
Kuno barely had any magic to keep the interrogation up, and I don't think she likes the idea of pretending to be his dead wife seeing how much she despised him during the interrogation.
I know it was helpful for you to add convenience to the plot, but I think that's part of the problem. The convenience of it is more noticeable than the scene itself. If no one else is noticing that, then it could be just me. Just thought I'd give you a heads up on that though.
1619132 Or maybe Kuno has a hidden agenda of her own...
What about sentinel and raindrop gonna finish that story? I love this one to though.
1619140 Fer sure. I already know exactly what will happen next, I just gotta get around to actually writing it.
1614770
I feel like ponies think Changelings are evil because of their actions. In other words the changeling behave in fashion that seems evil. Calling them monsters might be going too far, but it's not like they are condemning them without cause.
1615394
I agree, somewhat. It is interesting and suspenseful in a way. There's this unresolved tension of a sort, and it's not clear why.
1619139
Ok, seriously?! Don't tell us she's low on magic and then pretend that she's not. A hidden agenda and/or manipulative behavior is one thing, Deus ex machina is another. (interesting origin of that phrase though, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deus_ex_machina).
I think you should consider rephrasing that, not sure degenerated is really the right word choice.
Oh and I hope you're not going to go full on changelings aren't changelings on us, but if you do it had better make a good story! Still, changelings ought to know the difference between emotions if they can sense them, and if they were observant enough and weren't too hive minded maybe come to their own conclusions about the worth of a given emotion.
1619429
Got the wrong end of the stick there bro. I'm saying that Kuno might have a hidden agenda as to why she was so interested in Warden's personal life and his previous relationships. Be it that she's just curious by nature, or because Warden is the first pony she's ever met who didn't want to kill her on account of what she is. And actually has begun to show affection for her even though he keeps her prisoner (hence her hearing returning. She's drawing energy from him.)
All the good ideas for a Changeling fic in one place. I especially like Kuno's... Edge. I dislike fics where the changeling main character happens to be a sweet little misunderstood puppy... Bleh, changelings oughtta be the meanest, baddest, most badass insect-things and any one of them should at the very least be dangerous and sly. Kuno got me thinking of a twisted version of Montecristo for a moment, or any other cool escapist character, and her almost choking Warden to death builds on how dangerous she can be.
Can't wait to see what's next, especially looking forward to Warden getting some stuff going for him. He may not have the balls to kill a changeling but it takes guts to challenge social convention and risk it all on trying to find goodness in a dark place.
Well, lots of backstory and sadness in this chapter, at least on Warden's part. Sucks what happened to his wife, but glad to see somepony use a human(?) disease in a pony story. I was recently thinking about something like that for a HiE fic idea had for the longest time, even though I may not do it. Definitely earns you some creativity points in my book. Glad to see my idea of his love for Kuno healing her ears (from previous chapter) wasn't too far off, if wasn't already intended to be done. dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/Pinkie_Pie_lolface.png Well, looking forward to seeing where their so-far already complex relationship goes next from here, now that they aren't at each other's throats practically! And seeing if Kuno gets found out by some other pony or some other complication, despite Warden's mention of having little of a life outside of the guard.
Moar please
1620377 https://docs.google.com/document/d/13kg9fcSw-_dsJV0PGKXAKSckDQmHbQdZKnP2gE9nyb4/edit