A thing or two about changelings and their habits saga

by Young discord

CHAPTER 3: (AKA: Sense and senility)

It has been a few days since Mark regained consciousness and by now he found out that he was in the "oh so happy town of Ponyville" where everything was perfect... no wonder Chrysalis decided to invade Equestria, out of all the lands possible... it was a shame that he had to leave as soon as he's up on his hooves, this place would have been perfect not only for him, but for any changeling.
Mark was getting better at a faster pace than expected ever since he took off with Pinkie, they pranked everypony who dared to come even close to Fluttershy's cottage which often resulted in Fluttershy telling them off (in a Fluttershy way of course) and even once she had to resort to her infamous "STARE" on the two pony jokers.
Every day was fun, and that was good... lots and lots of positive emotions as the town doctor would have said (when he made a house call to check up on Mark) but instead he just shrugged and told them that he doesn't know anything about changelings, he knows about baby ponies!
Just when Mark began to feel better, it was time for pinkie to go, and Rarity to stay over for a couple of days.
Mark bid farewell to his fresh friend (although "acquaintance" would be a better term given his current circumstances) and braced himself for the newcomer... he wondered which one of the girls it was going to be... he just hoped it wasn't going to be that marshmallow-coloured pony.
It was the Marshmallow-coloured pony.
It's not that Mark had anything against upper-class or bourgeois ponies, it's just that he always felt a bit uneasy in front of them because they gave off this sort of arrogant feel to them that put Mark off (there were also personal reasons).
This filly was no exception and on top of it all, she seemed strongly prejudiced against Mark to begin with, calling him a "rugged ruffian" and all, but Fluttershy asked him to give her a chance, so he obliged, not wanting to be in the line of fire of the "STARE" if he were to decline although he felt that this particular individual isn't going to be just marshmallow-coloured but also marshmallow-headed
Mark braced himself, this is going to be one heck of a day.

"Fluttershy, dear, would you be a darling and help me with these few... luggages?"
Fluttershy agreed without putting up a fight as usual but seeing her resentment, Mark decided to intervene and help in her place, after all it was just a pair of luggages, totally not a big deal.
Mark tried to take the two luggages but as soon as he reached out towards them, he was slapped on his hooves by Rarity who snapped at him:

"Hands off! i don't need the likes of you to show me pity!"
Mark was confused, why would she say that? it's not like there's a mountain of luggages

"I'm only trying to help here"

"It's OK Rarity, i trust Mark, he's a very nice and polite changeling if you give him a chance..."
Mark blushed, it's the first time someone complemented his real self.

"If you say so Fluttershy, but i will be watching you!" snapped Rarity as she walked into the cottage leaving the door open, revealing what at first Mark though was the Equestrian mountain range but soon realized that it was the rest of the luggage on a few carts.
This is going to be a long day all right thought Mark, but he's been through harder times and being a changeling told him that life wasn't easy for some ponies.
After a minute or fifty Mark managed to move all the things inside and what was it with all those rolls of fabric and those mannequins? it was hard to admit it but maybe this filly was crazier than Pinkie.
Mark gathered all his strength (all his mental strength that is, those luggages killed the rest of any energy that might have been left in him)

"If you were so kind to grace me with the opportunity to become more closely acquainted with you, I would me most obliged"
Rarity turned around to look at Mark, she did not expect that and just stood there looking at him dumbstruck with an open mouth.

"Is something the matter, dear?" asked Mark
Rarity still needed a moment to process what she just heard... a few moments later her pupils focused back on Mark, (it's almost like she reset like some sort of computing machine) and she began to talk as if nothing ever happened

"I am sorry for that Mark, you simply surprised me, I was not aware that someone of your..."
Rarity paused for a moment trying to find the right synonym that would not offend Mark

"origin would be so well educated" Rarity's statement was quickly followed by a brief laugh, it was that kind of laugh that said "well... this is awkward".

"No matter, such incidents occur to all of us"

"Well, I must say I am most pleasantly surprised with this and I DO apologize for my unsightly behaviour towards you, it was most uncalled for... as for the acquainting, It shall have to wait i'm afraid, I have a contract with the Canterlot guards for a dozen outfits that i have to finish by this week, and I'm afraid that I shall be busy for the time..."

"Outfits for Canterlot? may this be related to the upcoming ball at the Canterlot gardens by any chance?"

"You know of the ball?"

"Why of course I know of the ball, anyone who is anyone, shall be there, the creme de la creme..." Mark came closer to Rarity and whispered to her: "rumors say that a new talent shall attend the ball, she is quite the virtuoso from what I heard, plays the chello, perhaps you heard of her, Octavia?"
Rarity gasped in delight

"You even know the gossip! I think we are going to get along just fine..."
Rarity paused for a moment

"May I ask you a question?"

"By all means, please do"

"At first glance, you seem to be a ruffian, however you clearly have a sophisticated culture, why?"

"I'm sorry, I don't quite understand the question"

"Why act like common folk if you are clearly someone of a higher status?'
Mark wasn't sure if he wanted to give her an answer for that question

"A number of reasons i'll say, one of them is simply because it is easier and less straining to be of common folk nature, not to mention that there are fewer expectations when you act like common folk which gives me a sense of freedom, although there is also... a personal reason why I choose the latter"

"Oh, I see"
Any trace of small talk that was still left, disappeared to be replaced with a strong sense of awkwardness among the two for a second time

"Oh! would you look at the time" started Rarity at an attempt to save face in front of Mark

"well, these clothes won't make themselves!" said Rarity whilst pretending to be busy with all sorts of pointless tasks like tilting the mannequins back by an insignificant amount or pretending to look for something that was obviously in plain sight.
For the next few days the two did not talk much among each other, most of the time Rarity spent on preparing the outfits... and Mark had to admit, she sure had a sense of style, if he ever wanted to order some fancy clothing he sure would ask her to make it.
After about 2 days, the fashionista managed to complete her masterpieces, then she flunked on the sofa (the sofa she brought from her house that is) with a sense of relief.
Mark approached the delicate thing

"I see you have finished the outfits, truly impressive... I have never come across of somepony with such passion for their work, truly astounding not to mention the results of your work"

"Thank you Mark that's very kind of you"

"Not a problem"
They finally had some time to get to know each other better

"I may come as rude but I simply MUST know where you learned to behave in such a great manner"
Mark somehow saw this coming, after all, such ponies were known to be nosy... well he might as well tell her

"When I was young, My mother was very strict about me and my brother's education and mannerisms, she believed that Changelings are better than any other pony and that we should act as the royal kind for which we are, personally I always disagreed with her viewpoints, but I was just a little pony back then so I had no choice but to listen to my mother, whenever we rebelled as she would say, we would be severely punished"

"I'm sorry, I had no idea, I should not have asked"

"No, it's OK, perhaps it is time it told someone... our mother used to teach us how to walk in the right manner by putting books on our heads, the same would apply to sitting upright during social events, whenever we would drop the books we would be grounded for the day"

"That sounds barbaric!"

"That is why I dislike acting in such away, and do not do so when given the choice, for all my life I have associated the upper-class with my strict mother"
Rarity felt stupid and embarrassed, she had no idea this meant so much to Mark, perhaps not all changelings are so bad

"You can act in any way you please in front of me if that helps"

"Are you sure?"

"Why yes, of course, you may act like common folk but now i know about your sophisticated nature, do not worry yourself with the details dear..."
Mark relaxed

"PHEW! that's a relief! thanks Rarity! it's good to know that I don't have to act all snobby all of the time"

"Uhm... Not a problem"
Mark just noticed his mistake

"I'm sorry I didn't mean it that way"

"It's OK, I understand, with your mother and all, if it were ME I would have felt the same"

"Really? actually you never really told me anything about yourself"
The two ponies opened up to each other and chatted for hours, enjoying each other's company, Mark discovered that Rarity was from a humble common folk family but she always wanted to be in the splendor and glamour of the ponies "up there" in Canterlot, that she had a big thing for fashion (although he kinda guessed that by now) and that she's a hardworking pony.
Rarity found out that Mark in the past would often change into somepony from the upper class much to his disdain, so he knew a lot about what is going on, among the "big fish" (after all, Mark was a changeling), she also discovered a kind side to him, one she did not expect to find in a changeling.
After some gossiping and an exchange of fashion views, they noticed it was dark already so they decided to reluctantly finish their little tête-à-tête and get some rest to be ready for a brand new day tomorrow.

"Three down, three to go" whispered Mark to himself in a somewhat triumphant tone as he was slowly lulled to sleep by the song of the leaves from the nearby everfree forest.

---

Mark looked around, he wasn't in the cottage anymore... he was in someplace on a field... it was snowing, ice cold, everything was white except for a dark rock in the middle.
The rock moved slightly.
Mark came closer to inspect the rock.
That was no rock, it was none other than his changeling queen Chrysalis, nearly lifeless, desperately trying to cling on to life.
It just occurred to Mark, he was fine but what about everypony else, what about his family, what about his beloved queen? sure he got lucky with Fluttershy coming along at the right time but what about the rest? somehow he doubted everypony in Equestria would be so kind as to take care of a changeling lying on the road.
Mark panicked.

"Oh god, oh god, oh god, how could I forget? I need to do something, I need to find them! I could be the last living changeling in this world!, no! it can't end like this!, I refuse! NO!"
Mark was so determined that he woke up instantly and sat upright, shocked at the sudden realization, his kind was dying and he might be the only one that could help, but how? changelings don't exactly keep contact with each other, they don't even make friends among themselves (mostly because it was a bad idea to do so), some changelings might know where their family members live at best (although as you have guessed by now, mark wasn't too keen on keeping in touch with his family) and even if Mark knew where his family members lived it would have been useless because they were scattered all over Equestria after that Canterlot incident so they could be anywhere for all he knew...
This was not good but Mark wasn't about to give up, if he learned something from his queen is that he had a duty towards his kind, and he will make this right or he'll die or even vanish trying! as soon as he comes up with a plan, he's outta here.
Mark thought of his three friends, his three only friends that he ever had, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie... he really wanted to stay, this place was wonderful and perhaps he might even be allowed to live here, by Himself if he were to stay and try to get along with the rest.
The singing of the leaves and silence of the night was broken by quiet sobbing of a soul standing on a crossroad, one road granting him friendship and acceptance of the ones that hated his species so much in the past, but making him the one, last wondering sould of his kind on this earth, and the other road granting him the safety and survival of his kind but destroying the only friendhship he ever had with the ones he was beginning to care for so much.

The sun or the moon, only one could be chosen and the choice was his to make.

Comments

[Perteks]

Few colors were mistaken

[Young discord]

there, fixed it

[kamil]

Yellow text on white... not gonna happen. The colored text is completely unnecessary in a well-written story and only makes it harder to read.

[Razzy]

Save Chryssie, Mark!