The Cold Worsened
The Cold Worsened
Doppel lay on something relatively soft. He couldn't remember his cave ever being this comfortable. His thoughts changed as yesterday’s events came back to him. This isn’t the cave. I'm still at Fluttershy's house! He tried to open an eye to see what time it was, but the sun was too bright. It must be late if I can't even open an eye.
He felt hot. Very hot. Too hot. He wasn't used to sleep with blankets inside a room. He tried as much as he could to push them away with closed eyes, but didn’t notice they were already gone.
This would be so much easier if the room stopped spinning... The changeling felt his body and found his holes on his hooves. He should changed back during the night. Well, one more hour to sleep and then, I'll leave.
“Doppel, are you okay?” a worried voice asked.
The changeling painfully tried to open one eye again. Everything he saw was totally blurred and the entire room was spinning.
“What's wrong?” he drawled.
“It's already noon and you weren't awake. Your face is red, are you feeling Ok?” she continued.
Noon? I slept that much? Doppel tried to get up, but fell flatly on the ground. His hooves didn't carry him anymore and he found it difficult to breathe. What's happening to me?
“I thought you didn't feel well,” Fluttershy said helping him to get back in her bed.
“I think my cold’s gotten worse,” he admitted sheepishly. “Don't worry, I'll be leaving soon anyway. I don't want to take advantage of your kindness any more than I already have.”
He attempted to get up again, managing to stand, but he felt that his legs were wobbly. How long could he stay in this position? As he tried to take a step, he fell once again on the ground.
“You can't go anywhere in this state!” the pegasus said, putting him into bed again, before going downstairs to look for something. I'm trapped again in Fluttershy's house. If somepony finds out that I'm here she's going to have problems. Why does she insist on taking care of me? The pegasus came back with a ice bag. She put her hoof on the changeling's head before putting the ice.
“You're burning hot!” she exclaimed. “I don't know anything about changeling illnesses, so there’s not much I can help you with.”
“Don't... worry...” he answered, panting.
Suddenly, they heard somepony knock at the door, jumping at the same time before falling into a heavy silence fell, staring at each other.
“Oh no, it's my spa day with Rarity today!” she remembered. “What are we going to do?”
“Fluttershy dear, are you okay?” the fashionista asked through the door.
“Yes, I'm coming!” she lied.
She radiated worry now. She knew Doppel wasn't in state to be moved, and her friend was going to come in. She needed her meeting to be as short as possible. She hurried to the door to let Rarity enter.
“You took your time to open the door. Is something wrong?” she asked.
“One of my animals is very sick and I'm worried about him,” she answered, attempting to lie the least she could. It was true that in her room, there was a living being very sick, but he didn't look like a woodland critter.
“Oh the poor dear, can I see him?”
“Oh no! You might scare him and it would be bad for his recovery,” Fluttershy made up. “Not that you'll scare him, but I don't want to take any risks.”
“I understand completely!” responded the unicorn. “So, why don't we head for the spa then?”
Fluttershy hesitated a few seconds and finally said, “I think I prefer not going this time. I'm very worried about him. If that’s Ok with you of course.”
Rarity frowned for a moment, but dispelled it quickly. “No, of course it is. The health of your little friends are more important than a common spa appointment that can be postponed. I hope he'll recover soon.”
“I hope too.”
The unicorn headed for the door but stop just before the door. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
“No. I think I can handle this myself,” Fluttershy said, in a false confident tone.
“Well, feel free to call anytime if you need help for something. I should take my leave. I can't allow myself to bother you when your little friend needs care,” Rarity said before waving. “Ta ta!”
Fluttershy closed the door and quickly went upstairs, and as soon as she entered in her room, she sighed, looking at the changeling who was still panting.
“Is she... still here?” he asked, worried.
“No, she's gone.”
“I'm sorry. Because of me you have to hide and lie, even to your friends,” he lowered his head.
“Don't worry. The important thing is that you'll recover,” she assured. “Let me change your ice bag.”
She left the room with the bag with melted ice, leaving Doppel with his thoughts. Fluttershy, can you be a little more assertive? I'm a changeling and you're putting yourself in danger just to save me. He turned in the bed. But if she wasn't here, I'd be dead a long time. I'm not even sure if I can still transform. He tried to transform but failed miserably, only causing small flickers of green ember.
“I can't shape shift anymore!” he shouted out loud.
Fluttershy just entered the room with a new ice bag. She saw the changeling begin to panic, and rushed up to calm him down, putting the ice on his head. After a while, his panting stopped, and he looked at her, taking in her calm demeanor.
“How can you look so calm, even though you're so worried?” Doppel asked.
“I've always been worried... I've just learned to cope,” she continued to calm him down. “It doesn't matter if you can't change. Nopony knows you're here and I won't let anypony find you. All we need to do now is find out how to make you feel better.”
She looked after the changeling for hours, sitting there, powerless. She knew hundreds of medicines to give to the woodland critters, but knew nothing about changeling illnesses. All she could do was to lower the temperature.
“You need to go to the hospital,” she finally concluded.
“I can't...” Doppel replied, not getting that Fluttershy didn't really think to bring him there.
“I know we can't, but I can't do anything,” she admitted. “We'd need somepony who know about changeling illnesses more than I do.”
Camouflage and Mimic may know some things. But I'm not able to explain to her how to get them, and I'm not even sure that they could do anything anyway.
“I know maybe somepony who can help you!” she exclaimed before running to the door.
“Wait!” the changeling managed to cry out.
“Don't worry. I'm sure she can help you,” she reassured him, leaving the house.
--|-|--
Rainbow Dash had been wandering around Ponyville, staring at each pony that she passed to see if they had quirks they didn't usually have. The changeling hadn't reappeared since the last time she had seen it, and she even began to doubt if she really saw it at all.
She was so focused on somepony else, that she bumped into Derpy. The mailmare fell and all the letters in her saddlebags flew in the air. Dusting herself off, she stood up and began to pick up the mail.
“Sorry Derpy, I didn't see you,” Rainbow apologized. “You've got something for me?”
“Nope,” the wall-eyed pegasus replied.
“Weird... I'm supposed to receive my monthly magazine about the Wonderbolts today,” she wondered. “They’re never late.”
“I'm not the only mailmare in town,” Derpy explained. “Maybe Raindrops has it.”
She continued to pick up the remaining letters and put it in her saddlebags and prepared to leave.
“Alright, thanks,” she bid, taking off before immediately coming back. “Eh, by the way, did you see Lyra doing anything strange?”
“What do you mean? She's always a bit strange, talking about those humans...” the weather pony joked.
“No, I mean like sneezing or being suspicious.”
“The only strange thing I've seen today is you,” Rainbow worried. “Lyra is in perfect health and was eating with Bon-Bon at the restaurant today.”
“Never mind. Gotta go!”
As she left, Rainbow watched her with a questioning look.
“I know she really likes her job, but I can't remember the last time she took a holiday,” the cyan pegasus thought. “I think she needs to rest a little.”
--|-|--
Fluttershy stood in front of the Golden Oaks library. She was sure that Twilight could help Doppel. Several books had to be written about changelings and even if they weren't really numerous, it had to have one with changelings illnesses.
However as she stood there in front of the door, all the confidence that she bore vanished in a second. She had to reveal to Twilight that she was harboring a sick changeling at her house. She already had trouble convincing anypony for smaller favors, but for this, it was too much.
“Come on, Fluttershy! It's for Doppel! He'll never get better without me!” she asserted, giving her enough confidence to continue.
The effect was short lived, when she started to imagine every scenario in her head. The best best scenario, their friendship was broken and Doppel was put in jail, still sick and suffering.
“No, I can't think like that,” she proclaimed. “Twilight is a very comprehensive friend. I'm sure that won't stop her.”
She finally took a resolve to raise her hoof, knocking on the door, but it was so weak that she wondered if anypony even heard it. Apparently they had, since Twilight opened her door.
“Oh Fluttershy? You know, you don't have to knock to come in. We are in a library, you can enter as you want,” she joyfully said.
Spike went downstairs and noticed the pegasus. “Oh hi Fluttershy! It's been a long time since I've see you.”
“Twilight... er... I want to talk to you in private if it's possible,” Fluttershy whispered.
Spike rolled his eyes as Twilight gave him a look. “Fine, I'm going to go tidy up the second floor.”
The Spike gone, they sat on the cushions in the center of the room.
“What’s so important that even Spike can't hear it?” Twilight asked.
“Well... You see... One of my friends is very sick and I'd like to borrow a book on uncommon sickness and...” she started before being cut by the unicorn.
“I know nopony better than you to treat little animals. I've been under the impression that you know more than the books about it.”
“He's not really a wood critter,” the pegasus admitted.
“Well, why doesn't he go to the hospital?”
Fluttershy began to tremble slightly. Obviously Twilight was going to tell her to bring her friend to the hospital.
Seeing the pegasus distress, the unicorn added, “Well... I’m guessing he can't go to the hospital?”
“Yes... He can't really go,” the timid pony replied, happy to find a way to not reveal who Doppel was really.
“So, if I understand correctly, you want a book on uncommon illnesses to cure a friend who doesn't want to go in a hospital?” the librarian summed up.
“It seems strange being said like this, but yes.”
“Fluttershy, it's not that I don't want to let you borrow the book you need, but the time you read it, your friend’s just going to get worse.” Fluttershy made two or three step backwards, lowering her head. “I'm not a doctor, but I've read nearly all the books here,” Twilight continued, seeing her friend's disappointment. “I can take a look at your friend and see what I can do.”
For a moment, the pegasus was very pleased to hear that, until she realized what it meant. “Er... I can try to explain all of his symptoms,” she attempted. “So you don't have to leave the library unattended.”
“Don't worry Fluttershy, Spike can take care of the library while I'm not here.”
The yellow pegasus had ran out of ideas to prevent Twilight to go to her house. She had to tell Twilight now, before she jumped to conclusions.
“Before we go,” Fluttershy began, “I need to tell you something...”
“Yes? What is it?”
“My friend is a c.h..li...” she mumbled.
“Sorry didn’t quite catch that,” Twilight said, leaning in.
“He's a ch..g..ing..”
“Come again?”
“He’s a changeling!” Fluttershy ended up yelling.
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2511935
2516351
Now, the chapter four is correctly edited. I've put an unedited version by mistake.
Ah il nuovo capitolo e la presenza del nostro amico è stato rivelato all'elemento della magia, non so come andà a finire ma se le due non si sbigrano ad aiutarlo il nostro amico lascerà questa valle di lacrime per un mondo migliore.
And here comes the shitstorm of our time.
Chrysalis save Doppel.
Uh oh XD
2536062
Sorry, but I don't speak Italian. The only languages I understand are English and French.
2536905
Seeing that she doesn't want to meet him anymore, I'm not sure that could help him. Only Fluttershy can save him from his fate now. Maybe Doppel's friends, only if they can find him.
2536373
2537087
She had to tell the truth before Twilight meet him. If Twilight meets him, expecting to find a pony, she won't think twice and will shoot him directly. Now, Fluttershy can temper her down and hope the better
2537212 Yeah but all the same this isn't going to end well. Remember Twilight saw first hand what changelings could do to the ones you love, it'll be hard for her to put aside her past feelings.
2537212
Sorry but I don't good speak English and to write and use a translator.
However, I have said that if the ponies do not hurry to help the changeling that ends in the ground.
2537432
It's clear that Doppel won't get through this alone. However, it's not like he has a cardiac arrest either, so Fluttershy has the time to explain why Twilight should help Doppel (or at least convince her to not blast him directly).
NOOOOOO, CLIFHANGER.
The good thinks about short chapters is that clifhangers do not last long, the bad think about short chapters is that there are a lot of clifhangers we need to handle.
But seriously, how could you stop writing chapter in so important moment ?
2548617
This cliffhanger was there because at the moment I wrote this chapter, each chapter I had written was approximately 2000-2500 words. (Yeah, I know chapter 3 is longer, but in my first draft, some scenes didn't exist)
So when I saw that this chapter began to be longer than usual, I decided to cut it in half and write the other half as the sixth chapter.
Don't worry, the next chapter won't have that kind of cliffhanger.
Yeah. I reckon you would be.
its not cyan! i... think? rainbow aint my favorite pony. (i like changelings more lol)
Dun dun dun!
Oblivious Rainbow is oblivious.