The Ability to Trust Somepony
The Ability To Trust Somepony
“He’s a changeling!”
It was a full minute before Fluttershy whimpered, “I'm sorry.”
“That explains why Rainbow Dash was so convinced that she had seen a changeling...” Twilight remembered.
“He's very sick, and there’s nothing I can do! You have to help him!” the shy pony insisted.
“Help a changeling?” the unicorn scoffed. “After what they did in Canterlot, at the wedding?”
“He had nothing to do with them!” Fluttershy defended.
“How do you know? It's a changeling!” the librarian yelled.
Fluttershy remained speechless. She knew that Doppel didn't want to harm her or Ponyville. She felt tears forming in the corners of her eyes.
“Fluttershy...” Twilight said, a little calmer. “We can let a changeling plan an invasion like this. I know they can be very good actors. His illness might just be a ruse to infiltrate us. I don't want to take any risk.”
The silence fell again. The unicorn didn't know what to do now. In front of her stood one of her best friends on the verge of crying, but she was defending one of the creatures that brought chaos six months ago.
“He doesn't want to invade us. He's been here for more than a year. He changes himself into Lyra and steals a little love from Bon-Bon before going back to the Everfree Forest,” the pegasus explained.
“So you want me to save a changeling who, not only has already invaded, but steals from Bon-Bon?” Twilight asked incredulously.
“He’s never caused any trouble!” Her tone being more assertive. “Lyra and Bon-Bon aren’t any different. He’s even helped them when they had an argument to reconcile them.”
“Okay...Okay... He hasn't probably done something wrong until now. But how can you be sure that he won't do in the future, under the Queen's orders?” Twilight pressed.
“Doppel says he'll never obey her laws again, and he’d rather meet ponies undisguised than obey the queen again,” Fluttershy tried to defend his friend the more she could.
“Doppel?”
“It's his name...”
“But I read that the only changeling that has a name is the queen,” the unicorn retorted, searching now inside one of her books.
“That’s what he told me first, but when he became an outlaw, he gave himself a name, to assert his identity,” the pegasus continued.
“This doesn't make any sense! Why would a changeling reveal so much information while trying to invade us?” Twilight wondered. “I understand that he could just give out a little information just to trust him, but this... At this rate, he'll give up the way to invade their home. It'd be the worse double agent of the history of Equestria.”
Fluttershy couldn't help giggling at Twilight’s antics. The anger of the unicorn seemed to be replaced by the curiosity. She decided to use this to her advantage.
“He’s even tried to help me too. And that's why he was discovered by Rainbow,” she explained. The librarian stopped muttering to look at her. “By sneezing, he changed his form and hid at my house. Because of his sickness, he's stuck in my bed.”
“By sneezing? That sounds like just a cold.”
“I think he said something like that too,” she remembered.
“Fine. I think it's useless to talk like this. I need to see him. It'll be easier,” Twilight concluded, standing up and heading for the door.
Fluttershy blocked her way to the exit. “We can't see him like this. The poor dear will be afraid.”
“Fluttershy, it's for our own good, even for him.” she assured. “That, and it's you who came to ask for my help.”
The shy mare nodded and ended to follow Twilight who headed for her cottage.
--|-|--
Doppel lay in Fluttershy's bed, unable to get out of the bed or even transform. The white bunny perched on his chest, glaring. Stupid rodent. Taking advantage that I'm powerless. Despite his state, he could still feel the emotions radiated by the angry pet, hitting him like a cart. Jealousy.
While the week hadn’t gone as planned, Doppel thought that it could be worse. The worst creature he had to face until now was the stare of a white quick-tempered bunny. In the Hive, he wouldn’t even have one chance. Being weak and helpless was not what the queen wanted. He also thought about Camouflage and Mimic, still in the forest. If he had stayed out there with them, he wasn't sure that he would make it, even if he would entrust his life to his friends to defend him in this weakened state. Finally, Angel got bored at staring at the changeling, judging that he wasn’t worth his time, hopping down the stairs and out of sight.
At the same time, Doppel heard the door open. He didn't know what to make of it. Was this the coming of the so-called savior? Or was it the coming of the executioner who was being led to his death bed. He heard a loud voice that he didn’t recognize.
“Now, let see if he didn't run away while you came to get me.”
It's obvious that she doesn't trust me at all. I hope that Fluttershy’s convinced her enough to not try to kill me as soon as she sees me. The door opened and Doppel saw a lavender unicorn come in with the yellow pegasus. So the help is Celestia's protegee, Twilight Sparkle. The little sister of the groom who beat the Queen months ago. I'd say that it’s a fifty-fifty chance that she’ll try to kill me right away. Twilight's horn started to glow. The changeling tried to escape, but his hooves wouldn't respond. He just laid in the bed, powerless. This is how I die. A wave of light went through his body. Doppel shut his eyes to prepare himself for the pain. However, nothing happened. He opened his eyes to see that he was still in one piece.
“Yes, he's got a changeling cold,” the unicorn stated. "At least, he didn't fake one. But I'm still not sure that he didn't do it on purpose."
“What was that spell?” the sick changeling asked, with a weak voice.
“It's the spell I use to check if Spike is faking any illnesses to avoid chores," she explained. "I adapted it to work for changelings, after the invasion, to interrogate the remaining ones who didn't get blasted by Cadence and Shining. Their acting skills are so good that I had to check to see if they were faking it or if it was genuine.”
“You said he has a changeling cold,” Fluttershy worried. “Is this serious?”
“Not more than our cold, apart from the fact it causes them to lose the ability to transform correctly.” A doubt had taken the tone of the voice of the unicorn. “But here, we have a very serious case. That must be because of his fast that he forced himself.”
“Fast?” the pegasus was surprised.
“I might stay four, maybe five days without feeding upon love,” Doppel admitted, still weak. “I couldn't eat since I began my cold. The last time I had a chance to eat was when I visited Bon-Bon yesterday.”
Doppel was too weak to hide something now. It’s not like they can gain anything from that.
“Oh my!” were the only words that the pegasus could muster.
“Unfortunately, I can't do anything against this sickness,” the librarian explained, in a sorry tone. “It's the same cold as us, we can just wait the sickness to cure itself.”
“Is there a chance that he might not make it?” the shy mare worried.
“Fluttershy... I'm sorry but this is just a changeling. That’s just how nature works... And I won't be the one to mourn the loss of a changeling.”
At least, she's honest with this. I like it better like that. I’ve lived like a sick outlawed changeling for too long anyway. He sighed, closing his eyes. He breathed calmly. Knowing that nothing could be done calmed him. Why to worry if nothing will change? However, he noticed that a silence had descended on the room. Fluttershy seemed to be devastated by the news and stood stock still, staring at Twilight insistently, as if this was going to change Twilight’s mind.
“Okay, I’ll try something,” the unicorn finally blurted. “But I don't know what will happen because I’ve never tested it on another pony, let alone on a changeling, but don't get your hopes up too high.”
Her horn strongly glowed. Doppel felt his body being enveloped by Twilight's magic as he began floating slightly in the air. A bright light flashed through the room, throwing the unicorn against the wall as the changeling heavily fell back onto the bed. He could feel the changes in his health happening by the second, his strength returning to the point where he could stand, the room didn't spin anymore, and his mind was clearer.
“You cured me?” he asked, in a nearly euphoric tone.
“Not quite,” the librarian responded, having some trouble getting back on her hooves. “This is spell I usually use to help me during exams. It lets me reduce the effects of fatigue. So, roughly speaking, I reduced the severity of your illness but it's going to stay for a while. I'd say more than a week, maybe two. So, you're going to need to stay in bed for a while.” She paused and then continued in a happier tone, “But your life isn’t in danger anymore!”
“Oh thank you, thank you, Twilight!” Fluttershy exclaimed, hugging the unicorn.
“Th... thanks...” Doppel mumbled.
“But don't think that I trust you yet," The librarian replied. "You still need to earn it. You're in no condition to resist us if you lied about your good intentions.”
Doppel gulped. He couldn't help it. Maybe it was because his species was hated by the ponies or because Twilight really thought it, but the last sentences of the unicorn frightened him.
“But the questions come tomorrow. This spell was very exhausting. I'm going back home,” Twilight yawned.
Without saying goodbye, she trudged down the stairs and made her way home.
--|-|--
The night had fallen and Mimic had sat all day in the forest. He had fed enough the day before, maybe even too much, but Camouflage had found out that he hadn't been very discreet when he was searching for Doppel yesterday, so the female changeling had taken his place for the day. She even took the form of the wall-eyed pegasus that Mimic usually used. She couldn't transform into her usual pony because of Octavia who was always at home this time around, rehearsing for an important concert.
At the sound of rustling leaves, Mimic saw her fellow changeling coming through the usual entrance.
“How did it go?” Mimic asked.
“Good, I think...” Camouflage answered, with a pinch of doubt. “But something was bothering me. What was Derpy supposed to do today?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Because some ponies looked at me weird when I talked to them, and Rainbow Dash asked some strange questions.”
“Oh, she went to Manehattan for the holidays. She left two or three days ago and she's supposed to come back in a week...” he replied, just before being cut by Camouflage.
“You idiot!” she shouted, shaking her friend. “You said that I could take her form when you knew she was on holiday!? Are you trying to get us caught?”
She dropped Mimic and let go a sigh. She started to pace to and fro, mumbling. Finally she yelled incredulously before stalking back.
“I don't know which one of you is more dangerous. Doppel with his cold or you being,” she paused one second to find something relevant, “you!”
“Give me a break!” he countered. “It's not the first time that ponies found something strange about her. Do you remember the filly Derpy?”
“It was you?” she roared.
“Yes, and the time she got out of a well?”
“It was you again?”
“Yeah! In fact, I wasn't looking where I walked. And I'm sure that Pinkie told you that she saw Derpy in a snow globe.”
“How did you even...” she snapped.
“Wait, that time it wasn't me! But I still don't understand how she managed to do that...” he responded.
“If you're saying you're the one who destroyed the town hall, you're...”
“Have you found Doppel?” Mimic cut, finding that the arguing was leading nowhere.
“He's nowhere to be found,” she worried. “He been gone for two days now. I'll be surprised if he’s survived. The probability he kept his disguise with his cold in a pony's home is nearly nil.”
“And how are the ponies in town behaving?”
“They don't seem to be reacting. It's like they don't know anything,” she said. “He had to be caught in secret to avoid spreading fear through the population.”
“We’re in danger!” Mimic said fretfully. “Because of him, we’ll have to hide again!”
“We should ask Illusion if she knows anything.” Camouflage suggested. “Until then, I refuse to stay here starving because we’re at risk of being discovered. If your stupidity doesn’t get us in jail I suppose that we can stay here for a few more days.” She saw her friend nod. “And for pity's sake, don't shape shift into filly Derpy again, okay?”
--|-|--
Rainbow Dash finally made it back home after her long day of searching. She had wanted to warn Twilight that she didn't found any strange behavior from the ponies she saw today and that meant that the changeling is very good at hiding and could be anywhere, but when she checked in at the library, Spike was the only one there and he didn’t know when she would be back, so she decided to try again tomorrow.
She stopped to look at her mailbox, noticing a corner of some paper sticking out. When she took it out, she immediately recognized it as the magazine on Wonderbolts she had been expecting. So Derpy isn't the only mailmare in Ponyville. Seems normal but why they need two mailmares at the same time for a small town like this? Do they doubt Derpy that much?
Rainbow went to the sofa to read her magazine, but couldn’t concentrate on the pages. Her mind kept going back to Derpy’s odd appearance. Why am I so concerned about Derpy? Is she supposed to be somewhere? She tried to think for a few moments, but decided to ask Twilight when she saw her next, going back to the pages of her magazine. The first few pages were about the new stunts that the Wonderbolts accomplished these last days. After, there was the usual interview with one of the team. This time, it was about Soarin' and his love for pies, particularly the apple ones. The next pages caught Dash's attention. A tall red pegasus stallion with an orange mane stood in the center of the picture. The title of the article read, "I've Seen In Spitfire A Safe Investment of the Wonderbolts Ever Since I Started Training Her". What? He was the one who trained Spitfire back in flight school? My old coach a celebrity? How could that even be possible? She continued to read, grumbling from time to time.
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The situation is complicated! But I think eventually it will end badly, also instill the shapeshifters are caught between a rock, ponies who want to kill them, and the hammer, the queen and her soldiers, who takes them if I do not think he let them go and live integers.
Hm so how I wonder how this Rainbow Dash thing at the end will play out. Or is it just filler material?
Not the sister of the groom?
2595464
Clearly, for the moment, apart from Fluttershy, they aren't accepted neither by ponies, neither by their own race (or at least the Queen). Luckily for Doppel, his Queen and her people are far away from him. And from the ponies' side, only Fluttershy and Twilight know who he are really, and Rainbow who met him briefly.
2595847
It depends on what you call a filler. In fact, I wanted to show that Rainbow doesn't sit idly and actively searchs after the changeling she saw.
2598519
Now corrected ^^
Wow, thats cold from Twilight. Understandable but still very cold. At last she helped him a little bit.
Awesome story. Can't wait to read the rest
Kinda obvious
Ok does not have to be capitalized.
When I say "out of", you say "character". Out of!
Character!
Out of!
Character!
This isn't like Twilight at allllll!!!
That’s cold.
10175225
twillight should be punished