On Changeling Biology
"Oh, Echo... I... didn't expect to see you. I presume Chrysalis and Scootaloo are still in Canterlot?"
"Of course they are, but I couldn't just leave my friend hanging out here alone, could I?" Echo stepped into the library and dropped her disguise. "So, any progress?"
"Well, Rebound told me that female changelings are heavier because you have to bear the weight of the male when he mounts you for mating, but it turns out that was a lie, so I don't really know how much of the information he gave me other than that backed by empirical evidence can be trusted, but I've been lea-"
Echo clapped a hoof over Twilight's mouth, blushing. "I meant with the bizarre behavior of everyone in town."
"Oh." Twilight laughed nervously and blushed some more. "Of course. Of course you did, yes. Uh, no, no news. Sorry."
"That's okay." Echo sighed. "I expected as much."
"I'm thinking that -" Spike began to whack Twilight on the flank with the scroll he had received a few minutes ago. "- Spike, it's rude to interrupt."
"Twilight, it's URGENT from the PRINCESS."
"Okay, Spike, give it here, I'll read it in a minute." She took the scroll in her magic and plopped it on her back as Spike trudged off.
"Aren't you going to read that?"
"Not right away, it was probably just her trying to tell me you were about to arrive."
"Okay... well, do you need any help?"
"Yeah, sure. If you'd be so kind as to head to Ponyville Jail, maybe if you disguise yourself, you can figure out what's going on with Filthy Rich. I think Colgate is a good idea for a disguise. She seemed to be privy to a lot of his scheming."
"I agree." She changed in a flash. "Consider it done."
"Thank you, Echo. I eagerly await your report." As Echo left, Twilight unrolled the scroll.
My Faithful Student,
I am writing to inform you that as of about ten minutes prior to sending this message, Echo is en-route to Ponyville from the castle in Canterlot. Please prepare for her arrival.
Sincerely,
Princess Celestia
Twilight groaned. "Spiiike! I told you to bring me letters from the Princess AS SOON as they arrived!"
"I did, Twilight!"
"That's not possible. This says she left about ten minutes before it was sent, and it's at least an hour's ride to Canterlot. I don't like it when you lie to me Spike."
"I'm not lying!" The little dragon stared at his tail and rubbed his claws together.
Twilight groaned and stomped her hooves, unsatisfied by the Dragon's dishonesty. She turned and went back to the basement.
"Welcome back," Rebound said with a slight grumble, "what's next on the agenda?"
"Well, Rebound, given your more candid nature, I was hoping that you would be more receptive than your female counterparts to the discussion of the manner in which the antecedent generation's processes of meiosis coorelate to the expectant gender of the resulting generation; given your inherent ability to change your shape and even your basic genetic structure, I imagine the genetics of a changeling zygote are complicated at best."
Rebound gawked.
"Right," Twilight face-hoofed, "What I mean is... Chrysalis and Echo didn't want to talk about it, but I think you'll be a bit more willing. I was curious how changelings' offspring have their genders determined. Since you can change your sex at will, how does that affect reproduction?"
Rebound nodded slowly. "Well, first off, we can't change our sex at will. That's a myth. We can change our physical bodies, sure, but a male changeling can't produce eggs if he's impersonating a mare, and the same is true for the inverse."
"I see! So shapeshifting is a transmutation spell?"
"Not... quite. Transmutations are like... a hermit crab moving into a new shell. Changeling shapeshifting is more akin to remodeling a house. Just like remodeling a house, though, some things can't be changed. A house's support beam needs to stay in place, and a changeling's gender needs to remain concrete. I can pretend to be you, for example, but I can't go so far as to bear foals with your genetic structure -- or bear foals at all, for that matter."
Twilight blushed a bit again. "I see. Echo was able to give a blood transfusion to Scootaloo, though. She imitated her blood perfectly."
"Yes, well, they're both female, aren't they?" Rebound sat on the sofa.
"Ah. Yes. Okay, I see. One more question..." Twilight began to blush more before she sat down as well, and scooted a bit closer to Rebound.
"Go ahead..."
"How does... well, how does romance work between changelings?" She stared at him intently.
"To be honest, I never really understood that myself. It always looked to me like two changelings just decided they didn't hate each other, got together, had an egg, and moved on with their lives. I know we are capable of love, but ..."
"... yes?" She tilted her head.
"Well, the thing is that in order for one changeling to receive love from another, he has to give some from a finite reserve. So, it's a draining process. I've heard that a long time ago, when the hive was more prosperous, romance was actually very common, but with the famine... I think we just forgot it existed."
"That's... so sad..." Twilight mused solemnly. "Oh, Rebound, you poor thing."
He chuckled. "You act like I miss romance. I've never really known it, so how can I miss it?"
"Aren't you in the least bit curious?" She recoiled slightly.
"Nope, not really."
Twilight grunted a bit and picked up her parchment again, writing roughly.
"Twi," Rebound asked, cocking an eyebrow, "are you all right?"
"Of course, why wouldn't I be, what made you think I wasn't all right, do I not look all right to you or something?"
Rebound took a step back. "Okay. Geeze. Anything else your highness?"
"No."
"Okay. Oh, one more thing."
"What do you want?"
"You never told me who was at the door." Rebound ignored her suddenly curt demeanor.
"Believe it or not, that was Echo."
"I don't believe it."
"Believe it or not..." Twilight reiterated.
"No... you see, changelings have certain amounts of telepathic connection to one another. That gets exceptionally strong if we know that changeling. I know Echo. I've known her since we were both hatchlings. I lo--" He chokes on the word and shakes his head. "Just trust me. Echo isn't here."
"Then who did I just... If Spike is telling the truth... what in Equestria?"
Rebound jumped to his hooves. "There are only two answers. Either Echo is under some kind of mind-control spell -- which I highly doubt, knowing her -- or that was some other changeling pretending to be her."
Twilight ran upstairs as quickly as she could and stepped out the Library's front door. She looked around frantically, but saw nobody. "Stars help us..."
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.....shit.
3491189
Ah, skvetch, this goes not well at all.
3491196 Talking about the events in the story, or my writing?
Frankly, I could see either being what you're talking about at the moment.
woo... actual chapter updates again. Rebound just admitted to being involved romantically when he denied such an act like 2min prior? Interesting.
3491201 *Zips mouth shut*
TwillightXRebound eh ? TwilightXEcho/Chrysalis would be funnier... especially once Cadence learn about it. That would sure cause some interesting family dinners.
Anyway , glad to see you updating like crazy .
3491232 As previously stated, *zips mouth shut*
Maybe it's TwiBound, maybe it isn't. Wait and see.
Aww who am I kidding. Painfully obvious.
Or is it?
3491200
Unless I specify otherwise, my comments always have to do with events of the plot.
3491387 Mkay.
Gotta admit I'm self-conscious about my writing right now. Just got out of a pretty big writing-funk, so... yeah.
I'll get back in the swing. Thanks for reading!
Let's just hope this other bug doesn't know who Colgate is...
Could it be? Is Twiliy falling for a changeling?
Why is Twilight worried?? It didn't seem like she gave away any valuable information other then Chrysalis and Scootaloo being in Canterlot, which there isn't much the changeling can do about that.
3491670 They can kill Rich, hiding any evidence of magic control/impulse or anything. Make it look like he was the one behind it all, all on his own without any interference.
Shit mofuka!!
Twilight is a dick to baby dragons. She is CLEARLY in the wrong. Is Ponyville going to exolode, and she claims she ripped the tag off of a mattress? That would be pretty great.
shit has hit the fan.....again
Whoooooo-boy. Twi~light fucked~up!
Not if sure if is TwilightxRebound, or EchoxRebound.....
Saw it coming the moment the "ten minutes" thing came up between Spike and Twilight.
Wow, that was not the smoothest move there Twilight. Suspect Spike was being lazy not delivering and give a changeling info on the anti-changeling terrorist ringleader when you need that yourself. Though to be fair with the Spike thing he does do that kind of stuff alot.
good to see you writing again, i was starting to lose hope
and i now laugh at how the rebel changelings are planning some sort of assault
cause they gonna screw up somewhere and i will point and laugh at their failure
3498248 I love Luna, I really do. She's my favorite canon pony, next to our Queen, of course.
3508051 I almost lost hope myself! Writer's block and real life conspired against me in FORCE, but I have persevered! Even have a new story pending approval.
You said all I could say. 3491192
Oh snip, incoming love triangle..
Our pony / changeling herd...
Either works for me.
3496766
why not both ?
3540221 i like the way you think
3541973
i think i like that you like the way i think
3547124 i like that you think that you like that i like the way you think
and i can make this chain go on for hours just so you know
3554384
i like cheese.
3558184 as do i
i am tempted to write a review for the first, but i'm not sure. do you want one? if so, i can post it in the comments on Addaptation
3569553 A wild penis appears!
Finally caught up on this story.
imageshack.com/a/img33/5764/likethischapter.jpg
3900032 .....who the heck are you?
3978652 I am shred1894, but you should already know that.
I know you are Draconus.
I am just some changeling cuddler who knows and sees all. And I decided your comment chain deserved a wild 'phallus shape' to appear.
I love the interaction between Echo, Chrysalis, and Scootaloo, very cute. The family moments are great, but I wish Chrysalis wasn't such a bad influence on Scootaloo.
4015887 what does fear have to do with this?
Great chapter and poor luna xD. Also looks like twi looking for romance maybe lol
Soooooo.............new chapter soon?
4232018 Well, I'm happy to announce that I'm back.
Boy, I tell you, life is a bitch. Working on the next chapter now!
4258210 squee!!! Yay! Cant wait to read it.
These chapters are getting shorter and shorter.
Of course, Twilight not even stopping to think about the inconsistency between what the scroll says and what reality bore out is her holding the Idiot Ball again.