Chapter 2: Wide wide world
Chapter 2:
She will go on a quest meeting her father. She wanted to get to know the pony her mother loves that much, even if he doesn't want to see her.
She had made up her mind, nothing would have ever changed her decision. She would skip school today to have time to pack things she will need for the journey. She sprung out of bed and waited till all of her siblings went out for school or whatever they were doing all day long. As expected no one came looking for her or asking why she didn't leave for school. When the house was empty and her mother in her office to do her job, Eva sneaked into the kitchen to get some food. She even managed to find an old tent without moth holes which was used in the times when changelings roamed the world. She packed everything she needed in her saddlebag and wrote a short note leaving it on her bed if someone actually does care about her whereabouts. After she had prepared herself and geared up she left the house. She hid herself from other changelings next to a small grove near her school and waited for class to end. She planned to visit her teacher once more before she leaves this place.
After several hours she saw her classmates leaving the school. She waited for some more minutes just to be sure that Mr. Midnight was alone, then she sneaked inside the school. Mr. Midnight sat behind his teacher's desk correcting tests her classmates had to write today.
"So you came once more-" he said without looking up. Eva wondered if she had made that much noise so he was able to notice her.
"So you are leaving, trying to find your father, eh? I thought you would do something like this. I won't hold you back but there is one thing I need to know-" he said while scribbling something onto the quiz of one of her classmates.
"Are you sure you want to go? Are you really that serious about it? Know that such a journey is quite dangerous and I wouldn't be surprised if the Equestrian border was protected by some kind of changeling-detection spell. Again I ask you: Are you aware of the risks?" he asked her finally looking up and staring directly into her green eyes.
"Yes, Mr. Midnight I made up my mind. I will find my father and tell him that I exist. I won't care if he sends me away afterwards." She put all her willpower in her reply.
Without another word he held a rolled up piece of paper to her.
"That's my map of Equestria. You may need it to reach Canterlot."
Eva inspected the wall behind him and saw a clean space where the map used to hang.
"May I ask you for a favor?" he asked her still staring in her eyes.
"Sure- what is it?"
"If you actually manage to reach Canterlot could you find out if Sunray is still alive? It will be enough to know if or if not he had a good life."
"I'll try- Thank you for the map, Mr. Midnight. Thank you for everything."
She put the rolled up map into her saddlebag and hugged her teacher teary-eyed.
"Have a safe journey and come back here well," he said then sat down continuing his work.
Eva gulped, nodded then left the building. She left her school and walked towards the exit of the village. Since it was surrounded by mountains there was only one exit she could use.
But before she left the city a shadow jumped out of a nearby bush and stepped in her way.
"So you are leaving without saying goodbye to your best friend?" the shadow said, insulted.
"Regard- I-I- how do you know?" Eva asked surprised after she recognized her friend.
"Do you know me so little? Well I do know you, Evasion. I know that all this wondering about your origin made you ask Mr. Midnight for advice. I did wait quite a long time in front of the school, even though you told me not to, yesterday. I left after about an hour of waiting. I saw you going home late at night, when my job at the orchard was done. You seemed quite confused and shocked. I had no doubt that Mr. Midnight told you who your father is. Then you skipped school today. You never skipped school before, because you love to learn. All of this left only one conclusion: you were preparing to leave this place, weren't you?" he looked in her eyes with a vacant face.
Eva looked on the ground with her cheeks burning in shame.
"I knew it." He told her with a calm apathetic voice.
"Listen I won't stop you nor will I preach to you. I am just disappointed that you didn't speak with me. Heck, you would have left without saying goodbye. Maybe I will never see you again!" Now his voice had changed to a sad and furious tone. She could tell how much she hurt him deep inside.
"Regard- I am sorry- I-" she started.
"It's too late for explanations. Go-" he interrupted her harshly.
"Regard-" she saw the tears in his eyes. She wanted to apologize and give him a hug.
"Just GO ALREADY!" he shouted in her face then turned away to run back to the village not looking back once.
Eva stared at him running away from her until he was out of sight. Salty drops hit the sandy ground beneath her head forming two puddles in the dirt.
"Regard- I am so sorry. How could I forget about you- I am sorry- " she whispered to herself.
After standing there staring in the direction Regard had vanished for a while, she turned around and started walking.
The weather was warm and sunny, only a few small clouds covered the sky and were barely enough to prevent the sun from making it a beautiful day. The village she used to live in was built into a valley in the mountains so she had to walk through rocky steep terrain. Although the day was quite beautiful a playful gust of wind kept swiping through her mane letting it steam behind her head like a blue flag.
At nightfall she set up her tent and spent the night next to a steep face that gave her little tent some protection against the now cold howling wind, which took over during the night. The next day after having breakfast and walking for some time through a hilly area she reached the edge of a forest.
It was a mixed forest, with different kind of trees and diverse plant life looking quite beautiful in the sunlight. Although the thick and tall trees blocked some of the sunlight, it was still bright enough to follow the path easily. Eva inhaled the prominent scent of pine needles and tree gum that had surrounded her by stepping into the forest. The creaking of tree needles and small sticks accompanied the damped sound her hooves caused on the moss-grown ground. The trees also blocked out any stream of air that wanted to play with her mane again. After walking for several hours she stopped to take a rest.
There was a river nearby so Eva had a sip and refilled her water bottle, then sat down next to the riverside. She unwrapped her hay-sandwich and unrolled the map she got from Mr. Midnight. While munching her sandwich she found out that she was on the right track. She couldn't explain it but the path felt just right to her. It was like an invisible strong magnet pulling her towards her destination. She also noticed that the river she sat next to, streamed into the same direction she was supposed to travel, so she decided to stick to its edge a bit longer.
Still chewing on her sandwich she heard a deep menacing growl next to her in the bushes. Eva quickly looked around to spot the source of the noise and discovered a pair of yellow glowing eyes in the nearby shadows. Then a pack of three wolf-like creatures jumped out of the thorny shrubs right before the startled changeling. The wolf's coat was brown colored and its body seemed to be made of sticks and branches. The whole creatures were made of wood she realized. Timberwolves. Eva backed off, remembering her biology class about the Timberwolves. Mr. Midnight taught her, that although they are quite quick, durable and deadly especially when attacking in packs, deep down the Timberwolves are cowards. Remembering this fact she knew what to do.
"I need to change into something big and strong," she thought to herself. She imagined a picture of a big aggressive looking bear in her mind and swooped into that image.
Surprised the wolves stopped coming nearer looking at the scenery confused. They didn't quite understand why their delicious looking prey swapped places with a blue haired bear. However they seemed to know that her disguise was fake so they started to draw closer again, trying to encircle her.
As a changeling you may can change into the form of any living being but you are still a disguised changeling. Even in that form you won't adopt the strength, quickness or other specific traits the form normally possesses. For example changing into a spider won't allow you to produce silk webs and you can't spit poison when turning into a snake. In this particular situation Eva knew that she wouldn't stand a chance against three attacking Timberwolves, even in her bear-form since her strength had remained the same.
"Oh crap, they know- I need to act more terrifying!" Still in bear-form Eva pranced on her hind legs growled and slashed with her claws like a shadow-boxer. The wolves stopped for a moment but then continued to approach, unimpressed. It seemed like they have taken down a bear like her before several times.
"I need to get bigger!" Eva concentrated and the bear-form slowly began to grow.
"More - bigger!" she screamed in her mind focusing even harder. Once again the pack of wolves stopped looking at their prey puzzled. Not only changed a delicious meat-bag into a bear, the bear even started to grow getting much more feral. That was quite new for them, because normally bears don't act like that, at least those they have met before. Two of the wolves took a step back but the third one yelped barking sounds that seemed to encourage his more timid companions.
"Oh no I can't scare them off. They will kill me! Come on Eva think! Think!" Just in time Eva came up with the most horrifying image she could think of and swooped into that image. The wolves stopped once again. The two timid wolves ducked and looked at Eva with widened terrified eyes. Even the third more brave wolf now seemed to think that a rabbit or a boar might be an easier prey. Encouraged Eva stepped towards them and delivered the most feral roar she could come up with. The now convinced wolfs crawled backwards whining in terror, then turned around and escaped back into the heart of the forest.
"Phew - that was a close one" Eva exhaled heavily while her racing heartbeat slowly started to calm down again. Luckily she came up with that image of the nightmare-monster that had swallowed her body during that dream, just in time.
"If I was a Timber wolf I would have been scared to death when facing a big furious bear with a disgusting face like the pony-monster in my dream used to have" she thought to herself, chuckling. She changed back into her own form fetched her dropped saddlebags and continued her journey alongside the river.
Several hours later the sun sank below the horizon and Eva set up her tent and a small campfire to spend the night still within the forest near the river side. While lying on her back in her tent listening to the crackling sounds of her campfire and the gurgling of the nearby river she thought about her father.
It won't be easy to meet him, she figured, since he is the commander of the Canterlot force. He might be protected by several guards. She wasn't even sure if she should reveal her true self to him if she manages to meet him. It will be a spontaneous choice she decided, while rolling to the side and dropping off to sleep smiling. Strangely she was not disturbed by other wild animals looking for trouble that night.
The next morning was quite foggy and grim. Eva got up and stowed away her moist tent in her saddlebag while looking up the sky. Although it didn't rain, heavy gray clouds covered the sky so the fog was rather thick and the view was limited, but it wasn't too hard to follow the river's rushing.
It might have been around noon when Eva reached the edge of the forest and the fog fell back into the woods just like the gray clouds. Right in front of her she saw a sea of green, speckled with spots in every color of a rainbow. With the trees behind her she stood at the edge of a plain completely covered by healthy green grass, highlighted by colorful wildflowers. Eva ogled the blaze of colors breathless enjoying the smell of the wet grass and those blossoms around her. After a while of walking through the grass she found a hill rearing up the grassland like a small island in a green sea.
Once again she set up her tent to spend the night before she proceeded to venture into that green ocean of grass. While looking for something to eat, she noticed that most of her supply of food was already used up. She had only one sandwich left which she had for supper. By consulting the map she noticed that there should be a town nearby, but within the flat grassland it was hard to orient herself. The next day she continued her journey without breakfast, until she could see the silhouettes of many trees in the distance. When stepping nearer she noticed that the trees were in fact apple-trees. Lots and lots of apple-trees.
"This must be an apple farm or something" Eva realized.
Eva reached a wooden fence that separated the orchard from the grassland she just crossed and jumped right over it. She hadn't had lunch today and the lack of love-energy took its toll, leaving her even more tired than she used to be. The round red apples appeared too tasty to not try them. Eva swooped into a blue-haired cat and climbed up the apple-tree which happened to stand the nearest to her. Sitting on a shaking branch she tried to pick some apples but after she had picked three of them the branch broke off the trunk. Without the often praised feline-grace Eva clumsily landed on her rump beneath the tree she just tried to climb.
"Ouch!" she yelled while rubbing her hurting flank.
"Hey, did ya hear that?" a female voice somewhere close by asked alarmed.
"Eeyup." another voice replied. It was a male voice this time.
"Ah think it came from ova there-" the first voice said.
Eva heard the sound of hooves galloping on dry ground. Someone was coming towards her, she realized. She quickly changed into a bunny and jumped into a bosket ducking down into the grass just in time. A moment later an orange-coated pony with a brown cowboy-hat appeared between the trees followed up by a big red-coated pony with a fair fuzzy mane.
Both of them walked towards the tree she tried to pick apples from and noticed the branch which lay next to the trunk. The red colt picked up the branch to inspect it.
"This branch didn't break off by tha wind," he explained to the orange mare. "Somethin' made it break-"
"Yeah ah think ah hear a voice here somewhere-" she replied to her red companion.
Both of them looked around.
Still hiding in the grass, Bunny-Eva quietly picked up two apples and tried to sneak away from the two ponies but got spotted by the mare with the hat.
"Big Mac, there's the miscreant! Come back here ya thieving varmint!" she yelled angrily running after Eva. The disguised changeling started to run away still carrying the two apples she picked up. She crawled through under the wooden fence and jumped into the high grass doing some sidesteps to shake off her pursuer. The mare lost sight of her and stopped running, now standing in hoof-long grasses, while looking around trying to spot the mischief-maker.
"Yeah that's right, don't come back here, ya hear me?!" She yelled raising her hoof in anger. Then the apple-mare turned around walking towards the red colt who had waited and watched the scene beneath the tree where he had picked up the branch.
"Ah needa talk to Fluttershy about her critters stealin' our crops-" she told the stallion while both of them walked back the direction they came from.
"Eeyup." the male voice agreed.
"Call me bonkers, but ah think that bunny had blue hair-" Eva heard the mare saying before both of them were too far away to understand.
Once again Eva exhaled and her racing heart beat like a drum. Lucky for Eva the apple-mare didn't see her saddlebags, she had left in the high grass before she changed into the cat although she had only been a couple of steps away from it. She waited a few more minutes hiding in the grass to make sure both ponies were gone before she changed back into her normal form.
"You are better worth the trouble!" Eva said turning to her swag. She then took a bite of one of the apples and was surprised. Oh yes the apples were indeed worth the trouble. Eva even thought of doing it all again to pick some more apples but whisked the thought aside. This encounter was close enough, she almost got caught.
Although the two apples were delicious they were barely enough to fill her belly. She picked up her equipment and unrolled the map.
"So here's the apple farm, so the nearby village must be this way-" she realized, rolling up the map and stowed it back into her inventory.
The plan was to visit the town and restock her supplies. This will be a perfect opportunity to test her pony-form. She swooped into the same gray-coated pony like the one she used in Mr. Midnights changing practice and viewed her mirror-image in the nearby river. Shortly after she came across a bridge that crossed her river and a road leading into a charming rustic town.
A sign stated "Welcome to Ponyville" as she walked past the first half-timbered house.
On the streets she saw many different ponies with many different coat-colors doing different things. She saw a gray-coated Pegasus pony who seemed to be a mail-mare or something, who violently tried to push a package into a way too small mailbox, she also saw a mare offering flowers from a market-stall and two ponies sitting on a white bench next to the street, one of them in a rather awkward posture. By turning her head to the other side of the street she noticed a green-coated mare cleaning the windows of her house and she saw three fillies next to that house playing with marbles. Eva was overwhelmed by the strong love-energy pulsating almost everywhere within this town.
She gulped then started to sneak along the road as silently and stealthily as possible. Of course she overdid it so it appeared like she was a Ninja-pony sneaking from corner to corner.
"Hey!" a voice besides her called. Eva froze in movement.
Oh pony-feathers, they sussed me! My disguise wasn't as good as I thought. What should I do now? Eva thought to herself anxiously. Maybe I can remedy the situation- just act cool. She slowly turned to the direction the voice came from.
"Watcha doing?" a yellow-coated filly with a red ponytail held by a ribbon asked her lifting an eyebrow.
"Well I- err- I- um-" Eva stuttered with her heart beating like a drum.
"With a performance like that you will never get a sneaking cutie mark-" a white unicorn filly with pink mane remarked in a squeaking tone.
"Trust us, we already tried that-" the third orange coated Pegasus filly added declining. The three of them had interrupted their marbles game looking at Eva with big questioning eyes.
"Why don't cha have a cutie mark yet? Aren't you a bit old to be a blank flank?" the ribbon filly asked curiously.
"Well I- you know-" Eva replied, still stammering.
"Maybe she hasn't found out her special talent yet?" the Pegasus filly called.
"Uh uh uh, you should join our club then. We are the 'Cutie Mark Crusaders'. A club specialized in finding one's cutie mark!" the white unicorn explained with her excited high pitched voice.
"That's a great idea Sweetie Belle!" the Pegasus yelled.
"Yeah!" the yellow earth-pony agreed.
"So Miss, do you wanna join the Cutie Mark Crusaders?" the three of them looked at Eva with big sparkling eyes.
Cutie Mark? Right Mr. Midnight mentioned something about Cutie Marks in class. It seemed that Cutie Marks are very important to ponies somehow. Changelings do not have Cutie Marks normally so Eva didn't understand what all the buzz is about. But that also means that those three fillies indeed considered her being a pony.
"Well girls, that's a nice offer but I am only passing through this town and will be leaving soon so I can't join your club," Eva explained relieved.
"Ya know ya can join us anyway. We even have a branch agency in Manehatten!" the earth-pony said with a pride tone in her voice.
"Where are you traveling to?" the orange filly wanted to know.
"Canterlot" Eva said. Stupid Eva why are you even telling them. Maybe I already said too much, she thought to herself again.
"Ooh Canterlot, it would be nice to have a CMC outpost in Canterlot wouldn't it, girls?" the pink-maned unicorn called cheerfully.
"Ah’m Apple Bloom, this is Sweetie Belle, and this here’s Scootaloo" the yellow filly introduced, pointing at herself then at the unicorn and finally over at the pegasus. "What's your name?"
"Eva," Eva said without thinking. “Oh great you did it again loudmouth!” her mind shouted, annoyed.
"You need to come to our clubhouse, Eva, for the initiation rite. You'll get an awesome cape, too" Scootaloo remarked.
"But we need to readjust the size since we didn't expect a blank-flank your age" Sweetie Belle added scratching her head with a hoof while the other two nodded excitedly.
"It's like ya already belong to the family" Apple Bloom said but got pushed aside by Scootaloo yelling: "We will be best friend forever!"
"Fr- friends? Listen girls I need to get something to eat first, I am starving and the journey was exhausting. So would you please-" Somehow Eva felt a little less worn out than a moment ago. She could feel the powerful love-energy the three fillies literally threw at her. Maybe she should stay with them a little longer to power up her energy pool.
"Ya can stay with my family at the farm! I bet they wouldn't mind a new friend stayin' for the night," Apple Bloom suggested.
"Yeah, we can give you your custom made cape tomorrow, I'll ask my sister Rarity for help," Sweetie Belle squeaked.
"Come on Eva, it's almost time for supper. Granny Smith serves awesome food." Scootaloo took Eva's hoof and dragged her down the street with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle running alongside her.
Eva thought about resistance but then followed the fillies willfully with a sigh. They crossed the Ponyville plaza, walked past several ponies doing their daily business. While walking past a near house she heard smooth orchestral music from the inside through an opened window. Somepony seemed to play a bowed string instrument very tender and skillfully. The party followed a sandy road leading to the west of the town, until they left it reaching a more hilly area covered by apple-trees. She even saw a wooden fence separating the apple-farm from the rest of the village.
"Uh-oh, this looks familiar-" Eva's mind raised the alarm.
After some more minutes of walking past thousands of apple-trees the group stopped before a red and white painted country-house with a barn, having the same color-scheme, next to it. Apple Bloom opened a door leading into a kitchen where an old green-coated mare stood at the oven hunched over a pot with boiling stew.
"Heya Granny Smith, this is mah new friend Eva who is travelin' tuh Canterlot, can she stay here fer the night?" Apple Bloom called very loud to draw the old mare's attention. The mare mumbled something unrecognizable then turned around.
"A new friend, yer saying? Well of course she can stay if she wants to, kiddo," she said with a creaking voice having the same southern accent as her grandchild.
"Err- good evening" Eva greeted the old mare shyly.
She looked at Eva from hoof to head then said: "You're just in time for supper. My, you look kinda starved out. Didn't yer parents fed ya properly? Sit down, sit down please. "
Granny Smith pointed to a long wooden table covered by a table cloth with red and white square pattern and several chairs around it.
"Ah bet yer other friends will stay for supper as well, won'tcha kids?" she turned to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo who were still standing next to the kitchen door. A smile spread over their faces while they nodded eagerly.
"Apple Bloom be a dear and lay the table. Move yer caboose." Granny Smith winked at her grandchild.
Apple Bloom quickly trotted to a white painted cupboard with a glass door fetching several plates that she put on the table one after another. Then she ran to a sideboard and opened a drawer to get the cutlery.
"Nah, don't use that ol' rusty stuff, get the family silver! We have guests after all," Granny Smith told Apple Bloom looking over her shoulder while stirring in her hot steaming stew pot with a wooden spoon. Apple Bloom did like she was told and started to hand out ancient-looking silverware to Eva who had sat down on one of the chairs around the table. Eva watched how Apple Bloom trotted over to Granny Smith who held her long cooking spoon to her so she could taste the brew.
"That's the most delicious apple stew ah ever tasted Granny!" the filly cheerfully called hugging her grandma.
"Ahh ain't that sweet?" Granny Smith said while ruffling though Apple Bloom's mane.
Eva never saw so much love in a family. She couldn't turn away from the happy faces expressing the love they felt for each other. Both Granny Smith and Apple Bloom were surrounded by a strong invisible aura of love-energy, the strongest burst of energy Eva had ever felt. Meanwhile Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo had sat down next to Eva on the wooden chairs smiling at her. The door got opened and a familiar looking orange-coated mare wearing a brown hat was going to enter the house followed by that big red colt she had seen in the orchard earlier. Eva gulped.
"Howdy Granny Smith, heya Apple Bloom!" the mare greeted her family while wiping her hooves on a door mat then stepping aside so the colt could enter the building as well.
"Ah see we have a full house today, haven't we Big Mac?" she said smiling poking her elbow into the colt's side.
"Eeyup," he agreed.
"Good evening Applejack, hello Big Macintosh," Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle said at the same time then looked at each other and giggled.
"An' who you might be?" Applejack asked while sitting down at the table right in front of Eva looking at her curiously.
"That's my new friend Eva. We met her in Ponyville-" Apple Bloom started but got interrupted by Scootaloo: "Yeah and since she is still a blank-flank like us we made her a Cutie Mark Crusader and Apple Bloom invited her to stay the night on the farm-" Sweetie Belle used the pause to add:
"She is very tired because she is going to travel to Canterlot to set up a CMC branch agency for us!" Sweetie Belle finished the narration excited. All three of them looked at Eva smiling.
Eva blushed a bit of embarrassment, but nodded.
"Well that's mighty nice of ya-" Applejack remarked while examine Eva more closely. Her eyes stopped at Eva's mane and Applejack's face-expression changed.
"Hmm you look kinda familiar, where did ya say yer were coming from?" Applejack asked her.
"I err- I come from- Manehatten! Yes Manehatten!" she nodded eagerly and smiled uptight to support her lie. Manehatten was the first thing that came to her mind. Maybe because the Crusaders had mentioned it when she met them on the Ponyville town square.
"Manehatten?!" Do ya know Babs Seed? She is my cousin living in Manehatten as well," Apple Bloom yelled excited.
"Um no- It's a- big city- I guess" Eva replied cagey while fidgeting around her chair nervously.
Applejack appeared not really convinced while she scratched her chin still staring at her mane.
"Hmm Manehatten, eh? And what are yer traveling to Canterlot for? Applejack probed into the topic some more.
"Applejack! Mind yer manners and stop drilling our guest with questions!" Granny Smith scolded the farm-pony. "It’s time fer supper now. Big Mac, be a dear and put the pot on the table, please," she continued talking in her gentlest way again.
The red colt moved over to the cooking place and fetched the stew-pot putting it on a saucer on the table. Then he sat down next to Granny Smith who filled the plates one after another. Shortly after everypony was eating the stew accompanied by the clacking sounds of the silverware and the plates.
"Ah am sorry I didn't mean to be rude" AJ apologized contritely. "Maybe I met ya somewhere in Manehatten when ah visited aunt and uncle Orange, last spring-"
Eva knew that Applejack found her suspicious and telling another lie she might blow her cover so she decided to just tell her the truth.
"It's OK. I am looking for my father who is said to live in Canterlot. I never met him in person because my mom raised me in- err- Manehatten- alone. I just want to meet him once and tell him that I exist- I just want to see him once"
"Aww, such a sad story." Sweetie Belle remarked with a pitying look on her face.
Eva had a bite of the stew she got served by Granny Smith and it tasted fantastic. Scootaloo hadn't exaggerated prizing Granny Smith's cooking skills. The flavor spread her taste buds, leaving them yelling for more. She quickly ate up her portion and asked Granny Smith for some more. The old mare smiled gently and refilled Eva's plate without speaking a word.
"What's your father's name?" Scootaloo wanted to know with her spoon in her mouth.
"I- I don't know." Eva said gloomily.
"How are you going to find him in Canterlot then?" Scootaloo asked munching.
"I don't know either."
"We need’ta help her guys." Apple Bloom said seriously, looking into everyponies faces.
"Ah could send a letter to Cousin Apple Cookie. He may let ya stay at his house in Canterlot for a while." Big Macintosh piped up.
It was the first whole sentence he spoke since Eva had met him. He had a calm pleasant voice and she liked the way he talked. While saying that he had looked over at Eva with a shy smile and Eva blushed before turning to her meal again, eagerly eating some more.
After they had finished their meal the Crusaders, including Eva, cleared the table and helped Granny Smith with washing the dishes. When they were done with the clean-up Eva and her new friends sat down, chatting about random stuff for a while, until it was time to go to bed. Scootaloo said Goodnight to them and opened the door to go home.
"Thank you for the meal, Granny Smith" Sweetie Belle said to the elder mare politely before she joined up with the rest of the CMC at the front door.
"So we will meet up at the club house tomorrow, won't we?" Scootaloo asked them before she turned around, making her way home
"Totally!" Apple Bloom replied while waving at her friends.
Eva followed Applejack and Apple Bloom upstairs. In the second floor standing in a small hallway AJ opened a wooden door leading to a tidy guest room.
"This is yer room for tonight. Don't hesitate to ask if ya need anything. The bathroom is over there. We'll be right next to yer room." Applejack explained and Eva nodded then said goodnight to both of them before she closed the door and looked around the room. A massive looking bed made of wood stood in the middle at the left wall with a bedside cabinet next to it. Several pictures of different ponies covered the wall except the one leading to the pitch of the roof which had a window in it.
She lay down on the fluffy mattress wondering how she got here. A day ago she was wandering through a grassy plain sleeping in an old tent and the next moment she lay here on a cozy bed in a house filled with nice ponies offering their friendship to her. Looking into a mirror on the opposite wall and seeing her in her pony-disguise Eva suddenly felt guilty of taking advantage of the kindness of the apple-family and feasting on their love and friendship they offered to her unknowing. She didn't want to corrupt them in any way because she liked all of them.
The disguised changeling finally understood why Mr. Midnight had stayed in the pony-society for several years.
Somewhere early, around sunrise she got woken by Applejack.
"Eva, ya can sleep fer a little longer or ya can come down to have breakfast with us-" she whispered to her gently shaking her shoulder.
"Uhrg- Applejack? OK Breakfast- give me a minute," Eva replied drowsily while rubbing her eyes with her hooves.
With heavy eyelids she noticed how Applejack left her room and heard her stepping down the stairs. After rubbing her eyes once more she slowly got up and lurched into the room on the other side of the hallway which was claimed to be the bathroom.
"Goow mowin Efa " Apple Bloom said to her with a toothbrush in her mouth brushing her teeth eagerly.
"Hello Apple Bloom" she greeted the filly then she stepped near the sink and threw herself some cold water in the face and dried it with a fluffy white towel which happened to hang next to it. She lifted her head and looked into the mirror which was attached to the wall above the sink. She saw a very tired pony with blue-streaked mane staring back at her.
Luckily changelings stay in their current form, until they change back into their own by will. It is some kind of natural defense mechanism so you won't revert back to normal if you are unconscious or distracted in any way. This means that her pony-form lasted the whole night while sleeping and Applejack had not noticed her true self. Exhaling relieved she imagined a picture in her head of Applejack finding a changeling in the bed of her guest room. That would have taken ages to explain if she would have even listened to her. Apple Bloom gargled with water and spit out into the sink then she dried her mouth with another towel and looked at Eva, revealing her beaming teeth with a smile. Eva smiled back and together they stepped down the creaking wooden stairs.
Downstairs in the kitchen the whole family already sat around the table like yesterday. Eva greeted them one by one and got greeted back by each of them. Big Macintosh however just nodded towards her. It seemed like he is no colt of many words, but it made him charming and somewhat mysterious.
"You gotta try Granny’s Zap Apple Jam. It is famous through all of Equestria," Apple Bloom handed a jar filled with a colorful sticky liquid to her. Eva put some of it onto her granary bread and had a bite. Indeed it tasted amazing. No wonder this was well known in all of Equestria.
"This tastes awesome. Granny Smith your cooking is exceptional, terrific!" she burst out almost spaying everypony around the table with her chewed bread.
The old mare bowed her head slightly, blushed and said: "Thank you, my dear, ah’m glad ya like it."
Eva enjoyed her breakfast, while Applejack told Granny Smith that she and Big Macintosh would go to the southern orchard to protect the trees. There had been a thieving critter stealing their apples lately and they wanted to make sure this doesn't happen again. Eva chuckled to herself by hearing this.
"I don't think that the 'critter' will return today," she smiled to Applejack.
"How do yer know?" AJ lifted an eyebrow. "And why did ya emphasize the word 'critter' that much?"
"I err- I think you scared it away. I don't think that it will return that soon." AJ looked at her puzzled then thought about it for a moment looking at the ceiling and scratching her chin.
"I guess yer right. I could buck some of the golden-delicious instead," she figured talking to herself while still looking at the ceiling.
"Will ya stay another day with us or are ya going to continue yer journey?" Big Mac suddenly addressed her.
"I um- I think I should get cracking. I need to thank all of you for everything you have done for me. Thank you everypony for your kindness and friendship. I don't deserve any of this." the last sentence she only thought.
"You have no idea how tired and worn out I was before I met you, Apple Bloom." Well literally.
"Here I wrote a letter for Cousin Apple Cookie. He has a small shop at the outer wall and ah asked him to let ya stay for a while. Just give him this letter and he'll understand.," Big Mac handed her a small white envelope with a scratchy hoof written labeling stating 'To Cousin Apple Cookie'. Eva nodded, took the letter and stored it in her saddle bag.
"Before you go you must come to our clubhouse to be initiated as an official Crusader."
"Of course, I wouldn't miss that for the world." A big smile spread on Apple Bloom's face hearing this.
"OK, then come we will gather the others" Apple Bloom jumped up grabbing Eva's hoof and dragged her to the door. Right in front of it Eva unclamped herself from Apple Bloom's grip bowed down to the Apple family still sitting at the table and said:
"Thank you everypony, I will never forget you."
"On yer way back from Canterlot ya could come around for a visit. Friends are always welcome here," Granny Smith winked at her while Big Mac had a disappointed expression on his face.
"Have a save pleasant trip," Applejack said weaving with her hat. Eva then put up her saddlebags and together with Apple Bloom left the building.
A moment later Apple Bloom and Eva stood in front of the half-timbered house walking down the sandy street towards the city. After a while of walking Apple Bloom suddenly stopped right in front of a mailbox standing deserted in the middle of nowhere next to the street, but no house was in sight. Eva looked around irritated but then Apple Bloom began to shout: "Scootaloo, Scoot-ScootalooOO!"
A minute later the orange coated Pegasus filly floated down next to them. Eva looked up and saw a cloud above them which had the shape of a house.
"You know I hate it when you do that, don't you?" Scootaloo said annoyed to Apple Bloom but she just grinned and replied before bursting out laughing:
"Yeah, of course, that's why ah do it"
Ignoring Apple Bloom Scootaloo turned to Eva and her annoyed face lit up.
"Good morning Eva, did you sleep well at Apple Bloom's house? I would have invited you too, but I guess you had some trouble reaching it," she pointed up to the cloud house.
"No offense but your wings looks quite small to fly, how do you even reach it?"
Scootaloo laughed. "Yeah- Well I can't fly just now. I can float and that's enough to get up there, but I can't fly like normal Pegasi just yet. I do practice it with Rainbow Dash though. One day I will be an awesome flier just like her." Her eyes widened while she got lost in her private dream sequence.
Apple Bloom stepped near her and snapped with her hoof several times in front of her face.
"Focus Scoots! We need to get Sweetie Belle and return to our clubhouse, remember?"
Scoots quickly shook her head to abandon her daydream and nodded.
They reached the edge of Ponyville and walked down the paved street. They came by the house where Eva heard the orchestral music yesterday, but now a faster music with hard bass-line played inside. They then reached a large pond and walked past a water mill, whose wheel creaked in the running water. They then stopped in front of a three story house with a thatched roof near the lake.
Scootaloo turned towards the lake where an adult stallion, wearing a straw hat and a colorful but quite ugly looking shirt, sat on a jetty fishing. "Hello Mr. Belle!"
He looked up at them weaving and said: "Hey kids, Sweetie is inside. The door is unlocked"
"Who was that?" Eva wanted to know.
"Sweetie's Dad- Did you see his shirt? It seems like he is collecting ugly clothing." Scootaloo rolled her eyes chuckling.
"Yeah their sense of fashion must come from Rarity's and Sweetie's mother then" Apple Bloom agreed. But there was still one question on Eva's mind.
"Wait- Her name is Sweetie and her surname is Belle?"
"Yeah so what?"
"Why does everypony call her by her full name?"
"Hmm I dunno. It just came to be- I mean wouldn't it be strange if everypony called you Sweetie? That's like everypony actin’ like yer mother or somethin'." Apple Bloom looked over at Scootaloo to explain more but she only shrugged.
Apple Bloom then knocked on the oak-door and the three of them entered the house shortly after. On the left side of the front door a set of stairs lead up to the upper floors, while next to it the hallway lead into a bigger living-room. A mature mare's head looked around a corner of the living-room but then turned towards the stairs shouting:" Sweetie, your little friends are here!"
"Just a minute Mom-" The three of them could hear Sweetie Belle’s dozy voice followed by rumbling and galloping sounds.
The mare's had then turned to the rest of the CMC and spoke in a quieter tone:
"Hi girls, I am sorry I can't greet you properly, because I am busy in the kitchen. Sweetie should be here in a minute."
"That's OK, Ma'am. We won't keep you back. We will just wait here in the hallway," Scootaloo spoke in a very polite tone.
The mare's head smiled then vanished back into the kitchen, which seemed to be next to the living-room. Eva looked around. They stood in a hallway carpeted with an elegant looking rug like those made in Saddle-Arabia. To the left there was the stairs, which space below was boxed up with reddish wood, possibly cherry, forming a storeroom. There were several cloth hooks attached to the wooden wall with several raincoats hanging from them. On the right side the carpeted hallway proceeded into the living room. Eva could see a white couch, a white table with a vase on top of it containing a couple of fresh lilies. The whole house looked rather tasteful and fashionable. Eva was astonished since Mr. Belle didn't seem to have such good taste considering his shirt he wore while fishing. Apple Bloom was right before, saying Mrs. Belle is the more fashion conscious parent in this family. Eva heard the clattering of pots and dishes caused by Sweetie's mom. According to the sounds she made it seemed like she was busy cleaning the kitchen.
Her thoughts got interrupted by Sweetie Belle galloping down the stairs smiling. She wore a red cape with golden inner lining and an insignia stitched onto the red side.
"Hi girls! Ready to go?" Sweetie Belle blinked at Eva and grinned. The three of them just nodded happily.
"Bye Mom!" Sweetie called.
"Bye Mrs. Belle!" Eva, Scoots and Apple Bloom echoed Sweetie's phrase.
"Have fun, kids" Mrs. Bell's voice replied from around the corner accompanied by clattering sounds.
Back outside Sweetie Belle waved at her father but he didn't see it, because he pulled his fishing pole excitedly, before realizing that he only caught a rusty old can with his rod. Eva saw his surprised face expression while the four of them turned around a corner chuckling.
"The clubhouse is at Sweet Apple Acres, why do we always have to pick you up, Sweetie Belle? Can't we just meet up there?" Scootaloo mumbled slightly annoyed on their way back where she Eva and Apple Bloom came from.
"Ya know that our lil' princess here likes to sleep long an probably will oversleep our meetings." Scootaloo snickered because of Apple Bloom's teasing.
"Hey that's not true! I am no slugabed!" Sweetie complained insulted, stomping with one hoof on the sandy street.
"Oh yeah? So yer weren't still sleeping, when we arrived and you weren't pulling off your PJ's while we waited for yer?" Apple Bloom teased her some more.
Yes- I mean no- I mean-" Sweetie groaned annoyed while turning red ashamed. Now Eva and Apple Bloom burst into laughing as well as Scootaloo.
Finally they reached Sweet Apple Acres again. Instead of following the street towards the house and the large red barn, they turned north, walking alongside many apple-trees before they reached the clubhouse. It was a lovely small cabin hanging several feet above the ground, built around an old looking apple-tree. A twisted green painted ramp led up to the front door. Scootaloo opened the door then stepped aside so that Eva could enter the clubhouse.
"Welcome to the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ Clubhouse, a great place to help earn your Cutie Mark."
Although it wasn't that commodious it was still cozy and charming. The walls were yellow painted, the windows covered by colorful curtains and there was a red target painted on the ground. Eva didn't understand the purpose of that mark, but it certainly served a meaningful task. However she did understand after Apple Bloom showed her around and introduced the red mark as the place to think about new ideas, while Sweetie Belle dashed inside opening a chest pulling out three Capes like the one she was wearing and handed two of them to Scoots and Apple Bloom. Then she turned to Eva and solemnly presented the third cape to her.
"That's our official CMC trademark. Since you are one of us now you get one, too. I made them myself," she proudly explained.
Eva pressed her cape against her chest teary eyed. While she put on her new cape Scootaloo jumped behind a pair of drums and began to pound. The song she played was catchy and the whole clubhouse began to shake because of the vibration of the drums. Sweetie Belle climbed up a pedestal and started holding a speech afterwards.
"-So you swear to follow our three basic rules?" she then asked Eva in an overstated stern tone after her speech had finished.
"#1: Being kind to anypony, even those you don't know yet." Scootaloo saluted starchy with as serious expression.
"#2: Always reaching for the stars and never givin’ up on yer goal." Apple Bloom put her hoof on her chest looking just as serious.
"And most importantly #3: Cutie Mark Crusaders will be best friends forever!" Sweetie Belle then said, creating a tiny display of firework with her horn.
"I swear!" Eva solemnly whispered.
The four of them group hugged each other cheering.
Excluding Regard, Eva never had friends like that. The two days here in Ponyville turned out to be the happiest days in her life and the tons of love-energy she siphoned had made her more energetic than ever. It felt like she was about to burst, because of that much love and friendship which got literally thrown at her by the ponies in this town. Strangely nopony seemed to get corrupted in any way yet. Not even the Crusaders.
A growl interrupted the happy moment. Sweetie Belle's eyes widened as she turned away blushing.
Scootaloo snickered before Sweetie Belle sheepishly said: "I hadn't had breakfast today- Let's go to Sugar Cube Corner, girls!"
The Crusaders left their clubhouse again returning to Ponyville. They stopped in front of another half-timbered building which roof looked like ornamented gingerbread. In the middle of the roof a cupcake-shaped tower with pink icing and sprinkles reared up from the second floor. Two sturdy pillars painted like candy canes underpinned the porch. Long story short this house looked like a witch's house from old mares-tales.
A sign outside stated: "Sugar Cube Corner." Even without the sign nopony could ever mistake this house with another one. While entering, a small bell attached to the door announced the arrival of a new customer. A blonde gray-coated Pegasus walked past them leaving the shop, while carrying a brown paper bag in her happily smiling mouth. Behind the counter they saw a pink coated mare with curly mane, who counted several coins before putting them into the cash box. She then looked up at them and smiled.
The sweet looking decor from outside carried on inside the shop. Candy canes underpinned the ceiling and the displays, which offered many different kinds of unhealthy but delicious looking sweets, were framed by brown casing looking like a chocolate bar.
"Hey girls! Did you come to try out the new banana muffins? Ditzy loves those! She came here every day, since we offer them! " The shopkeeper's voice was very acute and wound-up.
"And who are you?" the pink mare turned to Eva and inhaled a large amount of air before she continued speaking even faster:
"You are new here aren't you, aren't you? I know that because I know everypony in Ponyville and I never saw you before- but if you are new that means you have no friends- but obviously you do have friends, because you appear to be a Cutie Mark Crusader wearing the red cape but one can't have enough friends, right? I mean I have a lot of friends, but I am always looking for more -"
"Err Pinkie-?" Sweetie Belle tried to interrupt the shopkeepers monologue unsuccessfully.
"-So do you know what this calls for? A-"
"No Parties before your shift ends, Pinkie!" a strict female voice from upstairs called right before she could finish her sentence.
"Aaaww, but Mrs. Cake-" the pink mares voice changed from that quick talking wound-up way to a long drawn weepy one.
"Pinkie I am sorry, but as you know Mr. Cake has to keep his bed and I am busy nursing him and looking after the kids. You are the only one left to conduct the business-" The voice got louder before Mrs. Cake stepped down the stairs now standing in the store with a little baby unicorn in her arms, which was sucking on a rubber duck. She was a blue coated mature mare wearing a white apron. Her purple mane looked like the top of an ice-cream cone and she had many laughter lines on her face. It seemed like living with Pinkie wasn't that bad after all. However today she was very stressed and tired, because she had to look after her sick husband and the two baby twins. She gazed over at the Crusaders and delivered a gently smile to them.
"Hello girls, I am sorry Pinkie can't play with you now."
"That's OK Mrs. Cake, we only came here to buy stuff anyway," Apple Bloom explained right before a rumbling sound on the first floor occurred, followed by a dreadful baby-cry.
"I am sorry, Kids I need to go." Mrs. Cake told them while turning around hurrying up the stairs again.
"Don't worry Pound, Mommy is coming." They heard her soft voice from upstairs but the crying still continued for several minutes.
"So no party then, do you want something sweet instead?" Pinkie turned her head towards the Crusaders still with a disappointed face expression.
"I'll try the banana-muffin you mentioned before." Sweetie Belle replied slightly impatiently. Her stomach growled to support her order.
"I'll take the cupcake with the chocolate sprinkles" Scootaloo called and then Apple Bloom said: "Lemme have that sweet cinnamon bun over there. What will ya buy, Eva?"
Three pairs of eyes focused on the disguised changeling.
"I can't buy anything since I don't have any money" she replied gloomily.
"No problemo," Pinkie whispered to her. "Here, take some of those-" she tossed some muffins over at Eva who barely couldn't catch them all, because she was surprised by the sweet assault.
"Take them as a replacement for the party I can't throw right now," she winked at Eva still whispering.
"Pinkie, are you giving away free goods again?!" Mrs. Cake asked annoyed from upstairs.
"I wonder how she does that- knowing everything that's going on. Maybe she is in fact Super-Mare or something-" Pinkie asked no pony in particular scratching her chin before she quickly opened Eva's saddlebag and tipped out a plate of muffins inside it just in time before Mrs. Cake reached the ground floor . This time she had a little baby pegasus with an old-school hair flip in her arms who was trying to escape her embrace.
"I didn't give goods away Mrs. Cake. I- err I ate them myself. I was sooo hungry and these looked so delicious, you know?" Pinkie Pie explained with a convulsive grin on her face before she stuffed two Muffins in her mouth. "Schee? Mhhhhhh- Yummy" Pinkie said while chewing and rubbing her belly abundantly. Mrs. Cake rolled with her eyes ready to preach to the younger mare.
"What did I tell you about giving away stuff for free, Pinkie?" Mrs. Cake asked the pink pony displeased. While receiving her roasting Pinkie, secretly gave the Crusaders a signal to leave the shop with Mrs. Cake being distracted. Understanding the hint the four Crusaders silently sneaked to the door.
"We have to save every bit to pay for Pound's flight school and Pumpkin's magic lessons when they are old enough and both schools are quite expensive-" Pinkie's voice droned like a recorded audio tape. It seemed that she had to learn that by heart before.
Meanwhile the Crusaders have been able to open the door unnoticed and slipped out of the shop. Luckily they were able to get their sweets before they left the building.
In front of the building they dashed away some blocks and sat down on a nearby park bench. Each pony feasted on their delicious loot.
"Will Pinkie be in trouble?" Eva was worried that Pinkie might get in trouble just because being so kind towards her.
"Mhhh nah! Don't think so. Pinkie was a young filly when she came t’Ponyville. The Cakes were kind enough to accommodate her an' over the years Pinkie became a part of their family. She'll get grounded for some time or has to clean the dishes or somethin', I guess."
"Don't worry Eva, although Mrs. Cake gives the impression that she is very furious right now, she will calm down soon. She is a balanced pony, although she doesn't look like that. But I guess you have to be rather calm, living with Pinkie," Scootaloo explained cheerily.
Eva looked up to the sky. It must be around afternoon she figured. She took a deep breath.
"Maybe it is finally time for me to move on. I don't want anypony else to get in trouble because of me."
Suddenly the happiness of her fellow Crusader companions faded. It was time to finally say goodbye, to continue her quest, however a part of Eva wished she could stay here with her friends forever. But she reminded herself that she has to leave. She didn't belong here after all. She didn't want to hurt her new friends like her teacher once had with his best friend back in his youth. Eva stared each of her friends in the eyes for several moment then they hugged each other with a big group hug.
"Take good care will ya?" Apple Bloom then said gloomily after they stopped hugging.
"Don't forget us, Eva" Sweetie Belle looked on the ground trying to suppress her tears.
"Of course, I will always remember your kindness and friendship. This cape you gave me will always remind me of being a Crusader." Eva replied, in tears, breathing deeply. Sweetie Belle looked up from the ground and slightly smiled with bleary eyes.
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom nodded. They did understand that this quest is very important to Eva. The changeling then turned around and started to walk towards the city edge. Eva hadn't had any money to pay for a train ride to Canterlot but since the castle was clearly visible from Ponyville it wasn't hard to miss it by following the rails.
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Hrm, the CMCs as portrayed in this story is problematic because they seem to be the same age as in the show, but years should have gone by to give Eva enough time to grow up, by which point the CMCs should be older and (almost certainly) actually have cutie marks.
Alright, I'm going to stop here. The numerous (and I mean numerous) grammatical errors aside, certain key factors in this story are bugging me way too much to continue enjoying it. It started last chapter, when Midnight was giving the history lesson. In describing the origins of their species, he stated that Chrysalis was queen even then. I figured, "Okay, maybe she's immortal or at least long-lived in this universe. I've seen it several times before."
Then came Midnight's tale about his travels. This really set off a lot of alarms for me in just how wrong this history is. First off, Clover the Clever was a mare. Second, Canterlot didn't exist until at the very least a century or more beyond Clover's lifetime. This is especially true considering it's implied in the show that Celestia and Luna made their appearance (or at least took the throne) long after the unification of the three tribes; and even more, this was quite a long time before even Luna's banishment. The time-line is thrown so far off that it's jarring to any reader paying enough attention to anything regarding the show.
Next, Midnight states that he became Clover's apprentice. Setting aside taking place in a Canterlot that couldn't possibly exist yet, this would potentially make Midnight at least several thousand years old. Unless you're going for all changelings being immortal or long-lived, this breaks your time-line even further and just makes absolutely no sense.
The final straw, though - the point at which I threw my hands up and said "I'm done" - was when Eva encounters Applebloom. The very moment she was said to still be a filly, I stopped. At this point in time, Applebloom should be a fully grown mare. We should not be seeing Eva depicted as being older than any of the CMC.
There are probably other points of conflict that someone else might spot, but for me, the lack in establishing any sort of cognizant time-line, as well as the horribly inaccurate use of pre-existing history, killed all interest I had in this story. It was a great premise with a lot of potential, but your execution needs a lot of work.
2402224:
2402761:
Fair enough.
2402224:
2402761:
I am forced to make a point here. Who is to say where in Equestria the original "Equestria" was located? Canterlot could easily have been an old Unicorn outpost during the early days, annexed into Equestria as more Unicorns sided with the new nation, and only became the Capital after Everfree Castle was abandoned 1000 years ago.
2402224:
2402761:
To be fair to Fuse, it was implied that `Tia and Luna have only been running the place since turning Discord into a pigeon magnet 4000 years ago, with the founding of Equestria some time before that. Additionally, that flag was for a low budget "Christmas Play". Do you really think that the original flag, if they even made one before Discord, looked anything like that?
2402224:
So he's well over 4000 years old and possibly the oldest Changeling still alive. I fail to see the problem here.
2402761:
Fair enough. Actually, I think this is where Fuse got hung up. You didn't clarify that Midnight was old as sin, and that the extinction of the Love Dogs was well less than one single century ago. There. Story timeline fixed everypony.
2402224:
2402761:
Fair enough. A bit jarring, but fair enough.
Also, Monki, I would like to point out that due to the coding on this site, only replies made in the same chapter as the original post causes a Notification to be sent out. Don't know why. All I know is that Fuse most likely never even saw your reply. And given that he never commented on any other chapter, he most likely never finished this story.
