It all started with Pinkie Pie diverting her shopping trip, only to stumble upon Chrysalis, and a few of her followers. The crushed and defeated Changeling was strangely happy to see a pink pony coming her way. This is how the fate changed.
Pinkie Pie had diverted her shopping trip, ending up facing Queen Chrysalis and a few of her few followers.
The Queen had been strangely happy to see the hyper Pony, even despite the shared history, which would prove frutious on her part.
Pinkie Pie had managed to talk Chrysalis into a new plan, Changing the path of her fate away from what had been a certain disaster. Manehattan would be a much richer feeding ground for the ill-fated hive.
Just after my breakfast I walked out, initially in order to go shopping for supplies for the day. Only to be diverted by my Pinkie senses. With that I had cantered out of town, following the sense of where to go.
“Hi, Pinkie Pie. This is a highly unexpected coincidence. I hope you aren't mad at me, we did leave you alone after the ill-fated failure at Canterlot!” Chrysalis said in an uncharacteristically humble voice.
“No, not me, even if I guess others will hate you to the end of time. Since you are here, maybe we could go to Manehattan. I have an idea that just may work for you!” I responded with a crooked grin.
“Manehattan is a huge city, you don't suggest we try to invade it?” Chrysalis pondered with a weak smile on her muzzle.
“No, silly. No more invading. Infiltration is the word of the day. I could hide a few ponies in a city like Manehattan, and none would even suspect a Changeling had been in the lot!” I responded.
“I've learned a trick or a few about hiding, these last moons!” Chrysalis responded.
“First, you will have to look like my friends. I know you can look like us for a few days.
“A few of my Changelings did look like you, for a moment. We can look like them for up to three days, or a total of seventy two hours at a time, then we will revert to our original forms. If you can find a place where we could stay, I will be most grateful, for the few I still have with me!” she responded.
“What you need is a local where you can set up an enterprise, an establishment. Something you could do to earn a few bits, but also stay close to loving Ponies without them knowing who is serving them!” I responded.
“You suggest I am to set up a romantic Restaurant, or a Love shop? Either could feed a small hive like mine, if I can get a few customers to enter!” Chrysalis said.
“Just follow me, I'll fix something for you, but it is too far to go by hoof. The train would be much preferable in this case!” I pointed out.
“Considering how many friends you have, who would notice one more? A group of bland Ponies should pass at least one glance over. Pastel colours and common looking marks should do the trick?” she enquired, as she followed me towards Ponyville.
“This sure will be fun!” I declared.
“How about this?” Chrysalis countered.
“This looks promising!” I responded, grinning at the view of a white Unicorn with lightly curling light blue mane and tail.
“All you need now is a chick vest. Maybe we could convince Rarity to make you one?” I suggested.
“Oh yeah, I'm moving to Manehattan, so I have to look like the average Manehattanite!” she responded.
“These Blood Rubies almost looks like a Heart!” Wind Whistler, a light blue Pegasus with dark Indigo mane and tail suggested.
“Now as you mentioned it, you're right, Wind!” Chrysalis mused with a slight giggle on her voice.
“You'd be Ruby now!” Fires, a light yellow Unicorn with three red fires for a mark suggested bravely.
“Ruby sounds like a good name, Flames!” she merely commented.
“Flames? Are you planning to be a cook?” I enquired hopefully.
“Sounds like a good enough a job, for me. I was cooking back in the hive. I quite enjoy doing it too!” Flames explained.
“You're good with cooking, Flames. I would follow Ruby, just for your cooking!” Nimbus, the cyan Pegasus with a light grey mane and tail responded.
“I couldn't abandon my Queen then, and I'm not about to abandon Ruby now. Now when we're finally getting what we've always dreamed of!” Flames countered with a sly grin on her muzzle.
Then I spotted three Earth Ponies. They are all a strange pink hue, while the mane and tail is ranging from a bright blue to a light cerise or almost black either grey or brown colour.
These Earth Ponies had apparently said nothing this far. If they found nothing to say, or if they stay quiet out of some strange hive loyalty is still beyond me, I did not press the matter. They had to learn how to act like regular ponies.
“Oh wait. I think I have something for all the three of you. A purpose that requires neither wings, nor magic. All you need, is the form for the job, but we can go into that, once we're there!” I pondered.
“Are you by any chance talking of the scratchers I've heard of lately? Ruby enquired.
“There is a business opportunity in it. If you can establish yourself!” I pointed out.
“If it brings me into close proximity of a loving Pony, I guess it can be worth it, all of its own. The income would also promote my interests. Tough I've heard you have a flair for finding joy in most every moment!” Ruby pondered.
“For that part, the ideal would be a romantic restaurant. For the other, a shop selling items associated with love would be another interesting venue to take. Maybe you could even make Manehattan a happier place!” I uttered.
“My main concern is in feeding those who are loyal to me, but I'm not against gaining the bits or making the city where I'm to live just a bit happier either!” Ruby conceded.
“I'd love to cook for that restaurant. If it would feed our small hive too, I'd be even happier!” Flames pointed out with a wide grin on her face, her eyes alight with joy, just thinking of opening up such a restaurant.
“I'm happy for you!” I responded.
“Thanks!” Flames responded.
“I think we just reached Ponyville, I'll just have to show you something, after I have asked Rarity for something for you to wear!” I pointed out as I spotted the first houses of the village.
Apparently no Ponies had raised as much as an eye over the Ponies in tow. I know they are used to see me talking to Ponies they don't know, I always talk to any Pony.
The walk through town had only been interrupted with a few greetings, friends of mine, then we reached the Carousel Boutique.
“Hiya, Rarity. I hope you have a moment since a few friends of mine would need casual vests and skirts!” I exclaimed as I had entered the boutique.
“Greetings, Pinkie Pie. What a coincidence, I happened to be low on commissions this week, so I should be able to help your friends right away!” Rarity responded cheerfully.
“Let me introduce you properly. This is Rarity, she creates beautiful suits like dresses. Rarity, this is Ruby, Flames, Nimbus, Wind, Hitomi, Chihiro and Riku. Ruby owns a restaurant in Manehattan, Flames will cook at her restaurant, the others will serve at the restaurant. I just show them Ponyville on my way to the train. Knowing you, you could create an ensemble for them, while we go to the Scratchers Inn to have a meal, while you work!” I explained.
“I think Ruby's suit should be black with golden embroideries. Flames suit would be Silver with blue borders!” Rarity started, as she took measurements on Pony after Pony, assigning colours to their respective suit as she measured them up in order to make their respective suits.
“Since you have the measurements, and the colours down, maybe it would be better if we leave you to do your work, I would hate to be in the way here!” Ruby suggested.
“That would most likely be for the best, I'll just hang the suits out in the left window, then you can easily see when I'm ready!” Rarity pointed out.
“Then I have another matter to attend to. Would you come with me, I'm sure you're starved. I would love to show you what I suggested for you earlier!” I pointed out, smiling widely.
“I can't deny being hungry, and if you have an idea to help us out, I'm with you!” Flames declared.
“I sure am starving, if you have a meal lined up, what are we waiting for?” Nimbus enquired.
“Then we had better be going. I know I love this place, so I think you should enjoy it too. If you enjoy it the same way I enjoyed it or not, but there is something special to it. They truly know how to make you feel special!” I stated, leading Ruby and her loyal subject out of Rarity's Boutique, keeping quite about the specific details.
“Scratchers Inn? Flames enquired with a curious smile on her face.
“Lovely, is the word I'd describe these Scratchers with, if you see what I mean!” I told her, winking meaningfully towards her.
“You can't mean, what it sounds like?” Ruby enquired.
“And you're treating us to this meal?” Flames pointed out.
“That is exactly the point I was trying to make!” I responded.
“Sounds only too enticing!” Wind mused, half in half out of disbelief, as if she couldn't quite grasp or believe in what I was telling them.
“Maybe the best part of it all is that you will be serving the same, when we get to Manehattan!” I pointed out.
“I'm not used to being around that many Ponies. If you can fix a home for us, and help us with a means to feed, I guess it may be worth it. I may not be a big city pony, but I can enjoy the comforts of an organised community!” Wind pondered.
“We're here!” I exclaimed, opening the door for my new friends.
They all filed in while I kept the door open, then waited for me to lead them inside.
“This is Scratchers Inn?” Ruby enquired curiously.
“Pinkie Pie, how delightful to see you here. What section would you like to sit at today?” the Waitress enquired warmly, in her usual manner.
“A VIP would be preferable today!” I responded, waiting for her to lead us to the small room.
“I'll find a VIP for you and your friends!” she simply chirped delightedly.
“Right this way, we'll have a VIP experience here. I'm sure you'll enjoy it!” I said, as I followed the Waitress to the VIP.
“If this is anything like what it sounds like, I'm certain I will love this!” Ruby announced.
“Here's your VIP suite, step right in and I'll take your orders!” the Waitress announced as she opened the double doors for us to enter.
“Thanks, I'm sure we'll all enjoy it. I'll have my usual, of course. Both the salad and the girl!” I responded.
“I guess we take the same salad!” Ruby responded, after a glance at the menu.
“I'd recommend a girl from the second category. I love the once I picked, and I'm sure they will make you enjoy yourself in an entirely new way!” I pointed out.
Wind looked at her menu and nodded approval. The others found them fairly appealing, after a long stare at the strange looking girls.
After a minute sounds of hooves could be heard, walking towards the door. Shortly there after the doors opened up for a line of strange girls, not a single pony in the lot.
“Bon Apetite!” the first girl stated as she placed a plate before me.
The other girls were carrying identical plates, placing one before each and all of my friends I had invited.
“Thanks. This does look delicious, as always!” I responded with a wide grin directed towards my Scratcher.
“This looks like a salad I could be serving!” Flames pointed out as she had had the time to cast a glance at her food.
The Scratchers had all found their respective place behind the Pony who had chosen them. Their hooves planted firmly on the floor, the left hand now busy scratching an ear of the Pony she had before her. The right hand holding the fork in a firm, but light grip.
The Earth Ponies just made a dumbfounded grin, looking as if they were given a Royal Treatment. Slowly chewing the salad the girl slipped into the mouth of the Pony.
None of the girls made as much as a single comment. One hand treating an ear, the other holding on to the fork, stabbing a small portion of stylish vegetables, then slowly inserting it into the mouth of the Pony before her.
I noted that my friends were enjoying my treat. I had expected as much, but that is just that. I soon noted another detail, somewhere about half way into the meal they were starting to look absent, almost as if they were drinking. This is something I had not originally predicted. The fact that they enjoyed what I had prepared for them is all that mattered to me.
After about an hour, the salad was all gone, and my friends looked as if they were about to collapse in their respective seats. Aside from a small problem, it was an obvious success on my part, but I couldn't take them by Rarity's at this point.
“I think they had about as much scratching as they can take in a day. Though I think you could dance for us for a moment!” I suggested.
There was a short nod from my Scratcher. The other once soon moved a step back, looking at my now drunk looking friends. There was a quiet giggle from the girls before they walked up to a small scene, and performed a curious dance.
We just leaned back, looking at the girls. They moved around on the scene, hopping about, waving their tails, smiling happily at us. They were apparently humming a tune, in a strange dialect I never heard. Whatever the tune was, it feels upbeat and catchy to me.
After a few more dances, I noticed that my friends were getting back to themselves, little by little, looking more curiously at the girls before us.
These girls are all a strange pinkish hue to the skin. Wearing a suit made out of a top and skirt. The top covers the entire neck, short as it was, and half way down towards the elbows and the entire rib-cadge. The skirt covered from her hips and all the way down to her knees. They managed to move more freely than I had dreamed possible with these skimpy legs and tight fitting suits.
“Now as I had a good look, they kind of look like us?” one of the Earth Ponies suggested.
“A few small details is all that set them apart. They walk on their hind hooves, and have hands. Just look at their nails? The exactly look of the tail is not important here!” I pointed out.
“Is it the hands that set them apart?” Ruby enquired.
“Without them, they couldn't be Scratchers!” I pronounced.
“Ponies like us could get used to enjoying the service. If this is why you brought us here, I'm grateful!” Nimbus pointed out.
“Yes, exactly. This is why I chose this over any other Restaurant in Ponyville. I'll explain more on the Train!” I explained.
“I guess we should save the details for the privacy on the train!” Ruby concluded.
“Besides, I'm sure we're too full to have a serious discussion at this point!” Wind pointed out.
“Yes, and I noticed that as I saw your expressions!” I pointed out.
“Just looking at them dancing looks like the thing to do, right now. We can walk out later!” Nimbus suggested.
The girls danced for us for half an hour, before they left. I sure had enjoyed them, both the scratching, and the dance. Can't complain about the company either, they had proven to be quite nice, if you have a moment to just sit down with them in a friendly manner, just like this. I guess I had been right, they don't have to be the Monsters they had made themselves out to be at the wedding at Canterlot.
“Seems I was right, this was not just fun for me, you obviously had a Royal blast too!” I pronounced.
“If any other Pony had said that any other day, I would have either ignored it, or stated they were plain wrong. Now I have to agree with you. This is a Royal Treat, like I never had before. Maybe your Enterprise will prove auspicious after all, Pinkie Pie!” Ruby stated with some pride to her voice and wide grin on her muzzle.
“Maybe we could just check if she finished your suits, and rest for a moment at the library?” I suggested.
“After the treat, I'm exhausted. We'll need hours of rest after this!” Wind concluded.
“Checking in on her progress sounds fun. Going there on the way gives us more time to think!” Nimbus pointed out.
“Why did we never have such a feast before, Ruby?” Flames then pondered.
“Because I had no Scratchers available, back then!” Ruby conceded.
“Glad I could bring some light to you. If the Ponies in Manehattan enjoy it as much as I am, you'd be doing quite well!” I said.
“Look at the black suit, this looks stunning. Maybe we could ask her to make more suits for us later!” Wind pointed out as we had reached the window of Rarity's Boutique.
“Since she is already making the first suits for us, I'm sure she would be happy to make more later on!” Nimbus declared.
“Since she is still working on the suits, maybe we should rest at the library!” Ruby suggested.
A few minutes later, I knocked at the door, only to see it open within the minute. Spike opened this time.
“Hiya, Spike. These are my friends, Ruby, Nimbus, Wind, Flame, Hitomi, Chihiro, and Riku. Friends, this is Spike, the Librarians aid and a baby Dragon. If there is a book you like to read, and it is available, he could find it for you!” I said.
Hi, Pinkie, Ruby, Nimbus, Wind, Flames, Hitomi, Chihiro, and Riku. Beautiful Mark you have, Ruby. It reminds me of Rarity!” Spike pointed out.
“Thanks, Spike!” Ruby expressed.
“You're welcome, Ruby. I once gave Rarity a special Blood Ruby, just like the once in your Mark!” Spike pondered as he left to continue his duties.
“Is that the one around Rarity's neck?” Ruby enquired in a curious voice, looking around the library with dreams in her eyes.
“That is the one!” I responded, looking at Ruby as she wandered off towards a comfortable seat.
“I think I found a comfortable spot out of the way. This looks quiet enough for an hour of rest!” Ruby pointed out, just as she planted her rear in a soft reading chair.
“This way, here's the spot!” I quietly called out to the other changed Changelings.
“Yes, Pinkie. This does look like just the spot!” Wind pronounced.
“I'll just pick up something a little for us to snack on, while we wait for the suits to be completed!” I stated, after about an hour, then I bounced out of the library, picking up a batch of Cup-Cakes, before I returned, only making a detour to see how far Rarity had gotten.
Apparently she had finished most of the suits, so I continued to the library again, serving my friends. They apparently did enjoy the Pastries too. I had after all baked them myself, so I guess they had to be good.
“I think it is time to check on the Suits now!”I suggested.
“If you think they are ready, I guess we're ready to move on to pick them up!” Ruby responded.
“Here we are!” I said as I opened the door, all the suits hanging in the window where Rarity had said she would have them hanging.
“They certainly do look great!” Ruby pointed out.
“Yes, they're fabulous, if I could say so myself!” Rarity pointed out, as she saw us enjoying the looks of the suits she had just completed.
“Maybe we could as well try them on right now!” Wind concluded.
“Yes, then I can see how good you look in your Suits!” Rarity responded.
“If you could just pick your respective suit and slip into them so we can see how they would come out!” I pointed out.
Then they all picked a suit, started with slipping the top on, finishing with the skirt. They all fit surprisingly well. Both the colours and fit came together just right on each and every suit.
“Thanks for creating the suits for us, Rarity!” Ruby expressed.
“You're quite welcome!” Rarity pointed out, before I hoofed her a small sack of gems and bits as payment, before she had said anything more.
“You deserve every last bit!” I just told her.
“Be sure to be back again, and thanks, Pinkie Pie!” Rarity said before we leave her in her Boutique.
“Time to head to the Station!” I continued, leading them to the next part of the way.
Pinkie Pie had apparently managed to secure a local for us, from which to operate a small Enterprise. The kitchen is located on the second floor of a Manhattan Skyscraper.
At this time, I find the city intimidating. Is this the fact that we are so few, or that I never saw a city quite this big? This will be a challenge to get use4d to, but I hope we can expand out shop and hive soon.
Compared with Manehattan, Canterlot seems small, and we were so many back then. As desperate as I had been to secure love for my Hive, back then.
“This is the kitchen, Flames, and your domain!” Pinkie Pie had pointed out.
“There is a stove, freezer and fridge. I even have room to prepare the meals for both the restaurant, and for all of us!” I declared.
“Yes, Flames and it is all yours. Apparently you do have some food to work with. We're not left in the cold, just yet!” Ruby pointed out.
“I can't prepare any of the 'Love-Soup' with what I have, but I guess you can help us with that. Once our restaurant is open, I expect to see happy and loving Ponies in the room. Then we will have enough love to make us intoxicated!” I said.
“I have announced your restaurant will open today, then I had asked a few Ponies to slip by. Critics, to the point!” Pinkie Pie stated.
“Then we'll have something to do, and a means to acquire bits to buy more food too!” Wind suggested.
Now Pinkie Pie is looking at the three light pink Earth Ponies in our group. I could see she was considering something, but exactly what.
“Since you are in the form of Earth Ponies, and just happened to choose the colour of Human skin, I guess we know what you're going to do. You're the scratchers. Hitomi, Chihiro and Riku will be your human names as Scratchers. I hope you can live up to the names!” Pinkie Pie announced.
“Should we try our new form now?” enquired Hitomi.
“The earlier you get into your new positions, the better you can play your respective parts. As strange and odd as it will be to see you in a new form like this, I guess I'm looking forwards to see how you're making it!” Ruby pointed out.
“Yes, yes yes. This is so much fun!” responded Hitomi as she slips into her new form, now looking like the girl who was scratching her, back at the scratchers in Ponyville, only her hair is still the same blue as it was in her normal Earth Pony form, her nails clear just like the girl had, her hooves now shiny, as if she had had them polished the same day.
“I feel strange!” Chihiro pointed out in her new voice.
“You look exactly like me and Hitomi, and your mane is still the same cerise as it was before. Even though it does feel new to walk like these girls on my hind hooves and have hands like them!” confessed Riku.
“You could change your tails according to the customers wishes later, but this should look as if you are several girls, not just the three of you changing tails for their joy!” Pinkie Pie pointed out with an uncharacteristically stern look on her face.
“How about we try this out, in order to see how well you've absorbed your new personae, Hitomi, Chihiro and Riku?” Pinkie Pie suggested.
“Flames, could you prepare a light salad from the current supply of food items? Wind and Nimbus, would you have a seat with me by the table? I guess you'd be sitting with us, Pinkie Pie?” Ruby commanded.
“I'm on it, Ruby!” I declared proudly, just as I rushed out to my new kitchen for the first time.
Once in the kitchen, I soon found all the common tools of my trade, knives, forks, spoons, plates, bowls. Then I found the stove, oven, fridge, freezer and the food storage. At least I have enough supplies to prepare the light salad to
Good thing the kitchen works the same as a Unicorn, as it did in my original Changeling form.
If I am to be surprised, but this kitchen feels awfully familiar, or because I had been here or in Manehattan, I may have seen the kitchen in the castle at the wedding we were to crash, but that would be the limit to my experience with how Ponies organised their cooking. The thing is, since everything looks the same, a kitchen is still just a kitchen.
“This feels strange, but exciting!” Hitomi giggles.
“I have acquired a set of menus for your restaurant, Ruby. What's so fascinating about this kind of menus, they instantly adapt to the moment. They're apparently called “Ruby's Scratch”, and the front has three framed images, symbolising your Girls who are serving the Scratching!” Pinkie Pie announced cheerfully.
“This is after all your place, Ruby, and it is supposedly a Scratchers. The name sounds delicious!” Hitomi expressed.
“Yeah, it sure feels strange now. I'm sure we can get used to this form as quickly as we've gotten used to every other form we've used in order to hide who we truly are. It's exciting, I'm anticipating so much from this place!” Riku responded.
“Somehow I'm starting to feel unaccustomed feelings, just as if I had been the girl who was scratching me back in Ponyville. She always looked so exciting and exciting to me. Not just the way she moved, but in how she affected me, while she enjoyed doing her work in a way I can't quite put my finger to!” Chihiro exclaimed.
“I had that feeling from the girl scratching me too, Chihiro. Just like you, I can't quite put a finger to it. Just as I feel like saying hoof, even though I currently do have fingers to put to the mysteries now!” Riku pointed out.
“I think this is the time I go out, buying a few ingredients to complete the menu for you, Ruby!” Pinkie Pie stated, as she walked out of the small establishment, now dubbed “Ruby's Scratcher”.
“Thanks, Pinkie Pie, that would be great, I appreciate it!” Ruby responded with a smile on her face.
The next moment I could see the Pink mare enter what is to be my kitchen.
“Hi Pinkie Pie, welcome to explore what's available, and what's missing!” I told her.
“I inspected the kitchen once earlier. Now I just need to see what's missing. You'll need some more ingredients to serve everything on the menu, and more than a few portions!” she merely responded.
“I figured the remaining ingredients in my kitchen wouldn't last a full night as I inspected it, before I started to prepare the salad!” I responded.
“Sounds as if you're a great cook, Ruby is lucky to have you!” Pinkie Pie stated, as she finished the inspection and moved out.
I could see her for a moment, before the door closed between her and me as I finished shopping up the last few ingredients of the salad ordered.
Once I had mixed the salad, I poured up eight portions, one for each of us, including not just me and the Scratchers, but one for Pinkie Pie, figuring it was the least we could do for her after all she had done for us.
Placing the bowls on a cart, then checking the supply of forks under the top of the cart. The door moved aside for me as I back out of the kitchen and moved towards the table where Ruby is sitting. Slowly going the rest of the way, before placing a bowl on each place.
Now I finally got a good look at the face of Ruby, as Hitomi was scratching her ear. Then she picked up a fork and stabbed vegetables before she moved it to the lips of Ruby who soon parted her lips eagerly, as she saw the salad I had prepared for us all.
Our pink mare friend had returned in good time with a large supply of ingredients sorely missed. Not that the coking is my department, I'm just the first girl to scratch customers here.
With all the food stashed away just in time, Flames can prepare any and every order from our menu they may wish for, thankfully. Just remains to see if her cooking is up to the taste of the common Manehattanite too. This is the big quandary on Ruby's mind, but I'm thankfully spared this end of the matter.
As a Changeling, I could basically become any Pony I had been in close proximity, but these girls would be just as easy on my part. She had been more than close enough and for more than enough time for me. She hadn't even realised who I am, but from what I felt, she hadn't been bothered by me anyway.
Anxiety is bothering me slightly, though I'm curious as to how this will go. Would any Pony pick up on who we really are, or just enjoy the show? How many had even heard of what a Scratcher was, or what we're supposed to do? I hope they'll enjoy the treat just as much as I had, even if they're bound to miss a part of it.
There is the one small detail of a problem, we can only serve three Scratches at any one time. I can only scratch one Pony at the time. As much as one may which to be capable of splitting up into more than one, just in order to further the business, but that's well out of my range of capabilities. Maybe it is just as good, I can't take the load from more than so many Ponies Love in a single night anyway.
Minutes are ticking by, as slow as if it had been days, for all I could say. There is no point in prolonging the inevitable. Either they enjoy it, or they never would. They could pick up on who we are right now, or never realise it in a million years. I can as well take the verdict right now and be done with it. If they didn't pick up on it, and enjoy the treat, no point in worrying.
I had seen Flames slipping in, into her kitchen, preparing everything she could in advance. Making sure she knew where everything lay, familiarising herself with what is there.
I just sit by a corner table behind the kitchen, slowly sipping on a glass of Orange Juice. Flames herself served it, just a while ago. It's cooled just right. Chihiro and Riku sit with me by the table, sipping on their own juice. We don't have much anything to do, but wait. Nothing to say, so I just keep quiet. Besides, since the girls scratching us in Ponyville was quiet, I'm practising acting mute.
I slowly become aware of a change, I feel the Ponies closing in on the door. It's the presence of their Love firstly. This is the first good news for a good while now.
“They're coming, I think!” I stated, even though I knew they both knew of it, just as surely as I felt it.
Several minutes later three Ponies came in through the door, slowly moving into the room. I feel the Love from them, just as I feel excitement, anxiety and nervousness, knowing my friends felt the same way. The result here would affect us all pretty much the same way. If we made it right today, we'd make it. If we failed, we'd letting Pinkie Pie down, after all she had done for us. We just couldn't allow ourself doing that, even if it may be more of a selfish wish for what she had promised us in the first place. What she had promised sounded only too alluring to me.
“Wonder how it feels to scratch an ear of a Pony? I never had a chance to actually stand beside one before!” Riku whispered.
“If I get Love, I'll enjoy it!” Chihiro replied quietly.
“They're bound to enjoy it. Then we're feeding them the salad of their choice. Riku mused under her breath.
“They're here!” I merely stated, before Ruby had the time to say a single word.
The first of the three is a white mare with green mane and tail, neatly braided. Her Emerald green eyes shine warmly at Ruby as she is leading her to the table reserved for her.
“Miss Emeralds, I presume. You have a table reserved!” Ruby addressed her.
“Yes Ruby, that's me. Yes, a table was reserved for me here tonight. I hope it will be as pleasant as I was given the expression it would!” Emerald responded stately as she sat down before the table, looking at the menu on the table.
“These would be the Scratchers I heard about lately? I never had the opportunity to try it for myself, though I've heard it is a treat to actually have a scratch. I'll try Hitomi!” she pointed out, pointing at the first image, with a blue frame.
“Oups, that's me!” I thought, giving my two friends a quick ink before I left the table for the first customer.
I gave my nails a quick look over, noting them to be a metallic electric blue, just as shiny as before and matching the colour of my hair. A slight glance and I knew my hooves are the same blue as my nails. My tail apparently the same hairless as the girl who scratched me in Ponyville. This was just starting out to be very interesting. My first time to try this out for myself.
“I'll have a glass of cool Orange Juice and the light Daisy Salad!” she then finished.
“Coming right up!” Ruby responded with a chick nod on her head, before she left for the kitchen.
I see Ruby moving to the kitchen and the door slipping up before she entered the small space. Scents of fresh foods flooding my unaccustomed small nose, until the door slipped closing tight behind her.
“A glass of Orange Juice and a light Daisy Salad!” Ruby stated.
“Will do!” Flames responded before she poured a large glass of cool juices and mixed up a light Daisy Salad with practised haste and deliberate care of an experienced and skilled cook.
I hear the door open before Ruby excited the kitchen, slowly moving towards the table, placing the glass before the VIP Mare, then slipping the bowl of salad down, which is the sign for me to approach the table, sneaking up behind her.
“Your cool Orange Juice and light Daisy Salad. I hope you'll enjoy it, and the scratch!” Ruby stated.
“The Salad sure looks fresh enough to me. Remains to enjoy the presentation promised to give a final score on the meal!” the VIP mare responded with a smile on her face, apparently looking forwards to the treat promised.
“I wouldn't bother serving it, if it didn't at least look fresh to the eye. The best part is still in enjoying it. Just lean back!” Ruby suggested.
“I've seen a few Establishments in my day in Manehattan. Some of them looked good, even when they couldn't live up to the class and style they promised. Others didn't look much to the eye, but the presented meal was still Divine. I'm still impressed!” she merely commented, leaning back.
I picked up the fork with my right hand, placing my left just right, slowly stating to scratch her ear as I demonstratively stabbed the vegetables in a light but elegantly efficient manner. The girls had certainly demonstrated how to handle the fork.
As I slowly moved the fork towards her muzzle, I started to feel something. There is clearly an emotion behind her curt demeanour. She would be a grand demonstration of how this should be done, and how well Pinkie Pie's proposition could work out for us and our currently small hive. Feeling her ear under my long nailed fingers excited me more than I had dared dream of. Just scratching her ear as I slowly slipped a forkful of stylish vegetables into her mouth.
I allowed her time to bite down on the fork, before pulling it clean out, now devoid of vegetables. Listening to her chewing. I had never been so filled with anticipation, from just listening to the sounds of chewing.
Following the expressed demonstration, I slowly scrat6ched her ear in the manner I felt would give her the most joy and pleasure. Figuring this was the most efficient way to extract what we were here for in the first place.
I feel her closing her eyes as she sampled the vegetables. Picking out the individual tastes, scents, textures, from each and every peace of vegetables I slipped into her mouth.
Maybe I shouldn't be shocked, but it still came as a surprise as I felt myself used to my new form, almost as if I had lived with it for years. Just for scratching her ears with my long nails, feeding her salad with the purposefully made fork. Yet I think it is just as much in how I felt her love flow into me through the nails as I scratched her ears. I didn't have to bite her or hurt her in the least.
As I realised what was happening, I started to feel much better about myself. I know others may have been disgusted by this effect, whereas I am feeling most pride in how I could extract what I most desired, without hurting her. Knowing she would never be the wiser of what really happened didn't hurt my self-image, why should it?
From time to time, I had lifted the glass in my hand, holding it securely in a firm and secure grip. Just as I could have done as the Changeling hidden under my new and secure form. She never once opened her eyes. I could both see and feel the grin on her face. Knowing she would express it as having the 'Royal Treat', once she got back to write the review on the service. I only hope my two friends will feel and manage as well as I'm feeling right now.
Somewhere along, I noticed Chihiro had been picked. I had not quite seen it at the time, but her nails are a crisp leafy spring green, as are her hooves. I did not need to see her perform, I could feel the effect as clearly, just by the effect it had on the air in the room. To a Changeling like me, Love can be felt as clearly as if it had been a physical object. She was doing well.
Maybe I could blame or accredit some of the effect on the magic in the menu, helping them choose the girl attuned most closely to them. It didn't really do much difference to me right now. Though I guess it would help us in the long run.
I noticed Riku had been picked, before I had finished. I guess it did please me. She is after all a nice girl too. Besides, it is for the better if we split the burden as evenly as possible. In the end, the one who got most would falter, if the pressure got too high. I can only enjoy so much Love in a single day. If I got more than I should, I wouldn't be very good a Scratcher.
Just as my VIP had her last sip of the juice, I had started to feel slightly lightheaded. I knew what it means, even if I had rarely felt like this before, it wasn't common in the Hive, back then. I had been taught about what it was, and why it happened. It had been compared with a drunk Pony. It isn't a decent manner for a proper changing to act in public. Not just because it could ruin the entire operation, now it would ruin our entire existence such as we're trying to build it up for ourselves.
They had told me it was a rare gift, to stop just short of slipping. I guess I could say that's about where I'm right now. Maybe I should be happy and proud, but I felt too spent to make anything out of it. I simply walked back to my seat.
I could but hope I had performed, to the standard expected out of me. Just as I hope Chihiro and Riku would do the same. I could see more of them now, as I no longer needed to focus on a Pony before me, as pleasant as it had been.
After a moment, I realised I had to excuse myself, I wouldn't be up to service another pony in the state I had already reached. Even if I could proudly explain the result to Ruby, when I felt I could walk straight again. I just needed to get out and have a pinch of fresh air, as the expression went.
Then I recalled, we had no fourth reservation for at least an hour. Aside from feeling lightheaded and stuffed, I'm proud of how I had handled myself and how I had made it.
“We really need more Scratchers!” I told Chihiro, as I returned, a mere ten minutes before the next Customer was due to arrive.
“I'm still enjoying myself, but I can't perform another scratch any time soon!” Chihiro explained.
“Then we need a means of relieving the situation, or we'll be incapable of performing before this day is up!” I responded.
“I'll see if Flames still have the equipment and ingredients to make the soup, 'Kikoro' for us, that could be an idea!” Riku suggested.
“If I know her right, she is bound to have everything to prepare the soup, and it should stay fresh long enough too!” Chihiro pointed out.
“I'll see if she still does have it, I only have a few minutes, in case I am chosen first?” I pointed out, soon finding myself inside of the kitchen alone with Flames.
“If I could prepare a few portions of my Kikoro Soup? I think you require extraction right away. You can't perform another scratch in your condition, Hitomi!” Flames stated with concern on her voice.
“That is why I'm asking. We're not used to this much Love. I hope we can get used to it, adapt to this rich a feeding ground. It felt good at first, but the longer it lasts, the harder it is on me!” I responded.
“Good thing I have all I need to help you out. You're looking more and more intoxicated. I'll have you fixed up in a few minutes!” Flames assured me.
I pondered her words as she pulled out the tool used to extract the precious Love out of Ponies. I could feel the sting as she placed it just under my hairline, behind my head. I knew better then complain, I need help now, and I need to be able to handle the next scratch for Ruby. Seconds ticked by, as if pulled by a Snail.
Then I soon noticed the effect of my intoxicated sensations to lessen, until she had managed to drain enough for me to perform. I had just enough to walk out, but I could always have a bowl of Soup later, if I was to need it.
Once she had extracted the Love from my body, she started to prepare soup. I could clearly sense the scent of her lovely Kikokoro Soup. I knew I have a few more minutes, but at least I know I could perform my end of our deal now. Just walking up to Chihiro and Riku.
“Thanks for reminding me, now we can last the rest of the day. I will have to explain to Ruby that Flames is preparing the Soup. She's bound to love the news!” I stated.
“I see you're once more fit for your duties, Hitomi. I'll need to see Flames too!” Riku stated as she and Chihiro hasted out into the kitchen.
“I'm certain Ruby will love the news. Flames is bound to have soup for days, before the day is over!” I responded as I walked over to Ruby, where she stood, waiting for the next Customer to arrive in a few minutes.
“I hope you're able to perform your duties, Hitomi!” Ruby suggested as I approached her.
“Yes, now I will be, thanks to Flames having what I needed to keep going. You see, I was overwhelmed by the richness of Love I received from the Pony. I think I got more intoxicated than we had anticipated. We're not used to being this close to Ponies!” I explained.
“Is that Kikoro Soup? You can't mean you got that much out of just one hour with the first Customer? You must be joking?” Ruby stated, not quite able to believe the facts before her.
“That's exactly what it is, and it should be enough for you too. I was doing fine with the scratch in Ponyville, as were we all. I'm sure we could all have lived well, just going there every day. I wish I was joking, in a way. Thankfully, this will be a joy for us all now!” I responded.
“Now as you mentioned it, we could go back there and have a scratch every now and them. I didn't realise, just how good that could feel!” Ruby said.
Yes, that certainly did feel great. I didn't know anything could feel as good as it did!” I pointed out, just before I returned to my seat, by the side of Chihiro and Riku.
“I told Ruby the good news, and she is more than happy!” I stated.
“Flames is ecstatic over the opportunity to prepare Kikokoro Soup. She said this should keep us happy for days. Just the one hour of scratching we pulled off. I can't blame her. We all enjoyed the Scratchers in Ponyville. Now she will be able to prepare something extra special for the entire Hive!” Riku said, grinning from ear to ear.
It had been late, later than I had expected it to be. Yet, it had been a very good day. To see the pink Mare had apparently brought us a Fortune, in Changeling terms. I guess you could say I have the equivalence of a Hangover? Yet, I'm not about to regret anything.
Within the Hive, I need not worry about wealth or possessions. I perform my duties and have everything I need.
Right now I have a headache. I had too much love the other night. Way too much of it. I know part of the problem is that we've been starved for a good while. Back then, it led to Queen Chrysalis got desperate and gambled everything on taking over the Wedding at Canterlot, and we all lost. Since then we've been alone and on the run. Hiding from any and all Ponies we could see.
In this state, Pinkie Pie had presented us with what looks like our Salvation. If it had been any other Pony, we would have taken it for a trap. Maybe we shouldn't have accepted her offer, the Proposition she came to us with, but it is too late to turn back now.
Actually, I'm not the only one with a Headache, Hitomi and Chihiro are both doing just as bad. Apparently, they weren't better prepared than I was.
We all have fairly regular beds, in the style common for Manehattan Ponies, that is. They're not all that bad. I could have enjoyed it, even in my regular or Pony form. Now I had been staying as the girl. I'm still the Scratcher. Maybe I had merely forgotten, after a long day, scratching Ponies. I had spent hours with three different Ponies.
The first night was only open for marketing Purposes. No public service and no income, short of a large supply of Kikokoro Soup. I guess it is more valuable to us than any amount of Bits or Gems ever would be. The only reason for me to look for them is in order for us to buy food items so that we can keep running the Establishment and to pay the rent.
Ruby, Wind and Nimbus had all had a large bowl of soup the previous night. I had refused, as good as the scent from Flame's had been. I need to be careful with Love for a while, until I have gotten used to it.
I think Wind and Nimbus will be scouting the surroundings, once they wake up. I'm envying them, even if just a little. I had enjoyed my job, my duties the other day, even if it made me intoxicated.
Apparently, Pinkie Pie originally gave us three Floors. I'll be hiding in the basement for a few hours. Maybe I can think clearly, down there. Besides, I need the solitude.
The top Floor could be a great Restaurant, if only we had the Ponies to work as waitresses, right now we're terribly short on staff. We just managed to keep the opening Night level and that's mainly because we limited it to VIP Critics in the first place.
At least, now we know Flames could prepare the soup for us. With the Soup, we can last for a week, or keep working well beyond normal standards as Scratchers.
I had found several small rooms, just right for hiding a single bed in. We had a dozen beds on the middle floor as we arrived. I'll ask Ruby if we could move them down to the lower floor. On the front of the Basement, there is a local that looks as if it had been intended for a small store. It's empty, short of the equipment for said store.
All of a sudden, it hit me, just how refreshing it is with quiet, no sounds, no Ponies, no Love and no nothing. Just standing quiet. Slowly pondering the situation. I hadn't even realised I'm still in the Form of the scratcher, the Girl I had been the other Night, even if I had changed my nails and hooves back to the blank, shiny standard. Hitomi and Riku had done the same.
Some of the small rooms down here would be converted into storage space for the Shop, once we got it going. Just that for now, we have barely enough Staff to handle the Scratchers restaurant on ground level. Besides, we need to stock up on Items to sell, before it is time to open our Shop too. From our Position, there are a few segments of items we could, or should sell. Love Toys could be interesting, not so much because I care about them, but due to the kind of Ponies I expected to buy them. Another section would be magic trinkets, nothing powerful or dangerous, just good enough to be worth selling, something to peak interest among Ponies.
I had spent at least an Hour of solitude down in the Basement before I once more walked up to the Ground Level to see my friends, now feeling a bit more refreshed. I found them laying in bed, enjoying the time off, after a hectic and stressful night at work, as enjoyable as it had been.
Flames had left her bed, as had both Wind and Nimbus. Ruby had just slipped out of bed too, thankfully.
“Morning, Ruby, Hitomi and Riku. There are great looking bed rooms in the basement, you should check them out. There is also a Shop we could run, we just need Items to sell and Staff to run it. I take it Flames went to her Kitchen? Wind and Nimbus would be out, flying?” I enquired.
“Morning, Chihiro. Yes, Flames hit the Kitchen early. She's ecstatic over having a real Kitchen again, like in the good old times. Hitomi and Riku, you had better go inspect the rooms downstairs in order to see if they would be serviceable as your Rooms. We're short of staff for the Scratchers as it is, but it's good to see what we have in order to plan ahead. I hope Wind and Nimbus will find reinforcements. I know we left most of the old Hive behind. Most of them probably found other hives to serve, yet there is bound to be at least a few of us Changelings who would love to serve our little Hive right here in Mainhattan too. Even if I may have to oversee a few minor misdoings from the past? For now, I guess I can do that!” Ruby responded.
“Morning, Chihiro. We'll be down there in a moment!” Riku stated.
“Morning, Chihiro. I'm right there with you, Riku. I could enjoy a simple job right now. If there are better rooms for us down there, I'll love to find them right now!” Hitomi stated, just rushing off with Riku in tow, following the directions down to the Basement.
“I didn't realise it was so much work, setting up a new Hive, but I just inherited our old one. Besides, I had all the Changelings I could use back then and we didn't have all these new and strange Tasks to perform either!” Ruby stated.
While my two fellow Scratcher Girls went down to inspect the Basement, in order to look into the Bed rooms I had found, and the Shop, I went upstairs, in order to see what the third Floor had to offer.
I am currently on the back of the second floor. To the right is a hall, lined with a door to each and every small room I was soon to find fitting for sleeping quarters, if only we had a bed in each of them. Right now they are empty, naturally, since none had taken the effort in filling them up with anything yet. They could have been store space, if it is what you desire too, ofhorse.
To the left I found another hall. There are small rooms, serviceable as storage, or sleeping chambers, but for now we have no needs for them. Behind one of the doors, I found a locale with tables and chairs. I had apparently found a perfect setting for another restaurant, only without an additional kitchen. There is a small room with a food lift. I also found a separate entrance to this Restaurant.
Since there is nothing more to see, I went down the stirs. I like to be down in the basement right now. Only then it hit me, I need to have something to eat, even after the lovely job as Scratcher the night before. With that I ended up in the Scratchers, and soon found Flames.
“Could you fix me one Daisy salad?” I asked her.
“Certainly, Chihiro. A Daisy salad coming right up!” she announced, as she slipped back into the kitchen.
“Thanks, Flames!” I responded as I waited for her to fix my meal.
“Here you go!” she then stated as she placed the bowl of salad before me.
“You're the best, Flames!” I responded, as I carried my salad to the nearest table and slowly enjoyed what she just prepared for me.
Slowly stabbing the vegetables, just a few at the time, slipping the fork into my mouth, then chewing carefully. Apparently I had placed my concentration and focus on stabbing the vegetables, and chewing them thoughtfully, making this simple task take me an entire hour.
Maybe I had enjoyed this moment too much. I had gotten into the role more than I had imagined possible. Even if I know my form is less common and more different than every form I had ever tried out any time before. All the *Vegetables are still both good and enjoyable for me, that's not it. Though there are a few more radical changes in me, not so much having hands instead of hooves, but then it hit me. Instead of the fangs I used to have, maybe it is my long nails serving the same purpose? I had been constantly scratching a girl for an hour. I know it isn't exactly common to spend more than a few minutes, doing this, in my own form.
It wasn't just that I had been expected to scratch her, but I had enjoyed it way too much to pull back prematurely. Even if I had not realised what it was I was doing, back at the time. Maybe I had distracted me from realising it, just by doing the joy I was expected to perform? I need to explain my discovery for my friends and fellow Scratchers. They need and deserve to know.
Once I had finished my Salad, I had carried the bowl back to the Kitchen, before I take the now familiar Stairs down to the Basement. After peaking into every little Room, I found the both of my Scratchers in the small Shop. Apparently they had finished examining the small Rooms as I had pointed out, they needed to do.
Hi, Hitomi and Riku. What do you think of the Rooms and the Store down here?” I enquired.
“Hi, Chihiro. The Shop seems great. I could see myself sleeping in a Room like these. I find them more to my likings, the once upstairs, as if they had been designed for us in the first place?” Hitomi responded.
“Hi, Chihiro. I sure could see myself sleeping on a Room like any of these down here, makes me feel right at home. Just a feeling I just couldn't quite put a Finger to. The Shop looks great, but it isn't my shop to tend to!” Riku pointed out.
“Yeah, these rooms made me feel right at home too. As you said, a feeling you can't put your finger to? Just feeling as if we had been back at the Hive, with all the comforts of home. Speaking of that, there is a small detail I think you need to know. Something that just hit me, as I was enjoying a bowl of Salad, just before I went down to see you. We're not quite as toothless as we may look. Just because your Mouth lack fangs, doesn't mean we can't feed. You sure felt that yesterday Night. Just as our Forehooves turned into hands, our Fangs turned into Nails. Sounds impossible, but it still makes sense, if you think back at how things went down the other Night?” I put forth.
“The first part. Hooves to Hands, I can't deny. I can clearly see my hands before me right now. I can clearly see my Nails too, even if the leap to making them replace my Fangs is a bit out of my bounce. Yet, I felt her Love as I was scratching her, so I guess it still does track. I guess we should still go by your idea and see if it tracks. If your Idea is Correct, we need to make Adjustments accordingly!” Hitomi pondered.
“We should approach Ruby with this, after next Opportunity. And they laughed at us for being these utterly bland Earth Ponies? I feel we're getting the longer Straws here!” Riku Stated firmly.
“We still take our beds down here!” Hitomi suggested.
“There is more than enough room for all of us down here, if we like to!” Riku stated.
“Maybe Flames and Ruby like to stay up there. Flames may like to stay close to her Kitchen!” I said.
There is a chance Wind and Nimbus may enjoy the top floor, they're Pegasi, after all. I think they may enjoy staying close to the Balcony too!” Hitomi pointed out.
“Let's go up and forward the suggestion before Ruby. She's our Queen, even if we're supposed to act as if we're Ponies and Scratchers!” I announced.
“That certainly makes sense!” Riku responded as she rushed towards the Stairs, then all the way up, just to find Ruby sitting at a Table by the Kitchen.
“You're certainly looking uncharacteristically excited, Girls!” Ruby pointed out, as she saw our faces.
“We've just checked out what the pink Mare gave us. I can see you and Flames keeping your beds here, next to the kitchen. Though we're pondering moving ours down next to the Store down stairs. It just feels like home down there, to us. Furthermore, if Wind and Nimbus feel like moving their beds up to the other Restaurant, I can see the joy to them. They should have the Rooms by the Balcony!” Hitomi spoke.
“Yes, I'll stay here with Flames. It's after all her Kitchen!” Ruby pointed out.
“You're right, I stay by the Kitchen. That way I can serve you better. Though the Room closest is great by me. If you like to have the next Room, Ruby, I'd be happy!” Flames stated firmly.
“Just as I thought. Then the two of us take the two Rooms next to your Kitchen. If you Girls like to take down stairs for your Rooms, please do, by all means. I'll tell Wind and Nimbus they can move their Beds up, once they're back!” Ruby confirmed.
“We can as well spread out now, before it get crowded here. Every Pony or Girl can live, where they find their Comforts. I could teleport up or down as I please. Maybe I should take three Beds down right now!” Flames suggested.
“Since you have a moment off your cooking Duties right now, you would save the rest of us plenty of efforts, if you would like to do that!” Ruby pointed out.
“Even if it is just a second Floor of the Restaurant, you may like to check the floor upstairs. Since you are helping us with the beds, check out the Store down stairs, these may be good points to start from too!” I mentioned.
“I'll just go down to pick my Room!” Riku said.
“Then I'll be right with you!” I said, following her down the flight of Stairs, picking a Room next to the stair case on the side towards the Shop.
Riku and Chihiro chose Rooms next to mine. I guess they like the comforts of staying close together and I felt the same way. Leaving a few rooms next to the Shop itself, for who ever was to handle this Busines. There is also plenty of room for storing merchandise for the Shop close by. Better plan ahead, then get stomped when time changed.
Then I hear the sounds of Flames, as she moved around in our Store. We burst off to meet her, helping her find where we chose to live. Then she Teleported up, picking our respective Beds down to our chosen rooms. She soon vanished out of sight, leaving us to ourselves.
Hitomi left me in order to make their beds, arranging their rooms. I knew Flames and Ruby would have some work, fixing their own Rooms. This left me with some time to deal with my own room and contemplate a few matters at hand.
As I had finished my work, arranging my room, I opened the door to the room, only to notice a sign on the door. Flames had apparently given me a door sign. She had given Riku and Hitomi their own signs as well. It's obvious which door leads to an empty room, and what's behind the other doors now. The signs are all in Equestrian, and the common Mainhattan type face. If any other Pony would see the signs, they would be no wiser as to who we are.
I just walked back into my room, lying on my bed for a moment of rest. Apparently I had stayed in the form since I came here. I hadn't even reflected on it. I feel comfortable, looking like this. How or why is something I wasn't really considering, should I?
Whatever had possessed Pinkie Pie to make her grant us this favour, this new chance at life still escaped me. I don't know Ponies, or this particular pink Mare well enough. I can see two mane reasoning behind it. Either she wanted to get us out of the way, where we could gather together, so she could finish us off in a single sweep, or she wanted to help us. I couldn't tell which option was true. I just knew what I had been told about her, how she was the Element of Laughter.
I chose to hope for the better. In this case, the City of Manehattan would be ours for the taking. We're basically free to roam and ravage as we please. The only limitation, keeping them from realising we're Changelings.
She may expect a free Scratch from time to time, if and when she happened to be in the City. As to the rest, it is up to us to secure our standings here.
Since we have a hold in this City, we could decide what Changelings could live here. It is ours, and we're not going to allow any Pony take this Opportunity away from us. We don't even need to hurt any of them, in order to make our living here.
I had been one of the Changelings at Canterlot. Our Queen Chrysalis had directed us to hijack the wedding between Cadence and Shining Armour. Only problem, we had inevitably failed.
Shining Armour and Cadence had ended our effort by banishing us with a 'Love Spell', and that was it. We had been scattered before the four winds in every direction, thus effectively scattering our Hive. They had thus banished us from our old Hive.
This Banishment really did hurt me. Left along, I wasn't exactly in the mood to look around, or try to find my way back to our old Hive, in case any of the old Changelings had made it there. I had assumed they felt just as bad as I did and thus lacked all strength to get anywhere from where they had ended up on banishment ion the first place.
Since I'm banished, I'm basically hated on all fronts. The Ponies already hated even before we had been banished, and now they had a real cause to hate us en Masse too. Aside from that, I wasn't expecting much support from any other Changeling Hive. I'm alone and on my own. The most I could hope for, is another Changeling in my own situation, close enough to find me on pure chance, however unlikely that could be.
I had had little to nothing to eat, as I finally did stumble upon the first Changeling. Apparently she had been banished from her Hive, after failing in some way. At first I had attempted to hide, as had she. Only it was inevitable, and we bumped together.
“Hi!” I simply greeted her as I had her clearly in eye sight.
“Hi!” she merely responded, and this is when I realised, I could at least have a companion in my depressed Banishment.
“What's the reason for your Banishment?” I chanced, as I saw her expression.
“I failed to return with the desired information on time. Living among Ponies can be very distracting. It's also a challenge to get any task done when you have Ponies watching your every step. At least they did not catch me as a Changeling!” she responded.
“I think we'll get along just fine. We don't have a Queen to report back to. At least now I'm not alone!” I pointed out.
“You're right on both counts. No Queen, no Pony, and just about nothing else. This is the kind of situation a Changeling would need her friend the most.
“Maybe I could have put up with at least one, if not both of them, just to get out our Solitude? Even if I could say that my Queen made a bad call, at the end. Your Queen's name wouldn't by any chance Chrysalis, right?” I continued.
“Sorry, I've never even heard of Chrysalis. I could give her a Chance, for a chance at getting out of Solitude, I guess. She's the Queen who tried to hijack the Wedding at Canterlot, I guess it wasn't the wisest of choices, but who am I to judge a Queen's actions? She responded.
“That's her. It did end up as poorly as you could have expected alright. Though, as you said, who are we to judge a Queen?” I responded.
Apparently I had managed to stroll from the fields and into a forest, feeling darker all the while as I kept walking, even with the companionship of a fellow Changeling.
“Abandoned. The Hive I belonged to was disbanded a while back. Not sure how long, since I haven't been in a state where I cared enough to keep track of night or day. I'm a lone Changeling, why care for such pointless matters? He stated.
“I know that feeling all too well. I barely cared enough to hunt for food, mainly hiding from who or what ever came by!” I responded.
“Since you mentioned disbanded, was it by chance Chrysalis Hive you belonged to?” she enquired.
“Yeah, that was my former Queen. You're not leaving me for her mistakes?” he stumbled in fear for her future situation.
“I couldn't do that. I'd have to abandon myself out of principles, or be a hypocrite. Can't do either, now can I?” I responded seriously.
“Good point. We're all alone without the support of the others. Neither of us would make it for long enough on our own. We're lawless to enemies to the ponies and either banished or abandoned to our fellow Changelings. We can at least make it without a Queen. At least for a while, particularly now since we're no longer entirely alone!” she pointed out with some strength and joy to her voice.
“Just a few more of us and we'd do well!” I suggested.
“A small Heard could at least make it. Speaking of which, if Chrysalis does manage to re-establish her hive be very interested in having us back. Not just because she would need as many Changelings as she could get her Hooves on, but also because she needs a Stallion for her Hive to come to life, the way she is used to!” she concluded.
Little by little, I had felt my mood change, even if it is ever so slowly, but the change is there. As vague and subtle as the changes are, it is a trend, making me feel better to good. If I could ignore it for much longer, but I was slowly building up a sense of hope.
“I think I feel something, if I'm not mistaken, there are two mares coming our way from inside of the forest. Correction, they have a filly with them!” he stated.
The three was apparently coming from where the old Hive had been, and this is a sign, the Hive is utterly and completely disbanded. Since our Queen had failed to return, they gave up hope on it. I guess it is amusing in a bizarre way, but it had failed, so it is no point in maintaining a failed Hive, not when the Queen isn't there.
Looking at the sun and correlating to where they were coming from is the best orientation a Changeling in our position could have. Their direction of approach told us everything we needed to know. As heart breaking as the news of our lost Hive disbanding was. At least, now we know where we are.
From what I knew, I soon made a mark in a tree facing due south. Surrounding the tree with stones in a pattern that should make sense to a Changeling. Knowing where I am now may seem pointless from the spur of the moment. Yet it may be important from a grander perspective, since it gave me a point of reference. I'm in good enough a mood to navigate back to where I am, and marking the place would help both me and other Changelings in gathering around this location. Maybe we could gather enough of us in order to establish ourself in this neighbourhood.
“We could hide in the forest, but it isn't the ideal place to stay!” the first of the Mares said.
“Let's heed for the closest rim of the forest, then we could rest there?” said the Stallion.
“Seems like a good enough idea. Our first priority is the safety of our Filly!” stated the second Mare.
“We need disguises, and Pony names in this setting!” I pointed out as we reached the clearing.
I chose the form of a light pink Earth Pony with red mane and tree finger leaves for a mark. Not sure what the mark could represent, but it looks like a good mark for an Earth Pony.
The two Mares turned mint green Unicorns with Cyan Mane and Tail. Their mark a scribbling board with a quill respectively three rubber balls. The foal they cared for turned into a matching Unicorn without a mark, since she probably would be more convincing as a blank flank in the first place.
My first friend, the mare chose a white Pegasus with light pink main and tail, and three misty clouds for mark.
The Stallion chose a light pink coat and brown mane and tail. His mark resembles a brown box with a blue Balloon, a yellow Star and a green Leave on the side.
“Call me 'Box', for now!” the Stallion presented himself.
“I'm Misty!” my first friend continued.
“We're Scribbles and Toys!” the Mares with the Foal followed up.
“You'd be Hope!” Box suggested to the little filly.
“Hope, Hope, Hope. I'm Hope!” the filly squealed.
“Yes, Hope, you're our little Hope!” Box reaffirmed our little Filly.
“Both a Foal, and a Stallion, this is as close to a Hive as you get, without actually having one!” I told myself.
“You all rest, while I have a short flight. I can as well see what the location looks like, from up there. I need to stretch my wings. Besides, we need to know what is around, before it hop up and nip us in the collective butt!” Misty suggested.
“Good idea, go stretch your wings while we rest for a moment!” Box responded.
As Misty caught the air, the rest of us gathered in a Ring around Hope, Box laying by her side. I look out as did the other mares while Box looks up to the sky, scanning for who or what ever may surprise us from the air.
The sky is clear, and not as much as a cloud grace our view. I could see trees of the forest, but little more than a squirrel or a bunny would show before us. Not exactly anything to be scared off, not even for a rugged group of abandoned Changelings on the run, like us.
Our Scout could be seen from time to time, several minutes apart. That's about as exciting as it ever got. Not that I was the one to complain, not at this point. I had had more than enough to complain about, getting abandoned and all that.
Several turns later, a feeling slowly started to grow within me, feeling a new Pony. It's not one Pony, but two Changelings, as it turned out. Two Mares. If it had been Misty that drew them towards us, or if they simply was flying by, who am I to say?
Half an hour or so after we had gathered on the soft green grasses of the clearing, the two Mares landed on the grasses, facing Box. Maybe it was intensional, or just dumb luck. Either way, it is how it went down.
The next moment Misty came down, joining the two new Pegasi who had just landed, and moved closer towards us.
“I'm Wind, and my companion is Nimbus!” the first of the two presented herself.
“I'm Misty, that's Box. There is Scribbler and Toys. Then we have Box and Hope, she's Leafy!” Misty concluded.
“You seems uncharacteristically comfortable here. Even if I can see you have the making of a nice little heard right here. More than we have back at our new little hive!” Wind pointed out.
“We can as well have a moment of rest. It's a long way back to Manehattan, were Ruby is awaiting us with quite some anticipation. Some of you may know her as Queen Chrysalis. She does have one thing going for her, we have all the Love we can take, if we're able to handle it!” Nimbus continued.
“What we didn't have, is Stallion and Foal. Besides, we did need several more Mares, mostly for the numbers!” Wind finished.
“If she's prepared to take us in, you have both a Stallion and a Filly right here. Besides, the Mares would come with me too!” Box pointed out.
“If nothing else would convince you to come with us, Flames is doing the cooking!” Wind then added.
“Wait, Flames? Is that by any chance her Royal Cook? If so, what are we waiting for?” I enquired.
“None other. Besides, she still has a large batch of Love Soup waiting for us when we get back. Your portions are waiting for you, when you get back. This is but a single days work, worth of Wealth!” Nimbus suggested.
By now, we had all gotten to our hooves, slowly moving in the direction the two Pegasi came from, towards the new home in Manehattan.
“Did any of you by any chance mark a place close by?” Wind enquired.
“Yes, I marked a place a bit into the forest. I figured it was good to see the place where we met the Mares and the Foal, since they came from the old Hive!” I responded.
“Clever reasoning!” Nimbus stated.
“Then the old Hive is basically dead. Scattered Changelings wondering ever outwards from there. We'd need to investigate and search for any remnants still out there. It's our responsibility. If any of them found Refuge with other Hives is for the better. Yet, we need to save as many as we can find, from the certain misery that awaits them!” stated Wind.
“Ad me to the list of Pegasi available for this task. Even if I don't know how many are out there, we have one Pegasus more than you knew of when you left the Hive!” Misty pointed out.
“I take it you've scouted enough to take us the fastest and safest way home now. I want to see our new Hive as soon as possible!” I said.
“There may only be the two of us, but we should be able to guide you home safely. Tree of us should manage to cover more ground with the next sweep!” Nimbus concluded.
There is room, a room for each and every one of you. Flames have a kitchen for cooking, and we have s currently small Restaurant. We held the opening night yesterday, just for the critics, in order to market ourself!” Wind added.
“We'll add the best for last, you'll see that when we get back home!” Nimbus pointed out.
“Living in Manehattan, now that's something new. I never had imagined the day would come!” Box confessed.
“The largest Citty in all of Equestria?” enquired Squibbles.
“Too many Ponies to count, and endless supply of Love for a Hive like ours!” Wind mused with a widening grin on her face.
“I just hope Flames will be fast enough, when the business heats up. We're predicting a few guests at the Restaurants. There is a Shop in the Basement, once we have enough 'Ponies' to manage that. Can't have any of us out of work!” Nimbus stated.
“Right now, I'd focus my effort on Hope, she needs to be cared for and educated!” Toys confessed.
“I would help Toys with the care for Hopes!” Squibbles added.
“We're here, Manehattan!” Wind announced.
“Right this way!” Nimbus added as she leads us in, into our new Hive.
Ruby apparently sits by a table as we arrived.
“Welcome back, Wind and Nimbus. I see you made a great job, each and every one of you will be highly appreciated!” Ruby greeted us.
Then I noticed three Girls. Strange as they look, they seem to manage to sit at the next table. The one thing recognisable is the mane like hair on the head of them. Even if their eyes look fairly normal to us. Then it hit me, they have the same pink hide, the same complexion as mine.
“There are the Girls, Hitomi, Chihiro and Riku. By the looks, I think you'll join them by the table, Leaves!” Wind pointed out.
“You'll pick a room in the Basement with us too!” Hitomi pointed out.
“At least I get a room. Do I get my own bed too?” I enquired.
“Flames will even give you a door sign before you get to bed tonight!” Riku promised.
“Seems I have already chosen my job!” I stated, taking the new form, with just the few small differences, since my eyes and mane still are much the same.
“You've volunteered for Scout service, Misty. We need you for a good long time!” Nimbus stated.
“Box, you have a choice, since you're a Unicorn, you could choose between cooking of sales in the Basement. Yet, your complexion means you could be a Scratcher too. Either way, we'd like for you to stay close by as the only Stallion on the Hive!” Wind suggested.
“Is scratching what the 'Girls' would do? I guess I could fill the spot, if you need me there. Otherwise, I'd like to look into the shop downstairs!” Box pointed out.
“Basement? If it isn't too much of a problem, I'd have a room in the basement!” said Toys.
“I'd love to room next to Toys, and have Hope with us!” suggested Squibbles.
“If there are rooms for you in the Basement, by all means!” Ruby stated.
“Misty, you'd have a room upstairs with Wind and Nimbus!” Flames laughed.
“If you have rooms for us up by that balcony, that would be ideal!” Nimbus responded.
“Sure are!” Hitomi interjected.
I'll just have to move a few more beds now!” Flames excused herself, rushing off to where our remaining beds lay, before she started to teleport beds to the respective rooms.
“We better heed down to see the basement!” I concluded.
“Take your time, settle in, we have work to do soon enough. For one, the Scratchers will be open and serving today. I have a few tables booked!” Ruby informed us.
Hitomi followed me, the mares and their foal down to see the basement. Then I picked the first room after them. Toys and Squibbles claimed the following two and yet one for Hope.
Once I reached my room, there is a bed waiting for me already. Apparently Flames had guessed which room I was to choose. When I came out, the sign is firmly on the door. Each room that is occupied now has a sign. Aside from my leaf, my Scratchers name was also printed clearly readable.
Apparently I'm now Hio. Box was named Taru, by the label.
I had been introduced to my new home and hive. Our former Queen, now known as Ruby handling a business in central manehattan. I have a room and a bed in the basement, just fine by me. I didn't want to live upstairs, maybe I shared more with my sisters than I had realised?
Then I had had a shower, dried myself off and slipped into a fresh skirt and top, before I had been served a small portion of the famous Love Soup Flames had prepared the day before.
I may still be a Changeling to the core, but I feel like a new girl. I have a life. A sense of security. If only I realised the risks and dangers I was about to face? I had been told to be careful while scratching, since I would run the risk of Intoxication.
“Can I really get that much Love from just a Scratching?” I enquired.
“Yes, you sure can. I know from fresh experience. You may look different, but you're not toothless. You certainly haven't lost your fangs either, you'll see when you get to work. It may sound like a free meal and in a way it is. The only real problem is that you can get pretty messed up from the intoxication if you're not careful. I know you have been out of the loop for a while, so you would be starving, until today!” Hitomi explained.
“Out of the loop? Yeah, I guess you could call it that. Just roaming the countryside alone. I didn't have much to eat, and not much interest in feeding. Flames just fixed that, now I have something to live for. Ruby sure gave me a home!” I concluded.
“There is a reason why we chose to live down here. As cosy as it may be to live downstairs, but it isn't the reason. In a Megapolis like Manehattan, we're literally swamped with Love here. We're safer down here. With four full-time Scratchers, we can easily feed our Hive at current rate. From what I felt the other day, we'll practically own the City Hands down. We don't need to risk exposure or violence, they'll be eating out of our hands, you'll see!” Hitomi explained.
“Sounds as if Scratching is as easy as eating apples out of a barrel? If it is my position, I'm happy to scratch, even if I don't know what I'll be doing yet. From your expression, it sounds as if it is going to be a blast!” I responded.
“If you come with me, I'll give you an idea. I can as well demonstrate how it works!” Hitomi suggested.
I followed her up, with expectancy shining in my eyes and a wide grin on my face. The stairs was easy to handle as a biped, as opposed to how it would have been, had I been a regular Pony.
Once I got upstairs, the buzz of the City already was obvious, not so much in audible sounds as in the Love on the air as thin as it may be for a Changeling. It isn't anywhere near enough to live off of, or even prolong the inevitable, but I can still sense a strong presence of the Love, once I reach the ground level.
“You noticed the change as we walked up the stairs, Hitomi?” I enquired curious to have confirmation on what I had felt.
“Yes, I noticed it instantly, from the first time I walked down there. It is why I chose for us to have our beds in the basement. It isn't enough to make an actual difference, but it bothers me, when I like to sleep!” Hitomi responded.
“This sure will be interesting!” I stated, as I hear her response.
“Certainly!” she confirmed.
“Could you fix a small portion of Daisy salad and a small portion of the Soup, Flames?” she then required.
“Coming right up, Hitomi!” Flames responded, as she set of to prepare the Salad.
“Have a seat, and I'll show you your new job!” Hitomi explained, pointing at a chair by the wall behind the kitchen.
“Thanks!” I responded as I sit down.
Then I could see how Flames was preparing my salad, pouring up the soup, before placing them all on a cart with fork and spoon, before she came to my table, serving the soup and salad.
“Thank you, Flames, the soup smells wonderful. I had almost forgotten how great the soup is!” I thanked her, before she slipped back into the kitchen.
I could imagine every single Hive had their own way of making this soup, mixing in various ingredients, depending on where and when the hive was, but this is the soup Flames had been known for above and beyond everything.
She never had this fresh resources in such plenty before. I don't know how to make it, or what went in to it, I just know how to enjoy it. Yet, this was about to top that off by far.
I could see Hitomi picking up what had been referred to as a spoon. It had clearly been created for this kind of things, which feels strange to me. She simply hold the metal object in her right hand, scooping up a small amount of the soup in the spoon, then lifting it up to my mouth.
It had been ages since I had been feed as the little Changeling foal I had been back then. I just couldn't have imagined to be back in this situation. The thing that was the strangest is to have hands. I look like the girl who was to be a Scratcher. Even if I never had seen the original myself.
Now the moment was about to come upon me, what I have come here for. She was to demonstrate and explain to me, the job and the duty I was about to pick up for myself. A duty towards my new hive, such as it was at this point.
It was a very serious duty, one with a very great responsibility and challenges you may not perceive at the first glance. I am to scratch the Ponies who come to our currently small establishment. They were to choose which girl they wanted to scratch them, it is the privilege of the customers, since they were paying for the service in the first place. I could see the point and wholeheartedly agree with it.
She will be known as the Scratcher by the name of Hitomi. I am to be just another scratcher, just like her. The one small difference is that I'm not Hitomi, just like I have a few small personal details to me. One by one, we are to look the same, but when seen together, easily recognised as individuals.
Our differences will have no practical purpose, other than the comfort of the customers who come to have our services. Optherwise, we are as similar as two deers or bunnies in the forest, who could see the differences to know the individuals, without seeing them side by side.
I may find her looks curious and even amusing. Her long nails more so than the rest, even if the biped stance alone feels strange right now. Yet, if it is what a scratcher looks like, what it felt like, being one, then I was to get used to it soon enough. That is part of my Changeling heritage, after all. Taking on the characteristics of others in order to blend in, where I could never have been in my original form as a Changeling.
I could see how she holds the spoon in her right hand, slowly moving it down to the bowl of soup, scoping up what was to be roughly a mouthful, before moving it up to my face. I knew she had to do it, it is a part of the treat she was to teach me. I need to master it, or I would fail.
Failing is no option, it had to be avoided at all cost. In part, because I could reveal who I am, thus alerting the Manehattanites to our presence here. They can not be allowed to know there are Changelings in their midst. The one problem is that we couldn't afford to kill or even harm a single one of them in order to prevent the leak, if it was to happen.
Just seeing the grace with which she move the hand she is holding the spoon of Love soup in gave me a slight shiver momentarily. No Pony could have handled it quite this way, not even with magic as aid. I know magic, I'm just not quite the adept as a regular Unicorn is, just as I am never the equal of a Pegasus in flight either.
“Open up, time for your first spoon of soup!” Hitomi pointed out, just in time for me to comply, letting me know exactly when to do it.
With that I open my mouth in acceptance of the feed she offered me. I guess it never have tasted quite this great, or quite like this before. The problem is to find a supply of Love in a Changeling hive. The rest is easy by comparison, as hard as some of the required ingredients may be to come by. At least, it is the impression I had of it all.
Good thing I am not the cook, just like I never had been the one to gather these ingredients. Maybe this was my lot in life all along. It isn't as if I could complain, I had not been given an unimportant or easy task, it is an honour to have a task as important and challenging as this. I could but raise to the occasion.
Once I feel the spoon on my tongue, I slowly close my mouth around it, slowly swallowing the content, just taking the time to savour the flavours and pleasure from her feeding me in this fashion. I am to perform it soon enough, once the first Pony choose me.
Spoon by spoon, she slowly emptied my bowl, as I fill up on the love I require. Then she finally did manage to slip the last of the soup up in the spoon. At this point, I could but smile. I had enjoyed the treat, this far, not knowing just how much I was to need the love, for when she had finished the demonstration.
She quietly placed the spoon in the bowl, slipping it before her, before pulling the salad closer, leaving it just a mere foot before me on the table, where she stood behind me, beside me, both physically and figuratively. Where she stood, she supports me, giving me the one special feeling, as she picks the fork up.
Now I see her stabbing the vegetables in the new bowl of salad.
“This isn't commonly included in the service, though we do have soup on the menu as well. How does this feel?” Hitoni enquired in a curious tone of voice, still the smile on her face.
I can't quite put words to the feeling. You certainly did make me feel special though Hitomi!” I responded.
“Then it is time for the salad. This is a common part of what you will be doing, from now on as a part of your job. The salad is a common meal among Ponies, I have come to understand!” she merely explained as she moved the fork towards my mouth.
“Open your mouth!” she suggested, just in time for me to comply.
I closed my mouth around the fork and the vegetables she inserted into my mouth, feeling the fork slip out quietly, just as easy as the spoon had, while she feed me the soup, as late as a minute ago. Slowly chewing the crisp vegetables of the salad Flames had prepared for me, enjoying the flavours.
While I chewed the first bite, she stabbed the next, lifting the fork up just in time for me to open my mouth and start chewing once more. Slowly I chew, enjoying the treat.
Watching her stab more vegetables, again and again, slipping the fork into my mouth just in time I had chewed out. If this is how they would feel, they were bound to come back for another.
Fork by fork, she filled me up, it may be a light salad, but she managed to take the time, making me enjoy it all the more, rather than rushing it over. She still managed to make me special, not just a little fillie who needs help feeding. In the end, she had stabbed the last of the salad, no more vegetables remaining in the bowl. For a moment I was feeling disappointed, until I realised what was the main treat, the thing I had come for. The meal a mere appetiser.
Once the meal was out of the way, I feel fresh and expectant, as to what she had promised. What I was supposed to do for the customers, in the days to come.
The bowls pushed aside, standing before me, for but the time until they were carried out by the next girl, leaving us to the treat.
I noticed she had moved slightly, now standing directly behind me, lifting both her hands towards my head. I feel her fingers slipping into my mane, her nails making contact with the sensitive skin. Apparently, she started from the middle of my head.
What I had not expected and couldn't have anticipated, is the effect of her, scratching my head. Little by little, I clearly feel the effect of the soup evaporating, like an ice cube on the street in the sun on an intensely warm day of summer. Only it merely trickled away in a snail's pace, rather than just quickly disappearing.
Now her long nails slowly scratch the skin on my head, starting at the top, slowly moving down along the back, just as far as my mane went. As long as her nails are, they would barely bend in the least. Thick as they would feel, they are nothing like the hooves I had been born with, which made for a strange and curious contradiction I realised I would like to feel more of.
If this is how I feel, why wouldn't the Manhattan Ponies like to feel it too. Even when I slowly started to feel the effect of dwindling effects from the meal, I still enjoy he sensations she elicited, using nothing but her nails, scratching slowly gently and very gracefully.
I felt, rather than saw her moving to the right, just before her hands moved to my left ear, where she started anew, scratching my ear. Bit by bit, she covered my ear in delicious sensations as she kept up her work, even though she was slowly draining me of the love the meal had so recently filled me up on.
Methodically from the top, she worked it over, only to turn back up, then back down, covering a new patch on each turn. She still managed to drag it out for several minutes by what I could say, though it could as well have taken her an hour.
I barely noticed it as she let go, moving to the other side of me, before she renewed her efforts, just as graceful as before.
Once she was done, I was exhausted. If it is the excitement from the treat, or the dwindling love reserves in my body, who am I to say. Maybe it is the combination of the two, even if there is the chance that the meal competed for the remainder of my now meagre energy reserves. Either way, I was slumping noticeably in my chair as she had finished.
I did little to nothing, hiding how I feel, or the state in which I am in, at this time. Why bother, it would merely be taxing me even further, even if it would not push me over. Now it is still feeling good, as exhausted as I am.
“I think you need to go down to your room and rest. I'll help you!” Hitomi offered in a concerned voice.
“Thanks, I may need that, Hitomi!” I responded in an uncharacteristically flat voice do to how I felt.
“Flames, would you fill a small cup of soup for her? Seems I was a bit more enthusiastic in demonstrating her job!” Hitomi put forth.
“Sounds like a correct assessment of the situation!” Ruby confirmed in a warm voice.
“I'm on it!” Flames responded eagerly, only too happy to offer her services.
I barely heard Flames, as Hitomi leant me a shoulder to lean on, as she lead me down the stairs to my room, where the bed stood, waiting for me patiently.
While Hitomi was leading me down, Flames was already pouring me a cup of her soup. Once I had reached the bed, she is slowly walking to the stairs, negotiating his way down. A moment later, she presented the cup, handing it over to me, where I sit with Hitomi by my side.
Naturally I did accept the cup, slowly sipping the content. Feeling myself returning to myself, yet still needing some rest from the experience. Maybe the experience as such would require a moment of quiet contemplation as well.
I could see Flames walking back up with the cup to her kitchen, just as I finished sipping. I slowly lie down on the bed, Hitomi silently staying by my side, merely sitting on the side, waiting for me. Listening, observing, yet saying nothing.
While resting, my thoughts slowly worked out, what I had just experienced, what had drained me so heavily, without me even realising it as it happened.
“I wouldn't regret exchanging my fangs for my nails!” I then expressed weakly, as the realisation of the event sunk in.
“We are going to do well here. Though it does feel strange to draw sustenance from such a treatment, rather than the way we used to in the past!” she responded with a warm smile, clearly taken aback by the situation, just as much as what had just been said.
Flames had cleaned up and done the dishes as he got back up from the basement. Now she merely sits in the chair by the table with Ruby, quietly contemplating the situation, based on the latest event.
Apparently, I had an errand in Manehattan, only that would be tomorrow, which leaves me with an entire day to spare.
The errand had come up on short notice, but giving me just enough for the one day, before I was expected to be, where I am expected to be and do, what I was expected to do.
I am not about to just throw away a perfectly good opportunity to check up on a few friends. I had been picking up the word on what was going on, making me expect something.
Sometimes, a Pony doesn't want to intrude on her friends, so it was the hotel for me. Checking in on my latest investment would give me a chance to catch up on how they are doing, just as it means I will be early and fresh as a Daisy, when I am to go, where I had to go.
I had chosen to take the train, simple easy and convenient. Just the one ticket for me to Mainhattan and back to Ponyville. Going to the station first thing in the morning, just after breakfast. Buying a ticket is a breeze. Then I had simply taken the train, just as intended. It had been an eventless trip and I ended up alone in the entire car.
Since I had been expected here only tomorrow, and had never told anypony of my arrival today, none is waiting for me here right now, maybe it is just as well. Though I can tell a few trusted friends what I wanted them to keep their eyes on, without giving the reason.
Knowing they could choose any looks, from real, living Ponies or make them up as they went. The address would most likely still be where they would live and work. What I gave Chrysalis is an opportunity to a life and to re-establish a hive where she could live in comfort. After that, it is up to her and her fellow Changelings to accept it, or not. This is part of what I wanted to see for myself now.
Once I had arrived at the station, I slipped off of the train and trotted off to where I had left my new friends. I expect them to still be, where I had left them. If for nothing more than the safe place where they could hide from us and gather their forces, if it is what she chose to do. Or she could as easily choose to do what I told her and establish herself a legitimate establishment, the restaurant I had showed her, before I led her here to Manhattan.
Finding the address was a breeze, just as I knew it would. The sign over the door still is where it was, exactly the way I had left it. She still is here, I just knew it. Once I had seen the sign I was looking for and hoping I was to see, I simply approached the door.
I noticed the door going up, just a moment before I approached it. Perfect timing to make me feel welcome. They really wanted me to feel right at home, if it was aimed at my person, or just any Pony who chose to approach the door, I could not guess at this time.
The few tables are still standing where I had left them, when I had helped her open up her still humble little shop. There is room for two more establishments within the apartment I gave them access to.
“Greetings, Pinkie!” Ruby exclaimed, just an instant after she had spotted me.
“Hi, Ruby. How are you doing?” I responded cheerfully.
“I really can't complain. Business may be a bit on the shaky side, this far, but I'm doing well!” she put forth in response, smiling back at me.
“My assessment was correct, this apartment is great for you. We just got off on the wrong hoof in our first meeting. I need every Pony smiling. I hope that will include you as well!” I merely pointed out.
“One of my former workers mentioned something to the effect. It is just unaccustomed to be a CEO in Manehattan and serve new Ponies I don't know. Naturally, they don't know me more than I know them, so it is still a fair deal. A fresh start and a new chance for me. There are a few challenges along the way, some of which I never had to face before!” Ruby expressed in concern.
“It isn't the Capital, but a Megapolis. Ponies on every corner. You feel their presence encroaching on you from every direction, I take it. If you are not a City Pony, it is a challenge to get use to it. Yet, it is the perfect place to hide from old memories haunting you, as well as the best place for an establishment such as yours!” I put forth.
“This certainly is a great place, if you are opening up a Restaurant, or any other Pony oriented establishment!” Flames interjected with a sly smile on her lips.
“On that matter, our problem isn't in finding the required ingredients, but rather adjusting to how fresh and plentiful they are here. I guess I was initially shocked by the realisation, just how similar our preferences are. To my surprise, it is mainly in the style of how they prepare meals, compared with what I was used to, where I came from!” Ruby expressed in an amused tone of voice, on the verge of bursting out in laughter, as if I had cracked one of my better jokes.
“Our history is filled with these shocks and surprises. Move from one community to the next, or visit a friend and this is how life repay you for the effort. History taught me that, long ago, you know. From the scents, you are doing well, Flames!” I pointed out.
“Yes, history has taught me this and more. I am proud to have a chef like you, Flames!” Ruby pointed out in response.
“That pleases me mightily, Pinkie Pie!” Flames responded, nodding her head in acceptance.
“You are quite welcome, Flames. You will do well here. I take it your Scratchers will do well too, Ruby?” I expressed.
“Oh yes. Though we have encountered an unexpected surprise, there. Thankfully Flames managed to alleviate and thus solve the problem. The girls enjoy their work, alright. Though it is cutting it close on their endurance, if I am to express it bluntly!” Ruby expressed with a somewhat worried grin on her face.
“I guess the expression is,'Intoxicating', if I am to be correct!” Hitomi put forth in an embarrassed tone and a silly smile on her face, as she momentarily looked down.
“I could see how that would be a problem, on your part. I feel like that, if I throw a particularly good party. The effect is rarely a problem, but I did go ballistic on occasion!” I put forth.
“Wait, wait. You're neither Pegasus nor Unicorn, how did you manage that?”Nimbus enquired in a curious tone of voice, apparently concerned.
“Neither am I an Alicorn, I am still just an Earth Pony!” I responded.
“The only other possible solution I could have thought up is just unthinkable. On the other hoof, I guess you simply are exceptional?” Ruby suggested.
“Wisdom and inspiration can take you further and higher then wings possibly could!” I explained.
“Inspiration is what keeps me cooking!” flames put forth.
“Your cooking is what keeps us all going, even through the adventure that finally brought us here, just as I fear it is what will pull us back together!” Ruby pronounced.
“I guess that is the inspiration that keeps me going!” Flames responded.
“None is refusing to come back with me, when I mention your name, Flames. Even the once who doesn't come back for the hive under our glorious queen!” Nimbus suggested.
“I guess I knew it. There is nothing, until you have hope of a good meal and continuation!” Ruby put forth with a breath shudder to her.
“From estimates, you will have quite the challenge, Nimbus. You are spread pretty thin, over half of Equestria. Though I guess you finally will have the time and arguments to bring them back. I would predict you will sweep the floor with the competition, with what you have right here. Countless hungry Ponies to serve should be a reliable income to cover all you need!” I expressed.
“Maybe you would like to see my humble home?” Hitomi enquired.
“Yes!” I responded.
“It isn't much, but it is a home of my own. I have a small room and a bed downstairs!” she explained, as she lead me to the stairs.
“I have the feeling, this is nothing like what you were used to. Even though I never saw your old home!” I said.
“Ah, yeah. I guess it was never time to show you around, back then. I have a very different life, back then. I actually chose to have my bed downstairs, could you believe?” she then bubbled over in her excitement.
“We are who we were born. Yet, I sense you have adapted well to your new life in Manehattan. I think you will grow into a good Manehattranite in no time!” I suggested in a slight tease.
I had found the room in a Spartan level of decoration, to the brink of barren. A Human style bed with a night stand on the side. There is also the wardrobe in which she was to keep her clothes and other belongings.
“I was actually the one who chose for us to live down here, it is more suited to our needs. I enjoy the peace and quiet. To sense the noise of all the Ponies upstairs is distracting me!” she put forth.
“Ah. Yes, I can see what you mean. I may be the Party Pony, but I still live in a small village like Ponyville. I will never be a Manehattanite. I probably would have chosen a room like yours, if I was to live here!” I expressed.
“I love the peace and quiet, down here. Though I can never leave behind a part of who I am. I need to feed. Just that here, I need never fear to starve anymore. I am actually more scared of the intoxication from having too much!” she admitted.
“Funny, I never had the problem, but if you got as hyper as me, I guess the world would be turning upside down. I was right. You will do well here, without the threatening of the Ponies on the other side of the door. Life just love to throw these ironic curve balls our way, from time to time!” I admitted with a nervous giggle.
“I feel as if I knew all about these. At least I am in a position where I can serve my hive. Besides, I think I will enjoy doing it now. Speaking of ironies, me being here is just another one of them. Now they are actually asking me to be mere inches from them. Even if they don't know it, I think I can enjoy it, just as I expect you already knew before you sent us here!” Hitomi put forth.
“I guess there is quite a delicious irony to that. You being here, while they ask for you to be the mere inches behind their backs. Part of the fun is in how you are going to help them with something they will enjoy. They just don't know how handsomely they are tipping you. On the other hoof, I am sure the City can afford the brief exposure to you, spread out on the entire population. I am sure they will love you and your services!” I pronounced.
“Oh yeah. I am standing right behind the back of the next Pony. They wouldn't even know it. I guess that is something I can enjoy. So long as they pay us, we're going to enjoy serving them. Considering what you said, yeah. What I had not expected, is just how much I enjoy being Hitomi the Scratcher. Though I guess it is just as well we haven't had all that many here yet!” she expressed.
“Since you mentioned it, that is how I would like it to stay. It is highly unlikely any of them would hear us, while we sit on your bed, quietly discussion things like this. Just as I predict Scratchers being a hot new trend. Something I like to see more of. Helping you in on this is a good move on my part, you know. If Ponies enjoy it, all the better for the both of us. If you don't mind it, I think I would love for you to give me a Scratch before I do!” I suggested in good cheers.
“I certainly do agree with you on that. I feel it is in my interest, which means I have to do all I can to make sure it stay a secret. In order for our secret to stay unknown, there can be nothing leading to suspicion. If anyone, you would know that. My best means of maintaining the secret is to keep you and the Ponies of Manehattan happy, wouldn't you agree. Since we are both comfortable here, it is a good place to discuss it. From what little I know, Scratching is my best way of keeping them happy. Besides, I do enjoy doing it, even with the risk of slipping. I take it, you knew we would make it here!” she pondered in a burst of words.
“I think you will do this City some good, just by supplying the service. Speaking of which, did you ever change back to your natural form, since you took up this role? I had the idea, you can only maintain the form for so long. As much as I may love your current form, but you need to take care of yourself and your needs. You may consider doing it by night, no Ponies her by then. Besides, I think it is time we go out to the others, for one, they may start to wonder?” I pondered.
“Yeah, that is true. Just feels curious to see it like that, Pinkie, wouldn't you say? Yeah, I will have to go back to the form, as fun and comfortable as it is to be in this form. I just can't put a finger to how or why. It just is the way it is. Maybe the time is linked to how much Love I have and get? Yet, I still will have to go back, eventually. Doing it at night would be for the best. I have needs, yes. We all do, don't we? Speaking of which, there is this strangely itching recognition with you. You are the only Pony giving me the feeling, a sensation I just can't shake. The longer I sit here with you, the more persistent this feeling get. I know you are a Pony, but the feeling just refuses to let go of me. I am not imagining this, even if I was first getting aware of it, while sitting down here with you. Maybe we should go up to the others, as you say!” she pondered in a new torrent of words bubbling right out of her.
“Maybe we are more alike, then they are ready to know? This only confirms, what I had envisioned for you here in Manehattan, wouldn't you say? It suits you, you know. Even if I exposed you to the form, I did not chose you for the job, you chose the job for yourself. Just a question of how many of you there are out there. Good thing you have Flames, I think she is if not the best chef, one of the very best this City have to offer. Is that how you feel, that is curious. You never saw me lonely, or in the centre of a Party, I guess. Besides, you never saw me the one time I had myself duplicated!” I responded in a bubbling torrent of words.
“Now you make me wonder if I need to fear or be jubilant. We had better go up, before I decide!” Hitomi pronounced in certainty of her uncertainty.
“Maybe you are not even the first to have that thought. Yeah, they are about to ponder where we went off to. Though I think we can have some fun together, one of these days?” I responded as she rose to her hooves and started to walk out of the small room.
“How ever can you possibly know all these things? Now you are starting to scare me!” she put forth.
“I call it Pinkie sense. I have no idea how it works. I just know. Sorry, I did not intend to scare you. Though it sometimes is fun to be scared. You should have seen my Nightmare Moon Suit!” I responded with a teasing grin.
“Pinkie Sense? Just don't start telling me you were not born a Pony in the first place, would you. Nightmare Moon Suit?” she pondered as we finally did hit the stairs.
“Nightmare Night is a Holiday where we celebrate the younger of the two sisters and remember what happened to her when she turned dark in despair. I was dressed up as a Chicken. I think I need to take you there and show you, next time. You just have to see it. Maybe you would enjoy it!” I put forth.
“That is the strangest and most curious reason for a Holiday I ever came across. Though I guess the Masquerade aspect would play right into my hands? Or hooves, in my natural form. I think I need to see this, but why a Chicken of all things?” she enquired in a puzzled tone of voice, a slight giggles on the verge to escape.
“I chose it for what it is representing, the symbol of cowardice. Besides, it did prove the perfect way to open the free candy, so I could enjoy it effortlessly. It does have beak, you know!” I explained.
“You certainly did take my dear Hitomi for one hell of a ride, Pinkie Pie!” Ruby burst out as we got back upstairs among the others.
“She showed me her room. Then we got off, talking about a few things, and I ended up explaining about a Holiday of ours, where I dressed up as a Chicken!” I responded.
“You just wouldn't believe what she just told me, Ruby!” Hitomi interjected.
“She is a Pony, isn't she? There is too much we did not know about your Folk, Pinkie Pie!” Ruby expressed.
“To my best knowledge, yes, I am still a Earth Pony. You just don't know us Pies very well. I am sure you knew that already, from what happened at the Canterlot wedding? Even if I wasn't singlehoofed responsible for how it went down!” I suggested.
“You mean to say your entire family is as exceptional as you are, Pinkie Pie?” Ruby enquired with a strange tone to her voice.
“I guess you could say that. On the other hood, the expression 'An apple doesn't fall far from the tree' does have a core to it. Some families are consistently exceptional, ordinary or failures!” I put forth.
“I guess a pair of Loyal Ponies teach their foals Loyalty, but you made it come out as much more than that. Even with Magic involved, this is still curious!” Ruby responded.
“Would be a shame, if you did not teach your foals the best you could?
“Sure would be. But, would you like to see my room too? I live upstairs!” Nimbus enquired.
“Yes, that would be interesting!” I replied.
“Right this way, Pinkie. I live upstairs. I prefer to be living where I have close to the aerial exit. Not sure if my room is very different from Hitomis, but it is upstairs!” she responded.
“You are a Pegasus, after all. I guess this would be the closest to Cloudsdale we can get here?” I suggested.
