When a Changeling Hatchling finds her way from the hive to Ponyville, she is met with fear at first, but soon a group of ponies take her in to care for her. Can they prove that she is different than the others, or will she be driven out due to fear?
Emerald is the typical Changeling Hatchling; curious, friendly, loving, and full of mischief. She wants to be important in the Swarm, but when she can't take the role she wants to play, she decides to leave. A choice that starts to bring up strange memories... Memories of playing outside with ponies....
A pale pink pegasus carried a filly into a bedroom with a crib inside. A blue unicorn followed after her.
“Good-night, Sweetheart,” the unicorn said as the pegasus set the filly in the crib.
“Goodnight, Daddy,” she replied.
“We’ll see you in the morning, Glimmer,” the pegasus said as she shut the door to the bedroom.
Once she was sure her parents were gone, Glimmer climbed out of the crib, fluttering her tiny wings to help. She dangled for a moment, then dropped to the floor.
“Oof!” She giggled. “When the parents are away, it’s time to play!” She went over to her toy box and opened it. Her green eyes scanned the contents of the bin as she decided which toy to play with. Finally she chose a small stuffed bear.
Glimmer levitated the bear out of the bin and went over to the rug in the center of the room. She played with the bear for a moment, then stopped and looked towards her window.
A dark figure was hovering outside. The window opened and the figure flew into the room. Glimmer watched, curiously as the figure looked around the room. The figure’s gaze locked on her and moved towards her. Glimmer was frightened by this, but curiosity got the better of her and she stayed where she was.
The figure stopped a few feet away from Glimmer, and narrowed its eyes. It lunged at Glimmer, grabbing her and muffling her screams before flying back out the window.
Glimmer stared fearfully at her captor, then everything was dark.
A young Changeling Hatchling raced around the corner and rammed into someone.
“Huh?” she gasped, looking up into the face of another Changeling.
The other Changeling glowered down at her. “What is the meaning of this?” he growled.
The Hatchling shrank away. “I’m sorry General Flare, I wasn’t watching where I was—”
She was cut off as someone squealed, “Draftie!”
The Hatchling turned and saw another young Changeling running towards her. “Drat!” she cried, “I wasn’t ready, Emerald!” she groaned, obviously irritated.
Emerald, who was oblivious to the fact that the other was annoyed with her, simply said, “I found you, so I get to be the love next, Draft!”
Draft rolled her eyes. “Personally, I don’t get why you want to be the love, being a Changeling is better; The Changelings eat the love, Emerald!”
Another Hatchling came up. He sighed. “You’re always taking things too literally. Seriously, Draft, Snake is right, you really do need to lighten up.”
Draft glared at him. “Ya know what, Coal? I’m just gonna pretend I didn’t just hear that and by the way,” her voice was continually rising as she spoke to him. “Someday, you will most likely be a drone. Meaning you will absorb the love from ponies, then return to the hive to give that love to Queen Chrysalis for her to share with the rest of the swarm.” Draft nodded her head for emphasis as she said this.
Emerald and Coal both tried not to laugh at the serious face the other Changeling was trying to pull off.
“You do realize that is months away, right?” Coal asked Draft.
“Well, of course I... JUST SHUT UP!” Draft was fuming as she stalked away. Coal and Emerald started cracking up.
“Well, when I’m older, I’m not gonna be a dumb drone," Emerald said proudly. "I’ll be a spy and live among ponies and get to know their weaknesses and I…” she broke off as she realized Coal was laughing at her.
“What?!” Emerald demanded, irritably quivering her tiny wings in indignation.
“You can’t leave the hive unless you’re a scout or a drone,” Coal laughed, “There are no spies, the scouts are the ones that go in search of sources of love for us to feed off of," Coal explained.
Emerald just glared at him. “I’m going to be a spy, just you wait and see!”
She raced off, furious that the Hatchling she had always thought of as her best friend had scorned her for wanting to be important someday. Maybe he’s right, maybe I’ll never be a spy… No, I know I never will. Emerald sighed, she knew Coal was right. Well, since I can’t be a spy for the swarm, I’m not going to be part of the swarm at all!
***
Twilight used her magic to get yet another book down from the shelves in her library. She glanced at the cover, rolled her eyes, and threw it onto the huge pile of books behind her.
“Ugh! I can’t find anything in any of my books!” Twilight glanced around. “Spike!” she called.
“I’m right he— Ow!” Spike came in just as Twilight hurled another book at the pile, but she had missed and hit him instead.
“Sorry, Spike.” Twilight said, turning to go through even more of the books.
Spike glanced from the book in his claws to the pile of books behind Twilight. “What’s with all these books?” Spike asked, rubbing his head.
“I’m trying to find even the slightest information on the Changelings,” Twilight said, without looking at him. “I need to know if there is a chance that they would attack Equestria again. We need to be prepared for anything.”
Spike rolled his eyes. “I really don’t think there will be any books about the Changelings here,” Spike told her, setting down the book. “I mean, I don’t think anypony even knew about the Changelings before the attack on Canterlot, and personally I think tha—"
Twilight cut him off. “I know that it is highly unlikely to find any books about Changelings here, but we have to try!”
***
Emerald fought her way through the pouring rain. Perhaps this wasn’t my best idea ever…
She slipped in a puddle of mud and tumbled down a steep hill, coming to a stop in an even bigger puddle of mud. By now, she no longer looked like a Changeling, but like a filly covered in mud.
“Oh, yuck!” She cried. “Why does everything have to go wrong?!”
“Hello?” An elegant voice called out.
Emerald froze.
“Is there somepony out here? Oh, if there is, please come here, I’d rather not get my hooves all muddy…”
“Oh, Rarity!” another voice chirped, “I’ll go out there if you won’t! I’m not afraid of a bit of mud!”
"No Sweetie Belle, it's past your bedtime, I suppose I'll have to get dirty..." Rarity sighed.
"Grrr....Fine, I'll go to bed."
Emerald heard hoof-steps fade and relaxed. But her relief didn't last long.
"Oh, yuck...Okay, whoever is out here, I am not very pleased that I'm having to do— Oh!"
Emerald stared up at a white unicorn mare with a violet mane and sapphire eyes.
"Tsk, tsk," the mare tutted, shaking her head. "Now look at you! you are so muddy, I can't even tell what color you are!" She exclaimed.
The mare's horn glowed pale blue as she lifted Emerald up with her magic.
"Now we most certainly must get you all cleaned up, Sweetie Belle has gotten in bed, and Opal has claimed the guest bedroom, so I suppose you would have to sleep in my room if you stay the night." The mare continued to ramble on as she got a bath ready for Emerald.
"There, all set, now it's about time you get cleaned up!" The mare set Emerald down in the tub and turned around to pick up the shampoo. When she turned around, however, she just let the bottle fall to the floor and the shampoo seeped out.
Emerald shrank back from the widened eyes of the unicorn. "P-please, I'll leave..."
The mare apparently hadn't heard her. "You're...You're a Changeling!"
Rarity stared in utter shock at the creature in the tub. It looks harmless enough. Actually, it looks... frightened. She began to feel a bit sorry for the Changeling.
"Um..."Rarity was still hesitant, "Do you... Do you have a name?"
The small Changeling stared fearfully up at Rarity. "M-my n-name is Em-mer-rald..."
"So um... Emerald, why are you here in Ponyville?" Rarity was still wary, not quite sure what to expect from the young Changeling.
"I left the hive. I don't want to be around other Changelings, they just make fun of me, even the ones I thought were my friends..." she trailed off.
Rarity pitied the creature. Even if it was a Changeling, it was still only a child. “I suppose you could stay here—” she paused. “But just for tonight,” she added hastily.
Emerald widened her cerulean eyes. “Y-you really mean it?”
Rarity gave what she hoped to be a warm smile. “Yes, I really do. The conditions are still the same, you sleep in my room. Except…” She paused. “Except you can only come out if I say so.”
Emerald nodded. “Okay, I guess that’s fair, I mean you probably don’t want to be caught housing a Changeling after what happened at that wedding in Canter… Canter... Well, whatever it was called.”
Rarity thought back to the wedding and shuddered. “Canterlot. And yes, you’re right about that, but don’t get any ideas. Just because I’m letting you stay for tonight doesn't mean I trust you.” She made sure she was making her point clear.
“I-I know Miss...”
“Rarity. My name is Rarity. And personally, I’d rather not be called ‘Miss’, it makes me feel old,” Rarity said. Then she stuck her head out of the bathroom to check the hall. “Okay,” she said, turning back to Emerald. “Let’s get you to my room before Sweetie Belle gets up to get her nightly drink,” she said, levitating Emerald out of the tub. “I mean seriously, why doesn't she take a drink before she gets in bed so she doesn't have to get back up?” she murmured, half to herself.
Emerald pondered this as she followed Rarity into another room. “Maybe she just isn't thirsty before bed,” she fathomed.
“Huh?” Rarity was confused for a moment. “Oh, you mean Sweetie Belle! Well, that’s one presumption, but in my opinion, she just wants an excuse to get back out of bed.”
Emerald watched in silence as Rarity dumped a bunch of magazines out of a wicker basket and set it down near her own bed. She wanted to follow Rarity when she left the room, but didn't. Rarity soon re-entered the bedroom with a blanket and what looked like one of the pillows from the couch downstairs.
“There, you can sleep here, and in the morning, once it’s safe, you can leave to go…wherever it is your going,” Rarity said, getting into her own bed.
“Thank you, I’m glad I could stay here,” Emerald replied.
Rarity didn't answer, but listened as Emerald’s breathing evened as she fell asleep.
Emerald woke up early, hoping to prove that she could help Rarity. She went into the kitchen and started to make breakfast. However, her magic was still very weak, as she was only a young nymph and the bowl she was trying to hold while making pancakes fell to the floor and shattered.
"Hmm...Hello?" Called a young voice from the other room. Emerald recognized the voice as the second voice from the night before.
That must be Sweetie Belle! she thought. Rarity had said that she didn't want Sweetie Belle to know she was here. Emerald frantically looked for a place to hide and dove beneath the table just as a white unicorn walked in.
"Rarity? Is that you?" the unicorn called out "I smell pancakes....Rarity?" the unicorn left the room and Emerald breathed a sigh of relief.
She crawled out from under the table and quickly cleaned up her mess. She set the table and headed back upstairs. She was turning into the doorway to Rarity's room and bumped right in Rarity as she was coming out.
"Oh!" Exclaimed Rarity "I didn't expect you to be up this early," the commented.
"I-I was just making breakfast." Emerald smiled sheepishly and added "I also was nearly caught by someone who I'm guessing was Sweetie Belle."
Rarity smiled. "That was very sweet of you to make breakfast, but you should be careful, I'm not entirely sure how anypony would react to having a Changeling around after that little," she paused "incident."
Emerald hung her head. "Yeah, Queen Chrysalis never thinks about other creatures. She thinks that Changelings should rule the world. I think she's wrong; I mean, ponies are nice too." She smiled at Rarity.
Rarity stared at the Changeling, once again startled by how she was so different than the ones they had encountered in Canterlot. "Well, I guess that's good," she said, not knowing what else to say. "Is that why you left, because you didn't like the way things were run?"
Emerald stared at her hooves. "Something like that," she murmured.
"Well, Sweetie Belle will be leaving for school soon, so stay in my room until she leaves, then you can go where ever you need to go."
Just as Rarity started to turn away Emerald cried "Please don't make me leave! I can't go back to the swarm, and I have nowhere else to go!"
Rarity sighed. "You can't stay here forever, but I guess a bit longer wouldn't hurt..."
"Oh thank you Rarity!" Emerald cut her off. "You won't be sorry! I'll help you with anything, really!"
Rarity smiled, but said "Okay, fine, just stay in my room for now, Sweetie Belle is looking for me."
Emerald went back into Rarity's room and waited for her to come back upstairs.
***
"I'm telling you, It was weird, there were pancakes on the stove, but Rarity had just woken up when she saw me out the door," Sweetie Belle said.
"Ah dun' know," Applebloom replied "Ya sure she wasn't up before ya came down?"
"Of course I'm sure!" Sweetie Belle was getting irritated.
"Oh, forget it! We'll talk more at recess, we better hurry, or else we'll be late for class!" Scootaloo exclaimed.
They all sat down at their desks and listened as Cherilee began talking about the projects that were due next week for Nightmare Night.
Emerald hurried around the boutique trying to complete the endless amount of tasks she was given by Rarity.
"If you really want to help," she had said "you can start by getting the shop ready to open." After that, she had told Emerald she could go back up to her room, but Emerald had begged to let her help more. Rarity gave her a list of things to do, to keep her busy.
Emerald was hanging the clothes on the clothes line when she heard a noise behind her. She whipped around and relaxed when she saw is was only a cat. She went over to it. "Hello kitty," she said softly "Do you live around here?"
The cat looked at her and gave a small "mrow" in response.
Emerald smiled and went back to work. To her surprise, the cat followed. She was glad for some company, but wondered who the cat belonged to.
***
The bell rang and all the fillies and colts ran from the room.
"Don't forget, Nightmare Night projects are due on Monday!" Cherilee called after them.
"What are you doing for your project?" Sweetie Belle asked her two friends.
"Ah'm gonna carve an apple like a pum'kin!" Applebloom said excitedly.
"I'm planning on making my scooter look like the headless horse!" Scootaloo replied.
"What are you gonna do Sweetie Belle?" Applebloom asked her.
"I don't know," she said "I might try to make my own costume, but we all know how that worked out last time."
Scootaloo and Applebloom just nodded.
"Hay!" Applebloom exclaimed "Cherilee never said we couldn't work in a group!"
"Yeah, but she never said we could, either," Scootaloo pointed out.
"I agree with Applebloom," Sweetie Belle said "Cherilee can't be mad at us for doing something together if she never said we couldn't!"
"But which project will we do?" asked Scootaloo "Mine or Applebloom's?"
"We could do both!" Sweetie Belle said "We could make your scooter look like the headless horse and decorate it with carved apples!"
"Yeah!" agreed Applebloom.
"CUTIE MARK CRUSADER NIGHTMARE NIGHT DECORATORS!" they all screamed.
Emerald went to find Rarity after she had finished all the jobs, the cat still following her.
"Rarity?" she called out "I'm all done!" She looked back at the white cat following her. "And there's this cat who is following me!"
Rarity poked her head into the room. "You're finished? Oh, good! Go upstairs and get washed up. I'll bring dinner to you later." she glanced at the cat "Don't worry about the cat, that's just Opalescence, though she usually only likes me and Fluttershy."
Emerald opened her mouth to respond, but Rarity had already left the room.
Emerald was climbing the steps when she heard the door open.
"Rarity, I'm home!" a voice called.
Emerald bolted upstairs and into Rarity's room before she could be seen. She sat on Rarity's bed for a while, but got bored. She looked around for something to do, but only saw the fashion magazines that were formerly in the basket she used as a bed. She went over to the window and sighed. "It sure looks like they're having fun," she said, watching three fillies playing outside.
Suddenly they ran off and Emerald sighed. Then her eyes lit up. "Maybe..." she said, thoughtfully "If I could just disguise myself as a pony I could see what the rest of the town looks like!"
She jumped as she heard a meow from behind her. She turned around and smiled. "Hello Opalescence," she said.
***
"Dang-nabit!" Applebloom cried for the umpteenth time as her apple she was trying to carve lost another piece. "Ah thought this would be jus' like carvin' a pum'kin!"
"I'm not having much luck with this paper-mâché either," Scootaloo grumbled.
Sweetie Belle turned to look at her friend and giggled "Maybe you could go as the paper-mâché monster," she said.
Scootaloo glared at her "Ha, ha, very funny," she said, before going back to trying to get newspaper shreds out of her mane.
Sweetie Belle shrugged "It was only a suggestion."
***
Emerald crept out from behind a bush, disguised as a mint-green pegasus filly with a lavender mane. She looked around for Rarity, and not seeing her, she set off.
She trotted past a building that oddly resembled a gingerbread house. She could smell cakes and cookies, and went to investigate.
Suddenly, a pink pony with a very fluffy mane came out of nowhere. "Hi I'm Pinkie Pie!" she said excitedly "I've never seen you before, so you must be new! And if you're new, you don't have any friends!" she pause for barely a second "Hay! I could be your friend! Oh, and I'll need to throw you a 'Welcome to Ponyville' party, too, so you can meet everypony!"
Overwhelmed, Emerald backed away and ran off in the the direction of the boutique, leaving Pinkie Pie to talk.
***
"And we'll have cake, and ice cream, and pie, and...." Pinkie paused "Hay, where'd she go?"
Emerald poked her head through the door and, seeing nopony, bolted upstairs. She came to a halt when she saw Rarity coming out of her room.
"I knew I shouldn't have trusted her!" she was muttering "Now she's probably gone off to tell her Changeling friends about how willing we are to let Changelings run amok!"
"Rarity... I..." Emerald started.
Rarity looked up. "I thought I said not to leave my room," she snapped.
Emerald tried not to cry "I'm sorry, I-I just wanted to see what the town looked like," she said "I didn't tell anyone, I promise!"
Rarity's gaze softened. "I'm sorry, I should have known you would get bored, Celestia knows Sweetie Belle could never stay in one place longer than a few seconds." she turned to Emerald "Did anypony see you?" she asked.
Emerald nodded. "There was this crazy pink pony, she talked really fast. She wanted to throw me a party. I don't think I want to go, she scares me," Emerald whimpered.
Rarity smiled. "That was my friend Pinkie Pie, trust her to be the first pony you meet when you go into town. She can be a bit overwhelming at times, but there's no reason you should be frightened of her."
Emerald brightened up. "If she's a friend of yours, then I guess she could be me friend, too," she said.
"That's very sweet of you, but I'd have to think you should be staying out of sight for a while, but then again, Pinkie Pie will be throwing a party for you and she would be devastated if the guest of honor didn't show up." Rarity frowned. "I suppose I could try to talk her out of throwing the party, but then, what would I tell her if she asked why?"
Emerald watched as Rarity began to pace.
"I suppose it wouldn't hurt, she may be talkative, but she is the best at keeping secrets," Rarity continued to talk to no one in particular. She stopped pacing and headed towards the door. "I'll be back in a bit, stay in my room!" she called back to Emerald.
***
"Morph!" Chrysalis called to one of her scouts. "Have you seen any sign of the missing nymph?" she asked.
"No, Your Highness," the Changeling replied. "We are sending out patrols to search the area outside the hive."
Chrysalis glared at him. "Why would you waste patrols on searching for one nymph?" she demanded.
"But, I thought you said you wanted the nymph found," Morph replied.
"If the nymph has left the hive, don't bother," Chrysalis ordered "We have better things to do than search for one nymph. Now, if the whole nursery was missing, then that would be worth our time."
Morph bowed and responded "As you wish, my Queen."
***
Rarity entered the boutique with Pinkie Pie bouncing behind her.
"Now why can't I throw a party for the new pony?" Pinkie Pie asked.
Rarity sighed. "I told you Pinkie, Emerald is.... different."
Emerald peeked into the room and giggled. She watched as Pinkie pie went around the room, looking under various objects, including Opal, who hissed in distaste.
"Where is she? Is she hiding?" Pinkie asked, as she looked under one of the manikins.
Emerald slowly entered the room and Pinkie looked up.
"Changeling!" she screamed and pulled a cannon out of nowhere.
Emerald squeaked and ducked back into the other room, then saw confetti and streamers all over the floor. She peeked back into the room and saw Rarity talking to Pinkie Pie.
"Relax Pinkie!" she said "That was Emerald. I know she's a Changeling, but she is different than the ones in Canterlot, I promise."
Pinkie Pie looked at her. "Pinkie Promise," she said.
Rarity sighed. "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye," she said, while going through the motions.
Pinkie was satisfied. "Okie, dokie, lokie," she said.
"Now Pinkie Pie," Rarity said "I need you to Pinkie Promise not to tell anypony about Emerald, I'd hate for her to be treated like a menace when she's not."
Pinkie Pie grinned. "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!" at the last part she actually stuck her hoof in her eye.
