> A Little Bit of Change
>  by ThePrinceOfTheNorth
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> Chapter 1: A Cold Night
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Chapter 1: A Cold Night

In was snowing heavily as Chocolate Delight slowly made his way through the deserted, snow-covered streets to his home on the far side of Canterlot. Winter had arrived only a few short days ago, and already there were blizzards that would make one think it were already the dead of the season, not just the beginning. Though the cold wind played with his coat, taunting him to turn back, he pressed onwards.

"Bit late for a stroll, isn't it, Choco?"

Chocolate turned to see Geoffery, the local Royal Guard Captain, standing in the door of the nearby guardhouse. Geoffery was a kind old soul, always willing to help other ponies in need. He'd been a guard longer than Chocolate had been alive, and had always been a good friend. But since the treaty with the Changelings and the introduction of the two Hives North of The Crystal Empire, plus the revelation that Celestia had been impersonated by a Changeling Queen from one of said Hives for the last thousand years, he often had his hooves full, so they never really had time to chat anymore.

"Evening Geoffery," said Chocolate with a smile, "I wouldn't be out right now if I hadn't stayed in for a bit of overtime. Figured Old Sam could use the help."

"Old" Sam Grind was the local Cider Pub owner, and a beloved member of the community, one the old-timers. He looked old, and had the stories to go with it. He'd been around for as long as anypony could remember, and could keep you occupied for hours with endless stories about 'the good old days'. Still, he was getting a bit slow in his age, and Chocolate often stayed late to lend a helping hoof for free. He was always happy to, be it rain, sleet or shine.

"Old Sam, eh? Haven't seen him in awhile," said Geoffery, "How is he?"

"Old," Chocolate said with a chuckle, "But as willful as ever. He's been wondering when you'll drop by. Says he has a special bottle of imported cider waiting for you."

"Does he now? Well, I best head on over there when I get the chance," said Geoffery with a smile and a nod, "Well, you best be moving on, then. This storm's only going to get worse as time passes. Stay safe, Choco."

"You too, Geoffery," replied Chocolate with a smile, and with that, he was off.

~~~~~~~~~~

Chocolate arrived back his house a few hours later, frozen almost to the bone. He gingerly took off his coat and went over to the fireplace to warm up. Upstairs, he could hear the quiet moans and snores of his wife and two little fillies, both nearly four. The twins, Cream and Vanilla, were both pegasi, like their mother. Chocolate thought back to when they were but newborn fillies. They had been a hoofful then, and still were, always wandering about, meeting strangers and making new friends. Old Sam had taken a liking to Cream, though. She always did something that made him laugh, and she would always laugh alongside him. He was thinking about this when he heard a knock on his door.

Startled, he made his way over to the door.

"Hello? Is someone there?"

He waited a few moments, and when nopony answered, he carefully opened the door. Over the past few weeks, a number of break-ins had occurred all over Canterlot. The culprits were suspected to be Changelings, but nopony nor changeling ever caught a glimpse of the assailants.

When the door was opened, he discovered the street to be completely vacant. Dismissing the knock as his overactive imagination, he began to close the door. That's when he noticed it.

"Well now, what do we have here?"

On the step lay a covered basket. Using his magic, Chocolate slowly lifted the basket, pulling back the cloth as well. In the basket, he was shocked to find a Changeling, no more than a hatchling. It was sound asleep in the warm cloth covering it. He quickly scanned the street again, hoping to glimpse the pony or changeling who had left the child, but saw not even hoof prints in the snow. Confused, and slightly frightened and disturbed, he carefully closed the door.

He walked back to the fireplace and laid on the warm carpet, placing the basket with the Changeling beside him to examine it. Upon closer inspection, he found a note tied to a chain necklace. The necklace read Snow. Intrigued, Chocolate read the note.

Dear sir or madam,

I find myself unable to give this child the life I want her to have, and so give her to you, in the hope you may offer her more than I ever could.

That was all it said. No name. No address. Nothing besides a plea for help from someone who he most likely had never met. Chocolate's gaze fell to the sleeping Changeling. He placed a hoof in the basket, and she snuggled up to it as a fanged smile crossed her face. Chocolate, in turn, smiled back at the sleeping Changeling. Unlike most ponies, he and his family had welcomed the Changelings with open hooves. In fact, because of this, they were often visited by the Princesses, Changeling Queens, and given special privileges that most ponies only dreamed of having. 

"Looks like our family has a new little member."

~~~~~~~~~~

Across the street, on top of one of the houses, an aged Changeling Queen watched as Chocolate Delight found her daughter on the step and brought her into his home. She was the last of her Hive, and her daughter the last of her children. Knowing her child was in good hooves, the Queen cantered off into the blizzard, never to be seen again.
> Chapter 2: A Royal Visit
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Chapter 2: A Royal Visit

"So, you found her on the doorstep the night before two of our Princesses come to visit?"

Chocolate Delight and his pegasus wife, Soul Silver, were seated at their dinning table. Their daughters, Vanilla and Cream, were in the living room playing with some of their toys, and generally showing off to their newest member of the family, who seemed quite entertained by the laughs reaching Chocolate.

"I swear," Chocolate said, placing a hoof upon his chest, "She was in that basket on the counter there. That note I showed you is all that came with little Snow, well, along with that necklace she's wearing, of course."

Silver shook her head before turning her attention to the basket, then the letter in her hooves. "This doesn't make any sense. This 'Snow' isn't from one of the recognized Hives. Sure, her carapace is blue, but it's far too light to be one of Chrysalis' hatchlings."

Chocolate nodded. "I know. What makes this even more odd it that it looked like she was only just places there, but there wasn't a single hoof print to be seen, save my own."

Silver pondered this for a long time before turning back to look at her husband. "Do you think there could be more Hives out there? Ones that even the Queens we know DON'T know about? That would be insane, nay, impossible! They should know of all the Hives, right?"

"I wouldn't say not, but I also wouldn't discount that theory, dear," Chocolate said, "Maybe Old Sam has some ideas. He's always talking about meeting Changelings when he was younger."

"So?"

"So, maybe he knows where this one came from," Chocolate surmised, "I know it's a long shot, and Old Sam's stories aren't always that accurate, given most are from when he was a lot younger, but I think that-"

Chocolate was interrupted by a curt knock at the door, and today, he was only expecting two visitors.

"Do you want me to go let them in," Silver asked in a gentle tone.

"No," Chocolate replied promptly, "I think that it's best if I let them in, dear. You go wait with Cream and Vanilla, and make sure they behave themselves."

"But what about Snow," asked Silver.

"Her too."

Before Silver could argue any further, Chocolate made his way to the door. How am I going to explain all this to the Princesses, he thought as he reached the door. I suppose I'll have to come up with a plan as I go. I mean, if Daring Do can do it, why can't the average pony like me do it? Right?

Why do I suddenly have a horrible feeling about this?

Chocolate slowly opened the door, and was greeted first by a gust of cold air to the face, causing him to pull back for a moment until the wind died down. After it passed, he again stuck his head out the door.

There, standing not two feet from him, were Princess Celestia and Queen Crystalia, both looking as regal as ever, albeit a little bit cold.

"You highnesses," Chocolate said with a curt bow, "May I invite you inside?"

"You may," answered Celestia, to which Choclate opened the door wide, allowing the two rulers to enter. He quickly closed it, so as not to let too much cold air in.

Desperately, Chocolate hoped that Snow would go unnoticed. That Crystalia and Celestia would, by some miracle, overlook the little Changeling.

But, it was not to be.

"Chocolate," Crystalia began, "Where did this newest edition to your family come from?"

Chocolate turned to address Crystalia, but stopped in his tracks at what he saw.

There, playing between Crystalia's feet, and looking up at her with wide eyes and a smile that could melt the stoutest of hearts, was Snow.

"Hehehe," Snow giggled, wrapping herself around Crystalia's left forehoof.

"Ummmm," Chocolate started, desperately trying to piece together what had occurred that night, "I found her last night, in a basket on the doorstep."

"That sounds fairly cliché, you know," Crystalia said, raising an brow at Chocolate before looking down to examine the Changeling, who still held on to her hoof, "But stranger things have happened before. Was there anything else in the basket, perhaps something to identify her, or to tell why she came into your care?"

Chocolate nodded diligently. "She had a necklace, with a pendant engraved with the word Snow on it. I think that's her name, or at least I assume it is. There was also a note, asking whomever found her to take care of her."

Crystalia took a long moment to process what Chocolate was telling him, and nodded thoughtfully, albeit with some concern crossing her face. "This little one's Hive must be in dire straights if it cannot provide for it's young itself."

"The note said something along those lines," explained Chocolate before he turned to Celestia, who had remained abnormally quiet for this entire exchange. "Is something wrong, Princess?"

Seemingly snapped out of a trance, Celestia looked at Chocolate, a perplexed look on her normally stoic face. "No. It's just that I do not recognize the color of this young Changeling's carapace."

Crystalia nodded in agreement. "I know of many Hives, and the color of each and every one of their carapaces. This one, though, eludes my knowledge. However, Chocolate, from looking at this young one, I can tell you this," Crystalia said, turning to Chocolate, an odd mixture of concern and compassion crossing her features, "What you have been gifted with is a young Queen."

It took Chocolate a moment to process what Crystalia had said, but he could not believe his ears. Snow was a future Changeling Queen? And, for some reason or another, she had been left under his care? His mind was racing. Is this a bad thing? Should I be proud or scared for my life? In all the chaos plaguing his mind, two words managed to reach his lips, but escaped before she could even comprehend what they were.

"Come again?"