> S.T.A.N.D. Vol.1 - The Journey > by Darkwhip > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1 - A Whole New World > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- As the tower clock rang eight in the evening, two orbs of light materialized inside the castle. Behind them three intricate murals stood telling the great tales of the land. The orbs resonated with magical power, one had an amber tone of orange while the other retained a deep blue hue. They crackled through the air, echoing in the stone walls, casting an eerie light unto the murals. Two guards ponies heard something before suddenly feeling the immense magical power hitting them like a heat wave. Taken by surprise, it took them a mere moment to ascertain it wasn’t just her ruler again, as the moon was well on her way through the night sky. One of them went to sound the alarm out of fear and the other went to investigate the issue closely. The orbs, now finishing whatever spell they were meant to do, started to dissipate and like a shell opened through the middle, leaving a spherical crater where they once were. Inside each of them laid a half-conscious pony. One had a dirty blonde mane with electric blue highlights, folded wings could be seen as he laid muzzle down with his plot up. In the place where the other orb was, a curious creature laid sleeping still with it’s head tucked between two forelegs. It had slate grey unpolished chitin with two wings lazily hanging by the sides as it seemed to take a peaceful Seeing this, the guard immediately hoofed his trusty spear and pointed at the trespasser’s. A white alicorn adorned with a dress that shimmered a harsh white with black and gold trimmings, and a large golden crown roughly the size of a pony head with a single jewel that was black, sat expectantly at her dinner table as the serving ponies were bringing trays of the most well-made food in Equestria. Sweet Shake was the name of her latest chef ever since the last one was fired. The Queen had a rigorous taste and was famous for having a sweet-tooth. Sweet cake herself had prepared a two decked version of a german marble cake. The alicorn gleamed as the cake was revealed, and just as she was about to sink the knife and take the first piece, a guard came and warned her of the situation. After hearing the sitrep from the guardspony she immediately decided to go, given that ponies breaking into the palace grounds was an emergency event and something she needed to personally oversee. Trotting past the guards she pushed the heavy double doors with her magic with such force, it sent minor gust through the halls . The guards straighten up, then follow with a bow, but still face the duo with their spears. The alicorn stopped right in front of the two intruders in all her glory. She stood tall, and looked as if she was as stiff as stone “Why are there two peasants in my castle?” she coldly states, with a tone directed for only burning disgust for the intruders. One of the guards, bows and answers. “ M-my Queen. These two appeared in here from orbs of light, different from a typical teleport spell, amber for the bug, and deep blue for the pony…” the blond pony’s face fidgets for a second, as if dreaming something that made him cringe. His cutie mark was a pencil that appeared to be a lighting bolt on his bum inside a star-shaped clock, and a tail uncommon to most ponies. It appeared to be somewhat shaped like a rooster's tail. The bug, as the guards have called it was in fact a changeling, a creature unseen ever since the Darkening. Thought extinct until now yet there it was, laying peacefully in the sphere crater, an amber sparse mane atop its head with amber fins running along the neck, and a amber yellow shell where a pair of insect wings rested. A fin-like tail, riddled with a few holes also in the same colour lied at it’s lower body The Queen, after analysing the situation thoroughly and weighing in her mind the weight of dealing with trespassers on her keep over finishing her dinner and that marvellous cake. After a few seconds she declared “Kill them, No trespassers in my castle”. When given these orders, she watched the closest guard prepare to impale them both. Satisfied she went back to her dining table. The guards, a contingent of eight ponies, waited until the doors closed with a mighty sound. The guards look towards the sleeping trespassers with evil smiles. The guards nearest to the intruders started to raise their shining spears to stab them in their hearts. . .. … There is hesitation in their actions. Something about this whole situation was off. Even though they weren’t the best and the brightest, they knew something wasn’t right. The guards look at the two for a moment as if expecting something to happen. They sweat inside their helmets. Nopony simply teleports into the castle. After two or three minutes, one guard finally steeled his will long enough to do the deed, dismissing any paranoia about being a trap. Shaking his head, he raises his spear high to thrust down… The poor fool didn’t even get to push down. The four windows inside the spacious building break with glass raining down. Not long after, a voice can be heard yelling “ Mist out!”  and then a single bolt from the top left and top right windows hit the inside and start smoking out sparkling smoke. Shapes can be seen coming through the windows and thuds of different tones are heard landing. The smoke gets thicker and the guards can barely see, but the shining white of their armour. “OhBuckOhBuckOhBuckOhBuckOhBuck! What the buck is going on? An attack? Who would dare attack the castle?!” the guard thinks. “Killing these two would have just removed some stress. What in the actual BU- wait what was that?”. A brief sound can be heard, but it was too quick to register fully. The mare guard can make out the shining armour of the other guards in front of her amidst a rapidly expanding fog. “Wait, what was that?” a fellow guard said, before she saw his glint disappear. Shortly after that, the sound from earlier is heard again and another armour glimmer disappears. She just now realized the sound as a “yelp”. “ Okay, okay, keep calm. It’s more than likely they are tripping and falling. Nothing to be- WHY THE BUCK ARE THEY DISAPPEARING?”. As the mare says this, their outlines start to rapidly disappear in the fog. Being that there are only eight guards, it’s not long until the mare can only see herself. She starts to get skittish. Seeing only silhouette's move around, sometimes coming in close and others swerving away. Eventually she loses it and grabs the nearest silhouette and slams it on it’s back. A brief “oof!” can be heard. “ I-it’s just some losers.... There is nothing to worry about! They’re all dead”! With a battle-cry the mare starts grabbing,flipping and punching the silhouettes. It’s not until they stop moving that she gets cocky. They just stand there, as if  waiting. “WHAT’S THE MATTER YOU BUCKING COLT’S? REALIZE THAT YOU ARE ALL GOING TO DIE? EHE AHAHAHAHAH!” she screams and laughs madly. In her laugh she fails to hear the last shatter of the window and behind her a large unicorn trotted to her calmly, stopping behind the mare. “I don’t think anyone has to die today.” a gruff male voice says behind her. The mare guard, quickly turns around with a wicked smile and eyes that show a mad glint in her eye. What she see’s however, makes her change her expression. Her eyes shrink to pin-pricks. She inhales loudly and her hooves start shaking in fear at the sight. In front of her is a stallion, as big as an alicorn. This stallion had a golden mane with a clean white unicorn horn served to split his flowing mane. His manecut, made to resemble a lion’s, gave him a regal look. His tail had a triangular shape at the end and had the shape of the tip of a broadsword. His coat was white, but you couldn’t see all of it with a blue cloak that whipped in the air. On his horn was a ring that was shaped as a golden heart with a grey crystal in it. As the cloak swayed in the breeze that was granted access by the broken windows, a cutie mark could be seen on his rump: A shield with the face of a lion and half a sun on it’s left side and a star on it’s right. The figure of the Stallion itself was Alicorn size, with muscles that were clear to see. But the look on his face is what scared the mare the most. On the Stallion's face was a look of determination with fire in his eyes. It was a face that looked as if it would bring true justice to all that was good. It scared the mare because she knew she had done horrible things: murder, theft, false evidence, more than likely everything of which was evil. The stallion looked at the mare and moved his head closer. At this point, the mare was shaking in her armour badly. His gaze was steely, driving into her very soul, searching into her very being. He found her guilty, and swiftly his verdant eyes took a glow and she fell quickly, fainting with an “eep”. ”No more bloodshed.” he stated with valour in his voice. “Secured and ready, Commander Glory.” one of the ponies said. The white unicorn nodded in approval. “Good. Let’s get these two out of here and safe-” Glory was cut off by a slam of a door opening for the second time that night. Shortly after, over the Everfree Forest... Glory levitated at high speeds to avoid the pursuit. Most of his force had been split to avoid capture and aid in his mission, when from behind him came a thestral-force led by a deep blue alicorn donning silver armour. “There he is! Seize him at once!” she shouted and pointed with a hoof as the guards obeyed and rushed to the running Glory and his cargo. A grunt could be heard as he pushed his horn to the limit, a grey thick fog appeared to trail him in the night. The guards dove into the fog and followed his path, even as it lowered down into the forest. With a heavy thud, one by one the guards fell. Their high speeds they couldn’t maneuver the trees in time due to the fog and night time, along with their night vision not suited to the fog. “Thy petty tricks won’t save thee!” Said the lead alicorn as she took to the sky and flapped her wings with all her might as the guards gave chase. The wind cut through the fog like a curtain being opened. But as the fog eventually split to it’s source, Glory and his cargo where nowhere to be found. The active guards, ones who chose to follow their mark instead of aiding their unconscious comrades, hovered as they scanned the forest. Even their eyes,accustomed to the darkness, proved ineffective at finding any sign of his whereabouts. As the guards gathered their comrades, the whole hunting party coalesced to the last point where they’ve seen him. “Bedswerver!” she accentuated her words by stomping her hoof in frustration. As the guards left, the remaining fog dissipated and from the hills of the north, stood Glory with an apologetic expression. He looked back to the forest one last time and vowed to save them. For without them, guiding the ponies would be a nigh-impossible task. With the sisters corrupted and the actors of the scale reversed, it was only a matter of time until even he was defeated and darkness overtook again. He had to believe in them, with a heavy heart he recalled to himself. At that moment a patrol hovered by, missing the magic outburst by just a few seconds. Back in the forest, our two visitors laid under the cover of dense foliage and a fallen over tree log,that had been long overrun with weeds and fungus. It seemed that after the guards left the forest would have peace again. Just then, a curious bunny hopped over the log, scouting the area. It’s gaze scanned the forest, a paw over it’s eyes providing cover to see. it looked for a moment and hopped down, repeating this procedure again. Thinking of the nice carrot stew it’s master had prepared back at home, the one that he was minutes away from devouring, the little bunny stomach’s complained and the little creature turned around to hop back up. There is where it saw our visitors, hastily deposited and fast asleep. Surprised by this sudden sight the little creature stomped its feet, hating the fact that the new ponies would probably delay its meal even further as evidenced by the male’s scratches. Still, it had a duty to fulfil. “Angel! have you found anything?” said a butter yellow coloured pegasus, coming up close behind the rabbit. The rabbit immediately recognized her master and, with decisive hops, came to report her master of its find. “You found two ponies? How are they?” replied the pony, now preparing first aid with her left wing from a prepared saddlebag she wore. Following the rabbit’s advice she followed him to under the tree log, meeting the fallen visitors. She hadn’t seen a changeling in a long time… but the pegasus looked hurt so her nostalgia had to wait. Remembering her better days, she immediately went to try to wake them up starting with the changeling. Grunting in annoyance the changeling rolled away from the hoof, now with her belly up and wings splayed to the side and front legs retracted in front. She tried waking the pegasus. This one inched closer to her hoof, guiding it to his wings, but before she could touch it, she retreated away, blushing. Seeing their refusal to wake up, she scanned them closer and saw the scratches on them. From kindness, she decided to help them. Calling upon her friends, there came a bear, who carried the changeling while she herself put the unconscious pegasus on her back. A short time later, the movement graced the changeling with a moment of waking. It’s eyes opened, blurry. The yellow pegasus noticed, her blue eyes meeting the changeling amber ones, and said to the waking changeling “You’re fine now, go back to sleep”. As her soft words were heard by the changeling’s, it closed her eyes and mumbled “Ponies…” The bear steps then, gently rocking the changeling to sleep. > Chapter 2 - Coming Back to Life > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- At the same time that the Queen got called to do her celestial duties, so did Mr. Spaghetti. And so he crowed to alert the residents of the cottage and his pen that a new day has dawned. Our yellow pegasus from before, checked our two unconscious friends the night before after bringing them over, honouring her destiny’s call to help others, she yawned and crawled out of bed, continuing her morning routine, eventually the yellow pony was ready to cook breakfast. Walking downstairs she hummed a joyful tune, the birds came down to greet and join her silent choir, after all they didn’t want to wake the guests early, successfully convincing a little rat with a nasty scar on his shoulder to come out and have her look at it again. And this had been this yellow pegasus calling, unlike her brother in the sky she spent most of her days caring for the little critters and others who crossed her path, but it had been quite sometime since she had to care for other ponies, unfortunately though they weren’t hurt, so they wouldn’t stay long. A groan could be heard from the sofa, there laid a white pegasus as he shifted in his sleep, trying to find a place for his wing to rest. It had been quite some time since flutters had a stallion like this passed out on her sofa, not since before It happened, with determination in her eyes she set sights on the kitchen, a breakfast for two. She eyed the physique of the white pegasus, taking note of his heaving breath as he was left on the couch with his chest upwards. While he was scrawny and looked like he had a frame similar to herself rather than other stallions broadness it was clear he was still a male. He build favoured speed and agility, muscular yet lean not broad unlike other stallions she saw before, the body of a speedster. She could see his chest muscles clearly visible under his fur… It was funny. She reminded him of a stallion version of Ra-...  Shaking her head, dismissing those thoughts, and focusing on the matter at hoof, breakfast, yes. With a hurried trot she went to prepare oats for herself and her visitor, just then she remembered there was another one, a changeling, what do they eat? Jogging her memory she remembered they fed on love, blushing slightly, she decided to prepare another bowl for her visitor, it would be rude to leave her without anything. Trying to steer her mind away from any lingering bad thoughts she focused on preparing the oats, carrying the tray in her back she placed the bowls over and brought them to the small table in front of the couch. The changeling sleeping was a little ways away, Harry, the bear  insisted on watching her closely, since she had grown weary of changelings ever since their desperate incursions before they vanished for the longest time. Until now of course. Finishing setting up the tray she went to gently try to wake the stallion up, prodding his shoulder with her free hoof, her stray thoughts gnawing at her mind as she made contact with the stallion, in response he shifted to the right, groaning, and like a log falling downhill it hit her. A familiar smell something she hadn’t felt in a long time: a stallion-hood. The white pegasus’s flopped to the right and pointed straight at her. She blushed and looked away, but couldn’t help but insist on her prodding, trying not to look, despite the scent it was giving off and the flutters it was causing her. [Dreaming] A hole. I see a hole facing right in front of me. Wait. What is me? Who is me? What am I? I can’t see myself. I don’t know why. I don’t think that’s important right now though. I just…. I just don’t care. I’m curious about the hole. It’s just there. … I’m going in it. I feel like this is what I’m supposed to do. The amnesiac goes into the circle and starts to fall. I feel air running past my hair on my head and making my face cold. Wait. Hair? Head? I have hair on my head. Which means I do have a form. And I have a face. Even though I can’t tell what I look like, I can feel a nose, and a mouth. And I can breath. It feels weird. It feels good. It feels like I’m breathing really hard. I’m just falling and I can’t identify anything. I’m seeing a lot of things… And then at the same time nothing at all. While I can’t see these things, I feel things. I feel emotions. Wonder, laughter, and surprise. Joy,love,elation,memey, and something that felt very wrong but felt right. … I’m not too sure about the last two emotions. But the last one made my “face” burn. No clue why though. It also made me feel something towards the lower part of me, and it felt like it was solidifying. Now this might be an extremely ridiculous thought. But maybe I’m a male? Wouldn’t be surprised. On the few occasions as I fell and twist my head around I kept feeling a different emotion, sometimes in different intensities. It was weird. I don’t know how I know what emotion is or how I know which emotion it is, I just know it. I start to feel some other things though. Anger, horror, sadness. When I feel the sadness, I feel tears come down in large quantity. I then felt sickness, heartbreak, and then depression. With each one of the emotions felt my surroundings grew whiter. I have just now noticed that my surroundings were actually black. But now I don’t feel any emotion, and everything is white. Wait. What happened to the air? Am I not falling? Wait. I can’t breath. There is no air. I’m not falling. I can’t breath! “He” opens his mouth, but he feels like there is liquid choking him. So he closes his mouth, but then he can’t breath either. Everything starts to go black and white. In his each one of his two eyes, that he didn’t consider important to acknowledge, he see’s figures. In his left eye he sees what pops into his mind, a “human”. Dressed in a Blue hoodie-jacket, wearing blue sneakers with the words “All-stars” printed on the heels of the shoe between his legs, wearing faded blue jeans that have a hole in the right leg, and he was smiling with blond shaggy hair cowlicking down towards the front and some chin hair that looked like it was trying to cover his entire face, but not there yet. The human's eyes were blue In his right eye he sees a pony. A very cartoon looking pony. But it has no color or form besides that. It’s faceless, white and smooth. The black and white happens again though and something seems different with what he sees in his left, but he can’t put his finger on it. The pony looks like it has a bit more detail in form somehow. Then a thump is heard and it goes black and then back to white. Now there is a clear difference. The pony now appears to have a tail and some hair on it’s head. But the human appears to be losing a little hair. Black,white,thump. More hair loss, more hair gained. Black,white,thump, face is gone save for the smiling eyes, now has a smile. Black,white,thump Black,white,thump Two in a row. Now double the changes had taken place. The human was now hairless,faceless save for the eyes, and now wore no shoes. But instead of feet being there it was smooth and looked as if was mannequin feet, the human's eyes were now a bit concerned and at this point I didn’t blame him. The pony now had a full coat and a mouth with a smile, had shaped hooves with some fur going over the hooves, and it’s tail shaped like a roosters. The strobe kept going but the beating got faster. So fast it’s sounded like a heartbeat. Now I saw one of the human's eyes gone, like it was never there. At this point, the humans only eye showed shock. .... As you can guess the pony also had a eye. however I was also looking at the pony from an angle. So I couldn’t see if it already had it’s other eye or not. The strobe and beating continued. The beat scared me. It sounded like a heart and it was faster than the strobe. As it went, I could literally see the color slowly disappear starting from his “feet”, and the pony gaining color, but I was focusing on my left eye so I didn’t pay much attention to it now. As the beating got faster so did the strobe. Until it was so fast I couldn’t even see the strobe. When it reached half-way to the human's waist, he fell over, this time there was a cringing look in his eye. Still looking forward it stuck out it’s hand and with it’s eyes I could see it speaking something with it’s eyes. Something loud. I looked though my left eye, and didn’t see anything. Then I noticed something. The strobe had stopped, and I was breathing. I now could now move again. I looked down and I saw a hand and a hoof which confused me. Then I looked up and saw a mirror with a pegasus staring back. As soon as I did I heard the word “Holy- ” coming out of my mouth, which the pegasus copied. Then I felt like I my lungs were about to explode and then everything disappeared. I wake up and I scream out “SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!” “ SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!” At the stallion’s outburst the butter mare recoiled as if he suddenly would attack her right there and then, Harry immediately went to her side, the stallion suddenly posing more of a threat after that screech. The yellow mare, still shocked at the shout stood speechless as the bear assumed a defensive position next to her, recovering quickly she placed a hoof on the bear. The paper-white stallion took a loud deep breath and started hacking and coughing. “ Hooooooollyyy crap-cans up the ass seven ways to sunday my lungs are in a FIERY HELL OF NOPE!” he says with a very loud voice. He falls to the ground, but lands on his four hooves and starts shaking a bit. He’s has a quite weird looking expression on his face. “ Dear god I'll never EVER read Trixie’s treehouse of horror and Apple farm massacre on the same night EVER again!” He sighs and then closes his eyes and stands on two hooves, and groans out loud while stretching his wings. “Hmm… Sir?” Asks the yellow pony, concern in her voice, at the same time, the ever watchful rabbit takes a step towards the stallion and Harry scanned the waking pony, finding him harmless went back to watching the bug, now turned over her face covered. “Uhhhhh…*smack smack*” the stallions lips smack together as he yawns and stretches yet again on two hooves. He scratches a area that is not for children's eyes, yet is seen by all.[1] Then he squints his eyes so tightly his face looks like this: -_- [2] He then somewhat directs his head to the yellow pony, and yet still standing on his two hooves manages to have the ball’s to ask “ What was that, butter colored toasty pony of past pleasures?” in a nonchalant tone. He then proceeds to fall on four hooves, but then sways and lands back on the couch with everything under him showing, including his very skinny belly. The cream mare is flabbergasted at her guest’s first words to her, opting to just stare at him on all her life caring for ponies never has one said such gibberish in the first conversation. Could he have a suffered a concussion? taking offence at her owner’s state the bunny that watched the whole statement carried an expression of disbelief, which was quickly switched to anger at his disrespect, taking a determined hop, he landed right on the stallion’s belly, and proceeded to kick him relentlessly with his feet. Unfortunately, such a tiny creature kicking another, specially with all the fluffiness involved, they were more boops than actual kicks, such fact didn't discourage the rabbit in the slightest. The white pegasus shoots up from where he was lying and yelps, and opens his eyes wide before proceeding to yell “Bad Touch! BAD TOUCH!” and run straight into a nearby table with his wings wide open. Crashing right into a side of the table, and with his wings, flips a vase into the air flipping it few times while it span in the air. The cream mare watched as her latest gift from Rarity flew in the air, momentarily shaken still by the situation,her other critters were in a similar state, if not for but a second. It’s so tense that even the rampant pegasus stops for a moment to watch what he has done. And as gravity finally decided to wake up and kick things into gear and bring it back, after what felt like minutes. It starts falling right directly at… the changelings… head… On impact, the changeling, as if suddenly receiving an electric shock began to extend her limbs in all directions, flailing directly against the vase, pushing it away from her head as her eyes shot open, reptilian amber eyes scanned the room wildly, worry filled her features as the unfamiliar landscape of the living room filled her senses. “Wha?” were her words as she stood stiff looking around the strange room. Raising her forelegs and rubbing her eyes with her fetlocks, to confirm her vision, blinking this time she spotted a worried familiar yellow pegasus on one side and a white pony bent over a table “Where the frak am I?” The rabbit, recovered himself from behind the couch, cursing the bad manners of the white pony finally decided to fall back hopping back to his hole to chew on the carrot he had leftover from last night. The changeling shifts her neck downwards, meeting her own chitin and limbs, with an incredulous face she inspects her holes and tries to move her fetlock in a way you feel around a numb limb, she inspects the left foreleg, coming to the inevitable and impossible conclusion, “No…” She says, a tinge of panic in her voice. In the same way a blind man clings to the last vestiges of light, so did the changelings eyes look around the room, the wooden walls, the beautiful day blooming outside, the slight chirping of a distant Jay, the squawk of Mrs. Spaghetti on the pen further in the window, the gaze of an enormous bear watching her with a steely gaze, the pony bent over the table, the shocked yellow pegasus, everything pointing to an insane conclusion. “Am I in Equestria? Did I die? I never expected that to be true...” She chuckled to herself, then it hit her again, once more in this fine morning. “Why do I sound like a woman?!” Immediately she looked down, between her hind legs to confirm she was still male. That was a negative. She bent herself further, examining near her tail, she spotted nothing but the familiar female parts, breathing faster now she tried to relax her neck back on the couch. “Nononononono, this isn’t real”. Deep exhale, deep inhale, she closed her eyes and checked again, coming with the same results. She stared at it, her hoof came fast, trying to uncover some illusion that she just couldn’t see with the exception of hitting a disturbingly sensitive spot. She stopped, a shiver running up her spine, retreated her hoof away, and laid back again. “Frak me, There always has to have a price, isn’t it?” She spoke to the roof, the ceiling or whatever deity might be watching in glee at her misery. Thankfully this question was finally enough to awake the cream mare from her daze. The yellow mare soon after looked at the male, wearing a contained pain expression. She looked him over, noticing his nether areas squashed against the table. She quickly scooted over to him, taking his foreleg around her neck and helping him to the couch again, this time sitting properly. The pegasus had his eyes wide open and his mouth in a perfect line.[3] The ball-busted stallion gave a small squeak of pain as he sat down. “Thanks.” he said very quietly, wincing as he adjusted himself to get more comfortable. “You're very welcome.” she said back with a small smile. The lemon pony turned her attention towards the OTHER mare. She was happy to have company in her little home, it had been forever since she had company. Secretely she was more pleased to have some male company. Having another mare right now made her feel… defensive. She ignored that though, in times like these everypony needed all the help they could get. The changeling stared at her hooves, searching for any indication of an illusion or the details that’d be amiss if it was a lucid dream. Upon confirming then once again, she looks at the pegasus mare, this time taking a little moment as if her very words could break this reality. “Where am I?” said the unsure changeling, her steely gaze at the familiar mare she dared not name at that moment. “In my house, I found you two together unconscious on the forest while i was collecting some Blossomvine” answered the yellow mare, unfazed by the changeling stare “I’m Fluttershy” she then gestured to the table, where the tray still sat, inviting tea still hot “I’ve made breakfast for you two while we talk” trotting to the table and sitting on an undisturbed pillow, Fluttershy gestured to both of them to have a seat again and biting into the handle of the kettle, served herself a cup. The ditzy stallion proceeded to stand on two hooves and had balance the moment he stood. He took one step however, and he falls and quickly shouts “Sonuva-!” while trying to turn in mid-air to land on his back. This however did not work out as he landed on his shoulder, then his whole back made a loud pop. “And it was at this moment he knew… Shit was fucked up.” the stallion said in his head. “Uh… s-sir? Who are you talking to?” The butter colored butt pony asked. “All the people who aren’t listening.” he cheerfully replied. The changeling just observed the exchange, still stunned at how surreal it was. “I think ponies stay in all four legs" after correcting him she took a small breath and realized "as should I actually” moving her hind legs for emphasis. “Well I find it weird that people don’t do it my way. It looks so much cooler.” he replied, with a wave of his hair to add dramatic emphasis. The changeling facehooved at his words, missing slightly and hitting her horn, “Motherfrakker!”, she said, rubbing the area. “Why are you even doing that?” she asked. “I can no longer move either one of my…” Blinks for a few seconds, then blows a raspberry. “ Fuck it I’m too tired to acknowledge this phenomenon. ANYWAY I can no longer move OR feel either one of my Swingers [4] and I am now going to solve this using nothing but determination to fill me”. Both females stare at him with blank looks. The buttery pony then gets a look of concern. “Do you need help? I can get Harry to-”. “NOPE! I mean, no thanks hehe. I have an idea.” Our only male character[5] then flaps his wings a bit. Instead of flying however, he uses his wings to push himself from the ground. Loud grunting and strained yet cut off curses are said. Not long, he still manages to lift himself off the ground and extend his wings to where his lower legs were. With one more loud gasp he huffs and puffs. Then gets a grin and looks to the Changeling. “Come on you gotta admit! Doing this is pretty impressive.” Rolling her eyes, before getting out of the sofa and putting two right hooves into the ground then sliding to the right until she could place her left legs attempting to stand on all fours. She barely manages and looks at the stallion “Like this, ponies don’t walk on two hooves” She looks at her hind legs from the side and adds quietly “When in Rome...” noting her tail down and moving it promptly, same for her wings, going up and down experimentally. “Pshh. You're no fun.” he threw back. Then looked ahead at the table with the greatest gift of living on it. In his mind: Target acquired. Initiate code: Winging it. Mission details: GET DA MUTHAFUCKING WAFFELZ! The stallion then, put one wing out and wobbly set it down. He then dramatically gave a gasp and looked at the Changeling. “Oh-.” he then put another in front of him. “Oh”!. Then another. “OH!” Then another. “OHHHHHHH!!!” it wasn’t too long before he had ACTUALLY made it to the table. Then he quickly turned and sat on the chair, and then turned once again to face the changeling. “OHHHHH SNAP BRUTHA YOU JUST GOT OUT-WALKED BY A  TWO-LEGGER!” He then turned back to the table and slammed his face directly on it. After a few moments of silence he slammed his head again. “This-” he slammed his head again two more times. “-is where I was supposed to meet my waffles.” His wings then went flat and he started breathing hard from the effort of the journey of-like-four-steps-but-felt-like-a-thousand. Fluttershy watched the exchange, not really sure what to say or do, convinced at this point she was trudging on unexplored lands and nothing in her scout book could have prepared her for it. The changeling gave the next step toward the table, “Front right” Her leg obeyed, giving a step forward. “Back left” the proper leg answered her master and she wobbled slightly, her wings buzzed unused to the proper muscles. “front left”, she then continued, calling each of the four steps until she arrived at the table. Finding a conveniently placed cushion to sit on, she landed there, at first she tried sit cross legged but upon realizing her new anatomy worked she supported herself on the table using her front hooves “not, hard” she looked at the table and then at Write, waiting for him. “Hard like your ass, hardass.” he grumbled. Seeing as the two strangers are seated, and were acting like casual friends, Fluttershy decided to speak up “Well, now that we are seated, I’ll introduce myself properly” She sits on one of the cushions as well “I’m Fluttershy, nice to meet you two, I found the both of you unconscious in the forest” she looks at the stallion expectantly, hoping the stallion caught her name this time. The Pegasus blinks real quick. “I… am a very...befuddled… creature... that is still trying to comprehend what in the twelve hells he is… next!” he then points a hoof at the changeling. “Me?” She said pointing a hoof at herself, and looking at it for a moment, “I’m Amber” she smiled before saying it again a bit distressed. ”Wait no, I meant to say I’m Amber” The changeling tried again as she pressed her other hoof to her temple “Aaaaa-mber” She finally blurted out “This isn’t my name, my real name, is this another price?” She shouted looking up at a hummingbird who pointed a wing at itself, confused, he looked at Fluttershy for solace, she only shrugged. Amber attempted to say her name once again, but suddenly the floorboards in the cottage began to shake beneath her. The shaking was so violent that it even affected the pegasus. Though he was repeatedly hitting his head on the table as the shaking occurred. After a few seconds, the floorboards cracked and high pressure water shot out from beneath the changeling's buttocks and flipped her spinning high into mid-air. She then landed straight onto the bear and with an annoyed growl picked her up of him with a claw and placed her sitting on her haunches in front of him facing the white pony. She started to shiver, and looked at where she used to sit, the stream seemed to quickly lose pressure and started to wet fluttershy’s rug, acting quick fluttershy pulled the rug away from the leaking pipe and dashed outside, shortly after the trickle of water died down and she walked back in with a cute phew. “That never happened before, and just last year i replaced the plumbing after Mr. Bray's incident” Fluttershy confessed reaching for a cupboard and pulling dry cloth and taking a spare to Amber, who accepted and grabbed it with her mouth, and turned to dry the floor. Taken by surprise Amber just stood there with the cloth in her mouth as fluttershy worked in the floor, which thanks to Harry's help was done in a few seconds, Harry helped moved the table and sofa away from the hole in the floor, taking the white pony with the table. After her work was done Fluttershy looked back at amber who still had the cloth in her mouth and her flanks and torso sopping wet, thankfully her chitin didn't absorb as much water. Finally getting the message, amber kicked into gear, lowering herself down to the ground, she rolled with her belly up and tried to apply the cloth at her torso, with poor results. The cream mare watched the changeling try to dry herself with the cloth, in the silliest way anypony could imagine, reminded herself of a filly, Fluttershy trotted to the bathroom taking a proper towel this time and helped her with her hoof to dry her chest and flanks. Amber who had stopped her efforts as the cream pony threw a towel at her and used a hoof to dry her, rubbing gently and eventually coming down to her flanks "Careful there" Amber said blushing at this whole ordeal. Her tail instinctively protecting as much as it could. With her help amber was quickly dry again and she dropped the towel back at her dirty laundry bag trotting back to sit at her place, thankfully her tea was still warm. “I...just...What.” The Pegasus said, clearly flabbergasted. Fluttershy then turned to him. “Oh that’s right, What about you!? What’s your name?" He looked between himself and” Amber” twice, now she had rolled back and was sitting in a pillow. “You know what? I have no fricking clue. Let’s just assume that for some unseen reason I don’t know my own identity as well as a used to”. “But clearly you also have a name” Amber gestured, turning to face him “Try that one for a start”. “Like hell I will! If you’re who I think you’re are, the it’s clear to me that you already know who I am.” he said matter-of-factly. “And who do you think I am?” she answered, adjusting her tail on the cushion, carefully. “I think you’re-” Suddenly a cheerful loud chirp coming from all around the shack. “What I tri-” then again the chirp intensified, in sync with his rising tone until he ran out of breath. Fluttershy gave a quiet giggle and Amber looked at him with a grin and said “Could you repeat that?”. And so he did, but as if the world had reacted to his attempts, it happened again, this time mixing with a strong wind shaking the trees and chicken squawks in the pen. At this Amber giggled and asked again: ”What’s your name anyway?” He gave a glare at Amber, but then gave a defeated sigh and looked up as if in thought. He looked at his rear-side. A nickname surfaced in his memory. “Hey Amber doesn’t this look familiar to you”?. She looked at it for a moment. “It does… a friend of mine had an image like that-”. “Write.” he interrupted. Fluttershy looked at him puzzled. “Write?” Fluttershy asked. “My name. It’s Write.” he said quietly looking down. Then he faced towards the two and gave a wide grin. “My name is Write Lightning. A pleasure to meet the both of you, Amber and Fluttershy”. “Write Lightning? I remember someone by that name, they rarely showed up for a game” Amber said recalling, then squinting her eyes at him. “I seem to recall how intense those games were, and how they had a direct effect on my health too.” Write replied with a raised eyebrow. They both go silent and stare at each other for a moment. “Are you Write from that then? Boltpen? It’s me, Darkwhip!”[6] She said relief in her features.