> Song of Change
>  by Leo Archon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 1




        Step 1: Wake up.

        Step 2: Determine reason for being awake.
        Step 2a: Turn off alarm clock if that is the reason.

        Step 3: Roll over in bed.

        Step 4: Attempt to go back to sleep.

        Step 5: Eventually get out of bed to face the day.


        That is the process known as 'getting out of bed'. At least, it is for me. It's a fairly standard process, one that usually doesn't get interrupted. When it does, it usually means there's something special going on that day. I usually don't think much of it. This time, though, I couldn't ignore what happened.

        Step 1 went off without a hitch, as it usually does (the only time it shouldn't is if I've died in my sleep). I proceeded to step 2, listening for whatever woke me up, while not opening my eyes. Turns out my reason for being awake was the sound of birds chirping. Unusual, considering I live in a downtown condo with my grandmother, but not entirely unknown. I yawned, and initiated step 3.

        Here's where the interrupt occurred. I noticed two things wrong when I rolled over. First off, my bedsheets and comforter were missing. Don't ask why I use a comforter year-round, I'm just strange that way. The second thing I noticed was that whatever I was lying on was way too comfortable to be my twin bed.

        Have you ever had a thought that jolted you from drowsiness to full wakefulness in a split-second? That's what happened to me. My eyes snapped open, and I looked around, trying to find out what it was I was lying on. Whatever it was, it was white and fluffy. I raised my head a little so I could get a better look at it. The action caused my hair to fall into my face. And that's when I really saw that something was different.

        For a guy, I have pretty long hair. I usually keep it tied in a ponytail at the base of my neck. When I'm asleep, of course, I let my hair down. Here's the problem I had at the moment. My hair is normally brown, a typical shade for humans. But the hair I saw in my face was a distinct dark grey, with a deep crimson stripe running through it. I raised an arm to try and grab it for a better look, but the sight of my arm stopped me cold.

        I was never a good student in biology, and I never took anatomy. Nonetheless, the fact that my right arm was now covered in fine dark amaranth hair and ended in a hoof definitely struck me as not normal. Cautiously, I raised my left arm, glancing at it. It was the same; a dark-haired limb that ended in a hoof. I decided to quit delaying the inevitable and sat up to look myself over.

        My whole body, it turned out, was covered in the fine amaranth hair. In addition, my body's structure had changed. My legs matched my former arms, ending in hooves rather than feet. Also, the foot had extended, while my shins and thighs had shrunk. That's something most people don't get right. Quadrupedal mammals don't have 'reversed knees'. Rather, they have a longer 'foot' than apes, giving them the appearance of a reversed knee. I may not have taken anatomy, but I knew that much.

        I spotted a mass of grey and crimson near my rear end, and looked closer. It was a tail. More specifically, it was an equine tail, attached to my tailbone. Experimentally, I twitched my muscles in that area. The mass flicked upward, proving that it was indeed mine. As it twitched, I noticed something on my flank. Peering closer, I saw what appeared to be a red eighth note inside a matching triangle. Looking at my other flank, I saw the same thing. It was a cutie mark, of that I was certain.

        "I've landed in Equestria," I murmured aloud. The sound of my voice startled me a bit. See, as I mentioned before, I'm a guy. Normally, anyway. But the voice that came from my mouth was higher than my bass voice, and unmistakably female. Carefully, I looked myself over again. Sure enough, my body seemed slightly slimmer than would be the norm for a stallion on the show. The biggest proof was that in place of my male pride, I found my groin to have a feminine slit.

        This would be the point where most guys would freak out. Not me. See, I freely admit that I'm lazy. I don't believe in panicking over something I can't control. And waking up as a pony from a (supposedly) fictitious world was definitely something I couldn't control. In addition, though, I've roleplayed as a girl in various RPGs that my friends and I played. The joke among us was that I'd eventually get a sex-change operation. This, however, was much neater, and far less expensive. Of course, there was the fact that I was a pony, but details.

        During my inspection of my body, I noticed something I'd overlooked before. Namely, the wings attached to my shoulders. I blinked, trying to send signals to them. When they moved, I could feel the air moving between my feathers. The sensation was amazing, and I smiled hugely. I was a pegasus pony, and I was in Equestria. This was about as close to Heaven as I was going to get.

        After a moment of silently squeeing, I paused. Wait, is there anything wrong with Ponyville? Better yet, where exactly am I? I stood up on all four legs, and peeked out over the edge of what I was standing on. It turned out to be a cloud, one roughly the size of my twin bed back home. After a very brief moment of vertigo, I was able to focus on the landscape. What I saw made me smile.

        Below me, as pretty as a painting, I saw the town of Ponyville. I saw the tree that housed Twilight's library, I saw the spire of Carousel Boutique, and I saw the distinctive shape of Sugarcube Corner. Further out, I could make out Fluttershy's cottage on the edge of the Everfree Forest, and I saw the mass of apple trees that belonged to Sweet Apple Acres. Carefully looking around, I couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. No craters, no ponies running around in a panic, nothing.

        Well, there was one detail that was out of place. Some distance away from the town, a castle rose out of the rocky area. I cocked my head quizzically. I didn't recall that ever being mentioned in the show. It wasn't in the Everfree Forest, so I knew it couldn't be the Ruins of the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters. Still, aside from that oddity, I couldn't see anything wrong.

        "Phew, looks clear at the moment," I murmured. I looked down, and froze as a thought occurred to me. How am I going to get down? I'm on a cloud, about a quarter of a mile in the sky. I've never had wings before, so how am I supposed to use them?

        Then another thought occurred to me, one not quite related to the show. In the 'Animorphs' series of books, the protagonists are able to use the bodies of creatures they acquire on an instinctual level. They abandon conscious control over certain aspects, and let the body do the work. I was curious if the same principle would apply here. I stood on the edge of the cloud, and let a single thought drift through my mind: Fly.

        Almost on its own, my body leapt off the cloud, and I flew. Oh, I can't even begin to describe it. It was exhilirating! Nothing I'd read, nothing I'd seen could prepare me for the sheer thrill of flying through the air on my own power. I mean, sky-diving might be close, but there's nothing quite like true flight.

        Of course, seeing as I was in Equestria, I decided to show off a little. I simply thought about doing some tricks, mostly ones I'd seen Rainbow Dash do. Soaring down closer to the ground, I wove through a strand of trees, before spiraling up to spin a few clouds. I decided against attempting to emulate Rainbow's ultimate trick, the Sonic Rainboom. I mean, that's her schtick, not mine. I wasn't about to steal her thunder.

        After my little stunt session, I landed on another cloud, breathing a little heavily. Clearly, my body wasn't designed with stunt-flying in mind. Then again, my cutie mark seemed to indicate I was musically inclined to some degree. Which made a little sense; I do like singing. In fact, I'm kind of like Pinkie Pie in that I like to spontaneously burst into song for no reason. One good thing about my impromptu stunt flight was that it had banished any lingering traces of exhaustion from me. I made a note to go for a short flight every morning while I was here.

        As I caught my breath, I was startled by the sound of hooves clopping in applause. Looking around, I spotted the source: a sky-blue pegasus with a distinct rainbow mane and tail. "Not bad at all," she said, landing next to me on the cloud. "You're pretty good, for a rookie."

        I blushed a little. Being complimented by Rainbow Dash was a bit surreal. Still, I managed to regain my composure, and smiled back at her. "Thanks. But honestly, I'm no stunt flier. I just wanted to wake up quick. I'll take the compliment, though, Rainbow Dash."

        She blinked. "How'd you know my name?"

        I rolled my eyes at this, having come up with a cover story. "Uh, what pegasus doesn't know the name of the only pony known to pull off a Sonic Rainboom?"

        She blinked again, then grinned. "Ah, so you were in the crowd when I did that?"

        I nodded. "It was way cool, seeing you rescue four ponies at once." I held out a hoof as an alias sprang to mind. "I'm Delta Requiem."

        She shook my hoof, smiling. "Nice to meet you, Delta!" She cocked her head. "Say, you're new in Ponyville, aren't you? I mean, you don't look that familiar."

        I nodded. "Yeah, I'm new in town." I smiled at her. "Care to show me around?"

        She smiled back. "Sure thing!"


*****




        I've met one of the Mane 6, I'm a pegasus pony, and I'm getting a tour of Ponyville, I thought. I was doing my best to pay attention to Rainbow Dash, since ignoring her would be rude. She explained what each building was (those that she knew, anyway), and introduced me to a few of the background ponies, like Lyra and Bonbon. The two of them really are a cute couple, by the way. Also, Bonbon's voice is the same as it was in 'Call of the Cutie' for those wondering.

        When we got to the town square, I met my second member of the Mane 6 for the day, and my own personal favorite. I heard her before I actually saw her. "Sweet Apple Acres apples, apple fritters, apple pie! Whatever ya want, if it's got 'apple' in its name, we got it!"

        My stomach growled in response, pointedly reminding me that the last time I ate anything was the afternoon before my mysterious displacement. I blushed, grinning sheepishly at Rainbow. "Um, sorry. I'm really hungry, but I don't have the bits for any food."

        Rainbow chuckled. "Don't worry, I'll pay for you. Besides, I know the mare who runs that stand." She led me to the stand in question, and there I beheld Applejack in all her country glory.

        Now, I'm not the kind of brony who goes out buying merchandise. If I was, however, I'd probably have an Applejack body-pillow. Or a big plushie. I've always had a thing for her. Maybe it's the accent, maybe it's the hat, or maybe it's just her no-nonsense attitude. Whatever the case, I had to stop myself from going starry-eyed when I saw her.

        She addressed Rainbow first, thankfully. "Well, howdy Rainbow! What brings ya down to Equestria today?"

        Rainbow smiled. "Just showing somepony new around." She waved to me with a hoof. "Sounded like she was hungry, so I thought I'd bring her by here."

        Applejack smirked. "And try ta wrangle some free food outta me in th' process, no doubt." Her smirk turned into a genuine smile as she looked at me. "Howdy, stranger! Ah'm Applejack, owner and proprietor of Sweet Apple Acres." She held out a hoof.

        "I'm Delta. Delta Requiem," I managed to say, as I reached out to shake the offered hoof. As I did, my stomach grumbled again.

        Applejack chuckled. "Yep, somepony's hungry, alright. So, what'll it be?"

        I scanned her stall, looking over the various items on display. Now, apples weren't exactly my favorite food in the world, but I can appreciate a good apple. I'm not too fond of apples baked into other foods, however. So, I pointed at a nice Granny Smith apple. "I'll just have one of those, for now."

        "Easy enough," Applejack replied, grabbing the apple in her hoof and passing it to me. "That'll be two bits, by the way."

        Before I could comment, Rainbow fished two coins out of her saddlebags, and passed them to the farmer. "On me, AJ. In case you didn't notice, Delta doesn't have any saddlebags."

        I mentally winced. I just hope neither of them asks about –

        "Well, why would a stranger fly into town with no saddlebags?" Applejack looked at me.

        Celestia dammit, now I have to sneak a lie past Applejack of all ponies, I thought resignedly. Then a thought occurred to me, and I worked out how to say it. "Well, I did have some saddlebags, but I lost them when I took a rest stop in Whitetail Wood. When I woke up, they were gone, and I don't have a clue what happened to them. I didn't have that much to my name, anyway. I barely had ten bits." I looked Applejack in the eye, gauging her reaction.

        To my relief, she smiled warmly. "Sorry to hear about your trouble, sugarcube." She then reached back to the stall, and passed me another Granny Smith apple. "That one's on me, by the way, no charge."

        I smiled back, and bit into the first apple. And I swear, if it was possible for a tongue to orgasm, mine would have. Sure, it was sour, as Granny Smith apples are, but it was the single most delicious apple I've ever tasted! I don't think I could ever eat a supermarket apple again!

        I devoured the apple in a few more bites, then made short work of the other. Applejack and Rainbow chuckled. "Yep, she was hungry, alright," the farmer said. "So, Delta, got any plans while you're here in Ponyville?"

        I shook my head. "Not really. I've just arrived, after all, and I don't know all there is to do here."

        Rainbow smiled. "Well, let me finish giving you the grand tour."

        As she and I left, Applejack called out to me. "Sugarcube, if ya need a place to stay, we've got plenty o' room at Sweet Apple Acres!"

        I blushed, and replied with a wave of my hoof. I had to admit though, the prospect of spending time at the Acres sounded very appealing.

        It was a few moments later that I realized Rainbow was giving me a smile that was borderline trollish. "Um, what's up, Rainbow?"

        Her grin grew wider. "You have a thing for Earth ponies, huh?"

        If I was blushing before, I was incandescant now. How did she see me blushing through this coat of mine? "Um, I don't know what you're talking about," I said lamely.

        She chuckled. "The look in your eyes when she offered you a place to stay said otherwise." She laid a hoof on my shoulders. "Don't worry, I won't tell anypony about your preferences."

        My cheeks reached egg-frying levels of heat, but thankfully my awkward moment was dispeled by a particular pink pony with a prediliction for parties and pastries popping up in my face, letting out a huge gasp.

        "You're a new pony! I know that because I know everypony in Ponyville, and I don't know you, so that means you're new! And if you're new in town that must mean – " she gasped again " – I need to throw a PAR-TAY!" With that, the pink bundle of pony-shaped energy known as Pinkie Pie blurred away.

        Now, I'd seen the show. I knew what Pinkie Pie was like. But knowing what she's like and experiencing her first-hoof are two completely different things. That's why I was left staring dumbly at the spot she'd occupied. It had taken no more than five seconds to greet me and run off to prepare her party.

        Rainbow, fortunately, was there to help me recover. "Don't worry, that's a common reaction to Pinkie Pie. Heck, it's downright tame. Some ponies have conniptions when they meet her for the first time."

        I picked my jaw up from where it was resting beside my forehooves. "You know, I can't imagine why," I said honestly. "She seems nice, if a little enthusiastic."

        Rainbow stared at me. "A little? Pinkie Pie is the most hyperactive pony on the planet." She then paused. "But yeah, she's very friendly."

        We passed Sugarcube Corner, just as a certain white unicorn was leaving. "Thank you so much, Mr. Cake! Those new brownies were simply delightful! I shall have to have another soon!" She turned around, spotting me and Rainbow instantly. "Ah, so this is the new pony in town! Pinkie Pie just ran inside. I have no doubt she's already preparing your welcome party, dear." She raised a hoof. "I am Rarity, owner of the Carousel Boutique."

        Of the Mane 6, Rarity is my number 3 pony, behind Applejack and Twilight Sparkle. The reason she's in this spot is because I can fully appreciate a refined lady, just like I can appreciate a country girl or a studious bookworm. And despite being a mare in body, I was a guy at heart, with a hint of gentleman. Which is why I did what I did next.

        Taking Rarity's hoof, I didn't shake it, but rather lifted it to my lips and kissed it tenderly. "I am Delta Requiem, fair lady. And might I say that there are few things in this world quite as lovely as you."

        I was rewarded with a gentle blush from the fashionista. "And the ponies I've met that are as well-mannered as you are few and far between. If you're ever looking for new outfits, dear, don't hesitate to stop by the Boutique. I'd love to make some designs for that lovely coat of yours!" She trotted – or rather, sashayed – off towards her shop.

        Rainbow stared at me in disbelief. "And here I thought you had a thing for AJ!"

        I grinned. "That doesn't mean I can't appreciate a cultured lady, does it?"

        She paused. "I guess not." She looked askance at me. "You're not going to flirt with me, too, are you?"

        I shrugged. "Not unless you want me to," I deadpanned.

        My half-serious comment had Rainbow blushing, and I mentally grinned. She managed to regain her composure, though. "Eh, no thanks. I don't swing that way."

        Will wonders never cease, I thought with a mental chuckle. Guess this debunks all those theories of Rainbow being a fillyfooler. Or does it? She looked pretty embarrassed.

        Any further thoughts were interrupted when we arrived at the tree that housed the most powerful unicorn mage in Equestria. Looking close, I could see that the tree was still alive. I knew better than to ask 'how', though. In this magical world, anything seemed possible.

        Rainbow was about to knock on the door, when another pegasus flew up to her. I recognized the stallion as Thunderlane, from 'Hurricane Fluttershy'. "Rainbow!" he said. "We have a problem. There's a pretty nasty storm blowing in from the Everfree, and the Weather team needs your help!"

        Rainbow dragged a hoof down her face. "Ugh, this would happen on my day off!" She looked at me apologetically. "Sorry, Delta, but this is important. Don't suppose you could lend a hoof to this?"

        I shook my head. "Sorry, but I haven't tried to manage weather for a while. I'm out of practice."

        Rainbow sighed. "Oh, well. Listen, hunker down inside the library with my friend Twilight. I'm sure she'd be glad for the company. If this storm is as big as I think, you want to stay indoors."

        I nodded. "Good luck, Rainbow."

        I watched the two weather team members fly off, sighing at the lie I'd told them. Truth be told, I had no idea how to manage weather. Shrugging, I turned back to the library, and raised a hoof to knock.

        I was completely unprepared for the door to fly open and pin me against the side of the tree. As I fought to get my consciousness past the burst of pain that traveled up and down my body, I heard a pair of voices.

        "Don't worry, Twilight! I'll run down to the market to get some more sandwich supplies!" I heard a young boyish voice say. I decided it had to be Spike, the resident dragon.

        "Thank you, Spike," an older, feminine voice replied, cementing my theory.

        I tried to move to get the door into a less painful position, but the slightest movement caused me to be acutely aware that I now had tree sap covering my back. Thank Celestia I had my wings folded at the time, I thought. Still, the feeling of tree sap sticking to my back was distinctly uncomfortable, more so than being pinned between the door and the tree itself. I let out a groan of disgust.

        The noise must have alerted Twilight, because a moment later I heard hooves clopping against wood, then on stone. The next thing I knew, the door was out of my face, replaced by the confused purple visage of Twilight Sparkle. Her confusion quickly gave way to concern.

        "Ohmigosh, I'm so sorry! Spike must have opened the door too hard. Here, let me help you." Her horn began to glow, and a moment later, I felt myself being pried out of the tree. I winced as the sap tugged on the hair on my mane, tail, and back, but eventually I was free.

        "Ugh, it's going to take me forever to get this stuff out," I moaned, looking at my tail.

        "Sorry," Twilight apologized again. "Um, you can use my bathtub if you want."

        I smiled at her. "Thanks. I'm Delta Requiem, by the way. Nice to meet you, miss…?"

        "Twilight. Twilight Sparkle," she introduced herself. She led me into the library, and I had to stop myself from drooling.

        See, I'm very similar to Twilight. I have a small circle of close friends, and I love to read. Granted, I usually read on my computer these days, but that wasn't exactly an option here, now was it? And being surrounded by books was very, very tempting. Still, business comes before pleasure. I went to the bathroom that Twilight indicated.

        Glancing at the faucets for the tub, I shrugged, and reached for them like I still had hands. To my pleasant surprise, it actually worked. So, I just need to let the body do the work. Don't overthink things. I made sure to commit the lesson to heart as I waited for the tub to fill.

        I hadn't taken a proper bath in years. Usually, a shower is enough for me. Still, a shower wouldn't clean the sap off of my back, so a bath was needed. When the tub was full of steamy water, I stepped in.

        Just the sensation had me nearly purring in contentment. I should take baths more often, I thought with a sigh, as I settled into the tub. Letting the water soak into my coat felt absolutely divine. I could  just lay here for hours… Shaking the thought from my head, I reached for the soap, and started carefully scrubbing my back.

        I found that the bathing went easier if I just let the pegasus in me take care of things. As my body pretty much cleaned itself, I let my mind wander. How was I transported here? And why? Also, where in the erratic timeline am I? Am I mid-season 1, between seasons, or what? These thoughts stewed in my head for a while. When I noticed that I was clean of all the sap, I pulled the plug, and stepped out, reaching for a towel.

        As I dried myself off, carefully around my wings, I smiled. Well, I can answer one of those questions relatively easily. Stepping out of the bathroom once I was done, I saw Twilight reading a book by her table. Walking up, I coughed to get her attention. "Thanks for letting me use the bathtub."

        "Oh, it's no problem at all, Miss Requiem!" she chirped cheerfully.

        I cringed. "Just Delta, if you please. 'Miss' makes me feel old."

        "Oh, uh, sorry, Delta," Twilight apologized. "So, you're a new face in Ponyville, right?"

        I nodded. "Just got into town this morning. So, anything interesting ever happen around here?"

        Twilight rolled her eyes. "Oh, plenty of things. Although the most recent event wasn't actually here, but in Canterlot. The Grand Galloping Gala was just last week. And boy, was that a trainwreck of an evening!"

        That clears that up, I'm between seasons, I thought to myself. Out loud, I asked, "Oh? How so?"

        She winced. "Let's just say that I'd be surprised if my friends and I ever get invited back."

        "That bad, eh?" I asked.

        "You have no idea," Twilight sighed.

        Further conversation was interrupted as the door slammed open, and Spike came walking in holding a few bags. "Whoof! Good thing I got these when I did, Twilight. Looks like a pretty nasty storm's blowing in from the Everfree Forest." He set the bags down, and only then noticed me. "Oh! Nice to meet you, I'm Spike!"

        I giggled, and held out a hoof. "Delta. Nice to meet you, Spike!"

        Twilight was not so easily distracted. "A storm from Everfree? That could be bad."

        I waved off her concerns. "I met a pegasus named Rainbow Dash earlier, and she's gone to help deal with it. She told me to stay indoors, in case it does get out of hoof."

        Twilight blinked, then smiled. "Well, if Rainbow's handling it, I feel better."

        I started perusing the shelves. "In the meantime, I think I'll just find a nice book." My eyes landed on 'Daring Do and the Sapphire Stone', and I grinned. "Ooh, this looks good."

        Twilight looked at my choice, and smiled that utterly adorkable smile. "Oh, Daring Do! Yeah, that's a great series! Excellent choice, Delta!"

        Pulling the book off the shelf, I sat myself down at the table and began to read. I hadn't read more than a few paragraphs when I heard the door to the library open again. I was prepared to dismiss it as a customer, until I heard a voice that sounded like a glass harp.

        "Mom! I'm home!" the voice said. I looked up, and had to stop my jaw from dropping as I beheld the most unexpected sight yet in this world.

        It was a small, black filly with turquoise eyes and a purple mane. She wore glasses and a purple vest. On her flank, I could see the outline of a turquoise shield cutie mark. She looked up at me, and blinked those adorable eyes.

Hearing the filly's voice, Twilight bustled over. "Let me introduce you two!" She pointed at me. "This is Delta, a newcomer in town." She then indicated the filly. "Delta, this is my adoptive daughter, Nyx."