It was a nice day in Ponyville. Warm, but not hot. Some clouds scattered about the sky. The perfect day to get things done. And many ponies were doing just that. The market was busy, a veritable hive of activity. The streets were crowded with ponies pulling carts, waiting in lines, haggling, and simply passing through to their next errand. The air was full of the sounds of chatter and laughter. Between two market stalls, there was a changeling holding a wooden sign attached to a sharpened stake, carefully keeping it standing up straight.
Whack! Whack! Whack! A chitinous lime green hoof fell heavily onto the top of the sign, driving it into the soft dirt. The same hoof pressed against it, checking its sturdiness. Satisfied, the pastel bug smiled at the result. The sign itself was made of three planks nailed shoddily together, then nailed onto the sharp stake. Dangerous pointy bits of iron protruded where the nails had gone through the wood. Large red letters were painted onto the face of it, with several thin, jagged lines extending down from them where the paint had dripped.
FEED ME
The changeling hummed happily and sat on his haunches in the grass next to the sign. He put on a huge, dorky grin and stayed like that, observing passing ponies and absorbing their culture (and maybe a little excess emotion that passed his way). His brightly colored green chitin shined brilliantly in the sun, his small horn looking especially wicked as it glinted in the late morning light. Most ponies who glanced his way looked concerned or confused. A few seemed genuinely interested, but ultimately too busy to stop for him. No matter. He wasn't starving. This was just to meet some ponies and get to know them, while getting a little meal on the side.
He was an ambassador. King Thorax had sent him to Ponyville as a permanent representative of the reformed changeling hive. His job was basically to make friends and show ponies what they were all about. Answer questions, learn about ponies, and ultimately make sure Ponyville got along with them.
He was pulled from his thoughts as a mare suddenly trotted up to him.
"Here you go," she said cheerily, placing a half-eaten sandwich on the ground in front of him. He could feel a small surge of pride emanating from her as she smiled more to herself than to the changeling.
"Huh? Wha? Hey, you dropped your sand..." he started to say, but she was already walking away and couldn't hear him. "...wich. Hmm."
Shrugging, he leaned down and ate it straight off the ground. Less than a minute later, he sat back up, chewing on the last bite of sandwich, not minding the bits of dirt and grass that had come with it. His face was flecked with crumbs and soil.
"Mmm-mm! Pony food," he said to himself. He felt a sudden spike of disgust directed at him, emanating from a nearby pony. He turned his head and swiveled his ear tubes toward the source, curiously. He saw a small light pink filly talking to a middle-aged mare who he presumed was her mother. The filly's mane and tail were a faded purple with off-white streaks running through them. Atop her head was a delicate-looking crown of thin, overlapping silver arches topped with silver circles. Her mother had a coat of a darker faded pink, and a deep purple mane with subtle streaks just a small shade lighter. Her nose looked permanently upturned, as if doing it too much had gotten it stuck like that. The changeling could feel the disgust pouring off of her as she glanced his way.
"Yes, mother, really. I'm going over there with or without you," said the small one, confirming his suspicion that they were mother and daughter. He cheered internally at that small success and continued listening.
"We really shouldn't associate ourselves with riff-raff, Diamond Tiara. But, if you insist..." she said with a forced smile.
"I do," the one called Diamond Tiara said with a pleased grin, and trotted toward the changeling. He could feel some trepidation from her, but it was mostly overwhelmed by curiosity and excitement. Her mother, on the other hoof, was a ball of anxiety. She looked around as if worried she might be recognized by one of the many ponies around her. He could sense fear, but oddly, none of it was for her daughter, only herself. Soon they were both standing in front of him.
"Hi there! I'm Diamond Tiara and this is my mom, Spoiled Rich. Who are you?" the filly asked.
"The ambassador!" he replied cheerfully.
"Your name is The Ambassador?" she asked, confused.
"Well, I don't have a name. But it can be!"
"Wait, you don't have a name?" Sensing the confusion building up, he decided to settle this before it got out of hoof.
"Yes. It's Ambassador. My name is Ambassador," Ambassador said.
"Oh. Um... okay!" she said, ignoring the many questions and doubts she had just so she could get past this awkward introduction. "So. Mister Ambassador. Are you hungry?"
Ambassador shook his head. "Not really, no."
More confusion from the little filly. "What are you doing here, then? Why does the sign say 'feed me'?"
"I'm ambassador...ing. Ambassading? Um... Meeting ponies and representing the reformed changeling hive. And maybe getting a meal on the side."
"But I thought you said you weren't hungry."
"I'm not, but I'd never turn down a good meal."
"Well, we don't have any food."
"Sure you do!"
"No, we don't. Wait..." she said, pausing as she remembered something. "Changelings eat emotions, right? Is that what you mean?"
"Yep!"
"You might wanna add that to the sign, then. So ponies don't think you're asking for, you know, food food."
"Ohhh, that's why that pony dropped that sandwich by me," he said in realization. "Thanks, little pony! Er, I mean, Diamond Tiara. Oh, but I don't have my paint here to fix the sign. No matter. I'll do it later!"
Diamond Tiara giggled at the chipper changeling. "So are you, like, eating my emotions right now?"
"Nope!" Ambassador said. "Well, a little, I guess? It's hard to explain. Right now, I'm just absorbing whatever excess comes off of you and other ponies. Did you want to try feeding me?"
A sharp stab of discomfort came from Spoiled Rich, like an icy spike piercing his soul. It seemed maybe she did care for her daughter some. "That is, if your mother is okay with it," Ambassador was quick to amend, keeping his happy smile in place as he turned to her.
The older mare's smile was so awkwardly forced, even a blind pony could see through it. "It's up to her, really," the mare said. "Today is her day, after all."
"It's my birthday!" Diamond Tiara blurted.
"Oh! Happy birthday!" Ambassador said with a cheerful wave of his hoof.
"Thank you. And yes, I do want to feed you. What do I have to do?"
Ambassador lay down on his belly so that his face was level with hers and tilted his head down. "All you have to do is touch my horn and think happy thoughts. Careful, though, it's sharp. And, just pull away if you want to stop at any time," he said with a warm gentleness that reassured the filly.
With only a slight nervous hesitation, Diamond Tiara reached a hoof forward and lightly brushed the side of Ambassador's horn. She instantly felt an odd and somewhat uncomfortable sensation. It was as if some kind of hole had been opened into her soul, and at any moment it could slip through and be lost forever. She felt incredibly vulnerable, but trusted the changeling enough to keep her hoof pressed against his horn. Then she remembered what he had said. Happy thoughts, she thought to herself. Just think happy thoughts.
She ignored the odd and somewhat terrifying feeling of being so exposed, and focused on memories of good times. Her mind's eye saw her best friend, Silver Spoon, sitting across from her at a table, smiling and sipping a chocolate milkshake from a straw. That quickly melted away to the moment she befriended the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and how they had helped her rediscover her own talent. She then thought of her father and how he had taken her to Manehattan to see the sights there. The whole time, she could feel something draining from her, but it wasn't an alarming feeling. Just strange.
Suddenly, the feeling stopped as Ambassador pulled away from her and stood up. She wobbled, surprised at how unsteady she suddenly felt. "Okay, that's enough. I don't want to drain you too much," he said with a smile. "Thank you, Diamond Tiara. That was tasty. You seem to have a lot of love inside you."
The filly blinked a few times and shook her head as if to clear it. "Oh. You're welcome, Mister Ambassador. Were you... reading my mind?"
He shook his head. "No, no. I can't tell what you're thinking. Just what you're feeling."
"Huh. It still felt... weird," she said, already feeling back to her normal self again. "I'm glad I could help! Are you still hungry?"
"Well, I can pretty much always eat more, but any more from you would start to tire you out, and I don't want to ruin your birthday."
"No, not me..." she said with a sly smirk. "Her!" Diamond Tiara pointed a hoof at her mother, who gasped and dropped her jaw in shock.
"Absolutely not, Diamond Tiara!" the mare said. "It's quite enough that you fed that... thing. But I would never. It wouldn't be proper."
The little filly turned on her mother angrily. "Mother," she said with a dangerous edge to her tone, "it's my birthday and you promised. Anything I want today."
Spoiled Rich pulled her head back and looked around as if there might be some escape, then sighed, resigned. "Very well," she said curtly and stepped in front of Ambassador. Her upturned nose turned up even more with a backward tilt of her head and she held out a hoof. "Let's get this over with."
Ambassador was pretty sure he knew how this would go, but decided to do it anyway for Diamond Tiara. Steeling himself, he tilted his head down and gently touched the extended hoof with the side of his horn. She shuddered in discomfort, but said nothing. "Okay, just like she did. Think happy thoughts," he reminded her.
Spoiled Rich thought of her greatest defining moments. When Filthy Rich proposed to her, securing her a place among the elite. Her first trip to Canterlot as a wealthy mare, and how she successfully mingled with the posh ponies she had once been envious of. The moment she had met Cheerilee, a rival from her childhood, and rubbed her wealth in her smug face. Sure, she pretended to be happy, but now she was a homely impoverished mare teaching Spoiled Rich's daughter. Hah. Then she thought of her daughter... Possibly her biggest regr-
Ambassador jerked his horn away from her as soon as he sensed what seemed like a bottomless chasm of buried shame and regret. The selfish pride, the narcissistic love of herself, and even the schadenfreude were all edible. But the feelings that followed felt utterly toxic to him. As quick as he was to break contact, what he absorbed still made him feel slightly ill. "Thank you, Miss Rich," he said quickly, managing to keep a pleasant smile.
She looked at him with a judgmental sneer and snorted before stepping aside.
"Are you full now, Mister Ambassador?" Diamond Tiara asked, unaware of what happened.
"Yes," the changeling lied, "thank you both."
"Yay! I knew that would work!" she cheered. Smiling broadly, she continued. "Well, we should go. I still gotta go pick out a cake and see my friend Silver Spoon. It was nice meeting you, Mister Ambassador!" The two ponies turned and began to leave.
"You too! Happy birthday!" he shouted after her, his normal cheerfulness returning.
"Thank you!" she yelled back, then disappeared into the crowd of ponies.
Ambassador sighed and silently wished her well. He grabbed his sign and pulled it easily from the dirt. It needed to to be fixed anyway, which he could only do at home. Holding it with a hoof, he leaned it against his shoulder and started trotting toward his burrow at the edge of the forest.
It may have been a short day, but he did get one good meal and a name out of it. And half a sandwich.
Ambassador woke with a yawn. The darkness of his small, sealed underground lair posed no problem for the changeling, as his eyes were made for seeing in the dimly lit depths of the hive. The entire interior was covered in a thin layer of gluelike mucus, keeping the ovoid chamber from collapsing. It was only big enough for his bed, a small storage space, and a path to the exit.
He raised the elytra on his back and let his gossamer wings fold out, giving them a little buzz before tucking them back under the thick plates. A glance at the storage space (really just a small pile of stuff set away from his bed) brought a smile to his lips. The sign he had fixed the day before was propped up against the side of the chamber, paint now completely dry. It was sure to catch the right kind of attention this time.
FEED ME EMOT IONS
He had taken Diamond Tiara's advice and added clarification about what he wanted fed to him. Unfortunately, he had run out of space and had to nail on an extra plank of wood to be able to finish writing the word. Planning ahead was never his strong suit. But no matter, it was fine now. Buzzing a low, happy tune from deep in his throat, he grabbed the sign and began his walk into town.
The weather today was overcast, but not raining. The cooler air made Ambassador just a bit more sluggish in his movements, but he enjoyed it. He had spent most of his life underground, where the air was always warm and stagnant. Being outside was something he still loved to experience. Even just a breeze felt so liberating. It was another reminder that he was free from... her. Queen Chrysalis, who had kept so many of her subjects in fear and confinement for so long. With a clear path in front of him, he closed his eyes without fear of bumping into anything and breathed deeply through his nose, taking in his surroundings with his other senses. The crunch of the dirt path under his hooves, the smell of trees and flowers, and the sound they made as they rustled in the wind. Being above ground sure was great. Ambassador opened his eyes and let out a short, terrified shriek, stopping in his tracks.
Filling most of his vision was a giant pink face with two enormous blue eyes staring back at him, open wide in excitement. An almost crippling amount of bubbly happiness assaulted his mind, causing him to stagger back half a step. His horn had apparently made contact with the wild, bouncy pink mane of the mare in front of him. Even physically separated from her, he could feel her barely-restrained excitement, like a storm raging around her. He had no idea how he hadn't felt her coming from a mile away, or where she had even come from.
"Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie!" she said cheerfully. Somehow, even her excessive outward cheer belied just how much joy she seemed to be holding inside. To Ambassador, she felt like an overflowing wellspring of the stuff, threatening to explode if she didn't relieve some of the pressure. "You're new in town!" It wasn't a question.
He began to perk up. Her intense glee was as infectious as it was intimidating. "Yeah!" he said.
"Well, not new new. I know you were here yesterday but I was in Canterlot with friends and I could tell somepony -- I mean somecreature -- was new in town and I was so sad I couldn't welcome them to Ponyville but now I'm back and here you are!" She punctuated her final word with a grin that produced a mysterious squee sound that didn't seem to be made by her voice.
"Wow! Thanks!"
"Wanna hear my 'Welcome to Ponyville' song?" she asked, leaning forward so far that her rear hooves had left the ground and she was balanced on her forehooves. Ambassador had to step back a bit to avoid horn contact again, smiling as he nodded.
"Sure!"
The wacky pink mare took off to his right. He turned to watch her disappear behind a tree, then nearly instantly reappear pushing a bizarre-looking cart. She whacked it with a hoof and trumpets popped out from Faust-knows-where, somehow playing music. Then, as expected, she started singing. "Welcome, welcome, welcome, a fine welcome to you!" she began.
Ambassador had the biggest grin on his face as he listened, bouncing along to the music. He could feel more than just happiness coming from this pony. There was real love there. Some love was for him, but most of it was love for what she was doing. He felt entranced, literally drinking it all in.
At one point during the song, a single confetto landed on his eye. Not wanting to blink and miss anything, he instead quickly flicked his long, forked tongue up to collect it, pulling the thin bit of paper into his mouth. The song was short and soon ended with an oven on the cart opening to reveal a cake. As confetti blasted outward from the cart and fell all around him, he realized the small paper square in his mouth wasn't supposed to be food. He decided to swallow it anyway.
"Wow!" he said, sitting and clopping his hooves together in cheer. "That was amazing!"
Pinkie Pie beamed at him and quickly produced a plate and large knife from the cart. With stunning speed and grace, she expertly cut a slice from the chocolate cake and placed it on the plate, offering it to him. Smiling, he took it gratefully.
"So, anyway, who are you?" she asked, somehow already holding her own plate with a slice of cake on it as well. She ate it in one giant bite before he could even answer her question.
"Ambassador!" he said, excited to be introducing himself with his name for the first time.
Pinkie Pie gasped. "Wow, really? Me too!"
"Huh? I thought your name was Pinkie Pie."
"It is!" she said simply. Ambassador tilted his head, confused. Unfortunately, the new, slightly angled perspective gave him no clues.
"So you're Pinkie Pie and also Ambassador?"
"Yep! Well, no. I'm an ambassador. It's not my name. That would be silly," she said with a giggle. Ambassador suddenly felt very self-conscious. Did he have a bad name? He decided to push that thought away for now.
"Oh, I see. So, who are you representing? You know, for ambassador... stuff."
"Ponies."
"You represent ponies? In Ponyville?"
"Well, yeah, I do that too. But not as an ambassador. I only do that in Yakyakistan."
"Oh. But this isn't Yakyakistan... right?"
"Nope! Still Ponyville last I checked." She tapped a hoof on her chin and squinted in thought. "Hmm. When did I last check? Anyway, I don't live there. Well, I did for, like, a day, but I don't live there now. I just visit when they need me! Sooo, what's your name?"
"Ambassador."
"Wait, do you mean your name is Ambassador, or that you are an ambassador?"
"Yep!"
"Which one is it?"
"Both."
"So, let me get this straight. You're an ambassador and your name is Ambassador? Does that make you Ambassador Ambassador?" As he nodded, Pinkie Pie giggled helplessly.
Ambassador felt a brief sting of doubt about his name, but quickly sensed that her mirth was not a mocking kind. It infected him, making him giggle along with her. Maybe it wasn't a bad name after all. As they laughed, an idea came to his mind. With a quick flash of green, he was a perfect copy of the pink mare.
"And now," he said in her voice, "I'm Ambassador Pinkie Pie!"
Pinkie Pie fell over on her side, laughing. He quickly transformed back and basked in her unfettered joy, giggling along with her. With Pinkie Pie paralyzed by laughter, this was also his chance to try the cake he had been holding. He lifted the plate up and took a big bite. There was the soft texture of cake, the smoothness of frosting, and most of all, flavor. His tongue had never tasted anything so sweet and rich. And the experience was enriched all the more by the waves of elation coming from Pinkie Pie. He quickly ate the rest of the delicious treat before she got over her giggle fit.
She took a deep breath and released it in a long sigh as she recovered and climbed to her hooves. "You're funny. I like you," she said. "So, what's the sign for?" She indicated the sign that was presently lying next to him in the dirt.
"Oh, that's just something I made yesterday," Ambassador said, picking it up and swiveling it to face her.
"Feed me emote... ions. Oh. Emotions!"
He nodded. "Since there aren't a lot of other changelings around to share love with, I have to feed on ponies. So I just set it up in a busy spot in the market and sat next to it."
"But you came here as an ambassador, right?" she asked. He nodded again. "Well, as an ambassador myself, I think I can help you out. You gotta meet with the leaders if you wanna make a good impression. And I just happen to know the leaderiest leader in all of Ponyville!"
"That sounds great! Where can I find this... leaderiest leader?"
"Well, she lives in the giant crystal castle. Looks kind of like a tree. You've probably seen it. But she also won't have any free time until after school's out, so I have a better idea. I'll stop by there and tell her about you, and you go set up your sign again and just do your thing. Then she can go meet you there! How's that sound?"
"Great!"
"Great! Before I go, are you hungry? You know," she said, pointing at the sign, "for emotions?"
"Well, I'd never turn down a good meal," Ambassador said. After the initial surprising burst of happiness he had gotten from her earlier, he hoped he could handle feeding from her. However, that had come unexpectedly and he was feeling more confident now.
Pinkie Pie smiled. "Alrighty-ditey. What do I do?"
Ambassador lowered his head. "Just touch my horn. Careful though, it's sharp. Normally, I would ask you to think happy thoughts, but that actually might be a bit much for me. Try... hmm," he said, pausing to think. An idea quickly came to mind. "Try thinking of the song you sang. You know, the welcome song."
Pinkie Pie nodded and leaned forward. She nuzzled her snout up against the side of his horn. She instantly felt a terrifying sensation that she realized she had felt when she first ran into him—literally. At the time, it was so fleeting that she had dismissed it as unimportant. Now, it wasn't going away. It was as if her very essence was exposed. It felt dangerous. It was okay, though. She trusted Ambassador. She began to think of her welcome song, just like he had asked.
The changeling, prepared for the barrage of happiness, merely winced at Pinkie Pie's initial contact. After an initial wave of fear that ponies always seemed to feel at first, there was trust. Then a flood of love. It was thick and rich, reminding him of the cake he had eaten. He drank it in, feeling no end to it. It was Pinkie Pie's love for singing, for meeting new friends and making them smile. It was the most filling feeding he had ever experienced. And it was euphoric. He had to force himself to pull away from her before he overdrained her. Harming her was the last thing he wanted to do.
"Wow," he said, a bit awed by the experience. "That was amazing. Thank you, Pinkie Pie."
The pink pony was a little dazed, but recovered after a simple shake of her head. Ambassador was impressed. She smiled brightly and giggled. "You're welcome! That was... well, I don't want to say fun, but... I always love helping out!" She surprised him by pulling him into a sudden hug. He couldn't help but smile as he returned it, careful not to brush her with his horn. Then, as quick as it had come, it ended as she pulled away. "Anyway, I really gotta get going. Don't want to be late for school, and I can't be in two places at once. Well, not anymore." Somehow, Ambassador did not find the implication there hard to believe.
"It was great meeting you, Pinkie Pie!" he said cheerfully.
"You too! Oh! Before I go, just one last teensy weensy bit of advice. You might want to warn ponies about how it will feel when they touch your horn. Some ponies are really sensitive and you don't wanna give them nightmares or anything."
"Oh, yeah. Will do!"
"Byyyeeee!" she said and pronked off toward town.
Ambassador waved after her and followed in the same direction, at a much slower pace. As he passed by the abandoned musical cart, he wondered about it. Would Pinkie Pie come back for it? Was the cake going to waste? Where did it even come from? Was it behind that tree the whole time? None of this would have been acceptable in the old hive. They had to be efficient. Wasting food, leaving equipment lying around or stashing it anywhere outside of storage chambers, and defying the laws of the universe as he understood them were all severely punished under Queen Chrysalis. That last one was a guess, but he was sure enough it would have been the case. His thoughts lingered on hive life, old and new, as he made his way to the familiar grassy area between two market stalls. Finding the hole his sign had been in the day before, he planted it back in, securing it with a few good smacks of his hoof.
The streets were busy, but not nearly as much as the previous day. As he sat next to his sign, he again watched ponies going about their day. He got many odd looks, felt many jabs of uncertainty or discomfort, and was largely avoided and ignored. He made sure to keep smiling, making the best impression he could. His respect and admiration for King Thorax compelled him to do his very best. And it eventually paid off as a two mares approached him. One was a minty green unicorn with a teal mane and tail that each had a single white stripe running through them. Her friendly golden eyes were complemented by a soft smile. Ambassador could feel her curiosity, strong but forcibly subdued. The other mare had a light yellow coat and curled mane and tail of dark blue, each with a pink stripe that reminded him of Pinkie Pie. She looked incredibly uncomfortable as the two stopped in front of him.
"Hi!" Ambassador said in his most chipper tone.
"Hey! Name's Lyra, and this here is my marefriend Bon Bon," the green one said, indicating her yellow companion with a gentle jab of an elbow.
"My name's Ambassador. I'm the ambassador sent here by King Thorax to represent changelings in Ponyville," he said, a bit proud of nailing his introduction. Bon Bon perked up at that, but said nothing.
"Oh, sweet! I love changelings. I'm a huge fan of the exotic, as Bon Bon here can attest to," Lyra said with a sly grin and eyebrow waggle.
"I knew this was a bad idea," Bon Bon mumbled under her breath.
"Heck, if I wasn't already with Bon Bon, I'd probably be making a pass at you right now."
"Oh, sweet Celestia," muttered the embarrassed mare, covering her face with a hoof.
"Hey, so you can, like, turn into anything, right?" Lyra asked.
"As long as it isn't too much bigger or smaller than me, yeah," Ambassador said.
"Well, have you ever heard of hu-"
"Lyra!" Bon Bon interrupted, glaring daggers at her. "This is really not the time."
Lyra looked down, ashamed, but not enough to take away her smile. "Okay, fine. I won't ask," she said gently. Ambassador could feel how deeply they cared for each other as they shared an affectionate nuzzle. "So, what's the sign about? I know you guys eat emotions. Are you looking for a free meal?"
"Yep!" he said happily.
"Ha. Very forward. I like it. So, can I try feeding you? You got me curious now."
Bon Bon suddenly looked extremely anxious and spoke before Ambassador could reply. "Lyra, I don't think this is a good idea. We should go."
"Aww, come on. What's the worst that could happen? I'll be fine, I promise. Isn't that right?" she asked, looking to him for confirmation. He looked at Bon Bon and nodded.
"I won't harm her. I'll stop before she even gets tired."
Bon Bon paused as she seemed to consider something. "O-okay," she said, relenting. "Go ahead, then."
"Alright. What do I do?" Lyra asked.
"Just touch my horn and think happy thoughts. And be careful, it's sharp. Oh, and when you do, it might feel really uncomfortable. But don't worry, I will be extra careful," Ambassador said, lowering his head toward her.
Lyra nodded in understanding and began lowering her own head and moving it toward him.
"Lyra!" Bon Bon said suddenly, making Lyra stop and pull her head back. "Were you... about to touch his horn with your horn?"
"Well, yeah, isn't that how it works?"
"No! Use your hoof, ya dingus!"
Lyra blushed and tittered nervously. "Oh. Right. Of course. Heheh..." She reached a hoof up and pressed it lightly to the side of Ambassador's horn. Her smile never faltered as she felt the sensation he was talking about. It felt somehow familiar, and immediately reminded her of her marefriend standing next to her. She thought of Bon Bon, and how happy she was with her. In that moment, she felt like the luckiest mare in Equestria.
Ambassador smiled as he felt a deep pool of pure romantic love. He drank from it, feeling his reserves swell. It was the tastiest kind of love for a changeling. For some reason, however, the pony seemed to tire much sooner than any others had. He took one last sip of the delicious nectar and pulled away, grinning happily.
"Mmm, thank you, Lyra. That was wonderful. You have a lot of love for her," Ambassador said. Bon Bon smiled a mysteriously knowing smile.
Lyra blinked as she recovered quickly. "That was... weird. I could swear I've felt that before..." she said, tapping her chin with a hoof. A sudden icy spike of dread came from Bon Bon.
"Oh! Look at the time, we really should be going now, Lyra," she said.
"Aww, you don't wanna try too? It was interesting. I actually loved it!"
"Nope, definitely not trying it. I'm glad you liked it, but we have places to be."
Lyra looked at Ambassador as she spoke. "Well, it was great meeting you and all, but sometimes this old ball and chain just gets rolling, and I gotta go with it or lose a leg." He smiled at both of them, sensing no malice even as Bon Bon was nearly dragging Lyra away.
"Goodbye!" he called after them, seeing Lyra wave in reply. Then they were out of sight. What an odd pair.
Ambassador suddenly noticed that a few ponies had stopped and had been watching. He sat next to his sign and smiled at them, mentally rehearsing his introduction in case any of them approached. And some did.
The day was a busy one for him. After meeting Lyra and Bon Bon, ponies seemed to start to view him as more approachable. Seeing fellow ponies having positive interactions with him was all the encouragement many needed. Some fed him and some did not. He was asked many questions, most of which he knew the answers to. He focused on maintaining a friendly demeanor even through the hiccups. And he finally felt like he was doing some real ambassador work and making good progress. He actually noticed a few ponies change their minds about changelings. After meeting him, more than one had gone from fear and uncertainty to cautious optimism and curiosity. It all started to feel very rewarding.
Eventually, he found himself face-to-face with a purple mare who had both a horn and wings. Something about her seemed familiar. "Hi!" he greeted.
"Hi! Are you Ambassador Ambassador? Representative for the new changeling hive?"
His eyes widened. "Yeah! How did you know?"
"Pinkie Pie told me about you. My name's Twilight Sparkle."
Something clicked in his mind as he recognized her. He hadn't met her, but he knew who she was. "Twilight? As in, Headmare Twilight? You're the leaderiest leader in all of Ponyville?"
"Leaderiest leader? I don't know about that part, but yes, that is me."
"Oh wow, it's great to meet you! King Thorax talks about you sometimes, especially when Ocellus sends letters."
"That's great! So, Pinkie told me you might need some help setting up shop here."
"Oh no, I'm not selling anything. Just here to make friends and answer questions."
Twilight giggled. "I know. It's just an expression. So, is there anything you need help with?"
Ambassador thought about it, and remembered Pinkie Pie's advice. "Well, Pinkie Pie told me to meet the leaders. So I guess I'm doing that right now. What do I do next?"
She giggled again. "Well, meeting is all well and good, but befriending them is the important part. So, how about this?" She reached out a hoof to him. "Let's be friends?"
Ambassador took her hoof and shook it, nodding excitedly. Oh, King Thorax was going to be so proud of him.
"So, what's with the sign?" she asked, indicating it with a hoof.
"Oh, yeah, that. Well, when I got here, I realized there wouldn't be other changelings to share love with, so I would have to feed on ponies," he said. He felt a small surge of discomfort from her, and was quick to add "But I'm very careful! We've all learned how to feed on ponies without hurting them." Her discomfort melted away at his reassurance. "Anyway, I made the sign after I dug my burrow by the forest. I thought maybe if some ponies let me feed on them, I'd also be meeting them and doing ambassador stuff."
"Well, it might be a little too forward. I could certainly see it being intimidating to some ponies."
"Oh..." Ambassador said, crestfallen.
"Oh, no, I mean, it's okay! Just maybe change it to something more... friendly?"
He instantly perked back up. "I can do that! What should it say?"
Twilight considered this for a moment. "Hmm... how about... 'Let's be friends'?"
"Sure! I'll do it as soon as I get home."
"Great!" she said. After a brief pause, she shuffled anxiously. "So... the feeding thing."
"Yeah. What about it? Wanna try it?" he asked with a friendly smile and small tilt of his head.
"Actually, yes. There's so much I want to learn about changeling feeding habits! It's still such a new research topic. I could write books!" Ambassador could almost see stars in her eyes. He wasn't sure how he felt about being a test subject. In the old hive, that was often a death sentence. He was sure that wasn't the case here, but he couldn't shed his old fears so easily. He laughed nervously.
"W-well, let's just try one feeding for now."
"Sure! I've seen Ocellus do it before, so I think I know what to do. I just have to pet your head a few times, then touch your horn, right?"
"Well, just touch my horn. You don't have to pet my head."
"But I heard her saying that was the most important part."
"Nope. Not necessary at all."
Twilight narrowed her eyes. "I'm gonna have to talk to her about that. Well, anyway, that can come later. So, anything else I should know before I start?"
He nodded. "You'll feel a very uncomfortable sensation when you make contact with it, but it's nothing to worry about. Then, just think happy thoughts. And be careful, my horn is sharp," he said, turning his head down to present his horn.
Twilight reached a hoof forward and pressed up against the underside of the small chitinous horn. She felt the sensation he had warned her about, but steeled herself and ignored it. She thought of her friends. The special ponies that had made her life complete. Then, suddenly, Ambassador pulled away.
"Huh?" Twilight said, confused. "Are you done already?"
"No... I mean yes, but I don't know why. I found a deep reserve of love, and I got some, then it just... stopped. I couldn't take anymore. Am I..." He paused, chewing on the word mentally before saying it out loud. "...full? If I am, I didn't even know that was possible."
Twilight was ecstatic. With a magic poof, she had a quill and parchment floating in front of her, scribbling furiously. "I didn't know that either! This is incredible! Do you feel any different? Any pain? Do you have a headache? How many ponies did you feed on today? How much of it was love and how much was other emotions? Can you make a pie chart?"
Ambassador felt overwhelmed by her questions, but did his best to answer them. "No, no, no, a lot, I don't know, and no, I don't bake."
"Actually, a pie chart is-" she started, then thought better of it. "You know what, never mind. Sorry for getting a little too excited there." She wrote a couple more things on the parchment, and with another magic poof, it was gone. After pausing as if to remember something, she spoke again.
"So, earlier you mentioned a burrow that you dug. Does that mean you plan on staying here in Ponyville as a permanent resident?" she asked. Ambassador nodded. "Well, if that's the case, you'll need an office and a house. Or at least a home address for mail delivery. You can't just stand out here every day."
He nodded again, glad to have a solution for winter. "So how do I get an office? Do you have one I can borrow?"
Twilight giggled. "No. You'll have to talk to Mayor Mare about that. Her office is closed right now, so you'll have to see her tomorrow morning." She magically produced another quill and piece of parchment and quickly wrote something down. She rolled it up and floated it to Ambassador, who took it in his hoof. "Those are directions for the town hall. I'm sure you won't have any trouble finding it."
"Thanks! I'll have an office in no time!" He couldn't wait to tell King Thorax about what he had accomplished in just two days. He was sure to receive the highest honor; a hug from the King himself. His mind was so busy, he tried and failed spectacularly to excuse himself. "I should... I mean... I need to. Um. I better fix my sign."
Twilight giggled warmly and nodded. "I understand. I should get going too. It was nice meeting you, Ambassador. I look forward to seeing your office." She held out a hoof which he took, shaking it happily.
"Thank you, Headmare Twilight!"
"You can just call me Twilight. Anyway, see you around," she said, turning to leave.
"Oh. Sure thing. Bye, Twilight!" he called after her.
Feeling utterly satisfied with the day, he pulled his sign up and held it over his back as he again walked out of town. He even noticed a few ponies wave at him in recognition. He waved back with a friendly smile. The interaction made him realize something. As much as he missed his hive, he knew he was going to love it here in Ponyville.
Ambassador was startled awake, coughing. His eyes stung. His throat burned. Panic gripped him as he saw no obvious sign of danger in his burrow. Something was killing him, and he had no enemy to fight. He rolled off of the shallow bowl-shaped organic structure he used as a bed. Flight instincts took over as he crawled slowly toward the sealed exit of his lair. The more he exerted himself and the harder he breathed, the worse it became. In desperation, he fired a green bolt of energy at the thin layer of dried mucus sealing the entry, and used a powerful telekinetic shove to propel himself through the hole it created.
And then he could breathe again. Sweet fresh air filled his lungs and he coughed violently into the cold night. He felt as if he was on the verge of losing consciousness as his head swam and his vision refused to focus. Fortunately, he slowly recovered. Panic melted away, leaving a creeping dread in its wake. What happened? Was he attacked? Who would have sent assassins after him? And why did they use such ineffective toxic gas? And why did it smell so strongly of paint? Surely they could have... wait.
Standing, he approached his burrow entrance cautiously, just in case his suspicion was wrong. He sniffed lightly at the air flowing from inside, and could smell the paint he had used to repaint his sign just before going to sleep. Taking a deep breath, he held it and walked into his den. He quickly found the can of paint in his storage corner and, using his mouth, carried it outside, releasing the held breath and spitting out the carrying handle of the paint can. The stars provided plenty of light for him to read the myriad warnings on the side. Most of them were about how dangerous the fumes were without proper ventilation. I am the biggest grub ever, he thought.
He went inside again, this time collecting his sign, and brought it out. The paint was still wet, and would need most of the night to dry. His internal clock was quite accurate, and he knew it was still early. Luckily, it was a cloudless night, and he could leave the sign outside without much worry of rain. The protruding nails glinted in the soft light as he turned it around, inspecting it. Because there wasn't enough space to write more, he had needed to remove the sign from its post, flip it around, and nail it back on. Presently, it looked like it could serve as an effective spiked club with how many nails he had driven through it. The wet letters had dripped some, but it was all still legible.
LET'S BE FRIENDS
Ambassador smiled, glad he had been able to fit the last word on there. He'd just had to write a little smaller before reaching the edge. It was sure to earn him some status among ponies now. He had taken the advice of the great Twilight Sparkle, after all.
A thought struck him. His burrow wouldn't be safe to sleep in tonight. And changelings did not do so well in the cold of night. He had nowhere safe to sleep. Going to Ponyville seemed like his best option. Even if he didn't know any ponies well enough to go knocking on their doors in the middle of the night, he figured he could curl up under a house, or find an empty building for shelter. Then again, while he didn't know of any ponies, he did know of one changeling he could ask to stay with. Ocellus!
Excited, he grabbed the sign and took off at a brisk trot toward town. It was still early enough that she might not even be asleep yet. Not that that was an issue for changelings anyway as they could communicate to each other via the hive mind while asleep. So, even if she couldn't help him, he wouldn't be bothering her.
The walk to town was unpleasant for Ambassador. Changelings did not handle cold very well. He wasn't in any danger of freezing or losing any body parts, but his wings kept shivering under his elytra, jostling the sign around that he had leaned against them. He stayed positive, however, by thinking of King Thorax and how pleased he would be once Ambassador had an office. The thought even put a happy bounce into his step as he approached Ponyville.
As Ambassador made his way toward the school, he found that the streets weren't completely abandoned yet. One stallion was struggling to fit an overly large bag into a trash can, muttering frustrated obscenities at it. An elderly mare sat in a rocking chair just outside her front door, idly puffing on a pipe. It was serene but not desolate, carrying just enough of a spark of life to make the town feel like a home. He considered Twilight's suggestion to find a house here. While pony structures seemed overly rectangular and angled to the point of seeming uncomfortable, he felt a budding desire to try living in one. If he was going to get serious about relating to ponies, perhaps it was a good idea to live their lifestyle. He was confident he could, too. Many of his hivemates had spent years doing just that, after all. They were infiltrators living in disguise of course, but they had certainly adapted well enough.
Soon enough, the School of Friendship came into view, its dark form limned against the starry sky. Using his innate hive mind connection, Ambassador sent out a series of thoughts in a quick telepathic burst toward the large building. Panic. Danger. Home. Toxic. Unsafe. Cold. Need. Warmth. Shelter. He instantly got a reply, as several emotions and simple ideas flashed in his mind.
Reassurance. Offer. Sleep. Chamber. Building. Side. Door. Locked. Wait. Ambassador smiled. That had been Ocellus! And she was offering him a warm place to sleep! He just had to find the side entrance and wait for her to open it. He sent her a pulse of confirmation and appreciation, then sought the door she had meant. The school had many doors, but since her idea had come to him with an impression of its location and what it looked like, he had no trouble finding it and waited patiently just outside. It wasn't long before he heard a soft click as the door creaked open, revealing a happy pastel blue face.
"Hi!" Ocellus said with excitement, even broadcasting some of it to him directly.
Ambassador returned the gesture, sending her relief and gratitude as he replied. "Hi, Ocellus! Thank you so much." She nodded and stepped back, pulling the door open to let him inside.
As he stepped over the threshold into the school, he felt as if he were entering another world. He was completely surrounded by pony architecture. Flat surfaces ended abruptly in edges and corners. Every wall and object seemed to be made of rectangles and squares. Everything had angles. Almost nothing had the natural, curving shape of the tunnels of the hive. He realized he had stopped moving. He was frozen in place, and his legs were iron posts, heavy and immobile. Then a warm and soothing blanket of comfort settled over him and he recognized that it was coming from Ocellus.
She giggled softly, resting a hoof on him in reassurance. "This is your first time inside a pony building, isn't it?" she asked gently. He somehow found the willpower to nod, a stiff and awkward gesture. Ocellus continued. "I know that feeling. It's so different from the hive. I actually practiced before coming here, myself. If you're anything like me, you'll get used to it pretty quickly. But until then, I have an idea. Try closing your eyes and thinking of the hive, and I'll help guide you to my room. It's not far. Here, I'll carry this."
Ambassador nodded again as Ocellus took his sign. Picturing the comforting curves of the hive tunnels, he closed his eyes. The younger changeling fed him a steady stream of reassurance and mnemonic directions, making him feel as if he had walked through the same hallway hundreds of times himself and was simply remembering how to navigate it. He took several confident steps and smiled at the small victory. Then a few more steps. Even without his vision, the steps felt familiar. Whenever anxiety bubbled up within him, he focused on the comforting thought of home, keeping his eyes tightly shut. Sooner than he expected, they were at her room. As Ocellus opened the door, Ambassador strode inside under her guiding thoughts.
"Okay," Ocellus said, "you can open them now."
As he opened his eyes, he took in his surroundings with a sense of wonder. Most of the corners and edges of the room had been filled in or covered by organic changeling glue or decorative paper, giving the small area a much more homey feel. It still had a lot more flat surfaces than he was used to, but it no longer evoked dread and a feeling of being trapped. He let out a relieved sigh, most of his anxiety going with it.
"Ta-da!" Ocellus said with a small flourish and proud grin. "They told us we could decorate our rooms however we wanted, so I made mine feel a bit more like home. What do you think?"
"It's nice," Ambassador said. "Much better than it was out there, at least." He indicated the door with a hoof and shuddered slightly. "That was strange, though. I knew pony structures were weird, but I didn't expect it to affect me like that. I couldn't even move."
Ocellus nodded knowingly. "Not everyling reacts that strongly, but it's really common. I'm not sure why. Anyway, I remember you from the hive," she said, flashing him a mental impression that served as his hive mind identity. "What are you doing here in Ponyville?"
"King Thorax sent me as an ambassador," he replied. "I'm here to officially represent us here in Ponyville!"
She widened her eyes and smiled, pleased. "Wow, that's great! You have no idea how many funny looks I still get and how many times I hear the same questions," she said, her smile fading. "'So are you, like, a bug?' Ugh. I'd be happy to never hear that one again."
Ambassador nodded. "I got plenty of questions like that earlier today. For that one, I just kept saying 'yes, but the friendly kind'."
Ocellus smiled and glanced down at the sign she had carried into her room, which was presently lying on her bed. "So, what's the sign for?" she asked. Ambassador's eyes widened in realization.
"Oh no!" he said frantically. "You gotta get that thing out of here! It almost killed me!"
"W-what?" Ocellus said.
"Yeah, the paint fumes are dangerous!"
Ocellus relaxed and giggled, confusing Ambassador. "It's fine. There's plenty of circulation in here. But if it makes you feel better, I could put it outside," she said. He nodded frantically. "Okay, no problem." She took the sign to a glass door that slid open onto a small outdoor balcony and leaned it against the wall. He sighed in relief. Then he did a double take at the door.
"Wait," he said as she returned, "that door goes outside. Couldn't I have just come in that way?"
"Well... yeah, but we're not supposed to let anyone in that way. Nocreature else really obeys that rule, but I kind of... do."
Ambassador gave her a flat stare. "So, I had to walk through this scary place with my eyes closed because you didn't want to break a rule that everyone else breaks?" he asked.
"I just... want to make a good impression. Especially with how ponies still view us. A lot of them think we're still evil," she said, sullen.
"Says the one who is lying about how we feed just to get head pets," he said with a glare.
"Wha- How did- I can- I mean... please don't tell anyone," she sputtered.
"Well, I told Twilight today when I met her. She's planning on talking to you about it."
Ocellus buried her face in her hooves. "Oh, no. I... I can explain. It, um... feels... really nice? I mean, the first pony who fed me did it wrong and pet my head and I just really liked it. Then he told another pony how he did it, and I didn't correct him, and, well..." She sighed, looking down at the floor. "Oh, Hive. Professor Applejack is not going to be happy. But you're right, I shouldn't have done that."
Ambassador sent her his forgiveness directly as he approached her and pulled her into a hug. "How ponies here in Ponyville view all changelings will depend on the impressions we give them. No more lying or tricking, okay?"
She nodded. "Okay. But you still shouldn't be asking me to break rules for convenience."
"Ehehe," he tittered. "Fair enough." After a silent moment, the two ended the hug. Ambassador continued. "Were you asleep when I got here?"
"Yeah," she said, "but I had only just started sleeping when you did." She yawned, as if on cue.
"Well, we should probably get some sleep. I have to see Mayor Mare tomorrow morning," he said just before yawning himself.
"Well, my bed isn't big enough for both of us, but I can give you a blanket to sleep on," she said, hopping up on her bed and offering him a green blanket that almost matched his chitin. He took it and nodded gratefully.
"Thanks. So, you sleep on the bed? And you don't feel exposed?" Ambassador asked. Ocellus shook her head. "Well, if it's okay with you, I'll take that spot," he said, pointing a hoof at the space under the bed. "It looks nice and cozy."
Ocellus giggled, understanding. "Sure. I slept under there a few times myself when I first arrived," she said.
Ambassador smiled and wrapped himself up in the blanket, forming a warm cocoon of wool around his body. He made his way toward the bed, inching along like a grub, then wriggled into the comforting enclosed space. It was a tight fit and made him feel very secure, despite the flatness of the floor and odd angles of the underside of the bed. With his eyes closed, it was almost like resting in a wall niche in the hive.
"Good night, Ocellus," he said.
"Good night," she replied.
Soon, the two were fast asleep. Even after falling asleep, however, they continued to converse through the hive mind, getting to know each other better and sharing memories. Ocellus filled him in on a lot of pony culture and general information about her teachers. He was surprised when he learned that Twilight Sparkle was a princess, and that she was closely tied to the other princesses. Befriending her was a bigger success than he had realized. Ocellus also shared her fears of pony architecture and how she overcame them. As the night went on, he felt more and more comfortable being inside the school. By morning, the two were close friends.
Ocellus awoke at the exact same time she did every day to prepare for school. Ambassador woke up with her, knowing it was time for him to get his day started as well. He slithered out from under her bed and shed his warm blanket, almost feeling like a new changeling. After a bit of grooming and brushing, he was ready to go. He hugged Ocellus and they said their friendly goodbyes. He walked out to the balcony and collected his sign, raising his elytra to fly off. Then he stopped and thought better of it, heading back into the room.
"Forget something?" Ocellus asked.
"No, I just want to try leaving the way I came in," he replied.
"Oh. Well, you don't have to. The rule is only for entering through a balcony, not leaving."
Ambassador nodded, remembering that she had shared that last night. "I just want to try going through the building myself. I have to learn some time, right?" He forced a smile.
"Right," she said with a friendly confident smile that told him that she believed in him.
"A-anyway, no more delays. See you around, Ocellus," he said, opening her door and stepping through it.
"See you, good luck!" she called after him.
Then the door was closed behind him. He felt the same fear that had caught him off-guard the night before, threatening to overwhelm him. But a new part of him felt comfortable and at ease here. It was home, where friends lived and learned. The many memories Ocellus had shared made it feel as if she were there with him in his mind, seeing the odd angles and unnatural constructs as familiar. He took a deep breath and did his best to let those thoughts take over. His first steps were tentative, but his confidence quickly grew. Along the hall, down the stairs, sharp left, then first door on the left. And just like that, he was outside again.
"Hey, you new?" came a familiar voice. Ambassador turned to see who had said it.
"Oh, hi Gallus," he said automatically. He had never met the blue griffon in front of him, but Ocellus' memories were still so fresh in his mind, he actually felt a bit of excitement to see a close friend.
"Do I know you?" Gallus asked suspiciously.
"No. I just came to see Ocellus and she told me about you," Ambassador said, not wanting to go into complex detail about just how she had told him. The griffon nodded, accepting his explanation as he continued. "I'm new in Ponyville, yeah, but not going to the school. My name's Ambassador, and I'm here to represent changelings here in Ponyville."
"Ah. So you're here to keep ponies from getting the wrong idea about you guys? Public relations and all that?" the griffon asked. Ambassador nodded with a friendly smile and Gallus smiled back before continuing. "I kind of wish griffons would do that. You won't believe how many ponies assume I'm a jerk just because I'm a griffon."
"Well, yesterday I got asked several times if I'm evil, so I think I know what you mean," Ambassador said.
"Yeah, I guess you do. I'd try to change their minds myself, but I'm way too busy here at school. And speaking of busy, I really gotta get to class. Nice meeting you," Gallus said with a wave. Ambassador waved after him.
His next destination was the Ponyville town hall. He realized he had forgotten the directions that Twilight had given him. But he didn't need them anyway. Thanks to Ocellus, he knew how to find it, and realized that he had seen it a couple times himself. He walked toward the center of town. Before long, the oddly round bulding was in sight, looking nearly as out of place as him.
Ambassador approached the main doors and opened them, stepping inside. The cold dread of being indoors settled over him, but he was able to fight it this time, even keeping his smile in place. He silently thanked Ocellus as he approached a desk with an elderly mare sitting behind it, smiling pleasantly at him. Her wavy mane was a two-tone gray and her coat was a mild tan color. He could sense from her a deep desire to be helpful with an undertone of mild anxiety.
"Hello there. How can I help you?" she asked, her tone warm but professional.
"Mayor Mare, right?" he asked. She nodded. "My name is Ambassador. And yes, I am also an ambassador. King Thorax sent me to represent the reformed changeling hive here in Ponyville. After talking to Ambassador Pinkie Pie and Princess Twilight Sparkle, I learned that I should get an office here for official ambassador... things. So, I hear that you can help me with that?" He waited anxiously for her reply, hoping he had made a good impression.
"Yes, of course I can help. Just a moment." Mayor Mare got up from her seat and walked back to a line of filing cabinets. She opened a few of their drawers, collecting papers, and was soon back at her desk. She sorted through the papers and slid two of them over to Ambassador. "So, there is an office available that I can rent out to you. If it's going to become an embassy, however, you will have to talk to Twilight, since she handles foreign affairs. But for now, just fill out these papers and we can go from there."
Ambassador nodded and looked at the forms. Many of the questions looked difficult or impossible to answer for him. Home address? Birth date? ID number? Seeing his confusion, Mayor mare spoke again. "Is everything alright? Do you need help?" He nodded again. "I suppose it was designed for ponies to fill out. That's fine, we'll figure it out."
The mare invited him to her side of the desk and pulled over a second chair for him to sit at. It turned out the questions didn't need to be answered very accurately, and some could be skipped entirely until later. With her help, he soon had the two forms filled in and ready to be submitted.
"Okay," she said, "we'll just need a few days to do inspections and such before you can start getting moved in. We should also see about getting you an address. Are you looking for a house here in Ponyville as well?"
Ambassador thought for a moment and nodded. He wanted to try living like a pony. The mayor collected more papers and helped him fill them out too.
"Now, normally I would need to tell you about costs, but since you are an ambassador from a land that doesn't use currency, the princesses will likely cover all of your expenses. I'll need to talk to Twilight about it, so just make sure to send her my way when you get the chance. Sound good?"
"Yeah! I can't wait!" Ambassador said cheerfully.
"Now, there is one more matter I should address," she said, her demeanor becoming more serious. He could feel her anxiety from earlier returning. "Yesterday, I got a couple of complaints about a changeling begging in the market. Were they referring to you?"
Ambassador felt icy fear run through his body, and he suddenly felt very unsafe. Like any small mistake could cost him everything. He was terrified of telling her the truth, but he knew lying would only be worse. He simply nodded, unable to say more.
"I see," she said. "Well, while the ones who reported you will remain anonymous, I will say that they are known for embellishing and can be rather overdramatic. You seem very nice, so I would like to hear about what happened from you before I decide whether or not to take any action."
Action? Oh no. He was tense and slightly quivering as he tried to think of where to even start. Seemingly sensing his worry, the mayor offered a reassuring smile.
"It's okay, take your time," she said.
He took several calming breaths and started from the beginning, including any details he felt were important. She simply nodded along and listened to him calmly. By the time he was finished, she was smiling.
"Okay, Ambassador," she said, "I see no problem here. While we do have laws against begging in a disruptive manner, it sounds like there was no malice intended by you, and that ponies actually enjoyed meeting and feeding you. The witnesses who reported you to me probably never even took the time to approach you. I'll even officially give you permission, as mayor, to continue using that same area to meet ponies. Just as long as it doesn't become disruptive, which I highly doubt will happen with a sweetie like you." If changelings could blush, he would have been as red as a lobster.
"Thank you so much, Mayor Mare!" he said happily.
"So I'm interested in this... feeding? You mentioned that it's unpleasant, but the ponies that fed you weren't all that bothered by it?" she asked curiously.
He nodded eagerly. "Oh yeah, it's uncomfortable but it doesn't hurt. And I'm careful not to overdrain them."
"May I try it?" she asked.
"Sure, just touch my horn whenever you're ready, then think happy thoughts. Be careful though, it's sharp," he said, tilting his head down toward her.
She smiled at his concern and reached a hoof out to touch his horn. As she did, she could feel the sensation he had meant. It certainly was uncomfortable, but far from the worst feeling she had felt. Mayor Mare let her mind drift to her most memorable moments. She thought of her late husband and their beautiful and happy wedding. She remembered caring for him during his final days. How, even through what must have been tremendous pain, he still smiled every time he saw her. She recalled when he told her not to give up on her duties as mayor when he was gone, and to continue to do what she loved and find happiness. She thought he would have been proud of her now. Then Ambassador pulled away.
He looked uneasy, as if worried for the mare. "Thank you, Mayor Mare. I have to ask, are you okay?"
The mare was unsteady, needing a bit more time than most to recover in her old age, but she was soon feeling good enough to answer him. "Ah. Sorry, I suppose those weren't the happiest memories, were they? But they're my favorite. Did you, uh... enjoy it?" she asked.
"It was some of the best love I've ever had, but also some of the worst pain. It was... intense. I still liked it, though, and I'm very grateful for it," he said.
The mayor nodded, smiling. "That's good to hear. If you ever want to do that again, I'd be happy to help. I'll try to think of happier things next time, I suppose."
Ambassador smiled warmly. "Thank you, I appreciate the offer. For now, I think I'll get back to the market, if that's okay with you," he said.
"Of course, dear," said the elderly mare. "If anypony gives you trouble, you know where to find me."
He nodded and with a wave, he was off and out the door.
The trot to the market was pleasant. Some ponies waved at him in recognition and he waved back, feeling very welcome among them. He thought of how impossible the idea sounded before the hive's reformation. A changeling walking undisguised among ponies without being driven out of town? It used to be unthinkable. Yet here he was, living proof that it could work. Chrysalis had been wrong. She had been wrong about many things, it seemed. He used to believe in her, because to doubt her was severely punished.
As Ambassador planted his new sign in the familiar location, ponies were already gathering around him. Some were faces he recognized, but most were new. Together they formed a veritable storm of curiosity, mentally prodding at him like a hundred testing hoof pokes. Before long, he was making new friends and making ponies eager to learn more about changelings. One encounter especially stuck out to him.
A pale yellow mare approached him late in the morning, her red, pink-accented mane bobbing up and down. He recognized her as one of the mares running a nearby flower stand that he had passed by several times. He could sense annoyance and resolve over an undercurrent of fear. Ambassador spoke as she stopped in front of him, nose slightly upturned.
"Hi, I'm Ambassador! What's your na-"
"Roseluck, and I know what you are," she said, cutting him off abruptly. "Whatever your evil plan is, take it somewhere else. You're scaring away our customers."
"But... I haven't really felt much fear at all today. Actually, yours has been the strongest so far," he said.
Roseluck scoffed. "Why, you little... insect! Get out of here before I report you to the mayor!"
"Oh! Do you mean Mayor Mare? I talked to her earlier. She told me I can use this spot," he said with a smile, hoping that would convince this mare that he was no threat. Unfortunately, it only seemed to make her more angry.
"There is no way some stupid, evil bug like you is allowed to beg for food here in our market," she said with a sneer.
"Hey! Leave him alone, Rose," came the voice of a stallion. Ambassador recognized him as Caramel, a pony who had fed him the day before.
"Yeah, he's been nothing but nice to us," said a mare. This one was a pegasus named Cloudkicker that he had met and befriended that same morning.
Other ponies gathered around, expressing their disapproval of the florist. Ambassador felt an outpouring of sympathy and outrage from the crowd. Roseluck looked around nervously, then snarled in frustration. "That's it!" she shouted. "I'm going to the mayor right now and settling this." She galloped off before anyone could respond.
Cloudkicker trotted up to the changeling and rested a comforting hoof on his back. "Hey, don't worry about her. We say you're welcome here." Several heads nodded in agreement, and he smiled his thanks.
Ambassador made several new friends as the morning passed into early afternoon. Some familiar faces fed him. His energy reserves, drained as they were from the crazy night before, were still not full again.
He stiffened as he saw Roseluck returning, fearing the worst. She had her head down, however, and he could feel shame and regret radiating from her. She came to a halt in front of him, and he chose to let her speak first.
"Hey, Ambassador," she said in a low tone, "I came to apologize. I talked to Mayor Mare, and she told me all about you. I didn't realize you were an ambassador. I just saw you there yesterday and I assumed you were just some... vagrant begging near our flower stand. And when I saw you back today, I just got angry. I really should have talked to you first. Will you forgive me?"
Ambassador couldn't have hidden his smile if he wanted to. He nodded to her, enjoying seeing her brighten up at that. "Of course I forgive you, Roseluck," he said and pointed at his sign. "Would you like to be friends?"
She smiled and her eyes became a little misty as she nodded eagerly. "I'd like that," she said, blinking away the tears that were threatening to come. She took a calming breath and continued. "Also, the mayor recommended I try... feeding you. She said it would help us understand each other." Her discomfort would have been plain even if he weren't able to feel it directly.
"It's up to you, but if you would like to, just touch my horn and think happy thoughts. When you touch it, it will feel uncomfortable, but that's just how feeding works. I won't harm you," he said gently.
Roseluck nodded. "Yeah, I think I want to try it."
Ambassador tilted his head down to her. "Okay, just touch my horn when you're ready. And be careful, it's sharp."
The florist reached a hoof up tentatively, part of her still scared of this odd creature. When her hoof made contact with his horn, she felt like it was boring a hole into her very mind. She pulled away in surprise, but steeled herself and tried again. This time, she kept her hoof pressed against the side of the sharp green horn. She did as he had said and thought happy thoughts. She thought of her family. Her dear brother and sister in Hoofington, her loving parents in Manehattan, and her pet goldfish, Petal. She thought of her two closest friends and business partners, Daisy and Lily. Selling flowers with them still felt just as fulfilling as it had years ago when they first started.
Ambassador pulled his head back, smiling. Roseluck had plenty of love inside her, but it was still mixed with a tinge of fear of him. He hoped to eventually change that in all of the ponies here in Ponyville. "Thank you, Roseluck. That was pleasant," he said as the mare recovered.
"I... I'm glad you liked it," she said, blinking away the fog in her mind. After a moment, she was feeling fine again. "I'll tell my friends we were wrong about you. They'll listen to me. Speaking of, I should actually get back to the flower stand. It's actually been... very nice meeting you, Ambassador."
He smiled and nodded. "Thank you for giving me a chance, Roseluck. I look forward to meeting your friends too!" He waved as she turned to leave.
The rest of the day was filled with interactions. He made many friends (including Daisy and Lily) and by the end, he felt like he had met half of the town. The ponies loved meeting with him and asking questions about him and the hive. After a few feedings, he found himself full again, and had to decline offers afterward. There was a noticeable difference in the overall attitude he felt from passersby from his first day. As word about him spread, there was much less fear and uncertainty, and much more pleasant delight and curiosity.
Once the sun began to sink below the horizon and the sky grew dark, Ambassador prepared to go home for the night. The paint fumes would be clear by now, and his home safe to sleep in. He plucked the sign up and sighed in contentment. As a changeling, he would never get a cutie mark like ponies, but he felt that he had found his true calling here in Ponyville.
In the pleasant town of Ponyville, one house on the edge of town stands out from the rest. The corners are filed down or filled in to make them more round. The door is ovoid, looking more like it opens into a circular cave entrance than a house. Its brown thatched roof remains unchanged, sitting heavily on the single-story abode. The front and back yard have several large mounds of dirt with holes in the middle of them that are big enough for a pony to fit into. They are all interconnected tunnels, leading to each other and into the house. The mailbox out front has a small pile of letters inside it, waiting for the home's owner to return.
Near the center of town is a small office building with similar treatment of its corners. The door, however, is a familiar rectangle, just like most others in Ponyville. A sign hangs above the door, attached to a horizontal bar by short chains, swaying gently in a light breeze. There is a picture of a smiling green face on it next to some text.
CHANGELING EMBASSY "COME IN! LET'S BE FRIENDS!" -AMBASSADOR AMBASSADOR
Inside, there is a lime green changeling sitting at a desk doing paperwork, smiling. The interior is well lit by the windows, but also by a few pieces of green glowing fungus decorating the walls. Protruding corners are filed to be more rounded and recesses are filled with organic resin to the same effect. It is done subtly so as not to be uncomfortable for ponies, but to also give them a better idea of what the changeling hive feels like. It is a careful mix of both worlds.
Leaning on the side of the desk is a sign. A neat rectangle of carefully nailed-together planks are professionally nailed to a long sharpened stake. The lower third of the stake has dried dirt and grass on it, and the point has been dulled by frequent use. The letters on the sign are large and neatly written.
