Thread 108: Stories 31-45

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>Cadence
"2"
~~

She had insisted that Cadence take her back to bed. Insisted, forced the matter even, no matter how many times someone else had offered.

She had been put back more times then she could count, shambling out every so often when she was put away by Chrysalis or Twilight or occasionally even Shining. It had been sheer luck that Cadence had missed her when she arrived to tell the news, and she had not been present when they discussed what needed to be done.

It was a little cold, they knew. She deserved to know what was going on as much as anyone. But it was instinctive, a knee jerk reaction, not to let her know that someone might not love Cadence as much as she did. That the ponies outside might be a little more suspicious of her.

That she, herself, might get some glances when she went to school the next day.

She deserved to know, but Cadence just didn't have the heart to tell her as she tucked her into bed.

"They gonna be mad at you for a while?"

Nor did she need to.

>Sweetie...

"I heard what they were sayin'..."

>Two, baby, it's just... they're just mad, because-

"Cause they thought you were doin' what Teeny does."

It was certainly not fun, hearing that from such a innocent mouth. Somehow, it made the words all the more foul.

>Yes, Two... because they thought I did what she does.

"But... ya' do a whole lot too!"

>I know, and we told them that. But... they just thought I did everything, and it's not fun to hear that it wasn't me.

"But ya' do a whole lot..."

Even hearing it from her, the elder princess found it quite hard to believe.

>But I didn't do enough, Two. I didn't do what I was supposed to.

"...Can I do it?"

Her heart stopped, and she couldn't quite put her hoof on why.

>Do what, honey?

"Can I do what they thought ya' did? When I'm bigger, I mean."

>Oh, oh honey... that's a long way away.

"It ain't gonna be a long way away forever."

>...true, I suppose. But it's far too early for you to worry about that.

"...Why? If I don't worry about it now, they might... get mad at me too."

If there was one guaranteed way to make her heart break, the little changeling had found it.

>Nobody is going to get mad at you, Two. It's... I don't think anybody can do it all alone, anyone.

"...But I wanna."

>I know... I know... I wanted to, too. But... well, maybe I didn't. Maybe I always wanted it like this... I wasn't a very good princess.

"...You were a good mommy, though."

If there was one guaranteed way to put it back together... apparently it was that.

>I'm not sure about that. I don't think I set a very good example.

"I am sure! And I'd know!"

>Well... I guess you would.

"...Mommy?"

She couldn't quite remember when she had shifted like this. But every time.. she loved hearing that word, instead of "Caddy", like it had been.

>Yes?

"If Ah' go say sorry and tell them ya' did a good job, maybe they won't be so mad anymore?"

>Sweetie, that...

"..."

>...Couldn't hurt, I guess. But first, you have to go to sleep.

"Okay!"

>I meant now.

"Oh... okay!"

Content with her plans for the next day, she snuggled into bed. Content she would stay, the princess prepared to leave.

"...Mom?"

>Yes, honey?

"I'll tell 'em, and then they'll know."

>...I'm sure you will, sweetie. I love you.

"Love you too."

The light went out, and it wasn't long before the changeling found the peace of dreams, already forming all the ways she would tell everyone how much of a good job Cadence really did.

She knew this, of course. Even without her adoptive aunts powers, she could tell the dreams on her mind. They were not, however, ones she shared.

She had other plans on her mind.

>...You won't have to tell them, Two... I'll show them.

Thus, mother and daughter resumed waiting for the new day, and all it would bring.

>I'll prove you right.

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>AJ
"Chitania"
'Pinkie'
~~~

'Have you ever considered a future in show business?'

"Wow, I have heard that one way too many times."

>Bullshit. Ah' call BULLSHIT.

"What?"

FWOOSH!

"Producers look at this and think I would be a pretty good entertainer."

>...Bullshit retracted.

'HAHAHHA! You would! I was talking about breaking stuff, but you would make an amazing clown!'

"..."

>Are ya' trying to set her off?

"Only reason I'm not is because that's what all of them said too."

'You would though!'

"Frighteningly high amount of them wanted me to sleep with them too."

>...well we don't want that.

'Nope! Not expanding into that business... yet.'

>...

'Hey, Party Pony Productions isn't going to limit itself from an expanding market... heehee, expanding.'

>Wow, Ah' never wanted to hear that.

'Hey! Don't look at me like that, I'M not going to be doing it. I'm not a professional, and you always leave that to the professionals, like doing your own stunts!'

"What stunts?"

'Watch! Party cannon summon, and... C'MERE AJ!'

>PINKIE NO-

SHOOP
BOOM!

>PINKKIIIIIIIIIEeeeeeee...

"...So she was a professional?"

'Yep! Does all her own stunts, just like me!'

"She looks like she's falling."

'Nah, she has wings, she'll be-'

CRACK!

"..."

'...I might have been thinking of Rainbow Dash.'

>THE MOMENT AH' CAN SEE STRAIGHT, YER REAR IS MINE!

'I told you, I'm not going to- oh, she meant hitting it... EMERGENCY EJECT!

SHOOP!
BOOM!

'I'M PROFESSIONALLLLLLllllll....'

"Wait, but she doesn't have wings, won't she-"

CRACK!

"...what the fuck is wrong with these ponies?"

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>29
"???"
~~~

Changeling 29 was only a little sad.

Nothing much, nothing grand, just a touch sad. A bit of a frown, a bit of a slump in his step, that was all. He was only a little sad after his conversation with 56, that was all. Just a little...

"Oh dear. Did you finally ask Celestia out on a date? Well, plenty more fish in the sea, dear brother!"

A foreleg flopped over his shoulders, and he found himself pulled to the side and drawn into a tight grip before he could so much as blink, pressed against another chitinous skin in the span of a second.

>...really, 32?

The scarred, somewhat haggard changeling only grinned at him.

"What, was it one of the others? Rarity, perhaps? I told you, those white mares are not for you. They're too high maintenance, that's what they are."

>This has nothing to do with mine attempts to bed a royal!

"Oh? Please don't tell me the Zebra turned you down, my soul couldn't take it."

>ZECORA has done no such thing, and I said to thee never to call her again as simply 'the zebra'! She is far more than such a moniker could ever grasp!

"Oh ho? Then I still have hope yet. But enough dancing about the issues, and I'll even be kind and spare you the embarrassment of my usual offers and the pain it must bring you to turn them down."

Pointedly, he rubbed his side up and down the other just a bit.

>HRMPH!

"Instead I shall merely ask... what is the matter, brother?"

>There is nothing the matter.

"Twenty Nine..."

It was such a rarity when his voice became serious. So rare, he did not have the heart to chide him once more for hugging him a bit tighter.

"You listened to me when I was in... likely the worst part of my life, and that's including my time down below. I understand wishing to keep things inside, but perhaps you could give me a chance to pay back what you gave to me, if only a bit? I don't think I could ever really repay you for simply being there when I needed someone, but... this would be a start, no?"


Even after so many years, he still had a bit of a silver tongue, it seemed.

>...Tis mine cousin.

"Oh, lord. Who has he angered in his quest this time?"

>Nothing, it's just... he is off to possibly join the lunar guard.

"A purpose in life besides plots? Him? Are you sure he hasn't secretly been replaced? That's a concern with us, you know."

>No, and it's a wonderful thing, but...

"...buuut?"

>...

A knowing, bright twinkle shined in Thirty Two's eyes.

"I see."

>You do not.

"No, I do... you miss it when you were his whole world."

>Naught but lies, I am happy he is more self-sufficient and he has a life outside of mine.

"You miss it when he would ask you for every little thing."

>Hrmph! He barely spoke when I carried him around.

"You miss it when he always used to run to you and tell you about his day."

>Never would be silent, not even for a moment!

"...You miss it when he needed you."

Like an arrow, straight into the heart, it hit the bullseye, even if he didn't admit it.

>...I do not.

"You do. You miss it when he needed you, his 'cousin', to look after him and make sure he stayed on a proper path."

>Lies.

"Now that you've achieved the impossible, now that you've managed to take one of the most scatterbrained, unfocused, wild and selfish changelings and actually mold him into someone who wishes to protect, to serve and have a purpose, you have a bit of regret."

>I'm happy for him.

"You did your job too well, didn't you?"

Silence, empty silence.

"You know, I wondered why he called you cousin. It's a bit odd, isn't it? You are far more his kin than any other in the hive, yet never did he cal you 'brother'. Cousin is a word more removed from that intimacy, it's farther off. So why, I wondered, were you never anything else but his cousin?"

>...

"...Because it was different, and it was you, alone. None other is his cousin, are they? You're the only one, in the whole wide world... and he's your only cousin, isn't he?"


The priss of a changeling winced, any denials swiftly dead upon his tongue.

"Twenty Nine... have you ever wondered why I haven't gone back to the Morlocks yet?"

The wince bled away, returned in its place a single look of interest.

>The thought had crossed my mind, yes.

"...It's because I need to believe in them. When I saw Vekir, little Vekir, with purpose and meaning in life, a goal, a direction, a need... I needed to believe in them. If I went down there now, I wouldn't be able to help myself. I'd cling to that land below, and never let it go. I'd forsake the world up here, all of this, and simply resign myself to a life down there."

>You say that like it is a bad thing.

"It wouldn't be, not at all... for me. But if I were to go down there, they would cease this evolution they are undergoing, they would lose this flame that came from but a tiny spark. They have drive now, they have need, but if I were to go down there, they would merely look to me, to believe in me and only me, and not themselves. They would stagnate in my grip, the fire dying down as I hugged them close. I never want to let them go, even now... but I have to, or I'll put that fire out."

The others throat constricted, growing tighter, almost impossible to breath from anymore.

"Your 'cousin' cares for you, Twenty Nine... but that does not mean he needs you to guide him always. You've done well to get him this far, it is time to help him grow, not guide him."

>...I miss it.

Three simple words, quietly said, spoke everything.

"Of course you do, but it's not gone away! It's merely... evolved, much like he himself has. Do you understand?"

>...I suppose I do...

A hoof clapped him on the back, rough and hard as a joyous tone replaced the serious one in Thirty Two's voice.

"Good! Then you can get to work on the next child to raise right away!"

>GAHHH!

Roughly, he shoved the other aside, coming off just a bit more playful and a touch less angry than he meant to.


>Must you ruin every moment by implying I should bed one of my friends!?

"Well, if they're not on the table, then I'll gladly offer myself to this service. The labor pains would be worth it."

>...Thou art a damned MALE! You cannot bare children!

"Not with that attitude I can't."

>That is not how anything works!

"Never know until you try."

>Yes I do!

"But how can you be sure?"

>THIRTY TWO!

"Oh, fine... then we'll just have to accept that I cannot ever have your children. Alas. Will it feel better if I at least pretend to be the mare? We changelings are masters of holding the illusion after all."

>Well of course that would be better than- BESIDE THE POINT!

"Oh, you're right. Thine friends wanted to watch too. Do you want to call them up here or bring me down there?"

>Neither!

"Well that's just inconsiderate. Don't you care about your friends?"

>That's not what I meant!

"Sure is what it sounded like."

>THIRTY! TWO!

"Oh, fine, if you aren't a fan of that physical contact..."

Without warning, the changeling threw his forelegs around his brother, bringing him in for a tight, strong hug.

"This will have to do."

>...

"Twenty Nine?... You've done the impossible, be proud of him, and yourself, and stop dwelling on him growing up without you. There will be a time when he does not need you to hold him up... but he will always need his family."

It was slow, it was quiet, but eventually, the hug was returned.

>...thank you.

"Anytime."

For once, just that once, he let the moment play out, let it linger, before he separated.

"Best be heading back to Ponyville, no? You have quite a home there now."

>...I do, I suppose. I should head back...

"Yes you should... unless you want to go into the closet for a bit of stress relief before you go. Will only take a second, and I guarantee my mouth will be too full to say anything else!"

>...

"..."

>...

"...Is that a yes?"

>...

"..."

>...Sigh. Can always count on you, can't I, brother?

"Always."

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 >Chitania
"AJ"
'???'
~~~~

"...Ah' feel like Ah'm missing somethin'."

>FUCK OFF!

"And now Ah' don't care. Hittin' someone is illegal, Chitania."

>YOU DID THIS!

"Dunno what'cha mean."

>You did this, I know it!

'Miss? I need you to take the letter'

>IT GOT LOST IN THE MAIL!

'...But I'm holding it?'

>SO LOSE IT!

"How do ya' even know what that is?"

>Because that fucking librarian wouldn't shut up about it.

"Everyone's gotta do it, Chitty."

>Fuck. You. I'm pretty sure I'm a conflict of interest just being there.

"How do ya' figure?"

>BECAUSE!

'Just take the letter?'

>NO! If you don't give it to me, I never got it and I can't be fined!

"Ah'm lookin' right at ya'."

>You can't prove that!

"Ah'm a princess."

>Oh, I'm sorry, I keep forgetting ponies think you're important!

"...Sugar Cube? You make sure she gets that letter."

'Um...'

>I WILL PUNCH!

"Gett'er the letter."

>PUNCH!

'...Can I give the letter to you?'

"Against the law."

'...'

>PUNCH.

'...'

"Do it."

'...and I thought it was bad when I got jury duty summons...'

>PUNCH.

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>Chrysalis
"Celestia"
~~~

>So, Cadence almost caused the end of the Empire as we know it.

"And I almost missed literally all of it."

>...Does anybody back at Canterlot know?

"How would they? We have a portal, but news would have to travel via train for everyone else. Unless someone went through the portal and told someone they knew, Canterlot is still in the dark."

>One bright side to all this.

"I hope I can make an official announcement before news spreads too fast, should mitigate the damage."

>We can only pray.

"...Chrysalis?"

>Hm?

"You think... that this is at least partially my fault, for never really pushing her?"

>...

"Or at least not telling her to give up the act before it got too far?"

>I'd have kept it secret.

"..."

>...

"...I see... this really is all my fault, isn't it?"

>Well, that's what I get for trying to cheer you up.

"...I just keep messing up..."

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OOCO
>SA
"Celestia"
'AJ'
~~~

>YOU MONSTER!

"You foul monster!"

>How could you!?

"Have you no soul!?"

>No feelings!?

"No love in that black pit you call a chest!?"

>Why, Applejack!? WHY!?

'...It's just a buncha dang foreign meetings.'

"With the YAKS, mostly!"

'And?'

>AND!?

'...And Ah' clearly am gonna relish watching you suffer.'

>...

"...I think we made her mad."

>You think?

'SUFFER.'

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 >Twilight
"Rarity"
~~~

Rarity had wanted to say and keep arguing her pace, of course. But Twilight, in her infinite wisdom, decided not to keep poking the bear and let Rarity stay with the group that was clearly a touch irritated at her.

She was reluctant as she followed her back to the portal, but she followed all the same.

>Well, Rarity, you almost caused the collapse of a nation and caused the... third exodus of the changelings? Forth? Hard to keep track at this point.

"I really didn't mean for it to become so... horrid, Twilight."

>No, you just exposed a royal in front of hundreds of ponies with no regards whatsoever for how they were going to react or what this might mean for someone who isn't the specific pony in question.

"Well, I was hoping for a little support here!"

>She is my sister in law, you know. And my old babysitter.

"And I thought I was your friend!"

>You are, which is why I'm accepting you thought you were doing the right thing, and not holding a grudge.

"That's not exactly reassuring."

>Rarity... she's my family.

"..."

>...

"...I'm not sorry."

>Yeah, I got that impression.

"Are you still angry with me?"

>...you thought you were doing the right thing.

"I know I was. They can't keep thinking we're gods, Twilight."

>...No, we're not, are we?

"We are not."

>...

"Are you angry?"

>Yes.

"But..."

>...but yes, we're still friends. Because that's what friends do, they accept it when they just.. mess up sometimes, even when they're thinking they're doing the right thing. Like, for instance, letting out a giant bugzilla... that would be a friend thing to forgive.

"... I suppose so."

>...But you are so not invited to next years Hearth's Warming party if we hold it here. That's not coming from me, that's coming from them.

"I suppose I've earned that much."

>...I'll sneak you some eggnog.

"Really, darling, just you wait. At least Applejack will agree with me, I'm sure of that."

>...

"What?"

>Lets just get home...

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OOCO
>SA
"Celestia"
'???'
~~~

>...

"...N-nooooo..."

>...What exactly did you think was going to happen?

'Will you all stop looking and help me already!?'

"Noooo!"

'Is that a no of despair, or a no I won't help?'

>Probably both... what were you thinking?

'You know damn well what I was thinking, and it was awesome!'

>...

'Shiny, be a bro and get me out of the damn lava cake.'

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

>I think she meant no don't help you.

'I'M FUCKING STUCK HELP!'

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

>Torn, I'm torn between two worlds.

'...This is because Spitfire asked you not to help, isn't it?'

>Maybe.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

>She says no.

'...still worth it.'

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 >Pommel
"Haymaker"
'???'
~???~
~~

>...This is bad.

"This is SO bad."

>This is the worst bad.

"This is by far the baddest."

>...She's going to kill us.

"Murder us."

>Bury us in the dirt and plant pussy willows, just to drive home what she thinks of us.

"...Are we talking about the princess or Queen changeling?"

>Yes.

"...I only looked away for a second."

>That's all it takes, Haymaker.

'Duuuuudddeee... my skin is like... shiny.. and soft... and not-fuzzy... I just feel it.'

~Let it flow through you, buggy thing. Let it just flooowwww.~

>...Who the fuck is that pony?

"I don't know, but I have to admire how fast she can apparently get changelings hooked on drugs."

'Duuuuude.'

>...We're dead.

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>AJ
"Chitania"
'???'
~~

>OH CRAP!

"HA!"

>...At least it ain't her laugh.

"What?"

>No time, this is a nightmare!"

"Why? Looks amazing to me."

>They're actin' like they're on drugs!

"I'm not going to repeat myself."

>What'em Ah' gonna do!?

FLICK!

>...

"..."

'Do not worry, princess who was once of the earth. I shall handle it, I know of sobriety's worth.'

>...Zecora, why do ya' have a knife?

'Reasons.'

"Is she doing that to mess with us?"

>Probably.

'I will handle it, just as I said. Say, do changelings bleed red?'

"...No? Greenish, kinda."

'Oh.'

>...

"..."

'...Bye!'

>...

"So is that a good thing?"

>No.

"...HAH!"

>FUCK NO!

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NC
>Zecora
"29"
'MM'
[Trixie]
~~~

>POP POP my homeboy crew! It's time, that bitches game is through!

"...W-what?"

>That little filly thinks she can rolll up in my street and I will let it be? Ohhhhhh, she's going to be blown in so many pieces that her remains Faust herself won't be able to see!

'I'm horrified, but strangely turned on...'

>Let's do this, lets play! In the ground she is going to lay!

[TRIXIE IS ALL FOR THIS!]

"...Meh, not like we had anything else to do this saturday."

[TRIXIE WILL TAKE IT!]

>POP POP!

CLICK!

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>Celestia
"Twilight"
'Rarity'
~~~~

>...So, what are the odds that the ponies outside of my castle are completely unrelated to what just went down in the Empire?

"Zero."

'None.'

>You don't know, maybe they're all about some other, unrelated disaster that occurred in the brief moments I dared to leave them alone?

"Is this what we're hoping for?"

>Point.

'I hear rumblings mostly around 'fraud' and 'oh dear Faust they're inside our brains'.'

>Maybe we're being invaded by pod ponies?

"Again, is this what we're hoping for?"

>It's better than the alternative!

"...is it?"

>My brain is going to explode.

'Now now, it's better if they learn this now rather than later. Could you imagine if she... oh right, they are dating... well, what if she... repaired it after an event, didn't she... hrmmm...'

>...

"..."

'Well, we shouldn't have waited this long in the first place!'

>...I will throw you to the horde.

"Princess, please don't."

>Still considering it.

'It could be worse!'

"..."

>...Really considering it.

'At least I'm not hoping someone was replaced and all of her duties was taken over by- Hey! Maybe they are technically talking about pod-ponies, they put you in a pod that one time, it might count!'

>...

"...Considering it."

'It's for the best!'

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>Changeling
"CL2"
~~

>OH MY GOD!

"Who?"

>I JUST REALIZED!

"What?"

>...we're RAPISTS!

"...Legally, sure. Unless we've never had sex, but even then we're still guilty of identity theft most times, or accessory to murder, or any number of things. Hasn't Chitania over there killed a whole town or something?"

>...whooooaaaa...

"...Are you even high right now?"

>Am I what now?

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>AJ
"Pinkie"
'???'
~~~
>CRAP OH CRAP OH CRAP!

"They're not that baaaaddd."

>They totally are! Look at them, they're wanderin' around aimlessly, talkin' like they ain't got a brain, lookin' like they're gonna wreck stuff at any moment...

"...And we're sure they're different?"

>...huh...

*CRASH*

>GAH!

'PRINCESS! PRINCESS PRINCESS PRINCESS PRINCESS PRINCESS PRINCESS-'

*SLAP!*

>Get ahold o' yourself... uh...You?

'Do you not know who I am?'

>No no, Ah' do, uh... yer' um...

'...'

"Cloudchaser, Hi!'

>Right, that, that's who Ah' meant.

'I'm... I'm a freaking wonderbolt! How do you not know who I am!?'

>...Ya'll were panicking?

'OH! RIGHT! PRINCESS! PRINCESS PRINCESS-

SLAP!

"Annnd, that's an assault charge."

>No regrets.

'PRINCESS, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED!'

>Is it somehow worse than a buncha doped up changelings?

'YES!'

>...

"...Huh. Did not expect a yes there."

'Princess-'

>Swear Ta' Celestia, will hit you in the mouth again.

'NO! I mean THE Princess! Princess Cadence! You're never going to believe it!'

>She finally came out as an asexual?

'NO!... I don't think, but that's not important! Princess Cadence... has been using a CHANGELING TO DO ROYAL DUTIES!'

>...

"..."

'...I um... I was expecting a gasp?'

>Oh! Uh... gasp!

'Did you know about this!?'

>...no?

'Oh, phew! I guess you're just in shock, we all are. Princess Cadence, THE Princess Cadence, hasn't been doing any of her royal duties!'

>O-oh no...

'I know, that's why I rushed over to tell you! Captain Rainbow Dash is already handling the mob up in Canterlot, and says you should stay down here.'

>Oh...g-good call?

'I'm so sorry, I know this betrayal must hurt you too, and I'll keep you updated!'

*ZOOM!*

>....

"...AJ? You okay?"

>Fuck.

"Could''ve just said no."

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NC
>AJ
"Chrysalis"
~~

>So, that's why Ah'm up here.

"...With the mob."

>With the mob, yeah.

"And not with the changelings."

>Well, iffin' Ah' brought 'em up, be putting a bullseye on them wouldn't I? Yep! They're way safer.

"Down there, with the changeling fearing zombie... and Chitania."

>Can ya' really say they'd be safer up here?

"No."

>Told ya'.

"But I can say they'd be safer down there if you were."

>Well Ah'.....

"..."

>...

"..."

>...Wait... shit.

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