A Change of Mind (private)

[BeGoneThots]

Feather Touch cursed inwardly. He knew he should have hired a guide. He had left Griffonstone not but five days ago. And now he was hopelessly lost. He had climbed into some mountains hoping to find a cave. No luck. He was a city pony.

And now, now he was worried he may never get home. He was quietly trying to figure out what to do when he felt the wind shift. His in born instincts as a pegasus told him the weather would turn soon. He needed shelter.

The stallion suddenly spotted a cave. He thanked the fates as he moved to it. He managed to get inside whem the first bit of thunder peeled out.

The cave was dry and the air was at least partially fresh. as he moved inward a bit he took some time to find a flat spot to lay down. Sighing he wondered just where he was. He was so lost in thought he didnt hear the rustling behind him. The sounds grew louder and startled him. He turned his head, and came face to face with a pair of glowing green eyes.

He jerked in suprise and gasped. But recognizing he eyes he relaxed. "You startled me... whew.. thank fates. I never thought i would see a changling out here... im lost. Can you help me?" His question was answered as more eyes appeared. Three...four... five more sets. He felt uneasy suddenly. "Um..." he muttered softly before his world went black.

As he was coming too, he could hear the clicking and fluttering of changling wings and the soft hisses of their speech. "H..hello?" He asked softly in the darkness.

[RarityDash]

The changeling kingdom was a murky wasteland. An air of dread covered it for miles. Because of this, quite naturally, it was entirely uncommon for it to receive visitors. When they did, most often it was a hearty caribou from the Arctic lands, too stupid to know fear or perhaps a youth from the basin, driven by curiosities for things her elders had wisely warned her from or even more rarely one of the Griffonstone griffons,numbed to the point of not caring searching for whatever they might find. Ponies of the Equestrian sort however, simply were not something that appeared without reason.

 

There were exceptions of course. Only just recently that addled amateur adventurer called Pathfinder had chosen to grace the kingdom with her presence and brought so many headaches along with her. Aside from that and maybe one other happening, it was not something Chrysalis could recall happening in all of her life. 

 

It made sense. The kingdom was remote from Equestria. To get there, one would have to wander through the formidable Leota, past the very gates of Taratrus, continue past stark mountains and not turn back when the air drained of life and the landscape drained of color. The courage for such things simply wasn't in the average Celestia-coddled citizen of the pony kingdom.

 

So when her loyal subjects threw at her hooves a bound stallion who had been found in the caves on the outskirts of the kingdom, Chrysalis was needless to say surprised. She could only assume the lavender pegasus before her was an Equestrian spy, one of Celestia's finest, sent to acquire information on Chrysalis' latest schemes. Whatever the truth, Chrysalis was not unpleasant by the development. It was a delightful break from the day to day monotony that was biding her time as her plans slowly inched ahead.

 

"So, my guest awakens..." the queen perceived as she watched the unconscious stallion start to stir. The stallion's legs were bound by thick ropes of changeling slime, but his face was uncovered. Chrysalis nodded to one of her subjects--of which half a dozen were assembled--who slapped the stallion roughly across the face. "Look upon me, pony! We have much discuss, you and I"

​

[BeGoneThots]

Feather jerked in recoil at being slapped. His ears lowered and he shook visibly. But he stared none the less. His mouth was agape. He knew now where he was. The heart of the changling empire. Before their very own queen.

He had no words. Just stared as tears welled in his eyes. He was no soldier. He didnt tug at the ropes. One of his wings tried to cover his bruised cheek. The other stayed on his back. Tucked tightly. He knew that any blow to his wings would break them. He was sore all over.

Finally he muateres a little courage. "Y..your majesty..." he managed. But stopped before he said anything else. He respected all life. And had never had problems with changlings before. He was hoping that mamlybe word had reached their queen of his kindness toward them. Then again... he was also hoping to see his home again and he knew both were slim at this point.

Feather Touch could only hope his honesty would save him. he was looking for new aromatics. His saddle bags were full of flowers and grasses and wax samples. A few candles and some insense to give away to others. Maybe if he gave her a goft she would smile on him. He could hope right?

He chanced a look at his saddle bags. And saw the tops were loose. His face sunk as his eyes came back toward the queen. Tears again welled in his eyes.

[RarityDash]

Chrysalis smiled. "So, you know who I am?" she said with a playful laugh. "Good, good. That saves me from the need to explain it."

 

The queen nodded as she leered down at the stallion. "But, the same can not be said when it comes to me knowing you. No, you are quite the mystery to me..."  She took a step toward the stallion and let out a proud laugh. "We don't get very many visitors here you see. My humble kingdom, it is, shall we say, not very high on the list of viable tourist spots."

 

Chrysalis extended one of her hooves to cup the stallions jaw and make him look at her. "So let's make this plain. Who sent you and why?" she demanded.

 

She scoffed as she glance momentarily toward the saddlebags to which the stallion and glanced before. The bags had been searched immediately once the stallion was brought in and nothing was in them but a bunch of flowers, grass and a few lumps of wax. "Don't play games with me either! I am not so dense as to believe you've wandered this far off the safe path, all for the sake of that refuse in your bags! I don't know if you heard, but we changelings are masters of deception. We won't be so easily fooled by obvious diversions"

​

[BeGoneThots]

Feather cowered. "I.. i... i was.. i am lost.." he whimpered. "I left Griffonstone headed home to Canterlot... my name is Feather Touch. I... im a massage and aroma therapy pony... those things in my bags... i use them for work. I help ponies and others relax.. i.. i own a spa in Canterlot."

He stammered it out so fast he could barely understand what he had said himself. He was barely able to contain his fear. But he wasnt lying. "Please.. i mean you no harm.... i am friends with many changlings in Canterlot.. i respect you... your whole kind...i swear..."

He was crying now. "Please... please i dont want to be hurt anymore..."