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 Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2019 7:05 am
 It all happened so quickly. One minute he was turning to respond to the orange mare, thankful for her safety as he was for everyone's at the moment, and the next, a piercing scream tore through the air in the wake of crackling magic striking Royal. Starshine's jaw dropped, his heart squeezing in his chest when he saw the spotted Cobalt sister come charging at them. Only... She wasn't really charging. The mare was indeed coming at them at an increas d speed, but the anguish in her... Her eyes!! The stallion sucked in a gasp as the changeling neared, though he hadn't expected both her sister and Glitch to come running from nowhere. He watched the scene play out, sympathy spreading through him at the heartfelt tears streaming down this changeling's cheeks. Her confession stunmed him for a moment, but... he understood. Maybe not completely, but he understood wanting to be loved. What he didn't understand or condone was the borderline hostility. It would be different if this changeling--Piper, he thought he heard another pony call her--had moved with malicious intent but she hadn't. Concern drove her actions and it was concern for her well being that drove his. Changeling or not, she seemed a decent enough pony and he wasn't not going to let her stand up to the mob gathering around her with only herself, Glitch and the orange mare. Mind made up, Star moved to the other side of Piper, keeping Glitch between them as he seemed to be the only thing keeping her truly calm (or as calm as she could be, considering). He opened his mouth to speak buy once more snapped his jaw shut when the teal pony carting the---he squinted, peering closer at the frozen pegasus. Another low gasp left him when he realized the pony in that cart was Delicate Trinket, Cherry's....whatever they were, he didn't judge. His frown deepened as he looked back to the pony spilling her heart out to the changeling. Like she said, enough was enough. When she was done, he stepped forward, putting himself more firmly between the changeling and the crowd around her. "I understand you're upset, and it's okay to be," he spoke softly, addressing the teal pony first before he cast his gaze to the ponies around them. "Honestly, given what we know about changelings, do any of you believe that if they had simply strolled into town we would have welcomed them with open arms? We've been taught to fear something we don't understand and this," he lifted one hoof to indicate the confused, panicked crowd, "this is what comes of it." He paused again, lowering his head as another thought struck him. He had been one of those panicked ponies. Starshine turned to Piper, moving forward to gently press his forehead to hers for a brief moment. He didn't say anything more as he'd said his piece and now he was only there for support. He hoped the town would realize that the stories they'd read were just that. Stories. The changeling before him was nothing like the textbooks made him believe and if they were all like her... Maybe they weren't so bad. Maybe their "mother" was just that, a worried parent ensuring the safety of her children. Still it raised the questions.. Who was she and what did she plan on doing when she got here? Abeno Seimei and you sweet changeling~ Quote: And everyone else around because that's too many people to quote xD
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Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2019 9:32 am
There was a long moment in Royal's memory, a nightmarish one where he was about to actually talk to Cherry about all of this finally. Then...he was frozen. His blood felt like ice. He didn't understand why this happened to him. He wasn't going to do anything to the changlings! He had no plans to be a jerk! HE DEFENDED THEM FROM THE START!!!!! All those thoughts whirled in his mind as the stallion was aware of everything around him. Then...then it happened. Piper.
His sweet little sister, Piper. Wasn't his sister at all. She was a changling who hid themselves among his vast family because of his penpal Glitch. She invaded their family because of Glitch. Well, don't that beat all. The only stallion Royal snuggled with absolute trust had caught the attention of a changling. Kudos, Glitch. Your adorableness was indeed recognized. Royal knew if he didn't think of the other as a brother he would of most likely had a crush. Once Piper revealed herself, he felt his blood rush with warmth. The stallion felt his legs wobble as he shook his mane out. He was listening to everything. Teal's Anger. Starshine's Concern, Prism's Concern. Mango's Fear. Razzel's Caution. Serene's and Shadowed's Bond. Once they all had said their piece. He straightened. Nodding to Bullseye and Prism, "I'm fine...thank you." He then nuzzled his sisters. "I'll be right back..."
The male slowly circled Piper, gently nuzzling Starshine away from her with a quiet. "I need to speak with my sister. Thank you for defending her, Starshine." Once he had a small walk-around cleared the male looked Piper dead in the eye. "There are a lot of ponies here that would love to see you hurt, Piper. There are those here that may indeed want this to end hostilely. There are those that, when this gets back to our parents...might want you disowned and exiled." he inhaled slowly. Stating a little loud. "They all can go suck an egg. You are my little sister, you are my responsibility. Even if your Mother froze me because your other siblings felt I was a threat. That doesn't matter to me. You do. I had a gut feeling you were acting off. I have a few gut feelings about others around me..." he glanced around to no on in particular.
His gaze swung back to Piper. "Honestly. There's been no real bloodshed." he looks to Shadowed. "Just anger. Anger that really should be let go." He turned to look directly at Teal. "Perhaps, Teal. If another changling was to come forward. Deli would be back with us. Until then, do NOT take your anger out on a child for the sins of the parent. You'd be no better than their Mother. I ask you think before you act, I know your angry. I'm angry. I am all for protecting them from being hurt and you see what happened to me? I got punished for it. Does that anger me...?" He paused, his eyes fully opened to reveal the ice blue orbs in the black seas. "Greatly." He then slowly closed them.
"But....I refuse to act like a child and let that anger rule me. If you want blood. Fine. Take mine. I will not allow you to go after my Sister." he glanced back to Piper. "You are still my sister. I stated that before didn't I? In regards to Shadowed at the start of all this. I watched you grow, I watched you feel. You are not leaving my family." He in haled slowly before looking around.
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Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2019 5:05 pm
 Darling was trying to wrap her head around things. A lot was going on, and she wanted to make sure she was understanding everything clearly. It would appear that a Changeling had been found amongst the family of ponies that were visiting the festival; it was Piper specifically. The same pony that Darling had started to apologize to earlier when she thought she had interrupted their conversation with Navy. “Hmm…” Darling began, thinking aloud as she watched the other ponies. “Piper seems like a nice pony. She just wanted to hang out with her friends….maybe...maybe not all the changelings are bad?” This was the conclusion she was beginning to draw. Hopefully it was true. Though the booming voice from earlier had sounded intimidating. She began to inch closer to where everyone was gathered, shyly trying to listen and take part in the conversation, and to see what she could learn about the Changelings.
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Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2019 8:27 pm
 Piper weathered the anger of Teal Tale. She understood that she was in pain, the same pain she was in when Royal was struck down. The changeling wiped the tears still on her own face and stood up. "Yes, I wanted to have the same fun you enjoy. Many of us do. To the point that many of us horde things we come across from your cities." She wasn't really trying to address anypony in particular as she spoke but found herself coming back to Teal Tale. "Its true. Its scary for us to leave the Hive without a disguise. Many ponies are still terrified of us to the point we have to fear for our safety. So to us, this is necessary." Piper paused and turned to her family and friends and returned affection to those that wanted it and stopping just after Royal to address him. "Royal, I can't promise that more of us coming forward would unfreeze Delicate. But it could be possible. Because of the situation, my hivemates are being very cautious. Everyone would have to help show them that its at the very least safe." She turns back to the crowd. "I can't tell you how the support of my friends and my family..and even strangers has made this whole ordeal a lot less frightening. "
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Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2019 10:54 pm
It had turned chaotic in an instant, and Muta had been no better than the ponies who'd been frozen when everything seemed to happen at once.
A blue pony was a changeling, fighting to defend herself, Royal was frozen but then unfrozen, it was all too much for her little mind to take, and she was freaking out.
But Royal's voice cut through her inner monologue and she stopped, staring at him and listening as he spoke with conviction.
And, with one last glance at Honky, she stepped towards Piper, limbs still shaking from everything that was going on.
Her gaze flicked to Royal and she nodded before her gaze fell back on Piper, gesturing along with her conflicted expression.
"I'm with him, I won't harm you but...."
She sent her sister a pleading look, just looking for an end to all this madness. She didn't want it, she knew that any sane pony wouldn't want it either. Her gaze drifted to the sky, gesturing and pantomiming her worries to any who would look in her direction, "There's still a Queen out there though... Even if the ones here are harmless..."Pharaoh Phobia Hopefully I tagged all the right folks...
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 3:40 am
 How was it every word they others said to her just made her want to kick them in the face? Not a single one of them actually seemed to listen to what she had said which was the most frustrating part. It seemed they only one who had even partly listened to her was the changeling which was perhaps the saddest part of it all. Taking a deep breath she looked at royal and the yellow pony. “Shut up both of you and listen to what I actually said. I said the queen seems to have a way to talk to her ‘children’. I don’t give a **** about the changeling impersonating or inhabiting or whatever your sister. I want her or it or whatever it would like to be called to tell mother dearest to stop the magic on my sister. I. DO. NOT. CARE. If there are changelings. I would not have cared had they come as they are to fair because I do not know the lore or stories well because to me they were just stories. I don’t know what it means to ‘scoop’ someone I don’t know if that means piper is in there with the changeling or if that means piper was removed and is tied up somewhere. I just want MY sister to be unfrozen. You and yours can sort out the changeling part because it affected your family and you are clearly trusted and loved enough by the community if you said she is fine then she is fine. That isn’t my call to make.” She took several breaths after her tirade. She looked at the yellow Pegasus with pink hair. “Having some smarmy stranger tell to how to feel or just condescending my feelings makes want to kick you in the face. And for your information I would have been a lot more welcoming and open minded had the changeling mother not FROZEN my sister. But you know freezing ponies and pretending to be them and stealing others wife’s like Just Lance’s might be a general cause for mistrust. ‘this is what comes of it?’. Maybe you’re trying to be the great peacekeeper or whatever. Don’t care. Step off.” Like she had said before unlike all the other ponies Delicate Trinket was the only pony who had been frozen and then just left as a statue. If this hoof for brains was going to try and pretend this was all just something that could be swept under a rug without some explaining they were a fool. Just Lance still had a missing wife and who knew what prolonged frozen magic could do to a pony or if she wouldn’t just die of dehydration or starvation. Next she looked at Royal. “When did I say I wanted blood you moron. I want her to tell her mother to let my sister go. ” His little speech about anger and sucking eggs was nice and all but she just didn’t care. He could suck and egg too. Looking around him she looked at Piper Changeling and decided that she was going to try and be tactful slightly then the first words out of her mouth proved she couldn’t do anything other then straight honesty as always. “You’re a moron too. You had pen pals or online friends or the like and you couldn’t trust one of them enough be yourself to them? What the heck do you even consider friends then?.. don’t answer that.” She held up a hoof. “I am curious but don’t’ care at the same time right now. It sounded like your mother listens to you someone she kept saying "call on my power" or whatever. Can you or can you not tell her to let my sister go? Just Lance can ask about his wife or whatever on his own. I only care about Deli getting released.” She noticed a pink pony slowly coming into the circle speaking to them. Abeno Seimei How is it in a place full of ponies talking to her the changeling is the only one she likes right now? sorry for the double quote all forgot to color a bit of talking wc 661
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 8:10 am
Royal kept his breathing even as he slowly sat when Teal started on her rant. He let the unicorn get it all out, let her express the root of her anger then he tilted his head ever so slightly to the side. "You done? Good. Teal. I have been listening. If you think demanding a child to talk to their mother when there are more around here is going to be effective. Then you a far more naive than I gave you credit for. Yes, my Boss' wife is missing. That is a major concern for me."
He stood up to step gently towards Teal . "I've been watching everyone here, Teal. That's my job. That's what I do. I've kept this from my sisters to avoid them being dragged into it. This incident here, blew my cover wide open. I'm pissed about that. Again, we shouldn't let our anger cloud our judgement." he hummed a moment. " If the Changling Queen wants to talk, I invite her to talk. I accept her children wholeheartedly. I just want this to not end in blood or further harsh feelings. As for your sister, my friend, I would love to see her back with those who love her. I have a theory, the more children who reveal themselves. The better off we'll be. If you want to talk more Teal...I would like to do so privately." Reoakee There is a method to his wording.
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 9:30 am
When Piper unveiled herself, the guard moved, tensing to be ready at Just Lance's word. But the word never came. After years of service, he had learned the importance of when not to fire just as much as pulling the trigger. And thank goodness, it seemed to be paying off. The changeling mare was... just as scared as they were, it seemed. So it was down to a game of two equally frightened parties trying to figure out where to make concessions. "Miss Piper..." Lance spoke, voice low and calm as he approached the changeling. There was no tension in his stride, no apparent worry or fear. He offered her a gentle smile, despite the apparent uproar befalling them. "I would ask two favors of you. One, if you could ask one of your- cohorts? To unveil themselves, that we might free Delicate Trinket, that would be much appreciated. And two... your Mother. Is she willing to meet and speak with us?" Just Lance sighed, but otherwise forced himself to remain calm. "I should like to inquire after my wife and my friend. Please."
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 10:41 am
When addressed by Just Lance, Piper bowed her head and tried to offer a smile back. Part of her was still concerned but she had to trust that everything was going to be ok.
"I will try to convince them to come out. There's a lot of feelings and thoughts happening in our link but I will try to get my thoughts to them. I know some are watching now as well. Hopefully, This will help them step forward. As for Mother, I will do my best."
She took a deep breath and allowed the 'volume' for their mind linking chat to come thru. Please I need at least one of you to come forward. Let's see if this will set Delicate free. For Teal. For Cherry. I also need your voices to help me call to mom.
Mother, We need you here. We are safe so far but the Ponies are concerned about their friends and family. They want to talk.
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 11:38 am
Cherry had been frozen in place since Royal had been hit by the changeling magic. They had watched what had been happening without comprehending what they had been seeing. They finally snapped out of their numb mind to hear what Just Lance and Piper had been saying.
Cherry answered the hive call I will, if it sets her free I will do anything! and let their glamour go, even though they were terrified of the normal population knowing them for themselves, they would do anything for Deli. Blue light fizzled around the large pegasus and their form started to grow revealing their true height to be just shy of the largest Alicorn's height at nine feet.
Cherry looked over to Deli and they opened their mind link to the hive again Please mother, she did nothing wrong. Let Deli go please!
"Did it work, is she back?" They asked in a tiny anxious voice they really wanted this to work. Even if everyone thought their "love" would be a lie, even if Deli outright rejected them, they wanted her free and safe. They had lived their "second" life outside the hive for so long it felt odd to be their normal height, they had been found by the elderly near-sighted Lemonade family and had been accepted into their home, where they disguised themselves as one of the photos on the wall that had been yellowed with age, and started to work the fields in hopes of returning the kindness they had recieved.
Everyone else! All you peeps since there are way to many to remember
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 3:39 pm
She started with Shadowed Flower, listening to the violet haired mare speak. In a way, Mango wanted to share in her words and her confidence, her love for her family, but she was scared. She was scared. These Changelings, had they been hiding amongst them the whole time?! Were they really as innocent as Piper acted? Could they really trust them? They had frozen Delicate Trinket, after all, and did the exact same thing to Royal! Who in the hell were these ponies - no, Changelings - and what in the hell did they want?!
Magenta eyes flicked hollowly between Piper, Glitch and Shadowed, eventually moving over Serene as well as she trotted over.
Prism was here, asking Piper a million questions, and Mango slowly shook her head. She took another step back from the group.
Razzle moved in, seemingly trying to keep Prism safe, something Mango strongly agreed with.
Piper was speaking again, rattling off how much she enjoyed the festival and how much she loved playing games with Glitch. Mango could hear so much emotion in the mare's voice, she sounded so genuine. Yet Mango still took a step back.
Teal Tale spoke up, incredibly irrate. Mango's eyes cast to her friend as she slowly started to side step towards the blue mare. Yes, someone she could agree with. She attempted to brush her flank comfortingly against Teal's, only standing beside her instead, shaking. Yes, bring back Deli. She nodded to Teal's words.
Starshine appeared, speaking up to the crowd of ponies. Part of Mango wanted to agree with him. She would have run and hid from the Changelings the moment they arrived if she knew what they were. Yet she still wanted to run and hide. Planting themselves into families years in advance, pretending the whole time to be something they were not. She doubted she would be able to trust Piper again for a long time, if at all, if the Changeling stayed around. She couldn't help herself. She just kept thinking that word. Changeling. They were more than just regular ponies. They could change their shape nearly at will so far as she knew. They could be any pony, at any time.
Something inside of Mango broke as Royal stood up for Piper too. They had every right to be angry! These Changelings had been hiding amongst them for goodness only knows how long! For Piper, it seemed like a few years, at least. They were lied to. They were tricked. None of it was right, sister or not!
Just Lance's wife had been taken as well?! Mango's eyes widened beneath her bangs. These ponies were all so ready to forgive and nearly forget, while one was standing frozen mere feet away, and at least one other was missing entirely?! Mango stamped her hoof rather hard against the ground beside Teal, huffing a breath out of her nose. She stood even straighter as Royal started towards Teal, taking a half step as if to guard Teal. Funny. Teal had always been the one towering over Mango to protect her from whatever frightened her that day. Now, Mango could not help but stand tall for her dear friend.
Light out of the corner of her eye dragged Mango's gaze to the side, only to see Cherry.... Cherry....
A scream tore from Mango's mouth as she stumbled backwards, falling over her own hooves.
Cherry... No... Cherry was one too?! All this time?!
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 4:04 pm
tab She moved into town to be near him? Piper was speechless, wings slowly folding against his side. He didn't know what to think -- technically, it all was real. She had met him online and continued their friendship, but... He felt tricked, honestly. A part of him was angry, even. Not at the fact she was a changeling, but more that she never told him. He would have been okay with it, but... he was being selfish, wasn't he? Why would he be special? Piper came from a breed persecuted; she had been raised to protect herself. Still, as selfish as he knew he was being... he wished she had told him. He wished he knew before all this. It was all so complicated, honestly.
tab And then he spotted Cherry changing.
tab His heart hammered as yet again another friend revealed their truth. His eyes were wide, pupils small dots as he glanced between Piper and Cherry. Had they known this entire time? What was happening? Why was everything not as it seemed? His heart hurt; it ached and pained as he recoiled slightly. What he remembered was not truth; what he experienced had a layer of secrecy over it. This entire time he never once doubted Piper or Cherry, and yet suddenly it felt like everything made sense and also didn't. And now they might vanish. This festival might be the end of the memories he wasn't sure were his or not. They might take his friends away. He might not see them anymore. Ever.
tab He helplessly looked between Piper and Cherry, body drooping as he settled onto the ground; overwhelmed and afraid.
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 5:01 pm
WITH THE UNVEILING OF THE FIRST CHANGELING, THE LAST PONY TO BE FROZEN - Delicate Trinket - IS RESTORED
---
(Damn y'all, wanting to be nice when I just wanted to excuse myself from rp. ******** sake.)
This was a nightmare. All she had wanted to do was come to the market and sell her figurines, and the second she had raised a hoof to ask about the changelings, the breath had been stolen from her lungs. Little better than a statue, Deli had been forced to sit and watch as the chaos unfolded around her. No words, no breath, not even tears to comfort her- just cold and silent observation. Teal Tale, at least, had come to observe and take care of her. Cherry, too, had made his way over, and while the fear presided over her, there was warmth and affection for the ponies so close to her.
Finally, finally, she could breathe again. With a sharp breath, Delicate Trinket stumbled on her hooves, nearly falling over from the shock. Being able to speak and move again felt so incredibly foreign, there was a tremble in her step and all she could do was cry. The tears came freely, turning into a sob as she quickly threw herself over to Teal.
"Teal, Teal! I- I'm so sorry for scaring you!" She hiccuped, burying her face in her sister's mane. For a minute, she just let herself cry and hold onto her darling little sister, relishing being able to move and feel once more.
And then there was the elephant in the room. The bug, so to speak. Still crying and still shaking, Delicate Trinket looked up to Cherry, and it made the waterworks flow even more.
"Cherry...?" But there was no denying it was still the pony she'd had feelings with for so long. She swallowed another hiccup, and motioned for Teal to walk with her towards Cherry Limeade.
".......Well, golly. You're sure tall, aren't you?"
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 5:48 pm
 While there were a number of ponies coming over and showing a level of care and respect for Piper... there were still a few that were scared or angry. Miss Bullseye understood why Teal was angry, understood the violence that she was speaking with, even if it terrified her for what the pony was capable of. She had been worried about Deli, knew exactly what the other pony was feeling or wasn't feeling really since she was frozen in place. Now wasn't the time for her to worry about herself though.
Cherry swelled in size, larger and larger and even larger than before as Bullseye watched and suddenly Deli was unfrozen as if... well absolutely by magic and not 'like' at all. Part of her suddenly popped as if she'd released all the breath she'd been holding since her friend had frozen and she wanted to run over to apologize for being unable to help her, for being unable to stay and watch over her since she'd been worried about other friends too. For being as useless as she always was. Instead she smiled gently and watched her interact with those she cared about most and stayed well away.
More and more she was realizing she wasn't welcome, the ponies at the market had shown her that well and enough.
Rather than poke her head in where she didn't belong and wasn't welcome, Bullseye turned her attention towards a small pegasus who seemed to be having a hard time. He was so close to all the others that they might give him trouble, so it was at least time to use what she had. Slowly she stepped over and sat beside the little pegasus that Piper and Royal had called Glitch, sitting beside him and watching all the ponies around them. "If you need a moment, you can take it. They all hate me so they should leave you alone if I'm nearby... I think." Bullseye told him quietly, head turning a bit as she kept an eye on all those around them.
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 6:33 pm
 Poor Lumi stood as still as a statue while the waves of fear, anger, confusion, hate... all of it, came crashing down upon just one pony- Changeling - and tried to process just what was going on. So far... nobody had been hurt, just frozen (which is still a scary thing, aye), but... Were Changelings really that bad? The entire Hive couldn't be like their Mother, right..? Taking a deep breath for courage, Lumi looked up at Changeling-Piper, and at the gathered crowd. "Piper seems to care deeply for others. And... does all this fear, hate, and anger really solve anything..? It just seems to make things worse, not better." She moved to stand in front of Piper and put her back to the Changeling. "If... if you wanna hurt her, you'll have to go through me too." Lifting her head stubbornly, her steely gaze was almost at odds with the quivering of her legs.
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