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Taken In

by Speedy Quill

Chapter 2: Freedom and A Party

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Freedom and A Party

I woke up to find more of those colorful orbs on a plate. I had learned yesterday that they were called 'fruit'. Apparently it was one of the things that regular ponies ate a lot of. Especially the red ones. I picked up a piece and bit into it. Juicy, but still something I was getting used to.

Zecora came through the front door and smiled. "I am glad you are awake, for one more potion you must take."

Great. More potions. I felt pretty good already. Why did I need more medicine?

I guess Zecora saw my enthusiasm. She continued to smile. "Do not sit and sulk my friend. Just one more bottle before the end."

One more bottle before the end? I was done with potions?

"Finally. I thought you were going to keep me on those forever."

She chuckled and held up my last potion. I drank it quickly, squirming at the taste. I laid back and sighed.

"Now what do I do?"

"I've cared for you until, you could go to Ponyville."

Ponyville? Where was that?

"Twilight will come to lead you there. A good friend for you, that royal mare."

"That reminds me. When did she become... You know. A princess?"

"A worthy pony she became. A princess she was in all but name."

Well that sure cleared it up! Did this zebra ever make sense?

A knock on the door interrupted our conversation. It opened to reveal Twilight.

"How are you Shade?"

I nodded to her. "Fine. Zecora just gave me my final potion."

We were both still uneasy around each other. I didn't expect it to be any other way.

I sat up and set my hooves on the floor. I winced as pain shot down my back.

Twilight looked at my bandaged body. "Are you sure you're ready to go?"

Zecora stepped up and began to unwind the bandages. "Shade is healthy and fully well. But pain can't be hidden by a spell."

The bandages came off to reveal my scarred back. Twilight's eyes widened. "Where are your wings?"

I closed my eyes for a moment, not wanting to think about my wingless back. But there it was for the world to see.

I looked up at the princess. "Timber wolves."

Her eyes widened. I'm sure an image of the gory scene was forming in her mind. Whatever she was picturing couldn't be half as frightening as what had actually happened.

I stepped forward, testing my hooves. Being in a bed for a three weeks had really taken it out of me. I continued walking forward though. I walked right up to Twilight and nodded.

"Are we going or not?"

Twilight looked behind me and then nodded. I guess Zecora did something to signal I was good to go. She opened the door, revealing the forest.

Twilight stepped outside and turned to me. I was stuck at the threshold. My eyes darted around, taking in the trees and the darkness. I took a step back.

"Don't worry. I'll be with you the whole way."

I glared at Twilight. I didn't want protection! ....But at the same time I did.

I took my first step out. And then another. Twilight gave me a small smile and fell into place beside me.

I was finally going to leave these woods.

I was going to be free.

-----------------------------------

I stopped as we got to the edge of the forest. I had to blink of few times to get used to the light. I had been in the dark for so long. I wondered if I would even be able to walk out there without burning to a crisp.

Twilight nudged me. "Come on."

She walked out into the sun. I slowly rolled, inching into the light. It felt hot. And then... It felt good. I closed my eyes and drank up the sunshine. I had never felt so good! I took a deep breath and walked over to Twilight.

We continued on our way, passing a small cottage. Twilight paused and looked from me to the cottage.

"Maybe we should introduce you while we're out here."

I looked at her in shock. "Introduce me?!"

She smiled. "It's okay. This is where my friend Fluttershy lives. I want you to meet all of my friends."

"And you think they want to meet me?"

Now she looked uncertain. But she shook her head and began to walk towards the cottage. I had nowhere else to go, so I followed.

I stood a few steps back as Twilight knocked on the door. It opened to reveal a yellow pegasus. This must be Fluttershy. She...she seemed familiar. I knew her from... Dear Chrysalis! I was going to be forced into meeting the ponies that had helped defend Canterlot!

Fluttershy smiled. "Hi Twilight!"

"Hi Fluttershy. Um... There's somepony I want you to meet."

Twilight steeped aside, revealing me. Fluttershy's eyes went into panic mode.

"Twilight! There's a changeling behind you!"

I was waiting to get tackled, but instead the door slammed shut. Twilight knocked on the door again.

"Fluttershy! Please open the door! He's not going to hurt you!"

Nothing. I looked at Twilight, giving her a smug expression. "I feel so welcome."

She scowled at me and opened the door. We walked inside. Fluttershy was nowhere in sight.

I looked around. There were a lot of small creatures roaming this place.

"Does she know her home has been overrun by pests?"

"They're not pests!!"

Fluttershy was instantly hovering in front of me.

"These animals are my friends! You're the one that would be a pest!"

I flinched. This pony was crazy! And kind of scary.

Twilight stepped between us. "Fluttershy, this is Shade. Zecora's been nursing him back to health for the past few weeks."

Fluttershy's expression softened slightly. "You mean... He was injured?"

I stepped around Twilight. "I've been in the forest for over a year. I've been stuck there since after the Canterlot invasion."

"Oh my! Living in the Everfree Forest for a year? That must have been scary?"

Wow. From frightened, to angry, to sympathetic. She was all over the place.

Twilight smiled. "I'm bringing Shade to Ponyville. He's going to be staying with us for the Summer Sun Celebration."

The Summer what now?

Fluttershy smiled. "I'm sure you'll love it. But um... Are you sure he's the only one?"

I looked down at the ground. "I haven't felt the presence of another changeling in a long time. I've been all by myself."

"Oh you poor thing!"

Now came the tackle. No wait... She didn't tackle me. What... What was she doing?! She had her hooves around me. And she was squeezing.

Twilight smiled again. "Alright. Let's go introduce you to the others."

———————————

Instead of taking me to more homes, Twilight had had an idea and had gone off, leaving me alone. Upon her return, she looked excited.

“This is going to be fun!”

"What exactly are we doing?"

"Pinkie agreed to throw a welcoming party for you."

"Okay... What's a party?"

Twilight's head tilted to its side.

"You've never heard of a party?"

I shook my head. The lavender alicorn looked shocked.

"So... Changelings don't celebrate anything?"

I thought for a moment. Celebrating..

"If we had been victorious against Canterlot, we would have taken over and enslaved everypony so we could feed off of their love. Does that count as celebrating?"

She was staring at me wide-eyed. Had I said something wrong? A shake of her head brought her back.

"A party is when friends get together to have fun. You know... Play games, dance to music and stuff like that."

Games? Dance? I sat down and sighed.

"I'm never going to fit in. I didn't even know what Fluttershy did to me earlier."

"You mean hugging you?"

I nodded. How was I supposed to know it was a sign of friendship and affection? Changelings didn't do that sort of stuff.

"So how does a party work?"

Twilight smiled and ran over to a bookshelf. She pulled down a book and rushed back to me.

"This should help."

I looked down at the book.Party 101: Everything You Wanted To Know About Parties, But Were Afraid To Ask I glanced up at Twilight.

"There's a book on parties?"

"It's part of a whole series of books that give you information on different activities."

"Wow! They must be pretty popular."

"Actually they've never been checked out."

Surprising. Didn't ponies need to know about these sort of things? I opened the book and began reading. Every few pages I asked Twilight to clarify on some words. I still don't get the concept of balloon animals. How can they be animals if they're not alive? I was starting the seventh chapter when Twilight interrupted.

"Have you just been skimming the book?"

"No. I've read every word so far."

"But that's over a hundred pages! And you've only been reading for ten minutes!"

I shrugged.

"Changelings are made to absorb knowledge so we can blend in."

She rolled her eyes.

"Well your queen didn't do a very good job then."

I felt like I should defend Chrysalis and her mistake, but I doubted that would go over well. And my feelings towards her had definitely soured since she'd abandoned me.
I finished the book just as there was a knock at the library door. Twilight opened it to reveal a...pink pony. Oh no! Not this pony! Please tell me she doesn't have that infernal cannon!

"Omygosh! You're the changeling! What's it like being a changeling? Are you excited for the party? I'm excited? Aren't you? You don't look very excited. You should be excited! This is a party after all. And it's for you!"

I ran behind Twilight, lifting one of her wings to conceal myself.

"Pinkie, maybe you should take it down a notch. Shade's still getting used to being around ponies."

The pink menace stopped jumping around and looked at me.

"Oh. I'm sorry! I'm Pinkie Pie. Don't be scared! It's supposed to be afunparty."

She held out a hoof. I looked up at Twilight and she nodded towards Pinkie. I slowly inched towards her and reached out with my hoof. Our hooves connected-

'BZZZZZZZ'

I jumped back behind Twilight. She frowned.

"Pinkie!"

"I'm so sorry! I forgot I had my hoof buzzer on!"

Twilight looked at me.

"It's okay. She won't hurt you. She's just... Energetic."

"Can she be energetic somewhere else?"

"Now be nice. Fluttershy will be here soon. And the others too."

I don't know if I can handle anymore ponies. Too late though. Four more ponies appeared at the open door. None of them noticed me since I was still behind Twilight. They stood there talking and laughing.

Finally, the blue pegasus turned to Twilight.

"So what's the party for?"

Twilight stepped aside.

"Everypony, this is Shade."

There were a few gasps as my hiding place was revealed. Oh boy. The orange pony stepped forward.

"Twilight, that's a changeling!"

"I know. He's not going to hurt anypony."

The white unicorn scoffed.

"Twilight darling, how can you be so sure of that? It's not as if they're particularly honest, peaceful things."

Ouch.

"Why is it even here?"

I didn't really like being called 'it'. Fluttershy walked over to me.

"Hi Shade."

The others stared in shock.

"You know him Fluttershy?"

"Well um... I met him before... When Twilight brought him by."

The shocked expressions turned to glares as they turned to Twilight. The blue pegasus hovered in front of her.

"Fluttershy got to meet him before the rest of us?!"

Twilight nodded.

"Her house was on our way out of the Everfree Forest."

"The Everfree Forest! Why in Equestria would you be in such a horrid place?"

The alicorn turned to the white pony.

"Because Zecora found him in the Everfree Forest. He was wounded and sick!"

That shut them up. Twilight looked to each pony and then nodded her head. She turned to me, motioning with her hoof.

"This is Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Rarity. And now that we've all met, why don't we get the party started? Pinkie?"

The pink pony rushed over to some machine and put a black circle on it. Sound started to come out of the horn on top. I had never heard anything like it!
Everypony started to mingle. I noticed however that the other ponies I'd been introduced to didn't come and talk to me. I caught them staring every once in a while, but that was it.
Pinkie showed me how to play something called 'Pin The Tail On The Pony'. I was kind of nervous when she put a blindfold on me, but soon I was trying to find my way to this paper pony. How hard could it be?

"OW!!"

Uh-oh.

I lifted the blindfold to find out I had almost pinned the tail on Rainbow Dash's flank.

"Sorry! It's my first time."

"Yeah. Whatever."

After that Fluttershy introduced me to party food. I have to say it was much tastier than fruit. I especially liked the ones called 'cupcakes'.
The party continued for an hour before Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow Dash all said they had things to get done. Then Fluttershy remembered she needed to get home to feed her animal friends. Pinkie stayed for a while longer, pestering me with questions which I never answered. Before I could speak, she would ask something else. But finally she left too.
Twilight sat down and sighed.

"I think that went well."

"Really? What party were you at?"

She looked up at me.

"I know that some of them were kind of...distant, but just give them some time. Remember, the last time they met a changeling, she was trying to take over Equestria."

I nodded in understanding. I want to believe her, but something tells me they may never see me as anything but a monster.

Next Chapter: Reading and First Impressions Estimated time remaining: 5 Hours, 30 Minutes
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