I eventually forced myself to sleep, which was harder than it may seem. Even getting my new head to rest on my new arms, er, legs was a challenge. The muscles didn't move the same way. Some things were wired backwards, and then there were the basic physical differences. I wasted a few minutes kicking a few things around in a sudden fit of anger, just to topple over when I missed a rock and collapsed. So far, being a bug pony kind of sucked.

I stayed where I landed, and eventually found some sleep to wait out the storm, to awaken without the soft pitter patter of the rain. A little sleep's good for the soul too. I wasn't full of rage, just questions. Curiosity overwhelmed me and I reached with my new hooves to start examining myself. First, hooves could feel. That made sense from my interactions with the ponies, but experiencing it personally was new. The insides of them were more sensitive then the outside, where they seemed toughest.

Second, I was covered in a shell, but I could feel through that too. I could feel my awkward hooves as I performed that self-inspection, wandering over my barrel, up my hind legs, and started feeling one of the big holes I had. How can something alive have big holes in it? And yet, there they were. Poking around in one felt funny, so I left that alone.

Third, still a guy! It took a bit of work to confirm that, but yep, bugs have sexes, and I still had the right one. That's a relief, and it looked like most of the time, I was nicely armored from attack, so hey, bright side? It wasn't much a bright side, but I might have had a new panic attack if I'd become some kind of neuter thing, or a girl. I wasn't sure which would have been worse.

"Alright, Noah, inventory complete. Let's get out of this cave and get some help." My voice was higher pitched and just a little buzzy, like I'd imagine an insect's should be. One could argue it sounded horrifying, or cute, depending on the listener and how they felt. Being the owner, I was looking forward to not having it any longer than I had to.

I rolled up to my belly, then slowly pushed up on my new hooves, standing with a dangerous wobble. I took a moment just... being there, standing. The balance wasn't too bad. At least I had four legs to balance on, which, if you think about it, is a bit easier than two? I took a slow step, figuring things out as I started to stagger and got my hooves back under myself.

"You know what, forget it." I sank to the floor and started crawling along. It wasn't the most graceful thing, but a smooth shell and some desperation actually was making for decent time. I emerged into the light and looked around the ravine, remembering that I had fallen in a ravine. How was I planning to climb out in this buggy body?

As if in answer, my new wings gave a little buzzing and I looked back at them, craning over my shoulder. Would they work? They looked tattered and holed, like my legs. I tried to wriggle them around, learning how to work appendages I never had before. I got them to stand up, then spread out, sort of like dragonfly wings. "Well, pegasi don't fly because of their wings, too small. Equestria magic... roll with it." I prayed it worked that way, since I didn't want to be trapped in a hole forever.

I brought my wings down once, then again, getting a feel for the motion. Up, down, up, down, but I had a feeling I needed to go much faster than that. I was a bug, not a bird, which meant fast beating. I had little choice but to keep working up my speed, getting a little faster as they felt less like I was working them with strings and more like they were a part of me. Ugh, I had bug wings.

I hit whatever magical point of speed was needed and lifted up a few inches. I was so excited I stopped, and flopped right to the ground, my chin slapping up against a rock in my gracelessness. "Ow..." I crawled up to my, what was that... haunches, right, my haunches and from there fought back up to standing. "You can do this!"

I got my wings buzzing properly and the ground began to drop away slowly in fitful jerks. I swayed left and right, almost crashing into a wall if not for a quick kick of a hoof. Flying wasn't as simple as it looked, but I was going up! I began to giggle with glee as freedom came closer and closer. I wasn't trying to giggle, but my new voice box was apparently more suited for a giggle than a chuckle, or maybe I was just that excited.

When the lip of the valley got in reach, I grabbed for it, flopping down on the edge and almost falling right back into the hole, which was uncomfortably far below me. I scrambled all four legs until I was laid out on the grass, panting wildly from the effort and excitement of it. "Step two... complete."

"Darling, I'm getting a reading!" came a new, excited, and posh sounding voice. I think I recognized it even.

"I'm on it!" replied a younger voice, then came the sounds of rapid digging.

I rolled over onto my belly, pushing up to my hooves as quickly as I could, and falling onto my chest for the effort. I tried again, taking my time and getting upright, then slowly, ever so slowly, taking little shuffling steps towards the voices.

"Ooo! That diamond looks positively stunning! It will look so divine on the dress I have in mind."

"Do you mind if I have a taste of this ruby?"

Taste? Who eats gems? The economics of ponies continued to astound me as well, but that wasn't quite the time to hash out their money situations. "Help!" I shouted. "Please!"

"Did you hear that?"

"Go see who it is, brave Spike. They may need our help."

"Right!"

Spike! Right! I'd seen him before. That meant the other voice was probably Rarity, who was seen with Twilight. Both of them hung out with her. I was practically home free!

Spike burst through some bushes and stopped when he saw me. "C-changeling!" He shrilly cried, making my ears flip back with the volume of it.

"Wait! I'm not a change-thing. Please, help me!" He started to scramble away despite my words, and I tripped over myself trying to give chase, and thudded on the ground. By the time I could even roll over to get where he was back in view, I could see he had already stopped running, and was peering at me oddly.

"You're not a very good changeling."

"I don't even know what that is!"

He pointed at me. "You. You are a changeling."

Great, I had a name... "That's nice, but yesterday I was Noah, the human. Remember me?" He didn't run as I sat up on my haunches. "I'm serious. I need help."

Spike glanced back as Rarity called for him. "Look, the ponies will freak out if they see you, uh, Noah? Stay here, and let me finish up with Rarity. I'll come back, promise." He held up a claw. "Dragon's oath!"

I smiled a little, which surprised me. Bugs could smile? I guess changelings could. "Alright, but please. You're the only person I've run into so far."

He gave a thumbs up, a uniquely biped gesture, and dashed back into the bushes. "Coming, Rarity! Everything's alright!"

I just had to wait... Better than I was at the start of the day. I was making progress!

Author's Notes:

The chapters of this story are not going to be as long as some of my other stories. Does this bother you, please you, or meh? Let me know! As always, look out for typos. They're drawn to the pheromones of changelings.