Changelings in Equestria: A Hideaway

A changeling could adapt to the form of a pony perfectly, even inventing an entirely new identity by taking little pieces that they liked from different ponies—an eye shape here, a body type there, a mane and tail from another. Enough small little components like that and you wouldn’t even notice if a changeling had used you for inspiration in their ponysona’s appearance.

With all that in mind, it became obvious that there were changelings hiding with the numbers of ponies in Equestria. It would be silly to think otherwise. Witching Hour’s worldview wasn’t changed as it was for many others, instead her theory was simply confirmed. Now, this isn’t to say that there weren’t surprises waiting for her. Some ponies would stop showing up to her home to buy their weekly herbs and a changeling with the same orders would show instead. Some would even share the names of the pony they were replacing, other’s had new ones. Witching Hour was usually pretty caught off guard about who was a changeling, and just how many found their home in Ponyville.

She waited and gauged the reaction of the general population to the changelings. Maybe she was calling it a little early, but she didn’t hear of many major incidents of violence against them in Ponyville, Canterlot, or Sumit’s Hallow. The worst she heard of were from Canterlot, and it seemed like the guards were taking the brunt of distrust. She was disappointed but unsurprised. Witching Hour knew she was an exception and not the rule to accepting new and weird information. But maybe she had a bias towards it, being an odd thing the main three species had to get used to herself.

Witching Hour roamed deep within the Everfree Forest. There was a path that most creatures seemed to have avoided that she found. This allowed her to travel somewhat safely through the dangerous woods despite not being particularly combative. She kept her guard up regardless. It was a night after the full moon, so her surroundings were well-lit. But she knew things could lurk even in high visibility darkness that could hide from her. Thankfully, echolocation covered that literal blind spot of hers. And as useful as it was to use her echolocation to find dangers hiding behind the foliage of the forest, it was very useful to help find her target.

It took a little bit of wandering to locate what she was looking for, a blindspot in her echolocation. The creature in question had a unique structure to them that somehow trapped and muffled sound waves, signal jamming her echolocation. she released her high-frequency screams more often, zeroing in on the blindspot until she came face-to-face with a rather intimidating changeling. 

He stood taller than most ponies Witching Hour had encountered, and was among some of the stockiest built she’d seen. He was dark brown, almost black, and goldish in color with large butterfly-like wings. Resting on his head were two fuzzy antennae, like a moth’s. His tail was instead that of an insect’s thorax. A steady layer of modified scales along his body and wings gave him a fuzzy appearance. Something that normally would add to a creature’s cuddly factor instead contributed to his frightful nature. The final piece of this creature’s appearance that would make many scared of him was the marking on his back that strongly resembled a pony skull.

“Witching Hour,” he said smoothly, looking down at her with golden-brown eyes that were a little too big, “you didn’t show last night. I’m saddened.”

“I’m sorry, Lachyx, there was something keeping me preoccupied.” Witching Hour apologized. “But I do have some hesitantly good news for you.”

“Oh? Please, do share.” Lachyx’s antennae twitched in an unsettling fashion, but Witching Hour had learned that it meant he was excited.

“The changeling queen had made her appearance known in Equestria. There are many changelings who were disguised as ponies that had revealed themselves as well,” she explained. “It seems as though most pony folks are all right with them. You may not feel the need to hide out here for much longer.”

“That is great news! Nothing bothers me so, I do not mind it here-” Lachyx looked at the canopy of bare branches around him and his face saddened. “-but I do become lonely.”

“I know you’ll decline, but you do have my permission to take my form and see for yourself.”

“You know me well. I am happy as I am, Witching Hour. I only wish to be Lachyx, as Lachyx was born.” he offers her a smile, which was adorable in its own scary way. “But I do appreciate the offer, as always.”

“And once again, I shall argue that it's within you to shape change.”

“As it's within a unicorn to cast reality-altering spells and yet I don’t think I’ve recalled reality changing.” Lachyx argued back and shook his head. “Enough of this conversation. We have it every moon. I wish to discuss other things with you tonight.”