Apples For a Bug? {OPEN}

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Fangy walked through the rows of apple trees. This place was oddly calming. Trees all around her, the wind blowing through her mane... She even felt calm enough to lose her disguise. It didn't look like anypony was out here right now. What could it hurt? After meeting that other changeling in the Everfree, Fangy had become more interested in the town, Ponyville. It was a pretty loving place. Good for food. And it had beautiful scenery. It wasn't Canterlot, but it was something. Maybe she could stop by here more often. Hoofsteps. Someone was out here! Fangy looked down at herself, and suddenly every possible disguise flew out of her mind. Oh no! WhatdoIdowhatdoIdowhatdoIdo- Fangy jumped into a tree, and tried her best to hide.

[Mirage Oasis]

Mirage snuck through the trees of Sweet Apple Acres. She was as radiant as eve, well, her disguise was. Her hair was a royal purple. Her fur was as white as fresh fallen snow. She felt great!....too bad she was lost. Yes, sneaking was just her default for when she was lost. She had no idea how she had even gotten here. She had been reviewing how she wanted to feed next, then got on to thinking up new characters to use, then she entered the farm, intending on testing high class on the...not so much, but upon taking a shortcut she was...well, here. She wasn't alone though! She could hear someone walking near. Her paranoia had kept her focus on her surrounding's high ever since she realized she was lost. "Hello?" she cried out, a bit confused by her lack of company. She could have sworn this was where those hoofsteps had been. "I am Desert Wind of Saddle Arabia, you need not fear me! Saddle Arabians welcome all weary travlers!"

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The changeling listened closely as a voice called out. A Saddle Arabian? That was quite odd. She didn't think Saddle Arabians would even come to a quiet town like this. Still, a pony could say one thing, and mean another. All she had to do was st-CRACK! Fangy's entire world spun out of control. She smacked against the ground, right on top of the branch she had been leaning on. It hurt... Please don't let my chitin be cracked... Just move to the-Ow, ow, ow, yes, yes, it's cracked... Fangy pushed herself off of the branch, groaning. Her mind forced herself to remember the Saddle Arabian. She pushed herself up, and hissed at the pony. Go away, go away, go away, please leave...

[Mirage Oasis]

A changeling...well that was simultaneously disappointing and exciting, on one hoof, it meant she would have to actually have to get back to town if she wanted a meal. On the other hoof, a changeling was here and thought she was an actually pony. This was going to be fun. Instead of flinching away as she imagined most ponies would her face darkened and she grit her teeth. "Saddle Arabia had quite the trouble with changelings." she smiled, "But I think we can work past that...are you okay, that...looks like it hurts." Mirage pointed towards the crack in the 'mare's' chitin. "Let me help you up real quick!" she said, before proceeding to get the changeling into a less helpless position. "Is there any way to fix that or are you stuck with it?"

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Fangy whimpered quietly, as the foreign mare came over to help. Why couldn't you just go? Why'd you have to help me? She fought every voice inside that pleaded for help. "I-I'm fine! It doesn't hurt!" She gritted her teeth, and spoke through them. "Just, leave me alone!" Why couldn't she just leave Fangy alone... She didn't need this pony's help. She never got help from anyone before. Why would she get it now?

[Mirage Oasis]

Well, she certainly was stubborn about not having anyone around, she was also very bossy for just having been found out of disguise. Mirage was surprised by her confidence when she was in such a helpless state. It was admirable, if a bit foolish. "Oh shush, I could never leave you in such a state it would be cruel, inpony!" she moved closer to the changeling, taking a close look at her injury. "That will definitely need some antibiotics you know? Especially if you live outside, we don't want you dying of infection, horrible way to go." Mirage trotted around the changeling. As a changeling, she wasn't sure the injury was that bad, but as a pony, she definitely thought it looked nasty. "Will it stay there if you put up a disguise?" she questioned.

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Was this pony serious? Dying of infection? It wasn't a scratch, but it wasn't life threatening. "I'm still going to be hurt, even if I put up a disguise... And I don't live outside. I'm not a manticore or a timberwolf!" Fangy tried her best to back away from the pony, while keeping pressure on the wound with a hoof. Ugh... She'd have to wait until she molted for that to fully heal. "Thanks for your opinion, but I'll be fine. Just leave me alone!" Fangy didn't want to hurt this pony!

[Mirage Oasis]

"Well, given your predicament, I'm pretty sure you don't own a house around here." Mirage sighed. She wasn't really getting anywhere, this changeling was just too paranoid...or perhaps just the right amount of paranoid. Either way she didn't seem like she'd be accepting help any time soon. Mirage had to change the circumstances. She dropped her disguise. Her horn, her hair, the holes in her hooves, now visible. "You're ridiculously stubborn. I know almost everypony hates us, but if they like you enough to offer help, they probably mean it, otherwise they'd just knock you out, drag you to the nearest guard and be done with it." she flipped her hair out of her way and walked closer to the changeling. "Let me help you."

[Deleted]

Again... Again? Really? It happened again. It was a changeling. Why were changelings coming up to her?! First SilverTongue, who had turned out to be not that bad... Now this one. "I-I don't like taking advantage of ponies... And I don't like other changelings, either! Especially ones under her rule... But I can look at you and tell you're not one of hers. So... Why do you even want to help me?" Fangy wasn't accustomed to this. Her caution was definitely being exercised.

[Mirage Oasis]

"I don't like other changelings either...but I can't let you sit here and suffer, can I?" Mirage said, moving her hair to the side as she leaned examined the changeling mare. "Having chitin is a curse, isn't it? Have to live with that injury until shedding again." she took a step closer, trying to get a better look at that injury. "At the very least I could give you something to eat." she said, breathing out a small orb of yellow mist, her horn glowing as she moved it to Fangy. "Just...tell me, real quick, what are you, a queen?"

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Fangy supposed she wasn't the only changeling with decency. It was stupid to think otherwise. She nodded to Mirage's comments on chitin. Her caution had been lowering, slowly, so by this point she didn't make a move as Mirage got closer. At the mention of food, Fangy frowned. It wasn't until she saw the orb yellow mist that her frown increased twofold. "How did you...?" She didn't get a chance to finish her question. "Just... tell me, real quick, what are you, a queen?" Fangy's eyes widened. Was it that obvious?! Silver didn't seem to think she was one until Fangy had told him. Fangy thought she could've passed as a scout. There was no use lying... "I, um, y-yes. Yes, I am."

[Mirage Oasis]

Well that brought up a big moral issue for Mirage. There was a queen in Equestria. A queen meant,sooner or later, a hive. Mirage didn't want to have anything to do with a hive appearing in Equestria. This was her home, a changeling hive would ruin the entire country....as a feeding ground at least. On the other hoof, she couldn't just leave this changeling here injured. If she got discovered it would cause panic, she might be imprisoned or hurt. "I...see." Mirage said, not bothering to hide her concern at the fact. "You don't have a hive here, not yet at least, right?" she said, equally concerned, though now it was simply because the changeling wasn't accepting her gift "Go on, eat up, we'll probably be here for a bit. I'm not very strong and you're hurt. You'll need your strength."

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Fangy frowned, looking away from Mirage. Not yet at least. "I'm never going to have a Hive. I don't even want to be what I am..." She left it at that. She stared at the yellow orb before starting to feed. She was hungry. There was no use turning down free food. She'd take whatever she could get. "... I'm going to assume your name isn't actually Desert Wind. I'm... I'm Fangy." Why not get acquainted? Since she was sure she was going to run into more changelings, she might as well get to know them.

[Mirage Oasis]

Mirage couldn't help but smile slightly at the news of there being no plans for a future hive. She was in the clear!! AWESOME. She looked at the changeling with new friendliness. They were sorta...similar, though she still held the possibility to make a hive...perhaps she should stick close to this queen. "You'd be right, its not my name, but it is nice to meet you Fangy." she said happily. She purposely didn't give her real name, mainly because she honestly preferred being called Desert Wind and wasn't fond of her real name. Mirage sounded so ingenuine. Even if that meant it was incredibly accurate. "What are you really doing in this place? Were you planning on molting here or something? I wouldn't suggest it. The farmers here could brain you in a heartbeat." she said. Not to long ago she had taken a look at them for a food source, but the risk of getting caught seemed to high.

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She avoided Fangy's question. Fangy didn't want to call her Desert Wind when it wasn't her name. "Then what should I call you? I don't want to use your fake name." It just reminded her how underhoofed they were by taking on fake guises and tricking ponies all for the purpose of a meal. Golden Heart... Fangy sighed. At the mention of her purpose here, she wondered if she should really tell the changeling in front of her. It was so lame and cheesy... "I was, um, I... I might've been just walking around and looking at the trees. It feels great out here and it's beautiful and I just wanted to walk around without my disguise on outside of my home."