Consequences of Failure(open)

[Mirage Oasis]

She had spent more than a week pursuing a dead end. Apparently someponies legitimately preferred the company of jam to other ponies, even stunningly beautiful horses from the equally beautiful sands of Saddle Arabia. Now, more than a week pursuing him meant more than a week without any decent meals, something that had left her beyond tired and very drained. Even keeping her disguise up was a chore. She slowly trudged her way through the streets and dodged between two buildings, hiding behind a large crate as green fire flickered around her, her disguise flickering away with the flames. She sat down, then laid down in a heap, her hair covering most of her body, though her horn still stuck out above her. Her eyes fluttered shut, completely intent on staying that way until she heard a noise. Somepony was near. She immediately tried to bring back her disguise, but failed miserably, merely giving herself a headache from the recoil of lacking magic. She tried to shrink into her corner as much as possible. "Don't come any closer!"

[Deleted]

The young Griffon giggle as she ducked around the corner, smirking to herself as she made a run for it. She'd managed to successfully prank some ponies with the use of touch powder, putting some on a table at a nearby cafe. She had been holding on to it for almost a month now, keeping it on stand-by for when she had an opportunity to spring it on an unsuspecting pony. And now she had.

The pony had gotten a bit spooked when he'd put his menu down and smoke had shot up, but they hadn't been hurt. And the expression and scream he'd let off had been priceless! The Grifflet was in a good mood to say the least, but now she had to hide.

Catching her breath, Keans pressed her back against the wall, still grinning like an idiot. Her good mood was overcome by curiosity as she saw something from the corner of her eye, a flicker of green light coming from the nearby alleyway. With a raised eyebrow, the young Griffon approached the Crate, moving around to see what the source of it was.

With a blink, the Griffon had come face to face with the strangest pony she had ever seen. At first, the horn had made her think it was a unicorn but the chitinous black skin and wings made her reconsider. The Griffon eventually concluded she must be some kind of bug pony. Disregarding the warning, the young Griffon walked slowly towards the insect pony until there was little space between them.

Looking to the changelings legs, namely the holes in them, she eventually turned to look at the others face directly.
"Do you need a doctor, Miss? I don't think legs are meant to have holes in them." Her words weren't said in any jest or mockery, the girl was completely serious. Her expression, despite burning curiosity, also showed hints of concern for the older mares well-being.

[Mirage Oasis]

It was a child....Mirage wasn't sure whether that was good or bad, it was definitely worse than not being found, but it was better than an adult she supposed. A full grown pony probably would have reacted badly even if they didn't know what she was. But this...cub? was reacting with curiosity instead of fear and concern...even in the face of the 'cheese legs' changelings were so well known for. She might have a meal after all. She turned to the child, moving the curtain of hair away from her face and looking to Keans with bright green eyes. "You didn't listen." she said flatly. "and my legs have always had holes in them. It's part of what I am." she smiled, bearing the full length of her fangs accidentally, "Do you know what I am little one?" she said, but while waiting for an answer she tried to stand and was hit with a dizzy spell from her lack of eating, stumbling into the wall beside her and sitting back down. "first and foremost...I'm hungry." she whined. "Could you help me find something to eat?"

[Deleted]

The griffon stared down at the cheese legs, ironically not hearing her flatly claim that she wasn't listening. Curiously, the girl used the index talon of her left forepaw to poke at the hole of one of her cheese legs, finding her talon passing through effortlessly. Keans giggled in amusement at this, although removed her talon when she asked if she knew what she was.

"Umm, some kind of bug pony-" Little Griffon blinked as she stood up and stumbled over, unable to stop herself giggling a bit."You're really clumsy, Miss." The fact she was hungry didn't go unnoticed by her, the Grifflet tapping her Beak in thought."Sure! I can help you find food." Removing the small backpack she had on her back, the Griffon placed it on the ground. Opening the top she started rummaging through it, frowning as she tried to find what she was looking for. Eventually, grinned as her talons clasped an all too familiar rectangular shape."Got it!" Yanking her paw back, she held in her talons a chocolate bar which hadn't been unwrapped yet. With a smile, she handed the treat to the Changeling."Here ya go!"

[Mirage Oasis]

This child wasn't listening to her. Not at all. That's what she got for trying to explain things to a child. Mirage sighed as she was handed the chocolate bar and raised her hoof in polite refusal. She wasn't interested in that kind of food. All it did was make her feel heavy...and the whole 'putting objects in your mouth' thing was pretty weird. She only did it when she was keeping up a disguise...and that was ruined now. So no use for that. "I don't eat food like that." she said, trying and failing to stand once again. "I'm a changeling. We can change what we look like at will...usually. But right now I don't have enough to eat. Changeling's eat love. It sustains us. It gives us magic." she smiled, but inside she felt a bit sinister. "We're creatures of love like that. We can use it, but we need it. Will you help me?" Her eyes lit up green as she gave kean's mind a little extra push. Making herself seem a bit more motherly. It wasn't much though. she didn't have much to give. "I only need a snack." she said weakly, looking hopeful.

[Deleted]

Once the strange bug pony, now revealed to be a Changeling, explained what she ate the pieces all clicked into place. It seemed she ate love, which was kind of weird all things considered. Although she theorized that it probably tasted like strawberries, red things usually did.

"Oh, alright. I think I get it." She glanced up at the Changeling, nodding in understanding and acknowledgement of her request: She only needed a snack after all, giving her a little of her love to eat couldn't hurt."Sure, You can take some of mine for a snack. But only because you're a cool looking bug pony Miss." She replied with a smile as she looked into the now glowing green eyes, the final push proving successful.

[Mirage Oasis]

She looked serene on the outside but on the inside she was excited. She had thought she would be waiting here until night, but she now had a get out of jail free card! The young were so easy to manipulate. They were already so willing to give out affection, genuine, pure, without withdrawals and doubts. This was just what she needed. Keans would feel a sizable drop in her energy as Mirage took a bit more than what would be considered a snack, more like a small meal, it would keep her going for a day or so as long as she didn't use anything but disguises. That meant no more mind control, but hopefully she wouldn't need it now that she was being serious. She gave the little birdcat a hug, no longer stumbling around, though she was still a bit woozy. At least she had strength and wasn't being beaten by scared townsponies. "I won't forget your kindness little one, I owe you a lot, now I do have to ask, what is your name?"

[Deleted]

As the Grifflet felt her energy drain, her posture slumped forwards. The young Griffon did her best to stay upright as she was drained of her energy, and so quickly. Her eyes suddenly felt so heavy, as if she could just fall over and go to sleep right here.

With a tired grumble, she tried to move only for her legs to give out under her and Keans to tumble to the ground. Luckily, the Changeling caught her in a hug before she could make contact with the pavement. With a tired blink, she rested her head on the changelings shoulder.

Despite how tired she was, she made out enough. The bug-pony wanted to know her names. With a tired slur, she responded, not used to having so much energy drained in such a short period of time or quite so forcibly."M'name's Keeeeanss..." Opening her beak, the wannabe ninja let out a yawn before eyes closed. She was tired now, so very tired.

[Mirage Oasis]

Mirage drew back from the hug and tapped the child's beak twice. "Come on now, you can't go to sleep just like that. You should go home at least." she said with new happiness. She was rejuvenated by the little griffon's love. "Not to mention I don't think you'll want to miss this." she said, taking a step back from the griffon. Just a moment later green fire flowed up the bug pony's surface, changing her from a black and yellow bug filled with holes into a white coated purple haired arabian pony. Her legs were a bit longer, her eyes were no longer green and her mane was luxuriously curled. "I call this disguise Desert Wind" she said, happy to be back in her favorite disguise. "This is what changeling's can do, any time, and any look. We can be anyone on a whim." she said proudly, revealing a bit more than she meant to, but this little one had earned a show, and some related information. "Don't suppose that woke you up any? No idea why you're so sleepy now!" she said innocently.

[Deleted]

Keans blinked as she was tapped, grumbling to herself due to the interruption. She was so close to falling asleep and she was waking her up? She was tired! The Griffons irritability was replaced with curiosity as she heard Mirage explain that she had something she wouldn't want to miss.

A flash of green flames made the Grifflet wince, the sudden brightness making her raise a momentary talon up. As she lowered it, the bug pony was long gone and replaced with a...Pony!?

"Woah..." She hadn't been joking, this was pretty cool! The ability to look like anyone, whether pony or Griffon, was an impressive ability. She almost wished she had it: She'd be the perfect Ninja then!

Feeling inexplicably rejuvenated, she made her way over and gently poked at Mirage's forehead as if to test if it was real or some illusion. On finding out it was indeed quite real, she grinned."That's pretty awesome!"

Her grin slowly took on a more sinister turn as Keans begun to think about the implications of this power, on how it could be used for more nefarious purposes: The Pulling of pranks."Say...do you like pulling pranks?"

[Mirage Oasis]

'Woah', wasn't the usual response to seeing a changeling transform. It usually included either more cowering, maybe a scream, or a horrified gaze...implying they knew of changelings, unlike this little ...grifflet? She wasn't really sure what to call her. Well, there was always her name. Keans. That was a strange name. It wasn't like any pony name that she had ever heard. Mirage smiled at Kean's poke and poked her back, "It is pretty cool, isn't it?" she said, stretching slightly, almost entirely to show herself off...completely to show herself off. She took great pride in her transformations, disguises and their subjects. She, usually, only used the most beautiful and graceful mares in the world as her disguises. "Pranks can be a bit dangerous for me...but since you helped me, I could help you, if you have something in mind." Mirage, though usually careful, was in a good mood, and was still pretty young and longed to have some fun here and there, barely ever getting her chance. This was a great opportunity to let go, but that didn't really cross her mind. She DID think that it may be worth a laugh to work with this grifflet though. She laid down so that she was at a face to face level with Keans. "So, I'm guessing it has something to do with me changing shape?"

[Deleted]

Keans thought for a moment, nodding her head.
"Well, yeah. Thing is I haven't really picked a prank yet." She tapped her beak, brow furrowing in a surprisingly serious manner."I mean, you can change shapes and stuff so that means we can do A LOT of different pranks. The "Somepony meets me then meets you looking like me and you act like it's the first time you saw them today" prank. The "Look like someone super important and order something silly" prank....there's so many options!"

The grifflet begun to pace back and forth, trying to settle on an idea to capitalize on her newfound asset in mischief. There was many ideas, all of them excellent but if she had just one then that would be a bit of trouble. She looked over at Mirage, tilting her head."You got any ideas or pranks you really wanted to try? Because I've got a lot of ideas. But I just can't pick!" She whined, frustrated at her difficulty in picking something.

[Mirage Oasis]

Mirage watched keans with a passive expression and mild interest. She didn't get to have fun very often and was feeling a bit giddy at the thought of playing a little prank, participating in a few little games of trickery. It sounded like a good time. She quickly decided that, despite the danger, she would definitely be humoring Keans. She looked to the sky for a moment, "Well, I suppose I could try and turn into one of the princesses." she said with a smile. She looked back to Keans. "You have to promise not to tell anybody about me though. I could get in a lot of trouble just for being here without pulling a stunt like that...it will be funny though." she stirred her hooves against the ground. "Who do you want me to talk to." she said gladly.

[Deleted]

Clapped her talons together, rubbing them in anticipation as though she were about to attend a feast.
"AWESOME!" She giggled, soon rolling her eyes as she heard her newfound friend swear her to secrecy."Yeah Yeah, I won't tell anypony or Griffon. Promise!" She held a talon up, glancing out of the alley at the street."Thing to remember about a prank like this, you need to pick someone that the Princess wouldn't normally be speaking too. So...hmm..."

Eyes surveyed the surroundings until she found a rather frantic looking pony, seemingly rushing to clean up a cafe."Hmm, THAT pony. He'll NEVER suspect he'd get to speak to the Princess! Plus, given how he's acting his reaction is gonna be PRICELESS!" She giggled."Go over and start acting all angry or annoyed that the cleaning wasn't done sooner. He'll be so confused it'll be hilarious!"

[Mirage Oasis]

Mirage was cloaked in green flames again as she grew several inches, gained wings and a horn, and added an almost infinite amount of mass to her haunches. Suddenly, there stood Celestia: Princess of Equestria and mover of the sun. She looked at keans with a smile. "Hello," This was the first time...ever, that Mirage had repaid someone for a meal. She was pretty sure it counted even if she was going to get to have a lot of fun too. She had always thought about impersonating the princess, but her rational side always said it was too dangerous. Now though...it was still dangerous, she just decided not to care. She walked past Keans and up to the Stallion "Hello there, citizen. Why do you look so panic'd is there anything I can do to help?"