A Visit from a Friend (Silver)

[Deleted]

"This is exactly what I'm talking about. Ponies see a changeling, and automatically that changeling is hated..."

It was said softly, a grumble, but she heard it. Sweetheart flushed with embarrassment, her white fur seemingly tinting pink from all the blood rushing to her cheeks. As though she could help her reaction. As though she were somehow wrong. And it didn't help to have Pumpkin frowning at her, as though she were being completely unreasonable. Of course, Pumpkin didn't know about changelings. What they could do, and how low they would stoop to feed. Sweetheart struggled with the fury that choked her, turning to the unicorn.

"Pumpkin... I don't think you really know what you're getting in to..." Sweetheart began, hesitantly. Even when embarrassed and angry, she was more worried about the orange mare getting hurt. Changelings, Sweetheart knew, would never be able to hurt her the way they once had, never again! And if she could help it, they wouldn't hurt anypony else, either.

"I'm having a drink. With a friend. And NOT causing trouble...If you would like to join us, I'll buy you a drink. Or are you 'Too Good' to be sharing a drink with someone like me?"

That was was too much for Sweetheart to bear.

"Too Good?!" She replied slowly, angry tears welling in her eyes. She had way too much to say, and too much anger to get it out in any understandable form. There was not enough volume in the world to properly express her rage. Actions would have to suffice. "Too...good?!? Here, let me get you a drink!!" In a flash, the white mare was on her feet again, grabbing a tankard right out of the hooves of a shock-frozen stallion. She flung it at Silver as hard as she good, but she missed the changeling. On purpose...? The mug hit the opposite counter of the bar and shattered some various bottles of spirits with a satisfying crash!

[Silver Tongue]

Silver watched the Mare, and saw her emotions exploding into various directions.  Then the Tankard zipped past his head and shattered bottles on the wall behind him.  He kept his calm gaze locked onto Sweetheart.  "I don't think you know what you're getting into."  Silver quoted the mare.  "Due to the events of Canterlot, every changeling must be evil?  Need I remind you, Princess Luna became Nightmare Moon and attacked Ponyville.  Everyone now sees her as nothing but good.  Then, there's Sombra.  Made slaves out of the Ponies in the north?"  He chuckled slightly.  "Does that mean your Princesses and All unicorns are Evil too?"  He asked calmly.

He looked to the Bartender with a smile.  "Another round of drinks..." He paused, looking around.  "For everypony.  Too much tension in here."   He said calmly, setting a small bag of bits on the counter and turning back to Sweetheart.  "If there's one thing a Changeling knows, it's emotion.  You're angry, obviously, but there's more to it than that...  Come now, take a seat, have a drink.  Tell me what's wrong."  His voice calm and sincere.

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Spice was terrified at Sweetheart's sudden reaction but looked to Silver, expecting him to also be shocked but...he wasn't...he was completely calm...was he use to this reaction? That made her feel sad, she felt he deserved better than that, she felt like...she needed to protect him somehow.

[Deleted]

No one moved, not even the barkeep. The silence in the room was electric, and no one wanted to be the first to break it. For the Appleoosans, to see Sweetheart lose control- was more startling even than seeing a changeling in their town. Sweetheart took a deep breath. She wasn't any less angry, but she was more in control.

"Nightmare Moon," Sweetheart said, slowly, calmly, and coldly. "Was one pony. Sombra is one pony. One wicked pony against crowds of other ponies who are good and kind. Even if you weren't among the huge hordes of enemy changelings at Canterlot, even if you've never fed off a pony, even if you have a perfectly immaculate and spotless reputation- which I wouldn't believe for a moment, by the way...even you would have to admit that you'd be an exception, rather than the rule."

Sweetheart closed her eyes for a moment. It was easier to focus on things like that. Better not to get personal. The less changelings knew about you, the better. They'd just use it against you. They always did. Besides, that part of her life was over and there was was no point in going through all the pain again. But she would share one interesting tidbit.

"But just for the record-" she added, opening her eyes to glare into Silver's, "I was nowhere near Canterlot when the changeling army invaded. My hatred of you and your kind was hoof tailored by one of your own brethren and is purely personal."

[Silver Tongue]

Silver smiled softly at Sweethearts response to what he said.  "That's the point I'm making.  Lumping everyone together into one group isn't fair.  While I'm not flawless, I am the exception to the rule... I haven't fed on love for... quite a long time.  Most Changelings take the form of someone else just to feed on love, I understand that.  And I'm sure that's probably what happened to you.  But I'm different, obviously.  I'm sitting in the middle of a town like THIS instead of in disguise."  He said, shifting his form back to his normal Unicorn-look.  "Which I could easily do, and you know that."  He muttered and shifted back.  

He looked to Pumpkin with a sad look.  He placed a hoof on her shoulder and smiled.  "I know you said you wanted to protect me.  This is the kind of thing I go through a lot.  Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."  he looked back to Sweetheart.  "Now, how about that drink, then, Miss Sweetheart?"  He asked, his face still calm and sincere, ready to show he's not a bad changeling.  He looked back to the bartender, and everypony else who hadn't moved.  He levitated the bits over, dropping them on the counter in front of the bartender.  "Please, a round of drinks for everyone..."

[Deleted]

Spice just sat silently in the middle of it all, she didn't understand why everyone couldn't just get along, back in Vanhoover she was taught to never judge a book by it's cover, hence how she accepted Silver so easily, she had ignored the rumours about Changelings, she hadn't even heard much about the incident that happened in Canterlot but either way, Silver had proven his friendship to her and she wasn't going to let it go just over what he was, he had had all the chances in the world to feed on her but he hadn't even tried, that's how she could trust him so much.

[Deleted]

I hate them. Sweetheart thought to herself. Look at him playing the sympathy card like that. 'Oh, I'm just a poor changeling, I'm not bad, everyone misjudges me, poor, poor me.' What a load. The white mare wished desperately for Braeburn, for one of her brothers, for somepony that would just hold her for a moment and tell her that everything was going to be all right.

Sometimes, however, you just have to face the world on your own. Sweetheart approached the bar numbly. She picked up the drink the uncertain bartender handed her. A few other ponies followed behind, getting drinks as well. And suddenly, Sweetheart knew she was not so alone, after all. These ponies of Appleoosa, the ones she'd helped and been helped by, the ones that had struggled and fought to make Appleoosa into home- They were with her. She turned to Silver.

"I would sooner drink mud," Sweetheart announced, loudly, "Than any drink that you bought me." with that, she turned her mug upside-down, letting the sarsaparilla pour out onto the floor. Behind her, she could hear a number of ponies doing the same. Setting her mug gently on the counter, she made her way towards the door without another word.

[Silver Tongue]

Silvers eyes narrowed at Sweetheart as she spoke.  'I'd sooner drink mud, than any drink you bought me.'  The words stung, that's for sure.  Then, the pouring of the sarsaparilla.  Adding insult to injury.  He thought for a moment, his face angry as he looked at everyone in the tavern.  Those who had poured out their drinks and those who hadn't.  "So, you ARE too good to drink with me..."  He said offhandedly.  "Listen to me, Sweetheart."  There was an edge to his voice that was impossible to ignore.  "I tried to be civil, but it seems that's not what you want here.  I wanted to be a friend.  Show that I'm different.  But none of you can understand that."  He growled.

"Good Ponies don't need rules.  You do NOT want to find out why I have so many.  I can be your best friend, or your worst nightmare.  It's your choice."  He snapped, finishing his drink and heading for the door, making a point of pushing past Sweetheart.  He'd felt the sting of the hate before, but there was something about it happening here that drove the point home.  Pumpkin saw the good in him, and saw that he could be a friend.  But everypony else just saw what Chrysalis had made them do.  

The sun had started setting, and the train had just pulled out of the station.  He'd have to stay in the town for the night, or walk home...  He grumbled to himself and made his way to the Inn, shifting back into his normal form while he walked. 

He entered the inn and rang the bell, awaiting service.

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Behind the desk, there was a small room tucked under the stairs leading up, hardly more than a closet. From this room issued a muffled sniff, then "I'll be right there..." Slowly, Sweetheart got up from her bed and gave herself a look-over in the mirror. She looked really, truly, awful. Her eyes were pink- well, they were always pink, that was their color- but the whites were red from crying and she had dark circles underneath those eyes now.

Sweetheart hadn't meant to cry when she got home, it was just something that started the moment she'd stepped through the door. And once it began, she simply couldn't stop it, so she'd hidden herself away. But now, a guest was waiting. She had to pull herself together. With a sigh, she pushed open the door and stepped into the lobby.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting," Sweetheart said in a rather wobbly voice that she was trying to make sound bright and cheerful. "Now, Welcome to Sweet Hearth Stables! What...can I... do for...you." Sweetheart trailed off as she saw who it was- and recognized them. Had she not already been a white pony, Sweetheart would have gone pale. As it was, a new grey tinge to her face was the best she could do. Sweetheart tried to get angry, tried to call back all the hate, but she just didn't have the energy.

Sweetheart looked at Silver with a tired, reproachful face. A face that said 'Really? What did I ever do to deserve this?' She waited, without saying another word.

[Deleted]

Spice had just stayed silent before Silver walked out, she finished up her drink then tried to follow him, stopping as she turned to the ponies in the saloon "honestly, I'm ashamed of all of you, just because he's different you treat him like manure, you're all sheep in the end...following each other to the same eventual place, whether it be a good or bad place, I came to this town with high hopes, you treated me all with kindness, despite the fact I was from far away, but today you have shown me a whole new side of you, a side I never wish to see again, I really am disappointed in all of you" she said in a cold and saddened tone of voice before leaving the saloon and looking around for Silver, walking the streets sadly, hoping that she could find Silver before it got too dark.

As she looked all over for Silver and the stars twinkled in the now night sky, the young adult pony managed to lose the town and ended up a few yards away from it but not noticing, too focused on searching for her friend who she intended to defend with all her strength.

Suddenly she heard a piercing howl nearby and she realized she wasn't in the safety of the town any-more, taking a sudden gasp she froze in fear, looking around as she heard the sudden thudding of paws surround her "S-Silver? Is that you?...This isn't the time for games! I came to bring you back to my house so you can spend the night there! I have a pull-out couch so its okay" she said, hearing no response and a snarling she started to back away before she heard something behind her, coming face to face with a pack of Tumble Wolves.


Spice let out a scream that could be heard all the way back in the town as it echoed across the plains, travelling through the streets as ponies came out of their homes with worried looks on their faces, they knew it was Spice's scream.

[Silver Tongue]

Silver had looked away for a moment, digging his bits out.  "Oh, it's no problem, I'm not in a hurry."  He said, looking up with a soft smile.  A smile that quickly fell away as his eyes befell the pink haired pony once again.  "Well... I was going to rent a room for the night..."  He paused, looking around.  "But I can see there are no vacancies.  You have a good night."  He said, his voice level and calm as he turned to walk out.  His ears twitched as he heard a sharp scream.  "That's not a good sign."  He said quickly, looking back to Sweetheart for a moment.  He wasn't sure who the scream belonged to, but he knew they were in trouble.  "Get the sheriff, just in case."  He said before taking off through the front door.

His shape shifted back to his normal form and he took to the air, looking for the source of the scream.  It didn't take long at all until he spotted the pack of Tumblewolves and a pony.  His self preservation was cast out the window, wanting to prove himself to this town, and he dove.  A green aura coating him as he shot toward the ground between the pony and the wolves.  A cracking noise rose as he hit the ground, a cloud of dust following shortly after.  He hadn't hit any of the wolves, but it was still something.  As the dust cleared, he stood up, baring his fangs at the wolves with a hiss.  He chanced a glance at the pony he was trying to help.

"P-Pumpkin!?"  He gulped.  This was worse.  He was sure that whoever he was helping would probably help as well, and that's what scared him the most right now.  he didn't want to see Pumpkin getting hurt... The one pony that stood up for him.  "Sorry about this."  A green flash and Silvers form shifted into that of a Diamond Dog.  Scooping up Pumpkin and holding her tight, he ran (read: Awkwardly Quick-Hobbled) back toward the town.  When he was back in far enough to know that Pumpkin would be safe, he stopped and set her back down, his form shifting back to the Dark-Grey chitinous form he was used to.

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There was a moment... just a moment... where Sweetheart looked into Silver's eyes and saw, not a changeling, but another pony, worried just as she was about that scream. Someone was in trouble, and that was the most important thing. That was why there was no hesitation, no arguing, just a quick nod as Sweetheart flashed out the door after him and disappeared into the darkness as she tore down the street towards the Sheriff's office.

She didn't even need to come to a full stop, Sheriff SilverStar had heard the cry too, and was standing at his door, looking around. Sweetheart gestured in the direction Silver Tongue had gone, and without waiting to be told, ran on to rally more ponies.

That was why, the moment that Silver Tongue set Pumpkin down again, an entire protective crowd of Appleoosans, including Sweetheart herself, closed around them to face down the tumblewolves that had followed. The weedy wolves didnt like being deprived of their prey, but facing a mob wielding hoes, pitchforks, axes and (most feared of all for tumblewolves)torches, they contented themselves with snarls and howls before slinking back off into the darkness.

[Deleted]

"So...tired..."

Rufus got off the last train running for the night, slowly making his way down the main (and only) road of Appaloosa. He hadn't been back here since he had stayed in Sweetheart's inn sometime in the summer.  Unfortunately, he hadn't had too much luck finding gems then, but Rufus had recently heard of a particularly gem rich area near the abandoned mines here, so Rufus was going to try it again.

...Tomorrow. Rufus hadn't slept in a while, and it was way too dangerous to go out at night with there being things like Tumblewolves out and about. So, he opted to go and spend the night at Sweetheart's inn before heading out. Rufus was looking forward to it; Sweetheart had been one of the few ponies who was kind to him during his last visit here. And, he could've sworn that when the rest of the town found out she was being nice to him, they acted a bit nicer too.

Suddenly, Rufus could hear commotion somewhere a little bit out of town. He couldn't tell what it was, but it involved howling and screaming. Rufus quickly hid behind the nearest building and watched as he saw Sweetheart from her inn and alert the sheriff, and soon the townsfolk came out of their homes and rallied against a pack of tumblewolves, driving them away. From the looks of it, somepony had been in danger of them, but thankfully got away. Rufus breathed a sigh of relief, then slowly and warily approached the crowd to find Sweetheart.

Rufus came up from behind Sweetheart, trying to make his presence known so that he wouldn't jump her, then asked, "Sweetheart? What's happening? Is everything alright?"

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Spice was glad when it seemed someone had heard her cries and come to save her...well...she assumed it was someone but with their entrance she was unsure if it was a pony or not, as the pony turned around and spoke "P-Pumpkin!?" she couldn't help but smile, it was Silver, he'd come to rescue her.

As he got her to safety Spice just smiled and hugged Silver tightly "thank you so much..." she whispered. She then turned to see the rest of the Appleloosans, seeing them band together in a protective circle she couldn't help but let a few tears fall from her eyes, those were the ponies she knew and loved, protecting others when they needed it most.

Once the Tumblewolves had gone Spice looked to Silver "I'm sorry...I went looking for you so I could tell you that if you wanted to you could spend the night at my house on the pull-out couch" she said, seeming almost embarrassed.

[Silver Tongue]

Silver was still pretty out of it.  It was a relatively short run, but he wasn't used to the form of a Diamond Dog, so the magic drained him quite a bit more.  He lay still until Pumpkin wrapped him in a tight hug, which he returned wholeheartedly. "Don't be sorry."  He said softly.  "I shouldn't have left you... I was just... Angry at everything, Everypony..."   he looked around himself seeing the ponies surrounding them.  He sighed, grumbling to himself, figuring they were here to chastise him some more...

But then he noticed they were here not standing against him, but standing WITH him.  He breathed another sigh of relief, looking around the crowd and spotting Sweetheart. A sad smile crossed his face, and he looked back at Pumpkin.  "I don't know if that'd be a good idea.  The town is uneasy enough with me around..."  He said softly, nuzzling his friend.  "I'm just glad you're okay..."

He stood, walking toward the back of the crowd and weaving through it.  He stopped for a moment in front of Sweetheart, not making eye contact with he.  "I'll be going now... You guys have had enough of me, I'm sure."  He said, continuing to walk.  He stopped, hearing a familiar voice.  "Rufus?  Great timing, I was just heading out...  I don't belong here."