So after I had explained to Ribbon that I was willing to do it despite how painful it would be, she had laid an egg inside me. Of course, it was unfertilized, and she was going to take it out once we got back to the hive, but still, I let her, and I don't regret it.

"So, where are we meeting with these buffalo, anyway, I know it was near Appleloosa, but where exactly?" After a nights rest at the inn, I was able to walk without it causing me any pain, and was still blushing slightly, as I followed Ribbon rather closely, hoping that nobody would notice the bulge in my stomach. I know I was going to avoid any vigorous activity like running or flight until she took it out, but I was going to carry it, consequences be damned. The feeling of warmth and comfort I felt from having it inside me kept me rather mellow and happy, if a little shy. "And once again, thank you for letting me do this for you, Ribbon." I gave a small glance down to my belly as I said that, that little content smile returning to my face.

“I should be thanking you. Even if I hated every second that I was hurting you, I loved it.”

"I know, but now that the painful part is over, this feels wonderful."

“I’m glad you feel that way.” We were approaching Braeburn’s house where the others staying. Me and Ribbon would have been staying there too, but there just wasn’t enough room as we would have been on the couch. Plus I needed some alone time with Ribbon. “You think anypony will notice?”

"I'm not sure. I hope not." That would be awkward to explain.

I opened the door, to be greeted by Applejack, Pinkie, Rarity, and Braeburn, sitting at a table playing poker of all things, Rarity was winning and AJ looked rather sore.

"Morning girls, Braeburn." I gave them a wave, while hoping they wouldn't notice the bulge caused by Ribbons egg inside me.

"Hi Chi! Hi Ribbon!" Pinkie returned my wave, grinning widely. "Who knew Rarity was so good at this game?"

"Howdy pardners, sleep well?" I could tell from the slightly annoyed look on A.J's face that she wasn't doing too well at poker.

"Charmed. You seem quite happy today, Ribbon, care to perhaps let us in on why?" Rarity gave a small grin, most likely looking for something to use as gossip.

“Oh, just, having a good day, I suppose.”

Rarity nodded, thankfully not prying any further. I did, however, notice Applejack raise an eyebrow. "Ya'll been stuffing yourself there, Chi?" Oh crap, she noticed!

"Uh, yeah, lets go with that." Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap! -Ribbon! Help me out here!-

“Guess I’m just a good cook!”

“Old Silver let you use his kitchen at the tavern? He’s never let anypony into his kitchen.” Damn you Braeburn!

*Meep!* I quickly hid behind Ribbon, a massive blush appearing on my face. Now Pinkie seemed interested! She leaned in really close to my face, her eyes glancing between Ribbon and me before they grew to the size of a dinner plate. She knew.

“Ribbon laid an egg in Chi!”

“She what!?”

“Come again?”

I was blushing so intensely, that I probably looked like a cherry, as I made what could best be described as a strangled squeak. “Rarity calm down! Pinkie brought it up on the train, so I told her what it meant and she asked for me to do it. Simple as that!”

"B-but why would Chi want that in her?!"

“Male changelings have a pouch meant to hold eggs, and letting your mate hold them is a sign of trust and love. I told her just that, and she asked to hold one. This also means Mirage will be having a sister.”

“Ooh, ooh. I have a question!” Pinkie was waving a fore trying to get Ribbon’s attention.

“Yes Pinkie?”

“She’s not a changeling, so where is she keeping it? In her tummy?”

“N-not really, no.”

“Don’t tell me its where ah think it is.”

Pinkie looked at Applejack in confusion. “In her bootie?”

“No!” was the unanimous response from everyone in the room.

“Oh.”

“Yes Applejack, that is where I put it.” I drew Ribbon into a gentle hug, hoping that having her up against me would help calm my frayed nerves.

"It... it feels so nice."

Ribbon cleared her throat, and tried to change the subject. “So when are supposed to meet with the chieftain, Braeburn?”

“Littlehorn already came and left, she’ll bring the chieftain with her later.”

"Good." I didn't let Ribbon go just yet, as I was still pretty high strung, and instead buried my still blushing face in her mane, too embarrassed to put into words.

…

“So what was it like?”

“Drop it Pinkie!”

“Okie dokie.”

After the incident where Pinkie blabbed that I was carrying Ribbons egg, we spent a while just chatting, before me and Ribbon went back out to meet the buffalo. After standing outside for a few minutes, I heard the sound of numerous hoofsteps approaching, and saw a large group of of buffalo appear over the crest of a hill, before coming down to meet us.

The largest one, who appeared to be the leader, considering the others gave him a wide berth, approached us. "Ah, so you are the one whome word has spread about."

“Yes, and because ignorance breeds fear, I’ve come to answer any and all questions you may have for me or my hive. I don’t want you fearing this town simply because there’s a few shapeshifter living in it.”

Trying my best to not let my nervousness show, I cleared my throat. "I can concur, my own experiences have shown that, unfortunately, being so radically different in appearance does not bode well with most of Equestria's populace. Something that I hope can be rectified with time."

He seemed to take a moment to think before he replied. "Your words ring true. I, Chief Thunderhoof, and my tribe, welcome you to theses lands."

“Perhaps we can start by you telling us about your lore about insect like creatures or shapeshifters?”

The chieftain seemed to think it over, no doubt think of a legend or myth that might fit. “We… may have one. Skinwalkers. Legend has it skinwalkers can have the power to read a buffalos thoughts. They also possess the ability to make any animal noise they choose, as well as turn into said animal. We believe that if you ever lock eyes with a skinwalker, they can absorb themselves into your body. Alternately, some believe that if you make eye contact with a skinwalker, your body will freeze up due to the fear of them and the skinwalker will use that fear to gain power and energy.

They are distinguishable in their buffalo or pony forms because their eyes glow like an animal's if they are in the dark and you shine light upon them. In animal form they can be spotted by moving stiffly and unnaturally, and their eyes do not glow like an animal's, as they should.”

-Ribbon? Is it creepy that nearly a third of that stuff applies to me as well?-

’You’re also undead.’

-Wouldn't that mean you like necrophilia?-

’... Shut up.’

“Skinwalkers have been known to use charms and spells to instill fear and control in their victims. Souls who have had this done to them also tend to act unnaturally, or not as themselves. I am not sure how much of this myth is true, or if it even relates to your kind."

-That sounds like what Chrysalis did to Shining.-

’It does.’ “Quite a bit, really. I could turn into several animals right now, but I do have my limits. I can turn into a foal, but not a mouse. I could turn into a manticore, but a dragon is out of the question. And changing genders would leave us sterile, so is I turned into you, I couldn’t have foals. As for gaining power from fear? No. At least, not my hive, suppose someling might be able to. And while I do have spell to control somepony’s mind, freeze them in place, or act strangely, so do unicorns.”

"Frankly, several of the the things you have mentioned do in fact apply to me, due to the circumstances of my... 'ascension.' You do know of the Nightmare, correct?"

“The nightbringer? Yes, we know of her.”

"Well, my resemblance is not mere coincidence. For lack of a better term, it used me as a medium, and unfortunately, the changes wrought by it were permanent. I... inherited some of its abilities, some of which are rather disturbing..."

“You have inherited the nightbringers power?” The look in his eyes wasn’t friendly. Well neither was the look I gave him, as I had fucking had it with being compared to her. I stàred him down, and verbally unleashed my pent up anger as I tried to hold back my tears.

"Powers I never wanted to begin with. Do you think I like being compared to that monster? Do you think I want to act so cold and distant, least I make friends that will wither away to dust? Do you truly believe, that just because I look similar to her, and have her powers, that I must be like her? I've seen things, things that would reduce a pony to a quivering, incoherent mess, yet I was unfazed. I am nothing like her. Do you even know how she came to be? Jealousy, jealousy of the lunar princesses night being underappreciated! Remember these words: dark is not evil, and light is not good. Do not judge others on what they seem like, least they become the monster they were accused of being..."

“Then I apologize. Such spoken passion is hard to come by.”

I felt something wrap around me. I looked to my side and saw Ribbon had changed her wings to match mine, and was wrapping one around me while pulling me in to lean on her. I didn't have the energy left to resist, and just let her hold me against her as I made a pathetic whimpering sound while burying my face into her mane.

-Ribbon? I think we need to leave before I do something rash or stupid.-

“I’m going to take her back to the inn. If you’ll excuse us.” Ribbon lit up her horn, and with a flash of light, teleported the two of us back to our room at the inn. When the light cleared the first thing I did, was give Ribbon a worried look.

"Ribbon? I... I need you to make sure I don't run off and do something the moment you leave or turn you back. I'm having a hard time thinking of anything but how to get revenge. I-in my bag, there should be some stuff..."

“You… planned on this happening?”

"After my little psychotic episode on our date? Definatly. Now please hurry..." I levitated my bag over, and dropped it in front of Ribbon. She levitated the suppressor ring first, slipping it onto my horn. Then a solid rubber muzzle, strapping it on nice and tight around my snout. And lastly, the straight jacket. With me not being able to go anywhere, I set my head down on Ribbons side, already appearing visibly calmer. It helped immensely when combined with the comforting warmth of Ribbons egg inside me, causing me to hum softly.

“Hmm, I’d brush your mane, but you don’t have one. But, I’ll settle for snuggles.” I gave a small nod, worming my way into her forelegs. “So why did you bring a muzzle? The other things I understand, but the muzzle?”

-So that I A. don't bite anyone, and B. Don't start screaming in the Royal Canterlot Voice.-

“You think you’ll end up that bad?”

-Better safe then sorry. Besides, don't you think I look cute like this? I'm as helpless as a newborn foal right now.- I felt my cheeks light up, before turning my head and laying it down on her shoulder.

“Well, somepony’s feeling better already.”

-can we stay like this a while? I feel all warm, fuzzy, and mellow right now. I don't want to think about what happened...-

“Yeah, I can stay and snuggle.”

-Thank you...- the feeling of Ribbon holding me was nice, and combined with the calming pressure of the muzzle and straightjacket, along with the warm, comfortable feeling of Ribbons egg, I could feel my stress being slowly washed away. -I'm scared Ribbon, these sudden urges of extreme violence originally only overcame me when you got hurt, but now they're happening whenever I get extremely emotional. Am... Am I going to become a savage, mindless shell of who I once was, locked away out of the public eye, and never spoken of again?- I felt tears begin to run down my face, as a whimper came from my throat.

“No. No, you won’t. Because I’ll always be there for you.”

-Why do ponies always assume I'm like her?-

“Didn’t humans have a term for it? Xenophobia? They’re scared of what isn’t normal, and for them thats four hooves, big round eyes, four to five feet tall, herbivore, and overly naive.”

-It still hurts to be accused of the things she did.-

“I know.” Ribbon hugged me tighter, and began gently rubbing the back of my neck.

-Do you think they'll ever see me as something other than an offshoot of her? ...I'm not a monster... am I?-

“No, you’re not a monster, and you shouldn’t think that you are.”

-Then why? Why do I go into such a frenzy? Why do I get so violent?- I had my eyes screwed shut as I tried to keep myself from crying uncontrollably. If it weren't for the muzzle, I'd be wailing in sorrow by now.

I felt Ribbon push my head back a bit, before I opened my eyes and saw here pull me into a one sided kiss with her. She didn't care if I went insane, she would love me all the same. When she finished, she held my chin up and wiped a tear from my eye. "Don't cry..." She took the time to levitate me down onto the bed softly, and positioned me so that my head would rest on a pillow, before tucking me in, still bound securely. “You can stay here for a bit, get some rest. I’ll be back.”

-You're going to... Leave me tied up?-

“Until your mood improves? Yes.” With that, she teleported somewhere, maybe back to those buffalo?