“Oh? Like what?”

“Hm… what haven’t I told you about me… You found out I was in the army at one point right?” She nods. “You heard how I got drafted?” Again she nodded, a little hesitantly. “Right… Oh! Here’s a little something that might surprise both of you. You know how I was always into cars and stuff?” I asked towards Corey, to which he nodded at.

“Yeah, you wouldn’t stop talking about the fucking Ford gt40 or some shit.”

“Dude, that’s the nintine sixty-nine Ford gt forty mauk two you’re talking about, one of the most badass-looking race cars ever made.”

“Whatever dude, where the hell are you going with this?”

“Ok, you remember everyone saying they wouldn’t be surprised if they saw me grow up to become a mechanic?” He nods. “Well, turned out I would go on to get a job at some robotics company. At least, the robotic wing of that company I think.” Both Corey and Brit put on surprised faces.

“Woah dude, really?” I nod. “What’s this place called?” I had to scratch my chin for this.

“I think it was… Oh yeah! I used to work for D.A.R.P.A.” At the mention of that facility they both gawk at me.

“Are you fucking me right now!? You worked for fucking DARPA!?” I nod. “Dude. You have to tell me what you did in there.”

“You know I can’t tell you what we did. Well, I guess one thing I can tell you is that I worked on making robots for the military.”

“Oh! Is that how you made Spark and Golden?”

“Spark, yes. Golden, no. He actually comes from a different dimension. Whenever he comes here he’s turned into a robot.”

“Oh, huh. So there are from different dimensions. Cool. But god dammit you worked for DARPA!” A shudder went up my spine. “Woah, dude, you alright?”

“Yeah. I’m fine. I just can’t get this feeling of... dread.”

“Really?” I nod. “Huh, any idea what it could be?”

“No, but I have inkling as what, or who, it could be from.”

“Who?” Brit asked.

“The girls.”

“Who?”

“You know; Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie-”

“Oooh right, them. Their names are kinda hard to remember.”

“Right? They have a weird naming system here... Hey, any of you seen Spark around?”

“Yeah, I think she was in the living room.” Corey answered.

“But she isn’t there.” I peer out the kitchen to the living room. And Spark isn’t there.

“She was with us out in the town earlier. I think she’s still out n’ about.” He pauses, as if he thought of something. “Oh dude! How did you, like, make Spark. Last time I knew robots weren’t capable of showing emotions n’ shit.”

“I actually don’t know for certain. But I think it has something to do with all the magic here. I didn’t program her with the array of emotions she has currently. She developed them on her own.”

“Woah. Dude. That’s creepy.” I quirk up a brow.

“Why?”

“‘Cuase doesn’t that mean she's gonna get all ‘Terminator’ on us?” I chuckle. “What?”

“Dude. I already gave her free will. If she were to go ‘Terminator’ on us she would’ve done so a long time ago.”

“Oh… Huh.”

“Yeah, mind blown right?” He nods and I get up, grabbing all our dirty dishes and putting them in the sink. “I’m gonna check on Chrysi.” They nod to me and I head to the living room. From the corner of my eye I saw them starting to make out before I leave the kitchen.

-Ch, amateurs.-

=Fuck off Embris, as if you even know how to kiss like that.=

-Of course I do you fucking retard! We’re literally parts of Ember! Remember dip-shit!?- I ignored them and made my way to the living room, were Chrysi was still captivated on the couch, staring mindlessly at the t.v.

“You ok there Chrysi?” She flinches when I speak.

“Oh! Uh, hey Ember. How long have you been standing there?”

“Not long. You ok? You’ve been staring at that thing ever since I woke up.”

“Oh, I’m fine. I’ve just never seen anything like this!”

“Oh.”

“I mean. It’s a moving picture. I just… I’m speechless. Is there more of your human technology like this?”

“More or less. Almost everything back home has a screen on it these days.”

“Wooooooow, that’s amazing!”

“Yeah I know.” I say smugly, taking the ego boost. But then another shudder rolled through my body.

“Hey, are you ok?” Chrysi suddenly asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I just feel like something’s happening. I don’t like it, making me all paranoid n’ shit.” I walk over to the window facing the front yard and look out. Seeing nothing in the distance. But I just continued to stare, waiting for this feeling to go away. My dogs, which happen to be laying around in the room, picked up on my feeling and stood up to sit by me, Penny coming to nuzzle my hand. I start petting her head in hopes of getting rid of this feeling. I hate it, I hate how I feel like there’s something coming my way, and I don’t know what it is. At least I have an idea as what, or who, it might be. Could it be Rainbow? Nah, she doesn’t have to gall to come near me at that moment. Then there’s Applejack, fuck, it has to be her. Why else would I be dreading something? She obviously went to the girls to tell them how I acted towards her after she tried to apologize for calling my dogs ugly. I mean, it’s not like I don’t know what I did was wrong, but in my defense. It was,I found out, six in the fucking morning. That night I only got seven hours of sleep. And last time I checked, the average adult need nine to ten hours of sleep. And missing out on that last three hours makes a HUGE difference to me. If even miss out on a half hour my nine to ten hours of sleep. My whole day is ruined, and from happened, I get really irritable, if not downright angry.

“You waiting for somepony Ember?” Chrysi got next me and my dogs without me noticing.

“I guess so. I can’t help but feel I’m waiting for someone.”

“Oh, what for?”

“I… don’t know. But if it’s what I think it’s for. I’m not gonna stick around.” I keep staring out the window, waiting.

“Why?”

“Remember when Aj came by two days ago?” I turn to her and she nods slowly, apprehension slowly forming. “Well, I think it has something to do with her. And maybe Rainbow.”

“Oh… Wait, so you’re not going to talk to them?”

“I rather not. At least, not until I don’t get the feeling to punch them whenever I see them.” She winces.

“Then.. what are you going to do if they come?”

“I don’t know, maybe head into the Everfree?”

“But that’s crazy!” She gawks at me.

“You know I can handle myself in there for as long as I need to.”

“I know, but...” I quirk up a brow.

“But what?” It takes her some time to respond.

“Nothing.” I keep staring at her with my brow raised.

*She hiding something.* “Alright.” I turn back to the window and freeze at what I saw. There, in the distance, coming right down the path to my house, are the girls. Including Rainbow. And if I’m seeing things correctly, they all have determined looks. Besides Fluttershy, she looks like she’d rather be home than here.

“Why do I have to be right?” I state dryly.

“What?” She turns to the window. “Oh.”

“I’ll be back… sometime.” I look to my dogs. “Stay.” I gave them treats before I head outside and start walking towards the forest, the last fucking thing I want to do at this time is talk to Applejack or Rainbow. And I am going to make damn sure that I see to it. At least, until I manage to keep calm around them.

“There he is! Ember!” And I made the stupid decision of leaving through the front door. Greeeeaaaate. “Ember!” I just keep walking towards the Everfree. Like Fluttershy’s place, my house sits at the edge of town. So it’s not much of a walk to find the one path the leads into the forest. I can hear galloping behind me. So you know what I did? I took to the air with one, hard, flap of my draconic wings. I was in the air and over the Everfree in no time until Twilight caught up to me.

“Ember!” Of course, Rainbow didn’t come along.

“Yeah?” I start scouting for a hole in the tree canopy, somewhere to land.

“Do you mind telling me why Applejack was a nervous wreck when her sister brought me to her farm?”

“Didn’t Aj tell you?”

“Well, yes, but-”

“Then I don’t to tell you.”

“But, why!?” I turn my head towards her.

“It was early in the morning, she called my dogs ugly, and it was early in the fucking morning. And I hate mornings.”

“Really!? That’s what this is all about!?” She yells in an exasperated tone, with of irritation and anger.

“Pretty much.”

“Ugh! You never make sense!”

“Since when is anything supposed to make sense, Twilight?” I ask rhetorically. I spot a large enough hole in the trees and head for it. I glance behind me and see that Twi is staring at me with a weird expression, as if I had a second nose on my forehead before landing. I flip her the bird for fun before I walk aimlessly around the forest.

Ok so, walking in this place has given me time to calm down and get my mind straight. Despite there being the nearly constant abuse of a manticore or a timberwolf. At least I can make quick work of them. But nevermind that, right now I need to reevaluate things. I know I can forgive Aj and Rainbow if they ever decide to say sorry. Again for Aj, but I don't think Rainbow would come up to me to say say sorry on her own. No, she’s too full of pride to go in her own, she’s always gonna need her friends to make her do that.

Figures for the Element of Loyalty. Am I right?

Besides all that bullshit, something is watching me in this forest. What it is, it hasn’t decided to attack me. Probably doesn’t want to end up as a pile of meat. I’ll give it that. GAH! Dammit there’s too much going through my head! URGH I need to stop thinking about the girls!

“Damnit!” I cast a gauntlet over my hand and punch a tree. Taking a chunk off of it. I then hear some snickering in the background. “And you can stop spying on me you prick!” A gasp is what I get.

“How did it hear us?” Oh, so there’s more than one? Great.

“I can hear you idiots! You can either fuck off or stay and have me find your dumbasses!”

“Hey! We’re not donkeys!” I see two changelings jump out from a bush. Both taking defensive stances. “Who are you anyway? We’ve never seen anything like you!”

“Name’s Ember. Human.” I answer, at that they both freeze.

“Wait, you're that human the hive’s been talkin’ about?”

“Do you know any other human that exists in this place? And what ‘hive’ are you talking about?”

“Oh, right! Uhh…” One of them pensively puts a holed hoof to its chin. “You remember those changelings that came by your… home, a long time ago?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, they’re part of our hive. And I guess a hive is like… all our minds are connected.”

“Oh! Like bees or ants?”

“I guess so.”

“Ok, but explain why you two were following me. Now.”

“We were bored.” One of them simply states.

“Ah. Ok, see ya then.” I wave to them before I start walking off. Hopefully they would-

“Hey! Wait!” Oh of course not. Why are the populace of this planet so painfully predicable?

“What do you want?” I say with as much irritation I could pour into a simple sentence. They both cower back a little, but push on with what they want to say.

“Um, can you, come back to the hive with us?”

“Why should I?”

“We… The Queen requests you come with us.”

“And if decline?” They pause, as if listening to something. Must be that ‘hive mind’ thing they mentioned.

“We’re just asking if you could come with us. The queen has some questions she would like to ask you.” I weighed my options: On one hand, I get to meet a few changelings, and their queen, and maybe learn about these things. Or option two, go back home and deal with the girls.

Since when was there a choice anyway?

“Sure, why not? I’ll go.” They smile me. Those fang-filled maws almost put me off since they’re smiling like maniacs.

“Follow us please!” They both chime at the same time. I wonder if they’re twins.

Anyway, they both lead through the forest, onto a path the eventually ended at some ominous-looking cave. With some kind of grey gunk covering part of the cave mouth. i follow them into the cave, which proved to be a challenge as it got dark once we were deep in the cave.

“You guys mind if I give myself some light? Kinda hard for me to see in here.”

“Sure.” I heard one of them say. “Just don’t make it too bright.”

“Got it.” I hold my hand up and a little ball of light flickers to existence. Emitting a dull glow that allowed me to see the two changelings I was following. Along with the many that made this place their home, some fliched when the light meet their eyes, some glanced at me, and others just plain didn’t care, all their eyes glowing as soon as the light shown. The glow wasn’t enough to see how big the cave was, but I had a damn good idea as to how big it was. Since I noticed all the tiny little echos that rang around the cave. I hazard to guess that where I stand a small, five bedroom, house would easily fit in here. I kept my focus on the two bugs in front of me until they lead to a large, semi-lit room. Which struck me as odd since this was a cave, and that it was lit. Did they carve out this room? And how are those crystals giving off light.

“We brought the human, your majesty.” I heard one of them say. I turn to where, or who rather, it was talking to. And see that I was about ten yards behind them and that there was a crude throne at the opposite side of the semi-lit room. And this room was more like a theatre it was that huge. On either side of the path that lead to the throne, sat tables upon tables of rock where changelings milled about each other, except that they were all silent even before I walked in here. And all their eyes were glued to me. Some had blank looks, some looked to be surprised, and others were just cast bored looks at me. I remember that I was supposed to be following the changelings that lead me here and walked over to them. Stopping just behind them.

“I see, thank you forty-two and fifty-seven. You are free to go.” They bow and leave the room. “You all may go, I wish to speak with this creature in private.” All the changelings in the massive room grumble and leave, closing the huge doors I failed to notice behind them with a resounding thud.

“So this is the human that spared my children some time ago?” She asks me. Since I’m mere yards away from her I got to get a good look at her. At least, I assume it female. It had this double-toned voice that resembled a woman’s voice.

“That’d be correct.” I answer. She smiles softly at me. A large set of vampire-like fangs protrude from her upper-jaw.

“I must thank you for doing so. And I assume you didn’t notify the ponies of our presence?” I nod. “Again, many thanks.” She takes on a thankful/relieved expression. “It is difficult to find a sufficient source of love without… running into ponies.”

“I can imagine. What with the whole Chrysalis fiasco.” She shoots me a critical look when I mention Chrysalis.

“How do you know that?”

“A friend of mine told me. It’s more or less common knowledge that she tried to take over Canterlot.”

“Oh, I see...” She trails off with a thoughtful look on her face.

“If I may ask,” I try to steer the convo in a different direction. “why is it hard for you to get love? And you feed on that emotion, right?” I feign ignorance I probably fucked up by asking why it’s hard for them.

“We have been reduced to trapping animals and drawing love from them, it’s enough to keep us feed. But not enough to keep us healthy. And yes, we do feed on love.”

“I see...” I mull over what she said. They can get love from animals? How intelligent are these fucking animals? “Well, maybe I can help with the love problem?” She shoots me a skeptical glare.

“How can you, a human, possibly help us?”

“Well, the ponies of a town I live in accepted me fairly quickly. Why not you and your changelings?”

“They accepted you because one of your kind didn’t try, and fail, at capturing a city.”

“Oh please,” I drawl. “Look at me!” I wave a hand at me. “I look more like a monster than you to those ponies! No offence.”

“Hmm… I see your point. And none taken.” She agrees. “But,” damnit. “how would you go about helping us?”

“Simple,” I respond. “since most ponies see me as a friend. I can introduce you, or some changelings, to them as friends of my own. And then later explain to them that there are more of you on the brink of starvation. And if I know these ponies, which I mostly do. They’ll get all sappy and waste no time helping you all out.” I pause. “Though… there may be a few that might not like the idea.” A few of them being Rainbow and Twilight. Especially Twilight.

“...” She didn’t immediately respond.

“... Say, you mind if I do somethin?”

“Hmm?”

“It’s just a spell that shows me your anatomy. So can I? I’m a little curious as to how your body functions.”

“... I suppose. It is the least I can do since you are willing to help us. Just don’t try anything funny.”

“Got it.” I say before I prep the spell Twi taught me. I focus my magic on a mental mantra as the spell manifested and wreathed itself over the queen. And an x-ray of the queen soon took form mentally. *Interesting. No liver, no digestive track, no kidneys, no spleen, large unknown organ, could be egg sack if what I assume is correct sitting where the digestive tract would be, yup, definitely that. And bodily functions are slower than normal human functions, could be due to the shortage of sustenance. Or it could be natural for them.* “Interesting.” I absentmindedly comment.

“What was that?”

“Uh. I was just saying you changelings have an interesting biology. Do you happen to know any male counterpart to a queen?” She grins widely.

“Of course! Guards!” The doors swing open and two changelings in awesome dark armor approach us. “Go get, him.” They nodded and left, closing the doors behind them. “They will return with what you need. In the meantime. Would you like to talk?”

“Sure, I’m game. Thought, I would still like to ask a few questions.”

“Well, by all means, ask away.” She reclines in her throne to get into a relaxed position.

“Alright, how do changelings work as a whole?”

“We operate as one unit when it comes to making home home every changeling has their job.”

“Ok. Then when it comes to gathering food?”

“I have my children form teams of no less than ten whenever I have them gather more love for the hive.”

“Cool. How about individually?”

“My children… are not the most social group. Why would they? Their only purpose is to serve their Queen. Me.”

“Does that mean they each don’t have a separate personality?”

“Oh no. My children are all unique. They just don’t go making friends. They don’t need to.”

“And yet they work together for certain things?”

“As I have said. Their purpose to serve me.”

“I see… How do you feed?”

“This is… hard to explain to a non-changeling.” She stated.

“Well, I ain’t gonna be leaving anytime soon.”

“Very well. Let us start from the beginning. When love is shared between two ponies for example. Their love is directed at each other. Now. My children can do one of two things: Take the place of one of those ponies. Or take one or both of them back to the hive.” I was about to ask how they feed but she continued, seeing my confused face. “Love has to be directed to a changeling in order for it to feed. Whether it be forcefully taken or unknowingly.”

“Oh… how do you take it forcefully?”

“Ah… We… incapacitate our victim and insert them in one of our many pods.”

“‘Pods’?”

“A shell we use to keep ponies alive and healthy. It is filled with this viscous fluid that is full of nutrients that ponies need to not starve.”

“I see. Then how do you go about extracting love from them like that?”

“We have spells that keep them asleep with memories of their loved ones repeating themselves in their dreams.”

“So that’s how you do it...” Mutter under my breath.

“Excuse me?”

“Oh. I’ve just always been curious about changelings ever since I heard about them-” The doors open and I turn to see who just entered. It was the same two armored changelings from before but now there was a much bigger changeling between them. And it looked much different from the Queen. First thing I noticed was the large scorpion-like stinger stuck out from where its tail would be. And then it had this webbing where a mane would be, looked like it belonged to some type of fish, and it had fangs that stuck out like that of a saber-toothed tiger. And its eyes were a bright red. They were just the Queens, almost dragon-like. But instead of being a bright blue, his were a solid garnet color. He looked fearsome with eyes that color. And in combination with the gnarled horn and legs full of holes made him look all the more threatening.

“What the hell is that thing!?” He asked in disgust as he looked at me. I quickly glance back at the Queen. Mouthing ‘Can I?’. And she obliged, I grin widely and turn back to him.

“I am a human. And I don’t take kindly to insults like that.” I walk closer to him, with he being bound at the hooves he couldn't move much. Plus the two armored changelings kept him in place. And bent over to get close to his face. “So this is going to happen in one of two ways; one, you apolog-” he spat at my face. Right at my cheek just before my lips. And that pissed me off. So you know what I did? I stood back up, wipe my face of the spit with my magic, cast a gauntlet over my right hand, and deliver thee, most, satisfying punch to the jaw I have ever given. And it felt good. There was a loud *CRACK* and he fell to the floor.