The Mass

You sat staring at the flames of the fire in your cave, the forest gets dark quickly and you brought the three ponies to your cave for safety. Daisy and Lily had squealed when your house sharers had taken flight to begin their nightly hunting.

“So this is your home?” Lily asks, looking around. Her eyes fall on your collection of objects and her eyes go wide. “Hey, That's mine!” Lily jumps up heads to your collection and picks up a necklace. “I lost this last year!” Lily turn and gives you narrow stare.

You shrink under her gaze and try to make yourself as small as possible.

“Did you take this?” Lily questions, thrusting the necklace towards you.

You shrink further and notice Daisy and Roseluck seemed to be awaiting an answer too. You extend out a limb and write in the floor.

[I did]

The three ponies gasp in shock.

[I can explain] You write further.

“Are you some kind of stalker? A monster perv?” Lily asks.

[No]

“Then what are you? Why did you take this?”

You know bringing them here was a bad idea but you couldn't leave them outside at nightfall. You mentally sigh and think about how you are going to explain yourself.

You lift up your tentacle and slowly you write your explanation.

[Twelve hundred years ago I was brought here by Discord under the promise of giving me my dream life. I was betrayed and left here. My form was altered and it took several years for me to change into this monster. For many years I was filled with rage and hate for what Discord did to me, but I did nothing. I watched as discord plunged the land into chaos and played with the ponies. I watched as the two royal sisters rose up and vanquished him. I sat as the world continued around me. I was pathetic, I was a monster to which no animal would approach. Even the Manticores and Timberwolves dare to tread on my territory and yet I don't want to be feared.] A single tear escapes from your eye. [I want to be loved]

“But that doesn't explain why you took this.” Lily says.

[Before I came here I was a species called human, I lived on a planet called Earth. I hated my life there ,dead end job, no girlfriend, no prospects. Discord gave me a chance to turn my fortune around to give me what I craved, a life, a proper life. He wanted to give me a life full of flesh and wealth, to take me to someplace I could be me, the real me.]

“Flesh?” Daisy asks.

[Female companionship of intimate variety]

“Is that why you took this?” Lily asks, holding out the necklace again.

[Yes, I watched as Ponyville was built, as it sprang up out of the land. I made friends with a small filly who was one of the first settlers. She played with me and then one day she was attacked while gathering in the woods. I protected her and ever since I have kept a vigil on Ponyville, keeping away the most dangerous of creatures and making the town safe. Even if no pony knew I was doing it.] You pause to let the mares read to catch up.

“You where there at the founding of Ponyville?” Roseluck asks.

[Yes]

“The little filly you helped, do you remember her name?”

[No, it was so long ago]

“I think you could be talking about Granny Smith over at Sweet Apple Acres.”

[I don't know]

“You said you protected the town even when ponies didn't realise it, why?”

[Because I loved them]

“Who?” Daisy questions.

[The ponies, all of them. I loved their colours, their personalities]

“You loved all the ponies and yet you kept yourself in the dark?”

[Look at me! I'm a monster! Why would they want my help? I'm hideous!] Your body lets out painful whimpering as your emotions clash. [I'm a freak of change who should stay out of every ponies way]

“You saved me when you could have walked away, why didn't you?” Roseluck asks, standing and walking towards you. “Answer me that.”

[Because I find you attractive in more than one way] You retract your writing tentacle and head for your bed at the back of the cave. You extend out another larger tentacle and write a message before turning in for the night. [You can sleep on the soft furs by the wall there, I won't blame you for leaving before I wake up, just don't wake the bats when you leave] You slither over to your bed and lie down, you give the ponies one last look before closing your eye and drifting off.

Daisy, Roseluck and Lily all stare at the creature as it lies down on a makeshift bed at the back of the cave. The ponies cross over to the pile of furs big enough so all three of them could lie down and sleep in comfort. They lie on their bellies and whisper to each other.

“What now?” Daisy asks, her gaze drifting back to the creature.

“I feel like dirt, I should never have asked those questions.” Lily says, dropping her head. “I think I hurt him.”

“I just don't know what to do girls, I think he likes all three of us. I just don't know how to handle this.” Roseluck states, lowering her head to rest on her forelegs. “I've never had a stallion or anypony say they find me attractive before.”

“He's honest about his feelings, how many stallions could you say are like that?” Lily says.

“I know and as weird as it my sound. I'm warming up to him.” Daisy states. “He may look like some monster but he's far from it.”

“I agree.” Lily replies, nodding. “He's so nice and even though it was a shock he got us here to safety before it got dark.”

“I think we could at least do something for him, I still have the food.” Roseluck says.

“We could make him something in the morning to say thank you.” Daisy adds.

The three ponies all nod agreement before Roseluck gives the creature one last look.

“But I think we should get some rest, at least we'll be safe tonight.”

“Yeah.” Daisy and Lily reply both together.

As Daisy and Lily drift off into slumber Roseluck was looking at the creatures tentacles and several thoughts came to her head, the most prominent one was 'what exactly could he do with those limbs?'

Roseluck shook her head of the thoughts and dropped her head onto her forelegs, but not before a smile crept onto her muzzle.