Why Humans Shouldn't be Allowed in Equestria

Despite reloading her energy reserves, it still took two days of constant rest for her to recover back to moving freely. There goes having a dick-powered superweapon. No, I can't think like that. In the back of my head I knew we were different, even without looking at her current body. But... I did love her. We were both as lonely as the other, when it all came down to it. We had enough basic supplies for that long, so I stayed by her side when possible. I learned a lot about changelings that no one ever knew before.

They all had a 'default' form like she did, it's just hard to tell unless they turn into something with more determinate features. Energy gained from emotions – they could take all kinds, but love was the best, both for energy and 'taste' – was spread across the hive. This means that, with not having to share, one really good night could give her an almost godlike level of power. Using it was a different matter. Using it all at once was kind of like me lifting a car. It's technically possible, but it tears up the body pretty bad, as well as needing an extreme moment to use it. She still wasn't back to completely healthy, but she was back on her feet. Well, hooves at the moment. I wasn't going to ask about her going back to human until she was all better.

“Feeling better?”

“I require more time to recover fully, but I am healthy enough to be alone.”

“Do you mind if I go hunting? That hydra should still be good, and who knows what we could use out of it.”

“Do not concern-” She paused. I know that space, even without a human face. She was trying to find the words for something. “Do not worry about me too much.” There was a hitch in her voice, even with the drone covering some of it. That wasn't what she was trying to say.

“Not an option.” I said with a slight smile. I headed towards the marshes. I only got a few steps.

“Wait.”

“Hm?”

“Do you find me attractive?”

“Of course I do.” I was staring towards the swamp.

“P-please Nohbodi. Look at me.” I turned around with a bit of surprise. Her first request of any kind. “Do you find me attractive at this moment?” That was what she was trying to say. There was something like fear in the air. Don't know which of us it was from more. I walked back towards her, but didn't get within arms' reach.

“Of... course I love you.”

“That is not what I had asked. Do you find this body attractive?” I rushed over and held her. You can't lie to a changeling – they know. The emotions never lie. I was nervous at the question. Worried. The fear was still there. More defeated than I'd ever been here, I answered.

“No...”

“I... Understand. Go, go to your hunting. You need to get supplies for yourself.” I stayed by her for a while, but she didn't say anything else. It was probably a terrible decision, but I kissed her, put on my clothes, grabbed a bag, and left.

There was little in the way to the swamp. Some branches of fallen trees were all that was new. They were close enough to be in the way of that beam that killed the hydra. Back when we were talking I found that Chrysalis probably could've killed Celestia during the invasion, but she got cocky and wanted to make her see the victory. It cost her the war. The line of thought followed to Aranea & I.

Did she really love me, or was I food? Did I really love her, or was it the body and knowledge of being the only human here? Would it really work? Did she hate me now? Would she really risk leaving me for her old life, as much as she hated it? I didn't think she would leave, but the idea that things could be going very wrong like that stuck with me. Depression set in quickly as I mulled over the thoughts. I rationalized it to myself. No, I was doing everything for her. Dammit, I loved her. Why can't she see that humans can't be attracted to ponies? Depression turned to resentment. Before I could screw with my own head any more, I saw the pile of flesh and bones.

The hydra skulls were still... skulls? They couldn't have rotted away that fast. One had an eye left, only slightly dessicated. Yeah, not nearly long enough. Something had been here. I'm no nature expert, but I've spent enough time in the scouts and seen enough documentaries. This wasn't right. There seemed to be eyes glowing just off the edge of my vision. That wasn't new. Out here, it always seems like something's out there.

“Awooooo...”

Shit. Something really is there this time. I'm not fast enough to outrun something huge, and Aranea's too weak to repeat that attack if I could get away. I grabbed a branch and held a foot to it to snap off a more manageable piece. Some huge, relatively dog-shaped pile of branches jumped out and growled at me. It wasted no time at lunging at me. I held the branch in front of me and it bit into it. The wood shattered completely, and I'd swear that the thing got a little bigger. Two more skulked in, a few feet off the entry point of the first. The first snapped towards me again. I held out my hands in desperation and had an upper and lower jaw in each. It's snout scrunched back and it pulled away with a yelp. I had a handful of sticks in my hands, and it had a shorter muzzle.

They were like wooden golems.

They were magical.

They were fucked.

Every bit of stress, worry, and anger turned into a rage against what had presumably cost me whatever the hydra was worth. I ran to the first and punched it in what remained of it's face. Sticks scattered and a headless body slumped to the ground. Another tried to attack. It got it's fangs around my arm, but could only make minor wounds before it's teeth broke. The third one was caught by the neck with a hand while the second was attempting to hang onto me with what amounted to gums. I squeezed and the magic holding head and body separated. Just as the second one let go I let loose with a flurry of punches at the body. I followed up with demolishing the bodies of numbers one and three.

I was left standing and panting over a pile of firewood, my knuckles bloodied from punching logs. The previous thoughts were thrust out of my head by the melee. Staring up at the sky, I yelled “You still watchin'!?” I looked at the only intact head. It wasn't moving, but the eyes still glowed. I put the bag over it, making sure not to touch it directly as I tied it up. Grabbing the hydra head that still had an eye, I went to Zecora's. dragging the sizeable skull behind me. Lucky for me bone doesn't weigh nearly as much as the whole, meat-covered head.

“What do you seek from me to know, we shall find if it is for weal or woe.”

I dumped the pseudo-living timberwolf head out of the bad, and pointed to the skull behind me, and it's drag-trail through the dirt. “What's the going rate on these?” Another despression in the ground from Zecora's jaw.

Turns out, Zecora had a small fortune saved up from selling potions and helping Twilight with research, while not needing much herself. Sure, she'd make half again as much by selling it to the finest academies Equestria had, but I didn't care. Not like I could go up there personally anyway. Probably. I'd settled on 'they're all scared of me now' and lived my life with Aranea. Maybe I should change that soon. Even with someone – if I still had her... Back to depression. For all the sack of bits got me, I was still worried. I headed home. I was pretty sure I messed up bad.

I got in sight of the place to find Aranea still there.

She was human again.

She was out cold.

I ran to Aranea and held on tightly. I thought she was dead from the stress of changing back to soon. Holding on for as long as I could, I thought about what had happened. Not just from before I left – from the beginning. Meeting, naming herself, our first time. How we honestly loved... It was true. I loved her. It wasn't just that she was the only one that could take a form I wanted. She was everything now. I could fight half the world and come out on top, but really... What's the use of ruling the place alone? I was never one for that 'it's better to be feared than loved' bullshit. Everybody needed somebody.

I needed somebody.

I needed her.

We were in our usual place in the wild, just inside of the Everfree. I tried to rouse her. It didn't work. I considered giving her energy in the usual way. No, this wasn't right. Human nature doesn't like copulating with things that you think are dead. I was tired from dragging that massive hydra skull who knows how long. I thought of any possible way to get her back.

I had nothing.

Eventually, I gave up.

Everything I had here, whether I'd like to admit it or not, was in her. That night, I fell asleep holding a corpse.