Why Humans Shouldn't be Allowed in Equestria

I returned to Zecora's hut with new purpose. Aranea could tell. There was so much hope replacing the worry in our time together. She still fell asleep, but I knew. She grew more. All our time was spent inside the hut. When she woke it was inside Aranea. I was getting tired, even with the herbs to keep me up. Humans can't dedicate themselves to this twenty-four seven. Willpower was most of it.

Eighteen hours this time. This was the new standard. She woke. She started having mild recollections of what was happening in this lucid dream existence her days consisted of. Her limbs lengthened in tune with her body proportions.

“I was in a room. Rounded off, similar to the inside of an egg.”

Eighteen hours. Her growth increased commensurate with the time. Some protrusion began on the top of her head.

“There was... is... a voice. It speaks of station and responsibility.”

Eighteen hours. We were running out of materials to keep me up and capable of repeating our physical therapy portion of the meetings. A couple of days at best. I was already sleeping most of the time she was.

“Knowledge. What was for my people.”

Eighteen hours. She was between Luna and Celestia in stature.

“What is for my people. What is for others.”

Eighteen hours. The supplies ran out. Even with sleep there was no keeping up with it. If she didn't come out of it soon, it didn't matter the cause. Like a failed molt, it would kill her.

I pulled through. The object on her head branched out into tines.

Eight hours. I was caught off guard. With no supplies, no bits for outside materials, and even hope wearing thin as my energy, I couldn't keep up with the requirements. 'Sore' wasn't the word for it.

Four hours. She was nearly as big as Celestia now. I had nothing left, in any sense of the word. There was no energy. There was no strength. There was no getting it up. She saw my condition with sadness. We were so close. We couldn't get so close to the end and fail now, right? Celestia and Twilight tried to alter their magic to give energy via some theorem of their abilities. It didn't work on me or Aranea. Zecora was out of herbs, or any natural remedy.

They all saw the work put into this. They all knew how much care, love, and hope was involved. They could help. It wasn't physical, but that emotion was there. They directed it at Aranea just as I did. There was some healing, but only about half, if that. It wasn't enough.

“I'm sorry...” I leaned in and kissed her.

One last time.

For the first time, I fell out of consciousness first, right on top of her. My last sight was the others lowering their heads. They were preparing to mourn. Unlike the other times, Aranea followed me in sleep, despite not having as much as usual. It seems that one final, desperate push was made.

Twenty-four hours. Twenty-four hours later I woke up. Barely physically capable, even after all that rest. Groggy and stiff, I shambled into a standing position and looked around. Zecora, Twilight, and Luna were gone. It seems they were to let me have my moment of silence alone before preparations were made. No, not quite. There was one figure standing at the door. She was humanoid, with dark skin, a bit taller than me, with absolutely amazonian features. Despite being nude, one feature stood out among the rest. Even over her angular, vaguely native facial features that I recognized at once.

She had a crown on her head.

She was human.

She was whole.

She was Aranea.