The Broken One

I stared at the changeling as she slept on the couch, my mind racing as I tried to comprehend just how Fluttershy had managed to get her inside. I asked that very question and received the oddest look before being told I carried her in. I looked at Fluttershy and back to the changeling several times before sighing.

“What’s wrong”, Fluttershy asked from the kitchen.

“Nothing”, I replied as I passed behind her, frightening her.

I smiled, grabbed a chair and carried it to the living room. Fluttershy followed me with a confused look on her face, cocking her head to the side when I set it in the middle of the floor and flopped down. I patted my lap and gave a surprised laugh as she calmly walked over and climbed up. I silently stroked her mane as we stared at the changeling.

“I wonder where she came from”, Fluttershy pondered, sighing with contentment as my fingers ran through her mane.

“I’m not sure”, I said needlessly. “Before now I had never even heard of changelings.”

We sat and chatted for a while, the whistling of a teapot interrupting our comfort momentarily when the sweet Pegasus hopped down and left the room. I watched her go, my mind wrestling with itself as to how I should approach my current situation.

“Wh-where am I”, a groggy voice asked, breaking me from my thoughts.

“You’re safe”, I said quietly. “For now, anyways.”

At that moment Fluttershy returned with a tray balanced on back. Seriously, what is it with these ponies and carry shit on their backs?! She gasped in surprise as she noticed the changeling was awake and rushed back to the kitchen whimpering apologies about not bringing enough cups.

“We’ll talk privately”, I muttered darkly just before Fluttershy came back again.

The buttery pony settled the tray on the table at the end of the couch and began pouring cups of tea, fussing at me as I stood to get my cup. I sat back down and accepted the cup gratefully when she held it out to me. Turns out I like hot tea. Well, Fluttershy’s hot tea.

“Now then”, she said quietly after she had served the changeling, “Would you mind telling us a little about yourself?”

“Why”, the changeling asked in contempt as she set the teacup aside.

“B-because”, Fluttershy began before freezing in fear.

“Don’t be a bitch”, I said sharply.

“I’m a changeling, not a dog”, the obstinate creature grunted.

“Look, can you at least tell us your name”, I growled.

“Why?”

“Because I refuse to keep calling you ‘the changeling’ all the time”, I sighed. “Either tell us your name or I make one up for you.”

“Go right ahead”, the changeling scoffed.

“I’m thinking ‘Fuzzyswaddle McSnookums’ is a good one”, I mused aloud.

“My name is Cindra”, she said quickly.

“Cindra”, I repeated. “Cool name.”

“Your names are Jackson and Fluttershy”, she said, hissing slightly on the s sounds.

“That’s right”, I replied. “Where ya from?”

“I’m not fucking telling you”, Cindra spat.

“How is she the only one that knows that word”, I shouted, pointing at Cindra as I turned to Fluttershy who shrugged.

“Why is that important”, the changeling asked.

“Because I ain’t from here”, I grinned.

“Ponyville”, Cindra asked.

“Equestria”, I replied with an even wider grim.

“What”, she asked, her eyes going wide.

“It’s a long story”, I laughed.

Cindra shook her head and looked down, her eyes closing for several seconds when her gaze fell on her magic prosthetic. I saw a bit of sadness, but I couldn’t quite place the other emotions. I caught Fluttershy’s attention and motioned my head toward the melancholy mare. Fluttershy squinted her eyes before comprehension dawned on her.

“What’s wrong, Cindra”, Fluttershy asked sweetly.

“It would’ve been better if you had let him kill me”, she whispered as she stood from the sofa.

“That’s not true”, the Pegasus argued softly.

“Yes it is”, Cindra suddenly shouted.

“Why”, I asked with a hand on my sword.

“I can’t go back to the hive now”, she growled with tears in her eyes.

“Hive”, I repeated.

“With this leg I can’t transform properly”, she heaved, ignoring my questioning glance. “Any defective changeling is disposed of quickly. My life is forfeit.”

“Wait, what was that about transforming”, I asked.

“It’s how we hide in plain sight”, she said.

A flash of green light emanated from her body, blinding me temporarily. I rubbed the spots from my eyes and was shocked to see two versions of Fluttershy standing before me. I looked from one to the other and was amazed that the only difference between the two was that one had a golden foreleg. I continued staring in amazement for several seconds before another flash of light blinded me again.

“That was awesome”, I laughed as I blinked my eyes clear.

“Yeah, right”, Cindra sighed.

“Since you can’t go home”, Fluttershy interrupted, “you’ll live here with us.”

“No”, she replied right before I did.

“Fluttershy, I don’t trust her”, I said sternly.

“I’m standing right here”, she huffed indignantly.

“I know that”, I smirked.

“Jackson”, Fluttershy fussed, “There’s no need for hostility.”

“Look, I won’t take a chance on her eating one of us”, I reasoned.

“I DON’T EAT PONIES”, Cindra shouted loud enough to make my ears ring.

“Oh, then what do you eat”, Fluttershy asked. “I can make you something.”

“You don’t make what I eat”, she replied evenly.

“What the hell do you eat, then”, I asked in exasperation.

“Emotions”, Cindra muttered quietly. “Specifically the two L’s.”

“What are the two L’s”, Fluttershy asked in confusion.

Cindra mumbled something unintelligible with a slight blush, sighing when we asked her to repeat herself. Again we couldn’t make out what she said so I asked her to repeat it again, maybe louder.

“LOVE AND LUST”, she screamed. “THE TWO L’S ARE LOVE AND LUST, OKAY?!”

“Love and lust”, I asked, slowly turning toward Fluttershy.

“Yes”, she replied in shame. “I was flying over when I sensed it really strong from this cottage.”

“Well, Fluttershy loves animals”, I joked, terrified of the possible implications.

“Not that kind of love, you dumb colt”, she snapped.

“Then-“

“Ugh, she’s in love with somepony”, Cindra shouted. “You really are an idiot, aren’t you?!”

I turned to my right to say something funny to Fluttershy but she was nowhere to be seen. I went and checked the kitchen, but didn’t see her there. I went back to the living room just in time to see Cindra reaching a hoof for the door. I whipped my hand out and materialized a knife in midair, a startled squeak coming from the changeling as the knife embedded itself in the door just above her hoof.

“Where do you think you’re going”, I asked guardedly.

“Don’t know, don’t care”, she said coldly as she stared at me.

“You’re staying here”, I said, my voice lowering as I approached the defiant mare. “I may not trust you and you may be a parasite, but I am going to honor Fluttershy’s wishes.”

“Oh, this is rich”, Cindra smirked. “You’re the somepony she loves!”

“You’re crazy”, I scoffed.

“I can feel it”, she grinned. “The love was so much stronger when the two of you were in the same room.”

“Whatever.”

“Just think”, she whispered conspiratorially. “Her lust for you made me so wet I-“

The rest of her words were cut off as my hand shot out and wrapped around her throat. I squeezed just hard enough to restrict airflow but not cut it off completely and pulled her muzzle against my nose, lifting her off the floor.

“I suggest you don’t finish that sentence”, I said coldly. “I am not above hitting you again, so if you do anything to hurt Fluttershy I will beat your ass. Understand?”

She nodded furiously as her eyes bulged slightly.

“The only reason you’re alive right now is because of her kindness”, I growled. “Remember that fact.”

I dropped Cindra on the floor and took a step back as she struggled to her hooves while coughing violently. She eyed me with a mix of fear and loathing as she slunk back to the couch and crawled up on it. She curled into a ball and laid her head on the armrest.

“Asshole”, she muttered darkly.

“Parasite”, I shot back.

She glared at me for a few seconds before ignoring me. I glanced at the clock and saw it was almost three o’clock, my stomach growling. I shot a glare at Cindra before I climbed the stairs and knocked on the first door on the left.

“Go away, please”, a tiny voice said from the other side of the door.

“Fluttershy, come on”, I sighed as I eased her door open. “Please, talk to me.”

I looked around her room and marveled at all the birdhouses hanging from the rafters. Pastel colors decorated everything, giving the room a light airy feeling. In the corner stood a full size mirror, my ghastly visage reflected in its surface.

“There’s nothing to talk about”, whimpered the pile of blankets on the bed.

“Hey”, I called softly as I went and sat beside the pile of blankets. “Come on out.”

“I can’t”, she replied. “I just can’t.”

I gently began burrowing my hands into the blankets hunting for Fluttershy. My fingers brushed against something warm and soft, causing the pony beneath the pile to shriek and zip off the other side of the bed blushing furiously. I met her wide eyed gaze with my own questioning one.

“What did I do”, I asked nervously.

“You… touched me”, she mumbled as she blushed harder.

“Yeah.”

“No, you touched me”, she said, her face burning now. “On my… mare parts.”

I cocked my head and opened my mouth to ask her to clarify before comprehension hit me like a ton of bricks. A blush crossed my own face, my ears burning golden as I apologized profusely.

“It’s okay”, she whispered hesitantly. “It felt nice but it was unexpected.”

“I am so sorry”, I apologized again as I began to back toward the door.

“Don’t go”, Fluttershy whispered as she hurried around the bed.

“Okay”, I said quietly as I sat back down on the bed.

She climbed up beside me and sat beside me in silence for several minutes. I waited for her to speak but was surprised when she squirmed her way onto my lap. I began stroking her mane and tried to formulate a coherent thought. Thankfully Fluttershy saved me from having to say something first.

“It’s true”, she admitted quietly, leaning into the hand scratching behind her ear.

“All of it”, I asked.

“Yes”, she whispered with a blush.

“Oh.”

“I shouldn’t have said anything”, Fluttershy cried as she tried to get up off my lap.

“I’m glad you did”, I said as I hugged her close.

“Really”, she asked breathily.

“The first time I kissed you I did it to mess with you”, I said sheepishly. “I just wanted to see your reaction, and I admit I was surprised by it.”

“I’m sorry I surprised you”, she whimpered.

“It was a good surprise”, I reassured her as I hugged her again.

“Really?”

“Yep”, I smiled. “I don’t know about you but I felt something when you kissed me back.”

“Why do you think I kissed you back”, she asked rhetorically, her eyes shining.

“I’m glad you did”, I repeated as I nuzzled her.

“So am I”, she whispered as she leaned closer.

Our lips met in a slow, appreciative kiss that sent a spark down my spine and a tingle across my skin. I reached up and caressed her cheek, the soft fur feeling right on my skin. A happy sigh slipped from the sweet Pegasus in my lap as I deepened the kiss. Her mouth opened to welcome my tongue and the sweet taste of apples flooded my senses as our tongues danced back and forth. After what seemed like hours we came up gasping for air.

She brushed her wingtips across my face in a caress of her own before her lips were pressed against mine again. I kept one hand on her cheek and trailed my other hand along her wing, the feathers gliding smoothly beneath my fingers. A moan sounded against my lips as her forelegs wrapped around my chest.

“Oh, yeah, that’s it”, a voice murmured from the hall.

Fluttershy and I looked at each other and she slid off my lap. In one motion I leapt across the room and yanked the door open, shouting in alarm. There in the hallway lay a disheveled bug pony shlicking in the middle of the floor. She turned her eyes to me and grinned sheepishly as I shook my head.

“How long were you out here”, I growled.

“Right… before you… touched her… mare parts”, Cindra gasped.

“Well, fuck.”