“Do my sister Rarity now.”

“From all the things...” Zex changed his voice to that of a sophisticated mare while his body transformed. I was expecting to witness a pony, but no transformation took place.

“This is the most fucked up thing you could suggest!”. He stood as him-changeling-self again. “That’s bad taste, deviant. Rarity is your sister, therefore she’s Clonie’s sister, as well. I can’t do that to her. The mere thought of incest is an abomination.”

“But she wants it. Don’t you Clonie?”

I didn’t care about that and just wanted it all to stop.My head obediently nodded.

“It doesn’t matter. I don’t want it. We have strict rules against inner-breeding in our hive. Only diversity can produce progression; not kin. What you’re asking of me and Clonie is really disgusting. There’s no way you can convince me to do that.” He looked at me. “And I don’t understand why you’re playing along with this insanity.”

It’s not as if I have any say in the matter. I ignored him and looked for guidance from my only master. She just tapped a hoof against the crystal.

Sweetie Belle glanced at Zex. “Can you do Spike?”

“We changelings are quite versatile. Especially the new generation. Some are even capable of shaping their bodies into inanimate objects and creatures of various sizes. Those could easily do a convincing imitation of a dragon. The best I can do is morph into different types of ponies. If I really put my mind to it, I could probably do a pretty good impression of a donkey. Unfortunately, I haven’t been evolved for anything beyond that. My deficiency is the main reason I’ll never be allowed to reproduce. Some younger colleagues of mine will be given that honor. I can only imagine the capabilities of our species after a few centuries from now. Not that it matters. We’ll both be dead by then.”

“Don’t bet on it!” She snarled at him.

“On what?” he responded. “Our undeniable evolution or you living less than a century?”

“I won’t just lay down and die! I can fight it. There are ways…”

“You’re blurting out insanities. Death is the essence of biological progress. Lingering around with your fixed physiology would stain future generations. Weak and obsolete must perish so that the strong can have their place to flourish.”

“You think I’m weak?” Her horn flickered. “I’m not weak!”

He sighed. “Compared to the current generation of your weaker species, you are anything but weak. If ponies who are born with great abilities would spawn new generations, your species could still be redeemable. But not if ponies like you stick around forever. You must be ignorant if you think you’re the final product of evolution.”

The flickering of her horn faded. “Ponies don’t change through generations. I’ve watched a history show enacted by ponies in a theater. As far as I could tell, we’re the same as we were a thousand years ago.”

“Indeed. You, ponies are the same as you were, and you shall stay the same until your inevitable downfall. We recently tried to liberate you from your stagnant ways. Yet, you bit at the hoof that would evolve you. You’ve proven yourself too dense to be reasoned with. Forcing our prosperity upon your primitive species was our last attempt to bring you up from the genetic gutter you’re in. We would have brought the gift of artificial selection to your species. The most valued present you could have gotten, and you, ponies, just threw it away as if it was bad for you. Ungrateful degenerates!”

“Your attack on Canterlot failed.” she smirked.

“Yes, it did fail. So, too, did the stealth takeover of Equestria’s elite. However, in the end, it will be you ponies who will regret your descent. When you sheep decided to side with your stagnant tyrant princesses, you spelled your own doom. By allowing the unfit to procreate you will poison future generations. You don’t see it yet, but you are already losing the genetic race by a vast margin.”

“We’re not sheep.”

Zex smirked.

“And I think we’re doing just fine.”

He smiled to himself as he bowed and shook his head. “You can lead the pony to water, but you can’t make the pony drink.”

“We can find our own water by ourselves just fine...”

“Sure you can...” Zex rolled his eyes.

Sweetie Belle slid a hoof on the crystal boulder left and right.

The changeling blew some dust out from one of the many holes then looked at the sky and sighed.

“Oh, I just had an idea.” Sweetie Belle’s form rose from behind the shiny boulder. She lay both forehooves on the crystal surface and leaned on them. Her eyes pierced me as if she wanted to devour me.

Her glare from half-closed eyes sent shivers down my spine.

She turned to the changeling. “You’re not the only one who can slip into something more appropriate, Zex!” She jumped on all four legs and galloped toward the cave. “Don’t leave yet!”, she screamed back without losing her pace.

His widespread eyes stayed fixed on her until she disappeared behind the bushes. The blue pupils turned to me, making me hug my tail even tighter.

He sighed. “If you want to run away, now’s your chance. I won’t stop you.”

I didn’t understand why he even tried to talk to me. He should have just waited for Sweetie Belle like he was told. Anything else would make her mad.

“You can just stand up and gallop away. I won’t tell Sweetie Belle in which direction you went.”

I was created for a reason. Why would I want to run away from the only purpose in my life? He wasn’t making any sense. I leaned back and played with my tail to escape the insanities coming out of his mouth.

“Not very smart, your master.”

I stiffened my face and pierced him with my gaze. “Yes, she is!”

“Leaving a useless thing like you to guard me. Do you think that was smart of her?”

“If she thinks I’m good enough to keep you here, then that’s what I’m capable of.”

“Delusions run deep in this one, I see. An apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, it seems.”

“What apple? Which tree?”

“Yeah…” He raised one eyebrow as he looked at me. “You degenerates bore me. I’m out of here.”

I rolled on all four hooves and leaped in front of him in one jump.

He leaned back and lifted a forehoof.

Standing on my hind legs, I stretched my forelegs to the sides to prevent him from running past me. “Sweetie Belle wants you to wait!”

Zex smiled and put down the dangling hoof. “So, this is what breaks your passiveness.” His head clashed against mine and I fell on my flank. “Do you honestly think you can stop me?”

“I will stop you!”

“Or die trying?” He smirked.

“Exactly!” I put all my legs down and pushed against his head with everything I had. Except for raising an eyebrow, he didn’t budge. It was like trying to move a solid wall.

As my four legs shoved into the ground, he grinned at me and took a step back.

I plunged over my forehooves face-first into the mud.

Right after the impact, his hoof struck me at my side and hurled me toward a nearby tree. Before I crashed to the ground, I caught a glimpse of him. He didn’t turn away yet. I hoped that meant he’d stay around for a bit longer. I fell on my back, giving out a loud cough. A few drops of blood sprayed out of my mouth. With my tongue, I felt a gash on my inner cheek. I must have bitten myself when I hit the tree. It was a minor injury. I could still fight him! He trotted to me and stepped on my chest with a hoof.

“I find your resistance pitiful. Show me some of your family magic. It’s the only thing that’s at least somewhat impressive.” His horn glowed green as he focused his eyes on mine.

I really hoped Sweetie Belle would return soon. I couldn’t keep him busy much longer. Or stay alive, at that.

His eyes narrowed. “I’ll fly away if I don’t see you use your magic! Is that what you want?” He faced the sky and spread out his wings.

It looked as if he was getting ready for a liftoff. If he took to the air, I couldn’t hope to stop him. Maybe if I knew how to use magic, but I didn’t have a clue. Up until then, I used my horn only to loosen the hardened earth so that I could then grab it with my hooves. Sweetie Belle had never ordered me to try anything else with the bony appendage. But the situation I was in seemed to demand it. If I succeeded, Sweetie Belle might even be proud of me.

My eyes closed and I focused on my horn in my mind. I tightened my face into a grimace, the same way I saw Sweetie Belle do when she was lifting stones. Both ears perked up as I tried to feel if there was anything special going on inside. Something that I could focus on and make it do magic. I didn’t sense anything. I clenched my teeth as I tried even harder.

Another hoof pressed on my chest. My eyes and mouth opened wide. The air rushed out of my lungs and I heard myself scream when the weight on me increased tenfold.

“How in Equestria did you get your cutie mark?” He stepped off me, and I gasped for air. A kick to my ribs rolled me on my side. He put a hoof on my hip and examined my flank. “It represents magic alright, and yet, you cannot produce a single spark.” He spread all four legs around my body trapping me in the holey cage that was him. From above, his snarky smile approached. “I don’t think Sweetie Belle meant for me to know this.” His smile widened.

I pressed both forehooves to my muzzle as I gasped. No! What have I done? I pressed my lips together. Sweetie Belle hadn’t allowed me to tell him that I can’t use magic. It was wrong of me to betray her like that. I was sure she’d be very disappointed with me.

“Don’t worry. I’ll just forget about it, okay?” He graced me with a warm smile.

I lifted a hoof, softly brushing it on his chest while giving him an encouraging smile and a series of nods. There might have still been a chance to fix it all.

“I deceived you.” His smile turned to a grin in an instant. “In truth, I’ll tell Sweetie Belle that you wanted me to lie to her to cover up your disloyalty.”

My mouth opened and eyes widened. The vision blurred as tears rushed out. My forelegs folded on the chest. I could feel the bladder wetting my stomach. It was acting on its own, and I couldn’t stop peeing even when I tried to cut off the current. I was afraid to move even a muscle. Everything I did since Sweetie Belle left us alone, was aimed against her.She created me with a purpose and I ended up betraying her. How could I?

“Sweetie Belle is going to be furious when she finds out about your treachery. Your only option now is to run!” he pushed me on my legs, but they didn’t carry me. The swaying limbs were as useless as I was. I collapsed on my other side.

He stepped before my face, bowing down his head to mine. His lips retracted, revealing two big canines. “You know she’s going to kill you, right?”

It’s her right to do so. I gazed through him toward the undefined distance. And if I can’t even serve her properly, there’s no reason for her to keep me around. I breathed slowly and deeply. “I deserve it,” I muttered to myself just after he perked up his ears. Oh, no! I’m talking again. I snapped my snout shut, but it was already too late. He must have overheard me.

His head rose as he put a forehoof to his snout. I could hear his teeth gnashing together. He slammed a hoof against the ground. His lips moved back revealing all his teeth. “Ick! I was going easy on you because I thought Sweetie Belle trapped you. But now I see you’re just a doormat. Unwilling to lift a hoof to help yourself. I’ll take great joy in crushing you! No weakling shall inherit this world for long. Only those willing to adapt and rise to the challenges deserve a fighting chance in the brave new world.”

“Pthu!” He spat in my face. The saliva mixed with my tears. I could see bubbles floating across my field of view. I instinctively moved a hoof to wipe it but lost motivation to do it half-way.

He stepped above me again. I could see his sharp teeth in the corner of my vision. Something warm splashed against my flank. It kept pouring over me, drifting down on both sides of my stomach and back. It moved up. My scratched skin vibrated under the pouring warm liquid. I could feel droplets spraying on my body. My eyes half-closed and ears folded. The current grew stronger. It pounded on my neck, slightly choking me. It moved upwards to my head. I heard banging against my auricle as it quivered. My ear filled with his pee. The sounds changed into a dozen drums echoing in my head. The force weakened and descended from my ruined mane down my body. Droplets floated down my tail.

His backside approached. I feared he would poop on me next. His ties stiffened as a hoof slid across the ground. Rotten leaves and dirt bombarded my face. He leaned back on one hind leg and kicked with the other. A stone hit my belly, making me cringe. He shifted his leg again. And again. He kicked faster and with greater force than before.

“Ugh!” He gasped for air then leaned forward and kicked with both hind legs.

Waves of earth hit across my whole body. It covered my muzzle. I stopped breathing so that it wouldn’t get in my snout.

Zex turned to look at me, still showing off his sharp teeth. He hit a forehoof against the ground. He walked a wide curve around me, keeping his growl even after disappearing through the bushes. His hooves slashed against the leaves as if he was trying to clean them. I managed to keep him occupied for longer than I thought. Yet, I believed even more was expected of me. Sweetie Belle wouldn’t be pleased with me if I let him escape, I imagined? I rolled on my chest and aimed my head forward, so I could keep an eye on him. The changeling didn’t pay any attention to me. He just cleaned his hooves by slashing them against the leaves.

“Clonie!” My master called out.

Yay! She came back! And Zex was still there like she wanted. I stood up from the pile of rubble then galloped forth and jumped over the bushes. The changeling gaped as I flew past him. I was closing the distance to my owner. That time around, I slowed from a gallop to a canter, then trotted and walked a few paces before fully stopping. None of the hooves lifted much dirt making me proud of myself. Even if I wasn’t a good pony in general, I at least did something right.

Sweetie Belle tilted back her head when she saw me and dropped the saddlebag out of her mouth. Her muscles stiffened as she looked at Zex. “No fair, you two were playing without me!”

“Sweetie Belle! Sweetie Belle! He knows I can’t use magic!”—I pointed a hoof at him accusingly.—“And he won’t forget about it.”

“Why did you let him know that?” A hoof hit me hard on my snout, making me yelp in pain.

Blood dripped from my nose. “I don’t know.” I whimpered, bowing my head. My mistake could reflect badly on future Clonies and Sweetie Belle could decide that none of us was even worth making anymore. Perhaps if I died, I could take my shame to the grave with me, and others of my kind would be free of my sin.

She wiped the blood from her hoof against my fur and shouted toward Zex. “You’re crafty! I can’t leave you alone with my sister even for a few moments.”

He kept slashing his hooves against the bushes.

“I have a surprise for you Clonie,” she gently said to me while she reached inside the saddlebag.

Why isn’t she more enraged with me? Did she just forgive me after what I did? She was way too good to me. I looked up with my eyes spread wide. Her sudden compassion was so much more than I deserved.

Sweetie Belle stood up on her hind legs. “Look! It’s almost your size.” A silhouette floated across the sun above me. The edges glided down. Sweetie Belle held the darkly object far away from her, gripping it only with the corners of her hooves.

A coat of a black pony? I looked from another angle. It wasn’t a coat or skin. The texture looked smoother. I’ve never seen anything like it. Then again, I haven’t seen much of anything since I crawled out of the mirror pool. The darkly shape reminded me of a pony—a very flat pony, at that.

She held back her head. Her teeth showed between her throbbing lips.

I wondered if the flat pony was dangerous, in some way. “What is it?” I whispered. She had said it was for me, but I wasn’t sure if I should even touch the thing.

“Put it on!” She shoved the black piece in my hooves.

The fabric was smooth to the touch. It was much lighter than a dead pony would be. I didn’t think putting it on would be too bad. It would be nothing in comparison to having Zex on me. That hurt a lot!

I placed the fabric on my head. It was opaque, and I couldn’t see anything around me anymore.

“Not like that, you imbecile!” The saddlebag hit my head, knocking me over to the ground. “Get inside it!”

I didn’t know how I could do that. It was really thin. After rubbing the fabric with both forehooves, I noticed that it was made of two layers. One slice laid on top of the other. The surface was as smooth as water, but it wasn’t a liquid, of course. It was compact but not hard. The thin dead pony in my hooves seemed to be missing a head. There was a hole in its place.

I put a forehoof in it, then the other one. The opening was small, only fitting two off my hooves. The material offered resistance, but it stretched when I pressed my hooves apart. I still doubted it would fit me inside. The black form was smaller than I was and mostly thinner. I fitted my forelegs inside and proudly smiled as I looked up at Sweetie Belle. She sat on a crystal boulder, facehoofing.

“Spread it with your forehooves, then put your forelegs and your tail inside!” She hissed and drifted both hooves down her face pulling the skin along the way.

The fabric was shiny, despite being black.

“Hasn't she ever seen clothing before?” The changeling asked.

He wasn't talking to me. I focused back on my task. I already had three legs inside. Having all my hooves so close together made it really hard to balance. I whipped my tail like crazy, but my body still kept swaying.

“She's just—” my master said“—slow.”

“Well, she's doing pretty good for her first attempt at dressing in her life.”

I glanced at Zex, his head was turned in my direction, but his eyes were pointed at Sweetie Belle’s face as if he was expecting some sort of reaction from her. She didn't notice it because her eyes were fixed on me. I tried to nod my head toward him, so she could see he was looking at her without her knowing about it. With my fourth hoof inside the opening, I lost my balance and fell chin-first on the ground.

“You’re testing my patience, foal!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

“I’m sorry, this dumb, tight fabric pressed my legs together—”

“I don’t care if it’s tight. You simply must wear the swimsuit attire! I won’t let you catch a cold just because of your stubbornness. I’ll help you with it. Don’t resist now!”

I didn't understand what she was talking about. It sounded as if she was suddenly concerned about my health. That was very unusual because she, herself, was the biggest health hazard around...From Zex's raised eyebrows I concluded he didn't have any clue either. Sweetie Belle's horn glowed. Her eyes lingered on me.

“Wait!” Zex overshadowed her horn with a hoof. “Allow me.” His horn illuminated the surroundings with a green color and a tentacle spread out of it. The appendage stretched to the swimsuit on the ground and drifted through a hole in the back of it. I hadn’t even known there was another hole there. Something wrapped around my tail. I looked back at Zex. He smiled, yet his teeth clenched together. When his head jerked, the magic extension pulled on my tail.

“Eek!” I screamed. I felt as if my whole dock tried to rip itself from my body. My chin bumped on rocks as I slid backward. Then, the ground distanced itself as I took flight. I dangled by my tail.

Black swimsuit turned green and grew larger. It spread all around me. I could only see Zex through the head hole. His grin grew even larger. The aura around his horn faded and the color of the swimsuit turned back to black.

I instantly felt a slap all over the body. “Ouch!” The ears were especially sensitive, and the smack of the hood all around them really stung. My face was half-way through the hole, and I could see the surroundings again. The ground stretched across my view.

Bam! My face was the only part of me that got spared from the smack of the swimsuit. And it hurt ten times more since it got slammed against the ground.

I spit dirt out of my mouth so that I could breathe.

“Nicely done, Zex!” Sweetie Belle high-hooved him.

I tried to get up, but my moves found resistance. The swimsuit fought my every move. It was like the time when Zex held me down to the ground. But I felt it all over my body at once; as if a dozen Zexs were pressing against me from all the sides. I stood up and kicked, trying to get myself free of it. When my tail hit against my flank, I didn't feel the soft slap the way I usually had. If I paid it no heed, I wouldn’t have even noticed it. In a way, I was distanced from my own tail; like if it was no longer a part of me. The more I fought the suit, the tighter it wrapped around me. I kicked with both hind legs as a reaction to the fabric feeling me out all over, which made my superiors burst into laughter.

By spreading apart my thighs, I reduced the wedgy-force below my tail, but the rest of my body still itched under the pressure. The stupid fabric stayed fixed on my coat no matter what I did. It just wouldn’t fall off. The harder I shook, the more it fought my moves.

There was too much pressure on me. The material even choked me a little because it was so tight. I stretched my head forth to give my neck some room. The edges of the hood stuck to my skin, pulling back my lips. My body was pushed from all directions by the bodysuit. I feared the pressure would squeeze the very life out of me.

The sound of hoofsteps made my ears perk up. To check on it, I looked between my forelegs, and I saw Zex approaching from behind. He wrapped my tail around a hoof and dragged me closer to him. Grinning, he put his snout above me and took a big whiff. “I might enjoy this, yet.”

Author's Note

Don't forget to participate in the Comment section minigames when you're done reading this chapter.

Gdoc