The Red Moon Changelings are a mysterious and rare subspecies of changelings, distinguished by their unique biology, powers, and connection to emotions. Unlike their traditional changeling counterparts, who feed primarily on love, Red Moon Changelings can draw energy from a wide spectrum of emotions, with each affecting them in distinct ways.
Appearance and Origins
Red Moon Changelings are visually similar to regular changelings, with black, insect-like carapaces. However, they can be identified by their striking red eyes and red wings, which glow faintly when they are feeding or using their powers. Despite their differences, their origins remain shrouded in mystery, and they are as adaptable and resourceful as other changelings.
When Red Moon Changelings hatch, they magically imprint on the first female they see, regardless of species. This maternal bond is critical for their early survival, as newborn Red Moon Changelings are extremely fragile and rely heavily on their caretakers for physical protection and emotional nourishment. As they mature, they become more independent but still maintain deep bonds with their caregivers.
Feeding and Energy
Like other changelings, Red Moon Changelings feed on emotions, with love being the most nourishing and potent. Their feeding process does not harm their source, relying on interactions and bonds to absorb energy. Unlike other changelings, however, they can feed on emotions beyond love, including fear, anger, admiration, and joy.
Each type of love provides varying levels of energy. The scale of love absorption includes:
Pity love – Bitter and barely nourishing.
Puppy love – Light and fleeting.
Friendship love – Warm but modest.
Best friend love – Rich and energizing.
Admiration love – Stimulating and flavorful.
Familial love – Strong and fulfilling.
Romantic love – The most nourishing and satisfying.
Red Moon Changelings perceive emotions as flavors when they feed. For example, pity love might taste bitter, like Brussels sprouts, while romantic love is sweet and delightful, akin to a freshly baked cookie.
Their remarkable endurance comes from their ability to store emotional energy. Once fully nourished, they can survive long periods without feeding. This stored energy also eliminates physical fatigue, allowing them to stay active indefinitely without rest. They can sleep if they wish, but it is not necessary for their survival.
Powers and Emotional Influence
Red Moon Changelings’ powers are directly influenced by the emotions they consume. Their abilities include advanced control of elements like water and ice, which manifest differently depending on the emotions they use as fuel. Positive emotions produce clean, elegant forms, such as smooth, glistening ice. Negative emotions like fear and anger result in chaotic, jagged structures, such as spiked, fractured ice resembling black ice.
While positive emotions strengthen them and stabilize their powers, darker emotions like fear provide a more dangerous and unpredictable energy boost. This balance gives them flexibility but comes with inherent risks when feeding on negative emotions.
Biology and Weaknesses
Red Moon Changelings possess a nearly flawless biology. They are immune to disease, do not suffer from aging once fully grown, and can endlessly maintain their vitality as long as they continue to feed on emotions. However, their only known weakness is poison joke. This plant, which is harmless to ponies, is highly toxic to Red Moon Changelings if inhaled or absorbed through their skin. Careful avoidance of poison joke is crucial for their survival, though some have developed ways to counteract its effects.
In addition to their resilience, Red Moon Changelings have a unique ability to reproduce with members of other species, regardless of genetic or magical differences. Their offspring may inherit traits from both parents, though the changeling's dominant genes often play a significant role in the child’s characteristics. This trait has allowed them to diversify and survive, even in areas where pure changeling populations have dwindled.
Social Bonds and Behaviors
While Red Moon Changelings depend on emotions to survive, they often develop meaningful relationships with those they feed on. Their bonds with others grow beyond mere necessity, evolving into genuine connections. As time passes, they come to protect those they care about, even at the cost of their own survival.
Physical affection is a natural part of their relationships, driven by their biology. Behaviors like nuzzling or staying close are both a survival mechanism and a reflection of their emotions. These gestures strengthen bonds and ensure their sources of energy remain emotionally fulfilled.
Powers of Red Moon Changelings
Core Abilities
- Emotion Feeding
Can feed on a wide range of emotions beyond love (e.g., fear, anger, joy, admiration).
Emotions provide varying levels of nourishment and energy.
Perceive emotions as "flavors," with love being the most nourishing and satisfying.
- Energy Storage
Can store emotional energy for extended periods, allowing them to survive without feeding for a long time.
- Endless Stamina
Do not experience physical fatigue when fully nourished, allowing indefinite activity.
- Elemental Manipulation
Control over water and ice, influenced by the emotional energy they use as fuel:
Positive emotions: Produce smooth, elegant forms (e.g., crystal-clear ice).
Negative emotions: Result in jagged, unstable structures (e.g., spiked black ice).
- Weather Manipulation
Can influence and control the weather using their stored emotional energy.
Effects depend on the type of energy used:
Positive emotions: Clear skies, light rain, gentle winds.
Negative emotions: Thunderstorms, strong winds, heavy snowfall.
- Material Manifestation
Can create physical objects out of thin air by using their energy reserves, provided they understand the object thoroughly.
Must know all materials used in the object, how they combine, and their structure.
Must visualize the object from every angle, including the interior design.
The more complex the object, the more energy required.
- Emotion Channeling
Amplifies their physical and magical abilities using the emotions they consume as fuel.
Negative emotions provide a temporary but unpredictable power boost, with risks of instability.
Biological and Evolutionary Traits
- Immortality (Biological)
Immune to aging after reaching maturity, provided they maintain a regular source of emotional nourishment.
- Disease Immunity
Completely immune to diseases or illnesses.
- Reproductive Adaptability
Can reproduce with other species, regardless of magical or genetic differences, and pass on dominant changeling traits.
- Enhanced Bonds
Create strong emotional bonds with their caregivers and loved ones, improving feeding efficiency and trust.
Physical closeness (e.g., nuzzling) reinforces emotional ties and strengthens mutual energy.
Special Characteristics
- Weakness to Poison Joke
The only known substance that can harm them significantly. Poison joke causes intense pain, weakens their powers, and disrupts their ability to feed on emotions.
- Physical Adaptability
Retain traditional changeling transformation abilities, allowing them to mimic other creatures for blending in or deception
Red Moon Changelings embody the balance between strength and dependency, light and darkness. Their ability to harness emotions for power and survival defines not only their capabilities but also their place in the world. They live at the crossroads of survival and connection, embodying the potential for both great strength and profound vulnerability.
Chapter 2: The Mimera Mutation
The Mimera mutation is a rare and complex phenomenon that emerges in certain magical creatures, granting them unique abilities related to the absorption and replication of other creatures' powers. While still not fully understood, this mutation represents a significant deviation from typical genetic and magical inheritance patterns.
Appearance and Origins
A Mimera does not exhibit any outward physical traits that distinguish them from their species; they appear entirely ordinary until their abilities manifest. Unlike genetic traits such as color patterns or magical horns, the Mimera mutation does not have a predictable or visual expression at birth.
This mutation only activates when both parents carry the recessive Mimera gene. As such, it is exceptionally rare, particularly in species where genetic variation is already limited.
Core Ability: Power Mimicry
The defining trait of a Mimera is their ability to replicate the magical powers or abilities of others through touch. However, this process comes with a number of limitations and intricacies:
Choice-Based Absorption: The Mimera can consciously choose whether or not to replicate a power. Unlike some creatures who may inadvertently trigger abilities, a Mimera must actively decide to absorb a power during contact.
Retention and Replacement: After absorbing a power, the Mimera can either keep it permanently or replace it with new abilities. The replication is not automatic, granting them significant control over their unique skill set.
Complete Transfer: When copying the abilities of another creature, the Mimera gains all the abilities that creature possesses. Selective absorption of specific powers is not possible, making the process all-encompassing but sometimes overwhelming.
Knowledge Dependency: A Mimera not only absorbs the magical abilities of their target but also inherits knowledge about the powers—provided the original user fully understands their own capabilities. If the creature is unaware of their latent abilities, the Mimera will gain the powers but will lack critical insights on how to use them effectively.
Touch Requirement: Physical touch is essential for the absorption of abilities. Magical projection or close proximity alone does not trigger the Mimera's power.
Biological Implications
Although the Mimera gene confers remarkable abilities, it comes with unique biological restrictions and interactions with other magical traits:
Exclusivity to Red Moon Changelings: The hyperdominant nature of the gene that gives Red Moon Changelings their powers prevents the Mimera gene from being active in these changelings. A creature cannot simultaneously express both genetic traits.
Reproductive Probability: While the Mimera mutation requires both parents to carry the recessive gene, two active Mimeras cannot pass on the mutation. The presence of two active genes appears to cancel out the mutation’s functionality, rendering their offspring non-Mimeras.
Adaptability: Despite being an exceedingly rare trait, the Mimera mutation’s inherent flexibility provides a significant evolutionary advantage. These creatures can adapt to dangerous situations by acquiring abilities from allies or enemies, ensuring survival even in hostile environments.
Social and Ethical Considerations
The existence of Mimeras raises important ethical and social questions:
Consent and Trust: Since the Mimera must touch others to absorb powers, trust is essential. In some societies, individuals with this mutation are distrusted or even ostracized, while others see them as valuable allies in conflicts.
Identity and Exploitation: Mimera individuals often grapple with their sense of identity, especially when their abilities come from others. This has also led to cases where Mimeras are exploited as tools in war or political games.
Weakness, any weakness that effects the original holder of the power a Mimera took has also been transferred