"HOOOOOOOOOOT!"

I shouted at the top of my lungs, it had been about an hour since I started to walk away from Appleoosa, and the desert temperature was defiantly soaring above 100 f. Of all the things Braeburn could have not given me, a bottle of water seemed like a stupid decision, one that would probably kill me. Well then again, here I am telling the story, guess it doesn't take a degree in rocket science to figure out I somehow survived. Well it turns out the being a fan of Man Vs. Wild back on earth was finally starting to pay off. Although being a changeling anything I learned about getting food would be worthless now. A few times I stopped at a cactus and carefully stripped it of it's needles before taking a bite out of it and sucking it dry of moisture.

The sun was finally starting to go down, as much as I would love to move at night, I would have to stop for fear of the night air killing me. The feeling of hunger was also starting to get to me, I had once tried to see how long I could go without feeding on emotions and learned my limit was 3 days. When I had reached that limit I had created a very awkward experience that I don't care to remember. After finding a flat stone surface, I pulled the quilt out and wrapped myself in it, from an outside perspective I probably looked like some strange multicolored larva. I watched the horizon as the light faded and the night took over. I realized for the first time that somewhere right now Luna was raising the moon, and Celestia was lowering the sun.

I looked towards the opposite horizon of where the light faded, and saw the moon hanging low in the sky. It was full, and it lit the desert up. I looked around and took in my surroundings for the first time in a while. The desert resembled the Arizona desert in the fact that there wasn't as much sand and lots of mountainous landscape surrounding the area. There were a few cacti here and there but no other plants could be found. I looked back up at the moon before closing my eyes and drifting off to sleep.

I looked around at what I assumed was my dream, it was wacky enough to be a dream but it also had enough realism that it made me suspicious. The desert I was traveling had been replaced with a frozen tundra with hundreds of ponies crowding around camp fires. They ignored me as I walked passed them. As I looked closer at the ponies I saw that they were not even ponies, they were other changelings! I walked over to the closest one and tapped it on the shoulder. It looked at me confused before chirping once loudly. All the other changelings that were gathered around the same fire as the one I had just poked, looked up at me. Looking around I noticed the other groups of Changelings ignored the chirp and didn't look up. The changeling that had chirped than spoke "Who are you, one with no hive?".

I looked at the other changeling a bit confused "One with no hive?" I asked aloud.

"Yes, you clearly aren't from any of the hives you see around you"

I looked around confused, I also noticed something about these changelings that I didn't seem to have. Gender, they all seemed to have their own genders although most of them seemed to be male. Was I the only changeling that didn't have a gender, if so then why? maybe it had something to do with how I came to Equestria. "I'm Volo" I said without thinking "and I'm not from here"

The changeling looked me over and also seemed to notice the difference in me "How did you come into being Volo?".

What am I supposed to tell them 'oh one day I was in class shouted out a my little pony meme, which is a children's television show featuring your world, and the next thing I knew I was here' no that wouldn't go over well. "I don't know" I said trying to hide the truth "I just woke up here with no memory of my past" well at least that part was true, sorta.

"You don't belong here, leave before the void consumes you" the changeling said pushing me back right into an open fire. It was hot ridiculously hot, I shouted as the flames engulfed me and flung me into darkness.

I awoke with a start in the blazing heat of the desert, which was magnified my me being wrapped up in the quilt. "Why does such a place exist!" I shouted to no one in particular. That morning was much like the previous one, I unwrapped myself and folded the quilt into my saddle pack and took a quick look at the map before moving onwards. That dream had given me a lot to think about while I packed up, it was true that I didn't belong to a hive, and what was with the void business at the end? Either way he needed to start moving before he died on this god...I mean Celestia forsaken land. After packing up I took one last look at the map. If I were to head north northeast I would eventually reach a path that lead straight to Ponyville.

I started walking making sure that the sun, which was still rising, was just to my right. I was hoping that the directions about the sun rising to the east were accurate in Equestria as well. Eventually I did come across a path, but it seemed like it had been place there for almost no reason. It was a cobblestone path leading off to the north east but judging by it's condition it hadn't been used in quite some time. The stones were eroded from the constant winds and the harsh rays of the sun, but it could still be followed, which I did. After what seemed to be hours of walking, as the sun was nearly setting, I finally noticed the scenery was starting to change. The dry barren landscape slowly started to become greener. Cacti turned to bushes and even a few trees started to appear here and there. Eventually the land had completely changed to and open grassy field. In the distance you could barely make out the structures of a town. Even closer than the town though was a giant lake.

"WATER!" I shouted in glee, I was tired of sucking on cacti and the sight of the lake was enough to drive me forward at a total sprint. As I was running I used a technique I had picked up when I had worked on the farm. I spread my wings and angled them downward, this caused me to be pushed down by the wind making the transfer of energy between my hooves and the ground stronger which in turn made me faster. As I quickly approached the lake I threw my saddle pack off and leaped into the sky, using my wings to cover the rest of the distance before shouting out "CANNONBALL!" I curled up right before I hit the water.

The cool water washed away all my troubles from that day. I opened my eyes under the water and looked around, there were a few fish darting around, apparently startled by my sudden appearance. The lake bed seemed to be solid, maybe made of clay, a few aquatic plants here and there but nothing special. I tried to paddle back up to the surface only to realize my hooves, gnarled and full of holes as they were,were definitely not the best swimming appendages. I struggled against the water, and realized I wasn't even moving from where I was. I looked around trying to find something that might help me, when I remembered what I was. I looked at my hooves and concentrated, in a flash of green they were replaced by webbed feet that reminded me of a frogs foot. I quickly struck out at the water and found myself gliding through it with ease.

I splashed to the surface and took a deep breath. I swam to the shore and climbed out, I examined both sets of my hooves and realized that my back hooves along with the rest of my body had changed along with my front hooves. I looked in the water and found an aquatic changeling looking back at me. The basic structure of my body was the same, save for my hooves, but the biggest change was the color of my exoskeleton. Instead of solid black I was now shades of blues and greens all combined to look like the top of a lake when your viewing it from above. Upon closer inspection I found there was another significant change in my body. On my neck were gills! I jumped back in the water and attempted to breath, no problem, they worked. I was astounded at this transformation, even more so the fact that I didn't seem to be using much concentration to keep it up.

The sun was nearly below the horizon when I had finished messing about as a fish-ling (Funny right?). Letting go of the fish form I found myself back in my changeling body. I walked over to my Saddlepack and pulled out the quilt again. I looked it over and noticed that a few tears had begun appearing, but other than that it looked like it would be good for another week or so. I wrapped myself up and rolled onto my back facing the sky. I realized the night sky here was no where near a beautiful as Appleloosa's right away. Here lights from the distant town of Ponyville hid some of the stars and the moon seemed less luminous than usual.

That night I didn't dream, no this time there was only sleep. The next morning I woke up earlier than normal, almost as early as when I still lived in Appleloosa. I quickly unwrapped myself and folded the quilt into the saddle pack. Today I would be picking up some supplies from Ponyville and moving onwards. There was no reason for me to meet the mane six and just randomly talking to them might freak them out, especially if my transformation distorts. I put on my Saddle pack and started to walk down the path which curved around the lake I had played in yesterday. The town of Ponyville looked silent in the early morning as most ponies didn't seem to be awake yet.

I walked into town disguised as a black earth pony with a cutie mark of a sideways lightning bolt, which signified my joy of sprinting. Most of the town was still asleep but some of the shops I wanted to visit were open. First things first I would need some matches, and a lot of 'em at that. I entered what looked like a camping shop on the edge of Ponyville. Inside I found all manners of sleeping bags, tents, portable pots and pans, some wilderness survival guides and most importantly several types of fire starters. I picked quite a few different ones and bought a giant box of matches. I also ended up buying several small rations of food, in case I found somepony along the way who would need them, and I also picked out a large canteen for water.

Leaving the store I found a much larger population of ponyville were now out and about. I saw the bouncing of a pink mane and instantly I was gone, any contact with Pinkie Pie would doom me. I could already feel my transformation starting to weaken. I ran down an alleyway and heard someone calling out after me. It was Pinkie, she must have spotted me, the one unassuming pony that she didn't know. I continued walking faster and faster until the pink party pony popped up in front of me from under a stone brick. Honestly I wasn't that surprised I figured something like this would happen which I why I had decided to go into a back alleyway.

"Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie and your a new pony in town, ohmigosh and that means I can throw you a welcome party! oh it's going to be so much fun! but enough about that whats your name? and what's a changeling doing out here in ponyville?" I was taken aback by how much she was able to say in the five seconds after she had popped out, and what surprised me the most was that she knew I was a changeling. As much as I wanted to just leave the fact that Pinkie standing here with emotions of love kindness and joy practically gushing from her reminded me that I hadn't fed for days.

I dropped my transformation and let out a sigh of relief, "Hello Pinkie Pie, I'm Volo as for why I'm here, I'm just passing through" I paused and gulped trying hard to resist feeding off of the ever happy pony "also would you mind if I uh..." I stopped realizing what I was about to ask. "nevermind, oh and about that party.." I would have continued had my 'stomach' remained quiet, however with the emotions flowing around me I could hardly resist.

"Volo your silly, If you need some of my love go ahead I've got plenty for everypony, besides I know an honest changeling like you can't really hurt me" I didn't know what to say. To think somepony who knew what a changeling was and what they had to do to live would so easily let me feed, it made me want to cry in relief. I decided against that and instead decided to give Pinkie one of her favorite things, a smile.

"Thank you Pinkie it's been so long since my last meal" I began to absorb some of the emotions that flowed freely from her. She gave out a squeak in surprise which caused me to stop, "Are you okay?" I asked still unsure of whether or not I should be feeding off of Pinkie Pie.

"I'm fine I was just a little surprised is all, keep feeding I think there is something different about you" I did as she asked and soon enough she let out a sigh of relaxation. I opened my eyes and saw that she looked perfectly content. I continued to feed at a bit of a faster rate and she started to speak "Yeah right there, oh that spot's been bothering me for weeks!". At this point I was utterly confused.

"Um Pinkie Pie?" I asked while slowing down with my feeding "are you saying this is relaxing to you?" I didn't think It was possible could it be the sweet emotions I had been taking in this whole time from everyone were actually feelings of stress and discomfort? I noticed that she had closed her eyes and was nodding yes to answer me. I continued to feed with a new vigor, If I was actually doing a good thing then hell I might as well not restrain myself anymore. I fed all the way until I had felt I could feed no more. When I opened my eyes again I saw a radiant and rejuvenated Pinkie standing before me, looking even more energetic than usual, if that was possible.

"Thanks Volo who knew that changelings could feed off of stress, anyways I'm off to set up a few more parties, and let me know the next time you come to Ponyville I want to give you the best thank you, welcome to Ponyville, and welcome back to Ponyville party ever!" With that Pinkie Pie disappeared leaving me to my thoughts. I realized that maybe my feeding was a part of why Braeburn had felt so attached to me.

A quick transformation and a few stops at the market later and I was leaving Ponyville. It wouldn't be my last time here but I didn't know that yet. Soon I was back on the path and heading towards the mountains and the beautiful city of Canterlot.

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Turns out after writing chapter 3 I couldn't stop myself. I kept writing this chapter in between my classes and finished it up when I got home. I could have posted it yesterday but where would be the fun in that? Everyone say thanks to my awesome editor Thardoc who has been a great help to me so far. Also please leave a comment below on whatever it is you're thinking. Thanks for reading :D