A razor sharp stinger, with a bulb as big as my skull and a fang as long as my forearm shot for me like an arrow from a bow. I swung my sword and parried it, as the manticore roared and struck with his tail again and again. I parried the next hit, then dodged to the left. Chewie, anticipating this, swung a mighty paw at me with razor sharp claws as long as shark teeth.
I spun away, the claws slashing across my side. I grit my teeth as the giant spider silk vest I wore was torn. Chewie flapped his wings, kicking up dust into my eyes. I threw my sword at him, and the big guy slapped the blade away to try and pounce! I pulled my sawn off shotgun, just as he slammed me into the dirt!
... Then promptly licked me. I sputtered, dropping my weapons with a giggle.
"Okay, okay! You got me, you got me!" I wheezed. I winced, holding my side as the big manticore pulled back, "geez... Got to the skin that time, man!"
Chewie growled at me. I shrugged.
"Yeah, I told you to give it your all," I sighed, getting up to my feet. I grumbled a bit. "Boy am I regretting it..."
I picked up my sword, shield and shotgun, and stood ready.
"Okay! Again!"
Chewie grunted and rawred at me. I blinked.
"What, you gotta cut it short? Why?"
Chewie made some gestures that would be considered quite rude by human standards... Maybe. It was hard to tell. Still, I got the gist of it.
"Oh... Special lady, huh?" I asked with a grin. "Well! Good luck, bro! You've got this!"
Chewie grunted happily, and flew off. I limped a bit, heading for home, as the sun began to set. Three little fillies were doing some work at a table on my way to my house, and they beamed happily as they saw me.
"Hi Shepherd!" They chorused.
"Hey Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo," I said, "what are you up to?" I looked over the table. It had lots of beakers and bottles, and a pitcher of something that smelled... Fruity? And kind of like honey. "Juice stand?"
"Well, actually-" Applebloom tried, but Scootaloo nodded.
"Pretty much!" She said happily, "we're trying to get a cutie mark for beverages! How are you?"
"Eh," I shrugged, "feeling a bit old and worn out."
"Really?" Sweetie Belle asked, cocking her head, "that's weird. You're not that old... Right? For a human?"
"No, but... Some stuff can really age you," I sighed. I looked up at the stars. "What can I say... Lots of stuff can make you think... And the more you think, the more you reflect on, well... Your existence and stuff."
"Wow," Applebloom breathed, "that's... really deep."
I shrugged.
"I guess so," I said. Applebloom grabbed the pitcher of stuff, and shoved it at me.
"Here! This'll make you feel tons better!" She said. "It's juice from an old recipe we found in Granny's attic!"
I examined the stuff... Then shrugged. What the hell.
"Thank you," I said. I grabbed the pitcher, tilted it back, and chugged it. I was very thirsty... And this stuff was very refreshing!
I polished off the whole thing, and beamed at the three smiling fillies.
"Great job, girls!" I said. "That really hit the spot!"
"So, uh, you gonna pay us?" Sweetie Belle asked, looking cute despite her tactless demand. I sighed, and pulled out a few bits with a smile. I placed them on the table.
"You earned it," I said. I headed off to my home, already thinking about how good it was going to feel to just hit the pillow...
I woke up with a yawn, and stretched my arms over my head. I beamed. Huh! I didn't feel sore! Usually I'd be achy after a bout with Chewie, but this morning? Not a single twitch!
Maybe that juice had done me good? It had relaxed me so much, I'd dropped right to sleep.
I slid myself out of bed, to the floor... And fell, hard.
"OW!" I squeaked. I blinked, and sat back. I stared at my legs... Then my arms...
No hair was on my body. Everything was smooth... And short...
"What in the...?!"
I covered my mouth.
No. No way. That was not my voice!
My sleeping clothes were practically falling off me. I staggered up to my feet, and tied them as tightly as I could. I rushed to the bathroom, heart pounding in my much smaller chest.
The sink had been designed for a pony, so it was quite short for me... Usually. Now, it was almost too tall. But that was good, seeing as I could get a view of myself in the mirror.
A view of my eight or ten year old self in the mirror.
"... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" I screamed.
I heard a familiar rustle of wings through my window, and I looked over to see Fluttershy swoop in. Her eyes were wide.
"Shepherd?! Are you all right?! I was p-passing by and I heard you and... And..."
She stared.
"Uh," I began, "Fluttershy, I know what you're thinking... It's me. It's Shepherd! I-I'm just... I just...!"
Fluttershy... squeed, and wrapped her hooves and wings around me in a tight hug.
"Oh Shepherd! You're so... So... Cyuuuute!"
I groaned.
That's it. First? I'm gonna figure out how to get back to my actual age. And second?
I'm gonna kill the Cutie Mark Crusaders!
... Well okay, not kill them, but they're getting grounded for sure, damnit!
Thankfully, Twilight Sparkle is always quick on the uptake. She immediately took me to the library to examine me (With Fluttershy along), and called the Apples over too.
As I sat in the exam chair, various magical electrodes attached to me as I sulked, Spike walked up and patted me on the arm.
"Don't worry, Shepherd," he said, "we'll find a cure."
"Thanks Spike," I said sincerely, "geez... I mean, everyone wishes to be younger but literally?! Ugh... I'm gonna have to go through puberty again if they can't fix this!"
"Maybe you'll get it right this time," Spike suggested. I snorted back, fighting a smile.
"Oh yeah, like you're gonna ace it?"
"I was taught by Princess Celestia herself," Spike said with a grin, "and Twilight. I know what's coming! I'll handle it!"
"As easily as Twilight handled her adolescence?" I asked dryly.
Spike snorted.
"Least I'll know what not to do," he said.
Geez, his snark game was on point today. Then again, I had been turned into a kid. He was probably loving this.
Spike hummed, held his hand against the top of his head spine, and then pressed it to just above my head. I scowled.
"What?"
Spike grinned.
"What do you know? I'm finally taller than you!"
Yup. Definitely loving this.
The door to the lab opened, and Fluttershy glided down with a plate of food and cups of drink. She was even wearing a cute apron as she balanced everything perfectly with a happy smile. My mouth immediately began to water, and my stomach growled.
"I thought you might be hungry, so I made you breakfast, Shepherd," Fluttershy said, "um, if you-you don't mind?"
"Thanks so much, Fluttershy!" I said happily, "I didn't get a chance to eat."
"And I got some gemstones for you too, Spike," Fluttershy said, holding out a plate of said rocks to Spike. He took them with a grateful smile.
"Thanks Fluttershy!"
We both dug in eagerly. I groaned happily. Maybe my tastebuds were less refined, but the bacon tasted even more heavenly than usual.
"Mmm... I had no idea you knew how to make bacon and eggs!" I said happily.
"Well, uh, I do have to feed a lot of carnivores," Fluttershy explained, "and cooked meat lasts longer, and um, you do like bacon a lot..."
There were even pancakes, with a smiley face of fruit. I gobbled it all down.
"Oh my, you're so hungry at this age," Fluttershy observed, a hoof over her chin, "I suppose you would be growing very quickly at this stage of your development. It's fascinating!"
"Well, least he'll be growing up instead of out, that'll be a nice change," Spike snarked.
"I wouldn't be talking dude," I snorted, "your jelly belly ain't going nowhere."
"Now now, you two should play nice," Fluttershy admonished gently. Spike grinned.
"Oh man! She's already acting like your mom, Shepherd!"
"M-M-M-Mother?!" Fluttershy gasped, turning bright red.
"Where before, she was only acting like your wife!" Spike added, his teeth sharp as he went in for the kill.
"W-W-W-W-W-W-!"
Fluttershy turned away, blushing up a storm as she began to tremble. I glared at Spike.
"Dude!"
"Sorry, sorry, went too far," Spike winced, "I'm sorry, Fluttershy, I didn't mean-"
Fluttershy immediately flew up to Spike and grabbed his shoulders with her hooves. It was so fast I could barely follow her movements!
"No! No, I-I'd be a good wife and mother! R-R-R-Right?" She managed, wide eyed.
"Uhhh... Y-Yeah, that's why I said so," Spike said gently.
"Even... F-For..." She tried to peek at me... And then fainted dead away. I scowled at Spike.
"Seriously man?! SERIOUSLY?!"
"I'm sorry," Spike said, "with you being pint sized, I just couldn't control myself!"