//------------------------------// // Stone Breaker // Story: Scattered Seeds // by Istaran //------------------------------// When Stone Breaker awoke from his fever, he was quick to request that Apple Core, the pegasus mare whose apartment they were staying in, be given the kingsblood as well. While he had needed it to recover from nearly fatal injuries, he wanted her to have it to help her free herself from the mobsters who demanded every bit she could spare, and had forced her into prostitution. He wasn't good at explaining why, but the mare trusted the massive earth pony stallion who had risked his life so many times to protect her. With Apple Core beginning to slip into her own feverish slumber, that left Mirror as the only able-bodied pony in the tiny apartment, relatively speaking at least. He showered, he cooked, he cleaned, doing everything he could to occupy the time as he waited for the chance to leave this place, hopefully forever. Stone Breaker was silent for hours, and Mirror was just taking to assuming he was the strong silent type, or something, until the stallion suddenly spoke up. "Would you mind doing your avatar thing for us?" "Huh?" Mirror responded at first, simply surprised, before following up with a more coherent, "what did you have in mind?" Stone Breaker just blushed a moment, looking over Apple Core's sleeping form. She was starting to stir, but it could easily be another hour before she was fully conscious. There had been no real rush with her, so her body was taking the normal full day to integrate the nanotechnology into her system. "I love her. And I think she feels the same, but she's afraid. I'm just too big, you know?" Stone Breaker fell silent again, figuring he had said enough and Mirror could work out the rest. The changeling thought for a bit, looking them both over. The pegasus was a bit on the petite side, fully grown to be sure, despite her lack of cutie mark, but below average in size. The earth pony, by contrast, was one of the larger stallions. He was quite as big as Oak Breaker, but he was up there. While some ponies would certainly enjoy that difference in size, it was daunting and it could be quite painful, especially the first time. Mirror wasn't afraid. He knew his body could handle it, that any discomfort would be passing, and any injury that might result easily healed. But he had born the Kingsblood for some time, and made use of its healing properties before. He was also quite familiar with Fog Dancer's affection for larger stallions, and that pegasus wasn't much bigger than the one before him. He nodded, to himself at first before noticing Stone Breaker's intense observation. "Alright, I'm willing to give it a try, if she wants to. But first.. " The changeling dropped his disguise, and slipped up to the mostly-healed earth pony, snuggling up against him. Stone Breaker looked at him curiously before hugging him close. It was the first time he had seen an undisguised changeling. He rolled with it easily, having been forewarned by his own subnet hours ago, but the vague impression of the creature's appearance imparted to his consciousness was nothing compared to actually seeing the real thing up close and personal. He noted the feel and shine of the chitin under his hooves, the idle flitting of gossamer wings, and most of all the gaping holes in the changeling's flesh. He pitting the smaller bug-pony for a moment before realizing he could actually do something about it. It wasn't hard for him to find something to like about Mirror. The insect had saved him from certain death the previous day, had taken care of both ponies all day despite his own injuries, and now offered to give him a chance to be with Apple Core in a new way. He also knew a fair bit more about Mirror from what others had conveyed to him, especially the little unicorn mare who was so quick to praise him. Bringing these thoughts to focus in his mind, he hugged Mirror tighter, trying his best to feed his love to the changeling. It was working, but not very well. Stone Breaker squirmed a bit uncomfortably, giving an apologetic smile to Mirror, not sure why he felt such resistance within his own heart. But Mirror knew, almost immediately. He could feel it easily, knowing that resistance all too well. With a flash of green magic, his form shifted subtly, becoming more effeminate, right down to the crotch, which she rubbed against Stone Breaker just enough to make sure he noticed that change as well. Almost instantly the flow of love loosened up, flowing freely. Breaker looked like he wanted to apologize as he realized what had happened, but Mirror shook her head, leaning up to kiss him lightly on the lips. "It's okay. It's instinct, I know. I understand. I'm a changeling, I don't mind changing." She buried her own annoyance, not so much at Breaker himself but at the course of her life persistently chipping away at her sense of self as a male. It seemed like in a world with so many more mares than stallions, she ought to be able to find love more easily as a stallion. Yet, time and again she found herself playing the role of a mare, as an avatar or otherwise. Stone Breaker cast his shame aside and simply hugged the changeling tighter to himself, making out with her as he let the love flow into her and the blood flow into his member. But Mirror kept things relatively tame between them, until Apple Core awoke. When she did, she looked over at the two, taking some time to process what she was seeing as her own newly formed subnet caught her up on their plans. Apple Core blushed deeply, stammering a bit incoherently as she tried to make sense of it before simply nodding. With Mirror's guidance, soon she was connected to the changeling's mind, sharing her senses. A flash of green magic washed over Mirror's body, giving her Apple Core's appearance and making the whole thing feel more natural to the pony, if still more than a little surreal. Trying something new, with her permission, Mirror opened her mind to Apple Core's senses, watching the whole scene from an outside point of view for once. It was a bit challenging to make sense of both sets of senses at the same time, but with her subnet's help it wasn't beyond her. Just... weird. In a fun, sexy kind of way. When they seemed settled, Stone Breaker tugged lightly on Mirror's neck with one hoof, just enough to draw their attention to him and get them to lean in and give him a kiss, shyly at first, but quickly steaming up. Apple Core had done a lot of kissing in her life, even more than Mirror, but this was different for her. This was somepony she actually had feelings for, even if she still wasn't certain about actually pursuing him. She felt Mirror's thoughts mingled with her own, encouraging her in a wordless press of emotions. Beyond that, she could tangibly feel Stone Breaker's love through Mirror's changeling senses, and knew it for what it was. That was all the encouragement she needed. When they had had their fun, and Mirror and Apple Core disentangled their minds, starting to clean up and prepare to leave, Mirror was a bit surprised to be contacted by Midnight Hunter. [Done having fun?] the lunar pegasus stallion asked the changeling, a bit of poorly suppressed bitterness creeping into the message. [Yeah. How'd you know?] the changeling replied. [Top Flight taught me a few tricks. That pegasus has taken to the whole 'cyborg' thing with shocking ease. If he didn't already have one, I'd have expected him to get a cutie mark for it. Anyways, you and... Apple Core? Even though it was encrypted, you were sending out so much data I figured it had to be the avatar thing, and from the duration I guessed at the rest. So... how was she?] Mirror ignored the question, instead responding with one of her own. [Why are you bitter?] Hunter was silent a moment, uncomfortable about being called out on it, but with a mental sigh he decided it was for the best. He really did want to clear the air with the changeling. [I guess... I kind of hoped you and I could have had something more, something special. It was silly to even hope something like that, I know. I should just... focus on Moonbeam. She's a great mare, and I'm really glad you brought her back into my life.] [I do what I can,] Mirror replied. [And I'm really glad things worked out for you two. But as for me... yeah. Midnight Oil is the one who is really special to me, and even with her, I can't... our paths have split. We'll still be friends, and I hope you and I can be friends as well, despite the distance. The signal doesn't degrade too badly from here. But I don't want you pining over me. You've got a great marefriend now, so go enjoy your time with her.] [Yeah... about that...] Hunter began with embarrassment, before catching Mirror up on what he had missed.