We rose early in the day and resumed our journey, wandering through the city. There was activity ahead as ponies moved around the outside of a penned-in perimeter. Inside were humans, or were once. Most were in varying stages of becoming ponies under the baleful gaze of their captors.
Dust Kicked pointed at the group. "We're not cruel. Any human we capture is brought to a safe place and observed while they transition to ensure minimal complications. We want healthy ponies, not insane ones, or hurt ones. A healthy pony is valuable, unlike the humans they once were. A single pony can provide food for a dozen others, what human could match that without gas guzzling machines and raping the world a bit at a time? A pegasus can stay the angry hand of nature, a feat no human could accomplish even with their toys!"
Sandra snorted softly. "So this is all eco-terrorism?"
Dust span around on Sandra and stormed up to her. "We are not filthy terrorists! It's not about being fucking hippies. We won't 'make do' without raping the planet, we'll do better!" She straightened herself out and regained her composure. "I can't expect you to understand, gringo. You've been living with the humans. They're holding on tight to their pathetic old ways, but we'll do better." She lifted a hoof to Sandra's split jaw. "Do you even understand what you've been gifted with?"
"As an earth pony?" asked Sandra. "I can make plants grow."
Dust shook her head. "I'm talking about the front end of you. Your tongues, your mouth. It has a purpose! None of this is random. Every variation has its blessings."
Dusk perked an ear, looking as curious as I felt. I rest a hand on Sandra's head. "Well, what is it good for?"
Sandra nodded quickly. "What he said."
"He?" Dust looked over and up at me. "Hrm, well, I'm sure you've discovered their great strength."
Sandra nodded. "They're pretty handy, pardon the pun."
Dust nodded. "They can also feed, but not the obvious way. You can draw the energy out of living things and store it inside of you, and give it back out again. The more wrapped up they are, the faster the transfer can be done. You could kill with it, but that's not very interesting." She raised a brow. "You can help the sick, by empowering them with the healthy. You can empower unicorns to great feats of magic, or help a pegasus get across a continent in half the time."
~That fits what the creatures do. They feed on the transfer of power. Its movement makes them stronger. They're considered harmless parasites, mostly, more symbiotes than parasitic.~
Sandra let a tongue slip free and peered at it. "How do I do that?"
Dust turned away. "All in due time. We're not here for training. Peacemaker. Come here. See that one?" She pointed in the pen at a normal looking human. "We think he's immune. What would you do with him? Rhetorical question. I'm sure you'd vote to let him free, or live side-by-side or some nonsense. Go, say your goodbyes to him. He's worthless, worse than worthless."
I really didn't like her much. With a soft grunt, I stepped forward. The ponies parted to let me enter the pen and the partially-transformed ponies moved towards the entrance to look at me while some shied away with obvious fear. The immune one stepped up. "Well, is it time then?"
We perked all four of our ears. "Time?"
"They haven't been subtle about it."He shrugged. "I haven't changed, so they're killing me, right?"
I felt inside of him, and despite their words, there was plenty of gift there. Not a huge amount that'd imply royalty, a fairly average amount, but he hadn't changed. None of it was expressing itself. "Well... I don't think I can get you out, but would you want to be a pony if you could?"
"If the choice is change or die, I like living. I can get used to four legs compared to the alternative."
I tried to look supportive, smiling. "What kind of pony would you want to be, if you had to choose?"
He pointed at Sandra, still outside the fence. "Like that one, solid, strong. They seem to get along real good too. Real sal de la tierra sorts. Speaking of which, why did they send someone who speaks fluent English? Did they know I do too?"
I shrugged. "Luck, or destiny."
Cindy smiled gently. "We're going to make your wish come true. Close your eyes and imaging the pony you want to be, and hold it there as strong as you can."
I thought to add. "It's also going to hurt. Not many ways to avoid that short of knocking you out."
He stood ready as he ever would be. ~Let me. I don't want to be too obvious about it. You look surprised.~
With Cindy's advice, I feigned shock at the first crack. "I think it's catching!"
The man fell to the ground as he rapidly reconfigured in a horrifically painful orchestra of shattered bones and snapping tendons. His body reforged itself in the bloody bath of his gurgled screams, until all that was left was a weakly breathing blue earth pony. We couldn't see all of him, his clothes stretched horribly over his altered form. He passed out as soon as the changes slowed, but he seemed alive.
Dust Kicker huffed at me when I was brought out of the pen. "Even now you manage to find peace. He will be well treated, as one of us. You have a true talent, a pity it's being wasted on the humans. Come, we still have long to go."