//------------------------------// // The Morning After // Story: Melody of a Changeling // by DJ_Scr4tch //------------------------------// The sun rose. The magnificent orange ball never ceases to amaze me. I woke up with Vinyl on my chest, her head resting gently on my chest fluff. I gave her mane a few swipes and kissed her forehead. I sat up on the bed, gently letting her head take place on a pillow. Pushing off the bed I got on my hooves, still covered by the soft, warm, cozy stockings I wore for our fun late last night. Turning on the bathtub faucet I checked the temperature, much too cold for me. I quickly looked in the mirror. My mane was a mess. The normally puffy front was a huge mess, multiple splits and flattened chunks. The combed majority had been ruffled and dragged every which way across the bed. “This will take forever to fix.” I looked in the bedroom again, Vinyl was still dead asleep. I never woke before her, unless she was out drinking or after a good session. Walking back over to the tub, I gently lowered myself in. My tail and mane spread out on the water top while my body sunk to the bottom of the large porcelain tub. Water raised up to my neck, covering the part where my bow tie and collar go. It felt incredible to relax. My muscles rested as I soaked last night away. It was magical, the love I felt from her was more than I have from any other pony, but I couldn’t keep it. I almost lost my pony mind seeing that squirrel yesterday, if I feed on love I would instantly become a changeling. Time passed as my eyes were closed. The bed squeaked letting me know my beautiful marefriend was awake. She walked in the bathroom, her mane was an absolute mess… I loved it. Using her magic she opened the drawer and grabbed her toothbrush and toothpaste. “Morning Octavia.” She lifted it to her mouth and began to brush her teeth. “Morning Vinyl, care to join?” I shifted over in the tub holding a foreleg across the back for her. She nodded and continued brushing. After a few minutes she spit out the white fuzz that forming in her mouth and joined me in the tub. The water came up to our chins so we let some drain lowering it to our necks again. She cuddled into me as the warm water surrounded our bodies. I gave her a kiss on her forehead and dunked under for a second. Popping back up she giggled. My soaked mane was over my eyes, with a quick nuzzle she split it so I could see. “Thanks Vinyl.” I pulled the sleepy unicorn close and gave her another kiss. Her face looked so peaceful when she was sleepy. We sat in the tub for a few more moments and climbed out. Vinyl quickly did what she always did and used her magic to instantly dry off. Her mane perfect as it was before. She looked to me and giggled as I struggled with the towel. “Why don’t you ever help me out?” “Because the last time I did you yelled at me.” “I… Yeah…” She did help me once. Only issue is she gave me her mane colors and style. It took us all day to fix it. Vinyl knew her way around levitation spells, but she often messed up on others. She walked out and I sat in front of the mirror. “Time to style this mess.” My hooves came up to my hair with a comb and began to run it through. I straightened my mane and decided to try something different. I separated the back part into three strands. I began to pick them up and set them on one another. Pulling them up and across, repeating with each strand in order. Left over middle, right over middle, left over middle, right over middle. This went on for awhile. I was working with the feel of my hooves and the mane over my shoulder. When I opened my eyes, there it was, the braid was perfect. Just how I imagined it would be. I wondered if Vinyl would like it… Putting a hair tie around the end, I trotted out of the bathroom and to the living room. “Oh Vinyl,” I walked in and posed holding the braid over my hoof so she could see it. “what do you think?” Her eyes opened wide. Her focus left from the cup of coffee she was pouring and to my mane. The cup quickly overflowed and some landed on her hoof. “Ow!” She quickly snapped out of her trance-like state and set the coffee pot down. “So? Do you like it?” I walked next to her and grabbed my tea kettle and filled it with water. “Octavia… It’s beautiful, but I liked your other mane. But definatly a good second option!” She cleaned up her small mess and grabbed her toast from the toaster. I had to let out a small giggle. “Alright, I’ll swap back after I get my tea started.” Turning on the stovetop, I set the tea bag in the water and set the lid on top. Joining her on at the counter. “It is really nice. Just different then what I am used to.” She nuzzled me. I must admit that did cheer me up. It wasn’t difficult work, just took some time. I nodded in agreement and started unwinding my mane. The braid quickly came out and returned to it’s normal shape. The kettle began to whistle and I quickly removed it from the heat source. Pouring it in my favorite teacup, hoofcrafted by Vinyl with love, I filled it and grabbed a few breakfast sandwhiches. The small triangle shaped sandwiches had lettuce, tomato, and some mayo. My craving for meat has become stronger every time I see an animal. The prey looks so tender and tasty. Yet I rarely have to leave the apartment so it’s been easy to control it. We sat and talked. Plans for the day, ponies to talk to, how much we hated co-workers, and how I loved my job. Her job required long hours and lots of other workers. She despised them. Most could barely put a beat to a song, but she did like the company of some. She gave me a kiss and strapped herself to her saddlebags. Leaving me alone for the day, but I wasn’t alone. There were rats everywhere. I could hear them. The apartment next door was vacant and nopony ever cleaned. It was time to do something. I walked downstairs and knocked on the door of the largest apartment. The landlord lived there, she was kinda mean, lazy, and cheap. Offering her a free extermination job would be perfect. The annoying noises would stop and she might be able to sell it, a win win situation! The doorknob turned and it swung in. The mare was standing there she looked, and smelled, like shes been surviving off of… Yeah… Old cheap pasta and take out… “Hello? May I help you?” “Yes, please. I was wondering if I could offer to clean out apartment 9-H. I’ll do it for free.” Her eyes lit up to the word. But she quickly got a look her in face. She thought she could get some money out of me, but that wasn’t about to happen. “Well, as much as I would love to let you clean it. I simply can’t. You’re not a professional exterminator. So the only ‘legal’ way you could do this was to rent it out and clear it.” She held out her hoof expecting a bag of bits. “Oh? Okay, and then I can sue you for bad living conditions of a property in your care. How would that sound?” She cleared her throat and put her hoof down. “Yes. Of course, right. Feel free to clear it. I’ll even give you a discount on next months rent if you don’t mention it to anypony.” “Of course. Have a nice day.” I took the key from her hoof and trotted back upstairs. My mouth was filling with saliva as I could taste the meat in it. I put the key in the lock and gave it a twist. Pushing it in I instantly was greeted by three rats trying to escape. With a quick movement of my hooves I stomped on their tails and held them there. When I had a chance I tossed them back in the room shutting the door. The place was dark. The place smelled disgusting. Rat droppings and mildew everywhere. I walked to the window and split the blinds. It was worse than I could imagine… Empty chewed up pizza boxes laid strewn across the whole living room. The couch was stained terribly and the rats scattered. There were two inches of disgustingness everywhere. A thick layer of dust covered everything exposed. “Perfect… For the hunt.” I grinned deviously and shut the blinds. The whole room went black again. A green flame lit up the room as I took my true form. My wings unfolded and I started flapping and flexing them. “Ahhhh…. I haven’t seen these in months.” Using my horn as a light I scanned the ground. Rats didn’t notice this light. They never did, such easy prey. My mouth opened and my fangs flashed. My hooves pushed off the ground and I cleanly cleared half the room. My mouth snapped around an unsuspecting rat and I quickly devoured it. Instantly I lost control. My body never felt stronger. The love from Vinyl with the correct diet made me feel incredible. Spotting the next snack I crouched down. With a powerful push I leaped to the corner. My fangs sinking into its skin and quickly devoured another. For hours I hunted, pouncing and chasing and chewing. It all ended when the final fat rat went down my throat. Stomach bulging as I laid down on the couch. I didn’t care about the stains. Or what they were. It was wonderful to relax with a full meal. I rolled off the couch and stood up. My mind was clear, cravings gone. I stood up and changed back to normal. Rubbing my forehead I checked for a horn, same with my back for wings. It’s been a long time since I’ve changed. Just had to check. There were tales back in the caves about changelings like me. They said if we didn’t change back and forth often we would become a pony forever. With the final check of my tail, I left the apartment locking it shut. I returned the key to the landlord. She greeted me with a uncomfortable grunt, slamming the door in my face she began to yell. Why? I don’t know, don’t care. Returning to the apartment I walked in and took my spot on the couch. Satisfied with today’s hunt, my eyes gently shut and I fell asleep in no time. I awoke to Vinyl screaming again. Next thing I knew, as I sat up a blunt object nailed me in the side of the head. Everything went black.