• Published 22nd Jul 2012
  • 5,148 Views, 57 Comments

What is love? - Anonymous Pegasus



What is love? And who better than a changeling to understand it?

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What is love?

What is love but obsession? What is love but a construct of a mind trying desperately to keep something close?

What is love? And why don’t I understand it?

I’ve asked myself these questions and a million more since engaging in a relationship with this pony. It’s been two months now, and I think, maybe, that I’ve fallen in love. It’s an odd sensation, to be frank. I’ve always felt love, right since I was hatched. You see, I am a changeling, a creature of the night, a trickster and a demon.

Many moons ago, my queen’s plans failed us, and we were scattered. Without leadership, without direction, we went to ground. At least, that is what I choose to believe. I have heard nothing from my brethren, and, if I am being truly truthful...I have no wish to find them.

From what I understand, not a lot is known of my kind amongst the ponyfolk. We are a whisper in the wind, a spectre that steals in under cover of trickery and disguise, destroy all that we touch, and then disperse, leaving a glorious trail of proud destruction in our wake.

Far be for it to me, a mere changeling, to change your misconceptions about us. We are an artifact of nature, we are predators. Do you fault the lion for feeding upon the gazelle? Do you fault the anteater when it destroys an ant’s nest? Do you feel anger towards a dragon when it feasts upon a defenseless gemstone?

And what are ponies but gemstones? They are a mere collection of biological material ripe for harvesting. One would even go so far as to say that we, the changelings, are a much more elegant creature in our habits than a mere pony. We do not destroy that which feed upon. We feed upon love, we sustain ourselves with it. Love is not destroyed when it is harvested. It is not consumed, but merely redirected to us. Do the ponies we impersonate lose anything when the love is directed away from them? No, they do not. They are merely inconvenienced.

I put it to you that changelings are the lesser of evils in this world. Were we to feed upon our victims truly, to sustain ourselves with their flesh, then we would be monsters. Then we would be demons.

The truth is, we changelings are not so bad, in the grand scheme of things. We tend to isolate our targets while their partners are away, surprise them as their lover come home early. And then, we leave. No harm done. We continue to live, and the pony is unharmed. If we use our magic right, they usually don’t even notice the transition. Our magic is exceptionally good at muddling the minds of our prey.

But as with all creatures of stealth, it is the ones that are most visible that shape the view of our entire species. You do not fear the jaguar who hides in the shadows, stalking you out of interest, never seen or heard. You fear the jaguar that cries a challenge from the darkness and makes its presence known, and the thousand others who chose not to harm you are tarred with the brush you apply to the loud jaguar.

And so it is that our misguided queens reveal our species, and give us a bad name. It is a cycle of life, perhaps, that we are constantly dragged into the light. Ponies are reminded of our presence, and we are forced to refine our techniques and our habits before fading from history again, until another queen can choose to reveal us with a bold plan.

We, like the pegasus, and the unicorn, and the earth pony, are creatures of habit and need. We need love to exist.

Who better to understand love than us, who seek it our entire lives, and require it to exist?

And yet, laying here, on this ponies couch, in his home, in front of his fire, curled in his embrace, I realise that I know nothing of love.

I know how to attain it, how to trick a pony into giving it to me, and I even know how to make a pony fall in love with me. But of love itself? I am ignorant.

What is love?

I envy the rabbit that frolicks in the meadow. He does not concern himself with petty notions of love. He eats, he sleeps, he plays. He does not spend nights staring into the fire questioning everything about his existence.

Love is so easily handed out, and so generously. A pony may love many different persons in their lifetime, and love them all equally. Or they might have one great love. They can even give love to objects. Is the love a crafter has for the finest table he ever made any less than the love he feels for his wife?

I ask myself these questions over and over. I cannot pretend to be able to fathom the inner workings of a ponies mind. They are alien to me, like a moth trying to fathom the mind of a butterfly. And yet, they are content to label all of their connections with love.

As I lay in the embrace of this strange pony, I asked myself ‘What is love?’. I feel the warmth of his hooves around me, the somehow reassuring sensation of his weight against my assumed form. I can feel the soft exhales of his breathing tickle the fur at the back of my neck. And I am content.

Is this love, or obsession? I do not wish to leave his side for anything. Is it because my mind has drawn a connection between myself and this pony? Am I indoctrinated to his presence as if a dog who hears a whistle every time he is fed expecting food when he hears the whistle? Or is it love?

Ever since he found he, he was kind. He gave me shelter, at great risk to himself. He didn’t care that I was a changeling. He cast aside the misconceptions of his species and gave me a chance to prove myself to him.

Are the feelings I have for him an obsession? Are they just my mind grasping at the one stable element of my present life and refusing to let go?

Or are love and obsession just two different words for the same sensations?

How can a creature have no understandings of the very thing they feed upon?

Perhaps a pony, in my position, would call it love. But I cannot call it love without knowing what love is. Love is, as I understand, a word given to any sensation of attachment that a pony cannot explain immediately. It is like faith. It is intangible, but its effects on the psyche and those around us are noticeable. A pony would jump off a cliff for love or faith.

Maybe love is just a word for any strong attachment? Surely I am attached to his pony. Would I leap from a cliff for him? No. That would be foolish. If he had promised that he would be at the bottom to catch me, though...

Or maybe love is simple? Maybe love is just...love. A completely separate emotion to obsession and need. Does a lion love a gazelle? Does the anteater love the ants he feasts upon?

And if not...how can I love a pony? How can I love the source of my sustenance, or ever know if my emotions are truly love, or merely an obsession brought about by reliance?

Does it even matter?

Love seems to be a brand applied clumsily to everything and anything. From obsessions to need.

It is a word abused over and over again until the true meaning of it is lost to lore.

But I have decided that I will allow myself this transgression.

It takes but a gentle push of my hooves to wake up the pony whose embrace I am enjoying. His eyes blink open, and he raises a brow at me curiously.

I lean in to whisper gently into his ear, ‘I love you’.

The smile that I receive in return for my simple admittance creates a warm glow inside my chest, and I bask in its radiance as I return to lazing with him.

After endless questions have chased themselves through my mind, I inevitably come back to the same conclusion:

If this warm glow I get from a simple smile is not love, then what is love?

Comments ( 54 )

951048 i was just about to say that :rainbowlaugh:

951048, so close to saying that.

951048 I came here just to say that :trixieshiftleft:

Hunter C. Creed

951048

Why?!
Why couldn't I be just a little bit faster?! :raritydespair:

^ Lol every comment above.

Oh yeah, and, uh, good story.

951135 It was just an experiment in first-personness. I've never done it before.

It was just meant to be short and mildly cute. And not at all long-winded, rambling, and half crazy. Failed pretty hard there! :D

Might adapt it to something much longer and more intense when I finish Antecedent.

Aaand I've read it. Makes me think of Bioshock 2's 'Love is a chemical, we give it meaning' thing. That's pretty good. Also, I assume this story isn't in the same universe as Transcend? I'm not sure why I expected it to be, but whatever.

951048 I think we all came here just to say that

951186 definitely not same universe. Different changelings entirely :3

Damn, this was deep. I don't dislike Changelings anymore. Just their queen now. :twilightsmile:

That was interesting. I enjoyed my little trip through the bothered changeling's mind. I also agree this could grow to more than a oneshot but I think it works perfectly well the way it is.

Either way thanks for letting me read.

Oh, and the first person was fine but for future practice you may want to try something more dynamic than talking to oneself.

Do you know what I think when I see what is love?

Mushrooms, those who watch protonjon's videos know what I'm talking about.

Riz

951156

Is the Changeling is someone we know ? Is it a girl ?

I think this story deserves a lot better than 'mildly cute', well done :twilightsmile:

955019 We meet the changlings in the Season 2 finale episodes (a 2 parter) about the Royal Wedding between Princess Cadence and Shining Armor (Twilight Sparkle's big brother) Linky to part 1

Like Stryker12324, I don't dislike changlings as much anymore either. I like this perspective. Unusual, but enjoyable.

For a moment there, I expected Haddaway.

I've been looking for a story like this! An undisguised Changeling in love with a pony that returns that love without hesitation. Very sweet and cute. Great stuff. :pinkiesmile:

951220

Yeah, this changeling seems quite nice, unlike the minion murderer (still hate that ending).

So I'd been meaning to read this and finally got reminded of it, very interesting psychological trip.

*Head bob mode engaged*

I love changelings! :twilightsmile:
...
Like, who doesn't like their brethren?

I'm guessing that this turned into An Affliction of the Heart

This was one of the best romance stories I think I have encountered during my time on this site. Good job, dude.

Wow, that is deep. I had never given changelings this much thought. Clearly it complicates things if they stick around instead of eating and running.

And the first-person was good, especially the ending.

Riz

951220

Is this Changeling Kuno ? :rainbowhuh:

1829992 this idea sort of BECAME An Affliction of the Heart. So in a way, yes, this is Kuno. But it's not canon :twilightsmile:

(insert Vynyl HeadBanging Here)

1830001 so this was like, an original Kuno? is this, like, what she thought once in the first one. (not the sequel) or perhaps inbetween the first one and the sequel? also, lemme jsut say, I love pretty much all of your stuff I have read. you're amazing. have 10 assorted emotes :derpytongue2::rainbowkiss::derpyderp2::derpyderp1::ajsmug::fluttershysad::pinkiehappy::twilightsheepish::eeyup::rainbowkiss:

1830001
I found a small error I think:

Ever since he found he, he was kind. He gave me shelter, at great risk to himself.

You mean "Ever since he found me," right?

Besides that, I absolute loved every word. Warden X Kuno is my favorite couple, next to Doctor Whooves, and Derpy.

Baby don't hurt me no more

Filly don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no more

a pain in the ass is what love is

951048
Wow, I was waaaaaay too late getting here.

Love is just a mountain ride.What kind of vehicle you are defines what kind of person you are. You get higher then lower. The higher you are, the more problems you have. You go slow and you go fast. Time defines how quick life is. There could be an avalanche or rock slide. It stops your ride. Its unexpected really. That is my definition of love.

2351047
2148628
BABY DUN HURT MEH
DUN HURT MEH
NO MOAR

5578154 Posted that 101 weeks ago...well

5578164 WAHT IS LUV

BITCH IM A CHANGELING
A CHANGELING
FAQ U.

WAHT IS LUV

5578185 Ah sed...

FAK YOOOOOOOOO

5578210 Wait, you're taking this seriously?!

I thought the video would've cleared it up...

5578218 Bad reception only read the title.

5578225 "Im a boss ass bitch bitch bitch."

Tittle are readed. And now...We're back!

WAT IS LURV
BEBEH DUN HERT MEE
DUN HERT MEE
NO MOOOOOOR

Late, late, late to the party but: this is beautiful. Just that.

O by the queen... Your sure have a was to make changlings better ponys eatch chapter/story/ story tale you write :twilightsmile:

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