Mortal Shell

Source

The body wakes. The body hungers. The body endures.

And so does She.

With great thanks to Suni herself for a quick and thoughtful spur-of-the-moment pre-read.

Chapters (1)

Comments ( 12 )

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Shachza

Shachza #1 · Nov 19th, 2020 · 1 · ·

Now write the one where ponies steal a changeling from Her by turning it into a pony.

Admiral Biscuit

Admiral Biscuit #2 · Nov 19th, 2020 · 2 · ·

Her hoof could not but be in it—holey and divine.

Indeed.

Also, I learned a new word today: foetor!

Also also as usual describing the experience of this story is beyond my talents. It’s almost dreamlike and yet dark, surely a nightmare although perhaps not (I suppose it depends on whose side you’re on) . . .

We make our choices as readers; we decide who is the good guy and who is the bad guy, and I made mine. You surely know which side I’d choose, and as such you can guess my opinion at the outcome [I’m being cautious to avoid spoilers].

What gets me is how close I came to considering the other view as the right one.

AShadowOfCygnus

AShadowOfCygnus #3 · Nov 19th, 2020 · 1 · ·

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That was quick! Thank you, as ever, for the kind words and evident wonderment (?!). I'm glad these half-mad little things keep providing some sense of narrative fulfilment.

It’s almost dreamlike and yet dark, surely a nightmare although perhaps not (I suppose it depends on whose side you’re on) . . .

Oh, absolutely -- just a matter of determining whether it's a nightmare you can wake up from. And so often, as per the semi-snarky comment in the author's note, we sometimes have about as much power as the not-quite-narrator when things go to shit.

What gets me is how close I came to considering the other view as the right one.

Neither of us would be the first to suggest that there's a certain comfort in being able to just let go. Just a matter of what, and to whom.

FanOfMostEverything

FanOfMostEverything #4 · Nov 20th, 2020 · 3 · ·

Her hoof could not but be in it—holey and divine.

A+ wordplay

Fascinating perspective. One could almost see it as a Zerg perspective rather than a changeling one. Great piece of xenofiction. Thank you for it.

GaPJaxie

GaPJaxie #5 · Nov 21st, 2020 · 1 · ·

Simply delightful. Masterful wordplay. :D

AShadowOfCygnus

AShadowOfCygnus #6 · Mar 16th, 2021 · · ·

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I'm getting really bad about actually responding to things. Thank you both for your kind words, truly.

Changeling xenofiction -- and really any proper depiction of them as an appropriately rapacious alien horde -- seems to be severely underrepresented on the site. If y'all have any recommendations as to other works in that vein I might have missed, I'd love to hear 'em!

PaulAsaran

PaulAsaran #7 · May 5th, 2022 · 2 · ·

You can has review!

Bad Horse

Bad Horse #8 · May 7th, 2022 · 1 · ·

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Thank you for recommending this. I tried writing in an alien mind once, in a Philomena story I no longer remember the name of. But I didn't take it nearly as far.

ShadowOf, how long did it take to write? Many drafts?

AShadowOfCygnus