Chapter 22
Caleb watched with some puzzlement as Sky folded and placed clothes into her suitcase, having finished packing his own for the trip to Earth. The anthro mare looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
“What’s bothering you?” she asked.
“Why do you even need to pack clothing if you can simply transform yourself as I’ve seen you done before?”
Sky smiled indulgently. “That’s because we’ve only ever made day trips before now. I didn’t have to change my outfit while on Earth. Since we’re going away for a few days, I need to pack appropriately. And, no, I won’t be using my transformation ability instead because I can’t afford to waste my magic.”
Caleb frowned. “I’ve heard that there’s no true magic there.”
“Not exactly. There’s some but not enough to sustain beings like me. Even the portal mirror on that side needs to connect regularly to Equus to recharge. That’s one reason why it automatically opens by itself if it hasn’t been used in a long time.”
“How bad will it be for you then?”
Sky grimaced. “You know changelings get their energy from love and other positive emotions, right? Well, it takes magic to convert love to physical energy. Take away the magic and we have zero energy. It’s like taking the battery out of a toy. However, unlike a toy, once we run out of magic, there’s no restarting us with a new battery. We’re dead.”
“What?! Then how do you survive on Earth in the long term if you run out of magic so easily?”
The anthro mare put her hand on the silver necklace with the emerald pendant that hung around her neck. “This isn’t just for show. This is a mana storage gem. It holds enough raw magic to sustain me for about a week as long as I don’t waste it on needless transformations. And that’s why I take along my real clothing instead.”
The man nodded in comprehension. “I assume that all the changelings operating on Earth have something similar?”
“That’s right. They have to get theirs recharged regularly because if the gem runs empty, they only have half a day at most before their body stores run out.”
“Yikes! Are you sure you don’t want to pack an emergency spare?”
Sky reached into her suitcase and brought out an identical necklace. “Believe me; I’m not taking any chances.”
Willow walked into the bedroom just then. “Aren’t you two finished packing yet? I thought you wanted to get to Canterlot early?”
“Relax!” Caleb replied. “We’re on schedule. In fact, there’s still time for you to change your mind and come with us.”
“No, and that’s my final answer. Becoming something other than a pony is not anything I want to try. I know you need to be among your own kind occasionally and it makes sense for Vicky to accompany you, but leave me out of it.”
The man sighed. “Okay, but you don’t know what you’re missing.” He turned to Sky. “Do you need anything else?”
She shook her head and closed up the suitcase. “I believe I have everything. Besides, Rosa said she would help me out if necessary.”
“Then it seems we’re ready to go.” Caleb knelt in front of Willow to hug her. “We’ll miss you while we’re away.”
Willow snorted even as she returned the hug. “It’s not as if I haven’t survived by myself before.”
“Just don’t forget to water the plants while we’re gone. I don’t want to come back to shriveled flowers.”
She stuck her tongue out at him. “Are you trying to insult my earth pony heritage? Please! As if I’d let that happen… again.”
Caleb chuckled as he got up and grabbed his suitcase. “Okay, let’s go, Sky.”
The anthro mare also gave Willow a quick hug before following the human out the door.
It was a familiar walk to Twilight’s castle and then the trip through the portal to Canterlot. A Royal Guard escorted them to a lounge room where they found Prince Mark, Princess Trixie, Lady Rarity, and Captain Penumbra socializing with Phil and Rosa Martine. Sky and Caleb had morning tea with them before heading for the other portal room which housed the mirror that linked to Earth. There, Sky transformed to her human form, Vicky, before she and Caleb followed the unicorn and griffon through the gateway.
On the other side, Rosa stretched her now-human back and arms. She then beckoned to them. “Let me show you to the room where you’ll be sleeping while you’re here.”
The guest bedroom had a king-size bed, a large wardrobe, and a set of drawers on either side of the room. Caleb and Vicky unpacked before heading downstairs. The four of them then got into the Martines’ car to start their vacation activities.
Over the following days, they visited a museum, picnicked in a national park, went to a baseball game (Vicky said she enjoyed the novelty but wasn’t in a hurry to go again), dined out at various restaurants, and enjoyed a stage play and a movie. While at the latter, Vicky was pleased when Caleb put his arm around her, allowing her to more intimately experience the emotions evoked by the film. Afterward, she commented on this.
“Thank you for sharing your feelings, Caleb.”
“Hmm? What do you mean?”
“Your arm around me, remember?”
“Oh. Right. That’s kind of expected when you go to a movie with your girlfriend.”
Vicky blushed with pleasure. While being a Companion was slightly different, in their present context, it was the next closest thing and she loved it.
“I noticed something though,” Caleb added.
This time it was Vicky’s turn to be puzzled. “About what?”
“Your clothes.”
She blinked. “What about them?”
“They feel real.”
Vicky gave Caleb a flat look. “That’s because they are real. You saw me pack them.”
“You’re missing the point. On our previous day trips, you’ve come over with transformed clothes. You do the same when going to work as Sky. Although they look perfect, there’s a subtle but distinct difference to their texture.”
Vicky blushed. “And here I thought I had mastered textiles. There’s so little need for it in Equestria that I must have overlooked some fine points. Why didn’t you say something before now?”
The man shrugged. “It wasn’t important. I only mentioned it now because I was reminded of it.”
She sat up and wiggled her back slightly. The motion reminded Caleb of when Butterfly fluttered her wings in irritation. Vicky huffed. “I’ll work on it when we get back home, if only to assuage my pride.”
The activities in the human world clarified several things for Vicky. While she had heard that humans were monogamous, it was another thing entirely to experience it firsthoof… or firsthand in this case. Her emotion-reading worked just fine in her human form and this time she paid attention to the feelings of those around her. Not once did she encounter a triad of two females bonded to one male. Curiously, multiple men pursuing and perhaps competing for one woman wasn’t uncommon. Vicky realized that Caleb’s social conditioning simply wouldn’t allow him to commit to multiple romantic partners at the same time. At least, not yet.
Out of an abundance of caution, none of their holiday activities were more than a day trip. They were back at the Martine residence every night, although sometimes very late. Vicky joined Caleb in bed just as she had been doing in Equestria but still in human form. She also refused to wear pajamas and slept nude. Caleb had shared a bed with several women over the years, always with carnal pursuits in mind. However, this time it was different. The changeling was a warm and familiar bed companion curled up behind him and thoughts of sex never entered his mind.
‘Maybe that’s how Willow feels with me,’ the man mused as he drifted off to sleep.
As for Vicky, she was very pleased with how much closer their bond had become. Sharing their experiences on this holiday had been a wonderful idea. She only wished that Willow had consented to come along too. The changeling was certain that the mare was the key to the completion of their union. Perhaps when they returned to Equestria, the three of them could use the rest of the break to do something extra special together? Vicky fell asleep dreaming up ways to encourage Willow to fully open herself up to Caleb.
All good things come to an end and the day came that Caleb and Vicky said their farewells to Phil and Rosa. After returning to Equestria and the changeling transformed back to her Sky anthro form, they wasted no time making their way to the portal that took them to Ponyville. They saw Twilight Sparkle on her balcony as they exited the Castle of Friendship. The alicorn had her head buried in a book as she set the sun and returned inside. The man and changeling walked home, occasionally waving and greeting friends along the way.
Willow could not be seen in the garden, so as Caleb entered the house, he called out, “Willow – we’re home!”
The mare did not reply and she was not to be found anywhere. Both the man and Sky were puzzled as Willow knew that they would be returning now. They had half-expected the mare to have some sort of celebration awaiting them.
“Perhaps she’s shopping for something she forgot?” Sky suggested.
Caleb replied, “I can’t think of anything that would be more important to her than meeting us the moment we arrived… and why are there dishes piled in the sink?”
A knock at the door interrupted their speculation. The man answered it and found himself looking at an elderly blue unicorn mare whom he recognized as one of his neighbors.
“Can I help you, Mrs. Candlebright?”
The mare frowned and replied, “It’s about time that you showed your sorry flanks again! What were you two youngsters thinking — leaving your mare here all alone? I haven’t seen that poor filly so out of sorts since her beau died.”
Caleb’s eyes widened. “What are you talking about?”
“She’s been coming home drunk these past two nights and I saw her heading for the bar again this morning.”
The man looked over to Sky who looked equally alarmed. He turned back to their neighbor. “Can you tell us which bar, ma’am?”
“The Royal Flagon.”
“Thanks. Come on, Sky – let’s find out what’s going on.”
Sky disrobed and switched to unicorn stallion form, suspecting Vex’s magic might be needed. The two jogged to the tavern which didn’t take long because it was the one closest to their home. Finding Willow wasn’t hard as she was a loud drunk.
“I’m telling you… telling you all… Fifteenth Armored Shquad were *BURP*… were the besht. An’ Blazhing Shield was the beshtest. Bucking kick your plots from here to Tueshday. No! Thurshday!”
The barkeep Berry Punch gave a long-suffering sigh. “For the thousandth time, Willow, we know. And stop disturbing the other customers.”
“Hey! Them cushomers deserve to know how *BURP*… how bucking great he wash. All hish shquad! Bucking heroesh!”
Caleb stopped the mare from raising her tankard to her lips. “You’ve had more than enough, Willow. Time to go home.”
The plum-colored bartender shot him a grateful look while sliding wine glasses into the wooden rack above the bar. “Heya, Caleb! “Thank Celestia you’re finally back! Any other night I’d ask what you’re thirsty for, but…”
Willow gave the man a sozzled grin. “Hey! Jusht in time to join me in a toasht. To Blazhing Shield!”
This time, the earth pony’s strength overcame the human’s, but Vex foiled her efforts with his telekinesis. Between them, they managed to relieve the inebriated mare of her drink.
Caleb said, “Come on, Willow – you can tell us about him on the way home.”
“Oh. Okay,” the mare replied before collapsing and nearly falling out of her seat.
Vex caught the unconscious mare in his magic. “I’ll carry her home,” he told Caleb.
They garnered several curious stares as they made their way back to the house. Caleb pulled back the covers on the bed and Vex laid her down before the man tucked her in. They then left the bedroom and closed the door behind them.
“What do you think happened?” Caleb asked.
Vex grimaced. “Judging by what she said, something set her off regarding her deceased fiancé. It was a mistake leaving her here by herself. She may have regressed a lot because we weren’t here when she needed us. Needed you.”
Caleb groaned. “You know I tried to get her to come along. I needed some time with other humans.”
Vex switched to Butterfly before replying, “You’re going to have to make a choice between the humans and your mares – at least until this is resolved. I’m going to unpack.”
Caleb slumped in his lounge chair. “ ‘Mares’ plural? Now what have I done?”
The sound of a low moan prodded Caleb awake. Soon, he figured out that the sound had not come from himself or the anthro changeling draped across his back. After some gentle shifting around, the man got his feet on the floor without waking Sky. Standing up from the couch, he stretched and felt his vertebrae pop. As comfortable as the couch was to sit in, it was never designed for two grown adults to use as a bed. Even though it was early morning, he did not feel well-rested.
The moans started up from the bathroom again, followed by retching sounds. Caleb peeked in to see Willow speaking in tongues at the porcelain throne. Kneeling, he held her mane out of the way as she tried to purge an already empty stomach.
After her body gave up, Willow sat on her haunches and started shivering. Caleb hustled to the bedroom to grab the sheet, only to change course for the linen closet after he saw and smelled the state of the bed. The man returned to the bathroom, wrapping the mare with a comforter. Caleb wondered exactly how much the mare had been drinking to affect her this badly even with her earth pony constitution.
“I’ll… I’ll…” Willow gulped. “I’ll clean up the bed.”
Caleb gently stroked her withers. “Nope. I’ll take care of it. Are you hungry for anything?”
“Uhhhhhh!” Just the thought of food set off another round of dry heaves. While holding back her mane again, the human chastised himself. Not the best help to offer.
When the mare got her breath back, Caleb said, “We’ll talk later. Right now, you need more rest.”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I couldn’t… I’m so sorry.” Tears leaked from her eyes.
Caleb realized that she may not have been talking to him. “No worries. Come on.”
The human led the stumbling mare into the living room. She kept her eyes tightly shut, perhaps because of the brightness. Sky was awake and vacated the couch as Caleb practically lifted Willow onto it. A few seconds later, the changeling tucked the comforter around the mare while the man adjusted a throw pillow under the earth pony’s head. Willow’s mumbled apologies died out and her breathing slowed.
The changeling put a hand on Caleb’s shoulder. “I’ll take care of the bedroom.”
The man’s eyes lingered on the snoring mare on the couch then he stood. “No. We’ll do it together.”
By lunchtime, Willow was somewhat awake and only a bit hungover. She sat at the kitchen table with her ears flat on her head in a clear sign of embarrassment. Her contrite demeanor changed to a warning growl only once when Caleb tried to take the mare’s near-empty coffee mug.
“Aha! So you are capable of rational thought. Thoughts like, ‘Touch my wake-up juice at your own peril’.”
The man joined the earth pony at the kitchen table while waving Sky over. “Mind telling us what happened?”
Willow clenched her jaw a few times while running a hoof through her unkempt mane. “I… I guess I look pretty awful, don’t I?”
Caleb scooted his chair closer and put an arm around her withers. “I’ll help you take a shower later. How does that sound?” This made Sky open her eyes a bit wider but drew no reaction from the earth pony. After several seconds, Willow sighed and drooped her head.
“So a few hours after you left, four of my buddies from the Fifteenth Armored Squad stopped by. Hadn’t seen them in ages! They insisted we head out to Berry Punch’s bar and I didn’t say no.” The mare took another sip of her black coffee, scrunched her muzzle at the bitter taste, then continued. “So we started making toasts, and of course, Blazing Shield’s name came up. After that, it was just a race to drink enough to stay ahead of the pain.”
Caleb strengthened his hug, holding the mare to his side. He looked up hopelessly at the changeling, who transformed into her Butterfly pegasus form. She slowly flapped her wings a couple of times, her brow furrowed. “Did they just happen to stop by? You didn’t tell us about any reunion planned.”
“They were on their way to Canterlot. Remembrance Day was coming up, and they wanted me to go with them to the Memorial. Didn’t feel like going.”
Caleb asked, “Memorial?”
The pegasus mare stared at Willow with narrowed eyes then shifted her gaze to Caleb. “That’s right; you’ve never been there, have you? The Equus Unity Memorial is in the plains beneath Canterlot. All those who fought and died in the final battle against Grogar and his minions are buried there.” She came up to Caleb’s side. “I know you’ve talked at Twilight Sparkle’s school a couple of times, but honestly, you’ll never have a full appreciation of how Harmony between races works until you go there. Well, it’s the weekend and it’s my turn to choose the day trip. I choose the Memorial.”
Willow shivered beneath Caleb’s arm. “Remembrance Day was two days ago.”
“No crowds, plus you don’t have to wear your uniform. The Memorial is always open.”
It took a full minute before the earth pony said in a tiny voice, “OK. I’ll clean myself up.”
Caleb didn’t know what to expect, but perfectly manicured grass and rows of dark gray rectangular obelisks wasn’t it. The flat terrain showed no one else was present. A few steps before the grass started, Butterfly changed into his Vectrix form. At the man’s raised eyebrow, the changeling said, “Showing my true form as a matter of respect.”
When Caleb’s shoe touched the grass, translucent busts appeared above every stone pillar and words appeared on the front face of each. Hundreds of heads floated in space, holding vigil over the remains. As the trio walked silently along the rows, the man noticed that each bust would show the species and gender of the soldier. In the case of ponies, the head also showed the tribe. Beyond that, no discernable features were evident. The bust for a male diamond dog looked identical to every other male diamond dog. The human reflected that this made sense, as they were all equal now in their status as defenders of Equus.
Caleb turned to Willow, who trudged along with her head low. “Have you been here before?”
“No. Never made time to come here somehow.” The human and changeling shared a knowing look. Being busy had nothing to do with it.
The mare stopped in her tracks and took a deep breath. She moved away from her companions to stand before one of the obelisks. The stocky features in the floating visage identified him as an earth pony. The obelisk on the right named the hippogriff mare as Lieutenant Barrier Reef while the pillar on the left stated the female changeling was Princess Diadem. Caleb blinked and made a mental note to ask Prince Mark about the familiar name.
The human had to take a step to the side to read the expected words on the memorial in front of them: Sergeant Blazing Shield. Vectrix sat on his haunches and waved Caleb to kneel. They waited behind their friend as she gathered her words.
After several seconds, Willow cleared her throat. “Hey, Blaze. Sorry I haven’t stopped by. I figured you weren’t going anywhere so… heh.” She swallowed. “Yeah, you would have found that to be funny. Always trying to make me laugh, no matter the time or place.”
She smirked. “Remember when you whispered to me that Princess Trixie had her crown on crooked? You gave me a running commentary on all the things you imagined she and Prince Mark were doing just before the inspection. I’ve never had to try so hard not to burst out laughing.” Willow wiped a tear from her eye. “See, you’ve… you’ve got me crying again, just like that day.”
She took a few deep breaths. “I really miss you, Blazing Shield. I’ve been broken for a long time, to be honest. You took the very best part of me with you.” She sighed. “But I finally found friends again. People I want to be with. People I want to live with.”
The earth pony reached out with a hoof then put it down again. “I… I have to leave now, Blaze.” Her voice cracked. “I know we promised to always be together, but I can’t. I just can’t.”
She wiped her eyes. “I’ll always love you, my wonderful stallion. Maybe I’ll see you someday on the rolling fields of Elysium. We can gallop free together once again. But… but now, I have to say goodbye.” The mare turned around and threw herself onto Caleb’s shoulder, bawling her eyes out. The man wrapped her in his arms and Vectrix added his hooves for emotional support. They stayed there, alone but together in the Memorial with only the heroes of Equus as their witnesses.
Upon their return home, Butterfly announced that she was going to make tea for all of them. Caleb settled on the sofa with an arm around Willow who laid her head on his shoulders. They remained quiet until Butterfly served up the tea along with raisin cookies. After thanking her, there was silence again while they consumed their refreshments. It was their changeling companion who broke their reverie.
“I sense that you are finally at peace, Willow. You are no longer holding yourself back emotionally.”
The earth pony mare nodded. “Yes. I never realized until today just how much I was still clinging to the past. I felt so insecure before Caleb arrived to get me out of my rut. I feel a little ashamed that I took advantage of him like that.”
“Don’t put yourself down, Willow,” Caleb replied. “I think I needed companionship as badly as you, even if I didn’t know it at the time. We both had our lives cut out from under us, so we were lucky to find each other. I’m just sorry that you had to spend all those years waiting for me.”
Willow laid aside her mug and looked up into the man’s eyes earnestly. “Yes, we did find each other, didn’t we? And you know what? I think I’m ready to face the future with you. Caleb Awad, will you be my Special Somepony? I don’t care that you’re not actually a pony.”
Caleb’s eyes widened as he took in the mare’s hopeful gaze. He swallowed, unsure how to respond. “Special Somepony?”
Butterfly came to his rescue. “The nearest human equivalent is somewhere between going steady and a marriage proposal.”
The man nervously bit his lip as he let that sink in. He thought back to what he had learned this day and all that they had done together since he had first arrived in Equestria. He had come to understand and appreciate the different social dynamics of this mixed-race society with the help of friends. Most of all, he had learned to see them not as other species but as different kinds of people. And he had missed one of those people a lot while he had been on Earth. Without even noticing it, he realized that he had fallen in love with the earth pony that was waiting in anticipation of his answer. He gave her a gentle smile.
“You know what? I think that’s a wonderful idea.”
Willow squealed with delight and threw her forelegs around Caleb’s neck. The man knew what was coming next and his lips met hers. It felt different from any girl he had kissed previously but he didn’t care because there was passion and love behind it that had never been present in any of those women. They were both panting for breath by the time they parted.
Caleb noticed Butterfly grinning hugely and he rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah! You saw this coming a mile off, didn’t you?”
The pegasus changeling’s eyes twinkled as she replied. “Yep. And I also know what’s coming next. I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone.” She trotted to the front door and headed outside.
The man looked back to Willow who gave him a smoldering gaze in return. “Do you know what she meant?”
“Finish your tea.”
Caleb dutifully sipped at his drink, stealing an occasional glance at his Special Somepony. Her intense stare and almost carnivorous grin made him a bit nervous.
A minute or so later, the human put down the empty cup. “OK? So…?”
“You’re my stallion and I’m your mare. Figure it out, stud.”
Caleb’s eyes widened as he put one and one together. “You mean…?”
“Yes!”
Willow closed her mouth around one of his wrists and firmly dragged him toward the bedroom. Helpless to resist her earth pony strength, he stumbled along in the awkward grasp until she let him go to climb up onto the bed. She lay down and gave him a sultry look.
“Take me, my handsome stallion.”
Caleb had never been so uncertain about an offer of sex. “Are you sure about this, Willow?”
“I am. I’ve been ignoring my needs for too long. Now that I have my Special Somepony, I intend to make up for lost opportunities. And I think you need this too.”
Caleb would never have admitted to having multiple instances of blue balls during his stay in Equestria, but he knew that Willow had seen right through him. And right now, his pants were getting way too tight. “Umm… How do we go about this? It’s not as if I have ever had sex with a pony before.”
“I’ve never had sex with a human either, so let’s just have fun figuring it out.”
The man had run out of excuses. It was not that he didn’t desire sex but, for the first time in his life, he was nervous about doing the deed. Perhaps it was because this would mean so much more than any of his trysts with human women. None of them had engaged him emotionally as this mare did. This mare to whom he had just committed his life to. He took a deep breath and began undressing as Willow watched in anticipation. He was soon nude, deliberately so in front of her for the first time. The mare licked her lips in appreciation of Caleb’s manhood as he got onto the bed with her. They kissed once more before they started figuring out the best approach to having sex. After a couple of false starts, the two were joined to mutual groans of pleasure.
“I love you, Willow Branch,” Caleb declared as their union was complete.
“I love you too, Caleb Awad. Now – buck me hard, my stallion.”
And that’s what he did to the best of his ability. In the end, it was not so different from making love to a human, but the satisfaction that he got from making her scream in ecstasy far outweighed his own sexual gratification. They were no longer man and mare – they were lovers of the deepest and truest kind.
While Willow was brought to orgasm several times, she did not let Caleb settle for filling her just once. She used her experience with Blazing Shield to ensure that the man got as good as he gave. Thus, the two were panting in near exhaustion by the time they finished their lovemaking. Caleb lay face to face with Willow and smiled.
“Thank you for my new life,” he told her sincerely.
“Thank you for bringing back mine,” she replied.
“So – does this make me your fiancé?”
“That depends on whether you want a traditional or modern relationship. If it’s the former, we agree to be married and set a date. Then I will be your fiancée. If it’s the latter, then we are already herdmates, even if we’re just a herd of two.”
“That’s equivalent to a de facto relationship among humans. However, I’m guessing that you’d prefer the traditional route. That’s what you were going to do with Blazing Shield.”
Willow nodded. “We both wanted it, but you’re the stallion and it’s your decision to make.”
Caleb raised an eyebrow. “What? You don’t have a say?”
“Traditionally, mares cannot ask a stallion to marry them. While we have the absolute right to ask any stallion of a similar social rank for sex, it’s the male who gets to decide whether to accept and whether to pursue the relationship further.”
“What about this Special Somepony thing then?”
“That’s how we mares have of getting around that tradition. That way, we declare our desires without abrogating the rights of the stallion.”
“Bleah. A little too one-sided for my human tastes, even though I have learned the necessity of your species’ practices. As a human, let me make this perfectly clear. I love you, Willow. Will you marry me?”
Tears of joy welled in the mare’s eyes. “Yes, Caleb Awad. I will be your wife!”
She pushed him onto his back and climbed on top of the man to kiss him thoroughly. Caleb discovered then that perhaps he wasn’t so exhausted after all, much to his fiancée’s delight.
The two were quietly enjoying the afterglow of their lovemaking as they cuddled on the bed. Willow eventually broke the silence.
“There’s something we need to talk about.”
“There are probably many things we need to discuss,” Caleb replied. “Which one?”
“Butterfly Sky.”
The man’s expression fell. “Oh. Right. I suppose it would be a bit awkward to share our bed with her now that we’re engaged.”
Willow blinked and then laughed. “No, that’s not a problem at all. She and I already know who’s lead mare in this relationship.”
Caleb grimaced. “I keep forgetting how that works here. Are you sure though?”
“My silly stallion, I am your wife-to-be. She is your Companion and has her place in our herd. You two need to formalize that though. You’ve been dancing around each other for months. She’s been afraid of pushing you too hard, and you’ve been afraid of something that was totally foreign to you before coming to Equestria. You’ve now made a commitment to me and this world. It’s time you finalized that last piece of the puzzle that is your new life.”
To the mare’s surprise, the man rolled away from her and propped himself up on one elbow. Caleb slapped his hand against the pillow on which his head had been resting a moment ago. “First, we need to get rid of this thing! I think it’s so stained now that it’s a lost cause! Let’s throw it out… no… let’s burn it!”
Willow looked at the man as if he had suddenly gone insane. “What are you doing, Caleb?”
He ignored her and punched the pillow this time. “I told you that I could tell the difference between real and imitation textiles!”
The pillow rippled violently like a pond that had a boulder tossed into it. Caleb and Willow half-jumped, half-fell off either side of the bed and onto the floor. Suddenly, the pillow burst into green fire and was replaced by a nude anthro mare. Sky got up off the bed and stood nervously rubbing the back of her neck. The changeling had to wait until Willow finished howling with laughter before Sky could address Caleb. “How long have you known?”
“Since before I proposed to Willow. Couldn’t help yourself, could you? Wanted all that sweet love, right?”
Sky gave him a chagrined smile. “Yeah. True love has an irresistible flavor and you two gave me a feast. But I didn’t want to be an unwanted bystander as you consummated your relationship, so I snuck in through the window before you got here. Sorry about the deception.”
Caleb waved it off as he stepped closer to the changeling. “I appreciate that illusion of privacy. However, I know that feeding off our love is what sustains you. That’s why I didn’t reveal you when I figured out that you were the pillow. As long as you don’t try that stunt again, we’re cool.”
“Never again, I promise,” Sky assured him.
Willow said, “Good. So, now that that’s settled, it’s time for you to ask.”
The anthro mare didn’t need to be told twice. She nodded to the earth pony and then faced Caleb with her chin raised and her hands firmly clasped before her. In a firm voice, she said, “Caleb Awad, would you do me the honor and privilege of letting me join your herd and being my stallion and Companion?”
“Butterfly Sky, I am delighted to have you join my herd. Let’s see if we can complete that bond somehow. Meanwhile…” He held out his arms to the changeling and she walked into his embrace. Then they kissed.
Whatever either had expected, it was not the explosion of their consciousness when their lips met.
For Caleb, it was the sudden ability to sense the emotions of those around him. Not only could he practically taste the changeling’s joy, Willow’s love washed over and through him, filling him with energy. His perceptions broadened to include an awareness of form and function that had no equivalent in human abilities.
For Butterfly Sky, it was like finding a part of her that had been missing all her life. She gained an understanding of concepts that had always eluded her until now. It molded the changeling into something new and greater.
Willow gaped at the two as a golden glow surrounded them. Features seemed to shift and change constantly on both. Caleb’s hair was briefly replaced by a mane and a tail manifested even as Sky shifted to human form but with Butterfly’s wings. Then the man’s hair returned but changeling wings quivered on his back. Sky’s wings disappeared but the human form gained a chitinous cladding. Several more strange transformations happened in quick succession while the two remained locked in their embrace.
‘What’s happening? ’ Caleb wondered.
‘Your conflicts have resolved and you have accepted your destiny. Our bond is complete,’ came the unspoken reply.
‘You can hear my thoughts?’
‘It is gestalt. We are one. At this time of ultimate unity, there are no barriers between us and our thoughts are as loud as the spoken word. Treasure this moment because it will not last. However, we will forever more be aware of each other’s requirements and desires to the point where we will not always need to speak. You are part of me, and I a part of you, my soul-mate.’
‘Soul-mate? Yes! If only I had understood sooner. I believe our lives will be so much greater from now on.’
‘Now you know why finding a Companion is the ultimate goal of changelings like me…’
The gestalt that had been crystal clear abruptly faded and the two found themselves to be individuals once more. However, there remained a reassuring link as they gazed at each other.
“You’ve changed,” Caleb commented with a grin.
He stepped back to take in Vectrix’s new form. Caleb could best describe it as Sky but as an anthro changeling. And not just any changeling but one more strongly resembling a queen. She gazed back at him with eyes that had slit pupils in an iris rather than with softly glowing orbs. She retained the sexy feminine form but she had a changeling’s silky smooth chitin. In the man’s opinion, she looked hot.
Vectrix looked at herself before closing her eyes for a moment. She opened them again with a joyous smile. “I am female.”
“Master of the bloody obvious,” Caleb said with a chuckle.
Vectrix rolled her eyes. “No, I mean that I was a male changeling that could take female form. I am now a female changeling who can take male form. Call me Vectrix when I’m in this body, because it is my base form now.”
Caleb’s eyebrows rose. “That can happen?”
“A Companion changeling can transform during the bonding moment to be their partner’s perfect match. This is now my default form and I am very happy with it.” She then transformed back into anthro mare Sky. “But this is still my daily alter ego, and Butterfly will still be around too. Of course, I’m not the only one to change.”
“Huh? What do you mean?” Caleb looked at himself. “I seem to be the same.”
It was Willow who answered. “Let’s just say that I like what you’ve done with your mane,” she said with a giggle.
Caleb reached up to the back of his head. Instead of finding his normal short cut, his hand encountered long and thick hanks of hair. He pulled some forward to see that they were tinted maroon. “What the fuck?”
Sky said, “As I became a bit more like you, you became a bit more like me.”
The man stared at the hair for a little longer before chuckling. “Fair enough, but it’s going to be tricky explaining it when I next visit Earth.”
“Well, I think it suits you,” Willow said as she reared up to nuzzle his long locks. “Smells nice too.”
Caleb snorted. “Just what I needed – something to make me more attractive to mares. Two’s enough for me!” He put an arm each around Willow and Sky. “A mate of my heart and a mate of my soul – what man or stallion could ask for anything more?”
The two mares looked at each other and nodded in silent agreement. Neither intended to ever give Caleb a reason to answer that question.
# # # # # # # # #
It wasn't easy writing a love-making scene without exceeding the Teen rating. I hope your imaginations filled in the blanks sufficiently. 
Art by Mix-Up. Full details here – https://www.deviantart.com/amalgamzaku/art/The-Lost-tombs-Com-Video-903961850
A shout-out to Airy Words for the memorial scene.
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I was writing when i get a message about a updated story... Don't tell my readers i stop writing my double update to read
Invalid Image! Can you fix it Goldy?
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Something must have been wrong with the PNG image. The JPG works fine though.
Mindblowing chapter ♡
Damn... Can he Shapeshifting now as well? His mares sure would love it ~♤
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i.pinimg.com/originals/bc/6b/53/bc6b53624fcbd6b70c66ad18d1b5f12b.jpg
Why not put it the the story itself?
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Simply beautyful
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Actually I ended up doing that. Chapter Zero is the result. It rewrites and adds to the original.
awesome art work and we get a pair bonding.
woo hoo a grate chapter.
I must say Goldy, that this chapter hit me hard in the FEELS! That is not an easy task so Kudos for you. Will be interesting to see what comes in the next chapter...
So THAT'S what happens when a Companion meets its Destined One. More than just the Companion is changed. Interesting.
Wonderful, as usual.
shivers with emotion I had one...
You could always make a sexy bits side story to this one it’s what other authors have done to keep their stories teen yet still write the sexy parts
Huh, now there's a thing. I didn't expect that Caleb would also change. Looking forward to some updated art in future chapters...
I belive a lot of us are Butterfly in this scene
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Maybe it was actually a jpeg named .png? When dowloading from some homebrew CDNs ( e. g. furaffinity) that may happen and not all browsers support that.
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Bingo! That was the problem.
A masterpiece indeed. Always nice to re-reading this highlight ♡
Aye, failing to properly grieve and forgive is a not uncommon thing. Glad they finally figured it out.
We had fully expected Vectrix to be there, but as the pillow? 😂
Big feels here. I'm still a tiny bit uncertain about Willow, but the scene where she finally allowed herself to grieve nearly had me in tears.
Anytime the memorial comes up, I just hear sabatons rendition of Flanders fields.