Loveless Lovechild

by Mani-Roar

Loveless Lovechild Bad End

Author's Note:

This is an alternate "bad" ending that I wrote for fun for this story. The original ending is the real ending as far as I'm concerned. If you liked the ending and don't want to see it ruined or you don't like dark subject matter that is not tagged in the main story (Sad, Grim Dark) then do not continue reading this new ending.

However,

If you are a masochist or just morbidly curious, then venture if you dare. Sometimes there is no happily ever after.

Let me know what you thought of both endings in the comments

The door burst open again. Stranger quickly closed it behind himself, breathing heavily as he leaned against the wood. He had stopped glowing finally.

"Why did you come back?" Honeysuckle demanded.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to do. There’s a..."

Before he could explain, somepony began pounding on the door.

"We know the Changeling is in there. Give us the Changeling!" Red Tape’s voice demanded from outside. They could hear many ponies causing a commotion just outside the door. The window glowed with the fires of their lit torches.

"Help me, please." Stranger cowered behind the door with his hooves over his head.

Honeysuckle crawled over to him, staying out of sight of her own window. She grabbed him behind the back of his head. She was firm, but gentle. His eyes stared directly at hers.

"You swear it was all an accident? You didn't mean to steal our love?" Her look was dead serious.

"Of course. I would never." He held her gaze unflinching.

"Ok. I believe you." She got up and held the door latch.

"Bud, take Stranger out the back door. I suppose the town will need more time before a proper introduction is made."

Stranger walked over to Bud and they took each other's hooves in their grip. He looked longingly over at Honeysuckle.

"I'll distract them. Just go. Maybe someday we will..." She began, but was cut off.

"The Changeling has Honeysuckle and her kid. We gotta break the door!" Red Tape shouted from outside. Honeysuckle knew he was lying to incite the mob.

“Go now! Hurry!” She braced her shoulder into the door.

Stranger tightened his grip on Bud as they ran towards the back door. They escaped into the pale moonlight and Stranger let go of Bud’s hoof before they got too far from the house.

"I have to leave." He looked down at Bud.

"Will I ever see you again?" Bud asked, full of hope. Stranger could hear the mob banging on the front door from the other side of the house.

"No." He said honestly. "I don't think I can come back here." Stranger felt his heart breaking. His love hunger screamed louder than ever before.

"But-" Bud began, but Stranger cut him off.

"Go help your mother." Stranger turned around and trotted away. Bud watched from the back door as Stranger disappeared past the tree line and into the night.

He ran and ran as fast as he could. His heart pounded in his chest as sorrow gripped him. His hooves got heavier with each step, but he kept running. He ran back up the hill until he was looking out over the gorge again. This part of the cliff had no water below. It was just rocks and trees.

He tested his wings a few times. He could feel himself lifting off of the ground if he flapped hard enough. He settled back down on the cliff's edge looking out. If he jumped off here he could probably fly away over the trees. Or he could fail and come crashing down to the rocky earth. He lost himself to despondency as he glared off the cliff into the abyss. He didn’t care if he flew or not. It was worth a shot. He would leave it to chance. If he flew, he would carry on. If he fell, well, what was the point of his life anyway? He stepped closer to the ledge. The anxiety gathered in his brain as he stared down the cliff. His head spun a little at the dizzying heights. He held one hoof over the edge and began to tilt his weight forward.

"Stranger!"

He spun around at the familiar voice. Bud stood behind him several feet away.

"I'm going to fly." Stranger said calmly.

"You don't know how to fly." Bud shook his head.

Stranger glanced down the gorge.

"Maybe I do." He dropped his tone.

"Don't do it!" Bud ran up to Stranger and grabbed his leg again.

Stranger rubbed the back of Bud's head and held him.

"Please, stay with me." Bud pleaded. “Don’t go. Not yet. You only just got here. I don’t want you to go yet.”

"Alright." Stranger relented. "At least for a little while." He smiled as he closed his eyes.

A feeling of energy surging made him open his eyes again. He was glowing from head to hoof once more.

“Get away from my Son!” Stranger heard a familiar voice traveling up the hill. He saw Red Tape galloping towards him wielding an axe in his hooves.

"Get away from me quickly!" He screamed at Bud but the little colt just shook his head.

"You need love. If you don’t have love you'll die." Bud stated bluntly.

"Please, Bud. I don’t want to hurt you. Anypony but you. It's not fair." Tears streamed down Strangers cheeks. The magic was consuming him again, and so was the hunger. Red Tape was almost upon them. Stranger feared for his life, and he also feared that Red Tape may miss him and hit Bud.

"I'll give you my love." Bud cried as he held Stranger tighter. "If it'll keep you safe, please take my love. You can have it, Stranger. Just please stay with me."

Stranger wanted to jump off the gorge and spare Bud. However, the young colt's grip was so tight, he didn’t think he could peel away without making the child fall with him. He wanted to run away from Red Tape and escape this crazy stallion with murder in his eyes. Unfortunately, Bud’s grip would slow him down too much. He could neither run, nor jump, nor fly. With no choices left, he embraced Bud back. The blinding glow from his love magic encompassed both of them.

"I'll stay with you, Bud."

"I love you, Stranger."

“I… I…” Stranger hesitated on his words. Something about what Bud said triggered a primal desire inside of him. Something he had pushed deep within himself. Telling himself that it wasn’t real - that it wasn’t who he was. But that desire was whispering sweet things to him now. He could feel the love energy flowing from Bud, flowing towards himself. Suddenly, he understood how to control the love magic. It was so simple, it amused him that he didn’t see it before. Without Stranger even having to try, Bud was already emanating his own love energy into him. He immediately became drunk on it. He let the energy rush over his heart, mind, and soul. He was fulfilled, he was powerful, he was complete.

And he wanted more.

“I love you too little brother.” Stranger smirked at the foolish and naive little colt in his hooves. Bud didn’t even have time to look up as Red Tape arrived seconds later and swung the axe for Stranger’s head.

Stranger’s horn glowed with an awesome new light. He turned to Red Tape, letting out a viscous blast from his horn. Not only did he repel the axe away, he sent Red Tape flying into the air. Red Tape let out a blood curdling scream as his helpless body careened over the gorge. His scream grew softer as he fell until he couldn’t be heard at all anymore. Stranger couldn’t care less.

“Stranger, wha- what’s happening?” Bud’s face was still tucked into Stranger’s chest. He heard Red Tape scream, but couldn’t see what had happened to him or where he went. He looked at Stanger’s dark expression and was instantly afraid. The creature who glared at him was no longer the friendly and unassuming Stranger he had come to know. A new kind of Stranger stood before him.

Bud tried to wiggle free, but Stranger tightened his grip on the child.

“I’ll have that love now.” Stranger’s mouth opened unnaturally wide. He looked like a python unhinging his jaw about to consume an unsuspecting rodent. A sparkling violet mist sprung out of Bud’s chest. The purple haze floated gently into Stranger’s greedy, awaiting mouth. He salivated as the translucent love energy caressed his tongue. Filling him completely. He sucked it down like a child gorging himself on Nightmare Night candy.

Bud’s eyes glossed over as the love escaped his body. His breathing turned even and slow while his body relaxed like in a drug induced stupor.

“Stranger why can’t we just go home?” Bud’s words were slow and labored. He was barely able to stand on his own hooves anymore. The fun-loving child disappeared as Stranger consumed his love and let his body fall away from him without a care.

“My baby!”

Honeysuckle rushed up the hill to see her son’s faded expression. She made it to his side just as he lost balance and collapsed on the grassy hill. She scooped him up into her hooves and looked into his dead, unfocused eyes.

“No.” She cried, barely above a whisper. She looked up at Stranger and didn’t recognize him anymore. His features were the same, but his eyes were something new. They were something sinister.

“What did you do to him?” She cried. Stranger smiled like a fat cat with a mouse.

“You swore. “ Her voice wavered as she spoke. “You swore you would never take our love. Why, why Stanger? Why would you do this? I trusted you. I believed you.”

Stranger took a small step back. He looked at Bud’s pale, limp body. Then he looked at Honeysuckle’s broken expression and her pitiful tears. For a moment, he felt ashamed. He truly cared for these ponies. They had offered him so much and asked so little in return. He hesitated, unable to decide what he truly wanted. However, the love magic was intoxicating. He had never felt stronger, more liberated in his life. The bondage he had suffered since birth was released in this new, raw magic.

Honeysuckle cautiously approached Stranger.

“You’re still in there aren’t you? I can see it. I can feel it.” She was right up next to his face, just like when they met at the river. Stranger remained stoic as she eyed him over.

“It’s not too late, Stranger.” She put her hoof on his shoulder. He felt her warm touch once again. “If you can take the love, I know you can give it back.”

Stranger shook his head, even though he knew she was right. He knew he could reverse the spell and send all the love back into Bud. The love energy was fresh, and it wasn’t too late.

“You made a mistake. I get it. You were tempted by your Changeling nature. I understand. It’s not your fault.” Her eyes were glued to his, she refused to avert her gaze. She believed her words, but Stranger now filled her with great fear. “I’ll forgive you. Please, just give me Bud back. I’ll forgive you and we can put this whole mess behind us. I know you Stranger. You’re better than this.”

Stranger could feel the genuine love coming from Honeysuckle, even though it was tainted with her fear. She was ripe, oh so ripe for the pickings. However, he couldn’t bring himself to consume her. He looked at Bud again. Or rather, at the shell of a pony he had become. There was no joy or happiness in the colt’s face. Everything was dulled to nothing. Her words swirled around his head. Everything could go back to the way it was before. He had the power to reverse this. They could walk down this hill together as a family.

Family? He thought as though snapped out of a dream.

“Come on Stranger. I know you’ll do the right thing.”

Stranger could hear the sweet nectar of Honeysuckle’s words. Yet, something was different. Her eyes were afraid. She wasn’t as sure as she was letting on. Something about her words didn’t sit right with him.

“My Changeling nature?” Stranger asked. His voice was gravelly and deeper.

“Yes. It was just a mistake. You didn’t mean it, right?” She asked with genuine terror in her gaze.

“But I am a Changeling. Nothing will change that.” He furrowed his brow, glaring at her with suspicion. “You don’t really love me. You love the pony version of what you want me to be. You could never love a Changeling. You can’t handle what I am.” He accused her.

Honeysuckle shook her head vigorously.

“No it’s not true. It’s fine, you can be a Changeling. Whatever you want just please, give me my son back!” She screamed the the last part of her sentence as she swung her free hoof at Stranger. He caught her in mid air with his own hoof, discovering that his strength outmatched hers. In her hoof, she held a stone. A stone small enough to be concealed, but big enough to do some damage had it hit him. With a flick of his magic, it fell harmlessly to the ground.

“When did you pick that up?” He asked, amused. Honeysuckle’s hoof struggled in his grip, but she couldn’t break free. “Was that your plan all along? To lure me in with kind words and then blind side me with your feeble weapon?” He cackled out loud.

“It was just insurance. I meant what I said.” Honeysuckle was hyperventilating now. She could feel the panic overtaking her.

“Maybe you did, maybe you didn’t. Either way, what was yours is now mine.” Stranger opened his mouth again, willing his Changeling powers to draw out her love. It was almost too easy. The love magic erupted from her chest.

“No please, Stranger don’t do it. I beg you.” Honeysuckle’s tears streamed down her face. She watched helplessly as her love evaporated into Stranger’s hideously unhinged jaw. In her mind’s eye, she saw Wood Chipper. All the happy and painful memories she held onto slipped away into Stranger’s unquenchable appetite. She felt a mild amount of relief watching Wood Chipper go, as a soothing numbness replaced the wound he once opened in her heart.

Then she saw Bud.

“No. No please, not my baby.” Honeysuckle cried on deaf ears. Stranger was too drunk on love magic to care anymore.

She watched as her baby slipped further and further away from her. All the memories and tender moments vanished one by one. She tried to hold onto her feelings for her son, but they slipped away like a river flowing downstream. As the love energy left her body a rising anger grew inside her. Anger at Stranger for betraying her. Anger at herself for being so careless and naive. Anger that Red Tape was proven right. Anger that any attempt at true love in her entire life had turned to disaster. Not only could she not find a suitable husband, she couldn’t even raise her own son without losing him too.

Soon, even the anger died away like the last remaining embers of a fire. She tried to hold onto it, just to feel something. She wanted to feel anything at all, but suddenly she couldn’t even remember what she was angry about in the first place. Everything was gone. Her mind was quiet. Blank. Alone.

With all the love magic drained from Honeysuckle, Stranger gently set her down on the grassy hillside. He could feel himself overflowing with it. He was truly alive. He was invincible. He was unstoppable.

And, again, he wanted more.

Honeysuckle sat on the ground with a blank expression on her face. Her fur and mane were faded now. They barely held the beige and orange coloring that was once bright and vibrant. She turned lazily to see a group of ponies marching up the hill towards them.

“There they are… Oh my Celestia.” A vaguely familiar voice rang out. Wind Shear knelt beside Honeysuckle. She stared at him like a drunkard stares vacantly at the pub wall at 2am.

“Honeysuckle are you alright?” He asked her while cradling her head in his hoof. “Talk to me.”

“Wind Shear.” She spoke his name, but her words were empty. He looked over to where Bud lay in the grass. His eyes were still dead and vacant. A mirror image of his mother’s.

“What did you do?” Wind Shear demanded of Stranger.

He smirked. “What Changelings do best.” Stranger firmed his stance as he stared down Wind Shear.

“You’ll pay for this.” Wind Shear spoke through gritted teeth. “Get him!” He yelled at the mob. They wasted no time as they hurled themselves toward Stranger, weapons, torches, and hooves at the ready.

Stranger wanted to feed on them as well, but they outnumbered him greatly and were armed. He flapped his wings and took off into the sky. Flight came easy to him. He soared so fast, a beam of light trailed behind him. The ponies on the hill watched uselessly as he blazed into the night sky. None of the pegasi in the village, including Wind Shear, could hope to fly that fast. Stranger was so full of magic power that he could use it to propel his quick escape.

“Perhaps we’ll meet again one day.” He taunted down at the mob.

“You bastard!” Wind Shear yelled, but all he could hear was Stranger's distant fading laugh as he jettisoned to the horizon.

“I’ll get him Honeysuckle. I swear I’ll make him pay for this. For you, and for Bud.” Wind Shear swore passionately as he held Honeysuckle in his hooves.

“Don’t worry about it.” Honeysuckle said softly. “It doesn’t matter.” Her dilated pupils looked at nopony. Wind Shear stared back at her horrified. The ponies that Stranger had left in his wake were mere husks of their former selves. Wind Shear wasn’t sure if they would ever be whole again.

Stanger soared through the sky. He marveled at the view from above, feeling the exhilaration of his great speed. The power he had received was massive, but it wasn’t nearly enough. He needed more. He would have to go find more. That was perfectly fine with him. Equestria was an open buffet table of love, and he would never go hungry again.

The End…

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