> The Hunter or the Hunted...
>  by Some Leech
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Decoy of Depravity
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“God damn it,” Anon quietly cursed to himself, lifting and stooping beneath a branch.

He’d spent the better part of three days shacking up with Kerfuffle in the sleepy little village of Hope’s Hollow. His time in town had actually been a breath of fresh air - well, for the most part. The gracious little pegasus had been a fantastic host, when she wasn’t making advances or tempting him to sin. Much to his shame, and his battered hips, he’d ended up screwing her in virtually every room of her shop/home.

Had the circumstances been different, not being hunted down by ticked off royalty, he would have considered settling down with the seamstress; she was kind, down to earth, and had developed quite the penchant for having her ass plowed - having said that, staying simply wasn’t an option. If Celestia and Luna were half as pissed as he presumed, it wouldn’t be long before they showed up looking for him - as such, he had to hightail it. As soon as she’d finished a handful of outfits for him, as well as a useful satchel to store the garments in, he took a few provisions that Kerfuffle had purchased for him and began his trek through the dense woodland and towards the coast.

Wandering through an unmapped forest may not have been the smartest decision, but it wasn’t like he had many options to choose from. His plan, if such a dubious train of thought could be called such a thing, was to make it to the ocean, try to locate a vessel that would give him passage, and attempt to make it to Mount Aris. Even if the Princesses decided to follow him across the continent, seeking sanctuary in a sovereign nation might be enough to deter their pursuit.

The only issue, aside from trying to find his way to the sea and procuring transportation, was that there was no guarantee that the hippogriffs would give him sanctuary. The noble bird-horses were on good terms with the Equestrian empire, and were even planning on sending students to the School of Friendship, if or whenever the academy was up and running, so they may just hand him over to the authorities. The entire scheme was riddled with potential problems and a lot of big what-ifs, but it was the best he could do on such short notice.

Pressing onward, with the sun slowly dipping to the horizon, he navigated his way east as best he could. There was no way in hell he was going to stumble through a fucking jungle after dark, especially given how uneven the terrain was, which brought him to another issue - he didn’t have any sort of shelter to rest under. Stopping to catch his breath, leaning on a tree, he wondered if he should try to craft some sort of half-assed lean-to.

“Anon!” a voice called, causing him to flinch. “Anon - Fu...Fiddle Sticks - Anon, where are you!”

He recognized the pitch and timber immediately, realizing it was Kerfuffle in a flash, but it didn’t make a darn bit of sense. He’d set off shortly after daybreak, made steady progress, and there was no reason for her to be trailing after him - well, no legitimate reason to be trailing after him. Holding his breath, listening intently, he heard her a stifled yelp in the distance.

“Fuff?” he shouted, turning and backtracking in towards the source of her shout.

Butt-slut or not, he couldn’t just leave the kindhearted amputee to wander around in a jungle all by herself. For all he knew, there may be dangerous, possibly hungry critters about - sure, Equestria may not have had that much threatening wildlife, but he’d heard tales about hydras, chimeras, and monstrous bear-things that were apparently pretty scary. Hastening his pace, praying she was ok, he lifted a hand to his mouth.

“I’m here!” he yelled. “Please tell me you’re…”

He trailed off, reaching a small clearing. Standing in the center of the glade, smiling innocently in his direction, Kerfuffle appeared just as she had several hours prior - cheerful and content, if not completely out of place in the untamed setting. As he stepped nearer, seeing her eyes unsettlingly locked on him, he hesitated.

Though he couldn’t put his finger on exactly what was wrong, his gut screamed at him to leave. She looked and sounded normal, yet that didn’t explain why she was there, what she wanted, or why his intuition was practically begging him to flee. Stopping dead, with only a single foot in the glen, he awkwardly rubbed his neck.

“You - uh - need something?” he asked, seeing her shift and trot towards him.

Briskly strolling up to him with her uncannily chipper expression, she leapt up, wrapped her forehooves around his chest, and sent him reeling back. “Anon, thank goodness, I was so worried that I’d lost you.”

While it was heartwarming that she’d sought him out, that did little to explain her sudden appearance, though it did give him an opportunity. Hitching a thumb in the direction he’d been headed, he piqued a brow at her. “Can you tell me if I’m going the right way?”

Cocking her head, a nonplussed look crossed her face. “The right way to where?”

“Towards the seashore, remember?” he exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You said it would be about a day’s hike to the coast, but it feels like I’ve made no progress.”

“Why would you - never mind,” she whispered, stroking her cheek against him.

Regaining his footing, having accidentally grabbed her rear, he blushed. “It’s fine, I was - Mmmph?!?”

Without any prompting whatsoever, acting even more lustful than she had in the throes of passion, she deeply kissed him. As her breath washed over his face, while her tongue pressed past his lips, his heart rate skyrocketed. He knew he’d left her smitten, promising that he’d come to visit her after everything had calmed down, yet he hadn’t anticipated her going so far as to seek him out for another roll in the hay! Subconsciously sinking his fingers into her rump, feeling his manhood enthusiastically twitch, his lechery warred with his confusion.

Only reluctantly pulling away, determined not to submit to his base urges, he knit his brow and peered down at her. “You missed me that - FUCK!”

With a beat of her wings and a shove of her forehooves, she toppled him over. Even when she’d been really worked up, the most assertive she’d been was to sweetly ask him to “churn my fanny like you’re making butter!”. As he propped himself up on his elbows, feeling increasingly uneasy with the bizarre turn of events, she leaned forward, pressed her snout to his chest, took a deep breath, and shivered.

“So much love,” she groaned, her eyes shifting to a vivid, preternatural harlequin.

Seeing her twisted, rictus grin, while she brought her muzzle to within an inch of his face, he gulped. “I - um - I’m glad to see you too, but I really don’t think this is the best place to -”

Her ominous, wholly cackle cut him off, but that didn’t hold a candle to the disquieting aura which gradually surrounded her. In the blink of an eye, vivid green flame shrouded her figure, seemingly burning away the mare he thought he knew. Askance, in utter disbelief, he watched her transform into a tall, slender, nightmarish parody of pony - no, not a pony at all, a changeling.

While he wasn’t all that familiar with the horrifying shapeshifters, he’d heard enough tales from Twilight to know one when he saw one. Most of the species had evolved into colorful, exceptionally amicable insect-like equines, living in the lush wilderness north of the badlands, but there was at least one who had doggedly clung to her contempt for friendship - their Queen. The beast’s size, being nearly as large as Princess Celestia, paired with the gnarled horn, left little room for doubt; he’d been happened upon by the wayward Matriarch and villain of renown herself.

“Queen Chrysalis, right?” he anxiously asked, staring up at her fanged visage. “I’m Anon.”

“Oh I know who you are, little hyu-man,” she smugly giggled, drawing a hoof up his chin. “I’ve been tracking you since that little incident in the Crystal Empire.”

Shuddering, keenly aware of the fear-boner in his pants, he squirmed beneath her. “Y...you have?”

“How could I not?” she countered, running her serpentine tongue over her lips. “You practically ooze love - love which I can and will use to exact my revenge against that insufferable Starlight Glimmer and those simpering, pitiful excuses for Princesses she hides behind.”

He was far from a scholar, yet it didn’t take a genius to figure out exactly what she was referring to. Apparently changelings could feed off love or lust, with him having dispensed a cataclysmic amount over the past two weeks. Lifting a finger to correct her, hoping that he may be able to weasel his way out of the situation, he discovered he was unable to move. As he glanced to his left and right, noticing her magic pinning his limbs to the earth, his thoughts raced.

“Now that the introductions are out of the way,” she purred, straightening up and nonchalantly turning in place, “I’m going to suck you dry and sate myself on you.”

“Wait,” he blurted, peeking up at the slavering, winking marehood above him, “you know what sex is?”

Peering back at him, twisting her head at a disconcerting angle, she piqued a brow. “Sex? What is this sex? Is it the key to your wellspring of power?”

Anon rolled his eyes, as his hopes were dashed. Ne’er-do-well or not, he’d momentarily thought that she, of all creatures in the land, might have some knowledge of carnality - sadly, his assumption was misplaced. It honestly seemed as though there wasn’t a living soul, regardless of their age or alignment, which had the slightest inkling of coitus in the bizarre land. Exasperatedly shaking his head, he did his best not to look at her nethers.

“I’m not sure about power, but it does seem to have a certain effect on mares - oh, and parrots,” he halfheartedly explained.

Her sickening smirk reappeared, shifting her focus back to his crotch. “Well whatever you’re hiding beneath these garments reeks of the stuff, and it will soon be mine. Once I’ve feasted upon you, I’ll -”

“Just don’t rip my pants,” he interrupted, feeling her sorcery tug at his slacks. “It’s not like finding clothes is the easiest thing in the world.”

Her head whipped around, staring daggers at him, and her lip curled in contempt. “You dare make demands of me?!”

“Listen, it’s just that - Oh god damn it - Mmmmph!” his complaint was cut short, as she slammed her posterior onto his face.

“Much better,” she giggled, fiddling with his slacks. “I’ll not have my meal acting so insolently…”

With his mouth pressed against her meaty, sinfully inviting lower lips, he found himself in yet another sticky situation - both literally and metaphorically. With the aid of magic and her size, she could and more than likely would overpower him to get what she wanted - then again, submitting to her was less than ideal. It was bad enough that he’d fucked a married mare, fled the scene, and effectively whored himself out to a sky-captain and a couture, but aiding a criminal with her nefarious machinations would definitely have him put on some sort of wanted list.

Sensing his fly opening, feeling the cool air grace his turgid manhood, he came to a startling conclusion. Like it or not, he was about to get some action from a very obstinate evildoer, but there was a snag; considering she didn’t know what fornication was, having merely perceived him as a source of energy, there was a very real chance the experience would be unpleasant - not just because it was undoubtedly her first time doing anything so lecherous, but because she had some very sharp teeth. Bleating into her cunt, getting the first taste of her cloying, almost fruity taste against his tongue, he wriggled his head to the side.

“I’ll help!” he pleaded, feeling her breath hotly against his tool. “Just let me move, damn it.”

She paused, lifting her hips just enough to let him speak freely. “Why should I believe you?”

“Because you’ll do what you want anyways,” he frankly replied. “And if I’m going to feed you, we may as well both enjoy yourselves.”

“Fine,” she huffed, undoing the arcane restraints on his arms and legs. “But if you betray me, I’ll pin you to a tree and feast upon you until you’re a withered husk.”

The threat paradoxically sent an excited shiver up his spine, emphasizing just how demanding the Matriarch was. “Just gently suck and lick my - uh - love stick.”

“I don’t do gentle,” she groused.

Though he couldn’t see her face, obscured by her obsidian derriere, he sure as hell felt his cock slide into her maw. The pinpricks of her fangs against his skin, coupled with her long, muscular tongue, were an odd combination of amazing and alarming. He didn’t want to think about the damage she could do if she bit down, reminding him to earn her good favor. Lifting his arms, grabbing her relatively slim waist, he buried his face in her groin and put himself to work.

As he lapped at her nethers, drawing his tongue up her sex, she moaned around his length. Her flavor was similar to a pony’s, yet singular. If he hadn’t known better, he could have sworn he was dining on an oddly warm, exotic fruit, spurring him onward. Probing her depths, while she experimentally fellated him, he caressed her supple hide.

Though he was loath to admit it, he couldn’t deny how turned on he was by the bizarre circumstances. He would have thought he’d never have a run-in with an infamous, metamorphic miscreant - then again, it wasn’t like he’d ever thought he’d go on a debaucherous adventure across the continent. Telling himself that he didn’t have a choice in the matter, despite his mounting arousal, he dipped his head and gently lipped her bulbous clit.

Her stifled whimper of delight was as or more intoxicating than the blowjob, adding a competitive element to the mix. If he could get her off and satiate her, leaving her in a weakened, euphoric state, he might just be able to make a clean getaway - at least in a figurative sense. As he suckled on the sensitive little bulb, leveling his ever-growing interspecies experience against her, his enthusiasm got the better of him.

Lightly bucking into her face, unintentionally causing her to gag and sputter, he stiffened. The last thing he needed to do was piss her off, especially because she had a wicked set of chompers dangerously close to his manhood, yet her reaction spoke to the contrary. With a recalcitrant growl, steadying herself, she forced her head downward and slipped his cock into her snug gullet.

Somehow, as unbelievable as it was, his impetuous thrust seemed to have done the polar opposite of making her angry - if anything, she seemed more intent than ever to get him off! Inspired, securing his grip, he ravished her drooling marehood like a horny teenager. Matching every bit of her gusto, while she fervently choked herself on his shaft, he lowered one hand to her abdomen.

He’d genuinely had no way of knowing if she had bosoms, having been too shocked by the depraved development to look, but his questing digits quickly found what he was looking for. As his fingers grazed an erect little nub, situated squarely in the center of a soft mound of flesh, he learned something new about changeling biology - they had tits. Tweaking and gingerly twisting the teat yielded a profound and immediate result, bringing her efforts to a near-immediate halt.

He had her on the ropes, there was no doubt about that, and all that was left to do was finish her off. Grabbing her other nipple with his free hand, ruthlessly toying with both her breasts, his tongue ravaged her sex. If she thought she was going to have her way with him, snaring her in her lecherous web, she was about to get one hell of a lesson in humility. Sensing she was on the brink, only needing a tiny nudge to be sent spiraling over the edge, he rammed his dick down her throat and nibbled her clit.

Lewdly coughing and sputtering, trembling uncontrollably, she met her climactic end. Thick, syrupy nectar erupted from her confines, painting his face in the rich, musky reward for his efforts. Though it was hardly something to feel proud of, bringing an evil Queen to finish, he couldn’t help but be pleased with himself. As he gave her a few final licks, feeling her withdrawing from his rigid tool, she shakily got her hooves beneath her and stood.

“Feel better now?” he mused, seeing her falteringly stumble to the side.

“Wha...What manner of trickery…” she croaked, unsteadily turning to face him.

“That,” he began, pushing himself up and refastening his pants, “is just what us humans can do.”

Walking to and past her, brazenly giving her backside a playful smack, he chuckled. If nothing else, in spite of the tumultuous month he’d had, he had bagging rights of bedding a bird, an amputee, and two royals. Smirking back at her, relishing her stunned expression, he couldn’t help but wonder if was the first not to be cowed into submission.

“That’s not what I meant, you buffoon,” she snarled, glowering over at him. “What I felt before, what alerted me to your presence in the first place, was something much more intense. You will give it to me now, or else…”

“Or else what?” he haughtily inquired, instantly regretting his arrogance.

In an instant, before he could say or do a single thing, he was sorcerously flung back and immobilized against a tree. His limbs, his torso - hell, even his head were all fastened against the gargantuan timber, with only his eyes able to move in the slightest. Strutting forward, having made a remarkable recovery from the oral, she nonchalantly eyed his cock, looked back to her posterior, and smirked.

“If I had to make a guess,” she cooed, flicking his dick with a forehoof, “the key to your mysterious ability has something to do with our loins.”

“Yeah,” he sighed, defeatedly nodding down at her, “that’s about right. If you put me down, I could -”

“Oh you’re not going anywhere,” she snickered. Adjusting his arcane placement, lowering him just enough to let his feet touch the ground, she coolly wheeled around and flicked her tail to the side. “I believe I’ll simply help myself…”

With his cock coming to rest squarely at the level of her dripping snatch, Anon’s eyes widened. He’d never been with anyone bold enough to use bondage on him, let alone of a magical nature, yet the prospect of having a girl, inhuman or otherwise, fuck themselves on him was a damn compelling one. Locked in place, unable to lift a finger, he was left totally at her mercy.

Triumphantly humming to herself, moving in reverse, she kissed her marehood to the tip of his length, broadened her stance, and rocked her hips back. The sensation of her velvety interior was singular, somehow cooler than he expected, but far from unpleasant. His eyes wandered from her conceited visage to her rear, watching his shaft disappear into her delectably juicy, albeit somewhat clammy depths.

Trying and failing to break free, pining to thrust into her, he frustratedly scrunched his nose. The view was all too perfect, granting him a prime vantage of the action, yet being immobilized was exceedingly frustrating. Left as a mute spectator for the event, both annoyed and painfully turned on, the sound of a muted groan caught his ear.

Glancing at her face, he was met with an unexpected sight. He’d anticipated she’d be able to handle him without issue, what with her large size and advanced age, yet she seemed to be struggling. Between spying her heavy blush and gnawed her lip, he was uncertain if her languid progress was due to pleasure or discomfort. More than a little curious, and being able to do little else, he cleared his throat and drew her attention.

“You alright?” he softly asked.

“I’m fine!” she grumbled, having only worked her way down two-thirds of his tool.

Attempting to shrug, yet remaining motionless, the corners of his lips turned up. “I’d be more than happy to help - you know, if you -”

“I said I’m fine!” she barked. 

In a spiteful, foolhardy move, she rammed her ass back and hilted him in a single stroke. Her eyes widened in shock, the vice-like grip of her marehood spasmed, and her legs buckled and threatened to give out, as she noiselessly gasped. For a fleeting moment, taken aback by the sensation of his dick prodding her womb, her magic attenuated and gave Anon the opening he needed.

His hands shot to her hips, grasping her tightly, but that was just the beginning. Bracing himself as best he could, knowing that she may recover at any second, he withdrew a portion of his length and plunged into her. The whorish noise which escaped her was almost as gratifying as the feeling of turning the tables, but his victory was a transient one. Baring her teeth, channeling power into her horn, she redoubled her efforts to restrain him.

Fighting against her sorcery was something like trying to move through water - it wasn’t impossible, but it dulled his movements and hindered his potential. Contending against her arcane efforts, doing everything he could to assert dominance, he gave her a second, yet slightly infirm second thrust. Though her eyelids fluttered ever so slightly, she bucked back against him.

“Petulant whelp,” she grunted, throwing him back against the tree with the force of her rearward assault, “you dare to defy me!”

Obstinately snorting, plowing her in slow motion, he struggled to reach for her tail. “Oh I - Nnngh - dare!”

Unimpeded as she was, though clearly irate and randy, she synchronized her motions to his own. It was hard to settle on where to look, having to choose between her beautifully terrifying face and her tush jiggling against him with every impact, but that wasn’t nearly as important as besting her - that and rutting an incensed, lascivious malefactor would definitely be a worthy notch in his belt. For all he knew, if he was somehow able to mollify her, the Princesses may give him some modicum of leniency! Willing himself to move harder and faster, fully exerting himself, his pace gradually increased.

With each vying for control, practically hate-fucking one another, their irritation mingled with their passion. What Chrysalis lacked in experience, she more than made up for in physical and magical might, whereas Anon only had his wits and skill to utilize. While he hadn’t gained the upper hand, still partially hindered by her restraints, he wasn’t about to let that stop him. Fighting to grab her dock, feeling as though his strength was leaving him, he only then recalled something Twilight had told him.

Pre-reformed changelings were essentially vampiric, having the option to forcefully siphon energy from their prey for their own gain - sure, Chrysalis had babbled something about using his love to crush her enemies, but he hadn’t given it much thought, given the bizarre encounter. Gritting his teeth, knowing the stakes had just been raised, her amused titter sent a cold chill up his spine.

“What’s wrong, little hyu-man?” she cooed, eclipsing his efforts. “Finally ready to submit to your Queen?”

“Never,” he muttered.

Though it took everything he had, he finally achieved his goal. Fiercely seizing the base of her tail, squeezing it for all his worth, he was granted an elated squeal from the monstrous mare. He couldn’t care less if wrenching on the tender appendage was playing dirty or not; his primary concern was not ending up as some dehydrated, mummified corpse in the middle of the forest. Pulling as hard as he could, pouring his remaining energy into screwing the ire out of her, he set his jaw and fucked her like a berserker of old.

“You’re - Unf - not going to kill me, you harpy!” he blared, angling his thrusts to better assault her g-spot.

Without breaking her rhythm, she peeked back at him with one incredulous eye. “Why in the world would I kill you?”

Her question and tone caught him off guard, breaking his concentration. “You don’t want to - Oof!”

Unable to finish speaking, while she feverishly jackhammered herself on him, she twisted her head almost ninety degrees to the side. “Oh no, I’m going to keep you as a fine, fully renewable snack.”

“Fuck,” he whispered, because her plans for him were both troubling and undeniably hot.

Growing weaker by the second, and inching closer to his limit, he did what he could to distract himself - unfortunately for him, it was a lost cause. His balls churned, snuggling up to his groin, as his cock throbbed wildly. Screwing his eyes shut, realizing he’d lost the fight, he gave one final, titanic plunge, burying his dick as deeply as possible, and blew his load straight into her foal-factory. It was a crushing defeat, and would likely result in more trouble for him in the future, but he failed to comprehend just how much of a pyrrhic victory it was for the changeling.

The influx of seed and amorous energy wrought catastrophe against Chrysalis, driving her to a climax the likes of which he’d never seen. Power exploded from her horn, showering the area in eldritch embers, while her depths clung tightly to his pulsing, gushing length. Her shrill, rapturous howl reached the heavens themselves, sending songbirds fleeing from the area, signalling just how close he’d come to beating her.

Overwhelmed by bliss, failing to realize her magical bonds had dissipated, he collapsed onto her back and dragged her to the ground. While he hadn’t intended such an inglorious end for a well-fought carnal battle, he couldn’t be bothered to care. Crashing to the earth, still entombed within her depths, he hauled air into his lungs.

“I’m...wha…” she sputtered, groggily turning to face him.

“You’ll - Cough - get used to it,” he panted, mopping his brow.

Wrapping his arms around her, savoring the impromptu spooning, he closed his eyes and caught his breath. His chances of getting away were slim and none; he felt like he could barely stand, let alone run, so the best he could hope for was that he’d be able to sneak away from her - that was, if he didn’t pass out before she did. Draping his head over her shoulder, pecking her nose, he noticed her cheeks darken.

“If you don’t mind me asking, where were you going anyways?” she softly inquired, clenching and relaxing her sex.

“I am headed to Mount Aris,” he breathed.

Squinting over at him, her pupils shrank to razored slits. “Why?”

“Because,” he began, unable to stop himself from giving her another small kiss, “Celestia and Luna probably want me thrown in an oubliette for what I did to Cadance...and that Captain...and Kerfuffle…”

“Come with me,” she flatly stated, locking eyes with him. Drawing her tongue up his cheek, impossibly bringing her muzzle to the side of his head, she blew hotly on his ear. “With you at my side, I’ll crush those insipid ponies under my hoof. I assure you, once I’ve subjugated all of Equestria, you’ll be rewarded for your efforts…”

Anon swallowed hard, hearing the undeniably alluring offer. Being the pet fuck-toy of one of the most powerful creatures in the land would have it’s benefits, not to mention the protection she could undoubtedly afford him, yet it wasn’t without risks. For all he knew, she may keep him shackled to her throne, using him as both entertainment and a live-in continental breakfast. As he considered how to respond, with the devil on his shoulder practically begging him to take her up on the proposition, she unsheathed herself from him and precariously stood.

Content to give himself a minute to recuperate, he watched her leisurely stoop down, roll him onto his back, and bring her snout to his slickened, semi-erect dick. He’d thought she may return the favor from earlier, giving his dong a parting kiss, but he couldn’t have been more wrong. Wrapping her lips around him, mopping his shaft with her lips, she vehemently sucked the cum from him

Words failed him, as he was wracked with mind-blowing ecstasy. Truth be told, the pleasure was so intense that it practically hurt, yet all he could do was snivel and writhe at her touch. If the sixty-nine had been an appetizer, and the passionate fucking was the main course, then the post-coitus blowjob must have been her dessert. Utterly helpless to stop her, being further drained by her parasitic ability, he suffered through her lecherous torment for nearly another whole minute.

“Exquisite,” she crooned, licking the essence from her lips. “Your potency is downright astonishing.”

“T...thanks,” he rasped, feeling like a freshly-juiced piece of fruit.

God help him if she continued, considering she seemed to have inexplicably honed her siphoning skills in less than an hour. It was a jarring moment of clarity, meeting someone who’d developed sensual abilities like a savant, and it further tempted him to abandon his flight from Equestria. Feeling her forehoof wander up his thigh, languidly moving towards his coin purse, she only stopped when a series of all too familiar Pops wrenched both their attention away.

“Disgusting…” a voice flatly intoned, drawing his attention away from his ill-gotten mate.

Idling some dozen paces away, looking none too pleased with the sight of cuddling lovers, were none other than Celestia, Luna, and Twilight. Squaring off against one alicorn would have been bad enough, but a trio of the overpowered ponies meant certain doom - or so he thought. Turning to face the interlopers, Chrysalis blazed with eldritch light.

There weren’t many, if any creatures that could hold a candle against a Princess’ might, yet the unimaginable force radiating from the Queen, manifesting as lightning arcing from her frame, made Anon think that she might just be able to pull it off. Had he known that she would leap to his defense, with or without dubious intentions for his future, he would have gleefully rutted her as soon as he saw her - still, that did little to change the fact that he could do less than nothing in any conflict between them.

“He’s mine, harridan!” she raged, her horn consumed with ghostly fire.

Stepping forward, glancing between the enraged Matriarch and the sullied, wholly compromised man, Luna’s pinched expression spoke volumes. “Chrysalis, please, you don’t -”

“Silence, lesser Diarch, the hyu-man belongs to me!” Chrysalis bellowed. Stomping a hoof, sundering the earth itself, she looked back at the visibly shaken man. “I will find you…”

“What do-” he was cut off, as the world disappeared from around him.

Tumbling through an incomprehensible nothingness, blinded by a brilliant light, he suddenly found himself falling towards water. Though disorientation lasted only a split second, it was replaced by the horrifying realization that he was drowning. The world was chaos, what little oxygen was in his lungs bubbled out of his mouth, and his limbs thrashed wildly, as he sank into the depths.

His life flashed before his eyes, his limbs refused to obey him, and his vision began to tunnel, while his consciousness faded. If he’d known he’d die in such an unbecoming fashion, and at such a young age, he would have been a bit more reckless in his youth. Seeing his trusty, newly acquired satchel floating by him, with the light fading above, the last thing he remembered was a haze of blonde and flash of cyan…