Gamine had left Antarès behind, galloping down the slope at full speed, entering the Badlands. “Fifty-three... fifty-four...”

"It is funny that we have the same modus operandi."

“I had no other option,” Gamine replied, oblivious to the innuendo, so focused on keeping track of the countdown. “If I had released the bat pony as promised, the Major would have had no reason to let me go. Now it is essential to get as much of a lead on them as I can before they come after me… sixty-five…” She felt her fatigue resurfacing slowly. She had to ration her strength so she wouldn’t collapse and be easily picked up by the first creature that found her.

"Gamine, about these changelings. You are well aware of the consequences if you find them, are you not?"

"...Seventy-seven... Yes. I shall probably disappear temporarily and you will regain control of your body. I guess I am forced to trust you. Just find and resolve the origin of this call peacefully. If you keep your word, I will owe you one... eighty-eight."

"Your favour is worthless to me when all I have to do is visit these devourers of love regularly to keep you in a permanent, forced sleep."

“Ninety-three. Your plan is to spend the rest of your life with them for the sole purpose of being the only one in command of your own body? As long as we are alive, I will make sure you remain prisoner within your body. You will undoubtedly be free to act, but be assured that I shall come back at some point. One hundred and seven.” She made good use of the remaining seconds she had left to observe the horizon. The moon bathed the huge natural basin consisting of arid land and dusty stones as far as she could see in its soft light. From one end of the basin to the other, there were no signs of life. No clue that gave her any indication of where to go. She looked over her shoulder towards where she had come from. She slowed her pace, dropping from a gallop to a trot. “One hundred and nineteen. I have almost a kilometre lead on them. Yet, this is nothing. They will surely catch up to me in no time. My main concern is the changelings. If they do not show interest in the spectacle I prepared, I will have to send all these bat ponies away. One hundred and thirty-nine. I have less than a minute before Antarès will give orders for my capture. When she does and the changelings see them closing in on me, they might be more likely to consider that I am not an ally of the bat ponies.”

“And, ipso facto, not just a bait to lure them out? You are deluding yourself. These changelings are predators. Luna's army has been trying to eradicate them since I left. They will not let their guard down for a second for a unicorn that went through the barricade."

“One hundred and fifty-nine. Have you forgotten? They feed on love. To them, I am not a unicorn—I am a walking meal. I am a bowl of hot soup prepared with love that they crave. I go to meet these predators so that they can feed on my love. One hundred and sixty-seven. Ten seconds."

"By the way, how am I supposed to find the source of the call if you disappear?"

"You should feel my magic activate if the source is active again. But since when do you need support to hunt?"

"Since the goal is to hunt a creature that is not my prey."

Gamine started running again as she hit the three-minute mark in her head. Less than a minute later, the bat ponies were after her. They didn't give any warning, given the criminal's liabilities. They were just waiting for an opportunity to immobilise her. Given the way she defended herself, firing beams of magic to keep them at bay, they exercised patience. She took a sharp turn around a rocky massif. As she noticed the recess in the sand in front of her, it was too late. Forelegs assisted by a green magic dragged her by her hooves into an underground tunnel. The unicorn screamed as the braids of her tail disappeared under the eyes of the dazed bat ponies. Gamine landed on her belly in the tunnels below the badlands. She was enveloped in total darkness, and could only see three pairs of phosphorescent blue eyes fixed on her. Clattering teeth echoed through the darkness. While cautious at first, she raised her voice with her usual nonchalance. "Let’s hope that you are not Changelings, but just some unintelligent bugs."

Gamine wanted to illuminate her surroundings, but Pepper stopped her. “Do not. The less you seem a threat to them, the easier it will be for me to fulfil my task.”

The one with loud teeth and a glowing pair of eyes in the middle put one hoof on the unicorn’s mouth. "It seems to me that this is not your lucky day, pony. We're changelings, and you're our evening meal."

Gamine moved away and got up. "I think there has been a mistake. I am not your evening meal."

"Oh, really? Then tell me: What are you, if not a meal?"

"Oh, very simple." Gamine said stoically. "I am..." Suddenly, she reared around and ran away, following a cold wind blowing in her face. "... Gone!" She knew exactly how it would end. But she had to run away for appearance’s sake. The worst thing was that she couldn't see anything, and couldn’t use her magic to light her way. She could only hope to not run into a wall. She didn’t get five metres away before the two changelings, spat out a sticky ball, immobilising her hind legs. Gamine fell on her stomach, at the mercy of the predators. The three changelings threw themselves on the mare with wide-open mouths, starting to feast.

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Immediately, the unicorn found herself paralyzed by a pain that spread like venom and took hold of her entire being. While they didn’t physically touch her, it still felt like a thousand bites mutilating her body, digging into the flesh and muscles with pointy teeth, strong enough to crush bones. She felt nothing but agony as their hunger made its way to her heart.

The monster watched the guardian who had deprived her of control of her own body for far too long from the bottom of her cage. Watched her being consumed as these changelings filled their belly with the love she was composed of.

Gamine struggled against the force coming from the darkness, struggled to delay her disappearance, begging the monster with her eyes. She wanted to say something, but was already too weak to be heard. Not even a simple whisper escaped her as she disappeared, sucked away into the darkness with the last ounce of her love.

And Pepper was finally free. She observed the space in her head where the young guardian had been just a moment earlier. “Till fate do us part,” she said to the void.

As their stomachs bloated with a fair amount of love after such a long hunger, the changelings licked their lips. The meal had been most delicious. They had a short discussion in their strange language, which sounded like teeth clattering and barely audible chirps. Finally, the leader walked ahead as the other two began to drag their prisoner through the tunnels.

Pepper was breathless as she reopened her eyes to the outside world. The prolonged pain had tensed all her muscles to such an extent that the simple act of breathing was agony. But it was the price she had to pay to finally be the one in control of her own body. With her pupils dilated as large as they could, she looked around, her ruby eyes wide open. Without any light, she was not able to see past the tip of her snout. She was tempted to let herself be dragged to the end, but was afraid to fall asleep halfway. She couldn't afford that, at least not right now. "Why are you dragging me? I can walk."

The changelings stopped at these words, turning to their unexpected guest. They stood up, trying to shield their leader. "Still conscious? Our victims usually can't handle the feeding process."

Pepper took advantage of the delay to turn to the three creatures, get on her forelegs, sit, and look into their eyes. "I feel good. No, I feel even better than before."

The changelings were rattled by these words. The one who had spoken so far stared at the mare with a nervous look, whistling for a brief moment, wings vibrating. "Feeding on creatures doesn't make them feel better at all. It is even worse when three feed on the same prey. Who are you?"

She couldn't tell them who she was. She couldn’t predict how they would welcome the mare who had killed Celestia. She, who had come from beyond the stars, was a monster unique in Equestria. "Lone Star," Pepper said, looking back at those three pairs of arctic blue eyes.

"Tell me, Lone Star, why do you smell like a bat pony? It's faint, but I can smell the odour of armour oil on you. You didn't wear it. No, you were exposed to it indirectly," said the leader, who was trying to determine the origin of the unicorn’s scent.

"They were blocking the border,” Pepper explained coldly. “I tried to get around them, but I was spotted."

"Could you tell me how many of them there are?" the changeling asked with interest.

Pepper realised that, if she wanted to gain the trust of these creatures, it was better to answer their questions. "As crowded as Canterlot's restaurant district during lunchtime," she replied.

"How precise of you," commented the changeling, rolling their eyes. "Anyway, what are you doing in the Badlands, pony?"

Without knowing the consequences, Pepper could not explain the reasons that had brought her to the southern region of Equestria, and she didn't want to try to beat about the bush to avoid raising suspicion. "I am travelling south. Now, I shall ask two questions myself. What are your names, and is it possible to free my legs?" She pretended to try and loosen her hind legs without success. She could have easily used her magic, but it was better to keep up the act of being a normal unicorn in the eyes of these changelings.

"You can call me Chitin. Only the highest ranking changelings have a name," replied the leader. They gave orders to the changeling on the right, clattering teeth in the process. The changeling in question approached Pepper and used magic to melt the organic slimy shackle. Before the mare could get up, the changeling that freed her grabbed her by the neck. "Now you're going to get up and let yourself be escorted to our hive, pony," the leader hissed.

Pepper was docile for the time being. "Shall I light the way with my horn, or do I have to walk in the dark?"

"We changelings see perfectly in total darkness. We will guide you to the hive like this. When we get there, you’ll have enough light to see."

Pepper didn't know what the changelings had in mind, but if they were feeding on love, they certainly wouldn't let her leave just because she asked. "So there is nothing I have to worry about," she said, words dripping with irony.

"Oh, please, Lone Star, keep worrying,” Chitin said with a grin. “We'd love to have you for the next meal, again."

"Keep worrying?" Pepper repeated.

"In your heart, there was mostly regret, guilt and worry. Love, too, but not true love. More like filial love. A delicious blend of flavours if you ask me," Chitin detailed, rubbing their tongue against their palate - like a gourmet chef who was breaking down the ingredients of a meal they had just been served. "I hope you'll be just as delicious for brunch."

"Wait, you ate my love, and you are able to tell my feelings from that?" Pepper asked in surprise. She was appalled at how easy it had been for the insect to detail the emotions that tormented Gamine's heart.

"You ponies think that we only feed on your love, but the truth is that any feeling is potential food for us changelings. Love is just the predominant one in Equestria. It is also the most nourishing," replied Chitin, looking down their nose at her.

"Emotivore," Pepper spat in a whisper.

"Oh, I love that term! It sounds like music to my ears," Chitin answered with a sinister smile, wings buzzing.

"If you can detail my feelings, can you also tell where I came from, where I am going, and my last meal? Maybe you can even read my future from tea leaves?" Pepper asked sarcastically.

"If you're done with your mockery, we can reach the hive a bit sooner," Chitin said.

"I am in no hurry to worry," Pepper replied.