Change Of Pace

Prologue:

Ever played one of those games? Where the action slows down and you can see everything nearly frame by frame? Yeah, it’s awesome, but not when it’s happening to you.

“MOVE OUT THE WAY KID!”

It’s not awesome when you’re staring down a tractor trailer haulin’ god knows what spinning out of control towards you and you’re watching your imminent demise hurtling at you at seventy miles per hour.

“OH GOD! IT BISECTED HIM!”

In hindsight…I should’ve ducked.

/*---CoP---*/

When I came to, I immediately knew something was wrong. First off, I should’ve been in two parts and not one and smeared across two counties. Second, I wasn’t in any pain. With these two points in mind, I struggled to get into a sitting position. That’s when I heard a voice…

“Do not try to move, you need rest. Listen to me I know what’s best.” I blearily blinked to find the owner of the voice. To my surprise, the voice was coming from a pale skin beauty. She wore what looked like tribal clothing, but what really shocked me was her skin color. When I said she was “pale” I really meant her skin was as white as snow. It was marked with black stripes that curved around her body giving her an exotic look of a…

“Zebra?” I asked confused, my throat dry from misuse. How long have I been out? And why do I feel...weird?

“How very astute of you to notice my race,” She replied with an amused grin. “But please, eyes up to my face.”

“Ah! Sorry…I’m…I don’t even right now…” I blushed as she caught me lingering at her breasts that were barely covered by her tribal clothing. I shifted uncomfortably for a moment. No need to get aroused just yet. I was just glad she covered my body with a cover. Its pretty awkward getting a boner while talking to someone.

“You seem greatly confused my friend, so ask me questions so the confusion may end.”

“Alright…” I took the time to swallow some spit. She seemed to notice and handed me a cup of water. After gulping it down, I began to think about what I should ask. “Okay…first off…where am I? And why am I alive?”

“You are in the Everfree Forest and why shouldn’t you be alive? Was it because of the explosion that marked the time you arrived?”

“Explosion?” I began to think. What would cause an explosion? I shook my head. Right now I’m talking to a hot anthropomorphic zebra that talk in rhyme. “I don’t remember any explosion…wait…do you have a mirror?” I remember getting hit with that tractor trailer. Right now I should be a pile of human hamburger, but I’m not. I watched as she presented me with a small hand mirror.

I reached for it, stopping to notice that my hand, rather my entire arm, was black. Not like African American dark skinned black, but pitch black. Positioning the mirror to see my face I blinked. Like the zebra chick, I had horse-like features, but unlike her, I had two protruding fangs coming out of my mouth…which was odd since I didn’t feel them. My eyes were still hazel but instead of being normal, they seemed to be entirely hazel and white where I would guess where my pupil would be. I had a horn and antennae.

“What the bloody hell am I?” I asked confused and scared.

“You are a changeling if I were to guess, but from your reaction, you do not know how you got into this mess.” I blinked and let out a depreciating chuckle.

“Understatement of the year…” I muttered. “So I died and woke up a changeling. As far as origin stories go, mine seem mundane and slightly overused…”

“What?” I grinned as she finally looked confused at my words. See that lost and bewildered look on her face gave me some sort of pleasure and energy.

“Don’t worry about it, miss. Just muttering to myself…anyways…who are you?”

“Zecora is my name, and herbal remedies are my trade. And you are?” I sat there for a moment. Maybe I was in a coma or maybe I really did die…but this is a world totally different from my own. A chance to start anew and be someone different.

“My name…My name is Jack. It’s a pleasure.” I announced after a while.

“Just…”Jack”?” She asked amused.

“By what you called me, a changeling, I can be anyone I so choose to be with some sort of ability. So by that logic, I can be a “Jack” of all trades and a master of none.” Honestly I was scared. Not too long ago I was dead. Like One-Hundred percent dead. And now I was a Changeling…whatever the hell that is.

“Well then that name will go with your status, but I’m afraid you will need some practice.” Zecora announced.

“Practice? Practice what?”

“Why practice your powers of course. Changelings can change their form and adopt personas with no remorse.”

“Are you going to rhyme all the time?” I could not help to ask. Her grin made me sigh. "Well is there anything else I need to know about being a changeling?"

"One more thing that might send you reeling," She said with a frown. "But changelings get their energy from other beings feelings."

"Wait....so you're telling me that I'm some sort of emotion vampire?" I asked.

"Yes that is correct. But I hope you won't take out of respect." She grinned and bent forward, showing off her...um ample cleavage. "Be a good little boy and your training will be a joy." Training? Oh boy...I have a feeling it won't go well.

Author's Note

Sorry for such a short prologue. Its just an idea I've had bouncing about for a while. Please, give constructive criticism and suggestiongs.