Monster In The Everfree

"Where... Am I?" Shadowleaf looked around. He was tied to a tree, still in the Everfree Forest. No signs of anypony anywhere. "Maybe I still have magic."

Closing his eyes, Shadowleaf concentrated on the task at hoof. When he opened his eyes, he found himself still tied to a tree. "I wouldn't try magic if I were you," a voice muttered from behind.

Shadowleaf couldn't see him, but he knew that familiar voice. The tan unicorn stepped in front of him. "What you are going through," he said, "is a metamorphosis to the form of a demonic creature."

"Why? Why are you doing this?"

"As an example. You Canterlot scum are the reason murderers like I exist. There needs to be some sort of balance. If everything is too good, there must be something really bad."

"But... Why this?"

"I just like pulling pranks on little fillies. What better way than to have all of the Everfree's legends come true? Along with their deaths!"

"You're insane-"

"Watch your tongue," the unicorn said, striking Shadowleaf across the face, "I'm helping you in a way."

"How the hell are you helping me?"

"You are, currently, the most singlehandedly powerful being in the entire universe. You just don't know it yet. Soon you will enjoy killing. And soon you will learn to control your power."

"Who... Who are you?"

"For all you should care," he said, walking away, "my name is 'Ruler of Equestria'."

"Hey, get back here!"

Energy flowed through Shadowleaf as he was consumed by black smoke. His senses were more acute, his strength was more perfected. With one large movement if his hoof, the rope binding him from the tree broke up. He stood up on the ground and began chasing after the unicorn.

What is this sensation? I feel so... Alive...

Shadowleaf looked down and noticed he was rising off of the ground. "GET BACK HERE!"

Claws shot out of his hooves, and he started slashing menacingly through trees as he ran. Fangs shot out of his mouth. He turned into a moving shadow. He had transformed again.

Shadowleaf sensed the presence of blood nearby. The unicorn was close. He looked in the direction of the pulse. He could feel the beating of the unicorn's heart. Dashing vigorously through bushes, he gave off a mighty roar.

Leaping out of the leaves, Shadowleaf pounced right on the unicorn. The stallion shrieked as Shadowleaf jammed his claws into the unicorn's horn. With one upward swipe, it was broken off of his screaming head.

Shadowleaf next swiped at the unicorn's side, causing him to fling into a tree trunk. A blood trail followed from the place he was hit to the place he landed, and a large gash was clearly visible in his right side. Shadowleaf, feeling the job was done, attempted to morph back. For once, he actually did it. The smoke vanished, and he lowered to the ground, panting, as a normal pegasus. He then approached the bleeding unicorn.

"Your time is ending," he said, "so speak fast. Why couldn't I sense your blood earlier?"

"I'm not sayin-"

The unicorn screamed when Shadowleaf picked up a branch and shoved it into the cut. "Tell me! Now!"

"Okay! I-it was a sp-sp-spell! I didn't want to d-d-die!"

"That's ironic. How can I fix this?"

"You c-can't. I c-c-could have, b-but you took of my horn!"

"Dammit!" Shadowleaf surrounded himself with smoke and grew once more. "This is your fault!"

Shadowleaf finished changing, and roared at the sobbing unicorn. Using his fangs, the unicorn's limbs were quickly removed, and the the rest was consumed. Blood poured out of Shadowleaf's mouth and on to the ground as he swallowed the corpse.

The creature roared again, thirsty for more. Shadowleaf could still sense fresh meat somewhere. He frantically spin around, searching for his next victim. Finally, he spotted one: a young filly, with no cutie mark, wandering through the forest.

Quickly, Shadowleaf charged. The filly turned around and screamed for her mother before turning into a bloody mashed up organ pile. Shadowleaf ate her remains. Satisfied, he began changing back into his normal shape.

He landed, coughing. What the hell is happening? I didn't even think about it that time... I just ate her... Why am I so evil?

No, no, I'm not evil. This is what good is. I'm wiping out the shameful canterlot snobs, just like my creator wanted!

Creator? Snap out of it, he didn't make YOU! He made you into THIS!

Yes, but this is what I am! This is my TRUE form! I believe in this, killing is what I was meant to do! Luna can rot in Tartarus! She rules me no longer! I am a monster, not a pony! I'm a killing machine! Like the stories and the legends! I'm the monster in children's closets! Under their beds, up in the attics!

No, you're sick! This isn't you! You're cursed, and you know it! You're not a monster, you're a pegasus!

No, I WAS a pegasus. But this is me now. I'm the Monster In The Everfree. And I'm unstoppable.

Shadowleaf changed back into the monster form once more. From now on, I do not leave this shape. This is ME! I AM THE DARKNESS! I AM THE EVERFREE!

Shadowleaf ran. He ran, and he swiped, and he gnawed. He destroyed everything in his path. This was who he had become, and he needed to accept it. The pulsating blood of other ponies was again felt within his brain, and he was off.

They were running. They weren't allowed to do that. Not with him around. They knew he was coming. He turned around the corner. It was not ponies. It was ponies and a zebra. "Come, quickly!"

The zebra motioned for the other ponies to run into her hut. The door slammed shut. Shadowleaf lost the bloodlust. What was she up to? How did she do it? Shadowleaf looked inside the hut's windows. This zebra was none other than the world's famous herb and potion brewer, Zecora.

She knew Shadowleaf was coming, and, in his suspicions, she probably had made a spell of some sort to keep him out. Angered, Shadowleaf dug his claw into the hut, only to hurt it and watch it break before him. It was the reason he wasn't able to exit the forest, and he now understood: he is darkness. He is a shadow. And light dispels darkness. Anywhere light was intense, he cannot live as a shadow. He understood this now.

Giving up, Shadowleaf ran away. It didn't matter. When he could feel their pulses again, the chase would resume. He found a nearby cavern and entered it. He would lurk there until they left, or until night fell.