Version: 3
Fleeting Moment was a young earth mare. A girl with her head in the clouds and a pocket full of dreams. Sick twisted dreams.
Her family had been condemned by the intellectual community for some time. They were nobles only by the broadest of definitions and she was merely the latest in a long line of failed doctors and scientists. They could trace their curse back 900 years, to the reviled cult leader Oasis Chagrin who had used the homeless for his demented experiments. Even to this day they had been unable to bury the shame of that humiliating public execution.
Fleeting should have been proud of her perfect grades through grueling private school. She didn’t care. She should have felt honored to be one of the few earth ponies to master in chemistry. She felt nothing. She should have been a respected mare with laboratories around the world begging for but a slice of her genius. Yet her mailbox was empty.
She was alone and full of hatred. Much like the rest of her family before her.
But today she would show the world she was not like the. She was not a failure. Today she would make them recognize her greatness. Equestria would bow to its newest princess, Fleeting Moment!
Various colored lights blinked in the dark of the workshop. A single vial of bubbling, glowing, violet fluid waited on a desk covered in overlapping ancient stains. A heavy book sat open underneath a lamp with its old weathered pages. Fleeting Moment wore a white lab coat a size too small and had her long curly chocolate hair tied back. She hunched over the book, excitement evident in her devilish grin. Her slender fingers gently ran down the page while her green eyes skimmed the text one last time.
Finally, she pulled away from the tome and stood before the table. For several seconds she was frozen, her hands hanging limp by her sides. Disbelief ran rampant in her mind. A twitch developed in her left thigh which traveled up her hip and into her lungs. Then she started to laugh. A minute passed as the earth mare bellowed with joy. Her mediocre body bounced in place as the cackles poured from her throat. The quiet room might as well have been a stage surrounded by a thousand cheering fans. She was now a superstar and had just completed her masterpiece.
Without a second thought Fleeting seized the vial from its holding rack. She cast her head back and dumped the magical liquid into her waiting maw with predatory speed. She wretched at the foul taste and gagged on her own tongue. The glass fell from her hand and shattered on the floor. With shaky hooves she backpedaled, stumbling into the center of the room. Fleeting Moment could feel power taking root in her stomach. A vibrating sensation that made her want to puke. She put a hand to her belly and squeezed. It hurt a little bit, but the pain faded into a warm tingle. Then she gasped as the floor began to shrink away from her.
A heavy breath escaped her mouth with every passing second as her flimsy coverings grew tighter and tighter. As the roof came closer and closer. As the many instruments she had used to create her growth potion slowly dwindled in scale.
"Thank you Chagrin," she rumbled, her voice slightly deeper than she was used to. For the first time in her life she was grateful to her ancestor and his passion for potions. His journal had aided her mission greatly.
When Fleeting surpassed three meters (10 feet), and her head met the dark wood roof, her lab coat had reached its limit. A loud rip echoed throughout the room and white cloth plummeted to the floor just before a rain of dirt that had previously clung to the ceiling. Though she had to hunch and wait for more height to grant her the strength, eventually Fleeting tore through the basement roof and into the first floor of her home.
She was now a terrifying five meters (16 feet). Quite the improvement over her 166 cm (5’5") starting point.
Somehow her baby blue bra and matching panties had survived, though they failed to cover anything substantial at this point. Humming in disapproval and discomfort as the straps cut into her solid C-cup breasts, Fleeting struggled to find the clasp before giving up and tearing the thing off with her bare hands. The panties quickly suffered the same fate. Her clothes were not missed as she continued to ascend into the main lobby.
A pair of servants whose names she never bothered to learn rushed into the room to investigate the commotion. The two quickly froze, staring at the growing mare who towered over them even with her legs planted in the floor below. Her eyes danced between them and a mischievous smirk rolled across her face. She sensually slid an arm over her bare chest and a hand lazily drifted down to cover her nethers.
"Go home," she ordered. "I will not need your services... ever again."
With that her head bumped the ceiling seven meters (23 feet) from the hard stone of the basement floor. A powerful leg of rippling muscle rose from the hole and cracked the floorboards when she lowered it. Her hands braced against the roof and with the slightest application of strength she burst from her home like a butterfly from its cocoon.
Rubble rained down around her feet as she strode across her generous lawn with unexpected speed and into the streets of Canterlot. It was almost comical to Fleeting Moment how quickly she had moved. With great size came unexpected perks. Additionally, the masses didn’t even panic. There was just silence as she graced the world with her presence.
The cobble road was lined with buildings of stone and modern wood designs. There were no true mansions in this neighborhood, but the residents were all of the upper-middle class. Wealthy, but not truly rich. Many of the houses had two stories and almost all of them sported balconies and gardens. Everypony had a sizable yard and several replaced their white picket fences with healthy green hedges.
The well-dressed denizens were like toddlers from Fleeting’s perspective of nine meters (30 feet) and the street cracked under her enormous weight, but she hardly noticed. She was too busy staring back at her audience. Even now she could feel herself expanding outward. Slowly surpassing 10 meters and beyond.
Fleeting hopelessly turned away from their prying eyes and attempted to cover herself. She was naked in public and embarrassment naturally took hold. However, she soon realized how silly her shyness was. It would take time, but she’d have to get used to it. Mustering her will, Fleeting uncovered herself. She forced her cream colored arms to her sides where her fingers nervously fluttered. A rosy blush lit her cheeks even as pride in her accomplishment bubbled inside her. They were all speechless. They all marveled. She wasn’t a princess, she was a goddess!
Fleeting assumed a quick pose, raising her tremendous left leg and brushing a hoof along her right calf. She smiled slyly and raised her arms over her head, puffing out her chest and her modest bust. She twirled in place childishly. The populace was confused by her show. Nopony understood what was happening. The mare was 12 meters (39 feet) tall now.
Suddenly, Fleeting's jubilation died when she spotted a pony she had gone to school with. His name was Obsidian Scope, the bastard who always held second place in her class. He had constantly challenged her. Pushed Fleeting to her mental limits if she wanted to retain first place.
But now he was no more than a doll compared to her.
Fleeting adorned her evil grin and with glee she cast a hand into the second story of the closest home. The sudden crash made everypony flinch. Dust and debris fell into the streets. The massive mare gripped something within, a support column maybe, and tore it from the building. Without even looking at what she had she hurled it like a javelin down the road into another helpless home.
"Worship your new goddess or die!" she roared before taking a menacing step.
The crowd who had previously formed around a newspaper cart fled and ponies screamed. Obsidian Scope stumbled to the ground as he tried to run, but nopony bothered to help him. The sight made Fleeting laugh. Now at 13 meters (43 feet) she was truly unstoppable. She stomped and the ground seemed to open up around her hoof. Everything shook and the flurry of fearful screams intensified.
Obsidian found his balance and dashed down the street. The giant mare would not allow him to get away though. With each booming step she made sure she broke something. Street lamps, trash cans, and carts disappeared beneath her. Strangely, the citizens seemed quite good at dodging her attacks. Must have been all that practice from the changeling invasion. No matter. Once she grew a little more it would be impossible to dodge her mighty hooves.
"Only the strong survive," she taunted. "We both know that, right Mr. Scope?"
She carelessly back-slapped another building as she cut the corner of an intersection and left craters in somepony’s lawn. A dog barked as the owner dropped the leash and hopped a fence. Pegasi took off into the sky. Nothing stood in her way.
"I'm going to crush you Obsidian Scope!" she boomed.
Suddenly, from right in her path, a flash of light blinded her. She was forced to pause and blink the spots from her eyes. Then the 15 meter (49 foot) mare was surprised to find a small legion of guards had arrived.
To a normal pony they must have been very intimidating. They were each decked in golden armor that glimmered in the evening sunshine. Swords and spears and blazing shields featuring the likeness of the sun were at the ready. Heading their neat square formation was the newest captain of the Solar Guard, Swift Justice.
He was a large stallion with broad shoulders and a blocky muzzle. His fur was the color of dying grass and his mane was like that of a pine tree. Unlike the other soldiers his armor was silver and from his neck hung a long blue scarf which was ruffled by a gentle breeze. He wore no helmet, had no shield, and his sword remained safely in its scabbard. His stance was tall and firm. He was a unicorn without fear and he bravely met the great mare’s gaze.
"Miss Fleeting Moment," he called, obviously with a voice amplifying spell active. "You will cease growth and surrender immediately. If you refuse... I will kill you."
The guards behind him exchanged nervous glances. They knew Swift Justice could be, well, extreme sometimes. But threats of execution? Without fair trial?
Fleeting blinked. She was 17 meters (56 feet) tall, high enough to grapple with five story buildings. Justice might have been above average for a pony, but he was barely big enough to hug her hoof. Her conclusion?
She laughed. Long and hard.
Swift scowled, but otherwise did nothing as the giantess burst into tears as the rasping echoes escaped her. Fleeting couldn’t help it. The captain, even with his little army and shining armor, was no threat to her. What did she have to worry? She was a goddess now!
After regaining control of her voice, Fleeting grinned down at the helpless force. "Just try to stop me with your cute little weapons."
Swift held his ground even as his men stepped back in fear. He didn’t blame them. When a mare 19 meters tall (62 feet) shows you the underside of her foot, anypony would be scared. Except him.
She was but a twitch away from crushing the captain into dust when she felt it. A shock traveled up her leg and resonated throughout her entire body. A moment of time skipped her memory. The next thing she knew she was on her hands and knees vomiting.
Sweat poured from her fur and her muscles vibrated as an intense heat blazed through her veins. She had no awareness of anything going on around her, only the agony tearing up her esophagus and out her mouth mattered. Strings of saliva dribbled from her lips in the most revolting manner and putrid fluid pooled between her palms. Vaguely, her blurry vision detected a purple glow in the puddle.
It felt like an eternity before her senses began to return and the first thing to strike her consciousness was the tapping of approaching hooves. Then, like from the edges of a fading dream, a pair of silver boots appeared before her. Fleeting’s eyes widened and she slowly looked up.
Her terror was confirmed when she met the gaze of Captain Swift Justice who was once again taller than herself.
"H-how?" was all she managed to rasp from her suddenly parched throat.
His blue eyes were the coldest thing she had ever seen. The crackle of his knuckle as he made a fist the loudest sound she’d ever heard.
"For the destruction of public and private property," he began monotone. "For your blatant threats against the throne and your obvious intent to claim the lives of innumerable innocent ponies." His armored fingers grasped the handle of his sword. "I, Swift Justice, Captain of the Solar Guard, sentence you to--"
He didn’t even finish before a corpse fell to the cracked street and a lifeless head rolled.
"Death."
"Sir!" a lieutenant cried.
"Lieutenant!" Swift called back. "I want every intersection for three blocks closed and an immediate media blackout."
"S-sir?" the pegasus asked.
"Are you listening to me?!" Swift hollered, spinning to face the younger soldier.
"Sir, yes sir!"
"Good. I want this puddle," he said gesturing to the glowing vomit, "collected and disposed of per standard level five biohazard protocol. I also want Miss Fleeting Moment’s home searched and all research material not related to this event destroyed. Any material that is relevant is to be taken to the Canterlot Library’s restricted section under class B guard. Is that understood?"
"Yes sir. But, if I may, are such heavy security measures truly necessary?"
"Do you want to see a repeat of these events, lieutenant?"
"Sir, no sir."
"Good. Oh, and don’t forget to inform the Princess that another Chagrin had to be disposed of."
Author's Note
I wrote this several years ago when it seemed like every other macro/micro story being published was rampage. Particularly rampage stories where the macro was simply immune to harm for "reasons". While I don't particularly like rampage in general, I was especially annoyed by the convenience of a macro who just can't be harmed. As if size would make you immune to bunker busters and nukes, if the story was set in the "real" world, or the same magic that granted them size also caused them to absorb any spell fired at them, if the story was set in a fantasy world. This piece was my response to those annoying tropes.