Chapters Chapter 1: Confusion
At the moment, a pony in a shade of red velvet and purple eyes moved across the room painting canvases of all shapes and sizes. This wasn't anything different to her normal work, it was only something that she does because of her cutiemark, being a small array of colors on a pallet with a pencil going right through the middle in a perfect fit. She seemed to had worked with multiple styles and tools in each of her work, mostly this was to keep ponies happy as she believed happiness was the best medicine for the lonely and depressed. Though she could be seen painting strange, almost abstract scenes such as an empty white, almost misty hallway or even what she could describe as '~~heaven~~' with a vast scene of grass, no flowers, or trees, but the clouds cracked open showing light from above.
Does she blame for the ponies that doesn't know of the term ~~heaven~~? of course not, it isn't a natural term to ponies that she knows. She knew it ever since arriving out from the blue in ponyville. No records of her childhood and could remember through only memories of only being there. Now however, her orders were postponed leading to ponies to patiently wait, but soon led to annoyance. In reality she was wearing her beret hat walking back and forth worryingly. Her small little furry dragon stared up and tilted its little head in confusion. She seemed to stare down at the floor, stopping at times to see the bits of velvet fur that was on the floor. 'Should I go into a hospital? Was this even normal?'
Several minutes of pacing, the pony finally decided to visit the library in hopes to find something to answer her question. So then the pony, covered bits in lime paint trotted out and over to the library. Leaving a trail of bits of fur from her one hoof as she had. When the earth pony would reach to the library she would be interrupted by a purple dragon with a quill and scroll. Looking up, the dragon seemed a bit surprised to see a new face in such a small town. "Oh! I guess you're new? Im sorry Twilight is off somewhere, but I'll help with anything you need!" Pausing a bit, the pony heard about another dragon being in Ponyville, but never expected to see a dragon like this here.
"Yes, actually I've been here for just a few months now! My name is Palette Sketch, its nice to meet you, Spike? Is it?" As she asked this the baby dragon would nod watching the pony's actions. He didn't seem to notice the obvious patch of fur from her front hoof missing. Just as Palette Sketch looked at the arrays of books she seemed to gave another long silence. "Do you have something that could possibly help me?" She asks out of curiosity and worry, getting the dragon's attention.
"Sure! What is it you need help with?" Spike would question flipping to an empty page almost ready to write down whatever she needed. Now looking up and down at the pony and the list.
"Well..." The pony started trying to think of how to word this. "Do you have anything for...the solution of this?" She asked raising her hoof to show him the grotesque baldness that the fur fell from. Spike seeing this took a step back in a bit of worry and fear for the pony in front of him.
"Does...that hurt P-Palette Sketch?" Spike seemed to wonder about that himself at how bad the baldness is. Soon walking over to the book shelves hoping to find an answer to what was going on, scanning the titles. Medical magic, she wasn't a unicorn, so he kept searching for personal medical books and treatments.
"Not- really." Palette Sketch began looking down at the fur loss. "More like, it itches? A lot?" She continued, rubbing her one hoof along the other, wincing from how sensitive it was. Looking back up at the small dragon she gave a forced smile. "I have a little dragon like you back at home- but they don't talk. Its a rather common dragon from what I hear that lives in burrows in the mountains. Maybe you two can get along?"
Spike actually looked over in surprise at this. "Is that so!? How did you end up with a dragon like that?"
"Well- you see. I was...actually rather lucky to get her. Someone managed to sneak her to Ponyville in a cage, and decided to have ponies use lottery tickets so they can pull out a name. But- there was those ponies who tried to cheat, and put in multiple tickets at once which gotten them kicked out. The dragon- I don't know what they done to her but she was terrified. So..I joined in for the lottery. I won- and I tried to somehow take her back but she wouldn't leave me. After I reported what happened, they were sent away. I can't help but to feel a little guilty..."
Hearing this Spike seemed speechless. "Oh- that seems really bad...but! I'm glad things went out alright!" The dragon seemed to try and stay positive to support the pony in front of him, having the pony to manage a real smile.
"Thank you for saying that, its really appreciated." Palette Sketch spoke happily, having Spike gave a similar smile and turn away to search for the book. It took a long while, maybe about thirty minutes, but he announced.
"Here it is!" Spike exclaimed bringing her over the book settling it on the table, the title read 'Self Treatments and Herbs'. "I think this should help, we have more if you'd like?" Palette Sketch shook her head and took the book in her mouth.
"I don't think that'll be necessary! Thank you though!" Palette Sketch kept her loving nature before starting to walk out, letting Spike start back with his work. However one little thought was in her mind that made her stop, asking. "Do you know of a place called ~~afterlife~~?"
"Huh?" Spike looked up confused. "No...I never heard of it before." Hearing this Palette Sketch frowned before saying.
"Okay...I was just wondering..." Palette Sketch then walked out, feeling her hoof starting to itch again. Something...wet could be felt as she scratched. Leaving a scent of iron in her nostrils. Was that...blood?
Author's Note
Hello everyone
Thank you for taking your time in reading I really appreciate that! This story is going to be a whole series of books involving this one pony character, that believes in another worldly place called the afterlife, and is known to be mostly spiritual in her own way.
You're possibly wondering the alternate universe, this takes place in a universe that Twilight turning into an alicorn never had happened. And the term afterlife doesn't exist in Equestria at all.
The Crystallize Process Chapter 2
Chapter 2: Grassland Among the ~~Heavens~~
The sounds of tearing cloth could be heard as the dragon nearby lurked over near the sound. Palette Sketch, who was in a sorta panicking seemed to took out some bandages and proceeded to wrap around her hoof. In which stuck like glue in result of the blood seeping through the hoof scratches from her own doing. This wasn't normal, it just wasn’t, what seemed to been just lost fur turned out into a full rash on her now sensitive pink skin. The blood that remained on the bandage stained it greatly, having her wrap another making another layer of bandagers. As she finished she stopped, before examining the hoof closely and moving it slightly.
“What is going on…?” The pony muttered to herself before taking out the book from the library flipping through the pages in desperate attempt for answers. However, there was nothing to her surprise. Absolutely nothing that caused this, poison ivy maybe? No- that wasn't right she was never in the forest before. Her little dragon hopped its way over and stood up in concern, with its wide blue eyes looking at her face.
Looking down at the small ferret like dragon she gave a defeated sigh and picked up the creature in an embrace. “Maybe…this wont go on so long- maybe it'll end soon..” The dragon simply watched her say this and curled up into her soon resting. The pony gave a soft chuckle, it seemed to calm her down. As they sat in the bathroom, outside of the room was a mess of bloody hoof prints and a noticeable desperation from the signs she was stumbling as some bits of blood was wiped along the floor with a few droplets. This wasn't a normal medical problem. This was something that she couldn't solve on her own.
After having patched herself up she found that going back to painting again helped with relieving the bit of internal stress she was dealing with. Almost always painting had solved her problems in getting away from reality. The calm strokes of paint along the canvas sorta reminded her the way how the wind itself brush along the grass in the grassland, with the light above shining down. The idea of this light seemed to welcomed her in a more peaceful thought, maybe she's going to be alright. Maybe it was all in her mind she thought, she then stood up high, with the paintbrush raised in between her teeth as she painted. It was her quiet place she always treasured, the place she could feel like she can finally be herself. No work, no worry, but paint, that was her cutiemark after all.
Well, that would've been if it weren't for the easel sliding over from not setting it up right with its single back leg smacking the paint can having it fall and pour on the floor under her. She noticed too late, as the paint caused her to slip from her hooves, and fell directly on the floor with a loud thud. Everything would soon drift away, and was painted to black.
The sickening headache radiated through her being when she found herself drifting into consciousness. Looking up in a rather familiar area, the one she would paint so many times. The grass under her hooves drifted by gently, having her feel the kind warmth from above. "This is...." The earth pony whispered before standing up slowly, with their gaze to the sky. However, expecting the kind warmth she was instead introduced by a black flock flying above blocking the light. The sound of...buzzing in the ears caused her to drop down gripping onto the side of her ears hoping to block it. Only to have the buzzing to grow even louder. This wasn't the ~~afterlife~~ she saw before, this was dark. Something sinister- evil even. The grass below seemed to started to fade away into a grey, leaving a cold aura in the air. Even if Palette Sketch wanted to- she couldn't move. She just...laid there, defenseless. As a single, larger figure seemed to flew down with the similar buzzing landing with a loud clop of hooves. Looking up- Palette Sketch could see first the green, evil glee in the eyes of the creature, a black shell covering her form with holes almost from rot. The figure gave a laugh at how pathetic she was almost mocking her.
"Was this your wonderful...paradise?" The creature spoke in a female voice, plucking a single flower from the ground that seemed to wilt from her touch. The strange demonic being licked her lips in delight showing fangs before looking at the earth pony under her feet. "You look so very interesting, and delicious my dear.." She gave another chuckle before her poor horn lit up. "You'll be a delectable meal!" The Queen roared out in laughter with her mouth opened wide, to view the many fangs and saliva between. Palette Sketch quickly shut her eyes tightly in terror and embraced what was coming, unable to move. The figure in front of her seemed to stopped, realizing something and closing her mouth slowly as the magic fade away. "Oh...So thats it..." The Queen muttered to herself with a sly smile. Palette Sketch would ask if the bug like pony didn't kept going. "You're not all that it seems it looks like. Oh well! We shall meet again earth pony!" She announced cockling turning around and seemed to started to walk off, about to fly off.
"Stop-..." Palette squeaked managing to stand up. "W...who are you?" They tried to demand asking looking at the tall Queen. Having her stop at this and turn around at the earth pony, she would answer.
"I am Queen Chrysalis." Before going back to her duties, and flew off along with her swarm. Leaving Palette Sketch behind.
Author's Note
The Changlings in The Crystallize Process
The changlings in this story isn't the same as in the normal MLP realm, and instead acts like demons. What souls become when going through the afterlife and done so much sin that it corrupts their own souls themselves destroying their hearts. They are the only creatures to know of the afterlife the most, except for a few ponies who doesn't originate from Equestria's world and searches for them.
The Crystallize Process Chapter 3
Chapter 3: The Creeping Walls
Her vision seemed to flickered to light as she tried to move from the paint staining her coat, trying to not slip again. She seemed to felt a deep burning through her front hoof nearly making her fall down in result of both paint and pain. Palette looked back at her wrapped up hoof noticing how painful it was in which made her wince. Finally managing to stand- she slowly staggered over to a phone, thinking at this point she should've went to a hospital. This was just too much, Palette considered she should've went out for help. Picking up the phone shakily trying to balance from her bad hoof she started dialing, until something stopped her as the phone started to pick up. The confused female voice of a pony answered, trying to see if anyone was there. Palette was still not responding back, her eyes stared out at the window seemly realizing something...giving a slow start, she spoke slowly, giving them her address and for them to come there.
Several minutes later, the ambulance arrived and helped Palette to lay down on the soft white cloth as they rolled her out trotting away to the hospital. As she was pulled away from her home Palette Sketch would look around at the other ponies giving concerned looks on their faces, as others moved along to their jobs. She attempted to move her hoof again which would send a shock of pain through her body. At this response the doctors would say. "Please stay still, you're hurt." One of the stallion doctors spoke trotting near her looking at her hoof. Palette couldn't seemed to argue at him, being far too weak to from the shock of pain that shook her body. "It's going to be alright...just keep calm." Palette managed to give a nod which was rather shaky in appearance. Before soon settling down as the pain slowly subsided and she seemed to laid there calmly.
Arriving at the hospital they would stroll her over to one of the empty rooms and left her on the comfy white beds managing to put her back to sleep with sedatives. When the doctor, the stallion from before, managed to do this they turned to her bandaged hoof, and with careful action the doctor started unwrapping it slowly. This- as the bandages were being removed strips at a time they used his free hoof to cover his nostrils from the odor coming from the single hoof. 'Is it infected...?' The doctor thought to himself as he continued, something seemed to make him freeze, and soon grew pale. The bandages were not completely soaked with blood, but seemed to peeled away skin from underneath like it was tissue paper. Everything around the two was dead silent, the pony on the bed winced sharply as the wrappings were removed, but the doctor was the one who shattered this silence with a loud horrified gasp as the magic holding up the bandages quickly dropped them having them fall on the floor with a wet slap. "W..what is that?" The stallion spoke to himself in horror stepping back slowly in complete fear of the unknown. Her hoof, that was laying in an extra sheet to comfort it, was now bare and visible, the fur could be seen poking on the sides of the lay of skin that had been peeled off, showing a hard, cold black shell of something that you expect from a beetle. Palette feeling this seemed to whimper in her sleep, trying to find some comfort. Slowly, the stallion crept closer in caution taking a small surgical knife. Raising it up, he would carefully move away the gory mess, taking a cloth as well to clear it away.
Palette Sketch seemed to started to mumble to herself, her voice seemed to break a little. Tears seemed to form in the pony's shut eyes and dripped down. The doctor gave a confused look at this, was she talking to her sleep? This whole time- she wasn't talking about anything at all before. That's when he realized what was happening, she was waking up. He pressed the button by the bed, having one of the mare's, Nurse Redheart come into the room. "We need to Quarantine her. I don't care what you say, we can't let her go until we figure out exactly what this is and if its contagious." The Stallion spoke sternly, and with that he seemed to made his way out of the room, preparing a stretcher to move her to another room. The Earth pony now laying on the stretcher seemed to shiver...it felt, cold. Even if a blanket would be laid on top of her, so very cold...she thought. There was a long pause as she started to whimper again trying to get warmth. Shuffling under the blanket, her hoof seemed to brush against the fabric causing a small jolt of pain to wake her up. "What...is going on...?"
"She's awake, quickly put her asleep!" The stallion would say suddenly in concern. That was what she made of anyway, looking around, Palette noticed that she was under a light blanket. Trying to sit up she was soon forced back down by a hoof helping her right back on the stretcher. That's when she had spotted her grotesque hoof, veins of green could be seen around the wound where now a shell of black could be seen, in complete shock. She touched this hoof using her other, it was sticky to the touch, until a flashback of the creatures invading the world she had remembered loving so much. She screamed out in terror and tried to fight back the ponies holding her down.
"LET ME GO! I NEED TO STOP THIS! LET ME GO! I DON'T WANT TO END UP AS THEM!"
She cried out in terror. Just outside of the blanket, the doctors seemed to struggle trying to keep her down as the nurse from before came with the sedative. What did she mean by, them? That was what her doctor thought as he helped with keeping her still, and having the needle prick her arm and inject the liquid into her blood stream. Slowly, the panicked cries started to calm down. Palette was trying to fight back the sudden need of sleep. "P-please...let...me g..o..." And soon the body dropped back onto the stretcher, having the sudden alarm of the patient acting up stop, and they would move on. Bringing her to the white room and helped her to one of the beds as she slept, with complete fear on her face.
The Crystallize Process Chapter 4
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