The Parasite

They were okay now.

They were okay, Light Touch thought to himself as he took dainty but quick steps through the grass, constantly surveying his surroundings.

They were imprisoned, but now they were free, and everything was going to be okay.

That's right, clever pony, you got us out. You know what to do now.

“Yes, yes of course,” he muttered, licking his dry lips.

Quiet! I thought you were stealthy?

Yes. Yes, sorry. Light focused entirely on being silent as he made his way into Ponyville. The Sun had set hours ago and he was cloaked in darkness as he headed for the center, but he still kept his ears pricked and dove to hide every so often, making sure he was alone before continuing on. The confident voice in his head urged him along, and he picked up his pace when he saw his destination.

The few lights of the town gleamed off the crystal castle ahead of him. It stood tall and beautiful, a shining testament to the grace of the Princess of Friendship, and he couldn't help but smile in awe.

Princess of Friendship, what a ridiculous title, the voice growled. What weak, helpless creatures you all are, that you admire friendliness and mercy. Now I, I dream of a world where only the strongest, most deserving survive.

Yes, and what a great world that will be, Light answered eagerly. He didn't need to hold himself back anymore. He was capable of amazing things, and all it took was a unique friend to convince him of it.

Shut up and focus. Can you reach that open window?

Right, he had work to do. Light examined the window. That window? You got it, pal. He reached into one of his saddlebags, pulling out a length of rope with hooks at one end and a pulley system below it. I'd levitate up but my magic would be too conspicuous at this time of night-

I know, just get us up there!

Light waited for a moment though, ears tilted toward the window and listening. There was no sound coming from inside, and whatever room it led into was dark. Light gave the rope a few test tosses, then finally swirled it and threw the hooked end up toward the windowsill. It landed with a clink, and he tugged it so the hook caught in the corner of the sill and wall.

He waited again, watching for someone to come check out the noise, but there was only silence. With the rope secure, he tied the end around his waist and grabbed the section of rope that looped through the pulley, giving it a tug. He was lifted up, and bit by bit he was able to pull himself all the way up to the window. He slowly peeked inside, and once he was sure it was secure, he climbed in and put away his apparatus.

Very good. Now get moving before someone comes in.

Light crossed to the door and looked out into the hall. He didn’t see or hear anyone, so he stepped out.

He’s never been in this castle, but with some research he had been able to find a map of the layout that had been sent to Canterlot by Twilight Sparkle shortly after the castle had been created. Princess Celestia was a fool to leave such a thing in the archives with the other building records.

Unfortunately, what Light was specifically after hadn’t been marked. But he knew it was in the castle, and with additional research he had found a vague description of its location. Now he just had to find it.

He opened doors along his path, checking each carefully before moving along. He took his time, not wanting to alert the inhabitants. The floor, much like the walls, was made of crystal. So it took all of Light’s effort to walk silently. Even the slightest increase in walking speed would cause audible clicking sounds. He wished he could have gotten his cotton hoof covers.

But your house was being watched for your return, so we couldn’t. But this is your special talent, yes? So you’ll make do.

Of course I will, friend. It would just help speed this up is all. Light paused to consider his location, then kept moving. It took several minutes, but finally he was opening the door to a larger room that had tall bookshelves along the walls and a mirror in the center. The mirror took the shape of a horseshoe and was hooked up to a large magical apparatus that seemed perpetually powered.

Light felt a small shiver of anticipation go down his spine as he approached it. He stepped up onto the dais and examined his reflection. This is definitely the crystal mirror that leads into another dimension.

Without magic, right? And without those annoying princesses?

Right. I’ve heard it has some magic, but not near as much as Equestria. The creatures there get by with technology. They can’t work with magic like we can. This will be perfect, we'll use their technology to build a grand ship, a better ship, and we'll build weapons beyond pony comprehension, and we'll come back and rain hellfire down upon anypony who tries to stop-

Don't get ahead of yourself, that's my plan!

Our plan, right? Light asked.

...Of course. Our plan. Now let's get in there!

Of course, Carnage. Light jumped through. He kept his eyes closed as he traveled to the other dimension, not opening them until he thumped down onto hard concrete. He picked himself up, and found that standing on all fours was no longer comfortable. He straightened his back and stood up on two legs, examining his new body.

He was now clad in a trench coat with plain jeans and a collared shirt underneath. He also wore well-fitting loafers and his saddlebags had transformed into a solid black backpack that dangled from one shoulder. “Hm, strange... Carnage, are you still there?”

I'm here. Now move, before we're noticed!

Light adjusted his backpack onto both forelegs- arms. He had arms, with strange fleshy extensions at the end rather than the hooves he had spent his entire life with. He stared at the ends of his arms as he hurried away from the portal, which on this side took the form of an unassuming statue in front of a school. Luckily, it was night here as well, and no one even passed him as he jogged down the sidewalk.

Those are hands, Carnage muttered as Light kept examining himself. And those bits you're wiggling are fingers. They're just like the claws of the dragons back in Equestria. Now focus! Over there, that seems to be a park. You can likely find facilities to hide there.

Light nodded, dropping his arms and changing direction to go there. The area was deserted, and as he checked the sky, he figured it had to be past midnight. Locating a small restroom building, he approached it and tried to turn the knob with his magic, but there was no response. There was no flow of magic through his body and the knob remained still. He instead fumbled with the knob using his fingers, figured out how to grasp it, and opened the door, hurrying inside. After a moment, he turned and locked the door behind him.

This'll do. Now go, go to the mirror, now.

Light obeyed without question, approaching the mirror. He almost flinched at the sight of himself. He had no fur, though his mane at least remained. He felt his face, finding only skin the same color as his coat, though paler. His eyes were familiar, but his muzzle was uncomfortably flat and his ears had drastically shrunk and he could no longer get them to move like his pony ears could.

Carnage stretched out of his neck, eerie red strands of skin flowing out like exposed veins and forming into a slender neck and angular face with sharp teeth and fierce, intense white eyes. “Oh, this seems even weaker than the pony body! Look at this... tiny nose, so breakable, and these limbs... I could snap these like toothpicks!”

“But hey, there's no alicorns here,” Light pointed out.

“That's right. No alicorns. Which is good, as you are without magic.”

Light frowned, feeling his forehead. His lack of a horn was probably the most drastic change. As much as he focused, no magic sparked to life in front of him. But he wasn't worried. He could work without it. He and Carnage had a plan, and together they were unstoppable.

Carnage slid thin tendrils around his shoulders, and he shuddered when their sharp points dragged along him, nicking him even through his shirt. “That's right, partner. We are unstoppable. We'll bring this world to its knees. And once we've formed an army, we'll go back to Equestria, and we'll make them pay for what they did to me.”

“We sure will.” Light may have been terrified at first, but being captured by the Life Aura Center was the best thing that could have happened to him. He had made an irreplaceable, lifelong friend and his future has never looked brighter.

“You're right,” Carnage whispered to him. “Together, we will build an army of powerful Klyntar, and this world will bow to us. It's what we deserve. It's what we're meant to do. I can feel the desire for power within you, and you're willing to pay for it in blood, aren't you?”

“Oh yes, yes my friend.”

“Excellent. You're smarter than the others of your kind. Now, why don't we rest here for the night, and in the morning we can explore our future empire?”

“Sounds like a plan.” Light slid his backpack off, and upon confirming it still had all his supplies in it, he found the cleanest corner of the room to sit down in, leaning against the wall and closing his eyes.

With a few tugs of the neurons and a dose of hormones, Carnage prodded him asleep. Now left to his own thoughts, he let out a shrill laugh. “Don't you worry, Riot! I'll be back to join you soon enough! And you'll see what I'm truly made of when I paint the streets red with Equestrian blood!”