Chapters It's well known that humanity is a chaotic race. Oftentimes, humans find themselves a magnet for trouble. Some humans manage to be the subject of a number of Subreddits like Pro Revenge or Malicious Compliance. Others have multidimensional adventures. Humans are basically the cockroaches of existence… if there aren't any in your world, there soon will be.
As it happens, I'm one of the lucky misanthropes who enjoys watching humanity sow destruction and reconstruction upon themselves. Change is the way of life, one that must consistently be reinforced by natural selection. Hell, I agree with the sentiment behind "Okay Boomer." Tradition only carries you so far before it starts holding you back. And if you refuse to accept change that could be beneficial, and hold onto a flawed past that you thought was the best age, then people are going to start ignoring you. Without change, you quickly become obsolete.
But enough about societal problems. That's not what you came for. You'd like to know how I became the Mad Blook. To be completely honest, I don't really know where it began. It could have started way back when Undertale came out, it could have begun when I got my first phone number, or it could have even kicked off when I ordered a package off Amazon. But let's start at the interesting bit.
I sat there, staring at my computer. At the moment, there was only one thing on the display. My package tracking. Several hours ago, my package had deviated from its course to my house… I was concerned. I had spent nearly 500 dollars on that thing. And now my drawing tablet was sitting in some remote warehouse. I looked that place up a while back, when my package first got there. The search result was still on my phone screen. It hasn't been registered to anyone or anything for at least 50 years now. So my first thought was that it was stolen. The delivery guy wouldn't take it there, as the address didn't match mine in any way whatsoever beyond being in the same state.
I sighed in relief as I saw it start moving again. It only stayed at that warehouse for 3 hours. That's usually how long it takes to sort out a bad miscommunication. I think.
The next day, I awoke to the package arriving at my door, finally. It was a rather small package. My drawing tablet had arrived at last. But… curiously, there was a second package with it. I don't recall having ordered two things. I took both packages inside, and placed my drawing tablet package on the chair by my desk. The other package was pretty big, and had no labels on it. There was just a sticky note.
"A gift, from Discordant Multiverse." The note read. I facepalmed. Great, the creepy online stalker again. I thought I blocked that guy a month ago? Maybe this is his attempt at reconciling. Either way, I went ahead and grabbed a knife to start cutting both boxes open. Once I opened the larger unlabeled box, I peeked in. What I saw astounded me.
It was a large costume that looked like Mad Mew Mew from Undertale. The costume looked realistic enough that if I mastered voice acting, I could easily pass for the real deal. I took it out piece by piece, excited beyond belief. This was the one thing I'd been looking all over the internet for. I'd been wanting a Mew Mew costume ever since I saw her in the game. And now, I have it…
There was the other box though. Taking the knife, I slit it across the tape keeping the other prize from my grasp. Today was going to be a great day! Inside the box appeared to be a semi ripped mannequin. One just like the ones found in Undertale. More accurately, the one used by the Mad Dummy. It definitely had those jaw-like attachments. And it didn't look wearable. Chances were, I'd probably just tug it around as a prop or just leave it at home as like a trophy.
With that curiosity satisfied, I took the mew mew costume to my room, and started to change into it. I needed to make absolutely sure it fit. Once I had the costume on, I had to stop. I felt a wave of static pass through me or something, giving me goosebumps. I was always transfixed by this feeling. There was something different about this feeling though. It almost felt detached from me. Like I was feeling the goosebumps on something besides my skin.
While I was curious about this feeling, it's not like I had any real way to figure it out. The costume fit, so it was time to take it off.
Or, that was the plan at least. As soon as I got to the fake boobs I used, I was in for a shock. Somehow, they became real… which means I now had boobs. I was moderately freaked out, if only because I wasn't expecting this, so my hands shot to the spot between my legs. I felt a slit instead of my usual equipment. Which means I was now a girl…
Now, I feel like I need to explain the reaction that comes next. Not because I feel like anyone else may be curious but because I'm self conscious about how I really am. In short, I have an obsession for transformation. I've been reading way too many stories involving transformation to the point it almost consumed my entire life at one point. I had my parents to pull me out of that hole in particular, but I've never let go of the interest.
So when I finally got my wish… it was only with a frantic surge of maddened laughter that I fully explored every surface of my new body with my hands. My breasts, my hips, every curve, I was in a haze of sheer joy. A haze I only allowed myself because I was home alone. A deeper part of me recognised it as a mental breakdown, or symptoms of actual madness, but the bigger side didn't care. I got what I've been wishing for for the longest time. And being that I was now legit an anime girl, I went to my bathroom and struck a pose in front of the mirror reminiscent of Dio.
"I reject my masculinity, Jojo!" I collapsed against the counter from laughter. That small part of me was growing more concerned, but I was already too far gone. Everything about this appealed to my distorted desires. And there was no way I was ever going to look back.
Once I finished my laughing fit, I took a better look at myself in the mirror. My new tail swayed idly behind me. My pink wig wasn't really a wig anymore. And those massive bell props under my hair could actually ring. A look at my teeth showed me I really was feline like this, so I gave myself a short little "Nyan~" Honestly, I felt natural doing that, and could still recognise it as cute. So there was that, at least. And then there was my hands. It was odd… but underneath those gloves, I could feel claws.
A noise broke me out of my inspection. It sounded like air rushing through an opening. Turning around, I saw my dummy prop fall through a portal. An instant later, I no longer felt the ground beneath my feet. And then I did, but it was beneath my back instead and everything felt disgustingly wet.
"BWAHH!?" in a rush to get myself out of the wet stuff, I leaped to my feet, frantically swiping the liquid off me and my dress. After a second, I grit my teeth and looked around. What I saw caught me off guard. There were shadows everywhere. It was like all of my surroundings were made of liquid shadow. There was a purple hue to it too. It was like… an Umbral Void. I spotted my dummy nearby, and by instinct darted to it to pick it out of the pool of Umbral fluid flooding the floor. I held it close, like a treasure that needs to be protected. I'm not sure why. Maybe it was. But I was very afraid. I didn't know where I was or if I was safe here.
Then I saw light. Looking towards it, I saw a hallway. At the end of it was an orb of glowing light. The light made me feel safe. So I pursued it. It led me through several dark corridors, which seemed to have a number of wormholes littered about it. The light stopped in front of one of them, before passing through it. I jumped through after it, hoping I'd get answers.
Once on the other side, I found myself climbing out of the ground in the shadow of a building. Curiously, I glanced around at the town I found myself in. It was mid day, and I could see- wait a minute. Were those ponies? I stared at the pastel colored ponies for a long while. And after a short moment, a mint green pony stopped and stared at me. I hesitantly raised a hand in greeting. I could see intelligence in their eyes. So I could only assume they were sentient.
Much to my luck, the mint one returned my gesture. I noticed she was doing it with much the same uncertainty as I was. It was then I had an epiphany.
"This is a first encounter for both of us, isn't it?" I asked out loud. Saying that out loud got the attention of the mint unicorn's companion, a regular pony with a cream coat and pink and blue mane and tail. The two of them stared together until the mint one nodded. "...Well. This was an awkward meeting. You guys know anyone who might know a thing or two about extra-dimensional shenanigans? I kinda need to figure out how the heck I even got here."
The mint one blinks as this seems to get her mind jogging. She looks at her companion before raising a hoof in a 'lemme think' motion. After a moment, she answers. "Twilight might. If not, she probably knows how to find out. She's the lavender unicorn with a starburst mark. I think she was visiting her friend Rarity today, at the Carrousel Boutique. The name is pretty self explanatory, you can't miss it." She offered.
"Oh thanks. So a Carrousel repurposed as a boutique, huh? That should be an interesting place…" I depart, but not without spotting the unicorn giving her companion the smuggest fucking smile I've ever seen. I roll my eyes at that and head off to explore the town. Soon enough, I found the Carrousel in question, but there was a commotion from it.
Ahead of me were 6 mares. A rainbow maned cyan pegasus, an orange one with a cowboy hat, a purple unicorn with a lavender mane, a very very pink one with an apparent party animal personality, a rather shy looking butter-yellow pegasus with a cotton candy pink colored mane, and the five of them were bothering a rather distressed but fabulous looking white unicorn with a violet, and very well styled mane. For a moment, I was lost in the glorious image of the well styled one, until I saw her shout at the others, breaking down from pressure. I frowned as I approached, hearing her proclaim her shame about the edits her friends made her make to their dresses. And I felt something snap within me.
Rage flared. My sister was an artist. It was through her that I learned not to push an artist not to make edits they don't want to make. If a work is good, don't push for changes you would make to it if you could.
A lesson these ladies won't soon forget after that outburst. The white one ran inside, likely to hide in shame. And I took that as my cue to storm up to them.
"Is it… Really that bad?" I heard the rainbow one ask in doubt. Once I was close enough, I could see the dresses they each held. They were atrocious. They all looked like a child's concept of dresses. The rainbow one's dress looked more like prop armor fit for a costume party. The farm girl's dress looked like a kid trying to prepare for a rainy day, and failing even at that. The pink one looked like she was trying to invite predators with a sweet tooth to eat her! They were all terrible, words couldn't even express it! And all of it together made me snap.
"Horrible. Horrible! Horrible! How could anyone craft such abhorrent monstrosities!? No artist in their right mind could let such travesties see the light of day. Who is responsible for forcing these crimes against fashion into existence?" I demanded, rage coursing through me. The ponies gasped as they turned and saw me. The rainbow one glared back at me, matching my hateful gaze with her own distrusting one.
"Oh yeah? Who's askin'?" Her attitude really got me fired up. But as I go to answer, I'm met with a blank. This frightened me. You don't just forget your name. "Well?"
"...Good question." I answered. The admission that I don't know who I am shook me. And I could see the orange one saw that.
"Settle down, Rainbow. Somethin' ain't right here. And it ain't her that's the issue." She spoke up, trotting up to me. "You can't remember, can ya, sugar cube?" I shake my head as I refocus.
"No, but that's not a priority right now. Don't you have a friend to apologise to? You'd better hope she has the old ones from before these edits." I point out. The orange one looks back at the Carrousel Boutique, before looking at me.
"Alright. But you best expect we'll be talkin this out when we're done." She promised. I nod.
"I'd appreciate that. Now get in there." I prompt. The five of them warrily watch me for a moment as I sit down on the ground, watching them head in. I sigh when they vanish through the door, so many questions swirling through my head.
Things had been happening so fast, I hardly noticed that my mind had been affected by the changes. Normally I'm much more level headed… but somehow, I completely lost my cool on them. That made me wonder. Had I become Mewmew? Or the Mad Dummy? I took the dummy I'd been holding onto, and looked it in the face. Based on this being in my possession, I'd guess the latter. But if that was the case… then I was a ghost. Which meant I could possess things. Which meant I was currently possessing a doll. A doll with sexual organs. This revelation made my head spin. I was a ghost! This threw a number of possibilities into my mind, and with them came a flurry of emotions.
Eventually, I'd shake them out, and head into the boutique myself. I saw them all piled together in a hug, and smiled at them. I could also see beautiful dresses that seemed to match up with each of them. More than that though, I noticed there were a whole bunch of mannequins around here. A pegasus mannequin… a unicorn mannequin… a normal pony mannequin… There were enough here that I could substitute any as bodies.
This told me that the white unicorn here was the fashionista known as Rarity. Which meant that the purple one was Twilight. I looked back at them and waved.
"Oh right. I suppose we should introduce ourselves, then figure out how to help you out." Twilight said as she disengaged the group hug. The rest of them followed suit.
"I'm Rainbow Dash. Fastest flier in Equestria. And uh… while we're all apologising, sorry for… you know." The rainbow-maned one said. I nodded to her in acceptance.
"I'm Applejack. I run Sweet Apple Acres with my family. If yer ever hungry, you can stop by for a bite." Applejack offered.
"Thanks, but I'd rather pay for food. The hospitality is appreciated though." I answered. She nods in understanding.
"I'm Pinkie Pie. I'm known as Ponyville's own party pony! And as soon as you get a name, I can start planning a welcome party for you!" The pink one greets enthusiastically. I give her a smile.
"Ah, thanks! I prefer small parties. I'm not a big fan of large crowds, save for festivals." I tell her. She nods, accepting the input happily.
"Gotcha. Then I'll have to introduce you to ponyville in small installments. Shouldn't be a problem!" Pinkie noted. I turned to the butter pegasus next. She seemed to have trouble speaking up… Rainbow spoke up for her.
"This is Fluttershy. She's the go to when handling animals. She's pretty shy." Rainbow stated. Shy nods in response as she hides behind her mane.
"Ah. The name's pretty self explanatory. All of yours are, actually." I note. I then turned to Twilight, taking in her appearance. There was a starburst on her flank… "Twilight Sparkle?" I guessed.
"Hey, good guess! Though I suppose once you recognise the naming convention, it's not that difficult, huh?" She insightfully notes. I nod. Rarity then steps forth next.
"And I'm Rarity. I own this boutique, though if I'm honest, it's seen better days. If I may ask, however… what are you doing with that Mannequin?" Rarity asked. Once again, I hold it before me and look it in the face.
"That's a bit… Complicated. I'm still looking for the answers myself… but I can at least start at the beginning. Do you guys have a clear schedule today? It's a long story." I asked, feeling more self conscious than ever before. The six of them share glances, before Rarity's horn lights up, as well as a bunch of bean bags. Seems they were settling in for story time. I might as well, then. I guess I'll start with Undertale...
2: Once Upon a Time, I skipped the intro.
The group finished gathering around me as I considered how to start. Once they settled in, I began.
"So… to start with, I'm from another world. Chances are, there's gonna be lots of terms you're not familiar with. But… let's start with what I am. Basically, I'm a human. Or, was one. Then I received a package that had a costume in it. I was planning on using it at a convention, but then I found out the costume transformed me. So… basically the costume became real. It's what you see before you."
"So if you aren't human anymore, what are you now?" Twilight asked inquisitively.
"In short, a ghost. I didn't realize it until just a little bit ago, but this body is nothing more than a life sized doll that I'm controlling." This revelation was received with gasps of surprise.
"So you're dead?" Pinkie asked upfront.
"Well yes, but actually no. Technically, I was turned into a character who's dead. See, this body, and the essence of the one controlling it came from a story that was shared back home. The story of an entire race imprisoned underground because of Human Fear."
"Oh… that sounds terrible…" Fluttershy muttered. I sighed.
"Yeah. Sadly, I don't know all the details, all I know is there was a war, humans won, and humans decided to offer these people the small mercy of not killing them all off there and then. Unfortunately for them, the humans decided to sacrifice 7 human souls to create a barrier to trap all of them under a mountain. This… did not sit well for a long while. Turns out they needed 7 more souls to break said barrier, and… well. It's tragic. But yeah… my character is from that story. A ghost who embodies rage, just trying to fuse with a permanent body so they can feel whole again."
"...So… if that's your character, who are you?" Rainbow asked.
"I forget. I think something about the transformation erased it. But honestly? I'm kinda glad it did. The old me was a lazy and selfish person. That's not the person I wanna be, anyway." I say with a shrug.
"So… what do we call you then?" Pinkie asked with confusion. I furrow my brows as I think out loud.
"Well… officially, my character is only known as Mad Mew Mew, or Mad Dummy, based on the body they possess. But I'm not entirely my character since I don't entirely have the same personality. How about… Felyne." I suggest. That got smiles from them.
"Fitting. Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Felyne." Twilight says. This sentiment is echoed in the others, giving me warm feelings. Rarity then spoke up.
"So if you can use that mannequin as a spare body, does that mean you can also do that for the other mannequins here at the shop?" She asked. I blink as the thought is brought to my attention.
"You know, I thought of that. But I haven't had a chance yet to try getting out of this one yet. Guess now's as good a time as any." I close my eyes as I focus on that detached feeling I felt earlier. I start to feel even more distant as I focus on it… until I hear the girls gasp.
"Felyne, it's working. You're out." Pinkie alerted me. Opening my eyes, I found myself floating, and a feeling of weightlessness overtook me. Although I felt the potential to push myself in a given direction.
"Whoa. This feels… weird. Nya..." I mutter. Wow, even my ghost self sounds feminine. And feline.
"Hah! Even your spirit looks like a cat. You really hit it on the nose with your new name, man." Rainbow laughed. I decided to laugh with her. She was right after all. I looked down at the doll, frowning as I noticed it looks a hell of a lot less lifelike. Creepy even. But like, the skin actually looked like fabric now.
"Huh. I guess my spirit gives these things life. I uh… don't think it's a good idea to show you guys what happens when I use the Dummy. It's like something out of a horror film… and so are the powers, actually."
"Wait. Different bodies give you different powers?" Rainbow asked, like a superhero nerd. Twilight pays closer attention too, rather interested.
"Yep. In the Dummy, I can summon other dummies that can blast out magic attacks and turn into missiles. In Mew Mew's body, I can split someone into both the dark and light halfs of themself. It also has attacks that affect each half uniquely."
"Idea!" Rarity sang out suddenly. "If you'll give me some time, I can make you some new bodies. It'll just take a few edits to existing mannequins, but I can set you up with new possibilities. They should provide interesting results."
I grin as I float down to give her a hug. "Oh, thanks! Honestly, I wasn't expecting to find anyone so generous here."
"That's Rarity for you. She's generous to a fault. But… I think we're all learning how best to go about it in the future." Twilight responded with a smile. "Although you should… probably jump back into a body. Seeing you all transparent and stuff is a little freaky." I noticed then that her smile was strained. I rolled my eyes and turned to jump back into Mewmew. Once I felt myself settle in, I once more opened my eyes, looking my body over. Yep, back to flesh and bone. It was a familiar and welcome feeling.
"Honestly this feels so much better." I state happily. "There's something about being weightless and needing to concentrate to touch things that's very off-putting."
Rainbow looks into the sky. "Oh, my shift is almost over. I better finish actually clearing the sky. I'll talk to ya later, alright?" Dash dashes off in a rush, leaving a visible chromatic trail behind. That convinced me pegasus use magic to fly, and that Rainbow's Mana pool was absurdly large, and very under control.
Applejack stands up, looking around. "I suppose everypony has something to do now. But it was very nice to meet ya, Felyne. Don't forget to give my family farm a visit. I'm sure you'll like it there." Applejack starts heading out. Fluttershy seems to have already disappeared. Twilight and Pinkie head out next. But I stop Twilight on her way out.
"Hey, Twilight? Could you look into something for me?" I ask tentatively.
"Huh? What is it, Felyne?" She asked, curiously.
"It's the plane that seemed to… act as the gateway between my world and yours. It looked like it was made entirely of liquid shadow. The best name I could think to call it was an Umbral Void." I told her.
"That sounds… scary. But I haven't heard it before. I'll try and look for some information for you, and if all else fails, I can ask the princesses for some help with that." She promised.
"Thanks. This'll give me some peace of mind." I tell her. She smiles comfortingly, before heading off again. With that, I turned back to Rarity. "Is there uh… any chance I could sleep here at the boutique each night? I could pay you back by possessing your mannequins and giving you dynamic modeling."
"Ooh, now that's a wonderful idea. I'd be very happy to accept those terms." She agreed gratefully. I smiled in turn, the deal now formed.
I could feel a bond forming between us, strengthening something in my soul. It was an odd feeling, but one I could shrug off regardless. It reminded me of the Persona series in a way. Maybe that was just my magic reacting in a recognisable way. Or maybe forging bonds like that really did have an impact on my magic. I should keep that in mind.
"Now then, darling. It's still business hours, so I should get back to work on my commissions. Would you mind helping out?" Rarity asked.
"Sure thing, let me just find a spot to park the doll." I replied before looking around.
"The guest bedroom should do just fine. This next project is for a miss Lyra Heartstrings, so look forward to using the Unicorn mannequin." She informed me as she started levitating a number of materials towards the sewing machines. I nodded as I headed into what I assumed was the guest room, and ejected once I sat on the bed. Once back in that weightless mode, I floated through the door; another unusual and thrilling feeling. Then, I finally settled myself into the unicorn mannequin.
Once I had fully possessed it, I stretched out the joints as if limbering up for an early morning jog. I even felt some stiffness that I promptly worked out. Seeing that Rarity was still putting the dress together, I just trotted over to her side and sat down. I could feel my magic getting used to the new form as I focused, and I could feel that the horn was my magic focus for now. It wasn't that good of one though. The material wasn't made for casting. I'd have to ask for one built for that purpose then. Or simply use Mew Mew's focus.
Time passed, and eventually, Rarity turned to me, wrapping the fabric around my barrel, seeming to measure out just how much if it she needed to use. After a good minute of observation and Rarity scratching notes down, she seemed satisfied, and used some scissors to slice the fabric to a more suitable length. Once finished, she grabbed a loose needle and began sewing it closed. I sat perfectly still for this, letting her work her magic as if I wasn't even there. And I was fine with this. Watching her work, while confusing, gave me a look into pony fashion. And how to produce it.
Rarity took a step back to look over her work. I took that as my que to start moving, flaunting what I was wearing to show off every angle. "How is it looking so far?"
"Well, the frame is finished. Now I just need to add the flair. Give it that personal touch that shows it belongs to Lyra, and Lyra alone. Maybe even add on a touch that calls out to her special somepony." Rarity speculated. As she said that, I thought back to the two I'd gotten directions from.
"Oh yeah, I met those two when I got to this world. Do you think golden accents would work?" I proposed. Rarity nods as if it was obvious.
"Well of course. It goes well enough with her Mark. But let's not get too hasty with that. We'll get to it when needed. For now, let's focus on the main idea here. Lyra asked for a dress she could wear to a wedding, but I personally suspect she was hoping to wear it to the Gala."
"The Gala? There's a celebration coming up?" I asked, knowing how ignorant I sounded. Rarity, ever the patient soul as she grabbed out decorative materials, explained.
"Once a year, the princesses at canterlot castle host a Grand Galloping Gala within their palace. It's said to be the most extravagant of parties. There isn't a pony in Equestria who doesn't want to attend."
"Oh, well good thing I'm not a pony. I don't see what's so grand about a party where businessmen and nobles go to flaunt their money." I respond as Rarity snips a decent strip of material. She seemed a bit miffed.
"Well when you put it that way, it does sound less exciting. But Princess Celestia specifically invited us because Twilight is her pupil. It'd be rude to turn it down because the party is boring. Besides, I'm still hoping to meet Prince Blueblood there. I've seen him in photos before, and I've never seen a stallion looking so dashing~ " Rarity somehow produced a tiger growl to accentuate her attraction. I wasn't impressed.
"Well, just be careful, alright? I've seen plenty of guys in my world who look hot as fuck, but truly believe women don't deserve rights. If he starts treating you like a meat shield, ditch him." I advised. Rarity looked horrified at the idea, but I seemed to have slapped her out of her fantasies, so to speak.
"And what kind of prince would do that?!" She squeaked.
"The kind that doesn't deserve to have a bloodline." I answered. "Or the kind that acts that way to chase off idiots who only want him for his looks. Either way, meeting him at a party where loads of girls are vying for his attention is probably not the best move. It'd be better to schedule something at a later time to truly get a feel for his real personality." I continue. She frowns thoughtfully.
"I see. I suppose I was foolish to think it would play out like my romance novels." She said with a sigh.
"On further thought, I suppose you could also ask Celestia about him. Point is, you should never put full faith in someone's personality. Cuz you don't know it till you hear them open their mouth."
"That's good advice. I'll try to be careful when I go next week." She promised. And with that, she applied the finishing touches to the dress. "Now, show me my work. I need to see if it's come out well."
I nod, and start to trot back and forth before her, letting her get a good look at what she's made. She smiles, nodding in satisfaction. "That should do it. Please go pose the mannequin on stage. I'm going to wrap up the shop for tonight."
I'd hardly noticed, but it was getting dark out. So much for exploring town today. I shrug and climb up on stage. Then, once I had the pose just right, I ejected. Once more floaty, I go to hover by Rarity as she puts away her materials. As she does, I notice the organized chaos. She has all the materials she planned to use out on the floor, and load out by order of importance. It'd be a shame if someone put all of it up mid-project.
Once we finish putting up the project materials, Rarity speaks up. "Leave everything else as is. I have a project to get to tomorrow." She said with a yawn. I nod in acceptance.
"Alright. Good night, Rarity. Nyaaa~" My own yawn comes out cat-like. That put an amused smile on my face as I phased through the guest room door, letting Rarity wrap things up herself now. As the moon rose outside my window, I paused to appreciate it. I did always appreciate the night. It was the one time when the world slept, and I no longer had to deal with anyone's shit. Sure there were occasionally late night parties, but I never once had to deal with those. I never lived in a particularly festive neighborhood. I suppose I was lucky in that regard.
I noticed the moon in this world seemed closer to the world than back home. At least it was pretty. Whatever god designed the night sky in this world, they did a good job of it. And the ponies? Well, this town didn't have enough Light Pollution to blot out the stars. So I'm almost proud of them for having the sense to appreciate the sky. Still, tomorrow I'd likely have a lot to learn.
Deciding it was high time I got to sleep, I dived back into Mew Mew's body, and covered myself up in bed. It was a relatively small bed. And now that I wasn't in a hurry, I noticed the room was decorated with little kid's toys. Some of it even looked like fitness stuff, but for a caster. Frowning, I looked at the bedside table, noticing a picture frame. In it, Rarity was hugging a smaller unicorn. One with a pink and violet mane. They looked like they could be family, based on the white coat. I'll have to ask Rarity about that tomorrow. For now, it was time to sleep. I turn to the pillow, and close my eyes one last time for the night…
God damnit, apparently I can't sleep.
3: Combat! Drama! Hatred!
I climbed out of bed, sighing as I headed outside. I made sure to step quietly, since I didn’t want Rarity to come follow me out or anything. She needs rest for her project tomorrow. I on the other hand, apparently did not. As I stepped outside, I instinctively reached for my pocket, before remembering I didn’t bring my phone with me into this world. I sighed, upset that I’d never have my music again. I mean… unless someone finds it and the Umbral Void I got sucked into. But that chance was slim to none.
Deciding I could live without it, I stopped lamenting the loss of my tech, and strolled through Ponyville. Some ponies were still out at this hour, but I could see most of them heading home. A few spared me an interested glance, but I paid them no mind. I'm used to ignoring people I don't know. Although… If Pinkie still plans on introducing me to the townsfolk, I should try to be a bit more friendly. I stop to at least give the ponies who see me a friendly smile and wave.
Eventually, I reached an orchard. There were plenty of apple trees from acre to acre. The place got me interested. So this was a farming village? I had to wonder what they sold. I didn't see a butcher house anywhere, but why would ponies have one anyway? They're herbivores most likely. Still capable of eating meat if they get curious but it probably doesn't sit well with them. I start to head onto the farm, just to explore and inspect the goods. I knew it was basically trespassing, but I didn't see a sign saying not to. So, fair game, I suppose. Long as I don't take anything. Trespassing is one thing. Theft is different entirely. The farmer must trust the people who live here not to take anything. All in all, as long as I live here I better not betray that trust.
I stop at the animal pens. Seems this farmer had some livestock. There were some pigs and sheep here, seemingly only used as a means of wool and fertilizer for the farm. Those pigs were way past the age they'd be harvested for bacon and ham. And I can tell they're well taken care of. Well bathed and fed. Looking past that, I looked at the house in the middle of it all. Two story, the delicious scent of apple pie… with an orchard this big it only makes sense it'd take a well built family to maintain it. But I wasn't about to head in.
Further to the west, I could see a twisting forest. There was a distinct point where the orchard ended and the Wilds began. And I could sense a profound darkness from the Wilds. Drawn to that darkness, I found myself approaching the fence. Once I reached it, I stopped as my rational mind kicked back into gear. The hell was I doing? I can't walk into what's clearly dangerous Wilds without knowing how to fight. Before I could turn around to leave the orchard, I heard a howl. Followed by several howls. As multiple glowing green eyes open in the foliage.
Shit. Well, I guess the Wilds came to me. I reach for my back, crouching into a combat stance as what appeared to be wooden wolves surrounded me. I saw them taking glances at the livestock a couple acres away… no way was I gonna let them steal from this farm…
I raised my wand, giving a shout. "Not on my watch!" I felt a surge of energy as the area around me melted away, fading into black and white emptiness. I glanced around at them, smirking as I initiated a Combat Field. A mad laughter tore out of me as I knew what happened…
"Fools, Fools, Fools! You've just activated my trap card!" I could feel the tension rising as my Soul hovered out in front of me. I grinned as I leaped over one of the wooden wolves who made a charge for me. But I never came back down. I was in free fly mode. The Combat Field was an odd power, but it granted all fighters an even playing field. Just how I liked things.
One of the wolves seemed to figure this out, trying to lash out and clamp a jaw over my ankle, but passing through it entirely. I laughed in it's face as I swung my staff at it, splitting its own soul down the middle, and using my special ability to sunder it between light and dark.
"Oh ho ho~ How do you like my Special Ability? Come on. Try a little bit harder! I need this to be close!" I called. One of them charged forth. This was the last of the three. I winced as it struck true, hitting my soul for what I could feel was a hefty 50 damage. Looking at my health bar, I could see I had at least 125 left to go. So I had two more good hits left in me then… Let's see how long I can last.
"Heeheehee! Nice shot! My turn! My turn! My turn!" I raised the staff again, blasting the Split wolf with my Polarized magic attacks. He definitely took a lot of hits to both halves of the soul. And he looked terrified.
"Surprised? Hahaha! How about another one!" I lash out, splitting another wolf in two, and saw the Light half come out shaking like a leaf. The dark half just seemed pissed. I smirked at them cockily as the dark half rushed forth, striking at my soul and… Doing absolutely nothing. "You know, it takes two halves to make a whole. Maybe if you worked as one, you'd be able to even leave a mark!" I tainted. The last one, who'd managed to hit me before roared as it lunged again. This time, I raised my staff to block, causing this one to get split as well. And now, there were six useless wolves. The others made their attacks too, but they never attacked on unison.. making their attacks actually useless. I just let them wail away for a few turns as I sit, gloating at myself in a hand mirror. Eventually, I get sick of them, and unleash a tidal wave of polarized attacks. That finished them off, causing the combat zone to collapse. I chuckle at the fallen sticks… before I noticed they actually looked like they made good firewood. Someone should save that. I turn towards the farm to see if any slipped past my trap, but instead see Applejack there staring at me in shock. She had on some sturdy looking iron horseshoes made for packing a good wallop… and she stood stunned.
"What in tarnation was that?" Applejack blurted out. I was about to answer before something in my mind switched. That… was a good question… I look at my staff, confused.
"I have no idea what I just did, or how. What the actual fuck?"
"Okay. So what'cher sayin' is, yer character is some kinda monster and all tha monsters have this… Battle Trap? And ya used it ta stop tha Timberwolves from gettin' at my farm?" Applejack asked as we both sat at her dinner table. I was pretty grateful they chose to let me in.
"Pretty much. I already told you about the splitting magic. I just… I don't know how I got access to all that stuff." I answered to the best of my abilities. It was odd that I named my attacks too. Polarized magic? Combat Field?
"Only question left is, why yer up and at my farm at this hour. Care ta explain?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh that. Eh… they say Curiosity killed the Cat. I just kinda found out my new body doesn't really need sleep so I can go exploring at night." I answered simply. Applejack nods thoughtfully.
"Ah see… ah know you already made that deal with Rarity, bout stayin at her place for work. But what if ah hired ya to protect mah farm at night? Those Timberwolves been getting nasty lately and you seem more than up to the task." Applejack offered. That caught my attention. I raised an eyebrow.
"How much are we talking here?" I asked.
"Bout 5 bits for every kill, and a bonus 50% of what we get from the firewood you get off them, if ah can finally get a good night's rest while ya protect us. Rent in Ponyville usually costs 50 a month, and buyin land costs 600 last ah checked. So, how bout it? Deal, pardner?" She holds out a hoof to shake on it. I smile as I run the numbers. It'd only take 10 kills to pay off rent, and 120 to buy a house by that figure. Plus whatever else happens from the wood they drop, this would be a decent use of my nighttime activities to keep me strong and paid. I liked the odds.
"Deal." I reached forth, shaking her hoof. She smiled with genuine honesty.
"Ah look forward to it. Now, ah gotta hit the hay. We can talk more tomorrow." She excused herself, before heading upstairs. "See ya in the morn, Felyne." I nod at her as I get up to start my guard shift.
Morning came without much more fuss. 8 hours passed, and nothing dared attack the farm. Once it was clear nothing would strike, I allowed myself to stop patrolling and meditate. This let me calm down and assess a few things. Firstly, I reflected on my mental state. Before my change, I would have reacted very differently to a number of things. I'm not a fighter. I hate confrontation. And yet… I stood up for Rarity. I fought off those Timberwolves. And I enjoyed it. A part of me blamed the transformation. But… I doubted that was entirely at fault. After all, I used to do this type of thing in video games all the time. So maybe the transformation simply… loosened me up? In a way, I suppose being sent off to a new world with new laws and social rules allowed me to "take off my mask" so to speak.
The sun rose eventually, and with it I heard the Apples getting up. I went and gathered the Timber wolf bodies to lay them out in a line. It was just the three of them from last night. Applejack came out to see me, glancing at the three I left in a neat pile.
"Nothin else hit last night?" She asked. I shook my head.
"No. But it was nice. It gave me time to sit And think." I responded. She took her purse off her tail, and started counting out 15 bits.
"Well, here ya go Felyne. 15 for the 3 ya got. I'll send the rest to ya when I'm done selling the wood." Applejack informed me. I smiled as I took it, shaking her hoof. Similar to when I cut a deal with Rarity, I could feel a bond grow between us. I could actually sense her honest gratitude. It was a warm feeling, and I welcomed it.
"Pleasure doing business with you." I respond. She turns and heads back inside, and I leave to get off her property. I decide to explore Ponyville a bit more today. It takes a bit before I walk out the gate. I head in the direction of Carrousel Boutique, feeling the need to check on my mannequin. More than that, I probably should ask Rarity about landmarks in town.
It was easy enough to find it again, following the same streets I walked on my way to the farm. Not to mention it was far more decorated than most houses in Ponyville. It was hard to miss all the intricately woven fabric or the castle-like design of the place. Now that I thought about it, the design style was rather chaotic, yet somehow it all came together in a harmonious fashion statement. I shrugged it off, figuring that was part of Rarity's charm. She's pretty eccentric, and I've seen how she works. She knows how to put together a good design.
Once I arrived at Carrousel Boutique, I spotted Rarity chatting with Pinkie. I couldn't hear them from too far away, but pinkie started bouncing excitedly. Once I got close, Pinkie looked at me with her big ol eyes and giggled up a storm as she held out an envelope.
"Felyne! Here's your invitation!" She said as she handed it to me. I looked it over as I took it. It was magically conjured paper, which impressed me. It would explain why the Everfree wasn't cut down by now if ponies didn't need to cut down trees to make paper. The invitation was to a party being hosted at Sugarcube corner. I smiled.
"Thanks Pinkie. Do you think the party could include a tour of Ponyville's main landmarks? I may have explored last night, but I want to see more of the town." I asked. She gave me a salute.
"Can do, Felyne!" She promptly took off, hurrying to whatever else she was going to do. Rarity chuckled.
"I had been wondering where you had disappeared off to. You aren't too tired, are you?" She asked in clear concern.
"Not at all. It turns out a ghost doesn't really need sleep." I answered honestly. "So I ended up finding Sweet Apple Acres, and Applejack ended up hiring me as a night guard for the farm since I singlehandedly took out three Timberwolves."
"Oh my! You really did that?" Rarity asked, surprised to hear that. I nodded with a grim frown.
"Yeah. I have no idea how, but I kinda got swept up in some kind of madness when I fought. It was like I had a split personality that enjoys fighting…" I said with concern.
"Madness?" Rarity took on a concerned look. I sigh.
"Yeah. I'm kinda worried I inherited the same madness this Mad Dummy character had. Don't let me forget who I am, okay?" I requested. Rarity nods firmly, pulling me into a hug. It was a warm feeling I welcomed.
"I won't. You're wonderful as who you are. I'd hate to see you turn evil from this." She assured me. I smiled as I felt our bond grow. It wasn't quite on the next level yet, but I still welcomed the feeling.
"Thanks… me too." I broke the hug after a minute, before looking in the direction Pinkie took off. "So uh… where's Sugarcube Corner?" Rarity chuckled a bit, before trotting in another direction.
"This way, Felyne. Sugarcube Corner looks like a gingerbread house. It's hard to miss." She explained as she lead the way. I followed, but I had to question something.
"Didn't you have a project?" I asked. She nods.
"It's not urgent. I've already called ahead and let the client know I'll be starting the project in a couple hours, so they understand. Besides, I always have time for friends." She answers. I could understand that, honestly. Since this world seems to run magic tied deeply into emotions, it isn't very healthy to stress yourself on work and neglect friendships.
"I see. Heh… back home that'd be called an irresponsible decision. I'm glad that toxic work environment doesn't seem to exist here, so far as I've seen." I point out.
"Thankfully that mindset is rare in Equestria if it exists at all, but I wouldn't be surprised to find it. After all, some of the nobles in Canterlot can be rather selfish." She said with disdain. "Is it really so common in your world?"
"All too so. Some humans forget that social life exists, or that people have social needs. It's a shame, really. At least I know the newest generation of humans are learning to stand up for themselves." I said solmnly.
"Well good. Maybe the young ones can save your world." Rarity proposed. The idea did help me feel better about my world. I just went quiet for the next few blocks as I followed.
"There it is, Felyne. Sugarcube Corner." Rarity announced as she lead the way. Looking up, I saw that the building matched Rarity's description. It really did look like a gingerbread house, decorations and all. I couldn't tell if the white stuff on top was actual frosting or foam. And the look of the upper floors made it look like cupcakes! You could easily tell that this place was a bakery.
I followed Rarity inside, and in there was a decent sized group of ponies. Thankfully it wasn't the entire town, but I could count roughly 18 ponies here, counting the six I first met outside Rarity's boutique. Once I spotted them, Pinkie lead the shout that followed.
"WELCOME TO PONYVILLE!" And on the banner hanging from the roof, that's what the party was for. I just smiled as I waved at everyone.
"Thanks, everyone." I responded once the shouts calmed down. Pinkie trotted right up to me, giving me a friendly smile.
"I hope it's not too big. I know you said you like smaller crowds, but I'm not used to doing little parties for welcome parties." She said. I just pet her on the head to praise her.
"It's alright. It's better than getting caught up in what feels like a stampede." I reassured her. She smiled happily.
"That's great. I've also scheduled similar small parties at other areas in town so you can meet everyone in small parts." She told me. I was a bit surprised.
"That's pretty clever, Pinkie. It even goes with how I asked for a tour of town." I admitted.
"Yay! I'm glad you like it! It was a lot of work to figure out who to ask where, but I think I got it!" She cheered happily.
"Just don't overwork yourself for my sake, okay?" I requested with clear concern in my tone. She nods assuringly.
"I won't. I already learned my lesson after I tried so hard to be everywhere at once… that was a disaster and a half." She proceeded to laugh. It was more of a gigglesnort, but it was cute. "Anyway, go ahead and get to know the ponies here. I've got a couple hours to set up the next spot." She said, before taking off out the door. With that, I was left to the other ponies here. Today was going to be a long day… but I was pretty sure I was gonna enjoy it.
