Chapters Everything hurt, not physically, just mentally ... a little bit emotionally, too. It couldn't ever be easy. Sometimes I wish it would hurt physically, just in the hope that it would be enough to do me in. I've yet to be quite that lucky, though. I'd never do it myself, so as long as I'm here, I'll keep on walking. Walking meaning, keep on living, of course. I had no idea what I was going to do; everything was going to heck in a handbasket. Hopeless, scared, and alone, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.
It was three in the morning, and I sat at my computer, lost, my heart ached, and there was no direction for it to go to help it feel better. There was no way for me to express in words how I felt overall. I don't think there's a word in the English dictionary that could describe it. Not knowing what the future brings like I had done many times before, I decided to take a nap. Not a long one, just a short two-hour break from reality. Only fantasies can hurt you in your sleep, and fantasy is far easier to best than reality. I turned off my lights, closed my eyes, and left the world behind.
Horrible dreams plagued me, vicious monsters who would chase me down and rip the skin from my body until I was left a bleeding mess. Horrid plagues, the screaming of all those like me as they died in agony. Watching the skyline fall to reveal a toxic red void, ready to sweep all of us into its ever-expanding maw.
Then, in a brief instant, everything had taken on a blue hue. A wiggling, pulsing mass of faces, screaming in torture, hobbled after me. No matter how fast I ran, I could not get away. I ran faster and faster until my two legs had grown into four. The pulsing and decaying bodies of people I once knew tried to grab me, tried to stall me so the face creature could get me. I kept running, kicking who I had to.
In a bright flash of light, the bodies, the face monster, the void, everything, disappeared. In their place stood a tall, dark blue, horse. Her eyes held what seemed to be concern, though it was likely me misreading. I chose not to take any chances and ran from her as well; unlike the face creature, I could lose the blue horse. Before I could get too far, however, the world began to ripple around me. Sleep fled from me like a speeding car.
I saw nothing but blackness. Then, I awoke with a start. My head throbbed painfully, and my ears rang from the noise of an imaginary explosion. It was dark, so I could not see, but I could feel myself ... mutilated. Just like in my dream, I had four, short, stubby legs. My feet had sunken into my leg and become hard. My arms suffered the same fate, as I was now forced to walk on what used to be my hands and feet.
I stood, wavering a bit, but a whisper from nowhere hit my ears. It was faint, and I could not make out any words. I was still disoriented from waking up, so I quietly turned around. Realizing that whatever was out there would likely be my end, I turned around and ran as fast as I could away from the whispering. Squelching sounds filled the area, and I felt a liquid squish underneath my feet as I ran, falling twice. I decided to stop caring about where I stepped, and just kept running.
The freezing night air made me feel like tiny fragments of ice were impaling me. So I shivered and huddled up, trying to keep warm. I heard the snuffling of an animal not too far off. It was close enough that I felt scared, but the darkness hindered my vision. I wasn't about to become something's dinner, so I started to run away as fast as my mutilated body could go.
It was still dark, but I saw shapes in the distance. Hope welled up inside of me as I was sure no animal would follow me to civilization. As I approached, I noticed that the liquid turned into grass halfway there, then the grass turned into dirt. The shapes started to turn into houses, buildings were all around I noticed, made of wood. My heart raced faster and faster as the buildings loomed over me. Every building I looked at seemed to have yellow roofs. I had never seen a yellow roof ... I had no recollection of this place. My heart sank as I realized I was lost. Wherever I was, it wasn't my city.
I noticed up ahead, a lampost, with orange, fiery light gleaming. I bolted for it. The light seemed to follow me as I ran. My shadow grew and shrank along the sidewalk, this way and that. I felt as if it was chasing me, so I kept running, not daring to look behind. And there I was, mutilated hands wrapped around a lamppost, far away from home in a place I don't recognize.
Under the light of the lamppost, I was able to survey the damages done to my body by who knows what. Nine deep scars ran across my torso; I could see white glisten against the orange light, it's a wonder I survived at all. My arms and legs had been forcefully mutilated into short and stubby things, now that I could see them properly, they look like hooves, Chubby hooves, but hooves, No fingers, no toes. it was then that I noticed my face was messed up as well. Some pointed monstrosity had replaced my once decently flat face. I could still breathe, but none of it felt right. It looked almost like a dog's muzzle.
Or a horse's. Hooves, a horse's muzzle, leaning back to check behind me revealed that I also had a big, unkempt green tail. This was all getting to be a bit too much; I felt as if my head would explode. I tried to use my .. hooves .. to massage my temples, it was there that I discovered my ears. Now shaped as a horse's. I felt sick. My stomach started to churn, and I was sure I was going to vomit. My once brown hair now flowed wildly in its new green color. I lurched over and ejected my lunch from my mouth as a firehose does water.
I was a monster. I knew that much. But, as I stood there, lost and alone, I still was in one piece. No longer human, not physically anyway. My once bare flesh has been covered in a dirty green substance. It was coarse, and caked to my skin. No matter what I did to it, it would not come off. For the first time in many years, I leaned against the lamppost and cried. I cried for what seemed like forever until my tears eventually led me back to sleep, a thankfully, dreamless sleep.
The sound of bird's chirping filled my half-asleep ears as I slowly started to stir from my unfortunate slumber. When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a small hospital room. A blue bird fluttered around my window, making beautiful noises, for once in many years, peace befell me. It was nice, it would not last, but it was nice.
A male horse in a white doctor's coat entered. I could tell he was smiling, even though his face was hidden behind a surgical mask. "Ah, you're finally awake, how are you feeling?" He spoke. I spoke not a word, this 'doctor' may have been the one who damaged me in the first place. I simply averted my gaze to the other side of the room. The doctor was concerned to say the least. "You... You can talk right?"I continued to not speak, trying to curl up into a ball proved ineffective, as my torso was wrapped in bandages. The doctor came in close, I had nowhere to go. I looked at the doorway, if I could just get past him, I could escape, I'd run as far away from here as my legs could carry me. "Don't worry, you'll get your voice back soon," he said. Was he going to rip out my vocal cords next? "You're safe here, you know." The doctor said, circling to the other side of me, and that was my chance.
I hurled myself off the bed, opposite the doctor, only to realize that I had tubes going into me. Instead of running freely away, I got stuck on the bed, as the bed flipped onto it's side. With a loud bang, the metal rim of the bed slammed into my head and knocked me out cold.
When I eventually awoke, I had bandages wrapped around my head and was placed comfortably in a wooden bed. The sanitized white cover of the bed was wrapped around me, a prison.
"Do you know where you are?" The mare asked me. What game is she playing at, we're clearly at a hospital .. or a stage production of a hospital. I did not answer; instead, I looked out the window at the night. It wasn't like the other day's night. It was brighter, I could tell. Maybe the moon was more prominent tonight, full moon maybe? The Mare looked at me with concern in her eyes and asked "Can you tell me your name?" I easily could, but I would offer nothing to these horses.
After waiting for a moment and not receiving an answer, she moved on to a different question. "Can you understand me?" To my great disdain, I looked into her eyes when she asked that. The mare grew a smile, having realized that I could understand her, at least to some degree. All I could do was sink into the ginormous pillow they have me on. I could likely fit my entire body on this thing. She started asking me other questions, but I could no longer hear them. Instead, the sound of beautiful wailing filled my ears, like a siren's song. The wailing kept my attention, the mare stopped speaking soon after realizing my attention was elsewhere.
My hooves were stiff as I heard the horrid sound of guttural screaming that brought me down. My eyes looked at nothing a thousand miles away. I noticed the ceiling started to grow a pink glossy substance under the tiles. The mare who once looked at me with concern now started at me with a black abyss where her eyes once were. The room morphed into a great gelatinous creature that morphed through the walls and on human feet walked to the mare.
With the ease of a knife slipping through butter, the beast picked up the mare and ripped her in half. Gurgles of happiness left the beast as it gobbled up her organs, she had a smile the entire time. It would be coming after me next, so I hid under the covers. I must've looked like a burrito to the beast as it hobbled over to me. I could feel the mare's bloody hoof fall on the cover I was hiding under. Instead of the gnashing teeth surrounding me, I was surrounded by darkness, the monster had turned off the light in the room. It watched me the entire night, standing over my bed, staring at me with what I now recognize as the mare's eyes. I buried my head into my hooves and stayed there, no sleep would come tonight.
The night sky still shined outside the window when I heard the siren's wailing again. I had to find her, this siren. Hesitantly peaking my head out of the covers, revealed that the room was fine. It was as if the monster had never been there at all, no blood was left, the walls were repaired. Wiggling out of my covers took some time, but I eventually managed it. With extreme caution I slowly pulled the tubes in my body out, freeing me from this dreaded snare, and went to look out the window leading into presumably the rest of the hospital. I saw a lobby, a yellow mare sat behind a counter, reading a book most like. With all the grace and stealth I could muster, I opened the door and walked in the direction of the siren's call. I walked past the receptionist's desk, and further into the hospital, being careful not to earn anyone's gaze. The wailing grew louder and louder as I approached.
Rumbling underneath me revealed the monster, it was hunting for its next meal. I hurried into the room where I heard the siren's wail. In there I found no siren, no beautiful music, just a sickly looking stallion. His hair and tail were grey and frazzled. The only noise from him specifically was the wheezing of his lungs inhaling and exhaling. I approached the male horse's bed and grabbed a hold of his hoof. He stared at me with confusion, but as I started to rub his hoof up and down, he leaned back and relaxed. The tears were something I had not expected, but I stood there against his bed and rubbed his free hoof while he cried softly. It did not last long, Neither did he. I stayed with the stallion as he drew his last breath, at least he got to smile at the very end.
From there I returned to my own hospital room, never alerting the doctors nor the monster to my presence, and went to sleep. Neither the monster, nor the siren's wailing hindered my sleep the rest of the night.
The soft clop of my hooves on the old and rotting wood floors worried me. Despite my best attempts to move silently, it didn't seem to be working. THUMP THUMP THUMP, the sound of a rubber cane hitting the floor. I was needed, yet again. Entering the living room, the scent of alcohol and cigarettes filled the air, as well as the rancid scent of urine from a recliner close by. On the couch, a tentacle monster was holding a bottle of whiskey and drinking profusely. It stared at me with a love and desperation that can only be found on a drunkard. "Come here, Give me a hug." The tentacle monster spoke, a deep grumbling rising from it's throat.
The beast's tentacles wrapped around my small equine frame, I shook slightly but tried my best to stay steady. Memories of pain brought from failure to remain still kept most of my body stiff. Within a moment the monster had its face in my chest as it nuzzled me. it's tentacles began to explore my small body, passing over everything I had to offer it. She was drunk again, I realized as the monster found my flank and started to squeeze and caress it. The muffled words "I love you." escaped the drunken tentacle beast's mouth, as I ran my hoof through it's hair.
It returned again, it may be disguised as the mare from yesterday, but I know she died. This is just the monster wearing her body like a costume; I didn't speak a word. The flesh monster, responsible for killing and devouring the mare from yesterday, stared at me with sorrow and concern. The last vestige of the mare, perhaps? It tried to talk to me, but I just glared at it. It looked upset, confused, and sorrowful. I saw tears sprout from it's eyes, but still I glared. This monster would not trick me.
The doctor from yesterday entered the room as well. No matter how hard I looked, I could find no traces of a monster in him. Was he better at hiding, or was he a regular pony, unaware that there was a monster in pony's clothing in this very room. The doctor seemed concerned, as he went to the flesh monster and tried to lead it out of the room. It protested, turning to look at me as it did so. The two spoke for a second in a way that I could not hear, then the doctor left.
"Please, we're trying to help you, we just need you to cooperate. We're not going to hurt you." All lies.
"We just need you..." The monster began, but I didn't let it finish. I fled from the monster, intent on escaping.
Nothing, I couldn't even feel my disfigured form anymore.
"Hey." I said to the mare in my relaxed and dazed state.
"Thank goodness, I was starting to think you'd never speak to me." She said, sounding very happy.
"I'm sorry, tranquilizing you was the only way we thought we could get you to talk." The mare said, looking apologetic.
"And I'm sorry about what happened to you," I said, gently placing one of my hooves on hers.
"Don't worry about it, you seem like you're under a lot of stress." I wanted to say something back, but I couldn't find the words. "Can you tell me your name?" She asked
"It doesn't matter, not anymore." Suddenly, a deep twisting came from my stomach, I looked down and saw my ribs protruding from my flesh.
"Can you tell me what happened to you, after that I'll get you some food. You must be starving." The mare said, looking at me with pity again.
"Bribery, here of all places?" I asked incredulously. "Even in death there is no peace?"
The mare looked shocked. "What? You're not dead, you're still at the hospital, we're in your room."
I took a closer look at the cloud I laid on, and found it had really been a blanket the entire time. The white sky was just the white ceiling, with the light blaring off of it. It was true, I had not died. I had been duped, tricked.
"You killed her, I saw you." I said, pointing at the mare. "You can lie, and try to manipulate me, but I saw you. I watched you eat the mare's organs, I know what you are underneath."
The mare looked horrified at my accusation. She clutched the place where her heart would be, if she had one. "How many more do you intend to slaughter? How many lives have you ended?" She ran away then, tears falling from her eyes.
I stood stock-still, ready to deal with whatever the drunken tentacle monster threw at me. THWAP, my skin burned. THWAP, THWAP, THWAP, my skin cooked and boiled until the flesh started to scream. Over and over i'd be struck, THWAP, THWAP, THWAP. The beast grabbed my head and pulled me to look at her monsterous claws. "Do you see this?" She asked. All I could do was nod in an attempt to hide the pain. "THIS IS YOUR FAULT, YOU DID THIS TO ME!" THWAP, THWAP, THWAP! She angrily stomped away, I tried not to cry.
I stood there for what seemed like hours, sniffling all the while. "I'm sorry, mom." With that, the floodgates opened and I cried softly to myself.
An Interesting Discussion In a Cage
They locked me up today, two cages, one guard. I was forced to lie down in what was reminisce of a pet carrier, but outside of it was just a bigger cage. They painted the walls a beautiful shade of green and blue to signify the grass and sky. Small horses played on the cage walls. The guard looked at me with sadness in her eyes, she was a pale mare with a light pink mane. It makes me wonder, did the flesh monster leave the green mare's body and move to her, or was this someone else entirely. She was interested in me for some reason, she spoke to the doctor while she thought I was asleep earlier.
"Does he have a name?" None that I'd ever tell you.
"The only time he answered that question was to say 'it didn't matter', the poor colt thought he was dead." You'd like that, wouldn't you?
"What about his parents?" Why would you need them, they can't get here.
"He ignores that question. What do you think happened to him?" Trying to one-up the guy who sent me here in the first place?
"Who knows, but he seemed pretty sure that Nurse Spring Berry was a killer." No, that's not Spring Berry, that's something wearing Spring Berry.
"Spring Berry would never hurt a fly."
The conversation continued for several minutes until I was brought here, to this cage. The guard spoke to me with sadness in her eyes "valaphorop." She said.
I had finally earned some respect. "So, finally speaking to me in your native tongue, are we?"
The sounds of TV static and dead radio airwaves met me, the mare looked sad; maybe I can get some answers.
"Are you still there?" I asked, pointing my hoof at her.
"Of course I'm still here, and what do you mean my 'native tongue?'" I shook my head.
"No, not you, her. The mare you're in."
"The mare I'm-? Young Colt, I assure you that I am the only pony in my body." More lies.
"Lies, all you've done is lie. If Spring Berry was a monster wearing the dead body of a .. pony .. then the rest of you must be as well."
"What makes you think Nurse Spring Berry is a monster wearing a dead body?"
"Because I watched her die, the monster wearing her came in the night and killed her. Where I come from, people don't die, then start moving around again, so she can't be Spring Berry!"
"You watched her die? Can you describe this monster?" She asked, pulling out a notebook.
"Why, want to gauge how much of a threat I am to you?"
"Please, just humor me." She said.
Shaking my head, I gave over the information "It was a large and round monster made entirely of oozing flesh. It came from the walls and ceiling of the room, blood dripping off of it all the while. Its teeth were gnarled and its claws were bigger than my entire body." Memories of that night flooded my mind. "I remember watching it eat that mare, it ripped through her easily and ate her organs. The mare didn't even fight back, she just stared at me with those empty eye-sockets."
I would've said more, but I was caught off from my reminiscing by the sound of retching in front of me. The white and pink mare it seems couldn't handle how I knew so much about them.
"If you're finished, let me go." I said.
"We can't just let a colt your age out and alone."
"My age? I'm twenty-one, let me out of here. I'm perfectly capable of surviving on my own."
"You're twenty-one?" She asked, clearly not believing me.
The white and pink mare stared down at her notes, then called a nurse to take me back to my room. They of course kept me in the pet carrier for the entire duration of transit. Back in my original room, I found a meal waiting for me. A fresh apple, steamed broccoli, and hay. I looked at it, then to the still-locked door. The food was clearly a bribe. However, the deep rumbling from my still empty stomach continued to vex me. As I knew, if I gave them an inch they'd drag me a mile. So, though starving, I threw the food away.
"He won't talk to us about his name, where he's from, where his parents are, now he's talking about how he's seen monsters eating ponies."
"We need to think of an alternative in case his parents are no longer an option."
"Like foster homes?" The white and pink mare suggested.
"There aren't a lot of people willing to take in a seven-year-old delusional orphan."
"Assuming we can't find his parents, there are a few handfuls of ponies at least trained in this. The Cakes, The Apples, and isn't Miss Rarity trained to be a foster parent as well?"
"That is, if we can help get his delusions under wraps. He's already admitted to us that his visions contain graphic content. Who's to say he doesn't hurt somepony for something that never happened?"
A blue smoke filled the room as a new pony entered.
"Hello, I've run across the dreams of this colt before. I would like to speak with him." She said.
After throwing away the food, I climbed back onto the wooden bed and stayed vigilant for anymore monsters, they would not get the jump on me this night. I expected them from the ceiling, from the floor, from the walls, and even the window. How foolish I was to think a monster wouldn't use the door. I didn't even hear the door open, but I felt the presence in the room.
"At least he looks alright." The doctor said.
"Alright? I can see more bones on this colt than meat. When was the last time he ate?" I refused to look at the speaker, I could tell she would be trouble.
"He refuses to eat, Princess."
"So what, you'd allow this colt to starve?"
"No, he's actually eaten recently."
"What was he fed?"
"A homemade meal, of steamed broccoli and an apple."
The tall, dark blue alicorn entered my room, I kept my face away from her as she walked to the desk near the door. She searched the drawers easily with her magic. She did the same thing with a cabinet nearby, then finally, searched through the garbage can, where she found the meal I had supposedly eaten.
"Was this the homemade meal of steamed broccoli and an apple he was fed, by any chance?" The princess held up the scraps for all to see.
The other three cringed as they realized I had gone three days without food.
From there I was picked up in a soothing blue aura. I was still distrustful, but now more intrigued than anything. I had made eye contact with the dark blue alicorn. "You were the one from my dreams," I said to nobody.
"indeed, my little pony, why did you run when you saw me?" She asked, cocking her head to the side. I just looked at her. "You know, you're as quiet as a mouse." She said, holding me in her magical aura.
Her horn started to change color slightly as it's rims glowed a bright white. From it, a single tendril of white magic lept into my forehead, It was at an angle that I couldn't quite see. The magic did something to my head as for once in my life, I felt ... peaceful. Like someone wasn't trying to kill me, like I wasn't being hunted down by monsters. It was like I had always belonged here. "Just lay back and let the magic do it's job, little one." She said as I closed my eyes.
She told me she could sense my magic, and was quite impressed by how strong it is.
She was nice, and kind. I don't think I had ever been spoken to in such a way before. Eventually, it had to end, though. I was awakened on my bed in the hospital, wrapped around Princess Luna in a warm embrace. She looked down at me, and I up at her.
I was off the ground, no control over what was around me. My body was entirely at the mercy of the Princess, or anyone else who wanted to do me in. I should've been terrified, but strangely, I wasn't. That smile on Luna's face, the sheer amounts of generosity and kindness flooding off of this mare was staggering. I finally felt safe.
Author's Note
Okay, not entirely sure how well this one went. Please tell me what you think in the comments.
So it was, that I would soon be leaving the hospital. It's kind've complicated, supposedly I'm being 'adopted' by Princess Luna. That's kinda strange, I'm not really sure what to think about that. Especially since we'll be living in two entirely separate towns. She will return to Canterlot, and I shall remain here, in what I now know is Ponyville. An odd name, to be sure.
Speaking of names, I told Princess Luna my name was Green Field. Yeah, I wouldn't say my real name. I'm sick apparently, so hearing that I have a weird name would've just opened a can of worms I didn't want to deal with. Let me rephrase that last part, I'm sick 'in the head'. Princess Luna has gone out of her way to write a royal decree that I'm to be given these pills at certain times of the day.
I was sitting on my bed in the hospital, eating the best cinnamon bun in the universe when the three entered. Princess Luna, and two uh .. bat horses? Er .. ponies. Yeah, bat ponies entered the room.
"Green, this is Dark Wood and Herb Garden. They're going to take care of you and keep you safe while you remain here for your studies." Said Princess Luna.
I was shocked, "What do you mean, studies?" As far as I could remember, I wasn't studying anything.
She sat down on the bed next to me and pulled me in close. "Do you remember what I said yesterday, about being able to sense your magic and how strong I realized it was?" I nodded my head.
"While you remain in Ponyville, you will study numerous forms of magic."
I was even more confused, "But I'm not a unicorn, or an Alicorn for that manner. I don't know any magic."
She looked into my eyes, "My little pony, have you never seen yourself in the mirror?" I admit, I had not, at least not since I was changed into a .. pony. Princess Luna levitated a mirror over to me and I could finally see what I, as a pony, looked like.
It was a little unsettling. I looked into the mirror and saw that my fur was a nice shade of green, and my mane and tail were dark green in color. Big green eyes stared back at me, and above those eyes stood an odd growth sticking up. It looked like a banana, with two smaller bananas growing side by side with it.
"Oh ... why do I have a banana on my head?" I said out loud, without thinking.
Luna smiled at me and said, "That's your horn, green."
"My horn?" I asked.
"Yes, you're a unicorn. You have incredible magic potential."
"So, I can cast spells?"
"Once you're trained for it, yes. There will be time for that later, for now, let us be off to your new home."
As the four of us walked down the street, I could see many heads poking out of windows or doors to see the Princess and I.
"Hey, don't let those guys bother you, you're a great person." I said trying to make her feel better. She smiled at me and gave me a nuzzle.
"We'll have to get you a dictionary, my son, you're using words that don't exist." She responded.
Eventually, we got to a three-story wooden house in the middle of Ponyville.
Once inside, they started setting up a few security measures, like dead bolts on doors and locks on windows.
This was just the bottom floor so I asked "Could I check out the upper floors, please?"
"Of course you can, my son." I trotted upstairs, with Luna right behind me.
The second floor contained basic ammenities, two bedrooms with beds and dressers already in it. There were armor racks in there as well. It was clear that this was where Dark Wood and Herb Garden would be staying.
The third floor had much nicer decor than the rest of the house. Luna must've spent a small fortune on this floor.
"All of this, just for me?" I asked in disbelief.
"Yes, of course. I want you to be happy here."
I didn't know what to say, so I gave the princess a hug. "Thank you."
"You're welcome! Now, let's go back downstairs and have a chat with Dark Wood and Herb Garden before I leave."
"Princess, The house has been secured. Nopony is getting in without us knowing about it." Dark Wood reported.
"Wonderful news, Dark Wood, Herb Garden. Now, You are to protect Green Field as if he was me, understand?"
"Yes, your highness." They both said in unison.
"Should any harm befall him, there will be no end to the wrath I dispense upon you." I really hope I never have to experience Luna's wrath.
"Yes, your highness." Both of the guardsponies salute her with a slight shiver, they must've wanted to avoid Luna's wrath just as much as I did.
"Very well. Green Field, I have matters to attend to. I shall check on you in a couple of days. For now though, settle in and make yourself at home." My new mother flew off to a massive castle on the side of a mountain, which left me alone with these two strangers. Needless to say, I was a bit nervous.
"So..." I started.
"Master, is there anything you need?" Dark Wood asked.
"Um... No? I suppose not. And, you don't need to call me master, just call me Green."
"Yes, Green." He saluted me, as well.
"Alright then..." I said uncertain about all of this. "So what exactly do I do now?"
"Well, you're a prince. You do whatever you want I suppose."
"....Yeah... wait... what?"
"You're a prince. Princes do what they want."
"But I'm not actually a royal, am I?"
"Technically yes. You're the adopted son of the Princess of the Night." Well, bat horse, you got me there.
"Guess I'll uh ... go upstairs."
The room was just as nice as I left it, and the bed quite simply, called for me.
It was early on a cold morning in Ponyville, I sat at my bedside when suddenly I feel the pulsating dirt begin its descent. At first, I assumed it was just me, I hadn't bathed since yesterday at the hospital. Entering the bathroom, I knew it wasn't just me. My face was wrong, I could feel it at first; in my eye. My eye pulsed and pushed itself this way and that. Something was inside, fighting to get out.
The squelching sound of my eye being torn open caused me to gag. No matter what I tried, I couldn't stop looking at it in the mirror. It began to look bloody, white making its way to red quickly, then my vision started to fade. One white dot in the center of my sight, then two, four, eight, sixteen, until finally, it came out. A brown cockroach's antenna spilled out of my damaged eye with all the grace of a foreign invader. It crawled out, pushing my red, broken eye open further until it escaped its prison in my head. I wish it had come alone.
Two roaches crawled out of my socket, then four, before I knew it, roaches were crawling all over my face. They hated the outside world however and demanded to be let back in. Anything they could crawl back into was easily entered, nostrils, ears, mouth, and eyes. There was no entrance they did not take advantage of. I ran over to the toilet and began throwing up, only dry retching at first, then the roaches started getting pushed out of my stomach. Thousands of roaches were expelled from my body through my mouth, they took bloody chunks of flesh with them on their way out.
Some of them hung onto my mouth for dear life, I tried to get them off but only managed to damage my teeth, which only helped them accomplish their goals. One by one, my teeth were removed by the roaches, leaving my mouth a broken and bloody mess of puss and saliva. They started to bite me, ripping small pieces of fur and flesh off, and scurried away with it to who knows where.
I left the bathroom in hopes of finding safety in Dark Wood or Herb Garden, but when I reached the stairs, the roaches had finally had their way with one of my hooves. Pulsating and squirming, one of my hind legs was removed, this did not dissuade me, I crawled down the steps. Falling halfway down; through what little remained of my eyesight, I saw Dark Wood hanging from the ceiling by his neck. He had been dead for a while as his once sleep grey fur had turned a sickly green as the flies infest his body, much as the roaches had done mine.
I had to leave, anywhere but here. Throwing up more roaches, I fell down the next flight of stairs, losing another hoof on the way. The house was infested, as I found what little remained of Herb Garden's corpse on the kitchen floor. The roaches left my mouth in droves as I threw up again, dry heaving was all I could do now, as I lacked a stomach now. Roaches owned every last piece of me now, as a large one fell from the ceiling onto my face. It twitched as its children entered my ears and started eating my brain, the mother ripped out my eye, sending me into eternal darkness. I released a blood-curdling scream just seconds before my throat and lungs were filled with the filth of the roaches.
Suddenly, my vision returned to me as the caring and concerned gaze of Herb Garden stared into mine. "Go on, eat it." She said.
I was confused for a second before I realized there was a cookie in my mouth. I chewed it up, certainly not due to hunger, but out of compliance. "Did you feed half of this to me?" I asked.
"I had to, you fell asleep and we didn't want to disturb you; we never gave you your medicine." She said, looking apologetic.
"Med- oh ... right," I said, shaking myself slightly. "So both you and Dark Wood are okay?"
"We're both okay, Green. You're okay, we're okay, your mother's okay. Your safe now." She said and started to rub my back.
"Luna told you to do this, didn't she?"
"Do what?" She asked in return.
"Affirmations of safety, the rubbing ... you don't look the type to come up with that on your own."
She changed the subject entirely, but I wasn't in any mood to chase her down rabbit holes. "What did you see, Green, while you were ... uh .. out?"
"Out? What do YOU see? I've never been on the other side of it."
"We heard you running to the bathroom at first, nothing out of the ordinary, just thought you needed to use it. Then we heard the sound of you throwing up. When we heard you run to the stairs but fall before you could reach them I remembered your medicine so I went downstairs to get it. Dark Wood saw you fall down the stairs and was so shocked he just stood on his hind legs over by his bedroom. You fell down the stairs again and started to ... sing ... I guess? After that, I broke the cookie and tried to soften it with milk to help it go down. I used my hoof to break the pill and put them both in your mouth. "
None of it happened? "What do you mean I started to sing? at my question, Herb Garden started to whistle a haunting and beautiful tune. I remembered it well, the siren's wail.
After that, I apologized for waking the two of them up, thanked them for helping me, then returned to my bed. They both saluted me good night.
As I laid in my bed that night, I couldn't help but hear that beautiful song, the mermaid mourning the loss of the loved one. Strangely enough, it wasn't coming from my head, it was coming from somewhere in town.
Today was the big day, after spending months in Ponyville studying and tuning my magic, I was finally going to be officially crowned a prince of Equestria. The halls of the castle in Canterlot were absurdly quiet. Usually, the sound of nobles groveling before mom and aunt Celestia for some special privilege filled the halls, not today though. Now, I couldn't even find anyone. There were no guards patrolling or standing vigilant, no servants cleaning, nothing. I couldn't even find mom, her chamber was empty. Kicking off into a full sprint, I ran down the halls, desperate to find someone. Thankfully, I found I wasn't alone.
the decaying bodies of six guards ponies were laying in the halls. The rancid scent of rot and fecal matter filled the entire hallway as I proudly and regally walked down the hall. A smiling mare without skin looked at me sweetly and groaned out an unintelligible greeting. Nodding sagely, I continued further into the castle. Aunt Celestia was in the kitchen no doubt waiting for another delicious cake to grace her lips with its sugary splendor.
"good morning, Aunt Celestia," I said with a bow. Her bloodshot eyes stared at me and she grinned. A large centipede came out of her mouth and crawled off into her mare. The chattering of teeth and a dying gasp were all that could be heard from my dear aunt. "Waiting for another slice of cake?" I asked with a wink. She nodded eagerly and at that very moment, a young mare with green sickly skin entered the room with us and carried with her a plate holding a slab of what appeared to be pony flesh. Maggots busily consumed the rotting meat as flies took their share as well. Aunt Celestia hungrily began tearing into it. I smiled at her and left the kitchen.
making my way to the throne room I passed more servants and guards. Some of them seemed to still be alive, with pin-prick-sized pupils and their blood still being a vibrant red. Others, however, had long since died. Their blood was a dark grey, their fur had fallen off to make way for their rotting flesh.
It was only when I reached the throne room that I saw her. Princess Luna was hanging from the ceiling by her hooves, her thin, malnourished body began to shake at the sight of me. Mom was hungry and she knew I must've tasted good.
I laid on the floor to allow her easy access to my body. My kind mother easily chomped onto my shoulder and ripped out a chunk of my flesh, it didn't hurt though. I could only smile and stare as my mother had her fill. My stomach was easily her favorite part of me, my organs as it turns out were pretty juicy. After a while I started to feel light-headed, then I stopped breathing.
Mother's beautiful night sky washed over the barren hell-scape of Equestria. Dead fields of dry rock filled my sight until my eyes landed upon my new subjects. The bony and decayed cadavers of the citizens of Equestria stared with their lifeless eyes up to me on the balcony atop the castle. Mother's bloody corpse walked with me to the edge of the balcony, my subjects demanded a speech, and I would deliver.
“If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you may be entitled to financial compensation." I was met with staggering applause and cheers from the dead below me. I wish I didn't have to meet them, but unfortunately, my bloody hooves were slippery on the balcony. I fell off the castle hundreds of feet in the air, and with no way to stop myself, I had no choice but to fall into the awaiting pit of death.
I awoke in my bed with a start and was met with the warm shining of the sun in my window. I was still in Ponyville, in the house Princess Luna had decided to let me stay in. I sat there for a few seconds until I heard the voice of Dark Wood from the first floor. "Green, breakfast is ready."
My mind remained elsewhere, but the smell of breakfast was able to draw my mindless body in the direction I wanted it to go regardless. Herb Garden stood by the staircase, keeping a close eye on me. She bore a calming and peaceful smile that I was hesitant to trust, and I continued to be hesitant to trust until I saw the dining table.
They made Blueberry pancakes, my god I could kiss them both. As a result of my inner joy, I ravaged the pancakes with my mouth until ten of them found their new home in my stomach.
"Don't eat too much now, Green. You'll get a stomach ache."
"Were I to meet my end, I'd be honored to have it be by a pancake's sugary embrace." They both giggled at me.
"You like pancakes, huh?" Herb Garden asked me. I couldn't help but nod my head, who doesn't love pancakes?
"Would you like pancakes for breakfast every morning?" She said with a smirk.
I felt tears come to my eyes and I asked "Where have you been all my life?" Laughter filled the room, even I joined them.
After breakfast had concluded, Dark Wood told me that Luna has provided me with a list of things that need to be done.
"Princess Luna has provided a stipend for you, we're to go into town and buy several items."
"Oh, what are we buying?" I asked, uncertainty in my voice.
He pulled out a list and read "quills, ink, parchment, a formal outfit for you, scroll wraps, as well as some cleaning supplies for you."
"What am I cleaning?"
"Yourself."
"Oh .. so like shampoos and body washes?"
"deodorant, perfume, hairbrushes, toothpaste, toothbrush, she's also provided some bits for you to buy a few toys with."
Truthfully, I didn't really want any toys. What would I do with them anyway? "Oh okay, sounds good." With that, me and Dark Wood left. "Hey, Herb Garden isn't coming with us?"
"We're taking turns, she sleeps during the day and I'll guard you, I'll sleep during the night and she'll guard you." Sounds pretty smart, no way both of them could've stayed up all day and night.
I changed the subject to what happened last night. "I'm sorry if I scared you when I fell down the stairs."
He smiled at me "Don't worry, didn't scare me at all. I was just caught off guard."
Ponyville Market was pretty busy, ponies stood behind carts to sell their wares while others wandered about picking up the things they needed. Thankfully, we didn't stay outside very long and walked into a very confusing store called "Quills and Sofas." Yes because every time I sit down to write, I want to do it .. on ... a sofa ... okay I get it now. This store is pretty cool.
So we went all around Ponyville, buying this and that, and generally having a good time out and about. We were out for quite a few hours when Dark Wood told me that there were only two things left to get, the suit, and some toys. I really didn't need toys as it had been many years since I truly played with one.
"How about we get that outfit first?" I suggested. Dark Wood didn't mind which one we did first, either way, I just wanted to avoid the toy shop a bit longer. It looked to be about noon when Dark Wood went off beside a building and produces a pill and a bottle of water.
"It's time for your medicine, Green." I quickly downed it, glad to get it over with as everything around me changed. Dark Wood started to giggle as he looked into my eyes.
"The pills make everything look a bit different for a few minutes if they're taken whole, but I was told they work better that way. Herb doesn't like it, since they make ponies less acute, but look at you. Are you even aware of what I'm saying?"
My body felt wobbly and I couldn't quite sit still, the nod I issued to Dark Wood seemed more like a no than a yes. Bright, vibrant colors followed my vision everywhere I looked until eventually, I felt warm fur pick me up and set me on a purple metal, it felt kinda nice. The sun smiled at me as a rainbow flew by. The world lost me after that, beyond strange yellow and black tendrils stretching along my body. It didn't last long before the sun looked at me again. Everything was a blur of beauty and friendship.
With how amazing the world was, the sweet smell of lavender that soon flooded my nostrils was enough to nearly send me over the edge into a rejuvenating state of sleep. I wish I could say I resisted and stayed up. But I felt the softness of what must've been faux fur and cotton against me, I couldn't help but hold onto it. When I got a closer look at what I was hugging, I found out that it was a miniature, plush Princess Luna.
Author's Note
I wanted to make a small april fool's joke, but also continue the story. I hope it's okay.
The Record, Please, Nicely
A deep warbling permeated the air around me. Bristles of blue and purple knife-like appendages swam across my tiny equine form. The sounds of a violin could be heard from an unknown location along with that horrid warbling, like a record being mangled. I got out of bed but nobody could've known, no noise was made by my escape. Whether that was because of the warbling or my own skills in stealth remain unknown. My hoofs were met with small plinking noises not unlike that of a xylophone as I walked down the stairs.
My descent down the stairs revealed two statues that looked like ponies. Their skin was hard, tan clay. Empty caverns where their eyes and mouths should be. The horrible warbling sprouted from their mouths as they seemingly sought to destroy the other with sound alone. In the darkness, the two clay husks were all that could be seen. Even as their songs began to sound as if they were punching each other, which they clearly were not. They were like a record skipping for but a moment before continuing to skip again.
I walked further down the stairs and left the building in hopes of finding that violinist. A static array, the sounds of explosions, with the undertone of that violin was all I could hear. As if out of nowhere, the violin became clearer and the explosions stopped happening so frequently. They were replaced with gunfire, I was not afraid though, I just needed to find that violin. A building splintered apart to my left, the wooden debris splintered around me. I wish I could say I was alone.
Clay pony husks wandered the landscape, their voices replaced with music from an aging record player. No matter how close or far I was, the sound played as if spoken directly to me. Static, skipping records, the violin, nobody seemed interested in me though, thankfully. On brief occasion, the sounds would stop for but a second before continuing on again as if nothing happened. I wandered town with them to find out where they were going, thinking that maybe they could lead me to the violin.
Around forty clay pony husks and I gathered in front of a grand temple that shot into the sky where a decrepit, decaying clay pony stood. Mold and rot hung from its clay form, signifying its age. It stared at me for a second in confusion as I approached the stage it stood on.
The rotting clay husk spoke loudest, The record it spoke with would break and skip constantly, breaking into an angelic cry, back to music, then warbling static in a seemingly neverending cycle. I'm not sure which one I preferred, the moments of absolute silence, or the drolling of warbling record static. I kept my head low in contemplation, trying to figure out exactly what was going on. Even looking upon myself, I only got more questions. Despite my confusion, the violin played on. Its beauteous melody luring me in with the express intent of murdering me violently.
A horrid wilting sound descended upon the town. The sounds of bodies, buildings, life, decaying and rotting. The putrid sound of eyeballs popping out of skulls as the last screams of the tortured shouted out in the same thundering warbling record static. The violin played on regardless, the violin would not budge. It would play even if there was nobody left alive to hear it.
The rotting clay husk on stage had appeared as if by magic beside me. It looked at me with it's abysses for eyes and screeched out noises that could only be described as flesh being torn asunder. It looked at me with such anger, such hatred, as if I had done this husk personally a great wrong. Not knowing what else to do, I ran from the husk as it began to hiss at me. I ran nowhere, to nothing, and most importantly, on nothing. The ground had all but disappeared, rarely, small tufts of black nothingness would appear and let me know that grass was at one point here. Those tufts blurred, and some faded from existence.
The cracking of bones filled my ears as I ran outside a barely existent fence. Nobody was over here, but the records could still be heard, still skipping and breaking as they played. I was safe here, they wouldn't follow me so far away. The violin was clearer for about a minute as I approached a building, I even got to hear the sound of my hooves on the dirt path for once. When I got closer, the violin cut out completely. Even the records were gone, the only thing here now was this new noise. The wind whistling a grim tune as an invisible fire burned all in its wake. The crackling of a campfire raged on and on throughout. Despite the lack of actual campfires or invisible fires or even the sun, I was pleasantly warm.
I walked inside the building to find two tall clay ponies, a clay pony around the same height as me, and a fourth pony rocking back and forth in mid-air. She was rotting, somewhat similar to the one on stage, but not nearly as bad. No sound accompanied anything anymore, beyond the occasional, brief and quiet sound of a dead star passing by. The only pony husk that acknowledged my existence was the one floating in mid-air, I assumed she likely had some sixth sense that the other did not. I walked over to her silently under a table.
The floating clay husk moaned at me and strangely enough, I realized I preferred noise to the chilling silence that surrounded us. The two regular clay ponies and the small one floated in mid-air in an attempt to mimic their clear superior. They gestured their hooves to cover the abyss where their mouths should be repeatedly and in unison.
"Hey, I-I don't suppose you've seen a sentient violin around here, have you?" I asked the slightly rotting husk who started the floating trend.
The silence was my only response from the husk. I shook nothingness and got the husk to rock back and forth again, attempting to get something out of her. Then, I started to hum the violin's tune, in an effort to jog her memory. I understand when one has trouble remembering, I've been having that trouble myself a lot lately. Suddenly, like a blink, I was gone.
The husks were missing, and I was lost. Nothing surrounded me but crying, I wanted to get out, to find them, maybe to help. But I couldn't, I can't do much of anything anymore, I can't leave, I can't even move my own front hooves anymore, I can't stop hugging myself. My front hooves are just stuck like glue in a warm embrace around my torso.
Finally, after a hard day of searching for violins, listening to records, and looking at clay husks, silence reigned supreme. I couldn't hear anything, I couldn't see anything, and the only thing I could feel was my own two hooves hugging myself. I didn't know what to do, nor what exactly I could do. I felt good though at least.
A new day, please be my last.
I looked cute in my little tuxedo, my comically small body fit perfectly the equally humorous dress suit so small a pit bull could wear it. The record never did stop, I know it never will so long as I live -- it's getting worse. What I assume is a trumpet of some sort was playing alongside a piano with the discarded remains of rust and mildew damaging the once beautiful melody into the repeated hammering upon one's brains.
I think I'm twelve... I think... orange clay and blue clay seem to think I'm still pretty young, but that doesn't sound right. The destroyer of worlds was there while I enjoyed my mandated time in the "love yourself" chamber. That was just a joke, by the way, I hated it in there, why bind my arms/hooves, if you're just going to put me in there with who knows how many others who have their arms free. They lock me up in the room with cackling, demonic voices sent from hell itself. Their horrible claws try to pierce me; to draw blood, If I keep running and hopping around the room, they can't reach me.
It kinda makes me feel like I'm on a carousel, a squeaking one that needs to be oiled, but a carousel nonetheless. The only time the screeching arms of demons leave me alone is when the fleshers intervene, or when the record needs to remind me of it's own existence. I don't know exactly what I did to deserve these things, but I'd like to apologize for it, I'd like to make it right. The only problem is that they're not here for an apology, they're here for blood. You'd think my life would be a bit happier considering I live in a cake now.
Soulless clay structures painted gold to disguise themselves from the fleshers watch my every move. They sometimes hide among the crowds, but I can see them, blobs of squelching meat and tight clay structures can't be confused from one another. So far, I think I prefer the fleshers, they give me cake sometimes. The fleshers of pink, blue, and yellow, have been trying to do ... something with me. I'm not really sure what it's for. The yellow one sings like IT needs to be oiled as well, or at least it needs a drink, the poor dear. But it sometimes just sings for a while, I hear it moan to blue, clearly upset about me not doing what he wants me to do when he sings -- does he want me to dance?
The pink flesher is trying to convince me that it's the worst mound of meat, by threatening to chew me up with its horrifying smile. Teeth sharp as knives and bigger than one of my forelegs shine brightly as its piercing blue eyes gaze into my soul. It tries to get around me by jumping and teleporting around me, it's even used sweets and confetti to try and earn my trust, but I am not so easily bought.
Blue is my favorite, it never sings to me, just a few sparse words here and there, and some sweets, that's it, no-nonsense. Maybe she does better is because of the rubber flesh she cares for. You'll forget they exist sometimes, but then you'll hear the wails of the tormented from the bottom floor and remember that they're there. Two similar-looking tubes of pulsating flesh, oozing a sickly white creme where maggots swim, consume, and breed nonstop. While the most disgusting things I've seen in a long while, at least they never talk to me, approach me, or even acknowledge me. Whatever it was I did, I mustn't suffer their wrath.
I'm not sure exactly what any of this is anymore. I haven't seen the sky, the sun, clouds ... nature... Maybe I should apologize to the fleshers and clay ponies, they might let me at least go outside. You can't properly apologize to someone unless you actually know what it is that you did wrong though, maybe I should ask one of them? Or would that just make my punishment worse. I get cake at least, so it's not all bad.
I remembered from my childhood, my dad took me to this old park from when he was a kid, It had this large pond, ducks would swim in. We'd bring bread with us and feed the ducks. He was a blue flesher too, but a different one from the one who gives me sweets.
It was then that I had it, that noise ... my fur stood on end as I hid underneath the bed. He was here, because he definitely was a he, that face could not be seen as feminine in any universe. A trumpet would sound every step the tall creature made as he slid his way into the same room as I. He was a tall man who wore a smile at all times despite his murderous look, his legs and arms were the width of twigs and he wore a black suit.
I did my best to remain hidden in the room, I made no movement, I barely even breathed, as a result, I could hear everything. Every step, everything he moved, even his own heart, I heard everything. My options were limited, would he keep searching until he found me? If I screamed would one of the fleshers or clay ponies come to rescue me? Were they helping this man? I just wanted everyone and everything to go away, so I grabbed the plushie of my mom and hugged it tightly, even as I felt the wooden floorboards give way to hard gravel. He walked, the horrid man, his breath sounding like death itself calling for me.
A gurgle not unlike the one that one would make when their spine gets removed forcefully filled the room and he approached my hiding spot, the charred skin hung to his broiled hands were the first things I saw before it was too late.
The yellow flesher returned and scared the man away, he sang to me and even invited blue to join, I was too scared still to do anything, yellow tried to comfort me by using one of his meat sacks to pat me on the back, but I jumped away and hid under the bed, clutching my toy the entire time. I don't know what I did wrong, I just wanted this to be over, please just end it already, let me go.