Pocket Change

Segment Music

Change

With an innocent and friendly chime, the elevator came to a halt and the doors slid open. If I thought it had been dark on the upper floor, then I didn't know what dark was. Even with my lighter, I could hardly see a few meters in front of myself. The strange fungus present in the elevator seemed to stretch out into the room itself to no end.

I was hesitant for a moment but decided to press on. It was abnormally cold on the basement floor; I could see my own breath. The only noise present were dripping sounds from my environment, my footsteps, and my own breathing. Upon closely examining various areas of the floor, I saw that this place had been in use to some degree, only everything was covered by that fungus.

After maybe fifteen minutes of walking, a faint green light cut through the darkness, catching my attention. Judging from the angle of the light, it seemed to be just around a corner.

Rounding the corner, I was immediately taken aback by shock. It was a scene straight out of a sci-fi alien horror movie. There were isles upon isles of pods that seemed to be formed from the fungus, a translucent green casing covering the front of each shell. Each casing was laced with a thin layer of fog like a freezer display section in a convenience store. Approaching the nearest one, I wiped the front of it, eyes widening as a result.

There was a person inside. They wore no clothing and seemed to be unconscious, but they didn't appear to be injured. Luckily, they were still alive judging from the steady rising and falling of their chest and the air bubbles escaping their nostrils.

Whatever they were stuck in, it was keeping them alive for a reason. Instantly, I jumped into action. Rushing from pod to pod, I continued to wipe away at the fog, each one filled with a different person. Some of them, I recognized from school.

I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw a familiar girl with light-gray hair that had light cornflower bluish-gray streaks running through it.

Segment Music

"Trixie!?" I exclaimed as I pounded a fist on the pod.

Unsurprisingly, I got no response. Pulling out my pocket knife, I began cutting away at the aperture which actually gave way fairly easily. The problem lied in the fact that it kept regenerating after every wound. I devised that if I cut it fast enough, it wouldn't have time to repair itself, but I wasn't given the chance to test out that theory yet.

Not terribly far away, I heard a horrible high pitch screech sound throughout the basement. The screeching was quickly followed by fast-approaching footsteps that were already dangerously close. It sounded like at least thirty pairs of feet. I wasn't intent on finding out what the source of the sound was, however, so I flicked my light off and hid behind Trixie's pod, covering my mouth. In no time at all, I heard the footsteps slow down near the area I had just been at. More screeches rang out, shortly followed by the sound of sniffing. It was growing closer by the second and I had no idea what I was dealing with.

My fear was growing. I had to make it back to the elevator. I had to tell the National Guard, the FBI, anybody! This definitely wasn't natural. Mother nature isn't this twisted. During my panicked thinking, I hadn't noticed the abrupt lack of noise. Slowly, I peeked my head out from behind the pod, jerking it back instantly when I saw that those things were still there. They looked like insectoid versions of various existing creatures but twisted in a sick way. Some stood upright on two legs, some looked quadruped, and others had way too many legs. They had jet black caprices with limbs that were riddled with holes. I barely had any time to make out their figures so I thankfully couldn't see their faces if they had any.

With them around, there's no way I could get Trixie and leave. I began racking my mind for a solution until I eventually settled for a crazy idea. I pulled out a few smoke bombs, took a deep breath, and chucked them over the pod as far as I could.

When I heard a synchronous screech and the sound of rushing feet moving away from me, I went to work. I flicked my lighter on to maximum output and pressed it to my knife. When the steel turned red-ish in hue, I put the lighter in my coat and began cutting away at the back of Trixie's pod. Each slash cut through like butter with a sizzling sound. The pod attempted to regenerate the wounds but ultimately couldn't. I was right to use the lighter. Every slash caused a green luminescent fluid to pour out, splashing onto my body. That couldn't have been good.

After opening the back of the pod a good amount, I began tearing at it with my gloves until Trixie fell out. I caught her in my arms and tried my best to resuscitate her quietly to no avail. Lugging her over my shoulders, I began silently retracing my steps. Not two minutes later, I heard the screeching from behind and what sounded like a stampede fast approaching. I broke into a full-on sprint, my path barely illuminated by the fluid that had splashed onto my clothes.

I didn't have much time and I knew that. If I was lucky, the shaft would still be on the same floor. I just had to push a button, open the door, and escape in time. As the elevator's electron L.E.D. sign came into view, I somehow found in myself to run ever so slightly faster. It was the final stretch and conserving stamina wasn't exactly a concern right now.

Reaching the elevator doors, I began desperately mashing the call button, constantly looking over my shoulder into the shrieking darkness. Thankfully, within ten seconds the doors slid open. I rushed inside and pushed the button to the first floor, setting Trixie down. Just as the doors were about to close, however, a snarling insectoid creature shoved its body halfway through the opening in the doors, gnashing and attempting to bite at me. It had long fangs that seemed to be dripping with a malignant green liquid.

I kicked at it a few times, not wanting to get too close, but it didn't seem phased in the slightest. Reluctantly, I thrusted my knife at it only to have my right hand caught in its fangs from the lightning-fast jerk of its head. It managed to bite through my tactical gloves, striking bone, forcing me to drop my knife. Swiftly, I caught it with my other hand and drove it into the side of the creature's head, causing it to retreat from the elevator with a pained shriek. The doors closed and I fell beside Trixie holding my hand and breathing heavily. Unlike most bite or stabs wounds, the psychological heat that came with the wound wasn't present. Instead, it felt ice-cold.

"What the fuck was that?!" I yelled to myself.

Shakily, I stood up, picking up Trixie in my arms. As soon as the doors opened, I made a break for the front door, running as fast as possible and hurdling over any obstacles in the way.

There was no way I was getting an unconscious Trixie through a vent that I could narrowly crawl through. My fear soon returned full force when I heard rattling from every vent lining the building. They were coming.

When I reached the front door, I saw that that fungus had stretched over the glass and handles. Was that why it wouldn't open earlier? Not because the place was closed but because it had been overrun by whatever these creatures are? I set Trixie down near the front door, pulling out my lighter and knife again. I reheated my knife, the rattling of the vents growing louder as distant shrieks could be heard.

Cutting the fungus away, I tore the doors open, picked up Trixie, and ran around the building where Aria and Petal were waiting. It's a shame, they looked relatively happy conversing with each other.

"We have to go!" I yelled, running past the two towards Canterlot City.

Aria picked up Petal and followed after me. "What's with the naked girl and why are you bleeding?!"

"Just go!"

Segment Music

After maybe thirty minutes, we slowed down to a walking pace. By now, it was likely that we weren't being followed.

"I called the police, but they never came," Petal said sadly as Aria put her down.

I half expected that, but I figured I would try to comfort her in some capacity. "Maybe they're just busy."

Aria cleared her throat. "You mind telling me what's going on?"

"Something bad's happening. People are being taken and there are some kind of monsters under the facility," I told Aria.

"So it's true," Aria said to Petal, "sorry for doubting you."

Petal nodded before turning to me. "Did you find my parents?"

I shook my head, "I don't know, but I found these," I pulled out the lanyards from earlier.

Petal looked at them before snatching two specifically. "That's them!" She exclaimed.

They were the I.D.s of Amythyst Rose and Cloud Sweeper. "Those are your parents?"

She hummed contently. "Yeah, they were trying to cure me, I'm sick."

Suddenly, a wave of nausea passed over me, causing me to fall to my knees. I put Trixie down before falling down to my hands too. I felt frigid, like, there was ice coursing through my veins. I tore the glove off my right hand and rolled my sleeve up to inspect my wounds.

The wound festered and my veins were turning black like dark tendrils.

Aria took a step back. "Holy shit!"

I chuckled before grunting in pain. "Language," I said, looking over to Petal.

"We need to get you to a hospital." Aria urged.

"No, no hospital..."

My mother nor I could afford the medical bill and I doubted we had health insurance. I also didn't want to explain my injuries to the hospital staff.

"Then what do we do?!" Aria yelled.

I had a feeling sleeping this off wasn't going to work and I doubted there were any possible cures. For no reason, in particular, I thought maybe Rarity could help. "Downtown, the Carousel Boutique. Rarity can help, I think."

I stood up attempting to pick up Trixie, but I couldn't muster any strength in my right arm. I bit my lip in frustration before Aria chimed in. "Let me," she stepped in front of me, lifting Trixie over her shoulders.

"Thanks," I feebly placated.

With that, I led the way to the boutique, walking as fast as I could. Which actually wasn't very fast at all. Unfortunately, buses don't run this late at night.

Sometime Later...

I collapsed just outside the Carousel Boutique, feeling horrible: head spinning, body freezing, ears ringing, the whole package.

I could see Aria from my peripheral yelling something, but I couldn't make out what she was saying. She ran inside the boutique, shortly after, coming out with Rarity. The last thing I saw was a translucent blue shimmer before my world faded to black.

I tuned out Miss Cheerilee's lecher as I messed around with a small stack of cards, practicing my sleight of hand. It was exceptionally hard to master for whatever reason. Back palm, Gambler's Palm, Hermann Pass, no problem. But this was a different beast. My focus was interrupted when a shadow was suddenly cast over me. Crap, was Miss Cheerilee mad again? That's the second deck of cards taken this week.

I slowly looked up, wearing an apathetic expression only to see someone who not, in fact, Miss Cheerilee. It was Trixie Lulamoon, her reputation proceeded her after all. Although, most kids tended to avoid her because of her infamy.

She stood there, standing over me confidently with her arms crossed. "You there, you have the exclusive opportunity of working with the Great and Powerful Trixie, rejoice."

"What?" I looked over the classroom to see that practically every student had paired up.

I hated when Ms. Cheerilee did this. I could never find anybody so I would always end up as a third wheel. But this girl...

"What do you mean?" I asked, tilting my head slightly.

She brushed off the question. "I see you are practicing Sleight of Hand. You know, Trixie could give you a few pointers," she stated, now inspecting her nails.

"You know it?"

Thinking about it now, she did seemed to dress like a stereotypical magician.

"Know it? I have mastered it."

I stifled a laugh at this. "No way."

Trixie smirked, before pulling a familiar box of cards from behind her back. It was mine. Wait, but that shouldn't be possible. I'm wearing jeans and it was in my left pocket. I would've felt something, wouldn't I?

My head darted back and forth from my now empty pocket to Trixie's hand. "When did you-how?" I stammered out.

Trixie waved the cards in front of me teasingly. "I'll only give them back if you partner with me."

I thought about it for a second, deciding that I had nothing to lose. It was a temporary arrangement anyway. I doubt we'll get close. "Fine."

She tossed the deck of cards back to me before pulling up a chair opposite to me. "I'm sure it's your pleasure, Change."

How did she know my name? Oh right. Ms. Cheerliee made us write nametags and put them on our desks.