Chromatophage

Cherry Jam was walking home from work, exhausted from a hard day in the Canterlogic Factory. She had some pep in her step, though, as it was the first of the month and summer was about to start. She could get herself a new swimsuit and relax on the beach this weekend. It wasn’t quite summer, but it was certainly warm enough. She began thinking of what type of suit she would want. A flashy red one would look good on her cream coat and match her bright red mane.

A small clatter in the alley caught her attention. She looked and saw a pony standing over something on the ground looking like it was making out with it. It wouldn’t have been the first time she found a couple of ponies that couldn’t wait to get home. She was about to just shake her head in disapproval and walk away when she noticed the glow that began to appear on the standing pony’s sides. It was faint, probably only visible due to the dark of the alley. But very slowly, it grew brighter.

Her curiosity grabbed hold and compelled her into the alley for a closer look. As quietly as she could, Cherry made her way into the alley to observe this strange glowing pony. The glow was so beautiful, she couldn’t look at anything else. Her hoof kicked a piece of paper. It sounded like a drum parade in the dead silence and the glowing pony whipped it’s head up to find Cherry mere feet away.

The same glow from the pony’s sides was dripping from its mouth, yet somehow more vibrant. Like it was more exposed. It stared at Cherry Jam with brilliant blue eyes that invited the mare closer. She took a small step forward, but stopped as a drop of that shining liquid fell from the mysterious pony’s mouth. Cherry’s eyes followed it and watched it splash onto the fur of the pony on the ground. The pale, nearly colorless pony. That wasn’t natural.

Cherry Jam snapped out of whatever it was she was in and turned to run. She was nearly out of the alley when the pony landed on her. She felt herself fall and slide, the concrete below her scratching at her fur. She struggled and pushed, trying to get up and run once more, but this pony was strong. She felt herself being tossed back into the alley where she landed face to face with the other victim.

His eyes. Oh gods his eyes. They were colorless. He stared at her, his breath ragged and shallow, as if to beg for her to end it. She turned just in time to see the flash of color descend upon her and take a hold of her neck. She struggled as best she could, but her strength was leaving her. She pushed as hard as she could, each time moving her attacker less and less. She felt her life leaving her and all she could do was look in terror at those blazing, beautiful blue eyes.

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Hitch Trailblazer, Sheriff of Maretime Bay, was inspecting the scene before him. It was gruesome. With one pony dead and the other barely alive, he began wondering what the buck was happening in his town. He began wondering if this had anything to do with the ponies that were being dropped off in front of the hospital at night. Ponies that looked very similar to the one that was still alive.

Hitch looked over to the dead pony under the sheet. Why was it white? Where were its irises? Why was it an it? Where were its features? These questions tugged on his mind as the legends of pegasi joined them. This couldn’t be a pegasus. Could it?

His thoughts were such that he didn’t notice the little book on the ground until his hoof kicked it. He bent down and looked at it, finding no real distinguishing marks. He picked it up and flipped through some of the pages, his eyes widening. He was going to have to read through this whole thing.