Chromatophage

I woke up this morning with my teeth on the neck of a guard. The look of sheer terror on his face shook me to my core. I pulled my teeth away and was thankful I didn’t break his skin. I was able to convince him to stay quiet about it, as well. I’ll have to start locking myself in at night.

Pipp is getting worried about me. She says that I look like I’m not resting well. I looked at myself in the mirror today and I have to agree with her. These dreams aren’t letting me rest. The taste of Spectra is no longer there in the dreams. And I want it. I know that’s not good. I know where Spectra comes from, but that doesn’t change the fact that I want it when I’m in those dreams.

I read through some of these entries and nearly threw this whole journal away. What the buck was I talking about when I was defending Rainbow Dash? If she was the Executive Director, that means she was condoning the use of the Pegasus Device. She was throwing failures, innocent pegasi, to their death in that machine. For what? RAINBOWS?! Rainbows aren’t worth the lives of our people.

UGH! My stomach has been hurting today. Random pains here and there. They don’t last long so maybe it’s just indigestion. The food’s been tasting a bit funny lately. I’m gonna go lock up my room so that I can’t get out while I’m doing this new sleepwalking thing.

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It bucking happened again! I woke up just now with my mouth on the neck of a guard. He was on the floor unconscious already. I took my mouth away and looked around, but nopony was there, thank the gods. But that relief allowed me to taste what was in my mouth. Then I touched my hoof to my wet lips to make double sure.

It was Spectra. That rainbow glow and combination of flavors is unmistakable. GODS did it taste so much better fresh. Thankfully I was still in a panic and able to focus at the time. I loaded the guard up on my back and ran him as fast as I could to the barracks where they have an infirmary. I don’t know why we don’t have doctors on call here in the palace. We’re bucking royalty.

Anyway I got him there and laid him down. Thankfully the medic was close by and able to attend to him. And it was there, in the bright light of the barracks infirmary that I noticed the guard was pale. Not like he was sick, but like his color was being erased. His normally orange coat was faded almost to a pale yellow. His breathing was shallow and labored. As I was pushed aside by the medic’s assistant, I noticed something else: His cutie mark was faded as well. What was once a bright blue shield was now barely an outline.

I walked away in shock for a bit. I started paying attention to my mouth again and tasting the Spectra that still lingered. I finished licking my lips and swallowed. I feel bad for it, but my body shuddered in pleasure as I finished it off my lips. I’m sick. I’m bucked up.

My lips and mouth were feeling irritated so I checked them out when I got back to my room. They had small scratches that were beginning to sting. I started to say “what the buck” to myself and that’s when I felt it. I stuck my tongue out and saw three tiny barbs on the tip of my tongue. They aren’t big, but they could cut my mouth if I press too hard, which I obviously did. They really are small. Easy to miss if you don’t know they’re there.

What the buck is happening to me?