You Should Let Me Eat You
“You want me to do what?!”
“You should let me eat you,” the monster said to Twilight.
Twilight gave a nervous laugh as she took several long steps backwards, her horn glowing as she prepared a killing blast. “And why in the name of Celestia would I do that?”
The monster continued to sit near the trees, unconcerned. Thick, black fluid dripped from its multiple layers of serrated teeth as it spoke. “Because the fate of this world and everyone on it depends on me consuming your body for nourishment and strength.”
Twilight’s heart pounded; this beast wasn’t much bigger than Tirek had been at his weakest, and she reckoned that a few of her strongest blasts would be enough to kill it… and yet, she hesitated. There was something about this beast that gave her pause. It had not attacked her, nor made any move to. It had just stepped onto the path during her morning walk through the royal gardens and waited for her to approach.
Despite the creature’s grotesque appearance, she had the gut feeling that it wasn’t dangerous.
“If it gives you peace of mind, you may use a truth spell on me,” the monster said.
Reading herself to bolt, Twilight cast a spell that enveloped the monster in green light that would turn red if a lie was spoken.
“If you are afraid of me – and I would not blame you – know that I will not attempt to consume you without your permission,” the monster said.
The light remained green, a fact that Twilight found impossible to believe. Yet, the truth-telling spell she had cast was one of her own design, and virtually impossible to foil. Not even Discord had managed to deceive the spell in numerous tests.
“Tell me about yourself,” Twilight commanded her opponent. “Everything.”
“I am an ancient being,” the monster said, “part of a collective of inter-dimensional creatures. There is no word in your language to accurately describe us, but ‘abomination’ will suffice. While my fellow abominations wished to consume all life in this universe, many disagreed, including myself. We set out to protect life in this universe, but eventually had to consume one another to gain enough strength to hold our fellow abominations at bay with a spell that protects this realm. I am the last, and my power is once again starting to wane.
“If I am unable to reinforce the spell separating your dimension from mine, my fellow abominations will come forth and consume not only the bodies of everyone on this world and all other worlds, but their souls as well. There will be no afterlife for them, no reunion with loved ones in realms of joy and bliss. It will be a disaster of unfathomable proportions.”
The light remained green.
Twilight struggled to think.
The monster waited. It was in no hurry.
“We… We could fight back!” Twilight said. “We have magic-”
“That is powerful, yes. But not as powerful as mine. Your chance of victory would be approximately five percent.”
“Five?!” Twilight shook her head. “No, we could do it! I know we can! My friends-”
“If you were to gather all beings in the universe who could use magic, your odds would increase to approximately fifty percent.”
The light, to Twilight’s horror, was still green.
“You have ten years before my spell will fail,” the monster said. “That is enough time to gather reinforcements and attempt a defense. Or you can allow me to eat you, along with your predecessors, Cadance, and her child.”
Instinct took over and Twilight readied her strongest killing spell. The thought of this thing going after her loved-
“I have not eaten them,” the monster assured Twilight. “I have spoken with them – save the child – and told them what I am telling you: If you all allow me to consume your bodies, then I shall gain your strength and power, and be able to reinforce the spell separating our dimensions for another ten thousand years.”
The light remained green. That was no comfort to Twilight. “But why them?! Why me?!”
“Because alicorns posses magic and strength unlike any other beings. The attacks have increased on the other side of the spell, and I require more energy than I normally would.”
Twilight unconsciously took a step back, shaking her head. This was too much, and that damned light was still green. Everything this thing was saying was crazy... Yet, Twilight had dealt with plenty of predators, liars, and sociopaths in her time, and the spell told her what her gut reluctantly believed: this monster was telling the truth.
“And what if I offer myself? Would you spare the others?”
“The power I would gain from eating only you would reinforce the shield briefly, but not enough to stop its inevitable destruction.”
“And what if I were to take the magic from Celestia and the others and myself, and then, say, put it into a hayburger?”
“I require not only the magic you posses, but the native strength within your alicorn bodies. It is comparable to eating the bun off a hayburger without the fillings. I must consume all of you, or this realm is lost.”
Twilight was too shaken to even notice the green light.
“I understand that this is distressing to you, Princess,” the monster said. “I do not expect you to come to a decision right now. Take a year to think about my request and consult with your peers. Then, if you all choose to fulfill my request, you will have more than enough time to settle your affairs.” Multiple legs unfolded as the monster stood. “I shall depart now, Twilight Sparkle. I will return here one year from now to hear your answer.”
Without a sound, the monster turned and disappeared into the forest. Only a few falling leaves marked its departure.
Twilight sat upon the walking path, staring silently at the forest.
She would be found there that evening, silent, shaken, and lost in thought.
Author's Note
This is an entry for the, 'A Thousand Words Contest'
