The Story of Zeta

by Z-A-C

Chapter 11: Destruction PT. 2 (The Storm)

||||The Conqueror's (Zeta's?) View||||

I look at the remaining zebras and smile. These ones have lasted through my 'game'. It was, however, a shame to see that they weren't enjoying it as much as I was. I look at the various spikes that came up from the ground, or down from the ceiling, and the bodies that have been impaled by them. The game was similar to dodge ball, except there were spikes instead. I told them if the lasted five minutes of this, one of them could fight me hoof-to-hoof. To my surprise and enjoyment, four of the remaining seven survived. All they had to do was pick a champion.

I look at them again. They're worn out. They're breathing heavily and laying down. My smile falters a little and I speak. "Do you not have decision yet?"

"None of us stand a chance against you!" One of them yelled.

I looked at him and frowned. "Pitiful, once your 'food' fights back you're entirely useless." I spit at the ground toward them. "Pathetic! If any of you choose to fight me, I'll be outside." I left through a small opening I made for myself. I heard the others yell and ran for the exit but it closed before they were even close.

---

||||Velvet's View||||

I lay in a corner trembling and whimpering. I was scared before but now I'm terrified. Those zebra stallions beat me. Without mercy. One of them said they were 'tenderizing the meat'. I just wanted to curl up into a ball and disappear. I heard the outer most door close, signaling that they were gone, and cried. Like a little foal lost in the market.

Thoughts started to form in my head. Thought of my home in Ponyville, my best friends Pinkie and Fluttershy and the rest of my friends, my parents. But that's where the nice thoughts ended. Other thoughts of how they would serve me popped up every now and again. Would I be in a soup? Or maybe a stew? I shook my head to shake the thoughts away. And went back to pretending to not exist.

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||||Ganger's View||||

I'm lost... I left my friends behind and got lost... They will die because of me... I shouldn't have left the village. I shouldn't have left them. I tried to find my way back but that's probably how I got lost. And for the first time in a long time I thought about giving up.

"Something troubling you?" I heard from behind me. I spun around and took a defensive stance. I saw the tiger from earlier.

---

||||The Conqueror's View||||

I briefly looked at the sphere I was walking away from and smiled. They were either going to starve, eat each other, or find the weak spot I left for them. They're going to have to be smart if they want a chance to defeat me. I frowned and concentrated on what I needed to do. I needed to destroy the zebras.

"What? No! We have to find the others!"

"You should have thought your priorities before letting me take over."

"I wasn't thinking straight."

"No you weren't. But if it will cease your whining, fine!" I saw the two zebras from earlier exiting a building and smiled. "Hello there." They looked at each other and back to me and charged.

---

||||Ganger's View||||

"...And that's what happened. We need to go save them!" She seemed to think about it for awhile before shaking her head. "What?!" I shouted, making her step back.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot." She sniffed the air. "Something foul is in the air, can't you smell it?"

"N-no, what do you mean 'foul'?"

"It's hard to place." She looked behind me. "I would help you more but I have cubs to look out for. The best I can do is take you back to the village."

"But I came all this way! I abandoned my friends to find you!"

"And I am sorry I can't help you more than this."

"Do you not get it!!" I yelled, causing her to jump back. "All of my friends have died! First Match and now those two! I-I just....wanted...t-to help." I collapsed onto the ground and did what no other changeling has done. I cried.

---

||||The Conqueror's View||||

I look at the two defeated zebras that were infront of me. I fought them with good old fashion hoof-to-hoof combat. "You two did quite...well actually." I nodded sagely. "I shall spare you. For now." I looked at the building that they came from. "Leave now, before I change my mind." They just lie there and I cocked an eyebrow. I stepped closer to see why they would defy me when they were in such a state. I smiled and walked towards the building. They were out cold. They must have passed out from exhaustion. "Well, they did put up one hell of a fight." I thought. "Like bats from Tartarus. Minus the fangs and wings of course."

"What's Tartarus?" Zeta asked.

"It's a place I'll send you if you don't stop asking questions!!"

"Okay okay!"

I reached the building and opened the door. From the look of it, it looked like some kind of butcher shop. There was a door leading to the back room but I invested little attention in it. It was dark in here but luckily I could see fairly well in the dark. There were bones hanging from the ceiling. The bones were from numerous animals, but mostly equine. These are some sick individuals in this village. And that's saying something coming from me of all zebras.

I heard a noise from behind the door and turned toward the door and begun walking toward it.

---

||||Velvet's View||||

I heard fighting outside. Shouts, screams, and laughter. I spent all of my energy on undoing the wall restraint, but I'm still sitting in the corner of my cell. After awhile the sounds of fighting fell silent. I had no idea why they were fighting. Maybe one wanted more food than the other one? It's not important. I need to focus on regaining energy so I can escape.

The outer door opened. I backed further into the corner and curled up into a ball, trying to make myself as small possible, and watched the door. I wondered if, sense they were done fighting, they were going to do it. Were they finally going to kill me? Or just "tenderize the meat" again?

It's been a minute or two and the zebras haven't come in yet. I uncurled and stood up. I slowly walked toward the cell door...and tripped on the chain. It rattled loudly and the occupant of the next room was sure to hear it. I heard hoof steps coming closer to the door. I panicked and curled up into a tight ball, with my eyes tightly shut. The door opened and I prepared for the worst.

When nothing happened for a few seconds I slowly opened my eyes. I felt excited at first, I recognized that mane, it was Zeta but something seemed off. His colors were darker. The whites of his red eye were black, and his normal eye was glowing red despite still being the same as it's always been. He seemed frozen in place and was just staring at me.

Then he glared and a loud thunder crack sounded. It was like staring at Death himself.

---

||||Ganger's View||||

After what felt like an hour of crying, the tigress and I were on our way back to the village. She sniffed the air and froze. The white on her coat seemingly turned green for a moment. She turned to me. "It seems I will be able to show you what I was talking about."

I sniffed the air like she did but couldn't smell anything. "What do you mean?"

"Come, we're close to the edge. Then you will be able to see."

I raised an eyebrow, and continued to follow her. The closer we got, the more uneasy I got. The air grew tense, thick, and sinister. And when we reached the edge, I saw why. "I-I think I know what you meant." And then lightning struck and there a loud thunder clap. The tigress and I shielded our eyes and ears, but it hardly helped. I uncovered my eyes and looked at her and back at the village and ran.

"Wait!" She called but I had friends to save.

---

||||The Conqueror's/Zeta's View||||

"They beat her?" I felt a twitch. "How how could they?"

"To them she was nothing but food." I said nonchalantly. Another twitch.

"It doesn't matter! I...this..." Twitch. "RAUGH!!" There was a strong surge of energy and I felt immense power wash over me. "I'll kill every last one of them!" And at that moment we became one.

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||||Velvet's View||||

"I'll kill every last one of them!" I stared at him, afraid. This wasn't the same Zeta I've grown to know. This was...was. "The curse." I heard a voice in the back of my head say. That's right. This is the reason he began this journey in the first place. I can see why they were afraid now, if this was who he was then-

"First order of business." He looked at me. "One side." He then turned around and bucked the door open. It flew off of it's hinges and I was barely able to dodge it. He must have noticed. "Sorry... You need to leave, it's not safe here." I just nodded and he left. I was frozen in place. Was this really Zeta? And if it is, do I need to travel with him?

"No." I shook my head. "This is apart of him. Yes, I do. I just need to find a away to calm him down. But how?"

---

|||Zeta's/Conqueror's View|||

I stepped outside and looked at the sky. It was turning red and the clouds were black. I looked down and stared at three houses, and frowned. I stomped a hoof and looked up. Three meteors were falling toward the houses. I smiled and stepped forward and stumbled. "Careful! You're going to kill us at this rate!" I ignored him and watched the meteors crashed into the houses with a smile.

Right before the meteors landed, I heard screams. "Worth it." I smiled and laughed.

I saw zebras running everywhere, screaming and yelling. I saw a mare running and I ran after her. I tackled her and noticed something fly off of her back. I looked to see what it was. It was a foal. I smiled and walked toward it, like I was a predator of some kind.

"No!" The mother yelled. "He's just a young colt! Please spare him!" I stopped and looked at her.

"Very well." I gestured to the crying colt. "Take him."

"Oh thank you!" She ran up to him, threw him onto her back, and ran away. I smiled and waited for a couple seconds before I stomped a hoof. Spikes shot through her legs, halting her. I walked up to her, still smiling. "B-but you said-!"

"I lied." I said coldly. "It's a form of mental torture." I shrugged. "Now what to do with you?" I turned to the colt and smiled. "You know, to stop cancer you must cut it off before it spreads."

"W-what do you mean?"

"This." I tapped a hoof on the ground and a spike went through her and the colt. The colt died instantly but the mare didn't. She started crying as expected and I kicked her in the jaw in such a way the it jammed it shut. Now it would be muffled and I wouldn't have to hear her.

Her death will be a slow and very painful one.

---

||||Ganger's View||||

I nearly tipped over my own hooves because I had stopped so suddenly. I couldn't believe what I just saw. Zeta, doing that? To a mare and her child!? This was not the Zeta I know! This was a....a "MONSTER!!" Oh buck, did I really just yell that out loud? I glanced around for a place to hide but there wasn't one. He looked straight at me and pointed behind him, like he was telling me where to go. I waited until he walked off before going to the building he pointed to.

I have to get Velvet and get out of here. We are NOT travelling with that....thing, that monster. From this point on. Zeta is by himself, as far as I stand.