The feeling of having the wind knocked out of her jolted Octavia out of unconsciousness, and sending her into a state of panic. This blow to her stomach turned out to be a boon for the musician, as it turned out her lungs were filled with a thick, green gel. Coughing violently, the mare spat and sputtered, trying to eject the last of the strangely thick liquid from her body.
The mass of mucus colored mess pooled on the stone ground below her and yet more remained inside of her. One final heave managed to dislodge the last of it however, and Octavia’s burning lungs filled with oxygen once more. For a while she remained in that same position, head down, and body slumped over a small indent on the stone ground, breathing heavily.
“Alright Octavia, let's see what kind of crazy mess Vinyl Scratch has gotten us into this time,” muttered the mare before looking up. “What the…”
Her words trailed off as she beheled a truly grisly sight, one which threatened to turn her stomach and eject its contents. Black clad pony corpses littered the room, their bodies splattered against walls, ceilings and occasionally skewered on a stalactite. Thick green blood the same consistency of jello poured out of them, and unnaturally blue eyes stared lifelessly at their surroundings.
Limping over to one of the strange ponies, Octavia quickly realized her error when she noticed that they werent wearing cloaks at all. Rather their flesh itself was black, hard and sported a scattering of holes of various sizes. A fin ran down their neck, a horn sprouted from their head, and small, insectoid wings adorned their back.
They also had large, nasty looking fangs as well as sharp teeth, and overall looked much akin to an insect like alicorn, only the size of a pony adult. They also appeared dreadfully thin, bordering gaunt even, with some holes appearing so large Octavia doubted it was healthy. The entire sight baffled the musician, and after searching her memory banks for any mention of such a creature she was only more confused after coming up with nothing.
“What are you?” She whispered, only for her eyes to open a little wider when she noticed that the room wasn't made of stone but rather crystal, her eyes having adjusted to the gloom. “And where am I?”
Looking around, Octavia studied her surroundings a little closer, easily suppressing the budding panic welling in her chest. The space was vaguely square shaped, and was apparently mostly natural, if the stalactites were anything to go by. They had cleared out any stalagmites and had cleared off one wall at least, which was where several strange green pods hung.
Glancing at one near the middle, Octavia noticed it was right above where she had woken up. “I guess I was asleep in one of those things,” murmured the pony.
Three other pods lines the wall, two to the right of hers, and one to the left, all of which were damaged to some degree. Curious, Octavia moved to the right most pod, wherein a lifeless pony hung suspended in greenish slime. She appeared normal enough, though it was clear that she had been dead for quite a while as her eyes were white and glassy.
Her fur was a faint orange, and she had the distinct bearing of an elderly mare, with her silver mane becoming grey at the roots. Frowning to herself, Octavia realized that she should be more than a little disturbed by this discovery. Only for the feeling of revulsion to never come, with the only sensation she felt being irritation, and a budding hunger that gnawed at the back of her mind.
The hunger itself also felt different for lack of a word, but after contemplating it for a moment, Octavia ultimately chose to ignore it. She had bigger concerns than a rumbling stomach after all.
Turning to the next pod, Octavia found herself face to face with a pony whom had apparently suffered a similar fate to the strange insect ponies. The pony in question was young, though most discernible features were gone due to being splattered over the back of the pod. Quickly stepping past that, Octavia stared into the final container, peering intently into the greenish red goo.
When nothing initially surfaced, Octavia was tempted to turn away, only for a bit of movement to catch her eye. Peering intently into the sea of green, Octavia stumbled back when a disembodied head emerged from the murky depths. Though his body had been removed quite forcibly by the looks of it, the pony’s head remained surprisingly intact, with his horn remaining in pristine condition.
As did the two enormously long fangs that jutted well past its bottom jaw.
Stepping closer, Octavia found herself oddly fascinated by the sight, and she studied the creature’s features intently. Though normal at first glance except for the obvious additions on either side of his mouth, Octavia noticed there was more that separated him from normal ponies. For one he had three more smaller fangs behind the pair of larger ones which jutted past his lips.
He also had blood red eyes, and ears that resembled that of the mythical bat pony, with the tips of which being elongated. Other bits and pieces of the unfortunate colt swirled within the greenish red container further turning Octavia’s stomach. The musician was about to turn away when she suddenly noticed something strange in the pod’s exterior.
Pausing, the pony turned her head slightly, trying to figure out what she was looking at. Then, like a thunderbolt, realization struck, and both Octavia, and the reflection staring back at her stood slack jawed at one another. Like the creature within the pod, Octavia had had a pair of large pearly white fangs that emerged from her mouth and went past her bottom jaw.
Unlike the colt, only two of Octavia’s teeth were sharp, though she had the same blood red eyes, and strange, elongated ears. Upon closer inspection, her face was also slightly more narrow, less rounded and generally a lot less pony like. Overall it felt as though she was staring into the eyes of a predator, rather than a vegetarian herd animal.
This shock was enough to pierce through her numb emotions, causing her legs to shake, and her breath to quicken. Instead of panicking though, the pony felt angry for some reason, and she found herself spinning around, looking for a hidden enemy. When none revealed themself, Octavia felt her lips curl back, and a strange growl emanated from deep in her throat.
It took a surprising amount of will power to push down the anger which bubbled up from deep inside of her. Breathing slowly and deliberately, the musician forced herself to focus on what she was going to do next.
“Alright Octavia, you’ve been turned into some form of monster, and you're trapped in some kind of weird cave,” the pony whispered to herself, her stomach growling suddenly. “And your really hungry for some reason.”
She sighed. “Just great. Well, there has to be some way out of here, these things got down here after all.”
Looking the wall up and down, Octavia noticed that a chunk of the ceiling had come loose, and though a slab of crystal covered the exit, it didn't appear that heavy. Trotting over to it, Octavia considered fashioning some sort of lever, only to remember that the only tools she had were corpses. She wasn't quite desperate enough to use some poor sod’s bones yet, so she simply grabbed one side of the crystalline boulder and heaved.
Only to send the thing flying against the wall like it weighed little more than a rolled up ball of newspaper. The resounding crash it made proved that it was indeed made of the crystal it appeared to be, and its remnants scattered across the ground. Now more confused than ever, Octavia trotted hastily out of the room, hoping against hope that no one heard the boulder hitting the wall.
Once out in the hall, Octavia glanced both ways, only to find that they were completely identical. Each way seemed as dark, and as dreary as the other, making Octavia realize that she had yet to see a single light source the entire time. Yet she could see as if it were mid day, and not even the deepest shadows posed a challenge to the musician.
“Worry about that later,” she whispered to herself before turning to the right. “This way seems like the correct one.”
She didn't know why she felt that way, but the pony chose to trust that urge, following it deeper into the strange complex. After making a few more turns, and passing by a dozen or so dead insect ponies, Octavia felt something strange. Her nose twitched, an oddly sweet, metallic scent tickling her nostrils and igniting a fire in her belly.
All of her new instincts cried out for her to follow that smell, and though confused, Octavia obeyed. Her hooves thumped against the stone ground, pace quickening with each passing second, until she was sprinting down one hall after another. Bodies continued to litter the ground, but Octavia paid them no mind, her surroundings beginning to blur as she drew close to the origin of the sickly sweet scent.
Screeching to a halt in front of an ordinary wooden door, Octavia noticed that it was bound to a metal frame that had been screwed into the very crystal walls somehow. She didn't stop to consider this bit of strangeness for long however, as the smell was nearly overpowering at this range. With a twist, she threw open the door, and looked around, desperate to sink her teeth into whatever was the source of this sweet scent.
Two pairs of blue eyes immediately spun towards her, the insectoid creatures glaring balefully at the musician. Who found herself transfixed by the odd scene that had been playing out before her only a second earlier. This room, unlike the rest, was clearly made for pony habitation, as candles burned along the walls at regular intervals and a bed rested in one corner.
It was also much larger and was filled with book shelves, tables, and various arcane experiments which covered most of the available space. It was also host to a gasping unicorn mare who lay on her back, clothing torn apart to reveal a battered body covered in bruises and scratches. She was also incredibly pale, with nearly every last drop of color having been drained from her by her insectoid attackers.
Wisps of greenish energy trailed into their maws, the source of which seemed to be the pony herself, who flopped to the ground the second the creature’s turned their attention away from her. Octavia raised her hooves, and was ready to try and talk her way out of this strange situation, only for the creatures to hiss in unison. Like a pair of cornered cobras, the creatures put themselves between their kill, and Octavia herself who still stood in the doorway.
“Calm down, I don't mean you any harm,” Octavia exclaimed.
If the creatures knew what she was saying, they didn't seem to care, as one leapt over a fallen table, screeching as it barreled directly at the musician. Instantly all thoughts of running vanished, and Octavia felt her new instincts all but take over her. Time slowed, and as the creature pounced at her, dripping maw opened wide, Octavia felt herself begin to move without her permission.
With unnatural agility, the earth pony fell back, caught the creature and using its momentum, threw it against the wall behind her in a single, swift motion. A sickening crunch followed by a soft splat indicated that the creature wouldn't be a problem anymore. Sure enough, after Octavia leapt back onto her hooves, she noticed that the creature was quite dead, the exoskeleton around its skull having been shattered.
The sight of brains threatened to turn her stomach, but Octavia quickly looked away, her attention focusing on the remaining creature. Who was now approaching at a much slower pace then its dead associate, its eyes narrowing as if studying the pony closely. Moving into the room, Octavia rose to her full height, her own gaze focusing intently on the sickly black creature.
For a moment she considered simply running, but Octavia’s new instincts wouldn't allow that to happen. This thing had crossed some sort of line and now the musician found herself unable to turn away from the coming fight. They stopped in unison, both combatants staring at one another intently, neither willing to give an inch to the other.
And then in a burst of movement, the creature surged forward, crossing the distance in a heartbeat, forehoof raised. Octavia’s instincts told her to dodge to the left, but her conscious mind was so surprised that she found herself unable to move. Chitin met flesh, and Octavia stumbled back as her jaw wrenched painfully to one side, opening her up for a second attack.
This one coming from the left, and delivered by the creature’s other foreleg, the limb slamming directly above Octavia’s eye. Stumbling back once more, Octavia bumped into what felt like another table, though she couldn't be sure. Pain exploded across her face, and for a moment Octavia was in freefall, her mind being subsumed by a terrible desire.
Instinct tore the controls of Octavia’s body from her, and the earth pony rolled to the right just in time to avoid getting impaled on the creature’s horn. When her hooves were under her once more, Octavia leapt back up, using her upward momentum to slam her head against the underside of the creature’s jaw. Then, before the creature could even gather its bearings, Octavia delivered a punch of her own, one aimed right between the creature’s eyes.
Chitin cracked, and greenish blood began to flow, the blow disorienting the creature even more than it already had been. Giving Octavia more than enough time to land a second, and then a third punch aimed for the creature’s face. An eyeball ruptured, blood squirting out of it as the creature screeched in agony, its entire body stumbling to the left.
Neck exposed, the creature barely had a moment to gather itself before Octavia shoved it with both of her forehooves. Already off-balance, the monster tumbled to the ground, its hooves tangling under it as it tried desperately to get back up. Octavia wasn't about to let that happen however and her jaw opened wide before surging forward, her sharp fangs piercing straight through the weak chitin.
Like a hot knife through butter, Octavia’s fangs sunk deep into the creature’s neck, severing arteries, and slicing open muscle. The creature’s shrieks turned into weak gurgles of panic, its hooves flailing randomly as it tried to knock Octavia away. Ignoring the weak attacks, Octavia closed her jaw around the creature’s neck before biting down as hard as she could.
Chitin crunched between her teeth and blood erupted from the now gaping wounds, shooting down the musician’s throat. She didn't care, and not even the awful, acidic taste stopped the pony from twisting her neck from side to side like a dog. Flesh tore, and the creature’s flailing grew weaker and weaker until with a sickening crunch, Octavia tore most of its neck out.
Standing tall over her kill, Octavia spat out the wad of disgusting flesh and breathed deeply, her body slowly relaxing. As that happened, her instincts receded until her thinking mind returned once more, allowing her to feel the weight of her actions. Stunned and confused, Octavia stumbled back, spitting and hacking in a desperate attempt to get the taste out of her mouth.
Tripping over a fallen chair, Octavia landed on her back, the pony turning and dry heaving on the ground, dimly aware of her forehead pulsing angrily as a large bruise began to form. After several seconds, her breathing slowly returned to normal, and she remembered the pony she had seen earlier. Standing back up, she stumbled her way over to the unicorn, noticing that she was still breathing, and that the sweet smell had returned.
The desire to sink her teeth into the pony made Octavia stop, and shake her head, dismissing that urge. Stooping low, the musician placed her ear near the mare’s nose, where she heard the faint intake of breath. Though alive, the pony didn't seem to be conscious, as her eyes were closed, and her body remained still.
“Excuse me, miss? Are you alright?” Octavia coaxed gently.
When no response came, the earth pony gently prodded the other pony’s shoulder. “Can you tell me where to find help?” She asked, slightly louder this time.
The pony stirred, her eyes opening painfully slowly, as if they were made of lead. “Urgh,” groaned the mare.
“Oh thank goodness,” Octavia exclaimed, gently reaching a hoof under the other pony’s neck. “Do you have a first aid kit somewhere?”
The pony blinked, and for a moment it seemed as though she was ready to panic, only for a soft smile to cross her face. “Ahh, subject zero nine seven. Thank goodness you’ve survived,” she croaked, her voice barely rising above a whisper.
“What? My name is Octavia,” corrected the musician.
“My apologies,” whispered the unicorn. “I never did find out your name.”
“Do you have a first aid kit? Or something, you seem to have suffered a number of injuries,” Octavia exclaimed, her gaze lingering on the red blood dripping down the unicorn’s neck.
“I’m afraid I’m quite past the point of help,” murmured the dying mare, coughing suddenly. “I’d give myself three maybe four minutes before the reaper gets his due.”
“Don't say that, I can help you. Just point me towards the surface and-” Octavia replied, only to be cut off by the unicorn shaking her head.
“No. It would take at least an hour to reach Canterlot. The only thing left for me to do is explain, and apologize,” whispered the mare.
“Apologize, but for what?”
The mare frowned “For what has been done to you of course.”
“I don't understand.”
“You will. Now listen, there isn't much time left,” the unicorn looked up at Octavia with a strange intensity. “You are now part changeling, which is the name of the creatures you have just fought. They are emotivores, and you are now a hemovore, meaning you require blood to survive.”
“Like a vampire?” Octavia questioned.
The unicorn chuckled bitterly, though the laugh came out more like a dry wheeze. “I suppose so. My captors had intended to create a class of changeling that could live off the excess blood created by their victims. When that failed, Chrysalis wanted me to make a slave race of ponies who could be podded along with the rest, and fed the blood of their fellows.”
The unicorn paused, her breathing growing heavy, and labored.
“I wouldn't let them do this, and created you in secret,” she began. “You, who was gifted all the strength, speed and stamina of a changeling queen, along with the same fierce instincts, and unnatural abilities.”
Octavia’s jaw hung open, and though hundreds of questions floated inside her head, she spoke none of them. She could tell that the unicorn was growing weaker by the second, and that she had important things to say.
“In time, and with more blood you will become stronger, until finally you are a match for their queen, Chrysalis,” the unicorn pulled Octavia closer. “Who you must kill. She is a vile and dangerous enemy that seeks to dominate every living thing on this planet.”
“Why me?” Muttered Octavia.
“Chance? Fate? Who knows,” replied the unicorn. “All that matters is that you are the only one who can find her. Trust your instincts, hunt the queen and end her tyranny, I beg of you.”
“And why should I do any of those things? Why shouldn't I just kill you?” Octavia demanded, her features suddenly hardening. “After all you were the one that did this to me.”
The unicorn cracked a wry smile. “After I finish my explanation I invite you to end my suffering, but know this. If I had not made you what you are, you would have been killed or worse do you understand me? This may not seem like mercy right now, but in time you will understand.”
Octavia’s frown deepened. “What else should I know?”
The other mare’s smile fell away. “Only that you are unique. Where all others have failed, or died due to the implantation process, you have exceeded in every possible way. You will have abilities that neither pony nor changelings have, and it will take time for you to come to adapt to them.”
“Is that it?” Octavia inquired.
“That is it,” whispered the unicorn, her body slowly becoming limp. “Now drink, drink and become strong enough for the first step.”
The musician needed no prompting, as her hunger had grown so strong that she could no longer even hear what the other pony said. A quick twist of the unicorn’s neck and her meal was in sight, all Octavia had to do was clamp her jaws down on her prey. Something she did only after a single moment’s hesitation, her fangs sinking deep into the other pony’s flesh.
She felt the unicorn tense before falling slack, the pain likely having killed the already weakened mare. Octavia didn't care one way or the other, and the earth pony reared back her head, allowing the free flowing blood to cascade down her throat. Most ended up in her gullet, but some of it ran down the pony’s already bloody body, staining her fur a light crimson.
It took a moment for the flavor of the blood to hit the pony, but the second it did, Octavia’s eyes rolled into the back of her head. The taste was beyond description, with the only firm fact Octavia could cling to being the simple realization that it was mind blowingly good. It was better than anything she had ever tasted in her entire life, by such a wide margin that it made everything else worse by comparison.
The musician greedily drank from the other being’s neck, gulping down mouthful after mouthful until nothing remained. Dropping the unicorn, Octavia’s chest heaved and she glanced down to the spot where the other pony had been laying. To where a small puddle of crimson sat just waiting for her to slurp off the cold stone floor.
In a flash Octavia was down on all fours, her long tongue lapping at the cold ground, swallowing every last drop she could get into her mouth. Only when it was gone did Octavia realize what she had done, and she stumbled back, toppling a table and landing on her backside. Her chest heaved, and she looked on in horror at the unicorn’s cold, empty eyes and eviscerated throat.
Though her method of consumption wasn't quite as elegant as the movies had made it out to be, Octavia knew she had drained the pony dry. The last remnants of color had faded from the pony’s corpse, leaving her as little more than a bone white husk. But while the unicorn had been drained, Octavia felt fuller than she had ever experienced before in her life.
It wasn't just a matter of being stuffed however, though she could literally feel the blood sloshing inside of her stomach. Rather it was the incredible sense of power that filled her so completely which made her feel full and almost complete in a way. The musician was certain she could now run for hours without stopping, or punch through solid stone if she needed to.
Every last fibre of her being felt super charged almost, and despite the morbid nature of her feeding, Octavia didn't regret it. Even after realizing that she didn't feel a hint of guilt, Octavia still didn't couldn't even make herself feel bad about what she had just done. Looking down on the unicorn’s corpse, the musician felt the same way one may feel after looking down at the core of an apple they had just eaten.
Getting up, Octavia hastily trotted out of the room, putting some distance between herself and the strange thoughts swirling in her mind. The strength, the change in appearance, the powers, the feeding, the news that she was effectively no longer a pony. It was all too much, and so the mare sprinted into the crystal catacombs, leaping over or dodging the various changeling corpses.
During her mad sprint, she noticed a few more of the creatures that were still living, but she ignored them, using her incredible speed to outrun the few who gave chase. Though she felt lost for the first minute or two, the musician felt her instincts take over, guiding her towards some distant location. Octavia hoped it was the exit, but if she was being honest with herself she wouldn't have minded if it was another pony to feed on.
She got her answer a few minutes later when she saw a light at the end of the tunnel, one so bright that for a moment Octavia considered the possibility that she was dead. When she emerged from the cave network, and exploded into the light, the pony couldn't help but close her eyes and raise a hoof. Her eyes stung, and her skin prickled as if being poked by dozens upon dozens of needles all across her body.
Octavia didn't retreat however, merely standing there until finally her eyes had adjusted to the brightness. Once that happened she looked up to find that she was at the edge of a cliff, and before her on the horizon was the setting sun. The sight of which made her eyes sting even worse, though she didn't dare look away until she was sure it was real, silently contemplating what to do.
Though changed, she still drew breath, still thought her own thoughts, felt her own feelings and remained free. As she gazed down on the distant forests and prairies of Equestria, Octavia thought back to what the unicorn had said. How she had spoken of a great evil, one that sought dominion over all Octavia now laid eyes upon.
Revenge was a tantalizing option, one made even more appealing by the fact that she would be removing a threat to Equestria. Yet Octavia wasn't a killer, even if her new instincts made her feel like one whenever they took hold. The musician didn't know how, but she knew that if she traveled down that path that not every enemy that she would face would be like the feral changelings she had fought in the catacombs.
She may even have to fight other ponies if she wanted to get the revenge promised to her by the unicorn and as Octavia looked out over the land, she felt her resolve harden.
“I’m coming, Chrysalis, and I’m bringing all of hell with me.”