//------------------------------// // A Vision Of Predation // Story: Swift Light and the Chaos Conundrum // by Jest //------------------------------// Swift Light grinned. “Oh this is easy. How didn't those morons get past a simple riddle?” The changeling shrugged. “Maybe it's actually a trick question?” Swift Light shook her head. “This used to be one of Celestia’s favorites. “Well hold on, shouldn't we discuss this?” Viciz insisted. Swift Light rolled her eyes and trotted up to the door, and cleared her throat. “Silence,” she shouted. The two females stood there silently for several seconds before Swift Light’s patience broke and she began to approach the door. “I guess it-” was all she managed to utter before a click came from behind them. “What was that?” “That was the exit, I think it’s locked!” Viciz shouted. Swift Light chuckled nervously. “It must be this door that opened, it's probably just the acoustics of this room.” The guard tugged at the door fruitlessly, her muscles bulging yet the door did not even budge. “Come on you stupid thing,” Swift Light cursed, tugging harder. Viciz meanwhile, had sprinted across the room and pulled as hard as she could on the exit. “It's locked!” shouted the changeling. Swift Light lit her horn and shot a bolt of magic at the door, which was harmlessly deflected into the ceiling where it dissipated utterly, not even leaving behind a scorch mark. As the guard began to build up more energy for another spell, the trickling water suddenly turned into a torrent. The cacophony of sound made Swift Light’s shout of irritation inaudible, even to the mare herself. Both changeling and unicorn continued to fire magic, or otherwise scramble desperately in order to escape. While all around them the water level rose higher and higher, rapidly reaching their hooves and still climbing steadily. No combination of spell or strength could move either door, and soon the water level had risen to their stomachs with no sign of slowing. While Viciz took flight in order to avoid being submerged, Swift Light had no such choice, and dog paddled weakly in order to stay above the water. A move that was growing increasingly difficult, as her limbs were growing heavy for reasons Swift Light couldn't understand. It was only after both the exit and entrance were gone that the guard realized something had gone terribly wrong. Her back legs were numb, and that same numbness was now crawling up her midsection, causing her chest to tingle. She tried to kick her back legs harder, and after they didn't respond she looked down to find that things had only become worse. Where once she had two legs and a tail, the guard sported only a single short scale covered tail that had black stripes crossing it. Screaming in terror, the guard tried to push her new body part, and get her out of the water, forelegs stretched towards Viciz. Her new tail seemed only partially formed however, and it wasn't nearly strong enough to carry her out of the water. For a moment she felt the changeling’s arua grip her before Swift Light plunged beneath the churning surf. She hardly had enough time to gulp down a breath of much needed oxygen before Swift Light vanished, scrambling desperately to rise once more. Unfortunately for her, the numbness had extended all the way up to the midway point of her torso, leaving her back end useless. With over half of her limbs no longer answering her call, Swift Light dropped like a stone, her forelegs continuing to clutch uselessly at the fading world above her. Reaching down, she tried to wake her slumbering reptilian tail, but her punches were weak and did little. Scales crawled up her torso, ending at just under her belly button, gaining definition, and growing thicker as time passed. Her tail also extended, growing nearly three times as long as her body and thinning until it was as narrow as a whip at the end. It resembled the tail of a sea snake Swift Light had seen once when she had gone to the Canterlot zoo. The changes didn't stop there though, and as Swift Light tried to muster enough energy to cast a fireball spell, she felt the bones in her torso shift. It wasn't that painful, but it was still enough to distract her, causing the unicorn’s spell to fizzle before it could be cast. Glancing down, Swift Light was scared to find out what had changed only to be surprised when she noticed that she was overall more lithe. She almost had the appearance of a dancer, with rolling curves that guided the eye down her body and to her tail. Her air was beginning to run out though, and with a renewed burst of energy, the pony tried to claw her way back to the surface. Unfortunately for her she was too far away, and a moment later she felt herself bump into something hard. The ground now beneath her, and no time left, Swift Light tried to cast something, anything before she drowned. Concentration was a hard thing to gather when you were seconds from dying however, and her spell fizzled once more. The numbness spreading up her neck and to her head was barely noticed by the unicorn who released her lungfull of oxygen and sunk to the bottom.  Above her, Viciz floated nervously above the water, the changeling’s wings buzzing furiously as she tried to locate her fallen friend. The turbulent waters were too difficult to see through however, and she was left hovering there awkwardly. At least they had stopped rising and no longer posed a threat to the changeling, though that didn't mean she wasn't tempted to dive into them. She briefly considered turning herself into a fish of some kind before a sudden surge of movement flickered beneath her. Looking down into the churning water Viciz saw the familiar white and gold of her friend begin to rise up towards her. Thanking whatever god was watching over her, the researcher turned adventurer waited for the guard to return to the surface. That was until she noticed something was off about the murky shape, especially the way that it twisted through the water. She had but a moment to contemplate the strangeness of it all before Swift Light burst from the waves, or at least what looked like Swift Light. Her hair was longer, and flowed unnaturally, as if attempting to steal the viewers attention, something her glowing golden eyes did well. Not only had her hair and eyes changed, but a long serpentine tongue flickered past her bold red lips. The scent of lust hung heavy in the air, nearly knocking Viciz off her hooves, though she shook her head, dismissing the feeling. She instead refocused on her companion, letting her gaze linger on the mare’s elongated hooves, and thin lithe body. Which transformed from that of a pony’s at about the midsection, turning into the scale covered tail of a reptile that was white with black bands across it. “What happened to you?” Viciz asked. The changeling never got her answer, as the creature was already lunging towards her, forehooves extended and jaws open wide, revealing two large fangs among the row of sharp teeth. All Viciz managed to do before being pulled beneath the waves was let out a scream, and flail her forelegs in a weak attempt to keep the other creature back. An attempt that was as weak as it was ineffective, as the lamia wasn't slowed one iota by this attack. Surprisingly strong forelegs wrapped tight about the changeling’s shoulders and pulled her beneath the waves. Viciz didn't even manage to fill her lungs with oxygen before she was submerged, startling the mare so bad she closed her eyes on instinct. Wings, and legs alike flailed with all the strength Viciz could muster, though nothing seemed to dissuade the creature that was dragging her under. In seconds they had dropped over a dozen feet, and by the time Viciz opened her eyes she was starting to feel the burning need to fill her lungs with oxygen. Yet with no way of escaping the reptilian creature’s clutches, there was no obvious solution to her problems. That was until she was surprised again when the lamia’s lips pressed against her own, and the creature’s tail wrapped tight around her back legs. She tried to recoil from the creature’s kiss, but Swift Light had been stronger than her before, and she had only become stronger since. Giving into the embrace, Viciz was surprised to feel air being blown into her mouth, which she breathed eagerly. She wasn't sure how or why the creature was keeping her alive, but it didn't matter, and Viciz eagerly took in deep lungfuls of the stuff. By the time she felt okay enough to maybe try escaping, a strange numbness had climbed up her midsection and was rapidly approaching her neck. She couldn't even feel her back legs or anything lower than her navel, and more then that, she no longer wanted to escape. The creature’s lips felt so soft, her touch so pleasurable that Viciz didn't even panic when she felt her body hit the ground. The way Swift Light’s tail wrapped tight about Viciz’s body felt incredible, and she was dimly aware of a faint heat blooming where her genitalia used to be. Within a minute Viciz could breathe on her own, and in five, her own pitch black serpentine tail, wrapped tight about her lovers. The two coiled beneath the waves, writhing and moaning until finally the water drained from the room, and they lay on dry land once more. Reluctantly, the two parted, and Viciz rose up onto her new midnight black serpent tail. She didn't need to look at herself to know that her body had been changed as her new lover’s had, but she did so anyway. Like swift Light, Viciz now had a sleek svette form that was slightly less bulkier then the other lamia’s though her wings were gone. The former changeling didn't mourn their loss, as she had maintained most of her other features. Such as the deep purple section of her carapace, and long, prominent fangs which jutted from her lips as well as her jagged horn. The rest of her holes were gone, and her mane had grown longer, in addition to gaining a similar mind of its own as Swift Light’s had. The two looked at one another, and immediately knew what they were going to do, and so when the exit cracked open they were already moving towards it. “Why do we have to be the ones to break down camp?” Complained a heavy set earth pony with a brown coat and russet orange hair. “Because we drew the short end of the stick, now come on. The sooner we get done here the sooner we get to join the others,” Replied a tall, lanky unicorn with a light blue mane and a deep purple coat. The earth pony folded a tent and tucked it dutifully into its container. “Say, what do you think happened to the others?” he asked. His companion shrugged. “I don't know, and I don't care. Those morons probably swiped something from the temple and took off before the boss could take it from em.” “Those three always were greedier than they were smart,” remarked the larger male. “Oh my Swift Light, would you look at these two studs,” stated a smooth feminine voice. The two males spun to where a pair of ponies rested at the edge of the road, their bottom halves submerged in the waters. Immediately the pair was smitten by their unearthly beauty, and powerful, elegant curves which captured the eye. Each male could feel their nethers begin to grow warm, and they couldn't help but forget all about what they had been doing. “You’re right Viciz, they are quite handsome, aren't they?” Stated the white furred and golden haired one. “What are you two doing out here?” Asked the unicorn, who blushed. “Not like I’m accusing you ladies of anything.” The darker mare leaned forward seductively. “This is our secret swimming hole we come out to every once and awhile.” “It keeps us looking young,” added the lighter mare, her orange eyes flashing suddenly. “Well uh, I don't suppose you’d mind sharing?” asked the larger male, who was grinning expectantly. “I could use a dip, what about you, Long shot?” The unicorn nodded. “Oh yeah. This job has been stressful and a little swimming would really hit the spot.” “The more the merrier, isn't that right Swift Light?” Asked Viciz, who flashed the two stallion’s a wink. “Oh yes, though they are going to have to catch us if they want to be able to do anything more then just splash around in our pool,” added Swift Light before she and her companion slipped beneath the still water. The two males looked at one another, grinned, and leapt into the water, never to be seen again.