//------------------------------// // Transformation // Story: Jecolt/Hyde // by EthanClark //------------------------------// Celestia’s sun had long since set, prompting Jecolt to ignite more candles. Their flickering light danced across the scattered beakers and alchemical instruments that now littered the room. Jecolt sat slumped over his workbench, the gentle sound of bubbling and whirring rising from a large alchemy set before him. A quill floated across the pages of his journal. April 4th, 10:56 pm I have started this alone, and I must finish this alone. In light of my utter rejection by the Committee, I know that I must use myself as the subject of the experiment. Yet it changes nothing. My resolve is unshaken. I have already made the preparations necessary for a safe and smooth inoculation. There is no other choice. No. There is no choice. I must put aside the fears within me. This is my final chance to show the world that my work is not a fools errand. Everything I have fought for is at stake. Jecolt’s attention drifted from his journal, distracted by the vial of red liquid resting on its stand. The candlelight shone through it and onto the desk below with a brilliant display of ruby light. His quill moved once more Like a warning light, it brings worry to my very soul. Yet this formula, glimmering like crimson bloodshed, beckons me. It is beautiful and strange. The final prospect of my long years of labor, distilled into such a simple thing. But there is no time for wonderment. It is time to take charge of my fate. Jecolt rose from his seat and walked to the nearby countertop. From within the cabinetry he removed a small medical kit, wrapped in blue magic as it descended. HE removed a mortar and a few herbs, crushing them thoroughly in the clay bowl. Jecolt emptied them into a small saucer and igniting the pile. Jecolt deeply inhaled the smoke rising from the saucer. It was of his own recipe, designed to clear the sinuses and throat to make a clear passage and prepare his system. He winced slightly at the burning sensation traveling the length of his throat. With an exhale, Jecolt placed the smouldering herbs on the counter. He turned to his desk, eyes fixed on the vial. “Do I truly dare?” Jecolt could feel a knot grow in his stomach, thoughts of worry filled his mind. “What if I falter, if the experiment fails?” A hoof raised instinctually to his mouth as his eyes glanced around the room, as if looking for a reason to stop here. “And if they discover my disregard for their judgement, my whole career could be on the line.” Jecolt sighed. He wearly trotted to his chair across the room and sat down, sinking deep into its cushions. His eyes closed. Images of his potential dismissal danced in his mind. Jecolt enjoyed his career. Not just for his wealth and status, but for the inexplicable thrill of exploring the unknown. “There must be another way,” Jecolt said half-heartedly. “If I were to revise my findings and review then maybe, maybe they would listen.” Now Jecolt knew he was lying to himself. With Blue Moon as secretary and his shameful outburst still fresh in the minds of the Committee, Jecolt knew he was out of luck. His eyes settled once again on the vial, still shimmering from the candle light. He felt his body relax, the knot in his stomach fading. He rose from his chair and walked to the alluring concoction, the result of his life’s work. “No.” Jecolt stood tall against his invisible foe. He seized the vial with his hoof. He took a final glance at the formula before uncorking the vial. His expression began to match the twinge of fear he now felt. But his thoughts returned to the child in the streets. Her deep, blue eyes, calling for help that would never come. The houses that were cracked and broken from years of neglect. Jecolt suppressed his fear with his sudden boost of righteousness. “Everything will be made right.” The cool lip of the vial met Jecolt’s open mouth as the red liquid rushed through. What taste it had soon passed as the contents of the vial were emptied. A shiver traveled from Jecolt’s tail to his skull, feeling the formula through his throat and into his stomach. He returned the vial to it’s stand and sat in front of his journal. A pocket watch rose in front of his face as Jecolt flipped open the lid. His quill began to move. April 4th, 11:02 pm I have consumed ten centiliters of the newly fused formula. It is a salty, bitter taste. Stings the tongue. Warm in the gullet. I feel a heat, deep within as it spreads through my veins. A slight feeling of euphoria. Lightheadedness. No noticeable behavioral differences. Jecolt undid his cravat in an attempt to release the excess heat now making its way to his head. His eyelids hung limply, just barely able to stay open as he wrote. He swept the sweat from his brow. His horn began to glow and a glass of water flew from the kitchen to his parched lips. The glass was shaking from the instability of his magic. His weary eyes began to close, but Jecolt forced them open one again. “I must be wise,” Jecolt said between exasperated breaths. “I must analyse the changes within me. Everything I see and feel.” Jecolt forced himself up from his seat and walked to the middle of the room. His struggle to stay awake was becoming more and more desperate. He splashed what water was left in the glass onto his face, with marginal success. “How will it be?” Jecolt’s mind had given way to fantasy. “Will I see the world through different eyes? Explore this world anew? Oh, how wondrous it will be.” Jecolt’s weariness began to subside. His fur stood on end as the skin beneath began to shiver. A gentle laugh rose from Jecolt’s lips. “Oh, I can hardly wait,” he exclaimed through his involuntary chuckle. A tingle began in his chest. “Finally, I will be able to see my experiment firsthoof. To witness its purifying process with my own eyes.” The tingle began to grow. “I’ll show you, Blue Moon, and the Committee as well!” Jecolt raised a hoof to the ceiling. “Nothing can stop my progress now! Soon the whole of ponykind will no longer fear for their safety, for their lives.” The tingle became a sharp pain, but Jecolt’s excitement drowned out the sensation. “Not one more child will suffer, I promise you that! I will show them all that Doctor Jecolt was right! Show the world I—” Jecolt froze in place. His eyes widened at this sudden sensation overcoming his senses. He mustered enough control to look down at his gullet, as if expecting to see some creature clawing at him. “Sweet Celestia. What is this?” Jecolt ran his hoof along his abdomen. The tingle was felt both in his chest and in his mind. He rushed to his journal in a desperate attempt to record this latest development. “Something is happening. Something that I cannot explain.” He frantically wrote on the page, but his words were hardly more than scribbles. The pain within him had spread to his hooves. Jecolt recoiled from the desk, trying to stay standing. “Pain… “ Jecolt muttered. “A … breathtaking pain!” Jecolt collapsed onto the carpet beneath him, no longer able to support his own weight. From within he could feel his muscles tense and contract violently. He bared his teeth in an attempt to cope with the sudden wave of agony now filling his every sensation. “Filling me … killing me!” He could no longer contain his composure. A tormented howl escaped Jecolt’s throat and echoed into the house. His restraint was lost as he flailed left and right, as if the burning had spread into his soul. The pain constricted his movement, tightening his body around itself to the point of breaking. Another howl arose, but the worst was yet to come. A horrible snap could be heard from within Jecolt’s chest. He looked down to see that his ribs had extended beyond their normal length. A renewed sense of fear washed over him as he flailed his limbs helplessly, not knowing what to to. Years of tutelage in the alchemical arts that could save him and it was all trapped behind the walls of pain now piercing his mind. “Is … is this death?” Jecolt’s voice had deepened to a low growl. Tears streamed down his face before he flipped onto his front side and tried to stand. More snaps and other horrid sounds met Jecolt’s ears as he crawled to his desk, desperately trying to find a reprieve from this nightmare. But it would come too late. He stood on his hind legs and let loose a final, bestial cry of terror and pain. A concerto of gruesome snaps and breaks were the only sounds from Jecolt as he slammed down onto his front hooves. The pain within him had all but ceased as his muscles continued to throb. His breathing slowed, yet with a rasp. He stumbled across the room, falling a few times before readjusting his walk. He remembered being shorter. The question of his height was soon answered upon meeting his face at a mirror in the hallway. “Who is this creature that I see?” The soft rumbling was unlike anything Jecolt had ever uttered. The image before him produced a wicked smile. His eyes, now glowing a soft green, saw his coat had changed; a dark grey with a wild black mane sporting grey streaks through it that ran down into sideburns. His horn, as well, had extended and curved upwards a bit. He turned to his flank to see his cutie mark had shifted into a twisted version of Jecolt’s, almost unrecognizable. “Free.” The smile on his face grew. “I’m free!” A wild cackle echoed in the house, released by this twisted shadow of Jecolt. A feeling of excitement rose within him as he danced in celebration of his own violent birth. “But wait? What’s this?” The unicorn stopped in the middle of his merriment, his smile frozen in place. “This feeling inside, a power I have never known. So wonderful, so alive.” His radiant eyes turned to the red journal left on the desk, a quill leaking what little ink it still held. He walked over to it and enveloped the quill in a ribbon of green magic. He wrote a single, terrifying word. ALIVE With his jagged message complete he strutted to Jecolt’s room. His laughter was incessant as he rummaged through the drawers and boxes looking for something more his style. With a single swipe of his hoof he threw open the closet door, sending it flying off its hinges and into the wall. “Oops,” he said mockingly as he removed a cloak and tophat from the wardrobe. He tore through jackets and shirts until he found a suitable ensemble; a white shirt adorned with a red cravat, restrained by a black vest and jacket. He admired himself in the mirror, noticing his improved physique. Not only was he taller and stronger, he was the most handsome stallion he had ever seen. Yet his smile faded. Something was missing. “I need a name,” he said to himself. “How fitting of Jecolt to create me and then forbid me a name. Just like any loving father.” The dark unicorn walked to the front door. The light of his eyes mingled with that of the candles. “It must be something brash. Something bold.” He stared at his hoof, his smile returning. “A powerful name, one that all who hear it shall remember,” he said through his wicked grin. “Stallions must be in fear of it, children must have nightmares of it, mares must fall into ecstasy at the very mentioning of it! “Something that warns of your impending doom. One that seals your fate. One that nopony can run from. Nopony can hide from. One that—” He paused, repeating that word over and over in his mind. He smiled at the sound of it. A single syllable that burrowed into his mind. With a glow of his horn he produced the letters in the air before him. “Hide, yes- no!” His eyes widened. The word spun and shifted into new forms before finally settling on four simple letters. “Hyde,” he hissed. He felt another snicker rise in his throat before he silenced it. “Well, Mr. Hyde, it’s time for a spot of … fun.” The door to his home flew open, welcoming the cool night breeze. Hyde stepped forward and, with all the wonder of a newborn colt, gazed up at the stars. The little pinholes of light were like diamonds to him, and he wanted every last one. His trance was broken by the sound of hoofsteps to his right. Hyde turned to see a pair of unicorns walking side by side towards him. One of them was a slender mare with a pale pink mane. Hyde salivated at the sight of her. “Oh, blessed Luna has granted us another fine night, wouldn’t you say?” the male unicorn announced. “Oui, you must take me on these walks more often.” The pink unicorn spoke with elegance, accompanied by her graceful accent. It only encouraged Hyde as he approached the mare directly. “Good evening, my love,” Hyde said, the mare caught off guard by his deep, refined voice. “Perhaps you would prefer to abandon this old coot and allow me to treat you this night, instead? I’m sure that a suitor of youth would be more… accommodating.” “More ‘accommodating?’ Why, sir, I believe you have overstepped your boundaries.” The male unicorn stood tall against Hyde, trying to match his towering height. Hyde recognized him from parties Jecolt had been to, some big-shot named Fancy Pants. “Oh, Fancy, you are too harsh.” the mare said through giggles, extending her hoof. “I am Fleur de Lis.” Hyde accepted the gesture as he produced a grin across his face. He kissed Fleur’s hoof gently. “Only so beautiful a name would fit a mare of such grace.” Hyde closed the distance between them, leaning to her ear. “Perhaps you would show me the rest of your beauty in private?” At that Fancy Pants forced himself between Hyde and Fleur forcefully, earning a grunt from Hyde. “No, sir! We have humored your perversion enough already and we shall have no more. Lady Fleur and I - “ With a snap of his hoof Hyde sent Fancy Pants flying across the cobblestone street. He landed with a thud after colliding with a nearby streetlamp. Fleur moved to follow her suitor before being restrained by Hyde. “Now,” he whispered in her ear. “Where were we?” Fleur’s eyes widened as a green light began to shine in Hyde’s eyes. She let out a scream before releasing a brilliant light from her horn, sending Hyde into a blind frenzy. “Help! Help! Monster! Monstre aux yeux verts! He—!” Fleur fell to the ground after a mighty blow from Hyde knocked her out cold. He rubbed his eyes, trying to regain his vision. When he was able, Hyde looked to the now unconscious unicorn, her grace and warm smile replaced with a fresh wound to the head, blood trickling onto the stone street. Hyde sighed. “That hurt, you know?” Hyde scanned the scene in front of him. His annoyed frown slowly curled back into his same, wicked smile. He couldn’t help but laugh at the mindless violence that played out just seconds ago. It was a sensation he had never felt. He wanted more. Hyde made his way down the street, passing well lit restaurants and parties held by ponies no doubt like Fancy Pants. Through the windows Hyde could see the posh elite of Canterlot wasting the night away in their fancy clothes and expensive wine. It was nice, but Hyde had a thirst for something more sinful. His skin began to tingle when the alluring sight of red lanterns hung in the distance. The familiar alley way was now alive with traders and thieves, prostitutes and thugs. Hyde’s smile grew to a disturbing length as he entered the building at the center of the commotion; The Broken Bud. The tavern, once dead and boring in the day, was now vibrant and full of life. Gentlecolts, some of which Hyde recognized from Jecolt’s memories, filled the seats around the bar and tables. Bits and gemstones were thrown to the beautiful mares who strutted up and down the runway. It was just what Hyde needed to sate his hunger. “Hello, love. Can I help you with something?” Hyde turned his head to the question’s source. Next to him stood an almond colored mare, sporting a vibrant red mane that had been curled almost excessively. Her deep brown eyes, however, soothed Hyde’s senses. “Perhaps, my dear, you could show me the true pleasures of the night.” Hyde lowered his eyelids, his green irises catching the attention of the earth pony before him. Her cheeks began to burn at their sight. “Well of course, sir,” she said extending her hoof, a familiar gesture to Hyde. “Let me introduce you to my girls.” “Perhaps,” Hyde interrupted, pulling her against his chest. “You could tell me your name, and we’ll work from there?” The mare beneath Hyde could feel her heart begin to race. She shifted her hindquarters, rubbing them against each other. The warm feeling of this stallion’s breath against her fur seemed to fuel some fire deep within her. She stared into his green eyes, swirling with light. “Scarlet,” she whispered. “Scarlet Grey. A-And you?” A wetness formed along her right cheek as her suitor dragged his tongue on her fur, as if savoring the taste. “Hyde,” he growled. His voice was a hard strum against Scarlet’s heartstrings. Hyde could feel the mare relax in his grasp as a sweet smile crossed her face. Whatever dark magic was within Jecolt’s formula, Hyde was thankful to have it all to himself. “I-Is there anything I can d-do for you?” Scarlet felt her thoughts go blank. Her muscles tightened, waiting anxiously for Hyde’s response. “I think I would rather you do something to me.” He brought Scarlet in close, locking their lips together. As a small moan left Scarlet’s throat Hyde could feel his own desire rising. His brow furled as he pushed harder into the lips of his companion. Their tongues danced together within the empty space their mouths had created. Hyde broke the kiss, prompting a final moan from Scarlet. “Well.” Hyde placed a hoof under Scarlet’s chin, raising her head to meet his eyes. “Shall we?” Before an answer could be given Hyde felt a terrible sting on his side. He stumbled back, breaking Scarlet from the enchantment. When he recovered Hyde could see a pony at the far end of the bar, wrapped from head to hoof in bandages. A pair of dark goggles covered what eyes the stranger had, a stream of smoke rising from their horn. “You want a fight?” Hyde returned to his hooves, standing at his full height. “Well now you’ve got one!” Hyde lept for the stranger with a roar. The assailant sidestepped him and struck him on the head, leaving his dazed for a moment. Another blast of magic collided with Hyde’s towering frame, but there was no cry of pain. Instead Hyde began to laugh his terrible laugh. “Now it gets interesting,” Hyde said with a glint in his eyes. With lightening-quick speed Hyde closed the distance between him and his attacker. The stranger hardly had time to react before a powerful foreleg struck with bone shattering force. The stranger released a feminine grunt as she landed on the runway, startling the dancers and prompting them to flee. The stranger stood and fired again, aiming for Hyde’s face. Volley after volley of magical fire smashed against Hyde. He released a guttural roar, charging through the oncoming fire and grappling his opponent by the neck. Beneath his hoof Hyde could feel his victim struggle, using all of her strength to escape the vice-like grasp. In a final, desperate effort she released a torrent of magic into Hyde’s face. Hyde’s head was thrown back as he struggled to maintain his grip on the unicorn beneath him. His howls of pain joined the screaming and panicked frenzy of the patrons around them. Strands of skin and fur flew from Hyde’s face as he was pummeled by the blast. Then his tortured scream ended, replaced by a sickening and vile laughter, his irises glowing at their peak brilliance as he faced down the stream of burning magic. The stranger’s struggling weakened at the sight, leaving her hope replaced with only fear. The stranger felt a sharp pain at Hyde brought his hoof down on her forehead. She screamed, watching her horn roll down onto the floor. The light of Hyde’s eyes reflected against her goggles as he neared. “Your folly will cost you dear, my dear.” He snarled the last words as a crushing force came down upon the stranger’s neck. An audible, low-toned snap marked the end of her body’s resistance. Her once writhing limbs fell limp to the surface of the runway. For a moment, there was only silence. Hyde’s sight lingered on the limp form of his first victim, blood flowing from her stump of a horn. The ghastly wounds that lined his head and neck began to heal before a low chuckle escaped from his mouth. What few patrons remained in the tavern looked up from their hiding spots, only to see the malicious murderer before them break out into a screaming, demonic laughter. Hyde’s eyes widened as his cackling intensified. Still laughing, Hyde stomped his way through the tavern and out the front door. The nip of the cool night air brought a tingle to his skin. He shook his head, rejuvenated. Drops of rain fell from the sky. “I feel powerful. Terrible. Alive.” Hyde’s voice trembled with excitement. “Nothing can hold me back. Not Jecolt, not his Committee. Not even the sun or the moon can restrain my power. I … I …” His eyes fell upon a familiar sight; a small alleyway next to a condemned building. Through the intermittent rain and low light of the street lamps Hyde could see the small figure of a child, sleeping with a clean blanket wrapped around her. Hyde felt his thoughts leave him, replaced with a piercing pain. “Urk!” Hyde doubled over, struggling to stand. He could feel whatever control he had over his body slip. He sprinted away from the scene at lightning speeds, the rain splashing onto the streets and into his eyes. After rounding a corner leading to the affluent part of Canterlot Hyde’s sprint turned to a desperate limp. In the distance he could see the place of his violent birth as he struggled to meet the door, pain shooting through his every cell. With a final push Hyde flopped against the dark wooden frame of his home, throwing the door open before falling inside. He kicked the door shut, leaving only the the patter of raindrops in his wake. From behind a streetlamp, though, a figure in a brown cloak watched Hyde’s struggle. Scarlet lingered a few moments more before running towards the castle.