//------------------------------//
// Shadows 
// Story: The Darkness Within 
// by Natsumushi 
//------------------------------//

	"What! Who dares!" Cried out the spider pony, as that yellow blur slammed full force into its gut, lifting it up into the air away from Ponyville.

"No pony takes my hunting ground and hurts my friends!" Flutterbat exclaimed. It had all become so surreal, Fluttershy didn't even feel like herself nor that she was even in control of her own body.
She saw Applejack about to be cannibalized and simply acted without thought. But to brazenly say that Ponyville was not only hers, but also her hunting ground? Was she still even herself at this point?

She was pulled out of her reverie when a sharp pain pierced her left flank. She soon realized that she and this spider pony were engaged in mid-flight combat.

With a mighty throw, Flutterbat sent the spider pony through the air as she then slashed at the creature with a wing attack, then passed it followed by a quick dual-hoof slam that cracked bone and sent the beast plummeting to the ground yards below. 

As the beast fell, it spewed forth a stream of silk webbing which encased Flutterbat's rear left hoof. Then with a mighty yank, forced the airborne bat pony to the ground with a bone shattering thud. 

Bursts of light exploded in her vision as Fluttershy hit the ground as pain wracked her body.

Amidst the dust, the spider pony crept cautiously to the seemingly broken form of her adversary. 

"What are you, creature? There is certainly no way that you're one of the night guard. You're far to strong and durable to be a some pathetic bat pony. So. What. Are. You." She growled. 

As the creature spoke in its strange, ethereal manner, Fluttershy felt her bones realigning and mending. The process was painful but as her wounds healed, not only did her pain recede, but also her hunger grew. She was now beginning to understand how her new body worked. 

'The more blood I consume means the more extraordinary I become. What am I becoming?' She thought to herself, when suddenly her demeanor shifted.

'What does it matter? You're stronger, faster and easily more beautiful than Luna's moon. And if you don't get up and fight, that beast will kill you.'

From within the lingering dust cloud came a pair of vibrant, crimson eyes shining maliciously like the embers of a fire.

"You ask what I am, when you haven't even introduced yourself. It's rude." Fluttershy cooed breathily whilst emerging from the shadows; her now enhanced body that of an unnaturally beautiful mare. 

Fluttershy unfurled her mighty bat-like wings and blew away the rest of the dust, allowing the beams of moonlight to fall unfiltered across her body, which in turn emanated a soft, radiant glow which shone off of her renewed body, enhancing her beauty tenfold; causing the spider pony to pause in disbelief.

Fluttershy had finally given in...


... In that moment...


...to the Darkness Within.


And it felt glorious.