Metamorphosis

by Mares Guyver

Prologue: Into the Woods

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“Life . . . an infinite energy beyond scientific understanding. Now, this energy has been transformed into a new weapon.” ~Opening monologue, Bio-Booster Armor Guyver (OVA)

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He was running.

Well, perhaps “running” was the wrong word, considering his current form was that of an equine, or more specifically, that of a pony. “Galloping” was likely the more accurate means of describing his current activity, as he rapidly dashed, one hoof after another, into the depths of the Everfree Forest. Every once and awhile, he would tilt his head slightly, glancing behind him out the corner of his eye to make sure that nothing was following his trail. This action was made all the more difficult by the leather satchel he held tightly between his teeth. Two identical bags bounced at his sides from their position of being secured tightly around his middle.

After several minutes passed, the stallion slowed to a trot, panting heavily from both the exertion and exhaustion. Glancing upwards, he checked for any breaks in the foliage above while his ears swiveled around listening for even the faintest whisper of a sound that by all rights should not be there. However, he was only greeted by the mild *woosh* of the air between the forest leaves and the chitter-chatter of perfectly normal woodland creatures around him.

Sighing, the stallion slumped down against one particularly sturdy tree, gingerly lowering the satchel from his mouth as he did so. After briefly playing his jaw back into place with his hooves, the pony reached into a side pocket of the downed bag and pulled out a flask of water, taking one quick swig before putting it back in place. Resting his forelegs on his chest, the tired pony relaxed and took stock of his surroundings.

The earth pony was pale brown in color, with a mane of darker brown swept back on his head and down his neck. He had blue eyes that never seemed to rest on one spot, flitting to and fro as if every sound, every change in light and shadow, held a potential threat. Around his neck was a simple white collar and equally unremarkable necktie. On his flank, however, there was a more curious sight to behold—two triangles, one inverted such that the tips of both shapes touched one another in the middle of the form. But even more curious than this was a jewel, ovoid and smooth in texture, that was affixed to his body just beneath his sternum.

Unbidden, the gem lodged in the pony’s flesh began to glow, changing in color from deep blue to purple. Wincing, the stallion raised himself up from his seated position until he was back on all four legs. Taking the satchel on the ground back in his mouth, he breathed in once through his nostrils, then again broke into a gallop straight into the depths of the forest.

More time passed, and eventually the pony emerged from the trees into a small clearing. He was clearly in pain, breathing hoarsely and stumbling with each step he took. The jewel on his body had since changed from purple to maroon, and was slowly metamorphosing further to a blood-like red. Spying a small pond near the center of the clearing, the pony hobbled over, limbs shaking, until he eventually reached the water’s edge. With less care than before, he dropped the satchel from his mouth onto the grass and plunged his head into the water. After drinking several gulps, he came back up for air, starting as a voice suddenly growled behind him.

“Well . . . lookee here, boys.”

Slowly turning around, the stallion looked up to match the gaze of the smirking form before him. The blue-furred creature was nearly bipedal, with arms disproportionately large and legs disproportionately small for supporting the massive torso of the beast, such that it had to slouch forward so that its palms touched the ground. It had greenish-yellow sclera for its eyes, upright pointed ears, and a canine snout with a flat black nose. The creature was attired in a simple vest with pockets full of glittering gems, as well as a black collar lined with diamonds with another polished jewel hanging from it.

‘A Diamond Dog,’ the seeming stallion thought, glancing between the figure immediately in front of him and two similar creatures a few steps behind, ‘Just what I need right now.’ Clearing his throat, the pony looked up again at the Diamond Dog in front of him, and spoke aloud, “I’m just passing through. I don’t want any trouble.”

The Diamond Dog blinked, and then laughed, his two companions joining in moments later. “‘Trouble’? We don’t want . . . trouble,” he stated, lowering his head until it was level with the stallion, “We want . . . jewels.”

The pony took a slight step backwards, one hoof unconsciously rising in the direction of his lower chest. “W-well that’s a shame, b-because I’m fresh out!” he stammered, sweating as the Diamond Dog’s eyes narrowed. Before the stallion could react, one of the canine’s meaty fists whipped out, knocking the pony sideways and onto the ground. Dazed, the pony laid there with eyes closed, though still breathing shallowly.

“Liar,” the Diamond Dog stated, seemingly as an afterthought, while his cohorts chortled behind him. “Check the saddlebags,” the canine barked, pointing at the prostrate pony, while he bent down to pick up the other purloined pouch. Slipping off the catches to the bag, the Diamond Dog lifted the flap to reveal the satchel’s contents.

‘Wha . . . what in Equestria is this?’ the canine thought as he lifted the strange object from the bag. The item was round and roughly the size of a dinner plate, though much thicker in diameter. It consisted of a wound-up series of tube-like coils, held in place by three, large, dull metal clamps with three thinner clamps in-between the gaps. Nestled in the center of the coil bundle was a polished metal orb, with a ring-like rim of the same material around it.

“Boss!”

The Diamond Dog towards the shout from his cohort, and saw that his companions were holding up two more of the strange, wheel-like objects, likely pulled from the downed pony’s other bags.

“Any jewels?” the lead canine asked, and his cohorts shook their heads. Snorting, the Diamond Dog turned back to the object in his own hands, examining his reflection in the polished orb’s surface. Scratching his chin with one clawed finger, the canine mused, “These not-jewels must be valuable . . . maybe we can trade them, get something better.”

His companions tilted their heads in confusion. “‘Trade’?” one of them asked, raising an eyebrow at the word as if it were foreign to him, and the lead canine shrugged.

“Can try something new,” he stated, and then frowned his other cohort started waving at him with an idiotic grin on his mug, “What?!”

Hopping up and down, the second subordinate clapped his massive paws together as he continued to grin goofily. “Look, Boss, look!” he stated, turning the still unconscious pony over so that the red gem on his lower chest, which was now blinking furiously, was clearly visible. The boss Diamond Dog smiled, and after putting the strange object back in the satchel, walked over to the stallion and grabbed the glowing gem with his paw.

“Urgh!” the Diamond Dog grunted as he tugged at the ovoid jewel, but to no avail—it simply would not budge from its fixed position on the pony’s skin, despite the flesh itself visibly stretching like taffy beneath the pony’s coat. Finally the Diamond Dog released the gem, his only reward being a few stray hairs clinging to the gaps between his paw pads. The canine looked back at his companions, who matched his confused expression, one shrugging while the other scratched the top of his head.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” a weak voice stated, and the lead Diamond Dog turned back around to see the brown pony shakily rising until he was finally upright. The canine laughed disdainfully.

“Or what?” the Diamond Dog asked, lowering his head so that his snout was almost touching the muzzle of the pony. The pony didn’t blink, but simply narrowed his eyes.

“Or you’ll make me angry,” he said calmly, though even as he spoke the entirety of his eyes began to glow a sickly green, while an aura of similar hue shimmered into place around his body. “And you won’t like me when I’m angry.”

* * * * * *

A moment passed, and then the relative peace of the Everfree Forest was disturbed by three bloodcurdling screams. Birds scattered in panic, shaking loose the leaves of the trees as critters scattered to safety on the ground. Larger creatures such as the manticore and timberwolves glanced up cautiously, but when no danger was sensed went back about their business. Minutes passed, and eventually quiet and calm settled again over the woods.

* * * * * *

Back in the clearing, the again blue-eyed and brown-coated pony brushed himself off and straightened his tie. Humming a jaunty tune, he cantered over to his satchels and again placed the two saddle bags across his back. As he was about to take the handle of the final bag back in his mouth, he briefly glanced behind him to the groaning pile of bodies behind him. Frowning slightly, he slowly trotted over to the three battered forms and stood still until their gazes eventually met his.

Still frowning, the stallion stated, “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry we had to encounter each other today. As far as what’s been done to you, I had little choice—I had reached my limit when you lot decided to jump me, so it was convenient to take the sustenance I required from you.”

Turning back around, the pony stepped back to the water’s edge, grabbed the final bag, and ambled over to the treeline. Feeling the eyes of the canine trio still on him, the pony paused, and then lowered his bag before speaking over his shoulder, “You should recover in a few days’ time. Well, mostly recover, I think—even I don’t know the long-term effects of having that much magical energy drained away so quickly. You might best use this time to reflect on your misdeeds, and think twice before you ever attack an innocent, pony or otherwise, ever again.”

Turning back to the darkness of the woods, the stallion again grasped his bag and trotted away in the forest depths, still humming the same merry tune. Back in the clearing, the wrinkled, desiccated forms of the three Diamond Dogs gasped for air from toothless, gummy mouths, shaking and shivering as they struggled to make sense of what had just happened to them.

Back in the Everfree Forest, the brown earth pony stopped in his tracks as his ears twitched at a sudden sound—a quiet buzzing above the trees, slowly growing louder and more malicious with each passing second. Taking a firmer grip of his cargo, the stallion again broke into a gallop—it was clear he simply had no more time to waste. For the safety of his friends, his family, and his race, he had to make it to his destination: Canterlot!

* * * * * * * * *

Mare(s) Guyver Presents:

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

~ and ~

Bio-Booster Armor Guyver

“METAMORPHOSIS”

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Author's Note:

For those who may be interested, here is more information about Bio-Booster Armor Guyver:

Wikipedia
TV Tropes

Please be sure to Read & Review!

Comments

[Cyana Flame]

well this a lot nicer then opening for Guyver I mean no blood yet

[Aprion]

ohohoh... I'm a BIG guyver fan, I'll be reading this with interest and glee

[Chrome Masquerade]

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” a weak voice stated, and the lead Diamond Dog turned back around to see the brown pony shakily rising until he was finally upright. The canine laughed disdainfully.

“Or what?” the Diamond Dog asked, lowering his head so that his snout was almost touching the muzzle of the pony. The pony didn’t blink, but simply narrowed his eyes.

“Or you’ll make me angry,” he said calmly, though even as he spoke the entirety of his eyes began to glow a sickly green, while an aura of similar hue shimmered into place around his body. “And you won’t like me when I’m angry.”

And then he Hulks out.