Two-Sided Prequel II: Who You Work For

by FerociousCreation

The Fateful Event: Scented Flavor

Ch. 41

The sound of whispers stirred Forest Rain from his sleep. When he became conscious, the cold water surrounding him gripped him to the bone and he shivered intensely. Whether he was shaking in his sleep, Forest Rain did not know. But still, the pegasus slowly cracked his eyes open to see another mermare staring into Urchin's cell.

The light was very dim, mimicking the illusion of night. Maybe it was, but time didn’t matter to the stallion at the moment.

“Urchin!” the mermare whispered a little louder. Slowly, the prisoner moved from her fetal position to the bars of her empty room. “I have brought you some of your favorite foods sister.”

(SISTER!) The statement alone almost made Forest Rain twitch in shock. But he had to remain still. No need to let the two know he is conscious. Reaching into the basket the free mermare was holding, she gave Urchin a spherical food that Forest Rain could only assume was a fruit.

Urchin slowly bit into the food and hummed as the sweetness of it ran across her tastebuds. Even with the poor lighting, Forest saw the prisoner frowning. “Are these from the garden?” Urchin asked, pointing to the basket.

“Yes sister.” Another crunch rang throughout the prison as Urchin bit into the fruit. “You know, you wouldn’t be in here if you weren’t trying to create magical artifacts.”

No longer calm, Urchin lurched her head at her sister and spoke loudly, “Are you really going to bring that up again Pearl!? I already told you, our treacherous brother requested me to do them in secret!”

“I just want you to recognize the severity of your crime…” Pearly shyly looked behind her, afraid of the sibling’s vicious glare and gazed at Forest Rain. He quickly closed his eyes to fake being in slumber. “You don’t have to pretend you are asleep. My sister can get very loud and wake the entire palace if she wanted to.”

Instead of hiding in his sleeping position, Forest Rain lifted his head and opened his eyes only to look at Urchin. She held the small portion of her food between her hooves, irritated that he is awake. Perhaps angry because he might have been listening.

“So,” Forest Rain began, “you created magical artifacts?”

“She did,” Pearl answered for her sister, looking even more sad. Urchin leered at her sibling for answering the question for her.

Forest Rain couldn't help but feel shocked. He knew that creating magical artifacts was not just forbidden magic. It was a taboo. Everypony who picked up a magic book eventually found out that enchanting any object was bad.

The practice was also dangerous. Just trying to make any type of enchantment will most likely backfire in an explosion, or worse… cause a mutation. And that is what Forest Rain could only assume; Urchin attempted an enchantment that allows her to turn into a hideous creature.

“Why does it concern you if I did,” Urchin barked back at the pegasus. “By the time you step hoof into the arena with me, I will destroy you quickly…”

A cold shiver ran down the back of Forest Rain, reminding him he has to fight her. And he is also reminded of what she can do: Urchin can morph into a hideous monster!

Despite her words, Forest Rain could see it in the mermare’s eyes that she does not want to go through with destroying him. He remembered what Tail Fin said to her earlier: (I know how much you love to watch others in pain.) Forest Rain knew that was a lie.

“Umm… about that sister,” Pearl spoke softly.

“About what? Me destroying that pegasus?”

“Yes. Brother has-”

“You mean that spineless sponge of a sibling we have!” It was easy to tell that Urchin did not like her brother, at least, not anymore.

“A-anyways…” Pearl was trying to brush the insult aside but it still stung. Pearl obviously cares about both her brother and sister and dislikes their qualm among each other. “...our… brother is finding your combat with prisoners too hasty.”

“And…” Urchin gave Forest Rain an uneasy look as he did the same.

“He wishes to have your new opponent use one of your enchanted items against you to make the fight more entertaining.”

The captive mermare gripped the bars as her eyes widened. “Which one does he plan on having him use!?”

“The trident,” Pearl answered quietly.

With no warning, Urchin transformed into her horrendous monster form. Her new appearance had her entire body the same color as her as her tail and mane was all the same. But Urchin’s body was more bulky and now wore four legs instead of two. Another feature was her sharp teeth ready to shred anything unfortunate to get within her reach. Her tail was the only part of her that was perhaps the same size as before. Nonetheless, it was still a horror to witness.

However, Forest Rain could see a different type of emotion Urchin commonly displayed when she stared at him.

Fear.

Suddenly, the captive mermare slammed her cranium hard on the metal bars, ringing a loud “tong!” in the water. Forest Rain thought she might be able to break out considering how hard she struck it. But the metal bars didn't even seem to be bothered, nor moved by the hard clash of bone on metal.

This time, Urchin swung her body and hip checked the bars, then the walls, desperately trying to dent her prison. However, everything held strong. Everything except Urchin’s wits.

Forest Rain watched his soon-to-be opponent throw a harsh fit in terror while her sister witnessed in sadness.

“That brother of ours needs to suffer like I have!” Urchin cursed loudly, shaking everything with every crash she made against any surface. “He told me he would protect my studies! And it was not my fault my experiment backfired against his betrothed! He wanted to try it on her!”

“You still should have not done any enchanting, whether he told you to do it or not,” Pearl squeaked over the loud rumbling.

In a loud cry of anger, the monster screamed, “LEAVE MY SIGHT SISTER! I WISH TO NOT HEAR NOR SEE YOU ANYMORE!”

In a quick dash, Pearl fled and sounded like she was sobbing. Slowly, Urchin returned to her original form and swam into a corner and laid down.

Forest Rain tried to understand what had just happened and wondered if he could have helped them. From his perspective, the stallion then noticed Urchin’s body quivering. Then heard huffing. The mermare was crying.

“Please make it easy on us both and not retaliate when we fight tomorrow?” Urchin spoke coldly with her words before taking in a deep breath and sighing.

“W-why?” Forest Rain asked with hesitation.

“Because if… you touch the trident… with your bare hooves… it will…

An almost sarcastic yawn escaped Coco Pommel as she tried to continue reading aloud. Fang sat next to her as he peered into the book, and was now distracted by the mare’s sleepy expression. “Tired of reading?” Fang asked.

After stretching out her back, Coco rested her back against the carriage’s back cushion and relaxed her shoulders. “Perhaps I am tired as a whole.” Placing the book down and scooting it away, Coco tried to look at Fang amused and not exhausted. But her drooping eyes said otherwise.

“Would it be alright if I rested until tonight?” Coco didn’t make eye contact, but Fang knew she didn’t want to be rude and think he was boring to her.

“Sleep all you like,” Fang reassured. “Who knows how long tonight may go on for.”

Scooting closer to him, Coco rested her head on his shoulder. Her swift motion made Fang’s heart pound in his chest. He was slightly worried that it beat loud enough to hear. “Can you keep me warm while I rest?”

Fang looked to the window with a flustered grin. The sun bled into the cart bright enough to keep Coco from looking at his blushing cheeks. “What kind of questionmare question is that?”

Coco got even closer to Fang, her heart racing when she did. “A typical one,” she giggled.

Just like light itself, not a single sound was made after those last words. Only Fang sat with his eyes wide open, looking around at nothing in particular. The only thing that was grabbing his attention was the love wafting off of Coco, the one he now loved. The flavor was so wonderful that it concerned the changeling. He wondered if he would become addicted to his food. Or worse; become like his brother. Never satisfied. Always hungry.

Something Fang hated about his brother.

In his peripheral, the lovely pink rose that was placed in Coco’s mane rested with such beauty. Fang remembered the moment he gave Coco the flower and slightly remembered his queen's wrath more when she found out that the rose he use was from her daughter's garden. The sunlight shined onto it, showing beams of light reflecting off of the dancing particles in the air. Fang turned his head to smell it so he could amuse himself for a moment. He took a silent breath through his nostrils to take in the scent of the flower. And to his shock, the smell along with the flavor of love engulfed Fang in euphoria.

Such a combination of the two, along with his personal emotions toward Coco, was almost too much for Fang to bare. He had no choice but to turn away. Least he might get carried away and do something… rash. Like confessing his love. That would end in tragedy and Fang knew that.

A small snore escaped Coco’s mouth. She was now asleep and the love ceased its movement. No more food for the changeling.

Comments

[Razzy]

Gah, just confess already, Fang!

[Shadow of doubt]

Its like reading two story's in one. Ha two for the price of one.

[Emperor]

Fang is so hard done by it hurts reading it. Hah, I wonder what the changeling equivalent of blue balls would be.