Apex Predator

by DarthRevan

The Open Road

The truck was barreling down the highway, transformed humans inside. Gray was driving the car while Stephanie was laying on a couch in the storage area.

"Where'd you get that thing anyway?" Gray asked. Stephanie turned towards him.

"Some house. Not like the owners were gonna miss it." She pointed out. Gray shrugged in response.

"I've been meaning to ask you some questions..." Gray began.

"What about?" Stephanie asked. Gray scratched the back of his scaly head.

"Well you help a strange dragon you found in the alleyway, obviously you have some medical experience. Second, you're were completely willing to leave Long Beach behind and travel with a complete stranger to the other side of the country. Despite the few days spent together, I don't think we know anything about each other beyond our names." Gray explained. Stephanie started patting her hooves together.

"OK, life story time." She told herself. "Well, my name is Stephanie Rivers. You should know that much. While o was born and raised in Long Beach it wasn't exactly the best life, blame my Mom. To get away from home I kinda threw myself into schoolwork and my teachers noticed my talent in Biology, Health, and Chemistry. They recommended Medical School." Stephanie's eyes turned downcast. "Between finally leaving home and the high pay I couldn't NOT choose the medical field." She said. "After I got my degree, I started nursing at the local hospital. I was going to work my way up but then this shit started. As for saving you and be so willing to leave," Stephanie paused mid second. Her eyes glazing over. "Those two weeks alone were Hell. No company, no voices, nothing. Just me and my new winged form. I couldn't be alone anymore. If that means leaving Cali' behind for New York? I'm willing to tag along." Stephanie finished. She began to look at Gray, expectantly.

"Oh!" Gray called out. "I'm Doctor Evelyn Gray. I was born in England but my Father's computer software job took us to America shortly after I was born. We moved around a lot when I was growing up. Didn't stay in one place more than a year." Gray chuckled. "Making friends was a bitch when your Father was everyone's boss and you were always the 'new kid'. However, my life changed during our year in New York when I was 17. I was already planning on moving out as soon as I could but I meet someone who furthered those plans. Martha Jameson. My future wife." Longing and nostalgia filled Gray's serpentine eyes. "She was a chemist. A teenage prodigy. Her formulas and ideas were breathtaking and stunning. Almost akin to her beauty. By the time, I was an accomplished engineer. I had already designed the new plane model that would make me rich. You see, it consumed less fuel and focused more on air power to keep it up. Allowing the fuel to handle propulsion alone. Anyway, we meet in the school science fair. My plane went up against her Fast Growing Crops Formula. Hers won, with the theme being the betterment of mankind. We began to talk and things went from there." An angry look was plastered on his face. "We spent the next decade designing and building the perfect energy converter. Turning biological matter into sustainable energy. The night humanity disappeared, a group calling themselves the Human Preservation Institute stole my converter. That, and finding my wife, is why we're going to New York." Stephanie laughed. If Gray had eyebrows he would've raised one.

"The Pegasus Nurse and The Engineering Dragon go on a quest to get technology back from people who are probably gone." She giggled again. "Sounds like a fairy tale." Gray sighed.

"We live in a world where pegasi and dragons exist. This is already a fairy tale." Gray concluded. The moment was ruined when Gray's stomach growled. "Sorry. Pass me up some food." Gray asked. Stephanie began digging around a food box labeled 'Really Bad Smelling Meat, Smart Dragon Only'. After wrinkling her nose in disgust, Stephanie tossed up a bag of beef jerky.

Gray opened the bag up and tossed a clawfull of jerky into his mouth. His sharp teeth tore the jerky apart easily. Gray soon devoured the entire bag.

"Strange." Gray said. Stephanie perked her eyes in response, something that Gray roughly translated into 'hmm?' "I ate an entire bag and yet my hunger as only grew. Give me something else, perhaps the preservatives are to blame." Stephanie hoofed over burgers, raw beef, chicken, pork, fruits, vegetables, and even bread. Eventually, the painful hunger caused Gray to park on the side of the road and tear into any remaining food. As each food item revealed itself to be fruitless, Gray became more and more agitated.

"Gray, you OK?" Stephanie asked, concerned. Gray turned and hissed at her, his eyes nothing but slits. Stephanie screamed and fell back. Gray's rampage eventually knocked over a box, amidst the debris laid a small ruby necklace. Gray turned towards it, feral tongue licking his lips. Gray pounced on the necklace and devoured it. He turned to the box of jewelry it came from and began eating.

Soon enough, Gray collapsed on the bed of the truck. Panting heavily. His eyes widened back into pupils and Gray gasped.

"My God!" He exclaimed. "Stephanie, I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me." He said. Stephanie cautiously approached.

"Whatever it was, it made you eat all my jewelry." She pointed out.

"I guess dragons eat jewels." Gray said. Stephanie giggled.

"No shit, Sherlock."

Comments

[Cheesejellycommander4]

Finding food for grey will probably be tough. Most collections of jewels probably don't come in high enough quantity to feed a dragon.

[JodiePonyPuddinAndPie]

Gray was driving the car while Stephanie was laying on a couch in the storage area.

I'm not sure I understand her reasoning on dragging a coach across the country? I'm pretty sure that ponies are small enough to fit into the carseats, so...does she think New York doesn't have couches?

While o was born and raised

While I was born...

Stephanie perked her eyes in response

I think you meant that she perked her ears here as I'm not sure how one would go about perking their eyes!

amidst the debris laid a small ruby necklace.

Wow, lucky that Steph has expensive taste or he may have gone really wild!

"No shit, Sherlock."

I must say I'm warming up to this character now that I'm getting to know her!

I like how Grays lack of control is being highlighted again, he must be getting pretty stressed. The only real issue I have with this update is that its two large dumps of exposition where they sum up their lives. It would work better if it was broken up into a more natural conversation. If at all possible - Show, Don't Tell. EG it could have been highlighted how few ties she had to her home by Gray noticing how few personal possessions she had bought or her desperation for company could be shown in her demeanor towards him. It's more natural and it makes a more interesting conversation to read, as we pick up on what they aren't saying by their actions.

[DarthRevan]

6531090 Thanks for both the review and the tip! Steph has a couch because pony sitting is more comfortable than pony-imitating-human sitting.
I'll make the changes when I get home from work. In 3 and a half hours.

[JodiePonyPuddinAndPie]

6531492 Aha, the couch makes sense now. Joy!