A White Coat Turned Red.

by Evocator

What Lurks In The Night

The Everfree Forest is a strange place for many reasons. Could it have been the strange abnormal way that nature took care of itself? Perhaps it was the disturbing abominations of evil that lurked within? Or perhaps it was the only true normal place on Equus, and the rest of the Garden World was instead abnormal?

Perspective is a beautiful thing, as it allows you to answer these types of questions.

For example, the viridian eyes which tracked Platinum Cross's form throughout the entirety of his trek within the forest. It was very likely that he was seen as a type of Invader from their perspective. Only through direct confrontation would he know the answer for sure, and this was exactly what he'd planned.

As he came upon the wide river Platinum Cross's plan came into fruition. Quickly making his way across the wide girth of this torrent of water he immediately cast a mirror spell upon himself. He then made a quick turn to the right, coming into the dark covering of a tree's mangled roots. He waited for several moments, before hearing a very faint crunching of leaves. Acting solely on reflexes, he lunged outwards from his hiding spot, and he tackled the strange stalker to the ground.

Time seemed to stretch on forever during their struggle. Hoof against hoof, head to head, and muscle to muscle they battled for supremacy much like some type of hungry wolves over prey. Luck seemed to favor Cross however, and as his foe fell underneath him, pinned under his sheer expertise and strength he was able to finally lay his eyes upon his worthy adversary.

The creature seemed so foreign to him that it took him several moments to even realize it's similarities to an Equus Ferus. It was so close yet so different that it unnerved him slightly. However, being a stallion of medicine this did not put him down. Giving himself a sketch of this strange species in his mind, he finally began to speak.

"Can you understand me, strange one?" He asked as he held it down.

For several moments the air surrounding the two was tense. The feeling subsided as the black, chitinous creature finally spoke in an echoing voice.

"Yes, intruder. We speak your common-tongue" it spoke, it's feminine voice giving off an echo of dozens.

"Very well then. What are you, and why were you following me?" Platinum asked, his face twisted into a scowl.

"Would you not also watch those whom intrude upon your territory?" it replied.

"Alright. What exactly are you?" Cross asked, his eyes shifting over the form of the pseudo-equine.

"We are known by many names. The most common thus far is ‘’Scavenger’.” it said, looking tiredly at Cross.

"I'll let you up then ‘Scavenger’, but in the name of Celestia, if you try anything..." Cross told her, before lifting her up with the help of his magic.

Not even a full second had passed before Cross was suddenly tackled with three more creatures. Being thrown to the ground, he found back valiantly, kicking and bucking at his assailants.
CRACK

The sound of a bone shattering under force met his ears as his hind legs caught something mid-kick. Wincing slightly at the squeal of pain behind him, Cross took this distraction as his time to escape. Quickly he brought his hind legs close to the ground and himself, before kicking off of the ground like a spring. He was flung away from his attackers by the momentum before he broke off into a sprint.

Hearing the buzzing of wings and a few faint shouts Platinum Cross kept his pace. He weaved between the trees, above and under bushes, and finally leaping over rocks. As he ran he could feel his heart pounding in his chest as it pumped his adrenaline around. He seemed to go on for several minutes before the buzzing ceased. It was shortly afterwards that he slowed down, catching his breath.

Suddenly his escape was cut short as he was slammed into a tree by his side, dazing him. His vision was swimming with stars as he gazed back up at the apologetic face of the first changeling he'd ever met, before a wisp of green magic enveloped his body. He felt the majority of his limp form go numb as he was removed from the scene of the most recent ambush. While being carted away he could swear he heard the whispering of that Scavenger, vaguely mumbling only eight words.
"I'm sorry it had to come to this"

---

In the darkness...

---

For Platinum Cross, words were unable to describe the pain he was currently in. It felt as though every single nerve ending within his body was firing off simultaneously with pain. This horrible torture seemed to go on endlessly, ceasing only for moments at a time before coming back at full force. Every moment of his life at this time was nothing but pure agony, and it felt as though his body itself was fizzling away and changing. His eyes barely responded to input and he was vaguely able to spot colors outside of a neon green hue.

As this eternal torture dragged on for what seemed like hours, slowly Platinum Cross began to respond to stimuli again. First to return was his hearing, and he was able to slowly but surely listen in on what sounded like a raspy whisper. Shortly thereafter he began to feel again. The pain had finally subsided and in its place was what seemed to be nothing. It felt as though he was floating mid air much like being levitated, however it still distinctly lacked the warn, harmonious feeling of Magic.

Finally he summoned up all of his energy, and his eyes very slowly opened. He was greeted to nothing but darkness, and he immediately feared that he’d gone blind. After a short time of calming himself down, Cross was finally able to see that the area around him was merely very dark. Slowly, the details began to appear. First, he realized that he was in some type of… cocoon.

Next, he noticed that the area surrounding the outside of this cocoon was very dark, with a tinge of green to give it an ever so slightly noticeable outline. As he gazed outwards from his organic prison, several thoughts came to mind.

First off, he realized that the beings he encountered before were the most likely culprits of this kidnapping.

Then his brain came to the conclusion that they must be preparing him for something, due to the fact that they’ve left him alive instead of using him for food or slavery. However his thoughts were cut short when the pod broke open. suddenly, whatever was keeping him afloat was gone, and he quickly fell out of the pod. Covered in what felt like spoiled medical paste, Cross was unable to move for quite a time.

Looking down at himself in order to ensure he was still whole, he was greeted with a terrifying sight. His body seemed to have been replaced instead with what looked like a carbon copy of the being he’d met before.

His torso seemed to be made of a charcoal-colored material. Testing it with one of his tough, chitinous hooves he realized that it also seemed to be made of a similar, yet slightly softer material. His mind was panicking, knowing that this body was most definitely not his normal one.

Cutting through the panic, he was suddenly able to sense something was off about his magic. Quickly lighting his horn, we began to cast a basic-

SLAM!!

There was a monstrous sounding boom, as two needlessly-large doors opened much too quickly, bashing themselves against the walls of the room. His spellweaving was interrupted so quickly that he lost all sense of his magic for several moments. Upon gazing in the direction of the disturbance, Platinum was rewarded with a very intriguing sight.
Standing tall, seemingly as tall as Celestia was some being very similar to his current form. It sported both a horn, and insectoid wings. Its two lime-green eyes focused on Cross, and a smile was then etched onto its face. It began to slowly trot its way towards Cross, with its slender legs moving like that of a Daddy Long Legs moving towards its prey. It suddenly spoke in an echoing, motherly voice.

“My newest child. How are you adapting to the new for you’ve been given?” It asked.

Cross merely looked at it fearfully, able to sense the immense amount of both magic and some type of foreign power emanating from it.

“You may call me Chrysalis… And I, am your new mother” she said, before her horn lit itself. A thin green beam was flung from her horn before it struck Cross’s horn itself. The last images seen by Cross before his slumber were those of Bright green eyes surrounded by an all-encompassing darkness.

Author's Note:

Sorry for taking so long. I rewrote this chapter eight different times before I thought it was acceptable.