> Equua Mangia > by Equua Mangia > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > New Comer > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Equua Mangia roared as he he ripped through the rope strapping him to that god-forsaken tree. He fell to the ground, forgetting for a moment how to use his wings, before stretching the leathery appendages to their full span. His wings beat furiously through the air as he breached the canopy of the Everfree Forest. He had finally freed himself, and had to escape before his “sister” returned. How he hated her, but the feeling was drowned by his sensation of freedom. He was gliding now, his shadow skipping through the tops of trees, growing and shrinking seemingly at random. He smiled, his yellow razor teeth glistened wetly in the afternoon sun. He sang to himself, ancient songs he had heard from his father when he was just a colt. Songs of war, victories, tragedy, and bloodshed. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- He felt like he had been flying for hours. His wings ached, not used to the strenuous exercise after being leashed to a damned tree for so long. It was then that he saw the edge of the forest, and something just beyond. As he neared he recognized it to be a town. The colors were bright, seeming garish to him in their intensity. Equua Mangia flew closer to the town before descending, nearing a path just outside of Everfree Forest. He noticed a small cottage surrounded by trees, with animals and birds all around. He noticed a pony tending to the animals, talking and cooing to the birds and squirrels and other small animals. He ducked his head and drew nearer, slit pupils narrowing on the target, a timid-looking Pegasus of yellow and pink, butterflies on her flank. He tucked his wings close to his body and slid his lips together, figuring if she didn’t see the leathery bat wings or razor teeth, she wouldn’t realize until it was too late for her to run. Another Pegasus then joined her, blue with an unnatural rainbow mane, and spoke to the yellow Pegasus. He slowed, uncertain, and then began to trot. They noticed him nearing and did not seem to know quite what to make of the crimson pony, an odd fang design on his flank, with a long maroon mane and blood-colored eyes. It was then that the rainbow-maned Pegasus noticed that he had come out of the Everfree forest. She stepped in front of her timid friend and barked, “Who are you?” Her voice was rough and demanding, an uncommon trait in a pony, and glared at him with distrustful, rose-colored eyes. He looked up at her, cocking his head to the side curiously. “Who are you?” He asked back, his voice was smooth and could be considered charming if his tone wasn't positively dripping with blood lust. “I have to say, it is terribly impolite of you to demand somepony’s name in such a tone.” He donned a grin, his razor teeth glinting in the sunlight. “Apologize.” “Fuck off!” The rainbow pony snarled, digging her blue hooves into the dirt, as if prepared to pounce. Equua neared, an easy smile on his face. “Dear, were you raised in a barn? You certainly act like it, and if you wish to act like an animal, then you shall be eaten like one.” He flashed his teeth, licking them with a forked tongue. It was then the blue pony lunged at him, knocking him into the ground and pinning him beneath her powerful hooves, wings outstretched. “Rainbow Dash, stop it!” The yellow pony shrieked, tears welling in her eyes. The rainbow pony looked back at her, her resolution weakening as her body began to untense. She looked back down at the crimson pony coughing on the ground. Rainbow Dash stood back, staring uncertainly at Equua Mangia, unsure of what to do. He staggered to his feet and bared his teeth. He sprinted for her, thin legs moving unnaturally fast as he head butted her several meters. She yelped and fell to the ground, causing the yellow pony to scream. Equua Mangia looked at the stunned yellow pony, staring at him in fear. His grin grew wide, the flesh pulling back to a sickening degree. He galloped for her, jaws agape. “Fluttershy, run!” Rainbow Dash cried, staggering to her feet as a thin rivulet of blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. Fluttershy turned and ran away at full speed. She began to flap her wings, taking to the air just as Equua’s teeth pierced the feathered flesh. She screamed, flapping the other wing furiously as she tried to escape. Equua Mangia gave a vicious tug and the wing came free with a sickening rip. Fluttershy screamed and plummeted to the ground, tears flowing from her eyes and blood stained her coat. Equua laughed, then gave a started cry as he was knocked again to the grass. She bashed his skull with her hooves and he yelped when they pierced his face. He flailed his atrophied limbs desperately, managing to get an attack in and knock Rainbow Dash away. He jumped to his feet, but staggered when he walked back and away from her. He felt blood run down his face and he shook his head, watching with absent amusement as the grass beneath him turned red. He looked up to see if the Rainbow Dash would attack him again, but she seemed to be comforting the maimed Fluttershy, saying things like; “Don’t worry, we can get it reattached. It’s amazing what they can do with magic these days… Fluttershy? Fluttershy, wake up.” Equua Mangia jumped into the air, flapping his leather wings furiously. He felt so dizzy, and he began to wonder if maybe that awful Pegasus had pierced his brain, too. He began to tremble, and he could barely stay aloft. He began to wonder when he had turned so weak as this? He blamed his damned sister, then yelped as his wings trembled and he fell for a split-second. He needed to hurry up and find someplace to heal himself. > Sister, Sister > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Equua Mangia touched down heavily on the Everfree forest floor. When had he let himself get so weak? He was a demon, he should be splitting these ponies' heads open with a mere spoken word, so how was it that these ponies were nearly splitting his head. His legs buckled beneath him and he fell to the ground with obvious relief. Already he could feel his skin knitting back together, and he was glad that he at least retained his healing ability. He sighed and licked his teeth, tasting blood both his own and not. With the metallic taste of copper on his tongue, he slept. ---------------------------------------------------- His eyes snapped open to the familiar sound of breaking earth. He partially stood and leaped forward, feeling thorns drag deep gouges across his flank and belly. He turned to see a pale green and purple pony, curved horn illuminated as massive brambles sprouted out of the ground where Equua Mangia once lay. Equua pulled his lips back in a vicious snarl at the sight of his half-sister. Flora Veneficia glared at the red, bloody pony. "You've been out." She growled at him, lowering her head and relighting her horn. Brambles again sprouted from the ground, reaching for the now aloft demon. He spun and clamped his powerful jaws on a stem, ripping the plant out of the earth with desperate ferocity. "Flora, why are DOING this to me?!" He dropped the dark green and brown foliage to the ground, hovering in the air with a look of anger and distrust aimed at his sister before zooming off into the sky. He looked behind himself, looking for his sister, but of course she wasn't following him, she couldn't fly. After he had gained enough altitude he landed on a cloud. Maroon color spread from his hooves and infected the cloud as his hooves cressed indents into the fluffy surface. He tossed his hair out of his face and peered over the edge, watching as his sister walked away, in the direction of her home and his prison. Equua Mangia turned away and sat before experimentally flexing and unflexing his muscles. His slight frame was absolutely pathetic compared to what it had been before, and he couldn't help but feel a small wave of sadness from the loss of his strength. He watched as birds flitted past him, chasing each other and weaving about as birds do in the spring. Reacting as if it were a mere involuntary twitch he leaped from the cloud and stretched out his wings, darting forth and snagging a bird in his jaws. It squawked aloud, still flapping its wings and ruining them against his sharp teeth. He made it suffer for a moment, digging his fangs into the bird's tiny body before crushing it and devouring it, feathers and all. He enjoyed the raw flavor of the winged creature, though it was no match for pony flesh. He continued to fly about, banking and curving freely, chasing the birds or bugs that happened to cross his path. He enjoyed the free feeling of wind ruffling his mane and coat, breathing in the live scents of the forest and the far-away town. > A Reason > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- After some time he touched down again, watching in distaste as mud dirtied his hooves. It was then he heard voices approaching. He ducked behing a bush, observing from behind it. "I swear I saw him fly off in this direction!" The rough voice of Rainbow Dash barked. "Are you sure? He could still be anywhere by now... Besides, why are we even looking for him? If he can... DO that kind of thing to Fluttershy... Maybe we should tell Princess Celestia. She can actually do something about this..." Another voice that belonged to a purple unicorn spoke with uncertainty and a small twinge of fear. "We can do something about this! He's not that strong, I was kickin' his butt before he ran away. He won't be that hard to take care of." "Now wait just a minute, sugarcube. What exactly are we plannin' on doin', here?" A new pony with something of a southern drawl asked. "Make him run so far away from here that he'll never be able to come back!" Rainbow Dash punched her hoof through the air for dramatic effect, smirking. The purple unicorn again, "How do you know he hasn't already left for good? I mean, if you hurt him as much as you say you did, he's probably not going to come back." Rainbow Dash was silent at this, and the unicorn furrowed her brow. "Exactly. Now, we should just go back and tell the Princess--" She stopped at the sound of approaching hoofsteps. Another unicorn with an abnormally long, curved horn stepped into view, her coat a pale green and her long, curly mane pale purple. Her sea green eyes were downcast with shame as she spoke. "You must be searching for Equua Mangia." She sighed, looking over the three ponies. "You three shouldn't get yourselves mixed up with him. He's not one to forgive." She turned to the unicorn, "And please don't tell your princess. I promise I've got this under control." "Right, TOTALLY under control." Rainbow Dash growled sarcasically, crossing her front legs. "You had it totally under control when he ripped off Fluttershy's wing!" "Rainbow!" The purple unicorn admonished her, casting her an angry look. Flora winced visibly and sighed, "No, your friend is right. I'm so, so sorry..." Rainbow Dash glared at the ground, not speaking. Flora Veneficia looked at the purple unicorn. "I've been searching for him all day, and I haven't seen him." She said, purposefully ommiting the fact that she had found and lost him not an hour earlier. The purple unicorn paused uncertainly before speaking, "We could help you look for him. He can't be too far away." Flora smiled sheepishly, "Ah, no. I don't want to get you into any trouble." "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll be fine." The purple pony said, smiling and walking ahead. "By the way, my name is Twilight Sparkle, and these are my friends Apple Jack and Rainbow Dash." "Flora Veneficia." She answered, though still obviously against the idea of the other ponies helping her search for her cannibalistic brother. They began to walk as they spoke to each other, and Equua Mangia trailed behind them silently, observing. "So, who is he, really?" Twilight Sparkle asked suddenly, cocking her head to the side curiously. "Equua? He... He's my half-brother." Flora admitted guiltily, bowing her head. "I've been keeping him trapped in this forest far, far away from here. He isn't safe, but I don't want to kill him. He's the only blood I have left." "What is he? He's obviously not normal." "A demon. He's over a hundred years old. I've been keeping him for around 60. He wasn't always like this. He used to be... Better." "What happened to him?" "He started acting this way after Celestia destroyed his father. He became angry, very violent. But it wasn't until--" "SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Equaa Mangia screamed, lifting himself into the air with massive wingbeats. "You have no right to..." He looked at the ponies, the looks of surprise and terror on their faces. He felt a lump rise in his throat and bared his teeth at them before flying away. > Fluttershy > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Equua Mangia hummed quietly to himself as he sat on a dark raincloud. It seemed that the ponies were scheduling some spring rain, the last before the summer, and he rested above Ponyville as clouds were situated below him. He outstretched his wings and laid on his back, sunning his belly and relishing the power he had drawn from the frail pegasus' severed wing. "Did you hear about what happened to Fluttershy?" "I did! Poor thing, couldn't have happened to a nicer mare..." "And her wing--" "I hear she's in the hospital now." Equua looked over the side of the cloud to see two pegasus mares, one with a pale coat and green and purple mane, and another with a purple coat and blue and purple mane. They shook their heads and continued their work, pressing clouds together. Equua Mangia thought a moment, then looked momentarily at his body. He noticed his ever-so-slightly buffer muscles, and wondered how much power he could gain from devouring a whole pony and not just one measly little wing. He pulled himself to his feet and trotted across the wavy, hilly cloud landscape. He whistled gleefully and spread his wings, taking flight and scanning the ground for the hospital the mares were talking about. He perched in a window, flapping his wings for balance briefly before settling. He had to think, where was that poor, weak mare hiding? He stepped off the windowsill and looked around, noticing the room he was in. There was a bed-ridden mare to his left, her belly round from pregnancy. She was a gray pegasus with a long blue and black mane. He sniffed the air briefly, smelling blood heavily laden with the scents of woman. Equua Mangia trotted down the hall, and slowed when he heard soft crying. He stopped and peeked into the room, seeing a pale yellow pegsus in her bed, torso bandaged tightly. Her face was buried in her hooves, and over the sound of her crying she could not hear the door open and Equua's hooves against the ground. She didn't hear him until his fangs were digging into her shoulder and pulling her out of bed. She screamed as she hit the ground, her arm dislocated and useless. With another tug Equua ripped it off, causing blood to pool on the floor. Fluttershy screamed in pain, her other hoof rushing to meet her shoulder. As she panicked he crunched it, devouring it quickly before digging his teeth into her stomach, ripping away muscle and organs. Fluttershy screamed, writhing in pain as a doctor and security guards rushed into the room. He took that as his cue to leave and turned, snatching up the screaming mare in his mouth and leaping out the window, spreading his leathery wings and taking flight. His body dipped slightly from the sudden weight of the girl, but he caught himself and flew into the Everfree forest. After a short time he touched down, dropping the sobbing, bleeding mare to the mud. Her cries we growing annoying, he thought, and it was time to put her out of his misery. When he knelt to bite out her throat she unexpectedly kicked him, driven by fear and desire to live. He reeled, but then quickly dug his teeth into her neck, forcing her to be still. After a moment of sharp shakes he began to devour her, swallowing hunks of flesh and organ, snapping bones between his more powerful jaws as he sapped her life energy. He felt his body gaining strength as he ate hers. He flipped his tail and hummed happily, the taste and smell and sensation of blood and body over his senses was nearly a sexual experience for him and all he wanted was more. He raised his head, grinning over the body he had dominated and absorbed, proud of the empty, faceless THING on the ground before him. He licked the blood from his chops and left the corpse, flying away for the forest animals to finish whatever else was left.