Anon and Doppel: Change of Face

>The days with Doppel turned to weeks, and then to months
>At least, it seemed that long
>Each day was a fight against hunger, thirst, and depression
>Each day, Doppel's hope of being rescued was eroded
>Each day, your frame became less and less nourished, and soon you were looking more like a skeleton
>And each day, your stubbornness had seen you through
>You simply refused to die to easily, and carved out a meek living in the cave and surrounding area
>Doppel had made it look more like her home hive, the cavern walls covered in a strange green substance, and your beds turned into pods of some sort
>They looked eerily like the eggs from 'Alien', and even opened up like them too, and were filled with some kind of goop
>You would sit down in them, and the pod would close, the amount of the substance just at your chin so you didn't suffocate
>You were a bit skeptical about sleeping in them at first, but the goop had a strange relaxing sense about it, and when you woke up, you were very refreshed
>They became in disposable tools when food was scarce, since going to sleep without food does one hardly any good
>Doppel was proud of her work, and sort of bragged about it from time to time
>That is not to say your accomplishments weren't boast worthy either

>You became well versed in the schools of herbalism, mycology and camouflage
>You knew which berries and mushrooms were good to eat, which were bad to eat, and which were good for medicine
>You had built a makeshift ghillie suit, out of your decaying clothes, making you look as if you were a part of the forest
>You would explore farther and farther away from the cave because of it, and you made a discovery
>Ponies who got on the wrong end of the local wild life
>Their bodies either rotting flesh or weathering stone, you pillaged their goods for your own benefit
>You even brought a few of the statues along, giving Doppel some forms to copy and occupy her time when she wasn't hunting
>And sometimes, once in a blue moon, you would find a corpse that was not yet rotten, and mostly in tact
>And then you were able to become versed in the school of butchery

>Pony flesh was tender, chewy, soft, and delicious
>Each caste seemed to have it's own unique properties when consumed
>Earth ponies were full and hearty, and you felt stronger after a meal of them
>Pegasus flesh was light and not quite filling, but oh so tender and had a slightly sweet taste to it
>The wings were too bony to eat, but the feathers from them made for excellent decoration in your abode
>You had yet to taste the flesh of a unicorn, but you chuckled to yourself, knowing it taste magically delicious
>Doppel almost stabbed you with her horn for that one
>While pony flesh was a boon to your physical health, it had eroded your mental health
>You were eating the flesh of a sentient creature, after all
>But they were already dead, and some other predator would eat them anyway, so it was alright
>You felt. . .evil, doing this
>But it kept you alive, and in return, kept Doppel alive
>So that's all that mattered
>You thought yourself a monster, but Doppel thought you a hero
>And the universe seemed to want to make you the former

>One night, after a feast of cockatrice flesh, you were exhausted
>You had gone as far as you have ever from the forest, not looking to scavenge, but looking for a way out
>It was becoming increasingly apparent that the others were not coming for her, and you needed to leave
>Find some village to plague, some emotions to feast upon, anything would be better than this damnable forest and the constant threats it posed
>You found a place where the forest thinned, and there seemed to be a pathway leading. . .somewhere
>Either way, you would present the option of escape to her, and then you would leave
>But for now, you would rest
>And your rest was a troubled one
>Your dreams were filled with the wailing of dead ponies, likely the ones you consumed
>Hateful eyes looked upon you form one side, and yet loving ones from another, those of the Changelings
>'You're a monster!' 'You're a hero!' was the call from both sides
>It was starting to become hard to tell which was which
>You looked at your hands, seeing them stained with blood
>And then the blood darkening, and spreading across your body
>It covered your flesh in a black, chitinous carapace, your hands becoming claws
>The horn of a Hercules beetle burst from your forehead, gnarled and black and throbbing with horrible energy
>Your eyes turned a solid, glowing blue, and your canine teeth growing to the point where they stuck from your mouth
>You screamed as the changes ripped trough your body
>You screamed, and thrashed, and tried to rip the chitin off
>And then you burst from the pod, startling an already awake Doppel
>She gasps, and bids you to look at your hands
>You do, and dread overcomes you

>They look exactly like they did in the dream
>Horrible, sharp, and black
>You took stock of yourself, and were thankful to find you hadn't completely lost yourself
>The carapace had not claimed your flesh fully, as there was still some of your pale skin here and there
>You didn't have a horn, and your eye color had only changed into that vibrant blue hue
>The pod had been destroyed, and goop was everywhere, and Dopple seemed concerned
>/This. . .this is. . ./ She said in your mind, shocked. /I didn't think that it could happen. . .!/
>The bits of carapace and chitin quickly shift, however, into a more stony looking appearance
>You looked as if you were a golem, made of stone and rock, but it didn't seem to encumber you at all
>She blinks, but you smile
>Your body had not been changed, but your clothes
>Some how, they had gained the ability to shift to their surroundings
'I'm alright. Don't worry about me. That'll just distract you from the trip.'


>/Trip? what trip?/ She asks, tiling her head.
'I found a path near where the forest thins. And hopefully, there is a town there. We will find it, get out of this damn forest, and feast upon flesh and feelings.'
>Her eyes widened as she spoke, and her excitement seemed palpable
>She smiled, delighting in your emotions of hope and conviction. /Let's not waste any time! Come on!/
>She ran to the front of the cave, and you followed along
>Your mind lashed out at you, berating you for doing such an arduous task without proper planning or supplies
>But you were dead set on getting out of here, come hell or high water


>The two of you walked, remaining close to the river, following the path you did yesterday
>Your outfit had shifted to the ghillie suit, but much more refined
>You made a joke about being the evil Mossman, which made her laugh and smile
>If nothing else, this trip would be one of joy rather than hardship
>You asked what happened to her, and she told you about the odd effects of Changeling magic
>Sometimes, either by force or by willingness, a pony would be converted into a Changeling using a pod like the ones you slept in, but modified with transformation goop instead of resting goop
>She was surprised when she saw you like that, saying that the combination of being with her for so long and being exposed to the goop must have made your suit 'alive', making take on the properties of what was around it
>She would try to teach you about controlling it, but you told her not to worry, since you had a task at hand
>The two of you walked till the bottoms of your hooves and feet hurt, and walked some more
>The forest began to thin, with it the source of mushrooms and berries to eat
>The path eventually came before you, making traveling easier
>Night eventually fell, and you were well along the path, both of you tired and exhausted
>The forest was still a bit thick, so you would make camp here and resume tomorrow
>While Doppel crafted a makeshift lean-too with her magic, you scouted a head a bit to see if there was anything to eat
>And then you came across a sign, a wooden arrow pointing down the path with some text painted on
>You couldn't read it, the language being something foreign too you, so you asked Doppel to come with you and read it for you
>You smiled as you words were read to you in your mind
'Ponyville - 300m '