Thread 48: Stories 31-45

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NC addition.

>Jetset
“OO7”
_____

It was rare that they ever stood together like this, barely three inches between the two agents as they surveyed the winding down of a pretty eventful Nightmare Night.

Trick-or-Treaters were heading in… candy dishes were empty… lights were beginning to flicker off….

“Well.”

>Colored me shocked.

“...Nothing? Can’t be. This was almost….”

>Too normal? I concur. Barely a disturbance anywhere….

Turning away from the alabaster alicorn that was his queen, Jetset’s keen gaze settled on Applejack, his other sworn charge, observing the mare as she quickly marched, a slip of something held in her magic.

>Huh. Well, you know what they say about sudden calms.

There wasn’t a need to explain and Double-Oh-Seven merely nodded.

“That it’s only the beginning. Right?”

>Naturally.

The two nodded, facing out towards the settling land.

>With great delight.

“And a good fright.”

>“We hope you enjoyed this Nightmare Night.”

Glancing up at the eerie calling, a few colts and fillies would stare at the now empty ledge and wonder where that twin set of sinister laughter had echoed from....
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 ~~~~

If the rage inside her got any worse, Applejack swore she was going to smash the world.

Not just the weird, cave like area she was currently in, the whole world. In fact, if she wasn't sure that smashing the walls around her would collapse the whole thing on her head, she would have already done so, and with a distinct gusto.

So, instead, she was forced to simmer her wrath into a cool burn as she examined the area, looking for any way in or out from this place. From the looks of it, it fit the description of the area that Twilight said she and Cadence had been sent...

Wait, hadn't that-

“Getting real tired of your shit, Applejack.”

She hadn't even thought, just bucked wildly at the air around her, hoping to make a connection, but managing nothing but air. From seemingly everywhere, the voice continued.

“Oh, and now we're back to attacking me, are we? Fine.”

In a wash of green fire, Chrysalis stood before her, proud and tall as she looked down upon the shorter alicorn.

“You want to finally hash this out? I'm game. Your little friends aren't around to hold you back this time, what do you say?”

She wanted to.

Oh, she wanted to.

More than anything in the world, she wanted to dive at her and start wailing away, breaking every single shred of chitin on that bitch's skin.

But she didn't.

Not yet.

“Why.”

It was not a question so much as a demand, really.

“Not sure what you mean, Applejack, why don't you clarify-”

“WHY!?”

It was less word than roar.

“Why would ya' do that!? She just... she did it fer' you! She did it cause fer' some dang reason she jus' wants ta' look out fer' ya' and was worried Chitania was gonna trap ya' or somethin'! Ah' know! Ah' don't get why she would give two shakes about yer' big dumb buggy rear either, but she did! She was just... she was a smart little thing who jus' wanted ta' see the world and find everythin' she could.”

Her words grew distorted as she spoke, the weight of the situation weighing down more and more with every passing word. Ten was gone, she realized, she was gone and even though she had been right there she couldn't do a dang thing. All this power, all this influence, and...

“And then you come along and oh! It jus' ain't right that someone lies ta' ya' in case a friggen giant monster is tryin' ta' crush you, it jus' ain't right cause it ain't what you want! It ain't how you want it to go, and we can't have that, can we!? We just can't have anyone ever not doin' exactly what big ol' Chrysalis says!”

The Queen snapped forward, snarling.

“They are my subjects!”

“AH' DON'T CARE! Guess what, Ah've got a whole lotta subjects now, don't Ah'!? So does Shiny! But we don't go round killin' 'em if they tick us off!”

“It was treason!”

“So was freakin' Blueblood! So was freakin' Discord! YOU INVADED US!”

Her own untrained magic began to react without her control, sending cracks all along the ground outward from her hooves when she advanced on the Queen.

“You got the gall ta' say that ta' me after all we did fer' you, all we looked the other way on, all we could'a done or asked. We-”

“AREN'T CHANGELINGS!”

The towering monarch advanced right back, not a hint of fear at the waves of magic.

“I don't give a fuck how you treat your subjects, that's not how we do things! I must have absolute command, or my entire hive will destroy itself!”

“You don't need to! You just want it cause you just can't live in a world without yer'self in control! You just ain't gonna accept not bein' in charge!”

The tall royal froze, green licks of flame coming out of her mouth.

“Are you... planning to overthrow me?”

“That ain't what Ah'-”

“You are!”

A single hoof slammed down, a rippling shockwave nearly knocking Applejack off her hooves.

“That's been this plan the whole time, hasn't it!? Turn them to your side, promise them things, then cast me out!?”

Another step, another wave.

“Ooooh, it all makes sense now. You've wanted to get rid of me since day one, but you can't, can you? Because if you cast me out, they're going to follow. But you don't want that, noooo... you like having my subjects at your command, you like using them to make your own forces stronger, you like the power they would bring to your own, inferior army.”

Rather than stay down amidst the next wave, Applejack rose.

And advanced.

“That ain't true!”

They walked in sync, magic barely restrained arcing against the ground, clashing and mingling together as they neared one another.

“We both know it is! My forces outclass yours easily! We curbstomped you when I invaded, not suffering so much as a single casualty against your entire army!”

“Ah' don't care about how good fighters ya' are! It's you that' drivin' me up a wall and we both know it! You and yer' dumb games, yer' stupid plans, all of this! It don't matter how strong yer' buckin' legs are iffin' the head it's sittin' on ain't got a single shred o' sense in it!”

At last, they reached the other, mere inches from one another.

“I am the QUEEN. These are my subjects, and I alone command their wills, not you, not Celestia, not Shining Armor, none but ME.”

With hate, Applejack spat.

“Ya'll ain't nothin' but a big headed bug monster.”

Meeting it, Chrysalis spat right back.

“And you are nothing but a worthless mud pony with some tacky accessories.”

They don't know which one moved first.

In the end, it didn't matter, not really.

Both hooves rocketed forward, and met. A single clash of magic against the other. No tricks or skills, just pure, raw power landing hard. Untrained magic meeting unfocused magic, each as wild and crazy as the other.

And neither willing to back down.

“You will never take my hive from me. None will!”

“Always about you you you, ain't it? Never about them!”

“This isn't about them, this is about you wresting control for my power because you do not like me!”

“It ain't even about you!”

“Your lies are as worthless as your crown!”

“Ah'm not lyin'! Ah' don't care about you, it's about them! Ah' jus' don't wanna see 'em get killed cause their Queen is a big, daft, egotistical pile of-”

“SHE IS STILL ALIVE, YOU IDIOT!”

That was all she needed.

One brief, flickering moment of hesitation to allow for an opening. A single blink in time that would provide the gaping hole in her power to press forward through.

And send Applejack tumbling across the room.

Power crackled around the Queen as she resumed her advancement.

“Does this really surprise you, Applejack? Well, it should. Treason is not to be tolerated, no matter what her intentions were.”

A luminous grip ensnared the once farm pony before she could react, dangling her in the air helplessly as she was leveled with the harsh gaze from the head of the last hive.

“But there was a sincerity in her actions, I realize. It was not her fault, no... I see now, it was you. You convinced her to turn against me not with direct words, but words meant to make this for my benefit. I'm quite impressed, really. This is a tactic quite beloved in our ranks, very underhanded, but effective, no?”

Te alicorn did not respond, a strange look in her eyes. One the Queen had never seen on her before, but not one she was willing to question.

“It was very notable of you to make this event so public, but I feel I have quashed any further attempts. The matter is dealt with, my subject remains alive and furthering my cause, and your attempts at subversion are little more than a fillies play at-”

“S-she's alive?”

That, Chrysalis realized, was all she had heard. All that speech was little more than hot air.

“What?”

She began to shake in the grip, seemingly trying to wiggle free.

“Dang it... just... dang it, Chrysalis.”

The bitter, hateful tone was enough to persuade her to finally drop the alicorn.

“Why couldn't ya' just say that? Just... just say “She's alive”. I kept goin', and goin', and gettin' all worked up and then ya' just... ya' couldn't just say it?”

A snarl, matching the hoof that poked her orange chest in intensity.

“It is none of your concern, they are my-”

“THEY AIN'T THINGS!”

Red faced, eyes going bloodshot, she continued screaming.

“They ain't just things ya' can get rid of iffin' ya' don't like them! They ain't just pawns or little toys ya' can dispose of iffin' ya' get tired of them or they tick ya' off! They're... they have hopes, dreams! They think and laugh and they live, damn it! Stop actin' like they're nothin' but a bushel o' apples ya' can toss away iffin' ya' take a bite and they don't taste exactly like ya' want them to!”

Chitinous lip curled upward in offense.

“Stop pretending like you care about them. You just care about what they can do. How powerful they can be.”

Fast as lighting, that orange head closed the distance, mashing her forehead against the Queen's.

“Yeah, that's right! Ah' just care 'bout their power, right!? That's why Ah' worked mah'self inta' a dang frenzy cause Ah' thought ya' just killed a freakin' reporter who essentially told me ta' sod off and revealed mah' dragon pissed off the dang monster and almost got a train full o' ponies killed! That's why Ah' tried ta' go at ya' when Ah' thought ya' killed freakin' JUGGLEJACK! Oh yeah! Jugglejack! There's a soldier Ah' want in mah' army, yes sir! What a powerhouse!”

“Oh please, we both know you only did that to win favor with the rest of them!”

“At least Ah' ain't threatnin' them ta' get them to obey!”

“That is how Changelings do things!”

“Well, it's wrong!”

That black horn hooked around, locking with Applejack's own and tossing her to the side.

They locked eyes for a long second, either side ready should the other to make a move.

At last, it was yet again Chrysalis who did so.

Just not the way Applejack expected.

The Queen turned her back on the princess with a scoff, dismissive of the smaller mare.

“If you want us to leave, you will have to give them time to gather their things.”

She knew it was mean, but she couldn't help it as her own scoff bubbled up.

“What 'things'?”

“Their sleeping bags, dart boards, soap and other toiletries... I think a couple of them have plants now.”

Confused eyes fluttered as she tried to process what she was just told.

“When the heck did they get all that?”

“Couple days ago. Shiny covered the bill.”

That confusion gave way to an angry, almost hateful snarl.

“Course he did. Ain't gotta do nothin' but ask and he just does it, cause he never learns.”

“Not true, I had to fill out a little form.”

“Oh yeah? What form? The “Gimme yer' shit” form of who gives a fuck?”

“Nope. Nine delta B sixteen.”

Her mind started spinning at that, the words sounding so familiar...

“That's the one for 'foreign aide for current landless refugees'. Didn't know what that was? Don't feel bad, I didn't either, until I was recently told. Turns out, we qualified for it as soon as we got here.. But hey... who cares about some sleeping bags, right?”

Her heart began to sank as the realization hit her, bottoming out into the very pit of her stomach.

“Ah' didn't...”

“Didn't what?”

Her hoof started rubbing her head, just underneath her trademark hat.

“Didn't think of that, actually. Ah'... was still new when ya' arrived, ya' know.”

“Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know you became a double princess last fucking week, shall I break out the wine?”

The orange princess winced.

“Ah've been havin' a bad month.”

She scoffed again, dramatically rolling her eyes and starting to walk away.

“Don't pretend you care about them, Applejack. Little too late for that.”

“Ah'm not pretending.”

There was a raw emotion in there, unchecked, unrestrained.

“Ah' don't want ta' see them get hurt, Chrysalis. By you or anyone else. They've been through a lot, way more than anyone should've... Ah'm worried about them.”

There was a lull in her long strides.

A moment that sadly, did not last very long.

“Sure you are.”

The sarcasm was biting she walked up to the wall, and to Applejack's amazement ripped off one of the crystals sprouting from the ground and tossed it aside.

Then, just to compound her surprise, rather than the telltale SMASH of hard mineral against ground, it was a soft THUNK of hollow plastic.

“This place is fake?”

She chuckled as she opened the 'rock wall' that turned out to be more hollow plastic, revealing the door beyond.

“Yes, dear Auntie Chitania made the other place quite uninhabitable. So, I picked this currently closed haunted house for our meeting.”

She stepped out, into the open air beyond, at last letting Applejack get a look at the room she had only glimpsed with rage stained eyes.

“Why here?”

“Oh, you know, I like my assault on royalty like I like my songs. Out in the open for everyone to judge, so they can see how right I am.”

She glanced back one last time before she disappeared, calling back to the orange princess with a dismissive tone.

“Stop trying to usurp my hive, Applejack. You're nowhere near the level we Queen's think of as child's play, let alone my own.”

The voice grew quieter and quieter, until it was gone.

Alone, Applejack sat in silence for a while trying to process everything that just happened. Worried, and unsure. For the first time since she had let them in, honestly and truly unsure.

“...Ah' think Ah' made a mistake lettin' them live here...”
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 Being careful was not something it understood, really.

Yet, as it's extensions raced out, swarming the city and infecting any they could reach and hunting down more still, it was there. An outside viewer, one that was not consumed by fear and dread of course, would think the many things that followed it's will were almost being 'careful' as they consumed the fleeing masses. Careful to capture and consume, but not break. Never break.

For in it's most basic of mind, the thing understood. If it was broken, it could not move. If it could not move...

It could not spread.

And it needed to. Every single moving creature it could now consume would serve it's purpose. Extend, spread, reach out and find more, more, more. More bodies to carry it, more limbs to race outward. Legs, wings, claws, all the same to it. Something to fulfill it's desire, as basic as it was.

Take them.

Recreate them.

Make them like us.

...But do not break them.

It needs them....

To S̈́͒p̅̎̓r͛͐̈́eͦͣ͐͆̍͌aͥ͌ͧ͋d̓͒̑̊ͩ̃̃.
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 >Celestia
"AJ"
~~~~

>Rough night?

The mare in question just groaned loudly, slamming her head on her desk.

"Ah' don't wanna talk about it."

>Oh, come now, we've all gone crazy a time or two.

"Ah'. Don't. Wanna. Talk. About. It."

>Fine, fine...

"..."

>..Well, I suppose it has some positives, seeing as you managed to wipe out quite a bit of Paperwork already.

"What?"

She blinked tiredly, looking around the room.

"Ah' jus' got sloshed last night and collapsed at mah' desk, ah' didn't do anythin'."

Wearily, they both looked around the room, and the surprisingly low morning stacks.

>...It bothers me that I'm thinking "The world is about to end", when in reality it's more likely "it's just a light day".

"It should."

>...

"Didn't say Ah' disagreed."
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 >High Roller
"???"

The doors to the train station open, letting out their passengers into Ponyville, among them a chartreuse stallion sans the guard armor he'd been wearing the night before. With an easy-going smile, the stallion saunters his way into the station, sitting down on a bench inside the building. With a sigh and shrug, he picks up a nearby newspaper and peruses the pages.

>New political party in Germaney promises to restore economic and civil stability, claims of anti-Ovisism worry Ewish residents-where's the sports section?

The bench scoots a bit as a second pony sits down on the bench next to the stallion, a ballcap pulled down over eyes obscured by dark sunglasses, body hidden by a trenchcoat.

"Are you the guy?"

>I'm A guy, bro, what's up?

"Uhm, uh, aaaaah...sorrysorrysorry, I mistook you for theeeee...water fountain...repair...man. YES. THAT. I-"

>Bro, did my aunt, send you?

"Wha?"

>My aunt, bro, Lemonpop.

"I don't know a...oh...ohhhh, yeah! Lemonpop, yes, she sent me too...uhm..."

>Help me catch the cuckoo.

"Yes! Yessir! I'm here to help you catch the cuckoo! Right this way, my friend, and we'll catch ourselves a cuckoo!"

High Roller stands, giving a friendly smile to the nervous stallion.

>Sounds great, Mr...

"Noteworthy, but call me Blues."

>Gotcha.

"Follow me, the...bird catching equipment's at my house."

>Faaaantastic.

And so the two 'Bird-Hunters' were off.
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 >FD Mayor
"Assistant"
~~~~

It was with an all too proud flourish that the mayor of the fine city of Fillydelphia stepped out of the bathroom stall. If any had been around, the would likely be very confused at the odd jump in his step at this time.

Of course, it was very fortunate none were, seeing as he would have to answer some very unfortunate questions when a mare trotted out of that stall right after him.

>Sorry for the abruptness, but those reporters were sucking the life right out of me!

"Well, that's what I'm here for... apparently..."

He hummed to himself as he washed his hooves, not even paying the slightest shred of attention to her.

>I tell you, these days just get harder and harder.

"Well, glad something is."

>What was that?

"I asked when I could schedule your wife's return for you, sir."

>Oh. No worries, she's off with her mothers for the next two weeks, I told her I was still worried something might show back up.

"Like, for instance, her."

>What was that?

"I was reminding you we needed to still go to the opening for the new road, sir."

>Right, of course... might get an 'opening' on the way, too. What do you think?

"I think you are going to get so screwed over by this."

>What?

"I said whatever you like, sir."

>Oh, good. I do not know why you mumble so much.

"So I can voice how shitty it is I'm not even getting a raise for this."

>What?

"I said... sir, you stepped in something."

>Really? That was a really long sentence for-

Whatever he had been about to say became a moot point.

In the face of the fact a strange red substance had just consumed his leg and started climbing all over him like ants swarming a pile of sugar, all words seemed meaningless.

The only exception, really, besides his terrified screams, were the words that came out of the mare as that same swarm of red substance shot towards her. The last words she could speak before it consumed her face like a pile of sentient mist.

"Oh, thank Celestia. This is way better."
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 >Aztec Leader
"Aztec ponies"
~~~~

>Okay, so... it's been a rough year, not going to lie. We lost Mogogo to the giant monster, lotta places got crushed, and my attempts to reinstate the classic sacrifices to solve all our problems-

"""""""NO!"""""""""

>Went mostly like that, yes. But I feel this particular Nightmare Night was a successful one, really! Even though we were low on candy, on the whole we're doing alright. And we even got our new postcards in!

"The ones you had to write "No, we are not Maretonia, we are in no way related to Maretonia, we had the theme first they stole it from US" all over it?"

>Yes, those ones. Tourists will be flocking in!

"Because we're NOT Maretonia. That's your hook."

>I didn't hear you all have a better one!

"We should have pushed Magogo when we had him!"

>WE'RE WORKING ON IT!

"Stop it with the superglue, there isn't enough, it's not going to work."

>THERE'S A CHANCE!

"Give it up, man."

>NEVER!

"I just, ugh.. and Nightmare Night was a bad idea, look how many dressed up as mutants!"

"Right? Come on, Chipper! Look at yourself! You were going to come as a vampire!... Chipper?"

"Uh, hey, Bloomy? You okay? You look kind of..."

"...Like Grinder, actually, same red stuff all over you, and... and is that green moss moving?"

""""""""...""""""""

>Oh, fuck.

*HISSSSSS!*

>QUICK! SUPERGLUE HIM FASTER!

"NOT GONNA WORK!"

>...theeen-

"NO!"

>NO! YEAH! KEEP SAYING MY SACRIFICES DON'T WORK! I'LL BE OVER HERE, RUNNING FROM THE MUTANTS! WHATEVER!

"AHHHHHHHH!"

>I WILL FIND SOMEONE TO BLAME FOR THIS!
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 >Moose Lee
"Student"
'Old master'
~~~~~

'In... and out...'

Peace.

Serenity.

Absolute calm.

'Gooood, my student. At last you have mastered your body, and spirit.'

>Yes, Sensei.

'Good. For you see, I feel it approaching.'

>What, Sensei?

'A great evil will soon be sweeping this land. It seeks to consume, and take for itself.'

His student nods, resolved.

>I shall face it, sensei. No more shall I run and hide in fear.

'Good, my student. For it will take all of your might this time.'

>What is it?

'Honestly? Not a clue, these visions are so vague. You'd think the spirits that speak to me would be like 'it's such and such and such, here's a list of weak points and how you defeat them, and here's a list of when and where it will arrive so you can prepare', but nope! It's always great evil this or encroaching darkness that, never anything concrete.'

>Oh. Well, it should not matter! I am ready to face it, whatever it may be, will all of my might!... Well, okay, unless it's-

*SLAM!*

"SENSEI! THEY'VE COME! They shamble and take over your body, just as we feared!"

'...Do they moan and look like the dead?'

"Actually, yes! How did you know, Sensei, did you see a vision?"

'...Son of a bitch.'

"Wha-"

>EEEEEEEEKKKKKKKK!

Like a little girl, he tears off running.

"..."

'...The boy is terrified of-'

>ZOMBIIEEEEEES! NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPENOpenope... nopeno...nope...no.........

"...So, uh, what do we do-"

'I'M OUT!"

*FLEES!*

"...This dojo is nothing like the brochure..."
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 >Watchdog
"Orphan"

>Okay! So! Gloopy red zombie apocalypse! Just like Grandma Dachsund always said would happen.

"Mistah Watchdog, what're we gonna do?"

>Well, Billy-

"My names Gold Standard."

>Your father was a jackass, Billy.

"I wouldn't know."

>Anyway! The standing plan right now is to protect your orphanage by beating the tar out of every single red zombie that comes right through here, thus becoming a hero and hopefully getting a movie deal, or at least a comic book. That's a realistic goal, right?

"Uh...maybe. But what happens when the zombies go for the back door?"

>...

The Watchdog and his charge turn around to find the building is already swarming miniature Cordyceps zombies.

>Alright, new plan, Billy!

"Gold Standard."

>Shaddup! New plan! Pick you up like a hoofball and hope Applewood still has a hard on for heartwarming two person adventure stories.

"I always thought those were corn-EEEEEEEE!"

>SHADDUP AND BE A HOOFBALL! HIKE!
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 >Mayor
"Park Ranger"
~~~

"Damn it, man! You've got to close the woods, there's a monster out there!"

>The annual bluetree festival is coming up-

*HOOFSLAM!*

"I don't give a damn about your festivals, ponies lives are at stake!"

>...Was just saying we need to get the word out we're moving it to the other side of town, and then put up some fences so nobody goes in by accident.

"...Oh."

>You are always really pissy with me, is something up?

"Well, no, I mean, I was just worried that you were going to say no again-"

>I was wrong about the mutant ursa minor, okay! Jeez, will you let that go?

"It, uh... it's also the other thing."

>Other thing?

"Well, I mean, I saw you and your sister the other night kissing-"

>THAT IS A TROTALIAN GREETING! TOTALLY NORMAL!

"...Okay, you know what? I'm just going to get off the subject."

>GOOD! So... what kind of monster are we talking about?

"Ursa Minor covered in some red splotches."

>Really? Huh... are we dumping waste or something out there?

"Wouldn't know, but I feel like you should."

>Hrm... what did the red splotches look like?

"Well, like-"

The window suddenly shattered inward, and a pegasus absolutely covered in the stuff let out a devilish screech.

"...Like that, actually."
>...
"..."
>...
"...Fuck."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 >Rekulk
"Trainee Trader"
'Zombies'

>Hallo, Ponies, Rekulk is here to clear up the disc repetenancies-

"Discrepancies."

>Discrepancies! While we appreciate the sweets we were given, head of metal has clarified that they were not 'Nutritionally Fizz Weasel'-

"Feasible."

>Feasible for us to live off of! May we instead have some other kind of food?

'SCREEEEEEEEEEE!'

>"WE WILL COME BACK LATER!"
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 >Rarity
"Vekir"
'Arana'
~~~~

>If you are looking for pity, you are sleeping in the wrong building.

"OOOooooohhh~!"

'It huuuuuurts...'

>You ate all of your candy, Sweetie Belle's candy, my candy, Twilight's candy, the candy they were throwing out because it was stale, and in Vekir's case the edge of a table. What did you think was going to happen?

"Vekir... has... NO REGRETS!"

>Really.

"...BLARGH!"

>...

"Vekir has a few regrets."

'Miss Rarity? I think I'm going crazy. Where did that throw up stuff go?'

>...That... is a very good question...

~~~~~ELSEWHERE!~~~~~

*SPLAT!*

[OH COME ON!]
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 >Soldier
"???"
'???'
~~~~

Standing amidst the remains of what had been a short, brutal battle between his city and the one next to it, a solemn soldier looked around, bitterly scanning every single broken section of that land.

>...War...

He took a deep breath, passing by a crater without a second glance. What had caused it? A magical bolt from a unicorn? A bomb?

...Did it matter?

>War never changes. The faces change, the weapons change, the reasons change, but it's all the same. There is nothing new under the gazing sun of war...

He took a deep breath, letting the smell of smoke fill his nostrils.

>War is all the sam-

"HOLY FUCK! WHAT THE FUCK ARE THOSE!?"

'SCREEEE!'

"HOLY SHIT LOOK AT THEM! LOOK AT THOSE THINGS!"

"HOW TOTALLY NEW!"

"TOTALLY DIFFERENT IN EVERY WAY, REALLY!"

"WITH SO MANY NEW ABILITIES!"

"WHAT A DRASTIC CHANGE TO THIS WAR!"

"AHHHHHHH!"

>...Well, fuck you too.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 >Screwloose
“AJ12”
______

>If I could take about five seconds of your time to say that you’re an excellent little maid, I’d appreciate it. Okay, you stopped moving, does that mean I get the five se- I do? Well, I appreciate your hard efforts, pervert. When you’re not drooling over my hooves, you’re pretty adept at your job.

“Gee thanks, Screwloose. You must’ve known I was just dying for you to validate my work ethic.”

A sudden malignant grin chilled the room.

>Mph… I could give you a little taste of dying if you wanted, perv. Stopping your heart, watching that bead of light fade in those luscious eyes, then snatching it right back like a jolt to the spine.

Pausing in the act of snatching down some fake cobwebs from one of the rooms corners, 12 glanced over at his shoulder at the manic mare.

A red blush claimed her cheeks, she was panting and her tongue… that little pink muscle was starting to lull from between her lips.

>I can see it now… that look of fear, dubious trust… or maybe not even that- no, I’d have to force you down, wouldn’t I? Strap you onto the operating table, give you a few shots here and there to, ah… calm you down. And then-

Smack dab in the middle of her disturbing fantasy, 12’s mind wandered off.

Never mind putting their little outing on hold until after the Nightmare Night festivities, he was still baffled at how Screwloose managed to decorate her entire room in realistic webbings, carved pumpkins, lit candles and plastic pony skeletons.

All of that, in under seven hours. While still bound in a straightjacket.

“You frighten me sometimes, Screwloose.”

His abrupt admittance caught her off-guard and she giggled.

>Adorable. But honestly, you’re the only frightening organism in this room. Going through such lengths for someone like me, knowing full-well I’d love nothing more than to pull your hide apart and see what makes your kind tick….

“Well, sadism aside, you’re not so bad.”

>Hmhmhm, flattery will get you everywhere, pervert. Trying to earn yourself a second lick, are we?

“Maybe. But really, how did you do this? All of this?”

>What, transform this drab room into a nightmarishly delightful abode? Easy. When you possess the kind of dextrous hooves as I do, something like this is child’s play.

“Yeah, okay, even if I bought that, where’d you get the stuff from?”

>Oh, that was Tinsel. He wanted to get in on the festivities.

“Tinsel. As in, your little friend who fell down some stairs, snapped his neck and now can’t move on until you’re free.”

She nodded as though that were the most believable thing ever conceived.

>Exactly. Him.

“Right.”

>I’ll have you know, disbelievers get no special hoof time at the end of the day.

“I wonder who’d be more disappointed by that, you or me?”

>…Ha! Hahahaha, you… you’re getting better at this with every passing day, perv.

He grinned, saying nothing.

Her laughs soon quieted. A little too quick for comfort.

“Screwloose? You o-”

>Nothing can ruin a fun experiment worse than chemicals that react earlier than they should.…

Okay. That was vague as hell.

“And what’s that supposed to mean?”

>It means… when chemicals that are bubbling properly suddenly heat up and mix with other volatile elements, more often than not it causes an all-consuming explosion. Trust me on this, a third of my mentality is ruled by canine thoughts of licking my own ass and baying at the moon so I know what I'm talking about.

“…”

>Be aroused later, perv. Just make sure that when the inevitable explosion occurs, you’re somewhere safe.

The last bits of webbing were snatched down and 12 nodded at his handiwork before stepping off the stool and giving Screwloose the faintest of grins.

“I have no idea what you’re referencing but I’m fairly certain I was already caught in an explosion from the moment I stepped into your room. Anything beyond that… consider it the fallout. I’m not going anywhere until you’re free… Screws.”

The utterance of her nickname caused Screwloose’s ears to shoot up, her initial look of surprised slipping into something far more prurient.

Wordlessly, she lifted her left hoof, giving it a teasing wiggle.

>For that, two licks.

“Ha, you weirdo.”
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 It was working.

She felt it spread further and further with every passing moment. She could feel, just as it could, when it found a new host, something else to grab onto. A new body, a new means to travel, more more more more more...

But it wasn't enough for it.

Of course it wasn't enough for it.

It had no concept of 'enough', she knew. It only knew 'spread', and that was it. Everything it did was to this end. Every move, every calculation, was designed around that feeling of going further and further. It needed more hosts, not for any reason besides 'it wanted them'.

And that was fine.

What did it matter if it was only her, or a million others?

What did it matter?

She had already given up.

She was done.

Let it consume.

They were all no different anyway.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________