Evolved Anon: Chapter 8 (Still?)

>You leap over a log and stumble down to the ground.

>He was so close you had him in your grasp.

>The scent leads up this mountain, a strange place to hide indeed.

>Perhaps the beast thinks you wounded enough to no longer constitute a threat.

>Perhaps it believes you to be dead from your injury.

>Perhaps it’s a fucking retarded animal.

>You like the last choice better.

>At the edge of the mountain you spot the fiend huffing at the air.

>It bellows into the sky before running further up.

>There’s only one place for him to go now, up.

>You walk up the trail and take your time.

>No sense rushing into a trap.

 

>You keep close to the mountain’s base as you ascend. One misstep and you’re going to start over.

>The sun hits your eyes at just the right angle to seer them into oblivion.

>You shield yourself with your hand and press forward, keeping your eyes down but ears open.

>There’s not telling where or when that bastard is going to show himself.

>You reach the dark side of the mountain and take the moment to look down at the forest.

>From up here you wouldn’t be able to tell what horrors hid beneath the tree tops.

“It almost looks beautiful.”

>”Of course it does.”

>You grab hold of your wrist and keep moving.

>”The silent treatment? Fair enough.”

>Just let it fade into the back of your mind.

>If you don’t acknowledge it it can’t really be there.

>”Lying won’t help.”

>You force it back down as you keep moving.

 

>You stop at the mountain wall, sniffing the worn rocks.

>The manticore fell to his side here, the rocks press inwards too narrowly.

>Something forced him into the wall, but what?

>You kneel by the edge and peer over.

>Couldn’t have been those spiders, could it? Nah. They’re a league away at least.

>The side feels strange though. You feel tiny indents drove through the stone.

>It’s perplexing that’s what it is.

>The sign are there, but no spider would venture this far away from its home.

>That, and you don’t recognize the smell.

>Whatever managed to hit that manticore had some serious pushing power.

>Much more than any mere spider could possibly exert.

>That doesn’t bode well, but if the manticore could take the hit so can you.

>If you can still call it that anymore.

 

>You whip out Twilight’s book and flip through the pages finding the glossary.

>Mountains, mountains… ‘Rocky terrain and plains.’

>Well this place is rocky.

>You quickly look it over but think nothing of the contents.

>Most of them are simple critters, vultures and the like.

>A deep squawk shrills from above, two of the bastards lurking high above.

“Sorry boys but I’m not on the menu.”

>At least you know how to cook up the bird. This book is good for that at least.

>Back to your quest to ascend the mountain.

>Damn this thing is big.

>Why can’t they have elevators in Equestria?

>That’d save you a lot of trouble in the long run.

       

>You come to another stop further up when the scent takes a turn.

>Right into a cave leading into the mountain.

>”Find it. Kill it. Consume it.”

>It’s got no way out from here. It’ll have to go straight through you if it wants to escape.

>Here’s to hoping things fare better this time around.

>Your shadow’s thrown through the cave entrance as you survey the brown interior.

“Here kitty kitty kitty. I promise I won’t hurt you… much.”

>Alright that’s a lie you’ll likely pay it back for tearing off your arm.

>You rub your shoulder at the memory.

>No one hurts you so and gets away with it.

>Your eyes dart to the back of the cave, the sound of crumpling rock echoing off.

>You bare your claws as you proceed deeper into the darkness.

>Time to say goodbye.

 

>Your eyes have trouble adjusting to the overpowering thickness of the darkness.

>The light from the entrance is all but a speck in the distance.

>But you can not deter now, it’s so close you can smell it, literally.

>You run your claws against the cave wall, a spectacular firework show of sparks lighting up your path.

>At best it’ll intimidate the beast long enough for you to strike.

>But you can’t fucking see it in this damn lighting!

“Show yourself!” you scream shaking the very foundation.

>You pant through your teeth eyes and ears trained for the slightest- *crack*

>The manticore tackles through you and sends you slouched to the ground.

“No you don’t!”

>You follow the speeding monstrosity as it attempts to escape before it stops at the entrance.

>It looks at the rim of the cave and then… it almost grins.

“You mother-“

>Before you can finish it smashes its regenerated tail at the loose rocks before it.

>The light disappears under the ton of rock left in the cave-in’s wake.

“FUCKER!”

 

>You pound the rock with your claws to no avail, the adaption not designed for this type of demolition work.

>It- It hasn’t gotten you yet.

>You won’t let it get away. You’ve got a promise to keep after all.

>Even with the entrance blocked off, a faint glow resonates from deeper within the tunnel.

>And if there’s light, there’s an exit.

>With no time to lose you charge through the darkness and follow the light.

>As you round the winding tunnel the light seems to disappear, only to pop up just out of your range.

>It’s almost toying with you.

>You slow your pace to a contemplative walk as you try and understand this development.

>What sort of creature could do that?

>But as you slide down a slope you don’t need to know.

>Light.

 

>Albeit it consists of circles on the ground.

>You approach one such circle and look up, the sky piercing the top of the mountain.

>It must go all the way up by the looks of it.

>The faint sage glow hits your back and you slowly turn to it.

>A single flame hovers tantalizingly above the ground in the center of the chamber.

>You step towards the intense ball and away from the light.

>This thing guided you here through the darkness.

>You reach your hand out towards it, the orb vanishing into the blackness.

>A smile creeps on your face and you give it a silent thank you. *click*

>All joy drains from your body as you hear that sound, your eyes detecting movement in the shadows.

“Well fuck me,” A pincer grabs hold of your wrist and squeezes down.

>You barely manage to dodge the second one that comes in at your neck.

>Fighting the pain you grab hold of your wrist and pull back towards the light, the scorpion’s rows of eyes coming into view.

“Oh fuck me!”

 

>Its stinger shoots down narrowly missing your head and shattering the stone behind you before rising back up.

>Seems you found out what gave that manticore such trouble.

>No matter how hard you pull on your wrist the creature refuses to let go.

>If he wants to play this game, you can show him what you showed those spiders.

>You shift your left hand into claw form and strike its bulky claw.

>Your claws grind across its exoskeleton harmlessly, using its other pincer to knock out your feet.

>Now on the ground you desperately fight to free yourself from its grasp, once again its second pincer coming in and clenching onto your thigh.

>Its razors cut into your flesh causing desperation to take hold.

>Barbs come thrusting out of your limbs, but it’s exoskeleton treats them as much as it did the claws.

>Christ this thing is strong!

>It’s stinger whips back at you, imbedding roughly an inch beside your head.

>At least that one’s gone.

 

>Your chest is impaled to the floor, its thick stinger protruding from your heart.

>Its mouth clicks at its dominance as it lifts you into the air away from its maw.

“What’s the matter,” you gasp as the tip breaches your back, “Had enough?”

>Venom gushes out of your chest cavity as your eyes roll to the back of your head.

>To think you were so confident of your superiority to these creatures.

>To think that you were the ultimate badass here.

>You’ve never been more wrong.

>A sickening crack echoes from its carapace, your eyes gazing upon its trio of tails hanging overhead.

>This is its cave, you’re just a guest.

>Rarity should teach him some manners.

>Its back creaks open in some abominable fashion revealing its true mouth, a host of razor sharp teeth breathing in unison at their feast.

>Rarity would tell him her mind.

>What you wouldn’t give to be there now.

 

>You clench your teeth as it begins to draw you in.

“Not dying yet!”

>You bring your claws upon your own flesh, letting out a bloody mist as your wrist detaches from your forearm.

>Before it has a chance to react you do the same to your leg and pull yourself off its stinger with your free hand.

>The fine dusty grain fills your mouth as you hit the ground, good ol’ earth.

>No time to rest, it’ll only take a few moments before its back onto you.

>You crawl away as your limbs regenerate.

>The puke up a gush of blood as its stinger finds your back, but you won’t let it have its victory.

>It might resist your claws, but it can’t resist physics.

>You roll over to your back, twisting its tail around your arms tight enough for its body to follow.

>Even with its many legs it can’t help but tip over with one last roll.

>Its legs grasp at the air fruitlessly as you untangle yourself and bolt to the wall.

>You sprint to the wall and don’t stop.

 

>Your feet press into the rock as you push yourself upwards, the next stop following the same process.

>Holy shit! You’re- Stop thinking Anon, this isn’t the time.

>…

>Alright it is pretty awesome.

>Ascending the wall you find the avenue of your escape growing increasingly thin.

>You duck slightly, speeding up when you hear a roar from above.

>If you’d just ran up the mountain side you could’ve skipped this entire part.

>Clairvoyance is bullshit.

 >Just a little more and- stuck. Fucking hell.

>You turn your head down to the cavern floor, its eyes staring back up at you.

>NOPE.

>You pull all of your strength into your core and thrust your arms outwards.

>The fresh air fills your lungs as you pull yourself free from the spire.

>And right in front of that fucking manticore.

“Out of the frying pan…”

 

>You dig your fingers into the dirt as you slide across the mountain top.

>Standing up you brush yourself off and clear your throat.

“Thank you, I needed a stretch.”

>The manticore charges you but you stand your ground.

>Whipping your hand back you throw a flurry of barbs into the manticore’s face.

>You count down as the toxin spreads, your virus’s venom combating his own.

>Its paw trips and he grinds to your feet.

“Miss me?” you ask grabbing him by the mane, the hair ripping out in your hand.

>You shake your hand off as it struggles to get up.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

>His spikes quiver and you raise your foot to- *phew*

>You blink dumbfounded and lower your leg.

>You touch your neck, plucking out the barb imbedded to the side.

“Mother…”

>The dirt feels better anyways.

 

>You should probably get up. What? You’re muscles don’t want to move?

>Meh, lying here is fine by you too, not like your life’s in danger.

>The sky looks nice this time of year, clouds hovering lightly in the sky, vultures descending to pluck out your eyes.

>You know, the usual.

>Horse shit, really. Since when did you do this?

>You’ve spent all your time kicking back and enjoying the sun.

>It’s like what you’re doing now except not paralyzed and going to be eaten.

>Not that different really, just a lot more exciting.

>You wiggle your fingers, one of the vultures landing on the manticore who growls softly.

>At least if they’re eating him first you’ll last a bit longer.

>Wait a second, the entire reason you came was because he might infect others.

>And that means you’ll have to protect him while trying to kill him.

>Quests are garbage.

 

>Before you can get up one of the flying beasts lands on your leg.

>You get a look at its outstretched wings rattling in the wind in a way you’ve never head before.

>Its claws dig into your leg slightly as it turns to its slithery neck to you.

>A pair of fangs juts from its mouth as it plunges into your chest, but you can’t even feel it over the toxin.

>Your stomach churns, your skin clutching onto the vulture-snake’s fangs when it attempts to pull away.

>Should’ve picked some better prey.

>Your chest cavity sinks in and a volley of thin tentacles come grasping out at the vulture who squawks passionately as it’s pulled away.

>You hum as you feel it trying to peck its way out of your stomach, a sickening crack is shortly followed by silence.

>Delicious.

 

>Renewed with your meal you stand up slowly, the strange birds flocking away.

>You kick the last bird off the feeble manticore.

“You alright kid?”

>It responds with another weak growl, struggling just to keep its eyes open.

“Good to know,” You look around you, “Beautiful view wouldn’t you say. To die for, I might add.”

>He doesn’t like the sound of that and struggles to get his claws beneath him.

>You shh him and stroke his claw you would a pet’s.

“Don’t strain yourself deary, showoffs don’t go far with the ladies. One told me so herself, though, in a far less crude manner.”

>Looking at his weakened form you want to feel sorry for it, he didn’t even- Oh wait a second!

>Your memory jogs and you grab hold of his foreleg by the top.

“Do you agree with the phrase, ‘An eye for an eye’?

>With one clean swipe of your claws you cut off his leg.

“Because I sure do.”

 

>You discard the lump of flesh to the side, the mere sight of the limb disgusting you.

>This is nothing more than a tainted creature, a cancerous growth that needs to be cut out.

>But you’re in more or less a merciful mood if such a thing exists.

>You hear the rumbling before you feel it, the mountain rock violently quaking.

“After I deal with an old friend you’ll be next alright?”

>The manticore owed you an arm, but this guy owed an arm and a leg.

>A fissure of stone spews out its carapace hammers through the spire and sends it crashing down on the mountain side.

>Its trains its many eyes on you as you kick a bird away from the manticore’s limb.

“So… Ready for round two?”

>It clicks its incisors and brandishes its trio of tails, a dollop of venom simmering off the end.

>You crunch the limb beneath your foot, tendrils devouring it into your calf giving you the strength to push out the last of the venom.

“I won’t be so easy this time.”

 

>You walk up to the scorpion nonchalantly and await its move with your eyes catching the slightest change in motion.

>It’s center tail lunges at your chest, but finds itself lodged squarely under your armpit.

“If you can’t scratch it,” you raise your arm, “Crack it.”

>The sensual shattering of bone almost arouses, alas, exoskeletons don’t bring the same thrill.

>You duck under another tail and pull it over your shoulder, the beast’s tendons slurping as you rip them from its body.

>The mangled flash looks good not to eat, and that’s just what you do.

>You’re not sure if the creature can feel fear, but sure as hell does now.

>The skin beneath your clothing begins to compress as its last tail hits you square in the chest.

>But this time, it responds with merely a thud as its stinger cracks upon impact.

“Bad idea,” you reply as the skin of your head darkens and solidifies with an extra layer of armor.

 

>Using your enhanced strength you swing the beast by the tail over your head and onto its back.

>You pull it back to you through the rock and eye its soft underbelly.

“Weak spot.”

>You pummel into its stomach again and again and after your punishment its armor gives.

>Claws jut forth within it’s and you shred as much of it as you can.

>At least you did before one of its flailing legs knocks you on your ass.

>You rub your jaw and lick your fingers clean. Needs salt.

>The creature flips back overhead and whizzes over to you in a flash, his pincer finding your torso.

>It lifts you into the air and you can’t help but feel like you’ve been here before.

>It’s carapace opens up and you suddenly remember why.

>All those beautiful rows of teeth, you’re fairly certain you haven’t had any before.

>The slab seals you in as its incisors come slicing into you.

 

>The teeth try their damndest, that much you’ll give them, but as for how well it works? 1/10.

>Your clothes melt into your skin as the scorpion’s innards try and fail to devour you.

>You push your hand into the inner lining and find it remarkably squishy.

>This thing’s had a long day and a nice meal is just what it’d need. Yourself, not the scorpion.

>Pulling your arms in you shiver and shake as you wind up a whirlwind within.

>Tendrils cut free of your thickened skin and delve into the fleshly walls around you.

>The creature slumps to the floor with a low thud, light piercing the top of its exoskeleton.

>You pry your hands through and burst back from its stomach, the last pieces of the creature melding into your own.

“Should watch what you eat,” you explain to the birds, “It might give you a wicked bad tummy ache.”

>You step out from its hollow corpse.

>Now that he’s done, all that’s left is…

>The manticore that’s disappeared.

 

>You silently curse yourself for letting him get away.

>Perhaps… Screw it, it still has some memory.

>You hold your head as you go channel surfing through your mind.

>Snowflake, Bear, Spider, Lightning Dust… Scorpion.

>Ticking away in the cave, light vanishes, creature enters.

>You retreat, pull it deeper, it follows, so close.

>Tail thrust, barely miss, the creature’s startled, it runs.

>These memories are getting you nowhere.

>It’s you, scrapping your claws on the wall, the flame flickers.

>Fast-forward, trap, escape, anger.

>Devour, the creature limps away, you move but the pain- It falls… so do you.

>You run and lean over the edge, the manticore’s tail disappearing back into the forest.

“That clever mother…”

>You leap off the mountain top and crash fist first into the floor.

>Back into the forest it is.

 

“Come on out you little fucker,” you chirp in the darkness climbing through the brush blindly.

>You brush aside a row of ferns, greeted by more forest.

>This cat is getting on your nerves.

>Time and time again you could’ve gotten him, but you just- fail to get the job done.

>You stopped counting the days after the mountain incident.

>The poison had slowed him, but you made the mistake of keeping your armor up which slowed you just as much.

>By the time you realized this though he’d recovered and put a gap between the two of you.

>It took you some time to track him down.

>You caught him by the waterfall once before, but your feet fell over the slippery stone and alerted it to your presence.

>After you’d rung out your clothing he’d already gone.

>But still, you felt as if eyes were upon you.

 

>You didn’t let it get to you then seeing as how that very same feeling encompasses this entire place.

>But you always made sure to look over your shoulder every once and a while.

>It never hurts to watch out right?

>You trudge onwards before stopping midstride.

>You look through the darkness at the hundreds of eyes that silently observe.

>They’ve snickered at your failures, bellowed at your hardships.

>All you had to do was find one manticore but…

“I’m tired,” You lean against a tree and slump to the floor, “I can’t do this forever.”

>Everything was set in the right path for you.

>A new home, new friends, new faces.

>You dig into your leg. But this guy wouldn’t let it be.

>Then one simple drive, a fleeting quest turned sour when it turns your world upside down.

 

>You could’ve made a new life here, you really could’ve.

>Maybe not free from the infection, but free from the persecution of others.

>Your friends would be there for you.

>That’s more than you could say for anyone else.

>Friendship is such a fragile thing and you gave it up, for what? This?

>You shuffle through the different forms you’ve acquired with disgust.

>No form or weapon is worth having to abandon your friends.

>You look longingly to the back road, the viney trail a tempting path back to civilization.

>But then your mind wanders to the future of what is to come if you don’t see this through.

>Fields of red, bloody and dark, abominations only your mind could forge roaming the rooftops.

>You can feel the town burn with the infection yet there is no flame.

>Your friends would gather helplessly to defend themselves and try as you might, with all your strength you are but one.

>”They will die,” the voice whispers, “Each and every one of them.”

 

>There’s no victory here. Pieces of flesh have been scattered about like pollen in a summer’s breeze.

>You wanted to end the spread, not stoke the fire.

>The hunger returns like an old friend as the voice plagues your mind.

>Maybe it’s right after all. The end is inevitable, but if you… *snap*

>You whiz around to the snap of a twig, the purple glow both alarming and soothing.

“I thought I told you to head back to Ponyville.”

>”And I thought I told you to kick some flank for me,” Twilight jokes, “I guess we both couldn’t keep that promise.”

>She looks over you with her magical illumination, “You don’t look good.”

“Just about how I feel.”

>”I shouldn’t have let you go alone.”

“You would’ve dead if you followed.”

 

>She sits next to you.

“Should I bother asking how you found me this time?”

>”No. It’d only worry you.”

“That answers me more than the actual answer probably would.”

>She nods and looks away from you, “How safe is it?”

>There’s really no telling, but it seems to have subsided for now.

“Not good, but well enough I suppose. I still have some sanity left in me,” you attempt to joke.”

>It falls flat by the look on her face.

>”That’s not funny.”

“I know, that’s my point.”

 

>You grip your head and lean forward.

“I’m losing it, faster than before. Every fight makes it stronger and makes me weaker.”

>”You can control yourself Anon, I believe in you. We all do.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, but words won’t help me. Nothing in this world can.”

>She moves beside you and wraps a hoof around your shoulders.

>”I remember when you got flustered back in the ruins. Nothing I said worked, remember?”

“Yeah. You interrupted a perfectly good meal,” you laugh lightly.

>”Do you know how I got you to calm down?”

>She said her name.

>”I see it in your eyes. You’re still in there.”

“I’ve got a little left.”

 

>She rubs your shoulder, “Rarity is what’s keeping you from turning. It doesn’t matter how strong that junk in here gets,” she taps your chest. “She keeps you strong up here.”

>She knows just what to say to put you back on the horse.

>”So if Rarity was here, what would she want you to do.”

“First she’d want me to stop ruining her clothes.”

>Twilight rolls her eyes, “And then?”

>You stand up and look back into the woods.

“She’d tell me to get a move on and save the day.”

>She turns back and whistles sharply, five others coming through the foliage.

“Fluttershy?”

>”Fluttershy.”

>Like anyone else could track you this fast.

>You freeze up as one of them trots towards you.

 

>”You leave without a word in the dead of night only to find you with my dirtied attire? What kind of gentlecolt are you?”

>You avoid her gaze as she walks up closer.

>”Anything to say for yourself?”

>You shake your head and look down.

>”Well perhaps you wouldn’t mind if I share my own thoughts on this matter.”

“Go right ahead.”

>She’s going to hit you right where it hurts, you can feel-

>Her hooves around you?

>”I’m so glad to see you safe.”

“B-but the clothes-“

>”I’m just happy you’re alright.”

>You smile and return the hug.

“You too.”