She's fungtastic!
88 is one of The Lost Expedition like 32 and 77. Originally thought to have succumbed to the rapids in the caverns beneath Canterlot, she was later revealed to have survived thanks to the mysterious fungus known only as Cordyceps, a mutated version of the spores which attuned to the more insect like biology and used her for the S̸͡p̴͜read̵͝. It broke her and too her over, body and mind. After posing for a while as the construction worker, Canary Gem, the infection deciphered her pony side, and began its invasion.
After Cordyceps, she was rendered temporarily blind thanks to an accident, and hasn't recovered since. She is currently trying to re-integrate into society
Story[]
Before the story[]
She was one of those under the catacombs with Seventy Seven and Thirty Two, and the last survivor save for 77. The trauma proved too much for her, and she eventually just decided to let go in the river.
But it was not to be! The remains of the Cordyceps long past were underneath that water, and in her it found a new host. Soon, she was alive again.
And it would not let her die.
Revealed[]
After some time spent underwater traveling for months underneath the catacombs beneath Equestria, a mining party dug their way into one... and unleashed her.
She took the place of one of the mining operatives, Canary Gem, just as a changeling would. Under the command of the spores, she integrated in order to go from town to town, in order to leave behind spores for the day the invasion would come. Long since uncaring and unwilling to fight, she accepted her fate and let it do as it pleased.
Invasion![]
After being struck with an untested infusion meant to mimic changeling powers, Cordyceps could at last understand pony biology enough to spread to it, and in a flash it consumed everything in its path, changing them into indestructible monsters. All the while, 88 retained her consciousness. She finally reached Canterlot and began the invasion there, leading the way by personally breaking Cadence's shield that kept her other infected at bay. With this, she demonstrated a much better control of the Cordy than any other. All the while, she remained detached, sure that death was more preferable to this life.
Eventually realizing a straight attack would take too long, she was inspired by a conversation with Applejack to help the fungus create a bomb that would consume everything, and leave no hope for a way to fight back. The Cordyceps created a giant mushroom who's cap was as wide as Canterlot, and in the very top she resided.
After an attempt on her by Blueblood Bot, she was confronted by 77 and 32. After a drawn out, heartfelt battle, they broke through to her and convinced her to fight back against the infection. Though she could not overcome it in time to stop the launch of the bomb, when she saw Applejack take to the sky, she regained the will to live again
After the Cordy was defeated by Twilight and Chrysalis, she found herself buried beneath the rubble and ash, and personally fought her way up. When she found a blockade of stone in her way, she blasted it at point blank range to get clear enough that Chrysalis could pull her out. The blast damaged her eyes, and she is now blind, perhaps permanently, perhaps not.
Currently[]
With both 77 and 32 back in her life, she is struggling to cope with being a monster and her own disability.
But regardless of her struggles, she now at last knows again.
"I want to live."
+Thread 257+[]
[1] Changeling #77 thanks her for coming along with him and Harry as backup. 88 asks why he needs her when he has a bear on his side. Harry makes bear noises, but 77 claims 88 can't understand the bear. Following some accusatory bear noises, 77 then claims he's not lying. Moving on, 88 asks what happened and 77 says they have many questions, such as "why we had to stop and get coffee on the way to a crime scene." 88 says she wanted some so she could "punctuate the moment" and takes an audible *Sip*. Harry makes bear noises and she tells him to get his own coffee. 77 tells her to just put it down if they need to tackle someone since their magic won't be enough. This piques her interest, but he says it won't stay that way. At that moment, Berry Punch throws up, causing 88 and Harry to recoil in disgust. "Oh dear love it’s everywhere!" 77 maintains composure and declares Berry Punch "under arrest for starting a bar fight!" 88 makes a tired remark and punctuates it with another *Sip*. Berry claims that starting a fight doesn't sound like her, but remembers that someone punched her in the face. "Shit, I did start a fight." 88 calls it an "open and shut case" and takes another *Sip*, but 77 does a double-take and asks why someone punched her in the face. Berry thinks on it and remarks that it was pretty odd and that there didn't seem to be a reason. 88 tries to punctuate another cliche sentence, but runs out of coffee. Harry wants some, too, but she's not about to give him a freebie with no cash. With a hint of sarcasm, 77 states he's glad she's helping out.