Title: Metamorphosis

Author: Nicol Leoraine

Beta-reader: Tania

Character(s): John Sheppard, Team

Disclaimer: Stargate belongs to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., no infringements of any rights is intended.

A/N: This fic was written for SGA LWFS Session Four, Warm Up Round. The prompt for the round was to write two stories in different genres, but to the same phrase. I choose Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The other story I wrote for the prompt is called Two men and a baby and it was posted here too. Enjoy and please let me know what you think.

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John Sheppard woke up unaware of having lost consciousness in the first place. One moment he was walking with his team, scouting the planet's surface, the next he was falling into darkness. He was lucky enough not to remember the landing, though if he should go by the state of his body, he must've landed in something soft. Or slimy, he realized with a shudder, when he felt the substance that was covering his skin. Disgusted, he tried to rub it off his face, but only managed to get some into his mouth. Sputtering, John rolled over and gagged at the strange taste. It reminded him too much of uncooked fish left out in the sun for too long. It was weird that he couldn't smell it though.

"Your sense of smell has already accommodated to us." Came a voice and John jumped, automatically searching for his gun.

"What?" he said, startled, not even aware of someone else was nearby. The planet was said to be uninhabited, except for some flying animals they had yet to see. The fact he couldn't see a thing made him feel extremely vulnerable. His fingers fiddled with the P90, searching for the light.

"You need not be afraid, human. We will not hurt you." said the voice calmly, and John hoped it wasn't lying, because his chances of escape at the moment were low. Finally, he turned on the light and blinked. His eyes took a moment to adjust, but when they did, John let out a startled gasp. What was standing before him was one of the ugliest things he'd ever seen, and he'd seen plenty of ugly stuff. This thing was white, almost translucent to the point that he could make out some of its internal organs. While it might've reminded him of a humanoid, there were no obvious joints. The first thing John's mind came up with was a giant earthworm that had eaten a human. There was no hair on its body whatsoever, and the skin was covered with a slight sheen of slime. John fought an urge to gag when he looked around and saw that he was lying in what appeared to be the carcass of another worm. Quickly scrambling to his feet, he pointed the gun back at the worm.

"What the hell are you?" He asked, and was rather proud of that he didn't sound like a scared child.

The thing before him shuddered in a way that could be interpreted as a shrug of a shoulder.

"What we call ourselves won't mean anything to you, human. Though I feel you want to call me Jim?" If there was anything that should've scared John more than a talking worm, it was a worm that communicated without opening its mouth, or whatever that crevice starring into John's face was. The fact said worm could read his mind should've made John turn on his heels and run, but all it made him do was blush, because he was indeed thinking of an old game called Earthworm Jim.

"I'm sorry. Are you really talking in my head?" He questioned.

"I'm not a hallucination, human. I'll answer your questions though, if you lower the light. It's quite uncomfortable."

John hesitated.

"You were lying down here for a while. If we'd wanted to hurt you, you'd be dead by now. Neither me nor my race pose any danger to you."

"You keep saying we." John slowly lowered his gun so it didn't point right at the worm, but it could still be used quickly if needed. "I only see one of you."

"I'm an elder of my race. The others are staying behind. They can't take the light and their communication skills are not yet evolved enough."

John thought about that, nodding. If the light hurt them, he might be safe, at least as long as he had battery. By that time, the rest of his team should arrive. He relaxed a little.

"How did I even get here? And, uh... I hope I didn't squish anyone." He looked at the remains on the ground, shuddering. What he heard this time sounded surprisingly like laughter.

"No fear, human. Those are the remains of the bodies of our elders. My time is coming soon. It was those remains that broke your fall and saved you from serious injuries."

"Uh, thanks, I think. I hope it's not sacrilege or something." John added, thinking about all the times the SG teams had been haunted down for simply touching a stone in a temple. He figured that if falling onto the bodies of elders didn't piss these guys off, then not many things would.

"You don't have to fear." Jim the worm repeated and John blushed again. He wanted to protest, but his radio crackled to life. John jumped and couldn't hold back a grin when he heard Rodney's voice.

"Sheppard? Damn it, do you hear us John?"

"I'm here McKay." He answered and heard the relieved sigh on the other end.

"Thank God. What the hell were you thinking, vanishing like that? And why weren't you answering the radio?" McKay started, not really giving John a chance to reply. He heard a yelp and then the gruff voice of the runner.

"Are you injured, Sheppard?"

"Nah, just bruises. Took a tumble."

"Where are you?"

Sheppard frowned. Last thing he remembered was walking in front of his team. They should've seen him fall.

"Underground?" he said, suddenly uncertain. "What, you didn't see me fall?"

"No. You went ahead around a big boulder. When we reached it, you were gone. No sign of a struggle, no trace. We thought one of those flying things might've grabbed you."

"You've seen them?"

"Yes. Not the prettiest things in the world." Rodney said over the radio.

"Did they attack you?"

"No, but there's several of them circling the sky around the place you vanished. They seem to be waiting for something." Teyla answered this time.

"What are those things?" John asked the worm, frowning.

"They're our elders. They won't hurt your team, human, if they don't hurt them."

John blinked, confused.

"Wait, your elders? I thought you were an elder."

"Yes, I'm the eldest one in this form. Soon I will be taking the journey to become one with the sky. That is our way, human."

"So what... you're like... butterflies?"

Jim the worm shuddered and John interpreted it as another shrug.

"Can... can you communicate after you change your form?"

"We can communicate between ourselves, but it would be near to impossible with humans."

"Okay," John sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. All this telepathic talking was giving him a headache and he was starting to feel a little claustrophobic.

"How can I get back to the surface?"

"You fell in through one of our trapdoors. Your teammates might find it and follow you here, but you won't be able to leave the same way. I'll lead you through one of our tunnels. It will take you closer to the ring you call Stargate."

"That would be... nice. What about my team? Are there any other trapdoors they should look out for?"

"Tell them to not approach any boulders. We use them to close the tunnels in time of rains."

Sheppard repeated the information to the rest of his team and told them to wait for him near the gate. When he finished, Jim the worm started moving and John took a step back, pushing towards the wall to make some space. The tunnel seemed big enough to allow the worm comfortable passage, though John had to pull his head down and crouch a little in some spaces. Still, it was fascinating to watch the ease with which the worm moved and the speed that was close to a fast walk. After several crossroads they finally started uphill. John couldn't help but look back, when he heard whispering voices coming from the walls.

"The others are close but they won't approach you human." Jim once again tried to calm him down and John rolled his eyes and pouted.

"I'm not afraid," he assured the elder. "So you'll become one of those flying things too?" John asked after a moment of silence. He'd rather have only one voice in his head that the incomprehensive chatter of the others.

"That is my path."

"How did you... " John paused, unsure of what he wanted to ask. "Were you always like this?"

"From the beginning of our memory, yes. It's a simple circle of life. First we are granted life in darkness, being one with the planet, not distracted by sight. Then, when our souls are ready, we ascend to the sky, so that we can see all the beauty but not be blinded by it. When our journey ends, we become one with the planet again and our souls will merge."

"Sounds...cool." Sheppard said with raised eyebrows. It reminded him too much of his time at the cloister and their effort to ascend. "I take it you don't have problems with wraith."

"They visited this planet only few times and found it of no interest to them. Our races never really met."

"Lucky you," John muttered. As they were coming closer to the surface, the worm had slowed down. John could already see bits of daylight pouring in through a small opening.

"Are you coming out too?" John asked when the worm came to a stop.

"You go, human. I will follow shortly, as my time has come. Now I must part with my fellows. Be well, human."

"You too, Jim." Sheppard said with a smile, and with a last glance crawled out of the opening, into the crisp air. After adjusting to broad daylight, John looked around. He could see the Gate and his team nervously waiting on him. He'd also seen the creatures flying above the trees. They were too high to give him a good look, but even from that far away they looked huge and majestic.

"Sheppard? Are you coming?" his radio crackled and he could see McKay waiving at him impatiently. Obviously, if there was no technology, there was nothing to keep his interest for too long. Or maybe he was just hungry and out of power bars.

"Why don't you come here, guys? I think you would want to see this." he whispered when he felt the ground shake slightly and saw a familiar shape plopping out of the ground.

"What the hell is that?" He heard a choked voice and sensed rather then saw Ronon pointing the gun toward the worm.

"Put that down, Ronon. He's no danger to us."

Ronon grumbled and lowered his gun, but didn't put it away. The team stood unmoving, frozen by the scene playing out before them.

"Oh God, what is that?" McKay moaned, eyes wide as he watched the worm thrash around, and then with one last powerful shudder, the skin popped and something dark started writhing out of it, all slimy and covered in bits of its old form. Rodney gagged a little, but still couldn't keep his eyes from the spectacle as the creature finally shook off its old skin and stood tall in its new form. It truly was like a butterfly coming out of a cocoon. The creature reminded John of something between a pterodactyl and a bat. The skin was dark red and taunt between legs and 'arms', making a working pair of wings. Two black eyes looked straight at John. With a slight nod of a head, the creature moved his arms, trying out the new form. After a moment, it was up in the sky, joining his elders.

"That was disgusting." McKay was the first to speak, his voice a little shaky, his skin a lighter tone of green.

"I think it was beautiful," John said with a smile and with a wave towards the flying creatures, he turned and headed back for the gate.

The End